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Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 11th, 2012, 3:30 pm
by GoGMAT Team
Critical Reasoning

It takes the heat of large stars or supernovae to cause the fusion of magnesium with hydrogen, creating a chemically stable aluminum. Since aluminum is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, it can be inferred that, at least at some point, the temperature inside or outside Earth was comparable to that on large stars or supernovae.
Which of the following, if true, causes most damage to the conclusion of the argument above?

A) Creation of stable aluminum requires distinct pressure conditions not typical of contemporary Earth.
B) Some of the aluminum found on Earth was brought here with asteroids or other cosmic bodies that were parts of large stars or supernovae.
C) Most aluminum on Earth comes in oxides, and native aluminum can be found only in low oxygen environments.
D) Aluminum found on Earth has several vacant electrons that have to be artificially removed in order for it to become chemically stable.
E) Magnesium itself can only be formed under strictly defined conditions.

Sentence Correction

After testing 21 plant extracts for evidence of their efficacy in fighting cancer, white tea, witch hazel, and rose were found by scientists from Kingston University to show considerable potential, with white tea displaying the most marked results.

A) white tea, witch hazel, and rose were found by scientists from Kingston University to show considerable potential, with white tea displaying the most marked results.
B) white tea, witch hazel, and rose were found to show considerable potential by scientists from Kingston University and white tea displayed the most marked results.
C) scientists from Kingston University had found that white tea, witch hazel, and rose show considerable potential, the result most markedly displayed by white tea.
D) by scientists from Kingston University it was found that white tea, witch hazel and rose show considerable potential, with white tea displaying the most marked results.
E) scientists from Kingston University found that white tea, witch hazel, and rose show considerable potential, with white tea displaying the most marked results.

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 16th, 2012, 8:04 pm
by GoGMAT Team
Next round of practice questions:

Critical Reasoning

Over the last two years, the demand for cargo railway shipments and the average per ton cost of such shipments in Borania have increased. Given Boranian economy is developing, the flow of goods and consequently the upward trend in demand for cargo shipments will continue. To gain maximum revenues of its rolling stock, Boranian Railways, a railway monopoly in Borania, plans to reequip some of the currently idle passenger cars into freight cars.

Which of the following would it be most useful for Boranian Railways to know in order to evaluate the plan it considers?
A) Whether the freight-carrying capacity of freight cars reequipped from passenger cars will be comparable to that of regular freight cars.
B) Whether the passenger traffic in Borania is expected to increase soon.
C) Whether most cargo shipments transported by Boranian Railways are cross-border shipments or are within the country.
D) Whether the number of Boranian businesses that require cargo shipments is expected to increase in the near future.
E) Whether Boranian Railways is the only freight railway company operating in Borania.

Sentence Correction

The success of this relatively simple model has fueled scientists’ expectations that its research has led to commercial applications after a moderately long time frame of ten years.

A. that its research has led to commercial applications after a moderately long time frame of ten years.
B. that their research would lead commercial applications to a moderately long time frame of ten years.
C. that their research will lead to commercial applications within a moderately long time frame of ten years.
D. of its research leading to commercial applications within ten years, a moderately long time frame.
E. about their research that can lead to commercial applications in a moderately long time frame of ten years.

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 18th, 2012, 3:17 pm
by GoGMAT Team
Hi everyone!

Do you have any ideas on how to solve these questions?

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 19th, 2012, 6:20 am
by avrgmat
This is for the response to the questions on 11th July.

1. CR

We have to weaken the conclusion that the temperature on Earth was at some time comparable to that of stars/supernovae.

The assumption here in the conclusion that aluminium found on Earth is same as that mentioned in the fusion on the stars. So if we weaken this assumption then effectively the conclusion is weakened.

Using the above explanation, I chose the answer as D.

2. SC

The original sentence seems to be right. Was down to between A and E for me.

I chose E as it as it is in active voice.

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 19th, 2012, 6:32 am
by avrgmat
This post is for the response to the questions on 16th July.

1. CR

The railway wants to increase the freight carrying capacity. Came down to choosing between A and B.

