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More and more computer programs that provide solutions to mathematical problems in engineering are being produced, and it is thus increasingly unnecessary for practicing engineers to have a thorough understanding of fundamental mathematical principles. Consequently, in training engineers who will work in industry, less... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument given for the recommendation above? | [
"The engineering curriculum already requires that engineering students be familiar with and able to use a variety of computer programs.",
"Development of composites and other such new materials has meant that the curriculum for engineers who will work in industry must allow time for teaching the properties of the... | 3 | train_3300 |
Farmer: A report has just been released that criticizes our corn, alleging that the genetically-modified seed we use is harmful to consumers. However, the report was commissioned by our main competition -- a large-scale corporate farm. The conflict of interest is so obvious that consumers can continue to eat our corn w... | Which one of the following best explains why the farmer's argument is vulnerable to criticism? | [
"The farmer fails to elaborate on the corporate farm's conflict of interest.",
"The farmer draws a conclusion without considering alternative motivations for the commissioning the report by the corporate farm.",
"The farmer wrongly assumes that a conflict of interest automatically negates the validity of the re... | 2 | train_3301 |
In the decade from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, large corporations were rocked by mergers, re-engineering, and downsizing. These events significantly undermined employees' job security. Surprisingly, however, employees' perception of their own job security hardly changed over that period. Fifty-eight percent of empl... | Each of the following contributes to an explanation of the surprising survey results described above EXCEPT: | [
"The corporate downsizing that took place during this period had been widely anticipated for several years before the mid-1980s.",
"A large number of the people in both surveys work in small companies that were not affected by mergers, re-engineering, and downsizing.",
"In the mid-1 990s, people were generally ... | 3 | train_3302 |
Board member: The J Foundation, a philanthropic organization, gave you this grant on the condition that your resulting work not contain any material detrimental to the J Foundation' s reputation. But your resulting work never mentions any of the laudable achievements of our foundation. Hence your work fails to meet the... | The reasoning in the board member's argument is vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"presumes, without providing justification, that a work that does not mention a foundation's laudable achievements is harmful to that foundation's reputation",
"fails to consider the possibility that the work that was produced with the aid of the grant may have met all conditions other than avoiding detriment to ... | 0 | train_3303 |
Hospital Administrator: The majority of HealthWize Hospital' s income currently comes from three main insurance companies. <b> In order to diversify its sources of income, the hospital will develop its outpatient services to provide clients with the opportunity to visit a nutritionist, a gym, and/or a masseuse on the h... | In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first presents a plan, one of whose consequences is debated in the argument; the second is the speaker's conclusion about this consequence.",
"The first presents a plan that has significantly more disadvantages than advantages; the second describes a benefit of this plan.",
"The first presents a plan that ... | 0 | train_3304 |
The great medieval universities had no administrators, yet they endured for centuries. Our university has a huge administrative staff, and we are in serious financial difficulties. Ttherefore, we should abolish the positions and salaries of the administrators to ensure the longevity of the university. | Which one of the following arguments contains flawed reasoning that most closely parallels the flawed reasoning in the argument above? | [
"A bicycle should not be ridden without a helmet. Since a good helmet can save the rider's life, a helmet should be considered the most important piece of bicycling equipment.",
"No airplane had jet engines before 1940, yet airplanes had been flying since 1903. Ttherefore, jet engines are not necessary for the op... | 3 | train_3305 |
Springfield Fire Commissioner: the vast majority of false fire alarms are prank calls made anonymously from fire alarm boxes on street corners. Since virtually everyone has access to a private telephone, these alarm boxes have outlived their usefulness. Ttherefore, we propose to remove the boxes. Removing the boxes wil... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the claim that the proposal, if carried out, will have the announced effect? | [
"The fire department traces all alarm calls made from private telephones and records where they came from.",
"A telephone call can provide the fire department with more information about the nature and size of a fire than can an alarm placed from an alarm box.",
"Maintaining the fire alarm boxes costs Springfie... | 0 | train_3306 |
The hospital at university X has one of the top-rated cancer treatment centers in the nation. In fact, the hospital at university X has earned a top five rating from every cancer association in the country. Dr. Gould is a physician who exclusively specializes in psychiatry, so Dr. Gould obviously cannot work at the hos... | The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument | [
"fails to see that physicians can practice medicine outside a hospital setting",
"finds one unrepresentative sample of a class and concludes that this unrepresentative sample is, in fact, representative",
"assumes that members of a class have each individually earned the success of the group",
"maintains that... | 3 | train_3307 |
Auditor: XYZ, a construction company, purchased 20 new trucks 3 years ago, and there is no record of any of those trucks being sold last year. Records indicate, however, that XYZ sold off all of its diesel-powered trucks last year. We can thus conclude that none of the 20 trucks purchased 3 years ago were diesel powere... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the auditor's reasoning? | [
"All of the trucks that XYZ sold last year were diesel powered.",
"None of the 20 trucks was sold before last year.",
"XYZ did not purchase any used trucks 3 years ago.",
"XYZ no longer owns any trucks that it purchased more than 3 years ago."
