AAMC MCAT test 4r answers

AAMC MCAT test 4r answers

MCAT Practice Test IV

M C A TMEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSION TEST

SOLUTIONS

AAMC MCAT PRACTICE TEST IV

SOLUTIONS

Edited, produced, typeset, and illustrated by

Steven A Leduc

National Director of Medical Research & Development,

The Princeton Review

Special thanks to:

Jennifer Wooddell

Judene Wright

Copyright © 2001 by Princeton Review Management, L.L.C

All rights reserved

MCAT is a service mark of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)

TPR is not affiliated with Princeton University

VERBAL REASONING

Passage I

1 D

Item I: Yes The country’s level of development is included in a list of relevant factors given in lines 53-55.

Item II Yes See line 53 “Circumstances” is a synonym for “context”.

Item III Yes The author posits this as the most important consideration (lines 55-57).

to human rights specifically from non-Western cultures

D: The author states that they were familiar with the idea of freedom “even if there were no explicit covenants to that

effect” (lines 10-12) “Traditional societies” here corresponds to the reference to non-Western cultures in line 9

3 D

A: This is the right answer to the wrong question The claim that the idea of freedom was not alien to non-Western culturescomes later in the paragraph The author cites the two documents mentioned in the question to show that the concept ofhuman rights is an ancient one

B: Again, this is the right answer to the wrong question It is true, according to the passage, but the author does not cite

these two Declarations in order to show that it is true Compare this choice to answer choice D.

C: Again, right answer, wrong question The second paragraph includes this statement in lines 14-15, but not in reference

to the claim that human rights is an ancient idea as shown by the content of these two documents

D: Yes This choice accurately describes the author’s purpose in this part of the passage These two documents are cited as direct evidence that the concept of human rights is an ancient one.

4 A

A: Yes In lines 55-58, the author argues that the most important factor to consider is whether or not there is a trend toward greater human rights The tone of the passage is strongly positive about increased recognition of human rights, and yet the author says that it will not happen all at once (lines 51-52) Thus, the author would call for cautious praise.

B: While the passage does discuss monitoring in the third paragraph, the author never connects a positive trend towards

recognition of human rights (as described in the question) with a need for intense monitoring (see lines 51-57)

C: While the author argues that we must take level of development into account (lines 53-55), the passage never indicatesthat forgiveness of abuses is called for In fact, the author states that there is no possible excuse for certain kinds ofviolations (lines 58-62)

D: The passage states that implementation of human rights protections may take some time; we must consider whether ornot there is a move toward human rights in a particular country when evaluating that case (lines 51-57) The scenariopresented by the question clearly indicates a move in the right direction; the author would praise, not criticize thisnation

5 D

A: In the passage as a whole, the author criticizes human rights abuses, and in the final paragraph sets out certain kinds ofabuses that can never be tolerated, regardless of the country’s level of development (lines 58-62) However, the authornever indicates that state use of private property qualifies as a human rights abuse at any level Be careful not to useoutside knowledge or personal opinion to answer questions

B: See the explanation for choice A The author does not suggest that placing conditions (which could include age,citizenship, etc.) on the right to vote qualifies as a violation of human rights

C: See the explanation for choice A The author does not argue that freedom can never be curtailed, even in emergencysituations

D: Yes In lines 58-61 the passage lists torture as one of several abuses that can never be tolerated, regardless of level of development.

6 C

A: The author claims that the United Nations has failed to become “an effective instrument for the promotion of humanrights” (lines 32-35)

B: Always pay close attention to the word “most” (as in “most benefit”) when it appears in a question While the

Organization of American States did pass a human rights declaration (lines 37-39), the passage does not show that theOAS ever takes direct action to rectify specific abuses Be careful not to use outside knowledge; the credited responsemust be directly supported by the passage

C: Yes The author describes how Amnesty International calls public attention to specific abuses, and may

“mobilize public support” to bring about action (lines 46-50).

D: The author does not suggest that people being abused by their own government would benefit by appealing to theleaders of the abusive state

7 B

A: The correct answer will weaken or be inconsistent with a claim made by the author While the passage never

specifically calls for civil disobedience, the author does say that certain abuses are never tolerable (lines 58-62) We donot know that these “unjust laws” fall into this category, but the answer choice is consistent, not inconsistent with theoverall tone of the passage

B: Yes In the second paragraph the author asserts that human rights may transcend or supersede the laws of nations, in part through citing Dr Evatt’s claims in lines 23-28 Thus the author argues that outside interference may in fact by called for, in opposition to the statement made in the answer choice.

C: The passage itself suggests this to be true in its discussion of trends (lines 51-55)

D: This choice is entirely consistent with the author’s statement that “the walls of oppression would not crumble at thefirst clarion call” (lines 51-52)

Passage II

8 A

A: Yes In paragraph 5, the author claims that “women writers,” by using that term to describe themselves, send the message that women need to segregate themselves only until they “become politically strong a visible, viable social factor” (lines 48-51).

