700+ Man Question Boldface Question Man

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A team of Swedish scientists recently concluded a fifteen year study on the relationship between fatty or lean fish consumption and the risk of kidney cancer; the study revealed that those who ate on average more than one serving per week of fatty fish had 44 percent less risk for developing renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer. Though all previous studies on the relationship between fatty fish and the prevalence of kidney cancer have been inconclusive, the Swedish scientists attribute the lower rate of kidney cancer to increased intake of omega 3 fatty acids. Lean fish is rarely rich in omega 3's, and those in the study who ate lean fish had the same risk for developing renal cell carcinoma as those who ate no fish at all.

In the statement above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
a)The first is an opinion that is supported by the argument; the second is one part of the information uncovered in the study.
b)The first is a fact that goes against the argument that is being presented; the second is one element of a logical argument in support of the scientists' claim.
c)The first presents the quandary the scientists are attempting to solve; the second is the result of that quandary.
d)The first is a claim in support of the argument; the second is a piece of evidence against the argument.
e)The first is an explanation advocated by the argument; the second is a finding used to challenge that explanation.

OA after some discussion ..took me a long time 3:45 min to solve , let me know ur timing ..

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by BlindVision » Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:21 pm
chaitanya.mehrotra wrote:A team of Swedish scientists recently concluded a fifteen year study on the relationship between fatty or lean fish consumption and the risk of kidney cancer; the study revealed that those who ate on average more than one serving per week of fatty fish had 44 percent less risk for developing renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer. Though all previous studies on the relationship between fatty fish and the prevalence of kidney cancer have been inconclusive, the Swedish scientists attribute the lower rate of kidney cancer to increased intake of omega 3 fatty acids. Lean fish is rarely rich in omega 3's, and those in the study who ate lean fish had the same risk for developing renal cell carcinoma as those who ate no fish at all.

In the statement above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
a)The first is an opinion that is supported by the argument; the second is one part of the information uncovered in the study.
b)The first is a fact that goes against the argument that is being presented; the second is one element of a logical argument in support of the scientists' claim.
c)The first presents the quandary the scientists are attempting to solve; the second is the result of that quandary.
d)The first is a claim in support of the argument; the second is a piece of evidence against the argument.
e)The first is an explanation advocated by the argument; the second is a finding used to challenge that explanation.

OA after some discussion ..took me a long time 3:45 min to solve , let me know ur timing ..
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by pm » Wed Jul 27, 2011 4:12 am
OA D

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by DhruvXVII » Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:14 am
B

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by e-GMAT » Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:18 am
Choice B is the correct choice here since the role played by both statement 1 and statement 2 are correctly identified with respect to the argument. The argument states that people who eat fatty fish have a lower chance of kidney cancer. Statement 1 states a fact that goes against this finding. Statement 2 simply states a fact that supports the argument by explaining why the benefits are seen with fatty fish and not seen with Lean fish.

Choice A: ST1 is not supported by the argument

Choice C: ST1 is an established fact. It is not a quandary.

Choices D/E are similarly incorrect.

What is tricky in this question?

1. Identifying what the argument is advocating due to the absence of conclusion markers

2. Detecting that BF2 is supporting the argument. This is because many people do not realize that a fact that does not go against the conclusion (i.e. is not an antipremise) in fact supports the argument.


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