Bunuel wrote:
Several years ago, as a measure to reduce the population of gypsy moths, which depend on oak leaves for food, entomologists introduced into many oak forests a species of fungus that is poisonous to gypsy moth caterpillars. Since then the population of both caterpillars and adult moths has significantly declined in those areas. Entomologists have concluded that the decline is attributable to the presence of the poisonous fungus.
Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the conclusion drawn by the entomologists?
(A) A strain of gypsy moth whose caterpillars are unaffected by the fungus has increased its share of the total gypsy moth population.
(B) The fungus that was introduced to control the gypsy moth population is poisonous to few insect species other than the gypsy moth.
(C) An increase in number of both gypsy moth caterpillars and gypsy moth adults followed a drop in the number of some of the species that prey on the moths.
(D) In the past several years, air pollution and acid rain have been responsible for a substantial decline in oak tree populations.
(E) The current decline in the gypsy moth population in forests where the fungus was introduced is no greater than a decline that occurred concurrently in other forests.
Several years ago, fungus poisonous to moth caterpillars was introduced in oak forests.
Since then the population of both caterpillars and adult moths has significantly declined in those areas.
Conclusion: decline is attributable to the presence of the poisonous fungus.
We need to strengthen this.
(A) A strain of gypsy moth whose caterpillars are unaffected by the fungus has increased its share of the total gypsy moth population.
This means that in the moth population, now there is higher percentage of those who are immune to the poison. This shows that others were affected by the poison and hence their population declined much more. The share of immune moths increased in the overall population. It certainly helps to attribute the decline to the poison.
(B) The fungus that was introduced to control the gypsy moth population is poisonous to few insect species other than the gypsy moth.
Other insects are irrelevant.
(C) An increase in number of both gypsy moth caterpillars and gypsy moth adults followed a drop in the number of some of the species that prey on the moths.
This says that some moth predators declined in number and then moth population increased. Irrelevant. We are talking about why moth population decreased.
(D) In the past several years, air pollution and acid rain have been responsible for a substantial decline in oak tree populations.
This says that food source of moths - oak trees - have declined in number. This means that decline in number of moths could be attributed to this decline in food source. Then does this attribute the decline to poison? No.
(E) The current decline in the gypsy moth population in forests where the fungus was introduced is no greater than a decline that occurred concurrently in other forests.
This says that moth population is declining everywhere in the same proportion. This implies that the poison had no impact.
Answer (A)