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The soaring prices of scholarly and scientific journals have forced academic libraries used only by academic researchers to drastically reduce their list of subscriptions. Some have suggested that in each academic discipline subscription decisions should be determined solely by a journal' s usefulness in that disciplin... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the suggestion described above? | [
"The nonacademic readership of a scholarly or scientific journal can be accurately gauged by the number of times articles appearing in it are cited in daily newspapers and popular magazines.",
"Researchers often will not cite a journal article that has influenced their work if they think that the journal in which... | 1 | train_3800 |
Botanist: It has long been believed that people with children or pets should keep poinsettia plants out of their homes. Although this belief has been encouraged by child-rearing books, which commonly list poinsettias as poisonous and ttherefore dangerous, it is mistaken. Our research has shown, conclusively, that poins... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the botanist's argument? | [
"According to many child-rearing books, poinsettias are dangerous.",
"Poinsettias are not dangerously poisonous.",
"The belief that households with children or pets should not have poinsettias is mistaken.",
"Poinsettias pose no risk to children or pets."
] | 2 | train_3801 |
Legislator: My staff conducted a poll in which my constituents were asked whether they favor high taxes. More than 97 percent answered "no. " Clearly, then, my constituents would support the bill I recently introduced, which reduces the corporate income tax. | The reasoning in the legislator's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"confuses an absence of evidence that the legislator's constituents oppose a bill with the existence of evidence that the legislator's constituents support that bill",
"treats a result that proves that the public supports a bill as a result that is merely consistent with public support for that bill",
"fails to... | 3 | train_3802 |
Most bicycle helmets provide good protection for the top and back of the head, but little or no protection for the temple regions on the sides of the head. A study of head injuries resulting from bicycle accidents showed that a large proportion were caused by blows to the temple area. Ttherefore, if bicycle helmets pro... | Which of the following most logically completes the passage? | [
"even those bicyclists who regularly wear helmets have a poor understanding of the degree and kind of protection that helmets afford",
"among the bicyclists included in the study's sample of head injuries, only a very small proportion had been wearing a helmet at the time of their accident",
"the bone in the te... | 2 | train_3803 |
People who do not believe that others distrust them are confident in their own abilities, so people who tend to trust others think of a difficult task as a challenge rather than a threat, since this is precisely how people who are confident in their own abilities regard such tasks. | The conclusion above follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"Confidence in one's own abilities gives one confidence in the trustworthiness of others.",
"People who are not threatened by difficult tasks tend to find such tasks challenging.",
"People who tend to trust others do not believe that others distrust them.",
"People tend to distrust those who they believe lack... | 2 | train_3804 |
Graphologists claim that it is possible to detect permanent character traits by examining people' s handwriting. For example, a strong cross on the "t"is supposed to denote enthusiasm. Obviously, however, with practice and perseverance people can alter their handwriting to include this feature. So it seems that graphol... | The argument against graphology proceeds by | [
"citing apparently incontestable evidence that leads to absurd consequences when conjoined with the view in question",
"arguing that a particular technique of analysis can never be effective when the people analyzed know that it is being used",
"demonstrating that an apparently controversial and interesting cla... | 0 | train_3805 |
Rumored declines in automobile-industry revenues are exaggerated. It is true that automobile manufacturers' share of the industry' s revenues fell from 65 percent two years ago to 50 percent today, but over the same period suppliers of automobile parts had their share increase from 15 percent to 20 percent and service ... | Which one of the following best indicates why the statistics given above provide by themselves no evidence for the conclusion they are intended to support? | [
"No explanation is given for why the revenue shares of different sectors of the industry changed.",
"No matter what changes the automobile industry's overall revenues undergo, the total of all shares of these revenues must be 100 percent.",
"The possibility is left open that the statistics for manufacturers' sh... | 1 | train_3806 |
Nutritionists are advising people to eat more fish, since the omega-3 fatty acids in fish help combat many diseases. If everyone took this advice, however, there would not be enough fish in oceans, rivers, and lakes to supply the demand; the oceans are already being overfished. The obvious method to ease the pressure o... | Which of the following, if true, raises the most serious doubt concerning the prospects for success of the solution proposed above? | [
"The feed for farmed ocean fish is largely made from small wild-caught fish, including the young of many popular food species.",
"There are large expanses of ocean waters that do not contain enough nutrients to support substantial fish populations.",
"Some of the species that are now farmed extensively were not... | 0 | train_3807 |
Trancorp currently transports all its goods to Burland Island by truck. The only bridge over the channel separating Burland from the mainland is congested, and trucks typically spend hours in traffic. Trains can reach the channel more quickly than trucks, and freight cars can be transported to Burland by barges that ty... | Which of the following would be most important to know in determining whether Trancorp's plan, if implemented, is likely to achieve its goal? | [
"Whether loading the freight cars onto barges is very time consuming",
"Whether the average number of vehicles traveling over the bridge into Burland has been relatively constant in recent years",
"Whether most trucks transporting goods into Burland return to the mainland empty",
"Whether there are boats that... | 0 | train_3808 |
Politician: The funding for the new nationwide health-awareness campaign should come from an increase in taxes on cigarettes. It is well established that cigarette smoking causes many serious health problems, and it is only reasonable that people whose unhealthful habits cause so many health problems should bear the co... | Which one of the following is the point at issue between the politician and the smoker? | [
"whether it is unreasonable to require people who do not benefit from certain governmental programs to share the costs of those programs",
"whether the politician's proposal for financing the health-awareness campaign is an unreasonable one",
"whether the proposed increase on cigarette taxes is an efficient mea... | 1 | train_3809 |
Adult female rats who have never before encountered rat pups will start to show maternal behaviors after being confined with a pup for about seven days. This period can be considerably shortened by disabling the female' s sense of smell or by removing the scent-producing glands of the pup. | Which of the following hypotheses best explains the contrast described above? | [
"Female rats that have given birth are more affected by olfactory cues than are female rats that have never given birth.",
"A female rat that has given birth shows maternal behavior toward rat pups that she did not bear more quickly than does a female rat that has never given birth.",
"The development of a fema... | 2 | train_3810 |
No computer will ever be able to do everything that some human minds can do, for there are some problems that cannot be solved by following any set of mechanically applicable rules. Yet computers can only solve problems by following some set of mechanically applicable rules. | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"Every problem that is solvable by following more than one set of mechanically applicable rules is solvable by almost every human mind.",
"At least one problem not solvable by following any set of mechanically applicable rules is solvable]e by at least one human mind.",
"At least one problem solvable by followi... | 1 | train_3811 |
Numerous studies have demonstrated a pronounced negative correlation between high-fiber diets and the incidence of colon cancer. For example, the colon cancer rate in Western countries is much higher than in many non-Western countries where people eat more fiber-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, i... | The argument's reasoning is vulnerable to criticism because the argument overlooks the possibility that | [
"foods containing fiber also contain other substances that, when consumed, tend to prevent colon cancer",
"the fiber in fruits and vegetables and the fiber in cereals have cancer-fighting properties to different degrees",
"the consumption of fiber in many countries is rising appreciably",
"the risk of many ty... | 0 | train_3812 |
At mock trials in which jury instructions were given in technical legal jargon, jury verdicts tended to mirror the judge' s own opinions. Jurors had become aware of the judge' s nonverbal behavior: facial expressions, body movements, tone of voice. Jurors who viewed the same case but were given instruction in clear, no... | Which one of the following is best illustrated by the example described above? | [
"Technical language tends to be more precise than nontechnical language.",
"The way in which a judge instructs a jury can influence the jury's verdict.",
"A person's influence is proportional to that person's perceived status.",
"Real trials are better suited for experimentation than are mock trials."
