Critical Reasoning

Advertising by mail has become much less effective, with fewer consumers responding. Because consumers are increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of junk mail they receive, most discard almost all otters without considering them. Thus. an effective way tor corporations to improve response rates would be to more carefully target the individuals to whom they mail advertising, thereby cutting down on the amount oi junk mall each consumer receives.

Which of the following, if true, would most support this recommendation?

(A) There are cost effective means by which corporations that currently advertise by mail could improve response rates.

(B) Many successful corporations are already carefully targeting the individuals to whom they mail advertising.

(C) Any consumer who, immediately alter receiving an advertisement by mail, merely glances at it is very likely to discard it.

(D) Improvements in the quality of the advertising materials used in mail that is carefully targeted to individuals can improve the response rate for such mail.

(E) Response rates to carefully targeted advertisements by mail are considerably higher, on average, than response rates to most other forms of advertising.

Can someone explain this question for ? I am so confused. I only can understand choice B is incorrect even though I choose B as the answer at the beginning. The OA is E. But I think E is not an evidence to support but it describe the information of passage again. I cannot understand the explanation of choices A, C, D, either.
Thanks in advance!

Crystal W wrote:Advertising by mail has become much less effective, with fewer consumers responding. Because consumers are increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of junk mail they receive, most discard almost all otters without considering them. Thus. an effective way tor corporations to improve response rates would be to more carefully target the individuals to whom they mail advertising, thereby cutting down on the amount oi junk mall each consumer receives.

Which of the following, if true, would most support this recommendation?

(A) There are cost effective means by which corporations that currently advertise by mail could improve response rates.

(B) Many successful corporations are already carefully targeting the individuals to whom they mail advertising.

(C) Any consumer who, immediately alter receiving an advertisement by mail, merely glances at it is very likely to discard it.

(D) Improvements in the quality of the advertising materials used in mail that is carefully targeted to individuals can improve the response rate for such mail.

(E) Response rates to carefully targeted advertisements by mail are considerably higher, on average, than response rates to most other forms of advertising.

Can someone explain this question for ? I am so confused. I only can understand choice B is incorrect even though I choose B as the answer at the beginning. The OA is E. But I think E is not an evidence to support but it describe the information of passage again. I cannot understand the explanation of choices A, C, D, either.
Thanks in advance!

Recommendation: Corporations should more carefully target the individuals to whom they mail advertising.
Goal: To improve response rates.

The correct answer must show that response rates will be improved if corporations follow the recommendation above.
Only E strengthens the link between the careful targeting of individuals and an increase in response rates:
Response rates to carefully targeted advertisements by mail are considerably higher, on average, than response rates to most other forms of advertising.

The correct answer is E.

A: There are cost effective means by which corporations that currently advertise by mail could improve response rates.
This option does not show how THE CAREFUL TARGETING OF INDIVIDUALS will improve response rates.
Eliminate A.

B: Many successful corporations are already carefully targeting the individuals to whom they mail advertising.
This CR is not about success but about RESPONSE RATES.
Since this option does not indicate whether RESPONSE RATES WILL BE IMPROVED by the careful targeting of individuals, eliminate B.

C: Any consumer who, immediately alter receiving an advertisement by mail, merely glances at it is very likely to discard it.
Since a consumer who discards an advertisement does not RESPOND to it, the conclusion that response rates will be improved is WEAKENED.
Eliminate C.

D: Improvements in the quality of the advertising materials used in mail that is carefully targeted to individuals can improve the response rate for such mail.
Here, the QUALITY OF THE MATERIALS can improve response rates.
The correct answer choice must show that the CAREFUL TARGETING OF INDIVIDUALS -- on its own -- will improve response rates.
Eliminate D.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Crystal W wrote:Advertising by mail has become much less effective, with fewer consumers responding. Because consumers are increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of junk mail they receive, most discard almost all otters without considering them. Thus. an effective way tor corporations to improve response rates would be to more carefully target the individuals to whom they mail advertising, thereby cutting down on the amount oi junk mall each consumer receives.

Which of the following, if true, would most support this recommendation?

(A) There are cost effective means by which corporations that currently advertise by mail could improve response rates.

(B) Many successful corporations are already carefully targeting the individuals to whom they mail advertising.

(C) Any consumer who, immediately alter receiving an advertisement by mail, merely glances at it is very likely to discard it.

(D) Improvements in the quality of the advertising materials used in mail that is carefully targeted to individuals can improve the response rate for such mail.

(E) Response rates to carefully targeted advertisements by mail are considerably higher, on average, than response rates to most other forms of advertising.

Can someone explain this question for ? I am so confused. I only can understand choice B is incorrect even though I choose B as the answer at the beginning. The OA is E. But I think E is not an evidence to support but it describe the information of passage again. I cannot understand the explanation of choices A, C, D, either.
Thanks in advance!

Recommendation: Corporations should more carefully target the individuals to whom they mail advertising.
Goal: To improve response rates.

The correct answer must show that response rates will be improved if corporations follow the recommendation above.
Only E strengthens the link between the careful targeting of individuals and an increase in response rates:
Response rates to carefully targeted advertisements by mail are considerably higher, on average, than response rates to most other forms of advertising.

The correct answer is E.

A: There are cost effective means by which corporations that currently advertise by mail could improve response rates.
This option does not show how THE CAREFUL TARGETING OF INDIVIDUALS will improve response rates.
Eliminate A.

B: Many successful corporations are already carefully targeting the individuals to whom they mail advertising.
This CR is not about success but about RESPONSE RATES.
Since this option does not indicate whether RESPONSE RATES WILL BE IMPROVED by the careful targeting of individuals, eliminate B.

C: Any consumer who, immediately alter receiving an advertisement by mail, merely glances at it is very likely to discard it.
Since a consumer who discards an advertisement does not RESPOND to it, the conclusion that response rates will be improved is WEAKENED.
Eliminate C.

D: Improvements in the quality of the advertising materials used in mail that is carefully targeted to individuals can improve the response rate for such mail.
Here, the QUALITY OF THE MATERIALS can improve response rates.
The correct answer choice must show that the CAREFUL TARGETING OF INDIVIDUALS -- on its own -- will improve response rates.
Eliminate D.

Thank you for your explanation. In the OG, the explanation of choice A is "Even if targeted advertising and every other means of improving response rates were too expensive to be cost-effective, targeted advertising could still be effective for any corporation willing to pay the expense." Can you explain more about this choice and this explanation?