CSS General Abilities Topic 4 MCQ's Test

Question # 1

Many countries are facing a potential crisis in 20 to 30 years time. The ratio of pensioners to workers will be changing drastically with a declining birth rate, with more lengthy education of the young, and with a reduced working life. In general, the number of people paying into pension schemes is decreasing all the time. Meanwhile, with increased health care and living standards, more people are living long enough to draw their pension funds.
A controversial solution to this problem has been proposed in Germany-changing the age of retirement, for both men and women, from the current qualifying age of 63 for men and 60 for women.
A radical, but socially acceptable, solution to this problem must be found. If this is not done, it is predicted that by the year 2050, one person in three will be 65 or over and the projected work force will be unable to support pensions.
Assuming the following were all socially acceptable, which one would not improve the situation in the future ?

Lower the retirement age. A
Decrease the school-leaving age. B
Impose larger contributions on employees and employers. C
Cut pensions in half. D
Only give state pensions to retired persons whose income in below a certain level. E

Question # 2

You have three boxes, each containing two balls, one containing a black pair; one, a white pair; and third, one white ball and one black ball. On each box are pictures of two balls - either two black ones, two white ones, or one white and one black. You are told that the markings on the boxes are all wrong. You are asked to ascertain the colors of the balls contained in each box.
Which of the following statements can be inferred form the above ?

You can take out one ball from the box marked with two black balls and, without looking at the second ball, know that each box actually contains. A
You can take out one ball from the box marked with two white balls and, without looking at the second ball, know what each box actually contains. B
You can take out one ball from the box marked with one while ball and one black ball and, without looking at the second ball, know what each box contains. C
You cannot know which balls are contained in which box until you take a ball out of more than one box. D
You cannot know which boxes contain which color balls until you take a ball out of all three boxes. E

Question # 3

Ever since I arrived at the college last week, I ve been shocked by the poor behavior of students and the unfriendly attitude of the towns-people, but the professors are very erudite and genuinely helpful. Still, I wonder if i should have come here in the first place.
Which of the following, if true, would weaken the above conclusion ?

Professors are not always helpful to students. A
The college numbers over 50,000 students. B
The college is far from the student's home. C
Not all professors have doctorates. D
The narrator was unsure of staying at the college. E

Question # 4

Contrary to charges made by opponents of the new trade bill, the bill's provisions for taking action against foreign countries that place barriers against American exports, is justified. Opponents should take not that restrictive trade legislation in the 1930s succeeded in improving the U.S. trade balance even though economists were against it.
The author's method of rebutting opponents of the new trade bill is to

attack the patriotism of its opponents. A
attack the opponents characters rather than their claims. B
imply an analogy between the new trade bill and previous trade legislation. C
suggest that economists were against both pieces, of legislation. D
imply that previous legislation also permitted retaliatory action against foreign countries. E

Question # 5

In August 1980, according to a new your. Times/CBS news poll, 36 percent of the voters called themselves Republicans or said they were independents leaning toward being Republicans. In November 1984, the Republican figure rose to 47 percent. But in the latest Times/CBS survey, the Republicans were down to 38 percent. Therefore, the Democrats are likely to win the next election.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the above conclusion ?

Republicans were a minority in 1984, but a Republican president was elected. A
People tend to switch their votes at the last minute. B
People vote for the best candidate, not for a political party. C
No one can predict how people will vote. D
It has been shown that 85 percent of Republicans vote in an election, compared to 50 percent of the Democrats. E

Question # 6

Many of the convenience foods on the market today, like dry cereals, have less nutrients than natural foods, which were dominant a decade or two ago. Many nutritionists claim that dry cereal gives less nourishment than natural foods like eggs or bacon. Opponents of the nutritionists views state that examination of grade-school students show less nutritional deficiency than in their parents time.
Which of the following, if true, would tend to strengthen the opponents view ?

Grade-school children reported eating no breakfast at all. A
Fewer convenience foods were available to the parents. B
Adults claim to eat convenience foods as well as natural foods. C
Convenience foods can be digested just as quickly as natural foods. D
Consumers are not likely to sacrifice convenience for nutrition. E

Question # 7

An economist was quoted as saying that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will go up next month because of a recent increase in the price of fruit and vegetables.
Which of the following cannot be inferred from the statement ?

