A new gardening rake with an S-shaped handle reduces compression stres

Question

A new gardening rake with an S-shaped handle reduces compression stress on the spine during the pull stroke to about one-fifth of what it is with a straight-handled rake. During the push stroke, however, compression stress is five times more with the new rake than with a straight-handled rake. Neither the push stroke nor the pull stroke with a straight-handled rake produces enough compression stress to cause injury, but compression stress during the push stroke with the new rake is above the danger level. Therefore, straight-handled rakes are better than the new rakes for minimizing risk of spinal injury.

The conclusion above is properly drawn from the premises given if which one of the following is true?

(A) Compression stress resulting from pushing is the only cause of injuries to the spine that occurs as a result of raking.

(B) Raking is a frequent cause of spinal injury among gardeners.

(C) The redesign of a tool rarely results in a net gain of efficiency, since gains tend to be counterbalanced by losses.

(D) A garden rake can never be used in such a way that all the strokes with that rake are push strokes.

(E) It is not possible to design a garden rake with a handle that is other than straight or S-shaped.

Pavle · Answer

A is the best choice 
B C and E doesn't have anything to do with the fact that "push stroke with the new rake is above the danger level"
And D is total opposite

gautrang · Answer

I contemplate between A and B. C, D, E are out of scope.

A is stronger so I pick A.

This is the assumption question and we need a link between the PUSH and the Spinal Injury to fill the gap.

ramana · Answer

I Picked A,

but on second thought i am quite inclined to E.
if new rakes with another shape is able to reduce compression stress and seldom creates spinal injusry, this argument will be flawed.
And option E clearly defends this possiblity.

Can someone please explain where iam going wrong? Is it way too out of scope?

Thanks

gautrang · Answer

E is incorrect because the argument only concern that the SR better than NR, it doesn't matter if there is a better one out there, it only compare between the 2 types of rakes.

seekmba · Answer

I liked A but I am inclined towards E too.

(E) It is not possible to design a garden rake with a handle that is other than straight or S-shaped --> Since no other designs are possible and since S-shaped rake has negative features, the only rake left to be used is straight rake. thereby provide support for the conlclusion.

Can someone explain why E is incorrect?

gautrang · Answer

E is incorrect, because in the Arguments, S Shaped Rake has negative, but it was not sure whether that negative linked with Spinal injury. So even if there are only 2 types of Rakes, we can't be sure whether Straight Rakes is better than S Shaped Rake  for MINIMIZE spinal injury

It is like saying Yao Minh is not as quick compare to Steve Nash and then to conclude therefore Steve Nash is better than Yao Minh at Dunking.

ingoditrust · Answer

not good , I fell for E, had it narrowed to A and E

KissGMAT · Answer

I Choose E as well.

Basically the last line of the argument

Therefore, straight-handled rakes are better than the  new rakes  for minimizing risk of spinal injury.

new rakes - New rakes does not definately means the S shaped rake. So went for E to rule out other shapes.

What say you ?

RightClick · Answer

New rake is S-shaped, refer to line one. And this is what talked about.
Ans is A

riagarg07 · Answer

Conclusion: Therefore, straight-handled rakes are better than the new rakes for minimizing risk of spinal injury.

Main fight is between A and E.
Let's negate A:

Compression stress resulting from pushing is  NOT  the only cause of injuries to the spine that occurs as a result of raking.
 If this is the case, then we can't say that straight one is better as there could be other causes for injury which would be dominant with Old handle than the new Handle.

Let's negate E:
It  is  possible to design a garden rake with a handle that is other than straight or S-shaped.
 if we consider this, then this anyway doesn't help us to decide whether staright handles are better or not.

TarPhi · Answer

Hi there, Can you post the OA? I am not sure why A is the answer. Thanks,

A new gardening rake with an S-shaped handle reduces compression stres

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A new gardening rake with an S-shaped handle reduces compression stres

Prep Toolkit

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