When uncontrollable factors such as lack of rain cause farmers' wheat crops to fail, fertilizer and seed dealers, as...

Naz on December 16, 2013

We know that if uncontrollable factors cause farmers' wheat crops to fail, "fertilizer and seed dealers, as well as truckers and mechanics, lose business, and fuel suppliers are unable to sell enough diesel fuel to make a profit."

UFWF = uncontrollable factors cause farmers' wheat crops to fail
FLB = fertilizer dealers lose business
SLB = seed dealers lose business
TLB = truckers lose business
MLB = mechanics lose business
FSSDP = fuel suppliers able to sell enough diesel fuel to make a profit

UFWCF ==> FLB & SLB & TLB & MLB & not FSSDP
FSSDP or not MLB or not TLB or not SLB or not FLB ==> not UFWCF

Thus, when uncontrollable factors cause farmers' wheat crops to fail, not only do the wheat farmers suffer, but also the fertilizer and seed dealers, as well as truckers and mechanics, as well as the fuel suppliers.

Answer choice (E), therefore, follows logically from the stimulus: "the consequences of a drought are not restricted to the drought's impact on farm productivity."

Hope that was helpful! Please let us know if you have any other questions.

esther on July 31, 2018

why not B

jstaff on August 29, 2018

I am also interested in knowing why answer choice 'B' is incorrect

Max-Youngquist on August 30, 2018

@esther @jstaff B is incorrect because we can only reach a conclusion IF uncontrollable factors (such as a lack of rain) cause farmers' wheat crops to fail. The passage does not state that a lack of rain guarantees farmers' wheat crops to fail. Therefore below average rainfall is not sufficient to conclude "those businesses that profit from farmers' purchases tend to lose money." I hope that helps!