Test Level 2: Critical Reasoning - CAT MCQ

Directions: The question given below is followed by two arguments numbered I and II. You have to decide which of the given arguments is a 'strong' argument and which is a 'weak' argument.
Should cost of conventional fuels be increased to alleviate global environmental problems?
Arguments:
I. Yes, the decrease in the demand of conventional fuels as a result of high price would lessen the exploitation of natural resources.
II. No, government must spend more money on conducting research and developing technology to make the use of renewable energy resources more attractive than that of conventional fuels.

Directions: The question given below is followed by two arguments numbered I and II. You have to decide which of the given arguments is a 'strong' argument and which is a 'weak' argument.
Should juvenile criminals be made to do unpaid community work instead of being put behind bars?
Arguments:
I. Yes, unpaid community work encourages youth to be active in the community and facilitates changes in community perceptions about the offender.
II. Yes, they must be provided opportunities to choose the community service project they want to participate in.

Directions: In the question below, a statement is followed by assumptions numbered I, II and III. An assumption is something supposed or taken for granted. You have to consider the statement and assumptions and then decide which of the assumptions is/are implicit in the statement.
Statement: Satya Nadella is very happy with his newly assigned profile that has added more responsibilities on his already existing role.
Assumptions:
I. Satya Nadella has now achieved a very high position in Microsoft.
II. Satya Nadella cleared this interview and got hired.
III. The hiring manager was impressed with his abilities.

Directions: The question given below is followed by two arguments numbered I and II. You have to decide which of the given arguments is a 'strong' argument and which is a 'weak' argument and then mark the correct option accordingly.
As a result of tourism, many historical buildings and sites are being damaged beyond repair. Should government put restraints on tourism to protect them?
Arguments:
I. No, government shall invest in maintenance of such buildings and sites and promote responsible tourism.
II. Yes, country's heritage defines its identity, so protecting such buildings and sites is prime.

Directions: From the alternatives, choose the one which correctly classifies the four sentences as a
F (Fact): If it relates to a known matter of direct observation or an existing reality or something known to be true.
J (Judgement): If it is an opinion or estimate or anticipation of common sense or intention.
I (Inference): If it is a logical conclusion or deduction about something, based on the knowledge of facts.
Select the answer option that best describes the set of four statements.
1. Everyday social life is impossible without interpersonal relationships.
2. The root of many misunderstandings has been cited in poor relations among individuals.
3. Assuming the above to be true, social life will be much better if people understand the importance of good interpersonal relations.
4. A study reveals that interpersonal relations and hence life in general can be improved with a little effort on the part of individuals.

Directions: The question has a set of four sequentially ordered statements. Each statement can be classified as one of the following:
Fact, which deals with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which is open to discovery or verification (the answer option indicates such a statement with an 'F')
Inference, which is a conclusion drawn about the unknown, on the basis of the known (the answer option indicates such a statement with an 'I').
Judgement, which is an opinion that implies approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations and occurrences in the past, the present or the future (the answer option indicates such a statement with a 'J')
Select the answer option that best describes the set of four statements.
1. Be ambitious in thinking but down-to-earth in action.
2. Doing things locally may bring multiple development impacts.
3. Gram Panchayats across the country have initiated Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).
4. More young people live in India than in any other country; therefore, Indian government is planning to create public-private partnerships with companies to provide skill training to youth.

Directions: Read the passage/argument and answer the question that follows it.
The real estate sector in many parts of the USA is witness to a significant slump, which is attributed to high home loan mortgage rates by most realtors. They believe that in order to ease the situation, the Federal Reserve should step in and improve market liquidity so as to enable people to buy houses at affordable prices.

Which of the following, if true, would serve the most to weaken the argument offered by realtors?

Directions: Read the passage/argument and answer the question that follows it.
Many social scientists believe that affirmative action is a good way to improve the socio-economic status of disadvantaged groups in the society. Based on their recommendation, the Arizona Governor has decided to put in place a system whereby every public and private organization would be mandated to recruit a minimum of 10% of all new recruits from these segments of society.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the social scientists' argument?

Directions: Read the passage/argument and answer the question that follows it.
Since the early 60s, the US divorce rate has doubled, the teen-suicide rate tripled, the violent-crime rate quadrupled, and the prison population quintupled. Besides, depression, anxiety and other mental-health disorders are rising, ensuring there will be plenty of melancholic types to compose poetry and music.
According to the author,

Directions: Answer the question based on the following passage.
The changes made in the format of Engineering Journal are nothing but a myopic move by the management. By adding a new section Books For Professional Readers, opposite to the present section Books For Your Enjoyment, the editors think they will generate interest in the research and development that is taking place in industry and thereby increasing readership. This is not the case. The titles of the two sections suggest that research literature is not enjoyable reading, a suggestion that will repel the Monthly's readers from such literature. Thus, the audience will be less interested in research articles and literature and less able to distinguish serious research from some new offbeat ideas. The editors of the Monthly could have done better by maintaining status quo.

According to the author, which of the following conclusions will the Engineering Journal readers draw from the editors' change of the book-review format?

A ten-year comparison between India and China in terms of crop yields per acre revealed that when only planted acreage is compared, Chinese yields are equal to 60 percent of India yields. When total agricultural acreage (planted acreage plus fallow acreage) is compared, however, Chinese yield is 110 percent of India`s yield.
From the information above, which of the following can be most reliably inferred about India and Chinese agriculture during the ten-year period?

Directions: The following passage is followed by a question with five options. Choose the best option.
The cost of the average computer logic device is falling at the rate of 2 percent per year, and the cost of the average computer memory device at the rate of 40 percent per year. It can be concluded that if these rates of cost decline remain constant for a period of three years, at the end of that time the cost of the average computer memory device will have declined by a greater amount than the cost of the average computer logic device.
Accurate information about which of the following would be most useful in evaluating the correctness of the conclusion above?