Developing a line of smartphones would require a research-and-development push that would directly trade off with our R & D efforts on five other products. Plus, a line of MP3 players - another product we have discussed developing - has an inherently higher profit potential than a line of smartphones and would be cheaper to manufacture.
The electronics manufacturer's statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?
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In "most strongly support" questions, look for the answer that is a direct, logical consequence of the evidence. Be wary of options with absolute words like "only," "always," "never," or "bad," as they are often too extreme to be supported by the given text.
Developing a line of MP3 players would not trade off with the R & D efforts on an other products.
The manufacturer is more likely to make money by developing a line of MP3 players than it is by developing a line of smartphones.
Developing a line of smartphones would be a bad business decision for the manufacturer.
The manufacturer will make money if it develops a line of MP3 players.
The only new product that would be profitable for the manufacturer is a line of MP3 players.
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The Correct Option isB
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Question:
We need to read the manufacturer's statements and determine which of the given options is the most logical and strongly supported conclusion. The question is a test of critical reasoning. Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's break down the information provided in the passage:
Argument against Smartphones: Developing them has a high opportunity cost, as it takes away R & D resources from five other products.
Argument for MP3 Players (relative to smartphones): They have "inherently higher profit potential" and are "cheaper to manufacture".
Now let's evaluate each option:
(a): The passage states that smartphone R & D has a trade-off. It provides no information about whether MP3 player R & D would have a similar trade-off. We cannot conclude that it wouldn't. This option is unsupported.
(b): This statement makes a relative comparison. It suggests MP3 players are a better financial bet than smartphones. The passage directly supports this by stating MP3 players have "higher profit potential" and are "cheaper to manufacture". Both points lead to the conclusion that the manufacturer is more likely to make money with MP3 players. This is a very well-supported conclusion.
(c): This is a very strong claim. While the passage presents disadvantages to developing smartphones, it doesn't provide enough information to definitively call it a "bad business decision". The smartphone market could still be profitable, just less so than the MP3 player market. This conclusion is too absolute.
(d): The passage says MP3 players have higher "profit potential", which is not a guarantee of actual profit. A product with high potential can still fail for various reasons. This statement is too certain.
(e): This is an extreme generalization. The use of the word "only" makes it highly suspect. The passage mentions five other products but gives no information about their profitability. We cannot conclude that MP3 players are the *only* profitable option.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Option (b) is the most accurate and carefully worded conclusion. It captures the essence of the comparison made in the passage without making unsupported absolute claims. The evidence strongly suggests MP3 players are a more favorable financial option than smartphones for this manufacturer.
