Newly made glass is very strong, but it begins to lose strength

Question

Newly made glass is very strong, but it begins to lose strength the instant it is made. Simply blowing on its surface can significantly reduce its strength. And while glass has the capacity to bear heavy loads—a necessary requirement in structural applications—it cannot easily withstand bending forces. Protective coatings are one way to give glass greater strength, although this can affect transparency, one of the main reasons for using glass. Also, altering the composition of the glass can make it harder for cracks to form, but this alteration can mean loss of other desirable properties, or make the glass more expensive to manufacture.

The manufacturing process can be modified to keep the surface of the glass clear and free of cracks. Strong, clear glass for laptop displays is made by maximizing the surface area in contact only with air as the glass cools. But with glass used for structural purposes, tempering processes are typically used. In heat tempering the surface of the glass is cooled more rapidly than the interior, a process that allows the interior of the glass to become more dense. In chemical tempering the sodium ions at the surface are replaced with potassium ions, which are larger, and this achieves much the same compression as does the heat tempering process.

Tempering makes cracks less likely to form, but breakages can still occur.  When tempered glass breaks, it breaks into many smaller pieces than does ordinary glass. In structural applications this is actually preferred, since smaller pieces are generally less likely to cause injury.   Use of laminated glass in a structure helps to maintain the structure’s integrity in the event that the glass breaks.  Glass is laminated by sandwiching thin polymer layers between layers of glass. This adds strength and keeps large broken pieces from shattering. One problem with this, however, is that it makes fabricating glass for structural purposes very difficult, since each piece must be cut, polished, and drilled for the connecting fittings before it is tempered. In fabrication, precise measurements and extremely small margins of error are needed to avoid potentially destructive stresses in the assembled structure.   1 
 1. Which of the following terms, if substituted for the term “integrity” in the highlighted sentence, would LEAST alter the meaning of the sentence?

A. Completeness
B. Conformity
C. High quality
D. Soundness
E. Complexity

2 
 2. The highlighted sentences indicate an advantage associated with the use of tempered glass in structural applications. This advantage is most analogous to the advantage indicated by which of the following?

A. The use of glass fiber in telephone cable has the advantage that it allows a much greater volume of information to be transmitted simultaneously and without electromagnetic interference, as compared with copper cable.
B. Diesel engines on passenger aircraft have the advantage that, in the event of a crash, diesel is, as compared with other aviation fuels, relatively unlikely to catch fire or explode.
C. An advantage of using high-index plastic instead of glass in lenses for people who need to wear glasses is that plastic lenses are very light and durable.
D. An advantage of using natural methods of pest control in farming is that, as compared with methods based on chemical pesticides, it poses a much smaller risk to farmers than even normal use of chemical pesticides.
E. Ozone is a highly reactive form of oxygen, toxic to animals and humans, but its reactivity is an advantage in enabling it to remove certain odors, such as smoke, from buildings.

3 
 3. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. advocate the use of a particular manufacturing process to enhance the benefits of a product
B. explain the manner in which various properties of a material enhance its use for a certain purpose
C. propose technological solutions to problems that typically arise with the use of a material for a certain purpose
D. describe various processes typically used to render a material suitable for a certain purpose and outline some of their limitations
E. provide reasons for thinking that a particular use proposed for a material is not appropriate in view of limitations inherent in the material

4 
 4. The passage suggests that glass used in “structural applications” (see   highlighted   phrase)

A. is normally used to support other pieces of glass
B. usually contains predrilled holes to facilitate connection and support
C. very rarely breaks in large pieces if it breaks
D. usually needs maximum transparency
E. is often so constructed as to mitigate the risks arising from breakage

KarishmaB · Accepted Answer

Question 1.

1. Which of the following terms, if substituted for the term “integrity” in the highlighted sentence, would LEAST alter the meaning of the sentence?

A ) Completeness
 B ) Conformity
 C ) High quality
 D ) Soundness
 E ) Complexity

Given: Use of laminated glass in a structure helps to maintain the structure’s integrity in the event that the glass breaks. Glass is laminated by sandwiching thin polymer layers between layers of glass. This adds strength and keeps large broken pieces from shattering.

It means that the structure remains intact, unbroken. Now, completeness has a different meaning. Something is missing and then one completes it. Conformity also does not work because one conforms to standards etc. High quality would imply not only integrity but a lot more superior.

Soundness works because it is used in similar contexts... of sound body and mind, sound policies .. etc. Strong and unbroken.

Answer (D)

Question 2.

2. The highlighted sentences indicate an advantage associated with the use of tempered glass in structural applications. This advantage is most analogous to the advantage indicated by which of the following?

A ) The use of glass fiber in telephone cable has the advantage that it allows a much greater volume of information to be transmitted simultaneously and without electromagnetic interference, as compared with copper cable.
 B ) Diesel engines on passenger aircraft have the advantage that, in the event of a crash, diesel is, as compared with other aviation fuels, relatively unlikely to catch fire or explode.
 C ) An advantage of using high-index plastic instead of glass in lenses for people who need to wear glasses is that plastic lenses are very light and durable.
 D ) An advantage of using natural methods of pest control in farming is that, as compared with methods based on chemical pesticides, it poses a much smaller risk to farmers than even normal use of chemical pesticides.
 E ) Ozone is a highly reactive form of oxygen, toxic to animals and humans, but its reactivity is an advantage in enabling it to remove certain odors, such as smoke, from buildings.

Advantage Given: When tempered glass breaks, it breaks into many smaller pieces than does ordinary glass. In structural applications this is actually preferred, since smaller pieces are generally less likely to cause injury.

