Critical reasoning on short arguments.
47 solved questions · 12 easy · 20 medium · 15 hard
Take a 10-question quiz on Statements, Assumptions & Conclusions, no loginTry each one first, then open the answer and the step-by-step solution.
Statement: All the students of Class X passed the exam. Ravi is a student of Class X. Conclusions: I. Ravi passed the exam. II. Ravi got the first rank. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: A. Only I follows
Solution
Ravi belongs to Class X and all of Class X passed, so I follows. Nothing is said about ranks, so II does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: No cricketer in the club is a chess player. Meena is a cricketer in the club. Conclusions: I. Meena is not a chess player. II. Meena is a good cricketer. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: B. Only I follows
Solution
Meena is in the club and is a cricketer, and no such person plays chess, so I follows. The statement says nothing about how good she is, so II does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: Only students with at least 75% attendance are allowed to sit in the exam. Kiran is allowed to sit in the exam. Conclusions: I. Kiran has at least 75% attendance. II. Kiran has more than 90% attendance. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: C. Only I follows
Solution
Being allowed to sit requires 75% attendance, so Kiran has at least 75%. I follows. He could have exactly 75%, so II does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: In a survey of 200 people, 120 said they prefer tea to coffee. Conclusions: I. More than half of the people surveyed prefer tea to coffee. II. Fewer than 80 of the people surveyed prefer coffee to tea. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: D. Only I follows
Solution
120 is more than half of 200, so I follows. The other 80 may all prefer coffee, so up to 80 may prefer coffee. 'Fewer than 80' is not certain, so II does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: The shop is open every day except Sunday. Conclusions: I. The shop is open on Monday. II. The shop is open on Sunday. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: A. Only I follows
Solution
Every day except Sunday means the shop is open on Monday, so I follows. The shop is closed on Sunday, so II does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: 'Use Brightsmile toothpaste for strong teeth.' (an advertisement) Assumptions: I. People want to have strong teeth. II. Everybody uses toothpaste. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: B. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
The advertisement works only if people value strong teeth, so I is implicit. It does not need everybody to use toothpaste, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: 'Carry an umbrella tomorrow, as the weather office has predicted rain.' Assumptions: I. The weather forecast is reasonably reliable. II. An umbrella protects against rain. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: C. Both I and II are implicit
Solution
The advice makes sense only if the forecast can be trusted and umbrellas keep one dry. Both are implicit. Answer: Both I and II are implicit
Statement: The school announced: 'Students must wear ID cards inside the campus.' Assumptions: I. Students can be identified by their ID cards. II. All students own mobile phones. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: D. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
The rule is meant to allow identification, so I is implicit. Mobile phones have no connection with the rule, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: 'Heavy fines will be charged from anyone found littering in the park.' Assumptions: I. The fear of a fine will discourage people from littering. II. All visitors to the park litter. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: A. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
The fine is announced to deter littering, so I is implicit. The rule does not assume that every visitor litters, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: Many students of a school come late because of the irregular bus service. Courses of action: I. The school should arrange its own transport. II. The school should be shut down. Which course of action follows from the statement?
Answer: D. Only course of action I follows
Solution
Own transport tackles the cause of the lateness, so I follows. Shutting the school is extreme and unrelated, so II does not follow. Answer: Only course of action I follows
Statement: A fire broke out in a godown near the market. Courses of action: I. The fire brigade should be called immediately. II. The market should be closed forever. Which course of action follows from the statement?
Answer: A. Only course of action I follows
Solution
Calling the fire brigade is the direct step, so I follows. Closing the market forever is extreme, so II does not follow. Answer: Only course of action I follows
Question: Should smoking be banned in public places? Arguments: I. Yes, passive smoking harms the health of non-smokers. II. No, smokers pay taxes on cigarettes. Which of the arguments is strong?