] | 1 | train_3308 |
A certain retailer promotes merchandise by using the following policy: At all times there is either a "manager' s sale" or a "holiday sale" or both going on. All sales are run for exactly one calendar month. In any given month, if a manager wishes to clear out a particular line of merchandise, then a manager' s sale is... | Which one of the following can be concluded from the passage? | [
"If there is not a manager's sale being run in some month, then there is a holiday sale being run in that month.",
"If a holiday sale is not being run, then it is the month of August.",
"If there is no excess merchandise in the warehouse, then it is the month of August.",
"If a manager's sale is being run in ... | 0 | train_3309 |
Editorialist: To ensure justice in the legal system, citizens must be capable of criticizing anyone involved in determining the punishment of criminals. But when the legal system' s purpose is seen as deterrence, the system falls into the hands of experts whose specialty is to assess how potential lawbreakers are affec... | The editorialist's argument requires assuming which one of the following? | [
"In order to be just, a legal system must consider the effect that punishment will have on individual criminals.",
"Citizens without knowledge about how the legal system's punishments affect potential lawbreakers are incapable of criticizing experts in that area.",
"The primary concern in a legal system is to a... | 1 | train_3310 |
The CFO attributes our increased sales last year to the new markets in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, <b> a careful study of our revenue reveals a boom of sales in Southeast Asia, </b> while the markets in Eastern Europe, after an early surge, settled at levels much lower than expected. After all, in Eastern Europe, our... | In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first provides evidence to support the conclusion; the second is that conclusion.",
"The first is evidence that has been used to support an alternate conclusion that the author challenges; the second is this alternate conclusion",
"The first is evidence that has been used to support a conclusion the argume... | 0 | train_3311 |
Scientific research will be properly channeled whenever those who decide which research to fund give due weight to the scientific merits of all proposed research. But when government agencies control these funding decisions, political considerations play a major role in determining which research will be funded, and wh... | Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above? | [
"When scientific research is not properly channeled, governments tend to step in and take control of the process of choosing which research to fund.",
"There is no proper role for political considerations to play in determining who will decide which scientific research to fund.",
"Giving political consideration... | 2 | train_3312 |
Early in the development of a new product line, the critical resource is talent. New marketing ventures require a degree of managerial skill disproportionate to their short-term revenue prospects. Usually, however, talented managers are assigned only to established high-revenue product lines and, as a result, most new ... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the author's argument? | [
"For most established companies, the development of new product lines is a relatively small part of the company's total expenditure.",
"Early short-term revenue prospects of a new product line are usually a good predictor of how successful a product line will ultimately be.",
"The current revenue and profitabil... | 2 | train_3313 |
The new heart scans offer patients significant benefits. They can be completed in a fraction of the time required for an angiogram, with no recovery time necessary. Furthermore, the scans are more sensitive and can identify problem areas that an angiogram might not perceive. However, heart scans use more radiation than... | Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the statements above? | [
"Angiograms are more widely used than heart scans.",
"Patients should not be concerned about heart abnormalities that appear in a heart scan.",
"A heart scan could result in indirect harm by causing a patient to undergo unnecessary procedures.",
"A heart scan is the more appropriate of the two procedures for ... | 2 | train_3314 |
Tires may be either underinflated, overinflated, or neither. We are pretty safe in assuming that underinflation or overinflation of tires harms their tread. After all, no one has been able to show that these do not harm tire tread. | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the argument's reasoning? | [
"The argument assumes what it is attempting to demonstrate.",
"The argument fails to precisely define the terms \"underinflation\"and \"overinflation. \"",
"The argument rejects the possibility that what has not been proven is nevertheless true.",
"The argument overlooks that what is not in principle suscepti... | 2 | train_3315 |
Politician: The level of violence in the United States is higher than that in every other industrialized country. Some people attribute this entirely to a lenient judicial system, but this cannot be right, for the judicial systems in many other industrialized countries are just as lenient. | The politician's argument attempts to undermine the explanation by | [
"showing that the explanation relies on a misguided notion of the purpose of judicial systems",
"presenting evidence that contradicts an assumption that the explanation relies on",
"providing an alternative explanation",
"arguing that the purported fact it is intended to explain is actually untrue"
] | 1 | train_3316 |
Lawyer: Did Congleton assign the best available graphic artist to the project? Witness: Yes. Lawyer: And the best writer? Witness: Yes. Lawyer: In fact everyone she assigned to work on the project was top notch? Witness: That' s true. | Lawyer: So, you lied to the court when you said, earlier, that Congleton wanted the project to fail? Each of the following accurately describes a flaw in the lawyer's reasoning displayed above EXCEPT: | [
"It takes for granted that Congleton was not forced to assign the people she did to the project.",
"It ignores the possibility that the witness failed to infer from known facts what should have been inferred and ttherefore was not lying.",
"It takes for granted that the project could fail only if Congleton want... | 2 | train_3317 |
Art Historian: Recently, computer analysis has revealed that a few of a famous Flemish artist's works are forgeries, and are actually the work of noted forger Elmyr de Hory. While such a development may emit violent reverberations through the art world, even those museums that have a wealth of the Flemish artists in th... | Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the art historian's conclusion? | [
"Some of the works upon which the Flemish artist's standing rests were identified by the computer analysis to be the work of de Hory.",
"Though few in the art world dispute the outcome of the computer analysis of the Flemish artist's work, many contend that the identified forgeries are not the work of Elmyr de Ho... | 0 | train_3318 |
The news exclusively covers important current events. Reality television stars are never covered on the news, except when they become pregnant. | Which one of the following must be true? | [
"Some pregnancies are important current events.",
"The news always covers pregnancies.",
"Reality television stars never qualify as an important current event.",
"All pregnancies are important current events."
] | 0 | train_3319 |
Studies conducted by consumer safety advocates have shown that all-wheel drive reduces the risk of automobile accidents. But a study by the National Automobile Insurers Associations claims that vehicles equipped with all-wheel drive are more likely to be involved in accidents than vehicles that do not have all-wheel dr... | Which one of the following, if true, does the most to resolve the apparent paradox? | [
"Owners of vehicles with all-wheel drive usually drive in more congested areas where more accidents occur.",
"All-wheel drive is a feature only available on newer model vehicles.",
"All-wheel drive vehicles are stolen at a higher rate than non-all-wheel drive vehicles.",
"Owners of all-wheel drive vehicles te... | 0 | train_3320 |
A worldwide ban on the production of certain ozone-destroying chemicals would provide only an illusion of protection. Quantities of such chemicals, already produced, exist as coolants in millions of refrigerators. When they reach the ozone layer in the atmosphere, their action cannot be halted. So there is no way to pr... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above? | [
"The coolants in refrigerators can be fully recovered at the end of the useful life of the refrigerators and reused.",
"In modern societies, refrigeration of food is necessary to prevent unhealthy and potentially life-threatening conditions.",
"Even if people should give up the use of refrigeration, the coolant... | 0 | train_3321 |
Activities that pose risks to life are acceptable if and only if each person who bears the risks either gains some net benefit that cannot be had without such risks, or bears the risks voluntarily. | Which one of the following judgments most closely conforms to the principle above? | [
"Motor vehicles are allowed to emit certain low levels of pollution; the resulting health risks are acceptable because all users of motor vehicles share the resulting benefit of inexpensive, convenient travel.",
"A motorcyclist rides without a helmet; the risk of fatal injury to the motorcyclist thus incurred is ... | 1 | train_3322 |
Because no employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes of a superior, information about serious problems at lower levels is progressively softened and distorted as it goes up each step in the management hierarchy. The chief executive is, ttherefore, less well informed about problems at lower levels than a... | The conclusion drawn above is based on the assumption that | [
"problems should be solved at the level in the management hierarchy at which they occur",
"problem-solving ability is more important at higher levels than it is at lower levels of the management hierarchy",
"chief executives obtain information about problems at lower levels from no source other than their subor... | 2 | train_3323 |
Principle: One should criticize the works or actions of another person only if the criticism will not seriously harm the person criticized and one does so in the hope or expectation of benefiting someone other than oneself. Application: Jarrett should not have criticized Ostertag' s essay in front of the class, since t... | Which one of the following, if true, justifies the above application of the principle? | [
"Jarrett knew that the criticism might antagonize Ostertag.",
"Jarrett hoped to gain prestige by criticizing Ostertag.",
"Jarrett did not expect the criticism to be to Ostertag's benefit.",
"Jarrett knew that the defects in the essay were so obvious that pointing them out would benefit no one."
