Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted to humans by deer ticks. Generally
deer ticks pick up the bacterium while in the larval stage from feeding on infected
white-footed mice. However, certain other species on which the larvae feed do not
harbor the bacterium. Therefore, if the population of these other species were
increased, the number of ticks acquiring the bacterium and hence the number of
people contracting Lyme disease-would likely decline.
Which of the following would it be most important to ascertain in evaluating the
argument?
A. Whether populations of the other species on which deer tick larvae feed are
found only in areas also inhabited by white footed mice.
B. Whether the size of the deer tick population is currently limited by the
availability of animals for the tick's larval stage to feed on
C. Whether the infected deer population could be controlled by increasing the
number of animals that prey on white footed mice.
D. Whether deer ticks that were not infected as larvae can become infected as
adults by feeding on deer on which infected deer ticks have fed.
E. Whether the other species on which deer tick larvae feed harbor any other
bacteria that ticks transmits to humans.
I don't understand as to why option B is wrong/correct here?
Also please explain option C which I believe should be the correct one
D is out as it talks about deer but the argument talks about deer ticks
Please share your thoughts guys.
deer ticks pick up the bacterium while in the larval stage from feeding on infected
white-footed mice. However, certain other species on which the larvae feed do not
harbor the bacterium. Therefore, if the population of these other species were
increased, the number of ticks acquiring the bacterium and hence the number of
people contracting Lyme disease-would likely decline.
Which of the following would it be most important to ascertain in evaluating the
argument?
A. Whether populations of the other species on which deer tick larvae feed are
found only in areas also inhabited by white footed mice.
B. Whether the size of the deer tick population is currently limited by the
availability of animals for the tick's larval stage to feed on
C. Whether the infected deer population could be controlled by increasing the
number of animals that prey on white footed mice.
D. Whether deer ticks that were not infected as larvae can become infected as
adults by feeding on deer on which infected deer ticks have fed.
E. Whether the other species on which deer tick larvae feed harbor any other
bacteria that ticks transmits to humans.
I don't understand as to why option B is wrong/correct here?
Also please explain option C which I believe should be the correct one
D is out as it talks about deer but the argument talks about deer ticks
Please share your thoughts guys.
Best-
Amit
Amit
