The Oxford TSA thread - 2015 applicants - 5th Nov 2014
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Thanks for the swift replies. Best of luck for tomorrow! 
Still getting some pretty rough variation on my TSA scores, in the region of 63 to 72, here's hoping for a test with a few shapes and numbers as possible!
Anyone know about the advisability of drinking caffeine before the test? My limited GCSE Biology knowledge suggests that it wouldn't be a bad idea, being more alert, probably working through the questions quicker, but I'm no scientist.
Though, I may be wrong, my understanding of question 42 was that the "Addition Value" added was accumulative. So 1 is £500 more than 0, 2 is £2000 more than one, 3 is £1500 more than 2. Taking in to consideration of costs of the fertiliser, 1 would make you a loss of £500, 2 would make a profit of £500 (as the value of the crops would be equal to £2500), 3 would make a profit of £1000, 4 would make a profit of £500, 5 would break even and 6 would be a loss again. This might not have been the way it was intended to be answered but it's the only way I could think of and it yielded the right answer.
Q6 was far too fiddly for me, decided to skip it when I was doing it, no point getting bogged down - I fancy a 20% chance of getting it right by guessing than trying to spend time working out questions I'd probably get wrong. Can't get help with that one.
Anyone know about the advisability of drinking caffeine before the test? My limited GCSE Biology knowledge suggests that it wouldn't be a bad idea, being more alert, probably working through the questions quicker, but I'm no scientist.
Original post by MrBowcat
Could somebody please help me with Q6 and Q42 on the 2013 paper, they're probably very simple but I just can't get them :/
Though, I may be wrong, my understanding of question 42 was that the "Addition Value" added was accumulative. So 1 is £500 more than 0, 2 is £2000 more than one, 3 is £1500 more than 2. Taking in to consideration of costs of the fertiliser, 1 would make you a loss of £500, 2 would make a profit of £500 (as the value of the crops would be equal to £2500), 3 would make a profit of £1000, 4 would make a profit of £500, 5 would break even and 6 would be a loss again. This might not have been the way it was intended to be answered but it's the only way I could think of and it yielded the right answer.
Q6 was far too fiddly for me, decided to skip it when I was doing it, no point getting bogged down - I fancy a 20% chance of getting it right by guessing than trying to spend time working out questions I'd probably get wrong. Can't get help with that one.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by MrBowcat
Could somebody please help me with Q6 and Q42 on the 2013 paper, they're probably very simple but I just can't get them :/
Q42. Compare Cost of Application and Potential Profit
1 Application / 1000 / 500
2 Applications / 2000 / 2500
3 Applications / 3000 / 4000
4 Applications / 4000 / 4500
5 Applications / 5000 / 5000
The one with the greatest difference between cost and profit is 3 Applications, at 1000.
Answer is C
Q6, Keep in mind that difference between the two ages must be 9. Using a number palette (0/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9), trial and error the possible ages using the provided answers. I don't think this is the most elegant approach, but it works.
Don't worry too much about it and all the best!
Original post by Harshil1
Nice essay! A small suggestion. Try putting in your argument in the beginning with the introduction so that the reader is aware of what the person who has written the essay believes.
Thanks so much for your feedback! V much appreciated
Very good score for that paper - did you find 2013 harder than other papers comparatively, especially with regards to timing? I certainly did.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Original post by nich01as
Can't wait to get this over with now- Just did my final past paper, 2013 and got 44/50 which is good, so I'm quite happy. Worried about the essay mainly as I haven't done much practice for that.
Very good score for that paper - did you find 2013 harder than other papers comparatively, especially with regards to timing? I certainly did. Took me much longer to do the first 25 than normal.
Good luck!
Original post by philerus
Why is everyone so stressed out and wishing good luck for tomorrow? Don't we sit the TSA during the interview?
I hope you're joking.
If you're not then the tsa is used to shortlist for interview and it's scheduled for 9am UK time tomorrow.
(edited 9 years ago)
If anyone could help clarify and provide reasons for why the following answers are correct it would be greatly appreciated. Correct answers are bolded. All questions are from TSA 2009 paper:
---
15 A dishonest act, such as stealing money from a handbag or cheating in school, may arise for one of many different reasons. But the reasons may be consistent with the personality of the individual involved. One child may steal, for example, in order to show off; another,
to get money to support a hobby (or to get a birthday present for a younger sister);
another, to express aggression or hatred against the person from whom he or she
steals. One child may cheat in order to avoid punishment for academic failure; another,
because of personal ambition; another to express contempt for the system.
