Critical Reasoning Practice Test 02.docx

Critical Reasoning Practice Test 2 Question 1 Everyone desires to be healthy. Sometimes it is difficult, especially when you crave foods that aren't good for you. Some people crave for sweets, others for salted fried snacks. Then we have the cola addicts, who must have their regular quota everyday or they go into depression. The cigarette, alcohol and chocolate lovers are a breed apart. It takes a lot of discipline to get over these addictions. You may sincerely desire to give up these cravings but you may discover that you remain powerless to the demands of your taste buds.  Which of the following is the point that the author is trying to make? Many people lack the will power to get over their addictions. People can't help eating what appeals to their taste buds even if it is bad for them. People are not eating healthy and need to get over their cravings for junk foods. Even if one wants to eat healthy one can not do so because of being addicted The first step towards healthy eating is to stop eating foods that aren't good for you. Correct Answer : D Explanation: The author clearly talks about addictions that people have. He is not just talking about foods which are not good for a person. Hence we reject E which does not talk about addictions or cravings. It is not only will power that is required to get over cravings. Other factors are also responsible for this. Some people need to get professional help as well. Hence we can not say that people lack the will power to get over their addictions. Hence we reject A. The author does not only talk about junk food, he talks about all types of addictions. Hence C is not suitable. B and D are both suitable answers. What the author is trying to say is that even if people are aware about the ill effects of certain foods they can do little to help themselves. They are addicted to these foods. There is a difference in being addicted to something and eating what appeals to the taste buds. Hence D clarifies the author's point better than B Question 2 Last year, a proactive initiative by the state government to publish the answer sheets, backfired when students discovered discrepancies in the way the questions had been marked. They found that in one paper, a student who hadn't attempted all the questions, still got cent per cent score and in a few others the tally of marks didn't add up. Following this embarrassment, the state government decided against publishing a similar booklet this year. Some students and teachers are of the view that the booklet should be published. Which of the following is the best reason for publishing the booklet? Students of the succeeding batches can learn how top scorers attempt Students of the succeeding batches can learn how the question papers are evaluated Students of the succeeding batches can observe the way in which the answers are presented. Students of the succeeding batches can get motivated to take more interest in the way they attempt the question paper It can act as a sample question-answer bank for students. Correct Answer : A Explanation: E is clearly not a very strong point. Since there were mistakes in marking the answer sheets of the previous year, it is not likely that the students will trust the way the question papers are evaluated. At least they would not prefer this reason over other reasons for going through the answer sheets. Hence we reject B. From among A, C and D, A is the most suitable answer option. Since the papers of only the top scorers are printed a student can learn how the top scorers score above the average students. This includes the way in which they use their language, their knowledge and their presentation skills in order to attempt the paper better than others can. Hence we are not only interested in the presentation but in other aspects as well. Also it is not only motivation but actually observing and learning from the answer sheets that would really help students. Hence we can say that A is the best answer option. Question 3 I had been meaning to go to Basic for over two weeks. The thought of being able to choose from a wide range of sandwiches was immensely appealing. It is a simple unpretentious place. Just like the food and its owner. In fact I can use the same words to describe all three; light, unique, quiet, simple and unpretentious. As I scanned the menu I noticed that it had been very reasonably priced. And when you combine it with the offers they have got, it ends up being very pocket friendly.  Who from among the following is most likely to frequent the place? Ann - she is a working woman who loves to go out with her family for dinners for a change Adam - a businessman who has to discusses business with clients, mostly over a cup of coffee in a public place Sam - he is a college going boy who very often eats out with friends Andy - she loves to eat by herself in places where she can read books while munching on her favoutire snacks Sammy - he plans to taste the sandwiches available in all shops of the city Correct Answer : D Explanation: Clearly the place is not ideal for dinner outings, nor is it suitable for business meetings. Hence Ann and Adam would not prefer going there. Of the other three Sammy only intends to taste the sandwiches of the different shops in the city. He will certainly go to Basic, but it likely that he does not go there as frequently, as he would prefer eating at different places. Hence, we are left with Sam and Andy. Both of them would like the place. But Andy is more likely to frequent the place. She prefers to read in isolation and clearly she would prefer a quiet place for reading. Moreover Sam being a college going boy would prefer a noisier place, full of college going youngsters like him. Hence we can say that Andy would frequent the place most often. Question 4 Many children today are losing the charm of fairytales. They grow too quickly and the tales of fairies, princes and princesses are as unknown to them as their old age home grandparents. They make children more aware of sentiments. Fairytales are like childhood itself, a happy innocent and pure childhood where dreams aren't under the pressure of deadlines. Hence, instead of becoming escapists, they are a kind of platform upon which dreams of tomorrow can be built. All fairytales have a happy ending which teaches a child that finally it is goodness that wins. Moreover they inspire to be hopeful even in the worst situations. Fairytales are more than true - not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.  