Cool Games Corporation derives all of its revenues through the sales of video games. Last year, it fell just short of making a profit although it had strong revenues of $200 million worldwide, half from children and half from adults. This year, the company's sales to children rose 20% to $120 million, but its sales to adults dropped 40% to a disappointing $60 million. One of the most renowned Wall Street analysts had forecasted that Cool Games Corporation would need to at least match its revenues of last year in order to have a chance to make a profit on video games this year. Upon hearing the news of the Cool Games Corporation's revenue, the analyst concluded that it was not possible for the company to have made a profit this year.

The analyst's conclusion is based on which of the following assumptions?

Life in an urban center, with daily experiences of subways, crowded sidewalks and dense living, provides countless opportunities for social contact and connection. Exurban life, by contrast, exists in the openness of freeways and one-acre lots, exhibiting little that would suggest social commonality. Yet studies show that people who live in exurbia consistently rate their feeling of connectedness to their community as strong whereas urban dwellers more frequently express feelings of isolation.

Which of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation of the difference in the reported feelings of connectedness between urban and exurban dwellers?

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?

The cost of manufacturing automobiles is considerably greater in Esteria than in Burdistan. In order to stimulate Esterian consumers` purchases of domestically manufactured automobiles, the Esterian government has historically charged taxes on automobiles manufactured in Burdistan. Five years ago, however, the Esterian government dropped those taxes; in those five years, the number of workers employed in Esterian automobile factories has decreased by 30%. Therefore, the number of vehicles manufactured and sold in Esteria must have decreased in the last five years.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?

One feature of the global food economy is the simultaneous import and export of the same items, a phenomenon known as "redundant trade." In California, for example, domestic cherries are exported to Canada and Japan, while a nearly equivalent number of cherries are imported from Chile, Italy, and Germany. California also exports and imports nearly identical amounts of lettuce and almonds. Although shipping fresh fruits and vegetables is an expensive undertaking, there is a justifiable economic rationale for redundant trade.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the conclusion above?

Playwright A is credited with being the first playwright to break the convention of having one character converse with a chorus, by casting two lead actors in a play. Yet, Playwright B, who was born several decades before Playwright A, also incorporates this theatrical device in two of his plays.Which of the following, if true, best helps to account for the inconsistency noted above?

In order to combat Carville's rampant homeless problem, Mayor Bloomfield recently proposed a ban on sleeping outdoors in the city's many parks. He claims that such a measure will force the homeless to either leave Carville or to find means other than sleeping in public parks. Which of the following, if true, suggests that Mayor Bloomfield's plan will be successful?

Riders who wear bicycle helmets can greatly reduce the risk of significant injury. Therefore, doctors working in an emergency room can expect that, out of cyclists admitted to hospitals, those wearing bicycle helmets will have injuries that are less severe than will those not wearing a helmet.Which of the following is necessary to evaluate the argument?

Last year, a woman was able to demonstrate that she contracted a bad case of food poisoning from a meal at one Chinese restaurant in Bairenville, and she successfully sued the restaurant for a large sum of money. The story was popular in the town, and the size of the financial settlement made the national news. This year, we have seen a number of "copycat" suits filed against each one of the eleven Chinese restaurants in Bairenville, forcing these restaurants to hire lawyers and take steps to defend themselves in court.Which of following conclusions can most properly be drawn from the information above?

Hoping to increase his company's market share, the CEO of QuikFashion has decided to hold a month-long sale in which all of the clothing in QuikFashion's stores will be discounted by at least 50 percent. Although this discount will mean that the company is selling clothing at cost, the CEO hopes that this broadly advertised sale will attract repeat buyers to QuikFashion, who will return to buy clothing at full price after the month of sales.In assessing the CEO's ability to achieve his goals with this plan, it would be most useful to know which of the following?

The Fieldpark nuclear power plant, cited three years ago by a governmentally led safety commission for exceeding safe levels of radiation, has recently allowed the media access to its facilities. A spokesperson for the plant has claimed that the media has full access to the plant and is not prohibited from taking pictures on the premises. The spokesperson promises that, as a result, the citizens of Fieldpark can rest assured that, until next year's governmental inspection, the facility will not exceed the federal regulations on the amount of sieverts, or radiation, to which a person can be exposed. Which of the following is an assumption upon which the spokesperson's conclusion depends?

The lobbyist accused of offering a large cash bribe to the senator defended himself: "When I left the house that day, I was carrying no money with me, so I could not possibly have had anything to offer to the senator. Moreover, immediately before I met with the senator, I spent all my cash on lunch with a colleague at an upscale restaurant, which also explains why I was not in a position to offer the senator a bribe."This argument is most vulnerable to what criticism?

Soft Drinks Manufacturer: Despite attractive offers, our company has rejected any plans to expand our market into the Czech Republic at this time. We simply have no data on how well received our products would be in the Czech Republic. Industry Analyst: Your position is inconsistent. Last year, you expanded into Bolivia, even after taste tests had definitely found that approximately 40% of the Bolivian population did not care for any of your products. Therefore, concerns about how well received your product will be cannot be motivating this position.The industry analyst's argument is flawed because it fails to consider that:

Travel agents are market intermediaries who make their living by gathering, organizing, and dispensing information about travel-related services that is not readily available to most consumers. Through new information technologies, such as the internet, much of this information can now be made directly available to consumers. Demand for the services of travel agents will be drastically reduced.

Which of the following, if true , most seriously weakens the argument ?

Last August the XT chain of gasoline stations had a temporary sales promotion in effect. In the promotion , any customer who made a purchase of ten or more gallons of gasoline was entitled to a free car wash . For the month of August , XT experienced a ten percent increase in gasoline sales as compared to sales in August the previous year so evidently the promotion was successful as a means of boosting sales.

In evaluating the argument , it would be most helpful to answer which of the following ?