My personal understanding is, the real critical word instead is " comfortable " which is too ambiguous to provide any definitive standard. How much can be called as " a comfortable life"? Will the elder people in this argument live in such a way after being supported with additional pension ? Nowhere in the argument ensures us the effect. ( dont take it for granted for yourself) Supposed that the inflation is so high dring following years that, even with the increased pension, the elder still remain far below the comfortable living line, then their children cannot withdraw their support, right ? inflation in the intervening period has been negligible , to me, that means 20% increased pension is alway based upon a set level of income before inflation regardless how much it is inflated in following years. So, the overall amount of increase will be the same throughout the intervening period. Therefore, only C offer a sufficient explanation to complete the argument. Under that cricumstance, price hike of the products commonly consumed by the elder offset the increased pension, thus making elder people no financially better. E is possible but not a definate explanation. |