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The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken
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Updated on: 14 Jun 2021, 01:43
Updated on: 14 Jun 2021, 01:43
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The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics in order to avoid jeopardizing their sales. So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
(A) Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.
(B) The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.
(C) Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.
(D) A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.
(E) If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firm's cost will probably increase.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
(A) Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.
(B) The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.
(C) Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.
(D) A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.
(E) If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firm's cost will probably increase.
Originally posted by Skywalker18 on 04 Jun 2017, 05:52.
Last edited by Bunuel on 14 Jun 2021, 01:43, edited 2 times in total.
Last edited by Bunuel on 14 Jun 2021, 01:43, edited 2 times in total.
Formatted the question.
Re: The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken
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08 Sep 2019, 00:26
08 Sep 2019, 00:26
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Expert Reply
Skywalker18 wrote:
The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics in order to avoid jeopardizing their sales. So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
(A) Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.
(B) The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.
(C) Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.
(D) A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.
(E) If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firm's cost will probably increase.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
(A) Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.
(B) The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.
(C) Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.
(D) A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.
(E) If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firm's cost will probably increase.
The use of antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans
But now the Smee company may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics.
Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics
Conclusion: If Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
We need to strengthen the argument:
(A) Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.
We need to strengthen that if Smee makes this change, it will slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans. This options tells us that if Smee makes this change, others will also make the same change. Then all farmers may not use antibiotics and that will slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans. So this options is correct.
(B) The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.
Irrelevant to our discussion. Even if the decline cannot be offset, we don't care. Less pork will mean less dose of antibiotics.
(C) Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.
Incorrect. We need to worry about what happens when Smee takes the step discussed.
(D) A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.
Note here that though this may seem to help our cause, it is irrelevant to our argument. We need to figure out what will happen if Smee stops accepting antibiotics tainted pork. How the phase out happened in that country, what steps were taken by the hog industry etc we don't know. Our argument concludes about impact of Smee's ban and that is what we have to evaluate.
(E) If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firm's cost will probably increase.
Irrelevant. Cost is not being discussed.
Answer (A)
Re: The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken
[#permalink]
04 Jun 2017, 07:40
04 Jun 2017, 07:40
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I believe it is A.
The main argument is "So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans."
The effectiveness of antibiotics is weakened by eating pork raised with the antibiotics, found in sentence 1. Slowing this decline requires having less pork raised with those antibiotics.
Answer choice A suggests that if smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, other marketers will as well. This greatly reduces the amount of antibiotic raised pork on the market.
B and E are out of scope. Cost and hygiene are not mentioned in the argument.
C and D both involve antibiotics, but aren't part of the main argument, C offers an alternative and D has nothing to do with Smee.
The main argument is "So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans."
The effectiveness of antibiotics is weakened by eating pork raised with the antibiotics, found in sentence 1. Slowing this decline requires having less pork raised with those antibiotics.
Answer choice A suggests that if smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, other marketers will as well. This greatly reduces the amount of antibiotic raised pork on the market.
B and E are out of scope. Cost and hygiene are not mentioned in the argument.
C and D both involve antibiotics, but aren't part of the main argument, C offers an alternative and D has nothing to do with Smee.
