MCAT verbal test (23)

MCAT verbal test (23)

MCAT Section Tests

Dear Future Doctor,

The following Section Test and explanations should be used to practice and to assess your mastery of critical thinking in each of the section areas Topics are confluent and are not necessarily in any specific order or fixed proportion This is the level of integration in your preparation that collects what you have learned in the Kaplan classroom and synthesizes your knowledge with your critical thinking Simply completing the tests is inadequate; a solid understanding of your performance through your Score Reports and the explanations is necessary to diagnose your specific weaknesses and address them before Test Day

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Kaplan Test Prep

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Verbal Reasoning

Time: 85 Minutes Questions 1-60

DO NOT BEGIN THIS SECTION UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO.

VERBAL REASONING

DIRECTIONS: There are nine passages in the Verbal Reasoning

test Each passage is followed by several questions After reading a passage, select the best answer to each question If you are not certain of an answer, eliminate the alternatives that you know to be incorrect and then select an answer from the remaining alternatives Indicate your selection by blackening the corresponding oval on your answer document

Passage I (Questions 1-7)

In the course of the twentieth century, increasing

awareness of how chemical wastes can affect public health

and the environment resulted in restriction of dumping

However, where dumping had already occurred,

uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous wastes remained at

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sites such as warehouses, landfills, and even rivers To

locate, investigate, and clean up the worst of these sites

nationwide, Congress in 1980 established the Superfund

Program, administered by Environmental Protection

Administration (EPA) Under Superfund, companies found

10

responsible for pollution can be financially liable for the

cost of cleanup

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are heavy, syrupy

hydrocarbons that were first synthesized in the 1880s

Because they conduct heat but not electricity and are

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water-insoluble, fire-resistant, and extremely stable

(withstanding temperatures of up to 1600° F), PCBs were

found, in the 1930s, to be extremely useful as components

in cooling systems and electrical equipment (transformers

and capacitors) They were widely used for these purposes

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and also in the composition of sealants, rubber, paints,

plastics, inks, and insecticides

PCBs were banned in 1979, after researchers linked

them to cancer and developmental problems in humans

However, PCBs persist in the environment for extremely

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long periods Because PCBs have an affinity for fat, they

have a marked tendency to accumulate in living organisms;

increasing in concentration as they move up the food

chain While avoiding release of PCBs into the

environment is today a well-settled principle, what to do

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about those already in the environment can be

controversial

Due to dumping over a period of 35 years by two

capacitor manufacturing plants located along the northern

part of the Hudson River in New York State, EPA has

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estimated that 1.1 million pounds of PCBs have

accumulated Field surveys of the river have found

substantial contamination in 40 submerged sediment “hot

spots,” 5 exposed shoreline remnant deposits, dredge

spoils on riverbanks, and estuary sediments Today,

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because of PCB contamination, human consumption of

fish caught in the most affected areas of the Hudson River

is prohibited But, while fish consumption remains the most potent route of PCB exposure, exposure can also occur through other routes Eight municipalities currently

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draw drinking water from the Hudson and another, New York City, draws it during emergencies Furthermore, air along the river contains elevated concentrations of PCBs, and individuals living along the River show PCB residue

in their bodies, paralleling the river's contamination

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EPA has recommended that PCBs be removed from the river bottom by dredging, thus reducing contamination and possibly eventually permitting revitalization of commercial fishing, which once generated $40 million income annually However, the corporation blamed for the

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dumping argues that dredging may “stir up” the PCBs (which they describe as now “lying undisturbed” in the riverbed), causing the water, air, and riverbanks to become even more contaminated Some area residents echo these concerns and also argue that dredging will subject them to

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years of unacceptable noise, disruption, and curtailed recreational activities

Although many take positions on whether dredging will have positive or negative consequences to the Hudson River Valley, there is only perfunctory attention to the

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ultimate fate of the dredged PCBs EPA’s report recommending dredging indicates that, due to opposition

of local residents, neither a landfill nor a thermal treatment facility (for high temperature incineration) can be locally-sighted and the PCBs should therefore be transported to a

