Wiley the official guide for GMAT Episode 2 Part 5 ppt

559 8.6 Critical Reasoning Answer Explanations 34. Which of the following most logically completes the argument? Ferber’s syndrome, a viral disease that frequently affects cattle, is transmitted to these animals through infected feed. Even though chickens commercially raised for meat are often fed the type of feed identifi ed as the source of infection in cattle, Ferber’s syndrome is only rarely observed in chickens. This fact, however, does not indicate that most chickens are immune to the virus that causes Ferber’s syndrome, since . (A) chickens and cattle are not the only kinds of farm animal that are typically fed the type of feed liable to be contaminated with the virus that causes Ferber’s syndrome (B) Ferber’s syndrome has been found in animals that have not been fed the type of feed liable to be contaminated with the virus that can cause the disease (C) resistance to some infectious organisms such as the virus that causes Ferber’s syndrome can be acquired by exposure to a closely related infectious organism (D) chickens and cattle take more than a year to show symptoms of Ferber’s syndrome, and chickens commercially raised for meat, unlike cattle, are generally brought to market during the fi rst year of life (E) the type of feed liable to be infected with the virus that causes Ferber’s syndrome generally constitutes a larger proportion of the diet of commercially raised chickens than of commercially raised cattle Argument Construction Situation Certain feed given to cows and to chickens commercially raised for meat is infected with the virus that causes Ferber’s syndrome. Cows are frequently aff ected by this disease, while it is rarely observed in chickens. But (for a reason the argument omits) this does not suggest that chickens are immune to the virus. Reasoning What point would most logically complete the argument? How could it be the case that chickens are infected, yet Ferber’s syndrome is only rarely observed in them?  e important point here is that Ferber’s syndrome is not observed in chickens. A disease is usually observed to be present on the basis of its symptoms.  ose symptoms might not be present, or might not yet be present, in chickens that are infected with the virus. If the chickens were used for meat before they began showing symptoms, then they would not be observed to have Ferber’s syndrome, but this would not indicate that they were immune to the virus. A  at other animals are fed the potentially contaminated feed is not relevant to the question of whether chickens are immune to the virus. B  e idea that there could be a source of the virus other than contaminated feed does not have any bearing on whether chickens are immune to the virus. C  e idea that there is a way for animals to acquire a resistance to the virus that causes Ferber’s syndrome suggests that some animals, possibly chickens, might be immune to the virus.  is is the opposite of what the argument is trying to establish. D Correct.  is statement properly identifi es a point that logically completes the argument: It provides a reason why infected chickens would fail to show symptoms of Ferber’s syndrome. E If chickens’ diets contain proportionally more of the potentially infected feed than cattle’s diets do, it is even more surprising that Ferber’s syndrome is not observed in chickens—far from providing a reason not to conclude that chickens are immune to the virus; this makes it seem even more likely that they are immune.  e correct answer is D. 12_449745-ch08.indd 55912_449745-ch08.indd 559 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 560 The Offi cial Guide for GMAT ® Review 12th Edition 35. Last year the rate of inflation was 1.2 percent, but for the current year it has been 4 percent. We can conclude that inflation is on an upward trend and the rate will be still higher next year. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the conclusion above? (A) The inflation figures were computed on the basis of a representative sample of economic data rather than all of the available data. (B) Last year a dip in oil prices brought inflation temporarily below its recent stable annual level of 4 percent. (C) Increases in the pay of some workers are tied to the level of inflation, and at an inflation rate of 4 percent or above, these pay raises constitute a force causing further inflation. (D) The 1.2 percent rate of inflation last year represented a 10-year low. (E) Government intervention cannot affect the rate of inflation to any significant degree. Argument Evaluation Situation  e rate of infl ation was 1.2 percent last year but is 4 percent in the current year. It is therefore expected to rise above 4 percent next year. Reasoning What point most weakens this conclusion?  e conclusion is based on an upward trend that is derived from data for two years. Data from only two years provide rather weak evidence of a trend. Additional evidence that provides a context for the annual infl ation rates during the most recent two-year period will promote a more solid evaluation of this prediction of next year’s infl ation rate. If infl ation has recently been stable at 4 percent, and the temporary drop the previous year is accounted for by lower oil prices, then the basis for the prediction seems quite weak. A As long as the sample was representative, the fi gures should be accurate.  