GMAT CR DIAGNOSTIC QUIZ – MODULE 2 – SKILL DRILL: NEGATION TEST PRACTICE

Argument:

“Mountain Ridge Hospital recently implemented a new patient safety protocol requiring two nurses to verify all medication dosages before administration. During the six months since implementation, medication errors have decreased by 42% compared to the previous six-month period. Hospital administrators cite this decline as evidence that the double-verification protocol effectively prevents medication errors. They plan to recommend this protocol to other hospitals in their regional network.”

Question: The administrators’ reasoning depends on which of the following assumptions?

Argument:

“Linguist Dr. Sarah Chen argues that children who learn multiple languages before age five develop superior problem-solving abilities compared to monolingual children. She cites research showing that multilingual five-year-olds score 23% higher on standardized cognitive flexibility tests than monolingual peers. Dr. Chen acknowledges that multilingual children in the study came from families with higher average education levels and income. However, she maintains that early multilingual exposure itself—not family background—drives the cognitive advantages observed in the research.”

Question: Dr. Chen’s conclusion requires which of the following assumptions?

Argument:

“Riverdale City’s new bike-sharing program has exceeded expectations, with over 15,000 rides recorded in its first month of operation. Transportation planners had projected only 8,000 rides for the first month based on usage patterns from similar programs in comparable cities. The program’s stations are located near subway stops, major employers, and residential areas. City officials attribute the higher-than-expected usage to Riverdale’s relatively flat terrain and extensive network of bike lanes, which make cycling more appealing than in the comparison cities. Based on this success, officials plan to double the number of bike-sharing stations within the next year.”

Question: The officials’ attribution of high usage to terrain and bike lanes depends on assuming which of the following?

Argument:

“Technology analyst Marcus Rivera predicts that voice-activated artificial intelligence assistants will replace traditional search engines as the primary method people use to find information online. He notes that voice assistant usage has grown 340% over the past three years, while traditional search engine usage has remained flat. Rivera observes that voice assistants provide direct answers to questions, eliminating the need to browse through search results. He argues that as voice recognition technology continues to improve and more households adopt smart speakers, people will increasingly prefer the convenience of asking questions aloud rather than typing queries into search engines.”

Question: Rivera’s prediction requires the assumption that

Argument:

“Agricultural economist Dr. Janet Morrison argues that vertical farming—growing crops in stacked indoor layers—will become economically competitive with traditional field agriculture within the next decade. She points out that vertical farming requires 95% less water than conventional farming and produces yields per square foot that are 10-20 times higher. Dr. Morrison acknowledges that vertical farming currently requires significant energy for artificial lighting and climate control, making it more expensive than field farming. However, she contends that as renewable energy costs continue declining and LED technology becomes more efficient, the energy cost disadvantage will disappear, making vertical farming economically viable for staple crops like wheat and rice.”

Question: Dr. Morrison’s conclusion depends on which of the following assumptions?

Argument:

“Researchers studying workplace productivity found that employees who take regular short breaks throughout the day—approximately five minutes every hour—complete 15% more tasks than employees who work continuously for longer periods. The study tracked 200 office workers over three months, with half following the regular break schedule and half working without scheduled breaks. The researchers concluded that regular breaks improve productivity by preventing mental fatigue and maintaining focus. They recommend that companies encourage employees to take frequent short breaks rather than working continuously until lunch or end-of-day breaks.”

Question: The researchers’ recommendation requires assuming that

Argument:

“Art historian Elena Vasquez challenges the conventional attribution of the painting ‘Portrait of a Merchant’ to Renaissance master Antonio Bellini. She points to significant stylistic differences between this portrait and Bellini’s authenticated works, particularly in the treatment of fabric textures and the handling of light and shadow. Chemical analysis of the paint reveals pigments that Bellini commonly used during his career. However, Vasquez argues that the painting’s compositional structure—especially the subject’s unusual three-quarter pose and the distinctive background architectural elements—more closely resembles the work of Bellini’s lesser-known contemporary, Francesco Romano. She concludes that ‘Portrait of a Merchant’ was actually painted by Romano, not Bellini.”

Question: Vasquez’s conclusion depends on assuming which of the following?

Argument:

“Public health officials in Westfield County launched a comprehensive anti-smoking campaign two years ago, featuring television advertisements, school education programs, and free smoking cessation support. Since the campaign began, cigarette sales in the county have declined by 18%. During the same period, the county also implemented a $2 per pack increase in cigarette taxes. Campaign organizers attribute the sales decline primarily to their educational and support efforts rather than to the tax increase, arguing that similar campaigns in other regions have successfully reduced smoking rates even without tax increases.”

Question: The organizers’ attribution requires the assumption that

Argument:

“Evolutionary biologist Dr. James Thornton proposes that the extinct giant ground sloth, which lived in South America until approximately 10,000 years ago, was primarily nocturnal. He bases this conclusion on anatomical analysis showing that the giant ground sloth possessed exceptionally large eye orbits relative to its skull size—a characteristic strongly associated with nocturnal behavior in modern mammals. Additionally, the sloth’s fossil remains are frequently found in cave systems, suggesting it sought shelter from daylight. Dr. Thornton argues that nocturnal behavior would have allowed these massive herbivores to avoid the hottest parts of the day in South America’s tropical climate.”

Question: Dr. Thornton’s conclusion requires assuming which of the following?

Argument:

“Economist Dr. Patricia Owens argues that implementing a universal basic income (UBI)—providing all citizens with regular unconditional cash payments—would not reduce overall workforce participation as critics fear. She cites a recent two-year pilot program in which 5,000 individuals received monthly UBI payments. Employment rates among UBI recipients remained stable at 94%, essentially unchanged from the 95% employment rate before the program. Dr. Owens acknowledges that participants knew the payments would end after two years. Nevertheless, she contends that this demonstrates people’s inherent desire to work and contribute to society persists even when basic financial needs are met, and therefore a permanent UBI program would not trigger mass workforce exodus.”

Question: The argument depends on assuming that