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Problematic CR question

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Problematic CR question

by Delayed_flight » Sun Apr 04, 2010 11:20 pm
Country A imports a greater proportion of canned food than its neighbor Country B annually. Therefore residents in Country B prefer canned food less than Country A.

Which of the following if true, most strengthens the author's argument?

a. Country A has less population than country B
b. People in Country A are richer than people in Country B
c. The consumption of fresh food is Country A is twice as that of Country B
d. The average price per can of imported food to Country A costs less than the average price per can in Country B
e. People in Country B are mostly vegetarians, and so the need to import canned food in less than its neighbor

The correct answer, according to test makers, is D, but i have no idea how this answer can be applied here, any tips?
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by srinivasarajui » Mon Apr 05, 2010 12:37 am
D can not be answer because there is no relation between average price and preference.
I think the answer should be A, though not very clear.

By the way what is the source of this question?
Srinu
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by nileshdalvi » Mon Apr 05, 2010 3:33 am
In Strengthen Question, one needs to provide support to the argument by supporting either the conclusion or the assumption (premises rarely).

Conclusion is People in Country B prefer less canned food than country A and you need to support this. There can be numerous assumptions so also look out if you find any assumption supported or bolstered.

Directly attack answer choices and use PoE in Strengthen as prephrasing will rarely help as it does in Assumption and Inference/Conclusion.

A: More population in B does not support why people in B prefer less canned food.
B: If people in country B are poor, this does not indicate why people in B prefer less canned food as there is no indication that canned food is costly in the stimulus.
C: Consumption in A of fresh food is greater than B does not tell why people in B prefer less canned food. First of all there should be no assumption made that if people dont eat much fresh food, they eat canned food. To top it, if you assume that less fresh food is more canned food, then B people eat less fresh food, so they must prefer more canned food. This does not support the conclusion.
D: Since the average price for each can is greater than that for Country A, people of country B prefer canned food less than country A. Since price is more, people do not prefer buying canned food than people in COuntry A. hence the import is less. this is how it supports.
E: Canned food may be vegetarian food also, so this cannot be a reason for not preferring canned food.

Basically use PoE in Strengthen to quickly eliminate other answer choice and find one that strengthens the conclusion/argument.
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by thephoenix » Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:57 am
source pls i am not convinced with OA
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by Delayed_flight » Mon Apr 05, 2010 11:20 am
The source is https://www.quizmoz.com/quizzes/GMAT-Practice-Tests.asp

Choose Critical Reasoning-Strengthen section questions
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by shekhar.kataria » Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:17 am
according to you what should be the answer. please post your explanations.
thephoenix wrote:source pls i am not convinced with OA
Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress.--Thomas A. Edison

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by orgplea » Wed Feb 29, 2012 8:30 am
What about this rationale :

Suppose, average price of canned food in Country A is $20 and in Country B the average price is $50.
Also for a moment think that I'm an inhabitant of Country B.

Now would it matter to me if the country A sells canned food at $20?
Even if I come to know somehow that Country A is selling canned food at $20, lesser than what it is available in my country, I can't go and buy the canned food from country A.
Im living in country B and have to buy the canned food from here only.

One cannot compare the average prices of the canned food in two countries to decide where the food is more/less popular.
Had it been the case that the buyer had an option of buying from two places, say two super stores, both accessible to her, then this choice would have made sense.


Is it safe to think like this or Im going way too out of track?
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by killer1387 » Thu Mar 01, 2012 2:17 am
Country A imports a greater proportion of canned food than its neighbor Country B annually. Therefore residents in Country B prefer canned food less than Country A.

Which of the following if true, most strengthens the author's argument?

a. Country A has less population than country B --> again premise talks of proportion A is out
b. People in Country A are richer than people in Country B -->irrelevant.
c. The consumption of fresh food is Country A is twice as that of Country B--> this is just opposite of what we want.
d. The average price per can of imported food to Country A costs less than the average price per can in Country B
e. People in Country B are mostly vegetarians, and so the need to import canned food in less than its neighbor --> given is proportion so E is out.

Only D remains.
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