Direction for Reading Comprehension: The passages given here are followed by some questions that have four answer choices; read the passage carefully and pick the option whose answer best aligns with the passage In the late 1960s, while studying the northern-elephant-seal population along the coasts of Mexico and California, Burney Le Boeuf and his colleagues couldn’t help but notice that the threat calls of males at some sites sounded different from those of males at other sites. . . . That was the first time dialects were documented in a nonhuman mammal. . . . All the northern elephant seals that exist today are descendants of the small herd that survived on Isla Guadalupe [after the near extinction of the species in the nineteenth century]. As that tiny population grew, northern elephant seals started to recolonize former breeding locations. It was precisely on the more recently colonized islands where Le Boeuf found that the tempos of the male vocal displays showed stronger differences to the ones from Isla Guadalupe, the founder colony. In order to test the reliability of these dialects over time, Le Boeuf and other researchers visited Año Nuevo Island in California—the island where males showed the slowest pulse rates in their calls—every winter from 1968 to 1972. “What we found is that the pulse rate increased, but it still remained relatively slow compared to the other colonies we had measured in the past” Le Boeuf told me. At the individual level, the pulse of the calls stayed the same: A male would maintain his vocal signature throughout his lifetime. But the average pulse rate was changing. Immigration could have been responsible for this increase, as in the early 1970s, 43 percent of the males on Año Nuevo had come from southern rookeries that had a faster pulse rate. This led Le Boeuf and his collaborator, Lewis Petrinovich, to deduce that the dialects were, perhaps, a result of isolation over time, after the breeding sites had been recolonized. For instance, the first settlers of Año Nuevo could have had, by chance, calls with low pulse rates. At other sites, where the scientists found faster pulse rates, the opposite would have happened—seals with faster rates would have happened to arrive first. As the population continued to expand and the islands kept on receiving immigrants from the original population, the calls in all locations would have eventually regressed to the average pulse rate of the founder colony. In the decades that followed, scientists noticed that the geographical variations reported in 1969 were not obvious anymore. . . . In the early 2010s, while studying northern elephant seals on Año Nuevo Island, [researcher Caroline] Casey noticed, too, that what Le Boeuf had heard decades ago was not what she heard now. . . . By performing more sophisticated statistical analyses on both sets of data, [Casey and Le Boeuf] confirmed that dialects existed back then but had vanished. Yet there are other differences between the males from the late 1960s and their great-great-grandsons: Modern males exhibit more individual diversity, and their calls are more complex. While 50 years ago the drumming pattern was quite simple and the dialects denoted just a change in tempo, Casey explained, the calls recorded today have more complex structures, sometimes featuring doublets or triplets. . . .
Question for CAT 2020 Reading Comprehension Questions- 10
Try yourself:From the passage it can be inferred that the call pulse rate of male northern elephant seals in the southern rookeries was faster because:
Explanation
We can make a direct inference based on the following excerpt from the fourth paragraph:
["...This led Le Boeuf and his collaborator, Lewis Petrinovich, to deduce that the dialects were, perhaps, a result of isolation over time, after the breeding sites had been recolonised. For instance, the first settlers of Año Nuevo could have had, by chance, calls with low pulse rates. At other sites, where the scientists found faster pulse rates, the opposite would have happened—seals with faster rates would have happened to arrive first..."]
Based on the above information, the only reason behind the call pulse rate of male northern elephant seals in the southern rookeries being faster would be because the male northern elephant seals of Isla Guadalupe with faster call pulse rates might have been the original settlers of this region. Option C correctly highlights this reason and is, hence, the correct answer.
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Question for CAT 2020 Reading Comprehension Questions- 10
Try yourself:Which one of the following best sums up the overall history of transformation of male northern elephant seal calls?
Explanation
The following excerpt serves as an essential source for comparing the difference in the attributes of the elephant seals: ["...Yet there are other differences between the males from the late 1960s and their great-great-grandsons: Modern males exhibit more individual diversity, and their calls are more complex. While 50 years ago the drumming pattern was quite simple and the dialects denoted just a change in tempo, Casey explained, the calls recorded today have more complex structures, sometimes featuring doublets or triplets. . . ."]
In the late 1960s, the elephant seal calls were marked by having a simple drumming pattern which later transformed into calls with marked individual diversity and sophistication. Additionally, the dialects that were present in the 1960s were not evident during the study undertaken in the early 2010s, thereby indicating a decrease in the regional variations in the calls. These elements are aptly captured in Option C.
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Question for CAT 2020 Reading Comprehension Questions- 10
Try yourself:All of the following can be inferred from Le Boeuf’s study as described in the passage EXCEPT that:
Explanation
This is a difficult question but option elimination can help us arrive at the right answer. We have to mark the answer that cannot be inferred, as it is an EXCEPT question. A can be inferred because the seals exhibited dialects because the population was isolated. This isolation was a result of the seal population being almost on the verge of extinction. Since their numbers were very small, the isolation happened. As the population grew there was immigration to different places and this resulted in disappearance of the dialects. Thus we can infer A. Option B also can be inferred from the para that talks about Ano Nuevo seals. It clearly suggests that the average pulse rate increased from 1970s till the dialects disappeared. Option C is certainly a wrong inference because the influx might have resulted in pulse rate of the seals averaging to that of Isla Guadalupe, but not exceeding. The word “exceeding” makes this a wrong inference, and therefore the right answer. Option D is exactly true to what the passages, as a whole, discusses. The individual call rate did not change throughout, but the immigration made all the difference, by ensuring influx of seals with higher pulse rate, thus increasing the average pulse rate.
