Cupcake Fancier: A superlative cupcake is distinguished from an averag

Question

Cupcake Fancier: A superlative cupcake is distinguished from an average one by the flavor of its cakey base, not, as many assume, by the taste of its frosting or the extravagant toppings thereon, though the base is far from the most important part of the cupcake. In fact, a number of excellent cupcakeries have begun to sell ‘cupcake tops’, popular variations on cupcakes where the base is discarded after the baking process.

Which of the following, if true, would best explain the paradox in the cupcake fancier’s advocacy of the base as the standard by which to evaluate a cupcake?

A) A cupcake’s base is the hardest part of a cupcake to make flavorful, so a cupcake maker who can add great flavor to a cupcake’s base is likely to fare equally well with the other dimensions of the cupcake.

B) Cupcake tops fare much better in nationwide taste tests than do traditional cupcakes.

C) Cupcake frostings and toppings are so rich in sugar and fat that they are almost universally considered delicious, regardless of preparation.

D) A cupcake is not properly a cupcake if it does not feature a cakey base.

E) No cupcake can be considered superlative without a remarkable cakey base.

As per my analysis answer is B - I believe the paradox can be resolved by stating some facts about the popularity of Cupcake tops. In such a scenario a large population would prefer a cupcake tops over a cupcake base even though the latter is the true measure of the quality of the cupcake and is also tough to achieve. 
Thanks

KarishmaB · Accepted Answer

First thing to do in a paradox question is to identify the paradox.

A superlative cupcake is the one that has a superlative cake base. 
But the base is not the most important part of the cupcake. In fact, now "cupcake tops" alone are being sold.

What is the paradox here? The fancier says that the base is not the most important part of the cupcake but it is what distinguishes the cupcake. How can the base be the deciding factor of a superlative cupcake if the base is not the most important part of it? 
It seems like a paradox.

How will we explain it? How can we explain that the base is the distinguishing feature? If we can say that all other parts are anyway fine for all cupcakes but the base is the hardest to get right. 
Say to make a recipe A, you need 3 components - x, y and z.
If x and y are the same for two chefs, what will decide who made better A? The one who makes z better will make better A. Even if z is not the most important element of A, it is the distinguishing element of A.

Looking at the options now:

A) A cupcake’s base is the hardest part of a cupcake to make flavorful, so a cupcake maker who can add great flavor to a cupcake’s base is likely to fare equally well with the other dimensions of the cupcake.

Correct. The base is the hardest to get right. One who gets the base right will likely get other things right too in any case. So if the base is good, the cupcake is likely to be superlative.

B) Cupcake tops fare much better in nationwide taste tests than do traditional cupcakes.

Irrelevant to our paradox. Doesn't explain.

C) Cupcake frostings and toppings are so rich in sugar and fat that they are almost universally considered delicious, regardless of preparation.

Now this was in the running but here is the reason I chose (A) over it. It tells us that frostings and toppings are always delicious irrespective of how you make them. But it doesn't tell us that the cake base is hard to get right. By omitting to mention the cake base, it gives us incomplete information. We do not know whether the cake base is easy to make well too or hard. Hence it doesn't explain why the cake base is the distinguishing factor.

D) A cupcake is not properly a cupcake if it does not feature a cakey base.

Doesn't explain why the base is a distinguishing factor for a superlative cupcake.

E) No cupcake can be considered superlative without a remarkable cakey base.

Again, doesn't explain why the base is a distinguishing factor for a superlative cupcake.

Answer (A)

Once we identify the paradox exactly, explaining it becomes much easier.

aditya8062 · Answer

A seems best :  A cupcake’s base is the hardest part of a cupcake to make flavorful, so a cupcake maker who can add great flavor to a cupcake’s base is likely to fare equally well with the other dimensions of the cupcake.

reasoning : we have to explain the paradox as why cupcake Fancier is advocating so much in favor of "cupcake base" when there is so much evidence in favor of "frosting or the extravagant toppings". A does this as it explain as why the flavor of base should be used to evaluate a cupcake

pqhai · Answer

Hello solitaryreaper

The paradox is: 
A superlative cupcake must have good base
BUT
A lot of excellent cupcakeries have begun to sell ‘cupcake tops’ that has the base discarded.
 
