In Malsenia sales of classical records are soaring. The buyers respons

B is the answer.

Premise: In Malsenia sales of classical records are soaring. The buyers responsible for this boom are quite new to classical music and were drawn to it either by classical scores from television commercials or by theme tunes introducing major sports events on television. Audiences at classical concerts, however, are continually shrinking in Malsenia.
Conclusion: It can be concluded from this that the new Malsenian converts to classical music, having initially experienced this music as recorded music, are most comfortable with classical music as recorded music and really have no desire to hear live performances.

From the conclusion of the argument, the new converts to classical music are more comfortable with classical music as recorded music and have no desire to hear live performances. This conclusion is reached based on the premise that the soaring sales of classical records are due to new converts who have developed their interest in classical music through exposure to forms of classical music via TV programs. What could possibly flaw this argument? What about if the new converts have not been exposed to live performance to classical music? If it becomes known that that the new converts have not at any point had to decide whether to attend a classical concert or not, then the argument will be greatly flawed. So the author needs to assume that some of these new converts at some point had the option to attend a live concert but declined to do so because they are comfortable with the recorded music.

Scanning through the answer choices, only B is in line with the reasoning provided above. The answer has to be B in my view.

In Malsenia sales of classical records are soaring. The buyers responsible for this boom are quite new to classical music and were drawn to it either by classical scores from television commercials or by theme tunes introducing major sports events on television. Audiences at classical concerts, however, are continually shrinking in Malsenia. It can be concluded from this that the new Malsenian converts to classical music, having initially experienced this music as recorded music, are most comfortable with classical music as recorded music and really have no desire to hear live performances.

The argument assumes which one of the following?

(A) To sell well in Malsenia, a classical record must include at least one piece familiar from television.
(B) At least some of the new Malsenian buyers of classical records have available to them the option of attending classical concerts.
(C) The number of classical concerts performed in Malsenia has not decreased in response to smaller audiences.
(D) The classical records available in Malsenia are, for the most part, not recordings of actual public concerts.
(E) Classical concerts in Malsenia are not limited to music that is readily available on recordings.

D and E are close. Only E makes sense since readily available music recordings would be discouraging to go to concerts. Thus, its that that people have no desire for any type of music.

IMO Answer E.

Very good question and I ended up choosing E only to know that its wrong answer.
While reasoning given here for B made is convincing, I still am finding it hard to eliminate E (my thought process matches with that of unraveled )

Bunuel,
Can you please help with the official explanation...?

I made a blunder out there in 2020.
Now revisiting i can see that i concentrated on things other than conclusion(highlighted text). The red text, i believe, is just a disguise.
There are two things that are covered in the conclusion - one that new Malsenians converts are comfortable with classical music and two that there don't desire live performances. So, anything that covers these two aspects of the conclusion can be the right answer.

Here B does exactly that by touching the latter part. If people have available the option of live performances, however, they go for buying records instead does show that they don't have desire for the concerts. E, on the other hand, is not a necessary condition here, however, it doesn't deal with the conclusion rather premise. E neither shows that people are comfortable with classical music nor that people have no desire for live performances.



HTH.

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.