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Critical Reasoning 3

Terms in this set (47)

E Correct. If most of the donations were from people who hadn't donated before, then the fund-raisers must have contacted lots of those unlikely prospects and been quite successful in persuading them to donate.
Southington University's fund-raisers succeeded in getting donations from 80 percent of the potential donors they contacted this year. This rate would be the expected rate if the only potential donors contacted were those who have donated in the past. But good fund-raisers constantly contact less likely prospects in an effort to expand the donor base. Thus the high success rate, far from showing that the fund-raisers did a good job, shows insufficient canvassing effort.Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
Among potential donors contacted by Southington University's fund-raisers, the majority of those who did not make donations were people who had made donations to the university in the past.

The amount of money raised by Southington University's fund-raisers this year was lower than the amount they had raised in any of the previous several years.

Individual donations made to Southington University this year were, on average, slightly larger than were average individual donations made to many other universities.

Fund-raisers contacting past donors are not only likely to get new donations but also to get names of potential new donors to contact.

The majority of the donations that fund-raisers succeeded in getting for Southington University were from donors who had never given to the university before.
A Correct. The information presented does not clearly support a conclusion about whether it's economically beneficial for coal-burning utilities to minimize their coal-purchasing costs. Therefore, utilities relying solely on this information cannot be assured that it is.
Electric utilities pay less for low-quality coal per ton delivered than for high-quality coal. Yet more low-quality coal than high-quality coal must be burned to generate the same amount of electricity. Moreover, per ton of coal burned, low-quality coal generates more ash than does high-quality coal, and the disposal of ash is becoming more and more expensive.The considerations above, if true, most strongly support which of the following claims?

A coal-burning utility might not be assured of benefiting economically by always adhering to the policy of keeping its overall coal purchasing costs as low as possible.

In those regions where the cost of disposing of coal ash is negligible, it is more expensive for coal-burning utilities to use high-quality coal than low-quality coal.
Transportation costs represent a smaller proportion of the cost per delivered ton for low-quality coal than for high-quality coal.

It is no less expensive to dispose of a ton of coal ash that results from the burning of high-quality coal than it is to dispose of a ton of coal ash that results from the burning of low-quality coal.

In regions where coal-ash disposal is the least expensive, reserves of low-quality coal are likely to decline at a faster rate than are reserves of high-quality coal.
C Correct. If this statement were false, the lawmakers would adequately allow for the potential effects of evasion. In that case, the revenue collected from compliant taxpayers would always offset the evaders' shortfalls. A need to repeatedly increase taxes might arise from other causes, but not from shortfalls caused by evasion. So the account given in the passage cannot be true unless answer choice C is also true.
When people evade income taxes by not declaring taxable income, a vicious cycle results. Tax evasion forces lawmakers to raise income tax rates, which causes the tax burden on nonevading taxpayers to become heavier. This, in turn, encourages even more taxpayers to evade income taxes by hiding taxable income.The vicious cycle described above could not result unless which of the following were true?

An increase in tax rates tends to function as an incentive for taxpayers to try to increase their pretax incomes.
Some methods for detecting tax evaders, and thus recovering some tax revenue lost through evasion, bring in more than they cost, but their success rate varies from year to year.

When lawmakers establish income tax rates in order to generate a certain level of revenue, they do not allow adequately for revenue that will be lost through evasion.

No one who routinely hides some taxable income can be induced by a lowering of tax rates to stop hiding such income unless fines for evaders are raised at the same time.

Taxpayers do not differ from each other with respect to the rate of taxation that will cause them to evade taxes.
D Correct. Given the reasonable assumption that the ratio of women to men among the general population of twenty- and twenty-one-year-olds was roughly the same in 1981 as in 1959, this comparison would be useful. If, among twenty- and twenty-one-year-old men, the percentage enrolled in college increased more than the percentage among women of those ages, the evidence in the passage would not support the conclusion. If, among men of those ages, the percentage enrolled in college increased less than, or to the same extent as, the percentage among women of those ages, the conclusion would be well supported.
The proportion of women among students enrolled in higher education programs has increased over the past decades. This is partly shown by the fact that in 1959, only 11 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college, while in 1981, 30 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college.To evaluate the argument above, it would be most useful to compare 1959 and 1981 with regard to which of the following characteristics?

The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-one who were not enrolled in college

The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-five who graduated from college

The percentage of women who, after attending college, entered highly paid professions

