context stringlengths 94 1.14k | question stringlengths 24 342 | answers listlengths 4 4 | label int64 0 3 | id_string stringlengths 7 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Political scientist: People become unenthusiastic about voting if they believe that important problems can be addressed only by large numbers of people drastically changing their attitudes and that such attitudinal changes generally do not result from government action. The decreasing voter turnout is thus entirely due... | The reasoning in the political scientist's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"undermines its claim that people no longer believe there are political solutions to important problems by suggesting that people are dissatisfied with politicians",
"presumes, without providing justification, that there is no cause of decreasing voter turnout other than the belief that few important problems can... | 1 | train_4300 |
Detective: Bill has been accused of committing the burglary at the warehouse last night. But no one saw Bill in the vicinity of the warehouse. So we must conclude that Bill did not commit the burglary. | The reasoning in the detective's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument | [
"treats a lack of evidence against Bill as if it exonerated Bill",
"fails to establish the true identity of the burglar",
"treats evidence that is irrelevant to the burglar's identity as if it were relevant",
"merely attacks the character of Bill's accusers"
] | 0 | train_4301 |
A commission has been formed to report on the nation' s preparedness for a major natural disaster. The commission' s report will not be effective unless the commission speaks with a unified voice. Since individual members of the commission have repeatedly expressed their own opinions about disaster preparedness in the ... | The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? | [
"The commission's report will not be effective if some of the commission members already had opinions about the nation's disaster preparedness even before the commission was formed.",
"Commission members who have expressed their opinions about disaster preparedness in the news media have also emphasized their com... | 2 | train_4302 |
If one of the effects of a genetic mutation makes a substantial contribution to the survival of the species, then, and only then, will that mutation be favored in natural selection. This process is subject to one proviso, namely that the traits that were not favored, yet were carried along by a trait that was favored, ... | If the statements above are true, each of the following could be true EXCEPT: | [
"A species possesses a trait whose effects are all neutral for the survival of that species.",
"A species possesses a trait that reduces the species' survival potential.",
"All the effects of some genetic mutations contribute substantially to the survival of a species.",
"A genetic mutation whose effects are ... | 3 | train_4303 |
All coffee drinkers in an office ought to contribute equally to the fund that pays for the office' s coffee, because, although some coffee drinkers would prefer to pay for their coffee by the cup, or in some other manner, it is better if everyone who drinks the office' s coffee provides the same amount of support to th... | The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds? | [
"It offers two alternatives that do not exhaust the possibilities available and then treats those alternatives as the only possible ones.",
"It applies a double standard whereby one group of people is judged wrong and another group judged right for engaging in similar behavior.",
"It offers, in place of support... | 2 | train_4304 |
Garbage in this neighborhood probably will not be collected until Thursday this week. Garbage is usually collected here on Wednesdays, and the garbage collectors in this city are extremely reliable. However, Monday was a public holiday, and after a public holiday that falls on a Monday, garbage throughout the city is s... | The argument proceeds by | [
"treating something that is probable as though it were inevitable",
"generalizing about all actions of a certain kind on the basis of a description of one such action",
"treating several pieces of irrelevant evidence as though they provide support for the conclusion",
"providing information that allows applic... | 3 | train_4305 |
In 2006, hospitals in state W treated over 200, 000 people for secondhand smoking-related diseases. These 200, 000 patients cost healthcare insurance companies over $20 million. Over 120, 000 people with these secondhand smoking-related diseases died in 2006 in state W. Many new smokers take up the habit yearly. Politi... | Which of the following statements, if true, support the politicians' proposed bill? | [
"The 200, 000 people treated in 2006 for secondhand smoking-related diseases were each insured by one of the major healthcare insurance companies.",
"Treating people for secondhand smoking-related diseases is not more costly than treating diseases caused by smoking.",
"People most commonly are exposed to second... | 0 | train_4306 |
As a large corporation in a small country, Hachnut wants its managers to have international experience, so <b> each year it sponsors management education abroad for its management trainees </b>. Hachnut has found, however, that the attrition rate of graduates from this program is very high, with many of them leaving Ha... | In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles? | [
"The first introduces a consideration supporting a policy that the argument seeks to evaluate; the second provides evidence for concluding that the policy should be abandoned.",
"The first describes a practice that the argument seeks to justify; the second states a judgment that is used in support of a justificat... | 3 | train_4307 |
Standard archaeological techniques make it possible to determine the age of anything containing vegetable matter, but only if the object is free of minerals containing carbon. Prehistoric artists painted on limestone with pigments composed of vegetable matter, but it is impossible to collect samples of this prehistoric... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"The age of the limestone itself can be determined from samples that contain no vegetable-based paint.",
"The proportion of carbon to other elements in limestone is the same in all samples of limestone.",
"Prehistoric artists did not use anything other than vegetable matter to make their paints.",
"Laboratory... | 3 | train_4308 |
Ampicillin and other modern antibiotics kill a much wider variety of bacteria than penicillin does. They also carry higher profit margins, so drug companies now have an incentive to stop manufacturing the older, less profitable antibiotics. This could cause a penicillin shortage, forcing doctors to use the much more po... | The conclusion of the argument is most strongly supported if which one of the following completes the passage? | [
"drug-resistant bacteria flourish in the absence of competition from a wide variety of other bacteria",
"most bacteria that are resistant to penicillin are not resistant to ampicillin and other modern antibiotics",
"a shortage of penicillin would drive up its price and profit margin",
"treatment of diseases w... | 0 | train_4309 |
In order to maintain a high standard of living, a nation must maintain a functioning infrastructure. Major investment in the improvement of its infrastructure will, over time, reward a nation with a corresponding rise in its standard of living. Hence a nation whose standard of living is on the rise can be safely assume... | The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument fails to take into account that | [
"nations often experience short-term crises that require that resources be diverted to purposes other than the maintenance and improvement of infrastructure",
"a rise in a nation's standard of living need not be the result of major investments in its infrastructure",
"many nations are unable to make the needed ... | 1 | train_4310 |
A hospital should not be entitled to patent the research breakthroughs of its resident physicians. Hospitals, as sources of medical advancement, should encourage the free flow of ideas and the general dissemination of medical knowledge. Yet a hospital that retains the right to patent the breakthroughs of its resident p... | Which one of the following is an assumption that the argument makes? | [
"If the discoveries of a resident physician are not patented by that hospital, then they will be patented by the physician instead.",
"Hospitals are the only institutions that have an obligation to serve as a source of medical advancement.",
"Most breakthroughs by resident physicians would be profitable if pate... | 3 | train_4311 |
Political theorist: Even with the best spies, area experts, and satellite surveillance, foreign policy assessments can still lack important information. In such circumstances intuitive judgment is vital. A national leader with such judgment can make good decisions about foreign policy even when current information is i... | Which of the following, if true, most logically completes the argument? | [
"good foreign policy decisions often lead to improved methods of gathering information",
"the central reason for failure in foreign policy decision making is the absence of critical information",
"intuitive judgment can produce good decisions based on past experience, even when there are important gaps in curre... | 2 | train_4312 |
Several legislators claim that the public finds many current movies so sexually explicit as to be morally offensive. However, these legislators have misrepresented public opinion. In a survey conducted by a movie industry guild, only 15 percent of respondents think that movies are too sexually explicit, and only 4 perc... | The reasoning in the argument is flawed in that the argument | [
"fails to consider the possibility that sexually explicit movies increase the prevalence of antisocial behavior",
"attempts to undermine the legislators' credibility instead of addressing their argument",
"generalizes from a sample that is unlikely to be representative of public sentiment",
"bases its conclus... | 2 | train_4313 |
For years, a rare variety of camel was endangered because much of its habitat was used as a weapons testing range. After the testing range closed, however, the population of these camels began falling even more quickly. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the increased rate of population loss? | [
"The weapons tests had kept wildlife poachers out of the testing range.",
"Because of unexploded bombs, the land within the testing range was still somewhat dangerous after the range closed down.",
"The weapons tests were most harmful to the camels in years when food was scarce.",
"The camels had to overcome ... | 0 | train_4314 |
Professor: The United States faces several threats, and of those threats, terrorism is by far the most dangerous. Instability across the Middle East breeds extremism. The United States must be proactive in protecting herself and her allies. | The professor would most likely agree that: | [
"Extremism is even more dangerous than terrorism.",
"The United States should invade the Middle East.",
"If the United States becomes aware of an imminent threat to her security, the country should respond militarily.",
"The United States should spread democracy in the Middle East."