 Pre-thinking:  the base may be the most difficult part to make. If a cupcake has a better base, it also has a better cupcake top. Clearly, those who can make cupcakes that have good bases, they definitely can make far better cupcake tops.

Option A indicates the same logic and is correct answer.

How about B: Cupcake tops fare much better in nationwide taste tests than do traditional cupcakes.

Option B just compares  cupcake tops  with traditional  cupcakes.  They are in different category. --> It's not a valid comparison. What we want to compare is quality of cupcake top of normal cupcake and that of excellent cupcake (that has good base).

Hope it helps.

solitaryreaper · Answer

Thanks pqhai for the nice explanation.But I still have doubts in A.

I did actually misunderstand the meaning of question stem - 'Which of the following, if true, would best explain the paradox in the cupcake fancier’s advocacy of the base as the standard by which to evaluate a cupcake?'

The question asks why the base of cupcake is standard to determine the quality of cupcake instead of the popular opinion that taste of its frosting or the extravagant toppings determine its quality.
A tries to resolve this paradox by stating that achieving a good quality of base is tougher job(between base and toppings). So cupcake maker who achieves this feat is likely to fare well with other dimensions of cake like toppings.
So in A is he equating the improvement (efforts one cupcake maker puts) achieved in base(being the tougher job) with the likely efforts the same person can put on toppings(which in turn will result in the best quality of toppings)?
 How can we compare two different skills(creating the best base and creating the best toppings)? A cup cake maker who is creating the best base might be good(or interested) at creating the base so he puts lot of efforts in it. But he might not be interested (or skilled) in creating the best toppings, therefore he might not put efforts in making the best toppings. Paradox doesn't get resolved then.

saggii27 · Answer

Cupcake Fancier: A superlative cupcake is distinguished from an average one by the flavor of its cakey base, not, as many assume, by the taste of its frosting or the extravagant toppings thereon, though the base is far from the most important part of the cupcake. In fact, a number of excellent cupcakeries have begun to sell ‘cupcake tops’, popular variations on cupcakes where the base is discarded after the baking process.

Which of the following, if true, would best explain the paradox in the cupcake fancier’s advocacy of the base as the standard by which to evaluate a cupcake?

A) A cupcake’s base is the hardest part of a cupcake to make flavorful, so a cupcake maker who can add great flavor to a cupcake’s base is likely to fare equally well with the other dimensions of the cupcake.
 B) Cupcake tops fare much better in nationwide taste tests than do traditional cupcakes.
 C) Cupcake frostings and toppings are so rich in sugar and fat that they are almost universally considered delicious, regardless of preparation.
 D) A cupcake is not properly a cupcake if it does not feature a cakey base.
 E) No cupcake can be considered superlative without a remarkable cakey base.

Can anyone explain why option C is wrong? 
since the toppings are universally delicious, it is the taste of the base that becomes important in evaluating a cupcake.
What is wrong with this reasoning?

aditya8062 · Answer

u know u r not 100 percent wrong . but out of A and C, A seems better.

DebWenger · Answer

IMO C should be the answer.
Since toppings are anyways going to be delicious the base becomes the differentiator.It helps to compare 2 cupcakes as in any case each of them will have equally delicious toppings making the base the decider.

Prateek176 · Answer

MartyMurray

No doubt A is the correct answer, but C seems correct as well. I chose A because it sounded better than C. Didn't have any convincing reason to refute C. Could you please help?

