gmat1393 wrote:
The US and New Zealand are the only two countries where direct to consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is legal. Many research organizations and pharmaceutical industry groups contend that the ads are educational and provide consumers with important information that may benefit their health. Opponents counter that DTC drug ads are often just sales pitches which pressure doctors to provide unnecessary medications and cause patients to seek unhelpful and costly remedies. The recently published data speaks amply in favor of the latter group: the average number of prescriptions for new drugs with DTC advertising is currently nine times greater than prescriptions for new drugs without DTC ads. The claims that only the most reliable companies pursue DTC ads and therefore, this data is expected, are not rooted on facts since a number of such heavily advertised drugs have been shown to have long term safety problems.
In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
A. The first is evidence that supports a judgment given in the argument; the second is an opinion that forms the basis of an objection to that support.
B. The first is a fact that supports the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a judgment that increases the belief in the support.
C. The first is a judgment that supports a claim that is supported by the argument; the second provides a counter-claim.
D. The first is an observation that seems to support a judgment made in the argument; the second creates doubts on a conclusion that is challenged in the argument.
E. The first is evidence that supports a conclusion which is challenged in the argument; the second provides another evidence to support that conclusion.
IMO answer has to be option A. Here's why.
There are 2 statements regarding DTC advertising of drugs-1. positive (advantages) 2. Negative (disadvantages) and the rest of the para supports the disadvantages. The 4th line says 'The recently published data speaks amply in favor of the latter group', which means the conclusion basically supports the negative statement!
A. The first is evidence that supports a judgment given in the argument; the second is an opinion that forms the basis of an objection to that support.
---> the first sentence supports the 'judgement', i.e., 'favor of latter group' with negative claim. The second sentence does support it.....
CORRECTB. The first is a fact that supports the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a judgment that increases the belief in the support.
---> The first part is half true but the second is faulty. The judgement hasn't increased any belief nor any such information is mentioned in the para.
C. The first is a judgment that supports a claim that is supported by the argument; the second provides a counter-claim.
---> Judgement supported by a claim which is supported by a mere argument? How? There is published data to prove it right. For second sentence, there is claim, no counter-claim. The bold statements are purely against the advertising of drugs to direct customers.
D. The first is an observation that seems to support a judgment made in the argument; the second creates doubts on a conclusion that is challenged in the argument.
---> Seems to be correct but no! First part is kinda right but second statement is faulty. The statement not help the argument challenge anything. There is no doubt on the argument been made regarding the disadvantages.
E. The first is evidence that supports a conclusion which is challenged in the argument; the second provides another evidence to support that conclusion.
--->The first statement doesn't support a conclusion that is said to have been challenged in the argument. The second part is correct.
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35% (03:11) correct 
