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vaibhav1221
Joined: 19 Nov 2017
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Location: India
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GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V38
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WE:Account Management (Advertising and PR)
Schools: IIMA '25 (A) Columbia CBS'26 (D) Fuqua '26 (D) ISB '25 (WL) Darden '26 (D) Kenan-Flagler '26 (WL)
GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V38
Posts: 292
08 Aug 2018, 05:03
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A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
85%
(hard)
Question Stats:
45% (01:54) correct
55%
(01:56)
wrong
based on 364
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
In 2009, there was a sharp increase in the number of people who were reported to have died in the country during the first week of the year, compared with the first week of the previous ten years. There seems to be no reason to explain this disproportionately high number of deaths especially because the reports were widespread in the country and there was no epidemic spreading through the country at that point in time. Moreover, most of the deaths were not among the young and could not even be attributed to binge drinking in celebration of the new year.
Which of the following can then explain the discrepancy?
A. The government announced in 2008 that estate taxes, payable by the heirs on someone's death, would be abolished effective from the new year.
B. Astrologists predicted that 2009 was a good year to die in, for salvation of the soul.
C. The statistic is an anomaly that has no logical explanation.
D. The price of some cancer drugs and chemotherapy increased by 10% in January 2009, making treatment more expensive than before.
E. An earthquake in one of the cities during December 2008 made hospital care availability more difficult for regular illnesses.
Which of the following can then explain the discrepancy?
A. The government announced in 2008 that estate taxes, payable by the heirs on someone's death, would be abolished effective from the new year.
B. Astrologists predicted that 2009 was a good year to die in, for salvation of the soul.
C. The statistic is an anomaly that has no logical explanation.
D. The price of some cancer drugs and chemotherapy increased by 10% in January 2009, making treatment more expensive than before.
E. An earthquake in one of the cities during December 2008 made hospital care availability more difficult for regular illnesses.
OFFICIAL SOLUTION
Option (B) does not seems to imply that people voluntarily died to satisfy the astrological predictions. Even if we were to accept that to be true, it does not explain why there was an increase in people dying right after the year begins. If the entire year is a good year to die in, why not die in December 2009?
The question asks for an explanation and saying that there is no valid explanation is no good. Option (C) can be eliminated.
Option (D) is an interesting, attractive option. However, the problem with the option is the timeline. If treatment became expensive only that year, why are people dying immediately? Could they not have done something to improve their health or sought other options?
Option (E) discusses only one city while the argument clearly states that this phenomenon was widespread and observed throughout the country. The option therefore, does not justify why the numbers went up in other parts of the country.
To understand why Option (A) works, understand that the argument does NOT state that the number of deaths went up but rather that the REPORTS went up. If option (A) is true and legal heirs do not have to pay any taxes from January 1, 2009, that would explain why the reports of deaths have gone up. Some people could have died in the last few days of 2008 and the heirs could have waited to report it. Also notice that the argument indicates that the reports were primarily about the older population.
Option (B) does not seems to imply that people voluntarily died to satisfy the astrological predictions. Even if we were to accept that to be true, it does not explain why there was an increase in people dying right after the year begins. If the entire year is a good year to die in, why not die in December 2009?
The question asks for an explanation and saying that there is no valid explanation is no good. Option (C) can be eliminated.
Option (D) is an interesting, attractive option. However, the problem with the option is the timeline. If treatment became expensive only that year, why are people dying immediately? Could they not have done something to improve their health or sought other options?
Option (E) discusses only one city while the argument clearly states that this phenomenon was widespread and observed throughout the country. The option therefore, does not justify why the numbers went up in other parts of the country.
To understand why Option (A) works, understand that the argument does NOT state that the number of deaths went up but rather that the REPORTS went up. If option (A) is true and legal heirs do not have to pay any taxes from January 1, 2009, that would explain why the reports of deaths have gone up. Some people could have died in the last few days of 2008 and the heirs could have waited to report it. Also notice that the argument indicates that the reports were primarily about the older population.
Saurabhminocha
GMAT 1: 710 Q48 V39
Posts: 35
08 Aug 2018, 14:23
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Imo A. The passage talks about increase in deaths reported..that doesn't necessarily mean an increase in actual number of deaths. A gives a reason to report more deaths. The other choices give general reasons for an increase in deaths throughout the year and not just the first week. Waiting for experts' opinions and OA.
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General Discussion
Updated on: 08 Aug 2018, 14:28
Originally posted by CounterSniper on 08 Aug 2018, 05:34.
Last edited by CounterSniper on 08 Aug 2018, 14:28, edited 2 times in total.
Last edited by CounterSniper on 08 Aug 2018, 14:28, edited 2 times in total.
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vaibhav1221
Although I am Inclined towards B
IMO-
between D and E
People suffering from cancer are already in a bad spot, increasing the price of some drugs makes their case even worse.
But is it possible to have a sharp increase ?
in E however
hospital care is difficult for even regular illnesses
might be the cause of sharp increase , as people are unable to treat what could have easily been treated.
E for me .
