In Brazil, side-by-side comparisons of Africanized honeybees and the native honeybees have shown that the Africanized bees are far superior honey producers. Therefore, there is no reason to fear that domestic commercial honey production will decline in the United States if local honeybees are displaced by Africanized honeybees.
Each of the following, if true, would weaken the argument EXCEPT:
(A) The honeybees native to Brazil are not of the same variety as those most frequently used in the commercial beekeeping industry in the United States.
(B) Commercial honey production is far more complicated and expensive with Africanized honeybees than it is with the more docile honeybees common in the United States.
(C) If Africanized honeybees replace local honeybees, certain types of ornamental trees will be less effectively pollinated.
(D) In the United States a significant proportion of the commercial honey supply comes from hobby beekeepers, many of whom are likely to abandon beekeeping with the influx of Africanized bees.
(E) The area of Brazil where the comparative study was done is far better suited to the foraging habits of the Africanized honeybees than are most areas of the United States.


:OA is

Please explain why B is not OA?

Not clear - can be B or C.

Firstly the question asks us to either find a "strengthen answer" or identify an "out of scope answer". Also it asks to provide atleast one reason to differ from its conclusion that domestic commercial honey production will not decline in the United States if local honeybees are displaced by Africanized honeybees.

A. Weakens the argument. The assumption in the argument is that Brazilian native honey bees and American commercial native honey bees are of similar variety and thus the production output can be compared. This answer clearly weaken the argument by stating that the bees are not of the same variety. So the production can be same, lower or higher than the Brazilian bees. We cant clearly agree with the statement's conclusion

B. Seems out of scope to me. This answer can weaken the argument only if there is any validation to correlate expensive and complicated honey production with the decline in honey production. There is no clear explanation in the premise of the argument to validate this.

C. Seems out of scope to me. Again this answer can weaken the argument only if there is indication that ornamental trees are the key player in US honey production. Also the argument needs to provide validity that "Certain " type of ornamental trees mentioned in the answer play important role in the honey production in US. There is no clarity for the above point in the premise.

D. Weaken the argument. This answer clearly states the impact created by the change from local bees to africanised bees and clearly states that major proportion of honey producers will abandon and thus will reduce the production output

E. Weakens the argument. The assumption in the argument is that habits of Brazilian native honey bees and American commercial native honey bees are of similar nature and thus the production output can be compared. This answer clearly weaken the argument by stating that the habits of the bees are not comparable. So the production can be same, lower or higher than the Brazilian bees. We cant clearly agree with the statement's conclusion

Hence B OR C for me. Please explain?

The main concern is: whether the honey production will decline......whichever bee it is.....local or the africanized.
a. This statement can swing both ways. Since we cannot link it to the study, it is possible that the local bee can be more productive than africanized at the same time less productive. So this can either strengthen or weaken.
b. complication and expense can affect production... hence it weakens.
c. the only thing getting affected is the pollination of ornamental trees.....not directly related to the argument.... so it certainly doesn't weaken if not strengthen
d. this option can reduce the production if the switch to africanized bee is made hence weakens the argument
e. this also affects the production b'coz the study was performed somewhere else.....

Hence C.

Nice explanations..
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Consider kudos for good explanations.

C is clearly off the shoot here.
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