Practice Test #1 Critical Reasoning (54 Questions)

69.	(25194-!-item-!-188;#058&001228)

Which of the following most logically completes the reasoning?
When species are extensively hunted, individuals that reach reproductive maturity early make up a larger proportion of the population, because they have a better chance of reproducing.  When species face diminished food resources, on the other hand, individuals tend to take longer to reach reproductive maturity.  These considerations may help settle whether the primary cause of the gradual disappearance of North America's mastodons, prehistoric animals related to elephants, was diminished food resources or human hunting, since __________.
A. from the location of certain hunting weapons in juxtaposition with mastodon remains, it is possible to determine whether those weapons were used to hunt mastodons
B. the average age at which mastodons reached reproductive maturity can be established from mastodon tusks, of which there are many fossils dating from different periods
C. from the remains of mastodons already discovered, it can be accurately estimated when mastodons became extinct
D. from tusks and other bones, it is possible to determine whether male and female mastodons reached reproductive maturity at about the same age
E. it is possible to determine whether the earliest human dwellings constructed from mastodon tusks and bones come from an earlier period than the earliest hunting weapons unambiguously associated with mastodon remains

70.	(33177-!-item-!-188;#058&007253)

Insect infestations in certain cotton-growing regions of the world have caused dramatic increases in the price of cotton on the world market.  Knowing that cotton plants mature quickly, many soybean growers in Ortovia plan to cease growing soybeans, the price of which has long been stable, and to begin raising cotton instead, thereby taking advantage of the high price of cotton to increase their income significantly at least over the next several years.
Which of the following, if true, most calls into question the reasoning on which the plan is based?
A. The cost of raising soybeans has increased significantly over the past several years and is expected to continue to climb.
B. Tests of a newly developed, inexpensive pesticide have shown it to be both environmentally safe and effective against the insects that have infected cotton crops.
C. In the past several years there has been no sharp increase in the demand for cotton and for goods made out of cotton.
D. Many consumers consider cotton cloth a necessity rather than a luxury and would be willing to pay significantly higher prices for cotton goods than they currently pay.
E. The species of insect that has infested cotton plants has never been known to attack soybean plants.

71.	(31165-!-item-!-188;#058&006004)

In order to improve the long-term savings rate of its citizens, Levaska’s government has decided to introduce special savings accounts.  Citizens can save up to $3,000 a year in special accounts without having to pay tax on the interest, unless they withdraw money from the account before they reach the age of sixty-five.  If they do withdraw any money before that age, they have to pay tax on the accumulated interest and a penalty.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously threatens the success of the government’s plan?
A. The banks and financial institutions where the special accounts will be held lobbied hard for their introduction.
B. Nearly all workers in Levaska can already save money in tax-free accounts through their workplace.
C. For the past ten years, Levaskans have been depositing an ever smaller percentage of their income in long-term savings.
D. Many Levaskans continue to work beyond the age of sixty-five.
E. In certain circumstances, such as a serious illness, the government plans to waive the penalty on early withdrawals from the special accounts.

72.	(30176-!-item-!-188;#058&005083)

A study followed a group of teenagers who had never smoked and tracked whether they took up smoking and how their mental health changed.  After one year, the incidence of depression among those who had taken up smoking was four times as high as it was among those who had not.  Since nicotine in cigarettes changes brain chemistry, perhaps thereby affecting mood, it is likely that smoking contributes to depression in teenagers.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
A. Participants who were depressed at the start of the study were no more likely to be smokers after one year than those who were not depressed.
B. The study did not distinguish between participants who smoked only occasionally and those who were heavy smokers.
C. Few, if any, of the participants in the study were friends or relatives of other participants.
D. Some participants entered and emerged from a period of depression within the year of the study.
E. The researchers did not track use of alcohol by the teenagers.

73.	(31495-!-item-!-188;#058&006365)

Advertisement:  Ten years ago, the Cormond Hotel's lobby was carpeted with Duratex carpet while the lobby of a nearby hotel was being carpeted with our competitor's most durable carpet.  Today, after a decade in which the two hotels have had similar amounts of foot traffic through their lobbies, that other hotel is having to replace the worn-out carpeting near its lobby entrances, whereas the Cormond's Duratex carpeting has years of wear left in it.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the force of the advertisement's evidence for concluding that Duratex carpet is more durable than the carpet of its competitor? 
A. The lobby of the Cormond Hotel has five different entrances, but the lobby of the other hotel has only two.
B. The carpet of the Cormond Hotel's lobby is not the most durable carpet that Duratex manufactures.
C. The other hotel has a popular restaurant that can be reached from outside without walking through the hotel lobby.
D. The carpet that is being used to replace carpeting near the other hotel's lobby entrances is not Duratex carpet.
E. There is a third hotel near the other two that has not replaced the Duratex carpet in its lobby for more than 15 years.

74.	(28254-!-item-!-188;#058&002906)

Comcorp Shipping Clerk:  Last week, no shipments of building supplies were sent out on Friday.  The five specially ordered shipments sent out last week were sent out on Thursday, and each of those specially ordered shipments consisted entirely of building supplies.  Four shipments were sent to Truax Construction last week, none of which consisted of building supplies.
If the shipping clerk’s statements are true, which of the following must also be true?
A. All of Comcorp’s shipments of building supplies last week were specially ordered.
B. None of Comcorp’s shipments sent on Friday of last week was sent to Truax Construction.
C. None of the shipments sent by Comcorp to Truax Construction last week was specially ordered.
D. None of Comcorp’s shipments sent on Thursday of last week was sent to Truax Construction.
E. All of Comcorp’s shipments of building supplies last week were sent out on Thursday.

