Although many people would not believe it, the mosquito

Question

Although many people would not believe it, the mosquito is actually the most dangerous animal in Africa. While the bite of the black mamba is invariably lethal when untreated, this dreaded snake kills only a few dozen people per year. Hippopotami, with their immense strength and foul dispositions, kill hundreds of people per year in rivers and lakes, but the mosquito is still more dangerous. Mosquitoes bite hundreds of millions of people in Africa every year, and they infect over a million each year with malaria, a disease that is often fatal.

Which of the following questions would be most useful in evaluating the claim made above regarding the mosquito?

A. Could a person survive an attack by a black mamba if that person received prompt medical attention?

B. What criteria are used to determine which animal is the “most dangerous” animal?

C. Could the incidence of mosquito bites be decreased through the judicious use of pesticides and insect repellent?

D. Does malaria kill more people per year in Africa than tuberculosis?

E. How does the percentage of people who survive hippopotamus attacks in Africa each year compare with the percentage of people who survive mosquito bites?

dominicraj · Accepted Answer

Hi Guys,

Here is the OA:

The claim about mosquitoes is that “the mosquito is actually the most dangerous animal in Africa.” The argument then provides examples of other dangerous animals, but suggests that the mosquito is more dangerous because it attacks more people and infects a very large number of them with a potentially fatal
disease.

The answer to the question in choice B would allow us to determine whether the quantitative argument in the passage actually does make the mosquito the “most dangerous animal in Africa.” If it was determined that the “most dangerous animal” was the one most likely to kill a person in a single encounter, then the black mamba or the hippopotamus might be considered more dangerous than the mosquito.

Choice E could be a follow-up to the question in B, but on its own it is less useful than B for evaluating the claim in the passage.

PS: If you like the question or the post please give kudos, since only then can I get access to the GMATCLUB Tests :-D

apoorv601 · Answer

B
Firstly the criteria for categorizing an animal as most dangerous needs to be known

apoorv601 · Answer

The argument makes a conclusion that mosquito is the most dangerous animal in Africa but first the criteria for categorizing "most dangerous" animal needs to be defined, can percentage of people who survive be taken as the criteria is questionable, the argument says that Hippopotami kill hundreds of people per year and Mosquitoes bite hundreds of millions of people in Africa every year so analyzing the percentage surviving won't give a fair idea. Nevertheless, the criteria for "most dangerous" animal needs to be set first

Bowtye · Answer

Option B

Does most dangerous mean "how many people are killed by said animal?", "how many people are harmed by said animal?", "how many people are susceptible to being harmed by said animal?".

mvictor · Answer

the question is BAD for GMAT practice. CR Evaluate questions are not that ambiguous.
the correct answer, if given 2 extremities, in one case would STRENGTHEN the argument, and in another one WEAKEN the argument.
neither of the answer choice fits in.

Oppenheimer1945 · Answer

Agree. This is a poor quality dubious question

Posted from my mobile device

napolean92728 · Answer

✅ Why  B  is correct:
The passage makes a  comparative claim —that the mosquito is the  “most dangerous”  animal in Africa—based on  how many people it kills or harms , especially through the spread of malaria.
To evaluate the  validity  of that claim, we need to know:
 What do we mean by "most dangerous"? 
 Is it based on:
 
 Number of human deaths? 
 Number of attacks? 
 Probability of dying if attacked? 
 Economic or social impact?  
Understanding the  criteria  helps us assess whether mosquitoes meet the standard  better than  other animals like the black mamba or hippopotamus.

❌ Why the other options are wrong:
 A. Could a person survive an attack by a black mamba if that person received prompt medical attention? 
 
 This is too narrow. The passage already says untreated bites are lethal. 
 Survival with treatment doesn’t help  evaluate whether mosquitoes are  more dangerous overall   than mambas.  
 C. Could the incidence of mosquito bites be decreased through the judicious use of pesticides and insect repellent? 
 
 This is a  solution-focused  question. It talks about  prevention , not about  evaluating the current danger level .  
 D. Does malaria kill more people per year in Africa than tuberculosis? 
 
 This compares  two diseases , not  animals . The question is about which  animal  is most dangerous.  
 E. How does the percentage of people who survive hippopotamus attacks in Africa each year compare with the percentage of people who survive mosquito bites? 
 
 Almost everyone survives a mosquito bite (except the unlucky ones who get malaria). 
 Comparing survival rates doesn’t help us evaluate  total danger  or death  numbers , which is what the claim is based on.

Although many people would not believe it, the mosquito

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Although many people would not believe it, the mosquito

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