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Question 1Verbal Reasoning

In a verbal reasoning item, a passage states that a policy 'curtailed' certain activities. Which meaning of 'curtailed' fits the passage?

  1. Postponed indefinitely
  2. Expanded considerably
  3. Formally approved
  4. Reduced or restricted Correct answer.

Explanation

'Curtail' means to cut short or reduce the extent of something, so a policy that curtailed activities limited them. The word carries no sense of approval, delay, or expansion, so only the reduction meaning fits the sentence context.

Question 2Verbal Reasoning

A report notes that a manager's instructions were 'ambiguous'. Which situation best matches that description?

  1. The instructions contradicted company policy
  2. The instructions were unusually brief
  3. The instructions were delivered very late
  4. The instructions could be read in more than one way Correct answer.

Explanation

'Ambiguous' describes language open to more than one interpretation, so instructions that can be read two ways are ambiguous. Brevity, lateness, or policy conflict are separate problems that do not by themselves create ambiguity.

Question 3Verbal Reasoning

Read this statement: 'All auditors on the team are certified. Priya is certified.' What can be validly concluded?

  1. Priya is an auditor on the team
  2. Priya is not an auditor on the team
  3. Nothing certain follows about Priya's team membership Correct answer.
  4. Every certified person is on the team

Explanation

The premise says auditors are certified, not that all certified people are auditors. Priya being certified therefore tells us nothing definite about whether she is on the team, so no certain conclusion about her membership follows.

Question 4Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence uses 'principal' correctly for a main reason?

  1. The school principal reason was the delay.
  2. The delay was principal by the supplier.
  3. The principal reason for the delay was a supplier strike, and it was principal too.
  4. The principal reason for the delay was a supplier strike. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Principal' as an adjective means chief or main, so 'principal reason' is correct. The other options misuse the word's grammatical role or create incoherent constructions.

Question 5Verbal Reasoning

A passage says a witness's account was 'corroborated' by a second source. What does this indicate?

  1. The account was proven false
  2. The account was translated
  3. The account was supported by independent evidence Correct answer.
  4. The account was withdrawn

Explanation

To corroborate means to strengthen or confirm a claim with additional supporting evidence. A second source supporting the account therefore corroborates it rather than disproving or withdrawing it.

Question 6Verbal Reasoning

Identify the sentence that is grammatically complete and correctly formed.

  1. The committee, having reviewed the evidence, issuing its findings.
  2. The committee having reviewed the evidence and issuing its findings.
  3. Having reviewed the evidence, the findings issued the committee.
  4. The committee, having reviewed the evidence, issued its findings. Correct answer.

Explanation

A complete sentence needs a finite main verb, which option 0 supplies with 'issued'. The others are fragments or have a dangling modifier that misassigns the action.

Question 7Verbal Reasoning

In a passage, an author claims a proposal is 'untenable'. Which follow-up best reflects that judgment?

  1. The author expects the proposal to pass easily
  2. The author has not read the proposal
  3. The author expects the proposal to fail under scrutiny Correct answer.
  4. The author is neutral about the proposal

Explanation

'Untenable' means not defensible against objection, so an author using it expects the proposal to collapse under examination. It signals a negative judgment rather than neutrality or confidence.

Question 8Verbal Reasoning

Which pair of words is correctly matched as synonyms?

  1. Candid and obscure
  2. Candid and reluctant
  3. Candid and forthright Correct answer.
  4. Candid and evasive

Explanation

'Candid' means frank and open, which matches 'forthright'. The other choices describe the opposite qualities of concealment or hesitation.

Question 9Verbal Reasoning

A memo states: 'If the shipment arrives on Monday, the audit will start on Tuesday. The audit did not start on Tuesday.' What follows?

  1. The audit will never start
  2. The shipment arrived on Monday
  3. The shipment did not arrive on Monday Correct answer.
  4. The audit started on Monday

Explanation

This is a valid modus tollens inference: if arrival implies a Tuesday start, and no Tuesday start occurred, the arrival condition must not have been met. Denying the consequent forces denial of the antecedent.

