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bronaugust
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Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland Updated on: 09 Sep 2024, 07:33
Originally posted by bronaugust on 15 Jul 2024, 22:37.
Last edited by Bunuel on 09 Sep 2024, 07:33, edited 2 times in total.
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Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

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Question Stats:

83% (01:37) correct 17% (01:56) wrong based on 483 sessions

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­Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland increased dramatically. During the same period, the annual death toll for whales in those waters nearly doubled. The bodies of most of the dead whales bore marks that could well have resulted from collision with ships. It is therefore likely that the increase in shipping traffic led to the increase in whale deaths.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument given?

(A) Whales show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them.

(B) Although the aerial surveys of whale movements are currently being reported to ships, no such information was available to ships prior to 1996.

(C) The increase in shipping has been accompanied by a shift to larger vessels, which are more likely to inflict serious injury if they collide with whales.

(D) The death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are typically found in shallow coastal waters where shipping traffic is heaviest.

(E) Whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships. ­

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Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland 17 Jul 2024, 04:45
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Quote:
 ­Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland increased dramatically. During the same period, the annual death toll for whales in those waters nearly doubled. The bodies of most of the dead whales bore marks that could well have resulted from collision with ships. It is therefore likely that the increase in shipping traffic led to the increase in whale deaths.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument given?

(A) Whales show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them. 

(B) Although the aerial surveys of whale movements are currently being reported to ships, no such information was available to ships prior to 1996.

(C) The increase in shipping has been accompanied by a shift to larger vessels, which are more likely to inflict serious injury if they collide with whales. 

(D) The death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are typically found in shallow coastal waters where shipping traffic is heaviest. 

(E) Whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships. 
Show more
­To solve this question, let us deploy IMS's four-step approach.

STEP #1 -> IDENTIFY THE QUESTION TYPE

Let us read the question stem to identify the question type. The stem states, 'Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument given?' What we have is a weakening question.

Now that the question type is identified, let us proceed to the second step. 

STEP #2 -> DECONSTRUCT THE ARGUMENT 

In a weakening question, it is a must to deconstruct the argument by figuring out the conclusion and the premise.  

CONCLUSION: It is likely that the increase in shipping traffic led to the increase in whale deaths.
PREMISE: ­Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland increased dramatically. During the same period, the annual death toll for whales in those waters nearly doubled. The bodies of most of the dead whales bore marks that could well have resulted from collision with ships.

Now that the argument is deconstructed, let us proceed to the third step.

STEP #3 -> FRAME A SHADOW ANSWER

To frame a shadow answer, we need to know what the right answer should do. In a weakening question, the right answer must cast doubt on the reasoning of the author; a good way to weaken any argument is to challenge its premise. 

SHADOW ANSWER: Any situation that leads us to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths.

Now that a shadow answer is framed, let us proceed to the final step. 

STEP #4 -> PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

Answer options that do not match the shadow answer can be eliminated. 

(A) Whales show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them. - NOT A MATCH - If whales actually show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them, will we have any reason to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths? No! - ELIMINATE

(B) Although the aerial surveys of whale movements are currently being reported to ships, no such information was available to ships prior to 1996. - NOT A MATCH - The argument does not concern itself with what happened before 1996. - ELIMINATE

(C) The increase in shipping has been accompanied by a shift to larger vessels, which are more likely to inflict serious injury if they collide with whales. - NOT A MATCH - If what is given in this option is true, it will strengthen the argument of the author, not weaken. - ELIMINATE

(D) The death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are typically found in shallow coastal waters where shipping traffic is heaviest. - NOT A MATCH - Again, this answer option strengthens the argument by stating that the death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are found in areas where shipping traffic is heaviest. - ELIMINATE

(E) Whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships. - MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER - If whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships, we have a reason to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths. In fact, they get hit by the ships after they die. Notice that this option casts doubt on the reasoning of the author by challenging the argument's premise. - MARK AND MOVE

Hence, (E) is the correct answer. ­
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Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland 01 Dec 2024, 11:24
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bronaugust KarishmaB Bunuel

Yes I agree with the explanation of Option E, while I also am concerned that it's not stating, that the increase in death is not due to ships. And hence I chose option B, which states we don't have data before 1996.

Can anyone please help me clear this doubt?

Thanks in advance!
bronaugust

Quote:
­Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland increased dramatically. During the same period, the annual death toll for whales in those waters nearly doubled. The bodies of most of the dead whales bore marks that could well have resulted from collision with ships. It is therefore likely that the increase in shipping traffic led to the increase in whale deaths.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument given?

(A) Whales show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them.

(B) Although the aerial surveys of whale movements are currently being reported to ships, no such information was available to ships prior to 1996.

(C) The increase in shipping has been accompanied by a shift to larger vessels, which are more likely to inflict serious injury if they collide with whales.

(D) The death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are typically found in shallow coastal waters where shipping traffic is heaviest.

(E) Whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships.
­To solve this question, let us deploy IMS's four-step approach.

STEP #1 -> IDENTIFY THE QUESTION TYPE

Let us read the question stem to identify the question type. The stem states, 'Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument given?' What we have is a weakening question.

Now that the question type is identified, let us proceed to the second step.

STEP #2 -> DECONSTRUCT THE ARGUMENT

In a weakening question, it is a must to deconstruct the argument by figuring out the conclusion and the premise.

CONCLUSION: It is likely that the increase in shipping traffic led to the increase in whale deaths.
PREMISE: ­Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland increased dramatically. During the same period, the annual death toll for whales in those waters nearly doubled. The bodies of most of the dead whales bore marks that could well have resulted from collision with ships.

