UNIT 2

Critical Reasoning

1. Many business offices are located in buildings having 2-8 floors. If a building has more
than 3 floors, it has a lift. If the above statements are true, which of the following must be
true?

A.2nd floors do not have lifts

B. 7th floors have lifts
C. Only floors above the 3rd floors have lifts
D.All floors may be reached by lifts

Ans. Option B

2. "Some men are definitely intelligent, others are definitely not intelligent, but of
intermediate men, we should say, 'intelligent'? Yes, I think, so or no, I shouldn't be inclined to
call him intelligent."
Which of the following reflects the intention of the writer well?

A. To call men intelligent who are not strikingly so must be to use the concept with
undue imprecision
B. Every empirical concept has a degree of vagueness
C. Calling someone intelligent or not depends upon one's whim
D. There is no need to be as indecisive as the writer of the above

Ans. Option A

3. Between 1960 and 1970, ivory poachers in the African nation of Zinbaku killed over 6,500
elephants. During that period, the total elephant population in Zinbaku fell from about 35,000
to just under 30,000. In 1970, new anti-poaching measures were implemented in Zinbaku,
and between 1970 and 1980 over 800 poachers were arrested and expelled from the country.
Nevertheless, by 1980, the elephant population in Zinbaku had fallen to about 21,000.
Which of the following, if true, would best help to explain the apparent paradox presented
above?

A. The poachers arrested in Zinbaku between 1970 and 1980 were rarely sentenced to
long prison terms
B. Because of highly publicized campaigns against the slaughter of elephants, demand
for ivory fell between 1970 and 1980
C. The elephant population in neighbouring Mombasa rose slightly between 1970 and
1980
D. In Zinbaku, between 1970 and 1980, thousands of acres of forest, the elephant's
natural habitat, were cleared for farming
Ans. Option D

4. If highways were restricted to cars and only those trucks with capacity of less than 8 tons,
most of the truck traffic would be forced to run outside highways. Such a reduction in the
amount of truck traffic would reduce the risk of collisions on highways.
The conclusion drawn in the Ist sentence depends on which of the following assumptions?

A. The roads outside highway would be as convenient as highway for most drivers of
trucks..
B. Most of the roads outside highways are not ready to handle truck traffic.
C. Most trucks that are currently running in highway have a capacity of more than 8 tons.
D. Cars are at greater risk of being involved in collisions than are trucks.

Ans. Option C

5. A highly cohesive work group is a prerequisite for high team performance. Sociologists
point out that the association between success and group cohesion owes to the support
individual team members give to one another and their acceptance of the group's activities
and goals.
Each of the following, if true, either supports or cannot weaken the sociologists' assumption
about the relationship between success and cohesion EXCEPT

A. A group of Japanese researchers found that the successful work teams were led by
dominant leaders
B. University researchers found that there was a significant correlation between team
productivity and the extent to which team members understood and complied with the
group's objectives
C. American researchers found that successful team members tended to rate their fellow
members more favourably
D. Industrial Psychologists of UK found that work groups who tended to participate in
after-hours social activities were more productive

Ans. Option A

6. There are numerous reasons why individuals want to run their own businesses. Some
foresee more personal satisfaction if they succeed in launching their own business, while
others are mainly interested in the prospect of larger financial rewards. Since 1980s and early
1990s, tax regulation and liberal policies have encouraged increasing number of venture
capitalists and entrepreneurs to start new enterprises. Since 1990, one and a half million new
ventures have been started. Not all have succeeded.
The above statement makes which of the following assumptions?

A. Success in starting a new business largely depends on sound financial planning

B. Venture capitalists are motivated by non-monetary gains
C. Social incentives motivate investors just as much as financial rewards
D. None of these
Ans. Option D

7. If highways were restricted to cars and only those trucks with capacity of less than 8 tons,
most of the truck traffic would be forced to run outside highways. Such a reduction in the
amount of truck traffic would reduce the risk of collisions on highways.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the conclusion drawn in the second
sentence?

