Question 1

Those convicted of a felony should not have their voting rights suspended. Felons often have difficulty finding jobs and supporting themselves after their convictions, therefore having different concerns than other adults. Those who do not understand the concerns of felons cannot be expected to look out for their interests while voting. The only way to address the concerns felons face is to allow them to vote.
The statement that felons have different concerns than other adults plays which part in the argument?
A)It is the main point of the argument.
B)It defines a key term in the argument.
C)It creates a distraction from the point at issue.
D)It provides one of the justifications for the argument.
E)It contradicts the main point of the argument.

Accepted Answer

The statement is one of the justifications for the argument. The statement that felons have different concerns than other adults is used to explain why voting rights for non-felons only is unlikely to represent the rights of felons.

Question 2

In the Ridgewood Elementary School, teachers earn an average of $40,000, while librarians earn $32,000 per year. However, the average salary for Ridgewood employees is only $25,000.
If the above information is correct, then which of the following must be true?
A)There are more librarians than there are teachers.
B)At least one Ridgewood employee earns less than $25,000.
C)At least one teacher earns less than the average salary of a Ridgewood librarian.
D)At least one librarian earns more than the average Ridgewood teacher.
E)Only half of Ridgewood employees are librarians or teachers.

Accepted Answer

It must be true that at least one Ridgewood employee earns less than $25,000. If the average salary is less than the average salaries of librarians and teachers, then at least one person must be earning less money in order to lower the average salary.

Question 3

Donna: "Every year, many people die due to carbon monoxide poisoning in their homes. A carbon monoxide detector can detect harmful levels of the gas and alert people before it is too late. Every home should be required to have a carbon monoxide detector because it would save lives."
Tom: "That is ridiculous. We cannot mandate that every person install a carbon monoxide detector. We cannot prevent every tragedy and besides, more people die every year from smoke inhalation than carbon monoxide."
Tom's response to Donna is flawed because it
A)Uses an ad hominem attack instead of attacking the substance of Donna's argument.
B)Attacks only the reasoning behind Donna's argument but not her conclusion.
C)Uses an improper comparison by comparing carbon monoxide detectors to smoke detectors.
D)Disagrees with the premise of the argument, but not the principle behind it.
E)Claims that because the problem Donna proposes to fix is not the largest problem and is not completely fixable, her argument is completely without merit.

Accepted Answer

Tom's response to Donna is flawed because it claims that because the problem Donna proposes to fix is not the largest problem, her argument is completely without merit. Tom attacks Donna's argument by pointing out that not every tragedy can be prevented and that smoke inhalation is a larger problem than carbon monoxide. These criticisms address the scope of the problem Donna raises, but do not actually criticize her proposal.

Question 4

At the end of each quarter, Merkin's Tire Shop rewards its top salespersons with a $100 gift card to an expensive restaurant. In previous years, at least five salespersons qualified each quarter. In the past year, an average of two salespersons qualified for the $100 gift card. Worried about the effect of declining motivation on his sales staff, Merkin's owner issued a bulletin reminding the sales staff that despite the decline in the number of gift cards distributed, the criterion for issuing the gift cards has never changed, and encouraged them to try to improve their sales.
If the preceding passage is true, which of the following must also be true?
A)The number of salespersons at Merkin's has declined over the last few years.
B)The number of salespersons at Merkin's has increased over the last few years.
C)Some of the best salespersons have left the company.
D)There are external factors, such as an economic recession in the area, negatively affecting Merkin's tire sales.
E)Merkin's expenses from issuing rewards to top salespersons have declined in the past year.

Accepted Answer

It must be true that Merkin's expenses from issuing rewards to top salespersons have declined in the past year. Fewer people now qualify for the gift card than in the past, but the gift card's price has remained the same. All of the other responses could be true, but do not have to be.

