Prep2012-Pack1-CR-001 VCR07575 Easy
According to the Tristate Transportation Authority, making certain improvements to the main commuter rail line would increase ridership dramatically. The authority plans to finance these improvements over the course of five years by raising automobile tolls on the two highway bridges along the route the rail line serves. Although the proposed improvements are indeed needed, the authority's plan for securing the necessary funds should be rejected because it would unfairly force drivers to absorb the entire cost of something from which they receive no benefit.
Which of the following, if true, would cast the most doubt on the effectiveness of the authority's plan to finance the proposed improvements by increasing bridge tolls?
A. Before the authority increases tolls on any of the area bridges, it is required by law to hold public hearings at which objections to the proposed increase can be raised.
B. Whenever bridge tolls are increased, the authority must pay a private contractor to adjust the automated toll-collecting machines.
C. Between the time a proposed toll increase is announced and the time the increase is actually put into effect, many commuters buy more tokens than usual to postpone the effects of the increase.
D. When tolls were last increased on the two bridges in question, almost 20 percent of the regular commuter switched to a slightly longer alternative route that has since been improved.
E. The chairman of the authority is a member of the Tristate Automobile Club that has registered strong opposition to the proposed toll increase.
Prep2012-Pack1-CR-002 VCR07580 Easy
Roland: The alarming fact is that 90 percent of the people in this country now report that they know someone who is unemployed.
Sharon: But a normal, moderate level of unemployment is 5 percent, with 1 out of 20 workers unemployed. So at any given time if a person knows approximately 50 workers, 1 or more will very be unemployed.
Sharon's argument is structured to lead to which of the following as a conclusion?
A. The fact that 90% of the people know someone who is unemployed is not an indication that unemployment is abnormally high.
B. The current level of unemployment is not moderate.
C. If at least 5% of workers are unemployed, the result of questioning a representative group of people cannot be the percentage Roland cites.
D. It is unlikely that the people whose statements Roland cites are giving accurate reports.
E. If an unemployment figure is given as a certain percent, the actual percentage of those without jobs is even higher.
Prep2012-Pack1-CR-003 Vcr07609 Easy
Guitar strings often go “dead”—become less responsive and bright in tone—after a few weeks of intense use. A researcher whose son is a classical guitarist hypothesized that dirt and oil, rather than changes in the material properties of the string, were responsible.
Which of the following investigations is most likely to yield significant information that would help to evaluate the researcher‘s hypothesis?
A. Determining if a metal alloy is used to make the strings used by classical guitarists
B. Determining whether classical guitarists make their strings go dead faster than do folk guitarists
C. Determining whether identical lengths of string, of the same gauge, go dead at different rates when strung on various brands of guitars
D. Determining whether a dead string and a new string produce different qualities of sound
E. Determining whether smearing various substances on new guitar strings causes them to go dead