Question 10Verbal Reasoning

Read: 'Few of the trainees who passed the practical test also passed the written test.' Which statement must be true?

  1. Every trainee passed the written test
  2. Most trainees who passed the practical did not pass the written Correct answer.
  3. No trainee passed the practical test
  4. All who passed the written also passed the practical

Explanation

'Few' means only a small proportion, so most practical-test passers did not also pass the written test. The statement does not claim zero passes or universal success.

Question 11Verbal Reasoning

A passage argues that a policy should be repealed because it is unpopular. Which hidden assumption does the argument rely on?

  1. All policies are eventually repealed
  2. The policy has never been evaluated
  3. Unpopular policies are always illegal
  4. Public popularity is a sufficient reason to repeal a policy Correct answer.

Explanation

The argument moves from unpopularity to a recommendation to repeal, which only works if popularity is treated as a sufficient reason. Without that bridge, the conclusion does not follow from the premise.

Question 12Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence correctly uses 'affect' rather than 'effect'?

  1. The new rule will affect how reports are filed. Correct answer.
  2. The new rule will affect a change in reporting.
  3. The rule's affect was to change reporting.
  4. The new rule had a major affect on reports.

Explanation

'Affect' is normally a verb meaning to influence, which fits option 0. 'Effect' is the noun for a result, so the other options misuse the forms.

Question 13Verbal Reasoning

An author writes: 'The committee's recommendation was not unreasonable.' What does this most likely convey?

  1. The recommendation was clearly excellent
  2. The recommendation was entirely baseless
  3. The author has no view on the recommendation
  4. The recommendation had some justification Correct answer.

Explanation

The double negative 'not unreasonable' is a litotes construction that softly endorses the recommendation as having some merit. It is weaker than outright praise and is not neutral or negative.

Question 14Verbal Reasoning

A study finds that towns with more libraries report higher literacy. Which conclusion is best supported?

  1. There is an association between library presence and reported literacy Correct answer.
  2. Literacy causes towns to build libraries
  3. Towns without libraries have no literate residents
  4. Libraries definitely cause higher literacy

Explanation

Correlational data support an association, not a causal direction. Claiming causation or reverse causation goes beyond what the finding establishes.

Question 15Verbal Reasoning

Which revision best removes ambiguity from: 'She told her sister that she had made a mistake'?

  1. She told her sister she made a mistake.
  2. She told her sister that a mistake had been made by her.
  3. She told her sister, 'I made a mistake.' Correct answer.
  4. She told her that her sister made a mistake.

Explanation

The original pronoun 'she' could refer to either woman. Direct quotation with 'I' pins the mistake to the speaker and removes the referential ambiguity.

Question 16Verbal Reasoning

A passage claims: 'Every valid contract requires mutual consent. This agreement lacked mutual consent.' What follows?

  1. The agreement is not a valid contract Correct answer.
  2. Mutual consent is optional in contracts
  3. The agreement is a valid contract
  4. The agreement had consent from one party only

Explanation

If mutual consent is necessary for validity and it is absent, the agreement cannot be a valid contract. This is a straightforward application of a necessary condition.

Question 17Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence avoids a dangling modifier?

  1. After reviewing the file, the report was signed.
  2. After reviewing the file, the auditor signed the report. Correct answer.
  3. After reviewing the file, it was signed.
  4. After reviewing the file, signatures were added.

Explanation

The introductory phrase must modify the subject of the main clause. Only option 0 makes the auditor, the one who reviewed the file, the subject of the main clause.

Question 18Verbal Reasoning

An argument states: 'Most experts support the plan, so the plan must be sound.' Which flaw is present?

  1. It treats expert agreement as proof of correctness Correct answer.
  2. It relies on a single expert's opinion
  3. It confuses correlation with sampling error
  4. It ignores the experts' qualifications

Explanation

The argument appeals to majority expert opinion as if it guaranteed soundness, which is an appeal to authority rather than evidence about the plan itself. Expert agreement is relevant but not conclusive.

