A
Most diamonds with higher-than-normal concentrations of sulfur-33 were formed at least 2.9 billion years ago.
B
Ultraviolet light causes the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere to react chemically with sulfur-33.
C
Earth’s atmosphere contained very little, if any, oxygen 2.9 billion years ago.
D
Sulfur-33 is rarely found in diamonds that were formed more recently than 2.9 billion years ago.
E
The formation of diamonds occurs only in the presence of ultraviolet light.
When a patient failed to respond to prescribed medication, the doctor hypothesized that the dosage was insufficient. The doctor first advised doubling the dosage, but the patient’s symptoms remained. It was then learned that the patient regularly drank an herbal beverage that often inhibits the medication’s effect. The doctor then advised the patient to resume the initial dosage and stop drinking the beverage. The patient complied, but still showed no change. Finally, the doctor advised the patient to double the dosage and not drink the beverage. The patient’s symptoms disappeared. Hence, the doctor’s initial hypothesis was correct.
Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The author concludes that the doctor’s initial hypothesis—that the original dosage was too low—was correct. She supports this by describing three sets of recommendations made by the doctor:
Double the dosage. (Symptoms remained.)
Return to original dosage but stop drinking a beverage that inhibits the medication. (Symptoms remained.)
Double the dosage again, keep avoiding the beverage. (Symptoms disappeared!)
Describe Method of Reasoning
The second set of recommendations lends support to the initial hypothesis that the dosage was too by eliminating an alternative hypothesis. Since the patient’s symptoms remained after this set of recommendations, it’s likely that the beverage wasn’t the sole cause of the original dosage’s ineffectiveness.
A
They establish that the doctor’s concerns about the healthfulness of the beverage were well founded.
Actually, when the patient stopped drinking the beverage and returned to the original dosage, his symptoms still remained. So the results of the second set of recommendations don’t yet establish that the doctor’s concerns about the beverage were well founded.
B
They make it less plausible that the beverage actually contributed to the ineffectiveness of the prescribed medication.
The patient’s symptoms remained after quitting the beverage and returning to the original dosage. Even if the beverage is a contributing factor, these results suggest that the original dosage is indeed too low, whether the patient is drinking the beverage or not.
C
They give evidence that the beverage was responsible for the ineffectiveness of the prescribed medication.
We don't know yet if the beverage caused the medicine to be ineffective. In fact, because the symptoms remained, we now know that the beverage alone wasn’t entirely responsible. Also, if (C) were true, it would weaken the original hypothesis; we need an answer that supports it.
D
They suggest that the beverage was not the only cause of the ineffectiveness of the prescribed dosage.
Since the symptoms remained after stopping the beverage, it shows the beverage wasn't the only cause of the dosage's ineffectiveness. This supports the hypothesis that the dosage was too low by eliminating the alternative hypothesis that the beverage alone was responsible.
E
They rule out the possibility that the doctor had initially prescribed the wrong medication for the patient’s ailments.
The results of the second set of recommendations don’t rule out this possibility because it’s still unclear whether a higher dosage of the original medication will help the patient or not.
A
confuses what is promising for small-scale construction with what is promising for large-scale construction
B
presumes that what the majority of builders thinks is promising must in fact be promising
C
equivocates between two different meanings of the term “promising”
D
does not consider the views of the builders who have the most experience working with the material
E
fails to consider that most builders might not regularly use papercrete precisely because they are familiar with its properties
Why? Because of the following:
In order for a play to be performed regularly over many decades and centuries, it must skillfully explore human nature.
The plays written last year (including the interesting ones) do not skillfully explore human nature.
To go further, we can anticipate a more specific connection to get from the premises to the conclusion. We know from the premises that the interesting plays written last year won’t be performed regularly over the coming decades and centuries (because they don’t examine human nature in a particularly skillful way). The author assumes that if the plays aren’t performed regularly over the coming decades and centuries, then they won’t be popular several centuries from now. Or, in other words, in order to be popular several centuries from now, they must be performed regularly.
A
No play will be popular several centuries from now unless it continues to be performed regularly during the intervening time.
