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Medical College Admission Test: Verbal Reasoning, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Writing Sample (Page 15 )

Updated On: 10-Sep-2026
Page 15 of 164
PDF with 811 Questions

Although nihilism is commonly defined as a form of extremist political thought, the term has a broader meaning. Nihilism is in fact a complex intellectual stance with venerable roots in the history of ideas, which forms the theoretical basis for many positive assertions of modern thought. Its essence is the systematic negation of all perceptual orders and assumptions. A complete view must account for the influence of two historical crosscurrents: philosophical skepticism about the ultimacy of any truth, and the mystical quest for that same pure truth. These are united by their categorical rejection of the "known".
The outstanding representative of the former current, David Hume (1711-1776), maintained that external reality is unknowable, since sense impressions are actually part of the contents of the mind. Their presumed correspondence to external "things" cannot be verified, since it can be checked only by other sense impressions. Hume further asserts that all abstract conceptions turn out, on examination, to be generalizations from sense impressions. He concludes that even such an apparently objective phenomenon as a cause-and- effect relationship between events may be no more than a subjective fabrication of the observer. Stanley Rosen notes: "Hume terminates in skepticism because he finds nothing within the subject but individual impressions and ideas".
For mystics of every faith, the "experience of nothingness" is the goal of spiritual practice. Buddhist meditation techniques involve the systematic negation of all spiritual and intellectual constructs to make way for the apprehension of pure truth. St. John of the Cross similarly rejected every physical and mental symbolization of God as illusory. St. John's spiritual legacy is, as Michael Novak puts it, "the constant return to inner solitude, an unbroken awareness of the emptiness at the heart of consciousness. It is a harsh refusal to allow idols to be placed in the sanctuary. It requires also a scorching gaze upon all the bureaucracies, institutions, manipulators, and hucksters who employ technology and its supposed realities to bewitch and bedazzle the psyche".
Novak's interpretation points to the way these philosophical and mystical traditions prepared the ground for the political nihilism of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The rejection of existing social institutions and their claims to authority is in the most basic sense made possible by Humean skepticism. The political nihilism of the Russian intelligentsia combined this radical skepticism with a near mystical faith in the power of a new beginning. Hence, their desire to destroy becomes a revolutionary affirmation; in the words of Stanley Rosen, "Nihilism is an attempt to overcome or repudiate the past on behalf of an unknown and unknowable, yet hoped- for, future." This fusion of skepticism and mystical re-creation can be traced in contemporary thought, for example as an element in the counterculture of the 1960s.
In the last paragraph, the author quotes Stanley Rosen in order to make the point that modern nihilism is:

  1. impractical because of its faith in an unknowable future.
  2. more than just a movement to do away with existing institutions.
  3. a living doctrine rather than merely a part of the history of political theory.
  4. based more on the tradition of philosophical skepticism than on that of mystical affirmation.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

The author uses Rosen's quote to support his own thesis that the Russian political nihilists combined radical skepticism and the rejection of existing institutions with a faith in the power of a new beginning: "their desire to destroy becomes a revolutionary affirmation." The quote confirms that nihilism is more than just the desire to reject or destroy society (Choice B).
Neither the author nor Rosen suggests that the nihilists were impractical, so A is wrong. C can't be correct because the author never speaks of nihilism as a doctrine that is currently "alive." Choice D suggests that the fusion of the skeptical and mystical traditions in nihilism is weighed more heavily towards skepticism than towards mysticism, but the author never says anything to this effect, so it can be eliminated as well.