Question 5

At the end of each quarter, Merkin's Tire Shop rewards its top salespersons with a $100 gift card to an expensive restaurant. In previous years, at least five salespersons qualified each quarter. In the past year, an average of two salespersons qualified for the $100 gift card. Worried about the effect of declining motivation on his sales staff, Merkin's owner issued a bulletin reminding the sales staff that despite the decline in the number of gift cards distributed, the criterion for issuing the gift cards has never changed, and encouraged them to try to improve their sales.
If Merkin's total sales of tires have always remained the same, each of the following could explain how that could occur EXCEPT?
A)In prior years a few salespersons were clear standouts, but now most salespersons sell an almost equal amount of tires.
B)Merkin's built a website in the past year, and sales from the website are not attributed to any individual salesperson.
C)Merkin's does not attribute the sale of snow tires to any individual salesperson, and sales of snow tires have increasingly made up a larger percentage of Merkin's business.
D)Fewer salespersons now work at Merkin's than in years prior.
E)More salespersons now work at Merkin's than in years prior.

Accepted Answer

The only answer that does not explain the apparent paradox is that fewer salespersons now work at Merkin's than in years prior. All of the other responses help explain how fewer salespersons could be making bonuses while overall sales are the same. Answers A and E explain how the sales could be distributed more evenly or among more salespersons. Answers B and C explain how certain sales are not attributed to salespersons, and these sales have become increasingly common. D is the only answer that does not potentially explain the paradox.

Question 6

All doctors are very educated people and all educated people are interesting. However, it is true that some very timid people are doctors.
If the statements above are true, each of the following must be true EXCEPT:
A)Some timid people are interesting.
B)Some timid, interesting people are not doctors.
C)Some educated doctors are timid.
D)All people who are not interesting are not doctors.
E)Some interesting people are timid.

Accepted Answer

All of the statements must be true except that some timid, interesting people are not doctors. While it must be true that all doctors are interesting, and there are at least some doctors who are timid, we do not know if there are non-doctors who are timid, and so B must be the correct answer.

Question 7

Dietician: "Recent studies have shown that people can lose weight solely by changing their diet alone, without having to increase their amount of activity. In two recent studies, overweight but otherwise healthy people cut their caloric intake and all participants lost weight without having to change their activity level, showing that weight loss through diet alone is possible."
Critic: "That is not true. While some people may have been successful, the study only covered otherwise healthy people who were likely to succeed. What about other people, who have tried to change their diets without exercising, and failed to lose weight?"
Which of the following is the best evaluation of the critic's argument?
A)The critic misses the point entirely, so resorts to an ad hominem attack on the dietician.
B)The critic shows that the results would have different if the studies had included more people.
C)The point at issue is only to show that something is possible, not to show that it will work in every case.
D)The critic demonstrates that the studies are not relevant for most people.
E)The critic assumes, without justification, that the studies were conducted by fraudulent researchers.

Accepted Answer

The best evaluation of the critic's argument is that the point at issue is only to show that something is possible, not to show that it will work in every case. The dietician's argument is only that weight loss through diet alone is possible, not that it is desirable or possible for everyone, so the critic's point that it is not appropriate for everyone is irrelevant.

Question 8

Dietician: "Recent studies have shown that people can lose weight solely by changing their diet alone, without having to increase their amount of activity. In two recent studies, overweight but otherwise healthy people cut their caloric intake and all participants lost weight without having to change their activity level, showing that weight loss through diet alone is possible."
Critic: "That is not true. While some people may have been successful, the study only covered otherwise healthy people who were likely to succeed. What about other people, who have tried to change their diets without exercising, and failed to lose weight?"
Which of the following, if true, would most undermine the dietician's argument?
A)Upon further evaluation of the study, participants divulged that they tried to exercise more than normal during the study
B)The studies were conducted with a diverse study group from various ethnic and racial backgrounds.
C)A later study evaluating whether exercise alone can cause weight loss found that changing exercise without diet can also cause weight loss.
D)A later study that included exercise and dieting found that participants lose weight the fastest when they combine diet and exercise.
E)The studies were completed by multiple researchers and peer evaluated.

Accepted Answer

The dietician's argument would be most damaged if the participants divulged that they tried to exercise more than normal during the study. The point of the study was to determine whether diet alone can cause weight loss. If participants exercised more than normal, it is impossible to tell whether their weight loss was from diet or exercise, undermining the study and the dietician's argument.

