SECTION 5 TIME—25 MINUTES 16 QUESTIONS DIRECTIONS
3.
Last year in the United States, women who ran for
about three million videocassette recorders were sold.
state and national offices were about as likely to win
This number is only 35 percent of the total number of
as men. However, only about fifteen percent of the
videocassette recorders sold last year. Therefore,
candidates for these offices were women. Therefore,
total sales of videocassette recorders will almost
the reason there are so few women who win elections
certainly be lower for this year than they were for last
for these offices is not that women have difficulty
year.
winning elections but that so few women want to run.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously
weakens the conclusion above?
undermines the conclusion given?
(A) The total number of videocassette recorders sold
(A) Last year the proportion of women incumbents
last year was lower than the total number sold in
who won reelection was smaller than the
the year before that.
proportion of men incumbents who won
reelection.
(B) Most people who are interested in owning a
videocassette recorder have already purchased
(B) Few women who run for state and national
one.
offices run against other women.
(C) Videocassette recorders are less expensive this
(C) Most women who have no strong desire to be
year than they were last year.
politicians never run for state and national
offices.
(D) Of the videocassette recorders sold last year,
almost 60 percent were sold in January.
(D) The proportion of people holding local offices
who are women is smaller than the proportion of
(E) Typically, over 70 percent of the sales of
people holding state and national offices who are
videocassette recorders made in a year occur in
women.
the months of November and December.
(E) Many more women than men who want to run for