75.	(30082-!-item-!-188;#058&004831)

Which of the following, if true, most logically completes the reasoning in the passage?
Kernland’s government restricts the export of unprocessed cashew nuts in order to ensure a low-cost supply for domestic processing plants.  Though the policy constrains farm income and limits the number of farmers who can profitably grow cashews, the government defends it on the grounds that, since the processing plants are in urban areas, removing the restrictions would hurt efforts to reduce urban unemployment.  However, the policy may actually have contributed to urban unemployment, since __________.
A. a lack of profitable crops is driving many small cashew farmers in Kernland off their land and into the cities
B. some of the by-products of cashew processing are used as raw materials by other industries located in Kernland’s cities
C. the government does not place similar restrictions on the export of any crop other than cashews
D. the income earned by workers in the processing plants is generally greater than that earned by agricultural laborers in rural areas
E. without governmental aid in some form, Kernland’s cashew processing plants would not be able to compete for sales in world markets

76.	(30649-!-item-!-188;#058&005626)

In response to mounting public concern, an airplane manufacturer implemented a program with the well-publicized goal of reducing by half the total yearly amount of hazardous waste generated by its passenger-jet division.  When the program began in 1994, the division's hazardous waste output was 90 pounds per production worker; last year it was 40 pounds per production worker.  Clearly, therefore, charges that the manufacturer's program has not met its goal are false.  
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
A. The amount of nonhazardous waste generated each year by the passenger-jet division has not increased significantly since 1994.
B. At least as many passenger jets were produced by the division last year as had been produced in 1994.
C. Since 1994, other divisions in the company have achieved reductions in hazardous waste output that are at least equal to that achieved in the passenger-jet division.
D. The average number of weekly hours per production worker in the passenger-jet division was not significantly greater last year than it was in 1994.
E. The number of production workers assigned to the passenger-jet division was not significantly less in 1994 than it was last year.

77.	(30553-!-item-!-188;#058&005527)

Citizens of Parktown are worried by the increased frequency of serious crimes committed by local teenagers.  In response, the city government has instituted a series of measures designed to keep teenagers at home in the late evening.  Even if the measures succeed in keeping teenagers at home, however, they are unlikely to affect the problem that concerns citizens, since most crimes committed by local teenagers take place between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Which of the following, if true, most substantially weakens the argument?
A. Similar measures adopted in other places have failed to reduce the number of teenagers on the streets in the late evening.
B. The crimes committed by teenagers in the afternoon are mostly small thefts and inconsequential vandalism.
C. Teenagers are much less likely to commit serious crimes when they are at home than when they are not at home.
D. Any decrease in the need for police patrols in the late evening would not mean that there could be more intensive patrolling in the afternoon.
E. The schools in Parktown have introduced a number of after-school programs that will be available to teenagers until 6 p.m. on weekday afternoons.

78.	(32009-!-item-!-188;#058&006754)

Kitchen magazine plans to license the use of its name by a line of cookware.  For a magazine, licensing the use of its name for products involves some danger, since if the products disappoint consumers, the magazine's reputation suffers, with consequent reductions in circulation and advertising.  However, experts have evaluated the cookware and found it superior to all other cookware advertised in Kitchen.  Therefore, Kitchen can collect its licensing fee without endangering its other revenues.
The argument above assumes which of the following?
A. No other line of cookware is superior to that which will carry the Kitchen name.
B. Kitchen will not license the use of its name for any products other than the line of cookware.
C. Makers of cookware will not find Kitchen a less attractive advertising vehicle because the magazine's name is associated with a competing product.
D. Consumers who are not regular readers of Kitchen magazine will be attracted to the cookware by the Kitchen name.
E. Kitchen is one of the most prestigious cooking-related magazines.

79.	(32057-!-item-!-188;#058&006758)

The country of Baurisia has, until now, been self-sufficient in both grain and meat.  However, with growing prosperity in Baurisia has come a steadily increasing per capita consumption of meat, and it takes several pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat.  Therefore, since per capita income in Baurisia is almost certain to rise further but increases in domestic grain production are highly unlikely, Baurisia is soon likely to become an importer of grain.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. When people increase their consumption of meat, they also tend to increase their consumption of grain.
B. The per capita consumption of meat in Baurisia is roughly the same across all income levels.
C. Per capita consumption of meat has not increased substantially in recent years in those countries from which Baurisia is likely to import meat.
D. It is more economical for Baurisians to import meat than grain.
E. During Baurisia's years of growing prosperity, the country's population has remained relatively stable.

80.	(29100-!-item-!-188;#058&003474)

Given that employees of the XYZ Company could, in theory, do their work at home, the company developed a radical plan to increase efficiency:  eliminate office-space expenditures by having employees work at home.  To evaluate this plan, XYZ’s managers asked volunteers from the company’s staff to try the arrangement for six months.  There were several volunteers; significantly, their productivity during this period was as high as or higher than before.
Which of the following, if true, would argue most strongly against deciding, on the basis of the trial results, to implement the company’s plan?
A. The employees who agreed to participate in the test of the plan were among the company’s most self-motivated and independent workers.
B. The savings that would accrue from reduced office-space expenditures alone would be sufficient to justify implementation of the plan apart from any productivity increases.
C. Other companies that have achieved successful results from work-at-home plans have work forces that are substantially larger than that of XYZ.
D. The volunteers who worked at home were able to communicate with other employees as necessary for performing the work.
E. Recent changes in the way work is organized at XYZ’s company offices have not brought about any productivity increases.

81.	(24344-!-item-!-188;#058&000867)

In Arumville, among those young children with elevated levels of lead in their blood, few live in houses containing lead-based paint, but many live in areas where vehicular traffic is heavy.  These children's elevated blood-lead levels probably result from lead added to gasoline, since, although gasoline sold in and around Arumville has been lead-free since 1990, lead from vehicle exhaust remains in the soil for many years.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
A. Sales of lead-based paint for use in homes was banned in Arumville in 1977.
B. Vehicle traffic in most residential areas of Arumville is heavier today than it was twenty years ago.
C. Some lead in the soil comes from deteriorating lead-based paint on the exteriors of buildings.
D. In Arumville, children's blood-lead levels typically rise during the warm summer months when children frequently play outdoors but not in the winter when children spend more time indoors.
E. If improperly carried out, the removal of lead-based paint from older houses can significantly increase the risk that children living in such houses will ingest lead dust.

82.	(33511-!-item-!-188;#058&007598)

Technological improvements and reduced equipment costs have made converting solar energy directly into electricity far more cost-efficient in the last decade.  However, the threshold of economic viability for solar power (that is, the price per barrel to which oil would have to rise in order for new solar power plants to be more economical than new oil-fired power plants) is unchanged at thirty-five dollars.
Which of the following, if true, does most to help explain why the increased cost-efficiency of solar power has not decreased its threshold of economic viability? 
A. The cost of oil has fallen dramatically.
B. The reduction in the cost of solar-power equipment has occurred despite increased raw material costs for that equipment.
C. Technological changes have increased the efficiency of oil-fired power plants.
D. Most electricity is generated by coal-fired or nuclear, rather than oil-fired, power plants.
E. When the price of oil increases, reserves of oil not previously worth exploiting become economically viable.

