Community representative: Paper bags are substantially less expe

Question

Community representative: Paper bags are substantially less expensive than plastic bags. And plastic is not biodegradable, which means that using plastic bags clutters up landfills and pollutes the environment. Customers can preserve the environment by making exclusive use of paper bags, and we can encourage them to do so by informing them that this is the case. Thus, we can save money on shopping bags by drawing attention to this advantage paper bags have over plastic.

Which of the following, if true, would most indicate a vulnerability of the community representative's argument?

A. It take multiple paper bags to carry securely the same amount of groceries that could hit into a plastic bag
B. Plastic bags are only a portion of the litter that makes its at to landfills
C. Paper bags have already become more popular than plastic bags
D.Biodegradable plastic bags are increasingly available
E. Paper and plastic prices are volatile and subject to change in the future.

aniket16c · Answer

My confusion in this question is that:
The representative is considering effect on the environment (biodegradable) as one of the most important factor of luring people to use paper bags. 
Hence I feel D is the option that can weaken the argument as the customers would no longer be lured by "effect on nature" argument.
However, there is also the case, that the price of biodegradable plastic bags has not been discussed. We can also counter this options by saying that these bags could be actually cheaper.

Can experts please help me understand where I am going wrong?

yash312 · Answer

Just see the conclusion once again....conclusion is that we could save money on shopping bags....

Therefore we have to see the weakness in the author's reasoning to draw this conclusions from the reasoning in argument.
Option A clearly states that if we buy more paper bags than plastic bags for the same stuffs .. it weakens

Option D is concerned with the premise and it does not address the conclusion in hand

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NRJ11090 · Answer

Here, we have to demolish the conclusion - "we can save money on shopping bags by drawing attention....." 
We have to present a situation in which either it is equally expensive in both cases or that paper bags would cost more than plastic bags.
A presents this case by showing that for the same amount of groceries more paper bags would be required. This may lead to an increase in the expenses. Therefore, A is correct.
B, C, D and E are completely irrelevant.

swatato · Answer

Why cant it be E? Wouldn't price change also impact how much money you save

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XyLan · Answer

Conclusion:  
 Thus, we can SAVE money on shopping bags by drawing attention to this advantage paper bags have over plastic.

Pre-Think:  
 During a shopping venture, the  overall  cost of Paper bags MUST be less than that of the plastics bags.

The Q's aim is to find a flaw(  vulnerability  ) in the argument - 
 If we can show a  decisive   disadvantage  of Paper bags over Plastic bags, we will be able to answer the Q conclusively.
   -, i.e., why even after being told to the customers the environment-friendly prospect of paper bags, the consumers would NOT use Paper bags over Plastic bags?

Answer choice analysis:  
 
 A.  It takes multiple paper bags to carry securely the same amount of groceries that could hit into a plastic bag
   Aha!   
As compared to the plastic bags, if multiple paper bags need to be carried for the same amount of groceries.
We may  NOT  have savings on cost.   - A flaw

B.  Plastic bags are only a portion of the litter that makes it at to landfills
 Even if the Plastic bags are ONLY a portion of the litter,  let's say - a mere 5% , the plastic bags DO affect the environment.
Moreover, B does  NOT  address the conclusion   - savings in cost.

C.  Paper bags have already become more popular than plastic bags 
Great! So ideally, we MUST see some savings.  C  answers the Q in the   opposite   direction. 
We need to find a flaw. Why savings  won't  happen on switching from Plastic bags to Paper bags?

D.  Biodegradable plastic bags are increasingly available
 We are worried about the  COST . The environment is  NOT  the  decisive  criteria.

E.  Paper and plastic prices are volatile and subject to change in the future.
 Nice!  E  states both the prices are volatile. 
However, it fails to address whether the prices of plastic bags are more volatile than Paper bags.

Moreover, volatility  ----implies---->  a rampant  change  in price.
A  change  can sway in both the direction either  upward  or  downward .
We  CANNOT  be sure that the  OVERALL  cost of Paper bags is  necessarily  less than that of plastic bags.

Abhi077 · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

This is a little confusing, but here's what the community representative is saying: if grocery stores draw attention to the advantages of paper bags, customers will start to use paper bags, and grocery stores will not need to buy as many plastic bags, which are more expensive than paper, and the grocery stores will save money. If this logic seems strange, that's great, because we need to find a vulnerability, or a potential flaw. 
Reading our answer choices, (A) immediately stands out. Grocery stores might end up having to buy so many paper bags that it would ultimately cost the stores more than relying on plastic. 
Choices (B), (C), and (D) don't clearly relate to whether or not the supermarket will save money on this switch.

Choice (E) is somewhat related to price, but it's vague, and ultimately (A) is the better option.

The correct answer is Choice (A).

Community representative: Paper bags are substantially less expe

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Community representative: Paper bags are substantially less expe

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