Chapter 5. GRE Essay Prompts

PRESENT YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON AN ISSUE PROMPTS

This chapter contains 25 sample prompts for the Issue task and 25 sample prompts for the Argument task. For your convenience, blank space is provided for you to plan your essays. Please use extra paper if necessary, or practice typing your essay on a computer. Prompts that are marked by an asterisk (*) are those for which sample essays are found in the following chapter.

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Competitive athletics have a negative effect on student athletes because sports engender an environment where students learn to win by any means necessary.” *

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Society does not place enough emphasis on the traditional arts, such as painting, sculpting, and drawing.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Children do not receive the same high level of education that they could expect 50 years ago.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“The knowledge that is developed through direct experience far outstrips anything that can be gleaned from a book.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Without spending significant time studying him or herself, a person cannot ever truly understand anyone else.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“The mission of any government is to improve the everyday lives of its people.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Scholars spend too much time on philosophical, ethereal debates. The public would be better served if these scholars spent more of their time on more practical matters.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“The perceived greatness of any political leader has more to do with the challenges faced by that leader than with any of his or her inherent skills and abilities.” *

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Parents should encourage their children to pursue careers that are reasonably achievable, rather than those that have stronger barriers to entry.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“People should ignore the opinions of professional critics, who are all too often out of touch with the common citizen. Everyone would be better off if they chose movies, restaurants, or bottles of wine based on the recommendations of friends and family members.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“College students should be required to take a course in public speaking, even if taking such a course lessens the amount of time a student would spend on more academic subjects.” *

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“It is preferable to imagine the future rather than to consider the past.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Society would be better served by instilling a healthy dose of skepticism into young people, rather than training them simply to follow orders.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“A person should never criticize the work of someone else unless he or she has a better way of accomplishing the task.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Progress should be the aim of any great society. People too often cling unnecessarily to obsolete ways of thinking and acting because of both a high comfort level and a fear of the unknown.” *

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“History books should focus more on the daily lives of the common people than on the actions of their leaders.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“The primary concern of the government should be the safety of its citizens.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“To achieve success, a person should set goals at an early age and continually measure himself against those goals.” *

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“You can learn more about a person by observing them away from work than you can by observing them in their place of business.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“Technology does as much to impair quality of life as it does to improve it.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“The availability of 24-hour news coverage of major global events has caused the average person today to be better informed about the world around him or her than the average person was 30 years ago.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“People have become too focused on technological progress. Because of this, other aspects of society—such as the arts—have suffered.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“In order to become successful, one must make mistakes and learn from one’s failures.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“A person should not take a job if he or she knows that the work will not be personally fulfilling.”

Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.

“People take too much pleasure from personal achievement, and not enough from the successes of society.”

ANALYZE AN ARGUMENT PROMPTS

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

Recent studies have shown that the senior citizen population of Desert City is growing faster that that of any other major city in the country. It has also been shown by medical researchers that 70% of seniors suffer from at least mild arthritis pain and that living in a warm, dry environment, like that of Desert City, can help to alleviate the pain of arthritis. In fact, more seniors suffer from arthritis than from any other single affliction. Therefore, seniors must be moving to Desert City in large numbers in order to enjoy relief from arthritis pain. *

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

For years, archaeologists have noted the existence of wheels on small toys used by children in Central Apria over two thousand years ago. This fact is not striking by itself, since many civilizations throughout the world had developed the wheel by 1 A.D. What is perplexing is that wheels appear in the archaeological record as part of children’s toys and do not appear as part of carts or other tools of agriculture or commerce. Dr. Chevanik of Central Aprian University has concluded that the wheel was not used for agricultural or commercial purposes because Central Apria is almost devoid of trees today, indicating that there may not have been enough timber to create large wheels two thousand years ago.

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a memo to the superintendent of schools in Bridgetown:

“Recent studies on the health effects of leafy greens, such as broccoli, suggest an interesting solution to our school attendance problems. A nationwide survey on eating leafy greens found that adults who eat at least one serving per day of leafy greens report fewer stomach aches and digestion problems than a control group. Since the most noted reason for an absence from our elementary schools is an upset stomach, serving leafy greens for lunch in our cafeterias every day will improve attendance.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a letter to the editor of the Sun City Post newspaper:

“The tourism tax revenues of Sun City will continue to fall unless the city government takes action to bring our health resort industry up to the standard of other tourist destinations in our region. Our main competitor for tourists,Warm Springs City, completed two state-of-the-art spa complexes last year, and their level of tourism increased by over 20%; Sun City’s tourist level actually declined for the fifth year in a row. If the city government does not sponsor the construction of a spa in Sun City, there is no chance that these trends will reverse.” *

