QUESTION: 9

Read each passage carefully and then choose the best answer to each question. Answer the questions based upon what is stated or implied in the reading passage.
For many years, there has been much hand-wringing over the fate of Social Security once the baby boomers reach retirement age. Baby boomers, people born between 1946 and 1964, represent the largest single sustained growth of population in the history of the United States. It is the sheer enormity of this generation that has had economists worried as retirement beckons. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2020, an estimated 80,000,000 Americans will have reached or surpassed the conventional age of retirement. With so many boomers retiring and drawing benefits but no longer paying into Social Security, many fear that the Social Security fund itself could go bankrupt.
However, a study released by the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) that examined baby boomers’ plans for retirement found that for the most part, this generation is not expected to adhere to the conventional retirement scheme, a fact that may please the worriers in Washington, DC.
In its survey, the AARP broke baby boomers into different categories based on their financial standing, degree of preparedness for retirement, and optimism toward the future. The AARP found that of all groups surveyed, only 13% planned to stop working altogether once they reached retirement age; the remaining 87% planned to continue working for pay. The reasons to continue working varied among the different groups. For some, the plan to continue working is a financial decision. Between 25% and 44% of respondents reported they are not financially prepared to retire and will therefore continue working past retirement age. For the remainder of those planning to work past their mid to late 60s, the decision is based on long-held goals to start a business and/or the desire to stay active in their industry or community.
Eventually, most baby boomers will need to stop working as they progress into their 70s, 80s, and beyond. But with such large numbers planning to continue working, thereby continuing to pay into the Social Security fund, perhaps Social Security will be able to withstand the end of the baby boom and continue to be a safety net for future generations.

The author cites statistics from the AARP survey primarily to

supports the assertion that baby boomers are the largest group of retirees in U.S. history.
show that baby boomers will not retire en masse as feared.
suggests that better financial planning is needed for the elderly.
show how optimistic baby boomers are about their future.
show the correlation between retirement age and optimism.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

The survey statistics demonstrate that most baby boomers will keep working, so the Social Security system will not encounter a sudden massive strain as baby boomers reach the retirement age. Choice a is incorrect because although the number of baby boomers is cited (80,000,000), no other figure is cited in comparison.
One statistic from the survey suggests that many baby boomers have not planned well for retirement (choice c), but several other statistics are also cited, so this cannot be the main purpose.
The passage states that the survey was designed in part to measure baby boomers’ optimism (choice d), but the passage does not cite results of questions in that category. Choice e is incorrect for the same reason.

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QUESTION: 10

Read each passage carefully and then choose the best answer to each question. Answer the questions based upon what is stated or implied in the reading passage.
For many years, there has been much hand-wringing over the fate of Social Security once the baby boomers reach retirement age. Baby boomers, people born between 1946 and 1964, represent the largest single sustained growth of population in the history of the United States. It is the sheer enormity of this generation that has had economists worried as retirement beckons. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2020, an estimated 80,000,000 Americans will have reached or surpassed the conventional age of retirement. With so many boomers retiring and drawing benefits but no longer paying into Social Security, many fear that the Social Security fund itself could go bankrupt.
However, a study released by the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) that examined baby boomers’ plans for retirement found that for the most part, this generation is not expected to adhere to the conventional retirement scheme, a fact that may please the worriers in Washington, DC.
In its survey, the AARP broke baby boomers into different categories based on their financial standing, degree of preparedness for retirement, and optimism toward the future. The AARP found that of all groups surveyed, only 13% planned to stop working altogether once they reached retirement age; the remaining 87% planned to continue working for pay. The reasons to continue working varied among the different groups. For some, the plan to continue working is a financial decision. Between 25% and 44% of respondents reported they are not financially prepared to retire and will therefore continue working past retirement age. For the remainder of those planning to work past their mid to late 60s, the decision is based on long-held goals to start a business and/or the desire to stay active in their industry or community.
Eventually, most baby boomers will need to stop working as they progress into their 70s, 80s, and beyond. But with such large numbers planning to continue working, thereby continuing to pay into the Social Security fund, perhaps Social Security will be able to withstand the end of the baby boom and continue to be a safety net for future generations.

It can be inferred from the AARP survey results that

many baby boomers do not have adequate savings.
many baby boomers are afraid of retirement.
most baby boomers are unaware of the actual cost of retirement.
few baby boomers are realistic about their retirement goals.
politicians do not understand the baby boom generation.

