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Scientist: To study the comparative effectiveness of two experimental medications for athlete' s foot, a representative sample of people with athlete' s foot were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received only medication M, and the other received only medication N. The only people whose athlete' s foot... | Which one of the following most accurately describes the reporter's error in reasoning? | [
"The reporter fails to allow for the possibility that athlete's foot may be cured even if neither of the two medications studied is taken.",
"The reporter presumes, without providing justification, that there is no sizeable subgroup of people whose athlete's foot will be cured only if they do not take medication ... | 3 | train_3000 |
Many nursing homes have prohibitions against having pets, and these should be lifted. The presence of an animal companion can yield health benefits by reducing a person' s stress. A pet can also make one' s time at a home more rewarding, which will be important to more people as the average life span of our population ... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the argument above? | [
"Residents of nursing homes should enjoy the same rewarding aspects of life as anyone else.",
"The benefits older people derive from having pets need to be recognized, especially as the average life span increases.",
"As the average life span increases, it will be important to more people that life in nursing h... | 3 | train_3001 |
Alissa: If, as the mayor says, the city can no longer continue to fund both the children' s museum and local children' s television programming, then it should cease funding the television programming. The interactive character of the exhibits at the museum makes for a richer educational experience than watching televi... | On the basis of their statements, it can be inferred that Alissa and Greta disagree on which one of the following? | [
"whether local children's television programming provides a beneficial educational experience to a greater number of children in the city than does the children's museum",
"whether the city will need to cease funding local children's television programming if it continues funding the children's museum",
"whethe... | 2 | train_3002 |
Commissioner: Budget forecasters project a revenue shortfall of a billion dollars in the coming fiscal year. Since there is no feasible way to increase the available funds, our only choice is to decrease expenditures. The plan before you outlines feasible cuts that would yield savings of a billion dollars over the comi... | The reasoning in the commissioner's argument is flawed because this argument | [
"confuses being an adequate solution with being a required solution",
"inappropriately relies on the opinions of experts",
"takes for granted that there is no way to increase available funds",
"inappropriately employs language that is vague"
] | 0 | train_3003 |
Historian: Leibniz, the seventeenth-century philosopher, published his version of calculus before Newton did. But then Newton revealed his private notebooks, which showed he had been using these ideas for at least a decade before Leibniz' s publication. Newton also claimed that he had disclosed these ideas to Leibniz i... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the historian's argument? | [
"Leibniz did not tell anyone about calculus prior to publishing his version of it.",
"Neither Newton nor Leibniz learned crucial details about calculus from some third source.",
"No third person independently discovered calculus prior to Newton and Leibniz.",
"Neither Newton or Leibniz knew that the other had... | 1 | train_3004 |
A product that represents a clear technological advance over competing products can generally command a high price. Because <b> technological advances tend to be quickly surpassed </b> and companies want to make large profits while they still can, many companies charge the greatest price the market will bear when they ... | In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first is an assumption that forms the basis for a course of action that the argument criticizes; the second presents the course of action endorsed by the argument.",
"The first is a consideration raised to explain the appeal of a certain strategy; the second is a consideration raised to call into question th... | 1 | train_3005 |
New evidence indicates that recent property development bordering a national park has not adversely affected the park' s wildlife. On the contrary, a comparison of the most recent survey of the park' s wildlife with one conducted just prior to the development shows that the amount of wildlife has in fact increased over... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"The more recent survey not only involved counting the animals found in the park but, unlike the earlier survey, also provided an inventory of the plant life found within the park.",
"While both surveys found the same species of animals in the park, the more recent survey found greater numbers of animals belongin... | 1 | train_3006 |
In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists are attempting to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. The... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed? | [
"The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in color and texture, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.",
"There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.",
"The varieties of... | 3 | train_3007 |
Economist: Ordinarily, when energy efficiency improves, less energy is used to satisfy the same needs. So presumably, if a country improves its energy efficiency, then ordinarily its energy consumption should decrease. Yet empirical data show that as a country' s energy efficiency increases, energy consumption there ei... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the conflict between the economist's presumption and the empirical data? | [
"When countries increase their energy efficiency, they usually sell their surplus of energy to other countries.",
"When countries increase their energy efficiency, more energy-efficient appliances are bought than appliances that are not energy efficient.",
"Causes other than increased energy efficiency can acco... | 3 | train_3008 |
College is increasingly unaffordable for everyone that is not independently wealthy, outpacing inflation every year since the early 1970s. This year the average cost of tuition at a private, four-year university is more than $31, 000 per year. In 1971, tuition cost less than $2, 000, even after adjusting for inflation.... | Which one of the following strengthens the argument? | [
"The independently wealthy should still attend traditional college programs.",
"Students who do not attend traditional college miss out on important life experiences.",
"Employers increasingly value work experience and self-starters more than formal education.",
"The government should have capped tuition at t... | 2 | train_3009 |
One of the 10 computer manuals published by company T in 2005 was made for home computers. Exactly five of the advertisements released by company T featured those manuals written for home computers. Since 20 advertisements were released by company T in 2006, no more than one-quarter of them featured the computer manual... | Which one of the following, if true, allows the conclusion above to be properly drawn? | [
"None of the advertisements released by company T in 2006 featured computer manuals other than the ones written for home computers.",
"None of the graphics used in the advertisements released by company T in 2006 were done by professional artists.",
"Some of the advertisements released by company T in 2006 were... | 0 | train_3010 |
Newspaper editorial: In an attempt to reduce the crime rate, the governor is getting tough on criminals and making prison conditions harsher. Part of this effort has been to deny inmates the access they formerly had to college-level courses. However, this action is clearly counter to the governor' s ultimate goal, sinc... | Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"Former inmates are no more likely to commit crimes than are members of the general population.",
"Not being able to take college-level courses while in prison is unlikely to deter anyone from a crime that he or she might otherwise have committed.",
"The group of inmates who chose to take college-level courses ... | 2 | train_3011 |
One year ago, a municipality banned dishwasher detergents containing phosphates. Anecdotal evidence indicates that many residents continued to use detergents containing phosphates; they just purchased them from out-of-town stores. However, it is clear that some residents did switch to phosphate-free detergents, since p... | The answer to which one of the following questions would most help in evaluating the argument above? | [
"Did municipal officials try to stop people from bringing detergents containing phosphates into the municipality?",
"Were any changes made in the past year to the way the municipality's wastewater treatment plant treats phosphates?",
"What pollutants, if any, are present in phosphate-free dishwashing detergents... | 1 | train_3012 |
A primate jawbone found in Namibia in southern Africa has been identified by anthropologists as that of an ape that lived between 10 million and 15 million years ago. Researchers generally agree that such ancient primates lived only in dense forests. Consequently, the dry, treeless expanses now dominating the landscape... | The argument assumes which one of the following? | [
"There were no apes living in the area that is now Namibia prior to 15 million years ago.",
"The ape whose jawbone was found lived in or near the area that is now Namibia.",
"The ancient primates were numerous enough to have caused severe damage to the ecology of the forests in which they lived.",
"Modern ape... | 1 | train_3013 |
Two years ago, the government of Runagia increased by 20 percent the government-provided pensions paid to Runagians over 65. The aim of the increase was to stimulate the economy in the rural regions of the country, where most pension recipients live. Statistics, however, show that there has been no increase in economic... | Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain why the increase resulted in the unintended state of affairs described? | [
