GMAT AWA Sample Papers- 3 PDF Download

 Page 1


GMAT AWA PRACTICE PAPER 3 
Question: 1 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:   
“Commuter use of the new subway train is exceeding the transit company’s projections. 
However, commuter use of  the shuttle buses that transport people to the subway stations is 
below the projected volume. If the transit company  expects commuters to ride the shuttle buses 
to the subway rather than drive there, it must either reduce the shuttle  bus fares or increase the 
price of parking at the subway stations.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.   
 
Question: 2 
The following was excerpted from the speech of a spokesperson for Synthetic Farm Products, 
Inc.:   
“Many farmers who invested in the equipment needed to make the switch from synthetic to 
organic fertilizers and  pesticides feel that it would be too expensive to resume synthetic farming 
at this point. But studies of farmers who  switched to organic farming last year indicate that their 
current crop yields are lower. Hence their purchase of organic  farming equipment, a relatively 
minor investment compared to the losses that would result from continued lower crop  yields, 
cannot justify persisting on an unwise course. And the choice to farm organically is financially 
unwise, given that it  was motivated by environmental rather than economic concerns.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc  
 
Question: 3 
The following appeared in a newspaper story giving advice about investments:   
“As overall life expectancy continues to rise, the population of our country is growing 
increasingly older. For example,  more than 20 percent of the residents of one of our more 
populated regions are now at least 65 years old, and  occupancy rates at resort hotels in that 
region declined significantly during the past six months. Because of these two  related trends, a 
prudent investor would be well advised to sell interest in hotels and invest in hospitals and 
Page 2


GMAT AWA PRACTICE PAPER 3 
Question: 1 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:   
“Commuter use of the new subway train is exceeding the transit company’s projections. 
However, commuter use of  the shuttle buses that transport people to the subway stations is 
below the projected volume. If the transit company  expects commuters to ride the shuttle buses 
to the subway rather than drive there, it must either reduce the shuttle  bus fares or increase the 
price of parking at the subway stations.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.   
 
Question: 2 
The following was excerpted from the speech of a spokesperson for Synthetic Farm Products, 
Inc.:   
“Many farmers who invested in the equipment needed to make the switch from synthetic to 
organic fertilizers and  pesticides feel that it would be too expensive to resume synthetic farming 
at this point. But studies of farmers who  switched to organic farming last year indicate that their 
current crop yields are lower. Hence their purchase of organic  farming equipment, a relatively 
minor investment compared to the losses that would result from continued lower crop  yields, 
cannot justify persisting on an unwise course. And the choice to farm organically is financially 
unwise, given that it  was motivated by environmental rather than economic concerns.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc  
 
Question: 3 
The following appeared in a newspaper story giving advice about investments:   
“As overall life expectancy continues to rise, the population of our country is growing 
increasingly older. For example,  more than 20 percent of the residents of one of our more 
populated regions are now at least 65 years old, and  occupancy rates at resort hotels in that 
region declined significantly during the past six months. Because of these two  related trends, a 
prudent investor would be well advised to sell interest in hotels and invest in hospitals and 
nursing  homes instead.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 4 
The following appeared as part of the business plan of an investment and financial consulting 
firm:   
“Studies suggest that an average coffee drinker’s consumption of coffee increases with age, from 
age 10 through age  60. Even after age 60, coffee consumption remains high. The average cola 
drinker’s consumption of cola, however,  declines with increasing age. Both of these trends have 
remained stable for the past 40 years. Given that the number  of older adults will significantly 
increase as the population ages over the next 20 years, it follows that the demand for  coffee will 
increase and the demand for cola will decrease during this period. We should, therefore, 
consider  transferring our investments from Cola Loca to Early Bird Coffee.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 5 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a West Cambria newspaper:   
“A recent review of the West Cambria volunteer ambulance service revealed a longer average 
response time to  accidents than was reported by a commercial ambulance squad located in East 
Cambria. In order to provide better  patient care for accident victims and to raise revenue for our 
town by collecting service fees for ambulance use, we  should disband our volunteer service and 
hire a commercial ambulance service.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 6 
Page 3


GMAT AWA PRACTICE PAPER 3 
Question: 1 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:   
“Commuter use of the new subway train is exceeding the transit company’s projections. 
However, commuter use of  the shuttle buses that transport people to the subway stations is 
below the projected volume. If the transit company  expects commuters to ride the shuttle buses 
to the subway rather than drive there, it must either reduce the shuttle  bus fares or increase the 
price of parking at the subway stations.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.   
 
