Admission Tests GMAT Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

Admission Tests GMAT Online Questions & Answers

• Question 131:

  Because of the positive correlation across animal species between body size and home range size, researchers suspected that body size of female mallards (a species of duck) may influence their home range size. The researchers also reasoned that younger females may be forced into less suitable habitats by older females competing with them for optimal areas, with the younger females compensating by having larger home ranges. However, their research supported neither suspicion. The failure to detect variation of range size according to body size may be due to other, undetermined mallard attributes (for example, body condition) that may have been a significant factor affecting home range size. The fact that most yearling females can breed may help to explain why the expected age effect was not confirmed, since home range size may be affected by breeding capability.

  The researchers did find, however, that home range size of females was Inversely related to the percentage of the study area composed of seasonal or semipermanent wetlands. This may have been because of reduced competition for breeding space within the species when more of the wetlands were present. They also found home range size to decrease somewhat as the percentage of wood-shrub habitat increased, suggesting that reduction in visual contact among mallard pairs may reduce interaction and thus reduce competition among breeding pairs.

  Regarding female mallards, which of the following was a finding of the researchers' study described in the passage?

  A. Female mallards in larger home ranges tend to be those that have had greater success at breeding.
  B. Female mallard body size has relatively little if any effect on home range size.
  C. The bodies of larger female mallards tend to be in better condition.
  D. Younger female mallards tend to be forced into less suitable habitat by older female malar ds.
  E. Female mallard body size sometimes influences the birds' home range size.
  C. The bodies of larger female mallards tend to be in better condition.

• Question 132:

  

  A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
  B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
  C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
  D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
  E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
  A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

• Question 133:

  The use o* bets in the 1998 study was intended to deflect objections that would be based on which of the following Issues?

  A. The possibility of research subjects interpreting "probability" so as not to conform to the mathematical principles, and their interpretation of Xto include additional information
  B. The possibility of research subjects interpreting "probability" so as not to conform to the mathematical principles, and the lack of motivation of some of the subjects
  C. Failure of research subjects to recognize that adolescent smoking could decrease even when the cigarette tax remains the same
  D. The Interpretation of *by some study subjects to include additional Information, and their lack of concentration on the assigned tasks
  E. The fact that some of the research subjects did not commit the conjunction fallacy
  E. The fact that some of the research subjects did not commit the conjunction fallacy

  ---

  Explanation/Reference:

  Mathematical principles of probability entail that for any future event, the probability that it will occur Is at least as great as the probability that both it and some other given event will occur. Consider, for example, the following statements that were shown to subjects in a 1998 study. X The percentage of adolescent smokers In Texas will decrease at least 15% from current levels by September 1, 1999. Y The cigarette tax in Texas will increase by $1.00 per pack in 1999. Z The cigarette tax in Texas will increase by $1.00 per pack in 1999, and the percentage of adolescent smokers in Texas will decrease at least 15% from current levels by September 1, 1999. Z("Kand X") could not have been more probable than X. Nevertheless, many of the subjects judged Zto be more probable than X. This mistaken form of reasoning, displayed with surprising frequency in various studies in addition to the 1998 study, is known as the "conjunction fallacy." A number of researchers have offered alternative explanations for the seeming manifestations of the mistake, thus arguing that the fallacy is less widely committed than the various studies would indicate. Some have claimed that research subjects can take "probability" in a sense that does not conform to the mathematical principles of probability. Detailed descriptions of some such conceptions of "probability" have been developed under the names of "confirmation" and "support." Other researchers would claim, correctly, that subjects shown Z(" Kand X") and ^simultaneously will sometimes think of Xas involving the negation of Y--as a claim that the percentage of adolescent smokers in Texas will decrease, but without the $1.00 increase in the cigarette tax. However, although the subjects in the 1998 study were to consider Xand Z simultaneously, the statements were presented in terms of bets rather than explicit requests for judgments of relative probability. Subjects were asked to choose between Zand X, with a chance of winning $50.00 if the chosen statement turned out to be true. Terms such as "most probable," "likely," etc., were thus avoided, and the interpretation of X\n conjunction with the negation of Kwas thereby eliminated. And with these alternative explanations eliminated, many of the subjects nonetheless bet on Zrather than

  X:

• Question 134:

  Scientists recently found traces of down on the fossil of a dinosaur, which they describe as typical of the kind that eventually, in birds, develops into feathers.

