LGOdream wrote:
Over the past decade, many companies have begun using automated telephone services; callers hear a machine-generated voice and are able to select options using the numbers on the telephone keypad. Research shows that callers are more patient when the machine-generated voice is that of a woman. Thus, smaller companies that cannot afford automated services should consider hiring women, rather than men, to interact with costomers by phone.
Which of the following, if true, would be most damaging to the conclusion above?
A. Automated telephone services are becoming cheaper and cheaper every year.
B. Patient customers tend to order more products and return fewer products than impatient customers.
C. A separated study indicated that extra patience exhibited by callers is limited to interactions with an automated system.
D. Some customers prefer automated systems to talking with a live person.
E. On average, callers are only slightly more patient when interacting with a female voice, rather than a male voice, in an automated telephone system.
I've narrowed it down to C and E, but I can't see any difference between them.
Both of them limit the patience to an automated telephone system, so I can't see which one weakens the most the conclusion above.
Any hint?
Official explanation to eliminate E is:
This one seems to be telling me there isn't a huge difference between male and female voices — but there is still a small positive effect for female voices. If anything, this strengthens the argument; after all, as a small business owner, I'll take any necessary steps that will get me more business! I only have one answer left, so C is the answer.
How does E strengthen the argument?
Since you've narrowed it down to C and E, lets discuss only these two.
C: conclusion is: smaller companies that cannot afford automated services should consider hiring women, rather than men, to interact with costomers by phone. However, option C clearly states that the reason behind this conclusion is incorrect because the patience is exhibited only in case of automated system. We got the damaging option but anyway look at E.
E: two points, to note here. one, that this option talks about only male vs female voice in an automated telephone system, not about in person vs automated system. second, it actually supports the conclusion by telling there is a slight advantage in using female voice. Doesnt help destroying the conclusion as well as, or rather even close to as much as, C does.
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88% (02:05) correct