"The pensions were increased when the number of people below the poverty level in rural areas of Runagia reached an all-time high.",
"Until the pensions were increased, many Runagians over 65 in rural regions had been receiving support from their children who live in urban areas.",
"The Runagian postal system i... | 1 | train_3014 |
In Stenland, many workers have been complaining that they cannot survive on minimum wage, the lowest wage an employer is permitted to pay. The government is proposing to raise the minimum wage. Many employers who pay their workers the current minimum wage argue that if it is raised, unemployment will increase because t... | Which of the following, if true in Stenland, most strongly supports the claim that raising the minimum wage there will not have the effects that the employers predict? | [
"Raising the minimum wage does not also increase the amount employers have to contribute in employee benefits.",
"For any position with wages below a living wage, the difficulty of finding and retaining employees adds as much to employment costs as would raising wages.",
"Many employers who pay some workers onl... | 1 | train_3015 |
A translation invariably reflects the writing style of the translator. Sometimes when a long document needs to be translated quickly, several translators are put to work on the job, each assigned to translate part of the document. In these cases, the result is usually a translation marked by different and often incompa... | Which one of the following issues would be LEAST important to resolve in evaluating the argument? | [
"whether the computer translation contains errors of grammar and usage that drastically alter the meaning of the text",
"whether the problem of stylistic variety in human translation could be solved by giving stylistic guidelines to human translators",
"whether computer translation programs, like human translat... | 2 | train_3016 |
Studies have found that human tears contain many of the same hormones that the human body produces in times of emotional stress. Hence, shedding tears removes significant quantities of these hormones from the body. Ttherefore, crying must have the effect of reducing emotional stress. | The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"overlooks the possibility that if crying has a tendency to reduce emotional stress, this tendency might arise because of something other than the shedding of tears",
"takes for granted that because certain substances are present whenever a condition occurs, those substances are a cause of that condition",
"fai... | 1 | train_3017 |
Art Historian: Robbins cannot pass judgment on Stuart' s art. While Robbins understands the art of Stuart too well to dismiss it, she does not understand it well enough to praise it. | The art historian's argument depends on the assumption that | [
"if art can be understood well, it should be either dismissed or praised",
"in order to understand Stuart's art, Robbins must be able to pass judgment on it",
"in order to pass judgment on Stuart's art, Robbins must be able either to dismiss it or to praise it",
"if Robbins understands art well, she will prai... | 2 | train_3018 |
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",
"it can be accurately estimated from fossilized remains when mastodons became extinct",
"the average age at which mastodons from a given period reached reproductive maturity can be established from their fossilized remains",
"climate changes may hav... | 2 | train_3019 |
When adults toss balls to very young children they generally try to toss them as slowly as possible to compensate for the children' s developing coordination. But recent studies show that despite their developing coordination, children actually have an easier time catching balls that are thrown at a faster speed. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain why very young children find it easier to catch balls that are thrown at a faster speed? | [
"Children are able to toss balls back to the adults with more accuracy when they throw fast than when they throw the ball back more slowly.",
"Adults generally find it easier to catch balls that are thrown slowly than balls that are thrown at a faster speed.",
"Balls thrown at a faster speed, unlike balls throw... | 2 | train_3020 |
Advertisers have learned that people are more easily encouraged to develop positive attitudes about things toward which they originally have neutral or even negative attitudes if those things are linked, with pictorial help rather than exclusively through prose, to things about which they already have positive attitude... | Which one of the following most logically completes the argument? | [
"use little if any written prose in their advertisements",
"try to encourage people to develop positive attitudes about products that can be better represented pictorially than in prose",
"highlight the desirable features of the advertised product by contrasting them pictorially with undesirable features of a c... | 3 | train_3021 |
Only some strains of the tobacco plant are naturally resistant to tobacco mosaic virus, never becoming diseased even when infected. When resistant strains were experimentally infected with the virus, levels of naturally occurring salicylic acid in these plants increased fivefold; no such increase occurred in the nonres... | Which one of the following conclusions is most strongly supported by the results of the experiments? | [
"Salicylic acid is not produced in strains of tobacco plants that are not resistant to tobacco mosaic virus.",
"It is possible to test an uninfected tobacco plant for resistance to tobacco mosaic virus by measuring the level of salicylic acid it contains.",
"Producing salicylic acid is at least part of the mech... | 2 | train_3022 |
Scientists, puzzled about the development of penicillin-resistant bacteria in patients who had not been taking penicillin, believe they have found an explanation. The relevant group of patients have dental fillings made of mercury-containing amalgam, and the bacteria the patients develop are immune to mercury poisoning... | Which one of the following most accurately characterizes the role played in the passage by the unstated assumption that some patients who take penicillin develop bacteria with an immunity to penicillin? | [
"It is the tentative conclusion of previous research that appears to be falsified by the scientists' discovery of the mechanism by which bacteria become resistant to mercury poisoning.",
"It is a generalization that, if true, rules out the possibility that some people who do not take penicillin develop bacteria r... | 3 | train_3023 |
Zeida: Dr. Ladlow, a research psychologist, has convincingly demonstrated that his theory about the determinants of rat behavior generates consistently accurate predictions about how rats will perform in a maze. On the basis of this evidence, Dr. Ladlow has claimed that his theory is irrefutably correct. Anson: Then Dr... | Anson bases his conclusion about Dr. Ladlow on which one of the following? | [
"the application of a general principle",
"the rejection of a theoretical explanation",
"the discrediting of facts",
"the use of an ambiguous term"
] | 0 | train_3024 |
Lawyer: The defendant wanted to clear the snow off his car and in doing so knocked snow on the sidewalk. This same snow melted and refroze, forming ice on which the plaintiff fell, breaking her hip. We argue that the defendant maliciously harmed the plaintiff, because malice is intention to cause harm and the defendant... | The flawed reasoning in which one of the following is most similar to that in the lawyer's argument? | [
"Edwina bought a car from Mr. Yancy, then resold it. Unbeknownst to Edwina, Mr. Yancy had stolen the car. So Edwina sold a stolen car.",
"Alice asked her sister to lie in court. Unbeknownst to Alice's sister, lying in court is against the law. So what Alice asked her sister to do was illegal.",
"Bruce wanted to... | 2 | train_3025 |
Mr. Nance: Ms. Chan said that she retired from Quad Cities Corporation, and had received a watch and a wonderful party as thanks for her 40 years of loyal service. But I overheard a colleague of hers say that Ms. Chan will be gone for much of the next year on business trips and is now working harder than she ever did b... | Mr. Nance's reasoning is flawed because it | [
"is based in part on hearsay",
"draws a conclusion based on equivocal language",
"criticizes Ms. Chan rather than the claims she made",
"fails to infer that Ms. Chan must be a person of superior character, given her long loyal service"
] | 1 | train_3026 |
During the recent spate of brushfires in the Southwest, homeowners who lived near affected areas were advised to douse their roofs with water to prevent their houses from catching fire before evacuating the area. After the fires were brought under control and the homeowners were allowed to return to the area, many who ... | Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the conclusion above? | [
"Not all homeowners who doused their roofs did so to the same extent.",
"The houses that suffered the least damage were those in which the owners remained and continuously doused the roofs.",
"The houses of owners who did not douse the roofs with water suffered appreciably more fire damage than did those of own... | 2 | train_3027 |
Editorialist: Some people argue that we have an obligation not to cut down trees. However, there can be no obligation to an entity unless that entity has a corresponding right. So if we have an obligation toward trees, then trees have rights. But trees are not the sort of things that can have rights. Ttherefore, we hav... | The editorialist's argument depends on assuming which one of the following? | [
"Avoiding cutting down trees is not an obligation owed to some entity other than trees.",
"One does not always have the right to cut down the trees on one's own property.",
"Only conscious entities are the sort of things that can have rights.",
"Any entity that has rights also has obligations."
