LR-Critical Reasoning - Test

Studies have established that children who watched 2 more hours of TV on an average daily basis during the first 15 years of their life were 50℅ more likely to be arrested for property crimes in the country. Researchers believe that these studies clearly establish that violence in movies and TV contribute to aggressive behavior in real life. On the other hand, there is no clear evidence that the programs that the

kids watched on TV were violent in the first place. Even if we were to accept that TV watching contributed to the increased crime rate, it need not have been because of the nature of the programs. Perhaps, children who watched programs such as Adams and Samson, a funny sit-com about two blundering cops began perceiving all cops as incompetent.

What is the role of the sentences in boldface?

1 Mark(s)

The first establishes a theory that the author later clearly refutes while the second presents the authors conclusion
The first is an interpretation made by researchers that the author contends against and the second provides an alternative explanation for statistical data
The first is an opinion expressed by someone other than the author and which the author is completely in disagreement with while the second provides the reason for the authors doubt
The first is a fact supporting the researchers conclusion while the second is the authors conclusion.
The first is a clearly proven opinion even if the author disagrees with it while the second is an ambiguous opinion that has no supporting data

An experiment was done in which human subjects recognize a pattern within a matrix of abstract designs and then select another design that completes that pattern. The results ofthe experiment were surprising. The lowest expenditure of energy in neurons in the brain wasfound in those subjects who performed most successfully in the experiments.

Which of the following hypotheses best accounts for the findings of the experiment?

1 Mark(s)

The neurons of the brain react less when a subject is trying to recognize patterns than when the subject is doing other kinds of reasoning.
Those who performed best in the experiment experiencedmore satisfaction when working with abstract patterns than did those who performed less well.
People who are better at abstract pattern recognition have more energy-efficient neural connections
The energy expenditure of the subjects brains increases when a design that completes the initially recognized pattern is determined.
The task of completing a given design is more capably performed by athletes, whose energy expenditure is lower when they are at rest.

Thyrian lawmaker: Thyria's Cheese Importation Board inspects all cheese shipments to Thyria and rejects shipments not meeting specified standards. Yet only 1 percent is ever rejected. Therefore, since the health consequences and associated economic costs of not rejecting that 1 percent are negligible, whereas the board's operating costs are considerable, for economic reasons alone the board should be disbanded.

Consultant: I disagree. The threat of having their shipments rejected deters many cheese exporters from shipping substandard product.

The consultant responds to the lawmaker's argument by

1 Mark(s)

rejecting the lawmakers argument while proposing that the standards according to which the board inspects imported cheese should be raised
providing evidence that the lawmakers argument has significantly overestimated the cost of maintaining the board
objecting to the lawmakers introducing into the discussion factors that are not strictly economic
pointing out a benefit of maintaining the board, which the lawmakers argument has failed to consider
shifting the discussion from the argument at hand to an attack on the integrity of the cheese inspectors

The Americans with disabilities act (ADA) was designed to ensure that there is no discrimination against and unfair termination of differently-abled workers in the workplace. However, after the act was introduced, there has been a marked increase in unemployment among the differently-abled.

Which of the following best explains this seeming discrepancy?

1 Mark(s)

A number of differently-abled people chose not to work
Not willing to deal with the issues of workplace discrimination of the differently-abled, several companies recruited fewer of them in the first place
Knowing that the act was about to be enforced, companies terminated some of the differently-abled while they had a chance
There was no act introduced that would guarantee a job for the differently-abled
The unemployment among the able-bodied has remained consistently hig

Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in environments that are carefully kept within narrow margins of temperature and humidity to inhibit any deterioration. Laboratory tests have shown that the kind of oil paint used in these paintings actually adjusts to climatic changes quite well. If, as some museum directors believe, paint is the most sensitive substance in these works, then by relaxing the standards for temperature and humidity control, museums can reduce energy costs without risking damage to these paintings. Museums would be rash to relax those standards, however, since results of preliminary tests indicate that gesso, a compound routinely used by Renaissance artists to help paint adhere to the canvas, is unable to withstand significant variations in humidity.

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

1 Mark(s)

The first is an objection that has been raised against the position taken by the argument; the second is the position taken by the argument.
The first is the position taken by the argument; the second is the position that the argument calls into question.
The first is a judgment that has been offered in support of the position that the argument calls into question; the second is a circumstance on which that judgment is, in part, based.
The first is a judgment that has been offered in support of the position that the argument calls into question; the second is that position.
The first is a claim that the argument calls into question; the second is the position taken by the argument.

