Assumption/ID a Flaw
Strengthen/Weaken/Principle Support
Wild Card
Analyze Arugment
Inference/Matching
100
Barnes: The two newest employees at this company have salaries that are too high for the simple tasks normally assigned to new employees and duties that are too complex for inexperienced workers. Hence, the salaries and the complexity of the duties of these two newest employees should be reduced. Which one of the following is an assumption on which Barnes's argument depends? (A) The duties of the two newest employees are not less complex than any others in the company. (B) It is because of the complex duties assigned that the two newest employees are being paid more than is usually paid to newly hired employees. (C) The two newest employees are not experienced at their occupations. (D) Barnes was not hired at a higher-than-average starting salary. (E) The salaries of the two newest are no higher than the salaries that other companies pay for workers with a similar level of experience.
C
100
There should be a greater use of gasohol. Gasohol is a mixture of alcohol and gasoline, and has a higher octane rating and fewer carbon monoxide emissions than straight gasoline. Burning gasohol adds no more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than plants remove by photosynthesis. Each of the following, if true, strengthens the argument above EXCEPT: A. Cars run less well on gasoline than they do on gasohol. B. Since less gasoline is needed with the use of gasohol, an energy shortage is less likely. C. Cars burn on the average slightly more gasohol per kilometer than they do gasoline. D. Gasohol is cheaper to produce and hence costs less at the pump than gasoline. E. Burning gasoline adds more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than plants can remove.
C
100
Studies of the reliability of eyewitness identifications show little correlation between the accuracy of a witness's account and the confidence the witness has in the account. Certain factors can increase or undermine a witness's confidence without altering the accuracy of the identification. Therefore, police officers are advised to disallow suspect lineups in which witnesses can hear one another identifying suspects. Which one of the following is a principle underlying the advice given to police officers? (A) The confidence people have in what they remember having seen is affected by their awareness of what other people claim to have seen. (B) Unless an eyewitness is confronted with more than one suspect at a time, the accuracy of his or her statements cannot be trusted. (C) If several eyewitnesses all identify the same suspect in a lineup, it is more likely that the suspect committed the crime than if only one eyewitness identifies the suspect. (D) Police officers are more interested in the confidene witnesses have when testifying than in the accuracy of that testimony. (E) The accuracy of an eyewitness account is doubtful if the eyewitness contradicts what other eyewitnesses claim to have seen.
A
100
It is well known that many species adapt to their environment, but it is usually assumed that only the most highly evolved species alter their environmentt in ways that aid their own survival. However, this characteristic is actually quite common. Certain species of plankton, for example generate a gas that is converted in the atmosphere into particles of sulphate. These particles cause water vapor to condense,thus forming clouds. Indeed, the formation of clouds over the ocean largely depends on the presense of these particles.More cloud cover means more sunlight is reflected, and so the earth absorbs less heat.Thus plankton cause the surface of the earth to be cooler and this benefits the plankton. What is the main conclusion of the above statements? a.Plakton cause the surface of the earth to be cooler. b.It is well known that many species adapt to their environment c.The formation of clouds depends on the presense of sulphate particles in the atmosphere. d.The characteristic of species altering their environmentt in ways that aid their own survival actually quite common e.Certain planktons aid in the formation of clouds
C
100
These days, drug companies and health professionals alike are focusing their attention on cholesterol in the blood. The more cholesterol we have in our blood, the higher the risk that we shall die of a heart attack. The issue is pertinent since heart disease kills more North Americans every year than any other single cause. At least three factors - smoking, drinking and exercise- can each influence levels of cholesterol in the blood. Which one of the following can be properly concluded from the passage? a) If a person has low blood cholesterol, then that person's risk of fatal heart disease is low. b) Smoking in moderation can entail as great a risk of fatal heart disease as does heavy smoking c)a high-cholesterol diet is the principal cause of death in North America d) The only way that smoking increases one's risk of fatal heart disease is by influencing the levels of cholesterol in the blood e) the risk of fatal disease can be altered by certain changes in lifestyle
E
200
Ordinary mountain sickness, a common condition among mountain climbers, and one from which most people can recover, is caused by the characteristic shortage of oxygen in the atmosphere at high altitudes. Cerebral edema, a rarer disruption of blood circulation in the brain that quickly becomes life-threatening if not correctly treated from its onset, can also be caused by a shortage of oxygen. Since the symptoms of cerebral edema resemble those of ordinary mountain sickness, cerebral edema is especially dangerous at high altitudes. Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? (A) The treatment for ordinary mountain sickness differs from the treatment for cerebral edema. (B) Cerebral edema can cause those who suffer from it to slip into a coma within a few hours. (C) Unlike cerebral edema, ordinary mountain sickness involves no disruption of blood circulation in the brain. (D) Shortage of oxygen at extremely high altitude is likely to affect thinking processes and cause errors of judgment. (E) Most people who suffer from ordinary mountain sickness recover without any special treatment.
