Researcher: Consumption of turmeric, a basic ingredient in curry

Question

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 oflndian ethnicity.

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

(A) Even before analyzing the database, the researchers had hypothesized that turmeric consumption slows cognitive decline.
(B) Highly educated residents of Singapore are more likely than other residents to eat curries regularly.
(C) Most Singapore residents who are oflndian ethnicity eat curries regularly.
(D) Singapore residents, on a per capita basis, eat curries more often than do residents of most other countries.
(E) Indian curries generally contain much more turmeric than other curries contain.

MartyMurray · Answer

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

Mingyuan · Answer

The premise is those who eat curry regularly have better cognitive function.
The conclusion is TURMERIC is beneficial for cognitive function.
So we should assume that there is turmeric in curry.
E can supply this information

Posted from my mobile device

Dooperman · Answer

Its clearly C vs E.

Now, the study compares results on the basis of diet and ethnicity and data shows that Singaporeans of Indian origin generally score Higher.

C says that "Most Singapore residents who are of lndian ethnicity eat curries regularly". BUT BUT BUT ...  what if Singapore residents who are of other ethnicities also eat curries regularly . We don't know from this option. (Hence the information is not sufficient to conclude anything).

E says "Indian curries generally contain much more turmeric than other curries contain". This information helps us make a much better comparison between diets of people of Indian ethnicity and that of Others. Hence E is Correct.

srik410 · Answer

Tough question for Indian folk. Notice that the evidence never really said anything about turmeric, but keeps on and on about curries. However, the conclusion jumps to turmeric. This required making an assumption that turmeric in curries is the cause and not just curries alone(I bet lot of Indian people cannot think curries without turmeric hence a tough assumption to arrive at :p)

One trap also is in describing turmeric to be a basic ingredient in curries in the conclusion. Notice that this does not give any evidence about turmeric preventing the decline. So this info is just an aside.

Conclusion: Consumption of turmeric probably slows cognitive decline. 
Evidence: 1) Curries probably slows cognitive decline(from the study) 2)Strongest for elderly Singapore residents of Indian ethnicity 3)Turmeric is basic ingredient in curries
Gap: Its the turmeric in the curries that probably slows cognitive decline.

Only option E teases out this gap/assumption and hence strengthens.

ZIX · Answer

Any strategy I develop for CR gets knocked down sooner or later. Sigh

Statement E assumes that people of Indian Ethnicity in Singapore still eat a lot of curry regularly. This is a big assumption. It would have been a fairly reasonable assumption if the people were in India. However, when you have been living in a foreign country for years, it is much more reasonable to expect that you might have adapted to their culture, and maybe your dietary habits changed.

And the thing I really dislike about explanations on this forum is that they seem to suffer heavily from "hindsight bias". They just see the answer, and then form a logical case AROUND IT -- not the other way around.

bharathhr · Answer

primise tells turmeric,a basic ingredent in curry . so how does e plat a role

guddo · Answer

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

The researcher explains higher cognitive scores among curry eaters by pointing to turmeric. So the best strengthener should connect the strongest observed effect, among Indian Singaporeans, to higher turmeric consumption.  That would make turmeric a more plausible cause  of the better  cognitive-function scores .

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

This does not strengthen the explanation. A prior hypothesis does not make the hypothesis more likely to be true.

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

This weakens or at least raises an alternative explanation. Higher education could explain the higher cognitive scores, rather than turmeric.

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

This does not explain why the curry-cognition relationship is strongest among Indian residents. It only says curry eating is common among them.

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

This is irrelevant to the internal comparison within Singapore.

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

This is correct.   If Indian curries contain more turmeric, then the stronger relationship among Indian residents supports the idea that turmeric is the factor slowing cognitive decline.

Answer: (E)

The key is this:  “basic ingredient” does not mean “the active cause.”
 
The evidence shows a connection between curry eating and higher cognitive scores. But the conclusion is specifically about turmeric, not curry as a whole.

(E) helps because the relationship was strongest among Indian residents. If Indian curries contain much more turmeric, then the strongest result appears exactly where turmeric consumption is likely highest.

So (E) supports the idea that turmeric, not some other feature of curry or diet, is the  likely explanation .

egmat · Answer

Hi bharathhr,

You're right that the premise tells us turmeric is a basic ingredient in curry. But notice what that premise does  not  tell us: it never shows that the turmeric itself is the active thing. The study only found that  curry eaters  score higher - and curry has many ingredients besides turmeric.

So there's still a gap the conclusion has to jump:

-  Evidence:  people who eat curry regularly score higher on cognitive tests.
-  Conclusion:  it's the  turmeric  in the curry that slows decline.

Just knowing turmeric is  in  curry doesn't prove turmeric is the cause - it could be any part of the curry, or the curry-eating lifestyle.

Where E earns its keep  is the odd little detail in the stimulus:  "this relationship was strongest for the elderly Singapore residents of Indian ethnicity."  Why would the benefit peak in that one group? E answers exactly that:

"Indian curries generally contain  much more turmeric  than other curries contain."

Now the pieces line up: more turmeric in the food - strongest effect. That is a  dose-response  pattern - more of the suspected cause, more of the result - which points the finger straight at turmeric rather than at curry in general. That's the extra support E provides that the premise alone never gave.

A quick way to feel it:  suppose I say  "Sugar is an ingredient in soda, and soda drinkers gain weight, so sugar causes weight gain."  Now add:  "and the people who drink the highest-sugar sodas gain the most weight."  That second fact doesn't just repeat that soda has sugar - it ties the  amount of sugar  to the  size of the effect . That's precisely what E does for turmeric here.

Answer: E

Researcher: Consumption of turmeric, a basic ingredient in curry

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Researcher: Consumption of turmeric, a basic ingredient in curry