XAT 2010: Previous Year Question Paper with Solutions

 Page 1


XAT 2010
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
1. Read the sentences and choose the option that best arranges them in a logical order.
1. He might make the opposite mistake; when I want to assign a name to this group of nuts, he might understand it as a
numeral,
2. Now, one can ostensively define a proper name, the name of a colour, the name of a material, a numeral, the name of a point
of the compass and so on.
3. The definition of the number two. "That is called 'two' " pointing to two nuts is perfectly exact. But how can two be defined
like that?
4. He may suppose this; but perhaps he does not.
5. The person one gives the definition to doesn't know what one wants to call "two"; he will suppose that "two" is the name given
to this group of nuts!
A    1, 2, 3, 5, 4
B    2, 3, 5, 4, 1
C    3, 5, 4, 2, 1
D    5, 2, 3, 1, 4
E    2, 3, 4, 1, 5
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
After reading all the sentences, we can see that statement 2 is a general statement and hence, the opening sentence. Statement 3
mentions a specific case of what has been mentioned in statement 2. 'He' is statements 4 and 1 refers to the person mentioned in
statement 5. So, statement 5 should precede statements 4 and 1. The 'mistake' mentioned in statement 1 refers to the mistake
mentioned in statement 4. So, statement 1 should follow statement 4. Thus, the correct order is 2 - 3 - 5 - 4 - 1.
hence, option B is the correct answer.
  
Instructions [2 - 3 ]
Analyse the following transcript (from the movie Matrix) and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow:
Neo: Morpheus, what's happened to me? What is this place?
Morpheus: More important than what is when.
Neo: When?
Morpheus: You believe it's the year 1999 when in fact it's closer to 2199. I can't tell you exactly what year it is because we honestly don't
know.There's nothing I can say that will explain it for you, Neo. Come with me. See for yourself. This is my ship, the Nebuchadnezzar.
It's a hovercraft. This is the main deck. This is the core where we broadcast our pirate signal and hack into the Matrix. Most of my crew
you already know.
(Next Scene: Construct)
Morpheus: This is the construct. It's our loading programme. We can load anything from clothing, to equipment, weapons, training
simulations, anything we need.
Neo: Right now we're inside a computer programme?
Morpheus: Is it really so hard to believe? Your clothes are different. The plugs in your arms and head are gone. Your hair is changed.
Your appearance now is what we call residual self image. It is the mental projection of your digital self.
Neo: This...this isn't real?
Morpheus: What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and
see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
  
.
Page 2


XAT 2010
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
1. Read the sentences and choose the option that best arranges them in a logical order.
1. He might make the opposite mistake; when I want to assign a name to this group of nuts, he might understand it as a
numeral,
2. Now, one can ostensively define a proper name, the name of a colour, the name of a material, a numeral, the name of a point
of the compass and so on.
3. The definition of the number two. "That is called 'two' " pointing to two nuts is perfectly exact. But how can two be defined
like that?
4. He may suppose this; but perhaps he does not.
5. The person one gives the definition to doesn't know what one wants to call "two"; he will suppose that "two" is the name given
to this group of nuts!
A    1, 2, 3, 5, 4
B    2, 3, 5, 4, 1
C    3, 5, 4, 2, 1
D    5, 2, 3, 1, 4
E    2, 3, 4, 1, 5
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
After reading all the sentences, we can see that statement 2 is a general statement and hence, the opening sentence. Statement 3
mentions a specific case of what has been mentioned in statement 2. 'He' is statements 4 and 1 refers to the person mentioned in
statement 5. So, statement 5 should precede statements 4 and 1. The 'mistake' mentioned in statement 1 refers to the mistake
mentioned in statement 4. So, statement 1 should follow statement 4. Thus, the correct order is 2 - 3 - 5 - 4 - 1.
hence, option B is the correct answer.
  
Instructions [2 - 3 ]
Analyse the following transcript (from the movie Matrix) and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow:
Neo: Morpheus, what's happened to me? What is this place?
Morpheus: More important than what is when.
Neo: When?
Morpheus: You believe it's the year 1999 when in fact it's closer to 2199. I can't tell you exactly what year it is because we honestly don't
know.There's nothing I can say that will explain it for you, Neo. Come with me. See for yourself. This is my ship, the Nebuchadnezzar.
It's a hovercraft. This is the main deck. This is the core where we broadcast our pirate signal and hack into the Matrix. Most of my crew
you already know.
(Next Scene: Construct)
Morpheus: This is the construct. It's our loading programme. We can load anything from clothing, to equipment, weapons, training
simulations, anything we need.
Neo: Right now we're inside a computer programme?
Morpheus: Is it really so hard to believe? Your clothes are different. The plugs in your arms and head are gone. Your hair is changed.
Your appearance now is what we call residual self image. It is the mental projection of your digital self.
Neo: This...this isn't real?
Morpheus: What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and
see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
  
