Test: CAT Verbal & Reading Comprehension- 5

Positive reinforcement is the act of increasing the probability of occurrence of a given behaviour. Negative punishment is the removal of something valued, which can take the form of revoking privileges or playing time.
Coaches will use both forms of motivation (positive reinforcement and negative punishment), but the positive approach is arguably better because it focuses on what athletes should do and what they are doing right. Reinforcement increases task-relevant focus rather than worry focus. A task-relevant focus facilitates reaction time and decision time. A successful experience colors the athlete’s view as positive, which can lead to approach behaviors. Approach behaviors or approach motivation indicates the propensity to move towards a desired stimulus.
Prior research has already shown that positive affect (or positive motivation/reinforcement) promotes cognitive flexibility. In a study published in Psychological Science, they extended motivational dimensional model to the domain of cognitive control by examining both low- and high-motivated positive affect on the balance between cognitive flexibility (our ability to adjust to behavior in response to a changing environment) and cognitive stability (our ability to change behavior in the face of distraction). Low and high approach- motivated positive affect would indicate the intensity of the positive affect on a selected individual in regard to approach motivation.
Results concluded low approach-motivated positive affect promoted cognitive flexibility but also caused higher distractibility, whereas high approach-motivated positive affect enhanced perseverance but simultaneously reduced distractibility.
There are many things that motivate us. Are you trying to find a reason to workout in the morning? Goal setting is usually the best way to do it. Having a goal you want to reach, such as “I want to increase my snatch weight by ten pounds in eight weeks” or “I want to lose ten pounds of weight in two months,” is an example of an achievement-based reason to be motivated. For those who are finding it difficult to find a reason to start fitness, go sign up for an event. Someone newer to CrossFit can easily sign up for a novice event. Those who want to get into adventure racing can go ahead and sign up for a race. The point is, find a reason to do something or you may not be motivated to do it. And don’t do something for someone else or you will likely not keep up with it. Be motivated to do it for you.

Q.Cognitive stability is:

Positive reinforcement is the act of increasing the probability of occurrence of a given behaviour. Negative punishment is the removal of something valued, which can take the form of revoking privileges or playing time.
Coaches will use both forms of motivation (positive reinforcement and negative punishment), but the positive approach is arguably better because it focuses on what athletes should do and what they are doing right. Reinforcement increases task-relevant focus rather than worry focus. A task-relevant focus facilitates reaction time and decision time. A successful experience colors the athlete’s view as positive, which can lead to approach behaviors. Approach behaviors or approach motivation indicates the propensity to move towards a desired stimulus.
Prior research has already shown that positive affect (or positive motivation/reinforcement) promotes cognitive flexibility. In a study published in Psychological Science, they extended motivational dimensional model to the domain of cognitive control by examining both low- and high-motivated positive affect on the balance between cognitive flexibility (our ability to adjust to behavior in response to a changing environment) and cognitive stability (our ability to change behavior in the face of distraction). Low and high approach- motivated positive affect would indicate the intensity of the positive affect on a selected individual in regard to approach motivation.
Results concluded low approach-motivated positive affect promoted cognitive flexibility but also caused higher distractibility, whereas high approach-motivated positive affect enhanced perseverance but simultaneously reduced distractibility.
There are many things that motivate us. Are you trying to find a reason to workout in the morning? Goal setting is usually the best way to do it. Having a goal you want to reach, such as “I want to increase my snatch weight by ten pounds in eight weeks” or “I want to lose ten pounds of weight in two months,” is an example of an achievement-based reason to be motivated. For those who are finding it difficult to find a reason to start fitness, go sign up for an event. Someone newer to CrossFit can easily sign up for a novice event. Those who want to get into adventure racing can go ahead and sign up for a race. The point is, find a reason to do something or you may not be motivated to do it. And don’t do something for someone else or you will likely not keep up with it. Be motivated to do it for you.

Q.Which of the following weakens the position of task relevant focus?

Positive reinforcement is the act of increasing the probability of occurrence of a given behaviour. Negative punishment is the removal of something valued, which can take the form of revoking privileges or playing time.
Coaches will use both forms of motivation (positive reinforcement and negative punishment), but the positive approach is arguably better because it focuses on what athletes should do and what they are doing right. Reinforcement increases task-relevant focus rather than worry focus. A task-relevant focus facilitates reaction time and decision time. A successful experience colors the athlete’s view as positive, which can lead to approach behaviors. Approach behaviors or approach motivation indicates the propensity to move towards a desired stimulus.
Prior research has already shown that positive affect (or positive motivation/reinforcement) promotes cognitive flexibility. In a study published in Psychological Science, they extended motivational dimensional model to the domain of cognitive control by examining both low- and high-motivated positive affect on the balance between cognitive flexibility (our ability to adjust to behavior in response to a changing environment) and cognitive stability (our ability to change behavior in the face of distraction). Low and high approach- motivated positive affect would indicate the intensity of the positive affect on a selected individual in regard to approach motivation.
Results concluded low approach-motivated positive affect promoted cognitive flexibility but also caused higher distractibility, whereas high approach-motivated positive affect enhanced perseverance but simultaneously reduced distractibility.
There are many things that motivate us. Are you trying to find a reason to workout in the morning? Goal setting is usually the best way to do it. Having a goal you want to reach, such as “I want to increase my snatch weight by ten pounds in eight weeks” or “I want to lose ten pounds of weight in two months,” is an example of an achievement-based reason to be motivated. For those who are finding it difficult to find a reason to start fitness, go sign up for an event. Someone newer to CrossFit can easily sign up for a novice event. Those who want to get into adventure racing can go ahead and sign up for a race. The point is, find a reason to do something or you may not be motivated to do it. And don’t do something for someone else or you will likely not keep up with it. Be motivated to do it for you.

Q.Which of the following is true about high-approach motivated positive affect? 

