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Crowding on Mooreville' s subway frequently leads to delays, because it is difficult for passengers to exit from the trains. Subway ridership is projected to increase by 20 percent over the next 10 years. The Mooreville Transit Authority plans to increase the number of daily train trips by only 5 percent over the same ... | Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest grounds for the officials' prediction? | [
"Most of the projected increase in ridership is expected to occur in off-peak hours when trains are now sparsely used.",
"The 5 percent increase in the number of train trips can be achieved without an equal increase in Transit Authority operational costs.",
"By changing maintenance schedules, the Transit Author... | 0 | train_2900 |
Campaigning for election to provincial or state office frequently requires that a candidate spend much time and energy catering to the interests of national party officials who can help the candidate to win office. The elected officials who campaign for reelection while they are in office thus often fail to serve the i... | Which one of the following is an assumption made by the argument? | [
"Officials elected to provincial or state office are obligated to serve only the interests of constituents who belong to the same party as do the officials.",
"The interests of local constituencies are well served only by elected officials who do not cater to the interests of national party officials.",
"Cateri... | 2 | train_2901 |
The desire for praise is the desire to obtain, as a sign that one is good, the favorable opinions of others. But because people merit praise only for those actions motivated by a desire to help others, it follows that one who aids others primarily out of a desire for praise does not deserve praise for that aid. | Which one of the following, if assumed, enables the conclusion of the argument to be properly drawn? | [
"One deserves praise for advancing one's own interests only if one also advances the interests of others.",
"People who are indifferent to the welfare of others do not deserve praise.",
"An action that is motivated by a desire for the favorable opinion of others cannot also be motivated by a desire to help othe... | 2 | train_2902 |
Last year a global disturbance of weather patterns disrupted harvests in many of the world's important agricultural areas. Worldwide production of soybeans, an important source of protein for people and livestock alike, was not adversely affected, however. Indeed, last year's soybean crop was actually slightly larger t... | Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest justification for the attribution of the increase in soybean prices to the weather phenomenon? | [
"Last year's harvest of anchovies, which provide an important protein source for livestock, was disrupted by the effects of the weather phenomenon.",
"The world price of soybeans also rose several years ago, immediately after an earlier occurrence of a similar global weather disturbance.",
"Most countries that ... | 0 | train_2903 |
At the end of 1997 several nations stated that their oil reserves had not changed since the end of 1996. But oil reserves gradually drop as old oil fields are drained and rise suddenly as new oil fields are discovered. Ttherefore, oil reserves are unlikely to remain unchanged from one year to the next. So most of the n... | Which one of the following is an assumption the argument requires? | [
"For any nation with oil reserves, it is more likely that the nation was mistaken in its statements about changes in its oil reserves than that the nation's oil reserves remained unchanged.",
"It is likely that in 1997, in most of the nations that stated that their oil reserves were unchanged, old oil fields were... | 1 | train_2904 |
Advertisement: My five-year-old identical twins wear matching clothing. I washed two of their soiled matching shirts, one in my regular laundry detergent, and one in new WAVE laundry detergent. The shirt washed in WAVE came out cleaner than the other shirt, so WAVE cleans better than my regular laundry detergent. | Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument in the advertisement above depends? | [
"Most pairs of young identical twins tend to wear matching clothing.",
"The shirt laundered in the regular laundry detergent was not significantly less clean than the other shirt before being laundered.",
"Clothes washed in WAVE laundry detergent will come out cleaner than clothes washed in any other brand of l... | 1 | train_2905 |
Increased use of incineration is sometimes advocated as a safe way to dispose of chemical waste. But opponents of incineration point to the 40 incidents involving unexpected releases of dangerous chemical agents that were reported just last year at two existing incinerators commissioned to destroy a quantity of chemica... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"The capacity of existing incinerators is sufficient to allow for increased incineration of chemical waste without any need for new incinerators.",
"Other means of disposing of chemical waste, such as chemical neutralization processes, have not been proven safer than incineration.",
"The frequency of reports of... | 3 | train_2906 |
Political scientist: As a political system, democracy does not promote political freedom. There are historical examples of democracies that ultimately resulted in some of the most oppressive societies. Likewise, there have been enlightened despotisms and oligarchies that have provided a remarkable level of political fr... | The reasoning in the political scientist's argument is flawed because it | [
"fails to consider that a substantial increase in the level of political freedom might cause a society to become more democratic",
"confuses the conditions necessary for political freedom with the conditions sufficient to bring it about",
"overlooks the possibility that democracy promotes political freedom with... | 2 | train_2907 |
Prehistoric chimpanzee species used tools similar to those used by prehistoric humans; prehistoric tools recently found in East Africa are of a type used by both species. The area where the tools were found, however, is a savanna, and whereas there were prehistoric humans who lived in savanna habitats, prehistoric chim... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"The prehistoric ancestors of modern chimpanzees were not capable of using tools more sophisticated than those found recently in East Africa.",
"Prehistoric humans did not carry their tools with them when they traveled from one place to another.",
"Prehistoric humans never ventured into areas of the forest that... | 3 | train_2908 |
Vanessa: All computer code must be written by a pair of programmers working at a single workstation. This is needed to prevent programmers from writing idiosyncratic code that can be understood only by the original programmer. Jo: Most programming projects are kept afloat by the best programmers on the team, who are ty... | Each of the following assignments of computer programmers is consistent both with the principle expressed by Vanessa and with the principle expressed by Jo EXCEPT: | [
"Olga and Kensuke are both programmers of roughly average productivity who feel that they are more productive when working alone. They have been assigned to work together at a single workstation.",
"John is experienced but is not among the most productive programmers on the team. He has been assigned to mentor Ty... | 3 | train_2909 |
The symptoms that United States President Zachary Taylor began showing five days before his death are consistent with arsenic poisoning. Recent examination of Taylor' s bones, however, revealed levels of arsenic comparable to those found in the bones of Taylor' s contemporaries. These levels are much lower than the lev... | Which of the following is most strongly supported by the statements given? | [
"Taylor's death was not the result of any kind of poisoning.",
"The symptoms that Taylor began showing five days before his death are consistent with poisoning other than arsenic poisoning.",
"It is unusual for a person who has ingested a lethal dose of arsenic to survive for more than a day.",
"The symptoms ... | 3 | train_2910 |
Doris: I' ve noticed that everyone involved in student government is outspoken. So if we want students to be more outspoken, we should encourage them to become involved in student government. Zack: Those who are in student government became involved precisely because they are outspoken in the first place. Encouraging o... | Doris and Zack disagree over whether | [
"students will not become more outspoken unless they become involved in student government",
"students should be more outspoken",
"becoming involved in student government makes students more outspoken",
"students should be encouraged to become involved in student government"
] | 2 | train_2911 |
Motor oil serves to lubricate engines and thus retard engine wear. A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of various brands of motor oil by using them in taxicabs over a 6, 000-mile test period. All the oils did equally well in retarding wear on pistons and cylinders, the relevant parts of the engine. Hence,... | Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument? | [