A. Highways are experiencing overcrowded traffic mainly because of sharp increases in

car traffic
B. Many drivers of trucks would rather buy trucks with a capacity of less than 8 tons
than be excluded from highways.
C. The number of collisions that occur near highways has reduced in recent years
D. Trucks that have a capacity of more than 8 tons cause a disproportionately large
number of collisions on highways

Ans. Option D

8. Offshore oil-drilling operations involve an unavoidable risk of an oil spill, but importing
oil on tankers presently involves an even greater such risk per barrel of oil. So, if we are to
lessen the risk of an oil spill without reducing our oil usage, we must invest more in offshore
operations and import less oil on tankers.
Which of the following, if true, seriously weakens the argument above?

A. Importing oil on tankers is currently less expensive than drilling for it offshore.
B. Tankers can easily be redesigned so that their use entails less risk of an oil spill.
C. The impact of offshore operations on the environment can be reduced by careful
management.
D. Oil spills caused by tankers have generally been more serious than those caused by
offshore operations.

Ans. Option B

9. In terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), rural households have more purchasing power
than do urban and suburban households at the same income level, since some of the income
urban and suburban households utilize for food and shelter can be utilized by rural
households for other needs. Which of the following inferences is best supported by the
statement made above?

A. All three types of households, urban, suburban, and rural, spend more of their income
on housing than all other purchases combined.

B. Rural households have lower housing and food costs than do either urban or suburban
households.
C. The median income of suburban and urban households is generally more than that of
rural households.
 D. The average rural households include more people than does the average urban or
suburban holds.

Ans. Option B

10. In contrast to the earlier predictions, demand for sugarcane has not risen in recent years,
yet, even though production amounts and price have also been stable during the last 3 years.
Last year, sugarcane growers increased their profits by more than 10 percent over the
previous year’s level.
Any of the following statements, if true, about last year, helps explain the rise in profits
EXCEPT:

A. Many sugar factories that are large consumers of sugarcane increase their production
of sugarcane-based ethanol, yet their overall consumption of sugarcane decreased.

B. Rainfall in sugarcane-growing regions was higher than it had been during previous
year, allowing the growers to save money on expensive artificial irrigation.
C. Sugarcane growers have saved money on wages by switching from paying labourers a
daily wage to paying them by the amount harvested.
D. Many small sugarcane growers joined together to form an association of sugarcane
producers and began to buy supplies at low group rates.

Ans. Option A

11. Linda: In the 1800s, it was found that one in every six women who gave birth in hospitals
died of a fever they had contracted after delivering the child and that the mortality was not as
high if they gave birth at home with the help of a mid wife. It was found that the doctors had
a poorer sense of hygiene and that their dirty hands and instruments were leading to
pathogens entering a woman's bloodstream. Thankfully, hygienic conditions today are much
better and women are safer.

Fiona: But doctors today are so overworked that a number of doctors, while aware of the
need for better hygiene, barely find the time to wash their hands. The likelihood of infections
caused by doctors is probably not any better.

Which of the following can be used by Fiona to further establish that Linda need not be
correct in her reasoning?

A. A nationwide survey found that doctors, especially experienced ones, are more prone
to the belief that they could not possibly be carrying pathogens.
B. It is reported that around 50,000 people die every year in our country from hospital
acquired infections.
C. Compulsory hand cleansing is strictly adhered to by all doctors and nurses before
every major surgical procedure.
D. During a study, doctors handling newborn babies self reported a hand cleansing rate
of 90℅.
 E. Nurses are not any better than doctors in adhering to strict cleansing schedules,
especially when busy.
Ans. Option A

12. The Americans with disabilities act (ADA) was designed to ensure that there is no
discrimination against and unfair termination of differently-abled workers in the workplace.
However, after the act was introduced, there has been a marked increase in unemployment
among the differently-abled.

Which of the following best explains this seeming discrepancy?

A.A number of differently-abled people chose not to work

B. Not willing to deal with the issues of workplace discrimination of the differently-
abled, several companies recruited fewer of them in the first place
C. Knowing that the act was about to be enforced, companies terminated some of the
differently-abled while they had a chance
D.There was no act introduced that would guarantee a job for the differently-abled
E. The unemployment among the able-bodied has remained consistently high
Ans. Option B

13. In an effort to curb drug abuse, the government has imposed strict laws to prosecute the
dealers. However, such an initiative is unlikely to be effective. Prosecuting dealers will lead
to a shortage of drugs. At the same time, because no efforts are being taken to curb demand,
drugs will be sold at a premium, attracting more people to the very remunerative job of drug
dealing. Therefore, to effectively reduce drug abuse, the government will have to prosecute
the drug users and not dealers.

