Critical Reasoning

Because of a recent drought in Florida during the orange-growing season

2009-04-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

Because of a recent drought in Florida during the orange-growing season, the price of oranges this season will be three times the usual price. This will drive up the cost of producing orange juice and thus push up the price of orange juice for the consumer.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?

The recent drought was not as severe as scientists predicted.
States other than Florida also supply oranges to orange juice manufacturers.
Other ingredients are used in the production of orange juice.
Last year the price of oranges was actually lower than the average price over the past ten years.
The price of oranges will eventually be $0.48 per crate.

Since the passage of the state’s Clean Air Act ten years ago

2009-04-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

Since the passage of the state’s Clean Air Act ten years ago, the level of industrial pollutants in the air has fallen by an average of 18 percent. This suggests that the restrictions on industry embodied in the act have worked effectively. However, during the same period the state has also suffered through a period of economic decline. The number of businesses in the state has fallen by 10 percent, and the number of workers employed has fallen by 12 percent. It is probable that the business decline, rather than the regulations in the act, is responsible for at least half of the decline in the pollution.

Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn in the passage above?

During the last ten years, economic conditions in the nation as a whole have been worse than those within the state.
Amendments to the Clean Air Act that were enacted six years ago have substantially strengthened its restrictions on industrial air pollution.
Of the businesses that ceased operating in the state during the last ten years, only 5 percent were engaged in air-polluting industries.
Several large corporations left the state during the last ten years partly in order to avoid compliance with the Clean Air Act.
Due to its small budget, the state office charged with enforcement of the Clean Air Act has prosecuted only two violators of the law since its passage.

The postal service is badly mismanaged.

2009-04-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

The postal service is badly mismanaged. Forty years ago, first-class letter delivery cost only three cents. Since then, the price has increased nearly tenfold, with an actual decrease in the speed and reliability of service.

Each of the following statements, if true, would tend to weaken the argument above EXCEPT:

a. The volume of mail handled by the postal service has increased dramatically over the last forty years.

b. Unprecedented increases in the cost of fuel for trucks and planes have put severe upward pressures on postal delivery costs.

c. Private delivery services usually charge more than does the postal service for comparable delivery charges.

d. The average delivery time for a first-class letter four decades ago was actually slightly longer than it is today.（E）

e. The average level of consumer prices overall has increased more than 300 percent over the last forty years.

Some commentators complain that a "litigation explosion"

2009-04-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

Some commentators complain that a “litigation explosion” in the past decade has led to unreasonably high costs for U.S. businesses by encouraging more product liability suits against manufacturers. However, these complaints are based mainly on myth. Statistics show that the number of successful product liability suits has remained almost the same, and the average sum awarded in damages has grown no faster than the inflation rate.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

A. The number of unsuccessful suits has skyrocketed, imposing huge new legal expenses on businesses.

B. Several of the largest awards ever made in product liability cases occurred within the last two years.

C. The rise of the consumer movement has encouraged citizens to seek legal redress for product flaws.

D. Lawyers often undertake product liability cases on a contingency basis, so their payment is based on the size of the damages awarded.（A）

E. Juries often award damages in product liability suits out of emotional sympathy for an injured consumer.

The pace of technological development

2009-04-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

Analyst: The pace of technological development brings a constant stream of new devices to the market, and many of them enjoy commercial success. But announcing new technology too soon after the introduction of a successful device can backfire. Once consumers hear about the new device, they may stop buying the one currently on sale. So, if a company wishes to announce the upcoming sale of a new device, it should wait until purchases of the old device have begun to decline.

Which of the following, if true, would best support the analyst's main assertion?

A. New technology often becomes less expensive after an initial surge in sales.
B. Media outlets, such as television programs and magazines, often report on the planned introduction of new devices while the sales of old devices are still strong.
C. Many consumers are unable to determine whether new technology is superior to current
technology.
D. Surveys have shown that some consumers make only one or two technology purchases per year, whereas others make more frequent purchases.
E. Consumers tend to be loyal to technology companies whose products they enjoy using.

