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CAT Practice Test - 24 - CAT MCQ


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30 Questions MCQ Test - CAT Practice Test - 24

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CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 1

Group Question

Answer the questions based on the passage given below.

Scientists recently declared that the evidence is compelling enough to say that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into the new epoch.
Britain is a world leader on the environment and has played a pivotal role in the European Union on this issue since 1986, when Margaret Thatcher signed the Single European Act, which established the EU’s competence in this area. Yet the impact that leaving the EU would have on the UK’s environmental standards rarely features in discussions. The evidence so far is clear: families in Britain, rivers, beaches and special places would pay the price if UK voted to leave.
In 1995, under the last Conservative government, the UK was dirty man of Europe. Some 83% of the household waste went to landfill and just 7% was recycled or composted. By 2014, thanks to a series of EU directives, the UK’s recycling rate had reached 45%.
The UK currently recycles 90% of construction materials, well ahead of other countries. The Birds and Habitats Directives enabled bird and carnivore species to recover. The Natura 2000 Directive obliges the UK government to provide protected nature zones. Renewable energy capacity is growing, thanks to national targets set by the EU Renewable Energy Directive. In 2013, 15% of electricity produced in the UK came from renewable sources. Not only is the carbon footprint shrinking, it has created opportunities for renewable energy companies to grow. EU environmental legislation allows the phasing out of inefficient lightbulbs on an EU-wide basis. Also, higher standards on new car efficiency help lower fuel costs. Such strong regulations allow monitoring of environmental standards and tracking deviations. All this progress is at risk if the UK votes to leave. Anyone who thinks the environment will be better off if UK left the EU should take a long hard look at the Tory record.
The Tories have talked green but acted blue.
The Chinese and Indian governments have invited the European commission to help them to clean up their water and air. The EU now has global expertise in the environment. The evidence is clear. The EU has more influence globally with the UK as a member. And as a member, UK has more influence globally. UK’s voice in the Paris climate change talks was amplified because it is a part of a club of 28 countries. Leaving would mean implementing EU environment law without a seat at the table and a vote in decisions. When the UK can lead from the inside, why would it walk away? Ensuring the UK has a cleaner, greener future relies on the EU membership. Anyone who argues otherwise will be on the wrong side of history.

 

Q. Which of the following is true in regard to UK’s exit from the EU?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 1

The passage does not state either that the EU is more dependent on UK or that the EU will be as impacted as UK will be if the latter leaves the former. This eliminates options 1 and 3. The last paragraph claims that UK's exit would lead to some loss at least for the EU. So, option 4 can be eliminated. The passage provides sufficient information to prove UK’s dependency on the EU. Option 2 is therefore the right option.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 2

Scientists recently declared that the evidence is compelling enough to say that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into the new epoch.
Britain is a world leader on the environment and has played a pivotal role in the European Union on this issue since 1986, when Margaret Thatcher signed the Single European Act, which established the EU’s competence in this area. Yet the impact that leaving the EU would have on the UK’s environmental standards rarely features in discussions. The evidence so far is clear: families in Britain, rivers, beaches and special places would pay the price if UK voted to leave.
In 1995, under the last Conservative government, the UK was dirty man of Europe. Some 83% of the household waste went to landfill and just 7% was recycled or composted. By 2014, thanks to a series of EU directives, the UK’s recycling rate had reached 45%.
The UK currently recycles 90% of construction materials, well ahead of other countries. The Birds and Habitats Directives enabled bird and carnivore species to recover. The Natura 2000 Directive obliges the UK government to provide protected nature zones. Renewable energy capacity is growing, thanks to national targets set by the EU Renewable Energy Directive. In 2013, 15% of electricity produced in the UK came from renewable sources. Not only is the carbon footprint shrinking, it has created opportunities for renewable energy companies to grow. EU environmental legislation allows the phasing out of inefficient lightbulbs on an EU-wide basis. Also, higher standards on new car efficiency help lower fuel costs. Such strong regulations allow monitoring of environmental standards and tracking deviations. All this progress is at risk if the UK votes to leave. Anyone who thinks the environment will be better off if UK left the EU should take a long hard look at the Tory record.
The Tories have talked green but acted blue.
The Chinese and Indian governments have invited the European commission to help them to clean up their water and air. The EU now has global expertise in the environment. The evidence is clear. The EU has more influence globally with the UK as a member. And as a member, UK has more influence globally. UK’s voice in the Paris climate change talks was amplified because it is a part of a club of 28 countries. Leaving would mean implementing EU environment law without a seat at the table and a vote in decisions. When the UK can lead from the inside, why would it walk away? Ensuring the UK has a cleaner, greener future relies on the EU membership. Anyone who argues otherwise will be on the wrong side of history.

 

Q. Paragraph 1 talks about 'humanity’s impact in pushing the  word in a new era'. Which word best describes this time period?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 2

The time period during which human activity has been the dominant influence in changing the climate and the environment is known as ‘Anthropocene’. (The student can also use elimination technique to answer this question. ‘Anthropo’ means ‘human’ and is used in the formation of compound words.) Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

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CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 3

Scientists recently declared that the evidence is compelling enough to say that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into the new epoch.
Britain is a world leader on the environment and has played a pivotal role in the European Union on this issue since 1986, when Margaret Thatcher signed the Single European Act, which established the EU’s competence in this area. Yet the impact that leaving the EU would have on the UK’s environmental standards rarely features in discussions. The evidence so far is clear: families in Britain, rivers, beaches and special places would pay the price if UK voted to leave.
In 1995, under the last Conservative government, the UK was dirty man of Europe. Some 83% of the household waste went to landfill and just 7% was recycled or composted. By 2014, thanks to a series of EU directives, the UK’s recycling rate had reached 45%.
The UK currently recycles 90% of construction materials, well ahead of other countries. The Birds and Habitats Directives enabled bird and carnivore species to recover. The Natura 2000 Directive obliges the UK government to provide protected nature zones. Renewable energy capacity is growing, thanks to national targets set by the EU Renewable Energy Directive. In 2013, 15% of electricity produced in the UK came from renewable sources. Not only is the carbon footprint shrinking, it has created opportunities for renewable energy companies to grow. EU environmental legislation allows the phasing out of inefficient lightbulbs on an EU-wide basis. Also, higher standards on new car efficiency help lower fuel costs. Such strong regulations allow monitoring of environmental standards and tracking deviations. All this progress is at risk if the UK votes to leave. Anyone who thinks the environment will be better off if UK left the EU should take a long hard look at the Tory record.
The Tories have talked green but acted blue.
The Chinese and Indian governments have invited the European commission to help them to clean up their water and air. The EU now has global expertise in the environment. The evidence is clear. The EU has more influence globally with the UK as a member. And as a member, UK has more influence globally. UK’s voice in the Paris climate change talks was amplified because it is a part of a club of 28 countries. Leaving would mean implementing EU environment law without a seat at the table and a vote in decisions. When the UK can lead from the inside, why would it walk away? Ensuring the UK has a cleaner, greener future relies on the EU membership. Anyone who argues otherwise will be on the wrong side of history.

