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XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - CAT MCQ


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30 Questions MCQ Test - XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern)

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) for CAT 2024 is part of CAT preparation. The XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) questions and answers have been prepared according to the CAT exam syllabus.The XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) MCQs are made for CAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, notes, meanings, examples, exercises, MCQs and online tests for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) below.
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XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 1

Question: Read the following passage and answer the questions.

The hurt that I am feeling right now, I know that you can feel it inside. But I want you to remember that once it’s through, You’ll always be my big brother, Someone whom I will forever look up to.

Which of the following is NOT implied in the above?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 1

There is no data in the poem to suggest that the speaker caused the hurt. It seems to be merely a moment of pain for both the speaker and the person spoken to (his big brother). The lines are a reassurance that the hurt will be over, and the speaker has high regard for his big brother.

Hence, the correct answer is option is 3.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 2

Question: Complete the paragraph most appropriately using the best option.

In their selfish desire to leave offspring, our genes have evolved to form a society where they work together efficiently, dividing the labour to ensure that each makes it into the next generation. Like Adam Smith’s invisible hand, the genes in this society cooperate with one another not from a sense of fairness or design, __________.

Which of the following options is most likely to follow the paragraph given above?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 2

The paragraph refers to genes as selfish entities that work together to ensure that they produce offspring who will carry them into the next generation. The part that will complete the paragraph must address why they create a society in which they cooperate with one another. From all of the options provided, only option 3 is aligned with the paragraph. It attributes to the aim of genes wanting to “make it to the next generation”.

The paragraph discusses genes working harmoniously. The aspect of weeding out a bad entity has not even been slightly hinted upon within the paragraph. Therefore, it is difficult to substantiate option 1.

The aim towards being functional has not been spoken about in the paragraph. Eliminate option 2.

The repercussions of random gene mutation have not been hinted upon within the paragraph. Eliminate option 4.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

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XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 3

Question: Answer the question based on the information given in the passage.

Beauty or deformity in an object results from its nature or structure. To perceive the beauty therefore, we must perceive the nature or structure from which it results. In this the internal sense differs from the external. Our external senses may discover qualities which do not depend upon any antecedent perception. But it is impossible to perceive the beauty of an object, without perceiving the object, or at least conceiving it.

Assuming the above statements are true, which of the statements logically follow from them?

I. Perceiving the nature or structure of an object is perceiving its beauty.

II. The beauty, particularly those of the fine arts, does not depend on antecedent perception.

III. Beauty results from highly complex natures or structures.

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 3

Statement I is incorrect. Though perceiving beauty implies that one must perceive the nature and structure first, the reverse is not necessarily true; it is not a sufficient condition for perceiving beauty.

Statement II is contrary to the passage.

Statement III is data inadequate - some objects of beauty may have ‘highly complex’ structures, but not necessarily all.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 4

Question: Answer the question based on the passage given below.

Concrete poetry or shape poetry is poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme and so on. It is sometimes referred to as visual poetry; a term that has evolved to have distinct meaning of its own, because the words themselves form a picture. This can be called imagery because you use your senses to figure out what the words mean.

Which of the following is communicated by the passage?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 4

The passage in no way communicates any similarity between Conventional and Visual poetry. It presents data to the contrary. Eliminate option 1.

The description in option 2 is attributed to Visual and not Conventional poetry in the passage. Eliminate option 2.

It can be inferred from the passage that Concrete, Visual, and Shape poetry are all terms used to refer to the same type of unconventional poetry which involves imagery. This requires you to use your senses and decipher the meaning.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 5

Question: Read the following passage and answer the question that follow.

People who regularly eat chocolate are more depressive, experts have found. Research in Archives of Internal Medicine shows those who eat at least a bar every week are more glum than those who eat chocolate only now and again. Many believe chocolate has the power to lift mood. But experts say they cannot rule out that chocolate may be a cause rather than the cure for being depressed. In the study, the more chocolate the men and women consumed, the lower was their mood.

Which of the following assumptions needs to be necessarily true?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 5

Options 1 and 2 do not establish the link between chocolates and depression in a categorical way - it could be that they ate chocolates because they were depressed - effect rather than cause.

Option 4 is irrelevant to chocolates and depression.

If option 3 is true it strengthens the hypothesis that chocolates only may have caused the depression, since those in the study were not already depressed.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 6

Having a perceptive faculty is definitive of being an animal; every animal has at least touch, whereas most have the other sensory modalities as well. In broad terms at least, animals must have perception if they are to live. So, Aristotle supposes, there are defensible teleological grounds for treating animals as essentially capable of perceiving. If an animal is to grow to maturity and propagate, it must be able to take in nourishment and to navigate its way through the world. Perception serves these ends.

Which of the following would be closest to the main idea expressed in the passage?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 6

The main idea of the passage is expressed in the following line: "... there are defensible teleological grounds for treating animals as essentially capable of perceiving". A “teleological” explanation is an explanation for something in function of its purpose or goal. Therefore, the main idea here is that according to teleology, it can be argued that perception must exist in animals because in them, it serves the purpose of allowing them to nourish themselves and navigate- in short, it enables them to live. Option 5 captures this perfectly.

None of the other options touches upon the main idea of the passage. Option 3, in fact, distorts the intended meaning of a sentence in the passage. Option 2 brings up a minor point made in the passage. Option 1 does not mention perception at all. Hence, the correct answer is option 5.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 7

Question: Read the following passage and answer the questions.

That people undergoing medical procedures should give their informed consent might seem simple and uncontentious. But what if a patient has a mental impairment and his doctor cannot make the patient understand the treatment? A team of researchers reckon virtual environments could provide the solution. Once inside the virtual hospital, the virtual patients will be directed to a waiting room. Then a virtual nurse will take them to a bed, where they will lie down to have virtual blood taken. A Second Life doctor will explain that they are about to have an anaesthetic. Meanwhile, a real person alongside the participant will answer any questions and, after the virtual visit is over, doctors will carry out “non-directive” interviews. These interviews will suggest whether the participants have understood what was going on well enough to give informed consent.

The success of the virtual environment will help reinforce which of the following assumptions (of the researchers)?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 7

The correct option should address the issue of mental impairment.

The paragraph states, “But what if a patient has a mental impairment and his doctor cannot make the patient understand the treatment?” and “These interviews will suggest whether the participants have understood what was going on well enough to give informed consent.”

The success will reinforce that the virtual doctor has been successful vis-a-vis a real doctor. This is in consonance with option 4 which is the assumption the researchers have made. Option 1 is incorrect because of the word “incapable”. Doctors are not “incapable”, the patients with mental impairments are. Option 2 is incorrect because it does not mention mentally impaired patients when it says that “the standard method of obtaining consent from a patient is not effective”.

