Critical Reasoning

Dear friends,
I need your help to work out the following question


One variety of partially biodegradable plastic beverage container is manufactured from small bits of plastic bound together by a degradable bonding agent such as cornstarch. Since only the bonding agent degrades, leaving the small bits of plastic, no less plastic refuse per container is produced when such containers are discarded than when comparable nonbiodegradable containers are discarded.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument above?

(A) Both partially biodegradable and nonbiodegradable plastic beverage containers can be crushed completely flat by refuse compactors.
(B) The partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers are made with more plastic than comparable nonbiodegradable ones in order to compensate for the weakening effect of the bonding agents.
(C) Many consumers are ecology-minded and prefer to buy a product sold in the partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers rather than in nonbiodegradable containers, even if the price is higher.
(D) The manufacturing process for the partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers results in less plastic waste than the manufacturing process for nonbiodegradable plastic beverage containers.
(E) Technological problems with recycling currently prevent the reuse as food or beverage containers of the plastic from either type of plastic beverage container.

firstly, I have different comprehension with OA.
IMO, the conclusion is that biodegradable beverage container produces > = plastic refuse per container as a nonbiodegradable container does, because "no less than" means > = , "comparable" here means under same qty of container,
while OA's conclusion is that biodegradable beverage container produces as much plastic refuse per container as a nonbiodegradable container does
please help clarify my misunderstanding

secondly, approaching
I cannot understand why C is incorrect, IMO, if people buy more biodegradable ones , then without doubt suggest more refuse when discard...
please help...


thanks a lot
have a nice day

>_~

zoe wrote:Firstly, I have different comprehension with OA.
IMO, the conclusion is that biodegradable beverage container produces > = plastic refuse per container as a nonbiodegradable container does, because "no less than" means > = , "comparable" here means under same qty of container,
while OA's conclusion is that biodegradable beverage container produces as much plastic refuse per container as a nonbiodegradable container does
please help clarify my misunderstanding

There is not a key difference between the two things that you said. If the conclusion is that the one is >= to the other and the answer choice supports the idea that the one is = to the other, then essentially the original conclusion has been strengthened.

Secondly, actually given what the OA, B, says, discarding the partially biodegradable containers creates more waste than discarding the non biodegradable containers, as B says that the partially biodegradable containers are made with MORE PLASTIC. So actually B indicates partially biodegradable > than non degradable.

secondly, approaching
I cannot understand why C is incorrect, IMO, if people buy more biodegradable ones , then without doubt suggest more refuse when discard...
please help...

Getting CR questions right requires noticing key details. There is a detail that you actually mentioned above and that you seem to now have left out of your consideration in evaluating choice C.

Find that key detail and you will understand why C is clearly irrelevant to this particular discussion.