GMAT Exam  >  GMAT Questions  >  The United States has never been a great inte... Start Learning for Free
The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.
In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPT
  • a)
    draw on an analogy
  • b)
    appeal to historical fact
  • c)
    identify a cause and an effect
  • d)
    suggest a cause of the current economic situation
  • e)
    question the ethical basis of an economic situation
Correct answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
The United States has never been a great international trader. It foun...
**Explanation:**

The correct answer is **E**. The author does not question the ethical basis of the current economic situation.

Let's analyze each option and see if it applies to the author's point of view:

**A) Draw on an analogy:** The author uses an analogy in the statement "a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail." This analogy compares a country's need for foreign trade to a dog's need for external sources of food. The author uses this analogy to emphasize the importance of foreign trade for a country's economic well-being.

**B) Appeal to historical fact:** The author mentions the historical fact that the United States found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. This historical fact serves as evidence to support the claim that the United States has not been a great international trader.

**C) Identify a cause and an effect:** The author identifies the cause of the current economic situation as the United States' reliance on domestic sources for raw materials and customers for finished products. This reliance has led to the country owing the largest foreign debt in the world and becoming a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The cause (reliance on domestic sources) has led to the effect (large foreign debt and foreign investment dominance).

**D) Suggest a cause of the current economic situation:** The author suggests the cause of the current economic situation as the United States' lack of international trade. By stating that the United States found most of its raw materials and customers within its own borders, the author implies that the lack of international trade has led to the current economic situation.

**E) Question the ethical basis of an economic situation:** The author does not question the ethical basis of the current economic situation. The author focuses on the consequences and importance of foreign trade for a country's economic well-being but does not discuss the ethical implications of the situation.
Free Test
Community Answer
The United States has never been a great international trader. It foun...
Let's break down the answer choices and explain why (E) is the correct answer.
(A) draw on an analogy: The author does draw on an analogy by comparing a country's dependence on foreign trade to a dog living by eating its own tail. This analogy is used to emphasize the necessity of foreign trade for a country's economic well-being.
(B) appeal to historical fact: The author mentions that the United States has historically found most of its raw materials and customers within its own borders. This historical fact is used to support the author's claim that the U.S. has not been a great international trader.
(C) identify a cause and an effect: The author points out the cause and effect relationship between the lack of international trade and the consequences faced by the United States, such as the largest foreign debt in the world and foreign investors dominating the economy. This cause-effect relationship supports the author's point.
(D) suggest a cause of the current economic situation: The author implies that the United States' limited engagement in foreign trade is a cause of the current economic situation, specifically the foreign debt and the dominance of foreign investors. This suggestion of a cause supports the author's argument.
(E) question the ethical basis of an economic situation: This is the statement that does not align with the author's point of view. The author does not question the ethical basis of the economic situation resulting from the limited engagement in foreign trade. The focus is on the economic consequences and the necessity of foreign trade for a country's prosperity.
Therefore, the correct answer is (E) question the ethical basis of an economic situation.
Explore Courses for GMAT exam

Similar GMAT Doubts

The fall of the Berlin Wall represented a political victory of the free market against a centrally planned economy.Though highly interventionist and dependent on international defense and industrial subsidy, West Germany was a model of economic expansion in the post-war era.East Germany, while relatively successful in comparison with other Eastern Bloc nations, was far behind West Germany with regard to the buying power of its people. It was hard to avoid obvious comparisons such as the fact that 1 in 4 East Germans did not even have an indoor toilet. Western German authorities were therefore committed to rapid integration of the two Germanys without resorting to massive controls on internal migration, external capital controls, or continuation of a large state-owned industrial sector.Other nations were already wary of a united Germany.France, a perpetual competitor, saw Germany’s size advantage increase overnight. In Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”) alone, an historical size advantage of 23% jumped to nearly 30%, with stronger growth promised when East Germany was fully integrated.Within Germany, there should have been no doubt that integration would be costly. The question was whether the government was up to the task. In Italy, for example, the central government has invested tremendous resources in promoting the economy of its underperforming Southern region. In contrast, in the United States, the local population bears the burden of varying economic performance. For example, the American South is allowed to exist with much higher rates of poverty and lower education than the rest of the nation.Rather than allow East Germany to fall into total disrepair, with millions fleeing to the West and a long-term negative impact on national GDP growth, West German authorities decided to try to spend their way out of the crisis, creating almost overnight an infrastructure in East Germany to provide a standard of living comparable to that in West Germany. The goal was to take an under-performing country and raise it to “first world” standards in only a few years. This goal would have been preposterous had not West Germany possessed the resources to accomplish the task.Q.The author mentions the United States most probably in order to

