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Taking advanced mathematics courses should increase a student' s grade point average, for, as numerous studies have shown, students who have taken one or more advanced mathematics courses are far more likely to have high grade point averages than students who have not taken such courses. | The flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following? | [
"Eating a diet consisting primarily of fats and carbohydrates may cause weight gain in some people. Studies have shown that many overweight people eat such diets.",
"Fur color is in large measure hereditary, for, as many studies have shown, black cats are more likely than others to have black kittens, and orange ... | 2 | train_1100 |
Reviewer: Almost all books that offer management advice are written from the perspective of the CEO. But most managers aren' t CEOs and don' t have the same perspective as CEOs. So the advice in management books is of limited use for most managers. | The conclusion of the reviewer 's argument can be properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Most managers prefer to read books that they think will be useful to them in their work.",
"Most people who read management advice books aspire to be CEOs.",
"Advice books rarely take the perspective of their intended audience.",
"Advice is of limited use unless it is offered from the perspective of the reci... | 3 | train_1101 |
Brand X, which currently markets luxury watches via billboards and advertisements in popular magazines, is considering saving money by advertising its newest line of luxury watches only in niche publications read by the wealthy. A recent study shows that most purchasers of Brand X's luxury watches have only recently be... | Which of the following best completes the passage below? | [
"the money saved by implementing the strategy will be outweighed by the reduction in revenue from the less expensive line of watches",
"consumers who are newly wealthy prefer to purchase products that are purchased regularly by the non-wealthy",
"newly rich consumers will not buy the watches if the watches are ... | 2 | train_1102 |
I agree that Hogan' s actions resulted in grievous injury to Winters. And I do not deny that Hogan fully realized the nature of his actions and the effects that they would have. Indeed, I would not disagree if you pointed out that intentionally causing such effects is reprehensible, other things being equal. But in ask... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the argument? | [
"Hogan thought that Winters was the person who had been terrorizing west-side apartment buildings for the last few months.",
"The robber who had been terrorizing west-side apartment buildings should be considered to be as responsible for Winters's injuries as Hogan.",
"The actions of Hogan that seriously injure... | 3 | train_1103 |
Everyone who is a gourmet cook enjoys a wide variety of foods and spices. Since no one who enjoys a wide variety of foods and spices prefers bland foods to all other foods, it follows that anyone who prefers bland foods to all other foods is not a gourmet cook. | The pattern of reasoning displayed in the argument above is most similar to that displayed in which one of the following? | [
"All of the paintings in the Huang Collection are abstract. Since no abstract painting will be included in next week's art auction, nothing to be included in next week's art auction is a painting in the Huang Collection.",
"All of the paintings in the Huang Collection are superb works of art. Since none of the pa... | 0 | train_1104 |
Herbicides allow cereal crops to be grown very efficiently, with virtually no competition from weeds. In Britain, partridge populations have been steadily decreasing since herbicide use became widespread. Some environmentalists claim that these birds, which live in and around cereal crop fields, are being poisoned by t... | Which of the following, if true about Britain, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"Birds other than partridges that live in or around cereal crop fields have also been suffering population declines.",
"Some of the weeds that are eliminated from cereal crop fields by herbicides are much smaller than the crop plants themselves and would have no negative effect on crop yield if they were allowed ... | 2 | train_1105 |
Sociologist: Research shows, contrary to popular opinion, that, all other things being equal, most people who have pets are less happy than most people who do not. Ttherefore, any person who wants to be as happy as possible would do well to consider not having a pet. | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the sociologist's argument? | [
"Most people who have no pets occasionally wish that they had pets.",
"All people who have no pets admit to feeling unhappy sometimes.",
"Most people who have pets feel happier because they have pets.",
"Some people who have pets are happier than most people who do not."
] | 2 | train_1106 |
Winston: The rules for awarding Nobel Prizes stipulate that no more than three people can share the same prize. Nobel Prizes in scientific disciplines are generally given in recognition of particular scientific results, however, and many important results are the work of four or more scientists. Sanjay: Those rules als... | The dialogue most strongly supports the claim that Winston and Sanjay agree that | [
"the rules that govern the awarding of Nobel Prizes should be changed so that prizes can be awarded to deceased persons",
"Nobel Prizes are inaccurate indicators of scientists' contributions to their disciplines",
"the rules that govern the awarding of Nobel Prizes in scientific disciplines should be different ... | 1 | train_1107 |
The average 40-year-old North American will have watched more than one million TV commercials in his or her lifetime. We may safely conclude, ttherefore, that the TV commercial has influenced North American habits of thought. | The conclusion above follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Anything people are exposed to in great quantity will influence their habits of thought.",
"It is impossible to avoid or ignore television commercials.",
"Some people find television commercials more interesting to watch than the programs themselves.",
"The habits of thought that people develop are largely d... | 0 | train_1108 |
Economist: In general, several apprentices working together produce about the same amount in an hour as a single more highly trained worker. Hence the more highly trained worker can usually command several times the hourly wage of an apprentice. Thus if the apprentice wage is increased, the hourly wages of more highly ... | The economist's reasoning is flawed because the economist takes for granted that | [
"an increase in the apprentice wage would benefit only highly trained workers",
"if a policy change that people support would work in their favor, that is why they support it",
"the wages of highly trained workers will usually not increase unless the apprentice wage increases",
"if one event causes another ev... | 1 | train_1109 |
Edwina: True appreciation of Mozart' s music demands that you hear it exactly as he intended it to be heard; that is, exactly as he heard it. Since he heard it on eighteenth-century instruments, it follows that so should we. Alberto: But what makes you think that Mozart ever heard his music played as he had intended it... | Alberto adopts which one of the following strategies in criticizing Edwina's position? | [
"He attacks her judgment by suggesting that she does not recognize the importance of the performer's creativity to the audience's appreciation of a musical composition.",
"He defends a competing view of musical authenticity.",
"He appeals to an academic authority in order to challenge the factual basis of her c... | 3 | train_1110 |
People often pay more taxes than necessary, due to their failure to take advantage of the numerous deductibles offered by the government. If more people filed their taxes online, they would save more money. | The strength of the argument depends on which one of the following? | [
"It is easier to take advantage of deductibles by filing taxes online.",
"Taking advantage of deductibles will not hurt the government's revenue.",
"Saving money on taxes is beneficial.",
"The government makes it difficult to take advantage of deductibles."