Question 9

Constance: "Current movies will never be as durable as cinema from the early days of Hollywood. Those classic movies continue to be remade and reinterpreted by subsequent generations, showing just how popular they are."
Ben: "It may be true that current movies won't be remade as often, but current movies play to a wider audience than those of years past, and many original movies continue to be watched and loved long past their release. A movie can be durable in its original form, and does not always have to be remade to show its longevity as a classic."
Ben responds to Constance by:
A)Completely misinterpreting her claim.
B)Suggesting an alternative standard for judging the point at issue.
C)Calling into question the appropriateness of an analogy.
D)Questioning Constance's knowledge of the subject at issue.
E)Undermining her argument by pointing out inaccuracies in the facts upon which she bases her claim.

Accepted Answer

Ben responds to Constance by suggesting an alternative standard for judging the point at issue. Ben does not dispute that classic movies are remade more often, but disputes that the number of remakes is the best standard for judging whether a film is durable.

Question 10

Ilana: "I just read an article in the newspaper which claims that children who listen to rap music are more prone to violence. We should make sure our children are not exposed to rap music with violent lyrics."
Michael: "We will do no such thing. That article only applied to children under the age of 10, and the youngest of our kids is 11. We don't have to prevent them from listening to rap music."
The point at issue between Ilana and Michael is
A)Whether the study included children of all ages.
B)Whether children who listen to rap music are more prone to violence.
C)Whether they should restrict their children's exposure to rap music.
D)Whether the newspaper which published the study is a reliable source of information.
E)Whether the study applies to their own children.

Accepted Answer

The point at issue between Ilana and Michael is whether they should restrict their children's exposure to rap music.

Question 11

Ilana: "I just read an article in the newspaper which claims that children who listen to rap music are more prone to violence. We should make sure our children are not exposed to rap music with violent lyrics."
Michael: "We will do no such thing. That article only applied to children under the age of 10, and the youngest of our kids is 11. We don't have to restrict them from listening to rap music."
Michael's argument against Ilana makes which of the following errors in reasoning?
A)It relies upon the same source as Ilana used in her argument.
B)It confuses undermining an argument in support of a conclusion for undermining the conclusion itself.
C)It does not address the main point of Ilana's argument.
D)It criticizes Ilana's character without criticizing her argument.
E)It fails to distinguish the consequences and causes of a practice.

Accepted Answer

Michael's argument against Ilana confuses undermining an argument in support of a conclusion for undermining the conclusion itself. Michael undermines the study Ilana cites by showing it does not apply to their children, but fails to further explain why Ilana's ultimate conclusion is wrong. Therefore, B is the correct answer.

Question 12

Melanie, an administrative assistant with ABC Pharmaceuticals, is planning to take a long cruise through the Caribbean, using all of her accumulated vacation time. She has worked at ABC for two years, and is entitled to three weeks of vacation at this time. All non-senior management employees at ABC are entitled to two weeks of vacation each year, but can use any unused vacation time from previous years.
If all of the preceding information is true, then which of the following must be true?
A)Melanie is considered senior management.
B)Melanie did not use one week of her vacation time last year.
C)Melanie did not take a vacation last year.
D)ABC Pharmaceuticals regularly grants extra vacation time for their top employees.
E)Next year Melanie will only be allowed to take one week of vacation.

Accepted Answer

It is true that Melanie did not use one week of her paid vacation in a previous year. Melanie is entitled to two weeks of vacation each year, as she is not senior management. She is taking a three-week vacation, however, and so must have earned an extra week somehow. Based on the above paragraph, the only way she could have earned it was from holding over vacation time from a previous year.

Question 13

Students at Glenmont High School spend nine hours a day at school, five days per week, while students at Ridgewood High School only spend seven hours a day at school, five days per week. On a recent test, students at both high schools had the same scores in math and reading. Therefore, Glenmont High School could reduce the amount of time students spend in class without reducing the quality of instruction in all subjects.
The argument above is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it
A)Equates the value of math scores with reading scores.
B)Compares two things which are not similar enough to warrant comparison.
C)Presumes, without providing justification, that math and reading scores are always constant.
D)Presumes, without providing justification, that what is true for some subjects is true for all.
E)Confuses the quality of instruction with time spent in a classroom.