Novex

2009-04-16T23:58:00.000-07:00

Advertisement: For sinus pain, three out of four hospitals give their patients Novex. So when you want the most effective painkiller for sinus pain, Novex is the one to choose.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the advertisement’s argument?

(A) Some competing brands of painkillers are intended to reduce other kinds of pain in addition to sinus pain.
(B) Many hospitals that do not usually use Novex will do so for those patients who cannot tolerate the drug the hospitals usually use.
(C) Many drug manufacturers increase sales of their products to hospitals by selling these products to the hospitals at the lowest price the manufacturers can afford.
(D) Unlike some competing brands of painkillers, Novex is available from pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription.
(E) In clinical trials Novex has been found more effective than competing brands of painkillers that have been on the market longer than Novex.

A gift

2009-04-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

is not generous unless it is intended to benefit the recipient and is worth more than what is expected or customary in the situation; a gift is selfish if it is given to benefit the giver or is less valuable than is customary.

Which one of the following judgments most closely conforms to the principle above?

(A) Charles, who hates opera, was given two expensive tickets to the opera. He in turn gave them to his cousin, who loves opera, as a birthday gift. Charles’s gift was selfish because he paid nothing for the tickets.

(B) Emily gives her brother a year’s membership in a health club. She thinks that this will allow
her brother to get the exercise he needs. However, the gift is selfish because Emily’s
brother is hurt and offended by it.

(C) Amanda gives each of her clients an expensive bottle of wine every year. Amanda’s gifts are
generous, since they cause the clients to continue giving Amanda business.

(D) Olga gives her daughter a computer as a graduation gift. Since this is the gift that all
children in Olga’s family receive for graduation, it is not generous.

(E) Michael gave his nephew $50 as a birthday gift, more than he had ever given before.
Michael’s nephew, however, lost the money. Therefore, Michael’s gift was not generous
because it did not benefit the recipient.

Tropical oils

2009-04-16T22:13:00.000-07:00

Consumer advocate: Tropical oils are high in saturated fats, which increase the risk of heart disease. Fortunately, in most prepared food tropical oils can be replaced by healthier alternatives without noticeably affecting taste. Therefore, intensive publicity about the disadvantage of tropical oils will be likely to result in dietary changes that will diminish many people’s risk of developing heart disease.

Nutritionist: The major sources of saturated fat in the average North American diet are meat, poultry, and dairy products, not tropical oils. Thus, focusing attention on the health hazards of tropical oils would be counterproductive, because it would encourage people to believe that more substantial dietary changes are unnecessary.

Which one of the following is a point at issue between the nutritionist and the consumer advocate?

(A) Whether a diet that regularly includes large quantities of tropical oil can increase the risk of heart disease.
(B) Whether intensive publicity campaigns can be effective as means of changing people’s eating habits.
(C) Whether more people in North American would benefit from reducing the amount of meat they consume than would benefit from eliminating tropical oils from their diets.
(D) Whether some people’s diets could be made significantly healthier if they replaced all tropical oils with vegetable oils that are significantly lower in saturated fat.
(E) Whether conducting a publicity campaign that by focusing on the health hazards of tropical oils persuades people to replace such oils with healthier alternatives is a good public-health strategy.

Video Recorder

2009-04-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

Six months or so after getting a video recorder, many early buyers apparently lost interest in obtaining videos to watch on it. The trade of businesses selling and renting videos is still buoyant, because the number of homes with video recorders is still growing. But clearly, once the market for video recorders is saturated, businesses distributing videos face hard times.

Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion above?

(A) The market for video recorders would not be considered saturated until there was one in 80 percent of homes.
(B) Among the items handled by video distributors are many films specifically produced as video features.
(C) Few of the early buyers of video recorders raised any complaints about performance aspects of the new product.
(D) The early buyers of a novel product are always people who are quick to acquire novelties, but also often as quick to tire of them.
(E) In a shrinking market, competition always intensifies and marginal businesses fail.

If, in a tennis tournament, a match reaches a fifth-set tiebreak

2009-01-04T14:58:00.000-08:00

If, in a tennis tournament, a match reaches a fifth-set tiebreak, the lower-ranked player always loses the tiebreak (and, therefore, the match). If Rafael, the second-ranked player, wins a tournament by beating Roger, the top-ranked player, then the match must not have included a fifth-set tiebreak.