] | 0 | train_1111 |
Petrochemical industry officials have said that the extreme pressure exerted on plant managers during the last five years to improve profits by cutting costs has done nothing to impair the industry's ability to operate safely. However, environmentalists contend that the recent rash of serious oil spills and accidents a... | Which of the following, if true, would provide the strongest support for the position held by industry officials? | [
"There is evidence that the most damaging of the recent oil spills would have been prevented had cost-cutting measures not been instituted.",
"The petrochemical industry benefits if accidents do not occur, since accidents involve risk of employee injury as well as loss of equipment and product.",
"Despite major... | 2 | train_1112 |
The goal of reforesting degraded land is to create an area with a multitude of thriving tree species. But some experienced land managers use a reforesting strategy that involves planting a single fast-growing tree species. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above? | [
"The process of reforesting degraded sites is time consuming and labor intensive.",
"The growth of trees attracts wildlife whose activities contribute to the dispersal of a large variety of tree seeds from surrounding areas.",
"Tree species that require abundant sunlight tend to grow quickly on degraded land.",... | 1 | train_1113 |
Winston: The Public Transportation Authority (PTA) cannot fulfill its mandate to operate without a budget deficit unless it eliminates service during late-night periods of low ridership. Since the fares collected during these periods are less than the cost of providing the service, these cuts would reduce the deficit a... | The relationship of Ping's response to Winston's argument is that Ping's response | [
"carefully redefines a term used in Winston's argument",
"questions Winston's proposal by raising considerations not addressed by Winston",
"introduces detailed statistical evidence that is more persuasive than that offered by Winston",
"supplies a premise that could have been used as part of the support for ... | 1 | train_1114 |
The word "loophole" is a loaded, partisan word, one that implies wrongdoing and scandal. When "loophole" creeps into news stories, they start to read like editorials. So news reporters should not use the term "loophole" in their stories unless they provide evidence of wrongdoing. | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument? | [
"Making use of a loophole never constitutes wrongdoing or scandal.",
"News stories need to give evidence to back up any suggestions of misconduct.",
"Editorials should meet the same journalistic standards as news stories.",
"Editorial writers should be free to use loaded, partisan words."
] | 1 | train_1115 |
Gecko lizards are found in any environment where there is an abundant population of gnats. Gnats can survive only in wet climates. Because there are no gecko lizards living here, there must not be an abundant population of gnats here. Consequently, the climate here must not be wet. | The reasoning in the argument is flawed in that it | [
"presumes, without providing justification, that all wet environments contain abundant populations of gnats",
"does not mention whether gecko lizards eat anything besides gnats",
"does not consider whether small populations of gnats can survive in climates that are not wet",
"fails to establish that some geck... | 0 | train_1116 |
According to some astronomers, Earth is struck by a meteorite large enough to cause an ice age on an average of once every 100 million years. The last such incident occurred nearly 100 million years ago, so we can expect that Earth will be struck by such a meteorite in the near future. This clearly warrants funding to ... | The reasoning in the argument is most subject to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"presumes, without providing justification, that some feasible means can be found to deter large meteorite strikes",
"makes a bold prescription on the basis of evidence that establishes only a high probability for a disastrous event",
"moves from evidence about the average frequency of an event to a specific pr... | 2 | train_1117 |
Columnist: The amount of acidic pollutants released into the air has decreased throughout the world over the last several decades. We can expect, then, an overall decrease in the negative environmental effects of acid rain, which is caused by these acidic pollutants. | Each of the following, if true, would weaken the columnist's argument EXCEPT: | [
"Some ecosystems have developed sophisticated mechanisms that reduce the negative effects of increased levels of acids in the environment.",
"The current decrease in acidic pollutants is expected to end soon, as more countries turn to coal for the generation of electricity.",
"The soils of many ecosystems expos... | 0 | train_1118 |
Professor: Unfortunately, pharmaceutical companies and other profit-driven institutions provide nearly all of the funding for the chemistry department' s research. Moreover, unless we can secure more funding for basic science research, it is highly unlikely that any significant advances in basic research will come out ... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the professor's argument relies? | [
"If the chemistry department's prestige increases substantially, then it is highly likely that the department's funding from sources other than profit-driven institutions will subsequently increase.",
"The chemistry department's funding for basic science research is not likely to increase if its funding from sour... | 1 | train_1119 |
Travel agent: Studies show that people who travel frequently normally earn substantially more money, enjoy more time with their family, and have better physical health than people who do not travel often. Traveling is often described as a pleasurable experience. It is wonderful to see that traveling also increases a pe... | The conclusion above is unwarranted because | [
"the travel agent erroneously assumes that earning more money, spending time with family, and having better physical health are the only things that increase a person's pleasure while not traveling",
"people who have more money, time to spend with their families, and better physical health are more likely to trav... | 1 | train_1120 |
When the products of several competing suppliers are perceived by consumers to be essentially the same, classical economics predicts that price competition will reduce prices to the same minimal levels and all suppliers' profits to the same minimal levels. Ttherefore, if classical economics is true, and given suppliers... | Which of the following best completes the passage below? | [
"in a crowded market widely differing prices will be charged for products that are essentially the same as each other",
"when consumers are unable to distinguish the products in a crowded market, consumers will judge that the higher-priced products are of higher quality",
"each supplier in a crowded market will... | 2 | train_1121 |
Near many cities, contamination of lakes and rivers from pollutants in rainwater runoff exceeds that from industrial discharge. As the runoff washes over buildings and pavements, it picks up oil and other pollutants. Thus, water itself is among the biggest water polluters. | The statement that contamination of lakes and rivers from pollutants in rainwater runoff exceeds that from industrial discharge plays which one of the following roles in the argument? | [
"It is a conclusion for which the claim that water itself should be considered a polluter is offered as support.",
"It is stated to provide an example of a typical kind of city pollution.",
"It is a premise offered in support of the conclusion that water itself is among the biggest water polluters.",
"It is a... | 2 | train_1122 |
Scott: The Hippocratic oath demands, specifically, that doctors "never divulge" information about patients. Hence the psychiatrist who released tapes of a poet' s therapy sessions after the poet' s death violated his oath by his actions, even though the tapes were released after the poet' s death and to the poet' s off... | Which one of the following principles, if established, helps most to justify Scott's evaluation of the psychiatrist's actions? | [
"If a patient has expressed an intention to make public information about himself or herself that is in a psychiatrist's possession, the psychiatrist is released from the obligation to keep that information confidential.",
"Since any psychiatrist's divulging to the public information about a patient could undermi... | 1 | train_1123 |
While many people think of genetic manipulation of food crops as being aimed at developing larger and larger plant varieties, some plant breeders have in fact concentrated on discovering or producing dwarf varieties, which are roughly half as tall as normal varieties. | Which of the following would, if true, most help to explain the strategy of the plant breeders referred to above? | [
"Plant varieties used as food by some are used as ornamentals by others.",
"Nations with large industrial sectors tend to consume more processed grains.",
"The wholesale prices of a given crop decrease as the supply of it increases.",
"Short plants are less vulnerable to strong wind and heavy rains."
