LSAT PREP TEST QUESTIONS Flashcards

Question

LSAT Logical Reasoning Prep Test 52 Question #25 25. Sociologist: Widespread acceptance of the idea that individuals are incapable of looking after their own welfare is injurious to a democracy. So legislators who value democracy should not propose any law prohibiting behavior that is not harmful to anyone besides the person engaging in it. After all, the assumptions that appear to guide legislators will often become widely accepted. The sociologist’s argument requires the assumption that (A) democratically elected legislators invariably have favorable attitudes toward the preservation of democracy (B) people tend to believe what is believed by those who are prominent and powerful (C) legislators often seem to be guided by the assumption that individuals are incapable of looking after their own welfare, even though these legislators also seem to value democracy (D) in most cases, behavior that is harmful to the person who engages in it is harmful to no one else (E) a legislator proposing a law prohibiting an act that can harm only the person performing the act will seem to be assuming that individuals are incapable of looking after their own welfare

Answer 1

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The sociologist is solving a problem. The problem is that widespread acceptance of the idea that individuals are incapable of looking after their own welfare is injurious to a democracy. The sociologist concludes that legislators who value democracy should not propose any law that prohibits behavior harmful only to the person engaging in that behavior. The premise is that the assumptions that appear to guide legislators will often become widely accepted. There is a gap between discouraging the proposal of laws prohibiting actions harmful only to the person engaging in them and the assumptions that appear to guide these legislators. For the argument to work, the assumptions that appear to guide the legislators must involve the idea that individuals are incapable of looking after themselves. A. No. The argument explicitly discusses legislators who value democracy, not all democratically elected legislators. B. No. The sociologist doesn't care about what the legislators actually believe about whether people are capable of looking after themselves. He/she is concerned with what the legislators appear to believe about this subject. C. No. This is a description of how legislators often seem to be guided. The argument is a prescription for how legislators who value democracy often seem to be guided. D. No. This might be true. However, it doesn't give you the connection you need between what laws legislators should propose and what their underlying assumptions appear to be. E. Yes. This connects the sociologist's prescription for proposing laws and the perceived assumptions of the legislators.

Answer 2

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match The passage claims that any museum that owns the rare stamp that features an airplane printed upside down should not display it. This is because a substantial portion of the stamp is red, and ultraviolet light causes red ink to fade. The most important criterion for the conclusion seems to be that if the stamp is displayed, it will be damaged. The author acknowledges that the public will be denied the chance to see the stamp but maintains that the stamp ought to be kept safely locked away. A. No. The passage does not mention whether the rare objects that a museum possesses should be displayed or not. B. No. The passage states that if the stamp is displayed, it will be damaged. So, the stamp shouldn't be displayed. It doesn't address what features the museum display cases should have. C. No. Red ink WAS used on this stamp and the stamp WILL be exposed to ultraviolet light if displayed. This principle doesn't apply. D. Yes. According to the passage, the stamp would be damaged by display and, therefore, should not be displayed. E. No. If the primary purpose of a museum is to educate the public, it might be thought that the stamp should be displayed. Yet the passage states that it shouldn't be, as it would be damaged.

Answer 3

Correct Answer: D D Main Point The dietician warns that consumers who see a solution to their weight-loss problems in "fake fat" products are likely to be disappointed. This is because the people who either knowingly or unknowingly eat foods containing "fake fat" tend to take in at least as many additional calories as are saved by eating "fake fat" by eating more of the food. A. No. This is too general. The dietician does not talk about the number of calories people consume, no matter what type of food they eat. The dietician is concerned primarily with fatty foods and their "fake fat" alternatives. B. No. The dietician addresses only the number of calories consumed, not overall nutrition. C. No. This is too strong. The dietician claims only that "fake fat" products are unlikely to help in weight loss, not that they will be more likely to contribute to obesity. D. Yes. Since consumers of "fake fat" products tend to take in at least as many additional calories as are saved when eating these foods, it is unlikely that these foods will help them lose weight. E. No. The dietician explains that "fake fat" products are designed to give food the flavor and consistency of fatty foods, but the dietician doesn't explain whether or not they are successful in doing so.

Answer 4

Correct Answer: B B Strengthen The banking analyst concludes that offering no-charge services to new customers is not an ideal business practice. The premise is that regular, long-term customers are excluded from these special offers and it is these customers who make up the bulk of business for most banks. A. No. This argument is claiming that a no-fee service for new customers is not an ideal business practice. It does not discuss how much the banks charge for the services, normally. B. Yes. If this is true, banks would do better to give their best offers and services to their long-term customers instead of focusing on new customers. C. No. The banking analyst discourages offering no-fee services to new customers but does not discuss what banks should do instead. D. No. If this were true, it would weaken the conclusion. E. No. If this were true, it would weaken the conclusion.

Answer 5

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The panelist concludes that medical researchers' judgments of the importance of prior research are strongly influenced by the research appearing in popular magazines and newspapers, and, therefore, the judgments do not strongly correspond to the research's true importance. The premise is that medical research that is cited in popular magazines or newspapers is more likely to be cited in later medical research. The panelist fails to consider that there might be a good reason, common to both the citations in popular media and to later medical research, that these medical research articles are cited. Maybe it's the most cutting edge and important medical research that gets cited in popular media, for example. A. No. There is no view cited in the premises. B. Yes. This would demonstrate that both the later medical research and the popular media have a good reason to cite this research. C. No. The argument doesn't talk about how esteemed or well-known the scientists are who completed the medical research that was cited in popular media. D. No. The problem isn't the percentage of medical research articles that the popular media are able to review; it is that the panelist doesn't see that there might be a good reason that both the popular media and the later medical research are likely to cite the same research. E. No. This is not a circular argument.

Answer 6

Correct Answer: D D Reasoning Lahar concludes that his club should subject meeting agendas to majority vote. He does this through process of elimination. The club's constitution allows three ways to decide on meeting agendas. Lahar claims that unanimous consent is unlikely and that forming a committee to decide this has usually led to groups of people pitted against each other and secret deals. The best option, then, is the one that remains: majority vote. A. No. Lahar considers only the options that are allowed under the club's constitution. B. No. This is almost right. However, it's not the credited response because the answer choice is too strong. He claims that one procedure is the appropriate method for reaching decisions on meeting agendas, not for reaching every decision. C. No. Lahar does acknowledge practical considerations. However, he does not suggest a change to the constitution. D. Yes. Lahar eliminates the other two options, leaving only the one that he recommends. E. No. Lahar argues against alternatives but he does not argue against the people who have advocated alternatives.

Answer 7

Correct Answer: C C Weaken This argument is designed to disagree with a position. The mayor disagrees with local activists calling for expanded antismoking educations programs, which would be paid for by revenue from greatly increased taxes on cigarettes sold in the city. The mayor thinks that these programs are unnecessary, as there is strong evidence that the taxes by themselves would produce the reduction in smoking that the antitobacco activists are seeking. He bases his conclusion on surveys showing that cigarette sales drop substantially in cities that impose these high tax increases on cigarettes. A. No. This strengthens the argument because it makes a link between high taxes and substantially reduced smoking. B. No. Consumers might be more likely to continue buying cigarettes if the price increase is due to higher taxes, but as long as less people actually buy and smoke the cigarettes, the mayor's argument might still be valid. C. Yes. If people are buying a lot more cigarettes outside of the city, the rate of smoking in that city might not decrease substantially. This answer choice exploits the language shift from cigarette sales to smoking rates. D. No. This does not address the tax increase issue that is the crux of the mayor's argument. E. No. This does not address the mayor's argument.

Answer 8

Correct Answer: A A Flaw Caldwell concludes that the government's actions in tearing down a former naval base were not only inefficient but also immoral. Caldwell concludes this because the former naval base had a large number of facilities, such as a swimming pool, housing, etc., that might have been used for the good of the community, benefitting everyone. Thus, Caldwell equates what is moral with benefiting everyone. A. Yes. Caldwell doesn't allow for the possibility that the action of tearing down the base might still be morally permissible even if it doesn't benefit everyone. B. No. In fact, Caldwell thinks that the actual consequences are incredibly important to the action's moral permissibility. C. No. This is too strong. Caldwell is talking about the demolition of a single base, not the actions of the government in general. D. No. This one is close. However, Caldwell says that the action was not only inefficient but also immoral. Caldwell isn't equating being inefficient with being immoral. So Caldwell is also not presuming that any efficient action is also moral. E. No. This one is tempting, as well. However, Caldwell doesn't ever claim that tearing down the base or using it for the community are the only options. Other courses of action don't happen to be relevant to Caldwell's point.

Answer 9

Correct Answer: A A Necessary Assumption Gotera concludes that speech acquisition is entirely a motor control process, not one that is abstract or mental. Gotera bases this conclusion on two facts about infants and children. Infants don't have the motor control required to voluntarily produce particular sounds. Instead, they produce random babbling sounds. Most children cannot voluntarily produce most of the vowel and consonant sounds of their language until they are several years old. Therefore, if children can't voluntarily produce the sounds of their language, they can't really talk. However, that doesn't mean that motor control is the only process involved in speech acquisition. The conclusion is too strong for the evidence that supports it, so it requires an assumption to fill in the gap. A. Yes. This eliminates the possibility that there might be some additional process that affects speech acquisition that does not involve motor control. This closes the gap. B. No. It wouldn't matter if infants could intentionally move their tongues, as long as they lack the motor ability to intentionally produce particular sounds. The evidence states that they do lack this ability. C. No. It wouldn't matter if children babbled until they were 7, as long as they also developed the motor abilities discussed in the argument. D. No. This might be true. However, it doesn't address the gap between the evidence and the claim that speech acquisition is entirely a motor control process. E. No. This would weaken the argument. If this were true, then mental development would factor in to speech acquisition, against Gotera's argument.

Answer 10

Correct Answer: C C Necessary Assumption The researchers concluded that reducing stress lessens a person's sensitivity to pain, based on an experiment where they played audiotapes to patients before and after surgery. The patients who listened only to music required less anesthesia and fewer painkillers as compared to the patients who listened only to conversation. The gap is between reducing stress and music. The music might have caused the patients to require less anesthesia and fewer painkillers for some other reason than because the music reduced stress. A. No. It is not essential that the patients listened to the same tape before and after surgery, as long as one group listened to conversation and the other group listened to music. B. No. This is not essential to the argument. C. Yes. This makes the connection between music and stress reduction. It eliminates other possible reasons as to why the patients listening to music might have required less anesthesia and fewer painkillers. D. No. This is not essential to the argument. E. No. This might be true, but it doesn't give us the connection between music and reducing stress that the argument requires.

Answer 11

Correct Answer: E E Point at Issue Samuel concludes that communication via computer contributes to the dissolution of lasting communal bonds. His premise is that communication via computer is usually conducted privately and anonymously between people who would otherwise have conducted the communication in person. Tova disagrees with Samuel's conclusion because she disagrees with his claim that communication via computer replaces other forms of interaction and communication. She claims, instead, that it replaces asocial or antisocial behavior. A. No. Neither discusses the dissolution of social bonds as a general trend of modern life. B. No. This is too strong. Neither talks about all purely private behavior. They are talking about a specific private behavior: communication via computer. C. No. Tova doesn't discuss whether face-to-face communication is more likely to contribute to the creation of social bonds. D. No. Tova doesn't discuss whether it is desirable to replace social bonds that have dissolved with new ones. E. Yes. Samuel thinks that communicating via computer replaces social behavior, whereas Tova thinks that communicating via computer doesn't because it replaces asocial/antisocial behavior.

Answer 12

Correct Answer: B B Principle Match The passage concludes that we should not immediately spread iron particles over the surface of the ocean in response to the greenhouse effect. Spreading the iron particles would counteract the greenhouse effect by increasing the number of phytoplankton, which would, in turn, decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. However, the side effects of this strategy haven't been studied yet, so the author of the argument thinks we should hold off on messing with such an important resource as the ocean. A. No. The passage doesn't address strategies with known side effects. B. Yes. According to the passage, the iron-seeding strategy should not be used yet because the consequences to the ocean, an important resource, are unknown. C. No. The passage states that the consequences of the iron-seeding strategy are not known, so there is no way to know if those consequences are more serious than the problem of the greenhouse effect. D. No. This is close, but it states that we should not implement a strategy if it requires altering an important resource. The passage doesn't go that far. It just says that research into the side effects should be done before implementing the strategy. E. No. The passage doesn't concern itself with whether the iron-seeding strategy has a possibility of exacerbating the greenhouse effect. The worry is in how this strategy might alter the oceans.

Answer 13

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The problem that this argument tries to solve is that historians always have biases that affect their work, which is the interpretation of historical events. The solution that is proposed is that historians should instead interpret what the people who participated in historical events thought about those events. The flaw is that the solution still requires an interpretation that is susceptible to bias. A. No. This might be true. However, the important point is that historians have biases that affect their work, which is what the proposal claims to avoid. B. No. Scholars in other disciplines are not relevant to the flaw of this argument. C. No. The argument is trying to eliminate the biases. It doesn't matter whether or not these biases have been identified. D. No. It doesn't matter, for the purposes of this argument, whether the historians are aware of the effect of their biases. The argument proposes a solution to eliminate the biases whether the historians are aware of them or not. E. Yes. If historians still have to interpret what the participants thought about the events, there is still the possibility of biased interpretations.

Answer 14

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that economic considerations dictate that country X should institute a nationwide system of air and ground transportation for conveying the seriously injured to specialized trauma centers. The evidence presented for this conclusion is that timely access to the medical care that can be provided only at trauma centers will save many people's lives. These people, who are alive as a result of timely access to trauma centers, would be earning money. That these people are earning money is a twofold benefit to country X: The earnings would result in a large increase in X's GNP, and taxes paid on the earnings would greatly augment government revenues. The argument shifts language from people's lives being saved to the total increase in X's GNP and tax revenues. An increase in X's GNP and tax revenues would require that, as a result of saving these people's lives, there would be more people working in country X than there are right now. If not, the added cost of instituting the nationwide system might not be economically beneficial. A. No. Country Y is irrelevant. The argument concentrates on country X. B. No. The argument is concerned with making sure that people have timely access to specialized trauma centers, wherever they may be located. C. No. It could be more costly, and yet the people would be alive and working, which would increase country X's GNP. D. Yes. The argument assumes that if more people survived serious injury, they would be adding to the workforce, thereby boosting country X's GNP. If the survivors weren't able to work, or if they replaced other people when they went back to work, the GNP wouldn't increase and neither would tax revenue. E. No. The issue is whether country X should enable people to get timely treatment in specialized trauma centers, not whether more people should go to specialized trauma centers.

Answer 15

Correct Answer: C C Inference Early urban societies → large-scale farming nearby → irrigation → rivers or lakes. The contrapositive is as follows: ~rivers and ~lakes → ~irrigation → ~large-scale farming → ~early urban society. A. No. The passage talks about early urban societies, but does not say how many peoples lived in them. B. No. This answer choice can be diagrammed as follows: societies far from rivers or lakes → farming possible in the absence of irrigation. The passage talks only about early urban societies. Also, it doesn't talk about the possibility of farming without irrigation. C. Yes. See the contrapositive in the explanation above. D. No. Even though the passage does not say that urban societies with farms near rivers or lakes necessarily rely upon irrigation, it doesn't say that they don't. E. No. The passage doesn't mention early rural societies.

Answer 16

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The economist concludes that countries that put collective goals before individual goals cannot emerge quickly from an economic recession because people's confidence in the economic policies of their country is a precondition for any new investment. This new investment is important because substantial new investment in that country's economy is required for a country's rapid emergence from an economic recession. The gap in the argument is between people's confidence in a country's economic policies and whether the country puts collective goals before individuals' goals. A. No. This is too strong. There might be some new investment, yet a country might still not emerge quickly from a recession. Emerging quickly from an economic recession requires substantial new investment. B. No. The economist doesn't discuss whether the recessions themselves affect people's support for their government's policies. Also, this answer choice is talking about the government's policies in general, while the argument focuses on economic policies. C. No. The economist never claims what would be sufficient for a country to emerge quickly from an economic recession. The economist, instead, tells us that substantial new investments are necessary for a country to emerge from an economic recession and that countries that put collective goals first will fail this necessary condition. D. Yes. This connects people's confidence, or lack thereof, in their country's economic policies and whether the country puts collective goals before individuals' goals. E. No. The economist is concerned only with countries that have experienced a recession, not whether they are more likely to experience a recession.

Answer 17

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The argument concludes that University Hospital could decrease its average length of stay without affecting quality of care. This conclusion is based on a comparison between the average length of stay for patients at Edgewater Hospital and at University Hospital. Studies show that recovery rates for both are similar for patients with similar illnesses. The argument is problematic because similar recovery rates for patients with similar illnesses at these hospitals does not mean that most patients at both hospitals have similar illnesses. University Hospital might specialize in heart attack patients, while Edgewater might specialize in minor injuries and ailments, for example. A. No. The argument does not say that quality of care and length of stay are the same thing. Based on the evidence concerning recovery rates at both hospitals, it claims that length of stay can be reduced without affecting the quality of care. B. No. Wrong flaw. This argument does not confuse something sufficient with something necessary. C. Yes. If the patients at Edgewater tend to be treated for different illnesses, then the recovery rate information does not support the claim that the average length of stay could be reduced. D. No. The argument allows for the idea that length of stay might be relevant to recovery rates. E. No. The connection is between average length of stay, recovery rates, and quality of care. Patients' preferences are irrelevant.

Answer 18

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The philosopher disagrees with Graham's position that the best life is a life that is full of activity because a person is truly happy only when doing something. The philosopher gives the example of people sleeping, during which they are not doing anything but are sometimes truly happy. The role of the example is to speak against Graham's reason for his conclusion by undermining the claim that a person is truly happy only when doing something. A. No. It is a premise of the philosopher's argument. B. Yes. If the statement is true, Graham cannot claim, as support for his conclusion, that a person is truly happy only when doing something. C. No. It is not part of Graham's argument. D. No. This is close, but the claim is an example intended to disprove a premise of Graham's argument, not its conclusion. The best life might still be a life that is full of activity; the philosopher just wants to show that Graham's premise doesn't actually support his conclusion. E. No. It is a premise of the philosopher's argument, not the conclusion.

Answer 19

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match Find the answer choice supported by the passage. A. No. The passage does not provide proof whether Stuart had discussions with Abella about West, only that he was friends with Abella, who studied under West. B. No. The historian is concerned with defending his claim that West influenced Stuart, not the other way around. C. No. Stuart's contemporaries didn't use West's terminology but there is no proof in the passage that West did or did not otherwise influence them. D. Yes. Stuart used West's terminology, which he couldn't have gotten from his own contemporaries since they did not use the same terminology. E. No. The passage does not provide any information on why West's terminology is now commonplace, just that it is.

Answer 20

Correct Answer: A A Weaken The theory claims that "drug overdoses" were the cause of the sudden extinction of the dinosaurs. This helps explain why so many dinosaur fossils are found in unusual and contorted positions. The evidence is that angiosperms, which contain psychoactive agents, first appeared at the same time that the dinosaurs became extinct. Most plant-eating mammals avoid eating these agents, which are potentially lethal, because they taste bitter. Also, mammals have livers that help detoxify these agents. Dinosaurs couldn't taste the bitterness, nor could they detoxify the substance. The argument claims that the theory's strongest support comes from the fact that it helps explain the positions of dinosaur fossils. How does it explain the positions of dinosaur fossils? Might there be other reasons as to why the dinosaur fossils were in these positions? A. Yes. This widens the gap. If fossils of large mammals are also found in these positions, and mammals were less likely to be poisoned by the psychoactive agents, then a key premise is compromised. B. No. The argument is about whether dinosaurs were poisoned by angiosperms, not how nutritious angiosperms are. C. No. This would strengthen the argument. If vegetarian dinosaurs fed on angiosperms and then other dinosaurs ate their angiosperm-polluted bodies, then a lot of dinosaurs would have been in contact with the potentially lethal psychoactive agents in the angiosperms. D. No. The argument is about whether angiosperms poisoned the dinosaurs, not about other poisonous plants. E. No. The argument allowed for this possibility. It just implied that it was less likely for them to die from eating angiosperms.

Answer 21

Correct Answer: E E Resolve/Explain The discrepancy is that continuous maintenance, which dispenses with the need for radical reconstruction, is far less expensive a way to manage an existing transportation infrastructure in the long run. However, continuous maintenance almost never happens; rather, radical reconstruction, which is necessitated by failing to perform continuous maintenance, is usually the way that an existing transportation infrastructure is managed. A. No. This would make it more, not less, likely that continuous maintenance would be performed. B. No. This doesn't address why continuous maintenance isn't usually performed, even though it is less expensive in the long run. C. No. This doesn't address why continuous adequate maintenance isn't usually performed. D. No. This would make it more, not less, likely that continuous maintenance would be performed. E. Yes. People feel that they can skip maintenance because the problems don't show up immediately. When they do show up, they are more serious and necessitate radical reconstruction.

Answer 22

Correct Answer: E E Flaw This argument is designed to solve a problem. The solution proposed for getting over one's fear of an activity is to do it repeatedly. This is supported by the fact that over 50 percent of the people who have parachuted only once reported being extremely frightened by the experience, while less than 1 percent of people who have parachuted 10 times or more reported being frightened by it. This argument has a sampling problem. Who willingly throws themselves out of an airplane 10 times or more? It could be a higher percentage of people who never found it frightening in the first place. A. No. The argument addresses overcoming the fear of some particular activity by repeating that same activity, not overcoming the fear of many activities by engaging in lots of frightening activities. B. No. It's true that the argument does not address this sample but this is not a flaw of the argument. C. No. The argument addresses how to get over fears that people already have, no matter how they have acquired this fear. D. No. What does it mean to be better off? If it means to be less frightened, then the argument does take this into account by saying that, in fact, repeating the activity will make them less frightened of it. E. Yes. The sample might not be representative because it might include a higher percentage of people who never found it frightening to jump out of a plane in the first place.

Answer 23

Correct Answer: E E Resolve/Explain The seeming paradox is that although most economists believe that reducing the price of any product generally stimulates demand for it, when most wine merchants reduce the price of domestic wines to make them more competitive with imported wines with which they were previously comparably priced, the sales of the imported wines will increase. A. No. This still doesn't explain why, when the general rule is that reducing price stimulates demand, the competing wines sales increased when the prices on the domestic wine were reduced. B. No. The merchants aren't the ones making the economic predictions. They are the observers of what actually happened. C. No. There is no information about which wine is superior. It doesn't explain why the sales of imported wines increased when domestic wine prices were reduced. D. No. This does not explain why, if the domestic wines' prices were reduced, the sales of the imported wines increased. E. Yes. The argument didn't say whether the domestic wines' sales also increased. This allows for the sales of both types of wines to increase, which reconciles the observations with the economists' beliefs.

Answer 24

Correct Answer: A A Inference Find the answer choice supported by the passage. A. Yes. From the last sentence, a dense colony of these bacteria produces for itself an environment in which it can continue to thrive indefinitely. From the second and third sentence, the hydrogen sulfide produced by these bacteria reacts with oxygen, preventing it from harming the bacteria. It provides the bacteria with a source of food because it tends to kill other organisms in the area. B. No. The passage states that the hydrogen sulfide reacts with and removes oxygen and that it tends to kill other organisms in the area. There is no proof that these two facts are related. C. No. There is no proof in the passage that most organisms, if killed, can provide a source of food for the bacteria. All you know is that, with a dense colony, enough will be killed to sustain the colony. They could be light eaters. D. No. There is no proof that, if they have this environment, the bacteria can thrive indefinitely or that it's the only way that they can thrive indefinitely. E. No. There is no information provided about all colonies of bacteria that might produce hydrogen sulfide as a waste product, just about these particular bacteria.

Answer 25

Correct Answer: C C Parallel The argument concludes that gloomy books are unlikely to be very popular. This is because they are not a genre that presents a utopian future, and books of the utopian future genre will always find enthusiastic buyers. Utopian future → popular; contrapositive: ~popular → ~Utopian future. Conclusion: ~Utopian future → ~(likely) popular. This argument has a necessary/sufficient problem. Being of the utopian future genre is sufficient for being popular but we don't know that it is necessary. There might well be a group of angst-filled people that like nothing better than to curl up with a gloomy book. A. No. This argument does not contain the necessary/sufficient switch. B. No. This argument shifts from people who participate in less violent forms of recreation and enjoy watching more violent sports to people who participate in more violent sports. This is not the same as a necessary/sufficient flaw. C. Yes. Complicated and dangerous special effects → enormously expensive; ~enormously expensive → ~complicated and dangerous special effects. Conclusion: ~complicated and dangerous special effects → (probably) ~enormously expensive. D. No. This argument is not flawed. E. No. This argument is not flawed.

Answer 26

Correct Answer: A A Parallel The passage claims that we can learn about the past, even though we do not have direct access to it. We can do this by looking at current geology, geography, etc., to find clues about a region's distant history. However, the study of the present becomes less useful the more distant the period we are studying is. A. Yes. The astronomers are able to use present data about the solar system to find out about the earlier years of the solar system. However, because the origin of the solar system is much more distant, the present data is not very useful in learning about this origin. B. No. The passage tells us that less will be learned from the present the more distant the period is that we are studying. The oft-studied crime scene is not from a much more distant period. C. No. This doesn't talk about time relations. D. No. This doesn't talk about time relations. E. No. This doesn't relate the pyramids to a much more distant time than the ancient Egyptians.

Answer 27

Correct Answer: E Passage Analysis E Big Picture A. No. This choice starts well but it claims that Sembène's originality lies in his adaptation of traditional archetypal predicaments and open-ended plots, which were discussed only in the last two paragraphs. B. No. This choice talks about Sembène's characters being variations on types common to traditional West African storytelling, which is discussed only in the second paragraph. C. No. We are never told whether oral narrative traditions were previously considered suitable. D. No. We don't know what social and political beliefs are held by most of the Senegalese people. E. Yes. This choice mentions why Sembène's films are notable, that they derive elements from traditional West African storytelling, and that these films use these elements to comment critically on contemporary social and political issues.

Answer 28

Correct Answer: E Passage Analysis E Extract Fact A. No. The author does not say that Sembène uses animals as symbols in any of his films. B. No. This is close but the author claims that Sembène uses freeze-frames, which suggest continued action. The author does not claim that Sembène uses slow motion. C. No. The author does not say that Sembène provides oral narration in any of his films. D. No. The author does not claim that Sembène places West African images and Marxist symbols side by side in any of his films. E. Yes. This answer choice is supported by the third paragraph.

Answer 29

Correct Answer: A Passage Analysis A RC Reasoning The answer choice should support the author's reading of the dialectical elements as being related to African oral storytelling rather than to the Marxist components of Sembène's ideology. A. Yes. This choice demonstrates that other people who draw upon the oral traditions of West Africa do use these dialectical elements, and these people haven't read Marxist theory. It lends credence to the author's claim. B. No. This is too general. The author claims that the binary oppositions are more likely to have come from African oral storytelling, not just some tradition from around the world. C. No. This weakens the argument. If this were true, then the binary elements would be likely to come equally from his Marxist ideology. D. No. This is not strong enough. There are other continents besides Europe, North America, and Africa. Also, he still could have gotten the binary oppositions from his Marxist ideology, even if few North American and European filmmakers use binary opposition. E. No. This is not strong enough. It just says that some films produced by Marxist-principled filmmakers don't essentially use binary opposition. They could still produce a lot of films that do.

Answer 30

Correct Answer: D Passage Analysis D Extract Infer A. No. The passage doesn't mention how popular Sembène's films are. B. No. The passage doesn't mention the support of government agencies. C. No. The passage doesn't mention how the critics in Senegal interpret Sembène's films. D. Yes. This is discussed in the second paragraph. E. No. The passage doesn't mention government censorship.

Answer 31

Correct Answer: C Passage Analysis C Structure The author uses the phrase "initiatory journeys" to mean journeys that start or bring a basic change, which supports (C).

Answer 32

Correct Answer: A Passage Analysis A Extract Fact A. Yes. The passage never says that one of his films exhibits disenchantment with attempts to reform Senegalese government. B. No. Paragraph two says that he does this a lot, which provides evidence that Sembène exhibits confidence in the aptness of it. C. No. Paragraph four discusses this. D. No. The example of the street merchant in the second paragraph shows this. E. No. The first paragraph talks about his desire to raise awareness.

Answer 33

Correct Answer: D Passage Analysis D Extract Fact A. No. Passage A does not discuss teaching methods to develop writing skills. B. No. Passage A does not concern itself with points of view; rather, it is concerned with changing the way history is presented. C. No. Passage A claims that historic writing can and should be creatively crafted; passage B at least raises the possibility that legal writing might be creatively crafted. D. Yes. Both passages think that more attention to storytelling would benefit the writing in the respective professions that they discuss. E. No. Both are entertaining the idea that elements from other disciplines would benefit writing in historical and legal writing, respectively.

Answer 34

Correct Answer: B Passage Analysis B Extract Infer A. No. The author of passage A is an active member of the history profession (line 5). The author of passage B is an active member of the legal profession (line 30). B. Yes. See the explanation for (A). C. No. The author of passage B is a member of the legal profession. D. No. We don't know whether or not the author of passage A is also a lawyer. E. No. We don't know whether or not the author of passage B is also a historian.

Answer 35

Correct Answer: A Passage Analysis A Extract Fact A. Yes. Passage A mentions this in line 10 and passage B mentions this in line 49. B. No. Both passages seem to indicate that writing in the respective professions is the opposite of hyperbolic. C. No. Neither passage mentions that the writing in the respective professions is subversive. D. No. This is the opposite of what both passages claim is typical for the writing in their respective professions. E. No. This is the opposite of what both passages claim is typical for the writing in their respective professions.

Answer 36

Correct Answer: C Passage Analysis C Structure A. No. Passage A does not present arguments for an opposing position. B. No. This is close. However, passage B does make some evaluative claims, albeit weaker than the ones in passage A. It claims, for example, that mere awareness of the value of narrative could perhaps serve as an important corrective. C. Yes. Passage A notes the titles of papers from the American Historical Association, which are all historiographs. Passage B does not give specific arguments. D. No. Both offer criticism. E. No. Passage B does not outline a theory.

Answer 37

Correct Answer: B Passage Analysis B Structure The phrase "scholarly monographs that sap the vitality of history" is being used to describe the typical writing that the author sees as making history books not stimulating for the students who read them, discouraging the students from connecting emotionally. In passage B, the phrases "conformity is a virtue, creativity suspect, humor forbidden, and voice mute" plays the most similar role, as it shows that the writing style of lawyers makes legal writing abstract and disconnected from the human narrative content. This supports (B).

Answer 38

Correct Answer: D Passage Analysis D Extract Infer A. No. This is too strong. The author says that lawyers too often write badly (lines 41–42). This doesn't mean that legal documents are always written poorly. B. No. The author claims that legal analysis strips the human narrative content from the abstract, canonical legal form of the case (lines 48–50). C. No. The author claims that lawyers too often write poorly (lines 41–42). D. Yes. The author claims that legal analysis strips the human narrative content from the abstract, canonical legal form of the case (lines 48–50). E. No. The author doesn't discuss whether legal writing makes the right connections between the details and relevant legal doctrines.

Answer 39

Correct Answer: C Passage Analysis C Big Picture A. No. This is too general. The passage discusses only evolutionary game theory in terms of its success in analyzing the process of decision making, and only in regards to Agelenopsis apertas. B. No. This was discussed only in the third paragraph. Also, we don't know that they exhibit an unusually wide variety of behaviors. C. Yes. This mentions evolutionary game theory and how it might be used to explain the behavior of Agelenopsis apertas in intra-species disputes. D. No. This is too strong. The author suggests that the traditional theory might not be as good as evolutionary game theory to explain the fighting behavior of Agelenopsis apertas, but doesn't address most species. E. No. This is too general. We don't know that scientists in general use evolutionary game theory to predict the behavior of spiders in site selection.

Answer 40

Correct Answer: E Passage Analysis E Structure The author mentions Galapagos tortoises as an example of the traditional theory, which claims that intra-species conflict is highly ritualized. This supports (E).

Answer 41

Correct Answer: D Passage Analysis D Extract Infer A. No. This is consistent with the predictions concerning the grassland in paragraph three. B. No. This is consistent with the predictions concerning the riparian habitat in paragraph three, as the riparian habitat is 90 percent habitable. C. No. The third paragraph predicts that spiders in the riparian habitat, which is 90 percent habitable, will be less likely to escalate fighting than spiders in the grassland habitat, which is 12 percent habitable. D. Yes. The third paragraph predicts that spiders in the riparian habitat will be less willing to engage in escalated fighting, not as willing. E. No. This is consistent with the predictions in the third paragraph.

Answer 42

Correct Answer: E Passage Analysis E Structure The third paragraph gives predictions concerning the behavior of spiders in different habitats, based on Riechert's claim that Agelenopsis apertas' territorial disputes are better described using evolutionary game theory. A. No. The passage does not compare evolutionary game theory and classical game theory. B. No. We don't know that evolutionary game theory is controversial, and it isn't discussed in the first paragraph. C. No. This is close. However, it makes predictions. The experiment hasn't been done yet. D. No. It makes predictions. It does not describe rare phenomena. E. Yes. It describes predictions that are based on evolutionary game theory.

Answer 43

Correct Answer: B Passage Analysis B Extract Infer A. No. The second paragraph says that variations in conflict behavior may result from a variety of things, not primarily because of the different levels of competition in different habitats. B. Yes. The passage states that a spider may engage in escalated fighting during a dispute only if the disputed resource is valuable enough to warrant the risk of physical injury (lines 30–33). C. No. Agelenopsis apertas' variations in fighting behavior are not compared to those of most other species. D. No. The passage never says that Agelenopsis apertas are more likely to engage in escalated fighting, just that they may engage in escalated fighting. E. No. Agelenopsis apertas' proclivities concerning escalated fighting are not compared to those of most other species

Answer 44

Correct Answer: A Passage Analysis A Big Picture A. Yes. The author presents evolutionary game theory as an alternative to the traditional theories of animal behavior. B. No. This doesn't address the first paragraph and its discussion of traditional theories. C. No. The passage doesn't evaluate the evidence either for the traditional theories or for evolutionary game theory. D. No. This is too strong. The data on Agelenopsis apertas doesn't refute the traditional theory. And, the only theory that might be considered controversial would be evolutionary game theory. E. No. The passage seems to support the new theory.

Answer 45

Correct Answer: C Passage Analysis C Big Picture A. No. This is discussed only in the first paragraph. B. No. The author argues in the second paragraph that it is consistent with philosophical anarchism to hold that some governments may be morally better than others. C. Yes. The author presents some supposed implications of philosophical anarchism and then shows that these claims do not logically follow from philosophical anarchism. D. No. The author speaks about philosophical anarchism in general, not about certain philosophical anarchists. E. No. Philosophical anarchism does not hold that one should obey the law because it is the law.

Answer 46

Correct Answer: A Passage Analysis A Extract Fact A. Yes. The author states this in the first paragraph. B. No. The first paragraph says that most people acknowledge that not all governments have a moral right to govern. C. No. The first paragraph doesn't discuss the connection between being morally bound to obey the law and participating in establishing the law. D. No. The first paragraph says that most people believe that we generally have a moral duty to obey the law. This would make most crimes morally bad. E. No. This was discussed in the third paragraph in reference to what philosophical anarchists believe. Also, there is no discussion about whether the majority of existing laws are to protect others.

Answer 47

Correct Answer: B Passage Analysis B Extract Infer The author defends philosophical anarchists against their critics but does not explicitly endorse this position. This supports (B). Choice (A) is the next best answer but is too strong.

Answer 48

Correct Answer: B Passage Analysis B Extract Infer A. No. The last part of the analogy discusses legal penalties, which the anarchists don't recognize as being pertinent to morality. B. Yes. The corporate executive refrains from a practice because she finds out it might be hurting others. C. No. The coworker has hurt someone else but the person does nothing. D. No. This doesn't discuss the possibility of hurting others. E. No. This action does not discuss the reasons for refraining from an action.

Answer 49

Correct Answer: A Passage Analysis A Structure The author uses the word "counterintuitive" to point out that some commentators think that the implications of philosophical anarchism are "against our intuitions," which supports (A).

Answer 50

Correct Answer: C Passage Analysis C Extract Infer A. No. The author never claims that philosophical anarchism attributes more moral obligations to people than is commonly held. B. No. The author doesn't discuss what morally superior governments recognize. C. Yes. The author discusses this in the third paragraph. D. No. The author defends philosophical anarchism, which states that there is no moral obligation to obey laws, simply because they are the laws. E. No. Philosophical anarchism doesn't recognize laws as such.

Answer 51

Correct Answer: D Passage Analysis D Structure The author discusses people's positive moral duty to care for one another to demonstrate that philosophical anarchists think that people have a lot of moral obligations, which supports (D).

Answer 52

Correct Answer: D Passage Analysis D Big Picture A. No. The author doesn't describe the development of philosophical anarchism. B. No. This is close. However, this doesn't talk about the claims of the critics of philosophical anarchism. C. No. The author tries to show that these supposed implications are not necessary implications of philosophical anarchism. D. Yes. The author tries to show that the critics are wrong in thinking that philosophical anarchism has, as its implications, two counterintuitive claims. E. No. The author argues that the supposedly counterintuitive implications are not actual implications of philosophical anarchism and, therefore, are not defects of philosophical anarchism.

Answer 53

Correct Answer: C C Strengthen The consumer advocate concludes that consumers ought to be skeptical of the claims made in advertisements. The evidence is that, typically, businesses are chiefly motivated by profits, and this motive does not make businesses think that they should present accurate information in their advertisements. The consumer advocate is neglecting to consider other reasons that businesses might not make misleading claims in advertisements, despite their interests in making a profit. A. No. This strengthens the connection between maximizing profits and using inaccurate information. B. No. This indicates a past history of businesses making inaccurate statements, thus strengthening the conclusion. C. Yes. The conclusion claims that consumers OUGHT to be skeptical. It doesn't address whether they actually ARE skeptical or not. D. No. This strengthens the claim that advertisements are likely to contain inaccurate information. E. No. This eliminates another reason as to why businesses might give accurate information, even though they want to increase profits.

Answer 54

Correct Answer: B B Point at Issue Elaine concludes that museums ought to seek to acquire the best examples of artworks from each period and genre, even if some of the works are not recognized as masterpieces. Her premise is that the purpose of museums is to preserve artworks and make them available to all. Frederick disagrees, claiming that art museums ought to acquire the works of recognized masters, as museums have limited resources and a museum's purpose is to ensure the preservation of the greatest artworks. A. No. Frederick does not make any connection between greatest artworks and who deems them as such. B. Yes. Elaine claims that they should, while Frederick thinks that museums have a different purpose. C. No. Both Elaine and Frederick agree on this. D. No. Neither is concerned with the expense of a single piece of art. E. No. Neither questions the status of artwork identified as masterpieces.

Answer 55

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The science columnist presents the following evidence: Many human diseases are genetically based, and cats are genetically closer to humans than are any other mammals save nonhuman primates. The columnist claims that this evidence makes is clear why humans and cats have so many diseases in common. A. No. The argument doesn't make claims about how many cats (as opposed to humans) actually get the diseases. B. Yes. The argument claims only that many human diseases are genetically based, not all. And it doesn't tell us whether the diseases we share with cats are among those. If they are not, the fact that cats are genetically close to humans still doesn't explain why cats and humans share a lot of diseases. C. No. The argument doesn't address the diseases cats and nonhuman primates have in common. D. No. The argument doesn't address the severity of the diseases shared by humans and cats. E. No. The argument already states this.

Answer 56

Correct Answer: A A Main Point Because shoe manufacturing, which used to be a major local industry, has experienced severe setbacks and because outdated public policy generally prevents business growth, the argument concludes that this region must find new ways to help business grow. A. Yes. This is a restatement of the conclusion. B. No. We don't know whether it is still a major source of income or not. C. No. This is a premise. D. No. This is a premise. E. No. This is a premise.

Answer 57

Correct Answer: E E Principle Match Modern medicine has enabled more people to live longer and pain-free lives. However, the benefits created by modern medicine have resulted in more and more of the population being older, which gives rise to financial problems for some social welfare programs. A. No. This is too strong. The passage doesn't discuss all problems. B. No. The passage does not make a recommendation as to what should be done. It describes a situation. C. No. This is too strong. The passage doesn't discuss every enhancement of the quality of life. D. No. This is too strong. The passage doesn't discuss all social institutions, just some. E. Yes. Modern medicine solved the short and painful life-span problem, but in the process it created a financial problem.

Answer 58

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The argument concludes that Jackie will probably like The Cruel Herd's new album. Jackie is a fan of Moral Vacuum's music and, on this album, The Cruel Herd plays a type of music similar to Moral Vacuum's. Also, the witty lyrics are similar to those of some of Moral Vacuum's best. This is an analogy and the answer choice should make the two bands' music even more similar. A. Yes. If The Cruel Herd's new musical arranger is Moral Vacuum's musical arranger, the two bands' music should be even more similar. B. No. This doesn't make The Cruel Herd sound more like Moral Vacuum. C. No. This is too general. We don't know that these clubs are popular with Jackie. D. No. This doesn't make The Cruel Herd sound more like Moral Vacuum. E. No. This weakens the argument. If Jackie likes the somber and political Moral Vacuum lyrics, then she might not like the witty lyrics of The Cruel Herd

Answer 59

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The doctor concludes that the evidence suggests that, if it's true that night-lights cause nearsightedness, the effect disappears with age. He cites as evidence the results of three separate studies concerning children who had or had not slept with night-lights as infants. The first study involved children who were younger than those in the other studies, and it was only in the first study that a correlation between sleeping with a night-light and nearsightedness was observed. The doctor's language is very tentative, even in his conclusion, so the weakness of the argument must lie in the studies themselves. A. No. The doctor doesn't claim that sleeping with a night-light definitely causes nearsightedness. B. No. The doctor doesn't claim that sleeping with a night-light definitely causes nearsightedness, so this is irrelevant. C. No. The evidence and conclusion concern the possible correlation between infants sleeping with night-lights and nearsightedness, not older children. D. Yes. This answer choice attacks the studies themselves. If the sample size is not large enough, the studies can't give enough support to the doctor's claim that, if there is a causal relationship, the effect disappears with time. E. No. There needs to be more than a few children who are still nearsighted to show anything definitively. These few might be nearsighted for other reasons.

Answer 60

Correct Answer: A A Inference Connect the facts. Economically feasible → superconducts above –148°C; ~superconduct above –148°C → ~economically feasible. Superconducts above –148°C → alloy of niobium and germanium; ~ alloy of niobium and germanium → ~superconduct above –148°C. Alloys of niobium and germanium superconduct at –160°C or lower. Therefore, ~superconduct above –148°C → ~economically feasible. A. Yes. Given the information above, this must be true. B. No. According to the passage, if anything will superconduct above –148°C, it would have to be an alloy of niobium and germanium. C. No. We know that, if they are going to be economically feasible at all, they must superconduct above –148°C. D. No. We don't know this. E. No. This is too strong. Their use might be economically feasible in other areas besides superconducting.

Answer 61

Correct Answer: D D Strengthen There has been a long-standing campaign to get people to eat more vegetables. However, this campaign has had little impact on what people eat. The offered solution to make the campaign more effective is to include information on ways to make vegetables more appetizing, as the argument claims that the probable reason for the campaign's ineffectiveness is that many people dislike the taste of most vegetables. The answer will strengthen the connection between the campaign's ineffectiveness and people's dislike of most vegetables as they now prepare them. A. No. This weakens the argument. If it doesn't make people who love vegetables eat more of them, then giving people information about how to make veggies tastier won't make people eat more of them. B. No. This weakens the argument. The campaign urges people to eat more vegetables in order to help prevent cancer. If eating the vegetables once they have been made more appetizing is less likely to prevent cancer, then the campaign will fail in its ultimate goal. C. No. This weakens the argument. D. Yes. If knowing how to make the vegetables more appetizing will cause people to eat more vegetables, then the campaign would likely be more effective if it gave out that information. E. No. The campaign wants people to eat vegetables in general, not specific kinds of vegetables. If the people who disliked broccoli started to eat more Brussels sprouts and green beans, the campaign would still be more effective than it is now, even if these people never learned to like broccoli.

Answer 62

Correct Answer: A A Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that the leatherback turtle is in danger of extinction, based on evidence about nesting female leatherback turtles. This population of turtles has fallen by more than two-thirds in the past 15 years. Any species whose population declines by that amount in that amount of time is in grave danger of extinction. There needs to be a connection between the statistics for nesting female leatherback turtles and the leatherback turtle population as a whole. A. Yes. This connects the decline of nesting female leatherback turtles to a similar decline in the leatherback turtle population as a whole. B. No. This is too strong. The argument never claims that the turtles will actually become extinct. C. No. This is too general. The argument needs a connection between the numbers of nesting female leatherbacks and the leatherback population as a whole. This compares the numbers of females in general with the number of males. D. No. The argument doesn't address turtles in captivity. E. No. The argument doesn't attempt to solve the problem; it just points out the problem.

Answer 63

Correct Answer: D D Reasoning The argument concludes that a society that wants to reap the benefits of pure science ought to use public funds to support such research. The argument defines pure science as research with no immediate commercial or technological application and claims that it is a public good. Because of its nature, pure science needs a lot of monetary support and doesn't make profits in the short term. The argument then eliminates another possible funding avenue for pure science by claiming that private corporations will not fund activities that do not yield short-term profits. A. No. The claim about private corporations is not the conclusion. B. No. The claim about private corporations does not help define "pure research." C. No. The claim about private corporations does not address a different goal. D. Yes. This claim eliminates another possible funding source for pure science, which benefits the public. E. No. This claim is not an example, so it doesn't illustrate a case.

Answer 64

Correct Answer: A A Necessary Assumption The author disagrees with the doctors who believe that a specific drug reduces the duration of episodes of vertigo, concluding that the drug has no effect on the duration of vertigo. The author cites the three-month shortage of the drug, during which there was no significant change in the average duration of vertigo, as evidence. The answer choice will indicate the drug's effects would have worn off within three months. A. Yes. This states that the reduction of duration of vertigo supposedly brought about by the drug would have been at least somewhat reversed in three month's time. B. No. Some doctors claim that there has been a reduction in the duration of vertigo. This weakens the argument. C. No. This is close but it doesn't go far enough. If no amount of time would have been good to use in judging whether the drug has an effect on the duration of vertigo, then three months would have been just as ineffective as five years to use in judging this. D. No. This doesn't address the time period wherein some people had to stop taking the drug. E. No. This weakens the argument, if anything. If there were other significant factors that decrease the duration of vertigo, then stopping the drug for three months wouldn't necessarily cause an increase in the duration of one's vertigo.

Answer 65

Correct Answer: C C Flaw Melinda concludes that hazard insurance decreases an individual's risk. Her evidence is that the risk is judiciously spread among many policyholders. Jack disagrees with Melinda's conclusion. Jack concludes that hazard insurance makes sense but that having, say, fire insurance doesn't seem to decrease the risk of his house burning down. Melinda and Jack are talking about different kinds of risk. Melinda is referring to monetary risk and Jack is referring to the risk of some specific event occurring. A. No. Jack doesn't address this part of Melinda's argument. B. No. Jack doesn't address other policyholders. He's just interested in one policyholder: himself. C. Yes. Jack claims that the risk of his own house burning down won't decrease if he has insurance, while Melinda speaks of the monetary risk that such events tend to bring about. D. No. Both use this term in the same way. E. No. Both use this expression in the same way.

Answer 66

Correct Answer: D D Reasoning Some people make an analogy between a television and other kitchen appliances. These people suggest that, since we let market forces determine the design of kitchen appliances, we can let market forces determine what appears on television. The argument disagrees with this conclusion, claiming that this view is too simple, and that some government control is needed. It is too simple because television is a major source of political information and it is also a significant cultural force, as it is on for more than five hours a day in most households. A. No. This claim supports the argument's conclusion. B. No. This claim is meant to discredit the claim that a television should be thought of as a "toaster with pictures." C. No. It does not support the claim about kitchen appliances. D. Yes. This claim helps support the argument's conclusion against those who think there shouldn't be any governmental control. The claim that the television is on for more than five hours a day in the average home is meant to show that the television is so culturally important. E. No. The claim that television is the primary medium through which many voters obtain information about current affairs partially supports the claim that television is so politically and culturally important, not the other way around.

Answer 67

Correct Answer: B B Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that application of highly alkaline crushed limestone to the soil's surface should make the soil more attractive to earthworms. Decomposition of dead plants makes the top layer of soil highly acidic and earthworms, which are vital to soil's heath, prefer soil that is approximately neutral on the acid-to-alkaline scale. A. No. This is too strong. Aiding the decomposition of dead plants doesn't have to be the most important function performed by earthworms in order for the conclusion to follow. B. Yes. If the limestone immediately washed off, it wouldn't have a chance to neutralize the top layer's acidity and so limestone application wouldn't make the soil's surface more attractive to earthworms. C. No. The argument is focused on the interaction between earthworms and the soil. D. No. The argument is focused on the interaction between earthworms and the soil. E. No. The argument is focused on a method to make the soil more neutral, in order to make it more attractive to earthworms. It doesn't discuss which type of non-neutral soil is more likely to benefit from earthworms.

Answer 68

Correct Answer: B B Flaw This is diagrammable. Conclusion: successful salesperson → been in sales for at least three years. Evidence: successful salesperson → establish a strong client base; at least three years developing a client base → eventually make a comfortable living in sales. The argument is confusing something that is sufficient for being a successful salesperson with something that is necessary for being a successful salesperson. A. No. The evidence states that they will eventually be successful in sales. B. Yes. The argument claims that successful salespeople must have spent at least three years in sales, while the evidence states that, if salespeople spend at least three years in sales, they will eventually make a comfortable living in sales. It is confusing something that is sufficient for being successful in sales with something that is necessary for being successful in sales. C. No. This is the contrapositive of the conclusion. D. No. The argument claims that salespeople need to spend at least three years in sales, so it allows for the fact that it might take longer than three years to develop a strong client base. E. No. The argument doesn't make any claims as to how many salespeople are able to do this.

Answer 69

Correct Answer: E E Inference Pick the answer best supported by the passage. A. No. The passage doesn't mention the motivations of the statute-makers. B. No. The passage claims that, in order to have a sound basis for preferring a given set of laws to any others, laws must be viewed as expressions of a transcendental moral code. C. No. The passage suggests that the moral rules have the preferred status, not the laws. Also, the last sentence suggests that moral behavior and compliance with laws are at least sometimes distinguishable. D. No. This is too strong. The passage doesn't say that there is no stature that the citizens have a moral obligation to obey. E. Yes. If the laws are to be seen as expression of a moral code that has precedence over these laws, and that measures the adequacy of these laws, then there shouldn't be an absolute moral prohibition against the violation of statutes. What if, for example, there was a statute that wasn't in accord with the moral code?

Answer 70

Correct Answer: B B Principle Match The principle concerns correlation versus causation: that is, that persistent correlation does not conclusively prove a causal relationship because this correlation is often due to a common cause. The answer choice will be an example of this. A. No. Supply and inflation are the same phenomenon, which is different from them having a common cause. B. Yes. The unhealthy lifestyle is likely the common cause for both high blood pressure and being overweight, so we shouldn't necessarily think that being overweight causes high blood pressure. This is an example of the principle in the passage. C. No. This doesn't propose a common cause for ice cream consumption and high crime rates. D. No. This doesn't propose a common cause for mood and colors worn. E. No. This questions a proposed common cause, claiming that the two languages borrowed from each other instead.

Answer 71

Correct Answer: A A Parallel The argument concludes that most people who sleep less than six hours a night can probably cause their anxiety levels to fall by beginning to sleep at least eight hours a night. The evidence is a correlation between a drop in anxiety levels of people who have habitually slept less than six hours a night but who start sleeping eight or more hours a night. A. Yes. This concludes that most small companies that have never advertised on the Internet can probably improve their financial situation by advertising on it. The evidence is a correlation between an improvement in finances and small companies who haven't previously advertised on the Internet starting to do so. B. No. This is too strong. This concludes that most small companies can probably improve their financial situations by advertising on the Internet, on the basis of evidence that certain small companies improved their financial situations by doing so. C. No. This is too strong. This concludes that it must be true that any small company that increases Internet advertising will improve its financial situation. The above argument doesn't claim that all people will decrease their anxiety. D. No. This claims that it is necessary for a small company to start to advertise on the Internet in order to improve their financial situation. The above argument claims that starting to sleep more than eight hours a night is sufficient for a reduction in anxiety. E. No. This is too strong. This concludes that most small companies that have never advertised on the Internet but start doing so could probably become financially strong. The above argument claims that people's anxiety levels might drop, not that they will become anxiety-free.

Answer 72

Correct Answer: C C Assumption Sufficient The biologist concludes that paleontologists cannot reasonably infer that extinct predatory animals hunted in packs, solely on the basis of skeletal anatomy. The biologist cites the differences between the hunting patterns of lions and tigers, whose skeletons are virtually indistinguishable. Tigers hunt alone, while lions hunt in packs. The credited response will strengthen the analogy between tigers and lions, on the one hand, and the skeletons of extinct predatory animals, on the other. A. No. The skeletons themselves don't need to be similar. The important part of the analogy is the similarity in the skeletons of creatures and their difference in hunting habits. B. No. This doesn't address the difference in hunting habits. C. Yes. The biologist claims that skeletal anatomy alone is an inadequate basis for inferring the hunting behavior of tigers and lions. So, given this answer choice, it is not reasonable to infer that extinct predatory animals hunted in packs, based on skeletal anatomy alone. D. No. According to the argument, lions and tigers have virtually indistinguishable anatomy. Plus, the argument makes a claim about hunting behaviors based on skeletal anatomy, not the other way around. E. No. Lions and tigers are not extinct. Also, the argument makes a claim about hunting behaviors based on skeletal anatomy, not the other way around.

Answer 73

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The doctor concludes that being slightly overweight is sufficient to be healthy. The doctor cites recent research that conclusively shows that people who are slightly overweight are healthier than those who are considerably underweight. He bases an absolute—being healthy—on a comparison: which of two groups of people is healthier. A. No. The doctor acknowledges the previous medical opinions to the contrary but thinks that the new evidence supports his own conclusion. B. No. This is never the credited response. C. No. The doctor never discusses absolute numbers in terms of people's weights. D. No. The doctor never discusses a property that would be sufficient to make people unhealthy. E. Yes. Being healthier is a merely relative property, while being healthy is an absolute property.

Answer 74

Correct Answer: A A Parallel Flaw This argument is diagrammable. April rainfall exceeds 5 centimeters → trees blossom in May; ~trees blossom in May → ~April rainfall exceeds 5 centimeters. April rainfall exceeds 5 centimeters → reservoirs full on May 1; ~reservoirs full on May 1 → ~April rainfall exceeds 5 centimeters. Conclusion: ~reservoirs full on May 1 → ~trees blossom in May. The conclusion claims that the reservoirs not being full on May 1 is sufficient to know that the trees will not blossom in May, while the evidence does not support this claim. The argument doesn't flip the terms in the contrapositive of the first premise. A. Yes. Garlic in pantry → still fresh; → ~still fresh ~garlic in pantry. Garlic in pantry → potatoes on basement stairs; ~potatoes on stairs → ~garlic in pantry. Conclusion: ~potatoes on stairs → ~garlic still fresh. B. No. Held over burner for two minutes → optimal temperature; ~optimal temperature → ~held over burner for two minutes. Optimal temperature contents liquefy immediately; ~liquefy immediately → ~optimal temperature. Conclusion: held over burner for two minutes → liquefied immediately. This argument is not flawed. C. No. More than 200 years old → classified "special"; ~classified "special" → ~more than 200 years old. Set with wooden type → more than 200 years old; ~more than 200 years old → ~set with wooden type. Conclusion: ~classified "special" → ~printed with wooden type. This argument is not flawed. D. No. Mower operates → ~engine flooded; engine flooded → ~mower operates. Foot pedal depressed → engine flooded; → ~engine flooded ~foot pedal depressed. Conclusion: ~foot pedal depressed mower operates. This argument is flawed, but not in the same manner as the original argument. E. No. Kiln too hot → plates crack; ~plates crack → ~kiln too hot. Plates crack → redo; → ~redo ~plates crack. Conclusion: ~redo → ~kiln too hot. This argument is not flawed.

Answer 75

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The argument solves a problem with killing insects with pesticides. Using pesticides does not address the underlying problem of weaker plants being more vulnerable to damage caused by insect attacks. This is because insects tend to feed on weaker plants, while more robust plants are less likely to be attacked in the first place. More robust plants are also more likely to withstand insects' attacks more successfully. Instead of using pesticides, the argument concludes that a better way to reduce the vulnerability of crops to insect damage is to grow the crops in good soil. The credited response will close the gap between robust plants and growing plants in good soil. A. No. This doesn't address the robustness of the plants. B. No. This is too strong. The argument claims that growing crops in good soil will reduce the damage, not eliminate it. C. No. This is too strong. The argument claims that growing crops in good soil is a better way to reduce the damage. The pesticides just need to be less effective than growing crops in good soil. D. Yes. This connects growing crops in good soil to their increased robustness. E. No. This would weaken the argument, as the argument advocates growing crops in good soil as opposed to using pesticides.

Answer 76

Correct Answer: D D Resolve/Explain Fact 1: People perceive color by means of certain photopigments in the retina that are sensitive to certain wavelengths of light. Fact 2: Of people who easily distinguish between red and green, 10 to 20 percent in a certain study failed to report distinctions between many shades of red that most subjects were able to distinguish. A. No. This would explain why 10 to 20 percent could distinguish between red and green, but didn't report distinctions between many shades of red. B. No. This would explain why 10 to 20 percent failed to report distinctions. They might not have understood the questions. C. No. This would explain why 10 to 20 percent failed to report distinctions. They could potentially see them but they just failed to notice them because they don't care. D. Yes. The people in the study were easily able to distinguish red from green, so this evidence doesn't help explain the result of the study. E. No. This would explain why 10 to 20 percent failed to report distinctions. They might not have had the vocabulary to report such distinctions.

Answer 77

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The occultist concludes that astrology is both an art and a science. To create an astrological chart, complicated mathematics and astronomical knowledge are needed, which are scientific components. The synthesis of a multitude of factors and symbols into a coherent statement is the art component. The occultist is making a part-whole mistake. That the parts have certain qualities does not mean that the whole has these qualities. A. No. The occultist doesn't address all sciences. B. Yes. The occultist claims that astrology is a science because it has scientific components. C. No. The occultist doesn't claim that the components cited are the only components of astrology. D. No. The occultist doesn't claim that astronomical knowledge is scientific just because it is used to create an astrological chart. The occultist states from the onset that astronomical knowledge is scientific. E. No. The occultist doesn't address all arts.

Answer 78

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The argument concludes that consumers are generally better off not buying the extended warranties that are offered for sale at many electronics stores. While these warranties extend beyond the manufacturer's warranty, most problems with electronic goods occur within the span of time covered by the manufacturer's warranty. The credited response will eliminate any other reasons—such as cost—that would make the warranties worthwhile for customers. A. Yes. If the extended warranty is more expensive than the cost to fix the problems the electronic goods are likely to have, then there seems to be no good reason to buy the warranty. B. No. This weakens the argument, if anything. If the warranties are generally inexpensive, they might be worthwhile to buy, just in case your electronics do have a problem after the manufacturer's warranty expires. C. No. This is irrelevant. D. No. This is irrelevant. E. No. The reason that retail stores sell the warranties doesn't matter.

Answer 79

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The argument concludes that more environmental regulations are not the solution to the environment's problems. This is because, as environmentalists insist, the condition of the environment is worsening, even though environmentalists have been successful in convincing legislators to enact extensive environmental regulations. However, there is no evidence to suggest that these regulations have had no effect; perhaps the condition of the environment is not as bad as it would have been had there been no environmental regulations. A. No. There is no personal attack. B. No. This is too strong. The argument maintains that the environmental regulations are not the solution to the problem, but it never claims that the prevention of environmental degradation requires the absence of environmental regulations. C. Yes. It is certainly possible that the environment would have worsened even more than it did without environmental regulations. D. No. The importance of reducing regulations versus the importance of the environment is not discussed. E. No. The argument's author is an opponent of the environmentalists.

Answer 80

Correct Answer: E E Main Point The argument concludes that there are ways in which it makes sense to talk about musical knowledge growing over time. While it is not advocating a developmental view of music, the argument claims that we certainly know more about how to effectively use certain sounds that earlier composers avoided in musical compositions. An example is the interval of the third. A. No. There were sounds that were avoided, but the argument doesn't discuss sounds that were never used. B. No. The argument doesn't claim anything about what is more pleasing to modern listeners. C. No. This is a qualifier to the conclusion but not the conclusion itself. D. No. The argument doesn't discuss all value judgments in music. E. Yes. This is a restatement of the main point.

Answer 81

Correct Answer: A A Weaken The argument interprets the evidence concerning the electric insect control device to indicate that this type of electric insect control device may kill many insects but will not significantly aid in controlling the potentially dangerous mosquito population. The evidence is that, during a 24-hour period, the device killed more than 300 insects but killed only 12 mosquitoes. The argument is overlooking the fact that the actual number of mosquitoes killed might not indicate effectiveness against mosquitoes as well as the percentage of mosquitoes killed. The credited response will widen this gap. A. Yes. If the device killed all of the mosquitoes present in the area, then it is highly effective at killing mosquitoes. The small number killed just means that there weren't many mosquitoes in the area during that 24-hour period. B. No. The proportion of insects attracted to the device is not relevant. C. No. This strengthens the argument, if anything. If it is less likely to kill harmful insects, then it will be less likely to kill the potentially harmful mosquitoes. D. No. This strengthens the argument. If the device kills a lot of mosquito-eating insects, then there will be less of them to help control the mosquitoes. E. No. This is irrelevant. The argument is concerned specifically with the mosquitoes.

Answer 82

Correct Answer: E E Main Point Connecting the first two sentences of the argument results in the main point. Brain-scanning technology provides information about brain processes but only if researchers can rely on the accuracy of the verbal reports given by the subjects while the scan is going on. If the reports are inaccurate, the data might not contain information about the thoughts reported. A. No. The argument does not make claims about the likelihood of the technology enabling researchers to understand how the brain enables us to think. B. No. This raises a potential problem concerning the accuracy of the reports, but it is not the conclusion of the argument. C. No. The argument does not make claims about how skeptically we should regard the results of brain-scanning research. D. No. The argument never states this. E. Yes. This is a restatement of the first two sentences of the argument, where the point of the argument is located.

Answer 83

Correct Answer: D D Flaw The ornithologist disagrees with those who think that a certain bird species subsists primarily on vegetation. The ornithologist estimates that over half of what these birds eat consists of insects and other animal food sources. The ornithologist bases this claim on the observation of hundreds of these birds every morning while concealed in a well-camouflaged blind. The ornithologist has observed the birds at the same time every day. If someone did that to humans, isn't it likely that they would conclude that humans primarily subsist on breakfast cereal and orange juice? A. No. The ornithologist mentions that he/she was concealed in a well-camouflaged blind. B. No. This doesn't matter. As long as they were animal food sources, they support the ornithologist's conclusion. C. No. The ornithologist does not adopt a widespread belief; he actually looks to counter one with his own research. D. Yes. The ornithologist observed the birds only in the morning. The birds might eat a lot of animals in the morning and then eat exclusively vegetation throughout the rest of the day. E. No. The belief cited is about what the birds do eat, not what they have eaten in the past.

Answer 84

Correct Answer: A A Main Point The first statement is diagrammable. Students can successfully learn a topic genuinely → curious about the topic; ~genuinely curious → ~successfully learn. Almost no child starts out curious enough about all the topics that a teacher must instill. The argument is structured to conclude something about teachers needing to make students genuinely curious about all of the topics that the students need to successfully learn. A. Yes. In order to ensure that students will successfully learn all of the topics that they need to learn, a teacher must make students genuinely curious about those topics for which they hadn't previously developed a sufficient level of curiosity. B. No. The evidence does not discuss how rewards relate to curiosity. C. No. The argument is making a connection between the teacher's job and the students' curiosity. Focusing on these topics won't ensure that they'll become curious enough to successfully learn these topics. D. No. The evidence does not discuss what the students' responsibilities are. E. No. The argument connects genuine curiosity and enjoyment of learning.

Answer 85

Correct Answer: A A Necessary Assumption The environmentalist argues that the common practice of converting landfills into public parks is damaging human health. The environmentalist cites the fact that household cleaning products are often found in landfills; when bacteria degrade these cleaning products, toxic vapors are produced. There is a gap between damaging human health by converting landfills to public parks and whether, in these landfills, bacteria are actually degrading the cleaning products. A. Yes. This makes a connection between the converted landfills and the bacteria that degrade the products, thereby causing toxic vapors to be emitted. B. No. This doesn't state that there are bacteria in these converted landfills that will degrade the cleaning products. C. No. This doesn't state that there are bacteria in these converted landfills that will degrade the cleaning products. D. No. This would weaken the argument. If people weren't exposed to these vapors, the converted landfills wouldn't necessarily be damaging to human health. E. No. This is too general. The environmentalist is arguing specifically about the practice of converting landfills into public parks, not about landfills in general.

Answer 86

Correct Answer: E E Weaken The argument concludes that regular consumption of camellia tea can result in a heightened risk of kidney damage. This is because studies show that regular drinkers of camellia tea are more likely than people in general to develop kidney damage. The argument is treating a correlation as if one event causes the other. It is overlooking another possible cause for the increased risk of kidney damage. A. No. The argument is concerned with camellia tea and the risk of kidney damage associated with drinking it, not other popular beverages. B. No. This is too general. The argument is concerned with the chemicals in camellia tea, not addictive chemicals in general. C. No. The argument doesn't mention stress levels. D. No. This doesn't go far enough. As long as more people who regularly drink camellia tea develop kidney damage than those who do not, the conclusion may still hold. E. Yes. This presents another possible cause for the kidney damage, which makes it less probable that it is the tea that is causing the greater incidence of kidney damage.

Answer 87

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The artist disagrees with those art collectors who claim that an avant-garde work that becomes popular in its own time is successful. Instead, the artist argues that when an avant-garde work becomes popular, it is a sign that the work is not successful. This is because avant-garde artists intend their work to challenge a society's mainstream beliefs and initiate change, and a society's mainstream beliefs do not generally show any significant change over a short period of time. A. No. The artist argues against these art collectors. B. Yes. The artist brings up the claims of these art collectors in order to dispute them. C. No. The premise about the avant-garde artists' intentions does not support the claims of these art collectors. D. No. The claims of these art collectors do not provide support for the premise about the avant-garde artists' intentions. E. No. The claims of the art collectors are not part of a counterargument.

Answer 88

Correct Answer: C C Strengthen The argument concludes that it is likely that the stresses felt more commonly while traveling cause the insomnia of businesspeople who travel internationally on business. These businesspeople are much more likely to suffer from chronic insomnia than are the businesspeople who don't travel for business. The businesspeople who travel internationally on business frequently experience stresses that are not commonly felt by those who do not travel. A. No. The argument discusses international travel in general. It doesn't matter whether the borders of the countries visited are contiguous or not. B. No. This would weaken the argument, if anything. If some businesspeople who travel greatly enjoy the changes in climate and immersion in another culture, then these are not stresses for them. C. Yes. This eliminates the possibility that there is another reason for the increased insomnia in businesspeople who must travel internationally. D. No. This would weaken the argument, as it suggests that the changes and disruptions may ameliorate insomnia instead of cause it. E. No. The argument is concerned with businesspeople who are currently traveling internationally, not those who once did.

Answer 89

Correct Answer: B B Parallel Flaw The argument concludes that the universe has an elegantly simple structure, on the basis of evidence that each of the smallest particles in the universe has an elegantly simple structure and that these particles compose the universe. The argument exhibits a part-whole flaw. A. No. This argument claims that the car is nearly perfectly engineered, on the basis of a characteristic of its parts. This does exhibit the same flaw. B. Yes. While this argument makes a claim about the desk as a whole on the basis of its parts, it is warranted to do so. If all the parts of the desk are made of metal, then the desk must be made of metal. C. No. This argument claims that the wall is rectangular because its parts are. However, bricks can make walls of all shapes. So, this exhibits the same flaw. D. No. This argument claims that the chair is sturdy because all of its parts are. Yet, the chair could be poorly glued or poorly constructed in some other way. So, this exhibits the same flaw. E. No. The novel might consist of well-constructed sentences but the sentences might not form good prose. So, this exhibits the same flaw.

Answer 90

Correct Answer: B B Principle Strengthen The argument advocates against climbers trying to climb Mount Everest because the risk of death or injury is very high, and the climb does not seem to actually enable one to gain "spiritual discovery." A. No. The argument doesn't state that climbing Mount Everest is undertaken primarily for spiritual reasons. B. Yes. The argument highlights the fact that climbing Mount Everest is dangerous and that climbing Mount Everest is unlikely to result in significant spiritual benefits. This principle would thereby help justify the conclusion that climbers should not attempt the climb. C. No. The argument doesn't claim that climbing Mount Everest should be legally prohibited. D. No. The argument doesn't claim that there are other ways to achieve profound spiritual experiences. E. No. This isn't strong enough. The principle needs to justify the conclusion that mountain climbers should not try to climb Mount Everest.

Answer 91

Correct Answer: A A Weaken The criminologist concludes that a judicial system that tries and punishes criminals without delay is an effective deterrent to violent crime. If potential violent criminals know that being caught means quick punishment, they will hesitate to break the law, whereas long, drawn-out trials may add to criminals' feelings of invulnerability. A. Yes. If potential violent criminals don't think about their crimes, then they won't be deterred by the prompt punishment. B. No. This doesn't claim that innocent people actually get convicted, just that some innocent people get arrested for a crime. C. No. The number of offenses committed by violent criminals doesn't matter. D. No. This is too general. The argument is allowing for trials. E. No. This strengthens the argument, as it shows a correlation between prompt punishment and a relatively lower crime rate.

Answer 92

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The editorial concludes that teaching preschoolers is not especially difficult. The evidence is that preschoolers develop strict systems that help them to learn and that preschoolers are always intensely curious about new things. The credited response will give another reason to think that, as a result of their tendencies, preschoolers are difficult to teach. A. No. This strengthens the argument. If preschoolers follow strict routines, they might well be easier to teach. B. Yes. Since preschoolers are intensely curious about new things, they will have short attention spans. This is a reason to think that teaching preschoolers is difficult. C. No. The editorial addresses preschoolers, not older children. D. No. This isn't strong enough. If they ask as many creative questions as do older children, and this doesn't make older children particularly difficult to teach, then the argument's conclusion would still hold. E. No. This answer choice strengthens the argument. If preschool teachers are reporting lower stress levels, that gives us a reason to think that teaching preschoolers isn't especially difficult.

Answer 93

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The journalist argues against those people who object to mandatory retirement at age 65. The journalist gives two reasons for this. First, the young will become dissatisfied because they won't be able to get decent jobs in the professions for which they were trained. Second, the people over 65 will be depriving others of opportunities and this is not fair. A. No. The second claim concerns people who have worked 40 or more years. B. No. The journalist never claims that all young people are highly trained. C. No. The unfairness that the journalist points out is found in the second reason, while the training was referenced in the first reason. D. No. The journalist isn't concerned with the feelings of older people. E. Yes. People might want to retire at 65 anyway. The reasons that the journalist cites for retaining mandatory retirement apply only if at least some people over 65 would still want to work.

Answer 94

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The lawyer concludes that, even if a few items of a body of circumstantial evidence are discredited, the overall body of evidence retains its basic strength. This conclusion is based on the analogy the lawyer makes between a body of circumstantial evidence and a rope. This is a bad analogy because while every strand of the rope is similar, different pieces of a body of circumstantial evidence might be more or less essential to its strength, depending. A. Yes. This points out the problem with the lawyer's analogy. B. No. This is the wrong common flaw. The problem in the argument is not a part-whole problem. C. No. The argument never claims that many items could be discredited and the overall body of evidence would remain strong. D. No. This is close but the lawyer does indicate similarities between a body of circumstantial evidence and a rope. E. No. The argument isn't circular.