B : Talks about the growth in passengers. Can be important.

A : If after re-equipping the passenger coaches, they cannot be of comparable freight carrying capacity then it is best not to convert them. Hence this is most important for the evaluation.

I chose A as answer for this question.

2. SC

The given sentence seems wrong in the sense that the idea to be conveyed is that the scientists expect that it can lead to commercial apps within 10 years. Also the pronoun needs to depict the scientists hence Their should be used.

Chose C as the answer for this question.

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 19th, 2012, 3:52 pm
by GoGMAT Team
Hi avrgmat,

Questions posted on July, 11:
You are totally right! Congratulations!!

Questions posted on July, 16:

1. CR. The correct answer is B.
Choice B. If the passenger traffic is going to increase, then it may be reasonable to hold on to those passenger cars; if not, then reequipping them into freight cars sounds fine. This information is crucial for evaluating the plan.

Choice A. Even if the capacity will be lower, these reequipped cars will still be used for transportation and will be generating revenues instead of just being idle.

2. SC. Totally correct!

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 22nd, 2012, 9:46 pm
by shanbhagp
Dear GoGMAT Team,

I have recently joined the forum here and have benefited from following your questions(if not actively). I would be grateful to you, if you could take up Q.20 CR from Official Guide 12th Edition which I couldn't solve and explain it to me.

This is wrt question and my approach------------
My response to it was either B or C. Both options support the assumption. The only difference being in the use of 'some' in Option B while Option C is a generalized statement.

With this approach I select option C as my answer.

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 23rd, 2012, 9:30 pm
by GoGMAT Team
shanbhagp wrote:Dear GoGMAT Team,

I have recently joined the forum here and have benefited from following your questions(if not actively). I would be grateful to you, if you could take up Q.20 CR from Official Guide 12th Edition which I couldn't solve and explain it to me.

This is wrt question and my approach------------
My response to it was either B or C. Both options support the assumption. The only difference being in the use of 'some' in Option B while Option C is a generalized statement.

With this approach I select option C as my answer.
In recent years, many cabinetmakers have been
winning acclaim as artists. But since furniture must be
useful, cabinetmakers must exercise their craft with an
eye to the practical utility of their product. For this
reason, cabinetmaking is not art.
Which of the following is an assumption that supports
drawing the conclusion above from the reason given
for that conclusion?
(A) Some furniture is made to be placed in
museums, where it will not be used by anyone.
(B) Some cabinetmakers are more concerned than
others with the practical utility of the products
they produce.
(C) Cabinetmakers should be more concerned with
the practical utility of their products than they
currently are.
(D) An object is not an art object if its maker pays
attention to the object’s practical utility.
(E) Artists are not concerned with the monetary
value of their products.

assumption should explain why based on such evidence the author made such a conclusion. If we put this argument in a scheme we should get:
furniture (cabinetmaking) - useful - practical utility
so, cabinetmaking (furniture) - not art

Assumption should be: useful (practical) - not art

D suits this assumption perfectly.
B and C do not reflect this idea. Both answers talk about concerns of cabinetmakers that are not mentioned in the argument. These answers are out of scope.

If you have any questions as to this explanation, please ask.

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 24th, 2012, 7:41 pm
by shanbhagp
Thanks a lot, GoGMAT Team.

You are right, the conclusion was 'Cabinetmaking is not an art'
and hence option D is correct.

How should one approach CR questions in general ?

Regards,

Re: GMAT Verbal Questions (CR, RC, SC)

Posted: July 25th, 2012, 9:05 pm
by GoGMAT Team
shanbhagp wrote:Thanks a lot, GoGMAT Team.

You are right, the conclusion was 'Cabinetmaking is not an art'
and hence option D is correct.

How should one approach CR questions in general ?

Regards,
You are welcome!

GoGmat promotes the strategy to focus on argument structure and question types as every question requires a very specific answer. Every question types requires a step by step strategy to get the best answer out of 5. So we suggest that people learn how to identify parts of argument, identify question type, and approach to each question type.