Critical Reasoning

In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists hope to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in betacarotene, 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. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do.
b. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in colors and textures, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
c. For successful cultivation of SPK004, a soil significantly richer in nitrogen is needed than is needed for the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region.
d. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
e. the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato contain no important nutrients that SPK004 lacks.

E

This plan is considered a success if the children are less malnourished. If the new potato lacks the nutrients that the current potatoes have, then the whole point of the plan is undermined. Thus, we must be sure that the new sweet potato is MORE nutritious than the current potato in order for this plan to be a success. Thus (E) is the answer.

(B) and (C) will clearly hurt the plan.

For (A), even if there exist other potatoes with more beta carotene, it does not imply that the potato is more nutritious overall. Thus it doesn't necessarily help this plan.

For (D), even if there were other varieties of potato that contained more vitamin A than SPK004, it wouldn't hurt the plan in any way.

beater wrote:In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists hope to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in betacarotene, 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. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do.
b. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in colors and textures, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
c. For successful cultivation of SPK004, a soil significantly richer in nitrogen is needed than is needed for the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region.
d. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
e. the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato contain no important nutrients that SPK004 lacks.

Strengthen Question.

A - Weaken
B - Weaken
C - Weaken
D - "vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem". So, D is the answer
E - Not mentioned anything about other nutritions. It's not relevant to the argument.

We have to strengthen the conclusion "that the plan to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004" will be successful.

Option E clearly does that.

Exploring other plants that are rich in Vitamin A is out of scope and so Option D is ruled out.

OA please?

i think its D.

In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists hope to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in betacarotene, 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. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do.
b. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in colors and textures, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
c. For successful cultivation of SPK004, a soil significantly richer in nitrogen is needed than is needed for the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region.
d. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
e. the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato contain no important nutrients that SPK004 lacks.

conclusion: the plan to introduce planting of SPK004 variety of sweet potato will succeed in removing vit. A deficiency.

the answer will support this conclusion, or in other words, the answer will strengthen this conclusion.

A. irrelevant. we are talking about sweet potatoes and they are the staple food for people of the region. so, other foods are out of scope. it may weaken, but will never strengthen.

B. totally out of scope. it may weaken the case in hand (if people find the new look repealing), but it will never strengthen.

C. we are not concerned about the soil condition. moreover, it may weaken but will never strengthen.

D. this seems to be a good contender.

E. another good contender.

now check between D and E.

if there are no other varieties of sweet potatoes with more beta carotene, then the farmers will find this new variety an attractive option. but if this new variety lacks some other important nutrients that the existing variety has, then they may opt for some other variety which may not have the highest content of beta carotene but compared to the existing variety, will have more beta carotene as well as the other required nutrients.

if the currently cultivated variety does not have any other nutrient that SPK004 lacks (in other words, if SPK004 has all the nutrients of the current variety), then they will not hesitate to opt for the new variety. thus the objective of the agriculturists will be achieved and our conclusion will be stronger.

thus the answer is (E).

hope this helps.

Good explanations.

Another way of looking at it:

Why will the plan not succeed? This happens when E is negated so this is the one that will most stongly support the plan.

Hence E

IMO E

In my opinion E is the most logical one