B
For a play to deserve high critical acclaim it must be popular for more than just a few years.
C
There were no plays written last year that the drama critic has neither read nor seen performed.
D
If a play does not skillfully explore human nature, it will not receive critical acclaim.
E
Any play that skillfully examines human nature will be performed regularly over the centuries.
Matilda: The current poor condition of the university libraries is the fault of the library officials, not the students. Students should not have to pay for the mistakes of careless library administrators.
A
library administrators are to blame for the poor condition of the university libraries
B
library improvements could be most quickly effected through charging students additional fees
C
students will ultimately benefit from the library improvements that could be funded by additional student fees
D
those not responsible for the current condition of the libraries should bear the cost for remedying it
E
funds for library improvements could be raised without additional student fees
A
The weapons tests had kept wildlife poachers out of the testing range.
B
Weapons testing in the range did more harm to the camels in the first years of the testing than in later years.
C
Because of unexploded bombs, the land within the testing range was still somewhat dangerous after the range closed down.
D
The camels had to overcome two different outbreaks of disease during the time the testing range was in operation.
E
The weapons tests were most harmful to the camels in years when food was scarce.
Planting peach trees on their farm makes more sense for the Johnsons than planting apricot trees. Although fresh, locally grown apricots are very popular in this area, the same is true of peaches. However, individual peach trees cost much less to purchase and plant than do apricot trees, and peach trees also begin bearing fruit at a much younger age.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that the Johnsons should plant peach trees rather than apricot trees. She supports this by saying that, while both are popular, peach trees are less expensive than apricot trees and they start producing fruit at a much younger age.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that planting cheaper trees will increase the Johnsons’ profit without considering other factors, like the cost of maintenance or the price of peaches versus apricots.
She also assumes that, because peach trees produce fruit at a younger age, they will produce more fruit over time. She doesn’t consider whether peach trees stop producing fruit at a young age, or whether they simply produce far less fruit overall.
She also assumes that these are the most important factors in the Johnsons’ decision, overlooking any other factors that might make apricots a better option.
A
Fresh, locally grown apricots sell at a much higher price than do fresh, locally grown peaches.
This weakens the argument by showing that one of the author's assumptions is false. She assumes that cheaper trees will lead to more income for the farm, but (A) points out that apricots, which sell for a higher price, could actually generate more income than peaches long term.
B
Apricot trees tend to stop being productive at a younger age than do peach trees.
This strengthens the argument. If apricots stop being productive at a younger age, it might make more sense for the Johnsons to plant peaches instead.
C
It costs as much to water and fertilize peach trees as it does to water and fertilize apricot trees.
Like (B), this slightly strengthens the argument. If water and fertilizer costs are the same but peach trees are less expensive to buy and plant, it might make more sense for the Johnsons to plant peaches instead of apricots.
D
The market for fresh, locally grown apricots has grown in recent years as awareness of the health benefits of eating fresh fruit has increased.
(D) wants us to assume that the market for apricots has grown more than the market for peaches, but we don’t know this. Since “awareness of the health benefits of eating fresh fruit has increased,” it’s very possible that the market for peaches has grown just as much or more.
E
Peach production has decreased dramatically over the last several years.
This doesn’t address the author’s argument or assumptions. If peach production has decreased, should they plant peaches to fill this gap in production? Or should they avoid planting them due to other factors affecting production? We simply don’t know.
A
Tourists typically learn something about the places they visit even when they are there only to relax.
B
Tourists gain much more understanding of a place once they have spent several days at that place than they do in their first few days there.
C
Many people report that they can learn far more about a place by visiting it than they can by reading about it.
D
Tourists who have read about a place beforehand tend to stay longer in that place.
E
Some tourists are unconcerned about gaining information about a place other than what is necessary for their immediate enjoyment.
A
Modular furniture, unlike standard furniture, is not mass-produced.
B
The consumer demand for sofas sometimes increases more quickly than the supply.
C
The most fashionable designers tend to use modular furniture designs.
D
Because modular furniture pieces are custom ordered, they are never put on sale.
E
Modular sofas, on average, have a greater area of upholstered surfaces than do standard sofas.