major strenghten question doubt(expert reply)

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For years the beautiful Renaissance buildings in Palitito have been damaged by exhaust from
many tour buses that come to the city. There has been little parking space, so most buses have
idled at the curb during each stop on their tour, and idling produces as much exhaust as
driving. The city has now provided parking that accommodates a third of the tour buses, so
damage to Palitito's buildings from the buses' exhaust will diminish significantly.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument?
A. The exhaust from Palitito's few automobiles isn't a significant threat to the buildings.
B. Palitito's Renaissance buildings are not threatened by pollution other than engine
exhaust.
C. Tour buses typically spend less than one-quarter of the time they are in Palitito
transporting passengers from one site to another.
D. Most tourists come to Palitito by tour bus than by any other single means of
transportation.
E. Some of the tour buses that are unable to find parking drive around Palitito while their
passengers are visiting a site.


A and B are out of scope why?........................
as with B i can say no other effects contribute to pollution other than exhaust.................
so it is a strengthener

but the main relationship is iddling--------------------------> polution
so we have to show how idling contribute to pollution

in real gmat choices like a or b might make be temped to click(how can i judge if a choice is out of scope)
i have done several strengthen or weaken question where one have to just find out the assumptions.

i still sometimes entice to choose answer like a and b

expert please suggest some bullet proof strategy for strengthen and weakening

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by VivianKerr » Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:15 am

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Conclusion: Damage from exhaust will diminish significantly

Evidence: Parking provided for 1/3 of buses; idling buses produces as much exhaust as driving

Assumptions: The exhaust from 1/3 of buses going away if enough to "significantly" diminish the damage; damage not caused by other reasons

Question Rephrase: What STRENGTHENS this conclusion?

Prediction: The FOCUS here must be related to the conclusion and continue to link the idling bus exhaust to the damage.

First pass:

A - relates to the assumptions, but not the conclusion :-(
B -
C -
D - how tourists come is irrelevant
E - if anything this would cause more exhaust and weaken

Let's examine the final two: B & C

Rephrase:
B - The pollution is ONLY from engine exhaust.
C - Buses spend 25% of their time driving.

B is tempting, but it doesn't relate to the buses. What if automobiles are contributing to the majority of the damage? The "engine" exhaust could come from trains, mopeds, etc, and doesn't HAVE to be coming from buses. This would not necessarily strengthen our link between the buses and the damage.

C is correct. If the buses are only driving 25% of the time, then 75% of the time they must be either parked or idling. So providing parking for 1/3 of the buses would REALLY help!

This is definitely a harder one.

Choice A does not relate the conclusion which RELIES on the idea that idling buses = damage. Just because the automobiles aren't causing damage doesn't mean that the damage isn't caused by a 3rd reason, not the buses.

BULLET PROOF Strategy: Do MORE work on the argument using your scratch paper BEFORE you read answer choices. For strengthen questions, make sure you understand the scope of the Conclusion and eliminate answer choices based on how well they relate to the Conclusion. For weakening questions, look for the choice that UNDERMINES the conclusion. Definitely consider the assumptions, but only to the extent that they bolster the conclusion.

Write down a PREDICTION, even a vague one, before you read the answer choices. When you first go through the choices, do not look for the correct answer. Instead, use your PREDICTION to eliminate the three worst answer choices. When you are left with two, REPHRASE them and compare them carefully and slowly. What are the subtle differences between them? Go back and compare them to your notes on the Evidence, Conclusion, and Assumptions. Know each one inside and out BEFORE selecting.

Take more time on CR and you will see better results!

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by navami » Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:16 am

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C
This time no looking back!!!
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by GmatKiss » Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:48 am

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navami wrote:C
Sorry, could you please elaborate?

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by n@resh » Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:16 am

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arghya05 wrote:For years the beautiful Renaissance buildings in Palitito have been damaged by exhaust from
many tour buses that come to the city. There has been little parking space, so most buses have
idled at the curb during each stop on their tour, and idling produces as much exhaust as
driving. The city has now provided parking that accommodates a third of the tour buses, so
damage to Palitito's buildings from the buses' exhaust will diminish significantly.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument?
A. The exhaust from Palitito's few automobiles isn't a significant threat to the buildings.
B. Palitito's Renaissance buildings are not threatened by pollution other than engine
exhaust.
C. Tour buses typically spend less than one-quarter of the time they are in Palitito
transporting passengers from one site to another.
D. Most tourists come to Palitito by tour bus than by any other single means of
transportation.
E. Some of the tour buses that are unable to find parking drive around Palitito while their
passengers are visiting a site.


A and B are out of scope why?........................
as with B i can say no other effects contribute to pollution other than exhaust.................
so it is a strengthener

but the main relationship is iddling--------------------------> polution
so we have to show how idling contribute to pollution

in real gmat choices like a or b might make be temped to click(how can i judge if a choice is out of scope)
i have done several strengthen or weaken question where one have to just find out the assumptions.

i still sometimes entice to choose answer like a and b

expert please suggest some bullet proof strategy for strengthen and weakening

Ans is C!

B may seems temptin but it has a vaugue word: 'Engine'..now here engine can be of a bus or anyother automobile!
where as C is more specific and very apt to the Argument.

