MCAT Section 1 Verbal Reasoning practice questions, page 4 of 7, with answer review and explanations.
Question 16
Due to ever-increasing paranoia about the transmission of hepatitis and AIDS via blood transfusions and the frequent difficulty of procuring matching blood donors for patients, researchers have been working at a feverish pace to produce disease-free and easy-to-use blood substitutes. The difficulty most synthetic blood researches have had is in formulating a substance that combines qualities of sterility, high capacity for carrying oxygen to body tissues, and versatility within the human body. Three major substitute technologies have been developed to date; each has certain advantages and shortcomings. "Red blood," the first of the blood substitute technologies, is derived from hemoglobin which has been recycled from old, dead, or worn-out red blood cells and modified so that it can carry oxygen outside the red blood cell. Hemoglobin, a complex protein, is the bloods natural oxygen carrier and is attractive to scientists for use in synthetic blood because of its oxygen-carrying capacity. However, hemoglobin can sometimes constitute a two-fold threat to humans when it is extracted from the red blood cell and introduced to the body in its naked form. First, hemoglobin molecules are rarely sterile and often remain contaminated by viruses to which they were exposed in the cell. Second, naked hemoglobin is extremely dangerous to the kidneys, causing blood flow at these organs to shut down and leading, ultimately, to renal failure. Additional problems arise from the fact that hemoglobin is adapted to operate optimally within the intricate environment of the red blood cell. Stripped of the protection of the cell, the hemoglobin molecule tends to suffer breakdown within several hours. Although modification has produced more durable hemoglobin molecules which do not cause renal failure, undesired side effects continue to plague patients and hinder the development of hemoglobin-based blood substitutes. Another synthetic blood alternative, "white blood", is dependent on laboratory synthesized chemicals called perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Unlike blood, PFCs are clear oil like liquids, yet they are capable of absorbing quantities of oxygen up to 50% of their volume, enough of an oxygen carrying potential for oxygen-dependent organisms to survive submerged in the liquid for hours by "breathing" it. Although PFCs imitate real blood by effectively absorbing oxygen, scientists are primarily interested in them as constituents of blood substitutes because they are inherently safer to use than hemoglobin-based substitutes. PFCs do not interact with any chemicals in the body and can be manufactured in near-perfect sterility. The primary pitfall of PFCs is in their tendency to form globules in plasma that can block circulation. Dissolving PFCs in solution can mitigate globulation; however, this procedure also seriously curtails the PFCs oxygen capacity. The final and perhaps most ambitious attempt to form a blood substitute involves the synthesis of a modified version of human hemoglobin by genetically-altered bacteria. Fortunately, this synthetic hemoglobin seems to closely mimic the qualities of sterility, and durability outside the cellular environment, and the oxygen- carrying efficiency of blood. Furthermore, researchers have found that if modified hemoglobin genes are added to bacterial DNA, the bacteria will produce the desired product in copious quantities. This procedure is extremely challenging, however, because it requires the isolation of the human gene for the production of hemoglobin, and the modification of the gene to express a molecule that works without support from a living cell. While all the above technologies have serious drawbacks and difficulties, work to perfect an ideal blood substitute continues. Scientists hope that in the near future safe synthetic blood transfusions may ease blood shortages and resolve the unavailability of various blood types. According to the passage, how much oxygen can be absorbed by a 300 cc sample of PFC?