] | 3 | train_3324 |
Commentator: Many people argue that the release of chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere is harming humans by damaging the ozone layer, thus allowing increased amounts of ultraviolet radiation to reach Earth. But 300, 000 years ago a supernova greatly damaged the ozone layer, with no significant effect on our earlies... | Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the commentator's argument? | [
"The ozone layer regenerates at a slow rate, barring counteractive processes.",
"Our earliest ancestors possessed genetic characteristics making them more resistant than we are to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.",
"Scientists have discovered that genetic changes occurred in our ancestors during th... | 1 | train_3325 |
For democracy to survive, it is imperative that the average citizen be able to develop informed opinions about important policy issues. In today' s society, this means that citizens must be able to develop informed opinions on many scientific subjects, from ecosystems to defense systems. Yet, as scientific knowledge ad... | Of the following, which one follows logically from the passage? | [
"The survival of democracy is threatened by the advance of scientific knowledge.",
"Every citizen has a duty to and can become scientifically literate.",
"The most effective democracy is one that is the most scientifically unsophisticated.",
"Democracy will survive if there are at least some citizens who are ... | 0 | train_3326 |
Wu: Jurgens is dishonest and so should not be elected mayor. Miller: I disagree with your conclusion. Jurgens should be elected mayor. Honest people usually are not tough enough to run a city. | Miller's questionable reasoning in which one of the following dialogues is most closely parallel to Miller's questionable reasoning in the dialogue above? | [
"Wu: We should not paint the office this shade of yellow. It's too bright. Miller: Yes, we should. Bright colors keep people feeling wide awake.",
"Wu: Bailey should not be the company spokesperson. He is too aggressive. Miller: Yes, he should. Aggressive people generally do not get pushed around.",
"Wu: We sho... | 2 | train_3327 |
Herbalist: Many of my customers find that their physical coordination improves after drinking juice containing certain herbs. A few doctors assert that the herbs are potentially harmful, but doctors are always trying to maintain a monopoly over medical therapies. So there is no reason not to try my herb juice. | The reasoning in the herbalist's argument is flawed because the argument | [
"rejects a claim by attacking the proponents of the claim rather than addressing the claim itself",
"relies on evidence presented in terms that presuppose the truth of the claim for which the evidence is offered",
"bases a conclusion on claims that are inconsistent with each other",
"attempts to force accepta... | 0 | train_3328 |
Susan: Many rare plants have provided cures for various diseases. Since many plants have been lost to extinction, it is likely that there could have been cures for many more diseases. That is why it is important for us to manage our resources responsibly and prevent plant extinction. Robert: But plants are not our reso... | Which one of the following is an issue about which Susan and Robert disagree? | [
"whether humans should prevent plant extinction",
"whether animals should be prevented from extinction",
"whether plants should be treated humanely",
"whether humans should exploit plants for human benefit"
] | 3 | train_3329 |
Plant Manager: We could greatly reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide our copper-smelting plant releases into the atmosphere by using a new process. The new process requires replacing our open furnaces with closed ones and moving the copper from one furnace to the next in solid, not molten, form. However, not only is the... | The point about which the supervisor expresses disagreement with the plant manager is | [
"whether the new copper-smelting process releases less sulfur dioxide gas into the atmosphere than the current process",
"whether the new process should be adopted in the copper-smelting plant",
"whether the new copper-smelting process is more expensive to run than the current process",
"whether closed copper... | 2 | train_3330 |
People who have political power tend to see new technologies as a means of extending or protecting their power, whereas they generally see new ethical arguments and ideas as a threat to it. Ttherefore, technical ingenuity usually brings benefits to those who have this ingenuity, whereas ethical inventiveness brings onl... | Which one of the following statements, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Ethical inventiveness and technical ingenuity are never possessed by the same individuals.",
"Many people who possess ethical inventiveness conceal their novel ethical arguments for fear of retribution by the politically powerful.",
"New technologies are often used by people who strive to defeat those who curr... | 3 | train_3331 |
Columnist: Donating items to charity may be a sign of generosity, but any generosity it may demonstrate is rarely a permanent virtue, since most donors make donations only intermittently. | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the columnist's argument? | [
"The argument takes for granted that a character trait is present only when manifested.",
"The argument attacks the character of those whose values are different from those of the columnist.",
"The argument takes for granted that most people donate out of generosity.",
"The argument generalizes from too small... | 0 | train_3332 |
Mario: The field of cognitive science is not a genuinely autonomous discipline since it addresses issues also addressed by the disciplines of computer science, linguistics, and psychology. A genuinely autonomous discipline has a domain of inquiry all its own. Lucy: Nonsense. You' ve always acknowledged that philosophy ... | Lucy responds to Mario by | [
"establishing that Mario is not a philosopher",
"questioning Mario's expertise in cognitive science",
"showing that some of Mario's beliefs are not compatible with the principle on which he bases his conclusion",
"demonstrating that Mario confuses the notion of a field of study with that of a genuinely autono... | 2 | train_3333 |
Because of the threat of medical malpractice suits, many physicians are subjecting their patients to unnecessary medical testing. Physicians want to be able to explain their actions if anything goes wrong, and they want to be able to show that they tried everything to properly diagnose and treat an ailment. It is diffi... | Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument in the passage? | [
"Many diseases, if they are not caught early, can cause death.",
"Under pressure from the medical malpractice insurers, many doctors have raised their fees.",
"Most insurance companies subsidize the additional expense associated with unnecessary medical tests.",
"Patients are unable to determine what is the a... | 0 | train_3334 |
If future improvements to computer simulations of automobile crashes enable computers to provide as much reliable information about the effectiveness of automobile safety features as is provided by actual test crashes, then manufacturers will use far fewer actual test crashes. For the costs of designing and running com... | Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument? | [
"The cost per automobile of testing and designing safety features is decreasing and will continue to decrease for the foreseeable future.",
"If computer simulations will soon be able to provide more information about the effectiveness of automobile safety features, automobile manufacturers will soon be able to pr... | 3 | train_3335 |
Jones fell unconscious on the job and it was suspected that he had swallowed a certain chemical, so he was rushed to the local hospital' s emergency room. In making her diagnosis, the emergency-room physician knew that if Jones had swallowed the chemical, a deficiency in the content of a mineral in his blood would resu... | Which one of the following, if true, would undermine the physician's conclusion? | [
"It takes 48 hours for the chemical to bring about deficiency of the mineral in the blood.",
"Deficiency in minerals other than the mineral in question can cause inflammation of the skin.",
"Jones did not know that the chemical was dangerous.",
"Jones had suffered inflammation of the skin in the past."
