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A graduate degree in policymaking is necessary to serve in the presidential cabinet. In addition, every member of the cabinet must pass a security clearance. No person with a felony can pass a security clearance. Rick holds a graduate degree in policymaking, but he has a conviction for driving under the influence. Tthe... | The argument's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Holding a graduate degree is less important than having a felony conviction.",
"Driving under the influence is a felony.",
"Anyone without a felony conviction can pass a security clearance.",
"Rick's conviction for drunk driving calls his character in question."
] | 1 | train_1000 |
An undergraduate degree is necessary for appointment to the executive board. Further, no one with a felony conviction can be appointed to the board. Thus, Murray, an accountant with both a bachelor' s and a master' s degree, cannot be accepted for the position of Executive Administrator, since he has a felony convictio... | The argument's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"An undergraduate degree is not necessary for acceptance for the position of Executive Administrator.",
"Anyone with a master's degree and without a felony conviction is eligible for appointment to the executive board.",
"Only candidates eligible for appointment to the executive board can be accepted for the po... | 2 | train_1001 |
A company that imports and sells collectibles sought to have some of its collectible figurines classified as toys, which are subject to lower import tariffs than collectibles. The company argued that the figurines amuse customers, just as toys do. However, the government agency responsible for tariffs rejected the comp... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the government agency's decision? | [
"The tariff classification of an item should depend primarily on how the item is marketed.",
"Objects that are developed primarily to provide amusement should be subject to lower tariffs than other objects.",
"When importing products, a company should seek the tariff classification that results in the lowest ta... | 0 | train_1002 |
Increasing Mary' s allowance would cause her to become spoiled and harm her chances of making new friends. Since Mary' s parents would not do anything to cause their daughter to be unable to make new friends, they will not increase Mary' s allowance. | Which of the following patterns of reasoning is most similar to that in the paragraph above? | [
"In school districts that use standardized tests, student achievement is lower than in other districts. Ttherefore, eliminating standardized tests will increase student achievements in these districts.",
"Children who attend schools with diverse populations are more likely to participate in community service proj... | 2 | train_1003 |
Scientist: There is little doubt that the ice ages were caused by the unusually rich growth of vegetation worldwide. Since vegetation converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, excessive vegetation would have depleted the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide helps the atmosphere retain the sun' s heat. Thus, if t... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the scientist's argument? | [
"If unusually rich growth of vegetation caused the ice ages, it undoubtedly did so by depleting the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.",
"An excessive growth of vegetation causes the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to be depleted.",
"If the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is depleted, the earth cools significa... | 3 | train_1004 |
Politician: Those economists who claim that consumer price increases have averaged less than 3 percent over the last year are mistaken. They clearly have not shopped anywhere recently. Gasoline is up 10 percent over the last year; my auto insurance, 12 percent; newspapers, 15 percent; propane, 13 percent; bread, 50 per... | The reasoning in the politician's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"attempts to persuade by making an emotional appeal",
"fails to show that the economists mentioned are not experts in the area of consumer prices",
"uses evidence drawn from a small sample that may well be unrepresentative",
"impugns the character of the economists rather than addressing their arguments"
] | 2 | train_1005 |
Veterinarians generally derive some of their income from selling several manufacturers' lines of pet-care products. Knowing that pet owners rarely throw away mail from their pet' s veterinarian unread, one manufacturer of pet-care products offered free promotional materials on its products to veterinarians for mailing ... | Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the veterinarian's reaction to the manufacturer's promotional scheme? | [
"Veterinarians sometimes recommend that pet owners use products formulated for people when no suitable product specially formulated for animals is available.",
"Many pet owners have begun demanding quality in products they buy for their pets that is as high as that in products they buy for themselves.",
"The sp... | 3 | train_1006 |
Amateur gardeners who plant based on the phases of the moon tend to get better results than those who do not. This seems surprising since the phases of the moon do not affect how plants grow. An alternative practice often found among amateur gardeners is to plant during the first warm spell of spring, which leads to pr... | The argument requires assuming which one of the following? | [
"Amateur gardeners who use the phases of the moon tend to plant different types of plants than do other amateur gardeners.",
"Amateur gardeners cannot improve their results unless they understand why their methods work as they do.",
"The phases of the moon affect whether a frost follows the first warm spell of ... | 3 | train_1007 |
Cognitive scientist: Using the pioneering work of comparative psychologist Gordon Gallup as a model, several studies have investigated animals' capacity for mirror self-recognition (MSR). Most animals exposed to a mirror respond only with social behavior, such as aggression. However, in the case of the great apes, repe... | The cognitive scientist makes which of the following assumptions in the argument above? | [
"If an animal does not have the capacity for MSR, it does not have the capacity for self-awareness.",
"When exposed to a mirror, all animals display either social behavior or self-directed behavior.",
"Animals that do not exhibit MSR may demonstrate a capacity for self-awareness in other ways.",
"If a researc... | 0 | train_1008 |
The cost of producing radios in Country Q is 10 percent less than the cost of producing radios in Country Y. Even after transportation fees and tariff charges are added, it is still cheaper for a company to import radios from Country Q to Country Y than to produce radios in Country Y. | The statements above, if true, best support which of the following assertions? | [
"Importing radios from Country Q to Country Y will eliminate 10 percent of the manufacturing jobs in Country Y.",
"The tariff on a radio imported from Country Q to Country Y is less than 10 percent of the cost of manufacturing the radio in Country Y.",
"Labor costs in Country Q are 10 percent below those in Cou... | 1 | train_1009 |
Recent investigations of earthquakes have turned up a previously unknown type of seismic shock, known as a displacement pulse, which is believed to be present in all earthquakes. Alarmingly, high-rise buildings are especially vulnerable to displacement pulses, according to computer models. Yet examination of high-rises... | Which one of the following, if true, contributes to a resolution of the apparent paradox? | [
"Computer models have been very successful in predicting the effects of other types of seismic shock.",
"Scientific predictions based on computer models often fail when tested in the field.",
"The displacement pulses made by low- and medium-intensity earthquakes are much less powerful than those made by the str... | 1 | train_1010 |
In Sheldon most bicyclists aged 18 and over have lights on their bicycles, whereas most bicyclists under the age of 18 do not. It follows that in Sheldon most bicyclists who have lights on their bicycles are at least 18 years old. | Which one of the following exhibits a pattern of flawed reasoning most similar to that in the argument above? | [
"Most of the people in Sheldon buy gasoline on Mondays only. But almost everyone in Sheldon buys groceries on Tuesdays only. It follows that fewer than half of the people in Sheldon buy gasoline on the same day on which they buy groceries.",
"The Sheldon Library lent more books during the week after it began lend... | 2 | train_1011 |
In order to reduce the number of items damaged while in transit to customers, packaging consultants recommended that the TrueSave mail-order company increase the amount of packing material so as to fill any empty spaces in its cartons. Accordingly, TrueSave officials instructed the company's packers to use more packing... | Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain why acting on the consultants' recommendation failed to achieve its goal? | [
"TrueSave has lost some of its regular customers as a result of the high number of damaged items they received.",
"The amount of packing material used in a carton does not significantly influence the ease with which a customer can unpack the package.",
"The change in packing policy led to an increase in expendi... | 3 | train_1012 |
A survey has shown that public perceptions of comparative risks differ radically from the assessments of risk-management experts. For example, living near a nuclear power plant was judged a much greater risk by the survey respondents than it was by the experts. On the other hand, exposure to X-rays was judged a signifi... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument? | [
"The survey's respondents did not include people living near nuclear power plants.",
"Not all of the survey respondents considered living near a nuclear power plant to be a voluntary risk.",
"It is not the case that involuntary risks are usually greater than voluntary risks.",
"People never consider risks tha... | 1 | train_1013 |
Charles: During recessions unemployment typically rises. Thus, during a recession air pollution due to automobile exhaust decreases, since fewer people commute in cars to jobs and so cars emitting pollutants into the air are used less. Darla: Why think that air pollution would decrease? During a recession fewer people ... | Which one of the following most accurately describes how Darla's response is related to Charles's argument? | [
"It calls into question the truth of the premises that Charles uses to support his conclusion.",
"It presents an argument showing that the premises in Charles' s argument support an absurd conclusion that Charles has overlooked.",
"It presents an additional consideration that weakens the support given to Charle... | 2 | train_1014 |
Studies show that the moderate consumption of alcohol, particularly red wine, offers some health benefits. In addition, even if deemed appropriate, prohibition would be impossible since the demand is so high. However, the heavy consumption of alcohol can be addictive and deadly. | Which one of the following conclusions most logically follows from the argument? | [
"Regulation of alcohol would work better than prohibition.",
"Prohibition of alcohol is ill-conceived.",
"The benefits of alcohol outweigh the costs.",
"Excessive consumption of alcohol is harmful."