"The lubricating properties of all motor oils deteriorate over time, and the rate of deterioration is accelerated by heat.",
"Cheaper brands of motor oil are often used by knowledgeable automobile mechanics for their own cars.",
"Ability to retard engine wear is not the only property of motor oil important to t... | 2 | train_2912 |
Jacqueline: I work one full-time job. With this job, I can make my own hours and work more if I needed to. However, I want to get a second job to change things up a bit. The second job would be part-time and I could work it on the weekends. Admittedly, I would be earning half the hourly wage with this part-time job and... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify Jacqueline's reasoning? | [
"It is better to get a second part-time job because working on weekends does not bother Jacqueline.",
"It is better to stay with the full-time job and add more hours because it pays more.",
"It is better to get a second part-time job, even if it pays less, for a mental change.",
"It is better not to worry abo... | 2 | train_2913 |
Cooking teacher: Lima beans generally need about an hour of boiling to reach the proper degree of doneness. The precise amount of time it takes depends on size: larger beans require a longer cooking time than smaller beans do. It is important that lima beans not be overcooked since overcooking robs beans of many of the... | If the statements above are true, they most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"Large lima beans, even when fully cooked, are more difficult to digest than small lima beans.",
"Lima beans that are added to the pot together should be as close to the same size as possible if they are to yield their full nutritional value.",
"The nutrients that are lost when lima beans are overcooked are the... | 1 | train_2914 |
In a mature tourist market such as Bellaria there are only two ways hotel owners can increase profits: by building more rooms or by improving what is already there. Rigid land-use laws in Bellaria rule out construction of new hotels or, indeed, any expansion of hotel capacity. | It follows that hotel owners cannot increase their profits in Bellaria since Bellarian hotels Which one of the following logically completes the argument? | [
"are already operating at an occupancy rate approaching 100 percent year-round",
"have shifted from serving mainly Bellarian tourists to serving foreign tourists traveling in organized tour groups",
"could not have been sited any more attractively than they are even in the absence of land-use laws",
"already ... | 3 | train_2915 |
Joshua Smith' s new novel was criticized by the book editor for The Daily Standard as implausible. That criticism, like so many other criticisms from the same source in the past, is completely unwarranted. As anyone who has actually read the novel would agree, each one of the incidents in which Smith' s hero gets invol... | Which one of the following is the most serious error of reasoning in the argument? | [
"It relies on the assumption that a criticism can legitimately be dismissed as unwarranted if it is offered by someone who had previously displayed questionable judgment.",
"It calls into question the intellectual integrity of the critic in order to avoid having to address the grounds on which the criticism is ba... | 3 | train_2916 |
Meteorologist: Heavy downpours are likely to become more frequent if Earth' s atmosphere becomes significantly warmer. A warm atmosphere heats the oceans, leading to faster evaporation, and the resulting water vapor forms rain clouds more quickly. A warmer atmosphere also holds more moisture, resulting in larger clouds... | Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the meteorologist's argument by the claim that, in general, as water vapor in larger clouds condenses, heavier downpours are more likely to result? | [
"It provides a causal explanation of the phenomenon described by the conclusion of the argument as a whole, but it is not intended to provide support for that conclusion.",
"It is a statement that the argument is intended to support but is not the conclusion of the argument as a whole.",
"It is used to support ... | 2 | train_2917 |
The proposed coal-burning electric plant should be approved, since no good arguments have been offered against it. After all, all the arguments against it have been presented by competing electricity producers. | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the reasoning above depends? | [
"If good arguments are presented for a proposal, then that proposal should be approved.",
"The competing electricity producers would stand to lose large amounts of revenue from the building of the coal-burning electric plant.",
"Arguments made by those who have a vested interest in the outcome of a proposal are... | 2 | train_2918 |
Based on studies by the state health department, the Surgeon General has formulated tables that list standard exercise requirements for various age groups. People whose activity level falls within the range given for their age experience fewer cardiovascular problems than those whose activity level falls below the give... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies? | [
"The Surgeon General intended her table to help motivate people to increase their activity level and improve their cardiovascular health.",
"People who follow the Surgeon General's table guidelines have better overall health than those who do not.",
"Increasing the activity level would not itself cause cardiova... | 2 | train_2919 |
Workers may complain about many things at work, but stress is not high on the list. In fact, in a recent survey a majority placed boredom at the top of their list of complaints. The assumption that job-related stress is the most serious problem for workers in the corporate world is thus simply not warranted. | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"Those workers who are responsible for the planning and supervision of long-term projects are less likely to complain of either boredom or stress.",
"Workers responding to opinion surveys tend to emphasize those experiences that have happened most recently.",
"Workers are less likely to complain about work if t... | 3 | train_2920 |
If the ivory trade continues, experts believe, the elephant will soon become extinct in Africa, because poaching is rife in many areas. A total ban on ivory trading would probably prevent the extinction. However, the country of Zimbabwe -- which has virtually eliminated poaching within its borders and which relies on i... | Which one of the following principles forms a logical basis for Zimbabwe's objection to a ban? | [
"Effective conservation cannot be achieved without eliminating poaching.",
"International measures to correct a problem should not adversely affect countries that are not responsible for the problem.",
"Freedom of trade is not a right but a consequence of agreements among nations.",
"Prohibitions affecting se... | 1 | train_2921 |
Albinism is a rare genetic condition that inhibits the production of melanin, or pigmentation, in the skin and hair. People born with albinism are unusually susceptible to sunburn, melanoma, and a range of other health issues that are generally connected to excessive exposure to the sun. | The statements above, if true, provide the most support for which of the following conclusions? | [
"In humans, melanin plays a role in protecting the skin from developing sunburn and other sun-related ailments.",
"People born with albinism develop other biological protections against melanoma and other sun-related health issues.",
"It is not possible for a person born with albinism to adopt other artificial ... | 0 | train_2922 |
Statistician: Changes in the Sun' s luminosity correlate exceedingly well with average land temperatures on Earth. Clearly -- and contrary to accepted opinion among meteorologists -- the Sun' s luminosity essentially controls land temperatures on Earth. Meteorologist: I disagree. Any professional meteorologist will tel... | The rejection by the meteorologist of the statistician's conclusion employs which one of the following techniques of argumentation? | [
"rejecting a conclusion because it is a proposition that cannot be experimentally tested",
"supporting a conclusion about a specific case by invoking a relevant generalization",
"pointing out that potentially unfavorable evidence has been systematically neglected",
"reanalyzing a correlation as reflecting the... | 1 | train_2923 |
The case of the French Revolution is typically regarded as the best evidence for the claim that societies can reap more benefit than harm from a revolution. But even the French Revolution serves this role poorly, since France at the time of the Revolution had a unique advantage. Despite the Revolution, the same civil s... | Which one of the following most accurately characterizes the argumentative strategy used in the passage? | [
"opposing a claim by undermining evidence offered in support of that claim",
"demonstrating that the claim argued against is internally inconsistent",
"comparing two positions in order to illustrate their relative strengths and weaknesses",
"justifying a view through the use of a series of persuasive examples... | 0 | train_2924 |
