Last year, the composite El-Hi education (CEHE) ranking for Silver County was its lowest score on record, since composite were first calculated in 1964. The CEHE ranking is a sophisticated weighed average of standardized testing results from Grade 1 to Grade 12. This year, the testing result for grades 1-6 in Silver County are about the same as they were last year, and the testing results for high school (grades 9-12) in Silver County are lower than last year's high school results in Silver County. Surely the middle school testing results (grades 7-9) in Silver County will also be as low as, or lower than, last year's results. Therefore, Silver County will undoubtedly establish a new low in its CEHE ranking.
In the argument, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?