Psychiatrist: Breaking any habit is difficult, especially when it invo

Question

Psychiatrist: Breaking any habit is difficult, especially when it involves an addictive substance. People who break a habit are more likely to be motivated by immediate concerns than by long-term ones. Therefore, people who succeed in breaking their addiction to smoking cigarettes are more likely to be motivated by the social pressure against smoking—which is an immediate concern—than by health concerns, since _______.

The conclusion of the psychiatrist’s argument is most strongly supported if which one of the following completes the argument?

(A) a habit that involves an addictive substance is likely to pose a greater health threat than a habit that does not involve any addictive substance
(B) for most people who successfully quit smoking, smoking does not create an immediate health concern at the time they quit
(C) some courses of action that exacerbate health concerns can also relieve social pressure
(D) most people who succeed in quitting smoking succeed only after several attempts
(E) everyone who succeeds in quitting smoking is motivated either by social pressure or by health concerns

raghavmalawat · Answer

The premise states that the person breaks a habit being lured by immediate benefits rather than thinking about long term ones.

Since it is stated, social pressure causes people to quit smoking unlike health concerns, we can infer that health concerns isn't one that gives immediate results like social pressure.

Answer choice B says the exact same thing.

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StevenA · Answer

The conclusion says that People who succeed in breaking the smoking habit are more likely to be motivated by social pressure (immediate concern) than by health concerns.
In order to make this conclusion valid, the second term (health concern) needs to be the long-term concern or non-immediate concern. Hence, only option B that provides this answer.

vishumangal · Answer

Please find my reasoning below
(A) a habit that involves an addictive substance is likely to pose a greater health threat than a habit that does not involve any addictive substance- Incorrect. Argument does not talk about the comparison in degree of health hazard
(B) for most people who successfully quit smoking, smoking does not create an immediate health concern at the time they quit- Correct. Preceding clause before Blank do talk about the smoking and type of concern it is 
(C) some courses of action that exacerbate health concerns can also relieve social pressure - Irrelevant. answer choice will be something which concludes the argument rather than give new premise or reasoning
(D) most people who succeed in quitting smoking succeed only after several attempts - Irrelevant. We are not concerned with how they quit smoking.
(E) everyone who succeeds in quitting smoking is motivated either by social pressure or by health concerns- Irrelevant

agrasan · Answer

We have to find a  reason  why people who succeed in breaking their addiction to smoking cigarettes are more likely to be motivated by the social pressure against smoking than by health concerns.

(A) a habit that involves an addictive substance is likely to pose a greater health threat than a habit that does not involve any addictive substance
 Incorrect , comparing what happens in an addictive substance with happens in non-addictive substance is of no help for us to understand why people choose social pressure over health concerns in the additive substance quitting.

(B) for most people who successfully quit smoking, smoking does not create an immediate health concern at the time they quit
 Correct , gives us a reason that people don't see much of a health concern when quitting smoking so they don't think about it and choose social pressure instead.

(C) some courses of action that exacerbate health concerns can also relieve social pressure
 Incorrect , talks about some courses of action and doesn't talk specifically about smoking which is relevant to us.

(D) most people who succeed in quitting smoking succeed only after several attempts
 Incorrect , doesn't explain why people choose social pressure over immediate health concerns.

(E) everyone who succeeds in quitting smoking is motivated either by social pressure or by health concerns
 Incorrect , goes against the conclusion, if people are motivated by both then it contradicts the conclusion and confuses us why people choose social pressure over immediate health concerns.

Psychiatrist: Breaking any habit is difficult, especially when it invo

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Psychiatrist: Breaking any habit is difficult, especially when it invo

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