GMAT-OG 526-649
Critical reasoning
P526 weaken/undermine
• The following discussion/assumption is intended to ...
• The argument is discussing ...
• The argument relies on the
idea/assumption/explanation that if ... , then...
• But average can be misleading.
• What if...
• If this were so, it would significantly reduce/increase...
• If we add ..., the conclusion that ... Then would much
less well supported.
• If so, how long?
• If we had ...,it might affect the argument. But since this
option does not provide these answers, it has little
effect on the argument.
P527 support P:seismic station C:injuries
and deaths decrease A: warnings work
• Scientist plan to... That ...
• Knowing ...(the last time) that ... might be
useful in ..., because it might indicate
that/how ..., but it does not help...
• If the answer to this questions is yes/no, it will
indicate/show that ...
• While it might be useful to ... It / this does not
speak to ...
3.P: 40-50 homeowners buy more ice
cream C: they eat more A: buy= eat
• A flaw assumption underlies/weaken the reasoning: the
assumption that ...
• Although ... ,it is quite likely that ...is for ... Rather than
for ...
• This leaves open the possibility that ... May indeed ...
• the failure to make this distinction led to...
• The argument tells us (indirectly) that ...-- which allow us to
infer that .... But even if the argument had state such
information explicitly, it would not have offered any better
support for its conclusion.
• There is nothing in the argument to suggest that ...
• Providing precise information about ... Would not improve
the argument at all.
4 P: electricity revolutionize agriculture
C: ED kills bugs and weeds AND make stronger,
A: ED encourage crop plant
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In order for ... to ...
If the proposed plan for ... were put into practice, ... Would do ...
It cannot be taken for granted that ...
since ... Would ... In the same way as it would ...
Which point most suggests that the logic used in formulating the
prediction is flawed?
The logic of the prediction has nothing to do with whether ...., rather, it is
concerned with ...
rather than suggesting that... This serves to support the prediction: ...
Would be ...
The argument does not take for granted that ... It merely suggests that ...
This statement properly identifies a problem with the prediction: it
provides no reason to believe that ...
5 P: 8 am currently C: 6-11 am proposed
A: productivity do not diminish
• The adoption of this proposal/ plan would most likely
to ...if ...
• Consider ... And determine which entails requirements
that would be in conflict with ...
• a plan that allows ...would make it far more difficult
for ...
• This would make it difficult , If not impossible, for ...to
collaborate with ...
• Assuming that ..., ... Would ...
• ... Indicates that ...
• We are not told that ... So ... Would be ...
p 431 support
• P:the introduction of AMT decline obsolete
period as little as 5 years.
C: company prepare effectively for
obsolescence
A: measures taken for new skills training
• Given ...
• It should be clear that ... Since it is unlikely
that ...
• Providing training only to ... And only after ...
Is not likely to be an effective response.
• That would ensure that ...
7.P:switch , LEDS no more costs C: minimize cost
A: overall LEDs indeed cost less than INCAN
It would be most useful to know in determining whether ...
It is important to know in determining ...
This suggests that
they might be... If ...
Unless the answer to this question were yes rather no, the
switch ...to ...would not ....
So it is essential to know the answer to ...
The existence of another possible alternative to ... Have any
bearing on ...
it is not necessarily the case that ...
Even if they were, the account of the plan states that ...
8 P: ALAR cause cancer, few consumer change
their habits C: sales fell sharply
A: some other change decline sales
• 将来时态 虚拟
• If it were ... ,it would /should do ...
• If consumers did ... , it must/should/would
have been ...
• Throw light on = explain
9 P: add materials to decrease damaged items
amount C:rose A: add lead to more damage
• ... recommend that ...
• The recommendation involved doing , so there
must have been something about that do that
lead to ...
• More ... Would likely to result if doing ....
• This statement adequately explains why ...,
rather than ....
• It does help explain why ...
10 P:free television is not free for advertise
C:CT> FT A: CT does not have AD
• The author argues that ...
• The author’s argument compares .... With ....
• Consider what situation would undermine this
comparison.
• The fact that ...does not weaken the argument
that ...
• This statement properly identifies a factor that
weakens the argument that ...
11 P: wood smoke is hazardous
C: legislation is needed A:wood smoke is
hazardous to people’s health
• The argument for ... Is based on the position
that ...