83.	(25338-!-item-!-188;#058&001294)

Many people suffer an allergic reaction to sulfites, including those that are commonly added to wine as preservatives.  However, since there are several winemakers producing wine to which no sulfites are added, those who would like to drink wine but are allergic to sulfites can drink these wines without risking an allergic reaction to sulfites.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. Sulfites occur naturally in most wine.
B. The sulfites that can produce an allergic reaction are also commonly found in beverages other than wine.
C. Wines without added sulfites tend to be at least moderately expensive.
D. Apart from sulfites, there are other substances commonly present in wine that can trigger allergic reactions.
E. Wine without added sulfites sometimes becomes undrinkable even before the wine is sold to consumers.

84.	(26216-!-item-!-188;#058&001794)

The general availability of high-quality electronic scanners and color printers for computers has made the counterfeiting of checks much easier.  In order to deter such counterfeiting, several banks plan to issue to their corporate customers checks that contain dots too small to be accurately duplicated by any electronic scanner currently available; when such checks are scanned and printed, the dots seem to blend together in such a way that the word “VOID” appears on the check.
A questionable assumption of the plan is that
A. in the territory served by the banks the proportion of counterfeit checks that are made using electronic scanners has remained approximately constant over the past few years
B. most counterfeiters who use electronic scanners counterfeit checks only for relatively large amounts of money
C. the smallest dots on the proposed checks cannot be distinguished visually except under strong magnification
D. most corporations served by these banks will not have to pay more for the new checks than for traditional checks
E. the size of the smallest dots that generally available electronic scanners are able to reproduce accurately will not decrease significantly in the near future

85.	(24392-!-item-!-188;#058&000894)

Every fall Croton's jays migrate south.  The jays always join flocks of migrating crookbeaks with which they share the same summer and winter territories.  If a jay becomes separated from the crookbeaks it is accompanying, it wanders until it comes across another flock of crookbeaks.  Clearly, therefore, Croton's jays lack the navigational ability to find their way south on their own.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument above?
A. Croton's jays lay their eggs in the nests of crookbeaks, which breed upon completing their southern migration.
B. The three species most closely related to crookbeaks do not migrate at all.
C. In the spring, Croton's jays migrate north in the company of Tattersall warblers.
D. Species other than Croton's jays occasionally accompany flocks of migrating crookbeaks.
E. In the spring, crookbeaks migrate north before Croton's jays do.

86.	(24488-!-item-!-188;#058&000922)

Junior biomedical researchers have long assumed that their hirings and promotions depend significantly on the amount of their published work.  People responsible for making hiring and promotion decisions in the biomedical research field, however, are influenced much more by the overall impact that a candidate's scientific publications have on his or her field than by the number of those publications.
The information above, if accurate, argues most strongly against which of the following claims?
A. Even biomedical researchers who are just beginning their careers are expected already to have published articles of major significance to the field.
B. Contributions to the field of biomedical research are generally considered to be significant only if the work is published.
C. The potential scientific importance of not-yet-published work is sometimes taken into account in decisions regarding the hiring or promotion of biomedical researchers.
D. People responsible for hiring or promoting biomedical researchers can reasonably be expected to make a fair assessment of the overall impact of a candidate's publications on his or her field.
E. Biomedical researchers can substantially increase their chances of promotion by fragmenting their research findings so that they are published in several journals instead of one.

87.	(32621-!-item-!-188;#058&007099)

Wolves generally avoid human settlements.  For this reason, domestic sheep, though essentially easy prey for wolves, are not usually attacked by them.  In Hylantia prior to 1910, farmers nevertheless lost considerable numbers of sheep to wolves each year.  Attributing this to the large number of wolves, in 1910 the government began offering rewards to hunters for killing wolves.  From 1910 to 1915, large numbers of wolves were killed.  Yet wolf attacks on sheep increased significantly.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the increase in wolf attacks on sheep?  
A. Populations of deer and other wild animals that wolves typically prey on increased significantly in numbers from 1910 to 1915.
B. Prior to 1910, there were no legal restrictions in Hylantia on the hunting of wolves.
C. After 1910 hunters shot and wounded a substantial number of wolves, thereby greatly diminishing these wolves' ability to prey on wild animals.
D. Domestic sheep are significantly less able than most wild animals to defend themselves against wolf attacks.
E. The systematic hunting of wolves encouraged by the program drove many wolves in Hylantia to migrate to remote mountain areas uninhabited by humans.

88.	(27190-!-item-!-188;#058&002269)

The number of applications for teaching positions in Newtown's public schools was 5.7 percent lower in 1993 than in 1985 and 5.9 percent lower in 1994 than in 1985.  Despite a steadily growing student population and an increasing number of teacher resignations, however, Newtown does not face a teacher shortage in the late 1990's.
Which of the following, if true, would contribute most to an explanation of the apparent discrepancy above?
A. Many of Newtown's public school students do not graduate from high school.
B. New housing developments planned for Newtown are slated for occupancy in 1997 and are expected to increase the number of elementary school students in Newtown's public schools by 12 percent.
C. The Newtown school board does not contemplate increasing the ratio of students to teachers in the 1990's.
D. Teachers' colleges in and near Newtown produced fewer graduates in 1994 than in 1993.
E. In 1993 Newtown's public schools received 40 percent more applications for teaching positions than there were positions available.

89.	(29334-!-item-!-188;#058&003870)

Which of the following most logically completes the argument? 
The growing popularity of computer-based activities was widely predicted to result in a corresponding decline in television viewing.  Recent studies have found that, in the United States, people who own computers watch, on average, significantly less television than people who do not own computers.  In itself, however, this finding does very little to show that computer use tends to reduce television viewing time, since __________.
A. many people who watch little or no television do not own a computer
B. even though most computer owners in the United States watch significantly less television than the national average, some computer owners watch far more television than the national average
C. computer owners in the United States predominantly belong to demographic groups that have long been known to spend less time watching television than the population as a whole does
D. many computer owners in the United States have enough leisure time that spending significant amounts of time on the computer still leaves ample time for watching television
E. many people use their computers primarily for tasks such as correspondence that can be done more rapidly on the computer, and doing so leaves more leisure time for watching television

90.	(25002-!-item-!-188;#058&001132)

X:  In order to reduce the amount of plastic in landfills, legislatures should impose a ban on the use of plastics for packaging goods.
Y:  Impossible!  Plastic packaging is necessary for public safety.  Consumers will lose all of the safety features that plastic offers, chiefly tamper-resistant closures and shatterproof bottles.
Which of the following best describes the weak point in Y's response to X's proposal?
A. Y ignores the possibility that packaging goods in materials other than plastic might provide the same safety features that packaging in plastic offers.
B. The economic disadvantages of using plastics as a means of packaging goods are not taken into consideration.
C. Y attempts to shift the blame for the large amount of plastic in landfills from the users of plastic packaging to the legislators.
D. Y does not consider the concern of some manufacturers that safety features spoil package appearances.
E. Y wrongly assumes that X defends the interests of the manufacturers rather than the interests of the consumers.

