Though ice cream is an excellent source of calcium, dairy farmers report that during the past ten years there has been a sharp decline in ice cream sales. And during the same period, sales of cheddar cheese have nearly doubled. Therefore, more and more people must be choosing to increase their intake of calcium by eating cheddar cheese rather than ice cream.
Question: The reasoning above is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it
Options:
A. fails to produce statistical evidence supporting the dairy farmers' claims
B. fails to consider alternative explanations of the decline in sales of ice cream
C. relies solely on the testimony of individuals who are likely to be biased
D. presumes, without providing justification, that ice cream is a better source of calcium than is cheddar cheese
E. presumes, without providing justification, that people who eat cheddar cheese never eat ice cream
Answer: B