Critical Reasoning

A furniture store's best-selling table is produced from the wood of a special type of pine tree that the store grows. To prevent termite damage in the pine trees that produce this wood, this store hired scientists to engineer a special type of chemical that can be injected into the seeds of these pine trees so that, as they grow, the trees produce a pesticide that kills a large percentage of attacking termites. For years, the pine trees, as they grow from these injected seeds, endured little termite damage. However, the most recent crop of trees growing from these seeds are being seriously damaged by termites. Termites are not necessarily developing any new resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide. However, termites do breed more rapidly when certain vibrational signals are present, such as those produced by carpenter ants. More carpenter ants than ever are populating the area in which the furniture store's pines are growing. So it is likely that the pines are simply being overwhelmed by the termites bred as a result of the carpenter ants' signals.

In evaluating the argument, which of the following would it be most useful to establish?

(A) Whether the seeds could be injected with a chemical that would also protect against carpenter ant damage
(B) Whether pines growing from seeds that are not injected with chemicals are suffering unusually extensive damage from termites
(C) Whether another type of tree growing from seeds that were injected with chemicals that enable the trees to produce their own pesticides as they grow can successfully repel the pests that typically cause damage
(D) Whether the pines growing from injected seeds are frequently damaged by other pests that typically cause damage to wood grown for making furniture
(E) Whether there are pesticides that can be used to ward off termites that have developed mechanisms or resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide produced by the pines grown from the injected seeds

is it B?

kaulnikhil wrote:A furniture store's best-selling table is produced from the wood of a special type of pine tree that the store grows. To prevent termite damage in the pine trees that produce this wood, this store hired scientists to engineer a special type of chemical that can be injected into the seeds of these pine trees so that, as they grow, the trees produce a pesticide that kills a large percentage of attacking termites. For years, the pine trees, as they grow from these injected seeds, endured little termite damage. However, the most recent crop of trees growing from these seeds are being seriously damaged by termites. Termites are not necessarily developing any new resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide. However, termites do breed more rapidly when certain vibrational signals are present, such as those produced by carpenter ants. More carpenter ants than ever are populating the area in which the furniture store's pines are growing. So it is likely that the pines are simply being overwhelmed by the termites bred as a result of the carpenter ants' signals.

In evaluating the argument, which of the following would it be most useful to establish?

(A) Whether the seeds could be injected with a chemical that would also protect against carpenter ant damage
(B) Whether pines growing from seeds that are not injected with chemicals are suffering unusually extensive damage from termites
(C) Whether another type of tree growing from seeds that were injected with chemicals that enable the trees to produce their own pesticides as they grow can successfully repel the pests that typically cause damage
(D) Whether the pines growing from injected seeds are frequently damaged by other pests that typically cause damage to wood grown for making furniture
(E) Whether there are pesticides that can be used to ward off termites that have developed mechanisms or resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide produced by the pines grown from the injected seeds

It's important to isolate the conclusion before attempting to evaluate the information; here the conclusion is in the last sentence. The main idea here can be broken down as follows:

1. The most recent crop of trees is suffering a lot of damage from termites, which is unusual.
2. The termites are not necessarily becoming more resistant to the pesticide produced by the trees, so the damage is not necessarily a result of longer-living termites.
3. Carpenter ants produce vibrations that make termites breed more rapidly, which would increase the termite population.
4. More carpenter ants than ever are in the vicinity of the pine trees.
5. Termites are breeding more as a reaction to the carpenter ants.
6. The larger termite population is overwhelming the trees.

a. This choice is irrelevant; the argument never mentions damage directly caused by carpenter ants.
b. This is correct; this choice would allow the reader to evaluate whether the termite population is indeed growing, in which case all of the trees in that area would be effected. If the non-pesticide producing trees aren't being damaged more than usual, there might just be a problem with the pesticide or the pesticide-producing trees.
c. "Another type of tree" and "the pests that typically cause damage" aren't closely related enough to our argument; this might produce some evidence with which to evaluate the argument, but it wouldn't be very strong evidence. B is a better choice.
d. Other pests are irrelevant.
e. This might be relevant to solving the problem, but it doesn't help to prove or disprove the conclusion, and that's what the question stem asks you to do; evaluating the argument means evaluating the viability of its conclusion.

kaulnikhil wrote:A furniture store's best-selling table is produced from the wood of a special type of pine tree that the store grows. To prevent termite damage in the pine trees that produce this wood, this store hired scientists to engineer a special type of chemical that can be injected into the seeds of these pine trees so that, as they grow, the trees produce a pesticide that kills a large percentage of attacking termites. For years, the pine trees, as they grow from these injected seeds, endured little termite damage. However, the most recent crop of trees growing from these seeds are being seriously damaged by termites. Termites are not necessarily developing any new resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide. However, termites do breed more rapidly when certain vibrational signals are present, such as those produced by carpenter ants. More carpenter ants than ever are populating the area in which the furniture store's pines are growing. So it is likely that the pines are simply being overwhelmed by the termites bred as a result of the carpenter ants' signals.

