#10 - Creating a database of all the plant species in the

[Administrator]

Please post below with any questions!

[Kdup]

Hi Powerscore,

I don't really understand why answer choice C is incorrect. I selected answer choice C because no where in the stimulus does it talk about other fields besides botany. Even if it were true, wouldn't it also be irrelevant to the argument. I eliminated D on the basis that the stimulus didn't give no reason to infer that the botanist had no techniques. I just thought that they didn't have the proper technique or one that was efficient.

[Luke Haqq]

Hi Kdup,

To begin, we should categorize this question as a Cannot Be True question (Of the following claims, which one can most justifiably be rejected on the basis of the statements above?). On a Cannot Be True question, of the 5 possible answer choices, 4 of them could possibly be true. The correct answer choice is the only one that can't be true based on the information given.

You're right that (C) is bringing in information that is not talked about in the stimulus. However, that just means we don't know whether or not answer (C) is true. In other words, that means, based on the information given (C) could be true. That's why (C) can't be the correct answer--the correct answer cannot possibly be true based on the stimulus. (C) could possibly be true.

By contrast, answer (D) states, "Botanists have no techniques for determining whether distinct plant species have been given distinct names." We know this is false because the stimulus states that "by using DNA analysis, botanists have shown that varieties of plants long thought to belong to the same species actually belong to different species." DNA analysis is thus a technique "for determining whether distinct plant species have been given distinct names," which is why (D) cannot be true and is thus the correct answer.

[kennypark17]

I thought D) was more along the lines of that there was no standardized naming technique of naming plants. The DNA analysis doesn't really say anything about the naming system of those plants.

[Sky Brooks]

Hi Kennypark17,

Answer choice D states, "Botanists have no techniques for determining whether distinct plant species have been given distinct names."
This statement is not about the technique of naming the plants, but rather about whether botanists have a technique for making sure that all different species of plants have actually been given different, distinct names. It is the having, or the not having, of the technique that matters.

The passage states, "And by using DNA analysis, botanists have shown that varieties of plants long thought to belong to the same species actually belong to different species." -- In other words, botanists can use DNA analysis to determine the actual species of a plant, despite what the name is. So they have the technique, it's DNA analysis.

Because this is a MUST BE FALSE question, D is the correct answer. The passage above directly refutes statement D, making it the correct choice.

Hope this helps!

-Sky Brooks

[LawSchoolDream]

I intuitively got this question correct but was stuck with C as well. Can you please share why not c?

And also can you please share what indicators in stimulus and correct answer choice reveal cause and effect? I didn't quietcatch that.

[Jeff Wren]

Hi LawSchoolDream,

Luke's post above explains why Answer C is incorrect.

Just to expand on his explanation, this is a Cannot Be True question, which is a fairly rare question type in logical reasoning. For these questions, you are looking for the answer that directly contradicts the information in the stimulus.

If an answer choice contains information outside of the scope of the information in the stimulus, then it doesn't directly contradict the information of the stimulus and is incorrect. In other words, that answer "could be true" based on the information in the stimulus. Answer C discusses fields other than botany. Since we know nothing about fields other than botany based on the information in the stimulus, this answer does not directly contradict the stimulus and is therefore wrong.

This question doesn't really involve causal reasoning.

[LawSchoolDream]

Hi LawSchoolDream,

Luke's post above explains why Answer C is incorrect.

Just to expand on his explanation, this is a Cannot Be True question, which is a fairly rare question type in logical reasoning. For these questions, you are looking for the answer that directly contradicts the information in the stimulus.

If an answer choice contains information outside of the scope of the information in the stimulus, then it doesn't directly contradict the information of the stimulus and is incorrect. In other words, that answer "could be true" based on the information in the stimulus. Answer C discusses fields other than botany. Since we know nothing about fields other than botany based on the information in the stimulus, this answer does not directly contradict the stimulus and is therefore wrong.

This question doesn't really involve causal reasoning.

Thanks for expanding this further, its helpful!