Question

Sherlock Holmes obtains two pills found at crime scenes. He dissolves one pill and gives it to a dog—nothing happens. He then dissolves the other pill, adds milk, the dog licks and dies. Which method does the passage indicate?

• A. Imagination
• B. Experiment
• C. Observation
• D. Thought experiment

Hint:

In method questions, prefer the term that captures the skill the author spotlights (here: outcome–watching to infer cause), not just any activity occurring in the story.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The passage describes an event where Sherlock Holmes performs actions to investigate the effects of two pills found at crime scenes. Here is the breakdown:

1. Sherlock dissolves one pill and gives it to a dog, observing no adverse effects.
2. He dissolves the other pill, adds milk, gives it to the dog, and notices the dog dies.

The key points here include direct observation of the cause and effect of the pills on the dog. Since Sherlock Holmes is witnessing and noting the outcomes of his actions, it aligns with the method of Observation. By meticulously watching the result of each step, he identifies which pill is harmful based on direct evidence, rather than hypothesizing or imagining this information. Therefore, the method indicated in the passage is Observation.