] | 2 | train_4315 |
In Mernia commercial fossil hunters often sell important fossils they have found, not to universities or museums, but to individual collectors, who pay much better but generally do not allow researchers access to their collections. To increase the number of fossils available for research, some legislators propose requi... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly indicates that the legislators' proposal will fail to achieve its goal? | [
"Some fossil hunters in Mernia are not commercial fossil hunters, but rather are amateurs who keep the fossils that they find.",
"Commercial fossil hunters in Mernia currently sell some of the fossils they find to universities and museums.",
"Many universities in Mernia do not engage in fossil research.",
"Mo... | 3 | train_4316 |
Most large nurseries sell raspberry plants primarily to commercial raspberry growers and sell only plants that are guaranteed to be disease-free. However, the shipment of raspberry plants that Johnson received from Wally' s Plants carried a virus that commonly afflicts raspberries. | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"Wally's Plants is probably not a large, well-run nursery if it sells its raspberry plants primarily to commercial raspberry growers.",
"If Wally's Plants is a large nursery, then the raspberry plants that Johnson received in the shipment were probably not entirely as they were guaranteed to be.",
"If Johnson i... | 1 | train_4317 |
The demand for used cars has risen dramatically in Germany in recent years. Most of this demand is generated by former East Germans who cannot yet afford new cars and for whom cars were generally unavailable prior to unification. This demand has outstripped supply and thus has exerted an upward pressure on the prices o... | Which one of the following, if true, would most help to support the conclusion about the German new-car market? | [
"Most Germans own very few cars in the course of their lives.",
"The demand for old cars in former West Germany is greater than the demand for new cars in former East Germany.",
"Most former West Germans purchase new cars once they sell their used cars.",
"In most European countries, the sale of a used car is... | 2 | train_4318 |
Marianna: The problem of drunk driving has been somewhat ameliorated by public education and stricter laws. Additional measures are nevertheless needed. People still drive after drinking, and when they do the probability is greatly increased that they will cause an accident involving death or serious injury. David: I t... | In responding to Marianna's argument, David makes which one of the following errors of reasoning? | [
"He argues against a point that is not one that Marianna was making.",
"He contradicts Marianna's conclusion without giving any evidence for his point of view.",
"He directs his criticism against the person making the argument rather than directing it against the argument itself.",
"He contradicts himself."
] | 0 | train_4319 |
Any course that teaches students how to write is one that will serve them well in later life. Ttherefore, since some philosophy courses teach students how to write, any student, whatever his or her major, will be served well in later life by taking any philosophy course. | A flaw in the reasoning of the argument is that the argument | [
"draws a weaker conclusion than is warranted by the strength of its premises",
"draws a conclusion about all cases of a certain kind on the basis of evidence that justifies such a conclusion only about some cases of that kind",
"presumes, without providing justification, that what is true of a whole must also b... | 1 | train_4320 |
A newly discovered painting seems to be the work of one of two 17th-century artists, either the northern German Johannes Drechen or the Frenchman Louis Birelle, who sometimes painted in the same style as Drechen. Analysis of the carved picture frame, which has been identified as the painting' s original 17th century fr... | Which of the following is an assumption that the argument requires? | [
"Sometimes a painting so closely resembles others of its era that no expert is able to confidently decide who painted it.",
"The carving style of the picture frame is not typical of any specific region of Europe.",
"Drechen is unlikely to have ever visited the home region of Birelle in France.",
"The frame wa... | 3 | train_4321 |
The Central City Church building was recently damaged by a fire that occurred overnight. The insurance company will not pay on a claim if it is determined that a fire was started deliberately. Since nobody was in the Central City Church building at the time the fire swept through the structure, the insurance company wi... | Which of the following is an assumption that is required to reach the conclusion above? | [
"No individual would fraudulently profit by setting a fire in the church building.",
"The insurance company typically pays claims for similar situations in other non-residential structures, such as office buildings and restaurants.",
"There was no one in the building at the time the fire swept through the struc... | 3 | train_4322 |
Psychologists today recognize childhood as a separate stage of life which can only be understood in its own terms, and they wonder why the Western world took so long to see the folly of regarding children simply as small, inadequately socialized adults. Most psychologists, however, persist in regarding people 70 to 90 ... | Which one of the following principles, if established, would provide the strongest backing for the argument? | [
"Whenever most practitioners of a given discipline approach a particular problem in the same way, that uniformity is good evidence that all similar problems should also be approached in that way.",
"Whenever psychologists agree that a single psychology is inadequate for two distinct age groups, they should be pre... | 3 | train_4323 |
In many languages other than English there is a word for "mother' s brother"which is different from the word for "father' s brother, " whereas English uses the word "uncle" for both. Thus, speakers of these languages evidence a more finely discriminated kinship system than English speakers do. The number of basic words... | Which one of the following, if true, undermines the conclusion concerning words for colors? | [
"Khmer uses a basic word corresponding to English \"blue\"for most leaves, but uses its basic word corresponding to English \"green\" for unripe bananas",
"Speakers of English are able to distinguish between lighter and darker shades of the color they call \"blue, \"for which Russian has two different basic words... | 1 | train_4324 |
The high cost of production is severely limiting which operas are available to the public. These costs necessitate reliance on large corporate sponsors, who in return demand that only the most famous operas be produced. Determining which operas will be produced should rest only with ticket purchasers at the box office,... | Which one of the following, if true, would weaken the argument? | [
"A few opera ticket purchasers go to the opera for the sake of going to the opera, not to see specific operatic productions.",
"The reduction of opera production budgets would not reduce the desire of large corporate sponsors to support operas.",
"Large corporate sponsors will stop supporting opera productions ... | 3 | train_4325 |
