ChandlerBong
The star Betelgeuse has recently become very dim, causing speculation regarding whether it will soon explode in spectacular supernova fashion. A star going supernova will first shed debris, forming massive amounts of dust around itself, causing its light to become very dim. Stars fluctuate and change all the time, as does Betelgeuse, which dims and brightens in somewhat regular cycles. Therefore, an alternative possible cause of this extreme dimming is that two of these dimming cycles have converged.
If the statements above are all true, which of the following is most strongly supported by them?
A. If Betelgeuse is expelling massive amounts of debris, its dimming cycles have not converged.
B. The convergence of a star's dimming cycles tends to prevent that star from expelling massive amounts of debris and exploding.
C. Detailed understanding of the timing of a star's dimming cycles could be useful in determining whether that star is about to explode.
D. The greater the volume of debris a star is expelling, the more likely it is that that star will soon go supernova.
E. If Betelgeuse is not about to go supernova, it is the case that two of its dimming cycles have converged.
2 possible causes of dimming have been given (going supernova or dimming cycles converged) but they don't preclude other causes hence (E) doesn't work.
A. If Betelgeuse is expelling massive amounts of debris, its dimming cycles have not converged.
We don't know when all does a star expel massive amount of dust. We know it expels when going supernova but it could expel at other times too. Not correct.
B. The convergence of a star's dimming cycles tends to prevent that star from expelling massive amounts of debris and exploding.
Not implied that if dimming cycles converge, the star cannot go supernova.
D. The greater the volume of debris a star is expelling, the more likely it is that that star will soon go supernova.
No such information given in the argument. We don't know how volume is related to time until supernova.
C. Detailed understanding of the timing of a star's dimming cycles could be useful in determining whether that star is about to explode.
Detailed understanding of the timing of dimming cycles could tell us that whether they have converged. That could be useful in determining whether the star is going supernova. It says 'could be useful' leaving an option open for other causes. Hence this is somewhat supported by the argument.
Answer (C)