Pedro: Unlike cloth diapers, disposable diapers are a threat to the en

I initially chose D. But re-reading the question, B makes sense. Why?

Pedro: Unlike cloth diapers, disposable diapers are a threat to the environment. Sixteen billion disposable diapers are discarded annually, filling up landfills at an alarming rate. So people must stop buying disposable diapers and use cloth diapers.
Maria: But you forget that cloth diapers must be washed in hot water, which requires energy. Moreover, the resulting wastewater pollutes our rivers. When families use diaper services, diapers must be delivered by fuel-burning trucks that pollute the air and add to traffic congestion.

Maria objects to Pedro's argument by

(B) indicating that Pedro draws a hasty conclusion, based on inadequate evidence about cloth diapers.
Use of word "must" and no mention of cloth diapers clearly show that Pedro has drawn a hasty conclusion about disposable diapers without even finding about cloth diapers.

(D) demonstrating that cloth diapers are a far more serious threat to the environment than disposable diapers are.
Maria's argument doesn't contain any comparison. She merely mentioned negative impact of cloth diapers.

OA B.

This is Flaw in the reasoning question. One of the most difficult type of CR. Any answer choice that contains new information is incorrect. Use the fact test to eliminate answers.

Stimulus:
Pedro: DD (disposable diapers) --> are threat to the environment. But CD (cloth diapers) are not.
Maria: CD --> washed in hot water --> need energy
Maria: CD --> need trucks to deliver --> pollute the air and add traffic congestion.

Flaw of Pedro's reasoning: he just talked about DD's threat, but did not mention anything about CD's threats ==> He concluded people must stop buying DD.

(A) claiming that Pedro overstates the negative evidence about disposable diapers in the course of his argument in favour of cloth diapers.
Wrong. This is EXAGGERATE answer. The fact that Pedro said is true, he didn't OVERSTATE it.

(B) indicating that Pedro draws a hasty conclusion, based on inadequate evidence about cloth diapers.
Correct. Pedro did not talk about CD, he just mentioned threat of DD.

(C) pointing out that there is an ambiguous use of the word "disposable" in Pedro's argument
Wrong. This is "NEW" Element answer.

(D) demonstrating that cloth diapers are a far more serious threat to the environment than disposable diapers are
Wrong. This is OPPOSITE Answer.

(E) suggesting that the economic advantages of cloth diapers outweigh whatever environmental damage they may cause
Wrong. This is "NEW" Element answer.

Hope it helps.

Pedro - Disposable diaper threat to environment , since it is filling up landfills at an alarming rate.

Maria : Clot diaper produces more energy wastage as well as environmental pollution along with other problems.



Maria objects to Pedro's argument by

Finding the point which Maria objects / bases her argument .

(A) claiming that Pedro overstates the negative evidence about disposable diapers in the course of his argument in favour of cloth diapers.

Pedro fails to provide any negative evidence , he simply mentions that since Disposable diaper are filling up landfills at an alarming rate people must stop using it.

(B) indicating that Pedro draws a hasty conclusion, based on inadequate evidence about cloth diapers.

Pedro's conclusion is indeed hasty , he fails to justify / explain the effects which might result in , lets keep this option.

(C) pointing out that there is an ambiguous use of the word "disposable" in Pedro's argument

No Maria accepts disposable diapers and presents her point of view opposing use of cloth diapers as suggested by Pedro.

Maria mentions - "....must be washed in hot water.... " which suggests there isn't any ambiguity and she could comprehend unambiguously what Pedro wanted to convey.

(D) demonstrating that cloth diapers are a far more serious threat to the environment than disposable diapers are

Maria highlights the environmental threat related to use of cloth diapers but she never drew any comparison with Cloth Diapers , hence out..

Had it not been the highlighted part , I would have genuinely chosen (D) as the answer.

(E) suggesting that the economic advantages of cloth diapers outweigh whatever environmental damage they may cause

Maria neither compared nor did she convey something like this...


Hence IMO (B) is better than (D) , the most close option and I will go with (B)

by POE, I eliminated all but B.
A. nothing to say that pedro is not right
B. looks good
C. nothing close to that
D. which one is more serious threat - not discussed
E. economic advantages are not discussed, so no.

Pedro: Unlike cloth diapers, disposable diapers are a threat to the environment. Sixteen billion disposable diapers are discarded annually, filling up landfills at an alarming rate. So people must stop buying disposable diapers and use cloth diapers.

Maria: But you forget that cloth diapers must be washed in hot water, which requires energy. Moreover, the resulting wastewater pollutes our rivers. When families use diaper services, diapers must be delivered by fuel-burning trucks that pollute the air and add to traffic congestion.


With this argument, Pedro offers several facts about the negative impact of disposable diapers to support his conclusion that people must stop buying them and switch to cloth diapers.

Maria points out the negative environmental impact of cloth diapers. Notice that she does not state that she disagrees with his conclusion. Perhaps she agrees but she feels his argument is incomplete.

Maria objects to Pedro's argument by

(A) claiming that Pedro overstates the negative evidence about disposable diapers in the course of his argument in favour of cloth diapers. -- Incorrect - Maria DOES NOT discuss disposable diapers

(B) indicating that Pedro draws a hasty conclusion, based on inadequate evidence about cloth diapers. - Correct - she points out that Pedro has forgotten certain evidence about cloth diapers being detrimental to the environment

(C) pointing out that there is an ambiguous use of the word "disposable" in Pedro's argument - Incorrect - there's no discussion of disposable diapers, and definitely no discussion of the word "disposable."

(D) demonstrating that cloth diapers are a far more serious threat to the environment than disposable diapers are - Incorrect

(E) suggesting that the economic advantages of cloth diapers outweigh whatever environmental damage they may cause - Incorrect

Answer B

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