Answer 95

Correct Answer: C C Inference Choose the answer best supported by the passage. A. No. The passage does not make any claims about whether the waste should have been initially stored in its current location. B. No. The passage claims that the waste should be placed somewhere more secure. It doesn't claim that it should be placed in the most secure location ever. C. Yes. The passage claims that keeping the waste at the current location for as long as it takes to find a site certain to contain it safely would pose an unacceptable risk. So, moving the waste would reduce the threat posed. D. No. This is too general. The passage discusses a specific instance of moving waste, not all waste moving. E. No. This is too strong. The passage does not claim that any site would be safer.

Answer 96

Correct Answer: E E Principle Match The ethicist concludes that an argument for preserving nature emphasizing nature's beauty will be less vulnerable to logical objections than one that emphasizes its moral value. This is because it is philosophically disputable whether nature is morally valuable but not disputable that it is beautiful. A. No. The ethicist wants to change focus as to what makes nature worth preserving. She doesn't want to avoid the issue of what makes nature worth preserving. B. No. The ethicist does not judge whether the argument that emphasizes the moral value of nature provides a sufficient reason for preserving it. C. No. The ethicist makes no judgment as to whether nature would be more clearly worth preserving if it didn't have the characteristic of moral worth. D. No. The ethicist's argument concentrates on the beauty of nature, so this would weaken the thrust of the ethicist's argument. E. Yes. The ethicist argues that the argument based on natural beauty will be less open to logical objections because everyone agrees that beauty is a characteristic of nature and nature's beauty can be regarded as a basis for preserving nature.

Answer 97

Correct Answer: A A Inference This is diagrammable. The book will contain essays by Lind, Knight, or Jones but not all three. Contains essay by Knight → contains an essay by Jones. Connecting this with the previous information, contains essay by Knight → contains an essay by Jones and ~contains an essay by Lind. The contrapositive is as follows: contains an essay by Lind or ~contains an essay by Jones → ~contains an essay by Knight. A. Yes. This is the contrapositive of the information given in the passage. B. No. We know that if it contains one by Knight, it will contain an essay by Jones. C. No. We don't know this. D. No. We don't know about essays by Jones if the book contains an essay by Lind. The only thing that we know if the book contains an essay by Lind is that it won't contain an essay by Knight. E. No. We don't know for sure which essays will be in the book.

Answer 98

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that the ability of mammals to control their internal body temperatures is a factor in the development of their brains and intelligence. This conclusion is derived from the facts that the brain is a chemical machine, all chemical reactions are temperature dependent, and any organism that can control this can assure that the reactions occur at the proper temperatures. There is a gap between the evidence, which discusses elements and processes of the brain, and the conclusion, which talks about brains and intelligence. A. No. The argument is about organisms that are able to control their body temperatures. B. No. This is too strong. Mammals don't have to be the only animals that have the ability to control their internal body temperatures for the conclusion to follow. C. No. This is too strong. The argument claims that the ability to control internal body temperatures is a factor; it doesn't need to be the only factor. D. Yes. This closes the gap between the proper temperatures of brain processes and intelligence. E. No. The argument is about organisms that can control their body temperatures.

Answer 99

Correct Answer: B B Resolve/Explain Fact 1: The average number of books read annually per capita has declined in each of the last three years. Fact 2: Most bookstores reported increased profits during this period. A. No. This would explain why bookstores reported increased profits while the amount read has declined; more people may now buy popular contemporary novels since they can no longer borrow them for free from public libraries. B. Yes. This does not explain why bookstores reported increased profits during the three-year period. The profits are higher than their own previous profits, not the profits of other stores. C. No. This would explain where the increase in revenue came from, given that the average amount read has declined. D. No. If bookstores were making more money per purchase, they could have an increase in profits even though they weren't selling as many books. E. No. The additional sales from magazines would help explain the bookstores' increased profits, even though the average number of books read by each individual has declined.

Answer 100

Correct Answer: D D Parallel The naturalist concludes that the threats we are creating to woodland species arise from the rate at which we are cutting down trees. Species can survive a change in environment as long as the change is slow enough. So, the change in environment caused by cutting down trees is not by itself causing the threats to woodland species. A. No. This does not amend the cause of the problem. B. No. The threat in the first still involved the cutting down of the trees. This argument discards one possibility for another, unrelated one. C. No. This argument makes a claim about some students. The argument above makes a claim about all species. D. Yes. This argument claims that the problem isn't from the company's undergoing change, per se, but from the failure to inform employees of what the changes entail. E. No. This doesn't present an alternative but related reason for the problem.

Answer 101

Correct Answer: A A Reasoning The professor argues that meaningful freedom cannot be measured simply by the number of alternatives available; rather, the extent of the differences among the alternatives is also a relevant factor. He supports his conclusion by the use of an example, in which he compares choosing one of 50 types of cola to choosing from among 5 different types of beverage—wine, coffee, apple juice, milk, and water. A. Yes. The professor's conclusion is a general principle and the cola versus milk, etc, example supports this principle. B. No. The conclusion is the general principle. C. No. There is no analogy. There is an example. D. No. The professor's argument does not use part-whole reasoning. E. No. There is only one general principle.

Answer 102

Correct Answer: C C Strengthen The principle claims that meetings should be kept short and should address only the issues that are relevant to the majority of the people attending. Moreover, people to whom none of the issues to be addressed are relevant should not have to attend the meeting. The application is that Terry should not be required to attend today's meeting. The credited response will make it clear that none of the issues to be addressed are relevant to Terry, or that the issues that are relevant to Terry won't be relevant to the majority of the attendees. A. No. The principle doesn't claim that people should come only if they are also presenting. B. No. This doesn't go far enough. The meetings should be kept short, in the sense that topics not relevant to the majority should not be discussed. But Terry wouldn't necessarily have to make a presentation if he/she attended the meeting. C. Yes. This supports the application of the principle because, if none of the issues relevant to Terry could be relevant to a majority of those attending the meeting, then the issues relevant to Terry will not be addressed at the meeting. So, Terry should not be required to attend. D. No. This doesn't make it clear that Terry shouldn't have to go to the meeting. If any of the issues to be addressed are relevant to Terry, he/she might still have to go to the meeting. E. No. The principle claims that if none of the issues to be addressed are relevant, then a person should not have to attend. If at least one of the issues to be addressed is relevant to Terry, even if the majority of them are not, Terry might still be required to attend.

Answer 103

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The argument concludes that it is not more dangerous to swim in the area at night than during the day based on the fact that all recent shark attacks on swimmers have occurred during the day. However, the argument doesn't consider that there could be another explanation for why the recent shark attacks occur during the day—if swimmers are generally too afraid to swim after dark, there may not be any swimmers in the water for sharks to attack at night. A. No. This information isn't really relevant. If some sharks are primarily nocturnal hunters, there could still be others that aren't, such as those responsible for the daytime shark attacks. B. No. There is no reference to any type of source in the argument. C. No. Anxiety is irrelevant to whether swimmers are actually attacked, so while the argument doesn't take this into consideration, it's not a flaw in its logic. D. No. The argument makes no assumptions as to whether swimmers are the most knowledgeable about the safest times of day for swimming; it merely contradicts popular opinion. E. Yes. The reason for the dearth of shark attacks at night could be the absence of night swimmers, which means it could be more dangerous to swim at night than during the day.

Answer 104

Correct Answer: A A Point at Issue Denise believes that reducing crime depends on the certainty of a punishment that is sufficiently severe to act as a deterrent to anyone considering committing a crime. Reshmi believes that ensuring that educational opportunities are readily available to all will most effectively reduce crime by presenting alternatives to those who see criminal activity as the sole means to a comfortable lifestyle. A. Yes. Both Denise and Reshmi suggest ways to reduce crime that imply that a person has a choice as to whether to commit a crime. Denise offers a deterrent while Reshmi offers an incentive, yet both rely on the idea that someone can choose not to commit a crime. B. No. Neither of them discusses how important an issue crime is in modern society. C. No. Denise does mention the idea that punishment should be certain, but Reshmi never addresses any of this, so you don't know whether they would indeed agree. D. No. Reshmi would likely agree with this statement, but Denise does not address economic factors, so you don't know whether they would indeed agree. E. No. Denise states that punishment should be certain, but Reshmi never addresses this, so you don't know whether they would indeed agree.

Answer 105

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The argument concludes that Acme Corporation offers unskilled workers excellent opportunities for advancement based on the example of Ms. Garon, who started as an assembly line worker, a position that requires no special skills, and is now the president of the company. However, you don't actually know that Ms. Garon had no special skills when she started. You need to find an answer choice that offers another explanation for how she attained her position as president even though she began as an assembly line worker. A. No. If anything, this strengthens the argument by implying that Ms. Garon's career is representative of the path Acme employees take. B. Yes. This suggests that she advanced to her position by virtue of her business degree; therefore, this casts doubt on the argument that unskilled workers have excelled opportunities for advancement at Acme. C. No. This doesn't tell you whether unskilled workers are among those getting promoted, so it doesn't really impact the argument. D. No. This is irrelevant. How long she worked at Acme is not important; the reason behind her promotion is, but this choice doesn't address that. E. No. This is out of scope; there's no link between wages and skills here.

Answer 106

Correct Answer: C C Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that during molting, yellow warblers have no competition for the food supply located within the range of their restricted flying. The evidence for this conclusion is that when a warbler molts, which limits its flying distance, its song changes; this in turn affects the behavior of other yellow warblers, who will not enter the smaller core territory of a molting warbler, although they might at other times. The argument assumes that the only competition for the food supply within a warbler's range comes from other yellow warblers and not from anything else. A. No. Even if the core areas contain enough food to sustain more than one molting warbler, this choice doesn't address the issue of competition for that food. B. No. This is irrelevant; it doesn't matter whether other birds act in the same fashion when molting. C. Yes. If you negate this choice, then it invalidates the argument's conclusion by suggesting that yellow warblers do indeed have competition even when molting. D. No. This weakens the argument somewhat by suggesting that competition would be minimal but not absent entirely. E. No. This is irrelevant; negating this choice would have no impact on the argument's conclusion.

Answer 107

Correct Answer: E E Flaw Chinh concludes that television producers should not pay attention to what the viewing public prefers when making creative decisions; he reasons that great painters do not consider what the museum-going public prefers to see. Lana points out that because television is expressly for the viewing public, Chinh's analogy misses the mark; a television producer is more comparable to a CEO than to an artist. A. No. Chinh's conclusion is not a restatement of his premise. B. No. Chinh does not discuss any sample of consumers. C. No. Chinh does not reverse cause and effect in his argument. D. No. This isn't the flaw in Chinh's argument. Furthermore, Chinh's premise specifically refers to great painters, not painters in general. E. Yes. Lana believes the analogy Chinh relies on is problematic, as noted above.

Answer 108

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The dietitian concludes that people looking to maintain cardiac health without lowering sodium consumption should eat fresh, as opposed to canned or frozen, fruit and vegetables. Why? High sodium intake increases the risk of heart disease in some people, and the potassium in plant foods helps to prevent the negative effects of sodium. The dietitian assumes that fresh fruit and vegetables are a better source of potassium than are canned or frozen forms. A. No. The amounts of sodium and potassium relative to each other in a given type of fruit or vegetable aren't essential to the argument. B. No. This is out of scope; the conclusion is directed at those who do not wish to lower sodium consumption. C. No. This isn't necessary to the argument. Even if potassium weren't the only mineral that helps to prevent sodium's malign effects, the conclusion would still be valid. D. No. The side effects of potassium are out of scope so long as it has the desired effect of countering sodium's negative effects. E. Yes. If you negate this choice, the conclusion would no longer hold true; there would be no reason to recommend fresh over canned or frozen fruit and vegetables.

Answer 109

Correct Answer: C C Parallel Flaw The argument concludes that Dana intentionally killed the plant because she intentionally watered it every other day. As the plant needed dry soil, the frequent watering killed it. However, the argument misapplies the word "intentionally"—there is nothing to suggest that Dana knew frequent watering would kill the plant. A. No. There is no issue of intent in this argument. B. No. The conclusion focuses on what Celeste should know, not on what she intended, so this doesn't match the original argument. C. Yes. This contains the same flaw as the original argument. There is no evidence that the restaurant owner knew that removing that item would disappoint Jerry. D. No. This argument is not flawed. E. No. This argument is also not flawed.

Answer 110

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The argument concludes that a boulder in a given area was probably deposited hundreds of miles away from its geological birthplace by a glacier. Why? The boulder is volcanic in origin, unlike the rest of the rock in the area, and the area in question was covered by southward-moving glaciers during the last Ice Age. To weaken this argument, you need to show either that a glacier couldn't have been responsible for transporting the boulder or that some other explanation can account for the boulder's differing makeup. A. No. This isn't strong enough to weaken the argument. The fact that most boulders haven't been moved that far still allows for the possibility that at least one was moved farther than 100 miles. B. No. Since the glaciers that supposedly moved the boulder were moving from north to south, knowing that the closest source of volcanic rock is south of the boulder doesn't do anything to weaken the argument. C. No. This would strengthen the argument by implying that a southward-moving glacier would have passed through a source of volcanic rock, from which the boulder could have originated. D. Yes. This weakens the argument. If there is no source of volcanic rock north of the boulder, then it doesn't make sense to claim that the boulder was deposited there in the manner described by the argument. E. No. This is irrelevant. You are concerned only with this particular boulder, and the boulder could certainly have traveled more than 50 miles according to the argument itself.

Answer 111

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning Rifka concludes that they do not need to stop and ask for directions because they would only need to stop if they were lost. Craig, however, disagrees, saying that because they are lost, they need to stop. Craig contradicts one of Rifka's unstated premises—that they are not lost—and draws the opposite conclusion—that they need to stop. A. No. Craig does reject Rifka's implicit premise that they are not lost. B. Yes. Craig denies Rifka's implicit premise that they are not lost and arrives at the conclusion that they should stop, contrary to Rifka's conclusion. C. No. Craig does not accept the truth of Rifka's premises because unlike her, he believes that they are lost. D. No. Craig doesn't provide a counterexample; he simply disagrees with one of Rifka's premises and conclusion. E. No. Craig clearly draws a conclusion that contradicts Rifka's conclusion, so he does not remain noncommittal.

Answer 112

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The critic concludes that neither tragedy nor comedy can be classified as either satirical or romance literature. Why? Major characters in both romance and satirical literature have moral qualities that reflect the worlds in which they are portrayed. But comedy and tragedy require that the moral qualities of major characters change during the course of the action. The critic assumes that characters in both romance and satirical literature do not undergo changes in moral qualities akin to those of characters in tragedies or comedies. A. No. The nature of the characters is not relevant to the argument; you need to know whether their moral qualities change. B. No. This is out of scope. The critic is specifically concerned with changes to characters' moral qualities, not changes in the vision of the world depicted in a given work. C. No. While the critic says that tragedy requires the moral qualities of a character to change throughout the course of the action, you are never told how or to what extent these qualities must change, so this goes too far. D. Yes. If in romance and satirical literature characters' moral qualities do not change during the course of the action, the critic's conclusion regarding the classification of comedy and tragedy would be valid. E. No. The critic's premises focus specifically on major characters, so this is out of scope.

Answer 113

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning Lance claims that every general rule has at least one exception. Frank concludes that Lance must withdraw that conclusion, because if Lance's claim, itself a general rule, is taken as true, then there would exist at least one general rule that has no exceptions, which contradicts Lance's conclusion. A. No. This choice describes circular reasoning, which Lance's conclusion does not rely on. B. Yes. Frank demonstrates that by accepting Lance's conclusion as true, a situation then arises that yields a contradiction. C. No. Frank does not show anything this absolute; this is too extreme. D. No. Frank's argument does not address the issue of what experience teaches us. E. No. Frank does not give any examples of real cases; he counters Lance's argument in a theoretical fashion.

Answer 114

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The argument concludes that the energy subsidy has failed to achieve its intended purpose. Why? Even with subsidized energy production, which was intended to help residents of rural areas gain access to electricity, many of the most isolated rural populations still have no access to electricity. Yet the argument doesn't seem to take into account the fact that the subsidy's intended purpose might still be achieved even if only some, not all, rural populations now have access to electricity. A. No. The argument never claims the subsidy's intended purpose could have been arrived at by other means, only that it has not been fulfilled thus far. B. No. There is no discussion in the argument of the subsidy benefiting those for whom it was not intended. C. No. The argument never claims that the subsidy was meant to help other people aside from those in rural areas. D. No. While the argument doesn't address the possibility raised by this choice, it's not a logical flaw in its reasoning. E. Yes. The argument incorrectly assumes that for the subsidy to achieve its intended purpose, it would have had to help everyone to whom it was applicable, not just some populations.

Answer 115

Correct Answer: A A Resolve/Explain It is commonly accepted that heart attacks are most likely to occur on Mondays because, as Monday is the start of the workweek, people feel more stress that day than on other days of the week. However, even unemployed retired people are more likely to have heart attacks on Mondays than on other days. Why is this the case if someone is retired and not tied to a traditional workweek schedule? A. Yes. This would explain why retirees are just as likely as employed individuals to have a heart attack on a Monday; they keep to the same sort of work schedule even though they are no longer employed. B. No. This doesn't tell you about either their stress levels or their schedules, so this doesn't help explain the situation. C. No. This doesn't explain why they would still be most likely to have a heart attack on a Monday. D. No. This explains why heart attacks are more likely to occur on Mondays for people who are employed; however, it doesn't explain the second part of the argument concerning retirees. E. No. This makes the paradox worse.

Answer 116

Correct Answer: D D Strengthen The psychologist concludes that people who are especially overconfident are more likely to attempt to start a business in spite of the odds against success than are people who are less confident. The evidence the psychologist cites comes from a survey in which an equal number of entrepreneurs and business managers were asked to answer a bunch of questions and rate how confident they were that their answers were correct. In general, the entrepreneurs were more overconfident than the business managers. You want to find an answer that strengthens the link between being overconfident and trying to start a business. A. No. This is irrelevant. The subject matter of the questions doesn't tell you anything about the relationship between overconfidence and starting a business. B. No. You don't know whether these entrepreneurs were the ones that were overconfident; if they weren't, then this information isn't applicable to the psychologist's argument. C. No. This doesn't strengthen the psychologist's argument, which deals with the relationship between overconfidence and starting a business, not having success in business. D. Yes. If what is true of the entrepreneurs in terms of their overconfidence is also found in some of the business managers, it makes it more likely that the psychologist's conclusion about the link between overconfidence and starting a business is valid. E. No. Confidence in one's own business acumen is out of scope, since that doesn't tell you whether a person is overconfident or more likely to start a business.

Answer 117

Correct Answer: B B Flaw If Agnes's proposal is approved, the fourth-floor lab must be cleaned out. If Immanuel's proposal is approved, he will continue to work in the second-floor lab because he requires less space. Only if the director supports a proposal will it be approved, which you can diagram as proposal approved director supports proposal, and the director supports both proposals. The argument therefore concludes that the fourth-floor lab must be cleaned out. However, having the director support a proposal doesn't guarantee that it will be approved; that would entail reading in the opposite direction of the arrow, so there's the flaw. A. No. There is no discussion of the relative size of the two labs. B. Yes. Having the director's support is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for any proposal that is approved. C. No. The amount of enthusiasm the director expresses for each proposal is not relevant, since the premises require only the director's support and nothing more. D. No. This is irrelevant. Even if Immanuel does want to move, Agnes's proposal is the one that requires the fourth-floor lab. The argument doesn't address the possibility raised in this choice, but this isn't the flaw in the argument's logic. E. No. The premises state that if Agnes's proposal is approved, the fourth-floor lab must be cleaned out for her use. You have to take that information as a given. Whether there are other labs that are also suitable is out of scope.

Answer 118

Correct Answer: D D Principle Strengthen The argument concludes that the Outdoor Sports Company's policy of offering its customers financial incentives to provide the E-mail addresses of their friends is an unethical business practice. Why? It encourages people to exploit their personal relationships for profit, which risks damaging the integrity of those relationships. You need an answer choice that supports this line of reasoning. A. No. This choice focuses on what is unethical for people to do, but the argument specifically discusses an unethical business practice, so this is out of scope. B. No. This is too broad. The argument never says that it is unethical to use the information, only that it is an unethical business practice to offer such incentives to gain it. C. No. This is too strong. The argument says that people risk damaging their relationships, not that a company seeks to deliberately damage those relationships. Also, it is an individual's choice whether to provide E-mail addresses of friends, so a choice that ascribes blame to a company for an individual's willful actions doesn't match the argument. D. Yes. This matches the language of the argument, which is not extreme. Plus, this choice clearly states that what is unethical is that the company is encouraging behavior that could have damaging effects. E. No. This doesn't uphold the notion that the company's business practice is unethical; it only addresses the effect an individual's action might have.

Answer 119

Correct Answer: E E Point at Issue Glen concludes that law's primary role should be to create virtuous citizens because an emphasis on law's purely procedural side produces a concern with personal rights that leads to the individual's indifference to society's welfare. Sara, on the other hand, disagrees with Glen's conclusion, arguing that his outlook would encourage government to decide which modes of life are truly virtuous, which would be more dangerous than the government's being overprotective of individuals' rights. A. No. The issue of whether citizens are capable of making good choices is never raised in Sara's argument. B. No. While Glen might agree with this statement, you don't know for certain that Sara would disagree, as she disagrees only with Glen's conclusion, not his premise. C. No. While Sara might agree with this statement, you don't have enough information to know how Glen would react to it. D. No. Sara never addresses law's purely procedural side, so you don't know whether she would agree with this statement. She only claims that if law's primary role were to be the creation of virtuous citizens, the result would be a government that is overprotective of individuals' rights. E. Yes. Glen would agree with this, while Sara would disagree.

Answer 120

Correct Answer: C C Principle Match The argument concludes that it is almost never in a cardholder's interest to skip payments on a credit card because the cost of doing so is much greater to the cardholder in the long run. You need to find an answer choice that similarly shows that the long-term cost of an action is much greater than its short-term benefit. A. No. This discusses finding other ways to combat pests, which doesn't match the original argument. B. No. This suggests the costs are balanced out or overridden by the benefit, which doesn't match the original argument. C. Yes. Constructing new roads, while beneficial in the short term, will result in greater maintenance costs in the long run. D. No. Here the costs are only sometimes greater in the long run, which doesn't match the original argument. E. No. There is no discussion of short- versus long-term costs or benefits in this choice.

Answer 121

Correct Answer: A A Inference Diagram the two pieces of information that start with "none." Taking literature not taking physics; taking physics not taking literature. Taking rhetoric not taking physics; taking physics not taking rhetoric. You also know that some students taking physics are also taking art. A. Yes. Several of the students taking physics are also taking art. Since taking physics not taking literature, this choice follows from the information given. B. No. There is no direct connection made between taking literature and taking art. This is possible, but you're looking for something that the information in the passage directly supports. C. No. There is no direct connection made between taking literature and taking rhetoric. This is possible, but you're looking for something that the information in the passage directly supports. D. No. This choice has the same problem as (C). E. No. There is no direct connection made between taking literature and taking art. This is possible, but you're looking for something that the information in the passage directly supports.

Answer 122

Correct Answer: E E Principle Strengthen The psychologist concludes that psychotherapists should never provide psychotherapy on talk shows. Why? It is expected that psychotherapists who provide psychotherapy on radio or television talks show do so in a manner that is entertaining; however, satisfying this demand is almost always incompatible with providing psychological help that is of high quality. A. No. This is out of scope. A psychotherapist could potentially be entertaining as long as he or she isn't providing psychotherapy, and there's no discussion of what is "appropriate" in the argument. B. No. The psychologist doesn't address what is responsible for the quality of the advice; she only states that something is usually incompatible with providing high-quality help. C. No. The psychologist states that the demand for entertainment in this case is "nearly always incompatible" with providing high-quality care, but this choice creates a lower threshold by stating that psychotherapy should not be provided if there is "any chance" that it is less than high quality. D. No. This is out of scope; what audiences are seeking isn't relevant to the psychologist's argument, which is concerned with what psychotherapists shouldn't do. E. Yes. This would support the psychologist's decision, and it matches the strength of the language in the argument.

Answer 123

Correct Answer: B B Point at Issue Tania claims that good art criticism cannot be separated from emotion because art is a passion and a person can be unbiased only about things that are of no interest to him or her. Although Monique's conclusion is implied and not directly stated in the argument, she disagrees with Tania, noting that art is not just a passion and that the best art critics engage with artwork only after shedding all their biases and consulting general principles of aesthetics. A. No. You don't know whether Tania would agree with this; she only states that art is a passion, but her statement leaves open the possibility that she too thinks it is more than just that. B. Yes. Tania would disagree with this statement, while Monique would agree with it. C. No. Neither person makes claims about what art critics should or should not feel toward artworks. D. No. Monique never addresses the issue of fairness, so you don't know whether she would agree with this choice. E. No. Neither individual makes any claims about what the most important aspect of art criticism is.

Answer 124

Correct Answer: C C Resolve/Explain Judicial writing is rarely of high literary quality, since the writing styles of works of such quality are more subject to misinterpretation, which would defeat the purpose of judicial decisions. Yet some dissenting opinions have writing of high literary quality even though they are sometimes included in written decisions. A. No. This doesn't explain why dissenting opinions would have a higher literary quality. B. No. This doesn't help explain anything because this would seemingly apply to both decisions and dissenting opinions. C. Yes. If dissenting opinions aren't used to determine laws, then it wouldn't be a problem for them to be written in a style that might allow them to be subject to misinterpretation. D. No. This is irrelevant. You're not concerned with what judges read, and this doesn't explain why dissenting opinions would have a higher literary quality. E. No. This wouldn't explain why, if these judicial decisions are more widely read, it would be acceptable for the dissenting opinions contained therein to be written in a style that leaves them more open to misinterpretation.

Answer 125

Correct Answer: E E Inference Diagram the first two statements in the argument. No intervention → squirrel monkeys become extinct; squirrel monkeys do not become extinct → intervention. Tracts of forest preserved → monkeys survive; monkeys do not survive → tracts of forest not preserved. A. No. This is irrelevant; the argument doesn't discuss habitats other than second-growth forest. B. No. You don't know what form an intervention by conservationists would take, so this choice goes too far. C. No. You are told that second-growth forest furnishes squirrel monkeys' favorite insects and fruit; however, it is possible that they could survive on other sources of food that aren't their favorites. The argument never states that their favorite insects and fruit are the only kinds squirrel monkeys eat. D. No. Intervention by conservationists is a necessary but not sufficient condition for squirrel monkeys to survive. Even if an intervention takes place, they could still become extinct for other reasons. E. Yes. Combine the first and last diagrammed statements. No intervention → squirrel monkeys become extinct/do not survive → tracts of forest not preserved.

Answer 126

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The argument concludes that the number of early Byzantine documents sealed with lead seals must have been many times the number of remaining lead seals. Why? Most documents of the era that were sealed with lead remained that way only until the seal was broken, at which point the lead would have been recast and used again. The only way this conclusion could be true would be if most documents of the period that were sealed with lead were actually opened during that time and not kept sealed until much later. A. Yes. If this is true, then it makes sense to say that there would have been far more documents with lead seals during the early Byzantine era than the number of lead seals that remain today. B. No. The fact that the documents have been destroyed is irrelevant, but since this choice doesn't tell you whether the documents were opened and when, it doesn't strengthen the argument. C. No. The amount of lead available is not relevant, since the argument says lead seals tended to be recast. D. No. This focuses on the documents whose seals would not have been broken; it doesn't matter whether there were at most or more than 40,000 such documents. E. No. This focuses on how many seals there might have been at any given point during the early Byzantine Empire, but the conclusion focuses on how many documents would have used such seals, so this choice has no bearing on the argument.

Answer 127

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The farmer concludes that it is counterproductive in the long run for farmers to use insecticides. He bases his conclusion on the premise that since insects' resistance to insecticides increases with insecticide use, farmers have to use increasingly greater amounts of costly insecticides to control pests. The proposition asked about in the question stem functions as part of the support for the farmer's conclusion. A. No. The statement is not the argument's conclusion. B. Yes. The statement supports the farmer's conclusion and is itself supported by the part of the argument that talks about insects' resistance to insecticides increasing with insecticide use. C. No. The statement is not the argument's conclusion. D. No. There is no intermediary conclusion in the argument. E. No. The argument's conclusion does not offer an explanation for the phenomenon described in the statement.

Answer 128

Correct Answer: C C Flaw William concludes that Pliny the Elder could not have been correct in claiming that rainbows always occur opposite the sun. He bases this conclusion on the fact that Pliny made some fairly ridiculous and untrue claims in his writings. William fails to consider that Pliny could still be right about rainbows even if a lot of the other stuff he claimed was incorrect. A. No. William doesn't distort anything that Anna says. B. No. If anything, William appears to assume that Pliny was sincere in his claims, not that he was in bad faith. C. Yes. Pliny could have had a few correct assertions, but William discounts this possibility based on the fact that other things Pliny claimed were false. D. No. William does not accept Pliny's assertions. E. No. William states that Pliny's writings are incorrect, not that they are outdated.

Answer 129

Correct Answer: E E Inference Pick the answer best supported by the passage. A. No. No mention is made of a need for increased funding. B. No. There is no discussion of whether investment in pharmaceuticals would siphon off money from other operations. C. No. The food service industry carries greater risk and might siphon off funds from other operations, but there is no indication that the company will lose money if it chooses to move into this area. D. No. There is no mention of increasing profits in the argument. E. Yes. The last sentence of the argument supports this; the food service industry has a higher inherent risk than the pharmaceuticals industry.

Answer 130

Correct Answer: B B Principle Strengthen Mariah concludes that Adam should not judge the essay contest. Her reasons for this, however, are different from those of Joanna, who thinks Adam would be biased because several of his classmates have entered the contest. Mariah believes that Adam should not judge the contest because he has no experience in critiquing essays. A. No. Mariah discounts Joanna's suspicion of bias, so this choice is not relevant. B. Yes. Mariah's conclusion that Adam should not be a judge is based on his lack of expertise. C. No. Mariah is concerned about expertise, and since she seems to believe that Adam would not have a bias, you don't know whether she would consider objectivity more important than expertise. D. No. Again, Mariah favors expertise, and since she seems to believe that Adam would not have a bias, you don't know whether she would weigh fairness over expertise. E. No. Since Mariah dismisses the idea that Adam would be biased, this isn't relevant to her conclusion.

Answer 131

Correct Answer: A A Flaw In a recent study, the main ingredient in NoSmoke was shown not to decrease smokers' cravings for cigarettes. NoSmoke has only two ingredients. The argument concludes that if similar results are found for the other ingredient, NoSmoke does not reduce smokers' cravings. However, the argument doesn't consider the fact that it could be the combination of the two ingredients that reduces smokers' cravings. A. Yes. The argument assumes that if both ingredients individually are unable to reduce smokers' cravings, then NoSmoke as a whole must also be unable to do so. B. No. The argument does not confuse correlation and cause. C. No. The sample consists of smokers, so this isn't the flaw in the argument. D. No. This is out of scope. The manufacturers specifically claim that NoSmoke reduces smokers' cravings for cigarettes. E. No. The argument makes no allegations of bias.

Answer 132

Correct Answer: D D Main Point The gardener concludes that the researchers' advice—allow certain kinds of weeds to grow among garden vegetables so as to repel caterpillars—is premature. Why? Those kinds of weeds could deplete the soil of nutrients and moisture that garden crops depend on and might attract other kinds of damaging pests. A. No. This is not the issue; the gardener doesn't say that the use of insecticides should be eliminated. B. No. This is a premise. C. No. This is part of the researchers' advice, with which the gardener disagrees. D. Yes. This matches the tone of the gardener's conclusion, which is that the researchers' advice is premature. E. No. The gardener doesn't dispute the fact that certain weeds could have the effect of reducing the presence of caterpillars; he is more concerned about what other unforeseen effects these weeds might have.

Answer 133

Correct Answer: D D Reasoning The executive concludes that consumer response to the set of advertisements run in the print version of a travel magazine was probably below par. He bases this conclusion on the fact that consumer response to the same set of ads run on the magazine's website was more limited than is typical for website ads. A. No. The executive bases his prediction of consumer response to the print ads on the response garnered from the website ads, so this choice, especially the part about the cause of the phenomenon, doesn't match the argument. B. No. The executive uses information about consumer response to ads run on a website to draw a conclusion about the probable consumer response to ads run in print, an event of a different kind. C. No. The executive does not make a statistical generalization; he is referring only to a specific set of ads. D. Yes. He uses the evidence from the website ads to draw a conclusion about the results of the print ads, for which no direct information is available. E. No. Future events are never referred to in the argument.

Answer 134

Correct Answer: E E Resolve/Explain A pack of ten coyotes, which are known to prey on wild cats and plover, was removed from a small island because the coyotes were supposedly decimating the plover population. However, once they were removed, the plover population decreased significantly, and within two years no plover could be found on the island. Why did the plover population shrink after the coyotes were removed? A. No. This suggests that the plover population should have recovered after the coyotes were removed. B. No. This is irrelevant; it doesn't explain why the plover population plummeted. C. No. By itself, this choice isn't enough to explain why the plover disappeared; you don't know that a disease that commonly infects plover would result in its decimation. D. No. This is irrelevant and doesn't tell you why the plover population decreased. E. Yes. If the coyotes were removed, then the number of wild cats would no longer be held in check; a greater number of wild cats preying on plover would result in the elimination of the plover population.

Answer 135

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The economist states that companies have two means by which they can cut personnel costs during a recession—laying off some employees without reducing the wages of remaining employees or reducing the wages of all employees without laying anyone off. While both damage morale, layoffs damage it less since those who are aggrieved have left. From all this the economist concludes that when companies must reduce personnel costs during recessions, they are likely to lay off employees. To strengthen this argument, you need to show that morale is a significant factor in companies' decision making during a recession. A. Yes. If employee morale is the primary concern, this would strengthen the economist's conclusion that companies will choose the option that damages morale less—laying off employees. B. No. Increasing wages is outside the scope of the argument. C. No. Making a profit is outside the scope of the argument, which is concerned with cutting personnel costs. D. No. The fact that some employees resign when companies resort to reducing wages to cut personnel costs doesn't tie in to the idea of employee morale, as others may not choose to resign. E. No. Finding qualified employees after a recession is irrelevant to the economist's argument.

Answer 136

Correct Answer: A A Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that chain bookstores' success has been to the detriment of book consumers. Why? The shortage of independent bookstores has prevented the variety of readily available books from growing as much as it otherwise would have. The premises discuss the reduced growth in the variety of available books while the conclusion refers to a detriment to book consumers; this is the gap you need to bridge. A. Yes. This bridges the gap between detriment and selection; if you negate this statement, the argument is no longer valid. B. No. If you negate this choice, the argument's conclusion could still be valid, so it's not necessary to the argument. C. No. The size of the bookstore is out of scope; you want to know about the variety of books available. D. No. The size of the bookstore is out of scope; you want to know about the variety of books available. E. No. Whether some consumers prize price over selection is irrelevant to the conclusion.

Answer 137

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The concert promoter notes that some critics claim that his concert series lacks popular appeal. But the income from the sales of t-shirts and other memorabilia at the concerts is equal to or greater than that for similar sales at comparable series, so the concert promoter concludes that those critics are mistaken. However, the concert promoter compares sales at his concert series to those of comparable series, which doesn't actually address the critics' concerns since the comparable series could also lack popular appeal. A. No. The concert promoter does not "attack" the critics based on emotional considerations. B. No. The concert promoter never claims that income from sales of memorabilia is the only indicator of popular appeal; such sales are presented as one means of assessing that appeal. C. Yes. The concert promoter never provides any evidence to suggest that the comparable series have popular appeal. D. No. The series is compared to other comparable series, so this doesn't match the argument. E. No. The concert promoter doesn't make this distinction, but this isn't a flaw in the argument's logic.

Answer 138

Correct Answer: E E Inference Pick the answer best supported by the passage. A. No. There is no information provided about the percentage of people who wear sunscreen. B. No. There could be reasons other than sun exposure for people having skin that is prematurely wrinkled. C. No. No mention is made of when the cause of premature skin wrinkling became known. D. No. The argument states that sunscreen has protected against UV-B radiation, which causes sunburn, since before ten years ago, so there shouldn't be any lessened risk of sunburn for people now as compared to ten years ago. E. Yes. Until about ten years ago, sunscreen provided no protection against premature skin wrinkling, so the likelihood of having premature wrinkles would have been the same for both those who wore sunscreen and those who didn't.

Answer 139

Correct Answer: A A Principle Strengthen The advice columnist concludes that sports activity should not be used as a method for coping with stress. She bases this advice on several scientific studies that showed that people who have recently been experiencing major stress in their lives are more prone to suffer serious injuries when playing competitive sports than are other participants. Since risking serious injury is unwise, she advises people to avoid sports activity when under stress. You may have noticed that the argument jumped from competitive sports to sports activity in general; you want to bolster that shift with one of the answer choices. A. Yes. This supports the advice columnist's conclusion that people recently under stress should avoid engaging in all sports activity on the basis of the idea that they should avoid engaging in competitive sports. B. No. The advice columnist never states that a method for coping with stress must be subjected to scientific study first. C. No. This is irrelevant; the argument is specifically concerned with people who have recently been experiencing major stress. D. No. The advice columnist's argument seems to be going in the opposite direction. E. No. This is irrelevant; the argument is not focused on people with a history of sports injuries.

Answer 140

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The argument concludes that tent caterpillars are among the insect species that engage in communal foraging. Why? Tent caterpillars chemically mark the routes between their nests and potential food sources with pheromones, and routes from food sources back to the nest are marked more heavily than are exploratory routes that have not yielded a food source. To strengthen the argument, you need an answer that suggests that these markers are used by other tent caterpillars to find food, thereby supporting the idea that these caterpillars engage in communal foraging. A. Yes. If hungry tent caterpillars follow these routes to find food, then the actions of some tent caterpillars serve to aid the whole community, supporting the idea that these insects engage in communal foraging. B. No. This would weaken the argument, if anything, as it casts doubt on the idea that the heavily marked routes help convey the location of food to other members of the insect group. C. No. This is irrelevant; the argument is concerned with how the paths to these food sources are indicated to others. D. No. This doesn't strengthen the argument because it doesn't suggest that tent caterpillars engage in communal foraging, only that their markers aren't useful to other foraging animals. E. No. Again, this doesn't tell you anything about tent caterpillars in particular with regard to communal foraging, so it's irrelevant.

Answer 141

Correct Answer: B B Parallel Flaw Movies starring top actors do well at the box office because of their fame and following. The argument thus concludes that movies with unknown actors are unlikely to do well at the box office. However, you can't conclude that having the opposite quality (unknown vs. well-known) will likely generate an opposite result (bad box office vs. good box office). A. No. This argument doesn't involve an opposite quality in the same way that the original argument does. B. Yes. This argument mistakenly assumes that because the presence of flower bee balm results in abundant crops, the lack of it will likely produce the opposite effect, meaning crops will not be abundant. C. No. There is no opposite aspect to this argument, so it doesn't match the original one. D. No. There is nothing in this argument that functions in the way well known/unknown function in the original argument, so this doesn't match. E. No. The conclusion of this choice is too extreme—"will achieve success"—when compared to the original argument's conclusion—"are therefore unlikely to do well."

Answer 142

Correct Answer: D D Inference Pick the answer best supported by the passage. A. No. Studying details in and of itself isn't what leads to a lessening of our ability to learn from history. A lack of attention to overarching historical trends and movements lessens our ability to learn from history. B. No. The argument never links these two ideas together in such a mutually exclusive fashion. C. No. The argument never claims that people should not attend to details at all; this is too extreme. D. Yes. The shift away from an emphasis on overarching historical trends and movements and toward an emphasis on details of historical events and motivations has lessened our ability to learn from history. E. No. The argument never states that both approaches should be given equal emphasis; this choice goes too far.

Answer 143

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption Diagram the pieces of the argument. No trust → no meaningful emotional connection to another; meaningful emotional connection to another → trust. No meaningful emotional connection to another → isolation; no isolation → meaningful connection to another. Therefore, happiness → trust; no trust → no happiness. If you try to combine this information, you get one longer statement—no isolation → meaningful connection to another → trust—and then the conclusion—happiness → trust. In order for the conclusion to be valid, you need to connect happiness to the longer chain so that you have happiness → no isolation. A. Yes. If you diagram this, you get isolated → not happy and happy → not isolated. B. No. This restates information you already know. Meaningful emotional connection to another → trust, but trust is a necessary, not sufficient, condition for happiness. Therefore, this doesn't fully connect the conclusion to the premises. C. No. This doesn't connect the premises to the idea of happiness in the conclusion. D. No. The "at least some" part of this choice is weaker than what is needed for the argument. E. No. This doesn't connect the premises to the idea of happiness in the conclusion.

Answer 144

Correct Answer: C C Flaw Sirat Bani Hilal is the only Arabic epic poem that is still publicly performed, and unlike most other epics, it is usually sung, not recited. The argument therefore concludes that it is the musical character of the performance that is the main reason for its longevity. However, the fact that Sirat Bani Hilal is still performed and is usually sung doesn't mean that the two aspects are necessarily connected; one does not necessarily cause the other. A. No. The evidence cited here seems possible to corroborate; you can confirm that it is still performed and that it is usually sung. B. No. There doesn't appear to be any bias with respect to the evidence. C. Yes. The musical character and its longevity are correlated; you don't know for sure that the musical character of Sirat Bani Hilal is the actual reason for its longevity. D. No. This isn't something the argument does; both pieces of information are factual. E. No. The argument doesn't confuse necessary and sufficient conditions; there's nothing to diagram here.

Answer 145

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The fund-raiser concludes that most charities could probably increase the amount of money they raise through donations by giving donors the right to vote. Why? Charities rarely give their donors the right to vote on their policies, and the inability to directly influence how charities spend contributions makes potential donors feel less of an emotional connection to a given charity. The fund-raiser's conclusion talks about raising more money through donations while the premises discuss donors having an emotional connection to the charity. You need an answer choice that bridges the two. A. No. The fund-raiser never claims that this is the most effective way to accomplish this goal. B. No. The fund-raiser offers this as a solution, so charities that have already increased donations are out of scope. Whether other charities have done this before isn't relevant to the argument here. C. No. This doesn't connect the idea of raising more money through donations; if you negate this, you'll see that the argument's conclusion isn't really affected. D. No. This leaves out the emotional connection part, so it isn't necessary to the argument. E. Yes. Try negating this statement and you'll see that the argument becomes invalid. This ties together both the idea of raising more money through donations and fostering an emotional connection between a donor and a given charity.

Answer 146

Correct Answer: E E Main Point Leslie concludes that Erich's quest for the treasure is irrational. The basis for this is an analogy that she draws between Erich's quest for this treasure, which is harming his health, and the hypothetical situation she poses to him, in which she asks whether he would risk losing a hand to possess the world, to which his response is no. A. No. This is a part of the analogy that serves as a premise. B. No. This idea is part of the support for her conclusion. C. No. Leslie never says the treasure is of no value, only of lesser value when compared to Erich's health and body. D. No. Her conclusion isn't that he can be convinced; it's that he's acting in an irrational manner whether he believes it or not. E. Yes. This is a paraphrase of Leslie's first statement.

Answer 147

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The newspaper article concludes that people who take vitamin C supplements tend to be healthier than average. The support for this conclusion is a study that showed that those who regularly consume high doses of vitamin C supplements have a significantly lower-than-average risk of heart disease. To weaken this argument, you need to find a reason other than the vitamin C supplements that could account for the reduced risk of heart disease or show that taking vitamin C supplements doesn't cause one to be healthier than average. A. No. This is irrelevant; the argument focuses specifically on vitamin C supplements. B. No. This doesn't weaken the causal relationship that the argument established. C. No. This doesn't suggest that vitamin C wasn't responsible for the reduction in risk of heart disease. D. Yes. This introduces a negative effect of high doses of vitamin C supplements, which casts doubt on the argument's conclusion that these supplements are the reason some people are healthier than average. E. No. This would strengthen the newspaper article's conclusion.

Answer 148

Correct Answer: D D Flaw George asks why a large number of people now take ballroom dancing lessons when throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, few people did. Boris responds that beginning in 1995, people started to learn the merengue and several related ballroom dances, and the popularity of those sparked interest in learning other ballroom dances. However, Boris doesn't actually address George's question of why people suddenly had a renewed interest in ballroom dancing; Boris merely provides some history from the moment that interest was renewed without stating what triggered that renewal. A. No. Boris doesn't show this, but that's not the flaw in his reasoning. B. No. George asks why ballroom dancing became popular again in the mid-1990s, so it is not necessary for Boris to explain why it was unpopular before 1995. C. No. Boris doesn't do this, but that's not the flaw in his reasoning. D. Yes. Boris doesn't address George's question as to what led to the renewed interest in ballroom dancing. E. No. The argument isn't concerned with whether all types of ballroom dancing are currently popular; this is irrelevant.

Answer 149

Correct Answer: B B Inference You're looking for an answer that directly contradicts information in the paragraph. Four of the answer choices will be consistent with the information provided, even if they contain ideas that are not directly expressed in the argument. A. No. This is consistent with the last sentence of the paragraph. B. Yes. This cannot be true. The second sentences suggests that it is possible for two groups living in different environments to face the same daily challenges, so those challenges cannot be unique to those environments. C. No. This could be true, as it doesn't contradict anything stated in the passage. D. No. This could be true, as it is in line with the information found in the second and third sentences. E. No. This could be true, as you know from the argument that they lived in different environments.

Answer 150

Correct Answer: E E Principle Match Diagram the two pieces of information you have. Intermittent wind and temperature below 84 degrees → pleasant. Not pleasant → not intermittent wind or temperatures at 84 degrees or higher. High humidity with either no wind or temperatures above 84 degrees → oppressive. Not oppressive → not high humidity and some wind and temperatures at 84 degrees or lower. A. No. To be pleasant, there must be intermittent wind; however, this says there was no wind. B. No. To be oppressive, there must be high humidity; however, this says humidity levels were low. C. No. To be pleasant, the temperature must be below 84 degrees; however, this says the temperature stayed at 84 degrees. D. No. To be oppressive, the temperature must rise above 84 degrees; however, this says the temperature did not do so. E. Yes. High humidity and no wind → oppressive.

Answer 151

Correct Answer: D D Parallel The argument concludes that the local radio station will not win the regional ratings race this year because the station has never finished better than fifth over the past ten years and the station's manager has made no changes in response to the poor ratings. You need to find an argument the conclusion of which is similarly based on trends in the past. A. No. The conclusion of the argument is stronger than the conclusion here, which uses the word "probably." B. No. The conclusion of the argument is stronger than the conclusion here, which uses the word "probably." C. No. This conclusion is based on a conditional requirement (lion → mammal), not on prior trends, so this doesn't match the original argument. D. Yes. The conclusion about stock prices this coming Monday is based on stock prices from prior Mondays. E. No. This conclusion is based on a conditional requirement (lifeguard → trained swimmer), not on prior trends, so this doesn't match the original argument.

Answer 152

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The chef concludes that she can skip the step of sprinkling the mussels with cornmeal, which is usually done to clean out the sand they may contain. The chef's reason for skipping this step is that the mussels available at seafood markets are farm raised and therefore don't contain sand. In order for the chef's argument to be valid, though, you need to know that the mussels the chef is using are indeed farm raised or from a seafood market; otherwise, skipping the step can't be justified. A. No. This is irrelevant; as long as any sand is cleaned out before the mussels get to the chef, it doesn't matter. B. No. This is out of scope; the only contaminant the argument is concerned with is sand. C. No. The issue of taste is irrelevant to the chef's argument. D. No. This isn't essential to the argument; if you negate this statement, the chef's conclusion is still valid. E. Yes. If this isn't true, then the chef isn't justified in skipping the step of sprinkling the mussels with cornmeal based on the information you have in the argument.

Answer 153

Correct Answer: A A Principle Match The argument concludes that although patients may demand them, doctors should never prescribe antibiotics to treat colds. The reasons behind this conclusion are that colds are caused by viruses, on which antibiotics have no effect, and that antibiotics can have dangerous side effects. You need an answer choice that supports this line of reasoning. A. Yes. This matches up well with both of the stated premises above. B. No. There is no mention in the argument of a potential positive effect of antibiotic treatment for colds, so this doesn't match. C. No. The conclusion argues against prescribing antibiotics because they won't help patients with colds, whereas this choice is concerned with drugs that might have a positive effect. D. No. There is no mention of uncertainty in the argument. E. No. No mention is made in the argument of the patient's claims about the effectiveness of antibiotics.

Answer 154

Correct Answer: A A Main Point You need to determine what the main point of the argument is. The argument states that there are two kinds of cognitive strategies, "associative" and "dissociative," and that associative strategies, which involve attending closely to physical sensations, require so much concentration that they leave one mentally exhausted for more than a day. Long-distance runners need to enter a race mentally refreshed. It follows, then, that long-distance runners shouldn't make use of associative strategies the day prior to a given race. A. Yes. This matches what was stated above. B. No. The evidence presented by the argument doesn't suggest that regular training would eliminate the exhaustion caused by using associative strategies. C. No. This is irrelevant. Maximizing the benefits of training is not addressed in the argument. D. No. This is irrelevant. There is no support for the claim that long-distance runners are about evenly divided with respect to which type of strategy they employ during races. E. No. The argument supports only the idea that dissociative strategies are better than associative ones for the day before a race, not in general.

Answer 155

Correct Answer: D D Resolve/Explain MetroBank made loans to ten small companies in amounts of anywhere from $1,000 to $100,000, and all of these loans had graduated payment plans so that the monthly loan payment increased slightly each month over the five-year term of the loan. However, the average payment that MetroBank received for these ten loans had decreased by the end of the loan period. Why did the average payment received by MetroBank decline when the monthly loan payment amounts were slightly increasing over the five-year term? A. No. This is irrelevant. The argument is specifically focused on only the ten loans noted above. B. No. Loans from other banks are not relevant to the argument. C. No. You are concerned only with MetroBank and its loans, not other banks and their loans, so this doesn't help. D. Yes. This would explain why, even though the monthly payment amounts were increasing, the average payment received by MetroBank declined: The loans with the biggest monthly payment amounts were paid off sooner, leaving only the smaller monthly amounts and thereby lowering the average payment amount. E. No. Because the argument is focused only on these ten specific loans, the nature of other loans made by MetroBank is irrelevant to the argument.

Answer 156

Correct Answer: D D Flaw The professor concludes that universities these days do not foster fair-minded and tolerant intellectual debate because two students insulted a recent guest speaker and several others applauded those students' attempts to humiliate the speaker. However, the professor is making a very broad generalization about universities based on the behavior of a few students at a single university, so look for an answer choice that describes this flaw. A. No. The conclusion is the professor's opinion, but the pieces of evidence offered are actual events, so this doesn't match. B. No. The professor is not advocating tolerance, so there is no inconsistency. C. No. The professor's argument does not rest on an emotional appeal. D. Yes. The professor draws his conclusion about universities in general based on the actions of only a few students. E. No. The flaw isn't that he focuses on the students' behavior; it's that he takes that behavior as being representative of all or most students.

Answer 157

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen The argument concludes that health experts might have more success in encouraging people to eat wholesome foods if they emphasized how flavorful those foods are rather than how nutritious they are. The evidence offered to support this conclusion is the fact that studies have shown that most people select which foods to eat primarily on the basis of flavor, with nutrition mostly a secondary concern at best. You want to find an answer that links up emphasizing a given food's flavor with successfully encouraging people to eat that food. A. No. If anything, this might weaken the argument by implying that health experts wouldn't have greater success if they employed the strategy suggested because most people already think wholesome foods are more flavorful, so calling attention to this fact might not have the desired effect. B. No. The argument isn't concerned with people choosing between two opposing options. C. No. This might weaken the argument by suggesting that you could accomplish the same goal by emphasizing nutrition over flavor, but it certainly doesn't strengthen the argument's conclusion. D. No. This is irrelevant. How people rate foods doesn't strengthen the connection between the suggestion offered to health experts and the studies. E. Yes. If this is true, it suggests that health experts would be more successful in their quest to get people to eat more wholesome foods if they emphasized flavor as opposed to nutrition.

Answer 158

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The argument concludes that business schools can promote more ethical behavior among future businesspeople by promoting among their students the desire to be accepted socially and discouraging the propensity for taking risks. The reasons given in support of this conclusion are that studies have found that people with a high propensity for risk taking tend to have fewer ethical principles to which they adhere in their business interactions than do others, while those individuals with a strong desire to be accepted socially tend to have more such principles than do others. Furthermore, it is generally the case that the more ethical principles to which an individual adheres, the more ethical is that individual's behavior. The flaw here is that you don't know whether anything else is a factor in making individuals more or less prone to ethical behavior. Just because certain elements (such as risk taking or a desire for social acceptance) seem linked to others (the number of ethical principles one consciously adheres to) doesn't mean you can infer a cause-effect relationship. A. No. This doesn't describe the flaw in this particular argument; there is no jump from "usually" to "always" here. B. No. The argument never compares this goal to any other in terms of importance. C. Yes. This is in line with the discussion above. D. No. There is no mention in the argument of what is "morally wrong," so this is irrelevant. E. No. This choice describes circular reasoning, which is not the flaw in this particular argument.

Answer 159

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption The essayist concludes that Lessing's claim about literature must be rejected if one considers the imagists' poems legitimate. Why? Lessing contended that an art form's medium dictates the kind of representation the art form must employ in order to be legitimate; for literature, which consists of words read in succession, this entails representing events or actions occurring in sequence. Yet the imagists' poems consist solely of amalgams of disparate images. In order for the conclusion to be valid, you need to know that amalgams of disparate images cannot be considered events or actions occurring in sequence. A. Yes. This matches what was stated above. B. No. This is irrelevant; subject matter is never discussed. C. No. Whether Lessing was aware of the nature of the imagists' poetry is irrelevant to the conclusion. D. No. This is too broad; the conclusion is about literature, not all art. E. No. This is too broad; the conclusion is about literature, not all art.

Answer 160

Correct Answer: E E Parallel Flaw The psychiatrist concluded that there is no such thing as a multiple personality disorder because in all her years of clinical practice, she had never encountered one instance of this type. The flaw is that this type of disorder could still exist even if the psychiatrist has never personally witnessed a case of it. Note the use of extreme language ("no such thing," "never") in both the conclusion and the premise; you want to be sure to find an answer choice that similarly makes use of strong language. A. No. This isn't the same flaw as the original argument because it doesn't match in terms of language. The conclusion here is "seldom fatal," which allows for the possibility that Anton might be wrong in his thinking. The original argument does not make this concession, which is why it is flawed to begin with. B. No. This isn't flawed; the conclusion that there are "probably no groundhogs in the area" is reasonable enough. C. No. While this choice is flawed, it doesn't match the flaw in the original argument. Sauda does not assume that because she has never witnessed a particular phenomenon, it doesn't exist. D. No. This isn't flawed; Thomas's conclusion is reasonable because the language, "probably continue," allows room for contradiction. E. Yes. This is the same flaw as in the original argument: Because Jerod has never seen a deer in his area, he assumes there are no deer in the area. However, it's entirely possible that there could still be deer in his area without his having seen them.

Answer 161

Correct Answer: C C Weaken The argument concludes that world hunger would not be significantly reduced even if many more people in the world excluded meat from their diet. Underlying this claim is an assumption that the causes of world hunger cannot be solved by greater numbers of people choosing not to eat meat. You want to find an answer choice that suggests that people's decision not to include meat in their diet could somehow impact and help to reduce world hunger. A. No. This might strengthen the argument by showing that hunger is not generally linked to people's consumption choices. B. No. This is irrelevant. If disease affects both herds and crops, then there isn't a clear advantage to either, according to this choice. C. Yes. This shows that not including meat in one's diet has an effect equivalent to feeding more than ten people, suggesting that if more people excluded meat from their diet, a significant reduction in world hunger could be achieved, thereby weakening the argument. D. No. This is irrelevant. This choice is concerned with people going hungry in times of emergency because they live in a remote area; this is not necessarily the same issue as world hunger, since the original argument isn't limited to emergency situations. E. No. This would strengthen the argument, if anything, by suggesting that factors other than people's decision to eat meat impact world hunger. It certainly doesn't weaken the argument, though.

Answer 162

Correct Answer: B B Principle Match The dairy farmer states that on their farm, much concern is shown for cows' environmental conditions in that they have recently made improvements to increase the cows' comfort. These changes are intended to increase blood flow to the udder, thereby increasing milk output and thus profits. You need to find an answer choice that illustrates how the interests of both the farmer (profits) and the cows (comfort) coincide. A. No. This is too extreme. The argument doesn't support the idea that cows having comfortable living conditions depends on farmers having some knowledge about the physiology of milk production. B. Yes. This choice is in line with the idea that the interests of the farmer—increased profits—can result in more comfortable conditions for the cows. C. No. This is irrelevant. The argument doesn't compare cows to other farm animals. D. No. This is irrelevant. Quality is never mentioned in the argument. E. No. This is too strong. While the farmer implies that having concern for dairy cows' environment is a way to increase profits, there's no support for the idea that it is the key to maximizing profits.

Answer 163

Correct Answer: C C Point at Issue Pat concludes that E-mail promotes a degree of intimacy with strangers that would otherwise take years of direct personal contact to attain because E-mail fosters anonymity, which removes barriers to self-revelation. Amar states that frankness and intimacy are not the same thing because intimacy requires a real social bond, which in turn requires direct personal contact; his implied conclusion is that E-mail therefore doesn't really promote intimacy in the way Pat suggests. A. No. Amar never mentions barriers to self-revelation, so you don't know whether he would agree or disagree with this statement. B. No. This is irrelevant. Neither person discusses whether E-mail can increase intimacy among friends. C. Yes. Pat would seem to agree with this choice, while Amar would disagree. D. No. Pat never discusses social bonds, so you don't know whether he would agree with this choice. E. No. Amar doesn't mention either barriers to self-revelation or the use of E-mail, so you don't have enough information to evaluate whether he would agree with this statement.

Answer 164

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The criminologist concludes that criminal organizations will try to become increasingly involved in the areas of biotechnology and information technology. Why? The ongoing revolutions in these areas promise to generate enormous profits, and the main purpose of most criminal organizations is to generate profits. In order for the conclusion to be properly inferred, you need to know that criminal organizations tend to get involved in those areas where there is the potential for enormous profits. A. No. You have already been told that the main purpose of most criminal organizations is to generate profits, so this choice doesn't add anything to the argument. B. No. This is close, but it doesn't go far enough. It's not enough to know that some criminal organizations are or may become aware of these potential profits; you need to know that these groups will try to become involved because of the potential for profits. C. No. What criminal organizations have done up to now is not relevant to the argument, which is concerned about what they will do in the future. D. Yes. This connects the conclusion to the premises as noted above. E. No. The legality of the activities is irrelevant, as you're talking about criminal organizations to begin with.

Answer 165

Correct Answer: C C Reasoning The argument concludes that, contrary to what administrators and teachers may think, the educational use of computers will not enable schools to teach far more courses with far fewer teachers than traditional methods allow. This is because computerized instruction requires more time of instructors, so reducing the number of teachers would likewise require reducing the number of courses offered. The statement asked about in the question stem, therefore, is a belief the argument aims to reject. A. No. The statement presents the belief of administrators with regard to the educational use of computers as a matter of fact, so there is no "possible explanation" in the argument. B. No. The argument is not attempting to solve anything. C. Yes. This is in line with the discussion above. D. No. The argument's conclusion rejects this statement. E. No. The argument's conclusion rejects this statement.

Answer 166

Correct Answer: E E Weaken The argument concludes that foraging leads to the increased brain size of older bees. Why? Older bees, which usually forage outside the hive for food, tend to have larger brains than do younger bees, which usually remain in the hive to tend to newly hatched bees instead of foraging. Foraging requires greater cognitive ability than does tending to newly hatched bees. The argument is assuming a causal relationship (foraging increases brain size) from a correlation (foraging and larger brain size happen to occur together in older bees). In order to weaken the argument, you need to show that this causality isn't true or that some other factor accounts for the size of the brain. A. No. This doesn't weaken the argument; it could still be true that the act of foraging, regardless of the overall length of time a bee has foraged, contributes to increased brain size. B. No. This is irrelevant and doesn't provide an alternative explanation as to why the bees' brains increased in size in the first place. C. No. The distance traveled outside the hive while foraging is not relevant to whether the activity of foraging itself leads to the increased brain size of older bees. D. No. This doesn't weaken the argument, as this still doesn't provide another explanation for the larger brain size of older bees. E. Yes. This implies that larger brain size could be due to the age of the bees and not the activity that they engage in, thereby weakening the causal assumption of the argument.

Answer 167

Correct Answer: A A Flaw Carla concludes that professors at public universities should receive paid leaves of absence to allow them to engage in research because research will both advance human knowledge and improve professors' teaching by keeping them up to speed on the latest developments in their field. David responds by first acknowledging Carla's mention of the possible benefits of research, but then asks why limited resources should be devoted to supporting professors taking time off from teaching. His question indicates that he has missed part of Carla's initial reasoning, in which she explained that engaging in research improves professors' teaching. A. Yes. This accurately states the flaw as noted above. B. No. This is extreme. David never claims that the sole function of a professor is teaching. C. No. David never directly addresses the source of funding for professors; he merely says that there are "limited resources." D. No. David never claims that paid leave has only one function. E. No. This is irrelevant. Neither person discusses the issue of vacations.

Answer 168

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The software reviewer concludes that, despite the fact that dictation software has been promoted as a labor-saving device, it in fact fails to live up to its billing. The evidence offered by the software reviewer for this opinion is that the laborious part of writing is in the thinking and editing, not in the typing. Furthermore, the time spent proofreading the software's error-filled output generally squanders any time saved in typing. The statement asked about in the question stem, therefore, is the argument's conclusion. A. No. There are no other conclusions in this argument. B. Yes. This is in line with the discussion above. C. No. There are no other conclusions in this argument. D. No. The statement is the conclusion, not a premise. E. No. The statement is the conclusion, not a premise, and there are no other conclusions in this argument.

Answer 169

Correct Answer: E E Weaken The poetry journal patron concludes that if the magazine under discussion were to publish an anthology of poems first printed in its pages, it could depend less on donations. The patron cites as evidence The Brick Wall Review, which has an agreement with those who publish in it that any poem printed in one of its regular issues can be reprinted without monetary compensation in its annual anthology. The Brick Wall Review makes enough money from sales of its anthologies to cover most operating expenses. The patron also notes that most poems published in the magazine at issue are very similar to those published in The Brick Wall Review. To weaken the argument, you need to find a choice that attacks the legitimacy of the comparison between the magazine under discussion and The Brick Wall Review. A. No. Whether either publication depends on donations to cover operating expenses is irrelevant. B. No. While this might appear to suggest that the two publications are not in fact as similar as the patron claims, this still doesn't weaken the argument. It could be that the poems that were rejected by the magazine under discussion were atypical of what the poets themselves normally write and have published in The Brick Wall Review. C. No. The nature of the compensation received by the poets who publish in the magazine in question is not relevant. D. No. How The Brick Wall Review covers operating expenses not covered by income from anthology sales is irrelevant. E. Yes. This implies that there are other factors involved in the success of The Brick Wall Review's anthology that could affect whether or how well the magazine in question could replicate The Brick Wall Review's strategy.

Answer 170

Correct Answer: D D Main Point You need to supply the conclusion to this argument. You are told that no one with a serious medical problem would rely on the average person to prescribe treatment. Therefore, since a good public servant has the interest of the public at heart, a good public servant would also not rely on the average person to solve a given problem, in keeping with the reasoning underlying the premise above. A. No. The outcomes of public opinion surveys are not relevant to the argument. B. No. This is irrelevant. The argument isn't concerned with what the average public servant knows. C. No. The argument isn't focused on whether public servants need a greater level of knowledge than they already have. D. Yes. This is in keeping with the discussion above. E. No. What constitutes being a good public servant is not relevant to the argument.

Answer 171

Correct Answer: C C Parallel Diagram the statements in the argument. Winning → willingness to cooperate → motivation. Therefore, not motivated → won't win. The conclusion is the contrapositive; you need to find an answer choice that matches this structure. A. No. The conclusion here involves a paradox, which does match the structure of the original argument. B. No. Improvement → learning → making some mistakes. However, the conclusion states that you will not make mistakes without having some improvement, which isn't the contrapositive of this sequence. C. Yes. Retain status → raise more money → increased campaigning. Therefore, no increase in campaigning → won't retain status. This matches the original argument. D. No. Repair own bicycle → enthusiastic → mechanical aptitude. Therefore, unable to repair own bicycle → lack mechanical aptitude. This reasoning is flawed, so this choice doesn't match the original argument. E. No. Getting ticket → waiting in line → patience. Therefore, don't wait in line → lack patience. This reasoning is flawed, so this choice doesn't match the original argument.

Answer 172

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The argument concludes that setting the highway speed limit at 90 kph (55 mph) has reduced the highway accident rate by at least 15 percent. The evidence for this claim is that the highway accident rate peaked a decade ago, at which time the speed limit on highways was set to the current limit. For every year since that time, the highway accident rate has been at least 15 percent lower than that of its peak. The argument assumes that it's the fixed speed limit that is responsible for the lower accident rate; to weaken the argument, then, you need to show that there is another possible explanation, outside of the set speed limit, for why the highway accident rate has decreased. A. No. This does not provide an alternative explanation for why the highway accident rate has decreased. B. No. This is not relevant to the argument, which is focused specifically on the highway accident rate. This choice addresses all automobile accidents, which goes beyond the scope of this argument. C. No. This doesn't go far enough to weaken the argument. Even if most people typically drive faster than the speed limit, that doesn't mean the setting of the limit wasn't responsible for the decreased accident rate. D. Yes. This weakens the argument by suggesting that changes in automobile design and not the fixed speed limits are responsible for the reduced highway accident rate. E. No. While this may appear to weaken the argument, it's actually irrelevant. The measures discussed may reduce harm to passengers, but since the conclusion is concerned with the rate of accidents, not injuries or fatalities, this choice has no impact on the argument.

Answer 173

Correct Answer: E E Reasoning The editorial disagrees with those who believe that the government's inability to solve long-standing social problems even though it has launched rockets into outer space stems from a case of misplaced priorities. The editorial concludes that such criticism is itself misplaced because rocket technology is much simpler than the human psyche and understanding the human psyche is necessary to solving the great social problems. The statement asked about in the question stem, therefore, is a premise used to support the argument's conclusion. A. No. It is a premise that supports the argument's conclusion, not an objection to the conclusion. B. No. The argument never says this fact has misled some social critics. C. No. The statement is a premise, not the conclusion. D. No. The statement is used to support the argument's conclusion, which in turn undermines the social critics' reasoning. E. Yes. The statement is a premise used to support the argument's conclusion undermining the viewpoint of the social critics.

Answer 174

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The archaeologist concludes that, contrary to previous belief, the Clovis point was not invented in North America. The evidence offered for this conclusion is the discovery in Siberia of a cache of Clovis points and the fact that groups of paleohumans, who made Clovis points, left Siberia and crossed the Bering land bridge into North America after the last Ice Age. The archaeologist assumes that the Clovis points found in Siberia must have been made by paleohumans prior to their crossing; you want to find an answer choice that supports this interpretation of facts. A. Yes. This strengthens the archaeologist's argument that Clovis points were not invented in North America by confirming that those found in Siberia were made before any of those found in North America. B. No. This doesn't tell you anything further about when the Clovis points found on either side of the Bering land bridge were fabricated, so it's irrelevant. C. No. The relative effectiveness of Clovis points as hunting weapons is not relevant to the archaeologist's argument. D. No. Artifacts other than Clovis points are irrelevant, since the conclusion is specifically concerned with Clovis points. E. No. This weakens the argument by suggesting that the Clovis points found in Siberia might have been made in North America and then brought back to Siberia when some paleohuman groups migrated back.

Answer 175

Correct Answer: B B Inference Pick the answer that is contradicted by the passage. A. No. This could be true. You know that each taxi driver sets a daily income target, which affects the number of hours a driver needs to work, so it's conceivable that the income target is based on that driver's financial needs. B. Yes. This directly contrasts with the last sentence of the argument. Taxi drivers work fewer hours when they are busiest, which means they work fewer hours when their effective hourly wage is high. This goes against the idea presented by the answer choice. C. No. This could be true. Nothing in the argument contradicts this idea. D. No. This could be true. Nothing in the argument contradicts this idea. E. No. This could be true. Nothing in the argument contradicts this idea.

Answer 176

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that it is wrong to think that the meaning of a poem is whatever the author intends to communicate to the reader by means of the poem. Why? Sometimes one can read a poem and believe that it expresses contradictory ideas, even though it is a great poem. And no one who is writing a great poem intends the poem to communicate contradictory ideas. The missing link here is the assumption that what a reader believes a poem expresses is actually what the author intended the poem to mean. You need an answer choice that connects the poem's meaning to what the reader perceives the poem to be expressing. A. No. This is irrelevant. Whether readers agree about what the author intends to communicate in a poem is not relevant. B. No. The notion that the writer of a great poem intends it to express one primary idea is irrelevant. C. No. Whether readers agree on the meaning of a poem is irrelevant. D. No. This doesn't bring in the key element of the poem's meaning. E. Yes. This is in line with the discussion above.

Answer 177

Correct Answer: C C Inference Pick the answer supported by the passage. A. No. This doesn't have to be true. It's possible that a nonresident who is a former resident of Weston contributed in excess of $100 to Brimley's campaign. B. No. The only contributions that you know have to be registered are those made by nonresidents who are not former residents of Weston, and according to the last sentence of the argument, Brimley's campaign did not accept any contributions made from those in this particular category. C. Yes. This must be true. According to the law given in the argument, contributions in excess of $100 made by nonresidents who are not former residents need to be registered with the city council. Since you are told that it is true that Brimley's campaign complied with the law, it must therefore also be true that none of the contributions needed to be registered, given that the campaign accepted contributions only from residents and former residents. D. No. According to the argument, Brimley did not need to register any contributions with the city council because the campaign did not accept any from those to whom the law would apply. Therefore, you can't know anything about the relative amounts that the campaign might have chosen to register of its own accord. E. No. According to the argument, Brimley's campaign did not need to register any of the contributions it accepted. However, that does not mean the campaign did not register any with the city council; there could be other reasons for the campaign to register some contributions of its own volition.

Answer 178

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The historian concludes that Flavius was widely unpopular among his subjects based on the fact that a large number of satirical plays were written about him during his administration. However, you are also told that Flavius actively sought to discourage the arts and removed state financial support for them. This calls into question the historian's assertion that Flavius was widely unpopular based merely on the fact that playwrights chose to satirize him; the sample population may not be representative of the larger population of his subjects. A. No. While the argument does not consider this, this isn't a problem with the historian's logic. B. Yes. This is in line with the discussion above. C. No. The historian does provide evidence to support the notion that Flavius was not a fan of the arts: You are told that Flavius removed state financial support for the arts. D. No. The historian never mentions whether Flavius's attempt to discourage the arts was actually successful, and the fact that a large number of satirical plays were written during his administration would seem to suggest that it was not. E. No. The argument does not consider this; however, it's neither relevant to the argument nor the problem with the historian's logic.

Answer 179

Correct Answer: A A Resolve/Explain Students who performed the best in a university's history classes had either part-time or full-time jobs, limited social lives, and history classes that met early in the morning. Those students who performed the worst lacked jobs, had very active social lives, and had their history classes early in the morning. You need an answer choice that accounts for the discrepancy in performance given that both the best and worst performers had their classes early in the morning. A. Yes. This explains the disparity in terms of the differences among the students with respect to their jobs and social lives. B. No. This doesn't explain why those with full-time jobs performed better than those without jobs. C. No. This makes the discrepancy worse, since both the best and worst performers had classes that met early in the morning. D. No. This is irrelevant; you know only that the students in the study were taking history classes, not whether any of them were interested in majoring in history. E. No. This makes the discrepancy worse, as it suggests that those with full-time jobs shouldn't have performed better than those with active social lives.

