BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

complete the passage

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 73
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:44 am
Thanked: 5 times

complete the passage

by annakool1009 » Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:18 am
Which of the following most logically completes the passage?
Concerned about financial well-being of its elderly citizens, the government of Runagiadecided two years ago to increase by 20 percent the government provided pensionpaid to all Runagians over 65. Inflation in the intervening period has been negligible,and the increase has been duly received by all eligible Runagians. Nevertheless,many of them are no better off financially than they were before the increase, in large part because ________.

A. They rely entirely on the government pension for their income
B. Runagian banks are so inefficient that it can take up to three weeks to cash a pension check
C. They buy goods whose prices tend to rise especially fast in times of inflation
D. The pension was increased when the number of elderly Runagians below the poverty level reached an all-time high
E. In Runagia children typically supplement the income of elderly parents, but only by enough to provide them with a comfortable living
Gearing up for the D-day.
Top
Source: — Critical Reasoning |
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 871
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:48 am
Thanked: 48 times

by stop@800 » Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:43 am
Should be C

The inflation has not increased much but the cost of product that these ppl buy has increased
Top
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 73
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:44 am
Thanked: 5 times

by annakool1009 » Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:13 am
stop@800 wrote:Should be C

The inflation has not increased much but the cost of product that these ppl buy has increased
Thanks for the reply.
To me, all the options look out of scope and I did not find any of the answer options to make sense, but (in my opinion) "C" can be clearly eliminated because the passage says that during the 2 years (after 20% pension hike), inflation was negligible. Thus "inflation" as such cannot be a reason for their (people above 65) condition to improve.

Wud request somebody to please explain how any of the answer options could be correct ??? all of them look absolutely irrelevant !!!
:(
Gearing up for the D-day.
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 117
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 3:29 am
Location: Australia
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:5 members
GMAT Score:760

by Indradeep » Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:24 am
You are right...looks very confusing

A. They rely entirely on the government pension for their income
Is not right as government pension has increased, so this is taken care of

B. Runagian banks are so inefficient that it can take up to three weeks to cash a pension check
Looks like remote possibility. I would probably mark it.

C. They buy goods whose prices tend to rise especially fast in times of inflation
No inflation in that time.

D. The pension was increased when the number of elderly Runagians below the poverty level reached an all-time high
But pension was increased so why are they still financially in same place?

E. In Runagia children typically supplement the income of elderly parents, but only by enough to provide them with a comfortable living
Not relevant
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:59 am
Location: USA
Thanked: 13 times
Followed by:1 members

by niraj_a » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:54 am
I say E, although all the options look to be irrelevant for the most part. I eliminated C because it negates a fact in the passage.

I know complete the passage questions are like must be true questions so E should work best IMO.
Top
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:19 am
Location: Orlando
Thanked: 6 times

Re: complete the passage

by raajan_p » Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:48 pm
annakool1009 wrote:Which of the following most logically completes the passage?
Concerned about financial well-being of its elderly citizens, the government of Runagiadecided two years ago to increase by 20 percent the government provided pensionpaid to all Runagians over 65. Inflation in the intervening period has been negligible,and the increase has been duly received by all eligible Runagians. Nevertheless,many of them are no better off financially than they were before the increase, in large part because ________.

A. They rely entirely on the government pension for their income
B. Runagian banks are so inefficient that it can take up to three weeks to cash a pension check
C. They buy goods whose prices tend to rise especially fast in times of inflation
D. The pension was increased when the number of elderly Runagians below the poverty level reached an all-time high
E. In Runagia children typically supplement the income of elderly parents, but only by enough to provide them with a comfortable living

Guys, I would say that the answer is D. See, the only reason elderly people could not become financially better because, during the time when the pension was increased by 20%, Runagia had reached an all-time high in the number of elderly people below the proverty level..

Hope this helps.
Top
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:20 pm

by shalen78 » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:56 pm
I would say E. The conclusion is stating that the elderly are no better off and E says they are already living comfortably because typically their children supplement their income.

With that said if E is right it took me entirely too long to reach a conclusion on the answer.
Last edited by shalen78 on Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 267
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:20 am
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:1 members

by Mani_mba » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:05 pm
IMO E.
Top
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 73
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:44 am
Thanked: 5 times

by annakool1009 » Fri Sep 19, 2008 7:25 am
shalen78 wrote:I would say E. The conclusion is stating that the elderly are no better off and E says they are already living comfortably because typically their children supplement their income.

With that said if E is right it took me entirely to wrong to reach a conclusion on the answer.
If the elderly were already living a comfortable life ( funded just enough by the children ), then the increase in pension money should make them better off !!!
Gearing up for the D-day.
Top
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:20 pm

by shalen78 » Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:23 am
how would the elderly be better off then if they were already comfortable? if they are comfortable, with more of a pension they are only more comfortable, and not really affected by the pension

the best parallel i can draw is, it is similar to somebody giving money to a rich person. if they were rich before they are given money, they are still rich after, albeit slightly more rich.

E also tells the financial state of the grandparents before the pension and after the pension and shows why they are no better off financially (they could already afford to live comfortably).

A shows the importance of the government pension, not minimalizes it
B would only be correct if they banks never paid the money they were supposed to preventing it from getting to the seniors
C is challenged in the passage itself
D does not show change after the pension was given and therefore does not explain the financial status of the seniors
E is the only answer that minimalizes the importance of the pension
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 3:15 am
Thanked: 7 times
Followed by:1 members

by anju » Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:12 pm
I'll go wiht D

D is the only choice which helps in the conclusion that many of them are no better off financially than they were before the increase
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:59 am
Location: USA
Thanked: 13 times
Followed by:1 members

by niraj_a » Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:58 pm
i gave this another go and want to change my previous answer (E) to D FOR SURE! lol
Top
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:20 pm

by shalen78 » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:42 pm
D doesnt say many of them are better off. D discusses the elderly below the poverty level being at an all time high. There could have been very few elderly below the poverty level to begin with, in which case an increase in pension wouldnt affect the majority of the elderly. There also could have been only half below, in which case only half would have been affected. It leaves open the number of elderly affected.

Where is this question from and does anybody have the OA? Its driving me nuts.
Last edited by shalen78 on Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:59 am
Location: USA
Thanked: 13 times
Followed by:1 members

by niraj_a » Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:03 pm
agreed shalen
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 401
Joined: Fri May 04, 2007 9:21 am
Thanked: 3 times
Followed by:1 members

by NSNguyen » Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:49 pm
C would be the right choice,
it explains why older still ill financed after get a premium pension from government. the premium will comliment for food price increase.
Please share your idea and your reasoning :D
https://bmnmed.com/home/
https://nguyensinguyen.vietnam21.org
Top
Post new topic Post Reply