Herbicides allow cereal crops to be grown very efficiently, with virtually no competition from weeds. In Britain, partridge populations have been steadily decreasing since herbicide use became widespread. Some environmentalists claim that these birds, which live in and around cereal crop fields, are being poisoned by the herbicides. However, tests show no more than trace quantities of herbicides in partridges on herbicide-treated land. Therefore, something other than herbicide use must be responsible for the population decrease.
Which of the following, if true about Britain, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. The elimination of certain weeds from cereal crop fields has reduced the population of the small insects that live
on those weeds and that form a major part of partridge chicks' diet.
B. Since partridges are valued as game birds, records of their population are more carefully kept than those for
many other birds.
C. Some of the weeds that are eliminated from cereal crop fields by herbicides are much smaller than the crop
plants themselves and would have no negative effect on crop yield if they were allowed to grow.
D. Birds other than partridges that live in or around cereal crop fields have also been suffering population declines.
E. The toxins contained in herbicides typically used on cereal crops can be readily identified in the tissues of
animals that have ingested them.
OA is A
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Herbicides allow cereal crops to be grown very efficiently,
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rakeshd347
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mevicks
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Mapping:rakeshd347 wrote:Herbicides allow cereal crops to be grown very efficiently, with virtually no competition from weeds. In Britain, partridge populations have been steadily decreasing since herbicide use became widespread. Some environmentalists claim that these birds, which live in and around cereal crop fields, are being poisoned by the herbicides. However, tests show no more than trace quantities of herbicides in partridges on herbicide-treated land. Therefore, something other than herbicide use must be responsible for the population decrease.
Which of the following, if true about Britain, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. The elimination of certain weeds from cereal crop fields has reduced the population of the small insects that live on those weeds and that form a major part of partridge chicks' diet.
Herbs. destroy certain weeds and which in turn reduces the primary source of nutrition of the small insects and thus they die. Eventually the bird population also decreases as the young ones dont have enough small insects to eat. Strong contender
B. Since partridges are valued as game birds, records of their population are more carefully kept than those for many other birds.
Out of scope: Does not talk about Herbs.
C. Some of the weeds that are eliminated from cereal crop fields by herbicides are much smaller than the crop plants themselves and would have no negative effect on crop yield if they were allowed to grow.
Presents no correlation between the birds and herbs.
D. Birds other than partridges that live in or around cereal crop fields have also been suffering population declines.
Provides no reason for the decline.
E. The toxins contained in herbicides typically used on cereal crops can be readily identified in the tissues of animals that have ingested them.
This provides additional premise that Herb. traces can indeed be detected.
Herbicides --> Good for crops, Bad for Birds (Patridge)
Causation-correlation --> herbicides use became widespread, at the same time bird population declines.
Thus acc. to environmentalists = Herb. is the cause.
BUT tests say otherwise
THUS something other than herbicide use must be responsible for the population decrease
Conclusion: Herb. is not responsible for the population decrease.
We have to weaken this claim, i.e prove that Herb. IS RESPONSIBLE for the decline.
Between A and E, answer seems to be A as it provides additional evidence.
Regards,
Vivek
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Herbicide reduce weeds and in turn partridge population.
Conclusion: Something other than herbicide use must be responsible for the population decrease.
Answer A: Suggests that probably decrease in weeds caused decrease in partridge population.
Vikas
Conclusion: Something other than herbicide use must be responsible for the population decrease.
Answer A: Suggests that probably decrease in weeds caused decrease in partridge population.
Vikas
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cd86
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The answer is A according to me.
A. The elimination of certain weeds from cereal crop fields has reduced the population of the small insects that live on those weeds and that form a major part of partridge chicks' diet.
B. Since partridges are valued as game birds, records of their population are more carefully kept than those formany other birds. Irrelevant why record of thier population is kept as it does nothing to prove the fact that herbicides might be the cause.
C. Some of the weeds that are eliminated from cereal crop fields by herbicides are much smaller than the crop plants themselves and would have no negative effect on crop yield if they were allowed to grow. Irrelavant to talk about why the weeds are not harmful, as it is nothing to do with herbicides
D. Birds other than partridges that live in or around cereal crop fields have also been suffering population declines. Saying that other birds are also dying does nothing to the arguement
E. The toxins contained in herbicides typically used on cereal crops can be readily identified in the tissues of
animals that have ingested them. Lets say the toxins have been identified, so how does it prove that the death was caused by these toxins only? even human ingest toxins everyday , that might or might not be the reason for any causality,still an irrelevant point
A. The elimination of certain weeds from cereal crop fields has reduced the population of the small insects that live on those weeds and that form a major part of partridge chicks' diet.
B. Since partridges are valued as game birds, records of their population are more carefully kept than those formany other birds. Irrelevant why record of thier population is kept as it does nothing to prove the fact that herbicides might be the cause.
C. Some of the weeds that are eliminated from cereal crop fields by herbicides are much smaller than the crop plants themselves and would have no negative effect on crop yield if they were allowed to grow. Irrelavant to talk about why the weeds are not harmful, as it is nothing to do with herbicides
D. Birds other than partridges that live in or around cereal crop fields have also been suffering population declines. Saying that other birds are also dying does nothing to the arguement
E. The toxins contained in herbicides typically used on cereal crops can be readily identified in the tissues of
animals that have ingested them. Lets say the toxins have been identified, so how does it prove that the death was caused by these toxins only? even human ingest toxins everyday , that might or might not be the reason for any causality,still an irrelevant point
.rakeshd347 wrote:Herbicides allow cereal crops to be grown very efficiently, with virtually no competition from weeds. In Britain, partridge populations have been steadily decreasing since herbicide use became widespread. Some environmentalists claim that these birds, which live in and around cereal crop fields, are being poisoned by the herbicides. However, tests show no more than trace quantities of herbicides in partridges on herbicide-treated land. Therefore, something other than herbicide use must be responsible for the population decrease.
Which of the following, if true about Britain, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. The elimination of certain weeds from cereal crop fields has reduced the population of the small insects that live
on those weeds and that form a major part of partridge chicks' diet.
B. Since partridges are valued as game birds, records of their population are more carefully kept than those for
many other birds.
C. Some of the weeds that are eliminated from cereal crop fields by herbicides are much smaller than the crop
plants themselves and would have no negative effect on crop yield if they were allowed to grow.
D. Birds other than partridges that live in or around cereal crop fields have also been suffering population declines.
E. The toxins contained in herbicides typically used on cereal crops can be readily identified in the tissues of
animals that have ingested them.
OA is A
I think the answer depends on what we think the "sth other than herbicide" is really is.
A is correct because the indirect reason it states is regarded as "sth other than herbicide".