Columnist: It may soon be possible for an economy to function without paper money. Instead, the government would electronically record all transactions as they take place. However, while this may be technologically feasible it would never be willingly accepted by a society, for it gives the government too much power. P... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the overall conclusion of the columnist's argument? | [
"It is reasonable for people to distrust a government that has too much power.",
"Even though it may be technologically feasible, no government will be able to operate an economy without the use of paper money.",
"New technology may soon make it possible for an economy to operate without paper money.",
"A soc... | 3 | train_4326 |
One of the limiting factors in human physical performance is the amount of oxygen that is absorbed by the muscles from the bloodstream. Accordingly, entrepreneurs have begun selling at gymnasiums and health clubs bottles of drinking water, labeled "SuperOXY, " that has extra oxygen dissolved in the water. Such water wo... | Which of the following, if true, would serve the same function in the argument as the statement in boldface? | [
"the only way to get oxygen into the bloodstream so that it can be absorbed by the muscles is through the lungs",
"frequent physical exercise increases the body's ability to take in and use oxygen",
"lack of oxygen is not the only factor limiting human physical performance",
"the water lost in exercising can ... | 0 | train_4327 |
A patient complained of feeling constantly fatigued. It was determined that the patient averaged only four to six hours of sleep per night, and this was determined to contribute to the patient' s condition. However, the patient was not advised to sleep more. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above? | [
"Most people who suffer from nightmares experience them in the last hour of sleep before waking.",
"Worry about satisfying the need for sufficient sleep can make it more difficult to sleep.",
"The first two hours of sleep do the most to alleviate fatigue.",
"The shorter one's sleep time, the easier it is to a... | 1 | train_4328 |
Ullman: Plato argued that because of the harmful ways in which music can manipulate the emotions, societies need to put restrictions on the music their citizens hear. However, because musicians seek not to manipulate the emotions but to create beauty, this argument is misguided. | Ullman's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it fails to consider the possibility that | [
"artists who are trying to manipulate people's emotions to control them are not likely to admit it",
"those with the power to censor music would not censor other forms of expression",
"there are other, more convincing arguments for allowing the censorship of music",
"what musicians intend their music to do an... | 3 | train_4329 |
Popular science publications that explain new developments in science face a dilemma. In order to reach a wide audience, these publications must rely heavily on metaphorical writing, which usually fails to convey the science accurately. If the writing is more rigorous, they get the science right but fail to reach a wid... | Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument? | [
"In reporting scientific developments, it is better to fail to reach a wide audience than to be inaccurate.",
"In reporting scientific developments, it is better to reach a wide audience than to be accurate.",
"Science publications should balance the use of metaphors with more rigorous writing.",
"Even the mo... | 0 | train_4330 |
The top 50 centimeters of soil on Tiliga Island contain bones from the native birds eaten by the islanders since the first human immigration to the island 3, 000 years ago. A comparison of this top layer with the underlying 150 centimeters of soil -- accumulated over 80, 000 years -- reveals that before humans arrived ... | Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"Many of the bird species that disappeared from Tiliga did not disappear from other, similar, uninhabited islands until much later.",
"Bones from bird species known to have been eaten by the islanders were found in the underlying 150 centimeters of soil.",
"The bird species known to have been eaten by the islan... | 3 | train_4331 |
Student representative: Our university, in expelling a student who verbally harassed his roommate, has erred by penalizing the student for doing what he surely has a right to do: speak his mind! Dean of students: But what you' re saying is that our university should endorse verbal harassment. Yet surely if we did that,... | Which one of the following is a questionable technique that the dean of students uses in attempting to refute the student representative? | [
"relying on a position of power to silence the opposing viewpoint with a threat",
"questioning the motives of the student representative rather than offering reasons for the conclusion defended",
"misdescribing the student representative's position, thereby making it easier to challenge",
"invoking a fallacio... | 2 | train_4332 |
To reduce waste of raw materials, the government of Sperland is considering requiring household appliances to be broken down for salvage when discarded. To cover the cost of salvage, the government is planning to charge a fee, which would be imposed when the appliance is first sold. Imposing the fee at the time of salv... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"Many nonfunctioning appliances that are currently discarded could be repaired at relatively little expense.",
"The fee provides manufacturers with no incentive to produce appliances that are more durable.",
"Increasing the cost of disposing of an appliance properly increases the incentive to dispose of it impr... | 2 | train_4333 |
Editorial: It is clear that what is called "health education" is usually propaganda rather than education. Propaganda and education are never the same thing. The former is nothing but an attempt to influence behavior through the repetition of simplistic slogans, whereas the latter never involves such a method. Though e... | The conclusion drawn by the editorial follows logically if it is assumed that what is called "health education" usually | [
"attempts to influence behavior solely by repeating simplistic slogans",
"does not leave it up to the individual to decide how to act on information",
"does not offer information in all its complexity",
"is very successful in influencing people's behavior"
] | 0 | train_4334 |
The closest distance from which an asteroid has been photographed using ground-based radar is 2. 2 million miles, the distance from which the asteroid Toutatis was recently photographed. The closest photograph of an asteroid is of Gaspra, which was photographed from a distance of only 10, 000 miles. | Which of the following can be properly concluded from the statements above? | [
"Ground-based radar photography cannot take photographs of objects much beyond 2. 2 million miles from Earth.",
"The photograph of Gaspra was not taken using ground-based radar.",
"Toutatis, unlike Gaspra, has only recently been discovered.",
"Toutatis is more likely to collide with the Earth than Gaspra is."... | 1 | train_4335 |
Mark: Plastic-foam cups, which contain environmentally harmful chlorofluorocarbons, should no longer be used; paper cups are preferable. Styrene, a carcinogenic by-product, is generated in foam production, and foam cups, once used, persist indefinitely in the environment. Tina: You overlook the environmental effects of... | Which one of the following, if true, could Mark cite to counter evidence offered by Tina? | [
