Rooms in small hotels, which tend to position themselves as

is it B ? Seems irrelevant to the argument.

Dear aditya8062,
First of all, let's make sure we understand the terminology here.
"less demand" = fewer customers want to stay at these hotels in winter months
"excess capacity" = more empty rooms, because fewer people are staying there
If demand goes down, typically the price goes down: that's a very basic point of the Law of Supply & Demand. If bigger hotels have cheaper rooms when the weather is cold, that is one reason to stay there, rather than in the smaller hotels. That's a strengthener.
Does all this make sense?
Mike

I got the official answer:
</bold> Official Explanation </bold>

The argument states that people should not book rooms in small hotels during cold weather because such hotels might not provide heating. The support for the heating portion comes from a comparison of electricity usage in similar rooms in small and larger hotels.

A - If larger hotels use less electricity to heat their rooms, and the difference in electricity usage still exists, then it is more likely that small hotels do not provide heating. This option would have been possible if it had asserted that small hotels use more efficient heating, because that could have been a possible explanation for the difference in electricity usage.

B - If the same lighting technology is used by both types of hotels, it is more likely that the difference in electricity usage is attributable to the presence (or absence) of heating.

C - Correct. If people spend less time in their rooms (in small hotels), it is possible that the reason for the lower electricity usage in small hotels is not the lack of heating.

D - If rooms are not available in larger hotels, that could weaken the conclusion that people should not book rooms in small hotels. By providing us the opposite, this option strengthens the conclusion.

E - Similarly, if people who use small hotels are not more likely to try to save electricity, it is more likely that the difference in electricity usage is attributable to the presence (or absence) of heating.

D seems best to me: When the weather is cold, there is less demand for hotel rooms and therefore larger hotels have excess capacity.

i will provide explanation once u confirm the answer

Sorry
I am deleting the answer as I felt I was wrong

thanks mike
can u please explain as why D is strengthener
D says : When the weather is cold, there is less demand for hotel rooms and therefore larger hotels have excess capacity

the argument is about how large hotels are better in cold weather .so any answer that strengthens the argument must hint at the fact that large hotels are able to provide better heating. how does "excess capacity" help to provide better heating ?

sorry my text in my last post got little different from what i wanted to put .anyway

but mike don't u think that the argument is about how large hotels are better in cold weather .so any answer that strengthens the argument must hint at the fact that large hotels are able to provide better heating. how does "excess capacity" help to provide better heating ?

I found your reasoning sound.. except in option C"
the conclusion is "Therefore, people should not book rooms in small hotels when the weather gets very cold. " base on the premise that "heating requires a lot of electricity"
I think option C) "people spend significantly less time in their room than those who stays in larger rooms" indicates that people who stay in small hotels do not need heading that much comparing to those who stay in large hotels, because they spend significantly less time in their room, and therefore not so much electricity is needed for heating.
so option C obviates the need for the usage of electricity in small hotels for heating in cold weather, so weaken the conclusion

well honestly i will suggest u what Mike has suggested me: leave this question
also as for C there can be different angle by which we can look at this option
the fact the people spends more time in larger hotels puts extra need to the fact that u need that room warmer .hence supporting as why in cold weather people who look for larger rooms
you see "causation" is a beautiful thing !! who knows that the fact the small rooms are cold is actually forcing people to spend less time in those hotels and thus they might be spending more time at workplace or cafes !!

just as an aside: i once lodged so lousy hotel in Cairo (suez canal) that i was forced to spend more time at my office and at pyramid sites (though i had no interest). but i guess i did so because staying in that hotel was even more torturous !!

Option C is a clear weakener here (atleast IMHO).. If people in smaller hotels spend significantly less time in their rooms than that spent by people in larger hotels, that explains why the electricity usage is lower..

Solution:
Although I do have a doubt, why not E?

To prove AND cross out any option that = Small hotels not good in cold weather

A - + for Large hotels - CROSS OUT

B - The only +ve small hotels had has been nullified so now larger hotels are better - CROSS OUT

D - Larger have excess capacity so price might be less - CROSS OUT

E - people booking eco-friendly rooms v/s people who dont - both equally likely to save electricity

C - not affecting the conclusion in these ways so stronger - ANSWER