Master gmat 2010 part 10 pot

live without encumbrances. Emerson wanted to visualize Thoreau as the ideal scholar in action that he had called for in the “American Scholar.” In the end, however, Emerson regretted Thoreau’s too-private individualism, which failed to signal the vibrant revolution in national consciousness that Emerson had prophesied. For Emerson, what Thoreau lacked, Walt Whitman embodied in full. On reading Leaves of Grass (1855), Emerson saw in Whitman the “prophet of democracy” whom he had sought. Other American Renaissance writers were less optimis- tic than Emerson and Whitman about the fulfillment of the democratic ideal. In The Scarlet Letter (1850), Nathaniel Hawthorne concluded that antinomian- ism such as the “heroics” displayed by Hester Prynne leads to moral anarchy; and Herman Melville, who saw in his story of Pierre (1852) a metaphor for the misguided assumptions of demo- cratic idealism, declared the transcen- dentalist dream unrealizable. Ironi- cally, the literary vigor with which both Hawthorne and Melville explored the ideal showed their deep sympathy with it even as they dramatized its delusions. 15. The author of the passage seeks primarily to (A) explore the impact of the Ameri- can Renaissance writers on the lit- erature of the late 18th Century. (B) illustrate how American litera- ture of the mid-18th century dif- fered in form from European lit- erature of the same time period. (C) identify two schools of thought among American Renaissance writers regarding the demo- cratic ideal. (D) point out how Emerson’s democratic idealism was mirrored by the works of the American Renaissance writers. (E) explain why the writers of the American Renaissance believed that an ideal world was forming in America. 16. Based on the passage’s information, it can be inferred that Emerson might be characterized as any of the following EXCEPT (A) a transcendentalist. (B) an American Renaissance writer. (C) a public speaker. (D) a would-be prophet. (E) a political pragmatist. 17. With which of the following state- ments about Melville and Hawthorne would the author most likely agree? (A) Both men were disillusioned transcendentalists. (B) Hawthorne sympathized with the transcendental dream more so than Melville. (C) They agreed as to what the transcendentalist dream would ultimately lead to. (D) Both men believed the idealists to be misguided. (E) Hawthorne politicized the transcendental ideal, whereas Melville personalized it. 18. Last year, two drownings occurred at Lake Serene, so this year the lake’s owner added one more lifeguard to the lakefront staff. No drownings have occurred at the lake this year. However, the new lifeguard has been home with the flu for nearly half the summer, so it appears that the new lifeguard was not needed after all. Which of the following, if true, would be most damaging to the argument above? (A) This year, the lake’s owner posted a warning about swim- ming without a lifeguard present. (B) Drowning is not the lake owner’s only safety concern. (C) The lake has been equally crowded with swimmers this year as last year. (D) Lake activities are safer in the presence of lifeguards. (E) The new lifeguard has never saved a person from drowning. diagnostic test Chapter 3: Practice Test 1: Diagnostic 73 15 20 25 30 35 40 www.petersons.com 19. Analyst Q predicts that the share price of MetaCorp stock will remain at its current level or higher as long as most stock analysts continue to recommend that investors buy the company’s stock, and that stock analysts will continue to recommend MetaCorp stock to investors as long as the company continues to show a profit. Analyst T predicts that the share price of MetaCorp stock will at least remain at its current level, even if economic conditions worsen for MetaCorp’s industry as a whole, as long as MetaCorp continues to show a profit. If the predictions of Analyst Q and Analyst T are all accurate, which of the following is logically inferable from them? (A) Stock analysts would be more likely to recommend MetaCorp stock to investors if economic conditions for MetaCorp’s industry are good than if they are poor. (B) If MetaCorp stops showing a profit, stock analysts will be less inclined to recommend the company’s stock to investors. (C) If stock analysts stop recom- mending MetaCorp stock to investors, then the price of MetaCorp stock is less likely to at least remain at its current level than if stock analysts continue to recommend it. (D) If economic conditions worsen for MetaCorp’s industry as a whole, stock analysts will be less inclined to recommend MetaCorp stock. (E) If MetaCorp continues to show a profit, then the price of MetaCorp stock will either remain at its current level or increase. 20. A national performing arts associa- tion conducted a survey that appears to confirm the public’s interest in high culture. More than 90 percent of those surveyed said that they were either “somewhat interested” or “very interested” in attending performances of opera, ballet, or classical music. Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument above? (A) Not all performances of opera, ballet, and classical music should be considered “high culture.” (B) Not all those who are interested in attending performances of opera, ballet, or classical music are willing to support an arts association. (C) Most of those surveyed reported being “somewhat interested” rather than “very interested.” (D) Other statistics show that more people attend sporting events than performances of opera, ballet, or classical music. (E) The association conducting the survey receives most of its funding from sources other than the general public. 74 PART II: Diagnosing Strengths and Weaknesses www.petersons.com 21. The high level of violence in televi- sion programming today has often been cited as an explanation for the increasing level of violence in our society. And, in fact, some recent studies show that the level of violence in television programming has increased considerably over the past twenty years. However, other recent studies indicate that the level, while high, is only slightly greater than it was twenty years ago. Which of the following, if true, would provide the best explanation for the discrepancy among the recent studies cited in the argument above? (A) Numerous studies of television violence have been conducted since the advent of television, and their results have not always been in agreement. (B) All of those involved in conduct- ing the cited studies shared the same perception of what constitutes “violence” in televi- sion programming. (C) Television programming designed specifically for chil- dren accounts for a greater portion of television program- ming today than it did twenty years ago. (D) Many factors other than violence in television programming have a significant impact on the level of violence in society. (E) Over the last twenty years, the level of violence in television programming has increased more than in society as a whole. 22. All modern computer languages derive from a more basic “assembly” language that originated many decades ago. (A) All modern computer languages derive from (B) Derived from all modern computer languages is (C) Resulting in all modern com- puter languages was (D) Modern computer languages, which all resulted from (E) All modern computer languages are derived from 23. Despite his admiration of the great jazz musicians that preceded him, Blakey opposed them trivializing the popular genre. (A) them trivializing the popular genre (B) their trivializing of the popular genre (C) them when trivializing the popular genre (D) the popular genre being trivial- ized by them (E) their trivializing the popular genre 24. Inventors have yet to learn that something that does two things does one of them better. (A) Inventors have yet to learn (B) Having not yet learned, inven- tors need to learn (C) Inventors have not as of yet learned (D) Inventors as yet have to learn (E) Not having yet learned, inven- tors have to learn diagnostic test Chapter 3: Practice Test 1: Diagnostic 75 www.petersons.com 25. In general, obesity is caused not by the ingestion of foods that are high in fat content but rather by eating foods that contain too much sugar. For proof, consider that over the past ten years, even as sales of low-fat meals, snacks, and desserts have increased sharply throughout the world’s developed countries, the incidence of obesity in those coun- tries, as a percentage of overall population, has reached a new high. Which of the following, if true, would most support the claim made in the argument above? (A) Ninety percent of the low-fat foods sold in developed coun- tries are purchased by just 10 percent of the population. (B) Sales of foods with a high sugar content have increased signifi- cantly over the past ten years. (C) Government-approved stan- dards of obesity have changed several times during the past ten years. (D) Some foods labeled “low-fat” actually contain relatively high levels of fat. (E) Most physicians consider regular exercise to be an important component of any effective program to prevent or reverse obesity. 26. The increasing scarcity of available rental housing, particularly apart- ments with two or more bedrooms, is attributable to two recent trends: the increasing number of new office buildings as compared to new apartment buildings and the increas- ing number of apartments being sold as condominiums rather than rented. The passage above best supports which of the following conclusions? (A) The rate at which new apart- ment buildings are being built is decreasing. (B) The current demand for reason- ably priced rental housing is greater than the current supply. (C) Most apartments being sold as condominiums have at least two bedrooms. (D) More new office buildings than rental apartment buildings are currently being built. (E) The current demand for offices is greater than the current demand for rental apartments. 