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3
The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following conclusions?
[ "Unlike aspirin and other medications that reduce pain and swelling and that are currently available, the new medication would repair existing cell damage that had been caused by rheumatoid arthritis.", "A patient treated with the new medication for rheumatoid arthritis could sustain a joint injury without becoming aware of it.", "Joint diseases other than rheumatoid arthritis would not be affected by the new medication.", "The benefits to rheumatoid arthritis sufferers of the new medication would outweigh the medication's possible harmful side effects." ]
train_0
In rheumatoid arthritis, the body' s immune system misfunctions by attacking healthy cells in the joints causing the release of a hormone that in turn causes pain and swelling. This hormone is normally activated only in reaction to injury or infection. A new arthritis medication will contain a protein that inhibits the functioning of the hormone that causes pain and swelling in the joints.
1
The patient's argument proceeds by
[ "attempting to discredit a position by questioning the motives of the proponents of that position", "rejecting a questionable position on the grounds that the general public does not support that position", "pointing out an unstated assumption on which the pharmacists' argument relies and then refuting it", "asserting that pharmacists lack the appropriate knowledge to have informed opinions on the subject under discussion" ]
train_1
Patient: Pharmacists maintain that doctors should not be permitted to sell the medicine that they prescribe because doctors would then be tempted to prescribe unnecessary medicines in order to earn extra income. But pharmacists have a financial interest in having a monopoly on the sale of prescription medicines, so their objection to the sale of medicines by doctors cannot be taken seriously.
0
The pattern of reasoning displayed above most closely parallels which of the following?
[ "If Marge goes to the bank today, Lauren will not cash her check tomorrow. Marge will not wash her car unless it is sunny. However, it is sunny, so Marge will wash her car and go shopping with Lauren.", "Kevin will wash his car tomorrow only if Brittany has to go visit her grandmother. Unless Aunt Susan has to run errands, Brittany will not have to go visit her grandmother. Since Aunt Susan does not have to run errands, Kevin will not wash his car tomorrow.", "Renee will do her homework tonight if there is nothing good on television and if her neighbors do not have a party. Although, there is something good on television; her neighbors are also having a party. Ttherefore, Renee will attend the party.", "Maddie will plan a picnic only if one of her friends, Lisa or Kenny, will come. Kenny will not come to the picnic, but Lisa will. Ttherefore, Maddie will plan a picnic." ]
train_2
Paula will visit the dentist tomorrow morning only if Bill goes golfing in the morning. Bill will not go golfing unless Damien agrees to go golfing too. However, Damien has decided not to go golfing. Ttherefore, Paula will not be visiting the dentist tomorrow morning.
1
The argument's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
[ "Any critic who is able to help readers make their own judgments about literary works' merits should strive to produce value-neutral criticism.", "If it is impossible to produce completely value- neutral literary criticism, then critics should not even try to be value-neutral.", "The less readers understand the meaning of a literary work, the less capable they will be of evaluating that work's merits.", "Critics are more likely to provide criticisms of the works they like than to provide criticisms of the works they dislike." ]
train_3
Some theorists argue that literary critics should strive to be value-neutral in their literary criticism. These theorists maintain that by exposing the meaning of literary works without evaluating them, critics will enable readers to make their own judgments about the works' merits. But literary criticism cannot be completely value-neutral. Thus, some theorists are mistaken about what is an appropriate goal for literary criticism.
1
If the shipping clerk's statements are true, which of the following must also be true?
[ "At least one of the shipments sent to Truax Construction last week was sent out before Friday.", "At least one of last week's specially ordered shipments did not consist of building supplies.", "At least one of the shipments sent to Truax Construction last week was specially ordered.", "At least one of the shipments sent to Truax Construction was not sent out on Thursday of last week." ]
train_4
Shipping Clerk: The five specially ordered shipments sent out last week were sent out on Thursday. Last week, all of the shipments that were sent out on Friday consisted entirely of building supplies, and the shipping department then closed for the weekend. Four shipments were sent to Truax Construction last week, only three of which consisted of building supplies.
0
If, on the basis of the evidence above, it is argued that PRP contracts increase worker productivity, which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken that argument?
[ "Many firms in the metalworking industry have modernized production equipment in the last five years, and most of these introduced PRP contracts at the same time.", "Under PRP contracts costs other than labor costs, such as plant, machinery, and energy, make up an increased proportion of the total cost of each unit of output.", "Because introducing PRP contracts greatly changes individual workers' relationships to the firm, negotiating the introduction of PRP contracts in complex and time consuming.", "In firms in the metalworking industry where PRP contracts are in place, the average take-home pay is 15 percent higher than it is in those firms where workers have more traditional contracts." ]
train_5
Firms adopting "profit-related-pay" (PRP) contracts pay wages at levels that vary with the firm' s profits. In the metalworking industry last year, firms with PRP contracts in place showed productivity per worker on average 13 percent higher than that of their competitors who used more traditional contracts.
0
Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the astronomer's argument?
[ "More than a dozen insect and plant species endemic to Mount Shalko are found nowhere else on earth.", "The building of the observatory would not cause the small towns near Mount Shalko eventually to develop into a large city, complete with smog, bright lights, and an influx of recreation seekers.", "A survey conducted by a team of park rangers concluded that two other mountains in the same general area have more potential for recreational use than Mount Shalko.", "Having a complex that covers most of the summit, as well as having the necessary security fences and access road on the mountain, could involve just as much ecological disruption as does the current level of recreational use." ]
train_6
Astronomer: Mount Shalko is the perfect site for the proposed astronomical observatory. The summit would accommodate the complex as currently designed, with some room left for expansion. There are no large cities near the mountain, so neither smog nor artificial light interferes with atmospheric transparency. Critics claim that Mount Shalko is a unique ecological site, but the observatory need not be a threat to endemic life-forms. In fact, since it would preclude recreational use of the mountain, it should be their salvation. It is estimated that 20, 000 recreational users visit the mountain every year, posing a threat to the wildlife.
3
Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
[ "The peat-harvesting industry of Ireland has been able to supply most of that country's fuel for generations.", "The original ecology of the peat-harvesting areas of Ireland was virtually identical to that of the undisturbed wetlands of this country.", "Over hundreds of years, the ecological balance of all areas changes slowly but significantly, sometimes to the advantage of certain flora and fauna.", "The activities of other industries in coming years are likely to have adverse effects on the water supply of this country." ]
train_7
Opponents of peat harvesting in this country argue that it would alter the ecological balance of our peatrich wetlands and that, as a direct consequence of this, much of the country' s water supply would be threatened with contamination. But this cannot be true, for in Ireland, where peat has been harvested for centuries, the water supply is not contaminated. We can safely proceed with the harvesting of peat.
1
Each of the following, if true, could explain the decrease described above EXCEPT:
[ "The discharged water was warmer than the normal river temperature, leading the bass to seek cooler water elsewhere.", "Because of the new plant, access to the part of the river downstream from the plant was improved, leading to an increase in the number of anglers fishing for bass.", "Because of the new plant, the level of noise downstream increased, making that section of the river a less popular place for anglers to fish.", "The discharged wastewater made the river more attractive to fish that are the natural predators of bass." ]
train_8
Shortly after the power plant opened and began discharging its wastewater into the river, there was a decrease in the overall number of bass caught by anglers downstream from the plant.
1
If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true?
[ "Any item that is not on sale cannot be returned for store credit.", "Some construction tools are not returnable for store credit.", "No piece of gardening equipment is returnable for a refund.", "None of the things that are returnable for a refund are construction tools." ]
train_9
Any sale item that is purchased can be returned for store credit but not for a refund of the purchase price. Every home appliance and every piece of gardening equipment is on sale along with selected construction tools.
2
Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the detective's argument?
[ "Most suspicious documents are not produced on laser printers.", "Criminals are unlikely to use their own laser printers to produce suspicious documents.", "Drum nicks are usually so small that it requires skill to accurately determine their size and shape.", "The manufacturing process often produces the same nick on several drums." ]
train_10
Detective: Laser-printer drums are easily damaged, and any nick in a drum will produce a blemish of similar dimensions on each page produced by that printer. So in matching a blemish on a page with a nick on a drum, we can reliably trace a suspicious laser-printed document to the precise printer on which it was produced.
3
The reasoning in the biologist's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument
[ "focuses its attention on the study's author rather than on the study itself", "takes the behavior of chameleons to be generalizable to lizards as a whole", "fails to demonstrate that the study's critics have relevant expertise", "holds the study's author to a higher standard than it holds the study's critics" ]
train_11
Biologist: A careful study of the behavior of six individual chameleons concluded that lizards such as chameleons bask in the sun not only for warmth but also to regulate their production of vitamin D. Critics of the study -- although correct in observing that its sample size was very small -- are wrong to doubt its results. After all, the study' s author is well regarded professionally and has been doing excellent work for years.
0
The reasoning above most closely conforms to which one of the following principles?
