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