BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Bone Depletion

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:06 pm
Thanked: 15 times
Followed by:8 members

Bone Depletion

by charu_mahajan » Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:46 pm
Bone depletion -- decreases in the thickness, density, and strength of bones -- tends to occur as humans age. The bones of some individuals seem to become thicker, denser, and stronger with regular weight-bearing exercise, such as weight lifting, and with the intake of dietary calcium.

Which of the following can be correctly inferred from the statements above?

A. Individuals who eat sufficient calcium run no risk of bone depletion in old age.
B. Individuals who do not undertake weight-bearing exercise have a high risk of experiencing bone depletion late in life.
C. Weight-lifting and intake of dietary calcium are the most effective methods of avoiding bone depletion.
D. A program of regular weight-bearing exercise and intake of dietary calcium allows some individuals to avoid one of the deleterious effects of aging.
E. Only weight-bearing exercise is necessary to build bone thickness, density, and strength.

Source - Kaplan GMAT
Category - Inference
Level - 600 - 700/ Medium (IMO)
OA after discussion
Top
Source: — Critical Reasoning |
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:01 am

by einste » Mon Feb 04, 2013 12:56 am
D?
Top
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 4:15 am
Thanked: 1 times

by viveksingh222 » Mon Feb 04, 2013 6:29 am
All Options other than D seem to me extreme.
+1 for D
Top
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:06 pm
Thanked: 15 times
Followed by:8 members

by charu_mahajan » Tue Feb 05, 2013 10:57 am
OA: D
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2095
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pm
Thanked: 1443 times
Followed by:247 members

by ceilidh.erickson » Tue Feb 05, 2013 1:14 pm
Inference questions - whether in CR or RC - are really asking you "what MUST be true?" When you're looking for a must-be-true, you can avoid any answer choices that are too extreme, as other posters have mentioned.

A. Individuals who eat sufficient calcium run no risk of bone depletion in old age.
"No risk" is way too extreme - we're only told that "some individuals" experience positive change.

B. Individuals who do not undertake weight-bearing exercise have a high risk of experiencing bone depletion late in life.
We can't claim that they have a "high risk", just that they may have a higher risk than some individuals who do. (Note the qualifiers there)

C. Weight-lifting and intake of dietary calcium are the most effective methods of avoiding bone depletion.
We're just told that it can be effective for some people. We have no information comparing it to other methods, so we know nothing about "most."

D. A program of regular weight-bearing exercise and intake of dietary calcium allows some individuals to avoid one of the deleterious effects of aging.
Note the nicely mitigating language here! It's hard to disprove "some."

E. Only weight-bearing exercise is necessary to build bone thickness, density, and strength.
There may be other necessary factors that weren't mentioned in the argument, so we can't claim it's the "only" one.

The answer is D.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Top
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 308
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:51 am
Thanked: 16 times
Followed by:3 members

by Lifetron » Wed Feb 06, 2013 3:09 am
Jus avoid Extreme words[most etc,.] and consider the Boundary words[some etc,.]

You'll get D !
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1