There is hardly a corporation that does not have a PR (public relation

Question

There is hardly a corporation that does not have a PR (public relations) budget that runs into the tens of millions. It is all about positive image building. Most of the millions are spent with advertising agencies for slick multimedia campaigns that seek to improve the profile of the business or its brands. But it also includes the placement of positive stories that purport to be news or items of public interest. There are many examples of fabulously successful campaigns. But when things go wrong they can go spectacularly wrong. The biggest and one of the most high-profile blunders occurred when one of the world’s largest public utilities ran a campaign promoting its size as a virtue in the modern world. All may have gone well had it not been for the timing of the campaign, for it coincided with an announcement to lay off thousands and to close a large number of outlets. The protests were heard from customers in isolated villages through to the national legislative body. Another infamous case occurred when candy manufacture announced that it was improving the taste of its traditional product. The reaction of millions of loyal customers caused utter pandemonium. Spontaneous protests and boycotts erupted worldwide.    1 
 Q1. The author holds that PR is all about positive image built through:

A. a series of TV advertisements
B. news or items of public interest
C. fabulously expensive campaigns
D. publicity
E. the services of advertising agencies

2 
 Q2. The audience that the author had in mind when he wrote the passage was:

A. someone conversant with the subject
B. his peers in public relations
C. prospective purchasers of the services of his advertising agency
D. someone with only a passing acquaintance with the subject
E. graduate students of business studies

3 
 Q3. According to the passage, PR can go wrong when corporations:

A. are caught lying
B. fail to consider environmental issues
C. promote their size
D. tamper with tradition
E. misjudge their customers’ attachments

4 
 Q4. The author of the passage would agree that when things go wrong and a negative image results, the effect is:

A. exactly opposite to the one intended
B. parallel to the one intended
C. contrary to the one intended
D. comparable to the one intended
E. dissimilar to the one intended

5 
 Q5. Which of the following would most logically follow as the next sentence?

A. The company stood its ground and persisted with the change, hoping that its customers would come around to its way of thinking.
B. The old formula was quickly reintroduced and a solemn promise made that it would never be tampered with again.
C. Public relations blunders come no bigger.
D. PR campaigns are intended to improve a company’s profile and sometimes they have the opposite effect.
E. The company had no choice but to expedite the plan.

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 92 Date: 03-Mar-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Source: How to pass the GMAT

TBT · Answer

Can someone post explanation for the answers? The passage is easy but questions are bit confusing with slight difference in options.

vasutandon · Answer

In question 5 i got the correct answer but i was confused between option e and b.can someone explain why b is a better answer.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

Q5. Which of the following would most logically follow as the next sentence?

Explanation:

The logic of the market place makes  B  the only viable reaction and means that suggested answer  A  is highly improbable.  C  is a good summary of the passage but not a suitable follow-on sentence. Expedite means speed up, making  E  nonsensical.

Answer: B

paulrahul · Answer

Could someone explain answers for Ques 1 and 2 ?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

Q1. The author holds that PR is all about positive image built through:

Difficulty Level:   Hard

Explanation

It is clear that a positive image is achieved through publicity, both as advertisements and news and public interest pieces.

Answer: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

Q2. The audience that the author had in mind when he wrote the passage was:

Difficulty Level:   Medium

Explanation

The fact that the abbreviation PR is spelled out and the term is defined means that the audience is new to the subject.

Answer: D

thakurarun85 · Answer

Please provide solution for Q3.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

Q3. According to the passage, PR can go wrong when corporations:

Difficulty Level:   600

Explanation

In the case of the candy manufacturer, it tampered with tradition, but this was not the reason its campaign went wrong; its mistake was that it failed to judge correctly the attachment its customers placed on the product.

Answer: E

Jaychoudhary · Answer

Sajjad1994 
Could you post explanation for Q4 as well?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

Q4. The author of the passage would agree that when things go wrong and a negative image results, the effect is:

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

We are told that the object of PR is positive image building and the effect when things go wrong is negative image building – the exact opposite.

Answer: A

Dhwanii · Answer

Q1 - Why is option E incorrect ? As it is given - Most of the millions are spent with advertising agencies for slick multimedia campaigns that seek to improve the profile of the business or its brands.

