CHAPTER - 1

DEFINITION BASED QUESTIONS

In this BRM we will deal with Verbal Reasoning. The first chapter deals with'definition based' ' questions. These questions are based on certain given definition/s.Students often get puzzled with bombastic terms like 'implicit statements', 'assertivestatements', 'supporting reason', 'counter-argument', 'irrelevant argument', 'facts,

inference and judgements', 'definitely true, probably true, definitely false, probablyfalse'. We will try to deal with some of these definitions with the help of the followingpassage. .

PASSAGEChildren in families that habitually watch television during meals eat fewer fruits andvegetables than those who don't, and consume more Pizza, snack food and caffeinelaced soft drinks, U.S. researchers reported.

The report from the Tufts University in Boston was based on a study on the eatinghabits of 91 families in neighbourhoods adjacent to Washington, most of them inMaryland.

Katherine Coon, lead author of the study, said that a number of factors might be atwork linking eating habits to watching television, but she believed TV itself - and thekinds of food advertised heavily on it - might be a powerful influence.

Implicit Statements : Implicit statements are those that are not stated in the passagebut are implied or suggested. The statement "There are other researchers involved inthe study" - is implied in the passage as Katherine is the lead author (not the onlyresearcher).

Assertions : Assertions are claims, declarations or affirmations. For example, thestatement "Children in families that habitually watch television during meals eatfewer fruits and vegetables than those who don't, and consume more Pizza, snackfood and caffeine laced soft drinks, U.S. researchers reported" - is an assertion.

Supporting Reason : That which supports the assertion or foregrounds the pointexpressed in the assertion. The statement "TV itself and the kind of food advertisedheavily on it might be a powerful influence" - supports the earlier statement andtherefore qualifies as a supporting reason.

Counter Argument : A counter argument is that which states the opposite of what isstated in the passage or runs contrary to the assertion. The statement, " Eating andwatching TV does not have any connection whatsoever", is a counter argument.

Irrelevant Argument : These are neither stated nor implied but are totallyunconnected to the subject under discussion. The statement, "Katherine Coon hasbeen a child psychologist for 15 years now" is an irrelevant argument. Note thatnowhere is it related to the assertion given.Besides these there are a few more definition based questions which will be dealt withindividually.Note : Always remember to read the definitions carefully before attempting thequestions.

1. Argument, Assertion and Counter-argument:An Argument is a statement meant to convince another person about your pointof view.

An Assertion is a point of view.

A Counter-argument contains logic opposing the assertion.Based on the above definitions, classify each of the given definitions into:

I] Assertion II] Supporting ReasonIII] Counter argument IV] Irrelevant argument

Example Ia] One look at the Mumbai roads and you know why traffic moves so slow.b] The road surface and the potholes following the monsoons result in traffic

getting held up for hours.c] Mumbai has always been the financial capital of the city.d] Mumbai has one of the best road surfaces in the country where you can easily

drive at 70 kms per hr within the city.1] I II III IV 2] I II IV III 3] II I III IV 4] IV I II IV

Solution1. Read the definitions carefully.2. Read the given statements and try to find the assertion. For example : The

assertion here is [a] which states that in Mumbai traffic moves slow.3. Once you've spotted the assertion look for a counter argument - it is the easiest to

spot. However, remember that there may be questions without a counterargument. Here [d] is the counter argument as it nullifies the claim that Mumbaihas bad roads which cause traffic to slow down.

4. [b] supports the claim by pointing out that the bad road surface along withpotholes slow down traffic.

5. [c] is irrelevant to the argument as the topic under discussion is "slow traffic and

not even remotely connected to the fact that Mumbai is the 'financial capital ofIndia.'

Important : You can also look at the options after fixing the Assertion and theCounter argument/ Supporting Reason, in this example there is only one option with Ibeginning the sequence and III ending the sequence. Thus, [2] is the answer.

EXERCISE-1DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 5: An Argument is a statement meant to convinceanother person, about your point of view. An Assertion is a point of view. ACounter-argument contains logic opposing the assertion. Based on the abovedefinitions, classify each of the given sets of statements into:I] Assertion II] Supporting reasonII] Counter argument IV] Irrelevant argument1. a] Those who are slow to react to changes are often swept away by them.

b] Often, changes are fads, mere whims of fashion.c] Haste makes waste.d] When events unfold quickly, you have to be fast on your feet.1] I, II, III, III 2] III, IV, II, I 3] II, IV, III, I 4] I, IV, I, II

2. a] The cat is not an affectionate animal.b] It does not require the emotional warmth that a dog does.c] It is affectionate; but not very demonstrative.

3. a] Kerala is God's own country.b] It has more than its fair share of natural beauty.c] The people there cook most of their food in coconut oil.d] A lot of the people use coconut oil for their hair, too.1] I, II, II, II 2] II, I, II, IV 3] I, II, IV, IV 4] I, II, III, I

4. a] Individuals who seek solutions come up against a wall of indifference.b] There seems to be absolutely no one who cares.c] The inefficiency of public-sector behemoths is legendary.d] The 'Voluntary Retirement Scheme' is very popular here.1] II, II, I, IV 2] I, I, IV, IV 3] II, II, IV, I 4] I, III, IV, IV

5. a] Anger is ineffective.b] It is better to be feared than to be liked.c] Fear is a poor motivator.d] Fear is dysfunctional.1] I, III, II, II 2] II, I, III, III 3] I, II, III, IV 4] IV, I, III, III

ANSWERS KEY

1 3 2 2 3 3 4 1 5 - 4

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-1

1. In this question, we see that [b] is irrelevant to the other statements. That,however, does not help us much as only option [1] is eliminated. A closerexamination shows that [d] is the Assertion, for which [a] is the Supportingreason and [c] the Counter Argument. Hence, [3] is the correct option.

2. Going through the statements", [d] is clearly an irrelevant statement. The only

option that has this is [2]. Hence this is the correct answer - we do not have togo further. Clearly, elimination is an important tool to be used in definition-based questions. Hence, [2].

3. Here, we have two separate sets of statements - [a] and [b], which describeKerala, and [c] and [d] which describe the uses of coconut oil. Clearly, thechoice of which of these sets are relevant, will render the other set irrelevant.How do we choose? Look at statement [c]. It talks about "people there cooketc." There is no subject described beforehand, we do not know where "there"is. It is, therefore, not an independent statement. Nor is [d]. However,statement [a], "Kerala is God's own country" is an independent statement, andcan be classified as an Assertion, [b] then becomes its Supporting Reason.Then, [c] and [d] become irrelevant to the argument. The correct optiontherefore, is [3].

4. Again, [a] is irrelevant. That does not help us much, though, it only eliminatesone option, [3]. A closer look reveals that [c] is the Assertion, with [a] and [b]being Supporting Reasons. Hence, [1],

5. Statement [a] is irrelevant to the other statements which straightway givesus option [4]. Statement [b] is the Assertion, [c] and [d] are the CounterArguments.

2. Conclusions and Implicit Statements :

For the questions below a small passage is followed by three conclusions. You have toidentify whether the statements are implicit from in the main passage.Example 1

Sometimes plants lure ants with nectar and other foods. Ectatommatuberculatum ants in Peru drink a sweet sap that oozes from green spots alongthe petal margins of passion flowers blooms. With open jaws, workers aid theplant by keeping pests from invading the flower.a] Only passion flowers are attacked by invaders.

b] Ectatomma tuberculatum ants and passion flower plants have a symbioticrelationship.

c] When attacked by invaders passion flower plants become completelydefenseless.

1] only I is implicit 2] only II is implicit3] I and III are implicit 4] none is implicit

Solution1. Here again it is essential that you read the passage carefully to get the essence of

the passage. The essence of the passage is : A particular species of ants feeds onthe nectar of passion flowers and in return protects the plants from invaders.

2. Read the conclusions and try to find out whether they are implied in the passage.

3. We cannot say I is implicit because there is no data to prove that 'only' passionflowers are invaded.

4. The passage clearly describes a symbiotic relationship, passion flowers providefood for ants while ants protect the plant from being invaded. Thus II is impliedin the passage.

5. Look at III, the passage does not hint at the plant's getting defenseless whenattacked by invaders, therefore III is not implied. Thus [2] is the answer.

Example 2On the island of Santiago, feral pigs - introduced in the 19th century by marinersso that they could have pork chops - have grown in number and appetite, andthey now eat many of the eggs and hatchlings of the resident green sea turtles.On some islands the turtle's survival rate has declined dramatically.a] The green sea turtles on the islands in and around Santiago are endangered.b] Feral Pigs in Santiago are affecting the ecological balance.c] Before the 19th century feral pigs did not exist in Santiago.1] only I is implied 2] I and II are implied3] II and III are implied 4] all are implied

Solution1. If you read the passage carefully you will see that the essence of the passage is :

Feral Pigs introduced in Santiago in the 19th century are now posing a threat tothe survival of the green sea turtles.

2. Now read the conclusions. I is certainly implied, if the turtles' survival rate hasdeclined then it must be endangered.

3. II is implied because it is clearly the multiplication of the feral pigs and theirliking for turtle eggs which is putting the survival rate of turtles at stake.

