Q8 - Factory manager: One reason

[clarkfhanysha]

I chose D solely because I thought B was too strong of an answer choice with "the only" however, after reading the argument again I can see how this would be a flaw. Generally, how do you know when it is appropriate to apply the "no strong language" rule and when it might be ok? Other than, or more specifically, than basing that decision on the stim

[maryadkins]

how do you know when it is appropriate to apply the "no strong language" rule and when it might be ok? Other than, or more specifically, than basing that decision on the stim

There isn't a categorical rule about strong language that is independent of the stimulus... trying to apply one is going to backfire. I know it's tempting to think that there are black and white rules when it comes to spotting correct and incorrect answer choices, but resist the urge.

Strong language is okay if it's supported by the stimulus and it's not if it's not. Generally, you want to be especially wary of extreme language in necessary assumption questions, but that doesn't mean you can eliminate answers solely because they have extreme language. It completely depends on whether they're supported by the argument.

In this question:

(A) is not what's being discussed. We're talking about how to make our products more competitively priced. Whether the price of particular commodities changes over time is irrelevant.

(B) is correct. Just because refurbishing the factory would make products more competitively priced doesn't mean that in order to make them more competitively priced, it's what "must" be done.

(C) suggests that there's a causation reversal here, but that's not the case.

(D) is not true. A cause of the problem is that the equipment is old.

(E) is likewise not true. The conclusion makes a definite recommendation.

[smsotolongo]

So choice B is a different way of saying they confuse a sufficient reason for doing something with a necessary one?

[fromshw]

I was juggling between answer choices (B) and (C) then I ended up choosing (c) because I thought it was a causation reversal due to a few conditional words such as "have to" and "must" in the stimulus.
The diagram I made was:

Evidence: Refurbish factory ---> more competitively priced
Conclusion: survive ---> more competitively priced ---> refurbish factory

Am I completely wrong? Thank you very much in advance!