Analytical Ability Reviewer - Part 13

Practice 20 Analytical Ability questions for the Civil Service Exam (CSE), each with the correct answer and an explanation.

20 questions80% passing markFree

Part 13 of our Analytical Ability reviewer has 20 practice questions in the style of the Civil Service Exam. Answer them in order, read the explanation after each one, and check your score against the 80% passing mark at the end. Questions and choices are reshuffled every time you retake the part.

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Sample questions from Part 13

Here are a few questions from this part. Take the full test to answer all 20 and get your score.

Sample question 1

Argument: A newspaper reported that students who skip breakfast get lower grades. The nutrition advocate concluded that DepEd should provide free breakfast to students.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

  • Students skip breakfast because they dislike the food at home.
  • Lower grades are caused only by hunger.
  • Providing breakfast would lead students who now skip it to eat and perform better.
  • Free breakfast has been given to students in all schools.
Answer: Providing breakfast would lead students who now skip it to eat and perform better.
Apply the negation test. Suppose it were not true that providing breakfast would lead students who now skip it to eat and perform better. The evidence would then no longer support the conclusion, so the argument collapses — this is the necessary assumption. Each other option may be helpful, plausible, or related, but the argument still works if it is false (or it is stated too strongly, or concerns a different issue).

Sample question 2

Statement: The principal posted the exam schedule one month in advance so that students could study early.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the statement depends?

  • Students cannot study unless the schedule is posted.
  • The exams will be easier than usual.
  • Students will make use of the advance notice to study.
  • Teachers will not give exams without a schedule.
Answer: Students will make use of the advance notice to study.
The statement works only if it is taken for granted that students will make use of the advance notice to study. The other options are irrelevant to the reasoning, contradict the statement, or are far too extreme.

Sample question 3

Statement: The cooperative raised its loan interest rate; therefore, its income will increase.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the statement depends?

  • Members will stop paying their loans.
  • Other cooperatives will lower their interest rates.
  • The cooperative will have fewer members.
  • Members will keep borrowing even at the higher rate.
Answer: Members will keep borrowing even at the higher rate.
The statement works only if it is taken for granted that members will keep borrowing even at the higher rate. The other options are irrelevant to the reasoning, contradict the statement, or are far too extreme.

Sample question 4

Argument: A city ordinance imposes a P5,000 fine on establishments that fail to segregate waste. The mayor expects that this will increase waste segregation.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

  • The fine is higher than the cost of segregating waste in all cases.
  • Households also segregate waste.
  • Establishments will be inspected and fined when they violate the ordinance.
  • The mayor will be re-elected.
Answer: Establishments will be inspected and fined when they violate the ordinance.
Apply the negation test. Suppose it were not true that establishments will be inspected and fined when they violate the ordinance. The evidence would then no longer support the conclusion, so the argument collapses — this is the necessary assumption. Each other option may be helpful, plausible, or related, but the argument still works if it is false (or it is stated too strongly, or concerns a different issue).

Sample question 5

Statement: The company's training program reduced errors in reports, so the training should be repeated for new hires.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the statement depends?

  • New hires never make mistakes.
  • The reduction in errors was caused by the training.
  • The reports were previously made by outside firms.
  • Training is the cheapest way to improve any program.
Answer: The reduction in errors was caused by the training.
The statement works only if it is taken for granted that the reduction in errors was caused by the training. The other options are irrelevant to the reasoning, contradict the statement, or are far too extreme.

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