CAT 2022 Slot 1: Past Year Question Paper - CAT MCQ

For our convenience, we need to reword this question. All of the following, if false, could be seen as being in accordance with the passage All of the following, if true, could be seen as contradicting the ideas given in the passage. So, first, we should pick the choices that are contradicting the arguments given in the passage. But since it is an except question, the right answer will be the one that is not contradicting the passage. The passage says “…this has continued down into more “civilized” times”. This statement contradicts 4. The second last paragraph contradicts option 3. Option 1 is correct, as can be seen from the first sentence of the last paragraph. The second part of option 2 seems to be a little incorrect ‘the source and exact nature of the terror remained vague’ is what the passage says. It means mankind understood the horror they inspired but they were not clear about the source and the nature of that horror. Options 1 and 2 both seem to be correct as per the passage, though there is some distortion in the way option 2 is worded. It is for this reason option 1 has been given as the right answer.

The quoted statement does not say that literally there were eerie creatures… it is the belief of mankind that is being highlighted in the quoted text. From primal darkness means from remote past something has been passed down to you. What that thing can be? It is only beliefs and stories that are passed down from generation to generation. It is not that literally there were such creatures. It is for this reason options 1, 2, and 4 go out. 3 is the best choice.

This is a very easy question to answer. By using the word ‘shamans’, option 4 becomes too specific and misses the broader idea of the passage. It goes out. Option 3 looks good because theories of the undead is the chief concern of the passage and this evolution has been discussed, keeping the time reference from the ancient past to the age of Enlightenment. Option 2 does not even mention the word ‘undead’, instead of that it uses the word ‘primitive thinking’. ‘comprehending their environment’, a phrase in option 1, is completely out of context, too broad and fails to capture the keyword ‘theories of the undead’.

Option 3 and 4 can be an implication but not a claim that the statement is trying to make. A claim means something that you find to be true though you may not have very strong evidence in support that of that claim. Option 1 looks good but by using the word ‘divine’ it makes the claim very specific. The passage nowhere says that the undead were accorded attributes of divine beings. It could have been either divine or terrifying. Both the possibilities are there. But since they defied the natural order of things, they were abnormal (either divine or terrifying). Thus, option 2 is correct and the best choice.

The passage says that in the 17th century in the West, interventions were made in excavated artworks. So, option A follows from the arguments of the passage. Option C is also about interventions in excavated artworks. Option C, however, implies that whether or not interventions were made was dependent on the religious worldview of the artist. The passage does not say so. So, option C does not follow from the given arguments. Based on the last paragraph, options B and D can be inferred.

An "unassailable" original implies the original is inviolable. So, the value that the modern West assigns to an unassailable original clearly discourages them from making interventions in ancient art. It also discourages them from simultaneous displays of multiple copies of a painting, as copies are not considered to be of value (refer to the first paragraph). From the example of the cathedral of Freiburg Minster, it can also be inferred that the idea of an unassailable original provides those who restore the original with constant work. So, options A, C and D follow from the Western idea of an unassailable original.

Now, the passage does say that "Asians have far fewer scruples about cloning than Europeans". So, the idea of an unassailable original does make more Europeans think of cloning as something that is morally wrong as compared to Asians. But based on the given information, nothing can be said about human cloning being actually carried out or otherwise. So, option B cannot be inferred from the given passage.

According to the passage, the Ise Shrine, unlike the Freiburg Minster, is not continually undergoing restoration, but is completely rebuilt from scratch every 20 years.

According to the passage, for the Chinese, Fuzhipin or exact reproductions of the original are equal in value to the original. Among the given options, only option A is an exact reproduction of the original. A photograph or a miniature is not an exact copy.

This is a difficult question to answer because we have to pick the option that contradicts the arguments of the passage. We can either go by selection or by elimination. The process of elimination should be followed only when we have time and the question is difficult. The process of selection helps us arrive at the answer confidently and in less time. The first two sentences of second paragraph suggests that option 1 is in sync with the passage. From those two sentences, we can say that even option 3 is in sync with the passage. Option 4 is weird; it makes no sense in the way it is worded: masses are organized in patterns set by Foucault’s prisons and Habermas’ public sphere. One wonders whether any pattern was set by Foucault and Habermas. The passage says a certain pattern prevails everywhere, whether it is Foucault’s prisons or Habermas’ public sphere. We realize that there was no pattern set by either of the two. Option 4 is wrongly worded and this can be verified from the passage. Thus option 4 can be selected as the right answer because there is evidence contrary to what is given in option 4. Many might mark option 2 but it is difficult for us to prove whether or not it is contradicting the arguments of the passage.

Though an inference, this is a simple question to answer. Right from the start, option 1 is a recurring theme of the passage. There is no need to look beyond option 1. ‘Controlling history’, as stated in option 2, is nowhere mentioned or implied in the passage. When there is an easy and direct answer given in the choices, one should not make the mistake of disproving or eliminating the other options.

