Nearly forty years ago, former President Kennedy signed the National

Question

Nearly forty years ago, former President Kennedy
signed the National Reproductive Policy Act, this
nation's first major federal law addressing federal
reproductive freedom. Although the nation has
  (5)   now witnessed almost forty years of continuing
debate about abortion freedom law, a relatively
new element has recently entered the 
controversy: the use of partial birth procedures 
and their high risks in facilitating voluntary third 
  (10)   trimester pregnancy terminations.

Before the development of techniques to facilitate
partial birth abortions, when an unwanted pregnancy
occurred, a government agency otten simply told
a patient she could only abort during the first 
  (15)   trimester. Doctors performing the procedures often
relied on visual observations to determine compliance
with the legal time limits. Most reproductive freedom
professionals consider flexible legal guidelines an 
improvement over pre-1960 restrictions because it
  (20)   provides a factual and scientific basis for the abortion
methodology rather than an intuitive or emotional 
basis. Accordingly, many reproductive freedom 
professionals regard formal abortion laws to be neutral
policy tools that can be employed by the government
  (25)   to make sound policy judgments that assure efficient 
and appropriate procedures.

But are abortion laws and their proponents
really neutral political issues? Analysis of the
choices that must be made in reproductive issues
  (30)   makes the answer clear. Because pregnancy 
termination depends on choices for which there is
no a priori legal method of deciding from among
available assumptions, decisions ultimately depends
largely, if not predominantly, on values positions rather
  (35)   than on legal precedent . Laws must now govern 
partial birth abortion methodology for women's 
health, including a determination of whether the
procedure will cause an adverse health effect; 
dose-response assessment of drugs, an analysis 
  (40)   of the relationship between an administered dose
and the incidence of the adverse health effect; 
exposure assessment, an analysis of the processes
and pathways by which contact with a labor-
inducement drug creates opportunity for exposure;
  (45)   and risk characterization, the process of identifying
the incidence of adverse health effects under various 
clinical conditions-requires the application of some 
judgment that must ultimately rely on something 
less than legally-proven principles. Indeed, many 
  (50)   of the choices that must be made in completing 
a risk assessment must be viewed as pure values 
judgments. For example, in the hazard identification 
portion of an assessment, the decision on picking a
confidence level to determine statistically whether 
  (55)   there has been a positive determination of whether
a labor-inducement drug is a hazard is a pure 
values judgment.

Decisions on reproductive freedom based on current
risk assessment procedures should therefore be 
  (60)   viewed primarily as ethical choices rather than 
as technically dictated conclusions. It is important
in an age of increasing scientific complexity that
interested parties attempt to understand the
values positions and ethical issues that underlie
  (65)   legally derived policy choices. Government must
bring greater clarity to the debate about reproductive
freedom through identification of the embedded
values positions and issues in therapeutic abortion
procedures.    1 
 1. Which one of the following best expresses the main point of the passage?

(A) Therapeutic abortion is an improvement over past methods because it is based more on factual evidence than on intuition.
(B) Former President Kennedy did more than his predecessors to protect the reproductive freedom of women by approving the use of first trimester abortion.
(C) Though perhaps more radical than previous birth control measures, partial birth abortion is a value-free process.
(D) While the concept of partial birth abortion is enticing from a scientific viewpoint, this method is so expensive that its use is impractical on a large scale.
(E) Since past abortion procedures were effective in the first trimester, the government should not have approved further restrictions on its use or implementation.

2 
 2. All of the following are explicitly mentioned in the passage as part of the adverse health effects EXCEPT

(A) visual observation
(B) exposure assessment
(C) analysis of labor-inducement drugs
(D) risk characterization
(E) dose-response assessment

3 
 3. The author most probably mentions "confidence level" (line 54) in order to

(A) demonstrate that partial birth procedures are safer than past abortion methods
(B) question the accuracy of physician's clinical observations
(C) suggest that government should eliminate ambiguities in its reproductive freedom agenda
(D) show that nonlegal principles can affect subsequent legal decisions
(E) strengthen the notion that the National Reproductive Policy Act needs to be modified

4 
 4. The author suggests which one of the following about abortion methods that predated the development of the partial birth procedure?

(A) They are considered to be completely ineffective in protecting women's health.
(B) President Kennedy's National ReproductivePolicy Act was based on their success.
(C) Many reproductive freedom professionals are not satisfied with the results produced by these methods.
(D) They are often difficult to apply because they depend on precise time limitations.
(E) The best features of these methods should be integrated into the partial birth process.

5 
 5. Which of the following words, as it appears in the passage, best supports the author's view of the role of non-legal components in the risk assessment process?

(A) improvement (line 19)
(B) neutral (line 28)
(C) adverse (line 41)
(D) opportunity (line 44)
(E) underlie (line 64)

6 
 6. The passage's reference to the "factual and scientific basis" of abortion rights process in line 20 serves which of the following functions?

(A) It explains the government's unwillingness to choose between older methods and the assessment of newer ones.
(B) It outines the differences among reproductive freedomists over the practicality of visual observation techniques.
(C) It underscores the belief of reproductive freedomists that risk assessment is a useful method for evaluating new procedures.
(D) It introduces birth control policy choices for which there is no a priori assessment method.
(E) It highlights the attitude of reproductive freedomists toward the National Reproductive Policy Act.

7 
 7. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with

(A) comparing risk assessment of new procedures with earlier abortion methods
(B) explaining why government should make explicit the ethical choices involved in reproductive freedom choices
(C) highlighting government's inability to deal effectively with reproductive freedom issues
(D) reviewing the evolution of abortion methods over the past two decades
(E) proposing a new method for reproductive freedom that incorporates the best features of risk assessment

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 11 Date: 06-Jan-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Source: IvyLeague admission GMAT RC

100mitra · Answer

RC #13 Long Passage {21 mins - 5/7 correct} 
  Paraphrasing:  
  Para 1:    Although Nation's first major federal law addressing federal reproductive freedom, after 40 years still, continuing debate about abortion freedom law and now recently added partial birth abortions

Para 2:  To facilitates partial birth abortions, reproductive freedom professional demand flexible legal guidance, and neutral policy tools laws.

Para 3:   Analysis of choices for pregnancy termination and Ways law need to govern reason behind abortion methodology

Para 4:  
Conclusion: Government must bring greater clarity to the debate about reproductive freedom through identification of the embedded values positions and issues in therapeutic abortion procedures.

1. Which one of the following best expresses the main point of the passage?

(A)  Therapeutic abortion  is an improvement over past methods because it is based more on factual evidence than on intuition.
  Wrong:   as mentioned in passage, above statement hold incorrect, 
“Government must bring greater clarity to the debate about reproductive freedom 
through identification of the embedded values positions and issues in therapeutic abortion procedures”

(B) Former President Kennedy did  more than his predecessors  to protect the reproductive freedom of women by approving the use of first trimester abortion.
  Wrong:    No information mentioned in the passage

(C) Though perhaps more radical than previous birth control measures,  partial birth abortion is a value-free process .
  Correct: Because Partial birth abortion has no law, complex policy, no scientific checking mythologies, and depends on values positions rather than on legal precedent  
 
(D) While the concept of partial birth abortion is enticing from a  scientific viewpoint , 
this  method is so expensive  that its use is impractical on a large scale.
  Wrong:    Expensive is not mentioned in the passage

(E) Since past abortion procedures were effective in the first trimester, 
the government should not have approved further restrictions on its use or implementation.
  Wrong:    It was not most effective way, as mentioned in passage
” Before the development of techniques to facilitate partial birth abortions, 
when an unwanted pregnancy occurred, 
a government agency otten simply told a patient she could only abort during the first trimester. 
Doctors performing the procedures often relied on visual observations 
to determine compliance with the legal time limits”

100mitra · Answer

2. All of the following are explicitly mentioned in the passage as part of the adverse health effects  EXCEPT   
  Explanation:  
Laws must now govern partial birth abortion methodology for women's health, including a determination of whether 
1. the procedure will cause an adverse health effect;
2.  Dose-response assessment of drugs , an analysis of the relationship between an administered dose
and the incidence of the adverse health effect;
3.  Exposure assessment , an analysis of the processes and pathways by which contact with a  labor-inducement drug creates opportunity for exposure ;
4.  Risk characterization , the process of identifying the incidence of adverse health effects under various clinical conditions-requires the application of some judgment that must ultimately rely on something less than legally proven principles.

(A) visual observation – this is techniques to facilitate partial birth abortions during the first trimester.  
(B) exposure assessment  – Point 3 
(C) analysis of labor-inducement drugs  – Point 3 
(D) risk characterization  – Point 4 
(E) dose-response assessment  – Point 2

3. The author most probably mentions "confidence level" (line 54) in order to  
  Statement 1:    Explanation of “Risk characterization , the process of identifying 
the incidence of adverse health effects 
under various clinical conditions-requires the application 
of some judgment that must ultimately rely on something 
less than legally-proven principles”
  Statement 2:    Risk Characterization example , “in the hazard identification portion of an assessment, 
the decision on picking a confidence level to determine statistically 
whether there has been a positive determination of 
whether a labor-inducement drug is a hazard is a pure values judgment.”

From statement 1, and 2, Confidence level indicates about legally proven principles  
 
(A) demonstrate that partial birth procedures are safer than past abortion methods 
  – wrong:   Easy elimination, confidence level does not indicate on safer parameters in comparison between abortion methods
(B) question the accuracy of physician's clinical observations
  – wrong:   Trap, but this focus more on physician clinical observation, we need a person taking decision based on legally proven principles 
(C) suggest that government should eliminate ambiguities in its reproductive freedom agenda
  – wrong:   Easy elimination, not related to confidence level
(D) show that nonlegal principles can affect subsequent legal decisions
  Correct: as mentioned above, sentence from the passage  
(E) strengthen the notion that the National Reproductive Policy Act needs to be modified
  – wrong:   Out of scope

100mitra · Answer

4. The author suggests which one of the following about abortion methods that predated the development of the partial birth procedure?

