Critical Reasoning Drill #2

1. The fight against the drug trade in Country X should focus for the time being on tightening the country’s borders and targeting its major smugglers. Wiping out poppy fields in rural areas means even greater hardship for an economically depressed farming population. Rather, the United Nations and the government of Country X must carefully rebuild agricultural infrastructure in areas where the economy depends on these poppy fields.

What purpose do the two boldface sentences serve in the passage?

(A) The first is the conclusion drawn by the speaker; the second is the alternative to that conclusion.

(B) The first is a short-term solution to a problem; the second is a long-term solution to the same problem.

(C) The first presents a problem; the second poses an ideal solution to the problem.

(D) The first presents a popular solution to a problem; the second presents a solution preferred by the author.

(E) The first presents an argument; the second presents evidence to support the argument.

2. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was believed in many coastal American cities that the waterfront was an undesirable location for residential buildings. As a result, much of the waterfront in these cities was never developed aesthetically and instead was left to industry and commerce. Today, however, waterfront properties are generally seen as prestigious, as evidenced by the large sums paid for homes along the beach front. A developer who wishes to make a large profit would be wise to buy urban waterfront lots and erect residential buildings on them.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the claim made about urban waterfront properties?

(A) People today have more money, relatively speaking, to spend on real estate than they did in previous centuries.

(B) Homeowners will be willing to spend large sums on residential properties in traditionally industrial or commercial districts.

(C) Many urban waterfront lots are available for purchase.

(D) Many coastal American cities are encouraging developers to rehabilitate the waterfront through tax incentives.

(E) Properties in interior residential districts in coastal American cities are significantly more expensive than those along the waterfront.

3. Psychiatric research has shown that receiving high-quality outpatient care, rather than being confined to an institution, produces the best quality of life for people who are mentally ill. Responding to this research, Congress in 1963 passed a law that released 95% of the mentally ill patients who had been confined to institutions. In 1983, however, researchers discovered that, on average, mentally ill people in America were faring worse than ever.

Which if the following, if true, best resolves the paradox in the above passage?

(A) More people were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders in 1983 than in 1963.

(B) In 1983, men who had been released from mental institutions fared worse than their female counterparts.

(C) A number of psychiatric medications were discovered between 1963 and 1983, including some early antidepressants.

(D) Congress never supplied the funding that would have been necessary to provide high-quality outpatient care to the newly-released patients.

(E) Most of the released patients who were doing badly in 1983 suffered from one of three mental illnesses.

4. Recently, some critics of the US government have pointed out that this country is the only advanced industrialized nation without a national vaccine laboratory and suggested that this lack makes the American public more vulnerable than other developed nations to infectious diseases, such as avian flu. A government official said these critics were disloyal and thus wrong about the public’s vulnerability. To support his claim, the official cited the generally long life span and low infant mortality of US citizens, relative to all UN member nations. Mentioning the high quality of American hospitals, he added that all of the Europeans that he knew preferred to undergo major medical treatments in the United States rather than in the socialized medical systems in place in their home countries.

All of the following are weaknesses or potential weaknesses in the official’s argument EXCEPT:

(A) The high quality of hospitals in the United States is not a factor affecting the public’s vulnerability to infectious disease.

(B) Whether or not the critics are disloyal has no bearing on whether or not they are wrong.

(C) The Europeans that the official cited are a demographically narrow sample, overwhelmingly composed of wealthy males over the age of fifty.

(D) The average life span of US citizens is determined not only by deaths due to infectious diseases but also by deaths due to all other causes.

(E) Comparing the United States to all UN member nations does not address the concern that the US is behind other advanced industrialized nations in a particular way.

5. In response to the increasing cost of producing energy through traditional means, such as combustion, many utility companies have begun investing in renewable energy sources, chiefly wind and solar power, hoping someday to rely on them completely and thus lower energy costs. The utility companies claim that although these sources require significant initial capital investment, they will provide stable energy supplies at low cost. As a result, these sources will be less risky for the utilities than nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil, and coal, whose prices can fluctuate dramatically according to availability.

