Hey All,

Wow! This is a tough question. I've never seen it before, and I risk going out on a limb and being wrong, but I'm afraid I disagree with what you've all said. I believe the answer is A, for reasons I'll lay out. I'll make use of quotes from the passage to defend my answer.

(A) The cease-fire has not been violated by either of the two sides.
ANSWER: Though the passage says "Unless negotiations begin soon, the cease-fire will be violated by one of the two sides to the dispute." This does NOT imply that negotiations CANNOT happen if the cease-fire is violated. This makes it the correct answer.

(B) International troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated that they can counter aggression from either of the two sides.
PROBLEM: "No negotiations will be held until international troops have demonstrated their ability to counter any aggression from either side."

(C) A major incentive for the two sides to resume hostilities has been suppressed.
PROBLEM: "...thus suppressing a major incentive for the two sides to resume fighting." This is a continuation of B. If that happens, then the incentive will have been suppressed.

(D) Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute.
"Negotiations will only be held only if other countries have pressured the two sides to negotiate."

(E) The negotiations’ reaching an agreement depends in part on the actions of other countries.
"...an agreement will emerge only if other countries continue such pressure throughout the negotiations." I think many of you thought this was the answer because the passage asks "at the time those negotiations begin...", which made you think that the agreement doesn't matter yet. But if every word in the passage is true (as the question stem says is the case), then even at the start of the negotiation, agreement can only be reached through the actions of other countries.

I'm up for argument, as I've never seen this question before, but I think my logic is sound.

Hope that helps!

try to diagram every sentence in an "if -> then" statement (and also diagram the contra positive)

Unless negotiations begin soon, the cease-fire will be violated by one of the two sides to the dispute

1a. if cease fire will not be violated by either side -> then negotiations began soon
1b. if negotiations did not begin soon -> then cease fire was violated by one of the 2 sides

Negotiations will be held only if other countries have pressured the two sides to negotiate;

2a. if negotiations will be held -> then other countries pressured 2 sides
2b. if other countries did not pressure both sides -> then negotiations will not be held

an agreement will emerge only if other countries continue such pressure throughout the negotiations.

3a. if agreement will emerge-> then other countries continued pressure
3b. if other countries do not continue pressure -> then agreement will not emerge

But no negotiations will be held until international troops enforcing the cease-fire have demonstrated their ability to counter any aggression from either side,

4a. if negotiations will be held -> then international troops demonstrated ability to counter aggression
4b. if troops did not demonstrate ability to counter -> no negotiations will be held

next, take the bold part as true, and follow the logical chain:
5. if negotiations begin soon --> (int'l troops demonstrated ability to counter aggression) AND (other countries pressured both sides)

we got this by looking at statements 4a and 2a. since we know that everything in statement 5 is true, then B and D are automatically out. we're left with A,C and E. E states that the agreement is dependent in part on the actions of other countries. we know from 3a. that the agreement is linked to other countries exerting pressure, so E is also true.

we're left with A and C. A is tricky, since you can put it before statement 5 and make it true. however, it doesn't have to be true, and the question only talks about statements that have to be true (i.e. statements that would come after statement 5, not before it). between A and C, i'd pick A to be the one that doesn't have to be true, so i'd guess A as my answer.
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First line of the stem gives away the answer. It says ceasefire will be violated by one of the two countries involved unless negotiations begin , but until negotiations start ceasefire will be violated.

A) The cease-fire has not been violated by either of the two sides

This cannot be MUST be true statement.
There can be instance of a ceasefire violation before the start of negotiations.

All other options must be true in order to begin negotiations.

Posted from my mobile device
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Why is option D wrong? It says that 'Other countries have exerted pressure on the two sides to the dispute' - this must be false right?

Hi akansal211

As mentioned in stem Negotiations will be held only if other countries have pressured the two sides to negotiate
So Option D must be true , Question asked to chose which of the following must also be true EXCEPT
Only option A satisfies. It may be or may not be true.
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Must Be TrueX-SN. The correct answer choice is (A)

This stimulus consists of rules that can be diagramed as conditional statements.

UNLESS negotiations begin soon, the cease fire will be violated:

Violated→ Negotiations begin soon,
Negotiations begin soon → Cease fire Will be violated.

Negotiations will be held ONLY IF other countries apply pressure:

Negotiations → Pressure
Pressure→ Negotiations.

An agreement will emerge ONLY IF pressure continues:

Agreement → Pressure continues
continued pressure → agreement.

No negotiation held UNTIL troops demonstrate ability to enforce cease-fire:

Negotiations→ Troops demonstrate
demonstration → negotiations.

We can make many inferences; however, the question stem instructs us to pay attention to the case in which negotiations have begun. In that case, we know that there has been pressure, and that troops have demonstrated some ability to counter aggression.

Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. Since this is a Mistaken Reversal of the first statement, this choice might not be true, which is a good answer to a Must Be True EXCEPT question.

Answer choice (B): This is definitely inferred, so this choice is wrong.

Answer choice (C): This is inferred, because the stimulus states that when the troops demonstrate ability to counter aggression, they suppress a major incentive for the two sides to resume hostilities, and we have already inferred that the troops have demonstrated that ability. This choice is incorrect.

Answer choice (D): This is definitely inferred, so this choice is wrong.

Answer choice (E): This is inferred, because it is a restatement of one of the conditions in the stimulus. Since the stimulus tells us that for negotiations to be successful, international pressure must continue, we know that international action IS NECESSSARY for resolution, or that resolution DEPENDS on international action. This choice is wrong.

scource:powerscore

I made up my mind that I absolutely wanted the right answer to this question!

This helped me a lot.

First off, A seemed a bit fishy to me. As others have mentioned, it doesn't say that an unviolated ceasefire is necessary for negotiations to occur.

After that, it was simply a matter of POE, as options B-E were irrefutably correct as mentioned in the passage. A was the only option left.