27. Scientist and artist Leonardo Da Vinci was, and always will be considered by many, as a singular figure among those whose scientific, artistic, and other cultural contribu- tions defined the Renaissance period of European history. (A) was, and always will be consid- ered by many, as (B) was and always will be consid- ered by many as being (C) was, and always will be by many, considered (D) was, and always will be consid- ered by many as, (E) was considered by many and always will be by many 76 PART II: Diagnosing Strengths and Weaknesses www.petersons.com QUESTIONS 28–30 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE: Line During the process of embryonic development, cells become progres- sively restricted in their developmental potential and finally acquire the biochemical and morphological special- ization necessary for their respective functions in an adult. Since enzymatic and structural proteins are required for the appearance and maintenance of this specialization, the differentiated state results from the synthesis and activity of cell-specific proteins during development. Since all cells of an organism contain the same genotype as the fertilized egg, cellular differentiation is the result of variable gene activity rather than selective gene loss. Thus, cellular specialization and cell-specific protein synthesis result from the expression of appropriately selected groups of genes in each cell type. As development proceeds, the progressive differentiation of cells is correlated with changes in the population of protein species within the embryo, which in turn reflect the accurate programming of the time and sequence of the biosynthesis of different proteins by the genome. In the absence of opportunities for genetic analysis, determining the mechanisms involved in the regulation of protein synthesis is key to understanding genome control during development. The majority of studies on gene activity in embryogenesis have been done on the sea urchin system, where large numbers of embryos undergoing relatively synchronous development can be easily obtained. Also, sea urchins’ permeability to radioactive isotopes and to inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis provides a distinct advantage for study over amphibian material. Especially well documented are the maternal programming of early development and the genomic control of later differentiation in the urchin. Maternal products, stored in the egg cytoplasm from oogenesis, can support development from fertilization through the hatching blastula stage; however, development from the mesenchyme blastula stage is dependent upon gene products synthesized under the direction of the embryonic genome. 28. With which of the following state- ments would the author of the passage most likely disagree? (A) Morphological specialization requires the synthesis of cell-specific proteins. (B) Embryonic development involves differentiation in cell genotype. (C) The population of protein species with the embryo is dependent upon the timing of protein biosynthesis. (D) Enzymatic proteins are required for an organism’s full develop- ment. (E) Selective gene loss is not a factor in cellular differentiation during embryonic development. 29. Which of the following statements about embryonic development in sea urchins is best supported by the passage? (A) Genomic control over early embryonic development is especially well documented. (B) Permeability to RNA inhibitors is comparable to that in am- phibian embryos. (C) Development during the hatching blastula stage requires gene products synthesized under the direction of the embryonic genome. (D) Maternal products can support embryonic development following the mesenchyme blastula stage. (E) Genomic control of later cell differentiation has been studied extensively. diagnostic test Chapter 3: Practice Test 1: Diagnostic 77 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 www.petersons.com 30. The last paragraph of the passage (lines 36–57) (A) illustrates a biological process by way of an example. (B) describes a methodology for studying a biological phenom- enon. (C) compares two stages of biologi- cal development. (D) defines and explains an impor- tant term mentioned earlier. (E) provides an example which disproves a scientific theory. 31. Equipment used by private biotech- nology-research firms becomes obsolete more quickly than any other business equipment, simply because biotechnology advances so rapidly. A proposed tax law would provide significant tax incentives for busi- nesses in every industry to replace their old equipment with new equipment. Obviously, political lobbyists for the biotechnology industry were the instigators of this tax proposal. Which of the following most supports the claim that biotechnology industry lobbyists are responsible for the tax proposal? (A) Equipment used in the biotech- nology industry loses its value more quickly than equipment used in any other industry. (B) Biotechnology firms expect biotechnology advances to outpace those in other indus- tries for the foreseeable future. (C) The legislator introducing the proposed law used to work in the biotechnology industry. (D) Other industries have not lobbied for the proposed law. (E) Unless a biotechnology firm replaces its obsolete equipment, it will be driven out of business by competing firms. 