Answer 180

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The politician concludes that those who were not persuaded by Kuyler's argument that it would be improper to enter into a contract with the government were right not to have been persuaded. As evidence, the politician states that Kuyler's company has had numerous lucrative contracts with the government. The flaw is that Kuyler could still be correct in terms of the advice given even if Kuyler's company has not followed that advice; there could be differing circumstances, for example. The politician dismisses Kuyler's argument without evaluating its merit as it relates to the situation at hand. A. No. The politician merely says that everyone was right not to have been persuaded by Kuyler's argument, but this is not the reason the argument is rejected. B. No. There is no testimony presented here. C. Yes. This is consistent with the discussion above. D. No. The politician never discusses Kuyler's reasoning; Kuyler's argument is dismissed because Kuyler's company does not conform to the argument made. E. No. There is no appeal to popular opinion in the politician's argument.

Answer 181

Correct Answer: A A Main Point The argument concludes that specialization in international trade carries risks. This is because small countries often rely on one or two products for the bulk of their exports. If those products are raw materials, the risk is that the finite supply may be used up; if those products are foodstuffs, the risk is that a natural disaster could wipe out a season's production overnight. A. Yes. This is stated in the first sentence of the argument. B. No. This is a premise. C. No. This is a premise. D. No. This is a premise. E. No. This introduces the argument, but it is not its conclusion.

Answer 182

Correct Answer: B B Resolve/Explain Two groups of adults were asked to write short stories on a particular topic. One group was told that the best stories would be awarded cash prizes, while the other was told no such thing. The stories submitted by those who had been told there would be prizes were ranked on average much lower than those from the other group. You need to find a choice that explains the difference in quality between the two groups. A. No. This would make the paradox worse—why would one group have had significantly higher average ranking if this were true? B. Yes. This would account for the lower average ranking of the stories written by those who thought they were competing for prizes. C. No. This doesn't explain the difference between the two groups; it seems to suggest that the rankings should have been comparable between the two. D. No. This doesn't account for the differences in average ranking, as both groups were given the same topic to write on and any bias would have been applied equally across the board. E. No. Again, this doesn't explain why one group's stories were ranked significantly lower than the other's stories, since both groups were treated equally in terms of information about judging standards.

Answer 183

Correct Answer: A A Reasoning Hernandez concludes that staff cars should be replaced every four years instead of every three years because three-year-old cars are still in good condition and this change would result in big savings. Green disagrees, noting that some salespeople with big territories wear out their cars in three years. Hernandez responds to Green's objection by clarifying his reasoning, stating that he was referring to three-year-old cars subjected to normal use. A. Yes. Hernandez qualifies his statement concerning the condition of three-year-old cars by saying that it applies to those three-year-old cars subjected to normal use. B. No. Hernandez never criticizes anyone. C. No. Hernandez does not challenge the accuracy of Green's statement. D. No. Hernandez does not discuss the size of sales territories. E. No. Hernandez does not claim that Green used a phrase in an ambiguous manner.

Answer 184

Correct Answer: A A Weaken The economist concludes that raising the minimum wage significantly will cause an increase in unemployment. This is because raising the minimum wage significantly makes it more expensive for businesses to pay workers for minimum-wage jobs. Hence businesses could not afford to continue to employ as many workers for such jobs. The economist assumes that there's no way businesses could absorb this extra cost other than by laying off workers. You need to find an answer choice that contradicts this assumption. A. Yes. This weakens the argument because it suggests that raising the minimum wage significantly does not have to result in an increase in unemployment; businesses simply pass the cost on to consumers. B. No. This doesn't weaken the argument, as you have no information about the current relationship between minimum wage and a skilled worker's wage. C. No. This is irrelevant; the argument isn't concerned with what is acceptable in terms of increasing unemployment. D. No. This comes close, but ultimately doesn't weaken the argument. Even if most workers are earning more than the current minimum wage and would therefore be unaffected by the increase, it's still possible that the economist's prediction could come true if businesses can't otherwise absorb the extra cost of paying their minimum-wage workers more money. E. No. This is irrelevant; this doesn't address the issue of whether businesses could absorb an increase in the minimum wage without laying off workers.

Answer 185

Correct Answer: C C Resolve/Explain Scientists removed all viruses from a seawater sample and then measured the growth rate of the plankton population in the water, expecting that the rate would increase. However, they found that the population actually got smaller. What would explain this result? A. No. This doesn't explain why, upon removal of the viruses, the plankton population decreased; this seems to suggest that it should have increased as the scientists expected. B. No. As in choice (A), this seems to suggest that removing the viruses would have allowed the plankton population to expand. C. Yes. This tells you that removing the viruses actually interfered with the ability of plankton to get enough nutrients, thereby explaining the decrease in the size of the population. D. No. This isn't strong enough. It doesn't actually state that these bacteria did in fact flourish and that they would have affected the plankton population. E. No. This doesn't explain why removal of the viruses resulted in a shrinking of the plankton population if it's common for plankton to be infected by viruses.

Answer 186

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The city council member concludes that in order to prevent anarchy in their city, they must deny the Senior Guild's request for a temporary exception to the ordinance prohibiting automobiles in municipal parks. This is because, although the Senior Guild's case has merit, the city council member believes that granting one exception will lead to granting many more exceptions to this particular ordinance, some of which will be undeserved, and will ultimately result in granting exceptions to all manner of other city ordinances as well. The flaw in the argument here is that the city council member assumes that granting this one exception will necessarily result in a downward spiral of all manner of other exceptions to city ordinances; however, there's nothing provided to support this belief. A. No. The city council member doesn't distort an argument and then attack it. B. No. The decision to deny the request is not based on the source of the request. C. Yes. The city council member assumes that granting one exception will cause many other exceptions to be granted in the future. D. No. The premises stated here do not contradict each other. E. No. The argument does not provide a distinction between these two types of exceptions, but this is not the flaw in the city council member's logic.

Answer 187

Correct Answer: D D Strengthen The physician concludes that his country suffers significantly fewer ulcers per capita than do two other countries of roughly the same population size. This conclusion is based on the physician's findings that even though all three countries face the same dietary, bacterial, and stress-related causes of ulcers, prescriptions for ulcer medicines in all socioeconomic strata are much rarer in his country than in the other two. The physician assumes that there are no other factors that could account for the difference in prescription rates other than fewer instances of ulcers. To strengthen this argument, you need a choice that either further bolsters the physician's logic or that eliminates a potential alternative explanation for the lower prescription rate. A. No. Whether the ulcer rates for the two countries to which the physician's country is compared are similar to each other is irrelevant. B. No. This would weaken the physician's argument by providing an alternative explanation for the lower rate of prescriptions in the physician's country. C. No. Other countries are not relevant to the physician's conclusion, which is concerned only with the three countries referred to above. D. Yes. This strengthens the physician's argument by showing that it is equally likely that people in all countries would seek out a prescription if they were suffering from ulcers, supporting the conclusion that the lower rate of prescriptions in the physician's country is due to fewer occurrences of ulcers in that country. E. No. This is irrelevant. How good the system for reporting the number of prescriptions is doesn't tell you anything about whether the physician's conclusion is justified.

Answer 188

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The columnist concludes that bicyclists are at least partially responsible for more than half of the traffic accidents involving bicycles. The columnist presents two pieces of evidence for this conclusion. First, the failure of bicyclists to obey traffic regulations is a causal factor in more than a quarter of traffic accidents involving bicycles. Second, inadequate bicycle safety equipment is also a factor in more than a quarter of such accidents. However, the two causes the columnist cites aren't mutually exclusive; it is possible to have both a failure to obey traffic regulations and inadequate bicycle safety equipment as contributors to a given accident. Therefore, it's incorrect to assume that these two factors account for more than half of all traffic accidents involving bicycles. A. No. The columnist never states what factors are involved in those traffic accidents involving bicyclists in which responsibility is not assigned to the bicyclist. B. No. The columnist states that each of the two factors is a causal factor in traffic accidents involving bicycles, so there's no confusion here between correlation and causation. C. Yes. This is in line with the discussion above. D. No. While the columnist doesn't cite the source of the figures, this isn't the problem with the argument's logic. E. No. The varying severity of injuries to bicyclists is not relevant to the columnist's argument.

Answer 189

Correct Answer: A A Weaken Doctors claim they can produce a vaccine that will produce permanent immunity to the viral disease hepatitis E. Why? Many vaccines create immunity by introducing a certain portion of the disease-causing virus's outer coating into the body to stimulate the production of antibodies that will subsequently recognize and kill the whole virus. A suitable portion of the virus that causes hepatitis E has now been isolated. The doctors assume that this particular method of vaccination will work to create permanent immunity; to weaken their claim, you need to look for a reason that this method may not work as planned. A. Yes. This weakens the argument because it suggests that most people who contract hepatitis E have usually already been exposed to the virus once before and yet still later contracted the disease, implying that exposure to the virus once does not necessarily confer permanent immunity. This suggests that the vaccine the doctors claim to be able to create may not produce permanent immunity. B. No. The argument is concerned only with whether exposure to one strain can lead to immunity to that particular strain, not to all strains, so this is irrelevant. C. No. This is irrelevant. While the choice says researchers first isolated the virus that causes hepatitis B before they created the vaccine, that doesn't mean the vaccine was created using the method described in the argument. D. No. This might appear at first to weaken the doctors' claim, but it's not strong enough. This choice suggests that in some areas the vaccine the doctors hope to produce might not be effective because some people will have already had exposure to the virus that causes hepatitis E, but it's still possible that a vaccine could be produced that would confer permanent immunity on those who hadn't previously been exposed to the virus. E. No. If anything, this would strengthen the doctors' claim by suggesting that the method described in the argument to create a vaccine (exposure to the virus that causes a given disease) could produce permanent immunity.

Answer 190

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The editorial concludes that what is called "international law" is not effective law. This is because to qualify as effective law, a command must be backed up by an effective enforcement mechanism. Police serve as this enforcement mechanism in any given society, thereby rendering that society's laws effective. But there is no international police force at present. The assumption made by the editorial is that there is no other way to enforce international law other than by having an international police force. A. No. This is too broad; you need something that specifically relates to international law. B. No. This is backwards. The argument assumes that an international police force is necessary to making international law effective: international law effective → international police force. This choice, however, claims that an international police force is sufficient to render international law effective: international police force → international law effective. C. No. The editorial is not focused on differences between international law and the laws of individual societies. D. No. The editorial claims that police are necessary to enforce the laws of a society, but never assumes that enforcement is the primary purpose of a police force. E. Yes. Try negating it if you're not sure. If something other than an international police force could effectively enforce international law, then the editorial's conclusion is no longer valid, which means this statement is necessary to the argument.

Answer 191

Correct Answer: D D Inference Pick the answer best supported by the passage. A. No. This is too extreme. You don't know that landscape painting and portraiture are the artistic genres that most naturally lend themselves to the mere reflection of a preexisting external reality. B. No. The art historian presents this as one way in which an artist controls the composition and subject of a painting, but never claims this is the only way through which an artist can achieve that control. C. No. Nonrepresentational painting is never mentioned. D. Yes. The last sentence of the argument states that the artist has more control over the composition and subject of a still-life painting than over those of a landscape painting or portrait. Since you are also told that in a still-life painting, the artist invariably chooses, modifies, and arranges the objects to be painted, you can conclude that in at least landscape painting and portraiture the artist does not always choose, modify, and arrange the objects to be painted. E. No. There is not enough information about what artists do when painting a portrait to support this claim.

Answer 192

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match Food that does not ordinarily contain fat can be labeled "nonfat" only if most people mistakenly believe the food ordinarily contains fat. In that case, the food can be labeled "nonfat" if the label also states that the food ordinarily contains no fat. You need to find an answer choice that violates this food labeling regulation. A. No. This is consistent with the food labeling regulation described above. B. No. This is consistent with the food labeling regulation described above. There is no mandate for using the "nonfat" label, only restrictions on how and when it can be used, so the lack of a "nonfat" label on a nonfat food falls within the scope of the regulation. C. No. This does not contradict the food labeling regulation, as the regulation applies to those foods that do not ordinarily contain fat and you are told that most garlic baguettes contain fat. D. Yes. This violates the food labeling regulation. Most people are aware that applesauce does not ordinarily contain fat, so there is no need for the "nonfat" label on Lester's Applesauce. E. No. This is consistent with the food labeling regulation described above. The label indicates that salsa ordinarily is nonfat.

Answer 193

Correct Answer: C C Parallel Flaw The medical ethicist concludes that it is never acceptable to offer experimental treatments to patients who experience no extreme symptoms of the relevant disease. This is because patients who suffer from extreme symptoms of a disease are best able to weigh the risks of an experimental treatment against the benefits of a cure. The ethicist provides no evidence to support the claim that these patients are best able to judge the risks and benefits, nor does the ethicist consider that there could be other factors to support the idea of offering experimental treatments to patients who do not experience extreme symptoms of a given disease. Note also the use of extreme language here ("best able," "never," "no"); you'll need to match that in the answer choices. A. No. This choice is not flawed. B. No. The conclusion that the automobile was "likely" not test-driven does not match the original argument. C. Yes. This choice contains the same flawed reasoning and extreme use of language ("exceptionally qualified," "not," "not") as the original argument. D. No. The conclusion here uses softer language ("some") than does the conclusion of the original argument, so this doesn't match. E. No. This choice is flawed, but not in the same way as the original argument. Here, the conclusion is more extreme ("not worthwhile," "unavoidable") than the premise warrants ("almost"), which is structurally different from the original argument.

Answer 194

Correct Answer: C C Principle Match The critic states that as modern methods of communication and transportation have improved, the pace of life has become faster than ever before. This in turn has fostered feelings of impermanence and instability, making people feel as if there is never enough time to achieve what they want or what they think they want. You need to find a principle in the answer choices that addresses the fact that improvements in communication and transportation have led people to feel less permanence and less stability than before. A. No. You know that the fast pace of modern life has made people feel that there isn't enough time to achieve their goals, but nothing is said about whether it has in fact made it more difficult for people to achieve their goals. B. No. There is no discussion of whether improvements in communication and technology outweigh feelings of impermanence and instability. C. Yes. This is in line with the analysis above. D. No. The critic never addresses what makes it difficult for people to know what they want. E. No. This is backwards. Technological change has created feelings of impermanence and instability in people, not the other way around.

Answer 195

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The consumer concludes that Bingham's Jewelry Store, even though it is not a department store, should provide a refund. Why? The watch the consumer purchased from Bingham's stopped working the very next day. If you buy a watch at a department store and use it only in the way it was intended to be used, the department store will refund your money if the watch stops working the next day. The gap here is in how the watch purchased by the consumer was used: In order for the consumer's argument to be valid, the watch must have been used only in the way it was intended to be used. A. No. This is focused on the seller, whereas the consumer's concern is for the purchaser, so this choice is not relevant. B. No. How long either watch would work if used only as intended is beyond the scope of the argument, which is concerned only with what compensation there would be if either watch stopped working the day after it was purchased. C. No. What expectations a purchaser may have of a watch are secondary to whether the watch was used only as it was intended to be used. D. Yes. This is a paraphrase of the gap stated above. E. No. This is irrelevant; the consumer never makes a distinction between new and old watches.

Answer 196

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The argument concludes that therapists practicing a new experimental form of therapy are more effective than therapists practicing traditional forms. This is because a study found that patients who were referred to psychotherapists practicing the new form made more progress with respect to their problems than did those referred to psychotherapists practicing traditional forms. The flaw here is that there could be other reasons those patients made more progress than others. Those patients' progress may not be the result of therapists practicing a new form of therapy, so those therapists may not be more effective than those practicing traditional forms. A. No. The argument never discusses whether therapists trained in the new form of therapy use the same techniques, but this isn't the problem with the argument's logic. B. Yes. This suggests that it was the nature of the patient's problem, rather than the form of therapy practiced by the therapist, that is responsible for the differing levels of progress. C. No. The argument does not discuss whether psychotherapists trained in traditional forms of therapy have also trained in the new form of therapy. D. No. The argument doesn't address this, but that isn't the flaw in the argument's reasoning. If there were some systematic difference with respect to a relevant personality attribute, this might actually lend credence to the idea that those therapists practicing the new form of therapy are more effective. E. No. The argument does not assume that personal rapport has no influence; it merely says that the new form of therapy is what accounts for the difference in progress.

Answer 197

Correct Answer: D D Principle Strengthen The essayist concludes that one should not support political systems that allow extreme freedom. This is because when people have extreme personal and political freedom, they often make choices for the worst and it is unrealistic to expect people to thrive when they are free to make such unwise choices. Once people see the destructive consequences of extreme freedom, it is possible that they may prefer to establish totalitarian political regimes that allow virtually no freedom. You need an answer choice that supports the essayist's conclusion that political systems that allow extreme freedom should not be supported. A. No. This is too strong. The essayist says that people "may prefer" to establish a totalitarian regime, not that such a regime will inevitably be established. B. No. This is not relevant to the essayist's conclusion, which does not discuss whether everyone should be expected to thrive. C. No. The essayist's conclusion says nothing about what sort of political systems should be supported; it deals only with what sort of political system should not be supported. D. Yes. This is in line with the essayist's reasoning, as noted above. E. No. This is not relevant to the essayist's conclusion, which is concerned with political systems that could lead people to desire a more restrictive form of political system.

Answer 198

Correct Answer: E E Parallel Diagram the argument. Moral action → keeping of an agreement → securing mutual benefit. Not all agreement-keeping actions are moral actions, so then some acts of securing mutual benefit are not moral actions. The conclusion here essentially reinforces the idea that you can't read against the direction of the arrows: Knowing that an action is an agreement-keeping action does not imply that it is a moral one, so while the act of keeping an agreement does have to be an act of securing mutual benefit, that same action could be, but does not have to be, a moral action. A. No. Calculator → computer → device for automated reasoning. Not all devices for automated reasoning are calculators, so some devices for automated reasoning are not computers. This doesn't have the same structure as the original argument, which places emphasis in the conclusion on the element all the way to the left of the arrows, which in this case would be the calculator (moral action in the original argument). B. No. Exercise → beneficial → promote health. Not all beneficial things are forms of exercise, so some exercise does not promote health. This is flawed; according to the premises, all exercise must promote health. C. No. Metaphor → comparison and surprising. This doesn't match the argument above. D. No. Architecture → design → art. Not all design is architecture, so some art is not design. This is close, but the conclusion doesn't match up. For the logic to be the same, the conclusion would need to assert that some art is not architecture. E. Yes. This is the same logic as the argument above. Book → text → document. Not all texts are books (because you can't read against the arrow), but all texts are documents; therefore, some documents are not books.

Answer 199

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The sociologist concludes that the more technologically advanced a society is, the more marked its members' resistance to technological innovations. This is because the more technologically advanced a society is, the more aware its members are of technology's drawbacks; people realize that sophisticated technologies deeply affect the quality of human relations. The statement that is asked about in the question stem, therefore, is one of the sociologist's premises. A. No. The statement is a premise, not a conclusion. B. Yes. This is in line with the analysis above. C. No. The sociologist never states that the quality of human relations in technologically advanced societies is extremely poor. D. No. The sociologist never claims that the more people resist technological innovations, the more difficult it is for them to adjust to those innovations. E. No. The statement does not serve as an example and the sociologist never claims that resistance to technological innovations deeply affects the quality of human relations.

Answer 200

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The argument concludes that it is false to believe that nonwealthy candidates supported by wealthy patrons in democratic elections not fully subsidized by the government will compromise their views to win such support. Why? The wealthy are dispersed among the various political parties in roughly equal proportion to their percentage in the overall population. The flaw in this reasoning is that you can't presume that the views of the candidates necessarily align with those of the wealthy people who support them, regardless of how those supporters are distributed among political parties. A candidate's views could just as easily not align with any political party and therefore not align with any wealthy supporter, necessitating that the candidate compromise his or her views. A. No. The primary function of political parties is not relevant to the argument. B. Yes. This paraphrases the problem with the argument noted above. C. No. This argument is concerned with democracies in which elections are not fully subsidized by the government, while this choice is focused on government-subsidized elections. D. No. The ability of a wealthy person to win an election is not relevant to the argument, which is focused on nonwealthy candidates. E. No. This is irrelevant. The argument is concerned with whether candidates might have to compromise their views in order to be elected; it claims they do not need to. Flaws that might be found in a democracy in which candidates do not compromise their views in order to be elected constitute a separate issue

Answer 201

Correct Answer: C C Inference Pick the answer best supported by the passage. A. No. The argument says that the new clear-coat finishes are more easily scratched than are older finishes and that mitters are easier on most cars' finishes than are brushes. However, you don't know that in the past when all car washes used brushes, more cars had scratched finishes. You don't have enough information to know how much cars with older finishes were prone to scratching by brushes. B. No. This choice goes too far. From the argument, you don't know specifically why modern "brushless" car washes were introduced. C. Yes. You are told that the new clear-coat finishes are more easily scratched than are older finishes and that mitters are easier on most cars' finishes than are brushes. Therefore you can conclude that modern "brushless" car washes, which use mitters, usually do not produce visible scratches on cars with older finishes. Note, too, the safe language here ("usually"), which leaves some wiggle room for exceptions. D. No. The argument tells you nothing about the relative effectiveness of brushes (as opposed to mitters). E. No. The argument does not state that more cars today have clear-coat finishes than older finishes; you know only that there are many cars today that do have clear-coat finishes.

Answer 202

Correct Answer: C C Sufficient Assumption The argument concludes that, contrary to what is widely believed, lancelets, which are small, primitive sea animals, do have hearts. This is because the contracting vessel that all lancelets have strongly resembles the structure of the heart of certain other sea animals. Moreover, the muscular contractions in the lancelet's vessel closely resemble the muscular contractions of other animals' hearts. The argument makes an analogy assumption: It's valid to draw conclusions about the lancelet's vessel being a heart based on how well it compares to other animals' hearts in terms of structure and muscular contractions. You need an answer choice that confirms this comparison's validity. A. No. This doesn't focus on the comparison made in the argument. B. No. Again, this doesn't focus on the specific nature of the comparison being made in the argument. C. Yes. This tells you that a vessel whose structure and actions resemble those of other animals' hearts can legitimately be considered a heart. D. No. This doesn't address whether the comparison made in the argument is validly drawn. You already know the lancelet has a contracting vessel; the issue is whether this vessel can be considered a heart based on a comparison between it and other animals' hearts. E. No. This is irrelevant. The argument is concerned with whether an animal can be considered to have a heart, not whether an animal can have a heart without an artery.

Answer 203

Correct Answer: E E Inference Pick the answer best supported by the passage. A. No. You are never told that the current company software is as flexible as the proposed new software package. B. No. Familiarity is never discussed. You don't know why employees at other companies unofficially continue to use the old software as much as possible. C. No. The capabilities of the new software package are never discussed. D. No. The manager never mentions the idea of creating two classes of employees. E. Yes. This is supported by the last sentence of the argument, in which the manager notes that employees at other companies who have officially adopted the new software unofficially continue to use the old software, and by the first sentence of the argument, in which the manager advocates not completely abandoning the software currently in use at the company.

Answer 204

Correct Answer: C C Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that restrictions on water use will be necessary to meet the freshwater needs of humankind in the not-too-distant future. This is based on the fact that while the water supply is currently adequate, the population will increase over the next few decades. The assumption is that the current water supply will continue to be the water supply in the future. A. No. Other natural resources are irrelevant to the argument. B. No. This strengthens the conclusion somewhat, but is not necessary for the conclusion to be true. Negating this answer choice doesn't necessarily hurt the conclusion. C. Yes. If you negate the answer choice, it says that the freshwater supply WILL increase to meet future demands. This invalidates the conclusion, so this choice must be necessary. D. No. Synthesizing water is irrelevant to the argument. E. No. The commentator does not seek to increase the freshwater supply; rather, he aims to decrease water consumption. Therefore, this choice is irrelevant.

Answer 205

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match The psychologist claims that the best way to recall a word or name is to stop trying to think about it. A. No. The core of this situation is that one should stop trying in order to achieve the result. This answer choice does not deal with this. B. No. This choice deals with how to avoid dwelling on the size of a project by dividing it into small bits, which doesn't match the principle given in the argument. C. No. This says one should ignore mistakes, which doesn't match the psychologist's principle. D. Yes. Counting sheep is doing something other than trying to fall asleep, which the answer choice claims will make you fall asleep faster. This matches the stated principle. E. No. This tells you to focus on people worse off than you are to make yourself feel better. This doesn't match the psychologist's principle.

Answer 206

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen The argument concludes that the conclusion drawn in the editorial (the Planning Department now spends five times as much money as it did in 2001 to perform the same duties) is not justified. There isn't much evidence that supports the letter-writer's argument, and the only evidence used to support the editorial's claim is that the budget has increased from 2001 to now. The editorial assumes that the Planning Department has the same duties it had in 2001. To justify the position of the letter writer, then, you need a choice that essentially claims those duties have somehow changed since 2001. A. No. Other departments are irrelevant. B. No. If this statement were true, it is possible that overall spending could have decreased as well, but then it's unlikely that their budget would have increased fivefold if they were managing to cut spending. C. No. This is irrelevant. These are the only two years you know about, and for all you know "this year" could be 2002. D. No. This is irrelevant because the department still had a massive budget increase. E. Yes. This says that the Planning Department's duties have been increased, which would justify a larger budget and thus strengthen the position expressed in the letter to the editor.

Answer 207

Correct Answer: E E Principle Match The argument tells you that when a jury is given instructions using technical jargon, jurors tended to side with the judge's opinion. Conversely, when given instructions in nontechnical language, they tended to go against the judge. This suggests that how jurors are given instructions affects the decision they make. A. No. The argument does not pass judgment on which opinion was more correct, so which set of instructions is more precise is irrelevant. B. No. It doesn't seem likely that the judge's status would change depending on whether he or she gave technical or nontechnical instructions; thus the judge's influence should not change, either. C. No. The nonverbal behavior the judge exhibited to the jury that received technical instructions seemed very effective. D. No. The argument discusses only the results of mock trials, so you have no way of knowing this. E. Yes. This restates what was stated above: The delivery of the instructions affected the jury.

Answer 208

Correct Answer: A A Weaken The argument concludes that while there is little firm evidence of medicinal effect, people should always be allowed to prescribe herbal remedies. The evidence is that the patient will not be harmed and may be helped by herbal alternative medicines. The argument assumes that there are no other considerations other than the effectiveness of the remedy itself. A. Yes. If a patient forgoes effective conventional treatment in favor of herbal remedies, this could definitely bring about negative consequences. Therefore this choice weakens the doctor's argument. B. No. The argument already claims that there is little firm evidence of medicinal effect. Truth in advertising is irrelevant. C. No. The doctor is talking only about alternative medicines; this answer choice broadens the focus to all medicines, so it is irrelevant. D. No. The motives of the purveyors of alternative medicines are irrelevant. E. No. Whether the benefits are real or derive from a placebo effect is irrelevant.

Answer 209

Correct Answer: A A Reasoning This argument says that government does not violate free-market principles by imposing certain limitations on transactions if it does so in order to prevent economic collapse. As support for this conclusion, the argument uses the analogy of curtailing freedom of speech in certain appropriate situations. A. Yes. This choice matches the argument: two sets of principles, each limited in its own way under certain circumstances. B. No. There are no observed facts given in the argument. C. No. There are no experimental results given in the argument. D. No. The argument doesn't claim that there is a flaw in an explanation of a phenomenon. E. No. The entire scenario is a generalization; there is no particular case given.

Answer 210

Correct Answer: B B Parallel Flaw The argument attempts to claim that being the target of a smear campaign can actually benefit a candidate because most elections have been won by candidates who have been attacked via advertising. This is a case in which correlation does not equal causation: The author fails to consider that those candidates may have won elections despite, not because of, these negative attacks. A. No. This choice displays logical reasoning. B. Yes. This matches the flaw in the original argument. Many award-winning actors have received negative reviews at some point in their careers, but that doesn't mean those negative reviews caused them to win awards. C. No. This is fairly logical reasoning. D. No. This choice doesn't display the same flaw as the original argument; it doesn't attempt to claim that the critics' dislike of horror films is what causes those films to be successful. E. No. This choice doesn't display the same flawed causal assumption as the original argument.

Answer 211

Correct Answer: E E Resolve/Explain Fact 1: Residents of Springfield live farther away from work than those of Rorchester, so you would expect a greater demand for public transportation in Springfield. Fact 2: Springfield has half as many bus routes as Rorchester. A. No. This helps to explain the discrepancy. If the majority of the workforce is employed outside the city limits at the same factory, then it makes sense that there wouldn't be as many bus routes, as most of the workforce would be taking the same routes to work. And public transportation might not extend beyond the city limits, either. B. No. This helps to explain the discrepancy. If there are more car owners in Springfield, it makes sense that there wouldn't be as great a need for buses. C. No. This helps to explain the discrepancy. Adding another form of public transportation to the equation might explain why Springfield has fewer bus routes. D. No. This helps to explain the discrepancy. Fact 2 talks only about the number of bus routes. This choice suggests that it is possible for Springfield to have fewer routes yet provide equal coverage. E. Yes. If anything, this choice exacerbates the contradiction because you would expect a larger population to need more bus routes, not fewer.

Answer 212

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The argument concludes that the zero-calorie fat substitute N5 is of no use to people trying to reduce their intake of fat and calories. This is because people who ate foods prepared with N5 ate more food, making up for the calories initially saved by using N5. The argument ignores the fact that half of the goal is still met with N5, namely, reducing fat intake; the phrase "of no use" in the argument's conclusion is too strong.Best restaurants near me A. No. How many foods can or cannot be prepared with N5 is irrelevant. B. No. The side effects of N5 are irrelevant to the argument. C. No. Whether those who consume N5 pay attention to caloric intake does not seem to matter. D. No. While possibly a true statement, this is not the flaw in the argument's reasoning because it doesn't deal with fat intake. E. Yes. This choice tells you that N5 is not completely useless because it solves part of the problem: It reduces fat intake.

Answer 213

Correct Answer: B B Inference The music historian claims that the lamentations of some critics are not justified because the things they do not like about postwar bebop recordings can actually be viewed as positives. A. No. The argument states that they are not only representations of live solos, but also superb artistic works. B. Yes. This choice fits the music historian's assertion that the critics are wrong. C. No. The use of the word "always" is too extreme. D. No. The music historian doesn't claim the next generation's music is of lower overall quality, only that those musicians lack the compactness in live playing that early bebop musicians possessed. E. No. You have no way of knowing whether difficult recording conditions are a necessary component of short solos, only that it happened in this particular case.

Answer 214

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The argument concludes that there is no causal connection between damage to human chromosome number six and adult schizophrenia. The reason for this assertion is that while a recent study found a correlation between the two, there are people who have damage to the chromosome who do not develop schizophrenia and people who have schizophrenia whose chromosome is undamaged. The flaw in this argument is that the term "damage" is fairly broad. It could be that the extent of the damage could be a factor in whether a person develops schizophrenia, a possibility that the extreme language of the conclusion doesn't allow for. A. Yes. If only some types of damage to chromosome number six can cause schizophrenia, this would explain why some people have damage to the chromosome but not schizophrenia. This choice addresses the flaw in the argument. B. No. The argument never claims chromosomal damage is the sole cause of schizophrenia. In fact, the argument disputes this, since you are told that some people have schizophrenia yet have no damage to chromosome number six. C. No. There is no reason to doubt the representativeness of the sample used in this argument. D. No. The argument does not offer a cause; it merely concludes that damage to the chromosome is not the cause. Thus, the argument does not mistake a cause for an effect. E. No. The argument claims that in this case correlation does not imply causation, so this choice is backwards.

Answer 215

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The city councilperson's conclusion is that the stone edifice qualifies as art. The evidence is that the edifice has caused experts to debate what constitutes art itself and that the purpose of art is to cause experts to debate ideas. The assumption needs to bridge the gap between the object in question and the purpose of art. Essentially, the city councilperson is assuming that if something satisfies the purpose of art, then it can be considered art. A. No. This is backwards. This choice says if something is art, then it causes debate, but that's the opposite of what was stated above. B. No. This goes against the assumption you are looking for and would certainly not prove true the city councilperson's conclusion that this edifice is art. Furthermore, whether an expert can be certain that an object is art is not relevant to the argument's conclusion. C. No. The purpose of this argument is to try to prove that the edifice qualifies as art. Whether the town should purchase it is completely irrelevant. D. Yes. This choice puts the pieces in the correct order: If something fulfills the purpose of art, then it is art. You know that this edifice fulfills the purpose of art according to the city councilperson; therefore, it must qualify as art. E. No. Once again, you are not trying to determine whether the city should buy the edifice, only whether the edifice qualifies as art.

Answer 216

Correct Answer: B B Main Point The argument concludes that constantly broadening one's abilities and extending one's intellectual reach will enable one to inspire the perpetual curiosity of others. Why? If a person constantly does the aforementioned things, it makes it impossible for that person to be fully comprehended, rendering him or her a constant mystery to others. A. No. In the argument, this statement begins with the phrase "it is a given," which implies that this a starting point on which the rest of the argument is based. Therefore, it is not the conclusion. B. Yes. This almost perfectly restates the conclusion of the argument. C. No. This is a part of the premise. D. No. If you compare this choice to (B), you'll notice that they are very similar. The difference is that while both are conditional in nature, the necessary and sufficient terms are flipped. In the argument, the phrase "will enable" means that the information preceding that phrase (constantly broadening one's abilities and extending one's intellectual reach) is sufficient. This choice, however, presents that information as being necessary instead of sufficient. E. No. This choice uses many of the same words as the argument, but changes their context. The argument is concerned with inspiring curiosity in others. This choice, however, states that the person broadening his or her mind will be curious rather than inspire curiosity in others.

Answer 217

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that film producers tend to make movies that theater managers consider attractive to younger audiences. This is because film producers want their films to be shown as widely as possible. Furthermore, you are told that theater managers will not rent a film if they do not believe it will generate enough revenue, including concession sales, to make a profit. There is a gap in this argument between what film producers want and what theater managers want. You need to show that there is an overlap in the wishes of both groups.Online movie streaming services A. No. This strengthens the theater managers' portion of the argument but disregards the position of the film producers. B. No. It is not necessary that young and old audiences "almost never" agree. This language is too strong. C. No. This may be true, but it is not necessary to the argument. If you negate this choice, it says that the concession stands are not more profitable than the movies, which does not weaken the conclusion. D. Yes. If you use the negation test on this choice, it says that theater managers don't think that films targeted to younger audiences are more likely to be profitable than other films. This certainly invalidates the conclusion, because if theater managers don't feel that films targeted to younger audiences are more profitable, there is no reason for film producers to cater to younger audiences in choosing which films to make, given that theater managers use profitability as a factor in deciding which films to rent. E. No. The entire argument deals with films aimed at younger audiences, so older audiences are irrelevant. This may seem to strengthen the conclusion, but it is not necessary for the conclusion to be true.

Answer 218

Correct Answer: D D Inference Almost all advances in genetic research lead to ethical dilemmas. Funding for said research is exclusively provided by government in most cases, with the remainder being funded solely by corporations. Thus it appears you can make a connection between the sources of funding and ethical dilemmas. A. No. You know that most of the funding for genetic research comes from government sources, but that does not mean that the majority of advances come from that money. B. No. As with (A), you don't know what percent of government-funded research results in advances, so you cannot prove the word "most" to be true here. C. No. Again, the problem here is similar to those found in (A) and (B). You know that corporations provide some of the money, but you have no idea what percent of advances comes from the research they fund. D. Yes. You are told all funding comes from either government or corporations and that this funding is necessary for any genetic research. Therefore, any advances made must come from a project funded by one of these two groups. If nearly all advances lead to ethical dilemmas, then at least one of these two funding sources must be connected to these ethical dilemmas. E. No. Once again, you don't know whether a government-funded program has made any advances in genetic research, so there is no way to say for certain whether there are any ethical dilemmas with which government is associated.

Answer 219

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The conclusion of the argument is that sometimes a business can survive only by becoming a different corporation. The justification is that because corporations must adapt to survive, they are sometimes forced to change their core corporate philosophy. Becoming a different corporation is mentioned only in the conclusion, so you need to link it to the change in core corporate philosophy discussed in the premises. A. No. There is no mention of becoming a different corporation, so this does not create the link you need. Furthermore, the argument states only that sometimes a company is forced to change its core corporate philosophy, so this choice is also too strong. B. No. This does not forge the link you want. The argument says extinction results when a business is "no longer efficient," while this choice discusses becoming "less efficient," which is not necessarily the same thing. C. No. Whether corporations' philosophies are similar or different is irrelevant. D. No. There is no support for this choice, since the argument says nothing about a business keeping its core corporate philosophy intact, and it does not create the necessary link. E. Yes. This creates a link between changing core corporate philosophy and becoming a different corporation. Using the negation test, you get that a company CAN change its core corporate philosophy without becoming a different corporation, which definitely invalidates the conclusion.

Answer 220

Correct Answer: B B Resolve/Explain Fact 1: A survey taken ten year ago showed the residents of area L had below-average living conditions relative to the rest of their country; however, most of the residents were generally satisfied with their standard of living. Fact 2: A more recent survey shows that the living conditions in area L are now about the same as those of the rest of the country, yet residents are currently dissatisfied with their living conditions. A. No. This may be true, but by itself this choice doesn't give any real explanation of why they are no longer satisfied with their living conditions. B. Yes. The argument leads you to believe that because the standard of living in area L became close to the national average living conditions, the national average remained static while area L's living conditions increased. If, however, area L's standard of living remained static, but the standard in the country as a whole decreased substantially, it would explain why the residents of area L are dissatisfied now even though their living conditions match those of the rest of the country. C. No. How optimal living conditions are calculated doesn't explain why the residents in area L are now dissatisfied. D. No. While people in area L were satisfied with their living conditions in the first survey, this is not the same thing as saying they didn't think it needed improving. You don't know whether people saw a need for improvement. And even if they did think conditions needed to improve and thus caused them to improve, this choice still doesn't explain why the residents are now unhappy. E. No. Even if the residents were not aware they were living in below-average conditions, they were happy. One could argue that ignorance is bliss and so once the residents became aware, it caused them to change their opinions, but the choice itself doesn't state this outright. Plus, you know that their living conditions have changed relative to the national average, so you still need an explanation for why they are unhappy now.

Answer 221

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The travel agent's conclusion is that passengers are safer on a major airline than on one of the newer low-fare airlines. The travel agent attempts to justify this by stating that though most low-fare airlines have had few, if any, accidents, very few of them have been in existence long enough for their safety records to be reliably established. At the same time, major airlines have been keeping track of safety for many years. The issue with this argument is that the travel agent doesn't actually provide evidence that the major airlines are safe, only that they have been keeping diligent records. What if those records show that they get in a crash every other flight? A. No. You would expect a major airline to have a higher number of crashes than a low-fare airline because they have more planes flying. The bigger issue is the percent chance a crash will occur on either airline, meaning what percent of the total number flights will result in a crash. B. No. Major airlines have been keeping records for an adequate length of time. This choice says the time period for both types of airlines is too short. C. Yes. As stated above, nowhere in the argument does it show that the major airlines have a good safety record, only that they keep track of their safety. This choice accurately describes the flaw in the travel agent's argument. D. No. The argument discusses the comparison between the airlines and uses the term "safer," which is not the same as the language in this choice, which says "safest." There could be a small airline that does not have low fares, such as a private charter service, that could be safer than the major airlines but does not keep reliable records to indicate such. Nothing in the travel agent's argument, moreover, discounts this possibility, so this doesn't describe the flaw in the travel agent's reasoning. E. No. The travel agent never claims that flying a major airline eliminates one's chances of getting in an accident, just that it is safer than flying a low-fare airline.

Answer 222

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The conclusion of the economist's argument is that if the government were to lower income taxes, the economy would improve. This is based on the several facts. First, the economy's weakness is a result of consumers' reluctance to spend, which has been caused in part by prices going up. Second, this reluctance to spend has been exacerbated by the fact that average income is significantly lower than it was five years ago. The problem with the economist's solution is that it takes into account only part of the problem: falling income. This solution would put more money in the hands of consumers, but you don't know if they will actually spend the money. For the economist's solution to work, then, you need to know that lowering income taxes would override whatever other reasons consumers may have had for not spending money. A. No. While higher prices have contributed to decreased spending, you have no way of knowing whether the scenario will work in reverse. B. No. This may happen, but it is not a requirement for the argument. If you negate this choice and say that average incomes will not increase, it doesn't necessarily weaken the argument. C. No. This choice deals with a factor (lower income) that has already contributed to the economy getting worse. Since the conclusion focuses on improving the economy, this is irrelevant. D. Yes. This addresses the problem noted above. If you negate this choice, it suggests that consumers will be just as or more reluctant to spend money if this solution—lowering income taxes—is put into effect. If people are more reluctant to spend money, the economy will most likely not improve, which is counter to the economist's conclusion. Therefore this choice must be necessary to the economist's argument. E. No. Government spending is irrelevant here; the issue is consumer spending.

Answer 223

Correct Answer: E E Inference A person with a type B lipid profile has a greater risk of heart disease than does someone with a type A lipid profile. After being put on a low-fat diet, volunteers with type B profiles lowered their cholesterol levels but remained type B profiles. Type A volunteers, however, showed no benefit from the diet; furthermore, 40 percent of them shifted to type B lipid profiles. A. No. The opposite of this actually seems to be true, since some of the people in the lower risk group (type A profile) moved to the higher risk group (type B profile) as a result of the diet. B. No. The argument does not say what anyone's starting cholesterol level was. C. No. The argument does not discuss anything about the volunteers in terms of their lifestyles, so there's no way to prove that this choice must be true. D. No. The word "solely" is too strong; you have no way of knowing whether the reduction in cholesterol levels was the only factor or one of many. E. Yes. This must be true. Those volunteers who began as type A profiles and then shifted to type B as a result of being on the diet increased their risk of heart disease.

Answer 224

Correct Answer: C C Principle Match The principle is that while there should be no restrictions placed on freedom of speech, it can still be considered "bad" to exploit depraved popular tastes for the sake of financial gain. A. No. The principle says there should be no restrictions, so this choice doesn't match. B. No. This choice does not address the part of the principle that says it is not okay to exploit depraved popular tastes for financial gain. C. Yes. This matches the principle stated above. It should be legal to publish whatever sort of book one wants, but it may be morally wrong to do so. D. No. This choice suggests the government has the right to limit freedom of speech, which goes against the principle stated above. E. No. To claim that a person should not criticize something would be to limit that person's freedom of expression, which violates the principle.

Answer 225

Correct Answer: C C Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that we may measure the rate at which a society is changing by measuring the amount of deference its younger members show to their elders. The justification for this conclusion is that when a society undergoes slow change, young members find great value in the advice of its older members. However, when a society undergoes rapid change, young people think that little in the experience of their elders is relevant to them and so do not value their advice. There is a gap in this argument between the term "deference" in the conclusion and the notion of valuing advice in the premises. A. No. Whether a society's younger members can accurately discern rapid societal change is irrelevant to the conclusion. B. No. This is close; however, the argument is concerned with finding value in the elders' advice, not with whether their experience is practically useful. C. Yes. This creates the link you need. If you negate this choice, it says that deference does not vary according to the value placed on the advice. This would invalidate the conclusion; therefore, this choice must be necessary to the argument. D. No. This seems to be supported by the argument and so is not an assumption. E. No. This choice talks about the advice being practically useful to young people, which is irrelevant.

Answer 226

Correct Answer: C C Principle Match The politician concludes that a tariff should be imposed on imported fruit to make it cost more than domestically grown fruit. If this is not done, domestic growers will go out of business, resulting in their farmland being converted to more lucrative industrial uses. Clearly from these statements, money is not the only motivating factor; the "vanishing of a unique way of life," another consequence of not imposing a tariff, is even more important. A. No. Economic interest is ancillary to the "unique way of life." If it were only about economics, then fruit would be imported and domestic orchards turned into industrial parks.Financial news subscriptions B. No. In this scenario that is true, but you cannot generalize from this one case to one of all producers and all consumers. C. Yes. This says that sometimes social concerns (the unique way of life) are more important than money. D. No. The interests of citizens of other countries are irrelevant to the argument. E. No. The politician is not seeking to increase economic efficiency; if anything, the proposed tariff may do the opposite.

Answer 227

Correct Answer: E E Weaken The conclusion is that the valley's bear population will increase if the road is kept closed. This is based on the fact that in the Kipper Forest Preserve, most of the bears live in the valley. During the eight years that the main road through the preserve has been closed, the preserve's bear population has nearly doubled. One problem with this argument is that it tells you that the preserve's bear population has doubled and then it concludes that the valley's bear population will also increase. This is flawed: Just because the population of one area has gone up does not mean that the population of the total area will go up. You need to find an answer that addresses this gap. A. No. Why the population in the preserve increased is irrelevant. B. No. Once again, why the population in the preserve increased is irrelevant. You are concerned only with whether the total population will increase if the road remains closed. C. No. This choice also deals with why the population in the preserve has increased, which is irrelevant. D. No. This doesn't effectively weaken the conclusion. There could be many reasons the bear population in the rest of the valley decreased, reasons that could perhaps be dealt with by keeping the road closed. E. Yes. This tells you that during the time the main road was closed, the valley's overall bear population remained roughly the same, implying that the increase in the preserve's bear population was not replicated elsewhere in the valley and might have been the result of the bears moving from other parts of the valley into the preserve. Therefore, keeping the road closed could not be expected to increase the valley's bear population further, which weakens the argument's conclusion.

Answer 228

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption The conclusion is that made-to-measure wigs should be dry-cleaned (MMW → DC). This is based on several facts. First, a made-to-measure wig has a price range of medium-priced to expensive (MMW → M-E). Second, handmade foundations are never found on wigs that don't have human hair (HF → HH). Third, any wig that contains human hair should be dry cleaned (HH → DC). So you get this basic setup when mapping out the argument: Conclusion: MMW → DC. Premises: MMW → M-E, HF → HH, HH → DC. You can now see that to get from MMW to DC you have to connect the price range of the wig to the handmade foundation. MMW → M-E → HF → HH → DC. This proves the conclusion and would thus be the answer you want to find. A. Yes. This is the missing conditional statement that is stated above (M-E → HF). This statement links together the premises and proves the conclusion true. B. No. This choice mentions a foundation that is not handmade, which isn't what you need. C. No. This is an inference that can be drawn from both statements regarding human hair in the argument. HF → HH plus HH → DC yields HF → DC. However, this doesn't connect the premise about made-to-measure wigs ranging in price to the conclusion, so it can't be the credited response. D. No. This choice is backwards. The conditional statement discussed above and stated in (A) has the terms on the correct side of the arrow, while this choice gives you HF → M-E. E. No. This choice confuses necessity and sufficiency. From the premises you can conclude that any wig with a handmade foundation should be dry cleaned, making the handmade foundation part sufficient. However, this choice uses it as a necessary term (DC → HF), which goes against what you mapped out above.

Answer 229

Correct Answer: A A Reasoning The philosopher's conclusion is that it would be erroneous to deny that animals have rights on the grounds that only human beings are capable of obeying moral rules. The evidence given in support of this conclusion is an example of wolves' behavior: A wolf will not tolerate an attack by one wolf on another if the latter wolf demonstrates submission by baring its throat. The philosopher also mentions that both foxes and domesticated dogs exhibit this sort of behavior, too. The statement that the philosopher rejects is based on the premise that only human beings are capable of obeying moral rules. The argument shows that in certain situations animals do behave morally. A. Yes. Wolves, foxes, and domesticated dogs are all counterexamples to the premise that the philosopher refutes. B. No. The philosopher never claims that all animals possess some form of morality, only that wolves, foxes, and domesticated dogs have displayed what could be seen as moral behavior. C. No. There is no principle stated in this argument; all the evidence given is factual. D. No. Denying the claim in this argument does not produce any sort of contradiction. E. No. If anything, the philosopher seems to broaden the application of the concept of morality.

Answer 230

Correct Answer: E E Resolve/Explain Fact 1: Automated flight technology can guide an aircraft reliably from navigation to landing. Fact 2: Even when functioning correctly, this technology does not completely guard against human error. A. No. According to Fact 2, you are concerned only with trying to explain the situation when the technology is functioning correctly. B. No. This would not explain why the technology isn't a perfect safeguard against human error. C. No. The argument states that it is not a perfect safeguard against human error even when it is functioning correctly. You are not concerned with instances during which it malfunctions. D. No. This choice does not explain why correctly functioning flight technology does not prevent such errors. E. Yes. If automated flight technology responds directly to human commands, then that would explain how it could function correctly and still make errors. If a human makes an error, then the flight technology would simply carry out that error.

Answer 231

Correct Answer: C C Weaken The author concludes that a person can invariably keep his/her hands warm by putting on an extra layer of clothing. The author supports this by stating that by keeping your vital organs warm you can warm your hands as well. However, just because extra clothing can keep your hands warm does not mean it always will, so you want to look for an answer choice that exploits this gap in the argument. A. No. The question requires you to attack the ability of an extra layer to keep one's hands warm, not the importance of keeping one's hands warm. B. No. The way in which one adds extra layers of clothing to keep one's hands warm is irrelevant. C. Yes. This choice exploits the strong language in the conclusion by showing there are times when an extra layer of clothing will not keep one's hands warm. D. No. Despite being less effective at warming the hands than turning up the heat, an extra layer still could keep the hands warm. Thus, this choice does not weaken the conclusion. E. No. Although the physical effort required to put on an extra layer of clothing may not be enough to warm the hands, other factors (such as the body warmth the extra layer may help contain) could help warm the hands, so this doesn't weaken the argument.

Answer 232

Correct Answer: A A Main Point The author concludes that the reason music with a simple recurring rhythm exerts a strong primordial appeal is that it reminds us of the womb. Why? The first sound heard in the womb is the comforting sound of the mother's heartbeat which, along with the womb's warmth and security, birth takes away. A. Yes. This almost perfectly restates the conclusion. B. No. This is a premise. C. No. This is provided as one of the reasons that people are comforted by the womb; thus it is a premise, not the conclusion. D. No. This choice is too broad. The author specifically discusses the appeal of music with simple recurring rhythms. The fact that people seek the warmth and security that was taken away at birth serves to explain why such music is appealing. E. No. The fact that the mother's heartbeat is a simple rhythmic sound is a reason that people like music with a similar sound; thus it is a premise of the argument.

Answer 233

Correct Answer: C C Principle Match The author states that even though people can detect whether a sentence in their language is grammatical, they are not able to specify the particular grammatical rules. You must find a similar case in which people are able to identify a particular concept without being able to state the rules that guide that concept. A. No. This choice describes a case in which people are able to perform one sort of action but are not able to perform a completely separate kind of action. B. No. This choice deals with two separate groups of people. The argument deals with a single group of people who can perform one action but cannot cite the particular rules guiding their action. C. Yes. This choice is similar to the principle underlying the original argument in that it deals with people who are able to identify a particular concept but are unable to cite the rules guiding that concept. D. No. While the first part of this choice is similar to the original argument in that it deals with a single group of people in relation to a concept, the latter half differs from the argument in that it discusses the same people not being fully able to recall the details of that concept. E. No. This choice concerns people who know the rules of chess but may not be able to play chess very well. This does not match the principle underlying the original argument.

Answer 234

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The company president concludes that when somebody is finally selected for the consultant position, the company will surely have selected one of the best possible management consultants. The reason the president gives for this belief is that they are interviewing only applicants who have worked for the top 1 percent of firms worldwide. The problem, however, is that the best consultants might not necessarily have worked at those top firms. A. Yes. This choice addresses the assumption that the best consultants work for the top firms. Perhaps the best consultants do not work for the best firms, in which case hiring someone who has worked for one of those firms wouldn't guarantee that the company has hired one of the best consultants. B. No. The sample size is never mentioned. C. No. This choice describes a part-to-whole flaw, while the argument actually contains a whole-to-part flaw. The company president assumes that what is true of the top firms (the whole) is true of each consultant working in those firms (the part). D. No. The argument mentions only interviewing and selecting people. It never actually mentions the hiring process. E. No. The company president does not assume that the consultants will be highly competent at every task.

Answer 235

Correct Answer: D D Inference The passage details techniques used by beginner and expert chess players. Beginners tend to decide each move by considering the consequences. An expert player, however, typically makes use of pattern-recognition techniques in which the player recalls relevant prior experience to help determine the next move. A. No. The author never states who is better at thinking through the consequences. This information goes beyond the passage. B. No. While the author states that pattern-recognition techniques are what the experts use, he never claims that they are what should be used. Moreover, the author never states whether beginning chess players have the ability to use such techniques. C. No. How to improve one's chess skills is never mentioned in the passage. D. Yes. The passage states that expert players primarily use pattern-recognition techniques in which players recall previous experiences. E. No. This choice is irrelevant; the passage does not discuss how to improve one's chess skills.

Answer 236

Correct Answer: A A Resolve/Explain Fact 1: The best way to dry kernels in order to make popcorn is to dry the corn in the sun while the corn is still in the field. Fact 2: Even though this is the best way, the farmer dries them on a screen in a warm, dry room. You need to find a choice that explains why he doesn't make use of the best method in practice. A. Yes. This choice explains why the farmer does not use the sun-drying method. Drying corn in the field is not possible because the region's cloudy season coincides with the time during which he would generally dry popcorn. B. No. This choice would give the farmer even more incentive to dry the kernels in the field. You need an answer choice that explains why he doesn't. C. No. The passage states that drying popcorn on its stalks in the field is the best method. Even if there are other ways to dry the kernels, this doesn't explain why the farmer does not choose the best method. D. No. This choice does not explain why the farmer does not dry popcorn in the sun. E. No. What happens when popcorn is dried too much is irrelevant.

Answer 237

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The factory manager concludes that the factory must be refurbished in order to make its products more competitively priced and thus survive. The support for this conclusion is that the factory's manufacturing equipment is outdated and inefficient, which results in higher prices for the automobile parts it produces. However, the manager states that this is only one reason the parts are expensive. The flaw is that the manager shifts from noting one way to make products more competitively priced to stating that it is the only way to achieve this goal. A. No. The fact that prices may change over time is irrelevant to the argument. B. Yes. This choice identifies the manager's flawed assumption that because refurbishing the factory could make products more competitively priced, it is therefore the only way to achieve this result. C. No. There is no reverse causation flaw in this argument. D. No. The argument does provide a reason for the expensive products—outdated and inefficient manufacturing equipment. E. No. The factory manager does make a definite recommendation; he concludes that the factory must be refurbished.

Answer 238

Correct Answer: A A Inference The passage states that some pythons hatched in Africa and some pythons recently hatched in North America have a deadly liver disease. The passage further states that the disease is difficult to detect in its early stages and that all pythons with the disease die within six months of contracting it. A. Yes. The passage tells you that some pythons hatched in North America have the deadly liver disease. You know the disease is difficult to detect and all pythons with the disease will die within six months. You can link these two pieces of information together and infer that some pythons hatched in North America will seem okay but will die within six months. B. No. The passage states that a greater proportion of African-hatched pythons have the disease, but you do not necessarily know that this is due to a higher susceptibility rate to the disease among African-hatched pythons. There could be any number of other reasons that the disease is more prevalent among African-hatched pythons. C. No. The passage states that pythons die within six months of contracting the disease, not that they die within the first six months of life. D. No. The first sentence states that the reason for the large number of inexpensive pythons was the arrival of a major shipment of pythons from Africa. E. No. The passage never discusses the conditions of pythons hatched in areas other than Africa and North America.

Answer 239

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The author concludes that most people need to take vitamin pills. The support for this conclusion is that although nutritionists believe the daily requirement for vitamins can be reached by eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, most people eat far less than this amount. However, the author does not consider that there are perhaps other ways of obtaining the daily requirement for vitamins. A. No. The premises tell you that most people do not even consume five servings of fruits and vegetables to begin with, so this is irrelevant. B. No. The different levels of nutrients in fruits and vegetables are irrelevant. The argument already states that most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables to meet the daily vitamin requirement. C. No. Regardless of what the agreed-upon amount is, the passage states that people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables to fulfill their daily vitamin requirement. D. Yes. This choice directly weakens the conclusion by showing that it may be possible to acquire the amount of vitamins needed each day from sources other than vitamin pills or fruits and vegetables. E. No. This is irrelevant; the argument is not concerned with fiber.

Answer 240

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The researcher concludes that armadillos do not move rapidly into new territories because many of the ones he had tagged the previous spring were found near the location of their tagging the following spring. There is a gap in this argument between finding the tagged armadillos in the same location at one point in time and asserting that they never moved into new territories at all. A. No. This may support the conclusion by affirming the sample size, but it is not something that is essential for the conclusion to work. B. No. This may weaken the argument by questioning the sample size, but it is not something the researcher assumes. C. No. This is not necessary to the argument. Even if predators did kill some of the armadillos that had been tagged, the conclusion could still work. D. No. Even if the tags could be removed by the armadillos, it would not change the fact that most of the armadillos the researcher recaptured were found near the location of their tagging the previous spring. E. Yes. This choice links the idea of finding the armadillos in the same location of their tagging to their remaining in that location since the time they were tagged. If you negate this choice—a large majority of the recaptured armadillos DID move to a new territory in the intervening summer—the conclusion would certainly fall apart. Thus, this statement is necessary to the researcher's argument.

Answer 241

Correct Answer: A A Reasoning Sahira concludes that governments are justified in subsidizing artists. Her support is that in order to make a living from art, artists would have to create work that would gain widespread popularity instead of their best work. Sahira assumes that an artist's best work would not gain widespread popular acclaim. Rahima responds to Sahira by questioning this assumption. A. Yes. This choice describes how Rahima responds to Sahira's argument. B. No. Rahima does not support Sahira's argument. C. No. Rahima disagrees with Sahira's premises. The passage makes no mention of how Rahima feels about Sahira's conclusion that governments are justified in subsidizing artists. D. No. Rahima actually disagrees with Sahira's premises. E. No. Rahima never points out a contradiction in Sahira's argument. Rather, Rahima takes issue with an assumption in Sahira's argument

Answer 242

Correct Answer: C C Inference The passage states that small adult frogs are unable to live in arid climates, but large adult frogs can. This is due to the animals' moisture requirements, the most important factor in determining where frogs can live. You can link this information to the fact that the Yucatán peninsula has an arid climate in the north and a wet climate in the south to support the notion that large adult frogs would be able to live in more places on the peninsula than would small adult frogs. A. No. The passage never mentions the ability of small and large adult frogs to coexist. B. No. If anything, the passage suggests the opposite. Because small adult frogs are limited to wet areas, frogs in such areas probably weigh less on average than do frogs in arid regions. C. Yes. Because moisture requirements are the most important factor in determining where frogs can live and because the passage states that large adult frogs can survive in arid climates (as opposed to small adult frogs), this choice is supported. Large adult frogs can survive in both arid and wet climates, so they can live in more of the peninsula than small adult frogs can. D. No. The passage never mentions the ratio of large adult frogs to small adult frogs in the south. E. No. The passage indicates that small adult frogs cannot survive in the north.

Answer 243

Correct Answer: D D Flaw The editorial concludes that the government should address the rising crime rate. The editorial bases this on the premise that 77 percent of people feel that crime is increasing and 87 percent think tougher sentences should be handed out. However, the editorial makes a leap from a premise that states that people feel the crime rate is increasing to a conclusion that assumes that the crime rate actually is increasing. A. No. Just because more people are concerned about the sentencing of criminals than are concerned about crime itself does not mean the survey is inconsistent. B. No. The editorial does not make this connection. C. No. No other surveys are considered, but this is not the flaw in the editorial's argument. D. Yes. This choice correctly points out the editorial's presumption that the crime rate is rising simply because people think the crime rate is rising. E. No. The editorial never states that tougher sentences are the most effective means of lowering the crime rate.

Answer 244

Correct Answer: B B Inference Find an answer choice that can be supported by the facts given in the passage. A. No. The language in this choice is too strong. B. Yes. The passage states that human cognition alone cannot verify computer-dependent proofs and such proofs can never provide the degree of certainty that might otherwise be achieved from verifying by human calculation. C. No. This choice is too strong. Just because a computer is used does not mean it had to be used, as noted in the last sentence of the passage. You know only that the degree of certainty is reduced in the case of proofs that rely crucially on computers. D. No. The passage states that if something cannot be verified by human cognition, then one cannot be certain of it. Verification through human cognition is a necessary component of certainty. This choice, however, claims that corroboration via human calculation is the only thing needed for certainty. E. No. The passage discusses only computers. Thus, whether it is feasible for other artificial devices to supplement the abilities of humans is unknown.

Answer 245

Correct Answer: B B Principle Match Madden concludes that more problems are created when industrialists address the problems of farming because industrialists tend to oversimplify. The author presents an example in which industrialists separate the problems of water retention and water drainage and choose to solve them separately instead of viewing them as related functions. This strategy of separation and simplification ultimately creates more problems than it solves. The correct answer should capture the idea that farming problems should not be oversimplified. A. No. Madden never states that water drainage and retention are the most important parts of good farming. B. Yes. This goes along well with the argument. Madden states that industrialists should not simplify problems in farming because that strategy usually leads to oversimplification. Thus, problems in this area should be viewed in all their complexity. C. No. The argument compares only farmers and industrialists. D. No. The argument states that industrialists usually oversimplify things and therefore create more farming problems, but this does not mean that such techniques are always bad. E. No. The argument states only that the typical approach of industrialists is usually flawed in relation to farming.

Answer 246

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The critic concludes that it is impossible for a contemporary work of literature to be a tragedy because this age no longer takes seriously the belief that human endeavors are governed by fate. The critic states that the only way a work of modern literature can be viewed as a tragedy is if the protagonists are seen as possessing nobility. There is a missing link between viewing protagonists as having nobility and taking the idea of fate seriously. A. No. If anything, the argument actually suggests the opposite of this. B. No. The critic never presumes that the belief that human endeavors are governed by fate is false. C. No. The critic never discusses whether any plays were misclassified. D. Yes. This choice establishes a link between taking the idea of fate seriously and viewing the protagonist as possessing nobility. If you negate this answer choice, you will see that it is indeed necessary to the conclusion. If those whose endeavors are not regarded as governed by fate are seen as possessing nobility, then works of modern literature may still be tragedies, which is contrary to the critic's conclusion. E. No. While a work containing an ignoble character may not be considered a tragedy given the critic's criteria, this choice is not necessary to the argument.

Answer 247

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The author concludes that the graduate students should not unionize. The author supports his statement by stating that the majority of graduate students disapprove of the attempt. However, it is not clear that the majority of graduate students disapprove; rather, the majority of graduate students were unaware of any unionization attempt. Thus, the feelings of the majority of graduate students toward unionization are unknown, which casts doubt on the validity of the author's conclusion. A. No. The argument never mentions any long-standing practice. B. No. The argument is focused on whether graduate students disapprove, not on why they do or don't disapprove. C. No. The author bases his conclusion on the belief that the majority of graduate students disapprove of the attempt, not that the majority of them are unaware of the attempt. D. No. The author doesn't really discuss the reasons for unionizing; the argument is focused on whether to do so. E. Yes. The author assumes that the majority of graduate students disapprove of unionizing from a premise stating that the majority of graduate students are unaware of unionizing efforts. Thus, he is confounding this lack of awareness, which is akin to lack of approval (you can't approve if you aren't aware), with active disapproval.

Answer 248

Correct Answer: B B Sufficient Assumption The author concludes that Griley does not believe in democracy. The author supports this claim by stating that Griley is an elitist who believes that popular artwork is unlikely to be good. The problem with the conclusion is that the author never explains what characteristic Griley has that makes him a non-believer in democracy. The only thing you know about those who do believe in democracy is that they have a high regard for the wisdom of the masses. If you could link together those who believe popular artwork is not likely to be good to those who do not have a high regard for the wisdom of the masses, then the conclusion would work. A. No. The author never suggests that this is a requirement to be an elitist. B. Yes. If this statement is true, then the conclusion is true. Griley believes that if an artwork is popular it probably won't be good. And if everyone who holds such a belief does not have a high regard for the wisdom of the masses, then that would mean Griley does not have a high regard for the wisdom of the masses. By virtue of the premise, this would mean he does not believe in democracy. C. No. The argument states that Griley is an elitist. D. No. This choice would not help explain why Griley does not believe in democracy. E. No. This choice treats having a high regard for the wisdom of the masses as sufficient for believing in democracy, whereas the argument treats having a high regard for the masses as necessary for believing in democracy. This choice does not explain why Griley does not believe in democracy.

Answer 249

Correct Answer: E E Resolve/Explain Fact 1: Salt intake tends to increase blood pressure. Fact 2: During a study some people who had very high salt intake before and during the study maintained low blood pressure levels. You need to figure out why these people had low blood pressure despite having high salt intake. A. No. You must figure out how some people had high salt intake but low blood pressure. You are not concerned with those who have high blood pressure. B. No. Like (A), this choice concerns itself with those who have high blood pressure. C. No. Like (A), this choice concerns itself with those who have high blood pressure. D. No. The paradox at hand involves those with low blood pressure and high salt intake. Knowing more information about those with very high blood pressure and very low salt intake does not help. E. Yes. This choice explains how salt intake could be very high while blood pressure remains low. If people with abnormally low blood pressure eat salty foods, it could raise their blood pressure to a level that is higher but still relatively low compared to others' levels.

Answer 250

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The author concludes that many people greatly overestimate the odds of winning a major jackpot. However, the premises never mentioned overestimating jackpots. Rather, the premises simply stated that few people win major jackpots and those who do win receive a lot of media attention. The author also says that most people come to have some awareness of events that receive extensive media coverage. You must link the idea of overestimating the odds of winning to being aware of events receiving extensive media coverage. A. No. The argument never states that media coverage of those who have won a major jackpot downplays the odds against winning. B. No. Those who receive media attention without winning jackpots are not relevant. C. No. There could be other reasons that people overestimate their chances of winning the lottery. D. Yes. This choice links one's awareness of media coverage of jackpot winners to overestimating one's chances of winning. If you negate this answer choice ("Becoming aware of individuals who have won a major jackpot does not lead people to incorrectly estimate their own chances of winning such a jackpot."), the conclusion is no longer valid. E. No. The argument never mentions people who are heavily influenced by the media but do not overestimate their chances of winning the lottery.

Answer 251

Correct Answer: C C Parallel Flaw The argument states that there are two things sufficient to bring about a successful book tour: It must be well publicized and the author must be an established writer. The conclusion, however, assumes that just because you have an established writer and a successful book tour, the tour must have been well publicized. The argument essentially commits a necessary-sufficient error by flipping the necessary component and one of the sufficient components. A. No. Unlike the original argument, which had two factors sufficient to bring out a single outcome, this argument has a single factor sufficient to bring out two outcomes. B. No. This choice incorrectly assumes that what is true of this year was true of last year, which does not match the flaw in the original argument. C. Yes. This operates just like the original argument. In this argument, watering cacti more than twice a week is a sufficient factor to bring about the plant's death. In the conclusion, however, the plant's death is presented as one of the factors sufficient to know the plant was watered more than twice a week. In other words, the argument switches the necessary and sufficient terms. D. No. This argument is not flawed. E. No. This argument is not flawed.

Answer 252

Correct Answer: B B Strengthen The author concludes that eight linear craters were probably caused by volcanic events and not meteorites. The author supports this by stating that all of the craters are different ages and cannot be from both sources due to the craters' linearity. To strengthen the conclusion, you need either a choice that shows that meteorites cannot cause linear craters from different time periods or a choice that states that volcanic activity can. A. No. You are trying to strengthen the idea that volcanic activity can cause craters of different ages, whereas this choice is discussing craters of the same age. B. Yes. This choice supports the conclusion that volcanic activity probably caused the eight linear craters by questioning the likelihood of meteorite craters of different ages forming a straight line. C. No. This would only weaken the idea that volcanic events caused the craters. D. No. If anything, this choice weakens the conclusion by questioning whether volcanic events can produce craters similar to those produced by meteorites. E. No. While this choice may seem appealing at first since it questions the ability of meteorites to create linear craters, it is ultimately concerned with a single meteor shower, implying that the craters created would thus be from the same time period. However, the argument is concerned with the cause of linear craters of different ages, so this choice doesn't strengthen the conclusion.

Answer 253

Correct Answer: B B Sufficient Assumption The author concludes that rare innovators tend to anger the majority. The author supports the conclusion through a long chain of reasoning: 1) Such innovators are dissatisfied with merely habitual assent to widely held beliefs; 2) those who are dissatisfied with habitual assent to widely held beliefs tend to seek controversy; and 3) those who seek controversy enjoy demonstrating the falsehood of popular viewpoints. What's missing, though, is the final link: the idea that those who enjoy demonstrating the falsehood of popular viewpoints tend to anger the majority. A. No. This choice considers a single person who is both angered and dissatisfied with merely habitual assent to widely held beliefs. In the argument, the person who is angered and the person who is dissatisfied are two separate people. B. Yes. This links the new information in the conclusion to the premises as discussed above. C. No. The argument does not discuss people who hold beliefs not held by a majority of people. D. No. What you're looking for is a choice that states that those who demonstrate the falsehood of popular viewpoints anger the majority. This choice flips around the necessary and sufficient terms. E. No. Like (D), this choice flips around the necessary and sufficient terms.

Answer 254

Correct Answer: A A Principle Match Claude considers salting one's food before tasting it a negative trait in job candidates; in Claude's view, such a decision is based on inadequate information. Larissa responds to Claude's statement with two analogies, each of which demonstrates that taking an action beforehand based on a general rule is sound policy. A. Yes. This perfectly describes the principle used by Larissa. In both the supermarket and credit card examples, Larissa shows that sometimes performing an action before ascertaining whether it is the best decision is reasonable since previous experiences have shown it to be so. B. No. Larissa never states that one should not use observations of job-related behavior to judge a person's character. C. No. Although the type of behaviors discussed by Claude and Larissa do not appear to be job related, this choice does not match up with the idea underlying Larissa's examples, which is that there may be a reasoned policy behind one's actions even if they are taken prior to establishing a need for them. D. No. Larissa never discusses social norms. E. No. Larissa never mentions excusing a person for possible lapses of rationality.

Answer 255

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen This is a classic causal argument. The researcher's conclusion is that eating certain fruits causes atypical Parkinson's disease. Her evidence is a research study in which those with atypical Parkinson's regularly ate certain tropical fruits, whereas those without Parkinson's were less likely to eat the fruit. In order to strengthen this argument, you need to prove that correlation equals causation and that there are no other possible causes. A. Yes. This is one solid way to prove causation: Remove the cause and the effect goes away. B. No. If anything, this goes in the wrong direction, showing that some people can eat the fruits without developing Parkinson's. C. No. Again, this weakens the argument somewhat, showing that there may be other causes. D. No. The quantity of the fruit may or may not be relevant to the argument, and this choice somewhat weakens the causal relationship. E. No. While this may be interesting information and explain why the fruits might be good to eat, it doesn't have anything to do with atypical Parkinson's.

Answer 256

Correct Answer: D D Point at Issue Price's point is that a corporation's primary responsibility is to its shareholders because they take the greatest risks. Albrecht, on the other hand, concludes that a corporation's primary responsibility should be to its employees because their livelihood is at stake. Price and Albrecht disagree both about the point of their arguments (to whom a corporation should be primarily responsible) and about their central premises (who takes the greatest risks). A. No. This may be tempting, but the argument is about "primary" responsibility. Albrecht would probably agree that there is some responsibility to shareholders, too. B. No. This is one of Albrecht's ideas, but you have no evidence that Price would disagree with this entirely, only about the "primary" responsibility aspect. C. No. This choice is irrelevant to both arguments, neither of which mentions recouping losses. D. Yes. Albrecht would disagree with this statement, whereas Price would agree because, as he notes, the shareholders take the greatest risk. E. No. Neither of the two says this. Price says it's the investment of the shareholders that is at risk, while Albrecht says it's the livelihood of the employees.

Answer 257

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The argument's claim is that it is extremely unlikely that a large accidental credit will not be detected, despite the large number of transactions processed daily. In other words, it's likely that the bank will catch the accidental credit. In order to support this, you need strong evidence of how the bank will catch the error. A. Yes. Another set of computer programs to double-check is strong evidence that there's a system in place to detect errors, especially those made by the first set of programs. B. No. While this might reduce errors on the part of bank tellers, this doesn't explain how an error will be detected after it happens. C. No. This might explain how a customer will find mistakes, but not the bank itself (reread the conclusion). D. No. This choice addresses only the first sentence of the argument, but doesn't support the conclusion. E. No. This choice isn't relevant to the conclusion, which is about detecting errors. This explains why hacking is less likely to happen, which has nothing to do with accidental credits.

