- Sat Apr 02, 2016 11:00 pm
#35107
Complete Question Explanation
Assumption. The correct answer choice is (D)
Your task in this Assumption question is to select the answer that contains information necessary for
the conclusion to be valid. Rephrased for clarity, the argument proceeds:
Premise: in several countries, many farmers are planting trees on their land because of
government incentives provided to slow global warming
Premise: these incentives arose from research indicating that vegetation absorbs carbon
dioxide that might otherwise trap heat in the atmosphere
Premise: however, a recent study indicates that trees absorb and store carbon less
effectively than native grasses
Conclusion: thus, these incentives are helping to hasten global warming
Because there is no “rogue” information in this stimulus, your prephrase begins by recognizing that
this is a Defender model assumption question. The correct answer will most likely raise an objection
to the conclusion for the purpose of dismissing it.
Here, a weakness in the argument is that the conclusion implies the farmers are removing native
grasses in order to plant trees on their land in accordance with the government incentive program.
However, the first sentence stated only that “farmers are planting trees on their land.” Without some
indication that the more effective natural grasses are being removed in favor of the trees, there is no
evidence to support the conclusion that planting the trees is helping to hasten global warming. The
correct answer will likely raise this objection for the purpose of dismissing it.
The incorrect answers will not provide information required for the conclusion to be valid. Instead,
those choices may support the conclusion, while not being required information, have no effect on
the conclusion, or could undermine the argument.
Answer choice (A): The argument did not address carbon dioxide emission, but absorption. Since the
argument had nothing to do with emissions, this information has no effect on the conclusion.
Answer choice (B): The conclusion in the stimulus did not pertain to why farmers plant trees, and
this information has no effect on the conclusion.
Answer choice (C): The argument talked only about the effects of planting trees, not of what would
occur when trees are removed. So, this information has no effect on the conclusion.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. For the conclusion that there is a negative
effect on global warming resulting from the farmers planting trees, it must be the case that the
land used for planting trees would be more effective at absorbing carbon without the farmer’s
intervention. This choice provides that information. If this choice is negated, such that none of the
trees planted in response to the incentives were planted where native grasses would otherwise be
growing, the conclusion that planting the trees is hastening global warming would be invalid.
Answer choice (E): While it may be the case that the governments would do better by promoting the
growth of native grasses, this argument was constrained to the effect of the program promoting the
planting of trees. So, this information has no impact on the conclusion.
Assumption. The correct answer choice is (D)
Your task in this Assumption question is to select the answer that contains information necessary for
the conclusion to be valid. Rephrased for clarity, the argument proceeds:
Premise: in several countries, many farmers are planting trees on their land because of
government incentives provided to slow global warming
Premise: these incentives arose from research indicating that vegetation absorbs carbon
dioxide that might otherwise trap heat in the atmosphere
Premise: however, a recent study indicates that trees absorb and store carbon less
effectively than native grasses
Conclusion: thus, these incentives are helping to hasten global warming
Because there is no “rogue” information in this stimulus, your prephrase begins by recognizing that
this is a Defender model assumption question. The correct answer will most likely raise an objection
to the conclusion for the purpose of dismissing it.
Here, a weakness in the argument is that the conclusion implies the farmers are removing native
grasses in order to plant trees on their land in accordance with the government incentive program.
However, the first sentence stated only that “farmers are planting trees on their land.” Without some
indication that the more effective natural grasses are being removed in favor of the trees, there is no
evidence to support the conclusion that planting the trees is helping to hasten global warming. The
correct answer will likely raise this objection for the purpose of dismissing it.
The incorrect answers will not provide information required for the conclusion to be valid. Instead,
those choices may support the conclusion, while not being required information, have no effect on
the conclusion, or could undermine the argument.
Answer choice (A): The argument did not address carbon dioxide emission, but absorption. Since the
argument had nothing to do with emissions, this information has no effect on the conclusion.
Answer choice (B): The conclusion in the stimulus did not pertain to why farmers plant trees, and
this information has no effect on the conclusion.
Answer choice (C): The argument talked only about the effects of planting trees, not of what would
occur when trees are removed. So, this information has no effect on the conclusion.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. For the conclusion that there is a negative
effect on global warming resulting from the farmers planting trees, it must be the case that the
land used for planting trees would be more effective at absorbing carbon without the farmer’s
intervention. This choice provides that information. If this choice is negated, such that none of the
trees planted in response to the incentives were planted where native grasses would otherwise be
growing, the conclusion that planting the trees is hastening global warming would be invalid.
Answer choice (E): While it may be the case that the governments would do better by promoting the
growth of native grasses, this argument was constrained to the effect of the program promoting the
planting of trees. So, this information has no impact on the conclusion.