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by prateek_guy2004 » Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:51 pm

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Yes i agree with vivian

Conclusion: Damage from exhaust will diminish significantly

Evidence: Parking provided for 1/3 of buses; idling buses produces as much exhaust as driving

A. The exhaust from Palitito's few automobiles isn't a significant threat to the buildings.(out of scope)
B. Palitito's Renaissance buildings are not threatened by pollution other than engine
exhaust. correct
C. Tour buses typically spend less than one-quarter of the time they are in Palitito
transporting passengers from one site to another. Negative ...
D. Most tourists come to Palitito by tour bus than by any other single means of
transportation. (not relevant)
E. Some of the tour buses that are unable to find parking drive around Palitito while their
passengers are visiting a site.(weakening) [/b][/spoiler]

Was confused between B and C but realized C is not supporting...

HenceB
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by vishwas.arora » Sun Sep 04, 2011 6:37 am

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VivianKerr wrote:Conclusion: Damage from exhaust will diminish significantly

Evidence: Parking provided for 1/3 of buses; idling buses produces as much exhaust as driving

Assumptions: The exhaust from 1/3 of buses going away if enough to "significantly" diminish the damage; damage not caused by other reasons

Question Rephrase: What STRENGTHENS this conclusion?

Prediction: The FOCUS here must be related to the conclusion and continue to link the idling bus exhaust to the damage.

First pass:

A - relates to the assumptions, but not the conclusion :-(
B -
C -
D - how tourists come is irrelevant
E - if anything this would cause more exhaust and weaken

Let's examine the final two: B & C

Rephrase:
B - The pollution is ONLY from engine exhaust.
C - Buses spend 25% of their time driving.

B is tempting, but it doesn't relate to the buses. What if automobiles are contributing to the majority of the damage? The "engine" exhaust could come from trains, mopeds, etc, and doesn't HAVE to be coming from buses. This would not necessarily strengthen our link between the buses and the damage.

C is correct. If the buses are only driving 25% of the time, then 75% of the time they must be either parked or idling. So providing parking for 1/3 of the buses would REALLY help!

This is definitely a harder one.

Choice A does not relate the conclusion which RELIES on the idea that idling buses = damage. Just because the automobiles aren't causing damage doesn't mean that the damage isn't caused by a 3rd reason, not the buses.

BULLET PROOF Strategy: Do MORE work on the argument using your scratch paper BEFORE you read answer choices. For strengthen questions, make sure you understand the scope of the Conclusion and eliminate answer choices based on how well they relate to the Conclusion. For weakening questions, look for the choice that UNDERMINES the conclusion. Definitely consider the assumptions, but only to the extent that they bolster the conclusion.

Write down a PREDICTION, even a vague one, before you read the answer choices. When you first go through the choices, do not look for the correct answer. Instead, use your PREDICTION to eliminate the three worst answer choices. When you are left with two, REPHRASE them and compare them carefully and slowly. What are the subtle differences between them? Go back and compare them to your notes on the Evidence, Conclusion, and Assumptions. Know each one inside and out BEFORE selecting.

Take more time on CR and you will see better results!

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: :-)
"Thoroughness characterizes all successful men. Genius is the art of taking infinite pains. All great achievement has been characterized by extreme care, infinite painstaking, even to the minutest detail." - Elbert Hubbard
Thanks for the wonderful and much wanted explanation Vivian!

But, as far as option E goes, it states that the buses, when not transporting the tourists, move around the city. So, if some parking is provided to these buses, they would better not pollute the city.

My doubts,

1) Is it the word "some" that is going against this option from acting as a strengthener?
If this were changed to "most", then doesn't it become a strong contender..?

2) Moving around the city, is it not the same as moving within the city? Does it mean that it goes out of the main city and thus does not cause any pollution to the city buildings?

Pl correct, if i am wrong.

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Jai Hind !

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by prateek_guy2004 » Sun Sep 04, 2011 11:43 am

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1) Is it the word "some" that is going against this option from acting as a strengthener?
If this were changed to "most", then doesn't it become a strong contender..?
A- Well most, all, every these are extreme words and indicates that the answer is incorrect.

2) Moving around the city, is it not the same as moving within the city? Does it mean that it goes out of the main city and thus does not cause any pollution to the city buildings?
[/b]Certainly its not the same and it changes the scope of the statement.
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by lunarpower » Mon Sep 12, 2011 3:48 am

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prateek_guy2004 wrote:1) Is it the word "some" that is going against this option from acting as a strengthener?
If this were changed to "most", then doesn't it become a strong contender..?
A- Well most, all, every these are extreme words and indicates that the answer is incorrect.

2) Moving around the city, is it not the same as moving within the city? Does it mean that it goes out of the main city and thus does not cause any pollution to the city buildings?
[/b]Certainly its not the same and it changes the scope of the statement.
the argument states that driving and idling produce similar amounts of exhaust, so the issue of driving vs. idling has no net effect on pollution in the city, and therefore no effect on the argument.

idiomatically, "around the city" could mean either (a) literally around the city -- as in "outside the city's perimeter" -- or (b) driving from place to place within the city. since these two meanings are very different, context should let you decide between them.
in the problem at hand, the idea that the tour buses would actually leave the city and drive around its perimeter is patently unreasonable, so "drive around" refers to driving randomly within the city limits. according to the facts in the argument, such driving will pollute the city as much as would idling, so (e) neither strengthens nor weakens the argument.
(if "drive around" actually meant that the buses left the city and drove around its perimeter, then that choice would weaken the argument anyway, so the issue is immaterial -- but it's still good to learn how that expression is used.)
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