B: This choice takes words from the passage out of context The author asserts that women writers claim to recognizehumanity-as-a-whole (lines 45-47), not that they are waiting for literature to recognize it In fact, the passage indicatesthat true literature, by definition, recognizes the universality of humanity (lines 24-30)

C: As in choice B, this answer takes words from the passage, but does not form them into an appropriate answer Theauthor states in lines 38-41 that feminists (who, according to the author are not “women writers”) believe that theimagination cannot be liberated, because it is already free Women writers, as described in the passage, are not waitingfor the liberation of the imagination, but for political and social power (lines 48-55)

D: Again, this choice takes words and ideas from the passage out of the context of the question The author refers to theappearance of a new generation of authors (lines 58-59), but this does not correspond to the time when women writers

9 B

A: This choice contradicts the passage The author contrasts women writers who segregate themselves, believing that they

have an inherent common ground as women (lines 15-21), with feminists who reject gender-based identities and segregation (lines 31-40) Be careful to use the author’s own definition of feminism, as it is described in the passage, toanswer the questions

self-B: Yes According to the author, feminism came into being in order to eliminate the “myth-fed condition” of based segregation (lines 32-34), and feminism in the arts arose to eliminate “mythological divisions” (lines 38- 40).

gender-C: This is what women writers (lines 14-23), not feminists do (lines 31-41)

D: According to the passage, women writers already accept humanity-as-a-whole (lines 45-47)

10 C

A: The author asserts that women who consciously write as women are engaged in the politics of sex (lines 1-3), not that

all women who write use the language of politics The author uses the label “women writers” to refer to somethingmuch more ideologically specific then simply “women who write.”

B: According to the passage, the author believes that “the separate male and female states of intellect” do not in fact exist(lines 14-17, 24, 31-38) The author uses the term rather to describe the language of women who write as women, with

a particular social and political agenda The politics of sex may include a belief in separate intellects, but the authordoes not use the phrase to refer to that belief

C: Yes In lines 8-13, the author describes contexts in which the politics of sex is appropriate, that is, in movements that fight in political or socioeconomic arenas for equality for women The author objects to “women writers” on the basis that their writing assumes a certain agenda or set of premises (the politics of sex) from the beginning, rather than imaginatively seeking out new ideas (lines 14-23) Thus they import the politics of sex into literature, where the author believes it does not belong.

D: The author does not believe any real separation exists Furthermore, even women writers who engage in the politics ofsex do not conceive of the separation as a permanent one (lines 55-56)

11 A

A: Yes The correct response will be a statement that is inconsistent with the author’s opinions as they are expressed

in the passage The author argues that the idea that women have separate life experiences is a myth (lines 31-38); throughout the passage the author asserts a commonality, not a distinction between men and women.

B: Notice that this choice does not specify that these views would be expressed through literature The author argues thatliterature [fiction and poetry (line 42)] should not be written in the language of politics (lines 12-14), but never

indicates that female authors should not make their views known in other ways

C: This is a direct paraphrase of the passage (lines 24-26) The author would most likely agree, not disagree with his or herown words

D: The author mentions the struggle for equal employment as an appropriate arena for the politics of sex The passagedoes not indicate that the author would oppose greater wage equality in any way; what the author criticizes is theincorporation of politics or politicized self-images into literature

12 D

A: The passage portrays the beliefs of women writers and feminists as mutually exclusive (lines 14-23, 31-40), and gives

no hint that women writers are evolving into feminists

B: According to the author, the minute a person calls herself a woman writer, she becomes political (lines 1-7, 14-23)

Thus, those who are called women writers do not eventually become political, but are already politicized.

C: This choice is too extreme While the author claims that the human component of literature is denied by women writers

(lines 24-30), the passage does not suggest that that component will be eradicated from all literature if the label

“women writer” is used

D: Yes The author argues that the supposedly temporary strategy of segregation will turn into a permanent reality

in 4-5 years, and authors will find themselves divided into two categories: “women writers” and (male) “writers” (lines 58-64).

13 D

A: The correct answer will be a statement from the passage that is inconsistent with the scenario presented in the question

If the author did in fact admire the fiction or poetry of a woman writer, it would have no bearing on the passage’sdiscussion of the origins of classical feminism (lines 31-34)

B: The author’s admiration for a woman writer’s work would not be inconsistent with the author’s depiction of the beliefs

of women writers (lines 19-23)

C: The scenario in the question is discrepant with the author’s disapproval of the work of women writers and concern over

the potential impact of their use of the term “woman writer.” However, it is not specifically inconsistent with the

author’s description of that impact [an uninspiring world in which all the “writers” are men (lines 60-66)] Compare

this choice with answer choice D

D: Yes According to the author, women writers, by labeling themselves as such, inappropriately incorporate the language of politics into the world of literature (lines 12-14) Literature should be driven by the imagination and should build connections between the sexes This it cannot do, according to the passage, if it is politicized (lines 24-30) Thus, if the author admired the work of a woman writer, it would be discrepant or inconsistent with the author’s assertion that the language of politics should not be used in literature.

D: Such a tract would be non-fiction, and written in the language of politics Both of these characteristics would disqualify

it as literature in the eyes of the author (lines 12-13, 42)

Passage III

15 C

A: The passage does not ever raise the issue of prisoners’ beliefs regarding their right to privacy There is no direct

evidence in the passage to support this choice

B: Prisoners’ concern or lack of concern for their own health is not an issue in the passage

C: Yes The author argues that physician–patient confidentiality in prison is especially important, as patient

distrust could cause prisoners to fail to disclose important health-related information (lines 13-15, 20-23) Thus it would be reasonable to conclude based on the passage that the inmates refused a diagnostic procedure because

of this distrust.

D: As in choices A and B, this choice requires too much speculation While the author does raise the issue of detection ofweapons (lines 38-43, 62-67), the passage does not suggest that prisoners refuse procedures out of fear that a weaponwill be detected Furthermore, the author does not indicate whether prisoners carry weapons for self-protection or for

other, more aggressive reasons Compare this choice to choice C—the passage directly addresses the possibility that

patients may refuse to cooperate fully in their own diagnosis and treatment due to distrust of prison physicians

16 D

A, B, and C: All three of these choices are wrong for the same reason: they are not strong enough The author places noconditions on or exceptions to the “duty to warn” held by a physician when a weapon is detected (lines 38-46) Later inthe passage, the author does state that a patient should be given the opportunity to surrender the weapon voluntarily, butprison authorities are still involved (lines 62-67)

D: Yes In lines 38-46, the author asserts that the imminent threat posed by a weapon overrides the patient’s right to privacy, and the physician has a “duty to warn” the prison authorities.

