Analyzing Arguments

Question: Most Reality TV centers on two common motivators: fame and money. The shows transform waitresses, hairdressers, investment bankers, counselors, and teachers, to name a few, from obscure figures to house-hold names. A lucky few successfully parlay their fifteen minutes of fame into celebrity. The luckiest stars of Reality TV also reap huge financial rewards for acts including eating large insects, marrying someone they barely know, and revealing their innermost thoughts to millions of people.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].

the stars of Reality TV are interested in being rich and famous.

[B].

Reality TV is the best thing that has happened to network television in a long time.

[C].

for Reality TV stars, fame will last only as long as their particular television show.

[D].

traditional dramas and sitcoms are being replaced by Reality TV programming at an alarming rate.

Answer: Option A

Explanation:

This is expressed in the first sentence. Choices b, d, and e are not supported by the passage. Choice c is incorrect because the paragraph states that some Reality TV stars manage to parlay their fifteen minutes of fame into celebrity.

Question: Originating in the 1920s, the Pyramid scheme is one of the oldest con games going. Honest people are often pulled in, thinking the scheme is a legitimate investment enterprise. The first customer to “fall for” the Pyramid scheme will actually make big money and will therefore persuade friends and relatives to join also. The chain then continues with the con artist who originated the scheme pocketing, rather than investing, the money. Finally, the pyramid collapses, but by that time, the scam artist will usually have moved out of town, leaving no forwarding address.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].it is fairly easy to spot a Pyramid scheme in the making.[B].he first customer of a Pyramid scheme is the most gullible.

[C].the people who set up Pyramid schemes are able to fool honest people.

[D].the Pyramid scheme had its heyday in the 1920s, but it’s making a comeback.

 

Answer: Option C

Explanation:

The fact that the Pyramid scheme is set up by a con artist suggests that the honest people who invest have been fooled. Choices a and b are contradicted in the passage. The paragraph says that the Pyramid scheme originated in the 1920s, but does not say it had its heyday then; thus, choice d is incorrect. Choice e is a fact, but it is not mentioned in the passage.

Question: Forest fires feed on decades-long accumulations of debris and leap from the tops of young trees into the branches of mature trees. Fires that jump from treetop to treetop can be devastating. In old-growth forests, however, the shade of mature trees keeps thickets of small trees from sprouting, and the lower branches of mature trees are too high to catch the flames.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].

forest fire damage is reduced in old-growth forests.

[B].

small trees should be cut down to prevent forest fires.

[C].

mature trees should be thinned out to prevent forest fires

[D].

forest fires do the most damage in old-growth forests.

Answer: Option A

Explanation:

The last sentence provides direct support for choice a. The author never suggests that any trees should be cut down or thinned out, which eliminates choices b and c. Choice d contradicts the author’s opinion. The author suggests that old growth forests have less debris, which rules out choice e.

Question: Close-up images of Mars by the Mariner 9 probe indicated networks of valleys that looked like the stream beds on Earth. These images also implied that Mars once had an atmosphere that was thick enough to trap the sun’s heat. If this were true, something happened to Mars billions of years ago that stripped away the planet’s atmosphere.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].

Mars now has little or no atmosphere.

[B].

Mars once had a thicker atmosphere than Earth does.

[C].

the Mariner 9 probe took the first pictures of Mars.

[D].

Mars is closer to the sun than Earth is.

Answer: Option A

Explanation:

The paragraph states that Mars once had a thick atmosphere, but that it was stripped away. The other choices, true or not, cannot be found in the passage.

Question: By the time they reach adulthood, most people can perform many different activities involving motor skills. Motor skills involve such diverse tasks as riding a bicycle, threading a needle, and cooking a dinner. What all these activities have in common is their dependence on precision and timing of muscular movement.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].

most adults have not refined their motor skills.

[B].

all adults know how to ride a bicycle.

[C].

refined motor skills are specifically limited to adults.

[D].

children perform fewer fine motor activities in a day than adults do.

Answer: Option E

Explanation:

The second sentence states that threading a needle involves motor skill. The other choices are not in the paragraph.

Question: During the last six years, the number of practicing physicians has increased by about 20%. During the same time period, the number of healthcare managers has increased by more than 600%. These percentages mean that many doctors have lost the authority to make their own schedules, determine the fees that they charge, and decide on prescribed treatments.
This paragraph best supports the statement that doctors
[A].

resent the interference of healthcare managers.

