3. The space program’s missions to Mars have confirmed that the soil composition on that planet is similar to that on our planet. (A) to that on our planet (B) to our planet (C) with the soil on our planet (D) to this composition on our planet (E) to our planet’s soil’s composition 4. According to life-insurance company statistics, nine out of ten alcoholics die before the age of seventy-five, as opposed to seven out of ten non- alcoholics. A recent report issued by the State Medical Board recounts these statistics and concludes that alcohol addiction increases a person’s susceptibility to life-threatening diseases, thereby reducing life expectancy. The conclusion drawn by the State Medical Board depends on which of the following assumptions? (A) People who are predisposed to life-threatening diseases are more likely than other people to become alcoholic. (B) The statistics cited exclude deaths due to other alcohol- related events such as automo- bile accidents. (C) Alcoholism does not also increase a person’s susceptibil- ity to diseases that are not life-threatening. (D) The life expectancy of that portion of the general popula- tion not characterized by alcoholism increases over time. (E) The author of the report is not biased in his or her personal opinion about the morality of alcohol consumption. 5. For the purpose of stimulating innovation at TechCorp, one of the company’s long-standing goals has been to obtain at least 50 percent of its annual revenues from sales of products that are no more than three years old. Last year, TechCorp achieved this goal, despite the fact that the company introduced no new products during the year. Which of the following, if true, best explains the results described above? (A) None of the company’s competi- tors introduced any new products during the last year. (B) Scientists at the company report that they are close to breakthroughs that should result in several new products during the coming year. (C) Sales of some of the company’s older products were discontin- ued during that last year. (D) The company has introduced very few new products during the last three years. (E) Company spending on research and development has increased sharply over the past five years. QUESTIONS 6–8 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE: Line The Pan-American land bridge, or isthmus, connecting North and South America was formed volcanically long after dinosaurs became extinct. The isthmus cleaved populations of marine organisms, creating sister species. These twin species, called “geminates,” then evolved independently. Scientists observe, for example, that Pacific pistol shrimp no longer mate with those from the Atlantic Ocean. Yet the two oceans had already begun to form their distinctive personalities long before the isthmus was fully formed. As the seabed rose, Pacific waters grew cooler, their upswelling currents carrying rich nutrients, while the Atlantic side grew shallower, warmer, and nutrient poor. In fact, it was these new conditions, practice test Practice Test 2 433 5 10 15 www.petersons.com and not so much the fully formed isthmus, that spawned changes in the shrimp population. For terrestrial life, the impact of the isthmus was more immediate. Animals traversed the newly formed bridge in both directions, although North American creatures proved better colonizers—more than half of South America’s mammals trace direct lineage to this so-called Great Ameri- can Biotic Exchange. Only three animals—the armadillo, opossum, and hedgehog—survive as transplants in the north today. 6. Which of the following statements finds the LEAST support in the passage? (A) Population divergences result- ing from the formation of the Pan-American isthmus were more a process than an event. (B) The divergence in ocean temperature during the forma- tion of the Pan-American isthmus resulted in a diver- gence in the ocean’s nutrient value. (C) Genetic differences among pistol shrimp have grown to the point that there are now at least two distinct species of these shrimp. (D) The part of ocean that is now the Pacific grew deeper due to the geologic forces that created the Pan-American isthmus. (E) Not until the Pan-American isthmus was fully formed did geminate marine organisms begin to develop in that area of the ocean. 7. The author mentions the mating habits of pistol shrimp in order to show that (A) some species of marine organ- isms inhabiting the Pacific Ocean are now entirely distinct from those in the Atlantic Ocean. (B) twin species of marine organ- isms can each survive even though one species can no longer mate with the other. (C) since the formation of the Pan-American isthmus, some marine geminates no longer mate with their sister species. (D) geminate species that do not mate with one another are considered separate species. (E) the evolutionary impact of the Pan-American isthmus was greater for marine organisms than for land animals. 8. Which of the following statements is most readily inferable from the information in the passage? (A) Species of marine organisms in the Atlantic Ocean number fewer today than before the formation of the Pan-American isthmus. (B) The number of terrestrial animal species in South America today exceeds the number prior to the formation of the Pan-American isthmus. (C) Of the indigenous North American species that migrated south across the Pan-American isthmus, more than three survive to this day. (D) Since the formation of the Pan-American isthmus, fewer terrestrial animals have traveled north across the isthmus than south. (E) As the Pan-American isthmus began to form, most pistol shrimp migrated west to what is now the Pacific Ocean. 