91.	(29478-!-item-!-188;#058&004137)

In a certain wildlife park, park rangers are able to track the movements of many rhinoceroses because those animals wear radio collars.  When, as often happens, a collar slips off, it is put back on.  Putting a collar on a rhinoceros involves immobilizing the animal by shooting it with a tranquilizer dart.  Female rhinoceroses that have been frequently recollared have significantly lower fertility rates than uncollared females.  Probably, therefore, some substance in the tranquilizer inhibits fertility.
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
A. The dose of tranquilizer delivered by a tranquilizer dart is large enough to give the rangers putting collars on rhinoceroses a generous margin of safety.
B. The fertility rate of uncollared female rhinoceroses in the park has been increasing in the past few decades.
C. Any stress that female rhinoceroses may suffer as a result of being immobilized and handled has little or no negative effect on their fertility.
D. The male rhinoceroses in the wildlife park do not lose their collars as often as the park’s female rhinoceroses do.
E. The tranquilizer used in immobilizing rhinoceroses is the same as the tranquilizer used in working with other large mammals.

92.	(32249-!-item-!-188;#058&006891)

Editor:  Articles in Gardening Magazine often spur sales of the plants they describe, particularly among people new to gardening.  Accordingly, we will no longer publish articles or accept advertisements praising the beauty of rare wildflowers.  Most such plants sold to gardeners have been difficult to propagate under cultivation, so plant sellers often collect them in the wild.  Our new policy is part of our efforts to halt this yearly plundering of our native plant populations.
Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the wisdom of the magazine's new policy as a way of pursuing the intended effect?
A. When people new to gardening buy plants, they often fail to take adequate care of the plants that they buy and become discouraged from buying those varieties again.
B. Plant sellers who sell rare wildflowers have no reasonably inexpensive alternative way to offer their wares directly to new gardeners.
C. The demand for rare wildflowers rarely exceeds the number of such plants that can be collected in the wild by plant sellers.
D. The propagation of rare wildflowers often depends on the plants' interaction with other organisms in their environment, such as plants that create suitable soil conditions or insects and birds that disperse seeds.
E. Revenues from sales of plants collected in the wild are supporting the discovery of new low-cost techniques enabling rare wildflowers to be readily propagated in nurseries.

93.	(28912-!-item-!-188;#058&003310)

Following several years of declining advertising sales, the Greenville Times reorganized its advertising sales force two years ago.  Before the reorganization, the sales force was organized geographically, with some sales representatives concentrating on city-center businesses and others concentrating on different outlying regions.  The reorganization attempted to increase the sales representatives’ knowledge of clients’ businesses by having each sales representative deal with only one type of industry or of retailing.  After the reorganization, advertising sales increased.
In assessing whether the improvement in advertising sales can properly be attributed to the reorganization, it would be helpful to find out each of the following EXCEPT:
A. Two years ago, what proportion of the Greenville Times’s total revenue was generated by advertising sales?
B. Has the circulation of the Greenville Times increased substantially in the last two years?
C. Has there been a substantial turnover in personnel in the advertising sales force over the last two years?
D. Before the reorganization, had sales representatives found it difficult to keep up with relevant developments in all the types of businesses to which they were assigned?
E. Has the economy in Greenville and the surrounding regions been growing rapidly over the last two years?

94.	(31867-!-item-!-188;#058&006654)

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

95.	(28538-!-item-!-188;#058&002980)

Which of the following most logically completes the passage?
Using new detection techniques, researchers have found trace amounts of various medicinal substances in lakes and rivers.  Taken in large quantities, these substances could have serious health effects, but they are present in quantities far too low to cause any physiological response in people who drink the water or bathe in it.  Nevertheless, medical experts contend that eliminating these trace amounts from the water will have public health benefits, since __________.
A. some of the medicinal substances found in lakes and rivers are harmless to humans even if taken in large quantities
B. some of the medicinal substances found in lakes and rivers can counteract possible harmful effects of other such substances found there
C. people who develop undesirable side effects when being treated with medicines that contain these substances generally have their treatment changed
D. most medicinal substances that reach lakes or rivers rapidly break down into harmless substances
E. disease-causing bacteria exposed to low concentrations of certain medicinal substances can become resistant to them

96.	(25050-!-item-!-188;#058&001167)	(GWD 7-Q37 different type)

Escalating worldwide demand for corn is expected to cause the market price of corn to rise sharply and remain high.  Although corn is extensively used as feed for livestock, livestock feed accounts for only a small fraction of the retail price of meat.  Therefore, the increase in corn prices is very unlikely to produce any comparable long-term increase in the retail price of meat.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. The cost of shipping and handling meat has also risen sharply.
B. Livestock producers who currently use corn to feed their livestock have the option of switching to other kinds of feed.
C. The rising cost of feed is leading some livestock producers to leave the business, thereby reducing the future supply of meat.
D. Worldwide demand for grains other than corn has also increased.
E. The price of corn affects the retail price of a variety of other food products more than it affects the price of meat.

97.	(28634-!-item-!-188;#058&003060)	(GWD 6-Q40)

It is theoretically possible that bacteria developed on Mars early in its history and that some were carried to Earth by a meteorite.  However, strains of bacteria from different planets would probably have substantial differences in protein structure that would persist over time, and no two bacterial strains on Earth are different enough to have arisen on different planets.  So, even if bacteria did arrive on Earth from Mars, they must have died out.
The argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?
A. It fails to establish whether bacteria actually developed on Mars.
B. It fails to establish how likely it is that Martian bacteria were transported to Earth.
C. It fails to consider whether there were means other than meteorites by which Martian bacteria could have been carried to Earth.
D. It fails to consider whether all bacteria now on Earth could have arisen from transported Martian bacteria.
E. It fails to consider whether there could have been strains of bacteria that originated on Earth and later died out.