C: This choice is wrong for the same reasons as choice A Respect for confidentiality is one necessary condition for goodmedical care (lines 9-15), but the passage does not claim that it is the only necessary condition Therefore,

confidentiality could be respected while the quality of care is poor for other reasons

D: Yes The author claims that confidentiality and physician autonomy are necessary conditions for good medical care (lines 9-15, 24-25) Thus, if a physician was forced to break confidentiality, the quality of care would suffer.

18 B

A: The author refers to “necessary information” in the context of explaining that without confidentiality, prisoners may fail

to reveal information important for their own health care The passage gives no indication that past criminal activitieswould likely be related to an inmate’s health

B: Yes The author introduces the passage through the example of prisoner A, found by a physician to have drugs and paraphernalia on or in his person The author then goes on to argue that information regarding drug use could be crucial to a patient’s treatment, so physicians should not be required to reveal this “necessary

information” to the authorities (lines 13-23, 33-36, 67-70).

C: The author uses the term “necessary information” to indicate information necessary to the patient’s medical treatment

Be careful not to take the words out of the context of the passage

D: Pay close attention to the words “most specifically” in the question While one could imagine a patient’s psychiatrichistory being an important factor in their current medical treatment, psychiatric history is never specifically mentioned

in the passage However, the author explicitly and repeatedly argues that doctors must know of a patient’s drug use inorder to effectively treat him or her (lines 1-7, 33-36, 67-70)

19 A

A: Yes By claiming that “respect for patient confidentiality is particularly important in a prison hospital setting”

because patients might distrust prison doctors (lines 20-23), the author indicates that inmates are less likely to expect confidentiality than are non-incarcerated patients of private doctors.

B: This choice takes words out of context of the passage The author mentions incompetence as an exception to therequirement that informed consent be provided by patients (lines 56-59), not as a reason why confidentiality would beespecially important

C: The question is not asking when an inmate’s ability to keep secrets is threatened Confidentiality may not apply to cases

where diagnostic tools reveal the presence of weapons, but physician confidentiality is not itself threatened by the use

of these tools Finally, the use of X rays is not depicted as “invasive” by the author

D: The author states just the opposite While inmates do not have “full Constitutional rights to privacy,” physician

confidentiality is one of those rights which they do have in most circumstances (lines 16-19)

20 B

A: The correct response will be inconsistent with the author’s claim that physician confidentiality is especially important

in prisons because inmates distrust doctors who are hired by the prison (lines 19-23) First of all, the author argues thatconfidentiality should not be respected when weapons are detected (lines 38-46) Secondly, prisoners’ awareness that

X rays will detect weapons would not affect the author’s argument about the need for patients to be able to trust theirdoctors and the unlikelihood that inmates will do so

B: Yes The author argues that inmate patients distrust prison hospitals because the doctors may be employees of the prison This is the basis of the author’s assertion of the special need to respect physician confidentiality in prison settings If inmates do not believe that prison doctors are controlled by the institution, then prison hospitals do not present a unique situation Therefore, while the physician–patient covenant would still be

important, it would have no special importance in a prison setting.

C: This choice would strengthen, not weaken the author’s argument If prison officials often question physicians aboutinmates, inmates would have reason to fear that information given to a physician about activities such as drug usemight be revealed to the authorities

D: This choice is too vague to have any impact on the author’s argument It does not specify whether or not prisoners

misunderstand their Constitutional rights to privacy Nor does it indicate whether this misunderstanding is of a sort that

would decrease the trust they place in their doctors

C: While this is an important part of the author’s argument about altruism in animals (lines 32-33), the author goes on to

claim that human altruism may therefore be just as “animal” or biological as selfishness Thus it is evidence for the

main point, not the main point itself

D: Yes The author argues that animals act altruistically when those acts benefit kin Therefore, human kindness may not be a “unique overlay,” but instead a characteristic that we share with the animal kingdom.

22 A

A: Yes In the first paragraph, the author argues that we tend to attribute selfish acts to our animal nature We also tend to believe that we act for the benefit of others only when we can overcome that animal part of ourselves

through our uniquely human capacity for reason or rationality (lines 11-14) Thus, according to common belief,

altruism is a uniquely human imposition or overlay on our basic animal nature.

B: This is the opposite of the correct response In the context of the passage, the “unique overlay” is human rationality,

which acts against our animalistic tendencies.

C: As in choice B, this is the opposite of the correct response The passage describes selfishness as an animalistic, notuniquely human behavior (lines 8-11)

D: This choice takes the passage’s reference to self-criticism out of context We criticize ourselves for “animalistic”behavior (lines 8-11), but the passage does not claim that the ability to do so is uniquely human Be careful not to usecommon sense or outside knowledge When the passage uses the term “unique overlay,” it is specifically in reference toaltruistic behavior that we (falsely) believe to be non-animalistic

23 C

A: Altruism and rationality are not compared to each other The passage states that we tend to believe that it is our

rationality that allows us to behave altruistically (lines 11-14).