[ "People tend to ignore possible objectionable consequences of actions that support their activities.", "Attempts to employ technology often have unforeseen consequences that may be negative.", "Technology usually has at least some negative impact on the environment, even if it is largely beneficial.", "A negative consequence of an activity may be outweighed by its great positive consequences." ]
train_12
The use of space-based satellites to study environmental conditions on Earth is an important development in the conservation movement' s history. Environmental problems may now be observed long before they otherwise would be noticed, allowing for intervention before they reach the crisis stage. It is no wonder that environmentalists fail to consider both that spacecraft may damage the ozone layer and that this damage could be serious enough to warrant discontinuing spaceflight.
0
Which one of the following is an assumption required by the department store manager's argument?
[ "It would be expensive to inform customers about the free gift wrapping service.", "Gift wrapping would cost the store more during this holiday season than in previous holiday seasons.", "Either few customers would want free gift wrapping or most customers would want it.", "Anything that slows down shoppers during the holiday season costs the store money." ]
train_13
Department store manager: There is absolutely no reason to offer our customers free gift wrapping again this holiday season. If most customers take the offer, it will be expensive and time-consuming for us. On the other hand, if only a few customers want it, there is no advantage in offering it.
2
Each of the following, if true, could help to explain the differing average lengths of visits to the museum EXCEPT:
[ "Visitors to the museum during special exhibitions tend to have narrower artistic interests, and do not view as many different exhibits during their visit.", "A plan to extend normal museum hours during special exhibitions was considered but not enacted during the period studied.", "Admission tickets to the special exhibitions at the museum are issued for a specific 1-hour period on a specific day.", "Many people who go to special exhibitions are on organized tours and do not have the opportunity to browse." ]
train_14
A study conducted over a 6-month period analyzed daily attendance and average length of visit at the local art museum. The results showed that when the museum was not featuring a special exhibition, attendance tended to be lower but patrons spent an average of 45 minutes longer in the museum than when it was featuring a special exhibition.
1
Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the traveler's argument?
[ "Although the frequency of accidents is greater on Southern Airways, on both airlines the proportion of flights that have accidents is very small.", "Most Southern Airways flights, but not its flight from Pederton to Dacenta, use Sarmouth airport, which because of its mountainous location is one of the world's most dangerous.", "Only in the last few years has the cost of flying from Pederton to Dacenta been more expensive on Air Dacentaria than on Southern Airways.", "Air Dacentaria's flight from Pederton to Dacenta is nonstop, whereas Southern Airways' flight touches down in Gorinda on the way." ]
train_15
Traveler: Southern Airways has a far worse safety record than Air Dacentaria over the past few years, in terms of both the frequency of accidents and the severity of accidents. Ttherefore, although Air Dacentaria is slightly more expensive, I will choose it over Southern Airways for my flight from Pederton to Dacenta, since it is worth paying extra to have a safer flight.
1
Which one of the following would be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?
[ "Were dogs who were accustomed to receiving regular rewards prior to the study more inclined to obey the command?", "How many repetitions were required before the unrewarded dogs began to disobey the command?", "Is there a decline in obedience if rewards are withheld from both dogs in the pair?", "Were dogs who received treats in one trial ever used as dogs that did not receive treats in other trials?" ]
train_16
In a study, pairs of trained dogs were placed side by side and given a command such as "sit. " After both obeyed the command, one dog was given a treat while its partner was given no reward at all. Over time, the dogs who went unrewarded began to disobey the command. This shows that dogs have an aversion to being treated unfairly.
2
Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?
[ "Injuries that occurred on the slopes of ski resorts made up a smaller percentage of ski-related injuries in 1980 than in 1950.", "As the number of ski injuries that occur on the slopes decreases, the number of injuries that occur on the premises of ski resorts increases.", "If the technology of ski boots and bindings continues to advance, the incidence of ski-related injuries will continue to decline.", "The technology of ski boots and bindings affects the incidence of each type of ski-related injury." ]
train_17
The advanced technology of ski boots and bindings has brought a dramatic drop in the incidence of injuries that occur on the slopes of ski resorts: from 9 injuries per 1, 000 skiers in 1950 to 3 in 1980. As a result, the remainder of ski-related injuries, which includes all injuries occurring on the premises of a ski resort but not on the slopes, rose from 10 percent of all ski-related injuries in 1950 to 25 percent in 1980. The incidence of these injuries, including accidents such as falling down steps, increases with the amount of alcohol consumed per skier.
0
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument of the environmentalist depends?
[ "Government safety regulations are developed in a process of negotiation with industry leaders and independent experts.", "Environmental concerns outweigh all financial considerations when developing safety standards.", "The requirement of two hulls on oil tankers, although initially costly, will save money over time by reducing cleanup costs.", "The only effective sources of increased stringency in safety standards for oil tankers are action by the industry itself or national government regulation." ]
train_18
Environmentalist: An increased number of oil spills and the consequent damage to the environment indicate the need for stricter safety standards for the oil industry. Since the industry refuses to take action, it is the national government that must regulate industry safety standards. In particular, the government has to at least require oil companies to put double hulls on their tankers and to assume financial responsibility for accidents. Industry representative: The industry alone should be responsible for devising safety standards because of its expertise in handling oil and its understanding of the cost entailed. Implementing the double-hull proposal is not currently feasible because it creates new safety issues. Furthermore, the cost would be burdensome to the industry and consumers.
3
The argument assumes which one of the following?
[ "Plants of every type eaten by the apes left phytoliths on their teeth.", "Phytoliths have also been found on the fossilized teeth of apes of other extinct species.", "None of the plant species that left phytoliths on the apes' teeth has since become extinct.", "Each of the teeth examined had phytoliths of the same plant species on it as all the other teeth." ]
train_19
Fossilized teeth of an extinct species of herbivorous great ape have on them phytoliths, which are microscopic petrified remains of plants. Since only phytoliths from certain species of plants are found on the teeth, the apes' diet must have consisted only of those plants.
0
What is the argument's primary purpose?
[ "To criticize the status quo in government.", "To spur activism amongst citizens.", "To inform citizens about the consequences of continued pollution.", "To promote the benefits of recycling." ]
train_20
Life on Earth depends on water. Unfortunately, water is the world' s most threatened natural resource as a result of unrelenting pollution. In the near future, wars will be fought over clean drinking water, as climate change reduces the amount of potable water and pollution taints the drinking water. However, this trend can be broken. Citizens around the globe can aggressively lobby their governments to invest in sustainable energy sources, cleanup polluted waterways, and implement regulations to prevent commercial dumping. Citizens can also have a lasting impact by recycling and taking other steps to reduce their household' s biological footprint. As long as citizens actively respond, then the crisis can be mitigated.
1
Keisha responds to Tony's argument in which one of the following ways?
[ "She attempts to undermine Tony's conclusion by introducing plausible evidence that is incompatible with the evidence Tony offers in support of that conclusion.", "She presents evidence that the two groups Tony has compared have no significant qualities in common.", "She shows that Tony's conclusion is questionable because Tony bases it on a comparison that inappropriately involves absolute numbers rather than proportions.", "She questions the accuracy of the claims on which Tony bases his conclusion." ]
train_21
Tony: Few anarchists have ever performed violent actions. These few are vastly outnumbered by the violent adherents of other political ideologies. Ttherefore, the special association in the public mind between anarchism and political violence is unwarranted. Keisha: Anarchists have always been few in number, whereas other ideologies have often spawned mass movements. Ttherefore, the proportion of anarchists who are violent is possibly greater than the proportion of adherents of other ideologies who are violent.
2
In the journalist's argument, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
[ "Each provides evidence in support of an intermediate conclusion that supports a further conclusion stated in the argument.", "The first provides information without which the argument lacks force; the second states an intermediate conclusion that is used to support a further conclusion.", "The first provides information without which the argument lacks force; the second states the main conclusion of the argument.", "The first states evidence bearing against the main conclusion of the argument; the second states that conclusion." ]
train_22
Journalist: <b> Every election year at this time the state government releases the financial disclosures that potential candidates must make in order to be eligible to run for office. </b> Among those making the required financial disclosure this year is a prominent local businessman, Arnold Bergeron. There has often been talk in the past of Mr. Bergeron' s running for governor, not least from Mr. Bergeron himself. <b> This year it is likely he finally will </b>, since those who have discounted the possibility of a Bergeron candidacy have always pointed to the necessity of making financial disclosure as the main obstacle to such a candidacy.
2
Which one of the following is a statement that Leona could offer Thomas to clarify her own claim and to address the point he has made?
[ "It is accurate to say that 5, 000 lives have been saved as long as 5, 000 people who would have died in a given year as a result of not changing their diet, did not do so -- even if they died for some other reason.", "If egg consumption were reduced by more than half, the estimated number of lives saved each year could be even more than 5, 000.", "For the average consumption of eggs to be cut by half, many individual consumers would have to cut their own consumption by much more than half.", "The actual rate of population growth depends not only on the birth rate, but also on changes in life expectancy." ]
train_23
Leona: If the average consumption of eggs in the United States were cut in half, an estimated 5, 000 lives might be saved each year. Thomas: How can that be? That would mean that if people adopt this single change in diet for ten years, the population ten years from now will be greater by 50, 000 people than it otherwise would have been.
0
Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?
