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GMAT
Critical Reasoning
II

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CRITICAL REASONING - II

Section I: Geek speak

“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, during the same time, 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 the people that voted were for democracy (deciding by majority vote) as 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."

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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.

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

Ans.

5. Philanthropic acts are also selfish acts because all of man's actions are driven by self-interest.

Ans.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Caffeine consumption improves our thinking ability 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.

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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 hangouts gives a fair idea of the next big trend.

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 mobile phones in their jacket pockets use them much less
than those who carry them in their trouser pockets.

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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

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?

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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 ng the number of mishaps as a
i

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....

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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.

Eliminate

Evaluate
Hardin argued that grazing land held in common (that is, open to any user) would always be used
less carefully than private grazing land. Each rancher would be tempted to overuse common land
because the benefits would accrue to the individuals, while the costs of reduced land quality that
results from overuse would be spread among all users. But a study comparing 217 million acres of
common grazing land with 433 million acres of private grazing land showed that the common land
was in better condition.

The answer to which of the following questions would be most useful in evaluating the significance,
in relation to Hardin's claim, of the study described above?

(A): Did any of the ranchers whose land was studied use both common and private land?

(B): Did the ranchers whose land was studied tend to prefer using common land over using private
land for grazing?

(C): Was the private land that was studied of comparable quality to the common land before either
was used for grazing?

(D): Were the users of the common land that was studied at least as prosperous as the users of the
private land?

(E): Were there any owners of herds who used only common land, and no private land, for grazing?

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 advertise
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?

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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 companies.
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?

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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 pre-publication 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.

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.

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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 pipelines.

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.
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.

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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 the 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?

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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 of the children’s literature industry is
still bad.

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.

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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 ways we are not currently aware of.
D. the belief that 80-year-old’s perception and memory are reduced results from
prejudice against seniors.
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.

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.

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(C) Smoking-related deaths might be a result of the laxity of the 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 dware industry at all. Hence this option provides irrelevant information.
r

(B) Correct. The option shows that reduction in piracy in the absence of 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 buying as much legitimate software themselves.. But
this cannot be a valid reason since unless we know the proportion of total sales these purchases constitute w e
cannot say that they 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.
(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

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(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 pottery 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,

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(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
(E) The Passage does not talk about child rearing .Hence (E) is incorrect.

12. We need to find evidence to examine the question whether the industry 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 lying cannot be a cause for people 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 of 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 ion and memory, the studys uses a game that does not require the abilities in abundance
t

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.

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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 financial
soundness, those worrisome rumors must be false. Such reasoning might well be
overoptimistic, however, since corporate 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.
(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)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 operating 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.

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3)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

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

4 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

5) 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

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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

6)) 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 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.

7) 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.
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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.

8) 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.

Homework from OG 10th

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.

ANSWERS TO EXTRA QS: AA AB CB AA

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