#5 - Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14297)

The correct answer choice is (A)

At first glance, this seems to be a challenging question due to the unusual nature of the question
stem. Upon closer reading, you should recognize that it is just another Must Be True question, asking
you to identify a likely consequence of adopting the new model of digital publishing described in the
first two paragraphs.

Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. Although not explicitly stated in the
passage, we can infer that the new printing machines will require a whole range of products (paper,
binding material, etc.) needed to print and bind the books at point of sale. While digital publishing
does not involve “physical inventory” (line 17), it still entails making books “on demand” using
paper and binding materials.

Answer choice (B): Whether used bookstores will increase in popularity is entirely unknown. This
might be a likely consequence of a scenario in which printed books are displaced by digitized books
that are read mainly on computer screens (lines 2-6). The author clearly rejects this hypothesis,
arguing that consumers will continue to prefer reading books printed on actual paper. We therefore
have no reason to suspect that used books will suddenly surge in popularity.

Answer choice (C): There is no reason to expect that publishers will cut the “middle man” and start
selling their own books. Under the new model, publishers will continue to rely on retailers to sell the
books they print on demand; the only difference is that retailers no longer need to display or stock
physical copies of books they sell.

Answer choice (D): Because digitized books will be printed and bound before being sold to
consumers, demand for the services of copy editors and book designers is unlikely to decrease.

Answer choice (E): As with answer choice (A), demand for book-grade paper will only decrease
if the alternative scenario described in the first paragraph were to become true, i.e. if the Internet
rendered printed books obsolete (lines 2-6). This is not the author’s prediction, and does not
represent the scenario described in the first two paragraphs of the passage.

[alee]

Hi,

Regarding PT 66, Section 1, q5, how do we distinguish between:

(A) The need for warehousing will shift mainly from that of individual books to that of paper and binding material to make books.

and

(C) Most publishers will sell their own books individually and will not use distributors or retailers.

2 questions:

1. Is (C) incorrect because, as mentioned in line 8, there will still be book printing machines at 'points of sale', thereby suggesting that publishers will still have to distribute 'book printing machines' and and have retailers (i.e. 'points of sale')?

2. Why is (A) correct if at line 16 it is stated the the digital publication of a book online 'involves no physical inventory' - is it because we must also consider the other part of the new economic model (printing these digitally published books)?

Cheers!

[Adam Tyson]

I think you exactly right on both points, alee - the information given doesn't support the idea that retailers will be eliminated, and it does suggest that there will be a need for paper and binding supplies to be kept handy to stock up those printing machines.

Good analysis! Keep up the good work.

Adam

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi alee,

Good questions! Indeed, answer choice (C) is incorrect because there is no evidence that the publishers themselves will start selling their books. Publishers will still rely on retailers ("points of sale"); the only difference is that they no longer need to ship hard copies of the books to the point of sale. Instead, they will rely on specialized printing machines that will turn the digitized text into an actual book on demand.

Although answer choice (A) is not explicitly stated in the text, it is reasonable to assume that the new printing technologies will require a whole range of products (paper, binding material, etc.) needed to print and bind the books purchased at the point of sale. Note that the lack of "physical inventory" (line 17) only refers to the absence of physical books.

Hope this helps!

[angie23]

I know someone asked about this question, but I still do not understand it. I do not understand why A) is correct especially since in the passage the author says the cost of warehousing will be eliminated. How do I know that the cost of warehousing only applies to book products? Does lines 17-20 implies that, because I did not see how it does.

[Steve Stein]

Hi Angie,

With regard to question #5, although not explicitly stated in the passage, we can infer that the new printing machines will require a whole range of products (paper, binding material, etc.) needed to print and bind the books at point of sale. While digital publishing does not involve “physical inventory” (line 17), it still entails making books “on demand” using paper and binding materials.Were there other answer choices that you found appealing in response to that question? That's always a great question to consider, because in many cases the right answer won't match your prephrase with perfect precision.

I hope that's helpful! Please let me know whether this is clear--thanks!

~Steve

[15veries]

Why is E wrong?
I thought if the movement from digital to paper book started, there will be decrease in need of book grade paper...

[Adam Tyson]

Hey 15, thanks for the question. The point of the passage is not that there will be a shift from paper to digital, but rather that the availability of digital publishing will give rise to printing on-demand. In the early parts of the passage that this question asks about, the author is suggesting that the printed and bound book will still exist, but that it will be printed on site at regional sites as customers choose to buy books. That would include printing older manuscripts that in the traditional model would be unavailable because they are no longer in print.

There's no indication that people will want fewer printed books, so the demand for book-grade paper will still be there. The change will be that, instead of books being printed in large quantities and then warehoused, they will be printed on site at the regional sites by the new machines our author envisions. We still need paper, but we need it in a different location for a different mode of publishing.

I hope that clears up the confusion!

[bli2016]

Hi, I have read the explanations above but I'm not sure if I completely understand why A is correct and C is incorrect. I feel like the two answer choices both require a degree of extrapolation because there is no explicit evidence in the passage that supports either one, so I am wondering if A is the answer simply because it is relatively more supported than C. I apologize if I am just not reading the previous responses carefully enough, but if someone could explain to me in other terms the difference between A and C, that would be greatly appreciated.

[Francis O'Rourke]

Hi Bli,

I think that Nikki explained it best above.

Publishers will still rely on retailers ("points of sale"); the only difference is that they no longer need to ship hard copies of the books to the point of sale. Instead, they will rely on specialized printing machines that will turn the digitized text into an actual book on demand.

We can find evidence for this in lines 6-9

But it is more likely, I believe, that most digital files of books will be printed and bound on demand at point of sale by machines that can quickly and inexpensively make single copies...

This is direct evidence that, in the scenario presented in this passage, most books will still be sold through retailers or distributers, which is the exact opposite of what answer choice (C) states.

Looking for information that disproves an answer choice will be a lot easier than looking for explicit support without any degree of extrapolation. The question itself, in asking which would be most likely, indicates that finding what you are asking for may be impossible .