PT71.S3.Q21 - prolonged exposure to sulfur fumes

cave1870

http://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-71-section-3-question-21/
I've figured out why C) and E) are wrong, but I'm not sure how the other incorrect answers weaken the argument.

Any ideas or explanations?

Sully8725

So, it is a weaken EXCEPT. The conclusion is that prolonged exposure to sulphur fumes permanently damages one's sense of smell, they support it with that 10% of factory workers could identify the scent compared to 50% of the control group.
A) Correct. This answer choice does not weaken the argument at all because it provides no point of difference between the Sulphur group and the control group. The degree of "error" provided by the imperfect chemical composition is equal to both groups. You would have to say that the actual smells as they exist in nature are given to the control group and the chemically produced imperfect smells were provided to the factory workers for this choice to weaken the argument.
Incorrect. This answer choices weakens the question because it points out a flaw in the method, they lacked environmental control. So if you were standing next to a vent blowing fumes and I asked you to sniff the smelly marker and tell me what it smelled like you are likely being negatively influenced by the vent blowing smells at you.
C) Incorrect. This weakens the argument because we can assume the results are skewed because the control group are professional smellers (okay.. I made that word up) or at the very least they have practiced this skill.
D) Incorrect. This answer choices weakens the argument because it again shows a flaw in methodology. The "other noxious fumes" could in fact be the culprit for sensory loss not the sulphur.
E) Incorrect. This answer choice weakens the argument because perhaps they conducted the study in Cuba where trade embargo has limited the factory working population to smells available only in the US and then an American researcher brought those scents to Cuba (super sneakily and via a non direct flight) and asked the workers to identify them (they are now at an inherit disadvantage because they have never been exposed to these smells before so have no point of reference) and then we can say the control group are US citizens who are commonly exposed to the smells.

** And I lack creativity so the trade embargo is all I could come up with for why you have never smelled something..

cave1870

Awesome, thanks a lot