Verbal

Dogs are widely used by the police as biological recognition systems to detect drug smuggling and drug caches. Yet recent evidence suggests that insects, rather than mammals, might be used more effectively in this capacity. In the 1950s, German biologist Dietrich Schneider developed the first method that enabled researchers to record activity in insect olfactory nerves and to identify the compounds or class of compounds that trigger a particular behavioral response. The position of the insect olfactory organs on the surface of its body allows for direct investigation of the system's response. Schneider's technique formed the foundation of an olfactory detection system based upon insects, a system that is at least as effective as the ones based upon mammals. Insects have olfactory systems that are very similar to those of vertebrates. Insects first detect odors via finger-like protuberances on the antenna, called olfactory sensilla. The odorant molecules pass through pores in the outer cuticle of the sensilla and become attached to an odorant-binding protein. This protein carries the hydrophobic molecules through the lymph fluid found inside the cell and attaches them to receptors on the dendritic projections of a sensory nerve cell. Finally, these receptors send signals to the central nervous system, allowing researchers to detect and interpret the responses. According to the passage, researchers are able to capture and investigate an insect's response to a certain odor because researchers have trained insects to respond to different stimuli in different ways insects can be used more effectively than dogs to detect certain odors insect olfactory systems are similar to vertebrate olfactory systems the finger-like protuberances on insect antennae are rich in odorant-binding proteins insect olfactory organs are located on the surface of an insect's body The use of insects to detect drugs has two important components: an insect's olfactory systems must first be able to detect such drugs, and then researchers must be able to capture and use the insect's responses. The fourth sentence of the first paragraph tells us that "the position of the insect olfactory organs on the surface of its body allows for direct investigation of the system's response." The last sentence of the second paragraph also says that signals are sent "to the central nervous system, allowing researchers to detect and interpret the responses." The correct answer should account for one or both of these statements.

E. I said D. (A) The passage does not mention anything about the researchers training insects to respond in certain ways. (B) The passage does say that insects "might be used more effectively" than dogs in detecting drugs, but this is not why researchers are able to interpret an insect's response to a certain odor. Rather, the reverse is true: because researchers are able to interpret an insect's responses, the insects may be reliably used to detect drugs. (C) The passage does say, at the beginning of paragraph two, that "insect olfactory systems are very similar" to vertebrate olfactory systems, but the passage does not indicate that this is why researchers are able to interpret an insect's response to certain odors. Rather, the information at the end of paragraphs one and two indicates why researchers are able to do this. (D) The passage states that "insects first detect odors via finger-like protuberances on the antenna" and that these odorant molecules pass through pores into the antenna, where they "become attached to an odorant-binding protein." The passage does not indicate that the finger-like protuberances are "rich" in these odorant-binding proteins. (E) CORRECT. The fourth sentence of paragraph one tells us that "the position of the insect olfactory organs on the surface of its body allows for direct investigation of the system's response." This is why the researchers can capture and investigate an insect's responses.

In the past year, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people killed by alligators in Florida. During this same time, there has been an increase in the development of new houses, golf courses, and shopping areas in former wilderness areas within the state. Therefore, the increase in fatal alligator attacks must have been caused by the increase in the number of humans living in the alligator's habitat. Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the explanation above? Two years ago, a government initiative to reduce the alligator population size by destroying alligator eggs ended. An increase in fatal alligator attacks tends to make people more cautious around lakes, ponds, swamps and canals. The number of people killed by snake bites, spider bites and scorpion stings in Florida has held steady for many years. Many of the new state residents have moved to newly constructed areas near water that is suitable for habitation by alligators. The undeveloped areas of Florida have decreased in area by 5% in the past year.

A. I said B. A conclusion may be weakened when another explanation at least as compelling as the original is offered. The number of people killed by alligators may have increased in the past year for some reason other than the increase in the number of humans living in the alligator's habitat. (A) CORRECT. This statement properly identifies an alternative rationale (there are more alligators now) and undermines the given explanation. (B) More cautious behavior would only occur after the fatal alligator attacks occurred, so it could not be a factor that supports or weakens the explanation. (C) This point about differing types of harmful wildlife is irrelevant to the argument about alligator fatalities. (D) This point could support the explanation if it could be proven that the increase in alligator attack fatalities were among these new residents. In any case, it does not weaken the explanation. (E) This point supports the explanation.

Ethanol is a derivative of corn and other grains. When burned as fuel, it emits significantly lower levels of carbon monoxide, a major atmospheric pollutant, than does gasoline. For that reason, environmentalists claim that ethanol is a better source of energy than gasoline. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the environmentalists' claim? When burned as fuel, ethanol does not release any pollutants at higher levels than does gasoline. Ethanol is comparable in price to gasoline. Available supplies of corn are sufficient to supply several years' worth of ethanol. Most gasoline companies already possess the technology to produce ethanol. Ethanol can be used as heating fuel.

A. I said C. The environmentalists claim that ethanol is superior to gasoline because it emits lower levels of carbon monoxide, a known pollutant. This claim, however, assumes that ethanol does not release any other pollutants at levels greater than does gasoline. If ethanol released twenty times more sulfur into the environment than does gasoline, for example, perhaps it would be a less attractive alternative. (A) CORRECT. This establishes that ethanol is less polluting than gasoline. (B) The price of the fuels is not the issue in the argument. The environmentalists' claim is based on the levels of pollution that the fuels create. (C) Whether there is enough corn to produce ethanol is irrelevant to whether it is less polluting than gasoline. (D) Whether companies already possess the technology to produce ethanol is irrelevant to whether it is less polluting than gasoline. (E) Whether ethanol can be used as heating fuel is irrelevant to whether it is less polluting than gasoline.

Despite their acronymic similarity, LEDs and LCDs represent distinct display technologies. In LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, two different semiconductor materials are layered together: n-type, in which mobile electrons carry negative charge, and p-type, in which "holes" in an otherwise bound sea of electrons carry positive charge. When electric current flows through the p-n junction between layers, an n-type electron falling into a p-type hole releases a photon, a specifically colored particle of light. The dominant technology currently used in most consumer product displays is the active matrix liquid crystal diode display (LCD). LCDs apply thin-film transistors (TFTs) of amorphous silicon sandwiched between two glass plates. The TFTs supply voltage to liquid-crystal-filled cells, or pixels, between the sheets of glass. Liquid crystals can twist the polarization, or wave orientation, of light. Just as a guitar string can vibrate sideways or up and down, so a light wave can be polarized horizontally or vertically. Polarizing filters act as selective gates, transmitting light polarized one way but not the other. Within a pixel, liquid crystals in their relaxed, coiled state rotate the polarization of ambient light enough to make surrounding filters transparent. Alternatively, applied electrical signals uncoil the crystals, causing the filters to block light and the pixel to become opaque. LCDs that are capable of producing color images, such as in televisions and computers, reproduce colors by blocking out particular color wavelengths from the spectrum of white light until only the desired color remains. The variation of the intensity of light permitted to pass through the matrix of liquid crystals enables LCD displays to present images full of gradations of different colors. The amount of power required to untwist the crystals to display images is much lower than that required for analogous processes using other technologies, such as plasma. The dense array of crystals displays images from computer sources extremely well, with full color detail, no flicker, and no screen burn-in. Moreover, the number of pixels per square inch on an LCD is typically higher than that for other display technologies; LCD monitors are excellent at displaying large amounts of data with exceptional clarity and precision. he author most likely mentions "plasma" in the third paragraph in order to provide an example of a technology that operates differently than LCDs reinforce the importance of the commercial development of LCDs describe the contrasting workings of another technology indicate the greater number of applications for LCDs explain the features of a competing type of display

A. I said C. This question asks about a specific detail in the passage: the author's use of the term "plasma." This term appears in the first sentence of the third paragraph: "The amount of power required to untwist the crystals to display images is much lower than that required for analogous processes using other technologies, such as plasma." The correct answer choice will reflect the author's use of the term "plasma" in this sentence. (A) CORRECT. The use of the phrase "such as plasma" indicates that the author is providing an example. The example provided represents a technology that utilizes different processes to display images than LCDs. (B) The use of the term "plasma" does not serve to reinforce the significance of the commercial development of LCDs. The passage gives no other information about plasma, and no information is given about the commercial development of either. (C) The passage does not describe the workings of how plasma technology displays images. (D) The use of the term plasma does not serve to reinforce the greater number of applications for LCDs. The passage provides no other information about the number of applications for plasma technology. (E) The passage does not explain the features of plasma displays.

Items that seem unremarkable today might once have altered the course of history. For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually, a spice made from these nuts became a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian merchants. Seeking a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Banda Islands, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the trade. However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. Inveterate traders, the Dutch were more interested in the spice trade than in the small outpost of New Amsterdam. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York. Today, nutmeg trees can be found in many countries and no one company or country has a monopoly on the trade. For what purpose does the author include the second paragraph? It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author's claims. It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far. It presents the author's main point to explain a unique situation. It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical change. It discusses the necessary outcome of the author's assertions.

A. I said D. We are asked to determine the role that the second paragraph plays in the passage as a whole. In the first paragraph, the author introduces his main point - that seemingly unremarkable items can alter the course of history - and introduces nutmeg as an example. However, this example is incomplete at the end of the first paragraph. It is not until the second paragraph, when the example is further explored, that we learn how nutmeg actually altered the course of history. (A) CORRECT. The second paragraph offers specific information - namely, the role that nutmeg played in the history of New York - to support the claim that seemingly unremarkable items can alter the course of history. (B) The second paragraph does not summarize the evidence already given. It presents additional information. (C) The second paragraph does not present the author's main point - that seemingly unremarkable items can alter the course of history. The main point is contained in the first paragraph. (D) The second paragraph does demonstrate the relative importance of nutmeg in an event of historical significance, but it does not demonstrate the importance of historical change itself. (E) The second paragraph does not discuss the outcomes, necessary or otherwise, of the author's claims. Instead, it offers evidence to support the claim made in the first sentence of the first paragraph.

According to a study concerning environmental economics, any manufacturer that offers an environmentally sound lawnmower, such as a manual push mower, will almost certainly reap a huge profit because consumers say that they want a mower that requires neither gasoline nor electricity. A spokesman for the trade association of gasoline lawnmower manufacturers asserted that this claim had little factual support. Which of the following, if true, would best support the claim made by the spokesperson? A majority of the public believes that the price of gasoline is too high. The last manufacturer of manual push lawnmowers just declared bankruptcy because of declining profits. More people refuse to purchase electric lawnmowers than gasoline lawnmowers. The profit margin on lawnmowers is very low. Most people mow their lawns less often then professionals recommend.

B. I said A. This argument cites a claim that the manufacturer of an environmentally sound lawnmower will profit immensely, because consumers say that they want a mower that doesn't use fossil or electrical fuel. However, there could be a gap between what consumers say they want and what they actually purchase. Any evidence of such a gap would support the spokesperson's counterclaim. (A) If anything, this statement would support the position that consumers want a non-gasoline powered lawnmower and weaken the spokesperson's claim. (B) CORRECT. If manufacturing a manual push mower has recently been unprofitable, then it seems that consumers don't actually buy such mowers, even if they say that they want them. Thus, the study's conclusion is weakened and the claim of the spokesperson is supported. (C) This choice presents an irrelevant distinction. It doesn't matter if people prefer gasoline mowers to electric ones because the study's conclusion claims that people want a mower that is neither -- a claim that the spokesperson contests. (D) This information is irrelevant to the spokesperson's claim. Even if the profit margin is low, volume could result in huge profits. Thus, this choice does not weaken the study's claim or support the manufacturer's position. (E) This choice presents an irrelevant distinction that is unrelated to the study's or the spokesperson's claims about consumer preferences. Also, this choice does not deny the possibility of large profits.

Despite their acronymic similarity, LEDs and LCDs represent distinct display technologies. In LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, two different semiconductor materials are layered together: n-type, in which mobile electrons carry negative charge, and p-type, in which "holes" in an otherwise bound sea of electrons carry positive charge. When electric current flows through the p-n junction between layers, an n-type electron falling into a p-type hole releases a photon, a specifically colored particle of light. The dominant technology currently used in most consumer product displays is the active matrix liquid crystal diode display (LCD). LCDs apply thin-film transistors (TFTs) of amorphous silicon sandwiched between two glass plates. The TFTs supply voltage to liquid-crystal-filled cells, or pixels, between the sheets of glass. Liquid crystals can twist the polarization, or wave orientation, of light. Just as a guitar string can vibrate sideways or up and down, so a light wave can be polarized horizontally or vertically. Polarizing filters act as selective gates, transmitting light polarized one way but not the other. Within a pixel, liquid crystals in their relaxed, coiled state rotate the polarization of ambient light enough to make surrounding filters transparent. Alternatively, applied electrical signals uncoil the crystals, causing the filters to block light and the pixel to become opaque. LCDs that are capable of producing color images, such as in televisions and computers, reproduce colors by blocking out particular color wavelengths from the spectrum of white light until only the desired color remains. The variation of the intensity of light permitted to pass through the matrix of liquid crystals enables LCD displays to present images full of gradations of different colors. The amount of power required to untwist the crystals to display images is much lower than that required for analogous processes using other technologies, such as plasma. The dense array of crystals displays images from computer sources extremely well, with full color detail, no flicker, and no screen burn-in. Moreover, the number of pixels per square inch on an LCD is typically higher than that for other display technologies; LCD monitors are excellent at displaying large amounts of data with exceptional clarity and precision. The process through which an LCD monitor displays different colors is most closely analogous to the partial blocking of an hourglass so that a limited stream of grains of sand fall into the lower portion the use of rigid sizing boxes at an airport security checkpoint in order to allow the passage of certain sizes of luggage while excluding other sizes of luggage the soundproofing of a recording studio so that any performances within are muted to those outside the cutting out of characters from a sheet of paper so that a lamp in front of the paper casts shadows in the shapes of the characters the emission of warmer air by an air vent on the outside of a building while an air conditioning system cools the interior of the building

B. I said A. This question asks which is most analogous to the process through which an LCD presents different colors. The last two sentences of the second paragraph read, "LCDs that are capable of producing color images, such as in televisions and computers, reproduce colors by blocking out particular color wavelengths from the spectrum of white light until only the desired color remains. The variation of the intensity of light permitted to pass through the matrix of liquid crystals enables LCDs to present images full of gradations of different colors." This process consists of taking a large number of elements, in this case wavelengths of light, and carefully blocking out certain of them while allowing only certain others to get through. We should look for an answer that mirrors this precise process. (A) This answer choice describes a process that does not result in the passage of only certain elements. Each grain of sand is equally capable of falling through the hourglass; in fact, all of the sand will eventually pass through, although it will happen at a slower rate than normal when the opening is partially blocked. (B) CORRECT. In this example, objects of certain sizes are systematically allowed to pass, while objects of other sizes are systematically excluded. This is a very close analogy to the situation described in the original passage. (C) A soundproofed recording studio blocks all sound, not only certain elements of it. (D) While this choice does depict a certain sort of discrimination, it's not an analogous type of discrimination. In the original passage, the incoming stimulus is segregated according to a certain quality (i.e., wavelength). In this choice, on the other hand, there are no distinctions made within the incoming stimulus; in other words, there is no situation in which a certain type of light gets through while a different type of light is excluded. Rather, exactly the same light is either excluded or allowed to pass, depending on where it encounters the paper. This is not a good analogy to the passage. (E) An air vent that expels warm air does not carefully select remaining elements, and all of the elements that pass through are indistinguishable from each other.

Analyst: Creative professionals, such as clothing designers, graphic designers, and decorators, often have very poor managerial skills and do not succeed when they try to run their own businesses. In fact, most of these creative types are less skilled in business than is the average white-collar professional who does not work in a creative field. Generally, creative talent and business acumen rarely go hand in hand. If the analyst's argument is taken as true, which of the following statements can properly be concluded? No successful businesspeople are creative. Some creative types are not less skilled at business than is the average white-collar worker who is not creative. Creativity precludes success in business. Any white-collar worker who is not creative is more successful in business than any creative professional. Business is not a creative endeavor.

B. I said C. The analyst presents several points about the business talents of creative professionals. In drawing a conclusion from the analyst's argument, we must be careful to choose a provable claim, whether or not this claim pulls together all the premises. We also must avoid extending the analyst's argument or selecting statements that are too extreme. Finally, we must not allow this process to be clouded by reactions to the content of the argument; whether or not we agree with the premises, we have to find a provable conclusion. (A) This choice takes the passage's claim that creativity and business acumen rarely go hand in hand to an extreme. The analyst does not assert that absolutely no successful people are creative. (B) CORRECT. The passage states that most creative types are less skilled in business than the average white-collar worker who does not work in a creative field. This implies that some creative types are not less skilled than the average white-collar worker who is not creative. (C) This choice again takes the passage's claim that creativity and business acumen rarely go hand in hand to an extreme. Creativity and business acumen are not mutually exclusive. (D) The passage does not say that all white-collar workers are successful, nor does it say that no creative professionals are successful. (E) The passage makes a distinction between creative talent and business acumen. This does not mean that there are no aspects of business that fall under the realm of creativity.

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? Anxiety and nervousness can lead to serious health problems. Anxiety and nervousness do not make individuals more likely to start smoking. Equivalent numbers of smokers and nonsmokers were surveyed for the study. Smokers are aware of the various health problems attributed to smoking, including lung cancer and emphysema. 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.

