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555-605 Level|   Resolve Paradox|                                 
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Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests 26 Oct 2023, 15:07
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Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests in many of the world's important agricultural areas. Worldwide production of soybeans, an important source of protein for people and livestock alike, was not adversely affected, however. Indeed, last year's soybean crop was actually slightly larger than average. Nevertheless, the weather phenomenon is probably responsible for a recent increase in the world price of soybeans.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest justification for the attribution of the increase in soybean prices to the weather phenomenon?

(A) Last year's harvest of anchovies, which provide an important protein source for livestock, was disrupted by the effects of the weather phenomenon.
- The supply of soy beans increased but the price went up rather than went down. It should be due to an increase in demand. A explains why.

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Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests 08 Feb 2024, 23:42
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BLTN

Axelkr00
IMO this is a bad question. Option A, if anything, is a weakener and not a strengthener. The conclusion says bad weather (cause) is responsible for higher soya bean prices (effect). It's a classic causal reasoning argument. But what A says is that : it's not the bad weather directly causing the price hikes but it's the destruction of a similar product that is responsible for the effect . Which means that the effect (higher prices) is attributable to an ALTERNATIVE cause and not to the bad weather. I agree D isn't much of strengthener but it's better than A in my view. Sure, it might just be correlation or a coincidence but it also suggests the effect happened immediately after the cause. And as with any GMAT strengthen question, we don't need to PROVE the argument is solid but instead just add a bit more strength into it.

If someone disagrees with my reasoning, please point out where I'm wrong cuz I frequently miss these "Last 2 Verbal Choices Traps".
Thanks!

Dear Axelkr00
take into consideration the conclusion,

Nevertheless, the weather phenomenon is probably responsible for a recent increase in the world price of soybeans.

So, answer "A" signifies that Weather- > disrupted harvest of anchovies - > increased demand of soybeans
The reason for the increase of price and demand is that soybeans is also a livestock feed.

(A) Last year's harvest of anchovies, which provide an important protein source for livestock, was disrupted by the effects of the weather phenomenon.


Option D does not provide any information that can be deduced from the stimulus.

(D) Heavy rains attributable to the weather phenomenon improved grazing pastures last year, allowing farmers in many parts of the world to reduce their dependence on supplemental feed.

Hope it helps
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­
BLTN

My problem is with the word "supplemental" in answer choice D.

We have no information whether soybeans are the main protein source for livestock, or just a supplemental source.

If soybeans are the main source of protein for livestock, then the reduction in supply of a supplemental source would actually INCREASE the demand for soybeans, thereby causing the price to increase. That means option D is also correct.

Option D can only be eliminated if we ASSUME that soybeans ARE a supplemental feedstock. AFAIK, we cannot make such assumptions.

How do we resolve this issue?­­­

GMATNinja , KarishmaB ,  I'd appreciate your inputs too!­­­
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Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests 10 Feb 2024, 01:56
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jaykayes

BLTN

Axelkr00
IMO this is a bad question. Option A, if anything, is a weakener and not a strengthener. The conclusion says bad weather (cause) is responsible for higher soya bean prices (effect). It's a classic causal reasoning argument. But what A says is that : it's not the bad weather directly causing the price hikes but it's the destruction of a similar product that is responsible for the effect . Which means that the effect (higher prices) is attributable to an ALTERNATIVE cause and not to the bad weather. I agree D isn't much of strengthener but it's better than A in my view. Sure, it might just be correlation or a coincidence but it also suggests the effect happened immediately after the cause. And as with any GMAT strengthen question, we don't need to PROVE the argument is solid but instead just add a bit more strength into it.

If someone disagrees with my reasoning, please point out where I'm wrong cuz I frequently miss these "Last 2 Verbal Choices Traps".
Thanks!

Dear Axelkr00
take into consideration the conclusion,

Nevertheless, the weather phenomenon is probably responsible for a recent increase in the world price of soybeans.

So, answer "A" signifies that Weather- > disrupted harvest of anchovies - > increased demand of soybeans
The reason for the increase of price and demand is that soybeans is also a livestock feed.

(A) Last year's harvest of anchovies, which provide an important protein source for livestock, was disrupted by the effects of the weather phenomenon.


Option D does not provide any information that can be deduced from the stimulus.

(D) Heavy rains attributable to the weather phenomenon improved grazing pastures last year, allowing farmers in many parts of the world to reduce their dependence on supplemental feed.

Hope it helps
­
BLTN

My problem is with the word "supplemental" in answer choice D.

We have no information whether soybeans are the main protein source for livestock, or just a supplemental source.

If soybeans are the main source of protein for livestock, then the reduction in supply of a supplemental source would actually INCREASE the demand for soybeans, thereby causing the price to increase. That means option D is also correct.