32. Due to sharply escalating tuition at four-year colleges, debt on student loans has increased to the point that many new graduates are forced either to pursue graduate-level degrees, thereby postponing repay- ment of their student loans, or to pursue only the highest-paying jobs. An unfortunate result of this trend is that fewer and fewer new graduates are entering important, but lower- paying, professions that require only a four-year degree. Which of the following strategies would be most effective in reversing the decline in the number of college graduates entering lower-paying professions that require only a four-year degree? (A) Encourage college students to enroll in classes year-round in order to graduate early. (B) Expand opportunities for graduate-level students to obtain paying jobs while still in school. (C) Expand course offerings that prepare college students for these lower-paying professions. (D) Establish higher admission standards for graduate-level programs. (E) Increase the number of aca- demic units required to obtain a four-year college degree. 33. International environmental regula- tions do not protect hybrid species, but they are protected by way of domestic laws. (A) but they are protected by way of domestic laws (B) although domestic laws do (C) and so domestic laws only protect hybrid species (D) yet the laws of domestic protection will so protect (E) which require legal protection domestically 78 PART II: Diagnosing Strengths and Weaknesses www.petersons.com 34. Even for high school freshmen and sophomores, theories concerning the psychology of death and dying among the elderly can hold considerable significance and interest for many students. (A) Even for high school freshmen and sophomores, theories concerning the psychology of death and dying among the elderly can hold considerable significance and interest for many students. (B) Even for high school freshmen and sophomores with consider- able interest in theories con- cerning the psychology of death and dying among the elderly, these theories can hold consid- erable significance. (C) Theories concerning the psy- chology of death and dying among the elderly, for many students, even high school freshmen and sophomores, can hold considerable significance and interest. (D) Theories concerning the psy- chology of death and dying among the elderly can hold considerable significance and interest even for high school freshmen and sophomores. (E) Considerable significance and interest for even high school freshmen and sophomores is held in theories concerning the psychology of death and dying among the elderly. 35. In order for a new third-world democratic country to achieve and maintain political stability, its government must afford its citizens the power to elect and remove the country’s leaders. After all, Country X is among the most stable countries in the world, and its government affords its citizens this power. The argument above is flawed in that it ignores the possibility that (A) many third-world countries already grant their citizens the power to elect and remove their leaders. (B) a large percentage of third- world countries have already achieved, and are maintaining, political stability. (C) Country X’s leaders are more popular among Country X’s citizens than are the leaders of most third-world countries among their citizens. (D) specific procedures for electing a country’s leaders vary signifi- cantly from one country to another. (E) Country X was already politi- cally stable when its citizens were first afforded the power to elect and remove their leaders. QUESTIONS 36–39 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE: Line The origin of the attempt to distin- guish early from modern music and to establish the canons of performance practice for each lies in the eighteenth century. In the first half of that century, when Telemann and Bach ran the collegium musicum in Leipzig, Germany, they performed their own and other modern music. In the German universities of the early twentieth century, however, the reconstituted collegium musicum devoted itself to performing music from the centuries before the beginning of the “standard repertory,” by which was diagnostic test Chapter 3: Practice Test 1: Diagnostic 79 5 10 15 www.petersons.com understood music from before the time of Bach and Handel. Alongside this modern collegium musicum, German musicologists developed the historical subdiscipline known as “performance practice,” which included the deciphering of obsolete musical notation and its transcription into modern notation, the study of obsolete instruments, and— most importantly because all musical notation is incomplete—the re-estab- lishment of lost oral traditions associ- ated with those forgotten repertories. The cutoff date for this study was understood to be around 1750, the year of Bach’s death. The reason for this demarcation was that the music of Bach, Handel, Telemann, and their contemporaries did call for obsolete instruments and voices and unanno- tated performing traditions. Further- more, with a few exceptions, late baroque music had ceased to be performed for nearly a century, with the result that orally transmitted performing traditions associated with it were forgotten. In contrast, the notation in the music of Haydn and Mozart from the second half of the eighteenth century was more complete than in the earlier styles, and the instruments seemed familiar, so no “special” knowledge appeared neces- sary. Also, the music of Haydn and Mozart, having never ceased to be performed, had maintained some kind of oral tradition of perfor- mance practice. 