Option 3 is incorrect and cannot be assumed from the passage. Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 8

Question: The question below consists of a paragraph in which the first and last sentences are identified. Choose the option that has the most logical order of the intermediate sentences.

1. When entrepreneur Ryan Farley, co-founder of US business Lawnstarter, heard about biphasic sleeping he was intrigued.

P. He found that adjusting his sleeping pattern in this way allowed him to start each working period - daytime and night - with a fresh mind.

Q. Farley says: “We slept two times per night, about three hours each, doing the programming in between those periods of sleep when it was quiet and there was nobody there to distract us.”

R. He and business partner Steven Corcoran were struggling to get enough sleep while trying to launch the company, so wondered whether sandwiching a couple of hours’ work between two sleep cycles would make them more productive and efficient.

S. They needed distraction-free time to work on coding the website and business-development time for meetings and phone calls.

Farley admits he didn’t like waking up each time but says once he was awake he felt great. Which of the following combinations given below is the most logically ordered?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 8

Sentence 1 says that entrepreneur Ryan Farley was “intrigued” by the concept of biphasic sleep. The sentence following this should explain why. R does this by telling us that Ryan and his partner were struggling to get enough sleep and wondered whether biphasic sleep would make them more productive. Next comes sentence S which tells us why they were looking to increase productivity. Then sentence Q actually tells us how they scheduled their sleep cycles to minimize distraction. This is followed by P which gives us the positive effect of this kind of sleep cycle- a fresh mind. Sentence 6 can then end the sequence effectively by giving the minor drawback of biphasic sleep (difficulty in waking) along with a reiteration of the positive effect (feeling great).

Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 9

Question: Answer the following question based on the information given below.

Even though most of the members of the audience stared at Mr. Milner in awe and respect, I still looked at him through my skeptical eyeglass as I was well aware of his propensity for exaggeration.

Which of the following words best replaces the word ‘propensity’ in the sentence?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 9

Propensity means Proclivity, a natural tendency or predisposition to do something.

Options 2, 3, 4 do not have this meaning and can be eliminated.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 10

Question: Answer the following question based on the information given below.

Consumers are increasingly aware of pollution caused due to production of plastic and hence, have been increasingly supporting the use of recycled plastic for packaging purposes. However, the percentage of recycled plastic used in packaging is 6.5% while it is 48.2% for recycled paper.

Which of the following most clearly explains the difference in these percentages in light of the facts stated?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 10

This is a trick question - the fact given compares the use of recycled plastic and plain plastic in packaging. The percentages stated, however, are those of recycled plastic and recycled paper. The fact never says that there is a decrease in the use of recycled paper; it merely says that the use of recycled plastic is on the rise.

All the options hint at why recycled paper would be preferred over recycled plastic in packaging. Option 2 is the only option which points out the discrepancy in the question statement. Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 11

Question: A passage is followed by questions pertaining to the passage. Read the passage and answer the questions. Choose the most appropriate answer.

The nature and definition of matter have been subject to much debate, as have other key concepts in science and philosophy. Is there a single kind of matter which everything is made of (hyle), or multiple kinds? Is matter a continuous substance capable of expressing multiple forms (hylomorphism), or a number of discrete, unchanging constituents (atomism)? Does it have intrinsic properties (substance theory), or is it lacking them (prima materia)? Without question science has made unexpected discoveries about matter. Some paraphrase departures from traditional or common- sense concepts of matter as “disproving the existence of matter”. However, most physical scientists take the view that the concept of matter has merely changed, rather than being eliminated. One challenge to the traditional concept of matter as tangible “stuff’ is the rise of field physics in the 19th century. However the conclusion that materialism is false may be premature. Relativity shows that matter and energy (including the spatially distributed energy of fields) are interchangeable. This enables the ontological view that energy is prima materia and matter is one of its forms. On the other hand, quantum field theory models fields as exchanges of particles- photons for electromagnetic fields and so on. On this view it could be said that fields are “really matter.”

All known solid, liquid, and gaseous substances are composed of protons, neutrons and electrons. All three are fermions or spin-half particles, whereas the particles that mediate fields in quantum field theory are bosons. Thus matter can be said to divide into a more tangible fermionic kind and a less tangible bosonic kind. However it is now generally believed that less than 5% of the physical composition of the universe is made up of such “matter”, and the majority of the universe is composed of Dark Matter and Dark Energy- with no agreement amongst scientists about what these are made of. This obviously refutes the traditional materialism that held that the only things that exist are things composed of the kind of matter with which we are broadly familiar (“traditional matter”) - which was anyway under great strain as noted above from Relativity and quantum field theory. But if the definition of “matter” is extended to “anything whose existence can be inferred from the observed behaviour of traditional matter” then there is no reason in principle why entities whose existence materialists normally deny should not be considered as “matter.” Some philosophers feel that these dichotomies necessitate a switch from materialism to physicalism. Others use materialism and physicalism interchangeably.

From the passage, we can conclude that:

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 11

From two extracts in the passage, we can observe that traditional materialism is refuted by relativity and the quantum theory: 1. “..traditional materialism that held that the only things that exist are things composed of the kind of matter with which we are broadly familiar (“traditional matter”) - which was anyway under great strain as noted above from Relativity and quantum field theory.” 2. “One challenge to the traditional concept of matter as tangible “stuff’ is the rise of field physics in the 19th century.” Field physics includes relativity and the quantum theory as explained in the third paragraph. Therefore, option 1 can be concluded from the paragraph.

Since the passage states that there is “no agreement amongst scientists about what these are made of,” Dark Matter and Dark Energy can be described as an “ambiguous” field. Therefore, option 2 can be concluded from the paragraph. The passage states that matter and energy are “interchangeable.” Therefore, option 3 can be concluded from the paragraph.

Since options 1, 2 and 3 can all be concluded from the passage, the correct answer is option 4.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 12

Question: A passage is followed by questions pertaining to the passage. Read the passage and answer the questions. Choose the most appropriate answer.

The nature and definition of matter have been subject to much debate, as have other key concepts in science and philosophy. Is there a single kind of matter which everything is made of (hyle), or multiple kinds? Is matter a continuous substance capable of expressing multiple forms (hylomorphism), or a number of discrete, unchanging constituents (atomism)? Does it have intrinsic properties (substance theory), or is it lacking them (prima materia)? Without question science has made unexpected discoveries about matter. Some paraphrase departures from traditional or common- sense concepts of matter as “disproving the existence of matter”. However, most physical scientists take the view that the concept of matter has merely changed, rather than being eliminated. One challenge to the traditional concept of matter as tangible “stuff’ is the rise of field physics in the 19th century. However the conclusion that materialism is false may be premature. Relativity shows that matter and energy (including the spatially distributed energy of fields) are interchangeable. This enables the ontological view that energy is prima materia and matter is one of its forms. On the other hand, quantum field theory models fields as exchanges of particles- photons for electromagnetic fields and so on. On this view it could be said that fields are “really matter.”