• Any evidence of ... Supports the argument
that ...
• undoubtedly, ... Caused by ...
12
• The author aims to ...
• the author envision that ...
• it would be more useful to know in assessing
whether ...
• To achieve ... , the author would likely/have to ...
• Under what circumstances would .... Be able to ...
• knowing whether ... Might help in assessing
which ... , it would not help in assessing ...
• While it might be useful to s ...b To do, such
knowledge does not help in assessing the
likelihood that the plan under discussion ...
13 P:CBF is not burned by forest fires
C: early hominids use fires
A: EH use fire to burn CBF
• It is claimed that ...
• Any physical evidence that links ....to...
Strengthen the argument.
• The evidence from ... Could be used to
support the claim that ...
• this suggests that ...
14 P:double movie screen, population is stable C:
profit increase A: attendance enhace
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As distinct from ...
this might happen if ...
This statement tells us that ..
It raises the question of whether ...
this provides a reason to doubt the author’s
prediction, because ...
• Regardless of ...
• 15
• P:bat are feared and persecuted
C: because they are shy and nocturnal animals.
A: shy and nocturnal animals are feared and
persecuted by humans
• ...Cast the most serious doubt on the
proposed explanation for ...
• This information seems to refer to ... But the
passage tells us that ...
• The fact that ... Does not explain ...
• This suggests that ...
• This is quite compatible with the idea that ...
16 句子填空题型
• P: consumer seek prestige when they buy
premium
• C:mass – marketing technique and pricereduction strategies is not appropriate.
• A: consumer want to buy some special and
exclusive .
• This information suggests that ..., however, the
point of the argument is not what ...but rather,
what ...
• This information, if true, provides a good reason
for ...
• Doing ... Could sometimes suggest ... But this
issue is addressed more directly and explicitly in ...
• The passage does not assume that ...
• The statement provides a reason why ...,rather
than supporting an argument that it should be
avoided.
17
• The author claims/ argues that ...
• In this statement, the author claims that ...
• The argument seeks to offer a reason for the
finding that ...
• The hunter does not conclude that...
• the hunter believe that..., so people’s suggestion
that ... Does not support the hunter ‘s main
conclusion.
• The statement cites a judgment that ...
• The hunter opposes the judgment that ...
18 P:weevil introduction result in increased
productivity C: sharply decreased on 1984
A: something lead the decrease
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the introduction of ... Result in
Doing and doing do not explain ...
if there be ..., there is likely to ...
So this cannot provide an adequate
explanation.
• This information is unlikely to be relevant to ...
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The author’s argument is flawed because it fails to consider that ...
The reason the author offers for this refusal is that ...
The author responds that ...
It cannot be concern for ...
The author points out that ...
Notice that ...
The author’s argument has to do with whether ..
it is quite reasonable for the patients argument not to mention this
possibility, especially since the author expresses a belief that ...
• Awareness that ....
• The author make clear that ..
• The author’s argument is flawed in failing to consider...
•
20 P: cabinetmaker must be useful
C: CM is not art A: useful is not art
• The argument claims that ...
• It conclude that ...
• Some information that is not explicitly stated is
needed to make the argument successful.
• The extent to which ... Actually consider ...
• The argument primarily concerns ...
• It does not address the issue of whether or not ...
• This option, unlike ..., provides information
that ...in this argument.
• 21 P: male bowerbirds decorate their nests
differently.
C: MB building style is culturally acquired.
A: nests would all be similar if genetically
transmit.
• Based their judgment on the fact that ...
• Researchers have conclude that ...
• Researchers base their conclusion upon the
assumption that ...
• Compare with ..
• The cited differences are among ...
• Since no information is given about ... , the fact
that ... Strengthen or weakens the conclusion.
• The statement provides an example of ..., and so
provides a little additional support for the
conclusion.
22.p: inflation rate is low and all eligible
people get pension
C: no better than before
A: material price rise rate is higher than IR
22
• The author does not explain the result that
followed implementation of ...
• Something has not improved yet relies entirely
on ...
• But the further information inform us that ...
• It could be the case that ...
• If this were the case, their pension increase
could have been insufficient to raise their
standard living.
23 p:ibora tree is used to make effective
infection-fighting drugs C:IT will inevitably
extinction. A:no more tree to be cultivate
• The argument assume that ...
