Identify a counterclaim for the following argument.

1 Gas-powered cars are the largest private source of air pollution.

2The government should fund the building of public transportation systems to reduce air pollution.

3Some hybrid car engines produce up to 90 percent fewer harmful emissions than gas-powered car engines.

4Electric and hybrid cars are designed to last for 12 to 15 years.

2 the other answers support the claim

A counterclaim to the argument could be:

5 The government should focus on improving gas-powered car technology rather than solely investing in public transportation systems.

A possible counterclaim for this argument could be:

Counterclaim: The government should not fund the building of public transportation systems because electric and hybrid cars are a more effective solution for reducing air pollution.

To arrive at this counterclaim, there are a few steps you can follow:

Step 1: Identify the claim being made in the argument. In this case, the claim is that the government should fund the building of public transportation systems to reduce air pollution.

Step 2: Look for contrasting evidence or alternative viewpoints that challenge the claim. In this case, the contrasting evidence is the effectiveness of electric and hybrid cars in reducing air pollution.

Step 3: Formulate the counterclaim by rephrasing the opposing viewpoint. The counterclaim suggests that the government should focus on promoting the use of electric and hybrid cars instead of investing in public transportation systems.

It is important to note that presenting a counterclaim does not necessarily mean it is valid or supported by evidence. However, it offers an alternative perspective to the original argument and can be used for further analysis and discussion.