The cost of manufacturing automobiles is considerably greater in Esteria than in Burdistan. In order to stimulate Esterian consumers purchases of domestically manufactured automobiles, the Esterian government has historically charged taxes on automobiles manufactured in Burdistan. Five years ago, however, the Esterian government dropped those taxes; in those five years, the number of workers employed in Esterian automobile factories has decreased by 30%. Therefore, the number of vehicles manufactured and sold in Esteria must have decreased in the last five years.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
A) Many Esterian automobile manufacturers operate factories outside Esteria.
B) The number of automobile workers in Burdistan has not increased during the same period.
C) Because vehicles manufactured in Esteria have a reputation for high quality, many Esterian consumers have continued to purchase domestically manufactured vehicles since the tax was abolished.
D) Esterian automobile manufacturers have lowered the price of their automobiles so as to remain competitive with the manufacturers in Burdistan.
E) Recent innovations in automated automobile-manufacturing technology have approximately halved the number of worker-hours required to produce most automobiles.
The ancient Romans understood the principles of water power very well and in some outlying parts of their empire they made extensive and excellent use of water as an energy sources. This makes it all the more striking that the Romans made do without water power in dominated by large cities.
Which one of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation of the difference described above in the Romans use of water power?
(A) The ancient Romans were adept at constructing and maintaining aqueducts that could carry quantities of water sufficient to supply large cities over considerable distances
(B) In the areas in which water power was not used water flow in rivers and streams was substantial throughout the year but nevertheless exhibited some seasonal variation
(C) Water power was relatively vulnerable to sabotage but any damage could be quickly and inexpensively repaired
(D) In most areas to which the use of water power was not extended other more traditional sources of energy continued to be used
(E) In heavily populated areas the introduction of water power would have been certain to cause social unrest by depriving large numbers of people of their livelihood
College professor: College students do not write nearly as well as they used to. Almost all of the papers that my students have done for me this year have been poorly written and ungrammatical. Which one of the following is the most serious weakness in the argument made by the professor? (A) It requires confirmation that the change in the professor's students is representative of a change among college students in general. (B) It offers no proof to the effect that the professor is an accurate judge of writing ability. (C) It does not take into account the possibility that the professor is a poor teacher. (D) It fails to present contrary evidence. (E) It fails to define its terms sufficiently.
The cost of manufacturing automobiles is considerably greater in Esteria than in Burdistan. In order to stimulate Esterian consumers purchases of domestically manufactured automobiles, the Esterian government has historically charged taxes on automobiles manufactured in Burdistan. Five years ago, however, the Esterian government dropped those taxes; in those five years, the number of workers employed in Esterian automobile factories has decreased by 30%. Therefore, the number of vehicles manufactured and sold in Esteria must have decreased in the last five years.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument? E) Recent innovations in automated automobile-manufacturing technology have approximately halved the number of worker-hours required to produce most automobiles.
The ancient Romans understood the principles of water power very well and in some outlying parts of their empire they made extensive and excellent use of water as an energy sources. This makes it all the more striking that the Romans made do without water power in dominated by large cities.
Which one of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation of the difference described above in the Romans use of water power?
(A) The ancient Romans were adept at constructing and maintaining aqueducts that could carry quantities of water sufficient to supply large cities over considerable distances
Planners in City X noticed that many of the trees in the city were dying because of exposure to increased levels of air and water pollution. A study they commissioned revealed that sycamore trees actually thrive in environments with elevated levels of carbon monoxide, the main pollutant emitted by automobiles. In order to reverse the trend of dying trees, the city adopted a policy to replace all sick trees with sycamore trees.
Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the logic employed by the city planners? e) Sycamore trees are extremely sensitive to sulfur dioxide, the main component of acid rain.
College professor: College students do not write nearly as well as they used to. Almost all of the papers that my students have done for me this year have been poorly written and ungrammatical. Which one of the following is the most serious weakness in the argument made by the professor? (A) It requires confirmation that the change in the professor's students is representative of a change among college students in general.
Planners in City X noticed that many of the trees in the city were dying because of exposure to increased levels of air and water pollution. A study they commissioned revealed that sycamore trees actually thrive in environments with elevated levels of carbon monoxide, the main pollutant emitted by automobiles. In order to reverse the trend of dying trees, the city adopted a policy to replace all sick trees with sycamore trees.
Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the logic employed by the city planners?
c) A survey by Urban Forests found that the sycamore is the most common tree in American cities.
The cost of manufacturing automobiles is considerably greater in Esteria than in Burdistan. In order to stimulate Esterian consumers purchases of domestically manufactured automobiles, the Esterian government has historically charged taxes on automobiles manufactured in Burdistan. Five years ago, however, the Esterian government dropped those taxes; in those five years, the number of workers employed in Esterian automobile factories has decreased by 30%. Therefore, the number of vehicles manufactured and sold in Esteria must have decreased in the last five years.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
E) Recent innovations in automated automobile-manufacturing technology have approximately halved the number of worker-hours required to produce most automobiles.
Representative: Our prisons have been criticized for having what some say are inadequate facilities. While it is true that there are still many improvements to be made, critics should consider that improving the prisons has been one of the state's primary concerns in the past few years. In fact, we have spent more money on this project than on any other, for the past few years.
Which of the following statements, if true, most seriously undermines the reasoning in the representative's argument? D. In general, prison systems require more money to maintain than other institutions of a comparable size.
1.The growing popularity of computer-based activities was widely predicted to result in a corresponding decline in television viewing. Recent studies have found that, in the United States, people who own computers watch, on average, significantly less television than people who do not own computers. In itself, however, this finding does very little to show that computer use tends to reduce television viewing time, since ________. Which of the following most logically completes the argument?
c) computer owners in the United States predominantly belong to demographic groups that have long been known to spend less time watching television than the population as a whole does
2.Research and development partnerships between investment funds and pharmaceutical corporations are experiencing considerable growth worldwide, even though products developed jointly by two or more corporations are less profitable than products developed by a single corporation. The advantage of research and development partnerships is that such arrangements may allow pharmaceutical firms to create successful products that would otherwise be too costly to develop. Which of the following is information provided by the passage above?
(B) Product development partnerships between pharmaceutical corporations and investment funds are more common now than they were in the recent past.
3.Commissioner: Budget forecasters project a revenue shortfall of a billion dollars in the coming fiscal year. Since there is no feasible way to increase the available funds, our only choice is to decrease expenditures. The plan before you outlines feasible cuts that would yield savings of a billion dollars over the coming fiscal year. We will be able to solve the problem we face, therefore, only if we adopt this plan. This reasoning in the commissioner's argument is flawed because this argument
(E) takes for granted that there is no way to increase available funds
4.Although perioral dermatitis rashes are believed to be caused by reactions to Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) found in shampoos and other personal care products, instructing patients to eliminate all products with SLS frequently does not stop the perioral dermatitis. Obviously, some other cause of perioral dermatitis besides reactions to SLS must exist. Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weakens the conclusion above?
C. Many patients report that the personal care products that cause them perioral dermatitis are among the products they most enjoy using.
5.certain molecules prepare a person to engage in "fight or flight" in response to danger by stimulating the adrenal glands to make adrenaline, which in turn produces a cascade of responses that includes increased demand on the heart and raised blood pressure. In some people, these molecules are easily activated by common, but not dangerous, situations, increasing their risk of developing heart disease and hypertension. Which of the following, if true, points to the most serious flaw of a plan to develop a medication that would block the molecules referred to above from stimulating the adrenal glands?
(A) Such a medication would indiscriminately block these molecules, whether they are activated by situations that are dangerous or not dangerous.
Lightbox, Inc., owns almost all of the movie theaters in Washington County and has announced plans to double the number of movie screens it has in the county within five years. Yet attendance at Lightbox's theaters is only just large enough for profitability now and the county's population is not expected to increase over the next ten years. Clearly, therefore, if there is indeed no increase in population, Lightbox's new screens are unlikely to prove profitable. Which of the following, if true about Washington County, most seriously weakens the argument? A. Though little change in the size of the population is expected, a pronounced shift toward a younger, more affluent, and more entertainment-oriented population is expected to occur.
