CAT Mock Test- 3 Free MCQ Practice Test with Solutions

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 1

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Déjà vu — French for “already seen” — is a mental sensation of intense familiarity coupled with the awareness that the familiarity is mistaken. It’s a recognition we know is wrong, a memory we know doesn’t exist. This conflict between what we know and what we remember is why déjà vu feels so eerie — almost paranormal or out-of-body. This awareness is very common. Déjà vu is almost impossible to study — people are rarely hooked up to electrodes or undergoing internal scans when they experience it — so most information about the sensation comes from self-reports, which suggest at least two-thirds of people will experience this fleeting mental trickery at some point in their lives. People who travel often or who watch a lot of movies may be more prone to déjà vu than others who don’t. The sensation does not seem to occur before age 8-9 (or perhaps children younger than that don’t have the ability to describe it), and experiences of déjà vu become less common as we age.

But as for why we experience déjà vu at all — that’s less clear. Multiple theories attempt to explain it, with each being a potentially legitimate source of the sensation. Like a physical itch, the mental itch of déjà vu likely has many causes, experts say.

Probably the strongest theory, with some experimental backing, is that the false familiarity isn’t a sign of faulty memory, so much as it’s a sign of a well-functioning brain that actively fact-checks itself. Human memory is notoriously faulty and malleable; this theory holds that déjà vu occurs as our brains’ frontal regions evaluate our memories and flag an error.

Another explanation for déjà vu, with some experimental findings to back it up, is that our stored memories still influence our present perception even if we can’t consciously recall them. A 2012 study that immersed participants in different virtual reality scenes saw most report déjà vu when viewing a scene that appeared similar to a previous one — even if they could not directly recall the earlier scene or its similarity. They just found the new scene inexplicably familiar.

Other explanations for déjà vu are more speculative. One suggests that déjà vu occurs when a familiar object appears incongruously. Seeing known objects or people out of context or unexpectedly is when familiarity strikes us, not seeing them within the usual, expected context. For instance, seeing your building’s security guard at the gate wouldn’t feel familiar — it just is; but seeing him at a restaurant might bring feelings of familiarity, even if you can’t place him. In the moment of out-of-context perception, our brains process the familiarity of known things first, even if we don’t consciously recognize them, and that initial familiarity can color our perception of the whole otherwise-unfamiliar experience. But ultimately, the mechanisms behind the creeping been-here-done-this-before feeling are as mysterious as the sensation itself. But one thing scientists know for sure: déjà vu becomes more common when we are stressed and tired.

Q. According to the author, Deja vu is almost impossible to study because:

A.
It is impossible to manufacture situations that stimulate specific mental sensations.
B.
The evidence supporting it is mostly anecdotal.
C.
Situations that induce Deja vu occur unexpectedly.
D.
Conventional laboratory methods can be used only in select cases.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 1

The author states that " Déjà vu is almost impossible to study — people are rarely hooked up to electrodes or undergoing internal scans when they experience it — so most information about the sensation comes from self-reports". Hence, it is not possible to conduct detailed laboratory studies, as the experience occurs randomly. As a result, most of the information about Deja-vu is based on anecdotal evidence. Option C aptly captures the point elucidated above (especially the part highlighting the unpredictability of the experience).

Option A is wrong. It talks about mental sensations - an idea that is irrelevant to the discussion.

Option B is not the reason. Instead, it serves to exemplify a potential outcome of Déjà vu being random. Because of the dearth of scientific information concerning this phenomenon, we largely depend on anecdotal evidence. Option B is incorrect.

Option D can be eliminated as it has not been implied in the passage.

Hence, Option C is the correct choice.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 2

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Déjà vu — French for “already seen” — is a mental sensation of intense familiarity coupled with the awareness that the familiarity is mistaken. It’s a recognition we know is wrong, a memory we know doesn’t exist. This conflict between what we know and what we remember is why déjà vu feels so eerie — almost paranormal or out-of-body. This awareness is very common. Déjà vu is almost impossible to study — people are rarely hooked up to electrodes or undergoing internal scans when they experience it — so most information about the sensation comes from self-reports, which suggest at least two-thirds of people will experience this fleeting mental trickery at some point in their lives. People who travel often or who watch a lot of movies may be more prone to déjà vu than others who don’t. The sensation does not seem to occur before age 8-9 (or perhaps children younger than that don’t have the ability to describe it), and experiences of déjà vu become less common as we age.

But as for why we experience déjà vu at all — that’s less clear. Multiple theories attempt to explain it, with each being a potentially legitimate source of the sensation. Like a physical itch, the mental itch of déjà vu likely has many causes, experts say.

Probably the strongest theory, with some experimental backing, is that the false familiarity isn’t a sign of faulty memory, so much as it’s a sign of a well-functioning brain that actively fact-checks itself. Human memory is notoriously faulty and malleable; this theory holds that déjà vu occurs as our brains’ frontal regions evaluate our memories and flag an error.

Another explanation for déjà vu, with some experimental findings to back it up, is that our stored memories still influence our present perception even if we can’t consciously recall them. A 2012 study that immersed participants in different virtual reality scenes saw most report déjà vu when viewing a scene that appeared similar to a previous one — even if they could not directly recall the earlier scene or its similarity. They just found the new scene inexplicably familiar.

Other explanations for déjà vu are more speculative. One suggests that déjà vu occurs when a familiar object appears incongruously. Seeing known objects or people out of context or unexpectedly is when familiarity strikes us, not seeing them within the usual, expected context. For instance, seeing your building’s security guard at the gate wouldn’t feel familiar — it just is; but seeing him at a restaurant might bring feelings of familiarity, even if you can’t place him. In the moment of out-of-context perception, our brains process the familiarity of known things first, even if we don’t consciously recognize them, and that initial familiarity can color our perception of the whole otherwise-unfamiliar experience. But ultimately, the mechanisms behind the creeping been-here-done-this-before feeling are as mysterious as the sensation itself.

Q. Which of the following statements CANNOT be inferred from the passage?

A.
People who experience deja-vu are cognizant of the fact that the memory doesn't exist.
B.
Some theories that attempt to explain the phenomenon are backed by experimental findings.
C.
Human memory is inherently plastic, and at times, erroneous.
D.
People who experience deja-vu are often stressed or exhausted at the time.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 2

{Déjà vu — French for “already seen” — is a mental sensation of intense familiarity coupled with the awareness that the familiarity is mistaken. It’s a recognition we know is wrong, a memory we know doesn’t exist.} Option A can be inferred from these lines.

The third and fourth paragraphs discuss two theories that are backed by experimental findings. Option B can be inferred.

{Human memory is notoriously faulty and malleable.} Option C can be inferred as well.

Option D is a distortion; the author states that "déjà vu becomes more common when we are stressed and tired." However, the corollary may not necessarily true. It is not necessary that most people who experience are tired or stressed. Hence, option D cannot be inferred.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 3

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Déjà vu — French for “already seen” — is a mental sensation of intense familiarity coupled with the awareness that the familiarity is mistaken. It’s a recognition we know is wrong, a memory we know doesn’t exist. This conflict between what we know and what we remember is why déjà vu feels so eerie — almost paranormal or out-of-body. This awareness is very common. Déjà vu is almost impossible to study — people are rarely hooked up to electrodes or undergoing internal scans when they experience it — so most information about the sensation comes from self-reports, which suggest at least two-thirds of people will experience this fleeting mental trickery at some point in their lives. People who travel often or who watch a lot of movies may be more prone to déjà vu than others who don’t. The sensation does not seem to occur before age 8-9 (or perhaps children younger than that don’t have the ability to describe it), and experiences of déjà vu become less common as we age.

But as for why we experience déjà vu at all — that’s less clear. Multiple theories attempt to explain it, with each being a potentially legitimate source of the sensation. Like a physical itch, the mental itch of déjà vu likely has many causes, experts say.

Probably the strongest theory, with some experimental backing, is that the false familiarity isn’t a sign of faulty memory, so much as it’s a sign of a well-functioning brain that actively fact-checks itself. Human memory is notoriously faulty and malleable; this theory holds that déjà vu occurs as our brains’ frontal regions evaluate our memories and flag an error.

