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A nature conservancy expert found little support for his campaign to protect toads. He suggested that, even thought the campaign highlighted the vital role the toads played in the ecology of the region, people were unenthusiastic about saving toads as these animals are perceived as unpleasant creatures, and people seldom feel passionate about animals with which they have no positive feelings.

The expert’s opinion would be most strengthened by which of the following observations?

A. Ecological conservation is an increasingly important concern in the region.
B. A recent campaign to save bats achieved a measure of success only after a cartoon bat was adopted as the mascot of the local football team.
C. Snakes and lizards also need protection in this region as a result of human activity.
D. The campaign to protect toads has been in existence for over five years and yet the toad population continues to decline.
E. The children in the local schools were found to have a greater aversion to toads than to snakes.


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I LL GO WITH D AS MY ANSWER.

B ALSO SEEMED TEMPTING TO ME BUT SINCE AUTHOR AT NO POINT MENTIONS THAT BATS ARE ALSO CONSIDERES BY PEOPLE AS UNPLEASANT CREATURES, THIS STATEMENT FAILS TO STRENGTHEN THE ARGUMENT.
I FEEL SEFF MADE ASSUMPTIONS ARE NOT WELCOMED AT GMAT..

ANY TAKERS FOR THE ABOVE STATEMENT.

B

Good job, RishiRaj! Although it might be more helpful if you also explained your reasons for your answer choice.

The credited response is B..

We are looking for something to strengthen the idea that people are unenthusiastic about campaigns related to animals that are not viewed in a positive light. Answer B relates a similar situation in which people were unenthusiastic about a creature until it was seen in a new (presumably positive) way. Giving a similar example is one way to support an argument, and it is the best option available here.

While you are right, docjack, that B hasn't explicitly stated that bats were also viewed as unpleasant creatures, it is the best option available here. Choice D does nothing to strenghten the expert's opinion that people were unenthusiastic about saving toads as these animals are perceived as unpleasant creatures.


Comments?

My answer is D only.

Option B has many assumptions, which are not plausible. First assumption, people used to dislike bats the same way as they do toads. Second, nobody has yet adopted cartoon toad as their symbolic mark. Third, even if people start using toad as a symbolic mark, people might not have pleasant feeling for toads Being popular doesn't mean popular with pleasant feeling. Like Devil is very common symbol in sports in some countries, but that doesn't mean people will start liking devils. What was true in case of bats need not necessarily true in case of toads (we cann't assume correlation between animals people's feeling about them).

Hence, my answer is D only.

B, as it strengthens the author's view. the last sentence 'people seldom...' to precise.