• The existence of ... Opens the possibility that ...
• If this information is provided, it would
weaken support for the conclusion.
24 P: new chip will sale well after
advertising C: postpone AD A:
downsides may reduce the profits
• Doing would probably be likely to do ... ,thus
this provides a reason why ...
• This statement properly identifies a reason
for ...
• 25 P: fortified cereal contains all kinds of
vitamins we daily need C: vitamins mixture is
better source than FC alone
A: mixture of naturally occurring vitamins
allows the bodies to better use those vitamins
• This information strengthens the argument
that ...
• This statement explains that ...
• this statement provides an answer to the
question that ...
• This information is not evidence that ...
• This information tells us that ...
26
S: employers sometimes refuse to hire job
applicants because of inconclusive polygraph tests,
even if reveal only the failure of the test itself to
determine the truthful and untruthful of the
examinee.
A: employers think examinee who is judged
inclusive polygraph test is untruthful.
• It is reasonable to conclude that ...
• This statement makes a judgment that is
explicitly contradicted in the passage, which
states that ...
• The passage discusses that ...
• Given the information that ...
• Given the information in the passage, one can
infer that ...,if one makes the reasonable
assumption that...
27
• P:automobile insurance, that for collision
damage ,cost more in G than F, however, the
cars of G residents are less likely to be
involved in collision than cars of F residents.
• C: insurance company in F make more profits
• A: profit = price – cost insurance cost in G is
no more than in F.
• But ... Is only one factor contributing to ...;
another factor is ...
• These would need to be considered before
concluding that ...
• This is clearly a factor that...
• the argument’s conclusion is about ...
• The information given , however , include the
statement that...
• Since the argument is concerned solely with...
28
• p: bicycle racers is the only consumer willing
to pay for innovation in bicycle technology.
C:Manufacturers limit innovation to the
standard established for competitive bicycle
racing.
• A: competitor do not buy innovative bicycle
which is not for bicycle race.
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This argument implies a connection between ...
The passage states that ...
The conclusion is drawn that ...
The argument concerns ... . It is not about ..., so the
claim about ... Is not assumed.
The passage does not discuss ..., so no assumption
about ... Is made.
This statement identifies information that ...
This claim provides an explanation of ...
The passage does not indicate what ...-even if it
suggests that...
29
P: new manufacturing jobs created at this year by
existing company is far below last year’s record,
while a considerable evidence that the number of
new company starting up will no higher this year
than it was last year.
C: the number of new jobs created this year is no
more than it did last year.
A:the evidence is convincible.
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Clearly ,it can be conclude that ...
There is a prediction that...
The question posed is whether ...
Among the evidence presented is the assertion
that...
• it is unlikely that ..., the statement suggests
that ...
• For all these reasons, the argument concludes
that...
•
30
• P:robot satellites used to predict weather
patterns can be repaired only by astronauts.
• C:so it ‘s necessary to carry astronauts to
repair robot satellites through space flights.
• A:the costs of space flights which take
astronauts to robot satellites is not outweigh
the cost of obsolescing malfunctioned RS.
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The passage provide the information that ...
The conclusion is that ...
The unstated assumption is that ...
Any information that challenges this assumption will weaken the
argument.
The suggestion of ... Will weaken the argument more than so any of other
opinions.
This tell us that .....which provides some additional support to argument.
This statement suggests that .... Which strengthen the argument.
The argument does not assume that ... , but this statement tells us that ...
This makes it less likely that ..., but it does not undermine the claim that ...
...does not weaken the claim that ...
This information challenges the assumption in the argument that ...
31
• P:for last three years , the pharmaceuticals
divisions of a company has accounted for roughly
20 percent of dollar sales and 40 percent of
profits ,while the chemicals division for 80
percent of dollar sales and 60 percent of profits.
• C:
• A:the pharmaceuticals divisions has realized
higher profits per dollar sales than has the
pharmaceuticals division.
• There is no information about ...
• If the information in the passage is true, then
this must also be true.
• The passage does not distinguish
between...and...
32
• P:the Eurasian R which is nonnative species to
Great Lakes, is threatening the native lake
whitefish.
• C:government agencies hopes that walletsized cards identifying the R ,explaining the
danger they pose ,and asking anglers to report
their R catch will help them track the R’s
spread.