Another explanation for déjà vu, with some experimental findings to back it up, is that our stored memories still influence our present perception even if we can’t consciously recall them. A 2012 study that immersed participants in different virtual reality scenes saw most report déjà vu when viewing a scene that appeared similar to a previous one — even if they could not directly recall the earlier scene or its similarity. They just found the new scene inexplicably familiar.

Other explanations for déjà vu are more speculative. One suggests that déjà vu occurs when a familiar object appears incongruously. Seeing known objects or people out of context or unexpectedly is when familiarity strikes us, not seeing them within the usual, expected context. For instance, seeing your building’s security guard at the gate wouldn’t feel familiar — it just is; but seeing him at a restaurant might bring feelings of familiarity, even if you can’t place him. In the moment of out-of-context perception, our brains process the familiarity of known things first, even if we don’t consciously recognize them, and that initial familiarity can color our perception of the whole otherwise-unfamiliar experience. But ultimately, the mechanisms behind the creeping been-here-done-this-before feeling are as mysterious as the sensation itself. But one thing scientists know for sure: déjà vu becomes more common when we are stressed and tired.

Q. Which of the following is NOT one of the theories attempting to explain deja-vu?

A.
Deja-vu is triggered by the perception that a familiar object is out of place.
B.
Deja-vu occurs when the frontal region and the memory region of the brain provide conflicting responses to the same external stimuli.
C.
Deja-vu occurs as a result of the brain attempting to fact-check itself.
D.
Deja-vu occurs as a result of stored memories influencing present perception.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 3

In the passage, the author presents three theories that attempt to explain the occurrence of Deja-vu;

1)Deja-vu isn’t a sign of faulty memory, so much as it’s a sign of a well-functioning brain that actively fact-checks itself.

2)Our stored memories still influence our present perception even if we can’t consciously recall them.

3)Déjà vu occurs when a familiar object appears incongruously.

Options A, C and D are valid.

Option B is close to the first theory but incorrect. The author does not say that the two regions have conflicting responses to the same stimuli. The second half of the option is out of the scope of the passage.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 4

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Déjà vu — French for “already seen” — is a mental sensation of intense familiarity coupled with the awareness that the familiarity is mistaken. It’s a recognition we know is wrong, a memory we know doesn’t exist. This conflict between what we know and what we remember is why déjà vu feels so eerie — almost paranormal or out-of-body. This awareness is very common. Déjà vu is almost impossible to study — people are rarely hooked up to electrodes or undergoing internal scans when they experience it — so most information about the sensation comes from self-reports, which suggest at least two-thirds of people will experience this fleeting mental trickery at some point in their lives. People who travel often or who watch a lot of movies may be more prone to déjà vu than others who don’t. The sensation does not seem to occur before age 8-9 (or perhaps children younger than that don’t have the ability to describe it), and experiences of déjà vu become less common as we age.

But as for why we experience déjà vu at all — that’s less clear. Multiple theories attempt to explain it, with each being a potentially legitimate source of the sensation. Like a physical itch, the mental itch of déjà vu likely has many causes, experts say.

Probably the strongest theory, with some experimental backing, is that the false familiarity isn’t a sign of faulty memory, so much as it’s a sign of a well-functioning brain that actively fact-checks itself. Human memory is notoriously faulty and malleable; this theory holds that déjà vu occurs as our brains’ frontal regions evaluate our memories and flag an error.

Another explanation for déjà vu, with some experimental findings to back it up, is that our stored memories still influence our present perception even if we can’t consciously recall them. A 2012 study that immersed participants in different virtual reality scenes saw most report déjà vu when viewing a scene that appeared similar to a previous one — even if they could not directly recall the earlier scene or its similarity. They just found the new scene inexplicably familiar.

Other explanations for déjà vu are more speculative. One suggests that déjà vu occurs when a familiar object appears incongruously. Seeing known objects or people out of context or unexpectedly is when familiarity strikes us, not seeing them within the usual, expected context. For instance, seeing your building’s security guard at the gate wouldn’t feel familiar — it just is; but seeing him at a restaurant might bring feelings of familiarity, even if you can’t place him. In the moment of out-of-context perception, our brains process the familiarity of known things first, even if we don’t consciously recognize them, and that initial familiarity can color our perception of the whole otherwise-unfamiliar experience. But ultimately, the mechanisms behind the creeping been-here-done-this-before feeling are as mysterious as the sensation itself. But one thing scientists know for sure: déjà vu becomes more common when we are stressed and tired.

Q. In the first paragraph, what is the "conflict" that the author refers to?

A.
Because of its ephemeral nature, it is impossible to link the feeling of familiarity with existing memory.
B.
Although people know the memory doesn't exist, they try to discern whether what they thought they remembered was true.
C.
The sensation and awareness occur simultaneously, hence making it impossible to decipher which of the two is real.
D.
The awareness that the memory doesn't exist while feeling familiarity with parts of the experience causes people to doubt their sense of reality.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 4

The author makes the following observation-"This conflict between what we know and what we remember is why déjà vu feels so eerie — almost paranormal or out-of-body." The person is aware that the memory doesn't exist but is still trying to discern if he remembers correctly and whether his awareness is indeed true. Option B conveys this inference and is the answer.

All other options are either tangential to the discussion or do not convey the above point.

Option C is wrong. The author does not mention the simultaneous nature of sensation and awareness.

Options A is extraneous to the discussion.

Option D is an exaggeration where it says that people doubt their sense of reality.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 5

Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Plato was one of the first and most influential thinkers to address the problem of tyranny. He argued that democratic states are destined to collapse into tyranny. He believed that democratic forms of government create a licentious and undisciplined populace who are easy prey for smooth-talking politicians skilled in the art of pandering to their desires. He tells us that such politicians entice the masses with unhealthy promises rather than nourishing the public good.

Consider the work of the German sociologist Max Weber who developed the concept of ‘charismatic authority’ - a ‘certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities’. Charismatic leaders inspire devotion, and are regarded as prophetic figures by their followers. The rising tyrant has a special, almost magical aura. His followers believe that he can work miracles and transform their lives.

Sigmund Freud was wrestling with similar ideas focusing on the psychological dynamics of followership. There are two main themes that stand out. First, Freud argued that those who are attracted to authoritarian leaders idealise them. The leader is seen as an exemplary, heroic human being shorn of every serious flaw. Second, he argued that followers identify with the leader by substituting him for what Freud called the ego ideal. The ego ideal is a mental representation of one’s guiding values. It consists of beliefs about right and wrong, what is obligatory and what is impermissible. It is our moral compass: essentially the same as one’s conscience. In taking the place of their ego ideal, the authoritarian leader becomes the conscience of his followers, and his voice becomes the voice of their conscience.

The fact that the community of followers has a common identification with the authoritarian leader has another important consequence. The followers identify with one another as parts of a ‘movement’, and they experience themselves as merging into a collective whole. This intoxicating sense of unity, and the subordination of personal self-interest to a greater cause, is a very important component of authoritarian systems.

Religious convictions are Freud’s prime examples of delusions. They are, he wrote, ‘fulfillments of the oldest, strongest, and most urgent wishes of mankind. The wishes that underpin religious belief have to do with deliverance from human helplessness. We are vulnerable to the forces of nature, such as disease, natural disasters and ultimately death, and also to the acts of other human beings who can harm us, kill us or treat us unjustly. There are clear links between Freud’s analysis of the religious impulse, and psychological forces at play in the political sphere. Politics is, explicitly, a response to human vulnerability. Our deepest hopes and fears permeate the political arena, and this makes us susceptible to political illusions, which are often clung to with such impassioned tenacity, and so refractory to reasoned argument, that they fit Freud’s characterisation of delusions. From this perspective, authoritarian political systems echo monotheistic religions. Like God himself, the leader is omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent. His words define the horizons of reality. He must be praised and appeased, but never challenged. His enemies are, by definition, in league with the forces of evil.

Q. Authoritarian political systems echo monotheistic religions in that:

A.
authoritarian leaders exploit the vulnerability of their followers who are politically disillusioned.
B.
authoritarian leaders are expected to deliver the deluded followers from human helplessness.
C.
authoritarian leaders are powerful enough to define the horizons of reality.
D.
authoritarian leaders are considered to be the supreme entities that need to be exalted.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 5

The following excerpt enables us to determine the correct choice: "...From this perspective, authoritarian political systems echo monotheistic religions. Like God himself, the leader is omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent. His words define the horizons of reality. He must be praised and appeased, but never challenged. His enemies are, by definition, in league with the forces of evil..."

