Paradox (Explanation)
7。RESOLVE THE PARADOX
看原文：找出原文的矛盾或奇怪的現象
找答案：用相關無關排除答案，和具體的矛盾的事有關無關，結合TEST。
TEST：答案必須使原文相矛盾的事物不矛盾或都是真，都成立 找答案可以解釋矛盾點的使成連貫
which of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation of the machine-tool industry's raising the issue above regarding national security?
題目問, 為什麼五金業會在其請願書中提到國安議題?
13. Defense department analysts worry that the ability of the US to wage a prolonged war would be seriously endangered if the machine-tool manufacturing base shrinks further. Before the Defense department publicly connected this security issue with the import quota issue, however, the machine-tool industry raised the national security issue in its petition請願 for import quotas.
國防部分析家擔心 美國持久戰爭的能力- 如果機床生產基地的進一步萎縮 將嚴重被危及
然而 在國防部公開連這個安全問題同進口配額問題之前 該機床行業在其申請進口配額提出國家安全的問題.
A. when the aircraft industries retooled, they provided a large amount of work for tool builders.
飛機要retool的時候，給MT工業帶來了很多就業 與航空業無關
B. The defense department is only marginally最低限度地 concerned with the effects of foreign competition on the machine-tool industry.
國防部僅最低限度地關心國外競爭對MT工業的影響 無關
C. the machine-tool industry encountered遇到 difficulty in obtaining governmental protection against imports on grounds other than defense.
五金業之前一直無法得到政府保護
所以他們特別提到了國安議題, 希望可以得到政府重視.
五金業不斷蕭條應該就是因為進口限制的關係(如Pufa大大提到, 可能進口限制太鬆), 所以他們試著尋求政府保護, 但是之前很多方法都沒有用, 這次祭出狠招, 直接點明政府如果再不重視, 那會嚴重影響國家安全. 所以OG上也解釋了: (C) explains that the industry turned to this issue because others tended to be ineffective to obtain governmental protection. (others我認為是指其他issue/方法)
D. a few weapons important for defense consist of parts that do not require extensive machining廣泛加工. 無關
E. several federal government programs have been designed which will enable domestic machine tool manufacturing firms to compete successfully with foreign toolmakers.那麼他們就不會提出來了，所以不對
Which of the following statements, if true, would best explain the 1984 decrease in productivity?
40. In Asia, where palm trees are non-native, the trees' flowers have traditionally been pollinated by hand, which has kept palm fruit productivity unnaturally low. When weevils known to be efficient pollinators of palm flowers were introduced into Asia in 1980, palm fruit productivity increased-by up to fifty percent in some areas-but then decreased sharply in 1984.
矛盾：本來應該productivity增加的，但是現在卻先增後減了。
A. Prices for palm fruit fell between 1980 and 1984 following the rise in production and a concurrent fall in demand. （產量跟銷量沒有關係）
B. Imported trees are often more productive than native trees because the imported ones have left behind their pests and diseases in their native lands. （palm並沒有imported，所以並不能解釋）
C. Rapid increases in productivity tend to deplete trees of nutrients needed for the development of the fruit-producing female flowers. （正好解釋了先升後降的原因）
D. The weevil population in Asia remained at approximately the same level between 1980 and 1984. （關心的不是weevil population）
E. Prior to 1980 another species of insect pollinated the Asian palm trees, but not as efficiently as the species of weevil that was introduced in 1980. （1980年之前的情況不關心，這裡說的是1980-1984的情況）
Each of the following, if true, could explain the simultaneous同步 increase in tobacco sales and decrease in the number of adults who smoke EXCEPT:
45.The tobacco industry is still profitable and projections are that it will remain so. In the United States this year, the total amount of tobacco sold by tobacco-farmers has increased, even though the number of adults who smoke has decreased.
tobacco總數量上升 smoke人數下降
(A) During this year, the number of women who have begun to smoke is greater than the number of men who have quit smoking.
這題的男人女人都是只成年人 而且文章說 the number of adults who smoke 所以只問總數量
女人抽煙數男人戒煙數相抵消 抽煙人口不變
女人抽煙數比男人戒煙數多 抽煙人口增加 正確
女人抽煙數比男人戒煙數少 抽煙人口減少
(B) The number of teen-age children who have begun to smoke this year is greater than the number of adults who have quit smoking during the same period. teen age是未成年人 所以the number of adults who smoke減少
(C) During this year, the number of nonsmokers who have begun to use chewing tobacco or snuff煙草或鼻煙 is greater than the number of people who have quit smoking. nonsmokers本來就被排除在外 所以the number of adults who smoke減少
(D) The people who have continued to smoke consume more tobacco per person than they did in the past.
the number of adults who smoke人數不變 只適用煙量增加
(E) More of the cigarettes made in the United States this year were exported to other countries than was the case last year.沒回答到問題
Which of the following, if true, would explain the discrepancy不一致, described above?
