GMAT Focus EditionVerbal ReasoningHard
A recent article discusses the decline in bee populations globally, attributing it primarily to the widespread use of neonicotinoid pesticides. The article concludes that banning these pesticides is the most effective way to reverse the decline. Which of the following, if true, would provide the strongest reason to doubt the article's conclusion?
- AAlternative pesticides that are equally effective against pests are often more expensive for farmers.
- BBees are also affected by habitat loss and climate change, factors not addressed by a pesticide ban.
- CSome neonicotinoid pesticides are less harmful to bees than others, depending on their application.
- DBee populations have been declining for several decades, predating the widespread use of neonicotinoid pesticides.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Bee populations have been declining for several decades, predating the widespread use of neonicotinoid pesticides.
The article's conclusion assumes that neonicotinoids are the primary cause of the decline. If the decline started before these pesticides were widely used, it suggests that other factors are at play, or that neonicotinoids are not the *primary* cause, thus weakening the idea that banning them is the *most effective* way to reverse the decline.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This addresses the economic feasibility for farmers, not the effectiveness of the ban in reversing bee decline.
- B. This points to other contributing factors, suggesting a ban might not be *sufficient* but doesn't necessarily mean it's not *effective* or *the most effective* for its part. It weakens slightly but less directly than D.
- C. This suggests a nuance in the pesticide issue but doesn't challenge the fundamental role of neonicotinoids in the overall decline.
Challenging Primary Causation
To doubt a claim of primary causation, look for evidence of alternative causes, or evidence that the claimed cause was not present when the effect began.
- Correlation does not equal causation.
- Temporal precedence is key for causation.
- Multiple factors often contribute to complex phenomena.
Memory trick: When a conclusion's too neat, check if its timeline's complete!