betterscore wrote:
As a construction material, bamboo is as strong as steel and sturdier than concrete. Moreover, in tropical areas bamboo is a much less expensive construction material than either steel or concrete and is always readily available. In tropical areas, therefore, building with bamboo makes better economic sense than building with steel or concrete, except where land values are high.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the exception noted above?
(A) Buildings constructed of bamboo are less likely to suffer earthquake damage than are steel and concrete buildings.
(B) Bamboo is unsuitable as a building material for multistory buildings.
(C) In order to protect it from being damaged by termites and beetles, bamboo must be soaked, at some expense, in a preservative.
(D) In some tropical areas, bamboo is used to make the scaffolding that is used during large construction projects.
(E) Bamboo growing in an area where land values are increasing is often cleared to make way for construction.
Building with Bamboo
Step 1: Identify the Question
The words explain the exception in the question stem indicate that this is an Explain the Discrepancy question.
Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument
Bamboo vs concrete/steel:
B at least as sturdy + cheaper → more econom. in trop. areas
BUT: high land values → B not econom.?
Step 3: Pause and State the Goal
On Explain the Discrepancy questions, start by identifying the “status quo” and the “surprise” in the argument. The status quo is that bamboo, which is cheaper and sturdier than concrete in tropical areas, is a more economical building material. For some reason, though, when land values are high, bamboo is not as economical. The right answer will explain why high land values make bamboo uneconomical.
Step 4: Work from Wrong to Right
(A) The right answer must explain why bamboo becomes less economical specifically in areas of high land value. Since the argument doesn’t state that earthquakes affect areas of high and low land value differently, this answer choice doesn’t make that distinction.
(B) CORRECT. In areas with low land values, building with bamboo makes more economic sense than building with steel and concrete. However, in areas with high land values, using steel or concrete enables multistory buildings to be constructed, while only single-story buildings can be constructed with bamboo. If land values are high, multistory buildings become more economically desirable: they have a smaller footprint, so less money needs to be spent on land. In contrast, a bamboo building of the same overall size would have a larger footprint, increasing the amount spent on land. Thus, even though steel and concrete technically cost more, their cost might be offset in areas of high land value, because using these materials allows less money to be spent on land.
(C) The right answer must explain why bamboo becomes less economical specifically in areas of high land value. Since the argument doesn’t state that termite and beetle damage affects areas of high and low land value differently, this answer choice doesn’t make that distinction.
(D) The argument deals with bamboo as a construction material, not as a scaffolding material. Its use as a scaffolding material does not imply that bamboo is uneconomical as a building material. In addition, there is not necessarily a connection between large construction projects and land values, since the answer choice does not clarify what constitutes a large construction project.
(E) This answer choice, unlike some of the other wrong answers, does draw a distinction between areas with different land values. However, it conflates increasing land values with high land values. Those aren’t necessarily the same. Also, clearing bamboo from an area might or might not affect its viability as a construction material. If bamboo is cleared from a high value area, the resulting surplus of bamboo might actually make it a more economical building material.
I see the question is generating a lot of heartache. It is actually not asking you to make any uncalled for assumption.
Consider this - when you are asked to strengthen a conclusion, if you pre-think, often you are able to come up with 2-3 different ways of strengthening, right? The correct option gives you one of those ways.
Now, this is an explain question. How can we explain the exception? I am sure there are multiple ways in which we can explain it. There must be something peculiar about construction on land of high value for which bamboo doesn't work. We need to find the option that provides us one of those ways to explain the exception. That tells us what the author had in mind while noting this exception.
(A) Buildings constructed of bamboo are less likely to suffer earthquake damage than are steel and concrete buildings.
Doesn't tell us why bamboo is unsuitable for high value land.
(B) Bamboo is unsuitable as a building material for multistory buildings.
Bamboo is unsuitable for multistorey buildings. So if someone were wishing to make a multistorey building on high value land, bamboo wouldn't be suitable for it. Certainly gives one reason to note the exception.
(C) In order to protect it from being damaged by termites and beetles, bamboo must be soaked, at some expense, in a preservative.
Irrelevant
(D) In some tropical areas, bamboo is used to make the scaffolding that is used during large construction projects.
Irrelevant
(E) Bamboo growing in an area where land values are increasing is often cleared to make way for construction.
Why is this bamboo not suitable for construction, not given.
Answer (B)
No other option tells you that bamboo is not suitable for any peculiar construction. Only (B) gives one possible reason - if you are planning to make multi-storey building on the high value land, bamboo won't work. Now, if you say how am I to know that often multi storey buildings are made on high value land, if the land is expensive, the builder is expected to try to get more value out of it. It is a fairly easy connect to make. Also, since no other option provides any feasible answer, this is the best.
TGC - You may choose to make a bungalow on the land, that's ok. The answer gives us one of the reasons why bamboo may not be suitable for high value land.
Thank you for your explanation. I am still having a hard time understanding the connection between multistory buildings and a high land value. Can't you build multistory buildings on low valued land?