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in an editorial in the Hermosa Beach Gazette, a local newspaper:

“In a fitness journal report, Hermosa Beach recently ranked third in a listing of the most physically fit cities in our state. People moving to our state can now know with confidence that our city will provide them the ability to pursue an active outdoor lifestyle. Hermosa Beach is a place where swimming, jogging, and team sports thrive. We will certainly see a surge in new residents because of this fitness journal article.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

Harp seals live primarily on the Atlantic coast of Canada. Female seals give birth to their pups during the spring on sheet ice that forms during the winter. If the sheet ice is too thick from a cold winter, many pups will die because they cannot reach the sea. If the ice is too thin, it will also cause many pups to die because they are forced into the sea before they are ready to fend for themselves. A recent census by the Canadian government has found a dramatic increase in the number of harp seals on the Atlantic coast. Clearly, this shows that global warming is not affecting harp seal populations by reducing the thickness of sheet ice.

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a memo from the president of Whack-A-Weed International, the maker of lawn care machinery:

“Whack-A-Weed International has decided to discontinue sales of our original product, the Weed Destroyer, in an effort to improve the profits of our company. By halting production of the Weed Destroyer, we will be able to shut our Machine City production plant, which has been our least efficient plant over the last 3 years. Moreover, 40% of our advertising budget has been devoted to the Weed Destroyer, so now Whack-A-Weed can devote more money to promote our other product lines.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a memo from the Beach City office of the National Environment Protection Agency to the Director of the Agency:

“The amount of pollution in Beach City Harbor is staggering. This year alone 500 used car tires, 40,000 aluminum cans, 60,000 cigarette butts, and 75,000 glass bottles have been picked up from the city’s beaches by our sanitation patrols. Additionally, the number of tourists visiting Beach City has grown by over 10% for each of the last 7 years, giving us reason to believe that levels of pollution will only grow in the future. If we cannot find a way to discourage the growth in tourism here, there is no chance of survival for the marine life in our harbor.” *

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in an editorial in the Windy Valley Post, a local newspaper:

“As the population of Windy Valley has increased, the graduation rate from our city’s high schools has fallen precipitously. In nearby Sunny Valley, the city has opened two new high schools to accommodate a similar increase in population and has seen no decline in graduation rate. Clearly,Windy Valley needs to invest more in new schools to keep class sizes down and graduation rates up.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following is a recommendation from the business manager of Quality Hardware Store:

“Quality Hardware should open a coffee shop inside the store to attract more customers and increase sales. Quality Hardware is known throughout the region as a place to find the widest possible variety of home improvement supplies, but lacks the ability to offer refreshment to its patrons. A coffee shop would also attract more female customers, something the store has been lacking. A recent survey found that over 80% of females drink coffee on a regular basis. I suggest that we create room for the coffee shop by reducing the size of our lumberyard. This is not likely to hurt sales since fewer homes are being built in our region these days.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following is a recommendation from the manager of Family Friendly Restaurant:

“Family Friendly Restaurant needs to improve its facility to remain competitive in our city’s restaurant market. Mega-Family Restaurant, recently opened in a suburb of our city, offers a video arcade, fine wood furniture, and 7 big-screen televisions. Due to a recession in our town, people report having less discretionary income for eating out. Therefore, if we are to hold our share of a shrinking restaurant market, we need to offer at least all the features of Mega-Family Restaurant.” *

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a letter to the editor of a newsletter on health issues:

“For years, doctors have been recommending that parents limit the number of sweets and candies they feed to their children, in order to reduce hyperactivity. However, the number of recorded cases of hyperactivity has actually increased over the last 10 years. Furthermore, a recent medical survey of 50 children with hyperactivity problems found that reducing sugar intake by 50% had little effect on hyperactivity. Therefore, doctors should stop giving advice on this matter, since reducing sweets has little effect on hyperactivity.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a letter to the editor of the Sam’s Town Post, a local newspaper:

“The level of juvenile crime in our city has grown by 15% per year over the last decade. The citizens of Sam’s Town are outraged and have asked that the police step up enforcement of curfews for juveniles, since most of these crimes occur after the curfew hour. This plan will not work, however, because our city’s youth commit crimes when they do not have other options to fill their time. Our city would benefit more from creating late-night programs, such as basketball camps, that will occupy our youth and keep them out of trouble.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in an advertisement for Mighty Toothpaste:

“Using Mighty Toothpaste is a great way to improve tooth and gum health. In a trial, 500 dentists recommended that their patients use Mighty Toothpaste. These dentists reported that their patients had 25% fewer cavities than before the switch to Mighty Toothpaste. Moreover, 80% of the patients reported that their mouths felt cleaner when using Mighty Toothpaste than when using their normal toothpaste.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a newsletter on nutrition and health:

