Bakery

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Bakery

by apoorva.rattan » Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:38 pm
A bakery in neighborhood X sells cakes that are very intricately created using a rare method that a bakery in nearby town Y used in previous years. Because of its complexity, the baking method is unlikely to have independently in both bakeries. One food critic theorized that the bakers at neighborhood X's bakery must have learned the method from the bakers at town Y's bakery.

The answer to which of the following questions would be most useful in evaluating the critic's theory ?

(A) Do the bakers ever leave their own bakeries in the order to socialize with other bakers ?
(B) Are the baked goods ever brought from bakery to bakery ?
(C) Do bakers in town Y's bakery still employ the same method to create cakes ?
(D) Do food critics personally travel to local bakeries to sample their baked goods ?
(E) Does the bakery in neighborhood X sell any other types of baked goods ?

Source: 1037.... Princeton Review

My Take: Author's theory is that "the bakers at neighborhood X's bakery must have learned the method from the bakers at town Y's bakery". There is a Premise - "Because of its complexity, the baking method is unlikely to have independently in both bakeries."

Option A - suggests how that learning of the baking process might have occurred. This choice seems most relevant.
Option B - Talks about the baked goods moving from one bakery to another. Does not talk about the baking methods.
Option C - Not relevant. Question, anyways, says that the method was employed in previous years. Does not imply any sharing of baking knowledge.
Option D - Food Critics have nothing to do with the theory of baking technique transmission.
Option E - Not relevant to baking methods.

Hence, IMO answer should be A. Invite others to share their thoughts.

As you might have guessed by now, that is not the answer given. OA B
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by Gowri@CrackVerbal » Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:15 am
Apoorva,
The key to this question lies not just in the conclusion, but also in the premise. :)
Yes, the food critic's theory is that since the baking method is complicated,it could not have been developed at the two bakeries independently. Therefore, Bakery X must have learned the method from bakery Y.

Let's take a step back and look at what bakery X is doing. Line 1 says that they 'sell cakes that are... created using a rare method'. Nowhere does it say that bakery X actually make the cakes.

Option A: is not helpful because we cannot assume that bakers would learn baking methods from others while socializing with them. Remember not to extrapolate information given in the question to draw your own conclusions!

Option B: is correct. If Bakery Y had sold these cakes to Bakery X, then the critic's conclusion no longer holds. Thus, this info gives us an alternative explanation to the problem. So, B is the right answer.
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by Ankur87 » Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:44 am
Choice A : Socializing doesn't necessarily involve the process of baking, nor does it guarantee exposure to the cakes themselves. What if town Y bakery does not want to tell the method of baking.

Choice B : If bakery X were brought the intricately created cakes and admired them, it is conceivable -- even likely -- that bakery X would study them, taste them, and -- perhaps through trial and error -- learn to replicate them. Also, the fact that a method is rarely used doesn't mean the method's existence isn't commonly known.

So - IMO : B
apoorva.rattan wrote:A bakery in neighborhood X sells cakes that are very intricately created using a rare method that a bakery in nearby town Y used in previous years. Because of its complexity, the baking method is unlikely to have independently in both bakeries. One food critic theorized that the bakers at neighborhood X's bakery must have learned the method from the bakers at town Y's bakery.

The answer to which of the following questions would be most useful in evaluating the critic's theory ?

(A) Do the bakers ever leave their own bakeries in the order to socialize with other bakers ?
(B) Are the baked goods ever brought from bakery to bakery ?
(C) Do bakers in town Y's bakery still employ the same method to create cakes ?
(D) Do food critics personally travel to local bakeries to sample their baked goods ?
(E) Does the bakery in neighborhood X sell any other types of baked goods ?

Source: 1037.... Princeton Review

My Take: Author's theory is that "the bakers at neighborhood X's bakery must have learned the method from the bakers at town Y's bakery". There is a Premise - "Because of its complexity, the baking method is unlikely to have independently in both bakeries."

Option A - suggests how that learning of the baking process might have occurred. This choice seems most relevant.
Option B - Talks about the baked goods moving from one bakery to another. Does not talk about the baking methods.
Option C - Not relevant. Question, anyways, says that the method was employed in previous years. Does not imply any sharing of baking knowledge.
Option D - Food Critics have nothing to do with the theory of baking technique transmission.
Option E - Not relevant to baking methods.

Hence, IMO answer should be A. Invite others to share their thoughts.

As you might have guessed by now, that is not the answer given. OA B

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by apoorva.rattan » Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:53 pm
Ahh - I see...

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by Lifetron » Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:09 am
Try adding 'not necessarily' to every choice and reason it. You will get the answer.

A - Do the bakers ever leave their own bakeries in the order to socialize with other bakers - NOT NECESSARILY exchange the methods. May or may not !

B - Are the baked goods ever brought from bakery to bakery - You don't have to add anything because it questions the whole argument !