CAT Mock Test- 6 (November 8) - CAT MCQ

In the passage, the author comments on a human fallacy. They are more excited about the 'oomph' factor associated with comprehending an idea and are less concerned about analysing the idea's quality, as it's laborious and often unrewarding. This often results in people misinterpreting the true value/usefulness of the idea.
Option A is a distortion as the passage does not state that people are primarily motivated by an idea's ability to disrupt the prevalent worldview.
Option B talks about gratification, which is tangential to the discussion. 
Option C conveys the above inference. People are drawn to ideas, but they are often reluctant to carry out a qualitative analysis, leading to false impressions about the true worth of these ideas. Option C is the answer.
Option D has not been implied in the passage.

"We allow ideas' psychological effects on us rather their logical qualities to determine how we receive them. Unfortunately, given the way human minds work, bad ideas are more likely to have these attractive psychological effects than good ones." Statement I can be inferred from these lines. Hence, the author is likely to agree with it.
Statement II has not been implied in the passage. In the penultimate paragraph, the author comments that the feeling of gaining new knowledge and perspective clouds our ability to judge the quality of the ideas, including the bad ones. Furthermore, the statement is in sharp contrast to what the author discusses. To conclude that an idea is bad or good, people must assess its quality.  But according to the author, people almost always avoid this exercise. Hence, Statement II is wrong.
The author states the following about new ideas- {Indeed they do allow us to see the world differently. But while that shift in perspective generates a feeling of insight, that is not in itself evidence that we are now seeing things as they truly are.} So, the author does believe in an idea's ability to generate a fresh perspective but wants people to carry out a qualitative evaluation before confirming it. Hence, the author will agree with Statement III.
Statement IV is a distortion. The author states, "Unfortunately, most ideas are bad - wrong, misleading, dangerous, or of very limited use or relevance. " But he is also worried about the dreadful consequences of bad ideas, like conspiracy theories. So, though of little value, these ideas can have a big impact on the functioning of the world. Statement IV does not align with the author's view.
Statement II and IV are not likely to receive the author's approval. Hence, Option B is the answer. 

"....getting an idea is just a matter of understanding it (or thinking that you do) and this is just as easy in the case of bad ideas as it is for good ones..." Thus, the author opines that both good ideas and bad ideas require a similar intellectual effort to understand them. However, since they are classified in the passage as good and bad by the author, they differ in quality by default.
Option A is a distortion. It is not possible to conclude that these ideas are understood equally by all. There could always be a subjective element involved.
Option B is wrong. They are distinguishable and are not of equal quality.
Option C conveys the author's position correctly and is the answer.
Option D has not been implied in the passage. It can be eliminated.

Let us pay heed to the following excerpt: {"...it might force the victim to reconcile with the perpetrator in an effort to end the behaviour, even if the victim doesn’t know why they’re apologizing..."} The author claims that the victims of ostracism might apologise to reconcile with the perpetrator despite being unaware of their mistake (unable to pinpoint them). However, the author doesn't establish a corollary to the same, which suggests that the perpetrators are at fault and are not justified in their treatment of the victims, hence undeserving of an apology. Hence, Option A is not true as per the passage. 
"...Some people may not even consciously choose it at all..." - this line from the passage makes Option B true.
"...The silent treatment might be employed by passive personality types to avoid conflict and confrontation..." - this line from the passage makes option D true as well.
"One study found that social rejection provoked a response in its victims similar to that of victims of physical abuse; the anterior cingulate cortex area of the brain—the area thought to interpret emotion and pain—was active in both instances." The silent treatment is a form of social rejection. Hence, option C is true.
Hence, Option A is the correct choice. 

