CSS General Abilities Topic 4 MCQ's Test

Question # 1

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 # 2

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 ?

ABC market is not monopolistic. A
Monopoly is defined as one seller in a market. B
The ABC Company has no domestic competitors. C
The ABC company is publicly owned. D
The ABC Company is in a service industry. E

Question # 3

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 # 4

Significant beneficial effect of smoking occur primarily in the area of mental health, and the habit originates in a search for contentment. The life expectancy of our people has increased greatly in recent years; it is possible that the relaxation and contentment and enjoyment produced by smoking has lengthened many lives. Smoking is beneficial.
Which of the following, it true, weaken the above conclusion ?

That cigarettes are a major health hazard cannot be traced to the willfull act of any human or organization. A
The government earns millions of dollars from the tobacco tax and tens of thousands of civilians are employed in the tobacco industry. B
The evidence cited in the statement covers only one example of the effects of cigarette smoking. C
No mention is made of possible harmful side-effects of smoking. D
No statistical evidence has proven link between smoking and longevity. E

Question # 5

Most large retail stores hold sales in the month of January. The original idea of price reduction campaigns in January became popular when it was realized that sales or products would generally slow down following the Christmas rush, were it no for some incentive. The lack of demand could be solved by the simple solution of reducing prices.
There is now an increasing tendency among major department stores in large urban centers to have their January sales being before Christmas, some time before the end of the calendar year. The idea behind this trend is to endeavor to sell the maximum amount of stock at a profit, even if that may not be at the maximum profit.
Which of the following conclusions cannot be drawn from the above ?

The incidence of early January sales results in the lower holdings of stocks with the corollary of lower stock holding costs. A
Demand is a function of price; as you lower price, demand increases. B
Major stores seem to think it makes sense to have to January sales campaigns pre-Christmas. C
It is becoming less popular to star the January sales in the New Year. D
The major department stores do not worry as much about profit maximization as they do about sales maximization. E

Question # 6

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 # 7

During 1999, advertising expenditures on canned food products increased by 20 percent, while canned food consumption rose by 25 percent.
Each of the following, if true, could help explain the increase in food consumption except:

Advertising effectiveness increased. A
Canned food prices decreased relative to substitutes. B
Canned food products were available in more stores. C
Can opener production doubled. D
Per-capita consumption of frozen foods declined. 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

The burning of coal, oil, and other combustible energy sources produces carbon dioxide, a natural constituent of the atmosphere. Elevated levels of carbon dioxide are thought to be responsible for half the greenhouse effect. Enough carbon dioxide has been sent into the atmosphere already to cause a significant temperature increase. Growth in industrial production must be slowed, or production processes must be changed.
Which of the following, it true, would tend to weaken the strength of the above conclusion ?

Many areas of the world are cold anyway, so a small rise in temperature would be welcome. A
Carbon dioxide is bad for the health. B
Most carbon dioxide is emitted by automobiles. C
Industry is switching over to synthetic liquid fuel extracted form coal. D
A shift to other energy sources would be too costly. E

Question # 10

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 # 11

In winning its bitter, protracted battle to acquire Blue Industries, Inc., Belle industries has fulfilled its goal to lessen its reliance on tobacco holdings, while the $5.2 billion deal may spur more takeover activity in the insurance industry, analysts said.
Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

Blue Industries is in the tobacco industry. A
Belle industries is in the insurance business. B
Blue Industries is in the insurance business. C
More divestment takes place in the tobacco industry than in the insurance industry. D
More divestment takes place in the insurance industry than in the tobacco industry. E

Question # 12

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:

Even though nominal family income may have increased, inflation has risen at an equal rate. A
More husbands and wives are working today than 20 years ago. B
It was more prevalent for one spouse-to-work 20 yeas ago than today. C
Wives earn more than husbands today. D
The price level was lower 20 years ago. E

Question # 13

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 ?

