Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its : Critical Reasoning (CR)

Economist

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

27 Apr 2009, 21:07

I go with B. OA?

Argument talks about profitability of farmers using modified seed. So if the ordinary cotton pesticides are expensive then there would be less profit or a loss even and if the ordinary cotton pesticides are very cheap then the profit will be huge.

vageesh wrote:

Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its resistance to insect
pests. According to farmers’ reports, the amount of insecticide needed per acre to control
insect pests was only slightly lower for those who tried the modified seed than for those
who did not. Therefore, since the modified seed costs more than ordinary seed without
producing yields of higher market value, switching to the modified seed would be
unlikely to benefit most cotton farmers economically.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?

A. Whether farmers who tried the modified cotton seed had ever tried growing other
crops from genetically modified seed

B. Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary cotton tend to be more
expensive than insecticides typically used on other crops

C. Whether for most farmers who grow cotton it is their primary crop

D. Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of
cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did

E. Whether most of the farmers who tried the modified seed did so because they had
previously had to use exceptionally large quantities of insecticide
Answer

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

29 Apr 2009, 21:12

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Therefore, since the modified seed costs more than ordinary seed without producing yields of higher market value, switching to the modified seed would be unlikely to benefit most cotton farmers economically

Clearly E - If they have to use the same amount of insecticides - then what's the point in paying extra for the new seeds.

BTW - On a totally different note, there is a lot of reality to this question. The so called BT cotton by Monsanto is the example.

ngoctraiden1905

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

28 Oct 2009, 19:38

vageesh wrote:

Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its resistance to insect
pests. According to farmers’ reports, the amount of insecticide needed per acre to control
insect pests was only slightly lower for those who tried the modified seed than for those
who did not. Therefore, since the modified seed costs more than ordinary seed without
producing yields of higher market value, switching to the modified seed would be
unlikely to benefit most cotton farmers economically.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?

A. Whether farmers who tried the modified cotton seed had ever tried growing other
crops from genetically modified seed

B. Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary cotton tend to be more
expensive than insecticides typically used on other crops

C. Whether for most farmers who grow cotton it is their primary crop

D. Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of
cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did

E. Whether most of the farmers who tried the modified seed did so because they had
previously had to use exceptionally large quantities of insecticide
Answer

We must know if the modified seed benefit cotton farmer or not. to ans this ques, we must know if the insecticide is more expensive. From E we know that they have to spend much money on insecticide but did not get many results, so that the modified seed will be an alternative way to use

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

28 Jul 2010, 16:04

OA is E.
However, B sounds good for me.
Please clarify between these 2.
Thanks.

KissGMAT

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

29 Jul 2010, 07:31

IMO D

Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of
cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did

Not B
Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary cotton tend to be more
expensive than insecticides typically used on other crops

As it talks about other crops and not modified seeds.

NOT E

gauravnagpal

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

29 Jul 2010, 07:40

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In simple words the question says :
The cost of insecticides used when normal seeds are sowed is alomst equl to additional money spent in buying "genetically' modified seeds . Hence there is no incentive for the farmers to buy genetically developed seeds... the obvious question is " whether the farmers used more inseticies than required and that increased the cost "

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

29 Jul 2010, 08:31

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KissGMAT wrote:

IMO D

Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of
cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did

Not B
Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary cotton tend to be more
expensive than insecticides typically used on other crops

As it talks about other crops and not modified seeds.

NOT E

I picked that too
E seems critically wrong coz the amount of insecticide needed per acre to control
insect pests was only slightly lower for those who tried the modified seed than for those
who did not
In D Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of
cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did provides the information about the acres of farm needed for every unit of cotton produced.
That lets you know indirectly how much insectide you need to produce every unit of cotton regardless of the insectiside needed per acre.

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

30 Jul 2010, 20:16

E for me.

B is incorrect because it is comparing the insecticide used on cotton crops than the insecticide used on other crops.....'other crops' is out of scope.

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

09 Jul 2014, 21:43

I go with E！
the key issue here is about whether the original one and modification one have the same benefit or not.
benefit= sales - cost
cost = no. x pesticides cost

and E tells us that
E. Whether most of the farmers who tried the modified seed did so because they had
previously had to use exceptionally large quantities of insecticide
Answer

the info is just about the insecticide cost is overuse or not

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

25 Nov 2015, 23:53

The correct answer in OG16 is D.

