Jaime Smith

Quiz! Resolve the Paradox Questions Critical Thinking Vocabulary Puzzle Homework

1. The tax increase might not/will not result in more revenue for the government. 2. The councilmember cannot reverse her position. 3. The voting patterns in this precinct did not change significantly in the past year. 4. The pattern of behavior in adolescents is necessarily determined by the environment they are raised in.

5. Organic farming methods do not promote crop resistance to pest attack. 6. Not all of the missions succeeded. 7. The positive effects of the U.S. Immigration policy are not everywhere. 8. Not exactly one police car will reach the scene in time. (None or more than one)‏

You can check your answer to an Assumption question by negating the answer, and turning it into a Weaken question! 1) Logically negate the contender. Add or remove “not” to negate. 2) Does the negated answer weaken the argument?

Assumption 48, 71, 84, 93, and 112

Two ideas or occurrences contradict each other Resolve the problem with your answer

Stimulus will NOT contain a conclusion Stimulus is not trying to persuade you – it is just showing two sets of contradictory facts. Language of contradiction: o But o However o Yet o Although o Paradoxically o Surprisingly

3 key parts: if true, action, problem “Which of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent paradox?” “Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the discrepancy described above?” “Which of the following, if true, best reconciles the seeming contradiction described above?”

Don't try to disprove one side Try to reconcile BOTH sides Find the answer that allows both sides to be factually correct Explain how the situation came into being Show how the two ideas can coexist

An anti-theft device is known to reduce theft, but cars using the anti-theft device are stolen at a higher rate than cars without the device. Why? The device is placed on the fanciest, most expensive cars.

A surgeon has a low success rate while operating, but the director of the hospital claims the surgeon is the best on the staff. Why? He operates on the most challenging cases.

A bill collector has the lowest rate of success in collecting bills, but his manager claims he is the best in the field. Why? He is assigned the toughest cases because he is the best.

Provinces and states with stringent car safety requirements, including required use of seatbelts and annual safety inspections, have on average higher rates of accidents per kilometer than do provinces and states with less stringent requirements. Nevertheless, most highway safety experts agree that more stringent requirements do reduce accident rates.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to reconcile the safety experts' belief with the apparently contrary evidence described above? What is the paradox? How can it be explained?

A) Annual safety inspections ensure that car tires are replaced before they grow old. B) Drivers often become overconfident after their cars have passed a thorough safety inspection. C) The roads in provinces and states with stringent car safety programs are far more congested and therefore dangerous than in other provinces and states.

D) Psychological studies show that drivers who regularly wear seatbelts often come to think of themselves as serious drivers, which for a few people discourages reckless driving. E) Provinces and states with stringent car safety requirements have, on average, many more kilometers of roads than do other provinces and states.

B) Drivers often become overconfident after their cars have passed a thorough safety inspection. C) The roads in provinces and states with stringent car safety programs are far more congested and therefore dangerous than in other provinces and states. E) Provinces and states with stringent car safety requirements have, on average, many more kilometers of roads than do other provinces and states.

The correct answer MUST conform to the specific facts on the stimulus. Incorrect answers may try to lure you with reasonable solutions that don't quite match the stated facts. You MUST address the facts of the situation!

Calories consumed in excess of those with which the body needs to be provided to maintain its weight are normally stored as fat and the body gains weight. Alcoholic beverages are laden with calories. However, those people who regularly drink two or more alcoholic beverages a day and thereby exceed the caloric intake necessary to maintain their weight do not in general gain weight.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy? What is the paradox? How can it be explained? Remember to stick to the facts in the stimulus!

A) Some people who regularly drink two or three alcoholic beverages a day avoid exceeding the caloric intake necessary to maintain their weight by decreasing caloric intake from other sources. B) Excess calories consumed by people who regularly drink two or three alcoholic beverages a day tend to be dissipated as heat.

C) Some people who do not drink alcoholic beverages but who eat high calorie foods do not gain weight. D) Many people who regularly drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages a day do not gain weight. E) Some people who take in fewer calories than are normally necessary to maintain their weight do not lose weight.

A) Some people who regularly drink two or three alcoholic beverages a day avoid exceeding the caloric intake necessary to maintain their weight by decreasing caloric intake from other sources. B) Excess calories consumed by people who regularly drink two or three alcoholic beverages a day tend to be dissipated as heat.

Official GMAT Review (orange book)‏ Resolve the Paradox Questions: 8, 9, 18, 22, 24, 46, 59, 62, 80, 92, 98. Answer questions using the 9 steps.