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GMAT Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions with Answers & Explanations

The Verbal Reasoning section of the GMAT is not just about reading. It is about thinking like a top-performing business leader. Every question challenges you to evaluate arguments, spot hidden assumptions, assess evidence, and draw logical conclusions under pressure.

The practice questions on this page are designed to help you build the critical reasoning and reading comprehension skills needed for success on test day. As you work through them, you will learn to identify common reasoning patterns, avoid frequent traps, and make faster, more confident decisions.

These questions are written for practice and learning purposes only and are not taken from from any official GMAT source.

  • Attempt each question before reading the answer.
  • Review the explanation even when your answer is correct; the goal is to develop stronger reasoning habits, not just to check answers.
  • Focus on understanding why the correct answer is right and why the other choices are wrong.

Part I: Critical Reasoning Practice Questions

Question mix: assumption, strengthen, weaken, inference, evaluate, flaw, paradox, boldface, and complete-the-argument. Each question has five answer choices, as on GMAT-style verbal reasoning practice.

Question 1 - Assumption

A regional grocery chain reports that customers who use its mobile app spend 18 percent more per month than customers who do not. The company plans to increase monthly revenue by offering small discounts only through the app, arguing that more customers will download the app and then spend more.

Which of the following is an assumption required by the argument?

A. Customers who currently use the app are not simply the chain’s most loyal customers already.
B. The grocery chain’s competitors do not offer mobile apps with similar discounts.
C. The cost of developing the app has already been recovered.
D. Customers who use paper coupons spend less than customers who use no discounts.
E. The mobile app is easier to use than the chain’s website.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The argument treats app use as a cause of higher spending. But the evidence only shows a correlation: app users spend more. For the plan to work, the company must assume that downloading and using the app can make ordinary customers behave more like high-spending customers. If current app users are merely already-loyal customers, then pushing new customers to download the app may not increase spending.

Tip: When a plan is based on a correlation, ask whether the plan assumes causation. Separate “people who already do X spend more” from “making people do X will cause them to spend more.”

Question 2 - Weaken

A city introduced dedicated bus lanes on three major roads. Six months later, average bus speeds on those roads increased by 12 percent. Therefore, the city should add dedicated bus lanes to all major roads in order to improve the entire bus network.

Which of the following most weakens the argument?

A. The three roads selected were unusually wide and had fewer turning vehicles than most major roads in the city.
B. Bus ridership increased slightly during the six months after the lanes were introduced.
C. Dedicated bus lanes are common in several cities with large public transportation systems.
D. Some drivers complained that the new lanes made their commutes less convenient.
E. The city plans to repaint several bus stops next year.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The conclusion generalizes from three roads to all major roads. Choice A shows the sample may not be representative: wide roads with fewer turning vehicles are easier places for bus lanes to succeed. If most major roads lack those features, the improvement may not transfer.

Tip: For “extend the policy everywhere” arguments, look for evidence that the test locations were special or not representative.

Question 3 - Strengthen

A manufacturer switched from plastic packaging to paper packaging for one product line. After the switch, sales increased by 9 percent, even though price and advertising remained unchanged. The marketing director concludes that customers preferred the environmentally friendly packaging.

Which of the following most strengthens the director’s conclusion?

A. Customer surveys conducted after the switch found that many buyers noticed and approved of the new packaging.
B. The cost of paper packaging was slightly higher than the cost of plastic packaging.
C. Two competing products also changed their packaging during the same period.
D. The product line had experienced minor sales fluctuations in previous years.
E. The company has considered changing packaging for other products.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The conclusion claims that customer preference for the new packaging caused the sales increase. Choice A directly supports that causal story by showing that buyers noticed the packaging and reacted positively to it.

Tip: A strengthening answer often connects the evidence to the conclusion’s missing causal link.

Question 4 - Inference

A company allows employees to work remotely up to three days per week. Employees who work remotely at least two days per week must attend one in-person team meeting each month. Employees who work remotely fewer than two days per week are not required to attend that meeting.

