1.The industrialized nations should not feed the people of developing countries because it will simply enable them to continue overpopulating. Then we will have to provide even more assistance and, eventually, more will suffer because we won't be able to feed them at all.

Which one of the following statements, if true, would seriously weaken the author's argument?

a.Recent developments in synthetic agriculture provide convincing evidence that food production can increase indefinitely at a rate higher than that of world population growth.

b.A population study just released indicates that the population of one small developing country in West Africa has decreased by ten percent in the last decade.

c.A Red Cross spokesman announced last month that unless industrialized nations immediately increase their aid to developing countries, record numbers of children and the elderly will die of starvation.

d.At a recent conference of leaders of industrialized nations, it was concluded that it is immoral to do nothing to prevent starvation.

e.Religious leaders in developing countries have recently issued a ban on population control measures proposed by industrialized nations.

1.The following ideas are the thesis and main supporting points of an education essay:

Thesis: Whales are similar in many respects to human beings.

Points:

I.They are warm-blooded and breathe air.

II.They have close-knit families.

III.They form extended communities.

Which one of the following additional points, if true, could provide logical support for the thesis above?

a.They fed mainly upon plankton.

b.They are endangered by men who hunt them for their oil.

c.They use a form of language to communicate with each other.

d.Their flesh is prized a s a delicacy in many parts of the world.

e.They can safely remain submerged for hours at a time without mechanical aid.

2.Only the glassware made at the Halter Industries factory has been found defective because of weaknesses in its molecular composition. Of course, the other factories in our town are not built over a dump for toxic waste. Therefore, we would be correct to suggest that toxic waste alters the molecular composition of glass.

Which one of the following, if true, would tend to weaken the conclusion above?

a.Manufacturing processes for glassware are standard at all of the town's factories.

b.China factories built over toxic waste sites have not been found to produce defective china.

c.There is no evidence that toxic waste has affected other factories in the town.

d.Glassware found defective at other factories in town has not been subjected to molecular tests.

e.Glassware factories in other towns have been built over toxic waste sites.

3.A person who does not exercise will not be healthy, and a person who is not healthy will not lead a productive life. It follows logically that everyone who doesn't exercise won't lead a productive life.

Which one of the following statements, if true, would weaken the argument above?

a.There are people who do not lead productive lives, although they're healthy.

b.There are people who are unhealthy, although they exercise.

c.There are people who exercise so much that their health becomes impaired and they cannot lead productive lives.

d.There are people who do not lead productive lives, although they exercise.

e.There are people who lead productive lives, although they don't exercise.

4.Regional differences in the location of some songbirds' nests have long been noted. The prevailing view used to be that songbirds instinctively prefer to build their nests against the trunk. They will do so, the theory went, unless the area contains certain large predators. In that case, they will build far out on the branches, where the heavy predators cannot go. However, it is now felt that the strength of the wind in different regions is the major factor. Birds will nest in safety far out on the branches unless high wind speeds force them to build against the trunk. The older theory would be likely to regain acceptance upon the discovery that:

a.In regions with low wind speeds and no large predators, the songbirds nest far out on the branches.

b.In regions with high wind speeds and large predators, the songbirds nest against the trunk.

c.In regions with high wind speeds large predators, the songbirds nest far out on the branches.

d.In regions with high wind speeds and no large predators, the songbirds nest against the trunk.

e.In regions with high wind speeds and no large predators, the songbirds nest far out on the branches.

5.The shoddiness of popular journalistic writing today represents a relatively new phenomenon. In marked contrast, newspapers surviving from the turn of the century, before the study of Latin ceased to be a common element in a liberal education, reveal consistently high standards of grammar and diction. Here is proof that proper English prose requires a solid background in Latin.

Which one of the following, if true, tends to weaken the conclusion above?

a.Many journalists active at the turn of the century had studied Latin.

b.The study of Latin was considered a superfluous extravagance by many people at the turn of the century.

c.The only surviving newspapers from the turn of the century are special interest publications directed at an educated audience.

d.English grammar and diction derive primarily from Latin constructions.

e.Proper use of grammar and diction is not very important to modern newspaper readers.

6."We invited students in a college dormitory to sample new Way-Q-Up Soda. Over 90 percent found this perky new drink delicious. If you need more energy for work (or for fun), we have what you need to Way-Q-Up."

Which one of the following statements is the most serious criticism of the above advertisement?

a.College students are not necessarily representative of the general population.

b.Other sodas are just as perky and delicious as Way-Q-Up.

c.The fact that college students found Way-Q-Up delicious does not mean that it perked them up.

d.The fact that students enjoyed Way-Q-Up in the test situation does not ensure that people would enjoy it under different circumstances.

e.Most people do not drink soda in order to perk themselves up.

7.Jimmy: "Billy Walton threw the shotput 60 feet yesterday. That broke Nate Thompson's record by two shole feet. No one will ever do better than that." Ralph: "That is what they said twenty years ago about Frank Manilow's record, before Nate Thompson outdid him by three feet."

Which one of the following best describes the flaw that Ralph finds in Jimmy's reasoning?

a.Jimmy emphasizes the distance by which Walton broke Thompson's earlier record, but it is in fact less than the distance by which Thompson broke Manilow's record.

b.Jimmy fails to account for the length of time it took to break Thompson's record.

c.Jimmy does not say whether there is any inherent limit on the distance a human being can throw a shotput.

d.Jimmy does not mention whether Walton had any competition at the time he made his record-breaking throw.

e.Jimmy says that no one can break Walton's new record, but ignores the fact that Walton's throw broke an earlier, supposedly unbeatable record.

1.Diaz: The most effective and precise method of determining the amount of illegal drug use taking place in the United States is an anonymous workplace survey. With this type of survey we are able to reach our target group of people aged 16-65, and, because those surveyed do not provide names or personal information, confidentiality is assured. We can then create accurate picture of the number and distribution of illegal drug users in the United States.

Which one of the following provides the most serious criticism of the argument above?

a.The plan overlooks the fact that a significant number of drug users may be unemployed.

b.The plan's anonymity prevents employers from identifying employees who may need help with drug-related problems.

c.The plan does provide a reliable means of identifying drug use outside the 16-65 group.

d.The plan does not distinguish between the use of prescribed drugs and the use of illegal drugs.

e.The plan overlooks the fact that some people surveyed may lie for fear of being identified as drug users.

2.People who play chess as a hobby should not be discouraged by the recent record-breaking season of Anatoly Krupnik, the great Russian master. By far the most important factor in determining the quality of one's game is the amount of time one puts into practicing the basics. Even Anatoly Krupnik was once an uninitiated beginner. Which one of the following best expresses the author's main point?

a.Even chess masters begin by playing the game as a hobby.

b.Although time and effort spent mastering the fundamentals is of some importance, it will not train one to play as well as Anatoly Krupnik.

c.If one puts in enough time practicing the basics of chess, one will eventually play the game as well as Anatoly Krupnik.

d.Regardless of how much time and effort one has put into practicing the game of chess, luck is the most important factor in determining one's eventual success.

e.Practicing the basics of chess is the best way to become a quality chess is the best way to become a quality chess player.