WeakenDiff: Easy

Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: Someone tested a bug zapper and found it killed hundreds of bugs but very few mosquitoes, so they decided it's not a good tool for mosquito control.

Conclusion: Electric insect control devices are not effective at significantly reducing mosquito populations.

Reasoning: In a 24-hour test, less than 5% of the insects killed by the device were mosquitoes.

Analysis: The argument assumes that because the device kills a low percentage of mosquitoes relative to other insects, it must not be killing enough mosquitoes to make a difference. To weaken this, look for an answer that suggests the device is actually effective in absolute terms. For instance, if the device killed almost every mosquito in the vicinity, the fact that it also killed many other bugs would be irrelevant to its success. We want to find a reason why the small ratio of mosquitoes to total insects doesn't prove the device is a failure.

Passage Stimulus

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4.

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

Correct Answer
A
If no live mosquitoes were found nearby after the test, the device did meaningfully reduce the local mosquito population, directly undercutting the conclusion that it will not significantly aid in controlling mosquitoes.
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