measurement is bound to be subjective. Second, in a theory that treats everything except happiness as instru- mentally rather than intrinsically valuable, anything — or, more importantly, anyone — can (and should) be treated as a means to an end, if it means greater happiness. This rejects the notion that human beings have their own intrinsic value. Further, utilitarianism puts the burden of the happiness of the masses on the suffering of the few. Is the happiness of many worth the suffering of a few? Why do those few deserve to suffer? Isn’t this burden of suffering morally irresponsible? This is the dilemma so brilliantly illustrated in LeGuin’s story. 1. Which of the following best sums up the author’s opinion of utilitarianism? a. It is an ethical theory. b. It is the ethical theory that people should all live by. c. It is a useful but problematic ethical theory. d. It does not adequately measure happiness. e. It underestimates the intrinsic value of human beings. 2. According to the passage, in utilitarianism a. only intentions have moral significance. b. consequences are important, but intentions are more important. c. intentions and consequences are equally important. d. intentions are important, but consequences are more important. e. only consequences have moral significance. 3. The author summarizes LeGuin’s story primarily to a. show how good the story is. b. get readers interested in the story. c. illustrate the power of words. d. illustrate the central problem with utilitarianism. e. illustrate a utilitarian utopia. 4. From the passage, it can be inferred that the author a. may use utilitarianism occasionally but not as a guiding moral principle. b. would never use utilitarianism to make a decision about what is right or wrong. c. uses utilitarianism regularly to make moral decisions. d. believes utilitarianism is a good basis for social policy. e. thinks most people do not really understand utilitarianism. 5. From the author’s summary of LeGuin’s story, the reader can infer that a. most people in Omelas are utilitarians. b. most people in Omelas reject utilitarianism. c. everyone in Omelas is happy. d. the child willingly sacrifices himself for others. e. LeGuin is a popular science-fiction writer. – VERBAL PRETEST– 53 6. Utilitarianism could best be expressed in which of the following formulas? X ϭ action Y ϭ consequences that create happiness Z ϭ consequences that create unhappiness a. Do X if Y ϭ Z. b. Do X if Y Յ Z. c. Do X if Y Ն Z. d. Do X if Y Ͼ Z. e. Do X if Y Ͻ Z. Critical Reasoning Directions: For each question, select the best answer from the choices given. 7. Unemployment in Winston County has risen only 4% since I took office. Under my predecessor, unemployment rose 14%. Clearly, my economic policies are far more effective. Which of the following must be true in order for this argument to be valid? a. Winston County’s population dropped significantly during the current administration. b. The national unemployment rate increased by 12% during the previous administration but only 2% during the current administration. c. Key socioeconomic variables such as the state of the national economy and the demographics of Winston County are comparable for each administration. d. Key policy changes, such as increased job training for the unemployed, were implemented under the current administration. e. Tax incentives have been implemented to bring new businesses to Winston County. 8. Morning Glory, the coffee shop on the corner, has lost nearly 50% of its business because a national retail coffee chain opened up a store down the street. Instead of closing up shop, the owner of Morn- ing Glory plans to draw in customers by offering coffee, tea, and pastries at much lower prices than the national coffee chain. The owner’s plan of action is based on all of the following assumptions EXCEPT a. some customers will choose the coffee shop that offers the lowest price. b. the quality of Morning Glory’s coffee is comparable to that of the national coffee chain. c. Morning Glory can afford to cut its profit margin in order to lower prices. d. Morning Glory’s customers are very loyal. e. the national coffee chain will not lower its prices in order to compete with Morning Glory. – VERBAL PRETEST– 54 9. When romance novels were located in the back of the bookstore, they accounted for approximately 6% of total sales. Since we moved romance novels close to the front of the store and put several books on display, sales of romance novels have increased to 14% to 18% of total sales. All of the following conclusions can logically be drawn from this argument EXCEPT a. customers who bought one romance novel are likely to come back for another. b. customers are more likely to buy books located near the front of the bookstore than at the back. c. the display caught the interest of people who might not have otherwise purchased a romance novel. d. customers believe that bookstores put their best books near the front of the store. e. sales of romance novels may increase even more if the section were moved all the way to the front. 