Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way

its animals are treated." Municipal officials who propose cutting funding for animal
shelters and agencies should be ashamed. Many such facilities struggle to provide care
for the countless needy cats, dogs, and other vulnerable animals. Yet heartless
government officials often zealously cut that funding from municipal budgets in favor of
less urgent programs. It is time that government officials demonstrate greater decency
and provide those urgent funds. If our officials do not, then they must be replaced by
people more in the mold of Gandhi.

Which of the following is true of the argument made by the author in the passage?
It is likely to alienate readers who are not familiar with Mahatma Gandhi and his accomplishments.
It clarifies the issue by focusing readers' attention on the most important aspects of municipal spending.
It attacks the character of decision makers rather than analyzing specific issues related to municipal spending.

It appeals to readers' emotions by using language such as "heartless" and "decency" to criticize government officials.