GMAT Critical Reasoning Discussions

MBA
1092
1. Plant Y thrives in environments of great sunlight and very little moisture. Desert X is an
environment with constant, powerful sunlight, and almost no moisture. Although Plant Y thrives
in the areas surrounding Desert X, it does not exist naturally in the desert, nor does it survive
long when introduced there.

Which of the following, if true, would be most useful in explaining the apparent discrepancy above?

(A) Desert Xs climate is far too harsh for the animals that normally feed on Plant Y.
(B) For one week in the fall, Desert X gets consistent rainfall.
(C) The environment around Desert X is ideally suited to the needs of Plant Y.
(D) Due to the lack of sufficient moisture, Desert X can support very little plant life.
(E) Plant Y cannot survive in temperatures as high as those normally found in Desert X.

2. The World Automobile Association (WAA) publishes a list of the Best and Worst Drivers of
the World, ranking the drivers of every nation according to the number of traffic deaths per
mile driven in that country.

Each of the following, if true, would by itself provide a logical objection to using the WAAs ranking as a representation of the quality of drivers in each nation EXCEPT:

(A) The roads in some countries are in bad repair and are therefore more dangerous than roads in other countries.
(B) The average driver in industrialized countries can afford to maintain his or her car in better condition than can the average driver in less developed countries.
(C) Some countries contain hundreds of thousands of miles of road while other countries contain relatively few miles of road.
(D) Minor accidents that would cause little injury in many countries are often fatal when they occur in extremely mountainous countries.
(E) Because of differences in national economies, the average car in some countries contains many more passengers than does the average car in other countries.

3. The population increase over a given year is always calculated as a percentage of the previous years population, with a population decrease being recorded as a negative increase. In 1990 Essex County and Union County both experienced a population increase of more than 3 percent. In 1991 Essex County and Union County both experienced a population increase of 1.5 percent. In 1992 Union County
experienced a negative increase in population of 1.7 percent. Essex County had 209,100 residents in 1990 and 209,000 residents in 1992.

If the information above is accurate, which of the following must be true?
(A) Both counties experienced positive population increases in the years 1990 and 1991, yet both experienced negative population increases in 1992.
(B) In 1992 more people moved from Union County to Essex County than moved from
Essex County to Union County.
(C) In 1990 there were more people living in Union County than in Essex County, but in 1992 there were more people living in Essex County than in Union County.
(D) Both counties experienced negative population increases in the years 1990 and 1991, yet both experienced positive population increases in 1992.
(E) Both counties experienced positive population increases in the years 1990 and 1991, yet while Essex County experienced a positive increase in 1992, Union County had a negative increase.

4. Although statistics and definitions are inexact, educated guesses put the number of refugees worldwide at well over 10 million. The overwhelming majority prefer to return to their native land than to emigrate to a foreign one. The millions of refugees from Afghanistan are sufficient proof: Despite the toll the war and subsequent fighting have taken on their country, very few have applied for permission to emigrate.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
(A) Most refugees are as reluctant to emigrate as are the refugees from Afghanistan.
(B) The refugees from Afghanistan fled what they considered political oppression rather than economic disaster.
(C) Most of the children born to refugees prefer to remain in their adoptive country rather than return to the land their parents left.
(D) Although refugees flee their homes for a variety of different reasons, the overwhelming majority are looking for improved living conditions.
(E) The number of refugees worldwide has risen dramatically over the last ten years.

5. Recent statistics make it seem unlikely that the total consumption of electricity determines its
cost to individual consumers. Recent increases in total consumption, especially during the hot
summer months, have sometimes been accompanied by a decrease in the cost per unit
and at other times by an increase.

Which of the following positions is best supported by the information presented above?
(A) It must be the case that the cost of electricity to consumers is what determines the total consumption.
(B) Even though a correlation exists between the total consumption of electricity and its
cost to consumers, no causal relation exists.
(C) Further investigation into the way these statistics were gathered is certainly called
for.
(D) The cost of electricity depends upon something other than the total consumption of electricity.
(E) The cost-per-unit of electricity to consumers is dependent on the total electricity consumption.