[ "Leather tanned using the conventional process is not lower in quality than is leather tanned using biological catalysts.", "Disposal of tanning waste produced with biological catalysts does not cost significantly more than disposal of the same amount of waste produced with the conventional process.", "The biological catalysts that can be used in the tanning process are less costly by weight than are calcium oxide and sodium sulfide.", "The labor costs associated with tanning leather using biological catalysts are not any greater than the labor costs associated with the conventional tanning process." ]
train_24
The conventional process for tanning leather uses large amounts of calcium oxide and sodium sulfide. Tanning leather using biological catalysts costs about the same as using these conventional chemicals if the cost of waste disposal is left out of the comparison. However, nearly 20 percent less waste is produced with biological catalysts, and waste disposal is a substantial part of the overall cost of tanning. It is ttherefore less costly to tan leather if biological catalysts are used instead.
1
Which one of the following summer weather reports most closely conforms to the principles stated above?
[ "On Tuesday, the temperature neither rose above nor fell below 84 degree F (29 degree C) throughout late morning and all afternoon. It was a pleasant day because there were occasional periods of wind.", "On Thursday morning, the air was very still, and it remained windless for the whole day. Humidity levels for the day were high, and even though the temperature fell below 84 degree F (29 degree C) between early and late afternoon, it was an oppressive day.", "On Wednesday, a refreshing breeze in the early morning became intermittent by late morning, and the day's humidity levels were constantly high. It was an oppressive day, even though the temperature did not rise above 84 degree F (29 degree C) all day.", "On Monday, the temperature ranged from 85 degree F to 90 degree F (30 degree C to 32 degree C) from early morning until night. It was an oppressive day even though the humidity levels were low." ]
train_25
A summer day is "pleasant" if there are intermittent periods of wind and the temperature stays below 84 degree F (29 degree C) all afternoon. A summer day with high humidity levels is "oppressive" either if the temperature stays above 84 degree F (29 degree C) all afternoon or if there is no wind.
1
In evaluating the argument, it would be most important to determine which of the following?
[ "Whether the herb can thrive in soil that does not have high concentrations of the toxic metals", "Whether growing the herb in soil with high concentrations of the metals will, over time, reduce their concentrations in the soil", "Whether the herb's high level of histidine production is associated with an unusually low level of production of some other amino acid", "Whether others of the closely related group of plants also produce histidine in large quantities" ]
train_26
A certain cultivated herb is one of a group of closely related plants that thrive in soil with high concentrations of metals that are toxic to most other plants. Agronomists studying the growth of this herb have discovered that it produces large amounts of histidine, an amino acid that, in test-tube solutions, renders these metals chemically inert. Hence, the herb's high histidine production must be the key feature that allows it to grow in metal-rich soils.
3
The conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
[ "Sue did not train as hard as Maria trained.", "If Maria trained hard, she would win the sailboat race.", "Maria could beat a four-time winner only if she trained hard.", "If Sue trained hard, she would win the sailboat race." ]
train_27
Maria won this year' s local sailboat race by beating Sue, the winner in each of the four previous years. We can conclude from this that Maria trained hard.
2
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?
[ "There used to be a greater variety of fish species in Highwater Lake than in Quapaw Lake, but there no longer is.", "Highwater Lake is much larger than Quapaw Lake.", "Prior to the ban, there was practically no fishing at Quapaw Lake.", "Highwater Lake is in an area of the mountains that is highly susceptible to acid rain." ]
train_28
Two lakes in the Pawpaw mountains, Quapaw and Highwater, were suffering from serious declines in their fish populations ten years ago. Since that time, there has been a moratorium on fishing at Quapaw Lake, and the fish population there has recovered. At Highwater Lake, no such moratorium has been imposed, and the fish population has continued to decline. Thus, the ban on fishing is probably responsible for the rebound in the fish population at Quapaw Lake.
2
Which one of the following most closely conforms to the principle illustrated above?
[ "An electronic keyboard may be cheaper to buy than a piano but more expensive to repair.", "An energy-efficient insulation system may cost more up front but will ultimately save money over the life of the house.", "The time that it takes to have a pizza delivered may be longer than it takes to cook a complete dinner.", "A complicated hotel security system may cost more in customer goodwill than it saves in losses by theft." ]
train_29
Buying elaborate screensavers -- programs that put moving images on a computer monitor to prevent damage -- can cost a company far more in employee time than it saves in electricity and monitor protection. Employees cannot resist spending time playing with screensavers that flash interesting graphics across their screens.
3
The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument
[ "fails to show that the mythical creature mentioned represents the horse in people's minds", "fails to explain why people use myth for the expression of unconscious thoughts", "confuses the expression of unconscious thoughts with the suppression of them", "fails to demonstrate that the myth was not borrowed from one of the cultures by the others" ]
train_30
The simultaneous and apparently independent development in several ancient cultures of a myth of creatures who were half human and half horse parallels the increased use of horses in these cultures. But despite the nobility and gentleness traditionally ascribed to the horse, the mythical half-horse, half-humans were frequently portrayed as violent and savage. Many human cultures use myth to express unconscious thoughts, so these mythical creatures obviously reflect people' s unconscious fear of the horse.
0
Which of the following most logically completes the argument?
[ "many people use their computers primarily for tasks such as correspondence that can be done more rapidly on the computer, and doing so leaves more leisure time for watching television", "many people who watch little or no television do not own a computer", "computer owners in the United States predominantly belong to demographic groups that have long been known to spend less time watching television than the population as a whole does", "even though most computer owners in the United States watch significantly less television than the national average, some computer owners watch far more television than the national average" ]
train_31
The growing popularity of computer-based activities was widely predicted to result in a corresponding decline in television viewing. Recent studies have found that, in the United States, people who own computers watch, on average, significantly less television than people who do not own computers. In itself, however, this finding does very little to show that computer use tends to reduce television viewing time, since __.
2
Which one of the following would, if true, help most to resolve the apparent paradox described above?
[ "The prices of wool sold to domestic markets by Australian sheep farmers decreased dramatically during the period in question.", "At the end of the 1800s, prices in general in Australia rose more rapidly than did the wholesale price of wool sold domestically.", "Competition in wool sales increased during the period in question, leaving Australian wool producers in a less favorable position than previously.", "The international and domestic prices for mutton, sheepskins, and certain other products produced by all Australian sheep farmers fell sharply during the period in question." ]
train_32
Adjusted for inflation, the income earned from wool sales by a certain family of Australian sheep farmers grew substantially during the period from 1840 to I860. This is because the price for wool sold on the international market was higher than the price paid on domestic markets and the percentage and amount of its wool that this family sold internationally increased dramatically during that period. But even though the family generated more income from selling their wool, they failed to enjoy a commensurate increase in prosperity.
3
The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
[ "The informant understood, at the time the journalist promised him confidentiality, that she would break this promise if ordered to do so by a judge.", "The journalist's editor will not order her to reveal the informant's identity unless the information is accurate and concerns public safety.", "The information that the informant provided is known to be false.", "If the information concerns safety at the power plant, a judge will order the journalist to reveal her informant's identity." ]
train_33
Even though she thought the informant was untrustworthy, the journalist promised not to reveal his identity so long as the information he provided did not tum out to be false. However, she will publicly reveal the informant' s identity if she is ordered to do so by a judge or her editor. After all, the information concerns safety violations at the power plant. Thus, the journalist will surely reveal the informant' s identity even if the information is accurate.
3
The reasoning of the argument above is questionable because the argument
[ "treats high school students from a particular medium-sized city as if they are representative of high school students nationwide", "attempts to draw two conflicting conclusions from the results of one survey", "contradicts itself by admitting that there may be a high dropout rate among students while claiming that most students want to finish high school", "overlooks the possibility that there may in fact not be a high dropout rate among high school students" ]
train_34
A group of 1, 000 students was randomly selected from three high schools in a medium-sized city and asked the question, "Do you plan to finish your high school education? "More than 89 percent answered "Yes. " This shows that the overwhelming majority of students want to finish high school, and that if the national dropout rate among high school students is high, it cannot be due to a lack of desire on the part of the students.
0
The argument's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
[ "All novels that contain compelling characters are great dramatic novels.", "Novels can always be clearly classified into distinct genres.", "A dramatic novel cannot both be great and belong to the genre of science fiction.", "A work of science fiction cannot achieve greatness unless it contains compelling characters." ]
train_35
H. G Wells' s great dramatic novel The Time Machine is classified as science fiction simply because it takes place in the future. But this classification is inappropriate because Wells' s book possesses something that great dramatic novels have and science fiction generally lacks -- compelling characters that enable the reader to become absorbed in their plight and not just in the author' s representation of the future of technology.
2
The argument above logically depends on which of the following assumptions?
[ "A hiring program will be successful if it includes interviews.", "The fit of job applicants' personalities to the requirements of the job was once the most important factor in making hiring decisions.", "The only purpose of an interview is to evaluate whether job applicants' personalities are suited to the requirements of the job.", "Interviewers can accurately identify applicants whose personalities are unsuited to the requirements of the job." ]
train_36
The interview is an essential part of a successful hiring program because, with it, job applicants who have personalities that are unsuited to the requirements of the job will be eliminated from consideration.
