SET - 1

Time 35 minutes 25 Questions

Directions: The questions in this section are based on the reasoning contained in brief statements or passages...

1. A major art theft from a museum was remarkable in that the pieces stolen clearly had been carefully selected. The criterion for selection, however, clearly had not been greatest estimated market value. It follows that the theft was specifically carried out to suit the taste of some individual collector for whose private collection the pieces were destined. The argument tacitly appeals to which one of the following principles?
(A) Any art theft can, on the evidence of the selection of pieces stolen, be categorized as committed either at the direction of a single known individual or at the
direction of a group of known individuals.
(B) Any art theft committed at the direction of a single individual results in a pattern of works taken and works left alone that defies rational analysis.
(C) The pattern of works taken and works left alone can sometimes distinguish one type of art theft from another.
(D) Art thefts committed with no preexisting plan for the disposition of the stolen works do not always involve theft of the most valuable pieces only.
(E) The pattern of works taken and works left alone in an art theft can be particularly damaging to the integrity of the remaining collection.

2. The teeth of some mammals show “growth rings” that result from the constant depositing of layers of cementum as opaque bands in summer and translucent bands in winter. Cross sections of pigs teeth found in an excavated Stone Age trash pit revealed bands of remarkably constant width except that the band deposited last, which was invariably translucent, was only about half the normal width. The statements above most strongly support the conclusion that the animals died
(A) in an unusually early winter
(B) at roughly the same age
(C) roughly in midwinter
(D) in a natural catastrophe
(E) from starvation

3. The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail. In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPT:
(A) draw on an analogy
(B) appeal to historical fact
(C) identify a cause and an effect
(D) suggest a cause of the current economic situation
(E) question the ethical basis of an economic situation

4. Giselle: The government needs to ensure that the public consumes less petroleum. When things cost more, people buy and use less of them. Therefore, the government should raise the sales tax on gasoline, a major petroleum product. Antoine: The government should not raise the sales tax on gasoline. Such an increase would be unfair to gasoline users. If taxes are to be increased, the increases should be applied in such a way that they spread the burden of providing the government with increased revenues among many people, not just the users of gasoline. As a rebuttal of Giselle’s argument, Antoine’s response is ineffective because
(A) he ignores the fact that Giselle does not base her argument for raising the gasoline sales tax on the government’s need for increase revenues
(B) he fails to specify how many taxpayers there are who are not gasoline users
(C) his conclusion is based on an assertion regarding unfairness, and unfairness is a very subjective concept
(D) he mistakenly assumes that Giselle wants a sales tax increase only on gasoline
(E) he makes the implausible assumption that the burden of increasing government revenues can be more evenly distributed among the people through other means
besides increasing the gasoline sales tax

5. A government agency publishes ratings of airlines, ranking highest the airlines that have the smallest proportion of late flights. The agency’s purpose is to establish an objective measure of the relative efficiency of different airlines’ personnel in meeting published flight schedules. Which one of the following, if true, would tend to invalidate use of the ratings for the agency’s purpose?
(A) Travelers sometimes have no choice of airlines for a given trip at a given time.
(B) Flights are often made late by bad weather conditions that affect some airlines more that others.
(C) The flight schedules of all airlines allow extra time for flights that go into or out of very busy airports.
(D) Airline personnel are aware that the government agency is monitoring all airline flights for lateness.
(E) Flights are defined as “late” only if they arrive more that fifteen minutes past their scheduled arrival time, and a record is made of how much later than fifteen
minutes they are.

6. Although this bottle is labeled “vinegar,” no fizzing occurred when some of the liquid in it was added to powder from this box labeled “baking  soda.” But when an acidic liquid such as vinegar is added to baking soda the resulting mixture fizzes, so this bottle clearly has been mislabeled. A flaw in the reasoning in the argument above is that this argument
(A) ignores the possibility that the bottle contained an acidic liquid other than vinegar
(B) fails to exclude an alternative explanation for the observed effect
(C) depends on the use of the imprecise term “fizz”
(D) does not take into account the fact that scientific principles can be definitively tested only under controlled laboratory conditions
(E) assumes that the fact of a labeling error is proof of an intention to deceive

7. Marine biologists have long thought that variation in the shell color of aquatic snails evolved as a protective camouflage against birds and other predators. Brown shells seem to be more frequent when the underlying seafloor is dark-colored and white shells more frequent when the underlying seafloor is light-colored. A new theory has been advanced, however, that claims that shell color is related to physiological stress associated with heat absorption. According to this theory, brown shells will be more prevalent in areas where the wave action of the sea is great and thus heat absorption from the Sun is minimized, whereas white shells will be more numerous in calmer waters where the snails will absorb more heat from the Sun’s rays. Evidence that would strongly favor the new theory over the traditional theory would be the discovery of a large majority of
(A) dark-shelled snails in a calm inlet with a dark, rocky bottom and many predators
(B) dark-shelled snails in a calm inlet with a white, sandy bottom
(C) light-shelled snails in an inlet with much wave action and a dark, rocky bottom
(D) light-shelled snails in a calm inlet with a dark, rocky bottom and many predators
(E) light-shelled snails in a calm inlet with a white, sandy bottom and many predators

8. Measurements of the extent of amino-acid decomposition in fragments of eggshell found at archaeological sites in such places as southern Africa can be used to obtain accurate dates for sites up to 200,000 years old. Because the decomposition is slower in cool climates, the technique can be used to obtain accurate dates for sites almost a million years old in cooler regions. The information above provides the most support for which one of the following conclusions?
(A) The oldest archaeological sites are not in southern Africa, but rather in cooler regions of the world.
(B) The amino-acid decomposition that enables eggshells to be used in dating does not take place in other organic matter found at ancient archaeological sites.
(C) If the site being dated had been subject to large unsuspected climatic fluctuations during the time the eggshell has been at the site, application of the technique is
less likely to yield accurate results.
(D) After 200,000 years in a cool climate, less than one-fifth of the amino acids in a fragment of eggshell that would provide material for dating with the technique
will have decomposed and will thus no longer be suitable for examination by the technique.
(E) Fragments of eggshell are more likely to be found at ancient archaeological sites in warm regions of the world than at such sites in cooler regions.

9. Advertisement: Clark brand-name parts are made for cars manufactured in this country. They satisfy all of our government automotive test—the toughest such tests in the world. With foreign-made parts, you never know which might be reliable and which are cheap look-alikes that are poorly constructed and liable to cost you hundreds of dollars in repairs. Therefore, be smart and insist on brand-name parts by Clark for your car. The argument requires the assumption that
(A) Clark parts are available only in this country
(B) foreign-made parts are not suitable for cars manufactured in this country
(C) no foreign-made parts satisfy our government standards
(D) parts that satisfy our government standards are not as poorly constructed as cheap foreign-made parts
(E) if parts are made for cars manufactured in our country, they are not poorly constructed

10. Even if a crime that has been committed by computer is discovered and reported, the odds of being both arrested and convicted greatly favor the criminal. Each of the following, if true, supports the claim above EXCEPT:
(A) The preparation of computer-fraud cases takes much more time than is required for average fraud cases, and the productivity of prosecutors is evaluated by the number of good cases made.
(B) In most police departments, officers are rotated through different assignments every two or three years, a shorter time than it takes to become proficient as a
computer-crime investigator.
(C) The priorities of local police departments, under whose jurisdiction most computer crime falls, are weighted toward visible street crime that communities
perceive as threatening.
(D) Computer criminals have rarely been sentenced to serve time in prison, because prisons are overcrowded with violent criminals and drug offenders.
(E) The many police officers who are untrained in computers often inadvertently destroy the physical evidence of computer crime.

11. Every week, the programming office at an FM radio station reviewed unsolicited letters from listeners who were expressing comments on the station’s programs. One week, the station received 50 letters with favorable comments about the station’s news reporting and music selection and 10 letters with unfavorable comments on the station’s new movie review segment of the evening program. Faced with this information, the programming director assumed that if some listeners did not like the movie review segment, then there must be other listeners who did like it. Therefore, he decided to continue the movie review segment of the evening program. Which on e of the following identifies a problem with the programming director’s decision process?
(A) He failed to recognize that people are more likely to write letters of criticism than of praise.
(B) He could not properly infer from the fact that some listeners did not like the movie review segment that some others did.
(C) He failed to take into consideration the discrepancy in numbers between favorable and unfavorable letters received.
(D) He failed to take into account the relation existing between the movie review segment and the news.
(E) He did not wait until he received at least 50 letters with unfavorable comments about the movie review segment before making his decision.

12. “Though they soon will, patients should not have a legal right to see their medical records. As a doctor, I see two reasons for this. First, giving them access will be time-wasting because it will significantly reduce the amount of time that medical staff can spend on more important duties, by forcing them to retrieve and return files. Second, if my experience is anything to go by, no patients are going to ask for access to their records anyway.” Which one of the following, if true, establishes that the doctor’s second reason does not cancel out the first?
(A) The new law will require that doctors, when seeing a patient in their office, must be ready to produce the patient’s records immediately, not just ready to retrieve
them.
(B) The task of retrieving and returning files would fall to the lowest-paid member of a doctor’s office staff.
(C) Any patients who asked to see their medical records would also insist on having details they did not understand explained to them.
(D) The new law does not rule out that doctors may charge patients for extra expenses incurred specifically in order to comply with the new law.
(E) Some doctors have all allowing their patients access to their medical records, but those doctors’ patients took no advantage of this policy.

13. Alia: Hawthorne admits that he has influence with high government officials. He further admits that he sold that influence to an environmental interest group. There can be no justification for this kind of unethical behavior. Martha: I disagree that he was unethical. The group that retained Hawthorne’s services is dedicated to the cause of preventing water pollution. So, in using his influence to benefit this group, Hawthorne also benefited the public. Alia and Martha disagree on whether
(A) the meaning of ethical behavior has changed over time
(B) the consequences of Hawthorne’s behavior can ethically justify that behavior
(C) the standards for judging ethical behavior can be imposed on Hawthorne by another
(D) the meaning of ethical behavior is the same in a public situation as in a private one
(E) the definition of ethical behavior is rooted in philosophy or religion

14. The mayor boasts that the average ambulance turnaround time, the time from summons to delivery of the patient, has been reduced this year for top-priority emergencies. This is a serious misrepresentation. This “reduction” was produced simply by redefining “top priority.” Such emergencies used to include gunshot wounds and electrocutions, the most time-consuming cases. Now they are limited strictly to heart attacks and strokes. Which one of the following would strengthen the author’s conclusion that it was the redefinition of “top priority” that produced the reduction in turnaround time?
(A) The number of heart attacks and strokes declined this year.
(B) The mayor redefined the city’s financial priorities this year.
(C) Experts disagree with the mayor’s definition of “top-priority emergency.”
(D) Other cities include gunshot wound cases in their category o top-priority emergencies.
(E) One half of all of last year’s top-priority emergencies were gunshot wounds and electrocution cases.