Which one of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage above?
A It is wrong to assume that a child who is dishonest in one kind of situation will
be dishonest in others.
B A child who cheats does so for very complex reasons.
C A child whose motive is generosity towards someone else should not be
blamed for stealing.
D Underlying all dishonest acts is hostility towards others.
E Children who are neither exhibitionist nor aggressive nor acquisitive are
unlikely to steal money.
While I understand how this can be understood from the argument, I didn't feel it was a strong enough conclusion to be selected from the answers. Any thoughts?
---------------
28The so-called 'baby-boomer' generation (people born in Britain in the late 1940's /early
1950's) will enjoy a good chance of reaching a ripe old-age. They benefited from a diet
that was austere but healthy when they were children and this has influenced their adult
tastes. In addition, people in this age group have given up unhealthy activities such as
smoking cigarettes. In contrast, the generation represented by those currently in their 20's
and early 30's are in danger of experiencing serious health problems which would
decrease their life expectancy. This is the 'Big Mac' generation whose childhood diet was
high in fat and sugar, which they continue to crave. They also show worrying tendencies
to indulge in 'binge drinking' and other health-threatening activities.
Which of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the above passage?
A Health is largely determined by factors which the individual can control.
B Health education is becoming less effective in controlling behaviour.
C The trend towards ever-increasing life expectancy will be reversed.
D The 'Big Mac' generation would be wise to change their lifestyle.
E The health service will be put under greater strain in the future.
I did not believe that D was a conclusion from the argument - moreso something that can be inferred but ultimately not the conclusion. It merely states that this is the factual case rather than concluding any further actions required. I selected answer C.
-----
35 It is possible to think that someone is right to do whatever serves his own ends, including
murder, theft and deceit, and to admire his ruthlessness. But one cannot think that this is
not morally wrong. The phrase 'morally wrong' is not meaningless. There are some
things, such as those mentioned above, which would have to be so described by anyone
who was not unaware of the meaning of the expression. That some things are morally
wrong can be shown to be true, every bit as decisively as, for instance, it can be shown
that snow is white. It is not true that every moral question is 'a matter of opinion', still less
of taste, personal preference, or choice.
Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the above argument?
A People are right to do whatever serves their own ends, even if it involves
murder, theft and deceit.
B The phrase 'morally wrong' is not meaningless.
C One must accept that acts such as murder, theft and deceit are morally wrong.
D It is always wrong to admire those who commit murder.
E It is as true that some things are morally wrong as it is that snow is white.
How to know that B is the main conclusion over E (which I selected)?
-------
41 Undoubtedly, early upbringing affects your social adjustment in later life. A recent study
demonstrated that many children of parents who act aggressively towards their offspring
grow up to be violent as adults. Consequently, if we could stop parents behaving
aggressively towards their children, we would be able to eliminate a significant proportion
of violence from our society.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the above argument?
A It is not possible to legislate against aggressive behaviour of parents towards
their children.
B In many cases children who are treated violently by their parents make sure
that their own children do not suffer in the same way.
C What were considered reasonable methods of discipline in previous
generations are considered to be assault today.
D Continuing poverty and deprivation are the major causes of aggressive
behaviour in both adults and their children.
E Many parents become violent when they are unable to control their children's
behaviour.
I do not see how in any way that answer D weakens the above argument. It does not conflict the conclusion that "if we could stop parents... we would be able to eliminate...violence". It only explains the reason behind the aggression. Answer B, alternatively, disputes the premise explained that children who are treated aggressively grow up to be aggressive, therefore significantly weakening the argument. Any explanation?
-----------
46 The proportion of time people devote in their lives to travelling from A to B has been
constant over history. So the advent of high speed forms of transport simply means that
people will travel greater distances.
Which of the following most closely parallels the above reasoning?
A Mortgage loans have always represented around 3 to 4 times a person's
annual income. Therefore a rise in average earnings will mean an increase in
mortgage lending.
B The ratio between mortgage repayments and total expenditure per household
has always been constant. So more expensive food will mean more debt.