The percentage of men between twenty and twenty-one who were enrolled in college

The percentage of men who graduated from high school
D
D
C
C
A
E
D
A
B
A
In Stenland, many workers have been complaining that they cannot survive on minimum wage, the lowest wage an employer is permitted to pay. The government is proposing to raise the minimum wage. Many employers who pay their workers the current minimum wage argue that if it is raised, unemployment will increase because they will no longer be able to afford to employ as many workers.Which of the following, if true in Stenland, most strongly supports the claim that raising the minimum wage there will not have the effects that the employers predict?(A) For any position with wages below a living wage, the difficulty of finding and retaining employees adds as much to employment costs as would raising wages.(B) Raising the minimum wage does not also increase the amount employers have to contribute in employee benefits.(C) When inflation is taken into account, the proposed new minimum wage is not high as the current one was when it was introduced.(D) Many employees currently being paid wages at the level of the proposed new minimum wage will demand significant wage increases.(E) Many employers who pay some workers only the minimum wage also pay other workers wages that are much higher than the minimum.
B
In general, jobs are harder to get in times of economic recession because many businesses cut back operations. However, any future recessions in Vargonia will probably not reduce the availability of teaching jobs at government-funded schools. This is because Vargonia has just introduced a legal requirement that education in government-funded schools be available, free of charge, to all Vargonian children regardless of the state of the economy, and that current student-teacher ratios not be exceeded.Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?(A) The current student-teacher ratio at Vargonia's government-funded schools is higher than it was during the most recent period of economic recession.(B) During recent periods when the Vargonian economy has been strong, almost 25 percent of Vargonian children have attended privately funded schools, many of which charge substantial fees.(C) Nearly 20 percent more teachers are currently employed in Vargonia's government-funded schools than had been employed in those schools in the period before the last economic recession.(D) Teachers in Vargonia's government-funded schools are well paid relative to teachers in most privately funded schools in Vargonia, many of which rely heavily on part-time teachers.(E) During the last economic recession in Vargonia, the government permanently closed a number of the schools that it had funded
C
Between 1980 and 2000 the sea otter population of the Aleutian Islands declined precipitously. There were no signs of disease or malnutrition, so there was probably an increase in the number of otters being eaten by predators. Orcas will eat otters when seals, their normal prey, are unavailable, and the Aleutian Islands seal population declined dramatically in the 1980s. Therefore, orcas were most likely the immediate cause of the otter population decline.Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument'?(A) The population of sea urchins, the main food of sea otters, has increased since the sea otter population declined.(B) Seals do not eat sea otters, nor do they compete with sea otters for food.(C) Most of the surviving sea otters live in a bay that is inaccessible to orcas.(D) The population of orcas in the Aleutian Islands has declined since the 1980s.(E) An increase in commercial fishing near the Aleutian Islands in the 1980s caused a slight decline in the population of the fish that seals use for food.
C
A moderately large city is redesigning its central downtown area and is considering a plan that would reduce the number of lanes for automobiles and trucks and increase those for bicycles and pedestrians. The intent is to attract more workers and shoppers to downtown businesses by making downtown easier to reach and more pleasant to move around in.Which of the following would, if true, most strongly support the prediction that the plan would achieve its goal?(A) People who make a habit of walking or bicycling whenever feasible derive significant health benefits from doing so.(B) Most people who prefer to shop at suburban malls instead of downtown urban areas do so because parking is easier and cheaper at the former.(C) In other moderately sized cities where measures were taken to make downtowns more accessible for walkers and cyclists, downtown businesses began to thrive.(D) If the proposed lane restrictions on drivers are rigorously enforced, more people will likely be attracted to downtown businesses than would otherwise be.(E) Most people who own and frequently ride bicycles for recreational purposes live at a significant distance from downtown urban areas.
E
Since smoking-related illnesses are a serious health problem in Normark, and since addiction to nicotine prevents many people from quitting smoking, the government of Normark plans to reduce the maximum allowable quantity of nicotine per cigarette by half over the next five years. However, reducing the quantity of nicotine per cigarette will probably cause people addicted to nicotine to smoke more cigarettes. Therefore implementing this plan is unlikely to reduce the incidence of smoking related illnesses.Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument about the consequences of implementing the Normarkian government's plan.(A) Over half of the nonsmoking adults in Normark have smoked cigarettes in the past.(B) most cigarettes currently sold in Normark contain somewhat less than the maximum amount of nicotine permitted by law.(C) Inexpensive, smoke-free sources of nicotine, such as nicotine gum and nicotine skin patches, have recently become available in Normark.(D) Many smokers in Normark already spend a large proportion of their disposable income on cigarettes.(E) The main cause of smoking-related illnesses is not nicotine but tar in cigarette smoke.
C
Budget constraints have made police officials consider reassigning a considerable number of officers from traffic enforcement to work on higher-priority, serious crimes. Reducing traffic enforcement for this reason would be counterproductive, however, in light of the tendency of criminals to use cars when engaged in the commission of serious crimes. An officer stopping a car for a traffic violation can make a search that turns up evidence of serious crime.Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument given?(A) An officer who stops a car containing evidence of the commission of a serious crime risks a violent confrontation, even if the vehicle was stopped only for a traffic violation.(B) When the public becomes aware that traffic enforcement has lessened, it typically becomes lax in obeying traffic rules.(C) Those willing to break the law to commit serious crimes are often in committing such crimes unwilling to observe what they regard as the lesser constraints of traffic law.(D) The offenders committing serious crimes who would be caught because of traffic violations are not the same group of individuals as those who would be caught if the arresting officers were reassigned from traffic enforcement.(E) The great majority of persons who are stopped by officers for traffic violations are not guilty of any serious crimes.
A * (A) The fire department traces all alarm calls made from private telephones and records where they came from.
The commissioner claims that the number of prank calls would be reduced if people could only report fires with private telephones rather than with public fire alarm boxes. But what if people could still make anonymous reports from their private telephones? That would weaken the commissioners argument. Choice (A) assures us that the private calls will, in fact, be traced, likely discouraging people from making prank calls from their private telephones. Thus, (A) supports the commissioner's claim.
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B) Maintaining the fire alarm boxes costs Springfield approximately five million dollars annually.
The cost of maintaining the fire alarm boxes has nothing to do with the effect that removing those boxes would have on the number of prank calls or people's ability to report fires. Eliminate (B).
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(C) A telephone call can provide the fire department with more information about the nature and size of a fire than can an alarm placed from an alarm box.
Choice (C) describes a possible advantage of reporting fires with private telephones instead of fire alarm boxes. However, as with choice (B), this has nothing to do with the effect that removing those boxes would have on the number of prank calls or people's ability to report fires. (C) is out.
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(D) Responding to false alarms significantly reduces the fire department's capacity for responding to fires.
Choice (D) explains a negative consequence of prank calls but does give us any reason to believe that removing the fire alarm boxes would reduce the number of prank calls. Eliminate (D).
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(E) On any given day, a significant percentage of the public telephones in Springfield are out of service.
Choice (E) might strengthen the commissioner's claim that the "alarm boxes have outlived their usefulness," but it does not support the commissioner's claim that the proposal "will reduce the number of prank calls without hampering people's ability to report a fire." Eliminate (E).
