Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal FREE Watson Glaser Inferences Question and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A recent study found that employees who work remotely at least three days per week report 25% higher job satisfaction than those who work entirely in-office. However, remote workers also report feeling less connected to their colleagues. Based on this information, which inference is MOST justified?
- Remote work should be mandatory for all employees
- Job satisfaction depends on more than just work location (Correct answer)
- Remote workers are more productive than in-office workers
- Companies that offer remote work will always retain more employees
Correct answer: Job satisfaction depends on more than just work location
The passage shows remote work increases satisfaction but decreases connection, indicating multiple factors influence overall job satisfaction.
Question 2: City X implemented a free public transit program last year. Ridership increased by 40%, but the city's overall traffic congestion decreased by only 5%. Which inference is MOST supported by these facts?
- The free transit program was a complete failure
- Many new riders were not previously driving personal vehicles (Correct answer)
- The city's population must have grown significantly during the same period
- Public transit is inherently inefficient at reducing congestion
Correct answer: Many new riders were not previously driving personal vehicles
A large ridership increase with minimal congestion reduction suggests many new riders switched from walking, cycling, or not traveling rather than from driving.
Question 3: A pharmaceutical company tested a new medication on 1,000 patients. Of those who received the drug, 70% showed improvement, compared to 45% improvement in the placebo group. The company declared the drug effective. Which inference is MOST warranted?
- The drug cures the condition in all patients
- The placebo effect accounts for most of the drug's benefit
- The drug provides some benefit beyond the placebo effect alone (Correct answer)
- No further testing of the drug is necessary
Correct answer: The drug provides some benefit beyond the placebo effect alone
The 25-percentage-point difference between drug and placebo groups indicates the drug provides measurable benefit beyond placebo alone.
Question 4: A university reports that students who participate in extracurricular activities have a graduation rate of 88%, while non-participants have a graduation rate of 72%. The university is now requiring all first-year students to join at least one activity. Which inference is MOST reasonable?
- The policy will definitely raise the overall graduation rate to 88%
- Students who voluntarily join activities may differ in ways that independently predict graduation (Correct answer)
- Extracurricular activities are the primary cause of higher graduation rates
- Non-participating students lack motivation to complete their degrees
Correct answer: Students who voluntarily join activities may differ in ways that independently predict graduation
The correlation between participation and graduation does not establish causation; self-selecting participants may already possess traits that lead to higher graduation rates.
Question 5: A grocery chain found that stores playing classical music saw a 15% increase in wine sales but no change in overall revenue. Stores playing pop music saw no change in either wine sales or overall revenue. What can MOST reasonably be inferred?
- Classical music causes people to buy more expensive products overall
- Customers in classical-music stores likely shifted spending from other products to wine (Correct answer)
- Playing music has no real effect on consumer behavior
- Classical music attracts wealthier shoppers to the store
Correct answer: Customers in classical-music stores likely shifted spending from other products to wine
Since wine sales rose but total revenue stayed the same, customers likely redirected their existing spending toward wine rather than spending more overall.
Question 6: Country Y banned single-use plastic bags two years ago. Plastic bag litter on beaches decreased by 60%, but total beach litter decreased by only 10%. Which inference is BEST supported?
- The plastic bag ban was ineffective and should be repealed
- Other types of litter make up a large proportion of total beach waste (Correct answer)
- Citizens are ignoring the ban and still using plastic bags
- Beach cleanup efforts coincidentally increased during the same period
Correct answer: Other types of litter make up a large proportion of total beach waste
The sharp drop in bag litter with only a modest drop in total litter indicates that plastic bags were a relatively small fraction of all beach waste.
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal FREE Watson Glaser Inferences Question and Answers 2
A recent study found that employees who work remotely at least three days per week report 25% higher job satisfaction than those who work entirely in-office.
However, remote workers also report feeling less connected to their colleagues.
Based on this information, which inference is MOST justified?