Weaken

A recent study of municipal programs found that cities instituting "pay-as-you-throw" waste disposal systems—where residents are charged a fee based on the weight of their non-recyclable trash—saw a 40 percent increase in the total tonnage of materials collected in residential recycling bins during the first year. The study's authors conclude from this that the financial penalty successfully motivated residents to properly sort and recycle a much larger proportion of their eligible household waste.

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

City Councilor: Our new municipal tax on sugary beverages, implemented one year ago, has been a resounding success in improving public health. We know this because retail data shows that the total volume of sugary beverages sold within the city limits has decreased by 20% since the tax was introduced.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the city councilor's argument?

Match each of the following arguments (1-4) with the newly discovered fact that most seriously undermines its reasoning.

Historian: In the mid-14th century, settlements in the Variscan Highlands that had recently adopted the 'deep-furrow' agricultural method experienced a 40 percent greater population decline during the regional famine than neighboring Variscan settlements that retained traditional shallow tilling. Therefore, the deep-furrow method was likely more susceptible to the severe drought that caused the famine, leading to more catastrophic crop yields and higher starvation rates in the settlements that used it.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the historian's argument?

Botanist: The traditional view among ecologists is that the rapid decline of the indigenous Luminis plant population in the valley was caused by an influx of herbivorous beetles. However, recent field data reveals that during the five years immediately preceding the plant's near-extinction, the plants significantly decreased their production of toxic alkaloids—their primary natural defense against the beetles. If the beetles were truly the primary threat, the plants would have evolved to increase, rather than decrease, their alkaloid production. Therefore, the decline of the Luminis plant must have been caused by a different environmental factor, such as nutrient depletion in the soil.

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the botanist's argument?

Match each argument with the piece of new evidence that most effectively weakens its conclusion. Assume all evidence statements are true.

Match each brief argument with the specific piece of new evidence that most effectively weakens its conclusion.

For each argumentative claim presented on the left, identify the factual statement on the right that most severely undermines its conclusion.

The following exercise presents four short arguments on various topics. For each argument, select the single piece of newly discovered information that exposes its most significant logical vulnerability and weakens its conclusion.

Marine Biologist: The accelerated structural degradation of the deep-water coral Lophelia pertusa in the Boreal Basin over the last twenty years is widely attributed to oceanic acidification. Proponents of this theory argue that higher acidity depletes the dissolved calcium carbonate that the corals extract from the water to build their skeletons. However, recent hydrographic surveys demonstrate that the overall concentration of dissolved calcium carbonate in the Boreal Basin has actually risen by nearly twelve percent over this exact timeframe. Clearly, the degradation of the coral's structure is not a consequence of oceanic acidification, but must stem from a different environmental stressor, such as the recently documented increase in deep-sea trawling.

Statement: If true, the fact that the recent twelve percent increase in dissolved calcium carbonate in the Boreal Basin consists entirely of aragonite—the specific crystalline form of calcium carbonate that constitutes the existing skeletons of Lophelia pertusa and which dissolves rapidly when exposed to higher acidity—weakens the marine biologist's argument.

Analyze the four arguments below. Match each argument (Left) to the specific piece of new evidence (Right) that most severely weakens its conclusion by exposing its underlying logical flaw.

Historian: The rapid population growth in the Aethelian Valley during the 11th century was almost certainly driven by the introduction of the heavy iron plow. Prior to its introduction in 1012, the valley's population had been stagnant for over two centuries. By 1050, the population had nearly doubled. The heavy plow allowed farmers to cultivate the dense, clay-rich soils of the valley floor, significantly increasing the total agricultural yield and thus supporting a much larger population.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the historian's argument?

Ornithologist: A recent study found that urban crows living in close proximity to fast-food restaurants have significantly higher average body weights than crows living in rural habitats. The diet of these urban crows consists heavily of discarded processed foods, which are notoriously high in calories. Therefore, it is clear that the consumption of these high-calorie processed foods is the primary cause of the increased body weight in these urban crows.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the ornithologist's argument?

Human Resources Director: Six months ago, our company replaced its open-plan office layout with private cubicles in an effort to boost employee productivity. Recent observational data reveals that employees are currently spending 30 percent less time engaging in casual conversations in the office corridors than they did before the renovation. Clearly, the transition to private cubicles has successfully increased overall worker productivity by reducing social distractions.

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the human resources director's argument?

Nutritionist: Residents of the mountainous region of Vargia consume an unusually high amount of the local root vegetable kalian, and they also boast the lowest rates of heart disease in the country. To combat rising rates of heart disease nationwide, the government should subsidize the cultivation of kalian and promote its consumption among the general population.

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the nutritionist's argument?

Argument: Last year, the Sunnyvale City Council launched a public awareness campaign promoting the health benefits of eating locally grown produce. Over the past twelve months, the sales of locally grown produce at Sunnyvale farmers' markets have doubled. The city council concludes that their public awareness campaign successfully persuaded residents to buy more local produce.

Statement: The new fact that a massive nationwide shortage of non-local produce drastically increased the prices of imported vegetables over the last twelve months actively weakens the city council's conclusion.

Nutritionist: The new energy bar, PowerBite, consists of 25% pure whey protein, whereas our current best-selling bar, MaxEnergy, consists of only 15% whey protein. Since whey protein is the primary driver of muscle recovery after strenuous workouts, athletes looking to maximize their muscle recovery should immediately switch from eating MaxEnergy bars to eating PowerBite bars.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the nutritionist's argument?

Match each argument below to the piece of new evidence that most directly weakens its conclusion.

City Council Member: Last month, we installed a new, synchronized traffic light system at the Oak Street intersection. This month, the number of traffic accidents at that intersection dropped by 30% compared to the previous month. Therefore, the new traffic light system has clearly improved safety by reducing accidents at the Oak Street intersection.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the city council member's argument?

Argument: A recent study observed that individuals who consume green tea daily are significantly less likely to contract the common cold compared to those who do not drink green tea. The researchers concluded that specific antioxidants in green tea actively strengthen the immune system against cold viruses.

Statement: The new evidence that individuals who drink green tea daily are also much more likely to practice rigorous hand hygiene and avoid crowded places during cold season weakens the researchers' conclusion.