49. A milepost里程碑 on the towpath read “21” on the side facing the hiker as she approached it and “23” on its back.
She reasoned that the next milepost forward on the path would indicate that she was halfway between one
end of the path and the other. However, the milepost one mile further on read “20” facing her and “24” behind.
她推理路上的下一個里程碑會表明她剛好走了路程的一半
(A) The numbers on the next milepost had been reversed.
(B) The numbers on the mileposts indicate kilometers, not miles.
(C) The facing numbers indicate miles to the end of the path, not miles from the beginning. 正確
(D) A milepost was missing between the two the hiker encountered.
(E) The mileposts had originally been put in place for the use of mountain bikers, not for hikers.
一般來說，里程碑上對著你的那一面會寫著你已經走過的路程。
當一個hinker經過第一個里程碑的時候，她看見里程碑對著她的那一面寫著21，背面寫著23(兩地間的總路程是44)。她根據常理推斷下一個里程碑會標著22(到下一個里程碑處時她又多走了一英里，所以是22)。
但當她走到下一個里程碑時，看見里程碑的正面寫著20，背面寫著24。她明明多走了一公里，可是里程碑上的數字卻少了一公里，這正說明常理此處不成立，里程碑上標的不是她已走過的路程，而是距離終點的路程。
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?
57. Extinction is a process that can depend on a variety of ecological, geographical, and physiological variables.
These variables affect different species of organisms有機體 in different ways, and should, therefore, yield a random pattern of extinctions. However, the fossil record shows that extinction occurs in a surprisingly definite明確的 pattern, with many species vanishing絕跡 at the same time.
總結題意：物種滅絕由一系列的生態地理生理變化引起，而這些變化對不同種類的生物產生的影響不同。所以，各種應該有多種形式的滅絕。但是從化石顯示，物種滅絕卻有一定的模式，即很多物種同時消失。
(A) Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
主要的extinction都是由於大範圍的環境突變引起，而這種環境變化對不同物種同時產生影響，很好的解釋了多物種同時消失的原因
(B) Certain extinction episodes selectively affect organisms with particular sets of characteristics unique to their species.
某些絕滅事件影響選擇性的有機體 ,特別是一組特性的獨特的物種
(C) Some species become extinct because of accumulated gradual changes in their local environments.
某些物種的滅絕 ,因為當地環境的積累逐漸改變 .
(D) In geologically recent times, for which there is no fossil record, human intervention has changed the pattern of extinctions.
(E) Species that are widely dispersed are the least likely to become extinct.
物種分佈甚廣 ,是最有可能滅絕 .
事實一 : 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.
事實二 However, the fossil record shows that extinction occurs in a surprisingly definite pattern, with many species vanishing at the same time.
簡譯 : 由化石紀錄發現 many species vanishing at the same time時發生extinction.
由於兩件事實指向不同的方向 ,當然必須找出合理的原因來解釋.
(A) Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
(A)的解釋完全打回事實一中提到的variety of ecological, geographical, and physiological variables.
又打回事實二中affect numerous different species.
照理講,生物絶種因素複雜,也不同時,所有生物不應一時全部消失,但這由化石記錄卻發生了,尋求解釋.
(A) 一因素 (environmental disturbances) 影響絶大多數, 是也.
(B) Certain ... particular => 要的字眼是 all
(C) Some ... => 要的字眼是 all
(D) recent times 時間不對, fossil record 想必是遠古時代; 出現 human 更不合理. 從 fossil 觀察到的現象, 想早在人類之前就發生完畢.
(E) 跟題意相反
Which of the following, if true, best reconciles調停 the seeming discrepancy差異 described above?
71.Some communities in Florida are populated almost exclusively by retired people and contain few, if any, families with small children. Yet these communities are home to thriving繁榮 businesses specializing in the rental of furniture for infants and small children.
在F的一些社區,主要是退休的人和少量有小孩的家庭(如果有的話).然而這些社區可以有興旺的專業做嬰兒和小孩傢俱租賃的生意.
(A) The businesses specializing in the rental of children’s furniture buy their furniture from distributors outside of Florida.
這些企業從外州經銷商 買家具作 專門出租兒童家具的生意
(B) The few children who do reside in these communities all know each other and often make overnight visits to one another’s houses.
幾個孩子都住在這個社區都知道對方 他們常常通彼此的房子過夜
(C) Many residents of these communities who move frequently prefer renting their furniture to buying it outright.
