Find all School-related info fast with the new School-Specific MBA Forum

 It is currently 10 Feb 2016, 05:08

### GMAT Club Daily Prep

#### Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

# Events & Promotions

###### Events & Promotions in June
Open Detailed Calendar

# Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are

Author Message
TAGS:
Senior Manager
Joined: 10 Mar 2008
Posts: 371
Followers: 5

Kudos [?]: 160 [0], given: 0

Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  18 Jul 2008, 01:16
3
This post was
BOOKMARKED
00:00

Difficulty:

15% (low)

Question Stats:

77% (02:17) correct 23% (01:25) wrong based on 544 sessions
Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review, 2nd Edition

Practice Question
Question No.: 50
Page: 136
Difficulty:

Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?

(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest.
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season.
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing region.
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season.
(E) Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade.
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

Last edited by Narenn on 07 Oct 2013, 09:25, edited 2 times in total.
Necessary Corrections for Official Guide Verbal Review 2nd Edition Project
 Kaplan Promo Code Knewton GMAT Discount Codes Manhattan GMAT Discount Codes
Senior Manager
Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 317
Location: Hungary
Followers: 2

Kudos [?]: 20 [0], given: 3

Re: CR: Crops [#permalink]  18 Jul 2008, 01:54
I think D is the answer.
SVP
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 1575
Followers: 3

Kudos [?]: 113 [0], given: 2

Re: CR: Crops [#permalink]  18 Jul 2008, 03:58
stuck btwn A and D , but chose A
SVP
Joined: 30 Apr 2008
Posts: 1888
Location: Oklahoma City
Schools: Hard Knocks
Followers: 38

Kudos [?]: 506 [2] , given: 32

Re: CR: Crops [#permalink]  18 Jul 2008, 04:55
2
KUDOS
D

vksunder wrote:
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices
of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists
are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture
is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?
(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest.
Actually seems to strengthen the stem even though we don't know which growth stage the corn is currently in. This means it is also out of scope.
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season.
This has nothing to do with supporting or refuting the conclusion in the stem that prices will fall.
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing region.
It doesn't matter if the rain goes beyond the corn-growing area because we need only that which affects the corn growth. Out of Scope.
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season.
This gives us a reason the prices will rise (disease kills crop, cuts supply, demand remains) even though the rain appears to be something that will make a good harvest and prices should fall.
(E) Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade.
So?

_________________

------------------------------------
J Allen Morris
**I'm pretty sure I'm right, but then again, I'm just a guy with his head up his a.

GMAT Club Premium Membership - big benefits and savings

Manager
Joined: 07 Dec 2010
Posts: 116
Concentration: Marketing, General Management
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 13 [0], given: 12

Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  08 Jun 2011, 20:01
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices
of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists
are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture
is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?
(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a
bountiful harvest.
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season.
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing
region.
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread
widely before the end of the growing season.
(E) Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade.
Senior Manager
Status: 750+ or Burst !
Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 386
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V35
GPA: 3.5
Followers: 23

Kudos [?]: 89 [0], given: 26

Re: Please explain why D cant be considered out of scope [#permalink]  08 Jun 2011, 21:04
ruturaj wrote:
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.
Bold part is the conclusion

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?
(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest.we are bothered about the crop that receives moisture
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season.out of scope
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing region.Out of scope
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season.According to this, the crop will be devastated and the prices will rise, this fact is contrary to the conclusion thereby weakening it.
(E) Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade.Out of scope

_________________

GMAT done - a mediocre score but I still have a lot of grit in me

The last 20 days of my GMAT journey

Manager
Joined: 28 Sep 2011
Posts: 206
GMAT 1: Q V
Followers: 1

Kudos [?]: 48 [0], given: 5

Re: Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  23 Mar 2012, 15:03
I have chosen D as the answer choice:

The conclusion is: [highlight]Prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.[/highlight]

A. This answer choice describes when the best time for rain is. However, it does not describe whether the prices will rise or fall today. Therefore, this is an incorrect answer.

B. Although prices have been fluctuating, this answer choice does not help us understand what will happen to corn futures today.

C. We are only concerned with rain in the corn growing region.

D. This is the correct answer. This statement explains why the prices of corn futures may increase - a disease could counteract any benefit that the rain may give.

E. This is irrelevant.
MBA Section Director
Affiliations: GMAT Club
Joined: 21 Feb 2012
Posts: 2377
Location: India
City: Pune
GPA: 3.4
Followers: 289

Kudos [?]: 2032 [0], given: 1624

Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  01 Jan 2013, 11:29
Expert's post
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?

(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest.
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season.
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing region.
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season.
(E) Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade.
_________________
Moderator
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 2740
Followers: 598

Kudos [?]: 4632 [1] , given: 755

Re: Another CR Question [#permalink]  01 Jan 2013, 11:44
1
KUDOS
Expert's post
abhijitlandge wrote:
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?