Question 19Verbal Reasoning

Which word best completes the sentence: 'The evidence was so _____ that the panel reached a verdict quickly.'

  1. ambiguous
  2. sparse
  3. compelling Correct answer.
  4. irrelevant

Explanation

A quick verdict implies strong, persuasive evidence, which 'compelling' conveys. The other choices describe weak or unclear evidence that would slow deliberation.

Question 20Verbal Reasoning

A passage states: 'No applicant who missed the deadline was interviewed, but some applicants who met the deadline were not interviewed.' Which conclusion is valid?

  1. Missing the deadline guaranteed an interview
  2. Being interviewed required meeting the deadline Correct answer.
  3. Everyone who met the deadline was interviewed
  4. Being interviewed was unrelated to the deadline

Explanation

Since no late applicant was interviewed, being interviewed implies meeting the deadline, making it a necessary condition. The second clause shows the deadline was not sufficient.

Question 21Verbal Reasoning

Read: 'The consultant's report was praised for its thoroughness, yet its recommendations were largely ignored.' What does the sentence imply?

  1. The report was valued for its detail but had little practical influence Correct answer.
  2. The report's recommendations were adopted quickly
  3. The report was rejected because it was superficial
  4. The report was never read by anyone

Explanation

The contrast between praise for thoroughness and ignored recommendations implies the report was respected as detailed work but had limited practical effect. It does not support claims of superficiality or adoption.

Question 22Verbal Reasoning

An argument claims: 'If we raise prices, sales will fall. Sales fell, so we must have raised prices.' Which error is committed?

  1. Circular reasoning
  2. Affirming the consequent Correct answer.
  3. Denying the antecedent
  4. Equivocation

Explanation

The argument treats a sufficient condition as if it were necessary: sales falling is consistent with other causes, so it cannot confirm that prices rose. This is the fallacy of affirming the consequent.

Question 23Verbal Reasoning

A passage says a claim is 'plausible but unsubstantiated'. Which description is most accurate?

  1. It seems believable yet lacks supporting evidence Correct answer.
  2. It is proven and widely accepted
  3. It is too technical to evaluate
  4. It is clearly false and rejected

Explanation

'Plausible' means seemingly reasonable, while 'unsubstantiated' means not backed by evidence. Together they describe an idea that sounds credible but has no proof.

Question 24Verbal Reasoning

Three claims: (1) All analysts are detail-oriented. (2) Some detail-oriented people are impatient. (3) No impatient person is a manager. What must be true?

  1. All managers are detail-oriented
  2. All analysts are impatient
  3. Some detail-oriented people are not managers Correct answer.
  4. No analyst is a manager

Explanation

From (2) and (3), the impatient detail-oriented people cannot be managers, so at least some detail-oriented people are not managers. The other options overreach beyond the premises.

Question 25Verbal Reasoning

A reviewer writes: 'The proposal is not without merit, though its costs are far from negligible.' What overall stance does this express?

  1. Complete indifference
  2. Cautious partial approval with reservations Correct answer.
  3. Wholehearted endorsement
  4. Outright rejection

Explanation

Both litotes constructions soften the judgment: 'not without merit' concedes some value, while 'far from negligible' flags real costs. The combined stance is qualified approval rather than full support or rejection.

Question 26Verbal Reasoning

In a verbal reasoning passage, an author writes that the new filing system 'streamlined' the review process. Which word most nearly matches 'streamlined' as used here?

  1. Delayed
  2. Simplified Correct answer.
  3. Expanded
  4. Audited

Explanation

'Streamlined' describes a process made simpler and more efficient by removing unnecessary steps. Only 'simplified' preserves that sense in context. The other choices describe different actions that do not match the author's meaning.

Question 27Verbal Reasoning

A passage notes that the department's budget was 'adequate, if not generous.' Which statement best captures the author's assessment?

  1. The budget was sufficient but not lavish. Correct answer.
  2. The budget was clearly insufficient.
  3. The budget was far larger than needed.
  4. The budget was impossible to evaluate.