Answer the following question based on the information given below.

Six years after dropping an average of 129 pounds on the TV program “The Biggest Loser,” a new study reports, the participants were burning about 500 fewer calories a day than other people their age and size. This helps explain why they had regained 70 percent of their lost weight since the show’s finale. The diet industry reacted defensively, arguing that the participants had lost weight too fast or ate the wrong kinds of food — that diets do work, if you pick the right one.
But this is just the latest example showing us that in the long run dieting is rarely effective, doesn’t reliably improve health and does more harm than good. There is a better way to eat.
The root of the problem is not willpower but neuroscience.
Metabolic suppression is one of several powerful tools that the brain uses to keep the body within a certain weight range, called the set point. The range, which varies from person to person, is determined by genes and life experience. When dieters’ weight drops below it, they not only burn fewer calories but also produce more hunger- inducing hormones and find eating more rewarding.
The brain’s weight-regulation system considers your set point to be the correct weight for you, whether or not your doctor agrees. If someone starts at 120 pounds and drops to 80, her brain rightfully declares a starvation state of emergency, using every method available to get that weight back up to normal. The same thing happens to someone who starts at 300 pounds and diets down to 200, as the “Biggest Loser” participants discovered.

Q.The passage makes it clear that, contrary to popular belief, dieting:

Six years after dropping an average of 129 pounds on the TV program “The Biggest Loser,” a new study reports, the participants were burning about 500 fewer calories a day than other people their age and size. This helps explain why they had regained 70 percent of their lost weight since the show’s finale. The diet industry reacted defensively, arguing that the participants had lost weight too fast or ate the wrong kinds of food — that diets do work, if you pick the right one.
But this is just the latest example showing us that in the long run dieting is rarely effective, doesn’t reliably improve health and does more harm than good. There is a better way to eat.
The root of the problem is not willpower but neuroscience.
Metabolic suppression is one of several powerful tools that the brain uses to keep the body within a certain weight range, called the set point. The range, which varies from person to person, is determined by genes and life experience. When dieters’ weight drops below it, they not only burn fewer calories but also produce more hunger- inducing hormones and find eating more rewarding.
The brain’s weight-regulation system considers your set point to be the correct weight for you, whether or not your doctor agrees. If someone starts at 120 pounds and drops to 80, her brain rightfully declares a starvation state of emergency, using every method available to get that weight back up to normal. The same thing happens to someone who starts at 300 pounds and diets down to 200, as the “Biggest Loser” participants discovered.

Q.Which of the following is the author most likely to agree with? 

Six years after dropping an average of 129 pounds on the TV program “The Biggest Loser,” a new study reports, the participants were burning about 500 fewer calories a day than other people their age and size. This helps explain why they had regained 70 percent of their lost weight since the show’s finale. The diet industry reacted defensively, arguing that the participants had lost weight too fast or ate the wrong kinds of food — that diets do work, if you pick the right one.
But this is just the latest example showing us that in the long run dieting is rarely effective, doesn’t reliably improve health and does more harm than good. There is a better way to eat.
The root of the problem is not willpower but neuroscience.
Metabolic suppression is one of several powerful tools that the brain uses to keep the body within a certain weight range, called the set point. The range, which varies from person to person, is determined by genes and life experience. When dieters’ weight drops below it, they not only burn fewer calories but also produce more hunger- inducing hormones and find eating more rewarding.
The brain’s weight-regulation system considers your set point to be the correct weight for you, whether or not your doctor agrees. If someone starts at 120 pounds and drops to 80, her brain rightfully declares a starvation state of emergency, using every method available to get that weight back up to normal. The same thing happens to someone who starts at 300 pounds and diets down to 200, as the “Biggest Loser” participants discovered.

Q.If someone starts at 120 pounds and drops to 80, her brain rightfully declares a starvation state of emergency, using every method available to get that weight back up to normal.

The author assumes that: 

Answer the following question based on the information given below.

Brandon Turley didn't have friends in sixth grade. He would often eat alone at lunch, having recently switched to his school without knowing anyone.
While browsing MySpace one day, he saw that someone from school had posted a bulletin -- a message visible to multiple people -- declaring that Turley was a "fag." Students he had never even spoken with wrote on it, too, saying they agreed.
Feeling confused and upset, Turley wrote in the comments, too, asking why his classmates would say that. The response was even worse: He was told on MySpace that a group of 12 kids wanted to beat him up, that he should stop going to school and die. On his walk from his locker to the school office to report what was happening, students yelled things like "fag" and "fatty."

The conversations that need to be happening around cyberbullying extend beyond schools, said Thomas J. Holt, associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University. "How do we extend or find a way to develop policies that have a true impact on the way that kids are communicating with one another, given that you could be bullied at home, from 4 p.m. until the next morning, what kind of impact is that going to have on the child in terms of their development and mental health?" he said.

Holt recently published a study in the International Criminal Justice Review using data collected in Singapore by his colleague Esther Ng. The researchers found that 27% of students who experienced bullying online, and 28% who were victims of bullying by phone text messaging, thought about skipping school or skipped it. That's compared to 22% who experienced physical bullying.

Those who said they were cyberbullied were also most likely to say they had considered suicide -- 28%, compared to 22% who were physically bullied and 26% who received bullying text messages.
Although there may be cultural differences between students in Singapore and the United States, the data on the subject of bullying seems to be similar between the two countries, Holt said.

A recent study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that both victims and perpetrators of bullying can feel long-lasting psychological effects. Bullying victims showed greater likelihood of agoraphobia, where people don't feel safe in public places, along with generalized anxiety and panic disorder.

People who were both victims and bullies were at higher risk for young adult depression, panic disorder, agoraphobia among females, and the likelihood of suicide among males. Those who were only bullies showed a risk of antisocial personality disorder.

Q.Which of these is true about Brandon Turley? 