A
200
We can learn about the living conditions of a vanished culture by examining its language. Thus, it is likely that the people who spoke Proto-Indo-European, the language from which all Indo-European languages descended, lived in a cold climate, isolated from ocean or sea, because Proto-Indo-European lacks a word for "sea," yet contains words for "winter," "snow," and "wolf." Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? (A) A word meaning "fish" was used by the people who spoke Proto-Indo-European. (B) Some languages lack words for prominent elements of the environments of their speakers. (C) There are no known languages today that lack a word for "sea." (D) Proto-Indo-European possesses words for "heat." (E) The people who spoke Proto-Indo-European were nomadic.
B
200
Quasars--celestial objects so far away that their light takes at least 500 million years to reach Earth--have been seen since 1963. For anything that far away to appear from Earth the way quasars do, it would have to burn steadily at a rate that produces more light than 90 billion suns would produce. But nothing that burns at a rate that produces that much light could exist for more than about 100 million years. If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true on the basis of them? (A) Instruments in use before 1963 were not sensitive enough to permit quasars to be seen. (B) Light from quasars first began reaching Earth in 1963. (C) Anything that from Earth appears as bright as a quasar does must produce more light than would be produced by 90 billion suns. (D) Nothing that is as far from Earth as quasars are can continue to exist for more than about 100 million years. (E) No quasar that has ever been seen from Earth exists any longer.
E
200
Columnist: It is impossible for there to be real evidence that lax radiation standards that were once in effect at nuclear reactors actually contributed to the increase in cancer rates near such sites. The point is a familiar one: who can say if a particular case of cancer is due to radiation, smoking or poor diet. The argument's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds? (a) argument fails to recognize that there may be convincing statistical evidence even if individual causes cannot be known (b) argument inappropriately presupposes that what follows a certain phenomenon was caused by that phenomenon (c) argument inappropriately draws conclusion about causes of cancer in general from evidence drawn from a particular case of cancer (d) argument ignores other possible causes of increase in cancer rates near nuclear reactor complexes (e) argument concludes that a claim about causal connection is false on basis of a lack of evidence for the claim.
A
200
Nutritionist: many people claim that simple carbohydrates are a reasonable caloric replacement for the fatty foods forbidden to those on low-fat diets. This is now in doubt. New studies show that, for many people, a high intake of simpel carbohydrates stimulates an overproduction of insulin, a hormone that is involved in processing sugars and starches to create energy when the body requires energy, or, when energy is not required, to store the resulting by-products as fat. Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the nutritionist's statements? A) People on low-fat diets should avoid consumption of simple carbohydrates if they wish to maintain the energy that their bodies require. B) People who produce enough insulin to process their intake of simple carbohydrates should not feel compelled to adopt low-fat diets. C) People who consume simple carbohydrates should limit their intake of foods high in fat. D) People who wish to avoid gaining body fat should limit their intake of foods high in simple carbohydrates. E) People who do not produce an excessive amount of insulin when they consume foods high in simple carbohydrates will not lose weight if they restrict only their intake of these foods.
D
300
All actions are motivated by self-interest, since any action that is apparently altruistic can be described in terms of self-interest. For example, helping someone can be described in terms of self-interest: the motivation is hope for a reward or other personal benefit to be bestowed as a result of the helping action. Which one of the following most accurately describes an error in the argument’s reasoning? A. The term “self-interest” is allowed to shift in meaning over the course of the argument B. The argument takes evidence showing merely that its conclusion could be true to constitute evidence showing that the conclusion is in fact true C. The argument does not explain what is meant by “reward” and “personal benefit” D. The argument ignores the possibility that what is taken to be necessary for certain interest to be a motivation actually suffices to show that that interest is a motivation E. The argument depends for its appeal only on the emotional content of the example cited
B
300
Sometimes when their trainer gives the hand signal for "Do something creative together" two dolphins circle a pool in tandem and then leap through the air simultaneously. On the other occasions, the same signal elicits synchronized backward swims or tail-waving. These behaviors are not simply learned responses to a given stimulus. Rather, dolphins are capable of higher cognitive functions that may include the use of language and forethought. 　　Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? 　　(A) Mammals have some resemblance to one another with respect to bodily function and brain structure. 　　(B) The dolphins often exhibit complex new responses to the hand signal. 　　(C) the dolphins are given food incentives as part of their training. 　　(D) Dolphins do not interact with humans the way they interact with one another. 　　(E) Some of the behaviors mentioned are exhibited by dolphins in their natural habitat
B
300
Pick Again
No answer
300
Editorial: The government claims that the country's nuclear power plants are entirely safe and hence that the public's fear of nuclear accidents at these plants is groundless. The government also contends that its recent action to limit the nuclear industry's financial liability in the case of nuclear accidents at power plants is justified by the need to protect the nuclear industry from the threat of bankruptcy. But even the government says that unlimited liability poses such a threat only if injury claims can be sustained against the industry; and the government admits that for such claims to be sustained, injury must result from nuclear accident. The public's fear, therefore, is well founded. If all the statements offered in support of the editorial's conclusion correctly describe the government's position, which one of the following must also be true on the basis of those statements? a. The government's claim about the safety of the country's nuclear power plant is false. b. The government's position on nuclear power plants is inconsistent. c. The government misrepresented its reasons for acting to limit the nuclear industry's liability. d. Unlimited financial liability in the case of nuclear accidents poses no threat to the financial security of the country's nuclear industry. e. The only serious threat posed by a nuclear accident would be to the financial security of the nuclear industry.
