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69. Scientists have modifi ed feed corn genetically, increasing its resistance to insect pests. Farmers who tried out
the genetically modifi ed corn last season applied less insecticide to their corn fi elds and still got yields
comparable to those they would have gotten with ordinary corn. Ordinary corn seed, however, costs less,
and what these farmers saved on insecticide rarely exceeded their extra costs for seed. Therefore, for most
feed-corn farmers, switching to genetically modifi ed seed would be unlikely to increase profi ts.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?
(A) Whether there are insect pests that sometimes reduce feed-corn yields, but against which commonly used
insecticides and the genetic modifi cation are equally ineffective
(B) Whether the price that farmers receive for feed corn has remained steady over the past few years
(C) Whether the insecticides typically used on feed corn tend to be more expensive than insecticides typically
used on other crops
(D) Whether most of the farmers who tried the genetically modifi ed corn last season applied more insecticide
than was actually necessary
(E) Whether, for most farmers who plant feed corn, it is their most profi table crop
Argument Evaluation
Situation Farmers who grew feed corn genetically engineered to be pest resistant got yields
comparable to those of farmers growing ordinary feed corn, but did so while using less
pesticide. Since the amount saved on pesticide was rarely in excess of the extra costs for
the genetically modifi ed corn, most farmers will probably not increase profi ts by choosing
the genetically engineered variety.
Reasoning Which would be most useful to know in evaluating the argument? To answer a question such
as this, one should look for information that would strengthen or weaken the argument.
If one had information that the farmers growing the genetically modifi ed corn could
have increased their yields last year at lower cost, this would be helpful in evaluating the
argument, because this would show that the argument is weak.
A It does not matter to the argument whether there are pests against which pesticides and genetic
resistance are equally ineff ective, because that is compatible with there being pests against which
they are not equally eff ective.
B Whether prices of feed corn go up or down aff ects the comparison groups equally.
C Th e relative cost of insecticides for other crops has no bearing on the argument because the
argument is concerned with only feed corn.
D Correct. Th is option provides the information that it would be most useful to know in evaluating
the argument. It shows that farmers growing genetically modifi ed corn last year could have
attained higher profi ts than they in fact did.
E Th e argument concerns only the relative profi tability of growing one variety of feed corn versus
another.
Th e correct answer is D. |
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