The number of people diagnosed with dengue fever (which is contracted

Question

The number of people diagnosed with dengue fever (which is contracted from the bite of an infected mosquito) in North India this year is twice the number diagnosed last year. The authorities have concluded that measures to control the mosquito population have failed in this region.

All of the following, if true, would cast doubt on the authorities conclusion except

A. more cases are now reported because of increases in administrative efficiency

B. a very high proportion of the cases were in people who had recently returned from neighboring countries

C. an effective diagnostic test was introduced about nine months ago

D. the disease is prevalent only in some industrialized areas which have shown a dramatic increase in population due to migration

E. the incidence (number of cases per thousand) of malaria, also contracted from mosquito bites, has increased

Source:  Www.Majortests.Com

abhimahna · Answer

The argument is saying dengue fever incidents have doubled in North India since last year.

Conclusion: Measure to control mosquito have failed.

We need to find out weakeners. The one left would be the right answer.

A. more cases are now reported because of increases in administrative efficiency  : It is saying it was not the measure failure but admin efficiency failure. Hence, a weakener. 
B. a very high proportion of the cases were in people who had recently returned from neighboring countries  : It brings in my mind that may be they brought dengue from neighboring countries . Hence a weakener. 
C. an effective diagnostic test was introduced about nine months ago  : Ok, so it was brought only 9 months ago. So, how can we say it failed. May be it just started and it is preventing the increase from 10 times to just twice. A weakener. 
D. the disease is prevalent only in some industrialized areas which have shown a dramatic increase in population due to migration  : Those industrialized areas could be the reason. Hence, a weakener. 
E. the incidence (number of cases per thousand) of malaria, also contracted from mosquito bites, has increased.  Malaria is irrelevant here. Hence, not a weakener and a correct answer.

chessassistant · Answer

I want to ask one question that is not related to this topic.

requires that V-infinive (be, go, etc) as a subjunctive
then it is required that also a subjunctive, right?

abhimahna · Answer

Hi,

Can you please be a bit more clear on your question? It is not clear what is your concern. Is it related to tense form or something else.

If tense form, then yes 'require' in any tense form, along with 'that', makes a subjunctive verb.

Nightmare007 · Answer

Stem analysis :
 This question is an Weaken Except question : 
Conclusion : 
 Measures failure ---> increase in dengue cases.

A :- Provides an alternate cause of increase in cases. - weakens
B :- Another alternate cause - ppl coming from other states with dengue increased - weakens .
C :- Yet another alternate cause - Better testing procedure is introduced. - weakens.
D :- Same as B . migration has caused - Weakens 
E :- It says indeed the measures to control those bugs have failed. Strengthens a bit.

Hence, answer is E.

kill3rlook5 · Answer

The question stem is asking us for an option which does not weaken the conclusion...:

Conclusion : Mosquito control measures have failed and have lead to the increase in dengue cases.

Any option that supports the conclusion will be our answer.

Only option E strengthens the conclusion by giving reasons to prove that mosquito control measures have indeed failed and the incidence of malaria due to mosquito bites has actually increased.

Other options give reasons to prove that mosquito control measures have worked and the rise in incidence is attributable to other causes viz. immigration.

Hence, answer is E.

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CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

The correct answer here is  E . This is a "weaken the argument" question, but it is  also  an "Except" question. What this means is that rather than looking for one option that weakens the conclusion, we're looking to eliminate 4 options that all weaken the conclusion.

A  - This certainly weakens the argument. It  provides an alternative explanation  for the increased number of reported cases which suggests that the methods have not failed, we just have better stats now.  OUT

B  - This also weakens the argument. If most or even many of the cases are from  people who were not from the region being tested , then it invalidates the conclusion that measures taken in the region didn't work.  OUT

C  - If a new test was introduced within the last year, it would account for differences in the number of reported cases, and therefore  provide an alternative explanation  as to why the numbers didn't go down.  OUT

D  - This is wrong for the same reason that B is wrong. The fact that it is prevalent only in some areas does nothing to weaken the conclusion, but the point about migration is the same as in B. If the people with the disease are not from the region in which the measures were taken, we cannot say that the measures taken failed.  OUT

E  - Must be right by elimination. If we know that malaria has gone up as well, it certainly cannot be the case that the measures didn't fail, since it suggests that there are more of the mosquitoes now. This actually even strengthens the argument CORRECT

Although it didn't apply to this question, it is important to remember that a "Weaken   the argument" question doesn't mean that you have to strengthen the argument. It simply means that you have to "NOT weaken". For this reason, you're best off trying to eliminate the other four options that actually do weaken it.

- Matoo

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

The authorities conclude that measures to control mosquitoes have failed. We need to find something that does not contradict that conclusion. But first we need to find the four items that do cast doubt on that conclusion. If the disease is contracted in another country, or if numbers reported are increasing because of better tests or reporting methods, or simply because the human population is increasing, then we cannot conclude that control measures have failed. However, if the incidence of another mosquito-borne disease is increasing, it is more likely to indicate that mosquitoes are not controlled.

Answer: E

The number of people diagnosed with dengue fever (which is contracted

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The number of people diagnosed with dengue fever (which is contracted

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