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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants Updated on: 15 Jun 2018, 09:11
Originally posted by targetbusiness on 14 Jun 2018, 12:15.
Last edited by Bunuel on 15 Jun 2018, 09:11, edited 2 times in total.
Renamed the topic, edited the question and added the OA.
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Which of the following most logically completes the argument?

A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test-tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Possibly, therefore, the herb's high histidine production is what allows it to grow in metal-rich soils, a hypothesis that would gain support if ______.


A. histidine is found in all parts of the plant-roots, stem, leaves, and flowers

B. the herb's high level of histidine production is found to be associated with an unusually low level of production of other amino acids

C. others of the closely related group of plants are also found to produce histidine in large quantities

D. cultivation of the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over an extended period, make the soil suitable for plants to which the metals are toxic

E. the concentration of histidine in the growing herb declines as the plant approaches maturity
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C
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 14 Jun 2018, 12:42
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The stated hypothesis is that the herb is able to grow because it produces H that renders the metals inactive. Anything that supports that the the plant actually renders the metals inactive will strengthen the hypothesis.

Only D states that after a period of time the same soil becomes suitable for growth for other plants which were not able to grow previously due to the metals in the soil. This fact proves that the extended period of growth of that herb must have made the metals in the soil inactive and therefore suitable for other plants to grow.
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants Updated on: 15 Jun 2018, 05:52
Originally posted by GMATGuruNY on 15 Jun 2018, 05:27.
Last edited by GMATGuruNY on 15 Jun 2018, 05:52, edited 1 time in total.
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siddreal
Which of the following most logically completes the argument?

A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test-tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Possibly, therefore, the herb's high histidine production is what allows it to grow in metal-rich soils, a hypothesis that would gain support if ______.


A. histidine is found in all parts of the plant-roots, stem, leaves, and flowers

B. the herb's high level of histidine production is found to be associated with an unusually low level of production of other amino acids

C. others of the closely related group of plants are also found to produce histidine in large quantities

D. cultivation of the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over an extended period, make the soil suitable for plants to which the metals are toxic

E. the concentration of histidine in the growing herb declines as the plant approaches maturity
Show more
This is a CAUSAL argument.
In a causal argument, A and B are observed together, and the CR concludes that A CAUSES B.

Premise = A and B are observed together:
A cultivated herb produces histidine and is able to grow in metal rich soils.
Conclusion = A causes B:
Histidine CAUSES the herb to be able to grow in metal rich soils.

One way to strengthen the conclusion that A causes B is give ANOTHER SUPPORTING EXAMPLE that links A to B.
C: others of the closely related group of plants are also found to produce histidine in large quantities.
Here, other plants in the closely related group THAT THRIVE IN SOIL WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF METALS also produce HISTIDINE, STRENGTHENING the conclusion that histidine CAUSES a plant to be able to grow in metal-rich soils.

Show Spoiler
C

The posted OA is incorrect.
The OA to the CR above is virtually the same as the OA to CR644 in the OG18:

Quote:
A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the growth of this herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test‐tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Hence, the herb’s high histidine production must be the key feature that allows it to grow in metal‐rich soils.

In evaluating the argument, it would be most important to determine which of the following?

A) Whether the herb can thrive in soil that does not have high concentrations of the toxic metals
B) Whether others of the closely related group of plants also produce histidine in large quantities
C) Whether the herb’s high level of histidine production is associated with an unusually low level of production of some other amino acid
D) Whether growing the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over time, reduce their concentrations in the soil
E) Whether the concentration of histidine in the growing herb declines as the plant approaches maturity”
Show more

The OA to CR644 is:
Show Spoiler
B
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 15 Jun 2018, 05:39
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siddreal
Which of the following most logically completes the argument?

A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test-tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Possibly, therefore, the herb's high histidine production is what allows it to grow in metal-rich soils, a hypothesis that would gain support if ______.


A. histidine is found in all parts of the plant-roots, stem, leaves, and flowers

B. the herb's high level of histidine production is found to be associated with an unusually low level of production of other amino acids

C. others of the closely related group of plants are also found to produce histidine in large quantities

D. cultivation of the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over an extended period, make the soil suitable for plants to which the metals are toxic

E. the concentration of histidine in the growing herb declines as the plant approaches maturity
This is a CAUSAL argument.
In a causal argument, A and B are observed together, and the CR concludes that A CAUSES B.

Premise = A and B are observed together:
A cultivated herb produces histidine and is able to grow in metal rich soils.
Conclusion = A causes B:
Histidine CAUSES the herb to be able to grow in metal rich soils.