] | 1 | train_3813 |
Generic medicines contain the same active ingredients, in the same quantity, as the original brand-name medicines for which they are designed to be substituted. Nonetheless, there are sometimes important differences in the effects produced in a patient by generic medicines as compared to the brand-name equivalents. | Which of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the seeming discrepancy described above? | [
"Because producers of generic medicines are not involved in research and development their products can be sold at lower prices.",
"The inactive ingredients and fillers, which differ in different versions of a medicine, can affect the rate at which the medicine is absorbed and its concentration in the bloodstream... | 1 | train_3814 |
A certain city has had many vacant homes in the downtown neighborhoods. The city loses significant tax revenue each year because those houses stand unoccupied. The city felt that the fear of crime was keeping professionals from moving into these houses. Over 80% of the city' s professional work force live outside of th... | In light of the further information, which of the following, if true, does most to explain the result that followed the implementation of the plan? | [
"Homes in this city, close to downtown, cost on average 40% more than a home of comparable size in the surrounding suburbs.",
"In a recent survey, almost three-quarters of the professionals who live in the suburbs and work in the city say that they would prefer to live in the city.",
"Recent studies confirm tha... | 0 | train_3815 |
Walter: For the economically privileged in a society to tolerate an injustice perpetrated against one of society' s disadvantaged is not just morally wrong but also shortsighted: a system that inflicts an injustice on a disadvantaged person today can equally well inflict that same injustice on a well-to-do person tomor... | Larissa responds to Walter by doing which one of the following? | [
"charging Walter with stopping short of recognizing the full implications of his position",
"questioning Walter's authority to address matters of social policy",
"drawing implausible consequences from Walter's assumptions",
"providing an alternative reason for accepting the truth of Walter's conclusion"
] | 3 | train_3816 |
At one time, many astronomers assumed that Earth remains motionless while the stars revolve around it. They concluded from this that the stars were not more than a few million miles from Earth. They reasoned that if the stars were farther away, they would have to move at tremendously great speeds in order to circle Ear... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the reasoning described above? | [
"All stars move at exactly the same speed when they are revolving around Earth.",
"Earth does not remain motionless while the stars revolve around it.",
"Stars do not move at tremendously great speeds.",
"If the stars do not revolve around Earth, it is possible for at least some stars to be more than a few mi... | 2 | train_3817 |
A bacterial species will inevitably develop greater resistance within a few years to any antibiotics used against it, unless those antibiotics eliminate that species completely. However, no single antibiotic now on the market is powerful enough to eliminate bacterial species X completely. | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the statements above? | [
"Bacterial species X is more resistant to at least some antibiotics that have been used against it than it was before those antibiotics were used against it.",
"Bacterial species X will inevitably become more virulent in the course of time.",
"If any antibiotic now on the market is used against bacterial specie... | 2 | train_3818 |
A contract between two parties is valid only if one party accepts a legitimate offer from the other; an offer is not legitimate if someone in the position of the party to whom it was made would reasonably believe the offer to be made in jest. | The principle stated above, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in which one of the following arguments? | [
"Kenta accepted Gus's offer to buy a shipment of goods, but Gus, unknown to Kenta, made the offer in jest. Thus, the contract was not valid.",
"Frank's offer to buy Mindy's business from her was legitimate. Thus, if Mindy is a reasonable person, she will accept the offer.",
"The only offer that Sal made to Vero... | 2 | train_3819 |
Educational Theorist: Recent editorials have called for limits on the amount of homework assigned to children. They point out that free-time activities play an important role in childhood development and that large amounts of homework reduce children' s free time, hindering their development. But the average homework t... | Which of the following is an assumption on which the educational theorist's argument relies? | [
"In most schools, if not all, the homework assignments given are of a length that does not diverge widely from the average.",
"The free-time activities that ten year olds engage in most are all approximately equally effective at fostering development",
"Individual teachers are not the best judges of how much ho... | 0 | train_3820 |
When astronomers observed the comet Schwassman - Wachmann 3 becoming 1, 000 times brighter in September 1995, they correctly hypothesized that its increased brightness was a result of the comet' s breaking up -- when comets break up, they emit large amounts of gas and dust, becoming visibly brighter as a result. Howeve... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent conflict in the statements above? | [
"The amount of gas and dust emitted steadily increased during the period from September through November.",
"Gas and dust can be released by cracks in a comet even if the comet is not broken all the way through.",
"Comets often do not emit gas and dust until several weeks after they have begun to break up.",
... | 1 | train_3821 |
Scientists have created double-blind studies so that neither the subjects of the experiment nor scientists know whether the subject is receiving an actual drug or a placebo, which is nothing more than a sugar pill. Essentially, if one knows whether one is receiving actual medicine or a placebo, such knowledge can affec... | Which of the following, if true, best calls into question the conclusion of the argument? | [
"Neither the subjects nor the doctors in either group (the control group or the Freloxamine group) knew which drug they were receiving.",
"At dosages two-fold of those employed in the trial, Freloxamine has been shown to cause brief episodes of psychosis.",
"Since subjects in both groups were debriefed on the p... | 2 | train_3822 |
A new medication for migraine seems effective, but there is concern that the medication might exacerbate heart disease. If patients with heart disease take the medication under careful medical supervision, however, harmful side effects can definitely be averted. The concern about those side effects is thus unfounded. | The argument depends on which one of the following assumptions? | [
"The new medication has various other side effects, but none as serious as that of exacerbating heart disease.",
"No migraine sufferers with heart disease will take the new medication except under careful medical supervision.",
"The new medication actually is effective when taken by patients with heart disease.... | 1 | train_3823 |
Editorial: The government claims that the country' s nuclear power plants are entirely safe and hence that the public' s fear of nuclear accidents at these plants is groundless. The government also contends that its recent action to limit the nuclear industry' s financial liability in the case of nuclear accidents at p... | If all of the statements offered in support of the editorial's conclusion correctly describe the government's position, which one of the following must also be true on the basis of those statements? | [
"The government's claim about the safety of the country's nuclear power plants is false.",
"Unlimited financial liability in the case of nuclear accidents poses no threat to the financial security of the country's nuclear industry.",
"The government's position on nuclear power plants is inconsistent.",
"The g... | 2 | train_3824 |
Editorial: The premier' s economic advisor assures her that with the elimination of wasteful spending the goal of reducing taxes while not significantly decreasing government services can be met. But the premier should not listen to this advisor, who in his youth was convicted of embezzlement. Surely his economic advic... | Which one of the following is a questionable argumentative strategy employed in the editorial's argument? | [
"rejecting a proposal on the grounds that a particular implementation of the proposal is likely to fail",
"trying to win support for a proposal by playing on people's fears of what could happen otherwise",
"criticizing the source of a claim rather than examining the claim itself",
"presupposing what it sets o... | 2 | train_3825 |
Principle: Employees of telemarketing agencies should never do anything that predisposes people to dislike the agencies' clients. Application: If an employee of a telemarketing agency has been told by a person the employee has called that he or she does not want to buy the product of a client of the agency, the employe... | Which one of the following, if true, justifies the given application of the principle above? | [
