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GMAT
Critical Reasoning
II

Andheri (W) · Kemps corner

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CRITICAL REASONING - II

Section I: Geek speak

“Trap answers lure you to weaken flawed arguments with similarly flawed answer options.”
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“According to a recent survey, most of the people who suffer from impaired eyesight watch more than nine hours
of television. Hence, television viewing causes eyesight impairment.”

“All the people who suffer from eyesight impairment also spend a lot of time in front of their computer screens.”

Section II: Back to Basics

COMMON FALLACIES

Correlation-Causation
"Officials in the capital city of Country X have said that the administration's drive over the last three years to
erase graffiti all over the city and punish those who indulged in it has resulted in significant reduction in the
city's crime rate. The government has now announced that it is going to duplicate the effort in other major cities
in order to reduce crime."

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

"The mass demonstrations by the workers at the steel plant have started just a week after the new CEO has taken
over. The CEO should resign as the workers are against his appointment."

Circular Reasoning
"A majority of people voted that democracy (deciding by majority vote) is the most effective form of decision
making. Therefore, democracy is the most effective form of decision making."

Ad Hominem

"The Health Minister's calls to the public to decrease consumption of high-calorie junk food and shift to
healthier diet should not be heeded because the Minister himself is known for his love for whiskey and cigars."

Red Herring
"Elite educational institutions need to be brought under government control and the purview of the Parliament.
This would ensure a greater degree of public welfare. However, the members of Parliament in recent times have
been the source of embarrassment and wastage of valuable resources."

CONCEPT INITIATIOR

Identify the fallacies in the following statements:

1. There is no point in listening to the opposition's arguments; their only motive is to get back to power.
Ans.

2. There has been a sharp rise in the number of suicides by farmers after the new government was sworn in three
months back; the Prime Minister should resign.
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Ans.

3. Real estate prices are constantly rising but the sharp increase in the last few months can only be attributed to the
huge earthquake that shook the country six months back.
Ans.

4. Politicians in power do not lie because they will be charged for perjury; hence, we should believe what the
President says.
Ans.

5. The ban on advertising tobacco products is justified because the only people raising objections are the tobacco
companies, which is natural and expected.
Ans.

6. Philanitliropic acts are also selfish acts because all of man's actions are driven by self-interest.
Ans.

7. Car manufacturers should ramp up their production during summer months because according to a recent survey,
nearly 60% of the cars sold last year were sold during summer.
Ans.

8. Organizations should hire youngsters graduating out of college and should not discriminate against a deserving
candidate in favor of someone with work experience because youngsters constitute the majority of our population.
However, according to a recent survey, the crime rate in the age group of 20-25 has gone up rapidly.
Ans.

9. Caffeine consumption improves our thinking faculty because, according to a survey, 90% of the students in the top
three universities of our country consume more than three cups of coffee a day.
Ans.

10. There are many non-governmental organizations that are questioning whether tourism should be promoted
aggressively because though it generates a lot of revenue, it has also led to the ecological destruction of many tourist
spots. One of the major causes of ecological destruction in the country has been industrial waste.
Ans.

SECTION III: GET TO GMAT

Strengthen Question

"Cool" might be America's most precious natural resource: an invisible, impalpable entity that makes a particular
brand of an otherwise interchangeable product fantastically valuable. When "cool" people start talking or eating
or dressing or shopping in a certain way, the "uncool" will follow suit. Therefore, "cool" can be used to predict
the trends of the future.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the above conclusion?

(A) Uncool people form the majority of the population, and there are few statistical tools to predict their behavior.

(B) Advertising that uses cool people or stereotypes of cool people is more successful in generating demand.

(C) The observation of cool people's hangout gives a fair idea of the next big trend.

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(D) The masses choose a fine mix between what is cool and what gives them personal comfort and are generally
more biased to their personal tastes.

(E) Future fads are easily predictable by analyzing the trends of fashion over the decades and returning to classics.

Eliminate

Weaken Question
"According to a recent survey in Country X, men who carry their mobile phones in their trousers are more likely to
suffer from sterility than those who carry it in their jacket pockets. Cell phone manufacturers should be directed
to pay millions in damages for not informing the customers, through warning labels, about the potential hazards
of cell phone usage."
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?

(A) Cell phone manufacturers are known to divulge information only to the extent that it does not affect their
revenues in any direct or indirect manner.
(B) Men who carry their mobiles phones in their jacket pockets use them much lesser than those who carry them in
their trouser pockets.
(C) Men who carry their mobile phones in their trousers pockets are smokers who do so because they use their
jacket pockets for their cigarettes, which are proven to cause sterility.
(D) There has been no previous evidence of mobile phones causing sterility.
(E) Some men who carry their mobile phones in their trouser pockets do not suffer from sterility.

Eliminate

Explain/Resolve Question

According to a survey, despite a diet dominated by cheese, Alcohol, chocolate and meat, all of which are not healthy
and are proven to lead to obesity and heart disease, only 10% of French adults are obese, while the obesity rate for
British and American adults who also consume fats and alcohol is 22% and 35% respectively.

All of the following, if true, most help to resolve the contradiction above EXCEPT:

(A) The average British and American portions of food are larger than those of the French by 30% and 40%
respectively.
(B) The French meals made at home using fresh ingredients are healthier than British or American meals, which have
a huge proportion of processed ingredients.
(C) The average time spent by the French while consuming their meals is much higher than that spent by their British
or American counterparts, and aids in breaking down the fats consumed.
(D) Unlike the British or the Americans, the French place a great emphasis on the sophistication of their cuisine and
the ritualistic experience of having a meal.
(E) The French as a whole consume far greater quantities of wine, which is known to reduce the risk of coronary
disease, than the British or the Americans.

Eliminate

Parallel Reasoning Question

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Imposition of economic sanctions on countries that do not follow international treaties is inhuman because the
economic isolation results in a drastic fall in the quality of life for a large majority of the population. But it can't be
avoided because it has proven to be the least harmful option that can be exercised in such situations.

Which of the following best exemplifies the situation described in the statements above?

(A) Corporal punishment is sometimes the best way to discipline children despite the fact that it might damage
them emotionally.
(B) Though it is widely accepted that countries should liberalize their economies in a phased manner, Country X
has to go for complete liberalization at one go since it is the only option available.
(C) In the, event of unprovoked encroachment by one country into another country's territory, there is no option
other than international intervention to defuse the problem.
(D) Admitting the elderly into old age homes does cause them a lot of trauma but given the fact that they are
maladjusted in their children's social environment, old age homes are the best option as the long-term trauma
caused by them is minimal.
(E) Methods of detention and interrogation of prisoners of war are often inhuman but they are indispensable since
they yield crucial strategic information in the shortest of times.

Eliminate

Method of Reasoning Question

Bill: Since the airline industry has been deregulated, flying has become less safe. While in the ten years prior to
deregulation, the number of plane mishaps was 40; in the ten years post deregulation, the number is 400.
Wendy: You have only taken into account the increased number of flight mishaps and not the increase in the
number of flights. It is possible that after determin ing the number of mishaps as a percentage of the total number
of flights, you will find that flying is actually safer now than before deregulation.
Wendy responds to Bill by

(A) reinforcing Bill's conclusion by providing additional statistical support to his argument.
(B) refuting Bill's contention by providing evidence that contradicts the evidence given by him.
(C) suggesting that Bill has overlooked statistics that might contradict his contention.
(D) agreeing with Bill but suggesting that the situation is not as grave as he contends.
(E) challenging the authenticity of the evidence provided by Bill in support of his argument.

Eliminate

Flawed Reasoning Question

Advertising agencies should rework their current campaigns for diamond manufacturers. Instead of enchanting and
enticing women with 'the most glittering and fashionable stones, advertisers should direct their campaigns towards
men because a recent survey by a prestigious business magazine has revealed that men purchased 90%, in value, of
the diamond jewelry sold last year.
The above argument is flawed because it....

(A) does not specify the precise quantity of diamonds bought by men and women.
(B) does not mention the average value of diamonds sold.
(C) does not differentiate between purchase and use
(D) does not supply information of the nature of the diamonds bought by men vis-a-vis women.
(E) does not discuss jewelry other than diamonds.

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Eliminate

Boldfaced Question
According to economists, social activists wrongly portray corporations as institutions that are driven solely by the
motive of profit/revenue maximization. They contend that the activists' argument that no corporation makes an
investment from which it does not expect a return is not always true since there have been many examples of
corporations that have started not-for-profit trusts that run schools and other institutions that contribute to social
welfare. The Economists' argument against the activists is not convincing because corporations advertize their
welfare activities in order to generate goodwill that translates into increased revenues.
The two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles in the economists' argument?

(A) The first supports the conclusion of the economists' argument; the second calls that into question.
(B) The first states the assertion that the economists' conclusion refutes; the second states the conclusion that
refutes the economists' assertion.
(C) The first supports an assertion that the economists' refute; the second supports the argument that refutes the
economists' argument.
(D) The first supports the social activists' argument; the second states the conclusion against the economists'
argument.
(E) The first supports the contention that the economists refute; the second states the conclusion against the
economists' assertion.
Eliminate

Section IV: Quasi – adaptive learning tracker (QLT)

1. The government has passed a new law banning the depiction of smoking in movies. The decision comes after
studies conducted by the National Health Commission found that nearly 800,000 people die every year from
diseases caused by smoking.
Each of the following, if true, casts serious doubts on the usefulness of the government's strategy to tackle the
problem of deaths due to diseases caused by smoking, EXCEPT:

(A) A recent nationwide survey found that 80% of the people who smoked started to do so because of their peer
group.

(B) A similar ban in the neighboring country where movie stars enjoy a huge popularity did not result in a
decrease in the number or deaths due to diseases caused by smoking.

(C) A study has found that many companies have been flouting the norms regulating the amount of permissible
nicotine in, cigarettes because of laxity of the regulatory authorities.

(D) A nationwide survey has shown that three out of every five people who voted look up to movie stars as their
role models.

(E) Most of the deaths due to smoking-related diseases occur in villages where there is no access to proper
healthcare and the awareness of the ill effects of smoking is almost absent.

2. Piracy of software products is a major concern for software companies around the world. Every time a copy of
pirated software is sold, the company that created the software loses revenue. Thus, a rise in the piracy of
software indicates a rise in the losses for software company. However a dip in the sale of pirated software in the
absence of any special efforts to crackdown on piracy also indicates that the software industry is going through a
lean phase.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to reconcile the paradoxical situation given above?

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(A) Software pirates use a large number of CD writers that are a major component of the hardware industry and
thus their sales go down.

