When cable TV consumers evade cable access fees by purchasing illegal "pirated" cable boxes, a vicious cycle results. The use of pirated cable boxes by consumers forces cable companies to raise rates, which, in turn, leads more consumers to purchase pirated cable boxes in order to receive free cable programming.

The cycle described above could not result unless which of the following were true?

A) An increase in cable TV rates causes some consumers to cancel their service or reduce the number of premium channels to which they subscribe.
B) Some methods for detecting and disabling pirated cable boxes are effective at forcing pirated cable TV consumers to pay user fees or forgo cable TV programming, although the success rates vary considerably.
C) When cable TV executives establish cable access fees in order to generate an acceptable level of profit, they do not adequately account for revenue that will be lost through pirated cable use.
D)No one who routinely uses illegal pirated cable boxes can be induced by lower cable access fees to stop using pirated cable boxes unless fines for the use of such boxes are raised at the same time.
E) Cable TV consumers do not differ with respect to the cable access fees that would cause them to consider purchasing illegal pirated cable boxes.

I chose option B in a hurry but soon realized , it was a trap.

IMO option C seems the best.

here we are talking about cycle i.e pirated" cable boxes --->raise rates-->more pirated" cable boxes--->more hike and so on. I guess the best option would break this cycle or chain either by eliminating the pirated cable boxes or by eliminating the hike in price.

A) An increase in cable TV rates causes some consumers to cancel their service or reduce the number of premium channels to which they subscribe.
it still does not address the larger issue of piracy and hike in prices.


B) Some methods for detecting and disabling pirated cable boxes are effective at forcing pirated cable TV consumers to pay user fees or forgo cable TV programming, although the success rates vary considerably.
Seems like a lucrative option probably a shell game answer ans it says that users will either abondon subscription to cable programming or altogether pay high prices but never mentions that it will eliminate the piracy or reduce the prices.

C) When cable TV executives establish cable access fees in order to generate an acceptable level of profit, they do not adequately account for revenue that will be lost through pirated cable use.

This is a tricky option, although it directly does not convey the desired effect but it underlays that if the cable prices are increased (accommodation of loss due to piracy) at the very first time the cable fees are established, the chain link of increasing "cable price" at every cycle will be eliminated.So i think this option is a good deal.

D)No one who routinely uses illegal pirated cable boxes can be induced by lower cable access fees to stop using pirated cable boxes unless fines for the use of such boxes are raised at the same time.
This is irrelevant.

E) Cable TV consumers do not differ with respect to the cable access fees that would cause them to consider purchasing illegal pirated cable boxes.

this option only shows that consumers depict same reaction to any change in cable fees.Hence it if cable fee increase ,every consumer will have the same response that is to buy a pirated box.
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The cycle described above could not result unless which of the following were true?
By your querry it seems you have cancelled out both negatives and interpreted it as "the cycle above resulted as a result of" but im afraid that is not the case -unless depicts a condition it does not negates.

The question stem asks .. The cycle above will not occur except under the circumstances that the cable guys do not increase the fees! Simple. If still in doubt, i will be glad to help. Honestly ur query confused me to the extent that i have to look up for the meaning of "unless" in dictionary. .Its a problem most non native speakers struggle with , i.e comprehension.I am on the same boat mate.
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Whatever one does in life is a repetition of what one has done several times in one's life!
If my post was worth it, then i deserve kudos