context stringlengths 94 1.14k | question stringlengths 24 342 | answers listlengths 4 4 | label int64 0 3 | id_string stringlengths 7 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pecan growers get a high price for their crop when pecans are comparatively scarce, but the price drops sharply when pecans are abundant. Thus, in high-yield years, growers often hold back part of their crop in refrigerated warehouses for one or two years, hoping for higher prices in the future. This year' s pecan crop... | Which of the following most logically completes the passage? | [
"the practice of holding back part of one year's crop had not yet become widespread the last time the pecan crop was as small as it was this year",
"the quality of this year's pecan crop is no worse than the quality of the pecan crops of the previous five years",
"each of the last two years produced record- bre... | 2 | train_3100 |
Graham: The defeat of the world' s chess champion by a computer shows that any type of human intellectual activity governed by fixed principles can be mastered by machines and thus that a truly intelligent machine will inevitably be devised. Adelaide: But you are overlooking the fact that the computer in the case you c... | The statements above provide the most support for holding that Graham and Adelaide disagree about whether | [
"intelligence can be demonstrated by the performance of an activity in accord with fixed principles",
"a computer's defeat of a human chess player is an accomplishment that should be attributed to the computer",
"tools can be designed to aid in any human activity that is governed by fixed principles",
"chess ... | 1 | train_3101 |
Arnold: I was recently denied a seat on an airline flight for which I had a confirmed reservation, because the airline had overbooked the flight. Since I was forced to fly on the next available flight, which did not depart until two hours later, I missed an important business meeting. Even though the flight on which I ... | A principle that, if established, justifies Jamie's response to Arnold is that an airline is morally obligated to compensate a passenger who has been denied a seat on a flight for which the passenger has confirmed reservations | [
"only if the passenger would not have been forced to take a later flight had the airline not overbooked the original flight",
"even if the passenger would still have been forced to take a later flight had the airline not overbooked the original flight",
"if the only reason the passenger is forced to take a late... | 0 | train_3102 |
The hepatitis B virus is common in China relative to other countries in the region. The disease can easily be prevented through vaccination, regulation of barbershop and manicure practices, and health education. Yet, the incidence of this disease continues to rise in China, while it remains stable or is falling in Chin... | Which of the following, if true, would best explain the situation described above? | [
"Twenty years ago, a complete and accurate study by an international health agency revealed that the incidence of hepatitis B was much higher in China than in neighboring countries.",
"Medicine is socialized in China but not in neighboring countries, meaning that more people in China have access to health care th... | 2 | train_3103 |
Until now, only injectable vaccines against influenza have been available. They have been used primarily by older adults, who are at risk for complications from influenza. A new vaccine administered in a nasal spray has proven effective in preventing influenza in children. Since children are significantly more likely t... | Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"The new vaccine uses the same mechanism to ward off influenza as injectable vaccines do.",
"Of the older adults who contract influenza, relatively few contract it from children with influenza.",
"Many parents would be more inclined to have their children vaccinated against influenza if the vaccination did not ... | 2 | train_3104 |
The existing works of ancient literature, science, and philosophy do not represent the most original work produced in ancient times. The most compelling evidence for this view is that the existing works frequently refer to other works that we no longer have. | Which one of the following statements, if added to the argument, most helps to justify its conclusion? | [
"Subversive ideas tend to be suppressed whenever they are proposed.",
"Works that contain frequent references to other works tend to be derivative.",
"Many extant works have laudable things to say about the missing works.",
"A surprisingly large number of ancient texts have been irretrievably lost."
] | 1 | train_3105 |
The Green Peas Grocery Store in the remote wealthy enclave of Luxville charges more than the Green Peas Grocery Store in Oak City charges for the same items. Clearly, on any given item, the Green Peas grocery franchise is taking advantage of its location in Luxville to reap higher profits on that item. | In evaluating the argument, it would be most useful to compare | [
"The percent of average household income spent on groceries in Oak city with the comparable percentage in Luxville",
"The cost of these items in Oak City and in Luxville with the cost at other Green Peas stores throughout the state.",
"the average cost of the same or comparable items at other grocery stores in ... | 3 | train_3106 |
Ethicist: Every moral action is the keeping of an agreement, and keeping an agreement is nothing more than an act of securing mutual benefit. Clearly, however, not all instances of agreement-keeping are moral actions. Ttherefore, some acts of securing mutual benefit are not moral actions. | The pattern of reasoning in which one of the following arguments is most similar to that in the ethicist's argument? | [
"All metaphors are comparisons, and not all comparisons are surprising. However, all metaphors are surprising. Ttherefore, some comparisons are not metaphors.",
"All calculators are kinds of computers, and all computers are devices for automated reasoning. However, not all devices for automated reasoning are calc... | 2 | train_3107 |
The supernova event of 1987 is interesting in that there is still no evidence of the neutron star that current theory says should have remained after a supernova of that size. This is in spite of the fact that many of the most sensitive instruments ever developed have searched for the tell-tale pulse of radiation that ... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Most supernova remnants that astronomers have detected have a neutron star nearby.",
"The supernova of 1987 was the first that scientists were able to observe in progress.",
"Several important features of the 1987 supernova are correctly predicted by the current theory.",
"Sensitive astronomical instruments ... | 3 | train_3108 |
Commercially available chemical fertilizers contain the same nutrients and micronutrients as organic fertilizers such as manure and composted garden clippings. Plants have tiny root hairs that absorb nutrients, and whether the source of the nutrients is organic or chemical is irrelevant to the plant's ability to take i... | Which of the following, if true, would most strongly support the position above? | [
"The typical gardener can't easily know the exact amount and type of nutrients in an organic fertilizer such as manure.",
"The nutrients in organic fertilizers are slowly released to the plant over time, rather than being absorbed by the plant immediately.",
"In organic fertilizers, the natural combination of n... | 2 | train_3109 |
Attorney for Ziegler: My client continued to do consulting work between the time of his arrest for attempted murder and the start of this trial. But I contend that Ziegler was insane at the time that he fired the shot. This is the only reasonable conclusion to draw from the fact that the accusers have submitted no evid... | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning of Ziegler's attorney? | [
"It presumes that being a well-educated professional is relevant to being guilty or innocent.",
"It fails to consider that Ziegler might have been insane when he worked as a consultant.",
"It fails to consider the possibility that Ziegler's being sane after the shooting is an indication that he was sane at the ... | 2 | train_3110 |
The Jacksons regularly receive wrong-number calls for Sara, whose phone number was misprinted in a directory. Sara contacted the Jacksons, informing them of the misprint and her correct number. The Jacksons did not lead Sara to believe that they would pass along the correct number, but it would be helpful to Sara and o... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument? | [
"Being helpful to someone is laudable whenever it is not wrong to do so.",
"It is always laudable to do something helpful to someone, but not doing so would be wrong only if one has led that person to believe one would do it.",
"If one can do something that would be helpful to someone else and it would be easy ... | 1 | train_3111 |
Legislator: Your agency is responsible for regulating an industry shaken by severe scandals. You were given funds to hire 500 investigators to examine the scandals, but you hired no more than 400. I am forced to conclude that you purposely limited hiring in an attempt to prevent the full extent of the scandals from bei... | The regulator responds to the legislator's criticism by | [
"showing that the legislator's statements are self-contradictory",
"claiming that compliance with the legislature's mandate would have been an insufficient response",
"rephrasing the legislator's conclusion in terms more favorable to the regulator",