Ecologist: Smallpox, one of the worst diseases ever to afflict humans, has in some outbreaks killed as much as 50 percent of local populations. The last known surviving cultures of variola -- the smallpox virus -- are confined to two high-security laboratories. Some scientists are anxious to destroy the remaining vario... | Which one of the following, if true, would do most to strengthen the ecologist's argument? | [
"Smallpox has killed millions of humans over the centuries, and when it reaches the stage of an epidemic it is extremely difficult to eradicate.",
"It is becoming increasingly important to prevent any nation from acquiring the means to wage biological warfare.",
"It is more likely that the virus, if left availa... | 2 | train_2925 |
In Australia, in years with below-average rainfall, less water goes into rivers and more water is extracted from rivers for drinking and irrigation. Consequently, in such years, water levels drop considerably and the rivers flow more slowly. Because algae grow better the more slowly the water in which they are growing ... | Which of the following, if true, does most to explain the contrast? | [
"Algae cannot survive in the absence of water.",
"The more slowly water moves, the more conducive its temperature is to the growth of algae.",
"The larger the population of algae in a body of water, the less sunlight reaches below the surface of the water.",
"Algae grow better in ponds and lakes than in river... | 0 | train_2926 |
Many gardeners believe that the variety of clematis vine that is most popular among gardeners in North America is jackmanii. This belief is apparently correct since, of the one million clematis plants sold per year by the largest clematis nursery in North America, ten percent are jackmanii. | Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"Some of the jackmanii sold by the nursery are sold to gardeners outside North America.",
"Most North American gardeners grow clematis in their gardens.",
"The nursery sells more than ten different varieties of clematis.",
"For all nurseries in North America that specialize in clematis, at least ten percent o... | 2 | train_2927 |
Edgar: Some of the pumps supplying water to our region have been ordered shut down in order to protect a species of small fish. But it is absurd to inconvenience thousands of people for the sake of something so inconsequential. Rafaela: You' re missing the point. The threat to that fish species is a sign of a very seri... | The dialogue provides the most support for the claim that Edgar and Rafaela disagree over whether | [
"the order to shut down the pumps was legal",
"shutting down the pumps will actually inconvenience a large number of people",
"shutting down the pumps will be sufficient to protect the fish species",
"the survival of the fish species is the only reason for shutting down the pumps"
] | 3 | train_2928 |
Flagpole Army Base in Oregon and Klondike Army Base in Alaska are similar bases with similar duty loads. Despite the similarities, Klondike always has had more men than Flagpole has. Clearly, each soldier at Klondike must have to perform a smaller share of the duties, and ttherefore soldiers at Klondike must have more ... | In evaluating the argument, it would be most useful to know which of the following? | [
"Whether those recruits who are in a position to choose, choose Flagpole over Klondike.",
"Whether the officers administering the Flagpole and Klondike bases have had similar training.",
"Whether regular furloughs from Klondike are longer than furloughs from Flagpole, to account for added travel time.",
"Whet... | 2 | train_2929 |
Tania: A good art critic is not fair in the ordinary sense; it is only about things that do not interest one that one can give a truly unbiased opinion. Since art is a passion, good criticism of art cannot be separated from emotion. Monique: Art is not simply a passion. The best art critics passionately engage with the... | The dialogue most strongly supports the claim that Tania and Monique disagree about whether | [
"art critics should not feel emotion toward artworks",
"fairness generally requires minimizing the influence of bias",
"good art criticism is sometimes unbiased",
"art is not simply a passion"
] | 2 | train_2930 |
A politician can neither be reelected nor avoid censure by his or her colleagues if that politician is known to be involved in any serious scandals. Several prominent politicians have just now been shown to be involved in a conspiracy that turned into a serious scandal. These politicians will ttherefore not be reelecte... | If the statements above are all true, which one of the following statements must also be true? | [
"No politician is censured unless he or she is known to be involved in a serious scandal.",
"The prominent politicians cannot escape censure by their colleagues.",
"The prominent politicians initially benefited from the conspiracy that caused the scandal.",
"Some politicians who are involved in scandalous con... | 1 | train_2931 |
Kim: In northern Europe during the eighteenth century a change of attitude occurred that found expression both in the adoption of less solemn and elaborate death rites by the population at large and in a more optimistic view of the human condition as articulated by philosophers. This change can be explained as the resu... | Which one of the following, if true, provides the strongest defense of Kim's explanation against Lee's criticism? | [
"The concept of life expectancy is based on statistical theories that had not been developed in the eighteenth century.",
"An increase in life expectancy in a population often gives rise to economic changes that, in turn, directly influence people's attitudes.",
"Philosophers in northern Europe during the eight... | 1 | train_2932 |
John of Worcester, an English monk, recorded the sighting, on December 8, 1128, of two unusually large sunspots. Five days later a brilliant aurora borealis (northern lights) was observed in southern Korea. Sunspot activity is typically followed by the appearance of an aurora borealis, after a span of time that average... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Chinese sources recorded the sighting of sunspots more than 1000 years before John of Worcester did.",
"An aurora borealis can sometimes occur even when there has been no significant sunspot activity in the previous week.",
"Only heavy sunspot activity could have resulted in an aurora borealis viewable at a la... | 2 | train_2933 |
Most land-dwelling vertebrates have rotating limbs terminating in digits, a characteristic useful for land movement. Biologists who assume that this characteristic evolved only after animals abandoned aquatic environments must consider the Acanthostega, a newly discovered ancestor of all land vertebrates. It possessed ... | The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"Certain anatomical characteristics common to some aquatic animals represent an advantage for survival on land.",
"None of the anatomical characteristics common to most aquatic animals represent an advantage for survival on land.",
"Many anatomical characteristics common to most land animals represent a disadva... | 0 | train_2934 |
Manufacturers issue cents-off coupons to get consumers to try their brand of product with the hope that the consumers who try their brand will switch their brand loyalty. So in the initial marketing of their new brand X, Hartman Industries should issue cents-off coupons, thereby attracting a large segment of potential ... | Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the likelihood that the marketing strategy recommended above will have the result that is claimed? | [
"A marketing campaign that uses cents-off coupons is most effective when combined with a television advertising campaign.",
"Typically less than one-third of the coupons issued by a manufacturer are redeemed by consumers.",
"Many grocery stores attract customers by doubling the face value of manufacturer's coup... | 3 | train_2935 |
Physics professor: Some scientists claim that superheated plasma in which electrical resistance fails is a factor in causing so-called "ball lightning. " If this were so, then such lightning would emit intense light and, since plasma has gaslike properties, would rise in the air. However, the instances of ball lightnin... | The physics professor's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"All types of ball lightning have the same cause.",
"The phenomena observed by the physics professor were each observed by at least one other person.",
"Ball lightning can occur as the result of several different factors.",
"Superheated plasma in which electrical resistance fails does not cause types of light... | 0 | train_2936 |
Economist: Markets work most efficiently without any government interference, since competition increases in free markets. Government regulation will never achieve its intended goal, since the most sophisticated corporations will always be able to game the system at the expense of the start-ups that are necessary to sp... | What is the main issue in dispute between the economist and politician? | [
"Increasing regulations will increase competitiveness.",
"Competition is important for a nation's economic health.",
"Corporations cannot be trusted to act in consumers' best interest.",
"Consolidating economic power in a handful of corporations is healthy."