If the county continues to collect residential trash at current levels, landfills will soon be overflowing and parkland will need to be used in order to create more space. Charging each household a fee for each pound of trash it puts out for collection will induce residents to reduce the amount of trash they create; this charge will therefore protect the remaining county parkland. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS AN ASSUMPTION MADE IN DRAWING THE CONCLUSION ABOVE?
A) Residents will reduce the amount of trash they put out for collection by reducing the number of products they buy. B) The collection fee will not significantly affect the purchasing power of most residents, even if their households do not reduce the amount of trash they put out. C) The collection fee will not induce residents to dump their trash in the parklands illegally. D) The beauty of the county parkland is an important issue for most of the county's residents. E) Landfills outside the county's borders could be used as dumping sites for the county's trash.
Math education in this country does a disservice to our children. In the lower grades, it should focus on the basic skills that students will need in higher grades to develop the ability to solve complex problems. Learning basic math skills is like learning the scales and chords that one will later use to master complicated concertos and symphonies. However, math educators in this country seem to have it backward, emphasizing in higher grades the same narrow, skills-based approach that students learned in lower grades rather than the analytical tools they will need to solve complex math problems.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn above?
While music is common in elementary school curricula, it is rarely taught in high school. On international tests of math skills, high-school students in this country performed no worse than did their counterparts from countries where problem-solving is emphasized in higher grades. When presented with a math problem to solve, students in higher grades are more likely to arrive at different answers than students in lowers grades are. Older students tend to receive higher grades in math than do younger students. Universities in this country report a steady increase in the percentage of native first-year students who qualify to take advanced mathematics courses such as calculus
If the county continues to collect residential trash at current levels, landfills will soon be overflowing and parkland will need to be used in order to create more space. Charging each household a fee for each pound of trash it puts out for collection will induce residents to reduce the amount of trash they create; this charge will therefore protect the remaining county parkland. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS AN ASSUMPTION MADE IN DRAWING THE CONCLUSION ABOVE?
C) The collection fee will not induce residents to dump their trash in the parklands illegally.
Math education in this country does a disservice to our children. In the lower grades, it should focus on the basic skills that students will need in higher grades to develop the ability to solve complex problems. Learning basic math skills is like learning the scales and chords that one will later use to master complicated concertos and symphonies. However, math educators in this country seem to have it backward, emphasizing in higher grades the same narrow, skills-based approach that students learned in lower grades rather than the analytical tools they will need to solve complex math problems.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn above?
Older students tend to receive higher grades in math than do younger students.
Representative: Our prisons have been criticized for having what some say are inadequate facilities. While it is true that there are still many improvements to be made, critics should consider that improving the prisons has been one of the state's primary concerns in the past few years. In fact, we have spent more money on this project than on any other, for the past few years.
Which of the following statements, if true, most seriously undermines the reasoning in the representative's argument?
A. Prison systems in neighboring states have also been criticized for having inadequate facilities.
Irrelevant for our purpose
B. In the past few years, there has been a sharp increase in the number of felony convictions in this state.
Hold on to it for the time being
C. Only states with presently inadequate facilities would need to allocate large amounts of money to the prison system.
Allocation of money is not mentioned in the scope of the argument...So irrelevant
D. In general, prison systems require more money to maintain than other institutions of a comparable size.
Irrelevant comparison
E. State funds should go toward improving the economy and eradicating homelessness, not improving the prisons. Irrelevant
The answer IMO should be B. As it clearly gives an alternative reason as to why the facilities at the prison were inadequate.
Lightbox, Inc., owns almost all of the movie theaters in Washington County and has announced plans to double the number of movie screens it has in the county within five years. Yet attendance at Lightboxs theaters is only just large enough for profitability now and the countys population is not expected to increase over the next ten years. Clearly, therefore, if there is indeed no increase in population, Lightboxs new screens are unlikely to prove profitable. Which of the following, if true about Washington County, most seriously weakens the argument? A. Though little change in the size of the population is expected, a pronounced shift toward a younger, more affluent, and more entertainment-oriented population is expected to occur. B. The sales of snacks and drinks in its movie theaters account for more of Lightboxs profits than ticket sales do. C. In selecting the mix of movies shown at its theaters, Lightboxs policy is to avoid those that appeal to only a small segment of the moviegoing population. D. Spending on video purchases, as well as spending on video rentals, is currently no longer increasing. E. There are no population centers in the county that are not already served by at least one of the movie theaters that Lightbox owns and operates.
