Critical Reasoning

Unless negotiations begin soon, the cease-fire will be violated by one of the two
sides to the dispute. Negotiations will be held only if other countries have
pressured the two sides to negotiate; an agreement will emerge only if other
countries continue such pressure throughout the negotiations. But no negotiations
will be held until international troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated
their ability to counter any aggression from either side, thus suppressing a major
incentive for the two sides to resume fighting.
If the statements above are true, and if negotiations between the two sides do
begin soon, at the time those negotiations begin each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

(A) The cease-fire has not been violated by either of the two sides.
(B) International troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated that they can
counter aggression from either of the two sides.
(C) A major incentive for the two sides to resume hostilities has been suppressed.
(D) Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute.
(E) The negotiations’ reaching an agreement depends in part on the actions of
other countries.

Is it E?

I feel E as an answer is clear.
Whats the OA?

I think A is answer.

I think A.

Pls note the questions scope:

If the statements above are true, and if negotiations between the two sides do
begin soon, AT THE TIME those negotiations BEGIN each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

(A) The cease-fire has not been violated by either of the two sides.

Supported by first statement.
Necessary condition --> Negotiations begin soon
Sufficient condition --> cease-fire will NOT be violated by one of the two
sides to the dispute.

(B) International troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated that they can
counter aggression from either of the two sides.

Supported by third premise.

(C) A major incentive for the two sides to resume hostilities has been suppressed.
This seems to be supported by the premises. Leaving it as a contender.

(D) Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute.

Supported by one of the premises --> Negotiations will be held only if other countries have pressured the two sides to negotiate

(E) The negotiations’ reaching an agreement depends in part on the actions of other countries.

Correct.
Need not be true as question is asking AT THE TIME those negotiations BEGIN. This has to be true when agreement is completed.


OA pls

the reason I think E is not correct is -

"an agreement will emerge only if other countries continue such pressure throughout the negotiations"

the actions of the other countries have to be there for the two countries to reach an agreement.

crackgmat007 wrote:Pls note the questions scope:

If the statements above are true, and if negotiations between the two sides do
begin soon, AT THE TIME those negotiations BEGIN each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

(A) The cease-fire has not been violated by either of the two sides.

Supported by first statement.
Necessary condition --> Negotiations begin soon
Sufficient condition --> cease-fire will NOT be violated by one of the two
sides to the dispute.

(B) International troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated that they can
counter aggression from either of the two sides.

Supported by third premise.

(C) A major incentive for the two sides to resume hostilities has been suppressed.
This seems to be supported by the premises. Leaving it as a contender.

(D) Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute.

Supported by one of the premises --> Negotiations will be held only if other countries have pressured the two sides to negotiate

(E) The negotiations’ reaching an agreement depends in part on the actions of other countries.

Correct.
Need not be true as question is asking AT THE TIME those negotiations BEGIN. This has to be true when agreement is completed.


OA pls

I see your point. But IMO, here we need something that must be true AT the TIME THE NEGOTIATIONS BEGIN. Let see what OA is.

mehravikas wrote:the reason I think E is not correct is -

"an agreement will emerge only if other countries continue such pressure throughout the negotiations"

the actions of the other countries have to be there for the two countries to reach an agreement.

crackgmat007 wrote:Pls note the questions scope:

If the statements above are true, and if negotiations between the two sides do
begin soon, AT THE TIME those negotiations BEGIN each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

(A) The cease-fire has not been violated by either of the two sides.

Supported by first statement.
Necessary condition --> Negotiations begin soon
Sufficient condition --> cease-fire will NOT be violated by one of the two
sides to the dispute.

(B) International troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated that they can
counter aggression from either of the two sides.

Supported by third premise.

(C) A major incentive for the two sides to resume hostilities has been suppressed.
This seems to be supported by the premises. Leaving it as a contender.

(D) Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute.

Supported by one of the premises --> Negotiations will be held only if other countries have pressured the two sides to negotiate

(E) The negotiations’ reaching an agreement depends in part on the actions of other countries.

Correct.
Need not be true as question is asking AT THE TIME those negotiations BEGIN. This has to be true when agreement is completed.


OA pls

In my opinion its D

(D) Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute.

Can any one please explain from which part of the argument, we can say that it is true ?

IMO D.

Thanks,
Raama

Tough one but I would go for E. The negotiations’ reaching an agreement depends in part on the actions of other countries. So, the negotiation can begin without other countries' actions.

pandeyvineet24 wrote:In my opinion its D

(D) Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute.

Can any one please explain from which part of the argument, we can say that it is true ?

IMO the choice is not saying that other countries are doing something TO dispute. But I think it mentions the SIDES to the dispute.

I vote for E.

This is a must be true question

Line up Statement in E. "the negotiations’ reaching an agreement depends in part on the actions of other countries" next to the statement in the stimulus "an agreement will emerge only if other countries continue such pressure throughout the negotiations"

Let's look at E again. Imagine the 2 countries in question are Russia and Georgia. Now will an agreement between Russia and Georgia be dependent in part on the actions (which are general here) of other countries (say, Trinidad [who may not even be close to the dispute in the 1st place] and the US deciding to enter into an Oil Joint Exploration Venture)? NO.

Look at options A-D and you'll see that they have an immediate bearing on the 2 countries as discussed.

In my opinion it is "C". "A major incentive for the two sides to resume hostilities has been suppressed." In the Para, they say that the "fight" has been suppressed. A fight can be suppressed but can the hostility suppress at the time the Negotiations begin? E i feel is not the right answer because at the time negotiation begin, the other countries know that they would have to do keep performing actions to ensure that the Negotiations close successfully.

Please tell us the right answer

abhasjha wrote:Unless negotiations begin soon, the cease-fire will be violated by one of the two
sides to the dispute. Negotiations will be held only if other countries have
pressured the two sides to negotiate; an agreement will emerge only if other
countries continue such pressure throughout the negotiations. But no negotiations
will be held until international troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated
their ability to counter any aggression from either side, thus suppressing a major
incentive for the two sides to resume fighting.
If the statements above are true, and if negotiations between the two sides do
begin soon, at the time those negotiations begin each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

(A) The cease-fire has not been violated by either of the two sides.
(B) International troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated that they can
counter aggression from either of the two sides.
(C) A major incentive for the two sides to resume hostilities has been suppressed.
(D) Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute.
(E) The negotiations’ reaching an agreement depends in part on the actions of
other countries.

Can someone please post the actual answer?