Disposable diapers, while a convenience, are an environmental disaster

Question

Disposable diapers, while a convenience, are an environmental disaster. If people would use cloth diapers instead of those made of disposable paper, much less paper would be produced saving millions of trees each year. Therefore, people should go back to buying, washing and reusing cloth diapers and Earth’s precious natural resources would not be consumed so rapidly.

This argument depends of which of the following assumptions?

A. Cloth diapers are never disposed of.
B. The current trend in infant care is doing things “the old-fashioned way.”
C. The process of washing cloth diapers consumes less natural resources than that of using disposable diapers.
D. Modern people like their conveniences more than anything else.
E. The annual cost to the consumer of using cloth diapers is only 20% the annual cost of using disposable diapers.

Scuven · Accepted Answer

Answer is clearly C.

Use the negation technique, that is try to negate the assumptions in the answers and see which one makes the conclusion not true.

If washing diapers consumed MORE energy than disposing diapers, then the conclusion that washing and recycling diapers would lead to a reduced consumption of natural energy sources is not true.

Thus C is the assumption that keeps the premise true in the argument.

Arjun966 · Answer

Confused between C and D. But looking upon the question stem, it seems answer option C.

Posted from my mobile device

AnirudhaS · Answer

D. Modern people like their conveniences more than anything else.

D is not the answer, as its not a necessary assumption.
Let us negate D.
 Negated D : Modern people  do not  like their conveniences more than anything else.
The argument still stands, even if this is true. Hence this is not a necessary assumption. Hope this helps.

Arjun966 · Answer

Yes it helps! I didn't try negating it. Thanks Anirudha

REALMAREZ · Answer

A. Cloth diapers are never disposed of.  OVERKILLING 
B. The current trend in infant care is doing things “the old-fashioned way.”  OUT OF SCOPE 
C. The process of washing cloth diapers consumes less natural resources than that of using disposable diapers.
D. Modern people like their conveniences more than anything else.  IRRILEVANT 
E. The annual cost to the consumer of using cloth diapers is only 20% the annual cost of using disposable diapers.  IRRILEVANT

You can immediately focus on C and check it with the Negation Technique.

The process of washing cloth diapers consumes  more  natural resources than that of using disposable diapers.

This is against the conclusion, therefore  C is the right choice .

VerbalBot · Answer

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Disposable diapers, while a convenience, are an environmental disaster

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Disposable diapers, while a convenience, are an environmental disaster

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