Which of the following most logically completes the argument below?
According to promotional material published by the city of Springfield, more tourists stay in hotels in Springfield than stay in the neighboring city of Harristown. A brochure from the largest hotel in Harristown claims that more tourists stay in that hotel than stay in the Royal Arms Hotel in Springfield. If both of these sources are accurate, however, the county’s “Report on Tourism” must be in error in indicating that ________.We are told two things: total hotel tourists in Springfield exceed total hotel tourists in Harristown, but Harristown’s largest hotel has more tourists than Springfield’s Royal Arms Hotel.
So Royal Arms cannot be the only hotel in Springfield, because then Springfield’s total would equal Royal Arms’s total, which would be less than Harristown’s largest hotel alone.
A. more tourists stay in hotel accommodations in Harristown than stay in the Royal Arms Hotel
This could be true. Since Harristown’s largest hotel alone has more tourists than the Royal Arms Hotel, total Harristown hotel accommodations must also have more.
B. the Royal Arms Hotel is the only hotel in Springfield
This is correct. If Royal Arms were the only hotel in Springfield, then Springfield’s total hotel tourists would equal Royal Arms’s tourists. But Harristown’s largest hotel has more tourists than Royal Arms, so Harristown’s total would be greater than Springfield’s total. That contradicts the first source.
C. there are several hotels in Harristown that are larger than the Royal Arms Hotel
This could be true. Springfield could still have more total hotel tourists if Springfield has enough other hotels.
D. some of the tourists who have stayed in hotels in Harristown have also stayed in the Royal Arms Hotel
This could be true. Nothing in the passage rules out overlap between the groups of tourists.
E. some hotels in Harristown have fewer tourist guests each year than the Royal Arms Hotel has
This could be true. Harristown’s largest hotel has more guests than Royal Arms, but smaller Harristown hotels could have fewer.
Answer: (B)