The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' : Critical Reasoning (CR)

study

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The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

Updated on: 06 Jan 2019, 12:14

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The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city's dog catchers was fifty percent lower than the previous year's figure. The Mayor of Ford City attributed this decline to the city's recent crackdown on unlicensed breeders that breed dogs dangerously fast and release any unwanted puppies on the streets. Over a dozen operators of these so called "puppy farms" have been incarcerated over the last year in Ford City.

Each of the following, if true, could weaken the Mayor's conclusion that the decline in the number of stray dogs picked up by the city's dog catchers is due to the crackdown on "puppy farms" EXCEPT:

A. Agange City, located right next to Ford City, also experienced a fifty percent decline in the number of stray dogs caught on its streets by its dog catchers, but did not engage in a crackdown on puppy farms in that city.

B. Ford City cut the budget for dog catching one year ago, forcing the firing of over half of the Dog Catching Department's staff.

C. The past winter was bitterly cold in Ford City, causing many unprotected stray animals to perish.

D. One year ago, a privately funded organization began rounding up stray dogs in Ford City and putting them up for adoption on the internet.

E. Ford City already had tough laws to punish operators of "puppy farms" long before the most recent year.

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Originally posted by study on 18 Oct 2009, 04:06.
Last edited by Bunuel on 06 Jan 2019, 12:14, edited 1 time in total.

Renamed the topic and edited the question.

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vageesh

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

18 Oct 2009, 23:15

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Now the issue is: which answer strengthens Mayor's conclusion that the decline in the number of stray dogs picked up by the city's dog catchers is due to the crackdown on "puppy farms"

A. Agange City, located right next to Ford City, also experienced a fifty percent decline in the number of stray dogs caught on its streets by its dog catchers, but did not engage in a crackdown on puppy farms in that city.
Other city reduced without crackdown on puppy farms, does it strengthens ..NO

B. Ford City cut the budget for dog catching one year ago, forcing the firing of over half of the Dog Catching Department's staff.

Now here i am confused, If the no. of men in dog catching squad was reduced then how the no. of puppies has reduced, It must be because there was a crack down on puppy farmers
will have to check

C.The past winter was bitterly cold in Ford City, causing many unprotected stray animals to perish.
Weakens.. not because of crackdown

D. One year ago, a privately funded organization began rounding up stray dogs in Ford City and putting them up for adoption on the internet.
weakens.. again suggests the other cause of reduction in no.

E. Ford City already had tough laws to punish operators of "puppy farms" long before the most recent year.

Already had tough laws to punish, not convincing but only one in +ve

so confused b/w B & E

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

19 Oct 2012, 23:47

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Ford City already had tough laws to punish operators of "puppy farms" long before the most recent year.===>>The law was already there ...so it cannot have any new effect on the catcher's catch.
In summary,its irrelevant

ravstime

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

20 Oct 2012, 01:08

Ticked B. Not able to understand y E is correct.
Can someone explain?

L

carcass

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

20 Oct 2012, 03:31

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ravstime wrote:

Ticked B. Not able to understand y E is correct.
Can someone explain?

ahhhhhh this was a really great question. Contrary to the common believe I think that kaplan does a good work especially in verbal section of the test.

back to the question you can think in two away that are opposite in somehow.

if you think thanks to a top down logic E is correct because we need somthing that doesn't affect at all the conclusion of the argument, so we care about only of something that weaken the fact that the rate of stray dogs decrease of 50%, instead E say that the puppy farms are punished but this say nothing about stray dogs, is not related. They could be punished for somewhat reason.

Using a bottom up strategy E says the same thing of conclusion: Over a dozen operators of these so called "puppy farms" have been incarcerated over the last year in Ford City. VS Ford City already had tough laws to punish operators of "puppy farms" long before the most recent year. they are quite similar, so nothing new under the sun

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plumber250

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

09 Nov 2012, 06:00

2

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Hi,

Lots of piecemeal replies, so I thought I might be able to offer a comprehensive analysis.

The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city's dog catchers was fifty percent lower than the previous year's figure. The Mayor of Ford City attributed this decline to the city's recent crackdown on unlicensed breeders that breed dogs dangerously fast and release any unwanted puppies on the streets. Over a dozen operators of these so called "puppy farms" have been incarcerated over the last year in Ford City.

