doubt CR 2

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doubt CR 2

by aditya8062 » Fri Dec 26, 2014 5:03 am
No resident of Country X should consider the loss of the traditional tribal structure to be a tragedy. When tribal traditions dominated the culture of Country X, the economy was extremely depressed. However, since the loss of the tribal tradition, Country X has experienced the fastest growth of any economy on the continent. Per capita income has increased more than twentyfold, the trade deficit has become a trade surplus, and the unemployment rate is at an all-time low.

Which of the following questions, if answered, would be most helpful in evaluating the validity of the argument above?

(A) How long did tribal structures in Country X exist before they were lost?
(B) Is the tribal structure the only part of traditional culture that Country X has lost?
(C) Are there any other countries with similar tribal structures that have also experienced recent economic growth?
(D) What percentage of residents in Country X considers the loss of traditional tribal structures to be a tragedy?
(E) Are there any sectors other than high technology that have experienced an increase in jobs?


my concern: i feel C is a better option here. for if i know that there are other countries with similar tribal structures that have also experienced recent economic growth THEN i can say for sure that "breaking down of the tribal structure" was not the reason for the "observed growth" . effectively that will be give me a reason to believe that THERE MUST BE some other reason in both these countries !! who knows the world in general might be registering a record economic growth

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by MartyMurray » Fri Dec 26, 2014 8:15 pm
aditya8062 wrote:No resident of Country X should consider the loss of the traditional tribal structure to be a tragedy. When tribal traditions dominated the culture of Country X, the economy was extremely depressed. However, since the loss of the tribal tradition, Country X has experienced the fastest growth of any economy on the continent. Per capita income has increased more than twentyfold, the trade deficit has become a trade surplus, and the unemployment rate is at an all-time low.

Which of the following questions, if answered, would be most helpful in evaluating the validity of the argument above?

(A) How long did tribal structures in Country X exist before they were lost?
(B) Is the tribal structure the only part of traditional culture that Country X has lost?
(C) Are there any other countries with similar tribal structures that have also experienced recent economic growth?
(D) What percentage of residents in Country X considers the loss of traditional tribal structures to be a tragedy?
(E) Are there any sectors other than high technology that have experienced an increase in jobs?


my concern: i feel C is a better option here. for if i know that there are other countries with similar tribal structures that have also experienced recent economic growth THEN i can say for sure that "breaking down of the tribal structure" was not the reason for the "observed growth" . effectively that will be give me a reason to believe that THERE MUST BE some other reason in both these countries !! who knows the world in general might be registering a record economic growth
That's a good question.

Choice C talks of economic growth, rather than economic growth similar to that recently experienced in country X. So this growth could be weak or strong, record breaking, or lackluster. So while it's a tough call, maaaybe B is better.

Also, we are trying to see what is going on with country X. While another country may have been able to grow its economy while retaining or in spite of similar tribal structures, what we are looking to find out is if the loss of tribal structures is what underlies extreme change in the economic growth in country X.

Contrary to what you said, another country could have similar tribal structures and still experience economic growth and this would not "FOR SURE" tell us that the breakdown of tribal structures is not the primary reason for increased growth of the economy of country X. The other country could have some other factor contributing to growth, even as the main factor underlying economic growth in country X is the loss of tribal structures.

So what we need to find out is whether or not there were other factors that might have affected the economic growth of country X, and one thing to look for is loss of other traditions.

So, while initially I was tempted to agree that C is as strong as B, the more I look at it, the more I see the rationale for B being the most helpful.

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by aditya8062 » Fri Dec 26, 2014 8:59 pm
i guess if we start putting things this way then all choices will fall flat . i can make the same argument for B as well
in fact to me B is really not affecting in evaluation

B says: is the tribal structure the only part of traditional culture that Country X has lost? ------>let us say that there is "something' also (let us call it ST )that country X has lost . now because we have lost two things ( ST and "traditional culture") and we are having an increased growth then how can u be 100 percent sure that both factors HAVE OR HAVE NOT contributed to this economic growth !!! there can be a situation where by both "fall of ST" and "fall of traditional culture" have contributed 50 % and 50 % !!
Choice C talks of economic growth, rather than economic growth similar to that recently experienced in country X
ALSO your this argument does not seem correct, after when "economic growth" has been defined in the passage then we have to go only by those words !!!