] | 0 | train_3336 |
Sarah: Some schools seek to foster a habit of volunteering in their students by requiring them to perform community service. But since a person who has been forced to do something has not really volunteered and since the habit of volunteering cannot be said to have been fostered in a person who has not yet volunteered ... | Paul responds to Sarah's argument using which one of the following argumentative techniques? | [
"He introduces considerations that call into question one of Sarah's assumptions.",
"He argues that Sarah's conception of what it means to volunteer excludes certain activities that ought to be considered instances of volunteering.",
"He argues that a policy Sarah fails to consider could accomplish the same aim... | 0 | train_3337 |
According to a study concerning environmental economics, any manufacturer that offers an environmentally sound lawnmower, such as a manual push mower, will almost certainly reap a huge profit because consumers say that they want a mower that requires neither gasoline nor electricity. A spokesman for the trade associati... | Which of the following, if true, would best support the claim made by the spokesperson? | [
"Most people mow their lawns less often then professionals recommend.",
"More people refuse to purchase electric lawnmowers than gasoline lawnmowers.",
"The last manufacturer of manual push lawnmowers just declared bankruptcy because of declining profits.",
"A majority of the public believes that the price of... | 2 | train_3338 |
Healthy lungs produce a natural antibiotic that protects them from infection by routinely killing harmful bacteria on airway surfaces. People with cystic fibrosis, however, are unable to fight off such bacteria, even though their lungs produce normal amounts of the antibiotic. The fluid on airway surfaces in the lungs ... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the scientists' hypothesis? | [
"When the salt concentration of the fluid on the airway surfaces of healthy people is raised artificially, the salt concentration soon returns to normal.",
"A sample of the antibiotic was capable of killing bacteria in an environment with an unusually low concentration of salt.",
"When lung tissue from people w... | 2 | train_3339 |
The Japanese haiku is defined as a poem of three lines with five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, and five syllables in the third line. English poets tend to ignore this fact. Disregarding syllable count, they generally call any three-line English poem with a "haiku feel" a haiku. This d... | The reasoning is flawed because it | [
"draws a conclusion that is broader in scope than is warranted by the evidence advanced",
"overlooks the possibility that the case it cites is not unique",
"relies on stereotypes instead of presenting evidence",
"fails to acknowledge that ignoring something implies a negative judgment about that thing"
] | 0 | train_3340 |
Joe: All vampire stories are based on an absurd set of premises. Since, according to such stories, every victim of a vampire becomes a vampire, and vampires have existed since ancient times and are immortal, vampires would by now have almost completely eliminated their prey. Maria: In most of the vampire stories I am f... | Joe and Maria disagree over the truth of which one of the following? | [
"In all vampire stories, every victim of a vampire becomes a vampire.",
"Vampires are always depicted in vampire stories as having existed since ancient times.",
"No vampire stories are incoherent.",
"Vampires are always depicted in vampire stories as immortal."
] | 0 | train_3341 |
Astronomer: Proponents of the hypothesis that life evolved extraterrestrially and drifted here in spores point out that, 3. 8 billion years ago, Earth was bombarded by meteorites that would have destroyed any life already here. Yet 3. 5 billion years ago, Earth had life forms complex enough to leave fossil remains. Suc... | The reasoning in the astronomer's argument is flawed because the argument | [
"attempts to derive a conclusion from premises that contradict it",
"concludes, simply because there is no evidence in favor of a hypothesis, that there is evidence against that hypothesis",
"grants the truth of claims that are made by the advocates of the hypothesis but that do nothing to strengthen the astron... | 1 | train_3342 |
City leader: If our city adopts the new tourism plan, the amount of money that tourists spend here annually will increase by at least $2 billion, creating as many jobs as a new automobile manufacturing plant would. It would be reasonable for the city to spend the amount of money necessary to convince an automobile manu... | The city leader's statements, if true, provide the most support for which one of the following? | [
"It would be reasonable for the city to adopt the new tourism plan.",
"In general, it is reasonable for the city to spend money to try to convince manufacturing companies to build plants in the city.",
"The city should implement the least expensive job creation measures available.",
"The only way the city can... | 0 | train_3343 |
Numismatist: In medieval Spain, most gold coins were minted from gold mined in West Africa, in the area that is now Senegal. The gold mined in this region was the purest known. Its gold content of 92 percent allowed coins to be minted without refining the gold, and indeed coins minted from this source of gold can be re... | Which one of the following inferences about gold coins minted in medieval Spain is most strongly supported by the information the numismatist gives? | [
"No gold coins were minted that had a gold content of less than 92 percent.",
"Two coins could have the same monetary value even though they differed from each other in the percentage of gold they contained.",
"The only unrefined gold from which coins could be minted was Senegalese gold.",
"The source of some... | 3 | train_3344 |
If one has evidence that an act will benefit other people and performs that act to benefit them, then one will generally succeed in benefiting them. | Which one of the following best illustrates the proposition above? | [
"Zachary hoped that psychotherapy could help his parents overcome their marital difficulties. He persuaded his parents to call a psychotherapist, and eventually their problems were resolved.",
"Betsy overheard a heating contractor say that regularly changing the filter in a furnace helps to keep the furnace effic... | 1 | train_3345 |
Questions have arisen regarding the accuracy of the reports the university' s archaeological museum issues on its sales and acquisitions for the year. To forestall controversy, this year' s report is being reviewed by three archaeologists from other universities. Since these archaeologists will be given full access to ... | The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument | [
"does not describe what will occur if the reviewers discover discrepancies between the report and the documents on which it was based",
"omits any mention of whether the museum's collection is on display or is available only to researchers",
"ignores the possibility that there might have been some sales or acqu... | 2 | train_3346 |
James: Chemists have recently invented a new technique for extracting rhodium, an element necessary for manufacturing catalytic converters for automobiles, from nuclear waste. Catalytic converters function to remove noxious gases from automobile exhaust. The use of nuclear power is ttherefore contributing in at least o... | Marta responds to James's argument by | [
"pointing out a fact that James, in drawing his conclusion, did not take into account",
"indicating that James is assuming the truth of the conclusion that he intends to establish",
"casting doubt on the accuracy of the claims made by James in support of his conclusion",
"questioning the credibility of advoca... | 0 | train_3347 |
Some species of Arctic birds are threatened by recent sharp increases in the population of snow geese, which breed in the Arctic and are displacing birds of less vigorous species. Although snow geese are a popular quarry for hunters in the southern regions where they winter, the hunting season ends if and when hunting ... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the argument? | [
"It has been many years since the restriction led to the hunting season for snow geese being closed earlier than the scheduled date.",
"As their population has increased, snow geese have recolonized wintering grounds that they had not used for several seasons.",
"The number of snow geese taken by hunters each y... | 0 | train_3348 |
Previously, Autoco designed all of its cars itself and then contracted with specialized parts suppliers to build parts according to its specifications. Now it plans to include its suppliers in designing the parts they are to build. Since many parts suppliers have more designers with specialized experience than Autoco h... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports Autoco's expectation? | [
"When suppliers provide their own designs, Autoco often needs to modify its overall design.",
"When suppliers built parts according to specifications provided by Autoco, the suppliers competed to win contracts.",
"In order to provide designs for Autoco, several of the parts suppliers will have to add to their e... | 3 | train_3349 |