] | 0 | train_1015 |
Publishers, like all private businesses, have always been concerned about profitability. But, while it used to be at least possible to get a book published that was unlikely to be popular, and hence unlikely to be a moneymaker, profitability is now the sole criterion. Thus, no matter how much literary merit a book poss... | Which one of the following sentences most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the argument? | [
"Good books are published now only if they are also likely to be popular.",
"Unpopular books are not likely to make money for the publisher.",
"Books of literary merit cannot be published in today's market.",
"It is harder to get a book published today than it once was."
] | 0 | train_1016 |
People should avoid taking the antacid calcium carbonate in doses larger than half a gram, for despite its capacity to neutralize stomach acids, calcium carbonate can increase the calcium level in the blood and thus impair kidney function. Moreover, just half a gram of it can stimulate the production of gastrin, a stom... | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"Half a gram of calcium carbonate can causally contribute to both the secretion and the neutralization of stomach acids.",
"Impaired kidney function may increase the level of calcium in the blood.",
"People who avoid taking more than half a gram of calcium carbonate are less likely than average to suffer from i... | 0 | train_1017 |
Social critic: The operas composed by Bizet and Verdi are nineteenth-century European creations, reflecting the attitudes and values in France and Italy at the end of that century. Several recent studies impugn these operas on the grounds that they reinforce in our society many stereotypes about women. But only a small... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion that the social critic's argument, as it is stated above, is structured to establish? | [
"The operas of Bizet and Verdi have not significantly contributed to stereotypical images of women in contemporary North America.",
"Bizet and Verdi constructed images of women that have significantly influenced contemporary stereotypes.",
"Nineteenth-century French and Italian images of women are quite differe... | 0 | train_1018 |
It now seems clear that the significant role initially predicted for personal computers in the classroom has not become fact. One need only look to the dramatic decline in sales of computers for classroom use in the past year for proof that the fad has passed. | Which one of the following arguments contains flawed reasoning parallel to that in the argument above? | [
"Mechanical translation from one language into another, not merely in narrow contexts such as airline reservations but generally, is clearly an idea whose time has come. Since experts have been working on the problem for 40 years, it is now time for the accumulated expertise to achieve a breakthrough.",
"Clearly,... | 2 | train_1019 |
In a medical study of all of the residents of Groverhill, 35 people reported consulting their physician last year seeking relief from severe headaches. Those same physicians' records, however, indicate that 105 consultations occurred last year with Groverhill patients seeking relief from severe headaches. Obviously, th... | The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"overlooks the possibility that residents of Groverhill visited their physicians more than once during the year for the same condition",
"fails to provide any evidence to support the claim that the residents of Groverhill have an unusually high occurrence of severe headaches",
"takes for granted that every resi... | 0 | train_1020 |
The faculty of Grey County Public Schools will shortly go on strike unless the school board increases their salary. As the school board president is well aware, however, in order to increase the faculty' s salary, Grey County Public Schools would have to cut some of its after-school programs. So, some of Grey County Pu... | The conclusion above is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"The school board will refuse to increase the faculty's salary.",
"The school board president has the authority to offer the faculty their desired salary increase.",
"The faculty of Grey County Public Schools will not be going on strike.",
"The faculty of Grey County Public Schools will not accept a package o... | 2 | train_1021 |
Ideally, scientific laws should display the virtues of precision and generality, as do the laws of physics. However, because of the nature of their subject matter, laws of social science often have to use terms that are imprecise: for example, one knows only vaguely what is meant by "republicanism" or "class. " As for ... | Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"Social scientists should make an effort to construct more laws that apply to all societies.",
"All else being equal, a precise, general scientific law is to be preferred over one that is not general.",
"Terms such as \"class\" should be more precisely formulated by social scientists.",
"The laws of social sc... | 1 | train_1022 |
Statistics from the National Booksellers Association indicate that during the last five years most bookstores have started to experience declining revenues from the sale of fiction, despite national campaigns to encourage people to read more fiction. Ttherefore, these reading campaigns have been largely unsuccessful. | Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"The National Booksellers Association statistics do not include profits from selling novels by mail to overseas customers.",
"During the last five years the most profitable items in bookstores have been newspapers and periodicals rather than novels.",
"Due to the poor economic conditions that have prevailed dur... | 3 | train_1023 |
A history book written hundreds of years ago contains several inconsistencies. Some scholars argue that because the book contains inconsistencies, the author must have been getting information from more than one source. | The conclusion cited does not follow unless | [
"the history book's author used no source that contained inconsistencies repeated in the history book",
"the author of the history book was familiar with all of the available source material that was relevant to the history book",
"the inconsistencies would be apparent to the average reader of the history book ... | 0 | train_1024 |
Very little is known about prehistoric hominid cave dwellers. However, a recent study of skeletons of these hominids has revealed an important clue about their daily activities: skeletal fractures present are most like the type and distribution of fractures sustained by rodeo riders. Ttherefore, it is likely that these... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the argumentation above? | [
"The most important aspect of prehistoric life to be studied is how food was obtained.",
"The primary source of clues about the lives of prehistoric hominids is their skeletal remains.",
"If direct evidence as to the cause of a phenomenon is available, then indirect evidence should not be sought.",
"If there ... | 3 | train_1025 |
Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world; unreasonable people persist in trying to adapt the world to themselves. Ttherefore, all progress depends on unreasonable people. | If all of the statements in the passage above are true, which one of the following statements must also be true? | [
"Reasonable people and unreasonable people are incompatible.",
"If there are only reasonable people, there cannot be progress.",
"Some unreasonable people are unable to bring about progress.",
"If there are unreasonable people, there will be progress."