Which of the following arguments most closely mimics the reasoning used in the above argument?

(A) If a woman with a family history of twins gets pregnant three times, she will have one set of twins. Jennifer, who falls into this category, had two sets of twins, so she must not have gotten pregnant exactly three times.
(B) If a salesman sells more product than anyone else in a calendar year, then he will earn an all-expenses-paid vacation. Joe earned an all-expense-paid vacation, so he must have sold more product than anyone else for the year.
(C) A newspaper can charge a 50% premium for ads if its circulation surpasses 100,000; if the circulation does not pass 100,000, therefore, the newspaper can't charge any kind of premium for ads.
(D) If a student is in the top 10% of her class, she will earn a college scholarship. Anna is not in the top 10% of her class, so she will not earn a scholarship.
(E) All of the players on a football team receive a cash bonus if the team wins the Super Bowl. If quarterback Tom Brady earned a cash bonus last year, he must have been a member of the winning Super Bowl team.

Concert of classical music

2008-10-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

A recent research study of undergraduate students analyzed the effects of music on human emotions. Each of the 200 participants attended at least 1 two-hour concert of classical music per week over the course of 12 weeks of their spring semester. At the end of the experiment, all of the students filled out a questionnaire assessing their emotional state. Based on the results of the questionnaires, all of the 10 students who attended the greatest number of concerts reported lower stress levels and higher satisfaction with their lives. Also, most of the 20 students who attended the fewest number of concerts reported below-average levels of emotional comfort.

Which of the following must be true based on the evidence presented above?
A. Most of the 200 participants improved their emotional state and lowered their stress levels.

B. During each week of the experiment, the participants spent at least 2 hours less on their academic work as a result of concert attendance.

C. Listening to classical music for at least 2 hours per week improves the emotional well-being of the majority of young adults.

D. More than 6 participants attended at least 14 concerts during the course of the experiment.

E. At least some of the students participated in the study in order to gain free access to classical concerts.

Ethanol

2008-10-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

Which of me following best completes the passage below?

Adding ethanol to the gasoline used in cars reduces exhaust emissions while slightly increasing evaporation from gasoline tanks in cars and service stations. These evaporative emissions are a major component of the smog found in many large cities in the hot summer months but, except in hot weather, evaporative emissions pose less of a pollution problem than exhaust emissions do. Therefore, if air pollution were the only consideration, one could conclude that -----.

(A) ethanol should be added only to gasoline intended for use in large cities

(B) the benefits of using gasoline to which ethanol has been added are greater in hot weather than in cold weather

(C) the disadvantages of adding ethanol to gasoline are likely to be outweighed by the advantages, at least in cold weather

(D) it is not necessary to work at reducing exhaust emissions in large cities

(E) adding ethanol to the gasoline used in large cities will improve air quality in the cities in hot weather

A then B then C then D

2008-10-12T16:24:00.001-07:00

If A, then B.
If B, then C.
If C, then D.

If all of the statements above are true, which of the following must also be true?

(A) If D, then A.
(B) If not B, then not C.
(C) If not D, then not A.
(D) If D, then E.
(E) If not A, then not D.

Top notch high school graduates

2008-10-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone who has graduated from TopNotch High School has an intelligence quotient (IQ) of over 120. Most students with an IQ of over 120 and all students with an IQ of over 150 who apply to one or more Ivy League universities are accepted to at least one of them.

The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?

(a) Every graduate of TopNotch High School with an IQ of 150 has been accepted to at least one Ivy-League school.
(b) If a person is a high-school graduate and has an IQ of less than 100, he or she could not have been a student at TopNotch High School.
(c) If a person has an IQ of 130 and is attending an Ivy-League school, it is possible for him or her to have graduated from TopNotch High School.
(d) At least one graduate from TopNotch high school who has applied to at least one Ivy-League university has been accepted to one of them.
(e) If a high-school graduate has an IQ of 150 and is not attending an Ivy-League school, then he or she did not apply to one of them.