"The production and transportation of petroleum occasions serious environmental pollution, but the energy that runs paper mills now comes from burning waste wood rather than petroleum.",
"The use of energy for chain saws that cut down trees and for trucks that haul logs is part of the environmental cost of manufa... | 0 | train_4336 |
Many people say that the press should not pry into the personal lives of private individuals. But the press has the right to publish any story of interest to the public unless that story is libelous. So, if a story about a private individual is not libelous, the press has an obligation to publish it, for such informati... | The argument's reasoning is vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument presumes, without giving warrant, that | [
"the press's right to publish always outweighs the individual's right not to be libeled",
"one's having a right to do something entails one's having an obligation to do it",
"the press can publish nonlibelous stories about private individuals without prying into their personal lives",
"if one has an obligatio... | 1 | train_4337 |
X: Medical research on animals should not be reduced in response to a concern for animals, because results of such research serve to avert human suffering. In such research a trade-off between human and animal welfare is always inevitable, but we should give greater weight to human welfare. Y: With technology that is c... | The relationship of Y's response to X's argument is that Y's response | [
"supplies a premise to X's argument that was not explicitly stated",
"disagrees with X about the weight to be given to animal suffering as opposed to human suffering",
"presents a logical consequence of the premises of X's argument",
"contradicts a premise on which X's argument relies"
] | 3 | train_4338 |
Baumgartner' s comparison of the environmental hazards of gasoline-powered cars with those of electric cars is misleading. He examines only production of the cars, whereas it is the product' s total life cycle -- production, use, and recycling -- that matters in determining its environmental impact. A typical gasoline-... | Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the argument? | [
"The total life cycle of a product is what matters in assessing its environmental impact.",
"Baumgartner uses inaccurate data in his comparison of the environmental hazards of gasoline-powered and electric cars.",
"The production of gasoline-powered cars creates more environmental hazards than does that of elec... | 3 | train_4339 |
Worldwide, more books were sold last year than in any previous year. In particular, there were more cookbooks sold. For the first time ever, most of the cookbooks sold were not intended for beginners. Indeed, more cookbooks than ever were purchased by professional cooks. However, one of the few books available on every... | Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above? | [
"Last year there were more cookbooks sold that were not intended for beginners than in any previous year.",
"Sales of cookbooks intended for beginners were lower last year than in previous years.",
"Problem-Free Cooking sold more copies last year than did any cookbook written for professional cooks.",
"The be... | 0 | train_4340 |
Measurements of the motion of the planet Uranus seem to show Uranus being tugged by a force pulling it away from the Sun and the inner planets. Neptune and Pluto, the two known planets whose orbits are farther from the Sun than is the orbit of Uranus, do not have enough mass to exert the force that the measurements ind... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"There is a belt of comets beyond the orbit of Pluto with powerful gravitational pull.",
"The force the Sun exerts on Uranus is weaker than the force it exerts on the inner planets.",
"Neither Neptune nor Pluto is as massive as Uranus.",
"Pluto was not discovered until 1930."
] | 0 | train_4341 |
The Fieldpark nuclear power plant, cited three years ago by a governmentally led safety commission for exceeding safe levels of radiation, has recently allowed the media access to its facilities. A spokesperson for the plant has claimed that the media has full access to the plant and is not prohibited from taking pictu... | Which of the following is an assumption upon which the spokesperson's conclusion depends? | [
"There were verifiable cases of radiation sickness in the year before the plant was cited by the safety commission.",
"The number of sieverts the plant releases has not increased since the last governmental inspection.",
"Photos can establish with the same reliability what a government safety commission can.",
... | 2 | train_4342 |
Municipal officials originally estimated that it would be six months before municipal road crews could complete repaving a stretch of road. The officials presumed that private contractors could not finish any sooner. However, when the job was assigned to a private contractor, it was completed in just 28 days. | Which one of the following, if true, does most to resolve the discrepancy between the time estimated for completion of the repaving job, and the actual time taken by the private contractor? | [
"The labor union contract for road crews employed by both municipal agencies and private contractors stipulates that employees can work only eight hours a day, five days a week, before being paid overtime.",
"Many road-crew workers for private contractors have previously worked for municipal road crews, and vice ... | 2 | train_4343 |
The years 1917, 1937, 1956, 1968, 1979, and 1990 are all notable for the occurrence of both popular uprisings and near-maximum sunspot activity. During heavy sunspot activity, there is a sharp rise in positively charged ions in the air people breathe, and positively charged ions are known to make people anxious and irr... | Which one of the following exhibits a pattern of reasoning most similar to that in the passage? | [
"The ancient Greeks sometimes attempted to predict the outcome of future events by watching the flight patterns of birds. Since the events themselves often matched the predictions, the birds were probably responding to some factor that also influenced the events.",
"The thirty healthiest people in a long-term med... | 3 | train_4344 |
More and more academic institutions are using citation analysis as the main technique for measuring the quality of scientific research. This technique involves a yearly scanning of scientific journals to count the number of references to a researcher' s work. Although academic institutions want to encourage good resear... | Which one of the following, if true, provides the strongest support for the argument? | [
"Scientists often cite their colleagues' work when they think it is unfairly neglected by the scientific establishment.",
"In general scientific research is not referred to in journals until the research is completed.",
"Research that is initially criticized in scientific journals sometimes turns out to be grou... | 1 | train_4345 |
Most parents who are generous are good parents, but some self-centered parents are also good parents. Yet all good parents share one characteristic: they are good listeners. | If all of the statements in the passage are true, which one of the following must also be true? | [
"All parents who are good listeners are good parents.",
"Some parents who are good listeners are self-centered.",
"Some parents who are good listeners are not good parents.",
"Most parents who are good listeners are generous."