Explanation

The construction 'adequate, if not generous' concedes sufficiency while noting the amount is not abundant. It signals that the budget meets needs without excess. The phrase does not claim surplus, shortage, or uncertainty.

Question 28Verbal Reasoning

Read: 'All certified auditors who reviewed the account found the discrepancy.' Which statement must be true?

  1. No uncertified reviewer found the discrepancy.
  2. Any certified auditor who reviewed the account found the discrepancy. Correct answer.
  3. Every reviewer who found the discrepancy was a certified auditor.
  4. Some certified auditor did not review the account.

Explanation

The original sentence states a universal condition: every certified auditor who reviewed the account found the discrepancy. That is exactly what the correct option restates. The other options reverse the direction of the claim or add information the passage never gives.

Question 29Verbal Reasoning

An argument states: 'Every vendor in the pilot program met its delivery targets. Therefore, every vendor in the region meets its delivery targets.' Which flaw does the reasoning contain?

  1. It relies on an unrepresentative sample. Correct answer.
  2. It assumes its own conclusion.
  3. It uses a term in two different senses.
  4. It confuses correlation with cause.

Explanation

The premise describes a small pilot group, but the conclusion extends the finding to all vendors in the region. That leap generalizes from a limited sample to a broader population. The argument does not beg the question, confuse cause with correlation, or equivocate on a term.

Question 30Verbal Reasoning

Which word best completes the sentence: 'The witness's account was so _____ that investigators could not determine the timeline of events.'

  1. verbose
  2. vague Correct answer.
  3. candid
  4. precise

Explanation

The second clause says investigators could not establish a timeline, which requires an account lacking clarity. 'Vague' supplies that meaning and fits the causal logic. The other adjectives describe clarity, honesty, or length, none of which explains the failure.

Question 31Verbal Reasoning

A manager writes: 'The revised schedule is not without its advantages.' What does this sentence most likely convey?

  1. The schedule is clearly superior to the old one.
  2. The schedule's advantages are irrelevant.
  3. The schedule has no advantages at all.
  4. The schedule does have some advantages. Correct answer.

Explanation

A double negative such as 'not without' asserts the positive while softening it. The sentence therefore concedes that the schedule has some advantages. It does not deny all benefits or claim outright superiority.

Question 32Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence uses 'principal' correctly for its meaning?

  1. The machine follows a principal of operation.
  2. She studied the principal of supply and demand.
  3. The principal reason for the delay was a staffing shortage. Correct answer.
  4. The attorney explained the principal of the ruling.

Explanation

'Principal' as an adjective means main or primary, which fits 'the principal reason.' The noun form for a foundational rule or law is 'principle.' The other options use the wrong member of the pair.

Question 33Verbal Reasoning

A passage states: 'The merger was announced in March, but the integration of the two firms did not begin until September.' What does the sentence emphasize?

  1. The integration never actually started.
  2. The announcement and integration happened together.
  3. The integration began before the announcement.
  4. A gap separated the announcement from the integration. Correct answer.

Explanation

The contrast signaled by 'but' and the two dates highlight a delay between announcement and integration. The sentence stresses that separation in time. It does not reverse the order of events or deny that integration occurred.

Question 34Verbal Reasoning

Read: 'Some analysts who attended the briefing submitted follow-up questions, and every analyst who submitted follow-up questions received a written response.' What must be true?

  1. Every written response went to an analyst who missed the briefing.
  2. Every analyst who attended the briefing received a written response.
  3. Some analysts who attended the briefing received a written response. Correct answer.
  4. No analyst who missed the briefing received a written response.

Explanation

Chaining the two statements: some attendees submitted questions, and everyone who submitted received a response. Therefore at least some attendees received a written response. The passage does not support claims about all attendees or about non-attendees.

Question 35Verbal Reasoning

A proposal argues that a new software tool should be adopted because it is used by several large firms. Which assumption does the argument depend on?

  1. Large firms always adopt tools before smaller ones.
  2. What works well for large firms is likely to work well here. Correct answer.
  3. Smaller firms cannot evaluate software effectively.
  4. The software tool is the least expensive option available.