is point does not weaken the conclusion. B Correct.  is statement suggests that the 1.2 percent infl ation rate is an unusual occurrence in recent years. Especially because the dip below the stable 4 percent rate was temporary, this unusual occurrence cannot be used as the basis for predicting a trend. C  is statement explains one process by which infl ation increases and tends to support the conclusion that infl ation will continue to rise. D  is information implies, for example, that two years ago, the infl ation rate was higher than 1.2 percent.  is raises the possibility (without stating it) that last year and the year preceding mark a trend of declining infl ation (and that the current year’s 4 percent is an aberration). However, if the infl ation rate two years ago was only slightly higher than 1.2 percent (for example, 1.25 percent), then it would be diffi cult to regard these two numbers as signaling a trend of declining infl ation. We do not have enough information here to regard this as a signifi cant weakener.  e information is suffi cient to justify a little doubt about the argument’s conclusion—but not at all specifi c enough to undermine the argument’s conclusion as much as does (B). E  e failure of government intervention to aff ect the rate of infl ation could be seen to support, not weaken, the conclusion.  e correct answer is B. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56012_449745-ch08.indd 560 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 561 8.6 Critical Reasoning Answer Explanations 36. Offshore oil-drilling operations entail an unavoidable risk of an oil spill, but importing oil on tankers presently entails an even greater such risk per barrel of oil. Therefore, if we are to reduce the risk of an oil spill without curtailing our use of oil, we must invest more in offshore operations and import less oil on tankers. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above? (A) Tankers can easily be redesigned so that their use entails less risk of an oil spill. (B) Oil spills caused by tankers have generally been more serious than those caused by offshore operations. (C) The impact of offshore operations on the environment can be controlled by careful management. (D) Offshore operations usually damage the ocean floor, but tankers rarely cause such damage. (E) Importing oil on tankers is currently less expensive than drilling for it offshore. Argument Evaluation Situation Currently, the risk of an oil spill is greater from oil tankers than it is from off shore oil drilling. In order to reduce the risk of an oil spill, we should expand off shore operations and import less oil on tankers. Reasoning What point most weakens this argument?  e argument is based on the current situation, but present conditions need not continue in the future if they can be improved. What if oil tankers can be redesigned so that they pose less of a risk of an oil spill? If it were so, then adding that information would weaken the argument.  e lowered risk of oil spills resulting from improved oil tanker design could make tankers less problematic than off shore operations. A Correct.  e addition of this information to the argument would weaken the argument more than would the information in any of the other options. B  e more serious nature of the oil spills caused by tankers strengthens the argument. C Careful management controlling the environmental impact of off shore operations supports the argument rather than weakens it. D While off shore operations may cause other environmental damage, this point is not relevant to the argument, which concerns just oil spills. E Importing oil on tankers may be an attractive economic alternative, but because this point is unrelated to oil spills, it does not weaken the argument.  e correct answer is A. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56112_449745-ch08.indd 561 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 562 The Offi cial Guide for GMAT ® Review 12th Edition 37. Thyrian lawmaker: Thyria’s Cheese Importation Board inspects all cheese shipments to Thyria and rejects shipments not meeting specifi ed standards. Yet only 1 percent is ever rejected. Therefore, since the health consequences and associated economic costs of not rejecting that 1 percent are negligible, whereas the board’s operating costs are considerable, for economic reasons alone the board should be disbanded. Consultant: I disagree. The threat of having their shipments rejected deters many cheese exporters from shipping substandard product. The consultant responds to the lawmaker’s argument by (A) rejecting the lawmaker’s argument while proposing that the standards according to which the board inspects imported cheese should be raised (B) providing evidence that the lawmaker’s argument has signifi cantly overestimated the cost of maintaining the board (C) objecting to the lawmaker’s introducing into the discussion factors that are not strictly economic (D) pointing out a benefi t of maintaining the board, which the lawmaker’s argument has failed to consider (E) shifting the discussion from the argument at hand to an attack on the integrity of the cheese inspectors Argument Construction Situation  e  yrian lawmaker argues that the Cheese Importation Board should be disbanded, because its operating costs are high and it rejects only a small percentage of the cheese it inspects.  