Option A: The author doesn't assert that authoritarian leaders exploit our vulnerabilities; nor does he label the followers as politically disillusioned. Hence, Option A is not implied.

Option B: The author does not mention any expectation, on the part of the followers, concerning deliverance from human helplessness. While he highlights how this facet forms the root of our vulnerabilities, he does not use this to correlate authoritarian systems and monotheistic religion. Thus, Option B can be rejected.

Option C: This aspect is presented as a belief of the followers and not as a true capability of the leader; the author does not assert that authoritarian leaders have the capacity to "define horizons of reality" (this is how the followers perceive them to be). The statement here appears to be definitive, and hence, goes beyond the scope of the discussion. Thus, Option C can be discarded.

Option D: This highlights one of the points that the author mentions: "...He must be praised and appeased, but never challenged. His enemies are, by definition, in league with the forces of evil..."

Hence, Option D is the correct choice.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 6

Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Plato was one of the first and most influential thinkers to address the problem of tyranny. He argued that democratic states are destined to collapse into tyranny. He believed that democratic forms of government create a licentious and undisciplined populace who are easy prey for smooth-talking politicians skilled in the art of pandering to their desires. He tells us that such politicians entice the masses with unhealthy promises rather than nourishing the public good.

Consider the work of the German sociologist Max Weber who developed the concept of ‘charismatic authority’ - a ‘certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities’. Charismatic leaders inspire devotion, and are regarded as prophetic figures by their followers. The rising tyrant has a special, almost magical aura. His followers believe that he can work miracles and transform their lives.

Sigmund Freud was wrestling with similar ideas focusing on the psychological dynamics of followership. There are two main themes that stand out. First, Freud argued that those who are attracted to authoritarian leaders idealise them. The leader is seen as an exemplary, heroic human being shorn of every serious flaw. Second, he argued that followers identify with the leader by substituting him for what Freud called the ego ideal. The ego ideal is a mental representation of one’s guiding values. It consists of beliefs about right and wrong, what is obligatory and what is impermissible. It is our moral compass: essentially the same as one’s conscience. In taking the place of their ego ideal, the authoritarian leader becomes the conscience of his followers, and his voice becomes the voice of their conscience.

The fact that the community of followers has a common identification with the authoritarian leader has another important consequence. The followers identify with one another as parts of a ‘movement’, and they experience themselves as merging into a collective whole. This intoxicating sense of unity, and the subordination of personal self-interest to a greater cause, is a very important component of authoritarian systems.

Religious convictions are Freud’s prime examples of delusions. They are, he wrote, ‘fulfillments of the oldest, strongest, and most urgent wishes of mankind. The wishes that underpin religious belief have to do with deliverance from human helplessness. We are vulnerable to the forces of nature, such as disease, natural disasters and ultimately death, and also to the acts of other human beings who can harm us, kill us or treat us unjustly. There are clear links between Freud’s analysis of the religious impulse, and psychological forces at play in the political sphere. Politics is, explicitly, a response to human vulnerability. Our deepest hopes and fears permeate the political arena, and this makes us susceptible to political illusions, which are often clung to with such impassioned tenacity, and so refractory to reasoned argument, that they fit Freud’s characterisation of delusions. From this perspective, authoritarian political systems echo monotheistic religions. Like God himself, the leader is omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent. His words define the horizons of reality. He must be praised and appeased, but never challenged. His enemies are, by definition, in league with the forces of evil.

Q. The purpose of the first three paragraphs is to

A.
delineate how the modern perception of tyranny and followership differs from the earlier versions of such setups.
B.
describe the way in which different eminent thinkers have conceptualised the idea of tyranny and followership.
C.
highlight that Plato was the first influential thinker to pay heed to the subject of tyranny, followed by Weber and Freud who developed their own versions of the same.
D.
raise the alarm regarding the manner in which deluded followers pave the way for the establishment of authoritarian setups.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 6

The author highlights how Plato was one of the first eminent thinkers to deliberate on the concept of tyranny. His opinion on this topic is discussed briefly in the first paragraph. This is followed by Weber's version of the same subject in the second paragraph. The author mentions the idea of a 'charismatic leader' and relates it to the underlying beliefs of the followers of a tyrant. Subsequently, the author discusses two main ideas stemming from Freud's study of the psychological dynamics of followership. The ideas are briefly presented in the third paragraph, followed by their implications (in the fourth paragraph). Thus, the author intends to describe the manner in which different eminent thinkers have conceptualised the idea of tyranny and followership. Option B aptly captures this point.

Option A: The author does not attempt to contrast 'a modern take' on tyranny and an 'earlier/older version'. Neither of these categories has been understandably identified in the passage. Hence, Option A can be eliminated.

Option C: The statement here has subtle distortions and differs in the intended meaning. Plato has been labelled as "one of the first and most influential thinkers to address the problem of tyranny". Additionally, the claim in C implies that he is followed by Weber and Freud as perhaps the second and third individuals who worked on the idea of followership - a point that is not backed by any information. Thus, Option C can be rejected.

Option D: We cannot perceive the author's attitude as alarmed or concerned, nor does he attribute the establishment of authoritarian regimes to deluded followers. Hence, Option D can be discarded as the potential choice.

Hence, Option B is the correct answer.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 7

Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Plato was one of the first and most influential thinkers to address the problem of tyranny. He argued that democratic states are destined to collapse into tyranny. He believed that democratic forms of government create a licentious and undisciplined populace who are easy prey for smooth-talking politicians skilled in the art of pandering to their desires. He tells us that such politicians entice the masses with unhealthy promises rather than nourishing the public good.

Consider the work of the German sociologist Max Weber who developed the concept of ‘charismatic authority’ - a ‘certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities’. Charismatic leaders inspire devotion, and are regarded as prophetic figures by their followers. The rising tyrant has a special, almost magical aura. His followers believe that he can work miracles and transform their lives.

Sigmund Freud was wrestling with similar ideas focusing on the psychological dynamics of followership. There are two main themes that stand out. First, Freud argued that those who are attracted to authoritarian leaders idealise them. The leader is seen as an exemplary, heroic human being shorn of every serious flaw. Second, he argued that followers identify with the leader by substituting him for what Freud called the ego ideal. The ego ideal is a mental representation of one’s guiding values. It consists of beliefs about right and wrong, what is obligatory and what is impermissible. It is our moral compass: essentially the same as one’s conscience. In taking the place of their ego ideal, the authoritarian leader becomes the conscience of his followers, and his voice becomes the voice of their conscience.

The fact that the community of followers has a common identification with the authoritarian leader has another important consequence. The followers identify with one another as parts of a ‘movement’, and they experience themselves as merging into a collective whole. This intoxicating sense of unity, and the subordination of personal self-interest to a greater cause, is a very important component of authoritarian systems.

Religious convictions are Freud’s prime examples of delusions. They are, he wrote, ‘fulfillments of the oldest, strongest, and most urgent wishes of mankind. The wishes that underpin religious belief have to do with deliverance from human helplessness. We are vulnerable to the forces of nature, such as disease, natural disasters and ultimately death, and also to the acts of other human beings who can harm us, kill us or treat us unjustly. There are clear links between Freud’s analysis of the religious impulse, and psychological forces at play in the political sphere. Politics is, explicitly, a response to human vulnerability. Our deepest hopes and fears permeate the political arena, and this makes us susceptible to political illusions, which are often clung to with such impassioned tenacity, and so refractory to reasoned argument, that they fit Freud’s characterisation of delusions. From this perspective, authoritarian political systems echo monotheistic religions. Like God himself, the leader is omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent. His words define the horizons of reality. He must be praised and appeased, but never challenged. His enemies are, by definition, in league with the forces of evil.