===========================================

My Pick for the first problem is C because--The premise is that
Plant Y needs Sunlight + No moisture
Desert X has Sunlight(Constant powerful) + No moisture
In essence what it means is that Desert X Should be suitable for Y,but the reality is otherwise.
I took the elimination approach to this one.
A-If the temperature is harsh,then that would keep animals away--so that should help the plant Y to grow,
which is not the case
B-Just explains why it might not grow for a week but the argument says "it does not exist naturally in the desert, nor does it survive
long when introduced there"
D-Does not explain why it grows outside. In a discrepancy type problem both side of the problem needs
to be explained
E-Does not explain why it grows outside


My answers for the other 4 are (2)-B,(3)-A,(4)-C,(5)-B. Lemme know if I am close. I can then give my reasonings.
1093
===========================================

My Pick for the first problem is C because--The premise is that
Plant Y needs Sunlight + No moisture
Desert X has Sunlight(Constant powerful) + No moisture
In essence what it means is that Desert X Should be suitable for Y,but the reality is otherwise.
I took the elimination approach to this one.
A-If the temperature is harsh,then that would keep animals away--so that should help the plant Y to grow,
which is not the case
B-Just explains why it might not grow for a week but the argument says "it does not exist naturally in the desert, nor does it survive
long when introduced there"
D-Does not explain why it grows outside. In a discrepancy type problem both side of the problem needs
to be explained
E-Does not explain why it grows outside


My answers for the other 4 are (2)-B,(3)-A,(4)-C,(5)-B. Lemme know if I am close. I can then give my reasonings.


Check my previous post, I have already posted the answers.
1094
vikas.mogle Says
Check my previous post, I have already posted the answers.

==============================

So u have..Sorry friend..Nyways I got`em wrong horribly..so cudnt have helped..
1095
==============================

So u have..Sorry friend..Nyways I got`em wrong horribly..so cudnt have helped..


Doesn't matter pal, you tried. We are all here to learn. check your reasoning for crossing out the options and then how you could choose the right options.
1096

If we are done with discussing previous questions, here are some more:

1. Professor A: We must make a strong moral statement against Country Xs policies. Only total divestmentthe sale of all stock in companies that have factories or business offices in Xcan do this. Therefore, the university should divest totally.
Professor B: Our aim should be to encourage X to change its policies. Partial divestment is the best way to achieve this aim. Therefore, the university should sell its stock only in companies that either sell goods to Xs government, or do the majority of their business in X, or treat their workers in X unfairly.
Professor As and Professor Bs arguments differ in which of the following ways?
(A) They state the same goal but propose different ways of achieving it.
(B) They state different goals but propose the same way of achieving them.
(C) They state different goals and propose different ways of achieving them.
(D) They disagree about whether the university should sell any stock at all.
(E) They disagree about whether Xs policies are objectionable.

2. Instead of blaming an airline accident on pilot error, investigators should find out why the error was made by analyzing airplane design, airline management, and pilot-training programs. For only then can changes be made to ensure that the same type of error does not recur and cause another accident.
Which of the following is a presupposition of the argument above?
(A) Pilot error is not a contributing factor in most airline accidents.
(B) Airline companies themselves should be the agents who investigate airline accidents.
(C) Stricter government regulation of airline companies will make air travel significantly safer.
(D) Investigators of airline accidents should contribute to the prevention of future accidents.
(E) Most pilots who make errors in flying will repeat their errors unless they are retrained.

3. Approximately two hundred brands of personal computers are being manufactured, but we currently limit our inventory to only the eight most popular brands. We plan to increase greatly the number of computers we sell by expanding our inventory to include the ten best-selling brands.
Which of the following, if true, points out a major weakness of the plan above?
(A) The capabilities of three most popular personal computers add to be approximately equivalent, with no brand having consistent superiority in all respects.
(B) The seven most popular brands of personal computers account for almost all computers sold.
(C) As the users of personal computers become more sophisticated, they are more willing to buy less well-known brands of computers.
(D) Less popular brands of computers often provide less profit to the retailer because prices must be discounted to attract customers.
(E) The leading brand of personal computer has been losing sales to less popular brands that offer similar capabilities for less money.

4. Recent evidence appears to contradict earlier findings that suggested that those who are physically fit cope better with stressful real-life events. Of a group of healthy women, those randomly assigned to a ten-week program of aerobic exercises performed no better in laboratory tests simulating stressful situations than did the subgroup assigned to a program without exercise.
Which of the following, if true, provides evidence for determining whether physical fitness makes one react better to stress?
(A) Superior reaction to laboratory stress situations was found to be more prevalent among women than among men.
(B) Healthy men, after training six months in weight lifting, encountered fewer potentially stressful situations in the subsequent six months.
(C) Subjects following a regimen during which they perfected their skills in a variety of relaxation techniques found that their lives seemed calmer after they began the regimen.
(D) College students with previous high levels of stressful life events showed a markedly reduced reaction to such events after training in aerobics for six months.
(E) Subjects with a high level of self-esteem more often engaged in physical-fitness regimens than did a control group of subjects with average levels of self-esteem.

