In a Monogamous Culture, 100% of the Adults are Married.

Topic: In a monogamous culture, 100% of the adults are married. The average number of children per family is five and over-population is a threat. Programs to encourage birth-control have been ineffective. It has been suggested that this failure is due to these programs ignoring a tradition that values male children very highly, so that every parent wants to have at least one son. It is proposed that couples be encouraged to use birth-control measures after the birth of their first son.

If this proposal is widely accepted in the culture, we may expect that:

1. the rate of population increase will be slowed, and future generations will contain a disproportionately high number of females.
2. the rate of population increase will be slowed, and the gender balance in future generations will remain as it is at present.
3. the rate of population growth will remain the same, and future generations will contain a disproportionately high number of females.
4. there will be no significant effect either on population growth or on gender balance.
5. the population will decline precipitously, because approximately half of all families will have only a single child.

“In a Monogamous Culture, 100% of the Adults are Married.” – is a GMAT Critical question. This particular GMAT Critical Reasoning topic has been taken from the book ‘GMAT Critical Reasoning-By Manhattan Prep · 2014 Edition’. This weakens the argument type of the GMAT CR question. To answer the question, a candidate can either find a piece of evidence that would weaken the argument or have logical flaws in the argument. GMAT critical reasoning tests the logical and analytical skills of the candidates. This topic requires candidates to find the strengths and weaknesses of the argument, or find the logical flaw in the argument. The GMAT CR section contains 10 -13 GMAT critical reasoning questions out of 36 GMAT verbal questions.

Answer: B
Explanation: 

The passage states that:

• Average number of children per family is five.
• Failure is due to ignoring a tradition that values male children very highly
• Every parent wants to have at least one son.

Proposal: couples should be encouraged to use birth-control measures soon after the birth of the first son.

We may expect these if this proposal is widely accepted in the culture:

We will have a maximum of two scenarios

1. The first child is male child > birth control measures are taken(Ratio of male:female gets higher)
2. The first child is not male child. Let us say 4 female and one male(Ratio of female:male is higher)

Taking these measures will ensure that rate of increase in population will be slower. However, the gender imbalance will still remain.

Now, we will consider the given options:

1. the rate of population increase will be slowed, and future generations will contain a disproportionately high number of females.
   - This suggests that there will be higher number of females as per case 2 but not case 1
2. the rate of population increase will be slowed, and the gender balance in future generations will remain as it is at present.
   - This situation will not be possible in any or all circumstances in both cases 1 & 2
3. the rate of population growth will remain the same, and future generations will contain a disproportionately high number of females.
   - This statement suggests high no of females is possible as per case 2 but not case 1. Since that is the case, the rate or the ratio will not remain same. 
4. there will be no significant effect either on population growth or on gender balance.
   - Every action will have significant groeth on the population. If the above cases are not maintained, the gender imbalance will also prevail.
5. the population will decline precipitously, because approximately half of all families will have only a single child.
   - There is no guarantee that approx half of all families will have single male child.
   Hence, B is the correct answer. 

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