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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 27 Jun 2016, 04:57
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A for me too


was stuck between A and C.and when i re-read C it said SOME this some won't have that much desired effect than choice A which says 90% .from 10 consumers 9 are not using this choice weakens more than others
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 27 Jun 2016, 00:31
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I agree with your reasoning , however, the line of reasoning that if certain measures were successful/failure in one region they must be true for the other region stands wrong when talking about failures, specifically. Say, the question asked to weaken the argument and option said that the plan was a failure in 90% of European nations, in that case this will definitely be the wrong answer. In opposite questions this reasoning might be true. While I am not supporting the fact that this will be the best option, however in such scenarios do not eliminate this choice and consider it while comparing to other options you may think stand true. In this case, there is no better option. 'B' follows the exact reasoning I refuted previously that if a plan 'A' is not so successful then its opposite must be successful.
Hope this helps.
aditya8062
i selected A in this: A similar tax in several European countries resulted in a 90% decrease in the number of plastic bags used by consumers each year

though i took a bit longer time to do this question (3 min 16 sec) . i eliminated all the choice other than A and B (C D and E are easy to eliminate) .i was little wary about A initially because many instructors have noticed this trend that if we are talking about the success of certain plan then the option which specifically talks about the success of that same plan in some other region is not credited as answer . but here i feel this should not be the case because the language of B is giving a tinge of a probable failure of the plan.

B says: Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in only a small decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded----->so indirectly B is suggesting that financial benefits will yield few results if possible, after all out whole argument is standing on the ground that "financial benefits" will give good results to this plan

i strongly believe that had B been (modified B) : Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in large decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded--->then B would have been a contender !!

Quote:
I am not satisfied with the official answer.

honestly there is no scope of such thing with official prep questions .GMAC is always right!! BTW which options were bothering you?
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 04 May 2016, 01:45
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solitaryreaper
Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in the United States. Plastic bags present a problem for the environment because they do not readily decompose, but will remain intact for thousands of years. Policy makers agree that the best solution to the problem is to convince people to bring their own shopping bags so that they do not need disposable plastic bags. Therefore, the U.S. government should implement a tax on disposable plastic bags because this will have the desired effect of dramatically decreasing the number of plastic bags discarded each day in the United States.

Which of the following provides the strongest reason to believe that the plan to levy a tax on disposable plastic bags will be successful in greatly reducing the number of plastic bags being discarded?

A)A similar tax in several European countries resulted in a 90% decrease in the number of plastic bags used by consumers each year.

B)Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in only a small decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded.

C)Some customers are very concerned about the environmental impacts of plastic bags and will bring reusable bags without any financial incentive.

D)The bill has substantial support with the Congressional delegations of many states and with the current administration.

E)The bill could be implemented and the tax collected using a very simple addition to the programming of electronic cash registers.


I am not satisfied with the official answer. Please provide explanation for the choice you chose.
Thanks
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Can someone change the Source of this question to "Veritas"
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 11 Apr 2016, 11:23
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solitaryreaper
Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in the United States. Plastic bags present a problem for the environment because they do not readily decompose, but will remain intact for thousands of years. Policy makers agree that the best solution to the problem is to convince people to bring their own shopping bags so that they do not need disposable plastic bags. Therefore, the U.S. government should implement a tax on disposable plastic bags because this will have the desired effect of dramatically decreasing the number of plastic bags discarded each day in the United States.

Which of the following provides the strongest reason to believe that the plan to levy a tax on disposable plastic bags will be successful in greatly reducing the number of plastic bags being discarded?

A)A similar tax in several European countries resulted in a 90% decrease in the number of plastic bags used by consumers each year.

B)Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in only a small decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded.

C)Some customers are very concerned about the environmental impacts of plastic bags and will bring reusable bags without any financial incentive.

D)The bill has substantial support with the Congressional delegations of many states and with the current administration.

E)The bill could be implemented and the tax collected using a very simple addition to the programming of electronic cash registers.


I am not satisfied with the official answer. Please provide explanation for the choice you chose.
Thanks
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These are the questions which sometimes make me doubt my critical reasoning ability:

1> In strengthen questions one can choose an option if the alternative methods to resolve an issue at hand is not resolved (option B)
2> option A says if something happened in A region, we are safe to assume same thing to happen in different part of the world (no reasonable solution but OE)

which one takes the priority? I wish I could search all the questions on veritas question bank to support my first statement but sleepy now!