One way to strengthen the conclusion that A causes B is give ANOTHER SUPPORTING EXAMPLE that links A to B.
C: others of the closely related group of plants are also found to produce histidine in large quantities.
Here, other plants in the closely related group THAT THRIVE IN SOIL WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF METALS also produce HISTIDINE, STRENGTHENING the conclusion that histidine CAUSES a plant to be able to grow in metal-rich soils.

Show Spoiler
C

The posted OA is incorrect.
The OA to the CR above is virtually the same as the OA to CR644 in the OG18:

Quote:
A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the growth of this herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test‐tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Hence, the herb’s high histidine production must be the key feature that allows it to grow in metal‐rich soils.

In evaluating the argument, it would be most important to determine which of the following?

A) Whether the herb can thrive in soil that does not have high concentrations of the toxic metals
B) Whether others of the closely related group of plants also produce histidine in large quantities
Whether the herb’s high level of histidine production is associated with an unusually low level of production
C) of some other amino acid
D) Whether growing the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over time, reduce their concentrations in the soil
E) Whether the concentration of histidine in the growing herb declines as the plant approaches maturity”

The OA to CR644 is:
Show Spoiler
B
Show more

I agree with your answer. In fact, that is the answer I had in mind.
But when I saw the solution to the question, it was not at all convincing. I tried to search it on all gmat platforms, but did not find the exact question posted anywhere (though similar ones are there). Did not even have a OA for same. Later Bunuel added the OA which was in line with the solution provided by the first respond received here urvashis09. I believe that the herb renders the metals inert in the vicinity of the plant, the herb may not make the complete soil in the area suitable for growth of other plants.
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 15 Jun 2018, 06:19
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siddreal
I agree with your answer. In fact, that is the answer I had in mind.
But when I saw the solution to the question, it was not at all convincing. I tried to search it on all gmat platforms, but did not find the exact question posted anywhere (though similar ones are there). Did not even have a OA for same. Later Bunuel added the OA which was in line with the solution provided by the first respond received here urvashis09. I believe that the herb renders the metals inert in the vicinity of the plant, the herb may not make the complete soil in the area suitable for growth of other plants.
Show more
To what solution does the phrase in red refer?
Regardless, the only opinion that truly matters is GMAC's.
Given the OA to CR644 in the OG18, the OA to the CR above must be C.

D: Cultivation of the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over an extended period, make the soil suitable for plants to which the metals are toxic.
Here, it is unclear HOW cultivation of the herb makes the soil suitable for other plants.
The soil could become suitable for any number of reasons.
To strengthen the conclusion, the correct answer must connect a high production of HISTIDINE to the ability to grow in metal-rich soil.
Only C accomplishes this goal.
Eliminate D.
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 07 Jul 2018, 10:46
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test-tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Possibly, therefore, the herb's high histidine production is what allows it to grow in metal-rich soils, a hypothesis that would gain support if ______.

The passage mentions that the specific herb they are speaking of is part of a closely related group, therefore if "others of the closely related group of plants are also found to produce histidine in large quantities" you can logically complete the stated hypothesis

C is the answer
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 03 Oct 2019, 10:15
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siddreal
Which of the following most logically completes the argument?

A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test-tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Possibly, therefore, the herb's high histidine production is what allows it to grow in metal-rich soils, a hypothesis that would gain support if ______.


A. histidine is found in all parts of the plant-roots, stem, leaves, and flowers

B. the herb's high level of histidine production is found to be associated with an unusually low level of production of other amino acids

C. others of the closely related group of plants are also found to produce histidine in large quantities

D. cultivation of the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over an extended period, make the soil suitable for plants to which the metals are toxic

E. the concentration of histidine in the growing herb declines as the plant approaches maturity
This is a CAUSAL argument.
In a causal argument, A and B are observed together, and the CR concludes that A CAUSES B.

Premise = A and B are observed together:
A cultivated herb produces histidine and is able to grow in metal rich soils.
Conclusion = A causes B:
Histidine CAUSES the herb to be able to grow in metal rich soils.

One way to strengthen the conclusion that A causes B is give ANOTHER SUPPORTING EXAMPLE that links A to B.
C: others of the closely related group of plants are also found to produce histidine in large quantities.
Here, other plants in the closely related group THAT THRIVE IN SOIL WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF METALS also produce HISTIDINE, STRENGTHENING the conclusion that histidine CAUSES a plant to be able to grow in metal-rich soils.

Show Spoiler
C

The posted OA is incorrect.
The OA to the CR above is virtually the same as the OA to CR644 in the OG18:

Quote:
A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the growth of this herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test‐tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Hence, the herb’s high histidine production must be the key feature that allows it to grow in metal‐rich soils.

In evaluating the argument, it would be most important to determine which of the following?

