45. commissioner: budget forecasters project a revenue shortfall of a billion dollars in the coming fiscal year. since there is no feasible way to increase the available funds, our only choice is to decrease expenditures. the plan before you outlines feasible cuts that would yield savings of a billion dollars over the coming fiscal year. we will be able to solve the problem we face, therefore, only if we adopt this plan.
this reasoning in the commissioner's argument is flawed BECause this argument
(a) relies on information that is far from certain
(b) confuses being an adequate solution with being a required solution
(c) inappropriately relies on the opinions of experts
(d) inappropriately employs language that is vague
(e) takes for granted that there is no way to increase available funds
46. twelve healthy volunteers with the apo-a-iv-1 gene and twelve healthy volunteers who instead have the apo-a-iv-2 gene each consumed a standard diet supplemented daily by a high-cholesterol food. a high level of cholesterol in the blood is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. after three weeks, the blood cholesterol levels of the subjects in the second group were unchanged, whereas the blood cholesterol levels of those with the apo-a-iv-1 gene rose 20 percent. which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?
(a) approximately half the population carries a gene that lowers cholesterol levels.
(b) most of those at risk of heart disease may be able to reduce their risk by adopting a low-cholesterol diet.
(c) the bodies of those who have the apo-a-iv-2 gene excrete cholesterol when blood cholesterol reaches a certain level.
(d) the presence of the apo-a-iv-1 gene seems to indicate that a person has a lower risk of heart disease.
(e) the presence of the apo-a-iv-2 gene may inhibit the elevation of blood cholesterol.
47. high school students who feel that they are not succeeding in school often drop out before graduating and go to work. last year, however, the city's high school dropout rate was significantly lower than the previous year's rate. this is encouraging evidence that the program instituted two years ago to improve the morale of high school students has begun to take effect to reduce dropouts.
which one of the following, if true about the last year, most seriously weakens the argument?
(a) there was a recession that caused a high level or unemployment in the city.
(b) the morale of students who dropped out of high school had been low even before they reached high school.
(c) as in the preceding year, more high school students remained in school than dropped out.
(d) high schools in the city established placement Offices to assist their graduates in obtaining employment.
(e) the antidropout program was primarily aimed at improving students' morale in those high schools with the highest dropout rates.
