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Oil Prices

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by rohit9359 » Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:12 am
Q. Despite the approach of winter, oil prices to industrial customers are exceptionally low this year and likely to remain so. Therefore, unless the winter is especially severe, the price of natural gas to industrial customers is also likely to remain low.
Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the conclusion above?
(A) Long-term weather forecasts predict a mild winter.
(B) The industrial users who consume most natural gas can quickly and cheaply switch to using oil instead.
(C) The largest sources of supply for both oil and natural gas are in subtropical regions unlikely to be affected by winter weather.
(D) The fuel requirements of industrial users of natural gas are not seriously affected by the weather.
(E) Oil distribution is more likely to be affected by severe winter weather than is the distribution of natural gas.

OA is [spoiler](B)[/spoiler]. Why not [spoiler](E)[/spoiler]?

Thanks,
Rohit.
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Re: Oil Prices

by Sher1 » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:37 pm
rohit9359 wrote:Q. Despite the approach of winter, oil prices to industrial customers are exceptionally low this year and likely to remain so. Therefore, unless the winter is especially severe, the price of natural gas to industrial customers is also likely to remain low.
Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the conclusion above?
(A) Long-term weather forecasts predict a mild winter.
(B) The industrial users who consume most natural gas can quickly and cheaply switch to using oil instead.
(C) The largest sources of supply for both oil and natural gas are in subtropical regions unlikely to be affected by winter weather.
(D) The fuel requirements of industrial users of natural gas are not seriously affected by the weather.
(E) Oil distribution is more likely to be affected by severe winter weather than is the distribution of natural gas.

OA is [spoiler](B)[/spoiler]. Why not [spoiler](E)[/spoiler]?

Thanks,
Rohit.
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by Sher1 » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:50 pm
A is correct because it is a necessary assumption to make the conclusion hold....if gas is not affected by oil prices then there is no relationship that we can establish to say that the conclusion will hold...
E however says the opposite of A and weakens the conclusion.

Hope this helps [/i]
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Re: Oil Prices

by delhiboy1979 » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:20 am
rohit9359 wrote:Q. Despite the approach of winter, oil prices to industrial customers are exceptionally low this year and likely to remain so. Therefore, unless the winter is especially severe, the price of natural gas to industrial customers is also likely to remain low.
Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the conclusion above?
(A) Long-term weather forecasts predict a mild winter.
(B) The industrial users who consume most natural gas can quickly and cheaply switch to using oil instead.
(C) The largest sources of supply for both oil and natural gas are in subtropical regions unlikely to be affected by winter weather.
(D) The fuel requirements of industrial users of natural gas are not seriously affected by the weather.
(E) Oil distribution is more likely to be affected by severe winter weather than is the distribution of natural gas.

OA is [spoiler](B)[/spoiler]. Why not [spoiler](E)[/spoiler]?

Thanks,
Rohit.
Rohit,

E is incorrect becase it says that availability of one form of fuel is more likely than the other. There is nothing in the passage that points to this.
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by S0laris » Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:44 pm
bc when passage draws an analogy, comparing 2 things - assumption is that 2 things are same(in this case same in application) - B states that

E - is incorrect bc talks about distribution, rather than price
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by danimmm » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:30 pm
A - Giving no new info .... If the weather will change (already discussed in the stimulus)

[b]B[/b] - Gives new Info. Gas and Oil are competitors that can be switched. If Oil will be expensive Gas price will raise (Couse the supplier can ...)

C - Of Scope

D - This one tries to Tries to mislead. the Question is not how much will be consumed but what will be consumed.

E - The conclusion is "Therefore, unless the winter is especially severe,..." Answer E gives the conclusion a new "if" - "affected by severe winter weather"
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by kartik1979 » Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:24 am
for Strengthen the said conclusion

a relation has to be established between oil and natural gas
As`per Argument If Price of oil goes down it will affect price of oil

This is totally supported by B

if producers can substitute Gas wil oil then gas has to remain on similar price to oil
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Re: Oil Prices

by apple100 » Sun Apr 19, 2009 11:56 pm
rohit9359 wrote:Q. Despite the approach of winter, oil prices to industrial customers are exceptionally low this year and likely to remain so. Therefore, unless the winter is especially severe, the price of natural gas to industrial customers is also likely to remain low.
Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the conclusion above?
(A) Long-term weather forecasts predict a mild winter.
(B) The industrial users who consume most natural gas can quickly and cheaply switch to using oil instead.
(C) The largest sources of supply for both oil and natural gas are in subtropical regions unlikely to be affected by winter weather.
(D) The fuel requirements of industrial users of natural gas are not seriously affected by the weather.
(E) Oil distribution is more likely to be affected by severe winter weather than is the distribution of natural gas.

OA is [spoiler](B)[/spoiler]. Why not [spoiler](E)[/spoiler]?

Thanks,
Rohit.
Is this question ("if true") asking for the assumption?
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by krisraam » Mon Apr 20, 2009 2:01 pm
My answer is B.

1.Oil prices will remain low for the rest of the winter...

2.Natural gas prices will likely to remain low.

Choice B connects the missing link.

Oil prices will remain low; Natural Gas will also remain low because its easy to switch from gas to oil.

Thanks,
Raama
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Re: Oil Prices

by 4seasoncentre » Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:40 pm
rohit9359 wrote:
(E) Oil distribution is more likely to be affected by severe winter weather than is the distribution of natural gas.

OA is [spoiler](B)[/spoiler]. Why not [spoiler](E)[/spoiler]?
If there is a disruption in distribution, it could drive the price up. This may happen to oil. However, the passage argues that the price of natural gas will ALSO remain low. this statement can't be true if the price of oil is high. and in general B is a much stronger answer.
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by kris77 » Fri May 13, 2016 11:25 pm
Cannot decide between E and B. Can anyone brake down these two choices for me please
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by GMATGuruNY » Sat May 14, 2016 8:02 am
rohit9359 wrote:Why not [spoiler](E)[/spoiler]?
Unless X happens, Y will happen means IF X DOES NOT HAPPEN, Y WILL HAPPEN.
The if-portion of an if-then statement is a PREMISE.
The then-portion is a CONCLUSION.

Unless the winter is especially severe, the price of natural gas to industrial customers is also likely to remain low.
Rephrased as an if-then statement:
If the winter is not especially severe, the price of natural gas to industrial customers is also likely to remain low.
Here, the if-portion -- the winter is not especially severe -- is a PREMISE.

E: Oil distribution is more likely to be affected by severe winter weather than is the distribution of natural gas.
The portion in red seems to contradict the PREMISE in blue.
A premise cannot be contradicted.
Eliminate any answer choice that contradicts a premise.
Eliminate E.
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