• A: anglers will report their catch.
32
• This will most likely have little effect on
whether ...
• It is unlikely that ...
• This statement properly identifies a point that
supports the prediction that ...
• This has no effect on the question of ...
• This would make it likely that ...
33 advertisement quality= expectation
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This in turn implies that ...
This passage leaves open the possibility that ...
Given the information in the passage, ...
While the ads implies that ..., it does not go as
far as to say that ...
• This is probably true if ...- but the passage
does not tell us that ...
34补充填空题型
• This fact does not indicate that ...
• For a reason the argument omits , this does not
suggest that ...
• The important point here is that ...
• this would not indicate that ...
• this statement properly identifies a point that
logically completes the argument:
• It is even more surprising that ... Far from
providing a reason not to conclude that ...
35
• The statement explains ... And tend to support
the conclusion that ...
• This information implies that ...
• This information is sufficient to justify a little
doubt about the argument’s conclusion, but
not at all specific enough to undermine the
argument’s conclusion.
36
• The argument is based on the current
situation, but present conditions need not
continue if they can be improved.
37
• The author argues that ...
• The author A indicate to the author B that
there is a reason to ...that B has not
considered.
• The benefit the board provides is not that ...
• ,but that the possibility that ...
• The only point the author raises that be ...
38
• This information provides a reason supporting
the claim that ...
• This information does not provide a good
reason for the claim that ...
39
• The argument is intended to debunk the
assumption that ...
• The argument is concerned with ...
• This statement properly identifies something
that would be useful to know in evaluating the
argument.
40
• A conclusion that ... Offer an explanation
for ....may be weaken when another explanation
at least as compelling as the original is offered.
• This point merely tells us ...;it does not make the
explanation offered in the conclusion any less
likely to be correct.
• Suppose that ...
• The statement properly identifies a plausible
alternative explanation and therefore
undermines the given explanation.
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The given information states that ...
It is reasonable to assume that ...
It can be expected that ...
therefore there is no reason to ...
The passage discuss ...
this statement properly suggests that ...
The passage gives no indication of ...
42
• While this supports the idea that ..., it
provides no information about...
• That makes it less likely that the author’s
prediction that ...
• This statement properly identifies a situation
in which the officials’ prediction is likely to
turn out to have been accurate.
• While this supports the idea that...
43
• The assumption will be a statement that has
to be true in order for the argument’s premise
to provide a solid reason for believing it’s
conclusion.
• The conclusion that ...
• This argument assume that ...
44
• This statement properly identifies something
that would be important in determining
whether ...
• Regardless of ..., according the information
provided above ...
• The state of ...has nothing to do with ...
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45
• The argument rejects the comparison of ...
• If these are ..., then the argument that ... Is
weaken.
• This argument properly identifies the factor
that weaken the argument .
• This point does not address the issue of ...
• The reason for this could be that ..., thus this
point does not weaken the argument.
46
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All the answers will show a reason that ...
Any changes that ..
If it is true that ...
The statement properly identifies a factor that
does not explain ...
47
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If this is true, it would mean that ...
This would justify the conclusion that ...
This provides support for the idea that ...
This does not help explain why ...,because it gives
no information about ...
• ... Is not helpful in supporting a conclusion
about ...
• Since the question is whether ..., the fact that ...
Is not relevant.
48
• The assumption will be a statement that ...
• To reach the conclusion that ...,the argument
must assume that ...
• It is assumed that ...
• The argument need not assume that ...
• The statement properly identifies the fact that
the argument rests on the assumption that ...
• Nothing in the argument indicates that ...
• The argument assumes that ...
49-50
• So it would be useful to know if ...
• This question properly identifies something that would
be useful in evaluating ...
• Since the issue at hand is ...
• The unstated assumption in an argument will be a
statement that has to be true in order for the argument
‘s premises to provide a solid reason for believing its
conclusion.
• The argument is not committed to any claim about the
effects that ...
51-52
• The information that strengthens the argument will help rule out a
possible objection to the argument.
• In this case, one possible objection would be that ...
• No reason is given to indicate that ...
• Based on these facts, it is concluded that ...
• Note that the conclusion of the argument is emphatic:
• The argument fails to address whether ...
• This might not be the case, but it should be addressed before it is
concluded that ...
• The argument does identify a method of ... That can be used instead of ...
