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The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics in order to avoid jeopardizing their sales. So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
  • a)
    Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.
  • b)
    The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.
  • c)
    Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.
  • d)
    A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.
  • e)
    If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firm's cost will probably increase.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
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The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken thei...
(A) Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.
This option strengthens the argument by suggesting that Smee's decision will have a ripple effect, influencing other pork marketers to follow suit. This would further reduce the use of antibiotics in hog farming and potentially slow down the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
(B) The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.
This option doesn't directly address the effectiveness of antibiotics for humans. While it suggests that the decline in hog growth can be managed through improved hygiene practices, it doesn't strengthen the argument regarding the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
(C) Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.
This option weakens the argument. If authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not developed resistance, it implies that the problem of antibiotic resistance is being addressed through the promotion of alternative antibiotics. This would lessen the impact of Smee's decision on slowing down the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
(D) A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.
This option provides evidence that a phase-out of antibiotics for hogs in one country resulted in a significant reduction in usage. This supports the argument that Smee's decision to stop buying pork raised on antibiotics could have a substantial impact on reducing the use of antibiotics in hog farming and potentially slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
(E) If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firm's cost will probably increase.
This option doesn't directly strengthen the argument. While it suggests that Smee's costs might increase if they stop buying pork raised with antibiotics, it doesn't provide any information regarding the impact on antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
Based on the analysis, option (A) is the most suitable choice as it strengthens the argument that Smee's decision will likely slow the decline in antibiotics' effectiveness for humans.
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Antibiotics are chemical substances that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. The success of antibiotics against disease-causing bacteria is one of modern medicine’s great achievements. However, many bacteria harmful to humans have developed ways to circumvent the effects of antibiotics, and many infectious diseases are now much more difficult to treat than they were just a few decades ago. Antibiotic resistance is an especially difficult problem for hospitals with critically ill patients who are less able to fight off infections without the help of antibiotics.Bacteria can develop antibiotic resistance because they have the ability to adapt quickly to new environmental conditions. Most commonly, bacteria share with each other genetic material called resistance plasmids; these shared plasmids, which contain the genetic code enabling antibiotic resistance, can spread throughout a bacterial population to create a strain of resistant bacteria. Less commonly, a natural mutation that enables antibiotic resistance takes place within the chromosome of the bacteria, and the resulting strain of bacteria can reproduce and become dominant via natural selection. In the absence of human involvement, however, bacteria in the wild rarely develop resistance to antibiotics.In the United States, animals raised on industrial-scale factory farms are routinely administered low levels of antibiotics in their feed not as a cure for ongoing maladies, but primarily as a growth-enhancing agent to produce more meat and also as a prophylactic measure to compensate for overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.Currently, several antibiotics that are used in human medical treatment are administered non-therapeutically to healthy livestock and poultry. Examples include tetracycline, penicillin and erythromycin. This long-term non-therapeutic feeding of antibiotics to animals creates the ideal conditions for the development of antibioticresistant bacteria, as it kills the susceptible bacteria while leaving the resistant strains to reproduce and flourish.Europe is far ahead of the United States in the responsible use of antibiotics: On January 1, 2006, the European Union banned the feeding of all antibiotics to livestock for nontherapeutic purposes. This sweeping policy follows a 1998 ban on the non-therapeutic use of four medically-important antibiotics on animals. The time has come for the United States to follow Europe’s lead.Q.Based on the information in the passage, which of the following statements can be inferred?

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The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics in order to avoid jeopardizing their sales. So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
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The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics in order to avoid jeopardizing their sales. So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2024 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics in order to avoid jeopardizing their sales. So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics in order to avoid jeopardizing their sales. So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.
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So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. 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So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. 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So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. 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So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee has 60 percent of the pork market, and farmers who sell to Smee would certainly stop using the antibiotics in order to avoid jeopardizing their sales. So if Smee makes this change, it will probably significantly slow the decline in antibiotics effectiveness for humans.Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?a)Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antibiotics if Smee no longer buys such pork.b)The decline in hog growth due to discontinuation of antibiotics can be offset by improved hygiene.c)Authorities are promoting the use of antibiotics to which microorganisms have not yet developed resistance.d)A phase-out of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.e)If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firms cost will probably increase.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.
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