A prominent investor who holds a large stake in the Burton Tool company has recently claimed that the company is mismanaged, citing as evidence the company's failure to slow production in response to a recent rise in its inventory of finished products. It is doubtful whether an investor's sniping at management can ever be anything other than counterproductive, but in this case it is clearly not justified. It is true that an increased inventory of finished products often indicates that production is outstripping demand, but in Burton's case it indicates no such thing. Rather, the increase in inventory is entirely attributable to products that have already been assigned to orders received from customers.

In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

A. The first provides evidence to support the conclusion of the argument as a whole; the second states the conclusion.

B.The 1st states the conclusion of the argument as a whole; the second states an intermediate conclusion that is drawn in order to support that conclusion

C.The 1st is the position that the argument as a whole opposes;the second provides evidence against the position being opposed.

D.The first states an intermediate conclusion that is drawn in order to support the conclusion of the argument as a whole; the 2nd states the conclusion of the argument as a whole

E. The 1st & the 2nd both state intermediate conclusions that are drawn in order to support jointly the conclusions of the argument as a whole.

These types are always hard to me. The first step I took was to identify the conclusion. The conclusion was the increase in inventory is entirely attributable to products that have already been assigned to orders received from customers. Therefore, D because both of the mini-conclusions support it. What is the correct answer?

IMO B. It should be the conclusion as it answers the doubt.

interesting question. gmat loves to make thing confusing and complex. B it is.

Rather, the increase in inventory is entirely attributable to products that have already been assigned to orders received from customers. So,Burton's case it indicates no such thing. This concludes that in this case it is clearly not justified.

Clearly, the first boldface is a conclusion and the 2nd bf is sub-conclusion that supports the main conclusion.

Any guide for BOLD FACED QUESTIONS ?
I get all of them wrong
Someone please suggest me something for that!!!!

Regards
Nitin

B...

A. The first provides evidence to support the conclusion of the argument as a whole; the second states the conclusion.
- No evidence is there.

B.The 1st states the conclusion of the argument as a whole; the second states an intermediate conclusion that is drawn in order to support that conclusion
- Second is not an intermideate conclusion.
C.The 1st is the position that the argument as a whole opposes;the second provides evidence against the position being opposed.
- The bold lettered supports not opposes the entire structure.
D.The first states an intermediate conclusion that is drawn in order to support the conclusion of the argument as a whole; the 2nd states the conclusion of the argument as a whole
- 2nd is specific to the company, not as whole.
E. The 1st & the 2nd both state intermediate conclusions that are drawn in order to support jointly the conclusions of the argument as a whole.
Seems right.

+1 B
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zaarathelab an you please post QA.
I got B.
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GM.