4. Though not stated in so many words, the fact that feral pigs were 'introduced' bythe mariners in the 19th century implies that they did not exist in Santiagobefore the 19th century. Thus III is implied as well. The answer therefore is [4].

EXERCISE-2

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 5: There is a statement followed by threeassumptions numbered I, II, and III] An assumption is something supposed ortaken for granted. You have to decide which of the assumptions are implicit in thestatement, and mark the answer.1. Picasso was, arguably, the most prominent exponent of the school of art which

he practised.I] Picasso used to work in a particular style.II] There were other artists who could lay claim to the title of most famous

exponent of the school of art which Picasso practiced.III] Picasso was a student.1] Only I is implicit. 2] Only II is implicit.3] I and II are implicit. 4] Only III is implicit.

2. Love is, perhaps, more important for life than food and drink, because it gives usa reason for the other two.

I] Food and drink are important for life.II] Love is our most important need in life.III] Those without life will neither eat nor drink.1] None of the three are implicit. 2] Only I is implicit.3] I and II are implicit. 4] Only II is implicit.

3. "The refineries will, once more, exceed their production targets, ensuring fuelfor all", said the relieved Petroleum Minister.I] Refineries have exceeded their production targets in the past.II] Whether refineries would exceed their production targets, was a matter of

worry to the Petroleum Minister.

III] The entire output of refineries is used as fuel.1] Only I and II are implicit. 2] Only III is implicit.3] Only I is implicit. 4] Only II is implicit.

4. Mr. Patil is now in charge of this hotel, so, obviously, we are going to stopserving liquor.

I] Mr. Patil used to like liquor earlier, but has now given it up.II] The hotel used to serve liquor before Mr. Patil took charge.III] Mr. Patil disapproves of imbibing alcohol.1] Only III is implicit. 2] All are implicit.3] II and III are implicit 4] None of the assumptions are implicit.

5. Casablanca apart from being one of Bogart's most compelling performances,was also an outstanding film.I] Bogart was an actor.II] Bogart gave many compelling performances.III] Casablanca was a film about Bogart.1] All are implicit. 2] I and II are Implicit.3] Only I is implicit. 3] I and III are implicit.

ANSWERS KEY

1 3 2 2 3 1 4 3 5 - 2

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-2

1. I is clearly implicit. II is implicit from the word 'arguably' used in the sentence.However, III is not at all implicit. The answer is, therefore [3].

2. As 'Love is perhaps, more important....,' that food and drink are important, isimplicit. Neither II nor III are implicit: therefore, option [2] is the answer.

3. 'once more' suggests that they had exceeded their production rates earlier, thus Iis implicit, 'relieved' suggests that the minister was worried. Thus II is implicitas well. Hence, [1].

4. I is not implicit at all. II is implicit from 'We are going to stop...', and III isclearly implicit from the entire sentence. Answer is option [3].

5. 'Casablanca' was a film and Bogart was a performer in it - therefore, the fact thathe was an actor is implicit. Also, as it was one of his most compelling...' makes

implicit the statement that he gave many compelling performances. III, however

is not implicit. Therefore, option [2] is the answer.

3. Fact, Inference, Judgement :A Fact is something which can be seen or heard, and is capable of verification.An Inference is a statement drawn or following from a Fact. A Judgement is anopinion, and implies approval or disapproval.

Based on the above definitions, mark the following as Fact, Inference or Judgement.Let us take an example:

Example 1a] She looks good in blue.

b] The population is growing at an alarming rate.c] The doctor prescribed some medicines for her.1] IJF 2] JJJ 3] JFJ 4] JIF

It is easiest to spot a Judgement. More often than not a Judgement has an 'adjective'and expresses a personal view.

SolutionRead the definitions carefully1. Look at statement [a], it is a personal opinion, to some she may not look good in

blue. Thus it is a Judgement.

2. Look at statement [b], there must be some record of population growth withwhich the present rate it is being compared, thus it is likely to be an Inference.However if you are not too sure, move on to the third statement.

3. Statement [c] can be easily verified, you can see whether the doctor hasprescribed medicine or not, it is therefore a Fact. Thus [4] is the answer.

Note : Even if you are not confident about the second statement, it shouldn't stop youfrom getting the correct answer. Since you are sure that the first statement is aJudgement and the last one is a fact look for an option which gives you such acombination. Only [4] gives you the combination therefore you can mark it off as theanswer.

Example 2a] Mrs. Rowling's fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire deals with

magic and the supernatural.b] But more novel by far is another recent publication, Lost for Words, a story

without words.c] There is no historical .precedent for Mrs. Rowling's achievement.1] IJF 2] FJI 3] FJJ 4] IFI

Solution1. Read all the statements and try to find out the Judgement first. Statement II is

a Judgement as it expresses a personal opinion. To some, it may be a novel

attempt, to others it may not appear to be so. There are three options with J inthe middle. So you can only rule out option [4].

2. Now look at statement I whether it deals with magic and the supernatural canbe found out by just reading the book, thus it is a Fact. You can again look atthe options to eliminate them. Here option [1] gets eliminated as it does notstart with F.

3. Look at statement III, it can clearly not be a Judgement, someone must havechecked up the records to see whether such a book was written or not, it istherefore drawn from some facts and is therefore an Inference. Thus, theanswer is [2].

EXERCISE-3

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 5: A Fact is something which can be seen orheard, and is capable of being verified. An Inference is a statement drawn orfollowing from a Fact. A Judgment is an opinion, and implies approval ordisapproval. Using the above definitions, classify the set of statements below intoFact, Inference or Judgment.

1. a) This is a black book.b) All black books are unlucky.c) Black books are more attractive than brown ones.1]FFF 2]IJJ 3]JFJ 4] FJJ

2. a) The man is on the grass.b) The grass is blue.c) Plastic is not a bio-degradable substance.1] J J J 2] F F F 3] F I J 4] F F J

3. a) It is difficult to type standing up.b) Gorillas prefer eating fruit to eating nuts.

c) The young chap was a hideous shade of red.1] J I J 2] F F I 3] F F F 4] J J F

4. a) She was typing, sitting at the desk.b) What I love about him is, his calm nature.c) The receptionist gave me a friendly smile.1] J J J 2] F J J 3] F I I 4] F F I

5. a) The stained glass ceiling depicts champagne on ice.b) All in all it's just another brick in the wall.c) We are the Sultans of Swing.1] J J J 2] F I I 3] F J J 4] F F F

ANSWERS KEY

1 4 2 2 3 1 4 2 5 - 3

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-3

F-I-J questions can have 4 statements as well. The statements can be related to eachother, or could be completely unrelated.A technique that is used very often in these kinds of questions is, 'elimination'. Thatis, using those definitions that you are sure of, in this way you can eliminate variousoptions and arrive at the right one.In any kind of definition-based question, there will be some definitions which are lessambiguous than others. In the Fact-Inference-Judgment kind of questions, it is easiestto recognize a Judgment followed by Fact. An Inference, however, is a bit difficult togauge and unless absolutely necessary, do not spend time debating whether a

statement is an Inference or not. This is explained in detail, as follows:

1. Statement (a) is a Fact, for sure. Scanning the options, we see that, thiseliminates options [2] and [3]. Also, to decide between options [1] and [4], allwe need to do is decide whether statement (b) is a Fact or a Judgment. Of thetwo, it is definitely a Judgment. Hence, without further ado, we mark option [4].Please note that we have not even looked at statement (c) in this case, we do notneed to, to arrive at the correct option. You do not need to classify eachstatement, to select the correct option: just use the technique of elimination.

2. In this question, on deciding that the first statement is a Fact, you are still leftwith [2], [3], and [4]: also, you will have to classify statements (b) and (c), thereis no getting away from it. Statement (b): 'The grass is blue', is definitely a Fact.So that leaves us with options [2] and [4], i.e., we have to decide if the laststatement is a Fact or a Judgment - you need not check if it's an Inference, asthat option is not available. 'Plastic is not a bio-degradable substance' does notclassify as a judgment: that leaves us with option [2] as the correct one Pleasenote that, statements do not need to conform to the world as you know it; 'thegrass is blue' therefore, need not confuse you. Just match the statement with thedefinition and classify it accordingly.

3. Scanning the three statements, we see that statement (c) is the easiest to classify,as a Judgment. Well, there is only one option wherein the last statement isclassified as a Judgment: Option [1].

4. The first statement is easily classified as a Fact. Thereafter, we see that thesecond statement is all we need to classify; it is a Judgment, expressing anopinion. Once that is done, option [2] is clear.

5. Again, classifying the first statement as a Fact leaves us with the need forclassifying statement (b) or (c). Marking statement (b) as a Judgment, leaves uswith option [3] as the correct one.

4. Probably True, Definitely True

A passage is followed by certain inferences.Mark [1] Definitely true if the inference follows directly from the data given in thepassage.

Mark [2] Probably true if the inference is probably but not definitely true.Mark (3J Probably false if the inference is probably but not definitely false.Mark [4] Definitely false if the inference contradicts the data in the passage.

