Last visit was: 25 Apr 2026, 23:42 It is currently 25 Apr 2026, 23:42
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
Hovkial
Joined: 23 Apr 2019
Last visit: 24 Nov 2022
Posts: 802
Own Kudos:
2,601
 [19]
Given Kudos: 202
Status:PhD trained. Education research, management.
Posts: 802
Kudos: 2,601
 [19]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
18
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Mona2019
Joined: 13 Mar 2018
Last visit: 27 Sep 2022
Posts: 190
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,608
Posts: 190
Kudos: 222
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
rbane7
Joined: 15 Jul 2017
Last visit: 18 May 2022
Posts: 4
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 4
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
Josephat1
Joined: 05 Jul 2020
Last visit: 07 Jul 2021
Posts: 12
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 6
Posts: 12
Kudos: 2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Alex avers that the farmers abandon the farms.
Jolene claims that the owners try to make their farms more productive.
These two arguments shows a disagreement (about responsibility)
therefore E is the answer.
avatar
Harshjha001
Joined: 14 Sep 2019
Last visit: 08 Oct 2021
Posts: 54
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 19
Posts: 54
Kudos: 25
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
IMO B .

Because "quick ,easy profit" doesn't go together with "productive for many years" . Basically it's the tenure of farming that is the bone of contention .
avatar
Sayantan1604
Joined: 11 Aug 2019
Last visit: 03 Apr 2022
Posts: 19
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 48
Status:Applying
Location: India
Concentration: International Business, Marketing
GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V34
Products:
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
ANS B is correct
Reasoning: The last phrase of Alex's quote says that shrimp farms make a quick easy profit
Jolene disagrees to this part by quoting the time consuming, unsustainable and costly nature of shrimp farms.
User avatar
ironman_97
Joined: 17 Dec 2019
Last visit: 16 Oct 2025
Posts: 106
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 118
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Strategy
GMAT Focus 1: 665 Q88 V79 DI82
GMAT Focus 2: 685 Q88 V81 DI83
Products:
GMAT Focus 2: 685 Q88 V81 DI83
Posts: 106
Kudos: 46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Complete Question Explanation
https://forum.powerscore.com/viewtopic.php?t=5840

Point at Issue. The correct answer choice is (B)

Alex argues that shrimp farming damage the environment because investors seek to make quick
profit before abandoning the farms. Jolene concedes that some farms are unsustainable, but disagrees
with Alex’s conclusion. According to Jolene, farms require a large initial investment in time and
money, which is why most owners try to keep them productive for a long time.

Jolene’s response is concerned solely with economics of shrimp farming. While she disagrees
with Alex’s conclusion that shrimp farming results in environmental damage, Jolene makes no
overt comment regarding how much damage, if any, is caused by shrimp farming. Because the two
speakers are having a disagreement over an issue that is factual in nature, ethical answers, such as
answer choice (E), will be incorrect. The correct answer to this Point at Issue question will contain
a factual statement that passes the Agree/Disagree Test, i.e. it must produce responses where one
speaker would say, “Yes, I agree with this statement” and the other speaker would say, “No, I
disagree with it.” Unless both responses are produced, the answer choice is incorrect.

Answer choice (A): This answer choice may seem attractive, because Jolene claims that most owners
try to keep their farms for a long time whereas Alex implies that they do not. However, neither
speaker would disagree that owners eventually abandon their farms. The issue is how quickly they do
so, not whether they do it.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice, because Alex would agree with the
statement and Jolene would disagree with it. According to Alex, investors make quick profits and
then abandon the farms. Jolene would disagree, arguing that the profit is neither quick nor easy.
Answer choice (B) passes the Agree/Disagree Test, and is therefore the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (C): This answer choice is incorrect, because it does not pass the Agree/Disagree
Test. Alex would clearly disagree with this statement, claiming that shrimp farming often damages
the environment. Jolene’s response, on the other hand, is less than clear. Recall that her argument
only addresses the economics of shrimp farming, not its environmental impact. While Jolene
disagrees with Alex’s position in general, she concedes that some shrimp farms are unsustainable.
Consequently, she would not necessarily agree that shrimp farming “hardly ever” damages the
environment.

Answer choice (D): Jolene would probably agree that the abandonment of a single shrimp farm is
unlikely to damage the environment. However, Alex only argues that shrimp farming as a whole
damages the environment; it is unclear if he would also agree that the abandonment of a single
shrimp farm is bound to do the same.

Answer choice (E): The normative dimension of this answer choice makes it relatively easy to
eliminate, because the point at issue between Alex and Jolene is factual, not ethical. Additionally,
there is no reason to suspect that either speaker would disagree with the claim that some shrimp
farmers are environmentally irresponsible, especially given Jolene’s concession that some shrimp
farms have proved unsustainable.
User avatar
Raman109
Joined: 17 Aug 2009
Last visit: 28 Jul 2025
Posts: 706
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 33
Posts: 706
Kudos: 212
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Understanding the argument - ­
Alex: Shrimp farming results in damage to the environment (Claim/conclusion), because investors make quick profits from such farming and then abandon the farms. (reasoning/supporting premise).

Investors make quick profits --> abandon the farm, --> damage the environment.

Jolene: I disagree. Although some shrimp farms have proved unsustainable and have been quickly abandoned, properly built shrimp farms take a long time to construct and are costly to operate. Most owners try to make sure that their farms are productive for many years.

When Jolene says, "I disagree"? with what Jolene disagrees? From this context, we can understand that she is saying that "properly built shrimp farms take a long time to construct and are costly to operate," meaning that profits are not easy. Moreover, they need to run their sustainability for many years to recover the costs and make profits.

Investors do not make quick profits --> Usually they don't abandon the farm as it takes long to make profits.

Their dialogue provides the most support for the claim that Alex and Jolene disagree with each other over whether

(A) most owners of shrimp farms eventually abandon their farms - While Alex says the abandonment happens frequently, Jolene doesn't address the frequency aspect. Moreover, running sustainably for many years means that they eventually abandon. So, there is no disagreement, at least. Wrong.

(B) shrimp farming often yields a quick, easy profit - Yes, that is the disagreement.

(C) shrimp farming hardly ever damages the environment - hyperbolic. Jolene acknowledges that some shrimp farms have proved unsustainable and have been quickly abandoned, leading to environmental damage. Wrong.

(D) abandonment of a shrimp farm results in damage to the environment - both acknowledge. Opposite.

(E) some shrimp farmers are environmentally irresponsible - not a disagreement.
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 19,426
Own Kudos:
Posts: 19,426
Kudos: 1,010
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7391 posts
506 posts
361 posts