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Even though apes are the only nonhuman creatures able to learn human language, no ape has ever used its human language skills to ask such philosophical questions as, "How am I different from all other creatures? " Ttherefore, philosophical thought is unique to humans. | The conclusion in the passage above relies on which one of the following assumptions? | [
"Apes are incapable of thinking in human language.",
"Human language is unique to humans.",
"Speaking in human language is easier than thinking in human language.",
"Philosophical thought can be expressed only in human language."
] | 3 | train_2500 |
Each major earthquake in this region has been preceded by a series of minor tremors. Since the region has recently experienced a series of minor tremors, a major earthquake will strike the region in the near future. | Which one of the following arguments exhibits a pattern of questionable reasoning most similar to that exhibited by the argument above? | [
"This river has overflowed in every spring thaw following a winter with high snowfall. As this winter the area received a record amount of snow, the river will overflow this coming spring.",
"So far, all local outbreaks of this disease among humans occurred soon after the detection of high infection rates among l... | 1 | train_2501 |
Clinician: Patients with immune system disorders are usually treated with a class of drugs that, unfortunately, increase the patient' s risk of developing osteoporosis, a bone-loss disease. So these patients take another drug that helps to preserve existing bone. Since a drug that enhances the growth of new bone cells ... | Which one of the following would be most useful to know in order to evaluate the clinician's argument? | [
"How large is the class of drugs that increase the risk of developing osteoporosis?",
"Why are immune system disorders treated with drugs that increase the risk of developing osteoporosis?",
"To what extent does the new drug retain its efficacy when used in combination with the other drugs?",
"Is the new drug... | 2 | train_2502 |
Harunia Province has a relatively dry climate and is attracting a fast-growing population that has put increasing demands on its water supply. The two companies that supply water to the region have struggled to keep up with demand and still remain profitable. Yet now they are asking Harunian authorities to write reside... | Which of the following would, if true, most logically help explain why the watersupply companies are asking the authorities to regulate residential water use? | [
"The companies believe that the population is not likely to continue to grow.",
"Few, if any, Harunian government officials have investments in the companies or serve on their boards of directors.",
"The companies believe regulation is inevitable and that having it in place now will allow better planning and th... | 2 | train_2503 |
Ronald Thump will be the next great President of the United States. His cutthroat business tactics will be quite effective as the nation' s top executive. Mr. Thump' s manipulation of tax and bankruptcy loopholes helped grow his father' s fortune. | The author would most likely agree that: | [
"Business experience is directly relevant to succeeding as president.",
"Ronald Thump's fortune would not exist without his father.",
"Manipulating tax and bankruptcy loopholes is always advisable.",
"Businessmen always make the best presidents."
] | 0 | train_2504 |
The annual Journal for Publication, which often solicits articles, publishes only those articles that are both submitted before March 6 and written by certified psychoanalysts. Stevens, who publishes frequently in psychoanalytic literature, submitted an article to the Journal before March 6. This article was accepted f... | Which one of the following conclusions follows logically from the statements above? | [
"Stevens' recently accepted article will be interesting to Journal readers.",
"The Journal asked Stevens to write an article.",
"Stevens is a psychoanalyst.",
"Stevens is an authority on a large number of topics in psychoanalysis."
] | 2 | train_2505 |
Editorial: The gates at most railroad crossings, while they give clear warning of oncoming trains, are not large enough to prevent automobile drivers from going around them onto the tracks. Some people claim that the ensuing accidents are partly the fault of the railroad company, but this is a mistake. Granted, if one ... | The editorial's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Small children are not involved in accidents resulting from drivers going around the gates.",
"Capable adults have a responsibility to take some measures to ensure their own safety.",
"The gates could be made larger, yet irresponsible drivers might still be able to go around them onto the tracks.",
"When the... | 3 | train_2506 |
The chairperson of Acme Corporation has decided to move the company from its current location in Milltown to Ocean View. Most Acme employees cannot afford housing within a 30-minute commute of Ocean View. So once the company has moved, most Acme employees will have a commute of more than 30 minutes. | The argument requires assuming which one of the following? | [
"All Acme employees can afford housing within a 30-minute commute of Milltown.",
"Currently, most Acme employees have a commute of less than 30 minutes.",
"The chairperson of Acme has good financial reasons for wanting to move the company to Ocean View.",
"Acme's move to Ocean View will not be accompanied by ... | 3 | train_2507 |
It is obvious that one ought to have a will stating how one wishes one' s estate to be distributed. This can easily be seen from the fact that, according to current laws, in the absence of a legal will distant relatives whom one has never even met have a greater legal right to one' s estate than one' s beloved friends ... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"No one wants his or her estate to go to someone he or she has never met.",
"People are generally not indifferent about how their estates are distributed.",
"One's beloved friends have a greater legal right to one's estate than one's distant relatives do.",
"One's estate should go only to a person who is dese... | 1 | train_2508 |
Two different dates have been offered as the approximate end point of the last ice age in North America. The first date was established by testing insect fragments found in samples of sediments to determine when warmth-adapted open-ground beetles replaced cold-adapted arctic beetles. The second date was established by ... | The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following conclusions about the last ice age and its aftermath in North America? | [
"Ice masses continued to advance through North America for several hundred years after the end of the ice age.",
"Toward the end of the ice age, warmth-adapted open-ground beetles ceased to inhabit areas where the predominant tree cover consisted of spruce forests.",
"Among those sediments deposited toward the ... | 3 | train_2509 |
As far as we know, Earth is the only planet on which life has evolved, and all known life forms are carbon-based. Ttherefore, although there might exist noncarbon-based life on planets very unlike Earth, our scientific estimates of the probability of extraterrestrial life should be generated from estimates of the numbe... | Which one of the following general principles most strongly supports the recommendation? | [
"Estimations of probability that are more closely tied to what is known are preferable to those that are less closely tied to what is known.",
"It is preferable for scientists to restrict their studies to phenomena that are observable and forego making estimates about unobservable things.",
"There is no good re... | 0 | train_2510 |
Until recently, the sole electric company in country Y was owned and operated by the government with notoriously poor customer service. Finally, increased pressure by the international community forced country Y to allow private electric companies to operate in country Y. However, because government taxes on outside el... | If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true? | [
"Excellent customer service is not always a prerequisite for a company to survive in country Y.",
"Without the government taxes put on outside electric companies, these electric companies would provide better customer service.",
"Without the government taxes, the majority of the citizens of country Y would do b... | 0 | train_2511 |
The giant Chicxulub crater in Mexico provides indisputable evidence that a huge asteroid, about six miles across, struck Earth around the time many of the last dinosaur species were becoming extinct. But this catastrophe was probably not responsible for most of these extinctions. Any major asteroid strike kills many or... | Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument? | [
