A popular electronics company that is known for producing innovative

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Overview:

Question presents a situation in which a popular electronics company has recently manufactured a new music-playing device, and they expect it to take off immediately with the public. According to the passage, the company is well known for its inventive new technology, and the product is being marketed for its easy portability as well as its technical superiority over competitor devices. As it turns out, though, the new device does not sell very well, and the electronics company realizes that the primary competitor’s device is still selling much better, in spite of specific drawbacks. The question asks the student to identify an answer choice that best explains the reason for the new device to fail with the public, even though it is easier to use and more portable than the competitor’s device. To answer this question correctly, the student must read through each answer choice and compare the information in the answer choice to the
statements made in the passage.

The Correct Answer:

D Answer choice (D) offers the explanation that the new music-playing device, whatever its benefits of use and portability, does require owners to purchase music in a unique form that is not compatible with other forms. This means that anyone who has already purchased music will not be able to utilize the purchases and will have to spend even more money to acquire the same music in a different form. This would certainly create a hindrance to easy sales, so answer choice (D) best explains the disparity between the electronics company’s expectations and the results. Answer choice (D) is correct.

The Incorrect Answers:

A It is interesting to find out that consumers have become accustomed to using the competitor’s device and dislike the style of the new device, but this in itself does not provide a tangible enough reason for why the new device would be so unpopular. Given that the electronics company is said to be very popular and is “known for producing innovative technology,” it is reasonable to assume that the new style plays into consumer preferences for this company. Answer choice (A) does not offer a satisfactory explanation for the public response, so it cannot be correct.

B The impending release of a new device from the competitor is useful information, but again this in itself does not offer a good explanation for why consumers would prefer the old competitor’s device to the new device from the company discussed in the passage. Either way, consumers will have to purchase a new device, and since the answer choice does not mention that the competitor company is providing a refund for turning in an old device, there is no reason to assume that there is any immediate benefit to waiting for the upcoming competitor device. Answer choice (B) cannot be correct.

C Answer choice (C) directly contradicts the statements made in the passage: the company “recently began heavy marketing for a new music-playing device,” and it is “excited about the new device, because it is much smaller than previous devices and is very light and highly portable.” These statements suggest strongly that the electronics company took care to market the new music-playing device effectively. Answer choice (C) is clearly incorrect.

E The possibility of the president of the one electronics company leaving to work for the other electronics company is interesting but irrelevant to the immediate discussion of why the public would not be eager to purchase the new music-playing device. Without further information about the president deliberately sabotaging marketing attempts, there is no clear link between a staff change and a failed product. Answer choice (E) cannot be correct.

A popular electronics company that is known for producing innovative technology recently began heavy marketing for a new music-playing device. The company is excited about the new device, because it is much smaller than previous devices and is very light and highly portable, allowing the listener to carry it easily, without any cumbersome pieces or cords. After three months on the market, however, the device is not selling well, and the company is forced to admit that its competitor’s product is still selling much better, in spite of the fact that the competitor’s product is heavier and does not offer the same qualities of portability.

Considering the passage above carefully, which of the following provides the best reason for the failure of the new device to take off with the public?


(A) Consumers have become accustomed to using the competitor’s device and dislike the style of the new device. - WRONG. Goes against the premise. It was portable.

(B) The competitor is planning to update its popular device soon, so the new device from the first company will have major rivalry among the public. - WRONG. New info but gives context for the future possibilities. Hence irrelevant.

(C) The popular company that produced the new device hired a marketing firm that failed to inform the public sufficiently about the benefits of the new device. - WRONG. Goes against the premise. It was heavily marketed.

(D) The new device requires that owners purchase and download music in a unique form, as it is incompatible with other forms and does not allow for conversion. - CORRECT. New info that helps sort things for us.

(E) The president of the popular electronics company is currently in talks to leave and become president of the competitor company. - WRONG. New info again with future context. Irrelevant at best.

The blue text are keywords as per the choices available, however, there are many.

Answer D.