QUESTION: 437

Although custom prosthetic bone replacements produced through a new computer-aided design process will cost more than twice as much as ordinary replacements, custom replacements should still be cost-effective. Not only will surgery and recovery time be reduced, but custom replacements should last longer, thereby reducing the need for further hospital stays.
Which of the following must be studied in order to evaluate the argument presented above?

The amount of time a patient spends in surgery versus the amount of time spent recovering from surgery
The amount by which the cost of producing custom replacements has declined with the introduction of the new technique for producing them
The degree to which the use of custom replacements is likely to reduce the need for repeat surgery when compared with the use of ordinary replacements
The degree to which custom replacements produced with the new technique are more carefully manufactured than are ordinary replacements
The amount by which custom replacements produced with the new technique will drop in cost as the production procedures become standardized and applicable on a larger scale

Answer(s): C

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QUESTION: 438

Extinction is a process that can depend on a variety of ecological, geographical, and physiological variables. These variables affect different species of organisms in different ways, and should, therefore, yield a random pattern of extinctions. However, the fossil record shows that extinction occurs in a surprisingly definite pattern, with many species vanishing at the same time.
Which of the following, if true, forms the best basis for at least a partial explanation of the patterned extinctions revealed by the fossil record?

Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
Certain extinction episodes selectively affect organisms with particular sets of characteristics unique to their species.
Some species become extinct because of accumulated gradual changes in their local environments.
In geologically recent times, for which there is no fossil record, human intervention has changed the pattern of extinctions.
Species that are widely dispersed are the least likely to become extinct.

Answer(s): A

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QUESTION: 439

Neither a rising standard of living nor balanced trade, by itself, establishes a country’s ability to compete in the international marketplace. Both are required simultaneously since standards of living can rise because of growing trade deficits and trade can be balanced by means of a decline in a country’s standard of living.
If the facts stated in the passage above are true, a proper test of a country’s ability to be competitive is its ability to

balance its trade while its standard of living rises
balance its trade while its standard of living falls
increase trade deficits while its standard of living rises
decrease trade deficits while its standard of living falls
keep its standard of living constant while trade deficits rise

Answer(s): A

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QUESTION: 440

Certain messenger molecules fight damage to the lungs from noxious air by telling the muscle cells encircling the lungs’ airways to contract. This partially seals off the lungs. An asthma attack occurs when the messenger molecules are activated unnecessarily, in response to harmless things like pollen or household dust.
Which of the following, if true, points to the most serious flaw of a plan to develop a medication that would prevent asthma attacks by blocking receipt of any messages sent by the messenger molecules referred to above?

Researchers do not yet know how the body produces the messenger molecules that trigger asthma attacks.
Researchers do not yet know what makes one person’s messenger molecules more easily activated than another’s.
Such a medication would not become available for several years, because of long lead times in both development and manufacture.
Such a medication would be unable to distinguish between messages triggered by pollen and household dust and messages triggered by noxious air.
Such a medication would be a preventative only and would be unable to alleviate an asthma attack once it had started.

Answer(s): D

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QUESTION: 440