Springfield Fire Commissioner: The vast majority of false fire alarms are prank calls made anonymously from fire alarm boxes on street corners. Since virtually everyone has access to a private telephone, these alarm boxes have outlived their usefulness. Therefore, we propose to remove the boxes. Removing the boxes will reduce the number of prank calls without hampering people's ability to report a fire.Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the claim that the proposal, if carried out, will have the announced effect?(A) The fire department traces all alarm calls made from private telephones and records where they came from.(B) Maintaining the fire alarm boxes costs Springfield approximately five million dollars annually.(C) A telephone call can provide the fire department with more information about the nature and size of a fire than can an alarm placed from an alarm box.(D) Responding to false alarms significantly reduces the fire department's capacity for responding to fires.(E) On any given day, a significant percentage of the public telephones in Springfield are out of service.
C
Often patients with ankle fractures that are stable, and thus do not require surgery, are given follow-up x-ray because their orthopedists are concerned about possibly having misjudged the stability of the fracture. When a number of follow-up x-rays were reviewed, however, all the fractures that had initially been judged stable were found to have healed correctly. Therefore, it is a waste of money to order follow-up x-rays of ankle fracture initially judged stable.Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?(A) Doctors who are general practitioners rather than orthopedists are less likely than orthopedists to judge the stability of an ankle fracture correctly.(B) Many ankle injuries for which an initial x-ray is ordered are revealed by the x-ray not to involve any fracture of the ankle.(C) X-rays of patients of many different orthopedists working in several hospitals were reviewed.(D) The healing of ankle fractures that have been surgically repaired is always checked by means of a follow-up x-ray.(E) Orthopedists routinely order follow-up x-rays for fractures of bone other than ankle bones.
B * A. The effect noted in the studies is not limited to patrons who have credit cards. - Ok. But do people who don't have credit cards tip higher or lower than people with credit cards? The option statement doesn't provide this. Without this information, this statement doesn't have an impact on the hypothesis. If it had stated that people without credit cards tip lower than others when presented with trays with credit card logo, then it would have strengthened the hypothesis.B. Patrons who are under financial pressure from their credit-card obligations tend to tip less when presented with a restaurant bill on a tray with credit-card logo than when the tray has no logo. - This is interesting. This says that guys under credit card obligations tend to tip less when presented with trays with credit card logo. This kind of guy has lesser spending power than his available cash, exactly opposite to the case considered in the argument and this guy tips less, which is also exactly opposite the case in the argument. This kind of behavior is expected if the hypothesis holds. Since the hypothesis says that credit card logo reminds one of his spending power - a guy with good credit limit and low credit card obligations is expected to spend more and a guy with high credit card obligations is expected to spend less. Therefore, the given statement provides an evidence that the hypothesis holds in a different scenario. Therefore, this is the CORRECT option.C. In virtually all of the cases in the studies, the patrons who paid bills in cash did not possess credit cards. - This actually weakens the hypothesis. If a guy doesn't have a credit card, how would a credit card logo remind him of his higher spending power?D. In general, restaurant patrons who pay their bills in cash leave larger tips than do those who pay by credit card. - This is irrelevant comparison. We are not concerned with the payment method here.E. The percentage of restaurant bills paid with given brand of credit card increases when that credit card's logo is displayed on the tray with which the bill is prepared. - Again, we are not concerened how the payment is made.
Studies in restaurants show that the tips left by customers who pay their bill in cash tend to be larger when the bill is presented on a tray that bears a credit-card logo. Consumer psychologists hypothesize that simply seeing a credit-card logo makes many credit-card holders willing to spend more because it reminds them that their spending power exceeds the cash they have immediately available.Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the psychologists' interpretation of the studies?A. The effect noted in the studies is not limited to patrons who have credit cards.B. Patrons who are under financial pressure from their credit-card obligations tend to tip less when presented with a restaurant bill on a tray with credit-card logo than when the tray has no logo.C. In virtually all of the cases in the studies, the patrons who paid bills in cash did not possess credit cards.D. In general, restaurant patrons who pay their bills in cash leave larger tips than do those who pay by credit card.E. The percentage of restaurant bills paid with a given brand of credit card increases when that credit card's logo is displayed on the tray with which the bill is prepared.
A
Black Americans are, on the whole, about twice as likely as White Americans to develop high blood pressure. This likelihood also holds for westernized Black Africans when compared to White Africans. Researchers have hypothesized that this predisposition in westernized Blacks may reflect an interaction between western high-salt diets and genes that adapted to an environmental scarcity of salt.Which of the following statements about present-day, westernized Black Africans, if true, would most tend to confirm the researchers' hypothesis?(A) The blood pressures of those descended from peoples situated throughout their history in Senegal and Gambia, where salt was always available, are low.(B) The unusually high salt consumption in certain areas of Africa represents a serious health problem.(C) Because of their blood pressure levels, most White Africans have markedly decreased their salt consumption.(D) Blood pressures are low among the Yoruba, who, throughout their history, have been situated far inland from sources of sea salt and far south of Saharan salt mines.(E) No significant differences in salt metabolism have been found between those people who have had salt available throughout their history and those who have not.
B
Suriland cannot both export wheat and keep bread plentiful and affordable in Suriland. Accordingly, Suriland's wheat farmers are required to sell their crop to the government, which pays them a dollar per bushel less than the price on the world market. Therefore, if the farmers could sell their wheat on the world market, they would make a dollar per bushel more, less any additional transportation and brokerage costs they would have to pay.Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?(A) Suriland's wheat farmers have higher production costs than do farmers in many other wheat-producing countries.(B) Sale of a substantial proportion of Suriland's wheat crop on the world market would probably depress the price of wheat.(C) The transportation and brokerage costs that Suriland's farmers would face if they sold their wheat outside Suriland could amount to almost a dollar per bushel.(D) Suriland is surrounded by countries that do not import any wheat.(E) The price of a bushel of wheat on the world market occasionally drops below the average cost of producing a bushel of wheat in Suriland.
E
In Colorado subalpine meadows, nonnative dandelions co-occur with a native flower, the larkspur. Bumblebees visit both species, creating the potential for interactions between the two species with respect to pollination. In a recent study, researchers selected 16 plots containing both species; all dandelions were removed from eight plots; the remaining eight control plots were left undisturbed. The control plots yielded significantly more larkspur seeds than the dandelion-free plots, leading the researchers to conclude that the presence of dandelions facilitates pollination (and hence seed production) in the native species by attracting more pollinators to the mixed plots.Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the researchers' reasoning?(A) Bumblebees preferentially visit dandelions over larkspurs in mixed plots.(B) In mixed plots, pollinators can transfer pollen from one species to another to augment seed production.(C) If left unchecked, nonnative species like dandelions quickly crowd out native species.(D) Seed germination is a more reliable measure of a species' fitness than seed production.(E) Soil disturbances can result in fewer blooms, and hence lower seed production.
B * A) What happens as people grow older is an entirely separate subject. This question deals with a group of people in general, so zeroing in on a random sub-set, a specific niche within the overall group about what those people can do to stay sharp as they grow old is irrelevant. It's Out Of Focus.B) Yes. Here we're presented with an entirely separate cause as to the correlation between social interaction and a boost in mental skills. If someone is suffering from a medical condition that impacts mental sharpness and that if the illness impacts the willingness to socialize, of course that would artificially boost the correlation between social interaction - and mental sharpness. It's not fair to say that being more social is the cause of possessing greater mental skills then. This option brutalizes the reasoning in the argument.C) If some people are strong at both, that could appears to be aligned with the argument that we're asked to weaken since it shows the presence of both the cause and effect. However, it's just not clear entirely clear how C either strengthens or weakens.D) It's not at all clear how analyzing data vs gathering and analyzing data from prior studies would weaken or strengthen. By itself, this option does nothing. Flawed data is a sucker choice on the GMAT. The GMAT doesn't question the integrity of data. It questions the integrity of the reasoning interpreting the data.E) This option attacks the wrong end of the causal relationship. We need an option that points to an alternative cause of a boost in mental skills (as in we need an option that shows that it's not social interaction that boosts mental skills). This option just attempts to redefine how mental skill is defined by the study, and the option in NO way addresses the cause of the heightened mental skills. Instead, if this option had attacked the cause rather than the effect, then it would weaken too. For example, if it said: "The tasks defining social interaction compiled by the study were more akin to mathematics problems than to social interaction" then this option would then reveal that there is a totally different cause other than social interaction.