Example 1Jeans are on the comeback trail. Barely a few months ago, the big story wasabout denim's decline and the shift in the youth wardrobe collection in favour ofan assortment of other fabric and styles, notably khakis and cargoes. But thetide's turning again. Denim's very much on the revival path, though not in thesame old fashion. No, the body hugging tapered, faded, jaded and tough look isnot the only kind which is carrying good old jeans forward. Softer feels, lesserweights, darker colours and crisper looks and yes even flares and embroideredborders are now very much in.1. Jeans with embroidered borders are yet to be accepted.

2. Fashion moves in a cyclical manner.

3. Jeans had fallen out of favour with the youngsters.

4. The crisper look of Jeans may lose out to the rugged tough look of the goodold denim.

Solution

1. Read the passage carefully, taking in the essence of the passage.

2. Look at the inferences one by one. [1] says that the embroidered jeans are 'yet tobe accepted', whereas the last sentence of the passage says they are 'very muchin', it is clearly a contradiction, therefore it should be marked as 'definitely false

- [4]'.

3. Read inference [2] carefully, we have been given an instance of how jeansdominated the fashion scene to be taken over by khakis and how jeans is againon its path of revival. Thus the inference appears to be true. However we cannotsay that it is definitely true on the basis of a single instance, it is best to put it as'probably true - [2]'.

4. Look at inference [3]. Read the second sentence of the passage, the inference is'definitely true - [1]'.

5. Look at inference [4], what may happen cannot be ascertained. However, in thelight of the passage where crisper look is in, we cannot conclude that it will loseout to the rugged look. Thus, we mark it as 'probably false - [3]'.

Note : Many students get confused with the concept of 'probably true and probablyfalse'. However, they are not the same. A probably true inference appears to be true inthe light of the passage but is not stated in the passage and therefore cannot beascertained. Similarly a probably false inference is something which appears to befalse in the light of the passage, yet cannot be ascertained as false.

EXERCISE-4

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 4: Below, there are inferences drawn from themain passage.Mark [1] Definitely true if the inference follows directly from the data in thepassage. Mark [2] Probably true if the inference is probably but not definitely true.Mark [3] Probably false if the inference is probably but not definitely false.Mark [4] Definitely false if the inference contradicts the data in the passage.

R. Spitz has found that, infants deprived of handling over a long period, will tend atlength to sink into an irreversible decline and are prone to succumb eventually todisease. In effect this means that, what he calls emotional deprivation can have a fatal

outcome. These observations give rise to the idea of 'stimulus-hunger' and indicatethat the most favoured forms of stimuli are those provided by physical intimacy, aconclusion not hard to accept on the basis of everyday experience.

An allied phenomenon is seen in grown-ups subjected to sensory deprivation - in thepast, social and sensory deprivation is noted to have produced temporary mentaldisturbances in individuals condemned to long periods of solitary imprisonment.1. 'Stimulus - hunger' leads to death.

2. Only infants, deprived of physical intimacy, are affected adversely.

3. Physical intimacy is an intrinsic necessity for the mental and physical health ofhumans.

4. In everyday social interaction, some form of physical intimacy exists.

5. Solitary confinement may turn a person into a lunatic.

ANSWERS KEY

1 1 2 4 3 2 4 2 5 - 2

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-4

1. The author says that emotional hunger can have a fatal outcome. Thus, it is safe

to mark the inference as 'probably true'. Hence, [2].

2. This statement is a definite contradiction of the data given in the paragraph.

Hence, [4], Definitely false.

3. This statement is 'Probably true'. Why not 'Definitely true?' - because, thepassage, while stating that physical stimulus certainly does contribute to thewell-being of humans, does not definitely state that it is a necessity. Hence, [2].

4. "A conclusion not hard to accept on the basis of everyday experience" - thisphrase is what leads us to mark [2], 'Probably true'.

5. Mental disturbances is not the same as being a complete 'lunatic'. Thus probablytrue, [2] is the best answer.

5. Strong Argument, Weak ArgumentIn these types of questions, you have to make decisions, about important issues.While doing so it is desirable to be able to distinguish between 'strong argument'and 'weak argument'. Strong arguments must be both important and directlyrelated to the question. Weak arguments may not be directly related or may berelated to trivial aspects of the question and may be of minor importance.

Note : It is very important in these questions not to bring in your personal biases andopinions.

Example 1Plastic Bags should be banned completely.a] Yes : Plastic Bags mostly end up in the garbage dump ending up as cattle

food.b] No : If banned completely, products which need to be air proof will suffer.c] Yes : Plastic bags cannot be recycled and therefore are extremely harmful

for the environment.

1] only I is strong 2] I and II are strong3] only I is weak 4] only III is strong

Solution1. Read the definitions given carefully.

2. Read the main statement carefully and then look at the arguments put forth. It isessential not to lose focus of the main statement.

3. Look at I, the argument has to be seen in a broader perspective. It is true that ifplastic bags end up as cattle feed it can be harmful but it is not reason enough toban plastic bags cattle can be prevented from eating plastic bags completely.Thus we car net mark it as a strong argument.

4. The argument in II is not strong because there are ways and means of packingproducts which need to be air proof, therefore allowing plastic bags just becausepacking some products will get affected with the ban is not a strong reason.

5. III categorically mentions that plastic bags are harmful for the environmentbecause they cannot be recycled. It is directly related to the statement and also astrong reason for banning plastic bags.

6. Now look at the options, [4] matches with your answer. Mark it off.

Example 2Children below the age of twelve should not be allowed to watch television as ittelecasts a lot of sex and violence.a] Yes : So much of sex and violence have a negative effect on the minds of

children who are at an impressionable age.b] No : What is shown on TV is but a reflection of our society, until and unless

children get a taste of that, they will grow up to be misfits.c] Yes : They can derive entertainment from sources other than the TV.

1] 1 and II are strong 2] I and III are strong3] II and III are strong 4] all are weak

Solution1. Read the main statement and the arguments carefully.

2. Look at argument I, if sex and violence have a negative effect on children's mindit is a good reason to prohibit them from watching TV.

3. Keeping children cocooned or sheltered from facing reality leads to theirbecoming misfits and should therefore be discouraged. This is also a strongreason though it opposes the main statement.

4. III is not directly related to the topic under discussion and is therefore weak.Thus, the answer is [1].

Note that in this example there are two arguments one opposing and the otherfavouring the main statement but both are strong.

EXERCISER-5

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 5: Each question below is followed by fourarguments. You have to classify them into strong and weak arguments.

1. The private lives of public figures must not be discussed in the press.I] Yes : The press has no right to invade the privacy of an individual, public

or otherwise.

II] No : Public figures must be used to curiosity about their private lives.III] Yes : The press has a pressing need to be relevant and balanced.IV] No : Public figures are not very sensitive people.1] Only I is strong. 2] All are strong.3] All are weak. 4] I and III strong.

2. Child marriages must be strongly discouraged.I] Yes : This is an evil affecting those who need the most protection.II] No : The custom started with some justification behind it; that must be

understood, and a fine is sufficient.III] Yes : Strong and effective legislation is definitely a deterrent to such social

crimes.

IV] No : Child marriages are but children's play, after all.1] I and III strong. 2] Only IV is weak.3] All are strong. 4] Only III is weak.

3. God exists.I] Yes : If He did not exist, we would not exist.II] No : There is no scientific evidence available.III] Yes : An ideal of man exists and that ideal is God.IV] No : Because man controls his. own destiny.1] Only I is strong. 2] Only II is strong.3] All are weak. 4] Only III strong.

4. Voting must be made compulsory.I] Yes : Results will be more representative of the choice of the people.II] No : Compulsion is no fun.III] Yes : Leaders will govern better.IV] Yes : India is a democracy.1] I and II strong. 2] I and III strong.3] Only IV strong. 4] Only 1 strong.

5. Advertising is a wasteful expenditure.I] Yes : How many people can read ?II] No : If it was wasteful, then nobody would advertise.III] No : The Advertising industry employs a lot of people.IV] No : Pleasant pictures are worth a thousand words.1] I and IV are weak. 2] Only IV is weak.3] All are weak. 4] II and III weak.

ANSWERS KEY

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 - 3

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-5

In these types of questions, some amount of elimination can be helpful; but what isimportant here, is to study the definitions carefully - it is quite difficult to draw theline between a strong and weak argument.1. Only I is a strong claim for the given statement. 'Generating curiosity' is a vague

reason for discussing public figures in newspapers. To be relevant the press neednot discuss the private lives of public figures, they can take up other issues. IV isirrelevant. Hence, [1].

2. You may not agree with statement II but it still makes a strong case forjustifying a nominal fine and not a strong punishment. It is important that youdon't bring your personal views in answering such questions. Only IV isirrelevant and weak. Hence, [2].

3. Here II appears strong but look carefully - a thing does not exist because noevidence exists, is a rather spurious argument. Hence, [3].

4. III and IV are not related to the main statement. II is just a red herring. Note thatthe main issue here is 'voting' not 'compulsion'. Only I supports the main

statement strongly. Hence, [4].

5. Note that none of the statements point out why or why not advertising iswasteful. Hence, [3]

CHAPTER - 2

CRITICAL REASONING

In these questions a short passage is followed by a question. It is important howeverto remember that the passage usually consists of certain facts. They may also containconclusions that can be drawn or inferences that can be made based on the given data.There may be certain assumptions that act as a bridge relating the fact to the

conclusion. Critical reasoning questions call for the student's skill to evaluate andanalyze arguments or a given situation.