C With a fixed rate of mortgage interest, an increase in house prices will mean
that inflation will rise.
D The increase of home ownership has been in proportion to the rise in average
earnings. So the increase in house building means people are earning more.
E The proportion of new to old homes on the market has always been constant.
So an increase in housing development means that more old houses are
being renovated.
I understand this to some extent although further clarification/ explanation would be appreciated.
---------
48 Starting from its depot in town X, a delivery lorry is to make deliveries to three towns A, B
and C, in any order which the driver chooses and finally to return to X.
Straight roads connect each town to every other town.
Depending on the layout of the towns, which of the following could NOT be the shortest
journey for him to take?
A XAXBCBX
B XACBX
C XAXBCX
D XBABXCX
E XABCBAX
Straight up unsure how to tackle this. I drew out map of towns all connected but don't see how answer C cannot be shortest journey.
-----
49 A rainwater butt in Joan's garden fills from a flat roof of an equivalent area to 25 square
metres. The butt holds 200 litres and is full when Joan starts using it in the
summer. During the gardening season, 160 litres falls on each square metre of
roof. Only half of this is collected as the rest evaporates. Joan uses 100 litres from the
butt to top up her garden pond each week for 25 weeks. If there is not enough water in
the butt, she completes the job with mains water which is rather expensive. During the
summer months there is never enough rain to overfill the butt.
How much mains water would she expect to use in an average summer?
A 0 litres
B 300 litres
C 500 litres
D 2000 litres
E 2300 litres
I understand how the answer is B (25*100)-((25*160)/2+200)=2500-2200=300... However I do believe this is a poor question. There is no explanation/ description about how/ when the water is collected (i.e. at the same rate all season) or any explanation that explains the terms 'gardening season' and 'summer months'. Surely some level of independent knowledge is required here - what if a student takes the gardening season/ rainfall season to be winter and therefore come summer time the butt will only have a maximum of 200 litres as the rest overflows. I think this is a poor question and thankfully have not seen anything similar in recent papers. Does anyone agree/ disagree?
-----
Kindest Regards to anyone who can help me out with any question here! Best of luck to you all tomorrow.
---
15 A dishonest act, such as stealing money from a handbag or cheating in school, may arise for one of many different reasons. But the reasons may be consistent with the personality of the individual involved. One child may steal, for example, in order to show off; another,
to get money to support a hobby (or to get a birthday present for a younger sister);
another, to express aggression or hatred against the person from whom he or she
steals. One child may cheat in order to avoid punishment for academic failure; another,
because of personal ambition; another to express contempt for the system.
Which one of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage above?
A It is wrong to assume that a child who is dishonest in one kind of situation will
be dishonest in others.
B A child who cheats does so for very complex reasons.
C A child whose motive is generosity towards someone else should not be
blamed for stealing.
D Underlying all dishonest acts is hostility towards others.
E Children who are neither exhibitionist nor aggressive nor acquisitive are
unlikely to steal money.
While I understand how this can be understood from the argument, I didn't feel it was a strong enough conclusion to be selected from the answers. Any thoughts?
---------------
28The so-called 'baby-boomer' generation (people born in Britain in the late 1940's /early
1950's) will enjoy a good chance of reaching a ripe old-age. They benefited from a diet
that was austere but healthy when they were children and this has influenced their adult
tastes. In addition, people in this age group have given up unhealthy activities such as
smoking cigarettes. In contrast, the generation represented by those currently in their 20's
and early 30's are in danger of experiencing serious health problems which would
decrease their life expectancy. This is the 'Big Mac' generation whose childhood diet was
high in fat and sugar, which they continue to crave. They also show worrying tendencies
to indulge in 'binge drinking' and other health-threatening activities.
Which of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the above passage?
A Health is largely determined by factors which the individual can control.
B Health education is becoming less effective in controlling behaviour.
C The trend towards ever-increasing life expectancy will be reversed.
D The 'Big Mac' generation would be wise to change their lifestyle.
E The health service will be put under greater strain in the future.
I did not believe that D was a conclusion from the argument - moreso something that can be inferred but ultimately not the conclusion. It merely states that this is the factual case rather than concluding any further actions required. I selected answer C.