.
...This is the world that you know. The world as it was at the end of the twentieth century. It exists now only as part of a neural-
interactive simulation that we call the Matrix. You've been living in a dream world, Neo. .. .This is the world as it exists today. Welcome
to the Desert of the Real. We have only bits and pieces of information but what we know for certain is that at some point in the early
twenty-first century all of mankind was united in celebration. We marvelled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to AI.
Neo: AI? You mean artificial intelligence?
Morpheus: A singular consciousness that spawned an entire race of machines. We don't know who struck first, us or them. But we know
that it was us that scorched the sky. At the time they were dependent on solar power and it was believed that they would be unable to
survive without an energy source as abundant as the sun. Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive.
Fate it seems is not without a sense of irony. The human body generates more bio-electricity than a 120-volt battery and over 25,000
BTU's of body heat. Combined with a form of fusion the machines have found all the energy they would ever need. There are fields,
endless fields, where human beings are no longer born, we are grown. For the longest time I wouldn't believe it, and then I saw the fields
with my own eyes. Watch them liquefy the dead so they could be fed intravenously to the living. And standing there, facing the pure
horrifying precision, I came to realize the obviousness of the truth. What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is a computer generated
dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this.
Neo: No. I don't believe it. It's not possible.
Morpheus: I didn't say it would be easy, Neo. I just said it would be the truth.
Neo: Stop. Let me out. Let me out. I want out.
2. The innate factor responsible for the status of human beings in later part of 22nd century is
A    Due to human beings living in a dream world and being happy about it.
B    The ability of human body to generate bio-electricity.
C    The decision to scorch the sky.
D    The development of artificial intelligence by human beings.
E    Due to human beings developing the ability to hack into the matrix.
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The primary reason for the status of human beings in the 22nd century is because humans developed AI and then lost against them.
Option A is rejected as it is not mentioned that humans are happy about their situation and it is also not the reason for their situation.
Option B is the reason for humans being grown on farms but not the main reason for them being in that situation.
Option C is rejected as it also relates to humans being used as energy sources.
Option D is the valid reason and therefore, the answer.
Option E is irrelevant to humans being in the stated situation.
Hence, the answer is option D.
3. Choose the option that cannot be inferred from the Idea discussed in the transcript:
A    Morpheus and his crew have developed an ability to hack into the matrix.
B    A war between human beings and machines is going on for some decades.
C    The sources of power for human beings and machines were different.
D    Machines require human beings for their survival now.
E    Morpheus and his crew are not entirely controlled by the matrix.
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
Option A: Morpheus mentions the main deck where they used to broadcast pirate signal and hack into the matrix. Hence this option can
be inferred.
  
.
Page 3


XAT 2010
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
1. Read the sentences and choose the option that best arranges them in a logical order.
1. He might make the opposite mistake; when I want to assign a name to this group of nuts, he might understand it as a
numeral,
2. Now, one can ostensively define a proper name, the name of a colour, the name of a material, a numeral, the name of a point
of the compass and so on.
3. The definition of the number two. "That is called 'two' " pointing to two nuts is perfectly exact. But how can two be defined
like that?
4. He may suppose this; but perhaps he does not.
5. The person one gives the definition to doesn't know what one wants to call "two"; he will suppose that "two" is the name given
to this group of nuts!
A    1, 2, 3, 5, 4
B    2, 3, 5, 4, 1
C    3, 5, 4, 2, 1
D    5, 2, 3, 1, 4
E    2, 3, 4, 1, 5
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
After reading all the sentences, we can see that statement 2 is a general statement and hence, the opening sentence. Statement 3
mentions a specific case of what has been mentioned in statement 2. 'He' is statements 4 and 1 refers to the person mentioned in
statement 5. So, statement 5 should precede statements 4 and 1. The 'mistake' mentioned in statement 1 refers to the mistake
mentioned in statement 4. So, statement 1 should follow statement 4. Thus, the correct order is 2 - 3 - 5 - 4 - 1.
hence, option B is the correct answer.
  
