Critical Reasoning | Sample Test

By Praveen Dwivedi -
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Here is a sample test for you to see the kind of questions that you can expect under the Critical Reasoning Section of the CLAT paper. Do not use this as a conclusive test of your reasoning ability! Remember Critical Reasoning is a skill that you can always acquire through practice. Each type of question has to be tackled in a certain way and has a certain approach. With each week we will introduce a new type of question will sample problems for you to master the approach. Do not be disheartened if you are unable to figure out the answers to these problems. However, please give yourself some time and earnestly try solving them. Go to the answers only after you have figured out an answer and if it does not match try and figure out the reasoning behind the question based on the answer. The reasoning behind all these answered will be posted soon, but as we want you to give it a shot first we have only enclosed an answer key.

Have fun and all the best!

Strong and Weak Arguments

Q.1
Statement: Should wrestlers be banned if they use prohibited performance enhancement drugs?
Arguments: I. Yes. Taking performance-enhancing drugs is illegal and anyone who violates the rules should be punished.
II. No. The wrestler should be given another chance to improve himself/herself.
a) Only I is forceful
b) Only II is forceful
c) Both are forceful
d) Neither are forceful

Q.2
Statement: Should Indian writers be forced to write in Hindi?
Arguments: I. Yes, because Hindi is our national language.
II. No, because it is important to know other languages.
a) Only I is forceful
b) Only II is forceful
c) Both are forceful
d) Neither are forceful

Q.3
Statement: Should India and Pakistan sign a no-war pact?
Arguments: I. Yes. It will help in maintaining stability and peace in the region.
II. No, Pakistanis cannot be trusted.
a) Only I is forceful
b) Only II is forceful
c) Both are forceful
d) Neither are forceful

Q.4
Statement: Should the Principal expel all the students who were involved in the ragging incident?
Arguments: I. Yes. Non- rustication of such students in the past has resulted in increased criminal activities in and around the school.
II. No. Students have a freedom of speech and expression.
a) Only I is forceful
b) Only II is forceful
c) Both are forceful
d) Neither are forceful

Q.5
Statement: Should the government take-up interlinking of all the rivers in India?
Arguments: I. Yes. This will save the farmers from the erratic nature of monsoons.
II. No. The impact of such a measure on climate and ecology has not been assessed.
a) Only I is forceful
b) Only II is forceful
c) Both are forceful
d) Neither are forceful

Q.6
In Los Angeles, a political candidate who buys saturation radio advertising will get maximum name recognition.
The statement above logically conveys which of the following?

1. Radio advertising is the most important factor in political campaigns in Los Angeles.
2. Maximum name recognition in Los Angeles will help a candidate to win a higher percentage of votes cast in the city.
3. Saturation radio advertising reaches every demographically distinct sector of the voting population of Los Angeles.
4. For maximum name recognition a candidate need not spend on media channels other than radio advertising.
5. A candidate’s record of achievement in the Los Angeles area will do little to affect his or her name recognition there.

Q.7
The increase in the number of newspaper articles exposed as fabrications serves to bolster the contention that publishers are more interested in boosting circulation than in printing the truth. Even minor publications have staffs to check such obvious fraud.
The argument above assumes that

1. newspaper stories exposed as fabrications are a recent phenomenon.
2. everything a newspaper prints must be factually verifiable.
3. fact checking is more comprehensive for minor publications than for major ones.
4. only recently have newspapers admitted to publishing intentionally fraudulent stories.
5. the publishers of newspapers are the people who decide what to print in their newspapers.

Q.8
Time and again it has been shown that students who attend colleges with low faculty/student ratios get the most well-rounded education. As a result, when my children are ready to attend college, I’ll be sure they attend a school with a very small student population.
Which of the following, if true, identifies the greatest flaw in the reasoning above?

1. A low faculty/student ratio is the effect of a well-rounded education, not its source.
2. Intelligence should be considered the result of childhood environment, not advanced education.
3. A very small student population does not by itself, ensure a low faculty/student ratio.
4. Parental desires and preferences rarely determines a child’s choice of a college or university.
5. Students must take advantage of the low faculty/student ratio by intentionally choosing small classes.

Q.9
All German philosphers, except for Marx, are idealists.
From which of the following can the statement above be most properly inferred?

1. Except for Marx, if someone is an idealist philosopher, then he or she is German.
2. Marx is the only non-German philosopher who is an idealist.
3. If a German is an idealist, then he or she is a philosopher, as long as he or she is not Marx.
4. Marx is not an idealist German philosopher.
5. Aside from the philosopher Marx, if someone is a German, then he or she is an idealist.

Q.10
Bill earns more commission than does Sandra. But since Andrew earns more commission than does Lisa, it follows that Bill earns more commission than does Lisa.
Any of the following, if introduced into the argument as an additional premise, makes the argument above logically correct EXCEPT:

1. Andrew earns more commission than Bill
2. Sandra earns more commission than Lisa
3. Sandra earns more commission than Andrew
4. Sandra and Andrew earn the same amount of commission
5. Bill and Andrew earn the same amount of commission

Q.11
In 2003 an airline in United State lost more than half, on average, of the foreign passengers they had previously served each year. Researchers have alleged that this extreme drop resulted from a rise in price of tickets for international lines from $60 to $90 per 1,000 miles.
Which of the following, if feasible, offers the best prospects for alleviating the problem of the drop in passengers as the researchers assessed it?

1. Cooperating with other airlines to provide more international lines.
2. Allowing foreign passengers to pay the same as the previous international line
3. Reemphasizing the goals and mission of the airline as serving both domestic passengers and foreign passengers
4. Increasing the financial resources of the airline by raising the ticket price for domestic passengers
5. Offering superior VIP service for foreign passengers.

Q.12
If highways were restricted to cars and only those truck with capacity of less than 8 tons, most the truck traffic would be forced to run outside highway. Such a reduction in the amount of truck traffic would reduce the risk of collision in highway.

The conclusion drawn in the first sentence depends on which of the following assumptions?

1. The roads outside highway would be as convenient as highway for most drivers of truck.
2. Most roads outside highways are not ready to handle truck traffic.
3. Most trucks that are currently running in highway have a capacity of more than 8 tons.
4. Cars are at greater risk of becoming involved in collisions than are trucks.
5. A reduction in the risk of collision would eventually lead to increases in car traffic.

Answers
1. (a)
2. (d)
3. (a)
4. (a)
5. (c)
6. D
7. E
8. C
9. E
10. A
11. B
12. C

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33 COMMENTS

  1. i hv a doubt in Q.7 ….. well how cn 1 assume dat publishers r d 1 who decide wat shud b printed in d newspapers…. der r specific staffs who check d stuffs n all…….. wat is wrong wid option 2 appointment of staffs=> ppl to verify wat things r 2 b printed in d newspaper……

  2. Hey Chinamayee,
    In CR as I have stated in my article “tackling Critical reasoning” that there is a thinking which has to be developed.
    Here in question no. 7..First I hope i have understood your doubt.
    Anyways if i have understood your doubt correctly then the thing you are doing wrong is that in CR you dont have to think of what actually happens or is happening in the real world.
    The question and the words given to you are the truth and thats what happens.

    I hope you are understanding what i am saying. Although maybe in reality publishers do not decide what is to be published but in the question
    THE AUTHOR HAS ASSUMED that the publisher takes these decisions hence that is the answer.
    You have to point out what the author has assumed whether it is right or wrong.
    I hope this answers your question.
    Very soon I will be posting an article on ways to solve such problems which might make your work easier. Keep visiting the Site.

    Nishant Prasad
    The ClatGyan team

  3. This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I enjoy seeing websites that understand the value of providing a prime resource for free. I truly loved reading your post. Thanks!

  4. hey ….i hope im not asking for too much !…but i would b greatful if u can give the ‘fundas’ behind solving such kind of questions !!…by fundas i mean ….a set pattern or smthing …!!

  5. hi, i have a doubt in question 9. the answer is given as E.Aside from the philosopher Marx, if someone is a German, then he or she is an idealist.
    but how can you assume every German is an idealist? From what i understand from the question, only German PHILOSOPHERS are idealists(except for Marx).

    I would also like to thank you guys for providing us with an opportunity to learn and crack CLAT. you are doing an amazing job!

  6. @tanya
    You have to be very careful with these questions. sometimes the maker of the question forgets an essential. for example in Q9 option E should have said “Aside from the philosopher Marx, if someone is a German PHILOSOPHER, then he or she is an idealist.”

    But if you see carefully the remaining answers are not suitable and hence this being the closest has to be the answer.
    Sometimes this does tend to happen. It did not happen in CLAT but happened a few times in a few mocks that we gave. But this doesnt mean everytime you think all answers are wrong means all answers are wrong.Think Carefully before you reach this conclusion.
    Think very carefully before you come to such a conclusion.

    @shashank
    for the assumption questions I have given you the funads in my article “A few tricks of the Trade”
    For the remaining we shall come up with an article on Fundas soon.
    Sorry for the delay.

    • I agree to ur opinion that sometimes the  ones who set the questions tend to forget an essential, but in Q.9 above, if the word PHILOSOPHER is missing in the 5th option , then we can preferably opt for the 4th option i.e D because it also suits the best ……….

      Looking forward to hearing from you !……..

  8. If Marx is not an idealist german philosopher..it does not mean that ALL the other german philosophers are idealists…
    Therefore the ALL german philosophers cannot be inferred from option D.

  13. 10/12!
    Hey, I have some doubts… Firstly, in Q.1, B is not a strong argument. Why? Because it looks more like an individual opinion?
    And Q. 5, could you please explain argument 1?

  14. @Aastha
    Yes. because it is opinion. It cannot be a strong argument.

    For Q.5 well the first argument basically says the govt should do so to protect the farmers from the varying nature of the rains in india. Since our monsoon is unpredictable. Sometimes too Heavy and sometimes scarce it is good for the government to use the given method to protect farmers from any losses.

  15. Awesome:) Scored 11:) This is a very informative site for Clat aspirants. Especially the G.K. compendiums, what with the heads of organizations also mentioned:) Also do you think Clat 11 will resemble Clat 08? For eg., G.K. 100 marks, 50 questions? Please try to answer my question.

    Thanks:)

  17. sir i have problems in Q.3 why it cant be option c as both the statement are strong,
    Q.6 why it cant be option c as it tells tht radio reaches everywhere for promotion,good sourse to promote.
    Q.7 why cnt be option a as it tells whts gng on in at that time in editions
    Q.9 why cnt be option d tht cleary says tht Marx is not an idealist German philosopher,
    Q10 why cnt be option c

    please clear my doubts sir.waiting 4 ur reply.please mail me sir

  18. hey..
    I’ve got a doubt in question 11. the correct answer mentioned is B. the question says which one out oh these, if feasible, would alleviate the problem. if it was possible to bring down the rates for the international flights why would the airline raise the price in the first place. they must’ve raised it for a reason. dont u think so…
    please correct me if am wrong…
    thanx am waiting for the reply.. plzz do reply ASAP..

  19. Sir,,my question is far away from the questions above……..
    my question to you is,,,that how an individual should deal with CRITICAL REASONING?????,cuz every body has different Critics…………so its really very hard to get convinced with the correct option……………………………And even in cases where answers are not mentioned,how would anybody knw dat his answer is correct……….along wid dat i want to knw dat what should a person do to improve his reasoning power effeciently???????/

  20. sir i’ve a confussion in Q10 that there is not mention any condition that andrews comm. is more than bill.It may also be that andrew comm is more than lisa but less than bill??????????????????????

  21. In quesion no. 4, how is (a) a strong argument?
    Just because it has happened once in the past, doesnt prove it’ll happen again right?

  22. For question no. 9 … there should be German PHILOSOPHER … instead of GERMAN in answer choice no. 5…..
    it should be…….^. Aside from the philosopher Marx, if someone is a German PHILOSOPHER, then he or she is an idealist.^

    • If this is of any help, the fact that the question begins with “Aside from the PHILOSOPHER Marx, and the subsequent use of ‘Germans’, I believe, is hint at the fact that such usage was with reference to the ‘philosopher’ community and not ordinary Germans.

  23. Hi Nishant,
                       Thanks so much for the questions. Especially because I find a couple of questions here in pattern with a couple of Mocks that I gave. So I’m hoping CLAT this time is gonna be on similar lines. However I found myself a little confused when it came to Questions 2, 5 and 11.
    Q: 2 For some reason I keep thinking Argument I is forceful because, Hindi being the National Language, it should be promoted as much as possible and making all Indian writer write in Hindi is a solution for the same. However, had the question said, Make all Indian writers write ONLY in Hindi, then I keep thinking ‘d’ would have been a more sensible answer.

    Q.5 How does the interlinking of all rivers answer erratic rainfall? The water level in all these rivers are dependent on rainfall. So even if they are linked, and the rainfall continues to be erratic, how will the farmers benefit? Also when the paper gives arguments like Argument 2 in Q:5, do we just assume it to be true? Because my stupid brain keeps telling me the Govt: wouldn’t even consider linking all these rivers if they hadn’t already (previously) assess all that there is to asses. So basically, shouldn’t the answer be ‘d’?

    Q:11 The Question is, which of the following if ‘feasible’ is a solution. Weren’t the prices raised because the low prices weren’t profitable in the first place? So how is lowering the prices back to what it was feasible? And I know I’m wrong but I keep thinking ‘a’ is a better answer as such a collaboration will result in increased supply of Airlines and correspondingly, the prices will drop too.

    And now I have thoroughly and exhaustively confused myself. A little help? 

  24. Can you explain the logic behind your answer for  question 6? Most of the options seem very close to the desired answer. How do we eliminate? 

  27. thanx for the questions . they r really helpful. i scored a 10/12 . could u plz help me with q11 . i couldnt arrive at an answer.

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