Answer: D. Only argument I is strong
Solution
Harm to others is directly relevant and important, so I is strong. Paying taxes does not justify harming others, so II is weak. Answer: Only argument I is strong
Statement: All trains on this route are electric trains. Some electric trains are late. Conclusions: I. Some trains on this route are late. II. All electric trains run on this route. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: B. Neither I nor II follows
Solution
The late electric trains may be on other routes, so I is not certain. The statement only says route trains are electric, not that all electric trains use this route, so II fails. Answer: Neither I nor II follows
Statement: Some pens are pencils. All pencils are erasers. Conclusions: I. Some pens are erasers. II. Some erasers are pens. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: C. Both I and II follow
Solution
The pens that are pencils are also erasers (all pencils are erasers), so I follows. 'Some pens are erasers' reverses to 'Some erasers are pens', so II follows. Answer: Both I and II follow
Statement: All managers attended the meeting. Some who attended the meeting received a gift. Conclusions: I. Some managers received a gift. II. Some who received a gift attended the meeting. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: D. Only II follows
Solution
The people who got gifts may not be managers, so I is not certain. Some who attended got gifts, which reverses to II, so II follows. Answer: Only II follows
Statement: The price of onions in the Nashik market fell by 30% last week, while the price in the Pune market did not change. Conclusions: I. Onion supply in Nashik was higher than in Pune. II. Onions in Nashik are cheaper now than they were a week ago. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: A. Only II follows
Solution
A 30% fall means the price is now lower than a week ago, so II follows. The cause of the fall is not given (it may not be supply), so I does not follow. Answer: Only II follows
Statement: Neha scored more than Ravi in the test. Ravi scored more than Tara. Conclusions: I. Tara scored less than Neha. II. Neha scored the highest among all students in the test. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: B. Only I follows
Solution
Neha > Ravi > Tara, so Tara scored less than Neha. I follows. Other students are not mentioned and may have scored more than Neha, so II does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: No doctor is a lawyer. Some lawyers are teachers. Conclusions: I. Some teachers are not doctors. II. No teacher is a doctor. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: C. Only I follows
Solution
The teachers who are lawyers cannot be doctors, so some teachers are not doctors. I follows. Other teachers may be doctors, so II does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: Only registered voters can vote in the election. Asha did not vote. Conclusions: I. Asha is not a registered voter. II. Anyone who voted in the election is a registered voter. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: D. Only II follows
Solution
Asha may be registered and still have chosen not to vote, so I does not follow. 'Only registered voters can vote' means every voter is registered, so II follows. Answer: Only II follows
Statement: Most of the buses of the city corporation run on CNG. Conclusions: I. Some buses of the corporation run on CNG. II. All buses of the corporation run on CNG. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: A. Only I follows
Solution
'Most' means more than half, which implies at least some. I follows. 'Most' does not mean all, so II does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: The railway has decided to run extra trains during Diwali. Assumptions: I. More passengers than usual travel during Diwali. II. Extra trains are never run in other seasons. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: B. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
Extra trains are justified by extra demand, so I is implicit. The statement says nothing about other seasons, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: Rahul's manager said: 'Submit the report before 5 pm; I will review it tonight.' Assumptions: I. Rahul is able to submit the report before 5 pm. II. The manager will be available tonight. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: C. Both I and II are implicit
Solution
The instruction assumes it is possible to finish by 5 pm, and the review plan assumes the manager is free tonight. Both are implicit. Answer: Both I and II are implicit
Statement: The government has banned plastic bags in order to reduce pollution. Assumptions: I. Plastic bags cause pollution. II. No alternatives to plastic bags exist. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: D. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
The ban is based on plastic bags polluting, so I is implicit. The ban works better if alternatives exist, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: An advertisement says: 'Join Sunrise Coaching and crack the bank exam.' Assumptions: I. People want to clear the bank exam. II. Coaching can help in clearing the exam. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: A. Both I and II are implicit
Solution
The advertiser assumes that readers want the goal and that coaching helps in reaching it. Both are implicit. Answer: Both I and II are implicit
Statement: Because the lift is out of order, residents are requested to use the stairs. Assumptions: I. The stairs are usable. II. All residents live on the ground floor. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: B. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
The request makes sense only if stairs can be used, so I is implicit. If all lived on the ground floor, no request would be needed, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: Dengue cases in the city have risen sharply this month. Courses of action: I. The municipal corporation should start fogging and awareness campaigns. II. All citizens should be asked to leave the city. Which course of action follows from the statement?
