LNAT - Law National Aptitude Distinguishing Fact and Opinion Questions and Answers

Question 1

Read the following passage: "The new city ordinance prohibits bicycling on sidewalks in the downtown business district. This regulation, which came into effect on Tuesday, is an outrageous overreach of municipal power. Many local business owners have reported a decrease in foot traffic since the rule was enacted. The city council should have considered the negative economic impact before passing such a restrictive law." Which of the following statements from the passage is a verifiable fact?

Accepted Answer

The new city ordinance prohibits bicycling on sidewalks in the downtown business district.

Answer

A fact is a statement that can be objectively proven true or false. [2, 5] The statement that the ordinance prohibits bicycling on sidewalks can be verified by checking the city's official legal records. The other options express opinions through judgmental language ('outrageous overreach'), recommendations ('should have'), or by presenting an unproven causal link as a certainty.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is purely an opinion?

Accepted Answer

The judge's sentencing decision was far too lenient under the circumstances.

Answer

An opinion expresses a personal belief or judgment. [2] The phrase 'far too lenient' is a subjective evaluation of the judge's decision and cannot be proven true or false. The other statements are factual claims that can be objectively verified by examining court records.

Question 3

During a parliamentary debate, four members make statements. Which speaker's statement is purely an expression of opinion?

Member A: 'This tax will increase the price of petrol by an estimated 5 pence per litre, according to the Treasury's own analysis.'
Member B: 'A recent poll of 1,200 constituents showed 65% are concerned about rising fuel costs.'
Member C: 'The legislation includes 15 clauses and will be debated for a total of 40 hours.'
Member D: 'This ill-conceived tax is a disastrous policy that will harm the economy for no discernible environmental benefit.'

Accepted Answer

Member D

Answer

Member D's statement is filled with subjective and evaluative language such as 'ill-conceived' and 'disastrous'. These are judgments, not verifiable facts. In contrast, Members A, B, and C are all stating factual information: a figure from a report, the results of a poll, and procedural details about the legislation, respectively.

Question 4

Which of the following is a statement of opinion, rather than a statement of fact?

Accepted Answer

A humanities degree is less valuable for securing a high-paying job than a degree in engineering.

Answer

The word 'valuable' introduces a subjective judgment. While one could compare average salaries (a factual exercise), the overall 'value' of a degree is a matter of opinion. The other statements are all factual claims that can be proven true or false through historical records [3, 8], government statistics, and official regulations.

Question 5

Read the following passage: "The jury acquitted the defendant on all charges. The verdict, delivered after three days of deliberation, was met with gasps in the courtroom. Evidence presented by the prosecution included forensic data and testimony from two eyewitnesses. However, the defence successfully highlighted inconsistencies in the witness accounts. This was clearly the correct and just outcome, as the prosecution's case was fundamentally weak and poorly constructed." Which sentence from the passage expresses the author's opinion?

Accepted Answer

This was clearly the correct and just outcome, as the prosecution's case was fundamentally weak and poorly constructed.

Answer

This sentence uses subjective and evaluative terms like 'correct,' 'just,' 'weak,' and 'poorly constructed' to pass judgment on the trial's result. This is the author's personal assessment. The other options state events from the trial that could be verified from the court record.

LNAT - Law National Aptitude Test Practice Test

LNAT - Law National Aptitude Test Practice Test

LNAT - Law National Aptitude Distinguishing Fact and Opinion Questions and Answers