Explanation
In this question, the answer choices slant in the correct
direction, which is that outsourcing is subject to concerns and may fail to
achieve what it's praised for. So we will have to get more precise. The "likely
motivation" phrase in the question doesn't want us or require us to engage of
mind-reading of people we don't know; the answer will be most likely because it
has been stated or implied by the passage, and the other answer choices will
have objective defects. Let's find objective defects. (A) is
out because the other grants, in the last phrase, that the responsibilities are
not clear. (B) should remain in, as it's close to the
author's first big concern about brand and product. (C) is plausible, but I
don't think prices were discussed. I go back and check: indeed, there is no
mention of prices. We hear that costs are lowered, but costs could be lowered
without prices being lowered. (C) is out. (D), like
(A), is too harsh on the companies to fit the passage. The author raises the
possibility that workers benefit little, but not as an express objective of the
companies--who don't, after all, have a clear enough picture of this fact to be
responsible, and (D) is inconsistent with that fact. (E) is
way off, because no noble motivation has been ascribed to the companies. We
confirm that (B) is correct: in outsourcing, the company "sends a message that
product quality is central to its operations" (12-13); this comment and the
following phrase imply that the company is making conscious decisions that
marketing brand is more important.
The correct answer is (B).
Passage 2
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