Question: 2 
The following was excerpted from the speech of a spokesperson for Synthetic Farm Products, 
Inc.:   
“Many farmers who invested in the equipment needed to make the switch from synthetic to 
organic fertilizers and  pesticides feel that it would be too expensive to resume synthetic farming 
at this point. But studies of farmers who  switched to organic farming last year indicate that their 
current crop yields are lower. Hence their purchase of organic  farming equipment, a relatively 
minor investment compared to the losses that would result from continued lower crop  yields, 
cannot justify persisting on an unwise course. And the choice to farm organically is financially 
unwise, given that it  was motivated by environmental rather than economic concerns.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc  
 
Question: 3 
The following appeared in a newspaper story giving advice about investments:   
“As overall life expectancy continues to rise, the population of our country is growing 
increasingly older. For example,  more than 20 percent of the residents of one of our more 
populated regions are now at least 65 years old, and  occupancy rates at resort hotels in that 
region declined significantly during the past six months. Because of these two  related trends, a 
prudent investor would be well advised to sell interest in hotels and invest in hospitals and 
nursing  homes instead.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 4 
The following appeared as part of the business plan of an investment and financial consulting 
firm:   
“Studies suggest that an average coffee drinker’s consumption of coffee increases with age, from 
age 10 through age  60. Even after age 60, coffee consumption remains high. The average cola 
drinker’s consumption of cola, however,  declines with increasing age. Both of these trends have 
remained stable for the past 40 years. Given that the number  of older adults will significantly 
increase as the population ages over the next 20 years, it follows that the demand for  coffee will 
increase and the demand for cola will decrease during this period. We should, therefore, 
consider  transferring our investments from Cola Loca to Early Bird Coffee.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 5 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a West Cambria newspaper:   
“A recent review of the West Cambria volunteer ambulance service revealed a longer average 
response time to  accidents than was reported by a commercial ambulance squad located in East 
Cambria. In order to provide better  patient care for accident victims and to raise revenue for our 
town by collecting service fees for ambulance use, we  should disband our volunteer service and 
hire a commercial ambulance service.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 6 
The following is part of a business plan being discussed at a board meeting of the Perks 
Company:   
“It is no longer cost-effective for the Perks Company to continue offering its employees a 
generous package of  benefits and incentives year after year. In periods when national 
unemployment rates are low, Perks may need to  offer such a package in order to attract and keep 
good employees, but since national unemployment rates are now  high, Perks does not need to 
offer the same benefits and incentives. The money thus saved could be better used to  replace the 
existing plant machinery with more technologically sophisticated equipment, or even to build an 
additional  plant.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 7 
The following appeared in an editorial from a magazine produced by an organization dedicated 
to environmental  protection:   
“In order to effectively reduce the amount of environmental damage that industrial 
manufacturing plants cause, those  who manage the plants must be aware of the specific amount 
and types of damage caused by each of their various  manufacturing processes. However, few 
corporations have enough financial incentive to monitor this information. In  order to guarantee 
that corporations reduce the damage caused by their plants, the federal government should  
require every corporation to produce detailed annual reports on the environmental impact of their 
manufacturing  process, and the government should impose stiff financial penalties for failure to 
produce these reports.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . .etc.  
 
