GMAT Prep Course - The Phools Guide's Premier GMAT Prep Course

GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course ©2009 by Phools Guide, LLC All Rights Reserved Published 2009 • Phools Guide Press Saline, MI, USA GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 1 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Table of Contents I. II. GMAT Format GMAT Scores a. GMAT Scores at Top MBA Programs b. GMAT Score Breakdown c. GMAT Prep Course GMAT Scores GMAT Prep Course Practice Questions a. Practice Problem Solving Questions b. Practice Data Sufficiency Questions c. Practice Critical Reasoning Questions d. Practice Sentence Correction Questions e. Practice Reading Comprehension Questions 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 9 15 22 28 III. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 2 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test GMAT Format In order to succeed in any GMAT prep course, it is absolutely essential that you master the format of the GMAT. You must know exactly how many questions appear in each section, the type of questions in each section, and the time allotted for each section. Without this pivotal information, you cannot properly plan and map your progress through the test. Since managing your time is an essential component to earning a high score on a GMAT prep course practice test (and eventually on the real GMAT test), we strongly recommend you commit the following chart to memory. Questions Analytical Writing Assessment Analysis of an Argument Analysis of an Issue Mathematics Problem Solving Data Sufficiency Verbal Sentence Correction Critical Reasoning Reading Comprehension Total Time (with two breaks) Allotted Time 30 minutes 30 minutes 75 minutes 37 41 75 minutes 3.5 hours GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 3 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test GMAT Scores On the most fundamental level, the purpose of taking a GMAT prep course is achieving a high GMAT score and earning admission to a good business school. GMAT Scores at Top MBA Programs MBA Program University of Michigan Harvard Stanford University of Pennsylvania MIT Northwestern University of Chicago Dartmouth University of California (Berkeley) Columbia New York University Duke University of Virginia Cornell Yale Carnegie Mellon University Average GMAT Score 710 720 725 710 710 710 710 700 710 710 710 700 690 700 700 690 GMAT Score Breakdown 90th Percentile GMAT Score  Composite Score: 700  Verbal: 41  Quantitative: 50  Analytical Writing Assessment: 6.0 50th Percentile GMAT Score  Composite Score: 550  Verbal: 29  Quantitative: 37  Analytical Writing Assessment: 5.0 GMAT Prep Course GMAT Scores One of the best kept secrets is that a good GMAT prep course will often raise your score by about 80 points. In proprietary research conducted by Phools Guide, we found that students who took a GMAT prep course raised their score by an average of 80 points. Not surprisingly, the amount of time a student spent studying appeared to be strongly correlated with the student’s point gain. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 4 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test GMAT Prep Course Practice Questions Practice Problem Solving Questions GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 1 What is the units digit of 615 - 74 - 93? A) B) C) D) E) 8 7 6 5 4 Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 2 If x is a positive integer and z is a non-negative integer such that (2,066)z is a divisor of 3,176,793, what is the value of zx - xz? A) B) C) D) E) -81 -1 0 1 It Cannot Be Determined Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 3 If (2439 + 18z)(81-18z)(2715 - 9z) = 1, what is the value of z? A) B) C) D) -27 -10 0 10 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 5 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test E) 27 Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 4 z is a positive integer and multiple of 2; p = 4z, what is the remainder when p is divided by 10? A) B) C) D) E) 10 6 4 0 It Cannot Be Determined Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 5 Set S consists of the following unique integers: -2, 17, 3, n, 2, 15, -3, and -27; which of the following could be the median of set S? A) B) C) D) E) 1 9 14 17 It Cannot Be Determined Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 6 During the past week, a local medical clinic tested N individuals for two infections. If 1/3 of those tested had infection A and, of those with infection A, 1/5 also had infection B, how many individuals did not have both infection A and B? A) B) C) N/15 4N/15 N/5 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 6 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test D) E) 14N/15 4N/5 Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 7 x is a positive integer divisible by 4; as x increases from 1824 to 1896, which of the following must decrease? I. 4x2 - 4x + 4 II. -10 - 1/x2 III. 4/x2 A) B) C) D) E) I only II only III only II and III only None Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 8 Assume that x and y are positive integers such that (x/y) > 1. Which of the following must be less than 1? A) B) C) D) E) x(y-1) x3(y-4) x3(y) x(y3) (x-1)y Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 9 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 7 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test A group of 5 investment bankers and 5 clients recently frequented the Fine Tiger Indian Restaurant. The total bill for the meal, including 20% gratuity, came to $960. On average, how much did the meal of each individual cost before gratuity? A) B) C) D) E) $160 $96 $90 $80 $55 Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 10 f(x) = -5x197-8x248+1; f(-1) = ? A) B) C) D) E) -16,251 -12 -2 14 16,251 Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 8 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Practice Data Sufficiency Questions Directions Each data sufficiency problem consists of a question and two statements, labeled (1) and (2), that give data. You have to decide whether the data given in the statements are sufficient for answering the question. Using the data given in the statements plus your knowledge of mathematics and everyday facts (such as the number of days in July or the meaning of counterclockwise), you must indicate whether the data given in the statements are sufficient for answering the questions. GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 1 If w, x, y, and z are the digits of the four-digit number N, a positive integer, what is the remainder when N is divided by 9? 