Critical Reasoning for CAT/GMAT '08

[lodestar]

Option A) States that it was over a period of 10 years when the Seabirds and Shellfishes witnessed steep drops in population but nothing about Seals and goes on to say that it happened several times during this period. This cannot be attributed to the sudden drop in Seal population from May 1988. Why didnt the Seal population have any poulation drops during this period of ten years? maybe the pollution affected them or maybe not? Also note that the both the breeds need'nt
be affected by the virus (which ever it may be), one is enough, remember the Sea birds feed of the Shell fishes, it killed them both..

Option E) Specificallly gives us an explaination as to why the seals could'nt withstand the virulent onslaught (which is the answer to the ques). Obviously over a period of time, their immune systems had been weakened by the North Sea pollution which aided the latent virus to flare up and intensify its deadly effect. The remaing one-third Seals that survived were the ones with a stronger immune system...Hence this option seems to be a more correct option than option A since it explains the sudden emergence of this new virus...

The other options can go take a hike...

[navneet023]

Originally Posted by Unhappy_Demon

A distemper virus has caused two-thirds of the seal population in the North Sea to die since May 1988. The explanation for the deaths cannot rest here, however. There must be a reason the normally latent virus could prevail so suddenly: clearly the severe pollution of the North Sea waters must have weakened the immune system of the seals so that they could no longer withstand the virus.




Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the explanation given in the argument?
(A) At various times during the last ten years, several species of shellfish and seabirds in the North Sea have experienced unprecedented steep drops in population.
(B) By reducing pollution at its source, Northern Europe and Scandinavia have been taking the lead in preventing pollution from reaching the waters of the North Sea.
(C) For many years, fish for human consumption have been taken from the waters of the North Sea.
(D) There are two species of seal found throughout the North Sea area, the common seal and the gray seal.
(E) The distemper caused by the virus was a disease that was new to the population of North Sea seals in May 1988, and so the seals’ immune systems were unprepared to counter it.

My take is option A as it describes that the several species of seabirds and shellfish have experienced unprecedented steep drops in population, so it implies there has to be something more than just the virus, there has to be some other factor also which is causing this(The fall in no.of seals and that of seabirds and shellfish)

[lodestar]

Originally Posted by hismajesty143

Here, what the passage is trying to conclude is that, the chief reason of the death of Seals was pollution, and not the virus. Hence, an argument that supports the view that there was great amount of pollution in the North Sea would be the right option (as we need to assume that the option is true):
A) Most probable option, as the drops could have been caused by pollution. Note that two different breeds of animals are given and so they cannot be weakened by the same virus. This is the work of menacing pollution....
B) This contradicts the claim by trying to prove that pollution was rather prevented. Hence, this cannot be the answer.
c)This would show that fish is good for human consumption. Hence, no population. Not our option.
D) HA HA HA HA
E) Doesn't talk of the pollution.
OPTION 1

Option A) States that it was over a period of 10 years when the Seabirds and Shellfishes witnessed steep drops in population but nothing about Seals and goes on to say that it happened several times during this period. This cannot be attributed to the sudden drop in Seal population from May 1988. Why didnt the Seal population have any poulation drops during this period of ten years? maybe the pollution affected them or maybe not? Also note that the both the breeds need'nt
be affected by the virus (which ever it may be), one is enough, remember the Sea birds feed of the Shell fishes, it killed them both..

Option E) Specificallly gives us an explaination as to why the seals could'nt withstand the virulent onslaught (which is the answer to the ques). Obviously over a period of time, their immune systems had been weakened by the North Sea pollution which aided the latent virus to flare up and intensify its deadly effect. The remaing one-third Seals that survived were the ones with a stronger immune system...Hence this option seems to be a more correct option than option A since it explains the sudden emergence of this new virus...

The other options can go take a hike...

[navneet023]

Originally Posted by lodestar

Option A) States that it was over a period of 10 years when the Seabirds and Shellfishes witnessed steep drops in population but nothing about Seals and goes on to say that it happened several times during this period. This cannot be attributed to the sudden drop in Seal population from May 1988. Why didnt the Seal population h

The other options can go take a hike...

Please refrain from repeat post...you can edit the earlier post and change the text to "repeat post"

[trustrajib]

Originally Posted by Unhappy_Demon

A distemper virus has caused two-thirds of the seal population in the North Sea to die since May 1988. The explanation for the deaths cannot rest here, however. There must be a reason the normally latent virus could prevail so suddenly: clearly the severe pollution of the North Sea waters must have weakened the immune system of the seals so that they could no longer withstand the virus.
Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the explanation given in the argument?
(A) At various times during the last ten years, several species of shellfish and seabirds in the North Sea have experienced unprecedented steep drops in population.

Here the argument is " weakening of immune system because of pollution.."
So only option A supports this idea..
What's the OA??

[Unhappy_Demon]

Hi,

A distemper virus has caused two-thirds of the seal population...

Yes OA is A

good explanation guys ....superb

[trustrajib]

Originally Posted by Unhappy_Demon

try this CR


The proper way to plan for a scientific project is first to decide its goal and then to plan the best way to accomplish that goal. Th U.S space station project does not conform to this ideal. when the cold war ended , the project lost its original purpose , so another purpose was quickly grafted onto the project, that of conducting linited gravity experiments, even though such experiments can be done in an alternative way. It is , therefore ,abundantly clear that the space station should not be built.

The reasoning in this argument is flawed because the argument

A. Attacks the proponents of a claim rather than arguing against the claim itself

B. Presupposes what it sets out to prove

C. Faults planners for not foreseeing a certain event, when in fact that event was not foreseeable

D. Contains statements that lead to a self contradiction

E. Concludes that a shortcoming is fatal, having produced evidence only of the existence of that shortcoming


let the discussion rolls

OA later.

I am posting the OA on behalf of Unhappy_Demon..

The OA is E..

A. There is no attack here on the proponents..
B. It is intended to prove that the space station should not be built.
C. Not relevant..
D.
E. "so another purpose was quickly grafted onto the project...even though such experiments can be done in an alternative way" is the shortcoming..Here it assumes that it is fatal....

Well..My take was A..


Thanks

[Unhappy_Demon]

sentence correction :

Employment costs rose 2.8 percent in the 12 months that ended in September, slightly less than they did in the year that ended in the previous quarter.

A. less than they did
B. less than it did
C. less than they were
D. lower than
E. lower than they were


whats your take on this ?

please put explanation

[subh_09]

please,send some important massage or mettarial in my id.