All in all, this piece presents an unsupported argument. The evidence presented isn’t very com- pelling as support for expanding the vegetarian cookbook collection at Cook’s Books. In addition, the author leaps to conclusions based on weak evidence. Finally, there is no evidence that the author has considered alternative possibilities or looked at the issue from multiple perspectives. Cook’s Books is, after all, a business, so this argument should be more critically examined. 6. The following is part of a business plan developed by Yoga for Life, a new yoga studio that wants to open a location in downtown Smallville. Studies show that in the past five years, more and more Americans are trying to get fit and beat stress. A recent poll on SmallvilleOnline.com showed that 60% of those polled would be inter- ested in taking up yoga. Furthermore, as a result of the recent economic downturn, many peo- ple in Smallville are being forced to work longer and harder hours because companies are scaling back and cutting costs. Now, more than ever, there is a demand for a relaxing form of exercise at the end of the day. A yoga center with certified instructors in downtown Smallville will provide this relaxing exercise for city residents. The argument above claims that there is demand in downtown Smallville for a yoga center because, not only are more people trying to “get fit and beat stress,” but the economic down- turn has also introduced a need for a relaxing, energizing form of exercise. Although all of these pieces taken together may be true, the connections between pieces of evidence are shaky. To begin, the author cites evidence that Americans are trying to “get fit and beat stress.” First of all, America is a large country, so it is illogical to make the leap that because unnamed studies show that Americans want to get fit, Smallville citizens are also looking to improve their health and fitness. Because the studies cited are unnamed, the reader cannot assume their validity — the reader doesn’t know the sample size, the institutions that conducted the surveys, or what kind of fitness and stress - busting these polled Americans want. In addition, although the statistic provided by an online poll of Smallville residents says that 60% of residents would be interested in taking yoga, the reader does not know the sample size or the population of the people polled. What if some respondents voted more than once? What if only ten people participated in the poll, and six of those people are interested in taking yoga? What if only 5% of Smallville can go online, and only 10% of those who can, did? Because the author doesn’t account for these discrepancies, the reader cannot assume that this poll is an accu- rate indication of the wishes of the entire Smallville population. The argument is further weakened by the leaping conclusion made in the third and fourth sen- tences. The author says that people are working hard and are stressed out, and so they want a relax- ing form of exercise. The leap is made based on the assumptions that if Smallville citizens are being forced to work longer and harder hours, and if they want to get fit, then they will want to do yoga. It doesn’t follow that they will necessarily want to do yoga. Finally, although 60% of those polled were interested in yoga, even assuming there was a reasonable sample size, it doesn’t mean that they are – THE GRE ANALYTICAL WRITING SECTION– 80 going to do yoga. Also, the author doesn’t consider the fact that yoga sessions may be an unwanted expense for people who are working “longer and harder hours” just to make ends meet. Thus, before a decision is made on whether or not to open the yoga center, a more complete understanding of the actual customer base is needed — what the downtown area is like and what the exercise and fitness goals of the community really are. Overall, an argument that addresses these issues would be stronger than the one given. 10. The following appeared in a letter to the editor of the Noxville newspaper. In the next mayoral election, residents of Noxville should vote for Joanne Burgess, a former teacher and principal, instead of Lijuan Jackson, a member of the Noxville city council, because the current members of the city council are not improving our education system. In fact, for the past four years, test scores have dropped significantly, violence in schools has increased 25%, and more children than ever before are being held back. If we elect Joanne Burgess as our next mayor, the education problems in Noxville will certainly be solved. On first glance, the idea that a teacher/principal would make a more effective member of the city council, solving the problems of the education system in Noxville, than a current mem- ber of the city council, seems to be an obvious assumption. However, upon deeper analysis of the argument, several pieces do not successfully support the claim. To begin with, the premise that a teacher/principal will be able to solve the problems with the education system in Noxville provides a fragile base from which to found the argument. This supposition is founded on the idea that a current member of the city council is not a good candidate only because the current town council hasn’t improved education. The assumption that a teacher/principal is suited to being mayor based solely on her expertise in the area of education presents too many problems. There is much more to being mayor of a city than