"Some people that an employee of a telemarketing agency calls to ask them to buy the product of a client of the agency will refuse to do so even though they are not predisposed to dislike the client.",
"Any employee of a telemarketing agency who tries to get someone to buy the product of a client of the agency af... | 1 | train_3826 |
No occupation should be subject to a licensing requirement unless incompetence in the performance of tasks normally carried out within that occupation poses a plausible threat to human health or safety. | The principle stated above, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in which one of the following arguments? | [
"Because some of the duties that police officers carry out have no connection to human health or safety, police officers should not be subject to a licensing requirement.",
"Because there are no realistic circumstances in which poor work by an interior designer poses a danger to human beings, interior designers s... | 1 | train_3827 |
By competing with rodents for seeds, black ants help control rodent populations that pose a public health risk. However, a very aggressive species of black ant, the Loma ant, which has recently invaded a certain region, has a venomous sting that is often fatal to humans. Ttherefore, the planned introduction into that r... | Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Certain other species of black ants are more effective than Loma ants in competing with rodents for seeds.",
"The sting of Loma ants can also be fatal to rodents.",
"Ant flies do not attack black ants other than Loma ants.",
"The use of pesticides to control Loma ants could have harmful effects on the enviro... | 2 | train_3828 |
Once consumers recognize that a period of inflation has begun, there is generally an increase in consumer spending. This increase can be readily explained by consumers' desire not to postpone purchases that will surely increase in price. But during protracted periods of inflation, consumers eventually begin to put off ... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the apparent inconsistency in consumer behavior described above? | [
"Consumers' purchasing power decreases during periods of protracted inflation since salaries do not keep pace with prices.",
"There is usually a lag between the leading economic indicators' first signaling the onset of an inflationary period and consumers' recognition of its onset.",
"If significant numbers of ... | 0 | train_3829 |
Owners of deeply indebted and chronically unprofitable small businesses sometimes try to convince others to invest money in their companies. Since the money thus acquired will inevitably be used to pay off debts, rather than to expand operations, this money will not stimulate sales growth in such companies. Thus, most ... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the surprising results of suchs investments? | [
"Expanding production in such companies would usually require more funds than would paying off debts.",
"Banks are reluctant to lend money to any company that is already heavily in debt and chronically unprofitable.",
"Paying off debts, by saving a company the money it would otherwise owe in interest, decreases... | 2 | train_3830 |
The media now devote more coverage to crime than they did ten years ago. Yet this is not because the crime rate has increased, but rather because the public is now more interested in reading and hearing about crime. After all, a crucial factor in the media' s decisions about what issues to cover and to what extent to c... | The proposition that the public is now more interested in reading and hearing about crime plays which one of the following roles in the argument? | [
"It is a generalization based on the claim that the crime rate has increased over the past ten years.",
"It is presented as evidence that the media decide what to cover and to what extent to cover it depending on the interests of the public.",
"It is offered as an alternative explanation of why the media devote... | 2 | train_3831 |
To cut costs, a high school modified its airconditioning system to increase its efficiency. The modified system, however, caused the humidity in the school air to decrease by 18 percent. Twenty-four hours after the decrease in air humidity, a 25 percent increase in the number of visits to the school nurse was reported.... | The argument depends on assuming which one of the following? | [
"Most of the students at the high school suffered from the decrease in air humidity.",
"Modifying the air-conditioning system proved to be an ineffective way to cut costs.",
"It takes 24 hours after a person is infected with a virus for that person to exhibit symptoms.",
"At least some of the visits to the sc... | 3 | train_3832 |
Some members have criticized the club' s president for inviting Dr. Hines to speak at the annual awards banquet without consulting other club members beforehand. But a few years ago the previous club president hired a tax accountant even though he had not discussed it with club members beforehand. So the current presid... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies? | [
"The club's previous president acted appropriately in hiring the tax accountant without first consulting other club members.",
"At the time the previous club president hired the tax accountant, most club members did not expect to be consulted about such matters.",
"The previous club president had also invited s... | 0 | train_3833 |
State spokesperson: Many businesspeople who have not been to our state believe that we have an inadequate road system. Those people are mistaken, as is obvious from the fact that in each of the past six years, our state has spent more money per mile on road improvements than any other state. | Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the reasoning in the spokesperson's argument? | [
"Over the past six years, numerous businesses have left the spokesperson's state, but about as many businesses have moved into the state.",
"In general, the number of miles of road in a state's road system depends on both the area and the population of the state.",
"Only states with seriously inadequate road sy... | 2 | train_3834 |
Although the school would receive financial benefits if it had soft drink vending machines in the cafeteria, we should not allow them. Allowing soft drink machines there would not be in our students' interest. If our students start drinking more soft drinks, they will be less healthy. | The argument depends on which of the following? | [
"If the soft drink vending machines were placed in the cafeteria, students would consume more soft drinks as a result.",
"The school's primary concern should be to promote good health among its students.",
"The amount of soft drinks that most students at the school currently drink is not detrimental to their he... | 0 | train_3835 |
Economist: The wages of many of the lowest-paid corporate employees in this country would be protected from cuts by enacting a maximum wage law that prohibits executives at any corporation from earning more than, say, 50 times what the corporation' s lowest-paid employees in this country earn. Currently, some executive... | Which one of the following is an assumption the economist's argument requires? | [
"All of the lowest-paid corporate employees in the economist's country are employed at corporations at which the executives earn more than 50 times what the corporations' lowest-paid employees in the economist's country earn.",
"If such a maximum wage law were enacted in the economist's country, one or more corpo... | 1 | train_3836 |
Nutritionist: Recently a craze has developed for home juicers, $300 machines that separate the pulp of fruits and vegetables from the juice they contain. Outrageous claims are being made about the benefits of these devices: drinking the juice they produce is said to help one lose weight or acquire a clear complexion, t... | Which one of the following, if true, most calls into question the nutritionist's argument? | [
"Drinking juice from home juicers is less healthy than is eating fruits and vegetables because such juice does not contain the fiber that is eaten if one consumes the entire fruit or vegetable.",
"Most people find it much easier to consume a given quantity of nutrients in liquid form than to eat solid foods conta... | 1 | train_3837 |
Two alternative drugs are available to prevent blood clots from developing after a heart attack. According to two major studies, drug Y does this no more effectively than the more expensive drug Z, but drug Z is either no more or only slightly more effective than drug Y. Drug Z' s manufacturer, which has engaged in que... | A major flaw in the argument is that the argument | [
"fails to recognize that there may be medical criteria relevant to the choice between the two drugs other than their effectiveness as a treatment",
"neglects to compare the marketing practices of drug Y's manufacturer with those of drug Z's manufacturer",
"confuses economic reasons for selecting a treatment wit... | 0 | train_3838 |