434 PART VI: Five Practice Tests 20 25 30 www.petersons.com 9. That which is self-evident cannot be disputed, and that in itself is self- evident. (A) That which is self-evident cannot be disputed, and that in (B) That that is self-evident cannot be disputed, of which (C) It is self-evident that which cannot be disputed, and this fact (D) The self-evident cannot be disputed, and this fact (E) That which is self-evident cannot be disputed, a fact which 10. People who discontinue regular exercise typically claim that exercis- ing amounted to wasted time for them. But this claim is born of laziness, in light of the overwhelming evidence that regular exercise improves one’s health. Which of the following statements, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument above? (A) Exercise has been shown to not only improve one’s health, but also to increase longevity, or life span. (B) People who have discontinued regular exercise now make productive use of the time they formerly devoted to exercise. (C) People who are in good health are more likely to exercise regularly than people who are in poor health. (D) A person need not exercise every day to experience im- proved health from the exercise. (E) People who are in poor health are less likely to exercise than other people. 11. Very few software engineers have left MicroFirm Corporation to seek employment elsewhere. Thus, unless CompTech Corporation increases the salaries of its software engineers to the same level as those of Micro- Firm’s, these CompTech employees are likely to leave CompTech for another employer. The flawed reasoning in the argu- ment above is most similar to the reasoning in which of the following arguments? (A) Robert does not gamble, and he has never been penniless. Therefore, if Gina refrains from gambling she will also avoid being penniless. (B) If Dan throws a baseball directly at the window, the window pane will surely break. The window pane is not broken, so Dan has not thrown a baseball directly at it. (C) If a piano sits in a humid room the piano will need tuning within a week. This piano needs tuning; therefore, it must have sat in a humid room for at least a week. (D) Diligent practice results in perfection. Thus, one must practice diligently in order to achieve perfection. (E) More expensive cars are stolen than inexpensive cars. Accord- ingly, owners of expensive cars should carry auto theft insur- ance, whereas owners of inexpensive cars should not. 12. The technique of “ping-ponging,” which permits overdubbing of audio sound tracks, has not been used as much from the time of the advent of computer-based recording. (A) as much from the time of (B) as much since (C) as much as (D) much as after (E) much because of practice test Practice Test 2 435 www.petersons.com 13. The volatility of a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds, less than eighty percent of the overall stock market. (A) The volatility of a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds, less than eighty percent of the overall stock market. (B) A balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds is less than eighty percent as volatile as the overall stock market. (C) A balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds is less than eighty percent as volatile as that of the overall stock market. (D) Volatility is less than eighty percent for a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds compared to the overall stock market. (E) The volatility of a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds is less than eighty percent of the overall stock market. 14. In 19th-century Europe, a renewed interest in Middle Eastern architec- ture was kindled not only by in- creased trade but also by increased tourism and improved diplomatic relations. (A) not only by increased trade but also by (B) by not only increased trade but also by (C) not only by increased trade but also (D) not only by increased trade but (E) by increased trade and also by QUESTIONS 15–17 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE: Line Historians sometimes forget that no matter how well they might come to know a particular historical figure, they are not free to claim a godlike knowledge of the figure or of the events surrounding the figure’s life. Richard III, one of England’s monarchs, is an apt case because we all think we “know” what he was like. In his play Richard III, Shakespeare provided a portrait of a monster of a man, twisted in both body and soul. Shakespeare’s great artistry and vivid depiction of Richard has made us accept this creature for the man. We are prepared, therefore, to interpret all the events around him in such a way as to justify our opinion of him. We accept that Richard executed his brother Clarence, even though the records of the time show that Richard pleaded for his brother’s life. We assume that Richard supervised the death of King Henry VI, overlooking that there is no proof that Henry was actually murdered. And we recoil at Richard’s murdering his two nephews, children of his brother’s wife Elizabeth; yet we forget that Elizabeth had spent her time on the throne plotting to replace her husband’s family in power with her own family. Once we appreci- ate the historical context, especially the actions of Richard’s opponents, we no longer see his actions as monstrous. Richard becomes, if not lovable, at least understandable. What’s more, when we account for the tone of the times during which Richard lived, as illuminated in literary works of that era such as Machiavelli’s The Prince, Richard’s actions seem to us all the more reasonable. 