Rice Production in Teruvia

2008-10-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

In Teruvia, the quantity of rice produced per year is currently just large enough to satisfy domestic demand. Teruvia’s total rice acreage will not be expanded in the foreseeable future, nor will rice yields per acre increase appreciably. Teruvia’s population, however, will be increasing significantly for years to come. Clearly, therefore, Teruvia will soon have to begin importing rice.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

A. No pronounced trend of decreasing per capita demand for rice is imminent in Teruvia.
B. Not all of the acreage in Teruvia currently planted with rice is well suited to the cultivation of rice.
C. None of the strains of rice grown in Teruvia are exceptionally high-yielding.
D. There are no populated regions in Teruvia in which the population will not increase.
E. There are no major crops other than rice for which domestic production and domestic demand are currently in balance in Teruvia.

Air pollution

2008-10-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

In 1986, the city of Los Diablos had 20 days on which air pollution reached unhealthful amounts and a smog alert was put into effect. In early 1987, new air pollution control measures were enacted, but the city had smog alerts on 31 days that year and on 39 days the following year. In 1989, however, the number of smog alerts in Los Diablos dropped to sixteen. The main air pollutants in Los Diablos are ozone and carbon monoxide, and since 1986 the levels of both have been monitored by gas spectrography.

Which of the following statements, assuming that each is true, would be LEAST helpful in explaining the air pollution levels in Los Diablos between 1986 and 1989?

(A) The 1987 air pollution control measures enacted in Los Diablos were put into effect in November of 1988.
(B) In December of 1988 a new and far more accurate gas spectrometer was invented.
(C) In February of 1989, the Pollution Control Board of Los Diablos revised the scale used to determine the amount of air pollution considered unhealthful.
(D) In 1988 the mayor of Los Diablos was found to have accepted large campaign donations from local industries and to have exempted those same industries from air pollution control measures.
(E) Excess ozone and carbon monoxide require a minimum of two years to break down naturally in the atmosphere above a given area.

The American Revolution

2008-10-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

Question:
The American Revolution arose partly in response to British general search warrants, which gave arbitrary and intrusive powers to government officers. Thus, the founders created the Fourth Amendment to protect against unreasonable and warrant-less intrusions of privacy by a powerful and partisan federal government. During the 20th century, countless dictators have used arbitrary and intrusive surveillance to monitor and suppress dissidents. Any democracy that does not enforce equally extensive protections will systematically suppress dissent.

Which of the following, if true, best weakens the argument?

a) The United Kingdom’s parliamentary system does not have such extensive protections but has never systematically suppressed dissent.
b) Many dictators have been very beneficial and constructive leaders for their countries.
c) Many democracies have haphazardly used surveillance to monitor dissidents and suppress dissent during times of war.
d) Some dictators have been supported by the United States.
e) At least some countries in the former Soviet Union now have democratic elections but still suppress dissent.

Nematodes

2008-10-06T00:25:00.000-07:00

Question: Nematodes

Potato cyst nematodes are a pest of potato crops. The nematodes can lie dormant for several years in their cysts, which are protective capsules, and do not emerge except in the presence of chemicals emitted by potato roots. A company that has identified the relevant chemicals is planning to market them to potato farmers to spread on their fields when no potatoes are planted; any nematodes that emerge will soon starve to death.

Which of the following, if true, best supports the claim that the company’s plan will be successful?

(A) Nematodes that have emerged from their cysts can be killed by ordinary pesticides.
(B) The only part of a potato plant that a nematode eats is the roots.
(C) Some bacteria commonly present in the roots of potatoes digest the chemicals that cause the nematodes to emerge from their cysts.
(D) Trials have shown that spreading even minute quantities of the chemicals on potato fields caused nine-tenths of the nematodes present to emerge from their cysts.
(E) The chemicals that cause the nematodes to emerge from their cysts are not emitted all the time the potato plant is growing.

Fish consumption in Jurania

2008-10-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

Question: Fish consumption in Jurania

From 1980 to 1989, total consumption of fish in the country of Jurania increased by 4.5 percent, and total consumption of poultry products there increased by 9.0 percent. During the same period, the population of Jurania increased by 6 percent, in part due to immigration to Jurania from other countries in the region.