All known solid, liquid, and gaseous substances are composed of protons, neutrons and electrons. All three are fermions or spin-half particles, whereas the particles that mediate fields in quantum field theory are bosons. Thus matter can be said to divide into a more tangible fermionic kind and a less tangible bosonic kind. However it is now generally believed that less than 5% of the physical composition of the universe is made up of such “matter”, and the majority of the universe is composed of Dark Matter and Dark Energy- with no agreement amongst scientists about what these are made of. This obviously refutes the traditional materialism that held that the only things that exist are things composed of the kind of matter with which we are broadly familiar (“traditional matter”) - which was anyway under great strain as noted above from Relativity and quantum field theory. But if the definition of “matter” is extended to “anything whose existence can be inferred from the observed behaviour of traditional matter” then there is no reason in principle why entities whose existence materialists normally deny should not be considered as “matter.” Some philosophers feel that these dichotomies necessitate a switch from materialism to physicalism. Others use materialism and physicalism interchangeably.

The tone of the passage is:

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 12

“Expository” means ‘serving to expound, set forth, or explain’. The tone of the passage is “expository” as it attempts to explain the nature and definition of matter.The tone is not “critical” which means ‘involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc.’ because the author does not pass judgment on any theories, he simply states them. It is not “salubrious” as it means ‘favorable to or promoting health; healthful.’ It is not “exonerating” which means ‘to relieve, as from an obligation, duty, or task.’ The passage is not “condemnatory” as once again it does not pass any strong judgment or pass any disapproval of, but merely states the facts and explains them in a succinct manner.Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 13

Question: A passage is followed by questions pertaining to the passage. Read the passage and answer the questions. Choose the most appropriate answer.

The nature and definition of matter have been subject to much debate, as have other key concepts in science and philosophy. Is there a single kind of matter which everything is made of (hyle), or multiple kinds? Is matter a continuous substance capable of expressing multiple forms (hylomorphism), or a number of discrete, unchanging constituents (atomism)? Does it have intrinsic properties (substance theory), or is it lacking them (prima materia)? Without question science has made unexpected discoveries about matter. Some paraphrase departures from traditional or common- sense concepts of matter as “disproving the existence of matter”. However, most physical scientists take the view that the concept of matter has merely changed, rather than being eliminated. One challenge to the traditional concept of matter as tangible “stuff’ is the rise of field physics in the 19th century. However the conclusion that materialism is false may be premature. Relativity shows that matter and energy (including the spatially distributed energy of fields) are interchangeable. This enables the ontological view that energy is prima materia and matter is one of its forms. On the other hand, quantum field theory models fields as exchanges of particles- photons for electromagnetic fields and so on. On this view it could be said that fields are “really matter.”

All known solid, liquid, and gaseous substances are composed of protons, neutrons and electrons. All three are fermions or spin-half particles, whereas the particles that mediate fields in quantum field theory are bosons. Thus matter can be said to divide into a more tangible fermionic kind and a less tangible bosonic kind. However it is now generally believed that less than 5% of the physical composition of the universe is made up of such “matter”, and the majority of the universe is composed of Dark Matter and Dark Energy- with no agreement amongst scientists about what these are made of. This obviously refutes the traditional materialism that held that the only things that exist are things composed of the kind of matter with which we are broadly familiar (“traditional matter”) - which was anyway under great strain as noted above from Relativity and quantum field theory. But if the definition of “matter” is extended to “anything whose existence can be inferred from the observed behaviour of traditional matter” then there is no reason in principle why entities whose existence materialists normally deny should not be considered as “matter.” Some philosophers feel that these dichotomies necessitate a switch from materialism to physicalism. Others use materialism and physicalism interchangeably.

Some scientists who follow the definition of traditional matter:

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 13

The passage states that “Some paraphrase departures from traditional or common-sense concepts of matter" as ‘disproving the existence of matter’. These scientists therefore are inflexible in their definition of matter- they think that any definition that doesn’t conform is threatening to disprove the traditional theory. This is in consonance with option 1.

Option 2 is incorrect. The paragraph states that “the majority of the universe is composed of Dark Matter and Dark Energy - with no agreement amongst scientists about what these are made of.” This means that scientists are unsure about Dark Matter, not that they are condemning it. Option 3 is incorrect as it is mostly irrelevant, and in any case, is a challenge to the tradition definition of matter- the ontological definition says that energy is prima material, and challenges the traditional definition that is based on the tangibility of matter.

Option 4 is incorrect as the passage does not state that the scientists “expect” field physics to disprove the traditional definition of matter.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 14

Question: Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers for questions that follow.

The 'Mozart effect' phenomenon was first suggested by a scientific study published in 1993 in the respected journal Science. It showed that teenagers who listened to Mozart's 1781 Sonata for Two Pianos in D major performed better in reasoning tests than adolescents who listened to something else or who had been in a silent room. The study (which did not look at the effect of Mozart on babies) found that college students who listened to a Mozart sonata for a few minutes before taking a test that measured spatial relationship skills did better than students who took the test after listening to another musician or no music at all. The finding, by a group at the University of California whose study involved only 36 students, led creches in America to start playing classical music to children and the southern US state of Georgia even gave newborns a free classical CD.

But there has been debate since about whether the effect exists. A report, published in the journal Pediatrics, said it was unclear whether the original study in 1993 has detected a "Mozart effect" or a potential benefit of music in general. But they said a previous study of adults with seizures found that compositions by Mozart, rather than other classical composers, appeared to lower seizure frequency. Lubetzky's team said it was possible that the proposed Mozart effect on the brain is related to the structure of his compositions as Mozart's music tends to repeat the melodic line more frequently. In more condemning evidence, a team from Vienna University's Faculty of Psychology analysed all studies since 1993 that have sought to reproduce the Mozart effect and found no proof of the phenomenon's existence. In all they looked at 3,000 individuals in 40 studies conducted around the world. Jakob Pietschnig, who led the study, said "I recommend everyone listen to Mozart, but it's not going to improve cognitive abilities as some people hope,". A study in Nature in 1999 by Christopher Chabris, a psychologist, adding up the results of 16 studies on the Mozart effect, found only a one and a half point increase in IQ and any improvements in spatial ability limited solely to a paper-folding task.

Match the words correctly with their meanings.

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 14

The correct match for the words and their meanings in given in option 1.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 15

Question: Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers for questions that follow.