The cost of fruits and vegetables has risen sharply. A
Consumers have decreased their consumption of fruits and vegetables. B
The cost of fruit and vegetables is a major item in the CPI. C
Food cost changes are reflected quickly in the CPI. D
Other items that make up the CPI have not significantly decreased in price. E

Question # 8

A local garbage disposal company increased its profitability even though it reduced its prices in order to attract new customers. This was made possible through the use of automated trucks, thereby reducing the number of workers needed per truck. The company also switched from a concentration on household hauling to a concentration on commercial hauling. As a result of its experience, company management planned to replace all their old trucks and increase the overall size of the truck fleet, doubling hauling capacity.
The company's plan as outlined above, takes into consideration each of the following except:

Commercial clients have more potential than household customers. A
The demand for garbage removal services is sensitive to price. B
Demand for garbage removal services would increase in the future. C
Doubling of capacity would not encessitate; a substantial increase in the work force. D
Doubling of capacity would not cause bottlenecks, leading to a decrease in productivity. E

Question # 9

Ali is a terrible driver. He has had at least five traffic violations, int he past year.
Which of the following can be said about the above claim ?

This is an example of an argument that is directed against the source of the claim rather than the claim itself. A
The statement is fallacious because it contains an illegitimate appeal to authority. B
The above argument obtains its strength from a similarity of two compared situations. C
The argument is built upon an assumption that is not stated but rather is concealed. D
In the above statements, there is a shifting in the meaning of terms, causing a fallacy of ambiguity. E

Question # 10

Inflation rose by 5.1 % over the second quarter, up form 4.1 % during the first quarter of the year and higher than the 3.3% record during the same time last year. However, the higher price index did not seem to alarm Wall street, as stock prices remained steady.
Which of the following, if true, could explain the reaction of Wall Street ?

Stock prices were steady because of a fear that inflation would continue. A
The President announced that he was concerned about rising inflation. B
Economists warned that inflation would persist. C
Much of the quarterly increase in the price level was due to a summer droughts effect on food prices. D

Question # 11

During the incumbent president's term of office he succeeded in limiting annual increases in the defense budget by an average of 5 percent. His predecessors experienced annual increases of 8 percent. Therefore, the incumbent president should be given credit for the downturn in defense outlays.
Which of the following statements, if true would most seriously weaken the above conclusion ?

Some generals have claimed that the country's defense has weakened in the past year. A
More soldiers were drafted during the former president's term of office. B
The incumbent president advocates peaceful resolution of international disputes. C
The average annual inflation rate during the incumbent president's term was 4 percent, while during his predecessor's term it was 10 percent D
A disarmament treaty with a major adversary was signed by the incumbent president. E

Question # 12

Forty years after African colonies began emerging as nations, modern loyalties still often go first to the tribe. From Angola to Ethiopia, ethnic hatred has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, making Africa the continent with the world's largest number of refugees.
Which of the following statements best summarizes the above ?

Africa is best characterized ethnic fractionalization. A
Angola and Ethiopia have the worst record of inter ethnic strife in Africa. B
Continued warfare has made Africa a nation of refugees. C
Africa is best characterized as a federation of many states. D
Africa is best characterized as a continent without loyalties. E

Question # 13

Opponents of the new legislation could defend themselves against the author's strategy by arguing that:

the fact that past trade legislation improved the trade balance does not mean that the present bill will do the same. A
economists are not always right. B
the united states had a trade deficit both in the 1930s and at the time of the new bill. C
the new law is not as strong as the 1930s bill. D
America's trading partners have also passed similar legislation. E

Question # 14

The movement to ownership by unions is the latest step in the progression form management ownership to employee ownership. Employee ownership can save depressed and losing companies. All the following statements, if true, provide support for the claim above except:

Employee-owned companies generally have higher productivity. A
Employee participation in management raises morale. B
Employee union ownership drives up salaries and wages. C
Employee union ownership enables workers to share in the profits. D
Employee union ownership makes it easier to layoff redundant workers. E

Question # 15

In the human body, platelets, promote blood clotting by clumping together. Aspirin has been found to prevent clotting by making platelets less sticky. Research has now shown that heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots could be avoided by taking one aspirin a day. Statistics show that the incidence of second heart attacks
Unfortunately, the drug has several unpleasant side effects, including nausea, gastric bleeding, and, in severe cases, shock. In children, it has been linked to Reye Syndrome, a rare, but occasionally fatal, childhood illness.
One balance, however, for men aged 40 and over, an aspirin a day may present an excellent prophylactic measure for a disease that affects 1.5 million Americans yearly and claims the lives of about 540,000.
Which of the following conclusions can most properly be drawn from the information above ?

All people should take an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks. A
Painkillers prevent heart attacks. B
Smokers can safely continue smoking, provided that they take at least one aspirin a day. C
The majority of people suffering second subsequent cardiac arrests could have been saved by taking an aspirin a day. D
Aspirin can be used to reduced mortality rates who have already suffered heart attacks. E

Question # 16

Buy Plenty, a supermarket chain, had successfully implemented an in store promotional campaign based on video messages dashed on a large screen. The purpose of the campaign was to motivate customers to purchase products which they had not planned to buy before they entered to store. The sales manager of Build-It Inc., a chain of do-it-yourself hardware stores, saw the campaign and plans to introduce it in Build-It locations.
The sales manager's plan assumes that

supermarket and hardware products are the same A
products cannot be sold successfully without a video sales campaign B
Supermarket chains do not sell hardware products C
consumer decision making to buy products does not differ substantially when it comes to both supermarket and hardware products D
in-store campaigns are more effective than out-of-store advertising and sales promotion E

Question # 17

The director of the customs service suggested that customs taxes on automobiles not be reduced as planned by the government because of the high incidence of traffic accidents last year.
Which of the above statements weakens the argument above ?
1. Although the traffic accident rate last year was high, it was not appreciably higher than previous years and anyway, compulsory insurance covered most physical damage to automobiles and property.
2. A Commerce Department report showed that the demand for automobiles was highly inelastic. That is, as dealers lowered their prices, sales did not increase appreciably.
3. A study by the Economics Department at Classics University found that most traffic accidents had been caused by human error although it also concluded that an inadequate road network contributed to at least 40 percent of passenger injuries.

I, but not II and not III. A
II, but not I and not III. B
I and III, but not II. C
II and III, but not I. D
I, II and III. E

Question # 18

Professor Akram told his class that the method of student evaluation of teachers is not a valid measure of teaching quality. Students should fill out questionnaires at the end of the semester when courses have been completed.
Which of the following, if true, provides support for Professor Akram proposal ?

Professor Akram received low ratings from his students. A
Students filled out questionnaires after the midterm exam. B
Students are interested in teacher evaluation. C
Teacher are not obligated to use the survey results. D
Student evaluation of teachers is voluntary. E

Question # 19

Typically, the entrepreneur is seen as an individual who owns and operates a small business. But, simply to own and operate a small business-or even a big business-does not make someone an entrepreneur. If this person is a true entrepreneur, then new products are being created, new ways of providing services are being implemented.
Which of the following conclusions can best be drawn from the above passage?

An owner of large business may be an entrepreneur. A
Someone who develops an enterprise may be considered an entrepreneur. B
Entrepreneurs do not own and operate small businesses. C
Entrepreneurs are the main actors in economic growth D
Entrepreneurs are inventors. E

Question # 20

The President lobbied for passage of his new trade bill which would liberalize trade with industrialized countries such as Japan, members of the European Community, and Canad.
Each of the following, if true, could account for the above, except:

The President is up for re-election and needs to show results. A
Labour unions have petitioned the President to provide more local jobs. B
The trade agreement could bring a quid pro quo on pending negotiations. C
Economists claimed that the passage of the bill would increase the country trade deficit. D
It was politically desirable for a trade bill at the present time. E

