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Two different cages of rabbits were given injections of mild toxins. I
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05 Mar 2026, 01:43
05 Mar 2026, 01:43
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Question 1
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45% (01:35) correct
55% (01:31) wrong based on 22 sessions
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Two different cages of rabbits were given injections of mild toxins. In addition, the first cage was also exposed to a cold temperature; three-fourths of the rabbits in this cage became sick. Only one-fifth of the rabbits in the normal temperature cage became sick. The lab technicians concluded that cold temperature increases the likelihood of illness in rabbits.
The technicians' conclusion logically depends on which of the following assumptions?
(A) The exposure to the cold temperature acted as a catalyst for the toxins which made more rabbits in the first cage sick.
(B) The toxins given to the rabbits in the two cages were of the same strength and the same amount.
(C) Injecting the rabbits with toxins does not make them sick.
(D) Even without the exposure to cold temperature, the rabbits in the first cage would have probably gotten sick.
(E) Even exposing rabbits to slight variances in temperature is likely to induce illness irrespective of which cage the rabbits belong to.
The technicians' conclusion logically depends on which of the following assumptions?
(A) The exposure to the cold temperature acted as a catalyst for the toxins which made more rabbits in the first cage sick.
(B) The toxins given to the rabbits in the two cages were of the same strength and the same amount.
(C) Injecting the rabbits with toxins does not make them sick.
(D) Even without the exposure to cold temperature, the rabbits in the first cage would have probably gotten sick.
(E) Even exposing rabbits to slight variances in temperature is likely to induce illness irrespective of which cage the rabbits belong to.
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Re: Two different cages of rabbits were given injections of mild toxins. I
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21 May 2026, 09:26
21 May 2026, 09:26
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ANSWER IS B
assumption here is that they both were of same strength and same amount. This assumptions need to be true for their conclusion to be assertive.
assumption here is that they both were of same strength and same amount. This assumptions need to be true for their conclusion to be assertive.
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Re: Two different cages of rabbits were given injections of mild toxins. I
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21 May 2026, 12:54
21 May 2026, 12:54
Expert Reply
Explanation
To evaluate the technicians' conclusion efficiently, we need to treat this as a problem of isolating variables to maximize the accuracy of the outcome.
The goal is to determine if cold temperature specifically increases the likelihood of illness. For this conclusion to hold any practical value, all other conditions that could impact the rabbits' health must be held constant. If the rabbits in the first cage received a much stronger or larger dose of toxins than the second cage, the experiment yields corrupted data, leading to an incorrect conclusion and a waste of resources.
Therefore, the experiment relies on the fundamental assumption that the baseline threat to both groups was equal.
The correct choice is (B)
(A) While this describes a potential mechanism for how the cold interacted with the toxin, the conclusion doesn't depend on knowing how it happened, only that the cold temperature was the variable that caused the difference.
(C) If the toxins didn't make them sick at all, the experiment wouldn't work, but the prompt already states that even in the normal temperature cage, one-fifth of the rabbits got sick.
(D) If they would have gotten sick anyway without the cold, it undermines the conclusion that the cold temperature was the deciding factor.
(E) If any slight variance in temperature induces illness regardless of the cage, it would make it impossible to isolate the specific effect of the cold environment tested against the control group, rendering the data useless for specific prediction.
Answer: B
To evaluate the technicians' conclusion efficiently, we need to treat this as a problem of isolating variables to maximize the accuracy of the outcome.
The goal is to determine if cold temperature specifically increases the likelihood of illness. For this conclusion to hold any practical value, all other conditions that could impact the rabbits' health must be held constant. If the rabbits in the first cage received a much stronger or larger dose of toxins than the second cage, the experiment yields corrupted data, leading to an incorrect conclusion and a waste of resources.
Therefore, the experiment relies on the fundamental assumption that the baseline threat to both groups was equal.
The correct choice is (B)
(A) While this describes a potential mechanism for how the cold interacted with the toxin, the conclusion doesn't depend on knowing how it happened, only that the cold temperature was the variable that caused the difference.
(C) If the toxins didn't make them sick at all, the experiment wouldn't work, but the prompt already states that even in the normal temperature cage, one-fifth of the rabbits got sick.
(D) If they would have gotten sick anyway without the cold, it undermines the conclusion that the cold temperature was the deciding factor.
(E) If any slight variance in temperature induces illness regardless of the cage, it would make it impossible to isolate the specific effect of the cold environment tested against the control group, rendering the data useless for specific prediction.
Answer: B