Brandon Turley didn't have friends in sixth grade. He would often eat alone at lunch, having recently switched to his school without knowing anyone.
While browsing MySpace one day, he saw that someone from school had posted a bulletin -- a message visible to multiple people -- declaring that Turley was a "fag." Students he had never even spoken with wrote on it, too, saying they agreed.
Feeling confused and upset, Turley wrote in the comments, too, asking why his classmates would say that. The response was even worse: He was told on MySpace that a group of 12 kids wanted to beat him up, that he should stop going to school and die. On his walk from his locker to the school office to report what was happening, students yelled things like "fag" and "fatty."

The conversations that need to be happening around cyberbullying extend beyond schools, said Thomas J. Holt, associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University. "How do we extend or find a way to develop policies that have a true impact on the way that kids are communicating with one another, given that you could be bullied at home, from 4 p.m. until the next morning, what kind of impact is that going to have on the child in terms of their development and mental health?" he said.

Holt recently published a study in the International Criminal Justice Review using data collected in Singapore by his colleague Esther Ng. The researchers found that 27% of students who experienced bullying online, and 28% who were victims of bullying by phone text messaging, thought about skipping school or skipped it. That's compared to 22% who experienced physical bullying.

Those who said they were cyberbullied were also most likely to say they had considered suicide -- 28%, compared to 22% who were physically bullied and 26% who received bullying text messages.
Although there may be cultural differences between students in Singapore and the United States, the data on the subject of bullying seems to be similar between the two countries, Holt said.

A recent study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that both victims and perpetrators of bullying can feel long-lasting psychological effects. Bullying victims showed greater likelihood of agoraphobia, where people don't feel safe in public places, along with generalized anxiety and panic disorder.

People who were both victims and bullies were at higher risk for young adult depression, panic disorder, agoraphobia among females, and the likelihood of suicide among males. Those who were only bullies showed a risk of antisocial personality disorder.

Q.Thomas J. Holt, looks at cyber bullying as: 

Brandon Turley didn't have friends in sixth grade. He would often eat alone at lunch, having recently switched to his school without knowing anyone.
While browsing MySpace one day, he saw that someone from school had posted a bulletin -- a message visible to multiple people -- declaring that Turley was a "fag." Students he had never even spoken with wrote on it, too, saying they agreed.
Feeling confused and upset, Turley wrote in the comments, too, asking why his classmates would say that. The response was even worse: He was told on MySpace that a group of 12 kids wanted to beat him up, that he should stop going to school and die. On his walk from his locker to the school office to report what was happening, students yelled things like "fag" and "fatty."

The conversations that need to be happening around cyberbullying extend beyond schools, said Thomas J. Holt, associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University. "How do we extend or find a way to develop policies that have a true impact on the way that kids are communicating with one another, given that you could be bullied at home, from 4 p.m. until the next morning, what kind of impact is that going to have on the child in terms of their development and mental health?" he said.

Holt recently published a study in the International Criminal Justice Review using data collected in Singapore by his colleague Esther Ng. The researchers found that 27% of students who experienced bullying online, and 28% who were victims of bullying by phone text messaging, thought about skipping school or skipped it. That's compared to 22% who experienced physical bullying.

Those who said they were cyberbullied were also most likely to say they had considered suicide -- 28%, compared to 22% who were physically bullied and 26% who received bullying text messages.
Although there may be cultural differences between students in Singapore and the United States, the data on the subject of bullying seems to be similar between the two countries, Holt said.

A recent study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that both victims and perpetrators of bullying can feel long-lasting psychological effects. Bullying victims showed greater likelihood of agoraphobia, where people don't feel safe in public places, along with generalized anxiety and panic disorder.

People who were both victims and bullies were at higher risk for young adult depression, panic disorder, agoraphobia among females, and the likelihood of suicide among males. Those who were only bullies showed a risk of antisocial personality disorder.

Q.According to the passage, a bully can:

A. severely impact the life of the ones being bullied

B. face severe mental health issues himself/herself

Brandon Turley didn't have friends in sixth grade. He would often eat alone at lunch, having recently switched to his school without knowing anyone.
While browsing MySpace one day, he saw that someone from school had posted a bulletin -- a message visible to multiple people -- declaring that Turley was a "fag." Students he had never even spoken with wrote on it, too, saying they agreed.
Feeling confused and upset, Turley wrote in the comments, too, asking why his classmates would say that. The response was even worse: He was told on MySpace that a group of 12 kids wanted to beat him up, that he should stop going to school and die. On his walk from his locker to the school office to report what was happening, students yelled things like "fag" and "fatty."

The conversations that need to be happening around cyberbullying extend beyond schools, said Thomas J. Holt, associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University. "How do we extend or find a way to develop policies that have a true impact on the way that kids are communicating with one another, given that you could be bullied at home, from 4 p.m. until the next morning, what kind of impact is that going to have on the child in terms of their development and mental health?" he said.

Holt recently published a study in the International Criminal Justice Review using data collected in Singapore by his colleague Esther Ng. The researchers found that 27% of students who experienced bullying online, and 28% who were victims of bullying by phone text messaging, thought about skipping school or skipped it. That's compared to 22% who experienced physical bullying.

Those who said they were cyberbullied were also most likely to say they had considered suicide -- 28%, compared to 22% who were physically bullied and 26% who received bullying text messages.
Although there may be cultural differences between students in Singapore and the United States, the data on the subject of bullying seems to be similar between the two countries, Holt said.

A recent study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that both victims and perpetrators of bullying can feel long-lasting psychological effects. Bullying victims showed greater likelihood of agoraphobia, where people don't feel safe in public places, along with generalized anxiety and panic disorder.

People who were both victims and bullies were at higher risk for young adult depression, panic disorder, agoraphobia among females, and the likelihood of suicide among males. Those who were only bullies showed a risk of antisocial personality disorder.