It tells us that in case of a mishap, tempered glass' property of breaking into small pieces is likely to avoid injury. Big pieces of broken glass can cause heavy injury.

We need a similar advantage - a property that avoids injury in case of a mishap or breakdown
So (B) works. 
(B ) Diesel engines on passenger aircraft have the advantage that, in the event of a crash, diesel is, as compared with other aviation fuels, relatively unlikely to catch fire or explode.

E ) Ozone is a highly reactive form of oxygen, toxic to animals and humans, but its reactivity is an advantage in enabling it to remove certain odors, such as smoke, from buildings.
Option (E) is a bit different. It talks of a harmful substance being useful in a particular situation. In the passage, we are talking about a harmless, useful thing (glass) which in case of a mishap can cause injury but how it can be avoided in case of tempered glass. 
Hence (E) does not give similar advantage.

Answer (B)

Question 3.

3. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A ) advocate the use of a particular manufacturing process to enhance the benefits of a product
 B ) explain the manner in which various properties of a material enhance its use for a certain purpose
 C ) propose technological solutions to problems that typically arise with the use of a material for a certain purpose
 D ) describe various processes typically used to render a material suitable for a certain purpose and outline some of their limitations
 E ) provide reasons for thinking that a particular use proposed for a material is not appropriate in view of limitations inherent in the material

The passage talks about the various processes that make glass more suitable for structural applications - protective coatings, altering composition, tempering, lamination etc. It also gives us the various limitations of these processes:

Protective coatings are one way to give glass greater strength, although this can affect transparency...
Also, altering the composition of the glass can make it harder for cracks to form, but this alteration can mean loss of other desirable properties, or make the glass more expensive to manufacture...
One problem with this, however, is that it makes fabricating glass for structural purposes very difficult, since ...etc.

Hence option (D) is correct.

Option (C) may make sense to some learners too but note that the passage does not propose solutions to problems that arise by using glass in structural applications. It mentions exactly one problem: it cannot easily withstand bending forces 
and then goes on about the various processes used to strengthen it and their limitations. Hence option (D) is much more suitable.

Answer (D)

Question 4.

4. The passage suggests that glass used in “structural applications” (see   highlighted   phrase)

A ) is normally used to support other pieces of glass
 B ) usually contains predrilled holes to facilitate connection and support
 C ) very rarely breaks in large pieces if it breaks
 D ) usually needs maximum transparency
 E ) is often so constructed as to mitigate the risks arising from breakage

When tempered glass breaks, it breaks into many smaller pieces than does ordinary glass. In structural applications this is actually preferred, since smaller pieces are generally less likely to cause injury.   Use of laminated glass in a structure helps to maintain the structure’s integrity in the event that the glass breaks.

A ) is normally used to support other pieces of glass

No support in the passage for this.

B ) usually contains predrilled holes to facilitate connection and support

The highlighted part does not talk about the drilled holes. We are looking for some info on glass used in structural applications from the highlighted part.

C ) very rarely breaks in large pieces if it breaks

The laminated glass could break in large pieces, we don't know. We know that when tempered glass breaks, it breaks in small pieces to avoid injury. But does laminated glass also break into small pieces, we don't know. In fact, later in the passage, we are given that "This adds strength and keeps large broken pieces from shattering". Hence it does break into large pieces.

D ) usually needs maximum transparency

Transparency requirement not discussed in highlighted.

E ) is often so constructed as to mitigate the risks arising from breakage

Yes, the highlighted talks about how risk from breakage is mitigated - tempered glass shatters into small pieces to avoid injury and laminated glass maintains structural integrity (and hence avoid harm) if the glass breaks.

Answer (E)

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. Which of the following terms, if substituted for the term “integrity” in the highlighted sentence, would LEAST alter the meaning of the sentence?

Explanation

The term  "integrity"  in this context refers to the ability of laminated glass to maintain the structural soundness or cohesion of the overall structure when the glass breaks. To find the term that would LEAST alter the meaning of the sentence, we need to choose a synonym for  "integrity."

The term that would least alter the meaning is (D)  "Soundness." 
 
  (A) Completeness:  While completeness is related to a whole, it might not capture the idea of structural soundness as directly as "soundness" does. 
  (B) Conformity:  Conformity is about compliance with standards or expectations and doesn't directly convey the idea of structural strength or cohesion. 
  (C) High quality:  While high quality is a positive attribute, it doesn't specifically address the structural soundness or cohesion of the structure. 
   (D) Soundness:   This term is a direct synonym for integrity in this context, as it relates to the structural strength and coherence of the overall structure. 
  (E) Complexity:  Complexity refers to the state of being intricate or complicated, and it does not convey the idea of structural soundness.

Answer: D

gchandana · Answer

In the mock, the highlighted phrase for question 4 is like this:

This made me think that it is referring to structural applications, rather than the highlighted text specifically.
The last but one sentence mentions something that led me to choose B as the answer for question 4.

Can someone please help with this?
I am not sure what I did wrong here.

KarishmaB

KarishmaB · Answer

The highlighted only tells you where this discussion has taken place. It gives you the referred "structural applications" in the question. The few lines before and few lines after are usually relevant in such questions. 
Option (B) has no support in the passage. There is no mention of "pre-drilled holes". 
While both tempered and laminated glass are made with features that  mitigate the risks arising from breakage.

Newly made glass is very strong, but it begins to lose strength

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Newly made glass is very strong, but it begins to lose strength

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