So conclusion of argument is: Number of stray dogs are down in Ford City due to Mayor's policy of crackdown on unlicensed breaders

Each of the following, if true, could weaken the Mayor's conclusion that the decline in the number of stray dogs picked up by the city's dog catchers is due to the crackdown on "puppy farms" EXCEPT:

So we need to find out which one of the below SUPPORTS the main argument. i.e. Which suggests that the Mayor's policy is or at least could be responsible

a. Agange City, located right next to Ford City, also experienced a fifty percent decline in the number of stray dogs caught on its streets by its dog catchers, but did not engage in a crackdown on puppy farms in that city. Nope. This shows that the same decline happened in a neighbouring city happened without a policy. So suggesting something else might be at work
b. Ford City cut the budget for dog catching one year ago, forcing the firing of over half of the Dog Catching Department's staff.This suggests the Mayor's policy could not be effective, as there were fewer staff, so again sugests something not related to the mayor was responsible
c. The past winter was bitterly cold in Ford City, causing many unprotected stray animals to perish. Nope. This again gives another possible reason for the decline, nothing to do with the mayor
d. One year ago, a privately funded organization began rounding up stray dogs in Ford City and putting them up for adoption on the internet.Nope. Again another reason, not related to the mayor
e. Ford City already had tough laws to punish operators of "puppy farms" long before the most recent year. Hurrah! This does not weaken the argument. but shows the city has the means to be a deterrent, This would help the mayors policy

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

28 Nov 2013, 20:52

1

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Here is the official explanation from Kaplan

Answer E - The argument made by the Mayor of Ford City is causal in nature: the crackdown on puppy farms caused the lower number of stray dogs picked up by dog catchers. In order to weaken a causal argument you must show that the causation is flawed – in this case that it is not only the crackdown on puppy farms that caused the decline in dogs caught by the dog catchers. Only Choice (E) does not help to sever this causal chain. Even if there had been tough laws on the books with regards to puppy farms, it does not follow that the crackdown was not responsible for fewer dogs caught by the dog catchers. It could be that the laws were never enforced before and that the crackdown was responsible.

All of the other answer choices properly weaken the argument. Choice (A) does not say exactly what else was responsible for the decline, but it does indicate that the crackdown was not a factor – if Agange City saw the same decline in stray dogs caught, but did not crack down on puppy farms then there must be some other factor that is affecting the number of stray dogs caught.

Choice (B) indicates that the decline may simply be due to the fact that there are fewer dog catchers out trying to catch dogs (and have nothing to do with fewer strays on the streets). Choice (C) would indicate that bad weather was keeping the stray population low and choice (D) would indicate that it was the new organization's responsibility. Each of these gives us reason to believe that the decline in the number of stray dogs caught was not solely due to the crackdown on puppy farms.

B

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

04 Feb 2014, 07:51

CONCLUSION-----Crackdown on unlicensed breeders led to Decline in dogs caught by dog catchers.

WE HAVE TO ELIMINATE ALL ANSWER CHOICES WHICH WEAKEN THE CONCLUSION......ie WE HAVE TO ELIMINATE ALL ANSWERS WHICH BRING OUT THAT CRACKDOWN ON UNLICENCED BREEDERS DID NOT CAUSE DECLINE IN DOGS CAUGHT.. BUT SOME OTHER REASON.....

Each of the following, if true, could weaken the Mayor's conclusion that the decline in the number of stray dogs picked up by the city's dog catchers is due to the crackdown on "puppy farms"EXCEPT:

a. Agange City, located right next to Ford City, also experienced a fifty percent decline in the number of stray dogs caught on its streets by its dog catchers, but did not engage in a crackdown on puppy farms in that city.SOME OTHER REASON FOR DECLINE IN DOGS CAUGHT...NOT CRACKDOWN ON UNLICENCED BREEDERS
b. Ford City cut the budget for dog catching one year ago, forcing the firing of over half of the Dog Catching Department's staff.REDUCTION IN DOG STAFFLED TO DECLINE IN DOGS CAUGHT..
c. The past winter was bitterly cold in Ford City, causing many unprotected stray animals to perish.SINCE THEY PERISHED HENCE LESS CAUGHT
d. One year ago, a privately funded organization began rounding up stray dogs in Ford City and putting them up for adoption on the internet.HENCE SOME OTHER REASON FOR DECLINE IN DOGS CAUGHT..
e. Ford City already had tough laws to punish operators of "puppy farms" long before the most recent year.DOES NOT WEAKEN ... HENCE CORRECT...

