Logical reasoning PrepTest 156 · Section 4 · Question 10

This explains why city X's residents are less likely to be hospital patients. If city X has more prevalent preventative health programs, then city X residents may be healthier and less likely to stay in a hospital for serious illnesses. Since we're looking for the answer choice that does not explain the surprising fact, we can eliminate (A).

This explains why city X's residents are less likely to be hospital patients. If city X's hospitals employ outpatient treatment (treatment that doesn't require hospital stays) whenever possible, then it makes sense that a lower percentage of city X residents would be hospital patients. Compared to city Y residents who visit city Y hospitals, city X residents who visit city X hospitals would be more likely to leave the hospitals the same day. Since we're looking for the answer choice that does not explain the surprising fact, we can cross off (B).

This explains why city Y's residents are more likely to be hospital patients. If city Y has dangerously polluted water, then it makes sense that the residents of city Y would be less healthy and more likely to require hospital stays for serious illnesses. Since we're looking for the answer choice that does not explain the surprising fact, we can cross off (C).

This would explain why a higher percentage of people located in city Y are hospital patients. However, that is not the surprising fact we're asked to explain. Instead, we're asked to explain why a higher percentage of city Y residents are hospital patients. It doesn't matter that city X residents have to go to city Y hospitals. They would still be counted as city X residents who are hospital patients.

Moreover, just because city Y's hospitals are of higher quality doesn't imply that city Y residents are more likely to visit a hospital. After all, hospitals aren't restaurants — most people don't voluntarily choose to go to a hospital or do so based on the hospital's alleged quality.

Since this answer choice doesn't explain the surprising fact, we can confidently select it and advance to the following question.

This explains why city X's residents are less likely to be hospital patients. By commonsense standards, we know high stress is associated with illness. If the lifestyles of city X residents are less stressful than the lifestyles of city Y residents, the residents in city X may be healthier and less likely to stay in a hospital for a serious illness. Since we're looking for the answer choice that does not explain the surprising fact, we can eliminate (E).