It is widely assumed that people need to engage in intellectual activities such as solving crossword puzzles or mathematics problems in order to maintain mental sharpness as they age. In fact, however, simply talking to other people—that is, participating in social interaction, which engages many mental and perceptual skills—suffices. Evidence to this effect comes from a study showing that the more social contact people report, the better their mental skills.Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the force of the evidence cited?(A) As people grow older, they are often advised to keep exercising their physical and mental capacities in order to maintain or improve them.(B) Many medical conditions and treatments that adversely affect a person's mental sharpness also tend to increase that person's social isolation.(C) Many people are proficient both in social interactions and in solving mathematical problems.(D) The study did not itself collect data but analyzed data bearing on the issue from prior studies.(E) The tasks evaluating mental sharpness for which data were compiled by the study were more akin to mathematics problems than to conversation.
E * 1) Read question stem to determine question type.Which of the following statements, if true, would cast the most doubt on the conclusion drawn above?We have a Weaken the Argument question.2) Read passage and summarize premises and the conclusion.PREMISE: Images from GBTs (ground-based telescopes) distorted by atmospherePREMISE: Space telescopes above atmosphere should make detailed imagesCONCLUSION: GBTs to become obsolete for advanced research3) Check the answer choices while reminding yourself of the CONCLUSION.(A) An orbiting space telescope due to be launched this year is far behind schedule and over budget, whereas the largest ground-based telescope was both within budget and on schedule.Does this weaken the conclusion that GBTs will become obsolete for advanced research?These project-management issues do NOT affect the conclusion.ELIMINATE A(B) Ground-based telescopes located on mountain summits are not subject to the kinds of atmospheric distortion which, at low altitudes, make stars appear to twinkle.In other words, high GBTs are better than low GBTs with regard to one particular phenomenon: the twinkling star effect.Does this weaken the conclusion that GBTs will become obsolete for advanced research?Not really. The reason for the soon-to-be demise of GBTs is that they suffer from atmospheric effects.So, regardless of whether some GBTs are immune to ONE TYPE of atmospheric effect, the space telescopes are immune to ALL atmospheric effects.ELIMINATE B(C) By careful choice of observatory location, it is possible for large-aperture telescopes to avoid most of the kind of wind turbulence that can distort image quality.This is similar to answer choice B.In other words, SOME (well-placed) GBTs are better than other GBTs with regard to ONE particular atmospheric phenomenon: wind turbulence.Does this weaken the conclusion that GBTs will become obsolete for advanced research?ELIMINATE C (see answer choice B for rationale)(D) When large-aperture telescopes are located at high altitudes near the equator, they permit the best Earth-based observations of the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, a prime target of astronomical research.This is similar to answer choices B & C.Once again, we're told that SOME GBTs are better than other GBTs for a specific reason.Does this weaken the conclusion that GBTs will become obsolete for advanced research?No.Answer choice D does not suggest that any GBTs are better suited than space telescopes are to study the universe.ELIMINATE D(E) Detailed spectral analyses, upon which astronomers rely for determining the chemical composition and evolutionary history of stars, require telescopes with more light-gathering capacity than space telescopes can provide.Does this weaken the conclusion that GBTs will become obsolete for advanced research?Yes!If space telescopes are too small for certain research, then researches will still need some GBTs to perform the research described above.Answer: E
Images from ground-based telescopes are invariably distorted by the Earth's atmosphere. Orbiting space telescopes, however, operating above Earth's atmosphere, should provide superbly detailed images. Therefore, ground-based telescopes will soon become obsolete for advanced astronomical research purposes.Which of the following statements, if true, would cast the most doubt on the conclusion drawn above?(A) An orbiting space telescope due to be launched this year is far behind schedule and over budget, whereas the largest ground-based telescope was both within budget and on schedule.(B) Ground-based telescopes located on mountain summits are not subject to the kinds of atmospheric distortion which, at low altitudes, make stars appear to twinkle.(C) By careful choice of observatory location, it is possible for large-aperture telescopes to avoid most of the kind of wind turbulence that can distort image quality.(D) When large-aperture telescopes are located at high altitudes near the equator, they permit the best Earth-based observations of the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, a prime target of astronomical research.(E) Detailed spectral analyses, upon which astronomers rely for determining the chemical composition and evolutionary history of stars, require telescopes with more light-gathering capacity than space telescopes can provide.
D
Guidebook writer: I have visited hotels throughout the country and have noticed that in those built before 1930 the quality of the original carpentry work is generally superior to that in hotels built afterward. Clearly carpenters working on hotels before 1930 typically worked with more skill, care, and effort than carpenters who have worked on hotels built subsequently.Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the guidebook writer's argument?(A) The quality of original carpentry in hotels is generally far superior to the quality of original carpentry in other structures, such as houses and stores.(B) Hotels built since 1930 can generally accommodate more guests than those built before 1930.(C) The materials available to carpenters working before 1930 were not significantly different in quality from the materials available to carpenters working after 1930.(D) The better the quality of original carpentry in a building, the less likely that building is to fall into disuse and be demolished.(E) The average length of apprenticeship for carpenters has declined significantly since 1930.
A A. The human population of Florida increased significantly during the 1990s. <- Hmmm... we were told reports of alligator sightings have increased. Does that necessarily mean that the population of alligators has increased? The argument seems to conflate increased reports with increased population, but that doesn't have to be true. If there are more people around to see and report alligators, it wouldn't necessarily make sense to use the change in sightings to draw conclusions about the population. (this is a common gap in reasoning we want to be on the lookout for in GMAT CR!)B. The hunting restrictions applied to commercial as well as private hunters. <- Who the hunting restrictions applied to doesn't really matter to us here. This does nothing to tell us why it might not make sense to use the given evidence to draw the cited conclusion.C. The number of sightings of alligators in lakes and swamps increased greatly in Florida during the 1990s. <- Providing additional sources of alligator sightings definitely doesn't weaken the connection between evidence and conclusion. This just provides further evidence that more alligator sightings are taking place. We need something that specifically breaks up the connection between sightings and population.D. Throughout the 1990s, selling alligator products was more strictly regulated than hunting was. <- ....Okay, so what? Even if people are more limited in their ability to sell gator jerky and gator-skin boots, this does nothing to break up the connection between the sightings reported and population.E. Most of the sightings of alligators on golf courses and lawns in the 1990s occurred at times at which few people were present on those golf courses and lawns. <- Well, we only need one person around to "see something and say something" about the alligators, so this definitely doesn't tell us that the reports cannot be used to substantiate an increase in population. If anything, if few people are present when the sightings occur and* the reports of sightings increase, it would be less likely that we have repeat sightings where many people make the same report. So, definitely not a weakener here. Keep in mind, we aren't trying to weaken the evidence... it's already been presented as fact. We have already been told that sightings increased during this time. We want something that tells us increased sightings does not necessarily = increased alligator population.
