PCAP Object-Oriented Programming Practice Question
This PCAP practice question tests your understanding of object-oriented programming. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A developer wants a class 'LoggedDict' that behaves like a dict but logs all attribute access in the console. Which method override correctly implements this for getting an attribute?
Option B is correct because `__getattribute__` is the universal method called for every attribute access on an object. By overriding it, the developer can log the attribute name before delegating to the superclass implementation via `super().__getattribute__(name)`, which preserves the normal attribute lookup chain. This ensures that all attribute accesses (including those that exist and those that don't) are logged, which is the requirement for 'LoggedDict'.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
__getitem__ is for dictionary key indexing, not for attribute access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Python Institute often tests the distinction between `__getattribute__` (called for every attribute access) and `__getattr__` (called only as a fallback when the attribute is not found), leading candidates to mistakenly choose `__getattr__` because it seems simpler or because they confuse it with the general 'get attribute' concept.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Python, `__getattribute__` is the first method called for every attribute access, and it implements the full lookup chain: instance `__dict__`, class hierarchy, descriptors, and `__getattr__` as a fallback. Overriding it requires careful use of `super()` to avoid infinite recursion, as any attribute access inside the override (including `self.__dict__`) would trigger the same method again. In a real-world logging scenario, one might also override `__setattr__` and `__delattr__` to log all attribute mutations, and be mindful of performance overhead since `__getattribute__` is invoked on every attribute access, including internal Python operations.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Object-Oriented Programming — This question tests Object-Oriented Programming — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: def __getattribute__(self, name): print(f'Access {name}'); return super().__getattribute__(name) — Option B is correct because `__getattribute__` is the universal method called for every attribute access on an object. By overriding it, the developer can log the attribute name before delegating to the superclass implementation via `super().__getattribute__(name)`, which preserves the normal attribute lookup chain. This ensures that all attribute accesses (including those that exist and those that don't) are logged, which is the requirement for 'LoggedDict'.
What should I do if I get this PCAP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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