Plantings of Cotton Bioengineered to Produce its Own Insecticide against Bollworms

Question: Plantings of cotton bioengineered to produce its own insecticide against bollworms, a major cause of crop failure, sustained little bollworm damage until this year. This year the plantings are being seriously damaged by bollworms. Bollworms, however, are not necessarily developing resistance to the cotton's insecticide. Bollworms breed on corn, and last year more corn than usual was planted throughout cotton-growing regions. So it is likely that the cotton is simply being overwhelmed by corn-bred bollworms.

In evaluating the argument, which of the following would be most useful to establish?

(A) Whether corn could be bioengineered to produce the insecticide
(B) Whether plantings of cotton that does not produce the insecticide are suffering unusually extensive damage from bollworms this year
(C) Whether other crops that have been bioengineered to produce their own insecticide successfully resist the pests against which the insecticide was to protect them
(D) Whether plantings of bioengineered cotton are frequently damaged by insect pests other than bollworms
(E) Whether there are insecticides that can be used against bollworms that have developed resistance to the insecticide produced by the bioengineered cotton

Answer: B
Explanation: In assumption GMAT critical reasoning questions, candidates pick that answer choice that comprises the assumption that must be accurate to support the given argument.

Let us evaluate the argument, that would be most useful to establish:

Hypothesis: Plantings of cotton bioengineered to produce its own insecticide against bollworms, a major cause of crop failure, sustained little bollworm damage until this year. Bollworms breed on corn, and last year more corn than usual was planted throughout cotton-growing regions.

Reasoning: So it is likely that the cotton is simply being overwhelmed by corn-bred bollworms.
The argument further states :

1.  the crop failure is likely due to increased corn production
2. the crop failure is due to the pests having developed insecticide resistance.
3. crop failure cannot be necessary because of any third factor.

Let us check the given option to find the correct answer:

(A) Incorrect
Option A would probably be useful details for people trying to ease the bollworm problem in bioengineered cotton. But it does not justify the argument.

(B) Correct
In option B it is stated that in case bollworm deterioration on non-bioengineered cotton is worse than usual this year, bollworm infestation would simply more inadequate than usual. Hence, pesticide resistance would not need to be invoked. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

(C) Incorrect
Option C stated that other crops can be bioengineered to resist pests. But they may not successfully resist them. This also implies that it might not be the same for this cotton. The facts also suggested about bioengineered cotton resisted bollworms. Hence option C is incorrect.

(D) Incorrect
Option D states that other types of pests usually damage bioengineered cotton. But it does not justify why bollworms are damaging cotton more this year.

(E) Incorrect
Option E is trying to alleviate the bollworm problem in bioengineered cotton. It states that pesticides could be used against bollworms that might have evolved resistance to the insecticide of the bioengineered cotton. Hence option E is incorrect.

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