Let us take a few examples :

Example 1"The streets were deserted. A curfew was imposed in the locality following strayincidents of violence".We may connect these events to come to the conclusion streets are usually desertedwhen a curfew is imposed.

Example 2"With the rapid invasion of our lives by the electronic media, sound engineering as aprofession has an infinite scope and offers an aspirant several avenues ofemployment."

An assumption which is made in this statement is the rapid advancements in theelectronic media has been influential in bringing forth sound engineering as anemployment option.

Example 3Now let us introduce some options.

"Night Shyamalan's second movie 'Unbreakable' which again features BruceWillis, is slated to hit the theatres on Friday. Judging by the immense success ofhis first movie 'The Sixth Sense', which has a sterling performance by BruceWillis, this movie is expected to do well at the box office."Which of the following weakens the argument in the passage?

1] 'The Sixth Sense' did not win an Academy Award in spite of its success.2] 'The Sixth Sense' though a success was not appreciated by all sections of

the society.

3] Bruce Willis has had six flops in a row after 'The Sixth Sense'.4] Shyamalan has been asked to write the script for Spielberg's forthcoming

movie.

Tips to solve such questions:1. Read the passage carefully taking in the facts and the conclusions based on the

facts. For example the facts in this passage are

a) Night Shyamalan is directing his second movie 'Unbreakable' after theimmense success of his first movie 'The Sixth Sense'.

b) Bruce Willis has acted in both the movies.

2. Look for the conclusion in the passage (note : there may be more than oneconclusions). The conclusion in this passage isa) 'Unbreakable' is expected to do well at the box office.

3. Look out for the assumptions that are taken into consideration to arrive at theconclusion. The assumptions made here are(a) the success of 'Unbreakable' is primarily being based on the huge success of

Night Shyamalan's first movie 'The Sixth Sense'.(b) the success of 'Unbreakable' is being based on the excellent performance of

Bruce Willis in 'The Sixth Sense'.

The entire process should not take you long though on paper it appears to be so.However it prepares you to tackle any question that is asked of you. Look at thequestion now - "Which of the following weakens the conclusion above?"Let us now look at the options one by one.

1. [1] does not weaken the conclusion as we are not concerned whether 'The SixthSense' or 'Unbreakable' win Academy Awards are not, a movie may be a disasterat the box office and yet win an Academy Award.

2. [2] Here again we are not concerned whether it appealed to every section of thesociety or not but how well it has done at the box office.

3. [3] If Bruce Willis has had six flops in a row, movie-goers will be wary ofwatching another movie which stars the same actor. Therefore [3] weakens theconclusion.

4. [4] If Night Shyamalan is writing a script for Spielberg's movie, Shyamalan'smovie will get further fillip, for Spielberg is an ace director, this thereforestrengthens the conclusion rather than weakening it.

Example 4Sindhudurg is a serene beach resort some 400 kms. off Mumbai. There is nodirect transportation to Sindhudurg. The nearest railway station to Sindhudurg isa 3 hour bumpy ride in an autorickshaw or a tempo. You can stay in the shantieswhich provide minimal amenities, however the experience of peace and blisswill make you go back to the place. The Welcome Group of Hotels is planningto build a couple of resorts along the beach with regular bus services to thenearest railway station. They are advertising it as "Come experience the bliss ofparadise in Sindhudurg, heaven on earth". Sindudurg will soon cease to be theperfect haven as tourists and vacationers start pouring in making it just anotherbeach resort.Which of the following is an assumption made in the passage?1] Sindhudurg may soon become just another vacation spot with droves of

tourists visiting the place.

2] Sindudurg has so far not gained publicity for lack of proper transportation.

3] the Welcome Group of Hotels will attract enough tourists to makeSindhudurg a crowded place.

4] the Welcome Group of Hotels is going to rob the livelihood of the ownersof the shanties.

Solution1. The facts in this passage are

(a) Sindhudurg is a serene beach resort some distance away from Mumbai .(b) The transportation and the lodging facilities in Sindhudurg are minimal.(c) The Welcome Group of Hotels is giving Sindhudurg some publicity by

opening a chain of hotels there.

2. The conclusion that is drawn from the passage is(a) Sindhudurg will soon become like any other crowded beach with the

publicity it is getting by the Welcome Group of Hotels.

3. Now read the question that is asked of you - "Which of the following is anassumption in the passage?"

Note that usually the assumption is something on which the conclusion is based. Nowlook at the options one by one :

1. [1] is but a restatement of the conclusion that is drawn and therefore cannot bean assumption.

2. [2] Note that nowhere is it suggested that it is the lack of transportation that hasbeen the primary factor behind Sindhudurg not being frequented by visitors.

3. [3] is the correct answer. The conclusion is drawn on the basis of theassumption that once the Welcome Group opens a chain of hotels in

Sindhudurg and gives publicity to the place, it will fetch enough visitors tomake the place just another crowded beach.

4. [4] is just a red herring to distract you, at no point does the drift of the passagesuggest anything about the shanty owners losing their livelihood.

Example 5The lives of hundreds of people at risk from kidney disease could be saved by asimple inexpensive test now readily available to the doctors. The multi-bandedindicator test gives early warning of kidney damage by detecting the amount ofprotein in urine along with high risk patients such as those suffering from

diabetes or hypertension. Top much may indicate the kidneys are notfunctioning efficiently and that the patient should be referred to a specialist.Pathologists in India are now encouraging all people to buy home-kits of thesame.

Which of the following if true would most question the recommendation of thepathologists?

1] It is normal for children to show a high content of protein in urine.

2] The indicator works only when seen against sunlight.

3] If the test is carried out just after taking a meal it does not always show thecorrect result.

4] The indicator shows erratic results when there is a slight difference in roomtemperature.

Solution1. The facts in the passage are

(a) An inexpensive test available with the doctors can detect kidney disorders.(b) Pathologists are encouraging people to buy home kits for carrying out the

test.

2. Note that there is no well-defined conclusion in the passage. However it can be If the test is popularized millions of lives may be saved.

3. The assumption in the passage is Pathologists trust the efficacy of the test

enough to recommend people to buy home kits.

4. Now read the question carefully, it asks you to find the most important flaw thatwould question the recommendation of the pathologists.

5. Checking the options you will see that there is more than one option thatquestions the efficiency of the test, however our task is to find the glaring one.

1. It cannot be [1] because the test is not meant only for the children and if thereare kids who have kidney disorders they would form a very small section andshould not deter pathologists from promoting the product.

2. It cannot be [2], as checking the indicator against sunlight is not a big deterrent.3. It cannot be [3], as normally these tests carry specific instructions as to how to

conduct the test.4. If the test needs to be carried out in an ideal temperature and slight temperature

differences show erratic results, it cannot be conducted at home. This, therefore,questions the recommendation of pathologists to use such kits at home, wheretemperature cannot be regulated. Thus, [4] is the answer.

EXERCISE-6

DIRECTIONS for questions I to 5: Each passage below is followed by a question.Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows it.

1. Africa's red-billed oxpeckers had long been thought to aid mammals like theimpala by picking ticks off their skin - an example of mutualism. But Britishbiologist Paul Weeks kept oxpeckers away from a group of oxen and found nochange in the number of ticks. On other oxen, oxpeckers picked at existingwounds delaying the healing time.A conclusion that can be drawn from the above is1] Oxpeckers and Impala's have been thought to have a symbibtic relation for

long now.

2] Ticks multiply if not scavenged by oxpeckers.3] Oxpeckers may be carnivorous.4] All but [3].

2. Global financial markets froze in the morning New York trade on Wednesday asprojections of a Republican sweep of the White House and Congress cameunstuck over a recount in the pivotal state of Florida, leaving the presidentialelection result in balance. The dollar firmed but pared earlier gains against theEuro after the White House race was put on hold.In the event of a clear Republican win in America, which of the followingpredictions about the dollar are most likely to come true?1] It will be at an advantage against the Euro.2] It will rise to some advantage but will eventually slide.3] It will be stable4] It will continue to be volatile and unstable.

3. Inefficiency and its natural corollary, corruption still persists, and nothingsymbolises this better than the stacks of files that continue to choke the system.But the department of Income Tax is moving towards computerisation in a bidto speed up processes and improve productivity But are these developmentsenough? Why not go a step forward and free the individual from the whole

cumbersome process of filing returns?Which of the following would most effectively meet the author's aim?1] Allowing the individual to make payments through the internet and thus

avoiding paperwork2] Introducing a tax on consumption at the point of sale of goods and

abolishing income tax.3] Introducing a system whereby the government and not the individual is

responsible for correct evaluation and payment of income tax.4] All the above.

4. Prince William had better watch out. If the proponents of multiculturalism havetheir way, the most English of British heirs to the throne may have to swerve the

bloodline to warmer climes. If the report on "multi-ethnic Britain" by LordBhiku Parekh is to be believed that is. The good Lord concludes that the word'British' itself has racial connotations and the ex-Empire in its twilight yearsshould now be on the lookout for a more inclusive image than the one that it hadwhen the sun never set.

Which of the following assumptions is being made by the author in the givenpassage?