"There is no evidence that any other asteroid of equal size struck Earth at the same time as the asteroid that produced the Chicxulub crater.",
"During the period immediately before the asteroid that produced the Chicxulub crater struck, most of the world's dinosaurs lived in or near the region of the asteroid's ... | 1 | train_2512 |
Doctor: It would benefit public health if junk food were taxed. Not only in this country but in many other countries as well, the excessive proportion of junk food in people' s diets contributes to many common and serious health problems. If junk food were much more expensive than healthful food, people would be encour... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the doctor's argument? | [
"Taxing junk food would benefit public health.",
"Junk food should be taxed if doing so would benefit public health.",
"In many countries, the excessive proportion of junk food in people's diets contributes to many common and serious health problems.",
"Taxing junk food would encourage people to reduce the pr... | 0 | train_2513 |
People perceive color by means of certain photopigments in the retina that are sensitive to certain wavelengths of light. People who are colorblind are unable to distinguish between red and green, for example, due to an absence of certain photopigments. What is difficult to explain, however, is that in a study of peopl... | Each of the following, if true, helps to explain the result of the study cited above EXCEPT: | [
"Some people are unable to distinguish red from green due to an absence in the retina of the photopigment sensitive to green.",
"Some people are uninterested in fine gradations of color and fail to notice or report differences they do not care about.",
"Some people fail to report distinctions between certain sh... | 0 | train_2514 |
When, on a particular shopping trip, a consumer purchases an item which he previously had no intention of purchasing, this sale is called an "impulse purchase. " The objects of impulse purchases are occasionally essential items (i. e. items that satisfy basic subsistence needs), but much more frequently are luxury or n... | If the information above is true, and if the researchers' investigation was properly conducted, then which of the following must also be true? | [
"The researchers had a reliable way to determine whether the consumer had planned to buy the luxury or non-essential item he purchased on that trip.",
"The impulse purchase of luxury or non-essential item is more exciting than the impulse purchase of an essential need.",
"Consumers seeking a high level of excit... | 0 | train_2515 |
To succeed in a particular career, a person must have both talent and tenacity. Hans did not succeed in his career. Ttherefore, he must not have had both talent and tenacity. | Which one of the following contains the same logical flaw as that in the passage above? | [
"Some plants grow fast when given fertilizer or a lot of light. Ttherefore, this fast-growing plant received either fertilizer or a lot of light.",
"It does not always snow when it is cold and cloudy. Ttherefore, it need not be either cold or cloudy for it to snow.",
"If a person does not have both strong muscl... | 3 | train_2516 |
When industries rapidly apply new technology, people who possess the skills and knowledge to master it prosper, while many others lose their jobs. But firms that resist technological innovations will eventually be superseded by those that do not, resulting in the loss of all their employees' jobs. Obviously, then, resi... | Which one of the following most logically completes the argument? | [
"is less likely to dislocate workers than it is to create job security for them",
"will affect only those who possess technical skills",
"cannot prevent job loss in the long run",
"eventually creates more jobs than it destroys"
] | 2 | train_2517 |
Most of the year, the hermit thrush, a North American songbird, eats a diet consisting mainly of insects, but in autumn, as the thrushes migrate to their Central and South American wintering grounds, they feed almost exclusively on wild berries. Wild berries, however, are not as rich in calories as insects, yet thrushe... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the explanation given for the thrush's diet during migration? | [
"Hermit thrushes, if undernourished, are unable to complete their autumn migration before the onset of winter.",
"Along the hermit thrushes' migration routes, insects are abundant throughout the migration season.",
"For songbirds, catching insects requires the expenditure of significantly more calories than eat... | 2 | train_2518 |
Sociologist: Poverty is the number one cause of crime. When basic needs, like food and shelter, are not met, people become more willing to engage in criminal activity. The easiest way to reduce crime is to lessen poverty. | Which one of the following statements, if true, best supports the sociologist's argument? | [
"The easiest way to lessen poverty is to redistribute wealth.",
"Studies show that most crimes involve food theft and trespassing.",
"The typical criminal is less wealthy than the average person.",
"Drug addiction and substance abuse is the second largest cause of crime, and drug addicts are more impoverished... | 1 | train_2519 |
Theodore will be able to file his tax return on time only in the event that he has an accountant prepare his tax return and the accountant does not ask Theodore for any additional documentation of his business expenses. If he does have an accountant prepare his return, the accountant will necessarily ask Theodore to pr... | The pattern of reasoning in which one of the following arguments most closely parallels the pattern of reasoning in the argument above? | [
"Mark's children will not be content this weekend unless he lets them play video games some of the time. Mark will let them play video games, but only at times when he has no other activities planned. Ttherefore, unless Mark and his children take a break from planned activities, Mark's children will not be content ... | 2 | train_2520 |
Company president: Most of our best sales representatives came to the job with a degree in engineering but little or no sales experience. Thus, when we hire sales representatives, we should favor applicants who have engineering degrees but little or no sales experience over applicants with extensive sales experience bu... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the company president's argument? | [
"Some of the people who the company has hired as sales representatives and who were subsequently not very good at the job did not have extensive previous sales experience.",
"Most of the people hired by the company as sales representatives have had a degree in engineering but no sales experience.",
"Some of the... | 1 | train_2521 |
All Labrador retrievers bark a great deal. All Saint Bernards bark infrequently. Each of Rosa' s dogs is a cross between a Labrador retriever and a Saint Bernard. Ttherefore, Rosa' s dogs are moderate barkers. | Which one of the following uses flawed reasoning that most closely resembles the flawed reasoning used in the argument above? | [
"All students who study diligently make good grades. But some students who do not study diligently also make good grades. Jane studies somewhat diligently. Ttherefore, Jane makes somewhat good grades.",
"All type A chemicals are extremely toxic to human beings. All type B chemicals are nontoxic to human beings. T... | 1 | train_2522 |
Between 1976 and 1985, chemical wastes were dumped into Cod Bay. Today, 3 percent of the bay' s bluefin cod population have deformed fins, and wary consumers have stopped buying the fish. In seeking financial reparations from companies that dumped the chemicals, representatives of Cod Bay' s fishing industry have claim... | The answer to each of the following questions would be helpful in evaluating the representatives' claim EXCEPT: | [
"Are there gene-altering pollutants present in Cod Bay other than the chemical wastes that were dumped by the companies?",
"Has the consumption of the bluefin cod from Cod Bay that have deformed fins caused any health problems in the people who ate them?",
"Are bluefin cod prone to any naturally occurring disea... | 1 | train_2523 |
After the Second World War, the charter of the newly formed United Nations established an eleven-member Security Council and charged it with taking collective action in response to threats to world peace. The charter further provided that the five nations that were then the major powers would permanently have sole auth... | The reason given for the structure of the Security Council assumes that | [