Q. All of the following have not been discussed in the passage except:

A.
Our vulnerability towards political illusions originates from our deepest hopes and fears, which make us hold onto delusions even in the face of rational arguments.
B.
Charismatic leaders are often misconstrued as undeserving prophetic figures or tyrants due to the immense devotion that they inspire; their capacity to constructively change society is overlooked as a consequence.
C.
Religious convictions, unlike political ones, cater to humankind's strongest and most pressing needs; the promise of deliverance from human helplessness fortifies such beliefs.
D.
According to Freud, ironically, the skewed moral compass and the intoxicating sense of unity obfuscates the detriment caused by tyrants on the lives of the deluded followers.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 7

Option A: The statement here coincide with the discussion undertaken in the following excerpt: "...There are clear links between Freud’s analysis of the religious impulse, and psychological forces at play in the political sphere. Politics is, explicitly, a response to human vulnerability. Our deepest hopes and fears permeate the political arena, and this makes us susceptible to political illusions, which are often clung to with such impassioned tenacity, and so refractory to reasoned argument, that they fit Freud’s characterisation of delusions..." Hence, Option A has been discussed in the passage.

Option B: The author mentions that: "Charismatic leaders inspire devotion, and are regarded as prophetic figures by their followers." However, we notice no cause-effect relationship presented; nor does the author shed light on the claim made in the latter half of Option B. Thus, we can reject B as the potential answer.

Option C: The author makes the following comments: "...Religious convictions are Freud’s prime examples of delusions. They are, he wrote, ‘fulfillments of the oldest, strongest, and most urgent wishes of mankind. The wishes that underpin religious belief have to do with deliverance from human helplessness..." However, he does not contrast political convictions with the aforementioned idea; they are not presented as opposing elements but instead have similar underlying drivers. Hence, the comparison is C is not presented, and hence, we can eliminate it.

Option D: No such assertion has been made in the passage and thus, we can eliminate D.

Hence, Option A is the correct choice.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 8

Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Plato was one of the first and most influential thinkers to address the problem of tyranny. He argued that democratic states are destined to collapse into tyranny. He believed that democratic forms of government create a licentious and undisciplined populace who are easy prey for smooth-talking politicians skilled in the art of pandering to their desires. He tells us that such politicians entice the masses with unhealthy promises rather than nourishing the public good.

Consider the work of the German sociologist Max Weber who developed the concept of ‘charismatic authority’ - a ‘certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities’. Charismatic leaders inspire devotion, and are regarded as prophetic figures by their followers. The rising tyrant has a special, almost magical aura. His followers believe that he can work miracles and transform their lives.

Sigmund Freud was wrestling with similar ideas focusing on the psychological dynamics of followership. There are two main themes that stand out. First, Freud argued that those who are attracted to authoritarian leaders idealise them. The leader is seen as an exemplary, heroic human being shorn of every serious flaw. Second, he argued that followers identify with the leader by substituting him for what Freud called the ego ideal. The ego ideal is a mental representation of one’s guiding values. It consists of beliefs about right and wrong, what is obligatory and what is impermissible. It is our moral compass: essentially the same as one’s conscience. In taking the place of their ego ideal, the authoritarian leader becomes the conscience of his followers, and his voice becomes the voice of their conscience.

The fact that the community of followers has a common identification with the authoritarian leader has another important consequence. The followers identify with one another as parts of a ‘movement’, and they experience themselves as merging into a collective whole. This intoxicating sense of unity, and the subordination of personal self-interest to a greater cause, is a very important component of authoritarian systems.

Religious convictions are Freud’s prime examples of delusions. They are, he wrote, ‘fulfillments of the oldest, strongest, and most urgent wishes of mankind. The wishes that underpin religious belief have to do with deliverance from human helplessness. We are vulnerable to the forces of nature, such as disease, natural disasters and ultimately death, and also to the acts of other human beings who can harm us, kill us or treat us unjustly. There are clear links between Freud’s analysis of the religious impulse, and psychological forces at play in the political sphere. Politics is, explicitly, a response to human vulnerability. Our deepest hopes and fears permeate the political arena, and this makes us susceptible to political illusions, which are often clung to with such impassioned tenacity, and so refractory to reasoned argument, that they fit Freud’s characterisation of delusions. From this perspective, authoritarian political systems echo monotheistic religions. Like God himself, the leader is omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent. His words define the horizons of reality. He must be praised and appeased, but never challenged. His enemies are, by definition, in league with the forces of evil.

Q. Which of the following cannot be said to be true based on the passage?

I. Submission of personal objectives for a greater collective cause is an essential feature of authoritarian regimes.

II. According to the author, oppositions of the authoritarian leader are allies of evil.

III. Followers of monotheistic religions are highly supportive of authoritarian political systems.

A.
I only
B.
I and II
C.
II and III
D.
I and III

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 8

Statement I: We observe that the author has discussed this point in the passage: "This intoxicating sense of unity, and the subordination of personal self-interest to a greater cause, is a very important component of authoritarian systems.". Hence, Statement I is true.

Statement II: "He must be praised and appeased, but never challenged. His enemies are, by definition, in league with the forces of evil." The above lines from the passage covey a general idea/perception concerning similarities between an authoritarian government and monotheistic religion; it does not reflect the author's opinion. The author is simply describing the common underlying beliefs.

Statement III: "From this perspective, authoritarian political systems echo monotheistic religions." The author draws a parallel between these two setups. However, it has not been implied that followers of monotheistic religions would be highly supportive of authoritarian political systems; we do not have sufficient information to substantiate this claim.

Hence, Option C is the correct choice.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 9

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Authenticity, which in its modern sense dates back to the Romantics of the late 18th century, has never had a single meaning. In much of our everyday usage, the term means something more or less analogous to the way that we speak of an object being authentic - as the genuine article, not a copy or a fake. We think of people as authentic when they’re being themselves, consistent with their own personality and without pretence or pretending.

But, as an ethical ideal...authenticity means more than self-consistency or a lack of pretentiousness. It also concerns features of the inner life that define us. While there is no one ‘essence’ of authenticity, the ideal has often been expressed as a commitment to being true to yourself, and ordering your soul and living your life so as to give faithful expression to your individuality, cherished projects and deepest convictions. Authenticity in this ethical sense also had a critical edge, standing against and challenging the utilitarian practices and conformist tendencies of the conventional social and economic order. Society erects barriers that the authentic person must break through. Finding your true self means self-reflection, engaging in candid self-appraisal and seeking ‘genuine self-knowledge’, in the words of the American philosopher Charles Guignon.

In his book The Society of Singularities (2017), the German social theorist Andreas Reckwitz argues that a larger ‘authenticity revolution’ has swept the world during the past 40 years. Authenticity has become an obligation. Reckwitz captures this conundrum with the paradoxical concept of ‘performative authenticity’. Authenticity, in this sense, is the way to be because to be ‘somebody’ is to develop your unique self, your differentness from others and your noninterchangeable life.

Performative authenticity is tied to economic success and social prestige, which means - and this is a further paradoxical feature - that your specialness and self-realisation have to be performed. In order for people to distinguish themselves, they must seek attention and visibility, and positively affect others with their self-representations, personal characteristics and quality of life. In doing so, they have to take great care that their performance isn’t perceived as staged.

Performative authenticity shares with older, inner conceptions of authenticity the notion that each of us has our own unique way of being in the world. But the concepts otherwise diverge. The inner ideal aims at a way of being that is unfeigned and without illusions. It resists the cultivation of an affirming audience, because being a ‘whole’ person, with a noninstrumental relation to self and others, is often at odds with the demands of society. In the performative mode, by contrast, this tension between self and society disappears. Self-elaboration still requires self-examination, but not necessarily of any inner or even aesthetic kind.

Performing your difference isn’t necessarily a zero-sum game. Markets and digital technologies have greatly expanded the infrastructure of possibilities. It is, however, a competition for scarce attention that requires continuous assessment and feedback, and offers little respite. Even if you pull off a good performance, there’s a need to be flexible, to be ready to reinvent your difference. There’s always the danger of becoming inconspicuous.

Q. Which of the following best describes the reason why the author terms the concept 'performative authenticity' paradoxical?

A.
Performative identity, which encompasses a limited set of features, can be replicated.
B.
Authenticity, by its innate nature, cannot be built according to specifications.
C.
Authenticity is not limited to a person's outwardly visible characteristics.
D.
A fabricated identity cannot be subject to self-appraisal, which is an essential tenet of authenticity.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 9

In the second and third paragraphs, the author advances the point that authenticity is intricately linked with self-realisation and self-appraisal, i.e., staying true to oneself. Hence, when someone 'performs' or 'builds' an authentic self that conforms to expectations, it is simply not authentic because authenticity is a natural state of being, not a manufactured one.

Comparing the options, only option B conveys this point.

