PrepTest 123, Section 3, Question 2
By Brandon Beaver | Published October 29, 2024
Type: Strengthen
Difficulty:
Explanations
Why might this be? Consider what might affect a gas bill.
Maybe Jimmy got a roommate. Maybe Jimmy had it installed right before the cold season so he’s using more gas. Maybe prices went up.
There are lots of reasons a gas bill increases despite having a new, energy-efficient appliance.
A
Bingo. This doesn’t help us understand why the gas bill went up, so this is the answer.
B
Nah. This was one of our predictions—maybe Jimmy got a new roommate (his uncle) so his gas consumption increased.
C
Nope. We didn’t predict this one, but it helps us understand the increase nonetheless. Jimmy liked his new appliance so much that he got another gas-powered appliance, increasing his consumption.
D
Wrong again. We predicted this one, too—Jimmy’s gas company raised rates on him, so his bill went up despite the new appliance.
E
Nope. This helps us understand, and is sort of like our “cold season” prediction. Jimmy installed the appliance before a cold snap, so his gas bill went up due to increased consumption.
Passage
After replacing his old gas water heater with a new, pilotless, gas water heater that is rated as highly efficient, Jimmy's gas bills increased.
Question 2
Each of the following, if true, contributes to an explanation of the increase mentioned above EXCEPT:
The new water heater uses a smaller percentage of the gas used by Jimmy's household than did the old one.
Shortly after the new water heater was installed, Jimmy's uncle came to live with him, doubling the size of the household.
After having done his laundry at a laundromat, Jimmy bought and started using a gas dryer when he replaced his water heater.
Jimmy's utility company raised the rates for gas consumption following installation of the new water heater.
Unusually cold weather following installation of the new water heater resulted in heavy gas usage.