Question: Many plant varieties used in industrially developed nations to improve cultivated crops come from less developed nations. No compensation is paid on the grounds that the plants used are “the common heritage of humanity.” Such reasoning is, however, flawed. After all, no one suggests that coal, oil, and ores should be extracted without payment.

Which of the following best describes an aspect of the method used by the author in the argument above?

(A) The author proceeds from a number of specific observations to a tentative generalization.
(B) The author applies to the case under discussion facts about phenomena assumed to be similar in some relevant respect.
(C) A position is strengthened by showing that the opposite of that position would have logically absurd consequences.
(D) A line of reasoning is called into question on the grounds that it confuses cause and effect in a causal relation.
(E) An argument is analyzed by separating statements of fact from individual value judgments.

Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The argument of the passage claims that less developed nations do not receive any compensation from developed nations. This is when a developed nation utilises some plants to improve the agriculture of the less developed nations. This argues that the plants utilised are the common heritage of humanity to which they hold the identical rite as the original country does. This argument is flawed due to a similar principle that cannot be used for other natural resources. Coal, oil, and ores are components of the common heritage of humanity but native nations hold exclusive privileges over these resources. The answer choice B states that the author depicts the phenomena is supposed to be similar in some relevant aspect. This answer choice expresses the similarity between plants and other natural resources. Hence, option B is the correct answer as it satisfies the argument of the passage. Let’s take a look at the other options.

Option A

The answer choice A depicts that the author takes decisions from various multiple observations to cite an uncertain generalisation. It implies that the coil, oil and other resources are components of the human heritage that can be extracted by other nations without any compensation. However, the passage claims that less developed nations do not receive any compensation from developed nations. This is when a developed nation utilises some plants to improve the agriculture of the less developed nations. This argues that the plants utilised are the common heritage of humanity to which they hold the identical rite as the original country does. This argument is flawed due to a similar principle that cannot be used for other natural resources. Coal, oil, and ores are components of the human heritage but native nations hold exclusive privileges over these resources. Hence, this option A is incorrect as it does not satisfy the argument of the passage. Thus, option A gets eliminated.

Option C

This answer choice C states that a position is maintained by establishing the contrary of the position that would have experienced logically absurd results. However, the passage claims that less developed nations do not receive any compensation from developed nations. This is when a developed nation utilises some plants to improve the agriculture of the less developed nations. This argues that the plants utilised are the common heritage of humanity to which they hold the identical rite as the original country does. This argument is flawed due to a similar principle that cannot be used for other natural resources. Coal, oil, and ores are components of the human heritage but native nations hold exclusive privileges over these resources. Therefore, no opposite instance is suggested in the passage. Hence, this answer choice is incorrect as it holds irrelevant facts as described in the passage. Thus, option C gets eliminated.

Option D

This answer choice D states that the question indicates a line of logic on the grounds that it confuses the causal relationship between cause and effect. The passage claims that less developed nations do not receive any compensation from developed nations. This is when a developed nation utilises some plants to improve the agriculture of the less developed nations. This argues that the plants utilised are the common heritage of humanity to which they hold the identical rite as the original country does. This argument is flawed due to a similar principle that cannot be used for other natural resources. Coal, oil, and ores are components of the human heritage but native nations hold exclusive privileges over these resources. Therefore, answer choice D holds irrelevant information since there is no cause-and-effect line of reasoning stated in the passage. Hence, option D is the incorrect answer choice and thereby gets eliminated.

Option E

This answer choice states that an argument is interpreted by detaching the information from the value judgements of the individual. This answer choice is incorrect since the passage expresses no indication to value judgement for other natural resources. The passage mainly claims that less developed nations do not receive any compensation from developed nations. This is when a developed nation utilises some plants to improve the agriculture of the less developed nations. This argues that the plants utilised are the common heritage of humanity to which they hold the identical rite as the original country does. This argument is flawed due to a similar principle that cannot be used for other natural resources. Coal, oil, and ores are components of the human heritage but native nations hold exclusive privileges over these resources. Hence, option E gets eliminated since it holds irrelevant information that does not satisfy the content of the passage.

“Many plant varieties used in industrially developed nations”- is a GMAT critical reasoning topic of the GMAT exam. This topic has been taken from the book “GMAT All the Verbal”. This GMAT critical comes with five options and candidates need to choose the one which is correct. GMAT critical reasoning sections are designed for the purpose of measuring the logical and analytical skills of the candidates.

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