15. In a large residential building, there is a rule that no pets are allowed. A group of pet lovers tried to change that rule but failed. The rule-changing procedure outlined in the building’s regulations states that only if a group of tenants can obtain the signatures of 10 percent of the tenants on a petition to change a rule will the proposed change be put to a majority vote of all the tenants in the building. It follows that the pet lovers were voted down on their proposal by the majority of the tenants. The argument depends on which one of the following assumptions?
(A) The pet lovers succeeded in obtaining the signatures of 10 percent of the tenants on their petition.
(B) The signatures of less than 10 percent of the tenants were obtained on the pet lovers’ petition.
(C) Ninety percent of the tenants are against changing the rule forbidding pets.
(D) The support of 10 percent of the tenants for a rule change ensures that the rule change will be adopted.
(E) The failure of the pet lovers to obtain the signatures of 10 percent of the tenants on their petition for a rule change ensures that the rule change will be voted
down by a majority of the tenants.

16. Nuclear fusion is a process whereby the nuclei of atoms are joined, or “fused,” and in which energy is released. One of the by-products of fusion is helium-4 gas. A recent fusion experiment was conducted using “heavy” water contained in a sealed flask. The flask was, in turn, contained in an air-filled chamber designed to eliminate extraneous vibration. After the experiment, a measurable amount of helium-4 gas was found in the air of the chamber. The experimenters cited this evidence in support of their conclusion that fusion had been achieved. Which one of the following, if true, would cast doubt on the experimenters’ conclusion?
(A) Helium-4 was not the only gas found in the experiment chamber.
(B) When fusion is achieved, it normally produces several by-products, including tritium and gamma rays.
(C) The amount of helium-4 found in the chamber’s air did not exceed the amount of helium-4 that is found in ordinary air.
(D) Helium-4 gas rapidly breaks down, forming ordinary helium gas after a few hours.
(E) Nuclear fusion reactions are characterized by the release of large amounts of heat.

17. Every photograph, because it involves the light rays that something emits hitting film, must in some obvious sense be true. But because it could always have been made to show things differently than it does, it cannot express the whole truth and, in that sense, is false. Therefore, nothing can ever be definitively proved with a photograph. Which one of the following is an assumption that would permit the conclusion above to be properly drawn?
(A) Whatever is false in the sense that it cannot express the whole truth cannot furnish definitive proof.
(B) The whole truth cannot be known.
(C) It is not possible to determine the truthfulness of a photograph in any sense.
(D) It is possible to use a photograph as corroborative evidence if there is additional evidence establishing the truth about the scene photographed.
(E) If something is being photographed, then it is possible to prove definitively the truth about it.

Questions 18-19

Some cleaning fluids, synthetic carpets, wall paneling, and other products release toxins, such as formaldehyde and benzene, into the household air supply. This is not a problem in well-ventilated houses, but it is a problem in houses that are so well insulated that they trap toxins as well as heat. Recent tests, however, demonstrate that houseplants remove some household toxins from the air and thereby eliminate their danger. In one test, 20 large plants eliminated formaldehyde from a small, well-insulated house.

18. Assume that a person who lives in a small, well-insulated house that contains toxin-releasing products places houseplants, such as those tested, in the house. Which one of the following can be expected as a result?
(A) There will no longer be any need to ventilate the house.
(B) The concentration of toxins in the household air supply will remain the same.
(C) The house will be warm and have a safe air supply.
(D) If there is formaldehyde in the household air supply, its level will decrease.
(E) If formaldehyde and benzene are being released into the household air supply, the quantities released of each will decrease.

19. The passage is structured to lead to which one of the following conclusions?
(A) Houseplants can remove benzene from the air.
(B) Nonsynthetic products do not release toxins into houses.
(C) Keeping houseplants is an effective means of trapping heat in a poorly insulated house.
(D) Keeping houseplants can compensate for some of the negative effects of poor ventilation.
(E) The air in a well-insulated house with houseplants will contain fewer toxins than the air in a well-ventilated house without houseplants.

20. Normal full-term babies are all born with certain instinctive reflexes that disappear by the age of two months. Because this three-month-old baby exhibits these reflexes, this baby is not a normal full-term baby. Which one of the following has a logical structure most like that of the argument above?
(A) Because carbon dioxide turns limewater milky and this gas is oxygen, it will not turn limewater milky.
(B) Because no ape can talk and Suzy is an ape, Suzy cannot talk.
(C) Because humans are social animals and Henry is sociable, Henry is normal.
(D) Because opossums have abdominal pouches and this animal lacks any such pouch, this animal is not an opossum.
(E) Because some types of trees shed their leaves annually and this tree has not shed its leaves, it is not normal.

21. Efficiency and redundancy are contradictory characteristics of linguistic systems: however, they can be used together to achieve usefulness and reliability in communication. If a spoken language is completely efficient, then every possible permutation of its basic language sounds can be an understandable word. However, if the human auditory system is an imperfect receptor of sounds, then it is not true that every possible permutation of a spoken language’s basic language sounds can be an understandable word. If all of the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true?
(A) Efficiency causes a spoken language to be useful and redundancy causes it to be reliable.
(B) Neither efficiency nor redundancy can be completely achieved in spoken language.
(C) If a spoken language were completely redundant, then it could not be useful.
(D) If the human auditory system were a perfect receptor of sounds, then every permutation of language sounds would be an understandable word.
(E) If the human auditory system is an imperfect receptor of sounds, then a spoken language cannot be completely efficient.

22. All intelligent people are nearsighted. I am very nearsighted. So I must be a genius. Which one of the following exhibits both of the logical flaws exhibited in the argument above?
(A) I must be stupid because all intelligent people are nearsighted and I have perfect eyesight.
(B) All chickens have beaks. This bird has a beak. So this bird must be a chicken.
(C) All pigs have four legs, but this spider has eight legs. So this spider must be twice as big as any pig.
(D) John is extremely happy, so he must be extremely tall because all tall people are happy.
(E) All geniuses are very nearsighted. I must be very nearsighted since I am a genius.

23. An advertisements states: Like Danaxil, all headache pills can stop your headache. But when you are in pain, you want relief right away. Danaxil is for you—no headache pill stops pain more quickly. Evelyn and Jane are each suffering from a headache. Suppose Evelyn takes Danaxil and Jane takes its leading competitor. Which one of the following can be properly concluded from the claims in the advertisement?
(A) Evelyn’s headache pain will be relieved, but Jane’s will not.
(B) Evelyn’s headache pain will be relieved more quickly than Jane’s.
(C) Evelyn’s headache will be relieved at least as quickly as Jane’s.
(D) Jane’s headache pain will be relieved at the same time as is Evelyn’s.
(E) Jane will be taking Danaxil for relief from headache pain.

Questions 24-25

In opposing the 1970 Clean Air Act, the United States automobile industry argued that meeting the act’s standards for automobile emissions was neither economically feasible nor environmentally necessary. However, the catalytic converter, invented in 1967, enabled automakers to meet the 1970 standards efficiently. Currently, automakers are lobbying against the government’s attempt to pass legislation that would tighten restrictions on automobile emissions. The automakers contend that these new restrictions would be overly expensive and unnecessary to efforts to curb air pollution. Clearly, the automobile industry’s position should not be heeded.

24. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the method used to counter the automakers’ current position?
(A) The automakers’ premises are shown to lead to a contradiction.
(B) Facts are mentioned that show that the automakers are relying on false information.
(C) A flaw is pointed out in the reasoning used by the automakers to reach their conclusion.
(D) A comparison is drawn between the automakers’ current position and a position they held in the past.
(E) Evidence is provided that the new emissions legislation is both economically feasible and environmentally necessary.

25. Which one of the following, if true, lends the most support to the automakers’ current position?
(A) The more stringent the legislation restricting emissions becomes, the more difficult it becomes for automakers to provide the required technology economically.
(B) Emissions-restriction technology can often be engineered so as to avoid reducing the efficiency with which an automobile uses fuel.
(C) Not every new piece of legislation restricting emissions requires new automotive technology in order for automakers to comply with it.
(D) The more automobiles there are on the road, the more stringent emission restrictions must be to prevent increased overall air pollution.
(E) Unless forced to do so by the government, automakers rarely make changes in automotive technology that is not related to profitability.

SET - 2

Time 35 minutes 25 Questions

Directions: The questions in this section are based on the reasoning contained in brief statements or passages. For some questions, more than one of the choices could conceivably answer the question. However, you are to choose the best answer; that is, the response that most accurately and completely answers the question. You should not make assumptions that are by commonsense standards implausible, superfluous, or incompatible with the passage. After you have chosen the best answer, blacken the corresponding space on your answer sheet.

1. Mr. West: Well, Ms. Smith, by how much do you plan to increase your donation to the cultural society this year? You know how many worthwhile projects we do. Ms. Smith: I’m not so sure of that. I was very upset about the statue you purchased last month. I think I’ll give no more money to your cause. Mr. West: That’s all right: we’ll just put you down for the same amount that you gave last year. Which one of the following words or phrases has been misinterpreted in the conversation?
(A) “increase”
(B) “you know”
(C) “worthwhile”
(D) “no more”
(E) “same amount”

2. Handwriting analysis—also known as graphology—is a poor way to predict personality types, even though it is used by 3,000 United States firms and by a majority of European companies. In a recent study, five graphologists scored no better than chance in predicting the occupations of forty professionals. Which one of the following is an assumption necessary to the argument?
(A) People in the same occupation usually do not have the same personality type.
(B) Graphology is an effective means of predicting personality types in non-business contexts.
(C) There are more United States firms that do not use graphology than all the United States and European firms that do use it.
(D) There are several other techniques for predicting personality types that are more accurate than graphology.
(E) There is a correspondence between type of personality and choice of occupation.

Questions 3-4

The simple facts are these: the number of people killed each year by grizzly bears is about the same as the number of people killed by lightning on golf courses. And the number of people killed by lightning on golf courses each year is about the same as the number of people electrocuted by electric blenders. All the horrible myths and gruesome stories aside, therefore, a grizzly bear is in fact about as dangerous as an electric blender or a game of golf.

3. Which one of the following is an assumption that the author relies upon in the passage?
(A) Most incidents involving grizzly bears are fatal.
(B) Grizzly bears are no longer the danger they once were.
(C) The number of fatalities per year is an adequate indication of something’s dangerousness.
(D) A golf course is a particularly dangerous place to be in a thunderstorm.
(E) Something is dangerous only if it results in death in the majority of cases.

4. Which one of the following, if true, would most effectively undermine the author’s argument?
(A) Although the number of people killed by lightning on golf courses each year is very small, the total number of lightning fatalities is many times greater.
(B) Electric blenders are among the safest household appliances; were the author to compare fatalities from electrical appliances in general, she would get a much
higher figure.
(C) Most people would rather take their chances with blenders and golf games than with grizzly bears.
(D) Bears in general—including black, brown, and cinnamon bears, as well as grizzly bears—kill many more people than do electric blenders.
(E) Statistics show that the number of times people use electric blenders each year exceeds the number of times people play golf each year, which in turn far
exceeds the number of contacts people have with grizzly bears each year.

5. Emperor: The enemy empire across the sea has harassed us for centuries. I want to conquer it and stop it once and for all. What advice can you give me? Admiral: If you cross the sea, a mighty empire will fall. Emperor: In that case, prepare the troops. We set sail tonight. Of the following, the strongest criticism of the Emperor’s decision to invade would be that it
(A) is certain to lead to the emperor’s defeat
(B) is based on opinion rather than objective facts about troop strength
(C) contradicts the Admiral’s statement
(D) fails to consider fully the possible meanings of the Admiral’s advice
(E) is a futile strategy for solving the problem at hand

6. No senator spoke at the convention unless he or she was a Democrat. No Democrat both spoke at the convention and was a senator. Which one of the following conclusions can be correctly drawn from the statements above?
(A) No one but senators spoke at the convention.
(B) No Democrat spoke at the convention.
(C) Only Democrats spoke at the convention.
(D) No senator spoke at the convention.
(E) Some Democrat senators spoke at the convention.

