IMO – the question disguises the conclusion and confuses a premise of the argument as a faux conclusion.
Quote:
Kingsland companies often outsource data-entry tasks to foreign firms. The results
of this outsourcing have been shown to lower costs for Kingsland companies in several
different ways, and high costs can potentially bankrupt Kingsland companies.
[Summarize] Companies outsource certain tasks to save money. High costs could bankrupt companies
Quote:
Therefore, Kingsland companies probably outsource their work because doing
so helps them avoid bankruptcy
[Summarize] Companies outsource to avoid bankruptcy – The sentence includes the key conclusion word “Therefore”, then uses the word “probably”. Probably implies more of a supportive claim to the conclusion than a conclusion.
Conclusion
Quote:
The decision to outsource is rare, except during recessions, when the Kingsland economy
is weak.
[Summarize] Companies only seem to outsource when the economy is weak. [Assumption] The assumption inherent in the conclusion is that the only time to outsource is when the economy is weak. The conclusion makes a huge jump in logic to get to this conclusion from the premise statements. Why do companies only make outsourcing decisions when the economy is weak? What about when the economy is good? Wouldn't it make sense to take preemptive action before the economy gets weak? Is the option to outsource before the economy gets weak even available? These types of questions help poke holes in the conclusion/assumption link.
Quote:
why can't it be A?
KanupriyaS – (A) seems to be “out of scope” since the passage is more concerned with outsourcing to save money and not the different types of money saving opportunities. When you identify the conclusion in the passage, it makes it a lot easier to evaluate the answer choices. Unfortunately the conclusion was disguised and a premise statement was disguised as a conclusion with the word “therefore”.
Hope this helps.
Just wanted to let you know that i got this question wrong too.