3
Dario and Cynthia disagree over whether
[ "patents should be granted for all drug compounds", "developing truly innovative drugs is costly", "drug patents can promote innovation", "pharmaceutical companies have an incentive to create minor variants of existing drugs" ]
train_37
Dario: The government should continue to grant patents for all new drug compounds. Patents promote innovation by rewarding pharmaceutical companies for undertaking the costly research needed to develop new drugs. Cynthia: Promoting innovation is certainly important. For this reason, patents should be granted only for truly innovative drugs, not for minor variants of previously existing drugs. Since it is much less expensive to tweak an existing drug than to develop a wholly new one, pharmaceutical companies tend to focus primarily on the cheaper alternative.
0
The reasoning in Bardis's argument is flawed because that argument
[ "undermines its own position by questioning the persuasive power of television advertising", "fails to distinguish a type of behavior from a type of stimulus that may or may not affect behavior", "relies on an illegitimate inference from the fact that advertisements can change behavior to the claim that advertisements can cause violent behavior", "concludes that a claim is false on the basis of one purported fault in an argument in favor of that claim" ]
train_38
Bardis: Extensive research shows that television advertisements affect the buying habits of consumers. Some people conclude from this that violent television imagery sometimes causes violent behavior. But the effectiveness of television advertisements could be a result of those televised images being specifically designed to alter buying habits, whereas television violence is not designed to cause violent behavior. Hence we can safely conclude that violent television imagery does not cause violence.
3
Which of the following, if true, would argue against the proposal above?
[ "Biltmore has recently suffered a recession and economists do not predict an imminent recovery.", "After the proposed discount each penthouse will only be 15% more costly than a standard unit.", "Typically, the very first unit to sell in a luxury condo is a standard unit.", "There have been so many buyers ready to purchase the penthouses that apartment management has been carefully selecting those applicants with the best credit histories." ]
train_39
A luxury apartment condo recently opened up along the Biltmore's waterfront. Within the first two months, 80% of the standard units in the first ten of the condo's twelve stories were sold. Nonetheless, only two of the eight penthouses, all of which are located in the top two stories of the building, have sold. In order to sell the remaining six penthouses, the corporation that owns the property, should drop the rate of the penthouses by 20%.
3
Upon which one of the following assumptions does the author's argument rely?
[ "Some fantasy players watch National Football League games.", "Fantasy football increased the play ers' knowledge of the National Football League.", "Football was the least popular sport in the United States before 2000.", "The National Football League earns a large portion of its revenue from high television ratings." ]
train_40
The first publicly available fantasy football league was launched in 1997, and within three years, every major football media website had launched their own sites. From 2000 until 2015, viewership for the National Football League rose by 27 percent, and it is currently the most popular televised sport in the United States. Fantasy football heavily contributed to the increased viewership since fantasy players had a vested interest in nearly every game.
0
The argument criticizing the newspaper article is directed toward establishing which one of the following as its main conclusion?
[ "The reason for unions' existence is to work for goals such as profitable and humane working conditions by organizing strikes.", "Although unions represent the interests of their members, that does not preclude them from having interests in common with other participants in the labor market.", "There is no reason to believe, on the basis of what the newspaper article said, that union strength in Britain is declining.", "The negotiating position of a union is weak if the only means it has of achieving its end is a strike or the threat of a strike." ]
train_41
A newspaper article on Britain' s unions argued that their strength was declining. The article' s evidence was the decreasing number and size of strikes, as if the reason for the unions' existence was to organize strikes. Surely, in a modern industrial society, the calling of a strike is evidence that the negotiating position of the union was too weak. Strong unions do not need to call strikes. They can concentrate their efforts on working with others in the labor market to achieve common goals, such as profitable and humane working conditions.
2
What mistake does the argument commit in its reasoning?
[ "It confuses probability and certainty.", "It confuses relative and absolute solutions.", "It confuses a necessary and sufficient condition.", "It confuses correlation and causation." ]
train_42
On the first day of the course, a philosophy professor told the class that no student has ever earned an A without reading all of the mandatory books. Jorge read all of the mandatory books and suggested course materials for his philosophy course. Ttherefore, Jorge will earn an A in his philosophy course.
2
The politician's recommendation most closely conforms to which one of the following principles?
[ "A country should put the interests of its own citizens ahead of those of citizens of other countries.", "Government intervention sometimes creates more economic efficiency than free markets.", "A country should put its own economic interest over that of other countries.", "Social concerns should sometimes take precedence over economic efficiency." ]
train_43
Politician: We should impose a tariff on imported fruit to make it cost consumers more than domestic fruit. Otherwise, growers from other countries who can grow better fruit more cheaply will put domestic fruit growers out of business. This will result in farmland' s being converted to more lucrative industrial uses and the consequent vanishing of a unique way of life.
3
Which one of the following conclusions can be validly drawn from the passage?
[ "Patrick is not certain of being able to devise a solution to his own behavioral problem.", "Unless Charles is an expert in some branch of psychology, Charles should not offer a solution to Patrick's behavioral problem.", "If Charles is certain of being able to solve Patrick's behavioral problem, then Charles does not understand why Patrick is behaving in this way.", "Patrick is not an expert in psychology." ]
train_44
Only an expert in some branch of psychology could understand why Patrick is behaving irrationally. But no expert is certain of being able to solve someone else' s problem. Patrick wants to devise a solution to his own behavioral problem.
2
The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following claims?
[ "No types of sponge live in large colonies, since sponges do not flourish in areas where much of the water has been filtered by other sponges.", "Few tubular or vase-shaped sponges lived before the late Jurassic period.", "During the late Jurassic period there were many areas of the ocean floor where currents were weak.", "All sponges that are neither tubular nor vase-shaped inhabit areas of the ocean floor where there are extremely strong currents." ]
train_45
Sponges attach to the ocean floor, continually filtering seawater for food and ejecting water they have just filtered to avoid reingesting it. Tubular and vase-shaped sponges can eject filtered water without assistance from surrounding ocean currents and thus are adapted to slow-moving, quiet waters. Because of their shape, however, these sponges cannot live in strong currents, since strong currents would dislodge them. Both of these varieties of sponge were widespread during the late Jurassic period.
2
Which of the following, if true, casts most doubt on the department head's conclusion?
[ "A study of codes of ethics for companies found that the codes are most effective when the top executives of companies that agree to abide by them are fully committed to following them.", "The code of ethics was instituted only after it was discovered that several companies had committed serious violations of ethics in their business with the department.", "The code of ethics applies only to companies that do business with the department.", "A government investigation found that most of the companies that agreed to abide by the department's code of ethics are not complying with it," ]
train_46
Government department head: We already have a code of ethics that companies doing business with the department are urged to abide by. The fact that virtually all of the companies have agreed to abide by it indicates that it is successful. Ttherefore, neither stronger ethics regulations nor enforcement mechanisms are necessary to ensure ethical behavior by companies doing business with the department.
3
The reasoning in the argument above is most closely paralleled by that in which one of the following?
[ "John's blood-alcohol level was far above the legal limit for driving, so even if it turns out that Paul's blood-alcohol level was lower than John's, it too must have been above the legal limit.", "Marissa is just tall enough that she can touch the ceiling when she jumps as high as she can, and since Jeff is taller than Marissa, he too must be able to touch the ceiling when he jumps.", "By reducing the number of cigarettes she smoked per day, Kate was able to run five miles, and since Lana smokes fewer cigarettes per day than Kate now does, she too must be able to run five miles.", "Health Dairy's sharp cheddar cheese is low enough in fat to meet the labeling standard for \"low fat\" cheddar cheese, and since its mild cheddar cheese is even lower in fat, it too must meet the labeling standard." ]
train_47
After examining the options, the budget committee discovered that QI' s office-phone system would be inexpensive enough to be within the cost limit that had been set for the committee. However, Corelink' s system must also be inexpensive enough to be within the limit, since it is even less expensive than QI' s system.
3
The argument assumes which one of the following?
[ "For hypochondriacs wearing tinted glasses, the glasses serve as a visual signal to others that the wearer's health is delicate.", "Depression is not caused in some cases by an organic condition of the body.", "The tinting does not dim light to the eye enough to depress the wearer's mood substantially.", "Wearers do not think of the tinted glasses as a means of distancing themselves from other people." ]
train_48
Doctors in Britain have long suspected that patients who wear tinted eyeglasses are abnormally prone to depression and hypochondria. Psychological tests given there to hospital patients admitted for physical complaints like heart pain and digestive distress confirmed such a relationship. Perhaps people whose relationship to the world is psychologically painful choose such glasses to reduce visual stimulation, which is perceived as irritating. At any rate, it can be concluded that when such glasses are worn, it is because the wearer has a tendency to be depressed or hypochondriacal.
2
Which one of the following can be properly concluded from the information above, together with the fact that in the first quarter for which the program was used, some employers in X issued separate paychecks for the regular hours an employee worked, for the employee's overtime, and for bonuses and commissions?
[ "The government's estimate of growth in the number of people employed was less accurate after the government began using the new program than it had been before.", "The government overestimated the total number of people employed in X for the first quarter for which the program was used.", "Contrary to the claims of the government of Country X, there was no growth in the number of people employed in X in the first quarter for which the program was used.", "The government had not reported strong growth in the number of people employed for the quarters just before the new program was used." ]
train_49
In 1988 the government of Country X began using a new computer program to determine the number of people employed in that country. The program simply tallied the number of paychecks per pay period issued by employers in X, and used that figure as its estimate of employment. The government reported that, compared with the immediately preceding quarter, there was a large increase in the number of people employed for the first quarter for which the program was used.