 

Q. What is the primary purpose of the author?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 3

Options 1,2, and 3 are extreme: the passage doesn't say that the UK is the most environmentally sensitive country; its ecological problems have not yet been solved; it will not collapse if it leaves the EU. None of these points are supported by the passage. The entire passage makes a case for how being a part of the EU has benefited UK.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 4

Scientists recently declared that the evidence is compelling enough to say that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into the new epoch.
Britain is a world leader on the environment and has played a pivotal role in the European Union on this issue since 1986, when Margaret Thatcher signed the Single European Act, which established the EU’s competence in this area. Yet the impact that leaving the EU would have on the UK’s environmental standards rarely features in discussions. The evidence so far is clear: families in Britain, rivers, beaches and special places would pay the price if UK voted to leave.
In 1995, under the last Conservative government, the UK was dirty man of Europe. Some 83% of the household waste went to landfill and just 7% was recycled or composted. By 2014, thanks to a series of EU directives, the UK’s recycling rate had reached 45%.
The UK currently recycles 90% of construction materials, well ahead of other countries. The Birds and Habitats Directives enabled bird and carnivore species to recover. The Natura 2000 Directive obliges the UK government to provide protected nature zones. Renewable energy capacity is growing, thanks to national targets set by the EU Renewable Energy Directive. In 2013, 15% of electricity produced in the UK came from renewable sources. Not only is the carbon footprint shrinking, it has created opportunities for renewable energy companies to grow. EU environmental legislation allows the phasing out of inefficient lightbulbs on an EU-wide basis. Also, higher standards on new car efficiency help lower fuel costs. Such strong regulations allow monitoring of environmental standards and tracking deviations. All this progress is at risk if the UK votes to leave. Anyone who thinks the environment will be better off if UK left the EU should take a long hard look at the Tory record.
The Tories have talked green but acted blue.
The Chinese and Indian governments have invited the European commission to help them to clean up their water and air. The EU now has global expertise in the environment. The evidence is clear. The EU has more influence globally with the UK as a member. And as a member, UK has more influence globally. UK’s voice in the Paris climate change talks was amplified because it is a part of a club of 28 countries. Leaving would mean implementing EU environment law without a seat at the table and a vote in decisions. When the UK can lead from the inside, why would it walk away? Ensuring the UK has a cleaner, greener future relies on the EU membership. Anyone who argues otherwise will be on the wrong side of history.

 

Q. What are the problems that the EU has not helped UK tackle?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 4

It is very clear from the passage that the EU has established legislations and policies to address the issue of biodiversity loss, reduce the carbon footprint, and define standards for energy efficiency. Options 1,2, and 3 are covered here.
Animal health is not discussed in the passage.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 5

Scientists recently declared that the evidence is compelling enough to say that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into the new epoch.
Britain is a world leader on the environment and has played a pivotal role in the European Union on this issue since 1986, when Margaret Thatcher signed the Single European Act, which established the EU’s competence in this area. Yet the impact that leaving the EU would have on the UK’s environmental standards rarely features in discussions. The evidence so far is clear: families in Britain, rivers, beaches and special places would pay the price if UK voted to leave.
In 1995, under the last Conservative government, the UK was dirty man of Europe. Some 83% of the household waste went to landfill and just 7% was recycled or composted. By 2014, thanks to a series of EU directives, the UK’s recycling rate had reached 45%.
The UK currently recycles 90% of construction materials, well ahead of other countries. The Birds and Habitats Directives enabled bird and carnivore species to recover. The Natura 2000 Directive obliges the UK government to provide protected nature zones. Renewable energy capacity is growing, thanks to national targets set by the EU Renewable Energy Directive. In 2013, 15% of electricity produced in the UK came from renewable sources. Not only is the carbon footprint shrinking, it has created opportunities for renewable energy companies to grow. EU environmental legislation allows the phasing out of inefficient lightbulbs on an EU-wide basis. Also, higher standards on new car efficiency help lower fuel costs. Such strong regulations allow monitoring of environmental standards and tracking deviations. All this progress is at risk if the UK votes to leave. Anyone who thinks the environment will be better off if UK left the EU should take a long hard look at the Tory record.
The Tories have talked green but acted blue.
The Chinese and Indian governments have invited the European commission to help them to clean up their water and air. The EU now has global expertise in the environment. The evidence is clear. The EU has more influence globally with the UK as a member. And as a member, UK has more influence globally. UK’s voice in the Paris climate change talks was amplified because it is a part of a club of 28 countries. Leaving would mean implementing EU environment law without a seat at the table and a vote in decisions. When the UK can lead from the inside, why would it walk away? Ensuring the UK has a cleaner, greener future relies on the EU membership. Anyone who argues otherwise will be on the wrong side of history.

 

Q. What could the Tories have done to make the author comment “they talked green but acted blue”?

I. They tried to sell off England’s forests.
II. They increased solar subsidies.
III. They scrapped support for wind farm subsidies.
IV. They focused on investing in low-carbon projects.

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 5

In the context of the passage, ‘talked green but acted blue’ would mean that the Tories talked about being eco-friendly but weren't. Statements II and IV are eco-friendly actions. So, logically, only I and III can be correct since they would indicate that the Tories were not sticking to their eco-friendly stance.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 6

Scientists recently declared that the evidence is compelling enough to say that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into the new epoch.
Britain is a world leader on the environment and has played a pivotal role in the European Union on this issue since 1986, when Margaret Thatcher signed the Single European Act, which established the EU’s competence in this area. Yet the impact that leaving the EU would have on the UK’s environmental standards rarely features in discussions. The evidence so far is clear: families in Britain, rivers, beaches and special places would pay the price if UK voted to leave.
In 1995, under the last Conservative government, the UK was dirty man of Europe. Some 83% of the household waste went to landfill and just 7% was recycled or composted. By 2014, thanks to a series of EU directives, the UK’s recycling rate had reached 45%.
The UK currently recycles 90% of construction materials, well ahead of other countries. The Birds and Habitats Directives enabled bird and carnivore species to recover. The Natura 2000 Directive obliges the UK government to provide protected nature zones. Renewable energy capacity is growing, thanks to national targets set by the EU Renewable Energy Directive. In 2013, 15% of electricity produced in the UK came from renewable sources. Not only is the carbon footprint shrinking, it has created opportunities for renewable energy companies to grow. EU environmental legislation allows the phasing out of inefficient lightbulbs on an EU-wide basis. Also, higher standards on new car efficiency help lower fuel costs. Such strong regulations allow monitoring of environmental standards and tracking deviations. All this progress is at risk if the UK votes to leave. Anyone who thinks the environment will be better off if UK left the EU should take a long hard look at the Tory record.
The Tories have talked green but acted blue.
The Chinese and Indian governments have invited the European commission to help them to clean up their water and air. The EU now has global expertise in the environment. The evidence is clear. The EU has more influence globally with the UK as a member. And as a member, UK has more influence globally. UK’s voice in the Paris climate change talks was amplified because it is a part of a club of 28 countries. Leaving would mean implementing EU environment law without a seat at the table and a vote in decisions. When the UK can lead from the inside, why would it walk away? Ensuring the UK has a cleaner, greener future relies on the EU membership. Anyone who argues otherwise will be on the wrong side of history.

 

Q. The tone of the author can best be said to be ______.

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 6

The author gives details on how the environment in UK has changed for the better because of the policies and standards set by the EU and makes a case for why it shouldn’t exit the EU. So the author can be said to be ‘concerned’. ‘Sarcastic’ and ‘controversial’ are negative tones and are thus unwarranted.
The author does not adopt a pessimistic approach towards the future; he only feels that on the basis of past evidence, the UK should stay in the EU.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 7

Group Question

Answer the questions based on the passage given below.

The US Treasury Department recently announced that it would start demanding details of the shell companies that rich foreigners use to buy real estate in Manhattan and Miami-Dade County. This is a good step that should help law enforcement agencies crack down on money laundering, tax evasion and other crimes. The program should be broadened to cover the whole country, and must be forcefully carried out.
In recent years, there have been certain sections of people that have stashed billions of dollars of wealth in the United States by buying property and other costly assets. These purchases are generally made through limited liability corporations that are not required to disclose their wealthy owners or beneficiaries. While limited liability corporations have many legitimate purposes, there is no justification for allowing owners to shield their identities even from law enforcement and regulators. The secrecy is so complete that law enforcement officials say they are often unable to identify the true owners. All efforts by lawmakers have been thwarted by lobbying from the financial and real estate industries and state governments.

The department currently requires mortgage lenders to know the identities of the true owners of shell companies in transactions that involve loans. Under the new policy, the department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network will require details of limited liability companies that buy properties without loans. However, the order applies only to Manhattan and Miami-Dade County, and will be effective for only 180 days, starting in March.
The department should also adopt pending regulations that would require financial firms to know who owns the limited liability companies whose accounts they manage. It is absurd that regulators would not require such basic transparency as a matter of course. The current system practically lays out the welcome mat for some foreigners hiding assets from their governments, making United States one of the world’s biggest tax havens.
Supporters of the current system may argue that requiring more transparency would burden financial institutions without ending money laundering and tax evasion, since determined criminals will find ways to thwart the law. But that doesn’t justify doing nothing about this hole in financial regulations.

