Critical Reasoning

Source: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGMAT?d ... arget_id=0

Defense Department analysts worry that the ability of the United States to wage a prolonged war would be seriously endangered if the machine-tool manufacturing base shrinks further. Before the Defense Department publicly connected this security issue with the import quota issue, however, the machine-tool industry raised the national security issue in its petition for import quotas.

Which of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation of the machine-tool industry's raising the issue above regarding national security?



A. When the aircraft industries retooled, they provided a large amount of work for tool builders.



B. The Defense Department is only marginally concerned with the effects of foreign competition on the machine-tool industry.



C. The machine-tool industry encountered difficulty in obtaining governmental protection against imports on grounds other than defense.



D. A few weapons important for defense consist of parts that do not require extensive machining.



E. Several federal government programs have been designed which will enable domestic machine-tool manufacturing firms to compete successfully with foreign toolmakers.[/color]

Passage: DD- can't wage war if base shrinks. Industry preemptively asked for import quota.

Question: WHY did the industry raise the issue?

Analysis: The question here is why "import quotas" matters to the machine-tool industry. Logically, the domestic manufacturers would WANT a quota to limit imported tools.

Prediction: The machine-tool industry is hoping to make $$ by limiting imports -- they want the defense contracts.

A) "aircraft industries" are irrelevant
B) doesn't explain the machine-tool indust's actions
C) Yes -- if they were having a hard time making $$ otherwise, that would help explain.
D) irrelevant -- doesn't give a broad explanation for the machine-tool indust's actions
E) No - this would suggest they DON'T need to lobby if they could already make $$

The correct answer is (C).