The 'Mozart effect' phenomenon was first suggested by a scientific study published in 1993 in the respected journal Science. It showed that teenagers who listened to Mozart's 1781 Sonata for Two Pianos in D major performed better in reasoning tests than adolescents who listened to something else or who had been in a silent room. The study (which did not look at the effect of Mozart on babies) found that college students who listened to a Mozart sonata for a few minutes before taking a test that measured spatial relationship skills did better than students who took the test after listening to another musician or no music at all. The finding, by a group at the University of California whose study involved only 36 students, led creches in America to start playing classical music to children and the southern US state of Georgia even gave newborns a free classical CD.

But there has been debate since about whether the effect exists. A report, published in the journal Pediatrics, said it was unclear whether the original study in 1993 has detected a "Mozart effect" or a potential benefit of music in general. But they said a previous study of adults with seizures found that compositions by Mozart, rather than other classical composers, appeared to lower seizure frequency. Lubetzky's team said it was possible that the proposed Mozart effect on the brain is related to the structure of his compositions as Mozart's music tends to repeat the melodic line more frequently. In more condemning evidence, a team from Vienna University's Faculty of Psychology analysed all studies since 1993 that have sought to reproduce the Mozart effect and found no proof of the phenomenon's existence. In all they looked at 3,000 individuals in 40 studies conducted around the world. Jakob Pietschnig, who led the study, said "I recommend everyone listen to Mozart, but it's not going to improve cognitive abilities as some people hope,". A study in Nature in 1999 by Christopher Chabris, a psychologist, adding up the results of 16 studies on the Mozart effect, found only a one and a half point increase in IQ and any improvements in spatial ability limited solely to a paper-folding task.

Which of these cannot be inferred from the passage?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 15

The passage states in the first paragraph "... teenagers who listened to Mozart's ... performed better in reasoning tests ... college students who listened to a Mozart sonata for a few minutes before taking a test that measured spatial relationship skills did better... The finding,... led creches in America to start playing classical music to children ...”. This can be used to infer that creches did this in the hope of making young children smarter. Option 1 can be inferred. The passages says in the beginning of the second paragraph “But there has been debate since about whether the effect exists. A report, published in the journal Pediatrics, said it was unclear...”, leading to the inference in option 2. The first paragraph states that “The study ... found that college students who listened to a Mozart sonata ...” while talking about the second study. No specific sonata of Mozart has been mentioned here. Option 3 cannot be inferred.

Option 4 can be inferred from “A study in Nature ... on the Mozart effect, found only a one and a half point increase in IQ and any improvements in spatial ability limited solely to a paper-folding task.”. The use of modifiers like “only” and the phrase “limited solely” make it clear that these improvements were not considered significant.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 16

Question: Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers for questions that follow.

The 'Mozart effect' phenomenon was first suggested by a scientific study published in 1993 in the respected journal Science. It showed that teenagers who listened to Mozart's 1781 Sonata for Two Pianos in D major performed better in reasoning tests than adolescents who listened to something else or who had been in a silent room. The study (which did not look at the effect of Mozart on babies) found that college students who listened to a Mozart sonata for a few minutes before taking a test that measured spatial relationship skills did better than students who took the test after listening to another musician or no music at all. The finding, by a group at the University of California whose study involved only 36 students, led creches in America to start playing classical music to children and the southern US state of Georgia even gave newborns a free classical CD.

But there has been debate since about whether the effect exists. A report, published in the journal Pediatrics, said it was unclear whether the original study in 1993 has detected a "Mozart effect" or a potential benefit of music in general. But they said a previous study of adults with seizures found that compositions by Mozart, rather than other classical composers, appeared to lower seizure frequency. Lubetzky's team said it was possible that the proposed Mozart effect on the brain is related to the structure of his compositions as Mozart's music tends to repeat the melodic line more frequently. In more condemning evidence, a team from Vienna University's Faculty of Psychology analysed all studies since 1993 that have sought to reproduce the Mozart effect and found no proof of the phenomenon's existence. In all they looked at 3,000 individuals in 40 studies conducted around the world. Jakob Pietschnig, who led the study, said "I recommend everyone listen to Mozart, but it's not going to improve cognitive abilities as some people hope,". A study in Nature in 1999 by Christopher Chabris, a psychologist, adding up the results of 16 studies on the Mozart effect, found only a one and a half point increase in IQ and any improvements in spatial ability limited solely to a paper-folding task.

What can be said about his performance in the test?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 16

The first paragraph states that several studies reported that students who listened to Mozart before a test performed better than those who did not, while the second paragraph debunks the Mozart effect completely. The passage eventually concludes with: “I recommend everyone listen to Mozart, but it's not going to improve cognitive abilities as some people hope", A study in Nature ... found only a one and a half point increase in IQ and any improvements in spatial ability limited solely to a paper-folding task.” This shows that listening to Mozart would not lead to a significant improvement of performance in a test. Option 4 is validated. Options 1,2, and 3 are shown to be incorrect by these very lines, while there is no support for option 3 in the passage. Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 17

Question: Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers for questions that follow.

The 'Mozart effect' phenomenon was first suggested by a scientific study published in 1993 in the respected journal Science. It showed that teenagers who listened to Mozart's 1781 Sonata for Two Pianos in D major performed better in reasoning tests than adolescents who listened to something else or who had been in a silent room. The study (which did not look at the effect of Mozart on babies) found that college students who listened to a Mozart sonata for a few minutes before taking a test that measured spatial relationship skills did better than students who took the test after listening to another musician or no music at all. The finding, by a group at the University of California whose study involved only 36 students, led creches in America to start playing classical music to children and the southern US state of Georgia even gave newborns a free classical CD.

But there has been debate since about whether the effect exists. A report, published in the journal Pediatrics, said it was unclear whether the original study in 1993 has detected a "Mozart effect" or a potential benefit of music in general. But they said a previous study of adults with seizures found that compositions by Mozart, rather than other classical composers, appeared to lower seizure frequency. Lubetzky's team said it was possible that the proposed Mozart effect on the brain is related to the structure of his compositions as Mozart's music tends to repeat the melodic line more frequently. In more condemning evidence, a team from Vienna University's Faculty of Psychology analysed all studies since 1993 that have sought to reproduce the Mozart effect and found no proof of the phenomenon's existence. In all they looked at 3,000 individuals in 40 studies conducted around the world. Jakob Pietschnig, who led the study, said "I recommend everyone listen to Mozart, but it's not going to improve cognitive abilities as some people hope,". A study in Nature in 1999 by Christopher Chabris, a psychologist, adding up the results of 16 studies on the Mozart effect, found only a one and a half point increase in IQ and any improvements in spatial ability limited solely to a paper-folding task.

Which of the following statements are consistent with the facts presented in the passage?

A. Compositions by classical composers like Mozart appeared to lower seizure frequency in adults.

B. The results of studies on the Mozart effect did show slight improvements in spatial ability such as paper-folding tasks.

C. The journal 'Science' was the first one to publish a paper on the Mozart effect.

D. Vienna University's Faculty of Psychology analysed studies worldwide to arrive at results debunking the Mozart effect.