] | 0 | train_2937 |
Many nurseries sell fruit trees that they label "miniature. " Not all nurseries, however, use this term in the same way. While some nurseries label any nectarine trees of the Stark Sweet Melody variety as "miniature, " for example, others do not. One thing that is clear is that if a variety of fruit tree is not suitabl... | Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the information above? | [
"Any nectarine tree of the Stark Sweet Melody variety that a nursery labels \"miniature\" is labeled incorrectly.",
"Unless the Stark Sweet Melody variety of nectarine tree is suitable for growing in a tub or a pot, some nurseries mislabel this variety of tree.",
"Some nectarine trees that are not labeled \"min... | 1 | train_2938 |
Studies have shown that, contrary to popular belief, middle-aged people have more fear of dying than do elderly people. | Each of the following, if true, contributes to an explanation of the phenomenon shown by the studies EXCEPT: | [
"The longer one lives, the more imperturbable one becomes.",
"Middle-aged people have more people dependent upon them than people of any other age group.",
"Many people who suffer from depression first become depressed in middle age.",
"The longer one lives, the more likely it is that one has come to terms wi... | 2 | train_2939 |
Insect infestations in certain cotton-growing regions of the world have caused dramatic increases in the price of cotton on the world market. By contrast, the price of soybeans has long remained stable. Knowing that cotton plants mature quickly, many soybean growers in Ortovia plan to cease growing soybeans and begin r... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the plan's chances for success? | [
"Tests of a newly developed, inexpensive pesticide have shown it to be both environmentally safe and effective against the insects that have infested cotton crops.",
"The species of insect that has infested cotton plants has never been known to attack soybean plants.",
"The cost of raising soybeans has increase... | 0 | train_2940 |
Music critic: Fewer and fewer musicians are studying classical music, decreasing the likelihood that those with real aptitude for such music will be performing it. Audiences who hear these performances will not appreciate classical music' s greatness and will thus decamp to other genres. So to maintain classical music'... | Which of the following, if true, most weakens the music critic's reasoning? | [
"It is possible to enjoy the music in a particular genre even when it is performed by musicians who are not ideally suited for that genre.",
"Musicians who choose to study classical music do so because they believe they have an aptitude for the. music.",
"The continued popularity of a given genre of music depen... | 3 | train_2941 |
Incumbent politicians tend to win elections in times of economic prosperity and lose during recessions. Knowing this, incumbents have an incentive to boost the economy temporarily by cutting taxes and raising government spending several months before an election. Thus, in democratic nations, upcoming elections may be a... | Each of the following, if true, strengthens the argument EXCEPT: | [
"In democratic nations, incumbent politicians have more control than anyone else over decisions about when taxes will be cut and government spending raised.",
"Cutting taxes several months before an election is an effective means for incumbent politicians to boost the economy temporarily.",
"In democratic natio... | 3 | train_2942 |
Large deposits of the rare mineral nahcolite formed in salty lakes 50 million to 52 million years ago during the Eocene epoch. Laboratory tests found that, in salty water, nahcolite can form only when the atmosphere contains at least 1, 125 parts per million of carbon dioxide. | The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"For most of the time since the Eocene epoch, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been lower than it was during most of the Eocene epoch.",
"The atmosphere contained at least 1, 125 parts per million of carbon dioxide during at least some part of the Eocene epoch.",
"No significant deposits of nah... | 1 | train_2943 |
Some people take their moral cues from governmental codes of law; for them, it is inconceivable that something that is legally permissible could be immoral. | Those whose view is described above hold inconsistent beliefs if they also believe that | [
"a legally impermissible action is never morally excusable",
"some governmental regulations are so detailed that they are burdensome to the economy",
"governmental officials sometimes behave illegally",
"law does not cover all circumstances in which one person morally wrongs another"
] | 3 | train_2944 |
Mayor: The law prohibiting pedestrians from crossing against red lights serves no useful purpose. After all, in order to serve a useful purpose, a law must deter the kind of behavior it prohibits. But pedestrians who invariably violate this law are clearly not dissuaded by it; and those who comply with the law do not n... | The mayor's argument is flawed because it | [
"fails to consider whether the law ever dissuades people who sometimes but not always cross against red lights",
"takes for granted that most automobile drivers will obey the law that prohibits them from driving through red lights",
"uses the word \"law\" in one sense in the premises and in another sense in the... | 0 | train_2945 |
Expert: What criteria distinguish addictive substances from nonaddictive ones? Some have suggested that any substance that at least some habitual users can cease to use is nonaddictive. However, if this is taken to be the sole criterion of nonaddictiveness, some substances that most medical experts classify as prime ex... | Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the expert's statements? | [
"A substance that some habitual users can cease to use with little or no psychological or physiological difficulty is addictive only if that is not true for most habitual users.",
"Fewer substances would be deemed addictive than are deemed so at present if an adequate definition of \"addictive\" were employed.",
... | 0 | train_2946 |
Industrial adviser: If two new processes under consideration are not substantially different in cost, then the less environmentally damaging process should be chosen. If, however, a company already employs an environmentally damaging process and retooling for a less damaging process would involve substantial cost, then... | Which one of the following judgments conforms most closely to the principles described by the industrial adviser? | [
"In manufacturing pincushions, a company uses a process that, though legal, has come under heavy public criticism for the environmental damage it causes. The company should change its process to preserve its public image, despite some expected long-term losses from doing so.",
"A company is considering two new pr... | 1 | train_2947 |
The Earth's rivers constantly carry dissolved salts into its oceans. Clearly, ttherefore, by taking the resulting increase in salt levels in the oceans over the past hundred years and then determining how many centuries of such increases it would have taken the oceans to reach current salt levels from a hypothetical in... | Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"There are salts that leach into the Earth's oceans directly from the ocean floor",
"There is no method superior to that based on salt levels for estimating the maximum age of the Earth's oceans",
"None of the salts carried into the Earth's oceans by rivers are used up by biological activity in the oceans",
"... | 3 | train_2948 |
Climatologist: Over the coming century, winter temperatures are likely to increase in the Rocky Mountains due to global warming. This will cause a greater proportion of precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow. Ttherefore, the mountain snowpack will probably melt more rapidly and earlier in the season, leading to ... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the climatologist's argument? | [
"Global warming will probably cause a substantial increase in the average amount of annual precipitation in the Rocky Mountains over the coming century.",
"On average, in the regions of the world with the mildest winters, there is more spring flooding and less storable water than in regions of the world with much... | 3 | train_2949 |
