­Researcher: Consumption of turmeric, a basic ingredient in curry

­Researcher: Consumption of turmeric, a basic ingredient in curry dishes, probably slows cognitive decline. Our research team analyzed a database of information about the cognitive function, ethnicity, and diet of elderly residents of Singapore. Those who eat curries regularly had higher scores on cognitive-function tests than those who rarely or never eat curries; this relationship was strongest for the elderly Singapore residents of lndian ethnicity.

The researcher's conclusion is the following:

Consumption of turmeric, a basic ingredient in curry dishes, probably slows cognitive decline.

The support for the conclusion is the following:

Those who eat curries regularly had higher scores on cognitive-function tests than those who rarely or never eat curries

There's also a seemingly somewhat random detail that may prove important when we're analyzing the answer choices:

this relationship was strongest for the elderly Singapore residents of lndian ethnicity

So, the reasoning of the argument is that, since there is a correlation between eating curries regularly and higher scores on cognitive-function tests, and since turmeric is a basic ingredient in curry dishes, consumption of turmeric probably slows cognitive decline.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the researcher's explanation of the research team's findings?

This question is a Strengthen question, and the correct answer will somehow strengthen the support for the conclusion.

(A) Even before analyzing the database, the researchers had hypothesized that turmeric consumption slows cognitive decline.

This choice has no effect on the argument.

After all, regardless of what the researchers had hypothesized, turmeric consumption either does or doesn't slow cognitive decline.

The researchers' hypothesis could be in line with reality or completely invalid, and the fact that they hypothesized that doesn't prove anything. A hypothesis is basically just an idea.

Yes, there may have been a reason why they came up with that hypothesis. Maybe they had noticed some patterns involving curry and cogitive function. Still, the simple fact that they had hypothesized that doesn't add support for the conclusion.

Ellminate.

(B) Highly educated residents of Singapore are more likely than other residents to eat curries regularly.

This choice weakens rather than strengthens the argument.

After all, if this choice is true, then we have possible alternative cause for the higher scores on the cogntive-function tests. It could be that the people who eat curries regularly score higher as a result of something having to do with being highly educated. After all, while it's not clear how being highly educated would help people maintain cognitive function, it certainly seems possibly that it does.

So, by indicating that there may be a cause of the high scores other that eating curry, this choice weakens the connection between the two.

Eliminate.

(C) Most Singapore residents who are of lndian ethnicity eat curries regularly.

This choice is tricky. After all the passage says, "this relationship was strongest for the elderly Singapore residents of lndian ethnicity."

So, we might get the impression that the fact that most Singapore residents who are of lndian ethnicity eat curries regularly is somehow important.

At the same time, the truth is that this choice has no effect on the argument. After all, the fact that people of Indian ethniticy eat curries doesn't connect curries with cognitive function.

If the passage said something about people of Indian ethnicity in general having strong cognitive function, this choice might strengthen the argument. However, given what the passage says, this choice doesn't strengthen the argument.

Eliminate.

(D) Singapore residents, on a per capita basis, eat curries more often than do residents of most other countries.

This choice is an irrelevant comparison choice.

After all, the fact that Singapore residents eat curries more often than do residents of most other countries doesn't indicate anything about curry helping people maintain cogntive function.

Eliminate.

(E) Indian curries generally contain much more turmeric than other curries contain.­

This choice is interesting.

After all, the passage says, "this relationship (the correlation between eating curry and high scores on cognitive-function tests) was strongest for the elderly Singapore residents of lndian ethnicity."

Now, since it's likely that that Indian curries are most commonly eaten by people of Indian ethnicity, this choice indicates that people of Indian ethnicity eat the most turmeric.

So, we can put together the following: The people whose curries, people of Indian ethnicicty, contain the most turmeric are also the ones who have the highest scores.

That information helps to confirm that it is indeed the turmeric in curry that helps with maintaining cognitive function.

Keep.

Correct answer: E