e consultant disagrees, pointing out that the board’s inspections deter those who export cheese to  yria from shipping substandard cheese. Reasoning What strategy does the consultant use in the counterargument?  e consultant indicates to the lawmaker that there is a reason to retain the board that the lawmaker has not considered.  e benefi t the board provides is not that it identifi es a great deal of substandard cheese and rejects it (thus keeping the public healthy), but that the possibility that their cheese could be found substandard is what keeps exporters from attempting to export low- quality cheese to  yria. A  e consultant does reject the lawmaker’s argument, but the consultant does not propose higher standards. Indeed, in suggesting that the board should be retained, the consultant implies that the board’s standards are appropriate. B  e consultant does not provide any evidence related to the board’s cost. C  e only point the lawmaker raises that is not strictly economic is about the health consequences of disbanding the board, but the consultant does not address this point at all. D Correct.  is statement properly identifi es the strategy the consultant employs in his or her counterargument.  e consultant points out that the board provides a signifi cant benefi t that the lawmaker did not consider. E  e consultant does not attack the integrity of the cheese inspectors; to the contrary, the consultant says that their inspections deter the cheese exporters from shipping substandard cheese.  e correct answer is D. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56212_449745-ch08.indd 562 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 563 8.6 Critical Reasoning Answer Explanations 38. Which of the following best completes the passage below? The computer industry’s estimate that it loses millions of dollars when users illegally copy programs without paying for them is greatly exaggerated. Most of the illegal copying is done by people with no serious interest in the programs. Thus, the loss to the industry is quite small, because . (A) many users who illegally copy programs never find any use for them (B) most people who illegally copy programs would not purchase them even if purchasing them were the only way to obtain them (C) even if the computer industry received all the revenue it claims to be losing, it would still be experiencing financial difficulties (D) the total market value of all illegal copies is low in comparison to the total revenue of the computer industry (E) the number of programs that are frequently copied illegally is low in comparison to the number of programs available for sale Argument Construction Situation  e computer industry’s estimate of its losses due to illegally copied programs is exaggerated—and actually quite small—because most of the illegal copying is done by people who are not greatly interested in the programs. Reasoning Why would the loss to the industry be said to be small?  e industry’s loss due to illegal copying of programs must be evaluated in terms of the sales lost; the actual loss to the industry is directly related to the legitimate sales opportunities that have been lost. Would the people illegally copying the programs buy them if they could not otherwise obtain them? If it were true that most of them have no serious interest in the programs, they would be unlikely to purchase them. In this case, few sales would be lost and the loss to the industry could be considered small. A What users do (or do not do) with programs once they have them does not help to show that the loss to the industry is small. B Correct.  is information provides a reason supporting the claim that the industry has not lost potential sales. C  e greater fi nancial diffi culties of the industry do not help to show that the loss incurred because of the illegally copied programs is small. D  is comparison is faulty:  e loss is not being considered in the context of total industry revenues but in the context of total sales of programs. E  is information does not provide a good reason for the claim that the loss to the industry is small. Even if the number of programs frequently copied is low, the number of copies made from each program might be huge (for the most popular programs).  e correct answer is B. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56312_449745-ch08.indd 563 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 564 The Offi cial Guide for GMAT ® Review 12th Edition 39. The growing popularity of computer-based activities was widely expected to result in a decline in television viewing, since it had been assumed that people lack suffi cient free time to maintain current television-viewing levels while spending increasing amounts of free time on the computer. That assumption, however, is evidently false: In a recent mail survey concerning media use, a very large majority of respondents who report increasing time spent per week using computers report no change in time spent watching television. Which of the following would it be most useful to determine in order to evaluate the argument? (A) Whether a large majority of the survey respondents reported watching television regularly (B) Whether the amount of time spent watching television is declining among people who report that they rarely or never use computers (C) Whether the type of television programs a person watches tends to change as the amount of time spent per week using computers increases (D) Whether a large majority of the computer owners in the survey reported spending increasing amounts of time per week using computers (E) Whether the survey respondents’ reports of time spent using computers included time spent using computers at work Argument Evaluation Situation  e argument is intended to debunk the assumption that people lack suffi cient free time to maintain television-viewing levels while spending increasing amounts of free time on the computer. To do so, it cites a survey of media use in which a large majority of respondents who spend increasing amounts of time using computers also claim to have not altered the amount of time they spend watching television. Reasoning What would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?  e argument uses the survey results to claim that people have enough free time to both maintain their television viewing levels and spend increasing amounts of free time on the computer. But the survey, as reported here, did not address whether people are spending their free time on the computer; the respondents reported increasing time spent per week using computers. Since the argument is about free time, it is important to know whether this is actually what the respondents were reporting. A  e argument is concerned with the change in the amount of television watched by those whose computer use increased, so whether the survey’s respondents reported watching television regularly is irrelevant. B  e argument is concerned with the change in the amount of television watched by those whose computer use has increased, so it does not matter whether the amount of time spent watching television among people who do not use computers is declining, remaining the same, or increasing. C  e argument is concerned with the amount of television watched by those whose computer use has increased, not the type of television programs such a person does or does not watch. D  e argument here is concerned with people who report spending increasing amounts of time on the computer; what computer owners do is a separate question. E Correct.  is statement properly identifi es something that would be useful to know in evaluating the argument: whether the survey data included time spent using computers at work—if it did, this would make the data misleading as evidence for the argument’s conclusion.  e correct answer is E. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56412_449745-ch08.indd 564 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 565 8.6 Critical Reasoning Answer Explanations 40. In the last decade there has been a significant decrease in coffee consumption. During this same time, there has been increasing publicity about the adverse long-term effects on health of the caffeine in coffee. Therefore, the decrease in coffee consumption must have been caused by consumers’ awareness of the harmful effects of caffeine. Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the explanation above? (A) On average, people consume 30 percent less coffee today than they did 10 years ago. (B) Heavy coffee drinkers may have mild withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, for a day or so after significantly decreasing their coffee consumption. (C) Sales of specialty types of coffee have held steady as sales of regular brands have declined. (D) The consumption of fruit juices and caffeine-free herbal teas has increased over the past decade. (E) Coffee prices increased steadily in the past decade because of unusually severe frosts in coffee-growing nations. Argument Evaluation Situation  e decrease in coff ee consumption in the last decade can be explained by consumers’ increased awareness of the detrimental eff ects of the caff eine in coff ee. Reasoning What point weakens this explanation? A conclusion off ering an explanation for some occurrence may be weakened when another explanation at least as compelling as the original is off ered. Coff ee consumption may have decreased over the decade for some reason other than consumers’ awareness of the adverse health eff ects of caff eine. If the price of coff ee has increased in the same period that consumption has decreased, then the decrease may well be the result of consumers’ attention to price rather than their attention to health. Higher prices would off er a good alternative explanation that would weaken the original explanation. A  is point merely tells us how much coff ee consumption has decreased; it does not make the explanation off ered in the conclusion any less likely to be correct. B Withdrawal symptoms would occur only after decreased consumption has occurred and so cannot explain why the decrease occurred. C Suppose that the specialty coff ees that had their sales hold steady were all caff eine-free coff ees; note that nothing rules this out. If this were the case, the explanation would remain plausible. D An increase in the consumption of these drinks could plausibly be the result of some coff ee drinkers switching to these drinks to avoid the negative eff ects of caff eine. E Correct.  