Logical Reasoning · Statements & Arguments
Course of Action — Questions & Answers
Course of action questions describe a problem and suggest steps to deal with it. A course of action should be followed if it is practical and tackles the problem or its cause.
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Treat the statement as true. A course of action should be pursued if it tackles the stated problem, is practical and within the actor's power, and is proportionate. Judge I and II separately, then pick the matching option.
Exactly one option tackles the cause of the problem in a practical, proportionate way. Test each option: does it fix the cause, can the actor do it, and is it fair?
Test I, II and III one at a time against the same three checks (addresses the problem, practical, proportionate), then choose the option listing exactly the ones that pass.
Four options are sensible responses; one is drastic, impossible or harmful. Find the option that fails the checks.
5 solved Course of Action questions
Statement: Dengue cases have risen sharply in one ward of the city.
Courses of action:
I. The corporation should clear stagnant water in the ward.
II. Residents should be told how to stop mosquitoes breeding at home.
Which of the courses of action should be pursued?Solution — answer E
Both follow. Clearing stagnant water removes breeding sites (I), and informing residents stops breeding at home (II); both tackle the cause.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Identify the Problem
The statement highlights a sharp rise in dengue cases in a specific city ward. Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease, meaning it spreads through mosquito bites. Mosquitoes typically breed in stagnant water.
Step 2: Evaluate Action I
Course of action I suggests the corporation clears stagnant water in the ward. This is a direct and effective way to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in public spaces, thereby tackling a primary cause of dengue spread.
Step 3: Evaluate Action II
Course of action II recommends educating residents on preventing mosquito breeding at home. Many breeding sites can be found within private properties. Empowering residents to act complements the corporation's efforts, addressing a different set of breeding locations.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (E) Both I and II should be pursued. Both actions are necessary and complementary; clearing stagnant water (I) removes breeding sites in public areas, while informing residents (II) addresses breeding within homes, together tackling the cause of dengue comprehensively.
Statement: Many students reach school late because the only bus from their village arrives after classes begin.
Which is the most appropriate course of action?Solution — answer C
The cause is the bus timing, so asking the transport department to change the timing or add a bus fixes it. Suspending or removing students punishes them for something they can't control, doing nothing ignores the problem, and changing every school's timing is over-broad.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand the Problem
The statement highlights a problem: many students are consistently late for school. This indicates a systemic issue that needs to be addressed to ensure fair access to education.
Step 2: Identify the Cause
The statement explicitly states the reason for the lateness: 'the only bus from their village arrives after classes begin.' The problem is not the students' fault, but rather an external factor.
Step 3: Find a Solution
An appropriate course of action should directly address the identified cause. Since the bus timing is the issue, the solution should involve changing the bus schedule or providing additional transport options.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (C) The school should ask the transport department to change the bus timing or add a bus. This option directly tackles the root cause of the problem without unfairly penalizing students.
Statement: Cases of chain snatching have increased in a residential area.
Courses of action:
I. Police patrolling in the area should be increased.
II. CCTV cameras should be installed at key points.
III. Women should be told not to go out.
Which of the courses of action should be pursued?Solution — answer A
I and II only. More patrols (I) and CCTV cameras (II) deter and help catch offenders. Telling women to stay in punishes the victims instead (III).
5 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand the Problem
The statement highlights an increase in chain snatching incidents in a residential area. We need to identify effective and appropriate courses of action to tackle this problem.
Step 2: Evaluate Action I
Course of action I suggests increasing police patrolling. More police presence can deter criminals and improve response times, making it harder for chain snatchers to operate. This is a direct and logical solution.
Step 3: Evaluate Action II
Course of action II proposes installing CCTV cameras at key points. Cameras serve as a deterrent and provide crucial evidence for identifying and apprehending offenders after an incident. This is also an effective preventative and investigative measure.
Step 4: Evaluate Action III
Course of action III suggests telling women not to go out. This approach unfairly restricts the freedom of potential victims instead of addressing the criminal activity itself. It does not solve the problem and is not an appropriate solution.
Step 5: The answer
So the answer is (A) I and II only. Both increased patrols (I) and CCTV cameras (II) deter criminals and help catch offenders, while telling women to stay in (III) punishes the victims.
Statement: Garbage is piling up on a city street because collection trucks come irregularly.
Which of these courses of action should NOT be pursued?Solution — answer D
Banning residents from producing any garbage is impossible, so it should not be pursued. A fixed schedule, more bins, fines for dumping and involving residents are all practical steps.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand the Problem
The statement highlights a problem: garbage is piling up due to irregular collection. We need to identify which proposed action is not suitable or practical to address this issue.
Step 2: Assess Each Action
Think about each potential action. Would it be a sensible, realistic step towards solving the garbage problem or improving the situation? Some actions might directly fix the collection issue, while others might manage its symptoms or related problems.
Step 3: Find the Impractical Action
Most actions like setting a schedule, adding bins, fining improper dumping, or involving residents are practical steps. Look for the option that is clearly impossible or completely unrealistic as a solution to garbage problems.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (D) Residents should be banned from producing any garbage. It is impossible to ban residents from producing any garbage, making this an entirely impractical and unachievable course of action.
Statement: Girls are dropping out of a village school because it has no toilets.
Courses of action:
I. Separate toilets for girls should be built in the school.
II. The school should be closed and its students moved to a town school.
Based on the statement, which course(s) of action make sense?Solution — answer A
Only I should be pursued. Building toilets removes the cause of the drop-outs (I); closing the school is drastic and would make attending even harder (II).
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Identify the Problem
The core issue is that girls are dropping out of a village school because there are no toilets. We need to find a course of action that directly addresses this problem effectively.
Step 2: Assess Action I
Course of action I suggests building separate toilets for girls in the school. This directly tackles the stated reason for girls dropping out. It's a practical and focused solution that removes the cause of the problem.
Step 3: Assess Action II
Course of action II proposes closing the school and moving students to a town school. This is a very drastic measure. It might create new problems, like making it harder for village students to attend school due to distance or cost, rather than solving the original issue.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (A) Only I should be pursued. Building toilets directly solves the problem, while closing the school is an extreme measure that could create more difficulties for students.
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