The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the country becomes more industrialized, and, as a result,

[BTGmoderatorDC]

The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the country becomes more industrialized, and, as a result, the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster.

Of the following, which, if true, provides the LEAST evidence in support of the claim about the increasing incidence of cancer in an industrialized country?

A. As the number of carcinogens in a country doubles, the area affected by carcinogens becomes four times as large.
B. Some cancers will not occur unless levels of the carcinogens are sufficiently high.
C. The financial pressure of increasing industrialization causes competing industries to produce a wider variety of carcinogens.
D. Some of the most potent carcinogens tend not to be produced until a country becomes more industrialized.
E. Increases in the incidence of cancer correlate to increases in the percentage, not the number, of carcinogens in the environment.


OA E

Source: Princeton Review

[deloitte247]

Premise: The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the country becomes more industrialized.

Conclusion: Due to this, the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster.

Let's find the option, if true, that provides the LEAST evidence in support of the claim about the increasing incidence of cancer in an industrialized country.

It's worthy of note that options C and D are wrong as the claims purported in these options do not fit into the passage expression.

Option C - Incorrect:
The increase in the number of carcinogens produced in the country is due to the country becoming more industrialized and not on the financial pressure in increasing industrialization which birthed the competition between industries to produce a wide variety of carcinogens as claimed in this option. Thus, this option is wrong.

Option D - Incorrect:
This passage lays focus on the increasing number of carcinogens in the country and not the production of potent carcinogens. In addition, the country becoming more industrialized is the reason for the former argument and not responsible for the latter claim in this option. As such, this option is invalid.

However, options A, B, and E are true based on the context of finding evidence that is in support of the claim in the passage. While these seem true, let observe each option for one that provides the LEAST evidence.

Option A - Incorrect:
In correlation of this option claim to the passage argument; as the number of carcinogens produced in a country increases (~the number of carcinogens in a country doubles)~, the incidence of cancers in such countries is increasing EVEN FASTER (~the area affected by carcinogens becomes four times as large~). Therefore, this option provides STRONG evidence rather than the LEAST evidence in support of the claim in this passage. Hence, it is not correct.

Option B - Incorrect:
Without a doubt, if the country is not or less industrialized, carcinogens will be less in occurrence. As such, only few occurrence of cancer will happen in such country. Also, this option provides STRONG evidence rather than the LEAST evidence in support of the claim in this passage. Thus, it is incorrect with respect to the demand of the question at hand.

Option E - Correct:
As expressed in the passage, the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster (~ i.e which corresponds to the increases in the incidence of cancer in the enviroment~) correlates to number of carcinogens produced in a country and not the percentage of carcinogens. While both 'percentage' and 'number' might have similar representation in meaning here, the use of "number" in this passage depicts more accuracy than percentage. Irrespective, this option is true but the use of "percentage" makes it LEAST evidence to support the claim in this passage in respect to other correct option explained above. Hence, this is the correct answer.

Thanks.

[balgi.akshay]

The question is trying to relate the number of carcinogens to cancer. The percentage increase has no relevance to number of increase. Thus E is incorrect.