Instructions [2 - 3 ]
Analyse the following transcript (from the movie Matrix) and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow:
Neo: Morpheus, what's happened to me? What is this place?
Morpheus: More important than what is when.
Neo: When?
Morpheus: You believe it's the year 1999 when in fact it's closer to 2199. I can't tell you exactly what year it is because we honestly don't
know.There's nothing I can say that will explain it for you, Neo. Come with me. See for yourself. This is my ship, the Nebuchadnezzar.
It's a hovercraft. This is the main deck. This is the core where we broadcast our pirate signal and hack into the Matrix. Most of my crew
you already know.
(Next Scene: Construct)
Morpheus: This is the construct. It's our loading programme. We can load anything from clothing, to equipment, weapons, training
simulations, anything we need.
Neo: Right now we're inside a computer programme?
Morpheus: Is it really so hard to believe? Your clothes are different. The plugs in your arms and head are gone. Your hair is changed.
Your appearance now is what we call residual self image. It is the mental projection of your digital self.
Neo: This...this isn't real?
Morpheus: What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and
see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
  
.
...This is the world that you know. The world as it was at the end of the twentieth century. It exists now only as part of a neural-
interactive simulation that we call the Matrix. You've been living in a dream world, Neo. .. .This is the world as it exists today. Welcome
to the Desert of the Real. We have only bits and pieces of information but what we know for certain is that at some point in the early
twenty-first century all of mankind was united in celebration. We marvelled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to AI.
Neo: AI? You mean artificial intelligence?
Morpheus: A singular consciousness that spawned an entire race of machines. We don't know who struck first, us or them. But we know
that it was us that scorched the sky. At the time they were dependent on solar power and it was believed that they would be unable to
survive without an energy source as abundant as the sun. Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive.
Fate it seems is not without a sense of irony. The human body generates more bio-electricity than a 120-volt battery and over 25,000
BTU's of body heat. Combined with a form of fusion the machines have found all the energy they would ever need. There are fields,
endless fields, where human beings are no longer born, we are grown. For the longest time I wouldn't believe it, and then I saw the fields
with my own eyes. Watch them liquefy the dead so they could be fed intravenously to the living. And standing there, facing the pure
horrifying precision, I came to realize the obviousness of the truth. What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is a computer generated
dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this.
Neo: No. I don't believe it. It's not possible.
Morpheus: I didn't say it would be easy, Neo. I just said it would be the truth.
Neo: Stop. Let me out. Let me out. I want out.
2. The innate factor responsible for the status of human beings in later part of 22nd century is
A    Due to human beings living in a dream world and being happy about it.
B    The ability of human body to generate bio-electricity.
C    The decision to scorch the sky.
D    The development of artificial intelligence by human beings.
E    Due to human beings developing the ability to hack into the matrix.
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The primary reason for the status of human beings in the 22nd century is because humans developed AI and then lost against them.
Option A is rejected as it is not mentioned that humans are happy about their situation and it is also not the reason for their situation.
Option B is the reason for humans being grown on farms but not the main reason for them being in that situation.
Option C is rejected as it also relates to humans being used as energy sources.
Option D is the valid reason and therefore, the answer.
Option E is irrelevant to humans being in the stated situation.
Hence, the answer is option D.
3. Choose the option that cannot be inferred from the Idea discussed in the transcript:
A    Morpheus and his crew have developed an ability to hack into the matrix.
B    A war between human beings and machines is going on for some decades.
C    The sources of power for human beings and machines were different.
D    Machines require human beings for their survival now.
E    Morpheus and his crew are not entirely controlled by the matrix.
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
Option A: Morpheus mentions the main deck where they used to broadcast pirate signal and hack into the matrix. Hence this option can
be inferred.
  
.
Option B: It cannot be inferred that a war has been going between the humans and the machines for some decades.Hence B is the
answer.
Option C: Morpheus informs Neo that the machines are getting their energy from human body and he has seen the fields where humans
are grown for this purpose. It is obvious that humans don't get energy in this way.
Option D: Machines derive their energy from humans. Hence this option can be inferred.
Option E: Since Morpheus and his crew can hack into the Matrix, it can be inferred that the crew was not not entirely controlled by the
matrix.
4. Widespread use of lectures in class-rooms in business schools leads to severe negative consequences. The first consequence
is theoretically knowledgeable graduates who cannot apply theory to solve real world problems. The more serious consequence
is that lectures encourage a feeling of total omniscience among them which persists for quite some time after graduating. This
feeling prevents "them from learning from their subordinates and colleagues.
Which of the following can best help to reduce these negative consequences among the students in a business school?
A    Use illustrations of real life problems in classrooms.
B    Send the students to find business problems so that it can be discussed in classrooms.
C    Business education to be given to students, who have work experience.
D    Modify the pedagogy to have knowledge of theory and application in parallel.
E    
Removing theoretical inputs from the curriculum altogether; only practical problems to be discussed in class
rooms.
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The negative consequences are due to the fact that the theory learnt in the classroom cannot be applied in the real life situation by the
students. To cope with this situation, the classrooms should teach how to apply theoretical knowledge in practical domain. Option D is
the most relevant.
         
