In 1976 a powerful earthquake hit the city of Tangshan, China. Scientists had failed to predict the earthquake. If people had paid attention to the unusual animal behavior that preceded the earthquake, however, they would have known it was coming. Animals can often sense an impending earthquake when scientists cannot.
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9) Which of the following statements, if true, would suggest a weakness in the argument above?
A) A wide variety of phenomena can cause animals to behave strangely.
B) Scientists use a variety of sophisticated tools to monitor and predict earthquakes.
C) Many domestic as well as wild animals behaved strangely the day before the Tangshan earthquake.
D) The city of Tangshan is near a major fault line that makes it particularly susceptible to earthquakes.
My answer is A for this question.
Right!
Your answer is correct. Statement A would suggest a weakness in the argument because it highlights that there might be various reasons for animals behaving strangely, not just an impending earthquake. This weakens the assertion that animal behavior alone can be a reliable predictor of earthquakes.
To arrive at this answer, you need to analyze each statement and determine if it weakens the argument. In this case, statement A presents a potential alternative explanation for animal behavior, which undermines the claim that animal behavior is a reliable precursor to earthquakes.
To solve questions like this, it's essential to carefully read and understand the argument, identify the main conclusion, and then evaluate each statement's strength in supporting or weakening that conclusion.