GMAT Section 3 Verbal Ability practice questions, page 2 of 30, with answer review and explanations.
Question 6
The Florida panther, known for its distinctive characteristics, including a kinked tail and cowlicks, is nearing extinction with the help of scientists and government officials. Though once abundant in Florida, by the end of the twentieth century, only approximately 30 Florida panthers remained. Efforts to preserve the panthers had focused on shielding them from human encroachment with the hope that they could develop sustainable numbers to survive as a species. However, pressure from development caused officials to grow impatient and shift their strategy and goals. In 1995, new breeds of female panthers were brought to Florida from Texas to bolster the population. The change has been dramatic. In 1990, 88% of the panthers in Florida had the distinct kinked tail. By 2000, five years after the introduction of the Texas panthers, not a single kitten born to the Texas females had a kinked tail. The breed known as the Florida panther is now on an expedited, ineluctable road to extinction with the assistance of wildlife protection agencies. If the goal was to have any kind of panther in Florida, it has been realized. Since the introduction of the Texas panthers, the panther population in Florida has risen to approximately 80 mixed-breed panthers. However, this "success" could portend a tragic trend in wildlife management in the United States. We cannot and should not create genetically mixed species as a means of achieving a compromise between the needs of development and a species survival. This type of species tampering is a perversion of the ideal of wildlife management and will irrevocably transform our national landscape. The passage suggests that the author
is a former member of the Wildlife Protection Agency.
is willing to compromise if it means the survival of a species.
is afraid that species tampering will become the norm in wildlife preservation management.
believes the government has encouraged species tampering as a means of conducting genetic experiments
believes that "sustainable numbers" statistics are not realistic and lead to the expedited extinction of species.
Question 7
Using art to condemn the moral shortcomings of society is nothing new. English artist William Hogarth (1697 1764) was renowned for prints that revealed the moral lapses of eighteenth-century England. Despite the fact that Hogarth enjoyed the patronage of Englands wealthier citizens, he did not shrink away from producing scathing depictions of all levels of English society. In the ten-print series Industry and Idleness, Hogarth presents two apprentices who begin working side by side only to arrive at vastly different ends. The first apprentice is portrayed as a morally incorruptible, diligent worker. He is promoted, marries his bosss daughter, and achieves great distinction and financial success. The other apprentice does little work and engages in many unsavory activities. He is fired from his apprenticeship and continues down a path of illicit behavior and corruption. The series comes to a climax when the two former coworkers are reunited with the industrious apprentice now elevated to alderman standing in judgment of the idle coworker brought before him for murder. The idle apprentice is sentenced to death and executed, whereas the industrious apprentice goes on to become Lord Mayor of London. Among Hogarths most popular series was The Rakes Progress, which tells the story of wealthy Tom Rakewell. In the first of eight prints, Tom inherits a large sum of money that he foolishly spends on enhancing his image and prestige in superficial ways. His prodigal ways lead to his rapid decline as he is arrested for debt and in return marries an old maid for her money. He begins gambling, is imprisoned, and eventually goes insane in Bedlam. Toms descent and desperate outcome, like many of Hogarths subjects, is tied directly to moral corruption and poor self- discipline. It is interesting that Hogarths prints were extremely popular in his day. Whatever the moral shortcomings of eighteenth-century England, its citizens welcomed Hogarths social critiques and harsh judgments. According to the passage, Hogarths prints
portrayed many different kinds of moral corruption.
focused on the weak and disenfranchised.
were extremely controversial.
often offended his wealthy patrons.
are extremely valuable today.
Question 8
Using art to condemn the moral shortcomings of society is nothing new. English artist William Hogarth (1697 1764) was renowned for prints that revealed the moral lapses of eighteenth-century England. Despite the fact that Hogarth enjoyed the patronage of Englands wealthier citizens, he did not shrink away from producing scathing depictions of all levels of English society. In the ten-print series Industry and Idleness, Hogarth presents two apprentices who begin working side by side only to arrive at vastly different ends. The first apprentice is portrayed as a morally incorruptible, diligent worker. He is promoted, marries his bosss daughter, and achieves great distinction and financial success. The other apprentice does little work and engages in many unsavory activities. He is fired from his apprenticeship and continues down a path of illicit behavior and corruption. The series comes to a climax when the two former coworkers are reunited with the industrious apprentice now elevated to alderman standing in judgment of the idle coworker brought before him for murder. The idle apprentice is sentenced to death and executed, whereas the industrious apprentice goes on to become Lord Mayor of London. Among Hogarths most popular series was The Rakes Progress, which tells the story of wealthy Tom Rakewell. In the first of eight prints, Tom inherits a large sum of money that he foolishly spends on enhancing his image and prestige in superficial ways. His prodigal ways lead to his rapid decline as he is arrested for debt and in return marries an old maid for her money. He begins gambling, is imprisoned, and eventually goes insane in Bedlam. Toms descent and desperate outcome, like many of Hogarths subjects, is tied directly to moral corruption and poor self- discipline. It is interesting that Hogarths prints were extremely popular in his day. Whatever the moral shortcomings of eighteenth-century England, its citizens welcomed Hogarths social critiques and harsh judgments. The passage suggests that Hogarths work is important because
Hogarth developed the technique of story-telling through prints.
