Official Explanation

Q1). It can be inferred from the passage that one reason an advertiser might prefer a hard-sell approach to a soft-sell approach is that
A. the risks of boomerang effects are minimized when the conclusions an advertiser wants the consumer to draw are themselves left unstated
B. counterargumentation is likely from consumers who fail to draw their own conclusions regarding an advertising claim
C. inferential activity is likely to occur even if consumers perceive themselves to be more knowledgeable than the individuals presenting product claims
D. research on consumer memory suggests that the explicit conclusions provided by an advertiser using the hard-sell approach have a significant impact on decision making
E. the information presented by an advertiser using the soft-sell approach may imply different conclusions to different consumers
Inference
This question relies on what the passage suggests about the difference between the hard-sell and soft-sell approaches—and why the hard-sell approach might be preferred. The hard-sell approach, according to the second paragraph, presents explicit conclusions. The soft-sell approach, on the other hand, does not explicitly state conclusions about products; instead, consumers make up their own minds.
A. While the passage makes clear that boomerang effects are minimized when conclusions are left unstated, this is an advantage of the soft-sell approach over the hard-sell approach.
B. According to the second paragraph, counterargumentation is a disadvantage, not an advantage, of the hard-sell approach. This is a reason not to prefer the hard sell.
C. The third paragraph suggests that in cases in which consumers may perceive themselves as more knowledgeable than individuals presenting product
claims, the soft-sell approach offers an advantage over the hard-sell approach.
D. According to the third paragraph, self-generated conclusions that are associated with the soft-sell approach have a greater impact on decision making than explicit conclusions. The passage does not allude to any research on memory that would favor the hard-sell approach.
E. Correct. The fourth paragraph suggests that one problem with the soft-sell approach is that consumers could miss the point; they may not come to the conclusions that the advertiser would prefer. Thus an advertiser might prefer a hard-sell approach.
The correct answer is E.

Q2). Each of the following is mentioned in the passage as a characteristic of the hardsell approach EXCEPT:
A. Its overall message is readily grasped.
B. It appeals to consumers’ knowledge about the product.
C. It makes explicit claims that the advertised brand is superior to other brands.
D. It uses statements that are expressed very clearly.
E. It makes claims in the form of direct conclusions.
Supporting idea
This question asks about what is directly stated in the passage about the hard-sell approach. The first and second paragraphs provide the details about this approach, including that it uses direct, forceful claims about benefits of a brand over competitors’ brands; its claims are simple and straightforward, in the form of explicit conclusions; and consumers are generally left with little room for confusion about the message.
A. The second paragraph states that there is little room for confusion about the message.
B. Correct. The extent of consumers’ knowledge about the product is not mentioned in the passage.
C. The first paragraph indicates that in the hard-sell approach advertisers make direct claims regarding the benefits of the advertised brand over other offerings.
D. The first and second paragraphs say that hard-sell claims are direct, simple, and straightforward.
E. The second paragraph emphasizes that the hard-sell approach presents it claims in the form of explicit conclusions.
The correct answer is B.

Q3). It can be inferred from the passage that advertisers could reduce one of the risks discussed in the last paragraph if they were able to provide
A. motivation for consumers to think about the advertisement’s message
B. information that implies the advertiser’s intended conclusion but leaves that conclusion unstated
C. subtle evidence that the advertised product is superior to that of competitors
D. information comparing the advertised product with its competitors
E. opportunity for consumers to generate their own beliefs or conclusions
Inference
This questionrequires understanding the risks discussed in the last paragraph of the passage. Those risks are, first, that consumers would not be motivated to think about the advertisement and thus would miss the message’s point; second, that consumers may draw conclusions that the advertiser did not intend; and finally, that consumers could question the validity of the conclusions they reach, even if those conclusions are what advertisers intend.
A. Correct. Providing motivation for consumers to think about an advertisement’s message would reduce the first risk discussed in the last paragraph: that consumers would fail to draw any conclusions because they would lack motivation to engage with advertisements.
B. Providing information that implies a conclusion but leaves it unstated is the very definition of the soft-sell approach, and it is this approach that gives rise to the risks discussed in the last paragraph.
C. Providing subtle evidence that a product is superior is most likely to give rise to all three of the risks identified in the last paragraph, in that its subtlety would leave consumers free to draw their own conclusions, to fail to draw those conclusions, or to question the validity of their own conclusions.
D. A direct comparison of the advertised product with its competitors would run all the risks identified in the last paragraph: consumers might not find the comparison motivating; they could draw conclusions that the advertiser did not intend (e.g., that the competing products are superior); or they could question whatever conclusions they do draw.
E. Giving consumers the opportunity to generate their own beliefs or conclusions is an intrinsic part of the soft-sell approach, which produces the risks discussed in the last paragraph.
The correct answer is A.

Q3). The primary purpose of the passage is to
A. point out the risks involved in the use of a particular advertising strategy
B. make a case for the superiority of one advertising strategy over another
C. illustrate the ways in which two advertising strategies may be implemented
D. present the advantages and disadvantages of two advertising strategies
E. contrast the types of target markets for which two advertising strategies are appropriate
Inference
Overall, the passage is concerned with two advertising strategies. The first paragraph introduces the strategies. The second paragraph explains how a particular aspect of one approach may be both positive and negative and how thesecond approach mitigates these problems. The third paragraph continues this discussion of mitigation, while the fourth paragraph points out that there are drawbacks to this approach, too. Thus, according to the passage, both strategies have positive and negative aspects.
A. The passage is concerned not with one particular advertising strategy but with two, and it discusses benefits, as well as risks, involved with both strategies.
B. The passage does not suggest that one strategy is superior to the other but rather that each has positive and negative aspects.
C. The passage does not discuss how to implement either of the strategies it is concerned with; instead, it deals with how consumers are likely to respond once the implementation has already taken place.
D. Correct. The passage is primarily concerned with showing that both of the strategies described have advantages and disadvantages.
E. The passage provides some indirect grounds for inferring the target markets for which each advertising strategy might be appropriate, but it is not primarily concerned with contrasting those markets.
The correct answer is D.