Which of the following must be true?

A. Any employee required to attend the monthly team meeting works remotely at least two days per week.
B. Any employee who attends the monthly team meeting works remotely three days per week.
C. Employees who never work remotely may still be required to attend the monthly meeting.
D. Employees who work remotely exactly one day per week must attend the monthly meeting.
E. No employee works remotely more than three days per week.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The rule states that employees who work remotely at least two days per week must attend. It also states that employees below that threshold are not required. Therefore, if an employee is required to attend this specific meeting, the employee must be in the at-least-two-days group. Choice E may sound true because the company allows up to three days, but “allows” does not strictly prove that no exception exists unless stated as an absolute policy.

Tip: In “must be true” questions, do not add common-sense assumptions. Choose only what follows directly from the wording.

Question 5 - Evaluate

A bank claims that replacing human tellers with more self-service kiosks will reduce customer wait times. The bank notes that kiosks process routine transactions faster than tellers do.

Which question would be most useful in evaluating the bank’s claim?

A. What proportion of customers’ transactions are routine transactions that kiosks can process?
B. How many branches does the bank operate in other countries?
C. Do customers generally prefer speaking with a human teller?
D. How much does each kiosk cost to install and maintain?
E. Were the current tellers trained by the same company?

Answer: A

Explanation:

The claim concerns wait times. Faster kiosks help only if many customers can actually use kiosks for their transactions. If most transactions require teller assistance, kiosks will do little to reduce lines.

Tip: For evaluate questions, test the conclusion’s key condition. Ask: “What fact would make the argument much stronger if yes and much weaker if no?”

Question 6 - Resolve the Paradox

A bookstore lowered the prices of its bestselling novels by 15 percent. Surprisingly, total revenue from those novels declined over the next quarter, even though the number of copies sold increased.

Which of the following best explains the decline?

A. Many customers who bought discounted bestsellers would otherwise have bought higher-priced hardcover editions of the same books.
B. The bookstore added several new employees during the quarter.
C. Some customers buy books only as gifts during holidays.
D. The store’s website was redesigned during the same quarter.
E. The bookstore also sells notebooks and stationery.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Revenue can fall even when unit sales rise if customers shift from more expensive items to cheaper ones. Choice A explains that discounted versions replaced higher-priced hardcover purchases.

Tip: For paradox questions, preserve both facts. Do not deny that sales increased; explain how revenue still fell.

Question 7 - Flaw

An executive argues: “Our company’s employee satisfaction score rose after we introduced free lunches. Therefore, free lunches caused the increase in employee satisfaction.”

The executive’s reasoning is most vulnerable to which criticism?

A. It assumes that because one event followed another, the first event caused the second.
B. It treats employee satisfaction as impossible to measure.
C. It ignores the possibility that some employees dislike lunch.
D. It concludes that all companies should provide free lunches.
E. It relies on a sample too small to support any conclusion.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The executive uses timing as proof of causation. The score rose after free lunches began, but other changes could have caused the increase.

Tip: When an argument says “after X, therefore because of X,” watch for the post hoc causal flaw.

Question 8 - Boldface

The number of commuters using the Eastline train has declined for three consecutive years. Some officials claim the decline is caused by unreliable service. However, during the same period, the number of people living near Eastline stations also declined sharply. Therefore, the ridership decline may be partly due to population shifts rather than service quality alone.

In the argument, the two boldfaced portions would be best described as follows: [Assume boldface 1: “the number of commuters using the Eastline train has declined”; boldface 2: “the number of people living near Eastline stations also declined sharply.”]

A. The first is a fact to be explained; the second is evidence supporting an alternative explanation.
B. The first is the conclusion; the second is a prediction based on that conclusion.
C. The first is evidence against the author’s conclusion; the second is the conclusion.
D. The first is a recommendation; the second is a reason the recommendation should be rejected.
E. The first is an assumption; the second is background information unrelated to the conclusion.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The decline in ridership is the phenomenon under discussion. The population decline is used to support the author’s alternative explanation.

