Types of questions� Concept based

� Non-Concept based

Concept based questions include :

�Conclusion based (Statement and CR)

�Assumption based (Statement and CR)

�Inference based (DT/PT and CR)

Non-concept based includes ….. �Assertions and Reasons

�Strong Argument and Weak Argument

�Cause and Effect

�Course of action

�Possible consequences

Question distribution at a glance

Year Question type

2010 Courses of action, cause and effect, critical reasoning

2009 Courses of action , cause and effect

2008 DT/PT and assumption (statement)

2007 Critical reasoning and possible consequences

2006 DT/PT , assumptions and courses of action

Areas to focus on in Reasoning

Areas in which 100 % accuracy possible are :

�Conclusion based (Statement)

�Assumption based (Statement)

�Courses of Action

�Cause and effect

�Assertions

Border areas

�Strong and weak argument

Tricky areas

�DT/PT

�Critical reasoning

Difference between Reasoning and

AnalysisRules of reasoning

�Check for the validity and not verity of a statement

�Use all information given to you [never contradict]

�Always eliminate the options to reach the right answer

[these are applicable for all reasoning based questions]

Question distribution at a glance

YearYearYearYear Question typeQuestion typeQuestion typeQuestion type

2010201020102010 CoursesCoursesCoursesCourses of action, cause and of action, cause and of action, cause and of action, cause and effect, critical reasoningeffect, critical reasoningeffect, critical reasoningeffect, critical reasoning

2009200920092009 Courses ofCourses ofCourses ofCourses of action , cause and action , cause and action , cause and action , cause and effecteffecteffecteffect

2008200820082008 DT/PT and assumption DT/PT and assumption DT/PT and assumption DT/PT and assumption (statement)(statement)(statement)(statement)

2007200720072007 Critical reasoningCritical reasoningCritical reasoningCritical reasoning and and and and possible consequencespossible consequencespossible consequencespossible consequences

2006200620062006 DT/PT , assumptionsDT/PT , assumptionsDT/PT , assumptionsDT/PT , assumptions and and and and courses of actioncourses of actioncourses of actioncourses of action

Reasoning basics

Premise (fact) : a statement that is verifiable,has a definite true or false answer,same for everyone [countable,visible]

Eg. The sun rises in the North./There are 5 fans in the room./It is raining./She is smiling.

Quote

Opinion /Judgment : a statement that is not verifiable,does not have a definite true or false answer and hence varies from person to person

Eg. She is an intelligent girl./It is raining heavily./The TajMahal is a beautiful monument.

Reasoning basics

Eg. Chetan Bhagat is a good writer.

A says, ‘Chetan Bhagat is a good writer’

Eg.TOI headline : Monsoon would hit Mumbai on 18th

June.

Conclusion : is a judgment derived from a fact; since the fact is verifiable the judgment is also verifiable

Assumption : a statement based on a fact to derive the conclusion

Argument : P+A=C

Inference : is a judgment derived from a fact; though the fact is verifiable the judgment in not verifiable

Explicit : given

Implicit : not given

Difference between a conclusion

and an Inference

Chetan Bhagat has written 8 novels. [Fact]

Chetan Bhagat is a good writer.

Chetan Bhagat is a popular writer.

Chetan Bhagat is a rich writer.

Note : It is the assumption that decides whether the opinion derived from a fact is a conclusion or an assumption

Inference conundrum

Opinion type Fact Verifiable

Judgment Is not derived from a fact Is not verifiable

Conclusion Is derived from a fact Is verifiable

Inference Is derived from a fact Is not verifiable

Meaning of the directions……

Read the directions carefully especially in cause and effect question category

� Mark 1) when I follows

� Mark 2) when II follows

� Mark 4 ) if neither follow

� Mark 5 ) if both follow

Important one : either I or II means they contradict each other

Conclusion based questionsTypes : statement and identify the conclusion

Statements given can be : facts / judgment/ F+J

Formula

To identify the conclusion : ask :

‘What can I clearly understand from this statement?’

