Critical Reasoning

A consumer survey of independent feature films revealed that the percentage of action films that received the survey's highest rating was greater than the percentage of romance films that received the highest rating. Yet the survey organizers were probably erroneous in their conclusion that subject matter determins a feature film's poular appeal, since the action films were all direct by filmmakers with at least one hit film to their credit, while the romance films were directed by newer filmmakers, many of whom had not produced a previous film.

The statements above, if true, support which of the following inferences:

a) Fewer romance films than actions films received the survey's highest rating
b) There is no relationship between the popular appeal of the feature films evaluated in the survey and any previous successes of the directors of those films
c) If consumers were surveyed regarding their impressions of big-budget mainstraim films, the percentage of romance films that would receive the survey's highest rating would be lower than the percentage of action films that would receive the highest rating
d) experienced filmmakers are more likely to produce hit films than are new filmmakers
e) among directors with the same number of hit films to their credit, differences in the subject matter of their feature films may not affect the way the films are popularly rated

Each of the following, if true, supports the author's contention that the organizers misinterpreted the survey data except:

a) The fact that one has directed a previous hit film is a positive indicator of that director's filmmaking talent
b) Consumer ratings of a new film are influenced by the previous history of success of the film's director
c) Action films generally require large budgets than romance films and are thus prohibitive for many first-time film directors
d) It is rare of the films of first-time directors to attain the popular appeal of films directed by filmmakers with at least one hit film to their credit
e) Directors who have produced a previous hit film generally obtain the largest budgets and attract the most talented and well-known actors for their subsequent films

IMO D&C.... could you kindly post the OAs

Both good questions, let's analyze the first one:

Examing the question stem tells us this is an inference question. With inference questions, we must take the statements we're given as true, and determine what logically follows from those statements.

We're told a greater percentage of moviegoers gave a selection of action movies a survey's highest rating than gave a selection of romance movies the highest rating. The survey seems to attribute this to the films' subject matter, while the author disagrees. Instead, the author points out the action movies were all directed by directors with at least one hit film to their credit while many of the romance films were directed by newcomers.

By saying it probably wasn't the subject matter which made the difference, and then offering evidence of the directors' experience, we can logically deduce the author believes experience plays a larger role in determining how highly a movie is rated.

Answer (D) suggests just this. The author must believe experienced filmmakers are more likely to produce hit films than are new filmmakers, otherwise why introduce experience as your probable counter to subject matter? D is correct.

A quick look at the wrong answers and we find some very common transgressions:

As soon as (A) says "fewer", I move on. This is a predictable wrong answer to a stimulus using percentages. The GMAT often tries to get students to confuse percentages with actual amount. We have no information on the amount of people surveyed for each movie genre, only the percentage awarding the highest rating. These are not the same.

(B) is must be false. It suggests there is "no" relationship between director experience and rating. This does not follow the authors statements attributing the popularity to a director's experience.

(C) could be true; a common wrong answer to inference questions. We now nothing of big-budget films nor an audience's perception of them. However, a possibility isn't enough to meet the standard of proof for an inference question (remember: must be true).

(E) is difficult. It looks enticing, but the author allows for subject matter to play some role by saying the subject matter probably wasn't the reason for popularity. The author suggests that experience is the determining factor, we have absolutely no information that would allow us to deduce what would happen in a situation where experience was equal. Again, it could be true that subject matter wouldn't affect the rating, but even the author isn't willing to fully ignore subject matter. (E) is only possible, thus the wrong answer.[/i]

Good question.

I got the first one wrong...opted for A.

IMO - E for the second one. Because it talks about subsequent films.

can you post the OA and OE?

Thanks @brad@knewton, your explanation is really good.

brad@knewton wrote:Both good questions, let's analyze the first one:

Examing the question stem tells us this is an inference question. With inference questions, we must take the statements we're given as true, and determine what logically follows from those statements.

We're told a greater percentage of moviegoers gave a selection of action movies a survey's highest rating than gave a selection of romance movies the highest rating. The survey seems to attribute this to the films' subject matter, while the author disagrees. Instead, the author points out the action movies were all directed by directors with at least one hit film to their credit while many of the romance films were directed by newcomers.

By saying it probably wasn't the subject matter which made the difference, and then offering evidence of the directors' experience, we can logically deduce the author believes experience plays a larger role in determining how highly a movie is rated.

Answer (D) suggests just this. The author must believe experienced filmmakers are more likely to produce hit films than are new filmmakers, otherwise why introduce experience as your probable counter to subject matter? D is correct.

A quick look at the wrong answers and we find some very common transgressions:

As soon as (A) says "fewer", I move on. This is a predictable wrong answer to a stimulus using percentages. The GMAT often tries to get students to confuse percentages with actual amount. We have no information on the amount of people surveyed for each movie genre, only the percentage awarding the highest rating. These are not the same.

(B) is extreme. It suggests there is "no" relationship between subject matter and rating. This does not follow the degree of certainty in the stimulus. The author allows for subject matter to have some effect by saying the surveys are probably wrong.

(C) could be true; a common wrong answer to inference questions. We now nothing of big-budget films nor an audience's perception of them. However, a possibility isn't enough to meet the standard of proof for an inference question (remember: must be true).

(E) is difficult. It looks enticing, but as mentioned with (B) the author allows for subject matter to play some role. The author suggests that experience is the determining factor, we have absolutely no information that would allow us to deduce what would happen in a situation where experience was equal. Again, it could be true that subject matter wouldn't affect the rating, but even the author isn't willing to fully ignore subject matter. (E) is only possible, thus the wrong answer.

a) Fewer romance films than actions films received the survey's highest rating - we cannot compare percentages to numbers, so discard this answer

b) There is no relationship between the popular appeal of the feature films evaluated in the survey and any previous successes of the directors of those films - this contradicts the argument as the survey organizers were probably erroneous in their conclusion that subject matter determines a feature film's popular appeal

c) If consumers were surveyed regarding their impressions of big-budget mainstraim films, the percentage of romance films that would receive the survey's highest rating would be lower than the percentage of action films that would receive the highest rating - discard the answer as big-budget mainstraim films are out of scope in the argument

d) experienced filmmakers are more likely to produce hit films than are new filmmakers - it is an assumption rather than the inference

e) among directors with the same number of hit films to their credit, differences in the subject matter of their feature films may not affect the way the films are popularly rated - CORRECT, it is the paraphrase of the second statement in the argument

ranell wrote:a) Fewer romance films than actions films received the survey's highest rating - we cannot compare percentages to numbers, so discard this answer

b) There is no relationship between the popular appeal of the feature films evaluated in the survey and any previous successes of the directors of those films - this contradicts the argument as the survey organizers were probably erroneous in their conclusion that subject matter determines a feature film's popular appeal

c) If consumers were surveyed regarding their impressions of big-budget mainstraim films, the percentage of romance films that would receive the survey's highest rating would be lower than the percentage of action films that would receive the highest rating - discard the answer as big-budget mainstraim films are out of scope in the argument

d) experienced filmmakers are more likely to produce hit films than are new filmmakers - it is an assumption rather than the inference

e) among directors with the same number of hit films to their credit, differences in the subject matter of their feature films may not affect the way the films are popularly rated - CORRECT, it is the paraphrase of the second statement in the argument

I disagree. Choice E compares experienced directors to other experience directors, while the subject of the argument is a comparison between directors with at least one movie and new directors. Therefore, d must be correct.