GMAT Verbal Reasoning Practice Set 1

Administrators at Washington Memorial Hospital were concerned by the high rates of late employee arrivals each morning. As an intervention, the hospital implemented a new program that offers employees free breakfast every morning from 6-7 a.m. The breakfast program was meant to incentivize employees. After a month of the program, hospital administrators saw little change in the rate of late employee arrivals.

Which of the following, if true, best explains why the hospital administration saw little change in the rate of late employee arrivals?

Biofeedback is a popular therapeutic technique that can train people to alter their predominantly unconscious physiological activities such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. This process involves using sensory feedback such as visual cues or sounds to learn how to relax one’s body and mind in order to improve functioning and overall health. One of the benefits of biofeedback is its versatility. Biofeedback can include a variety of interventions that target functions that are controlled by our automatic nervous system. For example, sensors placed on the body can alert a person to changes in heart rate variability (HRV); with time, the person can learn to have greater control over their HRV which has been shown to improve a number of conditions such as depression and asthma. Similarly, respiratory feedback can train people to have more control over their breathing, which can be beneficial to those suffering from anxiety. Many other forms of biofeedback exist, making it convenient both as a standalone therapy and as an addition to other types of treatment.

Biofeedback is safe and noninvasive. Despite its many benefits, biofeedback may not be for everyone; scientists are still uncovering the underlying mechanisms that make it work to better understand why it is more effective for some people than for others. In addition, this type of therapy requires a commitment of time and effort; it does not provide a quick fix for any ailment. Yet, with the support of a trained professional, biofeedback remains a useful therapeutic tool that has the potential to greatly improve the care of many mental and physical conditions.

Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?

Biofeedback is a popular therapeutic technique that can train people to alter their predominantly unconscious physiological activities such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. This process involves using sensory feedback such as visual cues or sounds to learn how to relax one’s body and mind in order to improve functioning and overall health. One of the benefits of biofeedback is its versatility. Biofeedback can include a variety of interventions that target functions that are controlled by our automatic nervous system. For example, sensors placed on the body can alert a person to changes in heart rate variability (HRV); with time, the person can learn to have greater control over their HRV which has been shown to improve a number of conditions such as depression and asthma. Similarly, respiratory feedback can train people to have more control over their breathing, which can be beneficial to those suffering from anxiety. Many other forms of biofeedback exist, making it convenient both as a standalone therapy and as an addition to other types of treatment.

Biofeedback is safe and noninvasive. Despite its many benefits, biofeedback may not be for everyone; scientists are still uncovering the underlying mechanisms that make it work to better understand why it is more effective for some people than for others. In addition, this type of therapy requires a commitment of time and effort; it does not provide a quick fix for any ailment. Yet, with the support of a trained professional, biofeedback remains a useful therapeutic tool that has the potential to greatly improve the care of many mental and physical conditions.

Based on the information in the passage, which of the following can be inferred about the automatic nervous system?

Biofeedback is a popular therapeutic technique that can train people to alter their predominantly unconscious physiological activities such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. This process involves using sensory feedback such as visual cues or sounds to learn how to relax one’s body and mind in order to improve functioning and overall health. One of the benefits of biofeedback is its versatility. Biofeedback can include a variety of interventions that target functions that are controlled by our automatic nervous system. For example, sensors placed on the body can alert a person to changes in heart rate variability (HRV); with time, the person can learn to have greater control over their HRV which has been shown to improve a number of conditions such as depression and asthma. Similarly, respiratory feedback can train people to have more control over their breathing, which can be beneficial to those suffering from anxiety. Many other forms of biofeedback exist, making it convenient both as a standalone therapy and as an addition to other types of treatment.

Biofeedback is safe and noninvasive. Despite its many benefits, biofeedback may not be for everyone; scientists are still uncovering the underlying mechanisms that make it work to better understand why it is more effective for some people than for others. In addition, this type of therapy requires a commitment of time and effort; it does not provide a quick fix for any ailment. Yet, with the support of a trained professional, biofeedback remains a useful therapeutic tool that has the potential to greatly improve the care of many mental and physical conditions.

The author of the passage mentions the support of trained professionals in biofeedback most likely in order to

A professor collected anonymous student evaluations in a box. Of the sixty students 24 responded, 20 of the responses were positive and 4 were negative. This suggests that most students had good impressions of their professor.

This argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of the following grounds?

