The incidence in Japan

Answer choices

1. A

   Contradicted2% picked this

   The greater the level of industrial pollution in a country, the higher that country’s cancer rate

   This contradicts the facts about Japan: there's pollution over there like there is in North America but the cancer rates are lower.

   2%
2. B

   Unsupported Comparison2% picked this

   The stress of life in North America is greater than that of life in Japan

   If this was a Paradox question, B could be a right answer. It points out a difference between the Japanese in Japan and Japanese Immigrants and connects that to cancer rates. The problem with B is that this is a Most Supported question, and we don't have any info suggesting that life in America is more stressful. The causal difference maker suggested by the facts is diet.

   2%
3. C

   Unsupported Causal Relationship2% picked this

   The staple foods of the Japanese diet contain elements that

   This is a tempting one because it addresses our diet prediction. But our prediction was that the SAD diet in America causes cancer. Is the claim that the Japanese diet cures cancer equally well supported? While it may seem like opposite sides of the same coin, our facts are dealing with the incidence of cancer: as in, how often does cancer show up? We're told that it shows up way less in Japan. If the diet cured cancer, it would still show up. So a diet that cures cancer actually isn't well supported by a low incidence of cancer. This answer would be correct if it said that the Japanese diet prevented cancer.

   2%
4. D

   Correct72% picked this

   The relatively low rate of cancer among people in Japan does not result from a high frequency of a protective

   Why this is right

   Wow, this does not match our prediction at all. It's a great reminder that Most Supported questions aren't always predictable, and we need to read each answer with an open mind. We should be drawn to the ruling out language of D: it's something a lot of correct Most Supported answers share. So do our facts support that the low cancer in Japan is not genetic? Definitely. Our facts told us that when the Japanese immigrate and start eating burgers and donuts, they get cancer at similar rates as North Americans. If it was genetic, it would persist no matter where a person was living.

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

   72%
5. E

   Too Specific (fats)22% picked this

   The higher cancer rates of Japanese immigrants to North America are caused by fats in

   If this answer was just about the diet on the whole, it would be a well supported answer. But while the facts support that the diet is to blame, they don't support any specific component of the diet being responsible.

   22%