The claim of the utility companies presupposes which of the following?

(A) The public will embrace the development of wind and solar power.

(B) No new deposits of gas, oil, and coal will be discovered in the near future.

(C) Weather patterns are consistent and predictable.

(D) The necessary technology for conversion to wind and solar power is not more expensive than the technology needed to create energy through combustion.

(E) Obtaining energy from nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil and coal, cannot be made less risky.

6. Inorganic pesticides remain active on the surfaces of fruits and vegetables for several days after spraying, while organic pesticides dissipate within a few hours after application, leaving the surface of the sprayed produce free of pesticide residue. Therefore, when purchasing from a farm that uses inorganic pesticides, one must be careful to wash the produce thoroughly before eating it to prevent the ingestion of toxins. But one need not worry about ingesting pesticides when purchasing from farms that use only organic pesticides.

The argument above assumes that

(A) Consumers are aware of the origins of the produce they purchase.

(B) Produce from farms that use organic pesticides reaches the consumer within hours after it is picked or harvested.

(C) No farm uses both organic and inorganic pesticides.

(D) No pesticide is capable of penetrating the skin of a fruit or vegetable.

(E) The use of either type of pesticide does not increase the cost of produce.

7. Unlike juvenile diabetes, which is a genetic condition present from birth, type-2 diabetes is acquired in adulthood, generally as a result of obesity and inactivity. The number of cases of type-2 diabetes has been steadily increasing in the United States since 1970, indicating to many researchers that the American population is becoming increasingly heavy and sedentary. If the government wishes to stem the spread of the disease, it should educate the public about the dangers of an inactive, calorie-laden lifestyle and promote healthful diets and exercise.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest reason to believe that the proposed education program will NOT be effective?

(A) School health programs already educate middle-school students about the issue.

(B) The public already has access to this information through the Internet.

(C) Food companies encourage the public to indulge in unhealthful snacks.

(D) The government has not set aside money for such a program.

(E) Healthful foods and exercise programs are beyond the financial means of many people.

8. The exchange rate between the currency of Country X and that of Country Y has historically favored the currency of Country Y. Because of this, citizens of Country Y often take their vacations in Country X, where the exchange rate makes hotels and restaurants more affordable. Yet, citizens of Country Y rarely purchase clothing or electronics in Country X, despite the fact that those items are more expensive in their home country, even when sales taxes are taken into account.

Which of the following, if true, would best explain the buying habits of the citizens of Country Y?

(A) Citizens of Country Y prefer the fashions available in their own country.

(B) Stores in Country X receive the latest fashions and technology several months after they are available in Country Y.

(C) The citizens of Country X resent the buying power of the currency of Country Y.

(D) The government of Country Y imposes tariffs on imported goods.

(E) The currencies of Country X and Country Y are both weak compared to the currency of Country Z.

9. Every year, many people become ill because of airborne mold spores in their homes. After someone becomes ill, specialists are often hired to eradicate the mold. These specialists look in damp areas of the house, since mold is almost always found in places where there is substantial moisture. If one wishes to avoid mold poisoning, then, one should make sure to keep all internal plumbing in good condition to prevent leakage that could serve as a breeding ground for mold.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

(A) Mold itself does not create moisture.

(B) Most homeowners know enough about plumbing to determine whether theirs is in good condition.

(C) Mold cannot grow in dry areas.

(D) No varieties of mold are harmless.

(E) Mold spores cannot be filtered from the air.

10. To prevent overcrowding, last month the town zoning board limited the number of new buildings that can be constructed in the town in any given year. The board claims that doing so will preserve open spaces and lessen the strain on municipal resources such as schools and garbage disposal. Critics of the changes argue that the plan will harm the community or, at the very least, will fail in its purpose.

Which of the following most supports the claims of the critics of the plan?

(A) Other towns have had mixed success with similar zoning plans.

(B) No new schools have been built in the town in ten years.

(C) Property taxes in the town are higher than in neighboring towns.

(D) Under the new plan, developers may still erect apartment buildings.

(E) The nearest garbage dump is several miles away from the town.