(B) Software pirates only target very popular software that earns the industry almost 90% of its revenues. Dip in
the sale of pirated software indicates an overall dip in the demand for this software.

(C) Large software companies earn almost 10 times as much as a small software company and piracy could
affect the sales of these big firms.

(D) Software pirates also buy legitimate software before copying it and so drop in piracy means drop in revenue
due to these sales.

(E) The revenue through licensing to corporate houses forms a bulk of the revenue for the industry, and
corporate houses never buy pirated software.

3. Formal devaluation, reducing the value of a currency, is one way of ensuring that exports get the necessary boost.
However, it hurts the importers, who need to pay out more local currency for the same equipment after the
devaluation than before the devaluation. Based on the above information, the government has deemed it would wait
until all importers are fully covered in the market, i.e., they have paid for all their outstanding commitments, before
they devalue the local currency.

Which of the following is a possible flaw in the government's argument to delay the devaluation?

(A) The government will not be able to time its decision to devalue perfectly.

(B) The government cannot accurately determine the amount of total imports outstanding.

(C) The exporters would also wait for the devaluation before releasing export goods.

(D) The government assumes that there would not be any further need to import goods after the devaluation comes
into effect.

(E) Exports from the country are not price elastic, i.e., export volumes do not react to changes in prices.

4. If an act of civil disobedience or protest - which involves willfully breaking a specific law in order to bring about
legal reform - is done only out of self-interest and not out of a concern for others, it cannot be justified. But an act
of civil disobedience is justified if one's conscience requires one to do so.

Which one of the following judgments most closely conforms to the principles stated above

(A) Keira's protest against what she perceived to be a brutal and repressive dictatorship in another country was an act
of justified civil disobedience, because in organizing an illegal, but peaceful demonstration, calling for a return to
democratic leadership in that country she acted purely out of concern for the people of that country.

(B) Jane's protest against a law that forbade labor strikes was motivated solely by a desire to help local mine workers
obtain fair wages. But her conscience did not require her to protest against this law. So, Jane didn't perform an act
of justified civil disobedience.

(C) In organizing an illegal protest against the practice in her country of having prison inmates work eighteen hours
per day, Georgina performed an act of justified civil disobedience: she acted out of concern for her fellow inmates
rather than out of concern for herself.

(D) Marianne's deliberate violation of a law requiring prepublication government approval of all printed materials
was an act of justified civil disobedience. Though her interest as an owner of a publishing company would be
served by repealing the law as it would mean less hassles in publication, she violated the law because she believed
it violated the right to freedom of expression and because her conscience required doing so on behalf of all
publishers.
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(E) In organizing a parade of motorcyclists riding without helmets through the capital city, Lewis did not perform an
act of justified civil disobedience; he was willfully challenging a specific law requiring motorcyclists to wear
helmets, but his conscience did not require him to organize the parade.

5. A recent study conducted in five counties, showed a downward trend in the sale of cyclafiggin in the last 20 years.
Since cyclafiggin is a very popular medicine prescribed by doctors for work induced stress, we can safely say that
the incidence of work-induced stress has reduced in these five counties over the last two decades.

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

(A) No new drugs or techniques to battle work-related stress have been released in the last 20 years in these five
counties.
(B) A large number of malls have opened in these counties and have helped in making weekends more pleasant.
(C) Cyclafiggin was reported to have possible cancer-causing elements.
(D) The average citizen of the five counties is working longer hours.
(E) Doctors have shown that work does induce stress.

6. Transporting oil by using trucks involves the unavoidable risk of oil leakage. The alternative is to build pipelines,
which have an even greater risk of a leakage. Thus to continue safely transporting oil without curtailing oil use, we
must use only trucks.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Oil leakage due to trucks can be more expensive than the leakage from pipeline.

(B) Truck leakage damages the road surface while pipeline leaks only damage subterranean soil.

(C) Oil consumption has been rising rapidly in recent years.

(D) Pipeline construction would involve land acquisition from farmers.

(E) It is possible to construct pipelines from reinforced material, which makes the risk of leakage significantly lower
than that when using trucks.

7. More people have to give up their cars due to bankruptcy than due to damage caused by accidents. Yet companies
that offer car loans require borrowers to take insurance against accidents, but not against bankruptcy.
Which of the following, if true, would most satisfactorily explain the discrepancy above?
(A) Some customers are less aware of the greater incidence of bankruptcy.
(B) Many customers feel uncomfortable if asked to consider the unfortunate possibility of bankruptcy.
(C) The value of a car is not affected by the owner's bankruptcy, but it is affected by damage due to accident.
(D) Insurance against accidents is costlier than insurance against bankruptcy.
(E) Insurance premiums against accidents are tax deductible for the consumers.

8. There are far fewer children available for adoption than there are people who want to adopt. Two million couples
are currently waiting to adopt, but in 1982, the last year for which figures exist, there were only some 50,000
adoptions.
Which of the following statements, if true, most strengthens the author's claim?

(A) The number of couples waiting to adopt has increased significantly in the last decade.
(B) The number of adoptions in the current year is greater than the number of adoptions in any preceding year.

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(C) The number of adoptions in a year is approximately equal to the number of children available for adoption in that
period.
(D) People who seek to adopt children often go through a long process of interviews and investigations by adoption
agencies.
(E) People who seek to adopt children generally make very good parents.