"no nation that was not among the major powers at the end of the Second World War would become a major power",
"minor powers would not ally themselves with major powers to gain the protection of the veto exercised by major powers",
"it does not make sense to provide for democracy among nations when nations them... | 0 | train_2524 |
In criminal proceedings, defense attorneys occasionally attempt to establish that a suspect was not present at the commission of a crime by comparing the suspect' s DNA to the DNA of blood or hair samples taken from the scene of the crime. Although every person' s DNA is unique, DNA tests often fail to distinguish amon... | Which one of the following is an error in the reasoning above? | [
"It confuses a test that incorrectly identifies DNA samples as coming from the same person with a test that incorrectly shows as coming from different persons samples that come from a single person.",
"It relies on experimental data derived from DNA testing that have not been shown to hold under nonexperimental c... | 0 | train_2525 |
Shaw: Regulatory limits on pollution emissions from power plants should be set in terms of the long-term average emissions level rather than peak emissions levels. Levin: But short periods of high pollution emissions pose dangers to the environment. Your proposal is akin to enforcing the highway speed limit by measurin... | Based on the analogy in Levin's argument, time that a vehicle spends at a stoplight is analogous to time that a power plant | [
"emits pollutants at a very low level",
"operates at peak efficiency",
"emits no pollutants at all",
"emits pollutants at its peak level"
] | 2 | train_2526 |
Generally scientists enter their field with the goal of doing important new research and accept as their colleagues those with similar motivation. Ttherefore, when any scientist wins renown as an expounder of science to general audiences, most other scientists conclude that this popularizer should no longer be regarded... | The explanation offered above for the low esteem in which scientific popularizers are held by research scientists assumes that | [
"serious scientific research is not a solitary activity, but relies on active cooperation among a . group of colleagues",
"a scientist can become a famous popularizer without having completed any important research",
"research scientists tend not to regard as colleagues those scientists whose renown they envy",... | 3 | train_2527 |
Paleomycologists, scientists who study ancient forms of fungi, are invariably acquainted with the scholarly publications of all other paleomycologists. Professor Mansour is acquainted with the scholarly publications of Professor DeAngelis, who is a paleomycologist. Ttherefore, Professor Mansour must also be a paleomyco... | The flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following arguments? | [
"Any time the price of fuel decreases, Global Airlines' expenses decrease and its income is unaffected. The price of fuel decreased several times last year. Ttherefore, Global Airlines must have made a profit last year.",
"All employees of Global Airlines can participate in its retirement plan after they have bee... | 2 | train_2528 |
A favorable biography of a politician omits certain incriminating facts about the politician that were available to anyone when the book was written. The book' s author claims that, because he was unaware of these facts when he wrote the book, he is not accountable for the fact that readers were misled by this omission... | Which one of the following principles, if established, does most to justify the position advanced by the passage? | [
"An author of a biography should not be blamed for whether the book is perceived to be favorable or unfavorable by readers of the biography.",
"An author of a biography should not be blamed for omitting facts if those facts would have supported the author's view.",
"An author of a biography should be blamed for... | 2 | train_2529 |
Last year all refuse collected by Shelbyville city services was incinerated. This incineration generated a large quantity of residual ash. In order to reduce the amount of residual ash Shelbyville generates this year to half of last year's total, the city has revamped its collection program. This year city services wil... | Which of the following is required for the revamped collection program to achieve its aim? | [
"This year, no materials that city services could separate for recycling will be incinerated.",
"Refuse collected by city services will contain a larger proportion of recyclable materials this year than it did last year.",
"Separating recyclable materials from materials to be incinerated will cost Shelbyville l... | 3 | train_2530 |
Principle: Anyone who has more than one overdue book out on loan from the library at the same time must be fined if some of the overdue books are not children' s books and that person has previously been fined for overdue books. Application: Since three of the books that Kessler currently has out on loan from the libra... | Which one of the following, if true, justifies the above application of the principle? | [
"None of the books that Kessler currently has out on loan from the library is a children's book and in previous years Kessler has returned various books late.",
"One of the overdue books that Kessler currently has out on loan from the library is a novel for adults, and Kessler was fined last year for returning th... | 1 | train_2531 |
Until fairly recently, classroom computers were considered a luxury. Today, educators argue that students who have not had training in computer skills will lack the skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace . However, studies show that schools emphasizing computer technology spend more time teaching compute... | Which one of the following propositions is best illustrated by the statements above? | [
"Schools cannot emphasize the teaching of computer skills without neglecting other skills.",
"A complete rethinking of traditional academic subjects is required in order to keep pace with global developments.",
"Attempting to keep pace with recent educational developments can result in neglecting basic skills i... | 2 | train_2532 |
A recent study concludes that prehistoric birds, unlike modern birds, were cold-blooded. This challenges a widely held view that modern birds descended from warm-blooded birds. The conclusion is based on the existence of growth rings in prehistoric birds' bodily structures, which are thought to be found only in cold-bl... | Which one of the following, if true, would most help to resolve the dispute described above in favor of one party to it? | [
"In some cold-blooded species the gene that is responsible for growth rings is also responsible for dense blood vessels.",
"Dense blood vessels are not found in all warm- blooded species.",
"Having growth rings is not the only physical trait of cold-blooded species.",
"Modern birds did not evolve from prehist... | 0 | train_2533 |
When choosing a dog, families should not only evaluate the dog' s ability to interact with other animals, but should also inquire about the dog' s friendliness to unfamiliar people. Dog experts attempt to justify inquiries about a dog' s friendliness to unfamiliar people by saying that this behavior might also mean the... | The argument is flawed because it overlooks each of the following possibilities EXCEPT: | [
"A dog might be able to distinguish between children and those people who pose a danger to the family.",
"Dogs that are adopted by families often view and treat unfamiliar people like they do other animals.",
"A dog's friendliness to unfamiliar people might be a good indicator of how the dog interacts with othe... | 3 | train_2534 |
Environmentalist: Snowmobiles in the park north of Milville create unacceptable levels of air pollution and should be banned. Milville Business Spokesperson: Snowmobiling brings many out-of-towners to Milville in the winter months, to the great direct financial benefit of many local residents. In addition, the money th... | Which of the following, if true, could best be used by the environmentalist to counter the business spokesperson's argument? | [
"Not all of the people who go snowmobiling in the vicinity of Milville are from out of town.",
"Many Milville residents object to having to pay fees for recreational use of the park in the winter.",
"A great many cross-country skiers are now kept from visiting Milville by the noise and pollution that snowmobile... | 2 | train_2535 |
