GMAT Verbal & Essays

Scientists believe they have discovered the wreck of the USS Harvard, sunk by Japanese torpedoes during World War II. Their conclusions are drawn from underwater searches by mini-submarine of the are about 4 miles west of Midway Island in the Pacific Ocean during what started out as offshore oil platform accident procedures. There are some military historians that are skeptical about the scientists' claim, on the basis that sophisticated sonar equipment has not identified the ship as, indeed, the Harvard.

Which of the following, if true, would weaken the historians' arguments?

(A) Thorough searching by divers and bathyscopes has not located the wreck
(B) Three other ships were sunk in this area during World War II
(C) The ship's last known position was 20 miles east of Midway
(D) The use of sonar only enables the user to identify the shape and dimension of a wreck
(E) It is not known whether the Harvard suffered much structural damage before being sunk

According to answer, it should be D

There are some military historians that are skeptical about the scientists' claim, on the basis that sophisticated sonar equipment has not identified the ship as, indeed, the Harvard. Option (D) clarifies that sonar can identity the shape and dimension that the broad outlines not anything more specific to identify. The scientist must made used other inferences like whether the location matches the last sighting reports etc.
It is repeated that u look for key words in the Argument. Here ''only'' in (D) is a key word.
Which of the following, if true, would weaken the historians' arguments?
(A) Thorough searching by divers and bathyscopes has not located the wreck. Strengthens
(B) Three other ships were sunk in this area during World War II. -- Strengthens as the ship may be the other two.
(C) The ship's last known position was 20 miles east of Midway- Strengthens as the wreck is 24 miles from this point.
(D) The use of sonar only enables the user to identify the shape and dimension of a wreck
(E) It is not known whether the Harvard suffered much structural damage before being sunk . No bearing on the argument.

If the ship was sunk by torpedoes, there's a good chance that the ship would have suffered structural damage, making it difficult to identify based on shape and dimension. Therefore, if D were true and the sonar could only identify shape and dimension, the sonar wouldn't necessarily be able to identify the ship. D therefore weakens the historians' argument.

(A) Thorough searching by divers and bathyscopes has not located the wreck ...
Out Of Scope �

(B) Three other ships were sunk in this area during World War II
thats a lot of info..can we talk about the ship please..

(C) The ship's last known position was 20 miles east of Midway
SO..it drifted while it was sinking �

(D) The use of sonar only enables the user to identify the shape and dimension of a wreck
Hmmm..Cream of the crap..All other either strengthen or are WMD ( Weapons of mass distraction ( just love this term) ..saw this on the forum somewhere...

(E) It is not known whether the Harvard suffered much structural damage before being sunk
Does it really matter..