BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
Vote for Target Test Prep, Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026
NEWSWEEK READERS’ CHOICE 2026

BIG NEWS! Target Test Prep has been nominated, and they’d love your vote!

TTP has worked incredibly hard to build the best test prep experience possible, and winning Newsweek’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Test Prep would mean a lot to them. If TTP has helped you, they’d be incredibly grateful for your vote. You can vote once each day through September 9.

Vote for TTP
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

A certain cultivated herb..... 2016 OG Question #100

Expert replies
by ddg » Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:32 pm
Image

OA : B
Source: 2016 OG

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I want to know if my explanations are in the right direction, hence I posted my explanations in the next post, It'd really help me if any of the experts would point out my mistakes, thanking everyone in advance :)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In times of stress, fashion is always outrageous ;-)
Last edited by ddg on Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Join the discussion
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by ddg » Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:48 pm
My explanations to the above qn:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A herb is a part of closely related plants ---> It produces a particular amino acid 'H' that is tested to make metals in soil inert ----> it (herb) can survive in metal-rich soils ---> (Conclusion): So 'H' is the reason for it to survive in such soils.

We need to evaluate the argument here:
Something to be evaluated means - we should question whether the amino acid 'H' is the real reason behind its survival or is there another unnoticed factor present behind the survival.

A) Whether the herb can thrive in soils that does not have high concentrations of the toxic metals. We are not comparing the survival of the herb in different types of soil. Our discussion is restricted to metal-rich soil and why it is able to survive in it.

B) Whether others of the closely related group of plants also produce Histidine in large quantities.
If yes, the other closely related plants also produce 'H', then it is possibly the reason for their survival in Metal rich soils ---> Testing all these plants will give us more proof (is a strengthener for the conclusion as it explains 'H' as the possible reason for survival)
If no, then there exists another factor ---> testing these plants will give us proof (shatters conclusion)


C) Whether the herb's high level of Histidine production is associated with an unusually low level of production of some other amino acid.
If yes, H produces another amino acid ---> what it that amino acid's role? Not clear (doesn't do anything to the conclusion)
If no, H doesn't produce another amino acid ---> So? How does this explain whether H is the reason behind the herb's survival? (Does nothing to the conclusion, again)


D) Whether growing the herb in soil, with high concentrations of metals will, over time, reduce their concentrations in the soil.
If yes, H reduces the metal concentrations ---> reducing metal conc is the reason for survival? (in the passage, H's role is given to us already, what we want to know is IF H is the REASON this happens, or is their another chemical or factor that initiates the production of H)
If no --- doesn't answer our question of H's importance


E) Whether the conc. of Histidine in the growing herb declines as the plant approaches maturity.
Our question isn't based on the timeline of H's production and its decline - questioning this does nothing to answer our question of H's role in the survival of the herb.

So my answer is: B
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If any experts could kindly tell me whether my flow of thought/explanation(s) is on the right track or have i committed any mistakes, it'd really help me improve.

Thanks! :)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In times of stress, fashion is always outrageous ;-)
Join the discussion