SECTION 5 TIME—25 MINUTES 16 QUESTIONS DIRECTIONS

8.

Any serious policy discussion about acceptable levels

nematodes can lie dormant for several years in their

of risk in connection with explosions is not well

cysts, which are protective capsules, and do not

served if the participants fail to use the word

emerge except in the presence of chemicals emitted

"explosion" and use the phrase "energetic

by potato roots. A company that has identified the

disassembly" instead. In fact, the word "explosion"

relevant chemicals is planning to market them to

elicits desirable reactions, such as a heightened level

potato farmers to spread on their fields when no

of attention, whereas the substitute phrase does not.

potatoes are planted; any nematodes that emerge will

Therefore, of the two terms, "explosion" is the one

soon starve to death.

that should be used throughout discussions of this

sort.

Which of the following, if true, best supports the

claim that the company’s plan will be successful?

Which of the following is an assumption on which

the argument above depends?

(A) Nematodes that have emerged from their cysts

can be killed by ordinary pesticides.

(A) In the kind of discussion at issue, the advantages

of desirable reactions to the term "explosion"

(B) The only part of a potato plant that a nematode

outweigh the drawbacks, if any, arising from

eats is the roots.

undesirable reactions to that term.

(C) Some bacteria commonly present in the roots of

(B) The phrase "energetic disassembly" has not so far

potatoes digest the chemicals that cause the

been used as a substitute for the word

nematodes to emerge from their cysts.

"explosion" in the kind of discussion at issue.

(D) Trials have shown that spreading even minute

(C) In any serious policy discussion, what is said by

quantities of the chemicals on potato fields

the participants is more important than how it is

caused nine-tenths of the nematodes present to

put into words.

emerge from their cysts.

(D) The only reason that people would have for using

(E) The chemicals that cause the nematodes to

"energetic disassembly" in place of "explosion"

emerge form their cysts are not emitted all the

is to render impossible any serious policy

time the potato plant is growing.

discussion concerning explosions.

(E) The phrase "energetic disassembly" is not