Civic Leader: The high cancer rate among our citizens is the result of

IMO Option C.
It is pretty straight forward actually.
Any fact that links BOD's claims to the cause of cancer will harm BOD's argument.
Option C does that directly.

Option E was a close contender however Option C is very direct.

I agree, this one is pretty straightforward

The board says it is the wells not their plants that are the source of cancer. If the plant
is responsible for polluting the wells, the board's argument falls apart.

Therefore (C).
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C - because 1. in weaken the argument question, answer can bring in extra data. 2. By linking pollutants in well back to factory this answer strengthen the Leader's claim.

Not B - because Time duration and high rate of cancer are not related.. May be cancer rate has been high in the area for 15 years..

Posted from GMAT ToolKit

The civic leader says the board is guilty of causing cancer.

The board says cancer is spread throughout the community because of well not because of plants.

How to weaken: the board is responsible in some way for the water content in the wells.

(A) The statistics do not differentiate between types of cancer.

Does not pertain to the board's rebuttal.

(B) Nearby communities have not changed the sources of their drinking water.

Only focused on the civic leader's community.

(C) Cancer-causing chemicals used at the plant are discharged into a nearby river and find their way into local wells.

Aha, the board is responsible for the water in the wells because its cancer-causing chemicals are released into the water.

(D) The plant both uses and produces chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer.

The board does not necessarily dispute this. It is claiming that it is not responsible for cancer but the wells are.

(E) Some of the pollutants cited by the board as contaminating the local wells have been present in the wells for decades.

The amount of time the water has been in the well is not pertinent.

Hope that helps .
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Civic Leader: The high cancer rate among our citizens is the result of hazardous material produced at your plant.
Board of Directors: Our statistics show that rates of cancer are high throughout the valley in which the plant is situated because local wells that supply drinking water are polluted, not because of the plant.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the board’s claims?
(A) The statistics do not differentiate between types of cancer.
(B) Nearby communities have not changed the sources of their drinking water.
(C) Cancer-causing chemicals used at the plant are discharged into a nearby river and find their way into local wells.
(D) The plant both uses and produces chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer.
(E) Some of the pollutants cited by the board as contaminating the local wells have been present in the wells for decades.

Can there be a more easier CR question..,but nayway C is the correct answer becase it weakens the claim of the board and strenghten the position of the Leader.

In the Argument the board says it is the wells not their plants that are the source of cancer. If the plant is responsible for polluting the wells, the board's argument falls apart. Hence, C is the answer.

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