A dog is trained to be an excellent truffle hunter. His trainer concludes that because he excels at such a complex job, he can’t be trained to be a successful service dog.

Which of the following must be assumed for the dog trainer’s conclusion to follow logically?

Kids may begin playing travel baseball at the age of five. With the increased media exposure of college and professional baseball, many parents push their young children to advance in the sport quickly by playing as often as possible. Parents believe there is a substantial advantage to providing their players the most opportunities to play by beginning their playing young and often. Therefore, their children are more likely to be destined for a lucrative baseball career when they are older.

Which of the following most seriously calls into question the argument’s conclusion?

The United States experiences appropriately 1,200 tornadoes each year. Tornado records only go back as far as 1950 so it is difficult to reason how the 1,200 annual tornadoes compare to the average of tornadoes across the nation throughout the United State’s history. What is known are the methods of tornado spotting and recording have improved a lot. The improved technology has enabled atmospheric scientists, also known as meteorologists, to observe more tornadoes that before may have gone unreported.

Tornadoes are classified as violently rotating vertical funnels. Also referred to as twisters, tornadoes develop from a thunderstorm extending to the ground. The funnel is water droplets, dust, and debris and can be accompanied by hail. Tornadoes have been reported with winds topping 250 miles an hour and spanning a mile across and fifty miles long.

Tornado season refers to the time of year from May to June when the United States is most likely to see tornadoes, but tornadoes can occur at any time. In order to best predict tornadoes, meteorologists look at computerized models that use current forecast models to predict weather patterns. If experts determine the data shows in favor of a tornado, a watch will be issued to inform the public on the date the storm begins forming. The majority of the time, the data does not show a tornado and therefore is not shared with the public. For the instances when the atmospheric conditions are primed for a tornado, meteorologists are well-equipped to alert the public as early as possible.

Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

The United States experiences appropriately 1,200 tornadoes each year. Tornado records only go back as far as 1950 so it is difficult to reason how the 1,200 annual tornadoes compare to the average of tornadoes across the nation throughout the United State’s history. What is known are the methods of tornado spotting and recording have improved a lot. The improved technology has enabled atmospheric scientists, also known as meteorologists, to observe more tornadoes that before may have gone unreported.

Tornadoes are classified as violently rotating vertical funnels. Also referred to as twisters, tornadoes develop from a thunderstorm extending to the ground. The funnel is water droplets, dust, and debris and can be accompanied by hail. Tornadoes have been reported with winds topping 250 miles an hour and spanning a mile across and fifty miles long.

Tornado season refers to the time of year from May to June when the United States is most likely to see tornadoes, but tornadoes can occur at any time. In order to best predict tornadoes, meteorologists look at computerized models that use current forecast models to predict weather patterns. If experts determine the data shows in favor of a tornado, a watch will be issued to inform the public on the date the storm begins forming. The majority of the time, the data does not show a tornado and therefore is not shared with the public. For the instances when the atmospheric conditions are primed for a tornado, meteorologists are well-equipped to alert the public as early as possible.

It can be inferred from the passage that the reason more tornadoes are reported today than were reported in 1950 is due to which of the following reasons?

The United States experiences appropriately 1,200 tornadoes each year. Tornado records only go back as far as 1950 so it is difficult to reason how the 1,200 annual tornadoes compare to the average of tornadoes across the nation throughout the United State’s history. What is known are the methods of tornado spotting and recording have improved a lot. The improved technology has enabled atmospheric scientists, also known as meteorologists, to observe more tornadoes that before may have gone unreported.

Tornadoes are classified as violently rotating vertical funnels. Also referred to as twisters, tornadoes develop from a thunderstorm extending to the ground. The funnel is water droplets, dust, and debris and can be accompanied by hail. Tornadoes have been reported with winds topping 250 miles an hour and spanning a mile across and fifty miles long.

Tornado season refers to the time of year from May to June when the United States is most likely to see tornadoes, but tornadoes can occur at any time. In order to best predict tornadoes, meteorologists look at computerized models that use current forecast models to predict weather patterns. If experts determine the data shows in favor of a tornado, a watch will be issued to inform the public on the date the storm begins forming. The majority of the time, the data does not show a tornado and therefore is not shared with the public. For the instances when the atmospheric conditions are primed for a tornado, meteorologists are well-equipped to alert the public as early as possible.

The passage suggests which of the following about tornado season as mentioned in the third paragraph?