E. Although the initial studies published on the Mozart effect were conducted on adolescents, their results were applicable to babies as well.

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 17

The passage states that “...a previous study of adults with seizures found that compositions by Mozart, rather than other classical composers, appeared to lower seizure frequency.” This implies that it was only Mozart's compositions that helped with seizures, not classical composers in general. Therefore, statement A is incorrect. Eliminate options 1,2, and 4.

The line saying “... any improvements in spatial ability limited solely to a paper-folding task.” helps eliminate statement B which implies that other tasks involving spatial ability (such as paper-folding tasks) were also improved. Eliminate option 3. Statement C is consistent with the passage: “The 'Mozart effect' phenomenon was first suggested by a scientific study published in 1993 in the respected journal Science.” Statement D is true according to the passage: “In all they looked at 3,000 individuals in 40 studies conducted around the world.” Statement E is untrue according to the passage. The first paragraph says that the studies were conducted on teenagers and college students and that they did not “look at the effect of Mozart on babies”. The results of these studies may have "led creches in America to start playing classical music to children and ... newborns a free classical CD.”, but this does not mean that the results were actually applicable to babies.

Statements C and D are the only ones that are consistent with the passage.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 18

The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.

Though it is hard to pinpoint the birth of an idea, for all intents and purposes the modern idea of technological “progress” (in the sense of a steady, cumulative, historical advance in applied scientific knowledge) began with Bacon’s The Advancement of Learning and became fully articulated in his later works.

Knowledge is power, and when embodied in the form of new technical inventions and mechanical discoveries it is the force that drives history - this was Bacon’s key insight. In many respects this idea was his single greatest invention, and it is all the more remarkable for its having been conceived and promoted at a time when most English and European intellectuals were either reverencing the literary and philosophical achievements of the past or deploring the numerous signs of modern degradation and decline. Indeed, while Bacon was preaching progress and declaring a brave new dawn of scientific advance, many of his colleagues were persuaded that the world was at best creaking along towards a state of senile immobility and eventual darkness. “Our age is iron, and rusty too,” wrote John Donne, contemplating the signs of universal decay in a poem published six years after Bacon’s Advancement.

That history might in fact be progressive, i.e., an onward and upward ascent - and not, as Aristotle had taught, merely cyclical or, as cultural pessimists from Hesiod to Spengler have supposed, a descending or retrograde movement, became for Bacon an article of secular faith which he propounded with evangelical force and a sense of mission. In the Advancement, the idea is offered tentatively, as a kind of hopeful hypothesis. But in later works such as the New Organon, it becomes almost a promised destiny:

Enlightenment and a better world, Bacon insists, lie within our power; they require only the cooperation of learned citizens and the active development of the arts and sciences.

In Book II of De Dignitate, Bacon outlines his scheme for a new division of human knowledge into three primary categories: History, Poesy, and Philosophy (which he associates respectively with the three fundamental “faculties” of mind - memory, imagination, and reason). Although the exact motive behind this reclassification remains unclear, one of its main consequences seems unmistakable: it effectively promotes philosophy - and especially Baconian science - above the other two branches of knowledge, in essence defining history as the mere accumulation of brute facts, while reducing art and imaginative literature to the even more marginal status of “feigned history.”

Evidently Bacon believed that in order for a genuine advancement of learning to occur, the prestige of philosophy (and particularly natural philosophy) had to be elevated, while that of history and literature (in a word, humanism) needed to be reduced. Bacon’s scheme effectively accomplishes this by making history (the domain of fact, i.e., of everything that has happened) a virtual sub-species of philosophy (the domain of realistic possibility, i.e., of everything that can theoretically or actually occur). Meanwhile, poesy (the domain of everything that is imaginable or conceivable) is set off to the side as a mere illustrative vehicle.

What could poesy being perceived as a mere illustrative vehicle mean?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 18

Bacon wishes to confine all imaginative literature to being a reflection of ideas from the past and present with a higher emphasis on those branches of study that are associated with reason. Thus, only option 3 holds true.

Option 1 implies that works created from human imagination were to be used creating others of the same kind.

Options 2 and 4 imply that poesy was used to undermine other such works.

Options 1,2, 4 do not reflect views that have been supported by Bacon as per the given passage.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 19

The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.

Though it is hard to pinpoint the birth of an idea, for all intents and purposes the modern idea of technological “progress” (in the sense of a steady, cumulative, historical advance in applied scientific knowledge) began with Bacon’s The Advancement of Learning and became fully articulated in his later works.

Knowledge is power, and when embodied in the form of new technical inventions and mechanical discoveries it is the force that drives history - this was Bacon’s key insight. In many respects this idea was his single greatest invention, and it is all the more remarkable for its having been conceived and promoted at a time when most English and European intellectuals were either reverencing the literary and philosophical achievements of the past or deploring the numerous signs of modern degradation and decline. Indeed, while Bacon was preaching progress and declaring a brave new dawn of scientific advance, many of his colleagues were persuaded that the world was at best creaking along towards a state of senile immobility and eventual darkness. “Our age is iron, and rusty too,” wrote John Donne, contemplating the signs of universal decay in a poem published six years after Bacon’s Advancement.

That history might in fact be progressive, i.e., an onward and upward ascent - and not, as Aristotle had taught, merely cyclical or, as cultural pessimists from Hesiod to Spengler have supposed, a descending or retrograde movement, became for Bacon an article of secular faith which he propounded with evangelical force and a sense of mission. In the Advancement, the idea is offered tentatively, as a kind of hopeful hypothesis. But in later works such as the New Organon, it becomes almost a promised destiny:

Enlightenment and a better world, Bacon insists, lie within our power; they require only the cooperation of learned citizens and the active development of the arts and sciences.

In Book II of De Dignitate, Bacon outlines his scheme for a new division of human knowledge into three primary categories: History, Poesy, and Philosophy (which he associates respectively with the three fundamental “faculties” of mind - memory, imagination, and reason). Although the exact motive behind this reclassification remains unclear, one of its main consequences seems unmistakable: it effectively promotes philosophy - and especially Baconian science - above the other two branches of knowledge, in essence defining history as the mere accumulation of brute facts, while reducing art and imaginative literature to the even more marginal status of “feigned history.”

Evidently Bacon believed that in order for a genuine advancement of learning to occur, the prestige of philosophy (and particularly natural philosophy) had to be elevated, while that of history and literature (in a word, humanism) needed to be reduced. Bacon’s scheme effectively accomplishes this by making history (the domain of fact, i.e., of everything that has happened) a virtual sub-species of philosophy (the domain of realistic possibility, i.e., of everything that can theoretically or actually occur). Meanwhile, poesy (the domain of everything that is imaginable or conceivable) is set off to the side as a mere illustrative vehicle.