] | 0 | train_3028 |
Mayor: Periodically an ice cream company will hold a free ice cream day as a promotion. Showing up may not cost you any money, but it sure does cost you time. We learn from this that when something valuable costs no money you get overconsumption and long lines. Currently, those who drive to work complain about the cong... | The claim that when something valuable costs no money you get overconsumption and long lines plays which one of the following roles in the mayor's argument? | [
"It is a general claim used in support of the argument's overall conclusion.",
"It is a hypothesis that is rejected in favor of the hypothesis stated in the argument's overall conclusion.",
"It is a concession made to those who dispute an analogy drawn in the argument.",
"It helps establish the importance of ... | 0 | train_3029 |
Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in environment that are carefully kept within narrow margins of temperature and humidity to inhibit any deterioration. Laboratory tests have shown that the kind of oil paint used in these paintings actually adjusts to climatic changes quite well. If, as ... | In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first is a judgment that has been offered in support of the position that the argument calls into question; the second is a circumstance on which that judgment is, in part based",
"The first is the position taken by the argument; the second is the position that the argument calls into question",
"The first... | 3 | train_3030 |
Over the past ten years, the population of Dismaston has grown five times as large as it was. During this time, the average income in the city has risen substantially, and a tremendous amount of capital has flowed into city. An independent audit found that, somewhat surprisingly, the number of violent felonies reported... | Each of the following statements below, if true, would explain the somewhat surprising finding EXCEPT: | [
"During this time, the state considerably lengthened felony convicts' waiting period for parole.",
"The police force has expanded in number and is equipped with the latest crime detection technology.",
"The police now have a computerized filing system, so that it is almost impossible for a violent crime to be u... | 2 | train_3031 |
Although the earliest surviving Greek inscriptions written in an alphabet date from the eighth century B. C. , a strong case can be made that <b> the Greeks actually adopted alphabetic writing at least two centuries earlier </b>. Significantly, the text of these earliest surviving Greek inscriptions sometimes runs from... | In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first is the position that the argument seeks to establish; the second presents an assumption on which the argument relies.",
"The first presents evidence that is used in support of the position that the argument seeks to establish; the second presents an assumption on which the argument relies.",
"The fir... | 0 | train_3032 |
Concerned about the financial well-being of its elderly citizens, the government of Runagia decided two years ago to increase by 20 percent the government-provided pension paid to all Runagians over 65. Inflation in the intervening period has been negligible, and the increase has been duly received by all eligible Runa... | Which of the following most logically completes the passage? | [
"they buy goods whose prices tend to rise especially fast in times of inflation",
"in Runagia children typically supplement the income of elderly parents, but only by enough to provide them with a comfortable living",
"Runagian banks are so inefficient that it can take up to three weeks to cash a pension check"... | 1 | train_3033 |
It has been a staple of drama to feature an innocent young protagonist, eager to make a mark on the world, who is stymied by an indifferent or hostile society. Since the playwrights of such works wished the audience to empathize with the protagonist, historians do not regard these plays as serious revelations of what t... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the viewpoint of the historians described above? | [
"The historians believe that plays often contain serious revelations of what the societies presented in those plays were like.",
"The historians believe that only the most popular plays within a society accurately portray that society.",
"The historians believe that playwrights tend to exaggerate the weaknesses... | 2 | train_3034 |
In ancient Greece, court witnesses were not crossexamined and the jury, selected from the citizenry, received no guidance on points of law; thus, it was extremely important for litigants to make a good impression on the jurors. For this reason, courtroom oratory by litigants is a good source of data on the common conce... | Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument? | [
"Litigants believed jurors were likely to be impressed by litigants whose professed moral code most resembled their own.",
"Litigants believed jurors were likely to render their decisions based on a good understanding of the law.",
"Litigants believed jurors were more likely to be impressed by litigants whose p... | 0 | train_3035 |
Claude: To introduce greater public accountability into French foreign-policy decisions, France should hold referenda on major foreign-policy issues. Election results are too imprecise to count as a mandate, since elections are decided on multiple issues. Lorraine: The general public, unlike people in government, is un... | Which one of the following responses by Claude would, if true, most strongly counter Lorraine's objection? | [
"Some of the information on which foreign- policy decisions are based comes from intelligence sources that must not be compromised by publicity.",
"Foreign proponents and opponents of a particular policy would attempt to sway French public opinion before a referendum.",
"Foreign governments friendly to France w... | 3 | train_3036 |
Fremont: Simpson is not a viable candidate for chief executive of Pod Oil because he has no background in the oil industry. Galindo: I disagree. An oil industry background is no guarantee of success. Look no further than Pod Oil' s last chief executive, who had decades of oil industry experience but steered the company... | Galindo's argument is flawed in that it | [
"bases a conclusion that an attribute is always irrelevant to success on evidence that it is sometimes irrelevant to success",
"rests on a confusion between whether an attribute is necessary for success and whether that attribute is sufficient for success",
"fails to distinguish between relevant experience and ... | 1 | train_3037 |
Sales of telephones have increased dramatically over the last year. In order to take advantage of this increase, Mammoth Industries plans to expand production of its own model of telephone, while continuing its already very extensive advertising of this product. | Which of the following, if true, provides most support for the view that Mammoth Industries cannot increase its sales of telephones by adopting the plan outlined above? | [
"Although it sells all of the telephones that it produces, Mammoth Industries' share of all telephone sales has declined over the last year.",
"Mammoth Industries' average inventory of telephones awaiting shipment to retailers has declined slightly over the last year.",
"Despite a slight decline in the retail p... | 2 | train_3038 |
Historian: A democracy' s citizens must know some history if the democracy is to meet its challenges. However, popular historical awareness is inevitably distorted, for most people learn history through popular narratives that sustain readers' interest by implying that a few famous heroes and notorious villains have sh... | The historian's argument depends on assuming which one of the following? | [
"Most historical narratives sustain interest by implying that a few famous heroes and notorious villains have shaped all of history.",
"Only narratives written for a purpose other than sustaining readers' interest can convey an undistorted awareness of history.",
"History cast in the narrative format inevitably... | 3 | train_3039 |
The greater the number of people who regularly use a product, the greater the number whose health is potentially at risk due to that product. More people regularly use household maintenance products such as cleaning agents and lawn chemicals than regularly use prescription medicines. Ttherefore, it is even more importa... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify drawing the conclusion in the argument above? | [
