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Pendleton Act

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Pendleton Act

by himu » Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:40 pm
The Civil Service Act of 1883, also known as the Pendleton Act, which created a professional corps of administrators, was passed after a disappointed office-seeker assassinated President James A. Garfield. For a hundred years, this system has anchored American government service to competence rather than corruption. The best way to preserve this state in the new millennium is to maintain the Pendleton Act as it is.

Which of the following would be most useful to evaluate the argument's conclusion?


The methods that the Swiss and British governments have used to prevent corruption in government service for the past one hundred years

The current level of job satisfaction among government office-seekers and office-holders

The levels of competence and corruption in American government service between 1950 and the present

The number of Presidents assassinated since the passage of the Pendleton Act

The percentage of office-holders fired or convicted on charges stemming from corruption during the first hundred years of the Pendleton Act
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by Bill@VeritasPrep » Sun Nov 18, 2012 9:57 pm
The conclusion is that preserving the Pendleton Act is the best course of action, and we're looking for something that would allow us to say "good conclusion" or "bad conclusion". One thing I did notice is a disconnect in the argument: the system has worked "for a hundred years", which would span from 1883 to 1983, but the conclusion talks about the new millennium. What about the period between 1983 and the new millennium?

A (Swiss and British methods), B (job satisfaction), and D (presidential assassinations) can be eliminated for not being relevant to the Pendleton Act and its effect on corruption and competence.

E doesn't explain that "missing period" between 1983 and the new millennium; it only reiterates "the first hundred years." Also, it ignores the competence factor entirely.

C, on the other hand, gives us what we need. By giving us information from 1950 to the present (well into the new millennium), we now have much better information for deciding if sticking with the Pendleton Act is the right thing to do.
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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Nov 19, 2012 5:16 am
The Civil Service Act of 1883, also known as the Pendleton Act, which created a professional corps of administrators, was passed after a disappointed office-seeker assassinated President James A. Garfield. For a hundred years, this system has anchored American government service to competence rather than corruption. The best way to preserve this state in the new millennium is to maintain the Pendleton Act as it is.

Which of the following would be most useful to evaluate the argument's conclusion?

A.The methods that the Swiss and British governments have used to prevent corruption in government service for the past one hundred years

B.The current level of job satisfaction among government office-seekers and office-holders

C.The levels of competence and corruption in American government service between 1950 and the present

D.The number of Presidents assassinated since the passage of the Pendleton Act

E.The percentage of office-holders fired or convicted on charges stemming from corruption during the first hundred years of the Pendleton Act
Make the answer choices EXTREME.
When the correct answer choice is made extreme, the conclusion of the argument will strengthened or weakened.

A.The methods that the Swiss and British governments have used to prevent corruption in government service for the past one hundred years have been hugely successful.

B.The current level of job satisfaction among government office-seekers and office-holders is very low.

C.The level of competence has been very high and the level of corruption has been very low in American government service between 1950 and the present.

D.The number of Presidents assassinated since the passage of the Pendleton Act has been very low.

E.The percentage of office-holders fired or convicted on charges stemming from corruption during the first hundred years of the Pendleton Act has been very high.

Only the extreme version of answer choice C helps to determine whether the Act has promoted competence and eradicated corruption.

The correct answer is C.
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by himu » Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:58 pm
Hi Bill & GMATGuruNY,


Thanks for your ans :) really helpful.

CHeers,
~Himu.
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by tanviet » Tue Nov 20, 2012 7:05 pm
GMATGuruNY wrote:
The Civil Service Act of 1883, also known as the Pendleton Act, which created a professional corps of administrators, was passed after a disappointed office-seeker assassinated President James A. Garfield. For a hundred years, this system has anchored American government service to competence rather than corruption. The best way to preserve this state in the new millennium is to maintain the Pendleton Act as it is.

Which of the following would be most useful to evaluate the argument's conclusion?

A.The methods that the Swiss and British governments have used to prevent corruption in government service for the past one hundred years

B.The current level of job satisfaction among government office-seekers and office-holders

C.The levels of competence and corruption in American government service between 1950 and the present

D.The number of Presidents assassinated since the passage of the Pendleton Act

E.The percentage of office-holders fired or convicted on charges stemming from corruption during the first hundred years of the Pendleton Act
Make the answer choices EXTREME.
When the correct answer choice is made extreme, the conclusion of the argument will strengthened or weakened.

A.The methods that the Swiss and British governments have used to prevent corruption in government service for the past one hundred years have been hugely successful.

B.The current level of job satisfaction among government office-seekers and office-holders is very low.

C.The level of competence has been very high and the level of corruption has been very low in American government service between 1950 and the present.

D.The number of Presidents assassinated since the passage of the Pendleton Act has been very low.

E.The percentage of office-holders fired or convicted on charges stemming from corruption during the first hundred years of the Pendleton Act has been very high.

Only the extreme version of answer choice C helps to determine whether the Act has promoted competence and eradicated corruption.

The correct answer is C.
thank you expert.

Normally, I see you, for strengthen and weaken questions, prethink an assumption before going to answer choices. I think evaluate question is similar in that we should prethink an assumption.

How do you do this question is what we want to know to imitate.
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