Try this question from Manhattan GMAT’s Critical Reasoning question bank!

Due to the increase in traffic accidents caused by deer in the state, the governor last year reintroduced a longer deer hunting season to encourage recreational hunting of the animals.The governor expected the longer hunting season to decrease the number of deer and therefore decrease the number of accidents. However, this year the number of accidents caused by deer has increased substantially since the reintroduction of the longer deer hunting season.

Which of the following if true, would best explain the increase in traffic accidents caused by deer?

(A). Many recreational hunters hunt only once or twice per hunting season, regardless of the length of the season.
(B). The deer in the state have become accustomed to living in close proximity to humans and are often easy prey for hunters as a result
(C). Most automobile accidents involving deer result from cars swerving to avoid deer, and leave the deer unharmed.
(D). The number of drivers in the state has been gradually increasing over the past several years
(E). A heavily used new highway was recently built directly through the state’s largest forest, which is the primary habitat of the state’s deer population.

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Explanation:

This one is less of an argument and more of a straightforward premise, but we still will need to find the answer that best matches the reasoning behind the premise.

Conclusion: Longer deer season will decrease # of deer and # of accidents.

Evidence: Deer causing more accidents.

Assumption: Longer season = fewer deer overall

Question: Why are there more accidents?

Prediction: More deer, more drivers

A – This weakens the conclusion, but doesn’t answer the question.
B – Potentially, but kinda weak…deer wouldn’t necessarily come closer to cars just because they are used to people and the “easy prey” is irrelevant
C – Whether or not the deer are harmed doesn’t explain WHY there are more accidents
D – Potentially…This would explain why there are more accidents…but uses “gradually” which isn’t quite as strong…
E – Potentially…This would bring deer + drivers in closer proximity than D. Notice the strong language “heavily used”, “directly through”, and “primary.”

The correct answer is (E).