Though sucking zinc lozenges has been promoted as a treatment for the common cold, research has revealed no consistent effect.Recently, however, a zinc gel applied nasally has been shown to greatly reduce the duration of colds.Since the gel contains zinc in the same form and concentration as the lozenges, the greater effectiveness of the gel must be due to the fact that cold viruses tend to concentrate in the nose, not the mouth.
In order to evaluate the argument, it would be most helpful to determine which of the following?
Whether zinc is effective only against colds, or also has an effect on other virally caused diseases
Whether there are remedies that do not contain zinc but that, when taken orally, can reduce the duration of colds
Whether people who frequently catch colds have a zinc deficiency
Whether either the zinc gel or the lozenges contain ingredients that have an impact on the activity of the zinc
Whether the zinc gel has an effect on the severity of cold symptoms, as well as on their duration
首先我们要了解作者理解的the greater effectiveness是因为zinc gel greatly reduce the duration of colds。 接着他认为原因是这个差异:细菌集中在鼻子而不是在口腔。 B选项中,如果一种口服药也能reduce the duration of colds,那么就跟zinc gel一样有the greater effectiveness,但是这种药如同zinc lozenges是口服的,所以就能证明鼻子和口腔不是效果差异的重点。
D就是ETS的常用的陷阱。Whether either the zinc gel or the lozenges contain ingredients that have an impact on the activity of the zinc? 因为我们不了解到底是什么样impact. 假设答案是yes, 如果这些impact是favor zinc gel,那么我们可以认为是因为这个impact,所以它的疗效好,削弱结论; 如果这些impact favor zinc lozenges, 那么我们就在加强这个结论,指出zinc lozenges本来应该效果更好,但是因为施药的地方不对,反而让药效不佳的zinc gelch产生的效果更好,太神奇了!
Since the gel contains zinc in the same form and concentration as the lozenges, the greater effectiveness of the gel must be due to the fact that cold viruses tend to concentrate in the nose, not the mouth.
D:Whether either the zinc gel or the lozenges contain ingredients that have an impact on the activity of the zinc.
如果是YES, 就是说这两种药因为有其它的东东引起了药效不一样,那么就不能说cold viruses tend to concentrate in the nose, not the mouth.
如果是NO,那就是两种药因药效一样,是可以说cold viruses tend to concentrate in the nose, not the mouth.
因此D是可以evaluate原文.
同意版主的解释,B是无关选项
如果能把D改写成either the zinc gel or the lozenges contain ingredients that have the same impact就更好了