BOLDFACE

1. Although measuring the productivity of outside consultants is a complex

endeavor, Company K, which relies heavily on consultants for longterm
projects, must find ways to assess the performance of these workers. The risks
to a company that does not review the productivity of its human resources are simply too
great. Last year, Company L was forced into receivership after its productivity
declined for the third straight quarter.

The bolded phrases play which of the following roles in the argument above?

A. The first phrase states the author’s conclusion, and the second phrase refutes that
conclusion.

B. The first phrase states an assumption of the argument, and the second phrase
provides evidence to undermine that position.

C. The first phrase states one of the author’s premises, and the second phrase provides
the argument’s conclusion.

D. The first phrase states a position, and the second phrase refutes that position.

E. The first phrase states the conclusion, and the second phrase supports the
conclusion with an analogy.

2. In research designed to investigate the possibility of animals developing friendship with

other, unrelated, members of their species, a group of 29 chimpanzees were reared
together for 15 years. At the end of that time the chimps were presented with two
options for obtaining food: press a lever and feed themselves, or press another identical
lever and feed themselves, and at the same time deliver food to the chimp next door.
(The chimps were able to see each other). The researchers found that the chimps
were no more likely to choose the lever that fed a neighbor. The researchers
concluded that the chimps had no concept of friendship. However, one critic has
suggested that the animals were in an artificial environment from which little can be
concluded, and that, at the least, the test ought to have involved the animals
being able to touch.

A. The first is a position that the critic opposes. The second is a position that the critic
supports.

B. The first is an observation that supports the researchers' position. The second is an
observation that opposes the researchers's position.

C. The first is a finding on which the researchers base their conclusion. The
second is a suggestion that might cast doubt on that finding.
 D. The first is an observation that supports the critic's conclusion. The second is the
critic's conclusion.

E. The first is part of the evidence that the critic disputes. The second is a suggestion
that the researchers do not accept.

3. Journalist: Experts give credit to the government policies alone for the recent
rise in country’s gross domestic product. A deeper analysis will suggest that during
the period under consideration, positive global economic trends led to great
foreign direct and indirect investments and falling price of crude oil led to the
reduced cost of imports and more affordable operations for a significant proportion of
public and private sector enterprises.

In the journalist’s argument, the portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is the main conclusion of the argument; the second opposes that conclusion.

B. The first is the main conclusion of the argument; the second supports that conclusion.

C. Both support the main point that the argument seeks to establish.

D. The first is a claim that the argument seeks to establish; the second provides evidence
in support of that claim.

E. The first is an opinion that the argument seeks to evaluate; the second
provides evidence that opposes that opinion.

4. Last year a record number of new manufacturing jobs were created. Will this year bring
another record? Well, any new manufacturing job is created either within an existing
company or by the start-up of a new company. Within existing firms, new jobs have
been created this year at well below last year’s record pace. At the same time, there is
considerable evidence that the number of new companies starting up will be no higher
this year than it was last year, and surely the new companies starting up this year
will create no more jobs per company than did last year’s start-ups. Clearly, it
can be concluded that the number of new jobs created this year will fall short of
last year’s record.

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

(A) The first is a prediction that, if accurate, would provide support for the
main conclusion of the argument; the second is that main conclusion.

(B) The first is a prediction that, if accurate, would provide support for the main
conclusion of the argument; the second is a conclusion drawn in order to support that
main conclusion.

(C) The first is an objection that the argument rejects; the second is the main conclusion
 of the argument.

(D) The first is an objection that the argument rejects; the second presents a conclusion
that could be drawn if that objection were allowed to stand.

(E) The first is a claim that has been advanced in support of a position that the argument
opposes; the second is a claim advanced in support of the main conclusion of the
argument.

Resolve the Paradox:

1. A recent archeological expedition in Northern Asia revealed a great number of skeletons

of animals that died about 1000 years ago. Further Research indicated that all skeletons
had been subjected to temperatures in excess of 300 degrees Celsius. This fact provided
grounds for speculation that they were killed and cooked by tribes that lived in Northern
Asia at that time. However, some of the skeletons belonged to animals that were
considered sacred by those tribes and were never hunted or eaten.

Which of the following best explains the apparent discrepancy above?

