Critical Reasoning

In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists are attempting to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. The plan has good chances of success, since sweet potato is a staple of the region’s diet and agriculture, and the varieties currently grown contain little beta-carotene.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed?

A. The growing conditions required by the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region are conditions in which SPK004 can flourish.
B. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in color and texture, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
C. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
D. The varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region contain some important nutrients that are lacking in SPK004.
E. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do.

ketkoag wrote:In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists are attempting to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. The plan has good chances of success, since sweet potato is a staple of the region’s diet and agriculture, and the varieties currently grown contain little beta-carotene.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed?

A. The growing conditions required by the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region are conditions in which SPK004 can flourish.
B. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in color and texture, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
C. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
D. The varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region contain some important nutrients that are lacking in SPK004.
E. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do.

IMO A
B) weaken
C) neither strenght nor weaken
D) weaken
E) neither strenght nor weaken

Pls. post OA

What is OA? And where is the question from please?

OA : A
ohh i misread statement C in the question and thats why i selected the wrong answer.....thanks for the reply..
By the way, if Statement C is "There are currently no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is. "
then don't u think that it might also support the argument?? and in that case it could be a strong contender, right?
please reply..
source is set 1.

ketkoag wrote:OA : A
ohh i misread statement C in the question and thats why i selected the wrong answer.....thanks for the reply..
By the way, if Statement C is "There are currently no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is. "
then don't u think that it might also support the argument?? and in that case it could be a strong contender, right?
please reply..
source is set 1.

I don't think C support as the argument scope if about probability of success of the plan so the type of potato is not relevant in this case

ketkoag wrote:In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists are attempting to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. The plan has good chances of success, since sweet potato is a staple of the region’s diet and agriculture, and the varieties currently grown contain little beta-carotene.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed?

A. The growing conditions required by the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region are conditions in which SPK004 can flourish.
B. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in color and texture, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
C. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
D. The varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region contain some important nutrients that are lacking in SPK004.
E. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do.

I'd pick A, for the growing conditions are similar for earlier varieties and SPK004...so plan is most likely to succeed..

Interesting that you all picked A, but the answer according to GMAT PREP is E

KingTmo wrote:Interesting that you all picked A, but the answer according to GMAT PREP is E

Are you sure GMATPrep had the exact same question and the same options? GMATPrep sometimes uses same passage with different questions.

I believe you came across this question.

https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/in- ... t5816.html

Notice that the options are different here.

KingTmo wrote:Interesting that you all picked A, but the answer according to GMAT PREP is E

This is from OG Verbal review 2nd edition, I am not sure about the number (might be 5 or 6) but it is definitely 1-10
OA is A.

HTH

A imo

a is correct

No one has tried answering the wrong answer choices. I think we should have a discussion on each choice rather than just posting answer to the questions.

Please explain why choice C is not the correct answer.

One reason that I can identify is that it is already stated in the passage.

What other reasons can you think of.

Regards

PLease explain why C is not the answer.

My assumption before reading the answers

it is easy to introduce spk004 as sweet potato is staple diet.

PLease explain why C is not the answer.

The only thing we care about is whether this plan, encouraging farmers to plant the spk004 variety of sweet potato, will help alleviate the vitamin-A deficiency.

C. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.

The question of whether there are other varieties of sweet potato that contain more beta-carotene than spk004 sheds no light on the effectiveness of the plan to plant spk004. (So long as people are eating the spk004, which is rich in beta-carotene, it doesn't matter what the nutritional profile of other types of sweet potato might be.)