Question

Sharla is a better chess player than Marcus.
Marcus is a better chess player than Evelyn.
Olivia routinely beats Evelyn at chess.
What is the likely outcome if Sharla and Olivia play a game of chess?

• A. Olivia will beat Sharla
• B. Sharla will beat Olivia
• C. The game will end in a draw
• D. Olivia will decide not to play Sharla because she is intimidated
• E. The two women will decide not to play chess at all

Hint:

When faced with comparisons, consider the transitive relationships between the players to determine the most likely outcome.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the information given.
- Sharla is better than Marcus, and Marcus is better than Evelyn. This suggests Sharla is the best among the three. - Olivia routinely beats Evelyn at chess, so she is better than Evelyn. - Since Sharla is better than Marcus and Marcus is better than Evelyn, Sharla should also be better than Evelyn. - Olivia beats Evelyn, but no direct comparison between Olivia and Sharla is given.

Step 2: Analysis of options.
- (A) Olivia will beat Sharla: Incorrect. There is no evidence to suggest that Olivia is better than Sharla; in fact, Sharla's superiority over Marcus and Evelyn suggests she is likely better than Olivia.
- (B) Sharla will beat Olivia: Correct. Given the chain of superiority (Sharla > Marcus > Evelyn and Olivia > Evelyn), Sharla is the most likely to win.
- (C) The game will end in a draw: Incorrect. Based on the information, it seems unlikely that these two would end in a draw given the stated differences in their skill levels.
- (D) Olivia will decide not to play Sharla because she is intimidated: Incorrect. There is no evidence to suggest that Olivia would avoid playing Sharla.
- (E) The two women will decide not to play chess at all: Incorrect. The passage doesn't indicate any reason why they would not play.

Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (B) Sharla will beat Olivia.

Final Answer: \[ \boxed{(B) \, \text{Sharla will beat Olivia.}} \]