Question

The author's statement might be weakened by pointing out that A. eight hours of sleep is a cultural, not a physical, requirement. B. the most capable people rarely sleep. C. rest is a positive contribution to knowledge and capability. D. young children enjoy themselves less than knowledgeable adults. E. people rarely waste time during their waking hours.

Short answer

The statement that weakens the author's argument is: 'rest is a positive contribution to knowledge and capability.'

Step-by-step solution

Analyze each statement

Understanding what each statement says and implies is the first step. Each statement needs to be inspected and compared with the author's point of view.

Identify contradictory statement

Looking for a statement that contradicts or breaks the reasoning of the author's argument. This statement should offer a new perspective or possibility that has not been considered in the author's argument or proves it false.

Select the weakening statement

The final step is to disclose the statement that weakens the author's argument. Amongst the options, if the author's argument is that sleeping less leads to more capability and knowledge, statement A and B can be dismissed as irrelevant, D does not offer a contradiction, and E is too generic. Hence, statement C: 'rest is a positive contribution to knowledge and capability' is the one that weakens the author's argument as it contradicts the idea that less sleep leads to more capability and knowledge.