• That there are ... Is not important to argument ;what is important is that ...
• This statement properly identifies a possibility that ...
• That might be ...that could have the same effect ...
53-55
• The explanation can therefore be supported only by a point that
relates to the specific work environment.
• Neither this point nor the passage indicates that ...
• This statement properly identifies a point that strengthens the
company’s argument.
• While this point shows ..., it does not indicate that ...
• This point presents an alternate explanation...and so tends to
weaken the company’s argument.
• The author points out that ...
• The author brings up a fact that ...
• This statement properly identifies the politician’s challenge to ...
• Rather than suggesting that ...
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56-57
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The argument sets up an inverse proportion:
Nothing in the passage rules out the possibility that ...
No evidence in the passage indicates that ...
Nothing in the passage indicates that...
The argument concerns ... Rather than ..., it remains possible that ...
It may be reasonable to say that ...
Look more closely at the circumstances under which ...
It is more likely the case that...
So it is possible that ,,
it would support the idea that ...
The argument is concerned with ..., so the fact that it is possible to ...
This statement properly identifies a reason why ...
There could be some other factor that ...
• 58 P: university retain the royalties from
faculty member’s invention while faculty
members get the royalties from books and
articles they write. C: faculty members should
get the royalties from the educational
computer software. A: the educational
computer software is comparable to books
and articles .
58-61
• The conclusion state that ...
• The missing premise must show the relationship
between ... And ...
• The finding suggests that ...
• The surprising finding under discussion is why ...
• The argument gives no reason to postulate any
significant connection between ...and...
• This statement properly identifies a point that weakens
the conclusion.
• This statement properly identifies the two
requirements ...
62
• P:The amount of algae per unit of water
generally increases when rainfall is less than
normal in Australian rivers.
• C: algae level is low in very slow moving river
• A: many Algae is killed in certain condition.
62
• P: when hypnotized subjected are told deaf
and are then asked whether they can hear the
hypnotist, the answer is “no.”
• C:one explanation of this result is the
hypnotized subjects dissociate the part of
themselves that deaf from the part of that
replies to the question.
• A: the respondent apart answer yes.
62-66
• But it does nothing to explain why ...
• This emphasizes that there is a contrast
between ... And ..., but it does not help explain
that contrast.
• This statement demonstrate that ...
• This question does not address the weakness in
the explanation.
• The criticism is unjustified because ...
• The argument asserts that ...
• It is reasonable to conclude that ...
67-70
• That has no bearing on ...
• This may seem to weaken the argument by
indicating that ...
• Since the conclusion makes no claim about ...,it is
not clear that this option has any bearing on the
strength of argument one way or the other.
• ...is blamed on the lack of ...
• This passage maintains that ...
• The passage is compatible with saying that ...
71-77
• The argument contend that ...
• This has to do with the likelihood that ...
• Since there is no information in the argument
about ...
• This weakly suggests that ...
• No recommendation for solving the problem is
assumed; only the method of discovering the
problem is assumed.
• This statement undermines the assertion that...
77-90
• The reasoning links the example to the
generalization with assumption.
• It could simply that...
• The argument therefore depends on assuming
that ...
91-98
• This is a specious argument ,as unsound as it would be to assert
that ...
• The real cause of ...
• The phrasing indicates that ...
• The author gives an alternative explanation of /for ... That is
consistent with that belief.
• Although the author claims implies that ...
Is not a reliable indicator of ...but do not give any indication that ...
The author create an analogy between ... And...
Nothing about ..., plays any role in the author’s argument.
This statement properly identifies a conclusion supported by ...
The apparent discrepancy in the passage that needs explaining is
between ... And ...
This alternative scenario ... Plays no role in the argument.
• The argument does not pertain to countries’
initial reason for ...
• The author hypothesis is that ...
• This explanation would not be valid even if ...
• This undermines the authors’ interpretation,
for it shows that ...
• This assumption does not make the
connection required by the argument
between ... And ...
100-109
• A conclusion must be based only on the information
provided.
• This statement properly identifies the point that ...
• Any information that ... Would weaken the argument.
• This strengthen the argument because ...
• This statement fails to point out ...
• The statement properly identifies an additional
premise that would invalidate the argument.
• This may provide a reason for supporting ..., but it
provides no support for ...