YOUR GMAT

SUCCESS KIT

Trust the GMAT Exam to Boost Your Career

Join the ranks of nearly 10 million students worldwide that
have taken the GMAT exam.

Study
Guide

mba.com

Test
Tips
Practice
Questions

CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Get Ready Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
GMAT Exam Format and Timing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Study Smart for Your Best GMAT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Test Prep Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Exclusive GMAT Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Preparing for the GMAT puts you back

in the right mind of being a student and
helps you know what its going to take to
succeed in business school.
Jay Ramsey, Class of 2013
Mason School of Business

The College of William & Mary

INTRODUCTION
What if Im not a good test taker?
We hear this often from candidates who are worried they may not do
as well as they like on the GMAT exam. Were here to tell you that
good test-takers arent born that way. They just understand how to
study and prepare for the GMAT in a way that enables them to arrive
on test day focused, confident, and ready to do their best.

You, too, can become a strong GMAT test taker by

following the three Ps:
Preparation: Understanding the
question types, how you learn, and
what to expect on test day will help
you arrive relaxed and focused.
Practice: Approaching practice tests
with purpose will get you in the habit
of focusing for an extended period
of time.
Pacing: Practicing at an appropriate
pace will let you become accustom
to the pacing of the actual exam and
maintain your stamina.

If you put
the time in,
youll do
just fine.
Matt Rowenczak

Terry College of Business,

University of Georgia,
Class of 2014

Score your best GMAT exam with the

right mindset and approach. We put
together this kit to help you get GMAT
ready the way strong test takers do:
by following a study plan, knowing
how to get the most out of practice
tests, understanding how you learn,
and approaching the exam with a
positive attitude.

[The GMAT]
is the only
objective way
of assessing
candidates.
Laura Russo

MBA Recruiting and Admissions

SDA Bocconi School of Management

If you get stuck on a question during

the exam, take an educated guess and
move on. The GMAT exams computer
adaptive algorithm will adjust, even if
you guessed wrong. It is better to finish the
exam than run out of time.
Get more tips.

GET-READY
GUIDE
TEST TIP TEASERS

Get more GMAT prep advice at MBA.COM

How do I get started?

Planning and preparing for the GMAT exam are the foundations of your
best score. Use this guide to help you get organized and leverage all of the
resources and tips.
RECOMMENDATION: Start at least 6 months before test results are due. You are the best judge of
how much time you need to prepare.

PLANNING
STEP 2

STEP 3

GATHER INFO ABOUT

YOUR TARGET PROGRAMS

REGISTER & PLAN

ESTABLISH YOUR
SKILLS BASELINE
Take a GMATPrep practice
exam to identify the skills you
need to study most.

Develop your study plan

and schedule.

RESOURCES

Register at
mba.com/gmatregistration.

TIPS

Plan to prepare for the GMAT

in the way you learn best
classes, tutoring, study groups,
or self-study.
Retake the exam if things
dont go to plan.

Download the free

GMATPrep software at
mba.com/gmatprep.

STEP 6

STEP 7

STEP 8

STUDY STUDY
STUDY

ASSESS YOUR
PROGRESS

HOME
STRETCH

TESTING

SCORING

Prepare using the

free questions in the
GMATPrep software.

Take your second

GMATPrep
practice exam.

Keep studying
through the
home stretch!

Use the GMATPrep

software to review
GMAT exam myths
and general testtaking strategies.

Take the GMAT

exam; get
unofficial scores.

Take a video tour

of the test center
at mba.com.
Get ready for the big
day with tips from
students like you at
mba.com.

Use the GMATPrep

software to review
strategies for specific
question types and refresh
quantitative skills in the
math review.

The further in advance you

register the greater your choice
of available dates to take the
exam.

Replicate actual test

conditions as you practice.
Dont use a calculator or study
materials.

GMAT experts recommend

studying twice a week.

Keep an eye on the clock;

remember the timer turns
yellow when you have
five minutes or less left to
complete a section.

Mix up different question types

and exam sections in your
study schedule.

STEP 5

Download Analysis of an
Argument essay topics
found on the Analytical
Writing Assessment page
at mba.com.

Download the GMAT Handbook.