 

Q. From the context, a ‘shell company’ can be inferred to be:

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 7

From the first sentence of the paragraph, it can be inferred that a shell company is used by some foreigners for the ulterior motive of buying real estate. Though the first part of option 1 is true, the purpose of a shell company does not seem to be to raise loans according to the paragraph. Option 2 is also not true as foreigners don't stash money in the company per se; they use it to buy assets in which they stash their money. There is no information in the paragraph that warrants 4.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 8

The US Treasury Department recently announced that it would start demanding details of the shell companies that rich foreigners use to buy real estate in Manhattan and Miami-Dade County. This is a good step that should help law enforcement agencies crack down on money laundering, tax evasion and other crimes. The program should be broadened to cover the whole country, and must be forcefully carried out.
In recent years, there have been certain sections of people that have stashed billions of dollars of wealth in the United States by buying property and other costly assets. These purchases are generally made through limited liability corporations that are not required to disclose their wealthy owners or beneficiaries. While limited liability corporations have many legitimate purposes, there is no justification for allowing owners to shield their identities even from law enforcement and regulators. The secrecy is so complete that law enforcement officials say they are often unable to identify the true owners. All efforts by lawmakers have been thwarted by lobbying from the financial and real estate industries and state governments.

The department currently requires mortgage lenders to know the identities of the true owners of shell companies in transactions that involve loans. Under the new policy, the department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network will require details of limited liability companies that buy properties without loans. However, the order applies only to Manhattan and Miami-Dade County, and will be effective for only 180 days, starting in March.
The department should also adopt pending regulations that would require financial firms to know who owns the limited liability companies whose accounts they manage. It is absurd that regulators would not require such basic transparency as a matter of course. The current system practically lays out the welcome mat for some foreigners hiding assets from their governments, making United States one of the world’s biggest tax havens.
Supporters of the current system may argue that requiring more transparency would burden financial institutions without ending money laundering and tax evasion, since determined criminals will find ways to thwart the law. But that doesn’t justify doing nothing about this hole in financial regulations.

 

Q. What is the primary purpose of the author?

A. To emphasize the importance of identity disclosure in business transactions
B. To educate us on the ill effects of money laundering and tax evasion
C. To highlight the efforts being taken by the US government to control money laundering
D. To show why the US is the biggest tax haven

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 8

The passage primarily discusses how the existence of unknown identities in business transactions leads to money laundering and tax evasion, along with the initiatives being taken by the US Treasury Department to control it. Statements A and C are justified.
The author does not discuss the ill effects of money laundering and tax evasion at all. Statement B is not one of the author's primary purposes.
Even though at various points in the passage there are instances to support what has made the US the biggest tax haven of the world, this is not the primary purpose of the author. Statement D is incorrect.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 9

The US Treasury Department recently announced that it would start demanding details of the shell companies that rich foreigners use to buy real estate in Manhattan and Miami-Dade County. This is a good step that should help law enforcement agencies crack down on money laundering, tax evasion and other crimes. The program should be broadened to cover the whole country, and must be forcefully carried out.
In recent years, there have been certain sections of people that have stashed billions of dollars of wealth in the United States by buying property and other costly assets. These purchases are generally made through limited liability corporations that are not required to disclose their wealthy owners or beneficiaries. While limited liability corporations have many legitimate purposes, there is no justification for allowing owners to shield their identities even from law enforcement and regulators. The secrecy is so complete that law enforcement officials say they are often unable to identify the true owners. All efforts by lawmakers have been thwarted by lobbying from the financial and real estate industries and state governments.

The department currently requires mortgage lenders to know the identities of the true owners of shell companies in transactions that involve loans. Under the new policy, the department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network will require details of limited liability companies that buy properties without loans. However, the order applies only to Manhattan and Miami-Dade County, and will be effective for only 180 days, starting in March.
The department should also adopt pending regulations that would require financial firms to know who owns the limited liability companies whose accounts they manage. It is absurd that regulators would not require such basic transparency as a matter of course. The current system practically lays out the welcome mat for some foreigners hiding assets from their governments, making United States one of the world’s biggest tax havens.
Supporters of the current system may argue that requiring more transparency would burden financial institutions without ending money laundering and tax evasion, since determined criminals will find ways to thwart the law. But that doesn’t justify doing nothing about this hole in financial regulations.

 

Q. Paragraph 2 talks about sections of people who have invested in various assets in the US for tax evasion. In the context of this passage, choose the group of people who are most likely to partake in this overall activity.

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 9

Paragraph 2 discusses how certain sections of people have done money laundering for billions of dollars and used it to buy expensive assets in the US. There is no information in the passage regarding the role of spiritual leaders and teachers. Options 2 and 4 can therefore be eliminated.
Even though the passage describes the role of business owners in tax evasion, it has no information to support if the owners are typically monopolists. Option 3 can also be ruled out.
The passage discusses how lobbying by the government weakens the lawmakers' efforts and allows business owners to mobilise their black money by investing in assets. This clearly justifies option 1.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 10

Group Question

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

Pierre Boulez was the last survivor of the generation of composers who defined the European Avant-garde after World War II. Through his activities as a conductor and musical educator, his influence on musical life on both sides of the Atlantic has been incalculable. In the 1950s and early 60s, his activities as a fierce polemicist railing against the musical establishment and its traditions, dismissing opera as an outmoded art form, went hand in hand with his greatest productivity as a composer. Boulez’s ever-increasing activities as a conductor from the 1960s onwards coincided with a distinct falling off in his activities as a composer. Though the sonic world he created acquired a whole dimension with the use of techniques developed at the Paris research institute he founded, at the behest of the French government his new work suffered and tended to appear less frequently. Whether interpreting the music of the past had become a welcome surrogate for his dwindling creativity, or merely took up too much of the time he had previously spent

composing, is hard to say. But the story of the second half of Boulez’s career as a composer will remain a tantalising litany of unrealised projects.
It took a long time in public perception for the uncompromising radical to morph into the hugely revered figure later. When I first met him in the mid-1970s, some of that forbidding earlier aura remained, but his warmth and humour were immediately disarming. As he mellowed further, he also began to conduct music by a number of composers he would surely have dismissed out of hand in his early years. That inevitably required some quiet revisionism. However, he never kept himself from giving out candid statements. Looking at the music scenario in the 80’s Boulez said "If you want a kind of supermarket aesthetic, do that, nobody will be against it, but everybody will eventually forget it because each generation will create its own supermarket music”. The last time we met, in 2011, it was a surprise to hear him enthuse about the works of the Polish composer Szymanowski and to hear him claim that it was music he had admired since he first heard it as a schoolboy in 1942. It got me thinking of a question I wasn’t sure I should ask him.

Like everything he conducted, it was the precision of his performances that was so revealing, and which illuminated a range of 20th-century music in a way that few conductors before him had ever approached. And while a handful of Boulez’s own works will endure, it is his achievement as a conductor and educator in moving the music of our time and of the immediate past into the mainstream that is likely to be his legacy.

