After the recent court rulings, commercial shark fishing and shark hunting will resume in Diamond Bay. Many citizens of the communities around the bay have hailed this move, believing that a decrease in sharks will lead to an increase in all smaller fish, including the endangered Green-Gilled Silverfish, whose only ecosystem is within Diamond Bay. Ecologists, though, disagree, pointing out that a decrease in sharks will lead to a surge in Sea Lions, which are the principal predator of the Green-Gilled Silverfish. In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? A. The first provides support for main conclusion of the argument; the second calls that conclusion into question. B. The first describes evidence that has been taken as supporting a conclusion; the second states a contrary conclusion C that is the main conclusion of the argument. C. The first is an opinion that the argument opposes; the second is evidence inconsistent with the conclusion of the argument. D. The first is a conclusion that the argument as a whole seeks to justify; the second is an explanation that supports this conclusion. E. The first supports an action as a beneficial; the second calls that evaluation into question. LINK : similar question but with different options.

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After the recent court rulings, commercial shark fishing and shark hun

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miag

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16 Feb 2025, 00:32

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can someone explain why e) is wrong? There is no clear main conclusion here so how can B) be the answer? I am not convinced...GMATNinja bb

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24 Feb 2025, 05:36

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I agree with first half of choice B, that first bold statement can be considered as an evidence supporting citizens' conclusion. But I think second bold face is also a premise/evidence supporting ecologist's conclusion or main conclusion because ecologist's conclusion is "Ecologists, though, disagree that decrease in shark will lead to increase in smaller fish" which is backed by the evidence "decrease in sharks will lead to a surge in Sea Lions, which are the principal predator of the Green-Gilled Silverfish." But choice B seems to portray this evidence as the main conclusion which seems a bit off.

Choice B would have made more sense if that whole statement was bold - "Ecologists, though, disagree, pointing out that a decrease in sharks will lead to a surge in Sea Lions, which are the principal predator of the Green-Gilled Silverfish."

Experts, thoughts?

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25 Feb 2025, 20:01

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hr1212

Here's (B).

B. The first describes evidence that has been taken as supporting a conclusion; the second states a contrary conclusion that is the main conclusion of the argument.

The first part of (B) is correct, but the second part clearly is not since, as you said, the second boldface is evidence rather than a conclusion.

So, there is no correct answer to this question.

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Hi,
As you mentioned that this argument has no main conclusion. There is a public conclusion, and the ecologists conclusion, but neither one of them is the 'main' one. So any option that says something about supporting or attacking the main conclusion of the argument can immediately be eliminated.
But if we choose option B it states BF2 as the main conclusion. How can this be true then?

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Newton23Godar

i have dought on answer option A and on E . so can you explain me on details

Options A and E, just like the others, all have a simple mistake that should allow you to eliminate them; it is that this argument has no main conclusion. There is a public conclusion, and the ecologists conclusion, but neither one of them is the 'main' one. So any option that says something about supporting or attacking the main conclusion of the argument can immediately be eliminated.

'A' talks about a main conclusion, and 'E' calls the first statement something that supports an action as beneficial. Something cannot be suggested as beneficial unless that beneficial thing is the main conclusion, so these answers are wrong.

B wins out because it simply calls the statements 'premises that support *a* conclusion'.

- Matoo