Bean Exports

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The country of Paisi has generally relied on growing soybeans as an export. Recently, the ministry of agriculture has implemented a system to reduce dependence on this single crop by encouraging farmers to grow other legumes. Paisi currently grows more non-soy legumes each year than it consumes, and exports of soybeans are in decline, due to competition from suppliers in other nations. If these trends continue, Paisi's ability to export other legumes is likely to grow in the near future.

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in evaluating the argument?

Review: Bean Exports


Explanation

Reading the question: The question stem asks for an assumption. The conclusion is the last sentence. The critical piece of evidence is the preceding sentence; the prior sentences are primarily intro. Paisi has extra legumes to sell; that seems like a good reason why they could export them. Secondarily, the fact that soybeans are in decline is given as a reason. That connection is weaker: is the competition in non-legumes as strong as it is in soybeans? If it is, the argument has a big problem. We'll look for that.

Applying the filter: None of the answer choices address whether the competition in non-legumes as strong as it is in soybeans, but (D) is similar.

Logical proof: We try negating (D): say the quantity of non-soy legumes in other countries was decreasing. Say the amount imported by them was zero! That would destroy the argument. Hence, (D) pertains to a critical assumption and is the correct answer. The correct answer is (D).




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