Q.’’The data on the subject of bullying seems to be similar between the two countries (Singapore and USA)” From the above sentence we can assume that:

Brandon Turley didn't have friends in sixth grade. He would often eat alone at lunch, having recently switched to his school without knowing anyone.
While browsing MySpace one day, he saw that someone from school had posted a bulletin -- a message visible to multiple people -- declaring that Turley was a "fag." Students he had never even spoken with wrote on it, too, saying they agreed.
Feeling confused and upset, Turley wrote in the comments, too, asking why his classmates would say that. The response was even worse: He was told on MySpace that a group of 12 kids wanted to beat him up, that he should stop going to school and die. On his walk from his locker to the school office to report what was happening, students yelled things like "fag" and "fatty."

The conversations that need to be happening around cyberbullying extend beyond schools, said Thomas J. Holt, associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University. "How do we extend or find a way to develop policies that have a true impact on the way that kids are communicating with one another, given that you could be bullied at home, from 4 p.m. until the next morning, what kind of impact is that going to have on the child in terms of their development and mental health?" he said.

Holt recently published a study in the International Criminal Justice Review using data collected in Singapore by his colleague Esther Ng. The researchers found that 27% of students who experienced bullying online, and 28% who were victims of bullying by phone text messaging, thought about skipping school or skipped it. That's compared to 22% who experienced physical bullying.

Those who said they were cyberbullied were also most likely to say they had considered suicide -- 28%, compared to 22% who were physically bullied and 26% who received bullying text messages.
Although there may be cultural differences between students in Singapore and the United States, the data on the subject of bullying seems to be similar between the two countries, Holt said.

A recent study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that both victims and perpetrators of bullying can feel long-lasting psychological effects. Bullying victims showed greater likelihood of agoraphobia, where people don't feel safe in public places, along with generalized anxiety and panic disorder.

People who were both victims and bullies were at higher risk for young adult depression, panic disorder, agoraphobia among females, and the likelihood of suicide among males. Those who were only bullies showed a risk of antisocial personality disorder.

Q.Which of the following weakens what is said about bullying in the passage?
A. Bullying entails making personal remarks on an individual’s appearance.
B. Bullying makes a person resilient and prepares one for the real world.
C. Bullying can lead to feelings of depression and is linked to suicide.
D. Bullying exists only during school hours.

Brandon Turley didn't have friends in sixth grade. He would often eat alone at lunch, having recently switched to his school without knowing anyone.
While browsing MySpace one day, he saw that someone from school had posted a bulletin -- a message visible to multiple people -- declaring that Turley was a "fag." Students he had never even spoken with wrote on it, too, saying they agreed.
Feeling confused and upset, Turley wrote in the comments, too, asking why his classmates would say that. The response was even worse: He was told on MySpace that a group of 12 kids wanted to beat him up, that he should stop going to school and die. On his walk from his locker to the school office to report what was happening, students yelled things like "fag" and "fatty."

The conversations that need to be happening around cyberbullying extend beyond schools, said Thomas J. Holt, associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University. "How do we extend or find a way to develop policies that have a true impact on the way that kids are communicating with one another, given that you could be bullied at home, from 4 p.m. until the next morning, what kind of impact is that going to have on the child in terms of their development and mental health?" he said.

Holt recently published a study in the International Criminal Justice Review using data collected in Singapore by his colleague Esther Ng. The researchers found that 27% of students who experienced bullying online, and 28% who were victims of bullying by phone text messaging, thought about skipping school or skipped it. That's compared to 22% who experienced physical bullying.

Those who said they were cyberbullied were also most likely to say they had considered suicide -- 28%, compared to 22% who were physically bullied and 26% who received bullying text messages.
Although there may be cultural differences between students in Singapore and the United States, the data on the subject of bullying seems to be similar between the two countries, Holt said.

A recent study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that both victims and perpetrators of bullying can feel long-lasting psychological effects. Bullying victims showed greater likelihood of agoraphobia, where people don't feel safe in public places, along with generalized anxiety and panic disorder.

People who were both victims and bullies were at higher risk for young adult depression, panic disorder, agoraphobia among females, and the likelihood of suicide among males. Those who were only bullies showed a risk of antisocial personality disorder.

Q.An appropriate title for this passage would be:

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

Spectator comfort at the cricket venue is a rare benevolence. Intrusive security, mostly insensitive, can discourage the most faithful of spectators from coming to the stadium. Yet they throng, with an unmistakable passion to stretch their vocal chords and cheer their heroes.

They have been doing it for years, most loyally, but have always been accorded second class treatment. Yet they throng!
Why do they come? S. Ganesh, an avid cricket fan, does not anymore. “It is degrading,” is his acerbic response. He has been a regular at cricket venues, many times overseas, but the modern trend to make noise and indulge in jingoism does not appeal to him. It compels him to stay “indoors” and enjoy the fare on the small screen. “In mute mode,” he insists.
Mute when indoors; vociferous at the venue. Such variance among cricket fans, or spectators, is uncommon in other sport. “In India, it is all about cacophony,” quips G.B. Lai, a veteran from Patna. He has watched “quality” cricket in Patna and Calcutta but just can't come to terms with the modern I PL (Indian Premier League) cricket fan.
Faces painted and sentiments expressed through banners and placards, the cricket fan of today comes in all hues and shapes at the I PL games. Most reputable experts are appalled that the cricket fan at the I PL is so starkly different from the spectator at a Test match. There has been a marked transformation in the character of a cricket follower. The emphasis now is on entertainment and it explains why there is an unending surge at matches that promise a result.
Is it erosion of cricket culture? The boisterous cricket fan, supporting Delhi Daredevils or Chennai Super Kings, has little regard for the man occupying the next seat. “They don't come to watch cricket skills. They want to shout, wave like mad, jump and dance, all mainly to be seen on the television. It can be irritating for someone who wants to follow the action seriously. Half the time you miss a clear view because of this breed of spectators who just go wild at the sight of a camera,” says Ganesh, who has watched cricket at Kotla by queuing up at 6 in the morning for a day's play at a Test.
Cricket watching is not a pleasure anymore. “It was fun. I could carry my snacks, lunch and single malt in a hip flask,” remembers Anurag Mathur, a club cricketer. Not anymore! “I can only carry myself,” laments Praveen Kaushik, who has always bought a ticket to a cricket match in a city where acquiring a complimentary pass is a status symbol.

