LOGICAL REASONING

DIRECTIONS. In this section you will be given brief statements or passages and be required to
evaluate the reasoning involved. In some instances, more than one choice will appear
to be a possible answer. You are to choose the best answer. Use common sense and
reasonableness in making your selection.

1. The health-care and lost-productivity costs of smoking exceed 15 billion dollars a year. Despite
the evidence linking smoking to a number of fatal diseases, 30% of the American population still
smokes. If we were to tax cigarettes at the high rates imposed in Canada or Great Britain, we
could raise badly needed tax money, and greatly reduce the health-care and lost-productivity
costs of smoking.
The argument of the passage would be most weakened if which one of the following were shown
to be true?
A. Taxes on cigarettes fall more heavily upon the poor than upon the rich.
B. Only 15% of the population of Canada smokes cigarettes.
C. The number of smokers in Canada did not decline when the high taxes on cigarettes were
imposed.
D. About 25% of the population of Great Britain smokes tobacco.
E. Taxes on alcoholic beverages in Canada and Great Britain are lower than similar taxes in the
United States.

2. JANE: I haven’t found anyone in the English class who agrees with the professor’s
interpretation of this poem.
DAVE: No, you’re wrong. The three students who got A’s on the paper must have agreed with
the professor’s reading.
Dave’s reply shows that he has interpreted Jane’s comment to imply which one of the following?
A. Jane has consulted all of the students in the English class.
B. Jane has not consulted any of the students who agree with the professor.
C. Some students who say they disagree with the professor may change their minds.
D. Jane has not consulted all of the students in the English class.
E. Some students who say they agree with the professor do not, in fact, believe in his
interpretation.

For Questions 3 – 4
“You deserve the freedom to choose any doctor and to have no more medical bills. These
benefits can be yours when you join Red Shield and go to your choice of one of five thousand
Red Shield and go to your choice of one of five thousand Red Shield preferred physicians.”

3. This advertisement presupposes as part of its argument that the reader

A. wishes to choose what doctor she will go to
B. does not belong to a health maintenance program
C. belongs to a program which allows the choice of a doctor
D. pays no medical bills
E. wishes to reduce her annual medical expenses

4. Which one single word in the advertisement leads to a logical inconsistency to its claim?
A. deserve C. any E. preferred
B. freedom D. choice
5. With its large community of conservative former colonists from Algeria and an equally
conservative retiree population. Nice in France’s only large city sympathetic to the far-right-wing
politics of Jean Le Pen. Jacque Medecin, the mayor of Nice for 25 years, has said he agrees with
99% of Le Pen’s ideas, which include hostility to immigration, Arabs, and Jews. Conservatives
have been shocked by Merdecin’s sudden flight to South America with two of his party allies,
presumably to avoid prosecution for massive looking of public funds. Medecin claims he is the
victim of a Socialist plot.
Which one of the following is most clearly suggested by the information in this passage?
A. Some right-wing politicians may be guilty of dishonesty.
B. Some right-wing politicians may deplore racism.
C. The young are naturally more conservative than the elderly.
D. Conservatives are likely to be the victims of Socialist plots.
E. Not all conservatives support the ideas of Jean Le Pen.

6. If Jack were a first baseman for the New York Mets, he would be rich. He is not a first baseman,
since he is not rich.
The conclusion above is unsound because the author does not consider the possibility that Jack
could be
A. a rich third baseman
B. a first baseman for another team
C. rich for some other reason
D. a guard for the Boston Celtics
E. a second baseman for the New York Mets

7. All Italian greyhounds are graceful and fast, but some are nervous. Graceful and fast greyhounds
are slender, but nervous greyhounds are unpredictable.
If the statements are true, all of the following must be true EXCEPT
A. all Italian greyhounds are slender
B. some greyhounds are nervous
C. no Italian greyhounds are slow
D. no Italian greyhounds are predictable
E. all Italian greyhounds are graceful