Options A and D have not been implied in the passage. Option C is not incorrect but does not convey the larger point.

Option B is the answer.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 10

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Authenticity, which in its modern sense dates back to the Romantics of the late 18th century, has never had a single meaning. In much of our everyday usage, the term means something more or less analogous to the way that we speak of an object being authentic - as the genuine article, not a copy or a fake. We think of people as authentic when they’re being themselves, consistent with their own personality and without pretence or pretending.

But, as an ethical ideal...authenticity means more than self-consistency or a lack of pretentiousness. It also concerns features of the inner life that define us. While there is no one ‘essence’ of authenticity, the ideal has often been expressed as a commitment to being true to yourself, and ordering your soul and living your life so as to give faithful expression to your individuality, cherished projects and deepest convictions. Authenticity in this ethical sense also had a critical edge, standing against and challenging the utilitarian practices and conformist tendencies of the conventional social and economic order. Society erects barriers that the authentic person must break through. Finding your true self means self-reflection, engaging in candid self-appraisal and seeking ‘genuine self-knowledge’, in the words of the American philosopher Charles Guignon.

In his book The Society of Singularities (2017), the German social theorist Andreas Reckwitz argues that a larger ‘authenticity revolution’ has swept the world during the past 40 years. Authenticity has become an obligation. Reckwitz captures this conundrum with the paradoxical concept of ‘performative authenticity’. Authenticity, in this sense, is the way to be because to be ‘somebody’ is to develop your unique self, your differentness from others and your noninterchangeable life.

Performative authenticity is tied to economic success and social prestige, which means - and this is a further paradoxical feature - that your specialness and self-realisation have to be performed. In order for people to distinguish themselves, they must seek attention and visibility, and positively affect others with their self-representations, personal characteristics and quality of life. In doing so, they have to take great care that their performance isn’t perceived as staged.

Performative authenticity shares with older, inner conceptions of authenticity the notion that each of us has our own unique way of being in the world. But the concepts otherwise diverge. The inner ideal aims at a way of being that is unfeigned and without illusions. It resists the cultivation of an affirming audience, because being a ‘whole’ person, with a noninstrumental relation to self and others, is often at odds with the demands of society. In the performative mode, by contrast, this tension between self and society disappears. Self-elaboration still requires self-examination, but not necessarily of any inner or even aesthetic kind.

Performing your difference isn’t necessarily a zero-sum game. Markets and digital technologies have greatly expanded the infrastructure of possibilities. It is, however, a competition for scarce attention that requires continuous assessment and feedback, and offers little respite. Even if you pull off a good performance, there’s a need to be flexible, to be ready to reinvent your difference. There’s always the danger of becoming inconspicuous.

Q. According to Charles Guignon, finding one's true self involves all of the following, EXCEPT:

A.
A quest for bonafide knowledge of one’s characteristics.
B.
Engaging in an introspective excercise to know more about one's fundamental nature.
C.
An honest evaluation of one's worth and significance.
D.
Identifying characteristics that are repressed by the conscious mind.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 10

{Finding your true self means self-reflection, engaging in candid self-appraisal and seeking ‘genuine self-knowledge’, in the words of the American philosopher Charles Guignon."}. So, self-reflection, self-appraisal and seeking self-knowledge are the three activities associated with finding one's true self, according to Charles Guignon.

Options A, B and C convey these activities. Option D has not been implied explicitly in the passage. Hence, option D is the answer.

Option A talks about bonafide knowledge of one's characteristics, which is the same as, genuine self-knowledge.

Option B discusses introspection, part of self-realisation.

Self-appraisal refers to one's worth and significance. Option C conveys this

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 11

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Authenticity, which in its modern sense dates back to the Romantics of the late 18th century, has never had a single meaning. In much of our everyday usage, the term means something more or less analogous to the way that we speak of an object being authentic - as the genuine article, not a copy or a fake. We think of people as authentic when they’re being themselves, consistent with their own personality and without pretence or pretending.

But, as an ethical ideal...authenticity means more than self-consistency or a lack of pretentiousness. It also concerns features of the inner life that define us. While there is no one ‘essence’ of authenticity, the ideal has often been expressed as a commitment to being true to yourself, and ordering your soul and living your life so as to give faithful expression to your individuality, cherished projects and deepest convictions. Authenticity in this ethical sense also had a critical edge, standing against and challenging the utilitarian practices and conformist tendencies of the conventional social and economic order. Society erects barriers that the authentic person must break through. Finding your true self means self-reflection, engaging in candid self-appraisal and seeking ‘genuine self-knowledge’, in the words of the American philosopher Charles Guignon.

In his book The Society of Singularities (2017), the German social theorist Andreas Reckwitz argues that a larger ‘authenticity revolution’ has swept the world during the past 40 years. Authenticity has become an obligation. Reckwitz captures this conundrum with the paradoxical concept of ‘performative authenticity’. Authenticity, in this sense, is the way to be because to be ‘somebody’ is to develop your unique self, your differentness from others and your noninterchangeable life.

Performative authenticity is tied to economic success and social prestige, which means - and this is a further paradoxical feature - that your specialness and self-realisation have to be performed. In order for people to distinguish themselves, they must seek attention and visibility, and positively affect others with their self-representations, personal characteristics and quality of life. In doing so, they have to take great care that their performance isn’t perceived as staged.

Performative authenticity shares with older, inner conceptions of authenticity the notion that each of us has our own unique way of being in the world. But the concepts otherwise diverge. The inner ideal aims at a way of being that is unfeigned and without illusions. It resists the cultivation of an affirming audience, because being a ‘whole’ person, with a noninstrumental relation to self and others, is often at odds with the demands of society. In the performative mode, by contrast, this tension between self and society disappears. Self-elaboration still requires self-examination, but not necessarily of any inner or even aesthetic kind.

Performing your difference isn’t necessarily a zero-sum game. Markets and digital technologies have greatly expanded the infrastructure of possibilities. It is, however, a competition for scarce attention that requires continuous assessment and feedback, and offers little respite. Even if you pull off a good performance, there’s a need to be flexible, to be ready to reinvent your difference. There’s always the danger of becoming inconspicuous.

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

A.
An authentic person does not largely vary his behaviour when dealing with similar situations.
B.
Inner conceptions of authenticity as an ethical ideal might often resist or conflict with existing utilitarian practices and conformist principles.
C.
Performative authenticity does not require an affirming audience as there is inherently no tension between self and society in it.
D.
Self-examination is a necessary exercise, regardless of the mode of authenticity adopted by the person.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 11

Option A: In the second paragraph, the author states that "...as an ethical ideal...authenticity means more than self-consistency or a lack of pretentiousness." So, though it is not limited to self-consistency, it is still an essential feature. And a self-consistent person would react similarly in familiar situations. Hence option A can be inferred. The author is bound to stand by his claim, and hence, we can eliminate this choice.

Option B: "...Authenticity in this ethical sense also had a critical edge, standing against and challenging the utilitarian practices and conformist tendencies of the conventional social and economic order. Society erects barriers that the authentic person must break through..." Thus, Option B echoes the author's opinion and can be eliminated as the potential answer.

Option C: The author highlights the difference between performative and inner authenticity in the following manner: "...The inner ideal aims at a way of being that is unfeigned and without illusions. It resists the cultivation of an affirming audience, because being a ‘whole’ person, with a noninstrumental relation to self and others, is often at odds with the demands of society. In the performative mode, by contrast, this tension between self and society disappears. Self-elaboration still requires self-examination, but not necessarily of any inner or even aesthetic kind..." The author does not present a cause-effect relationship concerning performative authenticity not requiring external validation and the "disappearance of tension between the self and the society". He mentions that inner authenticity disregards or does not demand the "cultivation of an affirming audience" and the opposite applies to performative authenticity. Thus, performative authenticity does require an audience. Hence, the author is unlikely to agree with the statement in C since it conflicts with his assertions.

Option D: "...In the performative mode, by contrast, this tension between self and society disappears. Self-elaboration still requires self-examination, but not necessarily of any inner or even aesthetic kind..." Option D can be inferred from these lines. Even in the performative mode, self-examination is necessary.