 

Q. What role did Boulez not play in his life?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 10

The passage clearly says that Boulez played the role of a polemicist (one who practises disputation or controversy), an educator (teacher), and a conductor of music (maestro). Therefore, options 1,2, and 3 can be eliminated. ‘Trooper’ means a ‘state police officer’ and makes for an absurd option.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 11

Pierre Boulez was the last survivor of the generation of composers who defined the European Avant-garde after World War II. Through his activities as a conductor and musical educator, his influence on musical life on both sides of the Atlantic has been incalculable. In the 1950s and early 60s, his activities as a fierce polemicist railing against the musical establishment and its traditions, dismissing opera as an outmoded art form, went hand in hand with his greatest productivity as a composer. Boulez’s ever-increasing activities as a conductor from the 1960s onwards coincided with a distinct falling off in his activities as a composer. Though the sonic world he created acquired a whole dimension with the use of techniques developed at the Paris research institute he founded, at the behest of the French government his new work suffered and tended to appear less frequently. Whether interpreting the music of the past had become a welcome surrogate for his dwindling creativity, or merely took up too much of the time he had previously spent

composing, is hard to say. But the story of the second half of Boulez’s career as a composer will remain a tantalising litany of unrealised projects.
It took a long time in public perception for the uncompromising radical to morph into the hugely revered figure later. When I first met him in the mid-1970s, some of that forbidding earlier aura remained, but his warmth and humour were immediately disarming. As he mellowed further, he also began to conduct music by a number of composers he would surely have dismissed out of hand in his early years. That inevitably required some quiet revisionism. However, he never kept himself from giving out candid statements. Looking at the music scenario in the 80’s Boulez said "If you want a kind of supermarket aesthetic, do that, nobody will be against it, but everybody will eventually forget it because each generation will create its own supermarket music”. The last time we met, in 2011, it was a surprise to hear him enthuse about the works of the Polish composer Szymanowski and to hear him claim that it was music he had admired since he first heard it as a schoolboy in 1942. It got me thinking of a question I wasn’t sure I should ask him.

Like everything he conducted, it was the precision of his performances that was so revealing, and which illuminated a range of 20th-century music in a way that few conductors before him had ever approached. And while a handful of Boulez’s own works will endure, it is his achievement as a conductor and educator in moving the music of our time and of the immediate past into the mainstream that is likely to be his legacy.

 

Q. What is the primary purpose of the author?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 11

The passage does not throw light on why Boulez was successful as a conductor and unsuccessful as a composer (in the later parts of his life). The author speculates about the latter, but is not sure. So, option 1 can be eliminated. A eulogy is high praise or recommendation, but this passage discusses Boulez's unsuccessful attempts at composing too. So, it is not a eulogy. Also, the author is not remembering specific works of Boulez. Thus, option 3 can be eliminated. The passage mainly focuses on Boulez's career, not his personality. The latter is being talked about in just one or two sentences; it cannot be described as the primary purpose of the author. So, option 4 should also be eliminated.
The passage largely focuses on the impact Boulez has had on music. The first few and last few sentences of the paragraph clearly indicate the intention of the author.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 12

Pierre Boulez was the last survivor of the generation of composers who defined the European Avant-garde after World War II. Through his activities as a conductor and musical educator, his influence on musical life on both sides of the Atlantic has been incalculable. In the 1950s and early 60s, his activities as a fierce polemicist railing against the musical establishment and its traditions, dismissing opera as an outmoded art form, went hand in hand with his greatest productivity as a composer. Boulez’s ever-increasing activities as a conductor from the 1960s onwards coincided with a distinct falling off in his activities as a composer. Though the sonic world he created acquired a whole dimension with the use of techniques developed at the Paris research institute he founded, at the behest of the French government his new work suffered and tended to appear less frequently. Whether interpreting the music of the past had become a welcome surrogate for his dwindling creativity, or merely took up too much of the time he had previously spent

composing, is hard to say. But the story of the second half of Boulez’s career as a composer will remain a tantalising litany of unrealised projects.
It took a long time in public perception for the uncompromising radical to morph into the hugely revered figure later. When I first met him in the mid-1970s, some of that forbidding earlier aura remained, but his warmth and humour were immediately disarming. As he mellowed further, he also began to conduct music by a number of composers he would surely have dismissed out of hand in his early years. That inevitably required some quiet revisionism. However, he never kept himself from giving out candid statements. Looking at the music scenario in the 80’s Boulez said "If you want a kind of supermarket aesthetic, do that, nobody will be against it, but everybody will eventually forget it because each generation will create its own supermarket music”. The last time we met, in 2011, it was a surprise to hear him enthuse about the works of the Polish composer Szymanowski and to hear him claim that it was music he had admired since he first heard it as a schoolboy in 1942. It got me thinking of a question I wasn’t sure I should ask him.

Like everything he conducted, it was the precision of his performances that was so revealing, and which illuminated a range of 20th-century music in a way that few conductors before him had ever approached. And while a handful of Boulez’s own works will endure, it is his achievement as a conductor and educator in moving the music of our time and of the immediate past into the mainstream that is likely to be his legacy.

 

Q. The term 'supermarket music' was used by Boulez to describe music that

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 12

In the passage, Boulez clearly says that supermarket music is the kind that will be soon forgotten. So, option 2, which says that the music will sell well, can be eliminated immediately.
Option 1 takes the term too literally: Boulez was talking about a supermarket aesthetic to music, not music that is literally made for supermarkets.
Out of the remaining options, 4 is again extremely literal. Only 3 gives a logical reason for use of the term 'supermarket'.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 13

Pierre Boulez was the last survivor of the generation of composers who defined the European Avant-garde after World War II. Through his activities as a conductor and musical educator, his influence on musical life on both sides of the Atlantic has been incalculable. In the 1950s and early 60s, his activities as a fierce polemicist railing against the musical establishment and its traditions, dismissing opera as an outmoded art form, went hand in hand with his greatest productivity as a composer. Boulez’s ever-increasing activities as a conductor from the 1960s onwards coincided with a distinct falling off in his activities as a composer. Though the sonic world he created acquired a whole dimension with the use of techniques developed at the Paris research institute he founded, at the behest of the French government his new work suffered and tended to appear less frequently. Whether interpreting the music of the past had become a welcome surrogate for his dwindling creativity, or merely took up too much of the time he had previously spent

composing, is hard to say. But the story of the second half of Boulez’s career as a composer will remain a tantalising litany of unrealised projects.
It took a long time in public perception for the uncompromising radical to morph into the hugely revered figure later. When I first met him in the mid-1970s, some of that forbidding earlier aura remained, but his warmth and humour were immediately disarming. As he mellowed further, he also began to conduct music by a number of composers he would surely have dismissed out of hand in his early years. That inevitably required some quiet revisionism. However, he never kept himself from giving out candid statements. Looking at the music scenario in the 80’s Boulez said "If you want a kind of supermarket aesthetic, do that, nobody will be against it, but everybody will eventually forget it because each generation will create its own supermarket music”. The last time we met, in 2011, it was a surprise to hear him enthuse about the works of the Polish composer Szymanowski and to hear him claim that it was music he had admired since he first heard it as a schoolboy in 1942. It got me thinking of a question I wasn’t sure I should ask him.

Like everything he conducted, it was the precision of his performances that was so revealing, and which illuminated a range of 20th-century music in a way that few conductors before him had ever approached. And while a handful of Boulez’s own works will endure, it is his achievement as a conductor and educator in moving the music of our time and of the immediate past into the mainstream that is likely to be his legacy.

 

Q. The author mentions a question he wanted to ask Boulez. What is that question most likely to be?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 13

It is at the end of the second paragraph that the author mentions that a question came to his mind. The previous sentence "... it was a surprise to hear him enthuse about the works of the Polish composer Szymanowski and to hear him claim that it was music he had admired since he first heard it as a schoolboy" clearly gives the context for that question. This sentence relates to only option 4 out of the given options.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 14

Pierre Boulez was the last survivor of the generation of composers who defined the European Avant-garde after World War II. Through his activities as a conductor and musical educator, his influence on musical life on both sides of the Atlantic has been incalculable. In the 1950s and early 60s, his activities as a fierce polemicist railing against the musical establishment and its traditions, dismissing opera as an outmoded art form, went hand in hand with his greatest productivity as a composer. Boulez’s ever-increasing activities as a conductor from the 1960s onwards coincided with a distinct falling off in his activities as a composer. Though the sonic world he created acquired a whole dimension with the use of techniques developed at the Paris research institute he founded, at the behest of the French government his new work suffered and tended to appear less frequently. Whether interpreting the music of the past had become a welcome surrogate for his dwindling creativity, or merely took up too much of the time he had previously spent

composing, is hard to say. But the story of the second half of Boulez’s career as a composer will remain a tantalising litany of unrealised projects.
It took a long time in public perception for the uncompromising radical to morph into the hugely revered figure later. When I first met him in the mid-1970s, some of that forbidding earlier aura remained, but his warmth and humour were immediately disarming. As he mellowed further, he also began to conduct music by a number of composers he would surely have dismissed out of hand in his early years. That inevitably required some quiet revisionism. However, he never kept himself from giving out candid statements. Looking at the music scenario in the 80’s Boulez said "If you want a kind of supermarket aesthetic, do that, nobody will be against it, but everybody will eventually forget it because each generation will create its own supermarket music”. The last time we met, in 2011, it was a surprise to hear him enthuse about the works of the Polish composer Szymanowski and to hear him claim that it was music he had admired since he first heard it as a schoolboy in 1942. It got me thinking of a question I wasn’t sure I should ask him.