B. I said D. Although the premises of this argument suggest only a correlation between smoking and anxiety or nervousness, the argument has a causal conclusion: it concludes that smoking causes individuals to be anxious and nervous (i.e., that A causes B). Any assumption in a causal argument must support the causal "direction" of the conclusion, that A causes B as opposed to some other explanation. Often, assumptions support a causal conclusion either by eliminating an alternate cause for the conclusion (that C did not cause B) or by demonstrating that the causation, if one exists, is in the proper direction (that B did not cause A). (A) The argument concludes that smoking causes anxiety and nervousness. Whether these maladies lead to more serious health problems is not relevant to the conclusion. (B) CORRECT. For smoking to be the cause of anxiety and nervousness (i.e., that A caused B) it must be true that these individuals were not more likely to be anxious and nervous before they started smoking. If smokers had these preconditions, which contributed to their decision to begin smoking (i.e., that B caused A), our conclusion - that smoking causes these maladies - would be incorrect. (C) The argument concludes that smoking causes anxiety and nervousness. The number of survey respondents is not relevant to the conclusion. (D) The argument concludes that smoking causes anxiety and nervousness. The awareness of the health problems related to smoking is not relevant to the conclusion. (E) The argument is not based on the immediate impact that smoking has on anxiety and nervousness. Moreover, the argument never compares some smokers to other smokers.

According to a survey conducted by the school administration, incoming seniors planning to attend college prefer not only rigorous courses, like honors and advanced placement courses, over those that require less work, but also science and math courses over those in the humanities. like honors and advanced placement courses, over those that require less work, but also science and math courses over such as honors and advanced placement courses, to those that require less work, but also science and math courses to like honors and advanced placement courses, to those requiring less work, but they prefer science and math courses to such as honors and advanced placement courses, more than those that require less work, but also science and math courses more than such as honors and advanced placement courses, more than those requiring less work, and also science and math courses more than

B. I said E. The incorrect idiom "prefer X over Y" is used twice in the original sentence: "...not only prefer rigorous courses...over those that require less work, but also science and math courses over those in the humanities." The correct form of the idiom is "prefer X to Y." Also, the original sentence incorrectly uses "like" to introduce examples of rigorous courses. "Such as" is the correct phrase to introduce examples. "Like" should not be used to begin a list of examples, but rather to make a comparison between nouns. (A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence. (B) CORRECT. The examples of rigorous courses, "honors and advanced placement courses," are correctly introduced with the phrase "such as." Also, the correct form of the idiom "prefer X to Y" is used, as is the correct idiom "not only X but also Y." This sentence is written in the basic form "...prefer not only A to B, but also X to Y," which is clear and idiomatically sound. (C) The incorrect idiom "not only X but Y" is used: "...prefer not only rigorous courses...but they prefer...." The correct form of the idiom is "not only X but also Y." Also, this choice incorrectly uses "like" to introduce examples of rigorous courses. "Such as" is the correct phrase to introduce examples. "Like" should not be used to begin a list of examples, but rather to make a comparison between nouns. Finally, the use of "they prefer" is repetitive and unnecessarily wordy. (D) The incorrect idiom "prefer X more than Y" is used twice: "...prefer not only rigorous courses...more than those that require less work, but also science and math courses more than those in the humanities." The correct form of the idiom is "prefer X to Y." (E) The incorrect idiom "prefer X more than Y" is used twice: "...prefer not only rigorous courses...more than those requiring less work, and also science and math courses more than those in the humanities." The correct form of the idiom is "prefer X to Y." Also, the incorrect idiom "not only X and also Y" is used: "...prefer not only rigorous courses...and also science...." The correct form of the idiom is "not only X but also Y."

Consumption of bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures, and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in maternal bleeding after childbirth. bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures, and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures, and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause significantly reduced bread products made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures, and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significant reduction in bread made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures, and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures, and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significantly reduced

C. I said A. The primary issue with this question is subject-verb agreement. The subject is "consumption," which is singular (and note that "consumption" is not underlined, so the subject will be singular in the correct answer). Any verbs associated with this subject, therefore, also must be singular. In the original sentence, they are both plural ("trigger" and "cause"). (A) This choice is incorrect because it repeats the original sentence. (B) Although this sentence makes two changes from the original sentence, neither one fixes the subject-verb agreement problem; the singular subject, "consumption," is still paired with two plural verbs, "trigger" and "cause." (C) CORRECT. This choice correctly pairs the singular subject, "consumption," with two singular verbs, "triggers" and "causes." (D) This sentence corrects the first of the two verbs ("triggers") by making it singular to match the singular subject, "consumption," but the second verb ("cause") is still plural. (E) This sentence corrects the second of the two verbs ("causes") by making it singular to match the singular subject, "consumption," but the first verb ("trigger") is still plural.

__That every worker has a clean criminal record is of some importance to investment banks which is why a stringent background check is a necessary prerequisite for all of their job applicants.__ That every worker has a clean criminal record is of some importance to investment banks which is why a stringent background check is a necessary prerequisite for all of their job applicants Clean criminal records of their employees is important to investment banks; hence, a stringent background check are necessary prerequisites for employment Because they consider it important that all of their employees have a clean criminal record, investment banks require each job applicant to undergo a stringent background check It is of some importance that all investment banks' workers have clean criminal records which is why many of them undergo stringent background checks The reason that investment banks require background checks of their applicants is because they require clean criminal records of their employees

C. I said B. The sentence has several errors of concision. First, the structure "X is of ... importance which is why Y is a ... prerequisite" is awkward and wordy, and can be more concisely written as follows: "Because [X is ... important], [Y is ... necessary]." Second, both "some importance" and "necessary prerequisite" are redundant: if something is "important" it has "some importance"; similarly, a "prerequisite" is by definition "necessary." (A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence. (B) The singular verb "is" does not agree with the plural subject "records." In addition, the plural verb "are" does not agree with the singular subject "background check." Finally, the phrase "necessary prerequisite" is redundant. (C) CORRECT. The redundant and passive clause "X is of significant importance to investment banks" is replaced by the more concise and active clause "they [investment banks] consider X important." In addition, the redundant and passive clause "a background check is a necessary prerequisite [of investment banks]" is replaced by the more concise and active "investment banks require background checks." Finally, the entire sentence is rewritten in the concise form "Because X, Y." (D) The phrase "some importance" is redundant and wordy. In addition, the meaning of the sentence has been changed to state that "many" of the employees underwent a background check; the original sentence asserted that the background check was required, and, therefore, was submitted to by all. (E) The structure "the reason X is because Y" is redundant. The proper idiom is either "the reason X is Y" or "Y is because X." In addition, it is not clear whether the pronouns "they" and "their" refer to "investment banks" or "applicants."

On Monday, Daisy's Lemonade Stand sold lemonade at 20 cents per cup. The Lemon Shack sold lemonade at 30 cents per cup. At the end of the day, Daisy's Lemonade Stand and the Lemon Shack reported identical revenues and identical profits. The statements above best support which of the following assertions? On Monday, Daisy's Lemonade Stand sold fewer cups of lemonade than did the Lemon Shack. The Lemon Shack sells higher quality lemonade than does Daisy's Lemonade Stand. On Monday, Daisy's Lemonade Stand and the Lemon Shack incurred identical costs to run their businesses. In general, lemonade consumers prefer the lemonade at Daisy's Lemonade Stand to the Lemonade at the Lemon Shack. The Lemon Shack would not increase its revenues by lowering its prices.

C. I said D. The passage gives information about Monday's business at two lemonade stores. The question asks us to make an assertion, or conclusion, based on the information provided. The answer choice that requires no additional assumptions will be the correct answer. (A) This conclusion is incorrect. If Daisy's sells its lemonade at a lower price than the Lemon Shack, and if the stores reported identical revenues for the day, then Daisy's sold more cups of lemonade than the Lemon Shack, not less. (B) We know nothing about the quality of lemonade at either store. (C) CORRECT. If the stores reported identical revenues and identical profits, the profit equation Profit = Revenue - Cost tells us that their costs must have been identical as well. (D) We know nothing about the preferences of lemonade consumers. (E) We know nothing about the market conditions surrounding either store. Therefore, we cannot make any conclusions about what might happen if the Lemon Shack were to lower its prices. It is very possible that the Lemon Shack could in fact sell many more cups per day at lower prices, and it's possible this could lead to higher revenues.

According to a recent magazine article, of those office employees who typically work 8 hours at the office each day but sometimes say that they will work at home on a particular day, 25 percent actually work less than one hour. At the same time, over 90 percent of those same office employees believe they are more productive working at home than working in their office. The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions about the office employees discussed in the article? On average, the office employees working at home for a day work fewer hours than office employees working at the office. 10 percent of the office employees are less productive working from home than working in their office. At least 15 percent of the office employees do not define productivity exclusively in terms of the number of hours worked. At least 25 percent of the office employees can complete the same amount of work in one hour at home as in 8 hours at the office. Some of the office employees make statements regarding their productivity that are not in fact true.

C. I said E. The passage presents information about what office employees who work 8-hour days and who have worked at home told a certain magazine. The first piece of information is about what some of those office employees actually do: 25 percent of office employees actually work less than an hour on days that they work at home. The second piece of information is about what some of those office employees believe: 90 percent believe that they are more productive working at home than at the office. A proper GMAT conclusion must be provable by those two pieces of information. (A) The passage only provides information about the working hours of 25 percent of the office employees. The passage does not provide any information regarding the working hours of the other 75 percent, hence, it is not possible to conclude anything about the office employees on average. For example, it is possible that the other 75 percent of the office employees work 14 hour days when working from home. It is also possible that they work 6 hour days when working from home. (B) The passage provides no information about the actual productivity of any of the office employees. It only provides information about what the office employees believe about their productivity. (C) CORRECT. 90 percent of the office employees believe that they are more productive at home than at work. At the same time, 25 percent of the office employees actually work fewer hours when they work at home than when they work at the office. The overlap between these two groups is at least 15 percent of all of the office employees. This group of employees believes that they are more productive at home than at work and yet this group actually works fewer hours at home than at work. Thus, these employees must not define productivity exclusively in terms of the number of hours worked. (D) The passage discusses the actual work hours of 25 percent of the office employees. Then it describes the beliefs of 90 percent of office employees regarding their productivity. First, there is no necessary link between an individual's beliefs about his or her productivity and that individual's actual productivity; hence, no conclusion can be made regarding actual productivity from the information about beliefs. Second, the number of hours worked alone is not an indication of productivity; it is possible, for example, that an employee who works 1 hour is more productive in terms of work done per hour than when he works 8 hours and yet that employee might still accomplish more total work when working 8 hours. Therefore, it is not possible to conclude anything regarding productivity for any of the office employees. (E) The fact that 90 percent of the office employees believe they are more productive at home than at work does not necessarily contradict the fact that 25 percent of the office employees work fewer hours at home than at work. It is possible to work fewer hours and still be more productive.

The Breton Symphony Orchestra board of directors and the musicians' union are currently in contract negotiations. The musicians' union is considering proposing a new contract that would demand the following: a 10% increase in musician salaries, the creation of a new financial bonus system for musicians who have been with the orchestra for at least six years, and a limit on the number of rehearsals per week. The answer to which of the following questions is LEAST important in helping the union to determine whether the board will be inclined to accept the new contract proposal? Does the orchestra have the means to pay for a 10% increase in musician salaries? Are there comparable musicians not currently with the orchestra who would be willing to work under a less favorable contract? What percentage of the orchestra's revenue is generated from ticket sales? What is the average duration of employment for Breton Symphony Orchestra musicians? Is the proposed limit on the number of rehearsals per week reasonable when compared with industry standards?

C. I said E. The union's new contract proposal is based on three very specific demands: increasing salaries, creating a bonus system, and limiting the number of rehearsals per week. Questions that will be most important in determining whether the board will accept the contract will be directly related to these three demands. The question that is LEAST important will not be directly related to any of the three demands. (A) The orchestra's ability to pay for the salary increase is certainly relevant. (B) If there are comparable musicians willing to work for less, the board will be less likely to accept the demands proposed in the new contract. (C) CORRECT. The percentage of revenue generated from ticket sales is not directly related to any of the three demands. (D) This is relevant. If the average duration of employment is at least six years, the board will probably be less willing to accept the contract. Doing so would put the board in the unfavorable position of having to grant financial bonuses to many of its employees. (E) If the rehearsal limit is unreasonable according to industry standards, the board will probably be less likely to accept this demand.

Items that seem unremarkable today might once have altered the course of history. For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually, a spice made from these nuts became a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian merchants. Seeking a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Banda Islands, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the trade. However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. Inveterate traders, the Dutch were more interested in the spice trade than in the small outpost of New Amsterdam. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York. Today, nutmeg trees can be found in many countries and no one company or country has a monopoly on the trade. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the claim that New Amsterdam would have remained a Dutch possession if not for the conflict over nutmeg? Attempts to cultivate nutmeg trees outside of the Banda Islands had failed. Few people lived in New Amsterdam before it was ceded to the British. The British controlled trade in other valuable spices, such as cloves. New Amsterdam served as a lucrative trading center for spices exportable to Europe. The Netherlands controlled no North American territories other than New Amsterdam.

D. I said A. The passage indicates that the Dutch traded New Amsterdam for control of the Banda islands and the nutmeg trade. The question asks us to strengthen the claim that the Dutch would not have traded New Amsterdam if there had not been a conflict over nutmeg. We do not have to find an answer choice that proves definitively that the Dutch would not have traded New Amsterdam in another situation; we simply need to find something that increases the likelihood that the Dutch might have kept New Amsterdam. (A) This choice tells us that the nutmeg trade was limited to the Banda Islands. If anything, this choice suggests that the Dutch would have been more likely to trade New Amsterdam to the British, because control over the Banda Islands would have been the only way for the Dutch to get what they wanted: a monopoly on the nutmeg trade. (B) The fact that New Amsterdam had a small population does not indicate why the Dutch might have wanted to keep it. (C) The fact that the British controlled trade in other spices does not give a reason to believe that the Dutch would not have traded New Amsterdam if there had not been a conflict over nutmeg. (D) CORRECT. The second paragraph states: "Inveterate traders, the Dutch were more interested in the spice trade than in the small outpost of New Amsterdam." Because of this interest in the spice trade, the Dutch might have held on to New Amsterdam if that "small outpost" actually served as a "lucrative trading center for spices." (E) The fact that The Netherlands controlled no other North American territories is not relevant unless we have information suggesting that The Netherlands felt compelled to maintain a presence in at least one North American territory. Because we do not have any such information, this choice is not relevant.

During and immediately after a war, Hollywood films typically trumpet the glory of sacrifice and unquestioning patriotism. Ten to fifteen years later, however, morally fraught and sometimes pacifistic movies about the conflict typically emerge. For example, after America joined World War I in 1917, the still infant film industry glorified the fight against "the Hun." But by the early 1930s, films such as All Quiet on the Western Front did not shy away from depicting the horrors of combat and the disillusionment of soldiers. After World War II began, the cycle repeated itself. Guadalcanal Diary, produced during the second world war, portrayed "the ultimate sacrifice" as a noble and undisputed good while diminishing the ethical complexities. By 1957, though, films such as The Bridge on the River Kwai, first published in book form in 1952, were winning awards for depicting the moral confusion inherent in war. Subsequently, the movie The Green Berets, produced at the height of the Vietnam war in the late 1960s, was far closer in tone to Guadalcanal Diary than to The Bridge on the River Kwai. A decade or more passed before the film industry finally began producing more complex and ambivalent depictions of the Vietnam war, such as Apocalypse Now and Platoon. With which of the following is the author most likely to agree regarding the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai? It deserved the awards that it won. It is a more intelligent and well-crafted movie than The Green Berets. It was the first movie to portray the moral confusion of war. Its portrayal of war is more ambivalent than that of Guadalcanal Diary. It is more similar in tone to The Green Berets than it is to Platoon.

D. I said C. The fifth sentence indicates that the film Guadalcanal Diary portrayed "the ultimate sacrifice as a noble and undisputed good while diminishing the ethical complexities." The sixth sentence indicates a contrast via the word "though" and goes on to say that The Bridge on the River Kwai depicted "the moral confusion inherent in war." Hence, The Bridge on the River Kwai is mentioned as an example of the continuing pattern of war movies becoming more ambivalent in the years after a conflict. (A) While the passage does establish that The Bridge on the River Kwai won awards, the author does not comment on the merit of those awards; we do not know whether the author feels that the awards were deserved. (B) The passage does not compare the intelligence or crafting of these, or any, films; it merely discusses their tone and approach to the depiction of war. (C) The passage does say that The Bridge on the River Kwai depicted "the moral confusion inherent in war" but it does not indicate that this movie was the first to do so. In fact, the passage uses The Bridge on the River Kwai as the second example of a movie that portrays a "morally fraught" message; the first example, All Quiet on the Western Front, was made earlier. (D) CORRECT. The seventh sentence states that Guadalcanal Diary "was far closer in tone to" The Green Berets than to The Bridge on the River Kwai. The Bridge on the River Kwai depicted "the moral confusion inherent in war" while Guadalcanal Diary "diminished the ethical complexities." The Bridge on the River Kwai, then, portrayed a more ambivalent message than did Guadalcanal Diary. (E) According to the passage, the opposite is true. The seventh sentence indicates that "The Green Berets... was far closer in tone to Guadalcanal Diary than to The Bridge on the River Kwai." The first two are examples of movies in which the war is glorified. The third is an example of a more complex work portraying the positives and negatives of war. In the last sentence, Platoon is described as a movie that shows a "more complex and ambivalent depiction" of war.

For nearly a century, physiologists believed that *a buildup of lactic acid in muscle tissue was the primary cause of the soreness that many people experience after strenuous exercise.* The acid is the waste produced by metabolic activity in the muscle and, the researchers claimed, reaches "threshold" levels that cause soreness several days later. *Researchers have recently discovered, however, that the lactic acid byproduct is also used as a source of energy during intense exercise.* The acid is thus consumed before it can accumulate sufficiently to cause muscle fatigue, leading researchers to conclude that something else must cause the typical muscle soreness. In the argument above, the portions in boldface play which of the following roles? The first is an assertion that the author argues against; the second is evidence presented as contrary to the author's argument. The first is an assertion that the author accepts as true; the second is a consideration in support of that assertion. The first is scientific evidence that the author acknowledges may be valid; the second contradicts that evidence. The first is evidence that the author believes is no longer valid; the second is evidence that the author uses to support his main point. The first is a claim that the author believes to be invalid; the second is the author's main point.

D. I said C. To analyze the two boldface portions effectively, we first determine the conclusion of the argument: "something else must cause the typical muscle soreness." Then we relate each boldface portion to this conclusion. The first boldface portion represents a conclusion previously held by physiologists; this statement directly contradicts the argument's conclusion. The second boldface portion indicates that a more recent discovery calls that original conclusion into question; this statement supports the argument's conclusion. (A) The author does argue against the first boldface portion. The second boldface portion, however, is not contrary to the author's argument; rather, it supports the author's argument. (B) The author does not accept the first boldface portion as true; rather, the author's conclusion contradicts the first boldface portion. The second boldface portion does not support the first; rather, it supports the author's conclusion. (C) The author does not believe the first boldface portion is valid; rather, the author's conclusion contradicts the first boldface statement. (D) CORRECT. The author does believe the evidence presented in the first boldface portion is no longer valid; further, the author does use the second boldface portion to support the author's conclusion. (E) The second boldface portion is not the author's main point; rather, it is a piece of evidence in support of the author's conclusion.

Profits for one of Company X's flagship products have been declining slowly for several years. The CFO investigated and determined that inflation has raised the cost of producing the product but consumers who were surveyed reported that they weren't willing to pay more than the current price. As a result, the CFO recommended that the company stop producing this product because the CEO only wants products whose profit margins are increasing. The answer to which of the following questions would be most useful in evaluating whether the CFO's decision to divest the company of its flagship product is warranted? Does the company have new and profitable products available with which to replace the flagship product? Will the rest of Company X's management team agree with the CFO's recommendation? Are there additional features which could be added to the product and for which consumers might be willing to pay a higher price? Is there a way to alter the manufacturing or distribution processes in order to reduce the cost to produce the flagship product? What percentage of Company X's revenues is represented by sales of the flagship product in question?

D. I said E. Profits for a particular product have been going down and the CFO has determined that this is because, on the one hand, the cost to make the product has increased and, on the other, consumers won't pay more than the current price (recall that Profit = Revenues - Costs). The CEO only wants Company X to sell products with increasing profit margins; as a result, the CFO decides the solution is to stop making this product. This decision would make sense only if we can be assured that there is no way to have an increasing profit margin for the product in question. (A) Whether there are new, profitable products does not address the issue of whether there is a way to achieve increasing profit margins for the flagship product. (B) Whether the management team agrees with the CFO's recommendation does not address the issue of whether there is a way to achieve increasing profit margins for the flagship product. (C) This may increase the revenues earned by the product, but this choice does not address the additional cost associated with new features, so we still do not know whether we can achieve increasing profit margins for the product. We may be able to, but we may not: the features may cost more than the increased price that consumers would be willing to pay. (D) CORRECT. If the costs for the existing product can be reduced, then the profit margin will increase (again, recall that Profits = Revenues - Costs). If the costs cannot be reduced, then the profit margins will not increase. (E) The flagship product's revenues as a percentage of total revenues does not address the issue of whether there is a way to achieve increasing profit margins for the flagship product (although it does highlight why the company might find itself with a big problem if it follows the CEO's advice!).

Despite their acronymic similarity, LEDs and LCDs represent distinct display technologies. In LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, two different semiconductor materials are layered together: n-type, in which mobile electrons carry negative charge, and p-type, in which "holes" in an otherwise bound sea of electrons carry positive charge. When electric current flows through the p-n junction between layers, an n-type electron falling into a p-type hole releases a photon, a specifically colored particle of light. The dominant technology currently used in most consumer product displays is the active matrix liquid crystal diode display (LCD). LCDs apply thin-film transistors (TFTs) of amorphous silicon sandwiched between two glass plates. The TFTs supply voltage to liquid-crystal-filled cells, or pixels, between the sheets of glass. Liquid crystals can twist the polarization, or wave orientation, of light. Just as a guitar string can vibrate sideways or up and down, so a light wave can be polarized horizontally or vertically. Polarizing filters act as selective gates, transmitting light polarized one way but not the other. Within a pixel, liquid crystals in their relaxed, coiled state rotate the polarization of ambient light enough to make surrounding filters transparent. Alternatively, applied electrical signals uncoil the crystals, causing the filters to block light and the pixel to become opaque. LCDs that are capable of producing color images, such as in televisions and computers, reproduce colors by blocking out particular color wavelengths from the spectrum of white light until only the desired color remains. The variation of the intensity of light permitted to pass through the matrix of liquid crystals enables LCD displays to present images full of gradations of different colors. The amount of power required to untwist the crystals to display images is much lower than that required for analogous processes using other technologies, such as plasma. The dense array of crystals displays images from computer sources extremely well, with full color detail, no flicker, and no screen burn-in. Moreover, the number of pixels per square inch on an LCD is typically higher than that for other display technologies; LCD monitors are excellent at displaying large amounts of data with exceptional clarity and precision. The passage indicates that each of the following may be considered an advantage of LCDs relative to other display technologies EXCEPT they consume less power they generally have more pixels per square inch of the display they are able to replicate computer images with little to no loss of detail they reflect a widely adopted standard they represent the latest, most advanced technology

E. I said A. "Except" questions are negatively-worded questions. Typically, four of the answers will fall into a certain category or be "true" in some way, while the fifth choice will be correct because it is the "odd one out." Keep track of your eliminations on your scrap paper. Because it is often easier to find the four "true" answer choices, focus on eliminating wrong (i.e. true) answers rather than trying to find the one right (i.e. false) answer. (A) True. The first sentence of the third paragraph reads, "The amount of power required to untwist the crystals to display images is much lower than that required for analogous processes using other technologies, such as plasma." The passage indicates that LCDs consume less power than other display technologies. (B) True. The third sentence of the third paragraph reads, "the number of pixels per square inch on an LCD is typically higher than that for other display technologies." The passage indicates that LCDs generally have more pixels per square inch. (C) The second sentence of the third paragraph states that "the dense array of crystals displays images from computer sources extremely well, with full color detail, no flicker, and no screen burn-in." The passage indicates that LCDs can present computer images with "full color detail." (D) The first sentence of the second paragraph states that "the dominant technology currently used in most consumer product displays is the active matrix liquid crystal display (LCD)." The passage indicates that the technology is a widely adopted standard. (E) CORRECT. While the passage indicates that LCDs are the dominant technology currently used, the passage does not indicate that LCDs are the latest and most advanced technology. There may be a more cutting edge technology for certain applications, or a technology that is so new, it has not yet been widely adopted.

__Undergoing a gastric bypass is to commit to a new lifestyle not only because they will no longer be permitted to eat large portions of food at one sitting, nor will they be__ allowed to consume foods high in sugar or fat. Undergoing a gastric bypass is to commit to a new lifestyle not only because they will no longer be permitted to eat large portions of food at one sitting, nor will they Undergoing a gastric bypass is committing to a new lifestyle not only because they will no longer be permitted to eat large portions of food at one sitting, but also they will not Undergoing a gastric bypass is to commit to a new lifestyle because the patient not only will no longer be permitted to eat large portions of food at one sitting but also they will not To undergo a gastric bypass is to commit to a new lifestyle not only because the patient will no longer be permitted to eat large portions of food at one sitting, nor will they To undergo a gastric bypass is to commit to a new lifestyle because the patient not only will no longer be permitted to eat large portions of food at one sitting but also will not

E. I said C. The comparison in this sentence between "undergoing a gastric bypass" and "to commit to a new lifestyle" is not parallel. To be parallel, the comparison should either be "undergoing" is "committing" or "to undergo" is "to commit." Furthermore, neither instance of the pronoun "they" has a clear antecedent, since there is no noun to which either "they" could refer. Finally, the "not only X nor Y" construction is unidiomatic; the proper construction is "not only X but also Y." (A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence. (B) Neither instance of the pronoun "they" in this choice has a clear antecedent. (C) In this choice, "undergoing" is not parallel with "to commit." Additionally, the plural pronoun "they" is incorrectly used to refer to the singular noun "the patient." Moreover, the "not only X but also Y" construction requires X and Y to be parallel, but "will no longer be permitted" is not parallel to "they will not be allowed." (D) This choice incorrectly uses the unidiomatic "not only X nor Y." Additionally, the plural pronoun "they" incorrectly refers to the singular noun "the patient." (E) CORRECT. This choice properly compares "to undergo" to "to commit," correcting the initial error in parallelism. Additionally, the idiomatic "not only X but also Y" is used correctly.

During and immediately after a war, Hollywood films typically trumpet the glory of sacrifice and unquestioning patriotism. Ten to fifteen years later, however, morally fraught and sometimes pacifistic movies about the conflict typically emerge. For example, after America joined World War I in 1917, the still infant film industry glorified the fight against "the Hun." But by the early 1930s, films such as All Quiet on the Western Front did not shy away from depicting the horrors of combat and the disillusionment of soldiers. After World War II began, the cycle repeated itself. Guadalcanal Diary, produced during the second world war, portrayed "the ultimate sacrifice" as a noble and undisputed good while diminishing the ethical complexities. By 1957, though, films such as The Bridge on the River Kwai, first published in book form in 1952, were winning awards for depicting the moral confusion inherent in war. Subsequently, the movie The Green Berets, produced at the height of the Vietnam war in the late 1960s, was far closer in tone to Guadalcanal Diary than to The Bridge on the River Kwai. A decade or more passed before the film industry finally began producing more complex and ambivalent depictions of the Vietnam war, such as Apocalypse Now and Platoon. According to the passage, the combat depicted in All Quiet on the Western Front resembles the depiction of combat in all of the following EXCEPT some films from the 1950s films that portray the ethical complexities of war The Bridge on the River Kwai Platoon Guadalcanal Diary

E. I said D. All Quiet on the Western Front is cited as an example of a film, made years after the end of a war, that depicts the complexities and moral confusion of war. All films in this category should do the same. Because this is a negatively-worded ("EXCEPT") question, four of the answer choices should fall into that same category; the correct answer should not. (A) The passage mentions films made "by 1957" ("films such as The Bridge on the River Kwai") that depict "the moral confusion inherent in war." This choice, then, falls into the same category as All Quiet on the Western Front. (B) All Quiet on the Western Front is described as "depicting the horrors of combat and the disillusionment of soldiers," both of which are examples of "the ethical complexities of war." Any film that portrays the ethical complexities of war would fall into the same category as All Quiet on the Western Front. (C) In the sixth sentence, The Bridge on the River Kwai is described as a film that was made years after the conflict it portrayed and that showed the moral confusion of war. This puts the film in the same category as All Quiet on the Western Front. (D) In the last sentence, Platoon is described as a film that was made years after the conflict it portrayed and that had an ambivalent attitude toward its topic. This puts the film in the same category as All Quiet on the Western Front. (E) CORRECT. In the fifth sentence, Guadalcanal Diary is mentioned as a film made during wartime. It is also described as a movie that "portrayed 'the ultimate sacrifice' as a noble and undisputed good while diminishing the ethical complexities." This choice, then, describes a film that is NOT in the same category as All Quiet on the Western Front.