Because of a rare type of fungus that killed off many cacao trees in Brazil, there was an unusually meager harvest of cacao beans this year. The wholesale price of cocoa solids and cocoa butter has increased significantly and is unlikely to fall in the foreseeable future. As a result, the retail price of chocolate is certain to increase within six months.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?
Conclusion :- Retail price of cotton clothing at retail clothing stores will fall.
Weaken :- Retail price of cotton clothing at retail clothing stores will not fall.
To make this argument very basic:
Premise: The price of raw cotton has fallen.
Conclusion: The cost of cotton clothing will fall.
What is the author assuming? That the cost of cotton clothing is ONLY influenced by the price of raw cotton. That seems like a weak assumption, since many other costs could go into the conversion of raw cotton into cotton clothing.
To weaken the argument, attack the assumption that only the cost of raw cotton influences the price of cotton clothing. (A) does this nicely, illustrating that there are other possible factors that go into the final cost of cotton clothing, such as the cost of processing the cotton.Also, Option A: Correctly gives an alternate reason why the retail price may not fall. Because, although the wholesale prices have fallen, the cost of processing them into clothing has risen. Thus, the cotton clothing manufacturers will have to sell the clothes at the same price as they did before and eventually the retailers will have to sell it at the same rate as before as well.
Thus, A is best choice here.
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