Tip: For boldface questions, label each part before reading choices: evidence, conclusion, counterclaim, concession, or background.

Question 9 - Assumption

A software firm will require all employees to use a new project-management platform. Managers argue that because the platform automatically reminds users about deadlines, projects will be completed on time more often.

Which assumption does the argument depend on?

A. Employees will respond to the platform’s reminders by adjusting their work in time to meet deadlines.
B. The platform is less expensive than the firm’s previous software.
C. All employees currently miss deadlines at the same rate.
D. Project-management platforms are used in many industries.
E. The firm will never change platforms again.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Reminders improve timeliness only if employees act on them. If employees ignore reminders or lack capacity to act, the platform may not improve deadlines.

Tip: When a conclusion predicts behavior, identify the assumed response by the people involved.

Question 10 - Weaken

A nutrition blogger claims that a new snack bar is healthy because it contains less sugar than the company’s previous snack bar.

Which of the following most weakens the claim?

A. The new snack bar contains twice as much saturated fat and more total calories than the previous bar.
B. The company sells the snack bar in several flavors.
C. Some consumers prefer snacks that are sweet.
D. The old snack bar was introduced five years ago.
E. The new bar is more expensive to produce.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Lower sugar alone does not prove overall healthfulness. Choice A provides other nutritional facts that cut against the claim.

Tip: For claims based on one favorable metric, look for other relevant metrics that change in the opposite direction.

Question 11 - Strengthen

A town wants to reduce water waste by charging households a higher rate for water use above a monthly threshold. The town council argues that this policy will encourage conservation.

Which of the following most strengthens the argument?

A. In similar towns, households reduced outdoor watering after higher rates were applied to excessive use.
B. The town has several public parks that require irrigation.
C. Water bills are mailed once per month.
D. Some households already use less than the proposed threshold.
E. The town’s water treatment plant is twenty years old.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The policy is supposed to change behavior. Evidence from similar towns that households reduced discretionary water use supports the policy’s likely effect.

Tip: For strengthen-the-plan questions, evidence from similar successful cases is often powerful, especially when the situations are comparable.

Question 12 - Inference

Every analyst on Team Delta who works on international projects must complete compliance training. Some analysts on Team Delta do not work on international projects. All analysts who completed compliance training received a certificate.

Which of the following can be properly inferred?

A. Some analysts on Team Delta may not have received a certificate.
B. All analysts on Team Delta work on international projects.
C. No analyst outside Team Delta completed compliance training.
D. Every analyst with a certificate works on international projects.
E. At least one analyst on Team Delta completed compliance training.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The statements prove that international-project analysts on Team Delta must train and that trained analysts receive certificates. They also say some Team Delta analysts do not work on international projects, but they could still have trained for another reason. Therefore, it is possible, not certain, that some did not receive certificates. Among the choices, A is the only safe modal inference.

Tip: Pay close attention to “must,” “some,” and “may.” Inference questions often reward modest conclusions.

Question 13 - Evaluate

A university plans to expand online course offerings, arguing that online courses cost less to operate per student than classroom courses. Therefore, the expansion will reduce the university’s instructional costs.

Which of the following would be most important to know?

A. Whether online courses will attract additional students who would not otherwise enroll.
B. Whether professors prefer online or classroom teaching.
C. Whether students can access course materials on mobile devices.
D. Whether the university’s library is open on weekends.
E. Whether classroom courses use printed textbooks.

Answer: A

Explanation:

If online courses attract many new students rather than replacing existing classroom seats, total instructional costs might rise even if cost per student is lower. The key is whether the expansion substitutes for or adds to current offerings.

Tip: For cost-saving arguments, distinguish lower unit cost from lower total cost.

