A new process enables ordinary table salt to be fortified with iron.

Question

A new process enables ordinary table salt to be fortified with iron. This advance could help reduce the high incidence of anemia in the world’s population due to a deficiency of iron in the diet. Salt is used as a preservative for food and a flavor enhancer all over the globe, and people consume salt in quantities that would provide iron in significant amounts.

Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the argument by the statement that people consume salt in quantities that would provide iron in significant amounts?

(A) It is the conclusion of the argument.

(B) It provides support for the conclusion of the argument.

(C) It is a claim that the argument is directed against.

(D) It qualifies the conclusion of the argument.

(E) It illustrates a principle that underlies the argument.

LSAT

anothermillenial · Accepted Answer

"Qualifying" a conclusion means to weaken it with some conditional factor.

shivansh19922009 · Answer

Tricky choice between B and D. Anyone care to explain for the same.

Thanks

akshayk · Answer

B is the correct answer.

A - This is not the conclusion of the argument.
C - The argument is not against anything so this is false.
D - The conclusion is iron fortification in salt will help reduce anemia in the world's population caused by deficiency in diet, and people's consumption of salt the world over supports that by saying people will consume the fortified salt, and therefore reduce amenia.
E - Eating salt is certainly not a principle the argument is based on, so this seems Irrelevant.

Abhishek009 · Answer

Correct answer must be (B) for it supports the argument stated in the highlighted part of the stimulus ( Conclusion)

akela · Answer

(D) is incorrect because the statement in question does not qualify or hedge the conclusion in any way. The statement is a premise that supports the conclusion, therefore the answer is (B)

haithamnimer · Answer

(D) is wring because it qualifies the conclusion to WHAT?
It is a missing and tempting answer!

CEdward · Answer

Answer is B.

The conclusion of the argument is: This advance could help reduce the high incidence of anemia in the world’s population due to a deficiency of iron in the diet.

So, the fact that people consume salt in quantities that would provide iron in significant amounts strengthens the conclusion that the new process COULD help reduce the high incidence of anemia.

BLTN · Answer

Dear haithamnimer,
Core of argument structure:  Conclusion  +  Premise (s)

Let us parse it,

A new process enables ordinary table salt to be fortified with iron. 
 Background, mere provide info

This advance could help reduce the high incidence of anemia   in the world’s population due to a deficiency of iron in the diet
  Conclusion  
Why it helps to diminish? 
1. Because there is deficiency of iron in the diet and
2. People consume salt in quantities that would provide iron in significant amounts
 Both are premises.

(D) It qualifies the conclusion of the argument.

it does not qualify/characterize the conclusion, rather it provides support of conclusion. 
Without last sentence it would be slack argument. What if people do not consume amply sold? Then, how it helps to reduce the high incidence of anemia ?

bv8562 · Answer

ScottTargetTestPrep   MartyTargetTestPrep  Could you please help me understand the meaning of the following sentence " It qualifies the conclusion of the argument. " in the context of the argument?

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

A statement that qualifies the conclusion would limit or modify the conclusion.

Here's the conclusion:

This advance could help reduce the high incidence of anemia in the world’s population due to a deficiency of iron in the diet.

An example of information that qualifies that conclusion is the following:

as long as people do not change their eating habits with regards to salt

0Lucky0 · Answer

I have read others' comments and explanations but I still don't get why either D or E is inferior to B!
Let me explain:
D)It qualifies the conclusion of the argument.
Well? Doesn't it? Without it the conclusion falls apart. How is this different from "providing support for the conclusion of the argument"?

E)It illustrates a principle that underlies the argument.
Well, Doesn't it? It provides support for the conclusion so it does "underlie the argument" and could very well be called a "principle"?

I am unable to understand why B is a superior choice than either of these two. Can anyone please explain in-depth please?
Thank You for any help.

PS:
GMATNinja, Could you please explain if possible?

Thanks for any help.

GMATNinja · Answer

To "qualify" an argument means to add reservations to that argument, or to make an argument LESS resolute. For instance, I could qualify the argument that "raspberries are the most delicious berry" by adding, "unless you can find a marionberry."

(D) is out because the sentence in question supports the conclusion, so it definitely doesn't qualify the argument.

A "principle" is an underlying judgment about how the world should be. For instance, a principle could be, "No one in the twenty first century should suffer from anemia." Or perhaps, "We have a duty to ensure that no one suffers from anemia."

The sentence in question doesn't illustrate an underlying principle about how the world should be. It's just a piece of evidence used to support the conclusion.

So, (E) is out and (B) is the best answer.

I hope that helps!

unraveled · Answer

A new process enables ordinary table salt to be fortified with iron.  This advance could help reduce the high incidence of anemia in the world’s population due to a deficiency of iron in the diet . Salt is used as a preservative for food and a flavor enhancer all over the globe, and people consume salt in quantities that would provide iron in significant amounts.

Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the argument by the statement that people consume salt in quantities that would provide iron in significant amounts?

(A) It is the  conclusion  of the argument. - WRONG. Conclusion is highlighted in the passage.

(B) It  provides support  for the conclusion of the argument. - CORRECT.

(C) It is a claim that the argument is  directed against . - WRONG. Against is altogether opposite.

(D) It  qualifies the conclusion  of the argument. - WRONG. Unless one understands what 'qualifies' means this is a hard choice to eliminate.

(E) It  illustrates a principle  that underlies the argument. - WRONG. Not illustrates but supports.

Answer B.

A new process enables ordinary table salt to be fortified with iron.

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A new process enables ordinary table salt to be fortified with iron.

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

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My Rewards