Under the influence of today’s computer-oriented culture, publishing

Question

Under the influence of today’s computer-oriented culture, publishing for children has taken on a flashy new look that emphasizes illustrations and graphic design; the resulting lack of substance leads to books that are short-lived items covering mainly trendy subjects. The changes also include more humorous content, simplification of difficult material, and a narrower focus on specific topics.

Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?

A. The inclusion of humorous material and a narrower focus detract from the substance of a children’s book.

B. The substance of a children’s book is important to its longevity.

C. Children of the computer generation cannot concentrate on long, unbroken sections of prose.

D. Children judge books primarily on the basis of graphic design.

E. The lack of substance of a children’s book is unlikely to be important to its popularity.

COC => Flashy => lack of substance => Book life drops => Trendy books.

Can anyone explain how we derive OA from above implications .
Thanks 
Source: 300 CR

Marcab · Answer

The resulting lack of substance leads to books that are shot lived items.
It means that the lack of substance leads to short life span, hence it means that if there were no lack of substance then there might not have been a short life span. Hence substance becomes a crucial factor.

ankitD · Answer

Hi,

In these type of questions generally the answer follows from the part of the chain or choices that restate evidence.
If you see the options, you will realize that only B follows from the chain and you have already properly identified the chain.

B says "if the book is lacking in substance, the book life will drop" and this comes from

Lack of substance => Book Life drops

PS : Initially i also got it wrong, clicked later :wink:

Hope it helps !!

IanSolo · Answer

Hi, can someone please explain me why E is wrong? I was undecided between B and E..

Vercules · Answer

Hi IanSolo,

The questions asks for the answer choice which is most strongly supported by the argument. The correct answer choice "Must Be True" based on the stimulus.

The stimulus discusses about the changes that are happening in publishing books for children. It also says that the books are humorous and trendy and are short lived. However, it never talks about the popularity of the books. It is possible that even after such changes the books are not that popular among children.

(E) The lack of substance of a children’s book is unlikely to be important to its popularity.

The stimulus talks about longevity of a book and not popularity, though both the words may sound similar. The choice is deceptively worded; the use of word "popularity" makes it incorrect. Furthermore, the double negatives "lack" and "unlikely" makes it difficult to interpret the meaning.

If we change (E) as under:

(E) The lack of substance of a children’s book is unlikely to be important to its longevity. 
 
With this change (E) choice would become correct. Now it becomes more or less similar to the correct choice (B).

Hope that helps,

Vercules

Archit143 · Answer

Hi addressing to the doubt why E is incorrect.
Focus on the crux of the argument.
Due to computer aided designing and orientation , the publishing of books have changed. The publishers are now focusing on the trendy aspect of the books thereby comprising with its content. The arguments comes to a point that because of the lack of content these books are short lived in the market. That is people like a book with substance and not the trendy aspect of it.

Hence the answer is B.

E. The lack of substance of a children’s book is unlikely to be important to its popularity.
Meaning : Lack of substance is not the aspect for the longevity of the books or you can say that absence of substance is not the aspect to be considered for the rejection of the books by its customers.

Hence I think Option e can be out-rightly eliminated.

Consider Kudos If my post helps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Archit

Resad95 · Answer

Always go with process elimination in inference question until you end up with 2 possibilities. 8-)

Your comments are welcomed and appreciated

RanjanSury · Answer

Think the key to unlocking one of the answers is this sentence from the passage:-

'the resulting  lack of substance  leads to books that are  short-lived items  covering mainly trendy subjects'.

On this basis of this only B fits. The rest of the choices introduce new information that isn't supported by the passage.

hellosanthosh2k2 · Answer

Answer B

Moreover, B gives a necessary condition : substance of book is necessary for longevity. Had it stated as sufficient condition (substance leads to longevity), it would have got out straightaway.

gmatexam439 · Answer

Under the influence of today’s computer-oriented culture, publishing for children has taken on a flashy new look that emphasizes illustrations and graphic design;  the resulting lack of substance leads to books that are short-lived  items covering mainly trendy subjects. The changes also include more humorous content, simplification of difficult material, and a narrower focus on specific topics.

Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?

A. The inclusion of humorous material and a narrower focus detract from the substance of a children’s book. - Can't say 
B. The substance of a children’s book is important to its longevity. - Correct 
C. Children of the computer generation cannot concentrate on long, unbroken sections of prose. - Can't say 
D. Children judge books primarily on the basis of graphic design. - Can't say 
E. The lack of substance of a children’s book is unlikely to be important to its popularity. - popularity is not talked about

VerbalBot · Answer

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Under the influence of today’s computer-oriented culture, publishing

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