] | 1 | train_4346 |
In Patton City, days are categorized as having heavy rainfall (more than two inches), moderate rainfall (more than one inch, but no more than two inches), light rainfall (at least a trace, but no more than one inch), or no rainfall. In 1990, there were fewer days with light rainfall than in 1910 and fewer with moderate... | If the statements above are true, then it is also possible that in Patton City | [
"the number of days with heavy rainfall was lower in 1990 than in 1910",
"the average amount of rainfall per month was lower in 1990 than in 1910",
"the number of days with some rainfall, but no more than two inches, was the same in 1990 as in 1910",
"the total number of inches of rain that fell on days with ... | 0 | train_4347 |
Physician: Hatha yoga is a powerful tool for helping people quit smoking. In a clinical trial, those who practiced hatha yoga for 75 minutes once a week and received individual counseling reduced their smoking and cravings for tobacco as much as did those who went to traditional self-help groups once a week and had ind... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the physician's argument relies? | [
"People who practice hatha yoga for 75 minutes once a week are not damaging themselves physically.",
"Most smokers are able to practice hatha yoga more than once a week.",
"The individual counseling received by the smokers in the clinical trial who practiced hatha yoga did not help them quit smoking.",
"Tradi... | 3 | train_4348 |
Politician: Every regulation currently being proposed by the Committee for Overseas Trade will reduce the trade deficit. Our country' s trade deficit is so large that it weakens the economy. Ttherefore, each of the proposed regulations would help the economy. | The reasoning in the politician's argument is flawed in that the argument | [
"takes for granted that the trade deficit will increase in size if no action is taken to reduce it",
"merely appeals to the authority of the committee without evaluating any reasons for the proposed regulations",
"concludes that every regulation in a set will have the same effects as a set of regulations as a w... | 3 | train_4349 |
Psychologists observing a shopping mall parking lot found that, on average, drivers spent 39 seconds leaving a parking space when another car was quietly waiting to enter it, 51 seconds if the driver of the waiting car honked impatiently, but only 32 seconds leaving a space when no one was waiting. This suggests that d... | Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the reasoning? | [
"The amount of time drivers spend entering a parking space is not noticeably affected by whether other drivers are waiting for them to do so, nor by whether those other drivers are honking impatiently.",
"Parking spaces in shopping mall parking lots are unrepresentative of parking spaces in general with respect t... | 3 | train_4350 |
Educational television is a contradiction in terms. While a classroom encourages social interaction, television encourages solitude. School is centered on the development of language, but television depends upon constantly changing visual images. And in a classroom, fun is merely a means to an end, but on television it... | Upon which one of the following assumptions does the author rely in the passage? | [
"The classroom should not be a place where anyone has fun.",
"Television programs reinforce some of the values of the school environment.",
"Only experiences that closely resemble what takes place in the school environment can be educational.",
"The potential of television as a powerful learning tool has not ... | 2 | train_4351 |
Coach: An acceptable way of building a more successful team is not readily attainable. Paying large salaries to star athletes for short contract periods limits our ability to plan for long-term team restructuring. If the team' s budget is focused on talented, yet unskilled, rookies, our coaching staff is forced to expe... | The claim that trading older players who are no longer reliable could cause discontent among nostalgic fans plays which one of the following roles in the coach's argument? | [
"It supports the claim that an acceptable way of building a more successful team is not readily attainable.",
"It argues for an alternative solution to the problem of focusing the team's budget on talented, yet unskilled, rookies.",
"It presents another consideration for why the coaching staff should not expend... | 0 | train_4352 |
The air quality board recently informed Coffee Roast, a small coffee roasting firm, of a complaint regarding the smoke from its roaster. Recently enacted air quality regulations requires machine roasting more than 10 pounds of coffee to be equipped with expensive smoke-dissipating afterburners. The firm, however, roast... | Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the firm's decision? | [
"Coffee roasted in a machine equipped with an afterburner has its flavor subtly altered.",
"Until setting on the new air quality regulations, the board had debated whether to require afterburners for machines roasting more than 5 pounds of coffee at a time.",
"The firm has reason to fear that negative publicity... | 2 | train_4353 |
People who consume a lot of honey tend to have fewer cavities than others have. Yet, honey is high in sugar, and sugar is one of the leading causes of tooth decay. | Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent paradox described above? | [
"People who eat a lot of honey tend to consume very little sugar from other sources.",
"Refined sugars have been linked to more health problems than have unrefined sugars.",
"Honey contains bacteria that inhibit the growth of the bacteria that cause tooth decay.",
"Many people who consume a lot of honey consu... | 2 | train_4354 |
Advertisement: Each of the Economic Merit Prize winners from the past 25 years is covered by the Acme retirement plan. Since the winners of the nation' s most prestigious award for economists have thus clearly recognized that the Acme plan offers them a financially secure future, it is probably a good plan for anyone w... | The advertisement's argumentation is most vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds? | [
"It fails to address adequately the possibility that any of several retirement plans would be good enough for, and offer a financially secure future to, Economic Merit Prize winners.",
"It presumes, without providing justification, that each of the Economic Merit Prize winners has retirement plan needs that are i... | 2 | train_4355 |
At a recent conference on environmental threats to the North Sea, most participating countries favored uniform controls on the quality of effluents, whether or not specific environmental damage could be attributed to a particular source of effluent. What must, of course, be shown, in order to avoid excessively restrict... | Which of the following best completes the passage below? | [
"any uniform controls that are adopted are likely to be implemented without delay",
"all of any given pollutant that is to be controlled actually reaches the North Sea at present",
"any substance to be made subject to controls can actually cause environmental damage",
"the countries favoring uniform controls ... | 2 | train_4356 |
A six-month public health campaign sought to limit the spread of influenza by encouraging people to take precautions such as washing their hands frequently and avoiding public places when they experience influenza symptoms. Since the incidence of influenza was much lower during those months than experts had predicted, ... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? | [
"The incidence of food-borne illnesses, which can be effectively controlled by frequent hand washing, was markedly lower than usual during the six-month period.",
"Independently of the public health campaign, the news media spread the message that one's risk of contracting influenza can be lessened by frequent ha... | 0 | train_4357 |
In her new book on ancient Egyptian historical research, M frequently attributes bad faith to researchers disagreeing with her. A troubling aspect of M' s book is her stated conviction that other archaeologists' funding sources often determine what "findings" archaeologists report. Add to this that M has often shown he... | The author of the book review commits which one of the following reasoning errors? | [
"using an attack on the character of the writer of the book as evidence that this person is not competent on matters of scientific substance",
"presenting as facts several assertions about the book under review that are based only on strong conviction and would be impossible for others to verify",
"taking it fo... | 0 | train_4358 |
Jane: Professor Harper' s ideas for modifying the design of guitars are of no value because there is no general agreement among musicians as to what a guitar should sound like and, consequently, no widely accepted basis for evaluating the merits of a guitar' s sound. Mark: What' s more, Harper' s ideas have had enough ... | Which one of the following most accurately describes the relationship between Jane's argument and Mark's argument? | [
"Mark and Jane use similar techniques to argue for different conclusions.",
"Mark's argument and Jane's argument are based on conflicting suppositions.",
"Mark's argument shows how a weakness in Jane's argument can be overcome",
"Mark's argument has a premise in common with Jane's argument."