5. According to an independent computer-industry analyst, the new Regent microcomputer is of high quality, is fast, and costs less than any currently existing competing model. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, as the manufacturers prospectus does, that the Regent will quickly establish itself as a fast-selling, low-priced alternative to currently available microcomputers.
Which of the following, if true, would LEAST weaken the argument above?
(A) Many retailers already carry one or more low-priced microcomputer models and are disinclined to carry another.
(B) Several faster and lower-priced models of microcomputers will soon be introduced by other computer manufacturers.
(C) The Regent Corporations microcomputer can be used in conjunction with higher-priced microcomputers manufactured by other companies.
(D) Most of those individuals and companies that could be expected to make up the potential market for the Regent microcomputer have already filled their microcomputer needs.
(E) The independent computer-industry analyst whose assessment was incorporated in the prospectus has used measures of quality that are not universally accepted by the computer-buying public.

I'm posting them here because I found OAs unconvincing. Pls post the explanations.

Thx.

1097
If we are done with discussing previous questions, here are some more:

1. Professor A: We must make a strong moral statement against Country Xs policies. Only total divestmentthe sale of all stock in companies that have factories or business offices in Xcan do this. Therefore, the university should divest totally.
Professor B: Our aim should be to encourage X to change its policies. Partial divestment is the best way to achieve this aim. Therefore, the university should sell its stock only in companies that either sell goods to Xs government, or do the majority of their business in X, or treat their workers in X unfairly.
Professor As and Professor Bs arguments differ in which of the following ways?
(A) They state the same goal but propose different ways of achieving it.
(B) They state different goals but propose the same way of achieving them.
(C) They state different goals and propose different ways of achieving them.
(D) They disagree about whether the university should sell any stock at all.
(E) They disagree about whether Xs policies are objectionable.

2. Instead of blaming an airline accident on pilot error, investigators should find out why the error was made by analyzing airplane design, airline management, and pilot-training programs. For only then can changes be made to ensure that the same type of error does not recur and cause another accident.
Which of the following is a presupposition of the argument above?
(A) Pilot error is not a contributing factor in most airline accidents.
(B) Airline companies themselves should be the agents who investigate airline accidents.
(C) Stricter government regulation of airline companies will make air travel significantly safer.
(D) Investigators of airline accidents should contribute to the prevention of future accidents.
(E) Most pilots who make errors in flying will repeat their errors unless they are retrained.

3. Approximately two hundred brands of personal computers are being manufactured, but we currently limit our inventory to only the eight most popular brands. We plan to increase greatly the number of computers we sell by expanding our inventory to include the ten best-selling brands.
Which of the following, if true, points out a major weakness of the plan above?
(A) The capabilities of three most popular personal computers add to be approximately equivalent, with no brand having consistent superiority in all respects.
(B) The seven most popular brands of personal computers account for almost all computers sold.
(C) As the users of personal computers become more sophisticated, they are more willing to buy less well-known brands of computers.
(D) Less popular brands of computers often provide less profit to the retailer because prices must be discounted to attract customers.
(E) The leading brand of personal computer has been losing sales to less popular brands that offer similar capabilities for less money.

4. Recent evidence appears to contradict earlier findings that suggested that those who are physically fit cope better with stressful real-life events. Of a group of healthy women, those randomly assigned to a ten-week program of aerobic exercises performed no better in laboratory tests simulating stressful situations than did the subgroup assigned to a program without exercise.
Which of the following, if true, provides evidence for determining whether physical fitness makes one react better to stress?
(A) Superior reaction to laboratory stress situations was found to be more prevalent among women than among men.
(B) Healthy men, after training six months in weight lifting, encountered fewer potentially stressful situations in the subsequent six months.
(C) Subjects following a regimen during which they perfected their skills in a variety of relaxation techniques found that their lives seemed calmer after they began the regimen.
(D) College students with previous high levels of stressful life events showed a markedly reduced reaction to such events after training in aerobics for six months.
(E) Subjects with a high level of self-esteem more often engaged in physical-fitness regimens than did a control group of subjects with average levels of self-esteem.

5. According to an independent computer-industry analyst, the new Regent microcomputer is of high quality, is fast, and costs less than any currently existing competing model. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, as the manufacturers prospectus does, that the Regent will quickly establish itself as a fast-selling, low-priced alternative to currently available microcomputers.
Which of the following, if true, would LEAST weaken the argument above?
(A) Many retailers already carry one or more low-priced microcomputer models and are disinclined to carry another.
(B) Several faster and lower-priced models of microcomputers will soon be introduced by other computer manufacturers.
(C) The Regent Corporations microcomputer can be used in conjunction with higher-priced microcomputers manufactured by other companies.
(D) Most of those individuals and companies that could be expected to make up the potential market for the Regent microcomputer have already filled their microcomputer needs.
(E) The independent computer-industry analyst whose assessment was incorporated in the prospectus has used measures of quality that are not universally accepted by the computer-buying public.