Q4 - Why isn't option C correct ?

Q4 - Why isn't option C correct ?

RiyaJ0032 · Answer

isnt (C) contrary also the same as being opposite ?

how can we eliminate (C)

can someone please explain

KarishmaB  can you please help

or some expert?

DmitryFarber 
 MartyMurray

DmitryFarber · Answer

Sorry, but this is a poor quality RC set and is not something you should spend your time on. First, the passage has numerous errors. Second, every question should have just one right answer, not one "best" answer and other runners-up. For #4, if the effect in question is "opposite" (A), it is also "contrary" (C). As you said, this means the same thing. But for that matter, it would also be "dissimilar" (E). This is a very important point, because on the GMAT, we don't want to cross out answers for being too mild or vague. If the author hates something, it's fair to say that it's "not their favorite," and if something has never happened, it's fair to say it's "not a frequent occurrence." Don't try to learn from sketchy unofficial questions--they will often train you to look for the wrong things in the answers!

abhishektyga · Answer

Please explain why D is not the answer for Q5. Seems the logical choice, as in the previous example, it was not followed by the steps company had taken.

Vibhatu · Answer

Can you please explain why not D? Thanks in advance !!

Shoryapr · Answer

Let's try to understand 
Question 1
A - it's one of the ways it could be done 
B - Again surely a way through which it could be carried out but not the main intent 
C - Yess indeed but it's more of an factors or component not the 
main purpose 
D - all pr is done to get publicity, it's the broader term 
E - it's the entity that helps to carry it out

Q2
B - it's not something one talks with his leer about 
C - He is not trying to promote anything
D - this suits best as it's just general information regarding PR
E - it lacks the depth to be called a case study as not much could be inferred from it

Q3
I am not sure about this question

Q4
Well I personally clicked on contrary to the one intended

Q5
A - after such backlash it's logically inappropriate to stick to the change 
B - this is the most sensible choice so far describing they went to the original formula realising there mistake
C - the reason why backlash came was not because people had a problem with company but because of a particular decision of the company 
D - the paragraph seemed incomplete for a summary 
E - that is surely wrong as they will surely not increase the production amidst backlash

Shoryapr · Answer

Let's try to understand 
Question 1
A - it's one of the ways it could be done 
B - Again surely a way through which it could be carried out but not the main intent 
C - Yess indeed but it's more of an factors or component not the 
main purpose 
D - all pr is done to get publicity, it's the broader term 
E - it's the entity that helps to carry it out

Q2
B - it's not something one talks with his leer about 
C - He is not trying to promote anything
D - this suits best as it's just general information regarding PR
E - it lacks the depth to be called a case study as not much could be inferred from it

Q3
I am not sure about this question

Q4
Well I personally clicked on contrary to the one intended

Q5
A - after such backlash it's logically inappropriate to stick to the change 
B - this is the most sensible choice so far describing they went to the original formula realising there mistake
C - the reason why backlash came was not because people had a problem with company but because of a particular decision of the company 
D - the paragraph seemed incomplete for a summary 
E - that is surely wrong as they will surely not increase the production amidst backlash

Shoryapr · Answer

Let's try to understand 
Question 1
A - it's one of the ways it could be done 
B - Again surely a way through which it could be carried out but not the main intent 
C - Yess indeed but it's more of an factors or component not the 
main purpose 
D - all pr is done to get publicity, it's the broader term 
E - it's the entity that helps to carry it out

Q2
B - it's not something one talks with his leer about 
C - He is not trying to promote anything
D - this suits best as it's just general information regarding PR
E - it lacks the depth to be called a case study as not much could be inferred from it

Q3
I am not sure about this question

Q4
Well I personally clicked on contrary to the one intended

Q5
A - after such backlash it's logically inappropriate to stick to the change 
B - this is the most sensible choice so far describing they went to the original formula realising there mistake
C - the reason why backlash came was not because people had a problem with company but because of a particular decision of the company 
D - the paragraph seemed incomplete for a summary 
E - that is surely wrong as they will surely not increase the production amidst backlash

There is hardly a corporation that does not have a PR (public relation

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