Marketing Analyst: Traditionally, introducing a new consumer product contributes to the
diversity of a company’s product mix and results in an overall increase in revenues and
profits. However, our launch of a new brand of soft drinks, Cool Breeze, planned for the end
of this fiscal year, will almost certainly reduce rather than increase the company’s profits.
Since we already offer a line of chilled refreshments that are very similar to Cool Breeze, the
launch of the new drink is likely to cannibalize our current sales rather than attract new
customers. Additionally, since the costs of producing Cool Breeze are higher than those
of the other chilled refreshments, a large part of our current sales will be replaced with
lower-margin revenues. In the argument above, which of the following statements best
describes the role played by each portion in boldface?
A) The first is a pattern of cause and effect that the marketing analyst predicts will be repeated
in the case at issue; the second acknowledges a circumstance in which that pattern would not
hold.
b) The first is a generalization that the marketing analyst accepts as true; the second is a
consequence that follows from that generalization.
c) The first acknowledges a consideration against the main conclusion of the marketing analyst;
the second is that conclusion.
d) The first is a pattern of cause and effect that the marketing analyst predicts will not hold in
the case at issue; the second offers a consideration in support of that prediction.
e) The first is evidence that the marketing analyst provides in support of a certain prediction;
the second is that prediction.

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An easy D.
Only this option correctly states that the first bold face is a pattern of cause and effect. On reading the stimulus further more, it is explicitly stated that this pattern will not hold true in the case at issue.
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Hii archit.
How are you?
Regarding bold face questions, even I was in same dilemma few days back. But after getting my hands on several of these questions, I feel pretty confident. The only type which concerns me of time consumption is parallel reasoning.
By the way, honestly speaking I did this question under a minute but this doesn't happens in all the questions. If you notice, the first bold face clearly shows a pattern of cause and effect which doesn't holds in the issue of the stimulus.
Only this option explains this fact, so there is no need to check other options.

If you have any strategy for parallel reasoning, please let me know.
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