Q24 - Roxanne: To protect declining elephant

[ottoman]

I narrowed it down to answer choice D and E and choose E in the end. But I dont understand why D is wrong.
Here is my reasoning:
first of all, the stimulus mentions "refrain from buying any ivory" but the answer choice is about participation in trade.
Secondly, the answer choice mentions workers engaged in that trade. The stimulus does not mention workers at all. So D is wrong??

[rinagoldfield]

Hi Ottoman,

I think you made a good elimination of (D)!

Here’s what Salvador is saying:

1. The demand for antique ivory is greater than the supply.
2. SOME uncaring people who can’t get their hands on antique ivory buy new ivory instead

Therefore...

3. People who care about the endangered elephants should refrain from buying antique ivory

The implication here is that if caring people refuse to buy antique ivory, then the demand for antique ivory will lower. If the demand for antique ivory lowers, then the supply will better match the demand. If the supply better matches the demand, then uncaring people can just buy antique ivory and won’t have to resort to buying new ivory.

Answer choice (E) is supported. It basically restates Salvador’s argument in more general terms. He suggests that caring people should indirectly get uncaring people to buy less new ivory. Answer choice (E) says "good idea!"

(D) discusses "workers engaged in that trade," which is out of scope. Salvador doesn’t discuss workers or trade.

supports Roxanne’s argument, not Salvador’s.

(B) seems good... but then it says "ONLY if acceptable substitutes for those products available." Salvador doesn’t discuss substitutes for ivory, so there’s no way he thinks they’re required.

(A) is out of scope. Disseminate knowledge?

Hope that helps!

--RIna

[skdygks03]

Can somebody explain why (C) is wrong?

Thank you

[JosephV]

Can somebody explain why (C) is wrong?

Thank you

Here is a breakdown of the answer choices:

(A) WRONG. "Disseminate knowledge?" --- out of scope.

(B) WRONG. Salvador says: "People [...] should refrain from buying any ivory at all," which rules out the possibility of buying ivory if there is a substitute for it. In short, Salvador says: "NO ivory! Period!"

(C) WRONG. "except for those objects already in existence" would allow the purchase of antique ivory which Salvador's position clearly disallows.

(D) WRONG. "workers engaged in that trade...?" --- out of scope.

(E) CORRECT. Salvador says, paraphrasing: "In order for us to help the elephants via reducing the demand for ivory, we must stop buying both new and antique ivory. This way, the demand for ivory from unscrupulous men will be met by the current supply of antique ivory alone." That is exactly what (E) points out. To me the key phrase in the answer choice is "the undesirable results of the actions performed by [others]."