JatinBhandari1 · Answer

Hope you are doing well. The first step to solve paradox and resolve questions to rightly identify the paradox existing in the argument
The contradiction that exists in the argument reveals that the quality of a superlative cake is determined by the base however excellent cupcakeries sell cupcake tops where the base is discarded after the baking process.
The POE tools are
1. Eliminate choices which worsen the apparent contradiction
2. Eliminate answer choices which take into consideration only one aspect of the discussion.
3. Eliminate answer choices which are out of scope.
Let’s do POE
A- Correct as the choice suggests that the toughest part to form the best cupcake is to make best base and it is likely that if the cupcake’s base is good than other dimensions will be also effective.
B- Out of scope
C- Doesn’t help us resolve the paradox .This choice doesn’t deal with the base of the cupcake.
D- Addresses only one side of the conflict
E- Doesn’t help in resolving the conflict.
Hope it helps.
Keep working hard.
Consistency is the key.
PythaGURUS Faculty Team

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

C) Cupcake frostings and toppings are so rich in sugar and fat that they are almost universally considered delicious, regardless of preparation.

I tend to agree that choice (C) has some merit. At the same time, perhaps we can eliminate (C), or at least choose (A) over (C), because, while (C) gives us a reason not to use the cupcake top as a basis for rating cupcakes, it does not give us a reason for using the base. For all we know from what (C) says, the bases of the cupcakes could be "almost universally considered delicious" as well, in which case we would still have no reason for choosing to use quality of the base as the basis for rating cupcakes.

(A), on the other hand, does provide a reason for using the quality of the base.

Bunuel · Answer

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

Solution: A

This Explain the Paradox question is typical of the category: to answer it, we need some new piece of info explaining how a cupcake’s base is the best measure of that cupcake’s quality despite the fact that people generally prefer cupcake tops to cupcake bases and that cupcake makers spend more time on the tops. (A) gives us a reason why cupcake bases are indicative of the quality of the whole cupcake, so it is the most complete explanation of the paradox. (D and E merely credit the importance of the base without explaining why it typifies the entire cupcake.)

Crytiocanalyst · Answer

A) A cupcake’s base is the hardest part of a cupcake to make flavorful, so a cupcake maker who can add great flavor to a cupcake’s base is likely to fare equally well with the other dimensions of the cupcake.
This accounts for shy people discard the base as it's complicated and also due to it's complication people are chosing the base as a parameter to evaluvate

B) Cupcake tops fare much better in nationwide taste tests than do traditional cupcakes.
This is thoroughly out of context and information regarding the base of the cake is given

C) Cupcake frostings and toppings are so rich in sugar and fat that they are almost universally considered delicious, regardless of preparation.
Similar reasoning as B

D) A cupcake is not properly a cupcake if it does not feature a cakey base.
This doesn'y account for the fact that why the discarding of the cake is taking place

E) No cupcake can be considered superlative without a remarkable cakey base
Similar reasoning as D 
Hence IMO A

gloomybison · Answer

Hi  VeritasKarishma

What does this "though the base is far from the most important part of the cupcake" imply? I guess it is lowering the credibility of the cupcake base, so why do we consider cupcake base as a crucial part?

Also ı believe option D may be an answer as well because ı think it cates to both part of paradox

A cupcake is not properly a cupcake if it does not feature a cakey base--> it helps to explain first part because cupcake fancier says "distinguished from an average one by the flavor of its cakey base" so cakey base is of importance also it helps resolve second part "number of excellent cupcakeries have begun to sell "cupcake tops’, popular variations on cupcakes" cupcakeries do not claim that what they sell is a proper cupcake but instead it is just "cupcake tops"

Arunava7393 · Answer

interesting question. A and C seems close!

miag · Answer

I believe this part introduces the paradox - while a superlative cupcake is defined by the flavour of the cupcake base, the cupcake base is not considered the most important part of the cupcake.

I think for elliminating D) you need to focus on identifying the paradox, so that we are grounded on what we are trying to resolve, and what information will help us do so. 
  How can the base be the deciding factor of a superlative cupcake if the base is not the most important part of it? (paradox we are trying to answer)

D)   The paradox isn’t about the definition of a proper cupcake — it’s about why the base is the measure of quality  even  though it’s not the most important or featured part, and successful shops are removing it. 
 “C upcake tops ” are already acknowledged as variations in the passage context, not proper cupcakes — so this option merely restates that difference rather than explaining it.

Hope this helps!

Cupcake Fancier: A superlative cupcake is distinguished from an averag

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Cupcake Fancier: A superlative cupcake is distinguished from an averag

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