GMAT Verbal: Strengthen/Weaken Arguments 2

Question 1

A city claims that adding bike lanes reduced traffic accidents because accidents fell 20% the year after lanes were added. Which option most weakens this argument?

Accepted Answer

The city also lowered the speed limit citywide that same year

Answer

Bike ridership increased after the lanes were added

Answer

Neighboring cities without bike lanes saw no change

Answer

The bike lanes were popular with residents

Question 2

An ad argues that a supplement boosts memory because users scored higher on a memory test than non-users. Which assumption must be true for this to hold?

Accepted Answer

Users and non-users were comparable in memory before taking it

Answer

The supplement is inexpensive

Answer

The test was administered by a doctor

Answer

Users took the supplement daily

Question 3

A manager argues that remote work lowers productivity because output dropped after the firm went remote. Which finding most strengthens the argument?

Accepted Answer

Output per employee stayed low even after remote workers got better equipment

Answer

A competitor's output also dropped

Answer

Employees reported preferring remote work

Answer

The firm hired fewer new staff that year

Question 4

A study concludes coffee causes insomnia because heavy coffee drinkers report more sleeplessness. Which option most weakens this conclusion?

Accepted Answer

People with insomnia drink more coffee to stay alert during the day

Answer

Coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant

Answer

Light coffee drinkers also report some sleeplessness

Answer

The study surveyed thousands of people

Question 5

A politician argues a new tax cut will boost spending because past tax cuts were followed by higher consumer spending. Which most weakens the argument?

Accepted Answer

The past cuts coincided with large stimulus checks that drove the spending

Answer

The tax cuts were unpopular with economists

Answer

Spending is hard to measure precisely

Answer

The new cut is smaller than the past ones

Question 6

An argument states that a school's new tutoring program raised test scores, citing higher scores after launch. Which most strengthens it?

Accepted Answer

Only students who attended tutoring improved; non-attendees did not

Answer

The program was funded by a grant

Answer

Teachers liked the new program

Answer

Scores rose at a nearby school too

Question 7

A company claims its rebranding caused a sales increase. Which question is most useful in evaluating this claim?

Accepted Answer

Did sales rise for competitors who did not rebrand during the same period?

Answer

Was the new logo designed by an award-winning firm?

Answer

Did employees approve of the rebrand?

Answer

How much did the rebrand cost?