The temperature must fall below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) for frost to occur. A
Absence of a cloud cover cools the ground which causes frost. B
Farmers are superstitious. C
No one has proven that the moon causes frost. D
Farmers are not experts in meteorology. E

Question # 14

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

Question # 15

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 # 16

Professor Bilal had the task of giving grades (ranging from A - D in descending value) to her 100 students, based upon the marks they received in three examinations in which the passing mark was 50%. She was instructed to follow the following criteria:
i. All students that scored between 90 and 100% in any two examinations could receive an A grade.
ii. Students that came in the top decile overall were to be awarded an A.
iii. Notwithstanding I and II, if any student failed an exam, the highest he or shed could get was a b.
iv. The top 20 students in the whole year, when the overall exam percentages were averaged, could receive an A.
Given the above criteria, which of the following in the absence of further information, would definitely not be permissible ?

A. Brown, who got 95% in Chemistry and 95% in Biology, received a B grade. A
B. White, who was first in Physics and got 96% in History, received a B grade. B
C. Green failed English, but because he ranked ninth overall out of the 100 students, he was awarded an A grade. C
D. Black was given an A after she came twentieth out of the 100 students and failed to get above 90% in any of the three examinations. D
E. Gray failed his Math exam, but came top in his other two tests and was awarded a B. E

Question # 17

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 # 18

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 # 19

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 ?

All gamblers are unsavory, A
All pol halls attract gamblers. B
Every town has unsavory characters. C
All gamblers are attracted by pool halls. D
An explanation of what attracts gamblers. E

Question # 20

Pioneers of the motor-car industry realized that if they were going to meet the growing demand for their product, they had to adapt the labor force used in the productive process. Instead of many men working to complete all the stages of one car at a time, they assigned defined tasks to each man which they would repeat on every car.
Which of the following can be concluded form the passage ?

Early motor car manufacturers intended to increase productivity by applying the principle of division of labor. A
The car workers became disgruntled because they were assigned monotonous, repetitive tasks on the assembly line. B
Economies of scale enabled early motor companies to expand. C
A bad worker would perform the same task badly on each car, leading to many more rejects. D
The new production process enabled certain car workers to become specialists in the part of the process to which they were assigned. E

Sr.#	Question	Answer
1	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
2	If we are doomed to have local drug rehabilitation centers - and society has determined that we are - then society ought to pay for them. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the above argument ?	A. Drug rehabilitation centers are too expensive to be locally funded. B. Many neighborhood groups oppose rehabilitation centers. C. Drug rehabilitation centers are expensive to maintain. D. Drug addicts may be unwilling to receive treatment.
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 ?	A. Professors are not always helpful to students. B. The college numbers over 50,000 students. C. The college is far from the student's home. D. Not all professors have doctorates.
4	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.
5	During 1999, advertising expenditures on canned food products increased by 20 percent, while canned food consumption rose by 25 percent. Each of the following, if true, could help explain the increase in food consumption except:	A. Advertising effectiveness increased. B. Canned food prices decreased relative to substitutes. C. Canned food products were available in more stores. D. Can opener production doubled.
6	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:	A. Commercial clients have more potential than household customers. B. The demand for garbage removal services is sensitive to price. C. Demand for garbage removal services would increase in the future. D. Doubling of capacity would not encessitate; a substantial increase in the work force.
7	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 ?	A. Republicans were a minority in 1984, but a Republican president was elected. B. People tend to switch their votes at the last minute. C. People vote for the best candidate, not for a political party. D. No one can predict how people will vote.
8	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.
9	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.
10	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:	A. The President is up for re-election and needs to show results. B. Labour unions have petitioned the President to provide more local jobs. C. The trade agreement could bring a quid pro quo on pending negotiations. D. Economists claimed that the passage of the bill would increase the country trade deficit.

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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

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 ?

During 1999, advertising expenditures on canned food products increased by 20 percent, while canned food consumption rose by 25 percent.Each of the following, if true, could help explain the increase in food consumption except:

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

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:

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 ?

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:

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 ?

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 ?

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