If the statements above are true, which of the following must also be true on the basis of them?

A. During the 1980’s in Jurania, profits of wholesale distributors of poultry products increased at a greater rate than did profits of wholesale distributors of fish.
B. For people who immigrated to Jurania during the 1980’s, fish was less likely to be a major part of their diet than was poultry.
C. In 1989 Juranians consumed twice as much poultry as fish.
D. For a significant proportion of Jurania’s population, both fish and poultry products were a regular part of their diet during the 1980’s.
E. Per capita consumption of fish in Jurania was lower in 1989 than in 1980.

Fresh Potatoes

2008-10-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

Question:

Fresh potatoes generally cost about $2 for a 10-pound bag, whereas dehydrated instant potatoes cost, on average, about $3 per pound. It can be concluded that some consumers will pay 15 times as much for convenience, since sales of this convenience food continue to rise.

Which of the following, if true, indicates that there is a major flaw in the argument above?

(A) Fresh potatoes bought in convenient 2-pound bags are about $1 a bag, or 2 1/2 times more expensive than fresh potatoes bought in 10-pound bags.
(B) Since fresh potatoes are 80 percent water, one pound of dehydrated potatoes is the equivalent of 5 pounds of fresh potatoes.
(C) Peeled potatoes in cans are also more expensive than the less convenient fresh potatoes.
(D) Retail prices of dehydrated potatoes have declined by 20 percent since 1960 to the current level of about $3 a pound.
(E) As a consequence of labor and processing costs, all convenience foods cost more than the basic foods from which they are derived.

Guidebook writer

2008-10-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

Question:

Guidebook writer: I have visited hotels throughout the country and have noticed that in those built before 1930 the quality of the original carpentry work is generally superior to that in hotels built afterward. Clearly carpenters working on hotels before 1930 typically worked with more skill, care, and effort than carpenters who have worked on hotels built subsequently.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the guidebook writer’s argument?

A. The quality of original carpentry in hotels is generally far superior to the quality of original carpentry in other structures, such as houses and stores.
B. Hotels built since 1930 can generally accommodate more guests than those built before 1930.
C. The materials available to carpenters working before 1930 were not significantly different in quality from the materials available to carpenters working after 1930.
D. The better the quality of original carpentry in a building, the less likely that building is to fall into disuse and be demolished.
E. The average length of apprenticeship for carpenters has declined significantly since 1930.

Public Library

2008-10-04T14:14:00.001-07:00

Question :

If the public library shared by the adjacent towns of Redville and Glenwood were relocated from the library’s current, overcrowded building in central Redville to a larger, available building in central Glenwood, the library would then be within walking distance of a larger number of library users. That is because there are many more people living in central Glenwood than in central Redville, and people generally will walk to the library only if it is located close to their homes.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?

(A) The public library was located between Glenwood and Redville before being moved to its current location in central Redville.
(B) The area covered by central Glenwood is approximately the same size as that covered by central Redville.
(C) The building that is available in Glenwood is smaller than an alternative building that is available in Redville.
(D) Many of the people who use the public library do not live in either Glenwood or Redville.
(E) The distance that people currently walk to get to the library is farther than what is generally considered walking distance.

Male Baldness

2008-10-02T12:14:00.002-07:00

Question 1:

Most doctors dismiss male pattern baldness as a problem of heredity. A new theory, however, postulates that baldness can also result from number of external factors, such as a stressful urban lifestyle. Supporters of this new theory point out that baldness is twice as common among male who live in cities as it is among those who live elsewhere.

Which of the following most weakens the new theory described above?

A - Scientists have developed several drugs that halt baldness in men and can be taken internally
B - Census reports show that most men who are born in large cities live almost their entire lives within the city of their birth to remain close to their families
C - Most men do not develop male pattern baldness until they reach the age of 55, at which point their thoughts turn to pursuing a more restful lifestyle
D - Men who never lived in large cities are those who are least likely to develop male pattern baldness
E -A study determined that bald men are less likely to marry and reproduce