(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest. is irrilevant the pollination
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season. the comparison betwee this season and the last is not importnat for the argument at stake
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing region. the fact that the rain will expand farther is not relevant
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season. this is a reason out od scope that weaken the argument
(E)Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade. future trade is irrilevant

hope is clear

rules-for-posting-in-verbal-gmat-forum-134642.html

Thanks.
_________________
MBA Section Director
Affiliations: GMAT Club
Joined: 21 Feb 2012
Posts: 2377
Location: India
City: Pune
GPA: 3.4
Followers: 289

Kudos [?]: 2032 [0], given: 1624

Re: Another CR Question [#permalink]  01 Jan 2013, 12:23
Expert's post
carcass wrote:
abhijitlandge wrote:
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?

(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest. is irrilevant the pollination
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season. the comparison betwee this season and the last is not importnat for the argument at stake
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing region. the fact that the rain will expand farther is not relevant
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season. this is a reason out od scope that weaken the argument
(E)Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade. future trade is irrilevant

hope is clear

rules-for-posting-in-verbal-gmat-forum-134642.html

Thanks.

Oh! I am sorry. I was unaware about the rules. In fact i just read them for the first time.
_________________
Moderator
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 2740
Followers: 598

Kudos [?]: 4632 [0], given: 755

Re: Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  01 Jan 2013, 12:38
Expert's post
Do not worry, but is important to follow.

Regards,

carcass
_________________
VP
Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 1063
Followers: 1

Kudos [?]: 72 [2] , given: 333

Re: Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  27 Jan 2013, 02:01
2
KUDOS
this is proposal passage
do x then Y happen
if rain is good, the crop is good and price falls.

prethink
-assumption is that there is no bad agent
- weakener, there is some bad agent

Last edited by Narenn on 06 Oct 2013, 08:27, edited 1 time in total.
All similar threads have been merged.
Manager
Joined: 23 May 2014
Posts: 106
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 25 [1] , given: 6

Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  30 Jun 2014, 19:10
1
KUDOS
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?

Poor harvest - high prices
Good harvest - low prices

Prediction - Much needed rain for corn.
conclusion - Prices of corn will fall sharply

Weakener should weaken the conclusion. We are looking for answer choice that will give enough reason for us to doubt whether the prices can still increase even when good rain is predicted.
Something that will destroy the crops even when the rain is plentiful.

(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest. - Incorrect. Kind of a strengthener.
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season. - Incorrect. Not concerned with prices comparison.
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing region. - Incorrect. This is a trap answer. This may lead us to believe that too much rain can destroy the harvest. But the passage does not say so.
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season. - Correct. If the harvest is destroyed by disease then the prices might go up. Weakens the conclusion.
(E) Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade. - Incorrect. Irrelevant.
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Posts: 6552
Followers: 638

Kudos [?]: 132 [0], given: 0

Re: Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  30 Jul 2015, 02:37
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Intern
Joined: 23 Jul 2015
Posts: 11
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 1 [0], given: 0

Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are [#permalink]  30 Jul 2015, 16:27
Can someone maybe better explain this to me.

I don't think it's D because the question asked what would weaken the the argument (the argument is about rain in relation to corn growth). This answer choice merely introduces a new aspect (disease, which is not part of the argument) into the equation. If the question asked which of the following, if true, Would decrease corn production or increase corn futures? Than this would answer it. But, as it stands the choice does nothing to the argument.

I think choice A answers the question and is relevant to the argument. The argument is: you need rain for corn growth and you are expecting rain -> corn will grown -> prices of corn futures will decrease.
Choice A says corn that doesn't receive moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce bountiful harvest.

Passage says adequate moisture is essential for current crops survival. Choice A says there is a critical stage (time) in a corn plants life and during this stage (time) if it doesn't receive moisture (rain) it won't grow. And since the rain now is "much needed" according to the passage, this indicates there wasn't much rain before, so essentially you already missed that bus, when rain was needed (at a certain stage aka time) it wasn't available.

shank001 wrote:
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Therefore, since adequate moisture is essential for the current crop’s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?

Poor harvest - high prices
Good harvest - low prices

Prediction - Much needed rain for corn.
conclusion - Prices of corn will fall sharply

Weakener should weaken the conclusion. We are looking for answer choice that will give enough reason for us to doubt whether the prices can still increase even when good rain is predicted.
Something that will destroy the crops even when the rain is plentiful.

(A) Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest. - Incorrect. Kind of a strengthener.
(B) Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season. - Incorrect. Not concerned with prices comparison.
(C) The rain that meteorologists predicted for tomorrow is expected to extend well beyond the corn-growing region. - Incorrect. This is a trap answer. This may lead us to believe that too much rain can destroy the harvest. But the passage does not say so.
(D) Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season. - Correct. If the harvest is destroyed by disease then the prices might go up. Weakens the conclusion.
(E) Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade. - Incorrect. Irrelevant.
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are   [#permalink] 30 Jul 2015, 16:27
Similar topics Replies Last post
Similar
Topics:
Crops can be traded on futures market before they are harvested 1 13 Oct 2015, 15:34
The use of biofuels manufactured from crops such as corn and sugar can 0 25 Jan 2015, 11:38
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are 0 27 Jan 2013, 02:01
4 The futures market lets investors speculate on future 8 09 Jul 2012, 09:35
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are 0 08 Jun 2011, 21:04
Display posts from previous: Sort by