Necessary AssumptionDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Insects like to eat weak plants, and pesticides don't make plants stronger, so the author suggests using good soil to grow tougher plants that bugs won't want to eat.
Conclusion: Improving soil quality is a superior method for decreasing how vulnerable crops are to insect damage.
Reasoning: Insects prefer weaker plants, and while pesticides kill bugs, they don't fix the plant's underlying weakness, whereas robust plants are naturally less attractive to pests.
Analysis: The argument assumes a crucial link: that 'good soil' actually produces the 'robust crops' mentioned in the premises. If good soil doesn't lead to robust, insect-resistant plants, the conclusion falls apart. We are looking for a necessary assumption that connects the proposed solution (good soil) to the desired outcome (robust, less vulnerable crops). Ask yourself: what must be true about the relationship between soil nutrients and plant strength for this advice to make sense?
Conclusion: Improving soil quality is a superior method for decreasing how vulnerable crops are to insect damage.
Reasoning: Insects prefer weaker plants, and while pesticides kill bugs, they don't fix the plant's underlying weakness, whereas robust plants are naturally less attractive to pests.
Analysis: The argument assumes a crucial link: that 'good soil' actually produces the 'robust crops' mentioned in the premises. If good soil doesn't lead to robust, insect-resistant plants, the conclusion falls apart. We are looking for a necessary assumption that connects the proposed solution (good soil) to the desired outcome (robust, less vulnerable crops). Ask yourself: what must be true about the relationship between soil nutrients and plant strength for this advice to make sense?
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage23.Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
Correct Answer
D
To recommend good soil as the better way to reduce vulnerability, the argument must assume that crops grown in good soil tend to be more robust. Negation test: If crops grown in good soil do not tend to be more robust, then growing in good soil wouldn’t necessarily reduce vulnerability—collapsing the argument.
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