50 cc
100 cc
150 cc
300 cc
Question 17
Due to ever-increasing paranoia about the transmission of hepatitis and AIDS via blood transfusions and the frequent difficulty of procuring matching blood donors for patients, researchers have been working at a feverish pace to produce disease-free and easy-to-use blood substitutes. The difficulty most synthetic blood researches have had is in formulating a substance that combines qualities of sterility, high capacity for carrying oxygen to body tissues, and versatility within the human body. Three major substitute technologies have been developed to date; each has certain advantages and shortcomings. "Red blood," the first of the blood substitute technologies, is derived from hemoglobin which has been recycled from old, dead, or worn-out red blood cells and modified so that it can carry oxygen outside the red blood cell. Hemoglobin, a complex protein, is the bloods natural oxygen carrier and is attractive to scientists for use in synthetic blood because of its oxygen-carrying capacity. However, hemoglobin can sometimes constitute a two-fold threat to humans when it is extracted from the red blood cell and introduced to the body in its naked form. First, hemoglobin molecules are rarely sterile and often remain contaminated by viruses to which they were exposed in the cell. Second, naked hemoglobin is extremely dangerous to the kidneys, causing blood flow at these organs to shut down and leading, ultimately, to renal failure. Additional problems arise from the fact that hemoglobin is adapted to operate optimally within the intricate environment of the red blood cell. Stripped of the protection of the cell, the hemoglobin molecule tends to suffer breakdown within several hours. Although modification has produced more durable hemoglobin molecules which do not cause renal failure, undesired side effects continue to plague patients and hinder the development of hemoglobin-based blood substitutes. Another synthetic blood alternative, "white blood", is dependent on laboratory synthesized chemicals called perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Unlike blood, PFCs are clear oil like liquids, yet they are capable of absorbing quantities of oxygen up to 50% of their volume, enough of an oxygen carrying potential for oxygen-dependent organisms to survive submerged in the liquid for hours by "breathing" it. Although PFCs imitate real blood by effectively absorbing oxygen, scientists are primarily interested in them as constituents of blood substitutes because they are inherently safer to use than hemoglobin-based substitutes. PFCs do not interact with any chemicals in the body and can be manufactured in near-perfect sterility. The primary pitfall of PFCs is in their tendency to form globules in plasma that can block circulation. Dissolving PFCs in solution can mitigate globulation; however, this procedure also seriously curtails the PFCs oxygen capacity. The final and perhaps most ambitious attempt to form a blood substitute involves the synthesis of a modified version of human hemoglobin by genetically-altered bacteria. Fortunately, this synthetic hemoglobin seems to closely mimic the qualities of sterility, and durability outside the cellular environment, and the oxygen- carrying efficiency of blood. Furthermore, researchers have found that if modified hemoglobin genes are added to bacterial DNA, the bacteria will produce the desired product in copious quantities. This procedure is extremely challenging, however, because it requires the isolation of the human gene for the production of hemoglobin, and the modification of the gene to express a molecule that works without support from a living cell. While all the above technologies have serious drawbacks and difficulties, work to perfect an ideal blood substitute continues. Scientists hope that in the near future safe synthetic blood transfusions may ease blood shortages and resolve the unavailability of various blood types. It can be inferred from the passage that the difficulty of producing an ideal blood substitute is compounded by all of the following EXCEPT:
there is no known way to isolate the DNA responsible for hemoglobin.
naked hemoglobin tends to break down in the bloodstream.
non-globulating PFCs have significantly abbreviated oxygen-carrying capacities.
the use of PFCs may lead to blood clotting.
Question 18
Muzak, the intentionally unobtrusive music that most people associate with elevators and dentists waiting rooms, represents the paradoxical success story of a product designed to be ignored. Although few people admit to enjoying its blandly melodic sounds, Muzak reaches over 100 million listeners in 14 countries and has played in the White House, the Apollo lunar spacecraft, and countless supermarkets, offices, and factories. This odd combination of criticism and widespread acceptance is not surprising, however, when one considers that Muzak is not created for the enjoyment of its listeners: rather, its purpose is to modify physiological and psychological aspects of an environment. In the workplace, Muzak is credited with increasing both productivity and profitability. Research into the relationship between music and productivity can be traced to the earliest days of the Muzak Corporation. Developed by a military officer in 1922 as a way of transmitting music through electrical wires, Muzak blossomed in the 1930s following a study which reported that people work harder when they listen to certain kinds of music. Impressed by these findings, the BBC began to broadcast music in English munitions factories during World War II in an effort to combat fatigue. When workers assembling weapons increased their output by 6 percent, the U.S. War Production Board contracted the Muzak Corporation to provide uplifting music to American factories. Today, the corporation broadcasts its "Environmental Music" to countless businesses and institutions throughout the world. And while most people claim to dislike Muzak’s discreet cadences, it seems to positively influence both productivity and job satisfaction. Researchers speculate that listening to Muzak and other soft music improves morale and reduces stress by modifying our physiology. Physiological changes such as lowered heart rate and decreased blood pressure have been documented in hospital studies testing the effect of calming music on cardiac patients. In addition, certain kinds of music seem to effect ones sense of emotional, as well as physical, well being. It is just this sort of satisfaction which is thought to result in increased performance in the workplace. In a study of people performing repetitive clerical tasks, those who listened to music performed more accurately and quickly than those who worked in silence; those who listened to Muzak did better still. Moreover, while Muzak was