Conclusion:

In reality, this increase in profitability is not due to these factors, but rather to the sharing of business acumen and market research that occurs at the monthly Chamber of Commerce meetings.

We need to strengthen this conclusion!

A Crime has decreased throughout the state, and the businesses in other towns with similar populations have seen similar profits in the past ten years. --- This comparison is wrong, you need to compare Apple to Apple.

B The growth of Smalltown's population has primarily been due to a higher birth rate, which has traditionally been associated with a drop in crime. -- How this answer would strengthen the argument?

C Members of Smalltown's Chamber of Commerce cite the friendliness and helpfulness of the group as one of their main reasons for attending meetings. --- How friendliness would increase the profit?

D The effects of taxes on local businesses may not be immediately apparent in all cases, particularly when populations are fluctuating. --No tie to the argument

E Businesses in Smalltown whose members did not attend these monthly meetings regularly saw their profits increase only 2% above inflation. -- This strengthens the conclusion, one never attended the meeting, he did not get benefit from it, thus, his profits reduced.

President of the Smalltown Chamber of Commerce: In the past decade, the businesses in Smalltown have reported average profits of 15% above inflation. The mayor of Smalltown has explained this by citing decreased crime and a growing population, but he is incorrect. In reality, this increase in profitability is not due to these factors, but rather to the sharing of business acumen and market research that occurs at the monthly Chamber of Commerce meetings.

Which of the following, if true, best supports the President of the Smalltown Chamber of Commerce's attribution of the increased profits to her organization's meetings?


A Crime has decreased throughout the state, and the businesses in other towns with similar populations have seen similar profits in the past ten years. Incorrect

support mayors claim

B The growth of Smalltown's population has primarily been due to a higher birth rate, which has traditionally been associated with a drop in crime. Irrelevant

C Members of Smalltown's Chamber of Commerce cite the friendliness and helpfulness of the group as one of their main reasons for attending meetings. Incorrect

cant say it is a reason for profits

D The effects of taxes on local businesses may not be immediately apparent in all cases, particularly when populations are fluctuating. Incorrect

taxes on local businesses irrelevant

E Businesses in Smalltown whose members did not attend these monthly meetings regularly saw their profits increase only 2% above inflation. Correct

support President's claim

Magoosh Official Explanation:

Answer = (E). The President’s argument is that the Chamber of Commerce meetings are responsible for increased business. Her evidence is that business in the area has increased by 15%. The right assumption, which this argument asks us to strengthen, will create a strong link between attending these meetings and seeing an increase in business. We don’t have that among our answers, but we do have the contrapositive in answer choice (E): those who did NOT attend these meetings did NOT earn such high profits. The fact that there was such a significant difference in the increase in profits between businesses that did vs. didn't attend this meeting shows the value of attending the meeting.

The President is arguing that the decrease in crime (A) is not responsible for the increased profits. If (A) were true, this would actually weaken, not strengthen, her argument, as it provides another possible cause for the increased profits.

Meanwhile, (B) links crime and birth patterns, but completely leaves out business, profits, and the Chamber of Commerce. Because it does this, we can eliminate it as irrelevant to the main argument in the passage.

It’s nice that members like the meetings (C) of the Chamber of Commerce, but whether they like them or not is beside the point; the President isn’t claiming that people love these meetings, simply that they are responsible for the rise in profits. (C) is out of scope for this question.

Finally, taxes (D) are also out of scope. Even if they were in the scope of the argument, we could dismiss this answer choice, as we can assume that the 15% increase in profits is most likely the after-tax figure or, if it isn’t, that it was calculated with the same method as previously.
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