7. If Sarah were a concert pianist for a major orchestra, she would be famous. She is not a concert pianist since she is not famous. The conclusion above is unsound because the author does not consider that
(A) Sarah could be a famous actress.
(B) Sarah could be a harpist for a major orchestra.
(C) Sarah could be a pianist with a rock group.
(D) Sarah could be a concert pianist with a minor orchestra.
(E) Sarah could be famous for another reason.

8. Neuroscientists are making progress in discovering more about the cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease patients suffer from dementia and sever memory loss. Autopsies performed on such patients have revealed the presence of brain lesions caused by abnormal protein deposits. Similar deposits are also found in the brains of elderly patients who do not suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. It follows that everyone who lives long enough will eventually develop Alzheimer’s disease. Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously undermines the conclusion that everyone who lives long enough will eventually develop Alzheimer’s disease?
(A) The lesions found in the brains of non-Alzheimer’s disease patients are far less extensive than those found in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients.
(B) The developing brain produces a greater number of cells than it will ever use. The extra cells are later destroyed by what biologists call “programmed cell
death.”
(C) The procedure that allows scientists to discover the presence of protein deposits during an autopsy is not yet refined enough to ensure detection of the lesions in
all patients.
(D) Autopsies have shown that some people lack the chemical necessary for protein deposits to cause brain lesions.
(E) Though most Alzheimer’s disease patients develop the disease when they are in their late fifties to early seventies, the frequency of patients who develop the
disease in their forties is on the rise.

9. Free public education is the best form of education there is. Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is we worth defending, it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education. Which one of the following illustrates the same weak reasoning as found in the passage?
(A) I love music, and that’s why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I play music all the time, I must really love it.
(B) Books are my most valuable possessions. My books are like my friends—each pleases me in different ways. Just as I would give up everything to save my
friends, so too with my books.
(C) I would much rather be poor and respected than be rich and despised. To have the respect of others is far more valuable than to have millions of dollars.
(D) I have never been betrayed by any of my friends. They have been true to me through good times and bad. Therefore I will never betray any of my friends.
(E) Because every plant I have ever seen has green leaves, I have concluded that all plants must have green leaves. This looks like a plant but it does not have green
leaves, so it cannot be a plant.

10. Some people say that the scarcity of food is a function of the finite limits of the earth’s resources, coupled with a relentless rate of population growth. This analysis fails to recognize, however, that much of the world’s agricultural resources are used to feed livestock instead of people. In the United States, for example, almost one-half of the agricultural acreage is devoted to crops fed to livestock. A steer reduces twenty-one pounds of inexpensive grain to one pound of expensive meat. Thus, the scarcity of food is not merely a function of limited resources and population growth. Which one of the following is an assumption that would allow the conclusion in the argument to be properly drawn?
(A) People prefer eating meat to eating grain.
(B) Meat is twenty-one times more expensive than grain.
(C) The limits of the earth’s agricultural resources are not finite.
(D) More than one-half of the agricultural acreage in the United States is devoted to crops fed to humans.
(E) Growing crops for human consumption on the acreage currently devoted to crops for livestock will yield more food for more people.

11. Hanifah: A recent survey shows that there are fewer people who drive only on weekends than there are people who drive to work each weekday. As a result, weekend-only drives are involved in fewer accidents. Therefore, insurance rates should be adjusted so that rates would be significantly higher for the regular commuters. Katsu: I can’t agree with your conclusion. The same study also showed that, although weekend-only drives are involved in fewer accidents, when considered on the basis of accidents-per-mile-driven their records are worse than those of regular commuters. Therefore, insurance rates should be adjusted to increase the rates of weekend-only drivers over those of regular commuters. In the conversation above, Katsu does which one of the following?
(A) Katsu disagrees with each of the premises of the argument that Hanifah offers.
(B) Katsu cites additional evidence stating that weekend-only drivers are actually involved in a greater number of accidents than regular commuters.
(C) Katsu accuses Hanifah of using inaccurate statistical information.
(D) Katsu proves that Hanifah didn’t read the entire report that was cited.
(E) Katsu disagrees with Hanifah over how accident records are to be evaluated for insurance rates.

12. If Country X does not intervene militarily in Country Y, then the whole region will definitely fall under enemy influence. It most logically follows from the statement above that, if Country X does intervene militarily in Country Y, then the whole region
(A) Will definitely fall under enemy influence
(B) Will probably fall under enemy influence
(C) Will probably not fall under enemy influence
(D) Will definitely not fall under enemy influence
(E) May or may not fall under enemy influence

13. Top college graduates are having more difficulty demonstrating their superiority to prospective employers than did the top students of twenty years ago when an honors degree was distinction enough. Today’s employers are less impressed with the honors degree. Twenty years ago no more than 10 percent of a given class graduated with honors. Today, however, because of grade inflation, the honors degree goes to more than 50 percent of a graduating class. Therefore, to restore confidence in the degrees they award, colleges must take steps to control grade inflation. Which one of the following is an assumption that, if true, would support the conclusion in the passage?
(A) Today’s students are not higher achievers than the students of twenty years ago.
(B) Awarding too many honors degrees causes colleges to inflate grades.
(C) Today’s employers rely on honors ranking in making their hiring decisions.
(D) It is not easy for students with low grades to obtain jobs.
(E) Colleges must make employers aware of the criteria used to determine who receives an honors degree.

14. Either Perry’s faction or Tucker’s faction, but not both, will win control of the government. If Perry’s faction wins, the nation will suffer economically. If Tucker’s faction wins, the nation will suffer militarily. Given the statements in the passage, which one of the following statements must be true?
(A) It is possible, but not certain, that the nation will neither suffer economically nor suffer militarily.
(B) If the nation suffers economically, it is certain that Perry’s faction has won control of the government.
(C) It is certain that the nation will suffer either economically or militarily, and also certain that it will not suffer both.
(D) If the nation suffers militarily, it is possible, but not certain, that Tucker’s faction has won control of the government.
(E) If the nation suffers both economically and militarily, it is certain that neither Perry’s faction nor Tucker’s has won control of the government.

15. One of the more reliable methods of determining regional climatic conditions in prehistoric periods is to examine plant pollen trapped in glacial ice during ancient times. By comparing such pollen samples with spores taken from modern vegetation, scientists can figure out approximately what the weather was like at the time of pollen deposition. Furthermore, by submitting the prehistoric samples to radiocarbon dating techniques, we can also determine when certain climatic conditions were prevalent in that portion of the globe. Which one of the following may be inferred from the information in the passage?
(A) The earth has undergone several glacial periods.
(B) Radiocarbon dating can be corroborated by glacial evidence.
(C) Similarities between prehistoric and contemporary climates do not exist.
(D) Pollen deposition is a fairly continuous process.
(E) Certain flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions.

16. Investigators concluded that human failure was not responsible for the fatal airplane crash last August, and since that time new and more stringent rules for identifying and reporting mechanical problems have been in effect. That accounts for the fact that reports of airplane mechanical problems have increased in frequency by 50 percent since last August. Which one of the following is an assumption underlying the argument in the passage?
(A) Airplane travel is still relatively safe, despite the increase in reported mechanical problems.
(B) Mechanical problems in airplanes have increased dramatically since last August.
(C) Mechanical problems in airplanes have not increased by 50 percent since last August.
(D) Airlines are less reluctant to report mechanical problems than they previously were.
(E) Mechanical problems in airplanes have become easier to detect since last August.

17. The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it robs the human race. It takes from posterity, as well as the existing generation, and from those who dissent from the opinion even more than from those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth; if it is wrong, they lose what is almost as great a benefit: the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error. Which one of the following best expresses the conclusion presented in the argument?
(A) Silencing the expression of an opinion is robbing the human race.
(B) Silencing the expression of an opinion harms those who dissent more than those who agree.
(C) Anyone who agrees with an opinion would not want to silence its expression.
(D) Gaining a clearer perception and livelier impression of truth is a great benefit.
(E) The greatest benefit is the opportunity of exchanging truth for error.

18. Brushing your teeth regularly, no matter which toothpaste you use, will reduce your chances of tooth decay. Scientists have concluded that, when you brush, you reduce tooth decay by removing the film of plaque that forms on teeth and gums. So, you can forget about fluorides: brush your teeth carefully and say goodbye to cavities. Which one of the following is a criticism of the reasoning in the argument?
(A) Brushing with fluoride toothpaste has been shown to reduce tooth decay.
(B) The fact that brushing will reduce tooth decay does not show that fluorides are of no value.
(C) Few people adequately remove plaque by brushing.
(D) People have plaque on their teeth most of the time.
(E) Scientists have been wrong about fluorides.

19. Some good cooks are gourmet cooks who pride themselves on always using extravagantly rich ingredients in elaborate recipes. Some good cooks can be characterized as fast-food cooks. They may use rich ingredients as long as the recipes are easy to follow and take little time. Other good cooks are health food enthusiasts, who are concerned primarily with the nutritional value of food. But even though not all good cooks are big eaters, they all enjoy preparing and serving food. If the information in the passage is true, which one of the following CANNOT be true?
(A) Most good cooks do not use extravagantly rich ingredients.
(B) Everyone who enjoys preparing and serving food is a good cook.
(C) More good cooks who use extravagantly rich ingredients are big eaters than are good cooks who do not use such ingredients.
(D) There are fewer good cooks who enjoy serving and preparing food than there are good cooks who are big eaters.
(E) Gourmet cooks, fast-food cooks, and cooks who are health food enthusiasts are all big eaters.

20. Most discussions of the factors contributing to improvements in public health greatly underestimate the influence of the values held by individuals. This influence is indicated by the fact that the astonishing decline in mortality from infectious disease during the past century was primarily due to an improvement in living conditions. To a substantial degree, these improvements depended on the emphasis by an increasing share of the population on cleanliness, prudence, and moderation. The main point of the passage is made primarily by
(A) analyzing existing data on medical practices and health outcomes
(B) presenting a set of related cause-and-effect assertions
(C) applying several general principles to a specific case
(D) presenting a general observation and supporting it with several specific examples
(E) refuting in detail a commonly accepted argument

Questions 21-22

21. If the city council institutes new parking regulations, city revenues will surely increase, since studies have conclusively shown that, if such parking regulations are put into effect, there is an increase in parking violations, and an increase in parking violations will result in a greater number of parking fines collected. 21. Which one of the following is closest, in terms of its logical features, to the reasoning used in the argument above?
(A) Last year’s increase in revenues can be easily explained. That was the year the city council instituted new parking regulations. No doubt the new law brought
with it an increase in the number of parking violations.
(B) If taxes were increased, this act would naturally result in increased revenues for the city, and increased revenues would make some desirable social programs
possible. So, if taxes were increased, some desirable social programs would become possible.
(C) Henry says that, if the city council goes into closed session, an important matter of personnel policy is being discussed. However, no personnel matters were
iscussed at the council meeting, so if Henry is right, the council did not go into closed session.
(D) All cars parked on the north side of the street were ticketed last night, and the same cars were towed away this morning. So beware! A car ticketed in this city
also gets towed away.
(E) Allen says that, if the city council institutes new parking regulations, it is unlikely that revenues for the city will increase. If Allen is right, then the parking regulation
plan should not be instituted.