8. Researchers have shown that females of a certain species of fish are more attracted to the male
of the species when males are fitted with a plastic, swordlike extension of the ends of their tails.
The artificial fin makes the males resemble the males of a different species, the swordtail. For
some time biologists have wondered how traits like the swordlike tail of the swordtail arise. Do
males evolve traits that females later prefer? Or do the traits and preference evolve together? Or
do the females have the preference first, and the males evolve to respond to it? The results of
the experiment suggest that _______.
Which one of the following is the most logical conclusion of the paragraph?
A. we still cannot reach even a tentative answer to these questions
B. the female’s preference arose first and the males adapted to it
C. the males’ development must come first, and evolutionary pressure
D. the females’ and the males’ traits and preferences must arise at the same time
E. the whole notion of evolutionary development must be in error
 9. Doctors are becoming wary of herbal teas and similar preparations. Many herbs sold in health-
food stores or even supermarkets may be toxic. Sales of herbal products are nearly half a billion
dollars yearly. And though the majority of herbal products are probably safe, at least 25
commonly sold herbs can cause cardiac, gastrointestinal, or nervous system diseases. Some
herbs that have been used for thousands of years are neither safe nor effective. The prevailing
myth that herbs are “natural” and therefore can do no harm is false. Too few commonly available
herbs have been rigorously tested. The same requirements that apply to new drugs should also
apply to herbal remedies.
The author of this passage would probably agree with which one of the following statements?
A. Whole herbs are more effective than their isolated active constituents.
B. Natural or organic herbs are superior to synthetic drugs.
C. Harmful plants like cocaine, opium, tobacco, or marijuana should not be regarded as herbs.
D. Herbs should be classified as foods, not drugs.
E. Herbs are to be avoided by pregnant or nursing women.

10. When we examine the diets of men of the same age and similar background, we see that the
smaller the amount of fiber in the diet, the greater the incidence of colon cancer. Therefore, fiber
in the diet probably prevents cancer of the colon.
Which one of the following uses reasoning that most closely parallels the reasoning in the
argument above?
A. Studies show that a second child in a family learns to speak at an earlier age than the first
child, and also at an earlier age than a third child. Therefore, the second-born child must be
more intelligent.
B. Researchers have shown that shoppers with shopping lists spend less money in
supermarkets than shoppers without lists. The same study reported that men are more likely
to buy luxury or unnecessary foods than women. Therefore, a woman with a shopping list is
likely to spend less in a supermarket than a man without a shopping list.
C. When one hundred rats are placed in a small cage, a certain percentage will become
cannibalistic, and the smaller the cage, the higher the percentage of cannibalism.
Overcrowding, therefore, is probably the cause.
D. Two out of three automobile accidents happen within two miles of the driver’s home.
Therefore, drivers must be overconfident and more careless when driving on a familiar road.
E. In certain wilderness areas, more forest fires are caused by acts of nature, such as lightning,
than by human acts. But the closer a forest is to a city, the more likely it is that a fire will be
caused by human beings. Therefore, the number of fire watchers must be higher nearer
urban areas.

For Questions 11 – 12
The Yoruba faith considers animal sacrifice during religious ceremonies a source of spiritual
power and purity. In Yoruba ceremonies, farm animals, usually chickens, are sacrificed and then
consumed. The city has passed an ordinance which forbids any animal sacrifice, and the
religious group has challenged the law and vowed to continue the practice. The attorney for the
Yorubas argue that denial of the ritual is like forbidding Christians to take communion.
The ban on animal sacrifice was passed in response to complaints about animal remains
found in trash containers. Officials attributed the remains to Satanists and to Caribbeanb and
South American communities practicing Santeria, an African animist religion. The Yorubas have
pointed out that the remains cannot have come from their ceremonies, where the animals are
killed according to state codes.
 11. Which one of the following conclusions should be drawn from the passage above?
A. This case will be decided in favor of the Yorubas.
B. This case will be decided in favor of the city ordinance.
C. If the Yorubas win, the case for animal sacrifice by believers in Santeria will be weakened.
D. Animal-rights activists are likely to support the Yorubas in this case.
E. A decision in this case will offend against either religious freedom or animal rights.

