Bacteria from food can survive

Answer choices

1. A

   Out of Scope: washing plastic4% picked this

   Washing plastic cutting boards does not remove all bacteria from

   The argument never discusses the effects of washing plastic cutting boards, other than to imply that plastic cutting boards do need to be washed in order to prevent their contaminating food that is cut on them. But the author doesn't need to assume that washing is less than 100% effective. If we negate this and say, "Hey, author -- washing plastic cutting boards doesn't remove 100% of bacteria", would that weaken? No that has no effect on the argument. The author can still argue that washing plastic cutting boards needs to be done, even if it's only 99% effective.

   4%
2. B

   Too Strong2% picked this

   Prevention of bacteria contamination is the only respect in which wooden cutting boards are superior

   Too Strong: the only Only Thing Mentioned ? Only Thing Just because the only "superiority" the author mentioned about wooden cutting boards is that the bacteria leaves the surface almost immediately, that doesn't mean she's assuming that this is the only superiority that wooden cutting boards have. If I say, "Hey, you should visit San Francisco. The Golden Gate bridge is beautiful", am I assuming "the only reason to visit SF is that bridge? the only beautiful thing in SF is that bridge?" Of course not. Just because it's the only thing I mentioned doesn't mean I think it's the only thing. If we negate this and say, "Wooden cutting boards have other superiorities too", that wouldn't weaken. That wouldn't help us argue that wooden cutting boards do need to be washed.

   2%
3. C

   Too Strong2% picked this

   Food that is not already contaminated with bacteria can be contaminated only by being cut

   Too Strong: only Only Thing Mentioned ? Only Thing Like (B), this is taking the only thing mentioned and acting like it's the only thing. We only discussed food getting contaminated by bacteria on cutting boards, but there's no reason to think this author believes that cutting boards are the only way for food to get contaminated with bacteria. We could cough on the food or drop it on the floor and make it contaminated. The author doesn't dispute any of that. She's only talking about contamination in relation to cutting boards.

   2%
4. D

   Correct90% picked this

   Bacteria that penetrate into wooden cutting boards do not reemerge on the surface after the cutting

   Why this is right

   This has the lovable "ruling-out" not that is involved in so many correct answers on Necessary Assumption (we call these Defender answers, because they're defending against an objection). When we see these "not" answers, we can easily negate them and ask ourselves whether the negation would weaken. If we say to this author, "Yo -- bacteria that penetrate into wooden cutting boards do reemerge on the surface after the cutting board has been used", would that weaken? Sure! That gives us a way to argue that wooden cutting boards do still need to be washed. The author felt like they were risk free because the bacteria almost immediately leaves the surface and penetrates into the board. But if we say, "Yeah, but the bacteria climbs back up to the surface later", then the wooden cutting board does not have a risk-free surface.

   Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   90%
5. E

   Out of Scope: washing wooden3% picked this

   Washing wooden cutting boards kills bacteria below the surface of the

   The author doesn't say anything about what effect it would have to wash a wooden cutting board. She's telling us that we don't need to wash a wooden cutting board, so she isn't expressing any opinions about what washing one would do to bacteria below the surface.

   3%