Critical Reasoning

A stingray without parasites is healthier than it would be if it had parasites. Nevertheless, the lack of parasites in stingrays is an indicator that the ecosystem in which the stingrays live is under environmental stress such as pollution.
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to reconcile the discrepancy indicated above?
(A) During part of their life cycles, the parasites of stingrays require as hosts shrimp or oysters, which are environmentally vulnerable organisms.
(B) A stingray is a free-ranging predator that feeds on smaller organisms but has few predators itself.
(C) A parasite drains part of the vitality of its host by drawing nourishment from the host.
(D) An ecosystem can be considered stressed if only a few species of very simple organisms can live there.
(E) Since the life of parasites depends on that of their host, they need to live without killing their host or else to reproduce and infect other individuals before their own host dies.

i am clueless

lack of parasites=healthier stingrays and stressed environment

would go for A

A)explains how stressed environment may cause lack of parasites due to the environmental vulnerability of the part-hosts of the parasites of stingrays

B)out of scope. doest talk about the parasites of stingrays and the link between the lack of parasites and stressed environment

C)explains only one side: lack of parasite signals good health, but doesnt explain the stressed environment

D)out of scope. too general. doesnt talk about stingrays

E)out of scope.

IMO E. E states that with parasites stingray needs to be depending on their host else reproduce or infect other individuals. In that not having parasites is healthier than having parasites. Therefore, IMO E. This is too difficult. What is OA?

thephoenix wrote:A stingray without parasites is healthier than it would be if it had parasites. Nevertheless, the lack of parasites in stingrays is an indicator that the ecosystem in which the stingrays live is under environmental stress such as pollution.
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to reconcile the discrepancy indicated above?
(A) During part of their life cycles, the parasites of stingrays require as hosts shrimp or oysters, which are environmentally vulnerable organisms.
(B) A stingray is a free-ranging predator that feeds on smaller organisms but has few predators itself.
(C) A parasite drains part of the vitality of its host by drawing nourishment from the host.
(D) An ecosystem can be considered stressed if only a few species of very simple organisms can live there.
(E) Since the life of parasites depends on that of their host, they need to live without killing their host or else to reproduce and infect other individuals before their own host dies.

i am clueless

thephoenix wrote:A stingray without parasites is healthier than it would be if it had parasites. Nevertheless, the lack of parasites in stingrays is an indicator that the ecosystem in which the stingrays live is under environmental stress such as pollution.
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to reconcile the discrepancy indicated above?
(A) During part of their life cycles, the parasites of stingrays require as hosts shrimp or oysters, which are environmentally vulnerable organisms.
(B) A stingray is a free-ranging predator that feeds on smaller organisms but has few predators itself.
(C) A parasite drains part of the vitality of its host by drawing nourishment from the host.
(D) An ecosystem can be considered stressed if only a few species of very simple organisms can live there.
(E) Since the life of parasites depends on that of their host, they need to live without killing their host or else to reproduce and infect other individuals before their own host dies.

i am clueless

In general, resolving a paradox question bags the answer that balances both the faces of the coin.
Here, we need to find an answer that wud explain the situation - stingray is without parasites but NO environmental stress exist in eco-system.
Only A does that explanation. It helps to understand that the parasites may have shifted their host from stingray to shrimp or oysters at the time of study. Thereby, giving an alternate reason for the lack of parasite in stingray.
Therefore, no environmental stress exist in eco-system.

E may be a fact but does not explain the paradox situation as shown in BOLD wording.

oa a
source LSAT

can any one explain how it is A.

I agree with you guys. I also think that the right answer is A.