12. All of the following arguments might be used in defense of the regulation prohibiting animal
sacrifices EXCEPT
A. even if the Yorubas kill animals humanely, the law is necessary to prevent inhumane killing
by other sects
B. scientific studies have shown that animals feel pain as intensely as humans
C. not all religious beliefs –– polygamy, for example –– are tolerated in the United States
D. animal sacrifices have been a part of religious ceremonies for thousands of years
E. the sight of animal sacrifice may be traumatic to children

13. After installing an expensive computer-operated drip irrigation system designed to measure
moisture and to save up to 20% of water usage. Jackson Orchards discovered that its water bill
for the month of September was 10% higher than last September’s bill, before the new system
was in use. Jackson Orchards demanded a refund from the irrigation systems company.
Jackson Orchards’ demand would be more convincing if which one of the following were true?
A. The rates charged by the water company were virtually unchanged.
B. It could demonstrate that this irrigation system was functioning as it should.
C. The acreage under cultivation was slightly smaller this September than last.
D. September a year ago was noteworthy for its heavy rains.
E. None of the farms nearby had any change in their water bills from one September to the
other.

For Questions 14 – 15
Investors in the bonds of Washington Savings Bank have lost all the money that they invested.
Therefore, no savings bank should be permitted to sell new bonds without careful governmental
supervision.

14. Which one of the following is an assumption made in the argument above?
A. Government insurance does not cover the losses of investors in bonds issued by banks.
B. The investors should have been warned by the bank of the possibility of default on the
bonds.
C. The government will have to make up the losses suffered by the bankrupt savings and loan
companies.
D. If the bonds of one bank are in default, the bonds of all banks are likely to be in default.
E. Government supervision of the Washington Bank could have prevented its issuing bonds
that became worthless.
15. Which one of the following arguments most closely resembles the argument above?
A. Children exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke in the home are more likely to develop
respiratory diseases. Therefore, parents should reduce their smoking in the home.
B. Twelve percent of fatal traffic accidents are caused by drivers over 75 years old. Therefore,
drivers over 75 should be permitted to drive only after careful state examination.
C. Three widely sold brands of herbal tea have been found to contain comfrey, a herb that can
be toxic with repeated ingestion. Therefore, these brands of herbal tea should be removed
from grocery shelves.
D. Two members of the state legislature have pleaded guilty to charges of bribery. Therefore,
the laws against bribery must be strengthened.
E. A child who does not want to attend school will not do good work in the classroom.
Therefore, special classes should be established for weakly motivated students.

16. By reading the advertisements in the real estate section of the newspaper, anyone can see that
there are far more condominiums for sale than duplex apartment buildings or single-family
homes. Builders are beginning to recognize that there is a shortage of homes in the median price
range.
Which one of the following would best conclude the passage above?
A. We should soon see a decline in the high price of condominiums.
B. Real estate agents are concerned about the lack of movement in the apartment market.
C. New housing construction will probably concentrate on medium-priced duplex and single-
family buildings.
D. The price of real estate will probably decline if the area is perceived to be coverbuilt.
E. Next year, the number of unsold condominiums should be even larger.

17. The results of the election in Texas show that women can campaign negatively in order to survive
mudslinging primaries, and can win when the opposing party picks a fool as its candidate. But
they cannot expect people to vote for them just because they are women. Incumbents still have a
huge advantage, and an overwhelming percentage of incumbents are men.
Which one of the following is the most logical conclusion of this paragraph?
A. So women are still unlikely to win a large number of elective offices.
B. Therefore, the number of women elected to national and state offices should increase
regularly.
C. If all the women voters supported women candidates, women in office would outnumber
men.
D. Therefore the reelection of office holders should decline in the near future.
E. So the number of mud-slinging campaigns may be expected to increase.

18. All Japanese gardens inspire contemplation, because they are filled with beautiful plantings.
Of the following, which is the missing premise in the statement above?
A. All Japanese gardens are beautiful.
B. Only gardens that inspire contemplation are filled with beautiful plantings.
C. Beautiful gardens contain beautiful plantings.
D. Beautiful plantings inspire contemplation.
E. Only beautiful plantings inspire contemplation.
For Questions 19 – 20
Children are not afraid of math and science. They approach these subjects full of questions. For
parents who can answer these questions, the danger is explaining too much and preventing the
children from learning for themselves and experiencing the pleasures of discovery. Most of us
often find ourselves unable to answer such questions as “Why is the sky blue?” What we should
do is praise children for their curiosity, and then help them learn where to look for answers. Most
libraries stock books geared to introducing math and science to children.
What is most important, however, is the attitude of the adults toward learning. At the turn of
the century, it was often the children of Jewish immigrants who excelled in science. Now it is
often the Asian children who excel. Both groups have a tradition of respecting education.
Obviously children who hear teachers and education praised at home will perform differently in
school from children whose parents denigrate education. The attitudes of parents toward
education are more important than how much they themselves know.

