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- Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:00 am
#33114
Complete Question Explanation
Strengthen. The correct answer choice is (B)
The author of this stimulus discusses the laws implemented to reduce the harm caused by the introduction of the toxic chemical XTX into the environment. In most industrial waste products that contain the toxic chemical XTX, the concentration of this chemical is approximately 1,000 parts per million. A federal law intended to reduce the harm that can result from the introduction of XTX into the environment permits a company to dispose of these waste products in a dump for hazardous waste. However, a company is only permitted to dispose of its waste in such a dump if the concentration of XTX is below 500 parts per million. If the concentration is above 500 parts per million, then the waste must be destroyed by incineration, rather than by disposal in the dump. Additionally, the law states that manufacturers may not dilute XTX-containing waste products to bring their concentration of XTX down to a permissible level for dumping.
The question stem in this question is a bit unusual. It asks you to select the answer choice that most supports the inclusion of the antidilution provision of the law. You can treat this as a Strengthen question, in which the conclusion needing support is that manufacturers should not be permitted to dilute XTX-containing waste products to bring their concentration of XTX down to a permissible level for dumping. Thus, in effect this is a Strengthen question.
Treating this stimulus as described above produces the following structure:
Answer choice (A): This information is irrelevant to the conclusion, because it describes a danger resulting from the improper incineration of undiluted concentrations of XTX. The conclusion, as described above, has to do with the dumping of diluted XTX.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This information establishes that introducing diluted XTX into the environment in sufficient quantities is just as harmful as more concentrated XTX. This information supports the position that manufacturers should not be permitted to dilute XTX-containing waste products to bring their XTX concentrations down to a permissible level for dumping.
Answer choice (C): This answer choice undermines, though it does not invalidate, the need for any restriction on dumping XTX into the environment.
Answer choice (D): The stimulus established that in most industrial waste products that contain XTX, the concentration is approximately 1,000 parts per million. The government permits disposing of the chemical in toxic waste dumps only if the concentration of XTX is below 500 parts per million. This answer choice states that most owners of dumps for hazardous waste are willing to accept XTX for disposal only in concentrations below 800 parts per million. This means that the dump owners are willing to accept XTX for disposal at limits in excess of what is permitted by law. The willingness of the dump owners to accept waste with concentrations that would be in violation of the law does not affect the conclusion that manufacturers should not be permitted to dilute XTX-containing waste to bring their concentration of XTX down to a permissible level for dumping. The basis for this rule was the harm to the environment posed by even diluted XTX, not the position on the issue taken by dump owners.
Answer choice (E): This is the Opposite answer choice. If the cost of diluting XTX-containing waste were approximately the same as the cost of destroying these products by incineration, then manufacturers would have no reason to dilute the XTX-containing waste. This renders the antidilution provision largely redundant, weakening the argument in support of its inclusion.
Strengthen. The correct answer choice is (B)
The author of this stimulus discusses the laws implemented to reduce the harm caused by the introduction of the toxic chemical XTX into the environment. In most industrial waste products that contain the toxic chemical XTX, the concentration of this chemical is approximately 1,000 parts per million. A federal law intended to reduce the harm that can result from the introduction of XTX into the environment permits a company to dispose of these waste products in a dump for hazardous waste. However, a company is only permitted to dispose of its waste in such a dump if the concentration of XTX is below 500 parts per million. If the concentration is above 500 parts per million, then the waste must be destroyed by incineration, rather than by disposal in the dump. Additionally, the law states that manufacturers may not dilute XTX-containing waste products to bring their concentration of XTX down to a permissible level for dumping.
The question stem in this question is a bit unusual. It asks you to select the answer choice that most supports the inclusion of the antidilution provision of the law. You can treat this as a Strengthen question, in which the conclusion needing support is that manufacturers should not be permitted to dilute XTX-containing waste products to bring their concentration of XTX down to a permissible level for dumping. Thus, in effect this is a Strengthen question.
Treating this stimulus as described above produces the following structure:
- Premise:
In most industrial waste products that contain the toxic chemical XTX, the concentration of this
chemical is approximately 1,000 parts per million.
Premise: The introduction of XTX into the environment can result in harm.
Premise: Waste products with XTX concentrations of 500 parts per million or above must be destroyed by incineration, rather than disposed of in a hazardous waste dump.
Conclusion: Manufacturers should not be permitted to dilute XTX-containing waste products to bring their concentration of XTX down to a permissible level for dumping.
Answer choice (A): This information is irrelevant to the conclusion, because it describes a danger resulting from the improper incineration of undiluted concentrations of XTX. The conclusion, as described above, has to do with the dumping of diluted XTX.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This information establishes that introducing diluted XTX into the environment in sufficient quantities is just as harmful as more concentrated XTX. This information supports the position that manufacturers should not be permitted to dilute XTX-containing waste products to bring their XTX concentrations down to a permissible level for dumping.
Answer choice (C): This answer choice undermines, though it does not invalidate, the need for any restriction on dumping XTX into the environment.
Answer choice (D): The stimulus established that in most industrial waste products that contain XTX, the concentration is approximately 1,000 parts per million. The government permits disposing of the chemical in toxic waste dumps only if the concentration of XTX is below 500 parts per million. This answer choice states that most owners of dumps for hazardous waste are willing to accept XTX for disposal only in concentrations below 800 parts per million. This means that the dump owners are willing to accept XTX for disposal at limits in excess of what is permitted by law. The willingness of the dump owners to accept waste with concentrations that would be in violation of the law does not affect the conclusion that manufacturers should not be permitted to dilute XTX-containing waste to bring their concentration of XTX down to a permissible level for dumping. The basis for this rule was the harm to the environment posed by even diluted XTX, not the position on the issue taken by dump owners.
Answer choice (E): This is the Opposite answer choice. If the cost of diluting XTX-containing waste were approximately the same as the cost of destroying these products by incineration, then manufacturers would have no reason to dilute the XTX-containing waste. This renders the antidilution provision largely redundant, weakening the argument in support of its inclusion.
