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Metro Ballet Company presents high-quality productions of traditional, classical ballet. For the past several years, however, the company's overall profits have been declining, and ticket sales have been flat. Annual audience surveys indicate that a majority of those who attend Metro Ballet productions consistently enjoy the performances and prefer classical ballet to other forms of dance; almost all of them have been attending Metro Ballet for several years. General surveys of area residents indicate, however, that very few are aware of Metro Ballet productions, and most imagine that the performances are boring and the tickets too expensive. In an effort to appeal to a wider audience, over the past decade the company has spent increasing amounts of money on spectacular stage productions, while lowering ticket prices.
In the first column, select the strategy that, in the absence of the other alternatives listed, would lead most directly to decreasing Metro Ballet's expenses for its classical ballet productions. In the second column, select the strategy that, in the absence of the other alternatives listed, would constitute the most direct approach to solving the problem of increasing audience size for Metro Ballet's classical ballet productions. Make only two selections, one in each column.
Decrease expenses
Increase audience size
Obtain public funding to double the spending on stage productions without increasing ticket prices
Return spending on productions to levels of several years ago
Expand productions to include modern, folk, and tap dance traditions
Offer special discounts to reward people who have attended the greatest number of performances
Mount a local advertising campaign emphasizing the affordability and excitement of Metro Ballet's spectacular stage productions
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
| "Metro Ballet Company presents high-quality productions of traditional, classical ballet" |
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| "profits have been declining, and ticket sales have been flat" |
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| "majority of those who attend...consistently enjoy the performances and prefer classical ballet" |
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| "very few are aware of Metro Ballet productions, and most imagine that the performances are boring and the tickets too expensive" |
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| "spent increasing amounts of money on spectacular stage productions, while lowering ticket prices" |
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After analyzing the passage, we can see:
Part 1: Which strategy would most directly decrease expenses for classical ballet productions?
Part 2: Which strategy would most directly increase audience size?
For decreasing expenses, we should look for:
For increasing audience size, we should look for:
For Part 1: The most direct way to decrease expenses would be to reduce spending on productions, especially since increased spending hasn't helped.
For Part 2: The most direct way to increase audience would be to inform the public about Metro Ballet and correct their misconceptions through advertising.
Let's examine each option:
For Part 1 (Decrease expenses): "Return spending on productions to levels of several years ago"
For Part 2 (Increase audience size): "Mount a local advertising campaign emphasizing the affordability and excitement of Metro Ballet's spectacular stage productions"
Public funding option: Students might think this helps with expenses because the company doesn't pay, but the question asks about decreasing expenses overall, not just shifting who pays.
Expanding dance styles: This seems like it could attract new audiences, but it ignores that current loyal customers prefer classical ballet and doesn't address the awareness problem.
Loyalty discounts: This might seem like audience building, but it only rewards existing customers rather than attracting new ones.