is statement properly identifi es a plausible alternative explanation and therefore undermines the given explanation.  e correct answer is E. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56512_449745-ch08.indd 565 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 566 The Offi cial Guide for GMAT ® Review 12th Edition 41. Which of the following best completes the passage below? When the products of several competing suppliers are perceived by consumers to be essentially the same, classical economics predicts that price competition will reduce prices to the same minimal levels and all suppliers’ profits to the same minimal levels. Therefore, if classical economics is true, and given suppliers’ desire to make as much profit as possible, it should be expected that . (A) in a crowded market widely differing prices will be charged for products that are essentially the same as each other (B) as a market becomes less crowded as suppliers leave, the profits of the remaining suppliers will tend to decrease (C) each supplier in a crowded market will try to convince consumers that its product differs significantly from its competitors’ products. (D) when consumers are unable to distinguish the products in a crowded market, consumers will judge that the higher-priced products are of higher quality (E) suppliers in crowded markets will have more incentive to reduce prices and thus increase sales than to introduce innovations that would distinguish their product from their competitors’ products Argument Construction Situation Classical economics holds that prices and profi ts are minimal when consumers perceive the products of competing suppliers to be the same. Reasoning According to classical economics, what strategy are suppliers most likely to use to maximize profi ts in such a situation?  e given information states that the force driving prices and profi ts down in this case is the consumers’ perception that the competing products are essentially the same. It is reasonable to assume that, with prices already at minimal levels, it is not possible to lower them any more. What can be done?  e suppliers’ most likely strategy would then be to change the consumers’ perception of their products. It can be expected that an individual supplier would try to convince consumers that its product greatly diff ers from (and is certainly preferable to) the products of its competitors. A According to classical economics, prices will be reduced by competition to the same minimal levels as long as the products are perceived by consumers to be essentially the same, and nothing indicates that they will not be; therefore there is no reason to believe that prices will diff er widely. B  e passage discusses the conditions of a crowded market, not a market that is becoming less crowded. C Correct.  is statement properly suggests that the most likely strategy for any one supplier in a crowded market is convincing consumers that its product is very diff erent from those of its competitors. D According to classical economics, prices will be reduced to the same minimal levels when consumers are unable to distinguish among the products; therefore none of the products will be priced higher than any others. E  e passage gives no indication of what classical economics says about the attractiveness to suppliers of reducing prices versus introducing innovations.  e correct answer is C. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56612_449745-ch08.indd 566 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 567 8.6 Critical Reasoning Answer Explanations 42. Crowding on Mooreville’s subway frequently leads to delays, because it is diffi cult for passengers to exit from the trains. Subway ridership is projected to increase by 20 percent over the next 10 years. The Mooreville Transit Authority plans to increase the number of daily train trips by only 5 percent over the same period. Offi cials predict that this increase is suffi cient to ensure that the incidence of delays due to crowding does not increase. Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest grounds for the offi cials’ prediction? (A) By changing maintenance schedules, the Transit Authority can achieve the 5 percent increase in train trips without purchasing any new subway cars. (B) The Transit Authority also plans a 5 percent increase in the number of bus trips on routes that connect to subways. (C) For most commuters who use the subway system, there is no practical alternative public transportation available. (D) Most of the projected increase in ridership is expected to occur in off-peak hours when trains are now sparsely used. (E) The 5 percent increase in the number of train trips can be achieved without an equal increase in Transit Authority operational costs. Argument Construction Situation Ridership on the Mooreville subway, which often experiences delays due to crowding, is expected to increase 20 percent over the next 10 years. Despite plans to increase the number of daily trains only 5 percent during those 10 years, offi cials predict that delays due to crowding will not increase. Reasoning What would provide the strongest grounds for the offi cials’ prediction that delays due to crowding will not increase? Delays due to crowding probably would increase if the extra 20 percent total ridership occurred at typically busy times, even if the total 5 percent increase in the number of daily trains were to occur at those typically busy times.  e increases in daily trains would clearly not be enough to absorb the extra ridership. If the increase in ridership were to occur at other times of day, however, perhaps when the subway trains were less crowded overall, the system would be able to absorb the extra passengers without an increase in delays due to crowding. A While this supports the idea that the Transit Authority can economically increase the number of train trips, it provides no information about whether the trains will be crowded. B Increasing the number of bus trips on routes that connect to subways would be likely to lead to more people to ride the subways.  is makes it less likely that the offi cials’ prediction—that delays due to overcrowding will not increase—will turn out to have been accurate. C  is suggests that subway ridership will remain high, and thus that delays caused by overcrowding will continue. D Correct.  is statement properly identifi es a situation in which the offi cials’ prediction is likely to turn out to have been accurate.  e ridership will be increasing during times when more passengers will not create delays, since they will merely fi ll empty seats on existing trains. E While this supports the idea that the Transit Authority can economically increase the number of train trips, it provides no information about whether the trains will be crowded.  e correct answer is D. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56712_449745-ch08.indd 567 2/23/09 11:44:20 AM2/23/09 11:44:20 AM 568 The Offi cial Guide for GMAT ® Review 12th Edition 43. Installing scrubbers in smokestacks and switching to cleaner-burning fuel are the two methods available to Northern Power for reducing harmful emissions from its plants. Scrubbers will reduce harmful emissions more than cleaner-burning fuels will. Therefore, by installing scrubbers, Northern Power will be doing the most that can be done to reduce harmful emissions from its plants. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? (A) Switching to cleaner-burning fuel will not be more expensive than installing scrubbers. (B) Northern Power can choose from among various kinds of scrubbers, some of which are more effective than others. (C) Northern Power is not necessarily committed to reducing harmful emissions from its plants. (D) Harmful emissions from Northern Power’s plants cannot be reduced more by using both methods together than by the installation of scrubbers alone. (E) Aside from harmful emissions from the smokestacks of its plants, the activities of Northern Power do not cause significant air pollution. Argument Construction Situation A power plant can reduce emissions by installing scrubbers and also by switching to cleaner-burning fuel; installing scrubbers reduces emissions more than switching fuels. By installing scrubbers, the company is doing the most that it can do. Reasoning What assumption does the argument depend on?  e assumption will be a statement that has to be true in order for the argument’s premises to provide a solid reason for believing its conclusion. Here, the conclusion that the company is doing the most that it can do is based on believing that choosing one or the other of the two options will be more eff ective than choosing both options together.  is argument assumes, then, that installing the scrubbers alone is just as eff ective as both installing scrubbers and switching to cleaner-burning fuel. A  e relative costs of the two options indicate nothing about whether by installing scrubbers the company will have done the most that it can to reduce harmful emissions. B Even if the company installs the most effi cient scrubbers, it may be that there is more that Northern Power could do to reduce harmful emissions. C Even if the company is fully committed to reducing harmful emissions, it could be that installing scrubbers is the most it can do to reduce harmful emissions. D Correct. If harmful emissions could be reduced even more by using both methods, then installing scrubbers alone will not be the most that the company can do to reduce harmful emissions. E Even if this were not assumed and the company’s other activities did cause signifi cant air pollution, it could still be that installing scrubbers is the most that the company can do to reduce harmful emissions from its plants; perhaps any of its other activities that do cause signifi cant air pollution have nothing to do with its plants—for example, pollution coming from trucks the company uses.  e correct answer is D. 12_449745-ch08.indd 56812_449745-ch08.indd 568 2/23/09 11:44:21 AM2/23/09 11:44:21 AM [...]