FREE STAT Structure and Format Questions and Answers

Question 1

When sales climb or decline continuously over three years, it is referred to as a "steady trend." Which are the only months where star sales show a consistent upward trend?

Accepted Answer

April & March

Answer

The bar graph shows that, for the past three years, sales have been rising consistently in March and April. March and April see a steady increase in the 1998 actual, 1999 actual, and 2000 actual (as indicated in the legend).

Question 2

Which month in 2000 saw the highest actual sales to budgeted sales ratio?

Accepted Answer

Feb

Answer

In 2000;

The ratio of Actual to Budget in Jan. = 100/50 = 2
The ratio of Actual to Budget in Feb. = 500/200 = 2.5
The ratio of Actual to Budget in Mar. = 900/400 = 2.25
The ratio of Actual to Budget in Apr. = 1150/600 = 1.92

Therefore, the highest ratio is in February. The calculations in this breakdown were exact, when calculating on paper it would be fine to round up or down to ease the working out process.

Question 3

Legendary entertainer P.T. In order to launch his career, Barnum purchased an elderly Joice Heth, a Black slave, and presented her to the public as "George Washington's childhood nursemaid."

Joice Heth asserted her age to be 160 years. Was she really this person? The man who said, "There's a sucker born every minute," kept the public guessing by sending a devious series of fictitious letters to New York newspaper editors. Some of the letters, written by Barnum himself and signed under fictitious identities, called Barnum outright. Barnum extolled himself in other letters he sent, calling himself a magnificent man doing the public good by allowing them to view George Washington's "mammy." The letters were successful in igniting debate. Newspaper articles and opinion pieces highlighted Joice Heth, and the public flocked to see for themselves. Barnum received up to $1500 a week from New Yorkers who came to see the elderly Negro woman who smoked a pipe.

Following an autopsy, medical professionals determined Joice Heth's actual age to be approximately eighty years old. Being the PR expert that he was, Barnum handled the issue well. He expressed his profound dismay at the way this woman had tricked him.

Barnum was aware that it made little difference if he was referred to be a saint or a crook in the promotion of "the greatest show on earth." It mattered that his name was spelled correctly and that he was frequently referenced in the publications. He was among the first to use news manipulation for financial gain and amusement.

This passage by P.T. How is Barnum portrayed?

Accepted Answer

Clever but mendacious

Answer

Knowing that mendacious means dishonest makes answering this question a little bit simpler. Barnum is obviously cunning, dishonest, avaricious, and manipulative after having deceived so many people in New York, but there are no indications that he was kind, charitable, or considerate in the broadest sense of the word.

Question 4

Legendary entertainer P.T. In order to launch his career, Barnum purchased an elderly Joice Heth, a Black slave, and presented her to the public as "George Washington's childhood nursemaid."

Joice Heth asserted her age to be 160 years. Was she really this person? The man who said, "There's a sucker born every minute," kept the public guessing by sending a devious series of fictitious letters to New York newspaper editors. Some of the letters, written by Barnum himself and signed under fictitious identities, called Barnum outright. Barnum extolled himself in other letters he sent, calling himself a magnificent man doing the public good by allowing them to view George Washington's "mammy." The letters were successful in igniting debate. Newspaper articles and opinion pieces highlighted Joice Heth, and the public flocked to see for themselves. Barnum received up to $1500 a week from New Yorkers who came to see the elderly Negro woman who smoked a pipe.

Following an autopsy, medical professionals determined Joice Heth's actual age to be approximately eighty years old. Being the PR expert that he was, Barnum handled the issue well. He expressed his profound dismay at the way this woman had tricked him.

Barnum was aware that it made little difference if he was referred to be a saint or a crook in the promotion of "the greatest show on earth." It mattered that his name was spelled correctly and that he was frequently referenced in the publications. He was among the first to use news manipulation for financial gain and amusement.

Why is it ironic that Barnum was allegedly serving the public interest?

Accepted Answer

He was deceiving the public.

Answer

Irony comprehension is necessary to answer this question. When a behavior brings about an outcome that is not what was intended, that behavior may be deemed ironic. It would be ironic, for instance, if you threw a piece of trash in a trash can in an attempt to clean the space, only to knock it over and make things much messier. In this instance, the goal of the public service is to benefit the community. Answer A is correct because the citizens of New York are paying to be lied to. They are being cheated out of their money. Option C is factually right in that it was amusing, but this fact detracts from the irony rather than adding to it. Even options B and D aren't always accurate.

Question 5

"Sigmund Freud, the "founder of psychoanalysis," was Bernays' nephew. He was born in Vienna, and via his public relations work, Freud's theories gained traction in the US. In addition, Bernays was the first in the PR industry to employ psychology and other social sciences in the creation of public relations campaigns. "It is now possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their opinion molding the "engineering of consent" if we understand the mechanism and motivations of the group mind."

Bernay's favorite method of swaying public opinion was to subtly advocate for his clients' issues by using "third party authorities." "You automatically influence the group which they sway if you can influence the leaders, whether with or without their conscious cooperation," the speaker stated. For example, he surveyed doctors to increase sales of bacon and reported back on their advice to people to eat hearty breakfasts. He sent 5,000 doctors the survey results together with advertisements promoting bacon and eggs as a filling breakfast. Procter & Gamble, General Electric, CBS, President Calvin Coolidge, and Dodge Motors were among his clientele. Beyond his services to these well-known and influential customers, Bernays transformed public relations by fusing the methods of psychology and sociology with the customs of press agentry to produce what one author dubbed “the science of ballyhoo.”

What would be an illustration of a "third party authority" employed in an automobile advertisement?

Accepted Answer

The Road Safety Authority

Answer

An illustration of the use of a third party authority is given in lines 12–13. This suggests that an authoritative person who has no connection to the product whatsoever qualifies as a third party authority. The manufacturer and the auto salesperson have a direct relationship with the vehicle. It might also be argued that the current clients, whose authority is in doubt in any case, are prejudiced because of their car purchase. Therefore, the response provided by the Road Safety Authority is accurate.

STAT - Special Tertiary Admissions Test Practice Test

STAT - Special Tertiary Admissions Test Practice Test

FREE STAT Structure and Format Questions and Answers