Most Support Question

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Most Support Question

by csandeepreddy » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:17 pm
Capuchin monkeys often rub their bodies with a certain type of millipede. Laboratory tests show that secretions from the bodies of these millipedes are rich in two chemicals that are potent mosquito repellents, and mosquitoes carry parasites that debilitate capuchins. Some scientists hypothesize that the monkeys rub their bodies with the millipedes because doing so helps protect them from mosquitoes.
Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the scientists’ hypothesis?

A. A single millipede often gets passed around among several capuchins, all of whom rub their bodies with it.
B. The two chemicals that repel mosquitoes also repel several other varieties of insects.
C. The capuchins rarely rub their bodies with the millipedes except during the rainy season, when mosquito populations are at their peak.
D. Although the capuchins eat several species of insects, they do not eat the type of millipede they use to rub their bodies.
E. The two insect-repelling chemicals in the secretions of the millipedes are carcinogenic for humans but do not appear to be carcinogenic for capuchins.
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by lachlanc » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:40 pm
I'm going with C on this one.

If the monkeys rubbed the millipedes on themselves at times when mosquitoes were not a problem, it could be argued that they do it for a reason other than repelling mosquitoes.

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by csandeepreddy » Sat Sep 20, 2008 5:15 pm
I went with C too but the answer is E.

The question if from a paper based GMAT test set. I forgot where I downloaded it from.

My guess is the answer for this question is wrong, and C is probably the correct one.
:D

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by Indradeep » Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:45 pm
No doubt about it..C is correct.
Even if it isn't, E is totally wrong!

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Capuchin and mosquitoes

by uad105128 » Mon Sep 22, 2008 4:31 pm
Why not B.

The 2 chemicals all repel other insects.

More over for in C, my reasoning was Capuchins only run when the mosquito population is high what if in other season when population of Mosquito is less , can the Capuchins handle them w/o rubbing ?

Pl. let me know where my reasoning is going wrong

Thanx
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by banker1 » Mon Sep 22, 2008 4:51 pm
I'm for C too!

(A) doesn't link in the mosquitos. The fact that one millipede gets passed around doesn't tell us anything.

(B) doesn't link in the monkeys. The fact that the chemicals repel other insects is out of scope.

(C) clearly links the monkeys and mosquitos and as mentioned in an earlier post, one can infer the monkeys rub the millipedes for a reason.

(D) doesn't link the mosquitos, and doesn't support the scientists hypothesis.

(E) is way out of scope.

What is the source of this question?

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by raunekk » Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:40 am
imo:c

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by peter.p.81 » Wed May 11, 2016 3:02 am
Guys can anyone give a decent reason why C is not right.