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655-705 Level|   Strengthen|      
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blowice27
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The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the count Updated on: 23 Jun 2019, 02:33
Originally posted by blowice27 on 22 Jun 2019, 13:51.
Last edited by Bunuel on 23 Jun 2019, 02:33, edited 1 time in total.
Renamed the topic.
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E
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65% (hard)

Question Stats:

60% (01:57) correct 40% (02:07) wrong based on 783 sessions

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The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the country becomes more industrialized, and, as a result, the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster.

Of the following, which, if true, provides the LEAST evidence in support of the claim about the increasing incidence of cancer in an industrialized country?

A. As the number of carcinogens in a country doubles, the area affected by carcinogens becomes four times as large.
B. Some cancers will not occur unless levels of the carcinogens are sufficiently high.
C. The financial pressure of increasing industrialization causes competing industries to produce a wider variety of carcinogens.
D. Some of the most potent carcinogens tend not to be produced until a country becomes more industrialized.
E. Increases in the incidence of cancer correlate to increases in the percentage, not the number, of carcinogens in the environment.
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E
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The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the count 22 Jun 2019, 22:47
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I could eliminate A C and D. But Was confused between B and E. How is it that B is not the correct answer? Can someone help?GMATNinja
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The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the count 23 Jun 2019, 01:22
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Midhila
I could eliminate A C and D. But Was confused between B and E. How is it that B is not the correct answer? Can someone help?GMATNinja
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even i had same confusion.
but when you compare B and E
you realize that E is a stronger contender as E somehow explains that it is no always necessary that increase in number of carcinogens will increase number of cancer cases
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The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the count 24 Jun 2019, 23:03
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I was also quite confused between B and E.

But B says SOME cancers will not occur - but other types of cancer can.

So, E is the better choice between the two.
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The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the count 24 Aug 2019, 11:03
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OE:

Conclusion: The incidence of cancer in countries that are becoming more industrialized is increasing even faster.

Premise: The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the country becomes more industrialized.

Assumption: There is a direct correlation between the number of carcinogens produced in a country and the increasing incidence of cancer.

This is a strengthen question, as evidenced by the phrase of the following, which…provides the…evidence in support of the claim. However, this is a LEAST question. Therefore, the correct answer choice will strengthen the argument less than the other answer choices. The passage uses the premise that the number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the country becomes more industrialized in order to conclude that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster.

In order to provide the LEAST evidence in support of the claim, the correct answer choice should be either out of scope, contain extreme language, or weaken the argument. If multiple answers contain these flaws, the choice that weakens the argument is likely to least support the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster. Evaluate the answer choices, looking for one that reflects this idea.

Choice A: No. The fact that the area affected by carcinogens becomes four times as large strengthens the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster.

Choice B: No. The fact that Some cancers will not occur unless levels of the carcinogens are sufficiently high strengthens the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster. This choice further establishes the correlation between the number of carcinogens and the incidence of cancer.

Choice C: No. The fact that increasing industrialization causes competing industries to produce a wider variety of carcinogens may strengthen the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster as the country becomes more industrialized.

Choice D: No. The fact that Some of the most potent carcinogens tend not to be produced until a country becomes more industrialized may strengthen the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster as the country becomes more industrialized.

Choice E: Correct. The fact that Increases in the incidence of cancer correlate to increases in the percentage, not the number, of carcinogens weakens the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster as the country becomes more industrialized, because the premise discusses the number of carcinogens not the percentage of carcinogens.

The correct answer is choice E.
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The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the count 07 Sep 2019, 06:07
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blowice27
OE:

Conclusion: The incidence of cancer in countries that are becoming more industrialized is increasing even faster.

Premise: The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the country becomes more industrialized.

Assumption: There is a direct correlation between the number of carcinogens produced in a country and the increasing incidence of cancer.

This is a strengthen question, as evidenced by the phrase of the following, which…provides the…evidence in support of the claim. However, this is a LEAST question. Therefore, the correct answer choice will strengthen the argument less than the other answer choices. The passage uses the premise that the number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the country becomes more industrialized in order to conclude that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster.

In order to provide the LEAST evidence in support of the claim, the correct answer choice should be either out of scope, contain extreme language, or weaken the argument. If multiple answers contain these flaws, the choice that weakens the argument is likely to least support the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster. Evaluate the answer choices, looking for one that reflects this idea.

Choice A: No. The fact that the area affected by carcinogens becomes four times as large strengthens the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster.

Choice B: No. The fact that Some cancers will not occur unless levels of the carcinogens are sufficiently high strengthens the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster. This choice further establishes the correlation between the number of carcinogens and the incidence of cancer.

Choice C: No. The fact that increasing industrialization causes competing industries to produce a wider variety of carcinogens may strengthen the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster as the country becomes more industrialized.

Choice D: No. The fact that Some of the most potent carcinogens tend not to be produced until a country becomes more industrialized may strengthen the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster as the country becomes more industrialized.

Choice E: Correct. The fact that Increases in the incidence of cancer correlate to increases in the percentage, not the number, of carcinogens weakens the claim that the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing even faster as the country becomes more industrialized, because the premise discusses the number of carcinogens not the percentage of carcinogens.

The correct answer is choice E.
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But B says nothing about number of carcinogens..... rather it states levels of carcinogens as sufficiently high.............How is it strengthening the argument??

agreed that E" discusses percentage and not number and is the answer. B also discusses high levels.........
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The number of carcinogens produced in a country increases as the count 14 Nov 2025, 02:01
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Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

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