GMAT first reading and solution

The Food and Drug Administration has formulated certain severe restrictions regarding the use of antibiotics,
which are used to promote the health and growth of meat animals. Though the different types of medicines mixed
with the fodder ‫ ﻋﻠف‬of the animal’s kills many microorganisms, it also encourages the appearance of bacterial
strains, which are resistant to anti-infective drugs.
It has already been observed that penicillin and the tetracycline’s are not as effective therapeutically ‫ ﻋﻼﺟﯾﺎ‬as they
once used to be. This resistance to drugs is chiefly caused due to tiny circlets ‫ دواﺋر ﺻﻐﯾرة‬of genes, called plasmids,
which are transferable between different species of bacteria. These plasmids are also one of the two kinds of
vehicles on which molecular biologists depend on while performing gene transplant experiments. Existing
guidelines also forbid the use of plasmids, which bear genes for resistance to antibiotics, in the laboratories.
Though congressional debate goes on as to whether these restrictions need to be toughened with reference to
scientists in their laboratories, almost no congressional attention is being paid to an ill advised agricultural
practice, which produces deleterious effects.

The Food and Drug

In the present passage, the author's primary concern is with:

1. The discovery of methods, which eliminate harmful microorganisms without generating drug-resistant bacteria.
2. Attempting an explanation of the reasons for congressional inaction about the regulation of gene transplant
experiments.
3. Portraying a problematic agricultural practice and its serious genetic consequences
4. The verification of the therapeutic ineffectiveness of anti-infective drugs
5. Evaluation of the recently proposed restrictions, which are intended to promote the growth of meat animals.

As inferred from the above passage, the mutual transfer of plasmids between different bacteria can result in
which of the following?
1. Microorganisms, which have an in-built resistance to drugs
2. Therapeutically useful circlets of genes
3. Penicillin like anti-infective drugs
4. Viruses used by molecular biologists
5. Carriers for performing gene transplant experiments.

According to the above passage the author believes that those who favor the stiffening of restrictions on gene
transplant research should logically also.
1. Approve and aid experiments with any plasmids except those, which bear genes for antibiotic resistance.
2. Inquire regarding the addition of anti-infective drugs to livestock feeds
3. Oppose the using of penicillin and tetracycline’s in order to kill microorganisms
4. Agree to the development of meatier live-stock through the use of antibiotics
5. Approve of congressional debate and discussion regarding science and health issues.

The attitude the author has with reference to the development of bacterial strains that render antibiotic drugs in
effective can best be described as
1. Indifferent ‫ﻏﯾر ﻣﺑﺎل‬
2. Perplexed‫ﻣﺗﺣﯾر‬
3. Pretentious ‫رﻧﺎن‬
4. Insincere ‫ﻏﯾر ﻣﺧﻠص‬
5. Apprehensive ‫ﻗﻠﻖ‬
Mammals

The existence of mammals on the earth can be traced back to at least the Triassic time. The rate of development
was retarded, till evolutional change suddenly accelerated in the oldest Paleocene. This resulted in an increase in
average size, larger mental capacity, and special adaptations for different modes of life, during the Eocene time.
Further improvement was seen during the Oligocene Epoch, with the appearance of some new lines and
extinction of others. The Miocene and Pliocene times are especially significant as they mark the culmination ‫اﻟذورة‬
of various groups and a continued approach toward modern characters. It is in the Miocene time that the
mammals reached their peak with reference to variety and size.
The ability of the mammals to adapt to various modes of life finds a parallel in the reptiles of the Mesozoic time,
and apart form their greater intelligence, the mammals apparently have not done much better than the
corresponding reptilian forms. Undoubtedly the bat is a better flying animal than the pterosaur, but at the same
time the dolphin and whale are hardly more fish like than the ichthyosaur. Quite a few of the swift-running
mammals inhabiting the plains ‫ اﻟﺳﮭول‬, like the horse and the antelope, must excel any of the dinosaurs. Although
the tyrannosaur was a more weighty and robust ‫ ﻗوى‬carnivore than perhaps any carnivorous mammal, the lion and
the tiger, by virtue of their superior brain are far more efficient and dangerous beasts of prey ‫ ﻓرﯾﺳﺔ‬. It is significant
to note that various species of mammals gradually adapted themselves to various kinds of lifestyles, some took to
grazing ‫ رﻋﻰ‬on the plains and were able to run swiftly (horse, deer, bison), others started living in rivers and
swamps (hippopotamus, beaver), inhabiting trees (sloth, monkey), burrowing ‫ ﻧﻘب‬underground (‫ ﻗﺎرض‬rodent,
mole ‫) ﺧﻠد‬, feeding on flesh (tiger, wolf), swimming in the water (dolphin, whale, seal), and flying in the air (bat).
Human beings on account of their superior brain have been able to harness ‫ ﯾﺳﺗﺧدم‬mechanical methods to conquer
the physical world and adapt to any set of conditions.