"The more people whose health might be at risk from the regular use of a particular product, the more important it is for that product to be carefully tested to ensure its safety.",
"It is very important for any product that is regularly used by a large number of people to be carefully tested to ensure its safety... | 0 | train_3040 |
Waller: If there were really such a thing as extrasensory perception, it would generally be accepted by the public since anyone with extrasensory powers would be able to convince the general public of its existence by clearly demonstrating those powers. Indeed, anyone who was recognized to have such powers would achiev... | Waller's and Chin's statements commit them to disagreeing on whether | [
"skeptics about extrasensory perception have a weak case",
"the failure of the general public to believe in extrasensory perception is good evidence against its existence",
"extrasensory perception, if it were a real phenomenon, could be demonstrated to the satisfaction of all skeptics",
"extrasensory percept... | 1 | train_3041 |
Critic: The criticism of the popular film comedy Quirks for not being realistic is misguided. It is certainly true that the characters are too stylized to be real people. That could be problematic, but in this case the resulting film is funny. And that is the important thing for a comedy. | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the critic's argument? | [
"Films are successful if they succeed within their genre.",
"Films should try to stay entirely within a single genre.",
"Films should be judged on how well they accurately capture the world.",
"Films are successful as long as they are popular."
] | 0 | train_3042 |
If Max were guilty, he would not ask the police to investigate. Ttherefore, his asking the police to investigate shows that he is not guilty. | The logical structure of the argument above is most similar to which one of the following? | [
"If Lucille were in the next room, I would not be able to see her. Ttherefore, the fact that I can see her shows that she is not in the next room.",
"If Joe were over 40 he would not want to learn to ski. Ttherefore, the fact that he does not want to learn to ski shows that he is over 40.",
"If Sam were rich, h... | 0 | train_3043 |
Although some nutritional facts about soft drinks are listed on their labels, exact caffeine content is not. Listing exact caffeine content would make it easier to limit, but not eliminate, one' s caffeine intake. If it became easier for people to limit, but not eliminate, their caffeine intake, many people would do so... | If all the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true? | [
"The health of at least some people would worsen if everyone knew exactly how much caffeine was in their soft drinks.",
"The health of at least some people would improve if exact caffeine content were listed on soft-drink labels.",
"Many people will find it difficult to eliminate their caffeine intake if they h... | 1 | train_3044 |
Taxpayer: For the last ten years, Metro City' s bridge-maintenance budget of $1 million annually has been a prime example of fiscal irresponsibility. In a well-run bridge program, the city would spend $15 million a year on maintenance, which would prevent severe deterioration, thus limiting capital expenses for needed ... | The main point of the taxpayer's argument is that Metro City | [
"should have budgeted substantially more money for maintenance of its bridges",
"is economizing on its bridge program to save money in case of emergencies",
"is spending more than it needs to on maintenance of its bridges",
"would have had a well-run bridge program if it had spent more money for reconstructio... | 0 | train_3045 |
Principle: Only if a professor believes a student knowingly presented someone else' s ideas without attribution should the professor make an official determination that the student has committed plagiarism. Application: It is not the case that Professor Serfin should make an official determination that Walters committe... | Which one of the following, if true, justifies the above application of the principle? | [
"Although the main thesis of Walters's term paper is identical to that of a book that he did not cite, Professor Serfin is convinced that Walters did not knowingly try to pass anyone else's ideas off as his own.",
"Professor Serfin does not have completely compelling evidence to conclude that Walters presented so... | 0 | train_3046 |
It is the mark of a superior conductor that he or she has the authority to insist, even with a top orchestra, that rehearsal work must be intensified. This authority cannot simply be claimed; the conductor must earn it by winning the orchestra' s respect for the artistic interpretations he or she is currently pursuing. | In taking the position outlined, the author presupposes which one of the following? | [
"Superior conductors are perfectionists who are never satisfied with any performance even by a top orchestra.",
"Superior conductors devise different interpretations of a composition for each orchestra with which they perform it.",
"Top orchestras are always ready to put in additional work on rehearsals if the ... | 3 | train_3047 |
Among small- to medium-sized marine mammals such as seals and dolphins, the longer an animal can stay submerged during a dive, the greater the depth the animal can reach. Dolphins can dive to greater depths than northern fur seals can, and elephant seals can stay submerged longer than Weddell seals can. | If the information above is accurate, then each of the following statements could be true EXCEPT: | [
"Northern fur seals can stay submerged longer than Weddell seals can, but elephant seals can dive to greater depths than northern fur seals can.",
"Northern fur seals can stay submerged longer than elephant seals can, but Weddell seals can dive to greater depths than dolphins can.",
"Weddell seals can dive to g... | 1 | train_3048 |
In 1578 Moroccan troops defeated a Portuguese army on Moroccan soil. Accounts written by Portuguese contemporaries report the defeat but omit mention of the fact that King Sebastian of Portugal was killed in the battle. Such omissions cannot simply be the result of ignorance of Sebastian' s death. Sebastian' s death is... | The discussion about the two Portuguese officers advances the argument by | [
"providing grounds for eliminating an alternative explanation",
"supplying indirect evidence that a disputed death actually occurred",
"giving evidence supporting a general psychological principle on which the main conclusion is explicitly based",
"offering grounds for doubting the reliability of historical r... | 0 | train_3049 |
Spreading iron particles over the surface of the earth' s oceans would lead to an increase in phytoplankton, decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and thereby counteracting the greenhouse effect. But while counteracting the greenhouse effect is important, the side effects of an iron-seeding strategy... | The reasoning above most closely conforms to which one of the following principles? | [
"As long as there is a possibility that a strategy for solving a problem may instead exacerbate that problem, such a solution should not be adopted.",
"We should not implement a problem-solving strategy if the consequences of doing so are more serious than the problem itself.",
"A problem-solving strategy shoul... | 3 | train_3050 |
Tony: A short story is little more than a novelist' s sketch pad. Only novels have narrative structures that allow writers to depict human lives accurately by portraying characters whose personalities gradually develop through life experience. Raoul: Life consists not of a linear process of personality development, but... | The dialogue most supports the claim that Tony and Raoul disagree about whether | [
"short stories provide glimpses of facets of character that are usually kept hidden",
"only short stories are used as novelists' sketch pads",
"novels and short stories employ the same strategies to depict human lives",
"human lives are best understood as series of completely disjointed vignettes"
] | 3 | train_3051 |
