The Chabberton Post-Gazette reported that the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before. The Post-Gazette based that conclusion on a survey of all retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years: these stores, taken together, had a smaller sales volume last year than the year before.
Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the Post-Gazette's conclusion?
A study compared a sample of Swedish people older than 75 who needed in-home assistance with a similar sample of Israeli people. The people in the two samples received both informal assistance, provided by family and friends, and formal assistance, professionally provided. Although Sweden and Israel have equally well-funded and comprehensive systems for providing formal assistance, the study found that the people in the Swedish sample received more formal assistance, on average, than those in the Israeli sample.
Which of the following, if true, does most to explain the difference that the study found?