Commentator: Unfortunately, Roehmer' s opinion column has a polarizing effect on national politics. She has always taken a partisan stance, and lately she has taken the further step of impugning the motives of her adversaries. That style of argumentation is guaranteed not to change the minds of people with opposing vie... | The reasoning in the commentator's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"concludes that one event caused another merely because that event occurred immediately prior to the other",
"criticizes a column merely by invoking the personal characteristics of its author",
"employs a tactic at one point that it elsewhere objects to",
"fails to rule out the possibility that a purported ca... | 2 | train_3839 |
A good way to get over one' s fear of an activity one finds terrifying is to do it repeatedly. For instance, over half of people who have parachuted only once report being extremely frightened by the experience, while less than 1 percent of those who have parachuted ten times or more report being frightened by it. | The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"neglects to consider those people who have parachuted more than once but fewer than ten times",
"takes for granted that the greater the number of dangerous activities one engages in the less one is frightened by any one of them",
"takes for granted that people do not know how frightening something is unless th... | 3 | train_3840 |
Grammarians have for years condemned as ungrammatical the English phrase "between you and I", insisting that the correct phrasing is "between you and me, " with the objective case after a preposition. Such condemnations, however, are obviously unfounded, because Shakespeare himself, in The Merchant of Venice, wrote, "A... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above? | [
"The more modern an English word or phrase, the less likely that modern grammarians will consider it acceptable for formal usage.",
"In his plays, Shakespeare intentionally had some of his characters use phrases he considered ungrammatical.",
"The phrase \"between you and I\" appears infrequently in Shakespeare... | 1 | train_3841 |
Party X has recently been accused by its opposition, Party Y, of accepting international campaign contributions, which is illegal. Such accusations are, however, ill founded. Three years ago, Party Y itself was involved in a scandal in which it was discovered that its national committee seriously violated campaign laws... | Which one of the following contains flawed reasoning most similar to the flawed reasoning in the argument above? | [
"The plaintiff accuses the defendant of violating campaign laws, but the accusations are ill founded. While the defendant's actions may violate certain laws, they are not immoral, because the laws in question are unjust.",
"The plaintiff accuses the defendant of voting only for campaign laws that would favor the ... | 3 | train_3842 |
The waters surrounding Shooter' s Island have long been a dumping ground for ruined ships and boats, and the wreckage there has caused these waters to be exceptionally still. An ornithologist found that the overall abundance of waterbirds around Shooter' s Island is similar to that around each of the neighboring island... | Which one of the following, if true, provides the most support for the argument's conclusion? | [
"Waterbirds are typically much more abundant in areas that serve as nurseries for juvenile waterbirds than in areas that do not.",
"Waterbirds use still waters as nurseries for juveniles whenever possible.",
"The waters around the islands neighboring Shooter's Island are much rougher than the waters around Shoo... | 1 | train_3843 |
At a certain period in Earth' s history, its atmosphere contained almost no oxygen, although plants were producing vast quantities of oxygen. As a way of reconciling these two facts, scientists have hypothesized that nearly all of the oxygen being produced was taken up by iron on Earth' s surface. Clearly, however, thi... | In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first is a judgment made by the argument about a certain explanation; the second is that explanation.",
"The first sums up the argument's position with regard to a certain hypothesis; the second provides grounds for that position.",
"The first is a concession by the argument that its initial formulation of... | 1 | train_3844 |
The tulu, a popular ornamental plant, does not reproduce naturally, and is only bred and sold by specialized horticultural companies. Unfortunately, the tulu is easily devastated by a contagious fungal rot. The government ministry plans to reassure worried gardeners by requiring all tulu plants to be tested for fungal ... | Which of the following, if performed by the ministry, could logically be expected to overcome the problem with their plan to test for the fungal rot? | [
"Releasing a general announcement that tulu plants less than 30 weeks old cannot be effectively tested for fungal rot",
"Ensuring that tulu plants not be sold before they are 30 weeks old",
"Researching possible ways to test tulu plants less than 24 weeks old for fungal rot",
"Quarantining all tulu plants fro... | 1 | train_3845 |
Scientific research at a certain university was supported in part by an annual grant from a major foundation. When the university' s physics department embarked on weapons-related research, the foundation, which has a purely humanitarian mission, threatened to cancel its grant. The university then promised that none of... | Which one of the following describes a flaw in the reasoning underlying the foundation's conclusion? | [
"It assumes that if the means to achieve an objective are humanitarian in character, then the objective is also humanitarian in character.",
"It overlooks the possibility that the university made its promise specifically in order to induce the foundation to withdraw its threat.",
"It overlooks the possibility t... | 3 | train_3846 |
The reforms to improve the quality of public education that have been initiated on the part of suppliers of public education have been insufficient. Ttherefore, reforms must be demanded by consumers. Parents should be given government vouchers with which to pay for their children' s education and should be allowed to c... | The argument assumes that | [
"there is a single best way to educate students",
"in selecting schools parents would tend to prefer a reasonable level of academic quality to greater sports opportunities or more convenient location",
"children are able to recognize which schools are better and would influence their parents' decisions",
"sch... | 1 | train_3847 |
Statistics teachers often debate whether to teach the mathematical theories underlying statistics or to focus on the use of statistical methods to solve real problems. This is like the difference between learning to build a car and learning to drive one. Almost all statistics courses teach "building, " and if there is ... | Which one of the following most logically completes the argument? | [
"students should not be presumed by their teachers to have a particular goal or purpose in taking a class",
"users of statistics do not need to understand the underlying theory in order to solve real problems",
"statistics should be considered as a discipline that is distinct from mathematics",
"statistics te... | 1 | train_3848 |
Psychologist: The best way to recall a certain word or name that one is having trouble remembering is to occupy one' s mind with other things, since often the more we strive to remember a certain word or name that we can' t think of, the less likely it becomes that the word will come to mind. | The principle that underlies the psychologist's argument underlies which one of the following arguments? | [
"The best way to overcome a serious mistake is to continue on confidently as though all is well. After all, one can overcome a serious mistake by succeeding in new challenges, and dwelling on one's errors usually distracts one's mind from new challenges.",
"Often, the best way to achieve happiness is to pursue ot... | 3 | train_3849 |
There are many structural and thematic similarities between Piers Plowman by Langland (1330-1400) and House of Fame by Chaucer (1342-1400), two Middle English poems relating dream visions. Some critics have argued that because a number of the shared elements are uncommon in Middle English poetry, and because Langland' ... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the critics' argument? | [
"Piers Plowman is one of Langland's major works, whereas House of Fame is a minor work of Chaucer's",
"Many of the themes and structures of Piers Plowman are also found in Latin, Italian, French works with which Chaucer could well have been familiar.",
"House of Fame survives in only three manuscript copies, su... | 1 | train_3850 |
That Shakespeare' s The Winter s Tale ( 1610-1611) is modeled after Euripides' Alcestis (fifth century B. C. ) seems undeniable. However, it is generally accepted that Shakespeare knew little or no Greek, so Euripides' original play would be an unlikely source. Thus, it seems most likely that Shakespeare came to know E... | Which one of the following, if true, LEAST strengthens the argument? | [
"There is strong evidence to suggest that Shakespeare relied on Latin translations of Greek plays as sources for some of his other works.",
