kl Historian: We can learn about the medical history of individuals through chemical analysis of their hair. It is likely, for example, that Isaac Newton’s psychological problems were due to mercury poisoning; traces of mercury were found in his hair. Analysis is now being done on a lock of Beethoven’s hair. Although no convincing argument has shown that Beethoven ever had a venereal disease, some people hypothesize that venereal disease caused his deafness. Since mercury was commonly ingested in Beethoven’s time to treat venereal disease, if researchers find a trace of mercury in his hair, we can conclude that this hypothesis is correct.
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the historian’s argument depends?
(A) None of the mercury introduced into the body can be eliminated.
(B) Some people in Beethoven’s time did not ingest mercury.
(C) Mercury is an effective treatment for venereal disease.
(D) Mercury poisoning can cause deafness in people with venereal disease.
(E) Beethoven suffered from psychological problems of the same severity as Newton’s.作者: tongxun 时间: 2002-8-4 02:41
Can u exaberate more on your logic that if everyone ingests murcury, it is not Murcury that treats venereal diseases and then it isn't possible for Beethovon to get such disease.
The question claims that some who suffer from such diseases will take murcury to treat themselves. Therefore, it is possible that others who don't take such medicine since they are not infected. Given by such possibility, it is true murcury can be the treatment for venereal diseases authough some didn't ingest it.
So, the question is still here-- Why it is B?作者: tongxun 时间: 2002-8-5 17:34
The question is " an assumption on which the historian’s argument depends? "
1\ what is the historian’s argument ? The answer is some people hypothesize that venereal disease caused his deafness.
2\ what does the historian’s argument depend on? The answer is mercury was commonly ingested in Beethoven’s time to treat venereal disease.
so we can know that Mercury is a kind of medicine and that someone in B's time must not use such medicine because they did not contract venereal disease.
If everyone used Murcury in his time, to do so is maybe to follow a kind of fashion.作者: redpot 时间: 2002-8-6 08:25
I think "a" is better than "b". Are you sure that "b" is the best one? According to above, it feels like the assumption is "many people ingested mercury" instead of "some people didn't ingest mercury." Or are they same?作者: schwa995 时间: 2002-8-6 09:20
I agree with A!
The historian's argument is that if researcher find a trace in beethoven's hair, the hypothesis is warrented, isn't it?
The historian doesn't want to prove whether it is true that "Some people hypothsize that the Murcury is attributed to his deaf", but to relate the effectiveness of the tracing skills to the hypothesis.
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