IMO B
stimulus alcohol addiction causes increased susceptibility to life threatening diseases and thereby reduces life expectancy
A) wrong: reverses the cause and effect
b) correct: eliminates possible scenario which if true could weaken the argument
c) WRONG:irrelevant
d)wrong:we need to know about life expectancy of alcoholic people
e)irrelevant
insurance company statistics
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Source: Beat The GMAT — Critical Reasoning |
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thephoenix
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akhpad
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Can you please elaborate it?thephoenix wrote: IMO B
stimulus alcohol addiction causes increased susceptibility to life threatening diseases and thereby reduces life expectancy
b) correct: eliminates possible scenario which if true could weaken the argument
B: The statistics cited exclude death due to other alcohol related event such as automobile accidents.
"alcohol related event such as automobile accidents" is alternate cause, which should be eliminated.
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Testluv
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The question asks for an assumption that the arugment "depends on". In other words, an idea that is necessary to the author's reasoning. Therefore, we can use the Kaplan denial test.
Choice B reads: the statistics cited exclude deaths due to other alcohol-related events such as automobile accidents.
What if the statistics INCLUDED deaths due to automobile accidents? Then, it suggest that some of the alcohol-related deaths are due to things other than life-threatening diseases, and the author's argument falls apart. Thus, choice B is necessary to the author's reasoning.
Choice A may have been tempting. If the question stem had asked for a possibility that was overlooked by the author, then choice A would be correct. Or, if choice A had read "LESS likely" (instead of "more likely"), then choice A would be correct. But, as it stands, choice A weakens the argument. Thus, choice A cannot be the assumption. (Assumptions are unstated EVIDENCE, and thus help--and don't hurt--the argument).
Choice B reads: the statistics cited exclude deaths due to other alcohol-related events such as automobile accidents.
What if the statistics INCLUDED deaths due to automobile accidents? Then, it suggest that some of the alcohol-related deaths are due to things other than life-threatening diseases, and the author's argument falls apart. Thus, choice B is necessary to the author's reasoning.
Choice A may have been tempting. If the question stem had asked for a possibility that was overlooked by the author, then choice A would be correct. Or, if choice A had read "LESS likely" (instead of "more likely"), then choice A would be correct. But, as it stands, choice A weakens the argument. Thus, choice A cannot be the assumption. (Assumptions are unstated EVIDENCE, and thus help--and don't hurt--the argument).
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martin.jonson007
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B may be right ans....
but i cudn't found reason to eliminate E option...
how we can say that it is irrelevant...?
but i cudn't found reason to eliminate E option...
how we can say that it is irrelevant...?
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Testluv
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Choice E is outside the scope. The "morality" of drinking alcohol doesnt' actually have anything whatsoever to do with the argument.martin.jonson007 wrote:B may be right ans....
but i cudn't found reason to eliminate E option...
how we can say that it is irrelevant...?
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paes
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But If you apply the negation test on E then it also looks a probable answer.
negation of E :
the author of the report is BIASED ......
is making the conclusion weak.
Hence it is also the assumption.
negation of E :
the author of the report is BIASED ......
is making the conclusion weak.
Hence it is also the assumption.