Q4). Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 25–28 in the context of the passage as a whole?
A. It reiterates a distinction between two advertising strategies that is made in the first paragraph.
B. It explains how a particular strategy avoids a drawback described earlier in the paragraph.
C. It suggests that a risk described earlier in the paragraph is less serious than some researchers believe it to be.
D. It outlines why the strategy described in the previous sentence involves certain risks for an advertiser.
E. It introduces an argument that will be refuted in the following paragraph.
Evaluation
The sentence in lines 25–28 explains how the kinds of conclusions consumers are invited to draw based on the soft-sell approach reduce the risk that consumers will respond with resentment, distrust, and counterargumentation—that is, the possible boomerang effect identified earlier in the paragraph as a drawback of the hard-sell approach.
A. The sentence does not reiterate the distinction between the hard- and softsoftsell approaches; rather, it explains an advantage of the soft-sell approach.
B. Correct. The sentence explains how the soft-sell approach avoids the problems that can arise from the hard-sell approach’s explicitly stated conclusions.
C. The sentence suggests that the risk of boomerang effects described earlier in the paragraph is serious but that a different approach can mitigate it.
D. The sentence outlines why the strategy described in the previous sentence reduces advertisers’ risks, not why it involves risks.
E. At no point does the passage refute the idea that implicit conclusions reduce the risk of boomerang effects. It does say that there could be drawbacks to the soft-sell approach, but those drawbacks are related to the problem with implicit conclusions themselves and how people reach them. In addition, the following paragraph does not mention the drawbacks, only the advantages of implicit conclusions.
The correct answer is B.

Q5). It can be inferred from the passage that one situation in which the boomerang effect often occurs is when consumers
A. have been exposed to forceful claims that are diametrically opposed to those in an advertiser’s message
B. have previous self-generated beliefs or conclusions that are readily accessible from memory
C. are subjected to advertising messages that are targeted at specific markets to which those consumers do not belong
D. are confused regarding the point of the advertiser’s message
E. come to view the advertiser’s message with suspicion
Inference
The passage discusses the boomerang effect in the second paragraph. This effect is defined as consumers deriving conclusions from advertising that are the opposite of those that advertisers intended to present, and it occurs when consumers resent and/or distrust what they are being told.
A. The passage provides no grounds for inferring that consumers need to be exposed to opposing claims in order to believe such claims; they may reach opposing claims on their own.
B. The passage indicates that the boomerang effect can be reduced by using a soft-sell approach, which can result in self-generated conclusionsbut it provides no evidence about any possible effects of preexisting self-generated beliefs or conclusions on the boomerang effect.
C. The passage does not address how consumers who are subjected to advertising messages not intended for them might respond.
D. Confusion regarding the point of the advertiser’s message is more likely to occur, the passage suggests, when advertisers use a soft-sell approach—but it is the hard-sell approach, not the soft-sell, that is likely to result in the boomerang effect.
E. Correct. The second paragraph indicates that consumers who resent being told what to believe and come to distrust the advertiser’s message—that is, those who view the message with suspicion—may experience a boomerang effect, believing the opposite of the conclusions offered.
The correct answer is E.

Q6). It can be inferred from the passage that the research mentioned in line 29 supports which of the following statements?
A. Implicit conclusions are more likely to capture accurately the point of the advertiser’s message than are explicit conclusions.
B. Counterargumentation is less likely to occur if an individual’s beliefs or conclusions are readily accessible from memory.
C. The hard-sell approach results in conclusions that are more difficult for the consumer to recall than are conclusions resulting from the soft-sell approach.
D. When the beliefs of others are presented as definite and forceful claims, they are perceived to be as accurate as self-generated beliefs.
E. Despite the advantages of implicit conclusions, the hard-sell approach involves fewer risks for the advertiser than does the soft-sell approach.
Inference
The research this item refers to—research on consumer memory and judgment— indicates that beliefs are more memorable when they are self-generated and so matter when making judgments and decisions. Further, self-generated beliefs seem more believable to those who have them than beliefs that come from elsewhere.
A. The fourth paragraph indicates that implicit conclusions are more likely tofail to replicate the advertiser’s message than explicit conclusions are.
B. The research discussed in the passage does not address when counterargumentation is more or less likely to occur. Even though counterargumentation is a risk when consumers distrust the advertiser’s message—as they may do when harder-to-recall explicit conclusions are given—it may be as much of a risk when consumers reach an implicit conclusion that is readily accessible from memory.
C. Correct. The research indicates that it is easier for consumers to recall conclusions they have reached on their own—that is, the sorts of conclusions that are encouraged by the soft-sell approach—than conclusions that have been provided explicitly, as happens in the hard-sell approach.
D. The research does not show that the forcefulness with which claims are presented increases perceptions of the accuracy of those claims. Indeed, it is most likely the opposite, as the forcefulness of others’ claims may make them seem even less related to any conclusions the consumer might generate for him- or herself.
E. The research suggests that it is the soft-sell, not the hard-sell, approach that has fewer risks. The fourth paragraph indicates that there could be some risks to the implicit conclusions that consumers draw, but this is not part of the research in question.
The correct answer is C.