許多居民對這些社區人士頻繁寧願租家具而不買它 .
(D) Many residents of these communities must provide for the needs of visiting grandchildren several weeks a year.正確
許多這些社區的居民必須提供幾個星期的時間接受外孫的參訪 合理解釋了退休社區 與租入幼兒家具的矛盾點
(E) Children’s furniture available for rental is of the same quality as that available for sale in the stores.兒童家具可供出租的同一品質與所售的商店一致
Each of the following, if true, helps to explain the enrollment increases in two-year community colleges described above EXCEPT:
以下每個 ,如果屬實 ,有助於解釋招生所述兩年制社區學院 除了
84. Many institutions of higher education suffer declining enrollments during periods of economic slowdown. At two-year community colleges, however, enrollment figures boom during these periods when many people have less money and there is more competition for jobs.
題目有問EXCEPT的 5個答案 4個為支持 1 個為無關不能串聯矛盾點
(A) During periods of economic slowdown, two-year community colleges are more likely than four-year colleges to prepare their students for the jobs that are still available.
(B) During periods of economic prosperity, graduates of two-year community colleges often continue their studies at four-year colleges.
上完2年制學院 繼續上4年制學院
(C) Tuition at most two-year community colleges is a fraction of that at four-year colleges.
兩年制社區學院學費頂多是在四年制學院 的一小部分,
(D) Two-year community colleges devote more resources than do other colleges to attracting those students especially affected by economic slowdowns.
兩年制社區學院比其他院校,投入更多的資源 ,吸引那些特別是受經濟不景氣影響的學生 .
(E) Students at two-year community colleges, but not those at most four-year colleges, can control the cost of their studies by choosing the number of courses they take each term.
學生在兩年制社區學院 他們每個學期的研究選擇了一些可以控制的成本的課程 ,而不是那些在多數四年制學院
Which of the following, if true and known by the ranchers牧場經營者, would best help explain the results of the study?
86.Hardin argued that grazing land held in common (that is, open to any user) would always be used less carefully than private grazing land. Each rancher would be tempted to overuse common land because the benefits would accrue to the individual, while the costs of reduced land quality that results from overuse would be spread among all users. But a study comparing 217 million acres of common grazing land with 433 million acres of private grazing land showed that the common land was in better condition.
H主張公共牧場(即開放給任何用戶 )通常都比私人牧場不愛惜使用
牧人會因為利益屬於個體而過度使用牧地即使土地過度使用減低品質導致的成本會分散到每個人身上
(A) With private grazing land, both the costs and the benefits of overuse fall to the individual user.不能解釋公共牧場土地條件較好的原因
(B) The cost in reduced land quality that is attributable to any individual user is less easily measured with common land than it is with private land.
(C) An individual who overuses common grazing land might be able to achieve higher returns than other users can, with the result that he or she would obtain a competitive advantage.
(D) If one user of common land overuses it even slightly, the other users are likely to do so even more, with the consequence that the costs to each user outweigh the benefits.
如果一個user即使是輕微得過度使用公共地，其他user也有可能這麼做甚至更厲害，這樣導致對每個user的費用超過其收益。
Which of the following, if true, provides the best indication that the Everett company’s decision was logically well supported?
108.When three Everett-owned Lightning-built airplanes crashes in the same month, the Everett company ordered three new Lightning-built airplanes as replacements. This decision surprised many in the airline industry because, ordinarily when a product is involved in accidents, users become reluctant to buy that product.
摔E飛機 摔了3架還是繼續買同型號的飛機 解釋一個原因可以直持這項決策的
(A) Although during the previous year only one Lightning-built airplane crashed, competing manufacturers had a perfect safety record.
(B) The Lightning-built airplanes crashed due to pilot error, but because of the excellent quality of the planes there were many survivors.
正確連接起來的原因是因為摔機是飛行員的錯誤 且飛機好可以保住乘客的性命
(C) The Federal Aviation Association issued new guidelines for airlines in order to standardize safety requirements governing preflight inspections.
(D) Consumer advocates pressured two major airlines into purchasing safer airplanes so that the public would be safer while flying.
(E) Many Lightning Airplane Company employees had to be replaced because they found jobs with the competition.許多L公司員工必須被取代,這是因為他們發現工作競爭激烈(這樣翻好像有點生硬)
如果是這樣意思, 那的確可以說明Everett決策有問題,因為L公司員工有問題, Everett還跟他們買飛機?
E是決策錯誤選項。我覺得對這種相對簡單的邏輯題，最後的做法是根據題干自己先有一個推論，比如本題，飛機狂摔，但還要繼續買，說明不是飛機的問題，而是其它 原因導致狂摔，想到這一步就差不多了，如果能再進一步，也許正是由於飛機的高質量，即使摔了，也保住乘客的命，就和正確答案B一致了。即使想不到這一步， 有前面的推論再找答案也容易一些。E確實是無關選項，此題就是圍繞飛機的質量和失事的原因在談，勞工，競爭者等其它因素都是無關
Which of the following, if true, best explains the fact that sleep-deprivation is not used as a treatment for depression?
睡眠不足 不是用來治療憂鬱症的
118. According to a review of 61 studies of patients suffering from severely debilitating depression嚴重衰弱抑鬱症, a large majority of the patients reported that missing a night's sleep immediately lifted their depression. Yet sleep-deprivation is not used to treat depression even though the conventional treatments, which use drugs and electric shocks, often have serious side effects.
病人如果一晚不睡覺會感到depression得到了舒解,但是為什麼不用剝奪睡眠的方式治療depression呢?
因為....病人只要一睡....depression的感覺又會恢復...
題目是說 針對61個debilitating depression case的review 大部分的病人 在一晚未眠的情況下depression 獲得了立即的紓解 但是這種剝奪睡眠用來治療 depression的方式並沒有被實行 而是用傳統的治療方式(drugs and electric shocks)即使這些方式有很大的副作用
(A) For a small percentage of depressed patients, missing a night's sleep induces a temporary sense of euphoria.
小部分能夠獲得暫時的心情渝悅 與題目說的大部分病人不合
(B) Keeping depressed patients awake is more difficult than keeping awake people who are not depressed.
跟題目沒啥相關
(C) Prolonged loss of sleep can lead to temporary impairment of judgment comparable to that induced by consuming several ounces of alcohol.這裡講的是沒睡導致所損失的判斷能力跟喝酒之後損失的判斷能力 跟題目要的也不相關
(D) The dramatic shifts in mood connected with sleep and wakefulness have not been traced to particular changes in brain chemistry.
這裡講的是睡眠跟失眠 對於心情上的大轉變 之間的相關 還沒trace到跟大腦的化學物質的特殊變化 相關
(E) Depression returns in full force as soon as the patient sleeps for even a few minutes.病人只要獲得短暫的睡眠 depression 的感覺又會回復
背景知識：重度憂鬱症的人通常都合併有睡眠障礙的問題，絕大部份是失眠或是睡眠品質極差，極少部份的人會嗜睡。而睡眠障礙會加重憂鬱症，重度的憂鬱症又會再加重睡眠障礙的情形，兩者會相輔相成。
題意應該是：重度憂鬱患者說，一晚失眠讓他們的憂鬱更嚴重(意思是，不失眠，就不會變嚴重)
sleep-deprivation 我認為是指一種therapy，是經由睡眠剝奪的方式，讓患者最後能睡著
簡單的說，就是把人累到掛，就自然睡著了的一種療法
(剛開始根本看不懂什麼deprivation，就把它想成一種療法而已)
而為什麼不用這種療法，讓憂鬱症患者可以睡著，就選到D了，因為這種療法做了等於沒做，患者醒來還是一樣憂鬱(不失眠，就不會變嚴重，但這只是一直維持現狀，也就是憂鬱的症頭裡，並沒有變好)，所以就不使用這種療法
簡單的畫圖：
失眠-->變嚴重(=嚴重憂鬱)
不失眠-->維持現狀(=憂鬱)
-->有做療法並沒有使憂鬱症患者好轉成正常人，所以不做
sleep deprivation是指失眠，如果把它當成一種療法來治depression
題意上應該是這樣：
假設正常人指數normal value=0，憂鬱症是負，躁動症是正
憂鬱症患者(正常人指數-100)-->不睡覺(正常人指數+20後變成-80)-->不睡覺(正常人指數再+20後變成-60)-->不小心睡著--(in full force)-->憂鬱指數回復到-100
也就是做了therapy也沒效，所以就不做
至於lift的意義，我個人覺得不用太在意
我查了手上的Collins、Longman、Cambridge Online、Oxford Online、yahoo! dictionary，它基本上都是具有raise、go upward的意思，用做「紓解」解的時候，可以把它想成是從負變成零，一樣是往上的。
by the way, 我覺得這一題的樣子在OG裡面常常出現，也就是：
描述1. A可以改善B
描述2. 不做A
-->問：為何不做A？
通常的答案都是A有其他的副作用，讓它原本的改善不會發生，或是變得更糟
像OG10的158,135 ,93
Which of the following, if true, would best explain the opposition of small-business groups to the proposed legislation?
127.Small-business groups are lobbying to defeat proposed federal legislation that would substantially raise the federal minimum wage. This opposition is surprising since the legislation they oppose would, for the first time, exempt all small businesses from paying any minimum wage.
小公司集體反對聯邦政府制定的最低薪資的規定，令人訝異的是，聯邦政府制定法律時，己經在第一時間排除小公司適用這項規定結合題干和選項：新法律提高了最低工資水平，大企業必須遵守所以大企業的工資水平將提高。小企業為吸引工人必須和大企業工資水平保持一致， 所以小企業的工資水平也將提高（儘管小企業不必遵守新法律）。所以小企業會反對。題干說surprising，所以小企業出於其他考慮不希望法律生效。其 實他們反對的是raise wage,而不是exemption。因為小企業為吸引員工必須支付lowest wage，所以真正對他們有影響的還是raise wage.
(A) Under the current federal minimum-wage law, most small businesses are required to pay no less than the minimum wage to their employees.
A不對是否是因為，A只說出了law的變化，而law變化後小企業的exempt就沒有了，就必須付給工人minimum wage.這裡並沒有說出小企業為什麼反對law沒有改變前,小企業可以獲得exempt的反對原因，即沒有說出反對law的原因，只說出了反對沒有 exempt的原因，因此不對
(B) In order to attract workers, small companies must match the wages offered by their larger competitors, and these competitors would not be exempt under the proposed laws.
選B是說，為了吸引人才，小公司的薪水必須和大公司的標準一致，而這些大公司，卻都在最低薪資的規定要求內
(C) The exact number of companies that are currently required to pay no less than the minimum wage but that would be exempt under the proposed laws is unknown.
(D) Some states have set their own minimum wages---in some cases, quite a bit above the level of the minimum wage mandated by current federal law---for certain key industries.
(E) Service companies make up the majority of small businesses and they generally employ more employees per dollar of revenues than do retail or manufacturing businesses.
服務公司佔小企業中的大部分。它們一般每塊錢的收入比零售或製造企業僱傭更多的員工。
解釋：E暗示大多數小企業應該從免除中獲利。
E說多數small businesses 工資低，所以如果不需由最低工資的規定，對他們是最有利的，他們應該支持這個豁免（value the exemption），所以沒理由反對立法，解釋不了small businesses 反對的原因，故不是答案。OG的解釋有時較粗造
E是說，佔到小公司的大多數的服務業公司每取得一美元收入，要比零售業和製造業僱傭更多的僱員，不是說他們的工資低，是說他們的人力成本占收入的比重大， 因此工資水平高低對他們影響很大KENSHIN的解釋是對的，所以他們若沒有最低工資限制，對他們有利。他們應該支持。
Which of the following, if true, best explains the discrepancy outlined above?
133. In 1960, 10 percent of every dollar paid in automobile insurance premiums went to pay costs arising from injuries incurred in car accidents. In 1990, 50 percent of every dollar paid in automobile insurance premiums went toward such costs, despite the fact that cars were much safer in 1990 than in 1960.
1960年 每美元支付汽車保險費的10 % 支付因受傷而招致車禍的意外費用
1990年 每美元支付汽車保險費的50 % 支付因受傷而招致車禍的意外費用 即使1990車比1960的更安全
(A) There were fewer accidents in 1990 than in 1960.
(B) On average, people drove more slowly in 1990 than in 1960.
(C) Cars grew increasingly more expensive to repair over the period in question.
(D) The price of insurance increased more rapidly than the rate of inflation between 1960 and 1990.
(E) Health-care costs rose sharply between 1960 and 1990.正確
costs arising from injuries： 由於負傷的費用
Health-care costs：健康醫療費用
costs arising from injuries＝Health-care costs 這是個典型的換一種說法
文章是分析 costs arising from injuries 從10％漲到50％的原因
d只說 price of insurance，不能解釋costs arising from injuries 從10％漲到50％的原因
D中的interest rates文章裡面都沒有提到，無關選現一般不會是assumption
price of insurance是買insurance付的錢。撞車了，保險公司就賠錢，就是paid in automobile insurance premiums。這個裡面包括 人受傷的費用costs arising from injuries，另外還有汽車本身的修理費用。
Which of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent paradox?
148. A discount retailer of basic household necessities employs thousands of people and pays most of them at the minimum wage rate. Yet following a federally mandated increase of the minimum wage rate that increased the retailer’s operating costs considerably, the retailer’s profits increased markedly.
問的是成本升高為何利潤也增高，原因是收入增大，所以B正確。
本題要求的就是解決 i ncreased the retailer's operating costs considerably, the retailer's profits increased markedly.的 自相矛盾. C中說operating costs increased substantially 是和題目一致的,並沒有解決矛盾.不能選. B中說零售商的客戶主要是由掙最低工資或由依靠掙最低工資的人組成.題目中說掙最低工資的人工資增加,也就是說B中的客戶群的工資增加,那麼他們就可以買 相對多的basic household necessities,所以零售商的銷售額增加,他的利潤就增加.
(A) Over half of the retailer’s operating costs consist of payroll expenditures; yet only a small percentage of those expenditures go to pay management salaries.A說的成本問題，但沒有合理說明成本為何會降低，所以不對。
(B) The retailer’s customer base is made up primarily of people who earn, or who depend on the earnings of others who earn, the minimum wage.選項B：僱員的工資提高→銷售商收入增加（因為僱員也是銷售商的顧客）
(C) The retailer’s operating costs, other than wages, increased substantially after the
increase in the minimum wage rate went into effect.
(D) When the increase in the minimum wage rate went into effect, the retailer also raised the age rate for employees who had been earning just above minimum wage.
(E) The majority of the retailer’s employees work as cashiers, and most cashiers are paid the minimum wage.
原題的矛盾在於：最低工資提升後，公司的人工成本提高（事實），利潤應該下降，可事實恰恰相反，利潤提高了（事實）。
如果以上兩個是事實的話，必然可以推薦收入額也提高了。
B 恰恰指出了提高最低工資標準所帶來的收益會提升，這裡並不是特別嚴格推出利潤必定會增加，因為還需要有很多新的條件：它的客戶消費量的提升額度要大於它的員工的工資提升額度。也就是不是充分條件。
但是由於最低工資生活的人，生活用品上（basic household necessities ）還是有很大的需求的，提高了限制額（最低工資）會提高顧客的消費額，商店的收入增加。
也就是說，B至少是它利潤提升的必要條件。
Which of the following, if true, is the best basis for an explanation of how this could be so?
149. The cotton farms of Country Q became so productive that the market could not absorb all that they produced. Consequently, cotton prices fell. The government tried to boost促進 cotton prices by offering farmers who took 25 percent of their cotton acreage out of production direct support payments up to a specified maximum per farm.
The government’s program, if successful, will not be a net burden on the budget.
不是完全的負擔就是說:在支出的同時政府是有一定好處的.(稅收比原來多了),在數量上收入不一定要能彌補支出,只要收一點就好一點
政府為提高棉價，給每個同意只加工其產量75%的農民一定限額的直接經濟補償。ps：減少「產量」調控價格
政府企圖以給那些將棉田去掉25%不產棉花的農場主以每個農場不高於某個最高限額的補貼這種方式來促使棉花價格上漲。
(A) Depressed cotton prices meant operating losses for cotton farms, and the government lost revenue from taxes on farm profits.
A說的是：降價意味著虧本，而政府財政收入是需要從農場的利潤裡徵收的。
那麼，價格上升就可以避免政府收不到稅的情況；體中說如果農場少種棉花從而使得棉花價格上升的話，政府就會支出這些農場一些補貼。
顯然這個政策要想成功（包括政府不吃虧），最基本的是棉花價格要上升以彌補補貼的支出。
(B) Cotton production in several counties other than Q declined slightly the year that the support-payment program went into effect in Q.
(C) The first year that the support-payment program was in effect, cotton acreage in Q was 5% below its level in the base year for the program.
(D) The specified maximum per farm meant that for very large cotton farms the support payments were less per acre for those acres that were withdrawn from production than they were for smaller farms.
棉花生產過剩 -> 棉花價格下降
政府補助a棉花減產 -> 棉花價格上升
解決: The government's program, if successful, will not be a net burden on the budget.
正向解釋就是 棉花價格上升 ->政府稅收增加
正確答案 A 就是反向解釋 棉花價格下降 ->政府稅收減少
D 對大地主每英畝的補助 比 小地主少
跟 government's net burden 無關
其實 OG的解釋很清楚 None of the other choices provides a source of revenue to the government or suggests that savings would be realized in a governmental expense category, so choices B, C, D, and E are all incorrect.
這題是 GMAT RC最難的一題
Which of the following, if true, does most to help explain why the increased cost-efficiency of solar power has not decreased its threshold of economic viability?
153. Technological improvements and reduced equipment costs have made converting solar energy directly into electricity far more cost-efficient in the last decade. However, the threshold of economic viability for solar power (that is, the price per barrel to which oil would have to rise in order for new solar power plants to be more economical than new oil-fired power plants) is unchanged at thirty-five dollars.
that is, the price per barrel to which oil would have to rise in order for new solar power plants to be more economical than new oil-fired power plants.
