Question

read the following excerpt from levitt and dubner’s freakonomics.
driving around the parks that encircle washington, he solicited customers with a simple pitch: early in the morning, he would deliver some bagels and a cash basket to company’s snack room; he would return before lunch to pick up the money and the leftovers. it was an honor - system commerce scheme, and it worked. within a few years, feldman was delivering 8,400 bagels a week to 140 companies and earning as much as he had ever made as a research analyst. he had thrown off the shackles of cubicle life and made himself happy.
based on the excerpt, which statement best strengthens feldman’s claim that people are mostly honest?
○ feldman solicited customers with a simple pitch
○ feldman’s payment system was largely successful
○ feldman earned a good living delivering bagels.
○ feldman found a new career and made himself happy.

Explanation:

To determine which statement strengthens Feldman's claim that people are mostly honest, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: Soliciting customers with a simple pitch doesn't relate to honesty.
• Option 2: Feldman's honor - system (payment system) being successful implies that people were honest in paying for the bagels, as the system relied on customers' honesty and it worked (he delivered 8,400 bagels a week to 140 companies). This directly supports the claim about people's honesty.
• Option 3: Earning a good living shows his financial success, not people's honesty.
• Option 4: Finding a new career and being happy is about his personal fulfillment, not people's honesty.

Answer:

B. Feldman's payment system was largely successful