MHMT Test - CR - Strengthen

[agarwalva]

The West Indian manatee, a distant relative of the elephant, returned to the sea some 50 million years ago. These thousand-pound herbivores inhabit the warm coastal waters where Americans like to play. Despite conservation efforts, criminal penalties for harming these creatures, and an overabundance of SAVE THE MANATEE! bumper stickers, none of these animals can be considered safe.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument above?


Last year, several manatees were mysteriously killed by an unidentified toxin.

All manatees swim at depths that make them vulnerable to the blades of motorboat engines.

Most tourists are unaware of the ongoing efforts to save the manatee.

The population of manatees in the wild has dwindled to fewer than 2,500 animals.


Although dozens of manatee deaths are documented each year, many more deaths go unreported


OA b

IMO c. if the tourists arent aware of the ongoing efforts how are we going to save the mantee. hence it supports the conclusion that mantees are not safe.


PLEASE HELP

[shantanu86]

IMO

Argument-
Manatee population is decreasing in the warm coastal waters.

Reason-
Americans play in these waters despite conservation efforts.

Let's analyze the options-

A. Last year, several manatees were mysteriously killed by an unidentified toxin.
-- Effect of unidentified toxin is not the subject of argument

B. All manatees swim at depths that make them vulnerable to the blades of motorboat engines.
-- If if motorboat engines are responsible for manatees death it strengthens the reason for argument.

C. Most tourists are unaware of the ongoing efforts to save the manatee.
-- This is unrelated. Even if tourists are unaware it doesn't indicate that they harm manatee

D. The population of manatees in the wild has dwindled to fewer than 2,500 animals.
-- Unrelated statistics.

Hope it helps!!

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Whatever explanation Shantanu gave was correct. But he did not give an explanation for the option E.

Honestly, when you put option E in the premise, it does strengthen the conclusion.

I got B as the OA but honestly, E also does strengthen the argument.

Although dozens of manatee deaths are documented each year, many more deaths go unreported

The only reason that can negate the option E is that we do not know the reason of the death or we do not know the cause of such deaths. Theses Deaths could also be because of other reasons may be weather conditions, increase in the animals that feed on them, some disease etc etc.

Hence somewhere the deaths only does not affect the argument. Hence the correct answer is B>

It does tell that the cause is the motor boats in the waters. Hence it is also related and hence the American public must be responsible for it. Hence B...

Hope this helps you to get it.....