Multi-Source Reasoning Practice Test 3

Directions: Each GMAT multi-source reasoning question is based on a series of information contained in text, charts, or tables. For each practice question you should examine the relevant information and select the best answer of the choices given.

Article 1

From a local Southern California newspaper.

Typically, fewer people vote in local elections that in national ones, but participation can vary widely by state. A new poll has found that more people in California vote in local elections than do people in Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico combined. This has been attributed to the high number of independent voters in our state, as well as the high enthusiasm for local elections. City councilman Brad Zellman was pleased to see such a high turnout at the recent city council election. “It’s a unique opportunity for local citizens’ votes to carry more weight than they would in big national elections, and it’s great to have so much participation in these smaller campaigns state-wide.”

 

Article 2

Editorial from the Opinion section of a competing newspaper.

The recent city council election has seen many a politico claim that the increased voter turnout is due to local citizens wanting to be a part of an election where their vote is proportionally more important. However, it is incorrect to suggest that voting in local elections somehow means your vote “counts more.” True, local politicians make decisions that affect day-to-day operations of our cities, but national politicians make decisions that ultimately affect the outcomes of our lives. When you vote for national figures in larger elections, your vote matters more because you are voting for people who will ultimately have a bigger impact on your life long-term.

 

Article 3

Results from recent California elections.

City councilman elections: 13,000 local votes cast (22% of the eligible population voted), 80% of citizens who voted were polled as “extremely satisfied” with the results. District representative elections: 1.9 million votes cast (19% of the eligible population voted), 67% of citizens who voted were polled as “extremely satisfied” with the results.

 

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Question 1
Consider each of the following statements. Does the information in the articles support the inference as stated?

Californians are more concerned with politics than are people in Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

A
Yes
B
No
Question 1 Explanation: 
The answer is No. This argument assumes that the percentage of people who vote in California is higher than the percentage of people who vote in the other three states put together, based on the fact that the number of people who vote is greater in California. We cannot infer anything about the percentage of people who vote based only on actual numbers of people who vote.
Question 2
Consider each of the following statements. Does the information in the articles support the inference as stated?

The “weight” Zellman describes refers to the scale of political decision-making.

A
Yes
B
No
Question 2 Explanation: 
The answer is No. Zellman likely means that your vote carries “more weight” in local elections since “typically fewer people vote in local elections” according to Article 1. This is further established by Article 2, which begins with a refutation of Zellman and the idea that a vote in a local election “counts more.”
Question 3
Consider each of the following statements. Does the information in the articles support the inference as stated?

Local citizens are more satisfied by smaller elections than by larger ones.

A
Yes
B
No
Question 3 Explanation: 
The answer is No. In Article 3, though a higher percentage of citizens were polled as “extremely satisfied” in the smaller “city councilman” elections, there is nothing to indicate that the size of the election was the cause of the satisfaction. The effectiveness of the political process itself could have been a factor, for example. There is not enough data to draw this type of conclusion.
Question 4
Consider each of the following statements. Does the information in the articles support the inference as stated?

Local politicians have more short-term impact on their constituents’ lives.

A
Yes
B
No
Question 4 Explanation: 
The answer is Yes. This inference is supported by Article 2, which states that “local politicians make decisions that affect day-to-day operations of our cities.” It then continues to develop the idea that national politicians have long-term impact, suggesting that local politicians have a shorter-term impact.
Question 5
In the recent election, if everyone who voted in the city councilman elections also voted in the district representative elections, how many of those voters were “extremely satisfied” with both elections?

A
Less than 7,000.
B
Approximately 10,400.
C
More than 1.3 million.
D
It cannot be determined.
Question 5 Explanation: 
The answer is D. Article 3 gives us the information we need. If 13,000 voted in the councilman elections, and 80% of those were satisfied, that is 10,400 people. Those 10,400 were then among the 1.9 million who voted in the representative elections, 67% of whom said they were “extremely satisfied” with this second election. There is no way to tell, however, how many of the 10,400 were among the 67%. It certainly could not be MORE than 10,400, but it could be all, a partial number, or none.
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