1] Bhiku Parekh is an authority on the history of the British Empire.2] Lord Parekh's observations of multiculturalism in Britain are echoed in the

reality of Britain today.3] Prince William's marriage to a non-British should dilute the 'English'

Bloodline and initiate multiculturalism.4] Prince William represents an image of Britain that is at odds with Bhiku

Parekh's reports.

5. By the time it's completed in 2005, a statue now slated for construction in BodhGaya, India, will be the tallest edifice in the country - and the tallest figure ofBuddha on the planet. Artists and engineers in India and Britain are planning theMaitreya Project a meditation park funded by Buddhist donors from all over theworld. The centre piece of the 40-acre park will be the 500-foot bronze cladfigure, so large that the Statue of Liberty would just reach its arm.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

1] The Maitreya project will take five years to complete.2] The Statue of Liberty is one of the taller structures in the world.3] A statue taller than the 500 foot Buddha will not be built anywhere in the

world in the next five years time.4] Bodh Gaya is a holy place.

ANSWERS KEY

1 3 2 1 3 2 4 4 5 - 2

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-6

1. [1] is stated in the passage clearly as the subject of research and cannot be theconclusion. [2] is not the answer because the study conducted showed that thenumber of ticks on impalas did not show any difference when they were notpicked by the oxpeckers. If the oxpeckers do not feed on ticks yet pick at thewound it can be concluded that they are carnivorous. Thus [3] is the answer.

2. "The dollar firmed but pared earlier gains against the Euro". This implies that aRepublican sweep would raise the dollar to an advantage against the Euro.Hence, [1].

3. Read the last sentence carefully. [1] and [3] do not ensure that the individualwill not have to file returns. Only [2] does so. Hence, [2].

4. No such assumption is made by the author, Bhiku Parekh may even be anjournalist. Lord Bhiku Parekh's comment is nothing but his personal view,whether that is reflected in present day Britain is not a valid assumption in thepassage. [3] is too far fetched and has been forced upon the scheme of things.

Read the first two sentences, it mentions a word of caution for Prince William,therefore he must be thought to represent an 'English' image of Britain. Thus [4]is the answer.

5. 'Now slated for construction' - implies that the construction is yet to begin,therefore it cannot be deduced that the completion will take five years, thus [1]is ruled out. [3] is just an assumption and cannot be inferred from the passage.Though the place chosen for the Maitreya project is Bodh Gaya, we cannot inferfrom the passage that it is a holy place. If the Statue of Liberty is beingcompared to one of the tallest structures of the world, it will be a tall structureby itself. Thus only [2] can be inferred.

CHAPTER - 3

VENN DIAGRAMS AND SYLLOGISMS

Venn Diagrams : Venn diagrams are named after a British Mathematician, JohnVenn who developed the idea of using diagrams to represent sets.

The next question that is likely to be asked is "What are sets?".A set is a well-defined collection of objects. The objects of a set are called itselements or members. A set of animals can include monkeys, leopards, rabbits,jackals, etc. These individual animals are elements of the set of animals.

1. In Venn diagrams to represent a category that is completely included by theother, the representation is as follows:

e.g., All stars twinkle

S = Stars

T = Twinkle

2. To represent a category that is partially included in the other, e.g some starstwinkle, the representation would be as follows

S = Stars

T = Twinkle

3. To represent a category that is completely exclusive of the other, e.g. No starstwinkle, the representation is thus

S = Stars

T = Twinkle

4. If we have an example which says only stars twinkle, it would be represented thus

S = StarsT = Twinkle

Only stars twinkle would mean that nothing else twinkles or all that twinkles are stars.Let us take a few more examples

Example 1: Parrots, Sparrows, Squirrel, Finches.Here, Parrots, Sparrows, Finches are -all types of birds whereas Squirrel is not a bird,therefore the first three are elements or members of the set of Birds, but Squirrel fallsoutside the set of Birds. It would be represented as follows

P = Parrots

S = Sparrows

F = Finches

Sq = Squirrel

Example 3: Mars, Solar System, UniverseHere we have three concentric circles, Mars is a part of the solar system which inturn is part of the Universe. The diagrammatic representation is as follows

M = StarsSS = Solar System

U = Universe

Example 4: Nib, Ink, PaperHere we have three separate circles which do not touch, meet or overlap. Although wehave a mental association of these three items, they have actually no connection with

each other. The representation is as follows

N = NibI = Ink

P = Pen

Example 5: Women, Doctors, Anchors

Here we have three overlapping circles with one area in common, because doctors canbe women as well as anchors, women can be doctors as well as anchors and similarlyanchors. The diagrammatic representation is as follows

EXERC1SE-7

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 7: There are five diagrams A, B, C, D, and E givenbelow. In the following questions, three objects /subjects are given. Choose thediagram that best illustrates the relationship between them.

1 2 3 4

1. Navy blue, Dark blue, Indigo blue2. Furniture, Table, Books3. Lakes, Rain, Water

4. Fathers, Brothers, Husbands5. T-shirts, Trousers, Skirts6. Buses, Cars, Vehicles7. Lemons, citrus fruits, chocolates

ANSWERS KEY

1 3 2 4 3 1 4 3 5 56 1 7 - 4

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-7

1. There is an overlapping among the three colours given - the correct option is,

therefore, [3].

2. 'Table' belongs to the group 'Furniture', while 'Books' do not. The correct optionis [4].

3. 'Lakes' and 'Rain' both belong to the group 'Water' - option [1].

4. As in question 1, there is an overlapping among 'Fathers', 'Brothers', and'Husbands'. Some 'Fathers' can be both 'Brothers' and 'Husbands'. Those ofyou who say "but Fathers MUST fall in the group 'Husbands'", think again.The correct option is [3].

5. All three are separate items of clothing: option [5].

6. 'Buses' and 'Cars' both belong to the group 'Vehicles'. Option [1].

7. 'Lemons' belongs to the group ' Citrus fruits', while 'Chocolates' is entirelyunrelated, hence option [4].

SYLLOGISMS : Syllogism is a mode of thinking in which one reasons from twostatements or propositions, called premises to a third statement or a proposition calledthe conclusion. A premise is a statement that serves as the basis of the argument. Letus elaborate with the help of an example.

Example 11. All trees are green.

2. Banyan is a tree. Therefore Banyan is green.

The first two statements are premises and the third is the conclusion drawnfrom the premises. Whether the conclusion is valid or not can be verified withthe help of Venn diagrams. The diagrammatic representation will be asfollows

B = Banyan

T = Tree

G = Green

As seen from the diagram, if all trees are Green and Banyan is a tree, it isincluded in the set of Greens and must be Green as well.

Example 21. Some professors are serious people.

2. All serious people wear spectacles. Therefore some professors wear

spectacles.

The diagrammatic representation will be as follows:

Here the shaded area represents those professors who wear spectacles

Example 31. No honey bees buzz.2. All humming birds buzz.Therefore no humming birds are honey bees.The Venn diagram for this would be as follows:

Here, since Honey Bees fall outside of things that buzz, they cannot beHumming Birds.

Example 41. Only boys play football.2. Lily plays football.Therefore Lily is a boy.

Note : We need to make a distinction between 'only' and 'all'. 'Only' does not mean'all'. F example when we say only children get toothache we do not mean all childrenget toothache b that if there is someone who gets toothache it must 'be a child.

Here, since only boys play football, it would mean that all those who playfootball are therefore, Lily who plays football must also be a boy.

Example 51. All dogs bark.2. Tommy barks.However, here we cannot conclude that Tommy is a dog. All we can conclude

is that Tommy may or may not be a dog.Here, Tommy is another element in the set of Barking things and may not be adog. The diagrammatic representation would be as follows

Over the years CAT has seen the following kinds of Syllogisms

A. Six statementsB. Rows of sentences with three segments in each rowC. Conditional syllogisms

A. Six statements : In this type of questions six statements are given, these arefollowed by four options. The student has to mark the option where the thirdstatement can be concluded from the first two premises or statements. With this typeof questions we move into the realm of 'hard-core reasoning'.

Example 1:a] All men lie b] All women tell only the truthc] Chou-Chou is not a woman d] Chou-Chou liese] Chou-Chou is a woman f] Some women lie1] adc 2] bdc 3] bfe 4] fde

Now let us examine each of the options one by one and see which are the incorrectsets, and why they are incorrect.Option 1 : adcThis is an answer you may mark. However the logic is flawed. Just because 'all menlie' and Chou-Chou lies does not mean that Chou-Chou is not a woman - womencould lie too. If the sentence had been "no women lie' then this could have been the

correct answer. A Venn diagram for adc would make it clearer.

There is a possibility that Chou-Chou may be a man. This is shown in the secondfigure.

Now let us look at option 2 : bdc

If women tell only the truth then women is a set inside a bigger set of those whospeak the truth, therefore if Chou-Chou lies, Chou-Chou cannot be a woman. Thus[2] is the answer. The same can be represented as follows

Although we have got the answer and ideally need not check the other options, let usdo so to check why they are incorrect.