I'm posting them here because I found OAs unconvincing. Pls post the explanations.

Thx.

My Take-
1.B
2.D
3.B
4.D
5.C
1098
If we are done with discussing previous questions, here are some more:

1. Professor A: We must make a strong moral statement against Country X's policies. Only total divestment-the sale of all stock in companies that have factories or business offices in X-can do this. Therefore, the university should divest totally.
Professor B: Our aim should be to encourage X to change its policies. Partial divestment is the best way to achieve this aim. Therefore, the university should sell its stock only in companies that either sell goods to X's government, or do the majority of their business in X, or treat their workers in X unfairly.
Professor A's and Professor B's arguments differ in which of the following ways?
(A) They state the same goal but propose different ways of achieving it.
(B) They state different goals but propose the same way of achieving them.
(C) They state different goals and propose different ways of achieving them.
(D) They disagree about whether the university should sell any stock at all.
(E) They disagree about whether X's policies are objectionable.

2. Instead of blaming an airline accident on pilot error, investigators should find out why the error was made by analyzing airplane design, airline management, and pilot-training programs. For only then can changes be made to ensure that the same type of error does not recur and cause another accident.
Which of the following is a presupposition of the argument above?
(A) Pilot error is not a contributing factor in most airline accidents.
(B) Airline companies themselves should be the agents who investigate airline accidents.
(C) Stricter government regulation of airline companies will make air travel significantly safer.
(D) Investigators of airline accidents should contribute to the prevention of future accidents.
(E) Most pilots who make errors in flying will repeat their errors unless they are retrained.

3. Approximately two hundred brands of personal computers are being manufactured, but we currently limit our inventory to only the eight most popular brands. We plan to increase greatly the number of computers we sell by expanding our inventory to include the ten best-selling brands.
Which of the following, if true, points out a major weakness of the plan above?
(A) The capabilities of three most popular personal computers add to be approximately equivalent, with no brand having consistent superiority in all respects.
(B) The seven most popular brands of personal computers account for almost all computers sold.
(C) As the users of personal computers become more sophisticated, they are more willing to buy less well-known brands of computers.
(D) Less popular brands of computers often provide less profit to the retailer because prices must be discounted to attract customers.
(E) The leading brand of personal computer has been losing sales to less popular brands that offer similar capabilities for less money.

4. Recent evidence appears to contradict earlier findings that suggested that those who are physically fit cope better with stressful real-life events. Of a group of healthy women, those randomly assigned to a ten-week program of aerobic exercises performed no better in laboratory tests simulating stressful situations than did the subgroup assigned to a program without exercise.
Which of the following, if true, provides evidence for determining whether physical fitness makes one react better to stress?
(A) Superior reaction to laboratory stress situations was found to be more prevalent among women than among men.
(B) Healthy men, after training six months in weight lifting, encountered fewer potentially stressful situations in the subsequent six months.
(C) Subjects following a regimen during which they perfected their skills in a variety of relaxation techniques found that their lives seemed calmer after they began the regimen.
(D) College students with previous high levels of stressful life events showed a markedly reduced reaction to such events after training in aerobics for six months.
(E) Subjects with a high level of self-esteem more often engaged in physical-fitness regimens than did a control group of subjects with average levels of self-esteem.

5. According to an independent computer-industry analyst, the new Regent microcomputer is of high quality, is fast, and costs less than any currently existing competing model. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, as the manufacturer's prospectus does, that the Regent will quickly establish itself as a fast-selling, low-priced alternative to currently available microcomputers.
Which of the following, if true, would LEAST weaken the argument above?
(A) Many retailers already carry one or more low-priced microcomputer models and are disinclined to carry another.
(B) Several faster and lower-priced models of microcomputers will soon be introduced by other computer manufacturers.
(C) The Regent Corporation's microcomputer can be used in conjunction with higher-priced microcomputers manufactured by other companies.
(D) Most of those individuals and companies that could be expected to make up the potential market for the Regent microcomputer have already filled their microcomputer needs.
(E) The independent computer-industry analyst whose assessment was incorporated in the prospectus has used measures of quality that are not universally accepted by the computer-buying public.

I'm posting them here because I found OAs unconvincing. Pls post the explanations.

Thx.