Although fullerenes--spherical molecules made entirely of carbon--were first found in the laboratory, they have since been found in nature, formed in fissures of the rare mineral shungite. Since laboratory synthesis of fullerenes requires distinctive conditions of temperature and pressure, this discovery should give ge... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the argument? | [
"Some fullerenes have also been found on the remains of a small meteorite that collided with a spacecraft.",
"The naturally occurring fullerenes are arranged in a previously unknown crystalline structure.",
"Confirming that the shungite genuinely contained fullerenes took careful experimentation.",
"Shungite ... | 1 | train_2950 |
Beads were used as currency for centuries. But why beads? The striking fact about many objects that have been used as currency-gold, silver, and feathers, to name a few-is that they were first used mainly, and often solely, as decorative objects. Thus, it is natural that beads, which were initially valued as objects of... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, would most help to justify the argument above? | [
"The similarity between the primary uses of two different objects can cause the secondary use of one to be transferred to the other.",
"An object cannot take on a derivative use unless it ceases to have its original use.",
"An object having a certain original use is likely to have the same derivative use as do ... | 2 | train_2951 |
Animals generally avoid foods that are harmful to them and favor those that benefit them. Thus it is surprising that gypsy moth caterpillars prefer to eat leaves that contain high concentrations of certain naturally occurring toxins called alkaloids, even though caterpillars grow faster on alkaloid-free diets. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy? | [
"In the alkaloid-containing plants on which gypsy moth caterpillars feed, the toxins are found only in the leaves.",
"The alkaloid-containing plants on which gypsy moth caterpillars feed increase their production of toxins when their leaves are injured.",
"Only gypsy moth caterpillars, not adult gypsy moths, fe... | 3 | train_2952 |
Commentator: Human behavior cannot be fully understood without inquiring into nonphysical aspects of persons. As evidence of this, I submit the following: suppose that we had a complete scientific account of the physical aspects of some particular human action -- every neurological, physiological, and environmental eve... | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the argument's reasoning? | [
"It fails to indicate whether the speaker is aware of any evidence that could undermine the conclusion.",
"No support is offered for its conclusion other than an analogy that relates only superficially to the issue at hand.",
"The purported evidence that it cites in support of its conclusion presumes that the c... | 2 | train_2953 |
For the next year, the Chefs' Union has requested a 10 percent salary increase for each of its members, whereas the Hotel Managers' Union has requested only an 8 percent salary increase for each of its members. These facts demonstrate that the average dollar amount of the raises that the Chefs' Union has requested for ... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"The average dollar amount of the raises that the members of the Chefs' Union received last year was equal to the average dollar amount of the raises that the members of the Hotel Managers' Union received.",
"The Chefs' Union has many more members than does the Hotel Managers' Union.",
"The Chefs' Union is a mo... | 3 | train_2954 |
Highway Official: When resurfacing our concrete bridges, we should use electrically conductive concrete (ECC) rather than standard concrete. In the winter, ECC can be heated by passing an electric current through it, thereby preventing ice buildup. The cost of the electricity needed is substantially lower than the cost... | Which of the following, if true, could best be used to support the highway official's proposal in the face of the taxpayer's objection? | [
"The use of de-icing salt causes corrosion of the reinforcing steel in concrete bridge decks and damage to the concrete itself, thereby considerably shortening the useful life of concrete bridges.",
"Aside from its potential use for de-icing bridges, ECC might also be an effective means of keeping other concrete ... | 0 | train_2955 |
The Venetian Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio used sumptuous reds in most of his paintings. Since the recently discovered Venetian Renaissance painting Erato Declaiming contains notable sumptuous reds, it is probably by Carpaccio. | Which one of the following contains a pattern of flawed reasoning most similar to that in the argument above? | [
"Since late-Renaissance paintings were mostly in oil, the Venetian late-Renaissance painter Arnoldi, whose works are now lost, probably painted in oil.",
"Most Renaissance painters worked in a single medium, either tempera or oil. Since the Renaissance painting Calypso's Bower is in oil, its painter probably alwa... | 2 | train_2956 |
An energy company proposes placing 250 giant turbines into the Gulf Stream to generate electricity for North America. Some Europeans worry, however, about the potential threat to their climate. Without the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, much of Europe would be as cold as Labrador and the Yukon, areas at the same l... | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning of the argument? | [
"The argument ignores the potential threat to marine life posed by placing turbines in the ocean.",
"The argument relies on an authority that may be biased.",
"The conclusion of the argument contradicts at least one of its premises.",
"The argument presumes, without providing justification, that latitude and ... | 1 | train_2957 |
Only a very small percentage of people from the service professions ever become board members of the 600 largest North American corporations. This shows that people from the service professions are underrepresented in the most important corporate boardrooms in North America. | Which one of the following points out a flaw committed in the argument? | [
"Six hundred is too small a sample on which to base so sweeping a conclusion about the representation of people from the service professions.",
"It is a mistake to take the 600 largest North American corporations to be typical of corporate boardrooms generally.",
"The percentage of people from the service profe... | 2 | train_2958 |
The kinds of hand and wrist injuries that result from extended use of a computer while maintaining an incorrect posture are common among schoolchildren in Harnville. Computers are important to the school curriculum there, so instead of reducing the amount their students use computers, teachers plan to bring about a sha... | Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to assess the likelihood that the teachers' plan will be successful? | [
"What proportion of schoolchildren in Harnville with hand and wrist injuries use computers extensively outside the classroom",
"Whether changes in the curriculum could reduce the schools' dependence on computers",
"What proportion of schoolchildren in Harnville already use correct posture while using a computer... | 0 | train_2959 |
Last August the XT chain of gasoline stations had a temporary sales promotion in effect. In the promotion , any customer who made a purchase of ten or more gallons of gasoline was entitled to a free car wash . For the month of August , XT experienced a ten percent increase in gasoline sales as compared to sales in Augu... | In evaluating the argument , it would be most helpful to answer which of the following ? | [
"Did XT or any of its gasoline stations have to pay other businesses to provide the car washes that customers were offered in the promotion?",
"Are XT's gasoline sales in August usually significantly higher than one twelfth of XT's annual gasoline sales ?",
"In the areas in which XT's gasoline stations operate ... | 2 | train_2960 |
Because some student demonstrations protesting his scheduled appearance have resulted in violence, the president of the Imperialist Society has been prevented from speaking about politics on campus by the dean of student affairs. Yet to deny anyone the unrestricted freedom to speak is to threaten everyone' s right to f... | The pattern of reasoning displayed above is most closely paralleled in which one of the following? | [
