dead birds

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dead birds

by aj5105 » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:42 am
Throughout the 1950’s, there were increases in the numbers of dead birds found in agricultural areas after pesticide sprayings. Pesticide manufacturers claimed that the publicity given to bird deaths stimulated volunteers to look for dead birds, and that the increase in numbers reported was attributable to the increase in the number of people looking.
Which of the following statements, if true, would help to refute the claim of the pesticide manufacturers?
(A) The publicity given to bird deaths was largely regional and never reached national proportions.
(B) Pesticide sprayings were timed to coincide with various phases of the life cycles of the insects they destroyed.
(C) No provision was made to ensure that a dead bird would not be reported by more than one observer.
(D) Initial increases in bird deaths had been noticed by agricultural workers long before any publicity had been given to the matter.
(E) Dead birds of the same species as those found in agricultural areas had been found along coastal areas where no farming took place.
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by banker1 » Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:37 am
IMO: D

We want to weaken the claim:
Pesticide manufacturers claimed that the publicity given to bird deaths stimulated volunteers to look for dead birds, and that the increase in numbers reported was attributable to the increase in the number of people looking.

(A) is out of scope. The passage does not mention on what level the bird deaths were publicly mentioned

(B) is irrelevant. Nothing in the passage ties the life cycles of insects to the birds

(C) is wrong, it would strengthen the claim

(D) weakens the claim. If agricultural workers noticed an increase before it was pulicized then the claim that more people were looking is invalid

(E) is out of scope, too broad

What is the OA?

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by vin2k » Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:57 pm
I'd say D as well for the same reasons as provided by bbanker1.

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by niraj_a » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:44 am
another vote for D.

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by aj5105 » Sat Sep 13, 2008 4:57 am
OA - D

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by amitdgr » Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:12 am
I go for D
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by NSNguyen » Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:35 am
IMO: D
Please share your idea and your reasoning :D
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by john83.amar » Thu May 12, 2016 11:44 am
I think D is the right answer here