Each year red-winged blackbirds stop in a certain region of

[chetan86]

Each year red-winged blackbirds stop in a certain region of Midland Province on their spring and fall migrations. In the fall, they eat a significant portion of the province’s sunflower crop. This year Midland farmers sought permits to set out small amounts of poisoned rice during the blackbirds’ spring stop in order to reduce the fall blackbird population. Some residents voiced concern that the rice could threaten certain species of
rare migratory birds. Nevertheless, the wildlife agency approved the permits.


Which of the following, if true, most helps to justify the wildlife agency’s approval of the
permits, given the concerns voiced by some residents?
A. In the region where the red-winged blackbirds stop, they are the first birds to be present in the spring.
B. The poison that farmers want to use does not kill birds but rather makes them incapable of producing viable eggs.
C. Since rice is not raised in Midland Province, few species of birds native to the province normally eat rice.
D. Without the permit, any farmers shown to have set out poison for the blackbirds would be heavily fined.
E. The poison that farmers got approval to use has no taste or smell that would make it detectable by birds.

Could you please explain how A is the correct answer?
If the red-winged blackbirds are the first bird to be present in the spring then they will be more vulnerable to poison.

[RonPurewal]

looks like you answered your own question:

If the red-winged blackbirds are the first bird to be present in the spring then they will be more vulnerable to poison.

^^ ... and that's exactly what we are trying to do!

make sure you've understood the point of the plan correctly: we want to poison the blackbirds. the objection is based on the risk of accidentally poisoning other birds.

[RonPurewal]

... and, by the way, if your initial understanding of the passage was "we don't want to poison the blackbirds", then you should have realized pretty quickly that something was wrong there: you wouldn't even know what type of animal we were trying to poison!

[chetan86]

looks like you answered your own question:

If the red-winged blackbirds are the first bird to be present in the spring then they will be more vulnerable to poison.

^^ ... and that's exactly what we are trying to do!

make sure you've understood the point of the plan correctly: we want to poison the blackbirds. the objection is based on the risk of accidentally poisoning other birds.

yeah, you are right. I assumed that red-winged blackbirds are rare birds and poison would threathen their survival.
The concern of the residents is to save "certain species of rare migratory birds", so if the red-winged blackbirds are the first one to eat poison then it will affect only them not to rare migratory birds.

I missed the point that red-winged blackbirds are not rare migratory birds.

Thanks for clarifying my doubt.

[RonPurewal]

ok.

the goal of the farmers' actions is, as stated, "to reduce the fall blackbird population".

what did you understand as the purpose of setting out the poisoned rice?
clearly we have to be trying to kill something; we don't randomly spread poisons for no reason.

if you didn't understand that they want to kill the blackbirds, who/what did you think they wanted to kill?

[chetan86]

ok.

the goal of the farmers' actions is, as stated, "to reduce the fall blackbird population".

what did you understand as the purpose of setting out the poisoned rice?
clearly we have to be trying to kill something; we don't randomly spread poisons for no reason.

if you didn't understand that they want to kill the blackbirds, who/what did you think they wanted to kill?

Actually, I correctly understood that farmers want to kill black bird, but wrongly assumed that residents want to save black bird. Initially I assumed that black birds are the rare birds, so my interpretation of the argument was wrong.

After reading your explanation I come to know that black birds and rare birds are different, and, as black birds are the first bird to eat poisoned rice, farmers' action would not affect species of rare migratory birds.

Thanks!!

[tim]

Let us know if you have any further questions on this one.

[RonPurewal]

After reading your explanation I come to know that black birds and rare birds are different, and, as black birds are the first bird to eat poisoned rice, farmers' action would not affect species of rare migratory birds.

Thanks!!

regarding the pink stuff:
the problem writers are EXTREMELY meticulous about specific words and names. if you see two different names, you're talking about two different things.

[chetan86]

After reading your explanation I come to know that black birds and rare birds are different, and, as black birds are the first bird to eat poisoned rice, farmers' action would not affect species of rare migratory birds.

Thanks!!

regarding the pink stuff:
the problem writers are EXTREMELY meticulous about specific words and names. if you see two different names, you're talking about two different things.

Hi Ron,

I overlook those things.
Thanks a lot for your help. Without your help, it would have been difficult for me understand this question.

[RonPurewal]

you're welcome.

[SHOUMODIPR218]

Hi Ron,

I thought that though the Red Winged birds are first to arrive, the poisonous rice still may be left to harm the rare migratory birds. However, since the wildlife sanctuary people have allowed the use of rice then the poison might not actually reduce population of rare migratory birds by killing the birds. Simultaneously the rice would render the Red Winged birds incapable to produce anymore eggs and thus control their population size. This would help to achieve both the aim:
1. not to kill rare birds
2. control the size of Red Winged birds.
So i chose B - the WRONG option.

Pls point me the direction where my pre-thinking went WRONG??

Regards
Shoum

[RonPurewal]

choice B says that the poison does this IN GENERAL. so, if that choice is true, the poison will ruin the fertility of ANY bird that eats it -- not just the red-winged blackbirds.

[RonPurewal]

also --

I thought that though the Red Winged birds are first to arrive, the poisonous rice still may be left to harm the rare migratory birds.

that red part is the problem here.

you can't just make up a RANDOM possibility, and then try to build an argument on it!

i mean... just think about it. this is like saying "oh, it MIGHT rain tomorrow ... so, the baseball game will DEFINITELY be cancelled." obviously, this makes no sense.

in general -- if your reasoning EVER contains "might", "may", "could", "maybe", etc... then STOP right there; that's an invalid line of reasoning, which can't "strengthen" or "weaken" anything.

[SHOUMODIPR218]

also --

I thought that though the Red Winged birds are first to arrive, the poisonous rice still may be left to harm the rare migratory birds.

that red part is the problem here.

you can't just make up a RANDOM possibility, and then try to build an argument on it!

i mean... just think about it. this is like saying "oh, it MIGHT rain tomorrow ... so, the baseball game will DEFINITELY be cancelled." obviously, this makes no sense.

in general -- if your reasoning EVER contains "might", "may", "could", "maybe", etc... then STOP right there; that's an invalid line of reasoning, which can't "strengthen" or "weaken" anything.

Thanks Ron...I have got many questions wrong on THIS issue...Glad to see the area where I need to improve..thanks

[RonPurewal]

you're welcome.