Although nihilism is commonly defined as a form of extremist political thought, the term has a broader meaning. Nihilism is in fact a complex intellectual stance with venerable roots in the history of ideas, which forms the theoretical basis for many positive assertions of modern thought. Its essence is the systematic negation of all perceptual orders and assumptions. A complete view must account for the influence of two historical crosscurrents: philosophical skepticism about the ultimacy of any truth, and the mystical quest for that same pure truth. These are united by their categorical rejection of the "known".
The outstanding representative of the former current, David Hume (1711-1776), maintained that external reality is unknowable, since sense impressions are actually part of the contents of the mind. Their presumed correspondence to external "things" cannot be verified, since it can be checked only by other sense impressions. Hume further asserts that all abstract conceptions turn out, on examination, to be generalizations from sense impressions. He concludes that even such an apparently objective phenomenon as a cause-and- effect relationship between events may be no more than a subjective fabrication of the observer. Stanley Rosen notes: "Hume terminates in skepticism because he finds nothing within the subject but individual impressions and ideas".
For mystics of every faith, the "experience of nothingness" is the goal of spiritual practice. Buddhist meditation techniques involve the systematic negation of all spiritual and intellectual constructs to make way for the apprehension of pure truth. St. John of the Cross similarly rejected every physical and mental symbolization of God as illusory. St. John's spiritual legacy is, as Michael Novak puts it, "the constant return to inner solitude, an unbroken awareness of the emptiness at the heart of consciousness. It is a harsh refusal to allow idols to be placed in the sanctuary. It requires also a scorching gaze upon all the bureaucracies, institutions, manipulators, and hucksters who employ technology and its supposed realities to bewitch and bedazzle the psyche".
Novak's interpretation points to the way these philosophical and mystical traditions prepared the ground for the political nihilism of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The rejection of existing social institutions and their claims to authority is in the most basic sense made possible by Humean skepticism. The political nihilism of the Russian intelligentsia combined this radical skepticism with a near mystical faith in the power of a new beginning. Hence, their desire to destroy becomes a revolutionary affirmation; in the words of Stanley Rosen, "Nihilism is an attempt to overcome or repudiate the past on behalf of an unknown and unknowable, yet hoped- for, future." This fusion of skepticism and mystical re-creation can be traced in contemporary thought, for example as an element in the counterculture of the 1960s.
Which of the following provides the best continuation for the final paragraph of the passage?

  1. Thus, the negative effects of nihilism are still being felt.
  2. Classical nihilism has thus been superseded by a new and unrelated type.
  3. The revolutionaries of that time did, after all, reject society and hope for something better.
  4. The study of nihilism, then, belongs to the past rather than to the present.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

For the final question of this passage, you have to pick the choice that would best continue the passage's final paragraph. On this type of question, you are looking for a choice that follows logically from the flow of the author's argument. So you can bet that the right answer will somehow refer to the counterculture movement of the 1960s that is mentioned in the passage's final sentence.
Choice A suggests that the negative effects of nihilism are still being felt, but the author never hints that any form of nihilism had a negative effect on anything, so A should be tossed out. The nihilistic element of the counterculture movement is not new and different from classical nihilism, so B is wrong. Choice C would conclude the passage by commenting further on the nihilism of the 1960s revolutionaries ­ this is more like what you're looking for. A quick look at Choice D confirms that Choice C is the best answer. Since the author has obviously been studying nihilism, he isn't going to say that the study of nihilism belongs to the past but not the present.



Agonistic behavior, or aggression, is exhibited by most of the more than three million species of animals on this planet. Animal behaviorists still disagree on a comprehensive definition of the term, but aggressive behavior can be loosely described as any action that harms an adversary or compels it to retreat. Aggression may serve many purposes, such as food gathering, establishing territory, and enforcing social hierarchy. In a general Darwinian sense, however, the purpose of aggressive behavior is to increase the individual animal's ­ and thus, the species' ­ chance of survival.
Aggressive behavior may be directed at animals of other species, or it may be conspecific ­ that is, directed at members of an animal's own species. One of the most common examples of conspecific aggression occurs in the establishment and maintenance of social hierarchies. In a hierarchy, social dominance is usually established according to physical superiority; the classic example is that of a pecking order among domestic fowl. The dominance hierarchy may be viewed as a means of social control that reduces the incidence of attack within a group. Once established, the hierarchy is rarely threatened by disputes because the inferior animal immediately submits when confronted by a superior.
Two basic types of aggressive behavior are common to most species: attack and defensive threat. Each type involves a particular pattern of physiological and behavioral responses, which tends not to vary regardless of the stimulus that provokes it. For example, the pattern of attack behavior in cats involves a series of movements, such as stalking, biting, seizing with the forepaws and scratching with the hind legs, that changes very little regardless of the stimulus ­ that is, regardless of who or what the cat is attacking.
The cat's defensive threat response offers another set of closely linked physiological and behavioral patterns. The cardiovascular system begins to pump blood at a faster rate, in preparation for sudden physical activity. The eyes narrow and the ears flatten against the side of the cat's head for protection, and other vulnerable areas of the body such as the stomach and throat are similarly contracted. Growling or hissing noises and erect fur also signal defensive threat. As with the attack response, this pattern of responses is generated with little variation regardless of the nature of the stimulus.
Are these aggressive patterns of attack and defensive threat innate, genetically programmed, or are they learned? The answer seems to be a combination of both. A mouse is helpless at birth, but by its 12th day of life can assume a defensive threat position by backing up on its hind legs. By the time it is one month old, the mouse begins to exhibit the attack response. Nonetheless, copious evidence suggests that animals learn and practice aggressive behavior; one need look no further than the sight of a kitten playing with a ball of string. All the elements of attack ­ stalking, pouncing, biting and shaking ­ are part of the game which prepares the kitten for more serious situations later in life.
The passage asserts that animal social hierarchies are generally stable because:

  1. the behavioral responses of the group are known by all its members.
  2. the defensive threat posture quickly stops most conflicts.
  3. inferior animals usually defer to their physical superiors.
  4. the need for mutual protection from other species inhibits conspecific aggression.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

Question 70 is a Detail question on dominance hierarchies, which are discussed in Paragraph 2. The reason for the stability of these hierarchies is revealed in the final sentence of the paragraph; hierarchies are rarely threatened by disputes because the inferior animal immediately submits when confronted by a superior. Choice C, which paraphrases this assertion, is the correct answer.
Choice A doesn't make any sense; even if the behavior responses of the group (whatever those behavior responses are supposed to be) are known by all of the members, this won't automatically make the hierarchy stable. The author never says that the defensive threat posture stops most conflicts (Choice B) or that conspecific aggression is inhibited by the need for protection from other species (Choice D), so both of these choices can be quickly eliminated.



Agonistic behavior, or aggression, is exhibited by most of the more than three million species of animals on this planet. Animal behaviorists still disagree on a comprehensive definition of the term, but aggressive behavior can be loosely described as any action that harms an adversary or compels it to retreat. Aggression may serve many purposes, such as food gathering, establishing territory, and enforcing social hierarchy. In a general Darwinian sense, however, the purpose of aggressive behavior is to increase the individual animal's ­ and thus, the species' ­ chance of survival.
Aggressive behavior may be directed at animals of other species, or it may be conspecific ­ that is, directed at members of an animal's own species. One of the most common examples of conspecific aggression occurs in the establishment and maintenance of social hierarchies. In a hierarchy, social dominance is usually established according to physical superiority; the classic example is that of a pecking order among domestic fowl. The dominance hierarchy may be viewed as a means of social control that reduces the incidence of attack within a group. Once established, the hierarchy is rarely threatened by disputes because the inferior animal immediately submits when confronted by a superior.
Two basic types of aggressive behavior are common to most species: attack and defensive threat. Each type involves a particular pattern of physiological and behavioral responses, which tends not to vary regardless of the stimulus that provokes it. For example, the pattern of attack behavior in cats involves a series of movements, such as stalking, biting, seizing with the forepaws and scratching with the hind legs, that changes very little regardless of the stimulus ­ that is, regardless of who or what the cat is attacking.
The cat's defensive threat response offers another set of closely linked physiological and behavioral patterns. The cardiovascular system begins to pump blood at a faster rate, in preparation for sudden physical activity. The eyes narrow and the ears flatten against the side of the cat's head for protection, and other vulnerable areas of the body such as the stomach and throat are similarly contracted. Growling or hissing noises and erect fur also signal defensive threat. As with the attack response, this pattern of responses is generated with little variation regardless of the nature of the stimulus.
Are these aggressive patterns of attack and defensive threat innate, genetically programmed, or are they learned? The answer seems to be a combination of both. A mouse is helpless at birth, but by its 12th day of life can assume a defensive threat position by backing up on its hind legs. By the time it is one month old, the mouse begins to exhibit the attack response. Nonetheless, copious evidence suggests that animals learn and practice aggressive behavior; one need look no further than the sight of a kitten playing with a ball of string. All the elements of attack ­ stalking, pouncing, biting and shaking ­ are part of the game which prepares the kitten for more serious situations later in life.
According to the author, what is the most significant physiological change undergone by a cat assuming the defensive threat position?

