The incidence in japan of most types of cancer is remarkably low compa

Question

The incidence in japan of most types of cancer is remarkably low compared to that in North America , especially considering that japan has a modern life style, industrial pollution included. The cancer rates, however, for japanese people who immigrate to north america and adopt the diet of north americans approximate the higher cancer rates prevalent in north america

If the statements above are true, they provide the most support for which one of the following?

A. the greater the level of industrial pollution in a country, the higher that country's cancer rate will tend to be.

B. the stress of life in north american is greater than that of life in japan and predisposes to cancer.

C. the staple foods of the japanese diet contain elements that cure cancer.

D. the relatively low rate of cancer among people in japan does not result from a high frequency of a protective genetic trait among japanese people

E. The higher cancer rates of japanese immigrants to north america are cused by fats in the north american diet.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

(A) No. In fact, the passage implies that Japan and North America have similar levels of industrial pollution.

(B) No. In fact, the passage states that Japan has a modern life-style. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the levels of stress are equivalent to those in North America.

(C) No. This choice is tempting, but it has a flaw. Instead of the Japanese diet curing cancer, perhaps the North American diet causes cancer.

(D) Yes.  That Japanese who immigrated to North America soon developed the same rate of cancer as other North Americans is strong evidence that the lower cancer rate in Japan is due to diet, not genetic or environmental factors.

(E) No. This is too strong. Although the passage provides support for arguing that the different cancer rates in Japan and North America are due to the different diets, it does not state or imply that any particular factor in the North American diet causes cancer.

Vicky · Answer

Will go with D.
Only thing that can be reasonably assumed from passage is that Japanese dont have protective genetic traits against cancer, else even in North america  they wud have not got cancer .
E - is not correct - how can u assume that it is fat. Remember not to bring info. from outside the argument. No where passage says that american diet contains more fat..!! u know it from outside.
ps: This is what can you infer/conclude/ type question, given the argument. In such questions be cautious not to bring anything from outside passage/assumption.
In evidence type questions - which will further strengthen/weaken the argument - one is allowed to bring assumption/support/evidence from outside.
paret, correct me if i am wrong.
thanks

Praetorian · Answer

Vicks/Vaka

D is correct.

A B and C are obviously wrong.

 Exy  :

For E, a big clue is the "STRONG WORDING" of E.... any inference is just
a slight extension of the agruments conclusion...

E says too much..

1. How does one know what the immigrants diet was...were they eating fast food /snacks left right and center...

2. How can we say that fat causes cancer. Let us remember not to influence our choice by our own experience (easier said that done)

D goes a little further in that it does not try to very specific.. it leaves room for other causes...it just rules out one. 

 Vicks  :

As to vicks comment, even D brings info outside the argument. 

With E, in fact, DIET is mentioned in the argument. so one might be tempted to select E, which is what i did. 

thanks
praetorian

bhandariavi · Answer

We can be sure about D because – If Japanese would have been protected by some genetic traits then immigrant Japanese would not have suffered in North America.
However about B- stress, diet, or anything else can be the cause of cancer in North America.
Hope that helped to clarify!
Sorry for my grammatical errors!

nikhilfotedar · Answer

its D because there is nothing given in the passage regarding Stress. The only thing mentioned is the diet. So basically you cannot select B as Japan too has a modern lifestyle.

gauravnagpal · Answer

now left with B C D 
If B were correct then by the same logic C should also be correct . Hence we are left with D ..

Alternatively 
we do not have info about the lifestyle in N america .
We do not have any info about food in N America

but we know that if a person moves from Japan to America then the probaility is high leaves me with a conclusion that Japanese genetically are not immuned to cancer.. I do not know whether it is their diet or the lifestyle or the pollution levels as we donot have info about N America 
 
regards

mvictor · Answer

straight D. it is not the genetics that is responsible for low rate of cancer. A - no, as we are told that in Japan pollution exists as well B - stress is not discussed here. it might be true, but might not. 2 possible outcomes. no C - we can't know for sure whether the food cures cancer. what if the food in NA gets you cancer? and by not eating it, you don't have cancer. if such, then C doesn't work. D - aha, so it's not genetics that help japanese people. E - it says that japanese people got cancer because of the fats - but what if it's not fats that gave those people cancer?

D it is.

TheRzS · Answer

E
Short-listed D and E 
Assumption negation - E stands, D doesn't
Experts, please advise.

sayantanc2k · Answer

This is not an assumption type question. This an inference type - so use of negation technique won't be useful.

D is correct. The only problem with E is the reference of fats, otherwise E would also be an inference.

VerbalBot · Answer

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The incidence in japan of most types of cancer is remarkably low compa

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