"The silent treatment is a particularly insidious form of abuse because it might force the victim to reconcile with the perpetrator in an effort to end the behavior, even if the victim doesn’t know why they’re apologizing. “It’s especially controlling because it deprives both sides from weighing in,” Williams said." From these lines, it is clear that both the victim and the perpetrator may not be entirely approving of the manner of reconciliation. But nevertheless, the author does not assert that the perpetrators reject these reconciliatory efforts in most cases. Further evidence is required to validate this claim. Hence, option A cannot be inferred. 
It is mentioned in the passage that giving the silent treatment may become addictive for the perpetrator, but it is not enough for us to infer whether the extent of addiction is the same as that associated with the consumption of hard drugs. Option C cannot be inferred.
In the passage, it has been mentioned that not only does the victim get harmed, but also the perpetrator himself. But, from this, we cannot infer the relative degree of harm caused. Option D cannot be inferred.
From the fifth paragraph, we can infer that the perpetrator can either consciously or unintentionally give someone a silent treatment. If the choice was made consciously, then the reasons would vary with different personality types. But it does not matter to the victim. What matters to him is that he feels abandoned. So, option B can be inferred.

In the last paragraph, the author makes the following observation - "Humans are predisposed to reciprocate social cues, so ignoring someone goes against our nature, Williams said. The perpetrator is therefore forced to justify the behaviour in order to keep doing it; they keep in mind all the reasons they’re choosing to ignore someone."
So, the perpetrators are forced to justify their behaviour because it goes against inherent human nature. Comparing the options, option B captures this idea correctly and is the answer.
Options A and C have not been implied in the passage and can be safely eliminated.
Though the silent treatment can be addictive, the author does not discuss the link between justification and prolonging the addiction in the passage. Option D can be eliminated as well.

The reason behind this labelling can be found in the following excerpt: { Worse, the silent treatment can become addictive. The father who couldn’t force himself to speak to his son again suffered the way many addicts suffer—through repeating an activity despite knowing its harm. “Most people who start giving the silent treatment never intend for it to go on for as long as it does, but it can be very difficult to stop,” Williams told me. “It’s psychological quicksand.” } The author highlights the detriment that silent treatment causes to the perpetrators - it becomes difficult to escape such behaviour. A quicksand often appears to be deceptively solid to tread; however, the moment you step on it, it entraps you and makes it nearly impossible to escape. Thus, from the above lines, it is evident that the 'psychological quicksand' is a metaphor for the addictive and non-abating nature of ostracism. On comparing the given options, we notice that Option C is closest to this interpretation.
The other options are tangential to the discussion and do not convey the point discussed above:
Option A: The focus is on the perpetrators and not on the victims. Thus, Option A can be eliminated.
Option B: The statement here partially captures the idea but fails to fails to hit the nail on the head. "What kind of behavioural transformation occurs?" - This question needs to be answered. The option, in this case, does not tell us about the manner of this psychological change and hence, can be discarded. 
Option D: This contains a distortion of the vicious cycle and thus can be eliminated.
Hence, Option C is the correct answer.

"And, as reformers well know, it does not always matter where the reform starts—if it starts at all, it magnetizes other reforms toward it." So, once one reform movement starts, it could expand to include under its umbrella other reform movements as well. Option A can be inferred.
In the antepenultimate paragraph, the author discusses how state and local level regulations have resulted in a decrease in motor-vehicle incidents. Also, in the third paragraph, the author points out that states with strong gun laws have significantly fewer gun deaths. Hence, the author would agree with option B.
"The truth of reform is that it can begin anywhere, on any scale, and, once begun, it tends to be self-renewing." Reform, once it has begun, can be self-renewing. Hence, option c can be inferred.
Option D runs contrary to the author's efforts in the passage. The author mentions Yglesias' counsel and says that this is a policy of despair. In fact, he argues in the subsequent paragraphs that we need not resign ourselves to this policy. Hence, the author is not likely to argue for heeding the counsel.
Therefore, Option D is the correct answer. 

In the first paragraph, the author makes the following observation- 
{Many of these stories were consequence-free, such as the widely believed report in 1569 of a Leicestershire woman who was “confirmed” to have given birth to a cat. Others led to tragedy and horror, such as viral rumours that the Black Plague was caused by Jews poisoning wells, which led to executions and violent pogroms throughout Europe} Thus, the consequences of rumours were not always serious but, on occasions, have attracted tragedy and horror. Comparing the options, Option A conveys this inference correctly.
Option B: deceives the author's tone in the passage. The author is wary of the consequences of peddling fake news. Option B is more of a reassuring statement, which is not the author's intention. Additionally, the author doesn't talk about the repercussions with a time span in his mind; instead, his focus is on the severity of the outcome. Option B can be eliminated.
Option C: Although the examples discussed led to consequences that fall on either end of the spectrum, this cannot be generalised. This is not the author's main intention.
Option D: comes close but contains 2 distortions. The author does not say that the pogroms against the Jews were unexpected. Also, the degree has been altered from 'many' to 'most' when it comes to the number of cases that are harmless.
Hence, Option A is the correct answer.

