Fashion Executive: Last year, our company had $5 million in revenue, and was featured in 8 major articles in the fashion press. This year, our company’s revenue has practically quadrupled, so we should expect to be featured in at least 20 major articles in the fashion press.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the fashion executive’s reasoning in the above argument?

A)A competing fashion line was featured more often in the fashion press after its revenues increased.

b)Five years ago, the company’s revenue was less than $1 million, and the company was not featured in any major articles in the fashion press.


c)The company’s revenue nearly quadrupled because of the introduction of a fashion line geared for sale in the European fashion capital of Milan; however, most of the fashion press is headquartered domestically in New York.

d)A major automaker in the region was the subject of twice as many features in auto industry press when the automaker filed for bankruptcy.


e)The company’s revenue increased dramatically because of the introduction of lower-priced lines sold in nationwide discount chains, greatly reducing the brand’s cachet among fashion journalists.

C suggests that while company's activities in high fashion has expanded, the location of headquarter of fashion press can dampen the coverage - not a very strong link as location of headquarter doesnt imply restricted coverage area. However, in E, company's expansion is in an area that is of no interest to fashion press 9located anywhere), so E weakens the assumption the most.

IMO D.
Here is my reasoning behind the answer. The fashion executive thinks revenue is linked to number of articles. So more revenue= more articles. what would undermine this? an example showing more revenue but less articles or less revenue more articles.
A) this is strengthening the executive's point of view.
B) ditto.
C)where they settled does not have a bearing. after all there is no proof that the previous products were sold locally.
D)good one. example showing less revenue more articles.
E)O.K. it lost its cachet among journalists. so what? they might write a negative review. but that too counts as an article. it is not as if all the articles previously written were favourable. There is no link in the CR between the uniqueness of the product(cachet=uniqueness/individuality for those who don't know.) and the number of articles.
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Here is the answer explanation:
The executive argues that, if $5M in revenue gets the company 8 articles, $20M in revenue ought to get the company at least 20 articles – that is, that the number of times the company will be featured in the press is proportional to the company’s revenue.

The question asks which of the statements, if true, weighs most heavily against the executive’s reasoning.

A. This statement support’s the executive’s conclusion. Incorrect.

B. This statement provides some support to the idea that revenue is proportional to press. Incorrect.

C. The passage gives no indication that New York fashion journalists would be disinterested in writing about a fashion line that has become successful in the fashionable city of Milan. Incorrect.

D. This statement seems to imply that low revenues can correlate to more feature articles in the press. The statement does not indicate that high revenues could not also lead to more feature articles in the press. Comparing the experience of an automaker to that of a fashion line also introduces the major assumption that the two are analogous. Incorrect.

E. The explanation that revenue increased due to the fashion line’s introducing a discount line sold in stores not highly regarded by the fashion press casts serious doubt on the conclusion that the press would feature the line in many more articles than it did last year. Answer choice E is correct.

The answer is E.

E for me as well.

shd be E

This comes from MGMAT which is pretty reliable- but im glad to know im not the only one!

+1 E

A- Out of scope
B - Opposite. Actually, it strenghts the argument.
C - The new yorker press can write about fashion in Milan.
D - out of scope. This is a different industry.
E - Correct. Journalists are not interested in the new lines of the company, therefore they won't write articles about them.
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"Life’s battle doesn’t always go to stronger or faster men; but sooner or later the man who wins is the one who thinks he can."

My Integrated Reasoning Logbook / Diary: my-ir-logbook-diary-133264.html

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That book is great for CR. The key is memorizing the families, and how they work.
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"Life’s battle doesn’t always go to stronger or faster men; but sooner or later the man who wins is the one who thinks he can."

My Integrated Reasoning Logbook / Diary: my-ir-logbook-diary-133264.html

Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates

E is the only answer which provides a definite reason for a lack of linear relationship
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What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.