  1. An increase in cardiovascular activity
  2. A sudden narrowing of the eyes
  3. A contraction of the abdominal muscles
  4. The author does not say which change is most significant

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

This Detail question is about the physiological changes a cat experiences when it assumes the defensive threat position. The defensive threat response is discussed primarily in Paragraph 4. An increase in cardiovascular activity (Choice A), narrowing of the eyes (Choice B), and stomach muscle contraction (Choice C) are all mentioned in the paragraph as being part of the defensive threat response. However, the author never says that one of these is more significant than the others, so Choice D is correct.



Agonistic behavior, or aggression, is exhibited by most of the more than three million species of animals on this planet. Animal behaviorists still disagree on a comprehensive definition of the term, but aggressive behavior can be loosely described as any action that harms an adversary or compels it to retreat. Aggression may serve many purposes, such as food gathering, establishing territory, and enforcing social hierarchy. In a general Darwinian sense, however, the purpose of aggressive behavior is to increase the individual animal's ­ and thus, the species' ­ chance of survival.
Aggressive behavior may be directed at animals of other species, or it may be conspecific ­ that is, directed at members of an animal's own species. One of the most common examples of conspecific aggression occurs in the establishment and maintenance of social hierarchies. In a hierarchy, social dominance is usually established according to physical superiority; the classic example is that of a pecking order among domestic fowl. The dominance hierarchy may be viewed as a means of social control that reduces the incidence of attack within a group. Once established, the hierarchy is rarely threatened by disputes because the inferior animal immediately submits when confronted by a superior.
Two basic types of aggressive behavior are common to most species: attack and defensive threat. Each type involves a particular pattern of physiological and behavioral responses, which tends not to vary regardless of the stimulus that provokes it. For example, the pattern of attack behavior in cats involves a series of movements, such as stalking, biting, seizing with the forepaws and scratching with the hind legs, that changes very little regardless of the stimulus ­ that is, regardless of who or what the cat is attacking.
The cat's defensive threat response offers another set of closely linked physiological and behavioral patterns. The cardiovascular system begins to pump blood at a faster rate, in preparation for sudden physical activity. The eyes narrow and the ears flatten against the side of the cat's head for protection, and other vulnerable areas of the body such as the stomach and throat are similarly contracted. Growling or hissing noises and erect fur also signal defensive threat. As with the attack response, this pattern of responses is generated with little variation regardless of the nature of the stimulus.
Are these aggressive patterns of attack and defensive threat innate, genetically programmed, or are they learned? The answer seems to be a combination of both. A mouse is helpless at birth, but by its 12th day of life can assume a defensive threat position by backing up on its hind legs. By the time it is one month old, the mouse begins to exhibit the attack response. Nonetheless, copious evidence suggests that animals learn and practice aggressive behavior; one need look no further than the sight of a kitten playing with a ball of string. All the elements of attack ­ stalking, pouncing, biting and shaking ­ are part of the game which prepares the kitten for more serious situations later in life.
Based on the information in the passage about agonistic behavior, it is reasonable to conclude that:
I). the purpose of agonistic behavior is to help insure the survival of the species.
II). agonistic behavior is both innate and learned.
III). conspecific aggression is more frequent than interspecies aggression.

  1. I only
  2. II only
  3. I and II only
  4. I, II and III

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

The entire passage is about agonistic, or aggressive, behavior, so you need to rely on your memory of the topics of different paragraphs if you want to go back and verify the statements in this Roman Numeral question.
Statement I is taken practically verbatim from the final sentence of Paragraph 1. Since the statement is true, you can eliminate Choice B. Statement II paraphrases the entire final paragraph, so it is true as well and Choice A has to be ruled out. Statement III, on the other hand, is not supported by anything in the passage; all you know from the second paragraph is that both conspecific and interspecies aggression exist. Choice C is the correct answer.



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