PrepTest 159, Section 1, Question 9
Market studies confirm that consumers shopping for automobiles(49 more words not shown)
Which one of the following,(13 more words not shown)
- AConsumers who are(14 more words not shown)
- BConsumers often choose(15 more words not shown)
- CSome owners of(24 more words not shown)
- DSome automobile models(14 more words not shown)
- ESome of the(9 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Caring most about reliability doesn't mean caring about nothing else. What if the most reliable car is far too expensive? What if the buyer really dislikes how it looks?
Those are possible ways to reconcile the facts. A shopper could make reliability the main priority and still reject a particular reliable model for another reason. We need to explain why models that rarely break down and don't demand excessive maintenance fail to sell well among the people who say reliability matters most.
What we’re looking for
I'd initially look for one of those competing considerations, such as price or appearance. The answer could take another route, though. It just needs to make the stated preference and the disappointing sales fit together.
Working the answers
- A
Preferring reliability to fuel efficiency doesn't explain why shoppers pass over reliable cars. We already know reliability is their primary concern. This repeats that side of the puzzle without showing how the purchasing behavior fits it.
- BCorrect
Buyers may be choosing what they believe is reliable rather than what is actually reliable. An outdated reputation could lead them away from a model that has become dependable, or toward one whose quality has declined. Now their choices can reflect a sincere concern for reliability while failing to reward some of the cars that really meet that concern. This explains the puzzle through mistaken information rather than the price or appearance issues I first considered.
- C
Someone keeping a reliable car for its entire life may not be shopping at all. The puzzle concerns the choices of people who are shopping for a car. A reason for satisfied owners to postpone entering the market doesn't explain why current shoppers who prioritize reliability avoid some reliable models.
- D
Reliability here has two parts: rare breakdowns and no significantly excessive maintenance. A car needing lots of maintenance fails the second part even if it rarely breaks down. Describing that kind of car doesn't explain poor sales for models that satisfy both parts.
- E
This resembles our appearance prediction, so let's check what it actually says. Some stylish cars are unreliable. Do the shoppers in question buy those cars because of the styling? E never tells us that, nor does it say the reliable models look bad. A fact linking these shoppers' purchases to a preference for style could help. Simply locating stylish, unreliable cars on the market doesn't establish that link.
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