Math education in this country does a disservice to our children. In the lower grades, it should focus on the basic skills that students will need in higher grades to develop the ability to solve complex problems. Learning basic math skills is like learning the scales and chords that one will later use to master complicated concertos and symphonies. However, math educators in this country seem to have it backward, emphasizing in higher grades the same narrow, skills-based approach that students learned in lower grades rather than the analytical tools they will need to solve complex math problems.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn above?
While music is common in elementary school curricula, it is rarely taught in high school. On international tests of math skills, high-school students in this country performed no worse than did their counterparts from countries where problem-solving is emphasized in higher grades. When presented with a math problem to solve, students in higher grades are more likely to arrive at different answers than students in lowers grades are. Older students tend to receive higher grades in math than do younger students. Universities in this country report a steady increase in the percentage of native first-year students who qualify to take advanced mathematics courses such as calculus
Of the people who moved from one state to another when they retired, the proportion who retired to SunState has decreased by 10 percent over the past five years. Since many local businesses in SunState cater to retirees, this decline is likely to have a noticeably negative economic effect on these businesses.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
e. The total number of people who retired and moved to another state for their retirement has increased significantly over the past five years.
Of the people who moved from one state to another when they retired, the proportion who retired to SunState has decreased by 10 percent over the past five years. Since many local businesses in SunState cater to retirees, this decline is likely to have a noticeably negative economic effect on these businesses.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
a. SunState attracts more people who move from one state to another when they retire than does any other state. b. There are far more local businesses in SunState that cater to tourists than there are local businesses that cater to retirees. c. The number of retirees who have moved out of SunState to accept re-employment in other states has increased over the past five years. d. SunState has lower property taxes than any other state, making the state a magnet for retirees. e. The total number of people who retired and moved to another state for their retirement has increased significantly over the past five years.
One sure way you can tell how quickly a new idea,for example, the idea of "privatization" ,is taking hold among the population is to monitor how fast the word or words expressing that particular idea are passing into common usage. Professional opinions of whether or not words can indeed be said to have passed into common usage are available from dictionary editors, who are vitally concerned with this question.
The method described above for determining how quickly a new idea is taking hold relies on which one of the following assumptions?
(A) Dictionary editors are not professionally interested in words that are only rarely used. (B) Dictionary editors have exact numerical criteria for telling when a word has passed into common usage. (C) For a new idea to take hold, dictionary editors have to include the relevant word or words in their dictionaries. (D) As a word passes into common usages, its meaning does not undergo any severe distortions in the process. (E) Words denoting new ideas tend to be used before the ideas denoted are understood.
Math education in this country does a disservice to our children. In the lower grades, it should focus on the basic skills that students will need in higher grades to develop the ability to solve c
My take option A
You can number the set so that others will find it easy to answer instead quoting the whole question
A recent university study indicated that students who receive full scholarships tend to maintain higher grade point averages than do students who must take out loans or work to finance school. The study concluded that scholarships enable students to achieve high grade point averages by alleviating the stress related to financial concerns and freeing up students' time to study more.
The study's conclusion depends on which of the following assumptions?
(A)Students who take out loans maintain higher grade point averages than those who work to finance school.
(B)Finance-related stress affects student performance in a manner similar to that of restricted study time.
(C)Students who must work to pay for their studies cannot maintain high grade point averages.
(D)High grade point averages were not the primary criterion upon which the scholarship awards were based.
(E)Controlling stress level is less important to student performance than is intensive studying.
A recent university study indicated that students who receive full scholarships tend to maintain higher grade point averages than do students who must take out loans or work to finance school. The study concluded that scholarships enable students to achieve high grade point averages by alleviating the stress related to financial concerns and freeing up students' time to study more.The study's conclusion depends on which of the following assumptions?(A)Students who take out loans maintain higher grade point averages than those who work to finance school.(B)Finance-related stress affects student performance in a manner similar to that of restricted study time.(C)Students who must work to pay for their studies cannot maintain high grade point averages.(D)High grade point averages were not the primary criterion upon which the scholarship awards were based.(E)Controlling stress level is less important to student performance than is intensive studying.