Sedimentary rock hardens within the earth' s crust as layers of matter accumulate and the pressure of the layers above converts the layers below into rock. One particular layer of sedimentary rock that contains an unusual amount of the element iridium has been presented as support for a theory that a meteorite collided... | Which one of the following, if true, would counter the claim that the iridium-rich layer described in the passage is evidence for the meteorite collision theory? | [
"The huge dust cloud described in the passage would have blocked the transmission of sunlight and lowered the earth's temperature.",
"Layers of sedimentary rock are used to determine the dates of prehistoric events whether or not they contain iridium.",
"A layer of sedimentary rock takes millions of years to ha... | 3 | train_3052 |
Sleep research has demonstrated that sleep is characterized by periods of different levels of brain activity. People experience dreams during only one of these periods, known as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Test subjects who are chronically deprived of REM sleep become irritable during waking life. This shows that R... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Other factors being equal, people who normally have shorter periods of REM sleep tend to experience more stress.",
"Test subjects who are chronically deprived of non-REM sleep also become irritable during waking life.",
"During times of increased stress, one's REM sleep is disturbed in a way that prevents one ... | 0 | train_3053 |
One of the effects of lead poisoning is an inflammation of the optic nerve, which causes those who have it to see bright haloes around light sources. In order to produce the striking yellow effects in his "Sunflowers" paintings, Van Gogh used Naples yellow, a pigment containing lead. Since in his later paintings, Van G... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies? | [
"Van Gogh continued to use paints containing lead after having painted the \"Sunflowers\" paintings.",
"In Van Gogh's later paintings he painted some things as he saw them.",
"The effects of Naples yellow could not have been achieved using other pigments.",
"Van Gogh did not have symptoms of lead poisoning as... | 1 | train_3054 |
Lucinda will soon be attending National University as an engineering major. At National University, most residents of Western Hall are engineering majors. Ttherefore, Lucinda will probably live in Western Hall. | Which one of the following arguments exhibits a flawed pattern of reasoning most similar to that exhibited by the argument above? | [
"Cities that are regional economic hubs generally experience tremendous economic growth at some point. Our city is a regional economic hub that has never experienced tremendous economic growth. Thus it will probably experience tremendous economic growth in the future.",
"Most cities that are regional economic hub... | 1 | train_3055 |
Politician: The bill that makes using car phones while driving illegal should be adopted. My support of this bill is motivated by a concern for public safety. Using a car phone seriously distracts the driver, which in turn poses a threat to safe driving. People would be deterred from using their car phones while drivin... | The argument's main conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Any proposed law that would reduce a threat to public safety should be adopted.",
"Some distractions interfere with one's ability to safely operate an automobile.",
"The only way to reduce the threat to public safety posed by car phones is through legislation.",
"The more attention one pays to driving, the s... | 0 | train_3056 |
Most serious students are happy students, and most serious students go to graduate school. Furthermore, all students who go to graduate school are overworked. | Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above? | [
"Some unhappy students go to graduate school.",
"Some happy students are overworked.",
"All overworked students are serious students.",
"All serious students are overworked."
] | 1 | train_3057 |
Advertisement: Seventy-five percent of dermatologists surveyed prefer Dermactin to all other brands of skin cream. Why? We consulted dermatologists during the development of Dermactin to ensure that you have the best skin cream on the market. So if you need a skin cream, use Dermactin. | The reasoning in the advertisement is questionable because the advertisement | [
"presumes, without providing justification, that some dermatologists are less qualified than others to evaluate skin cream",
"fails to state the number of dermatologists surveyed, which leaves open the possibility that the sample of doctors is too small to be reliable",
"overlooks the possibility that for a few... | 1 | train_3058 |
Poor writers often express mundane ideas with elaborate syntax and esoteric vocabulary. Inattentive readers may be impressed but may well misunderstand the writing, while alert readers will easily see through the pretentiousness. Thus, a good principle for writers is: __. | Which one of the following completes the passage most logically? | [
"the simpler the style, the better the writing",
"a writing style should not be more complex than the ideas expressed",
"only the most talented writers can successfully adopt a complex style",
"alert readers are the only readers who are sensitive to writing style"
] | 1 | train_3059 |
All people residing in the country of Gradara approve of legislation requiring that certain hazardous wastes be disposed of by being burned in modern high-temperature incinerators. However, waste disposal companies planning to build such incinerators encounter fierce resistance to their applications for building permit... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the residents' simultaneously holding both of the positions ascribed to them? | [
"The substantial cost of high-temperature incineration can be partially offset by revenue from sales of electric energy generated as a by-product of incineration.",
"High-temperature incineration is more expensive than any of the available alternatives would be, and the higher costs would be recovered through hig... | 2 | train_3060 |
Spectroscopic analysis has revealed the existence of frozen nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide on the surface of Pluto. Such ices have a tendency to vaporize, producing an atmosphere. Since the proportion of any gas in such an atmosphere depends directly on how readily the corresponding ice vaporizes, astronomers h... | The astronomers' argument relies on which one of the following assumptions? | [
"There is no more frozen nitrogen on the surface of Pluto than there is either frozen carbon monoxide or methane.",
"Until space probes reach Pluto, direct analysis of the atmosphere is impossible.",
"A mixture of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane is characteristic of the substances from which the Solar Sy... | 3 | train_3061 |
Counselor: Constantly comparing oneself to those one sees as more able or more successful almost invariably leads to self-disparagement. Conversely, constantly comparing oneself to those one sees as less able or less successful almost invariably leads to being dismissive of others. So, those who for the most part refra... | The counselor's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism because it | [
"takes for granted that if one is both dismissive of others and self-disparaging, one will not be self-accepting and accepting of others",
"overlooks the possibility that constantly comparing oneself to others may have beneficial effects that those who refrain from making such comparisons are deprived of",
"ove... | 2 | train_3062 |
The government-owned gas company has begun selling stoves and other gas appliances to create a larger market for its gas. Merchants who sell such products complain that the competition will hurt their businesses. That may well be; however, the government-owned gas company is within its rights. After all, the owner of a... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning above? | [
"There is nothing wrong with a government- owned company selling products so long as owners of private companies do not complain.",
"A government should always take seriously the complaints of merchants.",
"Government-owned companies have the right to do whatever private businesses have the right to do.",
"Pr... | 2 | train_3063 |
Enterprise Bank currently requires customers with checking accounts to maintain a minimum balance or pay a monthly fee. Enterprise plans to offer accounts with no monthly fee and no minimum-balance requirement; to cover their projected administrative costs of $3 per account per month they plan to charge $30 for overdra... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the bank officials prediction? | [