B: Both traits are listed as part of our “apish ancestry” (lines 9-11), but selfishness and aggressiveness are not compared to

24 C

A: The sentence given in the question refers to the belief that specific behavior (hoarding and giving) can be determined

by (“attributed to”) genetics This is just the opposite of free will as it is described in the passage (lines 46-50)

B: The main point of the fourth paragraph (lines 51-66) is that altruistic behavior may have a biological basis, but is notcompletely determined by genetics The passage discusses rationality in the first paragraph in a different context, when

it describes the view of many that human beings use their unique capacity for reason to override animalistic, selfishimpulses (lines 9-14)

C: Yes The section of the passage referred to by the question presents the author’s claim that specific behaviors are not completely determined by genetics The statement in the question, that some have attributed both selfish and altruistic behaviors to genetics, could be used to illustrate “deterministic speculation” (lines 44-46).

D: The author argues that human nature is not completely determined by genetics (lines 44-50) Thus a statement

describing deterministic beliefs would not illuminate or illustrate that claim

C: The passage cites Hamilton as an authority on this point (lines 26-32)

D: The author supports this assertion through reference to Freud (lines 1-6)

26 B

A: The author discusses natural selection in the second paragraph in order to introduce the question of how altruism could

be biological (lines 19-25) The author does not deal with that question until the subsequent paragraph, through thediscussion of kin selection

B: Yes The passage discusses kin selection (lines 26-34) in order to resolve the question of how altruism could have

a biological basis.

C: The passage states that civilization requires altruistic behavior and the suppression of selfish and aggressive biological

instincts (lines 1-6) That part of the passage does not deal with the paradox raised in the quoted section of how this

altruistic behavior could have a biological basis; that resolution does not come until the author’s discussion of kinselection in the third paragraph

D: The question asks where the author most directly deals with the question of biologically-based altruism Evolution is

related to kin selection by the passage (lines 29-34), but it is in the discussion of kin selection itself that the author mostdirectly deals with the problem Compare this choice to answer choice B

C: This choice is inconsistent with the author’s rejection of genetic determinism (lines 44-50)

D: Yes According to the passage, we once believed that our capacity for altruism was not based in biology, and so that our ability to be kind distinguished us from non-human animals (lines 11-14) However, once we recognize that altruism, like selfishness, may have a genetic, evolutionary basis, we may see that we have more in common with other animals than we thought (lines 53-56, 63-66).

28 A

A: Yes The main idea of the passage is that while we by nature are selfish and aggressive (lines 3-11), we are also by nature kind and altruistic (lines 42-44, 53-56) Thus the author would likely argue that our natural tendency towards conflict may be tempered or counteracted by our coexisting natural tendency towards kindness.

B: This choice misrepresents the author’s position The author argues that our true biological nature includes both brutality

and altruism (lines 37-39, 42-44)

C: The author claims that our biological nature includes both brutality and kindness (lines 37-39, 42-44) Furthermore, thepassage never raises the issue of spirituality

D: The author introduces this view in the first paragraph in order to go on to reject it The passage indicates that altruism isnot imposed upon our biological nature by rationality, but may in fact arise from our biological nature (lines 26-42)

29 B

A: The author rejects biological determinism (lines 44-50)

B: Yes The passage asserts that human social life and the survival of civilization requires reciprocal altruistic behavior; that is, that we all act for the good of others and of the social body (lines 1-6).

C: The passage argues just the opposite: that in order to live together and ensure the survival of our civilization, we musttemper or reduce our animal aggression through kindness and altruism (lines 1-6)

D: The passage never mentions genetic mutation

30 C

A: This statement strengthens Freud’s argument by reinforcing his claim that we have a natural tendency toward

aggression

B: This choice also strengthens Freud’s claim that our biology drives us towards animalistic, selfish behavior

C: Yes If lower animals are capable of altruism as well as selfishness, then we may be able to behave altruistically not by suppressing but by embracing our “animalistic, biological instincts.” Thus this statement weakens

A: Yes The passage states that once beetles feeding on sap exuded by ovules (ovules play a vital role in

reproduction) became a vehicle for pollination, the ovules themselves had to be protected (lines 24-26).

B: This choice reverses the relationship between insects and flowers as it is presented in the passage The author mentions

a variety of ways in which flowers evolved so as to take better advantage of insects (lines 21-23, 24-28, 42-50, 53-65).The passage never indicates that flowers influenced the evolution of insects

C: The passage does discuss the dispersal of pollen to and from seed-bearing plants in the first two paragraphs (although the range of pollen dispersal is not discussed) However, dispersal of the seeds is never mentioned Be careful not to

rely on outside knowledge

D: The passage indicates just the opposite Restriction, not expansion of the variety of means of fertilization, was theproblem to be solved (lines 56-68) The passage does discuss the advantages of insect over wind pollination, but insectsrepresented an alternative, not an additional means for individual plant species (lines 18-23)

C: The only reference to modern times is a brief mention of modern survivors of ancient plants (lines 8-10) The passage is

not framed in terms of (nor does it even discuss) ongoing evolutionary trends, however.

D: Only once does the passage specifically mention the fossil record (lines 1-3) While the author may well be drawing on

fossil evidence for his or her conclusions, the passage is primarily characterized by the author’s educated guesses about

the likely course of flower evolution (see the explanation for choice B)

33 C

A: In terms of number of species, the passage suggests just the opposite Flowers evolved ways to screen out unwantedvisitors and to restrict pollination to certain insect species (lines 65-68) In terms of sheer number of insects, thepassage does not mention evolutionary trends that might have boosted the number of insects (regardless of species)attracted to flowers By discussing a shift from “promiscuous” to “restricted” pollination, the passage indicates that thiswas not in fact the case

B: The passage states just the opposite Reproductive structures evolved that screened out short-tongued, non-flying

insects (see last paragraph) Furthermore, the author does not suggest that tubular corollas were more accommodating

to “specialized and flower-constant species,” just that they were less accommodating to beetles and inadequately

A: The correct answer will be related to a theme already present in the passage, as well as to the main idea of the passage

as a whole The passage is about the evolutionary influence of insects on flowers, and gives no hint as to what roleclimate might play

B: The passage presents the “big picture” of long-term evolutionary trends in flower structures There is nothing in thatpicture that could be directly used to answer questions about biochemistry

C: Yes The author speculates about how the structure of flowers, including pigmented petals (lines 48-50), may have evolved so as to maximize pollination by the most appropriate insects This change, according to the author, contributed to reproductive success This could be appropriately extended to speculation about how the color of flowers may play a role in attracting those same insects.