Alan: In the last 15 years, most of the criminals who were convicted of theft or murder were from the lower income classes and had not completed high school. Therefore, the government has to spend more money on reducing poverty and increase funding to education. Because terrorism is the most severe of all crimes, such measures would bring down overall crime rate and reduce threat from terrorism.

Dylan: A study that was conducted in a country known to produce a number of terrorists showed that on average the terrorists were better educated than the overall population and that they did not necessarily come from lower income classes. This is probably because crimes such as theft are committed for personal gain while terrorism is for political or religious gain.

Which of the following best describes Dylan's response to Alan?

1 Mark(s)

A number of differently-abled people chose not to work
Not willing to deal with the issues of workplace discrimination of the differently-abled, several companies recruited fewer of them in the first place
Knowing that the act was about to be enforced, companies terminated some of the differently-abled while they had a chance
There was no act introduced that would guarantee a job for the differently-abled
The unemployment among the able-bodied has remained consistently hig

During the last 50 years in England, the national football team has had at least 60℅ of its players born during the months January to March. Similarly, in Germany, at least 50℅ of the team has been born during the first three months of the year. In fact, this statistic holds true for most European countries. This shows that in most European countries, parents with kids born early in the year are more likely to encourage a football career.

Which of the following best explains why the conclusion need not be the best explanation for the statistic?

1 Mark(s)

Of the remaining members, 60℅ or more tend to be born between the months of April and June.
Parents of kids born in the second half of the year have displayed a measurable intent to promote scholarly careers
The age cut-off for kids to try out for a team in most European countries is calculated as on December 31 of any year and older the kid during trials, greater the chances of getting the right opportunities.
The school year usually begins in April in most European countries and many parents are known to encourage students to work on their academics and not sports during the school year.
During the last 50 years, on average 30℅ of the kids have been born during the first three months of the year.

Hotco oil burners, designed to be used in asphalt plants, are so efficient that Hotco will sell one to the Clifton Asphalt plant for no payment other than the cost savings between the total amount the asphalt plant actually paid for oil using its former burner during the last two years and the total amount it will payfor oil using the Hotco burner during the next two years. On installation, the plant will make an estimated payment, which will be adjusted after two years to equal the actual cost savings.

Which of the following, if it occurred, would constitute a disadvantage for Hotco of the plan described above?

1 Mark(s)

Another manufacturers introduction to the market of a similarly efficient burner
The Clifton Asphalt plants need for more than one new burner
Very poor efficiency in the Clifton Asphalt plants old burner
A decrease in the demand for asphalt
A steady increase in the price of oil beginning soon after the new burner is installed

For a trade embargo against a particularcountryto succeed, a high degree of both international accord and ability to prevent goods from entering or leaving that country must be sustained. Atotal blockade of Patria's ports is necessary to an embargo, but such an action would be likely to cause international discord over the embargo.

The claims above, iftrue, most strongly support which of the following conclusions?

1 Mark(s)

The balance of opinion is likely to favor Patria inthe event of a blockade.
As long as international opinion is unanimously against Patria, a trade embargo is likely to succeed.
A naval blockade of Patrias ports would ensure that no goods enter or leave Patria.
Any trade embargo against Patria would be likely to fail at some time.
For a blockade of Patrias ports to be successful, international opinion must be unanimous.

One way to judge the performance of a company is to compare it with other companies. This technique, commonly called "benchmarking," permits the manager of a company to discover better industrial practices and can provide a justification for the adoption of good practices.

Any of the following, if true, is a valid reason for benchmarking the performance of a company against companies with which it is not in competition ratherthan against competitors EXCEPT:

1 Mark(s)

Comparisons with competitors are most likely to focus on practices that the manager making the comparisons already employs.
Getting "inside" information about the unique practices of competitors is particularly difficult.
Since companies that compete with each other are likely to have comparable levels of efficiency, only benchmarking against non competitors is likely to reveal practices that would aid in beating competitors.
Managers are generally more receptive to new ideas that they find outside their own industry.
Much of the success of good companies is due to their adoption of practices that take advantage of the special circumstances of their products or markets.

LR-Critical Reasoning - Test - 2 : Question 1 of 10