List of top Logical Reasoning Questions on Verbal Reasoning asked in CLAT

‘As a century draws to a close, people start behaving much like people coming to the end of a long life. People approaching death often start reflecting on the events of their lives. Similarly, people alive in 1999 ________________’ Which of the following most logically completes the paragraph above?
‘The Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius proposed the following thought experiment. If the universe has a boundary, we can throw a spear at this boundary. If the spear flies through, then it is not a boundary. If the spear bounces back, there must be something beyond this boundary that is itself in space, which means it is not a boundary at all. Either way, it turns out that the universe has no boundary.’ How best can the form of Lucretius’ argument for the infinity of space be described?
‘Utilitarians believe that the right action is that which produces the most happiness.’ Which of the following claims is incompatible with the utilitarian view?
‘Senthil goes to Ambala for the first time in his life. On the way from the railway station to his hotel, he sees twelve people, all of them male. He concludes that there are no women in Ambala. As a matter of fact, there are many thousands of women in Ambala.’ Which of the following best describes Senthil’s error?
‘China has a higher literacy rate than India. This is due to the greater efficiency of the Communist system. Efficiency is sorely lacking in India’s democratic system. Therefore, democracy is the biggest obstacle to India’s achieving 100% literacy.’ Which of the following, if true, would directly undermine the above argument?
Suleiman: All Communists are atheists.
Sheeba: That is not true.
Which of the following, if true, would make Sheeba’s reply the most convincing?
“Where there is smoke, there is fire.” Which of the following statements, if true, would show that the above statement is false?
“Where there is poverty, there are always thieves.” Which of the following statements, if true, would show that the above statement is false?
Political turmoil in a country is mainly caused by widespread violence and flawed economic policies of successive governments. If at all this has to be crushed, it can be achieved only by a dictatorial government which rules with iron hand. Therefore, the need of the hour is to elect a government which imposes fresh set of stringent legislations. However, one of them is most forceful. Identify the same.
Under the same fact-situation as in Q.155, several alternatives (not necessarily all) would, if true, strengthen the argument. One of them is the most forceful. Identify it.
Exploitation of poor by rich can be stemmed only if the state exercises complete control over agriculture and industrial production. But state control is beset by two evils; corruption and delay. The net result is that if man tries to escape from one evil, then he is trapped by another. Suffering hence is inescapable.
The argument presented above seems to imply the following conclusions. Identify the one which is least dubious. Apply common sense.
Opponents of capital punishment cite: (i) humans cannot terminate what they cannot generate; (ii) punishment aims at reformation; (iii) opportunity to repent must be given. Defenders reply that punishment is for paying one’s dues; reformation/repentance is peripheral. Hence death penalty is admissible. What is the {focus of this debate?}
Fred Whipple first thought that, like Mercury, Venus keeps one face towards the Sun; if so, the dark side would be very cold. Using Petit and Nicholson’s earlier work he knew this was {not the case, so he concluded Venus must rotate fairly often to keep the dark side warmer. Which of the following is the {original premise} used to reach the conclusion?}
Before formulating the laws of motion, Galileo separated mathematical from empirical study. He repeatedly rolled a ball down a groove, measured the times for different fractions of the groove, and—after hundreds of repetitions—concluded that the distance travelled is proportional to the square of time. Which label best characterizes Galileo’s method?
Sherlock Holmes obtains two pills found at crime scenes. He dissolves one pill and gives it to a dog—nothing happens. He then dissolves the other pill, adds milk, the dog licks and dies. Which method does the passage indicate?
There has been much speculation concerning the origin of lunar craters. One hypothesis is that they are the result of the impact of heavy meteors on the surface of moon while still soft. The most probable explanation is that they were produced by the gases liberated from the rocky matter. "While solidification was taking place these gases and water vapors steadily escaped through viscous surface, raising giant bubbles. The reader can easily visualize the process that took place by watching frying of pancakes. Which one of the following actually helps us to determine the origin of lunar craters?
“Perhaps the earliest work of Archimedes that we have is that on ‘Plane Equilibrium’. In this, some fundamental principles of mechanics are set forth as rigorous geometric propositions. The work opens with furious postulate ‘Equal weights at equal distances are in equilibrium; equal weights at unequal distances are not in equilibrium, but incline towards the weight at the greater distance.’
According to this passage, which factors determine equilibrium?
It is said that in his strongly worded reaction to quantum Physics, Einstein remarks ‘God does not play dice’ to which Bohr, another great physicist, reacted saying ‘Do not tell God what to system, though we can know the properties of macrocosmic objects.
An efficient and diesel-independent public transport system is essential to the economic development of nation. Suppose that the government adopts a policy to that effect then there is another favourable result. The pollution of environment is reduced to greater extent – but, then it has two-pronged backlash. The sale and consequently the production of two and four wheelers reduce to the minimum which in turn render a large number of people jobless. Cash flow to the treasury also is adversely affected. Such a step, therefore, is self-defeating unless the government evolves a counter-strategy to nullify the adverse effects. Which one of the following accurately projects the opinion of an imaginary speaker or author as the case may be of this passage?
A moot question to be considered is whether democratic form of government is boon or bane, no matter what Lincoln might or might not have said. Rather his most (in?) famous adage, ‘by the people, for the people and of the people’ misses the most pertinent question; which attitude works behind when a person declares that he is a (or the right?) candidate to serve the people, and does not hesitate to contest and fight tooth and nail the election, an euphemism for battle with or without bullets. Admittedly, the convert attitude is different from overt attitude. Hardly anyone contests the election unwillingly. A contestant is not persuaded by any one, but driven by his own passions and dubious motives. Contrast this picture with Socrates' version; no honest man willingly takes up the job of ruler. If at all he accepts, he does so for fear of being ruled by one made up of inferior mettle. It is beyond even the wildest imagination, to expect an honest person to contest the election. Assuming that every statement is true, identify from among the given alternatives the one which strictly follows from the passage.
According to the same passage, which best differentiates Lincoln’s and Socrates’ analyses?
Many environmentalists are inconsistent: progress without some interference with nature is a myth, yet environment includes animal wealth too, so we must ask whether we may kill living beings (even harmful insects/stray dogs) merely for hygiene. Which one of the following runs {counter to the spirit of the passage?}
On reservations in jobs, the passage argues that quality education—especially for the downtrodden—requires good-natured meritorious teachers; if someone lacking these becomes a teacher due to reservation, generations suffer. Assuming some merit in the argument, which fallout is best described?
Under the same fact-situation, which step best helps to circumvent the problem?