Instructions [5 - 6 ]
Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer the questions that follow.
Silver is especially and repetitively savage about what he sees as the extravagant claims made for particle physics, arguing that once
the proton, neutron, and electron were found and their properties experimentally confirmed, the very expensive searches for ever more
exotic particles, such as the Higgs Boson, were increasingly harder to justify other than by their importance to particle physicists.
Most of the particles resemble ecstatic happiness: They are very short - lived and have nothing to do with everyday life. His repeated
assault goes to the level of sarcasm: "Finding the Higgs Boson will be a magnificent technical and theoretical triumph. Like a great
Bobby Fisher game". Of course, this is a tad unfair, even if some of the claims of its practitioners invite such assaults on their field.
5. Which of the following, if true, will weaken the argument described in the passage?
A    
All streams of new science need to undergo through a period of uncertainty and we should not criticize research in
particle physics alone.
B    Necessity is the mother of every invention.
C    Knowledge has preceded application in all spheres of science.
D    Funding agency supporting research on Higgs Boson do not mind wasting their money.
E    Do not expect everyone to appreciate everything.
A n s w e r : C
Explanation:
  
.
Page 4


XAT 2010
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
1. Read the sentences and choose the option that best arranges them in a logical order.
1. He might make the opposite mistake; when I want to assign a name to this group of nuts, he might understand it as a
numeral,
2. Now, one can ostensively define a proper name, the name of a colour, the name of a material, a numeral, the name of a point
of the compass and so on.
3. The definition of the number two. "That is called 'two' " pointing to two nuts is perfectly exact. But how can two be defined
like that?
4. He may suppose this; but perhaps he does not.
5. The person one gives the definition to doesn't know what one wants to call "two"; he will suppose that "two" is the name given
to this group of nuts!
A    1, 2, 3, 5, 4
B    2, 3, 5, 4, 1
C    3, 5, 4, 2, 1
D    5, 2, 3, 1, 4
E    2, 3, 4, 1, 5
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
After reading all the sentences, we can see that statement 2 is a general statement and hence, the opening sentence. Statement 3
mentions a specific case of what has been mentioned in statement 2. 'He' is statements 4 and 1 refers to the person mentioned in
statement 5. So, statement 5 should precede statements 4 and 1. The 'mistake' mentioned in statement 1 refers to the mistake
mentioned in statement 4. So, statement 1 should follow statement 4. Thus, the correct order is 2 - 3 - 5 - 4 - 1.
hence, option B is the correct answer.
  
Instructions [2 - 3 ]
Analyse the following transcript (from the movie Matrix) and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow:
Neo: Morpheus, what's happened to me? What is this place?
Morpheus: More important than what is when.
Neo: When?
Morpheus: You believe it's the year 1999 when in fact it's closer to 2199. I can't tell you exactly what year it is because we honestly don't
know.There's nothing I can say that will explain it for you, Neo. Come with me. See for yourself. This is my ship, the Nebuchadnezzar.
It's a hovercraft. This is the main deck. This is the core where we broadcast our pirate signal and hack into the Matrix. Most of my crew
you already know.
(Next Scene: Construct)
Morpheus: This is the construct. It's our loading programme. We can load anything from clothing, to equipment, weapons, training
simulations, anything we need.
Neo: Right now we're inside a computer programme?
Morpheus: Is it really so hard to believe? Your clothes are different. The plugs in your arms and head are gone. Your hair is changed.
Your appearance now is what we call residual self image. It is the mental projection of your digital self.
Neo: This...this isn't real?
Morpheus: What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and
see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
  