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

The survey found that a quarter to nearly a half of all respondents planned to keep working because “they are not financially prepared to retire.” This suggests that many baby boomers do not have adequate savings.
Nothing in the survey results suggests a fear of retirement (choice b). Also, nothing in the passage suggests that baby boomers are unaware of the cost of retirement (choice c).
The passage does not assess how realistic baby boomers’ goals are (choice d) and makes no reference to politicians (choice e) other than the vague “worriers in Washington,” a group that could include economists, lobbyists, and many other kinds of people.

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QUESTION: 11

The Florida panther, known for its distinctive characteristics, including a kinked tail and cowlicks, is nearing extinction with the help of scientists and government officials. Though once abundant in Florida, by the end of the twentieth century, only approximately 30 Florida panthers remained. Efforts to preserve the panthers had focused on shielding them from human encroachment with the hope that they could develop sustainable numbers to survive as a species. However, pressure from development caused officials to grow impatient and shift their strategy and goals.
In 1995, new breeds of female panthers were brought to Florida from Texas to bolster the population. The change has been dramatic. In 1990, 88% of the panthers in Florida had the distinct kinked tail. By 2000, five years after the introduction of the Texas panthers, not a single kitten born to the Texas females had a kinked tail. The breed known as the Florida panther is now on an expedited, ineluctable road to extinction — with the assistance of wildlife protection agencies.
If the goal was to have any kind of panther in Florida, it has been realized. Since the introduction of the Texas panthers, the panther population in Florida has risen to approximately 80 mixed-breed panthers. However, this “success” could portend a tragic trend in wildlife management in the United States. We cannot and should not create genetically mixed species as a means of achieving a compromise between the needs of development and a species’ survival. This type of species tampering is a perversion of the ideal of wildlife management and will irrevocably transform our national landscape.

The primary goal of this passage is to

demonstrate the fragility of an endangered species.
demonstrate the importance of effective wildlife management.
argue that mixing species to ensure a species’ survival is wrong.
demonstrate the effectiveness of mixing species.
limit development in areas with endangered species

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

Although the passage does demonstrate the fragility of an endangered species (choice a) and the importance of effective wildlife management (choice b), the main goal is to argue that mixing species is the wrong way to attempt to preserve an endangered species. This is expressed clearly in the final paragraph: “We cannot and should not create genetically mixed species as a means of achieving a compromise between the needs of development and a species’ survival.” The passage does show that the mixing of species was successful (choice d), but the passage criticizes this point. The author is critical of land development in areas with specific endangered species, but this is not the focus of the passage, so choice e is incorrect.

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QUESTION: 12

The Florida panther, known for its distinctive characteristics, including a kinked tail and cowlicks, is nearing extinction with the help of scientists and government officials. Though once abundant in Florida, by the end of the twentieth century, only approximately 30 Florida panthers remained. Efforts to preserve the panthers had focused on shielding them from human encroachment with the hope that they could develop sustainable numbers to survive as a species. However, pressure from development caused officials to grow impatient and shift their strategy and goals.
In 1995, new breeds of female panthers were brought to Florida from Texas to bolster the population. The change has been dramatic. In 1990, 88% of the panthers in Florida had the distinct kinked tail. By 2000, five years after the introduction of the Texas panthers, not a single kitten born to the Texas females had a kinked tail. The breed known as the Florida panther is now on an expedited, ineluctable road to extinction — with the assistance of wildlife protection agencies.
If the goal was to have any kind of panther in Florida, it has been realized. Since the introduction of the Texas panthers, the panther population in Florida has risen to approximately 80 mixed-breed panthers. However, this “success” could portend a tragic trend in wildlife management in the United States. We cannot and should not create genetically mixed species as a means of achieving a compromise between the needs of development and a species’ survival. This type of species tampering is a perversion of the ideal of wildlife management and will irrevocably transform our national landscape.

The author supports the central idea of this passage primarily by

contrasting the Florida panther with the Texas panther
showing how interbreeding has destroyed the Florida panther species.
attacking government wildlife protection policies
showing how human encroachment has depleted Florida’s panther population
describing the history of panthers in the United States

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

The main idea of the passage is that efforts to preserve species through interbreeding will only backfire, pushing a particular endangered species farther down the road to extinction. The passage’s statistics show how the interbreeding has accomplished this in the case of the Florida panther. The Texas panther is not described, so choice a is incorrect. The author does not attack general wildlife protection policies — indeed, no policies are mentioned, only the specific handling of this panther population — so choice c is incorrect. Human encroachment was a main threat to the panthers (choice d), but the author did not discuss how encroachment harmed the species. Only a brief history of panthers in Florida is provided, so choice e is incorrect.

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Free GMAT SECTION 3: VERBAL ABILITY Exam Braindumps (page: 4)

QUESTION: 9

Explanation:

QUESTION: 10

Explanation:

QUESTION: 11

Explanation:

QUESTION: 12

Explanation:

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