Answer 258

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The scientist concludes that "in this case" (the 1500s), atmospheric pollution was the cause of global warming. His only evidence is that the pollution coincided with a period of relatively high global temperatures. This is a clear "correlation equals causation" flaw. A. No. This is irrelevant. No mention is made in the argument as to whether global warming is harmful. B. No. Reread the conclusion. He's making a claim only about one specific instance, not about all cases involving a rise in temperatures. C. No. Reread the conclusion; it says "in this case," indicating that the scientist is not making a universal claim. D. No. While the scientist does take the reliability of the data collection for granted, this is not the central flaw in the conclusion. E. Yes. This is exactly the flaw as stated above.

Answer 259

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen Gilbert says that the food label, which claims "only natural ingredients," is mistaken, because the food in question contains chemically synthesized ingredients. Sabina, on the other hand, is claiming that the label is not a mistake, that the ingredients are natural. Her evidence is that alphahydroxy acids occur naturally in sugarcane. She makes one major assumption: Things that occur naturally somewhere else are natural, even if they're synthesized. You're looking for a choice that supports her assumption.Best restaurants near me A. No. This choice address the time period after the label was written, not this particular batch of cookies. B. No. This is irrelevant. This doesn't address whether alphahydroxy acids are natural. C. No. Like (A), this doesn't address this particular batch of cookies. D. No. Other foods are irrelevant to whether this label is true. Perhaps the other food labels are mistaken as well. E. Yes. This choice clearly bridges the gap in Sabina's argument and, if true, proves that alphahydroxy acids are natural.

Answer 260

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The author is trying to prove that Jaaks's review of Yancey's book is wrong and that Yancey's book is accurate. The only evidence is the book's similarity to Yancey's other books, all of which have been very popular. The flaw here is a clear appeal to popular opinion in lieu of providing actual evidence that Yancey's book is indeed accurate. A. No. This goes in the wrong direction. The argument is disagreeing with a respected scholar, not relying on her word to advance his argument. B. No. No attack on either Jaaks's character or motives is made in the argument. In fact, the author calls her a "respected historian." C. Yes. This matches the prediction noted above. D. No. There is no "sample that is likely to be unrepresentative" given in this argument. E. No. This doesn't match what the author does. There is no reference to Yancey's methods as being the only methods that could yield accurate results.

Answer 261

Correct Answer: E E Reasoning The question asks for the role of the first sentence, which states that attending a live musical performance is a richer experience than is listening to recorded music. The columnist notes that some people say that the reason live music is richer is that we do not see the performers in recorded music. The columnist then disagrees with this explanation and says that there must be another reason, drawing an analogy to people reading stories to support this point. Therefore, the role of the first sentence is to provide a fact that some people explain with one cause, with which the columnist disagrees. A. No. The first sentence is what the columnist is trying to explain; it is not the point of the argument. B. No. The reason is in the second sentence, not the first. C. No. The columnist disagrees with a possible explanation of the phenomenon stated in the first sentence; he doesn't, however, provide his own explanation for it. D. No. The columnist is refuting the explanation, not the fact itself. E. Yes. Unfriendly though the wording may be, this is exactly the role of the first sentence. The position that the columnist tries to undermine (live music is richer because you see the performers) is an attempt to explain the phenomenon in the first sentence (attending a live musical performance is a richer experience than is listening to recorded music).

Answer 262

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The author notes that there has been a drop in sales of ice cream, an excellent source of calcium, and a rise in sales of cheddar cheese. His conclusion is that people are choosing to increase their calcium through cheddar cheese rather than ice cream. This is a causal argument, and the central flaw, as in every causal argument, is a failure to consider other causes. A. No. This is not the flaw in the conclusion. If you take the premises to be true, which you must do on the LSAT, then you don't need more statistics. B. Yes. There could be any number of other reasons, unrelated to the increase in sales of cheddar cheese, for the decline in sales of ice cream. C. No. While the dairy farmers do report their sales, this is not the sole source of evidence. This argument makes no appeal to their authority. D. No. No mention is made of which product is a better source of calcium. E. No. The author never describes ice cream and cheddar cheese as being mutually exclusive.

Answer 263

Correct Answer: C C Parallel Flaw Diagram this in order to see the pattern. No member can be both a performer and an administrator: P → ~A and A → ~P. Leon and Marta are not administrators, so they must be performers: ~A → P, which is a clear violation of the contrapositive. Look for a choice with exactly the same pattern. A. No. This doesn't match the original argument. The first sentence should set up two things as mutually exclusive, and this choice does not. B. No. This choice doesn't contain a flaw. The first sentence tells you that T → ~A/~C, and the second sentence gives you the contrapositive, A&C → ~T. C. Yes. This contains the same flaw as the original argument. C → ~M and M → ~C. Dumone and Tedenco are not headquartered in Mexico, so they must have headquarters in Canada: ~M → C. D. No. This choice doesn't contain a flaw. This one tells you that D → ~T. Ms. Tseung represents Dumone, so therefore she doesn't represent Tedenco: D → ~T. E. No. This choice doesn't contain a flaw. Also, the second sentence gets into stuff about numbers, which doesn't parallel the original argument.

Answer 264

Correct Answer: D D Main Point The conclusion here can be found in the second sentence; all the stuff in the first and last sentences is evidence to prove the recommendation that the use of chemical fertilizers should be avoided. Use the "Why Test" to be sure you've correctly identified the conclusion. A. No. This is a premise. B. No. This is a premise. C. No. This is a premise. D. Yes. This is the conclusion as stated above. Note the clue here: The phrase "for this reason" tells you that the prior sentence acts as a premise, so what follows is likely to be the conclusion. E. No. While this part of the sentence begins with "thus," it isn't the main conclusion of the argument. If you apply the "Why Test," you'll see that only part of the rest of the argument explains why this statement is true.

Answer 265

Correct Answer: B B Resolve/Explain Fact 1: The Beta Diet is, overall, a healthier diet. Fact 2: People who follow the Beta Diet for a long time are more likely to be in poor health. You're looking for something to explain both sides of this. How can a diet be healthier, yet the people who follow it more sickly? There has to be some other factor that makes these people have poor health. A. No. While this accounts for the first fact, it doesn't account for the second one. B. Yes. If many of the people following the diet for a long time were in poor health to begin with, then that explains why people following the diet are in poorer health even though the diet is better. C. No. Again, this accounts for the first fact, but not the second one. D. No. This choice splits the group of Beta dieters, but doesn't explain why on average they're in poorer health. E. No. Other diets are irrelevant.

Answer 266

Correct Answer: C C Main Point Your job is to fill in the conclusion. The argument starts by stating that a theoretical framework is a good thing, and that many historians argue that historical analysis should use a theoretical framework. The author, however, argues that the past is too complicated for all of its main trends to be captured within a theoretical framework. If you fill in your own conclusion, you might say something such as "Therefore, a theoretical framework won't allow for a thorough historical analysis." A. No. This is close, but too extreme. No benefit, ever? The argument is about the "best" analysis, which doesn't preclude an incomplete one. B. No. This is irrelevant. You don't know anything about their value in other disciplines. C. Yes. This matches the idea that a theoretical framework won't be sufficient for a complete historical analysis. D. No. This choice leads you in the wrong direction; the author suggests that using a theoretical framework may impose some limitations. E. No. The point is that a theoretical framework won't be enough for a complete historical analysis; therefore, there might be a big difference between the two analyses.

Answer 267

Correct Answer: C C Principle Strengthen Bethany's conclusion is that psychologists should direct their efforts toward identifying nightmare-prone children so the children can be taught to replace their nightmares with pleasant dreams. Her evidence is that adults can be taught a technique to do this and that children who have nightmares are likely to have nightmares as adults. There are several assumptions at work here (that you can teach children the same technique that you teach adults, that this is worth the psychologists' time, and so forth). But mostly, you're looking for a choice that supports the notion that psychologists should direct their efforts toward identifying nightmare-prone children. A. No. Why children have nightmares is irrelevant; Bethany is concerned only with identifying these children and teaching them techniques to have better dreams. B. No. This does bridge one of the gaps in the argument, but it's going in the wrong direction (child to adult) and doesn't support the main point about psychologists. C. Yes. This is the only choice that supports the point that psychologists should direct their efforts toward helping nightmare-prone people. D. No. The difficulty inherent in either identifying children or teaching adults is irrelevant. And, if anything, this choice weakens the argument. E. No. The argument is about people who are likely to suffer from nightmares, not people who are unlikely to suffer from nightmares.

Answer 268

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The author concludes that people who eat doughnuts and people who eat bagels consume almost the same number of calories per sitting. The evidence for this is that doughnut eaters consume about 680 calories per sitting and that while bagel eaters consume only 500 calories in bagels, they can add extra calories in the form of spreads. This argument assumes that all factors in the comparison are the same and that there are no other factors that would make the calorie counts different. A. No. This is a tempting answer, but if you reread the conclusion, you'll see it is only about total calorie content. Therefore, fat and health impact are both irrelevant. B. No. Bagel eaters' awareness is irrelevant to the argument, which is about the number of calories consumed. C. No. This is irrelevant; health benefits are not part of the argument. D. Yes. This is the "no other factors" answer you were looking for. Use the "Negation Test" to be sure: If the doughnut eater does add other substances, then the doughnut eater is going to consume a lot more calories than the bagel eater will. E. No. The argument does not set up doughnut eaters and bagel eaters as mutually exclusive groups. If you negate this choice, it doesn't have any effect on the number of calories consumed in one sitting and therefore does not invalidate the conclusion.

Answer 269

Correct Answer: A A Flaw Bowers disagrees with the view of some theorists, who believe that society could flourish in a condition of anarchy. However, while the theorists define anarchy as merely the absence of government, Bowers defines anarchy as a social philosophy that countenances chaos. Therefore, the flaw in Bowers's argument is this shift in meaning. A. Yes. The key term, anarchy, is defined in two different ways. B. No. The argument is about anarchy, not laissez-faire capitalism. C. No. Bowers never mentions the number of people who hold a particular view as grounds for rejecting that view. D. No. Whether a peaceful society will flourish is irrelevant to the argument. E. No. Bowers doesn't reject the view because it's extreme; he rejects it based on his definition of anarchy.

Answer 270

Correct Answer: E E Parallel Reasoning Start by diagramming the statements. Poet and ~ only epigrams → wit. Lyrical composer → poet, which means, if he doesn't write epigrams, he'll have wit. Then apply this rule to specific case: Azriel is a lyrical composer, which means he's a poet. He doesn't write epigrams, so therefore he has wit. You need to find an answer choice with this same logical structure. A. No. While this choice contains many of the same elements, the conclusion doesn't match that of the original argument. B. No. The original argument has only one exception; this choice starts off with two exceptions, so it can't be parallel. C. No. While this choice starts off with the right elements, it ultimately confuses the rule (assigned by this office) with the exception (diplomatic channels) and is therefore not correct. D. No. The last sentence in this choice reverses the rule. To match the original argument, it would need to be winter garment → sale, not the other way around. E. Yes. Bloom House is a townhouse, which means it's a residential building. It wasn't built last year, so therefore it's subject to the original fire code.

Answer 271

Correct Answer: E E Sufficient Assumption The argument concludes that a teacher who doesn't know the answer to a question shouldn't pretend to know the answer. The support for this conclusion is that teachers should not cause students to lose respect for them and that students can sense when someone is trying to hide his or her ignorance. There seems to be a big shift in language between the first two sentences of this argument and its conclusion—namely, that if a teacher tries to hide his or her ignorance, students will lose respect for that teacher. A. No. Effectiveness is irrelevant. B. No. Honesty is irrelevant. C. No. The amount of knowledge students attribute to a teacher is irrelevant; the argument is focused on how teachers act when they don't know the answer to a question. D. No. The argument is not concerned with whether teachers are able to tell when students respect them. E. Yes. This is a clear expression of the language shift in this argument.

Answer 272

Correct Answer: D D Reasoning This question asks you to determine the role played by the statement "human food-producing…population." This fact is contrary to one of Malthus's arguments, but the overall conclusion agrees with Malthus's prediction. So, what's the role? It's a fact, but it's one that won't be true anymore in the future, when a lack of biodiversity will erode humans' capacity to produce food. A. No. It is currently a true statement. B. No. There is no well-known view in this argument, only Malthus's prediction, which the argument's conclusion agrees with. C. No. The statement actually contradicts Malthus's arguments. D. Yes. It's true now, and the argument predicts that this fact won't be true in the future. E. No. There is no mention in the argument as to the quality of the evidence supporting this statement.

Answer 273

Correct Answer: C C Inference Diagram all the facts and see what you know. All bankers are athletes: B → A; ~A → ~B. So you know that at least one of the athletes is a banker, but there might be other non-banker athletes, too. You also know that no lawyers are bankers: L → ~B; B → ~L. Put it all together, and you know that at least one athlete (the one who is a banker) is not a lawyer. A. No. This is a clear violation of the contrapositive. B. No. The lawyers could all be athletes, just not banker athletes. C. Yes. This matches your prediction and must be true. You know there's at least one banker there and that he must be an athlete, but because he's a banker, he cannot be a lawyer. D. No. This contradicts the end of the sentence. E. No. As noted in (B), it's possible to have lawyer athletes.

Answer 274

Correct Answer: D D Flaw The investigator concludes that the supplier has violated its contractual obligation to limit the rate of defects to 5 percent. The investigator's evidence is that 20 percent of the products sampled were defective. The investigator is assuming that the sample was representative and that there are no additional factors that would make the sample unrepresentative. A. No. This does address the sample, but not how the sample might be unrepresentative. B. No. This does address the statistical nature of the flaw. However, if this were the case, then the results would be 50 percent defective, not 20 percent defective. C. No. Whether only a few of the sites are responsible for the defective products doesn't affect the overall percentage of defective products. D. Yes. If the inspectors are choosing only samples that they suspect are defective, then the sample is clearly unrepresentative of the whole. E. No. The number of visits made to each site is irrelevant to the percentage of defective products.

Answer 275

Correct Answer: C C Weaken The essayist's conclusion is that microorganisms were the main cause of all the extinctions, given that it is implausible that the hunting done by humans at the time could have had such an effect. The central assumption of every causal argument is that there are no other causes or factors that could explain the phenomenon at issue. So to weaken the argument, you need another clear cause of the extinctions. A. No. This strengthens the argument by showing how the disease-causing microorganisms could have caused the extinctions. B. No. Whether humans have immunity is irrelevant to the argument, which is focused on animals. C. Yes. By showing that most of the animals that later became extinct were those hunted by humans, this choice gives a clear alternative cause: hunting. D. No. This doesn't provide an alternative cause for the extinctions. E. No. This is outside the scope of the argument, which focuses on the animals that became extinct 2,000 years after the first migrations.

Answer 276

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The argument's conclusion is that nutritious breakfasts help workers to be more productive. The evidence is a study about workers at two plants, Plant A and Plant B. In order for this argument to be true, you need to prove that the nutritious breakfast was the only cause of the difference in productivity and that the only difference between the groups was their breakfasts. A. Yes. If Plant B workers didn't consume nutritious breakfasts, then it helps prove the causal relationship (no cause, no effect). B. No. Starting at the same time of day doesn't have any significance for the workers' productivity or the quality of their breakfasts. C. No. This establishes that the two groups are comparable, but not that the nutritious breakfast was the cause of the difference in productivity. D. No. This shows that there's another factor, which would hurt the argument. E. No. This shows that the two groups were different and therefore hurts the overall argument.

Answer 277

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match A small river town gets flooded, and Hollyville, another town that's been through a disaster, gives out a whole lot of aid, more than it gave to a different town that had been shaken by an earthquake prior to Hollyville's being hit by a tornado last year. What does this show? It seems to suggest that people give more when they've gone through some kind of trouble themselves. A. No. There's no indication as to whether the people of Hollyville know the victims in the small river town. B. No. Government relief programs are irrelevant. C. No. You don't know how much this disaster (the flood) has been publicized. D. Yes. This is most supported by the situation. Review the timeline—they gave more because they'd been through a disaster recently, too. E. No. Though Hollyville is a river town, it experienced a tornado, not a flood, so this choice doesn't match.

Answer 278

Correct Answer: B B Main Point You need to supply the conclusion here, so put the premises together. The first premise is that many consumers anticipate paying off their credit card balances before interest charges accrue. The second premise is that in order to win business, credit card companies tend to focus on improving the services that their customers are most interested in. So you might expect, then, that they would focus less on the interest rates they charge and more on other things. A. No. They would probably care about some things, particularly the services offered by the card. B. Yes. If customers expect to pay off their card balances before the interest kicks in, they won't care too much about the advertised interest rates. C. No. Borrowing money from banks is irrelevant, and most consumers don't intend to pay the interest anyway. D. No. If they anticipate paying off the balance before interest accrues, they'll probably pay attention to the length of time they have before said interest kicks in. E. No. The number of places that accept a given credit card is irrelevant.

Answer 279

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The argument concludes that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 3 billion years ago was higher than it is today. The evidence is that water, rather than ice, filled the oceans at that time. The only way that could have been possible is if there were a higher level of greenhouse gases, gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, in Earth's atmosphere than there is today. To weaken this, you need to show that something other than carbon dioxide was responsible for keeping the oceans from freezing. A. No. This says that volcanic activity was not the cause. In other words, this choice would strengthen the argument. B. Yes. If there was a lot of methane around 3 billion years ago, then methane, rather than carbon dioxide, could have been responsible for warming the oceans. C. No. This choice also eliminates another potential cause and would therefore strengthen the argument. D. No. The increasing complexity of life forms is irrelevant. E. No. This choice explains how Earth got warmer, but not why the oceans were warm enough to be full of water 3 billion years ago.

Answer 280

Correct Answer: B B Sufficient Assumption The conclusion is that the auto repair industry is not a free market. The central premise is that a free market allows each buyer to contact a large number of sellers to figure out what an item is worth. The new idea introduced in the conclusion, but not mentioned in the premise, is the auto repair industry, so the commentator must be assuming that the auto repair industry doesn't allow people to assess what an item is worth. A. No. This is irrelevant; the fact that people go to a regular repair shop out of habit doesn't mean that it's impossible to assess what an item is worth. B. Yes. This choice links the premise (what these repairs are worth) to the conclusion (auto repairs). C. No. Written estimates aren't essential to determining the worth of a repair. D. No. This wouldn't matter if the auto repair industry were a properly functioning free market. E. No. Regulation of the industry is irrelevant.

Answer 281

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Flaw Jim concludes that the substance he was examining contained iron. He concludes this on the basis of the fact that magnets attract iron, and the substance became attached to the magnet. Jim confuses a necessary factor (all iron is magnetic) with a sufficient factor (only iron is magnetic). If the substance does contain iron, then it will behave in this way; however, knowing that it behaves this way doesn't prove that it contains iron. It could contain something else that magnets attract (another metal, for example). A. No. This is not possible because according to the argument, "magnets attract iron." B. No. This is irrelevant. The attractive object used here was definitely a magnet, so even if iron is attracted to other things, that would have no bearing on what happened. C. No. Even if this were true, it is not clear what orientation has to do with anything. The argument says that magnets attract iron, but it does not make clear whether they do so in every possible orientation or only in some, so it is impossible to know what bearing this has on the argument. D. Yes. A magnet attracted this substance. If magnets attract substances other than iron, then the fact that this magnet attracted this substance does not prove that the substance is iron. E. No. The strength of the attraction is irrelevant. The issue at hand is whether the substance contained iron or not, not how best to attract it.

Answer 282

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The argument concludes that the book Horatio wants was either misplaced or stolen. It does so on the basis of the facts that it is not in its proper place, no one is using it, it is not checked out, it is not awaiting shelving, and it is not part of a special display. That is, it rules out the alternatives to being misplaced or stolen. A. No. There is no general conclusion about the status of similar objects. The only object mentioned is the book that Horatio wants. B. No. The conclusion is not that there is a deficiency in the library's system for keeping track of books. While a possible next step for this argument would be to say, on the basis of the fact that a book could be misplaced or stolen in this fashion, that the system is deficient, the argument never actually takes this next step. C. No. There is no generalization that applies to most such objects but not to this one. The only generalization in the argument is that all the books have their proper shelf locations recorded in the catalog, but this appears to apply to Horatio's book, too, since the librarians know that Horatio's book is definitely not where it is supposed to be. D. No. There is no generalization that fails to hold in one particular instance. Just as in (C), the only generalization is the one in the first sentence, but it applies to Horatio's desired book just as well as to any other book. E. Yes. The other possible explanations ruled out are that it is in its proper place, someone is using it, it is checked out, it is awaiting shelving, or it is part of a special display.

Answer 283

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Inference The last sentence says that if the regulations had been followed, the level of sulfur dioxide would have decreased. The first sentence says that the level of sulfur dioxide did not decrease. Combining these statements, we know that the regulations have not been followed. A. No. All of the statements given are about the past. No predictions about the future are logically justified on the basis of generalizations solely about the past. B. Yes. The contrapositive of the third sentence is that if the level of sulfur dioxide did not decrease, then the regulations were not followed, and the first sentence says that the level of sulfur dioxide did not decrease. The regulations have not been followed, so there have been violations. C. No. All of the statements given are about the past. No predictions about the future are logically justified on the basis of generalizations solely about the past. D. No. This might be true based on outside knowledge, but the statements do not mention whether these emissions are significant as sources of air pollution or not. E. No. All of the statements given are about the past. No predictions about the future are logically justified on the basis of generalizations solely about the past. The word "never" makes a prediction about the future in this answer choice. Previous Question Table of Contents Next Question

Answer 284

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The argument is structured to disagree with the particular part that the question asks about. The unstated conclusion, signaled by the "However," is that it is not inevitable that there will be a crisis in landfill availability. Thus, the role of the claim asked about is to put forward a point of view that the rest of the argument tries to refute. A. No. The ecologist appears to believe that the first sentence is true, since it is stated without any attribution to anyone else or contradicted anywhere. However, the next sentence does not follow from that, because the ecologist does not believe that it is true. B. No. The main conclusion is unstated and disagrees with the claim asked about. C. No. It is not evidence that supports the argument's conclusion. D. Yes. This is indicated by the fact that the ecologist says that "Some people" think this, opening the possibility that he might not, and this possibility is confirmed by the "However" that follows. E. No. It is something the argument disagrees with. An intermediate conclusion would be direct support for the main conclusion, not an opposing point of view.

Answer 285

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Resolve/Explain The first sentence indicates that disease P does not occur very often in Country X, and the second sentence adds that when it does occur, it causes death more often in Country X than in other countries. The credited response should explain that the few cases of disease P in Country X are much worse than the many cases elsewhere. A. No. This does not address the fatality rate; even if some forms are more contagious than others, that just means that certain forms are more likely to spread from one person to another, which does not explain why people die in Country X. B. No. Even if the people who die of disease P in Country X are from other countries, this answer still does not explain why they die of the disease primarily when they're in Country X and not in their own countries. C. Yes. If this is true, then the high death rate comes as a natural consequence of diagnosing only the most severe cases. It connects the low incidence rate—they diagnose only the most severe cases, so perhaps they are not diagnosing the less severe cases and are undercounting the actual incidence of the disease—and the high fatality rate—they diagnose only the most severe cases, so those who are diagnosed are very likely to die. D. No. This does not address the fatality rate. E. No. Even if there are other fatal illnesses, this answer still does not explain why this particular disease, disease P, has this fatality rate. Other illnesses are out of scope.

Answer 286

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The argument concludes that the effort to save sea otters by removing oil from them was not worthwhile. The evidence is that they were not able to save a very high percentage: 18 percent of the otters that were physically seen and counted were saved, and only a fifth of the affected otters were ever found. Since the question stem specifically says to attack the integrity of the evidence, it is likely that this last part—the number of otters never found was estimated somehow—is going to be attacked. A. No. If sea otters in other areas existed, they would not be relevant to this argument, because this argument is only about this effort for these otters. B. Yes. The argument claims to estimate the total number of otters, including those that were never found, and it uses this as evidence for its conclusion. C. No. Even if the process did involve trapping some unaffected otters, it is not clear how that would affect the worth of the effort. The effort still saved some otters and failed to save others. D. No. The effort did not involve other species of wildlife, so this answer is irrelevant. E. No. Knowing the costs associated with saving otters would not address the evidence offered in the argument.

Answer 287

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption The conclusion is that cancer-patient support groups may have genuine therapeutic value. The evidence involves a language shift: The author assumes that the group's reduction in stress levels is connected to a weakened immune system and a vulnerability to cancer. This is the missing link in the chain from support groups to stress levels to immune systems to vulnerability to cancer. A. No. This answer makes support groups less necessary, because if they can function well under extreme stress, then the stress-reducing effects of the support groups are not needed. This hurts the argument instead of helping it. B. No. This is not required by the argument, as can be seen from the Negation Test: If disease is a biochemical phenomenon at least in part, these groups could still reduce stress, and stress reduction could still help strengthen the immune system, provided that there is some biochemical reaction to stress reduction. C. Yes. This connects the premises to the conclusion. Use the Negation Test: If stress can't weaken the immune system, then stress reductions won't help the weakened immune system problem described in the first sentence, which means that the stress reductions no longer necessarily have anything to do with helping cancer victims. The argument falls apart. D. No. This is not necessary to the argument. Even if discussing the condition only reduces but does not eliminate the stress of the condition, the stress reduction could help the immune system. E. No. This is backwards: If stress is a symptom of a weakened immune system, then stress reduction won't help the immune system, because it will alleviate only a symptom of the problem, not the root cause of it.

Answer 288

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Main Point The conclusion is the first sentence. The second sentence is a fact about adobe, and the third sentence explains why this feature of adobe is useful in deserts, which justifies that adobe is good for building in deserts. The third sentence also makes a contrast with other building materials to justify that adobe is special in this regard. The other three sentences support the first, and the credited response should match the first sentence as closely as possible. A. No. This is not what the first sentence says. B. No. This is not what the first sentence says. C. No. This is not what the first sentence says. D. No. This is not what the first sentence says. E. Yes. This is almost exactly the same wording as the first sentence.

Answer 289

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Resolve/Explain The apparent discrepancy is that two studies found different percentages for patterned stems, one 70 percent and the other 40 percent. The credited response should give some reason that the two studies would have found different percentages of plants with patterned stems. A. No. This doesn't address the patterned stem percentage. B. No. Other plant species are out of scope. C. No. This doesn't address the patterned stem percentage. D. Yes. If this is true, then both studies were looking at the same plants, but some of the plants that the first study saw as patterned were not seen as patterned by the second study. E. No. The primary or secondary focus of each study does not address why they found different rates of patterns.

Answer 290

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The conclusion is the second sentence. The evidence is the third, which is an appeal to popular opinion. The fact that many people of unknown nature oppose the plan is not evidence that the plan is bad, just that it is not universally popular. A. No. The argument does not distort the editor's view. It presents the editor's proposal accurately. B. No. The argument does not need to establish that the alternative is viable. The conclusion is not that the alternative is better, just that the proposal would be damaging. C. No. The letter writer's self-interest is not involved in this argument. D. Yes. The argument appeals to the opinions of 20,000 people, but there is no evidence that they are correct. E. No. The argument does not take this for granted, because even if a third option were available, the conclusion could still be true: The proposal could still be damaging.

Answer 291

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen The conclusion is that students are offered a more in-depth and cosmopolitan education than they have been before. The evidence is that the university's history textbooks include a broader discussion of African, Asian, and indigenous American cultures than they once did. The credited response should connect cultural inclusivity (from the premises) and an in-depth and cosmopolitan education (from the conclusion). A. No. How interesting the courses are is irrelevant to the conclusion, which is about how in-depth and cosmopolitan they are. B. No. Innovative study-abroad programs do not necessarily make for an in-depth and cosmopolitan education so this does not support the conclusion. C. Yes. This suggests that the evidence, that the history course textbooks are more culturally inclusive, leads to the conclusion, that the educations are more in-depth and cosmopolitan. D. No. This would weaken the argument by saying that the history courses may be the exception, not the rule, and as a result, the educations are not in general in-depth and cosmopolitan. E. No. Textbooks that cover only a single culture are irrelevant to the conclusion about multicultural textbooks leading to an in-depth and cosmopolitan education.

Answer 292

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The conclusion is that the disclosures reduce the public's ability to be informed about the safety of airlines. The evidence is that airlines will not give complete reports under the proposed policy. The flaw is that the argument assumes that these incomplete reports will not increase the public's information about airline safety. A. Yes. If incomplete reports still give important information about airline safety, then the conclusion may no longer follow. The argument is neglecting this possibility. B. No. Whether the public has a right to know is irrelevant to the conclusion about whether the proposal will help the public to know. C. No. Other ways to learn information are irrelevant to the conclusion about whether the proposal will help the public become informed about airline safety. D. No. The responsibility for accuracy is irrelevant to this argument's conclusion, which is about whether the information would be accurate, not whose responsibility it is. E. No. The revenue of airlines is irrelevant.

Answer 293

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The conclusion is the final sentence, suggesting that the economists in the first sentence are wrong. The economists, according to the first sentence, think that financial rewards are the most important factor in choosing a job. The reason that the argument claims that this is wrong is the second sentence, which shows that high salary is not named as the most important factor. There is a language shift from the first sentence to the second: The financial rewards of a job and the salary may not be identical. A. No. This answer provides a disadvantage of high wages, and the argument argues that high wages are not a decisive factor, so this would not weaken the argument. B. No. If people prefer high wages over low wages in otherwise identical situations, then this shows that people care about wages somewhat, whereas the argument is concerned about it being the strongest incentive. C. Yes. If this is true, then evidence about salaries is completely inadequate for drawing a conclusion about overall financial rewards, because salary is only one part of financial benefits. This says that the evidence provided is not sufficient to draw the conclusion given. D. No. This is in the wrong direction. If this is true, and further, if this enjoyment is more important than financial rewards, then this answer choice strengthens the conclusion. E. No. Information about what some people know about jobs does not impact the argument about motivations for choosing a job.

Answer 294

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption The researchers concluded it is questionable to reason that small classes sizes lead to greater time devoted by the teachers to each student and in turn to greater student engagement. They concluded this because in reduced-size classes, students' grades were similar to how they had been beforehand. This argument is assuming that students' grades are related to engagement. A. No. Try the Negation Test: Even if other schools are also appropriate for study, the sizes of the schools studied in the argument are not specified, so it is not clear how this affects the argument. B. No. Whether teachers devote more time to some students than others or equal amounts of time to each student does not impact whether being able to devote more time to students overall will increase student engagement. C. No. The author's argument about smaller class sizes does not discuss the number of teachers. In fact, for a given number of students to have smaller class sizes, there would necessarily be more teachers. D. Yes. The reason that the argument doubted that the smaller class sizes led to increase student engagement was that their grades did not increase, which assumes that grades are a good proxy for student engagement. E. No. The reasons for parental support for the proposed law are irrelevant to whether the law will work.

Answer 295

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Flaw Rebecca's conclusion is that the manufacturers' claims about cost savings are not exaggerated. Her evidence is that she personally has had lower water bills since she installed the type of faucet in question. She does not mention whether she has saved as much as the manufacturer of the faucet claimed she would, however, which means that it is not clear whether the claims were exaggerated in her case. A. No. This does not directly address the conclusion about the manufacturers' claims. B. Yes. While Rebecca does indicate that her bills are lower, she never indicates whether it is as much as the manufacturer claimed. C. No. All claims do not need to be consistent in order to be correct. Rebecca's argument is that her bills are lower so the manufacturers' claims about her water-saving faucet are not exaggerated. D. No. Consumer satisfaction is not relevant to the conclusion about the manufacturers' claims. E. No. This does not address the issue of how much the manufacturer claimed would be saved.

Answer 296

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The company spokesperson's conclusion is the final sentence. The evidence is that automobiles that predate 1980 account for considerably more of the local air pollution than the company's plant does. The credited response that weakens this argument should indicate that there is some problem with the plan to buy old cars to reduce air pollution. A. No. Even if this is true, these automobiles still account for much more pollution than the plant does. B. No. This doesn't address the issue of whether the plan will work. Indicating that buying old cars will save the company money doesn't provide enough information to determine which will reduce air pollution more. C. Yes. If this is true, then the non-running cars that the company is going to purchase aren't going to be the cars that are contributing to the pollution mentioned anyway, so buying these non-running cars is unlikely to affect air pollution much, if at all. D. No. Even if this is true, it doesn't address the comparison between buying old cars and redesigning the plant, since the old cars would still account for much more pollution than the plant. E. No. This does not address whether the car-buying plan is better than redesigning the plants.

Answer 297

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Parallel The argument gives a conditional statement, that if our ancestors had not been motivated by a certain desire, then humanity would not have survived. It denies the "then" part of the conditional, saying that humanity has survived. It identifies one part of the conditional, the desire, with another concept, altruism, and then concludes something regarding the "if" part of the conditional and the additional concept, that the ancestors were at least partly altruistic. A. Yes. This argument gives a conditional statement, denies the "then" part, identifies one part of the conditional with another concept, and concludes something to do with the "if" part of the conditional and the additional concept, just as the original argument does. Students raising their grades can be identified with humanity surviving, increasing study time with the desire to sacrifice themselves, and good time management with altruism. B. No. This argument gives a conditional statement but never denies the "then" part. It's missing a statement that organisms are not capable of manufacturing their own carbohydrate supply, to match that humankind has survived in the original argument. C. No. This argument gives a conditional statement but never denies the "then" part. It's missing a statement that their endemic species will not perish, to match that humankind has survived in the original argument. D. No. This argument gives a conditional statement but never denies the "then" part. It's missing a statement that the natural resources will not be depleted, to match that humankind has survived in the original argument. E. No. This argument has an either/or in its conclusion, which doesn't match the original argument's conclusion. Furthermore, it needs to say in the premises that public buildings do harmonize with their surroundings, to match that humankind has survived in the original argument, but it does not say this.

Answer 298

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Principle Strengthen The bus driver concludes that the company should not reprimand him for the accident. His evidence is that the garbage truck was exceeding the speed limit, while he was abiding by all traffic regulations. The credited response needs to say that the premises lead to the conclusion: If a bus driver is abiding by traffic regulations, then he should not be reprimanded, even if he is involved in an accident. A. No. Who is responsible does not directly determine whether the bus driver should be reprimanded. B. No. The police report did not confirm who was at fault, so this conditional does not give any information about the issue at hand. C. No. This tells when the bus driver should be reprimanded but not when he shouldn't be reprimanded. D. No. This tells when the bus driver should be reprimanded but not when he shouldn't. E. Yes. This collision did not result from the bus driver's violating a traffic regulation, so this principle says that the bus driver should not be reprimanded.

Answer 299

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption The conclusion says that today's generation of television viewers exercises the imagination less frequently than radio listeners did. The evidence is that radio was the dominant form of entertainment previously, and it requires listeners to exercise their imaginations. Since no evidence is given about television or the present generation, one assumption has to be about the present generation. Specifically, the argument assumes that television does not exercise the imagination as much as radio, nor does anything else that the present generation does. A. No. This does not address the conclusion, which was about exercising one's imagination. B. No. This goes against what the argument said about radio: It was a dominant form of entertainment, but it caused people to exercise their imaginations regularly. C. No. The desirability of this type of entertainment is not addressed in the passage, nor is it relevant to whether television does in fact cause people to exercise their imaginations less. D. Yes. Try the Negation Test: If something did fill the gap for exercising the imagination, then today's generation would exercise the imagination as often as the previous generation did, which would make the argument fall apart. E. No. Try the Negation Test: If television drama does require its viewers to think about what they see, this may or may not constitute exercising the imagination, and it may not require them to think about what they see as often as radio required them to think about what they heard. The conclusion could still be true.

Answer 300

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Parallel Flaw This argument depends heavily on conditional and quantity statements, so consider analyzing them as such. The first sentence says that if someone is a candidate in this year's mayoral election, that person is a small-business owner ("candidate → smallbusiness"). The second sentence is a quantity statement directly ("most small-business owners are competent managers"). The third sentence says that if a person is a competent manager, then that person does not lack the skills to be a good mayor, or equivalently, has the skills ("competent manager → has skills"). The final sentence, the conclusion, is a quantity statement (most candidates have the skills). The problem is that even though all the candidates are small-business owners, they might happen to be in the minority of small-business owners who aren't competent managers and as a result may not have the skills. Thus, it is illicit to conclude that most of the candidates have the skills. A. No. The "most" statement in the premises aligns being in the company's management with being a small-business owner in the original argument and working in the sales department with being a competent manager in the original argument. However, if being in management is like being a small-business owner, then to match the first premise in the original argument, being in management should be on the right side of a conditional somewhere (all people of some sort or other are in management). No such premise exists in the argument. This does not match. This argument is actually valid: Combine the second premise with the third and you get the conclusion. B. Yes. If being on the menu at Maddy's Shake Shop is like being a candidate in the mayoral election, being fat-free is like being a small-business owner, being sugar-free is like being a competent manager, and being low in calories is like having the skills to be a good mayor, this argument matches the original perfectly (even in order, which is more than it has to do). C. No. The conclusion does not match. It contains a "never" when it should contain a "most." D. No. This argument draws a weaker conclusion than is justified by the premises. The first sentence might diagram as, "film at film festival → less than an hour long," and the third might diagram as, "less than an hour long → ~intermission." These should combine to the conclusion, "film at film festival → ~intermission." The premises justify the conclusion that none of the films at the film festival has an intermission, but the conclusion actually drawn is that most of them do not. E. No. This argument, while convoluted, is valid. If all the bike helmets have plastic, and most have rubber, then most of the bike helmets that have plastic have rubber, too.

Answer 301

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption The argument establishes in the premises that money exists across all societies and that money is a human invention. It concludes that the invention of money occurred in more than one society independently. The one aspect of this that it has not justified in the premises is the "independently" part; the credited response should say that the cultures were independent of each other at least to the necessary extent for this argument. A. Yes. If this is true, then the money used there—which had to have been invented at some point—was invented independent of other inventions of money, which is good enough for the conclusion to be true. B. No. If this is true, it does not affect the conclusion, which is about money, not language. C. No. The premises already establish that money is an invention, so other features of society are not relevant to the conclusion about money. D. No. This justifies a conclusion that money is useful, but that has nothing to do with the argument's actual conclusion about its multiple, separate inventions. E. No. The premises already establish that money is universal, so societies cannot have abandoned it anyway.

Answer 302

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Principle Strengthen The argument concludes that libel laws can prevent anyone from having a good reputation. The evidence is that libel laws prevent people from saying anything bad about public figures. There is a language shift from people not saying anything bad about public figures to no one having a good reputation, so the credited response should indicate that no one saying anything bad about public figures leads to no one having a good reputation. A. No. The conclusion is about the effect of the presence of libel laws, not the absence of them. B. No. The conclusion was stronger than this, that no one would have a good reputation, so the "even if" doesn't make sense. C. No. Whether something is libel or not is irrelevant to the issue of what the effect of strong libel laws is. D. No. This does not address the issue of why no one would have a good reputation when there are strong libel laws. E. Yes. The contrapositive of this is that if no other public figures have bad reputations, then public figures cannot have good reputations. If libel laws result in no one saying anything bad about public figures, and if that in turn results in no public figures having bad reputations, then no public figures will have good reputations (according to this conditional).

Answer 303

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Inference A. No. The argument says that mammals cannot digest cellulose, but they might get beneficial health effects without digestion. B. No. The argument says that beta-glucans do this, but it does not say that they are the only things that do this. C. Yes. The last part of the argument says, "the antitumor activity of beta-glucans increases as the degree of branching increases," and, "These extracts prevent tumor growth…by increasing immune cell activity." Putting those two together, when the degree of branching increases, the antitumor activity of beta-glucans increases, which happens because they increase immune cell activity. D. No. Immune-cell activity in general was not discussed. E. No. Mushrooms can do this, but the argument does not say or imply that any organism can.

Answer 304

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The comparison that is utilized is marked with the phrase "just as…so." Paraphrase the comparison: Societal laws are like manners in that both are obeyed because obedience to such rules is what's normal, not because there are penalties for lack of obedience. A. No. Varying from society to society was not the basis of the comparison. B. No. The basis to consider when adopting something was not the comparison made, though this answer may be tempting because "custom" was definitely part of the comparison. It was not the basis for adoption. C. Yes. This paraphrases the comparison effectively. The reason for compliance was custom both for manners and for law. D. No. The argument did not actually say that either laws or manners do not prescribe behavior that is ethically required. E. No. The nature of the penalties was not the basis of the comparison. Whether the penalties were strict or not was not the issue here.

Answer 305

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Resolve/Explain The discrepancy is that the goal was to reduce traffic, but the result was that traffic actually increased. The credited response should give some reason explaining how widening and extending highways would lead to increased, not reduced, traffic. A. Yes. If there are more motorists, then there can be more traffic, despite the wider roads. B. No. If the population increase had already taken place before the road project, and if the population had leveled off by the time of the project, then the population was constant during the road project. This makes the discrepancy worse by eliminating a possible reason (population increase) for the traffic to increase. C. No. The number of accidents is irrelevant to the discrepancy involving the amount of traffic. D. No. The types of vehicles are irrelevant to the discrepancy involving the amount of traffic. E. No. The fact that urban traffic is worse than traffic in other areas does not, by itself, explain why widening the road doesn't at least improve it, even if it is still bad.

Answer 306

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen The argument concludes that in-store advertisements over a store's audio system were effective. The evidence was that more people bought the product shortly after the ads were aired than bought it before. The argument contains a causal flaw: It's assuming that there is no other cause for people to purchase the product. A. No. This would explain why there were more purchases after the ad than before, but not (as the argument indicates) why a higher percentage of the customers bought the relevant items. B. Yes. This suggests that the ad actually was responsible for their behavior, because it eliminates the possibility that a large percentage of people just showed up to the store to buy the products at the same time right around the time the ad was being played. C. No. Even if a handful of customers report something, it doesn't necessarily account for the behavior of many. D. No. Even if they could not remember the ads, they might have been affected by them. E. No. Even if they buy the product only occasionally, the answer choice does not explain why they purchased it at this time.

Answer 307

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption The argument concludes that the library will not be completed on schedule. The premises are that if the building permit is not obtained by February 1 of this year or if the other necessary activities are not completed in less time than originally planned, then the library will not be completed on schedule, and the building permit isn't going to be obtained by February 1. The missing piece is the other half of the "if" statement, the other necessary activities. The credited response should say that the other necessary activities will not be completed in less time than originally planned. A. Yes. If the other activities will take at least as much time as originally planned, then they will not be completed in less time than originally planned. B. No. Even if they've admitted that it "probably" won't be completed on schedule, it could still be completed on schedule, so this is not enough. C. No. This just further specifies the premise that the building permit cannot be obtained by February 1, which we already know is true. D. No. What happened the first time is irrelevant to this time. E. No. Even if this is true, it doesn't address the issue of the other necessary activities.

Answer 308

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The conclusion is that inhaling the scent of peppermint makes insomnia worse. The evidence is that a study showed that people who inhaled the scent of peppermint had a harder time falling asleep than people who inhaled the (apparently sleep-neutral) scent of bitter orange. The argument assumes, among other things, that the two groups of people being compared were the same in every respect except the kind of scent they inhaled when trying to go to sleep, so it could be weakened by pointing out that that assumption is not true. A. No. The conclusion is about people who do suffer from insomnia, so the effects of peppermint on other people are not relevant. B. Yes. If this were true, it wouldn't be the peppermint that accounted for the difference in how easily the two groups could fall asleep; it would be the severity of their insomnia. C. No. This would affect both groups of patients equally, since they would both know that they were undergoing a study, and would not account for the difference between the peppermint and bitter orange groups. D. No. The argument's conclusion is about the impact of the scent on falling asleep, not the amount of time they were able to stay asleep. E. No. If this were true, it would strengthen the argument. If these scents can affect the degree to which a patient suffers from insomnia, they could worsen it, as the conclusion indicates.

Answer 309

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The statement asked about is the conclusion of the argument. The evidence begins with "After all," and it involves a study. A. No. It's the conclusion, not a premise. B. No. It is stated in the argument as the conclusion. C. No. The issue in the argument is whether this statement is true, so this is not background information to help understand the issue; it is the issue. D. Yes. The study is a premise in support of this conclusion. E. No. There is no other conclusion.

Answer 310

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Parallel The conclusion is the second sentence, and the premise is the first. The argument assumes that the particular pilot tomorrow will have the same reaction to flying the plane as all the previous pilots have, or more generally, that the pattern that has continued up to this point will continue with a specific event in the future as well. A. No. The average reader in the conclusion introduces an additional shift from the book reviewers in the premise that was not in the original argument. B. No. Many of the book reviewers thinking something does not match none of the test pilots finding something. C. No. Two book reviewers do not match many test pilots. This answer choice creates a survey flaw that is not in the original argument. D. Yes. This is assuming that what has happened with many reviewers up to this point will happen with a specific book reviewer in the future as well, just as the original argument assumed about test pilots. E. No. This argument introduces an additional shift from book reviewers in the premise to the general public in the conclusion.

Answer 311

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The question task is asking for the role played by the mention of astrology. The argument claims that affecting perception of the world is a necessary but not sufficient condition for taking a theory seriously. The role of astrology is to see that it is not sufficient. If astrology is to prove that affecting perception of the world is not sufficient reason to take a theory seriously, then astrology must affect perception of the world but should not be taken seriously. A. No. According to the argument, astrology affects our perception of the world. B. No. According to the argument, astrology is a theory. C. Yes. According to the argument, astrology is a theory that affects perception of the world but should not be taken seriously. D. No. According to the argument, astrology should not be taken seriously. E. No. According to the argument, astrology is a theory that affects perception of the world but should not be taken seriously.

Answer 312

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The argument concludes that Michaela must be a critically acclaimed playwright. The evidence is that critical acclaim is one of the main factors considered in deciding which play to perform, and her play is going to be performed. The flaw is that it is neglecting the other, unnamed factors that are used to determine the selection of plays. A. No. There is no condition in this argument that is necessary for a playwright's being critically acclaimed. B. No. There are no different effects. C. Yes. A main factor in the selection of plays is critical acclaim, and the argument assumes that a play must be critically acclaimed to be performed. D. No. There is no reason to doubt the reliability of any source in this argument. E. No. The argument argues that being critically acclaimed is the cause of the play being selected, so it does not need to provide evidence that being critically acclaimed is the result of being selected.

Answer 313

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Principle Strengthen The conclusion is that governments should not be allowed to use diaries as evidence. The premises are that writing in a diary is for oneself (not others), and that this is similar to keeping one's thoughts to oneself. The credited response should indicate that such things, which are intended for oneself and not others and are like keeping thoughts to oneself, should not be allowable evidence. A. No. Other types of evidence that should not be used by governments are not relevant to whether diaries should be used. B. No. This answer choice is irrelevant and is in the opposite direction of the original argument, which was trying to limit what the government could do. C. Yes. This answer choice could be paraphrased to say that if the remarks were not intended for other people, they should not be acceptable for the government's prosecutorial use, which connects the premise to the conclusion. D. No. The individual's personal correspondence—which is different from a diary in that it is clearly intended for others—is not at issue here. E. No. This goes in the opposite direction to the argument, which was trying to limit such government efforts.

Answer 314

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Inference The argument says that there is a gas ring maintaining an orbit close to a black hole, and the gas ring could not maintain an orbit close to a black hole unless the black hole was spinning. Combining these statements, the credited response is likely to say that the black hole is spinning. A. No. There is no information given about rings of gas greater than 49 kilometers. B. No. There is no information given about other rings of gas. C. Yes. If the gas couldn't be where it is unless the black hole is spinning, then the black hole must be spinning. D. No. Whether the X-rays cause the spinning or something else does is not given. E. No. It is never stated that black holes must have gas rings.

Answer 315

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption The conclusion is that there has not been a black water phenomenon at last year's intensity any time in the past two centuries. The evidence is that the black water wiped out some species of coral that were more than two centuries old. The line of reasoning argues that even if there were black water before, the coral survived it, so it must not have been as bad. This assumes, however, that the black water's intensity is the only factor relevant to its effect. A. No. The argument does not assume that there was or was not a black water phenomenon in the past two centuries, because the conclusion is conditional: If there was such a phenomenon, then it must have had a lower intensity. B. No. Try the Negation Test: Even if a few were not seriously harmed, that would have no impact on the conclusion about the history of black water. C. No. Try the Negation Test: Even if it did decimate other species, this still does not affect whether there were black water phenomena earlier. Indeed, if it decimated other old living things, then the negation of the answer choice supports the argument, instead of destroying it. D. Yes. Try the Negation Test: If the mounds were especially fragile before the black water, then they might have been wiped out by coincidence, not by the severity of the black water. E. No. Even if everything were equally vulnerable, the black water might still have been of higher intensity than it had been before.

Answer 316

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Inference The argument gives two facts: In the last sentence, it says that if a fruit tree can't be grown in a tub or pot, then it can't correctly be labeled "miniature." In the preceding sentence, it says that some Stark Sweet Melody nectarine trees are labeled "miniature" at some nurseries and not so labeled at others. A. No. It is not clear in the argument whether any trees labeled "miniature" are not suitable for growing in a tub or pot (which would make them mislabeled). B. No. The only labels that are mentioned in the argument are ones that would be inappropriate if the variety is unsuitable for growing in a tub or pot. C. No. It is not clear whether Stark Sweet Melody nectarine trees are suitable for growing in a tub or pot, so it is not clear whether they can correctly be labeled "miniature." D. No. If they are not labeled "miniature," they may not be labeled anything, which would make it impossible for them to be labeled incorrectly. E. Yes. If these trees are not suitable for growing in a tub or pot, they cannot correctly be labeled "miniature," so they are mislabeled.

Answer 317

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The argument concludes that many inclinations are genetic and not environmentally influenced. The premises are that identical twins have the same genes, but when they are brought up in different environments, they have the similar ethics, dress styles, and careers. This argument is assuming, very broadly, that the genes cause the similarities and nothing in the environment. A problem with this is that it may be possible to have two different environmental stimuli that lead to the same effect. The credited response should address this causal flaw, although it is hard to predict from the argument what exactly it will say. A. No. Even if this were true, those changes could have been genetically programmed. The argument doesn't address what is causing these changes. B. No. A few differences are completely compatible with the many similarities suggested in the conclusion. C. No. Genes might lead to inclinations even if it is not clear which ones lead to which at the current level of scientific development. D. Yes. If this is true, then beliefs, tastes, and careers can be influenced by the environment, but the conclusion indicated that they could not. E. No. These twins have different genes, so it is reasonable for them to develop different beliefs, tastes, and careers even if their genes are completely responsible for their behaviors.

Answer 318

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Main Point The argument says that human beings can live happily only in certain circumstances. It also says that economic needs can be satisfied without those circumstances. Combining these statements, it should conclude that satisfying economic needs does not necessarily make people happy. A. No. Economic utility can be a motivator. The problem is that fulfilling economic needs doesn't guarantee happiness, not that it prevents happiness. B. No. The argument just says that economic needs depend on different things than happiness, not that happiness depends on more than economic needs. C. No. The argument says that economic needs can be satisfied in one way, but it doesn't say that it's the only way. D. Yes. The argument says happiness depends on one thing, but economic needs can be satisfied even without that. Thus, economic needs can be satisfied without obtaining happiness. E. No. The argument says the opposite of this, namely that economic needs can be satisfied even without that which is required for happiness.

Answer 319

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Main Point The conclusion is the third sentence, which says that the infrastructure is likely to appear and grow rapidly. The first two sentences are background for the third, since they clarify the kind of infrastructure under discussion and point out facts about its nonexistence. The final sentence is support for the third sentence by means of an analogy. A. No. This is a premise (the first sentence). B. No. This is a paraphrase of part of a premise (the second sentence). C. No. This is a broader generalization than the conclusion. This argument is only about hydrogen fuel infrastructure. D. Yes. This paraphrases the third sentence, which is the conclusion. E. No. This is an assumption underlying the analogy in the fourth sentence, not the conclusion.

Answer 320

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The argument concludes that wildlife management experts should not interfere with the natural habitats of creatures in the wild. It concludes this because interfering to help out endangered species hurts nonendangered species. It's assuming that this is not worth doing, that it is bad to help endangered species at the cost of harming nonendangered species. A. No. Even if they do, this does not address the problem with nonendangered species. B. No. Harming nonendangered species is the very problem that the argument raises, so endangering a species is not something the argument fails to recognize. C. No. The argument suggests that helping an endangered species survive invariably makes it harder for nonendangered species to survive, so the possibility that it is not possible to save an endangered species and also preserve species diversity is implied, not overlooked. D. No. This does not address the problem with nonendangered species. Even if the endangered species were not at all equal, the argument's conclusion that none should be helped could still hold, so this argument does not presume this. E. Yes. If preserving endangered species were of higher priority than preserving nonendangered species, then it might be a good idea to help endangered species even at the cost of some harm to nonendangered species, so the argument would no longer work.

Answer 321

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Inference The argument gives a large number of facts about food preservation and sterilization. These facts do not clearly combine to lead to a specific conclusion so the credited response will likely be the inverse of one of the facts in the paragraph. A. No. The third sentence says that some acceptable food-preservation techniques involve slowing the growth of disease-causing bacteria, so the food is not necessarily free of the bacteria. B. No. The techniques mentioned in the final sentence, which destroy enzymes, may be part of the former or latter category in the previous sentence, a sterilizing method or a slowing-growth method. If they are part of the former category, this answer choice is untrue. C. No. It is not made clear in the information given whether sterilization involves destroying the food enzymes mentioned in the final sentence. D. Yes. The first sentence says that any food that is not sterilized and sealed can contain disease-causing bacteria. The answer choice describes food that is not sterilized, so it can contain disease-causing bacteria according to the first sentence. E. No. The argument says that sterilization causes a food to contain no bacteria and that preservation can involve sterilization, but it does not say that food is sterilized only for preservation. If the food were sterilized for some other reason, it would contain no bacteria but would not have been preserved by an acceptable method.

Answer 322

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Principle Match The principle created an absolute identity between acceptable activities posing risks to life and gaining a benefit that cannot be had without the risks or bearing the risks voluntarily. If either of the two criteria is met, then the activity is acceptable, even though it poses risk to life. A. No. It is not clear whether this poses risks to life. B. No. No benefit is gained that cannot be had without such risks, and the risks are not borne voluntarily by the people who must suffer them. C. Yes. This is a risk to life, and it is judged acceptable because the person who bears it bears the risk voluntarily. D. No. This answer choice does not specify that there is no other way to get the benefit without the risk. E. No. The principle did not involve whether policies were acceptable, only risks.

Answer 323

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The argument concludes that compounds are not responsible for butterflies' ability to avoid predation. The evidence is that the compounds were separated out and each individual one does not cause predators to avoid eating. The assumption is that there is no difference between the compounds taken individually, as in the premises, and the compounds taken together, as in the conclusion, on the actual butterfly. A. No. Incompatibility of the theories is not the issue. One theory could still be wrong even if both could have been true. B. No. There is no statistical correlation. There is a lack of a predicted effect, and the argument concludes lack of causation on those grounds. C. No. There is no condition in this argument that is definitely sufficient for sea butterflies' ability to avoid predation. D. Yes. The argument concludes, from the claim that no individual compound has the effect of avoiding predators, that the compounds together do not have that effect. The answer describes this. E. No. The premises do not state that the compounds are not responsible for the ability to avoid predation. They state that one compound at a time is not responsible for the ability.

Answer 324

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen The principle says that if criticism will harm the person criticized or if one does not criticize in the hope or expectation of benefiting someone other than oneself, one should not criticize the works or actions of another person. (That is, harm or ~hope to benefit other → ~criticize.) The application gives a situation in which the criticism did not benefit anyone, and it concludes that the criticism should not have happened. It is not clear, in this example, whether the criticism was offered in the hope or expectation of benefiting someone (and just failed to do so) or was offered even though it would not benefit anyone. In the latter case, the application is legitimate. A. Yes. In this case, Jarrett did not criticize in the hope or expectation of benefiting someone other than himself (or anyone, in truth), so he should not have criticized as he did. B. No. It is not clear whether Jarrett knew this or not, so even if this were true, he still might have been hoping to benefit Ostertag. C. No. Even if this were true, he might have been hoping to benefit Ostertag. D. No. Even if this were true, he might also have been hoping to benefit Ostertag. E. No. Even if this were true, he might have been hoping to benefit someone other than himself and Ostertag (someone else in the class, perhaps).

Answer 325

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen The argument concludes that minivans have a good safety record because they are driven by low-risk drivers and not because they are inherently safer. The evidence is that the number of injuries per vehicle is lowest for minivans (out of all vehicles), but they don't appear in crash tests to be inherently safer. The argument assumes that other factors outside of the actual mechanics of a collision are no more important than the crash itself. A. No. Minivans don't perform better in crash tests, so if this were true, low-risk drivers would not necessarily select minivans. B. No. The safety record of minivans is not at issue in this argument, rather the conclusion is concerned with the cause of the low injuries per licensed vehicle. C. No. If this were true, it would make the number of injuries per licensed vehicle statistic more impressive (more people, but fewer injuries), but it does not address why there are so few injuries D. No. This weakens the argument by saying that it is the inherent safety, not the type of driver, that makes the minivans so safe. E. Yes. If this is true, then not only are the minivans no safer when they're actually in a collision, but they also are no safer in preventing a collision, so they cannot be inherently safer than other vehicles. This strengthens the conclusion (that it is the low-risk drivers that are the cause) by eliminating a possible alternate cause.

Answer 326

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption The conclusion is that the government is responsible for the increased cost of gasoline. The evidence is that the government's policies have increased demand, and as a result of increased demand, the price has risen. The argument is assuming, broadly speaking, that this is enough to assign the responsibility solely on the government. A. Yes. Try the Negation Test: If the government could not bear responsibility for that which it indirectly causes, then the government could not bear responsibility for the gasoline price increase, since it only indirectly caused it. B. No. Whether the consequences were unforeseen is unknown, so this may not even be relevant. C. No. Try the Negation Test: Even if consumer demand could increase without causing gasoline prices to increase, it did not in this case, so this does not matter. D. No. The issue in the argument was not the government's obligation, but whether the government was responsible. E. No. The government did pursue policies that increased the demand for fuel, so this answer choice describes a situation that is not relevant to the argument.

Answer 327

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Parallel Flaw This argument commits a necessary/sufficient flaw by reading a conditional statement backwards. One could diagram the premises as "mutations → evolutionary adaptations" and "survive changes → evolutionary adaptations." The conclusion might be represented as "mutations → survive changes." The problem is the argument assumes these two statements are linked, which would require one of them to be reversed. The credited response should likewise flip a conditional improperly. A. No. This is logically valid. Take the second conditional first and the first second: "sturdy → properly built" and "properly built → stone supports stone." This does lead to the conclusion, which is "sturdy → stone supports stone." B. No. This likewise is valid. It gives that different audience will give different reactions, and it says that there are always different audiences, so there will always be different reactions. C. Yes. Being "honest" matches "mutations frequently occurring," "telling the truth" matches "developing new evolutionary adaptations," and being "morally upright" matches "surviving dramatic environmental changes." Then this argument matches the original, as the premises would diagram as follows: "honest → truth" and "moral → truth." The conclusion would diagram as follows: "honest → moral." This again reads the second conditional backwards. D. No. This is logically valid. It takes the contrapositives of both conditionals in the premises and combines them to create the conclusion. That is, the premises are "productive → well drained" and "well drained → good soil," which would lead to the contrapositives "~good soil → ~well drained" and "~well drained → ~productive," which can be combined to form the conclusion, "~good soil → ~productive." E. No. This answer choice introduces a language shift at the very end. It takes a contrapositive of both conditionals in the premises and combines them to create the conclusion. However, the conclusion also involves a language shift from not eating a healthful diet to not being healthy, while no such language shift was present in the original argument.

Answer 328

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Principle Strengthen The conclusion of the argument is that sales are not a mark of a rock group's success as an underground group. The evidence is that strong sales may be the result of being too trendy, and weak sales may be the result of incompetence. The credited response should connect the premises (being trendy or incompetent) with the conclusion (not successful as an underground group).

Answer 329

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Flaw Mary's argument concludes that Jamal's reasoning is absurd. Jamal's statements that Mary has a "legal right to sell" her business but has no "right to do so" involve a shifting meaning in the use of the word "right." The flaw in Mary's argument is her failure to recognize that shift in meaning. A. No. Mary's conclusion does not overlook this possibility because Jamal's statement indicates that Mary may sell whenever she wishes. B. No. The rights of the employees are not relevant to the argument. C. No. This was Jamal's claim, not Mary's. D. Yes. Mary's argument fails to recognize that Jamal may refer to different kinds of right—a legal right versus a moral right. E. No. Mary makes no mention of Jamal's character.

Answer 330

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Parallel The argument concludes that the evolution of organs to not greatly outlast other organs is a result of natural selection. Evidence is presented that there is no survival value for the animal to have an organ that does greatly outlast the body. The principle in this argument is that it is inefficient for parts to outlast the whole. A. No. The comparison of price does not match the part-whole comparison made in the argument. B. No. One organ that compensates for another deficient organ does not match the part-whole principle. C. No. The comparison drawn between two whole car models does not match the part-whole comparison made in the argument. D. No. Rather than compare the survival of individual parts within a system, this answer considers how the parts impact each other. E. Yes. Like the body, if the parts of an automobile outlast the whole, it does not increase the overall quality of the whole and is therefore not cost-effective (efficient).

Answer 331

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Inference The first sentence is a conditional statement: The combination of economic success and success at protecting individual liberties leads to overall success. The second sentence says that environmental protection is not necessary for success at protecting individual liberties. The third sentence acknowledges the present administration's success at protecting individual liberties and its lack of care for the environment. Combining these sentences leaves open the question of whether the present administration is a success since we are missing information about the present administration's economic success. A. No. While it is possible for this to be true, there is no evidence that it must be true. B. No. There is not enough information to know whether the present administration is an overall success or not. C. Yes. If the present administration is an economic success, we know it must be an overall success, since the final sentence of the argument states that it has successfully protected individual liberties. These two successes are sufficient to know the present administration is an overall success. D. No. There is no evidence of a link between economic success and caring for the environment. E. No. There is no evidence that environmental protection would be sufficient for overall success.

Answer 332

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The argument concludes that the bill prohibiting fishing should be enacted despite the potential impact on the industry. The author cites a study that found toxin levels in fish that exceed standards. The author indicates that continuing to allow fishing in the bay could have negative effects on public health. The argument proceeds by explaining a negative impact of failing to pass the ban. A. No. The evidence presented does not state the economic effects of toxic contamination in fish, but rather the health effects. B. No. There is no evidence about moral principles. C. No. The study put forth as evidence does not attack opponents of the ban. D. Yes. The study and its conclusion indicate that the toxic contamination in the bay's fish would have "grave effects on public health." E. No. There is no evidence that the ban will be successful in reducing toxins in fish.

Answer 333

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Principle Strengthen Vandenburg argues that the small size of the museum's contemporary art collection goes against the museum's purpose—devoting as much attention to contemporary art as to the art of earlier periods. Simpson argues that the size of the museum's contemporary collection is appropriate because the art museum does not need to collect every style of art, and the small size of its collection is a product of few high-quality contemporary art pieces. Simpson's argument could be helped by connecting the premises about high-quality art pieces with the conclusion about the size of the collection. A. Yes. If museums should collect only high-quality art pieces and there are few high-quality pieces of contemporary art, then Simpson's conclusion would be true. B. No. Art that violates the founder's purpose is not relevant to Simpson's conclusion. C. No. This is a premise of Simpson's argument. D. No. The purpose of an ethnographic museum is not relevant to Simpson's conclusion. E. No. The intentions of the art museum's curators are not relevant to Simpson's conclusion.

Answer 334

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen The argument concludes that corporate actions to discourage alternative-energy projects influenced the government's funding decisions. The author provides evidence that funding for alternative-energy projects has been reduced from initial reserves. The author also indicates that large corporations discourage alternative-energy projects. The author's argument attempts to establish a causal relationship between the government's actions and the corporation's actions from evidence that indicates only that these actions are correlated. The argument can be strengthened by bolstering the causal link between the two actions or by removing other possible causes. A. No. The fact that projects do not receive funding does not strengthen the argument about why projects do receive funding. B. No. Changes in funding levels do not help connect corporate actions with government decisions. C. Yes. If this is true, it suggests a connection between specific corporate actions and government funding decisions. D. No. If this were true, it would weaken the argument by showing that large corporations encourage some projects that receive reduced funding. E. No. This does not demonstrate a connection between corporate actions and government funding decisions.

Answer 335

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Point at Issue Talbert argues that chess is beneficial for school-age children because it promotes mental maturity. Sklar argues that chess diverts attention from other things that have societal value. A. No. While Talbert would agree with this, Sklar does not take a side on the issue. B. No. Neither argument discusses other activities that may promote mental maturity. C. No. Talbert provides no evidence regarding the social value of either science or chess. D. Yes. Talbert argues that teaching chess would be beneficial, while Sklar voices an objection to teaching chess to children. E. No. Neither argument discusses the mental maturity of children who do not play chess or study science.

Answer 336

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Flaw Theodora argues that Marcia is wrong to claim "that vegetarianism cannot lead to nutritional deficiencies" because switching to a vegetarian diet may cause some people working in meat-based industries to have a nutritionally poor diet. The problem with Theodora's conclusion is that Marcia's argument is that "not all vegetarian diets lead to nutritional deficiencies," which is a different conclusion than the one Theodora argues against. A. Yes. Theodora's argument is disproving a different conclusion than that made by Marcia. B. No. Theodora's argument provides an alternative consideration to the research in Marcia's argument. C. No. By stating a situation that would occur if most people became vegetarians, Theodora does not make any assumptions about other factors that could lead to the collapse of meat-based industries. D. No. Theodora's argument does not use "diet" in a different sense to that in Marcia's argument. E. No. Theodora does not assume that people that lose jobs would become vegetarians, only that they would not be able to "afford a nutritionally adequate diet."

Answer 337

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Main Point The musicologist argues that the piano is properly called a percussion instrument. The author provides evidence that musical instruments are classified based on the mechanical actions that produce music and that piano strings vibrate because of the impact of hammers. A. No. The argument is concerned primarily with the classification of the piano, and this statement is used as a premise in the musicologist's argument. B. No. The argument does not refer to the "way musicians interact with" instruments. C. No. There is no evidence that people refer to the piano as a stringed instrument. D. No. This it the opposite of the argument's conclusion. E. Yes. This correctly paraphrases the musicologist's conclusion.

Answer 338

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Inference A. Yes. Combining the first two sentences in the passage shows that agricultural runoff has doubled the phosphorus level, which has stimulated the growth of plankton. B. No. There is no evidence in the paragraph to indicate whether fish could have survived in the area in the time before the past few decades. C. No. There is no evidence in the paragraph about what is occurring in the ocean region at present to support this hypothetical, future situation. D. No. The first sentence does not indicate a change in the quantity of agricultural runoff during the past few decades. E. No. Phosphorus leads to a lack of oxygen in this particular area because it stimulates the growth of plankton and the use of oxygen by bacteria that feed on decaying plankton. This situation may not be the same in other bodies of water.

Answer 339

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The argument concludes that drivers are possessive of parking spaces especially in situations where another driver wants the space. A study is used to support the argument. The author assumes that there is no other reason for the time difference among drivers in the study than their level of possessiveness. The argument can be weakened by providing evidence for considerations that could explain the time difference other than a driver's possessiveness or by attacking the integrity of the study. A. Yes. If other drivers that are waiting for a space put pressure on a driver, that pressure could reduce the speed at which he or she is able to leave a parking space. This provides an alternative explanation for the time difference mentioned in the study. B. No. The length of time spent entering a space does not weaken the claim about possessiveness, which is based on a study regarding the length of time leaving a space. C. No. This does not address why it is more difficult and time-consuming to leave a space. It does not directly attack the conclusion since the difficulty could be be caused by the increased possessiveness drivers feel. D. No. The differences between the mall parking spaces and other parking spaces is irrelevant to the conclusion about whether people are possessive of those spaces when other drivers are waiting to enter them. E. No. While anger at impatient honking may be a factor in the length of time drivers leave a space, the study indicates that drivers delayed even in situations when there was no honking. Since the answer choice does not address the entire argument, it does not adequately weaken the conclusion.

Answer 340

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Resolve/Explain The paragraph says on one hand that shark teeth are the most common fossils but that shark skeleton fossils are comparatively rare. A. Yes. While the teeth of sharks are likely to fossilize, the skeletons of sharks are not. Thus, shark teeth fossils should be more common than shark skeleton fossils. B. No. The location of fossils that are found does not explain why shark teeth fossils are so much more common than skeletons. C. No. The paragraph says shark teeth fossils are more common than the skeleton fossils. That it is difficult to distinguish shark teeth from other teeth fossils is irrelevant. D. No. Information about sharks that live today does not explain why shark teeth fossils are more common than shark skeleton fossils. E. No. This makes the situation worse by arguing that skeletons and teeth fossilize by the same process.

Answer 341

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption The critic argues that photographs are interpretations of reality. The evidence for this argument is that photographers express their own views by choosing a subject. There is a language shift between photographers expressing a view and photographs interpreting reality. A. No. This gives us only the possibility that photographs are interpretations, whereas the question task asks for something that will make the conclusion logically sound based on the evidence provided. B. Yes. If this is true, then photographs expressing a view would make photographs an interpretation of reality. C. No. All art may express a view but there is a missing connection between this view and the interpretation of reality. D. No. This is the opposite of what is needed. It argues that interpretations of reality (the conclusion) express a view (the premises) and an answer is needed that says that to express a view is to interpret reality. E. No. All photographs may express a view but there is a missing connection between this view and interpreting reality.

Answer 342

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The argument concludes that the track marks are likely due to a geological process instead of worms. It provides evidence that the marks were made many years before the existence of the earliest known traces of multicellular animal life. The author assumes without providing any evidence that geological processes could have made the marks and could be weakened by providing additional evidence pointing to an alternate consideration or otherwise stating that geological processes were not responsible for the marks. A. No. The age of sandstone is irrelevant. The argument states that the marks in this piece of sandstone were made "more than half a billion years" before known animals could have made the tracks. B. No. By providing additional evidence that geological processes made other marks in sandstone, this answer choice strengthens the argument. C. No. The argument provides evidence that the marks in this piece of sandstone were made "more than half a billion years" before known animals could have made the tracks. "Life forms" other than worms that existed would not weaken the claim that the geological processes caused the marks without additional evidence that those "life forms" made the marks. D. Yes. If geological processes could not have caused the marks, the conclusion is not valid. E. No. The answer indicates that worms could have existed earlier than is known but does not indicate that they could have been alive "more than half a billion years" before known animals could have made the tracks.

Answer 343

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Main Point The passage provides evidence that different species are likely to develop similar types of organs or body structures since that organ or body structure is the only way to accomplish a task. To conclude, the argument indicates that since animals have similar needs, that they will have similar ways to accomplish those needs. The credited response should match the information provided in the argument. A. No. The argument provides no information about animals living in the same environments. B. Yes. The argument says that animals have similar organs to perform similar tasks so animals are likely to adapt similar ways to satisfy the needs of the last sentence. C. No. The argument attempts to compare different animals with similar needs so this answer choice is inconsistent with that comparison. D. No. There is no evidence that animals with different needs will have similarities. E. No. While the passage makes an example out of eyes and wings, there is no indication that all animals with similar needs will develop them.

Answer 344

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that steel plants could save money as a reduction in their electrical bills by installing thermophotovoltaic generators if there is a way to feed the heat produced into the generators. Evidence is provided that steel plants generate a lot of heat as waste and thermophotovoltaic generators convert heat into electricity. There is a gap between the conversion of heat to electricity and saving money. A. No. The author does not argue that thermovoltaic cells are the most cost-effective option available to steel plants. Other options are irrelevant. B. No. The conclusion is explicitly predicated on the ability to convert the heat waste from steel plants into electricity. C. Yes. This links the ability to convert heat to electricity with saving money. Use the negation test: If the electrical bills are not reduced enough to cover the costs of installation, then steel plants will not save money. D. No. The argument does not require electricity to be the primary source of energy as long as electricity is a source of energy. E. No. Other ways to save money are irrelevant to the conclusion.

