Population in developing economies

This topic has expert replies
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 118
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 12:51 am
Location: New Delhi, India
Thanked: 12 times
Followed by:1 members

Population in developing economies

by pankajks2010 » Fri Jul 01, 2011 1:27 am
Demographic experts predict that the global human population will reach its peak sometime in the middle of this century, after which it will begin to decline. Population growth is driven primarily by high birth rates in developing countries. It is known that when women have access to education and economic opportunities, they choose to have fewer children. Therefore, these experts propose expanding educational and economic opportunities to women in developing countries to bring about an earlier and smaller population peak.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest grounds to doubt that the experts' proposal, if adopted, will achieve its aim?
(A) The demographic experts proposing expanding opportunities for women in developing countries made the same recommendations over twenty years ago.
(B)The experts' prediction is based on realistic assessments of the educational and economic opportunities that can be made available to women in developing countries before that time.
(C)Many women in industrialized countries will continue to have four or more children despite access to a variety of educational and economic opportunities.
(D)The demographic experts fail to explain why an earlier and smaller population peak is preferable to a later and larger peak.
(E)Expanding opportunities to women in developing countries is generally considered a positive outcome regardless of its impact on population levels.

OA is B Would be great to have an explanation around this.

Legendary Member
Posts: 768
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:46 am
Thanked: 21 times
Followed by:7 members

by GMATMadeEasy » Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:24 am
B is opposite answer in my opinion. Are you sure there is no error in question anywhere ?

What is the source?

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 5:05 pm

by deepsok » Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:40 am
I will go with D
This answer choice questions about the conclusion.
"these experts propose expanding educational and economic opportunities to women in developing countries to bring about an earlier and smaller population peak"

Peak is peak,so why to prefer smaller vs larger without knowing in terms of population.

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 3:33 am
GMAT Score:490

by tuscan21 » Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:22 am
c seems the correct one

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:11 am
Thanked: 2 times

by xxpatzz » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:12 pm
IMO: C

It directly states that expanding educational and economic opportunities to women will not have effect on birth rate.

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 83
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 4:16 am
Location: England
Thanked: 3 times
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:700

by mriiidula » Sat Jul 02, 2011 11:44 am
I would say C as well - if women continue to have more children even with increased educational opportunities, then that goes against the whole idea of the proposal.
Follow my GMAT Journey here:
https://magicalmri.blocked

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 118
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 12:51 am
Location: New Delhi, India
Thanked: 12 times
Followed by:1 members

by pankajks2010 » Sat Jul 02, 2011 8:34 pm
thanks for the responses.

I too chose C and was not at all convinced with the OA as "B".

The source is provided below:
https://www.gmatdaily.com/20110621-gmat- ... e-day.html