norwegian smokers

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norwegian smokers

by nehakhas1 » Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:21 am
According to a study of more than 50,000 Norwegian smokers, smokers who reduced their nicotine intake from cigarettes, even by up to 50 percent, did not achieve significant health benefits. The mortality rate for those who cut back on cigarettes was not lower than that for heavier smokers; moreover, the rate of cardiovascular disease was similar across all subsets of smokers in the study. As a result, the sponsors of the study claim that reducing nicotine intake does not improve one's health.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously jeopardizes the findings of the study described above?



(a) The majority of study participants minimized their nicotine withdrawal symptoms through the use of skin patches and chewing gum that provide nicotine to the body.

(b) Many of the study’s participants periodically dined in restaurants in which smoking was permitted.

(c) The study’s participants started smoking at different ages and had varied initial nicotine intake.

(d) Quitting smoking entirely results in a marked reduction in the ill effects of smoking.

(e) Men and women who smoked pipes and cigars were excluded from the study


Answer is A .

Accrding to me answer could have been B as it directly nullifies the sitiuation that the test might not get right results as the smokers are still being effected .
I agree that here we may argue that passive smoking would not be as much in effect as active smoking . but that is the same with chewing gums they might produce less amount of protien .

For the argument above i wish to learn - if there are two statements that are weakening your argument which one is required to be chosen ??

Experts please help

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by madhur_ahuja » Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:46 am
I agree with your doubt.

However, it is only written that they dined in which the smoking was permitted.
We cannot assume that they came in contact of smoke

Had it been that they dined in the presence of smokers ... would have been made it much more weightier argument than the present.

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by italian7745 » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:39 am
Option B does not state very clearly that they did passive smoking.Even if we assume they did passive smoking and increased their nicotine levels , this is direclty contradicting the passage because the passage clearly states that "smokers who reduced their nicotine intake from cigarettes, even by up to 50 percent, did not achieve significant health benefits "

Also "many of the study's participants dined in restaurants where smoking was permitted". What does this many include - It is possible that it includes people that never cut back on cigarettes.So , this option seems to be highly dubious.

Option A is correct " The majority of study participants minimized their nicotine withdrawal symptoms through the use of skin patches and chewing gum that provide nicotine to the body" So the nicoltine level of those who cut back on cigarettes never decreased. The findings of the study are based on the fact that there was a difference in Nicotine Levels. So , the conclusion is weakened.

I hope this post was helpful....

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by Domnu » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:57 pm
Watch out! You guys may be falling into a trap. The answer is A and not B, because B implies that the presence of other smokers affects the experiment results. This isn't stated anywhere in the passage, and therefore cannot be assumed (though in reality this may be the case).
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by nehakhas1 » Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:06 pm
Thanks guys ...it helped me :)

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by kate.loo » Mon May 16, 2016 12:35 am
I would go with option A as the correct option