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Researchers recently discovered an unusually high concentration of har
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09 Jul 2015, 04:47
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B
C
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E
Difficulty:
45% (medium)
Question Stats:
66% (01:51) correct 34% (02:00) wrong based on 354 sessions
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Researchers recently discovered an unusually high concentration of harmful metals in the water supply of Dunbarton county. They further found that, with a costly new water filter system installed in their homes, residents were able to filter out almost all of the harmful metals in the water supply. For this reason, all the residents of Dunbarton county should have the filter system installed in their homes, regardless of expense.
If true, which of the following would most weaken the above conclusion?
A. Researchers could not discover how the harmful metals were entering the water supply.
B. The increased levels of harmful metals were insufficient to result in significant health effects.
C. The researchers failed to investigate the possibility of harmful microorganisms and other contamination in the county's water supply.
D. The researchers found that people who tried to purify their water by boiling it were just as likely to ingest increased levels of harmful metals as people who drank straight from the tap.
E. Researchers found that, over time, the levels of harmful metals in the water supply did not vary significantly and remained consistently high.
Re: Researchers recently discovered an unusually high concentration of har
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09 Jul 2015, 11:46
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Ans : B Because if there are no significant health hazards happening due to intake of this water, there is no necessity of installing the expensive equipment to filter water at home. Hence the argument is weakened.
WE: Supply Chain Management (Internet and New Media)
Re: Researchers recently discovered an unusually high concentration of har
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17 Apr 2019, 21:50
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Well, I put B in the contender, but then I rejected B because of the word "significant health effects", the increased levels of harmful metals were insufficent to result in significant health effects, but it actually can result in unsignificant health effects or health effects in general, therefore, the residents should have the filter system installed in their homes. Then this choice should strengthen the plan
Status: The darker the night, the nearer the dawn!
Joined: 16 Jun 2018
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Researchers recently discovered an unusually high concentration of har
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20 Apr 2019, 01:21
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lybeaver wrote:
Well, I put B in the contender, but then I rejected B because of the word "significant health effects", the increased levels of harmful metals were insufficent to result in significant health effects, but it actually can result in unsignificant health effects or health effects in general, therefore, the residents should have the filter system installed in their homes. Then this choice should strengthen the plan
Please correct my reasoning above. Thanks!
lybeaver, It's good to be watchful! However, Let's Deep-dive! Conclusion:
New WaterFlterSystem filters almost all ---------> All the residents SHOULD have the WaterFlterSystem installed in their homes, regardless of expense.
Pre-Think:
Assumption: The increased levels of harmful metals are harmful ENOUGH to cause adverse effects on health.
B. The increased levels of harmful metals were insufficient to result in significant health effects.
If the increased levels of harmful metals were INSUFFICIENT to result in significant health effects, then WHY should the residents NEED to install it. - That too, at whatever expense.
To answer your query:
Quote:
it actually CAN result in insignificant health effects or health effects in general, therefore, the residents should have the filter system installed in their homes. Then this choice should strengthen the plan
Notice the passage states that the increased levels are INSUFFICIENT to result in significant health effects. Implying, - it actually CAN result in insignificant health effects or health effects in general., is an inference mistake of the answer choice.
Did OptionB states that the increased levels of harmful metals were sufficient ENOUGH to affect in health effects OR health effects in general? NO.
Look at this way:
If one does NOT study diligently and work hard --------> One would fail.
Does it imply?
if one DOES study diligently and work hard --------> One will DEFINITELY pass.
NO. It's NOTnecessarily conclusive. There might be other factors such as test-taking ability, test-surroundings, mindset, mental condition, etc.
You did an error of mistaken-negation of a conditional statement.
If X ------> Y
-----does NOT imply----->
If NOT X ------> NOT Y
Moreover,
Something CAN does NOT necessarily mean it ACTUALLY does, unless backed by the coherent answer choice. - Capacity vs Certainty
Even if increased levels CAN result in insignificant health effects, the effects are STILL insignificant. - Unlikely to cause adverse health hazard/issue.
TakeAway:
You lose this Q not because you did not know how a weakener works (Infact, I believe you very well do!) , but because you did an inference mistake from a right-answer choice. - An unintended yet, costly mistake in GMAT. AlwaysASPIRE to find 4 incorrect answer choices.
_________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “The trouble is, you think you have time.” – Buddha Giving Kudos is the best way to encourage and appreciate people.
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66% (01:51) correct 