1
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
[ "The annual legal lobster harvest in Belukia in 1996 was not significantly less than 9, 000 tons.", "Outlaw fishing boats do not, as a group, harvest more lobsters than do licensed lobster-fishing boats.", "The illegal lobster harvesting was not so extensive that the population of catchable lobsters in Belukia's territorial waters had sharply declined by 1996.", "The average annual lobster catch, in tons, of an outlaw fishing boat has increased steadily since 1992." ]
train_50
In 1992 outlaw fishing boats began illegally harvesting lobsters from the territorial waters of the country of Belukia. Soon after, the annual tonnage of lobster legally harvested in Belukian waters began declining; in 1996, despite there being no reduction in the level of legal lobster fishing activity, the local catch was 9, 000 tons below pre-1992 levels. It is ttherefore highly likely that the outlaw fishing boats harvested about 9, 000 tons of lobster illegally that year.
2
Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
[ "In studies of identical twins, participants who observed their twin reading overreported by a significant amount how much time they themselves spent reading in the days that followed.", "Another study's members exhibited an increased willingness to give to charity after hearing stories in which people with whom they identified did so.", "Participants who were already highly motivated to exercise did not report exercising for any longer each day than they had before the study.", "In another study, people who watched recordings of themselves lifting weights exercised for more time each day than did people who watched recordings of themselves running." ]
train_51
In a recent study, one group of participants watched video recordings of themselves running on treadmills, and a second group watched recordings of other people running on treadmills. When contacted later, participants in the first group reported exercising, on average, 1 hour longer each day than did the other participants. This shows that watching a recording of yourself exercising can motivate you to exercise more.
0
Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the archaeologist's argument?
[ "Archaeologists have discovered in Siberia artifacts that date from after the time paleohumans left Siberia.", "The Clovis points found in Siberia are older than any of those that have been found in North America.", "Clovis points were more effective hunting weapons than earlier spear points had been.", "Some paleohuman groups that migrated from Siberia to North America via the Bering land bridge eventually returned to Siberia." ]
train_52
Archaeologist: After the last ice age, groups of paleohumans left Siberia and crossed the Bering land bridge, which no longer exists, into North America. Archaeologists have discovered in Siberia a cache of Clovis points -- the distinctive stone spear points made by paleohumans. This shows that, contrary to previous belief, the Clovis point was not invented in North America.
1
The answer to which one of the following questions is most relevant to evaluating the conclusion drawn above?
[ "How many rats in the colony studied had abnormally high blood pressure before the study began?", "How much more salt than is contained in a rat's normal diet was there in the high-salt diet?", "What percentage of naturally occurring rat colonies feed on high-salt diets?", "Have other species of rodents been used in experiments of the same kind?" ]
train_53
A recent study involved feeding a high-salt diet to a rat colony. A few months after the experiment began, standard tests of the rats' blood pressure revealed that about 25 percent of the colony had normal, healthy blood pressure, about 70 percent of the colony had high blood pressure, and 5 percent of the colony had extremely high blood pressure. The conclusion from these results is that high-salt diets are linked to high blood pressure in rats.
0
Debbie attempts to counter Carl' s argument by
[ "drawing an analogy that illustrates a major flaw in Carl's argument", "claiming that Carl's argument should be rejected because it is based on an appeal to sentimentality rather than on reasoned principles", "pointing out a relevant difference to undermine an analogy on which Carl bases his conclusion", "offering a specific example to demonstrate that Carl's argument is based on a claim that can be neither confirmed nor disproved" ]
train_54
Carl: Researchers who perform operations on animals for experimental purposes are legally required to complete detailed pain protocols indicating whether the animals will be at risk of pain and, if so, what steps will be taken to minimize or alleviate it. Yet when human beings undergo operations, such protocols are never required. If lawmakers were as concerned about human beings as they seem to be about animals, there would be pain protocols for human beings too. Debbie: But consider this: a person for whom a doctor wants to schedule surgery can simply be told what pain to expect and can then decide whether or not to undergo the operation. So you see, pain protocols are unnecessary for human beings.
2
Which one of the following logically follows from the literary historian's claims?
[ "Shakespeare wrote neither the love poetry nor the dramas attributed to him.", "Bacon wrote both the love poetry and the dramas attributed to Shakespeare.", "Shakespeare may have written the love poetry but did not write the dramas attributed to him.", "One person could not have written both the love poetry and the dramas attributed to Shakespeare." ]
train_55
Literary historian: William Shakespeare, a humble actor, could have written the love poetry attributed to him. But the dramas attributed to him evince such insight into the minds of powerful rulers that they could only have been written by one who had spent much time among them; Francis Bacon associated with rulers, but Shakespeare did not.
2
Which one of the following most logically completes the argument?
[ "younger killer whales are better able to tolerate engine noise from boats than older whales are", "killer whales are most likely to prefer areas where boat traffic is present, but light", "noise from boat engines may impair killer whales' ability to communicate", "killer whales are less likely to attempt to communicate with one another when boat engines are operating nearby" ]
train_56
Engine noise from boats travelling through killer whales' habitats ranges in frequency from 100 hertz to 3, 000 hertz, an acoustical range that overlaps that in which the whales communicate through screams and squeals. Though killer whales do not seem to behave differently around running boat engines, engine noise from boats can be loud enough to damage their hearing over time. Ttherefore, __.
2
If all of the statements in the passage above are true, which one of the following must also be true?
[ "If a book was published in the past 150 years and is historically insignificant, it will probably deteriorate completely.", "Almost all of the books published in the past 150 years will gradually destroy themselves.", "Books published on acidic paper in 1900 should now all be at about the same state of deterioration.", "If a book is of historical significance and was printed before 150 years ago, it will be deacidified." ]
train_57
Almost all of the books published in the past 150 years were printed on acidic paper. Unfortunately, every kind of acidic paper gradually destroys itself due to its very acidity. This process of deterioration can be slowed if the books are stored in a cool, dry environment. Techniques, which are now being developed, to deacidify books will probably be applied only to books with historical significance.
0
The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it
[ "fails to address the possibility that an approach that works with one kind of audience will not work with another", "takes for granted that both scholars and politicians have persuasion as their aim", "fails to account for the difficulty of coming up with charitable formulations of positions to which one is opposed", "focuses on the differences between two styles of argumentation even though those styles might be suited to similar audiences" ]
train_58
When politicians describe their opponents' positions, they typically make those positions seem implausible and unattractive. In contrast, scholars try to make opposing positions seem as plausible and attractive as possible. Doing so makes their arguments against those positions more persuasive to their professional colleagues. Politicians should take note: they could persuade more voters with their arguments if they simply followed the scholars in charitably formulating their opponents' positions.
0
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?
[ "Most people who trade in corn futures rarely take physical possession of the corn they trade.", "Futures prices for corn have been fluctuating more dramatically this season than last season.", "Agriculture experts announced today that a disease that has devastated some of the corn crop will spread widely before the end of the growing season.", "Corn that does not receive adequate moisture during its critical pollination stage will not produce a bountiful harvest." ]
train_59
Crops can be traded on the futures market before they are harvested. If a poor corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures rise; if a bountiful corn harvest is predicted, prices of corn futures fall. This morning meteorologists are predicting much-needed rain for the corn-growing region starting tomorrow. Ttherefore, since adequate moisture is essential for the current crop' s survival, prices of corn futures will fall sharply today.
2
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain this preference?
[ "During this period most day-to-day trading was conducted using silver coins, though gold coins were used for costly transactions and long-distance commerce.", "Since gold coins' monetary value rested on the gold they contained, payments were frequently made using coins minted in several different countries.", "The mints were able to determine the purity, and hence the value, of gold coins by measuring their density.", "Because refined gold varied considerably in purity, specifying a price as a number of refined-gold coins did not fix the quantity of gold received in payment." ]
train_60
Numismatist: In medieval Spain, most gold coins were minted from gold mined in West Africa, in the area that is now Senegal. The gold mined in this region was the purest known. Its gold content of 92 percent allowed coins to be minted without refining the gold, and indeed coins minted from this source of gold can be recognized because they have that gold content. The mints could refine gold and produced other kinds of coins that had much purer gold content, but the Senegalese gold was never refined. As a preliminary to negotiating prices, merchants selling goods often specified that payment should be in the coins minted from Senegalese gold.
3
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
[ "JTE pesticide will not harm the underground water supply.", "JTE has met all state and federal environmental standards.", "The rabbits, birds, or other small animals are not in your yard because of the pests.", "The effectiveness of JTE pesticide does not depend on the strict adherence to specific application procedures." ]
train_61
Advertisement: Attention homeowners! All the pests in your yard will die within minutes of being treated by JTE pesticide. What' s better, JTE pesticide is not harmful to the birds or small animals that make your yard their home. By using JTE, you can eliminate the pests in your yard and keep the rabbits and birds.
