PrepTest 143, Section 1, Question 8
Client: The owners of the catering company we(61 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(10 more words not shown)
- AThe owners of(8 more words not shown)
- BThe catering company(11 more words not shown)
- CThe catering company's(5 more words not shown)
- DThe catering company's(7 more words not shown)
- EThe catering company's(9 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Why shouldn't the company raise its prices? A client may dislike paying more, but that doesn't settle what the business needs to charge.
The owners say they need the money to hire and train staff for more customers. Maybe the new price would still be worth paying. Maybe the company couldn't keep serving those customers—or even stay in business—without more revenue. Those possibilities make me question the client's advice.
What we’re looking for
The client answers with the company's mission: low-cost gourmet catering. Raising rates, the client says, would jeopardize that mission. Now we can see the argument even if we aren't persuaded. The mission is the reason; “don't raise the rates” is the recommendation it supports. For a main-conclusion question, that's the claim to find.
Working the answers
- A
This is the decision that starts the dispute. The client reports it, then argues that the owners should reconsider. A tells us what happened, not what the client wants the owners to do about it.
- B
This is the owners' justification for raising prices. The client describes that justification but argues against the increase. Don't assign the owners' position to the person criticizing their decision.
- CCorrect
The rates should not go up. That captures the client's recommendation to reconsider the decision. The company mission and the claimed threat to it are offered to support this recommendation.
- D
The low-cost mission gives the client a reason to oppose the increase. The argument goes beyond describing that mission and tells the owners what to do because of it. D leaves out that final step.
- E
This explains why the client thinks the increase would be bad. Because it would jeopardize the mission, the client concludes that the rates should not be raised. E is the supporting concern, while C is the recommendation based on it.
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