XAT Critical & analytical reasoning Previous Year Questions (PYQs): Chapter-wise Weightage and Solved Questions

    XAT Critical & analytical reasoning: 2 chapters, 0 practice questions and one solved question from each chapter.

    Critical & analytical reasoning Chapter Matrix

    ChapterPYQsShare of unit PYQsPractice questions
    Logical Deductions & Argument Analysis00%0
    Visual Reasoning & Critical Interpretation00%0

    One Solved Question from Each Critical & analytical reasoning Chapter

    Question 1 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) MCQ
    When facing various challenges, people in today’s digital world heavily rely on private, online information-seeking behaviour. Individuals who experience depression will often attempt to understand their predicament and seek remedy by searching the Internet for depression-related information and treatment. A recent report says that there exists evidence of many searches comprising the word depression, during and just after the elections, in country Y. So, it can be concluded that the election is experienced by many people in country Y as a truly psychologically traumatizing event—and as such as being potentially depressionogenic.
    Which of the following statements MOST seriously weakens the conclusion drawn in the passage?
    1. A.

      Election is a festival in some countries, people happily choose their leader by casting votes.

    2. B.

      A survey in country Y shows that an election can cause a signi cant increase in the average level of depression.

    3. C.

      Depression-related advertisements are on the rise during and just after the election in country Y.

    4. D.

      Many people do not use the Internet in country X.

    5. E.

      Per day sale of anti-depression drugs is constant across the years in country Y.

    Correct Answer:

    C

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a "Weaken the Argument" question in Critical Reasoning. The argument relies on a causal link between two correlated events (elections and depression searches). To weaken it, we must show that the correlation does not imply causation, or that there is an alternative explanation for the observed data.

    Step 1: Deconstruct the Argument.

    Premise 1: People search online for depression info when they are depressed.

    Premise 2: There was a spike in searches for "depression" during/after elections in Country Y.

    Conclusion: Elections are psychologically traumatizing and cause depression.

    Step 2: Identify the Assumption.

    The argument assumes that the intent behind the search was genuine personal distress caused by the election. It ignores other reasons why people might search for a specific keyword.

    Step 3: Evaluate Options to find the Weakener.

    Option A: Discusses other countries. Irrelevant to Country Y.

    Option B: Supports the conclusion by confirming elections increase depression.

    Option C: States that depression-related advertisements increased during this period. If ads were running, people might click/search due to marketing exposure rather than internal psychological trauma. This provides an alternative cause for the spike in searches, breaking the link between "search volume" and "personal trauma."

    Option D: Discusses Country X. Irrelevant.

    Option E: Constant drug sales might suggest stable clinical depression, but online searching is a broader behavior. While it weakens slightly, Option C directly attacks the mechanism of the evidence (the search itself) by offering a more immediate alternative explanation for the specific data point cited. In critical reasoning, an alternative cause for the specific evidence is a stronger weakener than general statistical stability which might have lag effects. However, let's re-evaluate C vs E.

    Re-evaluation:

    Option C suggests the searches were driven by ads. If I see an ad for "Depression Help," I might click it out of curiosity or because it appeared, not because I am depressed. This directly undermines the premise that "Search = Depression."

    Option E says drug sales are constant. This implies the clinical prevalence didn't change. But the argument is about "psychologically traumatizing event" leading to "seeking remedy." One can seek info without buying drugs immediately.

    Option C is the classic "Alternative Explanation" trap breaker. The rise in searches is explained by supply-side factors (ads) rather than demand-side factors (trauma).

    Answer: C

    chapter
    XAT Critical & analytical reasoning Previous Year Questions (PYQs): Chapter-wise Weightage and Solved Questions

    XAT Critical & analytical reasoning: 2 chapters, 0 practice questions and one solved question from each chapter.

    A question from this chapter

    Question 1
    When facing various challenges, people in today’s digital world heavily rely on private, online information-seeking behaviour. Individuals who experience depression will often attempt to understand their predicament and seek remedy by searching the Internet for depression-related information and treatment. A recent report says that there exists evidence of many searches comprising the word depression, during and just after the elections, in country Y. So, it can be concluded that the election is experienced by many people in country Y as a truly psychologically traumatizing event—and as such as being potentially depressionogenic.
    Which of the following statements MOST seriously weakens the conclusion drawn in the passage?
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