Which of the following is the best impact that fairy tales have on children? Fairytales give an outlet to a child's imagination and fantasies. They are like a balm for the child psychology and relaxes them They are a child's first step into the world of literature. By establishing the importance of goodness they nurture sensitivity and finer emotions. By emphasizing the importance of goodness, most fairytales teach the realities of life Correct Answer : E Explanation: We have to analyze the options on the basis of the paragraph given. Nowhere in the paragraph does the author co-relate fairytales with literature. Hence we reject C. Similarly it is not mentioned in the paragraph that fairytales give an outlet to a child's imagination. Hence we reject A as well. Out of B, D and E, we can say that the best impact that fairy tales have on children is the point given in E. Since fairytales are purely like dreams they have the ability to convey that life is not a bed of roses and hence a child somewhere gets aware of the realities of life. Also like stated in the last sentence fairytales help a child learn that goodness can fight the dragons of the world. On the other hand B just emphasizes on the relaxation that fairy tales provide. Also D talks about nurturing finer emotions in children but in comparison E is the best impact that fairy tales have on children. Question 5 Online mapping systems that permit a user to mark a particular place are becoming quiet a rage these days as people all over the globe are using it to mark out their favourite places. This trend probably began with the Yahoo Maps when parents would check out the university, neighborhood when their children went abroad for studies. Today internet users can choose from options like Google Earth and WikiMapia.  Which of the following is the most suitable criticism of the technology presented in the above paragraph? The images are not clear enough The maps can not be used by a person who is new to the city The local areas are not marked in the maps Most maps can not be properly printed and hence can not be consulted when most required The maps cannot be used to locate a place one has not been to Correct Answer : D Explanation: Maps are most useful when one has to travel. If one does not have a map in a new place it gets difficult for him to locate places even if he gets the directions from someone. Hence maps which are printed are most useful. Since one can not get proper prints of the maps it becomes pointless to have these facilities. Hence we can easily say that D is the most suitable criticism of the above technological development. Question 6 States of depression do not just happen. There is a clear co-relation between nutritional deficiencies and mental health. Depression is actually one of the early signs of nutritional depletion. Diseases begin when the body begins to get imbalanced. The imbalances can be identified and corrected with proper food, herbs and vitamins. Besides oxygen, clean water, we need proper food that nourishes our body and brains.  What does the author want to convey? Right food can help people with mental illnesses recover people who suffer from depression should change their eating habits one can cure diseases by eating the correct food nutritional deficiencies lead to mental imbalance right food is important to remain mentally healthy Correct Answer : D Explanation: The author presents two points. Firstly he says that there is a direct relation between nutritional deficiencies and mental health. Secondly he says that imbalances in the body can be corrected with the right kind of food. Of these two points he emphasizes on the reason for the existence of imbalances in body. He does not say that diseases can be cured by eating the right kind of food. Hence we can reject A, B and C. Out of D and E we can say that D is more appropriate. The author is talking about the direct link between nutritional deficiencies and mental health rather than the importance of the right kind of food. Hence we can say that D is the best answer. Question 7 Aman - I need to take a break. I can feel the effect of stress due to office work on my health. Ara - You must go and see a doctor.  Which of the following conversations is similar to the one mentioned above? Sam - I want to go finish my work before this weekend, so I can enjoy it. Sammy - You will have to work overtime for doing that. Sunny - I think you must go to the party. You will get to meet a lot of new people who you can do business with. Nic - I don't think I shall enjoy myself there. Ali - Give me a reason for not coming over to my house today.All - There is only one reason and that I can not tell you now. I shall clarify later. Mike - I want to give a little portion of my salary for charity. I need to be more sensitive towards society.Niki - You must surf the net to see how you can help the society. Simi - Cheer up, you should not be so touchy about her behaviour. She generally behaves like this when she is angry. Sally - I think it will take me another day to get over this. Correct Answer : D Explanation: The conversation is an example of how the second person can not correctly interpret what the main point of the speaker. He instead misunderstands the explanation to be of more importance and answers according to that.In A we see a direct statement and a direct reaction. Sammy does not misunderstand Sam. He reacts to the statement and not to the reason. In B Nic neither reacts to the first statement of Sunny nor to the second. He tells his own independent view.In C a completely different situation is presented which can not be compared with the above example on any way.In D we see a similar situation where Niki reacts to the reason which Mike gives. He does not suggest how or to whom Mike should donate, instead he tells Mike to surf the net to see how he can help.In E Sally reacts to the first statement of Simi. D is the most similar conversation. Question 8 Over the last couple of months, many people can be seen wearing bug sunglasses. Fashion critics say that it was Mike Grand who started this trend but teens argue that it is for a good reason that they are imitating the look. Says Sana, a fashion student, "One reason that bug sunglasses have gotten so popular is because they protect the skin around the eyes. Suns rays can be really harsh and big shades really help." This trend is not only limited to girls. Even boys these days have no apprehensions about wearing oversized shades. Teenage boys fell that they are making a fashion statement.  