] | 3 | train_1124 |
Archaeologist: How did the Parthenon' s stonemasons manage to carve columns that all bulged outward in the center in precisely the same way? One hypothesis is suggested by the discovery of a scale drawing of a column etched into the stone of a Greek temple at Didyma. The drawing is a profile view of a column surrounded... | Which one of the following, if true, adds the most support for the archaeologist's hypothesis? | [
"The construction of the temple at Didyma was begun over a century after the Parthenon was constructed.",
"The surviving columns at Didyma are almost twice as tall as the columns at the Parthenon.",
"Scale drawings were commonly used in many types of construction in ancient Greece.",
"Modern attempts to recre... | 2 | train_1125 |
The level of triglycerides in the blood rises when triglycerides are inadequately metabolized. Research shows that patients with blood triglyceride levels above 1 milligram per milliliter are twice as prone to heart attacks as others. Thus, it is likely that consuming large amounts of fat, processed sugar, or alcohol, ... | Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument? | [
"Heart disease interferes with the body's ability to metabolize triglycerides.",
"People with a high-fat diet who engage in regular, vigorous physical activity are much less likely to develop heart disease than are sedentary people with a low-fat diet.",
"People who maintain strict regimens for their health ten... | 0 | train_1126 |
Journalist: Many people working on difficult problems in mathematics report going to sleep without a solution, but upon awaking discover they have a solution in mind. This phenomenon occurs among all age groups past infancy. | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the journalist's statements? | [
"Certain types of mathematical problems cannot be solved while one is consciously seeking a solution.",
"The ability to carry out mental processing gradually develops during infancy.",
"Everyone's mind works unconsciously on difficult problems while sleeping.",
"Consciously seeking a solution is not the only ... | 3 | train_1127 |
Ecologist: The incidence of alligator attacks on humans in the vicinity of the Blue Lagoon has increased in recent years. Relocating at least half of the Blue Lagoon's alligator population would help decrease the incidence of alligator attacks on humans. | The ecologist's claim relies on which of the following assumptions? | [
"Relocating half of the lagoon's alligator population would not be prohibitively expensive.",
"Not all alligator attacks on humans are reported to authorities.",
"In recent years, there has been no significant change in the size of the alligator population in the Blue Lagoon.",
"There is a correlation between... | 3 | train_1128 |
A new government policy has been developed to avoid many serious cases of influenza. This goal will be accomplished by the annual vaccination of high-risk individuals: everyone 65 and older as well as anyone with a chronic disease that might cause them to experience complications from the influenza virus. Each year' s ... | Which one of the following is an assumption that would allow the conclusion above to be properly drawn? | [
"The number of individuals in the high-risk group for influenza will not significantly change from year to year.",
"The likelihood that a serious influenza epidemic will occur varies from year to year.",
"Each year the strain of influenza virus deemed most likely to be prevalent will be one that had not previou... | 2 | train_1129 |
Proposed new safety rules for the Beach City airport would lengthen considerably the minimum time between takeoffs from the airport. In consequence, the airport would be able to accommodate 10 percent fewer flights than currently use the airport daily. The city's operating budget depends heavily on taxes generated by t... | The argument depends on assuming which of the following? | [
"Few, if any, of the tourists who use the Beach City airport do so when their main destination is a neighboring community and not Beach City itself.",
"If the proposed safety rules are adopted, the reduction in tourist numbers will not result mainly from a reduction in the number of tourists who spend relatively ... | 3 | train_1130 |
In Swartkans territory, archaeologists discovered charred bone fragments dating back one million years. Analysis of the fragments, which came from a variety of animals, showed that they had been heated to temperatures no higher than those produced in experimental campfires made from branches of white stinkwood, the mos... | Which of the following, if true, would, together with the information above, provide the best basis for the claim that the charred bone fragments are evidence of the use of fire by early hominids? | [
"The white stinkwood tree is used for building material by the present-day inhabitants of Swartkans.",
"The bone fragments were fitted together by the archaeologists to form the complete skeletons of several animals.",
"Forest fires can heat wood to a range of temperatures that occur in campfires.",
"The bone... | 3 | train_1131 |
No oral surgeons are orthodontists, and all members of the Patterson Group are orthodontists. Ttherefore, no members of the Patterson Group are employees of the Davidson Consortium. | The conclusion above is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"All employees of the Davidson Consortium are oral surgeons.",
"All orthodontists are members of the Patterson Group.",
"No oral surgeons are members of the Patterson Group.",
"No employees of the Davidson Consortium are oral surgeons."
] | 0 | train_1132 |
Heart attacks are most likely to occur on Mondays. The accepted explanation is that because Monday is the first day of the workweek, people feel more stress on Mondays than on other days. However, research shows that even unemployed retired people are more likely to have heart attacks on Mondays than on other days. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the increased likelihood that an unemployed retiree will have a heart attack on a Monday? | [
"Because they associate Monday with work, retired people are more likely to begin large projects on Mondays.",
"Many retired people take up part-time jobs after they retire from their careers.",
"People seldom change their dietary and other health habits after retirement.",
"Unemployed retired people are even... | 0 | train_1133 |
It has been suggested that a television set should be thought of as nothing more than "a toaster with pictures" and that since we let market forces determine the design of kitchen appliances we can let them determine what is seen on television. But that approach is too simple. Some governmental control is needed, since... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the role played in the argument by the claim that television is so important politically and culturally? | [
"It is an intermediate conclusion that is offered in support of the claim that some governmental control of television is needed and for which the claim that the television is on for more than five hours a day in the average home is offered as partial support.",
"It is an intermediate conclusion that is offered i... | 0 | train_1134 |
A certain species of desert lizard digs tunnels in which to lay its eggs. The eggs must incubate inside the tunnel for several weeks before hatching, and they fail to hatch if they are disturbed at any time during this incubation period. Yet these lizards guard their tunnels for only a few days after laying their eggs. | Which of the following, if true, most helps explain why there is no need for lizards to guard their tunnels for more than a few days? | [
"The eggs are at risk of being disturbed only during the brief egg-laying season when many lizards are digging in a relatively small area.",
"The temperature and humidity within the tunnels will not be suitable for the incubating eggs unless the tunnels are plugged with sand immediately after the eggs are laid.",... | 0 | train_1135 |
Concerns for the environment have led chemists to develop plastics that are degradable. All degradable plastics, which are potentially useful packaging materials, need just the right conditions to break down. Some need exposure to sunlight, some need to be buried in soil and some need to be submerged in water. It shoul... | If all of the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true? | [
"Some materials that need to be buried in soil to break down leave residues of unknown toxicity.",
"Some degradable plastics need both sunlight and submersion in order to break down.",
"Some materials that are potentially useful for packaging leave residues of unknown toxicity.",
"Some materials that leave re... | 2 | train_1136 |
Someone who gets sick from eating a meal will often develop a strong distaste for the one food in the meal that had the most distinctive flavor, whether or not that food caused the sickness. This phenomenon explains why children are especially likely to develop strong aversions to some foods. | Which one of the following, if true, provides the strongest support for the explanation? | [
