Question

consider this claim: a fear of bats is rational because they carry and transmit diseases like rabies to humans. now consider how someone might argue against this. which sentence presents the strongest and most reasonable counter - claim to the above claim? transmission of rabies by bats is rare, and bats actually help people by feeding on insects that spread diseases and damage farmers crops. without bats, humans would go completely extinct from the terrible diseases spread by mosquitoes and other insects that bats love to eat. a fear of bats is known as chiroptophobia, and phobia means \irrational fear,\ so the fear of bats must be irrational.

Explanation:

The first counter - claim acknowledges the disease - carrying aspect but also points out the beneficial role of bats in controlling disease - spreading insects and crop - damaging pests. The second is an over - exaggeration as humans would not go extinct without bats. The third is a weak argument relying on the name of the phobia rather than factual information about bats.

Answer:

Transmission of rabies by bats is rare, and bats actually help people by feeding on insects that spread diseases and damage farmers' crops.