PrepTest 123, Section 1, Question 17
The following passage was written in the mid-1990s.(458 more words not shown)
The author's attitude toward the(11 more words not shown)
- Adisapproving of their(5 more words not shown)
- Bsurprise at their(10 more words not shown)
- Ccritical of their(11 more words not shown)
- Doutrage at their(5 more words not shown)
- Edoubtful of their(10 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
The directors rejected the relatively high bids from Brazilian producers. That saved money initially, but the writer says it cost them the long-term benefits of developing local production and expertise.
What we’re looking for
So the reaction is critical: this decision hurt the project's prospects. We need an answer that gets the reason for that criticism right, not just one with a negative tone.
Working the answers
- A
The criticism isn't that the directors relied too heavily on private investment. The backers hoped to attract more investment; the missed opportunity the writer identifies is local production.
- B
Rejecting a high bid doesn't tell us the directors thought local expertise was poor. The explanation emphasizes the price and the cost-saving decision, not a lack of faith in local quality.
- CCorrect
“Short-term savings” came at the expense of “long-term benefits.” The directors focused on the initial cost instead of the capacity that could eventually reduce reliance on expensive foreign expertise. That is the lack of foresight this answer describes.
- D
The writer criticizes a shortsighted strategy, but doesn't describe outrage or accuse the directors of sacrificing humanitarian goals to pursue profit.
- E
A harmful decision doesn't prove they wanted anything other than success. The criticism concerns how they tried to achieve it, not whether they wanted a successful system.
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