Critical Reasoning Drill #3

21. Because of a rare type of fungus that killed off many cacao trees in Brazil, there was an unusually meager harvest of cacao beans this year. The wholesale price of cocoa solids and cocoa butter has increased significantly and is unlikely to fall in the foreseeable future. As a result, the retail price of chocolate is certain to increase within six months.

The answer to which of the following questions would provide information relevant to evaluating the argument above?

(A) Has the price of cocoa solids and cocoa butter remained steady during other periods of poor harvest?

(B) Are consumers willing to spend more for chocolate?

(C) Have the prices of other ingredients in chocolate decreased recently?

(D) What percentage of cacao trees in Brazil were affected by the fungus?

(E) Can the fungus be eliminated within the next six months?

22. Two years ago, the cost of the raw material used in a particular product doubled after an earthquake disrupted production in the region where the material is mined. Since that time, the company that makes the product has seen its profit margins decline steadily. Aiming to improve profit margins, the company’s head of engineering has decided that he must find a new source for the raw material.

Which of the following, if true, would cast the most doubt on the validity of the head of engineering’s decision?

(A) New competitors have entered the market every six months for the past two years, resulting in price wars that have progressively driven down revenues across the market.

(B) Although the earthquake occurred two years ago, the region’s mines have still not recovered to pre-earthquake production capacity.

(C) There are several other regions in the world where the raw material is mined, but those regions do not produce as much of the raw material as the current source region.

(D) The company could use a completely different raw material to make its product.

(E) Recent advances in mining technology will make mining the raw material much more efficient and cost-effective in the future.

23. According to a recent research study, more than 90% percent of graduates of private high schools in a certain county continue their education in college. By contrast, only 65% of graduates of public high schools subsequently pursue college education. Therefore, if parents in the county wish to increase the likelihood that their children will attend college, they should send them to private rather than public schools.

Which of the following statements would most seriously weaken the argument above?

(A) Graduates of private schools typically score higher on standardized tests and other tests of academic achievement.

(B) While private schools are typically very expensive, attendance of public school is free for the residents of the county.

(C) In comparison with graduates of private schools, a substantially greater proportion of public school graduates receive need-based financial aid for their college education.

(D) In comparison with private schools, public schools provide more opportunities for student involvement in sports and other athletic activities, which almost always increase the likelihood of students’ acceptance to colleges.

(E) Since most public schools are located in rural areas of the county populated primarily by farmers, nearly 30% of students from public high schools choose to pursue farming occupations rather than apply to colleges.

24. Due to high jet fuel costs, airline carriers are looking for new ways to increase revenues and thereby counteract declining profits. Airline A has proposed increasing the number of passengers that can fit on its airplanes by creating several standing room only “seats” in which passengers would be propped against a padded backboard and held in place with a harness. This proposal, since it relates to passenger safety, cannot be implemented without prior approval by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The above statements, if true, indicate that Airline A has made which of the following conclusions?

(A) The addition of standing room only “seats” will generate more revenue than the cost of ensuring that these seats meet safety standards.

(B) The Federal Aviation Administration will approve Airline A’s specific proposal.

(C) The revenue generated by the addition of standing room only “seats” is greater than the current cost of jet fuel.

(D) There are no safer ways in which Airline A can increase revenues.

(E) Passenger safety is less important than increasing revenue.

25. A recent development in the marketplace for consumer technology goods has been the premium placed on design - products with innovative and appealing designs relative to competing products can often command substantially higher prices. Because design innovations are quickly copied by other manufacturers though, many consumer technology companies charge as much as possible when it comes to their new designs to extract as much value as possible from their new designs. But large profits generated by the innovative design will give competitors stronger incentives to copy the designs. Therefore, the best strategy to maximize overall profit from an innovative new design is to charge less than the greatest possible price.

In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

(A) The first is an assumption that assists a course of action criticized by the argument; the second provides a consideration to support the argument’s recommended position.

(B) The first is a consideration that helps explain the appeal of a certain strategy; the second presents an alternative strategy endorsed by the argument.

(C) The first is an assumption that justifies a specific strategy; the second is that strategy.

(D) The first is a consideration presented to demonstrate that a particular strategy will not apply; the second is a factor cited to support the argument’s main position.

(E) The first is a factor used to justify a particular strategy; the second is a factor against that strategy.

