PrepTest 159, Section 3, Question 2
Entertainment reporter: Unlike most major motion pictures, the(66 more words not shown)
The entertainment reporter's explanation for(18 more words not shown)
- Aadvance screenings of(17 more words not shown)
- Badvance screenings of(22 more words not shown)
- Cthe select audiences(20 more words not shown)
- Dif 96 percent(27 more words not shown)
- Ethe film Escapade(19 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Why skip the advance screenings? Maybe someone forgot to arrange them. Maybe the film already has so much attention that the distributors see no need for more promotion. We know the screenings haven't happened; we don't yet know why.
The reporter offers an explanation: don't risk spoiling a good thing. Perhaps an advance audience dislikes the movie, word spreads, and people who were interested decide to stay home. That makes sense as a possibility. It still isn't the only explanation.
What about the numbers? Ninety-six percent awareness and 60 percent definite interest sound substantial, but we aren't given other films' numbers for comparison. We shouldn't turn them into a guaranteed box-office result.
What we’re looking for
Now we're asked what the distributors must believe for the reporter's explanation to work. I'd expect the idea that screenings could backfire. The reporter seems to view the current interest as something worth protecting, and avoiding screenings to protect it makes sense only if the distributors think those screenings might reduce it.
Working the answers
- A
This is a different explanation for skipping screenings: spend the money where it will do more good. The reporter instead attributes the decision to a fear of reducing interest. That concern could exist even if screenings were cheap and the advertising budget were unlimited.
- BCorrect
This is the risk of backfiring. If the distributors skip screenings because they don't want to reduce interest, they must believe screenings might dampen the enthusiasm of people who would otherwise want to see the movie. They don't have to think that outcome is certain or even likely. The possibility is enough for the explanation's concern about risk.
- C
Probably not enjoying the film is stronger than the argument requires. The distributors could think an advance audience would probably enjoy it while still worrying about the chance of an unfavorable reaction. A belief that something might backfire doesn't require a belief that it probably will.
- D
Awareness isn't an intention to buy a ticket. Someone can know a movie is coming out and have no desire to see it. The explanation doesn't need all 96 percent who know about the film to intend to attend; it needs some existing interest that the distributors don't want to harm.
- E
Definite interest isn't actual attendance either. Imagine only 40 percent of the people who express interest eventually go. The distributors could still worry that bad advance reactions would reduce that turnout further. The reporter's explanation doesn't depend on exactly 60 percent of the public seeing the movie.
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