Meyer was found by his employer to have committed scientific fraud by falsifying data. The University of Williamstown, from which Meyer held a PhD, validated this finding and subsequently investigated whether he had falsified data in his doctoral thesis, finding no evidence that he had. But the university decided to re... | Which one of the following university policies most justifies the decision to revoke Meyer's PhD? | [
"Anyone who holds a PhD from the University of Williamstown and is found to have committed scientific fraud will have the PhD revoked.",
"Anyone who holds a PhD from the University of Williamstown and is found to have committed academic fraud in the course of pursuing that PhD will have the PhD revoked.",
"No P... | 0 | train_2536 |
Meat from chickens contaminated with salmonella bacteria can cause serious food poisoning. Capsaicin, the chemical that gives chili peppers their hot flavor, has antibacterial properties. Chickens do not have taste receptors for capsaicin and will readily eat feed laced with capsaicin. When chickens were fed such feed ... | In deciding whether the feed would be useful in raising salmonella-free chicken for retail sale, it would be most helpful to determine which of the following? | [
"Whether eating capsaicin reduces the risk of salmonella poisoning for humans",
"Whether appropriate cooking of chicken contaminated with salmonella can always prevent food poisoning",
"Whether feeding capsaicin to chickens affects the taste of their meat",
"Whether capsaicin can be obtained only from chili p... | 2 | train_2537 |
Foster: Many species of extremely large North American mammals became extinct during the last ice age, which was also the time of the first human migration to North America. These species could not survive the dramatic changes wrought by this human migration. Fisch: Those extinctions were caused by the dramatic shift t... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens Fisch's argument? | [
"Similar species living in parts of the world where there were dramatic changes in climate did not become extinct.",
"The huge size of the mammals made it difficult for them to migrate the great distances to milder environments.",
"Archaeological evidence reveals that the human migrants had a number of differen... | 1 | train_2538 |
Smith, a basketball player, successfully made 80% of the shots that he attempted this year -- an exceptionally high percentage for a player in Smith' s league. However, this statistic does not mean that Smith is an exceptional shooter, because the best shooters take many shots from risky locations 20 or more feet away ... | Which of the following statements, if true, provides additional support for the argument? | [
"The position that Smith plays allows him relatively few shooting opportunities from locations close to the basket.",
"Smith's shooting percentage, the highest in the league, was almost 10% higher than that of the player with the next highest percentage.",
"Smith took most of his shots during games that were cl... | 3 | train_2539 |
Press release: A comprehensive review evaluating the medical studies done up to the present time has found no reason to think that drinking coffee in normal amounts harms the coffee-drinker' s heart. So coffee drinkers can relax and enjoy their beverage -- it is safe to drink coffee. | Which one of the following points to a weakness in the reasoning in the press release's argument? | [
"The health of the heart is not identical with the general health of the body.",
"Drinking unusually large amount of coffee could be caused by stress that itself directly harms the heart.",
"Other beverages besides coffee might contain stimulants that have some effect on the heart.",
"Coffee drinkers might ch... | 0 | train_2540 |
To protect certain fledgling industries, the government of Country Z banned imports of the types of products those industries were starting to make. As a direct result, the cost of those products to the buyers, several export-dependent industries in Z, went up, sharply limiting the ability of those industries to compet... | Which of the following conclusions about Country Z's adversely affected export-dependent industries is best supported by the passage? | [
"Profit margins in those industries were not high enough to absorb the rise in costs mentioned above.",
"Steps to offset rising materials costs by decreasing labor costs were taken in those industries.",
"Those industries started to move into export markets that they had previously judged unprofitable.",
"Tho... | 0 | train_2541 |
Psychiatrist: Breaking any habit is difficult, especially when it involves an addictive substance. People who break a habit are more likely to be motivated by immediate concerns than by long-term ones. Ttherefore, people who succeed in breaking their addiction to smoking cigarettes are more likely to be motivated by th... | The conclusion of the psychiatrist's argument is most strongly supported if which one of the following completes the argument? | [
"for most people who successfully quit smoking, smoking does not create an immediate health concern at the time they quit",
"most people who succeed in quitting smoking succeed only after several attempts",
"a habit that involves an addictive substance is likely to pose a greater health threat than a habit that... | 0 | train_2542 |
During 1991 the number of people in the town of Bayburg who received municipal food assistance doubled, even though the number of people in Bayburg whose incomes were low enough to qualify for such assistance remained unchanged. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above? | [
"In 1990 the Bayburg Town Council debated whether or not to alter the eligibility requirements for the food assistance program but ultimately decided not to change them.",
"During 1991 the number of applicants for food assistance in Bayburg who were rejected on the basis that their incomes were above the maximum ... | 2 | train_2543 |
If Blankenship Enterprises has to switch suppliers in the middle of a large production run, the company will not show a profit for the year. Ttherefore, if Blankenship Enterprises in fact turns out to show no profit for the year, it will also turn out to be true that the company had to switch suppliers during a large p... | The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds? | [
"The argument is a circular argument made up of an opening claim followed by a conclusion that merely paraphrases that claim.",
"The argument fails to establish that a condition under which a phenomenon is said to occur is the only condition under which that phenomenon occurs.",
"The argument explains one event... | 1 | train_2544 |
All people prefer colors that they can distinguish easily to colors that they have difficulty distinguishing. Infants can easily distinguish bright colors but, unlike adults, have difficulty distinguishing subtle shades. A brightly colored toy for infants sells better than the same toy in subtle shades at the same pric... | Which one of the following conclusions is most strongly supported by the information in the passage? | [
"The sales of toys for infants reflect the preferences of infants in at least one respect.",
"Toy makers study infants to determine what colors the infants can distinguish easily.",
"Infants prefer bright primary colors to bright secondary colors.",
"Color is the most important factor in determining which toy... | 0 | train_2545 |
Comcorp Shipping Clerk: Last week, no shipments of building supplies were sent out on Friday. The five specially ordered shipments sent out last week were sent out on Thursday, and each of those specially ordered shipments consisted entirely of building supplies. Four shipments were sent to Truax Construction last week... | If the shipping clerk's statements are true, which of the following must also be true? | [
"All of Comcorp's shipments of building supplies last week were specially ordered.",
"None of the shipments sent by Comcorp to Truax Construction last week was specially ordered.",
"All of Comcorp's shipments of building supplies last week were sent out on Thursday.",
"None of Comcorp's shipments sent on Thur... | 1 | train_2546 |
Sarah: Our regulations for staff review are vague and thus difficult to interpret. For instance, the regulations state that a staff member who is performing unsatisfactorily will face dismissal, but they fail to define unsatisfactory performance. Thus, some staff may be dismissed merely because their personal views con... | Which one of the following generalizations, if applicable to Sarah's company, most helps to justify her reasoning? | [
"A vague regulation can be used to keep those subject to it in subordinate positions.",
"Interpreting regulations is a prerogative that belongs solely to supervisors.",