Which of the following is the most appropriate title for this? Shades That Protect Protect Your Eyes This Summer Bug Sunglasses- Hottest Accessory for Teens Bug Sunglasses-for Protection and Fashion Bug Sunglasses - More Than Just a Fashion Accessory Correct Answer : D Explanation: The paragraph does not only talk about shades. It talks bout a particular type of shades. Hence we can reject A. moreover it does not talk about only the protection that shades provide but also about its being a fashion accessory. Hence we reject B. Similarly we reject C. it does highlight that the paragraph is about Bug sunglasses but it does not emphasize how it is also used for protection by some. Out of D and E we can say that D gives a more precise hint at what the paragraph is about. Where E does not tell how the sunglasses are more than just a fashion accessory, D tells the reader that they are protective. Hence we can say that D is the best answer option. Question 9 Today's work force has a new set of values. Ten years ago a manager who was offered a promotion in a distant city would not have questioned the move. Today a manager in that same situation might choose family happiness instead of career advancement. Which one of the following is the most significant assumption made by the author? Ten years back people were more conscious about morals People are more attached to their families now Ten years back promotions were more important than family happiness The members of a family need to be together to be happy A promotion is a way of luring an employee to post him to a distant city Correct Answer : D Explanation: The author is not talking about morals but about values. He is not comparing the sincerity or truthfulness of people and hence A is not an assumption of the author. E could be a true statement but it is not a significant assumption. The author is not trying to tell the reader how employers work; instead he is trying to tell how employees are behaving now as compared with ten years back. Hence we reject E. Out of the remaining three D is the most important and significant assumption. It is on the basis of this assumption that he makes a distinction between people now and ten years back. He tries to say that people now are more bothered about staying with their family than about promotions and he has assumed that a family is happy only when the members live together. Hence D is the most significant assumption of the author. Question 10 The markets are flooded with a new crop of personal computers that emphasize the personal. With attention to form, texture and materials, these machines are intended to make a statement about their owners, much the way an elegant wristwatch, the cut and make of a fine suit or a stylish car can suggest taste and social status. These PCs meant as much to be seen as to be used. Which of the following statements best criticizes the new product? These computers are costlier than other computers They are best suited for people who are very fashion conscious It turns out to be a piece of decoration as its features are limited The computers do not offer anything new in terms of technology Professionals prefer the old formal look of computers as they do not want to reveal their personal side in their profession Correct Answer : C Explanation: The author has written about personal computers and not about the computers used by professionals in their offices. Hence we reject E. The new computers are not meant to be a fashion accessory. The author only compares them with well stylized things and not with fashions. Hence we reject B. A, C and D can be considered as suitable criticisms. Of these three we can say that C is the best answer option. A fails to criticize the main point made by the author. He talks about the look of the computer which has not been mentioned in A. similarly B also does not criticize the look of the computer. C on the other hand points that even though the computers are good to look at they fail to be of use s they have very limited features, thereby criticizing its look and purpose both. C is the best answer option. Question 11 The market is flooded with a huge range of home furnishing products for children. Most of these are designed with the latest and most popular cartoon characters.  Which of the following is most suitable assumption on which the trend is based? Children love cartoons. People are paying more attention to decorating their children's rooms according to their taste. Rooms furnished with products depicting cartoon characters help in keeping children happy and cheerful Since the number of cartoons on TV are ever increasing, it is important to have the latest cartoon products for sale Designing products according to the likings of the customers results in better sales. Correct Answer : D Explanation: Sine A is a general statement we can not say that it is an assumption and hence we reject it. The paragraph has two points. Firstly it states that now there are products available in the market which are especially designed for children. Secondly it tells that these products are mostly designed keeping in mind the latest cartoon characters. Hence the main point of the author is the availability of these products. Thus we can say that the trend has been started keeping on mind the fact that products designed especially for children will be bought. Thus we can say that B and E are two main assumptions on the basis of which the trend has caught up. Out of these two E is a more general statement. It is on the basis of B that home furnishing products especially designed for children are now available. Question 12 The Puffins Good Reading Guide for Children is a treasure trove. Apart from an introduction by Ruskin Bond and his list of favourite books, the rook offers a methodical offering of all the books one could read. The highlight is its attitude to reading. It dismisses the popular myth that one should read only classics and ancient ones at all. So the book acts as eye opener not only for children but also for adults.  