.
...This is the world that you know. The world as it was at the end of the twentieth century. It exists now only as part of a neural-
interactive simulation that we call the Matrix. You've been living in a dream world, Neo. .. .This is the world as it exists today. Welcome
to the Desert of the Real. We have only bits and pieces of information but what we know for certain is that at some point in the early
twenty-first century all of mankind was united in celebration. We marvelled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to AI.
Neo: AI? You mean artificial intelligence?
Morpheus: A singular consciousness that spawned an entire race of machines. We don't know who struck first, us or them. But we know
that it was us that scorched the sky. At the time they were dependent on solar power and it was believed that they would be unable to
survive without an energy source as abundant as the sun. Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive.
Fate it seems is not without a sense of irony. The human body generates more bio-electricity than a 120-volt battery and over 25,000
BTU's of body heat. Combined with a form of fusion the machines have found all the energy they would ever need. There are fields,
endless fields, where human beings are no longer born, we are grown. For the longest time I wouldn't believe it, and then I saw the fields
with my own eyes. Watch them liquefy the dead so they could be fed intravenously to the living. And standing there, facing the pure
horrifying precision, I came to realize the obviousness of the truth. What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is a computer generated
dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this.
Neo: No. I don't believe it. It's not possible.
Morpheus: I didn't say it would be easy, Neo. I just said it would be the truth.
Neo: Stop. Let me out. Let me out. I want out.
2. The innate factor responsible for the status of human beings in later part of 22nd century is
A    Due to human beings living in a dream world and being happy about it.
B    The ability of human body to generate bio-electricity.
C    The decision to scorch the sky.
D    The development of artificial intelligence by human beings.
E    Due to human beings developing the ability to hack into the matrix.
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The primary reason for the status of human beings in the 22nd century is because humans developed AI and then lost against them.
Option A is rejected as it is not mentioned that humans are happy about their situation and it is also not the reason for their situation.
Option B is the reason for humans being grown on farms but not the main reason for them being in that situation.
Option C is rejected as it also relates to humans being used as energy sources.
Option D is the valid reason and therefore, the answer.
Option E is irrelevant to humans being in the stated situation.
Hence, the answer is option D.
3. Choose the option that cannot be inferred from the Idea discussed in the transcript:
A    Morpheus and his crew have developed an ability to hack into the matrix.
B    A war between human beings and machines is going on for some decades.
C    The sources of power for human beings and machines were different.
D    Machines require human beings for their survival now.
E    Morpheus and his crew are not entirely controlled by the matrix.
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
Option A: Morpheus mentions the main deck where they used to broadcast pirate signal and hack into the matrix. Hence this option can
be inferred.
  
.
Option B: It cannot be inferred that a war has been going between the humans and the machines for some decades.Hence B is the
answer.
Option C: Morpheus informs Neo that the machines are getting their energy from human body and he has seen the fields where humans
are grown for this purpose. It is obvious that humans don't get energy in this way.
Option D: Machines derive their energy from humans. Hence this option can be inferred.
Option E: Since Morpheus and his crew can hack into the Matrix, it can be inferred that the crew was not not entirely controlled by the
matrix.
4. Widespread use of lectures in class-rooms in business schools leads to severe negative consequences. The first consequence
is theoretically knowledgeable graduates who cannot apply theory to solve real world problems. The more serious consequence
is that lectures encourage a feeling of total omniscience among them which persists for quite some time after graduating. This
feeling prevents "them from learning from their subordinates and colleagues.
Which of the following can best help to reduce these negative consequences among the students in a business school?
A    Use illustrations of real life problems in classrooms.
B    Send the students to find business problems so that it can be discussed in classrooms.
C    Business education to be given to students, who have work experience.
D    Modify the pedagogy to have knowledge of theory and application in parallel.
E    
Removing theoretical inputs from the curriculum altogether; only practical problems to be discussed in class
rooms.
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The negative consequences are due to the fact that the theory learnt in the classroom cannot be applied in the real life situation by the
students. To cope with this situation, the classrooms should teach how to apply theoretical knowledge in practical domain. Option D is
the most relevant.
         
Instructions [5 - 6 ]
Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer the questions that follow.
Silver is especially and repetitively savage about what he sees as the extravagant claims made for particle physics, arguing that once
the proton, neutron, and electron were found and their properties experimentally confirmed, the very expensive searches for ever more
exotic particles, such as the Higgs Boson, were increasingly harder to justify other than by their importance to particle physicists.
Most of the particles resemble ecstatic happiness: They are very short - lived and have nothing to do with everyday life. His repeated
assault goes to the level of sarcasm: "Finding the Higgs Boson will be a magnificent technical and theoretical triumph. Like a great
Bobby Fisher game". Of course, this is a tad unfair, even if some of the claims of its practitioners invite such assaults on their field.
5. Which of the following, if true, will weaken the argument described in the passage?
A    
All streams of new science need to undergo through a period of uncertainty and we should not criticize research in
particle physics alone.
B    Necessity is the mother of every invention.
C    Knowledge has preceded application in all spheres of science.
D    Funding agency supporting research on Higgs Boson do not mind wasting their money.
E    Do not expect everyone to appreciate everything.
A n s w e r : C
Explanation:
  
