Q6 - Medical columnist: Some doctors recommend taking vitami

[ohthatpatrick]

Question Type:
Explain the Discrepancy

Stimulus Breakdown:
GENERAL REC: take vitamin C to maintain overall health (it's got antioxidants) and to help guard against developing other health problems.
CANCER PATIENT REC: Don't take vitamin C, even though you're getting therapies that threaten your health.

Answer Anticipation:
Given that doctors recommend vitamin C to most people for its antioxidant-fueled protection against disease, why could vitamin C be bad for certain cancer patients undergoing therapy?

Correct Answer:
A

Answer Choice Analysis:
(A) Looks good. Here's a reason why you wouldn't give a cancer patient vitamin C.

(B) This isn't a reason AGAINST vitamin C. We need a reason to AVOID the recommendation.

(C) Just like (B), it's telling us why vitamin C wouldn't necessarily be helpful, but it's not telling us why we should be discouraged from taking it.

(D) This doesn't tell us anything about vitamin C in connection to cancer.

(E) Just like (B) and (C), it's telling us that vitamin C wouldn't necessarily be helpful, but it's not telling us why it would be discouraged.

Takeaway/Pattern: We don't need to try predicting the answers to Paradox/Discrepancy type questions. Just clearly frame the goal … "Why are these doctors DISCOURAGING some cancer patients undergoing therapies from taking vitamin C?"

#officialexplanation

[BarryM800]

I thought (A) is ambiguous: "Some kinds of cancer cells absorb large amounts of vitamin C, which interferes with the oxidation mechanism, by which many cancer therapies kill cancer cells."

(1) "Which" refers to the noun immediately before it - "vitamin C." If vitamin C interferes with many cancer therapies, which is a bad thing, and large amounts of them can be absorbed accordingly by some kinds of cancer cells, then there shouldn't be any problem.

(2) "Which" refers to the whole sentence - "Some kinds of cancer cells absorb large amounts of vitamin C." If this whole absorbing process interferes with many cancer therapies, then consuming vitamin C might not be a good idea. Apparently, this question takes the second interpretation, which makes (A) the credited response.

However, is the first interpretation valid? Is there any clues in the stimulus that preclude the first interpretation so the ambiguity does not even exist? Thanks!

[Laura Damone]

I agree that it's not 100% clear whether the antecedent to "which" is the vitamin C itself or the absorption of the vitamin C. But I think your first interpretation is a little off. Ironically, you used a referent in your explanation and I'm not sure what it's referring back to! When you stated "and large amounts of them can be absorbed accordingly by some kinds of cancer cells, then there shouldn't be any problem..." what's the "them" you're referring to?

Here's how I read A: If "which" refers to the vitamin C itself, then A implies that vitamin C somehow interferes with the oxidation mechanism by which many cancer therapies kill cancer cells. If "which" refers to the absorption of vitamin C by the cancer cells, then A still implies that vitamin C interferes with the oxidation mechanism by which many cancer therapies kill cancer cells. Either way you slice it, A implies a negative outcome of vitamin C consumption for certain cancer patients that could outweigh any benefit, thereby explaining the doctor's counterintuitive recommendations against the vitamin.

Hope this helps!

[Laura Damone]

Oh! I almost forgot: the "Insert Borrowed Language Here" drill on page 27 of 5lb book is all about referents and their antecedents. Check it out!

[MiltonW701]

When I was given the assignment to write a paper on the benefits of vitamins in medical college, I thought it would be just another study on the positive effects of vitamins on health. However, in the process of research, I had an epiphany and learned that some vitamins can be harmful if consumed in excess. This discovery changed my perspective on the use of vitamin supplements and highlighted the importance of a balanced diet and consultation with medical professionals.

[JaysonR265]

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