GRE Big Book Critical Reasoning Test 15

GRE Critical Reasoning
Directions

Critical Reasoning questions test the ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate arguments. Some of the abilities tested by specific questions include identifying the roles played by specific phrases or sentences in an argument, recognizing the point of an argument, recognizing assumptions on which an argument is based" drawing conclusions and forming hypotheses, identifying methods of argumentation, evaluating arguments and counter-arguments, and analyzing evidence.

Each of the Critical Reasoning questions is based on a short argument, a set of statements, or a plan of action. For each question, select the best answer of the choices given.

 

The claim that learning computer programming is a sure way to a bright future is analogous to the contention, popular a few years ago, that if one wanted a successful career, one should study law. Now, of course, there are more law students graduating than the market can absorb.

#1
The point of the analogy above is that

Whenever Ned is outdoors and the sun is shining, Ned wears his sunglasses. Whenever Ned is out- doors and the sun is not shining, Ned carries his sunglasses in his pocket. Sometimes the sun is shining when Ned is not outdoors.

#2
If the statements above are true and Ned is not wearing his sunglasses, which of the following statements must also be true?

Between 1950 and 1965, the federal government spent one-third more on research and development than industry did from its own funds. In 1980, for the first time, industry spent more on research and development than the federal government did. Representatives of industry claim that these statistics show an increased commitment on the part of industry to develop competitive products

#3
Which of the following, if true, would help to refute the claim of the representatives of industry?

It is impossible to believe scientific predictions that a long “nuclear winter” would envelop the Earth as a result of nuclear war. Atmospheric scientists and weather experts cannot reliably and accurately predict tomorrow’s weather. Yet the effect of nuclear explosions on local and worldwide atmospheric conditions must follow the same laws that control everyday weather changes. If the weather cannot be predicted with present knowledge, neither can a nuclear-winter scenario.

#4
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument made above that if scientists cannot reliably predict the daily weather, their predictions of a "nuclear winter" cannot be believed?

Carla and Joel took five courses together but achieved the same grade in only one of the courses-history. Each course was graded on a scale ranging from 60 to 100.

#5
Which of the following statements allows one to detennine whether the average of the grades Carla achieved in the five courses was higher than the average of the grades Joel achieved in those courses?

In the 1960’s, long-term studies of primate behavior often used as subjects tamarins, small monkeys that were thought ideal because they require only small cages, breed frequently, and grow quickly. Field studies were not used because they were costly and difficult. Tamarins were kept caged in male-female pairs, because otherwise, serious fights erupted between unrelated females. On the basis of the fact that breeding occurred, tamarins were viewed as monogamous.

#6
The view taken by the researchers concerning the monogamy of tamarins depended on a questionable assumption. Which of the following could have served as that assumption?

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