In evaluating the argument, which of the following would it be most useful to establish?

(A) Whether the seeds could be injected with a chemical that would also protect against carpenter ant damage
(B) Whether pines growing from seeds that are not injected with chemicals are suffering unusually extensive damage from termites
(C) Whether another type of tree growing from seeds that were injected with chemicals that enable the trees to produce their own pesticides as they grow can successfully repel the pests that typically cause damage
(D) Whether the pines growing from injected seeds are frequently damaged by other pests that typically cause damage to wood grown for making furniture
(E) Whether there are pesticides that can be used to ward off termites that have developed mechanisms or resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide produced by the pines grown from the injected seeds

Nikhil Bhai!

Lovely CR..i just enjoyed the most while solving it.
1. Becox its "evaluate" the argument
2. Identifying the conclusion was bit tricky
3. Size of the stem made me bit "worrisome"

Atlast I had my nerves for it!

For evaluating a argument , the picked should give "extreme answers" It SHOULD give just a 180 degree answer for a YES and for a NO".

Coming to options:

(A) Whether the seeds could be injected with a chemical that would also protect against carpenter ant damage

The stems doesnot speak about carpeneter ant damage at all. Irrelevant Dump her.

B)Whether pines growing from seeds that are not injected with chemicals are suffering unusually extensive damage from termites

Say YES to the question:

YES the trees are suffering extensive damage from termites. SO it means that "Chemical is properly work against the termites where the seed has been coated with the chemical.
Since ,here the seed doesnot contain the chemical, the pine tree grown out of the seed is getting AFFECTED by termites

Say NO to the question.
No the trees are NOT suffering any damage even without the usage of chemical treated seed. So it means that chemical treated seed has no role to play as there is NO extensive damage.

(C) Whether another type of tree growing from seeds that were injected with chemicals that enable the trees to produce their own pesticides as they grow can successfully repel the pests that typically cause damage

Doesnt affect the stem.

(D) Whether the pines growing from injected seeds are frequently damaged by other pests that typically cause damage to wood grown for making furniture

No effect at ll

(E) Whether there are pesticides that can be used to ward off termites that have developed mechanisms or resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide produced by the pines grown from the injected seeds

Not really!

Pick B

Just out of curiosity, bhai what is the source!!

kaulnikhil wrote:A furniture store's best-selling table is produced from the wood of a special type of pine tree that the store grows. To prevent termite damage in the pine trees that produce this wood, this store hired scientists to engineer a special type of chemical that can be injected into the seeds of these pine trees so that, as they grow, the trees produce a pesticide that kills a large percentage of attacking termites. For years, the pine trees, as they grow from these injected seeds, endured little termite damage. However, the most recent crop of trees growing from these seeds are being seriously damaged by termites. Termites are not necessarily developing any new resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide. However, termites do breed more rapidly when certain vibrational signals are present, such as those produced by carpenter ants. More carpenter ants than ever are populating the area in which the furniture store's pines are growing. So it is likely that the pines are simply being overwhelmed by the termites bred as a result of the carpenter ants' signals.

In evaluating the argument, which of the following would it be most useful to establish?

(A) Whether the seeds could be injected with a chemical that would also protect against carpenter ant damage
(B) Whether pines growing from seeds that are not injected with chemicals are suffering unusually extensive damage from termites
(C) Whether another type of tree growing from seeds that were injected with chemicals that enable the trees to produce their own pesticides as they grow can successfully repel the pests that typically cause damage
(D) Whether the pines growing from injected seeds are frequently damaged by other pests that typically cause damage to wood grown for making furniture
(E) Whether there are pesticides that can be used to ward off termites that have developed mechanisms or resistance to protect themselves from the pesticide produced by the pines grown from the injected seeds

It created little pain in the brain.

I simplified the argument and could crack the question.
Chemically engineered seeds---->> Resistance from termite
Cause-------->>Effect

So, in order to draw the conclusion, it is being assumed that cause definitely produced its effect. But because of the third factor "ant vibration", the effect (resistance to termite) is not there

Now, B says that

pines growing from Non Chemically engineered seeds are suffering unusually extensive damage from termites

So CAUSE is not there and EFFECT is also not there-------->>>>>this is one very good way to strengthen the conclusion.

That means that ANT VIBRATION does not play any role.

Now negate the option B

pines growing from Non Chemically engineered seeds are resistant to termites

CAUSE is there but EFFECT is not there------------>>>> A good way to weaken the the conclusion.


That means that ANT VIBRATION does have a role to play.

So here

What is the source of this question?