Cotton growers

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Cotton growers

by Onell » Sun Nov 27, 2011 2:09 am
Insect Infestations in certain cotton growing regions of the world have caused dramatic increases of cotton on the world market. Knowing that cotton plants mature quickly, many soybean growers in Ortovia plan to cease growing soybeans, the price of which has long been stable and to begin raising cotton instead, thereby taking advantage of the high price of cotton to increase their income significantly over the next several years.
Which of the following, if true, most calls into question the reasoning on which the plan is based?
A. The cost of raising soybeans has increased significantly over the past several years and is expected to continue to climb.
B. Tests of a newly developed, inexpensive pesticide have shown it to be both environmentally safe and effective against the insects that have infected the cotton crops.
C. In the past several years, there has been no sharp increase in the demand for cotton, and for goods made out of cotton.
D. Many consumers consider cotton cloth a necessity rather than a luxury and would be willing to pay significantly higher prices for cotton goods than they are currently paying
E. The species of insect that has infested the cotton plants has never been known to infest soybean plants.

Guys OA is B. However, I guess we got to assume "Cotton growers will start using the pesticide" or perhaps Test conducted was representative of the cotton growing reason to accept OA will weaken the plan. Is such assumption valid? To what extent can we go?

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by HSPA » Sun Nov 27, 2011 2:17 am
You cannot doubt a prep question :)
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by Onell » Sun Nov 27, 2011 2:32 am
HSPA wrote:You cannot doubt a prep question :)
dude I am jus trying to understand How far can we assume? ,not questioning OA

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by sk8legend408 » Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:46 am
If you are unsure of B try to eliminate the others first.

A and E focus on soybean plants and not on cotton plants. Eliminate A and E.

D strengthens the plan. Eliminate.

C only talks about demand being stable. However the passage talks about supply being low and consequently prices increasing and does not mention demand. Therefore you can eliminate C.

This leaves you with B.

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by amit2k9 » Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:02 pm
Which of the following, if true, most calls into question the reasoning on which the plan is based?
A. The cost of raising soybeans has increased significantly over the past several years and is expected to continue to climb. -- strengthens hence POE.
B. Tests of a newly developed, inexpensive pesticide have shown it to be both environmentally safe and effective against the insects that have infected the cotton crops. --Hold
C. In the past several years, there has been no sharp increase in the demand for cotton, and for goods made out of cotton. -- neutral POE.
D. Many consumers consider cotton cloth a necessity rather than a luxury and would be willing to pay significantly higher prices for cotton goods than they are currently paying -- supports. POE
E. The species of insect that has infested the cotton plants has never been known to infest soybean plants. -- neutral POE.

B - negate it and the options strengthens the conclusion. Hence OA.
More so,its reasonable to assume that those pesticides will be used.But by POE,you need not go to that stage of assumption.
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