XAT 2011: Previous Year Question Paper with Solutions

 Page 1


XAT 2011
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
Instructions [1 - 4 ]
Read the  following  discussion/passage  and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.
Of the several features of the Toyota Production System that have been widely studied, most important is the mode of governance of
the shop - floor at Toyota. Work and inter - relations between workers are highly scripted in extremely detailed ‘operating procedures’
that have to be followed rigidly, without any deviation at Toyota. Despite such rule - bound rigidity, however, Toyota does not become a
‘command - control system’. It is able to retain the character of a learning organization
In fact, many observers characterize it as a community of scientists carrying out several small experiments simultaneously. The design
of the operating procedure is the key. Every principal must find an expression in the operating procedure – that is how it has an effect in
the domain of action. Workers on the shop - floor, often in teams, design the ‘operating procedure’ jointly with the supervisor through a
series of hypothesis that are proposed and validated or refuted through experiments in action. The rigid and detailed ‘operating
procedure’ specification throws up problems of the very minute kind; while its resolution leads to a reframing of the procedure and
specifications. This inter - temporal change (or flexibility) of the specification (or operating procedure) is done at the lowest level of the
organization; i.e. closest to the site of action.
One implication of this arrangement is that system design can no longer be rationally optimal and standardized across the organization.
It is quite common to find different work norms in contiguous assembly lines, because each might have faced a different set of
problems and devised different counter - measures to tackle it. Design of the coordinating process that essentially imposes the
discipline that is required in large - scale complex manufacturing systems is therefore customized to variations in man - machine
context of the site of action. It evolves through numerous points of negotiation throughout the organization. It implies then that the
higher levels of the hierarchy do not exercise the power of the fiat in setting work rules, for such work rules are no longer a standard set
across the whole organization.
It might be interesting to go through the basic Toyota philosophy that underlines its system designing practices. The notion of the ideal
production system in Toyota embraces the following -‘the ability to deliver just - in - time (or on demand) a customer order in the exact
specification demanded, in a batch size of one (and hence an infinite proliferation of variants, models and specifications), defect - free,
without wastage of material, labour, energy or motion in a safe and (physically and emotionally) fulfilling production environment’. It did
not embrace the concept of a standardized product that can be cheap by giving up variations. Preserving consumption variety was seen,
in fact, as one mode of serving society. It is interesting to note that the articulation of the Toyota philosophy was made around roughly
the same time that the Fordist system was establishing itself in the US automotive industry.
1. What can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range of models in a
defect - free fashion?
A    Large scale complex manufacturing systems
B    Intellectual capital of the company’s management
C    Loans taken by the company from banks and financial institutions
D    Ability of the workers to evolve solutions to problems
E    Skill and charisma of the top leadership
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, it can be inferred that the workers come up with solution to unique problems that come up during
manufacturing . Hence, option D can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range
of models in a defect - free fashion.
Hence, option D is the correct answer.
  
2. Which of the following can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work?
  
.
Page 2


XAT 2011
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
Instructions [1 - 4 ]
Read the  following  discussion/passage  and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.
Of the several features of the Toyota Production System that have been widely studied, most important is the mode of governance of
the shop - floor at Toyota. Work and inter - relations between workers are highly scripted in extremely detailed ‘operating procedures’
that have to be followed rigidly, without any deviation at Toyota. Despite such rule - bound rigidity, however, Toyota does not become a
‘command - control system’. It is able to retain the character of a learning organization
In fact, many observers characterize it as a community of scientists carrying out several small experiments simultaneously. The design
of the operating procedure is the key. Every principal must find an expression in the operating procedure – that is how it has an effect in
the domain of action. Workers on the shop - floor, often in teams, design the ‘operating procedure’ jointly with the supervisor through a
series of hypothesis that are proposed and validated or refuted through experiments in action. The rigid and detailed ‘operating
procedure’ specification throws up problems of the very minute kind; while its resolution leads to a reframing of the procedure and
specifications. This inter - temporal change (or flexibility) of the specification (or operating procedure) is done at the lowest level of the
organization; i.e. closest to the site of action.
One implication of this arrangement is that system design can no longer be rationally optimal and standardized across the organization.
It is quite common to find different work norms in contiguous assembly lines, because each might have faced a different set of
problems and devised different counter - measures to tackle it. Design of the coordinating process that essentially imposes the
discipline that is required in large - scale complex manufacturing systems is therefore customized to variations in man - machine
context of the site of action. It evolves through numerous points of negotiation throughout the organization. It implies then that the
higher levels of the hierarchy do not exercise the power of the fiat in setting work rules, for such work rules are no longer a standard set
across the whole organization.
It might be interesting to go through the basic Toyota philosophy that underlines its system designing practices. The notion of the ideal
production system in Toyota embraces the following -‘the ability to deliver just - in - time (or on demand) a customer order in the exact
specification demanded, in a batch size of one (and hence an infinite proliferation of variants, models and specifications), defect - free,
without wastage of material, labour, energy or motion in a safe and (physically and emotionally) fulfilling production environment’. It did
not embrace the concept of a standardized product that can be cheap by giving up variations. Preserving consumption variety was seen,
in fact, as one mode of serving society. It is interesting to note that the articulation of the Toyota philosophy was made around roughly
the same time that the Fordist system was establishing itself in the US automotive industry.
1. What can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range of models in a
defect - free fashion?
A    Large scale complex manufacturing systems
B    Intellectual capital of the company’s management
C    Loans taken by the company from banks and financial institutions
D    Ability of the workers to evolve solutions to problems
E    Skill and charisma of the top leadership
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, it can be inferred that the workers come up with solution to unique problems that come up during
manufacturing . Hence, option D can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range
of models in a defect - free fashion.
Hence, option D is the correct answer.
  
