Analytical Ability Reviewer - Part 16

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

20 questions80% passing markFree

Part 16 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 16

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

Sample question 1

Argument: The city banned single-use plastics in the public market. The mayor concluded that plastic waste in the canals will decrease.

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

  • Vendors in the market oppose the ban.
  • A significant part of the plastic waste in the canals comes from single-use plastics used in the market.
  • All plastic waste in the city comes from the market.
  • The ban will be popular among residents.
Answer: A significant part of the plastic waste in the canals comes from single-use plastics used in the market.
Apply the negation test. Suppose it were not true that a significant part of the canal waste comes from market single-use plastics. The argument would then fail, so this is the necessary assumption. The other options may be related or helpful, but the argument still works if they are false, or they are too extreme or irrelevant.

Sample question 2

Argument: Crime in the province fell after CCTV cameras were installed. The governor concluded that the cameras caused the drop.

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

  • CCTV cameras are cheap to maintain.
  • Every crime in the province occurred in places covered by cameras.
  • Residents like having cameras.
  • The drop in crime was not mainly caused by some other change that happened at the same time.
Answer: The drop in crime was not mainly caused by some other change that happened at the same time.
Apply the negation test. Suppose it were not true that the drop was not mainly due to something else. The argument would then fail, so this is the necessary assumption. The other options may be related or helpful, but the argument still works if they are false, or they are too extreme or irrelevant.

Sample question 3

Argument: A survey of 200 employees in the main office showed that 80% favor flexible working hours. The agency concluded that most employees in all its offices favor flexible hours.

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

  • Employees in branch offices have longer working hours.
  • Flexible hours will increase output.
  • The surveyed employees are representative of the employees in all the agency's offices.
  • The main office has the most employees.
Answer: The surveyed employees are representative of the employees in all the agency's offices.
Apply the negation test. Suppose it were not true that the surveyed employees represent all offices. The argument would then fail, so this is the necessary assumption. The other options may be related or helpful, but the argument still works if they are false, or they are too extreme or irrelevant.

Sample question 4

Argument: Mr. Santos holds a degree in public administration. Therefore, he will be an effective city administrator.

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

  • Only degree holders can become city administrators.
  • Mr. Santos will not accept other jobs.
  • A degree in public administration is a sign of the skills needed to be an effective city administrator.
  • Degrees from private schools are better than from public ones.
Answer: A degree in public administration is a sign of the skills needed to be an effective city administrator.
Apply the negation test. Suppose it were not true that the degree is a sign of the needed skills. The argument would then fail, so this is the necessary assumption. The other options may be related or helpful, but the argument still works if they are false, or they are too extreme or irrelevant.

Sample question 5

Argument: The price of rice fell nationwide last month, so consumers should be spending less on food overall.

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

  • Rice is the only food consumers buy.
  • Spending on other foods did not rise enough to offset the savings on rice.
  • Consumers will stop buying rice.
  • Rice prices will continue to fall.
Answer: Spending on other foods did not rise enough to offset the savings on rice.
Apply the negation test. Suppose it were not true that spending on other foods did not offset the savings. The argument would then fail, so this is the necessary assumption. The other options may be related or helpful, but the argument still works if they are false, or they are too extreme or irrelevant.

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