D: We know from the passage when flowers originated (lines 1-3) and when specific types of winged insects (bees, moths,butterflies, and long-tongued flies) came into being (lines 53-55) We can infer from the latter discussion that othertypes of winged insects (including small flies, lines 60-62) existed before bees et al appeared on the scene, but thepassage gives no indication of how long before

35 B

A: The correct answer will weaken the author’s assertion that corollas evolved in order to restrict access to certain insectsthat fly regularly between flowers of the same species (lines 60-68) This choice would tend to strengthen that claim bysuggesting that “promiscuous pollination” was now no longer possible, and that these flowers now depended on alimited number of insects pollinators

B: Yes If the long-tongued insects of the Tertiary Period (lines 53-57) could not fly, then the author’s hypothesis that the corolla evolved in the Tertiary Period in order to allow access only to long-tongued flying insects (lines 61-64) is questionable.

C: The fact that the genes which control one advantageous development (corollas) also cause a disadvantageous

development (fungus) would have no impact on the author’s claims about why and how insects are related to theevolution of flowers

D: Whether or not flowers can now be chemically induced to form corollas has no bearing on the author’s argument abouthow corollas originally evolved

36 D

A: To answer the question, one must frame the botanist’s claims in terms of the issues raised in the passage The passageconcerns itself with the evolution of insects only to the extent that it affects the evolution of flowers Knowing why

beetles retained short tongues would not help us understand why flowers evolved to exclude them.

B: The botanist, in the context of the passage, would need to explain why flowers evolved to admit only long-tongued

flies The evolutionary goings-on of bees, moths, and butterflies has no direct relevance to this question

C: We don’t care how the flies survived before corollas evolved We care why the flowers evolved so as to attract only

these flies

D: Yes In the passage, the author describes restrictive pollination as a “great step forward in floral design” (lines 65-68), and throughout the passage refers to advantages conferred by various stages of floral evolution Thus, to explain in the context of the passage why flowers evolved to be pollinated by a single species of fly, the botanist would need to explain why this represents a reproductive or evolutionary advantage.

Passage VI

37 D

A: This statement, while supported by the passage (lines 4-6), is too narrow to be the central thesis of the passage Theauthor uses orangutans as one example in the context of the passage’s overall argument about training and sensitivity.B: The author writes that orangutans are different than chimpanzees (paragraphs 2 and 3), but does not suggest that thisdifference makes them more interesting In fact, the passage states that chimps look “inferential, ingenious, and ever soactive” while problem solving (lines 15-16), which sounds like reasonably interesting behavior Even if this choicewere supported by the passage, it would be too narrow to qualify as the main idea or central thesis

C: This choice takes words from the passage out of context The final paragraph argues that a better understanding ofanimals may help us better respect other species, not our own

D: Yes The first three paragraphs demonstrate the intelligence and responsiveness of animals The final two paragraphs build on that theme to argue that “true training” must be reciprocal, which requires sensitivity to and respect for these qualities in the “trainee.”

38 C

A: The passage does not discuss the comparative speed with which chimps and orangutans understand or solve problems.B: Chimpanzees use a different method to solve problems, but the passage does not indicate that it is a more appropriatemethod

C: Yes The passage describes how the chimpanzee takes the hexagonal peg and experiments until it finds the correct hole (lines 15-21) The orangutan, on the other hand, appears to be uninvolved in the test until it

“casually, as if thinking of something else” completes the task (lines 22-29) Thus we cannot observe how the

orangutan has solved the problem, while the chimpanzee looks “inferential, ingenious and ever so active.”

D: The author cites Prof Miles’ judgment that orangutans are no less smart than chimpanzees (lines 29-31) and herevaluation of the nature of their intelligence (lines 31-34)

D: Yes While we might not naturally think of the word “poetic” in order to describe independent behavior, that is the way in which the author uses the term in the context of the passage In the first paragraph, the passage explains how orangutans have little social interaction with each other in the wild The quote from Miles is given

to illustrate the claim that an orangutan is “irredeemably his or her own person,” that is, not interested in the support and approval of others (lines 8-12).

40 B

A: The author does not claim that they lack initiative, only that we cannot observe it in action (lines 22-29) In contrast,the chimp clearly displays its initiative as it tests the peg in various holes (lines 19-20) Finally, the theme of the firstparagraph, in which the author mentions the difficulty of training orangutans, is not problem solving but the asocial andindependent nature of these animals

B: Yes In the first paragraph the author discusses Berosini’s claim that orangutans are difficult to train because they are “self-contained” (lines 4-6), that is, they care little about the “social support and approval of others” (lines 8-10).

C: Limited attention span is never mentioned

D: The author does not argue that orangutans distrust humans, just that they don’t care much about receiving human (orape) approval (lines 8-10) The fact that Berosini successfully trains orangutans [which according to the author involves

a reciprocal and respectful relationship between trainer and trainee (lines 38-42)] indicates that these orangutans musttrust humans to some extent

41 A

A: Yes The main idea of the paragraph in which this statement appears is that training is a two-way,

“symmetrical” relationship In the subsequent paragraph, the author states that the “intelligent responsiveness

of trainers” within this reciprocal relationship may be seen as respect for the animal (lines 58-61).

