Senior Manager
Joined: 19 Oct 2014
Posts: 364
Given Kudos: 188
Location: United Arab Emirates
Re: In January 1992, the Sylvanic Exterminator Service of Salem
[#permalink]
23 Feb 2022, 02:37
OE:
Fact 1: Since 1991 more people in Salem County have been taking care of their extermination problems on their own, and the extermination industry's revenues have been dropping because of it.
Fact 2: In January 1992, the Sylvanic Exterminator Service of Salem County began a new service concentrating on the removal of bats, rats, and mice. Revenue increased twofold by the end of the year.
The phrase which of the following would best explain in the question stem indicates that this is a Resolve/Explain question. Because more people in Salem County have been taking care of their own extermination problems and the extermination industry's revenues have been dropping since 1991, it seems contradictory that Sylvanic Exterminator Service has reported no such loss in revenue, but rather, revenue increased twofold by the end of the year.
For an answer choice to explain the discrepancy, it must provide a reason that Sylvanic Exterminator Service has reported no such loss in revenue, but rather, revenue increased twofold by the end of (1992), even though more people in Salem County have been taking care of their own extermination problems and the extermination industry's revenues have been dropping since 1991. Evaluate the answer choices, looking for one that reflects this idea.
Choice A: No. Extremely careful bookkeeping is out of scope. Even if Sylvanic Exterminator Service was audited in 1992 and has had to be extremely careful with its bookkeeping ever since, it would have no impact on the company’s revenue by the end of the year.
Choice B: No. A debt which will not be paid off until 1998 is out of scope. Even if Sylvanic upgraded all of its poison sprayers in 1990, incurring a debt which will not be paid off until 1998, it would have no impact on the company’s revenue by the end of 1992.
Choice C: No. This answer choice makes the conflict worse. If people would rather take care of the pest problems themselves because it is less expensive, then it would be even less likely that Sylvanic Exterminator Service’s revenue increased twofold by the end of 1992.
Choice D: No. This answer choice addresses only one side of the conflict. If the bat, rat, and mouse populations of Salem County have increased significantly since 1991, it explains why in January 1992, the Sylvanic Exterminator Service of Salem County began a new service concentrating on the removal of bats, rats, and mice. However, this does not explain the fact that since 1991 more people in Salem County have been taking care of their extermination problems on their own, and the extermination industry's revenues have been dropping because of it.
Choice E: Correct. If the Sylvanic Exterminator Service's new pest service has compensated for the losses it has been experiencing in the rest of its services, this it explains why revenue increased twofold by the end of 1992. This also takes into account that since 1991 more people in Salem County have been taking care of their extermination problems on their own, and the extermination industry's revenues have been dropping because of it.
The correct answer is choice E.