Logical Reasoning · Judgment & Verbal Logic
Verbal Reasoning — Questions & Answers
Verbal reasoning questions test what necessarily follows from given facts — what must be part of something, or what a short passage supports. Stick strictly to what the words establish.
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How to approach
Accept the passage as completely true and add nothing to it. A statement must be true only if the passage states it or it follows with no other possibility (a simple calculation, or "same street" meaning "same area").
Here three statements are stated or follow for certain, and one only sounds likely. Test each statement: if the passage stays true even when the statement is false, that statement is the answer.
Look for the statement that contradicts the passage: it cannot be true if the passage is true. Statements the passage simply doesn't mention could still be true, so they are not the answer.
Work out every arrangement the facts allow. Draw a line for ages or heights, a row of seats, or a small table for counts. A statement must be true only if it holds in every possible arrangement.
5 solved Verbal Reasoning questions
Kaviya takes the 7:15 a.m. bus to college every weekday, and the journey takes 40 minutes. On Fridays she stays back for choir practice and takes the 5:30 p.m. bus home.
Based only on the passage, which statement must be true?Solution — answer C
7:15 a.m. plus 40 minutes is 7:55 a.m., so Kaviya reaches college before 8:00 a.m. Her feelings about the bus, when practice ends and how far she lives are not stated.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Morning Journey Details
The passage states that Kaviya takes the bus at 7:15 a.m. to college every weekday. It also tells us that the journey takes 40 minutes.
Step 2: Calculate Arrival Time
To find her arrival time, we add the journey duration to her departure time. So, 7:15 a.m.+40 minutes=7:55 a.m.
Step 3: Evaluate the Options
We now know Kaviya arrives at college at 7:55 a.m. This time is clearly before 8:00 a.m. The other options are not directly supported by the text.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (C) Kaviya reaches college before 8:00 a.m. on weekdays. This is true because her bus leaves at 7:15 a.m. and the 40-minute journey means she arrives at 7:55 a.m.
Mr. Rajan has taught mathematics at the same school for 20 years. Every year, his students score well in the board exams. This year he received the state award for best teacher.
Which statement is NOT necessarily true, based on the passage?Solution — answer A
Nothing is said about how much his students like him compared with other teachers. The other three are stated directly (20 years is two decades).
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand the Goal
The question asks us to identify the statement that is NOT necessarily true based on the provided passage. This means we need to find the option that cannot be confirmed or inferred from the text.
Step 2: Review the Passage
Let's break down the facts given: Mr. Rajan taught mathematics for 20 years at the same school, his students score well, and he received a state award this year. These are the only pieces of information we can rely on.
Step 3: Check Each Statement
We'll compare each potential statement with the passage. We are looking for the one that isn't directly supported. For example, '20 years' is the same as 'two decades', and 'taught mathematics' is explicitly stated. Receiving a 'state award this year' is also a direct fact.
Step 4: The Answer
So the answer is (A) Mr. Rajan's students like him more than their other teachers. The passage provides no information about how much his students like him, or how their affection compares to other teachers.
All the members of the chess club are in Class 9 or Class 10. Nithya is a member of the chess club.
If the passage is true, which statement must be false?Solution — answer C
Every member is in Class 9 or 10, so Nithya cannot be in Class 7. Class 10, her skill and the meeting day could all be true.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand the facts
We are given two important pieces of information. First, every member of the chess club is either in Class 9 or Class 10. Second, Nithya is a member of this chess club.
Step 2: Deduce Nithya's class
Because Nithya is a member of the chess club, and all members are in Class 9 or Class 10, Nithya must be in Class 9 or Class 10. There are no other possibilities for her class.
Step 3: Evaluate the options
We need to find the statement that must be false. If Nithya must be in Class 9 or Class 10, then any statement that puts her in a different class cannot be true.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (C) Nithya is in Class 7. This statement must be false because Nithya is definitively in Class 9 or Class 10, not Class 7. The other options could all be true.
Kavin is older than Latha. Mani is older than Latha. Kavin is older than Nila.
Based only on the passage, which statement must be true?Solution — answer D
Kavin is older than both Latha and Nila, so at least two are younger than him in every arrangement. Mani or Kavin could be the oldest, and Latha or Nila could be the youngest, so the others are not certain.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: List the facts
Let's write down the age relationships given in the passage. We know that Kavin is older than Latha (K>L). We also know Mani is older than Latha (M>L). Finally, Kavin is older than Nila (K>N). These are our only certain facts.
Step 2: Focus on Kavin
From the facts, we see Kavin is older than Latha (K>L) and Kavin is older than Nila (K>N). This means that both Latha and Nila are younger than Kavin. This relationship is always true based on the given information.
Step 3: Evaluate other possibilities
We cannot say for sure if Mani is the oldest, as Kavin could be older than Mani. We also cannot say Latha is the youngest, as Nila could be younger than Latha. Nila's age compared to Latha's is also unknown.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (D) At least two of the others are younger than Kavin. Since Kavin is older than Latha and Kavin is older than Nila, it is always true that at least two people (Latha and Nila) are younger than Kavin.
Priya is older than Ravi. Sona is older than Ravi. Tina is older than Sona.
Which of these statements could be true?Solution — answer D
Priya is the oldest of the four in some arrangements, since nothing compares her with Tina. Ravi is younger than Sona, Tina is older than Sona, and Tina is older than Ravi, so the others are impossible.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: List the Facts
First, let's write down the given information as inequalities to make it clearer:
- Priya is older than Ravi: P>R
- Sona is older than Ravi: S>R
- Tina is older than Sona: T>S
Step 2: Combine Relationships
We can combine some of these. Since Tina is older than Sona (T>S) and Sona is older than Ravi (S>R), we know that Tina is also older than Ravi. This gives us a chain: T>S>R. Priya's age is only compared to Ravi's (P>R).
Step 3: Evaluate Possibilities
Now, let's consider what could be true. We know T>S>R. This means Ravi cannot be older than Sona, Sona cannot be the oldest (Tina is older), and Tina cannot be the youngest (Sona and Ravi are younger). Priya's age is only known to be greater than Ravi's (P>R). She could be older than Tina, Sona, and Ravi, or she could be younger than Tina and Sona but still older than Ravi.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (D) Priya is the oldest of the four. Since Priya's age is not compared to Tina or Sona, it is possible for her to be older than everyone else, as long as she is older than Ravi (P>R). For example, Priya could be 10, Tina 9, Sona 8, and Ravi 7.
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