In option 3: bfe'All woman tell only the truth' and 'some women lie' are contradictory statementsand thus nothir an be deduced from contradictory statements. '

In option 4 : fde

If some woman lie and Chou-Chou lies we cannot find out whether Chou-Chou is awoman or not. Chou-Chou may be a man, or anything for that matter. The diagramfor option [4] would be as follows

Example 2:a] Perry is a nice girl b] Sherry is a nice girl tooc] All nice girls like sailors d] Perry likes Sherrye] Perry likes sailors f] Sherry likes Perry1] abd 2] dba 3] ace 4] abf

In option 1: abdIf Perry is a nice girl and Sherry is a nice girl too we cannot logically claim that Perrylikes Sherry. They are just two individuals in the set of nice girls.

In option 2 : dba

Again if Perry likes Sherry and Sherry is a nice girl, it does not make Perry a nicegirl.

In option 3 :If Perry is a nice girl and all nice girls like sailors then Perry who is a girl will likesailors too. The diagrammatic representation would be as follows

In option 4: abfIf Perry is a nice girl and Sherry is a nice girl too then we cannot conclude that Sherry

likes Perry. Therefore option 3 is correct.

EXERCISE-8

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 7: Choose the correct set of three sentences whichmake a logical sequence.1. a) Trout lay eggs. d) Platypuses are mammals.

b) Mammals have hair. e) All fish lay eggs.c) Trout are fish. f) Platypus have hair.1] a c e 2] d 3] a e f 4] c e a

2. a) A little power corrupts a little. d) A dictator is absolutely corrupt.b) Power corrupts. e) Corruption is absolute power.c) A dictator has absolute power. f) Absolute power corrupts absolutely.1] b a f 2] e d f 3] b f c 4]fcd

3. a) Some men are dancers d) Some women are dancersb) Some men are not dancers e) Some women are not dancersc) Sheela may be a dancer f) Sheela is a woman1] a b d 2] d f c 3] d e f 4] e c f

4. a) Jumbo is a cricketer. d) Jumbo plays ball.b) All cricketers play ball. e) Cricketers are fond of chocolates.c) All cricketers bat. f) Chocolates affect the teeth1] a b c 2] a e f 3] e f d 4] b a d

5. a) Keto likes to look adult. d) Keto likes swimming.b) Keto is e boy. e) Keto likes to wear long pants.c) Boys play a lot. f) All adults wear long pants.1] a e f 2] a f e 3] b c d 4] f e a

ANSWERS KEY

1 4 2 4 3 2 4 4 5 2

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-81. If Trout are fish and all fish lay eggs the Trout will lay eggs as well. Hence, [4].

2. Though option [1] might confuse you, you will see that statement (f) does not flowlogically from the first two statements. Options [2] and [3] do not make sense. Thecorrect answer is [4].

3. All that this question needs is a little close examination to realise that statements (a)and (b) are irrelevant, and have no third statement to connect to them - therefore youhave to make the set of the remaining four statements, and the correct one is option[2] dfc'

4. You can immediately use the format 'All Y etc...' to get b a d/ a b d, i.e., option [4].

5. Again sentences (b) and (c) can be discarded - they do not have a third to completethe sequence. With the other four sentences , you can make the sequence 'a f e'.

Please note that the same three statements in sequences 'a e f or 'f e a' are notcorrect!

B. Rows of sentences broken into segments : This is a variation of the same. Here

there are three or four rows of sentences broken into three segments, the student has toselect the option where the third segment is a logical conclusion from the first twosegments.

Example 1There are three rows of sentences each divided into three segments. Choose the optionwhere the third statement can be logically concluded from the first two.

A All men are generous. Peter Pan is generous. Peter Pan is a man.

B. No flowers are red. Roses are red. Roses are not flowers.C. Some carpenters are artists. All dancers are artists. Some dancers are

carpenters.

1] only A 2] A and B 3] A and C 4] only BLet us check all the options one by one.

In option 1: If all men are generous and Peter Pan is generous it does not necessarilyimply that Peter Pan is a man. The diagrammatic representation would be as follows:

Since 3 options contain statement A, we can rule out options 1, 2 and 3. Hence, 4 isthe answer.

In option 2: If no flowers are red and rose is red then rose cannot be a flower. Notethat the world of syllogisms may not conform to the mental associations that wenormally assign to things. The diagrammatic representation would be as follows

In option 3: If some carpenters are actors and all dancers are actors they may or maynot be carpenters. Thus we cannot logically deduce that some dancers are carpenters.The diagrammatic representation would be thus

Thus the answer is [4].

EXERCISE-9

1. A. HLL is a big company. HLL pays well. Big companies pay well.B. Some robots fly. All birds fly. Some birds are robots.C. All ladies wear cosmetics. Lily is wearing cosmetics. Lily is a lady.1] only A 2] A and B 3] only C4] none of these

2. A. All fried things are bad. Pancakes are fried. Some Pancakes are bad.B. Some men wear tuxedos. Tuxedos are expensive. Men have expensivetastes.

C. All butterflies are colourful. Colourful things are pleasant. Butterflies arepleasant.

1] A and B 2] only B 3] A and C 4] only C

3. A. Some windows are transparent. All transparent are opaque. Somewindows are opaque.B. All poodles are dogs. All dogs are furry. All poodles are furry.C. Some tablets are round. Some tablets are oval. Tablets are either round oroval.

1] A and B 2] only A 3] A and C 4] only C

4. A. Some mangoes are sour. All grapes are sour. Some mangoes are grapes.B. Some papers are white. All card boards are brown. Card boards are notpaper.

C. All men lie. Only liars are welcome. All men are welcome

1] A and B 2] only B 3] A and C 4] only C

5. A.Some transistors are archaic. Only gramophones are archaic. Sometransistors are gramophones

B. Some flintstones are peanuts. No peanuts are simpsons. All flintstones aresimpsons.

C No radar are transmitters. All towers are transmitters. No towers are radar.1] only A 2] A and B 3] only C 4] A and C

ANSWERS KEY

1 4 2 4 3 1 4 4 5 4

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-91. We cannot deduce all big companies pay well by the single instance of HLL, a

big company. In B all robots and all birds may be independent sets within thelarger set of things that fly. Again the fact that Lily is wearing cosmetics andall ladies wear cosmetics does not make Lily a woman. Thus, none of theconclusions are valid. Our answer is therefore [4]

2. If all fried things are bad and pancakes are fried then all pancakes would bebad, we cannot say that only some are bad. Again if all men wear tuxedos andtuxedos are expensive then we cannot deduce that only some men haveexpensive taste. In C if all butterflies are color and all colourful things arepleasant, then butterflies would be pleasant as well. The diagrammaticrepresentation would be

B = Butterflies

C = ColourfulP = Pleasant Hence, [4].

3. In B if all poodles are dogs and all dogs are furry then all poodles should befurry. In C just because some tablets are round and some tablets are oval wecannot deduce that tablets a either round or oval there may be tablets of othershapes too. Thus, the answer is A and B. Hence, [1].

4. If some mangoes are sour and all grapes are sour we cannot deduce that somemangoes are grapes, they may be separate sets within the larger set of sourthings. If some papers are white and all card boards are brown then we cannotdeduce that Cardboards are not paper. We may have a possibility as shown inthe diagram

P = Paper C = CardboardB = Brown W = White

Thus B is not valid. In C if all men are liars and only liars are welcome thenall men will be welcome. This can be shown as

Thus the answer is [4].

5. If some transistors are archaic and only gramophones are archaic, then sometransistors have to be gramophones.

G = Gramophone

A = Archaic

T = Transistor

Thus A is valid. B cannot be deduced as they talk of completely differentthings and there are no common links. In C if no radar are transmitters and alltowers are transmitters, then no towers are radar.

Thus both A and C are valid, the answer is therefore [4]!

C. Conditional Syllogisms : In this type of syllogisms there is astatement stating a condition followed by pairs of options. The student has tochoose the option which satisfies the condition.

Example 1If the snow continues, we will get stuck.

A. The snow continuedB. The snow did not continueC. We got stuckD. We did not get stuck1] AD 2] DA 3] CA 4] ACThe first two options state the opposite of what is stated in the condition, [3] iswrong because it discounts the fact that we can get stuck for other reasonsalso, [4] is the most logical.

Example 2Either you are a liar, or you are unfaithful.

A. You are a liar

B. You are unfaithful

C. You are not a liarD. You are not unfaithful

1] AB 2] CD 3] BC 4] BD

The statement implies that you can be one of the two things X or Y; when ysuare X, you are not Y and when you are Y, you are not X. Thus, You areunfaithful would mean that you are not a liar. Thus [3] is the answer.

Example 3Whenever Raghu sneezes, his nose turns red.A. Raghu's nose did not turn redB. Raghu sneezedC. Raghu's nose turned redD. Raghu did not sneeze1] CB 2] AD 3] BD 4] DAHere you may be tempted to mark [1] as the answer, but [1] discounts the factthat Raghus nose can turn red otherwise also. It will become clearer if we

explain the same with the help of Venn diagrams. Here the inner circlerepresents all the times that Raghu sneezes and the outer circle represents thetimes that his nose turns red. Let us look at option [2] now. The fact thatRaghu's nose did not turn red would mean that he did not sneeze becausewhenever he sneezes his nose turns red. Hence, [2] is the answer.

