CELSA Logical Inference From Text 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Researchers found that forests in Region A lost 40% of their tree cover between 2000 and 2020, while neighboring Region B, which enacted strict logging bans in 2001, retained nearly all of its original forest. What can most logically be inferred?
- Region A has richer soil quality than Region B
- Logging restrictions likely contributed to Region B's forest retention (Correct answer)
- Region B receives significantly more rainfall than Region A
- Wildlife populations are identical in both regions
Correct answer: Logging restrictions likely contributed to Region B's forest retention
The contrast between Region A's losses and Region B's retention—with logging bans as the key difference—supports inferring that the policy protected the forest.
Question 2: A clinical trial showed that patients who took a new medication reported 60% fewer headaches than the placebo group, though the medication caused mild nausea in 30% of participants. Which inference is most reasonable?
- The medication should never be prescribed to anyone
- All patients will experience nausea from the medication
- The medication's effectiveness must be weighed against its side effects (Correct answer)
- The placebo group benefited more than the medication group
Correct answer: The medication's effectiveness must be weighed against its side effects
The drug is effective but has a notable side effect, so a rational conclusion is that the trade-off between benefit and risk must be considered.
Question 3: Historical records show that ancient cities located along major rivers grew significantly larger than inland cities. Merchants, farmers, and craftspeople all clustered near waterways. What can be inferred about the role of rivers in ancient civilization?
- Rivers were primarily valued for their scenic beauty
- Rivers provided strategic military advantages above all else
- Rivers served as vital arteries for trade and sustenance (Correct answer)
- Ancient people feared living far from rivers due to superstition
Correct answer: Rivers served as vital arteries for trade and sustenance
The convergence of merchants, farmers, and craftspeople near rivers points to rivers as essential for commerce and resources, not merely aesthetics or military use.
Question 4: Since the city installed 500 new trees in the downtown corridor, summer temperatures there dropped by an average of 3°F. A neighboring district with no new plantings showed no temperature change. What inference is best supported?
- The tree species planted are invasive and harmful to the area
- Urban tree coverage can reduce local heat levels (Correct answer)
- Temperature differences are caused by wind patterns rather than trees
- The city plans to plant trees in every neighborhood next year
Correct answer: Urban tree coverage can reduce local heat levels
The controlled comparison—one district with trees versus one without, and only the first showing cooling—supports inferring that the trees caused the temperature drop.
Question 5: A survey found that employees working from home at least three days per week reported higher job satisfaction, but managers rated those same employees' collaboration skills lower than in-office peers. What can logically be inferred?
- Remote work is universally superior to office work
- Remote work involves trade-offs between personal satisfaction and collaborative performance (Correct answer)
- Managers prefer in-office workers for reasons unrelated to performance
- Job satisfaction and collaboration skills are equally easy to measure
Correct answer: Remote work involves trade-offs between personal satisfaction and collaborative performance
The data show a gain in one area (satisfaction) and a loss in another (collaboration), which logically implies a trade-off rather than a clear winner.
Question 6: A highway bypass was built around a small town to reduce Main Street congestion. Two years later, Main Street shops reported a 40% decline in revenue. What can most likely be inferred?
- The highway was poorly constructed and required costly repairs
- Local residents stopped shopping entirely after the highway opened
- Diverting traffic away from downtown reduced foot traffic and sales (Correct answer)
- The town's total population decreased significantly after the bypass opened
Correct answer: Diverting traffic away from downtown reduced foot traffic and sales
Rerouting vehicles away from Main Street logically reduces the number of passing customers, which directly explains the revenue drop.
Question 7: A nutrition study found that participants consuming five or more servings of vegetables daily had lower rates of heart disease than those eating fewer than two servings, even after controlling for exercise and smoking. What is the most reasonable inference?
- Vegetables are the only dietary factor influencing heart disease risk
- Exercise habits matter more than diet for heart health
- Higher vegetable consumption is associated with reduced heart disease risk (Correct answer)
- The study participants were unrepresentative of the general population
Correct answer: Higher vegetable consumption is associated with reduced heart disease risk
After controlling for other variables, the correlation between vegetable intake and lower heart disease risk points to an association between the two.
CELSA Logical Inference From Text 2
Researchers found that forests in Region A lost 40% of their tree cover between 2000 and 2020, while neighboring Region B, which enacted strict logging bans in 2001, retained nearly all of its original forest.
What can most logically be inferred?