Question 14 - Flaw

A city council member argues: “Most people who attend public hearings oppose the proposed stadium. Therefore, most city residents oppose the stadium.”

What is the main flaw in the reasoning?

A. It assumes that people who attend public hearings are representative of city residents as a whole.
B. It fails to explain how the stadium would be funded.
C. It assumes that everyone who opposes the stadium attends public hearings.
D. It attacks the motives of stadium supporters.
E. It confuses opposition to the stadium with opposition to all sports.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The argument moves from hearing attendees to all residents. Public hearing attendees are often more motivated or politically active than average residents, so the sample may be biased.

Tip: When a conclusion generalizes from a group, ask whether that group accurately represents the broader population.

Question 15 - Complete the Argument

A company found that employees who took short walking breaks during the day reported better concentration. However, the company should not require all employees to take such breaks, because ________.

Which option most logically completes the argument?

A. some employees who already have high concentration may be the ones most likely to choose walking breaks voluntarily
B. walking is a form of exercise that many doctors recommend
C. concentration is important for many kinds of office work
D. employees usually appreciate policies intended to improve health
E. some companies have outdoor paths near their offices

Answer: A

Explanation:

The argument cautions against a requirement. Choice A shows that the evidence may reflect self-selection rather than a universal benefit. People who choose walking breaks may differ from those who do not.

Tip: For complete-the-argument questions, first determine the direction: support, weaken, or explain. Here the missing idea must support caution.

Question 16 - Assumption

A museum director says that extending Friday hours until 10 p.m. will increase attendance because many working adults cannot visit during normal weekday hours.

Which assumption is required?

A. A significant number of working adults who cannot visit during normal weekday hours would be willing to visit on Friday evenings.
B. The museum’s current exhibits are more popular than last year’s exhibits.
C. Most museums in the region close before 8 p.m.
D. The museum will charge a higher admission price on Fridays.
E. Weekend visitors prefer morning hours.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The plan depends on the target audience actually using the new hours. If working adults are unavailable or uninterested on Friday evenings, extended hours may not increase attendance.

Tip: For plan assumptions, connect the proposed action to the expected behavior of the target group.

Question 17 - Weaken

A consultant recommends that a restaurant reduce its menu from 80 items to 30 items. She argues that restaurants with shorter menus usually prepare food faster, so this restaurant will also reduce wait times.

Which of the following most weakens the recommendation?

A. The restaurant’s long wait times are caused mainly by a shortage of servers, not by delays in the kitchen.
B. Some customers enjoy having many choices.
C. The restaurant has been open for seven years.
D. The consultant has advised several other restaurants.
E. Most of the restaurant’s ingredients are purchased locally.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Shorter menus may speed kitchen preparation, but if the bottleneck is server shortage, menu reduction will not solve the main cause of long waits.

Tip: In plan questions, identify the bottleneck. A plan fails if it does not address the real cause of the problem.

Question 18 - Strengthen

A company’s internal data show that teams with clear written goals complete more projects on schedule. The company plans to require written goals for every project to improve on-time completion.

Which of the following most strengthens the plan?

A. Teams that recently adopted written goals became more likely to finish projects on schedule afterward.
B. Some teams prefer informal communication.
C. The company has offices in several countries.
D. Written goals can be stored in shared folders.
E. Projects vary in size and difficulty.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Choice A provides before-and-after evidence that adopting written goals improved performance for the same teams. That supports causation better than a simple comparison between different teams.

Tip: Evidence that the same group improved after the proposed change is strong support for a causal plan.

Question 19 - Inference

No product sold in Store A is imported. Some products sold in Store B are imported. Every product sold in Store A is also sold online.

Which of the following must be true?

A. Some products sold online are not imported.
B. All products sold online are sold in Store A.
C. Some products sold in Store B are sold online.
D. No imported product is sold online.
E. Every product sold in Store B is imported.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Because every Store A product is sold online and no Store A product is imported, the online store includes at least those non-imported Store A products. Thus, some online products are not imported, assuming Store A sells at least one product as implied by “products sold in Store A.”

Tip: Use Venn-style logic. Track what is guaranteed, not what merely seems likely.

Question 20 - Evaluate

A city wants to reduce traffic by making downtown parking more expensive. Officials argue that higher parking prices will cause commuters to use public transportation instead of driving.

Which of the following would be most useful to determine?

A. Whether reliable public transportation is available to most commuters who currently drive downtown.
B. Whether downtown restaurants validate parking for customers.
C. Whether parking meters accept credit cards.
D. Whether some residents walk to work already.
E. Whether downtown parking garages are privately owned.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Higher parking prices will shift behavior only if commuters have a practical alternative. If public transportation is unavailable or unreliable, commuters may continue driving despite higher costs.

Tip: For policy arguments, test the feasibility of the expected alternative behavior.

Part II: Reading Comprehension Practice Questions

This section contains 5 GMAT-style passages with 4 questions each. Passages cover business, public policy, technology, science, and healthcare contexts without requiring outside knowledge.

Passage 1: Remote Work and Innovation

When remote work became common in many knowledge-based industries, early debates often framed the issue as a simple tradeoff: remote work improved individual flexibility but weakened collective creativity. Recent studies complicate that picture. They suggest that the effect of remote work depends less on location itself than on how teams structure communication. Teams that rely only on scheduled video meetings often lose the informal exchanges through which problems are reframed. By contrast, teams that deliberately create short, low-pressure channels for sharing unfinished ideas can preserve many benefits of spontaneous conversation.

This distinction matters because innovation rarely begins as a fully formed proposal. It often starts as a partial observation that becomes useful only after others connect it to a different problem. In a traditional office, such connections may occur in hallways or before meetings. In a remote setting, they must be designed more intentionally. Thus, the most successful remote teams are not necessarily those that imitate the office online; rather, they are those that identify the office interactions most valuable to creative work and build digital equivalents for them.

Question 21 - Main Idea

The passage is primarily concerned with

A. arguing that remote work is always superior to office work for innovative teams
B. explaining why the effect of remote work on innovation depends on communication design
C. showing that scheduled video meetings are unnecessary for remote teams
D. claiming that traditional offices prevent creative problem solving
E. describing the history of remote work in knowledge-based industries

Answer: B

Explanation:

The passage does not simply praise or criticize remote work. Its main point is that remote work can support or weaken innovation depending on how teams structure communication.

Tip: For main idea questions, avoid extreme answers. Choose the answer that captures the whole passage, not one detail.

Question 22 - Inference

The passage suggests that “unfinished ideas” are important because they

A. can become valuable when other people connect them to different problems
B. are easier to evaluate than fully developed proposals
C. should replace formal project plans in innovative teams
D. usually emerge only in physical office settings
E. reduce the need for communication among team members

Answer: A

Explanation:

Paragraph 2 says innovation often starts as a partial observation that becomes useful when others connect it to another problem.

Tip: Inference answers should be close to the text. Look for a statement that modestly extends a stated idea.

Question 23 - Function

The author mentions hallways and the time before meetings in order to

A. give examples of informal office settings where creative connections can occur
B. argue that offices are more efficient than remote workplaces
C. criticize employees who avoid formal meetings
D. show that remote teams cannot develop new ideas
E. explain why video meetings are usually too short

Answer: A

Explanation:

The hallway and pre-meeting examples illustrate spontaneous office interactions that remote teams may need to recreate intentionally.

Tip: Function questions ask why a detail appears, not whether the detail is true.

Question 24 - Application

Which team practice would the author most likely view favorably?

A. Creating a shared channel where employees can post early observations without needing a complete proposal
B. Replacing all informal communication with longer weekly video meetings
C. Requiring employees to work from the office whenever a project requires creativity
D. Discouraging discussion of ideas until they have been approved by managers
E. Using remote work only for routine tasks that require no collaboration

Answer: A

Explanation:

The author values low-pressure sharing of unfinished ideas as a digital equivalent of useful informal office interactions.

Tip: For application questions, match the new situation to the passage’s principle.

Passage 2: Urban Trees and Heat

Cities tend to be warmer than surrounding rural areas because pavement and buildings absorb and re-emit heat. Urban planners have long promoted trees as a remedy, but the cooling benefits of trees are not evenly distributed. A row of trees along a broad avenue may shade pedestrians at noon while doing little for residents of nearby apartment blocks after sunset. Conversely, trees planted in courtyards or narrow streets may reduce heat stored in walls and pavement, lowering nighttime temperatures.

The unevenness of tree benefits has practical implications. If a city measures success only by the total number of trees planted, it may invest heavily in highly visible locations while neglecting neighborhoods where heat exposure is greatest. Better policy would combine tree-count goals with heat-risk maps, pedestrian-use data, and information about building density. The goal should not be merely to plant more trees but to plant trees where their cooling effects match the needs of vulnerable residents.

Question 25 - Main Idea

The passage mainly argues that urban tree-planting programs should

A. prioritize strategic placement based on heat risk and cooling effects
B. avoid planting trees along broad avenues
C. measure success only by the number of trees planted
D. focus entirely on rural areas near cities
E. replace pedestrian-use data with building-density data

Answer: A

Explanation:

The passage argues that tree benefits vary by location and that policy should consider heat risk, pedestrian use, and density, not just totals.

Tip: In policy passages, the main idea often appears as a recommended improvement.

Question 26 - Detail

According to the passage, trees in courtyards or narrow streets may help by

A. reducing heat stored in walls and pavement
B. increasing the number of pedestrians at noon
C. making broad avenues more visible
D. eliminating the need for heat-risk maps
E. raising nighttime temperatures in apartment blocks

Answer: A

Explanation:

The first paragraph explicitly says such trees may reduce heat stored in walls and pavement, lowering nighttime temperatures.

Tip: For detail questions, return to the exact sentence rather than relying on memory.

Question 27 - Inference

The author would most likely agree that a city with a high total tree count could still have an ineffective cooling program if

A. many trees are planted in places where they do not reduce exposure for vulnerable residents
B. the trees are planted in more than one neighborhood
C. the city uses maps to decide where to plant trees
D. some trees shade pedestrians during the day
E. the city studies building density before planting

Answer: A

Explanation:

The author warns that total tree count alone can hide poor distribution. If trees do not match cooling needs, the program can be ineffective despite a high count.

Tip: When a passage criticizes a metric, expect inference questions about why that metric can mislead.

Question 28 - Tone

The author’s tone toward simple tree-count goals is best described as

A. skeptical but constructive
B. openly hostile and dismissive
C. enthusiastic and unqualified
D. humorous and nostalgic
E. uncertain and confused

Answer: A

Explanation:

The author does not reject tree planting; instead, the author questions simple counting and recommends better measures.

Tip: Tone answers should match intensity. GMAT passages often use moderate, analytical tones.

Passage 3: Consumer Reviews

Online consumer reviews appear to democratize product information by allowing ordinary buyers to share experiences. Yet review systems can distort perception in subtle ways. People with unusually positive or negative experiences are more likely to post reviews than people with average experiences. As a result, a product’s rating may reflect the intensity of reviewers’ feelings rather than the typical buyer’s satisfaction.

Some platforms attempt to correct this problem by verifying purchases, ranking longer reviews more highly, or asking buyers to rate specific product features. These measures can improve reliability, but they do not fully solve the self-selection problem. A verified review still represents someone motivated enough to write it. Therefore, consumers should treat review averages as useful signals, not precise measurements of overall product quality.

Question 29 - Main Idea

The passage is primarily about

A. why online reviews are useful but imperfect indicators of product quality
B. why online platforms should remove all negative reviews
C. how companies can guarantee accurate product ratings
D. why ordinary buyers should not share experiences online
E. how verified purchases eliminate review bias

Answer: A

Explanation:

The author balances usefulness with limitations. Reviews provide signals, but self-selection keeps them from being precise measures.

Tip: Watch for balanced conclusions: “useful but limited” is often correct.

Question 30 - Function

The discussion of people with unusually positive or negative experiences serves to

A. explain a source of bias in online review averages
B. prove that most reviewers are dishonest
C. show that negative reviews are more accurate than positive reviews
D. argue that average experiences are never important
E. describe how platforms verify purchases

Answer: A

Explanation:

The author uses this point to explain self-selection bias: extreme experiences are overrepresented.

Tip: Ask what role a sentence plays in the argument: evidence, example, explanation, concession, or conclusion.

Question 31 - Weaken/Undermine Passage Claim

Which finding would most weaken the author’s concern about self-selection bias?

A. A platform automatically requests reviews from all buyers and obtains responses from nearly all of them.
B. Verified reviews are usually longer than unverified reviews.
C. Many consumers read several reviews before buying expensive products.
D. Some reviewers mention both strengths and weaknesses of a product.
E. Platforms display the most recent reviews first.

Answer: A

Explanation:

If nearly all buyers respond, reviews are no longer limited to the unusually motivated. That directly weakens the self-selection concern.

Tip: To weaken a passage claim, target the reason behind the claim, not a side detail.

Question 32 - Inference

The author would most likely advise consumers to

A. use review averages as one piece of evidence rather than as exact proof of quality
B. ignore all reviews that are not long and detailed
C. buy only products with verified reviews
D. trust review averages more than personal needs
E. assume that highly rated products are always excellent

Answer: A

Explanation:

The final sentence says consumers should treat averages as useful signals, not precise measurements.

Tip: Author advice is usually found in the final evaluative sentence.

Passage 4: Renewable Energy Storage

Solar and wind power have become less expensive, but their output varies with weather and time of day. For this reason, energy storage is often described as the missing link in a renewable power system. Batteries can store electricity generated during sunny or windy periods and release it when production falls. However, not all storage challenges are the same. Short-duration storage can smooth hourly fluctuations, whereas long-duration storage is needed for extended periods of low generation.

Policy discussions sometimes treat storage as a single technology problem, but this framing can mislead investment. A city that needs backup power for a few evening hours may benefit from one type of battery system; a region facing several windless winter weeks may require a different mix of storage, transmission, and demand management. Effective planning therefore begins by identifying the duration and frequency of the reliability problem, not by selecting a fashionable technology first.

Question 33 - Main Idea

The passage mainly emphasizes that renewable energy storage planning should

A. match storage solutions to the specific reliability problem being addressed
B. focus exclusively on the newest battery technology
C. avoid solar and wind power because their output varies
D. treat all storage technologies as interchangeable
E. use batteries only during winter weeks

Answer: A

Explanation:

The author argues that storage needs differ and that planning should begin with the problem’s duration and frequency.

Tip: For main idea questions, look for the broad lesson that includes both paragraphs.

Question 34 - Detail

The passage distinguishes short-duration storage from long-duration storage by noting that short-duration storage can

A. smooth hourly fluctuations
B. solve several windless winter weeks
C. replace transmission planning entirely
D. increase wind and solar output
E. eliminate demand management

Answer: A

Explanation:

The first paragraph directly states that short-duration storage can smooth hourly fluctuations.

Tip: Detail answers should use wording consistent with the passage and avoid overstatement.

Question 35 - Inference

The author would likely criticize a policy maker who first chooses a popular storage technology and then searches for a use for it because that approach

A. fails to begin with the actual duration and frequency of the reliability problem
B. places too much emphasis on weather patterns
C. assumes renewable energy is inexpensive
D. recognizes that cities and regions have different needs
E. requires demand management before transmission planning

Answer: A

Explanation:

The final sentence says effective planning begins with identifying the problem, not selecting a fashionable technology first.