22. If the statements in the passage are true, which one of the following must also be true?
(A) Unless there is an increase in the number of parking violations in the city, city revenues will not increase.
(B) If the city council institutes new parking regulations, the council will fall from favor with the citizens.
(C) The city council will institute new parking regulations only if an increase in city revenues can be expected to result.
(D) If the city council’s new regulations cause more parking violators to be ticketed, the city revenues will increase.
(E) Unless the city institutes a complex system of parking regulations, the city cannot expect traffic violations to increase.

23. The function of government is to satisfy the genuine wants of the masses, and government cannot satisfy those wants unless it is informed about what those wants are. Freedom of speech ensures that such information will reach the ears of government officials. Therefore, freedom of speech is indispensable for a healthy state. Which one of the following, if true, would NOT undermine the conclusion of the argument?
(A) People most often do not know what they genuinely want.
(B) Freedom of speech tends ultimately to undermine social order, and social order is a prerequisite for satisfying the wants of the masses.
(C) The proper function of government is not to satisfy wants, but to provide equality of opportunity.
(D) Freedom of speech is not sufficient for satisfying the wants of the masses: social order is necessary as well.
(E) Rulers already know what the people want.

24. An unbiased observer of everyday encounters in Western societies would surely not find many instances of unkindness by people under 65 toward people over 65. There are undoubtedly incidents of unkindness based on age, and these warrant reproof. However, the very fact that such reproof occurs and is generally accepted implies that our Western societies basically respect the elderly. The same conclusion can be drawn from a recent survey finding: 71 percent of the under 65 population agreed with the statement that “people over 65 receive too little respect from society”, while only 44 percent of the over-65 population, the target of the alleged irreverence agreed with it. The author concludes that Western societies basically respect the elderly partly because
(A) people under 65 are just as kind to people over 65 as they are to people of their own age group
(B) survey data suggest that fewer people over 65 than under 65 get too little respect
(C) disrespect for the elderly does not go so far as to result in actual harm
(D) survey data suggest that people over 65 are more aware of incidents involving disrespect to the elderly than are people under 65
(E) incidents of unkindness to the elderly are neither common nor generally accepted in Western societies

25. These days, everyone talks about being too busy. But all this busyness does not seem to result in things getting done. Just as many tasks are still left uncompleted, phone calls unreturned, and appointments missed as there were in the days before this outbreak of busyness. Therefore, people must not be as busy as they claim. Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion in the passage?
(A) These days, looking busy is a status symbol.
(B) People have to do much more these days than before the so-called outbreak of busyness.
(C) People waste so much time talking about being busy that they fail to get things done.
(D) Just as many things are getting done now as before the so-called outbreak of busyness.
(E) People have more leisure time these days than before the so-called outbreak of busyness.

SET - 3

Time 35 minutes 26 Questions

Directions: The questions in this section are based on the reasoning contained in brief statements or passages...

1. The government should enact a bill that would prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol on commuter trains. Recently, the state, exercising its legitimate authority, passed a law to protect the health of commuters by prohibiting smoking on the commuter line. When intoxicated riders get off the train, get in their cars, and drive, the public is exposed to at least as much danger as are nonsmoking rail passengers who are forced to inhale cigarette smoke. In arguing that alcohol consumption on commuter trains should be banned, the author relies on
(A) the fact that drinking alcohol is dangerous to one’s health
(B) the principle that people need to be protected from their own actions
(C) the use of emotionally charged descriptions of smoking and drinking alcohol
(D) the reader’s sympathy for the problems of commuters
(E) a comparison between the effects of smoking and the effects of drinking alcohol

2. Creating false marble is an art at which only those with a light hand can excel. Picasso, however, was a great artist, so while he did not have a light hand he could have excelled at creating false marble. Which one of the following contains a logical error that most closely resembles the logical error contained in the passage?
(A) The police have determined that the murderer left his fingerprints on the knife. Ira’s fingerprints do not match those on the knife, so we can eliminate him as a
suspect.
(B) It is true that it is necessary to work hard in order to succeed. However, smith was governor of the state, so it was possible for him to succeed without working
hard.
(C) Whenever I eat nuts of any kind I break out in hives. After eating the pie I did not break out, so I know it could not have been real pecan pie.
(D) If the inventory can be sold within the next few months the business can be saved. However, since a sale cannot be concluded quickly, the business will go
under.
(E) Only the brave deserve the spoils. Major Wilson has distinguished himself several times for bravery, so surely he deserves the spoils.

3. Cass: War and peace are mutually exclusive. Therefore, a nation cannot be preparing for both war and peace simultaneously. Stanislaus: But aren’t the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. doing precisely that? They are spending vast amounts of money on war research and armaments while at the same time they are negotiating trade agreements and nuclear arms treaties that are designed to secure peace. Although they are maintaining a shaky peaceful coexistence, they are preparing for both war and peace simultaneously. In order to refute Cass’s conclusion, Stanislaus
(A) demonstrates that a nation can be at war and at peace at the same time
(B) points out that there are several different meanings to the words “war” and “peace”
(C) uses a different meaning for the term “simultaneously” than Cass does
(D) shows that preparing for war and preparing for peace are not mutually exclusive
(E) changes an argument based on a definition into one based on an ethical consideration

4. According to advertisements, the higher a suntan lotion’s sun protection factor, or SPF, the more protection from sunburn. In order for a suntan lotion to work, however, one has to remember to put it on before going in the sun, put on an adequate amount to cover the skin, and reapply it as needed. Therefore, it really does not matter what SPF a suntan lotion has. Which one of the following best identifies the error in reasoning made in the passage?
(A) It is unreasonable to assume that the only purpose of a suntan lotion is to provide protection from sunburn.
(B) Because some people get sunburned more easily than others, the fact that there are different SPFs cannot be ignored.
(C) It cannot be concluded that the SPF is not important just because there are requirements for the application of the suntan lotion.
(D) It is unreasonable to assume that all suntan lotions require the same application.
(E) There is no reason to assume that manufacturers are unaware that people sometimes forget to apply suntan lotion before going in the sun.

Questions 5-6

Patient: Doctor, I read an article that claimed that the first few hours after birth are very important to establishing a mother-infant bond, which is the first step in building a healthy relationship. Can you assure me that my relationship with my baby has not been permanently harmed by our separation for several days after his birth? Physician: Your relationship with your child has not been harmed by the separation. Mother-infant bonding is not like an “instant glue” that cements your relationship forever. Having your infant with you during the period immediately after birth does give your relationship a head start, but many factors are involved in building a strong and lasting relationship between a mother and her child.

5. If everything the doctor says is correct, which one of the following must be true?
(A) The best relationships between mothers and their children are caused by immediate mother-infant bonding.
(B) There is a high degree of correlation between the best relationships between mothers and their children and those that began with immediate mother-infant
bonding.
(C) A strong and lasting relationship is necessary for mother-infant bonding.
(D) Where immediate mother-infant bonding takes place, a strong and lasting relationship between a mother and her child will be assured.
(E) Immediate mother-infant bonding is not necessary for a strong and lasting relationship between a mother and her child.

6. The doctor does which one of the following in her reply to her patient?
(A) She rejects an analogy in an attempt to reduce the patient’s concern.
(B) She cites evidence to show that the patient’s worry is unfounded.
(C) She misinterprets the patient’s explanation of her concern.
(D) She establishes that the article that the patient read was in error.
(E) She names other factors that are more important in creating a mother-infant bond.

7. A recent survey showed that many workers in a certain company are dissatisfied with their jobs. The survey also showed that most of the dissatisfied workers believe that they have little control over their job assignments. Therefore, to increase workers job satisfaction the company’s management need only concentrate on changing workers’ beliefs regarding the degree of control they have over their job assignments. Which one of the following, if also shown by the survey, would most seriously call into question the conclusion made by the author of the passage?
(A) The dissatisfied workers feel that their wages are too low and working conditions are unsatisfactory.
(B) The number of workers in the company who are satisfied with their jobs is greater than the number who are dissatisfied.
(C) The workers in the company are more dissatisfied than workers in other companies.
(D) Most people in company management believe that the workers already have too much control over their work.
(E) The workers in the company who are satisfied with their jobs believe that they have a lot of control over their job assignments.

8. Dr. Sheila Porter plans to run an experiment using nursing students. Each student will be shown either a pleasant nature film or a disturbing horror film. Each student will be observed by someone who—looking only at the student’s facial expressions—must ascertain which film is being shown. Students shown the horror movie are told to hide their feelings in order to convince the observer that they are watching a pleasant film. Dr. Porter hypothesizes that all the students in the experiment who are convincing will be among the best at working with patients. The hypothesis will be tested by comparing the convincing students and unconvincing students in terms of their performance with patents. Which one of the following incidents best illustrates Dr. Porter’s hypothesis?
(A) Niles, the most convincing student in the experiment, later went on to become a physician.
(B) After graduating, Yoshiro, a nursing student who was convincing in the experiment, helped care for Bram, a patient at a hospital. Bram recovered from his
operation.
(C) After graduating, Kim, a nursing student in the experiment who watched the nature film, was removed from the staff of a hospital for unacceptable performance
in patient care.
(D) Daria, a nursing student who was convincing in the experiment, later received “A’s” in those classes in which working with patients in a teaching hospital was the
sole basis of her grades.
(E) Marite, a nursing student who was not convincing in the experiment, later quit nursing school.

9. Those who think with a hierarchical mentality strive for situations in which their side is dominant and the other side is submissive. In contrast, communal thinkers strive for parity among all sides. Therefore, achieving parity of nuclear weaponry between the East and the West is not enough for Western military generals. Which one of the following assumptions would provide the most support for the conclusion above?
(A) Western military generals do not have the same mentality as do Eastern military generals.
(B) Parity in nuclear weaponry requires that military generals from both the East and the West think in communal terms.
(C) Western military generals want parity with respect to strength in nuclear weaponry between the East and the West.
(D) Western military generals’ thinking about relative strength in nuclear weaponry is hierarchical.
(E) The thinking of military generals with respect to relative strength in nuclear weaponry is either hierarchical or communal.

10. It has always been difficult to understand the basis of politics in the People’s Republic of China. Because the system is effectively closed, it is impossible to know with any degree of confidence who is allied with whom and for what reasons. Yet Chinese politics does exhibit many of the external characteristics of factional political systems, as found in more open societies. It is legitimate to conclude, therefore, that China has a factional political system. Which one of the following, if true, would confirm the author’s conclusion that China has a factional political system?
(A) All open political systems are factional political systems.
(B) All factional political systems are closed political systems.
(C) All closed political systems are factional political systems.
(D) China’s political system is more open than many existing factional political systems.
(E) China’s political system is more closed than all existing factional political systems.

