Introduction
CLAT seeks to test your ability to use your skills of deduction to arrive at a determinate inference based on the information available to you. Inference questions in CLAT ask you to derive the implications of an argument presented to you. It is important for you to remember that although inferences are unstated they are not the same as assumptions.
Assumptions are the premises on which arguments are based. They act as backbones or at least support structures of arguments. Inferences on the other hand are a logical next step that a reasonable reader arrives at after analysing the argument presented to him. In fact if you look at it objectively the argument can sometimes act as the assumption for the inference.
Inference
While attempting these questions you have to be wary of three types of wrong answers.
First are those answers which paraphrase the original argument. Keep in mind that the inference is never stated in the question itself and requires you to apply your logic to draw an inference.
The second type of answers is the one which goes too far. The ideas are the same as the ones used in the passage but they are taken to an extent which is not plausible in the context of the argument. Beware of this category because the answers are convincing in their appearance but too farfetched to be applied.
Third are those answers which distort the subject of the argument and mislead you. This type of answers is particularly tricky since they follow the language of the passage but make changes in its idea.
You must be careful and not fall into these traps. The best way to avoid them is to read the argument patiently and have clarity about the ideas forwarded by it. Always scrutinize an option before choosing it and do not just judge it by a look at its language.
While attempting these questions keep an objective approach. Consider yourself to be a scientist and work out an answer based solely on the data in front of you. Here too you are supposed to choose the most appropriate answer. Ensure that the inference you draw logically flows from the argument before you.
The following questions commonly ask you to draw an inference from the argument.
- What do you infer from the argument?
- What does the author hint at?
- Considering the argument to be true, which of the following must also be true?
- Which of the following is implied by the argument?
- Which of the following would the author be most likely to support?
- The argument provides support to which of the following? Practice Questions
The first one has been done for you. Try to draw correct inferences from the rest on your own.
- People of Potatoland are work hard on having a good harvest each year. Potatoland requires 10 cm of rain per week to have a good harvest at the end of the year. Potatoland has been having 6 cm of rain per week this year.
- People of Potatoland will have to change their consumption patterns in keeping with the low availability of potatoes.
- The harvest in Potatoland will not be as good as the other years.
- Investors should encourage alternate crop patterns.
- The government should take steps to support the farmers.
The correct option is b. Looking at the situation depicted it is reasonable to infer that the harvest will not be good enough due to lack of requisite rain. There is a logical flow between the argument and the inference. Option a is incorrect because there is no indication that potato is the product which is mainly consumed in Potatoland. Option c and d are farfetched and have no direct relation to the information followed in the argument. These options are too remote in the limited context provided in the argument.
- Some octopuses caught from the Baltic Sea have secret poison ink pouches hidden under their skin. There is a recent craze for eating octopus in Popoworld. Popoworld sources most of its seafood from the Baltic Sea.
- Popoworld has a good seafood industry.
- If you eat octopus at Popoworld you may encounter a poison pouch.
- Popoworld is near the sea
- Octopus is a deadly animal to those it does not like
- Cable TV is taking over from antenna run television sets. The change is particularly noticeable in urban households. Users of the older style are having some difficulty in adjusting to the change. Laki who has recently moved to a city has always watched TV on antenna run TV sets.
- Cable TV companies are reaping benefits out of the change in technology.
- Laki is going to have a good life watching better TV.
- Laki will have some difficulty in adjusting to cable TV.
- TV viewing is more popular in the cities.
- Dancing is the only popular way of burning calories. Dance is exercise mixed with fun. Zoomba is fast gaining popularity among the youth as an alternative to their boring exercise routine.
- Zoomba is a form of dance
- Zoomba mixes dance with aerobics
- Youth are promoting the genre of Zoomba
- Zoomba provides an interest view into the world of exercise
- Aeroplanes provide premium food options if you shell out a few extra bucks. This is a strategy of incentivizing fliers to buy costlier tickets. The idea is that better money brings you better quality.
- People flying with low cost tickets receive lower quality food than those who pay more.
- Aeroplanes are more engrossed in ensuring profits than providing comfort to its customers.
- Sky markets are another profit driven scheme that aeroplanes operate.
- Food quality should be uniform regardless of ticket price because everyone feels hungry regardless of their bank balance.
- Festivals are a time when everyone wants to look beautiful. Insecurities regarding looks go up during this time. Makeup becomes the way to go if you want to mask any flaws in your skin tone and get the look that will bring you praise.
- Men tend to go out with beautiful women during festivals.
- Makeup sales go up during the time of festivals.
- Makeup companies exploit the insecurities of their customers.
- People are shallow and judge others based on external appearances.
- I left the milk in the kitchen but now the container is empty. Milu was there when I left it out. Milu says she does not know what happened to the milk and left with a white moustache over her face.
- Milu has grown old.
- Milu has drunk the milk.
- Milu is inattentive to her surroundings.
- Milu has no sense of responsibility.
- Blankets are not enough to keep the poor living on the streets warm during the harsh winter months. There is a need for the government to provide some relief to these footpath dwellers. The government is after all representing a welfare state.
- It is the duty of the welfare state to provide relief to footpath dwellers during winter.
- The government is to be blamed for the inequitable distribution of property and the resulting poverty.
- Footpath dwellers are in need of warmth during winter.
- Blankets should be woven with thicker fabric to maintain warmth during cold months.
- Justice League Hospital provides the best treatment for patients with blood pressure issues. The hospital aims to incorporate within its treatment regime all possible ways of treating blood pressure. Their research has shown that laughing for 10 minutes a day can significantly reduce risk of heart attacks.
- Justice League Hospital’s treatment includes laughter therapy.
- Justice League Hospital funds unconventional research.
- Patients are kept happy in Justice League Hospital.
- Heart attack is a primary concern among patients visiting the hospital.
- Hair loss is a cause for loss of confidence in young boys. Previously only girls were worried about this problem but it is slowly spreading to males too. The hairfall is said to be caused by a new type of virus which feeds on hair roots. Neemga shampoo is the choice for all these young men trying to keep their hair intact.
- Neemga shampoo is able to prevent the virus from feeding on hair roots.
- Increased consumption of junk food is leading to accumulation of viruses in the body.
- Girls and boys should be taught to be confident about their appearance.
- Hairfall therapy should be provided free of cost to the youth due to this outbreak of virus.This article is in association with clatapult.com. First published on December 27, 2020.