2. Which of the following can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work?
  
.
A    
Existence of workers’ union to protect worker’s rights
B    Existence of powerful management to create unique strategies
C    Cordial worker - management relations to have industrial peace
D    High management involvement towards problems identified by workers
E    Management’s faith in workers’ abilities to solve problems in a rigorous manner
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, option E can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
3. Based on the above passage, which of the following statements is best justified?
A    
Workers have significant control rights over the design of work rules that allow worker skills and ingenuity to
continuously search for novel micro - solutions using information that often sticks to the local micro - context of the
work.
B    
Managers have significant control rights over the design of work rules that allow worker skills and ingenuity to
continuously search for novel micro - solutions around micro - information that often sticks to the local micro -
context of the work.
C    
Work rules enable the workers to report problems faced at the shop - floor to specialised personnel who set up
experiments to replicate the conditions. This allows the specialists to come up with solutions that are rigorously
tested in experimental conditions.
D    
Toyota as an organisation has extensive networks with different specialists who are subject matter experts in
different fields. These networks allow problems to be resolved in the most advanced manner, enabling Toyota to
beat the competition.
E    
Toyota’s products are extensively tested by customers in simulated conditions before they are released to the
market. This extensive testing is done by workers who double up as a community of scientists experimenting to
develop the most advanced product.
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
From the answers of the first two questions, option A can be inferred.
Hence, option A is the correct answer.
4. What could be the best defence of the “different work norms in contiguous assembly lines”?
A    
Without such variation allowed, rights of manager to design work - rules would have made very little sense, making
the company similar to Ford.
B    
Prescribing standardised work norms would prevent Toyota from benefiting from workers’ problem solving ability in
resolving different kinds of problems that emerge, thus making it difficult to attain the Toyota philosophy.
C    If similarities were imposed, rights of workers to experiment with work - rules would have made very little sense.
D    
Standardisation of work rules is only justified when the investments in plants are huge and experimenting with the
work rules would be detrimental to the efficiency of the plants. Since Toyota’s plants typically involved low
investment, it could tolerate non standard work rules.
E    
With standardisation of processes, right of the workers in design of work - rules made sense. Since Toyota’s
manufacturing processes were non - standardised, the different work norms did not make sense.
 
  
.
Page 3


XAT 2011
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
Instructions [1 - 4 ]
Read the  following  discussion/passage  and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.
Of the several features of the Toyota Production System that have been widely studied, most important is the mode of governance of
the shop - floor at Toyota. Work and inter - relations between workers are highly scripted in extremely detailed ‘operating procedures’
that have to be followed rigidly, without any deviation at Toyota. Despite such rule - bound rigidity, however, Toyota does not become a
‘command - control system’. It is able to retain the character of a learning organization
In fact, many observers characterize it as a community of scientists carrying out several small experiments simultaneously. The design
of the operating procedure is the key. Every principal must find an expression in the operating procedure – that is how it has an effect in
the domain of action. Workers on the shop - floor, often in teams, design the ‘operating procedure’ jointly with the supervisor through a
series of hypothesis that are proposed and validated or refuted through experiments in action. The rigid and detailed ‘operating
procedure’ specification throws up problems of the very minute kind; while its resolution leads to a reframing of the procedure and
specifications. This inter - temporal change (or flexibility) of the specification (or operating procedure) is done at the lowest level of the
organization; i.e. closest to the site of action.
One implication of this arrangement is that system design can no longer be rationally optimal and standardized across the organization.
It is quite common to find different work norms in contiguous assembly lines, because each might have faced a different set of
problems and devised different counter - measures to tackle it. Design of the coordinating process that essentially imposes the
discipline that is required in large - scale complex manufacturing systems is therefore customized to variations in man - machine
context of the site of action. It evolves through numerous points of negotiation throughout the organization. It implies then that the
higher levels of the hierarchy do not exercise the power of the fiat in setting work rules, for such work rules are no longer a standard set
across the whole organization.
It might be interesting to go through the basic Toyota philosophy that underlines its system designing practices. The notion of the ideal
production system in Toyota embraces the following -‘the ability to deliver just - in - time (or on demand) a customer order in the exact
specification demanded, in a batch size of one (and hence an infinite proliferation of variants, models and specifications), defect - free,
without wastage of material, labour, energy or motion in a safe and (physically and emotionally) fulfilling production environment’. It did
not embrace the concept of a standardized product that can be cheap by giving up variations. Preserving consumption variety was seen,
in fact, as one mode of serving society. It is interesting to note that the articulation of the Toyota philosophy was made around roughly
the same time that the Fordist system was establishing itself in the US automotive industry.
1. What can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range of models in a
defect - free fashion?
A    Large scale complex manufacturing systems
B    Intellectual capital of the company’s management
C    Loans taken by the company from banks and financial institutions
D    Ability of the workers to evolve solutions to problems
E    Skill and charisma of the top leadership
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, it can be inferred that the workers come up with solution to unique problems that come up during
manufacturing . Hence, option D can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range
of models in a defect - free fashion.
Hence, option D is the correct answer.
  
2. Which of the following can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work?
  
.
A    
Existence of workers’ union to protect worker’s rights
B    Existence of powerful management to create unique strategies
C    Cordial worker - management relations to have industrial peace
D    High management involvement towards problems identified by workers
E    Management’s faith in workers’ abilities to solve problems in a rigorous manner
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, option E can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
3. Based on the above passage, which of the following statements is best justified?
A    
Workers have significant control rights over the design of work rules that allow worker skills and ingenuity to
continuously search for novel micro - solutions using information that often sticks to the local micro - context of the
work.
B    
Managers have significant control rights over the design of work rules that allow worker skills and ingenuity to
continuously search for novel micro - solutions around micro - information that often sticks to the local micro -
context of the work.
C    
Work rules enable the workers to report problems faced at the shop - floor to specialised personnel who set up
experiments to replicate the conditions. This allows the specialists to come up with solutions that are rigorously
tested in experimental conditions.
D    
Toyota as an organisation has extensive networks with different specialists who are subject matter experts in
different fields. These networks allow problems to be resolved in the most advanced manner, enabling Toyota to
beat the competition.
E    
Toyota’s products are extensively tested by customers in simulated conditions before they are released to the
market. This extensive testing is done by workers who double up as a community of scientists experimenting to
develop the most advanced product.
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
From the answers of the first two questions, option A can be inferred.
Hence, option A is the correct answer.
4. What could be the best defence of the “different work norms in contiguous assembly lines”?
A    
Without such variation allowed, rights of manager to design work - rules would have made very little sense, making
the company similar to Ford.
B    
Prescribing standardised work norms would prevent Toyota from benefiting from workers’ problem solving ability in
resolving different kinds of problems that emerge, thus making it difficult to attain the Toyota philosophy.
C    If similarities were imposed, rights of workers to experiment with work - rules would have made very little sense.
D    
Standardisation of work rules is only justified when the investments in plants are huge and experimenting with the
work rules would be detrimental to the efficiency of the plants. Since Toyota’s plants typically involved low
investment, it could tolerate non standard work rules.
E    
With standardisation of processes, right of the workers in design of work - rules made sense. Since Toyota’s
manufacturing processes were non - standardised, the different work norms did not make sense.
 
  
.
Explanation:
Only option B talks about the philosophy of Toyata system where worker can use their problem solving ability to tackle different kinds of
problems. Right of manager mentioned in option A, right of workers in C, and low investment in Toyata plants cannot be inferred from
the passage. Option E is contradictory.
         
