Studies have shown that elderly people who practice a religion are much more likely to die immediately after an important religious holiday period than immediately before one. Researchers have concluded that the will to live can prolong life, at least for short periods of time.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the researchers conclusion?
(A) Elderly people who practice a religion are less likely to die immediately before or during an important religious holiday than at any other time of the year. (B) Elderly people who practice a religion appear to experience less anxiety at the prospect of dying than do other people. (C) Some elderly people who do practice a religion live much longer than most elderly people who do not. (D) Most elderly people who participate in religious holidays have different reasons for participating than young people do. (E) Many religions have important holidays in the spring and fall, seasons with the lowest death rates for elderly people.
Studies have shown that elderly people who practice a religion are much more likely to die immediately after an important religious holiday period than immediately before one. Researchers have concluded that the will to live can prolong life, at least for short periods of time.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the researchers conclusion?
Premise: religious elderly people die less before or during religious holiday. Assumption: they didn’t die before or during the holiday because of their will to live Conclusion: will to live can prolong life
(A) Elderly people who practice a religion are less likely to die immediately before or during an important religious holiday than at any other time of the year. Additional evidence: death probability for religious elderly people is less for the period before or during religious holiday that for any other time of the year (not only for the period after the holiday). This evidence strengthens premise -> strengthens the conclusion.
(B) Elderly people who practice a religion appear to experience less anxiety at the prospect of dying than do other people. (Anxiety is not necessary connected to the ability to prolong life.)
(C) Some elderly people who do practice a religion live much longer than most elderly people who do not. (this is true only for ‘some’ people. However, it is not enough to make a generalization.)
(D) Most elderly people who participate in religious holidays have different reasons for participating than young people do. (The reasons for participating in holidays are not connected either to the ability to prolong life or to the will to live)
(E) Many religions have important holidays in the spring and fall, seasons with the lowest death rates for elderly people. (This in fact weakens the conclusion, since it provides alternative explanation: death rates in spring and fall may be lower for another reason)
maratikus
Re: CR: elderly people who practice a religion [#permalink]
I hate this question. I still don't see the connection between will to live and religion (as per your assumption).
This goes into one of my "you gotta be kidding me gmat questions" bucket.
greenoak wrote:
Another A.
Quote:
Studies have shown that elderly people who practice a religion are much more likely to die immediately after an important religious holiday period than immediately before one. Researchers have concluded that the will to live can prolong life, at least for short periods of time.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the researchers conclusion?
Premise: religious elderly people die less before or during religious holiday. Assumption: they didn’t die before or during the holiday because of their will to live Conclusion: will to live can prolong life
(A) Elderly people who practice a religion are less likely to die immediately before or during an important religious holiday than at any other time of the year. Additional evidence: death probability for religious elderly people is less for the period before or during religious holiday that for any other time of the year (not only for the period after the holiday). This evidence strengthens premise -> strengthens the conclusion.
(B) Elderly people who practice a religion appear to experience less anxiety at the prospect of dying than do other people. (Anxiety is not necessary connected to the ability to prolong life.)
(C) Some elderly people who do practice a religion live much longer than most elderly people who do not. (this is true only for ‘some’ people. However, it is not enough to make a generalization.)
(D) Most elderly people who participate in religious holidays have different reasons for participating than young people do. (The reasons for participating in holidays are not connected either to the ability to prolong life or to the will to live)
(E) Many religions have important holidays in the spring and fall, seasons with the lowest death rates for elderly people. (This in fact weakens the conclusion, since it provides alternative explanation: death rates in spring and fall may be lower for another reason)
greenoak
Re: CR: elderly people who practice a religion [#permalink]
Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:26 am
Director
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 Posts: 504 Location: Eastern Europe Schools: Oxford Followers: 8
I hate this question. I still don't see the connection between will to live and religion (as per your assumption).
The assumption is not mine I just tried to analyse the argument’s structure. ‘Assumption’ can be defined as premise which is not stated explicitly (hidden premise). In this sense, ‘religious elder people didn’t die before or during the holiday because of their will to live’ is the argument’s assumption – it is not stated, but implied. Well, I could express it in the following way (more detailed): ‘religious elder people didn’t die before or during the holiday because their religion gives them will to live’.
Then, in our case, the conclusion (theoretically) could be strengthened by a) strengthening premises or adding additional premises which support the conclusion b) clarifying assumptions – i.e., stating them explicitly
Personally, for this question I’d prefer ‘clarifying assumption’-way of strengthening the argument – because it’s easy to see that a link between ‘will to live’ and ‘religion’ is missing. However, the authors of the q. did not provide us with the suitable answer choice… The only option that strengthens the conclusion (A) does so by strengthening the premise. So I chose A.
bigfernhead
Re: CR: elderly people who practice a religion [#permalink]
C) does not relate to the elderly people's 'will to live' - and therefore does not strengthen the argument.
To me it seems, that religious people in this example live longer, because the want live to see the religious holiday. But this strong belief is meant to prolong their life only in "short run" - till the holiday and then they can die with the peace in their minds. But this has no "long term" consequences - generally, they do not necessarily live longer than people, who do not practice a religion. Therefore C is wrong a A is the right answer.
_________________ Practice makes perfect!
Nishant1984
Re: CR: elderly people who practice a religion [#permalink]
GMAT is about choosing best among the options. Except A, all other options seem to be irrelevant or weakens the conclusion. Answer is A by elimination process.
Nishant1984
Re: CR: elderly people who practice a religion [#permalink]
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I just tried to analyse the argument’s structure. ‘Assumption’ can be defined as premise which is not stated explicitly (hidden premise). In this sense, ‘religious elder people didn’t die before or during the holiday because of their will to live’ is the argument’s assumption – it is not stated, but implied. Well, I could express it in the following way (more detailed): ‘religious elder people didn’t die before or during the holiday because their religion gives them will to live’.