-----
35 It is possible to think that someone is right to do whatever serves his own ends, including
murder, theft and deceit, and to admire his ruthlessness. But one cannot think that this is
not morally wrong. The phrase 'morally wrong' is not meaningless. There are some
things, such as those mentioned above, which would have to be so described by anyone
who was not unaware of the meaning of the expression. That some things are morally
wrong can be shown to be true, every bit as decisively as, for instance, it can be shown
that snow is white. It is not true that every moral question is 'a matter of opinion', still less
of taste, personal preference, or choice.
Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the above argument?
A People are right to do whatever serves their own ends, even if it involves
murder, theft and deceit.
B The phrase 'morally wrong' is not meaningless.
C One must accept that acts such as murder, theft and deceit are morally wrong.
D It is always wrong to admire those who commit murder.
E It is as true that some things are morally wrong as it is that snow is white.
How to know that B is the main conclusion over E (which I selected)?
-------
41 Undoubtedly, early upbringing affects your social adjustment in later life. A recent study
demonstrated that many children of parents who act aggressively towards their offspring
grow up to be violent as adults. Consequently, if we could stop parents behaving
aggressively towards their children, we would be able to eliminate a significant proportion
of violence from our society.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the above argument?
A It is not possible to legislate against aggressive behaviour of parents towards
their children.
B In many cases children who are treated violently by their parents make sure
that their own children do not suffer in the same way.
C What were considered reasonable methods of discipline in previous
generations are considered to be assault today.
D Continuing poverty and deprivation are the major causes of aggressive
behaviour in both adults and their children.
E Many parents become violent when they are unable to control their children's
behaviour.
I do not see how in any way that answer D weakens the above argument. It does not conflict the conclusion that "if we could stop parents... we would be able to eliminate...violence". It only explains the reason behind the aggression. Answer B, alternatively, disputes the premise explained that children who are treated aggressively grow up to be aggressive, therefore significantly weakening the argument. Any explanation?
-----------
46 The proportion of time people devote in their lives to travelling from A to B has been
constant over history. So the advent of high speed forms of transport simply means that
people will travel greater distances.
Which of the following most closely parallels the above reasoning?
A Mortgage loans have always represented around 3 to 4 times a person's
annual income. Therefore a rise in average earnings will mean an increase in
mortgage lending.
B The ratio between mortgage repayments and total expenditure per household
has always been constant. So more expensive food will mean more debt.
C With a fixed rate of mortgage interest, an increase in house prices will mean
that inflation will rise.
D The increase of home ownership has been in proportion to the rise in average
earnings. So the increase in house building means people are earning more.
E The proportion of new to old homes on the market has always been constant.
So an increase in housing development means that more old houses are
being renovated.
I understand this to some extent although further clarification/ explanation would be appreciated.
---------
48 Starting from its depot in town X, a delivery lorry is to make deliveries to three towns A, B
and C, in any order which the driver chooses and finally to return to X.
Straight roads connect each town to every other town.
Depending on the layout of the towns, which of the following could NOT be the shortest
journey for him to take?
A XAXBCBX
B XACBX
C XAXBCX
D XBABXCX
E XABCBAX
Straight up unsure how to tackle this. I drew out map of towns all connected but don't see how answer C cannot be shortest journey.
-----
49 A rainwater butt in Joan's garden fills from a flat roof of an equivalent area to 25 square
metres. The butt holds 200 litres and is full when Joan starts using it in the
summer. During the gardening season, 160 litres falls on each square metre of
roof. Only half of this is collected as the rest evaporates. Joan uses 100 litres from the
butt to top up her garden pond each week for 25 weeks. If there is not enough water in
the butt, she completes the job with mains water which is rather expensive. During the
summer months there is never enough rain to overfill the butt.
How much mains water would she expect to use in an average summer?
A 0 litres
B 300 litres
C 500 litres
D 2000 litres
E 2300 litres
I understand how the answer is B (25*100)-((25*160)/2+200)=2500-2200=300... However I do believe this is a poor question. There is no explanation/ description about how/ when the water is collected (i.e. at the same rate all season) or any explanation that explains the terms 'gardening season' and 'summer months'. Surely some level of independent knowledge is required here - what if a student takes the gardening season/ rainfall season to be winter and therefore come summer time the butt will only have a maximum of 200 litres as the rest overflows. I think this is a poor question and thankfully have not seen anything similar in recent papers. Does anyone agree/ disagree?