98.	(29850-!-item-!-188;#058&004527)	(T-4-Q20 ��ɽ-7-22)

The violent crime rate (number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents) in Meadowbrook is 60 percent higher now than it was four years ago.  The corresponding increase for Parkdale is only 10 percent.  These figures support the conclusion that residents of Meadowbrook are more likely to become victims of violent crime than are residents of Parkdale.
The argument above is flawed because it fails to take into account
A. changes in the population density of both Parkdale and Meadowbrook over the past four years
B. how the rate of population growth in Meadowbrook over the past four years compares to the corresponding rate for Parkdale
C. the ratio of violent to nonviolent crimes committed during the past four years in Meadowbrook and Parkdale
D. the violent crime rates in Meadowbrook and Parkdale four years ago
E. how Meadowbrook's expenditures for crime prevention over the past four years compare to Parkdale's expenditures

99.	(28160-!-item-!-188;#058&002834)	(GWD 21-Q33)

One of the limiting factors in human physical performance is the amount of oxygen that is absorbed by the muscles from the bloodstream.  Accordingly, entrepreneurs have begun selling at gymnasiums and health clubs bottles of drinking water, labeled “SuperOXY,” that has extra oxygen dissolved in the water. Such water would be useless in improving physical performance, however, since the amount of oxygen in the blood of someone who is exercising is already more than the muscle cells can absorb.
Which of the following, if true, would serve the same function in the argument as the statement in boldface?
A. world-class athletes turn in record performances without such water
B. frequent physical exercise increases the body’s ability to take in and use oxygen
C. the only way to get oxygen into the bloodstream so that it can be absorbed by the muscles is through the lungs
D. lack of oxygen is not the only factor limiting human physical performance
E. the water lost in exercising can be replaced with ordinary tap water

100.	(30745-!-item-!-188;#058&005748)	(T-9-Q28. ��ɽ-7-13 , different type)

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted to humans by deer ticks.  Generally, deer ticks pick up the bacterium while in the larval stage by feeding on infected white-footed mice.  However, certain other species on which the larvae feed do not harbor the bacterium.  If the population of these other species were increased, more of the larvae would be feeding on uninfected hosts, so the number of ticks acquiring the bacterium would likely decline.
Which of the following would it be most important to ascertain in evaluating the argument? 
A. Whether populations of the other species on which deer tick larvae feed are found only in areas also inhabited by white-footed mice
B. Whether the size of the deer tick population is currently limited by the availability of animals for the tick's larval stage to feed on
C. Whether the infected deer tick population could be controlled by increasing the number of animals that prey on white-footed mice
D. Whether deer ticks that were not infected as larvae can become infected as adults by feeding on deer on which infected deer ticks have fed
E. Whether the other species on which deer tick larvae feed harbor any other bacteria that ticks transmit to humans

101.	(31307-!-item-!-188;#058&006085)	(GWD 6-Q33)

Crowding on Mooreville’s subway frequently leads to delays, because it is difficult for passengers to exit from the trains.  Over the next ten years, the Mooreville Transit Authority projects that subway ridership will increase by 20 percent.  The authority plans to increase the number of daily train trips by only 5 percent over the same period.  Officials predict that this increase is sufficient to ensure that the incidence of delays due to crowding does not increase.
Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest grounds for the officials’ prediction?
A. The population of Mooreville is not expected to increase significantly in the next ten years.
B. The Transit Authority also plans a 5 percent increase in the number of bus trips on routes that connect to subways.
C. The Transit Authority projects that the number of Mooreville residents who commute to work by automobile will increase in the next ten years.
D. Most of the projected increase in ridership is expected to occur in off-peak hours when trains now are sparsely used.
E. The 5 percent increase in the number of train trips can be achieved without an equal increase in Transit Authority operational costs.

102.	(30457-!-item-!-188;#058&005458)	(GWD 5-Q28)

Wind farms, which generate electricity using arrays of thousands of wind-powered turbines, require vast expanses of open land.  County X and County Y have similar terrain, but the population density of County X is significantly higher than that of 
County Y.  Therefore, a wind farm proposed for one of the two counties should be built in County Y rather than in County X.  
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the planner's argument?
A. County X and County Y are adjacent to each other, and both are located in the windiest area of the state.
B. The total population of County Y is substantially greater than that of County X.
C. Some of the electricity generated by wind farms in County Y would be purchased by users outside the county.
D. Wind farms require more land per unit of electricity generated than does any other type of electrical-generation facility.
E. Nearly all of County X's population is concentrated in a small part of the county, while County Y's population is spread evenly throughout the county.

103.	(25386-!-item-!-188;#058&001420)	(GWD 27-Q2)

Electronic computer chips made of tiny silicon wafers now regularly contain millions of electronic switches.  Unfortunately, electronic switches that are this small cannot withstand intense radiation.  Micro-Mechanics plans to produce a chip that, because it uses only microscopic mechanical switches, will be invulnerable to radiation damage.  The switches will, however, be slower than electronic switches and the chip will contain only 12,000 switches.
For there to be a market for Micro-Mechanics's chip as a result of the apparent advantage described above, each of the following would have to be true EXCEPT:
A. There will be applications in which the speed attainable by an electronic switch is not essential.
B. Switches used on electronic chips that contain only 12,000 switches are more vulnerable to radiation damage than the switches on Micro-Mechanics's chip will be.
C. There will be applications for computer chips in environments where the chips may have to survive intense radiation.
D. Some devices in which computer chips will be used will have other components that will be able to function during or after exposure to radiation.
E. Manufacturers are able to protect electronic computer chips against exposure to intense radiation, where this protection is necessary.

104.	(29430-!-item-!-188;#058&004128)	(GWD 5-Q26)

Healthy lungs produce a natural antibiotic that protects them from infection by routinely killing harmful bacteria on airway surfaces.  People with cystic fibrosis, however, are unable to fight off such bacteria, even though their lungs produce normal amounts of the antibiotic.  The fluid on airway surfaces in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis has an abnormally high salt concentration; accordingly, scientists hypothesize that the high salt concentration is what makes the antibiotic ineffective.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the scientists’ hypothesis?
A. When the salt concentration of the fluid on the airway surfaces of healthy people is raised artificially, the salt concentration soon returns to normal.
B. A sample of the antibiotic was capable of killing bacteria in an environment with an unusually low concentration of salt.
C. When lung tissue from people with cystic fibrosis is maintained in a solution with a normal salt concentration, the tissue can resist bacteria.
D. Many lung infections can be treated by applying synthetic antibiotics to the airway surfaces.
E. High salt concentrations have an antibiotic effect in many circumstances.