(A) They are considered to be completely ineffective in protecting women's health. 
  - Wrong:   as per the sentence mentioned in the passage, its not sure to be 100% correct, 
“Laws must now govern partial birth abortion methodology for women's health, 
including a determination of whether the procedure will cause an adverse health effect”

(B) President Kennedy's National Reproductive Policy Act was based on their success. 
  - Wrong:   its not based on their success, as per sentence mentioned in passage, struggle and debates are still going on,
” Although the nation has now witnessed almost forty years of continuing debate about abortion freedom law”

(C) Many reproductive freedom professionals are not satisfied with the results produced by these methods.
  Correct: because reproductive freedom professionals are demanding to meet their satisfaction needs
1.) consider flexible legal guidelines an improvement over pre-1960 restrictions because it provides a factual and scientific basis for the abortion methodology rather than an intuitive or emotional
basis
2.) regard formal abortion laws to be neutral policy tools that can be employed by the government to make sound policy judgments that assure efficient and appropriate procedures.

(D) They are often difficult to apply because they depend on precise time limitations.
  - Wrong:   as per sentence mentioned in passage, “Doctors performing the procedures often relied on visual observations to determine compliance with the legal time limits”

(E) The best features of these methods should be integrated into the partial birth process. 
  - Wrong:   Out of scope, no best feature mentioned in the passage

5. Which of the following words, as it appears in the passage, 
best supports the author's view of the role of 
 non-legal components  in the  risk assessment process ?

(A) improvement (line 19)
 Most reproductive freedom professionals consider flexible legal guidelines an improvement over pre-1960 restrictions because it provides a factual and scientific basis for the abortion methodology rather than an intuitive or emotional basis
   Wrong:   between  flexible legal guidance  (legal components), as it provides 
factual and scientific basis for  abortion methodology  (risk assessment process)

(B) neutral (line 28)
 But are abortion laws and their proponents really neutral political issues? 
  Wrong:   as mentioned in passage, “ abortion laws  (legal components), to be neutral policy tools that can be employed by the government to make sound policy judgments that assure efficient and  appropriate procedures .” (Risk assessment process)

(C) adverse (line 41)
 dose-response assessment of drugs, an analysis of the relationship between an administered dose and the incidence of the adverse health effect 
  Wrong:    dose-response assessment of drugs  (legal components) and an  analysis of the relationship  (Risk assessment process)

(D) opportunity (line 44)
 exposure assessment, an analysis of the processes and pathways by which contact with a labor-inducement drug creates opportunity for exposure 
  Wrong:    exposure assessment  (legal components) and an  analysis of the processes  (Risk assessment process)

(E) underlie (line 64)
 It is important in an age of increasing scientific complexity that interested parties 
attempt to understand the values positions and ethical issues 
that underlie legally derived policy choices 
  Correct: understand the  values positions and ethical issues  (non-legal components) in the underlie legally derived  policy choices  (risk assessment process)

100mitra · Answer

6. The passage's reference to the "factual and scientific basis" 
of abortion rights process in line 20 serves which of the following functions?  
  Sentence from Passage:    Most reproductive freedom professionals consider 
flexible legal guidelines an improvement over pre-1960 restrictions 
because it provides a factual and scientific basis for the abortion methodology (assessment) 
rather than an intuitive or emotional basis

(A) It explains the    government's unwillingness to choose   between 
older methods and the assessment of newer ones.
  Wrong:   As per passage, government has already made improvement over pre 1960 restriction.

(B) It outlines the differences among  reproductive freedomists  over the practicality of  visual observation techniques .
  Wrong:   No, visual observation techniques are used by doctors for reproductive freedomists, there is no difference highlighted in passage

(C) It underscores the belief of reproductive freedomists 
that  risk assessment is a useful method for evaluating new procedures .
  Correct: Flexible legal guidelines give details line factual and scientific details, which works as a risk assessment useful for evaluating new procedures

(D) It   introduces birth control policy   choices for which there is no a priori assessment method.
  Wrong:   Out of scope, birth control policy choices are not related.

(E) It highlights the attitude of reproductive freedomists toward the   National Reproductive Policy Act  .
  Wrong:   Irrelevant

7. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with  
(A) comparing risk assessment of new procedures with earlier abortion methods
  Wrong:   Author has not compared but highlighted improvement over old methods to new methods, and reproductive freedomist view Flexible legal guidelines on new methods

(B) explaining why government should make explicit the ethical choices involved in reproductive freedom choices
  Correct: as mentioned in passage, “Decisions on reproductive freedom based on current risk assessment procedures should therefore be viewed primarily as ethical choices rather than as technically dictated conclusions”

(C) highlighting government's inability to deal effectively with reproductive freedom issues
  Wrong:   Irrelevant, no information mentioned in the passage

(D) reviewing the evolution of abortion methods over the past two decades
  Wrong:   No reviewing evolution – specifically past two decades

(E) proposing a new method for reproductive freedom that incorporates the best features of risk assessment
  Wrong:   Its not about method but about Flexible legal guidelines needed for reproductive freedomists for risk assessments

pratiksha1998 · Answer

What should be the avg time to solve such long passages?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Short answer: 12-13 Minutes

Nearly forty years ago, former President Kennedy signed the National

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