"Children tend to have more acute taste and to become sick more often than adults do.",
"Children typically recover more slowly than adults do from sickness caused by food.",
"Children are more likely than are adults to refuse to eat unfamiliar foods.",
"Children are less likely than adults to see a connectio... | 0 | train_1137 |
During construction of the Quebec Bridge in 1907, the bridge' s designer, Theodore Cooper, received word that the suspended span being built out from the bridge' s cantilever was deflecting downward by a fraction of an inch. Before he could telegraph to freeze the project, the whole cantilever arm broke off and plunged... | Which one of the following statements can be properly inferred from the passage? | [
"Cooper's absence from the Quebec Bridge construction site resulted in the breaking off of the cantilever.",
"Bridges built before about 1907 were built without thorough mathematical analysis and, ttherefore, were unsafe for the public to use.",
"Nineteenth-century bridge engineers relied on their rules of thum... | 3 | train_1138 |
A dog who is emotionally indifferent and not securely attached to its human companion neither whimpers when the human leaves the room nor looks up to acknowledge the human' s return. Some dogs do not whimper when their human companions leave them at kennels. These dogs, ttherefore, are emotionally indifferent and not s... | The flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following? | [
"If new jobs are created, the unemployment rate will decrease. New jobs are being created by both new industries and rejuvenated older industries. Ttherefore, the unemployment rate will decrease.",
"At the bookstore's anniversary sale all novels are being sold at a discount. This travel guide is being sold at the... | 2 | train_1139 |
Ethicist: People who avoid alcoholic beverages simply because they regard them as a luxury beyond their financial means should not be praised for their abstinence. Similarly, those who avoid alcohol simply because they lack the desire to partake should not be praised, unless this disinclination has somehow resulted fro... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the ethicist's claims? | [
"A person is praiseworthy for a particular behavior only if, in order to adopt that behavior, the person at some point had to overcome a desire to do something that she or he felt able to afford to do.",
"The apportionment of praise and blame should be commensurate with the arduousness or ease of the lives of tho... | 0 | train_1140 |
The economy of Colonia has been in recession for the past eight years. Most companies that have not been forced into bankruptcy have survived thanks to the high efficiency of the employees they retained, which helped the companies control costs. In recent months, however, the Colonian economy has begun to recover, and ... | Which of the following, if true, most logically complete the argument? | [
"People who have been employed throughout the recession will, no doubt, continue to be employed.",
"Most companies will find that few of the workers available for hiring are as efficient as those they retained during the recession.",
"Many companies that were forced into bankruptcy in the past eight years had a... | 1 | train_1141 |
Credit card companies justify charging cardholders additional fees for late payments by asserting the principle that those who expose other individuals, companies, or institutions to financial risk should pay for that risk, and by pointing out that late-paying cardholders present a greater risk of default than other ca... | The principle invoked by the credit card companies would, if established, be most usefully invoked in which one of the following arguments? | [
"School authorities should use student activity funds to pay for student-caused damages to school property since, even though only a few students cause any significant damage, authorities cannot in most instances determine which students caused the damage.",
"Municipalities should use tax money to pay for the mai... | 3 | train_1142 |
Computer store manager: Last year we made an average of 13 percent profit on the high-end computer models -- those priced over $1, 000 -- that we sold, while low-end models -- those priced below $1, 000 -- typically returned at least 25 percent profit. Since there is a limit to how many models we can display and sell, ... | The reasoning in the manager's argument is vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds? | [
"The argument ignores the possibility that some customers who come into a computer store expecting to purchase a low-end model end up purchasing a high-end model.",
"The argument fails to address the possibility that, despite the price differential, the store sold as many high-end models as low-end models last ye... | 3 | train_1143 |
Adult frogs are vulnerable to dehydration because of their highly permeable skins. Unlike large adult frogs, small adult frogs have such a low ratio of body weight to skin surface area that they cannot survive in arid climates. The animals' moisture requirements constitute the most important factor determining where fr... | The information above most strongly supports which one of the following conclusions about frogs in the Yucatan peninsula? | [
"Fewer small adult frogs live in the south than do large adult frogs.",
"Large adult frogs can live in more of the area than small adult frogs can.",
"Small adult frogs in the south have less permeable skins than small adult frogs in the north.",
"Large adult frogs cannot coexist with small adult frogs in the... | 1 | train_1144 |
A doctor investigated whether an insufficient amount of dopamine in the brain causes Parkinson' s disease. The doctor injected dopamine into the bloodstreams of patients with Parkinson' s disease. The progress of the disease was not halted, nor did any of the patients improve. The doctor concluded that Parkinson' s dis... | Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the doctor's conclusion? | [
"Recent research has shown that dopamine, when injected into the bloods, cannot enter the brain.",
"Research has shown that dopamine often causes diseases other than Parkinson's disease.",
"Parkinson's disease causes the brain to produce less dopamine than it normally would.",
"Research has shown that many di... | 0 | train_1145 |
A favored theory to explain the extinction of dinosaurs, together with many other species, has been the globally catastrophic collision of a large asteroid with the Earth. Supporting evidence is an extraterrestrial chemical element in a layer of dust found worldwide at a geological level laid down contemporaneously wit... | The new theory assumes that | [
"the massive volcanic activity was not caused by the impact of an asteroid",
"the extinctions took place over a longer time period than they would have if caused by the impact of an asteroid",
"no individual dinosaurs survived the impact of the asteroid, if it occurred",
"it is not possible to determine which... | 0 | train_1146 |
Chronic back pain is usually caused by a herniated or degenerated spinal disk. In most cases the disk will have been damaged years before chronic pain develops, and in fact an estimated one in five people over the age of 30 has a herniated or degenerated disk that shows no chronic symptoms. If chronic pain later develo... | The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"Four out of five people over the age of 30 can be sure they will never develop chronic back pain.",
"Doctors can accurately predict which people who do not have chronic back pain will develop it in the future.",
"People who exercise their abdominal and spinal muscles regularly are sure to be free from chronic ... | 3 | train_1147 |
A neighborhood group plans to protest the closing of the neighborhood' s only recreation center on the grounds that to do so would leave the neighborhood without local access to a recreation center. "Our neighborhood already has the most residents per center of any neighborhood in the city, " complained one resident, "... | Each of the following, if true, weakens the resident's argument EXCEPT: | [
"Programs that are routinely filled at other recreation centers must be canceled at the neighborhood's recreation center due to lack of interest.",
"As people become more involved in computers and computer games, recreation centers are becoming increasingly less important.",
"A large number of the neighborhood'... | 2 | train_1148 |
There is little plausibility to the claim that it is absurd to criticize anyone for being critical. Obviously, people must assess one another and not all assessments will be positive. However, there is wisdom behind the injunction against being judgmental. To be judgmental is not merely to assess someone negatively, bu... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion drawn in the argument? | [
"It is absurd to criticize anyone for being critical.",
"There is some plausibility to the claim that it is absurd to criticize anyone for being critical.",
"Not all assessments people make of one another will be positive.",
"There is wisdom behind the injunction against being judgmental."
