A larger number of newspapers are purchased by the citizens of Dhaka

Question

A larger number of newspapers are purchased by the citizens of Dhaka city than those of Chittagong city. Therefore, the citizens of Dhaka city are better in formed about major world events than those of Chittagong city.

Each of the following, it true, weakens the conclusion above except:

A. Dhaka city has a larger population than Chittagong city.
B. Most citizens of Chittagong city work in Dhaka city and buy newspapers there.
C. The average citizen of Dhaka city spends less time in reading newspapers than does the average citizen of Chittagong city.
D. A weekly newspaper restricted to the coverage of local events is published in the Dhaka city.
E. The average newsstand price of newspapers sold in Dhaka city is lower than the average price on newspapers sold in Chittagong city.

milanrajb · Answer

I was confused between A and B. At end chose B, because it is more relevant to the argument.

I would request an expert to validate.

Thanks

KannikaSahni · Answer

Hi  Bunuel 
Can you please elaborate on how option B is incorrect and E is correct?
Many thanks.

AbhishekP220108 · Answer

Hi  KannikaSahni  Let me try to help

A larger number of newspapers are purchased by the citizens of Dhaka city than those of Chittagong city.- So, it is just data. Let's give a number: 1000 in Dhaka and 450 in Chittagong.

Therefore, the citizens of Dhaka City are better informed about major world events than those of Chittagong City.- Conclusion: Dhaka citizens are better informed than Chittagong City about major world events.

So the question is asking to find the odd one out weakner.

Pause for a moment and think; the author didn't provide anything, and just on the basis of numbers, he concluded. What if the newspaper were bought but not read as efficiently? What if this were bought because of some other reason or for another reason?

With this thought, let's evaluate.
 
 Each of the following if true, weakens the conclusion above except:

A. Dhaka city has a larger population than Chittagong city.- Yes, that can be the case; then we can't say Dhaka citizens are better informed. The informed citizen proportion can still be the same. 
 
B. Most citizens of Chittagong city work in Dhaka city and buy newspapers there. This can be the reason for the large no. of newspapers bought in Dhaka; Chittagong people work there and buy newspapers from Dhaka. So out of 1000, 300 are bought by chittagong person, and now the conclusion is reversed about Dhaka, now there are less Dhaka citizens who read newspaper 
 
C. The average citizen of Dhaka city spends less time in reading newspapers than does the average citizen of Chittagong city.- Yes, that can be the reason; if the reading time is less, there are possible chances that they (Dhaka citizens) may skip major events news but chittagong citizens read all the news and in this way they can be the better informed ones. 
 
D. A weekly newspaper restricted to the coverage of local events is published in Dhaka city.- It can be a strong one; the coverage of major world events in Dhaka newspapers is absent, then yes, the conclusion breaks right 
 
E. The average newsstand price of newspapers sold in Dhaka city is lower than the average price on newspapers sold in Chittagong city.- Hmm, average newsstand price vs. average newspaper sold price, but this doesn't tell anything about the news consumption; it is just giving us the reason why the Dhaka citizens bought more, right? which is not the same as B; B compares the citizens in terms of buying, and that's why it works. What if the same person is buying all 1000 newspapers because of the lower price? This option doesn't tell us anything about citizens' behavior. Also, I will doubt on the newsstand price and the sold newspaper price. A newsstand can be taken as the place newspapers are kept after buying from the printing press, if I am not wrong, so how is this comparison helpful? The average selling price of a newspaper can still be the same if this is the point. Right? So, that's why E is not a weakener.

Hope this helps, and do let me know your thoughts on this.

guddo · Answer

A larger number of newspapers are purchased by the citizens of Dhaka city than those of Chittagong city. Therefore, the citizens of Dhaka city are better informed about major world events than those of Chittagong city. 
 
Each of the following, if true, weakens the conclusion above except:

The conclusion is about who is better informed. To weaken, a choice must show that “more newspapers purchased” does not mean “more informed” (for example, the count is inflated, or people read less, or the papers are not about world events). The one that does NOT weaken is (E).  It explains a possible reason for higher purchases, but it does not break the link to being informed.

A. Dhaka city has a larger population than Chittagong city.

This weakens. More total purchases could just be because there are more people, not because each person is more informed.

B. Most citizens of Chittagong city work in Dhaka city and buy newspapers there.

This weakens. Then Dhaka’s newspaper purchases partly reflect Chittagong citizens, so the purchase comparison does not track which city’s citizens are better informed.

C. The average citizen of Dhaka city spends less time in reading newspapers than does the average citizen of Chittagong city.

This weakens. If Dhaka citizens read less, higher purchases do not support “better informed.”

D. A weekly newspaper restricted to the coverage of local events is published in the Dhaka city.

This weakens. Dhaka could have more newspaper purchases because of a local only paper that does not improve knowledge of major world events.

E. The average newsstand price of newspapers sold in Dhaka city is lower than the average price of newspapers sold in Chittagong city.

This does NOT weaken. Lower price might explain why more newspapers are bought in Dhaka, but it does not show Dhaka citizens are not better informed. If anything, cheaper papers can make buying (and reading) more likely, so it does not undercut the conclusion.

Answer: (E)

abvoluptatum · Answer

This question tests ppl on spellings rather than logic.well i miss understood newsstand as news papers , who would have thought a 700+ question uses this trap.

A larger number of newspapers are purchased by the citizens of Dhaka

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A larger number of newspapers are purchased by the citizens of Dhaka

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