26. Smoking is a known cause of certain serious health problems, including emphysema and lung cancer. Now, an additional concern can be added to the list of maladies caused by smoking. A recent study surveyed both smokers and nonsmokers, and found that smokers are significantly more anxious and nervous than nonsmokers.

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

(A) Anxiety and nervousness can lead to serious health problems.

(B) Anxiety and nervousness do not make individuals more likely to start smoking.

(C) Equivalent numbers of smokers and nonsmokers were surveyed for the study.

(D) Smokers are aware of the various health problems attributed to smoking, including lung cancer and emphysema.

(E) Smokers who had smoked a cigarette immediately before responding to the survey were more anxious and nervous than smokers who had not smoked for several hours.

27. The number of new cases of tuberculosis diagnosed in Country X increased dramatically this year. The country’s news media have speculated that the sharp increase in new cases is the result of the tuberculosis outbreak that occurred in neighboring Country Y last year. Health officials in Country X have therefore proposed that all visitors from Country Y must submit to a medical examination before entering Country X.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly suggests that the proposed medical examinations will NOT help curb the spread of tuberculosis in Country X?

(A) Country Z, which also neighbors Country Y, has not experienced an increase in cases of tuberculosis.

(B) Current medical technology is not capable of detecting all carriers of tuberculosis.

(C) Country X does not have the resources to examine all visitors from Country Y.

(D) Tuberculosis is not spread through human contact.

(E) Citizens of Country Y will not travel to Country X if the proposal is implemented.

28. The people of Prohibitionland are considering banning the service of alcoholic beverages in restaurants to curb unruly behavior on the part of its residents. Proprietors of restaurants in Prohibitionland are protesting the ban on the grounds that it will reduce their revenues and profits. However, several provinces in Prohibitionland enacted restrictions on alcoholic beverages last year, and the sales taxes paid by the restaurants in those provinces rose by an average of 50 percent. In contrast, the sales taxes paid by restaurants located in areas of Prohibitionland that did not have any restrictions rose by an average of 30 percent.

Which of the following, if true, supports the restaurant proprietors’ economic stance against the ban?

(A) In the provinces that restricted alcoholic beverages, there was a short-term negative impact on restaurant visitation in the beginning of last year.

(B) The sales tax in Prohibitionland is lower on food and beverages than it is on other consumer goods, such as clothing.

(C) The consumption of alcoholic beverages in Prohibitionland has been on a gradual decline the last 20 years.

(D) The restrictions on alcoholic beverages enacted last year allowed for the service of drinks beginning around dinnertime each evening.

(E) Overall sales tax revenue did not increase at a substantially higher rate in the provinces that enacted the restrictions on alcoholic beverages than in the rest of Prohibitionland last year.

29. Serious individual art collectors are usually discreet when making significant purchases or sales related to their collections. At art auctions, for example, these collectors often place anonymous bids for major artwork. Therefore, the whereabouts of most of the world’s most valuable artwork is probably unknown.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion above EXCEPT:

(A) The value of a piece of art is purely subjective.

(B) Serious art collectors usually publicize their new artwork several months after making a purchase.

(C) Museums own the vast majority of the world’s most valuable artwork.

(D) Of all the individuals in the world who own extremely valuable artwork, only a few are considered serious art collectors.

(E) The private collections of most serious individual art collectors are often displayed in public settings.

30. Last January, in an attempt to lower the number of traffic fatalities, the state legislature passed its “Click It or Ticket” law. Under the new law, motorists can be pulled over and ticketed for not wearing their seat belts, even if an additional driving infraction has not been committed. Lawyers and citizens’ groups are already protesting the law, saying it unfairly infringes on the rights of the state’s drivers. Law enforcement groups counter these claims by stating that the new regulations will save countless additional lives.

Which of the following inferences is best supported by the passage above?

(A) Prior to the “Click It or Ticket” law, motorists could not be stopped simply for not wearing a seat belt.

(B) The “Click It or Ticket” law violates current search and seizure laws.

(C) Laws similar to “Click It or Ticket” have effectively reduced traffic fatalities in a number of states.

(D) The previous seatbelt laws were ineffective in saving lives.

(E) Law enforcement groups, rather than citizens groups, should determine how to best ensure the safety of motorists.