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.

Question

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.

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.

Answer 1

What statements?

You may need to type these statements.

Answer 2

The argument presented in the question is that scientists failed to predict the earthquake in Tangshan, China, but animals were able to sense it because of their unusual behavior. To determine a weakness in this argument, we can evaluate the statements and identify whether any of them undermine the conclusion. Let's analyze each statement:

A) A wide variety of phenomena can cause animals to behave strangely.
This statement suggests that unusual animal behavior may not necessarily be a reliable predictor of an impending earthquake. It weakens the argument by indicating that other factors could cause animals to behave strangely without an earthquake occurring.

B) Scientists use a variety of sophisticated tools to monitor and predict earthquakes.
This statement supports the argument by implying that scientists have access to advanced technology and methods for earthquake prediction. It does not weaken the argument.

C) Many domestic as well as wild animals behaved strangely the day before the Tangshan earthquake.
This statement strengthens the argument by providing specific evidence that animals displayed unusual behavior prior to the earthquake. It does not weaken the argument.

D) The city of Tangshan is near a major fault line that makes it particularly susceptible to earthquakes.
This statement is irrelevant to the argument and does not weaken or strengthen it.

Therefore, the correct answer is A) A wide variety of phenomena can cause animals to behave strangely, as it suggests that animal behavior may not always be indicative of an impending earthquake.