Question

Find the statement that must be true according to the given information.
The Pacific yew is an evergreen tree that grows in the Pacific Northwest. The Pacific yew has a fleshy, poisonous fruit. Recently, taxol, a substance found in the bark of the Pacific yew, was discovered to be a promising new anticancer drug.

• A. Taxol is poisonous when taken by healthy people.
• B. People should not eat the fruit of the Pacific yew.
• C. Taxol has cured people from various diseases.
• D. The Pacific yew was considered worthless until taxol was discovered.

Hint:

In logical reasoning, pick the statement that directly follows from the given information, not assumptions or interpretations.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Extract given facts.
- Pacific yew grows in the Pacific Northwest.
- It produces fleshy fruit that is poisonous.
- Its bark contains taxol, a promising anticancer drug. 

Step 2: Evaluate the options.
(a) Not stated. We only know taxol is promising as a drug, not that it is poisonous.
(b) Correct. The fruit is explicitly described as poisonous, so people should not eat it.
(c) Not stated. It is only "promising," not proven to have cured diseases yet.
(d) Not stated. Nowhere is it mentioned that the tree was considered worthless before taxol. \[ \Rightarrow \boxed{\text{(b) People should not eat the fruit of the Pacific yew.}} \]

Answer 2

Classify each option as directly stated, an overreach beyond the given facts, or unsupported, based only on what the passage says.

1. Option (a): "Taxol is poisonous when taken by healthy people" — the poison is attributed to the fruit, not to taxol itself; this is an overreach.
2. Option (b): "People should not eat the fruit of the Pacific yew" — directly follows, since the passage states the fruit is poisonous.
3. Option (c): "Taxol has cured people from various diseases" — the passage only calls taxol "promising," not proven or curative; overreach.
4. Option (d): "The tree was considered worthless until taxol was discovered" — nothing in the passage discusses the tree's prior reputation; unsupported.

Only option (b) is a direct restatement of a fact given in the passage.

the correct answer is People should not eat the fruit of the Pacific yew.