"providing information that challenges the conclusion drawn ... | 3 | train_3112 |
Doctor: Being overweight has long been linked with a variety of health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. But recent research conclusively shows that people who are slightly overweight are healthier than those who are considerably underweight. Ttherefore, to be healthy, it suffices to be slightly ... | The argument's reasoning is flawed because the argument | [
"does not take into account the fact that appropriate weight varies greatly from person to person",
"ignores medical opinions that tend to lead to a conclusion contrary to the one drawn",
"never adequately defines what is meant by \"healthy\"",
"mistakes a merely relative property for one that is absolute"
] | 3 | train_3113 |
Raymond Burr played the role of Perry Mason on television. Burr' s death in 1993 prompted a prominent lawyer to say, "Although not a lawyer, Mr. Burr strove for such authenticity that we feel as if we lost one of our own. " This comment from a prestigious attorney provides appalling evidence that, in the face of televi... | The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument | [
"presumes that the lawyer is qualified to evaluate the performance of an actor",
"takes the views of one lawyer to represent the views of all lawyers",
"criticizes the lawyer rather than the lawyer's statement",
"ignores the part of the lawyer's remark that indicates an awareness of the difference between rea... | 3 | train_3114 |
Ten years ago the number of taxpayers in Green County was slightly greater than the number of registered voters. The number of taxpayers has doubled over the last ten years, while the number of registered voters has increased, but at a lower rate than has the number of taxpayers. | Which of the following must be true in Greenspace County if the statements above are true? | [
"The proportion of registered voters to taxpayers has remained unchanged over the last ten years.",
"Everyone who is a registered voter is also a taxpayer.",
"The number of taxpayers is now smaller than the number of registered voters.",
"The proportion of registered voters to taxpayers has decreased over the... | 3 | train_3115 |
However, other research consistently shows that, in Naota, the average annual earnings of all employed women is 65 percent of the average annual earnings of all employed men, Which one of the following, if also established by research, most helps explain the apparent discrepancy between the research results described a... | A study of the difference in earnings between men and women in the country of Naota found that the average annual earnings of women who are employed full time is 80 percent of the average annual earnings of men who are employed full time. | [
"In Naota, a larger proportion of female workers than male workers are part-time workers, and part-time workers typically earn less than full-time workers earn.",
"In Naota, the difference between the average annual earnings of all female workers and the average annual earnings of all male workers has been gradua... | 0 | train_3116 |
A lack of trust in one' s neighbors leads to their lack of respect for the law. A new study provides compelling evidence for this. Neighborhoods in which people routinely lock their doors have higher burglary rates than neighborhoods in which people do not routinely lock their doors. | The reasoning in the argument is flawed in that the argument | [
"bases its conclusion on data that are contradictory",
"asserts in a premise what it is trying to establish in its conclusion",
"treats what could be the effect of something as if it were the cause of that thing",
"treats something that is merely sufficient to produce a result as if it were necessary to produ... | 2 | train_3117 |
Researchers have developed a membrane that quickly removes the oxygen from a refrigerator, thereby killing bacteria and enabling food to be stored almost indefinitely. Since food need not be kept as cold to prevent spoilage, energy costs will be greatly reduced. Thus, over the long run, oxygen-removing refrigerators wi... | The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it does not | [
"take into account the inconvenience caused by food spoilage in current refrigerators",
"take into account the effectiveness of current refrigerator technology in preventing food spoilage",
"explain the technology that enabled the oxygen-removing membrane to be developed",
"address the expense of building or ... | 3 | train_3118 |
Robert: The school board is considering adopting a year-round academic schedule that eliminates the traditional three-month summer vacation. This schedule should be adopted, since teachers need to cover more new material during the school year than they do now. Samantha: The proposed schedule will not permit teachers t... | Which one of the following, if true, is a response Robert could make that would counter Samantha's argument? | [
"Teachers spend no more than a day of class time reviewing old material when students have been away from school for only a few weeks, but have to spend up to a month of class time reviewing after a three-month summer vacation.",
"Most parents who work outside the home find it difficult to arrange adequate superv... | 0 | train_3119 |
The law of the city of Weston regarding contributions to mayoral campaigns is as follows: all contributions to these campaigns in excess of $100 made by nonresidents of Weston who are not former residents of Weston must be registered with the city council. Brimley' s mayoral campaign clearly complied with this law sinc... | If all the statements above are true, which one of the following statements must be true? | [
"Some contributions to Brimley's campaign in excess of $100 were registered with the city council.",
"No nonresident of Weston contributed in excess of $100 to Brimley's campaign.",
"All contributions to Brimley's campaign that were registered with the city council were in excess of $100.",
"No contributions ... | 3 | train_3120 |
For many centuries it was believed that only classical Euclidean geometry could provide a correct way of mathematically representing the universe. Nevertheless, scientists have come to believe that a representation of the universe employing non-Euclidean geometry is much more useful in developing certain areas of scien... | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the statements above? | [
"Scientists generally do not now believe that classical Euclidean geometry is uniquely capable of giving a correct mathematical representation of the universe.",
"Non-Euclidean geometry is a more complete way of representing the universe than is Euclidean geometry.",
"Scientists who use Euclidean geometry are l... | 0 | train_3121 |
All police officers carry guns, and all soldiers carry guns; ttherefore, police officers and soldiers are similar. | Which one of the following most closely parallels the argument? | [
"All dogs have fur, and all mammals have fur; ttherefore, all dogs are mammals.",
"Farms and fisheries are similar. All farms produce food, and all fisheries produce food.",
"Some professional football players lift weights every day, and all bodybuilders lift weights every day; ttherefore, football players and ... | 1 | train_3122 |
Several cosmetics firms are committed to the active development, validation, and adoption of new product-safety tests that use cultures of human cells. They argue that the new tests serve to reduce the need for tests on live animals. | The statements above most strongly support which one which one of the following conclusions? | [
"The pressure on cosmetics firms to cease conducting experiments that use live animals was initiated by groups of social activists.",
"Researchers in the cosmetics firms believe that fewer tests of products will be needed if cell cultures rather than live animals are used.",
"Consumers are no more likely to buy... | 3 | train_3123 |
It is very difficult to prove today that a painting done two or three hundred years ago, especially one without a signature or with a questionably authentic signature, is indubitably the work of this or that particular artist. This fact gives the traditional attribution of a disputed painting special weight, since that... | Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the position that the traditional attribution of a disputed painting should not have special weight? | [
"There are not always clearly discernible differences between the occasional inferior work produced by a master and the very best work produced by a lesser talent.",
"Art dealers have always been led by economic self-interest to attribute any unsigned paintings of merit to recognized masters rather than to obscur... | 1 | train_3124 |
Philosopher: People are not intellectually well suited to live in large bureaucratic societies. Ttherefore, people can find happiness, if at all, only in smaller political units such as villages. | The reasoning in the philosopher's argument is flawed because the argument takes for granted that | [
"no one can ever be happy living in a society in which she or he is not intellectually well suited to live",
"all societies that are plagued by excessive bureaucracy are large",
"the primary purpose of small political units such as villages is to make people happy",
"anyone who lives in a village or other sma... | 0 | train_3125 |
A table made entirely from the trunk of a tree said to have lived a thousand years was recently claimed to be that of a much younger tree. In order to rebut this charge, the craftsman summoned a team of dendrochronologists to prove that the tree lived to be at least to 1, 000 years old. Dendrochronology, or the techniq... | Which of the following is an assumption that the argument makes? | [
"The tree was not less than 1, 000 years old when it was cut down.",
"The wood used in the table is large enough to contain a span of one thousand tree rings.",
"The artist has not used the trunk of the same tree in other works of art he has produced.",
"Dendrochronology has shown to be inaccurate for the old... | 1 | train_3126 |
Professor: If both parents have type O blood then their children can only have type O blood. This is a genetic law. Student: But that' s not true. My father has type B blood and I have type O blood. | The student has most likely misinterpreted the professor's remark to imply that | [
"only people with type O blood can have children with type O blood",
"if both parents have type B blood, then their child will have type B blood",
"people with type O blood cannot have children with type B blood",
"what is true of one child in the family must also be true of all children in that family"
] | 0 | train_3127 |
Donations of imported food will be distributed to children in famine-stricken countries in the form of free school meals. The process is efficient because the children are easy to reach at the schools and cooking facilities are often available on site. | Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the efficiency of the proposed process? | [
"The donation of food tends to strengthen the standing of the political party that happens to be in power when the donation is made.",
"A massive influx of donated food will tend to lower the price of food in the areas near the schools.",
"The reduction in farm surpluses in donor countries benefits the donor co... | 3 | train_3128 |
When students do not find their assignments challenging, they become bored and so achieve less than their abilities would allow. On the other hand, when students find their assignments too difficult, they give up and so again achieve less than what they are capable of achieving. It is, ttherefore, clear that no student... | Which one of the following is an error of reasoning contained in the argument? | [
"Assuming without warrant that a situation allows only two possibilities.",
"Mistakenly equating what is actual and what is merely possible.",
"Confusing the coincidence of two events with a causal relation between the two.",
"Depending on the ambiguous use of a key term."
] | 0 | train_3129 |
Some dairy farmers in the province of Takandia want to give their cows a synthetic hormone that increases milk production. Many Takandians, however, do not want to buy milk from cows given the synthetic hormone. For this reason Takandia's legislature is considering a measure requiring milk from cows given the hormone t... | Which of the following, if true, most logically completes the argument? | [
"it has not been proven that any trace of the synthetic hormone exists in the milk of cows given the hormone",
"some farmers in Takandia who plan to use the synthetic hormone will probably not do so if the measure were passed",
"the legislature's consideration of the bill has been widely publicized",
"milk fr... | 3 | train_3130 |
To improve productivity, manufacturing companies have recently begun restructuring work to produce more goods with fewer assembly-line workers, and the companies have laid off many workers as a consequence. The workers laid off have been those with the least seniority (time on the job), generally the younger workers. | The statements above, if true, most strongly support which of the following as a conclusion? | [
"Some of the innovations in assembly-line processes and procedures that were made to increase productivity have instead proved to be counterproductive.",
"The products manufactured by the companies are not undergoing design changes while the manufacturing jobs are being restructured.",
"When assembly-line worke... | 0 | train_3131 |
Damien: Stores that have generous return policies have the most satisfied customers. Customer loyalty increases significantly in a company when the consumer is confident that he or she can return a product no matter what, especially if the product isn' t defective but the customer still isn' t satisfied. Erin: Even if ... | Which of the following best describes Erin's response to Damien's position? | [
"She provides an alternative explanation for the same situation described in Damien's stance.",
"She points out potential undesirable consequences of Damien's stance.",
"She further elaborates on Damien's stance with additional supportive evidence.",
"She provides a sensible rebuttal but demonstrating inconsi... | 2 | train_3132 |
Private industry is trying to attract skilled research scientists by offering them high salaries. As a result, most research scientists employed in private industry now earn 50 percent more than do comparably skilled research scientists employed by the government. So, unless government-employed research scientists are ... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"The government does not employ as many research scientists who are highly skilled as does any large company in the private sector which employs research scientists.",
"Research scientists employed in the private sector generally work longer hours than do researchers employed by the government.",
"Government re... | 3 | train_3133 |
A certain gene can be stimulated by chemicals in cigarette smoke, causing lung cells to metabolize the chemicals in a way that makes the cells cancerous. Yet smokers in whom this gene is not stimulated have as high a risk of developing lung cancer from smoking as other smokers do. | If the statements above are true, it can be concluded on the basis of them that | [
"the gene is more likely to be stimulated by chemicals in cigarette smoke than by other chemicals",
"stimulation of the gene by chemicals in cigarette smoke is not the only factor affecting the risk for smokers of developing lung cancer",
"nonsmokers have as high a risk of developing lung cancer as do smokers i... | 1 | train_3134 |
Editorial: Painting involves a sequential application of layers, each of which adheres satisfactorily only if the underlying layer has been properly applied. Education is, in this respect, like the craft of painting. Since the most important steps in painting are preparation of the surface to be painted and application... | Which one of the following most logically completes the editorial's argument? | [
"teaching new students is rewarding but much more difficult than teaching more advanced students",
"the success of a student's overall educational experience depends above all upon that student's initial educational experience",
"students who have a secure grasp of the fundamentals of a subject are likely to ma... | 1 | train_3135 |
Sigatoka disease drastically reduces the yield of banana trees and is epidemic throughout the areas of the world where bananas are grown. The fungus that causes the disease can be controlled with fungicides, but the fungicides can pose a health hazard to people living nearby. The fungicides are thus unsuitable for smal... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"Sigatoka disease is the only disease that threatens bananas on a worldwide scale.",
"Most of the banana trees that have not been exposed to the Sigatoka fungus grow in small banana groves.",
"Large plantations produce most or all of the world's bananas.",
"Sigatoka disease spreads more slowly on large planta... | 2 | train_3136 |
Although exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma, a slow-developing cancer, researchers believe that infection by the SV40 virus is a contributing cause, since in the United States 60 percent of tissue samples from mesotheliomas, but none from healthy tissue, contain SV40. SV40 is a monkey virus; howe... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the researchers' hypothesis? | [
"In Finland, where the polio vaccine was never contaminated, samples from mesotheliomas do not contain SV40.",
"Changes in the technique of manufacturing the vaccine now prevent contamination with SV40.",
"Recently discovered samples of the vaccine dating from 1960 still show traces of the virus.",
"SV40 is w... | 0 | train_3137 |
A certain automaker aims to increase its market share by deeply discounting its vehicles' prices for the next several months. The discounts will cut into profits, but because they will be heavily advertised the manufacturer hopes that they will attract buyers away from rival manufacturers' cars. In the longer term, the... | In assessing the plan's chances of achieving its aim, it would be most useful to know which of the following? | [
"Whether some of the automaker's models will be more deeply discounted than others",
"Whether an alternative strategy might enable the automaker to enhance its profitability while holding a constant or diminishing share of the market",
"Whether the automaker's competitors are likely to respond by offering deep ... | 2 | train_3138 |
Ecologist: Landfills are generally designed to hold ten years' worth of waste. Some people maintain that as the number of active landfills consequently dwindles over the coming decade, there will inevitably be a crisis in landfill availability. However, their prediction obviously relies on the unlikely assumption that ... | The claim that there will be a crisis in landfill availability plays which one of the following roles in the ecologist's argument? | [
"It follows from the claim stated in the argument's first sentence.",
"It is the main conclusion of the argument.",
"It is a claim on which the argument as a whole is designed to cast doubt.",
"It establishes the truth of the argument's conclusion."
