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Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?
Asthma, a chronic breathing disorder, is significantly more common today among adult competitive swimmers than it is among competitive athletes who specialize in other sports. Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.
  • a)
    young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthma
  • b)
    competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorine
  • c)
    competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athletics
  • d)
    until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptoms
  • e)
    many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athletics
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?Ast...
(A) Incorrect. The first thing to notice here is that this option talks about competitive-athlete-category as a whole. It doesn’t distinguish between competitive swimmers and other competitive athletes. Since the whole point of the passage is to explain the higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers vis-à-vis other competitive athletes, an option that doesn’t distinguish between these two categories of competitive athletes will always be irrelevant.
Even if we change ‘competitive athletes’ to ‘competitive athletes who are not competitive swimmers’, the option will still be incorrect. The changed option means that we don’t have a biased population of young people coming into other competitive athletics (biased here means more likely to have asthma). The option thus means that there is no reason to expect a higher than normal incidence of asthma among competitive athletes who are not swimmers. However, this option fails to give any reason for higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers or any reason why the presence of chlorine cannot lead to higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers.
Even if we change ‘competitive athletes’ to ‘competitive swimmers’, the option will still be incorrect. Rather, in this case, the negation of this option will be a possible answer.
(B) Incorrect. This option is in the opposite direction to the correct answer. If other competitive athletes are rarely exposed to chlorine and, we know that, competitive swimmers are frequently exposed to chlorine, then it seems reasonable to expect that chlorine leads to higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers. This expectation is opposite to the stated last line. 
(C) Incorrect. For the same reason as stated in option A. This option talks about competitive-athletes-category as a whole.
(D) Correct. If physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, then we can expect a higher proportion of people with asthma in competitive swimming than in other sports. Thus, this option provides an alternate reason for the higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers. A higher proportion of people joining competitive swimming have asthma than joining other competitive athletics. This can explain the higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers than among other competitive athletes. Thus, the presence of chlorine in swimming pools may not be the explanation for the higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers.
(E) Incorrect. Again, this option is incorrect for the reason stated in option A: it talks about the category of competitive athletes as a whole. In case no distinction is made between competitive swimming and other competitive sports, then whatever is applicable for competitive swimming must be applicable for other competitive sports too. Thus, this scenario will not give us any reason to expect a higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers.
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Most Upvoted Answer
Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?Ast...
(A) Incorrect. The first thing to notice here is that this option talks about competitive-athlete-category as a whole. It doesn’t distinguish between competitive swimmers and other competitive athletes. Since the whole point of the passage is to explain the higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers vis-à-vis other competitive athletes, an option that doesn’t distinguish between these two categories of competitive athletes will always be irrelevant.
Even if we change ‘competitive athletes’ to ‘competitive athletes who are not competitive swimmers’, the option will still be incorrect. The changed option means that we don’t have a biased population of young people coming into other competitive athletics (biased here means more likely to have asthma). The option thus means that there is no reason to expect a higher than normal incidence of asthma among competitive athletes who are not swimmers. However, this option fails to give any reason for higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers or any reason why the presence of chlorine cannot lead to higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers.
Even if we change ‘competitive athletes’ to ‘competitive swimmers’, the option will still be incorrect. Rather, in this case, the negation of this option will be a possible answer.
(B) Incorrect. This option is in the opposite direction to the correct answer. If other competitive athletes are rarely exposed to chlorine and, we know that, competitive swimmers are frequently exposed to chlorine, then it seems reasonable to expect that chlorine leads to higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers. This expectation is opposite to the stated last line. 
(C) Incorrect. For the same reason as stated in option A. This option talks about competitive-athletes-category as a whole.
(D) Correct. If physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, then we can expect a higher proportion of people with asthma in competitive swimming than in other sports. Thus, this option provides an alternate reason for the higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers. A higher proportion of people joining competitive swimming have asthma than joining other competitive athletics. This can explain the higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers than among other competitive athletes. Thus, the presence of chlorine in swimming pools may not be the explanation for the higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers.
(E) Incorrect. Again, this option is incorrect for the reason stated in option A: it talks about the category of competitive athletes as a whole. In case no distinction is made between competitive swimming and other competitive sports, then whatever is applicable for competitive swimming must be applicable for other competitive sports too. Thus, this scenario will not give us any reason to expect a higher incidence of asthma among competitive swimmers.
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Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?Asthma, a chronic breathing disorder, is significantly more common today among adult competitive swimmers than it is among competitive athletes who specialize in other sports. Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?Asthma, a chronic breathing disorder, is significantly more common today among adult competitive swimmers than it is among competitive athletes who specialize in other sports. Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. 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 Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?Asthma, a chronic breathing disorder, is significantly more common today among adult competitive swimmers than it is among competitive athletes who specialize in other sports. Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?Asthma, a chronic breathing disorder, is significantly more common today among adult competitive swimmers than it is among competitive athletes who specialize in other sports. Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.
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Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. 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Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. 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Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?Asthma, a chronic breathing disorder, is significantly more common today among adult competitive swimmers than it is among competitive athletes who specialize in other sports. Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Which of the following most logically completes the argument given?Asthma, a chronic breathing disorder, is significantly more common today among adult competitive swimmers than it is among competitive athletes who specialize in other sports. Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________.a)young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthmab)competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorinec)competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athleticsd)until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptomse)many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athleticsCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.
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