Problem: The Thimble Corporation recently distributed rebate coupons for one of its products. Some of the coupons bore an expiration date that was too early. This created an unfair situation in which some customers believed, incorrectly, that the rebate offer had already expired. Principle: Anyone who creates an unfair... | The principle, if valid, most helps to justify which one of the following judgments concerning the problem? | [
"Because it cannot identify all of the customers who were adversely affected by the incorrect expiration date, the Thimble Corporation should deny the rebate to all of the customers who applied for it.",
"If a customer did not rely on an incorrect expiration date when applying for the rebate but was denied the re... | 2 | train_3350 |
Theories generated by scientific research were used to develop several products that, although useful, damage the environment severely. The scientists who conducted the research, however, should not be held responsible for that damage, since they merely generated the theories and could neither foresee nor restrict the ... | Which one of the following principles, if established, justifies the conclusion above? | [
"Individuals should be held responsible for the foreseeable undesirable consequences of the activities that they perform and receive credit for the foreseeable desirable consequences of those activities.",
"Individuals who perform an activity should not be held responsible for any unforeseen undesirable consequen... | 1 | train_3351 |
Robust crops not only withstand insect attacks more successfully than other crops, they are also less likely to be attacked in the first place, since insects tend to feed on weaker plants. Killing insects with pesticides does not address the underlying problem of inherent vulnerability to damage caused by insect attack... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"The application of pesticides to weak crops fails to reduce the extent to which they are damaged by insect pests.",
"Growing crops without the use of pesticides generally produces less robust plants than when pesticides are used.",
"Crops that are grown in good soil tend to be more robust than other crops.",
... | 2 | train_3352 |
Asa general rule, the larger a social group of primates, the more time its members spend grooming one another. The main purpose of this social grooming is the maintenance of social cohesion. Furthermore, group size among primates tends to increase proportionally with the size of the neocortex, the seat of higher though... | Which one of the following, if true, would do most to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above? | [
"Many types of primates other than humans have fairly large neocortex regions and display frequent social grooming.",
"Early humans were not as extensively covered with hair as are other primates, and consequently they had less need for social grooming.",
"While early humans probably lived in large groups, ther... | 3 | train_3353 |
It is difficult to grow cacti in a humid climate. It is difficult to raise orange trees in a cold climate. In most parts of a certain country, it is either easy to grow cacti or easy to raise orange trees. | If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be false? | [
"Most of the country is hot.",
"It is not possible to raise cacti in the country.",
"Half of the country is both humid and cold.",
"Most parts of the country are humid."
] | 2 | train_3354 |
A new device uses the global positioning system to determine a cow' s location and, when a cow strays outside of its pasture, makes noises in the cow' s ears to steer it back to its home range. Outfitting all of the cattle in a herd with this device is far more expensive than other means of keeping cattle in their past... | Which one of the following, if true, does the most to support the prediction made by the device's maker? | [
"The device has been shown to be as effective as fences at keeping cattle in their pastures.",
"The price of the device will come down appreciably if the device's maker is able to produce it in large quantities.",
"The device has been shown not to cause significant stress to cattle.",
"As they graze, cattle i... | 3 | train_3355 |
Scientists have made genetic modifications to cotton to increase its resistance to insect pests. According to farmers' report, the amount of insecticide needed per acre to control insect pests was only slightly lower for those who tried the modified seed than for those who did not. Ttherefore, since the modified seed c... | Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument? | [
"Whether the farmers who have tried the modified seed planted as many acres of cotton, on average, as farmers using the ordinary seed did",
"Whether farmers who tried the modified cotton seed had ever tried growing other crops from genetically modified seed",
"Whether the insecticides typically used on ordinary... | 0 | train_3356 |
One child pushed another child from behind, injuring the second child. The first child clearly understands the difference between right and wrong, so what was done was wrong if it was intended to injure the second child. | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument? | [
"It is wrong for a person who understands the difference between right and wrong to intentionally harm another person.",
"An act that harms another person is wrong if the person who did it understands the difference between right and wrong and did not think about whether the act would injure the other person.",
... | 0 | train_3357 |
Economist: On average, the emergency treatment for an elderly person for injuries resulting from a fall costs $11, 000. A new therapeutic program can significantly reduce an elderly person' s chances of falling. Though obviously desirable for many reasons, this treatment program will cost $12, 500 and thus cannot be ju... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the conclusion of the argument? | [
"Falls resulting in serious injuries are less common among elderly people living in nursing homes than they are among elderly people who live alone at home.",
"The new therapeutic program focuses on therapies other than medication, since overmedication can cause disorientation and hence increase the likelihood th... | 3 | train_3358 |
In response to viral infection, the immune systems of mice typically produce antibodies that destroy the virus by binding to proteins on its surface. Mice infected with a herpesvirus generally develop keratitis, a degenerative disease affecting part of the eye. Since proteins on the surface of cells in this part of the... | Which of the following, if true, gives the greatest additional support to the scientists' hypothesis? | [
"Mice that have never been infected with a herpesvirus can sometimes develop keratitis.",
"Mice that are infected with a herpesvirus but do not develop keratitis produce as many antibodies as infected mice that do develop keratitis.",
"Other types of virus have surface proteins that closely resemble proteins fo... | 3 | train_3359 |
Children fall into three groups -- nontasters, regular tasters, and supertasters -- depending on how strongly they experience tastes. Supertasters strongly prefer mild cheddar cheese to sharp, regular tasters weakly prefer mild to sharp, and nontasters show no preference. Also, the more bitter a food tastes, the less c... | Which one of the following, if assumed, enables the conclusion above to be properly inferred? | [
"The age of the child is the most important factor in determining whether that child is a nontaster, a regular taster, or a supertaster.",
"Supertasters like mild cheddar cheese more than do regular tasters.",
"Bitterness is the only factor relevant to how strongly children prefer sharp cheddar cheese to mild c... | 2 | train_3360 |
Gortland has long been narrowly self-sufficient in both grain and meat. However, as per capita income in Gortland has risen toward the world average, per capita consumption of meat has also risen toward the world average, and it takes several pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat. Ttherefore, since per capita in... | Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"The per capita consumption of meat in Gortland is increasing at roughly the same rate across all income levels.",
"The total acreage devoted to grain production in Gortland will soon decrease.",
"Importing either grain or meat will not result in a significantly higher percentage of Gortlanders' incomes being s... | 3 | train_3361 |
Oil company representative: We spent more money on cleaning the otters affected by our recent oil spill than has been spent on any previous marine mammal rescue project. This shows our concern for the environment. Environmentalist: You have no such concern. Your real concern is evident in your admission to the press th... | The environmentalist's conclusion would be properly drawn if it were true that the | [
"oil company's efforts toward cleaning the affected otters have been more successful than have such efforts in previous projects to clean up oil spills",
"oil company cannot have more than one motive for cleaning the otters affected by the oil spill",
"otter population in the area of the oil spill could not hav... | 1 | train_3362 |