] | 3 | train_1149 |
As regards memory, the brain responds best to repeated patterns, such as the melodic and rhythmic patterns of music. This is why we can remember long strings of information or text, which would normally be impossible to memorize, when they are put to music. Given that music aids memory, it might seem that funny jokes w... | Which one of the following most logically completes the passage? | [
"for most people, certain memories elicit a strong emotional response",
"people can hold in short-term memory only a few chunks of unpattemed information at a time",
"jokes work not by conforming to repeated patterns but by breaking them",
"jokes, unlike music, always have content that is verbal or at least c... | 2 | train_1150 |
Statistical records of crime rates probably often reflect as much about the motives and methods of those who compile or cite them as they do about the actual incidence of crime. The police may underreport crime in order to convey the impression of their own success or overreport crime to make the case for a budget incr... | The argument proceeds by doing which one of the following? | [
"deriving implications of a generalization that it assumes to be true",
"citing examples in support of its conclusion",
"enumerating problems for which it proposes a general solution",
"showing how evidence that apparently contradicts its conclusion actually supports that conclusion"
] | 1 | train_1151 |
The genuine creative genius is someone who is dissatisfied with merely habitual assent to widely held beliefs; thus these rare innovators tend to anger the majority. Those who are dissatisfied with merely habitual assent to widely held beliefs tend to seek out controversy, and controversy seekers enjoy demonstrating th... | The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"People who enjoy demonstrating the falsehood of popular viewpoints anger the majority.",
"People become angry when they are dissatisfied with merely habitual assent to widely held beliefs.",
"People tend to get angry with individuals who hold beliefs not held by a majority of people.",
"People who anger the ... | 0 | train_1152 |
Columnist: Several recent studies show, and insurance statistics confirm, that more pedestrians are killed every year in North American cities when crossing with the light than when crossing against it. Crossing against the light in North American cities is ttherefore less dangerous than crossing with the light. | The columnist's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it | [
"ignores possible differences in the frequency of the two actions whose risk is being assessed",
"presumes, without providing justification, that because two things are correlated there must be a causal relationship between them",
"does not adequately consider the possibility that a correlation between two even... | 0 | train_1153 |
The shooting at the convenience store occurred just before dawn this morning, and the last police officer did not leave the scene until late this afternoon. With all the commotion, no one could have been anywhere within the vicinity of the scene of the shooting and fail to notice it. Jeffrey must have noticed the scene... | The main conclusion of the argument is that | [
"Jeffrey did not go to work this morning",
"Jeffrey was in the vicinity of the shooting when it happened",
"Jeffrey claimed he did not notice the scene this morning",
"Jeffrey noticed the scene of the shooting this morning"
] | 3 | train_1154 |
Ethicist: Marital vows often contain the promise to love "until death do us part. " If "love" here refers to a feeling, then this promise makes no sense, for feelings are not within one' s control, and a promise to do something not within one' s control makes no sense. Thus, no one -- including those making marital vow... | The ethicist's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"People should not make promises to do something that is not within their control.",
"Promises should not be interpreted in such a way that they make no sense.",
"Promises that cannot be kept do not make any sense.",
"\"Love\" can legitimately be taken to refer to something other than feelings."
] | 1 | train_1155 |
Capuchin monkeys in Venezuela often rub a certain type of millipede into their fur. Secretions of these millipedes have been shown to contain two chemicals that are potent mosquito repellents, and mosquitoes carry parasites that debilitate the capuchins. The rubbing behavior is rare except during the rainy season, when... | Which of the following would it be most useful to determine in order to evaluate the argument? | [
"Whether the two chemicals provide any protection for the millipedes against their own predators",
"Whether animals other than capuchins rub insects of any kind into their fur",
"Whether the type of millipede used by the capuchin monkeys in Venezuela is found in other parts of the world",
"Whether the only ti... | 3 | train_1156 |
Many people think that the only way to remedy the problem of crime is by increasing the number of police officers, but recent statistics show that many major cities had similar ratios of police officers to citizens, yet diverged widely in their crime rates. | The statistics cited function in the argument to | [
"illustrate the need for increasing the number of police officers in major cities",
"suggest that the number of police officers is not the only influence on the crime rate",
"demonstrate that there is no relation between the number of police officers and the crime rate",
"prove that there are factors other th... | 1 | train_1157 |
The translator of poetry must realize that word-for-word equivalents do not exist across languages, any more than piano sounds exist in the violin. The violin can, however, play recognizably the same music as the piano, but only if the violinist is guided by the nature and possibilities of the violin as well as by the ... | As applied to the act of translating poetry from one language into another, the analogy above can best be understood as saying that | [
"some languages are inherently more musical and more suitable to poetic composition than others",
"the translator must observe the spirit of the original and also the qualities of expression that characterize the language into which the original is translated",
"the translator should be primarily concerned with... | 1 | train_1158 |
The Hyksos invaded the Nile Delta of Egypt and ruled it from 1650 to 1550 B. C. Their origin is uncertain, but archaeologists hypothesize that they were Canaatites. In support of this hypothesis, the archaeologists point out that excavations of Avaris, the Hyksos capital in Egypt, have uncovered large numbers of artifa... | In order to evaluate the force of the archaeologists' evidence, it would be most useful to determine which of the following ? | [
"Whether Avaris was the nearest Hyksos city in Egypt to Canaan",
"Whether Ashkelon after 1550 B. C. continued to produce artifacts similar to those found at Avaris",
"Whether any artifacts produced by the Hyksos after 1550 B. C. have been found in Egypt",
"Whether artifacts from Ashkelon were widely traded to... | 3 | train_1159 |
Muscular strength is a limited resource, and athletic techniques help to use this resource efficiently. Since top athletes do not differ greatly from each other in muscular strength, it follows that a requirement for an athlete to become a champion is a superior mastery of athletic techniques. | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the argument? | [
"The differences in muscular strength between top athletes are not great.",
"No athlete can become a champion without a superior mastery of athletic techniques.",
"Only champion athletes have a superior mastery of athletic techniques.",
"Superior muscular strength is a requirement for an athlete to become a c... | 1 | train_1160 |
Watching music videos from the 1970s would give the viewer the impression that the music of the time was dominated by synthesizer pop and punk rock. But this would be a misleading impression. Because music videos were a new art form at the time, they attracted primarily cutting-edge musicians. | Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its reasoning to that of the argument above? | [
"Our notion of fashion trends will probably be accurate if we rely on TV fashion programs, despite the fact that these programs deliberately select the most outrageous outfits in order to get the viewers' attention.",
"Our view of pre-printing-press literature can never be accurate, because the surviving works of... | 3 | train_1161 |
Company policy: An employee of our company must be impartial, particularly when dealing with family members. This obligation extends to all aspects of the job, including hiring and firing practices and the quality of service the employee provides customers. | Which one of the following employee behaviors most clearly violates the company policy cited above? | [
"never firing a family member, even though three of one's siblings work under one's supervision and authority",
"refusing to hire any of one's five siblings, even though they are each more qualified than any other applicant",
"repeatedly refusing to advance an employee, claiming that he has sometimes skipped wo... | 1 | train_1162 |