conceived as a tool for productivity, it also seems to influence a business profitability. In an experiment in which supermarket shoppers shopped to the mellow sounds of Muzak, sales were increased by as much as 12 percent. What makes Muzak unique is a formula by which familiar tunes are modified and programmed. Careful instrumentation adds to an overall sound that is neither monotonous nor rousing. But it is the precisely timed programming that separates Muzak from other "easy listening" formats. At the core of the programming is the concept of the "Stimulus Progression." Muzak programs are divided into quarter-hour groupings of songs, and are specifically planned for the time of day at which they will be heard. Each composition is assigned a mood rating between 1 and 6 called a stimulus value; a song with a rating of 2, for example, is slower and less invigorating than one with a value of 5. Approximately six compositions with ascending stimulus values play during any given quarter hour; each 15 minute segment ends in silence. Each segment of a 24-hour program is carefully planned. Segments that are considered more stimulating air at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. (the times when workers typically tire), while more soothing segments play just after lunchtime and towards the end of the day, when workers are likely to be restless. From the point of view of management, then, Muzak is a useful tool in the effort to maximize both productivity and profits. However, some people object to its presence, labeling it as a type of unregulated air pollution. Still others see it as an Orwellian nightmare, a manipulation of the subconscious. But Muzaks effectiveness seems to lie in the fact that most people never really listen to it. While it may be true that no one actually likes this carefully crafted aural atmosphere, many simply ignore it, allowing its forgettable sounds to soften the contours of the day. According to the passage, a 15-minute segment of Muzak with an average stimulus value of 5 would most likely be broadcast at:
there is no known way to isolate the DNA responsible for hemoglobin.
naked hemoglobin tends to break down in the bloodstream.
non-globulating PFCs have significantly abbreviated oxygen-carrying capacities.
the use of PFCs may lead to blood clotting.
Question 19
Muzak, the intentionally unobtrusive music that most people associate with elevators and dentists waiting rooms, represents the paradoxical success story of a product designed to be ignored. Although few people admit to enjoying its blandly melodic sounds, Muzak reaches over 100 million listeners in 14 countries and has played in the White House, the Apollo lunar spacecraft, and countless supermarkets, offices, and factories. This odd combination of criticism and widespread acceptance is not surprising, however, when one considers that Muzak is not created for the enjoyment of its listeners: rather, its purpose is to modify physiological and psychological aspects of an environment. In the workplace, Muzak is credited with increasing both productivity and profitability. Research into the relationship between music and productivity can be traced to the earliest days of the Muzak Corporation. Developed by a military officer in 1922 as a way of transmitting music through electrical wires, Muzak blossomed in the 1930s following a study which reported that people work harder when they listen to certain kinds of music. Impressed by these findings, the BBC began to broadcast music in English munitions factories during World War II in an effort to combat fatigue. When workers assembling weapons increased their output by 6 percent, the U.S. War Production Board contracted the Muzak Corporation to provide uplifting music to American factories. Today, the corporation broadcasts its "Environmental Music" to countless businesses and institutions throughout the world. And while most people claim to dislike Muzak’s discreet cadences, it seems to positively influence both productivity and job satisfaction. Researchers speculate that listening to Muzak and other soft music improves morale and reduces stress by modifying our physiology. Physiological changes such as lowered heart rate and decreased blood pressure have been documented in hospital studies testing the effect of calming music on cardiac patients. In addition, certain kinds of music seem to effect ones sense of emotional, as well as physical, well being. It is just this sort of satisfaction which is thought to result in increased performance in the workplace. In a study of people performing repetitive clerical tasks, those who listened to music performed more accurately and quickly than those who worked in silence; those who listened to Muzak did better still. Moreover, while Muzak was conceived as a tool for productivity, it also seems to influence a business profitability. In an experiment in which supermarket shoppers shopped to the mellow sounds of Muzak, sales were increased by as much as 12 percent. What makes Muzak unique is a formula by which familiar tunes are modified and programmed. Careful instrumentation adds to an overall sound that is neither monotonous nor rousing. But it is the precisely timed programming that separates Muzak from other "easy listening" formats. At the core of the programming is the concept of the "Stimulus Progression". Muzak programs are divided into quarter-hour groupings of songs, and are specifically planned for the time of day at which they will be heard. Each composition is assigned a mood rating between 1 and 6 called a stimulus value; a song with a rating of 2, for example, is slower and less invigorating than one with a value of 5. Approximately six compositions with ascending stimulus values play during any given quarter hour; each 15-minute segment ends in silence. Each segment of a 24-hour program is carefully planned. Segments that are considered more stimulating air at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. (the times when workers typically tire), while more soothing segments play just after lunchtime and towards the end of the day, when workers are likely to be restless. From the point of view of management, then, Muzak is a useful tool in the effort to maximize both productivity and profits. However, some people object to its presence, labeling it as a type of unregulated air pollution. Still others see it as an Orwellian nightmare, a manipulation of the subconscious. But Muzaks effectiveness seems to lie in the fact that most people never really listen to it. While it may be true that no one actually likes this carefully crafted aural atmosphere, many simply ignore it, allowing its forgettable sounds to soften the contours of the day. Of the following, the author is most interested in discussing:
the origins of the Muzak Corporation.
