Prep2012-Pack1-CR-013 VCR006844 Easy
Reasoning
What would provide the most additional evidence that wild emmer wheat was first domesticated in the strip of south west Asia where it now grows? The argument is that since wild emmer wheat is only found in that strip, and the oldest remains of cultivated emmer wheat are at village sites in the same area, emmer wheat must have first been cultivated there. This assumes that wild emmer wheat has grown in just the same strip since it was first cultivated. If wild emmer wheat used to grow elsewhere, it might have first been cultivated elsewhere and reached the village sites through trade. Therefore, look for an answer option providing evidence that wild emmer wheat has grown only in that strip since it was first cultivated.
A. This raises the possibility that wild emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, might once have grown in a larger area and hence might have first been domesticated outside that narrow strip--contrary to what is argued in the passage.
B. If wild emmer wheat already produces high yields, it may not have been domesticated very thoroughly, but that does not indicate where the wheat was first domesticated.
C. The nutritional content of emmer wheat is irrelevant to the question of where it was first domesticated.
D. Correct. If climate conditions have not changed much in the strip, it's unlikely that the natural geographical growing range of wild emmer wheat has shifted. Therefore, it's more likely that wild emmer wheat has grown only in the same strip since it was first cultivated.
E. Difficulty in differentiating the two forms of wheat might cast doubt on the reliability of the archaeological evidence cited and thereby weaken the argument.
The correct answer is D.
Prep2012-Pack1-CR-014 VCR007679 Easy
Reasoning
What would suggest that the plan to allow lower-level employees to make more decisions will improve their productivity? We are told that new information technology now allows the employees to make sound, well-informed decisions. Consequently, allowing lower-level employees to make more decisions may not hurt productivity. But we have no evidence that this change will actually improve productivity. Therefore, look for an answer option explaining how it might do so.
A. This suggests a condition—limitation of managers‘ responsibilities—that would have to be fulfilled to make layoffs of managerial staff possible, but it does not provide evidence that the plan would improve employee productivity overall.
B. If most of the managers agree that they should give up some decision-making authority, they may not resist the plan's implementation, but this does not provide evidence that the plan would improve productivity.
C. If the employees do not need to make decisions to do their jobs well, then delegating decisions to them is less likely to improve their productivity.
D. Correct. This explains how the plan, by reducing the time employees have to spend with managers, could improve employee productivity.
E. Since the other companies are not using the new managerial techniques yet, the higher employee productivity at those companies does not suggest that the techniques improve productivity.
The correct answer is D.
Prep2012-Pack1-CR-015 VCR007798 Easy
Reasoning
How could Country Y’s plan be modified to make it more effective in either preventing polution or making people pay the cost of pollution? If the plan addresses air travel exclusively, it will encourage people to drive instead of flying.
Since drivers will not have to pay for the hidden costs of air pollution from their driving, the total amount of air pollution may not fall as the government hopes. The most obvious way to address this problem is to impose similar fees on drivers to encourage them to reduce their driving, as well as pay the cost of their air pollution, just as air travelers must do.
A. Restricting the number of daily flights would encourage even more people to drive instead of flying, thus worsening the problem described in the final sentence of the passage.
B. Although public education might be helpful, it would not force drivers to pay the hidden costs of their air pollution. Therefore, public education would not fully address the problem described in the final sentence of the passage.
C. Such recommendations would not in themselves force drivers to pay the hidden costs of their air pollution, so they would not fully address the problem described in the final sentence of the passage.
D. This might help reduce air pollution from air travel, but it would not affect air pollution caused by driving. Therefore, this option would not address the problem described in the final sentence of the passage.
E. Correct. These fees would make drivers pay for the hidden costs of air pollution from driving. Therefore, imposing fees would probably reduce air pollution and help overcome the problem described in the final sentence of the passage.
The correct answer is E.