"Performance that falls only somewhat below expectations results in disciplinary measures short of dismissal.",
"A vague regulation can be us... | 1 | train_2547 |
Columnist: Computer voice-recognition technology currently cannot distinguish between homophones such as "their" and "there. " As a consequence, until voice-recognition technology is improved to recognize and utilize grammatical and semantic relations among words, voice-recognition programs will not accurately translat... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the columnist's argument? | [
"Computer programs that check the spelling and grammar of written text are currently able to distinguish between homophones.",
"Unless voice-recognition technology can distinguish between words that are homophones, it cannot recognize grammatical and semantic relations among words.",
"Humans can distinguish bet... | 3 | train_2548 |
In North America there has been an explosion of public interest in, and enjoyment of, opera over the last three decades. The evidence of this explosion is that of the 70 or so professional opera companies currently active in North America, 45 were founded over the course of the last 30 years. | The reasoning above assumes which one of the following? | [
"The size of the average audience at performances by professional opera companies has increased over the past three decades.",
"All of the 70 professional opera companies are commercially viable operations.",
"There were fewer than 45 professional opera companies that had been active 30 years ago and that cease... | 2 | train_2549 |
Reformer: A survey of police departments keeps track of the national crime rate, which is the annual number of crimes per 100, 000 people. The survey shows no significant reduction in the crime rate in the past 20 years, but the percentage of the population in prison has increased substantially, and public expenditure ... | A flaw in the reformer's argument is that it | [
"overlooks the possibility that the population has increased significantly over the past 20 years",
"ignores the possibility that the crime rate would have significantly increased if it had not been for the greater rate of imprisonment",
"takes for granted that the number of prisoners must be proportional to th... | 1 | train_2550 |
For a species of large abalone shellfish to develop from a species of smaller ones, they must spend less energy on finding food and avoiding predators, and more on competition in mating. So it is surprising that the fossil record shows that a species of large abalones developed from a smaller one only after otters, whi... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above? | [
"Otters have a preference for large abalones over small ones and so prefer waters in which large abalones are found.",
"Small abalone species tend to reproduce more rapidly than larger abalone species.",
"Otters also prey on the abalones' competitors for food and so indirectly make it easier for abalones to get... | 2 | train_2551 |
Marketing chief: The aggressive sales campaign of Product J has made it the most popular product in the sector. Every individual move we made in that campaign was wildly successful, and sales of the product continuously rose. If we mount a similar style sales campaign with Product S, we are likely to vault this into po... | The consultant uses which of the following techniques in responding to the marketing chief? | [
"questioning the posited relationship of cause and effect",
"strengthening the argument with further evidence",
"citing evidence that contradicts the assumption of the argument",
"pointing out that the same premises might support an opposing conclusion"
] | 0 | train_2552 |
Sammy: For my arthritis, I am going to try my aunts diet: large amounts of wheat germ and garlic. She was able to move more easily right after she started that diet Pat: When my brother began that diet, his arthritis got worse. But he has been doing much better since he stopped eating vegetables in the nightshade famil... | Which of the following, if true, would provide a basis for explaining the fact that Sammy's aunt and Pats brother had contrasting experiences with the same diet? | [
"The compounds in garlic that can lessen the symptoms of arthritis are also present in tomatoes and peppers",
"Arthritis is a chronic condition whose symptoms improve and worsen from time to time without regard to diet.",
"A change in diet, regardless of the nature of the change, frequently brings temporary rel... | 1 | train_2553 |
Appliance dealer: Appliance manufacturers commonly modify existing models without giving the modified versions new model names. Some people have complained that this practice makes it impossible for consumers to be certain that the appliance they are about to purchase is identical to the one they may have seen at a nei... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the dealer's arguments? | [
"The high cost of product advertising makes appliance manufacturers generally reluctant to change model names to reflect modifications to their products.",
"Appliances are generally purchased with the expectation that they will continue to be used for several years.",
"Appliances usually carry a model number th... | 3 | train_2554 |
Caldwell: The government recently demolished a former naval base. Among the complex' s facilities were a gymnasium, a swimming pool, office buildings, gardens, and housing for hundreds of people. Of course the government was legally permitted to use these facilities as it wished. But clearly, using them for the good of... | Caldwell's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it | [
"inappropriately treats two possible courses of action as if they were the only options",
"fails to consider that an action may be morally permissible even if an alternative course of action is to everyone's advantage",
"presumes, without providing justification, that the government never acts in the most effic... | 1 | train_2555 |
The principal of School X has proposed a plan that would add an hour-long study period to the end of the school day. She claims that the extension would improve the school's average score on the math section of the state assessment by allowing students more time to complete math homework that they wouldn't otherwise ha... | Which of the following statements, if true, would most weaken the argument presented above? | [
"Music department faculty members at School X strongly oppose the plan because they feel any time added to the school day should be used to bolster the music curriculum.",
"The core components of School X's math curriculum are not aligned with the topics tested on the state math assessment.",
"Parents of studen... | 1 | train_2556 |
Historian: The only evidence we have for claims about the past exists in the present. How things actually occurred is beyond our knowledge. Historians construct coherent stories that explain the available evidence and why the present is as it is. Such stories about the past, however, do not need to be true to be good h... | Which one of the following judgments conforms most closely to the historian's position? | [
"It is not necessary to know what actually occurred during the 1857 War of Independence to write a good history of it.",
"It is not possible to write a good history of the 1857 War of Independence without studying rival accounts.",
"It is likely that the 1857 War of Independence did not actually occur in the wa... | 0 | train_2557 |
Investigators have not proved that the forest fire was started by campers. Nor have they proved that lightning triggered the fire. So the investigators have not proved that the blaze was caused by campers or lightning. | The flawed pattern of reasoning in which one of the following arguments most closely resembles the flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above? | [
"We have no proof either for the theory that the thief escaped through the vent in the ceiling or for the theory that the thief escaped through the window. Ttherefore, one theory is as plausible as the other.",
"Kim has no reason to believe that Sada will win the election. Kim also has no reason to believe that B... | 1 | train_2558 |
Plan: Concerned about the welfare of its senior citizens, the government of Runagia decided two years ago to increase by 20 percent the government provided pension paid to all Runagians age sixty-five and older. Result: Many Runagian senior citizens are no better off financially now than they were before the increase. ... | In light of the further information, which of the following, if true, does most to explain the result that followed implementation of the plan? | [
"The Runagian banking system is so inefficient that cashing a pension check can take as much as three weeks.",