5. The author has _________ his composition to the best of his _________; yet listen to it with a sympathetic ___________, O
_____________ souls, and judge it.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    honed, insights, mind, distinguished
B    polished, intellect, mind, noble
C    polished, mind, intellect, noble
D    refined, ingenuity, heart, righteous
E    refined, thoughts, heart, righteous
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
1st blank can be filled either by polished or refined as honed is used for "sharpen". 
2nd blank can be filled by something which a personal trait or an ability. Therefore, ingenuity and intellect deemed a good fit.
For 3rd blank, a sympathetic heart is better than a sympathetic mind. 
Hence, option D is the correct answer. 
6. There is much difficulty ________ getting ________ this place and it is not possible to reach ___________ without the grace of the
lord.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    in; to; it
B    to; to; it
C    to; in; it
D    in; in; in
E    in; to; to
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
'In' is used with difficulty and 'to' is used with getting. The word after 'reach' will refer to place, so it must be 'it'.
Hence, option A is the correct answer.
7. _________ you have a doubt, why not go and verify? I shall be waiting in the shade ________ this banyan tree till you come back
_________ me.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    if; under; on
B    as; of; for
C    as; of; at
  
.
Page 4


XAT 2011
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
Instructions [1 - 4 ]
Read the  following  discussion/passage  and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.
Of the several features of the Toyota Production System that have been widely studied, most important is the mode of governance of
the shop - floor at Toyota. Work and inter - relations between workers are highly scripted in extremely detailed ‘operating procedures’
that have to be followed rigidly, without any deviation at Toyota. Despite such rule - bound rigidity, however, Toyota does not become a
‘command - control system’. It is able to retain the character of a learning organization
In fact, many observers characterize it as a community of scientists carrying out several small experiments simultaneously. The design
of the operating procedure is the key. Every principal must find an expression in the operating procedure – that is how it has an effect in
the domain of action. Workers on the shop - floor, often in teams, design the ‘operating procedure’ jointly with the supervisor through a
series of hypothesis that are proposed and validated or refuted through experiments in action. The rigid and detailed ‘operating
procedure’ specification throws up problems of the very minute kind; while its resolution leads to a reframing of the procedure and
specifications. This inter - temporal change (or flexibility) of the specification (or operating procedure) is done at the lowest level of the
organization; i.e. closest to the site of action.
One implication of this arrangement is that system design can no longer be rationally optimal and standardized across the organization.
It is quite common to find different work norms in contiguous assembly lines, because each might have faced a different set of
problems and devised different counter - measures to tackle it. Design of the coordinating process that essentially imposes the
discipline that is required in large - scale complex manufacturing systems is therefore customized to variations in man - machine
context of the site of action. It evolves through numerous points of negotiation throughout the organization. It implies then that the
higher levels of the hierarchy do not exercise the power of the fiat in setting work rules, for such work rules are no longer a standard set
across the whole organization.
It might be interesting to go through the basic Toyota philosophy that underlines its system designing practices. The notion of the ideal
production system in Toyota embraces the following -‘the ability to deliver just - in - time (or on demand) a customer order in the exact
specification demanded, in a batch size of one (and hence an infinite proliferation of variants, models and specifications), defect - free,
without wastage of material, labour, energy or motion in a safe and (physically and emotionally) fulfilling production environment’. It did
not embrace the concept of a standardized product that can be cheap by giving up variations. Preserving consumption variety was seen,
in fact, as one mode of serving society. It is interesting to note that the articulation of the Toyota philosophy was made around roughly
the same time that the Fordist system was establishing itself in the US automotive industry.
1. What can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range of models in a
defect - free fashion?
A    Large scale complex manufacturing systems
B    Intellectual capital of the company’s management
C    Loans taken by the company from banks and financial institutions
D    Ability of the workers to evolve solutions to problems
E    Skill and charisma of the top leadership
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, it can be inferred that the workers come up with solution to unique problems that come up during
manufacturing . Hence, option D can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range
of models in a defect - free fashion.
Hence, option D is the correct answer.
  
2. Which of the following can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work?
  
.
A    
Existence of workers’ union to protect worker’s rights
B    Existence of powerful management to create unique strategies
C    Cordial worker - management relations to have industrial peace
D    High management involvement towards problems identified by workers
E    Management’s faith in workers’ abilities to solve problems in a rigorous manner
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, option E can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
3. Based on the above passage, which of the following statements is best justified?
A    
Workers have significant control rights over the design of work rules that allow worker skills and ingenuity to
continuously search for novel micro - solutions using information that often sticks to the local micro - context of the
work.
B    
Managers have significant control rights over the design of work rules that allow worker skills and ingenuity to
continuously search for novel micro - solutions around micro - information that often sticks to the local micro -
context of the work.
C    
Work rules enable the workers to report problems faced at the shop - floor to specialised personnel who set up
experiments to replicate the conditions. This allows the specialists to come up with solutions that are rigorously
tested in experimental conditions.
D    
Toyota as an organisation has extensive networks with different specialists who are subject matter experts in
different fields. These networks allow problems to be resolved in the most advanced manner, enabling Toyota to
beat the competition.
E    
Toyota’s products are extensively tested by customers in simulated conditions before they are released to the
market. This extensive testing is done by workers who double up as a community of scientists experimenting to
develop the most advanced product.
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
From the answers of the first two questions, option A can be inferred.
Hence, option A is the correct answer.
4. What could be the best defence of the “different work norms in contiguous assembly lines”?
A    
Without such variation allowed, rights of manager to design work - rules would have made very little sense, making
the company similar to Ford.
B    
Prescribing standardised work norms would prevent Toyota from benefiting from workers’ problem solving ability in
resolving different kinds of problems that emerge, thus making it difficult to attain the Toyota philosophy.
C    If similarities were imposed, rights of workers to experiment with work - rules would have made very little sense.
D    
Standardisation of work rules is only justified when the investments in plants are huge and experimenting with the
work rules would be detrimental to the efficiency of the plants. Since Toyota’s plants typically involved low
investment, it could tolerate non standard work rules.
E    
With standardisation of processes, right of the workers in design of work - rules made sense. Since Toyota’s
manufacturing processes were non - standardised, the different work norms did not make sense.
 
  
.
Explanation:
Only option B talks about the philosophy of Toyata system where worker can use their problem solving ability to tackle different kinds of
problems. Right of manager mentioned in option A, right of workers in C, and low investment in Toyata plants cannot be inferred from
the passage. Option E is contradictory.
         
5. The author has _________ his composition to the best of his _________; yet listen to it with a sympathetic ___________, O
_____________ souls, and judge it.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    honed, insights, mind, distinguished
B    polished, intellect, mind, noble
C    polished, mind, intellect, noble
D    refined, ingenuity, heart, righteous
E    refined, thoughts, heart, righteous
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
1st blank can be filled either by polished or refined as honed is used for "sharpen". 
2nd blank can be filled by something which a personal trait or an ability. Therefore, ingenuity and intellect deemed a good fit.
For 3rd blank, a sympathetic heart is better than a sympathetic mind. 
Hence, option D is the correct answer. 
6. There is much difficulty ________ getting ________ this place and it is not possible to reach ___________ without the grace of the
lord.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    in; to; it
B    to; to; it
C    to; in; it
D    in; in; in
E    in; to; to
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
'In' is used with difficulty and 'to' is used with getting. The word after 'reach' will refer to place, so it must be 'it'.
Hence, option A is the correct answer.
7. _________ you have a doubt, why not go and verify? I shall be waiting in the shade ________ this banyan tree till you come back
_________ me.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    if; under; on
B    as; of; for
C    as; of; at
  
.
D    
for; under; at
E    if; of; to
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
Since the first sentence is a question, 'if' is more appropriate than 'as'. Shade 'of' this tree and back 'to' me are the appropriate usages.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
        