Hence, Option C is the correct answer.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 12

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Authenticity, which in its modern sense dates back to the Romantics of the late 18th century, has never had a single meaning. In much of our everyday usage, the term means something more or less analogous to the way that we speak of an object being authentic - as the genuine article, not a copy or a fake. We think of people as authentic when they’re being themselves, consistent with their own personality and without pretence or pretending.

But, as an ethical ideal...authenticity means more than self-consistency or a lack of pretentiousness. It also concerns features of the inner life that define us. While there is no one ‘essence’ of authenticity, the ideal has often been expressed as a commitment to being true to yourself, and ordering your soul and living your life so as to give faithful expression to your individuality, cherished projects and deepest convictions. Authenticity in this ethical sense also had a critical edge, standing against and challenging the utilitarian practices and conformist tendencies of the conventional social and economic order. Society erects barriers that the authentic person must break through. Finding your true self means self-reflection, engaging in candid self-appraisal and seeking ‘genuine self-knowledge’, in the words of the American philosopher Charles Guignon.

In his book The Society of Singularities (2017), the German social theorist Andreas Reckwitz argues that a larger ‘authenticity revolution’ has swept the world during the past 40 years. Authenticity has become an obligation. Reckwitz captures this conundrum with the paradoxical concept of ‘performative authenticity’. Authenticity, in this sense, is the way to be because to be ‘somebody’ is to develop your unique self, your differentness from others and your noninterchangeable life.

Performative authenticity is tied to economic success and social prestige, which means - and this is a further paradoxical feature - that your specialness and self-realisation have to be performed. In order for people to distinguish themselves, they must seek attention and visibility, and positively affect others with their self-representations, personal characteristics and quality of life. In doing so, they have to take great care that their performance isn’t perceived as staged.

Performative authenticity shares with older, inner conceptions of authenticity the notion that each of us has our own unique way of being in the world. But the concepts otherwise diverge. The inner ideal aims at a way of being that is unfeigned and without illusions. It resists the cultivation of an affirming audience, because being a ‘whole’ person, with a noninstrumental relation to self and others, is often at odds with the demands of society. In the performative mode, by contrast, this tension between self and society disappears. Self-elaboration still requires self-examination, but not necessarily of any inner or even aesthetic kind.

Performing your difference isn’t necessarily a zero-sum game. Markets and digital technologies have greatly expanded the infrastructure of possibilities. It is, however, a competition for scarce attention that requires continuous assessment and feedback, and offers little respite. Even if you pull off a good performance, there’s a need to be flexible, to be ready to reinvent your difference. There’s always the danger of becoming inconspicuous.

Q. The inner and performative modes of authenticity differ in all of the following ways, EXCEPT:

A.
The performative mode seeks to positively influence others, whereas the inner mode denounces this objective.
B.
The performative mode conforms to the extant social and economic order, whereas the inner mode challenges it.
C.
Unlike the performative mode, the inner mode aims at an identity that is unfeigned.
D.
The performative mode may not require a self-examination of the inner, whereas it is vital for the inner mode.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 12

In the second paragraph, the author makes the following observation about inner mode - {Authenticity in this ethical sense also had a critical edge, standing against and challenging the utilitarian practices and conformist tendencies of the conventional social and economic order.} Furthermore, in the fourth paragraph, the author states that "Performative authenticity is tied to economic success and social prestige" Hence, option B can be inferred.

{Performative authenticity is tied to economic success and social prestige, which means... that your specialness and self-realisation have to be performed...The inner ideal aims at a way of being that is unfeigned and without illusions.} Option C can be inferred from these lines.

In the penultimate paragraph, the author remarks the following about performative mode-{Self-elaboration still requires self-examination, but not necessarily of any inner or even aesthetic kind.} Option D can be inferred as well.

This leaves us with option A. The former part of option A is true- {...they must ...positively affect others with their self-representations, personal characteristics and quality of life.}

However, the latter part has not been implied in the passage. The inner mode resists the cultivation of an affirming audience, true, but this cannot be equated to a lack of desire to affect others positively.

Option A is the answer.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 13

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Dinosaur and fossil aficionados are intimately familiar with the meteorite strike that drove Tyrannosaurus rex and all nonavian dinosaurs to extinction around 66 million years ago. But it is often overlooked that the impact also wiped out entire ecosystems. A new study shows how those casualties, in turn, led to another particularly profound evolutionary outcome: the emergence of the Amazon rain forest of South America, the most spectacularly diverse environment on the planet. Yet the Amazon’s bounty of tropical species and habitats now face their own existential threat because of unprecedented destruction from human activity, including land clearing for agriculture.
Modern-day rain forests are integral to life on Earth. The Amazon, in particular, plays a crucial role in regulating the planet’s freshwater cycle and climate. Yet Western European and North American palaeontologists have paid little attention to tropical forests, focusing instead on temperate latitudes. Many academic and amateur fossil hunters have also tended to write off warm, wet locales as a lost cause for finds because they have assumed that conditions there would prevent organic materials from being preserved long enough to fossilize. “It’s this combination of factors that has led us to this absence of much data in the tropics,” says Bonnie Jacobs, a paleobiologist at Southern Methodist University.
Scientists already knew that the effects of the meteorite collision and its aftermath—at least in temperate zones—varied with local conditions and distance from the Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. New Zealand forests, for example, escaped relatively unscathed. But researchers have had no idea how the event changed the tropical rain forests of Africa or, until now, those of South America.
The new study, published in Science, analyzed tens of thousands of plant fossils and "represents a fundamental advance in knowledge,” says Peter Wilf, a geoscientist at Pennsylvania State University, who was not involved in the research. The findings paint a picture of a sudden, cataclysmic annihilation of life after the impact—but also of a phoenix-like rebirth in the millions of years afterward. Prior to the meteorite, the authors determined, South America’s forests featured many conifers and a brightly lit open canopy supporting a lush understory of ferns. Dinosaurs likely played key roles in maintaining these Cretaceous forests by knocking down trees and clearing out vegetation, among other things. Within moments of the Chicxulub meteorite’s impact, however, this ecosystem was irrevocably altered. Fires, which likely burned for several years, engulfed South America’s southerly forests.
It took six million years for the forests to return to the level of diversity they had before the meteorite, and the species that slowly grew back were completely different than what came before. Legumes—plants that form symbiotic relationships with bacteria that allow them to fix nitrogen from the air—were the first to appear, and they enriched the formerly nutrient-poor soil. This influx of nitrogen, along with phosphorus from the meteorite’s ash, enabled other flowering plants to thrive alongside the legumes and to displace conifers. As flowering species competed for light, they formed dense canopies of leaves and created the layered Amazon rain forest we know today.

Q. Which of the following statements is definitely TRUE according to the passage?

A.
Avian dinosaurs survived the meteorite strike and evolved into modern-day birds.
B.
The forest ecosystems in Africa and South America transformed drastically in the aftermath of a meteorite collision.
C.
Until recently, research in tropical forests was largely carried out by Asian and African palaeontologists.
D.
The South American rainforests that grew post the meteorite strike formed a different type of canopy than what they had earlier.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 13

In the first paragraph, the author states that the meteorite strike wiped out non-avian dinosaurs. However, the author does not discuss the fate of avian dinosaurs in the passage. Option A cannot be inferred.

The author states the following: "But researchers have had no idea how the event changed the tropical rain forests of Africa or, until now, those of South America." In the penultimate paragraph, the author notes that "Within moments of the Chicxulub meteorite’s impact, however, this ecosystem was irrevocably altered." This description, however, is only limited to South America's forest ecosystems. The author then extends on how these ecosystems changed drastically. However, no information is provided concerning forests in Africa; the author focuses solely on the alterations in the tropical rainforests of South America. Hence, Option B can be eliminated.

"Yet Western European and North American palaeontologists have paid little attention to tropical forests". This statement, however, does not imply that Asian and African palaeontologists majorly carried out the research. Option C can be eliminated as well.

{" Prior to the meteorite, the authors determined, South America’s forests featured many conifers and a brightly lit open canopy...As flowering species competed for light, they formed dense canopies of leaves and created the layered Amazon rain forest we know today.}

So, before the meteorite strike, the forests had open canopies, while currently, they have dense canopies. Option D can be inferred.

