Critical Reasoning Practice Questions

1. All students who excel in math also excel in science. Some students who excel in science also excel in literature. Which of the following conclusions can be logically drawn from these premises?

All students who excel in math also excel in literature

Some students who excel in math may excel in literature

No students who excel in math excel in literature

All students who excel in literature also excel in science

2. If a student studies hard, they will pass the exam. John did not pass the exam. Therefore:

John studied hard

John did not study hard

John may or may not have studied hard

John cheated on the exam

3. A company claims that its new energy drink improves cognitive function. In a study, participants who consumed the drink performed better on memory tests than those who didn't. Which of the following is an assumption underlying the company's claim?

The participants in the study were representative of the general population

The improvement in memory test performance was due to the drink's ingredients

Cognitive function can be accurately measured by memory tests alone

The effects of the energy drink are long-lasting

4. A study found that students who participate in extracurricular activities have higher GPAs than those who don't. Therefore, schools should require all students to participate in extracurricular activities to improve academic performance. Which of the following, if true, most weakens this argument?

Some students may perform poorly academically if forced to participate in activities they don't enjoy

The study was conducted on a small sample of high school students

Participation in extracurricular activities has been shown to improve social skills

Students who participate in extracurricular activities tend to come from families that place a high value on education

5. A study found that students who listen to classical music while studying perform better on exams. Therefore, schools should play classical music in classrooms to improve student performance. Which of the following, if true, most weakens this argument?

Some students find background music distracting while studying

The study was conducted on a small sample of college students

Classical music has been shown to reduce stress levels

The improvement in exam performance was only observed for certain subjects

6. A recent study found that people who regularly eat spicy foods have a lower risk of heart disease. However, it would be premature to conclude that eating spicy foods prevents heart disease. Which of the following, if true, would best explain why the conclusion might be premature?

The study was conducted over a short period of time

People who eat spicy foods tend to have other healthy lifestyle habits

The study did not account for genetic factors that might influence heart disease risk

The sample size of the study was relatively small

7. A company decides to invest heavily in developing a new product. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the company's decision?

The company's existing products are losing market share

Market research indicates a high demand for the proposed new product

The company's competitors are also developing similar products

The development costs for the new product are higher than initially estimated

8. All students who excel in mathematics also excel in logic. Some students who excel in logic also excel in literature. Which of the following conclusions can be validly drawn from these premises?

All students who excel in mathematics also excel in literature

Some students who excel in mathematics also excel in literature

No students who excel in literature excel in mathematics

All students who excel in literature also excel in logic

9. In a city of 100,000 people, 40% own dogs and 30% own cats. If 15% of the population owns both a dog and a cat, what percentage of the population owns either a dog or a cat or both?

70%

55%

85%

65%

10. An environmental group argues that banning plastic bags will significantly reduce ocean pollution. Which of the following, if true, most weakens this argument?

Many people reuse plastic bags for other purposes before discarding them

The majority of ocean plastic pollution comes from fishing gear and other industrial sources

Paper bags, a common alternative, have a larger carbon footprint than plastic bags

Some cities that have banned plastic bags have seen a reduction in local litter