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Toxic Substances Control Act or solid waste landfill outside of the area The report does not, however, identify

a specific location

1 It can be inferred from the passage that PCBs are:

I heavier than water

II toxic to fish

III readily biodegradable

A I only

B I and II only

C I and III only

D II and III only

2 An “estuary” is defined as the part of a wide, lower

course of a river where its current is met by the

tides Information contained in the passage indicates

that PCBs in estuary sediments most probably:

A originate from an additional source of

pollution not yet discovered

B indicate that PCBs in the river do not

necessarily remain where they were originally

deposited

C are present at a background level typical of the

earth’s environment as a whole

D indicate that all the PCBs currently in the river

can be expected to eventually end up in the

ocean

3 Based on information contained in the passage as a

whole, it can be inferred that the opinion of the

company responsible for PCB pollution of the

Hudson River, with respect to the appropriateness

of clean-up, is most probably:

A at least as objective as the opinion of area

residents

B reflective of its overriding concern with its

public image

C financially motivated

D indicative of its lack of connection to

commercial fishing interests

4 According to the passage, the EPA differs from

local residents and the company responsible for

PCB contamination in that it affirms that it bases its

recommended action on benefit to:

following pieces of additional information would

be most helpful to it in determining whether it should support the EPA recommendation to remove PCBs from the Hudson River by dredging?

A how present PCB levels in the river compare to

levels that existed prior to industrialization

B to what extent equipment to be used for

dredging can remove the PCBs without causing their release into the air and into upper river currents

C how the PCBs will be disposed of after

removal from the river

D the expected cost of the dredging operation

6 It can be inferred from the passage that the justification used for prohibiting individuals from consuming fish caught in contaminated sections of the Hudson River is that the individuals may thereby:

A reduce the level of PCBs in their bodies

B avoid any further increase in the level of PCBs

in their bodies

C mitigate the accumulation of PCBs in their

bodies

D prevent cancer and developmental problems

7 Which of the following is stated in the passage but

is not explained by facts or data contained in the passage?

A Individuals who live along the Hudson have a

concentration of PCBs in their bodies that parallel the concentration of the substances in the river

B PCBs were useful as components of electrical

equipment and cooling systems

C PCBs accumulate in living organisms

D What should be done about PCBs which

contaminate the environment is controversial

Passage II (Questions 8–14)

With equal justice, the council of Pisa deposed the

popes of Rome and Avignon; the conclave was unanimous

in the choice of Alexander V, and his vacant seat was soon

filled by a similar election of John XXIII, the most

profligate of mankind But instead of extinguishing the

5

schism, the rashness of the French and Italians had given a

third pretender to the chair of St Peter Such new claims

of the synod and conclave were disputed; three kings, of

Germany, Hungary, and Naples, adhered to the cause of

Gregory XII; and Benedict XIII, himself a Spaniard, was

10

acknowledged by the devotion and patriotism of that

powerful nation

The rash proceedings of Pisa were corrected by the

council of Constance; the emperor Sigismond acted a

conspicuous part as the advocate or protector of the

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Catholic church; and the number and weight of civil and

ecclesiastical members might seem to constitute the

states-general of Europe Of the three popes, John XXIII was the

first victim: he fled and was brought back a prisoner: the

most scandalous charges were suppressed; the vicar of

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Christ was only accused of piracy, murder, rape, sodomy,

and incest; and after subscribing his own condemnation, he

expiated in prison the imprudence of trusting his person to

a free city beyond the Alps Gregory XII, whose obedience

was reduced to the narrow precincts of Rimini, descended

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with more honour from the throne; and his ambassador

convened the session, in which he renounced the title and

authority of lawful pope To vanquish the obstinacy of

Benedict XIII or his adherents, the emperor in person

undertook a journey from Constance to Perpignan The

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kings of Castile, Arragon, Navarre, and Scotland, obtained

an equal and honourable treaty; with the concurrence of

the Spaniards, Benedict was deposed by the council; but

the harmless old man was left in a solitary castle to

excommunicate twice each day the rebel kingdoms which

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had deserted his cause

After thus eradicating the remains of the schism, the

synod of Constance proceeded with slow and cautious

steps to elect the sovereign of Rome and the head of the

church On this momentous occasion, the college of

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twenty-three cardinals was fortified with thirty deputies;

six of whom were chosen in each of the five great nations

of Christendom, – the Italian, the German, the French, the

Spanish, and the English: the interference of strangers was

softened by their generous preference of an Italian and a

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Roman; and the hereditary, as well as personal, merit of

Otho Colonna recommended him to the conclave Rome

accepted with joy and obedience the noblest of her sons;

the ecclesiastical state was defended by his powerful

family; and the elevation of Martin V is the era of the

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restoration and establishment of the popes in the Vatican

8 It can be inferred that a goal shared by the Council

of Pisa and the Council of Constance was to:

A reunite the Catholic Church under a single

pope

B forge an alliance between the most powerful

nations in Europe

C obtain for the Catholic Church the protection

of the Emperor Sigismond

D appoint a native Roman to the papacy

9 According to the passage, why was the Council of Constance more successful than the Council of Pisa?

I The Council of Constance made sure that

it had the support of the most important European powers

II The Council of Constance elected a pope

who was more virtuous than any of his rivals

III The Council of Constance elected a pope

who was already respected by the Roman people

A I and II

B I and III

C II and III

D I, II, and III

10 Why does the author distinguish between “the most scandalous charges” against John XXIII, and the charges of which he was actually accused?

A to demonstrate the leniency of the Council of

Constance

B to suggest how serious the suppressed charges

must have been

C to give an example of John XXIII’s political

influence

D to show the importance of electing an Italian to

the papacy

11 How did the Spanish contribute to the resolution of

the division within the Catholic Church?

A They encouraged the cardinals to revolt, and

they deposed the two reigning popes

B They opposed the French and Italians, and they

supported Benedict XIII

C They protected the Catholic Church, and they

prosecuted John XXIII

D They agreed to the deposal of Benedict XIII,

and they helped to elect Martin V

12 It can be inferred that the author would agree with

which of the following statements about Benedict

XIII, Gregory XII, and John XXIII?

A Benedict XIII was the best of the three

B Gregory XII was the best of the three

C None of the three deserved to be pope

D John XXIII had the best claim to having been

legitimately elected

13 The passage suggests that if John XXIII had been generally acceptable to Catholics throughout Europe, which of the following would have resulted?

A Benedict XIII and Gregory XII would not have

been deposed

B the Council of Constance would not have taken

place

C the Catholic Church would not have been

reunited

D the papal seat would not have been moved back

to Rome

14 At the Council of Constance, why were the 23 cardinals joined by 30 deputies?

A to make sure that their choice for pope was

acceptable to the most important European states

B to prevent them escaping

C to protect them from governmental interference

D to make sure that they maintained a proper

level of decorum

Passage III (Questions 15–21)

Until recently, most scientists believed that memory

inevitably deteriorates with age One commonly cited

example of this deterioration is the fact that elderly people

often cannot remember recent events, even though they

may recall details from the distant past But contemporary

5

research into how the mind stores and retrieves

information refutes the notion of the inevitable decline in

memory New studies suggest that we have more than one

kind of memory, and imply that elderly people who suffer

from forgetfulness can utilize other types of memory to

10

compensate for the decline

This new conception of memory stems from a shift in

methodology of memory research While older studies of

memory and aging involved comparisons between

different age groups, recent investigations tested the same

15

group of people over a number of years Such

longitudinal data more clearly establishes the relationship

between memory and aging Through these studies of

older adults, researchers concluded that there exist three

major kinds of memory, only one of which declines in old

20

age

Previous investigations into the workings of memory

usually tested “episodic” memory, which describes the

recall of specific events, as well as the ability to remember

names and the whereabouts of items like car keys This

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ability usually remains intact until the mid-sixties, when

people often become forgetful of things like recent events

and minor details While some researchers suggest that

this well-known decline in episodic memory in the elderly

stems from degeneration of the frontal lobes of the brain,

30

many scientists believe that such memory loss is largely

due to retirement: after the demands of work stop, most

people no longer exercise their mental faculties as

strenuously Thus, regular mental “exercise” might curtail

memory loss

35

But episodic memory comprises only part of this

intricate brain function Memory researchers have

identified two other types of memory, neither of which

seems to deteriorate with age “Semantic” memory, which

describes our ability to recall knowledge and facts as well

40

as events in the distant past, does not seem to lessen over

the course of a lifetime In fact, such memory may be even

sharper in elderly people than in the young or middle-aged

When a group of men and women in their sixties were

tested on a specific vocabulary list and retested on the

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same list a decade later, the group had improved their

scores by an average of six words—an increase researchers

consider substantial Such studies suggest that by taking

notes or mulling over events, elderly people who suffer

from forgetfulness can store more information in the

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semantic memory, thus compensating for episodic memory

loss

A third type of memory, “implicit” memory, deals with the tremendous variety of mental activities we perform without making any intentional effort Examples of these

55

include actions like driving a car, touch-typing, or riding a bicycle Scientists have learned through observations of amnesiacs that this type of memory is distinct from both episodic and semantic memory In one such study, an amnesiac patient who had been an avid golfer before

60

developing a memory problem remembered which club to use for each stroke; however, he forgot that he had played

a hole within minutes of having done so In addition, further studies of amnesiacs have shown that people with these disorders can learn new facts but cannot remember

65

when and where they had learned them Studies of people

in their sixties and seventies showed similar results: like amnesiacs, older people are able to learn from new experience as well as younger people, but often have difficulty remembering the source of their knowledge or

70

skill

Such studies into the structure of memory shed new light on the problems of memory loss in the aged While the findings are encouraging, it must be noted that such studies do not deal with memory problems associated with

75

illness, disease, or injury to the brain

15 The passage implies that advanced age might adversely affect which of the following?

I memory of details of a recent conversation

II recollection of childhood memories

III ability to perform routine tasks

A I only

B II only

C III only

D I and II only

16 The author’s attitude might be described as one of:

A unbridled enthusiasm

B wary skepticism

C reserved optimism

D unbiased objectivity

17 The primary purpose of the passage is to:

A discuss the ways in which a new theory of

memory challenges common assumptions

regarding memory and aging

B explain why past investigations into memory

tested only episodic memory

C describe recent research into the functioning of

the brain

D consider the reasons why episodic memory

diminished in later years

18 It can be inferred from the passage that recent

developments in memory research can be attributed

largely to:

A scientists’ efforts to dismantle stereotypes

regarding the abilities of elderly persons

B recent discoveries that distinguish age-related

forgetfulness from disease and injury-related

memory loss

C the realization that mental exercise frequently

diminishes memory loss

D new methodologies that clarify the relationship

between memory and aging

19 According to the passage, older people often forget

recent events but remember the distant past because:

A childhood events exist as part of implicit

memory

B episodic memory declines while implicit

memory does not

C episodic memory declines but semantic

memory improves with age

D retired elderly people make few demands on

their semantic memory

20 The passage suggests that an elderly person who cannot remember how to tie her shoes is most probably suffering from:

A amnesia

B semantic memory loss

C episodic memory loss

D implicit memory loss

21 Based on the information in the passage, the author would probably agree with which of the following statements regarding memory problems associated with illness, disease, or injury?

A Since many elderly suffer from such organic

dysfunctions, memory research remains more theoretical than practical

B Scientists hope that these studies will

contribute to our understanding of these disorders as well

C It is likely that researchers will turn toward

these more critical problems in the near future

D Since such disorders do not conform to the

tripartate model of memory, most researchers are not interested in them

Passage IV (Questions 22–28)

What is the value of learning about hypotheses that

were once espoused to explain an observed phenomenon,

but that have now been long disproved and invalidated?

Some students may feel that we should not focus on the

past, and that our thoughts should be trained on new

5

knowledge and invention, rather than antiquated ideas

What these students do not understand is the importance of

the old ideas in shaping our current understanding of the

world around us, and that an outright dismissal of past

theories simply because they have been rejected by new

10

evidence may limit our understanding of current theories

Darwin’s theory of natural selection as the mechanism

for evolution is all too often taught in a vacuum in high

school biology classrooms, as if this brilliant naturalist

developed a groundbreaking theory on natural order which

15

had never before been contemplated in any form It is only

by learning about the gradual development of evolutionary

theory, and the role of some rather religious individuals in

shaping this theory, that students may come to see the

logic and power behind Darwin’s relatively simple ideas

20

Many of the contributions upon which Darwin built his

ideas came from scientists who were staunch creationists

themselves These scientists believed that all organisms on

Earth had been placed here by “special creation,” by God,

because there was little evidence at the time to support

25

evolution

Carolus Linnaeus, who developed a framework for

modern systems of taxonomy and classification in the

1700s, actually undertook his research with the hope of

discovering patterns of God’s creation Georges LeClerc

30

(1707-1788) proposed a mechanism for calculating the

age of the Earth using molten spheres of iron and

measuring cooling times, after which he proposed that the

Earth was at least 75,000 years old and perhaps as old as

three million years LeClerc also perceived that species

35

were not fixed and could change over time; he even

proposed that closely related species, such as the horse and

donkey, had developed from a common ancestor and had

been modified by different climactic conditions Yet,

LeClerc was a devout Christian creationist and devoted

40

much of his writing to the debunking of evolutionary

ideas Despite their commitments to religion, LeClerc and

Linnaeus both gave Darwin crucial raw material to work

with – their ideas concerning the similarities between

related species and possible connections with common

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ancestors cried out for a reasonable explanation

For centuries before Darwin, data that challenged the

biblical account of creation was surfacing in many fields

of research As explorers began to study the forces that

shape the Earth, such as mountain building and volcanic

50

eruptions, accounts from scripture and assertions that the

Earth was very young began to be called into question

Uniformitarian geologists such as Charles Lyell felt that

the only reason mountains and other features of the Earth’s terrain had been built the way they had was

55

because of long, gradual processes that shaped these structures There was no way, he felt, that the Earth could

be several thousand years old as asserted in the Bible In addition, the discovery of new plants, animals, and fossils

as explorers traveled to uncharted regions of the world

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aroused suspicion about the paucity of animal and plant

“kinds” in the Bible Improvements in scientists’ abilities

to estimate the age of the Earth and the relative ages of fossils also pushed people to question old assumptions

22 The main idea of this passage is that:

A religious scientists before Darwin greatly

influenced his formation of the theory of natural selection

B similarities between species of plants and

animals were too great to ignore as people attempted to explain relationships in nature

C Darwin relied on a great deal of information

from those who lived before him as he formed his well-known conclusions about the mechanisms of evolution

D old ideas should not be dismissed simply

because they are old and disproved

23 Findings that challenged Biblical accounts of creation included all of the following EXCEPT:

A similarities between related species, such as

donkeys and horses

B indications that mountain building processes

took tens of thousands of years

C findings of a great diversity of new plants and

animals across a variety of habitats

D fossil findings indicating that the Earth was, in

fact, tens of thousands of years old or more

24 If the author were teaching a class on evolution,

the passage suggests that the class would spend a

significant amount of time discussing:

A the origins of Darwin’s theory of natural

selection

B details of Darwin’s theory of natural selection

C the Biblical account of creation

D taxonomy and classification and their

importance in Darwin’s ideas

25 Georges Le Clerc’s ideas on evolution may have

been closest to those of:

A Darwin, because LeClerc focused much of his

research on understanding similarities between

related plants and animals

B Linnaeus, because they were both devout

Christians who attempted to explain natural

phenomena in a supernatural light

C Lyell, because both scientists concluded that

the supposed age of the Earth could not

account for certain measured features

D Linnaeus, because both scientists gave Darwin

important raw material to work with as Darwin

formulated his ideas on natural selection

26 The author’s discussion of Darwin’s theory in

paragraph 2 of the passage suggests that:

A Darwin does not deserve the credit he is given

for his ideas on evolutionary theory

B Darwin’s theories should be presented in the

context within which they were originally

conceived

C Darwin’s ideas would be properly devalued if

people knew the religious background from

which his ideas stemmed

D Darwin’s ideas are simple enough that he didn’t

need much help in formulating them

27 With respect to his claim that students need to understand and appreciate old theories, the author asserts that:

I Darwin’s theory of natural selection cannot be understood or applied without the knowledge of evolutionary hypotheses that came before him

II Even now-debunked concepts, such as

LeClerc’s melting iron spheres to calculate Earth’s age, are important in building a complete picture of how Darwin came to his revolutionary theory III Learning about Linnaeus’ classification

schemes would help students see how Linnaeus’ work gave Darwin a body of knowledge that needed proper explaining

A I and II

B II only

C II and III

D I, II, and III

28 According to the passage, the idea that mountains and other structures take a great deal of time to form was an idea championed by:

A catastrophists

B Darwinists

C creationists

D uniformitarians