9. The earliest Sumerian metal weapons found in Baghdad, Iraq, are about 2,500 years old. A few days back,
archeologists in Baghdad found pottery, which is nearly 3,500 years old .This pottery resembles Sumerian pottery of
a much later period, also found in Baghdad. The pottery designs are also very different from designs of pottery of
other civilizations, which are known to have inhabited the area in other eras. So, we can conclude that there were
definitely Sumerian settlements in Baghdad 3,500 years ago.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Sumerians were not known to trade in pottery.

(B) Pottery is a mark of highly evolved civilizations and the Sumerian civilization would have been 100 years old,
3,500 years ago.
(C) The evidence shows that the pottery found was used to store agricultural produce in houses.
(D) Cultures that follow are known to adopt pottery styles of older civilizations.
(E) The metal weapons show a high level of development showing evidence as being forged by people with several
centuries of experience in the same.

10. Tonsillitis is a potentially life-threatening ailment and so, more often than not, patients with symptoms that
strongly indicate tonsillitis have their tonsils removed. The appropriate surgery is low at risk but is performed
needlessly in about 18 percent cases. A newly developed scan for tonsillitis is highly accurate, with just two
misdiagnoses for every 98 correct ones. Clearly then, by using this test, doctors can by and large avoid
unnecessary removals of the tonsils without, however, performing any fewer necessary ones than before, since:

(A) Patients who are rightly diagnosed with this test as not having tonsillitis invariably have medical conditions that
are much less serious than tonsillitis.
(B) The misdiagnoses produced by this test are always instances of attributing tonsillitis to someone who does not, in
fact, have it.
(C) All of the patients who are diagnosed with this test have insurance.
(D) Every patient who is diagnosed with this test as having tonsillitis has more than one of the symptoms generally
associated with tonsillitis.
(E) Doctors will now have more free time on their hands.

11. Once a child’s imagination becomes developed, a host of imaginary creatures may torment child. But this newly
developed cognitive capacity may also be used to render these creatures harmless. For Instance, a child‘s new toy
may be imagined as an ally powerful enough to ward off any imaginary threats.

The situation described in the passage above most closely conforms to which one of the following problems?

(A) Some newly developed capacity only gives rise to problems.

(B) Sometimes, the cause of a problem may also provide its solution.
(C) Children are not able to distinguish between real and imaginary threats.
(D) The most effective way for children to address their fears is to acknowledge them.
(E) Most problems associated with child rearing can be solved with a little imagination.

12. Sales of children’s literature were declining worldwide until the year 2000 A.D. when J.K. Rowling’s Harry
Potter books became very popular. The revenue of the children’s books industry has been rising at 10% every year
since then. A survey showed that at least 50% of the children who read books started doing so after the year 2000
A.D. Experts however say that phenomenon is limited to Harry Potter books, and the state the children’s literature
industry is still bad.

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Which of the following will provide the data to most conclusively agree or disagree with the experts?

(A) A study that shows that the revenues of the children’s books industry were declining continuously until 2000
A.D.
(B) A study which determines what percentage of children own at least one Harry Potter book.
(C) A study which compares the annual sales of children’s books other than Harry Potter since 2000 A.D. with those
of the Harry Potter books.
(D) An opinion poll that asks children to rate their favorite books other than Harry Potter.
(E) A survey documenting the increase in the number of retail outlets stocking children’s books.

13. A researcher who was studying alcoholics found that they lie to their spouses a lot more than non-alcoholics do.
The researcher thus concluded that people who lie to their spouses a lot are likely to become alcoholics.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the researcher's conclusion?

(A) After becoming alcoholics, people tend to lie to their spouses a lot more to hide their addiction.
(B) When they are isolated during rehabilitation, alcoholics tend to lie a lot more to be treated better.
(C) Some non-alcoholics lie to their spouses a lot more than alcoholics do.
(D) People who are likely to turn alcoholic exhibit behavior patterns that are more unusual and noticeable than just
lying to their spouses.
(E) The alcoholics that the researcher studied often failed to meet the objective with which they set out to lie to their
spouses.

14. It is widely believed that by the age of 80, perception and memory are significantly reduced from the levels at
which they function at the age of 30. However, a recent study showed no difference in the abilities of 80-year-olds
and 30-year-olds to play a card game devised to test perception and memory. Therefore, the belief that perception
and memory are significantly reduced by the age of 80 is false.

The reasoning above is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it falls to consider the possibility that:

(A) study's card game does not test cognitive abilities other than perception and memory.
(B) Games are among the most difficult cognitive tasks one can attempt to perform.
(C) Perception and memory are interrelated in way we are not currently aware of.
(D) the belief that 30-year-olds' perception and memory are reduced results from prejudice against senior.
(E) playing the study's game requires fairly low levels of perception and memory.

15.According to the latest industry reports, all the movies that fared badly at the box office this summer have been
science fiction movies. Surprisingly, the next two releases towards the end of summer, from two of Hollywood's
biggest studios, are science fiction movies. It looks like the studios have got it wrong this time around since the two
movies are bound to fail at the box office.
The argument is primarily flawed because it:

(A) Fails to consider that there might be other types of films that have failed consistently at the box office in previous
years.
(B) Does not take into account the success ratio of the studios that have made these science fiction movies.
(C) Confuses the coincidence that all science fiction films have fared badly with causality that science fiction is the
reason for the movies' faring badly.
(D) Assumes the reverse of the relationship, established by the box office results, to be true.
(E) Takes a very limited view of which films succeed and which films fail at the box office.

