GRE Critical Reasoning
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 facts show that the fear of flying in airplanes is not rational. In 1986 alone, there were 46,000 fatalities in highway accidents, but from 1980 to the present an average of only 77 per year in accidents on major domestic airlines. The rate for regional airlines was only slightly higher.
#1
In 1985 a consumer agency concluded that Xylo brand bicycles are safer to ride than are Zenon brand bicycles. The agency based the conclusion on the ratio of the number of rider injuries to the number of riding hours for each brand of bicycle from 1981 through 1984. Yet for identically designed bicycles manufactured since 1985, the number of rider injuries has been twice as great among riders of Xylos as among riders of Zenons. Therefore, the agenoy’s conclusion would have been different for the period since 1985.
#2
Although the human population around the forest- land in Middlesex County has increased, the amount of forestland has not been reduced. Therefore, the decrease in the county’s songbird population cannot be attributed to the growth in the county’s human population.
#3
In October 1987 the United States stock market suffered a major drop in prices. During the weeks after the drop, the volume of stocks traded also dropped sharply to well below what had been the weekly average for the preceding year. However, the volume for the entire year was not appreciably different from the preceding year’s volume.
#4
In a recent year California produced an orange crop equal to only seventy-six percent of Florida’s orange crop. However, when citrus crops as a group, including oranges, were compared, the California crop was twenty-three percent greater than Florida’s crop for the same year.
#5
Researchers studying sets of identical twins who were raised apart in dissimilar environments found that in each case the twins were similar in character, medical history, and life experiences. The researchers saw these results as confirmation of the hypothesis that heredity is more important than environment in determining human personalities and life histories.
#6
Because the process of freezing food consumes energy, many people keep their electric freezers half- empty, using them only to store commercially frozen foods. Yet freezers that are half-empty often consume more energy than they would if they were kept fully stocked.
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