A sniper planning to assassinate a target must be sure that the right

Question

A sniper planning to assassinate a target must be sure that the right person is in the cross-hairs before pulling the trigger. Forces commonly use software that compares a suspect’s facial features or pace with those in records of biometric data. Such technology can, however, be hindered by a disguise and hence a new tool, which can measure, from up to 200 metres away, the minute vibrations induced in clothing by someone’s heartbeat, is being introduced. Since hearts differ in both shape and contraction pattern, the details of heartbeats vary from person to person. Thus, using this tool, an assassin will be able to eliminate the cases of mistaken identity.

Which of the following can be inferred if the information above is presumed accurate?

(A) Significant research is going on to improve the accuracy of snipers.

(B) The targets often escape the sniper by changing their appearance.

(C) World’s best makeup will also not be able to save a target from sniper once the new tool starts getting used.

(D) The new tool is an improved version of the commonly used software.

(E) The minute vibrations induced in clothing by a person’s heartbeat cannot be manipulated

tittoo · Accepted Answer

This is an inference question so we are looking for a statement that must be true.

(A)Significant research is going on to improve the accuracy of snipers.
 We are told that a new tool is being introduced. We don't anything about the research going on. Also the word significantly is too extreme to make a solid inference in most cases.

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(B)The targets often escape the sniper by changing their appearance.
 We are not told what happens to the target. The authors mentions mistaken identity but we don't know if the snippers actually end up shooting the wrong person to death and thereby the target escapes. This might sound plausible in real world commonsense but it cannot be inferred 100% based on information in the passage.

(C)World’s best makeup will also not be able to save a target from sniper once the new tool starts getting used.
 We are told that a new tool is introduced. We don't know how effective it will be, there is no data given to support that. How makeup will hep or hinder in that process is yet to be determined. Also, we are not told whether all the snippers will be using the new tool - is it a complete replacement? Is so, then makeup will not help anymore but if not, there may still be some possibility for a target to escape with good makeup that disguises their looks and fools the snippers. Nonetheless, this is a tempting answer.

(D)The new tool is an improved version of the commonly used software.
 The new tool is totally different than the commonly used software. We are told that the software used face recognition whereas the new tool uses heartbeat information.

(E)The minute vibrations induced in clothing by a person’s heartbeat cannot be manipulated. 
 Yes, this is directly implied based on the premises/evidence in the passage which suggest that the new technology is better for this reason.

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jaisonsunny77 · Answer

A)Significant research is going on to improve the accuracy of snipers.  -  the term ''accuracy'' is loosely defined: it could refer to ability of the snipers to hit their target; ''accuracy'' can also refer to the ability to identify targets.  
 
(B)The targets often escape the sniper by changing their appearance.  -  (B) focuses on ''how'' targets escape. The passage is interested in the 'accuracy' of identifying targets.  
 
(C)World’s best makeup will also not be able to save a target from sniper once the new tool starts getting used.  -  (C) rules out the ability of ''disguise'' to help save the targets. But what if someone (with makeup) is standing at a distance greater than 200 meters? such a distance is not feasible for the new device. 
  
(D)The new tool is an improved version of the commonly used software.  -  not implied by the passage. 
 
(E)The minute vibrations induced in clothing by a person’s heartbeat cannot be manipulated - the passage implies that the biometric data was rendered useless because it could be manipulated by a disguise. So, if the new tool (heartbeat detection) can also be easily manipulated, then the argument will fall apart. Hence,   (E) is the right answer choice.

oussamasaber · Answer

Can any one explain why answer is E ?

Posted from my mobile device

BIGDAMNGOD · Answer

I Hope you have eliminated all the other choices and wondering why E is right.
in an inference question which has a proper argument ( premise+conclusion) then the assumption is the inference in that question.
it is a pretty rare question type

tinbq · Answer

Hi experts, 
Please help to explain why C is not a correct inference. Thanks.

svasan05 · Answer

Pre-thinking:

While this is worded like an inference based question, we can treat it like an assumption based question (strengthening the conclusion). It also has a clear conclusion and several premises on which that conclusion is based..