I feel the answers are:

1.
Goal of Prof A- moral statement against Country X's policies
Goal of Prof B- change Country X's policies
Proposal of Prof A: Only total divestment
Proposal of Prof B: Partial divestment /sell its stock only in companies that either sell goods to X's government, /do the majority of their business in X,/treat their workers in X unfairly
Goals are different and Proposals are also different , so I go with C
C
2.
Investigators should find out why the error occured
Analyze airplane design, airline management, and pilot-training programs
only then can changes be made so that same type of error does not recur
As investigators are analysing the reasons why accident occured , so pressupositions is Investigators of airline accidents should contribute to the prevention of future accidents
D
3. inventory limited to only the eight most popular brands, so including first 10 brands, it is weakening the argument as seven most popular brands of personal computers account for almost all computers sold.
B
4. College students with previous high levels of stressful life events showed a markedly reduced reaction to such events after training in aerobics for six months.
Previously stressed people reduced the stress related problems after exercising.
D
5. lower priced microcomputers can be used with higher-priced microcomputers manufactured by other companies, so it might increase the sales of lower priced microcomputers , which is mentioned in C , but in other options it is not clear

Let me know if I am wrong..
1099
1. Plant Y thrives in environments of great sunlight and very little moisture. Desert X is an
environment with constant, powerful sunlight, and almost no moisture. Although Plant Y thrives
in the areas surrounding Desert X, it does not exist naturally in the desert, nor does it survive
long when introduced there.

Which of the following, if true, would be most useful in explaining the apparent discrepancy above?

(A) Desert Xs climate is far too harsh for the animals that normally feed on Plant Y.
(B) For one week in the fall, Desert X gets consistent rainfall.
(C) The environment around Desert X is ideally suited to the needs of Plant Y.
(D) Due to the lack of sufficient moisture, Desert X can support very little plant life.
(E) Plant Y cannot survive in temperatures as high as those normally found in Desert X.

2. The World Automobile Association (WAA) publishes a list of the Best and Worst Drivers of
the World, ranking the drivers of every nation according to the number of traffic deaths per
mile driven in that country.

Each of the following, if true, would by itself provide a logical objection to using the WAAs ranking as a representation of the quality of drivers in each nation EXCEPT:

(A) The roads in some countries are in bad repair and are therefore more dangerous than roads in other countries.
(B) The average driver in industrialized countries can afford to maintain his or her car in better condition than can the average driver in less developed countries.
(C) Some countries contain hundreds of thousands of miles of road while other countries contain relatively few miles of road.
(D) Minor accidents that would cause little injury in many countries are often fatal when they occur in extremely mountainous countries.
(E) Because of differences in national economies, the average car in some countries contains many more passengers than does the average car in other countries.

3. The population increase over a given year is always calculated as a percentage of the previous years population, with a population decrease being recorded as a negative increase. In 1990 Essex County and Union County both experienced a population increase of more than 3 percent. In 1991 Essex County and Union County both experienced a population increase of 1.5 percent. In 1992 Union County
experienced a negative increase in population of 1.7 percent. Essex County had 209,100 residents in 1990 and 209,000 residents in 1992.

If the information above is accurate, which of the following must be true?
(A) Both counties experienced positive population increases in the years 1990 and 1991, yet both experienced negative population increases in 1992.
(B) In 1992 more people moved from Union County to Essex County than moved from
Essex County to Union County.
(C) In 1990 there were more people living in Union County than in Essex County, but in 1992 there were more people living in Essex County than in Union County.
(D) Both counties experienced negative population increases in the years 1990 and 1991, yet both experienced positive population increases in 1992.
(E) Both counties experienced positive population increases in the years 1990 and 1991, yet while Essex County experienced a positive increase in 1992, Union County had a negative increase.

4. Although statistics and definitions are inexact, educated guesses put the number of refugees worldwide at well over 10 million. The overwhelming majority prefer to return to their native land than to emigrate to a foreign one. The millions of refugees from Afghanistan are sufficient proof: Despite the toll the war and subsequent fighting have taken on their country, very few have applied for permission to emigrate.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
(A) Most refugees are as reluctant to emigrate as are the refugees from Afghanistan.
(B) The refugees from Afghanistan fled what they considered political oppression rather than economic disaster.
(C) Most of the children born to refugees prefer to remain in their adoptive country rather than return to the land their parents left.
(D) Although refugees flee their homes for a variety of different reasons, the overwhelming majority are looking for improved living conditions.
(E) The number of refugees worldwide has risen dramatically over the last ten years.

5. Recent statistics make it seem unlikely that the total consumption of electricity determines its
cost to individual consumers. Recent increases in total consumption, especially during the hot
summer months, have sometimes been accompanied by a decrease in the cost per unit
and at other times by an increase.