.
The main argument of the passage is that scientists trying to gain knowledge about exotic particles will be of no help because it has
already been assumed that the even if the exotic particles are found, they will be of no importance. Option C mentions that knowledge
has preceded application in all spheres of science. If it is true, it will weaken the main argument of the passage which is based on the
assumption that there would be no application of those exotic particles on which research is going on because without knowledge we
cannot assume the application.
Hence, option C is the correct answer.
6. Identify the statement(s) that is(are) logically consistent with the content of the paragraph:
I. Silver is an ardent critic of Higgs Boson theory.
II. Everyday life has nothing to do with experimental confirmation of the properties of proton, neutron and electron.
III. Identifying more information about Higgs Boson is a significant contribution to particle physics.
IV. Research on exotic particles in particle physics is an expensive proposition.
A    Only I
B    Only II
C    Only II and IV
D    Only IV
E    Only I and IV
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
Statement I is true as evident from the sarcastic comment mentioned about Higgs Boson theory by Silver.
Statement II is false as it is mentioned about the other exotic particles, and not, electron, proton and neutron.
Statement III cannot be inferred as no comment in this respect has been made in the paragraph.
Statement IV is true as mentioned in the paragraph.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
Instructions [7 - 8 ]
Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.
Fashion is different from custom, or rather is a particular species of it. That is not the fashion which everybody wears, but which those
wear who are of a high rank, or character. The graceful, the easy, and the commanding manners of the great, joined to the usual
richness and magnificence of their dress, give a grace to the very form which they happen to bestow upon it. As long as they continue to
use this form, it is connected in our imaginations with the idea of something that is genteel and magnificent, and though in itself it
should be indifferent, it seems, on account of this relation, to have something about it that is genteel and magnificent too. As soon as
they drop it, it loses all the grace, which it had appeared to possess before, and being now used only by the inferior ranks of people,
seems to have something of their meanness and awkwardness.
7. Which phrase would be the best title of the passage?
A    Proletariat fashion models and fashion shows
B    Scourge of fashion
C    The clothes maketh the man
D    The man maketh the cloth
E    Predicting fashion-trends and character
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The author in the paragraph states that fashion and culture are different and fashion is defined by those who are of high rank or
character. Later in the paragraph, the author also mentions the fashion loses all grace when people of high rank or character drop it. So,
the author wants to imply that fashion depends on those who wear it.
Thus, option D is the most appropriate title for the given paragraph.
  
.
Page 5


XAT 2010
Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
1. Read the sentences and choose the option that best arranges them in a logical order.
1. He might make the opposite mistake; when I want to assign a name to this group of nuts, he might understand it as a
numeral,
2. Now, one can ostensively define a proper name, the name of a colour, the name of a material, a numeral, the name of a point
of the compass and so on.
3. The definition of the number two. "That is called 'two' " pointing to two nuts is perfectly exact. But how can two be defined
like that?
4. He may suppose this; but perhaps he does not.
5. The person one gives the definition to doesn't know what one wants to call "two"; he will suppose that "two" is the name given
to this group of nuts!
A    1, 2, 3, 5, 4
B    2, 3, 5, 4, 1
C    3, 5, 4, 2, 1
D    5, 2, 3, 1, 4
E    2, 3, 4, 1, 5
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
After reading all the sentences, we can see that statement 2 is a general statement and hence, the opening sentence. Statement 3
mentions a specific case of what has been mentioned in statement 2. 'He' is statements 4 and 1 refers to the person mentioned in
statement 5. So, statement 5 should precede statements 4 and 1. The 'mistake' mentioned in statement 1 refers to the mistake
mentioned in statement 4. So, statement 1 should follow statement 4. Thus, the correct order is 2 - 3 - 5 - 4 - 1.
hence, option B is the correct answer.
  
Instructions [2 - 3 ]
Analyse the following transcript (from the movie Matrix) and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow:
Neo: Morpheus, what's happened to me? What is this place?
Morpheus: More important than what is when.
Neo: When?
Morpheus: You believe it's the year 1999 when in fact it's closer to 2199. I can't tell you exactly what year it is because we honestly don't
know.There's nothing I can say that will explain it for you, Neo. Come with me. See for yourself. This is my ship, the Nebuchadnezzar.
It's a hovercraft. This is the main deck. This is the core where we broadcast our pirate signal and hack into the Matrix. Most of my crew
you already know.
(Next Scene: Construct)
Morpheus: This is the construct. It's our loading programme. We can load anything from clothing, to equipment, weapons, training
simulations, anything we need.
Neo: Right now we're inside a computer programme?
Morpheus: Is it really so hard to believe? Your clothes are different. The plugs in your arms and head are gone. Your hair is changed.
Your appearance now is what we call residual self image. It is the mental projection of your digital self.
Neo: This...this isn't real?
Morpheus: What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and
see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
  