Option D can only be eliminated if we ASSUME that soybeans ARE a supplemental feedstock. AFAIK, we cannot make such assumptions.

How do we resolve this issue?­­­

GMATNinja , KarishmaB ,  I'd appreciate your inputs too!­­­
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No, we don't have to assume anything here. Option (D) mentions pastures and how the dependence on supplemental feed has decreased. In this context, it certainly means that pasture is the main source and others are "supplemental" (used to supply missing nutrients or add on to pastures if they are not enough.) Hence, soy beans are supplemental (providing high amount of protein). 
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Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests 10 Feb 2024, 12:15
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KarishmaB

jaykayes

Quote:
 
­
BLTN

My problem is with the word "supplemental" in answer choice D.

We have no information whether soybeans are the main protein source for livestock, or just a supplemental source.

If soybeans are the main source of protein for livestock, then the reduction in supply of a supplemental source would actually INCREASE the demand for soybeans, thereby causing the price to increase. That means option D is also correct.

Option D can only be eliminated if we ASSUME that soybeans ARE a supplemental feedstock. AFAIK, we cannot make such assumptions.

How do we resolve this issue?­­­

GMATNinja , KarishmaB ,  I'd appreciate your inputs too!­­­
No, we don't have to assume anything here. Option (D) mentions pastures and how the dependence on supplemental feed has decreased. In this context, it certainly means that pasture is the main source and others are "supplemental" (used to supply missing nutrients or add on to pastures if they are not enough.) Hence, soy beans are supplemental (providing high amount of protein). 
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Thanks Karishma, that explains it perfectly!
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Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests 15 Aug 2024, 01:29
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Situation : Bad weather lead to disrupted harvest in many agricultural areas. However, Soybeans (= source of protein) production was not adversely affected and the latter was above average. Despite a larger production of soybeans than average, the price of soybeans has increased.
Conclusion : According to the author, the weather phenomenon is probably responsible for the increase in price.

What am I asked to ? Find the strongest justification that support the conclusion.

A) Last year's harvest of anchovies, which provide an important protein source for livestock, was disrupted by the effects of the weather phenomenon.
This choice works well : Competition is one of the factor in price determination. If the production of one of the substitute of soybeans has been disrupted by the weather phenomenon, then the competition on the protein market decrease and there is room for soybeans price increase.
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Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests 12 Oct 2025, 09:23
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Hi. My confusion regarding this question's answer is a bit different. Doesn't lack of anchovies make "weather disturbance" a secondary cause for soybean price increase? I mean, usually in weaken the argument questions involving cause-and-effect problems, we sometimes see the correct answer explains A didn't cause B, rather C caused B and A may have caused C. So if that kind of reasoning weakens causal arguments, then why does this indirect cause-and-effect relationship strengthens this argument? I got the answer correct but just want to understand why we are considering this line of reasoning as strengthening as well as weakening in different question types. Thanks.
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Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests 13 Oct 2025, 03:32
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Hi NushaT


Great to know that you did not reject the correct answer because of this framework - the issue with these frameworks is that they confuse students very easily. We need to understand the passage and all factors very carefully before applying them. Let me explain what is happening here:

  • B - World price of soyabeans went up lat year
  • A - weather phenomenon last year
  • C - Last year's harvest of anchovies reduced

Now. let's consider an event (that we know did not happen)
  • D - Last year's soyabean harvest reduced
and a possibility
  • E - Demand for soyabean got more than the supply



Passage-

  • [color=#0f0f0f]Passage tells us that D did not happen.[/color]
  • [color=#0f0f0f]So, A -> D -> B did not happen.[/color]
  • [color=#0f0f0f]However, A -> B somehow and this is what we need to strengthen.[/color]


Correct Choice-
  • The correct choice clearly conveys that A -> C
  • C -> E -> B is very logical.
  • So, it supports the cause and effect: A-> C -> E -> B.
  • Had this choice been " Last year's harvest of anchovies, which provide an important protein source for livestock, reduced"
    • "A" would have been eliminated from the cause and effect.
    • The cause and effect would have been C-> E ->B and would have weakened the conclusion.


Hope this helps you understand how the framework works here,
Regards
NushaT
Hi. My confusion regarding this question's answer is a bit different. Doesn't lack of anchovies make "weather disturbance" a secondary cause for soybean price increase? I mean, usually in weaken the argument questions involving cause-and-effect problems, we sometimes see the correct answer explains A didn't cause B, rather C caused B and A may have caused C. So if that kind of reasoning weakens causal arguments, then why does this indirect cause-and-effect relationship strengthens this argument? I got the answer correct but just want to understand why we are considering this line of reasoning as strengthening as well as weakening in different question types. Thanks.
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