Logical Reasoning

Topic: Analyzing arguments

One of the warmest winters on record has put consumers in the mood to spend money. Spending is likely to be the strongest in thirteen years. During the month of February, sales of existing single-family homes hit an annual record rate of 4.75 million.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.consumer spending will be higher thirteen years from now than it is today.B.more people buy houses in the month of February than in any other month.C.during the winter months, the prices of single-family homes are the lowest.D.there were about 4 million homes for sale during the month of February.E.warm winter weather is likely to affect the rate of home sales.

Answer: Option EExplanation:This is clearly the best answer because the paragraph directly states that warm weather affects consumers inclination to spend. It furthers states that the sales of single-family homes was at an all-time high. There is no support for choice a or c. Choice b is wrong because even though there were high sales for a particular February, this does not mean that sales are not higher in other months. Choice d presents a misleading figure of 4 million. The paragraph states that the record of 4.75 million was at an annual, not a monthly, rate.

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One New York publisher has estimated that 50,000 to 60,000 people in the United States want an anthology that includes the complete works of William Shakespeare. And what accounts for this renewed interest in Shakespeare? As scholars point out, his psychological insights into both male and female characters are amazing even today.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.Shakespeare's characters are more interesting than fictional characters today.B.people even today are interested in Shakespeare's work because of the characters.C.academic scholars are putting together an anthology of Shakespeare's work.D.New Yorkers have a renewed interested in the work of Shakespeare.E.Shakespeare was a psychiatrist as well as a playwright.
One of the warmest winters on record has put consumers in the mood to spend money. Spending is likely to be the strongest in thirteen years. During the month of February, sales of existing single-family homes hit an annual record rate of 4.75 million.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.consumer spending will be higher thirteen years from now than it is today.B.more people buy houses in the month of February than in any other month.C.during the winter months, the prices of single-family homes are the lowest.D.there were about 4 million homes for sale during the month of February.E.warm winter weather is likely to affect the rate of home sales.
Generation Xers are those people born roughly between 1965 and 1981. As employees, Generation Xers tend to be more challenged when they can carry out tasks independently. This makes Generation Xers the most entrepreneurial generation in history.This paragraph best supports the statement that Generation XersA.	work harder than people from other generations.B.	have a tendency to be self-directed workersC.	have an interest in making historyD.	tend to work in jobs that require risk-taking behavior.E.	like to challenge their bosses work attitudes.
If you're a fitness walker, there is no need for a commute to a health club. Your neighborhood can be your health club. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to get a good workout either. All you need is a well-designed pair of athletic shoes.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.fitness walking is a better form of exercise than weight lifting.B.a membership in a health club is a poor investment.C.walking outdoors provides a better workout than walking indoors.D.fitness walking is a convenient and valuable form of exercise.E.poorly designed athletic shoes can cause major foot injuries.
In the past, consumers would rarely walk into an ice cream store and order low-fat ice cream. But that isn't the case today. An increasing health consciousness combined with a much bigger selection of tasty low-fat foods in all categories has made low-fat ice cream a very profitable item for ice cream store owners.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.low-fat ice cream produces more revenue than other low-fat foods.B.ice cream store owners would be better off carrying only low-fat ice cream.C.ice cream store owners no longer think that low-fat ice cream is an unpopular item.D.low-fat ice cream is more popular than other kinds of ice cream.E.consumers are fickle and it is impossible to please them
There are no effective boundaries when it comes to pollutants. Studies have shown that toxic insecticides that have been banned in many countries are riding the wind from countries where they remain legal. Compounds such as DDT and toxaphene have been found in remote places like the Yukon and other Arctic regions.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.toxic insecticides such as DDT have not been banned throughout the world.B.more pollutants find their way into polar climates than they do into warmer areasC.studies have proven that many countries have ignored their own antipollution laws.D.DDT and toxaphene are the two most toxic insecticides in the world.E.even a worldwide ban on toxic insecticides would not stop the spread of DDT pollution.