8. Pick the odd one out:
A    wisdom; folly
B    friendship; enmity
C    often; seldom
D    loyalty; treachery
E    devotion; loathing
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
In option B, friendship & enmity are antonyms. 
In option C, often & seldom are also antonyms. 
In option D, loyalty & treachery are antonyms. 
In option E, devotion & loathing are also antonyms.
In option A, we have wisdom & folly.
Wisdom means the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement; the quality of being wise whereas Folly means lack of
good sense; foolishness, mistake. In a way lack of folly is not an antonym of lack of wisdom. These two words are not perfect antonyms
whereas in remaining 4 options the pair of word means exact opposite of each other. Hence, option A is the correct answer.
Instructions [9 - 12 ]
Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers that follow.
We can answer Fermi’s Paradox in two ways. Perhaps our current science over - estimates the likelihood of extraterrestrial intelligence
evolving. Or, perhaps, evolved technical intelligence has some deep tendency to be self - limiting, even self - exterminating. After
Hiroshima, some suggested that any aliens bright enough to make colonizing space ships would be bright enough to make
thermonuclear bombs, and would use them on each other sooner or later.
I suggest a different, even darker solution to the Paradox. Basically, I think the aliens forget to send radio signals or colonize space
because they’re too busy with runaway consumerism and virtual - reality narcissism. Once they turn inwards to chase their shiny
pennies of pleasure, they lose the cosmic plot.
The fundamental problem is that an evolved mind must pay attention to indirect cues of biological fitness, rather than tracking fitness
itself. This was a key insight of evolutionary psychology in the early 1990s; although evolution favours brains that tend to maximize
fitness (as measured by numbers of great - grandkids), no brain has capacity enough to do so under every possible circumstance. As a
result, brains must evolve shortcuts: fitness - promoting tricks, cons, recipes and heuristics that work, on an average, under ancestrally
normal conditions. Technology is fairly good at controlling external reality to promote real biological fitness, but it’s even better at
delivering fake fitness - subjective cues of survival and reproduction without the real - world effects.
Fitness - faking technology tends to evolve much faster than our psychological resistance to it. With the invention of Xbox 360, people
would rather play a high - resolution virtual ape in Peter Jackson’s King Kong than be a perfect – resolution real human. Teens today
must find their way through a carnival of addictively fitness - faking entertainment products. The traditional staples of physical, mental
and social development - athletics, homework dating - are neglected. The few young people with the self - control to pursue the
meritocratic path often get distracted at the last minute.
Around 1900, most inventions concerned physical reality and in 2005 focus shifted to virtual entertainment. Freud’s pleasure principle
  
.
Page 5


XAT 2011
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
Instructions [1 - 4 ]
Read the  following  discussion/passage  and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.
Of the several features of the Toyota Production System that have been widely studied, most important is the mode of governance of
the shop - floor at Toyota. Work and inter - relations between workers are highly scripted in extremely detailed ‘operating procedures’
that have to be followed rigidly, without any deviation at Toyota. Despite such rule - bound rigidity, however, Toyota does not become a
‘command - control system’. It is able to retain the character of a learning organization
In fact, many observers characterize it as a community of scientists carrying out several small experiments simultaneously. The design
of the operating procedure is the key. Every principal must find an expression in the operating procedure – that is how it has an effect in
the domain of action. Workers on the shop - floor, often in teams, design the ‘operating procedure’ jointly with the supervisor through a
series of hypothesis that are proposed and validated or refuted through experiments in action. The rigid and detailed ‘operating
procedure’ specification throws up problems of the very minute kind; while its resolution leads to a reframing of the procedure and
specifications. This inter - temporal change (or flexibility) of the specification (or operating procedure) is done at the lowest level of the
organization; i.e. closest to the site of action.
One implication of this arrangement is that system design can no longer be rationally optimal and standardized across the organization.
It is quite common to find different work norms in contiguous assembly lines, because each might have faced a different set of
problems and devised different counter - measures to tackle it. Design of the coordinating process that essentially imposes the
discipline that is required in large - scale complex manufacturing systems is therefore customized to variations in man - machine
context of the site of action. It evolves through numerous points of negotiation throughout the organization. It implies then that the
higher levels of the hierarchy do not exercise the power of the fiat in setting work rules, for such work rules are no longer a standard set
across the whole organization.
It might be interesting to go through the basic Toyota philosophy that underlines its system designing practices. The notion of the ideal
production system in Toyota embraces the following -‘the ability to deliver just - in - time (or on demand) a customer order in the exact
specification demanded, in a batch size of one (and hence an infinite proliferation of variants, models and specifications), defect - free,
without wastage of material, labour, energy or motion in a safe and (physically and emotionally) fulfilling production environment’. It did
not embrace the concept of a standardized product that can be cheap by giving up variations. Preserving consumption variety was seen,
in fact, as one mode of serving society. It is interesting to note that the articulation of the Toyota philosophy was made around roughly
the same time that the Fordist system was establishing itself in the US automotive industry.
1. What can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range of models in a
defect - free fashion?
A    Large scale complex manufacturing systems
B    Intellectual capital of the company’s management
C    Loans taken by the company from banks and financial institutions
D    Ability of the workers to evolve solutions to problems
E    Skill and charisma of the top leadership
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, it can be inferred that the workers come up with solution to unique problems that come up during
manufacturing . Hence, option D can be best defended as the asset which Toyota model of production leverages to give the vast range
of models in a defect - free fashion.
Hence, option D is the correct answer.
  