10. With more and more classes being offered online, more and more students will earn their degrees in virtual universities. Students in California will graduate from schools in New York without ever leav- ing their state. Because online courses offer flexibility without geographic boundaries, virtual degrees will be in greater demand, and colleges and universities should invest the bulk of their resources in developing online degree programs. All of the following, if true, are valid objections to this argument EXCEPT a. online courses are more time consuming for faculty to develop than regular courses. b. many students need the ability to attend class outside of regular classroom hours. c. some students prefer the traditional classroom to the virtual classroom. d. not every course is suitable for an online environment. e. there is no way to ensure the authenticity of a student’s work in an online environment. 11. Property values in South Orange, New Jersey, have nearly doubled in the last six years. South Orange is located in Essex County, 17 miles from New York City. Which of the following, if true, best explains the results described in the statement? a. the proximity of South Orange to New York City b. the completion of a direct rail line to New York City c. the addition of 240 housing units in South Orange d. improved schools and a renovated downtown in South Orange e. the relocation of a major technical corporation to Union, New Jersey, two miles from South Orange 12. One out of four heart surgery patients at St. Vincent’s dies from complications during surgery. Only one out of six heart surgery patients at St. Mary’s dies from complications during surgery. If you need heart surgery, make sure you go to St. Mary’s, not St. Vincent’s. Which of the following, if true, is the best reason to reject this argument? a. St. Vincent’s specializes in heart surgery for elderly and high-risk patients. b. St. Mary’s surgical equipment is more up to date than St. Vincent’s. c. St. Vincent’s has the most renowned heart surgeon in the country on its staff. d. St. Vincent’s offers flexible payment options for balances not covered by insurance. e. Two doctors who used to work at St. Mary’s now work at St. Vincent’s. – VERBAL PRETEST– 55 13. DNA evidence has increasingly been used in court to prove guilt and to exonerate the innocent. Because so many convicted felons have been cleared by DNA evidence, all cases in which someone was convicted largely on circumstantial evidence should be called into question and reviewed. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen this argument? a. One in three convictions today rests largely on DNA evidence. b. DNA evidence is admissible even after the statute of limitations has expired. c. Of every ten cases in which DNA evidence becomes available post-conviction, five convictions are overturned. d. DNA evidence is 99.8% accurate. e. DNA evidence is very difficult to falsify or tamper with. Sentence Correction Directions: The following questions each present a sentence, part or all of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined portion. The first choice repeats the original; the other four choices present different options for phrasing the underlined text. Determine which choice best expresses the idea in the underlined text. If you think the original is best, choose option a. These questions test both the correctness and overall effectiveness of expression. In choosing your answer, pay attention to grammar, sentence construction, and word choice and style. The correct answer is free of grammatical errors, clear, precise, and concise. 14. Despite growing evidence of global war ming; 34 different states plan to develop nearly 100 new coal- burning electric plants in the next decade. a. warming; 34 different states b. warming. Thirty-four different states c. warming: 34 different states d. warming, 34 different states e. warming, for 34 different states 15. S uggested by new research is the fact that people who achieve phenomenal success do so, not only by visualizing their success in future endeavors, but also, by recalling their past successes, creating a tremendous surge in confidence. a. Suggested by new research is the fact that people who achieve phenomenal success do so, not only by visualizing their success in future endeavors, but also, by recalling their past successes, creating a tremendous surge in confidence. b. New research suggests that people that achieve phenomenal success visualize their success in future endeavors and also recall their past successes to create a tremendous surge in confidence. c. New research suggests that the achievement of phenomenal success by persons is accomplished not only by the visualization of success in future endeavors but also by the recollection of past suc- cesses, which creates a tremendous surge in confidence. – VERBAL PRETEST– 56 d. New research suggests that people who achieve phenomenal success do so not only by visualizing their success in future endeavors but also by recalling their past successes, creating a tremendous surge in confidence. e. New research suggests that people who achieve phenomenal success do so not only by visualizing their success in future endeavors, but also they recall their past successes, creating a tremendous surge in confidence. 