  A. recently found traces of down on the fossil of a dinosaur, which they describe as typical of the kind that eventually, in birds, develops
  B. recently found traces of down on the fossil of a dinosaur, describing It as typical of the kind in birds that eventually develop
  C. recently found traces of down on the fossil of a dinosaur and describe it to be typical of the kind that, in birds, eventually develops
  D. describe the recently found traces of down on the fossil of a dinosaur to be typical of the kind in birds that eventually develop
  E. describe the traces of down found recently on the fossil of a dinosaur as typical of the kind that, in birds, eventually develops
  A. recently found traces of down on the fossil of a dinosaur, which they describe as typical of the kind that eventually, in birds, develops

• Question 135:

  Mark Twain's financial troubles stemmed from a lavish lifestyle and poor investments in such a dubious invention as a "patent baby clamp," designed to prevent infants from kicking off their blankets, and an extraordinarily complicated and undependable typesetting machine.

  A. poor investments in such a dubious invention as
  B. poor investments in such dubious inventions as
  C. included such poor investments as in the dubious inventions of
  D. such poor investments, as in the invention of
  E. such poor investments in dubious inventions as
  B. poor investments in such dubious inventions as

• Question 136:

  Doctor: People who have grown up on farms and have been frequently exposed to germs from farm animals are much less likely to develop allergies than are people who were raised in more sanitary environments. This suggests that childhood exposure to certain microorganisms improves the function of the immune system.

  In order to assess the strength of the doctor's argument, it would be most helpful to know which of the following?

  A. Whether farm animals exposed to microorganisms can develop allergies as a result
  B. To which species of microorganisms children who grow up on farms are most often exposed
  C. How the lifestyles of children on farms tend to be distinctive in other ways known to affect the function of the immune system
  D. Whether adults who work with farm animals are less likely to develop allergies than adults from similar backgrounds who work in sanitary environments
  E. Whether most of the allergies suffered by adults who did not grow up on farms are caused by allergens found on farms
  C. How the lifestyles of children on farms tend to be distinctive in other ways known to affect the function of the immune system

• Question 137:

  If n and K are positive integers and n+ k< 8, how many different values of the product nk are possible?

  A. 8
  B. 9
  C. 10
  D. 12
  E. 16
  C. 10

• Question 138:

  The laws of the European Union and of its member states must each be clear, up to date, and all work well together.

  A. clear, up to date, and all
  B. clear and up to date, and they must all
  C. clear, must each be up to date, and
  D. clear, and each must be up to date and
  E. clear, be up to date, and have to
  B. clear and up to date, and they must all

• Question 139:

  The term "electric-drive vehicles" not only Includes cars powered bv batteries charged with household current but also vehicles generating electricity on board or storing it in devices other than batteries.

  A. not only includes cars powered by batteries charged with household current but also vehicles generating electricity on board or storing
  B. not only includes cars that use power from batteries charged with household current but, in addition, vehicles generating electricity on board or storing
  C. includes not only cars powered by batteries charged with household current but also includes vehicles that generate electricity on board or storing
  D. includes not only cars that use power from batteries charged with household current but vehicles as well that generate electricity on board or store
  E. includes not only cars powered by batteries charged with household current but also vehicles that generate electricity on board or store
  E. includes not only cars powered by batteries charged with household current but also vehicles that generate electricity on board or store

• Question 140:

  In a class of 21 students, how many scored above the class average (arithmetic mean) on the final exam? (1) The class average Is 78.

  (2)

  The dass median is 78.

  A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) atone is not sufficient.
  B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
  C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
  D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
  E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
  D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.