Hogarth defied authorities and convention by depicting the life of common criminals.
it reveals the hardships of life in eighteenth-century England.
it provides a critical view of the moral shortcomings of Hogarth’s society.
it demonstrates that art is an important medium for social change.
Question 9
Using art to condemn the moral shortcomings of society is nothing new. English artist William Hogarth (1697 1764) was renowned for prints that revealed the moral lapses of eighteenth-century England. Despite the fact that Hogarth enjoyed the patronage of Englands wealthier citizens, he did not shrink away from producing scathing depictions of all levels of English society. In the ten-print series Industry and Idleness, Hogarth presents two apprentices who begin working side by side only to arrive at vastly different ends. The first apprentice is portrayed as a morally incorruptible, diligent worker. He is promoted, marries his bosss daughter, and achieves great distinction and financial success. The other apprentice does little work and engages in many unsavory activities. He is fired from his apprenticeship and continues down a path of illicit behavior and corruption. The series comes to a climax when the two former coworkers are reunited with the industrious apprentice now elevated to alderman standing in judgment of the idle coworker brought before him for murder. The idle apprentice is sentenced to death and executed, whereas the industrious apprentice goes on to become Lord Mayor of London. Among Hogarths most popular series was The Rakes Progress, which tells the story of wealthy Tom Rakewell. In the first of eight prints, Tom inherits a large sum of money that he foolishly spends on enhancing his image and prestige in superficial ways. His prodigal ways lead to his rapid decline as he is arrested for debt and in return marries an old maid for her money. He begins gambling, is imprisoned, and eventually goes insane in Bedlam. Toms descent and desperate outcome, like many of Hogarths subjects, is tied directly to moral corruption and poor self- discipline. It is interesting that Hogarths prints were extremely popular in his day. Whatever the moral shortcomings of eighteenth-century England, its citizens welcomed Hogarths social critiques and harsh judgments. The description of Industry and Idleness suggests that
people in eighteenth-century England were too quick to judge each other.
the moral choices people make determine whether they will succeed or fail.
apprentices often engaged in immoral behavior in Hogarth’s time.
successful politicians are morally incorruptible.
the moral apprentice feels sorry for his former coworker.
Question 10
Using art to condemn the moral shortcomings of society is nothing new. English artist William Hogarth (1697 1764) was renowned for prints that revealed the moral lapses of eighteenth-century England. Despite the fact that Hogarth enjoyed the patronage of Englands wealthier citizens, he did not shrink away from producing scathing depictions of all levels of English society. In the ten-print series Industry and Idleness, Hogarth presents two apprentices who begin working side by side only to arrive at vastly different ends. The first apprentice is portrayed as a morally incorruptible, diligent worker. He is promoted, marries his bosss daughter, and achieves great distinction and financial success. The other apprentice does little work and engages in many unsavory activities. He is fired from his apprenticeship and continues down a path of illicit behavior and corruption. The series comes to a climax when the two former coworkers are reunited with the industrious apprentice now elevated to alderman standing in judgment of the idle coworker brought before him for murder. The idle apprentice is sentenced to death and executed, whereas the industrious apprentice goes on to become Lord Mayor of London. Among Hogarths most popular series was The Rakes Progress, which tells the story of wealthy Tom Rakewell. In the first of eight prints, Tom inherits a large sum of money that he foolishly spends on enhancing his image and prestige in superficial ways. His prodigal ways lead to his rapid decline as he is arrested for debt and in return marries an old maid for her money. He begins gambling, is imprisoned, and eventually goes insane in Bedlam. Toms descent and desperate outcome, like many of Hogarths subjects, is tied directly to moral corruption and poor self- discipline. It is interesting that Hogarths prints were extremely popular in his day. Whatever the moral shortcomings of eighteenth-century England, its citizens welcomed Hogarths social critiques and harsh judgments. Based on the passage, which of the following best expresses the main lesson of Hogarths work?
If you are diligent and industrious, you will achieve great distinction.
Wealth leads to moral corruption.
Do not judge others until you have walked in their shoes.
Some people are born immoral and cannot be changed.
Wise choices and self-discipline can keep us from moral lapses.