The Asian Giant Hornet is an invasive species that routinely attacks

Question

The Asian Giant Hornet is an invasive species that routinely attacks North American bee colonies, decimating the bee populations and the many flowering plants that rely on the bees for pollination. Fortunately, conservationists have identified a toxin that renders the Asian Giant Hornet sterile. Introducing large quantities of this toxin into the food chain of regions infested by the Asian Giant Hornet will make it possible to save the flowering plants of those regions.

Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the conclusion of the argument?

A. If introduced in large quantities, the toxin not only sterilizes the Asian Giant Hornet but also many benign hornet species.
B. The presence of the toxin in the food chain will not sterilize the bees.
C. It is recently discovered that there are more toxins present in the hornet’s food chain than what conservationists previously believed. 
D. Animals that feed on flowering plants avoid areas infested by the Asian Giant Hornet.
E. The amount of the toxin naturally present in regions infested by the Asian Giant Hornet is neither significantly greater nor significantly less than the amount present in regions without the hornet.

This is a  CR Butler Question

Check the links to other Butler Projects:
 
  Data Sufficiency Butler  
  Problem Solving Butler  
  Reading Comprehension Butler

chloreton · Answer

I am choosing option B.

I see this question as more of an assumption type.

ie., if we negate B, we get "The presence of the toxin in the food chain WILL sterilize the bees". And if this were true the conclusion falls apart. ie., if the toxin harms the bees then pollination wont happen.

HuyBui · Answer

I choose A, but tbh I’m not sure, waiting for an official answer

Eisha30 · Answer

B.
The toxin in the food chain will not sterilize the bees.
This strongly supports the argument.

Why?
 • Bees continue pollinating.
 • Hornets become sterile.
 • Bee populations recover.
 • Flowering plants survive.

This directly strengthens the conclusion.

Adit_ · Answer

So basically Hornets-->Attack bees

Solution is:  Toxins-->Remove Hornets-->Let bees flourish-->More pollination

Now to further this argument or strengthen we need to make this chain stronger.

Option B directly addresses it by saying that more Toxins should ONLY affect the hornets. If it affects the bees then the whole plan fails and this strengthens it perfectly. Other options like A look tempting but they are irrelevant.

Answer:  Option B

Adit_ · Answer

Option A IMO is not right because harming other hornets is unnecessary when there is no link stated with respect to the bees. In fact benign hornet species mean rather harmless hornet species and affecting them is of no point.

HuyBui

I choose A, but tbh I’m not sure, waiting for an official answer

Dereno · Answer

The scenario is simple. There is AGH ( invasive species ) making routine attacks on the North American bee colonies, eventually resulting in Bees being decimated, and the flowering plants   which depends on these   bees are also decimated.

So, to counter it. The conservationists come up with a plan to make AGH sterile using a toxin. Thus, using the toxin in the entire food chains might help reduce the AGH.

Hence, the flowering plants are protected - this is the conclusion.

We need to strengthen the conclusion.

A. If introduced in large quantities, the toxin not only sterilizes the Asian Giant Hornet but also many benign hornet species.

The passage doesn’t mention anything about few AGHs, or some AGHs. So, the application of toxin is for the entire AGH population. This option speaks about a sub sect within the AGH population. Hence, Wrong.

B. The presence of the toxin in the food chain will not sterilize the bees.

This is the correct answer. If the toxins affect the bees, then the flowering plants which are dependent on the bees will eventually get decimated. This, the conclusion might fail.

C. It is recently discovered that there are more toxins present in the hornet’s food chain than what conservationists previously believed.

This provides a recent finding that toxin levels have increased in the AGH food Chains, does this toxin tricked down to the AGH population? What impact has it made? These questions still remain unanswered. Hence, Wrong.

D. Animals that feed on flowering plants avoid areas infested by the Asian Giant Hornet.

This brings a new aspect which is completely contradictory to the actual crux. Hence, wrong.

E. The amount of the toxin naturally present in regions infested by the Asian Giant Hornet is neither significantly greater nor significantly less than the amount present in regions without the hornet.

This option mentions the toxin levels where the AGH is infested vs the regions where AGH is not infested to be same. Are the levels high, or low. Because both cases yields different outcomes. Hence, wrong.

Option B

egmat · Answer

Hi HuyBui,

Let me walk you through why A doesn't support the conclusion and why B does.

First, let's trace the argument's logic chain: 
 1.  Asian Giant Hornets kill bees.
 2.  Bees pollinate flowering plants.
 3.  A toxin can sterilize the hornets.
 4.   Conclusion:  Introducing this toxin into the food chain will save the flowering plants.

Now here's the critical question: the plan involves dumping a toxin into the FOOD CHAIN — not just into the hornets directly. The food chain includes the bees too! So what happens if this toxin also sterilizes the bees? Then you'd wipe out the hornets AND the bees, and the flowering plants would STILL die from lack of pollination.  The whole plan would backfire.

Choice B eliminates exactly this danger.   It confirms the toxin won't sterilize the bees, so the bees will survive, keep pollinating, and the flowering plants will be saved. That's direct support for the conclusion.

Now look at  Choice A:  it says the toxin ALSO sterilizes benign hornet species. Does killing off other harmless hornets help save flowering plants? No. If anything, this is a negative side effect that might give conservationists pause — it hints the toxin is indiscriminate, which actually raises concern about what else it might harm. It certainly doesn't support the conclusion.

Key takeaway:  On Strengthen questions involving a plan, always ask 'Could this plan backfire?' The best strengthener is often the answer that eliminates the most dangerous way the plan could fail. Here, the biggest risk was the toxin harming the very bees the plan is trying to protect.

Answer: B

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Video explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnbp_09EMFs

EtaCarnia · Answer

I chose D - "Animals that feed on flowering plants avoid areas infested by the Asian Giant Hornet" because toxin will not impact the other animals. Hence provide support to the conclusion. I thought B is an assumption.

The Asian Giant Hornet is an invasive species that routinely attacks

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

The Asian Giant Hornet is an invasive species that routinely attacks

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards