Want a preview of the question types you'll face on the GMAT? Try your hand at the GMAT practice questions below. Then, check your answers against our in-depth explanations to see how you did.
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Below you'll find sample GMAT questions covering the three question types you'll encounter on the Verbal section: Sentence Correction , Critical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension.
GMAT Sentence Correction Questions
1. In order to better differentiate its product from generic brands, the cereal company first hired a marketing firm that specializes in creating campaigns to build brand awareness and then retools its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal.
(A) then retools its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal
(B) retools its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal
(C) then retooled its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal
(D) then will retool its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal
(E) then produces a variety of different shapes of cereal through retooling its factory
Answer: (C)
The actions of the cereal company are not in parallel form. First the company hired then it retools . Eliminate choice (A). Choice (B) still has the same error. Choice (D) changes the verb form incorrectly to the future tense. Choice (E) rewrites the sentence but retains the error.
2. Believed to be one of the first widely read female authors of the Western world, Christine de Pizan's masterwork The Book of the City of the Ladies , was written in 1405 and is a history of the Western world from the woman's point-of-view.
(A) Believed to be one of the first widely read female authors of the Western world
(B) Written by one of the first widely read female authors of the Western world
(C) One of the first widely read female authors of the Western world, as some believe
(D) Written by what some believe as one of the first widely read female authors of the Western world
(E) Believed by some as one of the first works by a widely read female author in the Western world
Answer: (B)
As written, this sentence has a misplaced modifier error: the book, The Book of the City of the Ladies isn't believed by anyone to be an author— Christine de Pizan is. Choices (A) and (C) repeat that error and can be eliminated. Choices (B) and (D) both change the introductory phrase to clearly refer to a written work, but choice (D) uses the incorrect idiom believe as instead of the correct form, believe to be . Choice (E) repeats that idiom error.
GMAT Critical Reasoning Questions
1. One food writer wrote that reducing the amount of animal products in one's diet can contribute to better health and well-being. Based on this claim, some people are completely eliminating meat from their diets in order to be healthier.
The argument above relies on which of the following assumptions?
(B) There will be no corresponding increase in the amount of dairy products in the diets of those who are eliminating meat.
(C) Most food writers believe that some amount of animal products is necessary to a health diet.
(D) Not all healthy lifestyles require a vegetarian diet.
(E) Many people who do not eat animal products make decisions for health reasons.
Answer: (B)
The argument states that some people are eliminating meat from their diets because reducing the amount of animal products in one's diet can lead to better health. Meat is only one type of animal product, however. The argument assumes that by eliminating meat, the people are reducing the total amount of animal products in their diets. Choice (A) addresses increasing the amount of vegetables and grains, but the argument just deals with animal products. Choice (B) correctly addresses the people who are eliminating meat and states that those people are not increasing their consumption of dairy, which is another instance of using animal products. Thus, these people are actually reducing the amount of animal products in their diets. Choice (C) addresses most food writers, who are irrelevant to this argument. Choice (D) addresses health lifestyles, which are irrelevant to this particular argument. Choice (E) addresses the reasons behind not eating animal products, which is irrelevant to the argument.
2. Studies reveal that a daily exercise regimen helps stroke survivors regain dexterity in their extremities. Being given an exercise routine and having a consultation with a doctor about the exercise routine have been shown to be effective mechanisms to get patients to exercise daily.
From the above information, which of the following statements can be reasonably inferred?
(A) A stroke survivor that is given a detailed exercise plan and consults her physician about the plan will regain full dexterity in her extremities.
(B) If a stroke survivor is not given an exercise plan and does not consult with a doctor, she will not regain dexterity in her extremities.
(C) Stroke survivors who are given an exercise routine and consult with a doctor about that routine will sometimes regain dexterity in their extremities.
(D) Being given an exercise routine and having a consultation with a doctor about the routine is the best way to help a stroke survivor regain dexterity in their extremities.
(E) Only being given an exercise routine is necessary to regenerate dexterity in the extremities of seniors who have suffered a stroke.
Answer: (C)
This is an inference question, so evaluate the passage and then look for an answer choice that can be reasonably inferred from the information. The passage states that a daily exercise regimen helps stroke survivors regain dexterity in their extremities and that survivors who are given an exercise routine and who have a consultation with a doctor about the routine have been shown to be effective at getting patients to exercise daily . So it can be inferred that if a survivor is given a routine and consults with a doctor, they are more likely to exercise daily, which will help them regain dexterity. Choice (A) is an example of extreme language. The phrasing will regain full dexterity is not promised in the information in the passage, as the passage only states that a routine and consultations may help a survivor exercise more. Eliminate (A). Choice (B) is also an example of extreme language. There is no way to discern from the information provided that a strong survivor would not regain dexterity without an exercise routine and a consultation, so eliminate (B). Choice (C) is a reasonable inference to make from the information in the passage so keep (C). Choice (D) also contains the extreme language best way . The information does not compare this method with any other method so eliminate (D). Choice (E) is recycled language and does not address consulting with a doctor so eliminate (E). The correct answer is (C).
GMAT Reading Comprehension Questions
Passage 1
Although oft-maligned in modern culture, the pigeon once stood not only for speed and reliability but also for grace and beauty. Darwin himself became a pigeon fancier after beginning to work with the humble Columbia livia , discovering them to be more fascinating than he had formerly believed. During the Victorian age, in fact, raising show pigeons was a popular hobby, with new breeds continuously arising as amateur (and not-so-amateur) ornithologists crossed animals in the hopes of creating ever more fantastic creatures. One of the most sought-after varieties was known as the Almond Tumbler, a name presumably derived from the color of the birds combined with the distinctive flight style. Over the course of many generations, this bird was so manipulated as to have a beak so small as to prevent the adult birds from feeding their offspring. And yet, it was wildly popular, drawing high prices at auctions and high prizes at competitions.
How then did an animal once so well-loved come to be so loathed? As recently as World War II, the military used pigeons to carry messages but today, many people would kick a pigeon before they would feed one. Perhaps it is just a problem of population density - a lack of esteem for that which is ubiquitous. Pigeons have become our constant urban companions and, as such, have been transformed from symbols of peace, plenty, and prosperity, to representatives of disease and decay.
1. The primary purpose of this passage is to
(A) convince the reader of the nobility of the pigeon, based on its history as a symbol of virtue
(B) dissuade the reader from mistreating a once-majestic animal that has fallen from favor
(C) rebut claims that the pigeon carries disease any more frequently than do other domestic animals
(D) promote a renewal of pigeon fancying and a resurgence of breeds such as the Almond Tumbler
(E) suggest that there might be more to the story of some urban wildlife than is commonly known
Answer: (E)
The passage gives a brief description of the pigeon's place in recent human history and then goes on to contrast that with modern perspectives of the birds. Choice (A) goes too far—the author doesn't give any indication of believing the pigeon to be noble. Choice (B) focuses too specifically on a side comment in the second paragraph. Choice (C) also focuses too specifically on a side comments—the passage is not primarily about disease. Choice (D) is too strong—the passage isn't really promoting any specific action. Choice (E) remains neutral and informational, as does the passage.
2. The case of the Almond Tumbler is most analogous to which of the following?
(A) a strain of wheat that can be grown in plentiful quantities but loses much of its nutritional value in the process
(B) Arabian horses that are able to run at phenomenal speeds due to centuries of careful breeding designed to enhance those physical attributes
(C) vitamins that were purported to provide all of the necessary nutrients but have since been found not to be very effective
(D) the dachshund, a popular breed of dog that is nonetheless prone to severe back problems, due to weaknesses exacerbated by targeted breeding
(E) the wild rock doves that are most commonly found nesting in the faces of cliffs far from human habitation
Answer: (D)
The Almond Tumbler is described as a breed of pigeon that was very popular during the Victorian era. The passage also mentions that the selective breeding used to create that particular kind of bird also led to tiny beaks that kept parent birds from feeding their babies. Therefore, the best analogy would be another animal that is popular even though it has problems due to its design. Choice (A) is incorrect because it leaves out the aspect of popularity. Choice (B) is only positive and you need something that's also negative. Choice (C) is not about something that has been bred for a specific purpose, nor does it deal with popularity. Choice (D) correctly refers to a popular animal with a common health problem. Choice (E) does not refer to pigeons that have been bred by humans.
3. The passage suggests that
(A) pigeons were once known for flying with celerity
(B) the Almond Tumbler was the most beautiful breed of pigeon
(C) Darwin was infatuated with his fancy pigeons
(D) modern pigeons are dirtier than the fancy pigeons of yore
(E) only scientists should breed new kinds of animals
Answer: (A)
For a question this open-ended, it's usually best to check each of the answers against the passage. Choice (A) appears to match the opening line of the passage, which states that the pigeon once stood not only for speed and reliability. Choice (B) goes too far—although many Victorians seems to have loved the Tumbler, there's no evidence that it was definitively the most beautiful. Choice (C) also goes too far—the passage mentions that Darwin was fascinated by his pigeons, not that he was infatuated. Choice (D) draws an incorrect assumption—the passage comments that the common opinion has changed, not the pigeon itself. Choice (E) is not supported by the passage, which states that amateurs, as well as trained individuals, bred pigeons.
Below you'll find GMAT sample questions covering the two question types you'll encounter on the Quantitative section: Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency.
Problem Solving Questions
1. A certain company sells tea in loose leaf and bagged form, and in five flavors: Darjeeling, earl grey, chamomile, peppermint, and orange pekoe. The company packages the tea in boxes that contain either 8 ounces of tea of the same flavor and the same form, or 8 ounces of tea of 4 different flavors and the same form. If the order in which the flavors are packed does not matter, how many different types of packages are possible?
(A) 12
(B) 15
(C) 20
(D) 25
(E) 30
Answer: (C)
Begin by figuring out how many different ways you can package the tea in boxes that contains 8 ounces of tea, all of the same flavor. There are five flavors, each flavor can come in either loose leaf or bagged form, so 5 flavors x 2 forms = 10 different ways to package the tea in boxes that contain only one flavor each. Now find the number of different ways to package 4 different flavors of the same form per box. In this case, you must choose 4 of 5 possible flavors, and order does not matter, so the formula is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 ⁄ 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 5 different ways to combine the 4 flavors. Each combination can come in either loose leaf for bagged form, so you have 2 different forms x 5 different combinations = 10 total possible ways to combine the 4 flavors in either bagged or loose-leaf form. Thus, the total number of combinations is 10 + 10 = 20 total combinations. The answer is choice (C).
2. Karen sold her house at a loss of 25 percent of the price that she originally paid for the house, and then bought another house at a price of 30 percent less than the price she originally paid for her first house. If she sold the first house for $225,000, what was her net gain, in dollars, for the two transactions?
(A) $15,000
(B) $25,000
(C) $60,000
(D) $75,000
(E) $90,000
Answer: (A)
If Karen sold her first house for $225,000 and at a loss of 25 percent, then 25 percent of the original price equals $225,000. 75 ⁄ 100 x = 225,000, so x, or the price she originally paid, equals $300,000. Thus, Karen lost $75,000 on the sale of her first house. If she bought a second house for a price of 30 percent less than $300,000, then the second house cost $210,000, so she gained $90,0000. $90,000 - $75,000 = $15,000, so the answer is choice (A).
Sample Data Sufficiency Questions
1. In a certain company, at least 200 people own manual transmission vehicles. If 12 percent of the people who own manual transmission vehicles also own automatic transmission vehicles, do more people own automatic transmission vehicles than own manual transmission vehicles?
(1) 5 percent of the people who own an automatic transmissions vehicle also own a manual transmission vehicle.
(2) 15 people own both an automatic transmission vehicle and a manual transmission vehicle.
(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
(D) EACH Statement ALONE is sufficient.
(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed.
Answer: (A)
According to statement (1), 5 percent of the people who own an automatic transmission vehicle also own a manual transmission vehicle. The question also indicates that 12 percent of the people who own a manual transmission vehicle also own an automatic transmission vehicle. Both figures relate to the total number who own both, so that means that 5 percent of the automatic transmission owners = 12 percent of the manual transmission owners. The overlap in ownership makes up a smaller percent of those who own automatic transmission vehicles, so there must be more people who own automatic transmission vehicles. Statement (1) is sufficient, so you can eliminate choices (B), (C), and (E). Statement (2) indicates that 15 people own both an automatic transmission vehicle and a manual transmission vehicle, so you know that 12 percent of the people who own a manual transmission is equal to 15 people. 12 ⁄ 100 = 15, so x = 125. Thus, there are 125 people who own a manual transmission vehicle. However, you have no further information to allow you to calculate the number of people who own automatic transmission vehicles, so statement (2) is insufficient. The answer is choice (A).
2. What is the value of x ⁄ 2 ?
(1) x is 1 ⁄ 5 less than 9 ⁄ 10
(2) x is between 2 ⁄ 5 and 4 ⁄ 5
(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
(D) EACH Statement ALONE is sufficient.
(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed.
Answer: (A)
Statement (1) allows you to find the value of x, so you can answer the question. (If x is 1 ⁄ 5 less than 9 ⁄ 10 , then 9 ⁄ 10 - 1 ⁄ 5 = x. 1 ⁄ 5 = 2 ⁄ 10 , so x equals 9 ⁄ 10 - 2 ⁄ 10 = 7 ⁄ 10 . If x equals 7 ⁄ 10 , then x ⁄ 2 = 7 ⁄ 10 divided by 2, or 7 ⁄ 20 .) Statement (1) is sufficient, so eliminate choices (B), (C), and (E). According to statement (2), x is between 2 ⁄ 5 and 4 ⁄ 5 . That means that one possible value for x is 3 ⁄ 5 , but another possible value is 7 ⁄ 10 . Statement (2) is insufficient, so the answer is choice (A).
Below you'll find examples of how you'll be asked to use a chart, graph, or table to answer questions on the Integrated Reasoning section.
Sample Integrated Reasoning Questions
Item 1: Andre is buying gifts for his office staff. He wants to spend exactly $280 and he can buy either sweatshirts, which cost $22, or baseball caps, which cost $26.
In the table below, choose the number of sweatshirts and the number of baseball caps that Andre should buy.
| Sweatshirts | Baseball Caps | Number to Buy |
|
|
|
Answer: Sweatshirts, 8; Baseball caps 4
To solve this question, systematically test out the answer choices. The equation you need to solve is 22s + 26h = 280, in which both s and h are integers and s represents the number of sweatshirts and h represents the number of baseball caps. So, start with plugging in 4 for sweatshirts and see if the number of baseball caps is an integer.
22(4) +26h = 280
h = 7.38
Since the number of baseball caps is not an integer, Andre could not have bought 4 sweatshirts. Keep trying more sweatshirts one by one until you find an answer that will you an integer value for baseball caps. 8 sweatshirts will give you 4 baseball caps.
Item 2:
The bar chart above displays the population of the United States according to official census figures every fifty years over a 150-year period.
Question 2-1 The ratio of the U.S. population in 2000 to the U.S. population in 1900 is closest to __.
(A) 1 to 4
(B) 2 to 7
(C) 2 to 1
(D) 3 to 1
(E) 11 to 3
Answer: (E, 11 to 3)
According to the graph, the U.S. population in 2000 was a little bit more than 275 million, and the U.S. population in 1900 was a little over 75 million. Since the question asks what the ratio is "closest to," these numbers are good enough to approximate. 275 to 75 can be reduced by 5 to get 55 to 15, which can be reduced by 5 again to get 11 to 3. Alternatively, you could reduce 275 to 75 by 25 to get this same ratio.
Question 2-2 The U.S. population in 1950 was approximately __ of the U.S. population in 1850.
(A) 800%
(B) 600%
(C) 200%
(D) 85%
(E) 15%
Answer: (B, 600%)
The question asks what percent the U.S. population in 1950 is of the U.S. population in 1850. To get this you need to calculate population 1950 ⁄ population 1850 x 100. Since the U.S. population in 1950 is higher, you want something that is greater than 100%. Eliminate 85% and 15%. Since the sentence says "approximate" and also since the remaining answer choices are not close to each other, you can estimate the values. According to the chart, the population in 1950 was about 150 million and the population in 1850 was about 25 million. Therefore, you need to calculate 150 ⁄ 25 x 100 = 6 x 100 = 600%.
Question 2-3 The U.S. population increased by approximately __ from 1900 to 1950.
(A) 25%
(B) 33%
(C) 50%
(D) 100%
(E) 200%
Answer: (D, 100%)
To get percent increase, you need to use the formula difference ⁄ original x 100. The population in 1900 was about 75 million, and the population in 1950 was about 150 million. The difference between the two figures is 75 million. Therefore, the percent increase is 75 ⁄ 75 x 100 = 100%.
Below you'll find a sample Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) question. On the GMAT you'll have 30 minutes to write a critique of the argument.
Analysis of an Argument
Topic
The following appeared as part of a medical advertisement in a magazine.
A new medical test that allows the early detection of a particular disease will prevent the deaths of people all over the world who would otherwise die from the disease. The test has been extremely effective in allowing doctors to diagnose the disease six months to a year before it would have been spotted by conventional means.
Discuss how logically convincing you find this argument. In explaining your point of view, be sure to evaluate the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, it may be necessary to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what other explanations or counterexamples might weaken the arguments conclusion. You can also discuss what kind of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically persuasive, and what, if anything, would enable you to better evaluate its conclusion.
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