Economists analyzed four nations' GDP-per-capita growth (%) and reported four data points each: 5-year growth before joining a trade bloc and 5-year growth after. Nation 1, before 2.1%, after 3.4%; Nation 2, 1.8%, 2.0%; Nation 3, 2.6%, 4.5%; Nation 4, 1.5%, 1.4%. They also reported the same metric for matched non-member nations over the same windows: 1's match, 2.0% then 2.5%; 2's match, 1.7% then 1.9%; 3's match, 2.4% then 2.6%; 4's match, 1.4% then 1.5%. The researchers concluded that joining a bloc helped some nations substantially but had no real effect on others. The data most uniquely supporting "no real effect on Nation 2" is ______
Which choice most logically completes the text using the data above?
- Acheck_circle
the close match between Nation 2's 0.2-point gain (1.8% → 2.0%) and its non-member counterpart's also 0.2-point gain (1.7% → 1.9%).
- B
Nation 2's post-joining growth of 2.0%.
- C
Nation 2's pre-joining growth of 1.8%.
- D
the average gain across all four nations.
Explanation
"No real effect" means the post-policy gain matches what would have happened anyway. Choice B uniquely shows Nation 2's gain (0.2 points) equals its matched non-member's gain (0.2 points), supporting "no real effect."