15. With which of the following state- ments would the author of the passage most likely agree? (A) In Richard III, Shakespeare portrays the king as more noble than he actually was. (B) The deeds of Elizabeth were even more evil than those of Richard III. (C) Richard III may have been innocent of some of the crimes that Shakespeare leads us to believe he committed. (D) Richard III may have had a justifiable reason for killing Henry VI. (E) Shakespeare was unaware of many of the historical facts about the life of Richard III. 436 PART VI: Five Practice Tests 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 www.petersons.com 16. The author of the passage refers to Shakespeare’s “great artistry and vivid depiction of Richard” (lines 12–14) most probably in order to (A) make the point that studying Richard III is the best way to understand Richard as a historical figure. (B) explain why Richard III is widely acclaimed as one of Shakespeare’s greatest works. (C) contrast Shakespeare’s depic- tion of Richard with how Richard might have described himself. (D) illustrate how historians might become prejudiced in their view of historical figures. (E) point out that historians should never rely on fictional works to understand and interpret historical events. 17. It can be inferred from the passage information that Machiavelli’s The Prince helps show (A) that, in his play Richard III, Shakespeare’s depiction of the king was historically accurate. (B) that Richard’s actions were an accurate reflection of the times in which he lived. (C) that different authors often depict the same historical figures in very different ways. (D) that Machiavelli was more astute than Shakespeare as an observer of human nature. (E) that Richard’s actions as a king are not surprising in light of his earlier actions as a prince. 18. PharmaCorp, which manufactures the drug Aidistan, claims that Aidistan is more effective than the drug Betatol in treating Puma Syndrome. To support its claim, PharmaCorp cites the fact that one of every two victims of Puma Syndrome is treated successfully with Aidistan alone, as opposed to one out of every three treated with Betatol alone. However, PharmaCorp’s claim cannot be taken seriously in light of the fact that the presence of Gregg’s Syn- drome has been known to render Puma Syndrome more resistant to any treatment. Which of the following, if true, would most support the allegation that PharmaCorp’s claim cannot be taken seriously? (A) Among people who suffer from both Puma Syndrome and Gregg’s Syndrome, fewer are treated with Aidistan than with Betatol. (B) Among people who suffer from both Puma Syndrome and Gregg’s Syndrome, fewer are treated with Betatol than with Aidistan. (C) Gregg’s Syndrome reduces Aidistan’s effectiveness in treating Puma Syndrome more than Betatol’s effectiveness in treating the same syndrome. (D) Betatol is less effective than Aidistan in treating Gregg’s Syndrome. (E) Neither Aidistan nor Betatol is effective in treating Gregg’s Syndrome. practice test Practice Test 2 437 www.petersons.com 19. City official: In order to revitalize our city’s downtown business district, we should increase the number of police officers that patrol the district during business hours. Three years ago, the city reduced the total size of its police force by nearly 20 percent. Since then, retail businesses in the district have experienced a steady decline in revenue. Any of the following, if true, would be an effective criticism of the city official’s recommendation EXCEPT: (A) Two years ago, the city estab- lished more rigorous standards for the retention and hiring of its police officers. (B) New businesses offering products or services similar to those in the district have emerged outside the district recently. (C) The number of people who reside in the district has not changed significantly over the last three years. (D) Businesses operating in the city but outside the district have experienced declining revenues during the last three years. (E) Some of the city’s police officers patrol areas outside as well as inside the district. 20. Which of the following provides the most logical completion of the passage below? More and more consumers are being attracted to sport utility vehicles because they are safer to drive than regular cars and because of the feeling of power a person experiences when driving a sport utility vehicle. In its current advertising campaign, Jupiter Auto Company emphasizes the low price of its new sport utility vehicle compared to the price of other such vehicles. However, this market- ing strategy is unwise because __________. (A) Jupiter’s sport utility vehicle is not as safe as those produced by competing automobile manufac- turers. (B) if Jupiter reduces the price of its sport utility vehicle even further, Jupiter would sell even more of these vehicles. (C) the retail price of Jupiter’s most expensive luxury car is less than that of its new sport utility vehicle. (D) most consumers who purchase sport utility vehicles are also concerned about the reliability of their vehicle. (E) consumers who purchase sport utility vehicles associate affordability with lack of safety. 