] | 2 | train_3139 |
Davis: The only relevant factor in determining appropriate compensation for property damage or theft is the value the property loses due to damage or the value of the property stolen; the harm to the victim is directly proportional to the pertinent value. Higuchi: I disagree. More than one factor must be considered: A ... | Davis's and Higuchi's statements most strongly support the view that they would disagree with each other about which one of the following? | [
"Victims who are deprived of their property are owed compensation in proportion to the harm they have suffered.",
"Some victims are owed increased compensation because of the greater amount of time they are deprived of the use of their property.",
"Some victims are owed increased compensation because of the gre... | 1 | train_3140 |
Everything that is commonplace and ordinary fails to catch our attention, so there are things that fail to catch our attention but that are miracles of nature. | The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Everything that fails to catch our attention is commonplace and ordinary.",
"Only extraordinary or unusual things catch our attention.",
"Some things that are commonplace and ordinary fail to catch our attention.",
"Some things that are ordinary and commonplace are miracles of nature."
] | 3 | train_3141 |
In the earliest video games, the player typically controlled the movements of a simple icon on the screen. But in newer video games, players often control the movements of detailed human figures -- a feature possible because of the greater technical sophistication of these games. It is hard for players to identify with... | The conclusion of the argument can be properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Most early video games in which the player controlled a simple icon on the screen were in other respects less compelling to players than newer video games.",
"When players cannot easily identify with the figure or icon whose movements they control in a video game, they usually find that game less compelling than... | 1 | train_3142 |
Critic: Many popular psychological theories are poor theories in that they are inelegant and do not help to dispel the mystery that surrounds our psyche. However, this is not really important. The theories produce the right results: therapeutically, they tend to have greater success than their more scientific rivals. | The statement about the relative therapeutic success of many popular psychological theories plays which one of the following roles in the critic's argument? | [
"It is used to suggest that popular psychological theories are actually better scientific explanations than are their rivals.",
"It is used to illustrate what the critic takes to be the most important aspect of scientific theories.",
"It is used to override some considerations against these theories.",
"It is... | 2 | train_3143 |
On the weekends, Eliza only reads romance novels. During the week, Eliza paints three days a week unless she has pressing family obligations or is substitute teaching at the local art school. Four days a week, Eliza practices her cello, and on Wednesdays, she gives cello lessons. Last week, Eliza had no pressing family... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies? | [
"There was at least one day last week when Eliza read romance novels and painted.",
"Eliza does not practice her cello on the day that she gives cello lessons.",
"Eliza does not give cello lessons on days that she substitute teaches at the local art school.",
"Eliza never has pressing family obligations on th... | 1 | train_3144 |
Musician: Some fans enjoy dancing in front of the stage, while others like to listen from a distance. The best music venues offer a mix of standing room and seats. If a suitable mix is impossible, then it' s always best for the venue to be standing room only. Our band will never play at a concert hall without at least ... | Which of the following arguments most closely parallels the musician's argument? | [
"Writer: Some writers prefer to type their stories, while others prefer handwriting them. The best writers always type since they can easily identify errors and edit more effectively. If a writer only writes by hand, then their work is always worse than those who type. I will never write my stories by hand.",
"La... | 3 | train_3145 |
Company X and Company Y have each been building a rocket ship able to travel to Mars. After five years of design and construction, the rocket ships have been unveiled to the public, which instantly notices the rocket ships are so similar in design as to be indistinguishable. Ttherefore, one of the companies must have h... | Which of the following, if true, would most call in to question the validity of the argument? | [
"Both companies have been highly profitable and have been heavily funded throughout the five years in which the rocket ships have been constructed.",
"The engineers responsible for the design and construction of the rocket ship are subjected to a rigorous vetting process.",
"Each space ship uses a different col... | 3 | train_3146 |
Politician: Governments should tax any harmful substance that is available to the general public at a level that the tax would discourage continued use of the substance. | Which one of the following is an application of the politician's principle of taxation? | [
"The tax on products that emit fluorocarbons, substances that have proven to be harmful to the earth's ozone layer, is lowered to stimulate the development of new, less environmentally harmful ways of using these substances.",
"The tax on certain pain relievers that, even though harmful, are available over the co... | 3 | train_3147 |
Bevex, an artificial sweetener used only in soft drinks, is carcinogenic for mice, but only when it is consumed in very large quantities. To ingest an amount of Bevex equivalent to the amount fed to the mice in the relevant studies, a person would have, to drink 25 cans of Bevex-sweetened soft drinks per day. For that ... | In order for the conclusion that Bevex is safe for people to he properly drawn, which one of the following must be true? | [
"Cancer from carcinogenic substances develops more slowly in mice than it does in people.",
"People drink fewer than 25 cans of Bevex- sweetened soda per day.",
"If all food additives that are currently used in foods were tested, some would be found to be carcinogenic for mice.",
"People can obtain important ... | 1 | train_3148 |
Amphibian populations are declining in numbers worldwide. Not coincidentally, the earth' s ozone layer has been continuously depleted throughout the last 50 years. Atmospheric ozone blocks UV-B, a type of ultraviolet radiation that is continuously produced by the sun, and which can damage genes. Because amphibians lack... | Each of the following, if true, would strengthen the argument EXCEPT: | [
"Of the various types of radiation blocked by atmospheric ozone, UV-B is the only type that can damage genes.",
"Amphibian populations are declining far more rapidly than are the populations of nonamphibian species whose tissues and eggs have more natural protection from UV-B.",
"Amphibian populations have decl... | 0 | train_3149 |