對黑體部分的語 法理解是 in order for new solar power plants to be more economical than new oil-fired power plants, oil would have to rise to the price per barrel. 對整句的翻譯是 也就是說，為了使新的太陽能發電廠比新的以石油為燃料的發電廠更經濟，石油必須漲到的每桶價格。
關鍵就是對theshold這個字的理解吧 我錯誤理解成門檻，事實上，是兩項科技的"差距"會比較好
原文的意思是:
1.科技進步和成本的降低使太陽能比過去在經濟上更可行了.
2.THRESHHOLD沒有變.注意threshhold在原文的意思:假設一單位太陽能要耗費的資源相當於10$,而現在火電產生一單位的能量要耗費的資源相當於5$,10-5=5$就是這個Threshhold.這題其實可以理解為削弱題,就是削弱太陽能可行性.
這是前面的同位語
應該是"進入門檻"
(threshold 就是中文的"閥")
that is, the price per barrel to which oil would have to rise in order for new solar power plants to be more economical than new oil-fired power plants
句子有三層 但主軸只有四個字 "每單位價錢"
to which開始進入第二層結構 in order 跟to 中間插了一層廢話 應該要放在最前面 修辭裡要算修飾語誤置
後面的第三層比較也先不用看
"進入門檻"=XXX的"每單位價錢" 對新太陽能電廠而言，為了要比新燃油電廠更划算 所"需要漲價"的每單位價錢
根本是廢話 就是講"進入門檻" 但ETS就是貝戈戈在這兒 搞一個超級難句來亂 要看董了才知道其實是一大坨廢話
Technological improvements and reduced equipment costs have made converting solar energy directly into electricity far more cost-efficient in the last decade.
技術進步及降低的設備成本 已使"將太陽能直接轉圜為電"這件事 在這十年間成本大幅降低
However, the threshold of economic viability for solar power (that is, the price per barrel to which oil would have to rise in order for new solar power plants to be more economical than new oil-fired power plants) is unchanged at thirty-five dollars.
然而，太陽能的"經濟跨越能力的閥"(進入門檻)並無改變，都是35美元(廢話)。
問如何解釋
Which of the following, if true, does most to help explain why the increased cost-efficiency of solar power has not decreased its threshold of economic viability?
為何太陽能的"提升的成本效度" 並未減低它的"經濟跨越閥"?
就是太陽能變便宜了 但未蛇麼拿來取代燃油發電還是粉貴
很簡單 因為火力發電也變便宜了
(A) The cost of oil has fallen dramatically.
油價狂跌 (沒講完，相當賤，有可能技術變貴所以整體持平，無法解釋)
(B) The reduction in the cost of solar-power equipment has occurred despite increased raw material costs for that equipment. 即使器材原料(生鐵)成本上升 太陽能發電器材成本依然下降 ㄚ不素廢話嗎?
(C) Technological changes have increased the efficiency of oil-fired power plants.
技術改變使燃油發電廠效能提升 可解釋因此太陽能進入門檻依舊未降低
(D) Most electricity is generated by coal-fired or nuclear, rather than oil-fired, power plants.
大多數電力是由燃煤或核能電廠發電 而不是燃油電廠
文不對題 要問如何解釋太陽能進入門檻仍高
(E) When the price of oil increases, reserves of oil not previously worth exploiting become economically viable.
