An inference question

[liu1993918]

I have a question about an inference question which is the 7th problem on OG13. I will change most words of it. If I am not allowed to do so, lock my thread please.

The question is that "The passage suggests that which of the following is a possible outcome of a company's adoption of that
technique?"

The relevent content is that "Such technique reduces production waste but do not alter the number of products produced nor the waste produced from their use and discard"

The correct answer is that “ such technique may allow that company to manufacture a greater number of products that will be used and discarded, thus worsening environmental stress”

Here is my question: the passage uses "alter", but the correct answer uses "a greater nunmber of products".
In my views, "alter" actually means "reduce" here, because if it means "increase", that would be ridiculous. So in the correct answer, we can say "a greater number". This is my thoughts about how the inference question works.

Am I right? If I am wrong, please correct me.
Thanks in Advance.

[tim]

Nope. "Alter" most definitely allows for the possibility to be altered in either direction. Do not read things into the questions that are not there.

[liu1993918]

Nope. "Alter" most definitely allows for the possibility to be altered in either direction. Do not read things into the questions that are not there.

I am sorry that I didn't put my thoughts clearly. I know "alter" means increase or decrease.

According to the passage "Such technique reduces production waste but do not alter the number of products produced nor the waste produced from their use and discard" and the common sense, can I infer that the technique would be good, if the technique can reduces production waste, the number of products produced, and the wasted?

I mean the waste here is a bad thing, so the technique ought to decreases it. Although the author uses " do not alter", the underlying meaning cannot be "increase the waste", am I right?

[RonPurewal]

this entire thing is a non-issue, since "do not alter" = no change. so, the process produces the same number of products as it always has.

the passage points out, however, that the cost savings will be invested in growth. so, even though the yield of the process itself is the same, the company will be doing more and more of that process.

[RonPurewal]

there's even more direct evidence for the correct answer in lines 21-22, which say almost exactly the same thing that the correct answer says.
those lines are ostensibly about the industry as a whole, but "industry growth" is just the sum total of the growth of individual companies.

[liu1993918]

there's even more direct evidence for the correct answer in lines 21-22, which say almost exactly the same thing that the correct answer says.
those lines are ostensibly about the industry as a whole, but "industry growth" is just the sum total of the growth of individual companies.

Thanks so much.

I get a take-away from this queston.
The problem is relevent to several parts in the passage, so I have to check all the parts before I read the options. If the 1st part cannot work, the 2nd part may work out.

[RonPurewal]

ok. do you have any further questions?