In defending the Hyperion School of Journalism from charges that its program is of little or no value to its students, the dean of the school pointed to its recent success in placing students: 65 percent of its graduates went on to internships or jobs in print or broadcast journalism. | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the defense offered by the dean? | [
"The program offered by the Hyperion School of Journalism is similar in quality and content to those offered by its peer institutions.",
"More than half of the school's students came from jobs in journalism to improve their skills.",
"The number of cities with more than one major newspaper has declined sharply ... | 1 | train_3150 |
Principle: A law whose purpose is to protect wild animal populations should not be enforced against those whose actions do not threaten wild animal populations. Application: Even though there is a law against capturing wild snakes, which was enacted to protect wild snake populations, snake charmers who violate this law... | Which one of the following, if true, most justifies the above application of the principle? | [
"Snake populations are much less threatened than the populations of several other species for which capture is legal.",
"Snake charmers capture wild snakes only because they believe they would be unable to earn a living otherwise.",
"Many attempts to prosecute snake charmers under this law have failed because p... | 3 | train_3151 |
A recent epidemiological study found that businesspeople who travel internationally on business are much more likely to suffer from chronic insomnia than are businesspeople who do not travel on business. International travelers experience the stresses of dramatic changes in climate, frequent disruption of daily routine... | Which one of the following would, if true, most strengthen the reasoning above? | [
"Businesspeople who already suffer from chronic insomnia are no more likely than businesspeople who do not to accept assignments from their employers that require international travel.",
"Experiencing dramatic changes in climate and disruption of daily routines through international travel can be beneficial to so... | 0 | train_3152 |
A study of ticket sales at a summer theater festival found that people who bought tickets to individual plays had a no-show rate of less than 1 percent, while those who paid in advance for all ten plays being performed that summer had a no-show rate of nearly 30 percent. This may be at least in part because the greater... | Which of the following would, if true, best serve as an alternative explanation of the results of the study? | [
"The price per ticket was slightly cheaper for those who bought all ten tickets in advance.",
"Those who attended all ten plays became eligible for a partial refund.",
"People who arrived just before the performance began could not be assured of obtaining seats in a preferred location.",
"Usually, people who ... | 3 | train_3153 |
Klein: The fact that the amount of matter that we have found in our galaxy is only one-tenth of what Einstein' s theory predicts gives us good reason for abandoning his view. Brown: Given the great successes of Einstein' s theory, it would be better to conclude that most of the matter in our galaxy has not yet been fou... | On the basis of their statements, Klein and Brown are committed to disagreeing over the truth of which one of the following statements? | [
"It is possible to determine the amount of matter in our galaxy without relying on Einstein's theory.",
"The failure to find all of the matter predicted by Einstein's theory should lead us to abandon it.",
"Einstein's theory has achieved many successes.",
"Scientists are able to accurately judge the amount of... | 1 | train_3154 |
Among the various models of Delta vacuum cleaners, one cannot accurately predict how effectively a particular model cleans simply by determining how powerful its motor is. The efficiency of dust filtration systems varies significantly, even between models of Delta vacuum cleaners equipped with identically powerful moto... | The argument's conclusion is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"All Delta vacuum cleaners that clean equally effectively have identically powerful motors.",
"One cannot accurately assess how effectively any Delta vacuum cleaner cleans without knowing how powerful that vacuum cleaner's motor is.",
"For each Delta vacuum cleaner, the efficiency of its dust filtration system ... | 2 | train_3155 |
A first-term board member should not be on the finance committee unless he or she is an accountant or his or her membership on the committee is supported by all the members of the board. | Which one of the following arguments most closely conforms to the principle stated above? | [
"Simkins is a first-term board member and not an accountant; thus, Simkins should not be on the finance committee.",
"Ruiz is on the finance committee but is not an accountant; thus, Ruiz's membership must have been supported by all the members of the board.",
"Timmons is a third-term board member but not an ac... | 3 | train_3156 |
According to a study, after a week of high-altitude living, twenty men had slimmed down. The men, middle-aged residents of low-altitude areas, had been taken to a research station at 2, 650 meters (8, 694 feet) above sea level. They had unrestricted access to food and were forbidden vigorous exercise, yet they lost an ... | Which of the following would, if true, most logically complete the argument? | [
"exercise at higher altitudes is more difficult than exercise at lower altitudes is",
"a decrease in oxygen intake has been shown to depress appetite",
"the men all participated in the same kinds of exercise during their stay",
"several weeks after returning home, the men still weighed less than they had befo... | 1 | train_3157 |
If the needle on an industrial sewing machine becomes badly worn, the article being sewn can be ruined. In traditional apparel factories, the people who operate the sewing machines monitor the needles and replace those that begin to wear out. Industrial sewing operations are becoming increasingly automated, however, an... | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"The needles of industrial sewing machines wear out at unpredictable rates.",
"Traditional apparel factories do not use any automated equipment.",
"In the automated apparel factories of the future, each employee will perform only one type of task.",
"In automated apparel factories, items will be ruined by fau... | 0 | train_3158 |
Climate change is caused by an increase of carbon dioxide in the Earth' s atmosphere. Carbon dioxide traps heat and remains in the atmosphere longer than other heat-trapping gases. Between 2000 and 2012, 890, 000 square miles of trees around the world were cut down -- more than one-eighth of the original forest coverin... | The argument relies on which one of the following assumptions being true? | [
"Deforestation is a manmade phenomenon.",
"Trees produce carbon dioxide, releasing the gas into the atmosphere.",
"Climate change negatively impacts the Earth.",
"Trees lower the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere."
