GRE - T-27

 

Article one : (From GRE offical guide )

Since the 1970s, archaeological sites in China's Yangtze River region have yielded evidence of sophisticated rice-farming societies that predate signs of rice cultivation elsewhere in East Asia by a thousand years. Before this evidence was discovered, it had generally been assumed that rice farming began farther to the south. This scenario was based both on the geographic range of wild or free-living rice, which was not thought to extend as far north as the Yangtze, and on archaeological records of very early domestic rice from Southeast Asia and India (now known to be not so old as first reported). Proponents of the southern-origin theory point out that early rice-farming societies along the Yangtze were already highly developed and that evidence for the first stage of rice cultivation is missing. They argue that the first hunter-gatherers to develop rice agriculture must have done so in this southern zone, within the apparent present-day geographic range of wild rice.

Yet while most stands of wild rice reported in a 1984 survey were concentrated to the south of the Yangtze drainage, two northern outlier populations were also discovered in provinces along the middle and lower Yangtze, evidence that the Yangtze wetland may fall within both the present-day and the historical geographic ranges of rice's wild ancestor.
 
 
Which of the following, if true, would most clearly undermine the conclusion that the author makes based on the 1984 survey?

(A) Areas south of the Yangtze basin currently have less wild-rice habitat than they once did

(B) Survey since 1984 have shown wild rice populations along the upper Yangtze as well as along the middle and lower Yangtze

(C) The populations of wild rice along the Yangtze represent strains of wild rice that migrated to the north relatively recently.

(D) Early rice-farming societies along the Yangtze were not as highly developed as archaeologists once thought.

(E) In East Asia, the historical geographic range of wild rice was more extensive than the present-day geographic range is.

 

Ans: (C)

Key) the conclusion about the 1984 survey has to be undermined, meaning that the selections in the question will cause the conclusion to be untrue, and at the same time this selection have to be coherent with the premises of the passage. So the survey was metioned in the second paragraph. Focus on it.  

Yet while most stands of wild rice reported in a 1984 survey were concentrated to the south of the Yangtze drainage, two northern outlier populations were also discovered in provinces along the middle and lower Yangtze, evidence that the Yangtze wetland may fall within both the present-day and the historical geographic ranges of rice's wild ancestor.

This main idea is about a discovery in other place where wild rice should not appear, but the they are in both present-day and historical ranges. So, if we undermine the couclusion, the answer should be related to the idea that there is no rice in northern sides. (B) is supportive to the conclusion, so say good-bye to it. We don't see the comparison in the massage, so (A) and (E) can be ignored. (C) is the right answer, based on "migrated to the north relatively recently." which indicated there is no rice before the migration. (D), the " hightly developed" has became irrelevant twaddle. 

 

Based on the passage, skeptics of the idea that rice cultivation began in the Yangtze River region can point to which of the following for support?

(A) Lack of evidence supporting the existence of rice-farming societies along the Yangtze at an early date

(B) Lack of evidence regarding the initial stages of rice cultivation in the Yangtze region

(C) Recent discoveries pertaining to the historical geographic range of rice`s wild ancestor

(D) New information regarding the dates of very early domestic rice from Southeast Asia

(E) New theories pertaining to how hunter-gatherers first developed rice agriculture in East Asia

 

Ans: (B)

Key) From the question, we are looking for the releated sentences. 

Proponents of the southern-origin theory point out that early rice-farming societies along the Yangtze were already highly developed and that evidence for the first stage of rice cultivation is missing. 

We don't find "skeptics" but we see Proponents in the sentence. They are on the opposite sides. So this talks about two clues ; "early rice-farming societies along the Yangtze were already highly developed" and "that evidence for the first stage of rice cultivation is missing" . Then find a choice which can undermine the proponents' opinions. So only (A) and (B) were convincing. And following "the first stage" , we can confidently choose (B)

 

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the "southern-origin theory"?

(A) The theory is based on an unconventional understanding of how hunter-gatherers first developed rice agriculture

(B) The theory fails to take into account the apparent fact that evidence for the first stage of rice cultivation in the north is missing.

