1. The ancient Nubians inhabited an area in which typhus occurs, yet surprisingly few of their skeletons show the usual evidence of this disease. The skeletons do show deposits of tetracycline, an antibiotic produced by a bacterium common in Nubian soil. This bacterium can flourish on the dried grain used for making two staples of the Nubian diet, beer and bread. Thus, tetracycline in their food probably explains the low incidence of typhus among ancient Nubians. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies? ______
A.Infectious diseases other than typhus to which the ancient Nubians were exposed are unaffected by tetracycline.
B.Tetracycline is not rendered ineffective as an antibiotic by exposure to the processes involved in making bread and beer.
C.Typhus cannot be transmitted by ingesting bread or beer contaminated with the infectious agents of this disease.
D.Bread and beer were the only items in the diet of the ancient Nubians which could have contained tetracycline.
E.Typhus is generally fatal.
A B C D E
B
2. Which of the following most logically completes the passage? Mastitis is an infection of the udder in cows that, although not dangerous, causes them to give poor-quality milk. Most cases of mastitis are caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, against which antibiotics are ineffective. However, a related bacterium, Staphylococcus simulans, quickly clears up even severe infections of S. aureus simply by displacing the bacteria. S. simulans is nevertheless unlikely to become the preferred treatment for cases of mastitis, since ______.
A.certain dangerous bacteria that normally cannot take hold can do so in the presence of S. simulans
B.the current resistance of S. aureus to antibiotics derives in part from a past pattern of overuse of those antibiotics
C.the milk from cows infected with S. aureus is generally not of such poor quality as to be entirely unusable
D.careful farming practice can reduce the incidence of mastitis to a minimum
E.the only symptom of mild cases of mastitis is the deterioration in the quality of the milk produced
A B C D E
A
3. A survey of entrepreneurs who started companies last year shows that while virtually all did substantial preparatory research and planning, only half used that work to produce a formal business plan. Since, on average, the entrepreneurs without formal plans secured the capital they needed in half the time of those with plans, these survey results indicate that, in general, formal plans did not help the entrepreneurs who produced them to secure the capital they needed. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? ______
A.Companies started by entrepreneurs who had used formal business plans to attract investment were on the whole as profitable in their first year as were companies started by entrepreneurs who had not produced such plans.
B.In surveys of entrepreneurs who have attempted without success to raise sufficient capital, more than half of the respondents indicate that they have produced a formal business plan.
C.Among the entrepreneurs surveyed, those who did not produce formal business plans sought and received a much larger proportion of their capital from investors with whom they had a long-standing business relationship.
D.The entrepreneurs surveyed who did not produce a formal business plan spent nearly as much time doing preparatory research and planning as the entrepreneurs who produced plans.
E.The entrepreneurs who produced business plans generally reported later that the process of writing the plan had increased their confidence that their company would succeed.
A B C D E
C
4. Since it has become known that several of a bank's top executives have been buying shares in their own bank, the bank's depositors, who had been worried by rumors that the bank faced impending financial collapse, have been greatly relieved. They reason that since top executives evidently have faith in the bank's financial soundness, those worrisome rumors must be false. They might well be overoptimistic, however since corporate executives have sometimes bought shares in their own company in a calculated attempt to dispel negative rumors about the company's health. In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles? ______
A.The first summarizes the evidence used in the reasoning called into question by the argument; the second states the counterevidence on which the argument relies.
B.The first summarizes the evidence used in the reasoning called into question by the argument; the second is an intermediate conclusion supported by that evidence.
C.The first is an intermediate conclusion that forms part of the reasoning called into question by the argument; the second is evidence that undermines the support for this intermediate conclusion.
D.The first is an intermediate conclusion that forms part of the reasoning called into question by the argument; the second is the main conclusion of the argument.
E.The first is an intermediate conclusion that forms part of the reasoning called into question by the argument; the second states a further conclusion supported by this intermediate conclusion.
A B C D E
D
5. In the past, most children who went sledding in the winter snow in Verland used wooden sleds with runners and steering bars. Ten years ago, smooth plastic sleds became popular; they go faster than wooden sleds but are harder to steer and slow. The concern that plastic sleds are more dangerous is clearly borne out by the fact that the number of children injured while sledding was much higher last winter than it was ten years ago. Which of the following, if true in Verland, most seriously undermines the force of the evidence cited? ______
A.A few children still use traditional wooden sleds.
B.Very few children wear any kind of protective gear, such as helmets, while sledding.
C.Plastic sleds can be used in a much wider variety of snow conditions than wooden sleds can.