11. Since no one returns from death, we can never be certain about what passes through the mind of the dying person. For the unconscious, the confused, and the heavily sedated, these final moments are probably meaningless. However, for the mentally alert, it is quite possible that death presents itself as an unbelievably glorious experience, a flight into an entirely new universe of sensation. Why should we think so? Some people who have been reprieved from “certain” death at the last moment have experienced what goes through the consciousness of those who are not so fortunate. For example, parachutists who have survived falls report experiences that resemble psychedelic “trips.” The primary point of the argument in the passage is
(A) no one returns from death
(B) dying can be a glorious experience
(C) we can never know what passes through the mind of a dying person
(D) some people are reprieved from death at the last moment
(E) some people “die”, yet live to report their, experiences

12. Aristotle wrote that a tyrant would be well advised to put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are more tolerant of unjust treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-rearing and pious. Moreover as most subjects believe that even the gods are on the side of the ruler, the subjects are less apt to move against him. Which one of the following is an assumption on which Aristotle’s argument depends?
(A) The subjects of tyrannical rulers typically believe that there is a power other than the mortal.
(B) A tyrant cannot rule unless he has divine power on his side.
(C) The subjects of tyrannical rulers can rarely be fooled by appearances.
(D) Tyrants who are devoted to religion will not treat their subjects unjustly.
(E) For a tyrant, the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion is a more effective means of ruling than unjust treatment.

13. That gadget I bought for the kitchen last week has already broken. It’s just another example of the shoddy products that we are seeing more and more of these days. The thing was probably manufactured in East Golo. Which one of the following is the best expression of an unstated premise that underlies the author’s reasoning in the passage?
(A) If a manufacturer uses shoddy materials to make a gadget, the gadget is likely to break quickly.
(B) If a gadget breaks quickly, it was probably manufactured in East Golo.
(C) If a kitchen gadget was manufactured in East Golo, it should not be sold in this country.
(D) If everything that is manufactured in East Golo breaks quickly, then kitchen gadgets manufactured in East Golo are likely to break quickly.
(E) Nothing that is manufactured in East Golo can be expected to last more than a week.

14. All those who keep a journal will be heard by the next generation. Some of these journal writers are true artists, others humorous observers of the commonplace, and still others insufferable egotists who feel compelled to record their every thought. If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true?
(A) Not all of those who are humorous observers of the commonplace will be heard by the next generation.
(B) Everyone who will be heard by the next generation keeps a journal.
(C) The next generation will hear both insufferable egotists and true artists.
(D) Some of those who keep journals are not true artists, humorous observers of the commonplace, or insufferable egotists.
(E) The next generation will bear some of those who are true artists but not all of them.

15. Sven: Trade unions are traditionally regarded by governments and economists as restraints of trade, working against the complete freedom of the economy, but I believe that unions are indispensable since they are often the worker’s only protection against exploitation. Ravi: I don’t agree. The exploitation of the workers and their work is a normal part of ordinary trade just like the exploitation of natural or other material resources. Sven and Ravi will not be able to resolve their disagreement logically unless they
(A) define a key term
(B) rely on the opinions of established authorities
(C) question an unproved premise
(D) present supporting data
(E) distinguish fact from opinion

16. History textbooks frequently need to be revised. The reasons for this are clear: new discoveries of documents and remains, the discovery of mistaken inferences in prior histories, the discovery of previously unnoticed relationships among data, and the application of hitherto undiscovered principles of natural science all may indicate inadequacies in current history texts. Any of these considerations may require that the past be reinterpreted in a manner that is new and more illuminating. Which one of the following can be inferred from the argument in the passage?
(A) The interpretation of historical events is affected by natural science.
(B) The past is constantly renewed because of illuminating reinterpretations.
(C) History books are outdated as soon as they are written.
(D) Natural scientists also function as historians.
(E) Historians’ mistaken inferences are caused by unnoticed relationships among data.

Questions 17-18

If the artificial is not better than the natural, to what end are all the arts of life? To dig, to plow, to build, to wear clothes—all are direct violations of the injunction to follow nature.

17. Which one of the following is an assumption made by the author of the passage?
(A) The arts of life have no useful end.
(B) The artificial is not better than the natural.
(C) Digging, plowing, building, and wearing clothes are better than nature.
(D) The injunction to follow nature should not be violated.
(E) The arts of life are indirect means of following nature.

18. If the author’s argument were challenged on the grounds that the construction of buildings has adverse effects on the natural environment, which of the following replies might the author use to respond to the challenge logically?
(A) There are human activities, such as making music, that are environmentally harmless.
(B) Harming the environment is not an end, or purpose, of the arts of life.
(C) The construction could involve the use of natural, not artificial, materials.
(D) Constructing buildings is not an “art of life.”
(E) Even if the natural environment is disturbed by the construction of buildings, it is improved for human use.

19. There are at least three people in the room. At most two people in the room recognize each other. At least one person in the room recognizes everybody else in the room. Which one of the following is NOT consistent with the above?
(A) Four people are in the room.
(B) No two people in the room recognize each other.
(C) At most one person in the room recognizes everybody else in the room.
(D) Anyone in the room who recognizes any other person in the room is also recognized by that person.
(E) Two people in the room recognize every one else in the room.

20. Abolish taxes, and real taxpayers would find that their disposable incomes have increased. Abolish taxes, and public employees would find that their incomes have disappeared. Which one of the following is a logical conclusion that depends on information in both of the statements above?
(A) Public offices should be abolished so that disposable incomes will rise.
(B) The only real taxpayers are those who would have more to spend if they did not pay taxes.
(C) Public employees are not real taxpayers.
(D) Public employees’ incomes should not be taxed since they come from taxes.
(E) If there were no taxes, then public employees could not be paid.

21. A low-pressure weather system is approaching Plainville; rainfall results from about 70 percent of such systems in the Plainville area. Moreover, the current season, spring, is the time of year in which thundershowers, which sometimes result from low-pressure systems, are most likely to occur in Plainville. Knowing which one of the following, in addition to the information above, would be most useful for determining the probability that Plainville will have a thundershower soon?
(A) the percentage of thundershowers in Plainville that occur in the spring
(B) the percentage of spring rainfalls in Plainville that are thundershowers
(C) the percentage of thundershowers in Plainville that result from low-pressure systems
(D) whether low-pressure systems in other areas are associated with rainfall
(E) whether Plainville has more or fewer thundershowers each spring than do nearby towns

22. It is illogical to infer a second and different effect from a cause which is known only by one particular effect. This is incorrect because the inferred effect must necessarily be produced by some different characteristic of the cause than is the observed effect, which already serves entirely to describe the cause. Which one of the following arguments makes the same logical error as the one described by the author in the passage?
(A) An anonymous donor gave a thousand dollars to our historical society. I would guess that that individual also volunteers at the children’s hospital.
(B) The radioactive material caused a genetic mutation, which, in turn, caused the birth defect. Therefore, the radioactive material caused the birth defect.
(C) The tiny, unseen atom is the source of immense power. It must be its highly complex structure that produces this power.
(D) The city orchestra received more funds from the local government this year than ever before. Clearly this administration is more civic-minded than previous
ones.
(E) If I heat water, which is a liquid, it evaporates. If I heat hundreds of other liquids like water, they evaporate. Therefore, if I heat any liquid like water, it will
evaporate.

Questions 23-24

Just as a bicycle chain may be too tight, so may one’s carefulness and conscientiousness be so tense as to hinder the running of one’s mind.

23. Which one of the following most closely parallels the reasoning used in the argument above?
(A) Just as a clock may be wound too tightly, so may one’s time be spent fruitlessly in the pursuit of perfection.
(B) Just as a carousel may spin too quickly, so may one’s rapid concentration on several problems prevent a resolution of difficulties.
(C) Just as a machine may be oiled too much, so may one’s heavy drinking of alcoholic beverages lead to complete dissipation.
(D) Just as a raging river may be frozen into stillness during the winter, so may one’s career falter at certain times of the year.
(E) Just as a boxer may become too tense before a big fight, so may one’s personal concerns stand in the way of professional success.

24. Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument?
(A) Bicycle chains are used to turn wheels, but the human mind is used to “turn” ideas.
(B) People and bicycles are similar only in that both may not function well under stress.
(C) Bicycles help people with transportation, but careful, conscientious thought helps to solve many different problems.
(D) Extreme tension helps a bicycle chain to function efficiently.
(E) People engage in poor reasoning whether they are careful and conscientious or not.

25. All of the best comedians have had unhappy childhoods. Yet, many people who have had happy childhoods are good comedians, and some good comedians who have had miserably unhappy childhoods are happy adults. If the statements in the passage are true, which one of the following CANNOT be true?
(A) The proportion of good comedians who had unhappy childhoods is greater than the proportion of the best comedians who did.
(B) Some good comedians have had unhappy childhoods and are unhappy adults.
(C) Most of the best comedians are happy adults.
(D) More good comedians have had unhappy childhoods than have had happy childhoods.
(E) The proportion of comedians who are happy adults is higher than the proportion who are unhappy adults.

26. The usefulness of lie detectors cannot be overestimated. Although there is no employee screening procedure that is 100 percent accurate, the lie detector is a valuable tool for employers and employees alike. The lie detector’s usefulness is amply demonstrated in a recent survey conducted by a prestigious university. In the survey, those employees of a large company who were applying for a newly created position within the company were asked if they had ever worked on Project X. More than one-third of the applicants studied lied and said they had worked on the project—a project that never existed. Which one of the following best identifies a flaw in the author’s argument about the usefulness of lie detectors?
(A) The argument depends on the assumption that whatever is good for the employer is good for the employee.
(B) Since lie detectors are known to be less than 100 percent accurate, the test will tend to help only those with something to hide.
(C) By referring to a prestigious university, the author is appealing to authority rather than to evidence.
(D) The study shows only that certain individual will lie, not that the lie detector can detect them.
(E) The author fails to address the issue that the use of lie detectors may fail to prevent embezzlement.

SET - 4

Time 35 minutes 24 Questions

Directions: The questions in this section are based on the reasoning contained in brief statements or passages...

1. Some people believe that witnessing violence in movies will discharge aggressive energy. Does watching someone else eat fill one’s own stomach? In which one of the following does the reasoning most closely parallel that employed in the passage?
(A) Some people think appropriating supplies at work for their own personal use is morally wrong. Isn’t shoplifting morally wrong?
(B) Some people think nationalism is defensible. Hasn’t nationalism been the excuse for committing abominable crimes?
(C) Some people think that boxing is fixed just because wrestling usually is. Are the two sports managed by the same sort of people?
(D) Some people think that economists can control inflation. Can meteorologists make the sun shine?
(E) Some people think workaholics are compensating for a lack of interpersonal skills. However, aren’t most doctors workaholics?