Hence, Option D is the correct choice.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 14

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Dinosaur and fossil aficionados are intimately familiar with the meteorite strike that drove Tyrannosaurus rex and all nonavian dinosaurs to extinction around 66 million years ago. But it is often overlooked that the impact also wiped out entire ecosystems. A new study shows how those casualties, in turn, led to another particularly profound evolutionary outcome: the emergence of the Amazon rain forest of South America, the most spectacularly diverse environment on the planet. Yet the Amazon’s bounty of tropical species and habitats now face their own existential threat because of unprecedented destruction from human activity, including land clearing for agriculture.
Modern-day rain forests are integral to life on Earth. The Amazon, in particular, plays a crucial role in regulating the planet’s freshwater cycle and climate. Yet Western European and North American palaeontologists have paid little attention to tropical forests, focusing instead on temperate latitudes. Many academic and amateur fossil hunters have also tended to write off warm, wet locales as a lost cause for finds because they have assumed that conditions there would prevent organic materials from being preserved long enough to fossilize. “It’s this combination of factors that has led us to this absence of much data in the tropics,” says Bonnie Jacobs, a paleobiologist at Southern Methodist University.
Scientists already knew that the effects of the meteorite collision and its aftermath—at least in temperate zones—varied with local conditions and distance from the Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. New Zealand forests, for example, escaped relatively unscathed. But researchers have had no idea how the event changed the tropical rain forests of Africa or, until now, those of South America.
The new study, published in Science, analyzed tens of thousands of plant fossils and "represents a fundamental advance in knowledge,” says Peter Wilf, a geoscientist at Pennsylvania State University, who was not involved in the research. The findings paint a picture of a sudden, cataclysmic annihilation of life after the impact—but also of a phoenix-like rebirth in the millions of years afterward. Prior to the meteorite, the authors determined, South America’s forests featured many conifers and a brightly lit open canopy supporting a lush understory of ferns. Dinosaurs likely played key roles in maintaining these Cretaceous forests by knocking down trees and clearing out vegetation, among other things. Within moments of the Chicxulub meteorite’s impact, however, this ecosystem was irrevocably altered. Fires, which likely burned for several years, engulfed South America’s southerly forests.
It took six million years for the forests to return to the level of diversity they had before the meteorite, and the species that slowly grew back were completely different than what came before. Legumes—plants that form symbiotic relationships with bacteria that allow them to fix nitrogen from the air—were the first to appear, and they enriched the formerly nutrient-poor soil. This influx of nitrogen, along with phosphorus from the meteorite’s ash, enabled other flowering plants to thrive alongside the legumes and to displace conifers. As flowering species competed for light, they formed dense canopies of leaves and created the layered Amazon rain forest we know today.

Q. According to the passage, academic and amateur fossil hunters paid little attention to tropical forests because:

A.
They believed fossils in temperate forests offered more information about the evolution of ecosystems.
B.
They believed tropical conditions largely favoured the preservation of inorganic remains and debris.
C.
They believed tropical conditions did not favour the fossilization of organic matter.
D.
They assumed that organic materials preserved in tropical conditions underwent compositional changes before turning into fossils.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 14

{Many academic and amateur fossil hunters have also tended to write off warm, wet locales as a lost cause for finds because they have assumed that conditions there would prevent organic materials from being preserved long enough to fossilize.} From this line, it can be inferred that they believed the tropical climate did not favour the fossilization of organic materials. Comparing the options, option C conveys this inference.

All other options are either distorted or do not convey the above point, central to the discussion.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 15

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Dinosaur and fossil aficionados are intimately familiar with the meteorite strike that drove Tyrannosaurus rex and all nonavian dinosaurs to extinction around 66 million years ago. But it is often overlooked that the impact also wiped out entire ecosystems. A new study shows how those casualties, in turn, led to another particularly profound evolutionary outcome: the emergence of the Amazon rain forest of South America, the most spectacularly diverse environment on the planet. Yet the Amazon’s bounty of tropical species and habitats now face their own existential threat because of unprecedented destruction from human activity, including land clearing for agriculture.
Modern-day rain forests are integral to life on Earth. The Amazon, in particular, plays a crucial role in regulating the planet’s freshwater cycle and climate. Yet Western European and North American palaeontologists have paid little attention to tropical forests, focusing instead on temperate latitudes. Many academic and amateur fossil hunters have also tended to write off warm, wet locales as a lost cause for finds because they have assumed that conditions there would prevent organic materials from being preserved long enough to fossilize. “It’s this combination of factors that has led us to this absence of much data in the tropics,” says Bonnie Jacobs, a paleobiologist at Southern Methodist University.
Scientists already knew that the effects of the meteorite collision and its aftermath—at least in temperate zones—varied with local conditions and distance from the Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. New Zealand forests, for example, escaped relatively unscathed. But researchers have had no idea how the event changed the tropical rain forests of Africa or, until now, those of South America.
The new study, published in Science, analyzed tens of thousands of plant fossils and "represents a fundamental advance in knowledge,” says Peter Wilf, a geoscientist at Pennsylvania State University, who was not involved in the research. The findings paint a picture of a sudden, cataclysmic annihilation of life after the impact—but also of a phoenix-like rebirth in the millions of years afterward. Prior to the meteorite, the authors determined, South America’s forests featured many conifers and a brightly lit open canopy supporting a lush understory of ferns. Dinosaurs likely played key roles in maintaining these Cretaceous forests by knocking down trees and clearing out vegetation, among other things. Within moments of the Chicxulub meteorite’s impact, however, this ecosystem was irrevocably altered. Fires, which likely burned for several years, engulfed South America’s southerly forests.
It took six million years for the forests to return to the level of diversity they had before the meteorite, and the species that slowly grew back were completely different than what came before. Legumes—plants that form symbiotic relationships with bacteria that allow them to fix nitrogen from the air—were the first to appear, and they enriched the formerly nutrient-poor soil. This influx of nitrogen, along with phosphorus from the meteorite’s ash, enabled other flowering plants to thrive alongside the legumes and to displace conifers. As flowering species competed for light, they formed dense canopies of leaves and created the layered Amazon rain forest we know today.

Q. Which of the following statements CAN be inferred from the passage?

I. The tropical rain forest ecosystem would not have developed had the dinosaurs not gone extinct.

II. Location of the impact crater is crucial to understanding the effects of the meteoritic collision.

III. The effects of the collision on African tropical rain forests were not known until recently.

IV. Fires caused by the meteoritic collision led to the depletion of soil nutrients.

A.
I and III
B.
Only II
C.
II, III and IV
D.
I, II and III

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 15

In the penultimate paragraph, the author states that dinosaurs played a crucial role in maintaining the pre-meteoritic ecosystem. However, it has not been implied that their extinction was necessary for the new ecosystem to develop. It was merely a chain of events. Statment I cannot be inferred.

{Scientists already knew that the effects of the meteorite collision and its aftermath—at least in temperate zones—varied with local conditions and distance from the Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.} Hence, the effects varied with distance from the crater. So the location of the crater is important. Statement II can be inferred.

{But researchers have had no idea how the event changed the tropical rain forests of Africa or, until now, those of South America.} The study is centred on the effects of the collision on South American forests. The effects on African tropical forests remain a mystery. Statement III is wrong.

Though the soil was deficient in nutrients for a long-time after the collision, the exact cause for this depletion has not been discussed in the passage. Statement iv cannot be inferred.

