PrepTest 28, Section 3, Question 12
Letter to the Editor: Your article on effective cockroach control states that vexone is effective against only one of the more than 4,000 cockroach species that infest North America: the German cockroach. In actuality, vexone has been utilized effectively for almost a decade against all of the species that infest North America. In testing our product, Roach Ender, which contains vexone, we have conducted many well-documented studies that prove this fact.
Letter to the Editor: Your article on effective cockroach control states that vexone is effective against only one of the more than 4,000 cockroach species that infest North America: the German cockroach. In actuality, vexone has been utilized effectively for almost a decade against all of the species that infest North America. In testing our product, Roach Ender, which contains vexone, we have conducted many well-documented studies that prove this fact.
Letter to the Editor: Your article on effective cockroach control states that vexone is effective against only one of the more than 4,000 cockroach species that infest North America: the German cockroach. In actuality, vexone has been utilized effectively for almost a decade against all of the species that infest North America. In testing our product, Roach Ender, which contains vexone, we have conducted many well-documented studies that prove this fact.
Letter to the Editor: Your article on effective cockroach control states that vexone is effective against only one of the more than 4,000 cockroach species that infest North America: the German cockroach. In actuality, vexone has been utilized effectively for almost a decade against all of the species that infest North America. In testing our product, Roach Ender, which contains vexone, we have conducted many well-documented studies that prove this fact.
Each of the following statements conflicts with the letter writer's view EXCEPT:
Vexone is effective against only two species of cockroach that infest North America.
Not all of the major species of cockroach that infest North America can be controlled by Roach Ender.
Every species of cockroach that infests North America can be controlled by vexone.
The cockroach infestations that have been combated with vexone have not included all of the cockroach species that infest North America.
Roach Ender was tested against exactly 4,000 cockroach species that infest North America.
Explanations
This letter writer has been with the editor.
The letter writer claims vexone has been used effectively against all 4,000 species of cockroach in North America, not just one species like the editor's article alleges. The letter writer justifies their claim by citing studies conducted on their product, Roach Ender—according to the author, these studies prove their claims about vexone's efficacy.
The gaping hole in this argument is that Roach Ender might be effective against 4,000 species of cockroach from something other than vexone. That is, some other chemical in Roach Ender might be the key to its efficacy.
The question asks us to find an answer choice that doesn't conflict with the letter writer's view. That means we need an answer choice that either strengthens their argument or leaves it unaffected. The other four will weaken the letter writer's conclusion.
Let's take a look.
No way. This is a devastating weakener. If this is true, then the editor's claims are wrong, but so are the letter writer's.
Nah, this weakens things—it's actually a pre-negated necessary assumption. The letter writer claims that studies conducted on Roach Ender prove vexone's efficacy against all North American cockroaches. That means Roach Ender is effective because it contains vexone. If even one cockroach species can't be controlled by Roach Ender, then our author's argument falls to pieces.
Bingo. This works. It's more or less a restating of the author's conclusion so it's totally compatible with their argument.
Nope. This directly refutes the author's premise that Roach Ender—which contains vexone—has effectively handled all North American cockroach species.
Subtle, but no. The passage says there are more than 4,000 species of cockroach infesting North America. E says Roach Ender was tested against exactly 4,000 species. If both these things are true, there's at least some amount of discrepancy, so our author's conclusion—that vexone works against all North American cockroach species—makes no sense.
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