PrepTest 143

Incorrect. The Columnist never makes a recommendation, so picking an answer about what "should" be done is out of scope.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Must Be True

Stimulus Summary:
70% of tourism dollars go to foreign businesses, and this goes up as a country becomes a more established destination. People can counteract this by buying directly from locals.

Answer Anticipation:
This Must Be True question talks a lot about tourism, but it's hard to see what information is going to be used to lead to a correct answer. There aren't really conditional or causal statements. There's a comparison made in the second sentence, and a number in the first that would support a most statement, so those are likely to play into the correct answer. However, this is definitely an example of a question where it's best to make sure you understand the stimulus and then head straight to the answers without wasting too much time trying to anticipate something specific.

Answer Explanation:
The stimulus notes that as a country becomes a more established tourist destination, exported revenues tend to increase. It also notes that they start from an average of 70%. Thus, it's very strongly supported that there are at least a few developing countries that are among the most established tourist destinations where most of the profits (over 50%) go to foreign businesses.

Key Takeaway:
There are some Must Be True questions where trying to anticipate an answer is unlikely to yield results. If you're struggling to find an inference, instead identify statements that are likely to be relevant to the answer—comparisons, conditional statements, causal statements, strong statements—and don't waste time ahead of heading to the answer choices!

Incorrect. The Columnist notes that people can get more money in the hands of local businesses, but it doesn't state whether any people—let alone most people—do at any given destination.

Incorrect. While a larger percentage of revenue might be directed back aboard as an area becomes more established as a tourist destination, it's possible that the increase in total revenue means that a higher total is staying in the country. For example, 30% of $10m is less than 20% of $20m.

Incorrect. The stimulus notes that tourists can counteract this effect—the increase in the percentage of money flowing out of a country—by going straight to local people, but that doesn't mean that none of their money is going to those foreign businesses. It might be the case that, for instance, they use a local travel agent that places them in a foreign-owned hotel.