Answer 345

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The argument concludes that herbal remedies are more likely to retain effectiveness against new and different strains of bacteria than do standard antibiotics. The herbalist provides evidence that standard antibiotics usually have only one active ingredient whereas herbal remedies have several. The herbalist also uses an analogy that compares the resistance of a bacteria to multiple ingredients (herbal remedies) or one ingredient (standard antibiotics) to the challenge of cooking for several guests or only one guest. A. Yes. The single guest is easier to prepare for in the same way that a it is easier to resist an antibiotic with only one ingredient. B. No. The author uses the several dozen guests to correspond with herbal remedies. C. No. The challenge of pleasing a guest corresponds with the ability of a bacteria to resist a treatment. D. No. The cook in the analogy corresponds to the bacteria. E. No. There are no ingredients mentioned in the analogy.

Answer 346

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The argument concludes that barn owls cease to use vision to locate sounds once they have developed a scheme for estimating that location. It provides a study done on barn owls as evidence of the conclusion. The credited response will hurt the argument by describing a way the study does not necessarily lead to the author's conclusion. A. Yes. If this is true, then it is possible that the owls continue to use a distorted vision in their estimation of a sound's location. B. No. The hypothesis is specific to barn owls so the scientists do not make assumptions about other owls. C. No. The hypothesis does not assign human reasoning to owls. D. No. The hypothesis is specific to barn owls so the scientists do not make assumptions about other types of birds. E. No. The experimental results about barn owls is relevant to the scientists' conclusion about barn owls.

Answer 347

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Resolve/Explain The passage indicates that, on one hand, journalists are using more quotations to report the unsupported or false claims of newsmakers but, on the other hand, are "less likely to openly challenge" the truthfulness of those claims. The credited response will be the one answer choice that does not explain this situation. A. No. The possibility of losing a subscriber could explain why journalists are less likely to challenge the views of newsmakers. B. No. The likelihood of journalists reporting on a topic about which they are not especially knowledgeable could explain why they are less likely to challenge the views of newsmakers. C. No. If journalists are more likely to report claims by people with whom they agree, it makes sense that they are less likely to challenge the views of these newsmakers. D. Yes. The basic principle of journalism established here would seem to indicate that journalists should be more likely to draw attention to a debate over an unsupported claim. This does not explain why journalists are less likely to challenge the views of newsmakers. E. No. The criticism associated with challenging the views of newsmakers could explain why journalists are less likely to do it.

Answer 348

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The argument concludes that interpreting EKG data should be left to computer programs because a computer program performed better in a study than a highly skilled cardiologist. The argument assumes that there were not drawbacks to the computer program that were not mentioned by the study. A. No. The computer program correctly diagnosed a higher proportion of cases regardless of the number of mistakes made by the cardiologist. B. No. The inability to make subjective judgements is not at issue in the argument about whether a computer program should interpret EKG data. C. Yes. The answer points to a negative impact associated with computer programs interpreting EKG data. If a computer program incorrectly diagnoses heart attacks, it may not be the best option to interpret EKG data. D. No. The argument is specifically discussing the interpretation of EKG data so other information is irrelevant to the conclusion of whether a computer program should interpret EKG data. E. No. If the very experienced, highly skilled cardiologist is not representative of cardiologists in general, then the average cardiologist is less experienced and not highly skilled. This does not weaken the argument that a computer program should interpret EKG

Answer 349

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Principle Strengthen The author concludes that the speed limit on straight stretches of high-speed roadways should be set to 75 miles per hour, the average actual speed on those roadways. The author provides a study that indicates speed limits that reflect the actual average speeds of traffic reduces the accident rate to support the conclusion. The credited response should help the argument by providing more evidence that speed limits should be set to this speed or that bolsters the integrity of the evidence provided. A. No. Uniform speed limits only on straight stretches of high-speed roadways would not justify the conclusion that it should be set at 75 miles per hour on all straight stretches of such roadways. B. No. Uniform traffic laws across the nation would support the idea that speed limits across the nation should be the same but would not justify the conclusion that the speed limit should be set at 75 miles per hour. C. No. Since the actual average speed on all the roadways is unknown, this would not justify the conclusion that a uniform speed limit of 75 miles per hour be set on all such roadways. D. No. Laws that are frequently violated are not discussed in the argument and would not help our conclusion about adjusting the speed limit on straight stretches of high-speed roadways to 75 miles per hour. E. Yes. If any measure that reduces traffic accidents should be implemented, then the speed limit on straight stretches of high-speed roadways should be set to the average actual speed on those roadways.

Answer 350

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen The psychiatrist argues that some first-year students could reduce spending on recreation without increasing anxiety or depression. Evidence is provided that those students that report the highest levels of spending on recreation have the same levels of anxiety and depression as those with the lowest levels of spending. The argument contains several common flaws that could be improved. The credited response in this EXCEPT question will not strengthen the conclusion. A. No. The psychiatrist assumes that the first-year students at this university are representative of other first-year students. Information that the pattern holds at other universities would strengthen the argument. B. No. If students with moderate spending have lower levels of anxiety and depression than both groups discussed in the argument, then students with high levels of spending may actually reduce anxiety and depression by spending less. C. Yes. Information about adults between 40 and 60 has no bearing on a conclusion about first-year university students. D. No. Information about the accuracy of the screening tools used by the psychiatrist bolster the integrity of the evidence cited in the argument thereby strengthening the conclusion. E. No. This provides additional evidence that students could reduce spending without increasing anxiety or depression thereby strengthening the conclusion.

Answer 351

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Parallel Flaw The argument concludes that most brick houses on River Street have two stories because every brick house on River Street has a front yard and most houses on River Street with front yards also have two stories. The argument is flawed because it fails to recognize that the evidence provided does not directly connect brick houses with those houses that have two stories. It is possible, for instance, that there are many homes on River Street with front yards but few of them are brick houses. In this situation, it is possible that all of the brick houses have only one story even while most homes with front yards have two. A. No. This does not match the original argument. It argues that legislators are politicians and most legislators have run for office so most politicians have run for office. The flaw in this answer choice is a matter of degree: The evidence would support the claim that some politicians have run for office but it is unknown if in fact most have. In the original argument it is possible that no brick house has two stories. B. No. This does not match the original argument. It argues that since most legislators have run for office and most politicians who have run for office are public servants that most public servants are legislators. This answer choice assumes legislators are politicians whereas the original argument did not involve a language shift. C. No. The answer choice argues that since every legislator is a public servant and not all public servants are legislators that some public servants have not run for office. The flaw here is that there is no evidence connecting legislators or public servants with running for office. D. Yes. This matches the original argument. It argues that since all legislators are public servants and most public servants have never run for office that most legislators have never run for office. It fails to recognize that the evidence provided does not directly connect legislators with the public servants who have not run for office. It is possible that both premises are true and yet all legislators have run for office. E. No. This answer choice does not match the original argument. It argues that since most public servants have not run for office and most legislators have, that most legislators are not public servants. The flaw here is that the data points about most legislators and most public servants may not overlap. The original argument provided evidence about all brick houses, so an argument about most legislators would not match.

Answer 352

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption The argument concludes that increased knowledge of history reduces the chance a person will view history as the working out of moral themes. The historian provides evidence that says people who do not hold clear and unambiguous moral beliefs are unlikely to see history as the working out of moral themes. Also, people are less likely to morally judge human behavior as knowledge of history increases. There is a missing link between morally judging people and holding clear and unambiguous moral beliefs. A. No. Whether historical events elicit moral approval or not is irrelevant to the argument about individuals who judge and hold moral beliefs. B. Yes. If this is true, then increasing knowledge of history would lead to a decrease in the inclination to morally judge people and a comparable decrease in the likelihood to hold clear and unambiguous moral beliefs. C. No. The moral significance placed on an event is different from the idea that these events worked out a moral theme. This does not confirm the conclusion that people with greater knowledge of history will be less likely to consider that history is the working out of moral themes. D. No. This is the reverse of the premise from the first sentence. The author argues that holding clear and unambiguous moral beliefs is necessary for seeing history as the working out of moral themes and does not assume that it is sufficient. E. No. A connection between objectivity and knowledge of history would not help the author's conclusion about viewing history as the working out of moral themes.

Answer 353

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Resolve/Explain The passage establishes that students at the university would prefer a new president with extensive experience, but most students chose someone who has never served as a university president from the list of leading candidates. A. No. The inability to use experience as the sole criteria does not explain why students who prefer experience as one criteria chose a candidate who lacks experience. B. No. This does not explain why students at the university did not choose one of the candidates with experience. C. No. That there were few candidates to choose from does not speak to the issue of experience as a criteria students prefer but did not select. D. Yes. If students prefer experience but were unaware of the experience offered by the candidates, the students were unable to choose by using that criteria. E. No. The fact that someone without experience may be well-suited does not explain why students prefer experience but did not choose a candidate with experience.

Answer 354

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Principle Match The passage states that while male guppies with large spots are more attractive to female guppies than males with small spots, only guppies with small spots live to maturity in waters where predators are abundant. A. No. The passage does not discuss the dangers of large spots in a comparison between male and female guppies. This does not match. B. No. There is no information in the passage regarding the number of offspring among male guppies with large spots. This does not match. C. No. There is no information in the passage regarding the number of offspring relative to life span of guppies. This does not match. D. No. The passage does not discuss the dangers of large spots in a comparison between male and female guppies. This does not match. E. Yes. Guppies with large spots cannot live to maturity in certain environments where predators are abundant.

Answer 355

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Except The programmer argues that the pay difference between the average salaries of technical writers and computer programmers at Mytheco is unfair. The executive counters that the pay difference is acceptable since many technical writers have greater seniority than many programmers. A. No. The previous jobs of the technical writers are irrelevant to the executives' conclusion connecting salary with seniority. B. Yes. While many writers have more seniority than many writers, the executives' counter argument is concluding that the pay difference in the average salary is fair. It would be important to know the relationship of the seniority of the average writer and the average programmer. C. No. The programmer and executive include both salary and benefits in their arguments so it is unnecessary to consider the benefits separately. D. No. The work history of the executive is irrelevant to the conclusion connecting salary with seniority. E. No. The executive's salary is irrelevant to the conclusion regarding the pay difference between programmers and writers.

Answer 356

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Inference A. Yes. There is no information in the passage to support a statement about where stations can be viewed. B. No. The passage states that cable TV stations can charge lower rates for advertising than broadcast stations because cable stations charge subscriber fees. C. No. The passage mentions the lower rates cable TV stations can charge as an advantage cable stations have over broadcast stations. D. No. The final sentence mentions the worldwide expansion of some cable TV stations as an advantage cable stations have over broadcast stations. E. No. The passage mentions targeted audiences, specifically those of 24-hour news, as an advantage cable stations have over broadcast stations.

Answer 357

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen The argument concludes that air pollution likely eradicated plant diseases which are presented as diseases that disappeared in English cities during the Industrial Revolution. This causal argument assumes that no other factors were present during the time that could have caused these diseases to disappear. A. No. That plants can develop a resistance is irrelevant to the conclusion about the disappearance of two specific plant diseases. B. No. The difficulty of eliminating the two diseases does not address the cause of their disappearance during the Industrial Revolution. C. No. The effect of air pollution on some plant species is not directly linked to the conclusion about two specific plant diseases. D. Yes. This bolsters the causal link between pollution and the disappearance of the two diseases and strengthens the conclusion. E. No. Whether other plant diseases disappeared or not is not relevant to the conclusion about the causes of the disappearance of these two specific plant diseases.

Answer 358

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Inference The passage states that while the author of the seventeenth-century abridgment of Hamlet is unknown, there are two facts about the author that are known: The author did not have a copy of the original play when he or she wrote the abridgment and the author wrote one character's speeches accurately but not the speeches of other characters. The credited response should match this description. A. No. Shakespeare himself would likely have had a copy of the play and knowledge of the speeches of all characters equally. The facts in the passage do not indicate that Shakespeare wrote the abridgment. B. No. The passage does not indicate that the abridgment was drafted so that the play would be easier to produce. C. Yes. An actor who had played a role would likely have knowledge of the play generally and the speeches of one character more accurately than others. D. No. A spectator may have knowledge of the play as a whole but would have equal knowledge of the speeches of all characters. E. No. There is no information in the passage that the abridgment was attempting to improve the play.

Answer 359

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Main Point The musicologist disagrees with critics who complain of disproportion between text and music in the arias written by Handel. The musicologist provides evidence that the repetition serves a vital function by allowing the audience to focus on the music rather than the text. A. No. The author argues that the disproportion between text and music in Handle's da capo arias serves a vital function. B. No. The author does not compare Handel's da capo arias to other arias. C. Yes. The author argues that the complaints of many critics can be refuted. D. No. The author argues that the repetitions in Handel's da capo arias serve a vital function. E. No. The author does not discuss most criticism in the argument about a specific criticism of Handel's da capo arias.

Answer 360

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Inference A. No. There is no information in the passage to support the claim that there are other large design companies besides Baxe. B. No. There is no evidence in the passage regarding categories other than corporate interiors. C. No. There is no information in the passage comparing the quality of most work produced by small companies with that of Baxe. D. No. There is no information in the passage indicating the level of awareness of quality of those soliciting design proposals. E. Yes. Despite the fact that other companies have won awards and Baxe has not, it continues to have a near monopoly in the corporate market.

Answer 361

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The argument concludes that while the asteroid that created the Chicxulub crater in Mexico likely resulted in the extinction of some nearby species, it is unlikely to be responsible for the extinction of most dinosaurs worldwide. Evidence is provided that larger craters exist at times when there were no known extinctions. A. No. This would strengthen the claim that the asteroid that produced the Chicxulub crater did not cause most dinosaurs to become extinct. B. No. This size of the asteroid is irrelevant to the claim that it did not cause most dinosaurs to become extinct. C. No. The author acknowledges that some species may have become extinct as a result of the asteroid impact. This does not weaken the claim that the asteriod impact did not cause most dinosaurs to become extinct. D. No. Other asteroids are irrelevant to the claim that this asteroid did not cause most dinosaurs to become extinct. E. Yes. If most dinosaurs lived in or near the region of the impact, then it is likely the asteroid was responsible for the extinction of most dinosaurs.

Answer 362

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Parallel The passage argues that infection is more widespread in lot B than in lot A because more samples from lot B contained Aspergillus than from lot A. The argument assumes the samples are representative of the infections in each lot. A. No. The comparison is between the parts of a machine and the whole machine. Since there is no direct comparison between groups, it does not match. B. No. There is no comparison between groups so this does not match. C. No. There is no comparison between groups so this does not match. D. Yes. The passage compares the results of a survey among samples from two different groups and assumes that what is true from each sample will be true among the greater groups. E. No. There is no comparison between groups so this does not match.

Answer 363

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Inference A. Yes. The author states that it is correct to believe that losing a job is a result of impersonal social forces and that a widespread knowledge of this belief would lead to economic disaster. B. No. The author does not mention protections against impersonal social forces. C. No. The author states that in this situation increased governmental control would lead to economic disaster, but there is no indication that there should never be government interference. D. No. The author offers a prediction for events that have not yet occurred. There is no direct evidence that societal demand for government control is in fact growing. E. No. The author does not discuss the level of responsibility people should feel for military invasions or economic disasters.

Answer 364

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The argument concludes that it is unlikely Dalton will build an airport. Evidence is offered that a majority of residents in favor of building an airport would be sufficient for its success. The author then states that this sufficient condition is unlikely to be met. The conclusion assumes that majority support is also a necessary condition. A. Yes. The argument assumes that majority support, which is stated to be a sufficient condition, is necessary by stating that since majority support is unlikely, the airport is unlikely to be built. B. No. The author does not argue that anything must be true. C. No. The conclusion states that the event is unlikely to occur since the majority support is unlikely. The author does not argue that the event will definitely not occur. D. No. The author does not consider what people near Dalton believe because those people are not relevant to the argument. E. No. The author overlooks the economy because it is not relevant to the argument about residents' favoring the airport proposal.

Answer 365

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Resolve/Explain The passage states that when rush-hour speed limits were reduced on a motorway, rush-hour travel times decreased. One might expect travel times to increase when speed limits drop and the question task asks for an answer choice that explains this difference. A. No. It is expected that speeds would decrease when the speed limit was reduced. This does not explain why the travel times also decreased. B. No. What occurred outside of rush-hour does not explain why travel times during rush-hour decreased even as the speed limits were reduced. C. Yes. If the reduced speed limits also caused a reduction in accidents that caused lengthy delays, it is possible that the lower speeds would lead to reduced travel time. D. No. Enforcement of the reduced speed limits does not explain why travel times were reduced. E. No. The number of drivers may remain the same or decrease. Since there is no direct connection between the number of drivers and travel times, this does not explain why travel times were reduced.

Answer 366

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption The author concludes that the artistic merit of an artwork can depend on both the creator of the work and those who evaluate it. Evidence is provided that indicates that the pleasure one takes in an artwork can be increased or decreased based upon the criticism or praise given by art critics. There is a missing link between pleasure and artistic merit. A. Yes. If the pleasure one gets from a work of art determines the artwork's merit, the conclusion follows logically. B. No. The confidence necessary for the evaluation is irrelevant to the author's argument about the merits of an artwork depending on the evaluation of critics. C. No. The author argues that art critics determine merit as well as artists but does not argue that one does so more than the other. D. No. Whether people seek out reviews is irrelevant to whether evaluation of a work in part determines its artistic merit. E. No. The author indicates that the evaluation of artwork can alter the pleasure one receives from viewing artwork. This does not add anything substantive to the original argument.

Answer 367

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Resolve/Explain The passage indicates that the number of thefts has declined during the past five years. At the same time, it is more likely that someone who steals a car will be convicted. A. Yes. This provides information that there are fewer people who steal cars and that they are more likely to maintain possession of the car after it is known to be stolen. It explains both issues discussed in the passage. B. No. The frequency of car alarms may explain why there are fewer thefts, but the fact that many people ignore them does not explain why more criminals are convicted of theft. C. No. The diversion of resources to investigate home burglaries does not explain why more criminals are convicted of theft. D. No. The quick disassembly of cars does not explain why more criminals are convicted of theft. E. No. Lenient punishment on younger offenders does not explain why there are fewer of them, nor does it explain by itself why they are more likely to be convicted.

Answer 368

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The legislator concludes that the constituents would support a bill to reduce corporate income taxes based on a survey that asked whether they favored high taxes. The legislator's argument assumes that corporate income taxes would be considered part of the question asked in the survey. A. No. The legislator's argument is about the constituents specifically, so their representation of the country as a whole is irrelevant. B. Yes. There is no evidence that the current corporate income tax is "high" and so there is no evidence about the constituents' feelings toward the newly introduced bill. C. No. The legislator provides evidence in the study that constituents oppose high taxes and assumes they would be in favor of reduced taxes for corporations. Confusing the results of the survey is not the same as failing to provide evidence. D. No. The argument is not circular. The legislator assumes the results of the survey indicate a support for a bill that may not be represented by the question asked in the survey. E. No. This the opposite of what is needed. The legislator's survey is consistent with support for a bill but does not prove support for the bill.

Answer 369

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Main Point The author concludes that prohibitions against having pets in nursing homes should be lifted since animals can reduce stress and provide health benefits. A. No. The author's argument is about how animal companions can make a home more rewarding. This is a premise. B. No. The author does not compare nursing home residents to other people. C. Yes. This is a paraphrase of the author's conclusion. D. No. This is a premise in support of the conclusion that residents in nursing homes should be allowed to have pets. E. No. The author's conclusion is specific to the residents of nursing homes being allowed to have pets.

Answer 370

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The author concludes that water is among the biggest polluters of water. Evidence is provided that rainwater runoff contributes more to the contamination of bodies of water than industrial discharge. A. No. The statement in question is a premise not the conclusion. B. No. The statement is evidence for a different conclusion, specifically that water itself is among the biggest water polluters. C. No. The statement is a fact used to support the conclusion. The second sentence explains why this statement is true. D. Yes. The statement is evidence for the conclusion that water itself is among the biggest water polluters. E. No. The argument is concerned with water as a polluter of water. It does not discuss typical city pollution.

Answer 371

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Point at Issue Wong argues that some countries may need an autocratic government as they transition to a democracy, which is better for all countries. Tate argues that some countries are better off as autocracies. A. Yes. Wong says all countries are better off as democracies, whereas Tate says some may be better off as autocracies. B. No. Wong does not speak to this issue. C. No. Neither argues that some countries may not be able to become democracies. D. No. Both seem to agree to this point. E. No. Wong does not speak to this issue.

Answer 372

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Principle Match The rule is to hire the most productive candidate when none of the fully qualified candidates currently works for the company. The application argues for hiring a fully qualified candidate over the other, but information about who is most productive and whether either currently works for the company is missing. A. No. This would still leave open the question of which candidate would be most productive. B. No. This would not use the rule since it applies when none of the fully qualified candidates currently works for the company. C. No. This would not use the rule since it applies when none of the fully qualified candidates currently works for the company. D. No. This would not use the rule since it applies when none of the fully qualified candidates currently works for the company. E. Yes. Since Delacruz is fully qualified and none of the candidates works for the company, the company should hire the candidate who is most productive. This confirms the application of the rule was correct.

Answer 373

Correct Answer: A QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that important types of medicine will never be developed if tropical rain forests are not preserved. Evidence is provided that many important types of medicine have been developed by substances found in plants that live in the tropical rain forests. There is a missing link between many previous medicinal discoveries and future development of important medicines. A. Yes. Use the negation test: If there are no substances in rain forests that have not already been discovered, then future development based on previous discoveries is likely and the conclusion is invalid. B. No. The author assumes the opposite, that these substances cannot be found in other environments. C. No. Use the negation test: If the majority of plants do not contain substances of medicinal value, it is still possible that some will and the conclusion could be valid. D. No. The author does not assume that plants that can be discovered will be; instead, the author argues that plants cannot be discovered if the rain forests are not preserved. E. No. This paraphrases the conclusion of the argument and is stated in the passage, not assumed.

Answer 374

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Weaken The argument concludes that ichthyosaurs were deep divers because, like modern deep-diving marine mammals, the outer shell of their bones was porous. The argument assumes that a characteristic common to many modern deep-diving mammals is sufficient evidence to know that prehistoric reptiles were also deep-diving animals. The credited response will weaken the conclusion by providing more evidence that indicates ichthyosaurs were not deep divers or an alternative consideration to the one discussed in the argument. A. No. This states that the porous outer shell may not have been necessary for the ichthyosaurs to be deep divers but does not indicate whether this type of shell was sufficient so it does not weaken the conclusion that the ichthyosaurs were deep divers. B. No. This does not discuss deep-diving reptiles so this does not weaken the claim about ichthyosaurs, which are reptiles who had bones with porous outer shells. C. Yes. If this is true, then a porous outer shell in reptiles is not sufficient to know that the reptile is a deep diver since some reptiles with porous outer shells are not deep divers. D. No. While this establishes the possibility of a difference between whales and the ichthyosaurs, it does not provide evidence that the ichthyosaurs may not have been deep divers. E. No. This states that the porous outer shell may not have been necessary for the ichthyosaurs to be deep divers but does not indicate whether this type of shell was sufficient so it does not weaken the conclusion that the ichthyosaurs were deep divers.

Answer 375

Correct Answer: C QUESTION TYPE: Reasoning The librarian concludes that the preservation grant should not be used to restore the town's charter. The argument is structured to disagree with some people who argue that the town's charter should be restored using the grant money since the charter will soon deteriorate beyond repair without such restoration. The librarian argues that since the charter has no scholarly value and copies are readily available, the money should be spent on other projects. A. No. The librarian does not argue with the point that the charter will deteriorate beyond repair if it is not restored. B. No. The librarian rejects the claim that the grant should be used to restore the charter but does not argue with the point that the charter will deteriorate if it is not restored. C. Yes. Some people argue that the grant should be used to restore the charter since it will deteriorate if it is not restored, and the librarian disagrees with the conclusion of those people. D. No. The statement in question is evidence used by some people, not the librarian, to argue for the use of the grant to restore the town charter. E. No. The statement in question is evidence used by some people to argue for the use of the grant to restore the town charter. It is not required by the librarian's argument that claims the money should be spent on other projects.

Answer 376

Correct Answer: D QUESTION TYPE: Principle Strengthen The columnist argues that we should preserve the most species possible if there is a goal to preserve any. Evidence is provided that states that we are ignorant of the interrelationships among species and that allowing some species to die may impact the viability of other species, presumably the ones that we care about. A. No. This would strengthen the claim that some species be preserved but would not justify the columnist's argument that the preservation be directed at the maximum number of species. B. No. The columnist's argument indicates that action should be taken precisely because all the relevant information is unknown. C. No. The columnist's argument does not make exceptions for flourishing human populations so this does not justify the claim that animal preservation be directed at the maximum number of species. D. Yes. If this principle is true, it would be important to maximize animal preservation to avoid potentially undermining the viability of a species that is important since the important species may be connected to species to which humans are indifferent. E. No. The columnist's argument does not state that maximizing animal preservation would have the best future consequences in the immediate future.

Answer 377

Correct Answer: E QUESTION TYPE: Flaw The author concludes that long-term friends are likely the same age since most of these friendships resulted from someone feeling comfortable to speak to a stranger and people are likely to feel comfortable speaking to a stranger who is the same age. The argument fails to provide evidence about other things that may make people feel comfortable approaching a stranger. A. No. The author does not indicate that people would not feel comfortable approaching someone that was not a stranger. B. No. The author does not make a comparison between a situation and other similar situations. C. No. The author does not compare the comfort levels of people approaching strangers versus non-strangers. D. No. The author's argument allows for the possibility that there are exceptions by stating that the probable conclusion is based on a situation that is more likely. E. Yes. There may be other factors that are related to approaching strangers. If people are comfortable approaching people who are not of the same age, then long-term friendships may be present regardless of age.

Answer 378

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption The argument concludes that there can be no individual freedom without the rule of law. The premises indicate that individual freedom requires social integrity and pursuing the good life requires social integrity. There is a language shift from social integrity in the premises to the rule of law in the conclusion and assumes that social integrity requires the rule of law. A. No. This is the opposite of what is needed. Use the negation test: If there could be a rule of law without social integrity, it is still possible that the rule of law is required for individual freedom. B. Yes. Use the negation test: If there could be social integrity without the rule of law, then it would be possible for individual freedom to exist outside the rule of law as well and the conclusion would be invalid. C. No. The author does not argue that the pursuit of the good life is connected to the rule of law. Use the negation test: If one could pursue the good life without the rule of law, it is still possible that individual freedoms require the rule of law. D. No. The author states as a premise that social integrity is required by individual freedoms but does not indicate that individual freedoms are necessary for social integrity. E. No. The conclusion states the opposite: The rule of law is necessary for individual freedoms. The author does not assume the individual freedoms are necessary for the rule of law.

Answer 379

Correct Answer: B QUESTION TYPE: Parallel Flaw The economist's argument concludes that a nation that commits to public education will avoid economic and political weakness. The premises state that an uneducated population will lead a country to be weak economically and politically and that an educated population requires a commitment to public education. The author assumes the presence of a necessary factor (an education) to avoid economic and political weakness is sufficient, ignoring the possibility that there may be other necessary factors. A. No. This argument assumes that a broader diet is a diet that is more flexible when the traditional food supply is removed. The language shift that applies in this argument does not match the necessary/sufficient flaw in the original passage. B. Yes. This mistakes a necessary factor (empathy) for a good candidate to be a sufficient factor. It is flawed because it is possible that some people who can manipulate others may not be good candidates despite their having one of necessary characteristics of a good candidate. C. No. This argument has a related structure but its conclusion incorrectly creates a contrapositive by negating but not flipping the premise. This argument does not match because the conclusion lacks the presence of a necessary characteristic in defining one that can give orders. D. No. The argument assumes that a situation that is unlikely to happen is a situation that will not happen. It does not have a necessary/sufficient flaw that matches the original argument. E. No. The argument assumes that people who like to eat are unable to curtail their food intake in order to lose weight. The argument provides two options and argues that one option is not possible and concludes that the other option is not possible.

Answer 380

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match The question asks you to determine which of the given principles is best illustrated by the argument. The argument presents a study in which children are taught a word in a certain context and later associate that word with a similar context. A. No. This choice describes a situation in which the children can't see the object denoted by the word. That's not the case here; the children can see the stairs. B. No. This choice makes a statement about how children learn best. While the argument makes a case for the presented method being effective, there's no judgment as to whether or not it's the best way. And you can see by the confusion with the ladder that it's likely not the best way. C. No. This choice brings time into the equation and the argument gives you no indication as to how old the children are when they are learning the word. D. Yes. This describes the situation exactly. In this case, the children learn the word "stairs" by walking up and down those stairs, then later associate the movement up and down a ladder to the same word. E. No. This choice, like (B), states this method of learning is the best way.

Answer 381

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen The conclusion follows the comma in the second half of the final sentence: "it is likely that exceptionally long-lived people are genetically disposed to having long lives." The premises state that many people living to be 100 or older have led "unhealthy" lives. Another premise is the first part of the final sentence stating such behavior often leads to shortened life spans. So, the author assumes anyone related to the folks discussed also lived to the age of 100 or more. A. No. This answer choice seems to contradict one of the premises. If there were a way to counteract certain unhealthy choices, then the lifestyle may not be so unhealthy and genetics may not be the reason for their long life spans. B. No. The argument never states people living to be 100 or older do not participate in ALL of these activities; it simply lists these activities as examples so that you have an idea of what the author means by unhealthy lives. None of these activities are considered better or worse than any others. C. No. The argument never states people living to be 100 or older participate in ALL of these activities; it simply lists these activities as examples so that you have an idea of what the author means by unhealthy lives. None of these activities are considered better or worse than any others. D. No. The argument is concerned only with those who do live to 100, so this choice does not strengthen the argument. E. Yes. If this were true, it would support the argument that living to such an age is more about genetics than lifestyle.

Answer 382

Correct Answer: B B Sufficient Assumption The question asks you to find the answer choice that provides an assumption sufficient for the argument to reach its conclusion—the conclusion that says "M will most likely be produced in capsule form." The support for this conclusion comes from previous statements in the argument: "Medications with an unpleasant taste are generally produced only in tablet, capsule, or soft-gel form." The author also gives reasons for why M cannot be produced in tablet or soft-gel form. For the conclusion to be true, it must be assumed medication M has an unpleasant taste. A. No. Choice (A) mentions a form that is not discussed, so it would have no effect on the argument. B. Yes. This states that M has an unpleasant taste. C. No. Choice (C) is really just extraneous information. As long as you can produce a medication in some form, that's all you need for the argument to proceed. D. No. Choice (D) specifies a characteristic of those medications that can be produced in soft gel form. The conclusion is that medication M is likely to be in capsule form, and one of the premises is the company developing M doesn't even have soft-gel manufacturing technology. So, (D) is no help. E. No. Choice (E) compares the taste of the different forms of medications. The conclusion states medication M can be produced only in capsule form, so any discussion of the relative merits of one form over another is not really important as there is no choice.

Answer 383

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen The question asks you to determine which answer choice best strengthens the argument. The conclusion is industry analysts predict Morris will soon be the majority owner of The Daily. This is based on the fact Morris wants to own a majority of the shares of The Daily. And the only obstacle is that Azedcorp, the current majority owner, has steadfastly refused to sell. So, now you should think about the jump in logic between the premises and the conclusion. Azedcorp doesn't want to sell, but the prediction is still that Morris will own a majority at some point. You don't need to get too specific, but you must recognize that there must be something outside of this argument that would lead Azedcorp to sell to Morris even though it doesn't want to. A. No. The focus of this argument is on The Daily so any other newspapers do not matter. B. No. Choice (B) is tempting, but the argument gives you no specific reasons for Azedcorp not wanting to sell, so it would be too presumptuous to think it's just Morris's offer that has prevented the sale to this point. C. No. Choice (C) doesn't help because the focus of the argument's conclusion is Morris. Anyone else getting involved would only confuse the situation. D. No. Choice (D) is also a little tempting because it mentions shares and Azedcorp but really, it doesn't matter if Morris is currently the second largest shareholder. She wants to be the largest, and her current position doesn't affect that fact or the prediction. E. Yes. Azedcorp's financial situation may force it to sell even though it doesn't want to.

Answer 384

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The question asks you to determine a flaw in the structure of the argument. The conclusion is found in the final sentence: "if we eliminate the lead paint in those homes, childhood lead poisoning in the area will finally be eradicated." The premises given by the area resident are that "childhood lead poisoning has declined steadily since the 1970s when leaded gasoline was phased out and lead paint was banned." You are also told that "recent statistics indicate 25 percent of the area's homes still contain lead paint that poses significant health hazards." The resident considers two things that were banned—leaded gasoline and lead paint—and states once these are both eliminated, childhood lead poisoning in the area will finally be eradicated. The resident doesn't rule out other potential causes in drawing a conclusion, so this is the argument's flaw. A. No. Choice (A) talks about the statistics mentioned but nothing indicates they are likely to be unreliable. You are told nothing about the sample size or the methods of the study they came from. B. No. Choice (B) equates the assumption and conclusion, but since you have identified both of these parts, you can see this is not accurate. C. Yes. D. No. Choice (D) brings economics into the equation. The resident is focused only on completely eradicating childhood lead poisoning by eliminating lead paint. Costs are never brought into play; the focus is just on eradicating the problem. E. No. Choice (E) makes a statement about children residing in every home that contains lead paint. The resident focuses just on eliminating lead paint to eradicate childhood lead poisoning. Whether that helps children in one home or every home isn't really a factor.

Answer 385

Correct Answer: A A Inference The question asks you to make an inference based on the given information. Some nutritional facts about soft drinks are listed on their labels, but exact caffeine content is not. Listing this would make it easier to limit but not eliminate this intake altogether. The argument concludes that "if it became easier to limit, but not eliminate, caffeine intake, many people would do so, which would improve their health." Now compare these facts to the answer choices and look for something that can be supported by the information in the argument. A. Yes. Choice (A) is a pretty good restatement of the argument's conclusion. Notice the lack of extreme language in this statement, which matches the language of the argument. At least some people's health would improve if this change were made. That's difficult to argue with and relatively easy to support. That's what you should look for in an inference. B. No. Choice (B) discusses what would happen without the caffeine content listing. The argument is focused on what could happen if the content is listed, so this isn't correct. C. No. Choice (C) also focuses on a scenario in which the caffeine content is not listed. D. No. Choice (D) discusses people who wish to eliminate their caffeine intake; however, the argument is explicit in stating its focus on how people can limit, but not eliminate, their caffeine intake. E. No. Choice (E) makes a statement about how people's health may worsen with the addition of the caffeine content listing.

Answer 386

Correct Answer: C C Parallel Flaw This question asks you to determine which answer choice parallels the flawed reasoning in the given argument. Start by looking at the initial argument. First, a famous art collector dies, and you are told she had the largest privately owned art collection. MacNeil then declares he cannot possibly afford any of the works in that collection because it is one of the most valuable collections ever assembled. If you don't like the sound of this argument, then you've zeroed in on its flaw. A characteristic of the collection as a whole is attributed to each individual work. Now find an answer choice in which the argument makes that same reasoning error. A. No. Choice (A) doesn't match up because the characteristic of being French doesn't correspond to anything in the original argument. Something either is or is not French; there are no levels of French as there are differing values of the works in a collection. B. No. The reasoning in (B) is actually not flawed. The word "unanimously," by definition, tells us each councilperson voted the same way. C. Yes. Because the paragraph is long, the author concludes each sentence in the paragraph is long. D. No. The reasoning in (D) goes in the opposite direction of the original argument. Each member is old so the company itself is labeled as old, which may or may not be true. Either way, this doesn't follow the same pattern. E. No. Choice (E) is similar to (A) in that there's no parallel for the characteristic of being an element; the molecule either is or is not an element. Again, this doesn't match the construction of the original argument.

Answer 387

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The question asks you to determine a flaw in the structure of the argument. The conclusion is in the middle of the argument: The criticism exaggerates the risk of the trip to Mars. When you look for the premises, first identify the criticism—that is, it would be wrong to send a group of explorers to Mars given current technology since they would be unlikely to survive the trip. The reason given for labeling this statement an exaggeration is that there would be a well-engineered backup system at every stage of the long, complicated journey and with this backup system, a fatal catastrophe is quite unlikely at any stage. The critic's focus is on the entire journey. The author's rebuttal to this is to focus on each stage of the journey and how each stage can be safeguarded. So, the author attributes the characteristics of the journey's stages to the whole journey. But you're given no reason to think this extrapolation is justified, so this is the flaw you are looking for. A. Yes. The author infers something about the whole trip based on characteristics of each of the trip's stages, and that's a problem. B. No. Choice (B) is inaccurate because neither the critic nor the author infers something cannot happen; both speak about the likelihood of an event. C. No. Choice (C) is inaccurate because the evidence given is not about probabilities; the information about the stages is fairly concrete. D. No. Choice (D), similar to (B), states something will work and the argument never definitively states or implies this. Both individuals focus on likelihoods. E. No. Choice (E) doesn't work because it's never implied that the critic's argument is inadequate; the author just gives other evidence as to why it's exaggerated.

Answer 388

Correct Answer: C C Sufficient Assumption The question asks you to determine which answer choice is an assumption sufficient for the argument's conclusion to be true. The conclusion is in the second half of the final sentence, "such studies cannot reliably determine the causes of human subjects' present characteristics." The premises are at the beginning of the final sentence, "because retrospective studies of human subjects must use the subjects' reports about their own pasts." To find the assumption, focus on the differences between the conclusion and premises. The conclusion introduces the concept of reliability. So, the argument must assume the subjects' reports are unreliable. A. No. Choice (A) assumes the reports are already inaccurate and the study is using them. What the argument needs is an assumption that the reports are unreliable. If your assumption is making assumptions, that usually just causes more confusion. B. No. Choice (B) focuses more on the things the study sets out to prove rather than discussing the subjects' reports, which is the focus of the premise. So, this would not provide the connection the argument needs. C. Yes. This claims that often in these studies, subjects' reports are highly susceptible to inaccuracy. This undoubtedly bolsters the connection between the premises and the conclusion. D. No. Choice (D) discusses a study that uses accurate reports, which is completely unrelated to the conclusion. E. No. Choice (E) tells you subjects' reports are the only thing that can be used for such studies, but it makes no judgment as to the reliability of such reports, a big part of the conclusion

Answer 389

Correct Answer: B B Main Point The question asks you to identify the conclusion of the argument. The conclusion is the second sentence of the argument, the "additional space will more likely be used for more passenger seating." Now ask yourself the question "why?" The answers to that question are in the next sentence: "The number of passengers flying is expected to triple within 20 years, and it will be impossible for airports to accommodate enough normal-sized jet planes to carry that many passengers." A. No. This is a premise. B. Yes. This is a good re-statement of the conclusion. C. No. This is a premise. D. No. This is a premise. E. No. While the conclusion states the new planes will be used more for the increased number of passengers, there is no indication in the argument that most passengers will travel on these new planes.

Answer 390

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The question asks you to determine a flaw in the structure of the reporter's argument. Treat the scientist's statements as the premises for the reporter's conclusion. This way you can think about the assumption made by the reporter. The study reported only those receiving medication M found their athlete's foot cured. From this the reporter concludes, "if anyone in the study had athlete's foot that was not cured, that person did not receive medication M." The assumption here is no one who received medication M had athlete's foot that was not cured. Because the reporter assumes this without justification, that's the flaw. A. Yes. Just because M can cure athlete's foot doesn't mean it always does so. B. No. Choice (B) is an inaccurate description of the reporter's statement. Nothing is stated about the population as a whole. C. No. The focus of both the reporter and the study his statement is based on is the effectiveness of the medication. Availability is unrelated to the argument. D. No. The possibility of some other way to cure besides M and N curing athlete's foot is irrelevant to the argument. E. No. Other ways to cure athlete's foot are not relevant to the argument about whether M cures athlete's foot.

Answer 391

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The question asks you to determine which answer choice is a necessary assumption for the argument. The conclusion is the sentence beginning with the word "however," that is, "plesiosauromorphs probably hunted by chasing their prey over long distances." The premises given for this are their fins were quite long and thin, like the wings of birds specialized for long distance flight. To find the assumption, focus on the change in language in the argument. Notice in the premise that the fins of a marine reptile are compared to the wings of a bird. Then based on this, the conclusion is the plesiosauromorphs hunted prey in the same manner. So, it must be assumed that fins and wings work in the same manner within their respective environments. A. No. Choice (A) doesn't really help because the focus is not on the shared ancestry of the physical features of each animal, but rather on how certain features affect the way they hunt. B. No. Choice (B) has no impact because whether they were the only dinosaurs like this really doesn't change the conclusion in the argument. You still need a connection to hunting patterns. C. No. Choice (C) discusses caloric requirements; since specifics of any diet are not a part of the argument, this would not help. D. No. Choice (D) is a little too general; you don't know whether the plesiosauromorphs were among the marine animals described here. E. Yes. This speaks to how the shapes of the fins and wings affect the animals' movement in similar ways.

Answer 392

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match The question asks you to determine which answer choice best mirrors the principle illustrated in the given argument. The argument states buying elaborate screensavers can cost a company far more in employee time than what it saves in electricity and monitor protection. So the basic financial savings of the screensavers are outweighed by something perhaps not apparent at first glance. A. No. Choice (A) illustrates a different principle in that the most economical package may not be chosen because students may not prefer it. B. No. Choice (B) doesn't match because although more money is paid up front for economic savings in the future, there's not really any drawback as there is in the initial argument. C. No. Choice (C) does not illustrate any benefit or drawback occurring at a later time; it compares only two amounts of time. D. Yes. The hotel security system is labeled complicated, and it will cost the hotel more in customer goodwill than it saves in losses by theft. E. No. Finally, (E) compares the purchase price and repair price of two similar items, but as with (C), there is no long-term drawback or benefit presented.

Answer 393

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The question asks you to determine the structure of the music critic's response. The music professor concludes, "rap is an extremely individualistic and nontraditional musical form." This is because "rap musicians can work alone in a recording studio without supporting musicians, and learning to rap is not as formal a process as learning to play a musical instrument." The music critic replies by stating "rap appeals to tradition by using bits of older songs" and "the themes and styles of rap have developed into a tradition." The critic's final statement is "successful rap musicians conform their work to the preferences of the public." So, you can see the critic has focused on countering the words "individualistic" and "nontraditional" in the professor's conclusion. A. No. Choice (A) states exactly what you just determined the critic does not do. None of the premises are attacked; only the conclusion is. B. Yes. The critic does not debunk the reasons the professor gives but instead focuses just on the conclusion, supplying additional information to show it may be inaccurate. C. No. Choice (C) talks about a broader context of musical tradition and individuality, which is not spoken of by either person. The focus is really on rap music. D. No. Choice (D) mentions phenomena cited by the professor. Nothing the professor states is classified as or could be characterized as phenomena. E. No. Choice (E) refers to a group of claims that does not exist in the conversation.

Answer 394

Correct Answer: B B Sufficient Assumption The question asks you to identify an assumption sufficient to make the argument's conclusion true. The conclusion is actually the final sentence of the argument suggesting Smith is not aware of the true meaning of her own words. The reasons given are if she is right, we should be able to discern from Smith's social circumstances the true meaning of Smith's statements. And the speaker begins by telling you "Smith argues that the true meaning of an author's statements can be understood only through insight into the author's social circumstances." To get the assumption here, look at the language differences between the conclusion and the premise. The premise states one requires insight into an author's social circumstances to truly understand his/her words. Then the speaker applies this analysis to Smith's words to get to the conclusion. However, the speaker never establishes Smith has no insight into her own social circumstances. A. No. Choice (A) makes a comparison between the intended meaning and the true meaning of an author's work, but no such comparison is part of the argument. B. Yes. The argument assumes that Smith has no insight into her own social circumstances. C. No. Choice (C) states there is just one intended meaning; this may or may not be true but does nothing to bolster the conclusion about Smith's knowledge of the true meaning of her words. D. No. Choice (D) makes a judgment about Smith's theory; this would if anything weaken the argument because the argument tries to use Smith's theory to establish its conclusion. E. No. Choice (E), like (A), discusses the relationship between the intended meaning and the true meaning of an author's work; however, intended meaning is never addressed in the argument.

Answer 395

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen The question asks you to strengthen the argument. The conclusion is in the final sentence, "snoring can damage the throat of the snorer." The reason for this is the finding from the throat biopsies of those who have undergone throat surgery. Those who snored were much more likely to have serious abnormalities than those who rarely or never snored. For the conclusion to be true, snoring must cause the abnormalities and nothing else could do so. To strengthen the argument, you need to find a choice that affirms this thinking. A. No. Choice (A) would likely weaken the argument by questioning the source of the argument's evidence. B. No. Choice (B) speaks to the purpose of the throat surgery. The focus of the argument is on throat abnormalities and snoring, not the actual surgery. C. No. Choice (C) tells you a little more about the patients who were studied, but you don't know whether these qualities help or hurt the argument. D. No. Choice (D), similar to (B), focuses on surgery, and you can see at this point that the surgery is not really vital to the conclusion. E. Yes. Choice (E) is a strong re-statement of the notion that cause and effect aren't reversed, so it confirms the line of thought just discussed.

Answer 396

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption The question asks you to identify an assumption sufficient for the argument's conclusion to be true. The conclusion is the first half of the argument, "one should never sacrifice one's health in order to acquire money." The reason for this is given immediately afterward, "without health, happiness is not obtainable." To find the assumption, focus on the language change between the premise and the conclusion. The conclusion talks about money, while the premise talks about happiness. If you connect the dots here, you get that you should not make happiness unobtainable in order to acquire money. A. Yes. The language of (A) has the exact same meaning: Money should be acquired only if happiness is still obtainable. B. No. Choice (B) is inaccurate in light of the argument, which states without health, happiness is unobtainable. C. No. The argument makes a statement about health, but you don't know this is the only context in which health should be valued. D. No. Choice (D) speaks to unhappiness, while the argument is concerned only with happiness. E. No. Choice (E) makes a comparison between health and wealth, a comparison that never occurs in the argument and is not needed to reach its conclusion.

Answer 397

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match The question asks you to identify the answer choice that is a situation NOT in line with BOTH principles presented in the arguments. Vanessa states all computer code must be written by a pair of programmers working at a single workstation in order to avoid code that can be understood by only one person. Jo states the most productive programmers must be allowed to work by themselves as they are significantly more productive than everyone else and work best when they work alone. A. No. This matches both Vanessa's and Jo's stated principles. B. No. This matches both Vanessa's and Jo's stated principles. C. No. This matches both Vanessa's and Jo's stated principles. D. Yes. Choice (D) violates Jo's principle by giving two very productive programmers working together at one workstation. E. No. This matches both Vanessa's and Jo's stated principles.

Answer 398

Correct Answer: D D Inference The question asks you to find an inference among the answer choices. So, look for something completely supported by the given argument. You are told that "in West Calverton, most pet stores sell exotic birds and most that do so also sell tropical fish. However, any pet store there that sells tropical fish but not exotic birds does sell gerbils." Finally, "no independently owned pet stores in the town sell gerbils." A. No. Choice (A) talks about stores that are not independently owned and while you can make some inferences about these stores, you cannot say anything about MOST of these stores. There's simply not enough information. B. No. Choice (B) makes a statement about stores that sell both fish and birds, but the argument doesn't tell you anything about such stores. C. No. Choice (C) presents a situation that may be true, but nothing in the argument gives you enough information to state that it certainly is true. D. Yes. This must be true since if they sold fish but not the birds, they would definitely sell gerbils and therefore would not be independently owned. E. No. Choice (E) is a statement about stores that do not sell fish but do sell birds. Well, this is the opposite of what the argument tells you. The argument mentions stores who sell fish but no birds. So, you just don't know whether this is true.

Answer 399

Correct Answer: C C Resolve/Explain The question asks you to help explain why the astronomer's explanation resolves the given conflict. The conflict is that "earlier estimates of the distances of certain stars from Earth would mean these stars are about 1 billion years older than the universe itself." The astronomer states that these stars are much farther away and brighter than previously thought, and that's what resolves the conflict. So, you have to make the connection here between brightness and age. Since the astronomer believes the stars cannot be older than the universe, the increased brightness must mean the stars are younger than previously thought. A. No. Choice (A) makes a declaration about stars relative to all objects in the universe. The astronomer discusses only stars and stating they're the oldest objects around would only confuse the argument rather than bolster his explanation. B. No. Choice (B) confuses the argument by stating the universe is younger. Remember the astronomer is trying to state the stars are younger than originally thought. C. Yes. Choice (C) makes the connection between the brightness of the star and the younger age of the star. D. No. Choice (D) connects brightness and distance but makes no statement about age. Age is the focus, so this wouldn't help at all. E. No. Choice (E) makes a statement about the technology used for observation, but again, nothing is said about age.

Answer 400

Correct Answer: E E Inference The question asks you to find an inference among the answer choices. So, look for something strongly supported by the given argument. You are told "most large nurseries sell raspberry plants primarily to commercial raspberry growers and sell only plants guaranteed to be disease-free." But the shipment that Johnson received from Wally's Plants carried a virus that commonly affects raspberries. A. No. Choice (A) talks about a guarantee but states Wally's is not a large nursery, so this would not be supported by the argument. B. No. Choice (B) blames Johnson's status as the reason for the diseased raspberries, which makes no sense because if Wally's is a large nursery, the plants would still be guaranteed disease-free. C. No. Choice (C) tries to connect the nursery and grower, but one's status can't really affect the other. D. No. Choice (D) slips in the adjective "well-run," which is not a judgment that can be made based on the argument. E. Yes. If Wally's is a big nursery, then the guarantee was not upheld in this instance.

Answer 401

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The question asks you to weaken the argument. The conclusion is the end of the final sentence—"so we should try it." The "it" refers to the possibility discussed in the second sentence, "one way to save the new product would be a new marketing campaign." The reason for this is first, the newest product is not selling and second, it is one chance to save the product, although there are no guarantees. The manager concedes this plan may not work, but the manager must assume that a new marketing campaign is doable. Since you want to weaken the argument, you should to look for something that indicates this is not doable. A. No. Choice (A) speaks to the current losses from this product, so this could be used to strengthen the argument to try the campaign in order to lessen the financial blow. B. No. The manager concedes this campaign may not work, so (B) won't hurt the argument. C. No. Choice (C) doesn't apply because the manager tells you the campaign could work; there's just no guarantee. D. Yes. The new campaign would hurt the company's overall position by taking money away from other campaigns. E. No. Choice (E) might strengthen the argument by indicating the company can afford to take a chance with this new product.

Answer 402

Correct Answer: C C Principle Strengthen The question asks you to determine which principle in the answer choices most justifies the given argument. Make sure you understand the situation presented before starting to look for the principle to apply to it. You are told this pesticide, when used on peaches, shows no effect on human health when ingested in the amount present in the per capita peach consumption in the country. For 80% of the population this makes no difference because they don't eat peaches, but others, including small children, consume more peaches than the national average and thus more of the pesticide. The advocate concludes that even though there's little risk to most of the population, using this pesticide is not an acceptable practice. A. No. Choice (A) talks about more data and the advocate seems to have all the data needed for the conclusion. There's no indication of more data coming or being needed. B. No. Choice (B) is inaccurate as the advocate states most of the population is not likely to ingest the pesticide. C. Yes. The advocate believes using this pesticide is acceptable only if no one is harmed by its use. Since it has not been shown that no harm can accrue to small children and others who consume more peaches than the national average, use of the pesticide is not acceptable. D. No. Choice (D) mentions a special obligation that is never discussed. The conclusion is not reached simply because of the small children; it's because part of the population may be harmed by it. E. No. There is no more serious harm outlined by the advocate, so this entire statement does not support the argument.

Answer 403

Correct Answer: E E Inference The question asks you to determine which answer choice can be rejected based on the given argument, so treat it like an inference question and find the answer choice that is proven false. The argument states the goal of the new smoking ban is to protect employees from secondhand smoke, but the way the law is written means it cannot be interpreted as ever prohibiting people from smoking in their own homes. A. No. Choice (A) mentions the intentions of the legislators, something completely unknown from the given facts. B. No. Choice (B) discusses the law's impact on the health of workers; as with (A), this is never discussed or implied in the argument. C. No. Choice (C) states no protection from secondhand smoke exists for people outside of the workplace. The argument discusses only one law and how it works within the workplace, so (C) cannot be rejected because you don't have enough information to do so. D. No. Choice (D) discusses people's belief in a fundamental right to smoke in their own homes. The law does not prohibit people from smoking in their own homes, so the argument does nothing to reject (D). E. Yes. Although the domestic workers are at their place of employment, the law does not ban smoking in people's homes, so domestic workers will not be protected by this law.

Answer 404

Correct Answer: A A Necessary Assumption The question asks you to identify a necessary assumption of the given argument. So, first identify the conclusion and premises. The conclusion is that in order to increase the size of the applicant pool, the university needs to raise tuition and fees. The reasons for this are first, the applicant pool is shrinking and second, the university currently charges what the university president describes as too little for tuition and fees. Finally, the president states "prospective students and their parents think the education they would receive at this university is not as high as that from institutions with higher tuition." To find the assumption, focus on the key phrase "one possible explanation." The president doesn't state this is certainly the reason, but rather gives one explanation and concludes that in order to increase the size of the applicant pool, this is the route the school should take. So, the assumption is that this explanation is indeed the reason for the lack of applicants.Best online courses A. Yes. This matches the predicted assumption. If this weren't true, the argument would fall apart. B. No. This is presented as a perception, not a fact. So, this isn't necessary to the argument's conclusion. C. No. The phrase "one possible explanation" means that there is no need to assume a guarantee of success. D. No. The university president has allowed for the possibility of other explanations. E. No. Choice (E) speaks to the historical change in tuition and fees at the university. The focus of the university president is on raising tuition and fees going forward, so historical data doesn't help you.

Answer 405

Correct Answer: E E Principle Strengthen The question asks you to determine which principle in the answer choices most justifies the given argument. Make sure you understand the situation presented before starting to look for the principle to apply to it. The conclusion states that water should not be supplied by private companies. The reason for this is clean water is essential to human health, and the purpose of a private company is to produce profit, not to promote health. A. No. Choice (A) doesn't work because the argument excludes private companies; there are no exceptions made for this. B. No. Choice (B) inaccurately states the capacities of the private companies in the argument. The author of the editorial excludes private companies but doesn't describe them as unwilling or unable in any way. C. No. Choice (C) won't work because you have no idea how well private companies can supply clean, safe water. D. No. Choice (D) focuses on the effects of clean water, while the argument really focuses on who supplies this water. E. Yes. The argument may not mention an organization whose primary purpose is to promote health, but a little new information is acceptable if it helps the argument.

Answer 406

Correct Answer: C C Main Point The question asks you to find the main point of the argument. This is actually found in the third to last sentence, that is, the given suggestion is mistaken. The premises state that "scientists have long wondered why the fish that live around coral reefs exhibit brilliant colors." There has been a suggestion that coral reefs are colorful and they camouflage colorful fish. But reefs stripped of their fish are quite monochromatic; in fact, most corals are actually dull browns and greens. A. No. This is a premise. B. No. This is a premise. C. Yes. This matches up to this main conclusion that the given suggestion is incorrect. D. No. This is a premise. E. No. This is a premise.

Answer 407

Correct Answer: D D Principle Match The question asks you to determine which principle in the answer choices best matches the given argument. The conclusion is that the given survey's responses are ambiguous. The reason for this is that the primary statement the teenagers were asked about is particularly ambiguous and is amenable to a naturalistic, uncontroversial interpretation. A. No. Choice (A) is an extreme statement. The statement makes the results of the survey questionable but not necessarily useless. B. No. Choice (B) is much too broad to fit the given argument. C. No. Choice (C) applies to a situation different from what's in the given argument; in this case, the question is not well phrased. D. Yes. This supports the argument's conclusion that the survey's responses are ambiguous. E. No. Choice (E) is extreme because it claims that certain statements are always a certain way.

Answer 408

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The question asks you to strengthen the argument. The conclusion is the final sentence, that is, the results of the study show that having perfect pitch is a consequence of genetic factors. The evidence is that the study found a high percentage of people with perfect pitch are related to someone else who has it. And among those without perfect pitch, this percentage was much lower. The study is the premise for the conclusion. This is a cause-and-effect relationship and with it comes some inherent assumptions. In this case, the argument does assume there is no cause for the perfect pitch other than genetics. So, look for something that bolsters this assumption. A. Yes. This eliminates another cause—musical training—for perfect pitch, making it more likely that genetic factors are responsible. B. No. Choice (B) focuses on the researchers rather than the participants of the study. C. No. This focuses on other characteristics of people with perfect pitch, but not on the cause of their perfect pitch. D. No. This focuses on other characteristics of people with perfect pitch, but not on the cause of their perfect pitch. E. No. Choice (E) would actually weaken the argument by introducing musical training as an alternative explanation.

Answer 409

Correct Answer: C C Reasoning The question asks you to determine the role played by the statement that the predatory dinosaur was following the grazing dinosaur and had matched its stride. You should start by taking a look at the whole argument. The conclusion is the final sentence, that the given evidence suggests the predatory dinosaur was chasing the grazing dinosaur and attacked immediately afterwards. The evidence includes the two sets of dinosaur tracks and the fact about modern predatory animals. The statement in question is based on the two sets of tracks and connects them to the fact about modern predatory animals doing the same thing. A. No. Choice (A) mentions scientific importance, which is not at all a part of the argument. B. No. Choice (B) inaccurately describes the statement as a rejected hypothesis. C. Yes. The statement supports the premises that support the conclusion. D. No. Choice (D) inaccurately describes the statement as counteracting a possible objection; there is no objection mentioned in the argument. E. No. The statement is not the conclusion.

Answer 410

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The question asks you to weaken the argument. The conclusion is in the final sentence: The given data show that using sunscreen is unlikely to reduce a person's risk of developing such skin cancer. The premise is the information researchers revealed that over the past 25 years the incidence of skin cancer caused by exposure to harmful rays from the sun has continued to grow in spite of the increasingly widespread use of sunscreens. Whenever you have a study as the basis of a conclusion, you should question the study in order to find assumptions. In this case, the research has been conducted over a 25-year period, so the argument must assume nothing happened outside this time period to affect the results the researchers found. A. No. Choice (A) doesn't work because the given information just lumps all sunscreens together rather than dividing them up by brands. B. Yes. Someone very old may have acquired a burn more than 25 years ago and only now acquired skin cancer. If this were true, the conclusion that sunscreen doesn't help would be weakened. C. No. Choice (C) doesn't weaken the argument because it implies that sunscreens have some science behind them. D. No. Choice (D) factors in people's thoughts or opinions; since neither of these things is really a factor in the research presented in the argument, they would not weaken the argument. E. No. Choice (E) factors in people's thoughts or opinions; since neither of these things is really a factor in the research presented in the argument, they would not weaken the argument.

Answer 411

Correct Answer: A A Inference The question asks you to make an inference based on the given information. The university administrator states that any proposal for a new department will not be funded if there are fewer than 50 people per year available for hire in that field and the proposed department would duplicate more than 25 percent of the material covered in one of the existing departments. The proposed Area Studies Department will duplicate more than 25 percent of the material covered in the existing Anthropology Department. The administrator concludes the department will be funded. Two conditions are given that would preclude the new department being funded. You are told one of them (duplicating more than 25 percent of material) has been fulfilled, but that the department will still be funded. From this you can infer the other condition must not be true—it must not be the case that fewer than 50 people per year are available for hire. Another way to state that is to say at least 50 people per year are available for hire in the field. A. Yes. At least 50 people per year are available for hire in the field. B. No. Choice (B) talks about other departments that you know nothing about based on the argument. C. No. Choice (C) is inaccurate because it's hypothetical; you don't know whether the new department would be funded if it didn't duplicate more than 25 percent of the material covered by the Anthropology Department. D. No. Choice (D) is something you simply don't know. Nothing in the argument tells you whether the duplication works in both directions. E. No. Choice (E) is the opposite of what you're looking for and would weaken the argument.

Answer 412

Correct Answer: C C Resolve/Explain The question asks you to determine which answer choice resolves the contradiction in the researcher's findings. The researcher states that over the course of three decades, records were kept of the average beak size of two populations of the same species of bird, one wild population and the other captive. "During this period, the average beak size of the captive birds did not change, while the average beak size of the wild birds decreased significantly." So, you need something that would explain why the beak size differed over time. A. No. This focuses on how the birds were captured and measured, but the real focus in the argument is on the results. B. No. This focuses on how the birds were captured and measured, but the real focus in the argument is on the results. C. Yes. This explains that the food supply led to a decrease in beak size. D. No. Choice (D) focuses on body size rather than beak size. E. No. Choice (E) discusses the frequency of measurement, but this wouldn't explain the difference in results.

Answer 413

Correct Answer: C C Inference The question asks you to make an inference based on the given information. The argument discusses storytelling and how it is a universal aspect of both past and present cultures. Then a study is mentioned revealing common themes throughout time and cultures as well as common story types. A. No. Choice (A) doesn't work because there's no indication anything is borrowed at any point, let alone routinely. B. No. Choice (B) requires you to assume something about the storytellers' knowledge, which is unknown. C. Yes. This is completely supported by the argument. The focus is on the commonalities in storytelling throughout different time periods and cultures. D. No. Choice (D) is inaccurate because it would seem storytelling's importance hasn't changed much throughout time. E. No. Choice (E) doesn't work because storytelling is the only thing mentioned in the argument, so it's impossible to compare it to anything else or state it's the best way to understand a culture.

Answer 414

Correct Answer: C C Parallel Flaw The question asks you to determine which argument in the answer choices parallels the flawed reasoning in the given argument. This is a time-consuming question because each answer choice is an entire argument itself. Start by understanding the given argument. You are given a conditional statement in which the second part is presented as something that is likely to occur if the first part does indeed occur. Then you are presented with a situation which is essentially the opposite—the second child was not born before its due date—and from there a conclusion is drawn about the first child likely not being born before its due date either. You need to find an answer choice that makes a similar error by confusing what is likely with what is definite. A. No. Choice (A) does not flip the conditional in the conclusion; it only negates it. B. No. Choice (B) does not negate either part of the conditional. C. Yes. In the specific situation provided, the second part of the conditional (the sequel being a box-office hit) is definitely not true, and as a result, the first part (the original being a box-office hit) is said to likely not be true. D. No. Choice (D) does not contain a flaw, so it can't be the correct answer. E. No. Choice (E) isn't parallel to the first statement of the original argument; there's nothing that is likely to happen.

Answer 415

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The question asks you to determine a flaw in the structure of the argument. The conclusion is the final sentence after the word "hence," that is, "it is likely at least primitive life has evolved on Europa." This is based on the premise that Europa is covered with ice, and recent data suggest there are oceans of liquid water deep under the ice. You are then told "life as we know it could evolve only in the presence of liquid water." To find the assumption, focus on the gap between the conclusion and premises. The likelihood of life is based solely on the likely existence of liquid water. Therefore, the journalist must assume there are no other major factors that contribute to the evolution of life. The journalist's failure to explicitly consider this is a flaw of the argument. A. No. Choice (A) is not something taken for granted, as you are told life as we know it could evolve only in the presence of liquid water. B. Yes. There may be other factors necessary and not addressing this is a problem. C. No. Choice (C) focuses on the presence of life on Europa, while the argument is focused on the evolution of life there. D. No. Choice (D) mentions unfamiliar forms of life, but the argument cares only about life as we know it. E. No. Choice (E) is focused on the source of the data, which the journalist notes strongly suggests the presence of liquid water. Since it is never claimed in the argument that nothing else other than liquid water could have accounted for this data, this isn't a flaw in the journalist's argument.

Answer 416

Correct Answer: B B Inference The question asks you to make an inference based on the given information. You are told "a bacterial species will inevitably develop greater resistance within a few years to any antibiotics used against it, unless those antibiotics eliminate that species completely. However, no single antibiotic now on the market is powerful enough to eliminate bacterial species X completely." Since nothing can eliminate it completely, then you can infer species X will inevitably develop greater resistance within a few years to any current antibiotic used against it. A. No. Choice (A) cannot be stated because you have no idea what can and cannot be developed based on the given information. B. Yes. C. No. Choice (C) doesn't work because you just don't know enough about species X. D. No. Choice (D) doesn't work because the argument states nothing about what can make a species more virulent. E. No. Choice (E) compares species X's resistance to different antibiotics, but you know nothing about any particular antibiotics nor whether any have been previously used against species X.

Answer 417

Correct Answer: D D Main Point The question asks you to identify the conclusion of the argument. The conclusion is in the middle of the paragraph; that is, the criticism presented is never sincere. The nature of the criticism in question is noted in the opening sentence of the argument: A given politician may claim that the exposition of his or her political opponents' ideas is muddled and incomprehensible. This is said to be never sincere because political agendas promoted in a manner that cannot be understood by large numbers of people will not be realized, given that political mobilization requires commonality of purpose. A. No. Choice (A) assumes the agenda is actually incomprehensible, rather than just being labeled as such. B. No. Choice (B) makes a statement about sincere critics, but the argument never really addresses sincere critics. C. No. Choice (C) presumes the agenda is definitively confusing, rather than being labeled that way by a political opponent. D. Yes. This expresses this main point exactly, accurately stating the criticism and labeling it as not sincere. E. No. Choice (E) focuses on mobilizing a large number of people, which is mentioned in the argument but serves as a premise, not the main point.

Answer 418

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The question asks you to determine a flaw in the structure of the argument. The conclusion is in the final sentence: "the organic factors that affect symptoms of mental illnesses are not distributed evenly around the globe." The premise for this is the variation among different countries in the incidence of these symptoms in people with mental illnesses. You are also told "many symptoms of mental illnesses are affected by organic factors such as a deficiency in a compound in the brain." This is a cause-and-effect relationship, and such arguments have certain built-in assumptions. One is that the cause and effect are not reversed, and the other is that there are no other causes for the stated effect. Reversing the cause and effect makes little sense here, but the argument does assume that there are no other factors that impact symptoms of mental illnesses around the world aside from the organic factors. The flaw is that this was not explicitly stated in the argument. A. No. Choice (A) brings up the number of illnesses in question, but the focus of the argument is on the causes, not the illnesses themselves. B. No. Choice (B) makes the cause as the organic factors. So, this might even strengthen the argument if it were true, rather than represent a flaw. C. Yes. Choice (C) states this flaw exactly by introducing another potential cause that was never mentioned, cultural factors. D. No. Choice (D) broadens the issue to any change in brain chemistry, which is too big a statement to make regarding this argument. E. No. Choice (E) simplifies mental phenomena in a way the argument does not; physical factors are discussed only as affecting symptoms of mental illnesses.

Answer 419

Correct Answer: E E Weaken The question asks you to weaken the argument. This cues you to find the conclusion and premises and then focus on weakening the assumption in order to find the credited response. The conclusion is the final sentence: "the privatization of national parks would probably benefit park visitors as well." The premises for this are that such privatization has been proposed and a similar privatization of the telecommunications industry has benefited consumers by allowing competition among a variety of telephone companies to improve service and force down prices. Notice the premise is simply that this worked in another industry. The built-in assumption, then, is that the industries are similar enough that if it worked in one, it will work in the other. A. No. Choice (A) speaks to political expediency, which doesn't seem to be a factor in either industry or anywhere in the argument. B. No. Choice (B) highlights some issues the telecommunications industry has had with privatization but doesn't discount the benefits, so this doesn't really hurt the argument. C. No. Choice (C) doesn't work because any awareness about the proposals would have little effect on the results of the proposals. D. No. Choice (D) is tempting because it would seem to indicate that it wouldn't have the same effect. However, people would still benefit and you don't know if this lower number is the result of just a lower number of users to begin within the industry. E. Yes. Choice (E) goes against this assumption by stating the same level of competition would not result from the privatization of parks.

Answer 420

Correct Answer: D D Principle Strengthen The question asks you to determine which principle in the answer choices matches up to the given argument. You want to first make sure you understand the argument. You are told jewel collectors, out of a fear of counterfeiters, will not buy a diamond unless a dealer guarantees it is genuine. The question is then asked why any less aesthetic pleasure should be derived from a counterfeit diamond since the naked eye can't tell the difference. The conclusion then is that the jewels should be deemed of equal value. A. No. Choice (A) recommends what jewel collectors should collect, but no such recommendation is ever made. B. No. Choice (B) mentions market demand, but the argument never discusses this. C. No. Choice (C) compares the aesthetic pleasure individuals derive from diamonds, but no such comparison is ever made in the argument. D. Yes. The conclusion of equal value is based solely on the declaration that both jewels provide equal aesthetic pleasure. E. No. Choice (E) states when collectors should buy counterfeit jewels, but the argument is about their value, not about when they should be purchased.

Answer 421

Correct Answer: D D Principle Strengthen The question asks you to determine which principle in the answer choices matches up to the given argument. You want to first make sure you understand the argument. You are told jewel collectors, out of a fear of counterfeiters, will not buy a diamond unless a dealer guarantees it is genuine. The question is then asked why any less aesthetic pleasure should be derived from a counterfeit diamond since the naked eye can't tell the difference. The conclusion then is that the jewels should be deemed of equal value. A. No. Choice (A) recommends what jewel collectors should collect, but no such recommendation is ever made. B. No. Choice (B) mentions market demand, but the argument never discusses this. C. No. Choice (C) compares the aesthetic pleasure individuals derive from diamonds, but no such comparison is ever made in the argument. D. Yes. The conclusion of equal value is based solely on the declaration that both jewels provide equal aesthetic pleasure. E. No. Choice (E) states when collectors should buy counterfeit jewels, but the argument is about their value, not about when they should be purchased.

Answer 422

Correct Answer: D D Resolve/Explain The question asks you to determine which answer choice does nothing to resolve the given discrepancy. So, four of the answer choices will resolve the situation. The argument states a 24-year study showed subjects with a high intake of foods rich in beta-carotene were much less likely to die from cancer or heart disease than were those with a low intake of such foods. On the other hand, taking beta-carotene supplements for 12 years had no effect on the health of subjects in another study. A. No. Choice (A) gives you a reason that food intake was more effective than supplements. B. No. Choice (B) tells you the length of time can make a difference in results. C. No. Choice (C) gives you a reason that food intake was more effective than supplements. D. Yes. Choice (D) tells you something about the second study, but this doesn't seem to affect the conclusion of that study, nor does it seem to have any effect on the discrepancy. E. No. Choice (E) introduces a factor that may have had a negative effect on the subjects of the first study, thereby skewing the results.

Answer 423

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The question asks you to find an assumption sufficient to allow the conclusion to be properly inferred. The argument's conclusion is that if there are sentient beings on planets outside our solar system, we won't be able to determine this anytime in the near future unless some of these beings are at least as intelligent as humans. The premises are that "we will not be able to send spacecraft to planets outside our solar system anytime in the near future and any sentient beings on these planets capable of communicating with us anytime in the near future would have to be at least as intelligent as we are." The argument assumes only two possibilities for the near future: Either sentient beings will be able to communicate with us or we will be able to send spacecraft to planets outside our solar system. A. No. Choice (A) discusses planets in our solar system; however, the argument is concerned with planets outside our solar system. B. No. Choice (B) brings a desire to communicate into play, and this is not at issue in the argument. C. No. Choice (C) makes the ability to send a spacecraft outside our solar system, a condition related to whether sentient beings exist out there; this doesn't fit the given information. D. Yes. If you take the contrapositive of this statement, you get that if you're not able to detect the presence of a sentient being by sending a spacecraft to its planet, then that being must be able to communicate with us. From the premises, you know that if a sentient being is able to communicate with us, it must be at least as intelligent as we are. Thus, this choice provides a link between the conclusion and the premises. E. No. The argument states this would be true anytime in the near future, while (E) makes this seem like it would be true in any case.

Answer 424

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The question asks you to determine a flaw in the structure of the argument. The conclusion is the second half of the last sentence: that is, "these conditions could not lead to serious back pain in people who do experience such pain." The conditions are bulging or slipped disks in the spine. The premise for the conclusion is the study of individuals with no serious back pain and how half the members of the group had these conditions, which are often blamed for serious back pain. To find the assumption, you have to look at the gap between the conclusion and the premises. Based on the fact that half the people in the study had these conditions but no serious back pain, the doctor concludes that these conditions could not lead to serious back pain. So, the assumption here is that bulging or slipped disks cannot be the cause of serious back pain for those people who do experience such pain. The flaw is that the study showed only that these factors didn't cause pain for that particular group of individuals, which doesn't preclude the idea that they could still potentially be a factor in causing back pain for others. A. No. Choice (A) only strengthens the conclusion by reinforcing that the conditions don't lead to serious back pain. B. Yes. The conditions alone don't lead to serious back pain, but they may be a factor in some instances. C. No. Choice (C) speaks to a situation not present in the argument. D. No. Choice (D) is inaccurate because the conclusion is not stated to apply to any portion of the population. E. No. Choice (E) speaks to likelihood of an effect, while the argument is more definite about the relationship.

