Conclusion argument - Can't figure out the conclusion here

This topic has expert replies
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:13 am
Thanked: 1 times
Besides laying eggs in her own nest, any female wood duck will lay an egg in the nest of another female wood duck if she sees the other duck leaving her nest. Under natural nesting conditions, this parasitic behavior is relatively rare because the ducks' nests are well hidden. However, when people put up nesting boxes to help the ducks breed, they actually undercut the ducks' reproductive efforts. These nesting boxes become so crowded with extra eggs that few, if any, of the eggs in those boxes hatch.

The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

(A) Female wood ducks will establish nests in nest
boxes only when natural nesting sites are not
available.

(B) Nesting female wood ducks who often see other
female wood ducks are the most successful in
their breeding efforts.

(C) The nesting boxes for wood ducks have less space
for eggs than do natural nesting sites.

(D) The nesting boxes would be more effective in
helping wood ducks breed if they were less
visible to other wood ducks than they currently
are.

(E) Nesting boxes are needed to supplement the
natural nesting sites of wood ducks because of
the destruction of much of the ducks' habitat.

OA: D

Although after seeing the OA I could well relate, I am unable to understand how to arrive at the conclusion. I am confused between C and D. Someone please explain.
Last edited by gmattaker20 on Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:59 am, edited 2 times in total.
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:34 am
Location: India
Thanked: 310 times
Followed by:123 members
GMAT Score:750

by cans » Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:40 am
There is no conclusion in the stimulus. question is to find the conclusion.
If my post helped you- let me know by pushing the thanks button ;)

Contact me about long distance tutoring!
[email protected]

Cans!!

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:13 am
Thanked: 1 times

by gmattaker20 » Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:58 am
Thanks for the reply cans. I am confused between C and D. I am wondering how hypothetical condition (if and would) could be the conclusion ?

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:34 am
Location: India
Thanked: 310 times
Followed by:123 members
GMAT Score:750

by cans » Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:40 pm
C says: Size of nesting box is small which is nowhere mentioned in the stimulus.
It just says that nesting boxes become crowded because of extra eggs.
say normal nest has capacity of 10 eggs, and nesting box has capacity of 11, nesting boxes can become crowded if 5 extra eggs come...

D) If nesting boxes were less visible, they won't become crowded and thus the conclusion.
If my post helped you- let me know by pushing the thanks button ;)

Contact me about long distance tutoring!
[email protected]

Cans!!

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 416
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:48 am
Thanked: 28 times
Followed by:6 members

by gunjan1208 » Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:00 pm
Good Question. Though thought this should be D in the first place, I finally fell for C. But with the reply from Cans, I am absolutely clear.

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:13 am
Thanked: 1 times

by gmattaker20 » Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:02 pm
Thanks cans for the vivid explanation.

Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:31 am
Thanked: 1 times

by gauravhasija » Sat Sep 17, 2011 5:13 am
If a nesting box is visible to one acquiring it...it is equally visible to everyone else....until its position is changed later..i dont see D relevant

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:34 am
Location: India
Thanked: 310 times
Followed by:123 members
GMAT Score:750

by cans » Sat Sep 17, 2011 5:23 am
gauravhasija wrote:If a nesting box is visible to one acquiring it...it is equally visible to everyone else....until its position is changed later..i dont see D relevant
So what should be the answer according to you??
If my post helped you- let me know by pushing the thanks button ;)

Contact me about long distance tutoring!
[email protected]

Cans!!

Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:31 am
Thanked: 1 times

by gauravhasija » Sat Sep 17, 2011 5:37 am
cans wrote:
gauravhasija wrote:If a nesting box is visible to one acquiring it...it is equally visible to everyone else....until its position is changed later..i dont see D relevant
So what should be the answer according to you??
IMO C..author has mentioned that this behavior relatively rare at natural sites...

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:34 am
Location: India
Thanked: 310 times
Followed by:123 members
GMAT Score:750

by cans » Sat Sep 17, 2011 7:00 am
parasitic behavior is rare which is because they are well hidden....
If my post helped you- let me know by pushing the thanks button ;)

Contact me about long distance tutoring!
[email protected]

Cans!!