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GRE Big Book Critical Reasoning Test 35

Jimmy Wang
09/19/2024

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 use of the term “neat” as a general term of approval is an unfortunate development in colloquial English. The original meaning of “neat” is “tidy.” Therefore, the use of “neat” as a general term of approval is incorrect and should be discouraged.

#1

Which of the following is an assumption that, if accepted, allows the conclusion above to be properly drawn?

The original meaning of an English word is the only correct meaning to use.

Speakers of colloquial English are not obligated to speak correctly.

The term “neat” has changed its meaning only once in the history of English.

The use of “neat” as a general term of approval is a recent innovation in English.

The term “neat” has been in the English language for many centuries.

The price of maple syrup has jumped from 22 dollars a gallon three years ago to 40 dollars a gallon today. It can be concluded that maple-syrup harvesters have been artificially inflating prices and that governmental price regulations are necessary to control rising prices.

#2

Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the conclusion drawn above?

Technological improvements in maple-syrup harvesting have reduced production costs.

Maple syrup is produced in rural areas that suffer from high unemployment.

Maple-syrup prices have risen many times in the past, though never before at the rate recently observed.

The government already requires maple-syrup harvesters to submit their facilities to licensing by the health department.

Insect infestation and drought have stunted the growth of syrup-producing maple trees and caused less-abundant syrup harvests.

In 1988 unemployment in some regions of the United States dropped to the lowest rate in ten years, while the rate in other regions reached an all- time high. In 1978 similar conditions led to large migrations of workers from regions with high unemployment to regions with low unemployment. There was, however, significantly less such migration in 1988.

#3

Which of the following, if true about 1988, would contribute most to explaining why there was less migration of workers in 1988 ?

Unemployment benefits in the regions of high unemployment were slightly lower than they were ten years earlier in regions of high unemployment.

In contrast to 1978, housing costs in the areas with the lowest unemployment rates were substantially higher than housing costs in other parts of the country.

The unemployment rate in countries outside of the United States was higher than it was ten years before.

In contrast to 1978, the regions with the lowest unemployment rates had the largest number of new jobs, although substantially fewer of the new jobs required retraining.

The regions with the lowest unemployment rates had many of the same kinds of industries as those in the regions with high unemployment, but this was not the case in 1978.

Scientists now believe that artificial-hip implants, previously thought to be safe, may actually increase the risk of cancer in recipients about 45 years of use. Though these implants do improve the quality of recipients’ lives, the increased risk of cancer is an unacceptable price to pay for these improvements. Therefore, they should be banned.

#4

Which of the following, if true, is the strongest counterargument to the argument above?

Although the benefits of artificial-hip implant surgery have remained substantially the same over the past decade, the price of the surgery has risen considerably.

Almost all artificial-hip implant recipients receive their implants at an age when they are unlikely to live more than an additional 30 years.

Since artificial-hip implants are not very common, banning them would cause little hardship.

Although artificial-hip implants increase the risk of cancer after about 45 years of use; a few of the cancers they induce are not fatal.

Artificial-hip implant surgery can cause severe complications, such as infection, chronic fever, and bone degeneration, and these complications can themselves be crippling or even fatal.

When released into the atmosphere, the refrigerant Freon damages the Earth’s ozone layer. A new kind of refrigerant does not have this effect. The manufacturer claims that replacing Freon with the new refrigerant in both new and existing refrigerators will prevent any further Freon damage to the ozone layer apart from that being done by the Freon already in the atmosphere.

#5

Which of the following must be true if the manufacturer's prediction is to prove accurate?

The new refrigerant causes no environmental damage of any kind when it is released into the atmosphere.

The damage already done to the ozone layer is not of environmentally significant proportions.

The atmosphere can reverse the damage to the ozone layer caused by the past use of Freon.

The new refrigerant can counteract the damaging effects of Freon on the Earth’s atmosphere.

Freon can be replaced with the new refrigerant without releasing any Freon into the atmosphere.

Any United States flag manufactured outside the United States should be banned from importation. since some foreign manufacturers superimpose images on the United States flag and sell such products with relative impunity. United States manufacturers, on the other hand, would face penalties for such violations of the United States flag code.

#6

Which of the following is the best criticism of the argument above?

The reason given for the ban does not explain why images superimposed on the United States flag are offensive.

The reason given for the ban applies only to a part of the group of manufacturers whose flags are included in the ban, not necessarily to all.

The argument reiterates its conclusion instead of providing a reason for it.

The reason given for the ban undermines rather than supports the conclusion.

The argument makes an irrelevant distinction between foreign and United States manufacturers.

# GRE Critical Reasoning

GRE Critical Reasoning

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