] | 3 | train_3159 |
Newspaper editorial: Many pharmaceutical companies develop "me too" drugs, drugs designed to duplicate, more or less, the effect of another company' s product that is already on the market. Some critics object that such development constitutes an unnecessary, redundant use of resources that provides no new benefits to ... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the editorial's argument? | [
"Pharmaceutical companies often make more money on a \"me too\" drug than on an original drug.",
"Some pharmaceutical companies lose money on the development of innovative drugs because of the development by other companies of \"me too\" drugs.",
"Some \"me too\" drugs turn out to be more effective than the dru... | 2 | train_3160 |
The United States deploys two types of submarines -- attack submarines and ballistic submarines. Attack submarines carry cruise missiles to attack specific locations on land, and they are also used to spy on foreign countries. Ballistic submarines carry intercontinental ballistic missiles that deliver nuclear missiles ... | Which one of the following would be a reasonable conclusion based on the passage? | [
"The United States should develop a new type of submarine to gather the evidence.",
"The United States should pre-emptively attack the foreign country to best defend itself.",
"The United States should deploy an attack submarine off the coast of the foreign country.",
"The United States should plant an agent ... | 2 | train_3161 |
There should be a greater use of gasohol. Gasohol is a mixture of alcohol and gasoline, and has a higher octane rating and fewer carbon monoxide emissions than straight gasoline. Burning gasohol adds no more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than plants remove by photosynthesis. | Each of the following, if true, strengthens the argument above EXCEPT: | [
"Cars burn on the average slightly more gasohol per kilometer than they do gasoline.",
"Cars run less well on gasoline than they do on gasohol.",
"Since less gasoline is needed with the use of gasohol, an energy shortage is less likely.",
"Gasohol is cheaper to produce and hence costs less at the pump than ga... | 0 | train_3162 |
In the first decade following the founding of the British Labour party, the number of people regularly voting for Labour increased fivefold. The number of committed Labour voters increased a further fivefold during the party' s second decade. Since the increase was thus the same in the first as in the second decade, th... | The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument | [
"relies on statistical evidence that, strictly speaking, is irrelevant to establishing the conclusion drawn",
"fails to allow for the possibility that the policy positions advocated by the Labour party changed during the period in question",
"fails to specify dates necessary to evaluate the truth of the conclus... | 3 | train_3163 |
A university professor researching sleep disorders occasionally taught class after spending whole nights working in a laboratory. She found lecturing after such nights difficult: she reported that she felt worn out and humorless, and she had difficulty concentrating and finding the appropriate words. After several week... | Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"No one can assess the overall effects of sleep deprivation on a particular person as well as that sleep-deprived person can.",
"University students in a lecture audience tend to be astute observers of human behavior.",
"Occasional sleep deprivation is not as debilitating as extended sleep deprivation.",
"The... | 3 | train_3164 |
The blue-tipped puffer is a migratory bird that is found along the coast of this state in summer months. The puffers enjoy the seeds of Thomson' s Mulberry trees; because these trees are plentiful in the state' s Coastal Park, traditionally many blue-tipped puffers would be found in the park during summer months. Ten y... | Which of the following would be the most important to determine in order to evaluate the argument? | [
"Whether the range of the grey fox within the park extends all the way to the coast.",
"Whether other coastal areas in the state have seen an increase in the number of blue-tipped puffers over the last decade.",
"How the speed of a blue-tipped puffer during take-off from the ground compares to the speed of a gr... | 1 | train_3165 |
Each year, an official estimate of the stock of cod in the Grand Banks is announced. This estimate is obtained by averaging two separate estimates of how many cod are available, one based on the number of cod caught by research vessels during a once-yearly sampling of the area and the other on the average number of ton... | If the statements in the passage are true, which one of the following is most strongly supported by them? | [
"The once-yearly sampling by research vessels should be used as the sole basis for arriving at the official estimate of the stock of cod.",
"The number of commercial vessels fishing for cod in the Grand Banks has increased substantially over the past decade.",
"Last year's official estimate was probably not muc... | 2 | train_3166 |
Bureaucratic mechanisms are engineered to resist change. Thus, despite growing dissatisfaction with complex bureaucratic systems, it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified. | The claim that bureaucratic mechanisms are engineered to resist change plays which one of the following roles in the argument? | [
"It is cited as evidence that bureaucratic systems are becoming more and more complex.",
"It is used to weaken the claim that bureaucracies should be simplified.",
"It is a premise offered in support of the claim that it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified.",
"It is a conclusion for which the cl... | 2 | train_3167 |
Goodbody, Inc. , is in the process of finding tenants for its newly completed Parrot Quay commercial development, which will make available hundreds of thousands of square feet of new office space on what was formerly derelict property outside the financial center of the city. Surprisingly enough, the coming recession,... | Which one of the following, if true, does most to help resolve the apparent paradox? | [
"Public transportation links the financial center with the area around Parrot Quay.",
"Businesses forced to economize by the recession will want to take advantage of the lower rents available outside the financial center.",
"Many of Goodbody's other properties are in the financial center and will become vacant ... | 1 | train_3168 |
Patterson: Bone flutes dating to the Upper Paleolithic are the earliest evidence for music. Thus it is likely that music first arose during this period. Garza: But the Upper Paleolithic is exceptional for the intensive use of bone, which typically survives well in archaeological contexts, unlike other materials commonl... | Garza responds to Patterson by doing which one of the following? | [
"arguing that the body of evidence to which Patterson appeals is insufficient for Patterson's purposes",
"using Patterson's evidence to draw a conclusion inconsistent with the conclusion drawn in Patterson's argument",
"presenting a counterexample to the general conclusion drawn in Patterson's argument",
"pre... | 0 | train_3169 |
Researcher: The role of chemicals called pheromones in determining the sexual behavior of some animals is well documented. But, even though humans also produce these chemicals, it is clear that psychological factors have taken over this role in us. Whereas for animals these behaviors are involuntary, which is a clear s... | The researcher's argument requires the assumption that | [
"free will can be found only in humans",
"whatever does not have a chemical explanation must have a purely psychological one",
"voluntary action cannot have a chemical explanation",
"voluntary action cannot have an evolutionary explanation"
] | 2 | train_3170 |
Mayor: There has been a long debate in city council about how to accommodate projected increases in automobile traffic. Today, our choice is clear: either we adopt my plan to build a new expressway, or we do nothing. Doing nothing is not a viable option because our existing system of roads would be in gridlock within t... | The reasoning in the mayor's argument is most vulnerable to which one of the following criticisms? | [
"It bases a projection only on conservative estimates rather than considering a wider range of estimates.",
"It takes for granted that the options it considers are mutually exclusive.",
"It presents a choice that is limited to two options, without giving reasons for not considering any other options.",
"It fa... | 2 | train_3171 |
It is clear that none of the volleyball players at yesterday' s office beach party came to work today since everyone who played volleyball at that party got badly sunburned and no one at work today is even slightly sunburned. | Which one of the following exhibits a pattern of reasoning that most closely parallels that in the argument above? | [
"Since everyone employed by TRF who was given the opportunity to purchase dental insurance did so and everyone who purchased dental insurance saw a dentist, it is clear that no one who failed to see a dentist is employed by TRF.",
"Since no one who was promoted during the past year failed to attend the awards ban... | 3 | train_3172 |
Healthy lungs produce a natural antibiotic that protects them from infection by routinely killing harmful bacteria on airway surfaces. People with cystic fibroses, however, are unable to fight off such bacteria, even though their lungs produce normal amounts of the antibiotic. Since the fluid on airway surfaces in the ... | Which of the following, if it were obtained as an experimental result, would most decisively undermine the scientists' hypothesis? | [
"The salt concentration of the airway-surface fluid in the lungs of people who suffer from cystic fibrosis tends to return to its former high levels after having been reduced to levels typical of healthy lungs.",
"Healthy lungs in which the salt concentration of the airway-surface fluid has been substantially inc... | 2 | train_3173 |
Vincent: No scientific discipline can study something that cannot be measured, and since happiness is an entirely subjective experience, it cannot be measured. Yolanda: Just as optometry relies on patients' reports of what they see, happiness research relies on subjects' reports of how they feel. Surely optometry is a ... | Vincent's and Yolanda's statements provide the most support for concluding that they disagree over which one of the following? | [
"A scientific discipline can rely on subjective reports.",
"Happiness is an entirely subjective experience.",
"Happiness research is as much a scientific discipline as optometry is.",
"Optometry is a scientific discipline."
