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

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

mysterious illness-expert please comment

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 217
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 9:42 pmFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 8 times
by garima99 » Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:51 pm
When the government of a nation announced recently that a leader of the nation's political opposition had died of a mysterious illness in prison, few seasoned observers of the regime were surprised. As the police captain in an old movie remarked when asked about the condition of a prisoner, "We're trying to decide whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape."
The statements above invite which of the following conclusions?
(A) The opposition leader was probably killed trying to escape from prison.
(B) The opposition leader may not be dead at all.
(C) It is unlikely that the head of the regime knows the true cause of the opposition leader's death.
(D) The opposition leader probably killed himself.
(E) The regime very likely was responsible for the death of the opposition leader.
Last edited by garima99 on Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Critical Reasoning |
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 71
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:39 pm
Thanked: 1 times

by ranjithreddy.k9 » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:47 pm
IMO its E...what's the OA?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:27 am
Thanked: 1 times

by abhishek.pati » Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:20 pm
IMO E
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 217
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 9:42 pmFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 8 times

by garima99 » Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:47 pm
ranjithreddy.k9 wrote:IMO its E...what's the OA?
OA is E...can you plz explain
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 979
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:38 amFollowed by: 12 members
Location: Hyderabad, India
Thanked: 49 times
GMAT Score:700

by bubbliiiiiiii » Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:55 pm
garima99 wrote:When the government of a nation announced recently that a leader of the nation's political opposition had died of a mysterious illness in prison, few seasoned observers of the regime were surprised. As the police captain in an old movie remarked when asked about the condition of a prisoner, "We're trying to decide whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape."
The statements above invite which of the following conclusions?
(A) The opposition leader was probably killed trying to escape from prison.
Same as what is stated in passage. Thus, eliminate.
(B) The opposition leader may not be dead at all.
Contrary to what is said in the passage. Thus, eliminate.
(C) It is unlikely that the head of the regime knows the true cause of the opposition leader's death.
(D) The opposition leader probably killed himself.
Same as what is stated in passage. Thus, eliminate.
(E) The regime very likely was responsible for the death of the opposition leader.
Between C and E.

Though I understand that answer is E can anyone explain a basis of elimination of choice C?
Regards,

Pranay
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 217
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 9:42 pmFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 8 times

by garima99 » Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:42 am
bubbliiiiiiii wrote:
garima99 wrote:When the government of a nation announced recently that a leader of the nation's political opposition had died of a mysterious illness in prison, few seasoned observers of the regime were surprised. As the police captain in an old movie remarked when asked about the condition of a prisoner, "We're trying to decide whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape."
The statements above invite which of the following conclusions?
(A) The opposition leader was probably killed trying to escape from prison.
Same as what is stated in passage. Thus, eliminate.
(B) The opposition leader may not be dead at all.
Contrary to what is said in the passage. Thus, eliminate.
(C) It is unlikely that the head of the regime knows the true cause of the opposition leader's death.
(D) The opposition leader probably killed himself.
Same as what is stated in passage. Thus, eliminate.
(E) The regime very likely was responsible for the death of the opposition leader.
Between C and E.

Though I understand that answer is E can anyone explain a basis of elimination of choice C?
Even I choose C...would be great if some one could explain E
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:20 pm
Location: India
GMAT Score:750

by snigdhakul » Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:08 am
My logic for rejecting C is that when the political opposition died, no one was surprised, indicating that they knew the cause for death.

Based on that logic only I have selected E as the correct answer.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:07 am
Location: Pune, India
GMAT Score:680

by DhruvXVII » Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:12 am
I would have chosen C. Please explain why OA is E :?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 37
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:50 am
Thanked: 2 times

by abidshariff » Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:55 am
what is the source?...I've never seen such a make up of the question before, at least, not in any of the GMAT related sources.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 217
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 9:42 pmFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 8 times

by garima99 » Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:11 am
abidshariff wrote:what is the source?...I've never seen such a make up of the question before, at least, not in any of the GMAT related sources.
Its from 1000 series...Still the reason of E is not very clear
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 407
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:19 amFollowed by: 7 members
Thanked: 25 times

by Ozlemg » Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:34 am
My choice is E.

The statements above invite which of the following conclusions? We should look for a choice that does not contain any unproven explanation or open-end sentence.
(A) The opposition leader was probably killed trying to escape from prison.May be or may be not!
(B) The opposition leader may not be dead at all.
(C) It is unlikely that the head of the regime knows the true cause of the opposition leader's death.How could we arrive such a conclusion that the head of the regime knows/does not know the truth? There is not any sentence or a word that supports it.
(D) The opposition leader probably killed himself. Or died by a back-fire while escaping
(E) The regime very likely was responsible for the death of the opposition leader. Yes, because it is very likely that the regime puts sent him to prison and the regime is very responsible of his death although he killed himself.
Last edited by Ozlemg on Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
The more you suffer before the test, the less you will do so in the test! :)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:07 am
Location: Pune, India
GMAT Score:680

by DhruvXVII » Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:45 am
If I am not wrong, your reasoning for C supports the answer choice C.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1255
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:08 pmFollowed by: 90 members
Location: St. Louis
Thanked: 312 times

by Tani » Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:52 pm
The movie quote "We're trying to decide whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape." implies that the police had the prisoner killed, but were trying to decide which lie to use in announcing his death. Clearly the police in the movie would have known whether the prisoner committed suicide or tried to escape. Therefore, the "decision" is about what to say, not about what happened.
Tani Wolff
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1325
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 6:24 amFollowed by: 14 members
Thanked: 105 times

by vikram4689 » Wed Jun 22, 2011 1:52 am
Tani Wolff - Kaplan wrote:The movie quote "We're trying to decide whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape." implies that the police had the prisoner killed, but were trying to decide which lie to use in announcing his death. Clearly the police in the movie would have known whether the prisoner committed suicide or tried to escape. Therefore, the "decision" is about what to say, not about what happened.
How can we deduce this. May be policeman is investigating the cause.
Premise: If you like my post
Conclusion : Press the Thanks Button ;)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1255
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:08 pmFollowed by: 90 members
Location: St. Louis
Thanked: 312 times

by Tani » Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:01 am
Good question. In the context of the movie it would be clear, but admittedly here it is less so. Given a prison situation, the difference between suicide and escaping should be very obvious. A suicide would be found in his cell, while during an escape attempt the prisoner would be outside his cell.
Tani Wolff
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply