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Doctor: A major study found no causal link between having received an MMR vaccine and having autism, but the study is flawed. The study looked at 500 people who had received an MMR vaccine. Because autism occurs in less than 1% of the population, researchers would need to include many more than 500 people in a study to detect a meaningful increase in the rate of autism.
Which of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the doctor's argument?
The passage begins with a fact and the judgment that the study is flawed. The rest of the paragraph explains how it's flawed (i.e., not enough people were included in the study to justify the conclusion). Therefore, the correct answer is the first sentence, because everything else in the passage supports that claim.
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While coffee does stain teeth, most claims that coffee has ill-effects are unfounded. There is even some evidence of health benefits. The situation may be different when the arguments relate to people who consume more than a moderate amount of coffee.
Which of the following conclusions most logically follows from the argument?
The argument does not draw a strong conclusion. It does not assert that coffee is healthy or that it has no negative health effects.
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We all have an obligation to do our part to protect nature. Only those who do are environmentally responsible. No people who insist on using incandescent light bulbs do their part to protect nature.
Which of the following conclusions follows:
Only people who do their part to protect nature are environmentally responsible. Those who insist on using incandescent light bulbs do not do their part to protect the environment. It follows that those who insist on using incandescent light bulbs are not environmentally responsible.
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Taxpayers have been complaining about the U.S. tax system for many years. The tax system is so complex that very few can understand its provisions. A tax system that can only be understood by a very few people inefficiently generates revenue.
Which of the following is a logical conclusion to the argument?
If the U.S. tax system can only be understood by a few, and tax systems that can only be understood by a few inefficiently generate revenue, then it follows that the U.S. tax system inefficiently generates revenue.
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When describing weather, people describe only sunny days as "nice" days. Why should this be? The meaning of "nice" in other contexts depends on the subjective preferences of the speaker. For instance, a person would only describe a car as being "nice" if the person personally preferred it, and one person might describe a particular car as "nice" while another would not. A person who prefers rain to sun, however, would likely still describe a sunny day as a "nice" day, but would not describe a rainy day the same way.
Which of the following most accurately describes the main point of the argument?
The key to this question is to not construe the purpose of the passage too narrowly or too broadly. The passage indicates that the discussion of cars serves only as an example and is not the primary point. Conversely, the purpose of the passage is not so broad as to apply beyond a discussion of the unique use of "nice" in the context of weather.
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Public transportaion plays less of a role in commuting within cities than it once did, which is unfortunate because the benefits for cities and residents are substantial. Public transportation leads to less traffic congestion, more parking for those who do drive, less stress, less expense, and better air quality. Legitimate downsides to taking public transportation include safety concerns and lengthened commutes. Addressing these concerns would take effort but would also produce tremendous benefits.
Which of the following conclusions best follows from the argument?
While the argument recognizes benefits of public transportation, it does not directly endorse its use, instead, recognizing legitimate downsides as well. On the other hand, the passage is clear that public transportation has real, positive implications for modern cities. Finally, the point of the argument is not to compare the present and past.
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The growth of coffee shops raises interesting questions about the desire to spend time with other people. Coffee shops are wildly popular but it is not clear why. Sure, people love coffee, but they don't need to sit in a coffee shop to drink it. Further, while coffee shops try to create pleasant study environments, it seems unlikely that people sit for hours for the music over the speakers and the pictures on the walls. Besides, as coffee shops have become more popular, public and school libraries have become less popular. Is it possible that the real coffee shop appeal is the opportunity to be around other people?
Which of the following most accurately states the primary point of the passage?
The first and last sentences of the passage raise the issue of whether people attend coffee shops to be around other people. Instead of stating a firm conclusion, the purpose of the passage is to raise that possible explanation by ruling out others.
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While factory unions provide accountability for employers and job security for employees, they also present some hazards. First, unions always increase costs of production by adding bureaucracy. Second, unions sometimes serve the elitist purpose of providing high pay and benefits for union members while non-members fail to find any employment.
Which of the following is the most logical conclusion to the passage?
There are two keys to this question. First, the passage does not reach a firm, positive or negative conclusion about unions, instead suggesting that there are considerations on both sides. Second, the passage discusses two negative traits, but specifies that the first "always" occurs and the second "sometimes" occurs.
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The school needs to find new ways to improve its test scores. Although the school used to have a large amount of highly-qualified teachers, many of them have left to pursue other careers. Their departure has harmed the quality of instruction students receive. The school is unlikely to attract talented teachers in the near future.
Which one of the following most accurately presents the main conclusion of the passage?
The first sentence is the conclusion. The rest of the stimulus is mearly support for that initial conclusion.
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The Salem witch trials are often cited as an example of mob mentality. There are many lessons to learn from the events, but fear of mob mentality is not one of them. First, the entire process took place over an extended period of time. Second, the leaders and participants carefully considered actions before they were taken. In contrast, mob mentality generally describes actions that are not carefully considered and that end quickly.
Which of the following most accurately describes the main point of the passage?
The emphasis of the passage is on describing differences between the Salem witch trials and mob mentality. That is the purpose of the passage. The other assertions in the argument are intended to support the claim that the Salem witch trials are not an example of mob mentality.
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Although most people occasionally bring their cars to an automated car wash, few really ensure that their cars are thoroughly cleaned–probably because most people care only that their cars have a generally clean appearance. An automated car wash will generally accomplish that goal, but a car wash should accomplish more. An automated car wash will not thoroughly clean a car, and a car that is not thoroughly cleaned will quickly rust.
Which of the following best expresses the main point of the passage?
The purpose of the passage is to establish that cars cleaned only at automated car washes will quickly rust. The other claims in the passage are intended only as support for that primary assertion. The passage makes no claim about how often a car should be washed or about whether automated car washes offer at least some protection from rust.
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In driving from work to the supermarket, a man’s path of travel is publicly exposed to pedestrians and other drivers. Each trip that he makes is in public view. However, a single trip does not lend much insight into a person’s life. As a puzzle piece only reveals a small portion of the greater scheme, a single trip to the mall or a friend’s house reveals only a small amount about a person. However, by affixing a GPS tracking device to the undercarriage of a man’s car, it is possible to determine not only the locations he travels to over an extended period of time, but also the time of day and frequency that he visits them. Repeated visits to a female coworker’s home suggest one thing, while frequent stops at a liquor store reveal another. GPS technology can uncover the individual puzzle pieces of a person’s weekly routine, and expose intimate details once those pieces are fit together.
Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the excerpt?
Often times, the correct answer can be found using a process of elimination. The following answer choices are incorrect for the following reasons:
The passage does not say that technology is developing at a rapid pace, so this answer choice is incorrect.
Although two of the answer choices reveal what GPS is capable of, they do not capture the main conclusion of the passage. These answer choices are too narrow.
Finally, "The whole is often greater than the sum of its parts . . ." is too broad and does not relate enough to the content of the text.
The only option choice left is the correct answer, which draws a conclusion that is neither too narrow, nor too broad.
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Over the past four years, Ecuador has received on average more than twenty million dollars of assistance from USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development. However, USAID has the discretion to decrease aid to Ecuador if the human trafficking conditions there remain the same or worsen_._ The U.S. Department of State monitors conditions of human trafficking in countries around the world by compiling the Trafficking in Persons Report each year. Unfortunately, the conditions of human trafficking in Ecuador have worsened in recent years. As a result ___
Which one of the following most logically completes the argument?
This is the most logical answer. USAID has the discretion to remove funding if Ecuador's human trafficking conditions worsen. Ecuador's human trafficking conditions did in fact worsen.
Therefore, it is logical that USAID would have discretion to remove funding from Ecuador.