B: The focus of the aphorism, and of the passage, is on the attentiveness of the trainer as a prerequisite for the

attentiveness of the animal being trained

C: The author does refer to the natural social structure (or lack thereof) of orangutans (lines 6-7), but not in reference totraining techniques

D: By “heed the animal” the author means pay attention to what the animal is saying through its behavior during training.The example given is not one of disobedience, but of “intelligent responsiveness” (lines 42-47, 54-55)

42 A

A: Yes The passage as a whole argues that we should treat and train animals with respect for their own intelligence.

It is this intelligence that attracts us to animals (lines 54-55) In the cited part of the passage, the author suggests that if we come to understand that animals have something of value to say to us, we will perhaps feel less alone in the world.

B: In the passage, the author proposes that we recognize the unique and varied intelligence of the apes, not that apes arejust like us Secondly, this choice is not appropriate to the main idea of the cited part of the passage The intent of theauthor in those lines is not to show our similarity with apes, but to suggest that showing proper respect for other specieswill make us less alone in the world

C: The passage indicates just the opposite The author wishes to eliminate sentimental attitudes toward animals (lines 64)

61-D: Nowhere in the passage does the author attempt to justify demanding obedience In fact, the author suggests that weshould earn, not demand the obedience or cooperation of other species by obeying or heeding what they say to us (lines47-50)

recognize what the child is communicating through his or her lack of attention

B: Yes The author argues that training does not end once a dog has appropriately responded to a command Rather, it has just begun, and we must continue to attentively interact and communicate with the animal (lines 42-50) The author states that this is also true when we train other humans (line 48).

C: This choice takes the statement that the trainer must “obey” or heed the trainee out of context (lines 48-50) By this theauthor does not mean that the trainer gives in to the demands of those being trained, but that he or she attentively listens

to them in the course of continuing the training

D: Trainers may well like their trainees However, the author does not argue that true training is accomplished throughdemonstrating affection, but rather through respectful attentiveness Therefore, a good trainer should say “I hear you,”not “I like you.”

45 A

A: Yes In the first paragraph, the author relates the behavior of orangutans in the wild to their behavior in

captivity Their life in the wild is not conditioned by social interaction with other apes, and so they have not come

to depend on the support and approval of others (lines 6-10) This attitude manifests itself in captivity as well, making it difficult to train them because they are not anxious to gain the approval of the trainer (lines 4-6) If

we apply this to the new information in the question, we could reasonably conclude that wild-born orangutans

do not exhibit chimp-like problem-solving behaviors in captivity because they did not need or depend on them in their natural environment Those born in captivity would have been raised in a very different context, with different challenges, and so would exhibit different behaviors.

B: This choice is incompatible with the author’s suggestion that orangutans are no less intelligent than chimpanzees (lines29-31)

C: The author does not indicate that an orangutan’s “insight oriented” approach is any less efficient than a chimp’s

“problem solving” orientation (lines 31-34)

D: Neither the passage nor the new information in the question gives us any evidence that the same would be true forchimpanzees

46 D

A: The passage does not suggest that orangutans cannot concentrate, just that they don’t appear to be concentrating on the

task at hand (lines 22-34) They may be concentrating on other things (dreams and visions), or they may be

concentrating on the task in a less visible way Note that in the end, they do in fact successfully complete the test.Finally, since orangutans are trainable (lines 1-4, 35-36), they must be able to concentrate on the trainer’s commands

B: The comparative speed of chimps’ and orangutans’ thought processes is never an issue in the passage The author does

not tell us how long each animal takes to fit the peg in the hole, just that they accomplish it in different ways

C: The author indicates that orangutans are just as intelligent as chimpanzees (lines 29-31)

D: Yes Chimps pick up the peg and test it in different holes until they find the right one (lines 15-21) Orangutans, according to the passage, accomplish the same task through insight (lines 32-33), not experimentation.

Passage VII

47 A

A: Yes The author defines consciousness as “the facility for deep introspection that enables us to see into our own minds and those of others,” and that makes us aware of our own knowledge of the world around us (lines 14-18) Thus a person with consciousness is aware of him or her self as an individual distinct from other individuals and from the surrounding environment An animal without self-consciousness would not have this awareness.

B: Animals without consciousness have knowledge of the world around them (lines 16-17), and so may be able to learnfrom their experiences in that world This choice says nothing about knowledge of self, which comes only with

48 D

A: These are two separate issues Darwin’s theory was revolutionary because it showed us that we are “not separate from,but a part of, nature” (lines 1-7) This raised the question of why we see ourselves as unique or special, if we are in fact

“nothing but an animal” (lines 7-10) Culture is one part of the answer to that question, but accepting the author’s

description of the effects of culture on evolution (rapid change) does not depend on the acceptance of the claim that

Darwin forced us to change our self-image through recognition of our animal nature

B: Culture could affect human evolution even if it did not contribute to our sense of specialness The author’s argument

about cultural evolution does not depend on the argument that consciousness and culture distinguish us from other

animals Even if animals had culture and consciousness, the author’s argument about the nature and speed of culturalevolution could still be valid—it would simply apply to other animals as well

C: As in choice B, the author’s claim about the effects of culture on human evolution does not depend on the acceptance ofthe claim that only humans have consciousness and culture [and thus curiosity about the world (paragraph 3)] Choices

A, B, and C all focus on issues from the wrong parts of the passage

D: Yes The passage argues that cultural evolution contributes something to human evolution that genetic evolution does not: “the potential for exceedingly rapid rates of cultural change” (lines 60-63) Genetic evolution,

according to the author, requires tens of thousands of years (lines 51-53) If genetic mutation did cause rapid

social changes, it would undermine the author’s assertion that “what has enabled Homo sapiens to speed up the

pace of change in its world is culture” (lines 53-55).

