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Hello all,

Shrooms question.

Okay, so perhaps I'm overthinking this - or, as is more likely, am just misguided in my thinking - but here goes:


I put down (B) rather than (C) for the following reason: the stimulus indicates that the degree of immuno-effect is related to branching of the beta-glucans, but simply states that beta-glucan extracts from the shrooms have this effect (i.e. Whether b-g 's in general do is not stated). Thus, to say that b-g branching triggers immuno-effects in mammals (answer C) seems to overshoot what's in the passage, given that it does not mention that they come fr shrooms, whereas (B), which only mentions that if extracts have an immuno-effect, then that shroom must be making b-g 's, seems on point.

Tell me where i'm going wrong.

Thanks & all the best w/ practice,

Z

We know that beta-glucan extract from such mushrooms can slow, reverse, or prevent the growth of cancerous tumors in mammals. However, we can't say that every time an extract does that it's a beta-glucan mushroom. Other mushrooms with different extracts could play the same role; or maybe there's a mushroom that doesn't utilize cellulose to make beta-glucan. This is why B is incorrect.

We know that as the branching increases, anti-tumor activity increases. The anti tumor activity, per the last sentence, isn't because it kills cells, but because it increases immune cell activity. Therefore: as branching increases, anti-tumor activity increases, meaning immune cell activity increases. This is why C is correct.