"Some of Enterprise Bank's current checking account customers are expected to switch to the new accounts once they are offered.",
"Customers whose checking accounts do not have a minimum-balance requirement are more likely than others to overdraw their checking accounts .",
"Customers whose checking accounts do... | 1 | train_3064 |
Brain scans of people exposed to certain neurotoxins reveal brain damage identical to that found in people suffering from Parkinson' s disease. This fact shows not only that these neurotoxins cause this type of brain damage, but also that the brain damage itself causes Parkinson' s disease. Thus brain scans can be used... | The argument contains which one of the following reasoning errors? | [
"It overestimates the importance of early diagnosis in determining appropriate treatments for people suffering from Parkinson's disease.",
"It neglects to specify how the information provided by brain scans could be used either in treating Parkinson's disease or in monitoring the progression of the disease.",
"... | 0 | train_3065 |
Art historian: Great works of art have often elicited outrage when first presented; in Europe, Stravinsky' s Rite of Spring prompted a riot, and Manet' s Dejeuner sur 1' herbe elicited outrage and derision. So, since it is clear that art is often shocking, we should not hesitate to use public funds to support works of ... | Which one of the following is an assumption that the art historian's argument requires in order for its conclusion to be properly drawn? | [
"Art used to be more shocking than it currently is.",
"Most art is shocking.",
"Public funds should support art.",
"Anything that shocks is art."
] | 2 | train_3066 |
Radio producer: Our failure to attract new listeners over the past several years has forced us to choose between devoting some airtime to other, more popular genres of music, and sticking with classical music that appeals only to our small but loyal audience. This audience, however loyal, did not generate enough advert... | Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its pattern of reasoning to that used by the radio producer? | [
"We should either buy blinds for the windows or make full-length curtains. Blinds would be very expensive to purchase. Thus, if cost is our greatest concern, we should make curtains.",
"We should either make curtains for the windows or buy blinds. Since the windows are not standard sizes, if we buy blinds we will... | 1 | train_3067 |
Mayor McKinney' s policies have often been criticized on the grounds that they benefit only wealthy city residents, but that is not a fair evaluation. Some of McKinney' s policies have clearly benefited the city' s less affluent residents. McKinney actively supported last year' s proposal to lower the city' s high prop... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the argument? | [
"The decrease in property taxes that McKinney supported caused more development to take place in the city.",
"The criticism that McKinney's policies benefit only the wealthy is unjustified.",
"McKinney's efforts helped end the housing shortage and stabilize the rents in the city.",
"McKinney's policies have o... | 1 | train_3068 |
Poetry journal patron: Everybody who publishes in The Brick Wall Review has to agree in advance that if a poem is printed in one of its regular issues, the magazine also has the right to reprint it, without monetary compensation, in its annual anthology. The Brick Wall Review makes enough money from sales of its anthol... | Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the patron's argument? | [
"The Brick Wall Review's annual poetry anthology always contains a number of poems by famous poets not published in the regular issues of the magazine.",
"Many of the poets whose work appears in The Brick Wall Review have had several poems rejected for publication by the other magazine under discussion.",
"Neit... | 0 | train_3069 |
With employer-paid training, workers have the potential to become more productive not only in their present employment but also in any number of jobs with different employers. To increase the productivity of their workforce, many firms are planning to maintain or even increase their investments in worker training. But ... | Which of the following would, if true, contribute most to defeating the training experts' objection to the firms' strategy? | [
"Research shows that workers whose training is wholly or partially subsidized by their employer tend to get at least as much training as do workers who pay for all their own training.",
"In many industries, employees who take continuing-education courses are more competitive in the job market.",
"More and more ... | 3 | train_3070 |
Broadcaster: Our radio station has a responsibility to serve the public interest. Hence, when our critics contend that our recent expose of events in the private lives of local celebrities was excessively intrusive, we can only reply that the overwhelming public interest in these matters makes it our responsibility to ... | Which one of the following is a flaw in the broadcaster's defense of the radio station's practice? | [
"confusing legal responsibility with moral obligation",
"improperly exploiting an ambiguity in the phrase \"public interest\"",
"intentionally failing to specify what is meant by \"excessively intrusive\"",
"assuming without argument that there is a right to privacy"
] | 1 | train_3071 |
Clarissa: The natural sciences would not have made such progress but for the power of mathematics. No observation is worth serious attention unless it is stated precisely in quantitative terms. Myungsook: I disagree. Converting observations into numbers is the hardest and last task; it can be done only when you have th... | Clarissa and Myungsook's statements provide the most support for claiming that they disagree about whether | [
"successfully doing natural science demands careful consideration of observations not stated precisely in quantitative terms",
"not all observations can be stated precisely in quantitative terms",
"useful scientific theories require the application of mathematics",
"mathematics has been a highly significant f... | 0 | train_3072 |
Researcher: The vast majority of a person' s dreams bear no resemblance whatsoever to real events that follow the dreams. Thus, it is unreasonable to believe that one has extrasensory perception solely on the basis of having had several vivid dreams about events that happen after the dreams. | Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its reasoning to the argument above? | [
"A number of people who die prematurely take aspirin. But it is unreasonable to conclude that aspirin is dangerous. Most people who take aspirin do not die prematurely.",
"Even though many cancer patients experience remissions without drinking herbal tea, it is unreasonable to believe that not drinking herbal tea... | 0 | train_3073 |
Expert: Some people claim that, since food production has thus far increased faster than population has, there is no need to be concerned about widespread food shortages. These people fail to recognize that the planet' s resources allow for food to be produced at only a few times the current amount, beyond which no inc... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the expert's reasoning? | [
"Periodic regional food shortages have occurred at least briefly throughout history.",
"Population will continue to grow at least briefly when food production has reached its maximum level.",
"Food resources from the world's oceans will eventually be fully utilized.",
"The world's population has recently rema... | 1 | train_3074 |
Excavation of the ancient city of Kourion on the island of Cyprus revealed a pattern of debris and collapsed buildings typical of towns devastated by earthquakes. Archaeologists have hypothesized that the destruction was due to a major earthquake known to have occurred near the island in AD 365. | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologists' hypothesis? | [
"Bronze ceremonial drinking vessels that are often found in graves dating from years preceding and following AD 365 were also found in several graves near Kourion.",
"Most modern histories of Cyprus mention that an earthquake occurred near the island in AD 365.",