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16.Last year, ABC Airlines successfully completed its acquisition of West Airways. Since then, ABC's stock prices
have soared and it has had a 60 percent increase in ticket sales. The recent decision of the top management at ABC
Airways to speed up ABC'S acquisition of South Air will lead to a further significant increase in the ticket sales.
Which of the following casts most serious doubts on the validity of the argument above?
(A) South Air is a relatively unknown brand and has a very small turnover.
(B) Many South Air passengers are loyal to the airlines and would not switch to ABC after the merger.
(C) ABC Airline's CEO was recently named the `Businessman of the Year' by a popular business magazine.
(D) Last year, ABC Airways offered the lowest possible airfares by giving a 50 percent discount on all its tickets.
(E) NYSE traders predict an almost 10 percent rise - ABC's stock prices after the merger.

Explanatory Answers
1.The government has banned the depiction of smoking in films on the premise that this influences people to smoke and by banning it, the
incidence of smoking-related diseases will come down. All options EXCEPT one should say that the ban would not yield the desired result.
(A) The survey shows that the peer group. And not movie stars, influences people to smoke. Hence, the ban will not bring down the number of
people taking to smoking.
(B) The failure of a similar strategy in a neighboring country casts doubts on the soundness of the same.
(C) Smoking-related deaths might be a result of the laxity of government’s regulatory authority. Option (C) suggests that ensuring that the
regulatory authority fulfills its functions efficiently can decrease the number of deaths caused because of smoking rather than banning the
depiction of smoking in films.
(D) Correct. This option says that movie stars are role models whom people emulate and, hence, the banning of the depiction of smoking in
movies might be beneficial.
(E) It clearly says that reasons for the smoking-related deaths are poor healthcare and lack of awareness about the ill effects of smoking and,
hence, suggests that the ban imposed by the government will be ineffective in decreasing the deaths caused by smoking related diseases.

2. (A) the passage does not mention the ha rdware industry at all. Hence this option provides irrelevant information.
(B) Correct. The option shows that reduce, on in piracy in the absence any special crackdown efforts indicates lesser demand for popular
software. A fall in the demand for popular software means that the software industry is going through a lean phase.
(C) This option talks about the difference in the earnings of the bigger and smaller companies, which is not relevant to the quest .
(D) This option talks about a drop in revenue due to pirates not b buying as much legitimate software them. But this cannot be a valid reason
since unless we know the proportion of total sales these purchases constitute w e cannot say that the, can cause a lean patch.
(E) This option talks about licensing to corporate houses that do not buy pirated software and, hence, is not relevant to the paradox on hand.

3. (A) this option states information that is not a flaw in reasoning it brings in information that cannot be logically deduced from the
passage
(B) This option states information that is not a flaw in reasoning.' It 'brings in information that cannot be logically deduced from the
passage.
(C)The government has delayed devaluation in order to help importers. Hence, the fact that the exporters will delay releasing the goods
does not logically weaken the government's decision.
(D) Correct. The government's move to devalue the currency will financially hurt importers. Hence, it has decided to delay devaluation
in order to allow importers to clear off [heir existing dues. But the government assumes that there will be no further demand for
imports. This assumption makes the government's argument logically flawed.
(E) This option states information that is not a flaw in reasoning. It brings in information that cannot be logically deduced from the
passage.

4. (A) Keria has not broken a law that she wishes to change. Her end objectives were not related to the law that she broke and, hence, this
option does not conform to the principles of the passage.
(B) Concern for others and acts of conscience are given as two separate grounds for civil disobedience and need not be present together
for an act of civil disobedience to be justified. Option (B) makes the mistake of assuming that both conditions are necessary and
incorrectly says that Jane did not perform an act of justified civil disobedience.
(C)Since Georgina was an inmate herself, there is little information to decide whether she was motivated by self-interest or concern for
others. Hence, it cannot be properly concluded whether her act of disobedience was justified.
(D) Correct. Arose out of her conscience even though the result would be in her interest
(E)Lewis' act of disobedience arose neither from an intention to help the public at large (there is no information to determine whether the
public was against the said law nor from the need to listen to his conscience. Hence, this option does not conform to the principles of
the passage.

5. (A) Correct. By showing that the decrease in the sales of cyclafiggin was not due to the entry of a new drug that competes with it, option
(A) strengthens the argument.

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(B) There is no information about the relationship between pleasant weekends and work-induced stress. The only way this option can
strengthen the argument is by assuming spending pleasant weekends in mails reduces work-induced stress. Since we cannot make that
assumption, this option does not strengthen the argument.
(C)This option does not present information that is relevant to the argument.
(D) There is no information in the passage about the relationship between working hours and work-induced stress. Hence, this option is
irrelevant
(E) This option just states that work induces stress and in no way strengthens the argument that work-related stress has decreased.

6. (A) the argument discusses the risk of leakage whereas option (A) discusses the cost. Hence, it is irrelevant to the discussion.
(B) This option talks about damage to land, which is not connected to the argument on hand.
(C) This option is unrelated to the question.
(D) This option is unrelated to the question.
(E) Correct. This option weakens the argument because the alternative suggested clearly reduces the risk of leakage during oil transportation
using pipelines when compared to that when using trucks.

