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555-605 Level|   Inference|      
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Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers 10 Dec 2024, 01:30
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75% (01:49) correct 25% (02:22) wrong based on 169 sessions

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Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers directly, whereas others contract transportation to outside firms. Firms that transport food items are twice as likely as other firms to hire drivers directly. Firms that transport perishable food items , which must be delivered in a timely manner, are more than five times more likely than other firms to hire drivers directly, while firms that transport non-perishable food items are only slightly more likely than other firms to do so.

The information above provides the most support for which of the following hypotheses?

(A) A firm's decision to hire drivers directly depends in part on whether goods must be delivered in a timely manner.

(B) It is usually more expensive to hire drivers directly than to contract transportation to outside firms.

(C) Firms that hire drivers directly are unlikely to do business with firms that contract transportation to outside firms.

(D) Firms that provide truck transportation usually carry non-food items.

(E) Between one-fifth and one-half of firms that transport their goods via truck contract transportation to outside firms.


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Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers 10 Dec 2024, 09:24
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Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers directly, whereas others contract transportation to outside firms. Firms that transport food items are twice as likely as other firms to hire drivers directly. Firms that transport perishable food items , which must be delivered in a timely manner, are more than five times more likely than other firms to hire drivers directly, while firms that transport non-perishable food items are only slightly more likely than other firms to do so.

The information above provides the most support for which of the following hypotheses?

(A) A firm's decision to hire drivers directly depends in part on whether goods must be delivered in a timely manner.

(B) It is usually more expensive to hire drivers directly than to contract transportation to outside firms.

(C) Firms that hire drivers directly are unlikely to do business with firms that contract transportation to outside firms.

(D) Firms that provide truck transportation usually carry non-food items.

(E) Between one-fifth and one-half of firms that transport their goods via truck contract transportation to outside firms.
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Premise: Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers directly while others contract transportation out to external firms.

Premise: Firms that transport food items are twice as likely to hire drivers directly.

Premise: Firms that transport perishable food items, which must be delivered in a timely manner, are more than five times more likely to hire drivers directly.

Premise: Firms that transport non-perishable food items are only slightly more likely to hire drivers directly.

A. This is an inference that could be made, because firms that transport perishable food items are significantly more likely to hire drivers directly when compared to firms that transport non-perishable food items.
B. Cost isn’t discussed here, so it’s irrelevant.
C. This isn’t supported by any part of the passage.
D. This isn’t supported either. We’re mostly talking about food transportation, but no percentages are given.
E. We don’t know what percentage of firms that transport goods via truck are transporting food items, so we can’t make any inferences about the overall fraction that contract transportation to outside firms.
Best answer is A.
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Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers 10 Dec 2024, 21:43
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Bunuel
Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers directly, whereas others contract transportation to outside firms. Firms that transport food items are twice as likely as other firms to hire drivers directly. Firms that transport perishable food items , which must be delivered in a timely manner, are more than five times more likely than other firms to hire drivers directly, while firms that transport non-perishable food items are only slightly more likely than other firms to do so.

The information above provides the most support for which of the following hypotheses?

(A) A firm's decision to hire drivers directly depends in part on whether goods must be delivered in a timely manner.

(B) It is usually more expensive to hire drivers directly than to contract transportation to outside firms.

(C) Firms that hire drivers directly are unlikely to do business with firms that contract transportation to outside firms.

(D) Firms that provide truck transportation usually carry non-food items.

(E) Between one-fifth and one-half of firms that transport their goods via truck contract transportation to outside firms.


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(A) is the best-supported hypothesis, as the passage clearly links the decision to hire drivers directly with the timeliness of the goods being delivered.
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Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers 05 Jan 2025, 05:00
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Bunuel
Among firms that transport their goods via truck, some hire drivers directly, whereas others contract transportation to outside firms. Firms that transport food items are twice as likely as other firms to hire drivers directly. Firms that transport perishable food items , which must be delivered in a timely manner, are more than five times more likely than other firms to hire drivers directly, while firms that transport non-perishable food items are only slightly more likely than other firms to do so.

The information above provides the most support for which of the following hypotheses?

(A) A firm's decision to hire drivers directly depends in part on whether goods must be delivered in a timely manner.

(B) It is usually more expensive to hire drivers directly than to contract transportation to outside firms.

(C) Firms that hire drivers directly are unlikely to do business with firms that contract transportation to outside firms.

(D) Firms that provide truck transportation usually carry non-food items.

(E) Between one-fifth and one-half of firms that transport their goods via truck contract transportation to outside firms.
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION



A

We're looking for a logical inference. All of the information given focuses on the sort of business that hire drivers directly instead of contracting transportation to outside firms. The logical conclusion will probably have something to do with that comparison.

Choice (A) is a logical conclusion. The only deference between firms that sell perishable food items and non-perishable food items is that the former must have their items "delivered in a timely manner". If such firms are so much more likely to hire drivers directly, the timeliness required seems to have at least something to do with the decision.

Choice (B) is not based on the information given, since there is nothing in the passage about costs. (C) is irrelevant, as the customers or suppliers of the businesses mentioned do not arise in the discussion. (D) may be tempting, but all we know is that more firms that transport food items opt to hire their own drivers. If 90% of transported goods are food items, a small percentage of that would still be greater than all of the non-food items put together. (E) is much too precise to be supported by a passage with no firm numbers. (A) is correct.
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