Answer: B. Only course of action I follows
Solution
Fogging and awareness address the spread, so I follows. Evacuating the city is impractical and extreme, so II does not follow. Answer: Only course of action I follows
Statement: Many passengers have complained about dirty toilets in the trains of a particular route. Courses of action: I. The railway should improve cleaning on that route. II. The railway should stop running trains on that route. Which course of action follows from the statement?
Answer: C. Only course of action I follows
Solution
Better cleaning solves the complaint directly, so I follows. Stopping the trains is an extreme step, so II does not follow. Answer: Only course of action I follows
Statement: The exam results will be late because of a technical glitch in the evaluation software. Courses of action: I. The board should fix the software and announce a revised date. II. All exams should be cancelled and conducted again. Which course of action follows from the statement?
Answer: D. Only course of action I follows
Solution
Fixing the fault and informing students is the sensible step, so I follows. Re-conducting the exams is unnecessary, so II does not follow. Answer: Only course of action I follows
Question: Should helmets be compulsory for pillion riders on two-wheelers? Arguments: I. Yes, helmets greatly reduce head injuries in accidents. II. No, helmets are costly. Which of the arguments is strong?
Answer: A. Only argument I is strong
Solution
Saving lives is the key issue, so I is strong. Cost is minor compared with safety, so II is weak. Answer: Only argument I is strong
Question: Should coding be taught as a compulsory subject in schools? Arguments: I. Yes, it develops logical thinking and is useful for future jobs. II. No, some students may not like it. Which of the arguments is strong?
Answer: B. Only argument I is strong
Solution
Skills and career benefit are relevant and weighty, so I is strong. Personal liking is a weak reason against a useful subject, so II is weak. Answer: Only argument I is strong
Question: Should private vehicles be banned from the old market area of a city? Arguments: I. Yes, it will reduce congestion and pollution. II. No, some shopkeepers own cars. Which of the arguments is strong?
Answer: C. Only argument I is strong
Solution
Congestion and pollution are the real issues, so I is strong. Owning a car is a personal matter that does not address the issue, so II is weak. Answer: Only argument I is strong
Argument: Cities with more parks have lower crime rates. Therefore, building more parks in a city will reduce its crime. Which of the following, if true, weakens the argument most?
Answer: A. Parks are usually built in wealthy neighbourhoods that already have low crime.
Solution
The argument assumes parks cause lower crime. If parks are built in places that already have low crime for other reasons, the link is broken. The other options do not touch the link between parks and crime. Answer: Parks are usually built in wealthy neighbourhoods that already have low crime.
Statement: All poets are dreamers. No dreamer is a miser. Some misers are rich. Conclusions: I. No poet is a miser. II. Some rich persons are not poets. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: B. Both I and II follow
Solution
Poets are dreamers and no dreamer is a miser, so no poet is a miser. I follows. The rich misers are misers, so they are not poets. Hence some rich persons are not poets. II follows. Answer: Both I and II follow
Statement: Some actors are singers. All singers are dancers. Some dancers are judges. Conclusions: I. Some actors are judges. II. Some singers are not judges. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: C. Neither I nor II follows
Solution
The dancers who are judges may not be singers or actors, so I is not certain. All singers could be judges, so II is not certain. Answer: Neither I nor II follows
Statement: If it rains, the match will be cancelled. The match was not cancelled. Conclusions: I. It did not rain. II. It rained but the match was played anyway. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: D. Only I follows
Solution
'If rain then cancelled' with 'not cancelled' gives 'no rain' (if it had rained, the match would have been cancelled). I follows. II contradicts the statement, so it does not follow. Answer: Only I follows
Statement: If it rains, the match will be cancelled. The match was cancelled. Conclusions: I. It rained. II. The match was cancelled only because of rain. Which of the following follows from the statement?