7. (A) the customer's awareness is not relevant to the company as it has to take a decision that would minimize its risk. Hence, this option is
incorrect.
(B) Customers' feeling uncomfortable about insurance does not have any relevance with policies. Which seek to reduce risk?
(C) Correct. The insurance company is insuring the car. Hence, insurance against bankruptcy is not necessary since it does not affect the
value of the car. Whereas the probability of an accident decreasing the value of the car is very high.

(D) Cost of insurance is irrelevant to the policies of an insurance company which is providing the insurance. It is for the customer to decide.
(E) That insurance premiums be tax deductible is not relevant to the policies of the company since what is important to the company is the
minimization of risk.

8.A) the argument is about the availability of children for adoption the option says that the number of couples waiting to adopt has increased.
From this, it cannot be deduced that there are fewer children available for adoption since we have no information about the number of
couples who are unable to adopt. Hence, (A) is incorrect.
(B)The increase in the number of children being adopted every year does not mean that there are fewer children than the number of parents
willing to adopt. !t cannot be deduced that there are fewer children available for adoption. Hence. (B) is incorrect.
(C) Correct. The passage says that the number of people waiting to adopt has increased and there are not enough children. The option says
that each and every child available for adoption is being adopted. Hence, by showing that there is never a surplus of children it supports
the argument that fewer children are available for adoption.
(D) The information in this option is irrelevant; c the question.
(E) The information in this option is irrelevant to the question.

9. (A) the argument attributes the pottery to Sumerians and, hence, asserts that Baghdad had Sumerian settlements 3,500 years ago. Option
(A) says that Sumerians were no: known to trade in pottery. Whether they traded in pottery or not is irrelevant. The question is
whether Sumerians settled in Baghdad 3,500 years ago. Option (A) does not weaken the argument.
(B) There is no information in the passage that demonstrates that 100 years is too short a duration for a civilization to become evolved
enough to make pottery. Hence, option (B) does not weaken the argument
(C) The way pottery was used is not related to the argument; hence, the statement does not weaken the argument.
(D)Correct. This option points out the flaw in the argument that is based on successive cultures not adopting the pottery styles of the
preceding cultures. Just similarity between potteries of older civilizations and that of the Sumerian civilization does not mean that
they were Sumerian since cultures that follow are known to imitate older ones.
(E) This option strengthens the argument since it shows that Sumerians were definitely a few centuries older than 2,500 years

10. (A)this option talks about other diseases that are not mentioned in the passage. So it is irrelevant,
(B) Correct. Option (B) shows that misdiagnoses are always instances of wrongly attributing tonsillitis, it shows that the unnecessary
surgeries will be only 2%.Thus; the doctors can avoid unnecessary removals by a greater degree than before.
(C)This option mentions insurance, which is unrelated to the passage.
(D) Option (D) talks about more than one symptom for tonsillitis, which is just a detail. About the diagnosis and does not affect the
conclusion.
(E)Doctors' having free time will be a result of the newly developed scan; it is not the reason for them performing all surgeries that are
required.

11. (A) the passage talks about both problems and solutions .Hence (A) is incorrect.

(B) Correct the passage says the cause of the problem; the child’s imagination will lead to the solution also. Using toys to ward off the
imaginary threats .Option (B) stated this precisely.

(C) The Passage is not concerned with real threats. Hence (C) is incorrect
(D) The information in this option is not related to the passage .Hence (D) is incorrect
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(E) The Passage does not talk about child rearing .Hence (E) is incorrect.

12. We need to find evidence to examine the question or is still bad and Harry Potter is an exception.
(A) It just restates a point already made in the argument.
(B)It will examine the popularity of Harry Potter books only and hence, will not reveal whether the state of the children's
books industry as a, note is still bad.
(C) Correct. It gives a perfect indication of the state of the industry as a whole vis-a-vis the Harry Potter series.
(D)It is just a popularity poll and does not give data, at can indicate whether the children's books industry is in good
shape.
(E)Since children's books will include the Harry potter series also, it will not indicate the state of the industry as a whole
vis-a-vis the berry otter series.

13.(A)Correct. This option gives information that negates the author's conclusion. If people lie to their spouses to hide
their alcoholism then lyiring cannot be a cause for people's turning alcoholic.
(B) An alcoholic's behavior during rehabilitation is not relevant to the argument.
(C)The argument is about people, who lie to their spouses, turning alcoholic. Evidence or some non-alcoholics lying to
their spouses more than alcoholics do, does not weaken the argument.
(D)The argument talks about lying to spouses and not other behavioral patterns.
(E)The success or the failure of lying has nothing to do with the argument. Which Labels lying as an indicator of future
alcoholism.
14. (A) the passage does not talk about abilities other than perception and memory.
(B)It does not refer to perception and memory and indirectly supports the argument if one assumes that perception and
memory is centre to cognitive abilities.
(C) Red herring not related to the argument.
(D) It is a generalization that does not offer any logical refutation of the argument
(E)Correct. This option weakens the argument by snowing that in order to test whether 80 year-olds are comparable to
30-year-olds in percep t ion on and memory, the stud. Uses a game that does not require the abilities in abundance
15. (A) It is not related to the argument that the science fiction movies made by the two big studios will fail to make money.
(B)The argument is being made on the type of films (science fiction and not the success ratio of the studios. The author is talking about a
1:1 ratio. With alt the flops being science fiction movies.
(C)Assumes that the relationship is just a coincidence, which can not be proved or verified.
(D)Correct. Alt X is Y does not mean that All Y are X; all y may be X and Some Y may not be X as well. The argument makes the
mistake of converting this possibility, all 'r may be X’ING, into a certainty. "All flops have been science movies do not mean that the
next science fiction movie will flop. To illustrate by a simpler example, "all criminals belong to a particular income group" does not
mean that all people from that income group will be criminals.
(E) It is not directly relevant to the question.
16. (A) This information does not weaken the argument because there is no information whether ABC will retain the South air brand name after
the takeover.
(B) This information strengthens the argument.
(C) This option presents information that is irrelevant to the passage and the question.
(D) Correct. The author makes the argument that ABC, s ticket sales will go up after it acquires South air based on the evidence that its
ticket sales had risen by 60% after it acquired West Airways. This option says that, last year, ABC Airways offered the lowest possible
airfares by giving a 50 % discount on all its tickets. This information suggests that the rise in ticket sales is related to the drop in prices
father than acquisition of West Airways.
(E)Stock prices just reflect the stock market’s opinion about the turnover; this information if anything indirectly strengthens the argument.