The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. No search of a person's home or personal effects may be conducted without a written search warrant issued on probable cause. This means that a neutral judge must approve the factual basis justifying a search before it can be conducted.This paragraph best supports the statement that the police cannot search a person's home or private papers unless they haveA.	legal authorizationB.	direct evidence of a crime.C.	read the person his or her constitutional rights.D.	a reasonable belief that a crime has occurred.E.	requested that a judge be present.
Critical reading is a demanding process. To read critically, you must slow down your reading and, with pencil in hand, perform specific operations on the text. Mark up the text with your reactions, conclusions, and questions. When you read, become an active participant.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.critical reading is a slow, dull, but essential processB.the best critical reading happens at critical times in a person's life.C.readers should get in the habit of questioning the truth of what they read.D.critical reading requires thoughtful and careful attention.E.critical reading should take place at the same time each day.
Yoga has become a very popular type of exercise, but it may not be for everyone. Before you sign yourself up for a yoga class, you need to examine what it is you want from your fitness routine. If you're looking for a high-energy, fast-paced aerobic workout, a yoga class might not be your best choice.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.yoga is more popular than high-impact aerobics.B.before embarking on a new exercise regimen, you should think about your needs and desires.C.yoga is changing the world of fitness in major waysD.yoga benefits your body and mindE.most people think that yoga isn't a rigorous form of exercise.
Human technology developed from the first stone tools about two and a half million years ago. At the beginning, the rate of development was slow. Hundreds of thousands of years passed without much change. Today, new technologies are reported daily on television and in newspapers.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.stone tools were not really technology.B.stone tools were in use for two and a half million yearsC.there is no way to know when stone tools first came into use.D.In today's world, new technologies are constantly being developedE.none of the latest technologies is as significant as the development of stone tools.
Mathematics allows us to expand our consciousness. Mathematics tells us about economic trends, patterns of disease, and the growth of populations. Math is good at exposing the truth, but it can also perpetuate misunderstandings and untruths. Figures have the power to mislead people.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.the study of mathematics is dangerous.B.words are more truthful than figures.C.the study of mathematics is more important than other disciplines.D.the power of numbers is that they cannot lie.E.figures are sometimes used to deceive people.
In the 1966 Supreme Court decision Miranda v. Arizona, the court held that before the police can obtain statements from a person subjected to an interrogation, the person must be given a Miranda warning. This warning means that a person must be told that he or she has the right to remain silent during the police interrogation. Violation of this right means that any statement that the person makes is not admissible in a court hearing.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.police who do not warn persons of their Miranda rights are guilty of a crime.B.a Miranda warning must be given before a police interrogation can begin.C.the police may no longer interrogate persons suspected of a crime unless a lawyer is present.D.the 1966 Supreme Court decision in Miranda should be reversedE.persons who are interrogated by police should always remain silent until their lawyer comes
During colonial times in America, juries were encouraged to ask questions of the parties in the courtroom. The jurors were, in fact, expected to investigate the facts of the case themselves. If jurors conducted an investigation today, we would throw out the case.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.juries are less important today than they were in colonial times.B.jurors today are less interested in court cases than they were in colonial times.C.courtrooms today are more efficient than they were in colonial times.D.jurors in colonial times were more informed than jurors today.E.the jury system in America has changed since colonial times.
For too long, school cafeterias, in an effort to provide food they thought would be appetizing to young people, mimicked fast-food restaurants, serving items such as burgers and fries, pizza, hot dogs, and fried chicken. School districts nationwide are now addressing this trend by incorporating some simple and inexpensive options that will make cafeteria lunches healthier while still appealing to students.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.school cafeterias have always emphasized nutritional guidelines over any other considerations.B.young people would rather eat in a school cafeteria than a local fast-food restaurant.C.school lunch menus are becoming healthier due to major new initiatives on the part of school districts.D.it is possible to make school lunches both healthier and appealing without spending a great deal of money and undertaking a radical transformation.E.vegetarian lunch options would greatly improve the nutritional value of the school lunch program.