D.Most sledding injuries occur when a sled collides with a tree, a rock, or, another sled.
E.Because the traditional wooden sled can carry more than one rider, an accident involving a wooden sled can result in several children being injured.
A B C D E
C
6. One of the limiting factors in human physical performance is the amount of oxygen that is absorbed by the muscles from the bloodstream. Accordingly, entrepreneurs have begun selling at gymnasiums and health clubs bottles of drinking water, labeled "SuperOXY," that has extra oxygen dissolved in the water. Such water would be useless in improving physical performance, however, since the only way to get oxygen into the bloodstream so that it can be absorbed by the muscles is through the lungs. Which of the following, if true, would serve the same function in the argument as the statement in boldface? ______
A.The water lost in exercising can be replaced with ordinary tap water.
B.The amount of oxygen in the blood of people who are exercising is already more than the muscle cells can absorb.
C.World-class athletes turn in record performances without such water.
D.Frequent physical exercise increases the body's ability to take in and use oxygen.
E.Lack of oxygen is not the only factor limiting human physical performance.
A B C D E
B
7. Because it was long thought that few people would watch lengthy televised political messages, most televised political advertisements, like commercial advertisements, took the form of short messages. Last year, however, one candidate produced a half-hour-long advertisement. During the half hour the advertisement was aired, a substantial portion of the viewing public tuned into the advertisement. Clearly, then, many more people are interested in watching lengthy televised political messages than was previously thought. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? ______
A.The candidate's ratings improved significantly as a result of the half-hour-long political advertisement.
B.Political advertisements have become increasingly influential in determining voters' decisions at the polls.
C.Many people would appreciate the opportunity to become better acquainted with political candidates' views on current political issues.
D.Most people who are interested in political issues watch television regularly.
E.Most of the viewers who tuned in to the candidate's half-hour-long advertisement last year did not change channels after the first few minutes.
A B C D E
E
8. A manufacturer of workstations for computer-aided design seeks to increase sales to its most important corporate customers. Its strategy is to publish very low list prices for workstations in order to generate interest among the buyers for those corporations. Which of the following, if characteristic of the marketplace, would tend to cause the manufacturer's strategy to fail? ______
A.The proposed list prices would seem low to a typical buyer for the manufacturer's most important corporate customers.
B.The capabilities of workstations suitable for given jobs are not significantly different among various manufacturers.
C.The manufacturer's most important corporate customers employ as buyers persons who are very knowledgeable about prices for workstations for customer-aided design.
D.Customers differ significantly in the percentage of resources they can devote to computer workstations.
E.Buyers for corporations that purchase workstations for computer-aided design receive bonuses for negotiating large discounts from the list price.
A B C D E
E
9. In two months, the legal minimum wage in the country of Kirlandia will increase from five Kirlandic dollars (KD5.00) Per hour to KD5.50 per hour. Opponents of this increase have argued that the resulting rise in wages will drive the inflation rate up. In fact its impact on wages will probably be negligible, since only a very small proportion of all Kirfandic workers are currently receiving less than KD5.50 per hour. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? ______
A.Most people in Kirlandia who are currently earning the minimum wage have been employed at their current jobs for less than a year.
B.Some firms in Kirlandia have paid workers considerably less than KD5.00 per hour, in violation of Kirlandic employment regulations.
C.Many businesses hire trainees at or near the minimum wage but must reward trained workers by keeping their pay levels above the pay level of trainees.
D.The greatest growth in Kirlandia's economy in recent years has been in those sectors where workers earn wages that tend to be much higher than the minimum wage.
E.The current minimum wage is insufficient for a worker holding only one job to earn enough to support a family, even when working full time at that job.
A B C D E
C
10. Mel: The official salary for judges has always been too low to attract the best candidates to the job. The legislature's move to raise the salary has done nothing to improve the situation, because it was coupled with a ban on receiving money for lectures and teaching engagements. Pat: No, the raise in salary really does improve the situation. Since very few judges teach or give lectures, the ban will have little or no negative effect. Pat's response to Mel is inadequate in that it ______
A.attempts to assess how a certain change will affect potential members of a group by providing evidence about its effect on the current members.
B.mistakenly takes the cause of a certain change to be an effect of that change.
C.attempts to argue that a certain change will have a positive effect merely by pointing to the absence of negative effects.
D.simply denies Mel's claim without putting forward any evidence in support of that denial.
E.assumes that changes that benefit the most able members of a group necessarily benefit all members of that group.