Tip: Application inference questions often invert the passage’s recommendation.

Question 36 - Purpose

The examples of a city needing evening backup and a region facing windless winter weeks are used to

A. show that different reliability problems may require different storage solutions
B. argue that cities should not invest in renewable energy
C. prove that long-duration storage is always cheaper
D. suggest that demand management is unnecessary
E. show that weather forecasts are unreliable

Answer: A

Explanation:

The examples contrast two different problems to support the point that storage is not a single, uniform challenge.

Tip: Examples usually support a broader claim immediately before or after them.

Passage 5: Price Transparency in Healthcare

Advocates of price transparency in healthcare argue that patients should be able to compare prices before choosing providers. In ordinary markets, visible prices can encourage competition and help buyers make informed choices. Healthcare, however, differs from many ordinary markets. Patients often need urgent care, rely on physicians for recommendations, and face insurance rules that make the final out-of-pocket cost difficult to predict.

These complications do not mean transparency is useless. For planned, non-emergency services, clear price information can help patients compare options, especially when quality is similar and insurance coverage is straightforward. But transparency alone is unlikely to transform healthcare spending. Without understandable insurance information and meaningful quality measures, patients may see prices without knowing which option is actually best for them.

Question 37 - Main Idea

The passage mainly argues that healthcare price transparency

A. can be helpful in some situations but is limited without other information
B. should be abandoned because patients never compare providers
C. works in healthcare exactly as it works in ordinary markets
D. is useful only in emergency care
E. will automatically reduce all healthcare spending

Answer: A

Explanation:

The author presents a balanced view: price transparency can help, especially for planned services, but it is not enough by itself.

Tip: Balanced passages often reject both extremes: “useless” and “complete solution.”

Question 38 - Detail

According to the passage, one reason healthcare differs from ordinary markets is that patients

A. often rely on physicians for recommendations
B. always know their final out-of-pocket costs in advance
C. usually pay no attention to insurance rules
D. can delay all medical decisions until prices are compared
E. choose providers only on the basis of quality measures

Answer: A

Explanation:

The first paragraph lists reliance on physicians as one factor that makes healthcare different from ordinary markets.

Tip: Detail questions often contain tempting choices that exaggerate or reverse the passage.

Question 39 - Inference

The author would most likely agree that price transparency is most useful when

A. the service is planned, quality is similar, and insurance coverage is easy to understand
B. the patient needs emergency care immediately
C. quality information is unavailable and insurance rules are complex
D. all providers charge the same price
E. patients ignore physician recommendations entirely

Answer: A

Explanation:

The second paragraph specifically identifies planned, non-emergency services, similar quality, and straightforward insurance coverage as favorable conditions.

Tip: Combine conditions carefully. GMAT answers often require more than one detail from the passage.

Question 40 - Function

The first paragraph’s comparison between healthcare and ordinary markets primarily serves to

A. explain why a policy that works in ordinary markets may have limits in healthcare
B. prove that competition is impossible in healthcare
C. argue that patients should never see price information
D. show that insurance rules are simple
E. suggest that physician recommendations are always biased

Answer: A

Explanation:

The comparison sets up the author’s nuanced view: visible prices can help in ordinary markets, but healthcare has features that limit the effect.

Tip: Function answers should capture how the paragraph moves the argument forward.

MBA Guide

GMAT Guide How is GMAT Scored? Structure & Format of GMAT GMAT Data Insights Preparation GMAT Quantitative Preparation GMAT Verbal Preparation GMAT Data Insights Questions GMAT Quantitative Questions GMAT Verbal Questions GMAT Data Insights Questions 2 GMAT Full-Length Practice Test 1 GMAT Full-Length Practice Test 2
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