PrepTest 129, Section 3, Question 23
In modern "brushless" car washes, cloth strips called(37 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(13 more words not shown)
- AWhen car washes(20 more words not shown)
- BModern "brushless" car(15 more words not shown)
- CModern "brushless" car(12 more words not shown)
- DBrushes are more(12 more words not shown)
- EMore cars in(9 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
“Brushless” does not mean nothing touches the car. Cloth strips called mitters do the work formerly done by brushes. The useful distinction is that the cloth is gentler on most finishes.
That matters especially for the newer clear-coat finishes because they scratch more easily. Older finishes are comparatively more resistant. I would still wonder how well the cloth cleans, but the passage gives us information about protecting finishes, not cleaning effectiveness.
What we’re looking for
The question asks for the best-supported statement. I'd expect an inference about the risk of scratching: the gentler method should be easier on the finish. Keep both comparisons in mind: the cleaning materials and the finishes' susceptibility.
Working the answers
- A
We cannot count scratched cars on the road from these comparisons. There may be different numbers of cars now, and the older finishes were more resistant even when brushes were used. The change to gentler equipment does not by itself establish that fewer cars in total have scratches today.
- B
A benefit of an invention does not tell us why it was introduced. Perhaps mitters were adopted for some other reason, such as cost, and their gentler treatment of finishes was an additional benefit. The passage gives no history establishing a direct response to clear-coat finishes.
- CCorrect
This is the best-supported assessment of the likely result. Mitters are gentler on most finishes, and older finishes are more resistant to scratching than the newer finishes for which that gentleness is especially important. Together, those facts support expecting older finishes ordinarily to come through a brushless wash without visible scratches.
The passage does not give a measured scratch rate, so we should not pretend that “usually” was expressly stated or that scratches are impossible. C is a reasonable inference from the two facts about gentleness and resistance. The alternatives add claims about history, total numbers, cleaning performance, or the proportions of cars that have no comparable support.
- D
We are not told brushes clean more effectively, or that anyone prefers them for older cars. Being less likely to scratch a finish and being better at cleaning are different attributes. The passage addresses the former.
- E
“Many” cars have clear-coat finishes, but that does not tell us whether they outnumber cars with older finishes. Both groups could be large while older finishes remain more common. E introduces an unsupported comparison of their numbers.
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