All HSPT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
Jeremy is taller than Jean. John is shorter than Jeremy. John is shorter than Jean. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
false
true
uncertain
uncertain
Let's use symbols from math to help us understand this:
(1) Jeremy is taller than Jean: Jeremy > Jean
(2) John is shorter than Jeremy: John < Jeremy
This could be rewritten: Jeremy > John
Thus, we know that Jeremy is taller than Jean and John; however, we do not know anything about the relationship between John and Jean.
Example Question #2 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
Thomas is smarter than Luca. Luca is smarter than John. John is smarter than Thomas. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
uncertain
true
false
false
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this.
(1) Thomas is smarter than Luca: Thomas > Luca
(2) Luca is smarter than John: Luca > John
We could string these together as well:
Thomas > Luca > John
John is not smarter than Thomas; therefore, this is false.
Example Question #2 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
Baruch is weirder than Frederick. Frederick is weirder than Arthur. Baruch is weirder than Arthur. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
false
true
uncertain
true
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this.
(1) Baruch is weirder than Frederick: Baruch > Frederick
(2) Frederick is weirder than Arthur: Frederick > Arthur
These can all be combined to give us:
Baruch > Frederick > Arthur
It is indeed the case that (3) Baruch > Arthur.
Example Question #3 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
Godfrey is more unknown than Henry. Henry is better known than Giles. Giles is more unknown than Godfrey. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
uncertain
true
false
uncertain
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this. "Greater than" (>) will mean "more known," and "less than" (<) will mean "more unknown."
(1) Godfrey is more unknown than Henry: Godfrey < Henry
This could be rewritten: Henry > Godfrey
(2) Henry is better known than Giles: Henry > Giles
Thus, we know that Henry is more known than both Giles and Godfrey; however, this does not tell us anything about the relationship between Giles and Godfrey. Therefore (3) is uncertain.
Example Question #3 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
Teddy has more fun than Jack. Franklin has less fun than Jack. Teddy has more fun than Franklin. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
uncertain
true
false
true
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this. "Greater than" (>) will mean "has more fun," and "less than" (<) will mean "has less fun."
(1) Teddy has more fun than Jack: Teddy > Jack
(2) Franklin has less fun than Jack: Franklin < Jack
This could also be written: Jack > Franklin
Therefore, we could string all of these together into:
Teddy > Jack > Franklin
Therefore, (3) Teddy > Franklin does hold.
Example Question #4 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
Physics is more difficult than chemistry. Chemistry is easier than philosophy. Philosophy is easier than physics. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
false
uncertain
true
uncertain
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this. “Greater than” (>) will mean “more difficult,” and “less than” (<) will mean “easier.”
(1) Physics is more difficult than chemistry: Physics > chemistry
This could be rewritten: Chemistry < physics
(2) Chemistry is easier than philosophy: Chemistry < philosophy
Therefore, this tells us that chemistry is easier than the other two subjects. However, it does not tell us anything about the relationship between philosophy and physics.
Example Question #1 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
It is easier to drive in snow than it is in ice. It is harder to drive in snow than in rain. It is easier to drive in rain than in ice. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
uncertain
false
true
true
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this. “Greater than” (>) will mean “harder to drive in,” and “less than” (<) will mean “easier to drive in.”
(1) It is easier to drive in snow than it is in ice: snow < ice
(2) It is harder to drive in snow than in rain: snow > rain
This could be rewritten: rain < snow.
All of these could be combined to give us: rain < snow < ice.
This means that rain is indead easier to drive in that ice.
Example Question #4 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
Nuclear power is more efficient than coal power. Coal power is less efficient than gas power. Gas power is more efficient than nuclear power. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
uncertain
true
false
uncertain
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this. “Greater than” (>) will mean “more efficient than,” and “less than” (<) will mean “less efficient than.”
(1) Nuclear power is more efficient than coal power: nuclear > coal
This could be rewritten as: coal < nuclear
(2) Coal power is less efficient than gas power: coal < gas
Thus, we are told that coal is less efficient than both nuclear and gas; however, we are told nothing about the relationship between nuclear and gas power.
Example Question #6 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
There are more cabs than trucks on the roads in New York City. There are more motorcycles than there are trucks on the roads in New York City. There are more cabs than motorcycles on the roads in New York City. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
true
uncertain
false
uncertain
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this. “Greater than” (>) will mean “more on the road,” and “less than” (<) will mean “less on the road.”
(1) There are more cabs than trucks on the roads in New York City: cabs > trucks
This could be rewritten as: trucks < cabs
(2) There are more motorcycles than there are trucks on the roads in New York City: motorcycles > trucks
This could be rewritten as: trucks < motocycles
Thus, we are actually only being told something about trucks—there are fewer of them than both cabs and motorcycles (in New York City). Thus, we cannot say anything about the relationship between the number of cabs and the number of motorcycles.
Example Question #7 : Determining Whether A Statement Is True, False, Or Uncertain
George has a greater salary than John. Filbert has a lower salary than George. John’s salary is less than Filbert's. If the first two sentences are true, the third is __________.
false
uncertain
true
uncertain
Let’s use symbols from math to help us understand this. “Greater than” (>) will mean “has a greater salary than,” and “less than” (<) will mean “has a lower salary than.”
(1) George has a greater salary than John: George > John
(2) Filbert has a lower salary than George: Filbert < George
This could be rewritten as: George > Filbert
This means that we are being told that George has a greater salary than both John and Filbert; however, it tells us nothing about the relation between these latter two men.
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