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Insulin

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by heshamelaziry » Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:18 pm
Calorie restriction, a diet high in nutrients but low in calories, is known to prolong the life of rats and mice by preventing heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other diseases. A six-month study of 48 moderately overweight people, who each reduced their calorie intake by at least 25 percent, demonstrated decreases in insulin levels and body temperature, with the greatest decrease observed in individuals with the greatest percentage change in their calorie intake. Low insulin level and body temperature are both considered signs of longevity, partly because an earlier study by other researchers found both traits in long-lived people.

If the above statements are true, they support which of the following inferences?

Calorie restriction produces similar results in humans as it does in rats and mice.

Humans who reduce their calorie intake by at least 25 percent on a long-term basis will live longer than they would have had they not done so.

Calorie intake is directly correlated to insulin level in moderately overweight individuals.

Individuals with low insulin levels are healthier than individuals with high insulin levels.

Some individuals in the study reduced their calorie intake by more than 25 percent.

OA E
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Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by Testluv » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:38 pm
Hi heshamelaziry,

In an inference question, we need to find a choice that must be true based on one or more facts in the passage. The second sentence states: "A six-month study of 48 moderately overweight people, who each reduced their calorie intake by at least 25 percent, demonstrated decreases in insulin levels and body temperature, with the greatest decrease observed in individuals with the greatest percentage change in their calorie intake."
If you connect the two bold portions, you will see that it must be true that some experienced decreases of greater than 25 percent (otherwise, it wouldn't make sense to speak of the "greatest decrease".)
Notice that valid inferences are not necessarily mind-boggling and don't necessarily have to integrate the entire stimulus.

Hope that helps.
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by heshamelaziry » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:42 pm
Testluv wrote:Hi heshamelaziry,

In an inference question, we need to find a choice that must be true based on one or more facts in the passage. The second sentence states: "A six-month study of 48 moderately overweight people, who each reduced their calorie intake by at least 25 percent, demonstrated decreases in insulin levels and body temperature, with the greatest decrease observed in individuals with the greatest percentage change in their calorie intake."
If you connect the two bold portions, you will see that it must be true that some experienced decreases of greater than 25 percent (otherwise, it wouldn't make sense to speak of the "greatest decrease".)
Notice that valid inferences are not necessarily mind-boggling and don't necessarily have to integrate the entire stimulus.

Hope that helps.

Why not C. I read the OE and it is so complicated; the writer tries so hard to make it wrong.
What is strange is that when I try so hard to analyze an answer choice, it turns out that i shouldn't have because it will guide me wrong, but here is the opposite case !!!! Maybe when I analyze too much my reassoning is wrong ?
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by Testluv » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:49 pm
Choice C could be false. While it is strongly suggested by the stimulus, decrased caloric intake might not be directly correlated with low insulin. For example, decreased caloric intake might be directly correlated with lower body temperature, and it might be the lower body temperature that is directly correlated with low insulin. That is to say, if we were to decrease calories but somehow keep our body temperature up, it might be the case that insulin will also stay up.

Quite often, it is harder to figure out why a wrong answer is wrong than it is to figure out why the right answer is right. From my first post, you can tell that it is a lot easier to see why the right answer is right, then it is to figure out why C is wrong. In these situations, you should be bold and select the correct answer. Remember you get a point for announcing the correct answer--not for coming up with four reasons for why the other four answers are wrong!
Hope that helped.
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by hk_4u » Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:43 am
Quite often, it is harder to figure out why a wrong answer is wrong than it is to figure out why the right answer is right. From my first post, you can tell that it is a lot easier to see why the right answer is right, then it is to figure out why C is wrong. In these situations, you should be bold and select the correct answer. Remember you get a point for announcing the correct answer--not for coming up with four reasons for why the other four answers are wrong!
Hope that helped.
Hi Testluv

I have noticed that you have given this advice earlier too .I find myself in such situations (specially in CR) where I am left with 2 answer choices out of which one feel is the right answer and other I am not sure of. Usually ,either I take time to get rid of the second one or just go ahead with either one (basically guess).
What you are suggesting is that instead of deliberating over the 2 choices, I should go ahead with the one I feel is right without thinking too much of the other choice ? How good is this strategy ?
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by Testluv » Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:10 am
I am not suggesting not "to think too much". Instead, I am suggesting to focus on what answer is right (whereas most students' tendencies is to eliminate four choices). Quite often the test-maker makes it harder to figure out why a choice is wrong than it is to figure out why the right answer is right. If you are reasonably confident that choice D is correct but you find it difficult to figure out why choice B is wrong, recognize that you don't have to articulate why choice B is wrong in order to get the reward. And definitely don't switch your answer to B just because you are worried about it. Instead of trying to divine why B is wrong, here, you should confirm your reasoning for why D is right. That said, while reviewing, it is a very good idea to figure out why wrong answers are wrong on your own, before checking the solutions.
Kaplan Teacher in Toronto
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by mmslf75 » Fri Jan 08, 2010 12:34 am
Testluv,

Just wanted to know whether do we avoid STRONG choices, such as in B, for INFERENCE type questions ??

I have read and heard avoid STRONG CHOICES... (such as NOT...WILL ..etc )!

How true it is for Inference / Strengthen/Weaken/Assumption etc ...
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