Like everything he conducted, it was the precision of his performances that was so revealing, and which illuminated a range of 20th-century music in a way that few conductors before him had ever approached. And while a handful of Boulez’s own works will endure, it is his achievement as a conductor and educator in moving the music of our time and of the immediate past into the mainstream that is likely to be his legacy.

 

Q. What word describes Boulez's conducting?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 14

The passage doesn't state that Boulez's conducting inspired others.
We know from the passage that it wasn't ineffectual (inadequate or futile).
The last paragraph says that few conductors had illuminated a range of twentieth century music like he did. This means that some conductors certainly had managed to achieve the same results in the past. So, Boulez's conducting was not unprecedented (without previous instance/unparalleled).
None of the options appropriately describes Boulez's conducting.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 15

Pierre Boulez was the last survivor of the generation of composers who defined the European Avant-garde after World War II. Through his activities as a conductor and musical educator, his influence on musical life on both sides of the Atlantic has been incalculable. In the 1950s and early 60s, his activities as a fierce polemicist railing against the musical establishment and its traditions, dismissing opera as an outmoded art form, went hand in hand with his greatest productivity as a composer. Boulez’s ever-increasing activities as a conductor from the 1960s onwards coincided with a distinct falling off in his activities as a composer. Though the sonic world he created acquired a whole dimension with the use of techniques developed at the Paris research institute he founded, at the behest of the French government his new work suffered and tended to appear less frequently. Whether interpreting the music of the past had become a welcome surrogate for his dwindling creativity, or merely took up too much of the time he had previously spent

composing, is hard to say. But the story of the second half of Boulez’s career as a composer will remain a tantalising litany of unrealised projects.
It took a long time in public perception for the uncompromising radical to morph into the hugely revered figure later. When I first met him in the mid-1970s, some of that forbidding earlier aura remained, but his warmth and humour were immediately disarming. As he mellowed further, he also began to conduct music by a number of composers he would surely have dismissed out of hand in his early years. That inevitably required some quiet revisionism. However, he never kept himself from giving out candid statements. Looking at the music scenario in the 80’s Boulez said "If you want a kind of supermarket aesthetic, do that, nobody will be against it, but everybody will eventually forget it because each generation will create its own supermarket music”. The last time we met, in 2011, it was a surprise to hear him enthuse about the works of the Polish composer Szymanowski and to hear him claim that it was music he had admired since he first heard it as a schoolboy in 1942. It got me thinking of a question I wasn’t sure I should ask him.

Like everything he conducted, it was the precision of his performances that was so revealing, and which illuminated a range of 20th-century music in a way that few conductors before him had ever approached. And while a handful of Boulez’s own works will endure, it is his achievement as a conductor and educator in moving the music of our time and of the immediate past into the mainstream that is likely to be his legacy.

 

Q. What has been cited as the possible reason for Boulez’s downfall as a composer?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 15

The last few sentences of the first paragraph point towards only option 1 as the answer: “Whether interpreting the music of the past... or merely took up too much of the time he had previously spent composing ... second half of Boulez’s career as a composer will remain a tantalising litany of unrealised projects.” The other options are not supported by the passage.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 16

Group Question

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

"I think of Ceres actually as a game changer in the Solar System," said Britney Schmidt in 2013, science team liaison for the Dawn Mission. "Ceres is arguably the only one of its kind. Ceres is like the gatekeeper to the history of water in the middle solar system." "Ceres is a 'planet' that you've probably never heard of,” said Robert Mase, Dawn project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Ceres, the largest body between Mars and Jupiter in the main asteroid belt, has a diameter of about 590 miles (950 kilometers). Some scientists believe the dwarf planet harbored a subsurface ocean in the past and liquid water may still be lurking under its icy mantle.
Ceres is a unique body in the Solar System, bearing many similarities to Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus, both considered to be potential sources for harboring life. In March of 2015, NASA's Dawn mission will arrive at the dwarf planet Ceres, the first of the smaller class of planets to be discovered and the closest to Earth.
When Ceres was discovered in 1801, astronomers first classified it as a planet. The massive body traveled between Mars and Jupiter, where scientists had mathematically predicted a planet should lie. Further observations revealed that a number of small bodies littered the region, and Ceres was downgraded to just another asteroid within the asteroid belt. It wasn't until Pluto was classified as a dwarf planet in 2006 that Ceres was upgraded to the same level.
Ceres is the most massive body in the asteroid belt, and larger than some of the icy moons scientists consider ideal for hosting life. It is twice the size of Enceladus, Saturn's geyser-spouting moon that may hide liquid water beneath its surface.
Unlike other asteroids, the Texas-sized Ceres has a perfectly rounded shape that hints toward its origins. As NASA's Dawn mission draws closer to its encounter with the dwarf planet Ceres in early 2015, excitement continues to mount for scientists looking forward to what the satellite might observe.

 

Q. According to the passage, which of the following is not true about Ceres?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 16

Option 1 is validated from “In March of 2015, NASA's Dawn mission will arrive at the dwarf planet Ceres” Option 2 misquotes the passage which states “Some scientists believe the dwarf planet harbored a subsurface ocean in the past and liquid water may still be lurking under its icy mantle.”
Option 3 is validated by “Ceres is a unique body in the Solar System, bearing many similarities to Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus”
Option 4 is validated by “The massive body traveled between Mars and Jupiter, where scientists had mathematically predicted a planet should lie ... and Ceres was downgraded to just another asteroid ... It wasn't until Pluto was classified as a dwarf planet in 2006 that Ceres was upgraded to the same level.” Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 17

"I think of Ceres actually as a game changer in the Solar System," said Britney Schmidt in 2013, science team liaison for the Dawn Mission. "Ceres is arguably the only one of its kind. Ceres is like the gatekeeper to the history of water in the middle solar system." "Ceres is a 'planet' that you've probably never heard of,” said Robert Mase, Dawn project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Ceres, the largest body between Mars and Jupiter in the main asteroid belt, has a diameter of about 590 miles (950 kilometers). Some scientists believe the dwarf planet harbored a subsurface ocean in the past and liquid water may still be lurking under its icy mantle.
Ceres is a unique body in the Solar System, bearing many similarities to Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus, both considered to be potential sources for harboring life. In March of 2015, NASA's Dawn mission will arrive at the dwarf planet Ceres, the first of the smaller class of planets to be discovered and the closest to Earth.
When Ceres was discovered in 1801, astronomers first classified it as a planet. The massive body traveled between Mars and Jupiter, where scientists had mathematically predicted a planet should lie. Further observations revealed that a number of small bodies littered the region, and Ceres was downgraded to just another asteroid within the asteroid belt. It wasn't until Pluto was classified as a dwarf planet in 2006 that Ceres was upgraded to the same level.
Ceres is the most massive body in the asteroid belt, and larger than some of the icy moons scientists consider ideal for hosting life. It is twice the size of Enceladus, Saturn's geyser-spouting moon that may hide liquid water beneath its surface.
Unlike other asteroids, the Texas-sized Ceres has a perfectly rounded shape that hints toward its origins. As NASA's Dawn mission draws closer to its encounter with the dwarf planet Ceres in early 2015, excitement continues to mount for scientists looking forward to what the satellite might observe.

