Heavy rains during Centralias corn planting season prevented some far

Which of the following most logically completes the passage below?

Heavy rains during Centralia’s corn planting season prevented some farmers there from planting corn. It is now the planting season for soybeans, another of Centralia’s principal crops, and those fields originally intended for corn are dry enough for planting. Nonetheless, even though soybean prices are unusually high at present, the farmers will leave most of these fields empty rather than plant them with soybeans, since ‗‗‗‗‗‗.

A. the extensive rains have led to an increase in the price of corn
B. some Centralian farmers anticipate serious financial losses due to the extremely wet spring planting season
C. chemicals that were used to prepare the fields for corn planting would stunt the growth of soybeans
D. the majority of Centralia’s corn farmers were able to plant corn as they had intended, despite the wet planting season
E. many Centralian farmers grow both corn and soybeans

A - repeats info mentioned in the argument without giving any plausible reason
B - expectations of serious financial losses should not deter farmers to plant nothing.
C- good reason for not planting soybeans atleast. They could maybe plant something else.
D - out of scope
E - out of scope

Chemical is a new topic that gets introduced in point [c] which is why it could also be a bit out of scope. Can somebody explain why not option A?

Can't be A. A can only explain why they might plant corn. We are required to find, why they will leave fields empty than plant soya.. translation: why not soya? ...argument does not want to know: "why corn"?

B can be a bit close, but 'some' and 'anticipation' makes it weaker than C.

Choice C provides a reason why farmers won't plant soybeans. Despite the high prices for that crop, farmers might not be able to capitalize on the opportunity due to chemicals.

Which of the following most logically completes the passage below?

Heavy rains during Centralia’s corn planting season prevented some farmers there from planting corn. It is now the planting season for soybeans, another of Centralia’s principal crops, and those fields originally intended for corn are dry enough for planting. Nonetheless, even though soybean prices are unusually high at present, the farmers will leave most of these fields empty rather than plant them with soybeans, since ‗‗‗‗‗‗.

A. the extensive rains have led to an increase in the price of corn
B. some Centralian farmers anticipate serious financial losses due to the extremely wet spring planting season
C. chemicals that were used to prepare the fields for corn planting would stunt the growth of soybeans
D. the majority of Centralia’s corn farmers were able to plant corn as they had intended, despite the wet planting season
E. many Centralian farmers grow both corn and soybeans

Source: GMAT Question Pack 1

Dear Mike Mc Garry Sir,

Please verify if my understanding is correct for discarding answer choice D.

In the argument there is a trigger word "some" that means there were farmers who were able to plant their desired crop. Some can be 2%, 10%, 23% etc out of total number of farmers as an entire sample space, but the question is dealing only with the farmers who were not able to plant the corn. In other words question ask why empty fields of some farmers will remain empty?

Nonetheless, even though soybean prices are unusually high at present, the farmers will leave most of these fields empty rather than plant them with soybeans, since ‗‗‗‗‗‗.

As such the above option D is completely out of scope as it is discussing the fact that majority of farmers were able to plant corn, but our concern is not those who were able to plant rather those "some" farmers who were not able to plant and we have to find the reason why these "some" farmers will leave the field empty. D is completely answering a different question and thus needs to be kicked out.


B. some Centralian farmers anticipate serious financial losses due to the extremely wet spring planting season
If Some farmers anticipate serious financial losses due to the extremely wet spring planting season then this is one another positive reason to encourage them to plant soybean. This 180 degree to what is needed, Right Sir?

Dear crunchboss,
I'm happy to respond.

Yes, I agree with what you have said. The primary purpose of the blank is to explain why most of the unused fields will remain empty. Choice (D) focuses on the folks who planted the corn, and this tells us nothing about why the folks who didn't aren't going to use their fields. Choice (B) would only make the problem worse: If farmers are anticipating financial troubles anyway, they are NOT going to do something to exacerbate their problems.

Yes, (C) is the only choice that actually explains why the fields were left empty.

Mike

For corn the farmers need dry land ,but because of heavy rain farmer do not have the dry land. On the other hand Soyabean prices are unusually high now but farmers are not planting soyabean so there must be a reason, Option C beautifully justifies the reason. Because of using chemicals on the soil, the soil wont be good for the growth of Soyabean.

So C

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