GMAT Prep | Expert help required | Resolve the paradox

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The population of Megacity, a sprawling metropolis in Remsland, has grown at a fairly steady rate for over a
century. A hundred years ago, poor sanitation in the city caused high mortality rates among the city's
inhabitants, and what fueled the population increase was immigration from rural villages. This immigration has
continued and even increased. Moreover, in recent decades, city sanitation has improved enormously. Yet the
city's population growth has not significantly accelerated. Which of the following, if true, most helps to
explain why the city's population growth rate has not changed?
A. Mortality rates that were associated with poor sanitation in Megacity a hundred years ago were orders of magnitude higher than are mortality rates associated with vehicular traffic, which is currently a major cause of death in the city.
B. For several decades, Megacity, as distinct from the countryside, has had a steadily declining birth rate.
C. Cities smaller than Megacity have also experienced sustained population growth.
D. The great majority of immigrants to Remsland settle in Megacity, at least initially.
E. Megacity has long offered better employment prospects than most rural areas.

Why is D incorrect here. It says that these people settle initially that means they do not stay for long. Since, the immigrants are not settling permanently therefore, the population is not growing?

Can someone please highlight the error in my reasonging.
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by hariharanv » Sat Jun 15, 2013 8:52 pm
Though the Immigration has increased and even continued, the City's Population growth hasn't increased. So, either two things can happen:
1. Steady declining of birth date or
2. People who immigrate does not settle there.

Of these, i would pick the latter, because, it is given in the premise that Immigration is still continuing.
Makes Sense?

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by [email protected] » Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:50 am
Resolve the Paradox question belong to the Help family i.e the stimulus is under suspicion and the answers should be taken as true. I am still not convinced that you can justify the passage based on the fact that increasing immigration is mentioned in the passage?

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by David@VeritasPrep » Thu Jun 20, 2013 4:22 am
D would certainly not help to explain this paradox. You are misreading this answer choice, the authors of this question hope to distract you with that modifier "at least initially." But look at the whole answer choice "D. The great majority of immigrants to Remsland settle in Megacity, at least initially."

This indicates that megacity is absorbing the vast majority of immigrants. "at least initially" does not really matter here. It allows the possibility that some of the immigrants move - but it is you who are assuming that this is a significant number of immigrants who only settle their initially.

This is common on the verbal section. A question gives you just enough room to take the bait. Nothing about this answer tells you that as you state "Since, the immigrants are not settling permanently" that is not stated in choice D but it is hinted at and that is how people miss a question like this.

Choice B seems to be the clear answer here. If Megacity has a declining birthrate this may offset the lower death rate. Immigration is held pretty steady so with a lower birthrate and a lower death rate the population increase might just be steady, too.

hariharanv - Remember that on a paradox, strengthen, weaken, etc. the answer choice can bring in some brand new information so it is not an advantage that something is mentioned in the passage.
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by GMATGuruNY » Fri Jun 21, 2013 6:10 am
[email protected] wrote:The population of Megacity, a sprawling metropolis in Remsland, has grown at a fairly steady rate for over a
century. A hundred years ago, poor sanitation in the city caused high mortality rates among the city's
inhabitants, and what fueled the population increase was immigration from rural villages. This immigration has
continued and even increased. Moreover, in recent decades, city sanitation has improved enormously. Yet the
city's population growth has not significantly accelerated. Which of the following, if true, most helps to
explain why the city's population growth rate has not changed?
A. Mortality rates that were associated with poor sanitation in Megacity a hundred years ago were orders of magnitude higher than are mortality rates associated with vehicular traffic, which is currently a major cause of death in the city.
B. For several decades, Megacity, as distinct from the countryside, has had a steadily declining birth rate.
C. Cities smaller than Megacity have also experienced sustained population growth.
D. The great majority of immigrants to Remsland settle in Megacity, at least initially.
E. Megacity has long offered better employment prospects than most rural areas.

Why is D incorrect here. It says that these people settle initially that means they do not stay for long. Since, the immigrants are not settling permanently therefore, the population is not growing?

Can someone please highlight the error in my reasonging.
I received a PM asking me to comment.

The following facts seem to contradict each other:
FACT 1: Immigration to Megacity from rural villages has increased.
FACT 2: The city's population growth rate has not changed.
The correct answer choice must explain how both of these facts can be true at the same time.

Answer choice B: For several decades, Megacity has had a steadily declining birth rate.
This answer choice explains why -- despite an increase in immigration from rural villages -- the population growth rate has not changed: FEWER BABIES are being born.

The correct answer is B.

Answer choice D: The great majority of immigrants to Remsland settle in Megacity, at least initially.
According to the passage, immigration to Megacity FROM RURAL VILLAGES is increasing.
According to D, the vast majority of immigrants to Remsland -- in other words, the vast majority of immigrants FROM OTHER COUNTRIES -- also settle in Megacity.
It is entirely possible that these immigrants FROM OTHER COUNTRIES constitute an ADDITIONAL set of immigrants, in which case Megacity's population growth rate should be INCREASING.
Since the correct answer choice must explain why the population growth rate has NOT increased, eliminate D.
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