2. Which of the following can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work?
  
.
A    
Existence of workers’ union to protect worker’s rights
B    Existence of powerful management to create unique strategies
C    Cordial worker - management relations to have industrial peace
D    High management involvement towards problems identified by workers
E    Management’s faith in workers’ abilities to solve problems in a rigorous manner
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
From the second paragraph, option E can be best defended as a pre-condition for the Toyota type of production system to work.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
3. Based on the above passage, which of the following statements is best justified?
A    
Workers have significant control rights over the design of work rules that allow worker skills and ingenuity to
continuously search for novel micro - solutions using information that often sticks to the local micro - context of the
work.
B    
Managers have significant control rights over the design of work rules that allow worker skills and ingenuity to
continuously search for novel micro - solutions around micro - information that often sticks to the local micro -
context of the work.
C    
Work rules enable the workers to report problems faced at the shop - floor to specialised personnel who set up
experiments to replicate the conditions. This allows the specialists to come up with solutions that are rigorously
tested in experimental conditions.
D    
Toyota as an organisation has extensive networks with different specialists who are subject matter experts in
different fields. These networks allow problems to be resolved in the most advanced manner, enabling Toyota to
beat the competition.
E    
Toyota’s products are extensively tested by customers in simulated conditions before they are released to the
market. This extensive testing is done by workers who double up as a community of scientists experimenting to
develop the most advanced product.
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
From the answers of the first two questions, option A can be inferred.
Hence, option A is the correct answer.
4. What could be the best defence of the “different work norms in contiguous assembly lines”?
A    
Without such variation allowed, rights of manager to design work - rules would have made very little sense, making
the company similar to Ford.
B    
Prescribing standardised work norms would prevent Toyota from benefiting from workers’ problem solving ability in
resolving different kinds of problems that emerge, thus making it difficult to attain the Toyota philosophy.
C    If similarities were imposed, rights of workers to experiment with work - rules would have made very little sense.
D    
Standardisation of work rules is only justified when the investments in plants are huge and experimenting with the
work rules would be detrimental to the efficiency of the plants. Since Toyota’s plants typically involved low
investment, it could tolerate non standard work rules.
E    
With standardisation of processes, right of the workers in design of work - rules made sense. Since Toyota’s
manufacturing processes were non - standardised, the different work norms did not make sense.
 
  
.
Explanation:
Only option B talks about the philosophy of Toyata system where worker can use their problem solving ability to tackle different kinds of
problems. Right of manager mentioned in option A, right of workers in C, and low investment in Toyata plants cannot be inferred from
the passage. Option E is contradictory.
         
5. The author has _________ his composition to the best of his _________; yet listen to it with a sympathetic ___________, O
_____________ souls, and judge it.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    honed, insights, mind, distinguished
B    polished, intellect, mind, noble
C    polished, mind, intellect, noble
D    refined, ingenuity, heart, righteous
E    refined, thoughts, heart, righteous
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
1st blank can be filled either by polished or refined as honed is used for "sharpen". 
2nd blank can be filled by something which a personal trait or an ability. Therefore, ingenuity and intellect deemed a good fit.
For 3rd blank, a sympathetic heart is better than a sympathetic mind. 
Hence, option D is the correct answer. 
6. There is much difficulty ________ getting ________ this place and it is not possible to reach ___________ without the grace of the
lord.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    in; to; it
B    to; to; it
C    to; in; it
D    in; in; in
E    in; to; to
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
'In' is used with difficulty and 'to' is used with getting. The word after 'reach' will refer to place, so it must be 'it'.
Hence, option A is the correct answer.
7. _________ you have a doubt, why not go and verify? I shall be waiting in the shade ________ this banyan tree till you come back
_________ me.
The option that best fills the blanks in the above sentence would be:
A    if; under; on
B    as; of; for
C    as; of; at
  
.
D    
for; under; at
E    if; of; to
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
Since the first sentence is a question, 'if' is more appropriate than 'as'. Shade 'of' this tree and back 'to' me are the appropriate usages.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
        
