Critical Reasoning Practice Test 2

Directions: Each of these GMAT critical reasoning practice questions are based on a short argument, a set of statements, or a plan of action. For each practice question, select the best answer of the choices given.

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Question 1
Historian: The Russian Revolution in the early 20th century was sparked not by the proletariat, but by the bourgeoisie, or intellectual middle-class, a fact that is widely accepted in modern academia. The French Revolution of 1789 was also largely ignited by a rising middle class. The idea that political upheavals are initiated by the populist “peasant-class” is widely accepted as a fallacy today. Therefore, political commentators analyzing the “Arab Spring” movement in the past two years are inaccurate in suggesting that the movement is truly populist.

  • Which of the following best describes the flaw in the historian’s argument?
A
It accepts that movements cannot be both populist and spurred by the middle class.
B
The argument draws a conclusion based on a claim which may not be universally true.
C
The historian’s argument is based on what is “widely accepted” by contemporary historians and not on established facts.
D
The argument implies that the Arab Spring is relatively similar to historical revolutions with no concrete evidence.
E
It overlooks the cultural and temporal differences between the Russian, French, and Arab political climates.
Question 1 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (C). The historian is drawing a conclusion about a modern revolution (Arab Spring) based on what is accepted about historical revolutions (the Russian Revolution, and the French Revolution). The main problem with this argument is that if something is widely accepted, then it must be true. Argumentum ad Populum (popular appeal or appeal to the majority) is a well-known logical fallacy. Just because most people agree with a certain view does not mean that it is correct.

Answer (D) is an assumption that the political commentators had to make in order to arrive at the conclusion that the Arab Spring is truly populist, but this isn’t the main flaw in the historian’s argument.
Question 2
Although Apple products have continued to enjoy record-breaking profits worldwide, iPod retailers have recently reported that the numbers of the touch-screen devices sold have steadily decreased in the past two years. However, in the past two years, the numbers of iPhones sold have nearly doubled. Thus, more people are choosing to buy iPhones than iPods when selecting from Apple’s products.

  • The reasoning in the argument is questionable primarily because the argument:
A
assumes an inherent preference in people for one product over another.
B
lacks specific numbers to bolster the conclusion.
C
doesn’t admit alternative explanations for the situation.
D
suggests iPod retailers and iPhone retailers are one and the same.
E
limits the scope of its argument to only two of Apple’s products.
Question 2 Explanation: 
The correct response is (C). This question asks about a flaw in logic. Reflect upon the argument and expose its logical flaw before reading the answer choices. The reasoning here is that if one product’s popularity increases, while another’s decreases, it must mean that consumers are choosing the one over the other. The assumption is that there is no other reason to explain these statistics. Any number of things could have caused these changes in patterns of consumption, so it is irresponsible to assume that one was directly linked to the other.
Question 3
Though the Great Fakir is a well-respected illusionist and escape artist, he has recently become outspokenly critical of the performance act of the Magnificent Mystic, calling it largely staged and fake. The Magnificent Mystic’s stage act involves a “Buried Alive” set-piece, wherein he appears to be placed in a coffin which is then wrapped in chains, and lowered into a make-shift grave, only to reappear from the side of the stage after several minutes. The Great Fakir criticized the Magnificent Mystic’s act in an editorial as “an obvious form of mechanical trickery,” but the Great Fakir’s own world-famous performance act uses mechanical devices such as boxes, ladders, and glass panes to create his own stage illusions, which have helped him become the world’s most popular touring magician.

  • The argument's reasoning is most open to criticism on the basis that it:
A
attacks the morality of the Magnificent Mystic’s stage act rather than its efficacy.
B
implies popularity lends credibility.
C
undermines the credentials of the Great Fakir.
D
differentiates between types of mechanical trickery.
E
suggests that there is no difference between the two magicians’ acts.
Question 3 Explanation: 
The correct response is (E). This is a flaw question, and the correct answer will accurately describe the author’s gap in logic. In the argument, the Great Fakir is presented as somewhat hypocritical, since he also uses “mechanical trickery” while calling the Magnificent Mystic’s act “largely staged and fake”. The author wants us to believe that since “the Great Fakir’s own world-famous performance act uses mechanical devices such as boxes, ladders, and glass panes to create his own stage illusions” the Great Fakir is hypocritical in calling the Magnificent Mystic’s act largely staged and fake. This need not be the case unless the two acts are similar in all regards. If the Great Fakir’s act has several important differences that make it look more real than the Magnificent Mystic’s act, then the author would be wrong in suggesting that the Great Fakir is hypocritical in his criticism of the Magnificent Mystic’s act.