A B C D E
A
11. In Kantovia, physicians' income comes from insurance companies, which require physicians to document their decisions in treating patients and to justify deviations from the companies' treatment guidelines. Ten years ago physicians were allowed more discretion. Most physicians believe that the companies' requirements now prevent them from spending enough time with patients. Yet the average amount of time a patient spends with a physician during an office visit has actually increased somewhat over the last ten years. Which of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy between physicians' perceptions and the change in the actual time spent? ______
A.Patients are more likely to be in a hurry nowadays and are less willing to wait a long time to see their physician.
B.Physicians today typically have a wider range of options in diagnosis and treatment to consider with the patient before prescribing.
C.Physicians are increasingly likely to work in group practices, sharing the responsibility of night and weekend work.
D.Most patients would rather trust their physicians than their insurance companies to make decisions about their treatment.
E.Since the insurance companies pay physicians a set amount for each office visit, it is to physicians' financial advantage to see as many patients as possible.
A B C D E
B
12. A major health insurance company in Lagolia pays for special procedures prescribed by physicians only if the procedure is first approved as "medically necessary" by a company-appointed review panel. The rule is intended to save the company the money it might otherwise spend on medically unnecessary procedures. The company has recently announced that in order to reduce its costs, it will abandon this rule. Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest justification for the company's decision? ______
A.Patients often register dissatisfaction with physicians who prescribe nothing for their ailments.
B.Physicians often prescribe special procedures that are helpful but not altogether necessary for the health of the patient.
C.The review process is expensive and practically always results in approval of the prescribed procedure.
D.The company's review process does not interfere with the prerogative of physicians, in cases where more than one effective procedure is available, to select the one they personally prefer.
E.The number of members of the company-appointed review panel who review a given procedure depends on the cost of the procedure.
A B C D E
C
13. Which of the following most logically completes the editorial below? Editorial in Golbindian Newspaper: For almost three months, opposition parties have been mounting daily street demonstrations in the capital in an effort to pressure the ruling party into calling an election. Though the demonstrations were well attended at first, attendance has declined steadily in recent weeks. However, the decline in attendance does not indicate that popular support for the opposition's demands is dropping, since ______
A.the opposition's demands have not changed during the period when the street demonstrations have been mounted.
B.no foreign governments have expressed any support for the opposition's demands.
C.the state-controlled media have ceased any mention of the demonstrations, leaving many citizens outside the capital with no way of knowing that demonstrations continue.
D.there have not recently been any antigovernment demonstrations in cities other than the capital.
E.a recent sharp decrease in unemployment has led to increased popular support for the government.
A B C D E
C
14. Springfield Fire Commissioner: the vast majority of false fire alarms are prank calls made anonymously from fire alarm boxes on street corners. Since virtually everyone has access to a private telephone, these alarm boxes have outlived their usefulness. Therefore, we propose to remove the boxes. Removing the boxes will reduce the number of prank calls without hampering people's ability to report a fire. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the claim that the proposal, if carried out, will have the announced effect? ______
A.The fire department traces all alarm calls made from private telephones and records where they came from.
B.Maintaining the fire alarm boxes costs Springfield approximately five million dollars annually.
C.A telephone call can provide the fire department with more information about the nature and size of a fire than can an alarm placed from an alarm box.
D.Responding to false alarms significantly reduces the fire department's capacity for responding to fires.
E.On any given day, a significant percentage of the public telephones in Springfield are out of service.
A B C D E
A
15. Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in environments that are carefully kept within narrow margins of temperature and humidity to inhibit any deterioration. Laboratory tests have shown that the kind of oil paint used in these paintings actually adjusts to climatic changes quite well. If, as some museum directors believe, paint is the most sensitive substance in these works, then by relaxing the standards for temperature and humidity control, museums can reduce energy costs without risking damage to these paintings. Museums would be rash to relax those standards, however, since results of preliminary tests indicate that gesso, a compound routinely used by Renaissance artists to help paint adhere to the canvas, is unable to withstand significant variations in humidity. In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? ______
A.The first is an objection that has been raised against the position taken by the argument; the second is the position taken by the argument.
B.The first is the position taken by the argument; the second is the position that the argument calls into question.
C.The first is a judgment that has been offered in support of the position that the argument calls into question; the second is a circumstance on which that judgment is, in part based.
D.The first is a judgment that has been offered in support of the position that the argument calls into question; the second is that position.
E.The first is a claim that the argument calls into question; the second is the position taken by the argument.