2. Ann: All the campers at Camp Winnehatchee go to Tri-Cities High School Bill: That’s not true. Some Tri-Cities students are campers at Camp Lakemont. Bill’s answer can be best explained on the assumption that he has interpreted Ann’s remark to mean that
(A) most of the campers at Camp Lakemont come from high schools other than Tri-Cities
(B) most Tri-Cities High School students are campers at Camp Winnehatchee
(C) some Tri-Cities High School students have withdrawn from Camp Lakemont
(D) all Tri-Cities High School students have withdrawn from Camp Lakemont
(E) only campers at Camp Winnehatchee are students at Tri-Cities High School

3. More than a year ago, the city announced that police would crack down on illegally parked cars and that resources would be diverted from writing speeding tickets to ticketing illegally parked cars. But no crackdown has taken place. The police chief claims that resources have had to be diverted from writing speeding tickets to combating the city’s staggering drug problem. Yet the police are still writing as many speeding tickets as ever. Therefore, the excuse about resources being tied up in fighting drug-related crime simply is not true. The conclusion in the passage depends on the assumption that
(A) every member of the police force is qualified to work on combating the city’s drug problem
(B) drug-related crime is not as serious a problem for the city as the police chief claims it is
(C) writing speeding tickets should be as important a priority for the city as combating drug-related crime
(D) the police could be cracking down on illegally parked cars and combating the drug problem without having to reduce writing speeding tickets
(E) the police cannot continue writing as many speeding tickets as ever while diverting resources to combating drug-related crime

4. Dried grass clippings mixed into garden soil gradually decompose, providing nutrients for beneficial soil bacteria. This results in better-than- verage plant growth. Yet mixing fresh grass clippings into garden soil usually causes poorer-than-average plant growth. Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the difference in plant growth described above?
(A) The number of beneficial soil bacteria increases whenever any kind of plant material is mixed into garden soil.
(B) Nutrients released by dried grass clippings are immediately available to beneficial soil bacteria.
(C) Some dried grass clippings retain nutrients originally derived from commercial lawn fertilizers, and thus provide additional enrichment to the soil.
(D) Fresh grass clippings mixed into soil decompose rapidly, generating high levels of heat that kill beneficial soil bacteria.
(E) When a mix of fresh and dried grass clippings is mixed into garden soil, plant growth often decreases.

5. A gas tax of one cent per gallon would raise one billion dollars per year at current consumption rates. Since a tax of fifty cents per gallon would therefore raise fifty billion dollars per year, it seems a perfect way to deal with the federal budget deficit. This tax would have the additional advantage that the resulting drop in the demand for gasoline would be ecologically sound and would keep our country from being too dependent on foreign oil producers. Which one of the following most clearly identifies an error in the author’s reasoning?
(A) The author cites irrelevant data.
(B) The author relies on incorrect current consumption figures.
(C) The author makes incompatible assumptions.
(D) The author mistakes an effect for a cause.
(E) The author appeals to conscience rather than reason.

6. As symbols of the freedom of the wilderness, bald eagles have the unique capacity to inspire people and foster in them a sympathetic attitude toward the needs of other threatened species. Clearly, without that sympathy and the political will it engenders, the needs of more obscure species will go unmet. The conservation needs of many obscure species can only be met by beginning with the conservation of this symbolic species, the bald eagle. Which one of the following is the main point of the passage as a whole?
(A) Because bald eagles symbolize freedom, conservation efforts should be concentrated on them rather than on other, more obscure species.
(B) The conservation of bald eagles is the first necessary step in conserving other endangered species.
(C) Without increased public sympathy for conservation, the needs of many symbolic species will go unmet.
(D) People’s love of the wilderness can be used to engender political support for conservation efforts.
(E) Other threatened species do not inspire people or foster sympathy as much as do bald eagles.

7. There is no reason why the work of scientists has to be officially confirmed before being published. There is a system in place for the confirmation or disconfirmation of scientific finding, namely, the replication of results by other scientists. Poor scientific work on the part of any one scientist, which can include anything from careless reporting practices to fraud, is not harmful. It will be exposed and rendered harmless when other scientists conduct the experiments and obtain disconfirmatory results. Which one of the following, if true, would weaken the argument?
(A) Scientific experiments can go unchallenged for many years before they are replicated.
(B) Most scientists work in universities, where their work is submitted to peer review before publication.
(C) Most scientists are under pressure to make their work accessible to the scrutiny of replication.
(D) In scientific experiments, careless reporting is more common than fraud.
(E) Most scientists work as part of a team rather than alone.

8. Alice: Quotas on automobile imports to the United States should be eliminated. Then domestic producers would have to compete directly with Japanese manufacturers and would be forced to produce higher-quality cars. Such competition would be good for consumers. David: You fail to realize, Alice, that quotas on automobile imports are pervasive worldwide. Since German, Britain, and France have quotas, so should the United States. Which one of the following most accurately characterizes David’s response to Alice’s statement?
(A) David falsely accuses Alice of contradicting herself.
(B) David unfairly directs his argument against Alice personally.
(C) David uncovers a hidden assumption underlying Alice’s position.
(D) David takes a position that is similar to the one Alice has taken.
(E) David fails to address the reasons Alice cites in favor of her conclusion.

9. Governments have only one response to public criticism of socially necessary services: regulation of the activity of providing those services. But governments inevitably make the activity more expensive by regulating it, and that is particularly troublesome in these times of strained financial resources. However, since public criticism of child-care services has undermined all confidence in such services, and since such services are socially necessary, the government is certain to respond. Which one of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?
(A) The quality of child care will improve.
(B) The cost of providing child-care services will increase.
(C) The government will use funding to foster advances in child care.
(D) If public criticism of policy is strongly voiced, the government is certain to respond.
(E) If child-care services are not regulated, the cost of providing child care will not increase.

10. Advertisers are often criticized for their unscrupulous manipulation of people’s tastes and wants. There is evidence, however, that some advertisers are motivated by moral as well as financial considerations. A particular publication decided to change its image from being a family newspaper to concentrating on sex and violence, thus appealing to a different readership. Some advertisers withdrew their advertisements from the publication, and this must have been because they morally disapproved of publishing salacious material. Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument?
(A) The advertisers switched their advertisements to other family newspapers.
(B) Some advertisers switched from family newspapers to advertise in the changed publication.
(C) The advertisers expected their product sales to increase if they stayed with the changed publication, but to decrease if they withdrew.
(D) People who generally read family newspapers are not likely to buy newspapers that concentrate on sex and violence.
(E) It was expected that the changed publication would appeal principally to those in a different income group.

11. “If the forest continues to disappear at its present pace, the koala will approach extinction,” said the biologist. “So all that is needed to save the koala is to stop deforestation,” said the politician. Which one of the following statements is consistent with the biologist’s claim but not with the politician’s claim?
(A) Deforestation continues and the koala becomes extinct.
(B) Deforestation is stopped and the koala becomes extinct.
(C) Reforestation begins and the koala survives.
(D) Deforestation is slowed and the koala survives.
(E) Deforestation is slowed and the koala approaches extinction.

12. People have long been fascinated by the paranormal. Over the years, numerous researchers have investigated telepathy only to find that conclusive evidence for its existence has persistently evaded them. Despite this, there are still those who believe that there must be “something in it” since some research seems to support the view that telepathy exist. However, it can often be shown that other explanations that do comply with known laws can be given. Therefore, it is premature to conclude that telepathy is an alternative means of communication. In the passage, the author
(A) supports the conclusion by pointing to the inadequacy of evidence for the opposite view
(B) supports the conclusion by describing particular experiments
(C) supports the conclusion by overgeneralizing from a specific piece of evidence
(D) draws a conclusion that is not supported by the premises
(E) rephrases the conclusion without offering any support for it

13. If retail stores experience a decrease in revenues during this holiday season, then either attitudes toward extravagant gift-giving have changed or prices have risen beyond the level most people can afford. If attitudes have changed, then we all have something to celebrate this season. If prices have risen beyond the level most people can afford, then it must be that salaries have not kept pace with rising prices during the past year. Assume the premises above to be true. If salaries have kept pace with rising prices during the past year, which one of the following must be true?
(A) Attitudes toward extravagant gift-giving have changed.
(B) Retail stores will not experience a decrease in retail sales during this holiday season.
(C) Prices in retail stores have not risen beyond the level that most people can afford during this holiday season.
(D) Attitudes toward extravagant gift-giving have not changed, and stores will not experience a decrease in revenues during this holiday season.
(E) Either attitudes toward extravagant gift-giving have changed or prices have risen beyond the level that most people can afford during this holiday season.

14. The “suicide wave” that followed the United States stock market crash of October 1929 is more legend than fact. Careful examination of the monthly figures on the causes of death in 1929 shows that the number of suicides in October and in November was comparatively low. In only three other months were the monthly figures lower. During the summer months, when the stock market was flourishing, the number of suicides was substantially higher. Which one of the following, if true, would best challenge the conclusion of the passage?
(A) The suicide rate is influenced by many psychological, interpersonal, and societal factors during any given historical period.
(B) October and November have almost always had relatively high suicide rates, even during the 1920s and 1930s.
(C) The suicide rate in October and November of 1929 was considerably higher than the average for those months during several preceding and following years.
(D) During the years surrounding the stock market crash, suicide rates were typically lower at the beginning of any calendar year than toward the end of that year.
(E) Because of seasonal differences, the number of suicides in October and November of 1929 would not be expected to be the same as those for other months.

15. A well-known sports figure found that combining publicity tours with playing tours led to problems, so she stopped combining the two. She no longer allows bookstore appearances and playing in competition to occur in the same city within the same trip. This week she is traveling to London to play in a major competition, so during her stay in London she will not be making any publicity appearances at any bookstore in London. Which one of the following most closely parallels the reasoning used in the passage?
(A) Wherever there is an Acme Bugkiller, many wasps are killed. The Z family garden has an Acme Bugkiller, so any wasps remaining in the garden will soon be
killed.
(B) The only times that the hospital’s emergency room staff attends to relatively less serious emergencies are times when there is no critical emergency to attend to.
On Monday night the emergency room staff attended to a series of fairly minor emergencies, so there must not have been any critical emergencies to take care of at
the time.
(C) Tomato plants require hot summers to thrive. Farms in the cool summers of country Y probably do not have thriving tomato plants.
(D) Higher grades lead to better job opportunities, and studying leads to higher grades. Therefore, studying will lead to better job opportunities.
(E) Butter knives are not sharp. Q was not murdered with a sharp blade, so suspect X’s butter knife may have been the murder weapon.

Questions 16-17

The advanced technology of ski boots and bindings has brought a dramatic drop in the incidence of injuries that occur on the slopes of ski resorts: from 9 injuries per 1,000 skiers in 1950 to 3 in 1980. As a result, the remainder of ski-related injuries, which includes all injuries occurring on the premises of a ski resort but not on the slopes, rose from 10 percent of all ski-related injuries in 1950 to 25 percent in 1980. The incidence of these injuries, including accidents such as falling down steps, increases with the amount of alcohol consumed per skier.

16. Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?
(A) As the number of ski injuries that occur on the slopes decreases, the number of injuries that occur on the premises of ski resorts increases.
(B) The amount of alcohol consumed per skier increased between 1950 and 1980.
(C) The technology of ski boots and bindings affects the incidence of each type of ski-related injury.
(D) If the technology of ski boots and bindings continues to advance, the incidence of ski-related injuries will continue to decline.
(E) Injuries that occurred on the slopes of ski resorts made up a smaller percentage of ski-related injuries in 1980 than in 1950.

17. Which one of the following conflicts with information in the passage?
(A) The number of ski injuries that occurred on the slopes was greater in 1980 than in 1950.
(B) A skier was less likely to be injured on the slopes in 1950 than in 1980.
(C) The reporting of ski injuries became more accurate between 1950 and 1980.
(D) The total number of skiers dropped between 1950 and 1980.
(E) Some ski-related injuries occurred in 1980 to people who were not skiing.