Answer: A. Neither I nor II follows
Solution
The match may have been cancelled for another reason, such as a strike or a pitch problem. The statement gives rain as a sufficient cause, not the only cause. Neither follows. Answer: Neither I nor II follows
Statement: The company decided to increase the price of its product by 10% to improve its profit. Assumptions: I. The demand will not fall so much that revenue drops. II. All competitors will also increase their prices. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: C. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
The decision assumes the higher price will not lose so many buyers that profit falls, so I is implicit. The plan does not depend on competitors' actions, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: The manager told the team: 'Anyone who finishes the project early will get a day off.' Assumptions: I. Employees value a day off. II. The project can be finished early. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: D. Both I and II are implicit
Solution
A reward works only if employees want it, and the offer assumes early completion is possible. Both are implicit. Answer: Both I and II are implicit
Statement: Meera will take the old road to Pune on Saturday because the highway is usually jammed on weekends. Assumptions: I. The old road is likely to be less jammed than the highway. II. Meera cannot travel by any other mode. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: A. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
Her choice assumes the old road is better in terms of traffic, so I is implicit. She may have other modes available, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: The institute decided to hold online classes for the next week as the campus will be closed due to floods. Assumptions: I. Students have access to the internet. II. The flood will end after one week. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: B. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
Online classes work only if students can connect, so I is implicit. The plan is only for one week and does not assume the flood will end, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: 'The new app will reduce waiting time at our clinic,' said the doctor. Assumptions: I. Patients will use the app. II. All patients are above 18 years of age. Which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement?
Answer: C. Only assumption I is implicit
Solution
The claim needs patients to actually use the app, so I is implicit. Age has no link with the claim, so II is not implicit. Answer: Only assumption I is implicit
Statement: The water level in a village well has gone down drastically this summer. Courses of action: I. The panchayat should promote rainwater harvesting. II. The villagers should stop using water entirely. Which course of action follows from the statement?
Answer: A. Only course of action I follows
Solution
Rainwater harvesting helps recharge the groundwater, so I follows. Stopping water use is impossible, so II does not follow. Answer: Only course of action I follows
Statement: Two employees of a firm were caught leaking confidential data to a rival. Courses of action: I. The firm should take disciplinary action against the two employees. II. The firm should review its data security systems. Which course of action follows from the statement?
Answer: B. Both I and II follow
Solution
Action against the guilty and tighter security are both direct and reasonable responses. Both follow. Answer: Both I and II follow
Statement: The sales of a company have fallen for three consecutive quarters. Courses of action: I. The company should study the reasons and revise its strategy. II. The company should sell all its assets at once. Which course of action follows from the statement?
Answer: C. Only course of action I follows
Solution
Finding the cause and changing strategy is a logical step, so I follows. Selling all assets is an extreme reaction, so II does not follow. Answer: Only course of action I follows
Question: Should the government give free laptops to all college students? Arguments: I. Yes, it will help students access online study material. II. No, laptops are made of metal and plastic. Which of the arguments is strong?
Answer: D. Only argument I is strong
Solution
Access to study material is relevant and important, so I is strong. What laptops are made of is irrelevant, so II is weak. Answer: Only argument I is strong
Argument: Airline X claims it is the most punctual airline because 90% of its flights last year arrived on time. Which of the following is an assumption on which the claim depends?
Answer: B. Every other airline had a lower on-time percentage than 90%.
Solution
To call itself 'the most punctual', Airline X must be assuming no other airline did better than 90%. The other options (routes, preferences, price) do not support a comparison of punctuality. Answer: Every other airline had a lower on-time percentage than 90%.
Argument: Ankita scored well in all the mock tests she took at a coaching centre, so she will score well in the real exam. Which of the following, if true, weakens the argument most?
Answer: C. The mock tests were far easier than the real exam.
Solution
The conclusion depends on the mocks being a fair predictor of the real exam. If they were much easier, good scores on them say little about the real exam. The other options do not weaken the link. Answer: The mock tests were far easier than the real exam.
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