105.	(28302-!-item-!-188;#058&002915)	(GWD 24-Q15)

Healthy lungs produce a natural antibiotic that protects them from infection by routinely killing harmful bacteria on airway surfaces.  People with cystic fibrosis, however, are unable to fight off such bacteria, even though their lungs produce normal amounts of the antibiotic.  Since the fluid on airway surfaces in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis has an abnormally high salt concentration, scientists hypothesize that in high-salt environments the antibiotic becomes ineffective at killing harmful bacteria.
Which of the following, if it were obtained as an experimental result, would most decisively undermine the scientists’ hypothesis?
A. Healthy lungs in which the salt concentration of the airway-surface fluid has been substantially increased are able to reestablish their normal salt concentration within a relatively short period of time.
B. The antibiotic produced by the lungs is effective at killing harmful bacteria even when salt concentrations are below levels typical of healthy lungs.
C. The salt concentration of the airway-surface fluid in the lungs of people who suffer from cystic fibrosis tends to return to its former high levels after having been reduced to levels typical of healthy lungs.
D. The lungs of people who suffer from cystic fibrosis are unable to fight off harmful bacteria even when the salt concentration is reduced to levels typical of healthy lungs.
E. The salt concentration in the airway-surface fluid of people whose lungs produce lower-than-average amounts of the antibiotic is generally much lower than that typical of healthy lungs.

106.	(24584-!-item-!-188;#058&000967)	(GWD 28-Q11,different type)

Trancorp currently transports all its goods to Burland Island by truck.  The only bridge over the channel separating Burland from the mainland is congested, and trucks typically spend hours in traffic.  Trains can reach the channel more quickly than trucks, and freight cars can be transported to Burland by barges that typically cross the channel in an hour.  Therefore, to reduce shipping time, Trancorp plans to switch to trains and barges to transport goods to Burland.
Which of the following, if true, casts most serious doubt on whether Trancorp's plan will succeed?
A. It does not cost significantly more to transport goods to Burland by truck than it does to transport goods by train and barge.
B. The number of cars traveling over the bridge into Burland is likely to increase slightly over the next two years.
C. Because there has been so much traffic on the roads leading to the bridge between Burland and the mainland, these roads are in extremely poor condition.
D. Barges that arrive at Burland typically wait several hours for their turn to be unloaded.
E. Most trucks transporting goods into Burland return to the mainland empty.

107.	(31025-!-item-!-188;#058&005951)	(GWD-TN-12,T-4-Q2)

Twenty years ago, Balzania put in place regulations requiring operators of surface mines to pay for the reclamation of mined-out land.  Since then, reclamation technology has not improved.  Yet, the average reclamation cost for a surface coal mine being reclaimed today is only four dollars per ton of coal that the mine produced, less than half what it cost to reclaim surface mines in the years immediately after the regulations took effect.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to account for the drop in reclamation costs described?
A. Even after Balzania began requiring surface mine operators to pay reclamation costs, coal mines in Balzania continued to be less expensive to operate than coal mines in almost any other country.
B. In the twenty years since the regulations took effect, the use of coal as a fuel has declined from the level it was at in the previous twenty years.
C. Mine operators have generally ceased surface mining in the mountainous areas of Balzania because reclamation costs per ton of coal produced are particularly high for mines in such areas.
D. Even after Balzania began requiring surface mine operators to pay reclamation costs, surface mines continued to produce coal at a lower total cost than underground mines.
E. As compared to twenty years ago, a greater percentage of the coal mined in Balzania today comes from surface mines.

108.	(24440-!-item-!-188;#058&000921)	(GWD 4-Q8)

From 1980 to 1989, total consumption of fish in the country of Jurania increased by 4.5 percent, and total consumption of poultry products there increased by 9.0 percent.  During the same period, the population of Jurania increased by 6 percent, in part due to immigration to Jurania from other countries in the region.
If the statements above are true, which of the following must also be true on the basis of them?
A. During the 1980s in Jurania, profits of wholesale distributors of poultry products increased at a greater rate than did profits of wholesale distributors of fish.
B. For people who immigrated to Jurania during the 1980s, fish was less likely to be a major part of their diet than was poultry.
C. In 1989 Juranians consumed twice as much poultry as fish.
D. For a significant proportion of Jurania's population, both fish and poultry products were a regular part of their diet during the 1980s.
E. Per capita consumption of fish in Jurania was lower in 1989 than in 1980.

109.	(28586-!-item-!-188;#058&002993)	(T-4-Q15)

TrueSave is a mail-order company that ships electronic products from its warehouses to customers worldwide.  The company’s shipping manager is proposing that customer orders be packed with newer, more expensive packing materials that virtually eliminate damage during shipping.  The manager argues that overall costs would essentially remain unaffected, since the extra cost of the new packing materials roughly equals the current cost of replacing products returned by customers because they arrived in damaged condition.
Which of the following would it be most important to ascertain in determining whether implementing the shipping manager’s proposal would have the argued-for effect on costs?
A. Whether the products shipped by TrueSave are more vulnerable to incurring damage during shipping than are typical electronic products
B. Whether electronic products are damaged more frequently in transit than are most other products shipped by mail-order companies
C. Whether a sizable proportion of returned items are returned because of damage already present when those items were packed for shipping
D. Whether there are cases in which customers blame themselves for product damage that, though present on arrival of the product, is not discovered until later
E. Whether TrueSave continually monitors the performance of the shipping companies it uses to ship products to its customers

110.	(31447-!-item-!-188;#058&006361)	(GWD 1-Q14)

That the application of new technology can increase the productivity of existing coal mines is demonstrated by the case of Tribnia's coal industry.  Coal output per miner in Tribnia is double what it was five years ago, even though no new mines have opened.  
Which of the following can be properly concluded from the statement about coal output per miner in the passage?
A. If the number of miners working in Tribnian coal mines has remained constant in the past five years, Tribnia's total coal production has doubled in that period of time.
B. Any individual Tribnian coal mine that achieved an increase in overall output in the past five years has also experienced an increase in output per miner.
C. If any new coal mines had opened in Tribnia in the past five years, then the increase in output per miner would have been even greater than it actually was.
D. If any individual Tribnian coal mine has not increased its output per miner in the past five years, then that mine's overall output has declined or remained constant.
E. In Tribnia the cost of producing a given quantity of coal has declined over the past five years.

111.	(28490-!-item-!-188;#058&002974)	(T-9-Q2)

Kernland imposes a high tariff on the export of unprocessed cashew nuts in order to ensure that the nuts are sold to domestic processing plants.  If the tariff were lifted and unprocessed cashews were sold at world market prices, more farmers could profit by growing cashews.  However, since all the processing plants are in urban areas, removing the tariff would seriously hamper the government’s effort to reduce urban unemployment over the next five years.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. Some of the by-products of processing cashews are used for manufacturing paints and plastics.
B. Other countries in which cashews are processed subsidize their processing plants.
C. More people in Kernland are engaged in farming cashews than in processing them.
D. Buying unprocessed cashews at lower than world market prices enables cashew processors in Kernland to sell processed nuts at competitive prices.
E. A lack of profitable crops is driving an increasing number of small farmers in Kernland off their land and into the cities.

112.	(29286-!-item-!-188;#058&003696)	(GWD 26-Q31)

Which of the following most logically completes the argument?
When people engage in activities that help others, their brain releases endorphins, the brain’s natural opiates, which induce in people a feeling of well-being.  It has been suggested that regular release of endorphins increases people’s longevity, and a statistic on adults who regularly engage in volunteer work helping others shows that they live longer, on average, than adults who do not volunteer.  However, that statistic would be what we would expect even if volunteering does not boost longevity, because __________.
A. in the communities studied, women were much more likely to do regular volunteer work than men were, and women tend to live longer than men do
B. the number of young adults who do regular volunteer work is on the increase
C. the feelings of well-being induced by endorphins can, at least for a time, mask the symptoms of various conditions and diseases, provided the symptoms are mild
D. it is rare for a person to keep up a regular schedule of volunteer work throughout his or her life
E. some people find that keeping a commitment to do regular volunteer work becomes a source of stress in their lives

113.	(30697-!-item-!-188;#058&005746)	(T-4-Q18 ��ɽ-7-17)

As a large corporation in a small country, Hachnut wants its managers to have international experience, so each year it sponsors management education abroad for its management trainees.  Hachnut has found, however, that the attrition rate of graduates from this program is very high, with many of them leaving Hachnut to join competing firms soon after completing the program.  Hachnut does use performance during the program as a criterion in deciding among candidates for management positions, but both this function and the goal of providing international experience could be achieved in other ways.  Therefore, if the attrition problem cannot be successfully addressed, Hachnut should discontinue the sponsorship program.
In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles? 
A. The first describes a practice that the argument seeks to justify; the second states a judgment that is used in support of a justification for that practice.
B. The first describes a practice that the argument seeks to explain; the second presents part of the argument's explanation of that practice.
C. The first introduces a practice that the argument seeks to evaluate; the second provides grounds for holding that the practice cannot achieve its objective.
D. The first introduces a policy that the argument seeks to evaluate; the second provides grounds for holding that the policy is not needed.
E. The first introduces a consideration supporting a policy that the argument seeks to evaluate; the second provides evidence for concluding that the policy should be abandoned.

114.	(25146-!-item-!-188;#058&001219)	(GWD 23-Q32)

Excavations of the Roman city of Sepphoris have uncovered numerous detailed mosaics depicting several readily identifiable animal species:  a hare, a partridge, and various Mediterranean fish.  Oddly, most of the species represented did not live in the Sepphoris region when these mosaics were created.  Since identical motifs appear in mosaics found in other Roman cities, however, the mosaics of Sepphoris were very likely created by traveling artisans from some other part of the Roman Empire.
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
A. The Sepphoris mosaics are not composed exclusively of types of stones found naturally in the Sepphoris area.
B. There is no single region to which all the species depicted in the Sepphoris mosaics are native.
C. No motifs appear in the Sepphoris mosaics that do not also appear in the mosaics of some other Roman city.
D. All of the animal figures in the Sepphoris mosaics are readily identifiable as representations of known species.
E. There was not a common repertory of mosaic designs with which artisans who lived in various parts of the Roman Empire were familiar.

115.	(24536-!-item-!-188;#058&000941)	(GWD 30-Q26)

In countries where automobile insurance includes compensation for whiplash injuries sustained in automobile accidents, reports of having suffered such injuries are twice as frequent as they are in countries where whiplash is not covered.  Some commentators have argued, correctly, that since there is presently no objective test for whiplash, spurious reports of whiplash injuries cannot be readily identified.  These commentators are, however, wrong to draw the further conclusion that in the countries with the higher rates of reported whiplash injuries, half of the reported cases are spurious:  clearly, in countries where automobile insurance does not include compensation for whiplash, people often have little incentive to report whiplash injuries that they actually have suffered.
In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
A. The first is evidence that has been used to support a conclusion that the argument criticizes; the second is that conclusion.
B. The first is evidence that has been used to support a conclusion that the argument criticizes; the second is the position that the argument defends.
C. The first is a claim that has been used to support a conclusion that the argument accepts; the second is the position that the argument defends.
D. The first is an intermediate conclusion that has been used to support a conclusion that the argument defends; the second is the position that the argument opposes.
E. The first presents a claim that is disputed in the argument; the second is a conclusion that has been drawn on the basis of that claim.

116.	(31915-!-item-!-188;#058&006665)	(T-4-Q34)

In Kravonia, the average salary for jobs requiring a college degree has always been higher than the average salary for jobs that do not require a degree.  Current enrollments in Kravonia's colleges indicate that over the next four years the percentage of the Kravonian workforce with college degrees will increase dramatically.  Therefore, the average salary for all workers in Kravonia is likely to increase over the next four years.
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? 
A. Kravonians with more than one college degree earn more, on average, than do Kravonians with only one college degree.
B. The percentage of Kravonians who attend college in order to earn higher salaries is higher now than it was several years ago.
C. The higher average salary for jobs requiring a college degree is not due largely to a scarcity among the Kravonian workforce of people with a college degree.
D. The average salary in Kravonia for jobs that do not require a college degree will not increase over the next four years.
E. Few members of the Kravonian workforce earned their degrees in other countries.