19. The author of the passage would probably disapprove of

A. parents who feel inadequate or embarrassed because they cannot answer their children’s
questions
B. children whose knowledge of math and science is greater than that of their parents
C. parents who respond to children’s questions with irritation
D. immigrant parents with an imperfect knowledge of English
E. teaching math and science in elementary schools

20. Which one of the following, if true, would provide the most serious challenge to the argument of
this passage?
A. Studies show that the earliest appearance of math anxiety is normally in junior high school
age students.
B. Most children are introduced to science by television rather than by reading.
C. Asian-Americans had the highest average score on the mathematics section of the
Scholastic Aptitude Test this year.
D. The number of males who major in mathematics and science is much greater than the
number of females.
E. Jewish and Asian parents are more likely to criticize elementary and secondary schools than
parents in other ethnic groups.

21. Photography is an art because it imposes form upon the chaos of the natural world.
The statement above assumes which of the following?
A. Whatever is photographed is art.
B. Painting is an art superior to photography.
C. Art is the expression of human life.
D. Whatever has form is an art.
E. The natural world is artistic.
For Questions 22 – 23
Should the Forest Service post more warning signs in the areas visited by the public? Advocates
say putting up signs would protect the agency from lawsuits and would be easy to do. The Forest
Service argues that, by putting up a sign, the agency provides a potential litigant with evidence, if
the sign has been removed. Also, almost any location in the wilderness might be dangerous, so
the number of signs would equal that of trees. The problem, according to Forest Service
spokesmen, is a public unprepared for the woods. People come wearing sandals and shorts,
without a map, water, or sunglasses.

22. Which one of the following explains the paradox of using as evidence as sign that has been
removed?
A. If the sign had never been placed in the forest, the visitor would be unaware of the danger.
B. By putting up a sign, the Forest Service gives notice of a hazard.
C. Whether or not a victim of an accident has seen a warning sign will be difficult to assess.
D. The sign could be placed at the entrance to the forest; then it would not be stolen.
E. Not all visitors to the forests understand English, so the signs would have to be in several
languages.

23. The case against the Forest Service would be most strengthened if which one of the following
were true?
A. The Forest Service has only 5 permanent employees per thousand square miles of forest.
B. More than 40% of the visitors to the forests are non-English speaking.
C. The Forest Service keeps no records of accidents, but private records indicate that fatalities
in California forests average 50 per year.
D. A high percentage of the accidents in national forests are caused by sudden changes in the
weather.
E. Studies show that 75% of park visitors will follow a rule or warning when they understand it.

24. Banning the sale of aerosol spray paints in this city will results in huge losses for paint
manufacturers. Not all graffiti are painted with spray paints, and the aerosols’ damage to the air
is 100 times less than the harm done by automobile exhausts. Therefore the sale of spray paints
should not be banned.
Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument in the passage
above?
A. The cost of graffiti removal outweighs the projected losses of paint manufacturers.
B. Industrial air pollution is also 100 times greater than pollution caused by aerosols.
C. The quality of the air in the city has improved steadily in the last four years.
D. many serious art critics regard graffiti as a legitimate, artistically significant form of self-
expression.
E. The banning of spray paints may be the first step in a series of repressive city incursions on
personal freedoms.
25. All continents have mountain ranges with mountains that are dangerous to climb. Therefore all
the world’s mountain ranges have mountains dangerous to climbers.
Which one of the following most closely parallels the reasoning in the passage above?
A. Every bird is warm blooded. Therefore every flying animal is warm blooded.
B. All the geology books in the library circulate. Therefore all the library books about geology
must circulate.
C. Every atom is made up of electrons. Therefore all things must contain electrons.
D. Every number is either odd or even. Therefore half of the numbers are odd.
E. All the television channels on this set are in Spanish. Therefore all the television channels in
this city must be in Spanish.