"In order to rescue a drowning child, Isabel jumped into a freezing river. Such acts of heroism performed to save the life of one enrich the lives of all. Hence, Isabel's action enriched the lives of all.",
"Fire fighters are often expected to perform heroically under harsh conditions. But no one is ever required... | 0 | train_2961 |
A study followed a group of teenagers who had never smoked and tracked whether they took up smoking and how their mental health changed. After one year, the incidence of depression among those who had taken up smoking was four times as high as it was among those who had not. Since nicotine in cigarettes changes brain c... | Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Few, if any, of the participants in the study were friends or relatives of other participants.",
"Participants who were depressed at the start of the study were no more likely to be smokers after one year than those who were not depressed.",
"Some participants entered and emerged from a period of depression wi... | 1 | train_2962 |
In trying to reduce the amount of fat in their diet, on average people have decreased their consumption of red meat by one-half in the last two decades. However, on average those who have reduced their consumption of red meat actually consume substantially more fat than those who have not. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above? | [
"Higher prices over the last two decades have done as much to decrease the consumption of red meat as health concerns have.",
"People who reduce their consumption of red meat tend to replace it with cheese and baked goods, which are richer in fat than red meat.",
"People who reduce their consumption of red meat... | 1 | train_2963 |
City dog licensing records show that more cocker spaniels are registered to addresses in the Flynn Heights neighborhood than to addresses in all other neighborhoods combined. So if an animal control officer finds a stray cocker spaniel anywhere near Flynn Heights, it is likely that the dog belongs to someone in Flynn H... | Which one of the following would be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument? | [
"whether the number of pets owned, per capita, is greater for residents of Flynn Heights than for residents of any other neighborhood",
"whether there are more cocker spaniels registered to addresses in Flynn Heights than any other breed of dog",
"whether the city's animal control officers find more stray dogs ... | 3 | train_2964 |
Melinda: Hazard insurance decreases an individual' s risk by judiciously spreading the risk among many policyholders. Jack: I disagree. It makes sense for me to buy fire insurance for my house, but I don' t see how doing so lessens the chances that my house will burn down. | Jack's response most clearly trades on an ambiguity in which one of the following expressions used by Melinda? | [
"judiciously spreading",
"risk",
"hazard insurance",
"many policyholders"
] | 1 | train_2965 |
Museum curator: Our ancient Egyptian collection includes an earthenware hippopotamus that resembles a child' s toy. It was discovered in a tomb, upside down, with its legs broken off. We know that the ancient Egyptians believed the dead had to wage eternal war with beasts. Breaking the legs off a representation of an a... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the curator's argument? | [
"Earthenware figures were never used as children's toys in ancient Egypt.",
"The hippopotamus' legs were not broken through some natural occurrence after it was placed in the tomb.",
"The tomb in which the hippopotamus was found was not reentered from the time of burial until archaeologists opened it.",
"The ... | 1 | train_2966 |
Megatrash Co. , the country' s largest waste-disposal company, has been sued by environmental groups who have accused the firm of negligent handling of hazardous waste. The fines and legal fees that have resulted from the legal attacks against Megatrash have cost the company substantial amounts of money. Surprisingly, ... | Which one of the following, if true, does the most to resolve the apparent paradox? | [
"Some of the judgments against Megatrash have legally barred it from entering the more profitable areas of the waste-management business.",
"In cases in which Megatrash has been acquitted of charges of negligence, the company has paid more in legal fees than it would have been likely to pay in fines.",
"Althoug... | 3 | train_2967 |
Politician: A government that taxes incomes at a rate of 100 percent will generate no revenue because all economic activity will cease. So it follows that the lower the rate of income tax, the more revenue the government will generate by that tax. Economist: Your conclusion cannot be correct, since it would mean that a... | Which one of the following argumentative strategies is used by the economist in responding to the politician? | [
"undermining the credibility of the politician by openly questioning the politician's understanding of economics",
"attacking the politician's argument by giving reason to doubt the truth of a premise",
"providing evidence that where the politician's advice has been adopted, the results have been disappointing"... | 3 | train_2968 |
Terrorism aims to instill fear in the target population, disrupting all daily activities and forcing an irrational backlash. More people die in car accidents in a day than terrorists have killed in two decades. Our country spends more money on fighting terrorism than any other single initiative, including healthcare. A... | Which one of the following most logically completes the argument? | [
"spend money in proportion to terrorism's threat.",
"spend money in proportion to the fear terrorism inspires.",
"spend more money on healthcare.",
"spend more money on reducing car accidents."
] | 0 | train_2969 |
The Z-300 is a particularly fast new sports car, popular among young drivers. It is an expensive model, and relatively few are on the roads. Two months ago, seven different young people in Catoville were arrested for operating the Z-300 at excessive speeds on local roads while having a blood alcohol level well above th... | Which of following conclusions can most properly be drawn from the information above? | [
"The Catoville traffic cops have provided an effective deterrent to drunk driving within Catoville.",
"Some drivers of the Z-300 are unfairly subjected to delays.",
"Drivers of the Z-300 exceed local speed limits by much higher margins than that by which they exceed highway speed limits.",
"Drivers of fast sp... | 1 | train_2970 |
Recently, a report commissioned by a confectioners trade association noted that chocolate, formerly considered a health scourge, is an effective antioxidant and so has health benefits. Another earlier claim was that oily foods clog arteries, leading to heart disease, yet reports now state that olive oil has a positive ... | The reasoning in the argument is flawed in that the argument | [
"bases an overly broad generalization on just a few instances",
"fails to consider that there are many foods that are reported to be unhealthful",
"relies on the truth of a claim by a source that is likely to be biased",
"applies a general rule to specific cases to which it does not pertain"
] | 0 | train_2971 |
Any ornamental garden has both plants and structural elements such as rocks and fences. Because the plants constantly change with growth and decay, it is difficult to keep a proper balance in the garden between the plants and the structures. Balance can be achieved only with careful planning, and even when established,... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the argument? | [
"The reason why it is difficult to keep a proper balance in a garden between structures and plants is that the plants constantly change with growth and decay.",
"It is difficult to keep a proper balance in a garden between structures and plants.",
"Without careful planning and maintenance, the balance in a gard... | 1 | train_2972 |
A new computer system will not significantly increase an organization' s efficiency unless the computer system requires the organization' s employees to adopt new, more productive ways of working. The Ministry of Transportation is having a new computer system custom built to fit the ministry' s existing ways of working... | Which one of the following most logically completes the argument? | [
"the new computer system will be worthwhile if it automates many processes that are currently performed manually",
