#21 - Global Reference, Main Point

[Administrator]

Global Reference, Main Point
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=11403)

The correct answer choice is (C).

The main point of the passage can be found in the final paragraph, in lines 49-56 (“Integrated producers......furnace operation"). These lines highlight the author's argument: they are asserting the two reasons why integrated producers have been unable to compete with minimills. Those two reasons are listed in answer choice (C).

[na02]

I have trouble understanding why the answer is C, because I thought it was too specific to be a main point answer. The answer talks about avoiding costs of "iron-smelting process" which is one of the ways minimills and specialty-steel mills are economical, but I chose B because I thought that was broader and thus encompasses the overall message of the passage.
Would you please explain?

Many thanks!

[Brook Miscoski]

nao2,

Answer choice (B) encompasses less of the passage because it is confined to an assertion about minimills, when the passage discussed minimills, specialty mills, and their success compared to integrated producers. Thus (C) is the broad choice that encompasses the whole passage. Also, the introductory and closing remarks of the passage indicate that its point is to show how some parts of the steel industry are better off than others, and (C) captures that.