Which of the following is most attractive feature of the book? The introduction by Ruskin Bond. It appeals to both adults and children. It lists all good books which a beginner should read It can be used by even those who have been reading for a long time. It inspires the reader to read books as it even lists the dos and donts of the hobby Correct Answer : D Explanation: The book is meant for children and hence it is not likely that an adult will read it. An adult will only appreciate the book if he happens to read it. Hence we can not say that B is an attractive feature of the book. The introduction by Ruskin Bond is only one aspect of the book. A reader will not just read the introduction and appreciate the book. He will analyze what the book has to offer to him. Hence only the introduction can not attract the reader. Out of C, D and E, D is the most attractive feature of the book. Clearly for a beginner the book can be very useful but it holds value even for a person who has been reading books before. Hence any child, a regular reader or otherwise will find the book attractive. This in turn means that the book is essentially for all children and hence this feature makes the book attractive. Question 13 You won't be spending too much money either because all you need to do is change the artifacts, move the furniture around and throw in some interesting new elements like some pottery, paintings, framed pictures etc. The idea is to do rearrange the house in such a way that it looks new to you. Which is the best title for the paragraph? Old House New Look No Expenses Reset Your House New Interiors on a Low Budget Just Rearrange and See the Change Latest Trend In Home Furnishing Correct Answer : C Explanation: Clearly E is not an appropriate title. The article is not about what the latest trends are. Since the paragraph talks about expenses it is required to mention this point in the title. Thus we reject B and D. Out of A and C we can say that C is more appropriate. Since the paragraph does not suggest that the expenses will be zero we can not accept A. the paragraph only mentions that the expenses will be minimum and that is suggested in C. though C does mention new interiors it does not necessarily imply that new items have to be bought. It here implies rearranging the things. C is the best title for the paragraph. Question 14 Is there anything interesting happening in your neighbourhood or school? Is there something you would like to share with the readers of the YW in the column of the Kaleidoscope? Then write to us in not more than 100 words giving your name, school and place. Poems will not be accepted. Your feedback is also welcome. Which of the following is most significant assumption of the publishers of the advertisement? Children require an opportunity to exhibit their writing abilities Children like to see their name in print in a leading daily Nurturing talent at an early age is important Children can not write very long passages Children require a medium to express their views Correct Answer : E Explanation: D is not an assumption of the publishers. It is because of the fact that the publishers think that children can write more than 100 words that they have tried to put a word limit in order to avoid receiving very long articles. Hence we reject D. Clearly all of the others are assumptions of the publishers. Out of these we are looking for the most significant assumption. We can reject B as it is not such an important factor. C does not emphasize on the ability of children to write well. It is just a general statement. Hence we reject it. Out of A and E we can say that E is a more appropriate answer option. Since the advertisement tries to tell children to write about what is happening in their neighbourhood and school we can say that the publishers want to give them an opportunity to express their ideas and views about things happening around them. Moreover it is clear that the publishers do not want to receive poems and writing poems is also a form of writing. Hence the publishers do not intend to encourage the writing abilities as much as they want children to get a chance to express their views. Question 15 The U.S. State Department is ready to receive an unusual guest from Pakistan - an orphaned snow leopard cub. Thirteen-month-old Leo is being sent to New York after surviving both the loss of his parents and the Pakistan earthquake. He was found in the snow-hit north of the country last year by a shepherd who hand fed him to keep him alive. The snow leopard is one of the world's most endangered big cat species. The shepherd's family cared for the animal for several months, but he grew too big and he was handed over to the authorities. Officials say that under the terms of the agreement, Pakistan will receive help from the U.S. to develop a snow leopard conservation centre.  What is the most significant thing that a reader can infer about the U.S. from the passage? The country is willing to take care of Leo The country can be trusted by other countries to be capable of taking care of endangered animals The U.S. has provisions enough to take care of endangered species. The U.S. supports other countries in their programs to conserve wild life The U.S. is ready to set up a snow leopard conservation centre wherever it is required Correct Answer : D Explanation: A is certainly not the correct answer option.The reader can clearly infer much more significant things from the paragraph. We cannot say that E is correct as the U.S. has only agreed to help Pakistan to set up the conservation center.And that too in exchange of Leo. We can not say to what extent shall the U.S. help Pakistan and in which way.Hence we can not say that E is correct. Out of B, C and D, we can say that the most significant inference is D.Any country which has the ability to take care of endangered species will be trusted by other countries in the matter.What is very significant about the U.S. is that it is willing to support Pakistan and hence we can infer that it will extend its support to any other country as well.D is the best answer