Some people have been promoting a new herbal mixture as a remedy for

(A) Enough of the mixture is produced to provide the
required doses to almost everybody with a cold.
This is needed to show that not many people uses the mixture not because of shortage
(B) The mixture does not have side effects severe
enough to make many people who have colds
avoid using it.
This is needed to show that not many people uses the mixture not because of side effect
(C) The mixture is powerful enough to prevent
almost everybody who uses the mixture from
contracting any further colds.
Doesnt explain why people wouldn't use the mixture; so it is correct
(D) The mixture is widely enough known that
almost everybody with a cold is aware of it.
This is needed to show that not many people uses the mixture not because no one knew about it
(E) There are no effective cold remedies available
that many people who have colds prefer to the
mixture.
This is needed to show that there are no other choice for curing cold and people should logically use the mixture if it is good

Conclusion of Skeptical people: Therefore, Mixture is obviously not effective.

Premise : since there are many people who have colds but do not use the mixture.

Assumptions :
1. It is widely known to everyone.
2. They might be avoiding it because of severe side effects.
3. The mixture quantity is enough to meet people demand.
4. There are no other options available.

Options : All options but C is as per our assumptions.

Option C :The mixture is powerful enough to prevent almost everybody who uses it from contracting any further colds. This doesn't tell us why the people thing it is not effective. Hence, the answer.

(A) Enough of the mixture is produced to provide the required doses to almost everybody with a cold - Required Assumption since the conclusion rests on the unstated premise that "Everybody" has access to this mixture or sufficient quantity is available to treat "everybody". Hence this option can be disposed.
(B) The mixture does not have side effects severe enough to make many people who have colds avoid using it. - Required assumption. If we logically negate this argument, it would weaken the conclusion by giving an alternative explanation - that it is because of side effects that people do not use rather than it's ineffectiveness - as to why everybody don't use this. Dispose this option as well.
(C) The mixture is powerful enough to prevent almost everybody who uses it from contracting any further colds - This option either indirectly weakens the conclusion or totally strays away from the subject in that the argument is not bothered about prevention of cold but only cure. hence this is out of scope and therefore not a required assumption to arrive at the conclusion. This is the correct Answer!
(D) The mixture is widely enough known that almost everybody with a cold is aware of it. - Required assumption in that if we negate this statement then it would weaken the conclusion by justifying why everybody is not using it - due to lack of awareness and not due to ineffectiveness. Dispose this.
(E) There are no effective cold remedies available that many people who have colds prefer to the mixture. - This option is strange! Doesn't sound logical however, I assume that this may be a good to have assumption to arrive at the conclusion because the argument states everyone still suffer from cold (not cured) which means that the only medicine or remedy they have access to is the mixture and having tried it , these people have deemed the mixture ineffective. Dispose this as well.

"Any further cold" is not related to the issue, thus we need not to assume this issue. So, "C" provides us what we are looking for.

Some people have been promoting a new herbal mixture as a remedy for the common cold. The mixture contains, among other things, extracts of the plants purple coneflower and goldenseal. A cold sufferer, skeptical of the claim that the mixture is an effective cold remedy, argued, “Suppose that the mixture were an effective cold remedy. Since most people with colds wish to recover quickly, it follows that almost everybody with a cold would be using it. Therefore, since there are many people who have colds but do not use the mixture, it is obviously not effective.”

Each of the following is an assumption required by the skeptical cold sufferer’s argument EXCEPT:


(A) Enough of the mixture is produced to provide the required doses to almost everybody with a cold.

(B) The mixture does not have side effects severe enough to make many people who have colds avoid using it.

(C) The mixture is powerful enough to prevent almost everybody who uses it from contracting any further colds.

(D) The mixture is widely enough known that almost everybody with a cold is aware of it.

(E) There are no effective cold remedies available that many people who have colds prefer to the mixture.


Explanation -

Assumption 1: Mixture is an effective Cold Remedy

Premise 1: Most people wish to recover quickly

Intermediate Conclusion: Everbody is using the mixture

Premise 2: Not all patients are using the mixture

Final Conclusion: So the mixture is not an effective cold remedy

(A) Enough of the mixture is produced to provide the required doses to almost everybody with a cold.
If negated, would hurt Intermediate Conclusion.

(B) The mixture does not have side effects severe enough to make many people who have colds avoid using it.
If negated, would hurt Final Conclusion

(C) The mixture is powerful enough to prevent almost everybody who uses it from contracting any further colds. - Correct Answer

(D) The mixture is widely enough known that almost everybody with a cold is aware of it.
If negated, would hurt Intermediate Conclusion.

(E) There are no effective cold remedies available that many people who have colds prefer to the mixture.
If negated, would hurt Intermediate and Final Conclusion

The text is hidden for the post, can someone please help with an explanation as to why it is C?

The text has been unhidden. So, now you can check the discussion above.

Hope it helps.

Some people have been promoting a new herbal mixture as a remedy for the common cold. The mixture contains, among other things, extracts of the plants purple coneflower and goldenseal. A cold sufferer, skeptical of the claim that the mixture is an effective cold remedy, argued, “Suppose that the mixture were an effective cold remedy. Since most people with colds wish to recover quickly, it follows that almost everybody with a cold would be using it. Therefore, since there are many people who have colds but do not use the mixture, it is obviously not effective.”

Each of the following is an assumption required by the skeptical cold sufferer’s argument EXCEPT:

(A) Enough of the mixture is produced to provide the required doses to almost everybody with a cold. - WRONG. This is valid assumption for it to make passage hold itself. If not the case then mixture being not effective has other reason and that reason is mixture being not available enough.

(B) The mixture does not have side effects severe enough to make many people who have colds avoid using it. - WRONG. Again like A this gives another reason for all people not using it.

(C) The mixture is powerful enough to prevent almost everybody who uses it from contracting any further colds. - CORRECT. POE helps. Further colds is irrelevant.

(D) The mixture is widely enough known that almost everybody with a cold is aware of it. - WRONG. If people don't know about the mixture all might not be using it, thus weakening the claim that the mixture is ineffective.

(E) There are no effective cold remedies available that many people who have colds prefer to the mixture. - WRONG. If other solutions are available people might using it, thus weakening the claim that the mixture is ineffective. Like D only.

Answer C.