Which of the following statements disagrees with Baconian ideology?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 19

According to the passage Bacon believed history to be progressive and not cyclical.

Option 1 disagrees with Bacon’s views since it talks about the recurrence of the past indicating the cyclical nature of history.

Option 2 agrees with Bacon’s views that the humanities and arts are captured moments from the past as stated in the passage “in essence defining history as the mere accumulation of brute facts, while reducing art and imaginative literature to the even more marginal status of feigned history.” Option 3 states that non-physical phenomena need to be studied for progress to be made which is not disagreeable by Bacon’s works where he talks about how the arts and sciences need to go hand-in-hand for a better world. This is supported by the following lines - “Enlightenment and a better world, Bacon insists, lie within our power; they require only the cooperation of learned citizens and the active development of the arts and sciences.” Option 4 talks about the importance of technological advancement which is a crucial element in Bacon’s works. Both options 4 are supported by the lines “That history might in fact be progressive, i.e., an onward and upward ascent - and not, as Aristotle had taught, merely cyclical or, as cultural pessimists from Hesiod to Spengler have supposed, a descending or retrograde movement, became for Bacon an article of secular faith which he propounded with evangelical force and a sense of mission.” Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 20

The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.

Though it is hard to pinpoint the birth of an idea, for all intents and purposes the modern idea of technological “progress” (in the sense of a steady, cumulative, historical advance in applied scientific knowledge) began with Bacon’s The Advancement of Learning and became fully articulated in his later works.

Knowledge is power, and when embodied in the form of new technical inventions and mechanical discoveries it is the force that drives history - this was Bacon’s key insight. In many respects this idea was his single greatest invention, and it is all the more remarkable for its having been conceived and promoted at a time when most English and European intellectuals were either reverencing the literary and philosophical achievements of the past or deploring the numerous signs of modern degradation and decline. Indeed, while Bacon was preaching progress and declaring a brave new dawn of scientific advance, many of his colleagues were persuaded that the world was at best creaking along towards a state of senile immobility and eventual darkness. “Our age is iron, and rusty too,” wrote John Donne, contemplating the signs of universal decay in a poem published six years after Bacon’s Advancement.

That history might in fact be progressive, i.e., an onward and upward ascent - and not, as Aristotle had taught, merely cyclical or, as cultural pessimists from Hesiod to Spengler have supposed, a descending or retrograde movement, became for Bacon an article of secular faith which he propounded with evangelical force and a sense of mission. In the Advancement, the idea is offered tentatively, as a kind of hopeful hypothesis. But in later works such as the New Organon, it becomes almost a promised destiny:

Enlightenment and a better world, Bacon insists, lie within our power; they require only the cooperation of learned citizens and the active development of the arts and sciences.

In Book II of De Dignitate, Bacon outlines his scheme for a new division of human knowledge into three primary categories: History, Poesy, and Philosophy (which he associates respectively with the three fundamental “faculties” of mind - memory, imagination, and reason). Although the exact motive behind this reclassification remains unclear, one of its main consequences seems unmistakable: it effectively promotes philosophy - and especially Baconian science - above the other two branches of knowledge, in essence defining history as the mere accumulation of brute facts, while reducing art and imaginative literature to the even more marginal status of “feigned history.”

Evidently Bacon believed that in order for a genuine advancement of learning to occur, the prestige of philosophy (and particularly natural philosophy) had to be elevated, while that of history and literature (in a word, humanism) needed to be reduced. Bacon’s scheme effectively accomplishes this by making history (the domain of fact, i.e., of everything that has happened) a virtual sub-species of philosophy (the domain of realistic possibility, i.e., of everything that can theoretically or actually occur). Meanwhile, poesy (the domain of everything that is imaginable or conceivable) is set off to the side as a mere illustrative vehicle.

Which of the following can be deduced about Francis Bacon from the passage?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 20

Only option 1 can be deduced from the passage since the passage highlights Bacon’s disdain towards the humanities but at the same time lays much emphasis on progress and encourages new ideas besides the ones presented by him. Options 2 can be eliminated since they make allusions to Bacon's literary achievements which are not mentioned in the passage.

Option 3 can be eliminated because there's no reference to Bacon using pompous language in the passage.

Option 4 can be eliminated from the following lines in the passage “Knowledge is power, and when embodied in the form of new technical inventions and mechanical discoveries it is the force that drives history - this was Bacon’s key insight. In many respects this idea was his single greatest invention, and it is all the more remarkable for its having been conceived and promoted at a time when most English and European intellectuals were either reverencing the literary and philosophical achievements of the past.” Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 21

Question: Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.

Formation of focal brand expectations is a well-accepted part of the pre-purchase choice process. However, whether these same expectations are the standard for post-choice performance evaluation has been questioned. There is very little theoretical justification for consumers using focal brand expectations to judge performance after purchase. Customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction is more likely to be determined by how well a consumer perceives that focal brand performance fulfils needs, wants, or desires.

Importantly, there is no necessary relationship between prepurchase focal brand expectations and the performance required to meet those wants. Thus, consumers are very likely to use other kinds of performance standards in the post-purchase evaluation. Consumers are likely to rely on standards that reflect the performance a consumer believes a focal brand should provide to meet needs/wants. To distinguish these standards from the usual expectations concept, we call them "experience-based norms." These norms have two important characteristics: (1) they reflect desired performance in meeting needs/wants and (2) they are constrained by the performance consumers believe is possible as indicated by the performance of known brands. The second characteristic requires elaboration. Though consumers may imagine some abstract ideal performance that a brand should provide, they also have concrete experiences with various real brands and their performance. Because consumers are more likely to think in concrete rather than abstract terms, experience with real brands should set limits on the performance a consumer believes the focal brand should provide. Consumers may derive a norm from experience with known brands in at least two different ways. First, the norm might be the typical performance of a particular brand - e.g., a consumer's most preferred brand, a popular brand, or last-purchased brand.

Importantly, this brand may not be the focal brand. For example, when evaluating the dining experience in a new restaurant, a consumer may apply a norm that is the typical performance of another, favourite restaurant. Interestingly, focal brand expectations may correspond to this norm, but only if the focal brand is also the brand from which the standard is derived, such as when a consumer dines in his or her favourite restaurant. In all other cases, the norm is necessarily different from expectations because the norm is derived from experience with a different brand. A second possibility is that the norm might be an average performance a consumer believes is typical of a group of similar brands — a product-based norm. This kind of norm may be reasonable when no one brand stands out in the consumer's mind and the consumer has experience with many brands. In general, the experience-based norms concept is significant because it suggests that past research may have attached unwarranted importance to focal brand expectations as the standard of performance influencing feelings of satisfaction.