] | 0 | train_3174 |
After the recent court rulings, <b> commercial shark fishing and shark hunting will resume in Diamond Bay </b>. Many citizens of the communities around the bay have hailed this move, believing that a decrease in sharks will lead to an increase in all smaller fish, including the endangered Green-Gilled Silverfish, whose... | In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first supports an action as a beneficial; the second calls that evaluation into question.",
"The first describes evidence that has been taken as supporting a conclusion; the second states a contrary conclusion that is the main conclusion of the argument.",
"The first is an opinion that the argument opposes... | 1 | train_3175 |
The temperature in Taychester is always at least 10 degrees lower than the temperature in Chariesville. However, the average resident of Charlesville spends 10 to 20 percent more on winter heating expenses than does the average resident of Taychester. | Each of the following, if true, helps to resolve the apparent paradox described above EXCEPT: | [
"Heat loss due to wind is less in Taychester than in Charlesville.",
"Houses in colder climates are usually better insulated than houses in warmer climates.",
"Although Chariesville is always fairly warm during the daytime, temperatures in Charlesville drop steeply at night.",
"Utility rates in Taychester are... | 2 | train_3176 |
Congenial guests and a plentiful supply of good things to eat and drink will ensure a successful dinner party. Since Sylvia has prepared more than enough to eat and drink and her guests are all congenial people, her dinner party is certain to be a success. | The pattern of flawed reasoning exhibited by the argument above is most similar to that exhibited by which one of the following? | [
"Fresh greens, carefully washed and served with a light dressing, always produce a refreshing salad. Since Tisha has developed an exceptionally light dressing but never washes her fresh greens, no salad she serves will be a refreshing one.",
"If soup is made with a well-seasoned meat stock and fresh ingredients, ... | 1 | train_3177 |
Most people who have taken a seminar for building organizational skills in the workplace have indeed become more organized as a result; however, despite having become more organized, few have become any more efficient. | Which one of the following, if true, would most help to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above? | [
"Some of the people who are most efficient in the workplace are not among the most organized.",
"Most seminars for building organizational skills in the workplace are designed for people who have been selected for management training.",
"Most people who have taken a seminar for building organizational skills in... | 3 | train_3178 |
When politicians resort to personal attacks, many editorialists criticize these attacks but most voters pay them scant attention. Everyone knows such attacks will end after election day, and politicians can be excused for mudslinging. Political commentators, however, cannot be. Political commentators should be engaged ... | Which one of the following most accurately states the main point of the argument? | [
"Political commentators should not resort to personal attacks on their opponents.",
"Editorialists are right to criticize politicians who resort to personal attacks on their opponents.",
"The purpose of serious debate about ideas and policies is to counteract the effect of personal attacks by politicians.",
"... | 0 | train_3179 |
Some species of tarantula make good pets. However, no creature with poison fangs makes a good pet. Ttherefore, not all tarantula species have poison fangs. | Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its pattern of reasoning to the argument above? | [
"Some of the poems in this collection were written by Strawn. However, none of the poems in this collection has a regular meter. Ttherefore, only Strawn's unpublished poetry has a regular meter.",
"Some of the poetry written by Strawn has a regular meter. However, this collection contains no poetry written by Str... | 2 | train_3180 |
The folk medicine of many different cultures has extolled the use of garlic both to prevent and to cure many diseases. Modern medical research is absorbing some of these beliefs. Recent studies indicate that many of the more than 50 sulphur compounds that can be produced from garlic (depending upon whether it is boiled... | Each of the following statements is supported by the information above EXCEPT: | [
"Research on some traditional medications has yet to be conducted by modern medical researchers.",
"It can be medically beneficial to reduce platelet clumping or to lower blood cholesterol.",
"The belief that garlic is an effective way to prevent or cure some diseases is not limited to a small number of closely... | 3 | train_3181 |
Astorga' s campaign promises are apparently just an attempt to please voters. What she says she will do if elected mayor is simply what she has learned from opinion polls that voters want the new mayor to do. Ttherefore, voters are not being told what Astorga actually intends to do if she becomes mayor. | Which one of the following is a questionable assumption on which the argument relies? | [
"Astorga does not actually intend, if elected, to do what she has learned from the public opinion polls that voters want the new mayor to do.",
"If she is elected mayor, Astorga will not be capable of carrying out the campaign promises she has made.",
"The opinion polls on which Astorga's promises are based do ... | 0 | train_3182 |
McBride: The proposed new fuel-efficiency standards, if implemented, will discourage the manufacture of full-size cars. This prospect is troubling because when a subcompact and a full-size car collide, the people in the subcompact are more likely to be seriously injured than if theirs had also been a full-size car. The... | McBride's and Leggett's statements commit them to disagreeing about the truth of which one of the following? | [
"Fuel conservation is less important than safety in case of a collision.",
"The manufacture of full-size cars should be discouraged.",
"The new fuel-efficiency standards will encourage automobile manufacturers to build more subcompact cars.",
"Reducing the number of full-size cars on the highway will reduce t... | 1 | train_3183 |
The higher a dam, the more exposed it is to forces that can cause it to collapse. Of the world' s hundreds of arch dams, more than half are over 100 meters high. Yet all six of the arch dam collapses that have occurred during the past 40 years have occurred in arch dams under 100 meters high. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent paradox? | [
"The larger the structure, the more careful the attention it received in design and construction.",
"The higher a dam must be, the greater the likelihood that it will be built as an arch dam.",
"Arch dams are generally more complicated and more costly to construct than other types of dams of comparable size.",
... | 0 | train_3184 |
Wong: Although all countries are better off as democracies, a transitional autocratic stage is sometimes required before a country can become democratic. Tate: The freedom and autonomy that democracy provides are of genuine value, but the simple material needs of people are more important. Some countries can better mee... | Wong's and Tate's statements provide the most support for the claim that they disagree over the truth of which one of the following? | [
"The freedom and autonomy that democracy provides are of genuine value.",
"All democracies succeed in meeting the simple material needs of people.",
"Nothing is more important to a country than the freedom and autonomy of the individuals who live in that country.",
"There are some countries that are better of... | 3 | train_3185 |
Construction contractors working on the cutting edge of technology nearly always work on a "cost-plus" basis only. One kind of cost-plus contract stipulates the contractor' s profit as a fixed percentage of the contractor' s costs; the other kind stipulates a fixed amount of profit over and above costs. Under the first... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent paradox in the situation described above? | [
"On long-term contracts, cost projections take future inflation into account, but since the figures used are provided by the government, they are usually underestimates.",
"Clients billed under a cost-plus contract are free to review individual billings in order to uncover wasteful expenditures, but they do so on... | 1 | train_3186 |
Obviously, entrepreneurial ability is needed to start a successful company. Yet many entrepreneurs who succeed in starting a company fail later for lack of managerial skills. For instance, they do not adequately analyze market trends and, consequently, they fail in managing company growth. Hence, the lack of managerial... | The proposition that certain entrepreneurs fail in managing company growth plays which one of the following roles in the argument above? | [