Answer 425

Correct Answer: E E Principle Strengthen The question asks you to determine which answer choice is the principle that best justifies the given conclusion. You should first take time to understand the argument. The conclusion is in the middle: that is, "earlier ignorance of this connection does not absolve T's manufacturer of all responsibility." The premise for this is "had it investigated the safety of T before allowing workers to be exposed to it, many of the illnesses would have been prevented." The argument also tells you workers who handled substance T in factories became seriously ill years later and T caused at least some of this illness. A. No. Choice (A) is too specific as to how the manufacturer should be held responsible. B. No. Choice (B) limits the manufacturer's responsibility, which is beyond what the argument does. C. No. Choice (C) speaks only to informing workers. D. No. Choice (D) dismisses the preventive aspect of the argument, which is actually the premise for the conclusion. E. Yes. Choice (E) fits this argument; the manufacturer didn't know it was harming workers, but since it could have known, it should be responsible for the illnesses.

Answer 426

Correct Answer: A A Reasoning The question asks you to describe the structure of the argument. The argument states the government contract will go to one of two companies. One company is said to not be receiving the contract, and then it is concluded the other company will receive it. A. Yes. The only probable alternative is Cartwright, and it is said they are not receiving the contract. B. No. Choice (B) is inaccurate; you are told one possible event (Cartwright receiving the contract) will not occur. C. No. Choice (C) doesn't work because nothing is refuted. D. No. Choice (D) doesn't work because no pattern of past events is presented. E. No. Choice (E) doesn't work because no statistics are given.

Answer 427

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen The question asks you to strengthen the argument. The conclusion is the hypothesis that exposure to germs during infancy makes people less likely to develop allergies. The reason for this is the study showing children in large families have fewer allergies than do children in small families. To find the assumption here, focus on the gap between the conclusion and the premise. Exposure to germs is mentioned only in the conclusion and the only factor cited is the size of the family. So the argument must assume that being around more people leads to greater exposure. A. No. Choice (A) speaks to the opposite of the given hypothesis; the focus of the argument is on factors that lessen the likelihood of allergies. B. No. Choice (B) is focused on diet, which is not part of the argument at all. C. No. Choice (C) compares different allergies, but their severity doesn't matter to the argument, which is concerned with the causes of their development. D. No. Choice (D) suggests a genetic connection, and this may actually weaken the argument rather than strengthen it. E. Yes. Choice (E) strengthens this assumption by giving another example of how exposure to more people can help curb allergy development.

Answer 428

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The question asks you to identify an assumption necessary to the given argument. The conclusion is in the final sentence: "some films from the earliest years of Hollywood will not be preserved." This is based on the premise that film preservation is a time-consuming, expensive process and there is no way to transfer all currently deteriorating films before they disintegrate. To find the assumption, focus on the gap between the conclusion and the premise. The conclusion is the first mention of these early Hollywood films, while the rest of the argument focuses on the transfer process from the original material the films were made from. So, there must be an assumption that the films in the conclusion are available only in their original material. A. No. Choice (A) doesn't work because the argument is only about this current technology. B. No. Choice (B) focuses on cost, which doesn't seem to be important to the argument. C. No. Choice (C) talks about the number of films already transferred, but the focus is on future transfers. D. Yes. If the films existed in some other form, the conclusion would fall apart. E. No. Choice (E) mentions popularity, which is not important to the transfer process.

Answer 429

Correct Answer: C C Main Point The question asks you to fill in the blank and complete the argument. This is similar to a main point question in that you need to look at everything in the argument and determine the best conclusion. The argument mentions a recent study that failed to find a link between pain intensity and certain features of weather. The arthritis sufferers in the study were convinced such a relationship existed although the accounts of pain and weather conditions varied widely. If you consider the tone of the argument, it would seem to favor the study's results because of the way the accounts of the sufferers are described. So, the conclusion should lean this way. A. No. Choice (A) gives credibility to the reports of the arthritis sufferers rather than to the study. B. No. This doesn't support the idea that the study's results are accurate. C. Yes. This states that the arthritis sufferers are imagining the relationship they claim exists. D. No. Choice (D) gives credibility to the reports of the arthritis sufferers rather than to the study. E. No. Choice (E) would work against the results of the study, which is the opposite of what you want here.

Answer 430

Correct Answer: C C Main Point The main point of the argument is the first sentence: If backyard gardeners want to increase potato yields, they should try growing nettles. Why? Because they attract insects that kill damaging pests. Additionally, while they attract aphids and some aphids can harm potato plants, this is not a reason not to grow nettles. The credited response will explain why this is not a reason not to grow nettles. A. No. This answer does not address the issue of aphids or why attracting them would not be a problem. B. No. The issue is potential damage to the potato plants, not damage to the nettles. C. Yes. This explains why attracting aphids is not a problem in this case: These particular aphids would pose no danger to the potato plants. D. No. This is not a relevant comparison. Even if other organisms are more harmful, there is still the potential that aphids harm the potato plants. E. No. Other edible food plants are irrelevant. The argument is concerned with the threat of aphids to potato plants, not about the risk to other types of edible plants.

Answer 431

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The zookeeper concludes that, out of a desire to keep his food, Jocko purposefully kept quiet when given only one banana to avoid alerting the other chimps. The zookeeper bases this causal explanation on the facts that Jocko barked when he was given a large bunch (and then had his food stolen) and that Jocko then stayed quiet with the single banana. The zookeeper assumes that there is no other cause for Jocko's silence. The correct answer will weaken the conclusion by suggesting that there may be some other reason why Jocko kept quiet. A. No. Jocko was given bananas each time. Therefore, the correct answer wouldn't give an alternate causal explanation for why he barked the first time but not the second. B. Yes. Jocko was given a sizable quantity the first time (a bunch) but not the second. This choice weakens the zookeeper's conclusion by suggesting that Jocko may have kept quiet the second time because it was only one banana, rather than because he was trying to keep that banana for himself. C. No. The issue here is why Jocko didn't bark the second time, not why the chimps stole his bananas the first time. D. No. Jocko was alone each time. Therefore, the correct answer wouldn't give an alternate causal explanation for why he barked the first time but not the second. E. No. This statement doesn't address the issue in the argument's conclusion. The zookeeper is trying to explain why Jocko kept silent the second time.

Answer 432

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The argument concludes that current publishing trends are based on false assumptions about the public's interests. This conclusion is based on a survey of journalism students who largely preferred serious stories over currently popular lifestyle and gossip stories. The argument makes the flawed assumption that the opinions of this sample of journalism students is representative of the opinions of the public as a whole. A. No. While there is a causal aspect to the logic of the argument, the argument does not reverse the relationship between a cause (false assumptions) and an effect (trends in publishing). That is, there is no reason to think that the trends in publishing are in fact causing false assumptions to be made. B. No. While there is an effect (trends in publishing), there is no claim made in the argument about an intention to produce that effect. C. Yes. Journalism students are likely to have different journalistic interests than the public as a whole. Therefore, the argument depends on a potentially unrepresentative sample. D. No. There is no discussion of a possible objection to the conclusion. E. No. The argument gives support (the survey) for its hypothesis. Therefore, the phrase "admittedly unsupported" does not accurately describe the reasoning of the argument.

Answer 433

Correct Answer: D D Resolve/Explain The argument states that bug zappers are very effective, and yet most experts advise using sprays or birds instead. The credited response will explain why these experts are recommending against the use of bug zappers, despite the zappers' effectiveness in eliminating bugs. A. No. Explaining how to attract the insect-eating birds does not explain what is wrong with using zappers instead. B. No. The argument states that zappers are very effective against flying insects as a whole. The fact that they may be less effective against one kind of harmful insect than against another kind of harmful insect doesn't explain why experts advise against using the zappers. C. No. While this answer choice provides additional information about zappers, it doesn't give a reason that experts advise against using them. The argument is about using birds and sprays instead of zappers to kill insects, not using zappers as a source of light. D. Yes. If zappers kill more good bugs and fewer bad bugs, that would be a reason that experts would advise against using zappers. E. No. This statement doesn't explain why experts advise against using zappers. It is not known whether or not zappers are harmful to humans, pets, or birds; therefore, this doesn't give a reason that sprays would be better than zappers.

Answer 434

Correct Answer: B B Necessary Assumption The gardener concludes that the rocks in a Japanese garden should vary widely in appearance. The reasons given are the design of Japanese gardens should show harmony with nature, and rocks in nature vary widely in appearance. The gardener is assuming that harmony with nature requires copying nature. A. No. This choice is too extreme. The gardener assumes that the rocks should reflect one aspect of design (harmony with nature, assumed to require imitation), not that they should embody every important value in the design of such a garden. B. Yes. If imitating nature did not contribute to the goal of displaying harmony, there would be no reason to choose rocks that vary in appearance. C. No. This choice is too extreme (note the word "only"). The argument doesn't require the assumption that there is no other standard for selection. If there were other criteria as well, it wouldn't undermine the claim that harmony is also one of them. D. No. This choice changes the issue from looking like nature to actually being natural. It is possible, for instance, that fake rocks could look just like natural rocks. E. No. This choice goes beyond the issue of the argument by including aspects of a Japanese garden other than rocks. The gardener never suggests that other aspects of nature vary as well. Therefore, the gardener isn't assuming that all other aspects of the garden should vary.

Answer 435

Correct Answer: A A Inference The argument presents two conditional statements: If heat resistance is greater than that of semiconductors, then they are preferable for use in digital circuits; if preferable, then it must also be comparable in all other ways, including maximum capacity. We also know that the vacuum tubes have greater heat resistance, but that they are not currently comparable in maximum capacity. A. Yes. Using the contrapositive of the second conditional statement given in the argument, it is known that a component that is not comparable in maximum capacity must not be preferable. B. No. The argument deals with what is possible and what is preferable; it does not indicate what will happen in the future. C. No. This choice goes beyond the information in the argument. It is not known whether or not there is another reason the tubes are not preferable. D. No. The argument deals with what is possible and what is preferable; it does not indicate what will happen in the future. E. No. This choice is too extreme. Vacuum tubes could possibly have other advantages as well.

Answer 436

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The conclusion is that the cause of the epidemic can be identified as the Ebola virus. This is based on two premises. First, accounts mention hiccups, and no other disease is known to cause hiccups. Second, the accounts mention the occurrence of other symptoms that can be caused by Ebola. The argument assumes that there is no other possible cause of the epidemic. Because this is an EXCEPT question, any choice that weakens the conclusion is incorrect. The credited response will either strengthen the causal claim or have no impact on it. A. No. This statement weakens the argument. It casts doubt on the claim that Ebola was the cause by introducing evidence of Ebola symptoms that did not appear during the epidemic. B. Yes. This statement has no effect on the conclusion. The argument states that hiccups are a possible symptom of Ebola and that some of the victims in Athens had hiccups. A fact that indicates some Ebola victims didn't have hiccups does not undermine the premise that hiccups is a symptom of Ebola. C. No. This statement undermines the conclusion by suggesting that Ebola could not have existed in Athens at that time (no host animals). D. No. This choice weakens the argument by indicating that there is a difference between the disease caused by Ebola and the disease that caused the epidemic. E. No. This statement weakens the argument by indicating a difference between epidemics known to have been caused by Ebola and the epidemic that devastated Athens.

Answer 437

Correct Answer: E E Main Point The letter presents three different positions. There is the environmentalists' claim that more wolves are killed than born each year. There is the article criticizing the environmentalists' claim based on statistics that show that the wolf population has not changed for 20 years. Finally, there is the letter's claim that the logic of the critics' argument is flawed because the critics have ignored the fact that new wolves are being introduced into the population. The main point of the argument in the letter to the editor is that the argument criticizing the environmentalists is flawed. A. No. The author of the letter mentions the efforts of the environmentalists in order to show that the criticism was unjustified. B. No. The letter to the editor is not claiming that as many wolves are killed as are born. This is the claim made by the environmentalists. The point of the letter does not state that the environmentalists are correct. C. No. The letter isn't making a claim about what should be done about the wolves, but only that the criticism of the environmentalists is unfounded. D. No. The letter doesn't refute the statistics or the studies, only the way in which they are used against the environmentalists. E. Yes. The article criticizing the environmentalists argues that the stability of the wolf population shows that the environmentalists' claim is questionable. The author of the letter argues that the stability of the population is not in fact inconsistent with the environmentalists claim (based on the premise that additional wolves have been added into the population).

Answer 438

Correct Answer: D D Inference There are two claims in the computer scientist's statements. First, for several decades the number of transistors and speed of the chips has doubled every 18 months. Second, from the mid-1990s into the next decade, each doubling in speed was accompanied by a doubling of the costs of production. A. No. This choice confuses necessary and sufficient conditions. The fact that increasing the number of transistors has been sufficient to cause an increase in speed doesn't mean that this is the only way to increase speed. B. No. Nothing is known about the retail cost, only the production cost. The fact that the production cost has increased does not support an inference that the retail cost has changed little if any. C. No. The argument gives no evidence that engineers have not tried to control production costs. D. Yes. This can be inferred by combining the two statements made by the computer scientist: From the mid-1990s to the next decade, each time the speed doubled the cost doubled, and for the last several decades, each doubling in speed came with a doubling in the number of transistors. Therefore, doubling of fabrication cost must have accompanied doubling in the number of transistors. E. No. The statements in the argument tell us only about the past. They give no basis on which to predict the future.

Answer 439

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption The argument concludes that Ms. Sandstrom should pay if she could reasonably have expected that her column would cause people to damage the farm. This is based on the premise that her column attracted people to the farm, and these people damaged the property. The conclusion depends on the assumption that someone who reasonably expected their actions to cause damage is financially responsible for that damage. A. Yes. This choice gives a general rule that applies directly to the case of Ms. Sandstrom. If you substitute "Ms. Sandstrom" for the word "one" in the answer choice, it is the conclusion of the argument. B. No. This choice states that knowledge of damage is a necessary factor for payment of damage. However, the fact that the only thing that would require someone to pay is expectation of damage does not prove that the expectation of damage is sufficient to force payment. C. No. The unlikelihood that the direct perpetrators would pay doesn't prove anything about whether or not Ms. Sandstrom should pay. D. No. This answer choice does not go far enough to prove the conclusion true. While it states that Ms. Sandstrom did in fact know that her column could lead to damage, it does not prove that this knowledge makes her financially responsible for that damage. E. No. The fact that the Mendels believe Ms. Sandstrom to be capable of forming reasonable expectations does not prove that Ms. Sandstrom actually did so in this case. Furthermore, even if she did expect her actions to lead to damage, it is still not known that this expectation makes her financially responsible.

Answer 440

Correct Answer: D D Principle Strengthen The argument presents a scenario in which Meyer committed scientific fraud by falsifying data in the course of his employment. However, there is no evidence that Meyer falsified data in his PhD thesis. And yet, the university still revoked Meyer's PhD. The credited response should justify the revocation of Meyer's PhD, based on the fact that he falsified data in the course of his employment. A. No. There is no evidence that Meyer committed fraud in the course of pursuing his PhD, only that he did so in the course of his employment. B. No. Meyer is not applying for admission. He already has already received his PhD. C. No. No evidence was found that Meyer falsified data in his academic work, and he is not being dismissed from the university. D. Yes. Meyer did hold a PhD from Williamstown, and he was found to have committed scientific fraud. Therefore, the policy described in this answer choice justifies the university's decision to revoke Meyer's PhD. E. No. Meyer is not applying for a job at Williamstown.

Answer 441

Correct Answer: B B Inference The aerobics instructor states that kickboxing aerobics is especially risky compared to other forms of exercise, that overextending when kicking often leads to injury, and that this overextension is likely to happen when beginners try to copy the high kicks of more experienced people. The credited response will be supported by these facts. A. No. The fact that beginners often experience injury through overextension doesn't mean that skilled practitioners usually do not experience injury. B. Yes. This would be a reasonable recommendation based on the fact that beginners often get injured when they try to copy more skilled practitioners. C. No. The fact that matching high kicks leads to injuries doesn't mean there are no other causes of injury for beginners. D. No. Although we know that kickboxing aerobics is especially risky in part because of the high kicks, there is no evidence that high kicks present the only risk. Therefore, the comparison in this choice is not supported by the argument. E. No. This choice goes beyond the information provided in the argument. Injuries are likely to occur among beginners, but it may be possible that a majority of beginners do not experience these injuries.

Answer 442

Correct Answer: D D Main Point The main conclusion of the argument is that the trial was worthwhile. Why? Because even though the penalty will likely have little effect, the trial provided useful information about company practices, and this information emboldened competitors, alerted rivals, and forced the company to hold back on its unfair behavior. A. No. The argument draws a conclusion about the results of the trial that ended in conviction, not about what would have happened if the trial had ended differently. B. No. This is a premise, not the conclusion. The use of this statement as a premise is indicated by the words "after all" that preface this statement in the argument. C. No. While true, this is not the main point. Note the word "still" that comes after this statement in the argument, indicating that the conclusion is yet to come. D. Yes. This is a close paraphrase of the main conclusion stated in the argument. E. No. The author is not arguing that the trial should have had a different outcome. The issue is the worthwhile impact of the information that came out of the trial itself, not the size of the penalty.

Answer 443

Correct Answer: D D Point at Issue Waller concludes that if there were such a thing as ESP, it would be generally accepted by the public. This conclusion is based on the premise that anyone with ESP would be able to convince the public by demonstrating those powers. Chin responds that the skeptics will never be convinced, and that therefore public opinion will always follow the skeptics of ESP as long as the cultural elite remains close-minded regarding ESP. The point at issue between the two is whether or not the public would accept ESP if ESP really existed. Walter would say yes, while Chin would say no. A. No. The issue of disagreement isn't about the reality of ESP, but about whether or not public beliefs indicate anything about its reality. B. No. The issue between Waller and Chin is whether or not the general public would accept it, not whether or not all skeptics would. There is evidence that Chin would say that no, all skeptics would never be satisfied. However, what Waller would say about the skeptics is unknown. C. No. The disagreement is about the general public, not about the skeptics. Furthermore, Waller and Chin are not arguing about the strength of the case for or against ESP, but rather about whether or not the general public would accept it if it did really exist. D. Yes. Waller would agree with this statement; if ESP existed, the public would accept it. Therefore, if the public doesn't accept it, it doesn't exist. Chin would disagree, saying that because of the influence of the skeptics, ESP could exist without the public accepting it as real. E. No. The disagreement is about whether or not the general public would accept ESP as real if it does exist, not about whether or not the public already believes it to be real.

Answer 444

Correct Answer: C C Principle Strengthen The counselor concludes that Hagerle owes him or her a sincere apology. This conclusion is based on the premises that Hagerle told the same lie to the physician, and Hagerle has already sincerely apologized to the physician for that lie. The counselor is assuming that what applies to the physician also applies to the counselor. A. No. The phrase "it is good to apologize" does not justify the conclusion that Hagerle must apologize. Also, there is no evidence given that Hagerle is capable of giving the counselor a sincere apology so the principle does not apply to the counselor's argument. B. No. Although Hagerle did tell the same lie to both and did apologize to the physician, the argument does not state that Hagerle owed an apology to the physician. Therefore, this choice doesn't justify the counselor's reasoning. C. Yes. This choice states that if one got the apology, the other should too. The physician has already received a sincere apology for the lie that Hagerle told to both the physician and the counselor. Therefore, this answer choice would prove that Hagerle owes a sincere apology to the counselor. D. No. The argument does not state that Hagerle is capable of sincerely apologizing to the counselor. Therefore, this choice does not justify the conclusion. E. No. In conditional terms, this choice says the following: If a person cannot sincerely apologize to all others told the same lie, then that person shouldn't apologize to one person who was told that lie. Since it isn't known whether Hagerle should have apologized to the physician, this choice cannot justify the counselor's reasoning.

Answer 445

Correct Answer: D D Strengthen The argument concludes that we can expect next year's census, which counts all residents regardless of age, to show a decline in population, based on the evidence that post office and driver's license bureau statistics show that more households have moved out than in. The argument assumes that the post office and driver's license statistics are representative of real total population numbers. The credited response will support this assumption. A. No. It doesn't matter if it was the same people who moved in or out, since the argument is about the total number of people in Weston. B. No. The argument does not discuss the results of the last census, so this answer choice is irrelevant to the conclusion. C. No. This choice weakens the conclusion by suggesting that the post office and license bureau statistics do not represent, and may have under-counted, the real population of Weston. D. Yes. Note that the post office and driver's license bureau statistics, unlike the census, count households, not each individual person. If most adults moving out took children with them and most adults moving in were alone, this suggests that the number of households moving out took away more people than the number of households moving in added. This supports the conclusion that the next census will show a total decline in number of individual residents. E. No. Information about the motivation people had for moving out or the nature of the jobs held by people staying, doesn't indicate anything about the total number moving in or out.

Answer 446

Correct Answer: C C Reasoning The psychologist concludes that people should not necessarily try to get rid of their tendency to erroneously predict how events will affect future happiness. Why? It would not be a good idea to try to eliminate another kind of error, seeing parallel lines as convergent. So, the psychologist uses an analogy to support the conclusion. A. No. There is no issue of inevitability in the psychologist's argument. He or she is arguing that something shouldn't be done, not that something will inevitably occur. B. No. The psychologist is not refuting a theory, but rather recommending against an action. C. Yes. The psychologist argues that one action (eliminating the tendency to incorrectly predict the future) is inappropriate because a comparable action (eliminating the erroneous appearance of parallel lines) would also be inappropriate. D. No. This choice essentially reverses the logic of the argument. First, the answer choice treats the implied premise of the argument (that the two situations or actions are similar) as if it is the conclusion. Second, the choice claims that the action (eliminating the error) would be reasonable, not unreasonable, in each case. E. No. This argument does not move from a generalization in a premise to a more specific conclusion. Rather, it compares two specific actions to each other.

Answer 447

Correct Answer: E E Principle Strengthen The general principle states that if a description in an art house catalog is a deliberate attempt to mislead bidders, then the auction house is guilty of misrepresentation even if the description is identified as an opinion. The conclusion in the specific application is that Healy's is guilty of misrepresentation even though it stated that its descriptions are opinions. Why? Because it described a vase as mid-eighteenth century when it was actually a modern reproduction. The credited response will justify the application of the principle in this case by indicating whether Healy's misrepresentation was deliberate. A. No. This choice doesn't indicate that Healy's deliberately misrepresented the vase in order to increase the price. It could have been an honest mistake. B. No. The fact that knowledgeable people declined to bid does not indicate whether or not Healy's deliberately misrepresented the vase. C. No. Even though this statement indicates that Healy's broke its own stated rules, it is not known whether they did so with the deliberate intent to mislead. D. No. The opinion of some staff members that Healy's should not have done what it did isn't enough to suggest that Healy's deliberately misrepresented the vase. E. Yes. If Healy's incorrectly dated the vase "merely in order to increase its auction price," this is evidence that they deliberately tried to mislead bidders. Therefore, this justifies the conclusion that Healy's is guilty of misrepresentation.

Answer 448

Correct Answer: C C Necessary Assumption The anthropologist concludes that prehistoric ancestors of modern humans did not interbreed with Neanderthals (unlike what was formerly believed). The evidence is that DNA testing of Neanderthal remains shows that Neanderthal DNA is quite different from that of contemporary humans. The anthropologist's assumption is if Neanderthals had interbred with prehistoric Homo sapiens ancestors, Neanderthal DNA would be similar to modern human DNA, and evidence from modern human DNA tells us something about prehistoric Homo sapiens DNA. A. No. This would perhaps be an assumption made by people who argue that the two did interbreed (that the two coexisted in space and time). However, the anthropologist argues the opposite. B. No. This weakens the argument by casting some doubt on the reliability of DNA testing of remains. The anthropologist's argument depends on the reliability of that testing. C. Yes. The anthropologist is assuming that modern human DNA is similar to prehistoric Homo sapiens DNA. If the statement in this answer choice is not true (that is, if the DNA of prehistoric Homo sapiens ancestors was closer to Neanderthal DNA than modern human DNA is), it would significantly undermine the argument. D. No. While this would strengthen the argument, it isn't necessary to it. They could have coexisted in space and time and still not have interbred. E. No. The claim made by the anthropologist is that they did not interbreed because their DNA is quite different. This choice confuses necessary and sufficient conditions.

Answer 449

Correct Answer: B B Inference The conditional statements in the council member's argument map out as follows: decrease in downtown cost of living → increase in consumers living downtown → increase in downtown business profits → decrease in downtown traffic congestion. The contrapositive is as follows: no decrease in downtown traffic congestion → no increase in downtown business profits → no increase in number of consumers living downtown → no decrease in downtown cost of living. The credited response will be supported by these statements. A. No. This choice reads the conditional statements backwards. We know that an increase in the number of consumers would mean a decrease in downtown traffic, not that a decrease in downtown traffic would lead to an increase in the number of consumers. B. Yes. A decrease in the cost of living would guarantee an increase in the number of consumers, which will increase the profits of downtown businesses. C. No. This choice messes up the conditional connections. We know that if downtown traffic doesn't decrease, the cost of living didn't go down. If downtown traffic does decrease, nothing can be inferred since nothing follows from it. D. No. This choice reads the conditional statements backwards. We know that if the cost of living downtown decreases, then the downtown traffic decreases, not vice versa. E. No. This choice reads the conditional statements backwards. We know that if the number of consumers downtown increases, downtown business profits increase, not vice versa.

Answer 450

Correct Answer: E E Parallel The argument concludes that any domestic long-distance call on the Discount Phoneline that doesn't cost 10 cents a minute costs 15 cents a minute. The premises are that any domestic long-distance call on this phoneline starting between 9 and 5 costs 15 cents a minute, and all other domestic long-distance calls on the line cost 10 cents. The logic is that it has to be one or the other. A. No. Extensive lab work is the equivalent of starting between 9 and 5 in the argument, and holding the class in a laboratory matches with costing 15 cents a minute. Not involving extensive lab work matches with "any other domestic long-distance call," and occurring in a normal classroom corresponds to costing 10 cents a minute. To match the conclusion in the argument, this answer would need to conclude that if a class isn't held in a normal classroom, it is conducted in a laboratory. B. No. Extensive lab work is the equivalent of starting between 9 and 5 in the argument, and holding the class in a laboratory matches with costing 15 cents a minute. Not involving extensive lab work matches with "any other domestic long-distance call," and occurring in a normal classroom corresponds to costing 10 cents a minute. To match the conclusion in the argument, this answer would need to conclude that if a class isn't held in a normal classroom, it is conducted in a laboratory, not that it involves extensive lab work. C. No. Extensive lab work is the equivalent of starting between 9 and 5 in the argument, and holding the class in a laboratory matches with costing 15 cents a minute. Not involving extensive lab work matches with "any other domestic long-distance call," and occurring in a normal classroom corresponds to costing 10 cents a minute. However, the argument concludes that if it is not one, it is the other. This choice concludes that if it is one, it is not the other. D. No. Extensive lab work is the equivalent of starting between 9 and 5 in the argument, and holding the class in a laboratory matches with costing 15 cents a minute. Not involving extensive lab work matches with "any other domestic long-distance call," and occurring in a normal classroom corresponds to costing 10 cents a minute. To match the conclusion in the argument, this answer choice should have said that if it is not in one type of room, it is in the other, not that if it involves extensive lab work, it is not one type of room. E. Yes. Extensive lab work is the equivalent of starting between 9 and 5 in the argument, and holding the class in a laboratory matches with costing 15 cents a minute. Not involving extensive lab work matches with "any other domestic long-distance call," and occurring in a normal classroom corresponds to costing 10 cents a minute. The answer choice concludes that if the class is not in a normal classroom, it is in a laboratory. This is the logical equivalent of concluding that if the call doesn't cost 10 cents, it costs 15 cents.

Answer 451

Correct Answer: B B Principle Strengthen The conclusion in the argument is that the first child was wrong to push the second child if the first intended to injure the second. This is based on the premise that the first child knows right from wrong. To justify the conclusion, the correct answer needs to indicate that knowing right from wrong makes it wrong to injure someone intentionally. A. No. This choice confuses necessary and sufficient conditions. To be correct, it should state that if a person knows right from wrong, an action intended to injure another is wrong. B. Yes. The child knows right from wrong. Therefore, if it is wrong for a person who does know right from wrong to intentionally harm another, then the first child did in fact do something wrong if the injury was intentional. C. No. The answer needs to prove that the act was in fact wrong, not that wrong acts intend to cause harm. D. No. While the first half of this choice goes in the right direction, it is not known if the first child did not think about whether or not the act would injure the other child. E. No. This child does understand the difference between right and wrong. Furthermore, the argument's conclusion is that the action was wrong if the harm was intentional, not that the child is responsible for the harm.

Answer 452

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The researcher's argument is based on the results of the experiment: Every subject had an inflated idea of the percentage of cars in the nation that are the same make as the subject's car. The researcher then hypothesizes that certain makes being more common in some areas than others would lead to this result. He or she then concludes that this must be the reason for this result. The flaw is that while this is one possible explanation, it isn't the only possible explanation. A. No. Whether or not the subjects knew the actual statistics isn't directly relevant to the conclusion. The issue is the actual estimates they made and the reason that they were inflated. B. Yes. The results of the experiment support the researcher's hypothesis about how the distribution of certain makes of cars might cause overestimation. However, it doesn't prove it; there could be other reasons for the result. C. No. If subjects came from different areas, it would consistent with the researcher's hypothesis and conclusion about certain makes being more common in some areas of the nation than others. Therefore, it wouldn't be a flaw if the researcher failed to take this into account. D. No. The premises are all consistent with each other; there is no internal logical contradiction in the argument. E. No. The statistical generalization in the researcher's hypothesis (that certain makes are more common in some areas than others) is directly applicable to the researcher's conclusion.

Answer 453

Correct Answer: E E Parallel Flaw The argument concludes that most parking tickets in university towns must be given to students, based on the evidence that more citations are issued during the school year. The flaw in the argument is that it takes a correlation to suggest a particular cause of the majority of tickets (students get most of the tickets). However, there could be other reasons for this correlation.Best online courses A. No. This choice has an additional flaw that does not match the original argument: It shifts from popcorn in the premise to all snacks in the conclusion. The original argument is all about parking citations. B. No. This choice does not base its causal conclusion on a correlation. C. No. The flaw in this statement is that students who study cannot necessarily be called studious. The conclusion is too strong for the premise, it is not based on a correlation, and it does not make a causal claim. D. No. This statement argues that consumers buy more fruit during the summer because more is available and does assume a casual link between availability and purchase. This answer is incorrect because it does not establish the causation to occur in the majority of fruit purchases. E. Yes. The statement bases a suggested causal claim (most of the snacks parents buy go to other people's children) based on a correlation between other children coming to visit and parents giving out more snacks than usual.

Answer 454

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The counselor concludes that only harsh criticism will cause a person to change. The conclusion is based on a chain of premises: Change requires a motive, unpleasant criticism provides a motive, harsh criticism is unpleasant, and therefore harsh criticism provides a motive. The flaw is that the counselor confuses necessary and sufficient conditions. Just because harsh criticism will cause change doesn't mean that nothing else will. A. Yes. The counselor's premises would show that harsh criticism is sufficient to cause change. However, it doesn't prove that nothing else can cause change—that is, that harsh criticism is necessary for change. B. No. The issue of the conclusion of the argument is change. Whether or not criticism may have a different goal as well isn't directly relevant to the flaw in that conclusion. C. No. This choice describes a different necessary versus sufficient flaw than the one appearing in the argument. The counselor does not assume that everyone subjected to harsh criticism will change, but rather that nothing other than harsh criticism can cause change. D. No. There is no discussion in the argument of a motive to avoid something. E. No. The counselor is questioning a belief but does not directly conclude that the belief is false.

Answer 455

Correct Answer: E E Reasoning The commentator concludes that Acme should be held liable for last week's wreck involving one of their older locomotives. The wreck occurred when the engineer's knee accidentally hit the fuel shut-down switch. In its defense, Acme claimed that it didn't know that the location of the switch was a safety hazard. And yet, Acme relocated the switch on its newer locomotives, and the commentator says that it is unlikely that it would have done this just for convenience. So, the commentator offers the statement that Acme spent $500,000 relocating the switches in its newer locomotives as evidence that it knew that the location of the switch was dangerous. A. No. The commentator does not suggest whether or not the engineer is blameless. The issue of the argument is that Acme itself is liable. B. No. The commentator indicates that the location of the switch was the cause of the wreck. Therefore, there is reason to believe the wreck would not have happened if Acme had remodeled the older locomotives. C. No. A different statement in the argument gives an explanation of why the wreck happened: The engineer's knee hit the switch. The statement that Acme spent $500,000 relocating the switch is given as evidence that Acme knew of the risk of a wreck and therefore should be held liable. D. No. The commentator indicates that knee level switches are hazardous, and that Acme relocated the switch in their newer locomotives because they were aware of the hazard. E. Yes. The commentator argues that Acme would probably not have spent $500,000 to relocate the switch in its newer trains if it was not aware of the risk.

Answer 456

Correct Answer: D D Flaw The artist concludes that almost everyone in the country really wants to be an artist, even if they have to work other jobs as well. The premise is that most of the people the artist knows hope to make a living as an artist someday, even if they work at other jobs now. The artist is assuming that the people he or she knows are representative of people in the country as a whole. However, given that the speaker in the argument is an artist, and artists may be more likely than the average person to know other artists, this assumption is flawed. A. No. This answer choice describes circular reasoning—that is, that the conclusion essentially repeats a premise. However, the scope of the artist's argument shifts from people he or she knows in the premise to people in general in the conclusion, so the argument is not circular. B. No. The premise is not about each person in the country, but about most of the people the artist knows. C. No. The artist never says that the view expressed in the argument is widely held by others. D. Yes. Artists may be more likely than the average person to know other artists. Therefore, the sample "just about everyone I know" is unlikely to accurately represent people in the country as a whole. E. No. While the argument does shift from the issue of hoping to making a living as an artist in the premises to being an artist in the conclusion, this is not a flaw. That is, the artist uses one as evidence for the other, rather than falsely assuming that they are the same thing.

Answer 457

Correct Answer: E E Principle Match The conclusion of the argument is that it is not practical to switch to the Dvorak keyboard. Why? Because even though typists would type faster on it, the cost to society of switching would outweigh the benefit of faster typing. The credited response should be a general principle that matches the reasoning in this specific case. A. No. There is no suggestion in the argument that accuracy would suffer if the switch was made. B. No. The issue of the argument is why we should not change from one standard to another, not why the current standard was settled on in the first place. C. No. The consideration raised in the argument is cost compared to benefit, not a dislike of change. D. No. The cost of changing includes time and money. The issue is that financial, efficiency, and emotional costs outweigh the benefits of increased speed, not that emotional costs alone outweigh financial considerations. E. Yes. The standard qwerty keyboard is already in wide use. This is a reason that the cost of switching to the Dvorak keyboard would outweigh the benefits, and therefore why it is not practical to switch

Answer 458

Correct Answer: A A Point at Issue Sam claims that we must let nature take its course and let mountain lions prey on bighorn sheep, and hope that the sheep survive. Meli says that we must protect the sheep even at the expense of the mountain lions. The point of disagreement is whether or not we should do something to protect the sheep from the lions. Sam would say no, and Meli would say yes. A. Yes. Sam argues that we must do nothing, and let nature take its course. Meli says that we must intervene and do what we can to ensure the survival of the bighorn sheep. B. No. The scope of the disagreement is limited to lions and sheep. There is no evidence to indicate what Sam or Meli would say about whether it's more important, in general, to protect a species as a whole or individual animals. C. No. The issue of the argument is whether or not we should protect the sheep against the lions, not about which type of species is easier to preserve. D. No. Sam doesn't argue that protecting the sheep would require limiting the lion population, or that this would push the lions to extinction, or that this is why he believed the sheep should not be protected. Meli accepts the possibility of limiting the lion population, but there is no evidence to indicate whether or not she thinks this could push them to extinction. E. No. Sam says we should do nothing and hope they do survive; therefore, it cannot be determined if he would agree or disagree with this statement. Meli argues that we should protect the sheep even if that means that the lions are limited; however, there is no evidence to indicate that she believes that limiting the lion population is necessary for the survival of the sheep.

Answer 459

Correct Answer: D D Inference The parent argues that pushing very young children into rigorous study does more harm than good and then goes on to further explain this belief. A. No. This choice goes beyond the parent's argument. The parent states that rigourous study makes sense in secondary school, not that secondary school should be more rigorous than it is.Best online courses B. No. The only thing that the parent says about secondary school is that rigorous work is appropriate. The parent does not indicate whether or not secondary school is currently serving students' needs. C. No. While the parent does indicate that failing to meet the developmental needs of young students, in an attempt to make the nation economically competitive, may work against us, this is not enough to suggest that competitiveness requires meeting the developmental needs of all students. D. Yes. The parent argues against rigorous study for very young children by stating that 1) curricula for young students must meet those students' special needs, and 2) rigorous study may cause children in primary school to burn out on schoolwork. This indicates that rigorous study does not meet the developmental needs of primary school students. E. No. This choice goes in the opposite direction of the argument. The parent suggests that pushing young students too hard in an attempt to be competitive may actually work against us.

Answer 460

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The conclusion is that those drivers performing best with a supervisor aboard are likely the best drivers under normal circumstances. The reason is that the supervisor's presence affects every driver's performance. The assumption is that the presence of a supervisor affects every driver in a way that is consistent with that driver's performance under normal conditions. A. No. While the argument assumes that this is an effective way to judge the extent that the best drivers under normal conditions would get the best evaluations, it doesn't go so far as to assume that it is the only effective way. B. No. The issue of the argument is the actual performance of the drivers, not how good the supervisors are at judging that performance. C. No. The argument assumes that all drivers (not just most) are affected in the same way, but not that they are affected in this particular way (becoming slightly worse). D. Yes. If the bus drivers were affected in different ways by the presence of the supervisor, then the drivers with the best performance evaluations may not in fact be the best drivers. E. No. The issue of the argument is drivers being evaluated by supervisors, not about drivers evaluating themselves.

Answer 461

Correct Answer: B B Inference The argument states that economic growth increases business demand for the development of new technologies and that accelerated technological change can cause both suppliers, of which there are few, and buyers, of which there are many, of new technology to fail.Financial news subscriptions A. No. There is no comparison in the argument between suppliers of new technology and other businesses. The argument also indicates that accelerated technological change may cause some businesses that supply new technology to fail; this does not support the statement that these businesses as a whole are more likely to prosper. B. Yes. If economic change accelerates demand for new technology, and acceleration of technological change can cause businesses that supply new technology to fail, then it is reasonable to conclude that some businesses that supply new technology can be hurt by the effects of economic growth. C. No. This reverses the relationship given in the passage. The argument states that economic growth accelerates demand for new technology, not that the development of new technology accelerates economic growth. D. No. Economic growth accelerates business demand for new technology, and acceleration of technological change can cause businesses that buy new technology to fail. Therefore, economic growth presents a risk for businesses that buy and adopt new technology; we can't infer then that they are more likely to prosper. E. No. This choice is too extreme. We can infer that economic growth presents a risk for businesses that buy new technology, not for businesses in general. Even for businesses that buy new technology, we don't know that there is an overall increase in failures, but only that it can cause some of those businesses to fail.

Answer 462

Correct Answer: B B Resolve/Explain The apparent discrepancy is that even if residents cut back on their use of air conditioners, blackouts will still probably occur unless the heat wave ends. A. No. While tempting, this choice does not resolve the discrepancy. Since the energy analyst states that air conditioner use in particular has overloaded the system, the existence of other drains on the system wouldn't explain why a cutback in the load created by residential use of air conditioning wouldn't be enough to eliminate the risk of blackouts. B. Yes. Businesses and factories are not residents. If most of the air conditioning is used by non-residents, then residential cutbacks may not significantly reduce the total load caused by demand for air conditioning. C. No. Things that could be done to address the problem in the future aren't relevant to, and therefore don't explain, the current situation. D. No. The issue is that even if residents do cutback, blackouts are likely. The statement that residents are not likely to do so doesn't address this issue. E. No. This doesn't explain why residential cut backs may not solve the problem if the heat wave does continue.

Answer 463

Correct Answer: C C Weaken The argument claims that for most people, the generally more expensive long-term training is unwarranted. The premise is that studies show that the symptoms of anxiety usually decrease to a normal level within the short-term training time period, regardless of which method was used. The argument assumes that there are no other benefits to long-term training that might make it advisable. The credited response should indicate some reason that people might benefit more from the long-term training. A. No. The fact that some people don't need therapy does not give any reason to undergo long-term training. B. No. The argument stated that long-term training is generally more expensive, not that it is always more expensive. Thus, this choice does not weaken the argument. C. Yes. If long-term training's benefits tend to last longer, this is a reason why long-term training may be warranted. D. No. This doesn't give a comparative benefit to long-term training since the benefit could apply to any kind of treatment. E. No. This doesn't give a comparative benefit to long-term training. If anything, it might be a reason to choose short-term over long-term.

Answer 464

Correct Answer: A A Main Point The conclusion of the editorial is that the accusation made by critics of consumerism rests on a fuzzy distinction between wants and needs. The premise is that it is often impossible to determine if something is merely desirable or essential to one's happiness. The credited response will match the conclusion. A. Yes. This is a paraphrase of the stated conclusion. The phrase "this accusation" in the argument refers to the critics' claim that advertising persuades people that they need certain consumer goods when they merely desire or want them. B. No. This is essentially a paraphrase of the critics' argument, not of the editorial's conclusion. C. No. The editorial is not defending the advertising itself. Instead, it criticizes the logic of the critics of advertising. D. No. The issue is not that the critics deny that some things are in fact essential to happiness. It is rather that they make a fuzzy distinction between things that are and are not essential. E. No. The conclusion deals with only this particular criticism. The editorial is not broad enough to apply to critics of consumerism in general or what they often do.

Answer 465

Correct Answer: B B Necessary Assumption The conclusion is that relying on the web to diagnose one's own medical condition can do more harm than good. The first premise is that people who browse the web for medical information often cannot distinguish between valid information and quackery. The second premise is "much of the quackery is particularly appealing to readers without a medical background because it is written more clearly than scientific papers." The argument assumes that relying on quackery instead of scientifically valid medical information is harmful. A. No. The claim is about people who use information on the web to diagnose themselves. If people who browsed the web for medical information usually did so for reasons other than trying to diagnose themselves, it would not be a problem for the argument. B. Yes. By arguing that people who use the web are likely to do themselves more harm than good when they use that information to diagnose themselves, the author is assuming that only with scientifically valid information can one avoid doing oneself more harm than good. C. No. This choice confuses necessary and sufficient conditions. The argument that people without a medical background will do themselves more harm than good doesn't entail the assumption that only those people will do themselves more harm than good. D. No. This choice states that many people who browse the web assume that only scientifically valid information is well-written. However, the argument assumes that people falsely believe well-written quackery to be valid, not that they believe that only valid information is well-written. E. No. This choice confuses necessary and sufficient conditions. The author does not assume that this is the only way people will do themselves more harm than good.

Answer 466

Correct Answer: A A Resolve/Explain The credited response should explain why very young children have an easier time catching balls thrown at a faster speed, even though their coordination is still developing. A. Yes. This choice indicates that when a ball is thrown faster rather than slower, it triggers regions of the brain that might help children catch that ball. B. No. If balls that are thrown more slowly are easier to see, it is even more surprising that very young children have a harder time catching them. C. No. The argument deals with children (whose coordination is less developed), not adults. D. No. The argument deals with children catching balls, not throwing them. E. No. The fact that there is an upper limit doesn't explain why children have an easier time catching balls that are thrown faster (up to this limit) than balls that are thrown more slowly.

Answer 467

Correct Answer: B B Inference The argument states that an fMRI is like a genetic profile in that it contains information that people prefer to keep private. However, unlike a genetic profile, it also provides enough information to create a recognizable image of the person's face. A. No. The fact that an fMRI can be linked to a patient through appearance doesn't mean that it is not important to label the image. B. Yes. Because an fMRI can be linked to a patient through appearance and a genetic profile cannot, and because an fMRI may contain information that a person would prefer to keep private, it is reasonable to say that an fMRI has a greater potential to compromise patient privacy. It may be possible, for example, that someone recognizes the patient and connects him or her to the information in the fMRI. C. No. The argument provides no evidence that information in a genetic profile is likely to be divulged. D. No. The argument does not indicate that the two contain the same information, only that they both contain information that a patient might prefer to keep private. E. No. The argument does not discuss the actual concerns of patients. For example, it is unknown whether patients even know that an fMRI has a greater potential to compromise privacy.

Answer 468

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The conclusion is that the shoe factory would be a better shelter site. The premises are that some council members have claimed that the courthouse would be better, but they have given no evidence supporting this claim. The flaw is that the fact that the other council members have not proven their claim does not prove that that this council member's opposing claim is true. A. No. This choice is tempting because it is a different version of the absence of evidence flaw. However, the council member does not base his or her argument on a lack of evidence against his or her own view, but on the fact that the other council members have provided no evidence supporting their own view. B. Yes. The council member asserts that his or her claim that the shoe factory would be better should be accepted because the other council members have given no evidence that their view that the courthouse would be better is correct. C. No. The council member does not say bad things about the other council members. He or she rejects their argument because they have not provided evidence to support it. D. No. There is no appeal to fear here. An appeal to fear would look something like this: "Something terrible will happen unless we use the shoe factory as an emergency shelter." E. No. The council member is attacking an argument directly attributed to other council members.

Answer 469

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The conclusion is that it was misleading for James to tell the committee that the chair of the Anthropology Department had endorsed his proposal. The premise is that the chair had told James that she would endorse the proposal, but only if the draft she saw included all of the recommendations that he would eventually make. The assumption is that the draft did not in fact include all of the recommendations James eventually made. A. No. Whether or not the committee would implement the proposal is beside the point. The issue is whether or not James mislead the committee. B. No. The issue is whether or not James was misleading for saying that the chair had endorsed the proposal. If the chair would not have been opposed to other recommendations, it would not be a problem for the argument. C. No. Whether or not James believed that the endorsement was necessary in order for the committee to implement his recommendations isn't relevant to whether or not James's statement was in fact misleading. D. No. The issue is whether or not the chair actually endorsed the proposal, not whether or not James thought that she would have. E. Yes. If the draft proposal had included all of James's recommendations, then the chair's statement would indicate that she endorsed it. Therefore, in concluding that James misled the committee, the argument is assuming that it did not include all of the recommendations that he actually made.

Answer 470

Correct Answer: E E Weaken The conclusion is that Travaillier must be attempting to enlarge its consumer base by attracting new customers. The first premise is that it recently hired employees with bus tour experience. Second, it is negotiating with companies that subcontract with bus tour companies. Third, Travaillier has traditionally focused on consumers who travel primarily by air. Fourth, those traditional consumers have not changed their preferences. The argument is assuming that there is no cause for its actions other than a desire to attract new consumers. The credited response should suggest that there may be some alternative cause for Trevaillier's actions. A. No. This is consistent with the conclusion that Travaillier is trying to attract new customers. B. No. The fact that other companies have failed to expand into the bus tour business doesn't weaken the claim that Travaillier is trying to do the same. The issue is what they are attempting to do, not whether or not they will be successful. C. No. A single example of an employee's dual experience is not enough to suggest that Travaillier's recent efforts are focused on serving the air travel consumers rather than trying to attract new consumers who want to travel by bus. D. No. This doesn't give an alternate explanation for why Travaillier has focused its recent efforts on things related to the bus tour industry. E. Yes. This suggests that Travaillier may be trying to change the preferences of its current customers by introducing them to bus tours rather than trying to attract new customers. By providing a possible alternate explanation of Travaillier's actions, this choice most weakens the argument.

Answer 471

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The educator concludes that traditional classroom education is ineffective. Why? Education in such an environment where interaction between teachers and students is rigid and artificial is not truly a social process, and only social processes can develop students' insights. The educator assumes that to be effective, education must help develop students' insights. A. No. The argument states that traditional education, because it is not truly a social process, does not develop students' insights. Other necessary conditions for the development of education are beside the point, and they do not prove the conclusion about traditional education being ineffective true. B. No. This is the opposite of what is needed. This choice states that if ~rigid and ~artificial → effective. However, to prove the conclusion true, we would need a statement that stated if rigid and artificial ~effective. C. No. This choice would prove that traditional education, which is rigid and artificial, is not a social process. However, the educator has already directly stated that to be true, so it will not help the conclusion. D. Yes. The argument states that traditional education does not lead to the development of insight. This choice states that if education does not lead to social insight, it isn't effective. This choice, added to the premises in the argument, proves the conclusion true. As a diagram, it would look like this: traditional education → ~social process → ~develop insight → ~effective. E. No. The educator is not trying to prove that nontraditional education is effective, but rather that traditional education is ineffective.

Answer 472

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The conclusion is that the probability of maintaining good health is increased by avoiding dairy foods. The premises are one is less likely to get heart disease if one avoids dietary fat, and one is less likely to eat fat if one avoids eating dairy foods. The argument shifts from the specific health issue of avoiding heart disease in the premises to the issue of good health in general in the conclusion. The flaw, then, is that it ignores the possibility that eating dairy may have health benefits that outweigh any increased risk of heart disease.Buy vitamins and supplements A. Yes. Dairy foods may bring health benefits as well as health risks. Therefore, the argument ignores the possibility that eliminating the practice of eating dairy foods may cause more negative consequences than positive ones. B. No. The argument doesn't claim that this is the only way to maintain good health, just that it is one possible way. C. No. The argument doesn't claim that one should avoid dairy food, only that the probability of good health is increased if one does. D. No. While the argument does shift from heart disease in the premises to health in the conclusion, it is reasonable to assume that heart disease is relevant to health. That is, the evidence is clearly relevant to (but not sufficient for) the conclusion. E. No. The conclusion is about probability, not inevitability.

Answer 473

Correct Answer: C C Reasoning The professor concludes that one cannot frame an accurate conception of one's physical environment based on a single momentary perception. One premise is that each glimpse occurs from only one particular perspective. The other premise is the comparison to a history book, which gives a distorted view of the past (assumed to be comparable to an inaccurate conception of one's physical environment) because it reflects the biases of the author (assumed to be comparable to a single momentary perception). In sum, the professor supports his argument by claiming that it is logically similar to another argument with a similar conclusion. A. No. Both arguments or pieces of reasoning are asserted to be correct, not incorrect. B. No. The professor offers no absurd consequences that would follow if one could frame an accurate conception of one's environment based on a glimpse. C. Yes. "Presumably cogent" means supposedly valid. The professor supports the argument about framing an accurate conception on one's environment by claiming that it is similar to an argument about history books. In using the argument about history books as a premise, the professor is assuming that it is a valid claim. D. No. The professor does not claim that because framing a conception about one's environment based on a glimpse has certain characteristics, it has one other similar characteristic. There is only one characteristic at issue—it is inaccurate. E. No. This choice is tempting because it describes a comparison. However, it is the wrong comparison. The professor does not assume that a glimpse is the exact same thing as a bias or prejudice, just that it is comparable.

Answer 474

Correct Answer: E E Parallel The argument concludes that any future proposal endorsed by the Citizens League will probably pass. This is based on the premise that in the past, most of the proposals endorsed by the Citizens League have passed. The argument predicts the future based on the past, and the credited response will do the same. A. No. The premise of this argument is based on the past (most of the Vasani grants have gone to academic biologists). However, to have the same reasoning, it should have said that future grants will probably go to academic biologists, not that if most of the grants next year are awarded to academics, most will probably be biologists. There are two key differences here. First, it splits up the subject "academic biologists" (which would be like splitting up "endorsed by the Citizens League" in the original argument). Second, it adds two "mosts" to the conclusion. B. No. The premise of the argument in this choice is about the present, not about the past. And, its conclusion is about the present, not about the future. C. No. The premise is about the past: Most editors who have worked for the newspaper have not been sympathetic. However, the conclusion should have said that editors hired in the future will probably not be sympathetic, not that if someone sympathetic is hired, they will probably not be hired as an editor. D. No. The premise is about the past: Most entries received after the deadline last year were rejected. However, it changes the scope from the past in general to just last year, which is different than the original argument. Furthermore, the prediction is about what the people who were rejected last year will do, not that the judges will probably reject most late proposals in the future. E. Yes. The premise of the argument in this choice is that most stone artifacts found at this site have been domestic tools. The conclusion predicts that if the next artifact found is stone, it will probably be a domestic tool (which matches the original argument's conclusion that if a future proposal is endorsed by the League, it will probably pass). Therefore, this choice predicts the future based on the past in the same way as the original argument.

Answer 475

Correct Answer: B B Strengthen The chemist's conclusion is that much of the data of the effects of the weedkiller are probably misleading. The conclusion is based on the premises that the effectiveness of the weedkiller is affected by which of the two forms of the molecule are more concentrated in the soil, and that levels of concentration vary widely due to soil conditions. The chemist is assuming that the data indicating the weedkiller's effects do not take this variation into account. A. No. This choice does not provide additional information about the data or give a reason to think that they are misleading. B. Yes. If most of the data is drawn from studies in which the two types of molecules are equally concentrated and equally likely to break down, then the studies do not represent some conditions in which the rate of breakdown and thus of concentration varies widely. This strengthens the claim that the data are most likely misleading. C. No. This choice does not provide additional information about the data. It is possible the data already take this into account. D. No. This weakens rather than strengthens the argument. It suggests that the data are drawn from studies that do take into account the variation in concentration that happens in real-life conditions. E. No. For this to strengthen the argument, we would also need to know that the data relied on examination of the effects of only one form of the molecule. However, we do not know that either from the argument or from this answer choice.

Answer 476

Correct Answer: A A Principle Match The logic of the principle, in conditional terms, is as follows: If exemplary record → eligible, and if eligible → exemplary record. If eligible + did something that exceeded what could be expected + saved a life → should receive the award. The conclusion is that Franklin should get the commendation, but Penn should not. The credited response will prove both parts of the conclusion true based on the principle. A. Yes. Franklin fits all of the criteria for the award: He has an exemplary record which makes him eligible, he risked his life, and his actions went beyond what could reasonably be expected. Therefore, he should get the award, based on the principle. Penn, given his lack of exemplary record, is not eligible. So, he should not get the award, based on the principle. B. No. This set of facts justifies Franklin getting the award, since he fits all of the criteria. However, this is not enough to prove that Penn should not get the award. The principle states that going beyond what is reasonably expected is part of what is sufficient to get the award. However, the principle doesn't say that it is necessary—that is, that only officers who go beyond what can reasonably be expected should get the award. C. No. If Franklin does not have an exemplary record, he is not eligible to receive the award. Therefore, this choice contradicts part of the conclusion rather than supporting it. D. No. This set of facts proves neither part of the conclusion true. There is no information to indicate whether Franklin has an exemplary record, and so his eligibility for the award is unknown. As for Penn, the principle doesn't say that saving someone's life is a necessary condition to get the award, only that it is part of a set of things that together make someone deserving of the award. E. No. While this proves the conclusion about Franklin true, it does not prove the part about Penn. Penn is eligible, given his exemplary record. The principle does not state that only people who save a life and/or exceed what could be expected get the award. It is possible that there are other actions that would make eligible officers deserving of the award.

Answer 477

Correct Answer: C C Principle Strengthen The conclusion to be justified is that no one should be denied the freedom to choose the people with whom he or she associates. The first premise is that it is easier to live an enjoyable life if one can make choices that are in accordance with one's belief and then see those choices accepted by others. The second premise is that it is possible to achieve acceptance of one's beliefs by choosing associates who share those beliefs. The issue of freedom to choose comes up in the conclusion but not in the premises. Therefore, to justify this conclusion, the credited response should link making it easier to live an enjoyable life to giving people the freedom to do things that contribute to an enjoyable life. A. No. The issue in the argument is freedom to choose with whom one associates, not freedom to make lifestyle choices in accordance with one's beliefs. B. No. This choice is perhaps a reasonable recommendation based on the premises, but it does not link the premises to the essayist's conclusion about freedom. C. Yes. The premises state that having the freedom to choose associates would make it easier to live an enjoyable life. Adding in the statement that no one should be denied a freedom that makes it easier to live an enjoyable life proves the conclusion of the argument true. D. No. The passage does not indicate that all people must have such friends and associates in order to enjoy life, only that it can help them enjoy life. Because it introduces the issue of necessity ("depends"), which is not in the essayist's argument, this choice does not prove the essayist's conclusion true. E. No. A statement that one may choose certain associates doesn't prove that one has the right to do so.

Answer 478

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption The physician concludes that some older people can lower their blood pressure by drinking milk. The premises are that calcium deficiency often causes a rise in blood pressure, a lack of a form of vitamin D needed to absorb calcium often causes calcium deficiency, and a glass of milk has enough calcium to make up for any calcium deficiency. The passage is missing a statement about vitamin D. If their milk does not contain active vitamin D, then the calcium in that milk may not be absorbed. A. Yes. If there is enough active vitamin D in the milk, then the calcium in the milk can be absorbed, eliminating the deficiency and lowering the blood pressure of older people. B. No. While this eliminates one possible problem with the argument, it doesn't prove that drinking milk can lower blood pressure since it does not link calcium in milk with active vitamin D. C. No. This choice states that drinking milk won't make the deficiency worse, but it doesn't show that it will make it better. D. No. This choice is not specific to the issue of the argument about the effects of drinking milk. E. No. This choice doesn't provide additional information about the effects of drinking milk on calcium deficiency.

Answer 479

Correct Answer: A A Parallel Flaw The political philosopher concludes that people should be taxed only in proportion to their income. The premises are taxation would be based on how much society contributes to a person's interests, and wealth is the most objective standard for how well society has served that person's interests. The flaw in the argument is that while income contributes to a person's wealth, other things may as well (for example, an inheritance). There is a shift from one standard in the premises (wealth) to a different standard in the conclusion (income). A. Yes. This choice shifts from speed of the car as the standard in the premises to the ability to accelerate quickly as the standard in the conclusion. While acceleration is one aspect of speed, other aspects of the car (for example, horsepower of the engine) would also contribute. This parallels the shift from wealth to income in the original argument. B. No. While there is a flawed shift in this choice, it goes from one issue (maturity) to an entirely different issue (complete autonomy). The original argument shifts from a more general standard (wealth) to one aspect of that standard (income). C. No. This choice does start with a standard: Everyone should pay taxes only in proportion to the benefits they receive from the government. However, it doesn't go on to give a "most reliable" measure of these benefits, but rather to state that large corporations get subsidies from the government. Finally, it draws a conclusion about corporations, rather than shifting to another standard for taxation based on a specific aspect of measuring benefits received from the government. D. No. This statement relies on a different type of flawed shift than the original argument. The shift in this choice is between the income of people who confer large benefits on society (which should be taxed highly) to the activities themselves that confer the benefit. Beneficial activities is not a subset of high incomes. E. No. There is no flaw in this statement. If justice requires that care be given in proportion to need, it makes sense to conclude that the most seriously ill people should be given the highest priority for receiving care.

Answer 480

Correct Answer: A A Resolve/Explain The surprising fact in the argument is that the city residents' opinion of Walker did not decline after he was accused of ethics violations, even though almost half believe him to be guilty. The credited response will explain why public opinion remained relatively stable. A. Yes. If the same people who think Walker is guilty already had a poor opinion of Walker, this would explain why public opinion did not significantly change. The people who liked him before don't think he is guilty, and the people who think he is guilty already thought he was a bad mayor. B. No. A positive change in opinion regarding Walker's opponents doesn't explain why public opinion of Walker himself hasn't gone down. C. No. That fifth of the population could fall within the half who did not say that they believe Walker to be guilty. Therefore, this doesn't explain why public opinion did not decline. D. No. If anything, this could have a negative influence on the public's opinion of Walker, which makes it even more surprising that the public thinks no worse of him now than before. E. No. There is almost half of the public who believes him to be guilty. Walker's self-defense doesn't explain why the public thinks no worse of him now than before.

Answer 481

Correct Answer: C C Main Point The argument concludes that the process of seeking a second opinion can be awkward for both the patient and the physicians. This conclusion is based on the premises that the patient often worries that the first physician will be alienated, that the first physician's pride is at issue because the request tacitly highlights his fallibility, and that the second physician is, inevitably and uncomfortably, put in the position of evaluating a colleague's work. The credited response will paraphrase the conclusion. A. No. The argument concludes that seeking a second opinion can be awkward for the parties involved, but it makes no judgment about whether that should deter patients from seeking them. The use of the phrase "absolutely necessary" is extreme and unsupported. B. No. While the passage does offer the premise that the patient often worries that the first physician will be alienated, there is no evidence that this is because the physician's judgment is called into question. C. Yes. This paraphrases the predicted conclusion. D. No. The statement that the second physician is inevitably and uncomfortably in the position of evaluating a colleague's work is a premise. E. No. The statement that the patient often worries that the first physician will be alienated is a premise.

Answer 482

Correct Answer: C C Inference The passage states that the current population of Florida panthers, while higher than it was in the 1970s, must increase even further in order to be self-sustaining. The passage further states that the current habitat of the Florida panther is not large enough to support any more panthers. The credited response will be a paraphrase of one of these statements or something that can be proven by linking them. A. No. The passage does not provide any information about the quality of the habitat. B. No. The passage states that a population size of at least 250 is a necessary condition ("must reach") for the population to be self-sustaining, but it is not known whether it would also be a sufficient condition. C. Yes. The passage states that the population would need to increase in order to be self-sustaining, and it also states that the habitat cannot accommodate an expansion. Therefore, unless the habitat increases in size, the population will not be able to increase enough to be self-sustaining. D. No. The passage addresses the current circumstances of the Florida panther. The statement that the population will "never" increase is unsupported by the passage, since it is possible that these circumstances will change in the future. E. No. The passage states that the population has increased since the 1970s, but it provides no information about changes in the habitat.

Answer 483

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The political scientist concludes that it is incorrect to criticize efforts to create a more egalitarian society on the grounds that total equality would necessarily force everyone into a common mold. This is based on the premises that critics assume that equality requires unacceptably bland uniformity and that the critics' assumption is incorrect. The credited response will match the passage by stating that the author disagrees with a position by disputing the assumption that the position is based on. A. No. This describes the point of view of the critics, but it does not describe what the author does to reach a conclusion. B. Yes. This accurately describes how the author disputes the critics' assumption in order to reach a conclusion. C. No. The author does not address the motivation of the critics. D. No. This describes an argument with a part-to-whole comparison flaw, which is not present in this argument. E. No. This argument does not contain a universal claim.

Answer 484

Correct Answer: A A Weaken The physician concludes that magnetic fields are probably effective at relieving some back pain. He bases the conclusion on the premises that, in a study of 50 people with back pain, most of the patients who had small magnets applied to their backs reported a significant reduction in pain, but very few of the patients who received no treatment reported a significant reduction in pain. The physicians argument assumes that there are no differences between the two groups other than whether or not they were treated. The physician also assumes that the magnetic fields from the magnets were the cause of the relief rather than some other property of the magnets. The credited response will attack one of these assumptions. A. Yes. This answer choice weakens the physician's conclusion by offering an alternative cause for the relief and attacking the assumption that the relief was not the result of some property of the magnets other than the magnetic fields. B. No. The beliefs of most physicians are not relevant to the discussion of this study and the conclusion drawn by this physician. C. No. The conclusion is only about whether magnetic fields are effective at relieving back pain, and therefore information about pain in other areas is not relevant. D. No. The beliefs of scientists who were not directly involved in conducting the experiment are not relevant to the physician's conclusion. E. No. The conclusion is only about whether magnetic fields are effective at relieving back pain, and therefore information about the causes of the back pain is not relevant.

Answer 485

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The argument concludes that discipline does not improve dogs' behavior, rather it encourages misbehavior. This is based on the premises that kennel club members who frequently discipline their dogs report a higher incidence of misbehavior than do members who rarely or never discipline their dogs. This argument follows a common causal flaw pattern and assumes that the discipline is the cause of the misbehavior when it could be that the misbehavior is the cause of the discipline. The credited response will point out this faulty assumption. A. Yes. This answer choice points out the faulty assumption that the causal relationship goes in one direction when it could, in fact, go in the opposite direction. B. No. The argument actually assumes the opposite of this answer choice by claiming that discipline encourages misbehavior. C. No. The conclusion is about misbehavior only in dogs, and therefore information about other animals is not relevant. D. No. The argument only compares kennel club members to other kennel club members. E. No. The argument only compares kennel club members to other kennel club members.

Answer 486

Correct Answer: E E Resolve/Explain The argument states the the number of tornadoes recorded annually has increased significantly since 1953, yet the climatic factors affecting the creation of tornadoes are unchanged. The credited response will provide a reason that more tornadoes are being recorded even though the incidence of tornadoes likely hasn't increased. The credited response will likely either provide a reason that recording has become more accurate, or it will provide a non-climatic reason for an increase in tornadoes. A. No. Whether meteorologists knew about the factors affecting the creation of tornadoes doesn't explain why more tornadoes are recorded now. B. No. The intensity of tornadoes does not explain why a greater number of tornadoes are being recorded now. C. No. Information about tornado recording in the last five years does not explain why recording has increased dramatically since 1953. D. No. Property damage is not relevant to an explanation of increased recording numbers. E. Yes. This explains why more tornadoes are being reported by providing information that the number of people reporting tornadoes has increased, making it more likely than in 1953 that a tornado that occurs will be reported.

Answer 487

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The argument concludes that if you wait long enough, almost any food will be reported to be healthful. The conclusion is based on the premises that a recent report found health benefits in chocolate, which was once considered a health scourge. In addition, reports state that olive oil has a positive influence on the circulatory system, though earlier claims stated that oily foods clog arteries, leading to heart disease. The argument rests on several faulty assumptions. The argument assumes that just because chocolate and olive oil have health benefits that they are considered to be healthful. Even if this were true, the argument further employs the common part-to-whole comparison assumption that what is true of chocolate and olive oil will be true of "almost any" food. The credited response will attack one of these faulty assumptions. A. No. This is a tempting answer choice, but does not hold up to closer examination. While it is possible that the confectioners trade association is biased, there is no reason to believe that the reports about olive oil are biased. The flaw is that the argument draws a conclusion that is broader than the premises support. B. No. This answer choice states the opposite of what the argument does. The specific cases here do pertain to the general rule, but the general rule is too broad. C. Yes. This attacks the faulty assumption that chocolate and olive oil are representative of nearly all foods. D. No. The argument does not claim that all research will be reported, only that reports of healthful effects will be released for almost all foods. E. No. The argument does consider that many foods are currently reported to be unhealthful, but it claims that new reports will emerge in the future stating that those foods are healthful.

Answer 488

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The "bottom-up" theory states that the availability of edible plants is what primarily determines an ecosystem's characteristics and that a reduction in the number of predators will have little impact on the rest of the ecosystem. The theory is based on the premises that the availability of edible plants determines how many herbivores the ecosystem can support, which determines how many predators it can support. To weaken this theory, the credited response will provide evidence either that the availability of edible plants does not impact the ecosystem's characteristics or that a reduction in predators does impact the ecosystem. A. No. This would strengthen the theory by showing that the availability of the trees on which the monkeys fed controlled the size of the monkey population. B. Yes. This weakens the theory by showing that a reduction of predators impacted the characteristics of the rest of the ecosystem by increasing the population of other species and decreasing plant density. C. No. This would not have an impact on the theory because it does not address the availability of edible plants. D. No. This would not have an impact on the theory because the availability of edible plants was unchanged even though the species of the edible plant changed. E. No. This would strengthen the theory by showing that the population of wild pigs has not changed much, despite an increase in human "predators," because of the availability of plants that are the pigs' dietary staple.

Answer 489

Correct Answer: B B Parallel Flaw The argument concludes that the diets of healthy children who do not develop healthy bones do not include sufficient calcium. This is based on the premise that it is necessary for the child's diet to include sufficient calcium in order for the child to develop healthy bones. The argument is flawed because it treats the necessary condition of sufficient calcium as the only requirement for a child to develop healthy bones when there could be a number of other things that are also necessary. The credited response will parallel this structure and will also treat a necessary condition as the only condition required for the result. A. No. This argument is not flawed. The argument states that it is necessary for bread to be baked at the right temperature in order to have a firm crust. It correctly concludes that if this necessary condition does not occur, then the desired result will not occur. B. Yes. The argument concludes that cakes that do not taste good do not contain the right amount of flour. This is based on the premise that it is necessary for a cake to contain the right amount of flour in order to taste good. The argument treats the necessary condition of the right amount of flour as the only requirement for a cake to taste good when there could be a number of other things that are also necessary. C. No. This argument does not contain a necessary condition and therefore does not parallel the structure of the original argument. D. No. This argument provides two sufficient factors to achieve the desired result, but it does not contain a necessary condition and therefore does not parallel the structure of the original argument. E. No. This argument does not contain a necessary condition and therefore does not parallel the structure of the original argument.

Answer 490

Correct Answer: A A Weaken The argument concludes that social inertia is a more powerful determinant of human behavior than is the desire for comfort or safety. This is based on the premise that history provides many examples of technological innovations being strongly resisted by people whose working conditions without those innovations were miserable. The argument assumes that people resisted the innovations because of social inertia and not because of some other factor. The credited response will weaken the conclusion by providing an alternate reason that people resist innovations. A. Yes. This weakens the argument by suggesting that people resist technical innovations because they fear job loss rather than because of social inertia. B. No. The technological innovations would not necessarily represent new challenges. The argument suggests that working conditions would improve with the technological innovations. C. No. This statement is consistent with the argument and therefore doesn't weaken it. The argument cites "many" examples of resistance, which does not mean that all people resist innovation, and it's certainly possible that some innovations are embraced. D. No. The length of time over which innovations are introduced is not relevant to the conclusion about the motivations for resistance to innovations. E. No. This strengthens the argument by providing an example of how the innovations promote comfort and safety, but it does not address why people resist the innovations anyway.

Answer 491

Correct Answer: E E Sufficient Assumption The psychologist concludes that although many people who flatter their supervisors are subsequently promoted, flattery generally is not the reason for their success. This is based on the premise that almost all of the flattery is so blatant that it is obvious even to those toward whom it is directed. The argument assumes that flattery that is obvious will not positively impact the person that is being flattered. The correct answer will fill in this missing assumption and will be strong enough to guarantee that the conclusion is true. A. No. Even if people in positions of responsibility expect to be flattered, this answer does not guarantee that their decisions are not impacted by the flattery. B. No. Even if guidelines tend to focus on merit, this does not guarantee that supervisors are impervious to flattery. C. No. The argument is based on blatant flattery, so the effects of unnoticed flattery are not relevant to the conclusion. D. No. Even if the insincere flattery is interpreted as sincere admiration, this answer does not guarantee that supervisors' decisions are not impacted by the flattery. E. Yes. If supervisors are almost never influenced by the blatantly obvious flattery, it follows that the supervisors' decisions about promotions are generally not based upon the flattery.

Answer 492

Correct Answer: D D Principle Strengthen The argument concludes that the fact that eating uncooked meat can be very dangerous does not justify the government preventing organizations devoted to certain views on human nutrition from advocating a diet that includes large portions of uncooked meat. This conclusion is based on the premises that the government would not be justified in silencing a purely political group merely on the grounds that the policies the group advocates could be harmful to some members of society and that groups with certain views on human nutrition should be treated similarly. The credited response will validate the idea that silencing groups that advocate ideas which may be harmful to people is unjustified. A. No. The argument does not discuss ideas that a significant proportion of society believe to be beneficial, so this answer choice is not relevant to the conclusion. B. No. This would weaken the argument because it suggests that the government would be justified in silencing ideas that may be harmful. C. No. The conclusion is about what the government should or shouldn't do, so whether someone should advocate something isn't relevant to the argument. D. Yes. This explicitly fills in the underlying idea that silencing groups just because they advocate ideas that may be harmful is unjustified. E. No. The conclusion is about what the government should or shouldn't do, so what someone ought to urge the government to do is not relevant to the argument.

