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Difficulty: MediumApplying the Negation Technique

Agricultural Scientist: The new Lumina strain of tomatoes has been genetically modified to produce a natural compound that repels the silverleaf whitefly, a major agricultural pest. In controlled greenhouse trials, Lumina plants suffered 80 percent less whitefly damage than conventional tomato plants. Therefore, transitioning to the Lumina strain in our region's commercial outdoor farms will undoubtedly lead to a significant increase in overall tomato yields.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the agricultural scientist's argument?

  1. The natural compound produced by the Lumina strain does not repel the insects that are necessary for pollinating tomatoes in outdoor farms.Answer
  2. B
    The silverleaf whitefly is the only insect pest that significantly damages commercial tomato crops in the region.
  3. C
    The silverleaf whitefly causes more damage to tomato crops in the region than all other agricultural pests combined.
  4. D
    Commercial outdoor farms in the region have environmental conditions that are virtually identical to those in the controlled greenhouse trials.
  5. E
    All commercial outdoor farms in the region currently suffer from severe silverleaf whitefly infestations.

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that the natural compound produced by the Lumina strain does not repel the insects necessary for pollinating tomatoes.
This is a required assumption because applying the logical negation technique destroys the argument's conclusion. If we negate this statement to read, 'The natural compound produced by the Lumina strain DOES repel the insects that are necessary for pollinating tomatoes in outdoor farms,' the argument falls apart. If the plants repel the very insects needed to pollinate them, they will not bear fruit, making a 'significant increase in overall tomato yields' impossible. Thus, the scientist must assume the natural pesticide does not have this catastrophic side effect.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the conclusion of the argument.
Transitioning to the Lumina strain in commercial outdoor farms will lead to a significant increase in overall tomato yields.
Understanding the exact scope of the conclusion ('significant increase in overall yields' in 'outdoor farms') is critical for finding the necessary gap.
2
Identify the premises supporting the conclusion.
Lumina plants produce a compound that repels whiteflies, and in greenhouse trials, they suffered 80 percent less damage from this pest.
This establishes the evidence used to predict the future success of the crop.
3
Spot the logical gap in the reasoning.
The argument shifts from controlled greenhouse success (reducing pest damage) to outdoor agricultural success (increasing actual fruit yield).
Yield requires more than just pest resistance; in an outdoor environment, other factors (like pollination) are crucial.
4
Apply the Negation Technique to the answer choices.
Negating the correct option results in: 'The compound DOES repel the insects necessary for pollinating.' This directly destroys the possibility of increasing tomato yields.
A necessary assumption is one that, if proven false, completely dismantles the argument.

Key Concept

Applying the Negation Technique to identify necessary assumptions that rule out fatal alternative explanations (Defender Assumptions).
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Topics

Applying the Negation Technique

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