] | 1 | train_1026 |
Interpreting the lines in the desert as landing strips for spaceship-traveling aliens, an investigator argues that they could hardly have been Inca roads, asking, "What use to the Inca would have been closely spaced roads that ran parallel? That intersected in a sunburst pattern? That came abruptly to an end in the mid... | In Peru, ancient disturbances in the dark surface material of a desert show up as light-colored lines that are the width of a footpath and stretch for long distances. One group of lines branching out like rays from a single point crosses over curved lines that form a very large bird figure. | [
"challenge the investigative methods used by those who developed the alternative interpretation",
"introduce evidence newly discovered by the investigator which discredits the alternative interpretation",
"support one interpretation by calling into question the plausibility of the alternative interpretation",
... | 2 | train_1027 |
Congressman Jones experienced a drop in his approval numbers after announcing that taxes in his district would increase the following year. His office also received a significant number of phone calls decrying this tax raise. Nevertheless, he claims that reactions to the tax increase were unrelated to his drop in voter... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports Congressman Jones's position? | [
"Congressman Jones previously raised taxes in his district and received a similar number of phone calls.",
"Elected officials are only likely to attribute drops in their approval numbers to policies only when citizens call their offices about these policies.",
"The citizens who called in to Congressman Jones's ... | 3 | train_1028 |
Fred argued that, since Kathleen is a successful film director, she has probably worked with famous actors. But, while Fred is right in supposing that most successful film directors work with famous actors, his conclusion is not warranted. For, as he knows, Kathleen works only on documentary films, and directors of doc... | Which one of the following strategies is used above to criticize Fred's reasoning? | [
"claiming that Fred has failed to take relevant information into account",
"showing that Kathleen must not have worked with famous actors",
"demonstrating that Fred has failed to show that most successful film directors work with famous actors",
"maintaining that too little is known about Kathleen to justify ... | 0 | train_1029 |
Politician: Most of those at the meeting were not persuaded by Kuyler' s argument, nor should they have been, for Kuyler' s argument implied that it would be improper to enter into a contract with the government; and yet -- as many people know -- Kuyler' s company has had numerous lucrative contracts with the governmen... | Which one of the following describes a flaw in the politician's argument? | [
"It rejects an argument merely on the grounds that the arguer has not behaved in a way that is consistent with the argument.",
"It concludes that an argument is defective merely on the grounds that the argument has failed to persuade anyone of the truth of its conclusion.",
"It rejects an argument on the basis ... | 0 | train_1030 |
A deadly virus that has claimed the lives of local villagers has been traced to the spotted fruit bat, in which the virus resides between periodic outbreaks. Biologists speculate that the bat might also be one of the reservoirs for a number of other viruses that have led to village fatalities. The local government has ... | Which of the following, if true, would best indicate that the government's plan will not lead to its objective? | [
"Though there are several other species of fruit bats in the area, the spotted fruit bat is the only one that serves as a reservoir for deadly viruses, which result in a majority of the village's fatalities.",
"Another species of bat has been observed feeding on small animals, and has also been reported to have b... | 3 | train_1031 |
In early 1990, Queenston instituted a tax increase that gave its school system a larger operating budget. The school system used the larger budget to increase the total number of teachers in the system by 30 percent between 1990 and 1993. Nevertheless, there was no change in the average number of students per teacher b... | If the statements above are true, then on the basis of them which one of the following must also be true? | [
"The total number of students enrolled in Queenston's school system increased between 1990 and 1993.",
"No classes in Queenston's school system experienced an increase in enrollment between 1990 and 1993.",
"The quality of education in Queenston's school system improved between 1990 and 1993.",
"Most teachers... | 0 | train_1032 |
A major art theft from a museum was remarkable in that the pieces stolen clearly had been carefully selected. The criterion for selection, however, clearly had not been greatest estimated market value. It follows that the theft was specifically carried out to suit the taste of some individual collector for whose privat... | The argument tacitly appeals to which one of the following principles? | [
"Any art theft committed at the direction of a single individual results in a pattern of works taken and works left alone that defies rational analysis.",
"The pattern of works taken and works left alone in an art theft can be particularly damaging to the integrity of the remaining collection.",
"The pattern of... | 2 | train_1033 |
Although most people know what their bad habits are and want to rid themselves of them, a majority of these people find it very difficult to do so. This is because cessation of habitual behavior is immediately and vividly painful, while whatever benefit is to be gained by the absence of the habit is perceived only diml... | The information above most strongly supports the statement that the people who are most successful at ending their bad habits are those who | [
"have succeeded in the past at modifying their behavior",
"can vividly imagine remote but attainable benefit",
"can vividly imagine their present pain being felt in the future",
"are relatively unaware of their own behavioral characteristics"
] | 1 | train_1034 |
Despite the best efforts of astronomers, no one has yet succeeded in exchanging messages with intelligent life on other planets or in other solar systems. In fact, no one has even managed to prove that any kind of extraterrestrial life exists. Thus, there is clearly no intelligent life anywhere but on Earth. | The argument's reasoning is flawed because the argument | [
"relies on a weak analogy rather than on evidence to draw a conclusion",
"confuses an absence of evidence for a hypothesis with the existence of evidence against the hypothesis",
"makes an inference that relies on the vagueness of the term \"life\"",
"fails to consider that there might be extraterrestrial for... | 1 | train_1035 |
Movie Director: Movies come out the best, in terms of both critical and box office success, when a single person has full creative control over the final product. Studios providing "notes" to the director, writer, producer, or whomever controls that vision, stifle the creative process. Studio Head: At the end of the da... | Which one of the following best describes the main point in dispute? | [
"The best way for the studio to communicate its feedback is always through \"notes. \"",
"Critical acclaim is more important than box office success.",
"More than one person should be involved in the creative process.",
"Test screenings are a waste of money."
