A survey of a city's concertgoers found that almost all of them were

Question

A survey of a city's concertgoers found that almost all of them were dissatisfied with the local concert hall. A large majority of them expressed a strong preference for wider seats and better acoustics. And even though the survey respondents were told that the existing concert hall cannot feasibly be modified to provide these features, most of them opposed the idea of tearing down the existing structure and replacing it with a concert hall with wider seats and better acoustics.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps explain the apparent conflict in the concertgoers' views, as revealed by the survey?

Which one of the following, if true, most helps explain the apparent conflict in the concertgoers' views, as revealed by the survey?

(A) Before any of the survey questions were asked, the respondents were informed that the survey was sponsored by a group that advocates replacing the existing concert hall

(B) Most of the people who live in the vicinity of the existing concert hall do not want it to be torn down

(C) The city's construction industry will receive more economic benefit from the construction of a new concert hall than from renovations to the existing concert hall

(D) A well-publicized plan is being considered by the city government that would convert the existing concert hall into a public auditorium and build a new concert hall nearby

(E) Many popular singers and musicians who currently do not holder concerts in the city would begin to hold concerts there fi a new concert hall were built

TAC470 · Answer

Is this a genuine question ? Seems self made.

nightblade354 · Answer

This is an official LSAT question, per my tag.

mSKR · Answer

I trust  nightblade354 . he is a moderator for CR. Definitely a moderator carries credibility. 
Thanks  nightblade354 . I reached to the right answer . My explanation is in below post. Please check as no other expert answer or official answer is available at the moment.

Thanks!

mSKR · Answer

What is that information that can change minds of survey respondents from a strong preference of wider seats to should not tear down this existing structure to replace seats with wider ones.

(A) Before any of the survey questions were asked, the respondents were informed that the survey was sponsored by a group that advocates replacing the existing concert hall
This information should not have changed their view.

(B) Most of the people who live in the vicinity of the existing concert hall do not want it to be torn down
people who live in the vicinity could be one set of respondents .but argument is talking about survey respondents. So this option doesn’t make much difference to our argument.

(C) The city's construction industry will receive more economic benefit from the construction of a new concert hall than from renovations to the existing concert hall
Its too broad to discuss. We are concerned about this specific concert.

(D) A well-publicized plan is being considered by the city government that would convert the existing concert hall into a public auditorium and build a new concert hall nearby
 Correct: That makes sense because if it is going to be turn into a public auditorium and a new concern hall is going to be built nearby then its better to leave this concert as it is.

(E) Many popular singers and musicians who currently do not holder concerts in the city would begin to hold concerts there fi a new concert hall were built
But it doesn’t cover important aspect of wider seats. Who knows new concert has wider seats or narrow seats. The option is irrelecant because we are concerned about specific seats of specific concert.

IanStewart · Answer

This is a very difficult question, in my opinion, and I had to stare at it a while to figure out how any answer choice could be right. The stem tries to induce the reader (very successfully, I'd say!) to think in terms of a false dichotomy: we can either keep the concert hall, or we can tear it down and build a new one. But there's at least one other option: keep the concert hall  and  build a new one.

Answer D says that survey respondents are likely to be aware of that third option (the plan is "well-publicized"). So when people are asked "do you want a new concert hall?" people might all say yes, but when people are asked "do you want to tear down the current hall and build a new one?" people might then say no, because they might prefer the idea of keeping the old hall and building a new one. So D is the right answer.

unraveled · Answer

A survey of a city's concertgoers found that almost all of them were dissatisfied with the local concert hall. A large majority of them expressed a strong preference for wider seats and better acoustics. And even though the survey respondents were told that the existing concert hall cannot feasibly be modified to provide these features, most of them opposed the idea of tearing down the existing structure and replacing it with a concert hall with wider seats and better acoustics.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps explain the apparent conflict in the concertgoers' views, as revealed by the survey?

Which one of the following, if true, most helps explain the apparent conflict in the concertgoers' views, as revealed by the survey?

(A) Before any of the survey questions were asked, the respondents were informed that the survey was sponsored by a group that advocates replacing the existing concert hall - WRONG. Gives a reason for which a certain kind of relation has to be assumed for it to be the correct answer.

(B) Most of the people who live in the vicinity of the existing concert hall do not want it to be torn down - WRONG. How many these 'most of the people' are? 1%, 10% or 80%?!!

(C) The city's construction industry will receive more economic benefit from the construction of a new concert hall than from renovations to the existing concert hall - WRONG. No relation with concertgoers.

(D) A well-publicized plan is being considered by the city government that would convert the existing concert hall into a public auditorium and build a new concert hall nearby - CORRECT. Too sleek to be true under timed condition. However, some amount of assumption is also required.

(E) Many popular singers and musicians who currently do not holder concerts in the city would begin to hold concerts there fi a new concert hall were built - WRONG. Confuses more.

Answer D.

robotman88 · Answer

D makes sense because it brings new information to light that satisfies the respondents' answer to the survey

egmat · Answer

The Paradox: 
Concertgoers  want  wider seats and better acoustics → They  know  the current hall can't be modified → Yet they  oppose  tearing it down and building a new hall with those exact features.

Why would they reject the only apparent way to get what they want?

The Key Insight: 
In  paradox questions , both facts are  true . Your job is to find something that makes both facts  compatible,  not to challenge either one.

Why (D) is Correct: 
  Answer: D

Choice (D) reveals a  third option  the concertgoers know about: a plan to  convert  the existing hall into a public auditorium AND  build  a new concert hall nearby.

This resolves the paradox completely: 
• They CAN get wider seats + better acoustics (in the new hall)
• The old building WON'T be destroyed (it becomes an auditorium)

They weren't opposing better features, they were opposing  unnecessary destruction  when a better alternative exists!

Why Other Choices Fail:

(A)  Survey sponsored by replacement advocates →  Trap!  This might explain skepticism about the survey, but not why they'd genuinely oppose getting what they want. The question asks about their  views , not survey validity.

(B)  Neighbors don't want it torn down →  Wrong group!  The survey is about  concertgoers'  views, not neighbors' views.

(C)  Construction industry benefits more from new hall → Irrelevant to concertgoers' preferences.

(E)  Popular musicians would perform if new hall built → This would make them  more  supportive, not less. It  deepens  the paradox rather than resolving it.

Takeaway: 
When you see a paradox, ask:  "What hidden factor would make BOTH facts logically consistent?"

A survey of a city's concertgoers found that almost all of them were

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

A survey of a city's concertgoers found that almost all of them were

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards