Q8 - Everyone likes repertory theater

[megm7267]

Could someone explain the reasoning behind this question? It seems like there are some distracting phrases in the stem.

[sukim764]

This is such a late response but hopefully someone will find it useful.

Conclusion: More theaters should change to repertory

Complementary premises: Actors, stagehands, and theater managers like it for various reasons that benefit them all in some way.

A) While it might be a bit extreme to say this answer choice is a 180, it certainly does not help strengthen the argument. A large upfront cost at the beginning of each season? Eliminate

B) Patrons needing to pay overly close attention to the schedule in order to make their theater plans certainly does not help the conclusion. Eliminate

C) Another necessary component to repertory does not help strengthen the idea that more theaters ought to switch. Eliminate

E) While it is arguable that this answer choice can be reconciled with the premise regarding the actors, it certainly does not STRENGTHEN the argument. Eliminate

That leaves us with D. D is the only answer choice that complements one of the premises within the argument (the conditional premise about audience demand and revenues).

The question being early in the section, the four wrong choices are pretty clear and straightforward.

Hope this helps.

<3

[roflcoptersoisoi]

Premise: Repetory theatre advantages actors, stagehands and theatre managers
Conclusion: More theatres should change to repertory

Flaw: Fails to consider that there may be some disadvantages to converting to repertory theatre.

(A) Citing a necessary component to repertory theatre does not strengthen the idea that theatres ought to change to that type of theatre
(B) Irrelevant.
(C) Same as A.
(D) Bingo. This cites another advantage of changing to repertory theatre.
(E) Weakens

[851869412]

I think (D) strengthen the argument by strengthen the theater managers' reason. In the stimulus, theater managers' reason is conditional. "If plays that reflect audience demand are chosen", then theater managers will be benefit.

(D) confirms us that the condition can be fulfilled in a repertory theater.

[LolaC289]

I actually think the argument structure here includes an intermediate conclusion, and the correct answer partly filled the gap b/t the premise and this intermediate conclusion, which in turn strengthens the argument as a whole.

Premise: Actors like it. Stagehands like it. Theater managers like it.

Intermediate Conclusion: Everyone likes repertory theater.

Conclusion: More theaters should change to repertory.

From the premise to the intermediate conclusion, it's evident that the author give a very narrow-scoped support. In fact, when I was doing it I immediately thought: actors, stagehands, managers...wait. What about the audiences? And aren't they a very important group in this decision making(I wanted to say "the most important" here...but hello, let's not get extreme)?

(D) strengthens by telling us this change can meet the audiences' demands as well, which greatly strengthens.