Question

During his summer vacation, Ajay plans to learn a new language as a hobby. He has the option to choose between Language A and Language B. Language A is easy to learn, and even his sibling speaks it. Language B, while more challenging to master, has the potential to provide numerous professional advantages in the future. Considering these factors, which of the following arguments would persuade Ajay to select Language A over Language B?
I. He is learning the language solely as a hobby and is not considering it for serious purposes.
II. Only one-third of learners can pass the elementary tests in Language B. Ajay will also struggle to clear the elementary test.
III. It will be comparatively easy for him to master Language A since he can practice speaking it with his sibling.
IV. Language B may not offer as many career opportunities in the future.

• A. III
• B. I and III
• C. II and IV
• D. I and II
• E. I, II, and III

Hint:

Check each Roman numeral statement against what the passage already states -- a statement that contradicts a fact already given in the passage can never be a valid reason, no matter how reasonable it sounds by itself. Use that to eliminate answer choices quickly instead of testing every combination from scratch.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Identify Ajay’s primary objective.
Ajay wants to learn a language as a hobby during his summer vacation, not primarily for long-term professional gains.
Step 2: Evaluate each statement.
Statement I supports Language A because it aligns with learning purely for enjoyment rather than career advancement.
Statement II highlights the difficulty of Language B and suggests Ajay may struggle, making Language A a safer choice.
Statement III strengthens the case for Language A since having a sibling to practice with makes learning easier and faster.
Statement IV contradicts the passage, as Language B is explicitly said to offer professional advantages in the future.
Step 3: Select the valid combination.
Statements I, II, and III all logically persuade Ajay to choose Language A over Language B, while Statement IV does not.
Final Answer:
\[ \boxed{\text{Option (E)}} \]

Answer 2

Concept:

• In "which combination of statements is valid" questions, every statement can be checked against the passage one by one, but the answer choices themselves can be used to eliminate statements that conflict with the passage, often reaching the answer faster.
• A statement can only be used to persuade Ajay toward Language A if it does not contradict a fact already given in the passage; a statement that argues the opposite of a stated fact is invalid no matter how reasonable it sounds by itself.

Step 1: Test statement IV against the passage.
The passage states Language B "has the potential to provide numerous professional advantages in the future." Statement IV claims Language B "may not offer as many career opportunities," which goes against this stated fact, so IV is invalid. The only option containing IV is "II and IV," so that option is eliminated.

Step 2: Test statement I.
Ajay is learning the language "as a hobby," and the passage never says he needs it for career reasons, so pointing out that his purpose is purely recreational is consistent with the passage and gives him a real reason to prefer the easier language. I is valid.

Step 3: Test statement II.
The passage already calls Language B "more challenging to master." A statistic showing only one-third of learners clear the elementary test, with Ajay likely to struggle too, is consistent with this and gives Ajay a direct practical reason to avoid Language B. II is valid.

Step 4: Test statement III.
The passage already states Language A "is easy to learn, and even his sibling speaks it." III simply restates this as a reason it will be easier for him, which is fully consistent with the passage. III is valid.

Step 5: Combine the surviving valid statements.
I, II and III are each individually valid, and only the option listing all three of them together remains among the answer choices.

Final Answer: I, II, and III (Option E)