“Brighton Mineral Water was first bottled by the town of Brighton because of its fresh, clean taste. However, a study of people who suffer from kidney stones shows that those who drink 8 glasses a day of Brighton water had a much lower rate of kidney stone recurrence than those who did not drink Brighton water. Brighton Mineral Water should change its advertising campaign to emphasize the benefits to sufferers of kidney stones. Not only will this drive additional sales of Brighton water, but also it will cause fewer people to develop kidney stones.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared as part of a recommendation to the administration of Sandy Beach University:

“Applications and admissions to Sandy Beach University have fallen by 5% in each of the last 5 years. In order to learn more about the reasons for this decline, our admissions office administered a survey to nearby high school seniors about their impressions of Sandy Beach University. The results showed that prospective students felt that Sandy Beach’s dorms and cafeteria were below average. If Sandy Beach is to reverse its negative trend of enrollment, it must invest heavily in a new cafeteria and improved dorm rooms.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The towns of West Charleston and East Charleston lie on either side of the flood-prone Charleston River. To avoid future flood damage, both cities passed an ordinance in 1978 banning the construction of new buildings along the waterfront or other low-lying areas. Many buildings were already built in the low-lying areas, but were largely abandoned in favor of new construction in East Charleston. In 1999, a large flood afflicted the area, and more inhabited buildings were damaged in West Charleston than in East Charleston. Clearly, the people of West Charleston did not abandon their homes along the waterfront at as great a rate as the people of East Charleston did.

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a memo to the Mayor of Norchester from the School Board:

“The city of Norchester has a student-to-teacher ratio of 25:1 in its elementary schools, a ratio in line with the national average. Recent research by educational leaders, however, indicates that the highest acceptable ratio for optimal child learning is 22:1.While the city’s ratio is slightly higher than the guideline, our town’s population has been shrinking. Therefore, Norchester can respond to its current budget deficit by putting in place a teacher hiring freeze for the next 3 school years and still have a student-to-teacher ratio that is acceptable for child development.” *

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that usually attacks the lungs of an infected person and kills an estimated 2 million people per year. Ten years ago, the World Health League started a program to detect and eradicate the disease worldwide. These efforts, however, appear to be failing. Since the League started working in third-world countries, the number of deaths from tuberculosis in those countries has actually increased 15% per year. The World Health League clearly needs to develop a whole new plan to stop the spread of this deadly disease.

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in the editorial section of a local paper:

“Many people believe that public radio is a waste of taxpayer money because it is only listened to by a small subsection of the community. This view is clearly false. A recent questionnaire administered to guests of our city’s finest hotels found that 62% of the nearly 500 respondents listen to public radio at least two hours a week.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The children living in the city of Melody Beach have fitness levels that exceed those of all other cities in the state. Sports medicine experts have concluded that this is because of the large number of parks in the city. In fact,Melody Beach has 5 full acres devoted to park space within the confines of the city. Melody Beach parents are known to take their children to the park as many as 10 times per week.

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a memo to the President of KRXW Radio:

“Our most recent market data shows that 65% of male listeners nationwide enjoy listening to ‘Shock Jock’ radio shows, where a DJ expresses outlandish views and pokes fun at a variety of people. Our main competitor KWXR radio recently switched their morning programming to a ‘Shock Jock’ show and their ratings among men doubled. We should change our current morning show to a ‘Shock Jock’ show in order to improve our profits.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a memo from FoodMart’s regional manager:

“Our newest store in Hodge City, located near the growing Warm Springs housing development, advertises sales mostly on television instead of in the newspaper. This new store has seen customer and sales growth of over 10% per month for the last year since it opened. The unprecedented success of this store indicates that we should switch all our advertising dollars to television commercials in order to improve our profits.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a memo from the Vice President of Sales for Atta-Boy Dog Products:

“Our regional sales manager for the Sun Valley area conducted a survey of dog owners in his region, and he found that 78% of respondents prefer to bathe their dogs outside. The other 22% prefer to wash their dogs indoors in a bathtub. We need to develop a soap that people can use to wash their dogs outside, in order to capture this untapped market.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find the following argument.

The following appeared in a memo to the new Secretary of the Department of Transportation:

“For many years, the Department of Transportation has collected and published data on the number of traffic accidents and the percentage of people who wear seatbelts or drive cars with airbags. The percentage of people using safety equipment such as seatbelts or airbags has increased from 30% to 85% in the last twenty years. However, the number of traffic accidents has doubled in the same time period. Clearly, people feel more comfortable when they use safety equipment and therefore pay less attention to the road. In order to reverse this trend, the Department of Transportation should begin a new advertising campaign advising drivers to pay more attention when they drive.“