section ii
time—35 minutes
25 questions
questions: the questions in this section are based on the reasoning contained in brief statements or passages. for some questions more than one of the choices could conceivably answer the question. however, you are to choose the best answer that is the response that most accurately and completely answers the question. you should not make assumptions that are by commonsense standards implausible, superfluous, or incompatible with the passage, after you have chosen the best answer, blacken the corresponding space on your answer sheet.
1. the basic ingredients from which cement is made are both cheap and plentiful. materials as common as limestone and clay will do. nevertheless. the price of cement is influenced by the price of oil, because turning the basic ingredients into cement in high-temmerature kilns use large amounts of energy.
which one of the following can be logically inferred from the passage?
(a) oil is one of the basic ingredients that make up cement
(b) oil is a source of energy for some of the kilns used in the making of cement
(c) the higher the price of cement rises, the higher the price of clay rises
(d) whenever oil prices rise cement prices drop
(e) a given amount of cement costs no more than the total cost of its basic ingredients
2. many people do not understand themselves, nor do they try to gain self-understanding these people might try to understand others, but these attempts are sure to fail, because without self-understanding it is impossible to understand others. it is clear from this that anyone who lacks self-understanding will be incapable of understanding others.
the reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument
(a) mistakes something that is necessary to bring about a situation for something that in itself is enough to bring about that situation
(b) fails to take into account the possibility that not everyone wants to gain a thorough understanding of himself or herself
(c) blames people for something for which they cannot legitimately be held responsible
(d) makes use of the inherently vague term "self-understanding" without defining that term
(e) draws a conclusion that simply restates a claim given in support of that conclusion
questions 3-4
wife: the work of the artist who painted the portrait of my grandparents 50 years ago has become quite popular lately, so the portrait has recently become valuable. but since these sorts of artistic fads fade rapidly, the practical thing to do would be to sell the portrait while it is still worth something, and thereby enable our daughter to attend the college she has chosen.
husband: how could you make such a suggestion? that painting is the only thing you own that belonged to your grandparents. i don t think it s a very good painting, but it has great sentimental value. besides, you owe it to our daughter to keep it in the family as a link to her family s past
3. which one of the following principles, if established, does most to justify the husband s reply?
(a) gifts offered as sentimental tokens of affection should not be accepted if the recipient intends to sell them later for profit
(b) a beautiful work of art is more valuable than the money it could be sold for, whatever the amount
(c) it is more important for parents to provide their children with tangible links to the family s past than it is to enable them to attend the college of their choice.
(d) children and grandchildren have a duty to preserve family heirlooms only if they have promised their parents or grandparents that they would do so.
(e) providing one s children with an education is more important than providing them with material goods, even if the goods have sentimental value.
4. the husband uses which one of the following argumentative techniques in replying to the wife s suggestion?
(a) taking issue with the practicality of her suggestion
(b) questioning her aesthetie judgment
(c) claiming that the reasons she gives are based on emotions rather than on rational considerations
(d) asserting that the evidence she cites in support of her suggestion is false
(e) invoking a competing obligation that he judges to override her practical considerations
5. questions have arisen regarding the accuracy of the reports the university s archaeological museum issues on its sales and acquisitions for the year. to forestall controversy, this year s report is being reviewed by three archaeologists from other universities. since these archaeologists will be given full access to all documents on which the report is based, they will be able to determine whether it is indeed accurate.
the reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument
(a) does not specify whether the reviewers will have access to data about objects that have been in the museum s collection for many years
(b) provides no information regarding the size or quality of the archaeological museum s collection
(c) omits any mention of whether the museum s collection is on display or is available only to researchers
(d) omits any mention of whether the museum s collection is on display or is available only to researchers
(e) does not describe what will occur if the reviewers discover discrepancies between the report and the documents on which it was based
6. engineer: some people argue that the world s energy problems could be solved by mining the moon for helium-3, which could be used for fuel in fusion reactors. but this is nonsense. even if it were possible to mine the moon for helium-3, the technology needed to build viable fusion reactors that could use such fuel is at least 50 years away. if the world s energy problems are not solved before then, it will be too late to solve those problems.
the main point of the argument is that
(a) mining the moon for helium-3 is currently not feasible
(b) fusion reactors that are now being planned are not designed to use hilium-3 as fuel
(c) people who advocate mining the moon for helium-3 do not realize that fusion reactors could be designed to use fuels other than helium-3
(d) mining the moon for helium-3 is not a possible solution to the world s energy problems
(e) if the world s energy problems are not solved within the next 50 years, it will be too late to solve those problems.