Read the statements and conclusions, and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follows from the given two statements, disregarding the known facts.
Statements:
(I) Some pens are pencils.
(II) No pencil is a bottle.
Conclusions:
(I) Some pens are bottles.
(II) Some pens are not bottles.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Only Conclusion (II) follows
A conclusion follows only if it is true in every diagram that fits the two statements. “Some pens are pencils” makes the circles of pens and pencils overlap; “No pencil is a bottle” keeps the circles of pencils and bottles apart. Nothing is said about pens and bottles directly.
Conclusion (I) (Some pens are bottles) does not follow: the bottles circle can be drawn away from the pens circle, as above, and that diagram still fits both statements.
Conclusion (II) (Some pens are not bottles) follows: the pens that are pencils can never be bottles, because no pencil is a bottle (the green part). So at least some pens are not bottles, in every diagram.