Which of the following positions is best supported by the information presented above?
(A) It must be the case that the cost of electricity to consumers is what determines the total consumption.
(B) Even though a correlation exists between the total consumption of electricity and its
cost to consumers, no causal relation exists.
(C) Further investigation into the way these statistics were gathered is certainly called
for.
(D) The cost of electricity depends upon something other than the total consumption of electricity.
(E) The cost-per-unit of electricity to consumers is dependent on the total electricity consumption.


Can any one explain 2 and 5.

2: i got (B). OA is (C) which i believe because number of trafic death is per miles driven and not total miles. B is out of scope as argument doesnt talk about affordibility of country based on less/more developed. Makes sense.

5: i got (D). OA is C which i believe because though C/D sounds similar, D assumes that "something else" corrects the paradox were as C doesnt assumes any additional information.
1101
Hi all

Read the statement through a fine toothed comb. The factor is determined by number of traffic deaths per mile. So it actually does not matter whether a country has 100 miles or 100,000 miles or 1,000,000 miles. The factor will be calculated by taking total number of deaths in the numerator and total number of miles in the denominator. The best choice is C.

For the 5th problem, if you got D, you are correct. There seems to be some typo error in the book you have.


Key in 2 is to read " deaths per mile driven in that country"

so how many miles of road a country has doesn't matter.

D seems to be right answer for 5.
1102

some of these are already posted long back (If you check the earlier posts), but for the sake of everyone, I'm reposting them. pls provide explanations, since source is unknown so authenticity of OAs is not confirmed.

1. When people predict that certain result will not take place unless a certain action is taken, they believe that they have learned that the prediction is correct when the action is taken and the result occurs. On reflection, however, it often becomes clear that the result admits of more than one interpretation.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the claims above?
(A) Judging the success of an action requires specifying the goal of the action.
(B) Judging which action to take after a prediction is made requires knowing about other actions that have been successful in similar past situations.
(C) Learning whether a certain predictive strategy is good requires knowing the result using that strategy through several trials.
(D) Distinguishing a correct prediction and effective action from an incorrect prediction and ineffective action is often impossible.
(E) Making a successful prediction requires knowing the facts about the context of that prediction.

2. Corporate Officer: Last year was an unusually poor one for our chemical division, which has traditionally contributed about 60 percent of the corporations profits. It is therefore encouraging that there is the following evidence that the pharmaceutical division is growing stronger: it contributed 45 percent of the corporations profits, up from 20 percent the previous year.
On the basis of the facts stated, which of the following is the best critique of the evidence presented above?
(A) The increase in the pharmaceutical divisions contribution to corporation profits could have resulted largely from the introduction of single, important new product.
(B) In multidivisional corporations that have pharmaceutical divisions, over half of the corporations profits usually come from the pharmaceuticals.
(C) The percentage of the corporations profits attributable to the pharmaceutical division could have increased even if that divisions performance had not improved.
(D) The information cited does not make it possible to determine whether the 20 percent share of profits cited was itself an improvement over the year before.
(E) The information cited does not make it possible to compare the performance of the chemical and pharmaceutical divisions in of the percent of total profits attributable to each.


3. The fact that several of the largest senior citizens organizations are constituted almost exclusively of middle-class elderly people has led critics to question the seriousness of those organizations commitment to speaking out on behalf of the needs of economically disadvantaged elderly people.
Which of the following generalizations, if true, would help to substantiate the criticism implicit in the statement above?
(A) The ideology of an organization tends reflect the traditional political climate of its locale.
(B) The needs of disadvantaged elderly people differ in some ways from those of other disadvantaged groups within contemporary society.
(C) Organized groups are better able to publicize their problems and seek redress than individuals acting alone.
(D) Middle-class elderly people are more likely to join organizations than are economically disadvantaged elderly people.
(E) People usually join organizations whose purpose is to further the economic, political, or social interests of their members.

1103
Hi all

Read the statement through a fine toothed comb. The factor is determined by number of traffic deaths per mile. So it actually does not matter whether a country has 100 miles or 100,000 miles or 1,000,000 miles. The factor will be calculated by taking total number of deaths in the numerator and total number of miles in the denominator. The best choice is C.

For the 5th problem, if you got D, you are correct. There seems to be some typo error in the book you have.


ranking is based on miles driven.So are we saying that roads are there but nobody drives on Roads or the miles driven means the miles driven by the accident vehicle ?
Please explain the answer in that context also.
1104

Hi All,

I have just started with GMAT preparation. I am finding CR as the most intriguing part. I am not able to chalk out a proper approach for solving CR questions. I am just solving in haphazard way which is resulting in me making a lot of mistakes....