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 16

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

Dinosaur and fossil aficionados are intimately familiar with the meteorite strike that drove Tyrannosaurus rex and all nonavian dinosaurs to extinction around 66 million years ago. But it is often overlooked that the impact also wiped out entire ecosystems. A new study shows how those casualties, in turn, led to another particularly profound evolutionary outcome: the emergence of the Amazon rain forest of South America, the most spectacularly diverse environment on the planet. Yet the Amazon’s bounty of tropical species and habitats now face their own existential threat because of unprecedented destruction from human activity, including land clearing for agriculture.
Modern-day rain forests are integral to life on Earth. The Amazon, in particular, plays a crucial role in regulating the planet’s freshwater cycle and climate. Yet Western European and North American palaeontologists have paid little attention to tropical forests, focusing instead on temperate latitudes. Many academic and amateur fossil hunters have also tended to write off warm, wet locales as a lost cause for finds because they have assumed that conditions there would prevent organic materials from being preserved long enough to fossilize. “It’s this combination of factors that has led us to this absence of much data in the tropics,” says Bonnie Jacobs, a paleobiologist at Southern Methodist University.
Scientists already knew that the effects of the meteorite collision and its aftermath—at least in temperate zones—varied with local conditions and distance from the Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. New Zealand forests, for example, escaped relatively unscathed. But researchers have had no idea how the event changed the tropical rain forests of Africa or, until now, those of South America.
The new study, published in Science, analyzed tens of thousands of plant fossils and "represents a fundamental advance in knowledge,” says Peter Wilf, a geoscientist at Pennsylvania State University, who was not involved in the research. The findings paint a picture of a sudden, cataclysmic annihilation of life after the impact—but also of a phoenix-like rebirth in the millions of years afterward. Prior to the meteorite, the authors determined, South America’s forests featured many conifers and a brightly lit open canopy supporting a lush understory of ferns. Dinosaurs likely played key roles in maintaining these Cretaceous forests by knocking down trees and clearing out vegetation, among other things. Within moments of the Chicxulub meteorite’s impact, however, this ecosystem was irrevocably altered. Fires, which likely burned for several years, engulfed South America’s southerly forests.
It took six million years for the forests to return to the level of diversity they had before the meteorite, and the species that slowly grew back were completely different than what came before. Legumes—plants that form symbiotic relationships with bacteria that allow them to fix nitrogen from the air—were the first to appear, and they enriched the formerly nutrient-poor soil. This influx of nitrogen, along with phosphorus from the meteorite’s ash, enabled other flowering plants to thrive alongside the legumes and to displace conifers. As flowering species competed for light, they formed dense canopies of leaves and created the layered Amazon rain forest we know today.

Q. According to the passage, all of the following aided in the emergence of the Amazon rainforest ecosystem, EXCEPT:

A.
Nutrient-rich meteoritic ashes.
B.
Influx of nitrogen in the soil due to the presence of symbiotic relationships.
C.
Abundant rainfall in tropical regions.
D.
Competition among flowering plants for light.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 16

The passage does not discuss the impact of rainfall anywhere. Hence, option C is the answer.

All the other options can be inferred from the information presented in the last paragraph. {This influx of nitrogen, along with phosphorus from the meteorite’s ash, enabled other flowering plants to thrive alongside the legumes and to displace conifers. As flowering species competed for light, they formed dense canopies of leaves and created the layered Amazon rain forest we know today.}

*Answer can only contain numeric values

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 17

DIRECTIONS for the question: The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4) below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer:

Competition is the driving force behind the real benefits such systems achieve, but the logic of competition also imprisons its players to stay within their roles.
Liberal democracy is like capitalism, a game designed to make its players compete against each other for points and prizes.
As a result, democracies are surprisingly vulnerable to take over, as we have seen from the recent examples of Turkey, Hungary, and India.
It is no one's job to defend the system of rules governing that competition.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 17

After reading the given collection of statements, we identify that the core of the discussion appears to be liberal democracies and the inherent limitations associated with them. Statement 2 (independent sentence) first introduces us to this subject and sets the context, comparing liberal democracy to capitalism and subsequently to a competition/game. Sentence 1 follows 2 because the phrase 'such systems' (in 1) refers to liberal democracy and capitalism, discussed in the opening sentence. The author also describes the limitation originating from such competition: "imprisons its players to stay within their roles". Sentence 4 follows 1- 'that competition' (in 4) refers to the competition described in 1. Additionally, it adds to the preceding point that discusses the limitations. Finally, 3 ends the paragraph as it discusses a consequence of the drawback mentioned in 4. Hence, 2143 is the answer.

*Answer can only contain numeric values

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 18

DIRECTIONS for the question: The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4) below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer:

By definition, parasites live in or on a host and take something from that host.
Scientists warn of dire consequences if we disregard the rest.
This has made them the pariahs of the animal world.
But not all parasites cause noticeable harm to their hosts, and only a small percentage affect humans.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 18

Sentence 1 is the opening line, as it introduces the subject of discussion-parasites. 3 follows 1. Because of the behaviour mentioned in 1, parasites are seen as pariahs or outcasts. 42 form a bloc. 4 discusses the other side associated with parasites and why they may not be all bad. And 2 builds on 4, urging us to consider this other side. Hence, the correct order is 1342

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 19

The passage given below is followed by four summaries. Choose the option that best captures the author’s position.

The magnitude of plastic packaging that is used and casually discarded — air pillows, Bubble Wrap, shrink wrap, envelopes, bags — portends gloomy consequences. These single-use items are primarily made from polyethylene, though vinyl is also used. In marine environments, this plastic waste can cause disease and death for coral, fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Plastic debris is often mistaken for food, and microplastics release chemical toxins as they degrade. Data suggests that plastics have infiltrated human food webs and placentas. These plastics have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system, which releases hormones into the bloodstream that help control growth and development during childhood, among many other important processes.

A.
Increased plastic usage could lead to undesired consequences, infiltrating marine and human food webs, leading to poor health and shunted growth.
B.
Plastic waste can infiltrate marine and human food webs, significantly affecting health and quality of life.
C.
The ubiquity of plastic waste can have deleterious effects on marine organisms and humans; it can cause disease and inhibit growth.
D.
Unprocessed plastic waste can have a detrimental effect on humans and marine organisms; it affects health and inhibits growth.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 19

The passage predicts the dreary consequences of mounting plastic waste; it infiltrates both marine and human food webs. It causes disease and death in marine organisms, whereas by infiltrating human food webs, it inhibits growth and development during childhood.

Option A focuses on plastic usage, whereas the author is more concerned about plastic waste. Option A can be eliminated.

Option B talks about the effect on the quality of life, which has not been implied in the passage.

Option C covers all the key points discussed above. Option C is the answer.

Option D is close but is too narrow as it mentions only unprocessed plastic. The author does not make an explicit distinction.

*Answer can only contain numeric values

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 20

Five jumbled-up sentences, related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd one out and key in the number of the sentence as your answer.

1. Over the past fortnight, one of its finest and most celebrated champions managed to match Winbeldon's grandeur again.

2. Wimbledon’s grandeur and enigma evoke a sense of timelessness and mystique.

3. At 35 years and 342 days, Roger Federer was crowned the Wimbledon champion for the 8th time thereby becoming the oldest man to win the Wimbledon singles title in the open era.

4. Once he had won the first three rounds, the semi-finals and finals witnessed the true magic of a rested Federer

5. Given that his game isn’t reliant on explosive athleticism or muscular power ball striking, both of which are vulnerable to decay with age, there is a high chance that the reign of King Federer will continue further into the future

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 20

The whole passage revolves around the t imelessness of Wimbledon and Roger Federrer.
Statement 1, 2 and 3 are connected as they define the timelessness of Wimbledon and Roger Federrer.
Statement 4 and 5 are close. But statement 4 talks about only a particular event
Statement 5 via the phrase 'in to the future' connects with the central theme of timelessness

Hence Statement 4 is the odd one out.

*Answer can only contain numeric values

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 21

Five jumbled-up sentences, related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd one out and key in the number of the sentence as your answer.

1. Quantum computing harnesses the peculiar dynamics of quantum physics to process information in novel ways.

2. Classical computing, the traditional form, operates with binary bits using 0s and 1s in a linear sequence.

3. The advent of quantum algorithms promises resolutions to complex problems unreachable by current machines.

4. These systems are revolutionizing climate study simulations with their advanced modeling.

5. In stark contrast, quantum bits, or qubits, can hold a vast amount of information, expanding computational boundaries exponentially.

Detailed Solution for CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 21

Statements 1, 2, 3, and 5 form a cohesive explanation of quantum computing, contrasting it with classical computing and emphasizing the revolutionary capacity of quantum systems.
Statement 4, which specifically relates quantum computing to climate studies, diverges from the general theme of defining quantum computing and its fundamental differences from classical computing.

*Answer can only contain numeric values

CAT Mock Test- 3 - Question 22

Direction: Choose the most logical order of sentences from among the given choices to construct a coherent paragraph.

1. This is only partially true because while most of the fighting did take place on the continent, one of the largest and most sophisticated undertakings of the war was conducted mainly at sea.

2. While the land war certainly contributed to the Entente's (Britain, France, Italy, U.S.) victory in 1918, it was the blockade that truly broke Germany's back.

3. This operation was the British blockade from 1914-1919 which sought to obstruct Germany's ability to import goods, and thus in the most literal sense starve the Germ

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