Question 21

Please read the following passage and answer the questions below:

The average price of gasoline will be below $3 a gallon in 2015, the Energy Department predicted Wednesday. Drivers are now paying $2.92 per gallon on average across the nation, according to AAA, but late fall is often when the price of gas hits its low for the year. The EIA is now saying that these prices aren't just a low point, but instead will be the norm next year. The national average has fallen for 48 straight days and is at its lowest point since December of 2010. EIA administrator Adam Sieminski attributed the lower pump prices to lower prices for crude oil and weak fuel demand. The global price of crude has fallen by $35 a barrel, or 30 percent, since late June and closed at $80.38 Wednesday. Oil production around the world has been strong in recent years. A boom in the U.S. has pushed domestic production up 70 percent since 2008. At the same time, demand for fuels is growing more slowly than expected in Asia and Europe because of weak economic growth. The U.S. economy is faring relatively well, but more fuel efficient cars and changing driving habits are keeping domestic gasoline demand low. The EIA expects demand to fall slightly next year despite the lower pump prices.

Schematize the EIA's argument using the two-step prediction argument pattern.