[B].

no longer have adequate training.

[C].

care a great deal about their patients.

[D].

are less independent than they used to be.

Answer: Option D

Explanation:

The author of this statement suggests that doctors are less independent. The author stresses that many doctors have lost authority. There is no support for the opinion that doctors resent the healthcare managers, however which rules out choice a. The doctors training is never mentioned (choice b). Doctors may care about their patients (choice c), but this information is not part of the paragraph. Choice e is not mentioned.

Question: For too long, school cafeterias, in an effort to provide food they thought would be appetizing to young people, mimicked fast-food restaurants, serving items such as burgers and fries, pizza, hot dogs, and fried chicken. School districts nationwide are now addressing this trend by incorporating some simple and inexpensive options that will make cafeteria lunches healthier while still appealing to students.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].

school cafeterias have always emphasized nutritional guidelines over any other considerations.

[B].

young people would rather eat in a school cafeteria than a local fast-food restaurant.

[C].

school lunch menus are becoming healthier due to major new initiatives on the part of school districts.

[D].

it is possible to make school lunches both healthier and appealing without spending a great deal of money and undertaking a radical transformation.

Answer: Option D

Explanation:

The final sentence of the paragraph supports choice d. The other choices are not supported by the passage. Choice c may seem correct at first, but the paragraph states that the new initiatives are simple and inexpensive, not major. Choice e might seem to represent a truth, but vegetarian options are not discussed in this paragraph.

Question: In the 1966 Supreme Court decision Miranda v. Arizona, the court held that before the police can obtain statements from a person subjected to an interrogation, the person must be given a Miranda warning. This warning means that a person must be told that he or she has the right to remain silent during the police interrogation. Violation of this right means that any statement that the person makes is not admissible in a court hearing.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].

police who do not warn persons of their Miranda rights are guilty of a crime.

[B].

a Miranda warning must be given before a police interrogation can begin.

[C].

the police may no longer interrogate persons suspected of a crime unless a lawyer is present.

[D].

the 1966 Supreme Court decision in Miranda should be reversed

Answer: Option B

Explanation:

This answer is clearly supported in the second sentence. Nothing in the paragraph suggests that it is a crime not to give a Miranda warning, so choice a is incorrect. Choice c is also wrong because police may interrogate as long as a warning is given. There is no support given for either choice d or e.

Question: Obesity is a serious problem in this country. Research suggests that obesity can lead to a number of health problems including diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. Recent research has even indicated that there may be a relationship between obesity and some types of cancer. Major public health campaigns that increase awareness and propose simple lifestyle changes that will, with diligence and desire, eliminate or least mitigate the incidence of obesity are a crucial first step in battling this critical problem.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].

public health campaigns that raise consciousness and propose lifestyle changes are a productive way to fight obesity.

[B].

obesity is the leading cause of diabetes in our country.

[C].

people in our country watch too much television and do not exercise enough.

[D].

a decline in obesity would radically decrease the incidence of asthma.

Answer: Option A

Explanation:

The support for this choice is in the last sentence, which states that major public health campaigns that increase awareness and propose lifestyle changes are important in our fight against obesity. Choice b can be ruled out because although the paragraph states that obesity can lead to diabetes, it doesn’t tell us that it is the leading cause of this disease. Choices c and e might sound reasonable and true, but they are not supported in the paragraph. And although we are told that obesity has been connected to asthma, this fact is not quantified in any way, so choice d is also not supported by the information given.

Question: Mathematics allows us to expand our consciousness. Mathematics tells us about economic trends, patterns of disease, and the growth of populations. Math is good at exposing the truth, but it can also perpetuate misunderstandings and untruths. Figures have the power to mislead people.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
[A].

the study of mathematics is dangerous.

[B].

words are more truthful than figures.

[C].

the study of mathematics is more important than other disciplines.

[D].

the power of numbers is that they cannot lie.

Answer: Option E

Explanation:

This answer is clearly stated in the last sentence of the paragraph. Choice a can be ruled out because there is no support to show that studying math is dangerous. Words are not mentioned in the passage, which rules out choice b. Choice d is a contradiction to the information in the passage. There is no support for choice c.