A B C D E
D
16. When trying to identify new technologies that promise to transform the marketplace, market researchers survey the managers of those companies that are developing new technologies. Such managers have an enormous stake in succeeding, so they invariably overstate the potential of their new technologies. Surprisingly, however, market researchers typically do not survey a new technology's potential buyers, even though it is the buyers-not the producers-who will ultimately determine a technology's commercial success. Which of the following, if true, best accounts for the typical survey practices among market researchers? ______
A.If a new technology succeeds, the commercial benefits accrue largely to the producers, not to the buyers, of that technology.
B.People who promote the virtues of a new technology typically fail to consider that the old technology that is currently in use continues to be improved, often substantially.
C.Investors are unlikely to invest substantial amounts of capital in a company whose own managers are skeptical about the commercial prospects of a new technology they are developing.
D.The potential buyers for not-yet-available technologies can seldom be reliably identified.
E.The developers of a new technology are generally no better positioned than its potential buyers to gauge how rapidly the new technology can be efficiently mass-produced.
A B C D E
D
17. The chemical adenosine is released by brain cells when those cells are active. Adenosine then binds to more and more sites on cells in certain areas of the brain, as the total amount released gradually increases during wakefulness. During sleep, the number of sites to which adenosine is bound decreases. Some researchers have hypothesized that it is the cumulative binding of adenosine to a large number of sites that causes the onset of sleep. Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the researchers' hypothesis? ______
A.Even after long periods of sleep when adenosine is at its lowest concentration in the brain, the number of brain cells bound with adenosine remains very large.
B.Caffeine, which has the effect of making people remain wakeful, is known to interfere with the binding of adenosine to sites on brain cells.
C.Besides binding to sites in the brain, adenosine is known to be involved in biochemical reactions throughout the body.
D.Some areas of the brain that are relatively inactive nonetheless release some adenosine.
E.Stress resulting from a dangerous situation can preserve wakefulness even when brain levels of bound adenosine are high.
A B C D E
B
18. Plantings of cotton bioengineered to produce its own insecticide against bollworms, a major cause of crop failure, sustained little bollworm damage until this year. This year the plantings are being seriously damaged by bollworms. Bollworms, however, are not necessarily developing resistance to the cotton's insecticide. Bollworms breed on corn, and last year more corn than usual was planted throughout cotton-growing regions. So it is likely that the cotton is simply being overwhelmed by corn-bred bollworms. In evaluating the argument, which of the following would be most useful to establish? ______
A.Whether corn could be bioengineered to produce the insecticide
B.Whether plantings of cotton that does not produce the insecticide are suffering unusually extensive damage from bollworms this year
C.Whether other crops that have been bioengineered to produce their own insecticide successfully resist the pests against which the insecticide was to protect them
D.Whether plantings of bioengineered cotton are frequently damaged by insect pests other than bollworms
E.Whether there are insecticides that can be used against bollworms that have developed resistance to the insecticide produced by the bioengineered cotton
A B C D E
B
19. Consumers planning to buy recreational equipment tend to buy higher quality, more expensive equipment when the economy is strong than when it is weak. Hill and Dale is a business that sells high-quality, expensive camping and hiking equipment in Boravia. Although all the signs are that Boravia's economy is now entering a period of sustained strength, the managers of the business do not expect a substantial increase in sales. Which of the following, if true, would provide the strongest justification for the managers' judgment? ______
A.A significant proportion of Hill and Dale's sales are made to customers who enter the store in order to buy one particular item but, once there, find other items to buy as well.
B.In Boravia when the economy is strong, those who might otherwise go camping tend to take vacations overseas.
C.The economic upturn is likely to allow Boravia's national parks, where most of the camping and hiking is done, to receive extra funding to improve their visitor facilities.
D.Advances in materials technology have led to the development of hiking and camping equipment that is more comfortable and lightweight than before.
E.Many people in Boravia not only are committed to preserving the country's wilderness areas but also are interested in spending some time in them.
A B C D E
B
20. Lawmaker: Raising taxes is not the only means of reducing government debt. The government's stockpile of helium is worth 25 percent more, at current market prices, than the debt accumulated in acquiring and storing it. Therefore, by selling the helium, the government can not only pay off that debt but reduce its overall debt as well. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? ______
A.The government has no current need for helium.
B.Twenty-five percent of the debt the government has accumulated in stockpiling helium is not an insignificant portion of the government's total debt.
C.It is not in the lawmaker's interest to advocate raising taxes as a means of reducing government debt.
D.Attempts to sell the government's helium will not depress the market price of helium by more than 25 percent.
E.The government will not incur any costs in closing its facilities for stockpiling helium.
