Identify Argument Conclusion
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GRE Verbal › Identify Argument Conclusion
A research institute compared two grant-application formats: a long narrative and a shorter structured form. Reviewers spent 20% less time evaluating applications using the structured form, yet their final funding decisions closely matched those made under the narrative format in prior years. Because faster review allows the institute to process more applications without hiring additional staff, it should switch to the structured form for next year’s grants. Which of the following best states the conclusion of the argument?
Reviewers spent less time evaluating applications using the structured form.
Switching formats will guarantee that the best proposals are always funded.
Funding decisions under the structured form closely matched prior years’ decisions.
The institute should use the structured grant-application form next year to increase processing capacity without added staff.
The narrative format is unfair because it favors applicants who write well.
Explanation
This question tests the ability to identify an argument’s conclusion in a GRE Verbal Reasoning context. Conclusions are the main claims or recommendations that the argument aims to establish, while premises are the supporting evidence or reasons provided to justify that claim. The passage compares review times and decision consistency between formats, noting capacity gains from faster reviews. It builds to a switch recommendation for processing more applications without extra staff. Choice C best states the conclusion because it directly expresses the argument’s advice to use the structured form next year. Conversely, choice A is merely a premise, offering time data as evidence without serving as the conclusion. Similarly, choice B acts as consistency evidence but does not capture the main point.
A publishing house compared two approaches to editing: a traditional process and a new workflow that uses software to flag consistency issues before human review. In a six-month trial, books edited under the new workflow had 25% fewer post-publication corrections, and overall editing time per manuscript fell by 10%. Since the software license costs less than the labor savings from reduced editing time, the house should adopt the new workflow for all nonfiction titles. Which of the following best states the conclusion of the argument?
The software will eliminate the need for human editors.
Overall editing time per manuscript fell by 10% under the new workflow.
Fiction titles are inherently harder to edit than nonfiction titles.
Books edited under the new workflow had fewer post-publication corrections during the trial.
The publishing house should adopt the new software-assisted workflow for all nonfiction titles.
Explanation
This question tests the ability to identify an argument’s conclusion in a GRE Verbal Reasoning context. Conclusions are the main claims or recommendations that the argument aims to establish, while premises are the supporting evidence or reasons provided to justify that claim. The passage compares editing workflows, noting fewer corrections and time savings with the new method. It then weighs the software cost against labor savings, leading to an adoption recommendation for nonfiction. Choice C best states the conclusion because it directly conveys the argument’s advice to implement the new workflow for efficiency gains. In contrast, choice A is merely a premise, providing data on corrections as evidence without being the main claim. Similarly, choice B serves as time-related evidence but does not represent the overall recommendation.
A company that maintains public trails is deciding how to allocate its limited volunteer hours. It reports that sections repaired with stone steps eroded far less over two rainy seasons than sections repaired with wooden steps, and that stone steps require fewer follow-up repairs. Although stone steps take longer to install initially, the reduced maintenance means fewer total volunteer hours over time. Therefore, the company should favor stone steps over wooden steps when repairing steep trail sections. The author concludes that…
The company should generally use stone steps for steep trail repairs because they minimize long-term volunteer labor.
Stone steps take longer to install initially than wooden steps.
Trail erosion is caused primarily by hikers rather than by rainfall.
Wooden steps should never be used on any trail under any circumstances.
Stone steps eroded less than wooden steps over two rainy seasons.
Explanation
This question tests the ability to identify an argument’s conclusion in a GRE Verbal Reasoning context. Conclusions are the main claims or recommendations that the argument aims to establish, while premises are the supporting evidence or reasons provided to justify that claim. The passage compares erosion and maintenance for stone versus wooden steps, acknowledging initial time but emphasizing long-term savings. It builds to a preference for stone in steep repairs to minimize volunteer labor overall. Choice C best states the conclusion because it encapsulates the argument’s primary advice to use stone steps for efficiency. On the other hand, choice A is merely a premise, offering erosion data as supporting evidence rather than the conclusion. Likewise, choice B highlights an initial drawback but does not represent the resolved recommendation.
An airline’s operations team reports that flights using a new boarding procedure—calling passengers by smaller groups—departed an average of three minutes earlier than comparable flights using the old procedure. Customer surveys also show a modest increase in reported satisfaction with the boarding experience. Since earlier departures reduce downstream delays and the new procedure requires no new equipment, the airline should roll out the smaller-group boarding procedure system-wide. The author concludes that…
The airline should stop offering carry-on luggage to ensure on-time departures.
Customer surveys showed a modest increase in satisfaction with the boarding experience.
