The previous two years have witnessed a major proliferation of studies

Question

The previous two years have witnessed a major proliferation of studies demonstrating the health benefits of egg consumption. During the same period, there has been a major decline in the number of eggs consumed by the public at large. Therefore, the majority of the public must be unaware of the findings of recent nutritional research.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the explanation above?

A. Per capita, the average person consumes 45 fewer eggs per year than 5 years ago.

B. People who consume egg whites at least 3 times per week have been shown to undergo a lifetime reduction in cholesterol levels.

C. Sales of free-range eggs have increased as sales of factory-farmed eggs have declined.

D. Purchases of breakfast cereals have increased significantly even as egg purchases have declined.

E. Over the last couple of years, an epidemic of bird flu has killed huge numbers of chickens and egg production has yet to catch up, radically increasing their price.

Source - Ready4Gmat

Praveenksinha · Answer

The previous two years have witnessed a major proliferation of studies demonstrating the health benefits of egg consumption. During the same period, there has been a major decline in the number of eggs consumed by the public at large. Therefore, the majority of the public must be unaware of the findings of recent nutritional research.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the explanation above?

Conclusion that public is unaware of findings can we weaken if somehow we can prove that there are other reason responsible for low consumption

A. Per capita, the average person consumes 45 fewer eggs per year than 5 years ago. :-  It does not give reason why consumption goes down

B. People who consume egg whites at least 3 times per week have been shown to undergo a lifetime reduction in cholesterol levels.:-  It just talk about another benefit, but unable to provide reason for low consumption

C. Sales of free-range eggs have increased as sales of factory-farmed eggs have declined.  Argument is not about types of egg, it is about low consumption

D. Purchases of breakfast cereals have increased significantly even as egg purchases have declined.   it does not talk about why egg purchase gone down

E. Over the last couple of years, an epidemic of bird flu has killed huge numbers of chickens and egg production has yet to catch up, radically increasing their price.  Correct, even though eggs are good for health, people are not buying because of epidemic supply has fallen and price increased. it explains why consumption of egg has decreased

Abhi077 · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The passage presents a situation (lately, people have been consuming fewer eggs, even though studies have shown they're good for you) and offers an explanation (people must not have heard about the studies). Now we have to pick the option that most explicitly challenges that explanation. An alternative explanation for the decline in egg consumption would work.

Choice (A) is just a restatement of the second sentence

Choice (B) is an example of the first. These don't challenge the conclusion.

Choice (C) gives more specific details about the egg decline, but doesn't really relate to its cause.

Choice (D) tells us what a lot of people eat when they're not eating eggs, but doesn't tell us why they're not eating eggs.

Choice (E) is what we're looking for. Higher egg prices are a plausible reason people might eat fewer eggs. If (E) is true, the explanation given in the passage may not be the best explanation for the decline in egg consumption.

The correct answer is Choice (E) .

The previous two years have witnessed a major proliferation of studies

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The previous two years have witnessed a major proliferation of studies

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