Which of the following is the most relevant information in evaluating the credibility of the
argument?

A.Whether efforts have been successfully taken in any other country to regulate drug
users.
B. Whether the payoff from selling drugs outweighs the severity of the punishment
C. Whether drugs will continue to be sold at a premium when there are dealers in the
market again
D.Whether the majority of the users will be willing to pay a premium to continue to use
the drugs
E. Whether the government will be able to keep track of new dealers as and when they
enter the market
Ans. Option D

14. Alan: In the last 15 years, most of the criminals who were convicted of theft or murder
were from the lower income classes and had not completed high school. Therefore, the
government has to spend more money on reducing poverty and increase funding to education.
Because terrorism is the most severe of all crimes, such measures would bring down overall
crime rate and reduce threat from terrorism.

Dylan: A study that was conducted in a country known to produce a number of terrorists
showed that on average the terrorists were better educated than the overall population and
that they did not necessarily come from lower income classes. This is probably because
crimes such as theft are committed for personal gain while terrorism is for political or
religious gain.

Which of the following best describes Dylan's response to Alan?

A.Dylan changes the direction of the argument entirely by discussing the scenario in a
different country
B. Dylan partially agrees with Alan's reasoning but refutes his recommendation to the
government
C. Dylan converts a causal argument made by Alan into a generalization applicable
universally
D.Dylan challenges Alan's reasoning by explaining why two situations that Alan
perceives as similar are not
E. While Alan arrives at a conclusion by drawing an analogy, Dylan arrives at the same
conclusion by refuting the analogy

Ans. Option D

15. During the last 50 years in England, the national football team has had at least 60℅ of its
players born during the months January to March. Similarly, in Germany, at least 50℅ of the
team has been born during the first three months of the year. In fact, this statistic holds true
for most European countries. This shows that in most European countries, parents with kids
born early in the year are more likely to encourage a football career.

Which of the following best explains why the conclusion need not be the best explanation for
the statistic?

A.Of the remaining members, 60℅ or more tend to be born between the months of April
and June.
B. Parents of kids born in the second half of the year have displayed a measurable intent
to promote scholarly careers
C. The age cut-off for kids to try out for a team in most European countries is calculated
as on December 31 of any year and older the kid during trials, greater the chances of
getting the right opportunities.
D.The school year usually begins in April in most European countries and many parents
are known to encourage students to work on their academics and not sports during
the school year.
E. During the last 50 years, on average 30℅ of the kids have been born during the first
three months of the year.
Ans. Option C

16. Studies have established that children who watched 2 more hours of TV on an average
daily basis during the first 15 years of their life were 50℅ more likely to be arrested for
property crimes in the country. Researchers believe that these studies clearly establish that
violence in movies and TV contribute to aggressive behavior in real life. On the other hand,
there is no clear evidence that the programs that the kids watched on TV were violent in the
first place. Even if we were to accept that TV watching contributed to the increased crime
rate, it need not have been because of the nature of the programs. Perhaps, children who
watched programs such as Adams and Samson, a funny sit-com about two blundering cops
began perceiving all cops as incompetent.

What is the role of the sentences in boldface?

A.The first establishes a theory that the author later clearly refutes while the second
presents the author's conclusion
B. The first is an interpretation made by researchers that the author contends against and
the second provides an alternative explanation for statistical data
C. The first is an opinion expressed by someone other than the author and which the
author is completely in disagreement with while the second provides the reason for
the author's doubt
D.The first is a fact supporting the researcher's conclusion while the second is the
author's conclusion.
E. The first is a clearly proven opinion even if the author disagrees with it while the
second is an ambiguous opinion that has no supporting data
Ans. Option B

17. During medieval times, the administrative system was organized such that jobs were
traditionally held within the same family. The eldest son of the village's blacksmith will take
up his father’s business and become the next blacksmith. The other sons would join the army
or serve the king in some fashion while the daughters did what their mother did. Although the
world has undergone innumerable changes, the dynastic system has not undergone any
change whatsoever. Children who have fathers who played major league baseball are 800
times more likely than other kids to become major league players themselves.

