UCAT Verbal Reasoning 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states hospitals in city A have better outcomes than hospitals in city B. City A hospitals are larger. The author concludes larger hospitals produce better outcomes. What weakens this?
- City A is wealthier and has healthier patients on average (Correct answer)
- Larger hospitals see more patients
- Hospital size correlates with funding
- City B hospitals are newer
Correct answer: City A is wealthier and has healthier patients on average
If city A patients are generally healthier (case-mix difference), the hospitals' size is a confounding variable rather than the cause of better outcomes.
Question 2: 'This painkiller reduced pain scores by 50% in trials.' A patient concludes it will halve her pain. Which caveat is most important?
- Trial results are averages — her individual response may differ (Correct answer)
- Pain scores are not reliable
- The drug may have side effects
- Trials are conducted on volunteers
Correct answer: Trial results are averages — her individual response may differ
Average trial results do not predict individual outcomes. The patient's pain may reduce by more, less, or not at all depending on her specific condition.
Question 3: Passage: 'Speed cameras reduced accidents at monitored junctions by 30%.' The transport minister announces cameras will be installed everywhere. Which assumption does this require?
- Cameras will be equally effective at all junctions, not just those already chosen for cameras (Correct answer)
- Junctions were randomly selected for cameras
- 30% is a clinically significant reduction
- Accidents are the only road safety metric
Correct answer: Cameras will be equally effective at all junctions, not just those already chosen for cameras
Sites chosen for cameras are often already high-accident locations (regression to the mean risk). Assuming the same reduction everywhere requires the assumption that location type does not matter.
Question 4: A writer argues: 'Since ancient Greeks practised democracy, democracy is the oldest and most natural form of government.' Identify the flaw.
- Age does not establish that something is natural or best — the argument conflates origin with value (Correct answer)
- Greek democracy excluded most citizens
- Modern democracy differs from Greek democracy
- The writer ignores Roman government
Correct answer: Age does not establish that something is natural or best — the argument conflates origin with value
Arguing from antiquity (appeal to tradition) — the fact that something is old does not make it natural or superior. This is a classic logical fallacy.
Question 5: 'Every student who failed the test admitted they had not revised. Therefore, revision guarantees passing.' What is wrong?
- The evidence only shows that non-revision is associated with failure, not that revision guarantees success (Correct answer)
- Revision is unnecessary for some students
- The test may have been unfair
- Some students lied about revising
Correct answer: The evidence only shows that non-revision is associated with failure, not that revision guarantees success
Knowing non-revision is linked to failure does not establish that revision is sufficient for passing. Other factors may prevent success despite revising.
Question 6: Passage mentions a correlation of r=0.85 between exercise and life expectancy. What does this most accurately indicate?
- A strong positive association between exercise and life expectancy (Correct answer)
- Exercise directly causes longer life
- 85% of people who exercise live longer
- Life expectancy increases by 85% with exercise
Correct answer: A strong positive association between exercise and life expectancy
A correlation coefficient of 0.85 indicates a strong positive association. Correlation alone does not establish causation, and the statistic does not represent a percentage of people or a percentage increase.
UCAT Verbal Reasoning 4
A passage states hospitals in city A have better outcomes than hospitals in city B.
City A hospitals are larger.
The author concludes larger hospitals produce better outcomes.
What weakens this?