Bunuel wrote:
Now is an excellent time to invest in the catering business. A survey conducted by Weddings magazine found that 70 percent of the magazine’s readers want a catered wedding reception. An analysis of the catering industry, however, shows that the current number of caterers can serve only 55 percent of the weddings likely to occur each year.
Which of the following, if true, reveals a weakness in the evidence cited above?
(A) Catering is a highly labor-intensive business.
(B) Caterers are not evenly distributed across the country.
(C) The number of weddings with catered receptions has been growing each year for the past five years.
(D) Readers of Weddings magazine are more likely than most people to want a catered reception.
(E) Weddings magazine includes both articles about catered receptions and articles about preparing food oneself for one’s wedding reception.
70% readers of Weddings magazine want a catered wedding.
Current number of caterers can serve only 55% of weddings.
Conclusion: Invest in catering business.
What is a weakness? What will say that investing in catering may not be a good idea.
The argument depends upon "demand (70%) is more than the supply (55%)".
But what if this sample size doesn't represent the population? i.e. people who buy and read Wedding magazine might be those who want a well planned wedding. That is why they bought the magazine to learn how to plan it well. Then they are more likely that the regular population to want a catered wedding.
Out of 100 weddings planned, say 10 people bought the magazine. These 10 are likely to be the ones who want to plan their wedding v well. If 7 of them want a catered wedding, can we say that total 70 out of 100 want a catered wedding? Most likely no.
Hence, option (D) is correct. Rest all options are irrelevant.