18. Learning how to build a nest plays an important part in the breeding success of birds. For example, Dr. Snow has recorded the success of a number of blackbirds in several successive years. He finds that birds nesting for the first time are less successful in breeding than are older birds, and also less successful than they themselves are a year later. This cannot be a mere matter of size and strength, since blackbirds, like the great majority of birds, are fully grown when they leave the nest. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that they benefit by their nesting experience. Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument?
(A) Blackbirds build better nests than other birds.
(B) The capacity of blackbirds to lay viable eggs increases with each successive trial during the first few years of reproduction.
(C) The breeding success of birds nesting for the second time is greater than that of birds nesting for the first time.
(D) Smaller and weaker blackbirds breed just as successfully as bigger and stronger blackbirds.
(E) Up to 25 percent of all birds are killed by predators before they start to nest.

19. How do the airlines expect to prevent commercial plane crashes? Studies have shown that pilot error contributes to two-thirds of all such crashes. To address this problem, the airlines have upgraded their training programs by increasing the hours of classroom instruction and emphasizing communication skills in the cockpit. But it is unrealistic to expect such measures to compensate for pilots’ lack of actual flying time. Therefore, the airlines should rethink their training approach to reducing commercial crashes. Which one of the following is an assumption upon which the argument depends?
(A) Training programs can eliminate pilot errors.
(B) Commercial pilots routinely undergo additional training throughout their careers.
(C) The number of airline crashes will decrease if pilot training programs focus on increasing actual flying time.
(D) Lack of actual flying time is an important contributor to pilot error in commercial plane crashes.
(E) Communication skills are not important to pilot training programs.

20. All savings accounts are interest-bearing accounts. The interest from some interest-bearing accounts is tax-free, so there must be some savings accounts that have tax-free interest. Which one of the following arguments is flawed in a way most similar to the way in which the passage is flawed?
(A) All artists are intellectuals. Some great photographers are artists. Therefore, some great photographers must be intellectuals.
(B) All great photographers are artists. All artists are intellectuals. Therefore, some great photographers must be intellectuals.
(C) All great photographers are artists. Some artists are intellectuals. Therefore, some great photographers are intellectuals.
(D) All great photographers are artists. Some great photographers are intellectuals. Therefore, some artists must be intellectuals.
(E) All great photographers are artists. No artists are intellectuals. Therefore, some great photographers must not be intellectuals.

21. One method of dating the emergence of species is to compare the genetic material of related species. Scientists theorize that the more genetically similar two species are to each other, the more recently they diverged from a common ancestor. After comparing genetic material from giant pandas, red pandas, raccoons, coatis, and all seven bear species, scientists concluded that bears and raccoons diverged 30 to 50 million years ago. They further concluded that red pandas separated from the ancestor of today’s raccoons and coatis a few million years later, some 10 million years before giant pandas diverged from the other bears. Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?
(A) Giant pandas and red pandas are more closely related than scientists originally thought they were.
(B) Scientists now count the giant panda as the eighth species of bear.
(C) It is possible to determine, within a margin of just a few years, the timing of divergence of various species.
(D) Scientists have found that giant pandas are more similar genetically to bears than to raccoons.
(E) There is substantial consensus among scientists that giant pandas and red pandas are equally related to raccoons.

Questions 22-23

Despite improvements in treatment for asthma, the death rate form this disease has doubled during the past decade from its previous rate. Two possible explanations for this increase have been offered. First, the recording of deaths due to asthma has become more widespread and accurate in the past decade than it had been previously. Second, there has been an increase in urban pollution. However, since the rate of deaths due to asthma has increased dramatically even in cities with long-standing, comprehensive medical records and with little or no urban pollution, one must instead conclude that the cause of increased deaths is the use of bronchial inhalers by asthma sufferers to relieve their symptoms.

22. Each of the following, if true, provides support to the argument EXCEPT:
(A) Urban populations have doubled in the past decade.
(B) Records of asthma deaths are as accurate for the past twenty years as for the past ten years.
(C) Evidence suggests that bronchial inhalers make the lungs more sensitive to irritation by airborne pollen.
(D) By temporarily relieving the symptoms of asthma, inhalers encourage sufferers to avoid more beneficial measures.
(E) Ten years ago bronchial inhalers were not available as an asthma treatment.

23. Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
(A) Urban pollution has not doubled in the past decade.
(B) Doctors and patients generally ignore the role of allergies in asthma.
(C) Bronchial inhalers are unsafe, even when used according to the recommended instructions.
(D) The use of bronchial inhalers aggravates other diseases that frequently occur among asthma sufferers and that often lead to fatal outcomes even when the asthma
itself does not.
(E) Increased urban pollution, improved recording of asthma deaths, and the use of bronchial inhalers are the only possible explanations of the increased death rate
due to asthma.

24. There is little point in looking to artists for insights into political issues. Most of them hold political views that are less insightful than those of any reasonably well-educated person who is not an artist. Indeed, when taken as a whole, the statements made by artists, including those considered to be great, indicate that artistic talent and political insight are rarely found together. Which one of the following can be inferred from the passage?
(A) There are no artists who have insights into political issues.
(B) A thorough education in art makes a person reasonably well educated.
(C) Every reasonably well-educated person who s not an artist has more insight into political issues than any artist.
(D) Politicians rarely have any artistic talent.
(E) Some artists are no less politically insightful than some reasonably well-educated persons who are not artists.

SET - 5

Time 35 minutes 25 Questions

Directions: The questions in this section are based on the reasoning contained in brief statements or passages. For some questions, more than one of the choices could conceivably answer the question. However, you are to choose the best answer; that is, the response that most accurately and completely answers the question. You should not make assumptions that are by commonsense standards implausible, superfluous, or incompatible with the passage. After you have chosen the best answer, blacken the corresponding space on your answer sheet.

1. Mr. West: Well, Ms. Smith, by how much do you plan to increase your donation to the cultural society this year? You know how many worthwhile projects we do. Ms. Smith: I’m not so sure of that. I was very upset about the statue you purchased last month. I think I’ll give no more money to your cause. Mr. West: That’s all right: we’ll just put you down for the same amount that you gave last year. Which one of the following words or phrases has been misinterpreted in the conversation?
(A) “increase”
(B) “you know”
(C) “worthwhile”
(D) “no more”
(E) “same amount”

2. Handwriting analysis—also known as graphology—is a poor way to predict personality types, even though it is used by 3,000 United States firms and by a majority of European companies. In a recent study, five graphologists scored no better than chance in predicting the occupations of forty professionals. Which one of the following is an assumption necessary to the argument?
(A) People in the same occupation usually do not have the same personality type.
(B) Graphology is an effective means of predicting personality types in non-business contexts.
(C) There are more United States firms that do not use graphology than all the United States and European firms that do use it.
(D) There are several other techniques for predicting personality types that are more accurate than graphology.
(E) There is a correspondence between type of personality and choice of occupation.

Questions 3-4

The simple facts are these: the number of people killed each year by grizzly bears is about the same as the number of people killed by lightning on golf courses. And the number of people killed by lightning on golf courses each year is about the same as the number of people electrocuted by electric blenders. All the horrible myths and gruesome stories aside, therefore, a grizzly bear is in fact about as dangerous as an electric blender or a game of golf.

3. Which one of the following is an assumption that the author relies upon in the passage?
(A) Most incidents involving grizzly bears are fatal.
(B) Grizzly bears are no longer the danger they once were.
(C) The number of fatalities per year is an adequate indication of something’s dangerousness.
(D) A golf course is a particularly dangerous place to be in a thunderstorm.
(E) Something is dangerous only if it results in death in the majority of cases.

4. Which one of the following, if true, would most effectively undermine the author’s argument?
(A) Although the number of people killed by lightning on golf courses each year is very small, the total number of lightning fatalities is many times greater.
(B) Electric blenders are among the safest household appliances; were the author to compare fatalities from electrical appliances in general, she would get a much
higher figure.
(C) Most people would rather take their chances with blenders and golf games than with grizzly bears.
(D) Bears in general—including black, brown, and cinnamon bears, as well as grizzly bears—kill many more people than do electric blenders.
(E) Statistics show that the number of times people use electric blenders each year exceeds the number of times people play golf each year, which in turn far
exceeds the number of contacts people have with grizzly bears each year.

5. Emperor: The enemy empire across the sea has harassed us for centuries. I want to conquer it and stop it once and for all. What advice can you give me? Admiral: If you cross the sea, a mighty empire will fall. Emperor: In that case, prepare the troops. We set sail tonight. Of the following, the strongest criticism of the Emperor’s decision to invade would be that it
(A) is certain to lead to the emperor’s defeat
(B) is based on opinion rather than objective facts about troop strength
(C) contradicts the Admiral’s statement
(D) fails to consider fully the possible meanings of the Admiral’s advice
(E) is a futile strategy for solving the problem at hand

6. No senator spoke at the convention unless he or she was a Democrat. No Democrat both spoke at the convention and was a senator. Which one of the following conclusions can be correctly drawn from the statements above?
(A) No one but senators spoke at the convention.
(B) No Democrat spoke at the convention.
(C) Only Democrats spoke at the convention.
(D) No senator spoke at the convention.
(E) Some Democrat senators spoke at the convention.

7. If Sarah were a concert pianist for a major orchestra, she would be famous. She is not a concert pianist since she is not famous. The conclusion above is unsound because the author does not consider that
(A) Sarah could be a famous actress.
(B) Sarah could be a harpist for a major orchestra.
(C) Sarah could be a pianist with a rock group.
(D) Sarah could be a concert pianist with a minor orchestra.
(E) Sarah could be famous for another reason.

8. Neuroscientists are making progress in discovering more about the cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease patients suffer from dementia and sever memory loss. Autopsies performed on such patients have revealed the presence of brain lesions caused by abnormal protein deposits. Similar deposits are also found in the brains of elderly patients who do not suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. It follows that everyone who lives long enough will eventually develop Alzheimer’s disease. Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously undermines the conclusion that everyone who lives long enough will eventually develop Alzheimer’s disease?
(A) The lesions found in the brains of non-Alzheimer’s disease patients are far less extensive than those found in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients.
(B) The developing brain produces a greater number of cells than it will ever use. The extra cells are later destroyed by what biologists call “programmed cell
death.”
(C) The procedure that allows scientists to discover the presence of protein deposits during an autopsy is not yet refined enough to ensure detection of the lesions in
all patients.
(D) Autopsies have shown that some people lack the chemical necessary for protein deposits to cause brain lesions.
(E) Though most Alzheimer’s disease patients develop the disease when they are in their late fifties to early seventies, the frequency of patients who develop the
disease in their forties is on the rise.

9. Free public education is the best form of education there is. Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is we worth defending, it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education. Which one of the following illustrates the same weak reasoning as found in the passage?
(A) I love music, and that’s why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I play music all the time, I must really love it.
(B) Books are my most valuable possessions. My books are like my friends—each pleases me in different ways. Just as I would give up everything to save my
friends, so too with my books.
(C) I would much rather be poor and respected than be rich and despised. To have the respect of others is far more valuable than to have millions of dollars.
(D) I have never been betrayed by any of my friends. They have been true to me through good times and bad. Therefore I will never betray any of my friends.
(E) Because every plant I have ever seen has green leaves, I have concluded that all plants must have green leaves. This looks like a plant but it does not have green
leaves, so it cannot be a plant.

