Bunuel wrote:
In recent years the fashion industry has become increasingly unable to ignore the reality of eating disorders among models. Although models are, as a group, thin beyond the “normal” standards of society, many have succumbed to nutritionally deficient eating habits in order to sustain unnatural weights, even for their super-physiques. The fashion industry has, in recent years, begun addressing the issue more openly. Some countries have gone so far as to establish rules that require models to maintain a certain BMI if they expect to walk the runways. Additionally, the industry recently held an international conference on the issue of eating disorders. But the overall mood there was one of resistance, among models as well as designers. Most of the models claim that they are just naturally very thin and are modeling for that very reason. They admit that some do develop eating disorders, but claim these disorders are often based on individual problems and not on the industry. Among the designers, the resistance was equally palpable. Most resented the interference and claimed that the fashion world has always relied on thin models and that it is unfair to single out a single industry for eating disorders, because eating disorders are connected to personal issues. Overall, the hope within the industry is that there will be awareness about eating disorders but not extra rules: models should know that help is available should they need it and that the industry will support them as they seek treatment.
Given the passage above, the reasoning within the fashion industry is vulnerable to criticism because it fails to consider which of the following?
(A) The public is tired of the excessively thin image propounded by the fashion industry and would prefer to see models of average weight.
(B) Fashion trends are constantly changing, and the trend for very thin models will ultimately give way to a trend for models of different sizes.
(C) Eating disorders affect people for many reasons, and there are as many people struggling with eating disorders in the fashion industry as there are elsewhere.
(D) The women chosen to model are selected entirely for their height and build and are perhaps naturally thin, rather than suffering from eating disorders.
(E) Models suffering from eating disorders might not have the means or the ability to acknowledge their problem and pursue help.
OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
Overview: Questions is based on a passage about the presence of eating disorders in the fashion industry, particularly among models. The author notes that the fashion industry cannot ignore the reality of eating disorders but that there are a variety of objections to restrictions on the fashion industry, objections from both models and designers. Models often complain that they are naturally thin, while designers point out that eating disorders are not unique to the fashion industry; they claim that eating disorders are connected to personal concerns that cannot be addressed with rules regarding weight or BMI requirements. The passage concludes by noting that the industry is inclined to accept “awareness about eating disorders but not extra rules,” that resources for dealing with eating disorders will be available, and that models should seek help when they realize they have a problem. Question asks for the answer choice that best expresses the flaw in the fashion industry’s reasoning.
The Correct Answer:E Question asks the student to consider why the reasoning in the fashion industry is vulnerable to criticism. This requires the student to consider three details carefully: (1) several countries have put BMI restrictions on models because they believe they are too thin to be healthy, (2) the industry admits that eating disorders exist but claims that they are based on personal issues, and (3) the industry wants to provide awareness but let the models seek help themselves. However, if an eating disorder is based on a personal issue, that very personal issue might prevent a person from seeking help; in putting the burden for seeking help on models themselves, the industry assumes that models are in fact able to do so. Answer choice (E) best expresses this idea, so it is the correct answer.
The Incorrect Answers:A The actions taken by several countries to establish BMI requirements indicate that public awareness might be involved in the issue, but the public is not actually mentioned in the passage, and the focus is almost entirely on the internal mood of the fashion industry toward eating disorders. Answer choice (A) infers details that cannot be supported by the passage, so it is incorrect.
B Although the designers note that the fashion industry tends to gravitate toward thin models – suggesting that thinness is part of the desired look or trend – there is no clear mention of thin models being part of a short-term trend in the fashion industry. Answer choice (B) infers details that are not supported within the passage, so it is not correct.
C, D The details in answer choices (C) and (D) are implied in the passage: that the fashion industry does not create eating disorders, that they exist elsewhere in society, that models are naturally thin and that most are not necessarily struggling with eating disorders. However, these details in particular do not represent the flaw in the industry’s reasoning (in fact, they do more to support the reasoning rather than undermine it), so answer choices (C) and (D) are incorrect.