A B C D E
D
21. A medieval manuscript called L contains all eighteen extant tragedies by the Greek playwright Euripides. Of these, ten called the "select plays," are accompanied in L by ancient commentaries and also appear in other medieval manuscripts; this group includes some of Euripides' best-known works, including the Medea. The other eight, which appear in alphabetical order, without commentary. The Electra is one of the alphabeticals. Which of the following can be reliably concluded on the basis of the Statements given? ______
A.Only Euripides' best-known works are accompanied by ancient commentaries in extant medieval manuscripts.
B.The select plays are accompanied by ancient commentaries because they were the best known of Euripides' works.
C.No commentaries were written about Euripides' Electra in ancient times.
D.Euripides' Medea never appears in medieval manuscripts unaccompanied by ancient commentary.
E.Euripides' Electra does not appear accompanied by a commentary in any extant medieval manuscript.
A B C D E
E
22. Excavations of the Roman city of Sepphoris have uncovered numerous detailed mosaics depicting several readily identifiable animal species: a hare, a partridge, and various Mediterranean fish. Oddly, most of the species represented did not live in the Sepphoris region when these mosaics were created. Since identical motifs appear in mosaics found in other Roman cities, however, the mosaics of Sepphoris were very likely created by traveling artisans from some other part of the Roman Empire. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? ______
A.The Sepphoris mosaics are not composed exclusively of types of stones found naturally in the Sepphoris area.
B.There is no single region to which all the species depicted in the Sepphoris mosaics are native.
C.No motifs appear in the Sepphoris mosaics that do not also appear in the mosaics of some other Roman city.
D.All of the animal figures in the Sepphoris mosaics are readily identifiable as representations of known species.
E.There was not a common repertory of mosaic designs with which artisans who lived in various parts of the Roman Empire were familiar.
A B C D E
E
23. People who have spent a lot of time in contact with animals often develop animal-induced allergies, some of them quite serious. In a survey of current employees in major zoos, about 30 percent had animal-induced allergies. Based on this sample, experts conclude that among members of the general population who have spent a similarly large amount of time in close contact with animals, the percentage with animal-induced allergies is not 30 percent but substantially more. Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest grounds for the experts' conclusion? ______
A.A zoo employee who develops a serious animal-induced allergy is very likely to switch to some other occupation.
B.A zoo employee is more likely than a person in the general population to keep one or more animal pets at home.
C.The percentage of the general population whose level of exposure to animals matches that of a zoo employee is quite small.
D.Exposure to domestic pets is, on the whole, less likely to cause animal-induced allergy than exposure to many of the animals kept in zoos.
E.Zoo employees seldom wear protective gear when they handle animals in their care.
A B C D E
A
24. People who have spent a lot of time in contact with animals often develop animal-induced allergies, a significant percentage of which are quite serious. In a survey of current employees in major zoos, about 30 percent had animal-induced allergies. However, a zoo employee who develops a serious animal-induced allergy is very likely to switch to some other occupation. Which of the following hypotheses receives the strongest support from the information given? ______
A.The incidence of serious animal-induced allergies among current zoo employees is lower than that among the general population.
B.Zoo employees tend to develop animal-induced allergies that are more serious than those of other people who spend equally large amounts of time with animals.
C.Exposure to domestic pets is, on the whole, less likely to cause animal-induced allergy than is exposure to the kinds of animals that are kept in zoos.
D.There is no occupation for which the risk of developing an animal-induced allergy is higher than 30 percent.
E.Among members of the general population who have spent as much time with animals as zoo employees typically have, the percentage with animal-induced allergies is significantly more than 30 percent.
A B C D E
E
25. Educational Theorist: Recent editorials have called for limits on the amount of homework assigned to children. They point out that free-time activities play an important role in childhood development and that large amounts of homework reduce children's free time, hindering their development. But the average homework time for a ten year old, for example, is little more than 30 minutes per night. Clearly, therefore, there is no need to impose the limits these editorials are calling for. Which of the following is an assumption on which the educational theorist's argument relies? ______
A.The free-time activities that ten year olds engage in most are all approximately equally effective at fostering development.
C.Individual teachers are not the best judges of how much homework to assign the children they teach.
D.In most schools, if not all, the homework assignments given are of a length that does not diverge widely from the average.
E.Free-time activities rarely teach children skills or information that they can use in their academic work.
A B C D E
D
26. Which of the following most logically completes the argument? When people engage in activities that help others, their brain releases endorphins, the brain's natural opiates, which induce in people a feeling of well-being. It has been suggested that regular release of endorphins increases people's longevity. And a statistic on adults who regularly engage in volunteer work helping others shows that they live longer, on average, than adults who do not volunteer. However, that statistic would be what we would expect even if volunteering does not boost longevity, because. ______
A.in the communities studied, women were much more likely to do regular volunteer work than men were, and women tend to live longer than men do.
