KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Lots going on here, for sure. This one touches on many of the logical elements highlighted in this chapter. We get two opposing views presented in a single argument. A survey showed that as a group, action films were rated higher than romance films. Viewpoint number one comes from the survey organizers, who concluded from this that subject matter of popular movies must determine their appeal. Seems reasonable, but the author states that this conclusion is probably wrong and offers an alternative explanation. She notes that the producers of the action films were more experienced in successful film production. Notice that the author doesn't disagree that actions films receive better ratings, but rather supports a different explanation for that superiority; the effect is the same in both viewpoints, but the causes differ. We're looking for an inference based on this argument, so once you have a firm grasp of the content, it's time to move to the answer choices. In addition, note the author's use of the contrast Keyword yet in the second sentence.

An 800 test taker takes careful notice of "Keywords"—structural signals that authors employ in order to help convey their ideas. Contrast Keywords like yet or however are especially powerful, as their job is to signal that something new is about to follow.

(A) This answer choice confuses percents and numbers. The survey is based on the percentage of films in each category to receive the highest rating, not on the actual number of films to receive the top rating. For instance, according to the argument it could be possible that 50% of 10 action films receive the high rating, and 20% of 100 romance films receive the high rating, in which case fewer actions films receive the highest rating, despite the action films group receiving the higher percentage of top ratings. A lower percentage does not necessarily mean a lower number.

(B) On the contrary: The author does suggest a relationship between previous directorial successes and the popular appeal of the survey films, so this answer choice contradicts the author's argument.

(C) The argument is about independent feature films. Based on that argument, we cannot infer anything about what a survey of big-budget mainstream films would show.

(D) distorts the information in the stimulus. Sure, of the filmmakers whose work is represented in this particular survey, some have a hit film to their credit, while some have never even made a movie before. Does that allow us to conclude who's "more likely" to produce a hit? For all we know, the folks with previous hits were new filmmakers themselves when they produced those hits. The absolute statement in (D) is not inferable.

(E)'s all that's left. The author suggests that having a previous hit film to the director's credit is more important than subject matter in determining ratings, so it logically follows that subject matter may not be a significant factor in the popular ratings of films made by directors with an equal number of previous hits. By positing another factor besides subject matter that accounts for the survey results, the author's argument certainly does allow for the possibility that subject matter may have no effect on the ratings. (E) wins.

An 800 test taker is intimately familiar with the kinds of wrong choices that appear again and again on the GMAT. The wrong choices here contain some fairly common wrong answer types: confusing numbers and percentages (A); a choice that suggests the opposite of what's in the passage (B); a choice that strays outside the scope (C); and a classic distortion (D).
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(A) Fewer romance films than action films received the survey's highest rating.
Incorrect. This may be true but this is not the point the argument is making.

(B) There is no relationship between the popular appeal of the feature films evaluated in the survey and any previous successes of the directors of those films.
Incorrect. The argument says there is a relationship between popular appeal and previous success.

(C) If consumers were surveyed regarding their impressions of big-budget mainstream films, the percentage of romance films that would receive the survey's highest rating would be lower than the percentage of action films that would receive the highest rating.
Incorrect. Mainstream films are out of scope.

(D) Experienced filmmakers are more likely to produce hit films than are new filmmakers.
Incorrect. This one is tricky. The argument links previous hits to popularity. An experienced filmmaker could have no hits.

(E) Among directors with the same number of hit films to their credit, differences in the subject matter of their feature films may not affect the way the films are popularly rated.
Correct. The argument goes against the idea that subject matter is what decides popularity. Instead, it says previous hits determine popularity.

A consumer survey of independent feature films revealed that the percentage of action films that received the survey's highest rating was greater than the percentage of romance films that received the highest rating. Yet, the survey organizers were probably erroneous in their conclusion that subject matter determines a feature film's popular appeal, since the action films were all directed by filmmakers with at least one hit film to their credit, while the romance films were directed by newer filmmakers, many of whom had not produced a previous film.

The statements above, if true, support which of the following inferences?

Premise :
1.percentage of action films that received the survey's highest rating > percentage of romance films that received the highest rating

Contrast Marker :
1. the survey organizers were probably erroneous in their conclusion that subject matter determines a feature film's popular appeal
[this means that subject matter does not determine a feature film's popular appeal]

Supporting information :
1.the action films were all directed by filmmakers with at least one hit film to their credit, while the romance films were directed by newer filmmakers, many of whom had not produced a previous film.

We need a logic/statement that bridges the gap.
What is a the gap? The author probably believes that


(A) Fewer romance films than action films received the survey's highest rating.
Not related to the conclusion in anyway

(B) There is no relationship between the popular appeal of the feature films evaluated in the survey and any previous successes of the directors of those films.
Conclusion talks about relationship between subject matter and a feature film's popular appeal

(C) If consumers were surveyed regarding their impressions of big-budget mainstream films, the percentage of romance films that would receive the survey's highest rating would be lower than the percentage of action films that would receive the highest rating.
Out of scope

(D) Experienced filmmakers are more likely to produce hit films than are new filmmakers.
Not related to the conclusion

(E) Among directors with the same number of hit films to their credit, differences in the subject matter of their feature films may not affect the way the films are popularly rated.
Inline with the contrast marker's pre-thinking.

IMO (E)

Argument: Yet, the survey organizers were probably erroneous in their conclusion that subject matter determines a feature film's popular appeal, since the action films were all directed by filmmakers with at least one hit film to their credit, while the romance films were directed by newer filmmakers, many of whom had not produced a previous film.

The statements above, if true, support which of the following inferences?

(A) Fewer romance films than action films received the survey's highest rating. -> We are talking about %, not in numbers. Incorrect.

(B) There is no relationship between the popular appeal of the feature films evaluated in the survey and any previous successes of the directors of those films. -> Yes, we have a hint of relationship, as action files, directed by filmmakers with at least one hit film to their credit, and romance films, directed by newer filmmakers in greater high % rating. Incorrect.

(C) If consumers were surveyed regarding their impressions of big-budget mainstream films, the percentage of romance films that would receive the survey's highest rating would be lower than the percentage of action films that would receive the highest rating. -> Incorrect.

(D) Experienced filmmakers are more likely to produce hit films than are new filmmakers. -> Irrelevant.

(E) Among directors with the same number of hit films to their credit, differences in the subject matter of their feature films may not affect the way the films are popularly rated. -> It is as per 2nd line of argument.

So, I think E.