Which of the following best refutes the author's reasoning?

A.In countries with a royal family, the eldest son of the king is destined to be the next
king.
B. The blacksmith's eldest son in a mediaeval village could not choose any other
profession even if he wanted to.
C. A major baseball player will have better knowledge and skills and will be able to
guide his son better.
D.60℅ of the country's doctors have at least one parent who is a doctor.
 E. It is a proven fact that success in any career is determined more by skill and practice
rather than by genetic makeup.
Ans. Option B
18. A survey conducted recently in the city indicated that most college welfare-aid applicants
understate the number of luxury items - such as cars and TVs – that their family owned, in an
effort to maximize the amount of aid they can claim from the city. Paradoxically, the same
study also found that many applicants claimed that they had running water and a gas
connection even when they did not.

Which of the following best explains the apparent paradox?

A.The city does not pay welfare unless the applicants have at least some things working
for them
B. Claiming that they do not have a car or a TV ensures that the city looks at the
applicant more favorably
C. While the applicants may be willing to accept that they don't have certain things, they
felt embarrassed having to accept that they don't have most things.
D.Historically, at least 30℅ of the claims have had people understating what they have
while only 22℅ overstated what they had.
E. The people who understated what they had were not the same people who overstated
what they had
Ans. Option C

19. Terrorist attacks invariably lead to tremendous losses in life, property, and morale of a
country. The effects of a terrorist attack are not just immediate and can have long-lasting,
trickle-down effects as well. The fear, for example, takes a long time to die down. However,
some of these repercussions can be beneficial to the country. Take for instance, the recent
terrorist attack on our capital city. In the weeks following the attack, the crime rate in the city
came down significantly from what it was just before the attack. This must primarily be due
to the increased presence of police resources that were moved to the area and is thus an
indirect effect of the attack.

Which of the following options gives one more option as to why the crime rate decreased
because of the terrorist attacks?

A.The capital city is under increased monitoring leading to quick detection of crimes -
many times while the crime is still underway.
B. A number of people are frightened because of the terrorist attacks and have fled the
capital city.
C. There was a recorded decrease in crime rate right after the terrorist attack in almost all
cities of the country.
D.Intel reports show that the terrorists who pulled off the attack had been committing
various other smaller crimes regularly to distract law enforcement from their true
purposes.
 E. The government had initiated schemes to decrease poverty and provide better
livelihood for the people just before the terrorist attack.
Ans. Option D

20. In 2009, there was a sharp increase in the number of people who were reported to have
died in the country during the first week of the year, compared with the first week of the
previous ten years. There seems to be no reason to explain this disproportionately high
number of deaths especially because the reports were widespread in the country and there
was no epidemic spreading through the country at that point in time. Moreover, most of the
deaths were not among the young and could not even be attributed to binge drinking in
celebration of the new year.

Which of the following can then explain the discrepancy?

A.The government announced in 2008 that estate taxes, payable by the heirs on
someone's death, would be abolished effective from the new year.
B. Astrologists predicted that 2009 was a good year to die in, for salvation of the soul.
C. The statistic is an anomaly that has no logical explanation.
D.The price of some cancer drugs and chemotherapy increased by 10% in January 2009,
making treatment more expensive than before.
E. An earthquake in one of the cities during December 2008 made hospital care
availability more difficult for regular illnesses.
Ans. Option A

21. It seems that medical care is constantly improving and is far better today than it was a few
years ago. New medicines are being developed, and at a lower cost. Technological
advancements are being made and new treatments are devised. However, hospital care has
not improved as much as expected. Most hospitals do not have a large enough ER that can
handle a sudden influx of patients and the number of people who die in a hospital due to
reasons other than what they got admitted for is staggeringly high.