(C) The theory was developed primarily in response to a 1984 survey of wild rice`s geographic range

(D) Reassessment of the dates of some archaeological evidence has undermined support for the theory.

(E) Evidence of sophisticated rice-farming societies in the Yangtze region provides support for the theory.

 

Ans: (D)

Key) when we saw inferred, we have to be careful. The answer must be burried in more than one sentence. So, check "southern-origin theory" to find the targets, and find the conclusion to match the selection in the question. 

Proponents of the southern-origin theory point out that early rice-farming societies along the Yangtze were already highly developed and that evidence for the first stage of rice cultivation is missing. They argue that the first hunter-gatherers to develop rice agriculture must have done so in this southern zone, within the apparent present-day geographic range of wild rice.
 
From these two sentences, we can see " Yangtze were developed" , "the first stage of rice cultivation is missing", and "southern zone". These three clues, however, are the statements of the theory without the conclusion. We can not commnet anything, so we need more sentence to konw clues about "southern-origin theory". luckily I see "Yet" on the next one. "Yet" is the key point to overturn the passage's opinion mentioned above the upper sentence. 
 
Yet while most stands of wild rice reported in a 1984 survey were concentrated to the south of the Yangtze drainage, two northern outlier populations were also discovered in provinces along the middle and lower Yangtze, evidence that the Yangtze wetland may fall within both the present-day and the historical geographic ranges of rice's wild ancestor.

From "two northern outlier populations were also discovered". I assure  "southern-origin theory" is bullshit. So, (D) is the only one making sense. 

 

 

Article two : (From GRE offical guide )

Upon maturity, monarch butterflies travel hundreds of miles from their places of origin and lay their eggs on milkweed. The caterpillars that emerge feed on milkweed and absorb the glycosides in milkweed sap. The specific glycosides present in milkweed differ from region to region within the monarch butterfly's range. Mature butterflies retain the glycosides they absorb as caterpillars. Clearly, therefore, the glycosides in a mature monarch butterfly could be used to determine its place of origin.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?

(A) Mature monarch butterflies do not feed on parts of milkweed that contain glycosides.

(B) The glycosides in milkweed sap slightly toxic to caterpillars of other species.

(C) The vast majority of the monarch butterflies that are laying eggs in a given region will have traveled there from a single region.

(D) There are substances other than glycosides in milkweed sap that accumulate in a monarch caterpillar and are retained in the body of the mature butterfly.

(E) There are certain glycosides that are found in the sap of all milkweeds, no matter where they grow within the monarch butterfly`s range

 

Ans:(A)

Key) we are requested to find the answer which can strenghten the argument, meaning that we need a sentence to make the premises and conclusion in the argument to be true. 

P1: Upon maturity, monarch butterflies travel hundreds of miles from their places of origin and lay their eggs on milkweed.

P2: The caterpillars that emerge feed on milkweed and absorb the glycosides in milkweed sap.

P3: The specific glycosides present in milkweed differ from region to region within the monarch butterfly's range.

P4: Mature butterflies retain the glycosides they absorb as caterpillars.

C: Clearly, therefore, the glycosides in a mature monarch butterfly could be used to determine its place of origin.

First, we konw that M butterflies lay eggs on different places, and different places have different milkweed containing different "G", So "G" can distribute where the M came from. 

(A) is right, because it can strengthen P4. Because if mature butterflies eat other "G", then the new "G" will also get into their bodys so that at least two or more places have be marked. And we will not konw the real original one. 

(B) is not geared to its coherence by irrelevent information; sap slightly toxic

(C) "from a single region." is out of the main idea of " distinguishing the places they were borned"

(D) this will weaken the purpose of glycosides

(E) all milkweeds, weaken 

 

 

Article three : (From GRE offical guide )

Published in 1829, David Walker`s Appeal delivered a furious indictment of American slavery and racism while articulating the necessity of resisting immoral authority by any means necessary. The significance of Walker`s pamphlet is not limited to this ideological message, however. Walker believed that the disparity between the condition of Black Americans and the "unalienable rights" and republican principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence could be a rallying point for Black Americans seeking to be recognized as citizens. Like Thomas Paine, whose 1776 pamphlet Common Sense helped propel the American colonies toward independence, Walker recognized the importance of claiming a public voice through which to communicate with both Black and White Americans, and the utility of using printed documents to do so.