EXERCISE-10

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 5 : A main statement is followed by fourstatements. Mark t pair of statements which logically follows from the mainstatement.

1. She scratches her head when she thinks.a] She was thinking.b] She was not thinking.c] She was scratching her head.d] She was not scratching her head.1] ad b] ca c] ac d] none of these

2. Either Ramesh is not driving or he is drinking.a] Ramesh is not driving. b] Ramesh is drinking,c] Ramesh is not drinking. d] Ramesh is driving.1] ac 2] dc 3] ba 4] ab

3. If he climbs too high his head reels.a] He climbed too high. b] His head reeledc] He did not climb too high. d] His head did not reel.1] ba 2] dc c] cd 4] ad

4. Whenever she hears birds sing she sings herself.a] She heard birds sing. b] She sang herself.c] She did not sing herself. d] She did not hear birds sing.1] ab 2] cd 3] ba 4] all but [3]

5. You will reach Varsha's house only if you take a bus.a] You have reached Varsha's house. b] You have taken a bus.c] You haven't reached Varsha's house d] You havent taken abus.1] ba 2] cb 3] bc 4] none of these

ANSWERS KEY

1 3 2 1 3 2 4 4 5 4

EXPLANATORY ANSWERS

EXERCISE-101. Read the main statement carefully. It implies that her thinking is accompanied

by her scratching her head, but not the other way round. Thus [3] is the correctanswer.

2. Note that this is not a simple 'either or statement' as a 'not' is introduced. Thestatement therefore implies When Ramesh is drinking he is driving and whenRamesh is not drinking he is not driving.. Thus only [1] holds.

3. This can be represented with the help of Venn diagrams.

As seen from the diagram, his head did not reel would imply that he did notclimb too high. Hence, [2].

4. This is best explained with the help of Venn diagrams.

As seen from the diagram, her hearing birds sing would imply her singingherself. Similarly if she did not sing it would imply she did not hear birds sing.Hence, [4].

5. Note that you can take the bus to go to other places also, however only a buswill reach you to Varsha's house. Thus none of the options are valid. Hence,[4].

CHAPTER - 4

BINARY LOGIC

This type of question is fairly popular in the CAT examination and is based onBoolean logic. It is best explained by means of an example:

'Colobus' is the name of an island. The inhabitants of this island always answer anyquestion with two sentences, one of which is always true, and the other always false.

Rum, Pum and Posh are the three daughters of the chief of this island. Two of themare married, and one is no.t. You have incurred the chiefs wrath and he has given youtwo options: identify his unmarried daughter, in which case, you can marry, her. Ifyou cannot, you risk execution. Only Pum has long hair. On questioning the three

daughters, these are the answers you get:

Rum : "I am shorter than Pum. The unmarried woman has long hair"Pum : "I am shorter than Rum. Posh is the unmarried one".Posh : "The unmarried one is amongst the three of us. I am unmarried."

Who is the unmarried one ?1] Rum 2] Posh 3] Pum 4] Can't say

The best way of solving this is to use a table, thus: (there is a shortcut, we'll come tothat later).

TABLE 1

True False

Rum: I am shorter than Pum. The unmarried woman has long hair.Pum: Posh is the unmarried one. I am shorter than Rum.Posh: The unmarried one is amongst I am unmarried. *

the three of us.

TABLE 2

True False

Rum: I am shorter than Pum. The unmarried woman has long hair.Pum: Posh is the unmarried one. I am shorter than Rum.Posh: I am unmarried. The unmarried one is amongst the three

of us.

We have only two possible situations: Table (1), or Table (2) - and of these, only onewill be logical. Look at Table (1), and take each sentence one by one.

Rum says: "I am shorter than Pum." We assume this to be true. Hence, Rum isshorter than Pum.

Rum also says "The unmarried woman has long hair," which we assume to be false.Hence, the unmarried woman is not Pum (who has long hair).

Pum says: I am shorter than Rum. But by what Rum has said, this is false.

Hence, her other statement "Posh is the unmarried one" has to be true.

Posh: "The unmarried one is amongst the three of us." HAS to be true. Hence, hersecond statement "I am unmarried." must be false. But this does not make sense as,

in the previous statement we have seen that Posh must be the unmarried one.The assumptions we have made, therefore, do not hold. The sentences marked with anasterisk (*) in Table (1), mark the inconsistencies.

We have now to look at Table (2).

Rum says "I am shorter than Pum", which we assume to be false - i.e., Rum is tallerthan Pum. "The unmarried woman has long hair," therefore, must be true. That leadsus to Pum as the unmarried one.

Pum: "Posh is the unmarried one," must therefore, be false and "I am shorter thanRum."is true - which matches with what we have concluded from Rum's statements.No inconsistencies so far.

Posh: "I am unmarried" has to be false, and "The unmarried one is amongst the threeof us" is true - so this is the scenario which is both logical and unique.

Those of you who have caught on, will now say "but you didn't need to go throughboth the scenarios as described in Tables (1) and (2). All you had to do was look atPosh's statement, see that "the unmarried one is amongst the three of us" HAD to betrue, and work from there."

You are right - I did not have to go through both the scenarios - it was for the purposeof illustration. Let me explain, (for the rest of you) how I could have taken a short-cut.We've seen that, "The unmarried one is amongst the three of us" is obviously true.Therefore, Posh is married. Pum's statement "Posh is unmarried" is false, and so she isshorter than Rum, and so on.

So, the lesson is, if there is an obviously true or false statement given, use it to unravel

the answer - you do not have to go through both scenarios. However, if there is nosuch statement, then the process becomes longer.

EXERCISE-1 1

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 and 2: Read the following carefully.

'Hawa-Hawai' is a tiny country, where the people have peculiar ways of

communication - they always answer any question in two sentences, one of which is

always true, and the other always false. Unfortunately, you are posted there as PoliceChief, and have been called upon to investigate the murder of Pocahontas, the rulingdictator's daughter. You manage to round up three suspects, and after somequestioning, they answer as follows:

Simba : "I didn't do it. Aladdin didn't do it."Aladdin : "Simba did it. Baloo didn't do it."Baloo : "Simba did it. I know who did it."

1. Who murdered Pocahontas ?1] Simba 2] Aladdin 3] Baloo 4] None of thes

2. Which of the three lied ?1] None of them 2] Only Simba3] All the three 4] Only Baloo

DIRECTIONS for questions 3 to 5: Read the following carefully and answer thequestions that follow.

In the village of Scamvihar, all inhabitants always answer any question with twosentences, one of which is always true and the other always false.

While visiting the village, you find Kesri, Deve and Lalloo near the village court. One

of them is wearing a dhoti. Knowing that they were there to resolve a dispute over theownership of some furniture, you ask them, "who got the chair?". They answer as

follows:

Kesri : "I got the chair. Lalloo is wearing a dhoti."Deve : "I am wearing a dhoti. I got the chair."Lalloo : "I got the chair. I am not wearing a dhoti."

3. Who is wearing a dhoti ?1] Lalloo 2] Deve 3] Kesri 4] None of them

4. Who got the chair ?

1] Kesri 2] Can't say 3] Lalloo 4] Deve

On waking up the next morning, you find that your cycle has been stolen. Thesuspects are the same trio you met the previous day. You question them (knowing thatonly one of them is guilty), and they reply as follows:Kesri : "Deve did not do it. I did not do it."Deve : "I did not do it. Lalloo did not do it."Lalloo : "I did not do it. I do not know who did it."

5. Who stole the cycle ?1] Can't say 2] Lalloo 3] Deve 4] Kesri

ANSWERS

1 2 2 3 3 2 4 1 5 - 3

EXPLANATORY ANSWERSEXERCISE-11

For answers to questions 1 and 2:Going by the shortcut route, we see that Baloo's statements give us the key: Baloo

"Simba did it. I know who did it". If the second statement is false, the first doesnot make any sense - it will have to be false also, which cannot be. Hence, thesecond statement has to be true, and 'Simba did it' must be false. Then, Simba'sfirst statement is true, and his second - "Aladdin didn't do it." - is false. Thus,Aladdin is the culprit. Hence, [2].

Question 2 is a trick question! Obviously, by the very description of the inhabitants,all of them lie, every time they speak. So, the answer is [3].

For questions 3 to 5: We have to construct a 'truth table' as explained in Chapter 5; asthere is no shortcut to be found. We start off by assuming that the first statementof Kesri is true. Then we get the following:

True FalseKesri : "I got the chair. Lalloo is wearing a dhoti."

True FalseDeve : "I am wearing a dhoti. I got the chair."

False TrueLalloo : "I got the chair. I am not wearing a dhoti."

As this scenario has no logical inconsistencies, our initial assumption is correct, andthe answers we get are, Deve is wearing a dhoti, and Kesri got the chair - i.e., Q.3:option [2], and Q. 4: option [1].

5. Again, assuming the first statement of Kesri to be true, we get the following:True False

Kesri : "Deve did not do it. I did not do it."

True FalseDeve : "I did not do it. Lalloo did not do it."

We can stop here, as we see a logical inconsistency. As per this scenario, if both 'I didno do it' (Kesri's statement) and 'Lalloo did not do it' are false, that means wehave two culprits which is not possible. Hence, we start again, this time assumingthat Kesri's first statement is false.

