akela wrote:
Zoologist: Every domesticated large mammal species now in existence was domesticated thousands of years ago. Since those days, people undoubtedly tried innumerable times to domesticate each of the wild large mammal species that seemed worth domesticating. Clearly, therefore, most wild large mammal species in existence today either would be difficult to domesticate or would not be worth domesticating.
The zoologist’s argument requires the assumption that
(A) in spite of the difficulties encountered, at one time or another people have tried to domesticate each wild large mammal species
(B) it is not much easier today to domesticate wild large mammal species than it was in the past
(C) not all of the large mammal species that were domesticated in the past are still in existence
(D) the easier it is to domesticate a wild large mammal species, the more worthwhile it is to do so
(E) of all the domesticated large mammal species in existence today, the very first to be domesticated were the easiest to domesticate
Source: LSAT
Kudos!
This is how I approached this question:
Premise 1: Every domesticated large mammal species now in existence was domesticated thousands of years ago.
Premise 2: Since those days, people undoubtedly tried innumerable times to domesticate each of the wild large mammal species
that seemed worth domesticating.
Conclusion: most wild large mammal species in existence today either
would be difficult to domesticate or would not be worth domesticatingThe conclusion clearly states that today, most large mammal species would be difficult to domesticate or not worth domesticating.
Lets look at the options:
(A) in spite of the difficulties encountered, at one time or another people have tried to domesticate each wild large mammal species - This is already part of premise 2. An assumption is always implicit. Therefore eliminate.
(B) it is not much easier today to domesticate wild large mammal species than it was in the past - When we negate this option it reads
"it is much easier today to domesticate wild large mammal species than it was in the past" this would break the conclusion entirely.(C) not all of the large mammal species that were domesticated in the past are still in existence - Does not hold any bearing on the conclusion.
(D) the easier it is to domesticate a wild large mammal species, the more worthwhile it is to do so - Additional info, not required for the conclusion
(E) of all the domesticated large mammal species in existence today, the very first to be domesticated were the easiest to domesticate - Additional info, not required for the conclusion
Therefore D.
Always try to put the options into different buckets.