GMAT Critical Reasoning - The Tobacco Industry is Still Profitable and Projections are that it will Remain so.

Question: The tobacco industry is still profitable and projections are that it will remain so. In the United States this year, the total amount of tobacco sold by tobacco-farmers has increased, even though the number of adults who smoke has decreased.

Each of the following, if true, could explain the simultaneous increase in tobacco sales and decrease in the number of adults who smoke EXCEPT:

(A) During this year, the number of women who have begun to smoke is greater than the number of men who have quit smoking.
(B) The number of teen-age children who have begun to smoke this year is greater than the number of adults who have quit smoking during the same period.
(C) During this year, the number of nonsmokers who have begun to use chewing tobacco or snuff is greater than the number of people who have quit smoking.
(D) The people who have continued to smoke consume more tobacco per person than they did in the past.
(E) More of the cigarettes made in the United States this year were exported to other countries than was the case last year.

“The tobacco industry is still profitable and projections are that it will remain so.”- is a GMAT critical reasoning passage with answers. This particular GMAT critical reasoning topic has been taken from the book “GMAT Prep Plus 2021”. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT critical reasoning. This GMAT critical reasoning question consists of a comprehension question and 5 options to choose from. The GMAT critical reasoning questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts.

Answer: A
Explanation: This is a GMAT critical reasoning question. We have to select the option that can not explain the simultaneous increase in tobacco sales and decrease in the number of adults who smoke.

Let’s go through each of the available options and choose the most suitable one.

Option A: During this year, the number of women who have begun to smoke is greater than the number of men who have quit smoking.

This option is correct. If this option is true, we know that the total number of adults who smoke has decreased. The gender, age group, ethnicity, etc. is not of any concern to us. The fact is that there has been a net decrease in the number of adults who smoke. So, we can still expect the sales and profits to decrease. This option does not explain a simultaneous increase in tobacco sales and decrease in the number of adults who smoke. Option A is correct.

Option B: The number of teen-age children who have begun to smoke this year is greater than the number of adults who have quit smoking during the same period.

This option is incorrect. According to this option, the kids have taken up the adult’s place in terms of smoking. That can easily explain why there are now fewer adult smokers, but more sales altogether.This option explains the discrepancy. Option B is correct.

Option C: During this year, the number of nonsmokers who have begun to use chewing tobacco or snuff is greater than the number of people who have quit smoking.

This option is incorrect. This option states that fewer people are smoking this year. However, people have started using tobacco in other ways. This can explain the decrease in the number of smokers and increase in sales and profits. Option C is incorrect.

Option D: The people who have continued to smoke consume more tobacco per person than they did in the past.

This option is incorrect. This statement clearly implies that even if less people smoked, they would have bought more tobacco that led to the increase in the sales and profits from tobacco. This explains the discrepancy. So, Option D is incorrect.

Option E: More of the cigarettes made in the United States this year were exported to other countries than was the case last year.

This option is incorrect. The question says, “In the United States this year, the total amount sold by tobacco-farmers has increased...". This does not necessarily mean that tobacco is sold in the United States. It is possible that American companies are selling tobacco to other countries. So, even if the number of smokers in America decreased, the sales will increase because of the exports. Option E is incorrect.

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