] | 2 | train_1036 |
Trisha: Today' s family is declining in its ability to carry out its functions of child-rearing and providing stability for adult life. There must be a return to the traditional values of commitment and responsibility. Jerod: We ought to leave what is good enough alone. Contemporary families may be less stable than tra... | Trisha and Jerod disagree over whether the institution of the family is | [
"valued by most people",
"changing over time",
"adequate as it is",
"no longer traditional"
] | 2 | train_1037 |
One adaptation that enables an animal species to survive despite predation by other species is effective camouflage. Yet some prey species with few or no other adaptations to counteract predation have endured for a long time with black-and-white coloration that seems unlikely to provide effective camouflage. | Which one of the following, if true, most contributes to a resolution of the apparent discrepancy mentioned above? | [
"Animals of many predatory species do not perceive color or pattern in the same manner as humans do.",
"Conspicuous black-and-white areas help animals of the same species avoid encounters with one another.",
"Most species with black-and-white coloration are more populous than the species that prey upon them.",
... | 0 | train_1038 |
Heavy rains during Centralia' s corn planting season prevented some farmers there from planting corn. It is now the planting season for soybeans, another of Centralia' s principal crops, and those fields originally intended for corn are dry enough for planting. Nonetheless, even though soybean prices are unusually high... | Which of the following most logically completes the passage below? | [
"some Centralian farmers anticipate serious financial losses due to the extremely wet spring planting season",
"many Centralian farmers grow both corn and soybeans",
"the extensive rains have led to an increase in the price of corn",
"chemicals that were used to prepare the fields for corn planting would stun... | 3 | train_1039 |
In a vast ocean region, phosphorus levels have doubled in the past few decades due to agricultural runoff pouring out of a large river nearby. The phosphorus stimulates the growth of plankton near the ocean surface. Decaying plankton fall to the ocean floor, where bacteria devour them, consuming oxygen in the process. ... | Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the information above? | [
"The quantity of agricultural runoff pouring out of the river has doubled in the past few decades.",
"Before phosphorus levels doubled in the ocean region, most fish were able to survive in that region.",
"If agricultural runoff ceased pouring out of the river, there would be no bacteria on the ocean floor devo... | 3 | train_1040 |
Pauline and Lorraine are paid the same amount of wages per hour for working at the same company, but Pauline has a more difficult job than Lorraine. Pauline argues that because her job is more difficult, the company should pay her more than it pays Lorraine. | Which of the following statements best supports Pauline's argument? | [
"Pauline has fewer years of experience in her current job than Lorraine has in hers.",
"Pauline expects to be promoted to a higher-paying position.",
"The company's pay scale is intended to compensate more difficult work with higher wages.",
"Lorraine is not opposed to being paid less than Pauline."
] | 2 | train_1041 |
Sonya: Anyone who lives without constant awareness of the fragility and precariousness of human life has a mind clouded by illusion. Yet those people who are perpetually cognizant of the fragility and precariousness of human life surely taint their emotional outlook on existence. | Sonya's statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"It is better to be aware of the fragility and precariousness of human life than to have an untainted emotional outlook on existence.",
"It is impossible for anyone to live without some degree of self-deception.",
"Everyone whose emotional outlook on existence is untainted has a mind clouded by illusion.",
"E... | 2 | train_1042 |
Anger in response to insults is unreasonable, for insults are merely assertions that someone has undesirable characteristics. If such an assertion is false, the insulted party ought to pity the ignorance prompting the insult. If it is true, the insulted party should be grateful for such useful information. | Which one of the following, if assumed, enables the argument's conclusion to be properly drawn? | [
"Anger is an unreasonable response to any action that should prompt pity or gratitude.",
"Gratitude and pity are reasonable responses to some forms of hostile or insensitive behavior.",
"Actions prompted by ignorance do not warrant hostile reactions.",
"Pity is the only reasonable reaction to people with unde... | 0 | train_1043 |
Some educators claim that it is best that school courses cover only basic subject matter, but cover it in depth. These educators argue that if students achieve a solid grasp of the basic concepts and investigatory techniques in a subject, they will be able to explore the breadth of that subject on their own after the c... | The educators' reasoning provides grounds for accepting which one of the following statements? | [
"It is easier to understand any Greek tragedy after one has analyzed a few of them in detail.",
"It is easier to understand how plants and animals are classified after learning how plants and animals can be useful.",
"It is easier to learn many simple ideas well than to learn a few complicated ideas well.",
"... | 0 | train_1044 |
The city of Workney, in raising bus fares from $1. 00 to $1. 25, proposed that 18 fare tokens be sold for $20. 00 to alleviate the extra burden of the fare increase on the city' s poor people. Critics suggested alternatively that 9 fare tokens be sold for $10. 00, because a $20. 00 outlay would be prohibitive for poor ... | The alternative proposal depends on which of the following assumptions? | [
"Fewer riders would regularly purchase 18 fare tokens at once than would purchase only 9 fare tokens at once",
"The outlay of $10. 00 for the purchase of 9 fare tokens would not be prohibitive for bus riders who are poor.",
"Poor residents of Orkney will continue to ride the buses in the same numbers despite th... | 1 | train_1045 |
Mayor: To keep our neighborhoods clean, every street in town will be swept at least once a month. If a neighborhood needs more frequent sweepings, due to excessive dirt from major construction for example, that neighborhood will be qualified for interim sweepings. All requests for interim sweepings from qualified neigh... | If all of the mayor's statements are true, then which one of the following must also be true? | [
"A qualified neighborhood that requests an interim sweeping will have its streets swept more than once a month.",
"All qualified neighborhoods will get their streets swept more than once a month.",
"No street will be swept more than once a month unless it is located in a qualified neighborhood.",
"All neighbo... | 0 | train_1046 |
Taste buds were the primary tool early humans used for testing foods. Sour taste warns of possible spoilage of food while bitterness is a warning of many poisons. Early humans also recognized sweet foods and salty foods as meeting nutritional needs. So the fact that people can now clearly distinguish these four tastes-... | The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"takes a necessary condition for the truth of its conclusion to be sufficient to justify that conclusion",
"takes what might be only a partial explanation of a phenomenon to be the complete explanation",
"fails to consider that many people associate foods more with their smells than with their tastes",
"fails... | 1 | train_1047 |
Advertisement: Bonner cabinets, made in the traditional German way, are the finest quality cabinets in the world. The surveys prove this claim. In a recent survey, 9 out of 10 shoppers surveyed expressed a preference for Bonner cabinets, stating that they would buy no other cabinets. | Of the following, which one provides the strongest reason that the advertisement is potentially misleading? | [
"The people who stated a preference for Bonner cabinets might not have Bonner cabinets in their homes.",
"People who own cabinets might prefer wood cabinets.",
"The preference for Bonner cabinets might be based on a factor other than quality.",
"The American way of making cabinets usually requires the use of ... | 2 | train_1048 |
Interviewer: A certain company released a model of computer whose microprocessor design was flawed, making that computer liable to process information incorrectly. How did this happen? Industry spokesperson: Given the huge number of circuits in the microprocessor of any modern computer, not every circuit can be manuall... | The industry spokesperson's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it | [
