Polling Data Reveal that an Overwhelming Majority of 9 year Olds can Correctly Identify the Logos of Major Cigarette Brands.

Question: Polling data reveal that an overwhelming majority of 9 year olds can correctly identify the logos of major cigarette brands. However, of those 9 year olds who recognize such logos, less than 1% smoke. Therefore, there is little or no connection between recognition of cigarette brand logos and smoking.

Which one of the following uses flawed reasoning most similar to the flawed reasoning above?

1. The concern about the long-term effects on dolphins of small quantities of mercury in the ocean is unfounded. During a three-month period, 1,000 dolphins were exposed to small quantities of mercury in seawater, with no effect on the animal.
2. Many ten-year-olds dream of becoming actors. Yet it is not likely they will seriously consider becoming actors, because most parents discourage their children from pursuing such a highly competitive career.
3. Most dentist recommend using fluoride to reduce incidence of cavities, but few recommend giving up candy entirely; so, using fluoride is probably more effective in preventing cavities than is avoiding sweets.
4.  A large percentage of men exercise moderately throughout their lives, but the average life span of tose who do so is not significantly greater than of those who get little or no exercise. So there is little or no correlation between moderate exercise and good health.
5. Most people cannot name their legislative representatives. Nonetheless, this is insignificant, for when queried, most of them displayed an adequate command of current political issues.

Polling Data Reveal that an Overwhelming Majority of 9 year Olds can Correctly Identify the Logos of Major Cigarette Brands is a topic from the GMAT critical reasoning section. This GMAT Critical Reasoning topic has been taken from the book ‘ GMAT For Dummies’. In this particular topic, candidates are asked to select the most appropriate explanation which undermine the force of the evidence presented. In this question, the candidates need to provide an option that supports the argument provided in the passage. GMAT critical reasoning tests the logical and analytical skills of the candidates. Critical reasoning in GMAT 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: A

Explanation:

This is assumption is an implied hypothesis type of question. So we are looking for something that is implied in the argument. Let us check the hypothesis and the conclusion to determine the correct answer. 

Hypothesis: Polling data reveal that an overwhelming majority of 9 year olds can correctly identify the logos of major cigarette brands.

Hypothesis: 9-year-olds who recognize such logos, less than 1% smoke.

Conclusion: There is little or no connection between recognition of cigarette brand logos and smoking.

Let's go through the assumptions that suit the most with the given argument:

A) The concern about the long-term effects on dolphins of small quantities of mercury in the ocean is unfounded. During a three-month period, 1,000 dolphins were exposed to small quantities of mercury in seawater, with no effect on the animal.
Option A states that three months is definitely not enough time to infer. Things that take a long time to show the effects of mercury poisoning. Hence, Option A is the correct answer.

B) Many ten-year-olds dream of becoming actors. Yet it is not likely they will seriously consider becoming actors, because most parents discourage their children from pursuing such a highly competitive career.
Option B implies that two potentials which are dreams and parental influence has more importance. It is the basis to establish an effect. Hence option B is incorrect.

C) Most dentist recommend using fluoride to reduce incidence of cavities, but few recommend giving up candy entirely; so, using fluoride is probably more effective in preventing cavities than is avoiding sweets.
Option C includes using fluoride and avoiding sweets. The latter has a greater effect. Hence option C is wrong.

D) A large percentage of men exercise moderately throughout their lives, but the average life span of those who do so is not significantly greater than of those who get little or no exercise. So there is little or no correlation between moderate exercise and good health.
Option D causes the popularity that the wording of the conclusion is virtually identical to that in the hypothesis. So, Option D is incorrect.

E) Most people cannot name their legislative representatives. Nonetheless, this is insignificant, for when queried, most of them displayed an adequate command of current political issues.
Option E is incorrect because this assumption did not involve a comparison of factors. So, this choice is incorrect.

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