For several years Buddy's Bolt Barn has specialized in supplying fasteners - nuts, bolts, screws - to workshops and manufacturing firms in the region. Buddy's in fact now supplies virtually all of the fasteners that this segment of the region's industry uses. Recently, however, many of the region's workshops and manufacturing firms have closed down. Therefore, unless Buddy's can expand into a new market segment, it too is likely to go out of business.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument ?


A. Most of the fasteners that Buddy's carries in inventory are not specialized and can be used in a wide variety of industries.

B. Historically, period with a lot of closures of workshops and manufacturing firms have generally been followed by periods with many startups of such firms.

C. Even with the recent closures, there are more workshops and manufacturing firms operating in the region now than there were when Buddy's Bolt Barn first opened.

D. The workshops and manufacturing firms in the region that have remained in business have all laid off workers because of shortage of orders.

E. Some of Buddy's managers have prior retail experience in other market segments.



OA D

Source: GMAT Prep