B
400
Political opinion and analysis outside the mainstream rarely are found on television talk shows, and it might be thought that this state of affairs is a product of the political agenda of the television stations themselves. In fact, television stations are driven by the same economic forces as sellers of more tangible goods. Because they must attempt to capture the largest possible share of the television audience for their shows, they air only those shows that will appeal to large numbers of people. As a result, political opinions and analyses aired on television talk shows are typically bland and innocuous. An assumption made in the explanation offered by the author of the passage is that A. most television viewers cannot agree on which elements of a particular opinion or analysis are most disturbing. B. there are television viewers who might refuse to watch television talk shows that they knew would be controversial and disturbing. C. each television viewer holds some opinion that is outside the political mainstream, but those opinions are not the same for everyone. D. there are television shows on which economic forces have an even greater impact than they do on television talk shows. E. the television talk shows of different stations resemble one another in most respects.
B
400
Pick again
No answer
400
1.Editorialist: Drivers with a large number of demerit points who additionally have been convicted of a serious driving-relative offense should either be sentenced to jail or be forced to receive driver reeducation, since to do otherwise would be to allow a crime to go unpunished. Only if such drivers are likely to be made more responsible drivers should driver re-education be recommended for them. Unfortunately, it is always almost impossible to make drivers with a large number of demerit points more responsible drivers. If the editorialist’s statements are true, they provide the most support for which one of the following? (A) Drivers with a large number of demerit points who have been convicted of a serious driving-related offense should be sent to jail. (B) Driver re-education offers the best chance of making drivers with a large number of demerit points responsible drivers. (C) Driver re-education is not a harsh enough punishment for anyone convicted of a serious driving-related offense who has also (D) Driver re-education should not be recommended for those who have committed no serious (E) Drivers with a larger number of demerit points but no conviction for a serious driving-related offense should receive driver re-education rather than jail
A
400
Pick again
No answer
400
Linda says that, as a scientist, she knows that no scientist appreciates poetry. And, since most scientists are logical, at least some of the people who appreciate poetry are illogical. *Which one of the following is most parallel in reasoning to the flawed reasoning above? a) Ralph says that, as an expert in biology, he knows that no marsupial lays eggs. And, since most marsupials are native to Australia, at least some of the animals native to Australia do not lay eggs. b) Franz says that, as a father of four children, he knows that no father wants children to eat candy at bedtime. And, since most fathers are adults, at least some of the people who want children to eat candy at bedtime are children. c) Yuri says that, as a wine connoisseur, he knows that no wine aged in metal containers is equal in quality to the best wine aged in oak. And, since most California wine is aged in metal containers, California wine is inferior to at least the best French wine aged in oak. D) Xi says that, as an experienced photographer, she knows that no color film produces images as sharp as the best black and white film. And, since most instant film is color film, at least some instant film produces images less sharp than the best black and white film. E) Betty says that, as a corporate exec, she knows that no corporate execs like to pay taxes. And, since most corp execs are honest people, at least some people who like to pay taxes are honest people.
B
500
Conservationist: The population of a certain wildflower is so small that the species is headed for extinction. However, this wildflower can cross-pollinate with a closely related domesticated daisy, producing viable seeds. Such cross-pollination could result in a significant population of wildflower-daisy hybrids. The daisy should therefore be introduced into the wildflower's range, since although the hybrid would differ markedly from the wildflower, hybridization is the only means of preventing total loss of the wildflower in its range. Which one of the following is an assumption on which the conservationist's reasoning depends? (A) The wildflower currently reproduces only by forming seeds. (B) The domesticated daisy was bred from wild plants that once grew in the wildflower's range. (C) Increasing the population of the wildflower will also expand its range. (D) Wildflower-daisy hybrids will be able to reproduce. (E) The domesticated daisy will cross-pollinate with any daisy like plant.
D
500
Pick again
No answer
500
Pick again
No answer
500
Pick again
No answer
500
All too many weaklings are also cowards, and few cowards fail to be fools. Thus there must be at least one person who is both a weakling and a fool. The flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that of which of the following? a) all weasels are carnivores and no carnivores fail to be non-herbivores, so some weasels are non-herbivores. b) few moralists have the courage to act according to the principles they profess, and few saints have the ability to articulate the principles by which they live, so it follows that few people can both act like saints and speak like moralists. c) some painters are dancers, since some painters are musicians, and some musicians are dancers. d) if an act is virtuous then it is autonomous, for acts are not virtuous unless they are free and acts are not free unless they are autonomous. e) a majority of voting population favors a total ban, but no one who favors a total ban is opposed to stiffer tariffs, so at least one voter is opposed to stiffer tariffs.
C
M
e
n
u