-----
Kindest Regards to anyone who can help me out with any question here! Best of luck to you all tomorrow.
Original post by philerus
Why is everyone so stressed out and wishing good luck for tomorrow? Don't we sit the TSA during the interview?
I sincerely hope you are joking.
The TSA takes place worldwide this year on the 5th of November, which is tomorrow. You need to have registered for it in advance. In fact, the scores from the TSA itself are a huge determining factor in whether or not you will get an interview call.Original post by PolarBearSlayer
Very good score for that paper - did you find 2013 harder than other papers comparatively, especially with regards to timing? I certainly did. Took me much longer to do the first 25 than normal.
Good luck!
Good luck!
I found 2013 harder, particularly the first 20/25 like you. I got my worst raw score on it but it was still 43. But don't worry that you found it harder because it seems that people that sat it last year found it harder. Looking at the explanation of results from last year the most common raw mark was 27 but normally it's around around 31-33. Also last year there was a lower percentage getting the higher marks. The top mark achieved was 47 and the next highest was 44. The score conversions were also a bit higher.
ps thats my interpretation of the graphs showing results explanation. I might be wrong, feel free to correct me anyone
(edited 9 years ago)
Recently realised that Oxford is not for me, and that I wouldn't really want to go even if I got a place (and there's no chance of that) - so I'm not too fussed about tomorrow. I have to take the TSA as well as the Linguistics MLAT and the thing I'm most worried about at the moment is falling asleep.
Good luck everyone
Good luck everyone
Original post by PrinceUpsb
If anyone could help clarify and provide reasons for why the following answers are correct it would be greatly appreciated. Correct answers are bolded. All questions are from TSA 2009 paper:
---
15 A dishonest act, such as stealing money from a handbag or cheating in school, may arise for one of many different reasons. But the reasons may be consistent with the personality of the individual involved. One child may steal, for example, in order to show off; another,
to get money to support a hobby (or to get a birthday present for a younger sister);
another, to express aggression or hatred against the person from whom he or she
steals. One child may cheat in order to avoid punishment for academic failure; another,
because of personal ambition; another to express contempt for the system.
Which one of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage above?
A It is wrong to assume that a child who is dishonest in one kind of situation will
be dishonest in others.
B A child who cheats does so for very complex reasons.
C A child whose motive is generosity towards someone else should not be
blamed for stealing.
D Underlying all dishonest acts is hostility towards others.
E Children who are neither exhibitionist nor aggressive nor acquisitive are
unlikely to steal money.
While I understand how this can be understood from the argument, I didn't feel it was a strong enough conclusion to be selected from the answers. Any thoughts?
---------------
28The so-called 'baby-boomer' generation (people born in Britain in the late 1940's /early
1950's) will enjoy a good chance of reaching a ripe old-age. They benefited from a diet
that was austere but healthy when they were children and this has influenced their adult
tastes. In addition, people in this age group have given up unhealthy activities such as
smoking cigarettes. In contrast, the generation represented by those currently in their 20's
and early 30's are in danger of experiencing serious health problems which would
decrease their life expectancy. This is the 'Big Mac' generation whose childhood diet was
high in fat and sugar, which they continue to crave. They also show worrying tendencies
to indulge in 'binge drinking' and other health-threatening activities.
Which of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the above passage?
A Health is largely determined by factors which the individual can control.
B Health education is becoming less effective in controlling behaviour.
C The trend towards ever-increasing life expectancy will be reversed.
D The 'Big Mac' generation would be wise to change their lifestyle.
E The health service will be put under greater strain in the future.
I did not believe that D was a conclusion from the argument - moreso something that can be inferred but ultimately not the conclusion. It merely states that this is the factual case rather than concluding any further actions required. I selected answer C.
-----
35 It is possible to think that someone is right to do whatever serves his own ends, including
murder, theft and deceit, and to admire his ruthlessness. But one cannot think that this is
not morally wrong. The phrase 'morally wrong' is not meaningless. There are some
things, such as those mentioned above, which would have to be so described by anyone
who was not unaware of the meaning of the expression. That some things are morally
wrong can be shown to be true, every bit as decisively as, for instance, it can be shown
that snow is white. It is not true that every moral question is 'a matter of opinion', still less
of taste, personal preference, or choice.
Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the above argument?
A People are right to do whatever serves their own ends, even if it involves
murder, theft and deceit.
B The phrase 'morally wrong' is not meaningless.
C One must accept that acts such as murder, theft and deceit are morally wrong.
D It is always wrong to admire those who commit murder.
E It is as true that some things are morally wrong as it is that snow is white.
How to know that B is the main conclusion over E (which I selected)?
-------
41 Undoubtedly, early upbringing affects your social adjustment in later life. A recent study
demonstrated that many children of parents who act aggressively towards their offspring
grow up to be violent as adults. Consequently, if we could stop parents behaving
aggressively towards their children, we would be able to eliminate a significant proportion
of violence from our society.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the above argument?
A It is not possible to legislate against aggressive behaviour of parents towards
their children.
B In many cases children who are treated violently by their parents make sure
that their own children do not suffer in the same way.
C What were considered reasonable methods of discipline in previous
generations are considered to be assault today.
D Continuing poverty and deprivation are the major causes of aggressive
behaviour in both adults and their children.
E Many parents become violent when they are unable to control their children's
behaviour.
I do not see how in any way that answer D weakens the above argument. It does not conflict the conclusion that "if we could stop parents... we would be able to eliminate...violence". It only explains the reason behind the aggression. Answer B, alternatively, disputes the premise explained that children who are treated aggressively grow up to be aggressive, therefore significantly weakening the argument. Any explanation?
-----------
46 The proportion of time people devote in their lives to travelling from A to B has been
constant over history. So the advent of high speed forms of transport simply means that
people will travel greater distances.
Which of the following most closely parallels the above reasoning?
A Mortgage loans have always represented around 3 to 4 times a person's
annual income. Therefore a rise in average earnings will mean an increase in
mortgage lending.
B The ratio between mortgage repayments and total expenditure per household
has always been constant. So more expensive food will mean more debt.
C With a fixed rate of mortgage interest, an increase in house prices will mean
that inflation will rise.
D The increase of home ownership has been in proportion to the rise in average
earnings. So the increase in house building means people are earning more.
E The proportion of new to old homes on the market has always been constant.
So an increase in housing development means that more old houses are
being renovated.
I understand this to some extent although further clarification/ explanation would be appreciated.
---------
48 Starting from its depot in town X, a delivery lorry is to make deliveries to three towns A, B
and C, in any order which the driver chooses and finally to return to X.
Straight roads connect each town to every other town.
Depending on the layout of the towns, which of the following could NOT be the shortest
journey for him to take?
A XAXBCBX
B XACBX
C XAXBCX
D XBABXCX
E XABCBAX
Straight up unsure how to tackle this. I drew out map of towns all connected but don't see how answer C cannot be shortest journey.
-----
49 A rainwater butt in Joan's garden fills from a flat roof of an equivalent area to 25 square
metres. The butt holds 200 litres and is full when Joan starts using it in the
summer. During the gardening season, 160 litres falls on each square metre of
roof. Only half of this is collected as the rest evaporates. Joan uses 100 litres from the
butt to top up her garden pond each week for 25 weeks. If there is not enough water in
the butt, she completes the job with mains water which is rather expensive. During the
summer months there is never enough rain to overfill the butt.
How much mains water would she expect to use in an average summer?
A 0 litres
B 300 litres
C 500 litres
D 2000 litres
E 2300 litres
I understand how the answer is B (25*100)-((25*160)/2+200)=2500-2200=300... However I do believe this is a poor question. There is no explanation/ description about how/ when the water is collected (i.e. at the same rate all season) or any explanation that explains the terms 'gardening season' and 'summer months'. Surely some level of independent knowledge is required here - what if a student takes the gardening season/ rainfall season to be winter and therefore come summer time the butt will only have a maximum of 200 litres as the rest overflows. I think this is a poor question and thankfully have not seen anything similar in recent papers. Does anyone agree/ disagree?
-----
Kindest Regards to anyone who can help me out with any question here! Best of luck to you all tomorrow.