2
Which one of the following most accurately expresses the overall conclusion drawn in the argument?
[ "The law of noncontradiction is a principle that the participants in a productive debate must hold in common.", "Statements that contradict each other cannot both be true.", "Any principles that could be used to defend the law of noncontradiction are less certain than it is.", "It is pointless to debate the truth of the law of noncontradiction." ]
train_62
It is pointless to debate the truth of the law of noncontradiction, a fundamental logical principle according to which two statements that contradict each other cannot both be true. For a debate to be productive, participants must hold some basic principles in common. But the principles held in common in a debate over the law of noncontradiction would be much less certain than that law, so it matters little whether the law of noncontradiction can be defended on the basis of those principles.
3
The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
[ "To avoid self-indulgence, filmmakers should take a critical stance toward the existing economic system and should allow audiences to form their own personal aspirations.", "It cannot be self-indulgent for a filmmaker to give an audience what it most wants.", "The people who regularly went to movies during the Depression were those likely to have been most satisfied with the economic status quo.", "Depression-era filmmakers who did not make films for profit could not take radical critical stances toward then-current economic and political issues." ]
train_63
Film historians have made two major criticisms of Depression-era filmmakers: first, that they were too uncritical of the economic status quo; and second, that they self-indulgently created films reflecting their own dreams and desires. However, these filmmakers made their movies with an eye to profit, and so they provided what their audiences most wanted in a film: a chance to imagine being wealthy enough not to have a care in the world. Thus, the second criticism cannot be accurate.
1
In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
[ "The first is a position that the argument opposes; the second is the conclusion of the argument.", "The first is evidence taken to support one conclusion; the second provides evidence that calls this conclusion into question.", "The first is the main conclusion of the argument; the second provides evidence that calls this conclusion into question.", "The first is an interpretation of evidence; the second calls that evidence into question." ]
train_64
The Interstate Bridge over the Apache River, built in the 1950s, shows a substantial amount of rust: as much as 45% of its surface is coated in rust. Community activists have argued that <b> the bridge presents a hazard: it is likely to collapse in places where it has rusted through. </b> Professors of mechanical engineering at the local university did an extensive analysis of the bridge. These professors and their graduate students determined that 98% of the rust on the bridge exists on the surface only, and actually seals the underlying steel from the corrosive influence of the elements. The results of this academic study suggest that <b> the bridge is safe for continued use. </b>
0
The main point made in Kim's argument is that
[ "gasoline-powered cars will probably remain a common means of transportation for the foreseeable future", "a significant reduction in air pollution cannot be achieved unless people drive less", "replacing gasoline-powered cars with battery- powered electric cars will require building more generating facilities", "battery-powered electric cars are not a viable solution to the air-pollution problem" ]
train_65
Kim: Some people claim that the battery-powered electric car represents a potential solution to the problem of air pollution. But they forget that it takes electricity to recharge batteries and that most of our electricity is generated by burning polluting fossil fuels. Increasing the number of electric cars on the road would require building more generating facilities since current facilities are operating at maximum capacity. So even if all of the gasoline-powered cars on the roads today were replaced by electric cars, it would at best be an exchange of one source of fossil-fuel pollution for another.
3
Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
[ "The show that now follows That's Life on Tuesdays has double the number of viewers it had before being moved.", "Henry has been on the air for three years, but That's Life has been on the air for only two years.", "After its recent move to Wednesday, Henry was aired at the same time as the second most popular show on television.", "That's Life was not widely watched during the first year it was aired." ]
train_66
The television show Henry was not widely watched until it was scheduled for Tuesday evenings immediately after That' s Life, the most popular show on television. During the year after the move, Henry was consistently one of the ten most-watched shows on television. Since Henry' s recent move to Wednesday evenings, however, it has been watched by far fewer people. We must conclude that Henry was widely watched before the move to Wednesday evenings because it followed That' s Life and not because people especially liked it.
0
Which of the following, if performed by the government, could logically be expected to overcome the problem with the plan to limit the spread of this virus in the Bluetail Moonbeam?
[ "Funding research into either an inoculation or a cure for this viral infection.", "Tracking the imported Bluetail Moonbeam into industry held stock, and for each imported fish, four weeks after capture, removing it from stock to be tested; only uninfected fish would be returned to stock.", "Quarantining each imported Bluetail Moonbeam for at least three weeks, then performing the antibody test on each, and allowing only the uninfected to move into industrial stocks.", "Launching an educational campaign to make those industries that breed the Bluetail Moonbeam aware of the limitations of the antibody test for the virus." ]
train_67
The Bluetail Moonbeam, endemic to the streams and rivers of Asia, is regularly imported into the United States by companies wishing to breed it for food. An infectious virus has been threatening Bluetail Moonbeam stocks in the United States. Even before a Bluetail Moonbeam develops any symptoms, biologists can establish the presence of the infection by an inexpensive test for antibodies in the fish' s blood. Yet, after the instance of infection, antibodies take about four weeks to appear in the fish' s blood, and the test will find no results before then. Catching a live Bluetail Moonbeam and shipping it to the United States takes a little more than a week. Once the Bluetail Moonbeam is in captivity, shippers can eliminate all new sources of infection, but unfortunately, some Bluetail Moonbeams might be infected days or even hours before being caught. Thus, even running the antibody test on each Bluetail Moonbeam entering the country would still allow infected fish into the American stocks.
2
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
[ "Approximately 30 percent of people have never relied on newspapers for information but instead have always relied on news programs broadcast on television and radio.", "In reading newspapers, most people not only look for stories on specific topics but also like to idly browse through headlines or pictures for amusing stories on unfamiliar or unusual topics.", "Companies offering personalized electronic news services will differ greatly in what they charge for access to their services, depending on how wide a range of topics they cover.", "The average monthly cost of subscribing to several channels on a personalized electronic news service will approximately equal the cost of a month's subscription to a newspaper." ]
train_68
Several companies will soon offer personalized electronic news services, delivered via cable or telephone lines and displayed on a television. People using these services can view continually updated stories on those topics for which they subscribe. Since these services will provide people with the information they are looking for more quickly and efficiently than printed newspapers can, newspaper sales will decline drastically if these services become widely available.
1
Which one of the following can be logically inferred from the passage?
[ "Many environmentalists provide only a noneconomic justification in questioning the defensibility of exploiting features of the environment.", "Even if there is no economic reason for protecting the environment, there is a sound noneconomic justification for doing so.", "Most environmentalists appeal to economic reasons in questioning the defensibility of exploiting features of the environment.", "Some environmentalists appeal to a noneconomic justification in questioning the defensibility of exploiting features of the environment." ]
train_69
Some environmentalists question the prudence of exploiting features of the environment, arguing that there are no economic benefits to be gained from forests, mountains, or wetlands that no longer exist. Many environmentalists claim that because nature has intrinsic value it would be wrong to destroy such features of the environment, even if the economic costs of doing so were outweighed by the economic costs of not doing so.
3
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
[ "Foreign exporters would provide factory-trained technicians to maintain the pollution-control systems sold to Remo.", "The clean growth plan will provide tax incentives for local businesses to develop and manufacture pollution-control devices.", "The regulations that Remo plans to implement are much less strict than those in neighboring nations.", "Industrial lobbyists sponsored by local businesses in Remo are trying to prevent the implementation of the government regulations." ]
train_70
Unprecedented industrial growth in the country of Remo has created serious environmental problems because factories there lack adequate pollution-control systems. Remo is developing a clean growth plan that includes environmental regulations that will require the installation of such systems. Since no companies in Remo currently produce pollution-control systems, the plan, if implemented, will create significant opportunities for foreign exporters to market pollution-control systems.
1
The argument above makes which one of the following assumptions?
[ "Fixed nitrogen is currently the only soil nutrient that must be supplied by artificial fertilizer for growing wheat crops.", "Rhizobium bacteria living in the roots of wheat would produce fixed nitrogen.", "There are no naturally occurring strains of wheat or other grasses that have Rhizobium bacteria living in their roots.", "Biotechnology should be directed toward producing plants that do not require artificial fertilizer." ]
train_71
Rhizobium bacteria living in the roots of bean plants or other legumes produce fixed nitrogen, which is one of the essential plant nutrients and which for nonlegume crops, such as wheat, normally must be supplied by applications of nitrogen-based fertilizer. So if biotechnology succeeds in producing wheat strains whose roots will play host to Rhizobium bacteria, the need for artificial fertilizers will be reduced.
1
The point at issue between Wirth and Chang is whether
[ "nearly all researchers now agree that there is no manic-depression gene", "it is likely that researchers will ever be able to find a single gene that predisposes people to manic-depression", "efforts to identify a gene or set of several genes responsible for predisposing people to manic-depression have all failed", "current research supports the claim that no one is genetically predisposed to manic-depression" ]
train_72
Wirth: All efforts to identify a gene responsible for predisposing people to manic-depression have failed. In fact, nearly all researchers now agree that there is no "manic-depression gene. " Ttherefore, if these researchers are right, any claim that some people are genetically predisposed to manic-depression is simply false. Chang: I do not dispute your evidence, but I take issue with your conclusion. Many of the researchers you refer to have found evidence that a set of several genes is involved and that complex interactions among these genes produce a predisposition to manic-depression.