Mariah: Joanna has argued that Adam should not judge the essay contest because several of his classmates have entered the contest. However, the essays are not identified by author to the judge and, moreover, none of Adam' s friends are classmates of his. Still, Adam has no experience in critiquing essays. Ttherefore, I... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify Mariah's argument? | [
"A suspicion of bias is insufficient grounds on which to disqualify someone from judging a contest.",
"In selecting a contest judge, fairness concerns should override concern for the appropriate expertise.",
"Expertise should be the primary prerequisite for serving as a contest judge.",
"The ability of a judg... | 2 | train_3363 |
Although fiber-optic telephone cable is more expensive to manufacture than copper telephone cable, a telephone network using fiber-optic cable is less expensive overall than a telephone network using copper cable. This is because copper cable requires frequent amplification of complex electrical signals to carry them f... | The above statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"Signals transmitted through fiber-optic cable travel at the same speed as signals transmitted through copper cable.",
"The cost associated with frequent amplification of signals traveling through copper cable exceeds the extra manufacturing cost of fiber-optic cable.",
"The material from which fiber-optic cabl... | 1 | train_3364 |
People who do regular volunteer work tend to live longer, on average, than people who do not. It has been found that "doing good, " a category that certainly includes volunteer work, releases endorphins, the brain's natural opiates, which induce in people a feeling of well-being. Clearly, there is a connection: Regular... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the force of the evidence given as support for the hypothesis that endorphins promote longevity? | [
"There are many people who have done some volunteer work but who do not do such work regularly.",
"Although extremely high levels of endorphins could be harmful to health, such levels are never reached as a result of the natural release of endorphins.",
"People tend not to become involved in regular volunteer w... | 2 | train_3365 |
Oxygen-18 is a heavier-than-normal isotope of oxygen. In a rain cloud, water molecules containing oxygen-18 are rarer than water molecules containing normal oxygen. But in rainfall, a higher proportion of all water molecules containing oxygen-18 than of all water molecules containing ordinary oxygen descends to earth. ... | Which one of the following statements, if true, best helps to resolve the conflict between scientists' expectations, based on the known behavior of oxygen-18, and the result of their measurements of the rain clouds' oxygen-18 content? | [
"The amount of rainfall over the Amazon rain forests is exactly the same as the amount of rain originally collected in the clouds formed above the Atlantic Ocean.",
"The amount of rain recycled back into the atmosphere from the leaves of forest vegetation is exactly the same as the amount of rain in river runoffs... | 2 | train_3366 |
Swimming pools should be fenced to protect children from drowning, but teaching children to swim is even more important. And there is a principle involved here that applies to childrearing generally. Thus, while we should restrict children' s access to the soft drinks and candies advertised on television shows directed... | Which one of the following most logically completes the passage? | [
"how to creatively entertain themselves without watching television",
"how to make nutritional choices that are conducive to their well-being",
"that television can be a good source of accurate information about many things",
"the importance of physical activity to health and well-being"
] | 1 | train_3367 |
Proofs relying crucially on computers provide less certainty than do proofs not requiring computers. Human cognition alone cannot verify computer-dependent proofs; such proofs can never provide the degree of certainty that attends our judgments concerning, for instance, simple arithmetical facts, which can be verified ... | The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"We can never be completely sure that proofs relying crucially on computers do not contain errors that humans do not detect.",
"It is impossible to supplement the cognitive abilities of humans by means of artificial devices such as computers.",
"If one can corroborate something by human calculation, one can be ... | 0 | train_3368 |
The purpose of a general theory of art is to explain every aesthetic feature that is found in any of the arts. Premodern general theories of art, however, focused primarily on painting and sculpture. Every premodern general theory of art, even those that succeed as theories of painting and sculpture, fails to explain s... | The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"A general theory of art that explains every aesthetic feature of music will achieve its purpose.",
"No premodern general theory of art achieves its purpose unless music is not art.",
"No premodern general theory of art explains any aesthetic features of music that are not shared with painting and sculpture.",
... | 1 | train_3369 |
Some people see no harm in promoting a folk remedy that in fact has no effect. But there is indeed harm: many people who are convinced to use an ineffective remedy continue with it for years rather than pursuing conventional treatments that would almost certainly help them. | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument? | [
"It is harmful to interfere with someone doing something that is likely to benefit that person.",
"To convince people of something for which one knows there is no evidence is to be dishonest.",
"A person is responsible for harm he or she does to someone even if the harm was done unintentionally.",
"One should... | 0 | train_3370 |
Mark: The decongestant drug Zokaz was discontinued by its manufacturer because long-term studies revealed that it increased the risk of heart attack. Qualzan, another decongestant, works by essentially the same physiological mechanism as Zokaz. So Qualzan probably also increases the risk of heart attack. Kathy: The dec... | Which one of the following is a technique of reasoning used in Kathy's response to Mark? | [
"attempting to discredit an argument by comparing it to another obviously flawed argument that is logically parallel",
"arguing against a conclusion by raising questions about the validity of scientific studies cited in support of that conclusion",
"challenging an argument from analogy by focusing on a dissimil... | 2 | train_3371 |
Giordano Bruno, the Renaissance philosopher, must have been a spy for England during the time he served in the French embassy there. English state records show that a spy who foiled at least two assassination plots against Queen Elizabeth of England was in place in the French embassy in London at that time. Since the s... | Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the force of the evidence advanced in the argument? | [
"During Bruno's tenure in the French embassy, a high degree of tension and an atmosphere of mutual suspicion prevailed between France and England.",
"Long before his employment at the embassy, Bruno had been excommunicated from his church and thereafter neither dressed nor functioned as a member of the clergy.",
... | 1 | train_3372 |
Large national budget deficits do not cause large trade deficits. If they did, countries with the largest budget deficits would also have the largest trade deficits. In fact, when deficit figures are adjusted so that different countries are reliably comparable to each other, there is no such correlation. | If the statements above are all true, which of the following can properly be inferred on the basis of them? | [
"Countries with large national budget deficits tend to restrict foreign trade.",
"Reliable comparisons of the deficit figures of one country with those of another are impossible.",
"Reducing a country's national budget deficit will not necessarily result in a lowering of any trade deficit that country may have.... | 2 | train_3373 |
The school principal insisted that student failures are caused by bad teaching. In a relatively short time failing grades disappeared from the school. The principal happily recognized this as evidence that the teaching had improved at the school. | The flawed pattern of reasoning in the above is most similar to that in which one of the following? | [
"The nutritionist insisted that the weight gain that team members complained of was caused by overeating. In a brief time all the members stopped overeating. The nutritionist was pleased to conclude that they had stopped gaining weight.",
"The nutritionist insisted that the weight gain that team members complaine... | 2 | train_3374 |
Consumer advocate: Tropical oils are high in saturated fats, which increase the risk of heart disease. Fortunately, in most prepared food tropical oils can be replaced by healthier alternatives without noticeably affecting taste. Ttherefore, intensive publicity about the disadvantage of tropical oils will be likely to ... | Which one of the following is a point at issue between the nutritionist and the consumer advocate? | [
"whether a diet that regularly includes large quantities of tropical oil can increase the risk of heart disease",
"whether intensive publicity campaigns can be effective as a means of changing people's eating habits",
