In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists are attempting to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. The plan has good chances of success, since sweet potato is a staple of the region’s diet and agriculture, and the varieties currently grown contain little beta-carotene.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed?

(A) The growing conditions required by the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region are conditions in which SPK004 can flourish.

(B) The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in color and texture, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.

(C) There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.

(D) The varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region contain some important nutrients that are lacking in SPK004.

(E) There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do

Similar question from GMATPrep: LINK

A

don't see C as a contender; we are told that it has high levels of beta carotene, so it doesn't matter what other varieties have. The issue is whether the plant will grow.

My answer is also A.
I agree with gurpree07 regarding C.


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A is the only answer.

C is not at all a contender. Say, for e.g., there are other varieties that have more beta-carotene available in India. What is the use?
Also, its clearly given in the argument that the proposed potato has high levels of beta-carotene than those currently cultivated. So, no point in taking it for discussion.
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Subhajeet,

The choices on MGMAT forum and this forum are different. Hence, while Choice E makes sense on the MGMAT forum (because of the content of the choice) it is not relevant here. Here, only choice A is a strengthener and all other choices are either irrelevant or weakeners.


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Hi Mavin,

Let me see if I can help.

The issue with C is that it is definitely already stated in the passage.

A is not inferred, as the passsage doesn't imply anything about the particular variant being good at growing in South America.

Cheers,

James

IMO Option A is correct
As the question stems asks which option "most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed"
Only option A fits here rest all weaken the plan

Evaluation of a Plan Situation
Agriculturists believe that if farmers in a particular South American region plant a new beta-carotene-rich variety of sweet potato, SPK004, the vitamin-A deficiency suffered in that region can be alleviated. Even though sweet potatoes are a staple of the region and the body can convert a sweet potato’s beta-carotene into vitamin A, the varieties currently grown there contain little beta-carotene.

Reasoning
What would most support the success of the plan to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant SPK004? What, that is, would make farmers respond positively to encouragement to plant SPK004? Farmers in the region would probably be inclined to substitute SPK004 for the varieties of sweet potato they currently grow if they could be assured that SPK004 would grow as well as those other varieties do. This would in turn most likely lead to SPK004 being substituted for current varieties of sweet potato in staple dishes, and thus to an improvement in nutrition in the region.

A Correct. This statement properly identifies a factor that would support a prediction of the plan’s success.
B If dishes made with SPK004 look different than traditional sweet potato dishes in the region do, people might be less likely to eat those dishes; in such a situation, the plan’s success would be less likely, rather than more likely.
C It is SPK004’s beta-carotene content relative to the beta-carotene content of the sweet potatoes currently grown in the region that is relevant here, so it does not matter if there are other varieties of sweet potato that are richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
D This suggests that switching from currently grown sweet potatoes to SPK004 could negatively affect nutrition in the region; this undermines, rather than supports, the prediction that the plan to improve nutrition will succeed.
E These other vegetables, despite their beta-carotene content being higher than that of the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato, are clearly not sufficient to prevent a vitamin-A deficiency in the region. This information does nothing to support the prediction that encouraging farmers to plant SPK004 will help to meet those beta-carotene needs.

Situation Agriculturists believe that if farmers in a particular South American region plant a new betacarotene- rich variety of sweet potato, SPK004, the vitamin-A deficiency suffered in that region can be alleviated. Even though sweet potatoes are a staple of the region and the body can convert a sweet potato's beta-carotene into vitamin A, the varieties currently grown there contain little beta-carotene.


Reasoning What would most support the success of the plan to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant SPK004? What, that is, would make farmers respond positively to encouragement to plant SPK004? Farmers in the region would probably be inclined to substitute SPK004 for the varieties of sweet potato they currently grow if they could be assured that SPK004 would grow as well as those other varieties do. This would in turn most likely lead to SPK004 being substituted for current varieties of sweet potato in staple dishes, and thus to an improvement in nutrition in the region.

A Correct. This statement properly identifies a factor that would support a prediction of the plan's success.

B If dishes made with SPK004 look different than traditional sweet potato dishes in the region do, people might be less likely to eat those dishes; in such a situation, the plan's success would be less likely, rather than more likely.

C It is SPK004's beta-carotene content relative to the beta-carotene content of the sweet potatoes currently grown in the region that is relevant here, so it does not matter if there are other varieties of sweet potato that are richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.

D This suggests that switching from currently grown sweet potatoes to SPK004 could negatively affect nutrition in the region; this undermines, rather than supports, the prediction that the plan to improve nutrition will succeed.


E These other vegetables, despite their beta-carotene content being higher than that of the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato, are clearly not sufficient to prevent a vitamin-A deficiency in the region. This information does nothing to support the prediction that encouraging farmers to plant SPK004 will help to meet those beta-carotene needs.

The correct answer is A.
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