"The only English language version of Alcestis available in Shakespeare's time differed drastically from the original in ways The Winter s Tale does not.",
"Latin phrases t... | 2 | train_3851 |
A poor farmer was fond of telling his children: "In this world, you are either rich or poor, and you are either honest or dishonest. All poor farmers are honest. Ttherefore, all rich farmers are dishonest. " | The farmer's conclusion is properly drawn if the argument assumes that | [
"everyone who is poor is honest",
"every honest farmer is poor",
"everyone who is dishonest is a rich farmer",
"every honest person is a farmer"
] | 1 | train_3852 |
One way kidney stones can form is when urine produced in the kidneys is overly concentrated with calcium or oxalate. Reducing dietary calcium has been thought, ttherefore, to decrease the likelihood that calcium will concentrate and form additional stones. Oddly enough, for many people the chances of recurrence are dec... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above? | [
"Increasing dietary oxalate while reducing dietary calcium does not reduce the chances of kidney stone recurrence.",
"Kidney stone development is sometimes the result of an inherited disorder that can result in excessive production of calcium and oxalate.",
"Some kidney stones are composed of uric acid rather t... | 3 | train_3853 |
Many homeowners regularly add commercial fertilizers to their lawns and gardens to maintain a healthy balance of nutrients in soil. The widely available commercial fertilizers contain only macronutrients -- namely, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. To remain healthy in the long term, soil for lawns requires the pres... | Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above? | [
"Widely available commercial fertilizers are not alone sufficient to maintain a healthy balance of nutrients in soil for lawns where grass clippings are not allowed to decay and return to the soil.",
"Homeowners who rake up their grass clippings are unable to maintain the long-term health of the soil in their law... | 0 | train_3854 |
Astronomer: In most cases in which a planet has been detected orbiting a distant star, the planet' s orbit is distinctly oval, whereas the orbits of Earth and several other planets around our sun are approximately circular. However, many comets orbiting our sun have been thrown into oval orbits by close encounters with... | Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the astronomer's argument? | [
"There is no indication that the orbit of any planet orbiting our sun has been affected by a close encounter with another planet orbiting our sun.",
"In most cases in which planets have been discovered orbiting a distant star, more than one planet has been found orbiting the star.",
"When two planets or other l... | 1 | train_3855 |
Editorial: The structure of the present school calendar was established to satisfy the requirements of early-twentieth-century agricultural life. In those days, farmers needed their children to have long breaks during which they could remain at home and help with the harvest. The contemporary school year is thus made u... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the editorial's argument depends? | [
"During long breaks children have a tendency to forget what they have learned.",
"A change in the present school calendar that shortened breaks would serve the interests of agricultural life.",
"A school calendar made up of periods of study without long breaks would serve the interests of children more than a s... | 2 | train_3856 |
Researchers asked volunteers to imagine they were running a five-kilometer race against 50 people and then against 500 people, races in each of which the top 10 percent would receive a $1, 000 prize. Asked about the effort they would apply in the respective cases, the volunteers indicated, on average, that they would r... | Which of the following would, if known to be true, most help justify the explanation offered above? | [
"The volunteers who were the least comparatively inclined had no greater desire to win the $1, 000 than those who were the most comparatively inclined.",
"The most comparatively inclined volunteers believed that they were significantly less likely to finish in the top 10 percent in the race against 500 than in th... | 1 | train_3857 |
A contract, whether expressed or unexpressed, exists when two parties engage with each other for the reciprocal transfer of benefits. Thus, in accepting support from public funds, an artist creates at least an unexpressed contract between himself or herself and the public, and the public can rightly expect to benefit f... | Which one of the following most accurately describes an error in reasoning in the passage? | [
"treating an issue that requires resolution through political processes as if it were merely a matter of opinion",
"speaking only in abstract terms about matters that involve contingencies and that must be judged on a case-by-case basis",
"concluding that a definition is fully applicable to a situation when it ... | 2 | train_3858 |
Researcher: The use of the newest drug in treating this disease should be discontinued. The treatment usually wreaks havoc with the normal functioning of the human body, causing severe side effects such as total loss of hair, debilitating nausea, and intense pain in the joints. | The argument's reasoning is flawed because the argument | [
"does not acknowledge that the effects of the treatment may not be of the same severity in all cases",
"fails to consider the consequences of not administering the treatment",
"does not consider the length of time needed for the treatment to begin taking effect",
"fails to specify what is meant by \"normal fu... | 1 | train_3859 |
Researcher: A number of studies have suggested that, on average, clients in short-term psychotherapy show similar levels of improvement regardless of the kind of psychotherapy they receive. So any client improvement in short-term psychotherapy must be the result of some aspect or aspects of therapy that are common to a... | Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the researcher's argument? | [
"The studies found that psychotherapy by a trained counselor does not result in any greater improvement, on average, among clients than does simple counseling by an untrained layperson.",
"On average, clients improve more dramatically when they receive long-term psychotherapy, a year or longer in duration, than w... | 3 | train_3860 |
Some anthropologists study modern-day societies of foragers in an effort to learn about our ancient ancestors who were also foragers. A flaw in this strategy is that forager societies are extremely varied. Indeed, any forager society with which anthropologists are familiar has had considerable contact with modern, non-... | Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the criticism made above of the anthropologists' strategy? | [
"All anthropologists study one kind or another of modern-day society.",
"Most ancient forager societies either dissolved or made a transition to another way of life.",
"Even those modern-day forager societies that have not had significant contact with modern societies are importantly different from ancient fora... | 3 | train_3861 |
Although high cholesterol levels have been associated with the development of heart disease, many people with high cholesterol never develop heart disease, while many without high cholesterol do. Recently, above average concentrations of the blood particle lipoprotein(a) were found in the blood of many people whose hea... | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the argument? | [
"It presents but ignores evidence that, for some people, high cholesterol contributes to heart disease.",
"It provides no evidence for a link between lipoprotein(a) and heart disease.",
"It fails to consider the possibility that lipoprotein(a) raises cholesterol levels.",
"It fails to consider the possibility... | 0 | train_3862 |
Jones: Prehistoric wooden tools found in South America have been dated to 13, 000 years ago. Although scientists attribute these tools to peoples whose ancestors first crossed into the Americas from Siberia to Alaska, this cannot be correct. In order to have reached a site so far south, these peoples must have been mig... | The point at issue between Jones and Smith is | [
"whether the dating of the wooden tools by the scientists could be correct",
"whether the scientists' attribution of tools could be correct in light of Jones's evidence",
"whether all prehistoric tools that are 13, 000 years or older were made of wood",
"how long ago the peoples who crossed into the Americas ... | 1 | train_3863 |
Surrealist: Many artists mistakenly think that models need be taken only from outside the psyche. Although human sensibility can confer beauty upon even the most vulgar external objects, using the power of artistic representation solely to preserve and reinforce objects that would exist even without artists is an ironi... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the surrealist's argument? | [
"Artistic representation is used solely to preserve and reinforce objects.",
"An artist's work should not merely represent objects from outside the psyche.",
"Artists should not base all their work on mere representation.",
"Great art can confer beauty even upon very vulgar external objects."