Explanation

The argument moves from 'large firms use it' to 'we should adopt it,' which only works if others' adoption is a guide to suitability. That bridge is the hidden assumption. The other options add claims the argument does not require.

Question 36Verbal Reasoning

An author writes: 'The report's conclusions are far from settled.' Which restatement best preserves the meaning?

  1. The report's conclusions are firmly established.
  2. The report reaches no conclusions at all.
  3. The report's conclusions were reached too quickly.
  4. The report's conclusions remain open to dispute. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Far from settled' is an idiom meaning not resolved or still contested. The accurate restatement is that the conclusions remain open to dispute. The phrase does not mean the report lacks conclusions or that they are firmly fixed.

Question 37Verbal Reasoning

A passage claims: 'If the audit reveals irregularities, then the license will be suspended. The license was not suspended.' What follows logically?

  1. The license will be suspended later.
  2. The audit did not reveal irregularities. Correct answer.
  3. The audit did not occur.
  4. The audit revealed irregularities.

Explanation

This is a valid application of modus tollens: if P then Q, and not Q, therefore not P. Denying the consequent forces denial of the antecedent, so the audit did not reveal irregularities. The other options affirm the antecedent or add claims the premises do not support.

Question 38Verbal Reasoning

Which revision best removes the ambiguity in: 'The supervisor told the technician that her report was incomplete'?

  1. The supervisor told the technician that the technician's report was incomplete. Correct answer.
  2. The supervisor told that her report to the technician was incomplete.
  3. The supervisor, told the technician, that her report was incomplete.
  4. The supervisor told the technician her report was incomplete.

Explanation

The original leaves unclear whether 'her' refers to the supervisor or the technician. Naming the owner of the report resolves the ambiguity. The other revisions either keep the unclear pronoun or introduce grammatical confusion.

Question 39Verbal Reasoning

A reviewer writes that a study's method was 'rigorous but its sample was narrow.' Which conclusion does the reviewer support?

  1. The study's sample was unusually large.
  2. The study's method was careless.
  3. The study's findings deserve caution when generalized. Correct answer.
  4. The study should be dismissed entirely.

Explanation

The reviewer praises the method while flagging a limited sample, which supports caution about extending the results. The contrast implies the findings are sound but not broadly representative. The reviewer neither rejects the study nor calls the method careless.

Question 40Verbal Reasoning

An argument states: 'Sales rose after the ad campaign, so the campaign caused the increase.' Which weakness is most relevant?

  1. It defines its terms inconsistently.
  2. It relies on a single expert's opinion.
  3. It commits a circular argument.
  4. It ignores other factors that could explain the rise. Correct answer.

Explanation

The argument infers causation from sequence alone, leaving room for other causes such as seasonality or market trends. The main weakness is the failure to rule out alternative explanations. The argument does not equivocate, appeal to authority, or assume its conclusion.

Question 41Verbal Reasoning

Read: 'The consultant's findings were accepted, though her recommendations were shelved.' What does the sentence imply about the recommendations?

  1. They were implemented immediately.
  2. They were set aside despite accepted findings. Correct answer.
  3. They were never formally presented.
  4. They were rejected as inaccurate.

Explanation

'Shelved' means postponed or set aside, and 'though' contrasts acceptance of the findings with the fate of the recommendations. The sentence implies the recommendations were not acted on. It does not claim they were inaccurate or never presented.

Question 42Verbal Reasoning

A passage states that a policy is 'popular but costly.' A reader concludes the policy should be abandoned. Which unstated premise would the reader need?

  1. Costly policies are always unpopular.
  2. Costs outweigh popularity in this decision. Correct answer.
  3. The policy has never been evaluated.
  4. Popularity is irrelevant to policy decisions.

Explanation

To move from 'popular but costly' to 'abandon it,' the reader must rank cost above popularity. That value judgment is the missing premise. The other options either reverse the facts or introduce claims the passage does not require.

Question 43Verbal Reasoning

Which pair of words is correctly matched as antonyms?

