Tricky CR question - need help to understand

This topic has expert replies
User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:03 pm

Tricky CR question - need help to understand

by zeza » Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:44 am
Recording Studio Owner: The Hammond B3 organ is one of the greatest instruments ever created for performing rock and roll music. No attempt to replicate its complex series of electromechanical and vacuum tube components has ever succeeded at capturing the true depth of the B3's tone. In fact, despite vintage organs' weight, bulk, expense, and complex maintenance requirements, top-tier touring musicians often take vintage organs with them on the road. Clavia's new lightweight and portable organ, designed to replicate the B3's characteristic sound is, therefore, destined to fail in the marketplace.
All of the following repeat some element of the Recording Studio Owner's flawed reasoning EXCEPT:
  • a) No golfer has to date beaten Jack Nicklaus' record of winning eighteen major championships. Tiger Woods will therefore also fail to surpass this record.

    b) Professional cyclists demand that their bikes carry only the lightest of components. Any company attempting to sell a racing bicycle using cheaper heavier components will struggle to sell this model.

    c) The Beech Staggerwing is one of the best handling airplanes ever built. Designed in the 1930's, it utilizes simple mechanical controls. Modern airplanes, relying on electronics and sophisticated automation, cannot produce such a profound experience of flight.

    d) The new generation of winemakers has been rediscovering the simple techniques of the old world. This means that they will soon produce vintages every bit as good as the legendary bottles that lie ensconced in the cellars of astute collectors.

    e) The legendary Linn Sondek LP12 turntable still rates in listener tests as providing the best sound quality of any turntable, even after 36 years! Newcomers such as the Roksan TMS2 have no hope of beating this classic, and would-be innovators are best off sticking to other products!
OA after some discussion
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2193
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 6:30 pm
Location: Vermont and Boston, MA
Thanked: 1186 times
Followed by:512 members
GMAT Score:770

by David@VeritasPrep » Fri Nov 02, 2012 11:40 am
This is a special kind of "mimic the reasoning" where the stimulus commits more than one error and most of the answer choices has at least one of these errors. The other choice need not be error-free but cannot commit any of the same errors as the stimulus.

I think that this is an interesting question and I will be glad to explain it if you have any questions after you are satisfied with the discussion from other posters!
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor

Veritas Prep Reviews
Save $100 off any live Veritas Prep GMAT Course

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 341
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:59 pm
Thanked: 17 times
Followed by:4 members
GMAT Score:720

by ice_rush » Fri Nov 02, 2012 11:54 am
Interesting question. I'd have to go with (D). This is the only choice that says the earlier phenomenon is replicable.

What is the source and OA?

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 122
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 6:05 am
Thanked: 3 times

by ihatemaths » Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:29 pm
I would go with D

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 116
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:44 pm
Thanked: 5 times
Followed by:1 members

by theachiever » Sat Nov 03, 2012 2:09 am
I would go with "D".

User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:03 pm

by zeza » Sat Nov 03, 2012 3:30 am
Question from Veritas Prep Question Bank. This one was quite a surprise for me. Is it possible to get similar in GMAT?

OA [spoiler]d) The new generation of winemakers has been rediscovering the simple techniques of the old world. This means that they will soon produce vintages every bit as good as the legendary bottles that lie ensconced in the cellars of astute collectors. [/spoiler]

Can someone explain?

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2193
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 6:30 pm
Location: Vermont and Boston, MA
Thanked: 1186 times
Followed by:512 members
GMAT Score:770

by David@VeritasPrep » Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:33 pm
zeza: To answer your first question.

This is one that would certainly be rare on the actual test.

It is a mimic the reasoning and it is asking you to find the one that does not mimic any part of the flaws in the original. I have not seen a question quite like that on the actual test!

With that said, the question is a great tool to teach you perhaps the most important thing about critical reasoning - it is not about the subject matter it is about the logic. This question requires you to identify the LOGICAL flaws in the stimulus and then find those flaws in the answer choices. You need to see that two arguments have the same logical structure even though they have different subject matter.
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor

Veritas Prep Reviews
Save $100 off any live Veritas Prep GMAT Course

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2193
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 6:30 pm
Location: Vermont and Boston, MA
Thanked: 1186 times
Followed by:512 members
GMAT Score:770

by David@VeritasPrep » Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:50 pm
Okay here is my explanation:

Here are the flaws in the stimulus:

1) Some item was made that functions really well. It is not possible to replicate this item exactly.

2) This item is complex and hard to use but the top people in the profession use it anyway and therefore the new item that is not exactly the same and so will fail in the marketplace.


What flaws do each of the answer choices have?

Choice A) has first flaw. It is not possible to replicate so nothing will ever be better

Choice B) has the second flaw. The top people in the profession use the best product so anything else will fail.

Choice C) has the first flaw. It is not possible to recreate the old best item exactly.

Choice E) has the second flaw. Any new product will not be able to beat the old best item and any other product will fail.

Choice D is the one without these flaws. This one says that the new wines will be just as good which is not what the stimulus is saying.

Hope it helps!
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor

Veritas Prep Reviews
Save $100 off any live Veritas Prep GMAT Course