Now that the argument is deconstructed, let us proceed to the third step.

STEP #3 -> FRAME A SHADOW ANSWER

To frame a shadow answer, we need to know what the right answer should do. In a weakening question, the right answer must cast doubt on the reasoning of the author; a good way to weaken any argument is to challenge its premise.

SHADOW ANSWER: Any situation that leads us to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths.

Now that a shadow answer is framed, let us proceed to the final step.

STEP #4 -> PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

Answer options that do not match the shadow answer can be eliminated.

(A) Whales show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them. - NOT A MATCH - If whales actually show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them, will we have any reason to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths? No! - ELIMINATE

(B) Although the aerial surveys of whale movements are currently being reported to ships, no such information was available to ships prior to 1996. - NOT A MATCH - The argument does not concern itself with what happened before 1996. - ELIMINATE

(C) The increase in shipping has been accompanied by a shift to larger vessels, which are more likely to inflict serious injury if they collide with whales. - NOT A MATCH - If what is given in this option is true, it will strengthen the argument of the author, not weaken. - ELIMINATE

(D) The death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are typically found in shallow coastal waters where shipping traffic is heaviest. - NOT A MATCH - Again, this answer option strengthens the argument by stating that the death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are found in areas where shipping traffic is heaviest. - ELIMINATE

(E) Whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships. - MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER - If whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships, we have a reason to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths. In fact, they get hit by the ships after they die. Notice that this option casts doubt on the reasoning of the author by challenging the argument's premise. - MARK AND MOVE

Hence, (E) is the correct answer. ­
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Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland 12 Dec 2024, 11:10
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Sujithz001
bronaugust KarishmaB Bunuel

Yes I agree with the explanation of Option E, while I also am concerned that it's not stating, that the increase in death is not due to ships. And hence I chose option B, which states we don't have data before 1996.

Can anyone please help me clear this doubt?

Thanks in advance!
bronaugust

Quote:
­Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland increased dramatically. During the same period, the annual death toll for whales in those waters nearly doubled. The bodies of most of the dead whales bore marks that could well have resulted from collision with ships. It is therefore likely that the increase in shipping traffic led to the increase in whale deaths.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument given?

(A) Whales show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them.

(B) Although the aerial surveys of whale movements are currently being reported to ships, no such information was available to ships prior to 1996.

(C) The increase in shipping has been accompanied by a shift to larger vessels, which are more likely to inflict serious injury if they collide with whales.

(D) The death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are typically found in shallow coastal waters where shipping traffic is heaviest.

(E) Whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships.
­To solve this question, let us deploy IMS's four-step approach.

STEP #1 -> IDENTIFY THE QUESTION TYPE

Let us read the question stem to identify the question type. The stem states, 'Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument given?' What we have is a weakening question.

Now that the question type is identified, let us proceed to the second step.

STEP #2 -> DECONSTRUCT THE ARGUMENT

In a weakening question, it is a must to deconstruct the argument by figuring out the conclusion and the premise.

CONCLUSION: It is likely that the increase in shipping traffic led to the increase in whale deaths.
PREMISE: ­Between 1990 and 1996, shipping traffic off the coast of Tronland increased dramatically. During the same period, the annual death toll for whales in those waters nearly doubled. The bodies of most of the dead whales bore marks that could well have resulted from collision with ships.

Now that the argument is deconstructed, let us proceed to the third step.

STEP #3 -> FRAME A SHADOW ANSWER

To frame a shadow answer, we need to know what the right answer should do. In a weakening question, the right answer must cast doubt on the reasoning of the author; a good way to weaken any argument is to challenge its premise.

SHADOW ANSWER: Any situation that leads us to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths.

Now that a shadow answer is framed, let us proceed to the final step.

STEP #4 -> PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

Answer options that do not match the shadow answer can be eliminated.

(A) Whales show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them. - NOT A MATCH - If whales actually show no fear of ships and do not appear to alter course to avoid them, will we have any reason to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths? No! - ELIMINATE

(B) Although the aerial surveys of whale movements are currently being reported to ships, no such information was available to ships prior to 1996. - NOT A MATCH - The argument does not concern itself with what happened before 1996. - ELIMINATE

(C) The increase in shipping has been accompanied by a shift to larger vessels, which are more likely to inflict serious injury if they collide with whales. - NOT A MATCH - If what is given in this option is true, it will strengthen the argument of the author, not weaken. - ELIMINATE

(D) The death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are typically found in shallow coastal waters where shipping traffic is heaviest. - NOT A MATCH - Again, this answer option strengthens the argument by stating that the death toll has been particularly high among whale calves, which are found in areas where shipping traffic is heaviest. - ELIMINATE

(E) Whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships. - MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER - If whales of the species most common near Tronland are so highly buoyant that after death their bodies float at the surface, where they can be struck by passing ships, we have a reason to believe that it is not necessarily the increase in shipping traffic that led to the increase in whale deaths. In fact, they get hit by the ships after they die. Notice that this option casts doubt on the reasoning of the author by challenging the argument's premise. - MARK AND MOVE

Hence, (E) is the correct answer.
Show more
Hi, while option B might appear tempting, it does not weaken the argument as it does not answer WHY it was not the ships that caused the accident. The unavailability of information doesn’t necessarily mean that it was not the ships that led to the death of whales.
Option E however vaguely or indirectly challenges the statement that it was solely the ships which led to deaths by diverting the argument to a circumstance where it only APPEARED that the ships were responsible.
Hope this helps!
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