"ignores the possibility that a microprocessor can have a flaw other than a design flaw",
"overlooks the possibility that a new computer model is liable to malfunction for reasons other than a microprocessor flaw",
"takes for granted, despite evidence to the contrary, that some computers are not liable to error... | 2 | train_1049 |
Rhett: Otto gives me a ride to work every morning and expects me to help pay for fuel. But I shouldn' t have to pay. Giving me a ride doesn' t increase the amount he spends on fuel, since he has to go right by my house anyway. Barbara: By that flawed logic, you would be entitled to the warm air that heats the unused sp... | The dialogue provides the most support for the claim that Rhett and Barbara disagree over whether | [
"Otto requires Rhett to help pay for fuel for the ride to work",
"giving Rhett a ride to work increases Otto's fuel expenses",
"Rhett is entitled to the warm air that heats Barbara's unused spare room",
"Rhett should have to help pay Otto's fuel expenses"
] | 3 | train_1050 |
We ought to pay attention only to the intrinsic properties of a work of art. Its other, extrinsic properties are irrelevant to our aesthetic interactions with it. For example, when we look at a painting we should consider only what is directly presented in our experience of it. What is really aesthetically relevant, tt... | The conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is added to the premises? | [
"There are certain properties of our experiences of artworks that can be distinguished as symbolic properties.",
"Only an artwork's intrinsic properties are relevant to our aesthetic interactions with it.",
"It is possible in theory for an artwork to symbolize nothing.",
"What an artwork symbolizes involves o... | 3 | train_1051 |
The Dvorak keyboard requires less finger movement than the ubiquitous QWERTY keyboard. As a result, Dvorak keyboard users are not only able to type more words per minute, but are also less vulnerable to both repetitive stress disorder and carpal tunnel syndrome. Nonetheless, businesses, as well as consumers, have not a... | Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the author's conclusion? | [
"Those suffering from repetitive stress injuries often attribute the injuries to multiple factors",
"Businesses have found that many employees who believe the QWERTY keyboard is responsible for stress-induced injuries are unaware of the Dvorak keyboard.",
"Many who have attempted using a Dvorak keyboard claim t... | 3 | train_1052 |
Having lived through extraordinary childhood circumstances, Robin has no conception of the moral difference between right and wrong, only between what is legally permitted and what is not. When Robin committed an offense, Robin did not recognize the fact that it was a morally wrong act, despite knowing that it was ille... | From the statements above, which one of the following can be properly inferred? | [
"Robin did something that was morally wrong.",
"Robin could now be brought to see the moral difference between right and wrong.",
"Robin's childhood could have provided more adequate moral training even in the circumstances.",
"Moral ignorance is never excusable in the eyes of the law."
] | 0 | train_1053 |
The amount of time it takes for most of a worker's occupational knowledge and skills to become obsolete has been declining because of the introduction of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT). Given the rate at which AMT is currently being introduced in manufacturing, the average worker's old skills become obsolete a... | Which of the following plans, if feasible, would allow a company to prepare most effectively for the rapid obsolescence of skills described above? | [
"The company will ensure that it can offer its employees any training necessary for meeting their job requirements.",
"The company will develop a program to offer selected employees the opportunity to receive training six years after they were originally hired.",
"The company will increase its investment in AMT... | 0 | train_1054 |
If there are sentient beings on planets outside our solar system, we will not be able to determine this anytime in the near future unless some of these beings are at least as intelligent as humans. We will not be able to send spacecraft to planets outside our solar system anytime in the near future, and any sentient be... | The argument's conclusion can be properly inferred if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Any sentient beings on planets outside our solar system that are at least as intelligent as humans would be capable of communicating with us.",
"If a sentient being on another planet cannot communicate with us, then the only way to detect its existence is by sending a spacecraft to its planet.",
"There are no ... | 1 | train_1055 |
Raphaela: Forcing people to help others is morally wrong. Ttherefore, no government has the right to redistribute resources via taxation. Anyone who wants can help others voluntarily. Edward: Governments do have that right, insofar as they give people the freedom to leave and hence not to live under their authority. | Raphaela and Edward disagree about the truth of which one of the following? | [
"Any government that forces people to help others should permit emigration.",
"Any government that permits emigration has the right to redistribute resources via taxation.",
"Any government that redistributes resources via taxation forces people to help others.",
"Every government should allow people to help ... | 1 | train_1056 |
Some doctors believe that a certain drug reduces the duration of episodes of vertigo, claiming that the average duration of vertigo for people who suffer from it has decreased since the drug was introduced. However, during a recent three-month shortage of the drug, there was no significant change in the average duratio... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument? | [
"Changes in diet and smoking habits are not responsible for any change in the average duration of vertigo since the introduction of the drug.",
"If there were any change in the average duration of vertigo since the introduction of the drug, it would have demonstrated that the drug has an effect on the duration of... | 3 | train_1057 |
Only computer scientists understand the architecture of personal computers, and only those who understand the architecture of personal computers appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade. It follows that only those who appreciate these advances are computer scientists. | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning in the argument? | [
"The premises of the argument are stated in such a way that they exclude the possibility of drawing any logical conclusion.",
"The argument ignores the fact that some computer scientists may not appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade.",
"The argument contains no stated or implied relation... | 1 | train_1058 |
In the country of Marut, the Foreign Trade Agency' s records were reviewed in 1994 in light of information then newly available about neighboring Goro. The review revealed that in every year since 1963, the agency' s projection of what Goro' s gross national product(GNP) would be five years later was a serious underest... | Of the following claims, which is most strongly supported by the statement given? | [
"Even before the new information came to light, the agency had reason to think that at least some of the five-year projections it had made were inaccurate.",
"The amount by which the agency underestimated the GNP it projected for Goro tended to increase over time.",
"Prior to 1995, Goro had not released data in... | 0 | train_1059 |
Legal commentator: The goal of a recently enacted law that bans smoking in workplaces is to protect employees from secondhand smoke. But the law is written in such a way that it cannot be interpreted as ever prohibiting people from smoking in their own homes. | The statements above, if true, provide a basis for rejecting which one of the following claims? | [
"Most people believe that smokers have a fundamental right to smoke in their own homes.",
"The law offers no protection from secondhand smoke for people outside of their workplaces.",
"The law will protect domestic workers such as housecleaners from secondhand smoke in their workplaces.",
"Supporters of the l... | 2 | train_1060 |
