Question

Several travellers complain about the bland food provided to them on airlines. Actually, airline food tastes bland due to the combination of low humidity and low cabin pressure at cruising altitude, which suppresses the senses of taste and smell. The dry air dehydrates your nasal passages, and the reduced pressure makes you less sensitive to salty and sweet flavours. Which of the following can be most reasonably inferred from the information in the passage?

• A. The complaints about airline food arise mainly from passengers’ preconceived expectations rather than actual taste experience.
• B. If airlines were to serve spicier food, passengers would stop complaining about its blandness.
• C. Airlines intentionally reduce humidity and cabin pressure to save costs on food preparation.
• D. Passengers’ ability to perceive sour and bitter tastes is also reduced during flight.
• E. Passengers who consume the same meal on the ground are likely to find it more flavorful than when they eat it in-flight.

Hint:

For inference questions, choose the option that is a direct logical consequence of the passage, not one that adds assumptions or extra information.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Understand the core reason for bland taste in-flight.
The passage explains that low humidity and low cabin pressure at cruising altitude suppress the senses of taste and smell. This makes passengers less sensitive especially to salty and sweet flavours.
Step 2: Focus on what inference means.
An inference must logically follow from the given information without adding new assumptions.
Step 3: Analyze the options.
(A) Talks about expectations, which are not mentioned in the passage.
(B) Spicier food is suggested, but this is not discussed or implied.
(C) Cost-saving intent is not stated anywhere.
(D) Sour and bitter tastes are not mentioned in the passage.
(E) If food tastes bland due to flight conditions, then the same food eaten on the ground (without those conditions) would taste more flavorful. This follows directly from the explanation.
Step 4: Final inference.
Option (E) logically follows from the given facts without introducing new ideas.
Final Answer:
\[ \boxed{\text{Option (E)}} \]