Q.6 In the last few years, several new shopping malls were opened in the city. The
total number of visitors in the malls is impressive. However, the total revenue
generated through sales in the shops in these malls is generally low.
Which one of the following is the CORRECT logical inference based on the
information in the above passage?
(A) Fewer people are visiting the malls but spending more
(B) More people are visiting the malls but not spending enough
(C) More people are visiting the malls and spending more
(D) Fewer people are visiting the malls and not spending enough
The correct logical inference from the passage is option (B): More people are visiting the malls but not spending enough.
This conclusion directly follows from the two key facts stated: impressive visitor numbers paired with generally low sales revenue.
Passage Breakdown
The passage states that new shopping malls attract an impressive total number of visitors, yet generate low revenue from shop sales.
“Impressive” indicates high footfall or more visitors than expected, while “generally low” revenue points to insufficient spending per visitor.
No other factors like pricing or external events are mentioned, so the inference relies solely on these contrasting metrics.
Option Analysis
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(A) Fewer people are visiting the malls but spending more: Incorrect, as “impressive” visitors contradict fewer people, and low revenue rules out higher spending.
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(B) More people are visiting the malls but not spending enough: Correct, matching high visitors with low revenue exactly.
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(C) More people are visiting the malls and spending more: Wrong, since more spending would produce high—not low—revenue.
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(D) Fewer people are visiting the malls and not spending enough: Fails because impressive visitors mean more, not fewer, people.
The shopping malls high visitors low revenue paradox appears in competitive exams like CSIR NET, GATE, and others, testing logical inference skills. This question highlights how to draw conclusions strictly from given facts without assumptions.
Why High Footfall Doesn’t Mean High Sales
New shopping malls draw impressive crowds, yet shop revenues stay low. Logical inference points to more visitors not spending enough—visitors browse, dine elsewhere, or prefer online shopping. Real-world data shows malls face this: record footfall but flat sales due to “window shopping.”
Step-by-Step Inference for CSIR NET
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Identify key phrases: “Impressive” = high/more visitors; “generally low” = poor revenue.
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Eliminate contradictions: Options implying fewer visitors or high spending fail.
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Match directly: High visitors + low sales = more people, insufficient spending.
This approach scores in CSIR NET Part A logical reasoning (10-15% weightage).
Exam Strategies for Similar Questions
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Stick to passage facts—avoid external knowledge.
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Use “however” as a contrast signal for inferences.
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Practice with GATE/CSIR past papers: High visitors low revenue repeats.
Mastering shopping malls high visitors low revenue logical inference boosts accuracy in inference-based MCQs.