B.the number of young adults who do regular volunteer work is on the increase.
C.the feelings of well-being induced by endorphins can, at least for a time, mask the symptoms of various conditions and diseases, provided the symptoms are mild.
D.it is rare for a person to keep up a regular schedule of volunteer work throughout his or her life.
E.some people find that keeping a commitment to do regular volunteer work becomes a source of stress in their lives.
A B C D E
A
27. In Gandania, where the government has a monopoly on tobacco sales, the incidence of smoking-related health problems has risen steadily for the last twenty years. The health secretary recently proposed a series of laws aimed at curtailing tobacco use in Gandania. Profits from tobacco sales, however, account for ten percent of Gandania's annual revenues. Therefore, Gandania cannot afford to institute the proposed laws. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? ______
A.All health care in Gandania is government-funded.
B.Implementing the proposed laws is not likely to cause a significant increase in the amount of tobacco Gandania exports.
C.The percentage of revenue Gandania receives from tobacco sales has remained steady in recent years.
D.Profits from tobacco sales far surpass any other single source of revenue for the Gandanian government.
E.No government official in Gandania has ever previously proposed laws aimed at curtailing tobacco use.
A B C D E
A
28. Electronic computer chips made of tiny silicon wafers now regularly contain millions of electronic switches. Unfortunately, electronic switches that are this small cannot withstand intense radiation. Micro-Mechanics plans to produce a chip that, because it uses only microscopic mechanical switches, will be invulnerable to radiation damage. The switches will, however, be slower than electronic switches and the chip will contain only 12,000 switches. For there to be a market for Micro-Mechanics' chip as a result of the apparent advantage described above, each of the following would have to be true EXCEPT: ______
A.There will be applications in which the speed attainable by an electronic switch is not essential.
B.Switches used on electronic chips that contain only 12,000 switches are more vulnerable to radiation damage than the switches on Micro-Mechanics' chip will be.
C.There will be applications for computer chips in environments where the chips may have to survive intense radiation.
D.Some devices in which computer chips will be used will have other components that will be able to function during or after exposure to radiation.
E.Manufacturers are able to protect electronic computer chips against exposure to intense radiation, where this protection is necessary.
A B C D E
E
29. Political advocacy groups have begun to use information services to disseminate information that is then accessed by the public via personal computer. Since many groups are thus able to bypass traditional news sources, whose reporting is selective, and to present their political views directly to the public, information services present a more balanced picture of the complexities of political issues than any traditional news source presents. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument above depends? ______
A.Information services are accessible to enough people to ensure that political advocacy groups can use these services to reach as large a percentage of the public as they could through traditional news sources.
B.People could get a thorough understanding of a particular political issue by sorting through information provided by several traditional news sources, each with differing editorial biases.
C.Information on political issues disseminated through information services does not come almost entirely from advocacy groups that share a single bias.
D.Traditional news sources seldom report the views of political advocacy groups accurately.
E.Most people who get information on political issues from newspapers and other traditional news sources can readily identify the editorial biases of those sources.
A B C D E
C
30. In order to raise revenue, the federal government planned a tax amnesty program that allows tax delinquents to pay all owed tax without added financial penalty. However, economists projected that the federal government would collect a far lower percentage of total tax owed by delinquents than did state governments implementing similar programs. Which of the following, if true, would most contribute to an explanation of the economists' projections? ______
A.Tax amnesty programs are only successful if they are widely publicized.
B.Most people who honestly pay their state tax are equally honest in paying their federal tax.
C.Although federal tax delinquents usually must pay high financial penalties, the states require far lower financial penalties.
D.The state tax rate varies considerably from state to state, but the federal tax is levied according to laws which apply to citizens of all the states.
E.Unlike most federal tax delinquents, most state tax delinquents fail to pay state tax because of an oversight rather than a decision not to pay.
A B C D E
E
31. Which of the following, if true, provides evidence that most logically completes the argument below? According to a widely held economic hypothesis, imposing strict environmental regulations reduces economic growth. This hypothesis is undermined by the fact that the states with the strictest environmental regulations also have the highest economic growth. This fact does not show that environmental regulations promote growth, however, since ______.
