ISAT - International Student Admissions Logical Deduction from Passages Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Passage: In any ecosystem, the removal of a keystone species—a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend—causes significant disruption. For instance, sea otters are a keystone species in kelp forests. They prey on sea urchins, which in turn feed on kelp. Without sea otters, sea urchin populations can explode, leading to the overgrazing of kelp and the subsequent collapse of the forest habitat for many other marine animals. Therefore, the conservation of sea otter populations is not just about saving a single species, but about maintaining the entire kelp forest ecosystem. Which of the following can be most logically deduced from the passage?
- Kelp forests can only exist where there are sea otters.
- Sea urchins are the only food source for sea otters.
- The health of a kelp forest is an indicator of the presence of sea otters.
- A decline in the sea otter population will likely lead to a decline in the biodiversity of the kelp forest. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A decline in the sea otter population will likely lead to a decline in the biodiversity of the kelp forest.
The passage states that the removal of sea otters leads to an explosion of sea urchins, which in turn leads to the collapse of the kelp forest habitat for 'many other marine animals.' This directly implies that a decline in sea otters will negatively affect the variety of species (biodiversity) that depend on the kelp forest.
Question 2: Passage: All employees attending the mandatory annual training must register online by Friday. Sarah, a department manager, has not yet registered. Any employee who fails to register by the deadline will have their network access suspended on the following Monday. Network access is essential for all job functions at the company. Based on the information provided, which of the following must be true?
- Sarah's network access will be suspended on Monday.
- No managers other than Sarah have failed to register.
- If Sarah does not register by Friday, she will be unable to perform her job functions on Monday. (Correct answer)
- The annual training is the only mandatory event for employees.
Correct answer: If Sarah does not register by Friday, she will be unable to perform her job functions on Monday.
The passage establishes a clear causal chain: failing to register by Friday leads to network access suspension on Monday. It also states that network access is essential for all job functions. Therefore, if Sarah does not register by the deadline, her access will be suspended, and she consequently will not be able to perform her job functions.
Question 3: Passage: The principle of patient autonomy requires that physicians respect a patient's decision to refuse medical treatment, provided the patient is competent and the decision is informed. An informed decision is one made after the patient understands the nature of their condition, the risks and benefits of the proposed treatment, and the alternatives. However, this principle does not extend to situations where a patient's refusal of treatment poses a direct and significant threat to public health, such as refusing quarantine during a highly infectious disease outbreak. According to the passage, a physician is NOT obligated to accept a patient's refusal of treatment if:
- The physician believes the treatment is in the patient's best interest.
- The patient's family disagrees with the decision.
- The patient's decision could endanger the wider community. (Correct answer)
- The patient is not fully aware of all possible alternative treatments.
Correct answer: The patient's decision could endanger the wider community.
The passage explicitly states that the principle of autonomy has a limitation: it 'does not extend to situations where a patient's refusal of treatment poses a direct and significant threat to public health.' This directly supports the idea that a physician is not obligated to accept the refusal if it endangers the community.
Question 4: Passage: To be classified as a 'planet,' a celestial body must meet three criteria established by the International Astronomical Union (IAU): it must orbit the Sun, it must have sufficient mass to assume a nearly round shape, and it must have 'cleared its neighborhood' of other objects. Pluto orbits the Sun and is spherical, but it fails the third criterion because its orbit is populated by other objects in the Kuiper Belt. Therefore, Pluto is classified as a 'dwarf planet.' Which of the following statements can be properly inferred from the passage?
- No dwarf planets are spherical in shape.
- Any celestial body that orbits the Sun and is round is a planet.
- A celestial body can orbit the Sun without being classified as a planet or a dwarf planet.
- An object that has 'cleared its neighborhood' must orbit the Sun to be a planet. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: An object that has 'cleared its neighborhood' must orbit the Sun to be a planet.
The passage presents three necessary criteria for being a planet. The third criterion, 'clearing its neighborhood,' is just one of the three. The first criterion is that it 'must orbit the Sun.' Therefore, it can be inferred that satisfying the 'cleared neighborhood' rule is not sufficient on its own; the object must also orbit the sun.
Question 5: Passage: A recent study on urban wildlife found that coyote populations are thriving in metropolitan areas. These urban coyotes have adapted their diets, consuming a higher proportion of human-related food sources, such as discarded food and rodents that flourish in cities, compared to their rural counterparts. Despite their proximity to humans, documented cases of unprovoked attacks on people remain extremely rare. The study concluded that the adaptability of coyotes is the primary reason for their success in urban environments. Which of the following is an underlying assumption of the study's conclusion?
- The number of rodents in cities is greater than in rural areas.
- A species' ability to change its diet is a key indicator of adaptability. (Correct answer)
- Urban coyotes are genetically different from rural coyotes.
- There are no other predators for coyotes in urban areas.
Correct answer: A species' ability to change its diet is a key indicator of adaptability.
The conclusion is that adaptability is the reason for the coyotes' success. The main evidence provided for this adaptability is their changed diet. For this evidence to support the conclusion, one must assume that the ability to modify a diet is a significant aspect of adaptability. The other options are not necessary assumptions for the conclusion to hold.
Question 6: Passage: In contract law, for an agreement to be legally binding, there must be an offer, an acceptance of that offer, and 'consideration.' Consideration is defined as something of value that is exchanged between the parties. It does not need to be monetary; it can be a promise to perform an action or to refrain from performing an action. A purely gratuitous promise, where one party receives nothing of value in return, is generally not enforceable as a contract. Scenario: Tom promises his neighbor, Jane, that he will paint her fence for free next weekend. Jane is delighted and buys the paint. Before the weekend, Tom informs Jane he has changed his mind. Can Jane legally enforce Tom's promise as a contract?
- Yes, because Jane accepted Tom's offer.
- Yes, because Jane spent money on paint in reliance on the promise.
- No, because Tom's promise was a gift with no consideration from Jane. (Correct answer)
- No, because the agreement was not in writing.
Correct answer: No, because Tom's promise was a gift with no consideration from Jane.
According to the passage, a key element of a legally binding contract is 'consideration'—something of value exchanged between the parties. Tom's promise to paint the fence was a 'purely gratuitous promise' because Jane gave him nothing of value in return. Therefore, there was no consideration, and the promise is not an enforceable contract. Jane buying paint is her own action and was not part of an exchange with Tom.
ISAT - International Student Admissions Logical Deduction from Passages Questions and Answers
Passage: In any ecosystem, the removal of a keystone species—a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend—causes significant disruption.
For instance, sea otters are a keystone species in kelp forests.
They prey on sea urchins, which in turn feed on kelp.
Without sea otters, sea urchin populations can explode, leading to the overgrazing of kelp and the subsequent collapse of the forest habitat for many other marine animals.
Therefore, the conservation of sea otter populations is not just about saving a single species, but about maintaining the entire kelp forest ecosystem.
Which of the following can be most logically deduced from the passage?