"Stone inscriptions in a form of the Greek alpha... | 3 | train_3075 |
Mark: Advances in technology have caused the decline of newspaper sales. News can be reported in articles on the Internet as it happens and at any time of day. No print newspaper can possibly keep up with that. Fatuma: Newspaper writing is hampered by conventions that do not add to readers' understanding of the news. I... | Mark and Fatuma disagree over the truth of which one of the following? | [
"News articles on the Internet get to the point.",
"Newspaper writing is hampered by conventions that do not add to the reader's understanding of the news.",
"Readers are abandoning newspapers in favor of news articles on the Internet because of the speed with which they appear on the Internet.",
"Newspaper a... | 2 | train_3076 |
When scientific journals began to offer full online access to their articles in addition to the traditional printed volumes, scientists gained access to more journals and easier access to back issues. Surprisingly, this did not lead to a broader variety of articles being cited in new scientific articles. Instead, it le... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the surprising outcome described above? | [
"Several new scientific journals appeared at roughly the same time that full online access to scientific articles became commonplace.",
"Online searching made it easier for scientists to identify the articles that present the most highly regarded views on an issue, which they prefer to cite.",
"Scientists who w... | 1 | train_3077 |
Nearly all mail that is correctly addressed arrives at its destination within two business days of being sent. In fact, correctly addressed mail takes longer than this only when it is damaged in transit. Overall, however, most mail arrives three business days or more after being sent. | If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true? | [
"More mail arrives within two business days of being sent than arrives between two and three business days after being sent.",
"A large proportion of the mail that is correctly addressed is damaged in transit.",
"A large proportion of mail is incorrectly addressed.",
"Most mail that arrives within two busines... | 2 | train_3078 |
Whoever is kind is loved by somebody or other, and whoever loves anyone is happy. It follows that whoever is kind is happy. | The conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Whoever loves no one is loved by no one.",
"Whoever is happy loves everyone.",
"Whoever loves everyone loves someone.",
"Whoever loves everyone is kind."
] | 0 | train_3079 |
Geneticist: Genes, like viruses, have a strong tendency to self-replicate; this has led some biologists to call genes "selfish. " This term is, in this instance, intended to be defined behaviorally: it describes what genes do without ascribing intentions to them. But even given that genes are ascribed no intentions, th... | Which one of the following, if assumed, allows the geneticist's conclusion to be properly drawn? | [
"Creating replicas of oneself does not help bring about the best conditions for oneself.",
"Bringing about the best conditions for oneself is less important than doing this for others.",
"The behavioral definition of \"selfish\" is incompatible with its everyday definition.",
"Biologists have insufficient evi... | 0 | train_3080 |
When a society undergoes slow change, its younger members find great value in the advice of its older members. But when a society undergoes rapid change, young people think that little in the experience of their elders is relevant to them, and so do not value their advice. Thus, we may measure the rate at which a socie... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"Young people value their elders' advice just insofar as the elders' experience is practically useful to them.",
"The deference young people show to their elders varies according to how much the young value their elders' advice.",
"The faster a society changes, the less relevant the experience of older members ... | 1 | train_3081 |
Professor: It has been argued that freedom of thought is a precondition for intellectual progress, because freedom of thought allows thinkers to pursue their ideas, regardless of whom these ideas offend, in whatever direction they lead. However, it is clear that one must mine the full implications of interrelated ideas... | The conclusion drawn by the professor follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Without intellectual discipline, thinkers can have no freedom of thought.",
"Thinkers who limit their line of thought to a particular orthodoxy are hindered in their intellectual progress.",
"Freedom of thought engenders creativity, which aids the discovery of truth.",
"In societies that protect freedom of t... | 3 | train_3082 |
City council member: Demand for electricity has been increasing by 1. 5 percent a year, and there simply is no more space to build additional power plants to meet future demand increases. We must ttherefore begin to curtail usage, which is why I propose passing ordinances requiring energy-conservation measures in all c... | The city council member's proposal assumes which of the following? | [
"Residential consumers are not responsible for the recent increases in demand for electricity.",
"Passing ordinances designed to curtail electricity usage will not have negative economic consequences for the city.",
"City departments that successfully conserve energy will set a good example for residential and ... | 3 | train_3083 |
A recent study of major motion pictures revealed that the vast majority of their plots were simply variations on plots that had been used many times before. Despite this fact, many people enjoy seeing several new movies each year. | Each of the following, if true, would contribute to an explanation of the apparent discrepancy in the information above EXCEPT: | [
"If the details of their stories are sufficiently different, two movies with the same basic plot will be perceived by moviegoers as having different plots.",
"Because of the large number of movies produced each year, the odds of a person seeing two movies with the same general plot structure in a five-year period... | 3 | train_3084 |
Columnist: Some people argue that the government should not take over failing private-sector banks because the government does not know how to manage financial institutions. However, rather than managing a bank' s day-to-day operations, the government would just need to select the bank' s senior management. Most politi... | The columnist's statements, if true, provide reason for rejecting which one of the following? | [
"Politicians do an adequate job of appointing the top military officials entrusted with defending the country.",
"Banks that are owned by the government cannot be well managed.",
"The government should not take over private-sector banks that are financially sound.",
"Politicians are not capable of managing a ... | 1 | train_3085 |
Outsourcing is the practice of obtaining from an independent supplier a product or service that a company has previously provided for itself. Since a company's chief objective is to realize the highest possible year-end profits, any product or service that can be obtained from an independent supplier for less than it w... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"If a company decides to use independent suppliers for a product, it can generally exploit the vigorous competition arising among several firms that are interested in supplying that product.",
"When a company decides to use an independent supplier for a product or service, the independent supplier sometimes hires... | 3 | train_3086 |
Robot satellites relay important communications and identify weather patterns. Because the satellites can be repaired only in orbit, astronauts are needed to repair them. Without repairs, the satellites would eventually malfunction. Ttherefore, space flights carrying astronauts must continue. | Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument above? | [
"Although satellites are indispensable in the identification of weather patterns, weather forecasters also make some use of computer projections to identify weather patterns.",
"The government, responding to public pressure, has decided to cut the budget for space flights and put more money into social welfare pr... | 3 | train_3087 |
