Official Explanation:Cats that suffer from feline diabetes can be treated at home with an inexpensive medication, but many people find it difficult to inject their cats with the medicine. A newly created medicine that treats feline diabetes will simplify this process by allowing individuals to simply squirt some of the medicine onto their cats’ food. This will therefore improve the health and quality of life for tens of thousands of cats.
Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the conclusion of the argument? A. The new medicine will be available in three, six, and nine-month supplies.
B. Diabetes in cats, though not curable, can be managed by the quality and timing of their meals.
C. The number of cats with feline diabetes has increased over the last 20 years.D. The new medicine does not have any adverse effects when combined with medicine used to treat diseases that are common among cats who have diabetes.E. The new medicine contains chemicals that are found in cats and dogs that are not susceptible to diabetes.Question Type: Strengthen
Boil It Down: In the past, feline diabetes treatments involved administering injections, which owners found difficult to do. A new medicine that can be squirted onto their food, and this will help tens of thousands of cats stay healthier.
Goal: Find the option that best supports the argument that this new medication will help keep cats healthier. Analysis:Argument structure:(P) = Premise/Evidence/Support (C) = Conclusion
P1: Owners find it difficult to inject their diabetic cats with traditional diabetic medicine
P2: New diabetic medicine applied to food
C: The new medicine will improve the health and quality of life for tens of thousands of cats
The argument assumes that this new medicine will improve cat’s health. One can think of several objections to this assumption. Perhaps the cats will not eat the food if they smell the medicine. Perhaps the medicine reacts poorly with the food and is altered by or alters the food. Perhaps the new medicine has contraindications. The point is that there are several objections that we could make against the argument. A strengthener will shoot down one or more of these objections. In the process, the claim that the medicine will improve the health and quality of life of cats will be strengthened.
A. The new medicine will be available in three, six, and nine-month supplies.
Incorrect. The argument is claiming that the new medicine will improve the lives of many cats. Whether there are 3, 6, or 9 months supplies is irrelevant to that claim. B. Diabetes in cats, though not curable, can be managed by the quality and timing of their meals.
Incorrect. To strengthen an argument, an answer choice must, in some way, bridge the gap between premises and conclusion. To do so, it must address at least one of those parts of the argument. Answer choice B does neither. The crux of this argument is that the new medicine will improve cat’s health. Answer choice B does not at all address the new medicine. As such, this answer choice is irrelevant. C. The number of cats with feline diabetes has increased over the last 20 years.
Incorrect. The crux of this argument is that the new medicine will improve cat’s health. The increasing number of cats with diabetes does not address the new medicine. As such, this answer choice is irrelevant. D. The new medicine does not have any adverse effects when combined with medicine used to treat diseases that are common among cats who have diabetes.
Correct. As the argument analysis points out, strengtheners often shoot down possible objections. Answer choice D shoots down the objection that the new medicine might react poorly with other medications. Therefore, the claim that the medicine will benefit diabetic cat’s health is supported by showing that this one objection is not applicable. E. The new medicine contains chemicals that are found in cats and dogs that are not susceptible to diabetes.
Incorrect. The argument is dealing with cats (not dogs) that do have diabetes. What is true of cats and dogs that do not have diabetes is irrelevant.Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.
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