Q.“(Fans are) vociferous at the venue.” We can assume that: 

Spectator comfort at the cricket venue is a rare benevolence. Intrusive security, mostly insensitive, can discourage the most faithful of spectators from coming to the stadium. Yet they throng, with an unmistakable passion to stretch their vocal chords and cheer their heroes.

They have been doing it for years, most loyally, but have always been accorded second class treatment. Yet they throng!
Why do they come? S. Ganesh, an avid cricket fan, does not anymore. “It is degrading,” is his acerbic response. He has been a regular at cricket venues, many times overseas, but the modern trend to make noise and indulge in jingoism does not appeal to him. It compels him to stay “indoors” and enjoy the fare on the small screen. “In mute mode,” he insists.
Mute when indoors; vociferous at the venue. Such variance among cricket fans, or spectators, is uncommon in other sport. “In India, it is all about cacophony,” quips G.B. Lai, a veteran from Patna. He has watched “quality” cricket in Patna and Calcutta but just can't come to terms with the modern I PL (Indian Premier League) cricket fan.
Faces painted and sentiments expressed through banners and placards, the cricket fan of today comes in all hues and shapes at the I PL games. Most reputable experts are appalled that the cricket fan at the I PL is so starkly different from the spectator at a Test match. There has been a marked transformation in the character of a cricket follower. The emphasis now is on entertainment and it explains why there is an unending surge at matches that promise a result.
Is it erosion of cricket culture? The boisterous cricket fan, supporting Delhi Daredevils or Chennai Super Kings, has little regard for the man occupying the next seat. “They don't come to watch cricket skills. They want to shout, wave like mad, jump and dance, all mainly to be seen on the television. It can be irritating for someone who wants to follow the action seriously. Half the time you miss a clear view because of this breed of spectators who just go wild at the sight of a camera,” says Ganesh, who has watched cricket at Kotla by queuing up at 6 in the morning for a day's play at a Test.
Cricket watching is not a pleasure anymore. “It was fun. I could carry my snacks, lunch and single malt in a hip flask,” remembers Anurag Mathur, a club cricketer. Not anymore! “I can only carry myself,” laments Praveen Kaushik, who has always bought a ticket to a cricket match in a city where acquiring a complimentary pass is a status symbol.

Q.The passage talks about:

A. The dilution of cricket

B. The transformation of cricket fans

Spectator comfort at the cricket venue is a rare benevolence. Intrusive security, mostly insensitive, can discourage the most faithful of spectators from coming to the stadium. Yet they throng, with an unmistakable passion to stretch their vocal chords and cheer their heroes.

They have been doing it for years, most loyally, but have always been accorded second class treatment. Yet they throng!
Why do they come? S. Ganesh, an avid cricket fan, does not anymore. “It is degrading,” is his acerbic response. He has been a regular at cricket venues, many times overseas, but the modern trend to make noise and indulge in jingoism does not appeal to him. It compels him to stay “indoors” and enjoy the fare on the small screen. “In mute mode,” he insists.
Mute when indoors; vociferous at the venue. Such variance among cricket fans, or spectators, is uncommon in other sport. “In India, it is all about cacophony,” quips G.B. Lai, a veteran from Patna. He has watched “quality” cricket in Patna and Calcutta but just can't come to terms with the modern I PL (Indian Premier League) cricket fan.
Faces painted and sentiments expressed through banners and placards, the cricket fan of today comes in all hues and shapes at the I PL games. Most reputable experts are appalled that the cricket fan at the I PL is so starkly different from the spectator at a Test match. There has been a marked transformation in the character of a cricket follower. The emphasis now is on entertainment and it explains why there is an unending surge at matches that promise a result.
Is it erosion of cricket culture? The boisterous cricket fan, supporting Delhi Daredevils or Chennai Super Kings, has little regard for the man occupying the next seat. “They don't come to watch cricket skills. They want to shout, wave like mad, jump and dance, all mainly to be seen on the television. It can be irritating for someone who wants to follow the action seriously. Half the time you miss a clear view because of this breed of spectators who just go wild at the sight of a camera,” says Ganesh, who has watched cricket at Kotla by queuing up at 6 in the morning for a day's play at a Test.
Cricket watching is not a pleasure anymore. “It was fun. I could carry my snacks, lunch and single malt in a hip flask,” remembers Anurag Mathur, a club cricketer. Not anymore! “I can only carry myself,” laments Praveen Kaushik, who has always bought a ticket to a cricket match in a city where acquiring a complimentary pass is a status symbol.

Q.What can be concluded from the following - “Cricket watching is not a pleasure anymore.” ? 

Spectator comfort at the cricket venue is a rare benevolence. Intrusive security, mostly insensitive, can discourage the most faithful of spectators from coming to the stadium. Yet they throng, with an unmistakable passion to stretch their vocal chords and cheer their heroes.