Answer 493

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The medical researcher concludes that stretching before jogging does not help to prevent injuries. This is based on the premise that a large group of joggers who habitually stretch before jogging and an equal number of joggers who do not stretch before jogging incur roughly the same number of injuries. The argument assumes that the groups are otherwise identical and that the only difference between them is whether they stretch before running. The credited response will attack this assumption by providing an additional relevant difference between the groups. A. No. This is a tempting answer choice because it suggests that these two groups are not representative of all people. However, the overall rate of jogging injuries likely includes individuals who are not joggers and whose injuries result from inexperience, which does not cast any light on whether stretching helps to prevent injuries. B. No. The conclusion is about whether or not stretching helps to prevent injuries, so the difficulty of performing stretches is not relevant to the argument. C. No. This would strengthen the argument by providing additional information about why stretching doesn't help prevent jogging injuries. D. Yes. This points out a relevant difference between the two groups, namely that the joggers who stretch are also the ones who are more prone to injuries. Stretching prevents injuries for these joggers to the extent that they are injured only as much as the joggers who are not prone to injuries. E. No. The medical researcher's conclusion is only about stretching before jogging, and therefore information about other forms of exercise is not relevant.

Answer 494

Correct Answer: A A Reasoning The argument concludes that industrial productivity will probably improve when superconductor development enables energy to be transported farther with less energy lost in transit. This is based on the premises that a similar improvement resulted when oil and natural gas replaced coal as the primary fossil fuels used in North America because shipping costs, which are a function of the distance fossil fuels are shipped and the losses of material in transit, decreased for factory owners. The credited response will state that the claim that superconductor development will probably improve industrial productivity is the conclusion of the argument. A. Yes. This accurately describes the structure of the argument. B. No. While a "generalization" can be an adequate synonym for "conclusion," the claim that superconductor development will enable energy to be transported farther with less energy lost in transit is a supporting detail rather than an example or illustration. C. No. The stated claim is the conclusion of the argument and the claim that superconductor development will enable energy to be transported farther with less energy lost in transit is a premise. D. No. The stated claim is the conclusion of the argument and the claim that oil and natural gas have replaced coal as the primary fossil fuels used in North America is background information for one of the premises. E. No. The stated claim is the conclusion of the argument and the claim that shipping costs are a function of the distances fossil fuels are shipped, and the losses of material in transit is a premise.

Answer 495

Correct Answer: B B Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that the critics' charge that Colette's novels are indifferent to important moral questions is unfair. This is based on the premises that each of Colette's novels is a poetic condensation of a major emotional crisis in the life of an ordinary person of her time and that such emotional crises almost invariably raise important moral questions. The argument assumes that a poetic condensation of a major emotional crisis still invariably raises important moral questions. A. No. The conclusion is only about the fairness of a charge that Colette's novels are indifferent to important moral questions, so critics' estimation of her literary achievements is not relevant to the argument. B. Yes. This answer choice closes the gap between the conclusion and premises. If this answer choice were untrue, the conclusion would not hold. C. No. Whether a novel must concern itself with important moral questions is not at issue in the argument. The conclusion merely claims that arguing that Colette's novels are indifferent to such questions is unfair. D. No. The reason for the vividness of Colette's language is not relevant to the conclusion about whether Colette's novels are indifferent to important moral questions. E. No. Colette did not have to intend for her novels to explore important moral questions in order for them to actually do so.

Answer 496

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The argument concludes that social theorists who believe that people are concerned only with their self-interest evidently believe that aspiring to democracy is futile. This is based on the premises that democracy is not possible in the absence of government by consent and that the view that every person is concerned exclusively with her or his own self-interest implies that government by consent is impossible. The argument assumes that just because theorists believe that people are concerned only with their self-interest, they also believe that government by consent is impossible. The credited response will attack this faulty assumption. A. Yes. This describes the faulty assumption that just because theorists believe that people are concerned only with their self-interest, they also believe the implication that government by consent is impossible B. No. This answer choice describes a part-to-whole comparison flaw, but the argument does not make a claim about individual social theorists based on a generalization about social theorists in general. C. No. This answer choice describes a part-to-whole comparison flaw, but the argument does not make a claim about social theorists in general based on claims about individual social theorists. D. No. This answer choice describes an ad hominem attack, but the argument does not make any claims about the personal characteristics of the social theorists; rather it focuses on the substance of their ideas. E. No. The argument does not claim that any conclusion is false.

Answer 497

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption The archaeologist concludes that the mosaics that were removed from Zeugma should have been left there. This conclusion is based on the premises that he has all information needed to draw archaeological conclusions and that future archaeologists studying the site, who may not have access to his records, might be misled by the absence of the mosaics. The archaeologist assumes that archaeological needs are the only reasons to remove or leave the mosaics. The credited response will fill in the missing assumption so that the conclusion is guaranteed to be true. A. Yes. If this is true, then the archaeologist has accounted for all of the important considerations and the conclusion holds. B. No. Whether or not archaeologists can tell whether a site had been flooded is not relevant to the conclusion about whether the mosaics should have been left in place. C. No. While this answer choice lends some support to the idea that future archaeologists would benefit from the mosaics being left in Zeugma, whether or not the materials used in the mosaic would be readily apparent or more difficult to ascertain is not relevant to the argument. D. No. This would weaken the argument by attacking the premise that future archaeologists who do not have access to the speaker's records might be misled by the absence of the mosaics. E. No. There is no discussion of environmental impact in the archaeologist's argument, so this answer choice is not relevant to the conclusion.

Answer 498

Correct Answer: B B Inference The argument states that engineers have increased the capacity of the Krakkenbak Bridge to handle rush-hour traffic flow and that the increase was dependent on the city's investment in computer modeling technology. Furthermore, resolution of the city's financial predicament was dependent on the increased rush-hour traffic flow across the bridge. The credited response will be a paraphrase of one of these statements or something that can be proven by linking some of these statements together. A. No. It is not known whether only the specific computer modeling software that was chosen would have been effective or if another brand's software would have accomplished the same result. B. Yes. The passage states that resolution of the city's financial predicament was dependent on increasing rush-hour traffic on the bridge, which in turn was dependent on the city's investment in computer modeling technology. C. No. The passage discusses an increase in rush-hour traffic flow over the bridge, but it provides no information about traffic flow during the remainder of the day. D. No. This answer choice goes too far. While the passage states that increasing rush hour traffic flow across the bridge was dependent on investing in computer modeling technology, it does not indicate that the investment needed to be the highest budgetary priority. E. No. It is unknown whether the mayor's motivation for advocating investment in the modeling technology stemmed from the need to increase traffic flow across the bridge or from some other consideration.

Answer 499

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The court analyst concludes courts should not allow the use of DNA tests in criminal cases. This conclusion is based on the premises that there is considerable controversy among experts about the degree of reliability of these tests and that it is unreasonable for courts to allow evidence based on a test that does not have widespread agreement in the scientific community about its reliability. The argument assumes that disagreements about degrees of reliability mean that some experts do not think that the test is reliable, when in fact it could be the case that all experts think that the test is reliable to some degree. A. No. The argument explicitly acknowledges that courts have the authority to admit or exclude evidence by imploring courts not to allow DNA evidence. B. No. The argument does not suggest that evidence meet a standard of absolute certainty; it only claims that there must be widespread consensus about the reliability of the test. C. Yes. This points out the faulty assumption that disagreements about degrees of reliability mean that some experts do not think that the test is reliable. D. No. This answer choice is broader than the scope of the argument. The conclusion is only about the use of DNA tests in criminal cases and does not address other types of evidence in other types of cases. E. No. This answer choice is broader than the scope of the argument. The conclusion is only about the use of DNA tests in criminal cases and does not address other types of evidence in other types of cases.

Answer 500

Correct Answer: D D Inference The passage states that members of the VideoKing Frequent Viewers club can receive a special discount coupon and that those members who have rented more than ten videos in the last month can receive the coupon only at the location that they last rented a movie from, while those who have not rented ten videos in the past month must go to the Main Street location to receive their coupon. The passage goes on to state that Pat, who has not rented more than ten videos in the past month, can receive the coupon at the Walnut Lane location. The only way that this would be possible is if Pat is not a member of the VideoKing Frequent Viewers club; thus the credited response will likely state that members of the club are not the only people who are able to receive the coupon. A. No. Members of the club who have rented more than ten videos and who last rented from the Main Street location would also be able to receive the coupon there. B. No. It is possible that all members of the Frequent Viewers club have rented more than ten videos. C. No. The passage states a member of the Frequent Viewers club must receive the coupon at either the Main Street location or the location from which the member last rented a video. D. Yes. Since Pat did not rent more than ten videos and since he is able to obtain a coupon at a location other than the Main Street store, it must be possible for non-members to receive the coupon. E. No. The conditions for non-members to receive coupons are not discussed in the passage.

Answer 501

Correct Answer: E E Parallel The argument concludes that Ed will choose the more expensive prize. This is based on the premises that game show winners choosing between two equally desirable prizes will choose either the one that is more expensive or the one with which they are more familiar. The argument goes on to say that today's winner, Ed, is choosing between two equally desirable and equally unfamiliar prizes. The credited response will parallel this structure by providing a scenario limited to two possible options and then ruling out one option to reach the conclusion that the other option will be chosen. A. No. While this answer choice does provide a scenario limited to two possible options, it reverses the remaining portions of the argument by concluding that one option will not be chosen because the other option was chosen. B. No. While this answer choice does provide a scenario limited to two possible options, it introduced the new idea of "standing near" one of the options, which does not appear in the original argument. C. No. This argument does not provide two options that are on equal footing; rather it sets up an exception to a rule. Furthermore, it introduces a comparison between the two with the word "more." D. No. While this answer choice does provide a scenario limited to two possible options, neither option is chosen. E. Yes. The argument provides a scenario limited to two possible options, that rabbits will either double back on their pursuers or flee for nearby cover to avoid predators; then it rules out the option to take cover to reach the conclusion that the rabbit will double back on its predator.

Answer 502

Correct Answer: B B Strengthen The argument concludes that bacteria's exposure to the heavy metals in the sewage sludge has somehow promoted their resistance to antibiotics. This is based on the premises that bacteria that survive in sewage sludge, which is normally filled with concentrated heavy metals during the sewage treatment process, have evolved the unusual ability to resist heavy-metal poisoning. Furthermore, the same bacteria also show a strong resistance to antibiotics. The argument makes the common flawed assumption that just because events are correlated, namely the exposure to heavy metals and the resistance to antibiotics, that one caused the other. The credited response will provide additional information to validate this causal link or will provide information to rule out an alternate cause. A. No. The argument discusses only bacteria that are resistant to both heavy-metal poisoning and to antibiotics, so bacteria that are not resistant are not relevant to the conclusion. B. Yes. This rules out other possible causes of the antibiotic resistance by showing that bacteria in similar sewage that lacks heavy metals also lack the resistance to antibiotics, thereby strengthening the contention that the heavy metal exposure is the cause. C. No. This would weaken the argument by suggesting that the causal relationship goes in the opposite direction. D. No. This would weaken the argument by suggesting another cause of the antibiotic resistance, namely significant concentrations of antibiotics in the sewage sludge. E. No. The conclusion is only about bacteria in sewage sludge, so bacteria that do not live in sewage sludge are not relevant to the argument.

Answer 503

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The ethicist concludes that no one, including those making marriage vows, should take "love" to refer to feelings. This conclusion is based on the premises that feelings are not within one's control, so promising to love "until death do us part" makes no sense because it makes no sense to promise to do something that is not within one's control. The argument assumes that people shouldn't do things that make no sense. The credited response will close the gap between the conclusion and premises and will guarantee the truth of the conclusion. A. No. The argument explicitly states as a premise that feelings are not within one's control. B. No. The argument rests on the premise that it doesn't make sense to promise to do something that is not with one's control, but the logical gap is between the fact that it doesn't make sense and the conclusion that one shouldn't do it. C. No. The fact that "love" could refer to other things has no bearing on whether it should or shouldn't be taken to refer to feelings. D. Yes. This closes the gap between the premises and conclusion and fills in that people shouldn't do things that make no sense. E. No. While tempting, this merely restates the premise that a promise to do something not within one's control makes no sense.

Answer 504

Correct Answer: E E Principle Match The principle provides one reason that a food should be labeled as containing certain ingredients: if the product contains ingredients whose presence most consumers of that product would be upset to discover in it. The application of the principle concludes that Crackly Crisps need not be labeled as containing genetically engineered ingredients. This is based on the premise that most consumers of Crackly Crisps would not care if they discovered that fact. The application incorrectly assumes that most consumers would be upset to discover a certain ingredient in a food is the only factor that is relevant to the labeling of the ingredients. A. No. The conclusion is only about consumers of Crackly Crisps, and it does not claim that they are representative of consumers of other foods. B. No. The argument contains no discussion of the safety of ingredients, only whether consumers would be upset to discover their presence. This answer choice is therefore not relevant to the argument. C. No. The application of the principle does not make use of a value judgment. D. No. The argument contains no discussion about whether consumers would buy a given product, so this answer choice is not relevant to the argument. E. Yes. This identifies the faulty assumption that just because one reason to label the food as containing certain ingredients is not present that doesn't mean that other reasons aren't present.

Answer 505

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The editorial concludes that the town's current voluntary system for sorting household garbage is preferred to a nonvoluntary system. This is based on the premises that a voluntary system costs about as much as a nonvoluntary system and that a nonvoluntary system would be resented by many residents who would refuse to comply. The credited response will identify the contention as a premise supporting a proposal that the editorial ultimately rejects. A. No. The editorial accepts the contention as true. B. Yes. The contention lends some support to the option of telling all residents that they must sort their garbage, though the editorial ultimately decides against that option. C. No. It is a premise supporting the option that the editorial argues against. D. No. It is a premise supporting the option that the editorial argues against. E. No. It is a premise supporting the option that the editorial argues against.

Answer 506

Correct Answer: B B Main Point The passage states that "hot spots" are habitats with the greatest concentrations of endemic species and that many hot spots are vulnerable to habitat loss. The passage goes on to state that the loss of endemic species accounts for most modern-day extinctions and that only a limited number of environmental battles can be waged. The credited response will connect these ideas and will state that it would be reasonable for organizations dedicated to preserving species to focus on those found in hot spots. A. No. This answer choice is too extreme and does not match the tone of the passage. B. Yes. This answer connects the ideas that the loss of endemic species, which are concentrated in hot spots, accounts for most modern-day extinctions, so it would be reasonable to focus limited resources in those areas. C. No. The passage states that only a limited number of environmental battles can be waged, so it would not follow that all endemic species should be treated equally since there are not enough resources to preserve all of them. D. No. The passage does not support that "most" endemic species will become extinct. It is possible that organizations would be able to preserve the majority of species. E. No. The passage states that only a limited number of environmental battles can be waged, so expanding the definition of "hot spot" would only make it more difficult to make decisions about where to allocate resources.

Answer 507

Correct Answer: E E Principle Match The principle states that a seller commits fraud when he sells an item that he knows to be defective, but tells the buyer that the item is sound. The application of the principle concludes that Wilton was guilty of fraud because be sold an item that he knew very little about, but told the buyer that the item was sound. The application of the principle is flawed because it treats lack of knowledge about the soundness of an item as equivalent to knowledge of defectiveness. A. No. The principle makes no mention of correcting the defect, so determining whether Wilton was given the opportunity to repair the brakes is not relevant to the argument. B. No. The principle makes no mention of the amount of money received for the item, so this answer choice is not relevant to the argument. C. No. This answer choice describes a common flaw pattern in which the same word or phrase is used in two different ways in the argument, though that is not the case here. Defective is used consistently to mean "not in sound condition." D. No. The principle addresses only the knowledge of the seller, so whether or not Harris believed Wilton is not relevant to the argument. E. Yes. While Wilton did not have enough information about the bicycle to be able to truthfully assert that it was sound, the definition of fraud in the principle includes only those instances in which the seller knows the item to be defective.

Answer 508

Correct Answer: C C Main Point The passage states that engine noise from boats travelling through killer whales' habitats has an acoustical range that overlaps that in which the whales communicate through screams and squeals. The passage further states that while killer whales do not seem to behave differently around the boats, the engine noise can be loud enough to damage the whales' hearing over time. The credited response will likely conclude that the engine noise does, in fact, impact the killer whales. A. No. The passage provides no information about whether the noise impacts whales differently based on their ages. B. No. This is contradicted by the passage's statement that killer whales do not seem to behave differently around running boat engines. C. Yes. This answer combines the information that the engine noise overlaps in frequency with the whales' screams and squeals with the information that the noise can be loud enough to damage the whales' hearing. D. No. The passage provides no information about whether whales prefer to be around the boats. E. No. The passage provides no information about the impact of the boat engine noise on the whales' ability to find food.

Answer 509

Correct Answer: B B Flaw The journalist concludes that Bruch Industries is not a member of the manufacturers' trade group. The conclusion is based on the premises that every company listed in the leaked document is a member of the trade group and that Bruch Industries is not listed on the document. The argument assumes that the document is a complete list of all of the members of the trade group. The credited response will point out that the trade group may contain members other than those on the list. A. No. The argument is concerned only with whether a company is actually a member of the group, so a company's desire or lack of desire to be part of the group is not relevant to the conclusion. B. Yes. Just because all of the companies on the list are members of the group does not mean that the list is complete. C. No. The argument is concerned only with whether a company is a member of the group, so the reason for the leaked list is not relevant to the conclusion. D. No. The argument is concerned only with whether a company is a member of the group, so the reason for the list's secrecy is not relevant to the conclusion. E. No. While the representative of the trade group may have had a reason to withhold information, the accuracy of his statement has no bearing on whether the document is a complete list of all members of the trade group.

Answer 510

Correct Answer: D D Point at Issue Peter's conclusion is that today's children's stories should have clearly immoral characters in them. He bases his conclusion on the premise that children need to learn the consequences of being bad. Yoko's conclusion is that today's children's stories contain clearly immoral characters that are an improvement over characters in the past. She bases her conclusion on the premise that today's characters tend not to be the sort that frighten children. Peter and Yoko disagree about whether today's children's stories have clearly immoral characters in them. A. No. Peter does not discuss how frightening the characters should be. B. No. While Yoko agrees with this statement, Peter does not discuss how frightening the characters should be. C. No. Neither speaker discusses the overall quality of today's children's stories. D. Yes. Peter explicitly disagrees with this statement, while Yoko explicitly agrees with the statement. E. No. While Peter agrees with this statement, Yoko does not discuss what children should learn from stories.

Answer 511

Correct Answer: D D Flaw The local resident concludes that an overabundance of algae must be harmful to the smaller fish in this pond. This conclusion is based on the premise that the few times the local resident has seen large numbers of dead small fish wash ashore have coincided exactly with the times that she has noticed abnormally large amounts of algae in the water. The argument contains the common causal assumption that just because the two incidents are correlated with each other that the algae caused the fish deaths when, in fact, it could be that the fish deaths caused the abundance of algae or some third factor caused both things. The credited response will address one of these alternate possibilities. A. No. The local resident's conclusion is only about small fish and is based on observations of small fish, so larger fish are not relevant to the argument. B. No. The local resident's conclusion is specific to her local pond, so the effects in larger bodies of water are not relevant to the argument. C. No. The local resident does not claim that smaller fish are the only fish affected by the algae. D. Yes. This answer choice points out the common causal assumption and points out the alternate possibility that the fish deaths and the overabundance of algae could be caused by the same thing. E. No. The local resident's conclusion is only about the effects of an overabundance of algae, so the effects of below-normal amounts of algae are not relevant to the argument.

Answer 512

Correct Answer: B B Point at Issue Tanner concludes that the public should demand political debates before any election. He bases his conclusion on the premise that voters are better able to choose the candidate best suited for office if they watch the candidates seriously debate one another. Saldana concludes that political debates don't really help voters determine which candidate is most qualified for office. She bases her conclusion on the premise that political debates almost always benefit the candidate who has the better debating skills. Tanner and Saldana disagree about whether debates help voters choose which candidate is best suited for office. A. No. While Saldana mentions debating skills, she makes no mention of whether they impact election results. Furthermore, Tanner does not discuss candidates' debating skills. B. Yes. Tanner explicitly agrees with this statement, while Saldana explicitly disagrees with this statement. C. No. Neither Tanner nor Saldana discusses the use of debating skills once candidates are elected. D. No. While Saldana mentions debating skills, she makes no mention of whether they reflect a candidate's qualifications. Furthermore, Tanner does not discuss candidates' debating skills. E. No. Neither Tanner nor Saldana discusses whether performance in a debate will impact how a candidate fares in the election, they discuss only whether the debates assist voters in making an informed decision.

Answer 513

Correct Answer: D D Resolve/Explain This is a resolve/explain question. The argument states that highways with the most traffic have the lowest rate of fatal accidents. The credited response should explain how high traffic congestion leads to a lower rate of fatal traffic accidents. A. No. Distracted driving does not address the relationship between high traffic and a lower rate of traffic accidents. B. No. Information about roads with less traffic and higher fatal accident rates does address the relationship between congestion and fatal accidents. C. No. The destination of travelers is irrelevant to the relationship between congestion and fatal accidents. D. Yes. If fatal accidents occur at high speeds, then roads with the most congestion would tend to have lower speeds and therefore a lower rate of fatal accidents. E. No. A lack of large trucks on heavily traveled roads would not address the relationship between congestion and traffic accidents.

Answer 514

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The argument concludes that lawmakers in some jurisdictions consider the harm resulting from theft to be equal to the harm resulting from bribery. This conclusion is based on the premise that in those jurisdictions, the lawmakers have instituted sentencing guidelines that mandate identical penalties for theft and for bribery. The argument assumes that the selection of punishment is a reflection of the harm resulting from the crime. The credited response will strengthen the argument by filling in this missing assumption. A. Yes. This fills in the missing assumption that penalties are directly related to the harm resulting from a crime. B. No. The argument discusses harm in relation to the penalty that should be mandated for a crime, but whether an act should be illegal in the first place is not relevant to the argument. C. No. While the connection between harm and punishment is relevant to the argument, the argument does not discuss the particular instance of an unusually harmful crime. D. No. This answer choice is too weak. Furthermore, stating that a victim of theft is harmed "no more" than a victim of bribery does not mean that the two victims are harmed equally. E. No. The argument is focused on the relationship between harm and punishment, so deterence of crime in a given jurisdiction is not relevant to the conclusion.

Answer 515

Correct Answer: D D Reasoning The argument disagrees with the admonishment that people should learn the lessons of history. The argument is based on the premise that even if it were easy to discover what the past was really like, it is nearly impossible to discover its lessons. Furthermore, the author demonstrates through an example that we cannot apply any lessons because we will not be faced with identical situations again. The credited response will describe the statement that we should learn the lessons of history as a position that the author disagrees with. A. No. The author disagrees with the statement but does not offer any resolutions. B. No. The author's argument is focused on disagreeing with the statement, and it is therefore not compatible with accepting the conclusion. C. No. The author provides an example to demonstrate why the statement is false and does not simply take its falsehood for granted. D. Yes. This accurately describes the structure of the argument and the author's disagreement with the statement. E. No. The author's conclusion is not based on the statement; rather it disagrees with the statement.

Answer 516

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The argument concludes that Sigerson's proposal is dishonest. This conclusion is based on the premise that Sigerson is arguing for ethical guidelines that preclude politicians from accepting campaign contributions from companies that do business with the city even though he has taken such contributions throughout his career. The argument assumes that the guidelines will apply to past behavior as well as future behavior. The credited response will point out that Sigerson's proposal is not necessarily dishonest if it does not apply to past behavior. A. No. This answer choice describes a common flaw pattern in which necessary and sufficient conditions are confused. This argument, however, does not contain any conditions for adopting the ethical guidelines. B. No. The argument does not address the substance of Sigerson's argument. C. No. The argument's conclusion is only about whether's Sigerson's offering of the proposal is dishonest, so the opinions of other city politicians are not relevant. D. No. Not only does the argument not reject the proposal, but it also takes issue with the proposer for being too familiar with the issues it raises. E. Yes. The argument assumes that Sigerson is not planning to change his behavior in the future to comply with the new guidelines. If the proposal would apply only to future conduct, then Sigerson is not necessarily being dishonest.

Answer 517

Correct Answer: C C Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that some books published by Garden Path are flawed. This conclusion is based on the premises that some gardening books published by Garden Path Press recommend adding compost before starting a new garden on a site, but they do not explain the difference between hot and cold composting. The argument also includes the premise that any gardening book that recommends adding compost is flawed if it does not explain at least the basics of composting. The argument assumes that the difference between hot and cold composting is considered a basic of composting. A. No. It is possible that all gardening books that recommend tilling the soil and adding compost are flawed. B. No. The argument discusses only the requirements for gardening books, so a gardener's understanding of composting is not relevant to the conclusion. C. Yes. This correctly identifies the gap between the conclusion and premises. If an explanation of the difference between hot and cold composting were not necessary to an explanation of the basics of composting, there would be no evidence that the Garden Path books are flawed and the conclusion would not hold. D. No. The argument only discusses the requirements for gardening books, so a person's understanding of composting is not relevant to the conclusion. E. No. This answer choice describes a common flaw pattern in which an argument confuses a necessary factor for a sufficient factor; however, this argument claims that only the Garden Path books are flawed and makes no claim about other books.

Answer 518

Correct Answer: A A Resolve/Explain The passage states that while astronomers now believe that the universe contains 40 billion more galaxies than the 10 billion that were previously believed to exist, many astronomers' estimates of the universe's total mass remain virtually unchanged. The credited response will likely provide information either that the 10 billion galaxies known to exist previously were less massive than originally believed or that the additional 40 billion galaxies do not contribute signifigantly more mass to the universe. A. Yes. If the additional galaxies are only a tiny percentage of the universe's mass, their addition would not significantly change estimates of the universe's total mass. B. No. Even if the galaxies' masses can be only roughly estimated, this does not explain why these estimations do not significantly increase the overall mass in the universe. C. No. This explains why there is now evidence for additional galaxies, but it fails to explain why information about the existence of those galaxies has not changed estimations of the total mass in the universe. D. No. Theories about how galaxies are formed is not relevant to an explanation of why estimates of the universe's mass have remained unchanged despite a significant increase in the number of known galaxies. E. No. A lack of consensus about the proper procedures for estimating the universe's total mass does not explain why estimates of the universe's mass have remained unchanged despite a significant increase in the number of known galaxies. Inconsistent estimation procedures would likely result in a wide variety of new estimations of the universe's mass.

Answer 519

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The newspaper subscriber concludes that Arnot's argument, that by making certain fundamental changes in government we would virtually eliminate our most vexing social ills, is false. This conclusion is based on the premise that Arnot's argument depends on a dubious assumption. The newspaper subscriber engages in a common absence of evidence flaw pattern and assumes that just because Arnot's argument rests on a faulty assumption that the argument cannot still be valid. The credited response will identify this faulty assumption. A. Yes. This answer choice identifies the flaw pattern that just because the evidence for a claim is inadequate, that does not automatically mean that the claim itself is untrue. Arnot's claim that fundamental changes in government would virtually eliminate the most vexing social ills could still be true even if government can't be trusted to act in the interest of the public. B. No. This answer choice describes a common flaw pattern in which a necessary condition is confused for a sufficient condition, but the argument does not present a necessary condition. C. No. This answer choice is tempting, but the logic goes in the wrong direction. The newspaper subscriber reaches the conclusion that Arnot's claim is false based on the premise that it rests on a faulty assumption, not the other way around. D. No. The newspaper subscriber does not alter Arnot's argument, it attacks the argument as presented. E. No. This answer choice describes a flaw pattern in which the argument uses a word or phrase in two different ways in the argument. It is rare for an argument to actually contain this flaw pattern, and here, the newspaper subscriber uses "government" to mean the same thing throughout the argument.

Answer 520

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The columnist concludes that the city council's decision to hire a long-term economic advisor will likely have a big payoff in several years. The columnist's conclusion is based on the premise that other cities in the region that have devoted resources to economic development planning have earned large returns on such an investment. The argument assumes that the city in question is economically similar to the other cities in the region that have benefitted from economic development planning. The credited response will likely weaken the conclusion by providing information differentiating this city from the other cities in the region. A. No. This merely states that there are some incidences that fall outside the "almost always" claim made in the supporting analogy about car maintenance and is too attenuated from the argument's conclusion to be relevant to the argument. B. Yes. This points out a relevant difference between the columnist's city and the successful cities in the region, suggesting that the columnist's city will not necessarily have similar results from the economic investment. C. No. The reasons for motorists' behavior in the supporting analogy about auto maintenance are not relevant to the columnist's conclusion about economic investment. D. No. The salaries of economic development advisers are not relevant to the columnist's conclusion about the result of the development planning. E. No. The columnist argues that the city will have a big payoff in "several years," so a short-term lack of return is consistent with the conclusion and does not weaken the argument.

Answer 521

Correct Answer: D D Reasoning The editorial concludes that recent proposals to allow use of cell phones on airplanes are ill-advised. This conclusion is based on the premise that cell phone usage on buses and trains is annoying to other passengers and the claim that usage on airplanes would be far more upsetting on airplanes, which is supported by the premise that airline passengers are usually packed in tightly and often cannot move to another seat if they are offended by the cell phone excesses of their seatmates. The credited response will accurately describe the structure of the argument. A. No. The statement supports the main conclusion of the argument that recent proposals to allow use of cell phones on airplanes are ill-advised. B. No. The statement supports the conclusion. C. No. While tempting, this describes the statement that airline passengers are usually packed in tightly and often cannot move to avoid annoying cell phone usage and not the statement in question. D. Yes. This accurately describes the structure of the argument. E. No. The statement directly supports the main conclusion.

Answer 522

Correct Answer: B B Strengthen The science writer concludes that the deterioration of cognitive faculties associated with Alzheimer's disease is evidently caused by the activities of the brain's own immune cells. This is based on the premises that the deterioration can be slowed by some antiinflammatory drugs, and that patients with Alzheimer's are unable to eliminate the protein BA from the brain, the deposits of which are then attacked by the brain's immune cells, destroying healthy brain cells in the process. The credited response will either provide an additional premise, bolster an existing premise, or rule out an obstacle to the conclusion. A. No. This would weaken the argument by attacking the premise that immune cells destroy healthy brain cells in the process of trying to remove BA protein deposits from the brain. B. Yes. This links the premise about the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs against Alzheimer's with the activity of the brain's immune cells. C. No. This answer choice doesn't provide any information about whether this impacts the brain's cognitive functions or the symptoms of the Alzheimer's patients and is therefore not relevant to the conclusion. D. No. This would weaken the argument by providing an alternate cause for Alzheimer's other than the activities of the brain's immune cells. E. No. The argument is specific to Alzheimer's disease, so information about other diseases is not relevant to the conclusion.

Answer 523

Correct Answer: B B Principle Match The lawyer provides two necessary conditions under which it is justified to access information in computer files without securing authorization from the computer's owner: The computer must be typically used in the operation of a business and there must exist reasonable grounds for believing that such a computer contains data usable as evidence in a legal proceeding against the computer's owner. The credited response will fulfill both of the necessary conditions in order to declare access to a computer justified. A. No. There are no reasonable grounds stated for believing that the computer contains data usable as evidence in a legal proceeding against the computer's owner; therefore, Sunok's use of the store owner's computer was unjustifed. B. Yes. The central computer of the consulting firm was typically used in the operation of the business, and because the firm was on trial for fraudulent business practices, there were reasonable grounds for believing that the computer contained data usable as evidence in a legal proceeding against the computer's owners. Therefore, the action was justified under the lawyer's principles. C. No. While the computer was used in the operation of the business, there is no discussion of whether there were reasonable grounds for believing that the computer contained data usable as evidence in a legal proceeding, without which a determination of whether the access was justified cannot be made. D. No. While the computer was arguably typically used in the operation of the importer's business, there is no discussion of whether there were reasonable grounds for believing that the computer contained data usable as evidence in a legal proceeding, without which a determination of whether the access was justified cannot be made. E. No. While the computer was used in the operation of the business, there is no discussion of whether there were reasonable grounds for believing that the computer contained data usable as evidence in a legal proceeding, without which a determination of whether the access was justified cannot be made.

Answer 524

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that it is less costly to tan leather if biological catalysts are used instead of conventional chemicals. This conclusion is based on the premises that tanning leather costs about the same using both methods if the cost of waste is left out of the comparison and that nearly 20 percent less waste is produced with biological catalysts. Furthermore, waste disposal is a substantial part of the overall cost of tanning. The argument assumes that it is not more expensive to dispose of the waste from biological catalysts even if there is less waste to dispose of. A. No. The conclusion is only about the cost of tanning leather, so the quality of the leather is not relevant to the argument. B. No. The argument states that the pre-waste costs of tanning are the same for biological catalysts and for conventional chemicals. C. No. The argument states that the current pre-waste costs of tanning are the same for biological catalysts and for conventional chemicals. D. Yes. This closes the gap between the conclusion and premises. If disposal of biological tanning waste did cost significantly more than disposal of conventional chemical tanning waste, the savings from the reduction in waste quantity would be overridden and the conclusion would not hold. E. No. This merely gives additional detail to the premise that the pre-waste costs of tanning are the same for biological catalysts and for conventional chemicals.

Answer 525

Correct Answer: C C Principle Match The passage provides two sufficient conditions under which one should not play a practical joke on someone: if it either shows contempt for the person or if one believes it could significantly harm that person. The credited response will obey this principle. A. No. This joke does not meet either of the sufficient conditions outlined in the passage, so it is not necessarily true that it should not have been played. The second condition applies when the joker believes the victim, not necessarily some third party, would suffer significant harm. B. No. While this practical joke does not meet either of the sufficient conditions outlined in the passage, that doesn't mean that there aren't other reasons that would make it wrong to play the joke. C. Yes. This joke meets the condition that the joker believes it could significantly harm the victim; therefore, the joke should not be played according to the principle outlined in the passage. D. No. This joke does not meet either of the sufficient conditions outlined in the passage, so it is not necessarily true that it should not have been played. The first condition applies when the joke shows contempt for the victim, not necessarily for some third party. E. No. This joke does not meet either of the sufficient conditions outlined in the passage, so it is not necessarily true that it should not have been played. The second condition applies when the joker believes the victim, not necessarily some third party, would suffer significant harm.

Answer 526

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption The economics professor concludes that Checkers's motive in refusing to accept the coupons was simply to hurt Marty's Pizza. This is based on the premises that all other local pizza parlors redeemed the coupons and that accepting the coupons would have cost Checkers nothing and would have satisfied those of its potential customers who had purchased the coupon books. The economics professor assumes that there is not some other reason aside from wanting to hurt Marty's Pizza that motivated Checkers Pizza to refuse to accept the coupons. The credited response will fill in this missing assumption and will guarantee the truth of the conclusion. A. Yes. This answer choice conclusively rules out any other motives and guarantees the truth of the conclusion. B. No. This answer choice contains logic that is in the incorrect order. The answer states that if the conclusion is true, then the premise is true, rather than the other way around. C. No. While this answer choice is tempting, the conclusion is solely about the motivation of Checkers Pizza, and therefore the motivation of another company is not relevant to the argument. D. No. While this answer choice fills in an assumption that is necessary for the conclusion to hold, the question stem asks for an assumption that is sufficient to enable the truth of the conclusion. E. No. The argument states that accepting the coupons would have satisfied some of Checkers's potential customers, so this answer choice is not relevant to the argument.

Answer 527

Correct Answer: C C Inference The science writer states that scientists' success rate with many research problems has caused the public to believe falsely that science can solve any problem. However, the problems scientists are called upon to solve are almost always either selected by scientists themselves, or when the problems are instead selected by politicians or business leaders, their formulation is nevertheless guided by scientists in such a way as to make scientific solutions feasible. The credited response will either paraphrase one of these statements or link them together into something that can be proven by the passage. A. No. While we are told that the vast majority of problems that scientists tackle are formulated in such a way, it is not known whether scientists are asked to tackle most problems that are formulated that way. B. No. While the problems selected by politicians or business leaders are typically formulated in a way to make a scientific solution feasible, it is not actually known whether the problems that scientists select themselves can be formulated that way. C. Yes. The science writer states that the public falsely believes that science can solve any problem because scientists' success rate is based on very specific types of problems. If scientists were presented with a broader range of problems, their success rate would likely decrease. D. No. The balance between the problems scientists select themselves and the problems that politicians and business leaders select is not known. E. No. This answer choice goes too far by using the extreme language that the "only reason" scientists are successful is that they select their own problems. The passage also attributes scientists' success rate to the formulation of problems selected by politicians or business leaders.

Answer 528

Correct Answer: E E Parallel Flaw The argument concludes that most auto mechanics understand electronic circuits. This is based on the premises that most auto mechanics have extensive experience and that most mechanics with extensive experience understand electronic circuits. The argument assumes that the population of experienced mechanics who understand electronic circuits includes auto mechanics. This can be generalized as assuming that a subset of a group (experienced auto mechanics as a subset of experienced mechanics) has the same characteristic as the larger group. A. No. This answer choice introduces a causal relationship that is not present in the original argument. B. No. This answer choice does not shift from a subset of a group to the larger group; rather it consistently discusses migratory birds, and therefore does not match the original argument. C. No. This answer choice does not shift from a subset of a group to the larger group and therefore does not match the original argument. D. No. This answer choice does not shift from a subset of a group to the larger group and therefore does not match the original argument. E. Yes. This argument shifts from a subset of a group (snow-removal companies that run lawn-care services in the summer) to the larger group (all companies that run lawn-care services in the summer) and parallels the flaw in the original argument.

Answer 529

Correct Answer: B B Strengthen The argument concludes that if one wants to succeed, then one should act as though one were genuinely confident about one's abilities, even if one actually distrusts one's skills. This is based on the premise that success is much more easily obtained by those who genuinely believe themselves capable of succeeding than by those filled with self-doubts. The argument assumes that those who act as though they are genuinely confident about their abilities will be more likely to genuinely believe themselves capable of succeeding. The credited response will likely fill in this missing assumption. A. No. The argument states that those who obtain success more easily actually believe themselves capable of succeeding and are not merely free of self-doubt. B. Yes. This makes the connection between acting genuinely confident and developing genuine belief in one's self. C. No. This weakens the argument by attacking the premise that it is easier to obtain success by believing in one's capability of success. D. No. This answer choice is too weak. "Many" is used in a very ambiguous way and could refer to just a few people who are the exception. In addition, this answer does not provide the needed cause link between acting confident and being confident. E. No. This answer choice merely elaborates on the premise that those filled with self-doubt do not obtain success as easily as those who genuinely believe themselves capable of success.

Answer 530

Correct Answer: D D Parallel The journalist concludes that a strike is likely. This is based on the premises that independent arbitration would avert a strike, but only if both sides agree to accept the arbitrator's recommendations as binding. The journalist goes on to state that, based on past experience, the union is unlikely to agree to the recommendations as binding. This can be generalized as a necessary condition (agreeing to arbitration) for a given result (avoiding a strike) and a conclusion that the result is unlikely because past experience shows that the sufficient condition is unlikely to occur. The credited response will parallel this structure. A. No. This argument contains a sufficient condition (more stock being issued) that is not being met and therefore does not match the structure of the original argument. B. No. This argument contains a necessary condition (naming the new wing after Rodriguez) that is met and therefore does not match the structure of the original argument. C. No. This argument does not contain a conditional statement and therefore does not match the structure of the original argument. D. Yes. This argument contains a necessary condition (Lopez's sponsors doing a good job of keeping him hydrated) that will likely not be met based on past experience and therefore matches the structure of the original argument. E. No. This argument contains a sufficient condition (a qualified instructor available) that is not currently met and therefore does not match the structure of the original argument.

Answer 531

Correct Answer: E E Sufficient Assumption The argument concludes that consumers who do not bother to acquire detailed information about all the pros and cons of a product are behaving rationally. This is based on the premises that acquiring complete information would be difficult and expensive and that it is rational not to do so unless one expects the benefits to outweigh the costs and difficulty. The argument assumes that consumers who do not acquire the information do not expect the benefits of acquiring the information to outweigh the costs and difficulty. The credited response will fill in this missing assumption and guarantee the truth of the conclusion. A. No. This answer choice discusses the behavior of rational consumers, but the conclusion is about whether consumers can be judged rational. B. No. The argument does not mention irrational behavior, so this answer choice is not relevant to the conclusion. C. No. The argument does not discuss how often the benefits of acquiring detailed information outweigh the difficulties, so this answer is not relevant to the conclusion. D. No. This answer choice discusses the behavior of rational consumers, but the conclusion is about whether consumers can be judged rational. E. Yes. This answer choice links those who do not bother to acquire the detailed information to those who do not expect the benefits to outweigh the difficulties and therefore guarantees the truth of the conclusion.

Answer 532

Correct Answer: B B Strengthen The argument concludes that a diet may not have to be extremely low in fat in order to protect the heart, based on the premises that study participants on the Mediterranean diet, which contains fats from fish and olive oil, were significantly less likely than those who limited their fat intake to have a second heart attack. The argument assumes that the differences in diets account for the differences in heart attack risk between the two groups. The correct answer will either support this assumption or add another premise in support of the conclusion. A. No. If anything, this answer choice weakens the conclusion by providing evidence that low-fat diets can lessen heart attack risk. B. Yes. This answer choice gives a reason that diets containing a fair amount of fat can still lower heart attack risk. C. No. The actions of the patients after the conclusion of the experiment are not relevant to the results of the research. D. No. Exercise or other methods of reducing the risk of heart attacks are outside the scope of the argument because the conclusion is only about whether a diet can protect the heart. E. No. Drugs or other methods of reducing the risk of heart attacks are outside the scope of the argument because the conclusion is only about whether a diet can protect the heart.

Answer 533

Correct Answer: A A Main Point The overall conclusion of the argument is that before St. Patrick's Day, it is wise for florists to stock up on white carnations. Why? Because people like to have green carnations on St. Patrick's Day. While naturally green flowers are extremely rare and difficult to breed, it is inexpensive and easy to dye white carnations green. A. Yes. This is a close paraphrase of the main conclusion stated in the argument. B. No. This is a premise. C. No. This is a premise. D. No. This is a premise. E. No. This is a premise.

Answer 534

Correct Answer: B B Evaluate The conclusion of the argument is that everyone should use low-wattage light bulbs. Why? Because advantages to the homeowner from low-wattage bulbs are enormous and millions of homes have yet to switch. The argument states that low-wattage bulbs cost more per bulb than normal bulbs, but it does not elaborate on the "enormous" advantages. The argument assumes that the advantages outweigh the costs. Since this is a "least" question, the four incorrect answers will address this assumption and the credited response will not be relevant to the conclusion. A. No. This would be useful in evaluating the argument. If the actual cost of burning the low-wattage bulbs were higher than the cost of burning normal bulbs, that would weaken the argument, but if the actual cost were higher, that would strengthen the argument. B. Yes. The profits of the home lighting industry are not relevant to the question of whether homeowners should switch to low-wattage bulbs. C. No. This would be useful in evaluating the argument. If the specific cost of a low-wattage bulb were significantly higher than the cost of a normal bulb, that would weaken the argument, but if the specific cost of a low-wattage bulb were only slightly higher than the cost of a normal bulb, that would strengthen the argument. D. No. This would be useful in evaluating the argument. If current users of low-wattage bulbs don't believe that they're effective, that would weaken the argument, but if current users do believe that the low-wattage bulbs are effective, that would strengthen the argument. E. No. This would be useful in evaluating the argument. If the average life of a low-wattage bulb were longer than that of a normal bulb, that would strengthen the argument, but if the average life were shorter than that of an average bulb, it would weaken the argument.

Answer 535

Correct Answer: C C Principle Match The passage states that the swimming pool should be fenced to protect children, but that it's even more important to teach children to swim and that the principle involved in this statement can be generalized. The principle at work here is that children should be protected from potential dangers but that it's even more important to educate them to make the potential danger less of a threat to them. Here, the potential danger involves soft drinks and candies, so the credited response should discuss teaching children about food and beverage choices. A. No. The potential danger to the children involves the soft drinks and candy rather than the television. B. No. The potential danger to the children involves the soft drinks and candy rather than the television. C. Yes. This matches the prediction that children should be taught about food and beverage choices. D. No. Physical activity is never mentioned in the passage and therefore would not be relevant to completing the passage. E. No. Ways for children to entertain themselves are never mentioned in the passage and therefore would not be relevant to completing the passage.

Answer 536

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The argument concludes that the television program is biased against the proposed freeway. Why? Because the program aired twice as many interviews with people against the new freeway as interviews with people for the new freeway. The argument assumes that the imbalance in the interview opinions is a result of decisions made by the television program and not some other cause, such as an imbalance in the opinions held by people. This is a weaken question, so the credited response will negate the assumption, attack a premise, or provide an alternative explanation for the premise. A. No. Whether people were aware of the controversy is not relevant to the conclusion. B. No. The expectations of viewers are not relevant to the issue of whether the television program is actually biased. C. No. While this answer choice is tempting because it might explain why the television program might prefer to show the interviews with people against the freeway, it does not necessarily weaken the conclusion. It is possible that the television program chose the more compelling emotional interviews with people who are against the freeway because the television program is biased against the proposed freeway. D. Yes. This answer choice weakens the conclusion by providing an alternate explanation for the imbalance of the opinions aired by the television program. E. No. This answer choice would actually strengthen the conclusion by providing another reason to believe that the television program is biased against the freeway.

Answer 537

Correct Answer: A Principle Match The conclusion of the argument is that we should refrain from eating seafood. This is based on the premises that it is wrong to inflict needless suffering and, while it is not known whether certain sea creatures can experience pleasure or pain, we should extend them the benefit of the doubt. The credited response should involve extending the benefit of the doubt in the case of an uncertainty. A. Yes. This matches the principle at work in the original argument. There is uncertainty about whether the debt was repaid, so the borrower decides to extend the benefit of the doubt to the lender and pay her. B. No. While this answer choice mentions an uncertainty, it fails to discuss extending the benefit of the doubt. If this answer choice were the credited response, it would have mentioned something like the need to notify all owners of the defective vehicles so that they could be repaired. C. No. This answer choice does not mention an uncertainty and therefore does not match the principle. D. No. This answer choice does not mention an uncertainty and therefore does not match the principle. E. No. This answer choice does not mention an uncertainty and therefore does not match the principle.

Answer 538

Correct Answer: D D Main Point The economist argues that the ethics of government intervention in the free market is comparable to that of administering medicines and that the use of a type of medicine is ethically justified only when not using the medicine would be significantly more harmful than using it. The argument also states that government intervention can affect supply and demand, distorting prices. The credited response should therefore similarly conclude that government intervention is justified only when not intervening would be significantly more harmful than intervening. A. No. Approval is never mentioned in the discussion of medicine and therefore would not be relevant to the justification of government intervention. B. No. While this answer choice is tempting, the credited response needs to compare use to nonuse. C. No. The argument does not mention effects on existing problems. D. Yes. This is a close paraphrase of the ethical criteria stated for the use of medicine. E. No. The argument does not mention insoluble problems.

Answer 539

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The argument concludes that reading nutrition labels promotes healthful dietary behavior. This is based on the premise that the proportion of fat calories in the diets of people who read the nutrition labels on food products is significantly lower than it is in the diets of people who do not read the labels. The argument assumes that there is a causal link between reading the labels and dietary behavior, that the causal relationship doesn't go in the opposite direction, and that there's not some third factor that causes people to read labels and consume a lower proportion of fat calories. This is a flaw question, so the credited response will point out that the argument assumes a causal relationship where there may not be one. A. Yes. This answer choice points out the faulty assumption that just because those who read nutrition labels happen to have a lower proportion of fat calories in their diets does not necessarily mean that the label reading caused the dietary behavior. B. No. The argument gives no information about the sample, and there is therefore no indication that the sample is unlikely to be representative. C. No. The argument does not claim that reading nutrition labels is sufficient to guarantee healthful dietary behavior, only that it "promotes" it. D. No. The argument discusses only one explanation for fewer fat calories in some people's diets. E. No. The argument does not discuss the consequences of behavior.

Answer 540

Correct Answer: C C Main Point The argument concludes that the suggestion by some paleontologists that Apatosaurus was able to gallop is unlikely. Why? Because galloping probably would have broken Apatosaurus's legs. This is a main conclusion question, so the credited response will be a paraphrase of the conclusion stated above. A. No. This is a premise supporting the main conclusion. B. No. This is a premise supporting the main conclusion. C. Yes. This is a close paraphrase of the identified conclusion. This is supported by the premises when we ask "why" the conclusion is true. D. No. While this choice is tempting, the argument does not present the conclusion as a conditional, so this answer is incorrect. Watch out for answer choices that are half right (like the second half of this answer) and half wrong. An answer must be entirely correct to be the credited response. E. No. This is not mentioned in the argument. The experiments took into account the diameter and density of Apatosaurus leg bones rather than assuming that modern bones were similar.

Answer 541

Correct Answer: B B Reasoning The argument concludes that the new process enabling ordinary table salt to be fortified with iron could help reduce the high incidence of anemia in the world's population. Why? Because salt is used as a preservative for food and a flavor enhancer, and people consume salt in quantities that would provide iron in significant amounts. This is a describe-the-reasoning question, so the credited response will identify that the statement that people consume salt in quantities that would provide iron in significant amounts is a premise. A. No. If we test this statement and ask why it is true, there is nothing in the argument to support it. B. Yes. This describes a premise of the argument. C. No. The statement supports the conclusion. D. No. The statement supports the conclusion. E. No. The statement is not an illustration.

Answer 542

Correct Answer: A A Parallel Flaw The inspector concludes that whoever now has Mr. Tannisch's guest's missing diamonds must have worn gloves. This is based on the premise that the only fingerprints on the premises were those of Mr. Tannisch. The argument assumes that there is no other explanation for a lack of fingerprints other than Mr. Tannisch's. The argument fails to consider that the thief may have wiped away any fingerprints, that Mr. Tannisch may have been the thief, or that the person who now has the diamonds was not the thief. This is a parallel-the-flaw question, so the credited response will involve a faulty assumption that there is no other explanation for a given result. A. Yes. This matches the strength of language in the original argument by noting that the campers have eaten food only from the cafeteria and matches the logical flaw by improperly assuming that there is no other explanation for the illness. B. No. This answer choice contains a comparison, which the original argument did not, so this answer does not match. C. No. This answer choice reaches a weak conclusion, using the word "unlikely," while the original argument states that the person with the diamonds "must" have worn gloves. This answer therefore does not match. D. No. The original argument contains a lack of evidence to reach its conclusion, while this answer choice uses affirmative evidence. E. No. This answer choice contains a comparison, which the original argument did not, so this answer does not match.

Answer 543

Correct Answer: C C Resolve/Explain The argument states that shrimp species at different Indonesian coral reefs show substantial genetic differences from one reef to another, yet the area's currents probably carry baby shrimp between reefs, which would allow interbreeding. This is a resolve/explain question, so the credited response will supply an additional piece of information that will allow for substantial genetic diversity even if baby shrimp are carried between reefs by the ocean currents. A. No. Comparisons to other marine species are not relevant to the conflict. B. No. This conflicts with the second fact, which states that the interbreeding would allow the populations to become genetically indistinguishable. C. Yes. This would explain why the different reefs' populations are genetically separate and vary so significantly even though the shimp are carried away to different reefs as babies. D. No. This would actually make the conflict worse by reinforcing that shrimp leave the reef at which they are born and potentially interbreed with other shrimp. E. No. If baby shrimp were carried away from the reefs, it would not explain the genetic diversity among the reefs.

Answer 544

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen The argument concludes that seawater agriculture near sea level should be cost-effective in desert regions although its yields are smaller than traditional, freshwater agriculture. Why? Because salt-tolerant plant species can be irrigated with seawater and pumping seawater into farms near sea level is much cheaper than pumping freshwater from deep wells. The argument assumes that the financial savings from pumping seawater rather than freshwater to farms more than makes up for the loss of revenue from smaller agricultural yields. This is a strengthen question, so the credited response will fill in the missing assumption or will add another premise that makes the conclusion more likely to be true. A. No. The conclusion is about whether seawater agriculture is cost-effective, so the nutritional value of the crops is not relevant to the argument. B. No. The existence of plant species that require salt water does not have any impact on an assessment of the cost effectiveness of seawater irrigation. C. No. The argument is not concerned with the particular strains of halophytes that would be used, only with the cost effectiveness of using any halophytes. D. No. While this answer choice addresses costs, which are relevant to the argument, it does not specify whether costs for halophytes are higher or lower than costs for conventional crops, so this answer could weaken the argument. E. Yes. If this is true, then using seawater irrigation would represent a significant decrease in the cost of crop production, making it more likely that the process is cost-effective.

Answer 545

Correct Answer: B B Principle Strengthen The principle at work here states that if an insurance policy is written such that a reasonable person would not read it thoroughly before signing it, then the reasonable expectations of the policyholder concerning coverage should take legal precedence over the specific language of the policy. The application of the principle states that the hail damage to Celia's car should be covered, though the specific language of the policy excludes hail damage. In order to strengthen the application of the principle, the credited response will state that all of the conditions of the principle have been met. The answer should state that Celia's policy was written in such a way that a reasonable person would not have read it and that Celia had a reasonable expectation that hail damage was covered. A. No. This answer choice fails to mention that the policy was written in such a way that a reasonable person would not have read it. B. Yes. This answer specifies that the conditions of the principle, as articulated above, have been met. C. No. This answer fails to mention that Celia reasonably expected the hail damage to be covered. In addition, this answer deviates from our principle because Celia read the policy. D. No. This answer choice fails to mention that the policy was written in such a way that a reasonable person would not have read it. E. No. This answer fails to mention that Celia reasonably expected the hail damage to be covered.

Answer 546

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The argument concludes that if medicine could find ways of preventing all iatrogenic disease, the number of deaths per year would decrease by half. This is based on the premise that every year approximately the same number of people die of iatrogenic disease as die of all other causes combined. The argument assumes that the people who died of iatrogenic disease would not have died from some other cause within the year, making the yearly total the same. This is a flaw question, so the credited response will articulate the faulty assumption. A. No. The conclusion is about the effect of preventing iatrogenic disease, so the effect of preventing noniatrogenic disease is not relevant to the argument. B. No. While this might explain how iatrogenic disease would be reduced, it is not necessary to consider in order to reach the conclusion. C. Yes. This paraphrases our predicted faulty assumption. D. No. The argument does not require that there be only one way of preventing death from iatrogenic disease. E. No. The issue of risk is not relevant to the conclusion.

Answer 547

Correct Answer: B B Sufficient Assumption The argument concludes that at least one member of the city council should vote against the proposal. This is based on the premises that any member of the city council ought either to vote against the proposal or to abstain and if all members were to abstain, the matter would be decided by the city's voters. There is a gap between the statement that if all members abstain, the matter would be decided by the city's voters and the conclusion that at least one member of the city council should vote against the proposal. In order for the argument to make sense, the credited response must bridge this gap and guarantee the truth of the conclusion by stating that the matter should not be decided by the city's voters. A. No. While this answer choice is tempting, the fact that the voters would decide in favor of the proposal does not by itself guarantee that at least one member of the city council should vote against the proposal. The argument does not articulate what the ultimate decision about the proposal should be. B. Yes. If this is the case, then the condition that would bring about the decision by the voters must be prevented, and according to the argument, the way to prevent a decision by the voters is for at least one member of the city council to vote against the proposal. C. No. Even if this were true, it would not guarantee that at least one member of the council should vote against the proposal. D. No. The credited response needs to guarantee the truth of the conclusion. This answer addresses what will happen rather than what should happen. E. No. The conclusion is only about what at least one member should do, so information about the other members is not relevant.

Answer 548

Correct Answer: D D Flaw The argument concludes that media critics who have contended that negative news reports on the state of the economy can actually harm the economy by damaging people's confidence in it and adversely affecting their willingness to spend money are mistaken. Why? Because studies show that spending trends correlate very closely with people's confidence in their own immediate economic situations. The argument assumes that there is no connection between people's confidence in their own immediate economic situations and their confidence in the economy as a whole. The credited response will point out this faulty assumption. A. No. While this answer choice may be tempting because it mentions things that are relevant to the argument, it is not the credited response because it goes in the wrong direction and actually strengthens the conclusion. If one's level of confidence in one's own economic situation affects how one perceives reports about the overall state of the economy, then it is one's confidence in one's own situation that is influencing economic behavior and not the media reports. B. No. The accuracy of the reports is not relevant because the argument is only about the effect of the reports on people's confidence in the economy. C. No. The accuracy of people's judgement is not relevant because the argument is only about the effect of the reports on people's confidence in the economy. D. Yes. This answer choice points out the flaw in the argument by showing that the media reports could influence people's confidence in their own immediate economic situations, which then harms the economy by adversely affecting people's willingness to spend money. E. No. Whether people are taken by surprise is not relevant because the argument is only about the effect of the reports on people's confidence in the economy.

Answer 549

Correct Answer: B B Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that most wild large mammal species in existence today either would be difficult to domesticate or would not be worth domesticating. Why? Because every domesticated large mammal species now in existence was domesticated thousands of years ago and people have undoubtedly tried many times since then to domesticate each of the wild large mammal species that seemed worth domesticating. In order for this conclusion to be true, this argument must assume that a wild large mammal species deemed worth domesticating in the past that could not be domesticated at that time still could not be easily domesticated. A. No. It does not need to be true that people have tried to domesticate each wild large mammal species because the argument focuses on those that seemed worth domesticating. B. Yes. If this answer choice were negated to say that it is much easier today to domesticate wild large mammal species than it was in the past, that would significantly weaken the conclusion. If making the answer choice untrue weakens the conclusion, it is therefore necessary to the argument. C. No. The conclusion is only about wild large mammal species that are in existence today. D. No. The connection between ease of domestication and worthiness of domestication is not relevant to the conclusion. If this answer choice is negated, it would not have an impact on the argument. E. No. While this statement may seem likely to be true, it is not relevant to the truth of the conclusion.

Answer 550

Correct Answer: C C Strengthen The argument concludes that last year's mild winter is responsible for this year's larger-than-usual bird population. Why? Because the winter was mild enough to allow most bird species to forage naturally, lowering the proportion of birds visiting feeders, and the mild winter allowed many species to forego migrating south for the winter, limiting the usual attrition accompanying migration. The argument assumes that there is not some other cause for this year's larger population. This is a strengthen question, so the credited response will either fill in a missing assumption or supply an additional premise to bolster the conclusion. A. No. The fact that increases in bird populations sometimes occur following unusual weather patterns does not suggest that there is a causal link between the two. If anything, this answer choice weakens the conclusion by suggesting that mild winters don't always affect population. B. No. This answer choice is not strong enough to impact the conclusion since it is not known whether lack of migration influences mating behaviors in a positive or negative way. C. Yes. This strengthens the conclusion by providing an additional reason that the bird population is larger. If birds are able to forage naturally, rather than eating at feeders, they are less vulnerable to predators and therefore more likely to survive. D. No. This would weaken the conclusion by making is less likely that birds who forego migration would survive. E. No. The argument merely states that a lower proportion of birds visited feeders, so stating that birds sometimes visit feeders even when they are able to find sufficient food by foraging naturally doesn't add further helpful information.

Answer 551

Correct Answer: D D Flaw The argument concludes that a small observational study must be more likely to have dramatic findings than a large randomized trial. This is based on the premises that newspapers generally report only those studies whose findings sound dramatic and that newspaper stories about small observational studies, though somewhat unreliable, are more frequent than newspaper stories about large randomized trials. The argument assumes that the difference in frequency of the stories about the two types of studies is not due to differences in the occurrence of each type of study. This is a flaw question, so the credited response will point out this faulty assumption. A. No. While the argument does mention that small observational studies are somewhat unreliable, it does not base this opinion on the motives of reporters. B. No. The argument does not claim that there's a connection between the evidentiary basis for findings and how dramatic those findings sound. C. No. The argument does not confuse two claims. D. Yes. This paraphrases the faulty assumption in this argument. E. No. While this answer choice may be tempting, there is a subtle shift in language here because the conclusion discusses findings that actually are dramatic, rather than those that merely sound dramatic as mentioned in the premises.

Answer 552

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that government incentives to plant trees on farmland are helping to hasten global warming. Why? Because while research indicates that vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide that might otherwise trap heat in the atmosphere, a recent study indicates that trees absorb and store carbon dioxide less effectively than native grasses. This conclusion relies on the assumption that trees are replacing the more effective native grasses. A. No. While this may be true, it is not required for the conclusion to make sense. Negating the answer choice has no impact on the conclusion. B. No. This is not relevant to the conclusion that the incentives to plant trees are doing harm. C. No. Deforested land is not relevant to the conclusion that the incentives to plant trees are doing harm. D. Yes. This paraphrases the identified assumption using nice, soft language. If we make this answer choice untrue and say that none of the trees are planted where native grasses would otherwise be growing, it would weaken the conclusion. Therefore, the answer choice must be true in order for our conclusion to hold. E. No. Whether the governments are interested in promoting other things is not relevant to the conclusion about incentives for planting trees doing harm.

Answer 553

Correct Answer: E E Reasoning The argument concludes that the position of a car driver's seat probably has a significant impact on driving safety. Why? Because driving position affects both comfort and the ability to see the road clearly. Furthermore, comfort affects fatigue and concentration, while ability to see the road clearly affects awarness of road conditions and other vehicles. The credited response will identify the claim that driving position affects both comfort and the ability to see the road clearly as a premise. A. No. The conclusion of the argument is that the position of a car driver's seat probably has a significant impact on driving safety. B. No. The claim supports the conclusion and is consistent with the other information in the argument. C. No. There is no observed phenomenon mentioned in the argument. D. No. The claim supports the conclusion. E. Yes. This accurates describes that the claim is a premise supporting the conclusion.

Answer 554

Correct Answer: E E Point at Issue The physician's conclusion is that trampolines should be used only under professional supervision. He bases his conclusion on the premises that there were approximately 83,400 trampoline-related injuries last year, suggesting that trampolines are dangerous. The trampoline enthusiast's unstated conclusion is that trampolines do not necessarily have to be used only under professional supervision. He bases his conclusion on the premise that sales of home trampolines have increased much more than trampoline-related injuries have and that every activity carries risk, even when carried out under professional supervision. The physician and the trampoline enthusiast disagree over whether trampolines should be used only under professional supervision. A. No. The word "significant" is subjective and is unsupported by either argument. The credited response must be something that one speaker explicitly agrees with and the other speaker explicitly disagrees with. B. No. Neither argument supports that home trampolines are the main source of trampoline-related injuries. The credited response must be something that one speaker explicitly agrees with and the other speaker explicitly disagrees with. C. No. The physician makes no mention of an increase or decrease in injuries. The credited response must be something that one speaker explicitly agrees with and the other speaker explicitly disagrees with. D. No. Neither speaker actually makes this claim. The credited response must be something that one speaker explicitly agrees with and the other speaker explicitly disagrees with. E. Yes. The physician explicitly agrees with this position, while the trampoline enthusiast disagrees with this position.

Answer 555

Correct Answer: C C Principle Strengthen The editorial concludes that the local television station's coverage of the personal problems of a local politician's nephew was in fact good journalism. The editorial bases this conclusion on two premises: one, that the information was accurate and two, that the newscast had significantly more viewers than it normally does because many people were curious about the subject. The argument assumes that these two characteristics are sufficient to warrant a label of "good journalism." The credited response will supply a principle that validates the assumption. A. No. The argument argues against the criticism and concludes that the coverage was good journalism. B. No. Not only does the argument lack any indication that the coverage intentionally misrepresented the case, but the argument also argues against the criticism. C. Yes. Under this principle, if the two premises in the argument are true, then the conclusion that the coverage was in fact good journalism follows. D. No. This answer provides a necessary condition for good journalism, but in order to be the credited response, it would need to state that providing people with information that they desire or need is sufficient for something to be good journalism. E. No. Providing information about what is not good journalism does not ensure the truth of a conclusion about what is good journalism.

Answer 556

Correct Answer: D D Inference The passage contains three quantity statements: first, that all coffeehouses and restaurants are public places; second, that most well-designed public places feature artwork; and third, that all comfortable public places have spacious interiors. The argument also presents a conditional statement: that if a public place is uncomfortable, it is not well designed. A. No. This answer choice reverses the information that we're given in the argument. We know only that if a place is comfortable, then it has a spacious interior. B. No. This improperly reverses the statement that most well-designed public places feature artwork. C. No. While most well-designed public places feature artwork, coffeehouses do not have to be among them. D. Yes. Using the contrapositive of the conditional statement given in the argument, we know that if a place is well-designed, it is comfortable. Therefore, it follows that any well-designed coffeehouse or restaurant is comfortable and therefore has a spacious interior. E. No. This answer choice improperly flips and negates the conditional statement and cannot follow logically from the statements.

Answer 557

Correct Answer: C C Resolve/Explain The passage states that spruce, fir, and sugar maples trees all need calcium to survive and when a forest is subject to acid rain, the calcium level in the soil declines. Paradoxically, sugar maples in forests that receive significant acid rain are much more likely to show signs of decline consistent with calcium deficiency than are spruces or firs in such forests. The credited response will give an additional piece of information that distinguishes sugar maples from spruces and firs. A. No. This does not provide any information that distinguishes sugar maples from other trees. B. No. This would make the conflict worse because it would mean that sugar maples should be less likely to show signs of decline. C. Yes. This gives a reason the sugar maples react differently to calcium deficiency than spruces and firs do. D. No. The argument does not involve seasonal differences. E. No. This would make the conflict worse because it would mean that sugar maples should be less likely to show signs of decline.

Answer 558

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that syndicated political columnists' efforts to persuade voters using their newspaper columns rarely succeed. Why? Because by the time such a column appears, nearly all who will vote in the election will have already made a decision about which candidate to vote for. The argument assumes that voters would not change their minds about which candidate to vote for after reading a newspaper column. A. No. The use of the word "most" is too extreme and does not need to be true for the conclusion to hold. B. No. The idea that a newspaper column would have an effect that is opposite of its intention is too extreme and does not need to be true for the conclusion to hold. C. No. It does not have to be true that readers already agree with the columnist in order for the conclusion that columns do not persuade people to be true. D. No. The relative persuadability of regular readers and seldom readers is not relevant to the argument. E. Yes. This articulates the gap between the conclusion and premises and must be true in order for the conclusion to hold.

Answer 559

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The travel industry consultant concludes that airlines are overconcerned about the comfort of passengers flying on business and believe that they should instead focus on the comfort of leisure travelers. Why? Because leisure travelers purchase 80 percent of all airline tickets. The argument assumes that leisure travelers value different things than business travelers do and that the proportion of tickets purchased is the most important factor is determining who to cater to. This is a weaken question, so the credited response will attack this assumption. A. No. The decision-making factors for business travelers are not directly relevant to the conclusion. B. No. This answer choice does not have an impact on whether the airlines should cater more to leisure travelers or business travelers. C. No. This would strengthen the argument by suggesting that leisure travelers have similar interests in increased elbow room and leg room to make sleeping more comfortable. D. Yes. If more revenue is derived from business travelers, then airlines would be justified in focusing on the comfort of business passengers. E. No. This answer choice does impact whether airlines should focus on business or leisure travelers.

Answer 560

Correct Answer: B B Point at Issue Gaby concludes that children should be allowed fully to follow their own interests, supported by experienced teachers who offer minimal guidance, because this would enable them to be most successful in their adult lives. Logan concludes that schoolchildren should acquire knowledge through disciplined, systematic instruction from accredited teachers because they should acquire the fundamental knowledge necessary for future success. Gaby and Logan disagree about the level of involvement of teachers. A. No. Gaby does not comment upon the best way to acquire fundamental knowledge. B. Yes. Gaby thinks that teachers should be minimally involved, while Logan thinks that they should be heavily involved. C. No. Both speakers mention the need for qualified teachers. D. No. Neither speaker mentions school environment. E. No. Gaby does not mention fundamental academic subjects.

Answer 561

Correct Answer: B B Principle Strengthen The judge concludes that the plaintiff's request for an order permitting her to question each defendant without their codefendants or their codefendants' legal counsel being present cannot be granted. This is based on the premises that two of the codefendants share the same legal counsel and that the court will not order any codefendant to find new legal counsel. The judge assumes that the plaintiff's request could not be accommodated by questioning each codefendant without legal counsel present. The credited response will validate this missing assumption. A. No. The argument does not involve testimony by the legal counsel, only that from the codefendants. B. Yes. If this is true, then the plaintiff's request cannot be granted without violating the premises. C. No. The argument is about the presence of counsel and not the codefendant's right to refuse to answer questions. D. No. There is no information in the argument to indicate that any of the codefendants had made a request similar to that of the plaintiff. E. No. The argument is about the plaintiff's desire to question the codefendants and not the other way around.

Answer 562

Correct Answer: E E Inference The passage states that coastal estuaries are easily polluted by nutrient-rich sewage and that the subsequent overnutrification results in algae proliferation. The algae proliferation can sometimes provide a rich food source for toxic microorganisms, killing most of the fish in the estuary. The credited response will either be a tight paraphrase of a statement in the passage or will be something that can be proven by connecting statements in the passage. A. No. Other causes of death are not mentioned, so it is not possible to draw an inference about relative likelihood of death from various sources. B. No. Reproduction rates of microorganisms are not mentioned in the argument. C. No. The passage discusses only one way that the sewage harms fish in coastal estuaries but does not exclude other possible harms. D. No. The fact that sewage can lead to algae proliferation does not exclude other possible causes of algae. E. Yes. We can connect the statements in the passage to prove that overnutrifying estuary waters leads to algae proliferation, which can serve as a food source for toxic microorganisms, killing most of the fish in the estuary.

Answer 563

Correct Answer: A A Evaluate The archaeologists hypothesize that the green andacite stones quarried at Copacabana were transported to prehistoric Tiwanaku across a lake on reed boats. This is based on an experiment during which a 9-ton stone was transported between the two cities using a reed boat built with locally available materials and techniques traditional to the area. The argument assumes that the locally available materials used in the experiment were also available in prehistoric times and that the techniques traditional to the area were also used in prehistoric times. The credited response will address this assumption. A. Yes. This answer choice directly addresses the assumption that the same techniques would have been in use in prehistoric times. B. No. Whether stones would have needed to have been transported in the other direction is not relevant to determining the method of transportation used. C. No. Usage of reed boats today does not shed any light on whether they could have been used in prehistoric times. D. No. The size of the stones is not directly relevant to the method of transportation used. E. No. The durability of the boats is not directly relevant to whether they were used.

Answer 564

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The union member concludes that the members of the labor union should not strike now. Why? Because a strike would cut into the strike fund and would also lead to a steep fine, causing the union to suffer a major financial loss. The argument assumes that the reasons to go on strike wouldn't outweigh any drawbacks of striking and fails to discuss the reasons to strike. The credited response will address this assumption. A. No. The problem with the argument is that it fails to discuss reasons to strike. The argument has already provided numerous reasons not to strike and would not need to enumerate all reasons in order to be logically sound. B. No. The precise definition of a major financial loss is not relevant to the conclusion. C. Yes. This addresses the gap in the argument regarding reasons to strike. D. No. The relative strength of various bargaining position factors is not relevant to the conclusion about whether or not to strike. E. No. The conclusion is limited to a strike now, so discussions of other times to strike are not relevant.

Answer 565

Correct Answer: E E Inference The passage states that birds and mammals can be infected with West Nile virus only through mosquito bites and that mosquitoes become infected with the virus when they bite certain infected birds or mammals. While humans sometimes catch West Nile virus, the virus never becomes abundant enough in human blood to infect a mosquito. We also know that the virus originated in northern Africa and was spread to North America in the 1990s. The credited response will be either a paraphrase of a statement in the passage or something that can be proven by combining statements in the passage. A. No. The use of the word "never" is too extreme and cannot be proven by the passage. Remember that, on the LSAT, the word "sometimes" can be quite ambiguous and ranges from referring to a single instance to one hundred percent of the time. B. No. The use of the word "most" is too extreme to be supported by the argument. A high density of mosquitoes does not necessarily mean that a large number of the mosquitoes are infected with West Nile virus. C. No. The passage makes no mention of the symptoms of the West Nile virus. D. No. The passage provides no information about infection rates in northern Africa and North America. E. Yes. If the virus has never been abundant enough in human blood to infect a mosquito and birds and mammals can be infected only by mosquito bites, then something other than a human must have carried the virus to North America, where it was then spread by mosquitos.