] | 1 | train_4359 |
In the next decade, a large percentage of municipalities throughout the country will experience power failures if they do not modernize their electrical substations. The vast majority of substations in the country already handle currents between 60% and 80% of their maximum capacity, and currents are expected to rise, ... | Which of the following is an assumption of the above argument? | [
"An electrical substation fails when the current it handles rises above its maximum capacity.",
"Ten years from now, the average household will own a greater number of electronic devices than does the average household today.",
"A modernized electric substation would be able to handle at least three times the a... | 0 | train_4360 |
Current maps showing the North American regions where different types of garden plants will flourish are based on weather data gathered 60 years ago from a few hundred primitive weather stations. New maps are now being compiled using computerized data from several thousand modern weather stations and input from home ga... | Each of the following, if true, helps to support the claim that the new maps will be more useful EXCEPT: | [
"Home gardeners can provide information on plant flourishing not available from weather stations.",
"Weather patterns have changed in the past 60 years.",
"Weather conditions are the most important factor in determining where plants will grow.",
"Some of the weather stations currently in use are more than 60 ... | 3 | train_4361 |
Certain items -- those with that hard-to-define quality called exclusivity -- have the odd property, when they become available for sale, of selling rapidly even though they are extremely expensive. In fact, trying to sell such an item fast by asking too low a price is a serious error, since it calls into question the ... | The argument recommends a certain pricing strategy on the grounds that | [
"the error associated with this strategy, unlike the error associated with the rejected alternative, is likely to go unnoticed",
"this strategy has all of the advantages of the rejected alternative, but fewer of its disadvantages",
"experience has proven this strategy to be superior, even though the reasons for... | 3 | train_4362 |
Historian: There is no direct evidence that timber was traded between the ancient nations of Poran and Nayal, but the fact that a law setting tariffs on timber imports from Poran was enacted during the third Nayalese dynasty does suggest that during that period a timber trade was conducted. Critic: Your reasoning is fl... | The critic's response to the historian's reasoning does which one of the following? | [
"It distinguishes between what has been established as a certainty and what has been established as a possibility.",
"It identifies a general principle that the historian's reasoning violates.",
"It establishes explicit criteria that must be used in evaluating indirect evidence.",
"It implies an analogy betwe... | 3 | train_4363 |
Sarah: When commercial fishing boats with permits to fish for certain species accidentally catch a type of fish for which they have no permit, the latter must be thrown back. This is a very wasteful practice because many, if not most, of the rejected fish do not survive. Fishing permits should ttherefore be altered so ... | The technique Amar uses in responding to Sarah's argument is to | [
"contend that Sarah's recommendation has an important negative consequence",
"maintain that Sarah overlooks important lessons from past policies",
"allude to a factor that supposedly strengthens the case for Sarah's recommendation",
"point out that Sarah used a crucial term in two distinct senses"
] | 0 | train_4364 |
Several industries have recently switched at least partly from older technologies powered by fossil fuels to new technologies powered by electricity. It is thus evident that less fossil fuel is being used as a result of the operations of these industries than would have been used if these industries had retained their ... | Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument above? | [
"Less fossil fuel was used to manufacture the machinery employed in the new technologies than was originally used to manufacture the machinery employed in the older technologies.",
"Some of the industries that have switched at least partly to the new technologies still use primarily technologies that are powered ... | 2 | train_4365 |
There were several early attempts to forge a reconciliation between Shintoism and Buddhism based on mutual respect among their adherents. The evidence for this includes extant sculptures depicting Shinto gods wearing Buddhist vestments. | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"No sculptures that have not survived depicted Shinto gods wearing Buddhist vestments.",
"Shintoism did not originate as a sect of Buddhism.",
"Most sculptures contemporaneous with the sculptures mentioned were intended to have religious significance.",
"The depiction of Shinto gods wearing Buddhist vestments... | 3 | train_4366 |
Neuroscientist: Memory evolved to help animals react appropriately to situations they encounter by drawing on the past experience of similar situations. But this does not require that animals perfectly recall every detail of all their experiences. Instead, to function well, memory should generalize from past experience... | The neuroscientist's statements, if true, most strongly support which of the following conclusions? | [
"Generalizing from past experiences requires clear memories of most if not all the details of those experiences.",
"Recalling every detail of all past experiences would be incompatible with any ability to generalize from those experiences.",
"Animals can often react more appropriately than they otherwise would ... | 2 | train_4367 |
Reviewer: Although finalism -- the view that there are purposes in nature -- has been universally rejected, this book launches another attack on that view. Its arguments are based on a complete misunderstanding of the operation of pure chance in nature and so it fails as a critique of finalism. Finalism, ttherefore, is... | Which one of the following is most closely parallel in its flawed reasoning to the flawed reasoning in the reviewer's argument? | [
"Few botanists deny that a recently discovered fern is the same species represented in ancient fossils. The botanists who first discovered this specimen deny that it is the same species as the ancient one, but they have spent little time studying the specimen. Ttherefore, the specimen is likely to be the same speci... | 2 | train_4368 |
Teacher: Journalists who conceal the identity of the sources they quote stake their professional reputations on what may be called the logic of anecdotes. This is so because the statements reported by such journalists are dissociated from the precise circumstances in which they were made and thus will be accepted for p... | The student's response contains which one of the following reasoning flaws? | [
"confusing a marginal journalistic practice with the primary work done by journalists",
"ignoring the possibility that the teacher regards as a prerequisite for the publication of an unattributed statement that the statement have actually been made",
"judging the merits of the teacher's position solely by the m... | 1 | train_4369 |
Criminologist: Those who propose a rule mandating a life sentence for any criminal who has multiple convictions for serious crimes argue that it would be a welcome crackdown on career criminals. In reality, however, few repeat offenders are convicted of anything other than minor violations. | The criminologist's statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following? | [
"The sentencing of most repeat offenders would be unaffected by the proposed rule if it became law.",
"People who have never been convicted of minor violations are unlikely to become career criminals.",
"Many first-time offenders are convicted of serious crimes as well as minor violations.",
"Most people who ... | 0 | train_4370 |
Even if a crime that has been committed by computer is discovered and reported, the odds of being both arrested and convicted greatly favor the criminal. | Each of the following, if true, supports the claim above EXCEPT: | [
"The priorities of local police departments, under whose jurisdiction most computer crime falls, are weighted toward visible street crime that communities perceive as threatening.",
"Computer criminals have rarely been sentenced to serve time in prison, because prisons are overcrowded with violent criminals and d... | 1 | train_4371 |
Jane: Television programs and movies that depict violence among teenagers are extremely popular. Given how influential these media are, we have good reason to believe that these depictions cause young people to engage in violent behavior. Hence, depictions of violence among teenagers should be prohibited from movies an... | Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens Jane's argument? | [
"Many adolescents who engage in violent behavior had already displayed such behavior before they were exposed violence in movies.",
"The movies that have been shown to have the most influence on young people's behavior are those that are promoted to young audiences.",
"The people who make the most profits in th... | 1 | train_4372 |
Etiquette firmly opposes both obscene and malicious talk, but this does not imply that speech needs to be restricted by law. Etiquette does not necessarily even oppose the expression of offensive ideas. Rather, it dictates that there are situations in which the expression of potentially offensive, disturbing, or contro... | Which one of the following judgments most closely corresponds to the principles of etiquette stated above? | [