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Question for CAT 2020 Reading Comprehension Questions- 10
Try yourself:Which one of the following conditions, if true, could have ensured that male northern elephant seal dialects did not disappear?
Explanation
This might look a little difficult, but we have a clear evidence that helps us arrive at the right answer. We must read the first sentence of the last paragraph “as the population continued to expand and the islands kept on receiving immigrants from the original population, the calls in all locations would have eventually regressed to the average pulse rate of the founder colony”. This is a simple concept of average. Now the question is which of the following could have ensured (it means it is asking us for a hypothetical situation) that male northern elephant seals dialects did not disappear. It disappeared because the average changed because of migrant seals. As more and more seals came, the average regressed to “the pulse rate of the founder colony”. To make the situation opposite, the call tempo of the individual immigrant seal should have changed to match the average tempo of resident male seals of the “host colony.” If option A had happened, the male northern seals dialect would not have disappeared. Option C is the exact opposite of A. We must remember here that the islands kept on receiving immigrants from the original population, and the average pulse rate changed to match the founder colony, not the host colony. That’s why the host colony’s dialects disappeared. Had option A been true, this would not have happened.
1. How can I improve my reading comprehension skills for the CAT exam?
Ans. To improve your reading comprehension skills for the CAT exam, you can:
1. Practice reading regularly: Read a variety of texts, such as newspapers, magazines, and online articles, to expose yourself to different writing styles and topics.
2. Analyze the passage: Pay attention to the main idea, supporting details, and the author's tone. Practice summarizing the passage to ensure you understand the key points.
3. Develop vocabulary: Increase your vocabulary by reading challenging texts and using flashcards or online resources to learn new words. This will help you understand complex passages.
4. Take timed practice tests: Simulate exam conditions by taking timed practice tests. This will help you build your speed and accuracy in answering reading comprehension questions.
5. Review your mistakes: After completing practice tests or exercises, review the questions you answered incorrectly. Understand why you made the mistake and learn from it to avoid similar errors in the future.
2. How should I approach reading comprehension passages in the CAT exam?
Ans. When approaching reading comprehension passages in the CAT exam, you can follow these steps:
1. Skim the passage: Read the passage quickly to get an overview and understand the main idea. Pay attention to headings, subheadings, and the first and last sentences of each paragraph.
2. Read the questions: Before diving into the passage, read the questions associated with it. This will help you identify the specific information you need to find while reading.
3. Read the passage carefully: Read the passage again, this time more attentively. Focus on understanding the details, arguments, and the author's viewpoint.
4. Highlight or take notes: Underline or highlight important information while reading. This will help you quickly locate relevant details when answering questions.
5. Answer the questions: Refer back to the passage and answer the questions, making sure to support your answers with evidence from the text. Be cautious of answer choices that may seem correct but are not supported by the passage.
3. What are some common question types in CAT reading comprehension?
Ans. Some common question types in CAT reading comprehension include:
1. Main idea or central theme: These questions ask you to identify the main idea or central theme of the passage. Look for recurring ideas or concepts throughout the text.
2. Inference-based questions: These questions require you to draw conclusions or make inferences based on the information provided in the passage. Pay attention to implied meanings or information not explicitly stated.
3. Tone or author's attitude: These questions ask you to determine the author's tone or attitude towards a particular topic. Look for keywords or phrases that convey emotions or opinions.
4. Vocabulary-based questions: These questions test your understanding of vocabulary used in the passage. Pay attention to context clues and the overall meaning of the sentence.
5. Detail-based questions: These questions ask for specific details or facts mentioned in the passage. Look for keywords or information that directly answers the question.
4. How can I manage my time effectively while attempting CAT reading comprehension?
Ans. To manage your time effectively while attempting CAT reading comprehension, you can:
1. Set a time limit for each passage: Divide the total time allocated for the reading comprehension section by the number of passages. This will give you an idea of how much time you can spend on each passage.
2. Prioritize passages: Start with the passages you find easiest or those that have fewer questions. This will help you gain confidence and save time for more challenging passages.
3. Skim passages before reading: Quickly skim through the passage to get an idea of its length and topic. This will help you decide how much time to allocate for each passage.
4. Answer easier questions first: Begin with questions that you find easier or those that do not require referring back to the passage. This will help you save time and build momentum.
5. Use process of elimination: If you are unsure about an answer, eliminate options that are clearly incorrect. This will increase your chances of selecting the correct answer and save time.
5. Can I improve my reading speed for the CAT exam? How?
Ans. Yes, you can improve your reading speed for the CAT exam by following these tips:
1. Practice speed reading techniques: Learn and practice techniques such as skimming, scanning, and chunking. These techniques help you read faster while still understanding the main idea and key details.
2. Increase reading stamina: Gradually increase the amount of time you spend reading each day. This will help improve your reading endurance and ability to concentrate for longer periods.
3. Eliminate subvocalization: Subvocalization is the habit of silently pronouncing each word while reading. Try to minimize this habit by consciously focusing on reading without vocalizing the words in your mind.
4. Use a pacer: Use your finger or a pen as a pacer while reading. This helps guide your eyes and prevents them from wandering, ultimately increasing your reading speed.
5. Take timed practice tests: Regularly take timed practice tests to simulate exam conditions. This will help you build your speed and accuracy in reading comprehension passages, as well as train your brain to process information more quickly.