 

Q. Ceres is considered a game changer in the Solar System because...

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 17

A “game changer” refers to some significant event. Except option 3, none of the other options is apt. The passage talks about Ceres possibly having had water and having the potential of sustaining life. If NASA finds more support for this, it would mean that there could be life on another planet and not just Earth. This would definitely be a game-changer. Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 18

"I think of Ceres actually as a game changer in the Solar System," said Britney Schmidt in 2013, science team liaison for the Dawn Mission. "Ceres is arguably the only one of its kind. Ceres is like the gatekeeper to the history of water in the middle solar system." "Ceres is a 'planet' that you've probably never heard of,” said Robert Mase, Dawn project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Ceres, the largest body between Mars and Jupiter in the main asteroid belt, has a diameter of about 590 miles (950 kilometers). Some scientists believe the dwarf planet harbored a subsurface ocean in the past and liquid water may still be lurking under its icy mantle.
Ceres is a unique body in the Solar System, bearing many similarities to Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus, both considered to be potential sources for harboring life. In March of 2015, NASA's Dawn mission will arrive at the dwarf planet Ceres, the first of the smaller class of planets to be discovered and the closest to Earth.
When Ceres was discovered in 1801, astronomers first classified it as a planet. The massive body traveled between Mars and Jupiter, where scientists had mathematically predicted a planet should lie. Further observations revealed that a number of small bodies littered the region, and Ceres was downgraded to just another asteroid within the asteroid belt. It wasn't until Pluto was classified as a dwarf planet in 2006 that Ceres was upgraded to the same level.
Ceres is the most massive body in the asteroid belt, and larger than some of the icy moons scientists consider ideal for hosting life. It is twice the size of Enceladus, Saturn's geyser-spouting moon that may hide liquid water beneath its surface.
Unlike other asteroids, the Texas-sized Ceres has a perfectly rounded shape that hints toward its origins. As NASA's Dawn mission draws closer to its encounter with the dwarf planet Ceres in early 2015, excitement continues to mount for scientists looking forward to what the satellite might observe.

 

Q. “Ceres is a 'planet' that you've probably never heard o f implies that...

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 18

The word planet is mentioned in single quotation marks which implies that Ceres was not known as a planet until recently. The passage goes on to say that it was given the status of a dwarf planet only in 2006. Option 1 is a fact about Enceladus. Option 2 is contrary to what the passage is stating. Ceres was considered an asteroid but is not anymore; option 3 can be eliminated.
Option 4 is the only apt option, since it explains why it is possible that not many people know of Ceres as a planet.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 19

Group Question

Answer the questions based on the passage given below.

Sugata Mitra did an odd experiment. He placed a PC inside a wall behind a plastic shield in a New Dehli slum. Connected to the internet, with a mouse to manipulate it, Mitra simply powered it up and left it behind. “I left it to the wolves, knowing that it would be smashed, opened up and and sold,” Mitra says. “I left it, just to see what would happen.”
When Mitra came back after two months he found the kids playing games and browsing the Internet. One kid sauntered up to Mitra and said, “We could use a better mouse and a faster processor.” And there was a small complaint. “You’ve given us a machine that only works in English, so we had to teach ourselves English.”
Via what became known as the Hole in the Wall experiment, Mitra recognized for the first time the concept of self-learning. Mitra spread his concept of self-learning to hundreds of elementary schools across India, then to the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
In England, Mitra recruited an army of retired teachers, all women, whom he dubbed the “granny cloud.” The grannies connected to Mitra’s schools via Skype, and when the kids were assembled in groups of four to six, the grannies asked questions like “Can anything be less than zero?” “Will robots be conscious one day?” and “How do my eyes know to cry when I am sad?” Then they sat back and let the kids do the learning, injecting themselves only to offer the kind of encouragement that only grannies can. What Mitra saw was that the Granny cloud kids’ English improved, their Science scores soared. By most measures they were learning more and more quickly, and doing it mostly on their own.
What Mitra envisions are “schools in the cloud,” classes of 24 students in actual brick-and-mortar spaces managed in person by his volunteer grannies. The grannies ask the questions, offer the encouragement, everything else happens remotely, the lights, heating, and locks are all manipulated via the cloud. For now Mitra envisions that these cloud schools will function as a supplement to the daily education the kids already get - operating on the weekends and before and after school. They’ll offer English language learning initially, he says. “I’ll present it as a safe cyber cafe for children where they can learn good English,” Mitra says. “For now I cannot afford to say that this is a replacement for school.”
But just give him time.
“If it works, then we have an alternative that I can tell you with confidence will level the playing field,” Mitra says. “And leveling the playing field is what’s missing in this world.”

 

Q. According to the passage, which of these is true about “Schools in the cloud”?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 19

The passage states that the schools in the cloud encourage self-learning by providing encouragement to the children when they need it. Students can learn exploring by themselves, thus letting learning happen in a more organic way. Option 1 and option 2 are not accurate as per the passage. In fact, Mitra states that for the time being the schools in the cloud concept can be piloted to help students learn English. Only time would tell if options 1 and 2 will be a reality.
Option 3 is clearly apt from the passage - “The grannies ask the questions, offer the encouragement, everything else happens remotely, the lights, heating, and locks are all manipulated via the cloud.” Option 4 with “better on assessments” is inaccurate.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 20

Sugata Mitra did an odd experiment. He placed a PC inside a wall behind a plastic shield in a New Dehli slum. Connected to the internet, with a mouse to manipulate it, Mitra simply powered it up and left it behind. “I left it to the wolves, knowing that it would be smashed, opened up and and sold,” Mitra says. “I left it, just to see what would happen.”
When Mitra came back after two months he found the kids playing games and browsing the Internet. One kid sauntered up to Mitra and said, “We could use a better mouse and a faster processor.” And there was a small complaint. “You’ve given us a machine that only works in English, so we had to teach ourselves English.”
Via what became known as the Hole in the Wall experiment, Mitra recognized for the first time the concept of self-learning. Mitra spread his concept of self-learning to hundreds of elementary schools across India, then to the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
In England, Mitra recruited an army of retired teachers, all women, whom he dubbed the “granny cloud.” The grannies connected to Mitra’s schools via Skype, and when the kids were assembled in groups of four to six, the grannies asked questions like “Can anything be less than zero?” “Will robots be conscious one day?” and “How do my eyes know to cry when I am sad?” Then they sat back and let the kids do the learning, injecting themselves only to offer the kind of encouragement that only grannies can. What Mitra saw was that the Granny cloud kids’ English improved, their Science scores soared. By most measures they were learning more and more quickly, and doing it mostly on their own.
What Mitra envisions are “schools in the cloud,” classes of 24 students in actual brick-and-mortar spaces managed in person by his volunteer grannies. The grannies ask the questions, offer the encouragement, everything else happens remotely, the lights, heating, and locks are all manipulated via the cloud. For now Mitra envisions that these cloud schools will function as a supplement to the daily education the kids already get - operating on the weekends and before and after school. They’ll offer English language learning initially, he says. “I’ll present it as a safe cyber cafe for children where they can learn good English,” Mitra says. “For now I cannot afford to say that this is a replacement for school.”
But just give him time.
“If it works, then we have an alternative that I can tell you with confidence will level the playing field,” Mitra says. “And leveling the playing field is what’s missing in this world.”