In the passage, the author advocates the need for verifying the content that's circulated online and is wary of the pace and scale at which misinformation is promulgated in the absence of a friction mechanism.
Option A is in line with the author's concern. It would slow down the pace of information exchange and sharing. It would also nudge people to evaluate the content before sharing. Similarly, Options C and D do not contradict the author's viewpoint. They serve to render requisite friction (the option to verify content) and thereby reduce the spread of misinformation.
In the last paragraph, the author mentions that "Reduced friction has enabled important new voices to be heard". The author is more concerned about the veracity of the information and not the source of it. The measure described in Option B may stifle genuine information from sources that wish to be anonymous, and hence, the author might be reluctant to agree with such a proposition.
Hence, Option B is the correct choice. 

At first glance, either 1 or 3 would make a suitable opening sentence; but on looking through all the sentences, it becomes clear that sentence 1 encapsulates the main topic of the paragraph (the distribution of camelids) better, and so makes for a better first sentence. Sentences 3 and 5 then follow from 1, as they talk about the origin and spread of camelids, respectively, in chronological order. Sentence 2 states that the original camelids of North America disappeared; and sentence 4 lists the species groups of camelids that survived on other continents. Thus, 2 and 4 illustrate the point stated in the first sentence – that the current distribution of camelids is the reverse of their origin – and therefore, together, they conclude the paragraph. Hence, 13524.

To determine the correct placement of the sentence, we need to consider the overall flow and coherence of the paragraph. Let's analyze each option:

- Option 1: Placing the sentence as the first sentence of the paragraph would provide a clear introduction to the topic of mental health being a taboo. It sets the context for the following sentences that discuss the causes and challenges related to mental health. This option is correct.

- Option 2: Placing the sentence as the second sentence of the paragraph disrupts the flow. It would jump straight into discussing the causes of mental health issues without introducing the topic of mental health being a taboo. This option is incorrect.

- Option 3: Placing the sentence as the third sentence of the paragraph would disrupt the flow. It would discuss awareness campaigns and access to professional help without establishing the context of mental health being a taboo. This option is incorrect.

- Option 4: Placing the sentence as the last sentence of the paragraph would disrupt the flow. It would conclude the paragraph without addressing the challenges related to mental health and the need to overcome prejudices. This option is incorrect.

Therefore, the correct answer is option A: 1.

The passage emphasizes the ethical concerns and environmental impacts surrounding space tourism, advocating for regulations. Option B captures this essence, discussing both the need for mitigating environmental harm and addressing the economic aspects. The other options either disregard key points or present inaccurate affirmations.

The author mentions that the Pleiades have a profound impact. They are not profound in the night-sky. The author mentions that they sometimes vanish from the vision and are barely visible at other times. 

Option A can be eliminated since the author explains the philosophical aspects of the light from the Pleiades. The author does not reduce the significance of the Pleiades to their utility. Therefore, we can eliminate option A.

Option B can be eliminated since it mentions that the stars are invisible. They are barely visible and vanish from the vision sometimes.

We can eliminate option D since it mentions that the Pleiades are profound in the night-sky.
Only option C is correct (the Pleiades are at times not visible to the human eye) and hence, it is the right answer.

Nowhere has it been mentioned that the author was frightened on hearing the shriek. We can eliminate option D.

It has been given in the first passage that the candle flame jumps on the shriek. Also, the groaning noise slowly rises to a shriek. It is unlikely for a candle flame to shudder due to noise. The shriek should have been caused due to the flow of the wind and the candle should have shuddered due to the wind (not due to the noise). Therefore, option B is the right answer. 

None of the options can be inferred from the passage. The passage is about the author's preference for candlelight while reading a book in bed, and does not provide any information about academic administrators, professors, or motivators of productivity in an academic setup.