"The prices of goods and services that meet the special needs of many senior citizens have increased at a rate much higher than the rate of inflation.",
"The majority of senior citizens whose financial... | 1 | train_2559 |
Cigarette smoking has been shown to be a health hazard; ttherefore, governments should ban all advertisements that promote smoking. | Which one of the following principles, if established, most strongly supports the argument? | [
"Advertisers should not make misleading claims about the healthfulness of their products.",
"Advertisements should promote only healthful products.",
"Advertisements should not be allowed to show people doing things that endanger their health.",
"All products should conform to strict government health and saf... | 1 | train_2560 |
A recent test of an electric insect control device discovered that, of the more than 300 insects killed during one 24-hour period, only 12 were mosquitoes. Thus this type of device may kill many insects, but will not significantly aid in controlling the potentially dangerous mosquito population. | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"Many of the insects that were killed by the device are mosquito-eating insects.",
"A careful search discovered no live mosquitoes in the vicinity of the device after the test.",
"The device does not succeed in killing all of the insects that it attracts.",
"A very large proportion of the insects that were at... | 1 | train_2561 |
To treat a person justly is to treat that person with perfect impartiality. But our friends naturally expect us to attach more importance to their interests than to the interests of others. Hence, given that we try to maintain our friendships, we cannot succeed in being just to our friends. | Which of the following must be assumed in order for the conclusion of the argument above to be properly drawn? | [
"People should not treat their friends less justly than they treat others.",
"One cannot both treat someone impartially and value that person's interests above the interests of others.",
"The ideal of justice is irrelevant to most interpersonal relationships.",
"It is morally important to maintain close frien... | 1 | train_2562 |
Technological progress makes economic growth and widespread prosperity possible; it also makes a worker' s particular skills less crucial to production. Yet workers' satisfaction in their work depends on their believing that their work is difficult and requires uncommon skills. Clearly, then, technological progress __. | Which one of the following most logically completes the argument? | [
"is generally opposed by the workers whose work will be directly affected by it",
"eliminates many workers' jobs",
"causes workers to feel less satisfaction in their work",
"decreases the quality of most products"
] | 2 | train_2563 |
Book Review: When I read a novel set in a city I know well, I must see that the writer knows the city at least as well as I do if I am to take that writer seriously. If the writer is faking, I know immediately and do not trust that writer. When a novelist demonstrates the required knowledge, I trust the storyteller, so... | Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the passage? | [
"Peter Lee's first novel was set in San Francisco.",
"The book reviewer enjoys virtually any novel written by a novelist whom she trusts.",
"The book reviewer does not trust any novel set in a city that she does not know well.",
"The book reviewer does not believe that she knows San Francisco better than Pete... | 3 | train_2564 |
Whether one is buying men' s or women' s clothing, it pays to consider fashion trends. A classic suit may stay in style for as long as five years, so it is worthwhile to pay more to get a well-constructed one. A trendy hat that will go out of style in a year or two should be purchased as cheaply as possible. | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the principle underlying the reasoning above? | [
"One should not buy a cheaply made garment when a well-constructed garment is available.",
"Formal attire tends to be designed and constructed to last longer than casual attire.",
"The amount of money one spends on a garment should be roughly proportionate to the length of time one plans to keep wearing it.",
... | 2 | train_2565 |
Environmentalist: Discarding old appliances can be dangerous: refrigerators contain chlorofluorocarbons; electronic circuit boards and cathode-ray tubes often contain heavy metals like lead; and old fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, another heavy metal. When landfills are operated properly, such materials pose no thre... | The environmentalist's statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following inferences? | [
"Newer appliances are more dangerous to the environment than older ones.",
"Old fluorescent bulbs should be recycled.",
"Appliances should be kept out of landfills.",
"Appliances containing heavy metals should not be incinerated."
] | 3 | train_2566 |
For every 50 dogs that contract a certain disease, one will die from it. A vaccine exists that is virtually 100 percent effective in preventing this disease. Since the risk of death from complications of vaccination is one death per 5, 000 vaccinations, it is ttherefore safer for a dog to receive the vaccine than not t... | Which one of the following would it be most helpful to know in order to evaluate the argument? | [
"the number of dogs that die each year from diseases other than the disease in question",
"the total number of dogs that die each year from all causes taken together",
"whether the vaccine is effective against the disease in household pets other than dogs",
"the likelihood that an unvaccinated dog will contra... | 3 | train_2567 |
Any museum that owns the rare stamp that features an airplane printed upside down should not display it. Ultraviolet light causes red ink to fade, and a substantial portion of the stamp is red. If the stamp is displayed, it will be damaged. It should be kept safely locked away, even though this will deny the public the... | The reasoning above most closely conforms to which one of the following principles? | [
"A museum piece that would be damaged by display should not be displayed.",
"Museum display cases should protect their contents from damage caused by ultraviolet light.",
"The primary purpose of a museum is to educate the public.",
"The public should judge the quality of a museum by the rarity of the objects ... | 0 | train_2568 |
Only poetry cannot be translated well, and ttherefore it is poets who preserve languages, for we would not bother to learn a language if we could get everything written in it from translation. So, since we cannot witness the beauty of poetry except in the language in which it is composed, we have motivation to learn th... | The information above provides the LEAST support for which one of the following? | [
"One purpose of writing poetry is to preserve the language in which it is written.",
"All nonpoetic literature can be translated well.",
"The beauty of poetry is not immediately accessible to people who do not understand the language in which the poetry was written.",
"Some translations do not capture all tha... | 0 | train_2569 |
Because state sanctions against hunting have been eased, Deersdale Preserve has experienced an influx of hunters in the last several months. During this time, the silvertail fox, a popular target for hunters, has seen a marked decrease in population. Ttherefore, to prevent the population of silvertail fox-an important ... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly suggests that stricter sanctions against hunting would not have the desired effect? | [
"The silvertail fox had been experiencing a population surge shortly before the state sanctions against hunting were eased.",
"The number of hunters entering the park is expected to drop drastically in the next few months as hunting season comes to an end.",
"Many rabbits in the Deersdale Preserve recently have... | 2 | train_2570 |
Politician: My opponents argue that the future of our city depends on compromise -- that unless the city' s leaders put aside their differences and work together toward common goals, the city will suffer. However, the founders of this city based the city' s charter on definite principles, and anyone who compromises tho... | Which one of the following provides the most logical completion of the critic's statement? | [
"compromise",
"common",
"betray",
"principles"
] | 0 | train_2571 |
