A product that represents a clear technological advance over competing

Hello, everyone. I see a few comments already, and I thought I would take a moment to disqualify a few answer choices. I will pick off the easier ones (to my eye) first.

It is clear that the second boldface is the strategy that the argument endorses, so it would not make sense to say that that very strategy is counterproductive. This ought to be an easy elimination.

There is no assumption to be found in the first boldface. Consider the line on the whole:

The because clause provides an observation, not an assumption—notice the verb tend to. The main clause informs us of a logical consequence of the first part: some companies pursue a certain strategy to make large profits while they still can. This answer choice should be another easy elimination.

You have to be really careful here. The goal in question is to make large profits (first boldface) or to maximize overall profit (second boldface). The goal itself is consistent throughout the passage. It is only the manner in which that goal is pursued that the passage creates a dichotomy. Thus, this answer choice does not hold up to scrutiny.

Now, the other two are close, for reasons I will explain below. How about we look at them together?
There is no debate whether the first is a consideration, nor whether the second presents that strategy. It is really a matter of interpreting just what that refers to in the second part. Both answer choices take a positive spin on the first boldface: take your pick between support and help. There is a difference, however, between the references to the strategy in (B) and a certain strategy in (C). In the former, we must interpret the strategy as the one given at the end of the passage. It seems a bit strange, though, in light of the fact that the boldface covers the opposing strategy—many companies charge the maximum possible price for such a product. That is, on its own, the first statement of the answer choice seems to refer to the wrong strategy. I would mark this as a doubt.

Meanwhile, answer choice (C) emphasizes the appeal of a certain strategy, and on its own, that strategy could be interpreted either as the one at the end of the first boldface or the one at the end of the passage, as in, Most companies do something in an effort to maximize profits, but, with this in mind, here is a better way to do so. Of course, the latter part of the answer choice steers us into the second interpretation—again, that strategy—but if the first boldface were thought of more as a consideration that spanned the entire passage, then the appeal of a certain strategy (i.e. not the first one in bold), would make sense.

Either way we look at it, answer choices (B) and (C) require a more holistic view to justify, but the phrasing of (C) is less debatable to me—more cautious and vague language is not as easy to challenge as specific and narrow language. In short, if my back were against the wall, I would choose (C) over (B). The rest of the options would not be in my mind, for reasons explained above.

I would be happy to listen to opposing viewpoints from others, both non-Experts and Experts alike. The goal is to enhance the community and help one another ace this _____ test.

- Andrew