My observation -- Please confirm if it makes sense!

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Unlike the wholesale price of raw wool, the wholesale price of raw cotton has fallen considerably in the last year. Thus, although the retail price of cotton clothing at retail clothing stores has not yet fallen, it will inevitably
fall.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?
(A) The cost of processing raw cotton for cloth has increased during the last year.
(B) The wholesale price of raw wool is typically higher than that of the same volume of raw cotton.
(C) The operating costs of the average retail clothing store have remained constant during the last year.
(D) Changes in retail prices always lag behind changes in wholesale prices.

(E) The cost of harvesting raw cotton has increased in the last year.

I understand this question pretty well. However, I have one small observation:

Can we say that Choice D is actually restating the part of the argument as the argument has already taken into account that changes in retail price lag behind wholesale price

Please confirm my observation here

Many thanks@
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Amit
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by asamaverick » Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:45 am
I don't think D is actually restating anything from the argument. I would say it's a subtle assumption. Here is how I look at it it:
Premise - Wholesale price of raw cotton has fallen
Conclusion - Retail prices will fall.

To logically infer the conclusion from the premise, we will have to assume that retail prices follow wholesale prices (D).

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by ssgmatter » Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:50 am
asamaverick wrote:I don't think D is actually restating anything from the argument. I would say it's a subtle assumption. Here is how I look at it it:
Premise - Wholesale price of raw cotton has fallen
Conclusion - Retail prices will fall.

To logically infer the conclusion from the premise, we will have to assume that retail prices follow wholesale prices (D).
So that means it is restating the underlying assumption? right
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Amit

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by asamaverick » Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:15 am
Yea you are right about that, it is restating the assumption.
I just wanted to make it clear that it was not restating "part of the argument", but if you meant the assumption then yes the answer choice is restating it.

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by ssgmatter » Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:17 am
asamaverick wrote:Yea you are right about that, it is restating the assumption.
I just wanted to make it clear that it was not restating "part of the argument", but if you meant the assumption then yes the answer choice is restating it.
So that means any of the options that restate the assumption is wrong one in weaken type

I am just trying to understand how the options are actually working here and their respective roles in relation to the argument
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by asamaverick » Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:35 am
Yes, I think we can generalize it.

The assumption will only lead us to the conclusion, and not weaken it. So if it shows up as an answer choice in a 'Weaken type' question we can strike that out.

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by capt_praveen » Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:18 am
My choice is A as the processing cost has increased there is less chance of falling price of retail cloths. Hence this statement is weakening

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by jube » Wed Jun 16, 2010 10:13 am
I think you're right in putting it that way. I'd also go with A as the answer... is that the OA?