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question:Economist: In our country, the price of cola is regulated by the Cola Commission. Decades ago, when the commission was formed, such regulation was reasonable because there was a monopoly on cola production. Now, however, fierce competition in this market keeps cola prices low. So the Cola Commission should be abolished. The economist's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it fails to consider the possibility that A: many dedicated and talented people serve on the Cola Commission B: ending regulation of cola prices in the economist's country will have no effect on these prices, which are already below the ceilings set by the Cola Commission C: the Cola Commission regulates aspects of the cola industry other than cola's price D: the Cola Commission was originally set up by economists Choose A, B, C or D as your solution.
answer:C, B: ending regulation of cola prices in the economist's country will have no effect on these prices, which are already below the ceilings set by the Cola Commission The economist's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism on the ground that it fails to consider the possibility that ending regulation may not have any impact on cola prices, which are already low due to competition and are below the ceilings set by the Cola Commission. This implies that the prices are already properly regulated by the market forces, making the commission's existence redundant in terms of pricing. However, the argument does not address the commission's potential role in regulating aspects other than cola prices, which could provide additional justification for its continued existence.,C
question:A museum director, in order to finance expensive new acquisitions, discreetly sold some paintings by major artists. All of them were paintings that the director privately considered inferior. Critics roundly condemned the sale, charging that the museum had lost first-rate pieces, thereby violating its duty as a trustee of art for future generations. A few months after being sold by the museum, those paintings were resold, in an otherwise stagnant art market, at two to three times the price paid to the museum. Clearly, these prices settle the issue, since they demonstrate the correctness of the critics' evaluation. The reasoning in the argument is vulnerable to the criticism that the argument does which one of the following? A: It concludes that a certain opinion is correct on the grounds that it is held by more people than hold the opposing view. B: It bases its conclusion on facts that could, in the given situation, have resulted from causes other than those presupposed by the argument. C: It rejects the judgment of the experts in an area in which there is no better guide to the truth than expert judgment. D: It bases a firm conclusion about a state of affairs in the present on somewhat speculative claims about a future state of affairs. Choose A, B, C or D as your solution.
answer:B: It bases its conclusion on facts that could, in the given situation, have resulted from causes other than those presupposed by the argument. The argument concludes that the critics' evaluation of the paintings' quality was correct because they were resold at a higher price. However, this price increase could be due to various factors such as an increase in the art market as a whole, the reputation of the museum selling the paintings, or the actions of speculative investors. Therefore, the argument's reasoning is vulnerable to the criticism that it bases its conclusion on facts (the increase in price) that could have resulted from causes other than those presupposed by the argument (the correctness of the critics' evaluation).,B,B
question:Dolphins can swim at high speeds and achieve high acceleration in the water. In 1936, Sir James Gray calculated the force dolphins should be able to exert based on their physiology. <b> He concluded that the propulsive force they were able to exert was not enough to explain how fast they swim and accelerate. </b> In the 2000s, experimenters used special computer-enhanced measurements of the water in which dolphins were swimming. Through mathematical modeling, they were able to measure the force dolphins exert with their tails. As it turns out, dolphins exert considerably more force with their tails than Sir James Gray or anybody else ever expected. <b> Ttherefore, the force exerted by their tails easily explains how fast they swim and accelerate. </b> In the argument, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? A: The first is a generally held assumption; the second is a conclusion that violates that assumption. B: This first is a piece of evidence supporting the main conclusion; the second is the main conclusion. C: The first is an opinion the author seeks to refute; the second is the opinion the author supports. D: The first is a false conclusion based on an incorrect premise; the second is the revised conclusion drawn from the corrected premise. Choose A, B, C or D as your solution.
answer:D, D: The first is a false conclusion based on an incorrect premise; the second is the revised conclusion drawn from the corrected premise.,D
question:A survey of a city' s concertgoers found that almost all of them were dissatisfied with the local concert hall. A large majority of them expressed a strong preference for wider seats and better acoustics. And, even though the survey respondents were told that the existing concert hall cannot feasibly be modified to provide these features, most of them opposed the idea of tearing down the existing structure and replacing it with a concert hall with wider seats and better acoustics. Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the apparent conflict in the concertgoers' views, as revealed by the survey? A: Many popular singers and musicians who currently do not hold concerts in the city would begin to hold concerts there if a new concert hall were built. B: The city's construction industry will receive more economic benefit from the construction of a new concert hall than from renovations to the existing concert hall. C: A well-publicized plan is being considered by the city government that would convert the existing concert hall into a public auditorium and build a new concert hall nearby. D: Before any of the survey questions were asked, the respondents were informed that the survey was sponsored by a group that advocates replacing the existing concert hall. Choose A, B, C or D as your solution.
answer:D,C, C: A well-publicized plan is being considered by the city government that would convert the existing concert hall into a public auditorium and build a new concert hall nearby. This statement, if true, helps to explain the concertgoers' conflicting views by suggesting that many concertgoers likely opposed the idea of tearing down the existing structure and replacing it with a new concert hall because they were already aware of the city government's plan to repurpose the current hall and build a new one. As a result, they might have felt that opposing the new construction would be unnecessary, as the existing concert hall would no longer be the primary venue for concerts.