8. Pick the odd one out:
A    wisdom; folly
B    friendship; enmity
C    often; seldom
D    loyalty; treachery
E    devotion; loathing
A n s w e r : A
Explanation:
In option B, friendship & enmity are antonyms. 
In option C, often & seldom are also antonyms. 
In option D, loyalty & treachery are antonyms. 
In option E, devotion & loathing are also antonyms.
In option A, we have wisdom & folly.
Wisdom means the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement; the quality of being wise whereas Folly means lack of
good sense; foolishness, mistake. In a way lack of folly is not an antonym of lack of wisdom. These two words are not perfect antonyms
whereas in remaining 4 options the pair of word means exact opposite of each other. Hence, option A is the correct answer.
Instructions [9 - 12 ]
Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers that follow.
We can answer Fermi’s Paradox in two ways. Perhaps our current science over - estimates the likelihood of extraterrestrial intelligence
evolving. Or, perhaps, evolved technical intelligence has some deep tendency to be self - limiting, even self - exterminating. After
Hiroshima, some suggested that any aliens bright enough to make colonizing space ships would be bright enough to make
thermonuclear bombs, and would use them on each other sooner or later.
I suggest a different, even darker solution to the Paradox. Basically, I think the aliens forget to send radio signals or colonize space
because they’re too busy with runaway consumerism and virtual - reality narcissism. Once they turn inwards to chase their shiny
pennies of pleasure, they lose the cosmic plot.
The fundamental problem is that an evolved mind must pay attention to indirect cues of biological fitness, rather than tracking fitness
itself. This was a key insight of evolutionary psychology in the early 1990s; although evolution favours brains that tend to maximize
fitness (as measured by numbers of great - grandkids), no brain has capacity enough to do so under every possible circumstance. As a
result, brains must evolve shortcuts: fitness - promoting tricks, cons, recipes and heuristics that work, on an average, under ancestrally
normal conditions. Technology is fairly good at controlling external reality to promote real biological fitness, but it’s even better at
delivering fake fitness - subjective cues of survival and reproduction without the real - world effects.
Fitness - faking technology tends to evolve much faster than our psychological resistance to it. With the invention of Xbox 360, people
would rather play a high - resolution virtual ape in Peter Jackson’s King Kong than be a perfect – resolution real human. Teens today
must find their way through a carnival of addictively fitness - faking entertainment products. The traditional staples of physical, mental
and social development - athletics, homework dating - are neglected. The few young people with the self - control to pursue the
meritocratic path often get distracted at the last minute.
Around 1900, most inventions concerned physical reality and in 2005 focus shifted to virtual entertainment. Freud’s pleasure principle
  
.
triumphs over the reality principle. Today we narrow - cast human - interest stories to each other, rather than broadcasting messages of
universal peace and progress to other star systems.
Maybe the bright aliens did the same. I suspect that a certain period of fitness - faking narcissism is inevitable after any intelligent life
evolves. This is the Great Temptation for any technological species – to shape their subjective reality to provide the cues of survival and
reproductive success without the substance. Most bright alien species probably go extinct gradually, allocating more time and
resources to their pleasures and less to their children.
Heritable variation in personality might allow some lineages to resist the Great Temptation and last longer. Some individuals and
families may start with an “irrational” Luddite abhorrence of entertainment technology, and they may evolve ever more self - control,
conscientiousness and pragmatism by combining the family values of the religious right with the sustainability values of the
Greenpeace. They wait patiently for our fitness - faking narcissism to go extinct. Those practical - minded breeders will inherit the Earth
as like - minded aliens may have inherited a few other planets. When they finally achieve contacts, it will not be a meeting of novel -
readers and game - players. It will be a meeting of dead - serious super - parents who congratulate each other on surviving not just the
Bomb, but the Xbox.
9. Among the following options, which one represents the most important concern raised in the passage?
A    Extraterrestrial life and its impact on human beings.
B    Lack of interest in developing proper fitness.
C    Short - term pleasure seeking behaviour.
D    Technological advancement and extinction of intelligence.
E    Tendency of brain to develop shortcuts.
A n s w e r : C
Explanation:
The concern of the author is that,  the advancement of the technology turned human into a pleasure seeking and fake-fitness inclined
being. The excitement and inclination for such things have deviated us from adventurism, scientific nature of human beings of
yesteryear. Therefore the short-term pleasure seeking nature is a concern.
10. Which among the following would be the best possible explanation for the lack of contact between human beings and aliens?
A    Overestimation of the technological capability of aliens.
B    Genetic variation in aliens’ personality is not yet achieved.
C    Thermonuclear bombs might have destroyed all aliens.
D    Colonisation of space is impossible to achieve.
E    Aliens have become self - centred and pleasure seeking.
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
The author started with the previously given explanations of Fermi-paradox, then he expresses his views about why aliens have not
visited the planet yet, or why there is no sign of aliens still billions of years after evolution of life on earth. He explained it by comparing
the nature of human beings and its development throughout history. He emphasized the changing nature of human beings to pleasure-
seeking and self-centred as he expected a similar change with the behaviour of aliens.
   
11. To which of the following statements would the author of the passage agree the most?
A    
Violent crime, including gang warfare for turf protection and expansion, co - exists in all technological advanced
societies in spite of proliferation of fitness - faking technologies.
  
.