1. w + x + y + z = 13 2. N + 5 is divisible by 9 A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 2 If x and y are distinct positive integers, what is the value of x4 - y4? 1. (y2 + x2)(y + x)(x - y) = 240 2. xy = yx and x > y GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 9 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 3 If z = xn - 19, is z divisible by 9? 1. x = 10; n is a positive integer 2. z + 981 is a multiple of 9 A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 4 x is a positive integer; what is the value of x? 1. The sum of any two positive factors of x is even GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 10 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test 2. x is a prime number and x < 4 A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 5 x is an integer and x raised to any odd integer is greater than zero; is w - z greater than 5 times the quantity 7x-1 - 5x? 1. z < 25 and w = 7x 2. x = 4 A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 6 If N, C, and D are positive integers, what is the remainder when D is divided by C? 1. If D+1 is divided by C+1, the remainder is 5. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 11 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test 2. If ND+NC is divided by CN, the remainder is 5. A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 7 What is the value of x? 1. The average (arithmetic mean) of 5, x2, 2, 10x, and 3 is -3. 2. The median of 109, -32, -30, 208, -15, x, 10, -43, 7 is -5. A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 8 In 2003, a then-nascent Internet search engine developed an indexing algorithm called G-Cache that retrieved and stored X million webpages per hour. At the same time, a competitor developed an indexing algorithm called HTML-Compress that indexed and stored Y million pages GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 12 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test per hour. If both algorithms indexed a positive number of pages per hour, was the number of pages indexed per hour by G-Cache greater than three times the number of pages indexed by HTML-Compress? 1. On a per-hour basis in 2003, G-Cache indexed 1 million more pages than HTML-Compress indexed 2. HTML-Compress can index between 400,000 and 1.4 million pages per hour A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 9 If both x and y are positive integers less than 100 and greater than 10, is the sum x + y a multiple of 11? 1. x - y is a multiple of 22 2. The tens digit and the units digit of x are the same; the tens digit and the units digit of y are the same A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 13 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 10 If x and y are both integers, which is larger, xx or yy? 1. x = y + 1 2. xy > x and x is positive. A) B) C) D) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E) Statement (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 14 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Practice Critical Reasoning Questions Directions For this question, select the best of the answer choices given. GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 1 Samuel is obviously a bad fisherman. During the past season, in which he and the five members of his team spent four months on a boat together off Dutch Harbor, AK, he caught fewer fish than any of his teammates. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above? A) Two seasons ago, Samuel fished on another boat off Dutch Harbor and caught more fish than any other member of that boat. B) Before becoming a fisherman, Samuel piloted a fishing boat whose members regularly caught record numbers of fish. C) While fishing this past season, Samuel fell sick for a week and did not catch any fish during this time. D) Unlike the other fishermen on his boat, at the order of the captain, Samuel fished this past season with experimental bait. E) Amongst the fishing community in Dutch Harbor, Samuel has a reputation for being an especially bad fisherman. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 2 Virtually all health experts agree that second-hand smoke poses a serious health risk. After the publication of yet another research paper explicating the link between exposure to second-hand smoke and a shorter life span, some members of the State House of Representatives proposed a ban on smoking in most public places in an attempt to promote quality of life and length of lifespan. Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the actions of the State Representatives? A) The amount of damaging chemicals and fumes released into the air by cigarette smoke is far less than the amount released from automobiles, especially from older models. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 15 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test B) Banning smoking in most public places will not considerably reduce the percent of the population in the state in question that smokes. C) The state whose legislators are proposing the tough smoking legislation has a relatively high percent of its population that smoke. D) Another state that enacted a similar law a decade ago saw a statistically significant drop in lung-cancer rates among non-smokers. E) A nearby state up-wind has the highest number of smokers in the country. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 3 Net Neutrality stipulates that Internet service providers (ISP) cannot partition their bandwidth such that different types of Internet communications have different maximum bandwidth capacities. For example, an ISP cannot relegate high bandwidth voice-over-IP (VoIP) traffic to a separate tunnel in an attempt to ensure that users of low-bandwidth functions such as plaintext email are not slowed down by the high-bandwidth users. Some individuals support implementing Net Neutrality on the principle that one group (i.e., users of high-bandwidth services) should not be effectively penalized for the actions of another group (i.e., users of slowbandwidth services, who have a special traffic lane carved out for them, thereby slowing highbandwidth users). Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument of the supporters of Net Neutrality mentioned above? A) The jobs of many high-bandwidth users require these individuals to use high-bandwidth services. B) Placing no restrictions on the bandwidth of individuals who use high-bandwidth services would force ISPs to purchase massive amounts of expensive additional bandwidth, disproportionately increasing the price of access for low-bandwidth users. C) A strong and well respected lobbying firm recently revealed it has been hired by large telecommunications firms to oppose Net Neutrality on the grounds that it infringes upon a private company's ability to do business. D) One country that mandated Net Neutrality saw a decrease in satisfaction of Internet users. E) A recent court ruling upheld the principle that technology companies cannot discriminate in whom they serve or how they serve users. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 16 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 4 Eating beets significantly lowers the risk of cancer, according to an article in a nutritional magazine. The article refers to a study that found that people who consumed one or more beets per day were half as likely to be diagnosed with the disease as people who did not. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument in the magazine article? A) Another study found that people who consumed one tablespoon of flax seed oil per day were more than four times less likely to be diagnosed with cancer as those who did not. B) C) Participants in the study reported consuming no vegetables other than beets. The study was only conducted in one city. D) In another experiment, cancer patients who ate one or more beets per day were no more likely to recover than those who ate no beets. E) The participants in the study who ate beets were more likely to exercise regularly than those who did not eat beets. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 5 Wine Company Representative: The corks of red wine bottles pose a threat to the environment because they are treated with chemicals that are especially toxic in landfills. However, the new cork that our company developed, which will be adopted by the entire red wine industry, represents a solution. Since the new cork is natural and not treated with chemicals, when the industry completes its transition to the new cork, there will no longer be any threat to landfills from red wine corks. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above? A) The industry's transition to the new red wine corks will take years, allowing thousands of old corks to pollute landfills. B) Even after the industry's transition to new corks, a large number of wine bottles with old corks will continue to be consumed. C) The new corks take considerably longer to produce. D) Production of the new cork emits more toxic fumes than were emitted in the production of the old cork. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 17 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test E) The new corks are more expensive than the old corks. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 6 Political Commentator: In order for a democracy to flourish, it is essential that political and journalistic freedom of expression exist. Even if commentators voice ideas that do not support the current government, a society is strengthened by the variety of views expressed. Yet, our government continues to exercise a stranglehold on certain forms of speech. It is essential that the government loosen its control on the media. Despite the potential short-term instability this may cause the country, it will strengthen the long-term health of the country. Which of the following expresses the conclusion of the argument? A) The government is exercising too much control over the media B) The government needs to open the media and release its hold on certain forms of speech C) D) E) Democracy requires a strong and free press Even ideas not supportive of democracy can strengthen a government The future of the media lies in the hands of the government Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 7 Authors writing detective stories frequently include a brilliant detective and an incompetent investigator who embark on separate paths in an attempt to solve a crime. The separate accounts frequently consist of the incompetent investigator becoming distracted by the criminals' well-planned attempts and the competent detective solving the case after a violent confrontation. Many literary analysts believe authors often choose this storyline in an attempt to provide readers additional complexity and challenge in solving the investigation. Which of the following most logically follows from the statements above? A) A well-written detective story consists of an investigation being undertaken by a competent and incompetent investigator. B) Some authors use an incompetent investigator to show the complexities of an investigation. C) Authors never write stories with incompetent investigators who solve a case correctly. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 18 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test D) Authors can use the separate investigative accounts to make predicting the correct outcome of the investigation more difficult. E) Authors write stories with competent and incompetent investigators to show the complexity of real life. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 8 Years ago, some in the government's intelligence community feared the work of telecommunications researchers at then-emerging private security firms. The government experts concluded that these private firms posed the biggest risk to successful government espionage. As the private security firms began publicly releasing and advertising encryption algorithms and other security products, these government experts saw support for their conclusion when an encryption algorithm that government experts could not break began appearing in countless emails. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the conclusion of the government experts referred to above? A) Shortly before the government experts reached their conclusions, two private security companies each claimed to have developed "the world's strongest email encryption algorithm" B) The private security firms' decision to advertise their products and sell them publicly led to other members of the private sector and academia scrutinizing the encryption algorithms. C) An open-source encryption algorithm, developed by an academic and freely available from popular websites, is recognized by numerous ex-government code breakers as the most unbreakable algorithm ever developed. D) An enemy government recently succeeded in placing a spy within the government espionage operations referred to above. E) To strengthen the reputation of the private security firms, employees of these firms publish information about the strength of their products and the benefits of using them. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 9 As a result of implementing an experimental farming system that combined aggressive new fertilization, deep irrigation, and speculative pesticides, the yield on crops at a farm in central GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 19 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test California grew consistently and considerably over the past six years. However, yields this year unexpectedly plummeted, causing the farm's owners considerable financial difficulties. Which of the following statements, if true, best explains the unexpected drop in yield? A) As a result of a serious and recent economic recession, the market for the products the farm produced shrank in size during the past year. B) Other farms that began using the experimental system at about the same time also reported an unexpected plummet in yields this year. C) The central California region where the farm in question is located experienced a drought 9 years ago, 3 years ago, and this past year. D) A different experimental system, used on a different crop, failed after two years at a farm in Iowa. Scientists later discovered that chemicals involved in this different system slowly poisoned the soil. E) Significant and sustained increases in agricultural productivity eventually lead to an exhaustion of important nutrients in land. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 10 On a recent expedition to a remote region of northern Canada, scientists uncovered skeletal remains from about 100,000 years ago. Surprisingly, all the skeletal remains, which included many species from differing biological families and spanned about two thousand years, showed evidence of experiencing temperatures in excess of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit (or 538 degrees Celsius). Which of the following, if true, best explains the apparent paradox between the cold environment and the evidence of the bones experiencing hot temperatures? A) Other scientific research released two years before the expedition showed that the remote region of northern Canada underwent considerable warming in the past 100,000 years. B) Chemical changes that naturally occur during the process of decay in only one north Canadian species produce the same evidence of the species' skeletons being exposed to hot temperatures as the expedition scientists found. C) A little over 103,000 years ago, a large fire is known to have occurred in northern Canada. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 20 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test D) Strong evidence exists that as early as 70,000 years ago, Homo sapiens around the world relied heavily on fire to cook animals. E) In the same expedition and in roughly the same layer of excavation, scientists found rudimentary wood cutting and hunting tools used by early humans. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 21 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Practice Sentence Correction Questions Directions Sentence correction questions present a sentence, part or all of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence, you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined passage. The first answer choice repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original phrasing is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others. This type of question tests your ability to recognize the correctness and effectiveness of expression in standard written English. In choosing your answer, follow the requirements of standard written English; that is, pay attention to grammar, choice of words, and sentence construction. Choose the answer that produces the most effective sentence; this answer should be clear and exact, without awkwardness, ambiguity, redundancy, or grammatical error. GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 1 Written in Austria in 1762, the composer of Symphony No. 5 was a brilliant musician, Franz Joseph Haydn, who many later called the "Father of the Symphony" for his contribution to classical music while court musician for the Esterhazy family. A) the composer of Symphony No. 5 was a brilliant musician, Franz Joseph Haydn, who many later called the "Father of the Symphony" for his B) Franz Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 5, who many later called the "Father of the Symphony" for his C) Symphony No. 5 was composed by a brilliant musician, Franz Joseph Haydn, who many later called the "Father of the Symphony" for his D) Symphony No. 5's composer was a brilliant musician, Franz Joseph Haydn, whom many later called the "Father of the Symphony" for his E) Symphony No. 5 was composed by a brilliant musician, Franz Joseph Haydn, whom many later called the "Father of the Symphony" for his Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 2 Just as listening to Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous fireside chats helps students of history understand the 1930s, an era marked by incredible domestic economic distress and unparalleled foreign conflict, so Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp the immense strife and challenge America faced in the post-Civil War era. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 22 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test A) so Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp the immense strife and challenge America faced in the post-Civil War era. B) Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp the post-Civil War era, a time of immense domestic challenge and strife. C) reading Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp the post-Civil War era, a time of immense domestic challenge and strife D) so reading Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp the post-Civil War era, a time of immense domestic challenge and strife E) so reading Abraham Lincoln's famous Second Inaugural Address helps students grasp a time of immense domestic challenge and strife--the post-Civil War era Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 3 Although many citizens enjoy spacious and well-kept state parks, some fiscally conservative State Representatives are quick to point out that maintaining state parks cost far more than other state land. A) B) C) D) E) maintaining state parks cost far more than other state land state parks costs far more to maintain than other state land does maintaining state parks costs far more than other state land state parks cost far more to maintain than other state land does to maintain state parks is far more expensive than other state land Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 4 During the 1992 Presidential campaign, President George H. W. Bush and his promise four years earlier to never raise taxes experienced considerable criticism from economic conservatives who felt betrayed by Bush's 1990 tax-hike, which he implemented over the objections of economic conservatives who decried tax hikes, insisted that low taxes created wealth, and contended that deregulation promoted innovation. A) President George H. W. Bush and his promise four years earlier to never raise taxes experienced considerable criticism from economic conservatives who felt betrayed by Bush’s 1990 tax-hike, which he implemented over the objections of economic conservatives who GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 23 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test decried tax hikes, insisted that low taxes created wealth, and contended that deregulation promoted innovation B) President George H. W. Bush experienced considerable criticism from economic conservatives who felt betrayed by Bush’s 1990 tax-hike, which he implemented despite his past promises and the objections of economic conservatives who decried tax hikes, insisted that low taxes created wealth, and contended that deregulation promoted innovation C) President George H. W. Bush and his promise four years earlier to never raise taxes experienced considerable criticism from economic conservatives who felt betrayed by Bush’s 1990 tax-hike, which he implemented despite his past promises, the objections of economic conservatives who decried tax hikes, the insistence that low taxes create wealth, and the contention that deregulation promoted innovation D) President George H. W. Bush experienced considerable criticism from economic conservatives who felt betrayed by Bush’s 1990 tax-hike, which he implemented despite his past promises and the objections of economic conservatives who decried tax hikes, having insisted that low taxes created wealth and contending that deregulation promotes innovation E) President George H. W. Bush experienced considerable criticism from economic conservatives who felt betrayed by Bush’s 1990 tax-hike, which he implemented despite his past promises and the objections of economic conservatives who decried tax hikes, insist that low taxes created wealth, and contend that deregulation promoted innovation Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 5 By confronting a devastated economy through actions such as creating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, opening the Securities and Exchange Commission, suspending the gold standard, launching massive public works programs, and improving the morale of a demoralized nation through his fireside chats, First Inaugural address, and other motivational speeches, Franklin Roosevelt both lifted the spirits of Americans across the country and set the United States on a course that helped propel it out of the Great Depression. A) launching massive public works programs, and improving the morale of a demoralized nation through his fireside chats B) and launching massive public works programs, and improving the morale of a demoralized nation through his fireside chats C) and launching massive public works programs, and by improving the morale of a nation demoralized through his fireside chats GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 24 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test D) and through the launch of massive public works programs, and by improving the morale of a demoralized nation through his fireside chats E) and launching massive public works programs, and by improving the morale of a demoralized nation through his fireside chats Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 6 In his best-selling book The Omnivore's Dilemma, which social critics see as yet another piece of evidence to support their thesis of a burgeoning interest in natural food among Americans, Michael Pollan elucidates industrial farming, explains organic farming, and discusses hunting and gathering food for oneself. A) In his best-selling book The Omnivore's Dilemma, which social critics see as yet another piece of evidence to support their thesis of a burgeoning interest in natural food among Americans, Michael Pollan elucidates industrial farming, explains organic farming, and discusses hunting and gathering food for oneself. B) Michael Pollan, in his best-selling book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which social critics see as yet another piece of evidence to support their thesis of a burgeoning interest in natural foods among Americans, elucidates industrial farming, explaining organic farming and discussing hunting and gathering food for oneself. C) In his best-selling book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, elucidating industrial farming, explaining organic farming, and discussing hunting and gathering food for oneself, Michael Pollan gives social critics yet another piece of evidence to support their thesis of a burgeoning interest in natural food among Americans. D) Michael Pollan, in his best-selling book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, serving as yet another piece of evidence to support the thesis of a burgeoning interest in natural food among Americans, elucidates industrial farming, explains organic farming, and discusses hunting and gathering food for oneself. E) In his best-selling book The Omnivore's Dilemma, which is seen by social critics as yet another piece of evidence to support their thesis of a burgeoning interest in natural food among Americans, Michael Pollan elucidates industrial farming, explaining organic farming and discussing hunting and gathering food for oneself. Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 7 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 25 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test By the year 2000, A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens' gripping book portraying the suffering of the proletariat under the brutal subjugation of the French aristocracy had around 200 million copies in print, making it more than that of almost any other English book ever written. A) book portraying the suffering of the proletariat under the brutal subjugation of the French aristocracy had around 200 million copies in print, making it more than B) book portraying the suffering of the proletariat under the brutal subjugation of the French aristocracy had around 200 million copies in print, which is more than C) book portraying the suffering of the proletariat under the brutal subjugation of the French aristocracy, had around 200 million copies in print, more than D) book portraying the suffering of the proletariat under the brutal subjugation of the French aristocracy, had around 200 million copies in print, making it more than E) book portraying the suffering of the proletariat under the brutal subjugation of the French aristocracy had around 200 million copies in print and is more than Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 8 In an August 1, 2002 legal memo that would later become a lightning rod for controversy, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel Jay Bybee went on record as one of the first and most senior government officials to consider controversial interrogation tactics to be a permissible and international laws such as the Geneva Conventions irrelevant in dealing with so-called unlawful enemy combatants. A) controversial interrogation tactics to be a permissible and international laws such as the Geneva Conventions irrelevant in dealing B) controversial interrogation tactics permissible and international laws such as the Geneva Conventions irrelevant in dealing C) controversial interrogation tactics as permissible and international laws such as the Geneva Conventions irrelevant in dealing D) controversial interrogation tactics permissible and international laws such as the Geneva Conventions to be irrelevant in dealing E) controversial interrogation tactics permissible and international laws such as the Geneva Conventions as irrelevant in dealing Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 26 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 9 Recent elections in a relatively young and historically unstable country in East Africa saw record numbers of voters, the peaceful rejection of an incumbent administration, the unprecedented access of media, campaigning marked by civility, and a renewing of nationalism. A) numbers of voters, the peaceful rejection of an incumbent administration, the unprecedented access of media, campaigning marked by civility, and a renewing of nationalism B) voter turnout, the peaceful rejection of an incumbent administration, unprecedented media access, campaigning marked by civility, and a renewing of nationalism C) voter turnout, the rejection of an incumbent administration in a peaceful manner, the unprecedented access of media, campaigns marked by civility, and renewed nationalism D) numbers of voters, the peaceful rejection of an incumbent administration, unprecedented media access, campaigns marked by civility, and renewed nationalism E) voter turnout, the peaceful rejection of an incumbent administration, unprecedented media access, campaigns marked by civility, and renewed nationalism Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 10 Considered to be one of the brightest upcoming legal scholars, Douglas Kysar has written countless articles on environmental law and policy; his writings, which include a book with renowned law professor Daniel Esty, is cited more often than most other young legal scholars. A) B) C) D) E) is cited more often than most other are cited more often than most other is cited more often than those of most other are cited more often than those of most other are cited more often than are most other Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 27 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Practice Reading Comprehension Questions Directions The questions in this group are based on the content of a passage. After reading the passage, choose the best answer to each question. Answer all questions following the passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage. Although European decisions during the 16th and 17th centuries to explore, trade with, and colonize large portions of the world brought tremendous economic wealth and vast geographic influence, the enormous success of European maritime ventures during the age of exploration also engendered a litany of unintended consequences for most of the nations with which Europe interacted. Due to their incredible military force, religious zeal, and uncompromising goal of profit, Europeans often imposed their traditions, values, and customs on the people with whom they traded. They frequently acted without regard to the long-term welfare of others as their principal concern was short-term economic gain. Since many nations that traded with Europe placed high value on their historical customs, some natives became deeply disconcerted by the changes that occurred as a result of European power. These factors, coupled with perennial domestic political instability, caused numerous countries to grow increasingly resistant to European influence. One potent example of this ideological shift can be seen in the actions of the Tokugawa government of Japan. In its Seclusion Edict of 1636, the government attempted to extricate cultural interactions with Europe from the intimate fabric of Japanese society. The Edict attempted to accomplish this by focusing on three areas. First, it sought to curb cultural exchange by eliminating people bringing European ideas into Japan. The Edict stated, "Japanese ships shall by no means be sent abroad….All Japanese residing abroad shall be put to death when they return home." Second, the Edict focused on limiting trade. Articles 11 through 17 of the Edict imposed stringent regulations on trade and commerce. Third, the government GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 1 It can best be inferred from the passage that in 1636, the Japanese government: A) Saw its citizens living abroad as potential threats B) Considered all foreign religions a danger C) Disagreed with the European philosophy that trade brought wealth D) Foresaw the economic dangers of European trade and imperialism E) Believed that ideas coming into Japan via foreign interactions provided no positive impact to Japanese society Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 2 Which of the following best characterizes the most significant motivation for Europe's behavior with Japan during the 17th century? A) B) C) D) E) Religious zeal Long-term political concerns Short-term economic self-interest Cultural imperialism Territorial aggrandizement Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 3 The author most likely included the quotation from Article Eight of the Edict at the end of the second paragraph to: A) Highlight the venomous anger many GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 28 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test banned Christianity, which it saw as an import from Europe that challenged the long-established and well-enshrined religious traditions of Japan. The government went to considerable lengths to protect its culture. Article eight of the Edict stated, "Even ships shall not be left untouched in the matter of exterminating Christians." With the example of Japan and the examples of other countries that chose a different response to European influence, it is perhaps not too far of a stretch to conclude that Japan made the right decision in pursuing a path of relative isolationism. As history unfolded during the next 400 years, in general, countries that embraced European hegemony, whether by choice or by force, tended to suffer from pernicious wealth inequality, perennial political instability, and protracted underdevelopment. Japanese leaders felt toward the importation of foreign religions B) Emphasize the determination of the Japanese government to protect itself from foreign influences it saw as damaging C) Illustrate how pervasive foreign religious influence had become in Japanese society D) Emphasize that European economic influence offered no justification for the Edict and the government relied instead on foreign religious influence to justify the Edict E) Provide an example of Japan's effort to curb cultural and economic exchange Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 4 Based upon the passage, the author would likely agree most strongly with which of the following statements: A) European decisions made during the 16th and 17th centuries in dealing with Japan represent an aberration from the typical pattern of European decisions B) Japanese rulers who responded with ferocity to European influence bear part of the responsibility for the caustic European-Japanese relationship that ensued C) With the hindsight of history, Japan likely made the appropriate decision in extricating itself from European influence D) European religious and cultural values conflicted with European economic behavior toward Japan E) The width and breadth of Japan's cultural fabric suffered from its seclusionist policies Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 5 According to the passage, which of the following constituted the biggest reason for the Seclusion Edict of 1636? GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 29 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test A) Japanese economic potential would be hampered in the long-term B) European trade amounted to a disproportionate transfer of wealth C) With growing European influence, the potential for European military action against the Japanese government became too large D) Traditional Japanese culture and way of life were threatened by European influence E) Japanese rulers feared the arrival of additional traders and cultural imperialists Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 6 According to the passage, the Japanese government took all of the following actions in an attempt to protect Japanese culture and way of life EXCEPT: A) Prohibit Japanese from visiting other countries, even to see family B) Execute Japanese citizens who settled in other countries but later decided to return to Japan C) Heavily regulate foreign economic trade D) Destroy all remnants of Christianity E) Prohibit criticism of the feudal shogun system of government Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course Practice Question 7 The primary purpose of the passage is to: A) Explain the actions of the Tokugawa government of Japan B) Compare the results of countries that pursued protectionism with those that pursued globalization C) Explore the consequences of some European trade and exploration along with analyzing a country’s response to it GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 30 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test D) Argue for the success of European trade as a means to create wealth and exert influence E) Elucidate the root of frustration with European imperialism Answer and free explanation at www.platinumgmat.com GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 31 GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Publication Information GMAT Prep Course – The Phool’s Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course is published by Phools Guide Press, a division of Phools Guide, LLC. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. No portion of this book can be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of Phools Guide, LLC. All content contained in this book is used with the expressed written consent of its owners. GMAT™ is a registered trademark of The Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC), which does not endorse nor is affiliated in any way with the content of this book. GMAT Prep Course – The Phools Guide’s Premier GMAT Prep Course http://www.platinumgmat.com • GMAT Practice Test Printed on Recycled Paper. 32