They have been doing it for years, most loyally, but have always been accorded second class treatment. Yet they throng!
Why do they come? S. Ganesh, an avid cricket fan, does not anymore. “It is degrading,” is his acerbic response. He has been a regular at cricket venues, many times overseas, but the modern trend to make noise and indulge in jingoism does not appeal to him. It compels him to stay “indoors” and enjoy the fare on the small screen. “In mute mode,” he insists.
Mute when indoors; vociferous at the venue. Such variance among cricket fans, or spectators, is uncommon in other sport. “In India, it is all about cacophony,” quips G.B. Lai, a veteran from Patna. He has watched “quality” cricket in Patna and Calcutta but just can't come to terms with the modern I PL (Indian Premier League) cricket fan.
Faces painted and sentiments expressed through banners and placards, the cricket fan of today comes in all hues and shapes at the I PL games. Most reputable experts are appalled that the cricket fan at the I PL is so starkly different from the spectator at a Test match. There has been a marked transformation in the character of a cricket follower. The emphasis now is on entertainment and it explains why there is an unending surge at matches that promise a result.
Is it erosion of cricket culture? The boisterous cricket fan, supporting Delhi Daredevils or Chennai Super Kings, has little regard for the man occupying the next seat. “They don't come to watch cricket skills. They want to shout, wave like mad, jump and dance, all mainly to be seen on the television. It can be irritating for someone who wants to follow the action seriously. Half the time you miss a clear view because of this breed of spectators who just go wild at the sight of a camera,” says Ganesh, who has watched cricket at Kotla by queuing up at 6 in the morning for a day's play at a Test.
Cricket watching is not a pleasure anymore. “It was fun. I could carry my snacks, lunch and single malt in a hip flask,” remembers Anurag Mathur, a club cricketer. Not anymore! “I can only carry myself,” laments Praveen Kaushik, who has always bought a ticket to a cricket match in a city where acquiring a complimentary pass is a status symbol.

Q. Which of the following weakens G.B Lai’s comments about cricket fans?

Spectator comfort at the cricket venue is a rare benevolence. Intrusive security, mostly insensitive, can discourage the most faithful of spectators from coming to the stadium. Yet they throng, with an unmistakable passion to stretch their vocal chords and cheer their heroes.

They have been doing it for years, most loyally, but have always been accorded second class treatment. Yet they throng!
Why do they come? S. Ganesh, an avid cricket fan, does not anymore. “It is degrading,” is his acerbic response. He has been a regular at cricket venues, many times overseas, but the modern trend to make noise and indulge in jingoism does not appeal to him. It compels him to stay “indoors” and enjoy the fare on the small screen. “In mute mode,” he insists.
Mute when indoors; vociferous at the venue. Such variance among cricket fans, or spectators, is uncommon in other sport. “In India, it is all about cacophony,” quips G.B. Lai, a veteran from Patna. He has watched “quality” cricket in Patna and Calcutta but just can't come to terms with the modern I PL (Indian Premier League) cricket fan.
Faces painted and sentiments expressed through banners and placards, the cricket fan of today comes in all hues and shapes at the I PL games. Most reputable experts are appalled that the cricket fan at the I PL is so starkly different from the spectator at a Test match. There has been a marked transformation in the character of a cricket follower. The emphasis now is on entertainment and it explains why there is an unending surge at matches that promise a result.
Is it erosion of cricket culture? The boisterous cricket fan, supporting Delhi Daredevils or Chennai Super Kings, has little regard for the man occupying the next seat. “They don't come to watch cricket skills. They want to shout, wave like mad, jump and dance, all mainly to be seen on the television. It can be irritating for someone who wants to follow the action seriously. Half the time you miss a clear view because of this breed of spectators who just go wild at the sight of a camera,” says Ganesh, who has watched cricket at Kotla by queuing up at 6 in the morning for a day's play at a Test.
Cricket watching is not a pleasure anymore. “It was fun. I could carry my snacks, lunch and single malt in a hip flask,” remembers Anurag Mathur, a club cricketer. Not anymore! “I can only carry myself,” laments Praveen Kaushik, who has always bought a ticket to a cricket match in a city where acquiring a complimentary pass is a status symbol.

Q.The “breed of spectators” that Ganesh talks about can best be described as:

Spectator comfort at the cricket venue is a rare benevolence. Intrusive security, mostly insensitive, can discourage the most faithful of spectators from coming to the stadium. Yet they throng, with an unmistakable passion to stretch their vocal chords and cheer their heroes.

They have been doing it for years, most loyally, but have always been accorded second class treatment. Yet they throng!
Why do they come? S. Ganesh, an avid cricket fan, does not anymore. “It is degrading,” is his acerbic response. He has been a regular at cricket venues, many times overseas, but the modern trend to make noise and indulge in jingoism does not appeal to him. It compels him to stay “indoors” and enjoy the fare on the small screen. “In mute mode,” he insists.
Mute when indoors; vociferous at the venue. Such variance among cricket fans, or spectators, is uncommon in other sport. “In India, it is all about cacophony,” quips G.B. Lai, a veteran from Patna. He has watched “quality” cricket in Patna and Calcutta but just can't come to terms with the modern I PL (Indian Premier League) cricket fan.
Faces painted and sentiments expressed through banners and placards, the cricket fan of today comes in all hues and shapes at the I PL games. Most reputable experts are appalled that the cricket fan at the I PL is so starkly different from the spectator at a Test match. There has been a marked transformation in the character of a cricket follower. The emphasis now is on entertainment and it explains why there is an unending surge at matches that promise a result.
Is it erosion of cricket culture? The boisterous cricket fan, supporting Delhi Daredevils or Chennai Super Kings, has little regard for the man occupying the next seat. “They don't come to watch cricket skills. They want to shout, wave like mad, jump and dance, all mainly to be seen on the television. It can be irritating for someone who wants to follow the action seriously. Half the time you miss a clear view because of this breed of spectators who just go wild at the sight of a camera,” says Ganesh, who has watched cricket at Kotla by queuing up at 6 in the morning for a day's play at a Test.
Cricket watching is not a pleasure anymore. “It was fun. I could carry my snacks, lunch and single malt in a hip flask,” remembers Anurag Mathur, a club cricketer. Not anymore! “I can only carry myself,” laments Praveen Kaushik, who has always bought a ticket to a cricket match in a city where acquiring a complimentary pass is a status symbol.