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...This is the world that you know. The world as it was at the end of the twentieth century. It exists now only as part of a neural-
interactive simulation that we call the Matrix. You've been living in a dream world, Neo. .. .This is the world as it exists today. Welcome
to the Desert of the Real. We have only bits and pieces of information but what we know for certain is that at some point in the early
twenty-first century all of mankind was united in celebration. We marvelled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to AI.
Neo: AI? You mean artificial intelligence?
Morpheus: A singular consciousness that spawned an entire race of machines. We don't know who struck first, us or them. But we know
that it was us that scorched the sky. At the time they were dependent on solar power and it was believed that they would be unable to
survive without an energy source as abundant as the sun. Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive.
Fate it seems is not without a sense of irony. The human body generates more bio-electricity than a 120-volt battery and over 25,000
BTU's of body heat. Combined with a form of fusion the machines have found all the energy they would ever need. There are fields,
endless fields, where human beings are no longer born, we are grown. For the longest time I wouldn't believe it, and then I saw the fields
with my own eyes. Watch them liquefy the dead so they could be fed intravenously to the living. And standing there, facing the pure
horrifying precision, I came to realize the obviousness of the truth. What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is a computer generated
dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this.
Neo: No. I don't believe it. It's not possible.
Morpheus: I didn't say it would be easy, Neo. I just said it would be the truth.
Neo: Stop. Let me out. Let me out. I want out.
2. The innate factor responsible for the status of human beings in later part of 22nd century is
A    Due to human beings living in a dream world and being happy about it.
B    The ability of human body to generate bio-electricity.
C    The decision to scorch the sky.
D    The development of artificial intelligence by human beings.
E    Due to human beings developing the ability to hack into the matrix.
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The primary reason for the status of human beings in the 22nd century is because humans developed AI and then lost against them.
Option A is rejected as it is not mentioned that humans are happy about their situation and it is also not the reason for their situation.
Option B is the reason for humans being grown on farms but not the main reason for them being in that situation.
Option C is rejected as it also relates to humans being used as energy sources.
Option D is the valid reason and therefore, the answer.
Option E is irrelevant to humans being in the stated situation.
Hence, the answer is option D.
3. Choose the option that cannot be inferred from the Idea discussed in the transcript:
A    Morpheus and his crew have developed an ability to hack into the matrix.
B    A war between human beings and machines is going on for some decades.
C    The sources of power for human beings and machines were different.
D    Machines require human beings for their survival now.
E    Morpheus and his crew are not entirely controlled by the matrix.
A n s w e r : B
Explanation:
Option A: Morpheus mentions the main deck where they used to broadcast pirate signal and hack into the matrix. Hence this option can
be inferred.
  
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Option B: It cannot be inferred that a war has been going between the humans and the machines for some decades.Hence B is the
answer.
Option C: Morpheus informs Neo that the machines are getting their energy from human body and he has seen the fields where humans
are grown for this purpose. It is obvious that humans don't get energy in this way.
Option D: Machines derive their energy from humans. Hence this option can be inferred.
Option E: Since Morpheus and his crew can hack into the Matrix, it can be inferred that the crew was not not entirely controlled by the
matrix.
4. Widespread use of lectures in class-rooms in business schools leads to severe negative consequences. The first consequence
is theoretically knowledgeable graduates who cannot apply theory to solve real world problems. The more serious consequence
is that lectures encourage a feeling of total omniscience among them which persists for quite some time after graduating. This
feeling prevents "them from learning from their subordinates and colleagues.
Which of the following can best help to reduce these negative consequences among the students in a business school?
A    Use illustrations of real life problems in classrooms.
B    Send the students to find business problems so that it can be discussed in classrooms.
C    Business education to be given to students, who have work experience.
D    Modify the pedagogy to have knowledge of theory and application in parallel.
E    
Removing theoretical inputs from the curriculum altogether; only practical problems to be discussed in class
rooms.
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The negative consequences are due to the fact that the theory learnt in the classroom cannot be applied in the real life situation by the
students. To cope with this situation, the classrooms should teach how to apply theoretical knowledge in practical domain. Option D is
the most relevant.
         
Instructions [5 - 6 ]
Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer the questions that follow.
Silver is especially and repetitively savage about what he sees as the extravagant claims made for particle physics, arguing that once
the proton, neutron, and electron were found and their properties experimentally confirmed, the very expensive searches for ever more
exotic particles, such as the Higgs Boson, were increasingly harder to justify other than by their importance to particle physicists.
Most of the particles resemble ecstatic happiness: They are very short - lived and have nothing to do with everyday life. His repeated
assault goes to the level of sarcasm: "Finding the Higgs Boson will be a magnificent technical and theoretical triumph. Like a great
Bobby Fisher game". Of course, this is a tad unfair, even if some of the claims of its practitioners invite such assaults on their field.
5. Which of the following, if true, will weaken the argument described in the passage?
A    
All streams of new science need to undergo through a period of uncertainty and we should not criticize research in
particle physics alone.
B    Necessity is the mother of every invention.
C    Knowledge has preceded application in all spheres of science.
D    Funding agency supporting research on Higgs Boson do not mind wasting their money.
E    Do not expect everyone to appreciate everything.
A n s w e r : C
Explanation:
  