Extra Questions

1) Since it has become known that several of a bank’s top executives have been buying shares in their own
bank, the bank’s depositors, who had been worried by rumors that the bank faced impending  financial
collapse, have been greatly relieved. They reason that, since top executives evidently have faith in the bank’s
nancial soundness, those worrisome rumors must be false. Such reasoning might well be overoptimistic,
however, sincecorporate executives have been known to buy shares in their own company in a calculated
attempt to dispel negative rumors about the company’s health.

In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

(A)  The first describes evidence that has been taken as supporting a conclusion; the second gives a reason
for questioning that support.

(B)  The first describes evidence that has been taken as supporting a conclusion; the second states a contrary
conclusion that is the main conclusion of the argument.

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(C)  The  first provides evidence in support of the main conclusion of the argument; the second states that
conclusion.

(D)  The  first  describes the circumstance that the argument as a whole seeks to explain; the second gives
the explanation that the argument seeks to establish.

(E)  The first describes the circumstance that the argument as a whole seeks to explain; the second provides
evidence in support of the explanation that the argument seeks to establish. 

2) All languages known to have exactly six basic color terms describe the same six colors – black, white, red,
green, blue and yellow – corresponding to the primary neural responses revealed in studies of human color
perception. In addition, all languages known to have only three basic color terms distinguish among “black,”
“white,” and “red.” This evidence shows that the way in which the mind recognizes differences among colored
objects is not influenced by culture.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?

(A) While languages differ in their number of basic color terms, no language has been conclusively determined
to have more than eleven such terms.

(B) Every language contains mechanisms by which speakers who perceive subtle differences in hue can
describe those differences.

(C) Among cultures employing only three color terms, the word “red” typically encompasses not only objects
that would be called red in English but also those that would be called yellow.

(D) Several languages, such as Vietnamese and Pashto, use a single term to mean both blue and green, but
speakers of such languages commonly refer to tree leaves or the sky to resolve ambiguous utterances.

(E) In a study of native speakers of Tarahumara, a language that does not distinguish between blue and green,
respondents were less able to identify distinctions among blue and green chips than native speakers of Spanish,
which does distinguish between blue and green.

3) With seventeen casinos, Moneyland operates the most casinos in a certain state. Although intent on
expanding, it was outmaneuvered by Apex Casinos in negotiations to acquire the Eldorado chain. To complete
its acquisition of Eldorado, Apex must sell five casinos to comply with a state law forbidding any owner to
operate more than one casino per county. Since Apex will still be left operation twenty casinos in the state, it
will then have the most casinos in the state.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the prediction?

A) Apex, Eldorado, and Moneyland are the only organizations licensed to operate casinos in the state.
B) The majority of Eldorado's casinos in the state will need extensive renovations if they are to continue to
operate profitably.
C) Some of the state's counties do not permit casinos.
D) Moneyland already operates casinos in the majority of the state's counties.
E) Apex will use funds it obtains from the sale of the five casinos to help fund its acquisition of the Eldorado
chain.

4) Business Analyst: National Motors began selling the Luxora—its new model of sedan—in June. Last week,
National released sales figures for the summer months of June, July, and August that showed that by the end of
August only 80,000 Luxoras had been sold. Therefore, National will probably not meet its target of selling
500,000 Luxoras in the model’s first twelve months.

Which of the following would be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the analyst’s prediction?

A. Whether new-car sales are typically lower in the summer months than at any other time of the year

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B. Whether National Motors currently produces more cars than any other automaker

C. Whether the Luxora is significantly more expensive than other models produced by National Motors

D. Whether National Motors has introduced a new model in June in any previous year

E. Whether National Motors will suffer serious financial losses if it fails to meet its sales goal for the Luxora

5) Sonya: The government of Copeland is raising the cigarette tax. Copeland's cigarette prices will still be
reasonably low, so cigarette consumption will probably not be affected much. Consequently, government
revenue from the tax will increase.

Raoul: True, smoking is unlikely to decrease, because Copeland's cigarette prices will still not be high. They
will, however, no longer be the lowest in the region, so we might begin to see substantial illegal sales of
smuggled cigarettes in Copeland.

Raoul responds to Sonya's argument by doing which of the following?

