|
Author |
Message |
|
Manager
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 58
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
5
[0], given: 0
|
Republic of Rosinia [#permalink]
 16 May 2007, 18:26
Twenty years ago the Republic of Rosinia produced nearly 100 million tons of potatoes, but last year the harvest barely reached 60 million tons. Agricultural researchers, who have failed to develop new higher yielding strains of potatoes, are to blame for this decrease, since they have been concerned only with their own research and not with the needs of Rosinia.
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
(A) Any current attempts by agricultural researchers to develop higher-yielding potato strains are futile.
(B) Strains of potatoes most commonly grown in Rosinia could not have produced the yields last year that they once did.
(C) Agricultural researchers often find concrete solutions to practical problems when investigating seemingly unrelated questions.
(D) Wide fluctuations in the size of the potato crop over a twenty-year period are not unusual.
(E) Agricultural research in Rosinia is funded by government grants.
CB
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 02 May 2007
Posts: 159
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
5
[0], given: 0
|
Re: Republic of Rosinia [#permalink]
16 May 2007, 18:44
computer-bot wrote: Twenty years ago the Republic of Rosinia produced nearly 100 million tons of potatoes, but last year the harvest barely reached 60 million tons. Agricultural researchers, who have failed to develop new higher yielding strains of potatoes, are to blame for this decrease, since they have been concerned only with their own research and not with the needs of Rosinia.
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
(A) Any current attempts by agricultural researchers to develop higher-yielding potato strains are futile.
(B) Strains of potatoes most commonly grown in Rosinia could not have produced the yields last year that they once did.
(C) Agricultural researchers often find concrete solutions to practical problems when investigating seemingly unrelated questions.
(D) Wide fluctuations in the size of the potato crop over a twenty-year period are not unusual.
(E) Agricultural research in Rosinia is funded by government grants.
CB
(E) it is
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 14 May 2007
Posts: 186
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
2
[0], given: 0
|
A , B , C , D - are flawed hence i2 go with E
@kirakira can you please explain your analysis ??
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 11 Mar 2007
Posts: 86
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
2
[0], given: 0
|
I would pick between A and C. & my say would be C
C says
Agricultural researchers often find concrete solutions to practical problems when investigating seemingly unrelated questions.
implies - they "can" provide solution to a problem provided they do some research. but since the researchers are not concrerned with this problem, they did not attempt to do any research
I am not convinced with E which says
Agricultural research in Rosinia is funded by government grants
how is govt funding related to research done by researchers. This is out of context, specially in this passage
Thoughts...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 877
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
10
[0], given: 0
|
I think its A.
E is out of scope...whats the OA??
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 222
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
2
[0], given: 0
|
without any reason the yield has reduced and it can only improve by some high yielding varity...so B.
OA please
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
Posts: 555
Schools: MIT Sloan
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
3
[0], given: 0
|
I go with E.
Reason - researches are expected to cater to the good of the public according to the argument - which means there is an assumption that researchers are bound to the public in some way - govt. funding ?
I went with E with a bit of lateral thinking since none of the other choices sounded convincing as possible assumptions.
What is the OA ??
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP
Joined: 03 Apr 2007
Posts: 1384
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
90
[0], given: 10
|
Re: Republic of Rosinia [#permalink]
17 May 2007, 12:19
computer-bot wrote: Twenty years ago the Republic of Rosinia produced nearly 100 million tons of potatoes, but last year the harvest barely reached 60 million tons. Agricultural researchers, who have failed to develop new higher yielding strains of potatoes, are to blame for this decrease, since they have been concerned only with their own research and not with the needs of Rosinia.
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
(A) Any current attempts by agricultural researchers to develop higher-yielding potato strains are futile.
(B) Strains of potatoes most commonly grown in Rosinia could not have produced the yields last year that they once did.
(C) Agricultural researchers often find concrete solutions to practical problems when investigating seemingly unrelated questions.
(D) Wide fluctuations in the size of the potato crop over a twenty-year period are not unusual.
(E) Agricultural research in Rosinia is funded by government grants.
CB
I pick A.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 01 Dec 2006
Posts: 63
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
0
[0], given: 0
|
go for C
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 222
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
2
[0], given: 0
|
guys look at B also...i guess no one is even reading that option 
OA please.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 222
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
2
[0], given: 0
|
Twenty years ago the Republic of Rosinia produced nearly 100 million tons of potatoes, but last year the harvest barely reached 60 million tons
it was possible to have a yield of 100 millions 20 years back....at that time there are no higher yielding strains.....now that harvest is 60 millions....why the yield cant increased to 100 millions without new higher yielding strains......as it was done 20 years back...
This cannot be done then only we need new higher yielding strains.
B says
Strains of potatoes most commonly grown in Rosinia could not have produced the yields last year that they once did.
Any comment
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 64
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
1
[0], given: 0
|
Torn between B and E.
The argument is: Researchers are the ones to blame for the decline in yield of potatoes. They are more concerned with their own research rather than the needs of Rosinia.
A, C and D are out because each on them, if true, will weaken the argument (i.e., cannot blame the researchers, or offer an explanation for them).
(B) says there is a continues decline of yield of of existing potatoes strain (yield will decline every year). This means researchers are not doing their job to produce better strains.
However, (E) appears to be the best answer. It is clearly the researchers fault if they are taking Rosinia grants and not producing results. Further, if the researchers are not taking grants from the government, they are not obligated and can choose whatever research they like (for their own good).
My guess is E.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CEO
Joined: 29 Mar 2007
Posts: 2618
Followers: 13
Kudos [?]:
142
[0], given: 0
|
Ya I am not convinced with E. I agree with Apache on B. OA!!?!?!?!?!?
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP
Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: Bangalore
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
14
[0], given: 0
|
Nice question!
(A) Weakens the argument
(B) Strains of potatoes most commonly grown in Rosinia could not have produced the yields last year that they once did.
YES!
Negate it: Strains of potatoes most commonly grown in Rosinia could have produced the yields last year that they once did. If this is true, then there could be some other reason for the reduced harvest. However, since the strains could not produce the same yields last year, the researchers are to blame for the poor quality of the strain.
(C) Weakens the argument
(D) Irrelevant
(E) Irrelevant
Give me B!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 919
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
28
[0], given: 0
|
Re: Republic of Rosinia [#permalink]
17 May 2007, 20:21
computer-bot wrote: Twenty years ago the Republic of Rosinia produced nearly 100 million tons of potatoes, but last year the harvest barely reached 60 million tons. Agricultural researchers, who have failed to develop new higher yielding strains of potatoes, are to blame for this decrease, since they have been concerned only with their own research and not with the needs of Rosinia.
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
(A) Any current attempts by agricultural researchers to develop higher-yielding potato strains are futile.
(B) Strains of potatoes most commonly grown in Rosinia could not have produced the yields last year that they once did.
(C) Agricultural researchers often find concrete solutions to practical problems when investigating seemingly unrelated questions.
(D) Wide fluctuations in the size of the potato crop over a twenty-year period are not unusual.
(E) Agricultural research in Rosinia is funded by government grants.
CB
between B and C, i take on B.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Manager
Joined: 27 Mar 2007
Posts: 330
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
16
[0], given: 0
|
according to apache's explanation, it is (B) since the potatoes once yield 100 millions and today only 60 millions. therefore it is a decrease in technology and the sientists are blamed for this decrease. cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderators:
metallicafan, rajeevrks27, Zarrolou, souvik101990, PTK, MacFauz, noboru, kissthegmat, carcass, willigetmylifeback, mikemcgarry, doe007, Vercules, Legendaddy, tuanquang269, RaviChandra, Marcab
|
close