 

Q. The Hole in the Wall experiment made Mitra realize that:

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 20

The author states that it was the Hole in the Wall experiment that made Mitra recognize the concept of selflearning. This means that although he probably knew selflearning as a concept, he saw it for real in the experiment. This supports option 3.
Option 1 is contrary to what the passage states.
Option 2 is incorrect; the Hole in the Wall experiment showed that self-learning exists and need not happen only in dire situations as seen in the case of the schools in the cloud.
Option 4 is incorrect. Although 21st century academia may be more conventional, we cannot say on the basis of the passage that it totally ignores self-learning.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 21

Sugata Mitra did an odd experiment. He placed a PC inside a wall behind a plastic shield in a New Dehli slum. Connected to the internet, with a mouse to manipulate it, Mitra simply powered it up and left it behind. “I left it to the wolves, knowing that it would be smashed, opened up and and sold,” Mitra says. “I left it, just to see what would happen.”
When Mitra came back after two months he found the kids playing games and browsing the Internet. One kid sauntered up to Mitra and said, “We could use a better mouse and a faster processor.” And there was a small complaint. “You’ve given us a machine that only works in English, so we had to teach ourselves English.”
Via what became known as the Hole in the Wall experiment, Mitra recognized for the first time the concept of self-learning. Mitra spread his concept of self-learning to hundreds of elementary schools across India, then to the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
In England, Mitra recruited an army of retired teachers, all women, whom he dubbed the “granny cloud.” The grannies connected to Mitra’s schools via Skype, and when the kids were assembled in groups of four to six, the grannies asked questions like “Can anything be less than zero?” “Will robots be conscious one day?” and “How do my eyes know to cry when I am sad?” Then they sat back and let the kids do the learning, injecting themselves only to offer the kind of encouragement that only grannies can. What Mitra saw was that the Granny cloud kids’ English improved, their Science scores soared. By most measures they were learning more and more quickly, and doing it mostly on their own.
What Mitra envisions are “schools in the cloud,” classes of 24 students in actual brick-and-mortar spaces managed in person by his volunteer grannies. The grannies ask the questions, offer the encouragement, everything else happens remotely, the lights, heating, and locks are all manipulated via the cloud. For now Mitra envisions that these cloud schools will function as a supplement to the daily education the kids already get - operating on the weekends and before and after school. They’ll offer English language learning initially, he says. “I’ll present it as a safe cyber cafe for children where they can learn good English,” Mitra says. “For now I cannot afford to say that this is a replacement for school.”
But just give him time.
“If it works, then we have an alternative that I can tell you with confidence will level the playing field,” Mitra says. “And leveling the playing field is what’s missing in this world.”

 

Q. What was Sugata Mitra expecting out of his odd experiment?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 21

The first paragraph states that Mitra "... left it (the computer) to the wolves, knowing that it would be smashed, opened up and sold ...” This validates option 2.
None of the other options are validated in any way by the information given in the passage.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 22

Sugata Mitra did an odd experiment. He placed a PC inside a wall behind a plastic shield in a New Dehli slum. Connected to the internet, with a mouse to manipulate it, Mitra simply powered it up and left it behind. “I left it to the wolves, knowing that it would be smashed, opened up and and sold,” Mitra says. “I left it, just to see what would happen.”
When Mitra came back after two months he found the kids playing games and browsing the Internet. One kid sauntered up to Mitra and said, “We could use a better mouse and a faster processor.” And there was a small complaint. “You’ve given us a machine that only works in English, so we had to teach ourselves English.”
Via what became known as the Hole in the Wall experiment, Mitra recognized for the first time the concept of self-learning. Mitra spread his concept of self-learning to hundreds of elementary schools across India, then to the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
In England, Mitra recruited an army of retired teachers, all women, whom he dubbed the “granny cloud.” The grannies connected to Mitra’s schools via Skype, and when the kids were assembled in groups of four to six, the grannies asked questions like “Can anything be less than zero?” “Will robots be conscious one day?” and “How do my eyes know to cry when I am sad?” Then they sat back and let the kids do the learning, injecting themselves only to offer the kind of encouragement that only grannies can. What Mitra saw was that the Granny cloud kids’ English improved, their Science scores soared. By most measures they were learning more and more quickly, and doing it mostly on their own.
What Mitra envisions are “schools in the cloud,” classes of 24 students in actual brick-and-mortar spaces managed in person by his volunteer grannies. The grannies ask the questions, offer the encouragement, everything else happens remotely, the lights, heating, and locks are all manipulated via the cloud. For now Mitra envisions that these cloud schools will function as a supplement to the daily education the kids already get - operating on the weekends and before and after school. They’ll offer English language learning initially, he says. “I’ll present it as a safe cyber cafe for children where they can learn good English,” Mitra says. “For now I cannot afford to say that this is a replacement for school.”
But just give him time.
“If it works, then we have an alternative that I can tell you with confidence will level the playing field,” Mitra says. “And leveling the playing field is what’s missing in this world.”

 

Q. According to Mitra, what is missing in the world?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 22

The last lines of the passage reveal that Mitra is talking about leveling the playing field (to give everyone the same advantages or opportunities). The passage is about education. While current education systems exist (existent learning opportunities), the schools in the cloud would help children learn through self- exploration, experience, and a deeper hands-on understanding (innovation in learning). This validates option 4.
Option 1 takes the “playing field” phrase literally; option 2 with “technology” does not capture the essence of the passage; option 3 is vague with its terms. The passage is more about innovative learning than self-growth.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 23

Sugata Mitra did an odd experiment. He placed a PC inside a wall behind a plastic shield in a New Dehli slum. Connected to the internet, with a mouse to manipulate it, Mitra simply powered it up and left it behind. “I left it to the wolves, knowing that it would be smashed, opened up and and sold,” Mitra says. “I left it, just to see what would happen.”
When Mitra came back after two months he found the kids playing games and browsing the Internet. One kid sauntered up to Mitra and said, “We could use a better mouse and a faster processor.” And there was a small complaint. “You’ve given us a machine that only works in English, so we had to teach ourselves English.”
Via what became known as the Hole in the Wall experiment, Mitra recognized for the first time the concept of self-learning. Mitra spread his concept of self-learning to hundreds of elementary schools across India, then to the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
In England, Mitra recruited an army of retired teachers, all women, whom he dubbed the “granny cloud.” The grannies connected to Mitra’s schools via Skype, and when the kids were assembled in groups of four to six, the grannies asked questions like “Can anything be less than zero?” “Will robots be conscious one day?” and “How do my eyes know to cry when I am sad?” Then they sat back and let the kids do the learning, injecting themselves only to offer the kind of encouragement that only grannies can. What Mitra saw was that the Granny cloud kids’ English improved, their Science scores soared. By most measures they were learning more and more quickly, and doing it mostly on their own.
What Mitra envisions are “schools in the cloud,” classes of 24 students in actual brick-and-mortar spaces managed in person by his volunteer grannies. The grannies ask the questions, offer the encouragement, everything else happens remotely, the lights, heating, and locks are all manipulated via the cloud. For now Mitra envisions that these cloud schools will function as a supplement to the daily education the kids already get - operating on the weekends and before and after school. They’ll offer English language learning initially, he says. “I’ll present it as a safe cyber cafe for children where they can learn good English,” Mitra says. “For now I cannot afford to say that this is a replacement for school.”
But just give him time.
“If it works, then we have an alternative that I can tell you with confidence will level the playing field,” Mitra says. “And leveling the playing field is what’s missing in this world.”

 

Q. Which of the following would be an example of “brick-and- mortar” learning?

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 23

Learning the “brick and mortar” way means to have physically experienced the situation through materials, going to a place, actually performing related activities etc. Option 1 is an apt example of this.
Option 2 focuses on technology; it is not a hands-on experience for the child.
Option 3 is incorrect; brick and mortar learning would not just mean learning in the slums but learning anything in the environment appropriate to that activity.
Option 4 is incorrect. Older women or grannies were used in the schools in the cloud experiment, and this fact from the passage is distorted in option 4.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 24

Sugata Mitra did an odd experiment. He placed a PC inside a wall behind a plastic shield in a New Dehli slum. Connected to the internet, with a mouse to manipulate it, Mitra simply powered it up and left it behind. “I left it to the wolves, knowing that it would be smashed, opened up and and sold,” Mitra says. “I left it, just to see what would happen.”
When Mitra came back after two months he found the kids playing games and browsing the Internet. One kid sauntered up to Mitra and said, “We could use a better mouse and a faster processor.” And there was a small complaint. “You’ve given us a machine that only works in English, so we had to teach ourselves English.”
Via what became known as the Hole in the Wall experiment, Mitra recognized for the first time the concept of self-learning. Mitra spread his concept of self-learning to hundreds of elementary schools across India, then to the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
In England, Mitra recruited an army of retired teachers, all women, whom he dubbed the “granny cloud.” The grannies connected to Mitra’s schools via Skype, and when the kids were assembled in groups of four to six, the grannies asked questions like “Can anything be less than zero?” “Will robots be conscious one day?” and “How do my eyes know to cry when I am sad?” Then they sat back and let the kids do the learning, injecting themselves only to offer the kind of encouragement that only grannies can. What Mitra saw was that the Granny cloud kids’ English improved, their Science scores soared. By most measures they were learning more and more quickly, and doing it mostly on their own.
What Mitra envisions are “schools in the cloud,” classes of 24 students in actual brick-and-mortar spaces managed in person by his volunteer grannies. The grannies ask the questions, offer the encouragement, everything else happens remotely, the lights, heating, and locks are all manipulated via the cloud. For now Mitra envisions that these cloud schools will function as a supplement to the daily education the kids already get - operating on the weekends and before and after school. They’ll offer English language learning initially, he says. “I’ll present it as a safe cyber cafe for children where they can learn good English,” Mitra says. “For now I cannot afford to say that this is a replacement for school.”
But just give him time.
“If it works, then we have an alternative that I can tell you with confidence will level the playing field,” Mitra says. “And leveling the playing field is what’s missing in this world.”