It tells you everything you
need to know and agree to
before you take the GMAT
exam. mba.com/bulletin

Start a minimum of six months

before test results are due
to schools.

RESULTS

Review your progress

and plan strategies
to improve your
weak areas.

Research test centers near

you using Find a GMAT Test
Center.
Explore mba.com for
information on specific schools
and programs, GMAT exam,
and GMAT prep materials.

TESTING

If youre spending too long on

a question, guess and move on.

Study for the GMAT exam

until you are comfortable
with the testquestion
formats, test timing, and
how to pace yourself.

Replicate actual
test conditions, time
yourself, and dont
use a calculator or
study materials.

Remember to review
your strong areas,
and devote extra
time to your weak
spots.

Pacing is important.
Theres a significant
penalty for not finishing the
GMAT exam.

Revisit strategies
for specific question
types.

Plan to get a good

nights rest and
review what you can
and cant take to the
testing center.

Allow extra time

to get to the test
center so you
dont have to
rush to make your
appointment.

CONGRATULATIONS. RELAX & CELEBRATE.

Set your target score.

(Fill in above)

Register for the GMAT

exam. (Fill in above)

STEP 4

FINAL PREP

You and your schools should allow about 20 days

to receive your official GMAT scores.

MILESTONES

STUDYING

STEP 1

Identify schools application

deadlines and GMAT score
ranges. (Fill in above)

Being a little nervous about taking the GMAT is normal. Youll overcome
any test-taking jitters and reach your potential by approaching the exam
with a solid study plan. Follow this guide to help you plan a course
toward your best GMAT.

GMAT
EXAM
FORMAT
TEST TIP
TEASERS
AND TIMING
What does the GMAT exam cover?
Now that youve had a chance to get organized, plan the steps you
need to take to prepare, and start putting together your study plan. See
the next page for a snapshot of what youll see in each section of the
GMAT exam.
Learn more about each section of the GMAT on mba.com

Worried about doing well on one

section that is particularly hard
for you during the test? Always
practice taking a full test, not just
a section.
Get more tips.

WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN EACH SECTION

AWA

NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS

ESSAY
ANALYSIS OF AN
ARGUMENT

QUESTION
TYPE

QUESTIONS

Quantitative

Verbal

37

41

QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS

MULTI-SOURCE
REASONING

DATA
SUFFICIENCY

READING
COMPREHENSION

GRAPHICS
INTERPRETATION

PROBLEM
SOLVING

CRITICAL
REASONING
SENTENCE
CORRECTION

TABLE ANALYSIS

MINUTES
YOUR ABILITY TO
THINK CRITICALLY
AND COMMUNICATE
YOUR IDEAS

WHAT IS
MEASURED

06

SCORE

12

TWO-PART ANALYSIS

30

TIMING

Integrated
Reasoning

(IN HALF POINT

INTERVALS)

30

MINUTES
YOUR ABILITY TO
EVALUATE
INFORMATION
PRESENTED IN
MULTIPLE FORMATS
FROM MULTIPLE
SOURCES

18

(IN SINGLE DIGIT

INTERVALS)

75

MINUTES
YOUR ABILITY TO
ANALYZE DATA AND
DRAW CONCLUSIONS
USING BASIC MATH
SKILLS

0 60

75

MINUTES
YOUR ABILITY TO
READ AND
UNDERSTAND
WRITTEN MATERIAL,
EVALUATE
ARGUMENTS, AND
CORRECT WRITTEN
MATERIAL

0 60

Your GMAT score is about much

more than how many questions are
correct.
Get more tips.

STUDY
SMART
FOR
TEST TIP TEASERS
YOUR BEST GMAT
How much time should I spend
studying?
When it comes to studying for the GMAT exam, there really are no
secrets or tricksjust planning and preparation.
The time you should spend preparing is unique to you. However, we
can tell you how much time others spend getting ready for the GMAT.
Use the information below as a guideline for your own preparation.