"whether conducting a publicity campaign that, by focusing on the health hazards of tropical o... | 2 | train_3375 |
Students in a college ethics class were asked to judge whether two magazines had been morally delinquent in publishing a particular classified advertisement that was highly offensive in its demeaning portrayal of some people. They were told only that the first magazine had undertaken to screen all classified advertisem... | Which one of the following principles, if established, provides the strongest justification for the judgment that the first magazine and not the second was morally delinquent? | [
"If two similar agents commit two similar actions, those agents should be held to the same standard of accountability.",
"Failure to uphold a moral standard is not necessarily a moral failing except for those who have specifically committed themselves to upholding that standard.",
"A magazine should not be cons... | 1 | train_3376 |
Principle: A police officer is eligible for a Mayor' s Commendation if the officer has an exemplary record, but not otherwise; an officer eligible for the award who did something this year that exceeded what could be reasonably expected of a police officer should receive the award if the act saved someone' s life. Conc... | From which one of the following sets of facts can the conclusion be properly drawn using the principle? | [
"In saving a child from drowning this year, Franklin and Penn both risked their lives beyond what could be reasonably expected of a police officer. Franklin has an exemplary record but Penn does not.",
"Both Franklin and Penn have exemplary records. On several occasions this year Franklin has saved people's lives... | 0 | train_3377 |
Since there is no survival value in an animal' s having an organ that is able to function when all its other organs have broken down to such a degree that the animal dies, it is a result of the efficiency of natural selection that no organ is likely to evolve in such a way that it greatly outlasts the body' s other org... | Of the following, which one illustrates a principle that is most similar to the principle illustrated by the passage? | [
"One car model produced by an automobile manufacturer has a life expectancy that is so much longer than its other models that its great popularity requires the manufacturer to stop producing some of the other models.",
"A store in a lower-income neighborhood finds that it is unable to sell its higher-priced goods... | 2 | train_3378 |
Efforts to get the public to exercise regularly, which have emphasized the positive health effects of exercise rather than the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, have met with little success. In contrast, efforts to curb cigarette smoking, which have emphasized the dangers of smoking rather than the positive health effe... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies? | [
"The health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle are as great as those associated with smoking.",
"Efforts to curb cigarette smoking would not be more successful if they emphasized the positive health effects of quitting rather than the dangers of smoking.",
"The majority of people who successfully quit ... | 1 | train_3379 |
Studies have shown that photosynthesis, the process by which plants manufacture life-sustaining proteins from sunlight and carbon, is actually intensified if the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increased. Since carbon dioxide levels are increased by the burning of fossil fuels and by other human industrial... | The flawed reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following? | [
"Consistently consuming more calories than one expends inevitably leads to excessive weight gain, so if one wishes to avoid the health problems associated with this condition, one ought to fast periodically.",
"Because a high fiber diet has been shown to be more healthful than a low fiber diet, a diet in which fo... | 3 | train_3380 |
Ethicist: A society is just when, and only when, first, each person has an equal right to basic liberties, and second, inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth are not tolerated unless these inequalities are to everyone' s advantage and are attached to jobs open to everyone. | Which one of the following judgments most closely conforms to the principle described above? | [
"Society S allows inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth, although everyone benefits, and these inequalities are attached to jobs that are open to everyone. Thus, society S is just.",
"Society S guarantees everyone an equal right to basic liberties, while allowing inequalities in the distribution o... | 2 | train_3381 |
Moralist: TV talk shows are contributing to the moral decline in our country. By constantly being shown the least moral people in our society, viewers begin to think that such people are the norm, and that there is something wrong with being morally upright. TV talk show host: Well, if there is such a decline, it' s no... | The moralist's and the TV talk show host's statements provide the most support for holding that they disagree about whether | [
"TV talk shows should be censored",
"people's moral standards have changed",
"it is wrong not to let the viewers decide what they want to see",
"TV talk shows, by presenting immoral guests, are causing a moral decline"
] | 3 | train_3382 |
Historian: The early Egyptian pharaohs spent as much wealth on largely ceremonial and hugely impressive architecture as they did on roads and irrigation systems. This was not mere frivolousness, however, for if people under a pharaoh' s rule could be made to realize the extent of their ruler' s mastery of the physical ... | The claim that early Egyptian expenditure on largely ceremonial architecture was not frivolous plays which one of the following roles in the historian's argument? | [
"It is a conclusion purportedly justified by the argument's appeal to the psychological effects of these structures on the Egyptian population.",
"It is a premise given in support of the claim that the loyalty of people under a pharaoh's rule was maintained over time without reliance on military force.",
"It is... | 0 | train_3383 |
Most successful entrepreneurs work at least 18 hours a day, and no one who works at least 18 hours a day has time for leisure activities. But all happy entrepreneurs have time for leisure activities. | If the statements above are true, each of the following could be true EXCEPT: | [
"Some entrepreneurs who work at least 18 hours a day are happy.",
"Some entrepreneurs who work at least 18 hours a day are successful.",
"Anyone who has no time for leisure activities works at least 18 hours a day.",
"Some happy entrepreneurs are successful."
] | 0 | train_3384 |
A person' s intake of refined sugar and of foods that break down into sugars during digestion is the dietary source of virtually all of the glucose (a type of sugar) that reaches that person' s bloodstream. Coffee, however, which itself does not break down into sugars during digestion, sometimes causes a person' s bloo... | Which of the following, if true, best helps to explain coffee's effect on blood-glucose levels as it is described above? | [
"People with sedentary office jobs are more likely to drink large amounts of coffee and to have higher blood-glucose levels than are people with jobs requiring constant physical activity.",
"People often drink coffee after a meal consisting of several types of foods that themselves rapidly break down into sugars ... | 3 | train_3385 |
Critic: To be a literary classic a book must reveal something significant about the human condition. Furthermore, nothing that is unworthy of serious study reveals anything significant about the human condition. | If the critic's statements are true, which one of the following must also be true? | [
"A book is a literary classic only if it is worthy of serious study.",
"Some books worthy of serious study do not reveal anything significant about the human condition.",
"Any book worthy of serious study is a literary classic.",
"Some books that reveal something significant about the human condition are not ... | 0 | train_3386 |
Editorialist: Many professional musicians claim that unauthorized music-sharing services, which allow listeners to obtain music for free, rob musicians of royalties. While it is true that musicians are deprived of royalties they deserve, music-sharing services are not to blame since record companies, publishers, manage... | The reasoning in the editorialist's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"attacks a position based solely on the character of the people who hold that position",
"attempts to promote a particular behavior simply by showing that many people engage in that behavior",
"treats a necessary condition for blameworthiness as though it were a sufficient condition for blameworthiness",
"con... | 3 | train_3387 |
Sambar deer are physically incapable of digesting meat. Yet sambar deer have been reported feeding on box turtles after killing them. | Which one of the following, if true, best resolves the discrepancy above? | [
"Sambar deer kill box turtles only occasionally.",
"Box turtles are much slower and clumsier than are sambar deer.",
"Sambar deer eat only the bony shells of box turtles.",
"Box turtles sometimes compete with sambar deer for food."