Answer 566

Correct Answer: D D Resolve/Explain The argument states that, on average, people have decreased their consumption of red meat in an effort to reduce the amount of fat in their diets, and yet those who have reduced their consumption of red meat actually consume substantially more fat than those who have not. This conflict would be explained if it were known that people replaced red meat with alternatives that actually contain more fat or if those who have reduced their consumption of red meat started with diets that were higher in fat. A. No. The relative numbers of those who have reduced their consumption of red meat and those who have not are not relevant because the argument discusses averages. B. No. Alternative reasons for decreasing consumption of red meat do not help to explain why those who have reduced their consumption have more fat in their diets. C. No. While this answer choice may be tempting because it actually discusses fat consumption, it suggests that the two diets would contain equal amounts of fat and therefore doesn't explain why those who have reduced their consumption of red meat have higher fat diets. D. Yes. This would explain why the diets are higher in fat even though they don't contain as much red meat. E. No. This does not explain why those who have cut down on red meat would have diets that are higher in fat.

Answer 567

Correct Answer: D D Flaw Rolanda concluded that the house on Oak Avenue is the best one to rent because it has a larger yard than any other house they've looked at in Prairieview. Tom disagrees that it's the best one to rent because he thinks the yard isn't really as big as it looks because of the location of the property line. Rolanda's response that the property line issue is true of all of the other properties they've seen suggests that she thinks that Tom fails to consider that all of the other properties also have yards that are smaller than they appear because their property lines also start 20 yards from the street, so it is possible to compare them based on the appearance of yard size. A. No. Rolanda and Tom's debate is about the relative size of the yards in Prairieview and not the benefits of the different sizes. B. No. The issue here is the accuracy of the yard sizes compared among the properties and not the ultimate use of the yard space. C. No. Rolanda does not dispute that the city property lines do not start 20 feet from the street at the Oak Avenue house, rather she takes issue with Tom's seeming oversight that the same rule applies to the other properties. D. Yes. Rolanda's statement about the property lines at all of the other properties suggests that Tom has not considered that the rule that is true for one specific property would also be true generally. E. No. This answer choice goes in the wrong direction. In fact, Tom fails to presume that what is true of one property is also true of all properties in Prairieview.

Answer 568

Correct Answer: C C Reasoning The argument concludes that jazz consists largely of voicelike horns and hornlike voices. This is based on the premises that the best jazz singers use their voices as much as horn players use their instruments, further supported by the specific example of Billie Holiday, and that jazz horn players achieve their distinctive sounds by emulating the spontaneous twists and turns of an impassioned voice. The credited response will describe the role played by the claim as a premise that is supported by specific details. A. No. The claim supports the conclusion that jazz consists largely of voicelike horns and hornlike voices. B. No. Though the claim is supported by other information, it is also used to support the main conclusion that jazz consists largely of voicelike horns and hornlike voices. C. Yes. This is an accurate description of the how the claim fits into the argument as a whole. D. No. The specific example of Billie Holiday is used to support the claim. E. No. The claim represents the intermediate step in the logical chain, rather than the starting point. It is supported by the specific example of Billie Holiday, and it supports the main conclusion that jazz consists largely of voicelike horns and hornlike voices.

Answer 569

Correct Answer: E E Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that reducing class sizes in our district would probably not improve overall student achievement. This is based on the premises that reducing class sizes would require hiring teachers and that there is already a shortage of qualified teachers. Furthermore, education suffers when teachers are underqualified. The argument assumes that the teachers assigned to the smaller classes in this district would be underqualified. A. No. The conclusion is only about whether reducing class sizes would impact achievement, not whether the class sizes should actually be reduced. B. No. This would weaken the conclusion by providing exceptions to the claimed outcome. C. No. What students value is not relevant to whether reducing class sizes would have an impact on student achievement. D. No. This answer choice's use of the word "any" is too extreme, and the answer does not need to be true for the conclusion to make sense. E. Yes. If this answer were negated to say that qualified teachers could be persuaded to relocate in significant numbers to take teaching jobs in the educator's region, that would significantly weaken the conclusion. Therefore, the answer must be true for the conclusion to hold.

Answer 570

Correct Answer: E E Main Point The argument concludes that the prediction that global warming would cause more frequent and intense tropical storms is unlikely to be borne out. Why? Because other factors, such as instabilities in wind flow, are likely to counteract global warming's effects on tropical storm development. A. No. This is background information supporting the early prediction that the author thinks is unlikely to be true. B. No. This is a premise supporting the conclusion. C. No. The argument does not discuss a hypothetical about the reversal of global warming. D. No. This is a premise supporting the conclusion. If we ask "why" this statement is true, there is nothing in the argument to answer the question, so the statement is therefore not the conclusion. E. Yes. This is a tight paraphrase of the stated conclusion.

Answer 571

Correct Answer: E E Strengthen The argument concludes that copyright sometimes goes beyond its original purpose. The premise is that copyright's sole purpose was to encourage the circulation of ideas by giving authors the opportunity to derive a reasonable financial reward from their works. The credited response will support the conclusion by stating something about copyright that does not give authors the opportunity to derive a reasonable financial reward from their works. A. No. This answer choice does not relate to authors deriving financial reward, so it does not strengthen the conclusion. B. No. This does not provide additional information about copyrighted works and does not strengthen the conclusion. C. No. This does not provide additional information about what the copyright does and does not strengthen the conclusion. D. No. This does not describe something that copyrights do that go beyond their original purpose. E. Yes. If a copyright holds after an author's death, it is no longer serving the purpose of giving the author an opportunity to derive a reasonable financial reward from his work.

Answer 572

Correct Answer: A A Reasoning The critic labels the economist's prediction that the economy would go into recession if current economic policies were not changed as "bumbling" based on the premise that the economy grew stronger. The economist concludes that there was nothing bumbling about his prediction based on the premise that the prediction convinced the country's leaders to change economic policies, preventing the recession. The credited response will state that the economist responded to the critic by pointing out that the "if" statement that the economist's prediction was based upon did not come true. A. Yes. This is an accurate description of what the economist did. B. No. The economist does not discuss a prediction that has not yet turned out to be correct. C. No. The economist does not accuse the critic of being contradictory. D. No. The economist does not use a specific example. E. No. The economist does not dispute the premise that the economy is stronger this year.

Answer 573

Correct Answer: C C Parallel The argument concludes that the impression gained about music of the 1970s gleaned from watching music videos would be misleading. Why? Because music videos were a new art form at the time and they attracted primarily cutting-edge musicians. The credited response will conclude that an impression given by a particular example is misleading because that example is not representative. A. No. The original argument uses an example that is non-representative based on the artists, rather than based on the audience, as this answer does. B. No. This answer choice doesn't involve an example. C. Yes. This answer choice claims that using CD-ROMs to get an impression of programming is misleading because CD-ROMs are not a representative sample of publishing. D. No. This answer choice doesn't involve an example. E. No. This answer choice claims that an impression will be accurate, but the original conclusion is about a misleading impression.

Answer 574

Correct Answer: B B Principle Match The argument states that even if individual staff members of hospitals, universities, labor unions, and other institutions do what they do only for selfish reasons, the institutions may still have public purposes that they are quite successful at achieving. The credited response will describe a principle in which something may be true of a larger entity even if it is not true of the components of an entity. A. No. The passage does not compare organizations to one another. B. Yes. This accurately describes the structure of the argument. C. No. This does not address that the larger institution may have successful public purposes. D. No. The passage does not discuss founders of institutions. E. No. The passage does not discuss differences between why institutions were created and the purposes they now serve.

Answer 575

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The consumer advocate concludes that there are good reasons to avoid foods irradiated with gamma rays. This is based on three premises: first, that foods are exposed to the radioactive substances that produce the gamma rays; second, that irradiation can reduce the vitamin content of fresh foods, leaving behind harmful chemical residues; and third, that irradiation spawns unique radiolytic products that cause serious health problems, including cancer. The argument assumes that these reasons are valid and are serious enough to warrant avoiding irradiated foods. This is a weaken EXCEPT question, so the four incorrect answers will weaken the argument, and the credited response will either be irrelevant or may strengthen the conclusion. A. No. This weakens the argument by suggesting that the third premise is not a valid concern. B. Yes. Other causes of cancer and other serious health problems are irrelevant to the conclusion. C. No. This weakens the argument by suggesting that the second premise is not a valid concern. D. No. This weakens the argument by suggesting that the first premise is not a valid concern. E. No. This weakens the argument by suggesting that the third premise is not a valid concern.

Answer 576

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The argument concludes that, when teaching art students about the use of color, teachers should use colored paper rather than paint in their demonstrations. Why? Because colored paper readily permits a repeated use of exactly the same color in different compositions, allowing for a precise comparison of that color's impact, while it is difficult to mix exactly the same paint color twice and the varying textures of applied paint can interfere with the pure effect of the color. The argument assumes that allowing for a precise comparison of a color's impact is important when teaching art students about the use of color. A. No. This answer choice goes too far. It is not necessary that paper of different textures have the same effect. B. No. This would weaken an argument by providing a reason that paper might be less preferable to use than paint. C. No. Light conditions are not mentioned in the argument. D. Yes. This is a good paraphrase of the information necessary to connect the premises to the conclusion. E. No. The conclusion is that paper should be used rather than paint, so this would weaken the conclusion by suggesting that the use of paint is important.

Answer 577

Correct Answer: E E Reasoning The philosopher concludes that to explain the causes of cultural phenomena, a social scientist needs data about several societies. The philosopher supports his conclusion by using the example that one cannot be sure that a given political structure is brought about only by certain ecological or climatic factors unless one knows that there are no similarly structured societies not subject to those factors, and there are no societies that, though subject to those factors, are not so structured. The credited response will describe the claim as the conclusion of the argument. A. No. The argument does not discuss certainty. B. No. The claim is the conclusion, not a premise. C. No. While the first part of this answer choice is on track, the example does not show that there's a causal relationship between political structures and environmental problems, only that such a relationship could not be determined without examining other societies. D. No. The philosopher does not argue that the claim is a dilemma faced by "every" social scientist. E. Yes. This accurately describes the structure of the argument.

Answer 578

Correct Answer: A A Sufficient Assumption The scientist concludes that it would be conducive to progress in physics if physicists were to enhance their discipline's safeguards against scientific fraud. This is based on the premises that biologists were incorrect when they claimed twenty years ago that their system of careful peer review prevented scientific fraud in biology effectively and that biologists have since greatly enhanced their discipline's safeguards and prevented further major incidents. The argument assumes that what worked for biology will work similarly for physics. The argument also mentions "progress" for the first time in the conclusion and assumes that the safeguards against fraud would somehow relate to progress in the field. Notice that the question stem here differs from the traditional sufficient assumption question because it does not require that the credited response guarantee the truth of the conclusion, only that it strongly supports the conclusion. A. Yes. If this is true, taking action to reduce fraud in physics would be conducive to progress in the field. B. No. Additional detail about biology is not relevent to the conclusion about physics. C. No. While this suggests that the safeguards against scientific fraud should be instituted, it does not help reach the conclusion that such action would be conducive to progress. D. No. This would weaken the argument by suggesting that the premises are less relevant. The credited response should make the conclusion more likely to be true. E. No. This weakens the argument. If there have been few incidents of scientific fraud in physics, that makes it less likely that measures need to be taken to enhance safeguards against fraud.

Answer 579

Correct Answer: B B Principle Match The biologist concludes that some dogs are descended from wolves that were domesticated much more recently than others. Why? Because it has recently been found that some breeds of dog are much more closely related genetically to wolves than to most other breeds of dog. The argument assumes that the genetic closeness of the dog and wolves is related to how recently the wolves were domesticated. The credited response will accurately describe this underlying assumption. A. No. This answer choice goes in the wrong direction. B. Yes. This answer choice articulates that if the premises of the argument are true, then the conclusion of the argument is true. C. No. This does not address how recently the wolves were domesticated. D. No. This does not address how recently the wolves were domesticated. E. No. This answer choice does mention wolves being domesticated more recently.

Answer 580

Correct Answer: A A Parallel Flaw The argument concludes that Professor Mansour must be a paleomycologist. This is based on the premises that paleomycologists are invariably acquainted with the scholarly publications of all other paleomycologists and that Professor Mansour is acquainted with the scholarly publications of a paleomycologist. The argument improperly assumes that just because paleomycologists are acquainted with the publications of other paleomycologists, they are the only people who could be acquainted with such publications. The credited response will contain a similarly structured faulty assumption. A. Yes. The argument improperly assumes that just because a Global Airlines flight can make a connecting Global Airlines flight delayed that it is the only thing that could make a connecting flight delayed. B. No. If this were the credited response, it would have assumed that an instance of a Global Airlines local ticket agent missing a shift is the only cause for other agents on that shift needing to work harder than usual. C. No. If this were the credited response, it would have to assume that a fuel price decrease is the only cause of the decrease in the expenses of Global Airlines. D. No. If this were the credited response, it would assume that the only way to participate in the retirement plan is to have been with Global Airlines for a year or more. E. No. If this were the credited response, it would assume that the only reason for Global Airlines to reduce its fares would be in response to a competitor.

Answer 581

Correct Answer: C C Point at Issue Lutsina concludes that futuristic science fiction has the potential to be a richer source of social criticism than conventional fiction does. This is based on the premises that futuristic science fiction does not need to represent current social realities and that its writers can envisage radically new social arrangements. Priscilla concludes that the most effective social criticism results from faithfully presenting the current social realities for critical examination, as happens in conventional fiction. Lutsina and Priscilla disagree about whether conventional fiction or futuristic science fiction is the richer source of social criticism. A. No. Priscilla would certainly agree with this statement, but Lutsina does not disagree. The credited response will be something that one speaker would explicitly agree with and the other speaker would explicitly disagree with. B. No. Neither speaker addresses the relative skill of the different types of writers. C. Yes. Lutsina explicitly agrees with this statement, and Priscilla explicitly disagrees with it. D. No. Lutsina does not discuss envisaging radically new technologies. The credited response will be something that one speaker would explicitly agree with and the other speaker would explicitly disagree with. E. No. Lutsina does not address the effectiveness of social criticism, only material's potential as a source.

Answer 582

Correct Answer: E E Point at Issue The argument concludes that our club will almost certainly be city champions this year. Why? Because our club recruited the best volleyball players in the city. The argument reaches the intermediate conclusion that we will have the best team in the city and provides an additional premise that the best team in the city will be the team most likely to win the city championship. A. No. The argument does not claim that competition will establish which team is best. B. No. The features of the club that are discussed are relevant to the success of the club. C. No. The argument does not discuss other clubs. D. No. This reversed the direction of the information given. The argument claims that the team is the best because it recruited the best players, not the other way around. E. Yes. This describes the flawed assumption that the argument makes.

Answer 583

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The mayor concludes that the city council should adopt the mayor's plan to build a new expressway. Why? Because either we adopt this plan or we do nothing, and doing nothing is not a viable option. The flawed assumption is that there are no options other than the mayor's plan or doing nothing. A. No. First, the conservative estimate is given to provide a sense of the scope of the problem; there is no evidence that a wider range of estimates has never been considered. Second, basing a projection on only a conservative estimate is not inherently a logical flaw. B. No. While the mayor takes this for granted, this is not a flaw. Doing something and doing nothing are in fact mutually exclusive. C. No. While the mayor does not explicitly consider this possibility, this is not a logical flaw. If the rate at which traffic is increasing slows, traffic is still increasing, meaning that the gridlock would still be getting worse and worse after 10 years. D. No. The cost of gridlock to the economy is not within the scope of the argument. E. Yes. The mayor states that "our choice is clear" but never states or shows that there are no other options.

Answer 584

Correct Answer: D D Necessary Assumption The curator concludes that the hippo was a religious object and not a toy. Why? The legs were broken off, and breaking off the legs of a representation of an animal was thought to help a deceased person in an eternal war with beasts. This is a causal argument, and the assumption is that there was no other reason that the legs were broken off. A. No. There is no indication in the argument that children were considered exempt from war with the beasts. Furthermore, there is no evidence that everything found in a child's tomb would be a toy and not a religious object. B. No. This choice is too extreme. Negate this choice; if some earthenware objects were used as toys, this particular earthenware object could still have been a religious object and not a toy. C. No. This answer is too extreme. It is trying to get you to think that someone could have reentered the tomb and broken the legs. D. Yes. Negate this answer choice. If the hippo's legs were broken through a natural occurrence after it was placed in the tomb, then there is no way that the legs were broken for religious reasons at the time the object was first placed in the tomb. The negation of this choice disproves the conclusion, making it a necessary assumption. E. No. The issue at hand is the meaning and cause of the broken legs. The fact that the hippo was placed upside down is not a logically important part of the curator's argument.

Answer 585

Correct Answer: D D Strengthen This argument involves both comparison and causal assumptions. The lawyer concludes that jury instructions should be given in simple, easily comprehensible language. The premises are that instructions are traditionally given in convoluted, legalistic language intended to make the instructions more precise, but that precision is less important than giving jurors an adequate understanding of their role. The lawyer assumes that using convoluted legalistic language makes it harder for jurors to understand their role and that simple, easily comprehended language makes it easier. Because this is a Strengthen EXCEPT question, the wrong answers will strengthen the claim that simple, easily comprehended language should be used, and the correct answer will either have no impact or will weaken that claim. A. No. This choice strengthens the claim by affirming the assumption that simple, easily comprehensible language makes it easier for jurors to understand their role. B. No. This choice strengthens the claim by supporting the assumption that the use of convoluted legalistic language makes it harder for jurors to understand their role. C. No. This answer choice supports the assumption that the use of simple and easily comprehensible language can provide jurors with an adequate understanding of their role. D. Yes. This choice has no impact on the argument. The lawyer doesn't argue that providing precise details is a bad thing in and of itself, but only that it is less important than providing jurors with a basic but adequate understanding. So, while the fact that using simple language entails less precision on the details is consistent with the argument, it doesn't make it any stronger. E. No. The lawyer argues for sacrificing precision in the service of providing greater understanding. This involves the assumption that precision is not necessary for understanding, and this choice affirms that assumption.

Answer 586

Correct Answer: B B Necessary Assumption The conclusion is that physicians will be able to treat psychological disorders as effectively through pharmacological intervention as through traditional "talk" methods. This claim is based on the premise that talk therapy produces chemical changes in the brain that correspond with certain behavioral improvements. This logic entails both causal and comparison assumptions; it assumes that chemical change in the brains of patients undergoing talk therapy is the only cause of their behavioral improvements, and therefore, direct pharmacological or chemical intervention will eventually be comparable to talk therapy. A. No. This choice is too extreme. The argument only needs it to be true that these particular neurochemical changes cause these particular psychological changes, not that all neurochemical changes have psychological effects. B. Yes. Negate this choice. If at least some behavioral improvements were caused by non-chemical effects of talk therapy, then talk therapy and pharmacological intervention would not in fact be comparable, or of equivalent efficacy. C. No. The claim isn't that talk therapy is ineffective, but that pharmacological therapy would be equally effective. If talk therapy is in fact effective, it wouldn't weaken the argument. Therefore, this choice is not necessary to the argument. D. No. This choice is too extreme. The argument's scope is limited to a comparison between talk therapy and pharmacological therapy for psychological disorders, not between psychology and neuroscience as a whole. E. No. This choice is out of scope; expense is not an issue in this argument.

Answer 587

Correct Answer: C C Weaken The argument concludes that it is misguided to consider H. pylori to be a commensal (that is, a beneficial bacteria) based on the facts that stomach ulcers occur only in 10% of those who harbor it and that it allegedly strengthens the immune system. Why? Because only 10% of those who harbor Mycobacter tuberculosis get sick from it, and yet no one would call Mycobacter tuberculosis a commensal. The argument rests on a faulty comparison assumption; you know that 10% of those with each type of bacteria get sick, but H. pylori allegedly also has positive effects, something that you do not know to be true of M. tuberculosis. The correct answer will weaken the argument by providing some reason why H. pylori may still legitimately be considered a commensal. A. No. The issue isn't treatment of the harmful effects of either, but rather if the fact that H. pylori may strengthen the immune system qualifies it as a beneficial bacteria. B. No. While this does suggest a difference between the two bacteria, it isn't a relevant difference. The fact that cases of TB last longer than the ulcers caused H. pylori by doesn't provide evidence that H. pylori is beneficial. C. Yes. If M. tuberculosis has no beneficial effects and H. pylori does, then the comparison on which the conclusion is based breaks down, and H. pylori might in fact legitimately be considered to be a commensal. D. No. This choice is out of scope. While it does suggest a difference between the two bacteria, the issue is the beneficial nature of H. pylori, not how many people harbor one or the other. E. No. This choice is out of scope.

Answer 588

Correct Answer: E E Sufficient Assumption The main point is that there is at least one studio apartment in The Vista Arms with scenic views. The evidence is that most apartments on the upper floor of the building have scenic views. The gap is that we don't know from the evidence that any studio apartments are among the upper floor apartments that have scenic views. You don't even know from the precise/evidence that there are any studio apartments in the building. The answer will show that there is some overlap between the majority of apartments on the upper floor that have scenic views and studio apartments in the building. A. No. Given that you don't know that any studio apartments are on the lower floors, this choice has no impact on the conclusion. B. No. This choice is very tempting. The problem is, you still don't know that there are any studio apartments in the building. C. No. Even if most of the apartments are studios, that still doesn't prove that any of them have scenic views. For example, the majority of apartments in the building could be studios on lower floors, and you don't know that any lower-floor apartments have scenic views. D. No. You still don't know that any of these upper floor apartments are studios. E. Yes. Two majorities of the same group have to overlap with with each other. So, for example, 51% of the apartments on the upper floors have scenic views, and 51% of the apartments on the upper floors are studios, studios and scenic views can't be entirely separate groups, and there has to be at least one of those studios that has scenic views.

Answer 589

Correct Answer: D D Principle Strengthen Mike's main point is that it would not be wrong for him to use Tom's computer. Why not? Because even though Tom did not say that Mike could use it, Tom used Mary's bike even though she didn't tell Tom that he could. Mike assumes Tom's actions justify Mike's actions. The correct answer will justify the claim that it was okay for Mike to use Tom's computer without permission, based on the evidence about Tom's use of Mary's bike without permission. A. No. First, the issue isn't whether or not it was theft, but whether or not it was wrong. Second, even if it isn't always theft, it could still be theft in this particular case. B. No. This choice is out of scope. The issue isn't lying, but rather using someone's belongings without permission. C. No. This choice doesn't apply to this argument. Tom used Mary's bike, and Mike used Tom's computer. D. Yes. The two situations are similar in that they both involve using someone else's stuff without permission. So, if it is true that it is permissable to treat a person in the same way in which that person has treated someone else, it would help to justify Mike's claim. E. No. This choice is out of scope. There was no evidence that anyone was harmed.

Answer 590

Correct Answer: B B Flaw Robinson's main point is that the museum did not waste its money, even if the props and costumes it purchased have no artistic significance outside of a performance. Why not? Because displaying these old and fragile items is the only way to make them available to the public. The flaw is that Robinson misses the point; he or she offers no evidence that making the items available to the public gives them artistic significance or that this availability itself justifies the purchase. Note that this argument has a "Disagree" structure, but Robinson doesn't directly address the logic of the opposing argument. A. No. This choice doesn't accurately describe the argument. B. Yes. The point of Wexell's argument is that the museum wasted its money because the objects had no artistic significance outside of a performance. Robinson doesn't address the issue of artistic significance, nor does he or she offer evidence that availability to the public justified the cost of the purchase. C. No. While this choice describes a relatively common flaw, it doesn't apply to this particular argument. D. No. This is a relatively common flaw that doesn't apply to this particular argument. E. No. This is a common flaw, but one that doesn't appear in this argument.

Answer 591

Correct Answer: A A Principle Match There is no conclusion or premises here. So, you should identify the theme of the argument, which is that the person who was told that a dream would be related to the group in his or her absence comes back and reconstructs a coherent dream story based on random answers to questions, even though no dream was in fact described to the group. Or, in more general terms, people who expect that a coherent and unique story had been told (even if it hasn't been) often construct a coherent and unique story out of random information. The correct answer will be a general rule or principle that fits with this specific scenario. A. Yes. This general rule or proposition fits with the specific scenario described in the passage. That is, most people assume that a coherent story had been told and construct a coherent story based on that assumption. B. No. Translated, this choice states that one is less likely to misunderstand something that has been said than to not understand it at all. However, this is more or less the opposite of what happened in the passage, in which most people do "misunderstand" what they are being told in that they falsely take the responses to questions as representing a dream story that has been told to the group. C. No. Given that there are no actual dreams being related, this choice is out of scope. D. No. This choice is out of scope—there are no actual dreams, and the supposed dreams are not being interpreted, only "reconstructed" based on random answers. E. No. This choice is out of scope. There is no behavior being explained here.

Answer 592

Correct Answer: A A Necessary Assumption The conclusion is that computers cannot currently be made significantly faster. Why not? Because while decreasing the size of a CPU chip without making it less sophisticated will increase the speed of the chip and the computer, CPU chips cannot currently be made smaller without decreasing their sophistication. The argument assumes that a sufficient condition is also a necessary condition. That is, that there is no other way of increasing the speed of a computer. When evaluating answers for a Necessary Assumption question, remember the Negation Test: The negation of the correct answer will weaken the argument. A. Yes. Negate this choice to test it: "Computers CAN currently be made faster even if their CPU chips are not made smaller." The negation of this choice does weaken the argument by suggesting that there may currently be other ways to speed up computers. Therefore, this choice, as written, is in fact necessary to the argument. B. No. The issue in the argument is whether or not computers can currently be sped up. The relevance of the size of the chip is that they can't be made smaller without losing sophistication. If they CAN be made smaller while also making them less sophisticated, it doesn't weaken the argument. C. No. The issue of the argument is whether or not computing speed can be increased, not what would decrease it. D. No. What computer manufacturers believe is irrelevant. If many or most computer manufacturers DO believe that computers can be made significantly faster, that doesn't mean that this is in fact true and the argument isn't weakened. Furthermore, the time frame of the argument is "currently," but the time frame of this choice is not limited to the present day. E. No. This choice weakens the argument by suggesting that there may in fact be another way of increasing the speed of computers without reducing the size of the chips. The negation of this choice strengthens the argument by ruling out one possible alternative method of increasing computers' current speed.

Answer 593

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The main point is that the evidence undermines environmentalists' claim that pollution is eliminating many species of amphibians every year. The evidence is that biologists have learned that there are many more species of amphibians in existence than previously known. Note that the question references a confusion between two things. The flaw is that the argument confuses how many species have been known to exist with how many species actually exist. That is, the actual number of species could still be decreasing even if we are aware of more species than we used to be. A. No. This choice is tempting if you don't read the passage carefully, since one can imagine an argument that confuses the number of species of animals with the number of animals within a species. However, all parts of this argument are about number of species; the number of actual individual animals never comes up. B. No. This is a common flaw, but it doesn't correspond to the logic of this particular argument. Note that this is an anti-causal argument, in that it claims that pollution is likely not sufficient to cause a reduction in the number of amphibious species. C. No. This is a common flaw that does not match up to this particular argument. The passage doesn't confuse a cause with an effect. Rather, the argument suggests that there is no effect and that therefore pollution is likely not a causal factor. D. No. This is a common flaw, but it doesn't match up to this particular argument. Note that this is an anti-causal argument. E. Yes. The argument takes a change in our knowledge of the number of amphibious species in existence as evidence indicating how many actually exist. We could, however, have become aware of a higher percentage of the total number of these species even while the total number of these species is decreasing.

Answer 594

Correct Answer: B B Principle Strengthen The conclusion is that these many gardeners are mistaken in believing that using dried peat moss as a soil conditioner is environmentally sound. Why? Because even though it contains no chemical additives and is a renewable resource, sphagnum moss contributes much of the oxygen to the atmosphere, and the garden soil industry is depleting it faster than it can renew itself. Note that the passage never directly connects the issue of affecting levels of atmospheric oxygen to environmental soundness. The correct answer will strengthen the claim, based on the evidence provided, that the practice of using large amounts of moss is environmentally unsound. A. No. This is a very attractive wrong answer—it goes in the correct direction, but, it doesn't go far enough to "most justify" the conclusion. The fact that using such a product may be environmentally unsound doesn't prove that using this particular product is unsound for this particular reason. B. Yes. You have good reason to believe, based on the premises, that the use of a large amount of dried peat moss significantly reduces the amount of oxygen entering the atmosphere. Taking this choice to be valid, then, goes a long way towards justifying the conclusion of the argument. C. No. First, this choice, if relevant, would justify a practice as environmentally sound, not as unsound. Second, this choice is not relevant. We are not discussing protecting the rain forests here; rain forests come into play only as a comparison intended to show how much oxygen the moss contributes to the atmosphere. D. No. This choice could justify a practice only as environmentally sound, not as unsound. You don't know anything about environmental benefits of using peat moss as a soil conditioner, or how that might weigh against the environmental costs. E. No. This choice mistakes the issue of the argument. The conclusion that requires justification is that the practice is unsound, not that it should be banned.

Answer 595

Correct Answer: A A Flaw Brooks states that even though he or she is unhappy in his or her job, he or she doesn't know if the risks involved in quitting are acceptable. Morgenstern responds that Brooks might as well quit. Why? Because the only risk in quitting is being unemployed, which would make Brooks unhappy, which would make Brooks no worse off than if Brooks had stayed unhappy in his or her current job. The problem with Morgenstern's argument is that it assumes that the unhappiness caused by unemployment would be no worse than the unhappiness caused by Brooks's job. If unemployment would be even more painful than working, well then maybe Brooks shouldn't quit. A. Yes. Morgenstern fails to consider that unhappiness caused by unemployment may be even worse than unhappiness caused by non-ideal employment. B. No. This choice describes circular reasoning. However, the assumption that the two different states of unhappiness are comparable is not the same thing as the conclusion that Brooks should quit. C. No. Morgenstern doesn't misunderstand or misinterpret any of Brooks' statements. D. No. You may have been tempted by this choice since the argument is in a sense conflating two things. However, the argument is conflating two types of outcomes, not two different types of risks. The only real risk at issue here is the risk of quitting. If you are thinking that the second risk is the risk of unemployment, there is still no flaw on that basis, as the risk of unemployment can be reasonably conflated or identified with the risk of quitting. If you are thinking that the second risk would be the risk of staying in the current job, Morgenstern doesn't conflate it with the risk of quitting, but rather compares the two risks to each other. E. No. Morgenstern's argument doesn't shift from specific to general. The entire argument is about this one specific case, and Morgenstern does not generalize beyond it.

Answer 596

Correct Answer: C C Inference This is a passage based on conditional and quantity statements. The first statement tells you that only Canadian films are shown at the Lac Nichoutec Film Festival. The second statement tells you that a majority of the films that won prizes at the LNFF, which based on the first statement would all have been Canadian films, also won prizes at international festivals. The correct answer will be provable based on only these two statements. A. No. This choice is too extreme. You don't know what percentage of Canadian films that were shown at international film festivals won prizes at the LNFF, even given that all the films that won prizes at the LNFF would be Canadian films. Keep in mind that the number of Canadian films shown at other festivals could be huge, and the number of films that were shown and/or that won prizes at the LNFF could be small. Therefore, this choice does not have to be true based on the passage. B. No. You have no idea how many Canadian films were produced. Therefore, this choice does not have to be true based on the passage. C. Yes. All of the films shown at the LNFF were Canadian, some of those films won prizes at the LNFF, and most of those films that won prizes at the LNFF were also shown and won prizes at international film festivals. Therefore, some of the films that won prizes at international festivals had to be Canadian films. D. No. Translated, this choice says that at least one film that won a prize at the LNFF was not shown at an international film festival. This does not have to be true; it is possible that every film that won a prize at the LNFF was also shown at an international festival. E. No. It could be true that every film that won a prize at an international film festival was shown at the LNFF. Therefore, this choice does not have to be true based only on the passage.

Answer 597

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The commentator concludes that the social critics' claim is absurd and that contemporary journalists' cynicism cannot be a contributing factor. Why? Because this is nothing new: Journalists have always been cynics, and they may have expressed even more cynicism in the past. The flaw is that the commentator assumes that the social critics are claiming that this is something new. However, the fact that journalists were cynical in the past doesn't mean that they weren't undermining the well-being of society in the past as well as today. The correct answer will be a possibility that was not addressed by the commentator, a possibility that would weaken the argument if it were true. A. No. If widespread cynicism is beneficial to society, the commentator's argument would be even stronger. B. No. The effect of amount of information on cynicism isn't the issue, but rather the effect of journalists' existing cynicism on society. C. No. The issue isn't how genuine or authentic the journalists' cynicism is, but rather the effect that it has on society. D. No. The accuracy of the information isn't the issue, but rather the effect it has on society. E. Yes. If this type of cynicism has always had a negative effect on society, then contemporary journalists' cynicism may well be negatively affecting society.

Answer 598

Correct Answer: A A Parallel The conclusion is that the owners should make improvements to the Uptown Apartments. Why? Because even if the increased rent that they could charge for the improved units would not cover the costs, the improvements to those units would increase the value of other units that also belong to these owners. Put in more general terms, the argument is that you should pay the costs for something even if the direct benefit does not justify the costs, if making that investment would lead to other tangential benefits as well. A. Yes. John should pay the cost (pain of surgery) even if it would cause more pain than it would eliminate. Why? Because the surgery would provide him with a tangential benefit—he could exercise more. B. No. While the first part of this choice has some similarity with the original argument, the fact that it is implicitly comparing two different costs makes it logically different. C. No. There is no theme of a tangential benefit justifying an investment here. D. No. There is no issue here of the direct benefits not justifying the cost. E. No. There is no tangential benefit here, nor is there an issue of the direct benefits alone not justifying the cost.

Answer 599

Correct Answer: C C Strengthen The conclusion is the prediction that there will be a substantial increase in sales once the new copy protection feature is enabled. The prediction is based on the fact that the company's video games are currently subject to widespread illegal copying. The argument is assuming that there is something about the effects of the copy protection feature that will lead people to buy more of these video games than they used to. The correct answer will support this assumption. A. No. The fact that sales must increase in order for Ditalgame to recoup its costs doesn't support the claim that sales will in fact increase. B. No. The fact that Ditalgame's market share has decreased in the past doesn't provide any evidence about increasing sales in the future. C. Yes. If the copy protection feature will cause people viewing a copied game to decide that they have to have the game, it strengthens the prediction that sales will increase once the feature is implemented. D. No. This choice doesn't indicate that anything will change in the future, in particular anything relating to the copy protection feature that would increase sales. E. No. This is an irrelevant comparison. It doesn't provide any evidence that the copy protection feature will cause a future increase in sales.

Answer 600

Correct Answer: A A Main Point The columnist's stated main point is that "it [government electronically recording all transactions, replacing the use of paper money] will never be willingly accepted by society." The premises are that it gives the government too much power and that people are rightly distrustful of governments with too much power. The correct answer will match up with the stated main point. A. Yes. This choice closely paraphrases the main point. Note that while the wording in this choice is extreme, it matches up with the extreme wording in the argument. B. No. This is a premise supporting the main point, not the main point itself. This is a common type of wrong answer on a main point question. C. No. This is more or less true according to the argument, but it is background information leading up to the conclusion, not the conclusion itself. D. No. The main point of the argument is that people won't be willing to accept this, not that they are right to be unwilling to accept it. E. No. This choice is too extreme. The argument is only about this particular method of replacing paper money, not about any government using any way of replacing paper money.

Answer 601

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The scientist's conclusion is that certain interpreters have misconstrued Marxism by taking it as a political program aimed at radically transforming society. Why? Because Marxism claims to rigorously describe an unstoppable movement toward the socialization of means of production, and therefore it should be regarded as a scientific theory. The argument is assuming that it can't be both. The correct answer will provide some reason to believe that Marxism has the described characteristics, including being a scientific theory; it can't also be a political program aimed at radically transforming society. A. No. This choice doesn't go far enough. The fact that Marxism is as rigorous as the social scientist claims doesn't give you any additional support for the claim that Marxism isn't a political program geared towards radically transforming society. B. No. This choice, though attractive, doesn't go far enough. The fact that the aims of science as a whole are incompatible with the goals of people who want to radically transform society doesn't prove that a particular scientific theory can't intend to radically transform society. C. No. This choice sets out a necessary condition for being a scientific theory. You don't know from the premises that Marxism consists purely of rigourous description; therefore, this choice doesn't prove that Marxism is a scientific theory. Furthermore, and even more importantly, this choice doesn't take any steps towards proving that Marxism, if it is in fact a scientific theory, isn't also a political program aimed at radically transforming society. D. Yes. The premises claim that Marxism should be seen as a scientific theory. If you now take it to be true that scientific theories cannot be correctly interpreted to be or imply political programs, the conclusion that Marxism is not a political program would follow logically. E. No. This choice is out of scope. It provides information about the actual course of history without telling you anything more about the nature of Marxism.

Answer 602

Correct Answer: D D Point at Issue Daniel's main point is that an action is not morally good unless it is performed with the right motivations. Why? Because simply fulfilling a moral obligation is not sufficient to make an action morally good. Carrie claims that the only necessary condition for an action to be morally good is that it fulfills a moral obligation. Why? because our motivations are not subject to our conscious control. Therefore, the two are disagreeing about the necessary condition for an action to be morally good. A. No. You don't know what either person would say to this statement. B. No. This choice confuses necessary and sufficient conditions. C. No. You don't know what either person would say to this. D. Yes. Daniel would agree with this statement, as he claims that an action cannot be good unless it is performed with the right motivations. Carrie would disagree with this statement, since she dismisses motivation as a relevant or necessary condition. She would say that an action performed with the wrong motivation could be morally good as long as it fulfilled a moral obligation. E. No. First, neither person stakes out a position on what guarantees that an action is morally good. Both Daniel and Carrie discuss what is required in order for it to be good. Based on what you know from their arguments, they would, if anything, agree with each other that the statement may not always be true.

Answer 603

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The main point is that the mayor was not telling the truth when he said that the bridge renovation did not waste taxpayers' money. Why not? Because the report indicated that the larger project, which included the bridge renovation, was terribly wasteful. The argument assumes that not only was the whole Southern Tier Project wasteful, but that each part of it was wasteful as well. This is a part/whole flaw: The nature of the whole is taken as representative of a part within the whole. A. Yes. Just because the larger Southern Tier Project as a whole was wasteful doesn't prove that each specific project within it was wasteful. For example, a majority of the other projects within it could be wasteful, while the bridge renovation was fine. B. No. This choice reverses the logic of the argument. This choice describes a different kind of part/whole flaw, one that goes from the nature of a part to the nature of the whole. C. No. While this "ad hominem" flaw (attacking the person making the argument, not the argument itself) does show up on the LSAT, it doesn't describe this particular argument. This argument says nothing about the mayor's character, and it does focus on the substance of the claim itself. D. No. This choice describes circular reasoning—that is, that part of the conclusion essentially repeats a premise. E. No. This is another version of the "ad hominem" flaw. Here, the passage does not claim that the mayor had a personal stake in proving that the bridge renovation was not wasteful.

Answer 604

Correct Answer: D D Inference The argument states the following facts: 1) When visibility is poor, the runways are too close together to allow adjacent runways to be used at the same time. 2) Because of this, in poor weather half as many planes are allowed to land as in good weather. 3) Because airline schedules assume good weather, poor weather causes delays. The correct answer will be the one that is most supported by one or more of these statements, alone or in combination. A. No. This answer choice suffers from a part/whole flaw. You only know that half as many overall are allowed to land in poor weather, not that this is true of each individual runway. For example, it could be that in poor weather 60 planes an hour are allowed to land on one runway, and none of the other. B. No. This choice is too extreme. While you do know that in good weather planes are allowed to land simultaneously on adjacent runways, you don't know that this is happening most of the time. C. No. This is the opposite of what the argument suggests to be true. It is when two runways cannot be used simultaneously that delays ensue. D. Yes. If bad weather causes serious delays, and if this is due to the fact that airline schedules assume good weather, it is reasonable to infer that these airlines assume in constructing their schedules that more than 30 planes an hour will be allowed to land. E. No. This choice confuses necessary and sufficient conditions. The argument suggests that bad weather is sufficient to cause delays, but not that it is the only factor that could cause delays. Therefore, you cannot infer that in good weather there are few or no seriously delayed flights.

Answer 605

Correct Answer: B B Resolve/Explain The parts of the first side of the apparent discrepancy are as follows: 1) Generally, the larger the primate group, the more time the members spend grooming each other, with the main purpose of maintaining social cohesion, 2) generally a larger neocortex is correlated with larger group size among primates, and 3) we can infer based on this that early human groups were quite large. The other side of the apparent discrepancy is that there is strong evidence that most early humans spent little time grooming each other. The correct answer will explain why early humans didn't appear to follow the primate pattern in which members of large groups spend a lot of time grooming each other in order to maintain social cohesion. A. No. Given that the reason for grooming each other is social cohesion, self-grooming doesn't explain the apparent lack of interactive grooming. B. Yes. This choice explains that early humans may have had a different and even better way of maintaining social cohesion: language. Therefore, they may not have needed to perform the interactive grooming that other primates need in order to maintain that group cohesion. C. No. Grooming, according to the passage, served for the most part as a social function. So, even if humans were less hairy, it doesn't explain why they didn't do much social grooming. D. No. The size of hunting groups is irrelevant. This choice tells you nothing about why early humans did little social grooming compared to other social primates. E. No. This choice makes the scenario in the passage even more paradoxical. If many other primates with large neocortex regions do display frequent social grooming, why didn't early humans?

Answer 606

Correct Answer: C C Parallel Flaw The flaw in the argument is that it assumes that the economic theories were not sound when it is just as feasible that the theories were sound but that the program was not successfully implemented. The correct answer will make the same mistake. That is, it will assume without support that one of two options is true when it is equally possible that it is the other of the two that occurred. A. No. The argument in this choice is logically valid, so it can't be a match. B. No. The argument in this choice is about predictions and promises and beliefs regarding the future. The original argument is about what has actually happened, so there is no match. C. Yes. In conditional form, the argument in this choice looks like this: Succeed in selling + used cash → stock price would have doubled. No doubling in stock price → did not succeed in selling. This matches the flawed use of the contrapositive in the original argument. D. No. There are no negatives here, only positives, whereas the original conclusion was based on something not having happened. E. No. First, there is no flaw here—it's a correct use of the contrapositive, so there can be no match.

Answer 607

Correct Answer: E E Reasoning The conclusion of the argument is that people who wish to make this kind of accusation stick should choose "unyielding" as their specific claim. Why? Because if you accept that the person has not yielded, you can't argue with the claim that the person is unyielding. Essentially, the argument is that if you must make a claim, make one that has to be accepted as true if certain other aspects of the situation are accepted as true. A. No. The argument is recommending a tactic, not rejecting one. B. No. One problem is that the argument is recommending, not rejecting, a tactic; therefore, this choice leaves out the main part of the argument's logic. Second, to the extent that the argument states that these types of accusations are counterproductive, it doesn't go so far as to claim that the tactic makes it "virtually impossible" to reach consensus, but only that they "rarely help the group reach resolution." C. No. This choice is half right but half wrong. The argument is in fact conditionally advocating a technique. However, the basis for the recommendation is not that choosing "unyielding" as the accusation would be less offensive, but rather that it would be harder to deny. D. No. The first half of this choice is correct but the second half doesn't match. Accusing someone of being "unyielding" wouldn't help the group reach a consensus (just the opposite). Rather, its truth would be harder to deny. E. Yes. The rationale in the argument for conditionally recommending the tactic is that if you accept the premise that the person has not yielded, you can't deny the conclusion that the person is unyielding.

Answer 608

Correct Answer: A A Flaw The main point of the argument is that the results showing that 80% voted in favor of the proposal must be rigged. Why? Because everyone that this person knows voted against the proposal. The flawed assumption is that the people known to this person are representative of all the people who voted. A. Yes. It is unlikely that the people known to the person making the argument, people who most likely make up a small percentage of the voting population, represent the population as a whole. B. No. This wording means that the argument is circular: that is, that the conclusion simply repeats a premise. However, the claim that the results must be rigged is not based on a premise that the results must be rigged. C. No. This choice describes an ad hominem attack: that is, an argument that attacks the person making the argument rather than the substance of the argument itself. However, this argument says nothing about the people who are claiming that 80% voted in favor of the proposal. D. No. How people "should have voted" is not an issue in the argument, which is only about how people actually voted. Therefore, no such distinction needed to be made. E. No. The claim that the results must be rigged is not based on premises about people's beliefs. The author doesn't claim that everyone he knows believed that the proposal should not pass, but rather that they actually voted against it.

Answer 609

Correct Answer: C C Principle Strengthen The main claim made by the editorial is that information on the Internet should be regulated. This is based on three main premises: A lot of misinformation will always appear on the Internet, it is difficult to determine what information is in fact accurate, and accurate information is useful only if it can be distinguished from inaccurate information. Like many arguments that propose solutions to problems, this argument assumes that the solution will be effective. The correct answer needs to provide a reason to think that this assumption is true. A. No. The editorial doesn't claim that restricting access is a necessary part of regulation, but only suggests that if regulation did involve restriction of access, it would be worth it in the service of the goal of making accurate information useful. The argument overall is for regulation, not for restriction itself. Therefore, the principle that restriction is necessary for regulation does not strengthen the argument. B. No. This choice weakens the argument by suggesting that even with regulation, it might still be impossible to know what information is accurate. C. Yes. This choice strengthens the argument by indicating that the solution will be effective. D. No. This answer misrepresents the issue on the argument. It isn't about "overlooking" accurate information, but rather about not being able to distinguish it from inaccurate information. E. No. This choice weakens the argument. By this principle, regulation that might restrict access perhaps should NOT be implemented.

Answer 610

Correct Answer: E E Sufficient Assumption The main point in the argument is that the current president acted appropriately by inviting Dr. Hines even without consulting the other club members. The premise is that a previous club president hired a tax consultant without consulting the membership. The argument is assuming 1) that the previous president acted appropriately and 2) that the two situations are comparable. A. No. It isn't necessary to the argument that the previous president had done the exact same thing, but only that the two situations are similar enough to be compared. B. No. This choice goes in the wrong direction. While this choice is not necessarily inconsistent with the argument, it suggests the possibility that the past and present are not comparable in terms of members' expectations of consultation. C. No. It isn't necessary that Hines actually accepted the invitation. The issue is whether or not the president acted appropriately in inviting him in the first place. D. No. This choice weakens the argument by undermining the comparison between the past and the present presidents' actions. If the president has more discretion in hiring an accountant than in inviting a speaker, it is possible that the past president was justified but that the current president is not. E. Yes. Try negating this choice; the negation of the correct answer to a necessary assumption question will weaken the argument. Given that the argument is based on a comparison between the past and present presidents' actions, if the club's previous president did NOT act appropriately, then perhaps the current president did not act appropriately either.

Answer 611

Correct Answer: B B Weaken The spokesperson's main point is that Household Products' criticism that Filterator X does not remove most chemical contamination is questionable. The premise is that millions of Filterator X's owners are satisfied with its performance. The argument assumes consumers' satisfaction is based on the filter's effectiveness in removing contamination. The correct answer will indicate that the filter could in fact be ineffective, despite the fact that millions are satisfied with its performance. A. No. Taste is not a relevant issue here. This choice has no impact on the argument about levels of contamination. B. Yes. If most have no way of knowing how well the Filterator X filters out contaminants, then their satisfaction tells us little if anything about its actual effectiveness. C. No. The fact that people with contaminated water are more likely to buy it doesn't tell us that it effectively filters out those contaminants. D. No. This choice is out of scope. The number of people with a Filterator X who read the magazine has no relevance to the claim about the filter's effectiveness. E. No. The issue is whether or not this evaluation was accurate. The fact that the magazine always gives the filters a negative evaluation doesn't indicate that the evaluation is fair.

Answer 612

Correct Answer: B B Main Point This argument has aspects of the "Disagree" pattern, and the main point is not directly stated. If the famous artist is correct in claiming that all great art imitates nature, then this would be true of music that qualifies as great art. But, most great music does not imitate nature. If you add together these premises, you get that either most great music doesn't qualify as great art, or the famous artist doesn't know what he or she is talking about. A. No. There is nothing here about comparing music to other arts in terms of overall quality. Note that for this to be something even supported by the argument, we would have to at least know for sure that the author agrees with the famous artist and that the author also thinks that there is more great art to be found among non-musical arts. B. Yes. These are the two options, based on the set of premises provided in the argument. Therefore, you can say that the statements in the argument all lead up to this conclusion. C. No. This choice is out of scope. The argument doesn't support any such comparison between some great music and some great paintings or sculptures. D. No. This choice is out of scope. The argument says nothing about whether or not some elements of nature cannot be represented or imitated, only that the famous artist has claimed that all great art imitates some aspect of nature. E. No. This could only be the conclusion if you knew that the author of the argument agrees with the famous artist. However, there is no evidence that he or she does agree.

Answer 613

Correct Answer: C C Weaken Patricia claims that during the Tokugawa period there was little ninja activity and that most people did not fear ninjas. Tamara disagrees, based on the premise that many wealthy Japanese of the period intentionally made their floor squeaky so that they would hear intruding ninjas. Tamara is assuming that these wealthy people were representative of a significant percentage of the population. The correct answer will strengthen Patricia's argument that most did not fear the ninja by weakening Tamara's argument. A. No. This choice weakens, not strengthens, Patricia's argument. If not only the wealthy people, but also many of the poor people, had intentionally squeaky floors, it would indicate that perhaps a lot of people did live in fear of ninjas. B. No. Whether or not ninjas were able to defeat the squeaky floor isn't relevant to how many people feared ninjas and attempted to arm themselves against them. C. Yes. This suggests that Tamara's sample is unrepresentative. If we know only that some of a small percentage of the population protected themselves against ninjas with their floorboards, it may well be true that "most Japanese did not fear ninjas." D. No. First, the argument is about the Tokugawa period, not the years following. Second, even if this choice was about the correct time period, the fact that ninja skill was thought to be greater than it really was would be more consistent with a claim that people feared ninjas than with the argument that they did not. E. No. As with (D), the scope of the argument is the Tokugawa period, not other times.

Answer 614

Correct Answer: B B Necessary Assumption The philosopher's main point is that to be a moral agent, one must have free will. This is based on the main premise that one cannot be a moral agent without desiring to conform to a principle. Notice that the issue of free will appears only in the conclusion. Therefore, the philosopher is assuming a connection between free will and desiring to conform to a principle: That is, that to desire to conform to a principle one must have free will. Remember that for a Necessary Assumption question, the negation of the correct answer will weaken the argument. A. No. This choice makes a connection between parts of two premises, not between a premise and the conclusion. B. Yes. Negate this choice. If desiring to conform to a principle does not require free will, then there is no support for the conclusion. That is, one could fulfill the given necessary condition for being a moral agent without also having free will. C. No. This choice tells you nothing about being a moral agent and free will. D. No. This choice is tempting, but it is too broad and vague. E. No. This choice misrepresents the issue.

Answer 615

Correct Answer: D D Weaken The conclusion is that in most cases, publishing a scholarly journal must be much more profitable than it was several years ago. Why? Because the average cost for a subscription paid by libraries has increased dramatically, journal subscriptions represent a large percentage of a library's acquisition budget, and publishing costs have remained more or less constant. This argument connects to two patterns: use of percentages and representativeness. It assumes 1) that libraries make up a high percentage of all subscriptions and/or 2) that the higher rate paid by libraries is representative of rates paid by all subscribers. The correct answer will indicate that publishing scholarly journals may not in fact be much more profitable than it used to be. A. No. This choice is out of scope. The issue is profit made by the publisher, not how libraries might be making up for increased costs. B. No. This choice plays on the fact that percentages are relevant to the argument, but it provides a new irrelevant percentage. C. No. The argument is about actual profit, not the fact that publishers need profit. D. Yes. If the majority of subscriptions are paid by individuals (and therefore a small percentage are being paid by libraries at the increased rate), and if those individual subscriptions have not increased in price, then publishers may not be getting a lot more money than they used to. E. No. The number of times a year journals are published isn't relevant to the argument about overall subscription rates and profits.

Answer 616

Correct Answer: A A Main Point The stated main point of the argument is "Surely he is mistaken," meaning that Gurney's books' lack of appeal to a wide audience is not the real reason why Gurney is not praised. The premise is that the real reason is that his books are flat and leave no lasting impression. A. Yes. This answer provides the overall conclusion by filling in what Gurney is mistaken about. B. No. The issue of the argument is the cause of the lack of praise, not whether or not Gurney actually deserves praise. C. No. This choice is a premise supporting the main point, not the main point itself. This is a common Attractor for Main Point questions. D. No. This is the opposite of the main point. That is, it is Gurney's argument, and the author of the argument disagrees with Gurney. E. No. First, this choice has the wrong tone; the argument says nothing positive about Gurney's writing that would indicate that Gurney deserves praise. Second, the issue at hand is why Gurney has not been praised, not whether or not he deserves some praise.

Answer 617

Correct Answer: A A Resolve/Explain The correct answer will explain how lightning could have produced the first amino acids on Earth, even if it is true that Earth's atmosphere was not "reducing." That is, how amino acids have formed and survived even if the atmosphere was not rich in hydrogen and lean in oxygen. A. Yes. This choice indicates that the necessary conditions for the formation and survival could have existed for a period of time, even if the atmosphere as a whole was not generally conducive. B. No. This choice begs the question of how that single amino acid could have formed and survived in the first place in an atmosphere that did not offer the necessary conditions for that to happen. C. No. We care about the atmosphere at the time life began, not since. D. No. The main problem with this choice is that it doesn't address the issue of how amino acids could have formed in an atmosphere lacking the necessary conditions for that formation. E. No. This choice is very attractive. The problem is, it doesn't tell you that any meteorites actually did hit the Earth.

Answer 618

Correct Answer: B B Principle Strengthen The art critic's main point is that the award was inappropriate. Why? The award should be given for criticism, and Paulson's reviews of automobiles were not criticism. Why weren't they criticism? Because cars are utilitarian things, not works of art, and objects that are not works of art do not reveal important truths about the culture that produced them. The art critic is assuming that to be criticism, something must reveal important truths about the culture that produced them. The correct answer will help justify the claim that Paulson's work was not in fact criticism. A. No. The critic does not say that Paulson portrayed cars as works of art, only that she discussed autos and that autos are not works of art. Therefore, this choice does not apply to the case at hand. B. Yes. The missing connection in the argument as written is between reviewing objects that do not reveal important truths about culture, that review not being criticism. If, as this answer choice states, a review cannot be criticism unless it reveals important cultural truths, and if according to the stated premises, Paulson's reviews were about objects that do not reveal important cultural truths, then it would be true that Paulson's reviews lacked a necessary condition for qualifying as criticism. C. No. You don't know whether or not Paulson's reviews were intended to reveal truths, only that they did not do so. Even if this choice is true, Paulson's work could still qualify as criticism. D. No. You don't know that Paulson did not consider herself to be a critic, only that this art critic does not accept her work as criticism. Therefore, even if this choice is true, Paulson's work could still have deserved the award. E. No. This choice reverses the logical direction of the correct answer. You need a choice that states that writing that does NOT reveal important truths about a culture should NOT be considered criticism. A statement that tells you that certain writing should be considered criticism doesn't tell you that any other kind of writing should not be considered criticism.

Answer 619

Correct Answer: A A Strengthen The manager makes the causal claim that the change in the free shipping policy probably caused the increase in sales. The premises offer a correlation: The increase in sales started around the same time as the policy was changed. Like most causal arguments, this is assuming that there was no alternate cause. An answer that either states or strongly suggests that there was no other cause will strengthen the manager's argument. A. Yes. If the sales by companies that were not offering unlimited free shipping had also increased, that would create a problem for the argument by suggesting that some other cause was afoot. But if, as the choice states, other companies that did not have the supposed cause also did not experience the effect, it supports the claim that the shipping policy was in fact the cause of the increased sales. B. No. This choice has no real impact; if anything, it goes in a weakening direction. The less likely it was that consumers knew about the new policy, the less likely it was that the new policy affected sales. C. No. This is a causal argument, and this choice tells you nothing about the cause of the increased sales and/or profits. D. No. Without information about how competitors' shipping policies affected their sales, this statement has no impact on the manager's argument. E. No. Without any information about how those limited free shipping policies affect those companies' sales, this choice has no effect on the manager's argument.

Answer 620

Correct Answer: D D Parallel The main point in the argument is that it would be unwise to build nuclear power plants. Why? Because even though the likelihood of a meltdown is small, if a meltdown did happen, the consequences would be terrible. So, you are looking for an answer choice that argues that something is a bad idea because even though there is a low risk of a bad outcome, the outcome would be extremely bad if it were to come to pass. A. No. First, this argument does not conclude that it is a bad idea to go mountain climbing. Second, it argues that the chance of an accident is actually higher than it seems, while the original argument accepted that the chance of a meltdown was in fact very low. B. No. First, this choice is arguing for an action, not against it. Second, there is no theme of short-term/long-term benefits in the original argument. C. No. This choice is looking great up until the last piece. However, it ends up by weighing risk versus reward, while there is no discussion of small rewards in the original argument. D. Yes. Each part of this choice matches logically with each piece of the original argument. The risk of an accident is low, but it is still a bad idea to engage in the activity because if an accident does happen, the consequences would be severe. E. No. This answer is matching up fairly well up to but not including the final piece. The original argument says nothing about the amount of effort required.

Answer 621

Correct Answer: E E Principle Strengthen The principle in the argument is that research institutions have an obligation to promote any theoretical research that might provide insight into practical causes of problems that affect quality of life. The question asks for an action that would be justified by this principle. So, you are looking for a case in which a research institution carries out theoretical research that might help us understand the causes of real-life problems. A. No. The principle does not give practical application as a necessary condition, but rather as a sufficient condition. Therefore, it can only justify doing or approving something, not denying something. B. No. There is no indication here that this research will help us to understand the causes of practical problems that affect quality of life. C. No. There is no indication here that the university is funding actual theoretical research or that the funding of this research position will have an impact on our understanding of practical problems. D. No. Since the principle is about what would justify research, not what would make it unjustified, the principle cannot be used to justify the denial of anything, including this research into applied mathematics. E. Yes. This research institution is funding theoretical work that can help us to understand practical problems, and disease could reasonably be seen as affecting quality of life.

Answer 622

Correct Answer: B B Resolve/Explain The mystery that requires explanation is that among office workers who do similar amounts of typing, those reporting the least amount of control over their own work had over three times the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, a nerve disorder caused by repetitive motions. The correct answer will need to explain the connection between feeling that one does not have control and being vulnerable to disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome. A. No. The study compared workers who do similar amounts of typing. B. Yes. This choice provides a causal connection between feeling like you don't have control over your work and being more likely to get carpal tunnel syndrome. C. No. This choice explains why typing may cause carpal tunnel syndrome, not why people who feel like they have less control would be more susceptible. Make sure that the answer you choose explains what the question is asking you to explain. D. No. While this choice states that a similar result occurs among other office workers, it doesn't explain why this correlation occurs. E. No. This choice goes in the opposite direction and makes the results more, not less, surprising.

Answer 623

Correct Answer: C C Principle Strengthen The principle states that telemarketers should never do anything that would make clients more likely to dislike the agencies' clients. The scenario in the application that requires justification is that if someone says that he or she doesn't want to buy, the telemarketer shouldn't try to talk that person into buying. You are looking for an answer choice that makes the principle relevant to the application, that is, something that indicates that pushing a person to buy makes that person more likely to dislike the telemarketing agency's clients. A. No. This choice doesn't go far enough to justify the application of the principle. The fact that an employee can determine whether or not trying to talk someone who has declined to buy into buying a product doesn't justify never trying to talk such a person into buying. B. No. This answer doesn't go far enough to justify the application. The fact that some employees may not know if pushing a reluctant person to buy will alienate that person doesn't prove that employees should never push such people to buy. C. Yes. If pushing a person to make a purchase after he or she has already declined will always engender animosity, and if according to the principle one should never do anything that predisposes people to dislike the client, then no telemarketing employee should try to talk such a person into buying. D. No. The issue is whether or not a telemarketer should further push a person who has refused to buy, not whether people will refuse to buy in the first place. E. No. The issue is whether or not a telemarketer should keep selling a person who has refused to buy, not whether or why people will refuse to buy in the first place.

Answer 624

Correct Answer: E E Sufficient Assumption The main point of the argument is that Pluto is not a real planet. Why? Because it was first formed in orbit around Neptune and then later ejected. The argument assumes that Pluto does not fulfill the necessary conditions for being a planet and that being formed in orbit around Neptune disqualifies it from planethood. A. No. The issue is whether or not Pluto is a planet now, not whether or not it was a planet while it was orbiting Neptune. B. No. This choice does not go far enough towards proving the conclusion true. Just because some celestial bodies orbiting the sun that have an atmosphere are not true planets doesn't mean that Pluto in particular is not a true planet. C. No. The fact that if things had gone down differently Pluto would not now be a planet doesn't tell us anything about the status of Pluto now, given that Pluto was in fact ejected from Neptune's orbit. D. No. The author of the argument has already dismissed size as a relevant characteristic. Therefore, an answer that tells you that size is not relevant to planethood will not take you any closer to proving the conclusion true. E. Yes. This choice tells you that forming exclusively in orbit around the sun is a necessary condition for being a planet. Given that you already know from the argument that Pluto formed in orbit around Neptune, not around the sun, this choice proves that Pluto is not a planet.

Answer 625

Correct Answer: E E Resolve/Explain One side of the conflict requiring resolution is that a high-calorie diet with adequate fats was necessary for the evolution of the modern human brain, and the food resources that could support this type of diet were most abundant in accessible shore environments. The other side of the conflict is that despite this being true, the evolution of the human brain took place almost exclusively in savanna and woodland areas. So, you would think that the brain's evolution would have largely taken place where crucial resources were most available. The correct answer will explain why the human brain evolved in savanna and woodland areas rather than in the coastal areas. A. No. This choice doesn't go far enough to explain the apparent conflict. You already know that fat was necessary for the evolution of the brain. The fact that early humans may have needed less fat than modern humans doesn't explain why the brain didn't evolve in the geographical regions where the necessary fat was most abundant. B. No. You still know that fat was necessary for the evolution of that brain, regardless of its size. Therefore, this choice doesn't explain why the brain didn't evolve in the geographical regions where the necessary fat was most abundant. C. No. You still know from the passage that, at the time early humans were evolving, the shore offered even more necessary resources than the savanna and woodlands. This choice doesn't explain why the brain evolved in the geographical areas where necessary resources were less available. D. No. This choice is out of scope. The fact that these techniques have been developed recently tells us nothing about the interpretation or validity of findings that may have been uncovered through the use of those techniques. E. Yes. This choice gets at another part of the cost/benefit equation. What matters is how many calories in sum were available to the body for the evolution of the brain. This cost/benefit equation involves not only the food calories gathered, but the calories expended in the course of food gathering. Even if calories and fats were more readily available on the coast, if gathering those resources ate up more calories than did finding food in other areas, then early humans in those other areas may have come out ahead of early shore-dwelling humans.

Answer 626

Correct Answer: D D Point at Issue Editor Y's point is that this is a good photograph. Why? Because the composition is attractive, especially the smoke. Editor Z's point is that it is a bad photograph. Why? Because it doesn't make a statement, given that there is no reason for the smoke to be there. The two editors therefore are disagreeing about whether the photo is good or bad, based on its qualities. You need an answer choice with which one editor would agree, and the other disagree. A. No. This choice doesn't focus on whether or not the photo is good. Along the same lines, you also don't know what Editor Y would say to this statement. He or she could agree that the composition should be related to a statement being made and still claim that attractiveness is sufficient for being a good photo. B. No. This choice is tempting because it references the relevant issues, but it reverses necessary and sufficient conditions such that you don't know what either editor would say to this statement. C. No. The point at issue isn't what makes a photo attractive, but what makes a photo good. Furthermore, while Editor Z would agree with this statement, you don't know whether or not Editor Y thinks that the photo makes a statement. D. Yes. Editor Y would agree with this statement; he or she argues that it is attractive and that therefore it is good. Editor Z would disagree with this statement; he or she argues that while it is pretty, it is still a bad photo, since it doesn't make a statement. E. No. You don't know what Editor Y would say to this statement; prettiness is never discussed in his or her argument.

Answer 627

Correct Answer: D D Sufficient Assumption The president's main point is that if we are to maintain quality, we must market our programs more aggressively. The premises are that we will have to reduce spending next year if we do not increase enrollment, and we can't increase enrollment without aggressive marketing. Notice the shift or gap in the argument; maintaining quality shows up only in the conclusion. The president assumes that maintaining current levels of spending is necessary to maintaining quality. You are looking for the answer choice that, when added into the existing premises, goes furthest towards proving the conclusion true. A. No. This choice begins promisingly, but it goes wrong at the end by turning in the opposite direction. The president assumes that increasing enrollment is necessary for maintaining quality of education, not that it is inconsistent with it. B. No. First, given that this choice says nothing about maintaining quality, it can't make any progress towards proving the conclusion true. C. No. First, it makes no connection between the premises and maintaining course quality. Second, it takes another premise and states that the necessary condition is also a sufficient condition for increasing enrollment, without providing any support for the conclusion. D. Yes. This choice provides the missing connection between the stated premises and the conclusion. If aggressive marketing is necessary for maintaining enrollment (premise), and maintaining enrollment is necessary for maintaining spending, and maintaining spending is necessary for maintaining course quality, then it must be true that aggressive marketing is necessary for maintaining quality. E. No. This choice makes no connection to the conclusion about maintaining quality. It reverses the conditional statements in the premises without providing any connection or support to the conclusion.

Answer 628

Correct Answer: D D Inference The argument provides you with a variety of statements to take as true and which you can put into conditional form. The correct answer will be something that you can deduce from these statements. A. No. You don't know what percentage of residents will continue to recycle to some extent, only that residents overall will recycle a lesser percentage of their waste. B. No. This choice is too extreme. You can't infer that all who continue to recycle will sort, only that they would be required to by the city. It is possible that some of those who continue to recycle would defy the city and put their recyclables out unsorted. C. No. You don't know anything from the argument about the cost of sending garbage to landfills or about how that cost might compare to the current cost of sorting. This choice is out of scope. D. Yes. By connecting the two strings of conditional statements in the premises, you see the following: Stay within budget → not pay cost of city workers' sorting → residents required to sort → more recyclables in garbage → more recyclables in landfill. That is, Stay within budget → more recyclables in landfills. E. No. This choice confuses necessary and sufficient conditions. All you know to be true if residents are required to sort is that more recyclables will go into the garbage and from there into landfills.

Answer 629

Correct Answer: C C Flaw The conclusion is that the sentinel's behavior is motivated in part by altruism. The key premise is that the loud bark emitted by the sentinel as it dashes for safety alerts the other members to the danger. This is a causal argument, and the flawed assumption is that the cause of the sentinel's bark is at least in part a desire to help its fellow meerkats. A. No. The evidence is not inconsistent with the conclusion; it just doesn't fully support it. B. No. This choice describes circular reasoning. However, in this argument, the conclusion doesn't repeat a premise; the premises stand independently from the conclusion. C. Yes. You know only that an effect of the bark is to alert other meerkats. You have no evidence that this was in fact the intent of the fleeing sentinel. Based on the evidence given in the passage, it is possible that the sentinel is looking out only for itself, and the warning given to its fellows is a mere coincidental side effect. D. No. This choice is too extreme. The argument claims only that the sentinel's behavior is motivated "at least in part by altruism," not that it is entirely altruistic. E. No. The author is arguing for, not against, a claim. Furthermore, if you take "the sentinel's behavior is entirely self-interested" as an implied "claim" that the author is arguing against, he or she does so by presenting his or her own evidence, not by questioning the sufficiency of any opposing evidence.

Answer 630

Correct Answer: B B Point at Issue Alex's main point is that shrimp farming damages the environment, based on the premise that investors make quick profits and then abandon the farms. Jolene disagrees with Alex's premises; she states that most shrimp farmers invest a lot of time and money into making their farms productive over the long term. Note that Jolene doesn't directly address Alex's point about environmental damage; she only objects to his claim about investors making quick profits and then abandoning the farm. A. No. Note the word "eventually." Jolene doesn't claim that shrimp farms are never or rarely abandoned, only that most are not quickly abandoned. B. Yes. Alex would say yes, it is true that this often happens. Jolene would say no, most of the time it does not happen. C. No. This is a highly attractive wrong answer. But, note that Jolene says nothing about damage to the environment from shrimp farming overall. She only claims that most of the time it doesn't come about by the means described by Alex. For all we know, Jolene could believe that shrimp farming often damages the environment in other ways. D. No. The two could well agree on this point. The point at issue is how often the farms are quickly abandoned, not whether or not abandonment causes damage. E. No. Note the word "some" here. The two could agree on this point. Jolene argues that this doesn't happen a majority of the time, not that it never happens.

Answer 631

Correct Answer: D D Parallel Flaw The premises state that for a certain category of people two things can't both be true: That is, you can't get both a poor evaluation and a raise. The author then concludes that because one of those things is not true, the other one must be. Lester failed to get a raise, so he must have a poor evaluation. Or putting it even more simply: You can't have both A and B. Lester doesn't have B, so he must have A. The flaw is that the fact that you can't have both doesn't mean that you have to have either, but the argument assumes that it does. The correct answer will be flawed in this same way. A. No. The statement in this choice has no flaw. If those who live in a house can't both own it and pay rent, and someone pays rent, then it follows logically that they do not own it. B. No. The argument here is that you can't have both A and B. So and so has A; therefore he doesn't have B. C. No. The logic here is that for a certain group of people, if someone doesn't do A, then they must do B. The So-and-sos haven't paid rent, so they must own. While this choice is flawed, this flaw doesn't match the flaw in the original argument. This choice doesn't have the "can't have both" structure or assumption of the original. D. Yes. If you live in a house, you don't both rent and own. So-and-so doesn't own. Therefore, he must rent. Like the original, this argument makes the flawed assumption that if two things can't both be true, and one of them is not true, then the other thing must be true. E. No. There is no flaw here. If you don't own, you must rent. The So-and-sos do not own. Therefore, they must rent.

Answer 632

Correct Answer: E E Flaw The conclusion is that insufficient consumption of fiber causes colon cancer, and sufficient consumption of fiber prevents it. The evidence for this conclusion is the inverse relationship between high fiber diets and the incidence of colon cancer. Like almost any causal argument, this argument assumes that there is no alternate cause for the correlation. However, there is no evidence directly supporting the claim that the fiber is in fact the causal factor—this is your flaw. A. No. Whether or not fiber consumption is rising in certain countries isn't relevant to the claim the author makes about these countries and their current fiber consumption levels and patterns. B. No. This, if true, would be entirely consistent with the argument. Overlooking something that, if true, would make your claims even stronger is not a flaw. C. No. Whether or not it is difficult to eat fiber isn't an issue here, but rather the effect of fiber if it is in fact consumed. D. No. This is a fairly common type of wrong answer to a Flaw question: It states that there could be some variation within the general category of things discussed in the argument. However, the argument does not assume that the fiber in fruits and vegetables on one hand and in cereal on the other is exactly the same, but just that it has similar cancer-fighting properties overall. E. Yes. Low colon cancer rates are correlated with consumption of high-fiber foods, but the fiber level doesn't have to be the real cause; there could be some other substance that is correlated with fiber content that is itself the real cancer-fighting element. That is, the argument is flawed because it overlooks the possibility of an alternate cause.

Answer 633

Correct Answer: B B Main Point This argument has a "Disagree" structure. The conclusion is that even if something like human language would exist in a species from which we evolved, this does not mean that chimps have anything like human language. Why not? Because humans did not evolve from chimps. A. No. This is a premise, not the main conclusion. B. Yes. This is the opposite of what "many people" think. The author refutes this belief with the premise that humans did not evolve from chimps. C. No. The level of sophistication in the chimp communication system is not the core issue here, but rather whether or not that communication system is similar to human language. D. No. The issue for the anthropologist is that chimps lack a human-like language, not that they lack intelligence. The issue of intelligence does not come up in the passage. E. No. This is a premise, not the main point. This is a common Main Point trap answer.

LSAT PREP TEST QUESTIONS Flashcards

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