10. Some people say that the scarcity of food is a function of the finite limits of the earth’s resources, coupled with a relentless rate of population growth. This analysis fails to recognize, however, that much of the world’s agricultural resources are used to feed livestock instead of people. In the United States, for example, almost one-half of the agricultural acreage is devoted to crops fed to livestock. A steer reduces twenty-one pounds of inexpensive grain to one pound of expensive meat. Thus, the scarcity of food is not merely a function of limited resources and population growth. Which one of the following is an assumption that would allow the conclusion in the argument to be properly drawn?
(A) People prefer eating meat to eating grain.
(B) Meat is twenty-one times more expensive than grain.
(C) The limits of the earth’s agricultural resources are not finite.
(D) More than one-half of the agricultural acreage in the United States is devoted to crops fed to humans.
(E) Growing crops for human consumption on the acreage currently devoted to crops for livestock will yield more food for more people.

11. Hanifah: A recent survey shows that there are fewer people who drive only on weekends than there are people who drive to work each weekday. As a result, weekend-only drives are involved in fewer accidents. Therefore, insurance rates should be adjusted so that rates would be significantly higher for the regular commuters.  Katsu: I can’t agree with your conclusion. The same study also showed that, although weekend-only drives are involved in fewer accidents, when considered on the basis of accidents-per-mile-driven their records are worse than those of regular commuters. Therefore, insurance rates should be adjusted to increase the rates of weekend-only drivers over those of regular commuters. In the conversation above, Katsu does which one of the following?
(A) Katsu disagrees with each of the premises of the argument that Hanifah offers.
(B) Katsu cites additional evidence stating that weekend-only drivers are actually involved in a greater number of accidents than regular commuters.
(C) Katsu accuses Hanifah of using inaccurate statistical information.
(D) Katsu proves that Hanifah didn’t read the entire report that was cited.
(E) Katsu disagrees with Hanifah over how accident records are to be evaluated for insurance rates.

12. If Country X does not intervene militarily in Country Y, then the whole region will definitely fall under enemy influence. It most logically follows from the statement above that, if Country X does intervene militarily in Country Y, then the whole region
(A) Will definitely fall under enemy influence
(B) Will probably fall under enemy influence
(C) Will probably not fall under enemy influence
(D) Will definitely not fall under enemy influence
(E) May or may not fall under enemy influence

13. Top college graduates are having more difficulty demonstrating their superiority to prospective employers than did the top students of twenty years ago when an honors degree was distinction enough. Today’s employers are less impressed with the honors degree. Twenty years ago no more than 10 percent of a given class graduated with honors. Today, however, because of grade inflation, the honors degree goes to more than 50 percent of a graduating class. Therefore, to restore confidence in the degrees they award, colleges must take steps to control grade inflation. Which one of the following is an assumption that, if true, would support the conclusion in the passage?
(A) Today’s students are not higher achievers than the students of twenty years ago.
(B) Awarding too many honors degrees causes colleges to inflate grades.
(C) Today’s employers rely on honors ranking in making their hiring decisions.
(D) It is not easy for students with low grades to obtain jobs.
(E) Colleges must make employers aware of the criteria used to determine who receives an honors degree.

14. Either Perry’s faction or Tucker’s faction, but not both, will win control of the government. If Perry’s faction wins, the nation will suffer economically. If Tucker’s faction wins, the nation will suffer militarily. Given the statements in the passage, which one of the following statements must be true?
(A) It is possible, but not certain, that the nation will neither suffer economically nor suffer militarily.
(B) If the nation suffers economically, it is certain that Perry’s faction has won control of the government.
(C) It is certain that the nation will suffer either economically or militarily, and also certain that it will not suffer both.
(D) If the nation suffers militarily, it is possible, but not certain, that Tucker’s faction has won control of the government.
(E) If the nation suffers both economically and militarily, it is certain that neither Perry’s faction nor Tucker’s has won control of the government.

15. One of the more reliable methods of determining regional climatic conditions in prehistoric periods is to examine plant pollen trapped in glacial ice during ancient times. By comparing such pollen samples with spores taken from modern vegetation, scientists can figure out approximately what the weather was like at the time of pollen deposition. Furthermore, by submitting the prehistoric samples to radiocarbon dating techniques, we can also determine when certain climatic conditions were prevalent in that portion of the globe. Which one of the following may be inferred from the information in the passage?
(A) The earth has undergone several glacial periods.
(B) Radiocarbon dating can be corroborated by glacial evidence.
(C) Similarities between prehistoric and contemporary climates do not exist.
(D) Pollen deposition is a fairly continuous process.
(E) Certain flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions.

16. Investigators concluded that human failure was not responsible for the fatal airplane crash last August, and since that time new and more stringent rules for identifying and reporting mechanical problems have been in effect. That accounts for the fact that reports of airplane mechanical problems have increased in frequency by 50 percent since last August. Which one of the following is an assumption underlying the argument in the passage?
(A) Airplane travel is still relatively safe, despite the increase in reported mechanical problems.
(B) Mechanical problems in airplanes have increased dramatically since last August.
(C) Mechanical problems in airplanes have not increased by 50 percent since last August.
(D) Airlines are less reluctant to report mechanical problems than they previously were.
(E) Mechanical problems in airplanes have become easier to detect since last August.

17. The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it robs the human race. It takes from posterity, as well as the existing generation, and from those who dissent from the opinion even more than from those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth; if it is wrong, they lose what is almost as great a benefit: the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error. Which one of the following best expresses the conclusion presented in the argument?
(A) Silencing the expression of an opinion is robbing the human race.
(B) Silencing the expression of an opinion harms those who dissent more than those who agree.
(C) Anyone who agrees with an opinion would not want to silence its expression.
(D) Gaining a clearer perception and livelier impression of truth is a great benefit.
(E) The greatest benefit is the opportunity of exchanging truth for error.

18. Brushing your teeth regularly, no matter which toothpaste you use, will reduce your chances of tooth decay. Scientists have concluded that, when you brush, you reduce tooth decay by removing the film of plaque that forms on teeth and gums. So, you can forget about fluorides: brush your teeth carefully and say goodbye to cavities. Which one of the following is a criticism of the reasoning in the argument?
(A) Brushing with fluoride toothpaste has been shown to reduce tooth decay.
(B) The fact that brushing will reduce tooth decay does not show that fluorides are of no value.
(C) Few people adequately remove plaque by brushing.
(D) People have plaque on their teeth most of the time.
(E) Scientists have been wrong about fluorides.

19. Some good cooks are gourmet cooks who pride themselves on always using extravagantly rich ingredients in elaborate recipes. Some good cooks can be characterized as fast-food cooks. They may use rich ingredients as long as the recipes are easy to follow and take little time. Other good cooks are health food enthusiasts, who are concerned primarily with the nutritional value of food. But even though not all good cooks are big eaters, they all enjoy preparing and serving food. If the information in the passage is true, which one of the following CANNOT be true?
(A) Most good cooks do not use extravagantly rich ingredients.
(B) Everyone who enjoys preparing and serving food is a good cook.
(C) More good cooks who use extravagantly rich ingredients are big eaters than are good cooks who do not use such ingredients.
(D) There are fewer good cooks who enjoy serving and preparing food than there are good cooks who are big eaters.
(E) Gourmet cooks, fast-food cooks, and cooks who are health food enthusiasts are all big eaters.

20. Most discussions of the factors contributing to improvements in public health greatly underestimate the influence of the values held by individuals. This influence is indicated by the fact that the astonishing decline in mortality from infectious disease during the past century was primarily due to an improvement in living conditions. To a substantial degree, these improvements depended on the emphasis by an increasing share of the population on cleanliness, prudence, and moderation. The main point of the passage is made primarily by
(A) analyzing existing data on medical practices and health outcomes
(B) presenting a set of related cause-and-effect assertions
(C) applying several general principles to a specific case
(D) presenting a general observation and supporting it with several specific examples
(E) refuting in detail a commonly accepted argument

Questions 21-22

If the city council institutes new parking regulations, city revenues will surely increase, since studies have conclusively shown that, if such parking regulations are put into effect, there is an increase in parking violations, and an increase in parking violations will result in a greater number of parking fines collected.

21. Which one of the following is closest, in terms of its logical features, to the reasoning used in the argument above?
(A) Last year’s increase in revenues can be easily explained. That was the year the city council instituted new parking regulations. No doubt the new law brought
with it an increase in the number of parking violations.
(B) If taxes were increased, this act would naturally result in increased revenues for the city, and increased revenues would make some desirable social programs
possible. So, if taxes were increased, some desirable social programs would become possible.
(C) Henry says that, if the city council goes into closed session, an important matter of personnel policy is being discussed. However, no personnel matters were
discussed at the council meeting, so if Henry is right, the council did not go into closed session.
(D) All cars parked on the north side of the street were ticketed last night, and the same cars were towed away this morning. So beware! A car ticketed in this city
also gets towed away.
(E) Allen says that, if the city council institutes new parking regulations, it is unlikely that revenues for the city will increase. If Allen is right, then the parking regulation
plan should not be instituted.

22. If the statements in the passage are true, which one of the following must also be true?
(A) Unless there is an increase in the number of parking violations in the city, city revenues will not increase.
(B) If the city council institutes new parking regulations, the council will fall from favor with the citizens.
(C) The city council will institute new parking regulations only if an increase in city revenues can be expected to result.
(D) If the city council’s new regulations cause more parking violators to be ticketed, the city revenues will increase.
(E) Unless the city institutes a complex system of parking regulations, the city cannot expect traffic violations to increase.

23. The function of government is to satisfy the genuine wants of the masses, and government cannot satisfy those wants unless it is informed about what those wants are. Freedom of speech ensures that such information will reach the ears of government officials. Therefore, freedom of speech is indispensable for a healthy state. Which one of the following, if true, would NOT undermine the conclusion of the argument?
(A) People most often do not know what they genuinely want.
(B) Freedom of speech tends ultimately to undermine social order, and social order is a prerequisite for satisfying the wants of the masses.
(C) The proper function of government is not to satisfy wants, but to provide equality of opportunity.
(D) Freedom of speech is not sufficient for satisfying the wants of the masses: social order is necessary as well.
(E) Rulers already know what the people want.

24. An unbiased observer of everyday encounters in Western societies would surely not find many instances of unkindness by people under 65 toward people over 65. There are undoubtedly incidents of unkindness based on age, and these warrant reproof. However, the very fact that such reproof occurs and is generally accepted implies that our Western societies basically respect the elderly. The same conclusion can be drawn from a recent survey finding: 71 percent of the under 65 population agreed with the statement that “people over 65 receive too little respect from society”, while only 44 percent of the over-65 population, the target of the alleged irreverence agreed with it. The author concludes that Western societies basically respect the elderly partly because
(A) people under 65 are just as kind to people over 65 as they are to people of their own age group
(B) survey data suggest that fewer people over 65 than under 65 get too little respect
(C) disrespect for the elderly does not go so far as to result in actual harm
(D) survey data suggest that people over 65 are more aware of incidents involving disrespect to the elderly than are people under 65
(E) incidents of unkindness to the elderly are neither common nor generally accepted in Western societies

25. These days, everyone talks about being too busy. But all this busyness does not seem to result in things getting done. Just as many tasks are still left uncompleted, phone calls unreturned, and appointments missed as there were in the days before this outbreak of busyness. Therefore, people must not be as busy as they claim. Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion in the passage?
(A) These days, looking busy is a status symbol.
(B) People have to do much more these days than before the so-called outbreak of busyness.
(C) People waste so much time talking about being busy that they fail to get things done.
(D) Just as many things are getting done now as before the so-called outbreak of busyness.
(E) People have more leisure time these days than before the so-called outbreak of busyness.