KUDOS IF YOU PLEASE....

B

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

02 Nov 2015, 06:46

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This argument is showing causality. Here is the cause-effect link:
crackdown on "puppy farms" (cause) => decline in the number of stray dogs picked up by the city's dog catchers (effect)

We need to find out an option that DOES NOT WEAKEN this link. So, we will see four Weakeners, the correct option will either Strengthen the link above or will not effect it at all. So, let's spot weakeners.

Please note that weakeners of a causality will mostly do the below do things-
1) Provide an alternate cause for the effect OR
2) Prove that the effect exist even without the cause.

Let's go check the options now.

a. Agange City, located right next to Ford City, also experienced a fifty percent decline in the number of stray dogs caught on its streets by its dog catchers, but did not engage in a crackdown on puppy farms in that city.
Weakener: This kind of choice is usually a correct answer choice for sub-600 level causal weakener question. We can get multiple official examples of this.
The reasoning is- since similar 'effect' was seen in some area where the 'cause' doesnt exist. There has to be some other 'cause' of the effect.

b. Ford City cut the budget for dog catching one year ago, forcing the firing of over half of the Dog Catching Department's staff.
Weakener: I feel the biggest weakener. The decline in the number of dogs caught was because of the decline in number of dog catchers and not because of the crackdown.

c. The past winter was bitterly cold in Ford City, causing many unprotected stray animals to perish.
Weakener: Many of the dogs died during last winter. Therefore there are not many available in the city to be picked. The crackdown doesn't have any role to play.

d. One year ago, a privately funded organization began rounding up stray dogs in Ford City and putting them up for adoption on the internet.
Weakener: Just like C, this option also gives one more reason for lesser number of dogs on the streets. Hence, not many are picked.

e. Ford City already had tough laws to punish operators of "puppy farms" long before the most recent year.[/quote]
The best answer, in fact a strengthener :
The laws were already strict against operators but even then the issue wasnt resolved. As soon as this recent crackdown was implemented, results were seen. Gives us one good reason to believe that the Mayor's actions have caused this decline in the number of dogs. and hence the catching of Dogs.

Hope that makes sense

Please correct me if im wrong.

G

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

26 Nov 2017, 21:06

The official answer is E.

The actual argument is "the crackdown on puppy farms caused the lower number of stray dogs picked up by dog catchers." This is causal in nature and in order to weaken the argument you need to show the causation is flawed - which means that it is not only the crackdown of puppy farms that caused lower number of stray dogs to be picked by dog catchers.

Choice (E) Ford City already had tough laws to punish operators of "puppy farms" long before the most recent year.
This is the only one that does not follow the causal chain. Even if there were tougher laws to punish the operators of "puppy farms", there is no necessity that this law has been enforced and that the crackdown was responsible.

Choice (A) Agange City, located right next to Ford City, also experienced a fifty percent decline in the number of stray dogs caught on its streets by its dog catchers, but did not engage in a crackdown on puppy farms in that city.
This choice does not say exactly what else was responsible for the decline, but it does indicate that the crackdown was not a factor - if Agange City saw the same decline in stray dogs caught, but did not crack down on puppy farms then there must be some other factor that is affecting the number of stray dogs caught. We do not know about the other factor and this could be more of an irrelevant or Out of Scope answer choice.

I hope this clarifies.

B

DawnRManuel

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

04 Feb 2022, 02:30

option A is talking about a different city altogether whereas the question is focsing on Ford city so how can we relate what happened or did not happen in another city to Ford City. Can anyone please help me on why Option A is a weakener.

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Re: The number of stray dogs picked up in Ford City last year by the city' [#permalink]

08 Oct 2023, 07:18

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