  1. Candid and frank
  2. Frugal and thrifty
  3. Verbose and wordy
  4. Transient and permanent Correct answer.

Explanation

'Transient' means lasting only briefly, while 'permanent' means lasting indefinitely, so the two are opposites. The other pairs are synonyms rather than antonyms. Matching a word to its opposite requires contrasting meanings, not overlapping ones.

Question 44Verbal Reasoning

A report says a claim is 'unlikely but not impossible.' Which interpretation is most accurate?

  1. The claim is probable but unproven.
  2. The claim is improbable yet cannot be ruled out. Correct answer.
  3. The claim has been proven false.
  4. The claim is certain to be true.

Explanation

The phrase combines low probability with a denial of impossibility, so the claim is improbable but still conceivable. It does not assert truth, falsehood, or likelihood. The accurate reading keeps both parts of the statement.

Question 45Verbal Reasoning

Three statements: (1) All reviewers are certified. (2) Some certified people are bilingual. (3) No bilingual person is a reviewer. Which statement must be true if (1) and (2) hold, regardless of (3)?

  1. No reviewer is certified.
  2. Some reviewers are bilingual.
  3. Some certified people are not reviewers. Correct answer.
  4. All bilingual people are reviewers.

Explanation

If all reviewers are certified and some certified people are bilingual, nothing forces those bilingual people to be reviewers. At minimum, some certified people may lie outside the reviewer group, but more safely, statement (3) itself confirms that bilingual certified people are not reviewers. The only option consistent with the premises is that some certified people are not reviewers.

Question 46Verbal Reasoning

A memo states: 'Only employees who completed the training may approve invoices. Park approved an invoice.' What follows?

  1. Park completed the training. Correct answer.
  2. Park approved every invoice this month.
  3. Park did not complete the training.
  4. All trained employees approve invoices.

Explanation

'Only employees who completed the training may approve invoices' makes training a necessary condition for approval. Since Park approved an invoice, Park must have completed the training. The other options reverse the condition or overgeneralize.

Question 47Verbal Reasoning

A reviewer writes: 'The author's prose is economical, and not a sentence is wasted.' Which quality is being praised?

  1. Concise efficiency Correct answer.
  2. Ambiguous phrasing
  3. Excessive length
  4. Elaborate ornamentation

Explanation

'Economical' prose conveys meaning without waste, which the second clause reinforces. The praise is for concise efficiency. Ornamentation, length, and ambiguity all conflict with the description given.

Question 48Verbal Reasoning

An argument claims: 'If we adopt the new process, errors will decrease. Errors decreased, so we adopted the new process.' Which error does this reasoning commit?

  1. Denying the antecedent
  2. Begging the question
  3. Affirming the consequent Correct answer.
  4. Ad hominem attack

Explanation

The argument treats the consequent (errors decreased) as proof of the antecedent (process adopted). That is the fallacy of affirming the consequent, since other causes could reduce errors. The reasoning does not deny the antecedent or attack a person.

Question 49Verbal Reasoning

A passage argues that because a drug reduced symptoms in a small trial without a control group, it will work for the general population. Which two weaknesses are most significant?

  1. Long duration and frequent dosing
  2. High cost and slow production
  3. Expert disagreement and unclear branding
  4. Small sample and absence of a comparison group Correct answer.

Explanation

The argument generalizes from a small trial and lacks a control group, so it cannot separate the drug's effect from placebo or natural recovery. Those two features most directly undermine the leap to the general population. Cost, dosing, and branding are not mentioned as issues.

Question 50Verbal Reasoning

Statements: (1) No one who skipped the safety briefing was allowed on the floor. (2) Some visitors were allowed on the floor. (3) All visitors attended the briefing. Which statement must be false?

  1. No visitor attended the briefing.
  2. All visitors were allowed on the floor.
  3. Some visitors skipped the safety briefing. Correct answer.
  4. Some people allowed on the floor attended the briefing.

Explanation

Statement (3) says all visitors attended the briefing, so no visitor skipped it. Statement (1) also bars anyone who skipped from the floor. The claim that some visitors skipped the briefing therefore contradicts the premises and must be false.