e s

s s
C la
e
il n
O n
Logical Reasoning – 9
Critical Reasoning
Critical reasoning is made up of short reading passages. Unlike reading
e s
s s
comprehension, here every single word should be considered carefully, shades of

la
meaning are very important. Each of these passages is followed by one or two
questions. These questions test your analytical and logical reasoning.

requirements to master critical reasoning.

e C
Before getting on to solving right away, let us try to understand the basic

il n
1. Understanding the basic structure of inferential reasoning passages
2. Identifying the parts of the argumentative passages
3.
4.
Studying the question types
Attacking the questions O n
5. Eliminating the choices
Understanding the basic structure of inferential reasoning passages
e s
s s
Most critical reasoning passages are in the form of arguments in which the writer

la
tries to convince the reader about something.

C
Most of the arguments are built on certain facts. The facts could be one or many.
On the basis of these facts one tries to give a conclusion to an argument. In this

e
process of concluding, one or many assumptions could also have been made.

il n
Hence, we could say:
Every argumentative statement will have three main parts, viz.
1.
2.
Conclusion
Premise/Facts O n
3. Assumptions
Having understood the general content of argumentative passages, now we need to
e s
s s
understand, what is a conclusion, a premise and an assumption and how each one

la
differs from the other.
Conclusion : This is what one is trying to convince the other person of.

e C
Premises : These are the pieces of evidence one gives to support his conclusion.
Assumptions : These are unstated ideas or evidence without which the entire

il n
conclusion might be invalid.
Visually an argument looks like this:

Elements of an Argument

Conclusion
O n
Premises / Reasons
P1 P2 P3

It can be said that the conclusion rests on the pillars or is supported by the pillars of
premises.
Identifying the Premise(s) and the Conclusion
e s
s s
la
Most of the critical reasoning problems require evaluation and analysis of the
arguments. Before analysing any argument one needs to identify and understand
the different parts of an argument.

e C
Any argumentative statement could be in the form:

il n
i. Premise, premise, premise, conclusion
ii. Conclusion, premise, premise, premise

O n
So if we are to identify a conclusion, we should be looking at either the beginning of
the statement or at the end of the statement. If you are looking for a premise, it
might again be either at the beginning and continues till the middle or starts in the
middle and goes on till the end of the argument.
If you are looking for assumptions, then you need to remember that assumptions
are not stated in the argument. Most of the arguments will have facts leading to
conclusions based on assumptions.
 e s
Advertisers are paying large sums of money to have their products casually shown
in films and television programmes watched by millions.

s s
C la
Which of the following is an assumption being made by the advertisers?
(a)
e
The government will soon ban all advertisements in movies and television

il n
programmes.
(b) People watching those film and television programmes will want to buy the

(c)
casually advertised products.

O n
Showing products in films and television programmes is the best form of
advertising.
(d) People watch movies to find out which products the artists use.

Question – 1
 e
In Goa, where most people walk to their offices, the footwear industry has decideds
s s
to design all footwear on the acupressure philosophy. This decision was taken in the

la
light of a request by the Goanse human resources minister that footwear be
designed in such a manner so as to reduce fatigue among people walking to office

C
so that they are more productive at work.

e
il n
Which of the following assumptions must have been made by the minister before
making the above request?

(b)
from walking to office. n
(a) The people of Goa having complained to the HR minister that they get tired

O
The less tired a person is, the more productive he will be at his work.
(c) People in Goa are inherently of weak disposition and get tired easily.
(d) People of Goa cannot afford to buy a vehicle for commuting to office.

Question – 2
The clinical branches of medicine like surgery and gynaecology are very
e s
s s
demanding. If a woman wants to take up medicine as a profession, it is important for

la
her to marry a doctor. Only then can she have a successful career in medicine.

passage?
e C
Which of the following assumptions is being drawn by the author of the above

(a)
il n
Female doctors interfere with the work of their male counterparts.
(b)
(c)
O n
Male doctors are not surgeons or gynaecologists.
For a fulfilling career in a demanding profession, it is important to have an
understanding life partner and people sharing the same profession understand
its demands better.
(d) Most women doctors need the aid of male doctors for success in their career.

Question – 3
In early times, social ostracism, minor penalty and non-cooperation were
e s
s s
predominantly used to tackle the criminals. However, political prisoners, anti-social

la
hardcore elements, organized dacoits etc., had to be kept separately outside the
main society, which gave birth to the creation of the prison. Initially, it was thought

C
that by confining the criminals to the prison, they could be prevented from causing
further social problems. But once they are out of prisons, they may indulge in anti-

e
social activities. Hence, there is the need to reform the jail inmates by inculcating

il n
positive values in them.

(a) n
Which of the following assumptions is the basis of the conclusion above?

O
Political prisoners, hardcore criminals and organized dacoits are more
dangerous than petty criminals.
(b) Social boycott often allows opportunities for introspection and self-culture.
(c) Most anti-social activities are committed by those who have been released
from jails.
(d) Those who nurture positive values do not take to anti social behaviour.

Question – 4
Four days ago Baba Nagdev had viral fever, so he took treatment from Dr No. Baba
e s
s
Nagdev is still running a temperature. Therefore, Dr No is worthless.
s
C
Which of the following statements weakens the above argument? la
(a)
e
It is possible to judge professional competence on the basis of a single

il n
incident.
(b) The writer is a frequent visitor at Dr No‟s clinic.
(c)
(d)
O n
Dr No was suffering from an ailment himself at the time of consultation.
A new strain of virus, which might have caused the fever in Baba Nagdev,
takes atleast seven days to respond to treatment.

Question – 5
Silver is less dense than gold. Therefore, silver will float in molten gold.
e s
s s
What is the assumption in the above argument?
(a)
C
Silver will displace more water than gold when immersed. la
(b)
e
The thing that is less dense will float in the thing that is more dense.
(c) Silver is heavier than gold.
il n
(d) None of these

O n

Question – 6
To raise your CAT scores, you should attend TESTU classes. However, Mahek
e s
s s
attended TESTU classes and she could not significantly raise her scores. Therefore,

la
one is well off without TESTU.

C
Which of the following statements can weaken this argument?

e
il n
(a) Mahek is an exceptionally brilliant student.
(b) Mahek was not a regular student.
(c)
(d) None of these
O n
Mahek‟s results may not be representative of the general trend.

Question – 7
 e s
It is obvious that Bertha could not have qualified at the Olympic Selection Trials.

s s
Everyone knows that Bertha did not get even a single medal at the University Sports

la
Meet.

What is the assumption in the above argument?

e C
il n
(a) Bertha is still a maverick.
(b) The Olympic selection trials have low qualifying marks.
(c)
selection trials.
O n
The University Sports Meet is an essential precursor to the Olympic

(d) Athletes who fail to perform in the University Sports Meet cannot qualify at the
Olympic selection trials.

Question – 8
 e s
It is a commonly known fact that most people in this firm do not bother to file a leave

s s
application before proceeding on casual leave for a day or two. Many times you will

la
walk into the office and see an unaccountably empty chair.

What conclusion is the writer arriving at?

e C
il n
(a) The defaulters must be taken to task during performance appraisals.
(b) The personnel department does not monitor the situation actively enough.
(c)
(d) None of these
O n
The leave policy of the organisation may not be very stringent.

Question – 9
 e
Earthquakes will continue to ravage the earth‟s surface till such time that new s
s s
oceanic plates are formed. The only way to tackle this fury of nature is to ensure
that all structures are built using the latest quake proof engineering techniques. That
would mean the difference between life and death.

C la
e
From the information presented above, it may be concluded that
(a)
il n
ocean plates form over a long period of time.
(b)
(c)
O n
earthquakes do not claim human lives, buildings in the quake area do.
high intensity earthquakes do not take place frequently; however regular
release of energy produces low magnitude earthquakes.
(d) earthquake proof engineering techniques should be used to limit the risks to life
and property.

Question – 10
 e s
Although Kautilya has been hailed as a giant figure in Indian intellectual history, his

s s
ideas were largely borrowed from his predecessors, now unfairly neglected by

la
historians. Furthermore, Kautilya never wrote a truly great book; his most widely
known works are muddy in style, awkwardly constructed, and often self-

C
contradictory.

e
il n
With which of the following would the author most likely agree?
(a) Kautilya made use of ideas without acknowledging his predecessors as the

(b)
sources of those ideas.

O n
Current historians are re-evaluating the work of Kautilya in the light of present-
day knowledge.
(c) Kautilya‟s contributions to the development of Indian thought have been greatly
exaggerated.
(d) Historians should re-examine Kautilya‟s place in Indian intellectual history.

Question – 11
 e
The two most powerful insurance groups, that were till now aggressive competitorss
s s
are trying to negotiate a merger. The CEOs of the two companies say that the

la
merger will result in the formation of a huge lobby that would speak with one voice
on legislation to define patients‟ rights.

e C
Which of the following can inferred from the given statements?
(a)
il n
The two groups are advocates of minimal rights to patients.
(b)
(c)
O n
At present there is no legislation that defines rights of patients
The forthcoming legislation favors merger of the two insurance giants.
(d) The two companies individually will not be able to voice their opinion effectively

Question – 12
 e
Opening a garment business in Ahmedabad is not inadvisable, despite what criticss
s s
of the plan may say. Ten years ago we opened an ice cream business in Surat

la
during a riotous phase, and that location has been generating profits ever since.

C
Which of the following is the author of the above argument trying to imply?

e
il n
(a) Opponents of a new garment business in Ahmedabad are probably biased.
(b) Riots are profitable for business.
(c)
(d)
O n
Ahmedabad is not as prone to riots as Surat.
The proposed garment business can make money despite being in the middle
of an area prone to violence.

Question – 13
 e s
The face of the earth, with the land mass separated by oceans, as we see today is

s s
not what it was some 225 million years ago. At that time the land was one single
continent called Pangaea, meaning „all lands‟ in Greek; and the ocean occupied the
rest of the earth‟s surface. That was a long time ago.

C la
e
It can be inferred from the above passage that
(a)
il n
225 million years ago one could actually walk from one end of the land to the
other.
(b)

O n
the separation of the land mass and its drift in different directions over the
surface of the earth started after approximately 25 millions thereafter.
(c) initially the Pangaea split into two major continents and with the passage of
time into a number of smaller landmasses.
(d) the drifting of land masses continued till such time it attained its present
configuration.

Question – 14
 e s
Many voices remind us of the dangers of speed. Some are inside our heads. Walk,

s s
do not run. Relax. Simply let the phone ring. We wonder whether our accelerating

la
heartbeats and racing brains are leading us towards a catastrophe.

C
It can be inferred from the above passage that

e
il n
(a) a conscious awareness of our accelerating heartbeats and racing brains
reminds us of the dangers of speed.
(b)

(c)
can sustain.

O n
we wonder whether there isn‟t a limit, after all, to the pace a sensible human

short attention spans and information overload are quintessential modern

pathologies.
(d) we seem to remember a belated, slower activity more sensibly.

Question – 15
 e s
Inflation rose by six per cent over the second quarter, up from four per cent during

s s
the first quarter of the year, and higher than the 3.5 per cent recorded during the

la
same time last year. However, the higher price index did not seem to alarm the
BSE, as stock prices remained steady.

e C
Which of the following, if true, could explain the reaction of the BSE?
(a)
il n
Stock prices were steady because of fear that inflation would continue.
(b)
(c)
O n
The finance minister announced that he was concerned about rising inflation.
Economists warned that inflation would persist.
(d) Much of the quarterly increase in the price level was due to last summer
drought‟s effect on food prices which are likely to be over soon.

Question – 16
 e s
There is a piece of folk wisdom expressed in the saying, “If it is not broken, don‟t
fix it.”

s s
la
A production manager who accepted that saying would, on that account, be least
likely to

e C
il n
(a) institute a safety training programme though there has been no accident
reported so far.
(b)

(c)
an on-site creche.

O n
respond to the difficulty of retaining skilled women workers by establishing

order the immediate replacement of windowpanes broken in a strike.

(d) replace the incoming material inspection supervisor after receiving several
complaints about defective raw materials.

Question – 17
 e s
Usually an allergy manifests itself in the form of rashes and weal that appear on

s s
parts exposed to the allergen. However, if the allergen enters the bloodstream,
redness of the skin and itching in various parts of the body may also occur.

C la
The strength of the given statement above would increase if which of the statements
below is true?
e
(a)
il n
Allergens, on entering the bloodstream, dissolve into the blood and are
transported to other parts of the body.
(b)
(c) O n
Rashes and weal also cause redness of skin and itching.
Rashes and weal cannot co-exist with redness of skin and itching.
(d) Redness of skin and itching will occur only when rashes and weal have
appeared.

Question – 18
 e s
In the cable television system for television programme distribution, coaxial cables

s s
are used to distribute signals to individual subscribers. Reception and fidelity is

la
better in cable TV systems than in transmission television where radio waves send
signals using a TV tower.

transmission is better?

e C
Which of the following, if true, would further strengthen the assertion that cable TV

(a) il n
Coaxial cables are closer to TV sets than TV towers and the closer the

(b)
O n
transmission unit, the better is the reception.
Individual subscribers take better care of their TV sets that do the TV towers.
(c) More people are subscribing to cable television network, nowadays.
(d) Programmes telecast on cable TV have higher viewership than those on
transmission TV.

Question – 19
 e s
The saying „where ignorance is a bliss, it is folly to be wise‟ is said about those who

s s
know nothing of a subject under discussion and prefer to remain silent. Being a

la
mute spectator is much more rewarding and respectable than becoming a
participant or speaker of no knowledge or awareness.

e C
Which of the premises below, if true, would lead the most support to the above

il n
argument?

n
(a) A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
It is more appreciated that one admits one‟s ignorance on the issue than keep

O
(b)
oneself away from it.
(c) The truthfulness of the saying „speech is silver but silence is gold‟ is greater
when the speaker has no knowledge.
(d) To speak from past knowledge is at times better than refraining from
conversation

Question – 20