A.those states with the strictest environmental regulations invest the most in education and job training
B.even those states that have only moderately strict environmental regulations have higher growth than those with the least-strict regulations
C.many states that are experiencing reduced economic growth are considering weakening their environmental regulations
D.after introducing stricter environmental regulations, many states experienced increased economic growth
E.even those states with very weak environmental regulations have experienced at least some growth
A B C D E
A
32. Critics of certain pollution-control regulations have claimed that the money spent over the last decade in order to reduce emissions of carbon monoxide and of volatile organic compounds has been wasted. The evidence they offer in support of this claim might appear compelling: despite the money spent, annual emissions of these pollutants have been increasing steadily. This evidence is far from adequate, however, since over the last decade a substantial number of new industrial facilities that emit these pollutants have been built. In the reasoning given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? ______
A.The first identifies a claim that the reasoning seeks to show is false; the second is evidence that has been cited by others in support of that claim.
B.The first identifies a claim that the reasoning seeks to show is false; the second is a position for which the reasoning seeks to provide support.
C.The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is a position for which the reasoning seeks to provide support.
D.The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is evidence used to support the reasoning's contention.
E.The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is evidence that has been used to support that position.
A B C D E
D
33. Whales originated in the freshwater lakes and rivers of ancient Asia about sixty million years ago. Not until about ten million years later did species of whales develop specialized kidneys enabling them to drink salt water. Although fossil evidence shows that some early whale species that lacked such kidneys sometimes swam in the Earth's saltwater oceans, these species must have had to return frequently to freshwater rivers to drink. Which of the following is most strongly supported by the information given? ______
A.Fossils of whale species dating from between sixty million and fifty million years ago will not be found on continents that were at the time separated from ancient Asia by wide expanses of ocean.
B.Among whale fossils that date from later than about fifty million years ago, none are fossils of whale species that drank only fresh water.
C.Fossils of whale species that drank fresh water will not be found in close proximity to fossils of whale species that drank salt water.
D.The earliest whales that drank salt water differed from fresh-water-drinking whales only in their possession of specialized kidneys.
E.Between sixty million and fifty million years ago, the freshwater lakes and rivers in which whales originated were gradually invaded by salt water.
A B C D E
A
34. Manatees, aquatic mammals inhabiting Florida's rivers and coastal waters, swim close to the surface and are frequently killed in collisions with boats. To address the problem, boat traffic in manatee-populated waters is being required to maintain very low speeds. Unfortunately, manatees are unable to hear low-pitched sounds and a boat's sound lowers in pitch as the boat slows. Therefore, this approach may in fact make things worse rather than better. Which of the following, if true, casts most doubt on the conclusion? ______
A.The areas where boats would have to maintain low speeds were decided partly on the basis of manatee-population estimates and partly from numbers of reported collisions between manatees and boats.
B.Because the water hyacinth that manatees feed on grows best in water that is nearly still, water hyacinth beds can be disturbed or damaged by fast-moving boat traffic.
C.Over the last several decades, boat traffic in Florida's coastal waters has been increasing almost continuously and now represents the greatest threat to the endangered manatee population.
D.The sound of a boat engine generally travels much further under water than it does through the air.
E.When experimenters exposed manatees to the recorded sounds of boats moving at various speeds, the creatures were unable to discern the sounds over normal background noise.
A B C D E
E
35. In polluted environments, dolphins gradually accumulated toxins in their body fat, and the larger the dolphin, the more accumulated toxin it can tolerate. Nearly 80 percent of the toxins a female dolphin has accumulated pass into the fat-rich milk her nursing calf ingests. Therefore, the unusually high mortality rate among dolphin calves in the industrially contaminated waters along Florida's Gulf Coast is probably the result of their being poisoned by their mother's milk. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? ______
A.The survival rate of firstborn dolphin calves in the area along Florida's Gulf Coast is highest for those whose mothers were killed before they were weaned.
B.The rate at which adult dolphins living in the waters along Florida's Gulf Coast accumulate toxins is no higher than that of adult dolphins in comparably polluted waters elsewhere.
C.Among dolphin calves born in the area along Florida's Gulf Coast, the mortality rate is highest among those with living siblings.
D.As dolphins age, they accumulate toxins from the environment more slowly than when they were young.
E.Dolphins, like other marine mammals, have a higher proportion of body fat than do most land mammals.