Hours Spent Preparing

for the GMAT Exam*
n 20 hours or fewer
n 21 to 50 hours
n 51 to 100 hours
n 101 hours or more

23%

24%

29%

24%

*N = 2,669
Source: GMAC mba.com Prospective Students Survey,
2013 data (Jan-June)

Average number of
studyhours

Average Number of Study Hours,

by GMAT Score*
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

61

Less than
400

70

78

400 to 900

500 to 590

92

600 to 690

102

700 or
higher

*N = 2,580
Source: GMAC mba.com Prospective Students Survey, 2013 data (Jan-June)

The perfect can be the enemy of the

good...and even the great. Finishing the
GMAT exam is far more important to a
good score than getting every answer
correctand risking running out of time.
Get more tips.

Study well, but remember that youve

probably always been nervous for tests,
then probably always done just fine.
Ethan Prostrel

Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College, Class of 2015

TEST PREP PRODUCTS

FOR YOUR BEST GMAT
Whats your GMAT challenge?
Whether you are confused about quant, or stuck on sentence
correction, we have an Official GMAT test prep product that will help.
And Official GMAT products are the only products that use real, retired
GMAT exam questions. Purchase Official GMAT study materials on
mba.com.
AWA: GMAT Write
Gain confidence in your writing abilities with this web-based essay
writing practice tool. With real GMAT writing prompts and instant
feedback on your essays, you will quickly learn how well you
demonstrate your ability to think critically and communicate ideas.

The GMAT exam has been a very solid

predictor of academic success and it
is certainly one of our most important
factors in the admissions process.
Amanda Barth

Director of MBA Admissions

Mason School of Business

The College of William & Mary

10

Integrated Reasoning: IR Prep Tool

The new official GMAT Integrated Reasoning Prep Tool features
48 IR items and answer explanations, unlimited practice sessions,
customizable question sets and tools to practice pacing. The only IR
prep tool on the market with never before seen IR questions.
Quant: GMAT Focus:
Using real GMAT questions, the GMAT Focus diagnostic evaluates
your performance in critical testing categories, provides you with a
highly accurate score, and ranks you in relation to previous GMAT
examinees. The result? By knowing your strengths and weaknesses,
you can better prepare for success.
Verbal: Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review, 2015
The GMAT exam lets you showcase all of your skills not just
math. Prepare for the Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning,
and Sentence Correction sections of the GMAT exam with 300 real
GMAT questions, including 75 questions new to this edition.

A little more Spock, and a little less

Einstein: You dont need to be a math
whiz to do well on the GMAT exam.
Instead, like Spock, you need to be able
to think logicallly.
Get more tips.
11

On Demand GMAT Study Collection

Need a deep dive into the GMAT exam? Gain instant access to three
products featuring nine complete GMAT exams and 1,100 real GMAT
questions. With questions covering the Verbal, Quantitative, and
Integrated Reasoning sections of the exam, this collection is our most
comprehensive set of online and downloadable GMAT study products
available.

GET READY, SET,

TURN THE PAGE FOR
YOUR EXCLUSIVE
GMAT PRACTICE
TEST QUESTIONS.
12

10 EXCLUSIVE GMAT
QUESTIONS!
Heres what youve really been
waiting for, right?
Whether you feel a little nervous or fully confident, practicing each
question type will make you a stronger GMAT test taker.
Learn how others conquered the GMAT on mba.com

The best thing you can do during the GMAT

exam is to focus on the question at hand. Dont
waste time trying to guess the difficulty level of
the question.

Get more tips.

Analytical Writing Assessment

Be prepared for Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)! All AWA
Analysis of an Argument topics are available as a downloadable pdf.
For this exam question, you will discuss how well reasoned you find
these arguments and will be asked to analyze the line of reasoning
and the use of evidence in the argument.

13

Integrated Reasoning

The four types of Integrated Reasoning (IR) questions measure how

well you integrate data to solve complex problems and test the
following skills:
Synthesizing information presented in graphics, text, and numbers
Evaluating relevant information from different sources
Organizing information to see relationships and to solve multiple,
interrelated problems
Combining and manipulating information from multiple sources to
solve complex problems
View Sample questions here.

Why focus on Integrated Reasoning?

Being able to digest volumes of

information and make recommendations
based upon what you see is critical for
Intels future success.
Melissa Evers-Hood
Intel Corporation

14

Quant
PROBLEM SOLVING
1. Question

MEMBERSHIP OF ORGANIZATION X, 1988

Honorary Members............................78
Fellows..........................................9,209
Members.....................................35,509
Associate Members....................27,909
Affiliates........................................2,372
According to the table above, the number of fellows was
approximately what percent of the total membership of
Organization X?
Answer Choices
A. 9%
B. 12%
C. 18%
D. 25%
E. 35%

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15

2. Question
In a recent election, James received 0.5 percent of the 2,000 votes
cast. To win the election, a candidate needed to receive more than 50
percent of the vote. How many additional votes would James have
needed to win the election?
Answer Choices:
A. 901
B. 989
C. 990
D. 991
E. 1,001

My remedy for pre-test nerves? Listen to

calming music, take deep breaths, and
visualize yourself doing great on the test!
Jeremy Sage

Atkinson Graduate School of Management

Willamette University

Class of 2014

16

DATA SUFFICIENCY
3. Question
If on a fishing trip Jim and Tom each caught some fish, which one
caught more fish?
(1) Jim caught 2/3 as many fish as Tom.
(2) After Tom stopped fishing, Jim continued to fish until he
caught 12 fish.
Answer Choices
A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient but statement (2) ALONE is not
sufficient.
B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient but statement (1) ALONE is not
sufficient.
C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER
statement ALONE is sufficient.
D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are not sufficient.

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17

4. Question
How many of the boys in a group of 100 children have brown hair?
(1) Of the children in the group, 60 percent have brown hair.
(2) Of the children in the group, 40 are boys.
Answer Choices
a. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient but statement (2) ALONE is not
sufficient.
b. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient but statement (1) ALONE is not
sufficient.
c. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER
statement ALONE is sufficient.
d. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
e. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are not sufficient.

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18

Verbal Analysis
READING COMPREHENSION
NOTE: Both questions 5 and 6 refer to this passage.
Passage
(The following is based on material written in 1996.)
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer,
signed in 1987 by more than 150 nations, has attained its short-term
goals: it has decreased the rate of increase in amounts of most ozonedepleting chemicals reaching the atmosphere and has even reduced
the atmospheric levels of some of them. The projection that the
ozone layer will substantially recover from ozone depletion by 2050 is
based on the assumption that the protocols regulations will be strictly
followed. Yet there is considerable evidence of violations, particularly
in the form of the release of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), which are commonly used in the refrigeration, heating, and airconditioning industries. These violations reflect industry attitudes; for
example, in the United States, 48% of respondents in a recent survey
of subscribers to Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration News,
an industry trade journal, said that they did not believe that CFCs
damage the ozone layer. Moreover, some in the industry apparently
do not want to pay for CFC substitutes, which can run five times the
cost of CFCs. Consequently, a black market in imported illicit CFCs
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19

has grown. Estimates of the contraband CFC trade range from 10,000
to 22,000 tons a year, with most of the CFCs originating in India
and China, whose agreements under the Protocol still allow them to
produce CFCs. In fact, the United States Customs Service reports that
CFC-12 is a contraband problem second only to illicit drugs.
5. Question
The passage suggests which of the following about the illicit trade
in CFCs?
Answer Choices
A. It would cease if manufacturers in India and China stopped
producing CFCs.
B. Most people who participate in such trade do not believe that
CFCs deplete the ozone layer.
C. It will probably surpass illicit drugs as the largest contraband
problem faced by the United States Customs Service.
D. It is fostered by people who do not want to pay the price of CFC
substitutes.
E. It has grown primarily because of the expansion of the
refrigeration, heating, and air-conditioning industries in foreign
countries.

