Question

Based only on the conversation below, identify the logically correct inference:
\emph{"Even if I had known that you were in the hospital, I would not have gone there to see you," Ramya told Josephine.}

• A. Ramya knew that Josephine was in the hospital.
• B. Ramya did \emph{not} know that Josephine was in the hospital.
• C. Ramya and Josephine were once close friends; but now, they are not.
• D. Josephine was in the hospital due to an injury to her leg.

Hint:

With counterfactuals ("even if... had... would..."), the clause after "had" typically signals what \emph{was not} true in reality; the speaker is discussing a hypothetical world.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Parse the counterfactual.
"\emph{Even if I had known} ..., I \emph{would not have} gone ..." is a counterfactual construction. It contrasts the \emph{actual} situation with a hypothetical one. Step 2: Infer the actual situation.
By using the counterfactual "had known," Ramya implies that \emph{in reality she did not know}. The sentence discusses what her action would have been \emph{even under the alternative} where she knew. Step 3: Eliminate distractors.
(A) claims she knew – contradicts the counterfactual implication.
(C) and (D) add information (friendship status, leg injury) not entailed by the statement. \[ \boxed{\text{Ramya did not know Josephine was in the hospital.}} \]