Sr.#	Question	Answer
1	Average family income is right where it was 20 years ago, even though in most families these days, husbands and wives are working. The above statement implies all of the following, except:	A. Even though nominal family income may have increased, inflation has risen at an equal rate. B. More husbands and wives are working today than 20 years ago. C. It was more prevalent for one spouse-to-work 20 yeas ago than today. D. Wives earn more than husbands today.
2	An economist was quoted as saying that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will go up next month because of a recent increase in the price of fruit and vegetables. Which of the following cannot be inferred from the statement ?	A. The cost of fruits and vegetables has risen sharply. B. Consumers have decreased their consumption of fruits and vegetables. C. The cost of fruit and vegetables is a major item in the CPI. D. Food cost changes are reflected quickly in the CPI.
3	Farmers in the North have observed that heavy frost is usually preceded by a full moon somehow generates the frost. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the farmers conviction ?	A. The temperature must fall below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) for frost to occur. B. Absence of a cloud cover cools the ground which causes frost. C. Farmers are superstitious. D. No one has proven that the moon causes frost.
4	Professor Akram told his class that the method of student evaluation of teachers is not a valid measure of teaching quality. Students should fill out questionnaires at the end of the semester when courses have been completed. Which of the following, if true, provides support for Professor Akram proposal ?	A. Professor Akram received low ratings from his students. B. Students filled out questionnaires after the midterm exam. C. Students are interested in teacher evaluation. D. Teacher are not obligated to use the survey results.
5	The Monopoly is characterized by absence of or decline in competition. The ABC Company realizes that its operations are in competitive industries. Which of the following conclusions may be inferred form the above ?	A. ABC market is not monopolistic. B. Monopoly is defined as one seller in a market. C. The ABC Company has no domestic competitors. D. The ABC company is publicly owned.
6	Inflation rose by 5.1 % over the second quarter, up form 4.1 % during the first quarter of the year and higher than the 3.3% record during the same time last year. However, the higher price index did not seem to alarm Wall street, as stock prices remained steady. Which of the following, if true, could explain the reaction of Wall Street ?	A. Stock prices were steady because of a fear that inflation would continue. B. The President announced that he was concerned about rising inflation. C. Economists warned that inflation would persist. D. Much of the quarterly increase in the price level was due to a summer droughts effect on food prices.
7	Ali is a terrible driver. He has had at least five traffic violations, int he past year. Which of the following can be said about the above claim ?	A. This is an example of an argument that is directed against the source of the claim rather than the claim itself. B. The statement is fallacious because it contains an illegitimate appeal to authority. C. The above argument obtains its strength from a similarity of two compared situations. D. The argument is built upon an assumption that is not stated but rather is concealed.
8	Buy Plenty, a supermarket chain, had successfully implemented an in store promotional campaign based on video messages dashed on a large screen. The purpose of the campaign was to motivate customers to purchase products which they had not planned to buy before they entered to store. The sales manager of Build-It Inc., a chain of do-it-yourself hardware stores, saw the campaign and plans to introduce it in Build-It locations. The sales manager's plan assumes that	A. supermarket and hardware products are the same B. products cannot be sold successfully without a video sales campaign C. Supermarket chains do not sell hardware products D. consumer decision making to buy products does not differ substantially when it comes to both supermarket and hardware products
9	During the incumbent president's term of office he succeeded in limiting annual increases in the defense budget by an average of 5 percent. His predecessors experienced annual increases of 8 percent. Therefore, the incumbent president should be given credit for the downturn in defense outlays. Which of the following statements, if true would most seriously weaken the above conclusion ?	A. Some generals have claimed that the country's defense has weakened in the past year. B. More soldiers were drafted during the former president's term of office. C. The incumbent president advocates peaceful resolution of international disputes. D. The average annual inflation rate during the incumbent president's term was 4 percent, while during his predecessor's term it was 10 percent
10	Every town with a pool hall has its share of unsavory characters. This is because the pool hall attracts gamblers and all gamblers are unsavory. Which of the following, if true, cannot be inferred from the above ?	A. All gamblers are unsavory, B. All pol halls attract gamblers. C. Every town has unsavory characters. D. All gamblers are attracted by pool halls.

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CSS General Abilities Topic 4 MCQ's Test

MCQ's Test For CSS General Abilities Topic 4 Logical Reasoning

CSS General Abilities Topic 4 Logical Reasoning

An economist was quoted as saying that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will go up next month because of a recent increase in the price of fruit and vegetables.Which of the following cannot be inferred from the statement ?

Ali is a terrible driver. He has had at least five traffic violations, int he past year.Which of the following can be said about the above claim ?

Opponents of the new legislation could defend themselves against the author's strategy by arguing that:

The movement to ownership by unions is the latest step in the progression form management ownership to employee ownership. Employee ownership can save depressed and losing companies. All the following statements, if true, provide support for the claim above except:

The President lobbied for passage of his new trade bill which would liberalize trade with industrialized countries such as Japan, members of the European Community, and Canad.Each of the following, if true, could account for the above, except:

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An economist was quoted as saying that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will go up next month because of a recent increase in the price of fruit and vegetables.
Which of the following cannot be inferred from the statement ?

Ali is a terrible driver. He has had at least five traffic violations, int he past year.
Which of the following can be said about the above claim ?

The President lobbied for passage of his new trade bill which would liberalize trade with industrialized countries such as Japan, members of the European Community, and Canad.
Each of the following, if true, could account for the above, except: