That sales can be increased by the presence of sunlight within a store has been shown by the experience of the only Savefast department store with a large skylight. The skylight allows sunlight into half of the store, reducing the need for artificial light. The rest of the store uses only artificial light. Since the store opened two years ago, the departments on the sunlit side have had substantially higher sales than the other departments.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
(A) On particularly cloudy days, more artificial light is used to illuminate the part of the store underthe skylight.
(B) When the store is open at night, the departments in the part of the store under the skylight have sales that are no higher than those of other departments.
(C) Many customers purchase items from departments in both parts of the store on a single shopping trip.
(D) Besides the skylight, there are several significant architectural differences between the two parts of the store.
(E) The departments in the part of the store under the skylight are the departments that generally have the highest sales in other stores in the Savefast chain.




To protect beachfront buildings from ocean storms, ocean resorts have built massive seawalls between beaches and the buildings. Not only do the seawalls block off some buildings' ocean view, but the beaches themselves become ever narrower, because sand can no longer creep inland as storms erode it at the water's edge.

If the information is correct, which of the following conclusions is most strongly supported on the basis of it?
(A) Since the ferocity of ocean storms is increasing, increasingly high seawalls must be built between beaches and beachfront property.
(B) Even when beaches are heavily used by people, they are necessary to the survival of the many wild species that use them.
(C) Seawalls constructed to protect beachfront buildings will not themselves eventually be damaged by storms and will not require, if they are to protect the buildings, expensive repair or replacement.
(D) The conservation of beaches for future generations should be the overriding goal of shore management at ocean coasts.
(E) Trying to protect beachfront buildings by constructing seawalls is counterproductive in the long run for an oceanfront community wishing to maintain itself as a beach resort.






A study found that 70 percent of children surveyed in 1970 had at one time had cavities, whereas only 50 percent of those surveyed in 1985 had ever had cavities. The researchers concluded that the level of dental disease in children had declined between 1970 and 1985.

Which of the following, if true, would most seriously undermine the researchers' conclusion presented above?

(A) Cavities are the most common kind of dental disease to which children are subject.
(B) The children surveyed came from a broad variety of income backgrounds.
(C) The children surveyed were selected from among students of teachers cooperating with the researchers.
(D) The accuracy of cavity detection techniques has improved dramatically since 1970.
(E) The children surveyed in 1985 were younger on average than those surveyed in 1970.



David: Since attempting to preserve every species that is currently endangered is prohibitively expensive, the endangered species whose value to humanity is the greatest should be accorded the highest priority for preservation.

Karen: Such a policy would he unsound because it is impossible to predict the future value of a species, nor is it always possible to assess the present value of species whose contributions to humanity, though significant, are indirect.

Which of the following is the main point of Karen's reply to David?

(A) Although it would be desirable to preserve all endangered species, doing so is not economically feasible.
(B) Even if the value to humanity of a given species is known, that value should not be a factor in any decision on whether to expend effort to preserve that species.
(C) Species whose contributions to humanity are direct should have a higher priority for preservation efforts than species whose contributions to humanity are only indirect.
(D)Since the methods for deciding which species have the most value to humanity are imperfect, informed decisions cannot be made on the basis of the assessment of such value.
(E) The preservation of endangered species whose value to humanity can be reliably predicted is more important than the preservation of species whose value for humanity is unpredictable.