In the 1960s, surveys of Florida's alligator population indicated that the population was dwindling rapidly. Hunting alligators was banned. By the early 1990s, the alligator population had recovered, and restricted hunting was allowed. Over the course of the 1990s, reports of alligators appearing on golf courses and lawns increased dramatically. Therefore, in spite of whatever alligator hunting went on, the alligator population must have increased significantly over the decade of the 1990s.Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?A. The human population of Florida increased significantly during the 1990s.B. The hunting restrictions applied to commercial as well as private hunters.C. The number of sightings of alligators in lakes and swamps increased greatly in Florida during the 1990s.D. Throughout the 1990s, selling alligator products was more strictly regulated than hunting was.E. Most of the sightings of alligators on golf courses and lawns in the 1990s occurred at times at which few people were present on those golf courses and lawns.
C √
Farmer: Several people in the past few years have claimed to have seen a mountain lion in the suburban outskirts—the latest just last month—and, while mountain lions were thought to have been driven from this entire region about twenty years ago, there is no reason for the people who reported seeing a mountain lion to have deliberately concocted a false report. Therefore, local wildlife managers should begin to urgently address the mountain lion's presence.Which of the following would, if true, most seriously weaken the farmer's argument?A. Farmers in the suburban outskirts mostly raise cattle and hogs, which when fully grown are generally not attacked by mountain lions.B. Mountain lions are dissimilar in size and color to other wild animals found near the suburban outskirts.C. No person who claimed to have seen a mountain lion had anyone else with them at the purported sighting.D. There have been no regional reports in the past year of mountain lions migrating to the area.E. Recent surveys show that more than half of the people in the region report that they have never seen a mountain lion before.
A * (A) When levels of personal retirement savings increase, consumer borrowing always increase correspondingly.
The government wants to modify the income-tax structure to make people put more of their income into retirement savings accounts. This should increase the amount of money available to borrowers. But will that money go to development loans for business? What if that money goes to other kinds of loans?Choice (A) tells us that consumer borrowing WILL increase if personal retirement savings increases. So more money will become available for borrowing, but consumers will borrow some or all of that money. That leaves less (if any) money for development loans. It's possible that some of that money will be used for development loans and that the government's plan will still succeed, but choice (A) raises a serious doubt. Hang on to this one.
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(B) The increased tax revenue the government would receive as a result of business expansion would not offset the loss in revenue from personal income taxes during the first year of the plan.
Choice (B) tells us that the government will suffer a net loss in revenue as a result of this plan. But we are not trying to determine how the plan will impact the government's revenue. We are simply trying to determine whether the plan will succeed in increasing the amount of money available for development loans for businesses. Choice (B) is irrelevant and can be eliminated.
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(C) Even with tax incentives, some people will choose not to increase their levels of retirement savings.
It's okay if SOME people chose not to increase their levels of retirement savings. As long as some people DO increase their levels of retirement savings, the government's plan could still work. In other words, we don't need ALL people to increase their savings, only some. Choice (C) does not raise serious doubt and can be eliminated.
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(D) Bankers generally will not continue to lend money to businesses whose prospective earnings are insufficient to meet their loan repayment schedules.
This is obviously a problem for those businesses whose prospective earnings are insufficient to meet their loan repayment schedules. But we are not concerned with that situation. We simply want to know whether the modifications to the income-tax structure will increase the amount of moneyavailablefor development loans for business. As long as the amountavailablefor such loans increases, the government's plan will be a success, regardless of whether some businesses can't access that money because they've had problems paying off their loans. Eliminate (D).
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(E) The modified tax structure would give all taxpayers, regardless of their incomes, the same tax savings for a given increase in their retirement savings.
A possible misunderstanding of choice (E) is to conclude that taxpayers will get the same tax savings regardless ofhow muchthey deposit in retirement savings accounts. That might give people less incentive to increase their retirement savings (i.e. "Why should I put more into my retirement savings if it won't increase by tax savings?") and thus jeopardize the government's plan.But this is not what choice (E) says. Rather, it says that taxpayers will, regardless of their incomes, get "the same tax savingsfor a given increasein their retirement savings." In other words, if two taxpayers have different incomes but make identical increases in their retirement savings, then both would get the same tax savings. Thus, choice (E) does not affect the government's plan to induce individual taxpayers to put a larger portion of their incomes into retirement savings accounts. Eliminate (E).
Business are suffering because of a lack of money available for development loans. To help businesses, the government plans to modify the income-tax structure in order to induce individual taxpayers to put a larger portion of their incomes into retirement savings accounts, because as more money is deposited in such accounts, more money becomes available to borrowers.Which of the following, if true, raises the most serious doubt regarding the effectiveness of the government's plan to increase the amount of money available for development loans for businesses?(A) When levels of personal retirement savings increase, consumer borrowing always increases correspondingly.(B) The increased tax revenue the government would receive as a result of business expansion would not offset the loss in revenue from personal income taxes during the first year of the plan.(C) Even with tax incentives, some people will choose not to increase their levels of retirement savings.(D) Bankers generally will not continue to lend money to businesses whose prospective earnings are insufficient to meet their loan repayment schedules.(E) The modified tax structure would give all taxpayers, regardless of their incomes, the same tax savings for a given increase in their retirement savings.
E√
A year ago, Dietz Foods launched a yearlong advertising campaign for its canned tuna. Last year Dietz sold 12 million cans of tuna compared to the 10 million sold during the previous year, an increase directly attributable to new customers brought in by the campaign. Profits from the additional sales, however, were substantially less than the cost of the advertising campaign. Clearly, therefore, the campaign did nothing to further Dietz's economic interests.Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?(A) Sales of canned tuna account for a relatively small percentage of Dietz Foods' profits.(B) Most of the people who bought Dietz's canned tuna for the first time as a result of the campaign were already loyal customers of other Dietz products.(C) A less expensive advertising campaign would have brought in significantly fewer new customers for Dietz's canned tuna than did the campaign Dietz Foods launched last year.(D) Dietz made money on sales of canned tuna last year.(E) In each of the past five years, there was a steep, industry-wide decline in sales of canned tuna.
D
Guillemots are birds of Arctic regions. They feed on fish that gather beneath thin sheets of floating ice, and they nest on nearby land. Guillemots need 80 consecutive snow-free days in a year to raise their chicks, so until average temperatures in the Arctic began to rise recently, the guillemots' range was limited to the southernmost Arctic coast. Therefore, if the warming continues, the guillemots' range will probably be enlarged by being extended northward along the coast.Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?(A) Even if the warming trend continues, there will still be years in which guillemot chicks are killed by an unusually early snow.(B) If the Arctic warming continues, guillemots' current predators are likely to succeed in extending their own range farther north.(C) Guillemots nest in coastal areas, where temperatures are generally higher than in inland areas.(D) If the Arctic warming continues, much of the thin ice in the southern Arctic will disappear.(E) The fish that guillemots eat are currently preyed on by a wider variety of predators in the southernmost Arctic regions than they are farther north.
√As you deconstruct the argument in this Boldface question, recognize first that the first bolded sentence is a premise, stated as a fact. Further, the beginning of the next sentence states "with that trend...," establishing that the argument will build from that fact. From here you can eliminate choices B and D (each of which says that the first portion is a conclusion). You can also be very skeptical of choice E: even though it correctly says that the first portion is a premise, note that it goes on to say that the argument proves that premise false. As you will see from the rest of the paragraph, the argument is concerned with attacking a conclusion drawn from that premise, but never tries to disprove the fact itself. For this reason, E is also incorrect.
As you look at the second bolded portion, note that the phrase "there has been debate as to whether we can conclude" is also direct cause for eliminating E: the second bolded portion is not the conclusion itself, but rather the introduction of the conclusion. You should see that this language matches choice A perfectly, so choice A is correct.
Similarly C is incorrect, as the second bolded portion introduces a conclusion that could be drawn based on the first premise: it does not, as C says "undermine that evidence." To the contrary, it builds upon it.
Note that the conclusion of this argument is the phrase "the answer is no," which comes right next to the explanation for that conclusion, "since motorists with more fuel-efficient vehicles..." This allows you to eliminate choice D, as the evidence for the argument's conclusion is everything beginning with "since," not the second bolded portion. Choice A is correct.
Recently, motorists have begun purchasing more and more fuel-efficient economy and hybrid cars that consume fewer gallons of gasoline per mile traveled. With that trend, there has been debate as to whether we can conclude that these purchases will actually lead to an overall reduction in the total consumption of gasoline across all motorists. The answer is no, since motorists with more fuel-efficient vehicles are likely to drive more total miles than they did before switching to a more fuel-efficient car, negating the gains from higher fuel-efficiency.
Which of the following best describes the roles of the portions in bold?
The first describes a premise that is accepted as true; the second introduces a conclusion that is opposed by the argument as a whole.
The first states a position taken by the argument; the second introduces a conclusion that is refuted by additional evidence.
The first is evidence that has been used to support a position that the argument as a whole opposes; the second provides information to undermine the force of that evidence.
The first is a conclusion that is later shown to be false; the second is the evidence by which that conclusion is proven false.
The first is a premise that is later shown to be false; the second is a conclusion that is later shown to be false.
C. *This Boldface question heavily rewards those who can highlight the difference between premise and conclusion. If you look carefully next to the words "since" and "because" - words that signal a premise upon which a conclusion may be built - you'll see that the argument contains two conclusions. The first portion in boldface is used as evidence for the conclusion "the worry that home values are declining must be false," a conclusion that comes adjacent to "since the largest stakeholders evidently believe..."
The second conclusion is "This may not be sound reasoning," which comes next to the bolded "because the largest stakeholders may simply be protecting their investments." This is important for two reasons:
1) There is a split between whether the second portion is evidence or a conclusion (and the fact that it is prefaced by "because" means that it is being used as evidence)
and
2) There is a split between whether the first portion is evidence for a conclusion or a circumstance that the argument seeks to explain. If you note that the conclusion of the argument is to criticize the reasoning ("this may not be sound reasoning"), which means that it's countering the earlier conclusion that "the worry must be false," then the correct answer must describe the first portion as evidence. While the argument does explain the circumstance from the first sentence, its conclusion - the stated main point of the argument - is to counter the reasoning.
Because the first bolded portion is evidence that leads to the initial conclusion and the second portion is evidence for the main conclusion, the correct answer must be C.
Recently, since rumors have been confirmed that the most prominent multi-property owners in the condominium complex have been using home equity credit to make renovations, other owners, who feared that the complex's property values were rapidly decreasing, have been greatly relieved. They posit that, since the largest stakeholders in the complex evidently believe in the soundness of their properties, the worry that values are declining must be false. This may not be sound reasoning, however, because the largest stakeholders may simply be protecting their investments by creating the image that the property values will stay high so that other owners do not sell their properties and further perpetuate the decrease.
In the argument above, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
The first describes evidence that has been taken as supporting a conclusion; the second states a contrary conclusion that is the main conclusion of the argument.
The first provides evidence in support of the main conclusion of the argument; the second states that conclusion.
The first describes evidence that has been taken as supporting a conclusion; the second gives a reason for questioning that support.
The first describes the circumstance that the argument as a whole seeks to explain; the second gives the explanation that the argument seeks to establish.
The first describes the circumstance that the argument as a whole seeks to explain; the second provides evidence in support of the explanation that the argument seeks to establish.
C. √The flaw in the executive's argument is that an increase in the percentage of company sales is not necessarily indicative of strong performance. Consider the following scenario: LAST QUARTER Midwest: $50 million; West: $20 million; East:$20 million; and South:$10 million THIS QUARTER Midwest: 5 million; West: 5 million; East: 5 million; South: 5 million In the previous quarter the South was 10% and in this quarter the South is 25%. Clearly, the move from $10 million to $5 million is not a strong performance. (C) is correct as it points out clearly that the increase could have been from poor performance by the other divisions (and, as in this example, by the South office as well!). (A) and (E) are relatively easy to eliminate as the reason for the Midwest office's failure and the lack of discussion of other offices do not relate to the specific flaw in the argument. For (B) the argument does not neglect that possibility (if anything it would strengthen his point). (D) is tricky and very difficult to eliminate. The problem is not that he is using percentage data but rather that he is improperly linking that percentage data to a conclusion about increased performance. Only (C) particularly addresses what is actually wrong with the argument. Answer is (C).
ACME Midwest Sales Manager: I am unhappy to report that the Midwest sales office has had a difficult quarter, and our office will not lead the company in sales this quarter as we usually do.
ACME Executive: Fortunately, the South sales office has had a strong performance this quarter. They usually account for around 10% of company sales, but that figure has improved to 25% for this quarter.
One flaw in the ACME Executive's response is that it:
does not address the reasons why the ACME Midwest Sales Office had a bad quarter.
neglects the possibility that overall sales have increased dramatically.
assumes an increase in sales percentage resulted from increased performance.
uses percentage data when he should be using absolute number data.
neglects to consider other sales offices.
B.√For this "inference" question, you need to pick the one answer that must be true based upon the findings of the school administrator. The trick is to realize that there is only one way that the total number of gifted 14 year olds has gone up - if the total number of 14 years has gone up! The definition of "gifted" students is the key to realizing this: It is a fixed percentage of the total population. The gifted population is always 10% of the total, so if the gifted population has gone up then the total must have gone up. Therefore, (B) must be true based upon the school administrator's findings.
(A) must be false - if the number of gifted students has increased, then the number who are not gifted must have also increased.
For (C) and (E), you have no idea whether preparation for the MSSEE or British education in general have improved.
And for (D) you are not given any information about how the population of "gifted" fourteen year olds relates to the total population. Answer is (B).
School Administrator: The number of fourteen year olds in Britain who are considered "gifted" - that is who score higher than 90% of their peers on the mandatory secondary school entrance exam (MSSEE) - has increased steadily over the past decade.
If the school administrator's findings are correct, which of the following can be concluded on the basis of those findings?
The number of British fourteen year olds who are not considered gifted has decreased over the past decade.
The number of British fourteen year olds taking the MSSEE has increased over the past decade.
Preparation for the MSSEE has improved in British schools over the past decade.
The percentage of British fourteen year olds who are considered gifted has increased as a percentage of the total population.
There has been at least some improvement in British education over the past decade.
Answer: A
Explanation: The author concludes that the homeless people are getting something for nothing because they don't pay property taxes which are used to support the library. However, if these people are paying other kinds of taxes, such as sales taxes, that ARE used to support the library, then they are not getting something for nothing. Thus, saying that the sales tax paid by homeless does not go to the library strengthens the position that homeless people are getting something for nothing.
(B) The attitudes of the general public do not figure into the scope of this argument.
