Analytical Ability Reviewer - Part 24

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

20 questions80% passing markFree

Part 24 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 24

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

Sample question 1

Of 40 trainees, 25 passed the written test and 22 passed the oral test. Every trainee passed at least one of the tests.

Which of the following can be validly inferred?

  • Exactly 7 trainees passed both tests.
  • Exactly 3 trainees passed both tests.
  • 15 trainees passed only the written test.
  • Some trainee failed both tests.
Answer: Exactly 7 trainees passed both tests.
Both = 25 + 22 − 40 = 7. Nobody failed both.

Sample question 2

Some documents in the folder are confidential. All confidential documents are stamped red. The memo is in the folder.

Which of the following can be validly inferred?

  • Some documents in the folder are stamped red.
  • The memo is stamped red.
  • All documents in the folder are stamped red.
  • The memo is confidential.
Answer: Some documents in the folder are stamped red.
The confidential documents in the folder are stamped red, so some documents in the folder are stamped red. Nothing is stated about the memo.

Sample question 3

If the water level exceeds 15 meters, the dam gates are opened. The gates were not opened.

Which of the following can be validly inferred?

  • The water level was exactly 15 meters.
  • The dam is empty.
  • The water level did not exceed 15 meters.
  • The water level was below 10 meters.
Answer: The water level did not exceed 15 meters.
The result did not occur, so the condition did not occur (modus tollens): the level did not exceed 15 meters.

Sample question 4

The seminar starts after lunch. Lunch starts after the plenary session ends. The plenary session begins at 9:00 AM.

Which of the following can be validly inferred?

  • The seminar starts after 9:00 AM.
  • The seminar starts at 1:00 PM.
  • Lunch starts at noon.
  • The plenary session ends at 11:00 AM.
Answer: The seminar starts after 9:00 AM.
Plenary begins at 9:00, ends later, then lunch, then the seminar. So the seminar starts after 9:00 AM; exact times are not given.

Sample question 5

Every cooperative member who has a loan must attend the seminar. Pedro is a member who attended the seminar.

Which of the following can be validly inferred?

  • Pedro has a loan.
  • It cannot be determined whether Pedro has a loan.
  • Pedro has no loan.
  • All members attended the seminar.
Answer: It cannot be determined whether Pedro has a loan.
The rule gives loan → seminar. Attending the seminar does not prove he has a loan (affirming the consequent): it cannot be determined.

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