49 C

A: The passage says that cultural evolution occurs through cause and effect, when a particular invention or “novel artifact”transforms entire societies (lines 68-71) Advances in art and learning are not “novel artifacts” analogous to computers

(line 71), and the answer choice gives no indication that the entire society was rapidly transformed.

B: This choice is wrong for the same reasons as choice A According to the passage, cultural evolution involves “novelartifacts, which sometimes transform entire societies virtually instantaneously” (lines 68-71) No novel artifacts areinvolved, and we are not told that the spread of socialist ideas led to the transformation of entire societies

C: Yes The steam engine was a new invention or novel artifact, and the ability to more easily travel and transport goods over long distances significantly transformed society (lines 68-71).

D: The exploration of outer space is not currently something that dramatically affects society as a whole in the same way

as long-distance travel (choice C) or the electronic computer (lines 69-71)

50 A

A: Yes The passage defines natural selection as “adaptation to shifting circumstances and environments” (lines

40-41) The correct answer will not fit this definition Here, there is no element of change or adaptation.

B: This choice describes television producers responding and adapting to popular tastes

C: Here, voters adapt their electoral preferences to the changing (declining) economic climate

D: This answer describes the adaptation of language to shifts in terminology from generation to generation

51 D

Note: This is an unusual question type, a mutated version of a “weaken” question Both the new information in the question

and the correct answer choice are inconsistent with the author’s argument in the passage However, the question does notask for a choice that weakens the passage (A, B, C, and D all do so), but for a statement that is suggested by the informationpresented in the question stem

A: If most humans limit their attention to their immediate surroundings, that does not show that they gain no benefit fromtheir capacity for consciousness It is possible that having such a narrow focus carries some advantage

B: The issue presented in the question stem relates to humanity’s supposed “insatiable appetite for knowledge” (line 36).The relative pace of genetic and cultural evolution has no direct relevance

C: According to the passage, language allows for (not guarantees) complex thought If most humans pay attention only totheir immediate physical surrounding, that does not suggest that language does not in fact have this capacity, only thatmost humans do not fully utilize it

D: Yes The passage states that civilized human beings have a thirst for knowledge about themselves and the world (lines 30-36) If the new information in the question were shown to be true, and most people cared little about anything but their immediate physical environment, it would indicate that the passage is in error, and that civilized animals (human beings) do not necessarily seek knowledge and understanding.

52 D

A: According to the passage, language is a crucial part of culture (lines 20-24) However, the author does not suggest thatculture is a prerequisite for the existence of language Language is necessary for culture, but as far as we know culture

is not necessary for language

B: This choice is only partially correct The passage does indicate that culture is uniquely human (lines 10-13, 18-23), butnot that nonhuman animals may have languages By describing language as a “vehicle for complex thought processes”(lines 23-24), the author suggests that language too is unique to human animals

C: Language is a vehicle for complex thought (lines 23-24), but the author never implies that it is the only vehicle.

D: Yes The author describes language as a vital aspect of culture in the context of discussing how culture allows us

to “participate in a collective, cumulative learning experience” (lines 22-23), and to pass on wisdom to current and future generations (lines 24-27).

Passage VIII

53 A

A: Yes The critics and proponents of democracy are arguing over what type of political regime best allows for and promotes economic development If each side is evaluating the value of democracy based on whether or not it leads to economic growth (lines 13-16, 21-23, 36-38), each position must be based on an assumption that growth

is a necessity, especially for developing nations (lines 16-19, 32-34).

B: The first set of scholars described in the passage believes that democracy and economic growth are incompatible (lines1-3)

C: The critics of democracy do not see social benefits as necessary; they propose holding down wages to force a reduction

in consumption (lines 6-10) These scholars claim that democratically-elected leaders who implemented such policieswould be removed from office by consumers who do not perceive limited consumption to be a social benefit (lines 7-12)

D: The critics described in the second half of the passage argue that democracy, not authoritarianism, best promotesnecessary growth (lines 55-63)

contribute both to investment surplus and human welfare.

C: The critics of the opinion expressed in the question argue that consumption and investment are not mutually exclusive

(lines 46-54) They do not, however, make any claims about allowing for steady consumption.

D: The critics of the opinion cited in the question make no reference to decreased demand (see paragraph 5)

55 A

A: Yes The premises stated in the question indicate that the governments presiding over recent successful

development have all intervened in the economy, and that development is most likely to occur in the presence of political stability Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that any recent case of successful development will include these two conditions.

B: This choice is too extreme The premises reproduced in the question state that development is best promoted in

conditions of political stability, but not that stability is absolutely necessary for development

C: The premises draw no direct connection between stability and intervention The scenario of an unstable interventionistgovernment is not inconsistent with the position described in the question

D: See the explanation for choice C

56 D

A: The world market has no direct relevance to this history

B: We do not know from the story presented that China in the 1950s was politically unstable

C: The new information in the question gives no evidence of a lack of investment

D: Yes The first view presented in the passage asserts that intensive state intervention in the economy comes first in the course of economic development, while citizen participation can only come later (lines 36-40) The history provided in the question indicates that the two can coexist; the state redistributed land and organized the collectives, and yet those collectives were democratic in nature.

