956 - Logical Reasoning

The average life expectancy for the United States population as a whole is 73.9 years, but children born in Hawaii will live an average of 77 years, and those born in Louisiana, 71.7 years. If a newlywed couple from Louisiana were to begin their family in Hawaii, therefore, their children would be expected to live longer than would be the case if the family remained in Louisiana.

Question1 : Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn in the passage?

1. Insurance company statisticians do not believe that moving to Hawaii will significantly lengthen the average Louisianian's life.
2. The governor of Louisiana has falsely alleged that statistics for his state are inaccurate.
3. The longevity ascribed to Hawaii's current population is attributable mostly to genetically determined factors.
4. Thirty percent of all Louisianians can expect to live longer than 77 years.
5. Most of the Hawaiian Islands have levels of air pollution well below the national average for the United States.

Question2 : Which of the following statements, if true, would most significantly strengthen the conclusion drawn in the passage?

1. As population density increases in Hawaii, life expectancy figures for that state are likely to be revised downward
2. Environmental factors tending to favor longevity are abundant in Hawaii and less numerous in Louisiana
3. Twenty-five percent of all Louisianians who move to Hawaii live longer than 77 years.
4. Over the last decade, average life expectancy has risen at a higher rate for Louisianians than for Hawaiians.
5. Studies show that the average life expectancy for Hawaiians who move permanently to Louisiana is roughly equal to that of Hawaiians who remain in Hawaii.