This PCAP practice question tests your understanding of modules and packages. 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 module 'config.py' contains a variable 'settings' that is a dictionary. Another script does: from config import settings. Then the script modifies settings['key'] = 'new_value'. What happens?
The config module is reloaded and the change is lost.
Why wrong: Modules are not automatically reloaded.
The script gets a copy of the dictionary, so config.settings is unchanged.
Why wrong: Import does not copy objects.
The change is reflected in config.settings because it is the same object.
Both names refer to the same dictionary object.
An error occurs because settings is read-only.
Why wrong: Dictionaries are mutable.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The change is reflected in config.settings because it is the same object.
Option C is correct because Python's import statement binds the name 'settings' in the importing module's namespace to the same dictionary object that exists in config.py. Since dictionaries are mutable, modifying settings['key'] directly mutates the shared object, and the change is visible through config.settings as well.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The config module is reloaded and the change is lost.
Why it's wrong here
Modules are not automatically reloaded.
The script gets a copy of the dictionary, so config.settings is unchanged.
Why it's wrong here
Import does not copy objects.
The change is reflected in config.settings because it is the same object.
Why this is correct
Both names refer to the same dictionary object.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
An error occurs because settings is read-only.
Why it's wrong here
Dictionaries are mutable.
Common exam traps
Python Institute often tests the misconception that from ... import ... creates a copy of the object, when in fact it only binds a reference to the same mutable object in memory.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Python's import system stores the module object in sys.modules, and from ... import ... simply binds a local name to an attribute of that module object. For mutable objects like dicts, this means all references point to the same underlying memory. A real-world scenario is sharing configuration state across modules—unintended mutations can cause subtle bugs, which is why some projects use immutable structures or deep copies for configuration.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
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FAQ
Modules and Packages — This question tests Modules and Packages — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The change is reflected in config.settings because it is the same object. — Option C is correct because Python's import statement binds the name 'settings' in the importing module's namespace to the same dictionary object that exists in config.py. Since dictionaries are mutable, modifying settings['key'] directly mutates the shared object, and the change is visible through config.settings as well.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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