Marketing agent: A survey of my business clients reveals that, of those who made a profit last year, 90 percent made at least $100, 000 in profit for the year. In prior years, not one of these businesses made an annual profit of more than $10, 000. So, 90 percent of my business clients increased their profits at least ... | The reasoning in the marketing agent's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"overlooks the possibility that the business clients who made more than $100, 000 last year made only slightly more than $100, 000",
"fails to explain why some of the business clients who made a profit did not increase their profits at least tenfold last year",
"overlooks the possibility that not all of the bus... | 3 | train_1061 |
A major network news organization experienced a drop in viewership in the week following the airing of a controversial report on the economy. The network also received a very large number of complaints regarding the report. The network, however, maintains that negative reactions to the report had nothing to do with its... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the network's position? | [
"Major network news organizations publicly attribute drops in viewership to their own reports only when they receive complaints about those reports.",
"Most network news viewers rely on network news broadcasts as their primary source of information regarding the economy.",
"The other major network news organiza... | 2 | train_1062 |
Professor: A guest speaker recently delivered a talk entitled "The Functions of Democratic Governments" to a Political Ideologies class at this university. The talk was carefully researched and theoretical in nature. But two students who disagreed with the theory hurled vicious taunts at the speaker. Several others app... | The professor's reasoning is flawed in that it | [
"draws a general conclusion based on too small a sample",
"is inconsistent in advocating tolerance while showing intolerance of the dissenting students' views",
"draws a conclusion based on the professor's own opinion rather than on that of the majority of the students present at the talk",
"relies primarily ... | 0 | train_1063 |
Whenever a major political scandal erupts before an election and voters blame the scandal on all parties about equally, virtually all incumbents, from whatever party, seeking reelection are returned to office. However, when voters blame such a scandal on only one party, incumbents from that party are likely to be defea... | If the voters' reactions are guided by a principle, which one of the following principles would best account for the contrast in reactions described above? | [
"Major political scandals can practically always be blamed on incumbents, but whether those incumbents should be voted out of office depends on who their challengers are.",
"When a major political scandal is blamed on incumbents from all parties, that judgment is more accurate than any judgment that incumbents fr... | 2 | train_1064 |
During its caterpillar stage, the leopard magpie moth feeds on a plant called the Natal grass cycad and by so doing laces its body with macrozamin, a toxin that makes the moth highly unpalatable to would-be predators. Since the Natal grass cycad is now endangered and facing extinction, the leopard magpie moth is also i... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument? | [
"Potential predators of the leopard magpie moth cannot determine from appearance alone whether a moth's body is laced with macrozamin.",
"The leopard magpie moth does not have the speed or the agility to escape from any of its potential predators.",
"None of the potential predators of the leopard magpie moth ha... | 3 | train_1065 |
Evolution does not always optimize survival of an organism. Male moose evolved giant antlers as a way of fighting other males for mates, giving those with the largest antlers an evolutionary advantage. But those antlers also make it harder to escape predators, since they can easily get tangled in trees. All male moose ... | Which one of the following is a technique of reasoning used in the argument? | [
"disputing the relevance of an example thought to support an opposing view",
"undermining a claim by showing that it is self-contradictory",
"employing an analogy in order to dispute a generalization",
"challenging a general claim by presenting a counterexample"
] | 3 | train_1066 |
According to experts on shopping behavior, more shoppers would shop at Jerrod' s department store if they were offered the convenience of shopping carts. In fact, even if the amount spent by these additional customers only just covered the cost of providing the carts, providing carts would still probably increase Jerro... | Which of the following most logically completes the argument? | [
"the layout of Jerrod's is open enough to accommodate shopping carts comfortably",
"a customer with a shopping cart buys more, on average, than a customer without a cart",
"stores that make shopping carts available to customers usually have to hire people to retrieve them from parking areas",
"there are some ... | 1 | train_1067 |
Taylor: From observing close friends and relatives, it is clear to me that telepathy is indeed possible between people with close psychic ties. The amazing frequency with which a good friend or family member knows what one is thinking or feeling cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. | Taylor's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it | [
"appeals to a premise one would accept only if one already accepted the truth of the conclusion",
"is based on too small a sample to yield a reliable conclusion",
"presumes, without providing justification, that one can never know what a stranger is thinking or feeling",
"fails to address a highly plausible a... | 3 | train_1068 |
During the recent economic downturn, banks contributed to the decline by loaning less money. Prior to the downturn, regulatory standards for loanmaking by banks were tightened. Clearly, ttherefore, banks will lend more money if those standards are relaxed. | The argument assumes that | [
"the reason for tightening the regulatory standards was not arbitrary",
"no relaxation of standards for loanmaking by banks would compensate for the effects of the downturn",
"no economic downturn is accompanied by a significant decrease in the amount of money loaned out by banks to individual borrowers and to ... | 3 | train_1069 |
Nutritionist: The food pyramid was amended to provide the public with a healthier nutrition plan to combat the obesity epidemic. The base of the previous food pyramid -- the grains group -- advised people to eat six-to-eleven servings of pasta and bread per day. In contrast, the updated pictorial nutrition guide shows ... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the nutritionist's conclusion? | [
"Since the publication of the updated food guide, citizens have started to exercise more.",
"Eating more lean proteins and vegetables contributes to weight loss.",
"Eating six-to-eleven servings of pasta and bread increased citizens' risk of heart disease.",
"The old food pyramid used horizontal layers, while... | 1 | train_1070 |
Because mining and refining nickel is costly, researchers have developed an alternative method for extracting nickel using Streptanthus polygaloides, a plant that absorbs and stores nickel from the soil as it grows. The researchers incinerated a crop of Streptanthus they grew in nickel-rich soil. By chemically extracti... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the conclusion that the use of Streptanthus to extract nickel will be commercially adopted? | [
"The season in which the researchers grew Streptanthus was an unusually favorable one, with the right amount of precipitation to maximize the growth rate of Streptanthus.",
"The land on which the researchers planted Streptanthus was unusually free of the various weeds that can compete with Streptanthus for water,... | 3 | train_1071 |
The tidal range at a particular location is the difference in height between high tide and low tide. Tidal studies have shown that one of the greatest tidal ranges in the world is found in the Bay of Fundy and reaches more than seventeen meters. Since the only forces involved in inducing the tides are the sun' s and mo... | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning above? | [
"It does not differentiate between the tidal effect of the sun and the tidal effect of the moon.",
"It fails to consider that the size of a tidal range could be affected by the conditions in which gravitational forces act.",
"It presumes, without providing warrant, that most activity within the world's oceans i... | 1 | train_1072 |
Economist: Technology now changes so rapidly that workers need periodic retraining. Such retraining can be efficient only if it allows individual companies to meet their own shortterm needs. Hence, large governmental job retraining programs are no longer a viable option in the effort to retrain workers efficiently. | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the economist's argument? | [