當油價上漲時 先前不值得開採的存油 變成有經濟價值
無關
當油價為35時，太陽能電和火力電價格持平，即：
太陽能cost=35+火力cost，太陽能cost－火力cost＝35，當太陽能cost下降時，
等式繼續成立，所以火力cost必然下降，這裡與油價沒有關係。
文中討論了太陽能和火力兩種發電方法。其中，
公式(1) ：太陽能發電的成本=將太陽能轉化為電能的成本
公式(2)：火力發電的成本=石油的成本+將石油轉化為電能的成本
這兩個公式的區別在於：太陽能是不要錢的，而石油要錢。
而當石油的成本=臨界點(threshold)的時候， (1) = (2)
即：太陽能轉化成電能的成本= threshold+將石油轉化成電能的成本
由此得到：(3) threshold= 太陽能轉化成電能的成本 - 將石油轉化成電能的成本
所以，threshold只是兩種發電成本的差，是由兩種發電的成本決定的，與實際的油價並沒有關係。所以，A選項是無關選項。
而題目中提到說，太陽能轉化的效率提高（即成本下降），而threshold不變，那麼從公式(3)中就很容易得到：是因為石油轉化成電能的成本也降低了（即火力發電效率提高）。
所以選C。
LES MM，你可難著我了，偶不是學經濟學的，不知道經濟學中是否有這個概念呀，但應該不緊要，ETS says: No specialized knowledge of any particular field is required for answering the questions, and no knowledge of the terminology and conventions of formal logic is presupposed. Weiyu對threshold 的解釋是對的，通俗的說就是一個臨界值或界限，本題說的是solar power 相對於oil-fired 發電的經濟可行的臨界值，並且這個臨界值是用油價來表徵的，即低於USD35 per barrel，solar power 相對於 oil-fired power 就經濟可行，反之，Solar對oil-fired power 就沒有競爭力。
括號中that is 後面是個名詞短語，相當於threshold 的一個長長的同位語，括號內外說的都是一個絕對值的概念，只是題目問：cost-efficiency的增加為什麼沒有decrease這個絕對值（臨界值），還是USD35 沒變。
我覺得這題可能是OG上最繞的一道CR題了，樓主esciniffer問答案為什麼不是A，又是這題最繞的地方。因為題目是用油價Po來表徵該threshold, 故只能選C，如果換成用效率eo來表徵threshold, 答案就是A。解答如下：
將兩種產能方式寫成函數：
Oil-fired: Eo=fo(Po, eo) Eo是所產的電能，fo 是函數的常量， Po是油價，eo是efficiency
Solar: Es=fs(Ps, es) Ps 表示輸入成本價（與上面油價起相當作用的一個量），其他相應
求臨界值就是將上面兩個等起來，得：fo(Po, eo)= fs(Ps, es),
按題，是用Po 來表徵threshold即求Ps，Ps=(fo, fs)(eo,es)(Po)，只與兩個效率有關，選C
若用eo來表徵threshold , 即求es，es=(fo, fs)(Po, Ps) (eo)，只與兩個價格有關，選A
If gains in cost-efficiency of solar power have not improved its economical viability relative to oil-derived power, the explanation must be that oil-derived power itself has become more cost-efficient. Choice C points to this explanation and is thus the best answer.
Actual oil prices control how far, given the viability threshold, solar power is from economic viability but do not figure in the determination of the threshold, so choices A and E are incorrect. Choice B provides background on data that give rise to the puzzle but leaves the puzzle unresolved, so it is incorrect. Because the viability threshold for solar power is defined in relation to generating electricity from oil, choice D is irrelevant to determining the threshold and thus incorrect.
請 大家再仔細看一下OG的解釋。OG解釋說，油價本身的升降，以threshold為標準衡量的話，只和太陽能離economic viability有多遠有關，而不影響threshold本身。也就是說，這個threshould指得是太陽能與燃油兩種能源的efficiency 之間的區別，而不是指價格的區別。
First： that is, the price per barrel to which oil would have to rise in order for new solar power plants to be more economical than new oil-fired power plants也就是說，為了使新的太陽能發電廠比新的以石油為燃料的發電廠更經濟，石油必須漲到的每桶價格。
Second： threshold通俗的說就是一個臨界值或界限，本題說的是solar power 相對於oil-fired 發電的經濟可行的臨界值。
Third：太陽能發電廠單位發電成本用cost of sun表示
新的以石油為燃料的發電廠單位發電成本用cost of oil plant表示
則 cost of oil plant＝單位發電耗油量x油價＋other costs
如果使新的太陽能發電廠比新的以石油為燃料的發電廠更經濟，則應有
cost of sun≤cost of oil plant， 即
cost of sun≤單位發電耗油量x油價＋other costs
當cost of sun＝單位發電耗油量x油價＋other costs時，油價臨界值出現，油價＝35。
如果如題所述cost of sun減少，而油價不變時，則單位發電耗油量或other costs必須減少，換句話說就是cost of oil plant減少，也就是oil plant效率提高，選項C正確。
Which of the following, if true, would best help explain how the sweetener might produce the observed effect?
160.Half of the subjects in an experiment—the experimental group—consumed large quantities of a popular artificial sweetener. Afterward, this group showed lower cognitive abilities than did the other half of the subjects—the control group—who did not consume the sweetener. The detrimental effects were attributed to an amino acid that is one of the sweetener's principal constituents.
Half subjects - consume sweetener - show lower cognitive abilities
Half subjects - not consume sweeter - show normal cognitive abilities
Amino acid in the sweeter makes a difference
Thinking process:
Amino acid might do something to lower people's cognitive abilities, which is exactly what B means
D has no effect on the conclusion.
(A) The government's analysis of the artificial sweetener determined that it was sold in relatively pure form.
(B) A high level of the amino acid in the blood inhibits the synthesis of a substance required for normal brain functioning.
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