438 PART VI: Five Practice Tests www.petersons.com 21. Since City X reduced the frequency with which its service vehicles pick up recyclable materials from residences for transport to its recycling center, the volume of material that its service vehicles transport to landfills for permanent disposal has increased to unmanageable levels. However, the city cannot increase the frequency of either its trash pickup or its recycling pickup at city residences. Based only the information above, which of the following strategies seems most appropriate for City X in the interest of reducing the volume of material that the city’s service vehicles transport to landfills? (A) Provide larger recycling containers to the residents of the city (B) Establish a community program to increase awareness of the benefits of recycling (C) Establish additional recycling centers as near as possible to the city’s residential areas (D) Provide incentives to the city’s residents to reuse, rather than discard for pickup by the city’s service vehicles, whatever they can (E) Ease restrictions on the types of materials the city’s service vehicles will pick up for trans- port to its recycling center 22. The pesticide Azocide, introduced to central valley farms three summers ago, has proven ineffective because other pesticides’ chemical composi- tions already in wide use neutraliz- ing its desired effect. (A) because other pesticides’ chemical compositions already in wide use (B) because of the chemical compo- sitions of the pesticides already in wide use (C) due to other pesticides already in wide use, whose chemical compositions have been (D) since, due to the chemical compositions of other pesticides already in use, those pesticides have been (E) because of other pesticides and their chemical compositions already in use, which have been 23. To relieve anxiety, moderate exercise can be equally effective as, and less addictive than, most sedatives. (A) effective as, and (B) as effective as, while being (C) effectively equal to, but (D) as effective as, and (E) effective, and 24. The government’s means of disposal of war surplus following World War II met with vociferous objections by industrialists, prominent advisors, and many others. (A) of disposal of (B) in disposing (C) for the disposition of (D) used in disposing (E) of disposing practice test Practice Test 2 439 www.petersons.com 25. No nation in the world has experi- enced as significant a decline in its Yucaipa tree population as our nation. Yet only our nation imposes a law pro- hibiting the use of Yucaipa tree-bark oil in cosmetics. The purpose of this law in the first place was to help maintain the Yucaipa tree population, at least in this nation. But the law is clearly unnecessary and therefore should be repealed. Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn in the passage? (A) This nation contains more Yucaipa trees than any other nation. (B) Yucaipa tree-bark oil is not used for any consumer goods other than cosmetics. (C) The demand for cosmetics containing Yucaipa tree-bark oil is expected to decline in the future in other nations while continuing unabated in this nation. (D) In other countries, labor used to harvest Yucaipa trees for cosmetics is less expensive than comparable labor in this nation. (E) In this nation, some wild animals eat Yucaipa tree bark, thereby contributing to their destruction. 26. Some official Web sites of regionally accredited colleges have received the highest possible rating from the Federal Department of Education. However, all official Web sites of nationally accredited colleges have received the highest possible rating from the same department. Which of the following, if added to the statements above, would provide most support for the conclusion that all Web sites administered by individuals holding advanced degrees in educa- tional technology have received the highest possible rating from the Fed- eral Department of Education? (A) Only official Web sites of nationally accredited colleges are administered by individuals holding advanced degrees in educational technology. (B) All Web sites of nationally accredited colleges are adminis- tered by individuals holding advanced degrees in educational technology. (C) Only Web sites that have not received the highest possible rating from the Federal Depart- ment of Education are adminis- tered by individuals not holding advanced degrees in educational technology. (D) All official Web sites of nation- ally accredited colleges are administered by individuals holding advanced degrees in educational technology. (E) No Web site administered by individuals holding advanced degrees in educational technol- ogy is an official Web site of a regionally accredited college. 