Please remember : in these questions there is no difference between a conclusion and an inference

Conclusion based examples Statement : Raman does not want to purchase new

machinery, but his problem is that he has partners in his business.

Conclusions : Raman wants to run his business with the old machinery

Raman’s partners want to buy new machinery

Statement : “I want to play opposite Sania,because I want to get a feel of how hard she strikes the ball” said Sachin

Conclusions : Sachin likes to play opposite those who hit the ball hard.

Sachin has heard that Sania strikes the ball hard.

Conclusion based examples Statement : The last match gave the team the

opportunity to realize that the team lacks efficiency in bowling and fielding.

Conclusion : The team lost the match because of inefficiency in bowling and fielding

Better performance in other departments of the game saved the team from losing the match.

Statement : “Had I asked to choose a portfolio,I would have probably chosen the ministry of environment and forest", Home Minister

Conclusion : It is easier to handle the environment and forest portfolio rather than the home ministry.

The person did not become a home minister by choice

Conclusion based examples

Statement : The Dalai Lama’s dream of seeing his homeland free will probably not happen in his lifetime. But whenever it does, it will be said that the Tibetan people got freedom without shedding a drop of Chinese blood.

Conclusions : Tibet is under Chinese control

The Dalai Lama is very old.

Assumptions

Statements given can be : facts / judgment/ F+J

Formula :

To identify the assumption :

Ask : ‘for the above statement to be valid which of the following statements need to be valid?’

Ways of doing this could be :

�Negate the statements given in the options

Some templatesNotice

Assumptions could be :

� All people will read it

� At least some would abide by it

� The desired result would be achieved

� This problem exists

Eg. A notice in a hospital ‘Keep silence’

Some templates

Advertisement

�Many people would read it

�Some would respond to it

�Some could be interested in my product

�The adv could lead to the sales of my product

Advice (should/ought):assumption

�The person needs advice

�The person would listen to my advice

Some templates

When a person or an organization is blamed :

�They are responsible for the action

When a shock or surprise is expressed :

�The opposite can be assumed

Assumption examplesStatement : ‘Enjoy your challenges’ – an advertisement

of a car brand

Assumptions : People like to enjoy challenges

People will buy the car

Statement : What a waste of effort,time and money? After three brilliant issues, you follow up with this issue on Kabas.

Assumptions : Money is spent in bringing the issue on Kabas

The issue on Kabas is not brilliant

Any amount of time can be spent in bringing a brilliant issue.

Assumption examplesStatement : “When you are starting a business of your

own, giving your 100 % is not enough” Anil told the trainees

Assumption : One can do more than 100 %

Trainees would give more than 100 %

Statement : Stop endorsing cold drinks, they are harmful to health

Assumptions : People are suffering from health problems due to consumption of cold drinks

Endorsement leads to an increase in consumption of a product

Cause and effectRules :

� Both statements have to be read together

� On its own a statement can either be a cause or an effect

� Can accept universal truths while solving these questions

Effects can be of two types :

� Immediate

� Delayed

Imp : Read the directions carefully

Directions : 2 types� Where the difference between immediate and delayed

is not asked

The other set where this difference is questioned. The directions are as follows:

� A – E /B-C [Immediate]

�A – C/B-E [Immediate]

�A-E / B- C [Delayed]

�A – C/B-E [Delayed]

�None of these

Immediate/Delayed

Delayed Cause

Immediate Cause

Effect

Cause and Effect ExamplesEvent A : The police are unable to curtail black marketing of

tickets for cricket matches.Event B : Cricket is so popular that fans stop doing any work on the

day of cricket matches except watching the matches in the stadium.

[1]Event A : The price of edible oils has been constantly increasing for

the past one yearEvent B : The Government has decided to release huge quantities of

edible oils into the open market[2]Event A : Hero Honda has launched new versions of its two

motorcycles Hunk and Splendor.Event B : Bajaj Auto announced the launch of the much awaited

Kawasaki Ninja 250 R in India.It is widely acknowledged as the best 250 cc motorcycle in the world.