The statement, “there is no necessary relationship between pre-purchase focal brand expectations and the performance required to meet those wants” implies that:

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 21

According to the first paragraph of the passage, though formation of focal brand expectations is part of the pre-purchase choice process, they do-not form the standard for post-purchase performance evaluation. On the basis of this information alone we cannot say with certainty that focal brand expectations are definitely unrealistic or that they cannot be unrealistic. The statement suggests that there is a discrepancy between focal brand expectations and the performance required to satisfy consumers. Therefore, it is likely (but not certain) that focal brand expectations may be unrealistic. This eliminates options 1, 3 and points towards option 2 as being the correct answer.

The passage does not discuss the factors that lead to the formation of focal brand expectations. Therefore, we have no means of ascertaining option 4.

Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 22

Question: Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.

Formation of focal brand expectations is a well-accepted part of the pre-purchase choice process. However, whether these same expectations are the standard for post-choice performance evaluation has been questioned. There is very little theoretical justification for consumers using focal brand expectations to judge performance after purchase. Customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction is more likely to be determined by how well a consumer perceives that focal brand performance fulfils needs, wants, or desires.

Importantly, there is no necessary relationship between prepurchase focal brand expectations and the performance required to meet those wants. Thus, consumers are very likely to use other kinds of performance standards in the post-purchase evaluation. Consumers are likely to rely on standards that reflect the performance a consumer believes a focal brand should provide to meet needs/wants. To distinguish these standards from the usual expectations concept, we call them "experience-based norms." These norms have two important characteristics: (1) they reflect desired performance in meeting needs/wants and (2) they are constrained by the performance consumers believe is possible as indicated by the performance of known brands. The second characteristic requires elaboration. Though consumers may imagine some abstract ideal performance that a brand should provide, they also have concrete experiences with various real brands and their performance. Because consumers are more likely to think in concrete rather than abstract terms, experience with real brands should set limits on the performance a consumer believes the focal brand should provide. Consumers may derive a norm from experience with known brands in at least two different ways. First, the norm might be the typical performance of a particular brand - e.g., a consumer's most preferred brand, a popular brand, or last-purchased brand.

Importantly, this brand may not be the focal brand. For example, when evaluating the dining experience in a new restaurant, a consumer may apply a norm that is the typical performance of another, favourite restaurant. Interestingly, focal brand expectations may correspond to this norm, but only if the focal brand is also the brand from which the standard is derived, such as when a consumer dines in his or her favourite restaurant. In all other cases, the norm is necessarily different from expectations because the norm is derived from experience with a different brand. A second possibility is that the norm might be an average performance a consumer believes is typical of a group of similar brands — a product-based norm. This kind of norm may be reasonable when no one brand stands out in the consumer's mind and the consumer has experience with many brands. In general, the experience-based norms concept is significant because it suggests that past research may have attached unwarranted importance to focal brand expectations as the standard of performance influencing feelings of satisfaction.

Which of the following statements, if true, would contradict the second characteristic of “experience-based norms”?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 22

The second characteristic states that “experience-based norms” are limited by the performance that consumers believe is possible as indicated by performance of brands known to them. However, if well-known brands outdo each other through their performance, then consumers are not likely to have limited standards for evaluating performance. Therefore, their “experience-based norms” will not be constrained. This points towards option 3 as being the correct answer.

The second characteristic pertains to a standard of performance evaluation for any given brand. Therefore, whether a focal brand is real or not is immaterial to it. Eliminate option 1.

Option 2 does not address the point about consumer belief being constrained. Therefore it cannot contradict the second characteristic.

Lowered standards of performance evaluation among consumers do not necessarily contradict the second characteristic. Eliminate option 4.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 23

Question: Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.

Formation of focal brand expectations is a well-accepted part of the pre-purchase choice process. However, whether these same expectations are the standard for post-choice performance evaluation has been questioned. There is very little theoretical justification for consumers using focal brand expectations to judge performance after purchase. Customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction is more likely to be determined by how well a consumer perceives that focal brand performance fulfils needs, wants, or desires.

Importantly, there is no necessary relationship between prepurchase focal brand expectations and the performance required to meet those wants. Thus, consumers are very likely to use other kinds of performance standards in the post-purchase evaluation. Consumers are likely to rely on standards that reflect the performance a consumer believes a focal brand should provide to meet needs/wants. To distinguish these standards from the usual expectations concept, we call them "experience-based norms." These norms have two important characteristics: (1) they reflect desired performance in meeting needs/wants and (2) they are constrained by the performance consumers believe is possible as indicated by the performance of known brands. The second characteristic requires elaboration. Though consumers may imagine some abstract ideal performance that a brand should provide, they also have concrete experiences with various real brands and their performance. Because consumers are more likely to think in concrete rather than abstract terms, experience with real brands should set limits on the performance a consumer believes the focal brand should provide. Consumers may derive a norm from experience with known brands in at least two different ways. First, the norm might be the typical performance of a particular brand - e.g., a consumer's most preferred brand, a popular brand, or last-purchased brand.

Importantly, this brand may not be the focal brand. For example, when evaluating the dining experience in a new restaurant, a consumer may apply a norm that is the typical performance of another, favourite restaurant. Interestingly, focal brand expectations may correspond to this norm, but only if the focal brand is also the brand from which the standard is derived, such as when a consumer dines in his or her favourite restaurant. In all other cases, the norm is necessarily different from expectations because the norm is derived from experience with a different brand. A second possibility is that the norm might be an average performance a consumer believes is typical of a group of similar brands — a product-based norm. This kind of norm may be reasonable when no one brand stands out in the consumer's mind and the consumer has experience with many brands. In general, the experience-based norms concept is significant because it suggests that past research may have attached unwarranted importance to focal brand expectations as the standard of performance influencing feelings of satisfaction.

A consumer tries shampoos from three different brands to check which one suits her hair the best. She finds them all to be more or less the same in terms of their output. Which of the following can be concluded from this?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 23

On the basis of the statement given we do not know if the consumer was disappointed with the performance of the three shampoos. Hence, option 1 cannot be concluded with any degree of certainty.

We cannot ascertain that the performance of the shampoos did not meet with the consumer’s need and desire. The statement merely says that the consumer found all the shampoos to be more or less the same in terms of their output, which means that they could have been good or bad. This vindicates option 4 as the correct answer and eliminates option 2.

The consumer was merely checking which shampoo suited her hair the best. She did not expect any of them to yield the desired result. Therefore, the main statement is need based and not expectation based. Eliminate option 3.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 24

Question: Analyse the following passage and provide an appropriate answer for the questions that follow.

Formation of focal brand expectations is a well-accepted part of the pre-purchase choice process. However, whether these same expectations are the standard for post-choice performance evaluation has been questioned. There is very little theoretical justification for consumers using focal brand expectations to judge performance after purchase. Customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction is more likely to be determined by how well a consumer perceives that focal brand performance fulfils needs, wants, or desires.