Answer choice (B) is incorrect because although the author states that the Great Fakir has become the world’s most popular touring magician partly because of his use of mechanical devices to create his own optical illusions, the author’s main point is that the Great Fakir is hypocritical in his criticism of the Magnificent Mystic’s act. The suggestion that the Great Fakir is the world’s most popular touring magician is secondary to the author’s main point, and certainly isn’t the main problem with suggesting that the Great Fakir is hypocritical in his criticism of the Magnificent Mystic’s act. The main issue is that he assumes the two acts are similar in all regards.
Question 4
Many of the yachts anchored in Cannes boast a luxurious Jacuzzi on their uppermost deck. Almost 80% of the yachts that were sold in the past ten years in Cannes are older models, and none of them had built-in Jacuzzis.

  • The information above most strongly supports which of the following?
A
Only new yacht-models come with Jacuzzis.
B
None of the newer yacht-models with Jacuzzis will be sold in the next ten years.
C
All yachts in Cannes without Jacuzzis were sold in the past ten years.
D
People shopping for yachts will likely choose an older-model with a Jacuzzi than an older-model without a Jacuzzi.
E
Some newer yacht-models were sold in the past ten years in Cannes.
Question 4 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (E). The two pieces of evidence we are offered here do not allow us to make a strong conclusion connecting yachts to Jacuzzis. The first sentence tells us that “many” of the yachts in Cannes have a Jacuzzi, but we do not know how many of these yachts are older models and how many are newer models. The second sentence tells us that 80% sold were older models. That would imply that approx. 20% sold were newer-models. Just because none of the older models that sold in the past ten years had built-in Jacuzzis does not necessarily mean people are avoiding buying older-model yachts without Jacuzzis. There could be multiple explanations for this data. Only (E) can be inferred from the given evidence.
Question 5
According to a recent census, West Egg had more mansions per capita last year than East Egg, while East Egg had slightly fewer residents than West Egg. Since the census, West Egg and East Egg have each seen the demolition of a dozen dilapidated mansions within their respective borders, and no new mansions have begun construction. It must be true, therefore, that _________.

  • Which of the following best completes the passage?
A
West Egg and East Egg both have more cared-for mansions than dilapidated mansions.
B
West Egg has more mansions than East Egg.
C
West Egg has more mansions per capita than East Egg.
D
West Egg and East Egg have the same number of mansions.
E
West Egg has more residents than East Egg.
Question 5 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (B). This question hinges on our understanding of the census. It reveals that West Egg had more mansions per capita and East Egg had fewer people. But “since the census” all we know is that both West Egg and East Egg have 12 less dilapidated mansions. We can conclude only that the total number of mansions in both places has decreased equally, and therefore West Egg must still have more mansions than East Egg. We do not have any information about the residents after the census. It is possible East Egg’s population has increased dramatically, or that West Egg’s has decreased. We therefore cannot make any conclusions “per capita.”
Question 6
Botanist: The Lady’s Slipper is a type of orchid that requires bright light, but no direct sun, relatively consistent room temperature, and water no more than twice a month for maximum growth. Our newest greenhouse comes with a watering system that has been tested with the Lady’s Slipper orchids, and can be programmed to release water onto the orchids once every two weeks. The new greenhouse is already capable of maintaining a constant room temperature and blocking out direct sunlight, so we can confidently state the new greenhouse is ideal for their growth.

  • Which of the following is an assumption required by the botanist’s conclusion?
A
The watering system will not over-water the orchids when it does release water.
B
The new greenhouse is capable of either emitting or permitting light to reach the Lady’s Slipper.
C
The average consumer will have the ability to program the watering system.
D
The constant room temperature can be set at a variety of degrees.
E
The greenhouse is large enough to accommodate the average maximum growth of the Lady’s Slipper.
Question 6 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (B). The botanist lists 3 things as necessary for the orchid: (1) light, but no sun, (2) consistent temp, and (3) water no more than twice a month. The greenhouse is described as having the ability to (1) block sun, (2) provide constant temp, and (3) be programmed to water twice a month. The only missing component is confirmation that the new greenhouse can indeed provide “bright light” to the orchids, which we know is necessary for their survival.
Question 7
A small group of law professors have suggested that the university’s current JD program be restructured so students can spend more time reading case studies and studying independently since a wide knowledge of legal precedent is key to the success of its alumni. These professors are advocating an end to the public-speaking class requirement. But there is an obvious benefit to training young attorneys to speak confidently and articulately in court, and recent graduates of the program have remarked that they were frequently required to verbally describe case studies to colleagues.

  • Which of the following most logically concludes the argument?
A
These law professors are incorrect in their assumption that more time reading case studies independently will lead to alumni success.
B
Alumni success, therefore, is contingent upon an equal balance between public-speaking and reading case studies.
C
Attorneys who cannot verbally articulate case studies will not have as much success in the workplace as those who can.
D
Keeping the public-speaking class in the curriculum is not wholly inconsistent with the law professors’ goal of fostering alumni success.
E
The university should expand the public-speaking requirement, rather than omit it, as verbal skills are just as valuable as case study knowledge in the workplace.
Question 7 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (D). The law professors advocate omitting public-speaking from the curriculum to better attain success for alumni. However, evidence is then presented which shows that verbal skills and public-speaking are “frequently required” by alumni. It logically follows then, that some public-speaking training would not necessarily hamper an alumni’s chances for success.

