GMAT Section 3 Verbal Ability

GMAT Section 3 Verbal Ability practice questions, page 24 of 30, with answer review and explanations.

Question 116

When three Indian-owned trains purchased from Transcontinental Trains crashed within a two month time period, the Indian parliament ordered the acquisition of three new Transcontinental trains as replacements. This decision surprised many because it is customary for users to shun a product after it is involved in accidents. Which of the following, if true, provides the best indication that the decision of the Indian government was well supported?

  1. Although during the previous year only one transcontinental train crashed, competing manufacturers had a perfect safety record.
  2. The Transcontinental-built trains crashed due to sabotage, but because of the excellent quality of the trains, fire was averted increasing the number of survivors.
  3. The Indian Railway Commission issued new guidelines for trains in order to standardize safety requirements governing inspections.
  4. Consumer advocates pressured two major railway companies into purchasing safer trains so that the public would be safer.
  5. Many Transcontinental Train employees had to be replaced because they found jobs with the competition

Question 117

Recently, a court ruled that current law allows tour operators that travel to potentially dangerous locations, such as the Amazon, to reject potential customers if there is a 50 percent chance that the traveler would contract malaria on the trip. The presiding judge justified the ruling, saying that it protected both travelers and tour operators. This use of his court ruling as part of the law could not be effective if which of the following were true?

  1. The best interests of travelers often conflict with the interests of tour operators.
  2. There is currently no legally accepted method existing for calculating the risk of contracting malaria as a result of being exposed to it in a particular location.
  3. Some trips might involve health risks other than the risk of malaria.
  4. Travelers who have a 50 percent chance of contracting malaria may be unaware that their risk is so great.
  5. The number of people signing up to take trips with a tour company might decline if the company, by screening applicants for risk of malaria, seemed to suggest

Question 118

Since the national postal service in country X was privatized six months ago, delays in the delivery of mail have increased by 20 percent. To combat this problem, more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of the country. Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution proposed above

  1. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment.
  2. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent.
  3. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries.
  4. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent.
  5. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled. 5. Employees

Question 119

Employees that get a thorough medical examination twice a year take fewer sick days. Even employees who get examined only once a year take less sick time than those who do not get checked. Therefore, if companies instituted in-house medical examination programs, the absentee rate in those companies would decrease significantly. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?

  1. Employees who get medical check ups during working hours occasionally feel ill for short periods of time after the examination.
  2. Employees who are frequently absent are the least likely to cooperate with a corporate medical program.
  3. Employees who get a thorough medical examination once a week in their company's medical program usually also get checked by their private doctor.
  4. Employees who get examined in their company's in-house medical program use their working time no more productively than those who do not get examined.
  5. Employees who get medical examinations during working hours take slightly longer lunch breaks than employees who do not get examinations.

Question 120

In an attempt to discourage the widespread acceptance of clothing manufactured in sweatshops, the council of a small town plans to ban the sale of sweatshop goods for which substitutes manufactured under humane conditions exist. The council argues that non-sweatshop apparel is morally preferable. Which of the following, if true, indicates that the plan to ban the sale of sweatshop goods is ill suited to the town council's moral objectives?

  1. Although clothing manufactured in sweatshops is now available, members of the town council believe non-sweatshop apparel is better for workers in the clothing manufacturing business.
  2. The clothing factory at which most of the townspeople are employed plans to improve their working conditions.
  3. After other towns enacted similar bans on the sale of clothing manufactured in sweatshops, the benefits to workers in the clothing manufacturing business were not discernible for several years.
  4. Since most townspeople prefer clothing manufactured in sweatshops in many instances, they are likely to purchase them in neighboring towns where such goods are available for sale.
  5. Sweatshops sometimes produce items other than apparel.