Aamc fl #10 - bs: #122, 123, 127

[PianoMajor]

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#122: Passage states that 95% of patients have a recurrence of the ulcer within two years. This says to me that neutralization and reduction of stomach acid is not an effective method for "preventing the recurrence of stomach ulcers". And yet the answer is D.

#123: If this problem were reworded to say "the BEST way to demonstrate this would be", I would have chosen C. However, they said "most likely", and I don't think that infecting healthy individuals is a practical and 'most likely' way of proving this problem. I used TBR for practicing passages, and whenever they had a problem similar to this, they would say that infecting a healthy human is not practical, or that while certain treatments would eliminate the illness, it's too extreme of an approach.

#127: Missed this for the same reason as #123. However, this problem does say "best", so I really should have chosen B.

Also, you could argue to use process of elimination in these problems, but that's exactly what I did, and in all three problems I got the answer down to two, and chose what was most practical answer.

 

[attixx]

#122) Refer back to the passage often because the answer is usually given in some way. It says "no recurrence occurs with a combination of antibiotics and drugs that reduce acid production." Other answers refer to acid production only, but the passage discusses antibiotics which prevent bacterial protein synthesis as well. The point is that lowering production without bacterial prevention isn't the best way because there are two components to the problem.

#123) All they are asking about is proof that the bacteria cause ulcers. The other choices don't offer any kind of proof that they are the cause. I see your line of thinking but that doesn't apply here because the other answer wouldn't offer evidence at all.

#127) Once again, the other answers don't make sense when approaching the question. They are testing your ability to prove something with experimentation, in this case that urease is a necessary component of stomach colonization by the bacteria. Before jumping to an answer because it's a test on humans, look to see if the other answers actually answer the question. A, B, and D wouldn't test anything relevant in this question.

If the MCAT wants you to make a distinction based on impractical/harmful testing on humans, there will be two answers that are definitely right but one that is harmful.

 

[pgupta]

I also had a question about number 122. It says later in the passage that, "Other characteristics of H. pylori include the production of (1) an inhibitor of acid secretion..." So, if the bacteria itself is inhibiting acid secretion, why would it be beneficial to use drugs that also inhibit acid production?

Is there something I'm not seeing here?

 

[ridethecliche]

I had an issue with that as well.

Theres a line at the end of the passage that states the best tx is both. This overrides everything else. At this point its a verbal esque recall question.

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