 

Q. According to the passage, the Granny Cloud kids’ English/Science improved in the School in the Cloud experiment. This implies:

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 24

According to the passage, the teachers facilitated the selflearning of the students. So, if the students improved in their learning, it was because the grannies were facilitating well. The education level and motivation of the grannies may be indicators of good teaching outcomes, but given the passage information which states that the teachers were there to encourage the child only when required, option 1 is validated.
None of the other options can be satisfactorily inferred from the passage.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 25

From among the options, choose the summary of the passage that is written in the same style as that of the passage. Enter the correct option number as your answer.

The mass extinction of languages is a process that can be resisted and mitigated, though surely not halted completely. The first imperatives are toleration and accommodation: the cessation of active persecution and a serious struggle against linguistic chauvinism and privilege everywhere, starting at home. Where the remaining indigenous languages look to be in terminal decline, as in the United States, Canada, or Australia, the question is how best to bolster the many new Native-led revitalization programs, as some state and provincial governments are starting to do.

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 25

Option 1 is ruled out since it interprets the paragraph incorrectly and has an extreme tone to it.
Option 3 with “global emergency” presents the paragraph in a different form with the spotlight being shifted to the response of the world nations to this extinction. So, eliminate it.
Option 4 links the terminal decline of indigenous languages in the countries like United States, Canada, or Australia with their participation in the revitalization programs, which has not been mentioned in the passage.
Only option 2 includes the key points of the passage and links them appropriately to come out with a message to its readers.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 26

From among the options, choose the summary of the passage that is written in the same style as that of the passage. Enter the correct option number as your answer.

The photograph and the words arrive simultaneously. They guarantee each other. You believe the words more because the photograph verifies them, and trust the photograph because you trust the words. Additionally, each puts further pressure on the interpretation: A war photograph can, for example, make a grim situation palatable, just as a story about a scandal can make the politician depicted look pathetic. But images, unlike words, are often presumed to be unbiased. The facticity of a photograph can conceal the craftiness of its content and selection.

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 26

The passage says that viewers tend to believe in the presentation of a photograph and interpret it as the truth. Words do not make as deep an impact as a photograph on the viewers. The influence of a photograph overshadows the accompanied content which is likely to be avoided by the viewers. This is captured by option 4 and makes for an apt summary.
Option 1 is vague with respect to the central idea of the passage as it talks about the viewer and the presenter which cannot be found explicitly in the passage. So eliminate option 1.
Option 2 tries to explore the relation between the photograph's truth and reality which is not the topic of discussion. So eliminate option 2.
Option 3 talks about what the viewers ought to do while assessing an image and its truthfulness. It tends to represent the perspective of the viewer while the passage talks about the photographs themselves. So eliminate option 3.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 27

From among the options, choose the summary of the passage that is written in the same style as that of the passage. Enter the correct option number as your answer.

For decades, Americans believed that they had the world's healthiest and safest diet. They worried little about this diet's effect on the environment or on the lives of the animals (or even the workers) it relies upon. Nor did they worry about its ability to endure -- that is, its sustainability. That didn't mean all was well. And they've come to recognize that their diet is unhealthful and unsafe. Many food production workers labor in difficult, even deplorable, conditions, and animals are produced as if they were widgets. It would be hard to devise a more wasteful, damaging, unsustainable system.

Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 27

Options 3 and 4 are inconsequential to the main idea of the paragraph as they are imprecisely framed as opposed to a concise summary. So eliminate options 3 and 4.
The passage only talks about Americans and their eating habits. Option 1 with “national and global security” takes the topic to a global level which is unaccounted for in the passage. So eliminate option 1.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

*Answer can only contain numeric values
CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 28

Arrange statements A-E given below in a logical sequence in order to form a coherent paragraph. Your answer will be the order of statement numbers that forms this logical sequence e.g. BDCEA.

1. Sometimes, that just meant attending the theatre - frowned upon because of the indecency of the performances, and the audience.
2. But a mask also allowed a lady to flirt outrageously without losing her reputation, and was an indispensable accessory when sneaking off to an assignation.
3. But women soon realised that masks also protected one’s identity, and began to wear them when they were up to no good.
4. Typically made of silk and velvet, masks were first popularised as a means of protecting one’s complexion from the sun - and one’s modesty from the gaze of impertinent men.
5. In short, as soon as people put on masks they begin to violate social norms.


Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 28

The sequence starts with statement 4, which talks about the initial purpose of masks. This is followed by statement 3, which describes women's realization that their identity could be protected using masks, allowing them to behave in a way not approved of by society. This is elaborated upon in statement 1, which talks about a mild way in which women could break society's rules- attending the theatre. Next comes statement 2, which describes more bold behaviour facilitated by the maskflirting and meeting men. The sequence is given closure with statement 5, which summarises the topic by saying that masks allowed people to violate social norms.
Hence, the correct answer is 43125.

*Answer can only contain numeric values
CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 29

Arrange statements 1-5 given below in a logical sequence in order to form a coherent paragraph. Your answer will be the order of statement numbers that forms this logical sequence e.g. 23514.
1. The distinct species is diseased and deserves compassion, not censure.
2. Japan has m anga and graphic violence as its most mim icked genre— w hat e lse can release the collective imagination stilled to a scorched shadow on a lost wall?
3. Crime and romance are the easiest to mimic, and have the widest audience, because they fuel the twin human urges of eros and thanatos.
4. America needs to believe in monsters as a distinct species co-existing with normal decent Americans.
5. It is easy to understand the sub-Thomas Harris genre of psychopath thrillers as an American phenomenon.


Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 29

The paragraph details upon how certain genres are mimicked and how it happens in countries like America and Japan. The first sentence puts forth the two most common genres that can be mimicked as they have the widest audience. This makes statement 3 the best choice for beginning the sequence. Statement 3 must be followed by statement 2 as it goes on to give the example of Japan and its most mimicked genres to indicate the popularity of mimicked genres around the world. Then statement 5 goes on to speak about America and its mimicked genre based on the sub-Thomas Harris genre of psychopath thrillers. Statements 4 and 1 then elaborate on why the aforesaid genre is an American phenomenon.
Hence, the sequence is 32541.

*Answer can only contain numeric values
CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 30

Arrange statements 1-5 given below in a logical sequence in order to form a coherent paragraph. Your answer will be the order of statement numbers that forms this logical sequence e.g. 23514.
1. In Hughes's case it was certainly delusory.
2. But without question Hughes suffered blows greater than those it is given to most writers to suffer.
3. Hughes’s feeling of not writing enough is common among writers, sometimes even among the most prolific.
4. The posthumous volume of Hughes’s collected poems is over a thousand pages long and there are five volumes of prose and seven volumes of translations.
5. His life had been ruined not just once, but twice.


Detailed Solution for CAT Practice Test - 24 - Question 30

Sentence 3 commences the paragraph by stating the fear of not having written enough that afflicts even prolific writers. It says that even Hughes suffered from it. The next sentence should be 1 as the pronoun "it" here relates to 'the feeling of not writing enough'. Then sentence 4 explains why Hughes's case has been called delusory- as his posthumous volume consisted of a plethora of works which suggests that he had done enough of writing indeed. Sentences 2 and 5 together are trying to make a point that Hughes had had a dismal life as compared to other writers.
Hence, the sequence is 31425.

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