27. The time it takes for a star to change its brightness is directly related to the luminosity of it. (A) the luminosity of it (B) the luminosity of its brightness (C) the luminosity of a star (D) luminosity of it (E) its luminosity 440 PART VI: Five Practice Tests www.petersons.com QUESTIONS 28–30 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE: Line Diseases associated with aging in women are difficult to correlate explicitly with estrogen deficiency because aging and genetics are impor- tant influences in the development of such diseases. A number of studies, however, indicate a profound effect of estrogen deficiency in syndromes such as cardiovascular disease (including atherosclerosis and stroke) and os- teoporosis—the loss and increasing fragility of bone in aging individuals. The amount of bone in the elderly skeleton—a key determinant in its susceptibility to fractures—is believed to be a function of two major factors. The first is the peak amount of bone mass attained, determined to a large extent by genetic inheritance. The marked effect of gender is obvious— elderly men experience only one-half as many hip fractures per capita as elderly women. However, African American women have a lower inci- dence of osteoporotic fractures than Caucasian women. Other important variables include diet, exposure to sunlight, and physical activity. The second major factor is the rate of bone loss after peak bone mass has been attained. While many of the variables that affect peak bone mass also affect rates of bone loss, additional factors influencing bone loss include physi- ological stresses such as pregnancy and lactation. It is hormonal status, however, reflected primarily by estro- gen and progesterone levels, that may exert the greatest effect on rates of decline in skeletal mass. 28. Based upon the passage, which of the following is LEAST clearly a factor affecting the rate of decline in bone mass? (A) Gender (B) Exposure to sunlight (C) Progesterone levels (D) Age (E) Estrogen levels 29. In discussing the “marked effect of gender” (line 20), the author assumes all of the following EXCEPT (A) the difference in incidence of hip fractures is not due instead to different rates of bone loss. (B) the incidence of hip fractures among elderly men as compared to elderly women is representa- tive of the total number of bone fractures among elderly men as compared to elderly women. (C) elderly women are not more accident-prone than elderly men. (D) the population upon which the cited statistic is based includes both African Americans and Caucasians. (E) men achieve peak bone mass at the same age as women. 30. It can be inferred from the passage that the peak amount of bone mass in women (A) is not affected by either preg- nancy or lactation. (B) is determined primarily by diet. (C) depends partly upon hormonal status. (D) may play a role in determining the rate of decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels. (E) is not dependent upon genetic makeup. practice test Practice Test 2 441 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 www.petersons.com 31. Vining University’s teacher creden- tial program should be credited for the high grade-point averages of high school students who enroll in classes taught by Vining graduates. More new graduates of Vining’s credential program accept entry-level positions at Franklin High School than at any other high school. And during the most recent academic year, just prior to which many of Franklin’s teachers transferred to Valley View High School, the median grade point average of the students at Franklin has declined while at Valley View it has increased. The argument above depends on which of the following assumptions? (A) The two high schools employ different methods of computing student grade point averages. (B) Neither high school has a peer tutoring program that would afford the school an advantage over the other in terms of student academic performance. (C) Just prior to last year, more teachers transferred from Franklin to Valley View than from Valley View to Franklin. (D) The teachers who transferred from Franklin to Valley View were replaced with teachers who are also graduates of Vining University’s teacher credential program. (E) The teachers who transferred from Franklin to Valley View last year were graduates of Vining’s teacher credential program. 32. More airplane accidents are caused by pilot error than any other single factor. The military recently stopped requiring its pilots to obtain immuni- zation shots against chemical warfare agents. These shots are known to cause unpredictable dizzy spells, which can result in pilot error. Since many military pilots also pilot commercial passenger airliners, the reason for the military’s decision must have been to reduce the number of commercial airline accidents. Which of the following, if true, provides most support for the conclusion drawn above? (A) Recently, more pilots have been volunteering for the immuniza- tion shots. (B) All commercial airline flights are piloted by two co-pilots, whereas military flights are usually piloted by only one. (C) Chemical warfare is likely to escalate in the future. (D) Military pilots are choosing to resign rather than obtain the immunization shots. (E) Recently, the number of mili- tary pilots also piloting commer- cial airliners has declined. 442 PART VI: Five Practice Tests www.petersons.com . rating from the Federal Department of Education. However, all official Web sites of nationally accredited colleges have received the highest possible rating from the same department. Which of the. Pan-American isthmus began to form, most pistol shrimp migrated west to what is now the Pacific Ocean. 434 PART VI: Five Practice Tests 20 25 30 www.petersons.com 9. That which is self-evident cannot. THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE: Line Historians sometimes forget that no matter how well they might come to know a particular historical figure, they are not free to claim a godlike knowledge of the figure or of