The fall of the Berlin Wall represented a political victory of the free market against a centrally planned economy.Though highly interventionist and dependent on international defense and industrial subsidy, West Germany was a model of economic expansion in the post-war era.East Germany, while relatively successful in comparison with other Eastern Bloc nations, was far behind West Germany with regard to the buying power of its people. It was hard to avoid obvious comparisons such as the fact that 1 in 4 East Germans did not even have an indoor toilet. Western German authorities were therefore committed to rapid integration of the two Germanys without resorting to massive controls on internal migration, external capital controls, or continuation of a large state-owned industrial sector.Other nations were already wary of a united Germany.France, a perpetual competitor, saw Germany’s size advantage increase overnight. In Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”) alone, an historical size advantage of 23% jumped to nearly 30%, with stronger growth promised when East Germany was fully integrated.Within Germany, there should have been no doubt that integration would be costly. The question was whether the government was up to the task. In Italy, for example, the central government has invested tremendous resources in promoting the economy of its underperforming Southern region. In contrast, in the United States, the local population bears the burden of varying economic performance. For example, the American South is allowed to exist with much higher rates of poverty and lower education than the rest of the nation.Rather than allow East Germany to fall into total disrepair, with millions fleeing to the West and a long-term negative impact on national GDP growth, West German authorities decided to try to spend their way out of the crisis, creating almost overnight an infrastructure in East Germany to provide a standard of living comparable to that in West Germany. The goal was to take an under-performing country and raise it to “first world” standards in only a few years. This goal would have been preposterous had not West Germany possessed the resources to accomplish the task.Q.The author mentions the United States most probably in order to

Origami is capable of turning a simple sheet of paper into a pretty paper crane, but the principles behind the paper-folding art can also be applied to making a microfluidic device for a blood test, or for storing a satellites solar panel in a rockets cargo bay. A team of researchers is turning kirigami, a related art form that allows the paper to be cut, into a technique that can be applied equally to structures on those vastly divergent length scales. The researchers lay out the rules for folding and cutting a hexagonal lattice, a structure made from strips of material that cross over each other with spaces between, into a wide variety of useful three-dimensional shapes.A hexagonal lattice may seem like an odd choice for a starting point, but the researchers think that the pattern has advantages over a seemingly simpler tessellation, such as one made from squares; for instance, it is easier to fill a space with a hexagonal lattice and move from 2-D to 3-D. Starting from a flat hexagonal grid on a sheet of paper, the researchers outlined the fundamental cuts and folds that allow the resulting shape to keep the same proportions of the initial lattice, even if some of the material is removed. This is a critical quality for making the transition from paper to materials that might be used in real-world applications.Having a set of rules that draws on fundamental mathematical principles means that the kirigami approach can be applied equally across length scales, and with almost any material that can be selected on the basis of its relevance to the ultimate application, whether it is in nanotechnology, architecture, or aerospace.The rules also guarantee that modules, basic shapes such as channels that can direct the flow of fluids, can be combined into more complex ones. Kirigami is particularly attractive for nanoscale applications, where the simplest, most space-efficient shapes are necessary, and self-folding materials would circumvent some of the fabrication challenges inherent in working with other materials at such small scales.Which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?

Origami is capable of turning a simple sheet of paper into a pretty paper crane, but the principles behind the paper-folding art can also be applied to making a microfluidic device for a blood test, or for storing a satellites solar panel in a rockets cargo bay. A team of researchers is turning kirigami, a related art form that allows the paper to be cut, into a technique that can be applied equally to structures on those vastly divergent length scales. The researchers lay out the rules for folding and cutting a hexagonal lattice, a structure made from strips of material that cross over each other with spaces between, into a wide variety of useful three-dimensional shapes.A hexagonal lattice may seem like an odd choice for a starting point, but the researchers think that the pattern has advantages over a seemingly simpler tessellation, such as one made from squares; for instance, it is easier to fill a space with a hexagonal lattice and move from 2-D to 3-D. Starting from a flat hexagonal grid on a sheet of paper, the researchers outlined the fundamental cuts and folds that allow the resulting shape to keep the same proportions of the initial lattice, even if some of the material is removed. This is a critical quality for making the transition from paper to materials that might be used in real-world applications.Having a set of rules that draws on fundamental mathematical principles means that the kirigami approach can be applied equally across length scales, and with almost any material that can be selected on the basis of its relevance to the ultimate application, whether it is in nanotechnology, architecture, or aerospace.The rules also guarantee that modules, basic shapes such as channels that can direct the flow of fluids, can be combined into more complex ones. Kirigami is particularly attractive for nanoscale applications, where the simplest, most space-efficient shapes are necessary, and self-folding materials would circumvent some of the fabrication challenges inherent in working with other materials at such small scales.Which of the following most aptly describes the function of the second paragraph?

The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2025 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for GMAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for GMAT Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice The United States has never been a great international trader. It found most of its raw materials and customers for finished products within its own borders. The terrible consequences of this situation have become apparent, as this country now owes the largest foreign debt in the world and is a playground for wealthy foreign investors. The moral is clear: a country can no more live without foreign trade than a dog can live by eating its own tail.In order to advance her point of view, the author does each of the following EXCEPTa)draw on an analogyb)appeal to historical factc)identify a cause and an effectd)suggest a cause of the current economic situatione)question the ethical basis of an economic situationCorrect answer is option 'E'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.
Explore Courses for GMAT exam
Signup to solve all Doubts
Signup to see your scores go up within 7 days! Learn & Practice with 1000+ FREE Notes, Videos & Tests.
10M+ students study on EduRev