36. It can be inferred that the “standard repertory” mentioned in line 15 might have included music (A) that called for the use of obsolete instruments. (B) of the early twentieth century. (C) written by the performance- practice composers. (D) written before the time of Handel. (E) composed before 1700. 37. According to the passage, perfor- mance practice in the early twentieth century involved all of the following EXCEPT (A) deciphering outdated music notation. (B) studying instruments no longer in common use. (C) reestablishing unannotated performing traditions. (D) determining which musical instrument to use. (E) transcribing older music into modern notation. 38. According to the passage, German musicologists of the early twentieth century limited performance practice to pre-1750 works because (A) special knowledge was generally not required to decipher pre-1750 music. (B) unannotated performing traditions had been maintained for later works. (C) generally speaking, only music written before 1750 had ceased to be performed. (D) the annotation for earlier works was generally less complete than for the works of Bach and Handel. (E) music written prior to 1750 was considered obsolete. 39. The author refers to performance practice as a “subdiscipline” (line 20) probably because it (A) was not sanctioned by the mainstream. (B) required more discipline than performing the standard repertory. (C) focused on particular aspects of the music being performed at the German universities. (D) involved deciphering obsolete musical notation. (E) involved performing the works that were being transcribed at the universities. 80 PART II: Diagnosing Strengths and Weaknesses 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 www.petersons.com 40. Veterinarians have developed a new cat food that contains medication to prevent hair balls from accumulating in a cat’s stomach and digestive tract. Hair balls are generally not harmful to cats, but they do cause discomfort. Although the medicated food is effective, many cats develop an allergic reaction to it that, left untreated, can result in a harmful infection. Accordingly, those con- cerned about the health of their cats should not feed this food to them. The answer to which of the following questions would be most useful to cat owners considering whether to feed the medicated food to their cats? (A) How much of the medicated food must a cat eat in order to develop an allergic reaction? (B) How noticeable to humans are the allergic reactions associated with ingesting the medicated food? (C) Are there effective methods of preventing hairballs other than feeding a cat the medicated food? (D) Do cats typically develop similar allergic reactions to other types of food as well? (E) What percentage of all cat owners feed the medicated food to their pet cats? 41. On this issue, this state’s elected officials ignored the wishes of their electorate, which cannot reasonably be disputed in light of the legislative record. (A) On this issue, this state’s elected officials ignored the wishes of their electorate, which (B) This state’s elected officials, ignoring on this issue the wishes of their electorate, (C) That this state’s elected officials ignored the wishes of their electorate (D) On this issue, the wishes of the electorate were ignored by this state’s elected officials, and (E) That the wishes of the elector- ate on this issue were ignored by this state’s elected officials diagnostic test Chapter 3: Practice Test 1: Diagnostic 81 www.petersons.com ANSWER KEY AND EXPLANATIONS See Appendix B for score conversion tables to determine your score. Be sure to keep a tally of correct and incorrect answers for each test section. Analysis of an Issue—Evaluation and Scoring Evaluate your Issue-Analysis essay on a scale of 1 to 6 (6 being the highest score) according to the following five criteria: Does your essay develop a position on the issue through the use of incisive reasons and persuasive examples? Are your essay’s ideas conveyed clearly and articulately? Does your essay maintain proper focus on the issue, and is it well organized? Does your essay demonstrate proficiency, fluency, and maturity in its use of sen- tence structure, vocabulary, and idiom? Does your essay demonstrate command of the elements of Standard Written En- glish, including grammar, word usage, spelling, and punctuation? 82 PART II: Diagnosing Strengths and Weaknesses www.petersons.com . available rental housing, particularly apart- ments with two or more bedrooms, is attributable to two recent trends: the increasing number of new office buildings as compared to new apartment buildings. increas- ing number of apartments being sold as condominiums rather than rented. The passage above best supports which of the following conclusions? (A) The rate at which new apart- ment buildings. is greater than the current supply. (C) Most apartments being sold as condominiums have at least two bedrooms. (D) More new office buildings than rental apartment buildings are currently being built. (E)