B

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

05 May 2016, 02:58

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vageesh wrote:

Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its resistance to insect
pests. According to farmers’ reports, the amount of insecticide needed per acre to control
insect pests was only slightly lower for those who tried the modified seed than for those
who did not. Therefore, since the modified seed costs more than ordinary seed without
producing yields of higher market value, switching to the modified seed would be
unlikely to benefit most cotton farmers economically.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?

A. Whether farmers who tried the modified cotton seed had ever tried growing other
crops from genetically modified seed

B. Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary cotton tend to be more
expensive than insecticides typically used on other crops

C. Whether for most farmers who grow cotton it is their primary crop

D. Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of
cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did

E. Whether most of the farmers who tried the modified seed did so because they had
previously had to use exceptionally large quantities of insecticide
Answer

amount of insectcides used in case of modified seeds ~ amount of insectcides used in case of ordinary seeds

Cost of modified seeds > cost of ordinary seeds
So if you process these two informations, then it seems GMO has no use.
But it seems to miss a point there and that is :

Prethinking:

1> What if you are planting a bigger area in case of GMO => in that case GMO definetely help.

2> there could be some other temperature or climate factor that play a role in growth of insecticide. ( a change than the last time)

E. Whether most of the farmers who tried the modified seed did so because they had
previously had to use exceptionally large quantities of insecticide --> It's not the point here that why they use it. [color=#00aeef][/color]even if they use it because last time they had to use exceptionally large quanity, they used same amoun this tiome as per the premises given. so not E.

Ankit73

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

29 May 2016, 10:44

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IMO, the answer is D.
Here's my explanation :
Suppose 100 acres of normal cotton requires 200 units of pesticides i.e 2 units per acre. Now, if the farmers grew only 30 acres of genetically modified cotton and used 57 units of insecticides (as the question says slightly lower average per acre) i.e 1.9 units per acre, then it will help us to evaluate that whether the insecticide used per hectare was excessive than required i.e if the farmers could grow the 100 acres of modified cotton with 57 units of insecticide.

G

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

26 Jun 2016, 02:23

chetan2u
Please clarify this one.
IMO E.

hsbinfy

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

26 Jun 2016, 06:46

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D

Simply D because if you are planting big areas (many acres) small margins tend to be large with same yields.

the cost of seeds also are also recouped and also don't make much diff to the yield generated.

the above reasoning is when you answer the choice D as YES

if NO, then its not viable and insecticides are better.

E i eliminated in the first go.it was out of scope for me.

For B other crops we are not concerned.Check the last sentence of the argument.The author is just concerned for COTTON FARMERS.

hope it helps.

S

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

27 Jun 2016, 08:06

I think the question has been removed from the Official Guide for a reason. Only 39% of people on this forum were able to find the supposedly correct answer.

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

08 Jul 2016, 07:54

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vageesh wrote:

Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its resistance to insect
pests. According to farmers’ reports, the amount of insecticide needed per acre to control
insect pests was only slightly lower for those who tried the modified seed than for those
who did not. Therefore, since the modified seed costs more than ordinary seed without
producing yields of higher market value, switching to the modified seed would be
unlikely to benefit most cotton farmers economically.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?

A. Whether farmers who tried the modified cotton seed had ever tried growing other
crops from genetically modified seed

B. Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary cotton tend to be more
expensive than insecticides typically used on other crops

C. Whether for most farmers who grow cotton it is their primary crop

D. Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of
cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did

E. Whether most of the farmers who tried the modified seed did so because they had
previously had to use exceptionally large quantities of insecticide
Answer

One more for E

The argument is saying that it is uneconomical because the amount of pesticide used isn't differing much.
But what about the places where the farmers had to use an abnormal amount of pesticide?

For example : at A we need 100 kg of pesticides.
B is a pest free area. Where 2 kg suffices
Suppose the seeds decrease the usage by 20%. B wouldn't notice the difference. But A surely will!!!

D talks about area. But area is irrelevant. if say 1g/100 sq.m of pesticide is required, then the amount of pesticide used will be proportional to the crops they are growing. Someone with 100 sq.m will use less seed and less pesticide and someone with 10000 acres will use more. Profit: Revenue from crops - cost (pesticide + see) will remain proportional to the area. But profit/sq.m will negate the use of area (that's how we calculate if something is cost efficient right?)

B

LogicGuru1

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Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

14 Jul 2016, 12:42

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HanoiGMATtutor wrote:

I think the question has been removed from the Official Guide for a reason. Only 39% of people on this forum were able to find the supposedly correct answer.

Where did you get such incredible statistics ? I am just curious ?

gmatclubot

Re: Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its [#permalink]

14 Jul 2016, 12:42

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its