Logical reasoning PrepTest 109 · Section 3 · Question 3

Incorrect. This answer establishes that the marsh hen is particularly well camouflaged. If that's the case, then it makes sense that it's rarely spotted despite being common. (And it matches an anticipation—go us!)

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Bizarro Paradox

Stimulus Summary:
The most common bird in a Marsh is the marsh hen, but it's rarely seen despite being bigger and more common than many other birds that are more commonly spotted.

Answer Anticipation:
As with all paradox questions, we should start by clearly defining the paradox.

Here, the "most common" bird in an area is "rarely seen." That defies expectations—if it's so common then it would presumably be all over the place and easy to see. As such we should look for reasons that the marsh hen is hard to spot—camouflage only active at night an instinct to avoid humans etc . . .

However there's one answer we shouldn't expect—something related to size. The stimulus establishes that much smaller birds are seen more frequently despite being less common. When a Paradox question rules a potential explanation out it sometimes shows up again as a trap answer.

Answer Explanation:
If anything this answer suggests that it should be easy to find the marsh hen—just follow the harsh repetitive call! While it doesn't establish how frequently the marsh hen makes this call thus preventing it from truly making the paradox worse it much more cuts in that direction (by suggesting the marsh hen should be easy to find) so this is the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
Always start a Paradox question by clearly defining the paradox. Without that in mind you're likely to fall for a trap answer!

Incorrect. If the marsh hen is completely still, then it'd be harder to spot than a bird that's "dash[ing]" all about thus resolving the paradox.

Incorrect. This answer establishes that the marsh hens are nocturnal, which means that people looking for the marsh hen during the day—when most people would be out in a marsh—are unlikely to see it actively moving around. This resolves the paradox (and matches an anticipation).

Incorrect. This answer provides two details that resolve the paradox. If the marsh hen is solitary, then it'd be harder to spot as seeing one bird is harder than seeing several birds together. If the marsh hen flies only when in danger, then it less frequently is up in the air, where it should be easier to spot than when it's walking through a marsh. As such, this answer resolves the paradox.