Reading Comprehension

A new study by the American Seller Institute (ASI) has tried to pin down, with scientific precision, the personal qualities that contribute to superior selling. Over a period of three years, the financial ups and downs of twelve sales teams in ten different fields were carefully tracked. The 75 salespeople involved were analyzed and tested for various personal and even physical characteristics. Interviews were conducted with family members and with people who bought (or did not buy) the salespeople's products. The results have
been published by ASI in The Selling Quality, a 620-page work filled with as many bar graphs as anecdotes from the road.

Three personality types emerge as characteristic of the most successful sellers. The Chameleon, as the name implies, is adept at quickly understanding how clients see themselves (or would like to see themselves), and then mirroring that image. A good Chameleon is highly attentive, shrewd, and often unaware of what he or she is doing. This personality is formed early in life, and its attributes are hard to acquire. The Chameleon,
perhaps because of strong mediating skills, often has a happy domestic life.

The Charismatic, in contrast, relies on a strong, even intimidating physical presence, as an essential tool to close a sale. Charismatics reverse the typical dynamic between seller and buyer, convincing clients that they should please the seller, and that the seller has something of great worth that the client needs to ask for. These people have, as The
Selling Quality puts it, a "productive self-centeredness" that often leads to management positions, but also to less stability at home. Like the Chameleon, the Charismatic has traits that are seen early in life and that are difficult to cultivate in adulthood.

The Student-the third successful sales personality type-literally does his or her homework. An ability to provide useful data at a moment's notice and a relatively mild persona make the Student a highly effective collaborator with a Charismatic. Students have risen to management positions through persistence and an ability to see where an industry is headed, but a lack of leadership skills often keeps them out of top positions.
While the skills of a top-notch Student seller are based less on intuition than are those of the other selling types, studying trade publications and mapping out a would-be client company's hierarchy are not enough to make a Student a superior salesperson. An ability to communicate a genuine (or seemingly genuine) enthusiasm for the product is crucial to a Student's success, as it is for all successful sellers.

34. The passage does NOT state which of the following about successful salespeople?
(A) The most successful ones tend to fall into one of three categories.
(B) Communication skills are important.
(C) Some are capable of advancing their careers and entering management positions.
(D) Their selling approach goes through dramatic changes throughout their careers.
(E) They often use a selling style that is a reflection of a longstanding personality trait

I'm stuck mainly between D and E. David plz help?

Mechmeera wrote:A new study by the American Seller Institute (ASI) has tried to pin down, with scientific precision, the personal qualities that contribute to superior selling. Over a period of three years, the financial ups and downs of twelve sales teams in ten different fields were carefully tracked. The 75 salespeople involved were analyzed and tested for various personal and even physical characteristics. Interviews were conducted with family members and with people who bought (or did not buy) the salespeople's products. The results have
been published by ASI in The Selling Quality, a 620-page work filled with as many bar graphs as anecdotes from the road.

Three personality types emerge as characteristic of the most successful sellers. The Chameleon, as the name implies, is adept at quickly understanding how clients see themselves (or would like to see themselves), and then mirroring that image. A good Chameleon is highly attentive, shrewd, and often unaware of what he or she is doing. This personality is formed early in life, and its attributes are hard to acquire. The Chameleon,
perhaps because of strong mediating skills, often has a happy domestic life.

The Charismatic, in contrast, relies on a strong, even intimidating physical presence, as an essential tool to close a sale. Charismatics reverse the typical dynamic between seller and buyer, convincing clients that they should please the seller, and that the seller has something of great worth that the client needs to ask for. These people have, as The
Selling Quality puts it, a "productive self-centeredness" that often leads to management positions, but also to less stability at home. Like the Chameleon, the Charismatic has traits that are seen early in life and that are difficult to cultivate in adulthood.

The Student-the third successful sales personality type-literally does his or her homework. An ability to provide useful data at a moment's notice and a relatively mild persona make the Student a highly effective collaborator with a Charismatic. Students have risen to management positions through persistence and an ability to see where an industry is headed, but a lack of leadership skills often keeps them out of top positions.
While the skills of a top-notch Student seller are based less on intuition than are those of the other selling types, studying trade publications and mapping out a would-be client company's hierarchy are not enough to make a Student a superior salesperson. An ability to communicate a genuine (or seemingly genuine) enthusiasm for the product is crucial to a Student's success, as it is for all successful sellers.

34. The passage does NOT state which of the following about successful salespeople?
(A) The most successful ones tend to fall into one of three categories.
(B) Communication skills are important.
(C) Some are capable of advancing their careers and entering management positions.
(D) Their selling approach goes through dramatic changes throughout their careers.
(E) They often use a selling style that is a reflection of a longstanding personality trait

I'm stuck mainly between D and E. David plz help?

Anytime we're confronted with a question like this, we need to find the four things that are mentioned in the passage. The thing not mentioned is our answer.

A) can be found here "Three personality types emerge as characteristic of the most successful sellers."
B) can be found here "An ability to communicate a genuine (or seemingly genuine) enthusiasm for the product is crucial to a Student's success, as it is for all successful sellers."
C) is here "Selling Quality puts it, a "productive self-centeredness" that often leads to management positions."
E) is here "Like the Chameleon, the Charismatic has traits that are seen early in life and that are difficult to cultivate in adulthood."

That leaves D. Sometimes these questions are a function of pure tenacity - the answers are in the passage, so stay with it until you find them!

DavidG@VeritasPrep wrote:
34. The passage does NOT state which of the following about successful salespeople?
(A) The most successful ones tend to fall into one of three categories.
(B) Communication skills are important.
(C) Some are capable of advancing their careers and entering management positions.
(D) Their selling approach goes through dramatic changes throughout their careers.
(E) They often use a selling style that is a reflection of a longstanding personality trait

I'm stuck mainly between D and E. David plz help?

Anytime we're confronted with a question like this, we need to find the four things that are mentioned in the passage. The thing not mentioned is our answer.

E) is here "Like the Chameleon, the Charismatic has traits that are seen early in life and that are difficult to cultivate in adulthood."

That leaves D. Sometimes these questions are a function of pure tenacity - the answers are in the passage, so stay with it until you find them!

Thanks David,
I got it now.
I considered only Student as the successful sales person and Ignored the other two of them to be part of three personality types of successful sellers.

Mechmeera wrote:

DavidG@VeritasPrep wrote:
34. The passage does NOT state which of the following about successful salespeople?
(A) The most successful ones tend to fall into one of three categories.
(B) Communication skills are important.
(C) Some are capable of advancing their careers and entering management positions.
(D) Their selling approach goes through dramatic changes throughout their careers.
(E) They often use a selling style that is a reflection of a longstanding personality trait

I'm stuck mainly between D and E. David plz help?

Anytime we're confronted with a question like this, we need to find the four things that are mentioned in the passage. The thing not mentioned is our answer.

E) is here "Like the Chameleon, the Charismatic has traits that are seen early in life and that are difficult to cultivate in adulthood."

That leaves D. Sometimes these questions are a function of pure tenacity - the answers are in the passage, so stay with it until you find them!

Thanks David,
I got it now.
I considered only Student as the successful sales person and Ignored the other two of them to be part of three personality types of successful sellers.

That's what makes those "Which of the following is NOT mentioned" questions so challenging. The things that ARE mentioned can show up anywhere.