A) Whether the herb can thrive in soil that does not have high concentrations of the toxic metals
B) Whether others of the closely related group of plants also produce histidine in large quantities
C) Whether the herb’s high level of histidine production is associated with an unusually low level of production of some other amino acid
D) Whether growing the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over time, reduce their concentrations in the soil
E) Whether the concentration of histidine in the growing herb declines as the plant approaches maturity”

The OA to CR644 is:
Show Spoiler
B
Show more

Great explanation. So if the question had asked for "lose support" instead of "gain support", then we should be looking for an example that does NOT link A to B?
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 20 Mar 2022, 18:43
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prgmatbiz
So if the question had asked for "lose support" instead of "gain support", then we should be looking for an example that does NOT link A to B?
Show more
Something that would cause the hypothesis to lose support would have to somehow indicate that A (high histidine production) does not cause B (the plant's thriving in the soil with high concentrations of the metals).

An example that simply does not link A to B wouldn't necessarily reduce the support for the hypothesis. What would cause the hypothesis to lose support is an example that indicates that the link does not exist.

For instance, a choice that says, "NONE of the others of the closely related group of plants are found to produce histidine in large quantities," would cast doubt on the hypothesis by showing that B, the effect, exists even when A, the supposed cause, high histidine production, is not present.

Of course, information indicating that the effect is present when the supposed cause is not would make us wonder whether the supposed cause really does cause the effect.
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 20 Mar 2022, 22:42
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My reasoning for answer choice (D) to be wrong, even though i selected it, is because it mentions that that particular soil post growing the certain herb would be suitable for the toxic plant to grow, which would be wrong because we tend to assume here that just by rendering the chemicals inert in the soil the plant does not become suitable for growth in that particular soil (this is neither given in the passage, its something that we assume)
Would answer choice (D) be correct if it mentioned that
cultivation of the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over an extended period, reduce or nullify the toxicity of the soil.

Kindly please clarify MartyTargetTestPrep egmat Sajjad1994
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 20 Mar 2022, 23:20
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nayas96
My reasoning for answer choice (D) to be wrong, even though i selected it, is because it mentions that that particular soil post growing the certain herb would be suitable for the toxic plant to grow, which would be wrong because we tend to assume here that just by rendering the chemicals inert in the soil the plant does not become suitable for growth in that particular soil (this is neither given in the passage, its something that we assume)
Would answer choice (D) be correct if it mentioned that
cultivation of the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over an extended period, reduce or nullify the toxicity of the soil.

Kindly please clarify MartyTargetTestPrep egmat Sajjad1994
Show more
The conclusion of the argument is not about the effect the herb has on the soil. It's that the herb USES HISTIDINE to thrive in the toxic soil.

So, information regarding the effect of the herb on the soil has no effect one way or another on the support for the conclusion.

In other words, the fact that the herb make the soil less toxic does not indicate how the herb thrives in toxic soil and does not indicate that histidine is what enables the herb to thrive in toxic soil.

So, neither choice (D) nor your version of choice (D) strengthens the argument.
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 04 Jun 2022, 05:16
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Hi AndrewN

Isn't choice C a bit incomplete ? We have to give support to the hypothesis : the herb's high histidine production is what allows it to grow in metal-rich soils. Even if the plants in consideration in option C are related and produce histidine in the same amount, nothing is mentioned on what kind of soil they are grown. The heart of the conclusion is to determine the effectiveness of histidine is metal rich soils. How is this addressed in option C? Or do we have to assume that just because a plant produces histidine, it is obvious that it would be grown in metal rich soils.
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 04 Jun 2022, 06:48
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Namangupta1997
Hi AndrewN

Isn't choice C a bit incomplete ? We have to give support to the hypothesis : the herb's high histidine production is what allows it to grow in metal-rich soils. Even if the plants in consideration in option C are related and produce histidine in the same amount, nothing is mentioned on what kind of soil they are grown. The heart of the conclusion is to determine the effectiveness of histidine is metal rich soils. How is this addressed in option C? Or do we have to assume that just because a plant produces histidine, it is obvious that it would be grown in metal rich soils.
Show more
Hello, Namangupta1997. I do not think we need to go out on a limb to infer metal-rich soils in answer choice (C), in part because the final line of the passage mentions these very soils, and we have a link to the other plants in the first line of the passage:

Quote:
Possibly, therefore, the herb's high histidine production is what allows it to grow in metal-rich soils, a hypothesis that would gain support if ______.
Show more

and, from earlier,

Quote:
A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals
Show more
Putting the two together, we can say that answer choice (C) strengthens the hypothesis in the following manner:

If others of the closely related group of plants [that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals] are also found to produce histidine in large quantities, then these herbs' high histidine production is what may allow them to grow in metal-rich soils.

The causation (from histidine production) is certainly strengthened if this whole family of herbs thrives in metal-rich soils.

Thank you for thinking to ask.

- Andrew
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A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants 10 Sep 2025, 01:01
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