Q.(For the match) “I can only carry myself implies:

The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.

Philosophers, researchers, spiritual leaders—they’ve all debated what makes life worth living. Is it a life filled with happiness or a life filled with purpose and meaning? Is there even a difference between the two?
Think of the human rights activist who fights oppression but ends up in prison—is she happy? Or the social animal who spends his nights (and some days) jumping from party to party—is that the good life?
These aren’t just academic questions. They can help us determine where we should invest our energy to lead the life we want.
Happy people satisfy their wants and needs, but that seems largely irrelevant to a meaningful life. Therefore, health, wealth, and ease in life were all related to happiness, but not meaning.
Happiness involves being focused on the present, whereas meaningfulness involves thinking more about the past, present, and future—and the relationship between them. In addition, happiness was seen as fleeting, while meaningfulness seemed to last longer. Meaningfulness is derived from giving to other people; happiness comes from what they give to you. Although social connections were linked to both happiness and meaning, happiness was connected more to the benefits one receives from social relationships, especially friendships, while meaningfulness was related to what one gives to others—for example, taking care of children. Along these lines, self-described “takers” were happier than self-described “givers,” and spending time with friends was linked to happiness more than meaning, whereas spending more time with loved ones was linked to meaning but not happiness. Meaningful lives involve stress and challenges. Higher levels of worry, stress, and anxiety were linked to higher meaningfulness but lower happiness, which suggests that engaging in challenging or difficult situations that are beyond oneself or one’s pleasures promotes meaningfulness but not happiness.
Self-expression is important to meaning but not happiness. Doing things to express oneself and caring about personal and cultural identity were linked to a meaningful life but not a happy one. For example, considering oneself to be wise or creative was associated with meaning but not happiness.

Q.According to the passage, the example of the human rights  activist who fights oppression but ends up in prison talks about:

A. Finding happiness in life

B. Finding meaning in life 

The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.

Philosophers, researchers, spiritual leaders—they’ve all debated what makes life worth living. Is it a life filled with happiness or a life filled with purpose and meaning? Is there even a difference between the two?
Think of the human rights activist who fights oppression but ends up in prison—is she happy? Or the social animal who spends his nights (and some days) jumping from party to party—is that the good life?
These aren’t just academic questions. They can help us determine where we should invest our energy to lead the life we want.
Happy people satisfy their wants and needs, but that seems largely irrelevant to a meaningful life. Therefore, health, wealth, and ease in life were all related to happiness, but not meaning.
Happiness involves being focused on the present, whereas meaningfulness involves thinking more about the past, present, and future—and the relationship between them. In addition, happiness was seen as fleeting, while meaningfulness seemed to last longer. Meaningfulness is derived from giving to other people; happiness comes from what they give to you. Although social connections were linked to both happiness and meaning, happiness was connected more to the benefits one receives from social relationships, especially friendships, while meaningfulness was related to what one gives to others—for example, taking care of children. Along these lines, self-described “takers” were happier than self-described “givers,” and spending time with friends was linked to happiness more than meaning, whereas spending more time with loved ones was linked to meaning but not happiness. Meaningful lives involve stress and challenges. Higher levels of worry, stress, and anxiety were linked to higher meaningfulness but lower happiness, which suggests that engaging in challenging or difficult situations that are beyond oneself or one’s pleasures promotes meaningfulness but not happiness.
Self-expression is important to meaning but not happiness. Doing things to express oneself and caring about personal and cultural identity were linked to a meaningful life but not a happy one. For example, considering oneself to be wise or creative was associated with meaning but not happiness.

Q.The passage supports the following statements, except: 

Philosophers, researchers, spiritual leaders—they’ve all debated what makes life worth living. Is it a life filled with happiness or a life filled with purpose and meaning? Is there even a difference between the two?
Think of the human rights activist who fights oppression but ends up in prison—is she happy? Or the social animal who spends his nights (and some days) jumping from party to party—is that the good life?
These aren’t just academic questions. They can help us determine where we should invest our energy to lead the life we want.
Happy people satisfy their wants and needs, but that seems largely irrelevant to a meaningful life. Therefore, health, wealth, and ease in life were all related to happiness, but not meaning.
Happiness involves being focused on the present, whereas meaningfulness involves thinking more about the past, present, and future—and the relationship between them. In addition, happiness was seen as fleeting, while meaningfulness seemed to last longer. Meaningfulness is derived from giving to other people; happiness comes from what they give to you. Although social connections were linked to both happiness and meaning, happiness was connected more to the benefits one receives from social relationships, especially friendships, while meaningfulness was related to what one gives to others—for example, taking care of children. Along these lines, self-described “takers” were happier than self-described “givers,” and spending time with friends was linked to happiness more than meaning, whereas spending more time with loved ones was linked to meaning but not happiness. Meaningful lives involve stress and challenges. Higher levels of worry, stress, and anxiety were linked to higher meaningfulness but lower happiness, which suggests that engaging in challenging or difficult situations that are beyond oneself or one’s pleasures promotes meaningfulness but not happiness.
Self-expression is important to meaning but not happiness. Doing things to express oneself and caring about personal and cultural identity were linked to a meaningful life but not a happy one. For example, considering oneself to be wise or creative was associated with meaning but not happiness.

Q.Which of these is a valid conclusion from the passage?

Five sentences are given below labeled (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5). Of these, four sentences need to be arranged in a logical order to form a coherent paragraph/passage. Pick out the sentence that does not fit the sequence.

1. The dairy industry must be subject to stringent quality tests.

2. By allowing milk to be so easily contaminated, we endanger the lives and well being of hundreds of millions of children in this country.

3. I believe that every locality should have an authorized food inspector, who ensures that the provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act are properly implemented, and milk quality is up to the mark.

4. Side effects of drinking milk adulterated with formalin include mood and balance alteration, liver and kidney damage, and abdominal pain, among others.

5. Given the fact that milk is one of the most consumed food products in the country, it is essential to ensure that milk adulteration is eliminated.

Carefully read the statements in the questions below and arrange them in a logical order.

1. It is not the differentness that worries Conrad but the lurking hint of kinship, of common ancestry.

2. The book opens on the River Thames, tranquil, resting, peacefully “at the decline of day after ages of good service done to the race that peopled its banks.”

3. As though if the Thames were to visit its primordial relative, the Congo, it would ran the terrible risk of hearing grotesque echoes of its own forgotten darkness, and falling victim to an avenging recrudescence of the mindless frenzy of the first beginnings.

4. The River Congo is quite decidedly not a River Emeritus as it has rendered no service and enjoys no old-age pension; we are told that “going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world.”

5. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness projects the image of Africa as “the other world,” the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization, a place where man's vaunted intelligence and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant beastiality.

Select the odd man out from the given alternatives.

1. So the conceptual unification of biology with physics and chemistry is now underway.

2. But this is not good enough, nature is one; science seeks to generalise, to unify.

3. One of the leading evolutionary biologists of the 20^th century, Ernst Mayr, openly argued for the ‘autonomy of biology'.

4. The purpose-driven character of life stands as a challenge to our understanding of the material nature of the universe.

5. Physics and chemistry deal with inanimate matter, he insisted, biology deals with living systems, and, at least for the time being, that’s that.

The following question consists of a certain number of sentences. Some sentences are grammatically incorrect or inappropriate. Identify the number of sentences that are grammatically incorrect

1. A multitude of never ending cases has been leading to a crisis of faith in the legal system.

2. Attempts to improve the system have seen little success and in the absence of speedy justice, vigilantism thieves.

3. Groups defending womens’ rights are infamous for taking their revenge in cases of domestic violence and honour killings.

4. Corruption is endemic, people would rather bribe a police officer or a judge than go through the lengthy hassle of a trial.

The following question consists of a certain number of sentences. Some sentences are grammatically incorrect or inappropriate. Identify the number of sentences that are grammatically correct and appropriate.

1. Life has left me for many important lessons.

2. Listen to your body, for it tells you if something is amiss.

3. Listen to your body with all your heart, and you’ll know what to do.

4. Take good care of your body, besides all it is the only place you have to live in.

Fill in the blank with the appropriate option Something about the__________of owning historic documents kept the punters coming.

1. peril

2. menace

3. cachet

4. venture

From among the options, choose the summary of the passage that is written in the same style as that of the passage.

Charisma proves surprisingly hard to identify in advance. A recent survey concluded that “relatively little” is known about who charismatic leaders are. Charisma is the most elusive of political traits, because it doesn’t exist in reality; only in our perception once a candidate has made it by hard work and good issues. Similarly, the business press has described many a CEO as “charismatic” when things are going well, only to withdraw the label when profits fall.

1. In politics as in business charisma is not identifiable in advance but is based on our perception of how one has made it by hard work and good issues.

2. Charismatic political or business leaders are hard to identify and do not exist in reality as charisma is based on how one has made it by hard work and good issues.

3. Charisma is the most elusive of business and political traits and does not exist in reality, but is based on how we perceive success through hard work and good causes.

4. In politics as in business charisma is not identifiable in advance but is based on our perception of one’s success or failure in the world.

From among the options, choose the summary of the passage that is written in the same style as that of the passage.
Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communism, the world is facing another stark choice between two fundamentally different forms of organization: international capitalism and state capitalism. The former, represented by the United States, has broken down, and the latter, represented by China, is on the rise. Following the path of least resistance will lead to the gradual disintegration of the international financial system. A new multilateral system based on sounder principles must be invented.

1. Least resistance to the International capitalism represented by US and the State Capitalism represented by China will lead to the breakdown of International financial system.

2. A new multilateral economic system must be invented to prevent the rise of Chinese model of State Capitalism and the disintegration of international financial system.

3. Twenty years after the fall of communism the world needs to choose between the International Capitalism represented by the US and the State Capitalism represented by China.

4. A new economic system, different from the International Capitalism of US and the state capitalism of China is needed to avoid a breakdown of International financial system.

For the last 17 years, my most perfect companion has been a seal-point Siamese cat named Juan Carlos I, a blue-eyed, magically soft cross between a toy baby seal and a teddy bear. He has been my crying-towel on more occasions than I care to think about, my best listener, my face to come home to at night and, on some days,_______________________________.

Which of the following best completes the paragraph?

1. he seems stoned and a little shellshocked when we hold him.

2. the only reason I could convince myself to get out of bed and keep going.

3. he makes me wish I never should have adopted him.

4. he is my grey pillow that I can cuddle all day with.

From the options, choose the one which can continue the paragraph most logically and consistently.
A loose and somewhat confused project, the Alliance of Civilizations aims to heal the wounds of conflict between Islam and the West through education, viable integration policies, and a better-informed dialogue with the media. Ever since September 11, 2001, the United States has been engaged in a crusade against the forces of evil (extremism) in the Muslim world. But it suffers from the major global players’ profound scepticism, with the US. Russia, and, for that matter, the EU have shown no real enthusiasm for it.______

1. However vague, the alliance of civilizations idea certainly cannot do more harm than war against Islamic extremism.

2. After all, none of the Muslim world’s problems and conflicts with the West are susceptible to a military solution.

3. Moreover, the Alliance is not an entirely incoherent proposal if the objective is that the West disengage from the politics of hubris and establish a genuine sphere of cooperation with the Muslim world.

4. Of course, the idea is held back by the inner workings of parts of the proposed alliance.