PrepTest 133

Incorrect. This answer provides more evidence against them trying to get their current customer base to travel by bus, thus strengthening the argument (if anything).

Incorrect. This might provide reason to believe that Travaillier's move is misguided, but it doesn't affect an argument meant to explain why they're making the move.

Incorrect. This answer is really weak—it's about just one employee—so it doesn't really have the scope to affect this argument.

Incorrect. There's no indication that Travaillier is attempting to increase profits by this move—even if it's to enlarge their customer base, that might be a market share move and not one that they expect to make more money off of.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Weaken

Stimulus Summary:
Phenomenon - Travaillier, a company focused on air travel, has been hiring and contracting for bus travel
More info - Travaillier's customers haven't expressed a desire to change from air to bus travel
Explanation - Travaillier wants to attract new customers

Answer Anticipation:
As with all passages that fall into the phenomenon/explanation structure, we should immediately start to think about alternative explanations and how they factor into the question.

Here, a company that traditionally has focused on customers that like to fly is making moves into the charter bus travel industry. The explanation reached in the conclusion? They're trying to attract new customers.

An alternative explanation to that is that they're going to try to get their existing customer base to try something new. While the stimulus does provide evidence that these customers aren't currently interested in bus travel, that doesn't rule out the possibility that Travaillier is going to try to convince them that they'd enjoy it.

When information that argues against an alternative to a concluded explanation is presented, but that information doesn't fully rule out that alternative, it's frequently the focus of the correct answer. To Weaken this argument, an answer that provides evidence for any alternative explanation for Travaillier's moves into the bus industry would be correct, but let's pay particular attention to answers suggesting that they're trying to provide another option to their current customer base.

Answer Explanation:
This answer provides evidence that Travaillier may be trying to get their current customers to switch to bus travel, since that's what their consultants recommend. In suggesting an alternative explanation for their moves (shifting their customers' preferences), this answer weakens the conclusion that it's an attempt to enlarge their customer base.

Key Takeaway:
Alternative explanations are relevant in arguments that conclude one explanation is the correct one (or is likely to be the correct one) for a given phenomenon. When an alternative is raised in the stimulus—especially when it's raised with evidence suggesting it isn't the case that falls short of ruling it out—that alternative is likely going to feature in the correct answer.