(A) Some of the skeletons found during the expedition belonged to animals that no
longer inhabit the area.
(B) Skeletons of most animals did not have damages typical of the skeletons of animals
that had been killed, cut and cooked.
(C) Tribes that inhabited Northern Asia 1000 years ago used fire to cook food
(D) Another study indicated that there was a great famine in Northern Asia at that time,
which forced local tribes to look for alternative sources for food.
(E) A further study indicated evidence of a large fire that had occured in
Northern Asia approximately 1000 years ago

2. Owners of deeply indebted and chronically unprofitable small businesses sometimes try
to convince others to invest money in their companies. Since the money thus acquired
will inevitably be used to pay off debts, rather than to expand operation, this money will
not stimulate sales growth in such companies. Thus, most people are reluctant to make
these investments. Surprisingly, however, such investments often earn handsome returns
in the very first year they are made.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the surprising results of such
investments?

(A) Investors usually choose to reinvest their returns on such investments.

(B) Expanding production in such companies would usually require more funds than
would paying off debts.

(C) Paying off debts, by saving a company the money it would otherwise owe
 in interest, decreases the company’s overall expenses and thereby increases
its profits.

(D) Banks are reluctant to lend money to any company that is already heavily in debt
and chronically unprofitable.

(E) If the sales of a company do not grow, there is usually little need to devote a large
share of company resources to expanding production.

3. Alcohol consumption has been clearly linked to high blood pressure, which increases the
likelihood of developing heart disease. Yet in a study of the effects of alcohol
consumption, the incidence of heart disease was lower among participants who drank
moderate quantities of alcohol every day than it was among participants identified as
nondrinkers.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the
information above?

(A) Because many people who do not drink alcohol are conscious of their health habits,
they are likely to engage in regular exercise and to eat nutritionally well-balanced meals.

(B) Many of the participants identifies as nondrinkers were people who had
been heavy drinkers but had stopped drinking alcohol prior to participating in
the study.

(C) Some of the participants who drank moderate quantities of alcohol every day said
that they occasionally drank large quantities of alcohol.

(D) Some of the participants who drank moderate quantities of alcohol every day had
high blood pressure.

(E) The two groups of participants were similar to each other with respect to the
participants’ age, sex, geographical origin, and economic background.

4. Maize contains the vitamin niacin, but not in a form the body can absorb. Pellagra is a
disease that results from niacin deficiency. When maize was introduced into southern
Europe from the Americas in the eighteenth century, it quickly became a dietary staple,
and many Europeans who came to subsist primarily on maize developed pellagra.
Pellagra was virtually unknown at that time in the Americas, however, even among
people who subsisted primarily on maize.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the contrasting incidence of pellagra
described above?

A. Once introduced into southern Europe, maize became popular with landowners
because of its high yields relative to other cereal crops.
B. Maize grown in the Americas contained more niacin than maize grown in Europe did.
 C. Traditional ways of preparing maize in the Americas convert maize's niacin
into a nutritionally useful form.
D. In southern Europe many of the people who consumed maize also ate niacin-rich
foods.
E. Before the discovery of pellagra's link with niacin, it was widely believed that the
disease was an infection that could be transmitted from person to person

Flaw in Reasoning:

1. Private ownership of services traditionally considered to be the responsibility of the

government will typically improve those services. The turnpike system in the United
States of the nineteenth century demonstrates the truth of this principle; the system,
which had previously been controlled by the government, became a more reliable system
when taken over by private organizations.

Which of the following describes a significant flaw in the argument?

A. The author defends the conclusion by appealing to a person of authority.

B. The author distorts an opposing view in trying to show its weaknesses.

C. The author attacks what the author perceives as a wrong action by pointing gout
another perceived wrong action.

D. The author generalizes from a sample not representative enough to

establish the conclusion.

E. The author attributes two very different meanings to the same word.

2. The law firm of Sutherlin, Perez, and Associates is one of the most successful law firms
whose primary specialization is in criminal defense cases. In fact, the firm has a better
than 90 percent acquittal rate in such cases. Dalton is an attorney whose primary
specialization is in divorce cases, so Dalton certainly cannot be a member of Sutherlin,
Perez, and
Associates.

The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument

(A) offers in support of its conclusion pieces of evidence that are mutually contradictory

(B) overlooks the possibility that a person can practice law without being a member of a
law firm

(C) concludes that someone is not a member of a group on the grounds that
that person does not have a characteristic that the group as a whole has
 (D) takes a high rate of success among the members of a group to indicate that the
successes are evenly spread among the members

(E) states a generalization based on a selection that is not representative of the group
about which the generalization is supposed to hold true

Similar Reasoning:

1. In Townville, most smokers play tennis, and most nonsmokers do not play tennis.
Therefore, in Townville, most tennis players smoke.

