PrepTest 128, Section 2, Question 7
Builder: Within ten years, most of the new(52 more words not shown)
Which one of the following,(8 more words not shown)
- AOver the next(14 more words not shown)
- BSteel-framed homes do(17 more words not shown)
- CBecause lumber prices(15 more words not shown)
- DTraining home construction(8 more words not shown)
- EThe number of(12 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Why would most new homes switch to steel? The builder points to declining lumber quality, rising lumber prices, and falling steel prices. Steel also avoids warping, rotting, and splitting. Those are real considerations in its favor.
But a price going up or down doesn't tell us which material is cheaper. Suppose wood rises from $5 to $7 per unit while steel falls from $100 to $90 for a comparable amount. Wood has become more expensive, and steel has become cheaper, yet wood still costs far less. The trends alone don't establish that builders will prefer steel.
What we’re looking for
So I'd look for a reason that wood could remain the more economical choice despite the changes described. To weaken the prediction, we need a disadvantage that gives builders a reason to continue using wood. We don't have to deny that steel has the advantages the builder lists.
Working the answers
- A
Higher labor costs throughout the industry don't tell us whether wood or steel becomes more attractive. The costs could increase similarly for both kinds of construction. We need a difference affecting the choice between materials, not merely another expense of building a house.
- B
This gives steel another advantage: it avoids treatments that can worsen indoor air quality. That could help explain a switch toward steel, which goes in the opposite direction from the weakening task.
- C
If most new homes already have steel frameworks, the forecast of a steel majority within ten years becomes easier to believe. C doesn't guarantee what will happen in the future, but it supports the proposed shift by telling us that the majority has already shifted.
- DCorrect
This identifies another cost of switching, even if steel itself becomes inexpensive. Builders need workers who can use the material, and training those workers is very costly. Imagine buying cheap materials but then having to pay for specialized training before anyone can build with them. The material savings might not justify the total expense. That gives builders a reason to continue using familiar wood construction and weakens the prediction.
- E
The forecast concerns the proportion of new homes built with steel, not the total number built. Even if only five houses were constructed, three could have steel frameworks and steel would still account for most new homes. Fewer houses alone doesn't tell us which framework builders will choose.
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