Bookstore owner: Consumers should buy books only from an independent bookstore, not from a bookstore that belongs to a bookstore chain. An independent bookstore tends to carry a much wider variety of books than does a chain bookstore, so because chains often threaten the existence of independent bookstores, they tend t... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the bookstore owner's argumentation? | [
"Consumers should not make purchases from any bookstore that deliberately forces competing bookstores out of business.",
"If consumers have no access to any independent bookstore, they should buy books from the chain bookstore with the greatest diversity of books.",
"Consumers should buy books from only those b... | 2 | train_1163 |
Frequently, people who diet to lose weight become trapped in a vicious cycle. When those people diet, they not only lose weight, but their bodies become used to fewer calories and become accustomed to functioning at that lower rate of caloric intake. As a result, when they stop dieting and go back to eating amounts of ... | The passage above best supports which one of the following conclusions about people who diet to lose weight? | [
"They are bound to end up weighing more than when they started dieting.",
"They must not go back to eating pre-diet amounts of food if they are to maintain their weight at the reduced level resulting from dieting.",
"They never can go back to their pre-diet caloric intake without regaining all of the weight los... | 1 | train_1164 |
Annie: Our university libraries have been sadly neglected. Few new books have been purchased during the last decade, and most of the older books are damaged. The university' s administrators should admit that their library policies have been in error and should remedy this situation in the fastest way possible, which i... | Annie and Matilda disagree about whether | [
"students will ultimately benefit from the library improvements that could be funded by additional student fees",
"funds for library improvements could be raised without additional student fees",
"those not responsible for the current condition of the libraries should bear the cost for remedying it",
"library... | 2 | train_1165 |
Some people prefer to avoid facing unpleasant truths and resent those whose unwanted honesty forces them into such a confrontation. Others dislike having any information, however painful, knowingly withheld from them. It is obvious then that if those in the former group are guided by the directive to treat others as th... | Which one of the following most reasonably completes the argument above? | [
"they will sometimes withhold comment in situations in which they would otherwise be willing to speak",
"those in the latter group will respond by concealing unpleasant truths",
"they will sometimes treat those in the latter group in a manner the members of this latter group do not like",
"those in the latter... | 2 | train_1166 |
Aerobics instructor: Compared to many forms of exercise, kickboxing aerobics is highly risky. Overextending when kicking often leads to hip, knee, or lower-back injuries. Such overextension is very likely to occur when beginners try to match the high kicks of more skilled practitioners. | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the aerobics instructor's statements? | [
"Kickboxing aerobics is more risky than forms of aerobic exercise that do not involve high kicks.",
"To reduce the risk of injuries, beginners at kickboxing aerobics should avoid trying to match the high kicks of more skilled practitioners.",
"Beginners at kickboxing aerobics will not experience injuries if the... | 1 | train_1167 |
Legislator: The recently passed highway bill is clearly very unpopular with voters. After all, polls predict that the majority party, which supported the bill' s passage, will lose more than a dozen seats in the upcoming election. | The reasoning in the legislator's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"takes for granted that the bill is unpopular just because the legislator wishes it to be unpopular",
"bases its conclusion on the views of voters without establishing their relevant expertise on the issues involved",
"gives no reason to think that the predicted election outcome would be different if the majori... | 2 | train_1168 |
S: Our nation is becoming too averse to risk. We boycott any food reported to contain a toxic chemical, even though the risk, as a mathematical ratio, might be minimal. With this mentality, Columbus would never have sailed west. T: A risk-taker in one context can be risk-averse in another: the same person can drive rec... | T responds to S by showing that | [
"risk cannot be defined in relation to perceived probable benefit",
"a distinction should be made between avoidable and unavoidable risks",
"to risk cannot be reliably assessed without reference to context",
"mathematical odds concerning risk give an unwarranted impression of precision"
] | 2 | train_1169 |
Companies wishing to boost sales of merchandise should use in-store displays to catch customers' attention. According to a marketing study, today' s busy shoppers have less time for coupon-clipping and pay little attention to direct-mail advertising; instead, they make two-thirds of their buying decisions on the spot a... | Which one of the following is an assumption that the argument requires? | [
"Many of today's shoppers are too busy to pay careful attention to in-store displays.",
"Coupons and direct-mail advertising were at one time more effective means of boosting sales of merchandise than they are now.",
"Companies are increasingly using in-store displays to catch customers' attention.",
"In-stor... | 3 | train_1170 |
Biologists with a predilection for theory have tried-and largely failed-to define what it is that makes something a living thing. Organisms take in energy- providing materials and excrete waste products, but so do automobiles. Living things replicate and take part in evolution, but so do some computer programs. We must... | Which of the following most logically completes the passage? | [
"the laws of physics by using pure mathematics",
"what a fish is by listing its chemical components",
"what an animal is by examining a plant",
"what a mammal is by examining a zebra"
] | 3 | train_1171 |
This year, the number of applications at College X increased by nearly 5%, while the size of the entering class and the structure of the admissions process remained the same. However, the admissions director of College X claims that this year a greater proportion of its applicants received offers of admission from the ... | Which of the following statements best reconciles the claim of the admissions director with other evidence presented in the argument? | [
"This year College X moved up in all major rankings of undergraduate programs.",
"This year, the number of high school graduates who applied to colleges increased by 5%.",
"This year, nearly twice as many accepted applicants at College X decided to attend other colleges.",
"The admissions process at College X... | 2 | train_1172 |
Editorial: To qualify as an effective law, as opposed to merely an impressive declaration, a command must be backed up by an effective enforcement mechanism. That is why societies have police. The power of the police to enforce a society' s laws makes those laws effective. But there is currently no international police... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the editorial's argument? | [
"The only difference between international law and the law of an individual society is the former's lack of an effective enforcement mechanism.",
"If an international police force were established, then so-called international law would become effective law.",
"Only an international police force could effective... | 2 | train_1173 |
In a study of the effect of radiation from nuclear weapons plants on people living in areas near them, researchers compared death rates in the areas near the plants with death rates in areas that had no such plants. Finding no difference in these rates, the researchers concluded that radiation from the nuclear weapons ... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the researchers' argument? | [
"Only a small number of areas have nuclear weapons plants.",
"Nuclear power plants were not included in the study.",
"Exposure to nuclear radiation can cause many serious diseases that do not necessarily result in death.",
"The researchers did not study the possible health hazards of radiation on people who w... | 2 | train_1174 |
Lawyer: If you take something that you have good reason to think is someone else' s property, that is stealing, and stealing is wrong. However, Meyers had no good reason to think that the compost in the public garden was anyone else' s property, so it was not wrong for Meyers to take it. | The reasoning in the lawyer's argument is flawed in that the argument | [
"takes a condition that by itself is enough to make an action wrong to also be necessary in order for the action to be wrong",
"fails to consider the possibility that the compost was Meyers' property",
"concludes that something is certainly someone else's property when there is merely good, but not conclusive, ... | 0 | train_1175 |