Which of the following exhibits a pattern of flawed reasoning most similar to that in the
argument above?

A. In Townville, most Lions Club members were born in Townville, and most of
the residents who are not Lions Club members were not born in Townville.
Therefore, most of the residents who were born in Townville are Lions Club
members.

B. In Townville, most of the people who live west of Main Street own a GPS live east of
Main Street. Therefore, most of the people in Townville own a GPS.

C. In Townville, most cat owners own exactly one dog, and most dog owners own more
than one dog. Therefore, most of the people in Townville who own more than one dog
do not own any cats.

D. In Townville, most tennis players play golf, but not every golfer plays tennis.
Therefore, in Townville, there are more tennis players than golfers.

E. In Townville, most of the houses are painted red, and most of the houses have a pool.
Therefore, in Townville, most of the houses are painted red and have a pool.

2. Children who are educated at Evans High School tend to do better than children who are
educated at Gilbert T. Sloan High School. Since Samuel achieved higher grades than any of his
classmates in his first year at the university, he was probably educated at Evans.

Which one of the following most closely parallels the flawed reasoning in the argument above?

A. Quarter Horses are usually taller than Appaloosas. Since Dandy Jim Zip
is taller than the other horses in the competition, he must be a Quarter
Horse.

B. When people make more money, they generally are able to accumulate more
wealth.
 C. When children practice piano scales for half an hour each day, they usually do
extremely well at recitals. Since Hannah practices scales for less than a half an hour
a day, she will have difficulty doing well at her recital.

D. When children have parents who participate in their education, the children
generally do better in school. Therefore, if parents want to help their children do
better in school, they should participate in their children’s education.

E. When children study math from an early age, they tend to do better in math in
adulthood. Therefore, if you want to do better in math as an adult, you should study
more as a child.

Evaluate the Argument:

1. Sea turtles nest only at their own birthplaces. After hatching on the beach, the turtles
enter the water to begin their far-ranging migration, only returning to their birthplace
to nest some 15 to 30 years later. It has been hypothesized that newborn sea turtles
learn the smell of their environment, and it is this smell that stimulates the turtles to
return to nest.

Which one of the following would be most important to know in evaluating the
hypothesis in the passages?

(A) how long the expected life span of sea turtles

(B) what the maximum migration range of the sea turtles is
(C) whether many beaches on which sea turtles were hatched have since been
destroyed by development
(D) before returning to the nest, sea turtles are outside the area where the
smell of their birthplace would be perceptible
(E) whether both sex of sea turtles are actively involved in the nesting process

2. Scientists have determined that an effective way to lower cholesterol is to eat three
servings of whole grains every day. Studies have shown that the cholesterol levels of
people who did so were significantly lower after six months than were those of
people who did not, even though the cholesterol levels of the two groups had been
the same before the studies began. Clearly, eating whole grains can have an
appreciable effect on cholesterol levels.

The answer to which of the following questions, if true, would be most useful in
evaluating the claim about whole grains above?

(A) Is it realistic to expect people to eat three servings of whole grains per day?

(B) Were the two groups of people in the study involved in the same
exercise program?

(C) Can the same drop in cholesterol be achieved through medication?

 (D) Did the study continue to track the subjects beyond six months?

(E) Are most consumers aware of the different between whole grains and processed
grains?

3. Because of steep increases in the average price per box of cereal over the last 10
years, overall sales of cereal have recently begun to drop. In an attempt to improve
sales, one major cereal manufacturer reduced the wholesale prices of its cereals by
20 percent. Since most other cereal manufacturers have announced that they will
follow suit, it is likely that the level of overall sales of cereal will rise significantly.

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in evaluating the

argument?

(A) Whether the high marketing expenses of the highly competitive cereal market led
to the increase in cereal prices

(B) Whether cereal manufacturers use marketing techniques that encourage brand
loyalty among consumers

(C) Whether the variety of cereals available on the market has significantly increased
over the last 10 years

(D) Whether the prices that supermarkets charge for these cereals will
reflect the lower prices the supermarkets will be paying the manufacturers

(E) Whether the sales of certain types of cereal have declined disproportionately over
the last 10 years