... into separate parts: the hearing part and the deaf part Then, they must be using the hearing part of themselves when they respond to the hypnotist’s question; obviously, if they were using the deaf part of themselves at that point, they would not hear or thus respond at all So, if they are using the hearing part of themselves, as the theorists maintain, why would they respond “No” to the question,... the cases cited Rather than suggesting that the journalist is using specific information too generally, the politician suggests that the journalist is not using the proper specific information—that is, that the six journalists imprisoned under the older government were the only ones who criticized the government The correct answer is B 57 9 The Official Guide for GMAT Review 12th Edition 55 Insurance Company... are told they are deaf When asked by the hypnotist if they can hear, they hear the question and respond, “No.” A theory explains this puzzling result by stating that the hypnotized subjects dissociate the part of themselves that is deaf from the part that replies to the question Reasoning Which question points to a weakness in the theory? According to the theory, hypnotized people dissociate themselves... subjects are told that they are deaf and are then asked whether they can hear the hypnotist, they reply, “No.” Some theorists try to explain this result by arguing that the selves of hypnotized subjects are dissociated into separate parts, and that the part that is deaf is dissociated from the part that replies Which of the following challenges indicates the most serious weakness in the attempted explanation... of the domestically made products No information about other countries’ ban of imports from Country Z is given in the passage Not enough information is given in the passage to support this conclusion No information about cutting labor costs is given in the passage No information about the industries’ moving into different markets is given in the passage The correct answer is A 59 1 The Official Guide for. .. traffic, the bridge, according to the information provided in the passage, is congested and typically causes trucking delays Given this information, the degree of variation is not helpful in evaluating Transcorp’s plan The state of the trucks returning to the mainland has nothing to do with whether Trancorp’s plan for reducing shipping time will achieve its goal The correct answer is C 56 9 The Official Guide. .. increase the number of lawyers who advertise Nothing in the passage indicates that lawyers who continue not to advertise will be compelled to lower their fees The argument concerns numbers of advertisers rather than types; it remains possible that few lawyers would advertise The correct answer is C 58 1 The Official Guide for GMAT Review 12th Edition 57 Which of the following most logically completes the. .. that the argument as a whole opposes; the second is evidence that has been used to support the position being opposed (C) The first states the position that the argument as a whole opposes; the second states the conclusion of the argument as a whole (D) The first is evidence that has been used to support a position that the argument as a whole opposes; the second provides information to undermine the force... position The correct answer is C 58 9 The Official Guide for GMAT Review 12th Edition 65 Excavation of the ancient city of Kourion on the island of Cyprus revealed a pattern of debris and collapsed buildings typical of towns devastated by earthquakes Archaeologists have hypothesized that the destruction was due to a major earthquake known to have occurred near the island in A.D 3 65 Which of the following,... Kourion was flourishing before A.D 3 65; the total lack of coins after the year of the earthquake supports the idea that the city had been destroyed A B C D E The existence of vessels made both before and after A.D 3 65 suggests that Kourion was not destroyed by the earthquake Correct This statement properly identifies evidence that supports the archaeologists’ hypothesis The occurrence of the earthquake is not . and therefore undermines the given explanation.  e correct answer is E. 12_ 4497 45- ch08.indd 56 5 12_ 4497 45- ch08.indd 56 5 2/ 23/09 11:44 :20 AM2 /23 /09 11:44 :20 AM 56 6 The Offi cial Guide for GMAT ® . correct answer is A. 12_ 4497 45- ch08.indd 57 1 12_ 4497 45- ch08.indd 57 1 2/ 23/09 11:44 :21 AM2 /23 /09 11:44 :21 AM 5 72 The Offi cial Guide for GMAT ® Review 12th Edition 47. Which of the following most. answer is D. 12_ 4497 45- ch08.indd 57 7 12_ 4497 45- ch08.indd 57 7 2/ 23/09 11:44 :21 AM2 /23 /09 11:44 :21 AM 57 8 The Offi cial Guide for GMAT ® Review 12th Edition 53 . Most employees in the computer industry