Answer choice (C) is incorrect because attorneys who cannot verbally articulate case studies could still have as much success as those who can articulate case studies if the attorneys who cannot verbally articulate case studies are much better at everything else than those who can verbally articulate case studies. If success depends on various factors, the ability to articulate case studies might be just one factor among many. The statement in answer choice (C) may be true, but it does not necessarily follow from the information given in the stimulus.
Question 8
In most truck drivers, taking caffeine pills regularly usually leads to a higher average efficiency in terms of miles travelled each day. Recent data has shown that the locations of the greatest number of car accidents involving multiple trucks occurred near stores selling large quantities of the types of caffeine pills most frequently purchased by truck drivers. Thus, caffeine pill intake among truck drivers leads to an increased number of car accidents.

  • Which of the following most accurately describes the major flaw in the author’s reasoning?
A
The author assumes that truck drivers speed because of the caffeine pills.
B
The author does not allow for other reasons for the proximity of the caffeine suppliers to the location of the car accidents.
C
The argument assumes that higher average efficiency means truck drivers are speeding.
D
The author assumes speeding causes most serious accidents.
E
The argument fails to take into account the actions of any non-trucks potentially involved in these accidents.
Question 8 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (B). This is a challenging question. The author is assuming a causal relationship between caffeine pills and car accidents, where the data only supports a correlative relationship. It’s possible that the physical proximity of the caffeine-selling stores to the crash sites is purely coincidental. (A) is also somewhat implied by the argument, but the question asks for the “major” flaw, and speeding is not a part of the author’s conclusion. Similarly, none of the other options can be classified as the primary logical flaw of this conclusion, even if they may be considered secondary assumptions.
Question 9
An ancient palace in Mesopotamia was recently uncovered, revealing three antechambers relatively undamaged. The heights of the doorways between the chambers were measured, and found to be on average no greater than 4.5 feet tall. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the chambers found were intended for children and young adults, and could very well have been used as a nursery.

  • Which of the following is NOT an assumption upon which the argument is based?
A
The height of the doorways did not shrink significantly over time prior to the palace’s discovery.
B
Ancient Mesopotamians were not a lot shorter, on average, than modern humans.
C
The ancient Mesopotamians built doors to accommodate the people who would primarily occupy the rooms behind them.
D
Ancient Mesopotamians were not generally taller than 5 feet at adult height.
E
Human height in ancient times is comparable to modern human height.
Question 9 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (D). The author’s conclusion is that the rooms were for children/young adults, based on the evidence that the doorway height was 4.5 feet tall.

(D) If the ancient Mesopotamians were not generally taller than 5 feet at adult height, it is still possible to conclude that the chambers found were intended for children and young adults. For example if the ancient Mesopotamians were generally 4.9 feet tall on average at adult height, there might be reason to believe that the intended occupants of the chambers were either children or young adults below the average adult height of 4.9 feet. If we negate the statement in (D), the argument still stands.

All the other answer choices provide statements that must be true in order for the conclusion to hold.

For example, if we apply the negation test to answer choice E, the conclusion falls apart. If human height in ancient times is not comparable to modern human height, then it is possible that the intended occupants of the chambers were adults and not children or young adults as the argument suggests (if the average adult height in ancient times was less than 4.5 feet).
Question 10
The city council of Town X has very little effective power. It has been primarily a deliberative body, with real decisions coming down from the mayor’s office. No city can claim to have effective leadership without a strong city council, and Town X is widely praised for its effective leadership. It follows, then, that the city council of Town X _______.

  • Which of the following best completes the argument?
A
could not be considered effective unless it’s false that Town X has strong leadership
B
actually wields the true power within Town X’s leadership branch
C
supports unilaterally the decisions from the mayor’s office
D
is representative of most deliberative bodies
E
is able to bolster Town X’s leadership through deliberation
Question 10 Explanation: 
The correct response is (E). The issue that needs to be resolved here is: why is Town X praised for its leadership, though its city council has very little effective power? It must be that a “strong city council” and a city council that is “deliberative” are not mutually exclusive.

If you chose (A), this simply negates part of the premise. The phrase “it follows” indicates an extension of the previous sentence’s idea, not a negation of it.

If you chose (B), this is too extreme. It must be true that the city council is “strong,” but stating it wields the “true power” is too big a leap.

If you chose (C), there is no evidence about the interactions between the city council and the mayor’s office. We only know the mayor’s office makes the major decisions. It is possible that as a deliberative body, many members of the city council do NOT support these decisions.

If you chose (D), this is irrelevant. What does and does not characterize deliberative bodies is outside the scope of this argument.
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