"No single type of retraining program is most efficient at retraining technological workers.",
"Large governmental job retraining programs do not meet the short-term needs of individual companies.",
"Technological workers are more likely now than in the past to move in order to find work for which they are alre... | 1 | train_1073 |
Ten thousand years ago many communities in western Asia stopped procuring food by hunting and gathering and began instead to cultivate food. Archaeological evidence reveals that compared to their hunter-gatherer forebears, the early agricultural peoples ate a poorly balanced diet and had diet-related health problems, y... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain why the agricultural peoples of western Asia never returned to hunting and gathering? | [
"Both hunter-gatherers and agriculturalists sometimes depended on stored and preserved foods instead of fresh foods.",
"An increase in population density at the time required a higher food production rate than hunting and gathering could provide.",
"Thousands of years ago similar shifts from hunting and gatheri... | 1 | train_1074 |
To get the free dessert, one must order an entree and a salad. But anyone who orders either an entree or a salad can receive a free soft drink. Thus, anyone who is not eligible for a free soft drink is not eligible for a free dessert. | The reasoning in the argument above is most similar to the reasoning in which one of the following arguments? | [
"To be elected class president, one must be well liked and well known. Anyone who is well liked or well known has something better to do than run for class president. Ttherefore, no one who has something better to do will be elected class president.",
"To get an executive position at Teltech, one needs a universi... | 3 | train_1075 |
A successful chess-playing computer would prove either that a machine can think or that chess does not involve thinking. In either case the conception of human intelligence would certainly change. | The reasoning above is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it does not consider the possibility that | [
"the conception of intelligence is inextricably linked to that of thought",
"the inability to play chess has more to do with lack of opportunity than with lack of intelligence",
"computer programs have been successfully applied to games other than chess",
"a successful chess-playing computer would not model a... | 3 | train_1076 |
Of 2, 500 people who survived a first heart attack, those who did not smoke had their first heart attack at a median age of 62. However, of those 2, 500, people who smoked two packs of cigarettes a day had their first heart attack at a median age of 51. On the basis of this information, it can be concluded that nonsmok... | The conclusion is incorrectly drawn from the information given because this information does not include | [
"the earliest age at which a person who smoked two packs a day had his or her first heart attack",
"the relative severity of heart attacks suffered by smokers and nonsmokers",
"data on people who did not survive a first heart attack",
"how many of the 2, 500 people studied suffered a second heart attack"
] | 2 | train_1077 |
The basic ingredients from which cement is made are both cheap and plentiful. Materials as common as limestone and clay will do. Nevertheless, the price of cement is influenced by the price of oil, because turning the basic ingredients into cement in high-temperature kilns uses large amounts of energy. | Which one of the following can be logically inferred from the passage? | [
"Whenever oil prices rise, cement prices drop.",
"Oil is a source of energy for some of the kilns used in the making of cement.",
"The higher the price of cement rises, the higher the price of clay rises.",
"Oil is one of the basic ingredients that make up cement."
] | 1 | train_1078 |
People always seem to associate high prices of products with high quality. But price is not necessarily an indicator of quality. The best teas are often no more expensive than the lower-quality teas. | Which one of the following, if true, does most to explain the apparent counterexample described above? | [
"Packing and advertising triple the price of all teas.",
"Low-quality teas are generally easier to obtain than high quality teas.",
"Most people buy low-quality tea, thus keeping its price up.",
"The price of tea generally does not vary from region to region."
] | 2 | train_1079 |
For the condor to survive in the wild, its breeding population must be greatly increased. But because only a few eggs can be produced by a breeding pair over their lifetime, any significant increase in the number of birds depends upon most of these eggs hatching, which is extremely unlikely in the wild due to environme... | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"The condor as a species will eventually become extinct in the wild.",
"It is almost impossible to eliminate all the environmental threats to the eggs of condors.",
"The most feasible way to save the condor from extinction is to increase egg production.",
"If more condor eggs do not hatch, the condor as a spe... | 3 | train_1080 |
Only if a family manages its finances wisely will it obtain fiscal security. But without realistic projections of financial obligations, a functional budget cannot be devised. So, if either fiscal security is to be obtained or a workable budget devised, finances must be managed wisely or financial obligations must be p... | Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its pattern of reasoning to that in the argument above? | [
"Only employees who work diligently will be retained in this company until they are eligible for retirement. Also, we can retain only those employees who fit the new organizational structure of our proposed redesign process. So, if this redesign process is carried out, any employee who seeks continuing employment h... | 2 | train_1081 |
The crux of creativity resides in the ability to manufacture variation on a theme. If we look at the history of science, for instance, we see that every idea is built upon a thousand related ideas. Careful analysis leads us to understand that what we choose to call a new theme or a new discovery is itself always and wi... | If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT: | [
"All great scientific discoverers have been able to manufacture a variation on a theme.",
"Careful analysis of a specific variation can reveal previous themes of which it is a variation.",
"Some new scientific discoveries do not represent, on a deep level, a variation on previous themes.",
"No scientific idea... | 2 | train_1082 |
Ronan rarely attended class during his first semester at law school. Some of his professors didn' t know he was in the class until the final exam. Ronan finished the year in the top 10 percent of his class and earned a spot on the school' s prestigious law review. | Which of the following, if true, would explain the apparent paradox? | [
"Ronan learns better through reading than listening, and he read the most relevant treatise on every class.",
"Class attendance is optional in law school.",
"Ronan is lazy.",
"Ronan's professors were unqualified to teach the law."
] | 0 | train_1083 |
Pollster: When opinion researchers need a population sample that reflects the demographic characteristics of the national population, they choose their sample on the basis of national census data. Not everyone participates in the national census, despite its being mandatory. If, however, census participation became vol... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the pollster's argument depends? | [
"Among people who do not currently participate in the national census, few, if any, would agree to participate if participation were voluntary.",
"Using data from the national census is not the only way for opinion researchers to get a population sample that reflects the demographic characteristics of the nationa... | 2 | train_1084 |
Human rights activists have urged consumers to be conscious of the labor practices employed by manufacturers, especially in developing nations, saying that if we accept moral responsibility for our impact on third world workers, we must buy products from manufacturers that do not take advantage of their workers. It is ... | Which one of the following principles provides the most appropriate completion for the argument? | [
"A moral choice is more important than a moral action.",
"The morally correct option is the one that maximizes a person's effort to do good.",
"It is more important to identify the moral choice than to act.",
"A person cannot have a moral duty to do what is impossible."
] | 3 | train_1085 |
Letter to the editor: According to your last edition' s anonymous article, we should all be required to carry identification cards and show them on demand. This opinion is wrong. After all, the writers of the article should not have asserted that the right to remain anonymous was trivial, unless they were prepared to p... | The reasoning above is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it | [
"commits the same error in reasoning that it accuses the writers of committing",
"confuses two meanings of the term \"anonymous\"",
"attacks the integrity of the writers without knowing anything about them",
"diverts attention from the content of the article by focusing on the writers' actions"
] | 3 | train_1086 |
A recent study suggests that consuming three glasses of wine daily substantially decreases the risk of stroke. Critics of the study, defending earlier research recommending one glass of wine daily, claim that binge drinkers (who drink once a week or less, but drink three or more drinks when they do drink) are the peopl... | The critics' argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it | [
"inappropriately attributes the consequences of binge drinking to persons whose regular consumption of wine is three glasses a day",
"presumes, without providing justification, that there is no significant difference between wine and other alcoholic beverages in terms of health benefits and risks",
"confuses th... | 0 | train_1087 |
Though sucking zinc lozenges has been promoted as a treatment for the common cold, research has revealed no consistent effect. Recently, however, a zinc gel applied nasally has been shown to greatly reduce the duration of colds. Since the gel contains zinc in the same form and concentration as the lozenges, the greater... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"Experimental subjects who used the zinc gel not only had colds of shorter duration but also had less severe symptoms than did those who used a gel that did not contain zinc.",
"Drug-company researchers experimenting with a nasal spray based on zinc have found that it has much the same effect on colds as the gel ... | 2 | train_1088 |
The rise in the prosperity of England subsequent to 1840 can be attributed to the adoption of the policy of free trade, since economic conditions improved only when that policy had been implemented. | The reasoning in the above argument most closely parallels that in which one of the following? | [
"An exhaustive search of the marshes last year revealed no sign of marsh hawks, so it can be assumed that a similar search this year would reveal equally little sign of that kind of bird.",
"Before the banks raised their interest rates, people on average incomes could almost afford a mortgage for an amount twice ... | 2 | train_1089 |
Scientific research that involves international collaboration has produced papers of greater influence, as measured by the number of times a paper is cited in subsequent papers, than has research without any collaboration. Papers that result from international collaboration are cited an average of seven times, whereas ... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"International research teams tend to be more generously funded than are single researchers.",
"It is possible to ascertain whether or not a paper is the product of international collaboration by determining the number of citations it has received.",
"The number of citations a paper receives is a measure of the... | 2 | train_1090 |
Editorialist: Despite the importance it seems to have in our lives, money does not really exist. This is evident from the fact that all that would be needed to make money disappear would be a universal loss of belief in it. We witness this phenomenon on a small scale daily in the rises and falls of financial markets, w... | The conclusion of the editorialist's argument can be properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Whatever is true of money is true of financial markets generally.",
"If everyone believes in something, then that thing exists.",
"Only if one can have mistaken beliefs about a thing does that thing exist, strictly speaking.",
"Anything that exists would continue to exist even if everyone were to stop believ... | 3 | train_1091 |
Although all birds have feathers and all birds have wings, some birds do not fly. For example, penguins and ostriches use their wings to move in a different way from other birds. Penguins use their wings only to swim under water at high speeds. Ostriches use their wings only to run with the wind by lifting them as if t... | Which one of the following is most parallel in its reasoning to the argument above? | [
"Ancient philosophers tried to explain not how the world functions but why it functions. In contrast, most contemporary biologists seek comprehensive theories of how organisms function, but many refuse to speculate about purpose.",
"Some chairs are used only as decorations, and other chairs are used only to tame ... | 1 | train_1092 |
Durth: Increasingly, businesses use direct mail advertising instead of paying for advertising space in newspapers, in magazines, or on billboards. This practice is annoying and also immoral. Most direct mail advertisements are thrown out without ever being read, and the paper on which they are printed is wasted. If any... | Which one of the following most accurately describes Durth's method of reasoning? | [
"claiming that direct mail advertising is immoral because one of its results would be deemed immoral in other contexts",
"asserting that other advertising methods do not have the negative effects of direct mail advertising",
"presenting a specific counterexample to the contention that direct mail advertising is... | 0 | train_1093 |
Heern: I object to the mayor' s proposal that taxicabs pick up and drop off passengers only at designated stops. This proposal aims to reduce traffic jams and accidents, but if the mayor herself were affected by such a law, she would oppose it. Thus the proposal is without merit. | The reasoning in Heern's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that this argument | [
"takes for granted that the frequency and location of designated stops would inconvenience most taxicab users",
"takes for granted that other people would share the mayor's dissatisfaction with the proposed law",
"presumes, without providing justification, that the proposed law would not be the most effective w... | 3 | train_1094 |
Consumers will be hurt by the new lower ceilings on halibut catches. Given the law of supply and demand these restrictions are likely to result in an increase in the price of the fish. | Which one of the following, if assumed, would do most to justify the claim that the price of halibut will increase? | [
"The demand for halibut will not decrease substantially after the new restrictions are imposed.",
"The demand for other fish will be affected by the new restrictions.",
"There is a connection between the supply of halibut and the demand for it.",
"The amount of halibut consumed represents a very small proport... | 0 | train_1095 |
Debater: As a pedagogical practice, lecturing embodies hierarchy, since the lecturer is superior to the student in mastery of the subject. But people learn best from peer interaction. Thus, the hierarchy in lecturing is a great weakness. Respondent: By definition, all teaching and learning are hierarchical, for all tea... | The respondent's reply to the debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the respondent | [
"takes for granted that the conceptual structure of mathematics is sufficiently representative of the conceptual structure of at least some other academic disciplines",
"fails to consider the possibility that some characteristics of lecturing other than hierarchy are weaknesses",
"concedes one of the major assu... | 3 | train_1096 |
The report released by the interior ministry states that within the past 5 years the national land-reclamation program has resulted in a 19 percent increase in the amount of arable land within the country. If these figures are accurate, the program has been a resounding success. Senator Armand, a distinguished mathemat... | The argument above exhibits an erroneous pattern of reasoning most similar to that exhibited by which one of the following? | [
"Moira, after observing the finish of the 60-kilometer bicycle race, reports that Lee won with Adams a distant third. Lomas, a bicycle engineering expert, insists, however, that Lee could not have won a race in which Adams competed; so Moira's report cannot be true.",
"Amos claims that he can hold his breath unde... | 0 | train_1097 |
Editorialist: The national media is composed of private companies that depend on ratings to increase advertising revenue, which depends on how many people watch. People are only going to watch topics they find interesting. In much the same way that the local news focuses on violent crimes, the national media focuses on... | The argument most strongly supports which one of the following assertions? | [
"The national media covers violent crimes.",
"Election reform is not interesting to people.",
"The national media only covers political scandals.",
"The local news focuses on political scandals as well as violent crimes."
] | 1 | train_1098 |
One of the most vexing problems in historiography is dating an event when the usual sources offer conflicting chronologies of the event. Historians should attempt to minimize the number of competing sources, perhaps by eliminating the less credible ones. Once this is achieved and several sources are left, as often happ... | Which one of the following inferences is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"Attaching a reliable date to any event requires determining which of several conflicting chronologies is most likely to be true.",
"The soundest approach to dating an event for which the usual sources give conflicting chronologies is to undermine the credibility of as many of these sources as possible.",
"Some... | 2 | train_1099 |
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