improving the education system — being mayor is a political, not educational, office — besides, Burgess’s expertise alone will not help her solve the education problems of Noxville. In addition, the premise that Jackson alone represents the achievements of the entire city council does not make sense. The premise is based on the entire council’s track record, which may or may not indicate Jackson’s personal ideas or set of values. The author lumps Jackson together with the city council — it is important to remember that decisions the council makes are not his decisions alone. In fact, he may have supported measures to improve education that the entire council didn’t pass. The connection between the relationship of a single city council member and problems with the education system is unsupported and weakens the author’s argument. Jackson alone is not responsible for the outcome of city council decisions — other members have say in the decisions and intentions of other members of the town council. Furthermore, the information the author provides about the city council’s failings is unqualified. The author lists three problems with education as it stands: test score decline, school violence, and more children who are held over, repeating grades. First of all, the – THE GRE ANALYTICAL WRITING SECTION– 81 author does not say whether these problems were being addressed by the city council. Addi- tionally, the source of these figures is not provided to the reader, so the reader has no way of judging their validity. For example, what exactly does significantly mean? It is a broad, subjec- tive term, and without knowing the actual figure, the reader cannot take for granted the defi- nition of significantly. Therefore, the argument’s reasoning is loosely connected, founded on assumptions and unqualified premises. Alone, the evidence provided to support the position is not even ten- tatively related to the author’s main argument: That an expert in education will solve Noxville’s education problems and that the city council’s record alone reflects Jackson’s neglect of the education system. – THE GRE ANALYTICAL WRITING SECTION– 82 Pretest One way to increase your chances for GRE success is to become familiar with the test itself. This section focuses on the Verbal test questions. The following is a pretest that will help you assess your strengths and weaknesses, relating to the verbal skills assessed on the GRE. Take this test before moving ahead in the book. Don’t worry if you don’t do as well as you would like; there’s no better way to focus your studies than by see- ing your strong points and your not-so-strong points. CHAPTER The GRE Verbal Section 4 83 ANSWER SHEET 1. abcde 2. abcde 3. abcde 4. abcde 5. abcde 6. abcde 7. abcde 8. abcde 9. abcde 10. abcde 11. abcde 12. abcde 13. abcde 14. abcde 15. abcde 16. abcde 17. abcde 18. abcde 19. abcde 20. abcde Instructions: There are 20 questions in this section. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Stop working at the end of 20 minutes and check your answers in the explanations section that follows. Analogies Instructions: In the questions that follow, there will be an initial pair of related words or phrases followed by five answer pairs of words or phrases, identified by letters a–e. Choose the answer pair where the rela- tionship of the words or phrases most nearly matches the relationship of the initial pair. 1. BREACH : WHALE a. whistle : dog b. dunk : doughnut c. shoot : target d. ride : horse e. fly : bird 2. QUIXOTIC : PRAGMATIC a. murky : clear b. callous : insane c. limp : frightened d. tender : poignant e. unflappable : sensitive 3. LIBEL : SMEAR a. represent : discount b. doubt : verify c. heed : consider d. countermand : titillate e. persevere : abandon 4. PILOT : FERRY a. plumber : pipe b. carpetbagger : carpet c. teacher : chalk d. physician : heal e. author : book 5. LIMP : INJURY a. stiff : cast b. incarceration : conviction c. integrity : honesty d. normality : congruence e. paralysis : wheelchair – THE GRE VERBAL SECTION– 84 Antonyms Instructions: In each of the following questions, you will be presented with a capitalized word followed by five answer choices lettered a — e. Select the answer word or phrase that has a meaning most nearly opposite to the initial word. Some of these questions will require you to discriminate among closely related word choices. Be sure you choose the answer that most nearly opposes the capitalized word. 6. AMPLE : a. complete b. insufficient c. quiet d. supple e. wistful 7. AERATE : a. ground b. placate c. destroy d. calibrate e. suffocate 8. PAUCITY : a. excess b. height c. certainty d. pulchritude e. modesty 9. RESPLENDENT : a. illuminated b. dowdy c. hideous d. delightful e. magnanimous 10. SAGACITY : a. incredulity b. belligerence c. stupidity d. tolerance e. independence – THE GRE VERBAL SECTION– 85 . for the outcome of city council decisions — other members have say in the decisions and intentions of other members of the town council. Furthermore, the information the author provides about the. not say whether these problems were being addressed by the city council. Addi- tionally, the source of these figures is not provided to the reader, so the reader has no way of judging their validity discrepancies, the reader cannot assume that this poll is an accu- rate indication of the wishes of the entire Smallville population. The argument is further weakened by the leaping conclusion made in the