Question

A report that many apples contain a cancer-causing preservative called Alar apparently had little effect on consumers. Few consumers planned to change their apple-buying habits as a result of the report. Nonetheless, sales of apples in grocery stores fell sharply in March, a month after the report was issued.

Which of the following, if true, best explains the reason for the apparent discrepancy described above?
(A) In March, many grocers removed apples from their shelves in order to demonstrate concern about their customers' health.
(B) Because of a growing number of food-safety warnings, consumers in March were indifferent to such warnings.
(C) The report was delivered on television and also appeared in newspapers.
(D) The report did not mention that any other fruit contains Alar, although the preservative is used on other fruit.
(E) Public health officials did not believe that apples posed a health threat because only minute traces of Alar were present in affected apples.

Answer 1

(A) In March, many grocers removed apples from their shelves in order to demonstrate concern about their customers' health.

Step-by-step explanation:

Option A is the right answer, this is because, option A tells us the reason why the sales of apples fell in the following month.

In other words, since majority of the consumers are indifferent to the report, then, considering the listed options, it can only be the unavailability of the apples that caused the sharp reduction in sales.

Hence, the correct answer is "In March, many grocers removed apples from their shelves in order to demonstrate concern about their customers' health."