A B C D E
A
36. Though sucking zinc lozenges has been promoted as a treatment for the common cold, research has revealed no consistent effect. Recently, however, a zinc gel applied nasally has been shown to greatly reduce the duration of colds. Since the gel contains zinc in the same form and concentration as the lozenges, the greater effectiveness of the gel must be due to the fact that cold viruses tend to concentrate in the nose, not the mouth. In order to evaluate the argument, it would be most helpful to determine which of the following? ______
A.Whether zinc is effective only against colds, or also has an effect on other virally caused diseases
B.Whether there are remedies that do not contain zinc but that, when taken orally, can reduce the duration of colds
C.Whether people who frequently catch colds have a zinc deficiency
D.Whether either the zinc gel or the lozenges contain ingredients that have an impact on the activity of the zinc
E.Whether the zinc gel has an effect on the severity of cold symptoms, as well as on their duration
A B C D E
D
37. Astronomer: Observations of the Shoemaker-Levi comet on its collision course with Jupiter showed that the comet broke into fragments before entering Jupiter's atmosphere in 1994, but they did not show how big those fragments were. Nevertheless, some indication of their size can be inferred from spectrographic analyses of Jupiter's outer atmosphere. After the fragments' entry, these analyses revealed unprecedented traces of sulfur. The fragments themselves almost certainly contained no sulfur, but astronomers believe that the cloud layer below Jupiter's outer atmosphere does contain sulfur. Since sulfur would have seeped into the outer atmosphere if comet fragments had penetrated this cloud layer, it is likely that some of the fragments were at least large enough to have passed through Jupiter's outer atmosphere without being burned up. In the astronomer's argument, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? ______
A.The first is a claim that the astronomer seeks to show is true; the second acknowledges a consideration that weighs against the truth of that claim.
B.The first is a claim that the astronomer seeks to show is true; the second provides evidence in support of the truth of that claim.
C.The first and the second are each considerations advanced in support of the conclusion of the argument.
D.The first provides evidence in support of the conclusion of the argument; the second is that conclusion.
E.The first is a circumstance for which the astronomer seeks to provide an explanation; the second acknowledges a consideration that weighs against the explanation provided by the astronomer.
A B C D E
C
38. In 1960's studies of rats, scientists found that crowding increases the number of attacks among the animals significantly. But in recent experiments in which thesus monkeys were placed in crowded conditions, although there was an increase in instances of "coping" behavior-such as submissive gestures and avoidance of dominant individuals-attacks did not become any more frequent. Therefore it is not likely that, for any species of monkey, crowding increases aggression as significantly as was seen in rats. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? ______
A.All the observed forms of coping behavior can be found among thesus monkeys living in uncrowded conditions.
B.In the studies of rats, nondominant individuals were found to increasingly avoid dominant individuals when the animals were in crowded conditions.
C.Rhesus monkeys respond with aggression to a wider range of stimuli than any other monkeys do.
D.Some individual monkeys in the experiment were involved in significantly more attacks than the other monkeys were.
E.Some of the coping behavior displayed by thesus monkeys is similar to behavior thesus monkeys use to bring to an end an attack that has begun.
A B C D E
C
39. Early in the twentieth century, Lake Konfa became very polluted. Recently fish populations have recovered as release of industrial pollutants has declined and the lake's waters have become cleaner. Fears are now being voiced that the planned construction of an oil pipeline across the lake's bottom might revive pollution and cause the fish population to decline again. However, a technology for preventing leaks is being installed. Therefore, provided this technology is effective, those fears are groundless. The argument depends on assuming which of the following? ______
A.Apart from development related to the pipeline, there will be no new industrial development around the lake that will create renewed pollution in its waters.
B.Other than the possibility of a leak, there is no realistic pollution threat posed to the lake by the pipeline's construction.
C.There is no reason to believe that the leak-preventing technology would be ineffective when installed in the pipeline in Lake Konfa.
D.Damage to the lake's fish populations would be the only harm that a leak of oil from the pipeline would cause.
E.The species offish that are present in Lake Konfa now are the same as those that were in the lake before it was affected by pollution.
A B C D E
B
40. Trancorp currently transports all its goods to Burland Island by truck. The only bridge over the channel separating Burland from the mainland is congested, and trucks typically spend hours in traffic. Trains can reach the channel more quickly than trucks, and freight cars can be transported to Burland by barges that typically cross the channel in an hour. Therefore, to reduce shipping time, Trancorp plans to switch to trains and barges to transport goods to Burland. Which of the following would be most important to know in determining whether Trancorp's plan, if implemented, is likely to achieve its goal? ______
A.Whether transportation by train and barge would be substantially less expensive than transportation by truck.
B.Whether there are boats that can make the trip between the mainland and Burland faster than barges can.
C.Whether loading the freight cars onto barges is very time consuming.
D.Whether the average number of vehicles traveling over the bridge into Burland has been relatively constant in recent years.
E.Whether most trucks transporting goods into Burland return to the mainland empty.