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Bunuel
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Bunuel
Mark: Plastic-foam cups ----> persist indefinitely in the environment -----> USE Paper cups

Tina: Paper cups has another set of problems
Sneha333, You MUST understand the contention of the passage.
The contention:
    Given the harmful effects of both of them, Which cup SHOULD be used between Plastic-foam cups and Paper cups?

Boil the entire argument into simpler terms and then ONLY move to answer choice analysis.
The true GMAT-options are supposed to be misleading.

Pre-Think:
    If both the cups have their respective repercussions and you are the environment-friendly buyer, which cup SHOULD you buy?
    Likely, the least BAD of them OR the one which has minimal negative effects.

To answer this:
Sneha333
Please explain this.
shouldn't it be C? If there is a third alternative necessary then we will go for that. If not, then we will settle the argument between Mike and Tina.
Let's bring a real-life example:
    Let's say you are worried about which phone to buy: either iPhone X or Samsung S10.
      A consumer would ideally evaluate how the features gauge with his/her requirements and the price-point.

    Would the information about the availability of the 3rd model, say Vivo V10, be helpful in reaching the decision BETWEEN the above two models?
      Let's say you HAVE the information about the availability of the 3rd model:
        How would the mere availability of the 3rd model ----assert---> the distinction between iPhone X AND Samsung S10?
      Let's say you do NOT have the information about the availability of the 3rd model:
        How would the mere inavailability of the 3rd model ----assert---> the distinction between iPhone X AND Samsung S10?

Resolution - Between Plastic-foam cups and Paper cups, Which cup to use?

Answer choice analysis:
    (A) how soon each of the kinds of harm cited by Mark and Tina would be likely to be at its maximum level
      When the kinds of harm reach the maximum does NOT aid in finding the resolution.

    (B) whether members of some societies use, on average, more disposable goods than do members of other societies
      They might. Good to know! It STILL does NOT aid in finding the resolution.

    (C) whether it is necessary to seek a third alternative that has none of the negative consequences cited with respect to the two products
      3rd factor will NOT assist in finding the resolution.

    (D) how much of the chains of causation involved in the production, marketing, and disposal of the products should be considered in analyzing their environmental impact
      Aha! the coveted impact on the environment. A resolution - Let's hold it!

    (E) whether paper and foam cups, in their most popular sizes, hold the same quantities of liquid
      Completely irrelevant
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The question specifically asks what we need to decide "to resolve the issue between Mark and Tina" - not how to avoid their debate entirely.

The Real Problem:
Mark and Tina are measuring completely different things:
Mark: Focuses on the cup itself (CFCs, won't decompose)
Tina: Looks at the entire lifecycle (manufacturing energy, transportation, decay)

It's like one person saying "this car is bad because it's red" and another saying "it's bad because it uses too much gas" - they're not even discussing the same aspects!

Before we can determine who's right, we first need to agree on WHAT to measure. Should we:
• Only look at the final product? (Mark's approach)
• Consider the entire production-to-disposal chain? (Tina's approach)

Why (C) is wrong: Finding a third alternative doesn't help us resolve their debate - it just avoids it.

Why (D) is correct: It identifies that we need to agree on the scope of environmental impact before we can compare their arguments.

Answer: (D)

Sneha333
Please explain this.

Shouldn't it be C?If there is third alternative necessary then we will go for that.If not,then we will settle the argument between Mike and Tina.
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