Archaeologist: Neanderthals, a human-like species living 60, 000 years ago, probably preserved meat by smoking it. Burnt lichen and grass have been found in many Neanderthal fireplaces. A fire of lichen and grass produces a lot of smoke but does not produce nearly as much heat or light as a wood fire. | Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the archaeologist's argument? | [
"In close proximity to the fireplaces with lichen and grass are other fireplaces that, evidence suggests, burned material that produced more heat than smoke.",
"Some of the fireplaces containing burnt lichen are in regions in which lichen is not believed to have been plentiful and so would have had to have been b... | 2 | train_2572 |
Manufacturers are now required to make all cigarette lighters child-resistant by equipping them with safety levers. But this change is unlikely to result in a significant reduction in the number of fires caused by children playing with lighters, because children given the opportunity can figure out how to work the safe... | Which of the following, if true, most logically completes the argument below? | [
"approximately 5, 000 fires per year have been attributed to children playing with lighters before the safety levers were required",
"unlike child-resistant lighters, lighters that are not child-resistant can be operated by children as young as two years old",
"many of the fires started by young children are qu... | 3 | train_2573 |
Plankton generally thrive in areas of the ocean with sufficient concentrations of certain nitrogen compounds near the surface, where plankton live. Nevertheless, some areas, though rich in these nitrogen compounds, have few plankton. These areas have particularly low concentrations of iron, and oceanographers hypothesi... | Which of the following, if true, argues most strongly against concluding, on the basis of the information above, that the oceanographers' hypothesis is false? | [
"Certain areas of the ocean support an abundance of plankton despite having particularly low concentrations of iron.",
"A few days after the iron compounds were released, ocean currents displaced the iron-rich water from the surface.",
"The iron compounds released into the area occur naturally in areas of the o... | 1 | train_2574 |
Mayor: False alarms from home security systems waste so much valuable police time that in many communities police have stopped responding to alarms from homes whose systems frequently produce false alarms. This policy reduces wastage of police time but results in a loss of protection for some residents. To achieve a co... | Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on whether the measure enacted by the council will achieve its goal? | [
"A fine in the amount planned by the council will not cover the expenses police typically incur when they respond to a false alarm.",
"Many home security systems have never produced false alarms.",
"The threat of fines is likely to cause many residents to deactivate their security systems.",
"Homes equipped w... | 2 | train_2575 |
The best way to write a good detective story is to work backward from the crime. The writer should first decide what the crime is and who the perpetrator is, and then come up with the circumstances and clues based on those decisions. | Which one of the following illustrates a principle most similar to that illustrated by the passage? | [
"Good architects do not extemporaneously construct their plans in the course of an afternoon; an architectural design cannot be divorced from the method of constructing the building.",
"When planning a trip, some people first decide where they want to go and then plan accordingly, but, for most of us, much financ... | 2 | train_2576 |
Among Trinidadian guppies, males with large spots are more attractive to females than are males with small spots, who consequently are presented with less frequent mating opportunities. Yet guppies with small spots are more likely to avoid detection by predators, so in waters where predators are abundant only guppies w... | The situation described above most closely conforms to which one of the following generalizations? | [
"Those organisms that survive the longest have the greatest number of offspring.",
"A trait that is helpful to procreation can also hinder it in certain environments.",
"A trait that helps attract mates is sometimes more dangerous to one sex than to another.",
"Whether a trait is harmful to the organisms of a... | 1 | train_2577 |
This summer, Jennifer, who has worked at KVZ Manufacturing for just over three years, plans to spend with her family the entire four weeks of paid vacation to which she is entitled this year. Anyone who has worked at KVZ Manufacturing for between one and four years is automatically entitled to exactly three weeks paid ... | If the statements above are all true, which one of the following must also be true on the basis of them? | [
"If Jennifer continues to work for KVZ Manufacturing, she will only be entitled to three weeks paid vacation next year.",
"Jennifer did not use two weeks of the paid vacation time to which she was entitled last year.",
"Last year Jennifer took only one week of the paid vacation time to which she was entitled.",... | 1 | train_2578 |
Raisins are made by drying grapes in the sun. Although some of the sugar in the grapes is caramelized in the process, nothing is added. Moreover, the only thing removed from the grapes is the water that evaporates during the drying, and water contains no calories or nutrients. The fact that raisins contain more iron pe... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain why raisins contain more iron per calorie than do grapes? | [
"The body can absorb iron and other nutrients more quickly from grapes than from raisins because of the relatively high water content of grapes.",
"Raisins are often eaten in combination with other iron-containing foods, while grapes are usually eaten by themselves.",
"Since grapes are bigger than raisins, it t... | 3 | train_2579 |
Paleontologists recently discovered teeth from several woolly mammoths on an isolated Arctic island where no mammoth fossils had previously been found. The teeth were 25 percent smaller on average than adult mammoth teeth that have been found elsewhere, but they are clearly adult mammoth teeth. Ttherefore, provided tha... | Which one of the following, if assumed, would allow the conclusion to be properly drawn? | [
"Neither tooth size nor overall body size is completely uniform among adult members of most species, including woolly mammoths.",
"The tooth wear that naturally occurs in many animals over the course of their adult years did not result in a significant change in tooth size among adult woolly mammoths as they aged... | 2 | train_2580 |
Copyright statutes benefit society by providing incentive to produce original works, so some kind of copyright statute is ultimately justified. But these statutes also represent a significant cost to society because they create protected monopolies. In many countries, copyright statutes grant copyright protection for t... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most strongly supports the reasoning in the argument? | [
"A statute should not limit rights unless it can be shown that it thereby enhances other rights.",
"A statute should be written in a way that eliminates any appearance of its being inconsistent in its aims.",
"If a statute is to be justified by its benefit to society, it should be designed so that its societal ... | 2 | train_2581 |
Some companies in fields where skilled employees are hard to find make signing an "agreement not to compete" a condition of employment. In such an agreement the employee promises not to go to work for a competing firm for a set period after leaving his or her current employer. Courts are increasingly ruling that these ... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the paradox? | [
"Many companies will not risk having to become involved in lawsuits, even suits that they expect to have a favorable outcome, because of the associated costs and publicity.",
"Most companies that require their employees to sign agreements not to compete are aware that these documents are not legally binding.",
... | 0 | train_2582 |
The State has proposed a plan requiring all young people to perform community service as a requirement for graduation from high school. The goal is to use the young people to provide services to correct social ills, especially those in housing and crime. Young people, however, should only be required to participate in ... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"Community service does not provide any educational benefit to young people.",
"Some of the social ills that could be helped are being ignored by this program.",
"Young people do not cause the social ills mentioned.",
"Community service is not beneficial to young people."
