Last visit was: 08 Jul 2025, 20:45 It is currently 08 Jul 2025, 20:45
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
souvonik2k
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 25 Nov 2015
Last visit: 05 Dec 2021
Posts: 953
Own Kudos:
2,154
 [3]
Given Kudos: 751
Status:Preparing for GMAT
Location: India
GPA: 3.64
Products:
Posts: 953
Kudos: 2,154
 [3]
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
karthikkaushik91
Joined: 09 Jul 2017
Last visit: 11 Oct 2019
Posts: 20
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 13
Posts: 20
Kudos: 10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
US09
Joined: 15 Oct 2017
Last visit: 06 Apr 2021
Posts: 248
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 338
GMAT 1: 560 Q42 V25
GMAT 2: 570 Q43 V27
GMAT 3: 710 Q49 V39
Products:
GMAT 3: 710 Q49 V39
Posts: 248
Kudos: 283
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Aekagra
Joined: 28 Jul 2016
Last visit: 22 May 2025
Posts: 36
Own Kudos:
10
 [1]
Given Kudos: 36
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Marketing
WE:Operations (Retail Banking)
Posts: 36
Kudos: 10
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
urvashis09
souvonik2k
Cafe Cappuccino Pvt Ltd owns almost all coffee shops in Borodia and has announced plans to double the number of coffee shops it has in the country in the next five years. Yet, the number of people who walk into cafe Cappuccino is only just large enough for profitability now and the country's population is not expected to increase drastically over the next ten years due to the government's strategic measures taken to control population explosion. Clearly, therefore, if there is indeed no increase in population, Cafe Cappuccino's new outlets are unlikely to prove profitable.

Which of the following, if true about Borodia, most seriously weakens the arguments?

A) Though very little change in the size of the population is expected, a pronounced shift towards a younger, more affluent, and more entertainment oriented population is expected to occur.
B) The sales of ice-creams account for more of Cafe Cappuccino's profits than the sales of coffee and tea.
C) In selecting the mix of items that are served at Cafe cappuccino the policy is to avoid those that appeal to only a small segment of the cafe going population.
D) Spending on confectionary as well as on homemade chocolates is currently no longer increasing.
E) There are no population centers in the country that are not already served by at least one of the coffee shops that Cafe Cappuccino owns and operates.

Source - Crackverbal

A - The causal relationship here for the conclusion to stand true will be weakened by this statement. Anything that says that the population "that the coffee shop" caters to is going to increase will weaken the causality that is required for the conclusion-since population is not going to increase, the new outlets will not be profitable.
But from sentence how we will be able to establish relationship b/w cafes and young,affluent ???

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish
User avatar
HannibalLecter
Joined: 29 Jan 2018
Last visit: 08 Jun 2018
Posts: 21
Own Kudos:
4
 [1]
Given Kudos: 5
Location: India
GPA: 3.85
WE:Engineering (Retail: E-commerce)
Posts: 21
Kudos: 4
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
A-Clear winner. It totally changes the base.
avatar
MSarmah
Joined: 19 Aug 2017
Last visit: 29 Mar 2018
Posts: 11
Own Kudos:
9
 [3]
Given Kudos: 292
Posts: 11
Kudos: 9
 [3]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I don't think the OA is appropriate.

The OA is given as A but nowhere in the argument it is given that young people consume more coffee than the middle aged or the old aged people. What if the middle aged and the old aged people consume more coffee than the yound people. In that case it will strengthen the argument and not weaken it since, given the size of population, a pronounced shift towards a younger population is expected.

Thus, unless there is some indication that younger people consume more coffee or tea than the rest of the population, we cannot assume it.

Hope some experts take a look into the question !
avatar
Bhaktiiphone
Joined: 17 Jun 2021
Last visit: 09 Oct 2023
Posts: 6
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 158
Location: India
Schools: ESCP MiM "24
GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29
Products:
Schools: ESCP MiM "24
GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29
Posts: 6
Kudos: 2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The answer that is apparently correct is clearly out of the scope.
User avatar
KaushalKhatri
Joined: 16 Jul 2021
Last visit: 27 Nov 2021
Posts: 10
Given Kudos: 4
Location: India
Posts: 10
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
How is A the correct answer. There is no relation mentioned between young and cafe going population.
User avatar
ReedArnoldMPREP
User avatar
Manhattan Prep Instructor
Joined: 30 Apr 2021
Last visit: 20 Dec 2024
Posts: 521
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 37
GMAT 1: 760 Q49 V47
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 760 Q49 V47
Posts: 521
Kudos: 529
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
What is the source for this question?

Answer choice A has some issues. We have to use 'real world' knowledge to know that 'younger, more affluent, more entertainment' focused crowds go to cafes more. (also... real world question.... do they????)

If the passage made this connection, I'd feel comfortable choosing A. As written, I think this question isn't quite fair. If it's an official question, welp, alas--either I'm wrong (someone care to explain how?) or the GMAT is breaking its typical rules here.
User avatar
Jeringas
Joined: 19 Oct 2021
Last visit: 07 Jul 2025
Posts: 4
Given Kudos: 72
Products:
Posts: 4
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The argument claims that Cafe Cappuccino's plan to double outlets is unlikely to be profitable because:

The current number of customers is just enough for profitability, and

The population is not expected to increase significantly.

So, the argument assumes only population growth can increase demand and profitability.

We’re looking for a choice that weakens this by showing how demand or profitability can rise even without population growth.

Evaluate the choices:
(A) Though very little change in the size of the population is expected, a pronounced shift towards a younger, more affluent, and more entertainment-oriented population is expected to occur.

✅ This directly weakens the argument. Even if population size doesn’t grow, a shift in demographics (towards those who are more likely to visit cafes) could increase demand and thus make new outlets profitable.

→ Correct answer.

(B) The sales of ice-creams account for more of Cafe Cappuccino's profits than the sales of coffee and tea.

This shifts focus to another product line but doesn’t refute the link between customer volume and profitability.
→ Irrelevant.

(C) In selecting the mix of items that are served at Cafe Cappuccino the policy is to avoid those that appeal to only a small segment of the cafe-going population.

Describes a business strategy but doesn’t weaken the conclusion about limited profitability due to static population.
→ Out of scope.

(D) Spending on confectionary as well as on homemade chocolates is currently no longer increasing.

If anything, this might strengthen the argument by suggesting limited growth in other revenue streams.
→ ❌ Strengthens.

(E) There are no population centers in the country that are not already served by at least one of the coffee shops that Cafe Cappuccino owns and operates.

This might support the idea that expansion will face saturation, thus strengthening the argument.
→ ❌ Strengthens.
User avatar
Deep1208
Joined: 14 May 2019
Last visit: 26 Jun 2025
Posts: 4
Given Kudos: 12
Posts: 4
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can you please shed some light on the question,as I am unable to get why the option 'A' is correct.Does moving towards a younger crowd solves the population problem and makes the target audience set,which will indeed help them in opening there upcoming stores?
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7349 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
235 posts