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20

6. Question
According to the passage, which of the following best describes
most ozone-depleting chemicals in 1996 as compared to those in
1987?
Answer Choices:
a. The levels of such chemicals in the atmosphere had decreased.
b. The number of such chemicals that reached the atmosphere had
declined.
c. The amounts of such chemicals released had increased but the
amounts that reached the atmosphere had decreased.
d. The rate of increase in amounts of such chemicals reaching the
atmosphere had decreased.
e. The rate at which such chemicals were being reduced in the
atmosphere had slowed

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21

CRITICAL REASONING
7. Question
The table above represents the combined net income of all United
States companies in each of five sectors for the second quarter
of 1996. Which sector had the greatest net income during the first
quarter of 1996?
Answer Choices
A. Basic Materials
B. Energy
C. Industrial
D. Utilities

Going in with a sense of calm is what

made that last run successful.
Jessica Galimore

Robert H. Smith School of Business

University of Maryland, Class of 2013

22

7. Question
A factory was trying out a new process for producing one of
its products, with the goal of reducing production costs. A trial
production run using the new process showed a fifteen percent
reduction in costs compared with past performance using the
standard process. The production managers therefore concluded
that the new process did produce a cost savings.
Which of the following, if true, casts most doubt on the production
managers conclusion?
Answer Choices:
A. In the cost reduction project that eventually led to the trial of the
new process, production managers had initially been seeking
cost reductions of fifty percent.
B. Analysis of the trial of the new process showed that the cost
reduction during the trial was entirely attributable to a reduction
in the number of finished products rejected by quality control.
C. While the trial was being conducted, production costs at the
factory for a similar product, produced without benefit of the new
process, also showed a fifteen percent reduction.
D. Although some of the factorys managers have been arguing that
the product is outdated and ought to be redesigned, the use of
the new production process does not involve any changes in the
finished product.
E. Since the new process differs from the standard process only
in the way in which the stages of production are organized and
ordered, the cost of the materials used in the product is the same
in both processes.

SENTENCE CORRECTION
9. Question
There is no consensus on what role, if any, is played by acid rain
in slowing the growth or damaging forests in the eastern United
States.
Answer Choices:
A. slowing the growth or damaging
B. the damage or the slowing of the growth of
C. the damage to or the slowness of the growth of
D. damaged or slowed growth of
E. damaging or slowing the growth of
10. Question
In 1973 mortgage payments represented twenty-one percent of
an average thirty-year-old males income; and forty-four percent in
1984
Answer Choices
A. income; and forty-four percent in 1984
B. income; in 1984 the figure was forty-four percent
C. income, and in 1984 forty-four percent
D. income, forty-four percent in 1984 was the figure
E. income that rose to forty-four percent in 1984

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24

ANSWER KEY
Quant
PROBLEM SOLVING
1. Answer: B
Explanation:
From the table, the number of fellows is 9,209, and the total
membership is the sum of the 5 numbers, which is 75,077. Therefore,
the number of fellows is 9,209/75,077 of the total membership, or
approximately 12 percent. The best answer is B.
2. Answer: D
Explanation:
James received 0.5 percent of 2000 votes, which is (0.005)(2000) = 10
votes. To win he needed more than 50 percent of 2000, so he needed
(0.5)(2000

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25

DATA SUFFICIENCY
3. Answer: A
Explanation:
Statement (1) indicates that Jim caught fewer fish than Tom.
Therefore, (1) alone is sufficient to answer the question, and the
answer must be A or D. Statement (2) gives no information about the
number of fish Tom caught. Therefore, (2) alone is not sufficient. And
the best answer is A.
4. Answer: E
Explanation:
From statement (1), only the total number of children who have brown
hair can be determined, so (1) alone is not sufficient. Therefore, the
answer must be B, C, or E. Clearly (2) alone is not sufficient because
nothing is said about brown hair. Therefore, the answer must be C
or E. From statements (1) and (2) together, only the total number of
children who have brown hair and the number of boys in the group
are known. Thus, (1) and (2) together are not sufficient, and the best
answer is E.

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26

Verbal
READING COMPREHENSION
5. Answer: D
Explanation:
This question asks what the passage implies about the illicit trade in
CFCs. The best answer is D. The passage states that some industry
members appear not to want to pay the price of CFC substitutes, and
that consequently a black market in cheaper CFCs has emerged.
This implies that the black market is fostered at least in part by those
industry members who are unwilling to pay the higher price of CFC
substitutes. Choice A can be eliminated because the passage states
that only that most contraband CFCs originate in India and China.
This does not imply that the illicit trade in CFCs could not continue
without manufacturers in those countries. Choice B is not correct
because the passage does not provide information about the beliefs
of participants in the illicit CFC trade. Choice C is incorrect because
the passage states only that the United States Customs Service
considers the illicit CFC trade to be a problem second only to the illicit
drug trade; there is no suggestion in the passage that the illicit CFC
trade is expected to develop into a larger problem than the illicit drug
trade. Choice E is incorrect because the passage attributes the growth
of the illicit trade in CFCs to the high cost of CFC substitutes, not to
an expansion of refrigeration, heating, and air-conditioning industries
in foreign countries.
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27

6. Answer: D
Explanation:
This question asks you to identify a claim that is made in the passage
about ozone-depleting chemicals. The best answer is D. The
passage, written in 1996, states that the rate of increase in amounts
of most ozone-depleting chemicals reaching the atmosphere had
been reduced since 1987. Choice A can be eliminated because the
passage states that the atmospheric levels of some ozone-depleting
chemicals has been reduced, not that the levels of most had been
reduced. Choice B is incorrect because the actual number of different
chemicals reaching the atmosphere is not provided in the passage,
nor is it claimed that the number had declined. Choice C is not correct
because the passage does not claim that there was an increase in
the amounts of ozone-depleting chemicals released between 1987
and 1996. Choice E is incorrect because there is no indication in the
passage that the rate of reduction of atmospheric chemicals had
slowed between 1987 and 1996.

CRITICAL REASONING
7. Answer: A
Explanation:
The table shows net income in billions of dollars and the percent
change from the first quarter to the second. According to the table,
net income in the basic materials sector decreased by 26 percent

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28

from the first quarter to the second. If x represents the net income in
the first quarter, (0.74)x = 4.83, and x = 6.53. The energy sector net
income increased by 40 percent. If y represents the net income in the
first quarter, (1.40)y = 7.46, so y < 6. The industrial sector changed by
only 1 percent to 5.00, so the first quarter value had to be less than
6.53. For utilities, the net income increased about 300 percent, which
means that the net income in the first quarter was about 1/4 of 8.57,
which is clearly less than 6.53. The conglomerates sector net income
the first quarter was less than 2.07, so the basic materials net income
was greatest in the first quarter. The best answer is A.
8. Answer: C
Explanation:
The managers concluded that the new process produced a cost
savings on the basis of a trial run of the process in which costs were
15 percent lower than they had been previously. You are asked to
identify something that casts doubt on their conclusion.
Choice C is the best answer. If production costs at the factory fell for a
similar product that was produced without using the new process, it is
more doubtful that the observed production cost reductions achieved
during the trial run were actually produced by the new process.
Choice A is incorrect; the fact that the managers had hoped for cost
reduction of fifty percent does not cast any doubt on their conclusion
that the new process had produced at least some savings. Choice

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29

B is incorrect since finding the source of the cost savings in the trial
shows that the savings were no mere accident and so reinforces
the managers conclusion. Choices D and E are incorrect since by
emphasizing that certain aspects of the product its design and
raw materials were the same in the standard process and the new
process, these two answer choices support, rather than cast doubt
on, the conclusion that the process itself produced the savings.

SENTENCE CORRECTION
9. Answer: E
Explanation:
The corrected sentence must make clear that both damaging and
slowing the growth of refer to forests. E is the only choice that does
so without introducing errors. In choice A, of is required after growth.
In choices B and C, the use of the damage instead of damaging
produces awkward and wordy constructions, and without to after
damage, B is grammatically incomplete. In C, the slowness of does
not convey the original sense that the rate of growth has been slowed
by acid rain. Choice D also changes the meaning of the sentence by
making both damaged and slowed refer to growth.

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30

10. Answer: B
Explanation:
To establish the clearest comparison between circumstances in 1973
and those in 1984, a separate clause is needed to describe each year.
Choices A and C, in failing to use separate clauses, are too elliptical
and therefore unclear. Choice A also incorrectly uses and and a
semicolon to separate an independent clause and a phrase. Choice
D incorrectly separates two independent clauses with a comma;
moreover, the placement of in 1984 is awkward and confusing. In
choice E, that refers illogically to income, thereby producing the
misstatement that income rather than mortgage payments rose to
forty-four percent in 1984. Choice B is best; two properly constructed
clauses that clearly express the comparison are separated by a
semicolon.

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