117.	(31543-!-item-!-188;#058&006463)	(GWD 28-Q9, different type)

Early in the twentieth century, Lake Konfa became very polluted.  Recently fish populations have recovered as release of industrial pollutants has declined and the lake’s waters have become cleaner.  Fears are now being voiced that the planned construction of an oil pipeline across the lake’s bottom might revive pollution and cause the fish population to decline again.  However, a technology for preventing leaks is being installed.  Therefore, provided this technology is effective, the fears are groundless.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. The pipeline’s construction will disturb sediments at the bottom of the lake, dispersing into the water toxic pollutants that have settled there.
B. Changes in land use and drainage patterns around the lake mean that the lake’s waters are increasingly likely to be affected by agricultural runoff.
C. The leak-preventing technology has been in use for several years without any pipeline in which it is installed developing serious leaks.
D. A major leak of oil from the pipeline would harm not only the lake’s fish but also populations of other aquatic animals and plants.
E. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, non-native species of fish have been introduced into the lake and now make up a considerable proportion of its overall fish population.

118.	(29382-!-item-!-188;#058&004046)	(GWD 10-Q19)

Which of the following most logically completes the passage?
A certain tropical island received food donations in the form of powdered milk for distribution to its poorest residents, who were thought to be malnourished.  Subsequently, the rate of liver cancers among those islanders increased sharply.  The donated milk was probably to blame:  recent laboratory research on rats has shown that rats briefly exposed to the substance aflatoxin tend to develop liver cancer when fed casein, a milk protein.  This result is relevant because __________.
A. in the tropics, peanuts, a staple of these island residents, support a mold growth that produces aflatoxin
B. the liver is more sensitive to carcinogens, of which aflatoxin may be one, than most other bodily organs
C. casein is not the only protein contained in milk
D. powdered milk is the most appropriate form in which to send milk to a tropical destination
E. the people who were given the donated milk had been screened for their ability to digest milk

119.	(32105-!-item-!-188;#058&006854)	(GWD 28-Q17)

In the nation of Partoria, large trucks currently account for 6 percent of miles driven on Partoria’s roads but are involved in 12 percent of all highway fatalities. The very largest trucks—those with three trailers—had less than a third of the accident rate of single-and double-trailer trucks.  Clearly, therefore, one way for Partoria to reduce highway deaths would be to require shippers to increase their use of triple-trailer trucks.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. Partorian trucking companies have so far used triple-trailer trucks on lightly traveled sections of major highways only.
B. No matter what changes Partoria makes in the regulation of trucking, it will have to keep some smaller roads off-limits to all large trucks.
C. Very few fatal collisions involving trucks in Partoria are collisions between two trucks.
D. In Partoria, the safety record of the trucking industry as a whole has improved slightly over the past ten years.
E. In Partoria, the maximum legal payload of a triple-trailer truck is less than three times the maximum legal payload of the largest of the single-trailer trucks.

120.	(30793-!-item-!-188;#058&005755)	(GWD 10-Q14)

Yeasts capable of leavening bread are widespread, and in the many centuries during which the ancient Egyptians made only unleavened bread, such yeasts must frequently have been mixed into bread doughs accidentally.  The Egyptians, however, did not discover leavened bread until about 3000 B.C.  That discovery roughly coincided with the introduction of a wheat variety that was preferable to previous varieties because its edible kernel could be removed from the husk without first toasting the grain.
Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest evidence that the two developments were causally related?
A. Even after the ancient Egyptians discovered leavened bread and the techniques for reliably producing it were well known, unleavened bread continued to be widely consumed.
B. Only when the Egyptians stopped the practice of toasting grain were their stone-lined grain-toasting pits available for baking bread.
C. Heating a wheat kernel destroys its gluten, a protein that must be present in order for yeast to leaven bread dough.
D. The new variety of wheat, which had a more delicate flavor because it was not toasted, was reserved for the consumption of high officials when it first began to be grown.
E. Because the husk of the new variety of wheat was more easily removed, flour made from it required less effort to produce.

121.	(25242-!-item-!-188;#058&001232)	(T-4-Q34,different type)

In Kravonia, the average salary for jobs requiring a college degree has always been higher than the average salary for jobs that do not require a degree.  Over the last few years, the number of Kravonians enrolled in college has been growing steadily.  Therefore, the number of Kravonians entering the job market who have at least the qualification of a college degree will eventually be significantly higher than it has been over the last few years.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? 
A. Kravonians with more than one college degree earn little more, on average, than do Kravonians with only one college degree.
B. The average number of years Kravonian college students remain enrolled before completing a degree has been increasing over the past several years.
C. Despite the increase in the number of Kravonians attending college, the percentage of the population attending college is lower in Kravonia than in most other countries.
D. In recent years, employers have been requiring college degrees for workers in jobs that were previously performed successfully by Kravonians who did not have college degrees.
E. For many years, employers in Kravonia have had difficulty finding enough college graduates to fill the high-paying jobs that were available.

122.	(26360-!-item-!-188;#058&001881)	(GWD 1-Q40)

Until now, only injectable vaccines against influenza have been available.  Parents are reluctant to subject children to the pain of injections, but adults, who are at risk of serious complications from influenza, are commonly vaccinated.  A new influenza vaccine, administered painlessly in a nasal spray, is effective for children.  However, since children seldom develop serious complications from influenza, no significant public health benefit would result from widespread vaccination of children using the nasal spray.
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
A. Any person who has received the injectable vaccine can safely receive the nasal-spray vaccine as well.
B. The new vaccine uses the same mechanism to ward off influenza as injectable vaccines do.
C. The injectable vaccine is affordable for all adults.
D. Adults do not contract influenza primarily from children who have influenza.
E. The nasal spray vaccine is not effective when administered to adults.

============Answers===========
69. B
70. B
71. B
72. A
73. A
74. C
75. A
76. E
77. B
78. C
79. D
80. A
81. D
82. C
83. A
84. E
85. C
86. E
87. C
88. E
89. C
90. A
91. C
92. E
93. A
94. D
95. E
96. C
97. D
98. D
99. C
100. B
101. D
102. E
103. E
104. C
105. D
106. D
107. C
108. E
109. C
110. A
111. E
112. A
113. D
114. E
115. A
116. C
117. A
118. A
119. A
120. C
121. B
122. D