51. People who have political power tend to see new technologies as a means of extending or protecting their power, whereas they generally see new ethical arguments and ideas as a threat to it. Therefore, technical ingenuity usually brings benefits to those who have this ingenuity, whereas ethical inventiveness brings only pain to those who have this inventiveness.
Which one of the following statements, if true, most strengthens the argument?
(A) Those who offer new ways of justifying current political power often reap the benefits of their own innovations.
(B) Politically powerful people tend to reward those who they believe are useful to them and to punish those who they believe are a threat.
(C) Ethical inventiveness and technical ingenuity are never possessed by the same individuals
(D) New technologies are often used by people who strive to defeat those who currently have political power.
(E) Many people who possess ethical inventiveness conceal their novel ethical arguments for fear of retribution by the politically powerful.
57. Free public education is the best form of education there is. Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is well worth defending, it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education.
Which one of the following illustrates the same weak reasoning as found in the passage?
(A) I love music, and that’s why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I lay music all the time, I must really love it.
(B) Books are my most valuable possessions. My books are like my friends---each pleases me in different ways. Just as I would give up everything to save my friends, so too with my books.
(C) I would much rather be poor and respected than be rich and despises. To have the respect of others is far more valuable than to have millions of dollars.
(D) I have never been betrayed by any of my friends. They have been true to me through good times and bad. Therefore I will never betray any of my friends.
(E) Because every plant I have ever seen has green leaves, I have concluded that all plants must have green leaves. This looks like a plant but it does not have green leaves, so it cannot be a plant.