16. C reat ing a fundamental shift in Amer ican foreign policy and establishing a “policy of containment ” that framed our f oreign p olicy as a battle between the for ces of good (Ame rica and other d emocratic societ ies) and evil (the Sov iet Union and other communist nat ions), was the 1947 Truman Doct rine. a. Creating a fundamental shift in American foreign policy and establishing a “policy of contain- ment” that framed our foreign policy as a battle between the forces of good (America and other democratic societies) and evil (the Soviet Union and other communist nations), was the 1947 Truman Doctrine. b. The 1947 Truman Doctrine created a fundamental shift in American foreign policy, establishing a “policy of containment” that framed our foreign policy as a battle between the forces of good (America and other democratic societies) and evil (the Soviet Union and other communist nations). c. Creating a fundamental shift in American foreign policy was the Truman Doctrine, which was put forth in 1947, and which established a “policy of containment” that framed our foreign policy as a battle between the forces of good (America, along with other democratic societies) and the forces of evil (the Soviet Union, along with other communist nations). d. The 1947 Truman Doctrine created a fundamental shift in American foreign policy, establishing a “policy of containment” that framed our foreign policy as a battle between American and other democratic societies, which it considered the forces of good, and the Soviet Union and other com- munist nations, which it considered the forces of evil. e. A fundamental shift in American foreign policy was created in 1947 by the Truman Doctrine, which importantly established a “policy of containment,” a policy that framed our foreign policy in terms of a battle between good and evil, with the good forces being America and other democracies and the evil forces being the Soviet Union and other communist nations. 17. The first science-fiction novel, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, actually contains very little science, b ut it masterfully explores the social and moral repercussions of what might happen if certain scientific advances were possible. a. but it masterfully explores the social and moral repercussions of what might happen b. but it explores in a masterful way the social and moral repercussions of what might happen c. but, exploring the social and moral repercussions, it masterfully considers what might happen d. but it masterfully explores repercussions, social and moral in nature, of what might happen e. but it masterfully explores what are the social and moral repercussions – VERBAL PRETEST– 57 18. The most important issue relating to computer technology and the Internet is the right of individual privacy, this includes the privacy of our personal data and our actions in cyberspace. a. Internet is the right of individual privacy, this includes the privacy b. Internet is the right of individual privacy, being the privacy c. Internet is the right of individual privacy, including the privacy d. Internet is the right of individuals to have privacy, and included in this consideration is the privacy e. Internet is an individual’s right to privacy. Including the privacy 19. W hile diabetes d oes not inte rfere with digestio n, on the other hand, it does pr event the bo dy from conve rting an imp ortant product o f digestion, glucose, which is commo nly know n as sugar, into energy. a. While diabetes does not interfere with digestion, on the other hand, it does prevent the body from converting an important product of digestion, glucose, which is commonly known as sugar, into energy. b. Diabetes does not interfere with digestion, but it does prevent the body from using glucose, which is commonly known as sugar, which is a product of digestion and which is converted into energy. c. Commonly known as sugar, glucose is an important product of digestion, which is prevented from being converted by the body into energy by diabetes, although diabetes does not interfere with digestion. d. Diabetes does not interfere with digestion, but it does prevent the body from converting an impor- tant product of digestion, glucose (commonly known as sugar), into energy. e. Diabetes does not interfere with digestion, but glucose (commonly known as sugar) is an impor- tant product of digestion and is unable to be converted into energy by the body because of the disease. 20. W ith an increasing amount of vegetarians, more stores are beginning to stock their shelves with stan- dard vegetarian fare, such as soy milk and tofu. a. With an increasing amount of vegetarians b. With the number of vegetarians on the rise c. With the number of vegetarians, which is on the rise d. Increasingly, there are more and more vegetarians, so e. Increasing in number are vegetarians, so Answer Explanations 1. c. The author is critical of utilitarianism, but she also includes evidence that it is a useful theory. LeGuin’s story, for example, shows how the sacrifice of one can create the happiness of many. The author also notes that “many useful social policies and much legislation are founded on” utilitarian- ism, demonstrating that it is a useful ethical theory. The word choice throughout also indicates that – VERBAL PRETEST– 58 . and concise. 14. Despite growing evidence of global war ming; 34 different states plan to develop nearly 100 new coal- burning electric plants in the next decade. a. warming; 34 different states b states b. warming. Thirty-four different states c. warming: 34 different states d. warming, 34 different states e. warming, for 34 different states 15. S uggested by new research is the fact. utopia. 4. From the passage, it can be inferred that the author a. may use utilitarianism occasionally but not as a guiding moral principle. b. would never use utilitarianism to make a decision about