"it will be easy for employees of the Ministry of Transportation to learn to use the new computer system",
"the new computer system will not increase the efficiency of the Ministry of Transportatio... | 2 | train_2973 |
The cotton farms of Country Q became so productive that the market could not absorb all that they produced. Consequently, cotton prices fell. The government tried to boost cotton prices by offering farmers who took 25 percent of their cotton acreage out of production direct support payments up to a specified maximum pe... | The government's program, if successful, will not be a net burden on the budget. Which of the following, if true, is the best basis for an explanation of how this could be so? | [
"Depressed cotton prices meant operating losses for cotton farms, and the government lost revenue from taxes on farm profits.",
"The first year that the support-payment program was in effect, cotton acreage in Q was 5% below its level in the base year for the program.",
"Cotton production in several countries o... | 0 | train_2974 |
Why should the disappearance of beetles, plants, or birds concern us? First, a species, the irreplaceable product of millions of years of development, is of intrinsic value. Another, perhaps more compelling, reason to conserve biological diversity is pure self-interest. Like every species, ours is intimately dependent ... | The above argument as a whole seeks to establish that | [
"there are no species in nature that are, properly considered, harmful to people",
"it is only selfish people who wish to conserve biological diversity",
"whether species to which people pay little attention become extinct is not of great importance except to scientists",
"species of plant and animal life sho... | 3 | train_2975 |
In opposing the 1970 Clean Air Act, the United States automobile industry argued that meeting the act' s standards for automobile emissions was neither economically feasible nor environmentally necessary. However, the catalytic converter, invented in 1967, enabled automakers to meet the 1970 standards efficiently. Curr... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the method used to counter the automakers' current position? | [
"Evidence is provided that the new emissions legislation is both economically feasible and environmentally necessary.",
"A flaw is pointed out in the reasoning used by the automakers to reach their conclusion.",
"A comparison is drawn between the automakers' current position and a position they held in the past... | 2 | train_2976 |
Exporters in Country X are facing lower revenues due to a shortage of the large metal shipping containers in which they send their goods by sea to other countries. Fewer containers arrive in Country X due to reductions in imports. This has meant lost orders, costly delays, and a scramble for alternatives, such as air f... | Which of the following would most logically complete the passage? | [
"consumers in Country X are purchasing more products than ever before",
"the cost of shipping alternatives such as air freight is likely to stabilize in the near future",
"shipping companies are willing to move containers from country to country only when the containers are full",
"production of shipping cont... | 2 | train_2977 |
Most small children are flat-footed. This failure of the foot to assume its natural arch, if it persists past early childhood can sometimes result in discomfort and even pain later in life. Traditionally, flat-footedness in children has been treated by having the children wear special shoes that give extra support to t... | Which one of the following, if true, most calls into question the efficacy of the traditional treatment described above? | [
"Although most children's flat-footedness is corrected by the time the children reach puberty, some people remain flat-footed for life.",
"Many small children who have normal feet wear the same special shoes as those worn by flat-footed children.",
"Flat-footed children who do not wear the special shoes are as ... | 2 | train_2978 |
Psychologist: Doctors should never prescribe sedatives for people with insomnia. Most cases of insomnia that psychologists treat are known to be caused by psychological stress. This suggests that insomniacs do not need drugs that alter their biochemistry, but rather need psychotherapy to help them alleviate the stress ... | Each of the following describes a flaw in the psychologist's reasoning EXCEPT: | [
"It presumes, without providing warrant, that insomnia contributes to an inability to cope with stress.",
"It overlooks the possibility that sedatives could help insomniacs cope with stress.",
"It neglects the possibility that for some people psychotherapy is a completely ineffective treatment for stress.",
"... | 0 | train_2979 |
Biotechnology companies say that voluntary guidelines for their industry are sufficient to ensure that no harm will result when a genetically altered organism is released into the environment. It is foolish, however, to rely on assurances from producers of genetically altered organisms that their products will not be h... | Which one of the following principles, if accepted, most strongly justifies drawing the conclusion above? | [
"People who engage in an activity and have a financial stake in that activity should not be the sole regulators of that activity.",
"Voluntary guidelines are sufficient to regulate activities that pose little danger to the environment.",
"Issues of environmental protection are so important that they should not ... | 0 | train_2980 |
All art criticism is political because all art has political implications. Clearly, the critic who chooses to address overtly an artwork' s political implications is engaged in political discourse. But those critics who attempt a purely aesthetic evaluation of a work, and ttherefore ignore the work' s political implica... | If the statements above are all true, which one of the following must also be true? | [
"A political critique of a work of art has more value than any other sort of critique of that work.",
"Art that makes an overt social or political statement is the sort of art with which critics are typically concerned.",
"Art criticism that is intended to evaluate a work on purely aesthetic grounds never ends ... | 2 | train_2981 |
Claude: When I' m having lunch with job candidates, I watch to see if they salt their food without first tasting it. If they do, I count that against them, because they' re making decisions based on inadequate information. Larissa: That' s silly. It' s perfectly reasonable for me to wear a sweater whenever I go into a ... | The two analogies that Larissa offers can most reasonably be interpreted as invoking which one of the following principles to criticize Claude's policy? | [
"Individuals whose behavior in specific circumstances does not conform to generally expected norms should not automatically be considered unconcerned with meeting social expectations, because such individuals may be acting in accordance with reasoned policies that they believe should be generally adopted by people ... | 1 | train_2982 |
The last outdoor drive-in movie theater in Nova Scotia closed recently. The owners claimed that it could not regularly attract large enough audiences to remain viable. However, for an entire week -- the final week of the theater' s operation, after the announcement of the impending closure -- the place was sold out eve... | Which one of the following contains an error of reasoning most similar to that made in the argument above? | [
"The proposed cuts in library funding would require reducing the hours of the periodicals room. But that is a room in which many students like to study, so the proposed cuts are bound to stir up considerable opposition.",
"The administration claims that the library's funding must be cut because of last year's poo... | 3 | train_2983 |
Journalist: Some critics argue that as the entertainment value of news reporting increases, the caliber of that reporting decreases. Yet the greatest journalists have been the most entertaining. So these critics are mistaken. | The journalist's conclusion is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"The greatest journalists have been entertainers who report the news.",
"The news reporting of the greatest journalists has been of the highest caliber.",
"Journalistic greatness involves producing news that is very valuable in some sense.",
"Entertainment and news are not mutually exclusive categories."