57 A

A: Yes The claim that democracy hampers economic growth is predicated in part on the belief that growth requires

an investable surplus, and that the only way to increase this surplus is to limit consumption (lines 3-7) The percentage of wages kept in savings accounts would not be available for consumption (spending), and so would

be available for investment (lines 5-6) Note that these are low-income workers; it is likely that the required percentage exceeds their current rate of savings.

B: The passage indicates just the opposite The scholars who argue that democracy limits growth claim that both a

reduction in consumption (which would likely result when low-income people are forced to increase their savings) andpolitical stability are necessary conditions for growth Thus, it would be logically inconsistent for these scholars toclaim that policies limiting consumption lead to instability

C: The passage indicates just the opposite—see the explanation for choice A

D: This choice misrepresents the relationship between consumption and democracy presented in the first half of thepassage The scholars who argue that democracy is incompatible with economic growth claim that a necessary long-term reduction in consumption cannot occur in a democratic state, because the politicians who impose it will be votedout of office (lines 7-12) This does not mean that forced limitations on consumption prevent democracy from

developing

58 B

A: According to this argument, an authoritarian government does not need popular support (lines 7-12)

B: Yes Those who believe democracy cannot coexist with economic growth base this belief in part on a claim that democracy opens up a regime to pressures from different groups in society, making it difficult to maintain the stability necessary for development (lines 13-20) An authoritarian regime would be less vulnerable to this kind

of public pressure.

C: As described in the passage, those who believe democracy holds back economic growth are more concerned with theeconomic development of the nation as a whole than with the concerns of individual groups within the nation (lines 16-19) The author never discusses what the views of these scholars might be regarding the protection of minority groups.D: The author does not explicitly address this issue in the first half of the passage However, the scholars who believedemocracy hurts growth, as described here, do not appear to be concerned with the issue of fairness

C: Angra Mainyu is “equally uncreated” (lines 14-15), not a creation of Ahura Mazda

D: This is the belief of the Zurvanite heretics (lines 43-46), not of all Zoroastrians

60 B

A, C, and D: The author draws no comparison between Indian and Babylonian conceptions of time (Indian conceptions are

not mentioned in the passage) and does not claim that the Zurvanites were influenced only by Babylonian ideas Thus this

discovery would have no effect on the author’s argument, as stated in choice B

61 B

A: According to the author, Zoroaster’s teaching was unprecedented because he proclaimed Ahura Mazda as the “oneuncreated god, existing eternally” (lines 9-12) The author discusses the utter separateness of the primal spirits later

in the passage in the discussion of the Zurvanite heresy (lines 52-56)

B: Yes The Zurvanite’s believed that Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu were twins from the same father, thus violating Zoroaster’s tenet that the two were completely “distinct by origin and nature” (lines 52-56) This is the basis of the author’s accusation of heresy.

C: This is a different issue The author does not give any explicit support for the claim that the Zurvanites werefamiliar with the Babylonian idea of time; it is simply asserted as a fact (lines 29-33)

D: Again, this is a separate issue The author discusses Zoroaster’s fundamental doctrine of separateness to

demonstrate the heretical nature of the Zurvanites in lines 52-56 With the word “moreover” in line 56, the authormoves on to a new issue, free will

62 D

A: This choice is too narrow to serve as the main point The author mentions Zoroaster’s vision as part of the

introductory description of how the religion came into being (lines 3-7)

B: This choice is also too limited The origin and nature of Zoroastrian religion are described in order to set the stagefor the author’s discussion of the Zurvanite heresy

C: This is the view of the Zurvanite heretics (lines 37-40); it does not characterize Zoroastrianism as a whole

D: Yes The author describes the teachings of Zoroaster in the first two and a half paragraphs The rest of the passage explains how the Zurvanites heretically broke with those teachings.

63 C

A: The author does not claim that Zoroaster was the first to proclaim the end of history, just that this claim was one ofthe “most striking elements” in his teaching (lines 27-29) This discovery would not be inconsistent with thepassage

B: The author suggests that the Zurvanite conception of time as a sentient being was based in Babylonian speculations

that time is cyclical, and so unending (lines 29-35) An early Zurvanite denial that history has an end (i.e., a claim

that history and time do not end) would strengthen, not weaken the author’s argument

C: Yes The author very strongly argues that the Zurvanites committed “a deep and grievous heresy” by claiming that the two primal beings were brothers (lines 52-56) If Zoroaster himself made this claim, the Zurvanites would not in fact have “betrayed Zoroaster’s fundamental doctrine.”

D: The author does not argue that Zoroaster had no premonitory inkling of what heresies were to come This

discovery would have no effect on the author’s position

64 D

A: The passage tells us nothing about all religions, just this one religion.

B: We know that Zoroastrianism did not maintain wholly consistent doctrines, as it gave rise to the Zurvanite heresy.The passage gives no clue as to whether or not other religions did so

C: There is no discussion in the passage of justification of any, and certainly not of all, religious doctrines.

D: Yes The Zurvanites (who were converts to Zoroastrianism, lines 25-27) interpreted Zoroaster’s writings in a way that was inconsistent with Zoroaster’s own beliefs (lines 40-43).

65 C

A: The Zurvanites and the Orphic Greeks both existed in the 6th century B.C (lines 26-27) Therefore, one groupcould have influenced the other

B: See the explanation for choice A

C: Yes Zoroaster lived between 1400 and 1200 B.C. , roughly 6 to 8 centuries before the existence of the Orphic Greeks Thus, it is impossible that the Orphic Greeks had an influence on Zoroaster.

D: See the explanation for choice C Zoroaster predates the Orphic Greeks Therefore, it is not inconceivable that hehad some influence on them