Question

Difficulty: MediumInferential Comprehension and Deduction

Read the passage below carefully and evaluate the statement that follows:

In the historical textile hub of Iseyin in Oyo State, master weavers of traditional Aso-Oke cloth have long maintained artisanal handlooms passed down through family lineages. Recently, however, the market has been flooded with cheap, factory-milled synthetic replicas imported from abroad, threatening the economic survival of local craft guilds. Rather than abandoning their heritage or surrendering entirely to industrial automation, a new generation of young weavers has integrated digital pattern-design software into their pre-weaving setup while strictly retaining the manual treadle-weaving process. This hybrid approach enables them to produce complex customized motifs at three times their former speed without sacrificing the distinctive texture and heavy drape that authentic handwoven Aso-Oke commands. Consequently, high-end fashion houses in Lagos and Abuja have begun placing substantial advance orders, preferring these modern handwoven variants over both fully automated factory prints and slower traditional weaves. Guild leaders now maintain that technology-assisted craftsmanship, rather than rigid traditionalism or complete mechanization, offers the viable path forward.

Statement: High-end fashion houses prefer the modern hybrid Aso-Oke primarily because it is cheaper to purchase than imported synthetic replicas.

Is the statement TRUE or FALSE based on the passage?

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is FALSE. The passage indicates that high-end fashion houses prefer the hybrid Aso-Oke because it maintains authentic handwoven texture and drape while improving production speed, not because it is cheaper than imported synthetic replicas.
The statement is false because textual evidence shows that high-end fashion houses prefer hybrid Aso-Oke due to its authentic handwoven quality, weight, and enhanced production speed, whereas synthetic replicas are identified as cheap alternatives.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the claim made in the statement regarding the motive behind high-end fashion house purchases.
The statement claims that preference is driven primarily by lower price relative to synthetic imports.
Evaluating a deductive claim requires isolating the proposed cause-and-effect relationship.
2
Cross-reference the claim with evidence provided in the text concerning market dynamics and buyer motivation.
The text characterizes synthetic imports as cheap, while attributing fashion house preference to preserved texture, drape, and faster delivery compared to traditional weaves.
Accurate deduction requires relying strictly on textual evidence rather than external assumptions about pricing.

Key Concept

Inferential Comprehension and Deduction
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