Logical Reasoning Questions for CLAT 2026 | QB Set 4

1. Columnist: The winner of this year’s national spelling bee won by correctly spelling the spoken word Ursprache, which means “fame” in German. Given the richness of our language, why must we resort to words taken from modern foreign languages to challenge our best spellers? Ursprache is listed in our dictionary, as are words from many other foreign languages, but future spelling bees should limit themselves to words in our dictionary that have been anglicized in all aspects because spelling English words, not knowledge of linguistics and international phonetics, is the point of these contests. Which of the following can most reasonably be inferred from the argument above?

(a) The spelling contest winner knew how to spell most of the anglicized words in the dictionary.
(b) Foreign words are more difficult than anglicized words for all contestants to spell.
(c) Spelling contestant winners should be determined by their facility with all aspects of language.
(d) To spell foreign words, contestants must recognize the language and know its pronunciation.
(e) The English language contains more borrowed words than most other languages.

2. In Eastland, from 2000 to 2005, the total consumption of fish increased by 4.5 percent, and the total consumption of poultry products increased by 9.0 percent. During this time, the population of Eastland increased by 6 percent, in part due to new arrivals from surrounding areas. Which of the following can one infer based on the statements above?

(a) For new arrivals to Eastland between 2000 and 2005, fish was less likely to be a major part of families’ diet than was poultry.
(b) In 2005, the residents of Eastland consumed twice as much poultry as fish.
(c) The per capita consumption of poultry in Eastland was higher in 2005 than it was in 2000.
(d) Between 2000 and 2005, both fish and poultry products were a regular part of the diet of a significant proportion of Eastland residents.
(e) Between 2000 and 2005, the profits of wholesale distributors of poultry products increased at a greater rate than did the profits of wholesale distributors of fish.

3. Everyone who has graduated from TopNotch High School has an intelligence quotient (IQ) of over 120. Most students with an IQ of over 120 and all students with an IQ of over 150 who apply to one or more Ivy League universities are accepted to at least one of them. The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?

(a) Every graduate of TopNotch High School with an IQ of 150 has been accepted to at least one Ivy-League school.
(b) If a person is a high-school graduate and has an IQ of less than 100, he or she could not have been a student at TopNotch High School.
(c) If a person has an IQ of 130 and is attending an Ivy-League school, it is possible for him or her to have graduated from TopNotch High School.
(d) At least one graduate from TopNotch High School who has applied to at least one Ivy-League university has been accepted to one of them.
(e) If a high-school graduate has an IQ of 150 and is not attending an Ivy-League school, then he or she did not apply to one of them.

4. According to a recent study on financial roles, one-third of high school seniors say that they have “significant financial responsibilities.” These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, contributing to food, shelter, or clothing for themselves or their families. At the same time, a second study demonstrates that a crisis in money management exists for high school students. According to this study, 80% of high school seniors have never taken a personal finance class even though the same percentage of seniors has opened bank accounts and one-third of these account holders have bounced a check. Which of the following conclusions can be properly drawn from the statements above?

(a) High schools would be wise to incorporate personal finance classes into their core curricula.
(b) At least one-third of high school seniors work part-time jobs after school.
(c) The number of high school seniors with significant financial responsibilities is greater than the number of seniors who have bounced a check.
(d) Any high school seniors who contribute to food, shelter, or clothing for themselves or their families have significant financial responsibilities.
(e) The majority of high school students have no financial responsibilities to their families.

5. Analyst: Creative professionals, such as clothing designers, graphic designers, and decorators, often have very poor managerial skills and do not succeed when they try to run their own businesses. In fact, most of these creative types are less skilled in business than is the average white-collar professional who does not work in a creative field. Generally, creative talent and business acumen rarely go hand in hand. If the analyst’s argument is taken as true, which of the following statements can properly be concluded?

(a) No successful businesspeople are creative.
(b) Some creative types are not less skilled at business than is the average white-collar worker who is not creative.
(c) Creativity precludes success in business.
(d) Any white-collar worker who is not creative is more successful in business than any creative professional.
(e) Business is not a creative endeavor.

Answers

• Question 1: (d) — The author believes that spelling foreign words requires knowledge of phonetics, which should not be the focus of spelling bees.
• Question 2: (c) — The increase in poultry consumption outpaced population growth, indicating a rise in per capita poultry consumption.
• Question 3: (c) — It’s valid that a TopNotch graduate with an IQ of 130 could attend an Ivy League university.
• Question 4: (c) — More students have financial responsibilities than those who bounced checks.
• Question 5: (b) — Some creative professionals are not less skilled than average white-collar workers in business.