John: For 40 years, fluoride has been added to public drinking water. According to a study, fluoridated public drinking water when given to laboratory rats causes bone cancer. Ninety percent of all the male rats in the test sample were affected, but the female rats were unaffected. Even though I am healthy now, I shoul... | Which one of the following is the strongest criticism of John's reasoning? | [
"John does not consider whether fluoridated water causes other diseases.",
"John does not consider whether there were any brief periods during the 40 years in which fluoride was not added to the water.",
"John does not consider the possibility of other causes of bone cancer.",
"John does not focus on the posi... | 2 | train_1176 |
Oscar: Emerging information technologies will soon make speed of information processing the single most important factor in the creation of individual, corporate, and national wealth. Consequently, the division of the world into northern countries -- in general rich -- and southern countries -- in general poor -- will ... | Sylvia's reasoning depends on the assumption that | [
"the speed at which information processing takes place will continue to increase indefinitely",
"there are technologies other than information technologies whose development could help narrow the existing economic gap between north and south",
"at least some of the rich countries of the north will be effective ... | 2 | train_1177 |
If a wig has any handmade components, it is more expensive than one with none. Similarly, a made-to-measure wig ranges from medium-priced to expensive. Handmade foundations are never found on wigs that do not use human hair. Furthermore, any wig that contains human hair should be dry-cleaned. So all made-to-measure wig... | The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Any wig whose price falls in the medium-priced to expensive range has a handmade foundation.",
"If a wig's foundation is handmade, then its price is at least in the medium range.",
"Any wig that should be dry-cleaned has a foundation that is handmade.",
"If a wig's foundation is handmade, then it is more exp... | 0 | train_1178 |
Kennel club members who frequently discipline their dogs report a higher incidence of misbehavior than do members who rarely or never discipline their dogs. We can conclude from this that discipline does not improve dogs' behavior; on the contrary, it encourages misbehavior. | The argument is flawed in that it fails to consider the possibility that | [
"kennel club members are more likely to use discipline than are other dog owners",
"dogs' misbehavior is the cause of, rather than the result of, frequent discipline",
"dogs learn from past experience how their owners are likely to react to misbehavior",
"kennel club members tend to be more skilled at raising... | 1 | train_1179 |
Commentator: In academic scholarship, sources are always cited, and methodology and theoretical assumptions are set out, so as to allow critical study, replication, and expansion of scholarship. In open-source software, the code in which the program is written can be viewed and modified by individual users for their pu... | The commentator's reasoning most closely conforms to which one of the following principles? | [
"Universities should use the type of software technology that is least expensive, as long as that type of software technology is adequate for the purposes of academic scholarship.",
"A university should not pursue any activity that would block the achievement of the goals of academic scholarship at that universit... | 3 | train_1180 |
Psychologist: Some psychologists mistakenly argue that because dreams result from electrical discharges in the brain, they must be understood purely in terms of their physiological function. They conclude, against Freud, that dreams reveal nothing about the character of the dreamer. But since dream content varies enorm... | The claim that dream content varies enormously plays which one of the following roles in the argument? | [
"It is used to illustrate the difficulty of providing a complete explanation of the phenomenon of dreaming.",
"It is used to support the explicitly stated conclusion that a fully satisfactory account of dreams must allow for the possibility of their revealing significant information about the dreamer.",
"It is ... | 3 | train_1181 |
Critic: Rock music is musically bankrupt and socially destructive, but at least the album covers of rock LPs from the 1960s and 1970s often featured innovative visual art. But now, since the success of digital music has almost ended the production of LPs, rock music has nothing going for it. | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the critic's argument relies? | [
"In the 1960s and 1970s, only rock LPs featured innovative album cover art.",
"Digital music is not distributed with accompanying innovative visual art.",
"Although very few LPs are produced today, most of these are rock LPs.",
"The LPs being produced today have innovative album cover art."
] | 1 | train_1182 |
There have been no new cases of naturally occurring polio in North America in recent years. Yet there are approximately 12 new cases of polio each year in North America, all caused by the commonly administered live oral polio vaccine (OPV). Substituting inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) for most childhood polio immunizat... | Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument? | [
"Although IPV is preferred in some European nations, most countries with comprehensive child immunization programs use OPV.",
"The vast majority of cases of polio caused by OPV have occurred in children with preexisting but unsuspected immunodeficiency disorders.",
"If IPV replaces OPV as the most commonly used... | 2 | train_1183 |
Books updating the classification systems used by many libraries are not free -- in fact they are very expensive. The only way to sell copies of them is to make the potential buyers believe they need to adopt the most recent system. Thus, these frequent changes in the classification systems are just a ploy by the publi... | The reasoning above is most vulnerable to criticism because it | [
"concludes that there is no need ever to change classification systems",
"concludes that a possible ulterior motive must be the only motive",
"fails to consider that there may be potential buyers of these books other than libraries",
"fails to consider that the libraries cannot afford to buy every book they w... | 1 | train_1184 |
A certain tropical island received food donations in the form of powdered milk for distribution to its poorest residents, who were thought to be malnourished. Subsequently, the rate of liver cancers among those islanders increased sharply. The donated milk was probably to blame: recent laboratory research on rats has s... | Which of the following most logically completes the passage? | [
"powdered milk is the most appropriate form in which to send milk to a tropical destination",
"the people who were given the donated milk had been screened for their ability to digest milk",
"casein is not the only protein contained in milk",
"in the tropics, peanuts, a staple of these island residents, suppo... | 3 | train_1185 |
Manufacturing plants in Arundia have recently been acquired in substantial numbers by investors from abroad. Arundian politicians are proposing legislative action to stop such investment, justifying the proposal by arguing that foreign investors, opportunistically exploiting a recent fall in the value of the Arundian c... | Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the adequacy of the Arundian politicians' justification for the proposed legislation? | [
"Foreign investors who acquired Arundian manufacturing plants generally did so with no intention of keeping and running those plants over the long term.",
"In Concordia, a country broadly similar to Arundia, the share of manufacturing assets that is foreign- controlled is 60 percent higher than it is in Arundia."... | 2 | train_1186 |
Veterinarian: A disease of purebred racehorses that is caused by a genetic defect prevents afflicted horses from racing and can cause paralysis and death. Some horse breeders conclude that because the disease can have such serious consequences, horses with this defect should not be bred. But they are wrong because, in ... | The point of the veterinarian's response to the horse breeders is most accurately expressed by which one of the following? | [
"Racehorses that have the genetic defect need not be prevented from racing.",
"Racehorses that are severely afflicted with the disease have not been provided with the proper diet.",
"There should not be an absolute ban on breeding racehorses that have the genetic defect.",
"There should be no prohibition agai... | 2 | train_1187 |
Most water companies in the United States add fluoride to tap water to help prevent cavities. Some dentists argue, however, that this practice actually causes more harm than good because people overestimate the protection afforded by the fluoride and do not take the proper steps to care for their teeth, such as brushin... | Which of the following, if true, most weakens the dentists' claims? | [
"Most Americans already brush their teeth daily.",
"Annual visits to the dentist are the most effective means of controlling tooth decay.",
"Most Americans are not aware that fluoride is added to tap water.",
"Fluoride is widely used in commercially available dental care products."