Any help!!

1106

For Post No 1102 by Vikas mogle ,
I believe all answers are C.
Vikas plz post the answers of your earlier post Too.

1107
For Post No 1102 by Vikas mogle ,
I believe all answers are C.
Vikas plz post the answers of your earlier post Too.


Answers for earlier post:

1. C
2. D
3. B
4. E
5. C

1st question in my last post is great example of how logic can be tested on GMAT. Try to work on it with real like example.

will post answers once more people try them out.

Thx.
1108

Hi Vikas , Can we discuss these?You Told that you are not convinced about OA's-


1. Professor A: We must make a strong moral statement against Country Xs policies. Only total divestmentthe sale of all stock in companies that have factories or business offices in Xcan do this. Therefore, the university should divest totally.
Professor B: Our aim should be to encourage X to change its policies. Partial divestment is the best way to achieve this aim. Therefore, the university should sell its stock only in companies that either sell goods to Xs government, or do the majority of their business in X, or treat their workers in X unfairly.
Professor As and Professor Bs arguments differ in which of the following ways?
(A) They state the same goal but propose different ways of achieving it.
(B) They state different goals but propose the same way of achieving them.
(C) They state different goals and propose different ways of achieving them.
(D) They disagree about whether the university should sell any stock at all.
(E) They disagree about whether Xs policies are objectionable.

Goal is diff and strategy is same-divestment

5. According to an independent computer-industry analyst, the new Regent microcomputer is of high quality, is fast, and costs less than any currently existing competing model. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, as the manufacturers prospectus does, that the Regent will quickly establish itself as a fast-selling, low-priced alternative to currently available microcomputers.
Which of the following, if true, would LEAST weaken the argument above?
(A) Many retailers already carry one or more low-priced microcomputer models and are disinclined to carry another.
(B) Several faster and lower-priced models of microcomputers will soon be introduced by other computer manufacturers.
(C) The Regent Corporations microcomputer can be used in conjunction with higher-priced microcomputers manufactured by other companies.
(D) Most of those individuals and companies that could be expected to make up the potential market for the Regent microcomputer have already filled their microcomputer needs.
(E) The independent computer-industry analyst whose assessment was incorporated in the prospectus has used measures of quality that are not universally accepted by the computer-buying public.

I think this one is right because if the premises is itself wrong then conclusion will also be wrong.Correct me if I am thinking in other way.

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Hi Vikas , Can we discuss these?You Told that you are not convinced about OA's-


1. Professor A: We must make a strong moral statement against Country Xs policies. Only total divestmentthe sale of all stock in companies that have factories or business offices in Xcan do this. Therefore, the university should divest totally.
Professor B: Our aim should be to encourage X to change its policies. Partial divestment is the best way to achieve this aim. Therefore, the university should sell its stock only in companies that either sell goods to Xs government, or do the majority of their business in X, or treat their workers in X unfairly.
Professor As and Professor Bs arguments differ in which of the following ways?
(A) They state the same goal but propose different ways of achieving it.
(B) They state different goals but propose the same way of achieving them.
(C) They state different goals and propose different ways of achieving them.
(D) They disagree about whether the university should sell any stock at all.
(E) They disagree about whether Xs policies are objectionable.

Goal is diff and strategy is same-divestment

5. According to an independent computer-industry analyst, the new Regent microcomputer is of high quality, is fast, and costs less than any currently existing competing model. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, as the manufacturers prospectus does, that the Regent will quickly establish itself as a fast-selling, low-priced alternative to currently available microcomputers.
Which of the following, if true, would LEAST weaken the argument above?
(A) Many retailers already carry one or more low-priced microcomputer models and are disinclined to carry another.
(B) Several faster and lower-priced models of microcomputers will soon be introduced by other computer manufacturers.
(C) The Regent Corporations microcomputer can be used in conjunction with higher-priced microcomputers manufactured by other companies.
(D) Most of those individuals and companies that could be expected to make up the potential market for the Regent microcomputer have already filled their microcomputer needs.
(E) The independent computer-industry analyst whose assessment was incorporated in the prospectus has used measures of quality that are not universally accepted by the computer-buying public.

I think this one is right because if the premises is itself wrong then conclusion will also be wrong.Correct me if I am thinking in other way.


Sure, I had 30 mins to get correct answers for 20 such questions, so, obviously, I was not clear about them initially e.g. I totally missed LEAST in the question. (Too bad...hard day can do these things). So after reviewing these, answer for first one should be C, since

Goal of A: to criticize or castigate country's policies
Method he suggests is to divest completely.

Goal of B: To reconcile the differences to make country X aware that since their policies are bad, they must be changed.