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The main argument of the passage is that scientists trying to gain knowledge about exotic particles will be of no help because it has
already been assumed that the even if the exotic particles are found, they will be of no importance. Option C mentions that knowledge
has preceded application in all spheres of science. If it is true, it will weaken the main argument of the passage which is based on the
assumption that there would be no application of those exotic particles on which research is going on because without knowledge we
cannot assume the application.
Hence, option C is the correct answer.
6. Identify the statement(s) that is(are) logically consistent with the content of the paragraph:
I. Silver is an ardent critic of Higgs Boson theory.
II. Everyday life has nothing to do with experimental confirmation of the properties of proton, neutron and electron.
III. Identifying more information about Higgs Boson is a significant contribution to particle physics.
IV. Research on exotic particles in particle physics is an expensive proposition.
A    Only I
B    Only II
C    Only II and IV
D    Only IV
E    Only I and IV
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
Statement I is true as evident from the sarcastic comment mentioned about Higgs Boson theory by Silver.
Statement II is false as it is mentioned about the other exotic particles, and not, electron, proton and neutron.
Statement III cannot be inferred as no comment in this respect has been made in the paragraph.
Statement IV is true as mentioned in the paragraph.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
Instructions [7 - 8 ]
Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.
Fashion is different from custom, or rather is a particular species of it. That is not the fashion which everybody wears, but which those
wear who are of a high rank, or character. The graceful, the easy, and the commanding manners of the great, joined to the usual
richness and magnificence of their dress, give a grace to the very form which they happen to bestow upon it. As long as they continue to
use this form, it is connected in our imaginations with the idea of something that is genteel and magnificent, and though in itself it
should be indifferent, it seems, on account of this relation, to have something about it that is genteel and magnificent too. As soon as
they drop it, it loses all the grace, which it had appeared to possess before, and being now used only by the inferior ranks of people,
seems to have something of their meanness and awkwardness.
7. Which phrase would be the best title of the passage?
A    Proletariat fashion models and fashion shows
B    Scourge of fashion
C    The clothes maketh the man
D    The man maketh the cloth
E    Predicting fashion-trends and character
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The author in the paragraph states that fashion and culture are different and fashion is defined by those who are of high rank or
character. Later in the paragraph, the author also mentions the fashion loses all grace when people of high rank or character drop it. So,
the author wants to imply that fashion depends on those who wear it.
Thus, option D is the most appropriate title for the given paragraph.
  
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8. Which is nearest to the central idea in the passage?
A    Fashion improves grace of a person.
B    Grace is indicated by the fashion adopted.
C    Grace is a characteristic of imaginative persons.
D    The contemporary nature of fashion portrays the society.
E    Grace is a reflection of the person's rank or character.
A n s w e r : E
Explanation:
The author mentions "that is not the fashion which everybody wears, but which those wear who are of a high rank, or character." and "As
soon as they drop it, it loses all the grace, which it had appeared to possess before, and being now used only by the inferior ranks of
people, seems to have something of their meanness and awkwardness." Therefore, the central idea is that a person's status or
character is shown by grace.
Hence, option E is the correct answer.
9. Social roles may either conflict or cooperate within any given person, depending upon the circumstances. They conflict when
the behaviour patterns demanded by one role cannot be performed while performing the second role. Thus, one cannot easily
be a saintly rake or a feminine brute, but given an understanding husband, a woman can be both a loving wife and a loving
mother with no conflict between the roles.
Which of the following methods is used by the author to make his or her point?
A    Applying an individual attribute to a whole
B    Implying contradictions without actually citing them
C    Relying on common-sense notions of social roles
D    Presenting specific examples to clarify a generality
E    Using paradox to highlight an implicit contradiction
A n s w e r : D
Explanation:
The author states that social roles may either conflict or cooperate. Later, he gives examples to explain the same.
Hence, option D is the correct answer.
10. While no one made any_______________the financial scandal while he was in the room, there was a feeling of awe to the ________
created by the broker that had snared many unsuspecting investors under the ______________that everyone would end up rich
and the fact that he had been celebrating his ________of the legal authorities by attending parties. 
The option that best fills the blanks in the above paragraph would be:
A    delusion, elusion, allusion, illusion
B    elusion, illusion, allusion, delusion
C    allusion, delusion, illusion, elusion
D    illusion, allusion, delusion, elusion
E    
allusion, illusion, delusion, elusion
  
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