Accepted Answer

The argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it presumes that what is true for some subjects must be true for all. While math and reading scores were the same for the two schools, we know nothing about results in other areas, leaving the conclusion that Glenmont could reduce classroom time without reducing the quality of instruction for all subjects unsupported.

Question 14

All oil-based paint can stain clothing. All watercolor paint can be cleaned from clothing. This paint is a mix of oil-based and watercolor paints. Therefore, it will stain clothing but not as severely as pure oil-based paint.
Which of the following passages uses flawed reasoning that most closely resembles the above passage?
A)All children who eat nutritious food have a lot of energy. But some children who eat poorly also have a lot of energy. Abigail eats food that is somewhat nutritious. Therefore, Abigail is somewhat energetic.
B)Spinach is a very healthy food. White rice, however, is not very nutritious. If Barbara eats a dish made from spinach and white rice, it will be moderately nutritious.
C)All employees of XYZ Manufacturing are welders. All employees of ABC Construction are contractors. Reggie has brothers employed as both welders and contractors. Thus, Reggie must have family employed by both XYZ and ABC.
D)Roy keeps his shoes polished and in excellent condition. Raymond does not and never polishes his shoes. In this closet, half the shoes are polished and half unpolished. The polished half must be Roy's and the unpolished half Raymond's shoes.
E)All nurses take coursework in biology. All architects take coursework in math. Evette was a nurse but went back to school to become an architect. She must have taken coursework in both biology and in math.

Accepted Answer

Passage B uses flawed reasoning that most closely resembles that in the original passage. The original passage assumes that if two things have opposite characteristics, they will average out when mixed together. Answer B is most similar in logic, as it assumes that when a nutritious and a non-nutritious food are mixed, the result will be a moderately nutritious food.

Question 15

Graduation from college is in many ways similar to retirement from a career. Just as graduating college students look back on knowledge gained and friendships made during college, a new retiree ___________________.
Which of the following most accurately completes the passage?
A)Fears what will come next.
B)Reminisces about their time in college.
C)Focuses on what the future will bring.
D)Reflects on how their career could have been different.
E)Reflects on the history of their now ending career.

Accepted Answer

The passage argues that people respond similarly to graduation and retirement, so if college students look back on their time in college, then retirees must do the same with their careers.

Question 16

Oxgen Pharmaceuticals recently released a report concluding that Jeloco Pharmaceuticals' products are unsafe and are known to cause birth defects. This report cannot be trusted, however, since Oxgen is Jeloco's rival and they are currently in competition for a large grant for drug research. Oxgen's report is biased, and so it is clear that there is nothing wrong with Jeloco's products and they do not cause birth defects.
The reasoning in the preceding passage is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it
A)Treats evidence showing bias as evidence showing falsehoods.
B)Draws an conclusion from an unrepresentative sample.
C)Fails to take into account the untrustworthy nature of studies regarding birth defects.
D)Presumes, without providing justification, that Oxgen had reason to embellish its claims against Jeloco.
E)Presumes, without providing justification, that two competitors would have reason to criticize the other.

Accepted Answer

The reasoning in the passage is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it treats evidence showing bias as evidence showing falsehoods. The passage does give enough reason to suggest bias on the part of Oxgen and therefore treat the report as suspect, but does not give enough evidence to discredit the report and draw the opposite conclusion.

Question 17

Anyone who eats a sweet potato microwaved to an internal temperature of 200°F does not consume the same amount of vitamin A as a person eating a raw sweet potato. However, any other method of heating a sweet potato to the same temperature, such as boiling or baking, does not cause a decrease in consumption of vitamin A. Therefore, it is the microwave, not simply heat, that destroys vitamin A in a sweet potato.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A)Sweet potatoes taste relatively similar whether they are baked or microwaved.
B)People do not eat the vitamin A-rich skin of a microwaved sweet potato due to its odd texture after heating, but do eat the skin after baking or boiling the potato.
C)It takes much more time to boil or bake a sweet potato than to microwave it.
D)People are more likely to microwave a sweet potato rather than boil or bake them because of the decreased time required, prompting more people to eat them even if they are lower in vitamin A.
E)Vitamin A decreases in all foods the longer it cooks by any method.