] | 1 | train_3864 |
Homeowners aged 40 to 50 are more likely to purchase ice cream and are more likely to purchase it in larger amounts than are members of any other demographic group. The popular belief that teenagers eat more ice cream than adults must, ttherefore, be false. | The argument is flawed primarily because the author | [
"does not supply information about homeowners in age groups other than 40 to 50",
"does not specify the precise amount of ice cream purchased by any demographic group",
"fails to distinguish between purchasing and consuming",
"discusses ice cream rather than more nutritious and healthful foods"
] | 2 | train_3865 |
Economist: In free market systems, the primary responsibility of corporate executives is to determine a nation' s industrial technology, the pattern of work organization, location of industry, and resource allocation. They also are the decision makers, though subject to significant consumer control, on what is to be pr... | Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the economist's argument? | [
"What a country produces and in what quantities is not always completely controlled by corporate executives.",
"Making decisions about patterns of work organization, resource allocation, and location of industry is not the core of a public official's job.",
"Public officials and business executives often cooper... | 1 | train_3866 |
New types of washing machines designed to consume less energy also extract less water from laundry during their final spin cycles than do washing machines that consume somewhat more energy. The wetter the laundry, the more energy required to dry it in an automatic dryer. Thus using these new types of washing machines c... | In which one of the following is the pattern of reasoning most parallel to that in the argument above? | [
"The more weights added to an exercise machine, the greater the muscle strength needed to work out on the machine. Up to a point, using more muscle strength can make a person stronger. Thus an exercise machine with more weights can, but does not necessarily, make a person stronger.",
"Pine is a less expensive woo... | 1 | train_3867 |
For Juanita to get to the zoo she must take either the number 12 bus or else the subway. Everyone knows that the number 12 bus is not running this week; so although Juanita generally avoids using the subway, she must have used it today, since she was seen at the zoo this afternoon. | The method of the argument is to | [
"show that something is the case by ruling out the only alternative",
"substitute a claim about what invariably occurs for a claim about what typically occurs",
"demonstrate that certain possibilities are not exclusive",
"assert that if something is true, it will be known to be true"
] | 0 | train_3868 |
Regular weightlifting is necessary for good health. Weightlifting with heavy resistance, especially with compound movements, helps break down and rebuild stronger muscle fibers, resulting in strength and size gains. | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument? | [
"Compound movements are the only way to increase strength and size.",
"Regular weightlifting is necessary for good health.",
"Performing compound movements is the only way to break down and rebuild stronger muscle fibers.",
"Strength and size gains are indicators of good health."
] | 3 | train_3869 |
Automobile ownership was rare in Sabresia as recently as 30 years ago, but with continuing growth of personal income there, automobile ownership has become steadily more common. Consequently, there are now far more automobiles on Sabresia' s roads than there were 30 years ago, and the annual number of automobile accide... | Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain why deaths and injuries resulting from automobile accidents have not increased significantly? | [
"Because of a vigorous market in used cars, the average age of cars on the road has actually increased throughout the years of steady growth in automobile ownership.",
"The increases in traffic volume have been most dramatic on Sabresia's highways, where speeds are well above those of other roads.",
"Automobile... | 3 | train_3870 |
Psychologist: Psychotherapists who attempt to provide psychotherapy on radio or television talk shows are expected to do so in ways that entertain a broad audience. However, satisfying this demand is nearly always incompatible with providing high-quality psychological help. For this reason, psychotherapists should neve... | Which one of the following principles must be assumed in order for the psychologist's conclusion to be properly drawn? | [
"Psychotherapists should never attempt to provide psychological help in a manner that makes it unlikely to be of high quality.",
"Most members of radio and television talk show audiences are seeking entertainment rather than high-quality psychological help.",
"Psychotherapy should never be provided in a context... | 0 | train_3871 |
The sustained massive use of pesticides in farming has two effects that are especially pernicious. First, it often kills off the pests' natural enemies in the area. Second, it often unintentionally gives rise to insecticide-resistant pests, since those insects that survive a particular insecticide will be the ones most... | From the passage above, it can be properly inferred that the effectiveness of the sustained massive use of pesticides can be extended by doing which of the following, assuming that each is a realistic possibility? | [
"Periodically switching the type of insecticide used",
"Leaving a few fields fallow every year",
"Breeding higher-yielding varieties of crop plants",
"Gradually increasing the quantities of pesticides used"
] | 0 | train_3872 |
There are just two ways a moon could have been formed from the planet around which it travels: either part of the planet' s outer shell spun off into orbit around the planet or else a large object such as a comet or meteoroid, struck the planet so violently that it dislodged a mass of material from inside the planet. E... | If the statements above are true, which one of the following, if also true, would most help to justify drawing the conclusion that Earth's moon was not formed from a piece of the Earth? | [
"Earth's moon consists primarily of elements that differ from those inside the Earth.",
"Comets and large meteoroids normally move at very high speeds.",
"The craters on the surface of Earth's moon show that it has been struck by many thousands of large meteoroids.",
"The moons of some planets in Earth's sola... | 0 | train_3873 |
A survey taken ten years ago of residents of area L showed that although living conditions were slightly below their country' s average, most residents of L reported general satisfaction with their living conditions. However, this year the same survey found that while living conditions are now about the same as the nat... | Which one of the following, if true, would most help to resolve the apparent conflict between the results of the surveys described above? | [
"Ten years ago the residents of area L were not aware that their living conditions were below the national average.",
"Living conditions in an area generally improve only if residents perceive their situation as somehow in need of improvement.",
"Optimal living conditions were established in the survey by takin... | 3 | train_3874 |
Political leader: In this political dispute, our side will benefit from showing a desire to compromise with the opposition. If the opposition responds positively, then a compromise will be reached. If they do not, then they will be held responsible for the failure to reach a compromise and our side will benefit. | The conclusion of the political leader's argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"The political leader's side has a desire to compromise with the opposition.",
"The opposition is rarely willing to compromise with the political leader's side.",
"The opposition will compromise if the political leader's side shows a desire to compromise.",
"The political leader's side will benefit if a compr... | 3 | train_3875 |
Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven-note scale known as the diatonic scale, but when did the scale originate? <b> A fragment of a bone flute excavated at a Neanderthal campsite has four holes, which are spaced in exactly the right way for playing the third through sixth notes of a diat... | In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? | [