Forest fires feed on decades-long accumulations of debris and leap from the tops of young trees into the branches of mature trees. Fires that jump from treetop to treetop can be devastating. In old-growth forests, however, the shade of mature trees keeps thickets of small trees from sprouting, and the lower branches of mature trees are too high to catch the flames.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.	forest fire damage is reduced in old-growth forests.B.	small trees should be cut down to prevent forest fires.C.	mature trees should be thinned out to prevent forest firesD.	forest fires do the most damage in old-growth forests.E.	old-growth forests have a larger accumulation of forest debris.
During the last six years, the number of practicing physicians has increased by about 20%. During the same time period, the number of healthcare managers has increased by more than 600%. These percentages mean that many doctors have lost the authority to make their own schedules, determine the fees that they charge, and decide on prescribed treatments.This paragraph best supports the statement that doctorsA.	resent the interference of healthcare managers.B.	no longer have adequate training.C.	care a great deal about their patients.D.	are less independent than they used to be.E.	are making a lot less money than they used to make.
By the time they reach adulthood, most people can perform many different activities involving motor skills. Motor skills involve such diverse tasks as riding a bicycle, threading a needle, and cooking a dinner. What all these activities have in common is their dependence on precision and timing of muscular movement.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.	most adults have not refined their motor skills.B.	all adults know how to ride a bicycle.C.	refined motor skills are specifically limited to adults.D.	children perform fewer fine motor activities in a day than adults do.E.	threading a needle is a precise motor skill.
Most Reality TV centers on two common motivators: fame and money. The shows transform waitresses, hairdressers, investment bankers, counselors, and teachers, to name a few, from obscure figures to house-hold names. A lucky few successfully parlay their fifteen minutes of fame into celebrity. The luckiest stars of Reality TV also reap huge financial rewards for acts including eating large insects, marrying someone they barely know, and revealing their innermost thoughts to millions of people.This paragraph best supports the statement thatA.the stars of Reality TV are interested in being rich and famous.B.Reality TV is the best thing that has happened to network television in a long time.C.for Reality TV stars, fame will last only as long as their particular television show.D.traditional dramas and sitcoms are being replaced by Reality TV programming at an alarming rate.E.Reality TV shows represent a new wave of sensationalistic, low quality programming.
Some groups want to outlaw burning the flag. They say that people have fought and died for the flag and that citizens of the United States ought to respect that. But I say that respect cannot be leg-islated. Also, most citizens who have served in the military did not fight for the flag, they fought for what the flag represents. Among the things the flag represents is freedom of speech, which includes, I believe, the right for a citizen to express displeasure with the government by burning the flag in protest.1. Which of the following is similar to the argument made by the speaker?A.The rich should not be allowed to "buy" politicians, so the Congress should enact campaign finance reform.B.The idea of freedom of religion also means the right not to participate in religion, so mandated school prayer violates freedom of religion.C.The Constitution guarantees freedom to own property, so taxes should be illegal.D.Convicted felons should not have their convictions overturned on a technicality.E.In order to understand what may be constitutional today, one needs to look at what the laws were when the Constitution was enacted.
previous que continued..2. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the speaker's argument?A.	An action is not considered a part of freedom of speech.B.	People who burn the flag usually commit other crimes as well.C.	The flag was not recognized by the government until 1812.D.	State flags are almost never burnedE.	Most people are against flag burning.
previous que continued......3. Which of the following best expresses the main point of the passage?A.Only veterans care about the flag-burning issue.B.Flag burning almost never happens, so outlawing it is a waste of time.C.Flag burning will be a very important issue in the next election.D.To outlaw flag burning is to outlaw what the flag represents.E.Burning the flag should only be illegal when it is done in foreign countries.