Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Hard

PT156 S2 Q24 ExplanationResearcher: Several chemical compounds found in

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Stimulus

Researcher: Several chemical compounds found in soybeans are effective agents for cancer prevention in humans. These include isoflavones and phytosterols, which also occur in other plants but are especially concentrated in soybeans. In rats and larger mammals such as cheetahs and sheep, isoflavones have been shown to inhibit the production of estrogen, cancer. Phytosterols may slow cholesterol absorption and thus have anticancer effects.

What this question is testing

Weaken

Your task

Find the choice that makes the argument's conclusion less likely to be true.

Common trap

Answers that look negative but attack a claim the argument never relied on.

Winning move

Find the assumption the argument depends on, then pick the choice that undermines it.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
24.

Each of the following, if true, would reduce the support given by the researcher for the claim that several chemical compounds in soybeans are effective agents

Answer choices, explained

  1. Correct65% picked this

    The soybean derivatives used in most studies are the products of specialized processing techniques and are not yet

    Why this is right

    This answer states that the soybean derivatives used in studies are not widely available to consumers. It doesn't directly tackle the premises about isoflavones or cholesterol absorption's impact on cancer risk. Instead, it notes something about study conditions versus consumer access, which does not inherently weaken the argument about soybeans' impact on cancer prevention.

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

  2. Weakens7% picked this

    While phytosterols, which occur in high concentrations in soybeans, have been shown to decrease cholesterol absorption in the body, new evidence suggests that this

    This answer states that the reduction in cholesterol absorption due to phytosterols isn't significant enough to affect cancer susceptibility, directly challenging a premise about how soybeans could prevent cancer.

  3. Weakens11% picked this

    A study of people with high levels of blood cholesterol showed no significant reduction in cholesterol levels after

    This suggests that a soybean-rich diet doesn't significantly lower cholesterol levels in humans, undermining an assumed link between soybeans and cancer prevention.

  4. Weakens11% picked this

    Consumption of soybean products might lower blood cholesterol in animals, but a study of people whose major source of protein is soybeans rather than

    This choice claims that while soybeans may reduce cholesterol in animals, they do not lower blood cholesterol levels in humans, undermining one of the two ways that soybeans were supposed to help humans avoid cancer.

  5. Weakens7% picked this

    Preliminary studies have not shown isoflavones to have a significant effect on estrogen

    This is analogous to (D), which said the cholesterol reduction part of soybeans doesn't pertain to humans. This is saying the estrogen-inhibiting part of soybeans doesn't pertain to humans, undermining one of the two ways that soybeans was supposed to help prevent cancer.

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