Importantly, there is no necessary relationship between prepurchase focal brand expectations and the performance required to meet those wants. Thus, consumers are very likely to use other kinds of performance standards in the post-purchase evaluation. Consumers are likely to rely on standards that reflect the performance a consumer believes a focal brand should provide to meet needs/wants. To distinguish these standards from the usual expectations concept, we call them "experience-based norms." These norms have two important characteristics: (1) they reflect desired performance in meeting needs/wants and (2) they are constrained by the performance consumers believe is possible as indicated by the performance of known brands. The second characteristic requires elaboration. Though consumers may imagine some abstract ideal performance that a brand should provide, they also have concrete experiences with various real brands and their performance. Because consumers are more likely to think in concrete rather than abstract terms, experience with real brands should set limits on the performance a consumer believes the focal brand should provide. Consumers may derive a norm from experience with known brands in at least two different ways. First, the norm might be the typical performance of a particular brand - e.g., a consumer's most preferred brand, a popular brand, or last-purchased brand.

Importantly, this brand may not be the focal brand. For example, when evaluating the dining experience in a new restaurant, a consumer may apply a norm that is the typical performance of another, favourite restaurant. Interestingly, focal brand expectations may correspond to this norm, but only if the focal brand is also the brand from which the standard is derived, such as when a consumer dines in his or her favourite restaurant. In all other cases, the norm is necessarily different from expectations because the norm is derived from experience with a different brand. A second possibility is that the norm might be an average performance a consumer believes is typical of a group of similar brands — a product-based norm. This kind of norm may be reasonable when no one brand stands out in the consumer's mind and the consumer has experience with many brands. In general, the experience-based norms concept is significant because it suggests that past research may have attached unwarranted importance to focal brand expectations as the standard of performance influencing feelings of satisfaction.

Given below are statements that attempt to capture the central idea of this passage:

1. Satisfaction pertains to performance and not to expectations.

2. In-order to perform well, a focal brand should fulfil consumer needs rather than match their expectations.

3. Brand performance standards are determined by consumer experiences of products.

Which of the following statement(s) best captures the central idea.

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 24

The passage establishes how consumer satisfaction is achieved when a brand’s performance meets their needs, wants and desires. The passage disregards focal brand expectations as a standard for evaluating post-purchase performance.

In order to arrive at the correct answer for this question, one needs to distinguish between expectations and focal brand expectations. Focal brand expectations refer to model expectations. The term expectations when used alone or in context with consumer expectations could be subjective in nature. That is why statements 1 and 2 are not aligned with the thought process of the passage and do not capture the central idea. Eliminate options 1, 3, 4.

The passage makes a strong case for how consumer experiences create norms that act as standards of performance evaluation. Statement 3 best captures the central idea of the passage.

Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 25

Over the last 20 years, psychologists have studied the effect of television viewing on the subsequent levels of violent behavior by young adults. The researchers studied children between the ages of 10 and 15 and found that those children who viewed an average of 6 hours or more of television daily were over four times as likely to be arrested for violent crimes when they were young adults than those young adults who as children watched less than 2 hours of television daily. Therefore, researchers concluded that television viewing causes increased levels of violent activity in young adults.

Which of the following would indicate a flaw in the researcher’s conclusion?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 25

This argument claims that a causal relationship exists between television viewing and arrest levels of young adults because the two situations are correlated. However, the argument does not rule out the possibility that both of these situations may be caused by a third, independent event. The answer is (c).

The other choices may all be true, but they do not impact the researchers’ conclusion.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 26

Fill the blanks with most appropriate option.

NASA is looking at ______ broad range of ideas and techniques as ______ agency further refines its mission design for the agency's asteroid initiative, ______ effort that combines human exploration, space technology and science work being done across the agency to find and redirect ______ asteroid to ________ stable orbit near ________ Moon for exploration by astronauts.

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 26

Definite article 'the' is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. 'The' signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular agency. Similarly, the last blank will also take definite article 'the' since the noun ‘Moon’ here is definite.

For third and fourth blank, indefinite article 'an' will be used since ‘effort’ and ‘asteroid’ begin with vowels.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 27

Directions: Mr. Tripathi is an English teacher for class 8th in KSV school. He wants to select teams for district level, state level, national level and international level Spelling Bee competition. Till now, every student of the class has appeared in 100 school level tests. The students had following distribution of marks in the tests, in terms of "average" and "number of times a student scored cent per cent marks"

Mr. Tripathi has carefully studied chances of his school winning in each of the spelling bee competitions. Based on in-depth calculations, he realized that his school is quite likely to win district level competition but has low chances of winning the international competition. He listed down the following probabilities of wins for different competitions. Prize was highest for international competition and lowest for district level competition (in that order).

Mr. Tripathi wants to select best team for all competitions and has no other information to select students.

Answer following questions based on above information:

Which of the following can make best team for international spelling bee competition?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 27

The prime motive is to maximize the prize money. Since, maximum prize money is fixed for International level. So Mr. Tripathi, keeping in mind the probability of winning the competition, will pick up those students who have hit the cent percent score maximum number of times hence rising up the probability of winning. Now, we can observe that Students B, M, F and N are the top four students hitting maximum cent percent score 16, 15, 14 and 13 times respectively. So, looking at the options the team of top 3 is formed, i.e B, M and F.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 28

Scientists have made progress in understanding Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease mainly affects which part of the human body 

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 28

Scientists have made progress in understanding Huntington’s disease by studying fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster).

About the study:

  • Huntington’s disease patients carry a mutated version of the HTT gene, which codes for a protein called huntingtin (Htt).
  • The mutated gene encodes an abnormal Htt protein, leading to the destruction of neurons regulating movement, thinking, and memory.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited disorder that causes nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die. The disease attacks areas of the brain that help to control voluntary (intentional) movement, as well as other areas.

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 29

The Government started the MAARG portal, that aims to 

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 29

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched a call for startup applications for registration on the MAARG portal, the National Mentorship Platform by Startup India.

MAARG portal – Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth, is a one stop platform to facilitate mentorship for startups across diverse sectors, functions, stages, geographies, and backgrounds. The objectives of the MAARG portal are –

  • To provide sector focused guidance, handholding, and support to startups throughout their lifecycle
  • To establish a formalized and structured platform that facilitates intelligent matchmaking between the mentors and their respective mentees

To facilitate efficient and expert mentorship for startups and build an outcome-oriented mechanism that allows timely tracking of the mentor-mentee engagements

XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 30

What is the term of the Governor's office?

Detailed Solution for XAT Mock Test - 2 (New Pattern) - Question 30

The term of the Governor's office is not fixed; the Governor holds the office under the pleasure of the President.

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