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OG-12, Q-114

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OG-12, Q-114

by niketdoshi123 » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:50 am
Guidebook writer : I have visited hotels throughout the country and have noticed that in those built before 1930 the quality of the original carpentry work is generally superior to that in hotels built afterward. Clearly carpenters working on hotels before 1930 typically worked with more skill, care, and effort than carpenters who have worked on hotels built subsequently.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the guidebook writer's argument?

a) The quality of original carpentry in hotels is generally far superior to the quality of original
carpentry in other structures, such as houses and stores.
b) Hotels built since 1930 can generally accommodate more guests than those built before 1930.
c) The materials available to carpenters working before 1930 were not significantly different in
quality from the materials available to carpenters working after 1930.
d) The better the quality of original carpentry in a building, the less likely that building is to
fall into disuse and be demolished.
e) The average length of apprenticeship for carpenters has declined significantly since 1930.
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by Ashujain » Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:36 am
niketdoshi123 wrote:Guidebook writer : I have visited hotels throughout the country and have noticed that in those built before 1930 the quality of the original carpentry work is generally superior to that in hotels built afterward. Clearly carpenters working on hotels before 1930 typically worked with more skill, care, and effort than carpenters who have worked on hotels built subsequently.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the guidebook writer's argument?

a) The quality of original carpentry in hotels is generally far superior to the quality of original
carpentry in other structures, such as houses and stores.
b) Hotels built since 1930 can generally accommodate more guests than those built before 1930.
c) The materials available to carpenters working before 1930 were not significantly different in
quality from the materials available to carpenters working after 1930.
d) The better the quality of original carpentry in a building, the less likely that building is to
fall into disuse and be demolished.
e) The average length of apprenticeship for carpenters has declined significantly since 1930.
A) Does not say anything about the time period and hence irrelevant
B) Out of scope
C) Strengthen
D) Weakens because it clearly implies that only those hotels (built before 1930) are still in use which have a good quality of carpentry. So the guidebook writer can not generalize it by concluding that "carpenters working on hotels before 1930 typically worked with more skill, care, and effort than carpenters who have worked on hotels built subsequently".
E) Strengthens
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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:52 am
niketdoshi123 wrote:Guidebook writer : I have visited hotels throughout the country and have noticed that in those built before 1930 the quality of the original carpentry work is generally superior to that in hotels built afterward. Clearly carpenters working on hotels before 1930 typically worked with more skill, care, and effort than carpenters who have worked on hotels built subsequently.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the guidebook writer's argument?

a) The quality of original carpentry in hotels is generally far superior to the quality of original
carpentry in other structures, such as houses and stores.
b) Hotels built since 1930 can generally accommodate more guests than those built before 1930.
c) The materials available to carpenters working before 1930 were not significantly different in
quality from the materials available to carpenters working after 1930.
d) The better the quality of original carpentry in a building, the less likely that building is to
fall into disuse and be demolished.
e) The average length of apprenticeship for carpenters has declined significantly since 1930.
This argument exhibits a CHANGE IN SCOPE.
The premise is about a very limited SAMPLING: the hotels that the guidebook writer HAS VISITED.
The conclusion is about the WHOLE: ALL hotels built before 1930.

To weaken the conclusion, the correct answer choice likely will show that the SAMPLING -- the hotels that the writer HAS VISITED -- is NOT representative of the WHOLE.

Answer choice D: The better the quality of original carpentry in a building, the less likely that building is to fall into disuse and be demolished..
The implication is that the hotels that were POORLY constructed have likely been DEMOLISHED.
Clearly, the guidebook writer could not have visited these hotels.
Thus, the SAMPLING (the hotels that the writer HAS VISITED) is not representative of the WHOLE (ALL hotels built before 1930).

The correct answer is D.
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