UCAT Verbal Reasoning 2

Question 1

Passage: 'Antibiotic resistance is rising globally. Doctors are prescribing fewer antibiotics.' Which conclusion can be drawn?

Accepted Answer

Reduced prescribing alone has not stopped resistance rising

Answer

The passage shows resistance is still rising despite fewer prescriptions, so prescribing reduction alone has not reversed the trend. No other conclusion is directly supported.

Question 2

'Most accidents happen within 5 miles of home.' A driver concludes she is safer driving far from home. What is wrong with this reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Most driving also happens near home, so proximity is not the risk factor

Answer

The statistic reflects exposure: people drive more near home, so more accidents occur there. Distance from home does not itself increase safety.

Question 3

A passage claims that a new drug reduced hospital stays by 2 days on average. A critic notes the control group was healthier. This criticism suggests:

Accepted Answer

The drug's benefit may be overstated due to confounding

Answer

If the control group was healthier, the comparison is unfair — the drug group may have had longer stays for reasons unrelated to the drug, making the 2-day reduction appear greater than it is.

Question 4

'Either we invest in renewable energy or we face severe climate consequences.' This argument structure is an example of:

Accepted Answer

False dilemma

Answer

Presenting only two options when more may exist is a false dilemma (false dichotomy). Other energy or policy options might also avert climate consequences.

Question 5

A passage states vaccination rates fell and measles cases rose. Which additional piece of evidence would most strengthen a causal claim?

Accepted Answer

In regions with higher vaccination rates, measles cases remained low

Answer

Showing a consistent inverse relationship across multiple regions (dose-response / comparative evidence) greatly strengthens the causal argument between vaccination rates and measles incidence.

UCAT Practice Test

UCAT Practice Test

UCAT Verbal Reasoning 2