(C) Whether some homeless people already make use of the library is irrelevant to the scope of this argument, which deals with the free programs.
(D) Though this evidence might be used to oppose the program, it does not support the conclusion that people are getting something for nothing.
(E) The author does believe that at least some property taxes are used to support public libraries, but we cannot say that the author assumes most of the taxes are used that way.
It is well known that many homeless people frequent public libraries as a kind of sanctuary. Now, several dozen public libraries across the country have made their facilities more useful to homeless people by offering free job training programs, for adults and free activities for homeless children. While the administrators of these libraries mean well, the homeless do not pay property taxes to support the library, so these people are getting something for nothing, a dangerous practice for all concerned.
Which of the following is assumed by the author of this argument?
None of the sales tax paid by homeless people who use the free services is used by the libraries.
The general public that uses the libraries does not mind the services provided to the homeless.
Many of the homeless people who use public libraries as sanctuaries check the library's local newspapers for job listings.
Some libraries that offer programs to the homeless cannot afford these programs.
Property taxes are used predominantly to support public libraries.
B.√In this question you are told that while the number of full time, tenured professors at the university has increased by 10, average class size has increased despite the fact that the number of students at the university has remained roughly the same. To resolve this apparent paradox, your first step should be to find the gap. Do tenured professors teach enough that an increase in the number of tenured professors would decrease class size? Are they teaching fewer classes?
The only answer choices that begin to address any of these questions are (B), (C) and (D). Choice (B) states that the number of adjunct professors - "who teach the majority of classes" has declined by 25. Even if there was an increase in tenured professors, since adjunct professors teach the majority of classes their dismissal will have an outsized effect on class size and will drive average class size up. Choice (B) is correct.
Choice (C) is close, but you don't know that there has been an increase in the number of tenured professors who don't teach. Perhaps there are two professors who (for whatever reason) only do research and that this number hasn't changed for 20 years. If so, this information would have no effect on class size. Note also that the stimulus states that the average class size increased. Even if all 10 new tenured professors were research-only, their impact (or lack thereof) wouldn't increase the average class size...it would just leave it unchanged. Similarly, choice (D) can be eliminated because even though some classes are led by graduate students you have no information about the relative numbers of graduate students available to teach.
Between the other two answers, (A) can be eliminated because there is no indication that the number of students in these very large classes has increased and choice (E) can be eliminated because there is no indication that not including these classes changes the average class size in any meaningful way.
In recent years, the number of full time, tenured faculty in the state university system has increased by 10 and the number of students has remained roughly the same. However, prospective and current students have noted that average class size has increased.
Which of the following, if true, would resolve the apparent contradiction noted above?
A few of the classes at the university have class sizes of 100 students or more, well in excess of the median class size.
The number of adjunct professors, who teach the majority of classes at the university, has been cut by 25.
Some full-time tenured professors are researchers and do not lecture on a regular basis.
Some classes are led by graduate students who are not full time rather than by full time, tenured professors.
Lab and discussion classes, which are often led by teaching assistants, are not included in the calculation of class size.
B.Since Japanese manufacturers in the 1980s remedied the 1970s problem that "auto-focusing cameras were slow," some of these Japanese cameras were faster, making B the correct response. Answer A is incorrect because we are never told that the later cameras didn't use phase detection. Choice C is wrong because nowhere does the argument say that the earlier cameras could not do this, though they may have done this more slowly and not as well as the later cameras did. "Never", in D, is too strong a word; they may get confused under some circumstances. The comparison presented in E is not supported by the passage.
Cameras that automatically focus using phase detection have been around since the 1970s. However, these early auto-focusing cameras were slow and easily confused by low light and low contrast. In the 1980s, Japanese manufacturers introduced automatically focusing cameras that remedied these problems, and now professional 35 mm cameras have the ability to automatically focus and to quickly determine which of several possible subjects needs to be most in focus.
Which of the following statements can be inferred given the information above?
Automatic focusing in today's professional 35 mm cameras does not use phase detection.
In the 1980s, some camera manufacturers produced cameras that focused faster than some of the cameras manufactured in the 1970s.
Cameras produced in the 1970s could not determine which of several possible subjects most needed to be in focus.
Today's professional 35 mm cameras that focus automatically are never confused by low light or low contrast.
If a subject is in insufficient light, a camera built today that focuses automatically will generally take a clearer picture of the subject than one that doesn't focus automatically .
Solution: A
Explanation: The surgeon explains that it is almost impossible for the artificial hip to wear away so soon WITH NORMAL USE. However, if the patient was inappropriately engaged in vigorous activities, particles of her hip may very well be wearing off.
(B) The question is what is causing the discomfort, not how to treat it.
(C) There is no reason to think that the patient could have been exposed to such an extreme temperature.
(D) This lends strength to the idea that artificial hips CAN wear away, but does not strengthen the proposition that this is what happened to her.
(E) The surgeon's lack of experience does not necessarily weaken his position or strengthen the patient's.
Patient: I have read that particles of my artificial hip can wear off and be absorbed by surrounding tissues. I believe that this is responsible for the discomfort that I am now experiencing.
Surgeon: Your surgery was so recent that with normal use it is almost impossible for the artificial hip to have already begun to wear away. The reason for your current discomfort is due to routine post-operative inflammation which can be treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the patient's position regarding her discomfort?
The patient has not followed the post-operative instructions she was given regarding how much time she should spend engaged in vigorous activities.
The inflammation that is common to people who have had replacement hip replacement surgery often needs to be treated with more potent drugs than the ones being recommended by the surgeon.
The patient has an artificial hip that is made of a material that can begin to wear out after a few weeks when exposed to temperatures higher than 200 degrees.
The patient read about the possibility of artificial hips wearing out in a respected medical journal.
The surgeon has only been performing hip-replacement surgery for less than a year.
A.The most obvious decision point in this problem is the verb choice at the beginning, but it is a false decision point! All of these tenses create a logical timeline, so you need to look elsewhere for your decisions. At the end of the choices you have a series that needs to be parallel. Choice B violates that standard by adding an additional "by" in front of "proceeds." C does it in front of "the automakers," and D does the same in front of "a drop". In each case, either all items need "by" or only the first one needs "by," so all are incorrect. Choice E improperly connects the list, as "..., also by" is not a valid connector after a comma. Only choice A properly connects the list and keeps it parallel.
In addition to the boom in tax revenue, the federal government's books are being helped by lower defense spending, a drop in outlays for benefits like Medicaid, and proceeds from the sales of General Motors and Chrysler, the automakers that were taken over by Washington in 2009.
are being helped by lower defense spending, a drop in outlays for benefits like Medicaid, and proceeds from the sales of General Motors and Chrysler, the automakers
have been helped by lower defense spending, a drop in outlays for benefits like Medicaid, and by proceeds from the sales of General Motors and Chrysler, automakers
have been helped by lower defense spending, a drop in outlays for benefits like Medicaid, proceeds from the sales of General Motors and Chrysler, and by the automakers
are being helped by lower defense spending, by a drop in outlays for benefits like Medicaid, and proceeds from the sales of General Motors and Chrysler, the automakers
were helped by lower defense spending and a drop in outlays for benefits like Medicaid, also by proceeds from the sales of General Motors and Chrysler, the automakers