] | 2 | train_3388 |
Calories consumed in excess of those with which the body needs to be provided to maintain its weight are normally stored as fat and the body gains weight. Alcoholic beverages are laden with calories. However, those people who regularly drink two or three alcoholic beverages a day and thereby exceed the caloric intake n... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy? | [
"Some people who take in fewer calories than are normally necessary to maintain their weight do not lose weight.",
"Some people who regularly drink two or three alcoholic beverages a day avoid exceeding the caloric intake necessary to maintain their weight by decreasing caloric intake from other sources.",
"Man... | 3 | train_3389 |
Although the discount stores in Goreville' s central shopping district are expected to close within five years as a result of competition from a SpendLess discount department store that just opened, those locations will not stay vacant for long. In the five years since the opening of Colson' s, a nondiscount department... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"At present, the central shopping district has as many stores operating in it as it ever had.",
"Over the course of the next five years, it is expected that Goreville's population will grow at a faster rate than it has for the past several decades.",
"Increasingly, the stores that have opened in the central sho... | 2 | train_3390 |
A recent magazine article argued that most companies that do not already own videoconferencing equipment would be wasting their money if they purchased it. However, this is clearly not true. In a recent survey of businesses that have purchased such equipment, most of the respondents stated that the videoconferencing eq... | The reasoning in the argument is flawed in that the argument | [
"concludes that something is worth its cost merely on the grounds that many businesses have purchased it",
"takes a condition sufficient to justify purchasing costly equipment to be necessary in order for the cost of the purchase to be justified",
"confuses the cost of an item with its value to the purchaser",
... | 3 | train_3391 |
Airport official: Local residents have been complaining that night flights into Plainsville airport disturb their sleep and should be sharply reduced in number. This complaint is completely unreasonable-there have been night flights coming into the airport from the very beginning, twenty years ago, and these residents ... | Which of the following is an assumption on which the airport argument depends? | [
"The residents who are complaining have been in their current homes fewer than twenty years.",
"There are fewer night flights now than there were originally.",
"The economic success of the airport depends entirely on the existence of the night flights.",
"The residents who are complaining are ignoring the ben... | 0 | train_3392 |
A computer game publisher has recently released its latest adventure game. The game' s inventive puzzles and compelling plot induce even casual players to become preoccupied with completing it. The game can be purchased from retail outlets or rented for two-day intervals. The publisher offers a rebate equal to the cost... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to justify the publisher's prediction? | [
"The publisher's games are among the most popular computer games on the market.",
"It takes several weeks for most players to complete the game.",
"The game can be purchased directly from the publisher as well as from retailers.",
"Most people who complete the game do not play it extensively afterward."
] | 1 | train_3393 |
Dana: It is wrong to think that the same educational methods should be used with all children. Many children have been raised in more communal environments than others and would ttherefore learn better through group, rather than individual, activities. A child' s accustomed style of learning should always dictate what ... | The conversation lends the most support to the claim that Dana and Pat disagree on which one of the following? | [
"Many children would learn better through group, rather than individual, activities.",
"It is sometimes desirable to tailor educational methods to the way a child learns best.",
"All children can learn valuable skills from individual activities.",
"All children should learn to adapt to various educational met... | 3 | train_3394 |
Less than 10 percent of the world's people, and of the participants in combat sports worldwide, are left-handed. However, a majority of top-level competitors in combat sports worldwide are left-handed. | Which of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the discrepancy presented in the passage? | [
"A significant number of left-handed competitors in combat sports have trained under coaches who have forced them to fight from right-handed positions and angles.",
"Left-handedness is more common in primitive cultures with high rates of death by violence than in other primitive cultures.",
"Because left-handed... | 2 | train_3395 |
Premature babies who receive regular massages are more active than premature babies who do not. Even when all the babies drink the same amount of milk, the massaged babies gain more weight than do the unmassaged babies. This is puzzling because a more active person generally requires a greater food intake to maintain o... | Which of the following, if true, best reconciles the apparent discrepancy described above? | [
"Massage does not increase the growth rate of babies over one year old, if the babies had not been previously massaged.",
"Increased activity causes the intestines of premature babies to mature more quickly, enabling the babies to digest and absorb more of the nutrients in the milk they drink.",
"Increased acti... | 1 | train_3396 |
Public-sector (government-owned) companies are often unprofitable and a drain on the taxpayer. Such enterprises should be sold to the private sector, where competition will force them either to be efficient and profitable or else to close. | Which of the following, if true, identifies a flaw in the policy proposed above? | [
"By buying a public-sector company and then closing the company and selling its assets, a buyer can often make a profit.",
"The costs of environmental protection, contributions to social programs, and job-safety measures are the same in the public and private sectors.",
"The services provided by many public-sec... | 2 | train_3397 |
Prosecutor: Dr. Yuge has testified that, had the robbery occurred after 1: 50 A. M. , then, the moon having set at 1: 45 A. M. , it would have been too dark for Klein to recognize the perpetrator. But Yuge acknowledged that the moon was full enough to provide considerable light before it set. And we have conclusively s... | The prosecutor's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism because it overlooks which one of the following possibilities? | [
"Without having been there, Dr. Yuge has no way of knowing whether the light was sufficient.",
"During the robbery the moon's light may have been interfered with by conditions such as cloud cover.",
"Klein may be mistaken about the time of the robbery and so it may have taken place after the moon had set.",
"... | 1 | train_3398 |
Psychologists have found that the implementation of policies allowing work schedules to be tailored to individuals' needs does not typically increase managers' job satisfaction or their efficiency -- although this may be because most managers already have the autonomy to adjust their own schedules. But these flexible-s... | Which one of the following statements is most supported by the information above? | [
"Flexible-schedule policies should be expected to improve the morale of some individual employees but not the overall morale of a company's workforce.",
"Implementing flexible schedules would be an effective means of increasing the job satisfaction and efficiency of managers who do not already have scheduling aut... | 2 | train_3399 |
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