Such adaptation ‫ ﺗﻛﯾف‬to different conditions leads to a gradual change in form and structure. This is a biological
characteristic of the youthful, plastic stage of a group. It is seen that early in its evolutional cycle animals possess
the capacity for change, but as the animal progresses in its cycle becoming old and fixed, this capacity for change
disappears. The generalized types of organisms retain longest the ability to make adjustments when required, and
it is from them that new, fecund ‫ وﻟود‬stocks take origin-certainly not from any specialized end products. With
reference to mammals, we see their birth, plastic spread in many directions, increased specialization, and in some
cases, extinction ‫ ; اﻧﻘراض‬this is a characteristic of the evolution of life, which can be seen in the geologic record of
life.

From the following, choose the most appropriate title for the above passage?
1. From Dinosaur to Man
2. Adaptation and Extinction
3. The Superior Mammals
4. The Geologic Life Span
5. Man, the Vanquisher of the Physical World.

According to the passage the chronological order of the geologic periods is:
1. Paleocene, Miocene, Triassic, Mesozoic
2. Paleocene, Triassic, Mesozoic, Miocene
3. Miocene, Paleocene, Triassic, Mesozoic
4. Mesozoic, Oligocene, Paleocene, Miocene
5. Mesozoic, Paleocene, Eocene, Miocene
From the above passage, we can infer that, the pterosaur
1. resembled the bat
2. was a Mesozoic mammal
3. was a flying reptile
4. inhabited the seas
5. evolved during the Miocene period

As inferred from the passage, the largest numbers of mammals were found in which of the following periods?
1. Triassic period
2. Eocene period
3. Oligocene epoch
4. Pliocene period
5. Miocene period

Among the following statements, which statement, if true, would weaken the argument put forth in the first
sentence of Paragraph 1?
1. It has been found that the tyrannosaur had a larger brain, than was previously known.
2. Within the next thousand years, mammals will become extinct.
3. Recently certain forms of flying ichthyosaurs have been discovered.
4. It has now been proved, that the tiger is more powerful than the carnivorous reptiles.
5. It is now possible to double human mental capacity, by the use of certain recently developed computers.

It is clear from the passage, that the evidence used to discuss the life of past time periods
1. was developed by Charles Darwin
2. was unearthed by the author
3. has been negated by more recent evidence
4. was never truly established
5. is based on fossilized remains

As inferred from the passage, which of the following proverbial ‫ ﯾﺿرب ﺑﮫ اﻟﻣﺛل‬expressions is the author most likely
to agree with?
1. It's a cruel world.
2. All the world's a stage.
3. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
4. Footprints in the sands of time.
5. A short life, but a merry one.
third readingsparagraph

Medical care
The recent news that local hospitals have had to reroute ‫ اﻋﺎده ﺗﻮﺟﯿﮫ‬seriously ill patients because the
community's critical-care beds are full is worrisome ‫ ﻣﻘﻠﻖ‬. Earlier this week, four of the six local hospitals
ran out of space for the critically ill and had to turn people away.
Federal law requires hospitals to treat anyone who walks in. As a result of having to treat large numbers of
uninsured patients, the emergency rooms often become an economic drain ‫ اﺳﺘﻨﺰاف‬on their hospitals.
Doctors now want to set up their own free-standing ambulatory ‫ ﻣﺘﺠﻮل‬surgical facilities and diagnostic
centers. Critics contend this would leave hospitals with less revenue and the same number of indigents
‫ﻣﻌﻮزﯾﻦ‬to treat.
A bill was recently introduced to phase out the need for a "certificate of public need" for non-hospital-
based facilities, provided those facilities met stringent ‫ ﺻﺎرم‬regulations and requirements. This would
have made it easier to set up alternative facilities to help indigent patients. The finance committee balked
‫اﻣﺘﻨﻌﺖ‬at the hefty ‫ ﺿﺨﻢ‬price and killed the bill, another casualty of a failed legislative session.
Unfortunately, the problem of access to medical care for those of limited means is not going to go away
anytime soon and, despite the well-intended regulations, too-full hospitals compromise everyone's
welfare. Healthy competition with small neighborhood surgical and diagnostic centers may be what is
necessary to help dampen rising medical costs. But under no circumstances should the hospitals be forced
to care for everybody without health insurance while competitors operate free of the burden of caring for
those unable to pay.

1) Which of the following is a conclusion supported by the passage?

a. If doctors want to run their own facilities, they should be required to take in at least some of the indigents.
b. The government should provide health insurance for those unable to buy their own.
c. Voters should tell the finance committee members that they will not be reelected if they do not pass some new
legislation.
d. Emergency rooms that turn patients away due to overcrowding are derelict in their duty .
e. The fundamental problem facing hospitals now is that health care costs have risen dramatically in recent
years.

2) Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?

a. neutral
b. positive
c. persuasive
d. angry
e. reverential

3) Which of the following is cited as a factor which has contributed to the overburdening of hospitals?

I. Failure to pass legislation which would have mitigated the problem

II. Limited access to medical care for the poor
III. Federal law

a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. I and II
e. I, II, and III
4) The author cites the failed legislation in order to show that

a. the legislature will never resolve this issue.

b. the finance committee does not care about the uninsured citizens.
c. there will always be uninsured hospital patients.
d. the legislature recently attempted to resolve this issue.
e. the doctors successfully lobbied the finance committee.
 Journalism

“Journalism as a profession is facing dreadful times. First, it has never been harder to become a journalist.
Second, journalists are facing lower wages and no job security in today’s economy.

Today’s media has become global and instant. The internet allows everyone to become a journalist using
applications like Twitter or Facebook. Anyone who’s on the scene can now write about it and post their
articles online. Anyone with an opinion can start their own journalistic column in the form of an online blog.
The need for real, professional journalism is at its lowest, and the competition between those few remaining
individuals with a background and education in journalism is fierce.

With global economies going down the toilet, and people buying less and less newspapers for a variety of
reasons, news companies are faced with financial difficulties. They can’t hire journalists or pay them the high
salaries they deserve. As a result, journalists face low wages and lower job security. As a matter of fact, many
newspaper companies are converting their regular journalists into contract-workers for lower pay, or even
replacing them with unpaid interns.

Professional journalism is indeed in trouble. It’s hard to become a journalist, and once you do become one it’s
even harder to make a living. If you are consider going into journalism, you might want to take this into
account. Best of luck to you.”

Question 1: The primary purpose of the passage is to advise people to:

a) Support underpaid journalists

b) Buy more newspapers to help news companies
c) Boycott news companies who are underpaying journalists
d) Avoid or reconsider going into the journalism profession
e) Join Twitter or start a blog to become part of the global media

Question 2: The authors mentions all of the following challenges facing journalists EXCEPT:

a) Fierce competition in the industry

b) Lower demand for professional journalism
c) Maintaining online blogs on time
d) Lower average wages
e) Possibility of being replaced by interns

Question 3: According to the author, why can’t newspaper companies pay journalists the high wages they
deserve?

a) People are not buying as many newspapers as they used to

b) Unpaid interns are a good, cheaper alternative to paid journalists
c) Becoming a journalist is very hard these days
d) Making regular staff writers into contract workers can reduce wages and thus expenses for companies
e) Job security is low while competition is high
 Question 4: It can be inferred from the article that, in the future:Possible Answers

a) Journalism will bounce back and become a great profession

b) Newspaper companies will all go bankrupt and be replaced by Twitter
c) There will be less students enrolled in journalism programs at college
d) Demand for newspapers will rise until it meets the supply
e) Many existing journalists will have to find new career paths or at least part-time jobs to make ends meet

a) Question 5: Which of the following describes the relationship of the first paragraph to the rest of the
article?

a) It poses a question to be answered later in the passage

b) It provides an introduction to the concept discussed later
c) It introduces conflicting elements to be reconciled
d) It explains one side of the argument
e) It introduces an opinion to be refuted later in the passage