Suriland cannot both export wheat and keep bread plentiful and affordable in Suriland. Accordingly, Suriland's wheat farmers are required to sell their crop to the government, which pays them a dollar per bushel less than the price on the world market. Therefore, if the farmers could sell their wheat on the world market, they would make a dollar per bushel more, less any additional transportation and brokerage costs they would have to pay.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. Suriland's wheat farmers have higher production costs than do farmers in many other wheat-producing countries.
B. Sale of a substantial proportion of Suriland's wheat crop on the world market would probably depress the price of wheat.
C. The transportation and brokerage costs that Suriland's farmers would face if they sold their wheat outside Suriland could amount to almost a dollar per bushel.
D. Suriland is surrounded by countries that do not import any wheat.
E. The price of a bushel of wheat on the world market occasionally drops below the average cost of producing a bushel of wheat in Suriland.
OA B
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Suriland cannot both export wheat and keep bread plentiful
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Premise: Suriland cannot both export wheat and keep bread plentiful and affordable in Suriland.
Conclusion: If the farmers could sell their wheat on the world market, they would make a dollar per bushel more, less any additional transportation and brokerage costs they would have to pay.
Option A - Incorrect:
We do not have any information about farmers in many other wheat-producing countries as we are concerned about Suriland's wheat farmers. Hence, we do not know if they have a higher production cost than farmers in many other wheat-producing countries.
Option B - Correct:
This option weakens the argument the most because it was stated that if the farmers could sell their wheat on the world market, they would make a dollar per bushel more. From this, it is clear that the world market would increase and not depress the price of wheat.
Option C - Incorrect:
This is not true. The transportation and brokerage costs if the farmers sold their wheat outside Suriland weren't specified in the passage and as such, we cannot ascertain if these costs would amount to almost a dollar per bushel. However, we know from the passage that selling of wheat on the world market by the farmers would help them make a dollar per bushel more, and less any additional transportation and brokerage costs they would have to pay.
Option D - Incorrect:
This is outside the scope of this argument, and as such, it is invalid.
Option E - Incorrect:
This claim cannot be validated from this passage. So, it is out of context and thus is wrong.
Thanks
Conclusion: If the farmers could sell their wheat on the world market, they would make a dollar per bushel more, less any additional transportation and brokerage costs they would have to pay.
Option A - Incorrect:
We do not have any information about farmers in many other wheat-producing countries as we are concerned about Suriland's wheat farmers. Hence, we do not know if they have a higher production cost than farmers in many other wheat-producing countries.
Option B - Correct:
This option weakens the argument the most because it was stated that if the farmers could sell their wheat on the world market, they would make a dollar per bushel more. From this, it is clear that the world market would increase and not depress the price of wheat.
Option C - Incorrect:
This is not true. The transportation and brokerage costs if the farmers sold their wheat outside Suriland weren't specified in the passage and as such, we cannot ascertain if these costs would amount to almost a dollar per bushel. However, we know from the passage that selling of wheat on the world market by the farmers would help them make a dollar per bushel more, and less any additional transportation and brokerage costs they would have to pay.
Option D - Incorrect:
This is outside the scope of this argument, and as such, it is invalid.
Option E - Incorrect:
This claim cannot be validated from this passage. So, it is out of context and thus is wrong.
Thanks