[5]

Cause and Effect Examples

Event A : The election commission announced that the elections for the 81 member Jharkand legislative assembly will be held in five phases

Event B : The term of the Jharkand assembly is due to expire next month

[1]

Event A : In a survey it was found that by 2020,the student population in the IIT’s would grow from 40,000 to 1,00,000

Event B : The IIT’s are planning to recruit 10,000 more faculty members by 2020

[2]

Course of Action

Things to remember :

�Actions can be of two types :

Immediate

Delayed

Rules :

� We accept universal truths

� Mark the immediate course of action as the answer

Template for Course of Action�A clear and unbiased understanding of the given

statement

�The course of action should enable solve the problem independently

�Choose an immediate course of action

�The course of action should pertain directly to the problem

�The given solution should not result in any problem

�The given solution should be practical

�A negative course of action should not be taken

Course of Action examples

Statement : The buffer stock of food grains has fallen to 4 weeks, from 12 months in the last five months.

Courses of action :

1. The government should immediately procure food grains from farmers

2. The government should reduce the ration supplied through PDS.

3. The government should increase the procurement price

[none follows]

Course of Action examples

Statement : The competition among corporate hospitals has not done any good to the people.

Courses of Action :

1. Permission should be given to open more corporate hospitals

2. The government should review the norms for corporate hospitals so that they take up some social responsibility.

3. All the corporate offices should be closed down

Strong /Weak Argument

Def :

Strong Argument : a statement that is relevant to the discussion is a strong argument

Weak Argument : a statement that is not relevant or related to the discussion is a weak argument

Take help of generally accepted facts, past events in solving these questions

Please remember : there would generally be a room of ambiguity in the answers to these questions as the term relevant is subjective

Some help in solving these ……

Strong Argument Weak argument

� Relevant

� Reason

� Example + reason

� Check verity of the statement

� Any ambiguous/irrelevant/simplistic statement

� Assertions/negations

� example

SA/WA examples

Statement : Should the government launch an armed offensive against rebels?

Yes, the rebels have no faith in the promise made by the government

Yes, the rebels are not interested in resolving issues, being rebellious is a way of life for them.

Statement : Should India purchase advanced bomber planes from Russia?

No, Russian bombers are too expensive

No, US also offers bombers of the same technology and standards

InferencesDT : Logical conclusion

DF : Contradictory conclusion

PT : far-fetched conclusion (possibility)

PF : far-fetched conclusion (possibility)

Para Jumbles

Ways to tackle Para jumbles

• Types

• Introduction (if required)

• Links : Structure/grammar

Content

Structure links :

• Noun-pronoun (number, gender)

• Conjunctions

• Parallelism

Para Jumbles Contd……Content links :

• Idea elaboration

• Idea example

• Cause effect

• Chronology

• Common word approach

• Generic to specific

Para Jumbles Example acbed� . A I had six thousand acres of land, and had thus got much spare land

besides the coffee plantation. Part of the farm was native forest, and about one thousand acres were squatters’ land, what [the KikuyuJcalled their shambas.

� B. The squatters’ land was more intensely alive than, the rest of the farm, and was changing with the seasons the year round. The maize grew up higher than your head as you walked on the narrow hard-trampled footpaths in between the tall green rustling regiments.

� C. The squatters are Natives, who with their families (hold a few acres on a white man’s farm, and in return have to work for him a certain number of days in the year. My squatters, I think, saw the relationship in a different light, for many of them were born on the farm, and their fathers before them, and they very likely regarded me as a sort of superior squatter on their estates.

� D. The Kikuyu also grew the sweet potatoes that have a vine like leaf and spread over the ground like a dense entangled mat, and many varieties of big yellow and green speckled pumpkins.

� E. The beans ripened in the fields, were gathered and thrashed by the women, and the maize stalks and coffee pods were collected and burned, so that in certain seasons thin blue columns of smoke rose here and there all over the farm.