Logical reasoning PrepTest 139 · Section 4 · Question 5

Incorrect. This answer is about excess calcium being lost, not calcium loss that could lead to a deficiency, so it's out of scope.

Incorrect. The paradox involves countries where dairy products are rare, so even if people consume them, they're not consumed widely at a high level.

Incorrect. The stimulus notes that those with a calcium deficiency have greatly increased chances of developing osteoporosis, not that everyone with a calcium deficiency gets osteoporosis, so this answer includes information already suggested by the stimulus.

Incorrect. First, this answer would apply equally to people in both sets of countries. Second, deficiency in these other minerals isn't connected to osteoporosis, so this answer is out of scope.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Paradox

Stimulus Summary:
Calcium deficiency increases the chances of osteoporosis. Dairy has more calcium than fruit/veggies. But in countries with little dairy and lots of fruits/veggies, osteoporosis is rarer than in countries with a lot of dairy.

Answer Anticipation:
This argument compares countries that have a lot of dairy to countries that don't have a lot of dairy but do have a lot of fruit/veggie consumption. Since dairy products have more calcium than fruits/veggies, and calcium deficiency is a primary factor in osteoporosis, you would expect that the former countries would have a lower incidence of osteoporosis than the latter countries. However, the reverse is true.

So there must be some other relevant difference between the countries or their diets that contributes to this unexpected outcome. Maybe fruits/veggies have other things in them that increase calcium absorption, for instance. Anything like that will serve to resolve this paradox.

Answer Explanation:
Similar to our anticipation, this answer establishes a reason that dairy, despite having more calcium, results in less calcium being absorbed. That could lead to a calcium deficiency despite a higher amount of calcium consumed, thus explaining why countries that get their calcium from fruits/veggies end up with a lower incidence of calcium deficiency and thus a lower level of osteoporosis.

Key Takeaway:
When a Paradox question is based on differences, the correct answer will usually bring up another relevant difference. Identify what elements are being compared (here, both the countries and dairy to fruits/vegetables), and find an answer that either directly or implicitly draws a comparison that lines up with either the unexpected similarity or difference noted in the stimulus.