Verbal questions from ets.org and PowerPrep II software.
ambikam08
Students
 
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Two questions from PowerPrep II Exam 2

by ambikam08 Sun Dec 09, 2012 9:01 pm

Hello,

I've looked over these questions a few times but am still struggling!

This was #1 on my second verbal section:
"Though somewhat less __ than previous chapters and suffering from a minor hint of academic jargon, the final chapter of the book is nonetheless __ to laypeople."

The choices for blank i are: "arcane, coherent, and subjective". For blank ii they are "largely ignored by, accessible to, and impenetrable to". The second blank is clearly "accessible to," but the sentence makes sense with either "arcane" or "coherent" for the first blank?

#16 from my second verbal section (I paraphrased):
A newspaper editorial says that Mayor Stephens has a new anti-corruption campaign. The officials he is prosecuting happen to be appointees of rival and former governor Mayor Bixby, so they suggest that Mayor Stephens is prosecuting them because of their political affiliation. Which weakens the argument?

The correct answer is C, that all appointees were appointed by Mayor Bixby, but to me this sounds like it is strengthening the argument?

Thank you!!
tommywallach
Manhattan Prep Staff
 
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Re: Two questions from PowerPrep II Exam 2

by tommywallach Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:48 am

Hey Ambikam,

In the future, please post all questions in separate threads, rather than 2 at a time. However, I'm happy to take these both on right here.

For vocab questions, always fill in each blank with your own thought/suggestion before going to the answer choices.

"Though somewhat less __ than previous chapters and suffering from a minor hint of academic jargon, the final chapter of the book is nonetheless __ to laypeople."

The key word here is "though" implying that the two pieces of the sentence will be in conflict. The first part already mentions a "hint of academic jargon," so we know that the first part of the sentence is about how the chapter is kinda difficult, but it still ends up being readable. This means only "coherent" fits in the first blank (notice the word "less" in front of it). If something were "less arcane," that would make it more accessible, but we need the first half of this sentence to DISAGREE with the second half.

For RC argument structure passages, you need to focus in on the conclusion and the premise first. I should warn you that paraphrases of passages and answer choices can often ignore really important details of phrasing and diction, so this makes me very nervous!

Conclusion: Stephens is prosecuting because of politics

Premise: Every appointee he is prosecuting was appointed by his rival

But if everybody there was appointed by Bixby, that means anyone that Stephens prosecuted would be a Bixby person. That doesn't mean he's doing it because they are appointees of his rival, but because anybody he targeted would be Bixby.

If that doesn't make sense, consider this.

Conclusion: Steve loves sandwiches

Premise: Steve has eaten sandwiches for lunch at work every day for a year.

Weakener: The only thing they sell at work are sandwiches.

See the problem? If Steve doesn't have a choice, his eating of sandwiches does not imply that he loves them.

Hope that helps!

-t

The correct answer is C, that all appointees were appointed by Mayor Bixby, but to me this sounds like it is strengthening the argument?

Thank you!!