Last year, two drownings occurred at Lake Serene, so this year the lak

Question

Last year, two drownings occurred at Lake Serene, so this year the lake’s owner added one more lifeguard to the lakefront staff. No drownings have occurred at the lake this year. However, the new lifeguard has been home with the flu for nearly half the summer, so it appears that the new lifeguard was not needed after all.

Which of the following, if true, would be most damaging to the argument above?

(A) This year, the lake’s ownerposted a warning about swimming without a lifeguard present.

(B) Drowning is not the lake owner’s only safety concern.

(C) The lake has been equally crowded with swimmers this year as last year.

(D) Lake activities are safer in the presence of lifeguards.

(E) The new lifeguard has never saved a person from drowning.

ezinis · Accepted Answer

Official Answer:

The correct answer is (C). The argument’s conclusion is that the new lifeguard was not a factor in the declining number of deaths from last year to this year. Choice (C) rules out one other possible explanation for the decline in the number of drownings, in turn rendering it more likely that the additional lifeguard did contribute to the decline.

BarneyStinson · Answer

Which of the following, if true, would be most damaging to the argument above? - damaging as in weaken the conclusion?
(A) This year, the lake’s ownerposted a warning about swimming without a lifeguard present. - extra information not given in stimulus.
(B) Drowning is not the lake owner’s only safety concern. - fails fact-test, otherwise the owner wouldn't have brought-in a new lifeguard.
(C) The lake has been equally crowded with swimmers this year as last year. - extra information, nothing has been mentioned about how many were at the lake.
(D) Lake activities are safer in the presence of lifeguards. - Generalized statement, not too strong, goes with the flow of the stimulus. Attacks the conclusion that new lifeguard is unnecessary.
(E) The new lifeguard has never saved a person from drowning. - Statement is too strong, "never", also extra-information never discussed in the stimulus.

My answer would be D.
This question should fall under the 600 to 650 category.

Shelen · Answer

B is irrelevant; C is just additional fact; D - irrelevant because there were lifeguards last year also but two drownings occured anyway; E - strenghten the argument.

Is it A?

Shelen · Answer

IMHO, the answer is dragged in. The additional lifeguard was ill half-summer, so how could "0.5 guard" contribute to the decline of drowning?? Very interesting and knotty problem...

dare2drm · Answer

I still follow A. Not convinced with C.

jade3 · Answer

IMO the answer is C

(A) This year, the lake’s owner posted a warning about swimming without a lifeguard present.
-The argument is about the how the safety was affected by an addition of an extra lifeguard. So nothing to do with the warning post (Out of scope)

(B) Drowning is not the lake owner’s only safety concern. (Out of scope)

(C) The lake has been equally crowded with swimmers this year as last year.
-Despite the fact that the lake was this summer as crowded as last swimmer, no drowning has happened. This could be contributed to the presence of the new lifegaurd for nearly half the summer. Hence weakening the argument (Correct Answer)

(D) Lake activities are safer in the presence of lifeguards. 
-But this answer choice doesn’t explain the affect of an extra lifeguard on the total safety 
(E) The new lifeguard has never saved a person from drowning. (Strengthens)

ezinis · Answer

do you think this kind of questions will appear in the actual GMAT? I am so frustrated.

jade3 · Answer

This question follows the generic GMAT argument structure. However it was a hard one. So this kind of question could appear in GMAT, if you are in 700 to 750 level.

gurpreet07 · Answer

Jade awesome explanation i thought exactly the same.....but couldn't put it down in words
anyways kudos to u

ezinis · Answer

Not very convincing though. In order to say the new life guard did contribute to the safety of the lake... we need more assumption such as: 
One: these 2 existing lifeguards are very incompetent, most drownings occurs during summer. 
Two: what if the lake is located in south america, for example, where it is warm for most of the year and people can swim in Fall or Spring ....the argument does not rule out the fact that last year's drownings could happen in WINTER when lifeguards are probably stayed inside chit chating ....
Three: we need to also assume lifeguards will be less effective when the lake is crowded then when it is not crowded ... However I believe there are more chances of saving lives when the lake is crowded than when it is not, as people near by can probably do it better than those lifeguards as time is crucial here.

b2bt · Answer

I am still not convinced. Because the sign was put, people were less careless or maybe there was a less turn out as people become aware that no lifeguard was present. At least those who don't know how to swim. Hence, instead of putting the sign, you need a new lifeguard. According to option C, lake is equally crowded with swimmers . Why would swimmers drown in lake? No waves or anything right? Well, I have never swam in a lake so I made this assumption

gmatprav · Answer

Well, why go very convoluted way to arrive at C? A gives explanation, people followed the warning and only tried swimming when the new life guard was present and his presence helped. Thereby weakening the argument.

Also, with C if you say, "This could be contributed to the presence of the new lifegaurd for nearly half the summer. Hence weakening the argument ", then on the flip side he was absent nearly half the summer and no drowning occurred so it indeed strengthens the argument that he was not needed isn't it?

This doesn't seem good question.

YashYashkratos · Answer

C) clearly the correct answer might seem irrelevant at first but if you think about it> the option takes out a major weakener for the argument that life guard IS NEEDED that the visitors were the same which indirectly strengthens the conclusion that life is indeed needed and argument against it in the question is Weakened. Other options either strengthen or provide incomplete conclusions. Don't understand the debate. Will be happy to clarify any doubts regarding any individual option.

Last year, two drownings occurred at Lake Serene, so this year the lak

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