] | 2 | train_1188 |
No nonfiction book published by Carriage Books has ever earned a profit. Since Carriage Books earned a profit on every book it published last year, it clearly did not publish a nonfiction book last year. | The pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following arguments? | [
"James Benson has never done business with the city of Waldville. Since Waldville only maintains business files on individuals that it does business with, it clearly does not have a business file on James Benson.",
"Pranwich Corporation has never given a bonus to an employee in its marketing division. Since Pranw... | 1 | train_1189 |
Cognitive psychologist: The argument against IQ as a hereditary trait that is fixed throughout one's lifetime ignores the evidence of eye orientation. That is, there is a high correlation between the speed in which a person's eyes orient towards a stimulus and that person's IQ. Specifically, an experiment measured the ... | Which of the following is an assumption the cognitive psychologist makes? | [
"The speed at which one can orient one's eye to a stimulus has also been highly correlated with overall health.",
"The speed in which a person orients his or her eyes towards a stimulus is a skill that cannot be modified by experience.",
"The screen used in the experiment was so large that subjects had to shift... | 1 | train_1190 |
New legislation would require a seven-day waiting period in the sale of handguns to private individuals, in order that records of prisons could be checked and the sale of handguns to people likely to hurt other people thereby prevented. People opposed to this legislation claim that prison records are so full of errors ... | If the claim made by people opposed to the new legislation is true, which one of the following is a principle that, if established, would do the most to justify opposition to the new legislation on the basis of that claim? | [
"Legislation should not be enacted if no benefit could accrue to society as a result of that legislation.",
"Even citizens who are neither fugitives nor felons should not be permitted to own a handgun unless they have received adequate training.",
"Nothing should be done to restrict potential criminals at the c... | 2 | train_1191 |
Manager: One reason productivity in our office is not as high as it could be is that office workers spend too much time taking unauthorized breaks. Since the number of office workers assigned to each manager will soon be reduced, managers will be able to supervise workers more closely in the future to make sure that th... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the manager's argument depends? | [
"Supervising employees more closely to reduce unauthorized breaks is the most efficient way of increasing overall office productivity.",
"The gain in productivity that will result from reducing unauthorized breaks will exceed any loss in productivity caused by closer supervision.",
"Giving financial incentives ... | 1 | train_1192 |
No one who works at Leila' s Electronics has received both a poor performance evaluation and a raise. Lester has not received a raise, so it must be that he has received a poor performance evaluation. | The flawed reasoning in the argument above is most similar to the reasoning in which one of the following arguments? | [
"Anyone who lives in a house but does not own it pays rent on it. My next-door neighbors do not own their house. Ttherefore, it must be that they pay rent on it.",
"No one who lives in a house both owns it and pays rent on it. So, since my next-door neighbors pay rent on their house, it must be that they do not o... | 3 | train_1193 |
Secondary school students achieve broad mastery of the curriculum if they are taught with methods appropriate to their learning styles and they devote significant effort to their studies. Thus, if such broad mastery is not achieved by the students in a particular secondary school, those students are not being taught wi... | The conclusion can be properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Secondary school students who devote significant effort to their studies do not always achieve broad mastery of the curriculum.",
"Even if secondary school students are taught with methods appropriate to their learning styles, they will not achieve broad mastery of the curriculum if they do not devote significan... | 3 | train_1194 |
Compared to us, people who lived a century ago had very few diversions to amuse them. Ttherefore, they likely read much more than we do today. | Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the argument? | [
"Many of the books published a century ago were of low literary quality.",
"The number of books sold today is larger than it was a century ago.",
"One of the popular diversions of a century ago was horse racing.",
"On average, people who lived a century ago had considerably less leisure time than we do today.... | 3 | train_1195 |
Art historian: This painting, purportedly by Mary Cassatt, is a forgery. Although the canvas and other materials are consistent with most of Cassatt' s work, and the subject matter is similar to that of Cassatt' s finest paintings, the brush style of this painting is not found in any work known to be Cassatt' s. Hence ... | The art historian's argument depends on assuming which one of the following? | [
"No painter other than Cassatt would be able to match Cassatt's brush style perfectly.",
"None of Cassatt's works is painted using a brush style that is not exhibited in any of her known works.",
"The most characteristic feature of Cassatt's work is her brush style.",
"Cassatt's work generally had a character... | 1 | train_1196 |
In fact, the state' s water systems are directly related to the health of the aquifers. Aquifers are underground, porous rocks that store groundwater. This water can be brought up to the surface through natural springs or through pumping. In this state, many communities use the aquifers for drinking water. This is why ... | Which of the following scenarios would the above statement most likely support? | [
"Kyle is concerned with the economy of his community. He has a family of six and has decided that he'll support any legislation expanding job growth in his city.",
"Gabriella is the CEO of a company that pumps groundwater out of the aquifers to provide to the public. She wants to educate the community on water co... | 3 | train_1197 |
Adults have the right to vote; so should adolescents. Admittedly, adolescents and adults are not the same. But to the extent that adolescents and adults are different, adults cannot be expected to represent the interests of adolescents. If adults cannot represent the interests of adolescents, then only by giving adoles... | The argument relies on which one of the following assumptions? | [
"The right to vote is a right that all human beings should have.",
"Adolescents and adults differ in most respects that are important.",
"Adolescents should have their interests represented.",
"Anyone who has the right to vote has all the rights an adult has."
] | 2 | train_1198 |
University president: When a faculty member' s falsification of research was uncovered, the media treated it as evidence of the university' s low standards, even though in truth it was a mere case of dishonesty. But since vigilance with respect to academic standards is always necessary, it' s good that standards have b... | Which one of the following conforms most closely to the principle illustrated above? | [
"The latest government scandal has been analyzed as a case of simple corruption, although corruption had little to do with it. Because the true cause of the scandal was lack of oversight, attributing the cause of the scandal to simple corruption is harmful.",
"The latest government scandal has been analyzed as a ... | 2 | train_1199 |
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