3 evaluating each of the options it is clear that d

3) Evaluating each of the options, it is clear that D is the only one that can be safely
inferred from the passage without making any assumptions.
(A): Extreme and Out of scope.
(B): Out of scope. It does have a lot of harmful effects anyway.
(C): Out of scope.
(D): The correct answer.
(E): Out of scope

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PASSAGE 34
Topic and Scope - The author discusses the single-term presidential system and
argues that it‘s a bad idea.
Mapping the Passage
¶1 introduces the idea of a single presidential term.
¶2 argues that the single term is usually associated with countries with weak political
parties and therefore popular when political parties are weak.
¶s3 and 4 argue that single-term systems encourage corruption.
¶5 argues that the single-term system is designed to make up for weak parties, but
ends up making parties even weaker.
Strategy Point:
Take time to paraphrase difficult points that touch on main ideas in the passage.
Critical reading depends heavily on moving quickly through less important text and
spending extra time on meaningful sections.
1) Go back to ¶5 to review what foreign observers say: they argue that fixed elections
are a bad idea; elections should be held any time. Would a single-term system
address this concern, work against it, or have no effect? Since the current terms
are four years, and the single term would be six years, elections would be held less
frequently, which would further irritate the foreign observers who consider
democracy dependent on elections-on-demand. (B) fits.
(A): Opposite. They‘d attack it for the reasons described above: fixed elections,
according to the foreign observers, run counter to democracy.
(B): The Correct Answer
(C): Opposite. The foreign observers would have a strong opinion about something
that further reduced the frequency of elections.
(D): Out of Scope. While they would condemn it, the objections in ¶5 focus only on
frequency of elections.
(E): Opposite
2) What does the author say about weak political parties? They lead to a preference
for single terms, which, when enacted, lead to corruption. Evaluate the choices with
this main chain of causes and effects in mind. While three choices aren‘t touched
on by the author, (C) is the main point made in ¶3 and the beginning of ¶ 4:
single-term systems encourage individual bargains (which ultimately lead to
corruption.)
(A): Out of Scope. The author never discusses appointing people to political posts.

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(B): Out of Scope. This also isn‘t touched on by the author. Foreign observers
favour frequent elections, but not necessarily parties.
(C): The correct answer
(D): Opposite. The author argues that single-term systems are more frequent in
systems with weak political parties, which would presumably decrease the
frequency of elections.
(E): Opposite
3 ) What is the author‘s main argument for avoiding the single -term system? It leads
to corruption. Looking for something that would weaken this argument turns up
(B), which contradicts the author‘s main reason for avoiding the single -term
system.