by: WA
31 mins
Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Sep 1312:30 AM EDT
-01:30 AM EDT
Struggling to find the right strategies to score a 99 %ile on GMAT Focus? Riya (GMAT 715) boosted her score by 100-points in just 15 days! Discover how the right mentorship, tailored strategies, and an unwavering mindset can transform your GMAT prep.
Sep 1301:30 AM EDT
-02:30 AM EDT
At one point, she believed GMAT wasn’t for her. After scoring 595, self-doubt crept in and she questioned her potential. But instead of quitting, she made the right strategic changes. The result? A remarkable comeback to 695. Check out how Saakshi did it.
Sep 1507:00 PM EDT
-09:00 PM EST
Elite scores are possible when you enroll in a powerful GMAT course, taught live online + 6 months access to TTP OnDemand video courses included! Class starts Tues/Thurs Sept. 15, 2026 - Nov. 15, 2027, 7:00pm-9:00pm EST
Sep 2107:00 PM EDT
-10:00 PM EDT
Boost your GMAT score in less than one month in a live online class + 6 months access to TTP OnDemand video courses included! Class starts Mon, Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri Sept. 21, 2026 - Oct. 9, 2027, 7:00pm-10:00pm EST
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
55%
(hard)
Question Stats:
62% (01:51) correct
38%
(02:09)
wrong
based on 473
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Journalist: Scientists took blood samples from two large, diverse groups of volunteers. All the volunteers in one group reported that they enjoyed eating vegetables, whereas all those in the other group disliked vegetables. When the blood samples from the group that disliked vegetables were analyzed, it was discovered that all the volunteers in that group had a gene in common, the XRV2G gene. This strongly suggests that a dislike of vegetables is, at least in some cases, genetically determined
The journalist's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds?
A. It presumes that all human traits are genetically determined.
B. It overlooks the possibility that the volunteers in one or both of the two groups may not have been representative of the human population as a whole in one or more respects.
C. It overlooks the possibility that even when one phenomenon always produces another phenomenon, the latter phenomenon may often be present when the former is absent.
D. It overlooks the possibility that even if a dislike of vegetables is genetically determined, it may be influenced by genes other than the XRV2G gene.
E. It takes for granted that the volunteers in the group that enjoyed eating vegetables did not also all have the XRV2G gene in common.
LSAT official
The journalist's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds?
A. It presumes that all human traits are genetically determined.
B. It overlooks the possibility that the volunteers in one or both of the two groups may not have been representative of the human population as a whole in one or more respects.
C. It overlooks the possibility that even when one phenomenon always produces another phenomenon, the latter phenomenon may often be present when the former is absent.
D. It overlooks the possibility that even if a dislike of vegetables is genetically determined, it may be influenced by genes other than the XRV2G gene.
E. It takes for granted that the volunteers in the group that enjoyed eating vegetables did not also all have the XRV2G gene in common.
LSAT official
QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning
CONCLUSION: Genetics can make you dislike vegetables.
REASONING: Volunteers who don’t like vegetables have the XRV2G gene.
ANALYSIS: the false comparison.
We’re told that the vegetable hating group has XRV2G. But we’re not told about the group that likes vegetables. Maybe all of them also have XRV2G! A proper comparison must tell you about both groups, not just one.
___________
A. The argument didn’t say this. Something can’t be a flaw unless it happens. The argument just said one trait might be genetically determined. It didn’t say all traits are.
B. This answer plays on a misunderstanding of bias and representativeness in studies.
Let’s say you do a study designed to test whether a certain drug cures cancer. And all the subjects are American. Americans are unrepresentative of humans in many ways:
* They’re richer than average
* They live in a country that starts with ‘A’
* They watch more TV
* They have more internet access
C. All of those are unrepresentative, and none of them are relevant to the question of whether a drug cures cancer. So unrepresentativeness in one or more areas does not necessarily mean a study if flawed!
This means: mistaking a sufficient condition for a necessary condition. That’s not what happened in this argument.
D. This possibility would strengthen the argument! It’s not a flaw to overlook it. the conclusion was that genes may affect whether we like vegetables. So the more that genes affect our taste for vegetables, the better.
E. CORRECT. If everyone has the XRV2G gene, then it can’t affect vegetable tastes.
CONCLUSION: Genetics can make you dislike vegetables.
REASONING: Volunteers who don’t like vegetables have the XRV2G gene.
ANALYSIS: the false comparison.
We’re told that the vegetable hating group has XRV2G. But we’re not told about the group that likes vegetables. Maybe all of them also have XRV2G! A proper comparison must tell you about both groups, not just one.
___________
A. The argument didn’t say this. Something can’t be a flaw unless it happens. The argument just said one trait might be genetically determined. It didn’t say all traits are.
B. This answer plays on a misunderstanding of bias and representativeness in studies.
Let’s say you do a study designed to test whether a certain drug cures cancer. And all the subjects are American. Americans are unrepresentative of humans in many ways:
* They’re richer than average
* They live in a country that starts with ‘A’
* They watch more TV
* They have more internet access
C. All of those are unrepresentative, and none of them are relevant to the question of whether a drug cures cancer. So unrepresentativeness in one or more areas does not necessarily mean a study if flawed!
This means: mistaking a sufficient condition for a necessary condition. That’s not what happened in this argument.
D. This possibility would strengthen the argument! It’s not a flaw to overlook it. the conclusion was that genes may affect whether we like vegetables. So the more that genes affect our taste for vegetables, the better.
E. CORRECT. If everyone has the XRV2G gene, then it can’t affect vegetable tastes.
Why is B wrong? The response above doesn't actually explain why underrepresentativeness isn't considered a flaw.
GMAT 1: 680 Q49 V34
Posts: 127
CEdward
because in the argument
'at least in some cases, genetically determined...'
is mentioned ....not 'in all cases' the group is not representating the all cases.
Posted from my mobile device
Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot:
A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.
This post was generated automatically.
_________________
A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.
This post was generated automatically.
_________________
If this question felt shaky,
try an adaptive mini quiz of similar problems in
GMAT Club Forum Quiz →. Free plan gives 5 questions per day.
Moderators:
Announcements
How to Tell If Your GMAT Prep Resources Are Actually Helping You
Subscribe to GMAT Club for New Podcast Episodes, Debriefs, & Insightful Sessions on GMAT Preparation
Subscribe to GMAT Club for New Podcast Episodes, Debriefs, & Insightful Sessions on GMAT Preparation
Tuck at Dartmouth
AI at Dartmouth Tuck: How the School Is Preparing Leaders for the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Inside the courses, research, and hands-on learning defining wise, decisive leadership in an AI-driven world.
Read More
Inside the courses, research, and hands-on learning defining wise, decisive leadership in an AI-driven world.
Read More
Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos
Success stories and strategies from high-scoring candidates.