(a) The Etre speedometer is the costliest among the four brands of speedometer.
(g) Tajaj engines are the cheapest among the four engine brands.
(c) Chelin tires can be fitted only with Abco brakes and Tajaj engine.
(e) The costliest brakes are neither of Cando nor of Losa brand.
(f) Abco brakes and Lanta speedometer are used on the same bike.

(b) Losa brakes can be fitted only with Kapollo tires.
(h) Dale speedometer cannot be used with Chelin and Kapollo tires.
(d) NRF tires cannot be fitted with Genfield engine, and Zeat tires can be fitted only with Kamaha engine.

Possibility 1

Possibility 2

(a) The Etre speedometer is the costliest among the four brands of speedometer.
(g) Tajaj engines are the cheapest among the four engine brands.
(c) Chelin tires can be fitted only with Abco brakes and Tajaj engine.
(e) The costliest brakes are neither of Cando nor of Losa brand.
(f) Abco brakes and Lanta speedometer are used on the same bike.

(b) Losa brakes can be fitted only with Kapollo tires.
(h) Dale speedometer cannot be used with Chelin and Kapollo tires.
(d) NRF tires cannot be fitted with Genfield engine, and Zeat tires can be fitted only with Kamaha engine.

Possibility 1

Possibility 2

Hence, option 3 is the right choice.

(a) The Etre speedometer is the costliest among the four brands of speedometer.
(g) Tajaj engines are the cheapest among the four engine brands.
(c) Chelin tires can be fitted only with Abco brakes and Tajaj engine.
(e) The costliest brakes are neither of Cando nor of Losa brand.
(f) Abco brakes and Lanta speedometer are used on the same bike.

(b) Losa brakes can be fitted only with Kapollo tires.
(h) Dale speedometer cannot be used with Chelin and Kapollo tires.
(d) NRF tires cannot be fitted with Genfield engine, and Zeat tires can be fitted only with Kamaha engine.

Possibility 1

Possibility 2

option 2 is the right choice.

There were three teams A, B and C that took part in the quiz. Each team was asked 4 questions before the next team got its chance. Thus, a round was completed after 12 questions. A total of 54 questions were asked, out of which 37 were answered correctly and 17 incorrectly. This means that the first team was asked (4 × 4 + 4) 20 questions, the next team got (4 × 4 + 2) 18 questions and the third got 16 questions.
Scores of teams were as follows: A = 500, B = 340, C = 240
Suppose team A got X questions (X can be 20, 18 or 16), out of which team A gave 'a' answers correctly and X - a incorrectly. Total incorrect answers were 17.
a × 20 + (17 - (X - a)) × 10 = 500
a = (33 + X)/3
As a is an integer, X should be divisible by 3, i.e. X should be 18.
a = (33 + 18)/3 = 17
Similarly, for teams B and C, we get

Only 1 question was answered incorrectly by Team A.

After each truck crossed from Lap 3, Truck-1, Truck-2, Truck-3, Truck-4, Truck-5 and Truck-6 used a total of 50, 75, 100, 50, 70 and 35 respectively.
Since they all had the same quantity after using this quantity of fuel, Truck-1, Truck-2, Truck-3, Truck-4, Truck-5 and Truck-6 would have started with x + 50, x + 75, x + 100, x + 50, x + 70 and x + 35 respectively.

The following table provides the quantity of fuel in them after they crossed from each Lap:

Since each truck used at least 50% of the quantity of fuel that it initially had, Truck-1 must have used 50% of x + 50. But Truck-1 used a total of 110.
Hence, 
Similarly, for Truck-2 we get x ≤ 145.
For Truck-3, we get x ≤ 150. For Truck-4, we get x ≤ 150.
For Truck-5 we get x ≤ 210.
For Truck-6 we get x ≤ 155.
For each truck to spend at least 50%. x can be at most 145.
Hence, the maximum quantity with any truck will be 245.

Total number of people having the disease = (1/7) x 140000 = 20000
Let number of patients given A be x.
Therefore, the number of patients given B = 20000 - x 
Therefore, 

x = 14000

Let the length of each side of the outermost square be a.
Hence, the length of each side of the second square = 
The radius of circle = length of side of square / 2 = 
Let the side of the square inside the circle be b.