"The first introduces evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second is the main conclusion stated in the argument.",
"The first introduces the phenomenon that the argument as a whole seeks to explain; the second gives a reason to rule out one possible explanation.",
"The first introduces t... | 0 | train_3876 |
Critic: Fillmore, an influential television executive, argues that watching television regularly is not detrimental to very young children. Fillmore bases this on the claim, which I grant, that children can learn much that is beneficial from television. But we should reject Fillmore' s argument, because clearly it is t... | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the critic's reasoning? | [
"It is based on an appeal to the views of someone with questionable authority on the subject matter.",
"It rejects an argument solely on the grounds that the argument could serve the interests of the person making that argument.",
"It bases its conclusion on claims that are inconsistent with one another.",
"I... | 1 | train_3877 |
Enthusiasm for the use of calculators in the learning of mathematics is misplaced. Teachers rightly observe that in some cases calculators enable students to focus on general principles rather than the tedious, largely rote calculations that constitute the application of these principles. But principles are more likely... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Some students who know how to use calculators also thoroughly understand the mathematical principles that calculators obey.",
"Slide rules, which are less technologically sophisticated analogues of calculators, were widely used in the learning of mathematics several decades ago.",
"Habits that are acquired by ... | 3 | train_3878 |
Doctor: Medical researchers recently examined a large group of individuals who said that they had never experienced serious back pain. Half of the members of the group turned out to have bulging or slipped disks in their spines, conditions often blamed for serious back pain. Since these individuals with bulging or slip... | The reasoning in the doctor's argument is most vulnerable to the criticism that it fails to consider which one of the following possibilities? | [
"A characteristic found in half of a given sample of the population might not occur in half of the entire population.",
"A factor that is not in itself sufficient to produce a certain effect may nonetheless be partly responsible for that effect in some instances.",
"A factor that need not be present in order fo... | 1 | train_3879 |
The most common amphibian in the Tropicalico jungle is a unique variety of tree frog, but this variety is almost never seen, even by trained researchers studying the amphibian. Surprisingly, this frog is seen even less than tinier and less populous amphibian varieties, possibly less than any other amphibian type within... | Each of the following, if true, helps to reconcile the statements above EXCEPT: | [
"The tree frog's croak is high-pitched and clearly identifiable while the croaks of most other frogs are low-pitched and indistinguishable.",
"While many varieties of jungle amphibian will frequently move from plant to plant, the tree frog will often stay on the same tree for hours at a time without moving.",
"... | 0 | train_3880 |
All etching tools are either pin-tipped or bladed. While some bladed etching tools are used for engraving, some are not. On the other hand, all pin-tipped etching tools are used for engraving. Thus, there are more etching tools that are used for engraving than there are etching tools that are not used for engraving. | The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"All etching tools that are not used for engraving are bladed.",
"No etching tool is both pin-tipped and bladed.",
"All tools used for engraving are etching tools as well.",
"There are as many pin-tipped etching tools as there are bladed etching tools."
] | 3 | train_3881 |
Elephants are often observed licking clay from mud holes. There is ample evidence that other animals ingest clay because it neutralizes toxins in their diets. Since elephants eat many plants that contain toxic compounds, their licking of clay is probably triggered by toxins too. | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Elephants do not lick clay at times when their diet consists almost entirely of toxin-free foods.",
"Some of the clay that elephants lick contains minerals that are nutritionally essential for any animal.",
"The clay that elephants ingest does not contain any compounds that are toxic to them.",
"Elephants ty... | 0 | train_3882 |
A local chemical plant produces pesticides that can cause sterility in small mammals such as otters. Soon after the plant began operating, the incidence of sterility among the otters that swim in a nearby river increased dramatically. Ttherefore, pesticides are definitely contaminating the river. | Which one of the following arguments contains a flaw in reasoning that is similar to one in the argument above? | [
"A diet low in calcium can cause a drop in egg production in poultry. When chickens on a local farm were let out in the spring to forage for food, their egg production dropped noticeably. So the food found and eaten by the chickens is undeniably low in calcium.",
"The bacteria that cause tetanus live in the diges... | 0 | train_3883 |
Any announcement authorized by the head of the department is important. However, announcements are sometimes issued, without authorization, by people other than the head of the department, so some announcements will inevitably turn out not to be important. | The reasoning is flawed because the argument | [
"leaves open the possibility that the head of the department never, in fact, authorizes any announcements",
"overlooks the possibility that people other than the head of the department have the authority to authorize announcements",
"assumes without warrant that just because satisfying a given condition is enou... | 2 | train_3884 |
Editorial: It is common to find essays offering arguments that seem to show that our nation is in decline. There is no cause for alarm, however. The anxious tone of these essays shows that the problem is with the psychological state of their writers rather than with the actual condition of our nation. | Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the editorial' s reasoning? | [
"The editorial dismisses a particular view while offering evidence feat actually supports that view.",
"The editorial overlooks the possibility that the nation is neither thriving nor in decline.",
"The editorial compares two situations without considering the obvious differences between them.",
"The editoria... | 3 | train_3885 |
United Lumber will use trees from its forests for two products. The tree trunks will be used for lumber and the branches converted into wood chips to make fiberboard. The cost of this conversion would be the same whether done at the logging site, where the trees are debranched, or at United' s factory. However, wood ch... | The information given, if accurate, most strongly supports which of the following? | [
"Converting the branches into wood chips at the logging site would require transporting a fully assembled wood-chipping machine to and from the site.",
"The debranching of trees and the conversion of the branches into chips are the only stages in the processing of branches that it would be in United's economic ad... | 3 | train_3886 |
The common ancestors of Australian land- and treedwelling kangaroos had prehensile (grasping) tails and long opposable thumbs, attributes that are well-adapted to tree-dwelling but offer kangaroos few advantages on land. It is hardly surprising, ttherefore, that land-dwelling kangaroos eventually lost these attributes;... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps explain the puzzling fact cited above? | [
"Modern tree-dwelling kangaroos must back down tree trunks slowly and carefully, but the common ancestors of modern tree-and land-dwelling kangaroos used their opposable thumbs to descend trees quickly headfirst.",
"Modern tree-dwelling kangaroos' tails cannot grasp branches, but they are somewhat longer and more... | 2 | train_3887 |
The local board of education found that, because the current physics curriculum has little direct relevance to today's world, physics classes attracted few high school students. So to attract students to physics classes, the board proposed a curriculum that emphasizes principles of physics involved in producing and ana... | Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest reason to expect that the proposed curriculum will be successful in attracting students? | [
"In today's world the production and analysis of visual images is of major importance in communications, business, and recreation.",
"Several of the fundamental principles of physics are involved in producing and analyzing visual images.",
"Equipment that a large producer of photographic equipment has donated t... | 0 | train_3888 |
Traditionally, students at Kelly University have evaluated professors on the last day of class. But some professors at Kelly either do not distribute the paper evaluation forms or do so selectively, and many students cannot attend the last day of class. Soon, students will be able to use school computers to evaluate th... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument? | [
"Professors who distribute the paper evaluation forms selectively distribute them only to students they personally like.",
"Dissatisfied students are in general not more likely than satisfied students to submit a computerized evaluation.",
"Students can wisely and insightfully assess a professor's performance b... | 1 | train_3889 |
In polluted environments, dolphins gradually accumulated toxins in their body fat, and the larger the dolphin the more accumulated toxin it can tolerate. Nearly 80 percent of the toxins a female dolphin has accumulated pass into the fat-rich milk her nursing calf ingests. Ttherefore, the unusually high mortality rate a... | Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"Dolphins, like other marine mammals, have a higher proportion of body fat than do most land mammals.",
"As dolphins age, they accumulate toxins from the environment more slowly than when they were young.",
"The rate at which adult dolphins living in the waters along Florida's Gulf Coast accumulate toxins is no... | 3 | train_3890 |
Physical education should teach people to pursue healthy, active lifestyles as they grow older. But the focus on competitive sports in most schools causes most of the less competitive students to turn away from sports. Having learned to think of themselves as unathletic, they do not exercise enough to stay healthy. | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the statements above, if they are true? | [
"Physical education should include noncompetitive activities.",
"Children should be taught the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.",
"The mental aspects of exercise are as important as the physical ones.",
"Competition causes most students to turn away from sports."
] | 0 | train_3891 |
Bolivia ranks far behind Western European nations such as Great Britain and France when it comes to infant mortality rates. In all three countries, government agencies that oversee postnatal medical programs have been very successful in reducing the number of infants who are unvaccinated. In Bolivia, these government a... | Which one of the following is supported by the information above? | [
"Bolivia would have a lower infant mortality rate than Great Britain and France if its government agencies overseeing postnatal medical programs worked in rural and suburban areas.",
"Infant mortality rates have always been better in Western European nations than in Bolivia.",
"The requirement that government a... | 2 | train_3892 |
Economist: Global recessions can never be prevented, for they could be prevented only if they were predictable. Yet economists, using the best techniques at their disposal, consistently fail to accurately predict global recessions. | The economist's argument is most vulnerable to the criticism that it | [
"presupposes in a premise the conclusion that it purports to establish",
"fails to establish that economists claim to be able to accurately predict global recessions",
"fails to address the possibility that the techniques available to economists for the prediction of global recessions will significantly improve... | 2 | train_3893 |
All of the cargo ships of the Blue Star Line are over 100 meters long, and all of its passenger ships are under 100 meters long. Most of the ships of the Blue Star Line were built before 1980. All of the passenger and cargo ships of the Gold Star line were built after 1980, and all are under 100 meters long. The docksi... | If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true on the basis of them? | [
"All of the ships of the Blue Star Line are older than any of the ships of the Gold Star Line.",
"The S. S. Coral belongs to the Blue Star Line.",
"The S. S. Coral was built after 1980.",
"Port Tropica is served only by cargo ships."
] | 2 | train_3894 |
In Gilavia, the number of reported workplace injuries has declined 16 percent in the last five years. However, perhaps part of the decline results from injuries going unreported: many employers have introduced safety-incentive programs, such as prize drawings for which only employees who have a perfect work-safety reco... | Which of the following, if true in Gilavia, most strongly supports the proposed explanation? | [
"Employers generally have to pay financial compensation to employees who suffer work-related injuries.",
"In the last five years, there has been no decline in the number of workplace injuries leading to immediate admission to a hospital emergency room.",
"Employers who have instituted safety-incentive programs ... | 1 | train_3895 |
No member of the Richardson Theater Group is both a performer and an administrator. Since Leon and Marta are both members of the Richardson Theater Group but neither is an administrator, it follows that both are performers. | Which one of the following arguments displays a flawed pattern of reasoning most similar to that in the argument above? | [
"Not all of the employees of the Tedenco Company are salaried employees of that company. Since Mr. Lopez and Ms. Allen are both salaried employees of the Tedenco Company, it follows that they are not the only employees of the Tedenco Company.",
"No corporate attorney represents both the Dumone Company and the Ted... | 2 | train_3896 |
Cool weather typically weakens muscle power in cold-blooded creatures. In the veiled chameleon, a cold-blooded animal, the speed at which the animal can retract its tongue declines dramatically as the temperature falls. However, the speed at which this chameleon can extend its tongue does not decline much as the temper... | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above? | [
"Compared with the muscles in the tongues of most cold-blooded animals, the retraction muscles in the veiled chameleon's tongue are considerably stronger.",
"Most cold-blooded animals are much more active in warmer weather than in cooler weather.",
"In the veiled chameleon, tongue retraction is powered by muscl... | 2 | train_3897 |
Stage performances are judged to be realistic to the degree that actors reproduce on stage the behaviors generally associated by audiences with the emotional states of the characters portrayed. Traditional actors imitate those behaviors, whereas Method actors, through recollection of personal experience, actually exper... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"Realism is an essential criterion for evaluating the performances of both traditional actors and Method actors.",
"The behavior that results when a Method actor feels a certain emotion will conform to the behavior that is generally associated by audiences with that emotion.",
"Traditional actors do not aim to ... | 1 | train_3898 |
While sales of other highly fuel-efficient automobiles are in decline, sales of the Hydro are rising. The Hydro' s manufacturers attribute its success to the Hydro' s price and very low fuel consumption. However, the Hydro is comparable in price and fuel efficiency to its competitors, so it is more likely that its succ... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument? | [
"Hydro buyers are more likely to have neighbors who also drive Hydros.",
"Hydro buyers have less interest in environmental causes than buyers of other highly fuel-efficient automobiles.",
"The Hydro is recognizable as environmentally friendly in a way that its competitors are not.",
"The Hydro is the most pop... | 2 | train_3899 |
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