Method: Partial divestment.

Clearly both goals and methods are different.

Hence answer C.

for the second one, option C doesn't say anything that would weaken the argument but in fact it states a fact that, in some cases, could be considered as an advantage. So yes this sounds correct.
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Sure, I had 30 mins to get correct answers for 20 such questions, so, obviously, I was not clear about them initially e.g. I totally missed LEAST in the question. (Too bad...hard day can do these things). So after reviewing these, answer for first one should be C, since

Goal of A: to criticize or castigate country's policies
Method he suggests is to divest completely.

Goal of B: To reconcile the differences to make country X aware that since their policies are bad, they must be changed.

Method: Partial divestment.

Clearly both goals and methods are different.

Hence answer C.

for the second one, option C doesn't say anything that would weaken the argument but in fact it states a fact that, in some cases, could be considered as an advantage. So yes this sounds correct.


Possible , I assumed that divestment and partial divestment are same.
I think its a good question which tends to focus more on small words.Even a small word cam make a big diff here.
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some of these are already posted long back (If you check the earlier posts), but for the sake of everyone, I'm reposting them. pls provide explanations, since source is unknown so authenticity of OAs is not confirmed.

1. When people predict that certain result will not take place unless a certain action is taken, they believe that they have learned that the prediction is correct when the action is taken and the result occurs. On reflection, however, it often becomes clear that the result admits of more than one interpretation.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the claims above?
(A) Judging the success of an action requires specifying the goal of the action.
(B) Judging which action to take after a prediction is made requires knowing about other actions that have been successful in similar past situations.
(C) Learning whether a certain predictive strategy is good requires knowing the result using that strategy through several trials.
(D) Distinguishing a correct prediction and effective action from an incorrect prediction and ineffective action is often impossible.
(E) Making a successful prediction requires knowing the facts about the context of that prediction.

2. Corporate Officer: Last year was an unusually poor one for our chemical division, which has traditionally contributed about 60 percent of the corporations profits. It is therefore encouraging that there is the following evidence that the pharmaceutical division is growing stronger: it contributed 45 percent of the corporations profits, up from 20 percent the previous year.
On the basis of the facts stated, which of the following is the best critique of the evidence presented above?
(A) The increase in the pharmaceutical divisions contribution to corporation profits could have resulted largely from the introduction of single, important new product.
(B) In multidivisional corporations that have pharmaceutical divisions, over half of the corporations profits usually come from the pharmaceuticals.
(C) The percentage of the corporations profits attributable to the pharmaceutical division could have increased even if that divisions performance had not improved.
(D) The information cited does not make it possible to determine whether the 20 percent share of profits cited was itself an improvement over the year before.
(E) The information cited does not make it possible to compare the performance of the chemical and pharmaceutical divisions in of the percent of total profits attributable to each.


3. The fact that several of the largest senior citizens organizations are constituted almost exclusively of middle-class elderly people has led critics to question the seriousness of those organizations commitment to speaking out on behalf of the needs of economically disadvantaged elderly people.
Which of the following generalizations, if true, would help to substantiate the criticism implicit in the statement above?
(A) The ideology of an organization tends reflect the traditional political climate of its locale.
(B) The needs of disadvantaged elderly people differ in some ways from those of other disadvantaged groups within contemporary society.
(C) Organized groups are better able to publicize their problems and seek redress than individuals acting alone.
(D) Middle-class elderly people are more likely to join organizations than are economically disadvantaged elderly people.
(E) People usually join organizations whose purpose is to further the economic, political, or social interests of their members.


I think the answers are:
1.C - after trial and error we will know that there are more than 1 options
2.C - if the division would not have performed still there would have been an increase in profit, so the conclusion is negated by this option
3.E - the critics are raising a question abt seriousness , as people usually join organizations to speak out for economic, political, or social interests of their members which might not be really a constrain in real life.
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I think the answers are:
1.C - after trial and error we will know that there are more than 1 options
2.C - if the division would not have performed still there would have been an increase in profit, so the conclusion is negated by this option
3.E - the critics are raising a question abt seriousness , as people usually join organizations to speak out for economic, political, or social interests of their members which might not be really a constrain in real life.


OAs

1.D
2.C
3.E
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmatrahul View Post
I think the answers are:
1.C - after trial and error we will know that there are more than 1 options
2.C - if the division would not have performed still there would have been an increase in profit, so the conclusion is negated by this option
3.E - the critics are raising a question abt seriousness , as people usually join organizations to speak out for economic, political, or social interests of their members which might not be really a constrain in real life.

OAs

1.D
2.C
3.E


I dont get why 1 answer is D...