"The journalists at a news conference should not ask a politician potentially embarrassing questions about a controversial policy issue.",
"The moderator of a panel discussion of a divisive moral issue should not allow participants to engage in name-calling.",
"Neighbors should not be gruff or unfriendly to one... | 1 | train_4373 |
Purebred dogs are prone to genetically determined abnormalities. Although such abnormalities often can be corrected by surgery, the cost can reach several thousand dollars. Since nonpurebred dogs rarely suffer from genetically determined abnormalities, potential dog owners who want to reduce the risk of incurring costl... | Which one of the following if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"All dogs, whether purebred or nonpurebred, are subject to the same common nongenetically determined diseases.",
"A dog that does not have genetically determined abnormalities may nevertheless have offspring with such abnormalities.",
"The purchase price of nonpurebred dogs tends to be lower than the purchase p... | 3 | train_4374 |
Because migrant workers are typically not hired by any one employer for longer than a single season, migrant workers can legally be paid less than the minimum hourly wage that the government requires employers to pay all their permanent employees. Yet most migrant workers work long hours each day for eleven or twelve m... | The pattern of reasoning displayed above most closely parallels that displayed in which one of the following arguments? | [
"Because food additives are not considered drugs, they have not had to meet the safety standards the government applies to drugs. But food additives can be as dangerous as drugs. Ttherefore, food additives should also be subject to safety regulations as stringent as those covering drugs.",
"Because some countries... | 0 | train_4375 |
Columnist: The managers of some companies routinely donate a certain percentage of their companies' profits each year to charity. Although this practice may seem totally justified and even admirable, it is not. After all, corporate profits are not the property of the managers, but of the companies' owners. The legendar... | Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the analogy used in the argument? | [
"The profits that a company makes in a given year are, in part, returned to the owners of the company.",
"Managers who routinely donate a certain percentage of corporate profits to charity do so with the owners' tacit consent.",
"Any charity that accepts corporate donations needs to be able to account for how t... | 1 | train_4376 |
The Aquipos toucan is able to use its long beak to reach inside apertures in a tree's bark and feed on the insects that dwell within and that are the toucan's main food source. Several noted ornithologists have speculated that because the toucan's beak is curved in a manner similar to the openings in the bark, the beak... | Which of the following, if true, argues most strongly against the ornithologists' speculation? | [
"The Aquipos toucan is also able to use its beak to break bark, thereby accessing insects that dwell in the trunk.",
"Many insects crawl on the bark of the tree and a toucan can sometimes become satiated without having to access insects living beneath the bark.",
"The tree holes in which the Aquipos toucan is a... | 0 | train_4377 |
Historically, monetary systems have developed only in population centers with marketplaces. Through the fourth century B. C. , Mesopotamian cities engaged in trade, but had never had marketplaces. By that period, however, Greek cities all had marketplaces, or agorae. The Greek cities' agorae were centrally located and ... | If all of the statements in the passage are true, then which one of the following must also be true? | [
"In the fourth century B. C. , the Greeks and the Mesopotamians traded with each other.",
"The Mesopotamian cities of the fourth century B. C. did not have monetary systems.",
"The development of monetary systems has historically led to the development of marketplaces.",
"In the fourth century B. C. , Greek c... | 1 | train_4378 |
The journalistic practice of fabricating remarks after an interview and printing them within quotation marks, as if they were the interviewee' s own words, has been decried as a form of unfair misrepresentation. However, people' s actual spoken remarks rarely convey their ideas as clearly as does a distillation of thos... | Which one of the following is a questionable technique used in the argument? | [
"claiming that the prestige of a profession provides ample grounds for dismissing criticisms of that profession",
"answering an exaggerated charge by undermining the personal authority of those who made that charge",
"concluding that a practice is right on the grounds that it is necessary",
"offering as an ad... | 3 | train_4379 |
Linguist: In English, the past is described as "behind" and the future "ahead, " whereas in Aymara the past is "ahead" and the future "behind. " Research indicates that English speakers sway backward when discussing the past and forward when discussing the future. Conversely, Aymara speakers gesture forward with their ... | The linguist's reasoning depends on assuming which of the following? | [
"The researchers also examined the movements of at least some speakers of languages other than English and Aymara discussing the past and the future.",
"At least some Aymara speakers sway forward when discussing the past and backward when discussing the future.",
"Most people mentally visualize time as running ... | 3 | train_4380 |
Observatory director: Some say that funding the megatelescope will benefit only the astronomers who will work with it. This dangerous point of view, applied to the work of Maxwell, Newton, or Einstein, would have stifled their research and deprived the world of beneficial applications, such as the development of radio,... | If the statements above are put forward as an argument in favor of development of the megatelescope, which one of the following is the strongest criticism of that argument? | [
"It does not identify those opposed to development of the megatelescope.",
"It launches a personal attack on opponents of the megatelescope by accusing them of having a dangerous point of view.",
"It does not distinguish between the economic and the intellectual senses of \"benefit. \"",
"It does not show tha... | 3 | train_4381 |
Editorial: Regulations recently imposed by the government of Risemia call for unprecedented reductions in the amounts of pollutants manufacturers are allowed to discharge into the environment. It will take costly new pollution control equipment requiring expensive maintenance to comply with these regulations. Resultant... | Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument in the editorial? | [
"Savings from utilizing the chemicals captured by the pollution control equipment will remain far below the cost of maintaining the equipment.",
"The need to comply with the new regulations will stimulate the development within Risemia of new pollution control equipment for which a strong worldwide demand is like... | 1 | train_4382 |
Once children begin to read they acquire new vocabulary most naturally as the indirect result of reading difficult, challenging material. The major alternative -- direct studying of new vocabulary items -- is less natural; most people are not so inclined. From age six to age thirteen, children learn thousands of new wo... | Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? | [
"Reading difficult material sometimes leaves one confused as to the meaning of certain words.",
"Adults who habitually read difficult material tend not to learn many new words from doing so.",
"Experts disagree on the estimates of how many words children typically learn from age six to age thirteen.",
"Childr... | 3 | train_4383 |
In a survey of consumers in an Eastern European nation, respondents were asked two questions about each of 400 famous Western brands: whether or not they recognized the brand name and whether or not they thought the products bearing that name were of high quality. The results of the survey were a rating and correspondi... | Which one of the following, if each is a principle about consumer surveys, is violated by the survey described ? | [
"Never ask a question that is likely to generate a large variety of responses that are difficult to group into a manageable number of categories.",
"It is best to ask questions that a respondent can answer without fear of having gotten the answer wrong.",
"Never ask all respondents a question that respondents c... | 3 | train_4384 |
The tiny hummingbird weighs little, but its egg is 15 percent of the adult hummingbird' s weight. The volume and weight of an adult goose are much greater than those of a hummingbird, but a goose' s egg is only about 4 percent of its own weight. An adult ostrich, much larger and heavier than a goose, lays an egg that i... | Which one of the following propositions is best illustrated by the statements above? | [
"The eggs of different bird species vary widely in their ratio of volume to weight.",
"The smaller and lighter the average adult members of a bird species are, the larger and heavier the eggs of that species are.",
"The ratio of egg weight of a species to body weight of an adult member of that species is smalle... | 2 | train_4385 |
Editorial in Golbindian Newspaper: For almost three months, opposition parties have been mounting daily street demonstrations in the capital in an effort to pressure the ruling party into calling an election. Though the demonstrations were well attended at first, attendance has declined steadily in recent weeks. Howeve... | Which of the following most logically completes the editorial below? | [
"A recent sharp decrease in unemployment has led to increased popular support for the government.",