---
15 A dishonest act, such as stealing money from a handbag or cheating in school, may arise for one of many different reasons. But the reasons may be consistent with the personality of the individual involved. One child may steal, for example, in order to show off; another,
to get money to support a hobby (or to get a birthday present for a younger sister);
another, to express aggression or hatred against the person from whom he or she
steals. One child may cheat in order to avoid punishment for academic failure; another,
because of personal ambition; another to express contempt for the system.
Which one of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage above?
A It is wrong to assume that a child who is dishonest in one kind of situation will
be dishonest in others.
B A child who cheats does so for very complex reasons.
C A child whose motive is generosity towards someone else should not be
blamed for stealing.
D Underlying all dishonest acts is hostility towards others.
E Children who are neither exhibitionist nor aggressive nor acquisitive are
unlikely to steal money.
While I understand how this can be understood from the argument, I didn't feel it was a strong enough conclusion to be selected from the answers. Any thoughts?
---------------
28The so-called 'baby-boomer' generation (people born in Britain in the late 1940's /early
1950's) will enjoy a good chance of reaching a ripe old-age. They benefited from a diet
that was austere but healthy when they were children and this has influenced their adult
tastes. In addition, people in this age group have given up unhealthy activities such as
smoking cigarettes. In contrast, the generation represented by those currently in their 20's
and early 30's are in danger of experiencing serious health problems which would
decrease their life expectancy. This is the 'Big Mac' generation whose childhood diet was
high in fat and sugar, which they continue to crave. They also show worrying tendencies
to indulge in 'binge drinking' and other health-threatening activities.
Which of the following is a conclusion that can be drawn from the above passage?
A Health is largely determined by factors which the individual can control.
B Health education is becoming less effective in controlling behaviour.
C The trend towards ever-increasing life expectancy will be reversed.
D The 'Big Mac' generation would be wise to change their lifestyle.
E The health service will be put under greater strain in the future.
I did not believe that D was a conclusion from the argument - moreso something that can be inferred but ultimately not the conclusion. It merely states that this is the factual case rather than concluding any further actions required. I selected answer C.
-----
35 It is possible to think that someone is right to do whatever serves his own ends, including
murder, theft and deceit, and to admire his ruthlessness. But one cannot think that this is
not morally wrong. The phrase 'morally wrong' is not meaningless. There are some
things, such as those mentioned above, which would have to be so described by anyone
who was not unaware of the meaning of the expression. That some things are morally
wrong can be shown to be true, every bit as decisively as, for instance, it can be shown
that snow is white. It is not true that every moral question is 'a matter of opinion', still less
of taste, personal preference, or choice.
Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the above argument?
A People are right to do whatever serves their own ends, even if it involves
murder, theft and deceit.
B The phrase 'morally wrong' is not meaningless.
C One must accept that acts such as murder, theft and deceit are morally wrong.
D It is always wrong to admire those who commit murder.
E It is as true that some things are morally wrong as it is that snow is white.
How to know that B is the main conclusion over E (which I selected)?
-------
41 Undoubtedly, early upbringing affects your social adjustment in later life. A recent study
demonstrated that many children of parents who act aggressively towards their offspring
grow up to be violent as adults. Consequently, if we could stop parents behaving
aggressively towards their children, we would be able to eliminate a significant proportion
of violence from our society.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the above argument?
A It is not possible to legislate against aggressive behaviour of parents towards
their children.
B In many cases children who are treated violently by their parents make sure
that their own children do not suffer in the same way.
C What were considered reasonable methods of discipline in previous
generations are considered to be assault today.
D Continuing poverty and deprivation are the major causes of aggressive
behaviour in both adults and their children.
E Many parents become violent when they are unable to control their children's
behaviour.
I do not see how in any way that answer D weakens the above argument. It does not conflict the conclusion that "if we could stop parents... we would be able to eliminate...violence". It only explains the reason behind the aggression. Answer B, alternatively, disputes the premise explained that children who are treated aggressively grow up to be aggressive, therefore significantly weakening the argument. Any explanation?
-----------
46 The proportion of time people devote in their lives to travelling from A to B has been
constant over history. So the advent of high speed forms of transport simply means that
people will travel greater distances.
Which of the following most closely parallels the above reasoning?
A Mortgage loans have always represented around 3 to 4 times a person's
annual income. Therefore a rise in average earnings will mean an increase in
mortgage lending.
