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