SAMPLE QUESTION
1) The postal service is badly
mismanaged. Thirty years ago, first-class letter delivery cost
only three cents. Since then, the price has increased sevenfold,
with an actual decrease in the speed and reliability of service.
All of the following would tend
to weaken the conclusion of the argument above EXCEPT:
a) The volume of mail handled by the postal service has increased
dramatically over the last thirty years.
b) Unprecedented increases in the cost of fuel for trucks and
planes have put severe upward pressures on postal delivery costs.
c) Private delivery services
usually charge more than does the postal service for comparable
delivery services.
d) The average delivery time for a first-class letter three decades
ago was actually slightly longer than it is today.
e) The average level of consumer prices overall has increased
fourfold over the last thirty years.
Explanation: the conclusion here
is that the postal service is poorly managed. We are looking
for something that would not weaken the argument, in other words,
something that suggests incompetent management, something that
doesn't excuse the post office's poor performance.
Choice a) The volume of mail handled by the postal service
has increased dramatically over the last thirty years. This
would seem to excuse the poor service/price because the service
has had to overcome a massive increase in volume.
Choice b) Unprecedented increases
in the cost of fuel for trucks and planes have put severe upward
pressures on postal delivery costs. This would seem to excuse
the poor service/price because costs have increased dramatically.
Choice c) Private delivery
services usually charge more than does the postal service for
comparable delivery services. This would seem to excuse the
poor service/price because other services are not as efficient.
Choice d) The average delivery
time for a first-class letter three decades ago was actually
slightly longer than it is today. This shows they have made
improvements in service, suggesting that the postal service isn't
all that bad after all.
Choice e) The average level
of consumer prices overall has increased fourfold over the last
thirty years. Since the price of postage has increased seven
times over, this suggests that postal prices have increased at
a rate much quicker than inflation. Thus, choice E suggests that
there is price gouging and does support the original argument,
making this the correct answer.
w D. Main Point Questions
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