In reading the stimulus in this difficult problem, you will probably first note the following flaw: the goal is to reduce illegal drug use, but the focus is only on preventing marijuana imports from Gordenia (what about other drugs?). However, there is another major issue: the legislation was implemented two years ago, but the data used is only from the last year. What if the legislation was incredibly successful right after it was implemented, slashing drug use by over 50% in the first year. Then, in the last year, drug use remained constant or even went up slightly. Clearly the legislation was still very successful even though last year's data suggests otherwise. Answer choice (C) shows exactly how the legislation could have been very successful even with last year's data. (A) is tricky because it relates to a flaw you should have noticed, but it does not show how the legislation could have been successful. Rather it shows how it would have been unsuccessful. If most of the drug problems relate to drugs other than marijuana, then a plan focusing only on a major marijuana exporting country would not help. For (B), the goal of the legislation was to reduce use in the major cities, so what takes place outside of the cities is not important. In (D) importation amounts from other countries is not relevant to the argument as the plan focuses on Gordenia. For (E) visits to drug treatment centers could have decreased for any number of reasons so that does not relate to the efficacy of the legislation. Answer is (C).
Two years ago, officials in Bedenia implemented landmark drug legislation to combat an explosion of illegal drug use in the country's major cities. Primarily, the legislation created new controls for preventing the entry of illegal drugs from the neighboring country of Gordenia, a major producer of marijuana. However, there has been no major decrease in illegal drug use over the past year in the country's major cities; in fact, drug use has gone up slightly in that period.
Which of the following, if true, explains how the drug legislation could have been successful despite the recent data?
Most of the drug problems in Bedenia's major cities involve drugs other than marijuana.
Most illegal drug use in Bedenia occurs outside of the country's major cities.
Illegal drug use in cities dropped sharply immediately after the legislation was implemented
Importation of marijuana decreased from countries other than Gordenia.
Visits to drug treatment centers in the country's major cities decreased dramatically following the legislation.
A√
While Leni is right that correlation does not prove causation, consider the logic of that statement. If I say that I failed to prove something, does that mean that I proved the opposite? Failure to demonstrate the existence of something isn't proof that that thing doesn't exist - absence of proof is not proof of absence - so (A) is the answer.
Leni: Colm has made extensive claims that the consumption of red meat is a primary cause of colon cancer in the indigenous population of Juong. But Colm's own data shows only a strong correlation between the consumption of red meat and the incidence of colon cancer in the country, and since any self-respecting scientist knows that correlation does not prove causation, Colm's claims must be false.
Which of the following describes an error in Leni's reasoning?
To fail to establish causation is not to succeed in disproving causation.
Colm's data is not provided for the reader's own analysis.
Since Colm has demonstrated correlation, his arguments must be accepted.
She fails to cite any other studies of the population of Juong.
She attacks Colm's credibility rather than the basis of his arguments.
B.√This is an "Explain the Paradox" question. For this type of question, remember that you must find an answer choice that bridges the gap between the two facts given explains why both can be true. Don't waste time trying to anticipate the correct answer, but instead just identify the gap that needs to be resolved and look for an answer that does so.
In this question, you know that a new program would drastically increase the amount of work new professors would need to do but would not apply to existing professors. However, existing professors are still protesting it. Why would professors protest a policy that seemingly doesn't affect them and may even favor them? The correct answer will bridge this gap, probably by giving some sort of reason that the policy will have a negate effect on them, even if indirectly.
Choice (B) matches this and gives a reason for professors to be against the policy. Although they are not directly affected, their ability to get bonuses (and therefore get paid) is affected since they need to match the output of their colleagues in order to get a bonus. Since this includes the professors who are hired under the new system, that means that they have to match the increased output even if they aren't directly affected by the change. This is the correct answer.
Answer choice (A) gives further support to the idea that professors shouldn't be upset at the new policy, since it does not affect them, and it can be eliminated. Answer choices (C) and (D) have nothing to do with either policy, and therefore don't address the paradox at all. Answer choice (E) similarly does not address any sort of change, so it can be eliminated since it addresses neither policy.
The board of a state university is considering a proposed policy that would greatly increase the amount of research professors are required to publish each year, saying it will improve the output and visibility of the university. This policy would, unlike previous research policies, only be applied to faculty hired after its adoption, so it is surprising that the university's current professors are protesting against it.
Which of the following, if true, would best explain the opposition of current professors to the proposed policy change?
Under the current policy, professors at the state university are not required to increase the amount of research they publish each year.
In order to maintain their status at the university and earn salary bonuses, faculty must match the research output of their colleagues.
The quality of research that professors publish each year does not necessarily result in improved status among their colleagues.
Other state universities have their own research requirements - in some cases, quite a bit above the standards of this university - for certain areas of study.
Liberal Arts professors make up the majority of the university's professors, and are currently required to publish a significantly greater amount of research than professors in the Sciences.
B.√This Weaken problem showcases a common type of Strengthen/Weaken data flaw: when premises include data, you want to make sure that they use the right kind of data. One of the most common ways that an argument will use the "wrong kind" of data is when a premise uses absolute number data (40,000 vs. 10,000 here) when percentage or per-capita data is necessary to draw any kind of conclusion.
Here, consider the total teen driver population in 1975 vs. 2000. Population is known to increase over time: what if there were more than 4x as many teenagers in 2000 as there were in 1975? What if the age limit for driver's licenses was 20 in 1975 but 16 in 2000: that would also mean that there were likely way more drivers in this age group in 2000 than in 1975. This should show - in many cases, absolute number data is not a good metric upon which to draw a conclusion.
If you recognize that, you should anticipate answer choice B. If there are more than 4x as many drivers but only 4x the number of accidents, driving has actually become safer and there is no basis for drawing the conclusion. Choice B is therefore correct.
Among the incorrect answer choices: Answer choice A is incorrect because traffic laws do not necessarily relate to the recklessness of young drivers. Choice C does not relate the differences in driving habits between young drivers in 1975 and those in 2000. Answer choice D actually strengthens the argument. If safety technology were improving, then there should be fewer deaths. E is incorrect because senior citizens are outside the scope of the argument.
In 1975, the number of automobile related deaths among young people ages 16-21 was about 10,000. In 2000, this number was closer to 40,000. Clearly, today's young people drive much more recklessly and are more accident prone than were those in 1975.
Which of the following statements, if true, would most weaken the argument made above?
There were fewer traffic laws and regulations in 1975 compared with those in 2000.
Between 1975 and 2000, the number of licensed teenagers in the country more than quadrupled.
Surveys show that young drivers tend to drive more recklessly when there are other passengers of the same age riding in the car.
Improvements to automobile safety technology have significantly reduced the chances of being killed in an automobile accident.
According to insurance data, senior citizens, not teenagers, had the highest per-driver accident rate in 2000.
√C
Begin this Inference question by making sense of Hofstadter's Law, which states that a project has two potential dates of completion, both of which are inaccurate and premature: the initial estimate, and the revised estimate accounting for Hofstadter's Law. Since the accountant gives an initial time and a revised time, both of them are presumably inaccurate and premature, so (C) is the best answer.
Accountant: A fellow accountant recently sent me an e-mail of advice that featured Hofstadter's Law, a maxim cautioning that a project always takes longer than one expects, even when one accounts for Hofstadter's Law. With that precept in mind, I have revised my initial projection of the time required for my audit of our company's foreign accounts from six months to eight months.
If the statements above are true, which of the following do they best support?
The audit will take less than the projected eight months.
The audit will take the projected eight months.
The audit will take more than the projected eight months.
The accountant has not accounted for Hofstadter's Law.
The audit is unlikely to be accurate.
Sets with similar terms