The country of Baurisia has, until now, been self-sufficient in both grain and meat. However, with growing prosperity in Baurisia has come a steadily increasing per capita consumption of meat, and it takes several pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat. Ttherefore, since per capita income in Baurisia is almost ce... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"The per capita consumption of meat in Baurisia is roughly the same across all income levels.",
"It is more economical for Baurisians to import meat than grain.",
"When people increase their consumption of meat, they also tend to increase their consumption of grain.",
"During Baurisia's years of growing prosp... | 1 | train_3088 |
Twenty percent of the stores in Morganville' s downtown shopping district will fail within five years because they will be competing directly with the SaveMart discount department store newly opened in East Morganville. The downtown shopping district has lost business at this rate before and has always completely rebou... | Which of the following most logically completes the argument below? | [
"it is conceivable that the downtown shopping district could shrink substantially without collapsing altogether",
"the stores likely to be put out of business by direct competition from SaveMart are the downtown shopping district's anchor stores, on whose ability to draw shoppers many of the other downtown stores... | 1 | train_3089 |
Gardener: Researchers encourage us to allow certain kinds of weeds to grow among garden vegetables because they can repel caterpillars from the garden. While it is wise to avoid unnecessary use of insecticides, the researchers' advice is premature. For all we know, those kinds of weeds can deplete the soil of nutrients... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the gardener's argument? | [
"Allowing certain kinds of weeds to grow in vegetable gardens may contribute to a net increase in unwanted garden pests.",
"Allowing the right kinds of weeds to grow in vegetable gardens can help toward controlling caterpillars without the use of insecticides.",
"To the extent that it is possible to do so, we s... | 3 | train_3090 |
Ecologist: Before finding a mate, male starlings decorate their nests with fragments of aromatic plants rich in compounds known to kill parasitic insects. Since these parasites are potentially harmful to nestlings, some researchers have hypothesized that the function of these decorations is nestling protection. However... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the support for the ecologist's conclusion? | [
"Nestlings grow faster in nests that incorporate aromatic plants than in nests that do not.",
"Male starlings tend to decorate their nests with a greater number of aromatic plants when a caged female is positioned adjacent to the nest.",
"The compounds in the aromatic plants used by the male starlings to decora... | 1 | train_3091 |
The Gulches is an area of volcanic rock that is gashed by many channels that lead downhill from the site of a prehistoric glacier to a river. The channels clearly were cut by running water. It was once accepted as fact that the cutting occurred gradually, as the glacier melted. But one geologist theorized that the chan... | Which one of the following is supported by the information in the passage? | [
"The physical effects of water on rock vary with the speed with which those effects are produced.",
"Only running water can cause deep channels in volcanic rock.",
"The river did not exist before the channels were cut.",
"Geologists cannot determine the amount of heat required to melt a glacier quickly."
] | 0 | train_3092 |
When people evade income taxes by not declaring taxable income, a vicious cycle results. Tax evasion forces lawmakers to raise income tax rates, which causes the tax burden on nonevading taxpayers to become heavier. This, in turn, encourages even more taxpayers to evade income taxes by hiding taxable income. | The vicious cycle described above could not result unless which of the following were true? | [
"An increase in tax rates tends to function as an incentive for taxpayers to try to increase their pretax incomes.",
"No one who routinely hides some taxable income can be induced by a lowering of tax rates to stop hiding such income unless fines for evaders are raised at the same time.",
"When lawmakers establ... | 2 | train_3093 |
Curator: Our museum displays only twentieth-century works, which are either on loan from private collectors or in the museum' s permanent collection. Prints of all of the latter works are available in the museum store. The museum store also sells prints of some works that are not part of the museum' s permanent collect... | If the curator's statements are true, which one of the following must be true? | [
"Every print that is sold in the museum store is a copy of a twentieth-century work.",
"Hopper's Nighthawks is not displayed in the museum.",
"There are prints in the museum store of every work that is displayed in the museum and not on loan from a private collector.",
"Every print in the museum store is of a... | 2 | train_3094 |
All smart people read more than six books per year, and the smartest people read more than twelve books per year. John is not a smart person. | If the statements above are correct, which one of the following must be true? | [
"John reads twelve books per year.",
"John reads more than six books per year.",
"John reads fewer than seven books per year.",
"John reads six books per year."
] | 2 | train_3095 |
Lawyer: In addition to any other penalties, convicted criminals must now pay a "victim surcharge" of $30. The surcharge is used to fund services for victims of violent crimes, but this penalty is unfair to nonviolent criminals since the surcharge applies to all crimes, even nonviolent ones like petty theft. | Which one of the following principles, if valid, would most help to justify the reasoning in the lawyer's argument? | [
"Convicted thieves should be fined an amount at least as great as the value of the property stolen.",
"A criminal should not be required to pay for services provided to victims of crimes that are more serious than the type of crime the criminal has been convicted of.",
"The penalties for a crime should be sever... | 1 | train_3096 |
Insurers and doctors are well aware that the incidence of lower-back injuries among office workers who spend long hours sitting is higher than that among people who regularly do physical work of a type known to place heavy stresses on the lower back. This shows that office equipment and furniture are not properly desig... | Which one of the following, if true, most undermines the reasoning above? | [
"Consistent physical exercise is one of the most effective ways to prevent or recover from lower-back injuries.",
"Most of the lower-back injuries that office workers suffer occur while they are on the job.",
"When they are at home, laborers and office workers tend to spend similar amounts of time sitting.",
... | 0 | train_3097 |
S: People who are old enough to fight for their country are old enough to vote for the people who make decisions about war and peace. This government clearly regards 17 year olds as old enough to fight, so it should acknowledge their right to vote. T: Your argument is a good one only to the extent that fighting and vot... | T responds to S's argument by | [
"calling into question S's understanding of the concept of rights",
"arguing for a conclusion opposite to the one drawn by S",
"challenging the truth of a claim on which S's conclusion is based",
"showing that S has ignored the distinction between having a right to do something and having an obligation to do ... | 2 | train_3098 |
The Malbec grape, originally grown in France, has become the main varietal in Argentina. This is surprising because most Malbec grown in Argentina is grown at high altitudes, whereas the Malbec grape once was grown at low altitudes. Ttherefore, Argentinian winegrowers should grow the Malbec grape at low elevations. | Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the conclusion of the argument? | [
"The Malbec vine is susceptible to phylloxera, a plant louse that only grows at low altitudes.",
"Some varietals are unable to grow at high altitudes.",
"Malbec has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity, and can be found in many different countries.",
"The soil at high altitudes is filled with nutrients that... | 0 | train_3099 |
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