Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal FREE Watson Glaser Inferences Question and Answers 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Statement: A city introduced a mandatory recycling program six months ago. Since then, the amount of waste sent to the landfill has decreased by 30%. Inference: Residents are complying with the recycling program. How do you judge this inference?
- True
- Probably True (Correct answer)
- Insufficient Data
- Probably False
- False
Correct answer: Probably True
The landfill reduction is consistent with compliance, but other factors (waste reduction, population decline) cannot be ruled out, making this probably true rather than certain.
Question 2: Statement: Every employee who completed the advanced training course received a promotion within one year. Maria completed the advanced training course last month. Inference: Maria will receive a promotion within a year.
- True
- Probably True (Correct answer)
- Insufficient Data
- Probably False
- False
Correct answer: Probably True
Past patterns strongly suggest promotion, but the word 'every' refers to past employees and does not guarantee Maria's future outcome with certainty.
Question 3: Statement: The number of cars on the highway increased by 40% over the past decade. Traffic accidents on that highway decreased by 15% in the same period. Inference: Improved road safety measures were implemented on the highway.
- True
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data (Correct answer)
- Probably False
- False
Correct answer: Insufficient Data
The statistics describe outcomes but give no information about what caused the accident reduction, so this inference cannot be judged from the data provided.
Question 4: Statement: No student who failed the midterm exam passed the final exam this semester. Inference: A student who failed the midterm will not pass the final exam.
- True (Correct answer)
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data
- Probably False
- False
Correct answer: True
The statement uses 'no student,' making it a universal rule; therefore the inference is definitively true based on the information given.
Question 5: Statement: A survey found that 85% of customers who used the new mobile app rated their shopping experience as 'excellent.' Last year, before the app launched, only 50% gave that rating. Inference: The mobile app caused the increase in customer satisfaction.
- True
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data (Correct answer)
- Probably False
- False
Correct answer: Insufficient Data
The correlation is noted but the statement provides no evidence ruling out other simultaneous changes (new products, better service), so causation cannot be established.
Question 6: Statement: The factory produces 500 units per day when operating at full capacity. Yesterday, the factory produced only 200 units. Inference: The factory was not operating at full capacity yesterday.
- True (Correct answer)
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data
- Probably False
- False
Correct answer: True
Since full capacity yields 500 units and yesterday's output was 200, it follows necessarily that the factory was not at full capacity.
Question 7: Statement: Violent crime rates in Westville dropped significantly after a new community policing initiative was launched. City officials declared the initiative a success. Inference: Community policing is effective at reducing crime in all cities.
- True
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data (Correct answer)
- Probably False
- False
Correct answer: Insufficient Data
One city's result is insufficient to generalize the effectiveness of community policing universally across all cities.
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal FREE Watson Glaser Inferences Question and Answers 3
Statement: A city introduced a mandatory recycling program six months ago.
Since then, the amount of waste sent to the landfill has decreased by 30%.
Inference: Residents are complying with the recycling program.
How do you judge this inference?