Conclusion:  Using this  tool , an assassin will be able to eliminate the cases of mistaken identity.

Premises on which it is based:

i) Software technology that compares a suspect’s facial features or pace with those in records of biometric data can be hindered by a disguise.
ii) The  tool  can measure, from up to 200 metres away, the minute vibrations induced in clothing by someone’s heartbeat.
iii) Hearts differ in both shape and contraction pattern, so the details of heartbeats vary from person to person.

Prima facie, this appears logical. In order to get a correct assumption, we are looking to rule out any alternative explanations or weakeners. Let us assess the answer options.

(A)Significant research is going on to improve the accuracy of snipers.  This does not impact the conclusion in any way since it talks nothing about the new tool or the principles it uses. Irrelevant. Eliminate.

(B)The targets often escape the sniper by changing their appearance.  This is explicitly stated in the stimulus and cannot be a strengthener or an inference. Eliminate.

(C)World’s best makeup will also not be able to save a target from sniper once the new tool starts getting used.  This is the conclusion and cannot be a strengthener or an inference. Eliminate.

(D)The new tool is an improved version of the commonly used software.  This is actually a weakener, if at all, since it may still have the drawbacks of software technology. Eliminate.

(E)The minute vibrations induced in clothing by a person’s heartbeat cannot be manipulated  Correct answer. It rules out a weakener.

Hope this helps.

monk123 · Answer

A sniper planning to assassinate a target must be sure that the right person is in the cross-hairs before pulling the trigger. Forces commonly use software that compares a suspect’s facial features or pace with those in records of biometric data. Such technology can, however, be hindered by a disguise and hence a new tool, which can measure, from up to 200 metres away,  the minute vibrations induced in clothing by someone’s heartbeat , is being introduced. Since  hearts differ in both shape and contraction pattern, the details of heartbeats vary from person to person.  Thus, using this tool, an assassin will be able to eliminate the cases of mistaken identity.

For inference question read the passage carefully
  
Which of the following can be inferred if the information above is presumed accurate?

(A)Significant  research is going on  to improve the accuracy of snipers. -  Eliminate. No research taking place is mentioned in the paragraph. 
 
(B)The targets often escape the sniper by  changing their appearance . -  Eliminate. changing appearance is no where mentioned.
 
(C) World’s best makeup  will also not be able to save a target from sniper once the new tool starts getting used.  Eliminate. Again, they talked about changing appearance. nothing is mentioned about it in the paragraph. don't make your own assumptions.

(D)The new tool is an  improved version  of the commonly used software. -  Eliminate. is it an improved version? not mentioned anywhere.

(E)The minute vibrations induced in clothing by a person’s heartbeat cannot be manipulated -   Correct , it is given in the para see the green highlighted area above

tinbq · Answer

Hi  svasan05 ,
I am still confused with the explanation, would you please help to add more on why we treat this one as an assumption question instead of an inference one.
and why we cannot infer what stated in C. Thank you so much.

svasan05 · Answer

Hi  tinbq

We can definitely treat it as an inference question as well. However, given the clear premises --> conclusion structure that the stimulus follows, we can also assess it as an assumption based question (in the sense, what needs to be true for the conclusion to be validly drawn from the given premises).

The stimulus states: "Thus, using this tool, an assassin will be able to  eliminate  the cases of mistaken identity". Thus, it explicitly states that makeup will not help. This will include the "world's best makeup" as well. An inference is something that is derived from the facts presented in the stimulus. Something that is openly stated cannot be an inference (or an assumption, for that matter). Hence, option (C) cannot be the right answer.

Hope this clarifies.

VerbalBot · Answer

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A sniper planning to assassinate a target must be sure that the right

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