Local resident: An overabundance of algae must be harmful to the small

Question

Local resident: An overabundance of algae must be harmful to the smaller fish in this pond. During the fifteen or so years that I have lived here, the few times that I have seen large numbers of dead small fish wash ashore in late summer coincide exactly with the times that I have noticed abnormally large amounts of algae in the water.

The local resident’s argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it

The local resident’s argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it

(A) presumes, without providing justification, that smaller fish are somehow more susceptible to harm as a result of overabundant algae than are larger fish

(B) fails to consider that the effects on smaller fish of overabundant algae may be less severe in larger bodies of water with more diverse ecosystems

(C) ignores the possibility that the same cause might have different effects on fish of different sizes

(D) ignores the possibility that the overabundance of algae and the deaths of smaller fish are independent effects of a common cause

(E) ignores the possibility that below-normal amounts of algae are detrimental to the pond’s smaller fish

sampriya · Answer

(A) presumes, without providing justification, that smaller fish are somehow more susceptible to harm as a result of overabundant algae than are larger fish

Larger fish is out of scope

(B) fails to consider that the effects on smaller fish of overabundant algae may be less severe in larger bodies of water with more diverse ecosystems

larger bodies of water and diverse ecosystems is out of scope

(C) ignores the possibility that the same cause might have different effects on fish of different sizes
different sizes of fish are out of scope

(D) ignores the possibility that the overabundance of algae and the deaths of smaller fish are independent effects of a common cause
this option talks about a third cause that results in these two effects. this weakens!!
 D is the correct option

(E) ignores the possibility that below-normal amounts of algae are detrimental to the pond’s smaller fish
we are only concerned with overabundance therefore below normal is out of scope

aniket16c · Answer

(A) presumes, without providing justification, that smaller fish are somehow more susceptible to harm as a result of overabundant algae than are larger fish
larger fish is not discussed in this argument - out of scope

(B) fails to consider that the effects on smaller fish of overabundant algae may be less severe in larger bodies of water with more diverse ecosystems
- even if the resident does consider that the effect is alleviated because of diverse ecosystem, there is an effect present. The argument does not concern about the degree of effect, it only concerns about the effect

(C) ignores the possibility that the same cause might have different effects on fish of different sizes
- The argument only talks about small fish - out of context

(D) ignores the possibility that the overabundance of algae and the deaths of smaller fish are independent effects of a common cause
- Correct! Pollution could be common cause behind the two events

(E) ignores the possibility that below-normal amounts of algae are detrimental to the pond’s smaller fish
- Out of context

VerbalBot · Answer

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Local resident: An overabundance of algae must be harmful to the small

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Local resident: An overabundance of algae must be harmful to the small

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