A) Questioning the support for Sonya's conclusion by distinguishing carefully between No change and no
decrease 
B) calling Sonya's conclusion into question by pointing to a possible effect of a certain change. 
C)Arguing that Sonya's conclusion would be better supported if Sonya could cite a precedent for what she
predicts will happen.
D) showing that a cause that Sonya claims will be producing a certain effect is not the only cause that could
produce that effect 
E) pointing out that a certain initiative is not bold enough to have the effect that Soniya predicts it will have

6) Magazine Publisher: Our magazine does not have a liberal bias. It is true that when a book review we had
commissioned last year turned out to express distinctly conservative views, we did not publish it until we had
also obtained a second review that took a strongly liberal position. Clearly, however, our actions demonstrate
not a bias in favor of liberal views but rather a commitment to a balanced presentation of diverse opinions.

Determining which of the following would be most useful in evaluating the cogency of the magazine
publisher’s response?

(A) Whether any other magazines in which the book was reviewed carried more than one review of the book

(B) Whether the magazine publishes unsolicited book reviews as well as those that it has commissioned

(C) Whether in the event that a first review commissioned by the magazine takes a clearly liberal position the
magazine would make any efforts to obtain further reviews

(D) Whether the book that was the subject of the two reviews was itself written from a clearly conservative or a
clearly liberal point of view

(E) Whether most of the readers of the magazine regularly read the book reviews that the magazine publishes

7) In 1960’s studies of rats, scientists found that crowding increases the number of attacks among the animals
significantly. But in recent experiments in which rhesus monkeys were placed in crowded conditions, it was not
such attacks that increased significantly, but rather instances of "coping" behavior, such as submissive gestures,
avoidance of dominant individuals, and huddling with relatives. Therefore the evidence from rhesus monkeys
makes it doubtful that crowding significantly increases aggressive impulses in primates.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) The rhesus monkeys is the species of monkey that is more prone to fighting

(B) Coping behavior was adopted by the crowded monkeys to forestall acts of aggression among them

(C) All the observed forms of coping behavior can be found among rhesus monkeys living in uncrowded

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conditions

(D) Some individual monkeys in the experiment were involved in more attacks than the others

(E) Some of the rhesus monkeys in the experiment were subjected to levels of crowding that are unlikely to
occur in natural circumstances.

8) Serious individual art collectors are usually discreet when making significant purchases or sales related to
their collections. At art auctions, for example, these collectors often place anonymous bids for major artwork.
Therefore, the whereabouts of most of the world's most valuable artwork is probably unknown. 

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion above EXCEPT: 

A) The value of a piece of art is purely subjective. 

B) Serious art collectors usually publicize their new artwork several months after making a purchase. 
C) Museums own the vast majority of the world's most valuable artwork. 
D) Of all the individuals in the world who own extremely valuable artwork, only a few are considered serious
art collectors. 
E) The private collections of most serious individual art collectors are often displayed in public settings.

9) The price the government pays for standard weapons purchased from military contractors is determined by a pricing
method called "historical costing." Historical costing allows contractors to protect their profits by adding a percentage
increase, based on the current rate of inflation, to the previous year's contractual price.

Which of the following statements, if true, is the best basis for a criticism of historical costing as an economically
sound pricing method for military contracts?

A). The government might continue to pay for past inefficient use of funds.
B). The rate of inflation has varied considerably over the past twenty years.
C). The contractual price will be greatly affected by the cost of materials used for the products.
D). Many taxpayers question the amount of money the government spends on military contracts.
E). The pricing method based on historical costing might not encourage the development of innovative weapons.

10) The survival of the publishing industry depends upon the existence of a public who will buy the printed word in the
form of newspapers, books and magazines. Over the past several years, however, the advance of electronic media,
particularly CD-ROMs, online computer services, and the Internet, has made 9information available to the public
electronically without the need for printed materials. As the availability of electronic media increases and as it is
more easily accessible, the public has less need for printed materials. So the publishing industry is threatened by the
advance of the computer information age.

The two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

(A) The first is the part of evidence that the argument includes, the second is the conclusion that can be drawn only
from the first.
(B) The first is the second-premise that the argument includes; the second is the conclusion that is reasonably drawn
form this passage.
(C) The first is the second-premise that the argument includes, the second is the inference that must be drawn from
this argument.
(D) The first is the fact that must be true, the second is the inference that can be correctly drawn from this argument.

(E) The first is the part of premise that the argument depends on; the second is the conclusion that is incorrectly drawn
from this argument

Homework from OG 10th

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Weaken 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 39, 41, 43, 44, 47, 52, 59, 61, 64, 70, 77, 78, 79, 81, 93, 96, 101,
102, 105, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 119, 120, 125,
128, 129, 131, 132, 134, 136, 137, 141, 143, 144, 146, 147, 152, 154, 157, 158,
163, 166, 168, 170, 176, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 186, 187, 188, 191, 192,
193, 194, 196, 198, 200, 201, 203, 204.

Strengthen 3, 17, 19, 23, 32, 35, 37, 46, 50, 53, 60, 66, 74, 82, 83, 87, 89, 92, 100, 108, 121,124, 126, 140, 156, 159,
165, 184, 185, 189, 190, 197, 199.

Paradox 13, 28, 40, 45, 49, 57, 71, 84, 86, 118, 127, 133, 148, 149, 153, 160, 161, 177.

Evaluate 42, 51, 56, 85, 97, 155, 172.

Miscellaneous 4, 6, 34, 54, 65, 98.

(Answer Key for Extra Questions – AEAAB CBAAB)

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