Civil Service Verbal Reasoning Test Critical Reasoning and Logical Inference 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The number of road accidents falls every year that a new speed camera is installed. Therefore, speed cameras reduce accidents. Which statement WEAKENS this argument?
- Accident rates were already falling before cameras were installed (Correct answer)
- Speed cameras are expensive to maintain
- Drivers are aware of camera locations
- Some accidents occur far from cameras
Correct answer: Accident rates were already falling before cameras were installed
If accidents were already falling before cameras were installed, the cameras may not be causing the decline. The trend could be due to other factors.
Question 2: Some architects are also engineers. All engineers understand structural loads. Which conclusion COULD be true?
- Some architects understand structural loads (Correct answer)
- No architects understand structural loads
- All architects are engineers
- Architects never study engineering
Correct answer: Some architects understand structural loads
Since some architects are engineers, and all engineers understand structural loads, those architect-engineers must understand structural loads. So some architects do.
Question 3: If a product is recalled, it must have a safety defect. Product X has not been recalled. Which is TRUE?
- We cannot conclude Product X has no safety defect (Correct answer)
- Product X definitely has no safety defect
- Product X is completely safe
- Product X passed all safety tests
Correct answer: We cannot conclude Product X has no safety defect
The rule tells us recalled products have defects — but not that all defective products are recalled. A product could have a defect and not yet be recalled.
Question 4: All red cards in the deck are hearts. This card is a heart. Which conclusion is VALID?
- This card may or may not be red (Correct answer)
- This card is definitely red
- This card is not a red card
- This card is a diamond
Correct answer: This card may or may not be red
The rule says red cards are hearts, not that all hearts are red (some hearts could be black). A heart card may or may not be red.
Question 5: A manager argues: 'Our team's sales increased by 20% after I introduced the new strategy. Therefore my strategy was successful.' Which BEST challenges this?
- The market as a whole grew by 25% during the same period (Correct answer)
- The team was already strong before the strategy
- 20% is a significant increase
- Other teams also adopted similar strategies
Correct answer: The market as a whole grew by 25% during the same period
If the whole market grew by 25% and the team only grew by 20%, the strategy may have actually underperformed relative to market conditions.
Question 6: Only members of staff with a security pass can enter the server room. Which is EQUIVALENT to this statement?
- If you can enter the server room, you have a security pass (Correct answer)
- If you have a security pass, you can enter the server room
- Anyone with a pass enters the server room freely
- Non-staff cannot obtain a security pass
Correct answer: If you can enter the server room, you have a security pass
'Only X can do Y' means 'if you can do Y, you must be X.' Being able to enter the server room implies having a pass.
Civil Service Verbal Reasoning Test Critical Reasoning and Logical Inference 2
The number of road accidents falls every year that a new speed camera is installed.
Therefore, speed cameras reduce accidents.
Which statement WEAKENS this argument?