False TrueKesri : "Deve did not do it. I did not do it."

False TrueDeve : "I did not do it. Lalloo did not do it."

True FalseLalloo : "I did not do it. I do not know who did it."

This is the correct scenario, and we arrive at option [3], Deve, as the culprit.

TEST-1DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 5: Each statement below is followed by fourarguments. You have to classify them into strong and weak arguments.Strong arguments must be both important and directly related to the question.Weak arguments may not be directly related or may be related to trivial aspects ofthe question and may be of minor importance.

1. Beauty contests are a platform'for the blatant exploitation of women.I. Yes : In such contests, women walk up and down in front of a predominantly

male audienceII. No : Beauty contests these days test the beauty of the intellect as well.III. Yes : Young girls, dazzled by the glamour and the lure of easy money, are

forced to conform to the norms of skimpy attire.IV. Yes: The lack of accepted standards in the industry has lead to a lot of

subjectivity in judging the contest.

1] Only III is strong. 2] Only I is strong.3] Only IV is strong. 4] Only II is strong.

2. In the allocation of resources, the allocation for defence and poverty eradication,should be equitable.I. No : There are more than 30% of the population below the poverty line.II. Yes : Poverty is a serious issue, but we also have hostile neighbouring

countries.

III. No : Make the people strong, and they are the best weapons a country needs.IV. Yes : Democracy means equal treatment for all.

1] All are strong. 2] Only IV is strong.3] Only II is strong. 4] I and II are strong.

3. With the present state of infrastructure, we can sustain growth for only two tothree years

I. No : Past indicators have shown that the growth rate is not dependent on thestate of infrastructure.

II. No : It is not that the present infrastructure is inadequate; it is merely utilisedpoorly

III. Yes : Poor roads, inadequate power and shoddy ports all contribute towardbottlenecks in industrial growth.

IV. Yes : Sustainable growth is a feature of any healthy economy.1] Only IV is strong. 2] Only IV is weak.3] II and III are weak. 4] I and III are weak.

4. Possessiveness usually signals the end of a beautiful relationship.I. Yes : Beauty and possessiveness just don't get along.II. Yes : When signals flash, you cannot ignore them.

III. No : Many a time, the relationship can continue without the beauty.IV. Yes : Possessiveness is not an emotion easily dealt with.1] Only II is strong. 2] Only III is strong.3] All are weak. 4] All are strong.

5. One day you will stop working. Invest wisely today, and you won't stopspending.

I. Yes : A wise investment today can give one an assured future income.II. No : It is not necessary that an investment today, however wise, can

guarantee 'continued spending' in the future.III. Yes : Someday or the other, everybody stops working.IV. No : Investment is not an area that everybody is comfortable with.1] II and III are strong. 2] I, II and III are strong.3] II and IV are strong. 4] I and II are strong.

DIRECTIONS for questions 6 to 10: Choose the diagram that best illustrates therelationship between the three objects / subjects.

6. Leg, Hand, Face7. Liquids, Soft-drinks, Coca-Cola8. Sisters, Mothers, Wives9. Women, Humans, Living beings10. Jackals, Lizards, Pigeons

DIRECTIONS for questions 11 to IS: Classify the statements as Fact (F), Inference(I) or Judgment (J), based on the definitions given below.FACT: Something that can be seen or heard, and is capable of being verified. IINFERENCE: A statement that is drawn or concluded from a fact.JUDGMENT: Is an opinion, and implies approval or disapproval

11. I. All in all it's just another brick in the wall.II. Desmond has a barrow in the market place.III. It was a yellow polka-dot bikini.1] J J F 2] F J F 3] J F I 4] J F F

12. I. The bottle fell from my hands, and-broke into many fragments.II. What a neck it was - willowy, graceful, like the stem of some beautiful

flower!

III. Regular inhalation of vehicle emissions can lead to a host of respiratorydiseases.

1] F I I 2] F J J 3] F J I 4] F F I

13. I. If music be the food of life, play on.II. Rum is a drink that leaves no hangovers.III. Computer operators are in danger of eye-damage.1] F F F 2] J J J 3] J I I 4] F I I

14. I. You only live twice.

II. Life is a roller-coaster.

III. This is where the murder happened.1] J J F 2] J J J 3] F J J 4] I F J

15. I. Marriages are made in Heaven.II. The population problem is getting worse.III. Every seventh person in the world is an Indian.1] F F F 2] J I F 3] F I J 4] J J J

DIRECTIONS for questions 16 to 21: A passage is followed by statements.Mark [1], if the statement is definitely true Le., it directly follows from the data inthe passage.Mark [2], if the statement is probably true but not definitely true in light of the factsin the passage.Mark [3], if the statement is definitely false Le., it contradicts facts in the passage.Mark [4], if the statement is probably false but not definitely false in light of thefacts in the passage.Mark [5], if the data is insufficient to make any of the above classifications.

A comparative study of diet and heart disease in seven countries showed that the

death rate from coronary heart disease was highest in countries where the most animalproducts, including dairy foods were consumed. The Finns, who consumed the most,had the highest death rate from heart disease. Americans were next, except forSeventh-day Adventists, most of whom eat no meat or poultry; they have only half theamount of heart disease that other Americans have. In Japan, where very little fat iseaten, the heart-disease rate is lower than in any other industrialized nation. In onestudy, it was found that, on diets equally low in fat and cholesterol, persons eatinganimal protein had higher levels of cholesterol than those fed a diet containingprimarily vegetable protein.

16. Americans are healthier than Finns.17. The death rate of Finns is the highest in the world.18. Consumption of animal proteins may lead to higher cholesterol levels than the

consumption of vegetable proteins.19. There is a link between consumption of milk, cream, butter, etc., and coronary

heart disease.20. Japan has the lowest incidence of coronary disease, among industrialized nations.21. Seventh-Day Adventists eat meat and poultry only on the seventh day, i.e.,

Sunday.

DIRECTIONS for questions 22 to 24: The following questions have six statementseach. Choose the set of three statements which make a logical sequence.

22. a) Girls like blue frocks b) Boys like to look adultc) Long pants are a sign of adulthood, d) Girls like to be noticed.e) Boys like to be noticed. f) Boys like to wear long pants1] abd 2] fbc 3] bef 4] bef

23. a) All apes have hair. d) All primates have hair.b) All gorillas have hair e) All apes are primates.c) All apes are gorillas f) All gorillas are grey.1] dbe 2] cab 3] abc 4] dea

24. a) All silver is metal d) Some silver is not metal.b) Some silver is metal e) Copper is also metal.

c) All metal is not silver f) All metal is copper.1] abc 2] aec 3] ade 4] abd

ANSWERS KEY1 1 2 3 3 2 4 3 5 4 6 2 7 4 8 3 9 410 2 11 4 12 3 13 3 14 1 15 2 16 5 17 5 18 119 2 20 1 21 3 22 4 23 4 24 - 2

TEST 2

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 5: Two conclusions are drawn from the mainstatements. You have to state whether the conclusions are implicit in the mainstatement.

1. As he read the letter, Ramirez could not remember why he did not go for thegame that Saturday, but the decision has undoubtedly saved his life.I. Ramirezs loss of memory saved his life.

II. What Ramirez did instead of going to the game on Saturday, proved veryimportant for him.

2. A series of studies showed type A people faced no higher risk of heart problemsthan anyone else. What emerged was the hostility theory pioneered by Dr. R.R.Williams.

I. Other people faced higher risks of heart problems than type A people did.II. A study on type A people pioneered the hostility theory.

3. In doubt now, is the partys ability to deal with dissent, thus it is becoming clearthat its projected image of being an unconventional party is getting jaded.I. The party has not handled dissent in the best possible manner, leading to a

dent in its projected image.II. The passage talks about the Bharatiya Janata Party.

4. Doctors have also come up against cases of beauty conscious youngsters poppinglaxatives to keep their bowels empty as often as possible. It achieves nothingmore than a false sense of feeling slim and trim.I. Doctors plan to come up with special laxatives for beauty conscious people,

who can keep their bowels empty to look slim.II. Doctors are not in favour of people trying to look slim and trim.

5. But what do entry strategists actually do? We give such an expansive macro-eco-political and socio-cultural perspective of the Indian market, that the onlything left for them to do after that, is business: says the director of an entrystrategy firm.

I. Entry strategists aim to provide exhaustive information about the Indianmarket.

II. Information about the economic scenario in India is provided by entrystrategists.

DIRECTIONS for questions 6 to 10: Read the following carefully:An Argument is a statement meant to convince another person about your point ofview.An Assertion is a point of view.A Counter - argument contains logic opposing the assertion.

Based on the above definitions, classify each of the given sets of statements into:I. Assertion II. Supporting reason

III. Counter argument IV. Irrelevant argument

6. a) It is difficult to be happy.b) The symptoms of unhappiness are a source of happiness.c) Happiness comes from a lack of want.d) Unhappiness creates a lack of want.1] I II II II 2] IV I II II 3] I II I II 4] I II IV IV

7. a) Millions of fishermen complain of catches that have fallen - by half, in someplaces.

b) Industries and governments conspire to bypass laws protecting coastal areas.c) As many as 53 ci