The “two-out-of-five” rule is at work here： only choices （D） and （E） have any real merit. Both are good answers. But which one is better？ Intuitively， choice （E） is more likely to be the answer because it is more measured. To decide between two choices attack each： the one that survives is the answer. Now a tone question should be answered from what is directly stated in the passage——not from what it implies. Although the author has reservations toward the adversarial system， at no point does he say that he hopes the inquisitorial system will replace it， he may prefer a third system over both. This eliminates （D）； the answer therefore is （E）。

　　PIVOTAL WORDS

　　As mentioned before， each passage contains 200 to 600 words and only four to seven questions， so you will not be tested on most of the material in the passage. Your best reading strategy， therefore， is to identify the places from which questions will most likely be drawn and concentrate your attention there.

　　Pivotal words can help in this regard. Following are the most common pivotal words.

　　Pivotal Words

　　But Although

　　However Yet

　　Despite Nevertheless

　　Nonetheless Except

　　In contrast Even though

　　As you may have noticed， these words indicate contrast. Pivotal words warn that the author is about to either make a U-turn or introduce a counter-premise （concession to a minor point that weakens the argument）。

　　Example： （Counter-premise）

　　I submit that the strikers should accept the management‘s offer. Admittedly， it is less than what was demanded. But it does resolve the main grievance——inadequate health care. Furthermore， an independent study shows that a wage increase greater than 5% would leave the company unable to compete against Japan and Germany， forcing itsintosbankruptcy.

　　The conclusion， “the strikers should accept the management‘s offer，” is stated in the first sentence. Then “Admittedly” introduces a concession （counter-premise）； namely， that the offer was less than what was demanded. This weakens the speaker’s case， but it addresses a potential criticism of his position before it can be made. The last two sentences of the argument present more compelling reasons to accept the offer and form the gist of the argument.

　　Pivotal words mark natural places for questions to be drawn. At a pivotal word， the author changes direction. The GMAT writers form questions at these junctures to test whether you turned with the author or you continued to go straight. Rarely do the GMAT writers let a pivotal word pass without drawing a question from its sentence ——I would fly you to the moon and back .

　　If you‘ll be if you’ll be my baby

　　Got a ticket for a worldswhereswe belong

　　So would you be my baby