Two different cages of rabbits were given injections of mild toxins. In addition, the first cage was also exposed to cold temperature; three-fourths of the rabbits in this cage became sick. Only one-fifth of the rabbits in the normal temperature cage became sick. The lab technicians concluded that cold temperature increases the likelihood of illness in rabbits.
The technicians' conclusion logically depends on which of the following assumptions?
(A) The exposure to cold temperature acted as a catalyst for the toxins which made more rabbits in the first cage sick.
Correct: if we asssume that the cold exposure itself somehow contributed to the higher illness rate then we can conclude that cold temperature increases the likelihood of illness in rabbits
(B) The toxins given to the rabbits in the two cages were of varying strength.
Wrong:Weakens the conclusion: if the toxins differed in strength, that could explain the different illness rates.
(C) Injecting the rabbits with toxins made them sick.
Wrong: conclusioni s about cold making them possibly sick alongside toxins.
(D) Even without the exposure to cold temperature, the rabbits in the first cage would have probably gotten sick.
Wrong: it weakens because we need to prove that “The lab technicians concluded that cold temperature increases the likelihood of illness in rabbits”. So cold= likelihood of illness in rabbits
(E) Even exposing rabbits to slight variances in temperature is likely to induce illness.
Wrong: it is too broad; the experiment concerns this particular cold exposure, not slight temperature changes in general.