Events & Promotions
|
|
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
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Nov 2007:30 AM PST
-08:30 AM PST
Learn what truly sets the UC Riverside MBA apart and how it helps in your professional growth
Nov 2211:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Do RC/MSR passages scare you? e-GMAT is conducting a masterclass to help you learn – Learn effective reading strategies Tackle difficult RC & MSR with confidence Excel in timed test environment- Nov 23
11:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Attend this free GMAT Algebra Webinar and learn how to master the most challenging Inequalities and Absolute Value problems with ease. 
Nov 2510:00 AM EST
-11:00 AM EST
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors.
25 Aug 2024, 09:43
Kudos
Bookmarks
Argument Breakdown:
Premise: Previously, the magazine covers featured politicians, soldiers, and business leaders. Now, they feature models and movie stars.
Gossip Columnist’s Claim: The new changes make the magazine relevant again.
Opponent's Argument: The new publisher is more focused on boosting sales than reporting important news.
The opponents' argument suggests that there is a trade-off between featuring models/movie stars (to boost sales) and covering important news events (which implies that the focus on models/movie stars isn't about important news).
The question is asking for an assumption necessary for the opponent's argument. Let's analyze each answer choice to find the assumption that supports the opponents' claim.
Option (A):
"The charitable activities of models and movie stars often focus public attention on pressing problems."
Analysis: This answer choice is about the charitable activities of models and movie stars and how they can draw attention to important problems. However, this point weakens the opponents’ argument by suggesting that models and movie stars could be relevant for important issues, which contradicts their claim that featuring them isn't about important news.
Conclusion: Not necessary for the opponents' argument.
Option (B):
"Final authority for choosing the cover subject of the magazine lies with the publisher."
Analysis: This option connects the actions of the magazine (choosing covers) directly to the publisher's decision-making. For the opponents to criticize the publisher’s motive, they must assume the publisher has the authority to make the decision about who is featured on the cover.
Conclusion: Necessary assumption, because if the publisher didn't have this authority, the opponents couldn't blame the publisher for prioritizing sales.
Option (C):
"A magazine can boost sales while highlighting the coverage of important world leaders."
Analysis: This option suggests that the magazine could simultaneously boost sales while featuring important news topics (world leaders). If this were true, it weakens the opponents' argument because it implies that boosting sales does not have to come at the expense of covering important news.
Conclusion: Not necessary, as it weakens the opponents' argument.
Option (D):
"Some of the movie stars featured are now running for political office."
Analysis: This option suggests that some of the movie stars featured could be involved in politics, which would undermine the opponents’ claim that featuring them is not about important news events.
Conclusion: Not necessary, as it weakens the opponents' argument by making movie stars potentially newsworthy.
Option (E):
"Magazine issues with models or movie stars on the covers are purchased at a rate more than three times greater than is the case with issues featuring politicians on the covers."
Analysis: This option supports the idea that the new covers (featuring models/movie stars) sell more than the old ones (featuring politicians). It bolsters the notion that the new publisher’s focus is on sales, which is the basis of the opponents' argument.
Conclusion: Necessary assumption, because the argument that the publisher is focusing on sales requires the assumption that sales are actually higher with models and movie stars on the cover.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is (B): "Final authority for choosing the cover subject of the magazine lies with the publisher."
This is a necessary assumption because for the opponents to argue that the publisher is more interested in boosting sales than reporting important news, they must assume that the publisher has control over the choice of cover subjects. Without this authority, the opponents’ argument falls apart.
Premise: Previously, the magazine covers featured politicians, soldiers, and business leaders. Now, they feature models and movie stars.
Gossip Columnist’s Claim: The new changes make the magazine relevant again.
Opponent's Argument: The new publisher is more focused on boosting sales than reporting important news.
The opponents' argument suggests that there is a trade-off between featuring models/movie stars (to boost sales) and covering important news events (which implies that the focus on models/movie stars isn't about important news).
The question is asking for an assumption necessary for the opponent's argument. Let's analyze each answer choice to find the assumption that supports the opponents' claim.
Option (A):
"The charitable activities of models and movie stars often focus public attention on pressing problems."
Analysis: This answer choice is about the charitable activities of models and movie stars and how they can draw attention to important problems. However, this point weakens the opponents’ argument by suggesting that models and movie stars could be relevant for important issues, which contradicts their claim that featuring them isn't about important news.
Conclusion: Not necessary for the opponents' argument.
Option (B):
"Final authority for choosing the cover subject of the magazine lies with the publisher."
Analysis: This option connects the actions of the magazine (choosing covers) directly to the publisher's decision-making. For the opponents to criticize the publisher’s motive, they must assume the publisher has the authority to make the decision about who is featured on the cover.
Conclusion: Necessary assumption, because if the publisher didn't have this authority, the opponents couldn't blame the publisher for prioritizing sales.
Option (C):
"A magazine can boost sales while highlighting the coverage of important world leaders."
Analysis: This option suggests that the magazine could simultaneously boost sales while featuring important news topics (world leaders). If this were true, it weakens the opponents' argument because it implies that boosting sales does not have to come at the expense of covering important news.
Conclusion: Not necessary, as it weakens the opponents' argument.
Option (D):
"Some of the movie stars featured are now running for political office."
Analysis: This option suggests that some of the movie stars featured could be involved in politics, which would undermine the opponents’ claim that featuring them is not about important news events.
Conclusion: Not necessary, as it weakens the opponents' argument by making movie stars potentially newsworthy.
Option (E):
"Magazine issues with models or movie stars on the covers are purchased at a rate more than three times greater than is the case with issues featuring politicians on the covers."
Analysis: This option supports the idea that the new covers (featuring models/movie stars) sell more than the old ones (featuring politicians). It bolsters the notion that the new publisher’s focus is on sales, which is the basis of the opponents' argument.
Conclusion: Necessary assumption, because the argument that the publisher is focusing on sales requires the assumption that sales are actually higher with models and movie stars on the cover.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is (B): "Final authority for choosing the cover subject of the magazine lies with the publisher."
This is a necessary assumption because for the opponents to argue that the publisher is more interested in boosting sales than reporting important news, they must assume that the publisher has control over the choice of cover subjects. Without this authority, the opponents’ argument falls apart.
18 Nov 2025, 01:07
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!
Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).
Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).
Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Moderators:
188 posts