] | 0 | train_2583 |
The mayor boasts that the average ambulance turnaround time, the time from summons to delivery of the patient, has been reduced this year for top-priority emergencies. This is a serious misrepresentation. This "reduction" was produced simply by redefining "top priority. " Such emergencies used to include gunshot wounds... | Which one of the following would strengthen the author's conclusion that it was the redefinition of "top priority" that produced the reduction in turnaround time? | [
"Other cities include gunshot wound cases in their category of top-priority emergencies.",
"The mayor redefined the city's financial priorities this year.",
"One half of all of last year's top-priority emergencies were gunshot wounds and electrocution cases.",
"Experts disagree with the mayor's definition of ... | 2 | train_2584 |
Editorial: The threat of harsh punishment for a transgression usually decreases one' s tendency to feel guilt or shame for committing that transgression, and the tendency to feel guilt or shame for committing a transgression reduces a person' s tendency to commit transgressions. Thus, increasing the severity of the leg... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the editorial's argument? | [
"The threat of harsh punishment deters people from committing transgressions only if this threat is at least sometimes carried out.",
"Everyone has at least some tendency to feel guilt or shame for committing extremely severe transgressions.",
"People who are concerned about threats to their own well-being tend... | 3 | train_2585 |
Red blood cells in which the malarial-fever parasite resides are eliminated from a person's body after 120 days. Because the parasite cannot travel to a new generation of red blood cells, any fever that develops in a person more than 120 days after that person has moved to a malaria-free region is not due to the malari... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the conclusion above? | [
"The fever caused by the malarial parasite may resemble the fever caused by flu viruses.",
"Many malarial symptoms other than the fever, which can be suppressed with antimalarial medication, can reappear within 120 days after the medication is discontinued.",
"The anopheles mosquito, which is the principal inse... | 3 | train_2586 |
Brownlea' s post office must be replaced with a larger one. The present one cannot be expanded. Land near the present location in the center of town is more expensive than land on the outskirts of town. Since the cost of acquiring a site is a significant part of the total construction cost, the post office clearly coul... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the argument's stated conclusion? | [
"If the new post office is built near the center of town, disruptions to city traffic would have to be minimized by taking such steps as doing some construction work in stages at night and on weekends.",
"The new post office will have to be built in accordance with a demanding new citywide building code.",
"If ... | 3 | train_2587 |
In Kravonia, the average salary for jobs requiring a college degree has always been higher than the average salary for jobs that do not require a degree. Current enrollments in Kravonia' s colleges indicate that over the next four years the percentage of the Kravonian workforce with college degrees will increase dramat... | Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"The higher average salary for jobs requiring a college degree is not due largely to a scarcity among the Kravonian workforce of people with a college degree.",
"The average salary in Kravonia for jobs that do not require a college degree will not increase over the next four years.",
"The percentage of Kravonia... | 0 | train_2588 |
Politician: It is widely accepted that because democratic politics cannot exist without debate about political issues, and because self-governance flourishes when citizens are allowed to express their feelings verbally, a democratically governed society should refrain from interfering in individual citizens' speech. I ... | A logical strategy used in the politician's argument is to | [
"reach a conclusion about what democratically governed societies actually do based on premises about what democratically governed societies should do",
"support a conclusion by claiming that it is widely accepted",
"reach a general conclusion based on the absence of clear counterexamples to an empirical thesis"... | 3 | train_2589 |
It is a given that to be an intriguing person, one must be able to inspire the perpetual curiosity of others. Constantly broadening one' s abilities and extending one' s intellectual reach will enable one to inspire that curiosity. For such a perpetual expansion of one' s mind makes it impossible to be fully comprehend... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the argument above? | [
"If one's mind becomes impossible to fully comprehend, one will always be a mystery to others.",
"If one constantly broadens one's abilities and extends one's intellectual reach, one will always have curiosity.",
"If one constantly broadens one's abilities and extends one's intellectual reach, one will be able ... | 2 | train_2590 |
Since Jackie is such a big fan of Moral Vacuum' s music, she will probably like The Cruel Herd' s new album. Like Moral Vacuum, The Cruel Herd on this album plays complex rock music that employs the acoustic instrumentation and harmonic sophistication of early sixties jazz. The Cruel Herd also has very witty lyrics, fu... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Jackie has not previously cared for The Cruel Herd, but on the new album The Cruel Herd's previous musical arranger has been replaced by Moral Vacuum's musical arranger.",
"Jackie's favorite Moral Vacuum songs have lyrics that are somber and marked by a strong political awareness.",
"Like Moral Vacuum, The Cru... | 0 | train_2591 |
Council member P: Alarmists are those who see an instance of pollution and exaggerate its significance into a major character fault of society. Such alarmists fail to distinguish the incident and the behavior that caused it from the disposition of people not to pollute. Council member Q: To think that there is a lot of... | Council members P and Q disagree over whether | [
"people are responsible for pollution",
"people are inclined to pollute",
"actions tend to follow the path of least resistance",
"people can change their behavior and not pollute"
] | 1 | train_2592 |
Journalist: The advice of social scientists is frequently overlooked by politicians making social policy. Because it is not unreasonable to discount scientific assertions backed by weak evidence, politicians should not generally be criticized for ignoring social science, for social scientists, unlike physical scientist... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the journalist's argument? | [
"The failure of scientists to agree that a claim within their specialty is true can indicate that the evidence for the claim is not strong.",
"Only policy that is based on scientific findings is credible.",
"Politicians should follow the advice of experts on issues about which those experts agree among themselv... | 0 | train_2593 |
In the past century, North America has shifted its main energy source first from wood to coal, then from coal to oil and natural gas. With each transition, the newly dominant fuel has had less carbon and more hydrogen than its predecessor had. It is logical to conclude that in the future the main energy source will be ... | Which one of the following expresses a general principle that could underlie the argument? | [
"If each step in a series of changes involves a decrease of one attribute of the thing undergoing the change and an increase of another, the series will terminate with the first attribute eliminated and only the second attribute present.",
"If the second stage of a process has been completed more quickly than the... | 0 | train_2594 |
Aviation Analyst: To combat human error involved in air traffic control, Miro Jets Inc. has recently installed each of its DC-10 passenger planes with a special anti-collision device. The device alerts the DC-10, via a red light, when another plane is slightly more than three minutes away from a potential collision. Th... | Which of the following, if true, most fundamentally calls into question the aviation analyst's argument? | [
"Recently, a near collision in which both planes were less than 90 seconds flying distance from each other was averted only by the prompt actions of air traffic controllers.",
"When two DC-10's approach each other the red lights on each aircraft do not necessarily turn on simultaneously.",
"Some aviation expert... | 3 | train_2595 |
Tech start-ups need more than one million dollars in initial investments for product development and marketing to survive. Of course, tech start-ups also need a compelling product that fills a need in the market. In addition, tech start-ups need to hit the market within twelve months of development, or else they will r... | Which one of the following best completes the passage? | [
"runs another blind test trial to confirm the results.",
"seeks a larger initial investment.",
"spends his existing investment on marketing.",
"hires another developer."
] | 1 | train_2596 |
Psychologists recently conducted a study in which people from widely disparate cultures were asked to examine five photographs. Each photograph depicted the face of a person expressing one of five basic human emotions -- fear, happiness, disgust, anger, and sadness. The people in the study were asked to identify the em... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"If there is a behavior common to people of widely disparate cultures, then there is probably a genetic predisposition to that behavior.",
"One's emotional disposition is not influenced by one's culture.",
"For each photograph, the emotion that the subjects agreed was being expressed was the emotion that the pe... | 0 | train_2597 |
Art critic: The aesthetic value of a work of art lies in its ability to impart a stimulating character to the audience' s experience of the work. | Which one of the following judgments most closely conforms with the principle cited above? | [
"This painting is aesthetically valuable because it was painted by a highly controversial artist.",
"This painting is aesthetically deficient because it is an exact copy of a painting done 30 years ago.",
"This sculpted four-inch cube is beautiful because it is carved from material which, although much like mar... | 3 | train_2598 |
The fact that people who exercise vigorously are sick less often than average does not prove that vigorous exercise prevents illness, for whether one exercises vigorously or not depends in part on one' s preexisting state of health. | The reasoning in which one of the following arguments is most similar to that in the argument above? | [
"The fact that two diseases have similar symptoms does not establish that they have the same underlying cause, for dissimilar causes can have similar effects.",
"Musical and mathematical skills are often produced by the same talent for perceiving abstract patterns, so the fact that some mathematicians are not ski... | 2 | train_2599 |
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