All of the following underscore the author’s argument EXCEPT

A.Most hospitals require doctors to do so much paperwork that they spend insufficient
time on direct patient care.
B. Most hospitals recirculate air and therefore, it is very easy for diseases such as anthrax
to spread through the hospital.
C. In smaller cities, the ambulance service is on a voluntary basis and the response time
for calls is much lower than the national average, leading to a higher loss of life.
D.A number of doctors in private hospitals are not held accountable by the
administration for the loss of patients.
 E. Doctors in most private hospitals have performance appraisals based on how much
money they have brought in for the hospital rather than based on how effectively
they treated patients.
Ans. Option C

22. Industrial and automobile pollution have long been thought to contribute to global
warming. However, researchers have identified that the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide
released into the atmosphere are not as potent as the methane emitted by cud-chewing
animals such as cows when they fart or belch. Therefore, if you drive a hybrid electric car to
the grocery, any favor that you would do to the environment would be offset if you end up
buying beef.

Which of the following best describes the author's reasoning?

A.The author establishes a point by drawing an analogy

B. The author disproves a popular notion by providing evidence that is contrary to it
C. The author presents a new theory in response to an existing well-established theory
D.The author uses an illustration to support a new school of thought that is contrary to a
popular school of thought
E. The author makes a comparison between two theories by providing an example
Ans. Option D

23. There are several scientific studies and research findings that are constantly discussed and
publicized in the news media. Some of these are contrary to other research studies that are
published. This conflict in information makes people believe that either science is inaccurate
or that they can ‘choose’ which scientific result they want to believe in. However, neither of
these beliefs is accurate. Science is not inaccurate or subjective. Most of the time, scientific
studies show inconsistent results either because of inaccuracies in methodology adopted or
because of misrepresentation of actual results by the news media. For example, a recent study
done on just 15 women showed that eating chocolate was not necessarily harmful during
pregnancy and the media reported that chocolate was actually beneficial to the foetus.

Which of the following best further corroborate the author’s argument?

A.A study result that shows that the effect of automobile pollution on global warming is
marginal.
B. An unverified study gaining popularity because it seemingly showed that red wine
reduces the risk of cancer on a very small control group.
C. A new study that further collaborates an earlier finding that the consumption of some
types of berries lower the risk of heart failure.
D.The news media highlighting the fact that a study had clearly proven that effects of
certain drugs on rats need not be the same as on humans.
E. People not knowing what to believe because one study shows that a certain disease is
caused by genetic factors, while another shows that it also caused by lifestyle
factors.
Ans. Option B

24. John: A study has identified that many soldiers received less-than-honorable discharges
from the army due to charges of misconduct that can actually be attributed to conditions such
as PTSD and traumatic brain injury. This is a military practice that is unfair and must be
avoided. The army must take responsibility for the same and stop discharging their soldiers
dishonorably.

Christy: While it is true that it is unfair to the soldiers to be discharged so from the army, it
has also been found that there are no sufficient measures or systems that have been created to
identify whether the misconduct was due to trauma or due to other reasons. Moreover, to
enforce discipline in the ranks, it is important for the army to follow a uniform rule for all the
soldiers.

Which of the following statements can Christy further add to her argument?

A.If there is no proper system, then the army should have developed a proper system by
now.
B. Complete elimination of dishonorable discharges would make it more difficult for the
army to monitor and evaluate the soldiers.
C. It is not the army’s fault that there has been no system developed to help those with
PTSD
D.Studies have also found that showing consideration for some soldiers has led to others
taking advantage, indirectly promoting misconduct.
E. There have been instances when the army has been able to identify the reasons for the
misconduct and acted accordingly.
Ans. Option D

25. Jess: To be a woman in this century is far better than to be a woman in centuries past. Life
expectancy for women has - for the first time - surpassed that for men and while only around
20℅ of college students in the late 1800s were women, today, almost 60℅ of college students
are women.

Sam: However, women educated in the top-ranked colleges in the country earn only about
70℅ of what their male counterparts earn. Also, studies show that even today, in a number of
industries, women are refused top management positions simply because they are women.

Which of the following is Jess most likely to say in response to Sam?

A.Women today are healthier and live longer than women in the 1800s, who primarily
died because of child birth.
B. There are more women at the entry-level jobs of most industries than there are men.
C. Women today are better able to juggle professional and personal lives and a number
of them are proving to be successful single mothers.
D.The proportion of women in the judicial and legislative branches of the country is at
its highest and the country elected its first woman president recently.
 E. Women are allowed more freedom today and are not likely to be sacrificed at the altar
of marriage or in a witch hunt.
Ans. Option D