The airline should implement the smaller-group boarding procedure across its network.
Downstream delays are caused only by late boarding and not by weather or maintenance.
Flights using the new boarding procedure departed earlier on average than comparable flights using the old procedure.
Explanation
This question tests the ability to identify an argument’s conclusion in a GRE Verbal Reasoning context. Conclusions are the main claims or recommendations that the argument aims to establish, while premises are the supporting evidence or reasons provided to justify that claim. The passage details earlier departures and satisfaction gains from the new procedure, noting no new equipment needed. It builds to a system-wide rollout for reducing delays efficiently. Choice C best states the conclusion because it directly conveys the argument’s advice to implement the procedure network-wide. On the other hand, choice A is merely a premise, providing departure data as evidence to justify the rollout. Similarly, choice B serves as customer feedback evidence but does not represent the main claim.
In a survey of 1,200 residents, those living within a half-mile of a new urban park reported exercising outdoors 30 minutes more per week, on average, than those living farther away. City health officials also note that building parks is cheaper per capita than subsidizing gym memberships. Consequently, the city should direct its next public-health funds toward creating additional neighborhood parks rather than expanding gym subsidies. Which statement is the author primarily trying to establish?
Building parks is cheaper per capita than subsidizing gym memberships.
Outdoor exercise is always more beneficial than indoor exercise.
The city should allocate its next public-health funds to building more neighborhood parks instead of expanding gym subsidies.
The survey proves that the park caused every nearby resident to increase exercise by exactly 30 minutes per week.
Residents living near the new park exercise outdoors more than residents living farther away.
Explanation
This question tests the ability to identify an argument’s conclusion in a GRE Verbal Reasoning context. Conclusions are the main claims or recommendations that the argument aims to establish, while premises are the supporting evidence or reasons provided to justify that claim. The passage presents survey data on increased exercise near parks and compares the per capita cost of parks to gym subsidies. It then directs future funds toward parks based on these advantages, forming a clear policy suggestion. Choice C best states the conclusion because it encapsulates the argument’s primary directive to allocate funds to parks over gym expansions. In contrast, choice A is merely a premise, supplying survey evidence to support the benefits of parks without being the main claim. Likewise, choice B serves as cost-related evidence but does not represent the argument’s ultimate recommendation.
A beverage company tested two package designs for its sparkling water. In matched stores, the new design increased unit sales by 6% but also increased customer complaints about damaged cans during shipping. The logistics team reports that switching to a slightly thicker cardboard tray would reduce damage complaints to below the current level while adding only $0.01 per unit in packaging cost, far less than the profit from the additional sales. The main point of the argument is that…
Customer complaints about damaged cans increased after the new design was introduced.
A $0.01 increase in packaging cost per unit will necessarily eliminate all customer complaints.
The new package design increased unit sales by 6% in matched stores.
The company should keep the new design and adopt the thicker tray to preserve sales gains while reducing damage.
The company should discontinue selling sparkling water because shipping damage harms its reputation.
Explanation
This question tests the ability to identify an argument’s conclusion in a GRE Verbal Reasoning context. Conclusions are the main claims or recommendations that the argument aims to establish, while premises are the supporting evidence or reasons provided to justify that claim. The passage describes sales increases and complaints from the new design, then introduces a low-cost solution with thicker trays to address damage. It builds by noting that the added cost is outweighed by sales profits, leading to a balanced recommendation. Choice C best states the conclusion because it directly conveys the argument’s advice to retain the design with the tray modification for sustained benefits. Conversely, choice A is merely a premise, providing sales data as evidence to support the recommendation rather than the conclusion itself. Similarly, choice B acts as evidence of the problem but does not capture the overall resolution proposed.
A regional hospital system introduced a standardized discharge checklist for patients with congestive heart failure. In the following six months, 30-day readmissions for those patients declined from 18% to 13%, while readmissions for other conditions stayed roughly constant. Audits showed that the checklist increased the rate at which patients received follow-up appointments before leaving the hospital. Because avoidable readmissions are costly and the checklist requires no new equipment, the system’s administrators argue that the checklist should be adopted in all hospitals in the region.
Which statement is the author primarily trying to establish?
The decline in heart-failure readmissions was probably caused by improved discharge procedures.
The standardized discharge checklist should be adopted in all hospitals in the region.
Avoidable readmissions are costly for hospital systems.
Readmissions for other conditions will also decline if the checklist is used.
The discharge checklist increased the rate of scheduling follow-up appointments before discharge.
