Despite improvements in treatment for asthma, the death rate from this disease has doubled during the past decade from its previous rate. Two possible explanations for this increase have been offered. First, the recording of deaths due to asthma has become more widespread and accurate in the past decade than it had been previously. Second, there has been an increase in urban pollution. However, since the rate of deaths due to asthma has increased dramatically even in cities with long-standing, comprehensive medical records and with little or no urban pollution, one must instead conclude that the cause of increased deaths is the use of bronchial inhalers by asthma sufferers to relieve their symptoms.

78. Each of the following, if true, provides support to the argument EXCEPT:
(A) Urban populations have doubled in the past decade.
(B) Records of asthma deaths are as accurate for the past twenty years as for the past ten years.
(C) Evidence suggests that inhalers make the lungs more sensitive to irritation by airborne pollen.
(D) By temporarily relieving the symptoms of asthma, inhalers encourage sufferers to avoid more beneficial measures.
(E) Ten years ago bronchial inhalers were not available as an asthma treatment.

79. Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
(A) Urban pollution has not doubled in the past decade.
(B) Doctors and patients generally ignore the role of allergies in asthma.
(C) Bronchial inhalers are unsafe, even when used according to the recommended instructions.
(D) The use of bronchial inhalers aggravates other diseases that frequently occur among asthma sufferers and that often lead to fatal outcomes even when the asthma itself does not.
(E) Increased urban pollution, improved recording of asthma deaths, and the used of asthma deaths, and the use of bronchial inhalers are the only possible explanations of the increased death rate due to asthma.

you are partly right. A is correct, but C is not

OK...Got it!

Answer is E for (ii)

A and C were my original answers.

But if C is wrong then it must be E.

Explanation (i)

this is an EXCEPT question, so we will need to find either an option which negates the argument or an option which is no way relavant to the argument. Now there are two ways to solve this question, (i) evaluating whether each of the choices is correct sequentially (ii) Eliminate whereever you can using POE (key phrases which are either too strong or which make some kind of vague/generic statements no way related to the argument)

(B) Records of asthma deaths are as accurate for the past twenty years as for the past ten years.
<B> this supports the argument as records is one of the criteria on which the argument rests. If the records were to be inaccurate (negation test), then we cannot even determine whether the number of deaths have really doubled</B>
(C) Evidence suggests that inhalers make the lungs more sensitive to irritation by airborne pollen.
<B> this statement directly supports the argument providing one more piece of evidence for the conclusion that Inhalers are responsible for increase in deaths</B>
(D) By temporarily relieving the symptoms of asthma, inhalers encourage sufferers to avoid more beneficial measures.
<B> Also supports the argument. This statement, does not explicitly state that inhalers are responsible for deaths, it basically implies that because of inhalers, people do not go for better treatments which makes them more prone to fatal respiratory problems</B>
(E) Ten years ago bronchial inhalers were not available as an asthma treatment.
<B>This also strengthens the case for inhalers being the reason for deaths</B>

Hence A should be the answer (POE)

A also brings in a fourth parameter which is not mentioned as a reason for the increase in the death rate, and hence does not support the argument.


for (ii), from the above statement, there is a possibility of a fourth parameter, so, essentially the argument assumes that there are only three parameters for reaching a conclusion! and hence the answer for (ii) is E

Hope the above explanations clear.

A and E for me...

BINGO!!
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./abisurd
Not absurd