The young orchestral conductor Sabado Domingo is a true prodigy, able to recognize when any single instrument in his orchestra is even a bit out of tune. In a recent test, an orchestra played a hundred selections from different well-known classical pieces; in approximately half of the selections, exactly one instrument would be played slightly out of tune. In every instance in which an instrument was played out of tune, Domingo pointed out that the orchestra was out of tune, and correctly identified the instrument at fault.

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

Scientists have determined that an effective way to lower cholesterol is to eat three servings of whole grains every day. Studies have shown that the cholesterol levels of people who did so were significantly lower after six months than were those of people who did not, even though the cholesterol levels of the two groups had been the same before the studies began. Clearly, eating whole grains can have an appreciable effect on cholesterol levels.

The answer to which of the following questions, if true, would be most useful in evaluating the claim about whole grains above?

For a contest at the upcoming county fair, Marie advocates for a ring toss because the ring toss is consistently the favorite activity of the children who attend the fair. Anne, however, points out that adults win most of the prizes when playing ring toss. To make the chances of winning fair for everyone, Anne proposes a raffle. Marie rebuts that those who can afford to spend more on raffle tickets will have better chances of winning. The two agree to hold a raffle in which each person can buy only one ticket.

The two boldface portions in the argument above are best described by which of the following statements?

The ability to analyze genomes - sequences of DNA - has grown more and more sophisticated. Scientists are able to examine the biological past in finer detail and with greater accuracy. A new analysis of the genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees has led to a hypothesis that the two species diverged more recently than previous estimates indicated. This gives credence to a very startling new theory: the ancestors of humans and chimpanzees might have hybridized to produce the lineage from which modern humans eventually developed.

What can be inferred from the statements above?

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?

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?