Over the last several decades, the demand for Country Y’s

[B BTGmoderatorLU]

Source: Princeton Review

Over the last several decades, the demand for Country Y’s automobiles increased in Country X but demand for Country X’s automobiles in Country Y has remained stagnant. Initially, this disparity was plausibly due to Y’s manufacturers having superior technology, which has yielded more fuel-efficient cars with cheaper maintenance. However, now Country X’s cars are comparable—if not slightly superior—in these respects. What Country X’s manufacturers fail to acknowledge is that Country Y’s drivers drive on the left side of the road. Clearly, to help lessen this trade imbalance, Country X manufacturers should produce more cars with right-side steering wheels.

Which of the following is an assumption made by the argument?

A. Reversing the trade imbalance requires making right-side steering wheels.
B. If Country X makes automobiles with right-side steering wheels, most consumers from Country Y will choose to purchase a car from Country X.
C. If consumers from Country Y drive on the left side of the road, these consumers are less inclined to buy steering wheels found on the left side of the car.
D. Cars from Country X will continue to improve their fuel efficiency and reduce their maintenance costs.
E. The government of Country Y requires all its citizens to purchase cars with right-side steering wheels.

The OA is C

[J Jaykpatel21]

Option C : C. If consumers from Country Y drive on the left side of the road, these consumers are less inclined to buy steering wheels found on the left side of the car. Since this is directly attacking the assumption made by the company in the analysis

[BTG Expert Team]

What we see: a Critical Reasoning assumption question. We need the unstated fact the argument must believe for its advice to make sense.

Step 1. Split the argument into its evidence and its conclusion.
What we see: the evidence is that drivers in Country Y drive on the left side of the road. The conclusion is that Country X should build more cars with the steering wheel on the right.
What it means: the argument jumps from "they drive on the left" to "they want a right-side steering wheel." It never says the drivers care where the wheel is.
What we do and why: the assumption is the missing link between those two ideas, so we look for a choice that says the side of the road affects which car people buy.

Step 2. Check each choice.
A. Says the right-side wheel is required to reverse the gap. The argument only says it would help "lessen" the gap. Too strong. Out.
B. Says most Y buyers will choose X's cars. The argument only needs some buyers to be won over, not most. Too strong. Out.
The choice that says people who drive on the left are less willing to buy a car with the wheel on the left. That is exactly the missing link. If it were false, and left-road drivers did not mind a left-side wheel, the advice would be pointless.
D. Talks about fuel and repair costs, which the argument says are already even. Out.
E. A government rule would be a different reason altogether, and the argument never needs it. Out.

The trap: B. It sounds like what Country X hopes for, but an assumption is the least the argument needs, and "most consumers" is far more than that.
Faster way: use the negation test. Flip the choice about left-side drivers: "Left-side drivers are just as happy with a left-side wheel." The argument falls apart. Flip B: "Not most buyers switch." The advice can still help. Only that one breaks it.
Takeaway: the assumption joins a word in the evidence (drive on the left) to a new word in the conclusion (right-side wheel). Find the choice that connects them.

Answer: C