Critical Reasoning MCQ Set 2
Showing question 6 to 10 of total 13 MCQs
MCQ Set: 2
Solve the question on your notebook and check it by clicking (Answer and Explanation) below question.
Question No: 6
While many people think of genetic manipulation of food crops as being aimed at developing larger and larger , some plant breeders have in fact concentrated on discovering or producing dwarf varieties, which are roughly half as tall as normal varieties. Which of the following would, if true, most help to explain the strategy of the plant breeders referred to above?
- Plant varieties used as food by some are used as ornamentals by others.
- The wholesale prices of a given crop decrease as the supply of it increases
- Crops once produced exclusively for human consumption are often now used for animal feed.
- Short plants are less vulnerable to strong wind and heavy rains
- Nations with large industrial sectors tend to consume more processed grains.
Answer and Explanation
Answer: D
Explanation
Option(D) is correct
Option A : This statement doesn't indicate whether those who use the plants as ornamentals desire shorter varieties.
Option B : At most this suggests that higher productivity is not as muchof an advantage as it otherwise would be. But there is nothing in the passage that indicates that smaller varieties would be more productive than normal-sized plants.
Option C : No reason is given for thinking that smaller varieties of plantsare more conducive to use for animal feed than are larger varieties.
Option D : Correct. This answer choice is correct because—unlike the other choices—it helps explain why smaller plant varieties could sometimes be preferable to larger varieties. A plant that isless vulnerable to wind and rain is apt to suffer less damage. This is a clear advantage that wouldmotivate plant breeders to try to discover or producesmallervarieties.
Option E : This has no direct bearing on the question posed. Processed grains are noteven mentioned in the passage, let alone linked to smaller plant varieties.
The correct answer is D.
Question No: 7
Hollywood restaurant is replacing some of its standard tables with tall tables and stool's. The restaurant already fills every available seat duringits operating hours, and the change in seating arrangements will not result in increase in the restaurant's seating capacity. Nonetheless, the restaurant's management expects revenue to increase as a result of the seating change without any concurrent change in menu, prices, or operating hours.
Which of the following, if true, provides the best reason for the expectation?
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One of the taller tables takes up less floor space than one of the standard tables
- Diners seated on stools typically do not linger over dinner as long as diners seated at standard tables.
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Since the restaurant will replace only some of its standard tables, it can continue to accommodate customers who do not care for the taller tables.
- Few diners are likely to avoid the restaurant because of the new seating arrangement.
- The standard tables being replaced by tall tables would otherwise have to be replaced with new standard tables at a greater expense.
Answer and Explanation
Answer: B
Explanation
Option(B) is correct
Option A : This would be relevant if we could infer from it that seating capacity will increase. However, the passage indicates that the new seating arrangement will not result in greater capacity.
Option B : Correct. Because the restaurant will be able to serve more meals during its operating hours, the restaurant's revenue can be expected to increase.
Option C : This may indicate that therestaurant is less likely to alienate customers who do notcare for tall tables and stools, but that only supports the claim that the restaurant will not lose customers and therefore lose revenue; it does not indicate that the restaurant will see revenue increase.
Option D : Again, this merely indicates that there will not be a loss—or much loss—of revenue, not that there will be an increase in revenue.
Option E : Less expensive tables will decrease the restaurant's costs, but itwill not increase the restaurant's revenue.
The correct answer is B.
Question No: 8
Traverton's city council wants to minimize the city's average yearly expenditures on its traffic signal lights and so is considering replacing the incandescent bulbs currently in use with arrays of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the in candescent bulbs burn out. Compared to incandescent bulbs, LED arrays consume significantly less energy and cost no more to purchase. Moreover, the costs associated with the conversion of existing fixtures so as to accept LED arrays would be minimal.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in determining whether switching to LED arrays would be likely to help minimize Traverton's yearly maintenance costs?
- Whether the expected service life of LED arrays is at least as long as that ofthe currently used incandescent bulbs
- Whether anycities have switched from incandescent lights in theirtraffic signalsto lighting elements other than LED arrays
- Whether anycities have switched from incandescent lights in theirtraffic signalsto lighting elements other than LED arrays
- Whether Traverton's city council plansto increase the numberof traffic signal lights in Traverton
- Whether the crews that currently replace incandescent bulbs inTraverton's traffic signals know how to convert the existing fixtures so as to accept LED arrays
Answer and Explanation
Answer: A
Explanation
Option(A) is correct
Option A : Correct. Unless the answer to this question were yesrather than no, the switch to LED arrays would not help minimize Traverton's yearly maintenance costs. So it is essential to know the answer to this question in order to determine whether switchingto LEDs would help.
