Q10 - Farmer: Agricultural techniques such as crop rotation

[mshinners]

Question Type:
Strengthen

Stimulus Breakdown:
While there may be effective agricultural methods that can't be sold, for-profit corporations won't research them. Therefore, the government must

Answer Anticipation:
Whoa, whoa, whoa. If not corporations, then the government? That's a classic false choice flaw. There are plenty of other organizations that could research these methods (e.g., environmental groups). Answer choices that rule out alternative sources of research will strengthen this argument.

Correct answer:
(C)

Answer choice analysis:
(A) Tempting! This seems to be saying that the conclusion happens at least some times. However, two issues. First the conclusion is that only the government will do this, so learning that they do it doesn't help. Second, this answer is about research "likely" to solve problems, which is a qualifier not present in the argument.

(B) Neutral. Since this answer doesn't specifically connect to the conclusion (the government's involvement), it doesn't have the necessary implications to strengthen the argument.

(C) Bingo. Individuals, non-corporations, and non-governmental entities aren't very involved in this research. If that's the case, and we know corporations won't get involved, that leaves the government.

(D) Inverse/out of scope. The argument cares about the ones that don't involve commerical products.

(E) Tempting! Similar to (A), however, this answer supports the conclusion that government engages in this research, not the conclusion that only government engages in this research.

Takeaway/Pattern:
When a conclusion is limiting ("only government"), answer choices making it possible government does something don't have an impact; the conclusion is more about the other entities than about government (rephrased, the conclusion is, "No organizations outside of government engage in this research"), and thus will almost certainly be brought up in the correct answer.

#officialexplanation

[Smokyearlgrey]

Dear forum,

Would (A) be the necessary assumption then?

[EmilyL849]

I think (A) is indeed a necessary assumption.

If the government does not sponsor any techniques that are considered likely to solve agricultural problems and do not use commercial products, then how can it be that only gov-sponsored research investigate agricultural techniques that do not use commercial products?

The issue of “likely” is okay for a necessary assumption. The premise relies on agricultural techniques that MAY solve problems. A group of techniques that may solve a problem includes those that are “likely” to solve it.

Is my understanding correct in this case?
Thank you.

[ohthatpatrick]

I would agree that (A) is a Nec Assumption (love that you said "AN assumption" not "THE assumption), but you would have to turn "likely" into "may / possibly / plausibly".

There is nothing in the argument about techniques that are considered LIKELY to solve a problem.

There is language about whether research is considered likely / unlikely to lead to a marketable product, but no language about something being considered "likely to solve" a problem.

If we said:
Donny is struggling to memorize conditional logic. Thus, he may want to consider flashcards.

This only assumes that "flashcards MAY help him memorize conditional logic", not that flashcards will LIKELY help him memorize.

It sounded like you were backwards when you said this;
A group of techniques that may solve a problem includes those that are “likely” to solve it.


If I know a technique is likely to solve a problem, then I can say it may solve a problem.
But if I only know it may solve a problem, I can't say it's likely to solve a problem.

[EmilyL849]

Hi, Patrick

Thank you for the reply and you are totally right.
I did get the two backward. LR is so confusing

Thank you always!