3
The pattern of reasoning exhibited by which one of the following arguments is most similar to that exhibited by the argument above?
[ "Some of the people who signed the petition were among the mayor's supporters. Yet the mayor denounced everyone who signed the petition. Hence the mayor denounced some of her own supporters.", "Some of the people who worked on the failed project will be fired. Everyone in this department played an important part in that project. Ttherefore some people in this department will be fired.", "All of the five original planners are responsible for this problem. Yet none of the original planners will admit responsibility for the problem. Thus some of the people responsible for the problem will not admit responsibility.", "Some of the people polled live outside the city limits. However, no one who can vote in city elections lives outside the city. Ttherefore some of the people polled cannot vote in the upcoming city election." ]
train_73
Some visitors to the park engage in practices that seriously harm the animals. Surely, no one who knew that these practices seriously harm the animals would engage in them. So it must be concluded that some of the visitors do not know that these practices seriously harm the animals.
3
The reasoning in Beck's argument is flawed in that it
[ "fails to establish that consistency is a more important consideration than accuracy", "regards accuracy as the sole criterion for judging the program's value", "fails to consider that the program could produce consistent but inaccurate output", "takes for granted that the program's output would be consistent even if its estimates were inaccurate" ]
train_74
Beck: Our computer program estimates municipal automotive use based on weekly data. Some staff question the accuracy of the program' s estimates. But because the figures it provides are remarkably consistent from week to week, we can be confident of its accuracy.
2
The reasoning in the researcher's argument is flawed because the argument fails to consider that
[ "people who do not die of one cause may soon die of another cause", "prevention of noniatrogenic disease will have an effect on the occurrence of iatrogenic disease", "some medical treatments can be replaced by less invasive or damaging alternatives", "there is no one way to prevent all cases of death from iatrogenic disease" ]
train_75
Researcher: Every year approximately the same number of people die of iatrogenic "disease" -- that is, as a direct result of medical treatments or hospitalization -- as die of all other causes combined. Ttherefore, if medicine could find ways of preventing all iatrogenic disease, the number of deaths per year would decrease by half.
0
Which one of the following statements, if true, casts doubt on the argument?
[ "Books that were printed on the printing press in the first years after its invention often circulated among friends in informal reading clubs or libraries.", "During the first years after the invention of the printing press, letter writing by people who wrote without the assistance of scribes or clerks exhibited a dramatic increase.", "The first printed books published after the invention of the printing press would have been useless to illiterate people, since the books had virtually no illustrations.", "In the first years after the printing press was invented, printed books were purchased primarily by people who had always bought and read expensive manuscripts but could afford a greater number of printed books for the same money." ]
train_76
Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive manuscript copies. The printing press produced books that were significantly less expensive than the manuscript editions. The public' s demand for printed books in the first years after the invention of the printing press was many times greater than demand had been for manuscript copies. This increase demonstrates that there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press.
3
The flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following?
[ "Since riding in a boat for a few minutes is relaxing for some people, those people would be more relaxed generally if those people owned boats.", "Since pruning houseplants is enjoyable for some people, those people should get rid of houseplants that do not require frequent pruning.", "Because buying an automobile is very expensive, people should hold on to an automobile, once bought, for as long as it can be maintained in running condition.", "Since giving a fence one coat of white paint makes the fence white, giving it two coats of white paint would make it even whiter." ]
train_77
A recent study monitored the blood pressure of people petting domestic animals in the laboratory. The blood pressure of some of these people lowered while petting the animals. Ttherefore, for any one of the people so affected, owning a pet would result in that person having a lower average blood pressure.
0
Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?
[ "Scientific fraud is possible in the field of cellular biology only if the research is documented with digital images.", "Scientific fraud is a widespread problem only among scientists who submit articles to journals of cellular biology.", "The scientists who submitted manipulated images were aware that the journal used software to examine digital images for evidence of manipulation.", "Many of the scientists who submitted articles with manipulated images did so in order to misrepresent the information conveyed by those images." ]
train_78
Among the many temptations of the digital age, manipulation of photographs has proved particularly troublesome for science. Recently, a journal of cellular biology began using a software tool to examine the digital images submitted along with articles for publication. It discovered that dozens of authors had submitted digital images that had been manipulated in ways that violated the journal' s guidelines. Clearly, scientific fraud is a widespread problem among the authors submitting to that journal.
3
The conclusion is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed?
[ "Students respect honesty above all else.", "Students lose respect for teachers whenever they sense that the teachers are trying to hide their ignorance.", "Students' respect for a teacher is independent of the amount of knowledge they attribute to that teacher.", "A teacher cannot be effective unless he or she retains the respect of students." ]
train_79
Teachers should not do anything to cause their students to lose respect for them. And students can sense when someone is trying to hide his or her ignorance. Ttherefore, a teacher who does not know the answer to a question a student has asked should not pretend to know the answer.
1
Which of the following strategies would be most likely to minimize Company X's losses on the policies?
[ "Insuring only those individuals who did not suffer any serious diseases as children", "Insuring only those individuals who are wealthy enough to pay for the medical services", "Insuring only those individuals who were rejected by other companies for similar policies", "Attracting middle-aged customers unlikely to submit claims for benefits for many years" ]
train_80
Insurance Company X is considering issuing a new policy to cover services required by elderly people who suffer from diseases that afflict the elderly. Premiums for the policy must be low enough to attract customers. Ttherefore, Company X is concerned that the income from the policies would not be sufficient to pay for the claims that would be made.
3
Which one of the following is a principle that, if valid, most helps to justify the restaurant critic's reasoning?
[ "The best way for a business to attract a steady flow of customers is to improve its products .", "The quality of the food at a restaurant is the most important factor in its popularity.", "There is no relationship between the quality of a restaurant's food and the popularity of that restaurant.", "A business will improve its products only when it is necessary to do so in order to attract customers ." ]
train_81
Restaurant critic: Most people agree that the food at Marva' s Diner is exceptional, while the food at the more popular Traintrack Inn is fairly ordinary. This discrepancy should come as no surprise, since the Traintrack Inn' s more convenient location is by itself almost enough to guarantee a steady flow of customers .
3
Which one of the following generalizations is most clearly illustrated by the passage?
[ "What is true of some social organizations is not necessarily true of all such organizations.", "Often an instrument created for one purpose will be found to serve another purpose just as effectively.", "Many social institutions have social consequences unintended by those who founded them.", "An organization can have a property that not all of its members possess." ]
train_82
Hospitals, universities, labor unions, and other institutions may well have public purposes and be quite successful at achieving them even though each of their individual staff members does what he or she does only for selfish reasons.
3
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the statements above?
[ "Of the ten small companies, the three that had borrowed the largest amounts paid off their loans within three years.", "For some loans made by MetroBank, the monthly payment decreases slightly over the term of the loan.", "The number of small companies receiving new loans from MetroBank increased over the five-year term.", "Most banks offer a greater number of loans for under $100, 000 than for over $100, 000." ]
train_83
MetroBank made loans to ten small companies, in amounts ranging from $1, 000 to $100, 000. These ten loans all had graduated payment plans, i. e. , the scheduled monthly loan payment increased slightly each month over the five-year term of the loan. Nonetheless, the average payment received by MetroBank for these ten loans had decreased by the end of the five-year term.
0
The reasoning above is flawed because it
[ "draws a conclusion about a specific belief based on responses to queries about two different specific beliefs", "contains premises that cannot all be true", "confuses a sufficient condition with a required condition", "is based on an ambiguity of one of its terms" ]
train_84
A recent survey showed that 50 percent of people polled believe that elected officials should resign if indicted for a crime, whereas 35 percent believe that elected officials should resign only if they are convicted of a crime. Ttherefore, more people believe that elected officials should resign if indicted than believe that they should resign if convicted.
2
Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the apparent inconsistency in the results of the library's policy?
[ "The bookmarks became popular among the children, so in order to collect the bookmarks, many children borrowed many more books than they usually did and kept them past their due date.", "The children were allowed to borrow a maximum of five books for a two-week period, and hence each child could keep a maximum of fifteen books beyond their due date within a two-month period.", "Although the grace period enticed some children to return all of their overdue books, it did not convince all of the children with overdue books to return all of their books.", "Although the library forgave overdue fines during the grace period, the amount previously charged the children was minimal; hence, the forgiveness of the fines did not provide enough incentive for them to return their overdue books." ]
train_85
On May first, in order to reduce the number of overdue books, a children's library instituted a policy of forgiving fines and giving bookmarks to children returning all of their overdue books. On July first there were twice as many overdue books as there had been on May first, although a record number of books had been returned during the interim.
0
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
[ "Renaissance paintings were created in conditions involving far greater fluctuations in temperature and humidity than those permitted by current standards.", "None of the materials in Renaissance oil paintings other than the paint are vulnerable enough to relatively wide fluctuations in temperature and humidity to cause damage to the paintings.", "Most Renaissance oil paintings are stored in museums located in regions near the regions where the paintings were created.", "Under the current standards that museums use when storing Renaissance oil paintings, those paintings do not deteriorate at all." ]
train_86
When storing Renaissance oil paintings, museums conform to standards that call for careful control of the surrounding temperature and humidity, with variations confined within narrow margins. Maintaining this environment is very costly, and recent research shows that even old oil paint is unaffected by wide fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Ttherefore, museums could relax their standards and save money without endangering their Renaissance oil paintings.