"The state-controlled media have ceased any mention of the demonstrations, leaving many citizens outside the capital with no way of knowing that demonstrations continue.",
"There have not recently been any antigo... | 1 | train_4386 |
Dr. Khan: Professor Burns recognizes that recent observations fail to confirm earlier ones that apparently showed a comet reservoir far out in our solar system. She claims this nonconfirmation is enough to show that the earlier observations are incorrect. But the recent observations occurred under poor conditions. | Which one of the following is most supported by Dr. Khan's statements? | [
"Professor Burns's claim about the implications of the recent observations is incorrect.",
"The poor conditions present during recent observations render them worthless.",
"The recent observations, even if they had been made under good conditions, would not have been enough to suggest that the earlier ones are ... | 0 | train_4387 |
YXK is currently the television network with the highest overall number of viewers. Among YXK' s programs, Bliss has the highest numbers of viewers. So Bliss currently has more viewers than any other program on television. | The flawed reasoning exhibited by the argument above is most similar to that exhibited by which one of the following? | [
"Soccer players suffer more leg injuries, on average, than any other athletes at this university. Linda Wilson has suffered more leg injuries than any other soccer player at this university. Thus, Linda Wilson is the athlete at this university who has suffered the most leg injuries.",
"The Olson Motor Company man... | 0 | train_4388 |
Mary: Computers will make more information available to ordinary people than was ever available before, thus making it easier for them to acquire knowledge without consulting experts. Joyce: As more knowledge became available in previous centuries, the need for specialists to synthesize and explain it to nonspecialists... | The dialogue most strongly supports the claim that Mary and Joyce disagree with each other about whether | [
"dependency on computers will increase with the increase of knowledge",
"computers will make more information available to ordinary people",
"computers will increase the need for ordinary people seeking knowledge to turn to experts",
"synthesizing knowledge and explaining it to ordinary people can be accompli... | 2 | train_4389 |
Expert: A group of researchers claims to have shown that for an antenna to work equally well at all frequencies, it must be symmetrical in shape and have what is known as a fractal structure. Yet the new antenna developed by these researchers, which satisfies both of these criteria, in fact works better at frequencies ... | The reasoning in the expert's argument is flawed because the argument | [
"takes for granted that there are only two possible alternatives, either below or above 250 megahertz",
"fails to provide a definition of the technical term \"fractal\"",
"contradicts itself by denying in its conclusion the claim of scientific authorities that it relies on in its premises",
"interprets an ass... | 3 | train_4390 |
Curator: A magazine recently ran a very misleading story on the reaction of local residents to our controversial art exhibit. They quoted the responses of three residents, all of whom expressed a sense of moral outrage. These quotations were intended to suggest that most local residents oppose the exhibit; the story fa... | Which one of the following principles most helps to justify the curator's argumentation? | [
"It is misleading to present the opinions of people with no special expertise on a subject as though they were experts.",
"It is misleading to present the opinions of a few people as evidence of what the majority thinks unless the opinions they express are widely held.",
"It is misleading to present the opinion... | 2 | train_4391 |
The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in hog farming can weaken their effectiveness in treating humans because such use can spread resistance to those antibiotics among microorganisms. But now the Smee Company, one of the largest pork marketers, may stop buying pork raised on feed containing these antibiotics. Smee h... | Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above? | [
"A phaseout of use of antibiotics for hogs in one country reduced usage by over 50 percent over five years.",
"If Smee stops buying pork raised with antibiotics, the firm's costs will probably increase.",
"Other major pork marketers will probably stop buying pork raised on feed containing growth-promoting antib... | 2 | train_4392 |
Dietary researcher: A recent study reports that laboratory animals that were fed reduced-calorie diets lived longer than laboratory animals whose caloric intake was not reduced. In response, some doctors are advocating reduced-calorie diets, in the belief that North Americans' life spans can thereby be extended. Howeve... | Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the dietary researcher's argument? | [
"North Americans with high-fat, low-calorie diets generally have a shorter life expectancy than North Americans with low-fat, low-calorie diets.",
"Not all scientific results that have important implications for human health are based on studies of laboratory animals.",
"North Americans, on average, consume a h... | 2 | train_4393 |
Food co-ops are a type of consumer cooperative. Consumer cooperatives offer the same products as other stores but usually more cheaply. It is ttherefore more economical to shop at a food co-op than at a supermarket. | Which one of the following is most appropriate as an analogy demonstrating that the reasoning in the argument above is flawed? | [
"By that line of reasoning, we could conclude that it is better to buy frozen vegetables than fresh vegetables, since fresh vegetables are more expensive than frozen vegetables and spoil more quickly.",
"By that line of reasoning, we could conclude that a person who rides a bicycle causes more pollution per mile ... | 1 | train_4394 |
Editorialist: In all cultures, it is almost universally accepted that one has a moral duty to prevent members of one' s family from being harmed. Thus, few would deny that if a person is known by the person' s parents to be falsely accused of a crime, it would be morally right for the parents to hide the accused from t... | The reasoning in the editorialist's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that this argument | [
"presumes, without providing justification, that allowing the police to arrest an innocent person assists rather than obstructs justice",
"takes for granted that there is no moral obligation to obey the law",
"takes for granted that the parents mentioned in the example are not mistaken about their child's innoc... | 3 | train_4395 |
At any given time, approximately fifteen percent of all homes in Florida are on the market. In Texas, however, only seven percent of all homes are on the market at any given time. Ttherefore, one will have a wider selection of homes to choose from if one looks for a home in Florida rather than in Texas. | Which of the following, if true, would most strongly strengthen the argument above? | [
"The total number of homes in Florida is three times greater than the total number in Texas.",
"Homes in Florida tend to be less expensive than those in Texas.",
"The cost of constructing new homes in Texas is higher than in Florida.",
"Mortgages are easier to obtain for homes in Florida than for homes in Tex... | 0 | train_4396 |
Climatologists believe they know why Earth has undergone a regular sequence of ice ages beginning around 800, 000 years ago. Calculations show that Earth' s orbit around the Sun has fluctuations that coincide with the ice-age cycles. The climatologists hypothesize that when the fluctuations occur, Earth passes through ... | Each of the following, if true, would lend support to the climatologists' hypothesis EXCEPT: | [
"Large bits of cosmic rock periodically enter Earth's atmosphere, raising large amounts of dust from Earth's surface.",
"Earth's average temperature drops slightly shortly after volcanic eruptions spew large amounts of dust into Earth's atmosphere.",
"Earth did not pass through clouds of cosmic dust earlier tha... | 0 | train_4397 |
The current move to patent computer programs is a move in the wrong direction and should be stopped. The patent system was originally designed solely to protect small-time inventors from exploitation, not to give large corporations control over a methodology. Any computer program is merely the implementation of a metho... | Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? | [
"The issue of whether or not to patent computer programs presents the patent system with problems that have never before arisen.",
"Computer programs should be developed not only by large corporations but by small-time inventors as well.",
"Large corporations should not hold patents for implementations of metho... | 2 | train_4398 |
Consumer magazine: Because front-loading washers use less water than top-loading washers, ordinary powder detergent does not dissolve readily in front-loading washers. So, to get clothes really clean in a front-loading machine you need to use a detergent formulated especially for front-loading washers, instead of ordin... | Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument in the consumer magazine? | [
"A laundry detergent does not get clothes really clean in a washer unless it dissolves readily in it.",
"A washing machine gets clothes really clean only with a laundry detergent specially formulated for that machine.",
"A laundry detergent formulated especially for front-loading washers dissolves more readily ... | 0 | train_4399 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.