Ravi
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 20 Sep 2014, 01:46
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Quote:
Still I am not satisfied with the whole question.:)
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is your "non satisfaction" based on the fact that A is defying some set pattern of official answers ,because if that is the case then u will up for surprise as one official question has even defied that pattern !!
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 20 Sep 2014, 01:39
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Still I am not satisfied with the whole question.:)
There is some respite as it is not an official question. Hopefully GMAT will not put us in a such a dilemma.
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 20 Sep 2014, 01:18
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Ditto with 'A'.Almost all of the official explanations state to eliminate the answer choices which talk about the success/failure of the similar plan in some other region. Again, this should also apply to this question as no where in the question it's mentioned that there is similarity in the behavior/consumer habits in Europe and America.
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of late GMAT has been defying almost every statement made by most prep companies. in fact recently a friend of mine took gmat and reported that he was facing questions in which all choices were having "being"!!
as i told u this also perplexed me initially but then we have to select the choice that is best out worst

Quote:
why not C?
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C is straight out . C is no where near premise and conclusion . we are talking about "financial incentives" so any choice that is NOT TALKING about financial incentives should be ignored straight way. in fact i did not even glance C more than 5 sec !! most of my time was wasted on breaking the shackles in which A has many times in the past been wrapped ( AS explained above in my first post)
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 20 Sep 2014, 00:55
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aditya8062
i selected A in this: A similar tax in several European countries resulted in a 90% decrease in the number of plastic bags used by consumers each year

though i took a bit longer time to do this question (3 min 16 sec) . i eliminated all the choice other than A and B (C D and E are easy to eliminate) .i was little wary about A initially because many instructors have noticed this trend that if we are talking about the success of certain plan then the option which specifically talks about the success of that same plan in some other region is not credited as answer . but here i feel this should not be the case because the language of B is giving a tinge of a probable failure of the plan.

B says: Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in only a small decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded----->so indirectly B is suggesting that financial benefits will yield few results if possible, after all out whole argument is standing on the ground that "financial benefits" will give good results to this plan

i strongly believe that had B been (modified B) : Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in large decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded--->then B would have been a contender !!

Quote:
I am not satisfied with the official answer.

honestly there is no scope of such thing with official prep questions .GMAC is always right!! BTW which options were bothering you?
Show more


Ditto with 'A'.Almost all of the official explanations state to eliminate the answer choices which talk about the success/failure of the similar plan in some other region. Again, this should also apply to this question as no where in the question it's mentioned that there is similarity in the behavior/consumer habits in Europe and America.

B straightaway mentions a small decrease in usage of plastic bag , thus making it not a good candidate for a strengthener.

why not C? It's a plan and goal question. Planning --> GOAL. If an answer choice is within the boundaries of these two and supporting them in some way , then it should be the correct answer.
C says-"Some customers are very concerned about the environmental impacts of plastic bags and will bring reusable bags without any financial incentive." I believe this choice in a way supports the feasibility of the plan as it highlights the readiness of some customers who can reduce the usage of plastic bags as they are concerned about the environmental impacts of plastic (their rationale resonates with that of the govt.).
The passage states that this section of population is not currently taking this step but it will ,once taxes are levied(might act as an impulse).
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 20 Sep 2014, 00:28
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i selected A in this: A similar tax in several European countries resulted in a 90% decrease in the number of plastic bags used by consumers each year

though i took a bit longer time to do this question (3 min 16 sec) . i eliminated all the choice other than A and B (C D and E are easy to eliminate) .i was little wary about A initially because many instructors have noticed this trend that if we are talking about the success of certain plan then the option which specifically talks about the success of that same plan in some other region is not credited as answer . but here i feel this should not be the case because the language of B is giving a tinge of a probable failure of the plan.

B says: Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in only a small decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded----->so indirectly B is suggesting that financial benefits will yield few results if possible, after all out whole argument is standing on the ground that "financial benefits" will give good results to this plan

i strongly believe that had B been (modified B) : Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in large decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded--->then B would have been a contender !!

Quote:
I am not satisfied with the official answer.
Show more

honestly there is no scope of such thing with official prep questions .GMAC is always right!! BTW which options were bothering you?
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in 20 Sep 2014, 00:01
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Advocate: Millions of plastic shopping bags are discarded every day in the United States. Plastic bags present a problem for the environment because they do not readily decompose, but will remain intact for thousands of years. Policy makers agree that the best solution to the problem is to convince people to bring their own shopping bags so that they do not need disposable plastic bags. Therefore, the U.S. government should implement a tax on disposable plastic bags because this will have the desired effect of dramatically decreasing the number of plastic bags discarded each day in the United States.

Which of the following provides the strongest reason to believe that the plan to levy a tax on disposable plastic bags will be successful in greatly reducing the number of plastic bags being discarded?

(A) A similar tax in several European countries resulted in a 90% decrease in the number of plastic bags used by consumers each year.

(B) Current incentives, such as crediting customers 5 or 10 cents for each reusable bag, have resulted in only a small decrease in the number of plastic bags discarded.

(C) Some customers are very concerned about the environmental impacts of plastic bags and will bring reusable bags without any financial incentive.

(D) The bill has substantial support with the Congressional delegations of many states and with the current administration.

(E) The bill could be implemented and the tax collected using a very simple addition to the programming of electronic cash registers.

Show Spoiler
I am not satisfied with the official answer. Please provide explanation for the choice you chose.
Thanks
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