Question: 8 
The following appeared as part of a plan proposed by an executive of the Easy Credit Company 
to the president:   
“The Easy Credit Company would gain an advantage over competing credit card services if we 
were to donate a  portion of the proceeds from the use of our cards to a well-known 
environmental organization in exchange for the use  of its symbol or logo on our card. Since a 
recent poll shows that a large percentage of the public is concerned about  environmental issues, 
Page 4


GMAT AWA PRACTICE PAPER 3 
Question: 1 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:   
“Commuter use of the new subway train is exceeding the transit company’s projections. 
However, commuter use of  the shuttle buses that transport people to the subway stations is 
below the projected volume. If the transit company  expects commuters to ride the shuttle buses 
to the subway rather than drive there, it must either reduce the shuttle  bus fares or increase the 
price of parking at the subway stations.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.   
 
Question: 2 
The following was excerpted from the speech of a spokesperson for Synthetic Farm Products, 
Inc.:   
“Many farmers who invested in the equipment needed to make the switch from synthetic to 
organic fertilizers and  pesticides feel that it would be too expensive to resume synthetic farming 
at this point. But studies of farmers who  switched to organic farming last year indicate that their 
current crop yields are lower. Hence their purchase of organic  farming equipment, a relatively 
minor investment compared to the losses that would result from continued lower crop  yields, 
cannot justify persisting on an unwise course. And the choice to farm organically is financially 
unwise, given that it  was motivated by environmental rather than economic concerns.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc  
 
Question: 3 
The following appeared in a newspaper story giving advice about investments:   
“As overall life expectancy continues to rise, the population of our country is growing 
increasingly older. For example,  more than 20 percent of the residents of one of our more 
populated regions are now at least 65 years old, and  occupancy rates at resort hotels in that 
region declined significantly during the past six months. Because of these two  related trends, a 
prudent investor would be well advised to sell interest in hotels and invest in hospitals and 
nursing  homes instead.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 4 
The following appeared as part of the business plan of an investment and financial consulting 
firm:   
“Studies suggest that an average coffee drinker’s consumption of coffee increases with age, from 
age 10 through age  60. Even after age 60, coffee consumption remains high. The average cola 
drinker’s consumption of cola, however,  declines with increasing age. Both of these trends have 
remained stable for the past 40 years. Given that the number  of older adults will significantly 
increase as the population ages over the next 20 years, it follows that the demand for  coffee will 
increase and the demand for cola will decrease during this period. We should, therefore, 
consider  transferring our investments from Cola Loca to Early Bird Coffee.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 5 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a West Cambria newspaper:   
“A recent review of the West Cambria volunteer ambulance service revealed a longer average 
response time to  accidents than was reported by a commercial ambulance squad located in East 
Cambria. In order to provide better  patient care for accident victims and to raise revenue for our 
town by collecting service fees for ambulance use, we  should disband our volunteer service and 
hire a commercial ambulance service.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 6 
The following is part of a business plan being discussed at a board meeting of the Perks 
Company:   
“It is no longer cost-effective for the Perks Company to continue offering its employees a 
generous package of  benefits and incentives year after year. In periods when national 
unemployment rates are low, Perks may need to  offer such a package in order to attract and keep 
good employees, but since national unemployment rates are now  high, Perks does not need to 
offer the same benefits and incentives. The money thus saved could be better used to  replace the 
existing plant machinery with more technologically sophisticated equipment, or even to build an 
additional  plant.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 7 
The following appeared in an editorial from a magazine produced by an organization dedicated 
to environmental  protection:   
“In order to effectively reduce the amount of environmental damage that industrial 
manufacturing plants cause, those  who manage the plants must be aware of the specific amount 
and types of damage caused by each of their various  manufacturing processes. However, few 
corporations have enough financial incentive to monitor this information. In  order to guarantee 
that corporations reduce the damage caused by their plants, the federal government should  
require every corporation to produce detailed annual reports on the environmental impact of their 
manufacturing  process, and the government should impose stiff financial penalties for failure to 
produce these reports.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . .etc.  
 