 

The passage suggests that Walker would have agrees with which of the following about resistance to immoral authority?

(A) The written word offered one effective aid to such resistance

(B) Such resistance should not be limited to spoken and written expressions of dissent.

(C) Such resistance was crucial if Black Americans were to achieve their full rights as citizens.

 

Ans: (A) (B) (C)

Key) targeting to the resistance to immoral authority, we can find that on the article; Published in 1829, David Walker`s Appeal delivered a furious indictment of American slavery and racism while articulating the necessity of resisting immoral authority by any means necessary

Somehow this guy make some opinion about slavery and racism, so these is the main clues. Then we go further. 

The significance of Walker`s pamphlet is not limited to this ideological message, however.  I see "however", meaning that he is not just taling about slavery and racism . So I need more information. But we can pick one answer byThe significance matching (C)crucial

Walker believed that the disparity(不對等) between the condition of Black Americans and the "unalienable rights" and republican principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence could be a rallying point for Black Americans seeking to be recognized as citizens.

NO1: the disparity, No2: the unalienable, No3: republican principles= rallying points，this matched (B) not only on "spoken and written expressions of dissent" , but also "seeking to be recognized as citizens." but it is not end. we still should go further, because Walker still have somthing to say:

Like Thomas Paine, whose 1776 pamphlet Common Sense helped propel the American colonies toward independence, Walker recognized the importance of claiming a public voice through which to communicate with both Black and White Americans, and the utility of using printed documents to do so.

So, this sentence indicates that public voice is important and documents are important. From these two we can be sure (A) is right, matching its written word

 

Article four : (From GRE offical guide )

Electric washing machines, first introduced in the United States in 1925, significantly reduced the amount of time spent washing a given amount of clothes, yet the average amount of time households spent washing clothes increased after 1925. This increase is partially accounted for by the fact that many urban households had previously sent their clothes to professional laundries. But the average amount of time spent washing clothes also increased for rural households with no access to professional laundries.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain why the time spent washing clothes increased in rural areas?

(A) People with access to an electric washing machine typically wore their clothes many fewer times before washing them than did people without access to electric washing machines.

(B) Households that had sent their clothes to professional laundries before 1925 were more likely than other households to purchase an electric washing machine when they became available.

(C) People living in urban households that had previously sent their clothes to professional laundries typically owned more clothes than did people living in rural households.

(D) The earliest electric washing machines required the user to spend much more time beside the machine than do modern electric washing machines.

(E) In the 1920s and 1930s the proportion of rural households with electricity was smaller than the proportion of urban households with electricity.

Ans: (A)

Key) We must separate the argument with several premises and one conclusion 

P1:  Electric washing machines, first introduced in the United States in 1925, significantly reduced the amount of time spent washing a given amount of clothes

P2: yet the average amount of time households spent washing clothes increased after 1925

P3: This increase is partially accounted for by the fact that many urban households had previously sent their clothes to professional laundries.

C:  But the average amount of time spent washing clothes also increased for rural households with no access to professional laundries.

 

OK! we konw that washing machines tend to save time but actually they increase the time of washing clothes, and P3 says the reason for urban areas is professional washing, but what about rural areas. 

So, our mission is to figure out the reason to cause increase of wahsing time in rural areas. We are requested to find a premise to support the conclusion, so we cannot destroy the ture of any sentence in the argument, or it will weaken the argument-- the mission we are "not" be asked.  

(A) says "wore their clothes many fewer times" so, they take more time to wash clothes. if I was usually wash my clothes once per month before the invention, and I washed my clothes for 30 mins each time. Then now I use the machines to wash my clothes. Becasue I don't need to wash them by my self, and I just throw them into machines which take 20 mins for each wash. So I rather wash my clothes tow times a month. So my total washing time would be 40 mis, more than hand wash. Then, it fit the conclusion that the average amount of time spent washing clothes also increased. This sounds reasonable 

(B) says poeple went to professional laundries more than purchase an electric washing machine. That doesn't make sense, because it already contradict the conclusion saying with no access to professional laundries.

(C) people living in urban have more clothes. That is a racism. For some reason they don't have more clothes than urban dwellers, but it still can not explain why the increase happened. I have to wash my clothes more frequently, becasue I don't have clothes to wear ?? I don't need to change my clothes. So, I still need other sentence to affirm "less clothes, more wash. "

(D) P1 already says reduced the amount of time, so whatever the machines is old or new, they both save time. If (D) is right, then it will begging the question questing the true of P1 

(E) electricity same reason as (C)

 

Article five : (From GRE offical guide )

The dusky salamander lives only in slow-moving streams where organic debris settles and accumulates. In almost all places in New York State where dusky salamanders used to live, suburban development has cleared uplands and put down asphalt. As a result, rainwater now runs directly into streams, causing increased flow that slows the accumulation of organic sediments. Therefore, it is probably the increased flow caused by suburban development that is responsible for the dusky salamander's virtual disappearance from New York State.

 

Which if the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument?

(A) Since 1980 the suburban population of New York State has grown ten times faster than urban population.

(B) Dusky salamanders have disappeared in the past ten years from some suburban areas of New York State that were originally developed more than a century ago and that have not experienced significant development for decades.

(C) The two-line salamander, a species that lives in both slow and swift moving waters, continues to thrive in streams in New York State from which dusky salamanders have disappeared.

(D) Suburban development in New York State contributes significantly to pollution of local streams with lawn fertilizers that are poisonous to most small aquatic animals.

(E) Much of the suburban development in New York State has been occurring in areas that never provided prime habitat for dusky salamanders.

 

Ans: (C)

Key) Support means we have to make sure all the sentences in the argument is ture under the prerequest of coherence. 

P1 : The dusky salamander lives only in slow-moving streams where organic debris settles and accumulates.

P2: In almost all places in New York State where dusky salamanders used to live, suburban development has cleared uplands and put down asphalt.

P3: As a result, rainwater now runs directly into streams, causing increased flow that slows the accumulation of organic sediments.

C: Therefore, it is probably the increased flow caused by suburban development that is responsible for the dusky salamander's virtual disappearance from New York State.

(A) population increase didn't match the development, so good-bye. No coherence. 

(B) contradict P2, it says New york were originally developed, but P2 says there is a  suburban development so that it casue the irrelevance between development and salamander reduction 

(C) two-line salamander can live in developed New york, so strengthen the fact that dusky salamanders is the one being affected. If we find two-line salamander also dissappeared, this is a weakening sentence. 

(D) weanken the argument, because it says that Dusky salamanders will not becaome the only to be influenced. 

(E) this is irrelevant twaddle. Why do we consider the area without Dusky salamanders

 

tile= slant = lean 

timorous = timid = diffident = bashful 

tinge = color = tint = tincture = shade = hue 

tinkle = jingle 

toady = blandish = cringe = fawn = slaver = flatter 

toddle = toddler 蹣跚

toil = travail = drudgery = toil and moil

token = emblem = symble 
         = sourvenir = keepsake 

topping = first-rate = topnotch 

topple = overthrow = overturn = subvert 

torment = torture = afflict
             = agnoize = distress 
             = affliction = agony = anguish = distress 

vestige = relics
vestigal 退化的

veteran 
neophyte = novice =  apprentice = tyro = greenhorn 

vigorous = vivacious 

vicar （牧師）= proxy
vicarious 代理的

vicinity = propinquity 

vicious = malicious = spiteful = vile = wicked 

vigor = pep = sap = verve = vim = virility = vitality 

villain = knave = rascal = rogue = scamp = scoundrel 混混, 流氓

 

 

 

 

以上筆記彙整，再請多指教

 

 

 

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