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The political writer criticized the use of the term, "global warming," as he believes it can confuse the general public as to the reality of the climate change that the world is experiencing. The trends that we are seeing in climate change are not limited to increased temperatures in some areas, but also significantly decreased temperatures in others. The issue isn't the general "warming" of the globe, but its simultaneous warming and cooling. Based on these facts, the writer prefers the term "global weirding" to "global warming."
Which of the following most accurately describes the main point of the argument?
The correct answer is:
Terminology with inappropriate connotations can confuse the general public's understanding of important issues.
The writer believes that "global warming" is an inappropriate term because it makes people overlook the fact that global cooling is also a serious problem. The main point of the text is to communicate the problems that can arise when terminology with improper connotations is used in practice.
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Smoking cigarettes continues to be a common practice despite countless studies demonstrating that the habit causes deadly diseases. The government has attempted to reduce the number of smokers with advertising campaigns that explain the consequences of smoking, but the campaigns have been ineffective because the habit continues to be as prevalent as it was previous to the campaigns. The government should try one or more of the many alternatives to advertising. For instance, the government could raise the tax on cigarettes to the extent that smoking is prohibitively expensive.
Which of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?
The primary point of the passage is that the government should take a new approach to reducing the number of smokers. The passage mentions the prevalence of smoking, failure of advertising campaigns, and harms caused by smoking to support that conclusion. The passage mentions raising taxes merely as an example of one possible approach.
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Sociologist: The results of recent studies show that population growth has actually slowed in Asia and Africa in the last five years, while it has accelerated in parts of North America and Europe. But we should not put too much stock in this trend, for growth rates are cyclical, and are thus likely to equalize within another ten years.
Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the sociologist's argument?
The correct answer is the only answer choice that restates the sociologist’s main conclusion, which is that “we should not put too much stock in this trend” – that is, the trend exemplified in the results of recent studies.
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Whales are well known for periodically leaping out of the water to the delight of those who are near enough to see the display. In fact, the entire success of the whale-watching industry may depend on the fact that whales leap out of the water. Interestingly, we really don't know why they leap. Various plausible theories have been proposed, but none has been shown to be correct.
Which of the following best expresses the main point of the passage?
The author mentions the whale-watching industry to support the claim that it is widely known that whales leap out of the water. The main point of the passage, however, is to establish that we do not know why whales do so.
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Writer: There's often no way a good author can estimate how many pages he or she will write per day. I say this because some people think that once a writer reaches a certain level of proficiency, it's easy to crank out a consistent output. That is simply not true. The creative mind is a fickle thing. One day's inspiration is often followed by weeks of stagnation. A page-driven quota does not help matters. In fact, the quality of the overall work is likely to suffer as a result of such quotas.
Which of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the writer’s argument?
The main conclusion of the argument is a refutation of what "some people think" -- i.e. that it's easy for proficient writers to crank out a consistent output. The other answer choices either restate premises rather than the conclusion, are unsupported by the argument, or go beyond the argument's scope.
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Physical trainer: Exercise is one of the most important parts of one's day. Many people are aware that 30 minutes of exercise lowers the heart rate, burns calories, and strengthens muscles. Many people, however, do not know that 30 minutes of exercise can also provide the benefits of elevating a person's metabolism and increasing productivity at work or school.
Which of the following best expresses the trainer's main point?
The trainer's main point is not simply to express that exercise is important. The trainer's point is to communicate the particular benefits and to note that there are even more advantages than most people are aware of.
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It is a costly, needless error to require extensive training for all medical professionals. Some perform complex surgeries and some eye exams, but all are required to receive broad training. If training requirements were more appropriately adapted to particular jobs within the medical field, many medical professionals could more easily become certified to practice and would charge less for their services.
The author of the passage is most likely to agree with which of the following?
The passage expressly states that all medical professionals are required to receive broad training. The author does not express agreement with any of the other statements.
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