] | 1 | train_2984 |
Advertisement: Ten years ago, the Cormond Hotel' s lobby was carpeted with Duratex carpet while the lobby of a nearby hotel was being carpeted with our competitor' s most durable carpet. Today, after a decade in which the two hotels have had similar amounts of foot traffic through their lobbies, that other hotel is hav... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the force of the advertisement's evidence for concluding that Duratex carpet is more durable than the carpet of its competitor? | [
"The carpet that is being used to replace carpeting near the other hotel's lobby entrances is not Duratex carpet.",
"The other hotel has a popular restaurant that can be reached from outside without walking through the hotel lobby.",
"The lobby of the Cormond Hotel has five different entrances, but the lobby of... | 2 | train_2985 |
Economist: A tax is effective if it raises revenue and burdens all and only those persons targeted by the tax. A tax is ineffective, however, if it does not raise revenue and it costs a significant amount of money to enforce. | Which one of the following inferences is most strongly supported by the principles stated by the economist? | [
"The tax on steel does not cost a significant amount of money to enforce, but it does not raise revenue either. Thus, the tax is ineffective.",
"The tax on coal burdens all of the people targeted by it, and this tax does not burden anyone who is not targeted by it. Thus, the tax is effective.",
"The tax on alco... | 3 | train_2986 |
In most corporations the salaries of executives are set by a group from the corporation' s board of directors. Since the board' s primary mission is to safeguard the economic health of the corporation rather than to make its executives rich, this way of setting executives' salaries is expected to prevent excessively la... | The point made by the author is that the most common way of setting executives' salaries might not keep those salaries in bounds because | [
"many board members might let their self- interest as executives interfere with properly discharging their role, as board members, in setting executives' salaries",
"most corporate executives, thanks to their generous salaries, are not financially dependent on money earned as board members",
"many board members... | 0 | train_2987 |
At Law Practice, Inc. , last year the average annual salary for attorneys was $75, 000, while the average salary for paralegals was $50, 000. The average annual salary for all Law Practice employees was $45, 000. | If the information above is correct, which one of the following conclusions can properly be drawn on the basis of it? | [
"There were two attorneys and three paralegals at Law Practice last year.",
"At least one paralegal made less than $50, 000 last year.",
"There were more paralegals than attorneys at Law Practice last year.",
"There was at least one Law Practice employee who earned less than the average paralegal earned last ... | 3 | train_2988 |
Editorial: It has been suggested that private, for-profit companies should be hired to supply clean drinking water to areas of the world where it is unavailable now. But water should not be supplied by private companies. After all, clean water is essential for human health, and the purpose of a private company is to pr... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, would most help to justify the reasoning in the editorial? | [
"The mere fact that something actually promotes human health is not sufficient to show that its purpose is to promote health.",
"Drinking water should never be supplied by an organization that is not able to consistently supply clean, safe water.",
"If something is necessary for human health, then it should be ... | 2 | train_2989 |
All Labrador retrievers love playing fetch. Only German shepherds love protecting their home. Some dogs are easy to train. Brittany' s dog loves playing fetch and loves protecting her home. | Which one of the following statements must be true? | [
"Brittany 's dog is easy to train.",
"Brittany's dog is half Labrador retriever and half German shepherd, and her dog is also easy to train.",
"Brittany 's dog is a Labrador retriever.",
"Brittany 's dog is a German shepherd."
] | 3 | train_2990 |
In a recent experiment, researchers concluded that the phenomenon known as runner' s high was caused by a biochemical reaction in the brain. Long-distance runners who ran long enough produced chemicals that have an opioid-like effect on mood. These runners not only felt euphoric after running, but they had a higher pai... | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"The average person will not experience feelings of euphoria unless they have runner's high.",
"The feeling of euphoria is almost always caused by the act of running.",
"Those who have runner's high will experience euphoria as well as a higher pain tolerance.",
"Long-distance runners have a higher pain tolera... | 2 | train_2991 |
All too many weaklings are also cowards, and few cowards fail to be fools. Thus there must be at least one person who is both a weakling and a fool. | The flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following? | [
"A majority of the voting population favors a total ban, but no one who favors a total ban is opposed to stiffer tariffs, so at least one voter is not opposed to stiffer tariffs.",
"If an act is virtuous, then it is autonomous, for acts are not virtuous unless they are free, and acts are not free unless they are ... | 3 | train_2992 |
A mechanized factory with over 3000 separate conveyor belts wants to minimize the cost associated with maintenance, repair, and replacement of these belts. The conveyer belts currently are composed vulcanized rubber around a cotton web base, but the factory owners are investigating new plastic polymer design. For any g... | Which of the following would it be most useful to know in determining whether switching to the plastic polymer conveyor belts would be likely to help minimize the factory's cost related to its conveyor belt system? | [
"Whether other mechanized factories with comparable number of conveyor belts in their systems have switched from rubber/cotton to plastic polymer conveyor belts.",
"Whether the crew that currently maintains the conveyor belts knows how to perform the modification to the drive cylinders necessary to switch to plas... | 2 | train_2993 |
Either food scarcity or excessive hunting can threaten a population of animals. If the group faces food scarcity, individuals in the group will reach reproductive maturity later than otherwise. If the group faces excessive hunting, individuals that reach reproductive maturity earlier will come to predominate. Ttherefor... | Which of the following most logically completes the reasoning? | [
"it is not known when humans first began hunting mastodons",
"there are more fossilized mastodon remains from the period before mastodon populations began to decline than from after that period",
"the average age at which mastodons from a given period reached reproductive maturity can be established from their ... | 2 | train_2994 |
Aroca City currently funds its public schools through taxes on property. In place of this system, the city plans to introduce a sales tax of three percent on all retail sales in the city. Critics protest that <b> three percent of current retail sales falls short of the amount raised for schools by property taxes </b>. ... | In the argument given, the two potions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first is a criticism, endorsed by the argument, of a funding plan; the second is a point the argument makes in favor of adopting an alternative plan.",
"The first is an objection that has been raised against a certain plan; the second is a prediction that, if accurate, undermines the force of that objection.... | 1 | train_2995 |
Advertisement: At most jewelry stores, the person assessing the diamond is the person selling it, so you can see why an assessor might say that a diamond is of higher quality than it really is. But because all diamonds sold at Gem World are certified in writing, you' re assured of a fair price when purchasing a diamond... | The reasoning in the advertisement would be most strengthened if which one of the following were true? | [
"The diamonds sold at Gem World are generally of higher quality than those sold at other jewelry stores.",
"The certifications of diamonds at Gem World are written by people with years of experience in appraising gems.",
"The diamond market is so volatile that prices of the most expensive diamonds can change by... | 3 | train_2996 |
When the Pinecrest Animal Shelter, a charitable organization, was in danger of closing because it could not pay for important repairs, its directors appealed to the townspeople to donate money that would be earmarked to pay for those repairs. Since more funds were ultimately donated than were used for the repairs, the ... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the position advocated above and yet places the least restriction on the allocation of funds by directors of charitable organizations? | [
"People who contribute money to charitable organizations should be considered to be placing their trust in the directors of those organizations to use the money wisely according to whatever circumstance might arise.",
"People who solicit charitable donations from the public for a specific cause should spend the f... | 1 | train_2997 |
Science teacher: In any nation, a flourishing national scientific community is essential to a successful economy. For such a community to flourish requires that many young people become excited enough about science that they resolve to become professional scientists. Good communication between scientists and the public... | The science teacher's statements provide the most support for which one of the following? | [
"An essential component of success in any scientific endeavor is good communication between the scientists involved in that endeavor and the public.",
"If scientists communicate with the public, many young people will become excited enough about science to resolve to become professional scientists.",
"The exten... | 3 | train_2998 |
Feathers recently taken from seabirds stuffed and preserved in the 1880s have been found to contain only half as much mercury as feathers recently taken from living birds of the same species. Since mercury that accumulates in a seabird' s feathers as the feathers grow is derived from fish eaten by the bird, these resul... | The argument depends on assuming that | [
"mercury derived from fish is essential for the normal growth of a seabird's feathers",
"the proportion of a seabird's diet consisting of fish was not as high, on average, in the 1880s as it is today",
"the process used to preserve birds in the 1880s did not substantially decrease the amount of mercury in the b... | 2 | train_2999 |
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