Accepted Answer

If people do not consume the vitamin rich potato skin after microwaving it, this seriously weakens the argument that the microwave destroys vitamin A. This answer explains that it is not the cooking method at all, but the fact that people do not eat the healthy part of a microwaved sweet potato, causing a decrease in nutrient consumption.

Question 18

Miguel: "My mother is worried that I will hurt myself because I always ride my bicycle without a helmet. But I heard that deadly bike accidents are more common with mountain bikes than with road bikes, so I probably will be safe while riding my road bike. Wearing a helmet would not do anything to lessen my risk of an accident."
Which of the following is a flaw in Miguel's argument?
A)He presumes that his mother is a biased source of information.
B)He mistakes evidence for something being likely for evidence of it being certain.
C)He mistakes evidence for one activity being safer than another as evidence of that activity's absolute safety.
D)He mistakes a sufficient condition for one that is necessary.
E)He mistakes the rate of deadly bike accidents with the rate of overall bike accidents.

Accepted Answer

Miguel's flaw is he mistakes evidence for one activity being safer than another as evidence of that activity's absolute safety. Miguel gives evidence that his road bike is safer than a mountain bike, but then uses that evidence to justify his assertion that he does not need a bike helmet. While a road bike may be safer than a mountain bike, his data do not explain why he wouldn't be safer with a helmet on a road bike.

Question 19

Situation: A person on a limited budget takes his date to an expensive restaurant, even though there are many more reasonable but still enjoyable establishments in the area.
Analysis: Some people are willing to sacrifice necessities in order to impress another.
Which of the following most closely conforms to the above analysis?
A)Mitchell's favorite food is steak and he wanted to celebrate his birthday at his favorite steakhouse. However, he was unemployed this year so he instead bought a steak at the supermarket and cooked it at home.
B)Maria prefers to take the faster express train to work even though the standard train is half the cost.
C)In order to afford a professional haircut, Carrie skipped breakfast and lunch for two weeks to save the money.
D)Marla convinced her boyfriend to buy her a new dress for their anniversary dinner.
E)Shevon always carpools to work because she is concerned about the environmental impact of driving alone.

Accepted Answer

The answer that most closely conforms to the above analysis is Carrie skipping meals to afford a professional haircut. The analysis refers to a person being willing to sacrifice necessities in order to make an impression. Carrie is willing to sacrifice eating meals in order to look good, making C the correct answer.

Question 20

Marcus noticed many young men in his neighborhood dropping out of school, so he saved his money in order to give each neighborhood child who graduated high school a small scholarship to cover the cost of books in college. Seeing Marcus's generosity, many parents in the neighborhood began shopping at his convenience store more often to show their appreciation for his good deeds.
Which of the following propositions is illustrated by the passage?
A)The only way to get kids to stay in school is to offer them financial incentives.
B)Anyone doing a good deed has an ulterior motive.
C)It takes broad community support to get a child to succeed in school.
D)Altruistic actions can have positive but unintended consequences.
E)The cost of college has increased to where most families cannot afford it without help.

Accepted Answer

The proposition best illustrated by the passage is that altruistic actions can have positive but unintended consequences. Marcus started the scholarship program to help neighborhood children attend college, but ended up having increased sales at his store.

Quiz 1: Logical Reasoning

In the Ridgewood Elementary School, teachers earn an average of $40,000, while librarians earn $32,000 per year. However, the average salary for Ridgewood employees is only $25,000. If the above information is correct, then which of the following must be true?

All doctors are very educated people and all educated people are interesting. However, it is true that some very timid people are doctors. If the statements above are true, each of the following must be true EXCEPT:

Graduation from college is in many ways similar to retirement from a career. Just as graduating college students look back on knowledge gained and friendships made during college, a new retiree ___________________. Which of the following most accurately completes the passage?