B The ratio between mortgage repayments and total expenditure per household
has always been constant. So more expensive food will mean more debt.
C With a fixed rate of mortgage interest, an increase in house prices will mean
that inflation will rise.
D The increase of home ownership has been in proportion to the rise in average
earnings. So the increase in house building means people are earning more.
E The proportion of new to old homes on the market has always been constant.
So an increase in housing development means that more old houses are
being renovated.
I understand this to some extent although further clarification/ explanation would be appreciated.
---------
48 Starting from its depot in town X, a delivery lorry is to make deliveries to three towns A, B
and C, in any order which the driver chooses and finally to return to X.
Straight roads connect each town to every other town.
Depending on the layout of the towns, which of the following could NOT be the shortest
journey for him to take?
A XAXBCBX
B XACBX
C XAXBCX
D XBABXCX
E XABCBAX
Straight up unsure how to tackle this. I drew out map of towns all connected but don't see how answer C cannot be shortest journey.
-----
49 A rainwater butt in Joan's garden fills from a flat roof of an equivalent area to 25 square
metres. The butt holds 200 litres and is full when Joan starts using it in the
summer. During the gardening season, 160 litres falls on each square metre of
roof. Only half of this is collected as the rest evaporates. Joan uses 100 litres from the
butt to top up her garden pond each week for 25 weeks. If there is not enough water in
the butt, she completes the job with mains water which is rather expensive. During the
summer months there is never enough rain to overfill the butt.
How much mains water would she expect to use in an average summer?
A 0 litres
B 300 litres
C 500 litres
D 2000 litres
E 2300 litres
I understand how the answer is B (25*100)-((25*160)/2+200)=2500-2200=300... However I do believe this is a poor question. There is no explanation/ description about how/ when the water is collected (i.e. at the same rate all season) or any explanation that explains the terms 'gardening season' and 'summer months'. Surely some level of independent knowledge is required here - what if a student takes the gardening season/ rainfall season to be winter and therefore come summer time the butt will only have a maximum of 200 litres as the rest overflows. I think this is a poor question and thankfully have not seen anything similar in recent papers. Does anyone agree/ disagree?
-----
Kindest Regards to anyone who can help me out with any question here! Best of luck to you all tomorrow.
Don't know about the rest, but I can certainly help you out with the first two questions. The key here is to remember that there are twokinds of questions pertaining to arguments-identifying conclusions and drawing conclusions. In the first kind, you will be asked to provide the main conclusion of the argument i.e. the key thing that the author is trying to persuade you of. In the second kind, you will be required to insert each of the options into the original argument and consider whether or not it is a reliable inference to make. It doesn't have to be the primary conclusion per se, it just has to reliably fit in with the information presented. Far-fetched inferences are usually incorrect answers. With that in mind, therefore,
For question no. 15, although A is not the main conclusion, it is the one that is the least far-fetched claim.
B is incorrect because the argument does not say the reasons are complex, merely that they are different.
C is incorrect because it wrongly adds a value-added claim (that the child should not be blamed) which was not stated in the argument.
D is incorrect because it once again implies something that was nowhere in the argument.
E is incorrect because although the argument gave instances where a child may steal, it does not claim that those instances are exhaustive.
Therefore A is the correct answer.
The same logic should be followed for question no. 28. As you yourself have said, D was stated clearly in the facts. Therefore, this is a reliable inference/conclusion to draw. It doesn't have to be the main point that the argument was leading at. Keep in mind that such questions do not always state the main conclusion and try to leadyou to make inferences on your own. All those inferences will be posed as incorrect answers in the TSA.
Hope this helped you to understand why the above answers were the correct options!
Good luck for the exam!
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by romeoss
I sincerely hope you are joking. The TSA takes place worldwide this year on the 5th of November, which is tomorrow. You need to have registered for it in advance. In fact, the scores from the TSA itself are a huge determining factor in whether or not you will get an interview call.
The TSA takes place worldwide this year on the 5th of November, which is tomorrow. You need to have registered for it in advance. In fact, the scores from the TSA itself are a huge determining factor in whether or not you will get an interview call.WHAT??? I just thought we need to go to the exam centre with our UCAS personal ID... Nobody told me I needed to register, are you sure about this?
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