how Muzak modifies physical states and psychological atmospheres.
how Muzak increases productivity in the workplace.
the ways in which Muzak differs from other "easy listening" formats.
Question 20
Muzak, the intentionally unobtrusive music that most people associate with elevators and dentists waiting rooms, represents the paradoxical success story of a product designed to be ignored. Although few people admit to enjoying its blandly melodic sounds, Muzak reaches over 100 million listeners in 14 countries and has played in the White House, the Apollo lunar spacecraft, and countless supermarkets, offices, and factories. This odd combination of criticism and widespread acceptance is not surprising, however, when one considers that Muzak is not created for the enjoyment of its listeners: rather, its purpose is to modify physiological and psychological aspects of an environment. In the workplace, Muzak is credited with increasing both productivity and profitability. Research into the relationship between music and productivity can be traced to the earliest days of the Muzak Corporation. Developed by a military officer in 1922 as a way of transmitting music through electrical wires, Muzak blossomed in the 1930s following a study which reported that people work harder when they listen to certain kinds of music. Impressed by these findings, the BBC began to broadcast music in English munitions factories during World War II in an effort to combat fatigue. When workers assembling weapons increased their output by 6 percent, the U.S. War Production Board contracted the Muzak Corporation to provide uplifting music to American factories. Today, the corporation broadcasts its "Environmental Music" to countless businesses and institutions throughout the world. And while most people claim to dislike Muzak’s discreet cadences, it seems to positively influence both productivity and job satisfaction. Researchers speculate that listening to Muzak and other soft music improves morale and reduces stress by modifying our physiology. Physiological changes such as lowered heart rate and decreased blood pressure have been documented in hospital studies testing the effect of calming music on cardiac patients. In addition, certain kinds of music seem to effect ones sense of emotional, as well as physical, well being. It is just this sort of satisfaction which is thought to result in increased performance in the workplace. In a study of people performing repetitive clerical tasks, those who listened to music performed more accurately and quickly than those who worked in silence; those who listened to Muzak did better still. Moreover, while Muzak was conceived as a tool for productivity, it also seems to influence a business profitability. In an experiment in which supermarket shoppers shopped to the mellow sounds of Muzak, sales were increased by as much as 12 percent. What makes Muzak unique is a formula by which familiar tunes are modified and programmed. Careful instrumentation adds to an overall sound that is neither monotonous nor rousing. But it is the precisely timed programming that separates Muzak from other "easy listening" formats. At the core of the programming is the concept of the "Stimulus Progression". Muzak programs are divided into quarter-hour groupings of songs, and are specifically planned for the time of day at which they will be heard. Each composition is assigned a mood rating between 1 and 6 called a stimulus value; a song with a rating of 2, for example, is slower and less invigorating than one with a value of 5. Approximately six compositions with ascending stimulus values play during any given quarter hour; each 15-minute segment ends in silence. Each segment of a 24-hour program is carefully planned. Segments that are considered more stimulating air at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. (the times when workers typically tire), while more soothing segments play just after lunchtime and towards the end of the day, when workers are likely to be restless. From the point of view of management, then, Muzak is a useful tool in the effort to maximize both productivity and profits. However, some people object to its presence, labeling it as a type of unregulated air pollution. Still others see it as an Orwellian nightmare, a manipulation of the subconscious. But Muzaks effectiveness seems to lie in the fact that most people never really listen to it. While it may be true that no one actually likes this carefully crafted aural atmosphere, many simply ignore it, allowing its forgettable sounds to soften the contours of the day. According to the passage, Muzak may provide all of the following benefits EXCEPT: