Because of steep increases in the average price per box of cereal over the last 10 years, overall sales of cereal have recently begun to drop. In an attempt to improve sales, one major cereal manufacturer reduced the wholesale prices of its cereals by 20 percent. Since most other cereal manufacturers have announced that they will follow suit, it is likely that the level of overall sales of cereal will rise significantly.

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in evaluating the argument?


Whether the high marketing expenses of the highly competitive cereal market led to the increase in cereal prices

Whether cereal manufacturers use marketing techniques that encourage brand loyalty among consumers

Whether the variety of cereals available on the market has significantly increased over the last 10 years

Whether the prices that supermarkets charge for these cereals will reflect the lower prices the supermarkets will be paying the manufacturers

Whether the sales of certain types of cereal have declined disproportionately over the last 10 years

考题讲解

情景:最近谷物销量低迷。一个批发商宣布要降价20%,很多其它的批发商纷纷响应。因此,谷物的销量要上升了。

推理
前提:很多批发商下调了谷物价格
结论:谷物的销量要上升了


选项分析:

A选项:是不是高度竞争的谷物市场所带来的高价的营销费用会令谷物的价格上涨?虽然本选项涉及了“价格”这个词项,但是谷物市场的竞争是一直存在的,所以如果批发价下调了,整体市场的价格还是会下调的,所以本选项不能评估因果推理。

B选项:谷物制造商是不是用了一些营销技术来鼓励顾客的建立对品牌的忠诚?无论谷物制造商有没有类似的营销技术,其都不能反驳销量将要上升的这个事实。

C选项:谷物的种类在过去的十年中是不是变多了?本选项和结论无关。

D选项:
Correct. 超级市场所售卖的谷物价格是否能反应谷物制造商带来的低价?显然,本选项直接质疑了因果间的联系,便宜的价格必须要反应在顾客购买的价格上才能令销量增长。

E选项:
过去的十年中,某种类型的谷物的销售量是否遭遇了严重的下降?本选项和结论无关。

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Prep2008E1-CR

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