To answer this question correctly we have to read the fourth paragraph of the passage. Fundamentally, the fourth paragraph compares laws and customs with technology, stating that they have comparable influence. Option 1 is the right answer because not unlike each other means like each other.

It is very difficult to justify option 4 because in the passage there is not ‘cost factor’ discussed anywhere. In the first paragraph we have evidence for option 3. Thus, option 3 can be inferred. The passage (second last paragraph) says ‘parental authority represents the interest of childhood’, suggesting that it does not go beyond childhood, and is not a permanent aspect of human nature. Towards the end of the third paragraph, we have evidence for option 1. Thus, 4 is the best choice as there is no evidence for it anywhere in the passage.

When the question says: which of the following, if false, could be seen as contradicting the arguments, it simply means: which of the following, if true, could be seen as supporting the arguments of the passage. They are one and the same thing and to make things easier, we should replace ‘if false’ with ‘if true’, and replace ‘contradicting/weakening’, with ‘supporting/strengthening’. This makes question quite manageable. In this question, we have to pick a choice that supports the passage. Option 1 contradicts what the passage says about Buddhism and positive effects of meditation. Option goes out (because we are looking for the statement that supports the facts given in the passage). We do not have any evidence of Greek philosopher Zeno surviving until AD 300. Option 2 goes out. Choosing a reasoned, unemotional response is a part of the second movement, not the first. By elimination, option 4 is the best choice, but many of you might find evidence that contradicts option 4. There is a difference. As per Epicurean view “people should enjoy simple pleasures, such as good conversation, friendship, food, and wine, but not be indulgent in these pursuits”. Enjoying and indulging are two different things. Epicureans are against indulging, not enjoying. Thus 4 is the best answer because it is in sync with what is given in the passage.

There are many questions in CAT RCs that can be answered just by reading the question carefully. Here too we have a question for which we need to just read the quoted text. The text says “…one allows emotions to happen to oneself…”. If the concern is emotions happening to oneself, then there is no place for out-of-body experiences. Therefore, option 3 is not a possible implication of the quoted statement. All the other choices are possible implications of the quoted statement.

There is no discussion about India with reference to the stoics. Option 1 goes out. The Epicureans did not believe in controlling emotions. They rather believed in the simple pleasures of life. From the last sentence of the paragraph, we can say that option 3 is true ‘The stoic idea laid the foundation for three monotheistic religions…’. Option 3 is the best answer.

This is a question of moderate difficulty. While discussing the second movement behaviors (in the first half of the passage), the author says “…continuing to lead the Romans in a way that Marcus Aurelius believed best benefited them….’ It is a leader who leads, and by using the phrase ‘continuing to lead’, the author suggests that this is something he did and in reality, would have continued to do, even in the face of the hypothetical scenario that he has considered at the start of the passage. Therefore, option 1 can be inferred. The others cannot. Option 2 is not the right choice because it is a hypothetical situation that the author has himself created to explain to us the first movement and second movement behaviors.

The sentence would best fit in Blank 4 because it ties together the ideas presented in the paragraph. The paragraph states that people today have access to a vast amount of information, but it is not clear if they are more knowledgeable as a result. It also mentions that the readily available knowledge can lead students away from serious study and towards an inability to write effectively. The missing sentence introduces the idea that the Internet has both positive and negative effects on knowledge and learning. It fits well in Option 4 because it connects to the idea that the Internet has let people choose sources that reinforce their opinions rather than encouraging them to question inherited beliefs, which is the final point presented in the paragraph.

The given set of sentences underlines the relationship between commuting and productivity and how it can impact innovation. The idea is that shorter commutes can support innovation by giving employees more time in the office and opportunities for in-person collaboration, while longer commutes can be physically draining and can lead to decreased productivity. This correlation is first highlighted in statement 2, which sets the context for subsequent discussion. We note that statements 4 and 3 form a logical block since 4 presents an idea [work-from-home scenarios to improve productivity] and 3 extends on it [why the idea in 4 might not be effective]. The marker word 'some' in 4 helps us link it with statement 1, which discusses the opinions of "some company leaders." So 1 puts forth the belief of one group of company leaders, and 4 presents us with the opinion held by a few other company leaders. This allows us to form the logical block: [1-4-3]. We can place 2 at the beginning of this structure to obtain a coherent paragraph. Hence, the correct answer is 2143.

Consider option 1. The transition of ideas from the previous sentence to the next is smooth here. Despite the Covid chaos pointing to a temptation to go all out, wedding lists are not expanding and couples are having secret ceremonies instead. So, we rule out this option.
The missing line explains why couples want to marry in secret. If you place this sentence in option 2, it fits right in with the idea in the previous sentence and transitions well into the next sentence, which gives one more reason why couples marry in secret. Also the 'anxiety' mentioned here relates to couples 'feeling the pinch', which the previous sentence refers to.
If the missing sentence is placed in option 3, it would follow a sentence which begins with 'plus'. The transition from celebrities marrying in secret to easing the anxiety and pressure of having a "big day" is not smooth.
The missing sentence does not fit in well at option 4. There is already a smooth transition of ideas from people wanting to avoid the spotlight and pomp to them wanting to get to the part where they are married.
So, option 2 is the best place to put the missing sentence.

The passage is about the limitations of our understanding of the universe and how it is connected. It suggests that our understanding of the distinction between animate and inanimate objects may be flawed because of our limited perspective, and that quantum mechanics reveals a different understanding of this distinction; it also suggests that there may be a pattern to the universe that we cannot fully grasp with our brains. Option D correctly captures these points.

Options A and B are incorrect because the passage does not state that the effect of stimuli is similar in inanimate objects compared to living beings or mention astigmatism or an erroneous view of reality. Option C is not understood since the passage does not suggest that inanimate objects are sentient or cognizant; it only highlights that the distinction between animate and inanimate objects disappears at the quantum scale.

Hence, Option D is the correct choice. 

The passage touches upon the historical relationship between Ethiopia and Europe during the medieval period. The traditional narrative of this relationship has portrayed Ethiopia as weak and in need of military assistance from Europe, but recent research has revealed that this narrative is not accurate and that Ethiopia was actually a well-connected and outward-looking culture that engaged in missions of diplomacy, faith, and commerce with Europe. The passage also notes that these new findings challenge historians to re-imagine the connections between Ethiopia and Europe during this period and to consider the role of Ethiopia as a more active participant in these relationships. Option d accurately reflects the main points made in the passage [that the traditional narrative of Ethiopia's relationship with Europe is inaccurate]

Option A is incorrect because it suggests that the connections between Ethiopia and Europe were primarily military and commercial in nature, which is not stated in the passage. Similarly, Option B implies that historians had a mistaken view of Ethiopia's relationship with Europe, which is not stated in the passage. The idea in Option c - which suggests that medieval texts were biased in favour of Europe and against Africa - cannot be understood from the discussion.

Hence, Option d is the correct choice. 

A brief reading of the sentences suggests that the paragraph is about the applications of a structural protein called Collagen. Sentence 2 introduces the paragraph by defining Collagen. 2-4 is an obvious link, as sentence 2 ends by stating that Collagen promotes skin regeneration,  and sentence 4 explains why it is not widely used in the medical field despite this. Sentence 3 extends the idea given in sentence 4 by contrasting the bacteria affecting fish skins with human pathogens. Sentence 1 follows sentence 3 by providing the applications of fish skin collagen.

Thus, the correct order will be 2-4-3-1.

This question is a little difficult, as it is not easy for us to arrive at the answer. The passage treats petitioning, as an expression of collective voice, as something that is supports procedural democracy (read the second sentence of the paragraph) . Option 1 goes out because it says ‘political petitions give greater control to citizens to shape democratic agendas.’ The point of greater control has not been discussed in the passage. Option 2 has the right focus and the right words. It says that petitioning supplements the electoral process by enabling ongoing engagement with the government. 2 is the best choice. Option 3 also goes out because it says it would be better if we relied more on petitioning rather than holding periodic elections. 4 speaks something that is diametrically opposite to what is given in the passage.

This is a question of moderate difficulty. There is no doubt that sentence 3 is the best start for the paragraph. After 3 we can have 1 or 2 as both talk about the creative element. So, first we talk about the creative industry, then we talk about the creative element. But if we look at 4 we get a better idea of the right sequence. 4 says ‘it is for this reason that today’s trade issues are increasingly involving intellectual property rights’. Why would companies want intellectual property? The answer is because they want competitive advantage over their rivals. Thus 14 form a pair. The right sequence should be 3214. 2 should come after 3 because we should not break the 31 pair and not keep 2 at the end. Its best place is after 3.

The funds they received, in descending order, were Rs.390,000, Rs.210,000, Rs.165,000, Rs.77,000, and Rs.66,000.

∴ The product of tokes = 390, 210, 165, 77, 66

⇒ Break of tokens received
390 = 2 × 3 × 5 × 13
210 = 2 × 3 × 5 × 7
165 = 3 × 5 × 11
77 = 7 × 11
66 = 2 × 3 × 11

From (1): Fathima awarded tokens to everyone except Qahira,
∴ Fatima must have awarded token number 3 to everyone and Qahira received tokens whose product is 77.

From (1): Adhara awarded tokens to no one except Pragnyaa
∴ Adhara must have awared token 13 and Pragnyaa received tokens whose product is 390.

From (2): Rashida received the highest number of tokens that anyone received, but she did not receive one from Esther.
∴ Rashida must have received 4 tokes whose product can only be 210. Also, since Esther did not give her the token, hence Esther must have distributed token number 11.

​​​​​​​

From (3): Dhanavi awarded a token to Qahira but not to Smera.
∴ Dhanavi must have awared token number 7.

​​​​​​​

From (3): Bithi awarded a token to Smera but not to Qahira
∴ Bithi/Chhaya could have awared token 2/5 in any order.

​​​​​​​

If Bithi gives token number 2 to S/T, then Chhaya will given token number 5 to T/S and vice-a-versa. 

∴ Qahira received two tokens i.e., 7 and 11.