Question: 8 
The following appeared as part of a plan proposed by an executive of the Easy Credit Company 
to the president:   
“The Easy Credit Company would gain an advantage over competing credit card services if we 
were to donate a  portion of the proceeds from the use of our cards to a well-known 
environmental organization in exchange for the use  of its symbol or logo on our card. Since a 
recent poll shows that a large percentage of the public is concerned about  environmental issues, 
this policy would attract new customers, increase use among existing customers, and enable  us 
to charge interest rates that are higher than the lowest ones available.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 9 
The following appeared as part of a recommendation from the financial planning office to the 
administration of Fern  Valley University:   
“In the past few years, Fern Valley University has suffered from a decline in both enrollments 
and admissions  applications. The reason can be discovered from our students, who most often 
cite poor teaching and inadequate  library resources as their chief sources of dissatisfaction with 
Fern Valley. Therefore, in order to increase the number  of students attending our university, and 
hence to regain our position as the most prestigious university in the greater  Fern Valley 
metropolitan area, it is necessary to initiate a fund-raising campaign among the alumni that will 
enable us  to expand the range of subjects we teach and to increase the size of our library 
facilities.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 10 
The following appeared in an article in a college departmental newsletter:   
“Professor Taylor of Jones University is promoting a model of foreign language instruction in 
which students receive  10 weeks of intensive training, then go abroad to live with families for 
10 weeks. The superiority of the model,  Professor Taylor contends, is proved by the results of a 
study in which foreign language tests given to students at 25  other colleges show that first-year 
foreign language students at Jones speak more fluently after only 10 to 20 weeks  in the program 
than do nine out of 10 foreign language majors elsewhere at the time of their graduation.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Page 5


GMAT AWA PRACTICE PAPER 3 
Question: 1 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:   
“Commuter use of the new subway train is exceeding the transit company’s projections. 
However, commuter use of  the shuttle buses that transport people to the subway stations is 
below the projected volume. If the transit company  expects commuters to ride the shuttle buses 
to the subway rather than drive there, it must either reduce the shuttle  bus fares or increase the 
price of parking at the subway stations.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.   
 
Question: 2 
The following was excerpted from the speech of a spokesperson for Synthetic Farm Products, 
Inc.:   
“Many farmers who invested in the equipment needed to make the switch from synthetic to 
organic fertilizers and  pesticides feel that it would be too expensive to resume synthetic farming 
at this point. But studies of farmers who  switched to organic farming last year indicate that their 
current crop yields are lower. Hence their purchase of organic  farming equipment, a relatively 
minor investment compared to the losses that would result from continued lower crop  yields, 
cannot justify persisting on an unwise course. And the choice to farm organically is financially 
unwise, given that it  was motivated by environmental rather than economic concerns.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc  
 
Question: 3 
The following appeared in a newspaper story giving advice about investments:   
“As overall life expectancy continues to rise, the population of our country is growing 
increasingly older. For example,  more than 20 percent of the residents of one of our more 
populated regions are now at least 65 years old, and  occupancy rates at resort hotels in that 
region declined significantly during the past six months. Because of these two  related trends, a 
prudent investor would be well advised to sell interest in hotels and invest in hospitals and 
nursing  homes instead.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 4 
The following appeared as part of the business plan of an investment and financial consulting 
firm:   
“Studies suggest that an average coffee drinker’s consumption of coffee increases with age, from 
age 10 through age  60. Even after age 60, coffee consumption remains high. The average cola 
drinker’s consumption of cola, however,  declines with increasing age. Both of these trends have 
remained stable for the past 40 years. Given that the number  of older adults will significantly 
increase as the population ages over the next 20 years, it follows that the demand for  coffee will 
increase and the demand for cola will decrease during this period. We should, therefore, 
consider  transferring our investments from Cola Loca to Early Bird Coffee.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 5 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a West Cambria newspaper:   
“A recent review of the West Cambria volunteer ambulance service revealed a longer average 
response time to  accidents than was reported by a commercial ambulance squad located in East 
Cambria. In order to provide better  patient care for accident victims and to raise revenue for our 
town by collecting service fees for ambulance use, we  should disband our volunteer service and 
hire a commercial ambulance service.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 6 
The following is part of a business plan being discussed at a board meeting of the Perks 
Company:   
“It is no longer cost-effective for the Perks Company to continue offering its employees a 
generous package of  benefits and incentives year after year. In periods when national 
unemployment rates are low, Perks may need to  offer such a package in order to attract and keep 
good employees, but since national unemployment rates are now  high, Perks does not need to 
offer the same benefits and incentives. The money thus saved could be better used to  replace the 
existing plant machinery with more technologically sophisticated equipment, or even to build an 
additional  plant.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 7 
The following appeared in an editorial from a magazine produced by an organization dedicated 
to environmental  protection:   
“In order to effectively reduce the amount of environmental damage that industrial 
manufacturing plants cause, those  who manage the plants must be aware of the specific amount 
and types of damage caused by each of their various  manufacturing processes. However, few 
corporations have enough financial incentive to monitor this information. In  order to guarantee 
that corporations reduce the damage caused by their plants, the federal government should  
require every corporation to produce detailed annual reports on the environmental impact of their 
manufacturing  process, and the government should impose stiff financial penalties for failure to 
produce these reports.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . .etc.  
 