Hence, b =a/2
Similarly, the side of the square inner to this square = 
Similarly radius of the inner circle = 
And it continues.
Hence, the sum of areas of the squares =  ...

Hence, ratio = 

xy + 5x + 6y < 20

If we add 30 to both sides, we can easily factorize the left side.

xy + 5x + 6y + 30 < 50

x(y+5) + 6(y+5) < 50

(y+5)(x+6) < 50

(x+6)(y+5) < 50

It has been given that x is a whole number and y is a natural number.

Hence, let us assume the above inequality as AB < 50, where A = x+6 and B = y+5

Since, x ≥ 0 and y ≥ 1, the minimum value of A = 6 and the minimum value of B = 6

Hence, possible ordered pairs of A and B satisfying the inequality is,

6 x 6 < 50

6 x 7 < 50

6 x 8 < 50

7 x 6 < 50

7 x 7 < 50

8 x 6 < 50

Hence, (A,B) can be (6,6), (6,7), (6,8), (7,6), (7,7) or (8,6).

Hence, ordered pair (x,y) can be (0,1), (0,2), (0,3), (1,1), (1,2), (2,1).

Hence, count = 6

f(g(x),h(x)) = 2

log_h(x) g (x) = 2

log_2x+1​ x³ − 2x² + 7x + 11 = 2

(2x+1)² = x³ − 2x² + 7x + 11

4x² + 4x + 1 = x³ − 2x² + 7x + 11

x³ − 6x² + 3x + 10 = 0

Also, x = -1 satisfies the above equation. Hence, (x+1) is a factor of the expression.

Using algebraic division and further factorization, we get

(x+1) (x-2) (x-5) = 0

Hence, the roots are -1, 2 and 5.

But if we consider -1, the base of the logarithm, 2x + 1 becomes -1, which is  not possible, hence the only possible values are 2 and 5.

Hence, sum = 7.

Let Shopkeeper buy 100 kgs of oranges at the cost Rs P/kg

The total cost incurred by the shopkeeper = 100P

Profit expected by him is 10%, therefore the amount he should get after selling his oranges = (1 + 10%)100P = 110P

However, 15% of the oranges were damaged. So he is left with 85% of 100 kg = 85 kgs of Oranges.

Let him markup the price by x

Then 85 (1+x%) P = 110P

(1 + x%) = 110​/85

(1 + x%) = 1.2941

x% = 29.41%

Let the roots be p and q.
The given quadratic equation can be written as ax² + bx + c, where a = 1, b = - (A - 3), c = - (A - 7).
The sum of the roots is (p + q) = (-b/a) = (A - 3), and the product of the roots is (pq) = (c/a) = (- A + 7).
The sum of the squares of the roots is [(p + q)² - 2pq ] = (A - 3)² - 2(-A + 7) = 0.
Solving this quadratic, we get A = 5 or A = -1.
Neither of these values is among the first three choices.

Let the amounts contributed by Minku, Tinku, Pinku and Rinku be m, t, p and r, respectively.
According to the question,
m = (t + p + r)/5
Adding m to both sides,
6m = m + t + p + r = 360
or m = 60 ---(I)

According to the question,
t = (m + p + r)/4
4t = m + p + r
Adding t to both sides,
5t = m + t + p + r = 360
t = 72 ---(II)

According to the question,
p = (m + t + r)/3
3p = m + t + r
Adding p to both sides,
4p = m + t + p + r = 360
p = 90 ---(III)
Hence, r = 360 - (m + t + p) = 360 - (60 + 72 + 90) = 138

Let the roots of f'(x) = -a,a

The distance between the minima of f(x) and f'(x) = 5. This implies that f(x) has been shifted 5 units towards the left to get f'(x).

Hence, the roots of f(x) = -a+5 and a+5.

Hence, sum of roots of f(x) = -a+5+a+5 = 10 units.

The integral part of the logarithm (base 10) of a natural number is always 1 less than the no. of digits in it. So the integral part of f(x) is 25.