* Scientists have made genetic modifications

[fenruyun]

Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its resistance to insect pests. According to farmers’ report, the amount of insecticide needed per acre to control insect pests was only slightly lower for those who tried the modified seed than for those who did not. Therefore, since the modified seed costs more than ordinary seed without producing yields of higher market value, switching to the modified seed would be unlikely to benefit most cotton farmers economically.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?
A. Whether farmers who tried the modified cotton seed had ever tried growing other crops from genetically modified seed.
B. Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary cotton tend to be more expensive than insecticides typically used on other crops.
C. Whether for most farms who grow cotton it is their primary crop
D. Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did.
E. Whether most of the farmers who tried the modified seed did so because they had previously had to use exceptionally large quantities of insecticide.

The answer is B.

But I intend to choose E,because we cannot say whether the genetically modified (GM) cottons are more insect resistant simply by comparing the amount of pesticides used by different farmers (some picked the GM cotton, some don't), unless we know the amount they had originally used.

For example, if 1) farmer A had used 100 KG of DDT for his 100-acre cottons when he planted normal seeds and farmer B had used only 50 KG (can be find out once the question in E is answered) and 2) after using GM cotton, farmer A would only need 49 KG (slightly less than 50), the GM cotton certainly performed well to resist insects, with a saving over 50%... Therefore, it would economically benefit all farmers to plant GM cotton.

Can u explain it? Thank u !!

[sunny.jain]

they are already saying
insecticide per ACRE...so ur reasoning is flawed.

Question here is that?

some farmers choose to switch and some farmer do not.

Switched farmer : Bought expensive seed + use little less insecticides

Non-S- farmer : bought relatively cheap Seed + use little extra insecticides.

Output is same.

Conclusion: Switching is not economically profitable.

So we have to check, Whether the purpose of switching was economic benefit ?


in fact in my opinion it should be E.
because, if previously they are using large amount of pesticide, they choose to switch because new one need less insecticides so SAVING.

B is comparing cost of cotton insecticide to other insecticide, which seems to be out of SCOPE to me.

[anoo.anand]

wots the OA ??

for me it should be D.


A. Whether farmers who tried the modified cotton seed had ever tried growing other crops from genetically modified seed.
---- does not matter.

B. Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary cotton tend to be more expensive than insecticides typically used on other crops.
---- other crops cannot come into picture in the argument

C. Whether for most farms who grow cotton it is their primary crop
---- out and out

D. Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did.
-- if they did not then this is what we wud like to know...to know the advantage of insecticide.

E. Whether most of the farmers who tried the modified seed did so because they had previously had to use exceptionally large quantities of insecticide.
--- no , it doesn't matter.


D is only left out... which has any relevance to the argument.

[fenruyun]

they are already saying
insecticide per ACRE...so ur reasoning is flawed.

don't think u get me.

the original words are "the amount of insecticide needed per acre to control insect pests was only slightly lower for those who tried the modified seed than for those who did not.". yes, the sentence already mentioned per ACRE, but it actually means two different averages. One is the the amount of insecticide needed per acre needed by farmers who tried the modified seed and the other is that needed by those who didn't try the seed.

[fenruyun]

wots the OA ??

Hey guys, there are always disputes between B and E. for the B-supporters, they seem to regard the modified seed as one of the other crops.Were it the case,then everything would just make sense.But...u know,it's just a little hard for me to think that way...

As for D,I think you've either left or misunderstood something in this problem.Look at here:Therefore, since the modified seed costs more than ordinary seed without producing yields of higher market value,

[RonPurewal]

Please cite the source (author) of this problem. We cannot reply unless a source is cited (and, if no source is cited, we will have to delete the post!). Thanks.

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