Drug use among teens concerns many people in California. Advocates of

Question

Drug use among teens concerns many people in California. Advocates of the “Stop Drugs Now” program, which was piloted in public schools in five California counties last year, argue that the program should be used throughout the state to decrease drug use among teenagers.

Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the argument of the advocates of “Stop Drugs Now” that the program should be expanded statewide?

A. School programs are far less important than parental messages in influencing a teenager’s decision to use drugs.

B. Drug use among teens in the five counties where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted has been dropping steadily for over a decade.

C. Teenagers at the public schools where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted reported higher average levels of drug use than did teenagers at private schools in the same counties where the program was not piloted.

D. There is evidence that teenagers who start smoking at an early age are more likely to experiment with illegal drugs than teenagers who do not smoke.

E. The percentage of teenagers who reported using drugs at the schools where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted dropped more in the last year than in any other year over the last decade.

Source:   McGraw-Hill's GMAT  
Difficulty Level:   600

NRJ11090 · Answer

IMO E
Answer choice B shows that drug use has been steadily dropping in the five counties  OVER THE PAST DECADE . This weakens the claim of the advocates of the program. As the program was introduced the last year only.
E states that the percentage of teenagers using drugs has dropped more in the last year. This shows that after the introduction of the program in those schools, the percentage of teenagers using drugs has dropped. Therefore, E is the correct strengthener.

redskull1 · Answer

B weakens the argument.

I think E is the answer..

colorblind · Answer

E is the correct ans.
B states that drug use in those 5 counties has been dropping steadily  for over a decade (10yrs).  However, the "SDN" program was implemented only last year. So, there might be other reasons, initiated over 10yrs ago, for the drop in drug use.

sony1000 · Answer

In answer E we need to pay close attention where it says "dropped more", as it is referring to "the percentage of teenagers who reported using drugs" . I think it is key on choosing this answer over the other ones.

AkshdeepS · Answer

Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the argument of the advocates of “Stop Drugs Now” that the program should be expanded statewide?

B and E are the only relevant choices among the given ones.

E is more direct and closer to the premise, comparing last year's percentage to the overall decade's percentage.

While B states a steadily drop in drugs user. Steady is a neutral and soft word. Steady can be 1 in 1000 every year or 20 in 1000 every year. So not a 
good choice

A. School programs are far less important than parental messages in influencing a teenager’s decision to use drugs.

B. Drug use among teens in the five counties where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted has been dropping steadily for over a decade.

C. Teenagers at the public schools where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted reported higher average levels of drug use than did teenagers at private schools in the same counties where the program was not piloted.

D. There is evidence that teenagers who start smoking at an early age are more likely to experiment with illegal drugs than teenagers who do not smoke.

E. The percentage of teenagers who reported using drugs at the schools where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted dropped more in the last year than in any other year over the last decade.

kntombat · Answer

Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the argument of the advocates of “Stop Drugs Now” that the program should be expanded statewide?

A. School programs are far less important than parental messages in influencing a teenager’s decision to use drugs. (irrelevant)

B. Drug use among teens in the five counties where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted has been dropping steadily for over a decade. (this weakens the statement, as if the rate of drug use was already dropping then the "Stop Drugs Now" program is not needed in the first place, let alone the program being expanded to cover all of California).

C. Teenagers at the public schools where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted reported higher average levels of drug use than did teenagers at private schools in the same counties where the program was not piloted. (Opposite Effect).

D. There is evidence that teenagers who start smoking at an early age are more likely to experiment with illegal drugs than teenagers who do not smoke. (Irrelevant to the argument and the question stem).

E. The percentage of teenagers who reported using drugs at the schools where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted dropped more in the last year than in any other year over the last decade.

The OA is E

Iotaa · Answer

options A, C & D can be easily eliminated.

Option B says "Drug use among teens in the five counties where the “Stop Drugs Now” program was piloted has been dropping steadily  for over a decade " but the programme itself started last year. it means the programme, which was started last year has nothing to do with it. Reject

E is the clear winner.

Drug use among teens concerns many people in California. Advocates of

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