Option B : The existence of another possible alternative to incandescent lights does not have any bearing on the question of whether switching from incandescent lights to LEDs would help.
Option C : Thesource from which Traverton acquires its lights, be theyincandescent or LEDs, is unimportant.
Option D : Increasing the numberof traffic signallightsin Travertonwouldprobably increase the city's yearly maintenance costs, but it woulddo so regardless of whether those lights use LEDs or incandescent bulbs.
Option E : Since the goal of switchingto LED arrays is to help minimizeyearly expenditures on maintenance, a potential one-time cost—that of trainingworkers to convert the existing fixtures—is not relevant. Further, it is not necessarily thecase that thecrews that currently replace the incandescent bulbs would be the ones converting the existing fixtures-and even if they were, the accountof the plan statesthat conversion costs would be minimal.
The correct answer is A.
Question No: 9
Physician : The hormone melatonin has shown promise as a medication for sleep disorders when taken in synthesized form. Because the long-term side effects of synthetic melatonin are unknown, however, I cannot recommend its use at this time.
Patient : Your position is inconsistent with your usual practice. You prescribe many medications that you know have serious side effects, so concern about side effects cannot be the real reason youwill not prescribe melatonin.
The patient's argument is flawed because it fails to consider that
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the side effects of synthetic melatonin might be different from those of naturally produced melatonin
- it is possible that the physician does not believe that melatonin has been conclusively shown to be effective
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sleep disorders, if left untreated, might lead to serious medical complications
- the side effects of a medication can take some time to manifest themselves
- known risks can be weighed against known benefits, but unknown risks cannot
Answer and Explanation
Answer: E
Explanation
p>Option(E) is correct
Option A : The patient's argument has to do with whether the physician's refusal to prescribe synthetic melatonin is consistent with the physician's usual prescription practices. The question of whether naturally produced melatonin has different side effects than synthetic melatoninhas no bearing on that argument.
Option B : It is quite reasonable for the patient's argument not to mention this possibility, especially since the physician expresses a belief that synthetic melatonin maybe effective--but expresses no belief about whether or not it has been conclusively shown to be effective.
Option C : Awareness that sleep disorders can lead to serious medical complications most likely prompts the patient's desire for treatment-but the patient's not mentioning this possible consequence of sleep disorders does not indicate a flaw in the argument.
Option D : The patient makes clear that the physician prescribes medications that have serious side effects, the time those side effects take to manifest themselves is not relevant to the argument.
Option E : Correct. The patient's argument isflawed in failing to consider this key difference between known risks and unknown risks. If the patient had considered this key difference, the patient would have realized that the physician's position is not at all inconsistent, and that the physician's refusal to prescribe is genuinely based on a concern about an unknown risk.
The correct answer is E.
Question No: 10
<Hunter: Many people blame hunters alone for the decline in Greenrock National Forest's deer population over the past ten years. Yet clearly, black bears have also played an important role in this decline. In the past ten years, the forest's protected black bear population has risen sharply, and examination of black bears found dead inthe forest during the deer hunting season showed that a number of them had recently fed on deer.
In the hunter's argument, the portion in bold face plays which of the following roles?
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It is the main conclusion of the argument.
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It is a finding that the argument seeks to explain.
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It is an explanation that the argument concludes is correct.
- It provides evidence in support of the main conclusion of the argument.
- It introduces a judgment that the argument opposes.
Answer and Explanation
Answer: E
Explanation
Option(E) is correct
Option A : The hunter's main conclusion is that black bears have also contributed to the decline in the deer population.
Option B : The argument seeks to offer areason for the finding thatthe deer population has declined, not the finding that people blame hunters for that decline.
Option C : The hunter does not conclude that blaming hunters for the decline in the deer population is correct; rather, the hunter suggests that black bears should also be blamed.
Option D : The hunter believes that hunters are not solely responsible for the decline in the deer population, sopeople's suggestion that theyare responsible does notsupport the hunter's main conclusion.
Option E : Correct. The boldfaced statement cites a judgment that the hunter attributes to many people, and that the hunter argues is incorrect. The hunter opposes thejudgment thathunters alone are responsible for the decline inthe deer population.
The correct answer is E.
Edit: Thank you Sourabh for pointing out missing boldfaced statement. Reformatted question to add boldfaced question.