Logical reasoning PrepTest 112 · Section 3 · Question 11

Question prompt

Peter: Because the leaves Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: C

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Argument/Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed/Flawed

Question Type

Strengthen Questions

Stimulus Summary

P: Plants that lack a bit of water are tougher, so insects feed on well-watered plants. So to minimize damage, water plants just enough.
J: Yep. In fact, lacking water causes plants to make a pesticide.

Answer Anticipation

Peter’s argument makes a recommendation - water plants just enough to make sure that they’re only mildly drought-stressed. This will mean they don’t suffer too much from dehydration, but not so much that they stop being tough and get eaten more by insects.
When an argument makes a recommendation, it’s important to make sure that it compares the pros/cons of that method versus others, and that it establishes the criteria by which the recommendation will be made. Here, the argument does establish the criteria - minimizing crop damage. However, it doesn’t fully compare the effects in meeting that criteria. We know that mildly drought-stressed leaves are eaten by insects at a lower rate, but we don’t know if being mildly drought-stressed causes damage itself and, if so, how much.
If that mild drought stress does more damage than the insects would, then the recommendation is a bad one, so let’s find an answer establishing that the insect damage is the primary concern (or, at least, a bigger concern than damage from being drought-stressed).

Answer choices

  1. A
    The leaves of some Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    The argument doesn’t present the level to water plants at a single amount, so this answer has no impact on the argument - farmers could adapt it based on the species.
  2. B
    In industrialized nations there Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    The relative amount of drought-stressed and abundantly watered plants in nations doesn’t affect an argument about what those amounts should be.
  3. C
    Insect damage presents a Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    This answer establishes that the recommendation will help achieve the stated goal of minimizing crop damage. If insect damage is a bigger threat than mild drought stress, then implementing a strategy that lowers the former, even if it increases the latter, is strengthened.
  4. D
    Farmers are not always Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    The fact that a recommendation can’t be followed 100% of the time doesn’t make it any less valid of a recommendation. That said, even if it could affect the argument, it would weaken it.
  5. E
    Mexican bean beetles are Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    This answer is way too specific to affect such a general argument in dealing with two specific species of insects and one type of plant. Additionally, in bringing up an example where the recommendation would result in an increase in crop damage from insects, this answer cuts against it.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 4%
  2. B 2%
  3. C Credited 91%
  4. D 1%
  5. E 2%

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