Guidebook writer: I have visited hotels throughout the country and have noticed that in those built before 1930 the quality of the original carpentry work is generally superior to that in hotels built afterward. Clearly carpenters working on hotels before 1930 typically worked with more skill, care, and effort than carpenters who have worked on hotels built
subsequently.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the guidebook writer’s argument?

A. The quality of original carpentry in hotels is generally far superior to the quality of original carpentry in other structures, such as houses and stores.
B. Hotels built since 1930 can generally accommodate more guests than those built before 1930.
C. The materials available to carpenters working before 1930 were not significantly different in quality from the materials available to carpenters working after 1930.
D. The better the quality of original carpentry in a building, the less likely that building is to fall into disuse and be demolished.
E. The average length of apprenticeship for carpenters has declined significantly since 1930.

I picked E.........assumption over here is quality requires skill, care, and effort, which is relatively lesser in post 1930 carpenters...need to weaken the assumption.....so followed X not causing Y it's Z causing Y...views plz???

Between C and E, I pick E and agree with you.

C is strengthening the arg by eliminating differences in material.

This is clearly D.

D explains that it wasn't that all carpenters were better skilled and worked harder, but that the buildings remaining in acceptable shape were built of higher quality.

E: This is a very weak choice. It seems to weaken the conclusion, but perhaps apprenticeships for would-be carpenters does not need to be as long as before.

I ve attempted this question before, so i know it is a D

but on the actual test, I would have picked E the first time
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Do you mean: that the viewer has only see few good buildings from the past as all others were demolished because they were not good. So we cant say about carpenters work from the past.

Am i correct in my understanding?

My take is D.
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gmatnub has presented the best explanation here - It can be inferred from the statement that only the best of the best hotels built before 1930 are still around, the rest are demolished. Thus, the author did not get to see the full quality spectrum of hotels built before 1930.

But I also agree with tejal777 - It's tough to ignore E.
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Charu Kapoor

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