1
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above?
[ "Modern treatments for many otherwise fatal illnesses increase the patient's susceptibility to infection.", "It remains true that doctors sometimes prescribe ineffective medications due to misdiagnosis.", "Life spans have increased precisely because overall health has improved.", "As a population increases in size, there is a directly proportional increase in the number of serious infections." ]
train_87
As advances in medical research and technology have improved the ability of the medical profession to diagnose and treat a wide variety of illnesses and injuries, life spans have increased and overall health has improved. Yet, over the past few decades there has been a steady and significant increase in the rate of serious infections.
0
The statements above, if true, support which one of the following inferences?
[ "Among the blackbirds that survived the month-long study, there was no relation between size and age.", "Among blackbirds of the same age, a difference in size may not indicate a difference in chances of survival over a month-long period.", "With a larger sample of blackbirds, the percentage of smaller birds that survive a one-month period would be the same as the percentage of larger birds that survive.", "Larger blackbirds of a given age are actually more likely to survive over a one-month period than are smaller blackbirds of the same age." ]
train_88
In Yasukawa' s month-long study of blackbirds, the percentage of smaller birds that survived the duration of the study exceeded the percentage of larger birds that survived. However, Yasukawa' s conclusion that size is a determinant of a blackbird' s chances of survival over a month-long period is probably mistaken, since smaller blackbirds are generally younger than larger ones.
1
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the editorial's argument?
[ "Children intensely curious about new things have very short attention spans.", "Preschool teachers generally report lower levels of stress than do other teachers.", "Preschoolers have a tendency to imitate adults, and most adults follow strict routines.", "Some older children also develop strict systems that help them learn." ]
train_89
Editorial: Contrary to popular belief, teaching preschoolers is not especially difficult, for they develop strict systems (e. g. , for sorting toys by shape), which help them to learn, and they are always intensely curious about something new in their world.
0
The conclusion of the argument is most strongly supported if which one of the following is assumed?
[ "Miguel has several friends who have fewer than three family members coming to graduation.", "Miguel's graduating class is much larger than usual.", "Miguel has a fifth family member who is unable to come to his graduation.", "The weather service has indicated that there is a very high likelihood of rain on Sunday afternoon." ]
train_90
Miguel has four family members who plan to come to his graduation on Sunday afternoon, but it is likely that only three of them will be allowed to attend. Normally graduation is held in the football stadium, where there is no limit on the number of family members who can attend. However, the ceremony is relocated to the gymnasium if it rains, and each graduate receives just three admission tickets for use by family members.
3
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
[ "Some languages lack words for prominent elements of the environments of their speakers.", "A word meaning \"fish\"was used by the people who spoke Proto-Indo-European.", "The people who spoke Proto-Indo-European were nomadic.", "There are no known languages today that lack a word for \"sea. \"" ]
train_91
We can learn about the living conditions of a vanished culture by examining its language. Thus, it is likely that the people who spoke Proto-Indo-European, the language from which all IndoEuropean languages descended, lived in a cold climate, isolated from ocean or sea, because ProtoIndo-European lacks a word for "sea, "yet contains words for "winter, ""snow, " and "wolf. "
0
Which of the following investigations is most likely to yield significant information that would help evaluate the researcher's hypothesis?
[ "Determining whether a metal alloy is used to make the strings used by classical guitarists", "Determining whether classical guitarists make their strings go dead faster than do folk guitarists", "Determining whether smearing various substances on new guitar strings causes them to go dead", "Determining whether a dead string and a new string produce different qualities of sound" ]
train_92
Guitar strings often go "dead"-become less responsive and bright in tone-after a few weeks of intense use. A researcher whose son is a classical guitarist hypothesized that dirt and oil, rather than changes in the material properties of the string, were responsible.
2
Which one of the following, if true, would provide the most support for the economists' assertion?
[ "Government subsidies to urban manufacturers can ease the problems caused by the migration of people from rural to urban areas.", "Problems associated with migration to cities from rural areas are primarily due to trade imbalances between countries.", "A scarcity of agricultural products is a central element of many problems created by urbanization.", "All problems that have economic causes must have economic solutions." ]
train_93
In some countries, national planners have attempted to address the problems resulting from increasing urbanization by reducing migration from rural areas. But some economists have suggested an alternative approach. These economists assert that planners could solve these problems effectively by trading goods or services produced by a predominantly urban population in order to obtain the agricultural products that were previously produced domestically.
2
Each of the following, if true, provides support for the critique above EXCEPT:
[ "A healthy diet should include the consumption of several different fruits and vegetables daily, but the recommendation was often interpreted as satisfied by the consumption of a single serving of a fruit or vegetable.", "The recommendation that some food from the fruit and vegetable group be consumed daily constituted a reminder not to neglect this group, which provides needed vitamins, minerals, and fiber.", "The omission of fish, which contains beneficial oils, from the names of groups in the list gave erroneous impression that it is less healthy as a food than is red meat.", "The division into four groups gave the impression that an equal amount of each should be consumed, but milk and meat tend to contain fats that promote heart disease and cancer and should be eaten in lesser amounts." ]
train_94
Nutrition education in schools once promoted daily consumption of food from each of the "four food groups": milk, meat, fruit and vegetables, and breads and cereals. This recommendation was, however, dangerous to health.
1
Which of the following most logically completes the argument?
[ "it is seen as an act of serving the majority of public good.", "it does more harm than good for the receivers of the vaccinations.", "is considered utilitarianism because there are more children than adults in the world.", "it is seen as giving the parents complete control over the decisions they make for their children." ]
train_95
Ethicist: Utilitarianism argues that it is good and right to act in the best interests of all entities involved, and says the best action is that which serves the maximum number of those entities. For example, making vaccination of children a requirement is considered utilitarianism because __.
0
The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?
[ "An apology cannot be both sincerely offered and sincerely accepted unless each person acknowledges that a wrongful act has occurred.", "One cannot sincerely accept an apology that was not sincerely offered.", "If one commits a wrongful act, then one should sincerely apologize for that act.", "If one apologizes and subsequently repeats the wrongful act for which one has apologized, then one has not apologized sincerely." ]
train_96
One should apologize only to a person one has wronged, and only for having wronged that person. To apologize sincerely is to acknowledge that one has acted wrongfully. One cannot apologize sincerely unless one intends not to repeat that wrongful act. To accept an apology sincerely is to acknowledge a wrong, but also to vow not to hold a grudge against the wrongdoer.
0
The art critic's argument depends on the assumption that
[ "visitors would enjoy their museum experiences more if they took more time with individual works of art", "the amount of time spent looking at a work of art is a reliable measure of engagement with that work", "museum visitors who take snapshots of works of art rarely look at the pictures afterward", "museum visitors today generally look at more pieces of art during each museum visit than museum visitors looked at in the past" ]
train_97
Art critic: Nowadays, museum visitors seldom pause to look at a work of art for even a full minute. They look, perhaps take a snapshot, and move on. This tells us something about how our relationship to art has changed over time. People have become less willing to engage with works of art than they once were.
1
Which one of the following, if true, would most help to explain the difference in fuel requirements?
[ "Smaller spaceships require less fuel than larger spaceships.", "The shortest distance between Phobos and Mars is less than half the shortest distance between Earth and Mars.", "More equipment would be required to explore Phobos than to explore Mars.", "Lift-off for the return trip from Phobos requires much less fuel than that from Mars because of Phobos' weaker gravitational pull." ]
train_98
If we are to expand the exploration of our solar system, our next manned flight should be to Phobos, one of Mars' s moons, rather than to Mars itself. The flight times to each are the same, but the Phobos expedition would require less than half the fuel load of a Mars expedition and would, ttherefore, be much less costly. So, it is clear that Phobos should be our next step in space exploration.
3
The statement that considerations as remote as what an offender did years ago are relevant to the seriousness of an offense plays which one of the following roles in the argument?
[ "It is an allegedly untenable consequence of a view rejected in the argument's overall conclusion.", "It is a statement the argument provides grounds to accept and from which the overall conclusion is inferred.", "It is the overall conclusion in favor of which the argument offers evidence.", "It is a premise offered in support of an intermediate conclusion of the argument." ]
train_99
The position that punishment should be proportional to how serious the offense is but that repeat offenders should receive harsher punishments than first-time offenders is unsustainable. It implies that considerations as remote as what an offender did years ago are relevant to the seriousness of an offense. If such remote considerations were relevant, almost every other consideration would be too. But this would make determining the seriousness of an offense so difficult that it would be impossible to apply the proportionality principle.
0

https://whyu.me/reclor/

@inproceedings{yu2020reclor,
        author = {Yu, Weihao and Jiang, Zihang and Dong, Yanfei and Feng, Jiashi},
        title = {ReClor: A Reading Comprehension Dataset Requiring Logical Reasoning},
        booktitle = {International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR)},
        month = {April},
        year = {2020}
    }
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