Question: 8 
The following appeared as part of a plan proposed by an executive of the Easy Credit Company 
to the president:   
“The Easy Credit Company would gain an advantage over competing credit card services if we 
were to donate a  portion of the proceeds from the use of our cards to a well-known 
environmental organization in exchange for the use  of its symbol or logo on our card. Since a 
recent poll shows that a large percentage of the public is concerned about  environmental issues, 
this policy would attract new customers, increase use among existing customers, and enable  us 
to charge interest rates that are higher than the lowest ones available.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 9 
The following appeared as part of a recommendation from the financial planning office to the 
administration of Fern  Valley University:   
“In the past few years, Fern Valley University has suffered from a decline in both enrollments 
and admissions  applications. The reason can be discovered from our students, who most often 
cite poor teaching and inadequate  library resources as their chief sources of dissatisfaction with 
Fern Valley. Therefore, in order to increase the number  of students attending our university, and 
hence to regain our position as the most prestigious university in the greater  Fern Valley 
metropolitan area, it is necessary to initiate a fund-raising campaign among the alumni that will 
enable us  to expand the range of subjects we teach and to increase the size of our library 
facilities.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 10 
The following appeared in an article in a college departmental newsletter:   
“Professor Taylor of Jones University is promoting a model of foreign language instruction in 
which students receive  10 weeks of intensive training, then go abroad to live with families for 
10 weeks. The superiority of the model,  Professor Taylor contends, is proved by the results of a 
study in which foreign language tests given to students at 25  other colleges show that first-year 
foreign language students at Jones speak more fluently after only 10 to 20 weeks  in the program 
than do nine out of 10 foreign language majors elsewhere at the time of their graduation.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 11 
The following appeared as part of an article in the business section of a local newspaper:   
“Motorcycle X has been manufactured in the United States for more than 70 years. Although one 
foreign company  has copied the motorcycle and is selling it for less, the company has failed to 
attract motorcycle X customers—some  say because its product lacks the exceptionally loud 
noise made by motorcycle X. But there must be some other  explanation. After all, foreign cars 
tend to be quieter than similar American-made cars, but they sell at least as well.  Also, 
television advertisements for motorcycle X highlight its durability and sleek lines, not its 
noisiness, and the ads  typically have voice-overs or rock music rather than engine-roar on the 
sound track.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
Question: 12 
The following appeared in the editorial section of a campus newspaper:   
“Because occupancy rates for campus housing fell during the last academic year, so did housing 
revenues. To solve  the problem, campus housing officials should reduce the number of available 
housing units, thereby increasing the  occupancy rates. Also, to keep students from choosing to 
live off-campus, housing officials should lower the rents,  thereby increasing demand.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 13 
The following appeared in an Avia Airlines departmental memorandum:   
“On average, 9 out of every 1,000 passengers who traveled on Avia Airlines last year filed a 
complaint about our  baggage-handling procedures. This means that although some 1 percent of 
our passengers were unhappy with those  procedures, the overwhelming majority were quite 
satisfied with them; thus it would appear that a review of the  procedures is not important to our 
goal of maintaining or increasing the number of Avia’s passengers.”   
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.  
 
Question: 14