Explanation
This question tests your ability to identify an argument's conclusion. A conclusion is the central claim the author wants readers to accept, supported by premises that provide evidence. The passage describes the positive results of a discharge checklist (reduced readmissions, increased follow-up appointments) and notes the cost concerns. These facts serve as premises leading to the administrators' recommendation. The Correct answer (C) states the conclusion: "The standardized discharge checklist should be adopted in all hospitals in the region." Choice D about the probable cause of reduced readmissions is an intermediate inference that supports the conclusion but is not the main point being established.
A public health agency evaluated a smoking-cessation text-messaging program offered to adults who enrolled through clinics. Among participants who received messages, 6-month self-reported abstinence was 19%, compared with 12% among similar enrollees who did not opt in. The program’s per-person cost was low because messages were automated, and clinics reported no increase in staff workload. Given the agency’s goal of expanding effective interventions without adding staffing demands, it argues that the text-messaging program should be offered statewide.
Which of the following best states the conclusion of the argument?
The agency’s goal is to expand effective interventions without adding staffing demands.
The program’s per-person cost was low because messages were automated.
Automated health programs are generally more effective than in-person counseling.
The text-messaging program should be offered statewide.
Participants who received messages reported higher 6-month abstinence than similar enrollees who did not opt in.
Explanation
This question tests identifying an argument's conclusion. Conclusions represent the main point an author wants to establish, while premises provide supporting reasons. The passage presents evidence about the text-messaging program's effectiveness (higher abstinence rates), low cost, and lack of staffing burden. These facts, combined with the agency's goals, all support the recommendation for expansion. The Aorrect answer (A) captures this conclusion: "The text-messaging program should be offered statewide." Choice B about the higher abstinence rates among participants is merely one piece of supporting evidence used to justify statewide implementation, not the conclusion itself.
A university committee notes that in departments where first-year students are assigned a faculty mentor, retention into the second year is 8 percentage points higher than in departments without such assignments. The committee also found that the mentoring program costs less per student than expanding tutoring services. Therefore, if the university’s goal is to improve retention with minimal new spending, it should expand the faculty-mentoring program campus-wide. The author concludes that…
The university should expand the faculty-mentoring program across the campus to improve retention cost-effectively.
Retention into the second year is higher in departments that assign faculty mentors to first-year students.
Tutoring services are ineffective at improving student retention.
The university’s goal is to improve retention with minimal new spending.
All departments with mentors use identical mentoring practices and therefore achieve identical retention gains.
Explanation
This question tests the ability to identify an argument’s conclusion in a GRE Verbal Reasoning context. Conclusions are the main claims or recommendations that the argument aims to establish, while premises are the supporting evidence or reasons provided to justify that claim. The passage starts with data on higher retention in departments with mentoring and compares the program’s cost to that of tutoring services. It then ties this to the university’s goal of improving retention cheaply, leading to a campus-wide expansion suggestion. Choice B best states the conclusion because it encapsulates the argument’s primary recommendation for expanding the mentoring program to achieve cost-effective retention gains. On the other hand, choice A is merely a premise, offering statistical evidence of retention benefits to bolster the main claim without being the conclusion. Likewise, choice C serves as contrasting evidence against tutoring but does not represent the argument’s ultimate point.
A city’s transportation department notes that after installing protected bike lanes on three major corridors, bicycle commuting increased by 22% and reported cyclist injuries on those corridors fell by 14% over the next year. During the same period, overall car travel times on adjacent parallel streets did not measurably increase, according to GPS-based traffic data. Because the department aims to reduce injuries without worsening congestion, it argues that the city should expand protected bike lanes to additional corridors with similar traffic patterns.
Which of the following best states the conclusion of the argument?
The city should expand protected bike lanes to additional corridors with similar traffic patterns.
Most commuters will switch from driving to cycling if the city builds enough protected bike lanes.
The transportation department aims to reduce injuries without worsening congestion.
Protected bike lanes can reduce injuries on some corridors without necessarily increasing nearby car travel times.
Bicycle commuting increased by 22% on the corridors where protected bike lanes were installed.
Explanation
This question tests your ability to identify an argument's conclusion. A conclusion is the main claim the author wants to establish, while premises provide supporting evidence or reasons for that claim. The passage presents data about protected bike lanes (increased cycling, reduced injuries, no traffic congestion) and then uses this evidence to argue for a specific action. The transportation department's goal and the positive results serve as premises building toward what should be done next. The Borrect answer (B) states that "The city should expand protected bike lanes to additional corridors with similar traffic patterns," which is the recommendation the argument aims to establish. Choice D merely restates one of the supporting observations about reduced injuries without increased congestion, making it a premise rather than the conclusion.