"It is an example that is offered in support of a premise that is intended to support the argument's main conclusion directly.",
"It is presented as an example of the phenomenon the argument seeks to explain.",
"It is the main conclusion drawn in the argument.",
"It is a premise that is intended to support th... | 0 | train_3187 |
Mature white pines intercept almost all the sunlight that shines on them. They leave a deep litter that dries readily, and they grow to prodigious height so that, even when there are large gaps in a stand of such trees, little light reaches the forest floor. For this reason white pines cannot regenerate in their own sh... | Which one of the following most logically concludes the argument? | [
"other species of trees will soon begin to colonize the stand, eventually replacing all of the white pines",
"competition among the trees in the stand for sunlight will soon result in some trees' dying and the stand thus becoming thinner",
"the ages of the trees in the stand do not differ from each other by muc... | 2 | train_3188 |
Economist: The price of tap water in our region should be raised drastically. <b> Supplies in local freshwater reservoirs have been declining for years </b> because water is being used faster than it can be replenished. Since the price of tap water has been low, <b> few users have bothered to adopt even easy conservati... | The two sections in boldface play which of the following roles in the economist's argument? | [
"The first is an observation for which the second provides an explanation; the second is the main conclusion but not the only conclusion.",
"The first is the only conclusion; the second provides an explanation for the first.",
"The first is a conclusion for which support is provided, and which in turn supports ... | 3 | train_3189 |
Lucy, the skeleton of a female hominin species, was discovered in 1974 in Africa. Scientists think the skeleton is about 3. 2 million years old. For six years, Lucy' s remains were part of an exhibition called Lucy' s Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia. However, there was much opposition to the exhibition for fea... | Which of the following would be used in opposition to the passage? | [
"Lucy's fossils, if they are kept in exhibition for too long, are certainly at risk for damage. Even if you can't see it with the naked eye, the constant handling of fossils will cause wear and tear that time could never recover.",
"Some scientists think that Lucy died from falling out of a tree, although they ar... | 2 | train_3190 |
Forest fires destroy thousand of acres of land in this country every year. Careless campers who do not properly extinguish their campfires cause many of the forest fires. Unless something is done to cut down on the number of campers in this nation' s forests, we will face a day when there will be no forests remaining i... | The argument depends on the assumption that | [
"that forest will not regenerate after forest fires",
"forests are vital to this nation's environmental survival",
"that national parks are not beneficial to this nation",
"there are no other causes of forest fires"
] | 0 | train_3191 |
A new silencing device for domestic appliances operates by producing sound waves that cancel out the sound waves produced by the appliance. The device, unlike conventional silencers, actively eliminates the noise the appliance makes, and for that reason vacuum cleaners designed to incorporate the new device will operat... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain why the new silencing device will make lower electricity consumption possible? | [
"Governmental standards for such domestic appliances as vacuum cleaners allow higher electricity consumption when vacuum cleaners are quieter.",
"The need to incorporate silencers in conventional vacuum cleaners makes them heavier and less mobile than they might otherwise be.",
"Designers of vacuum cleaner moto... | 2 | train_3192 |
Marta: There have been complaints about the lack of recreational areas in our city. Some people favor turning the old railway land into walking trails, but there may be more productive ways of using that land. Arthur: But the old railway land is ideal for walking trails. Our citizens have gone too long with inadequate ... | Arthur's criticism suggests that he interpreted Marta to be | [
"asserting that it may not be possible to convert the old railway land into adequate walking trails",
"assuming that the complaints concerning a shortage of recreational areas are ill founded",
"recommending that the proposal for converting the old railway land into walking trails should be promptly dismissed",... | 2 | train_3193 |
As a result of modern medicine, more people have been able to enjoy long and pain-free lives. But the resulting increase in life expectancy has contributed to a steady increase in the proportion of the population that is of advanced age. This population shift is creating potentially devastating financial problems for s... | Which one of the following propositions is most precisely exemplified by the situation presented above? | [
"All social institutions are affected by a preoccupation with prolonging life.",
"Implementing technological innovations should be delayed until the resulting social changes can be managed.",
"Solving one set of problems can create a different set of problems.",
"Technical or scientific innovation cannot be t... | 2 | train_3194 |
Extinction is the way of nature. Scientists estimate that over half of the species that have ever come into existence on this planet were already extinct before humans developed even the most primitive of tools. This constant natural process of species emergence and extinction, however, is ignored by those who wish to ... | Which one of the following identifies a reasoning error in the passage? | [
"The author provides no specific evidence that the species that have become extinct in modern times are the same species that would have become extinct in the absence of human technology.",
"The author ignores the fact that some species that are not yet extinct are in danger of extinction.",
"The author fails t... | 0 | train_3195 |
In 1960' s studies of rats, scientists found that crowding increases the number of attacks among the animals significantly. But in recent experiments in which rhesus monkeys were placed in crowded conditions, although there was an increase in instances of "coping" behavior-such as submissive gestures and avoidance of d... | Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Rhesus monkeys respond with aggression to a wider range of stimuli than any other monkeys do.",
"Some of the coping behavior displayed by rhesus monkeys is similar to behavior rhesus monkeys use to bring to an end an attack that has begun.",
"All the observed forms of coping behavior can be found among rhesus ... | 0 | train_3196 |
Humanitarian considerations aside, sheer economics dictates that country X should institute, as country Y has done, a nationwide system of air and ground transportation for conveying seriously injured persons to specialized trauma centers. Timely access to the kind of medical care that only specialized centers can prov... | The argument depends on the assumption that | [
"there would be a net increase in employment in country X if more persons survived serious injury",
"the treatment of seriously injured persons in trauma centers is not more costly than treatment elsewhere",
"there are no specialized trauma centers in country X at present",
"most people seriously injured in a... | 0 | train_3197 |
If I borrow a generator from a neighbor, then I am morally obligated to return it when my immediate need for it is over. But suppose, instead, I borrow a car, and when I go to return it, the neighbor from whom I borrowed it is very drunk and wants to drive the car; then the obligation to return the car immediately is m... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the argument? | [
"There is an obligation to refrain from acting in a manner that could result in harm to people, and this obligation overrides lesser obligations when they conflict with it.",
"Though some cases may seem to be exceptions, the rule that one ought to return to others what one borrowed from them is an exceptionless r... | 3 | train_3198 |
Oscar: Clearly, student evaluations provide the best assessment of teacher performance. Who is in a better position to judge a teacher than that teacher ' s students? Bettina: Student evaluations of teachers are usually conducted at the end of a class. However, students generally fail to appreciate the impact of a teac... | The dialogue provides the most support for the claim that Oscar and Bettina disagree over whether | [
"student evaluations furnish the optimal assessment of teacher performance",
"students are ever capable of adequately judging a teacher's performance",
"student evaluations are usually conducted at the end of a class",
"teacher performance should be assessed without conducting any student evaluations"
] | 0 | train_3199 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.