CAT 2021 Slot 1 Question Paper

We can refer to the following excerpt to examine the choices: { Beginning in the 1700s, the temperance movement advocated for tea as a pleasure that cheered but did not inebriate, and industrialists soon borrowed this moral argument in advancing their case for free trade in tea (and hence more open markets for their textiles). Factory owners joined in, compelled by the cause of a sober workforce, while Christian missionaries discovered that tea “would soothe any colonial encounter”. }

Options A, C and D can be directly inferred from the excerpt. The author does not present any information pertaining to tea drinkers lobbying for product diversity - hence, we can identify this as an incorrect reason. 

Therefore, Option B is the correct choice. 

An important clue to analyse the options lies in the following excerpt: {Yet tea is, Rappaport makes clear, a world apart - an astonishing success story in which tea marketers not only succeeded in conveying a sense of moral elevation to the consumer but also arguably did advance the cause of civilisation and community.} It is emphasised that the moral praise that tea received was not mere talk - tea as a 'morality product' did produce desirable outcomes. Option A is closest to conveying this idea. Options B, C and D fail to highlight the attribute that separates tea from 'other morality products' {as per the passage}.

Hence, Option A is the correct choice. 

Options A, C and D have been explicitly stated in the passage (refer to the second paragraph):

A: "...children between age four and six with one marshmallow. He told them that if they waited 15 minutes and didn’t eat it, he would give them a second marshmallow..." Thus, children were the subject under observation in the original marshmallow experiment, while cuttlefish were studied in the modified version of the same. 

C: "...Since the researchers couldn’t explain to the cuttlefish that they would need to wait for their shrimp, they trained them to recognize certain shapes that indicated when a food item would become available..." Option C merely rephrase this excerpt.

D: "...A long-term follow-up study showed that the children who waited for the second marshmallow had more success later in life..." Given that the researchers undertook a long term study to map the successes of children showcasing self-control, we can safely conclude that the cuttlefish-version of the experiment was undertaken over a relatively shorter period. 

Option B cannot be inferred from the discussion - there is no correlation between selfcontrol and survival advantages. Hence, B is the correct choice. 

Option A: If true, this would weaken the findings of the experiments. The methodology used to establish the trait of self-restraint in cuttlefish is based on the premise that cuttlefish prefer one specific kind of food over another. If we demonstrate that cuttlefish are equally fond of live grass shrimp and raw prawn, then the observations made in the study become invalid. Therefore, we can eliminate Option A.

Option B: If true, the finding here would support the comments made in the final paragraph. The author states the following: {Not every species can use self-control, but most of the animals that can share another trait in common: long, social lives.} If it is proved that cuttlefish fulfils this ancillary criterion of sociability, the primary claim made in the passage is strengthened. 

Option C: If true, the statement here bears no significance to the passage’s findings. [We already know that "..the longest that a cuttlefish waited was 130 seconds..."] 

Option D: If true, this would weaken the findings of the experiments. Similar to Option A, the methodology used to establish the trait of self-restraint in cuttlefish is based on the premise that cuttlefish can distinguish between geometrical shapes. If we demonstrate that this information is false, then the observations made in the study become invalid. Therefore, we can eliminate Option D.

Hence, Option B is the correct choice. 

Option A: {Each time the cuttlefish showed it could wait, the researchers tacked another ten seconds on to the next round of waiting before releasing the shrimp. The longest that a cuttlefish waited was 130 seconds.} The results of Schnell's experiment indicated that cuttlefish exhibit self-restraint. This was shown to be the case with few children in the original marshmallow experiments. Hence, Option A is correct. 

Option B: {Not every species can use self-control, but most of the animals that can share another trait in common: long, social lives.} The author does not imply causation between intelligence and sociability. He merely highlights these two attributes: self-control is considered indicative of intelligence, and most such organisms showcase social lives as well. Hence, B is a distortion and cannot be inferred.  

Option C: {Preliminary experiments showed that cuttlefishes’ favorite food is live grass shrimp, while raw prawns are so-so and Asian shore crab is nearly unacceptable.} The above lines depict a preference for certain kinds of food; thus, C is true.  

Option D: {Schnell [says] that the cuttlefish usually sat at the bottom of the tank and looked at the two food items while they waited, but sometimes, they would turn away from the king prawn “as if to distract themselves from the temptation of the immediate reward.”} Exerting self-control through distractions has also been presented as a behavioural trait of the cuttlefish. 

Hence, Option B is the correct choice.

The question tests our understanding of the experiment stated in the second paragraph. The key highlights of the modified cuttlefish experiment are:

(a) Food choice: 1st preference - live grass shrimp; 2nd preference - raw prawns; 3rd preference - Asian shore crab 

(b) Symbol based training: Circle - immediate availability; Triangle - delayed availability; Square - never available

(c) Observations: in the absence of 1st preference ---> cuttlefish will go for 2nd preference {applies to all such scenarios involving only one food choice};  in the presence of multiple food choices, cuttlefish will wait ---> if 1st pref is available and associated with either Circle or Triangle

Based on the above, we can filter out the given options:

Option A: We know that raw prawns and Asian shore crab are not the primary preference of the cuttlefish. Additionally, we know that live grass shrimp (1st presence) is available for delayed consumption {associated with a Triangle}. If the cuttlefish waits for one minute to consume live grass shrimp and ignores the other two food choices, this definitively showcases that cuttlefish exert self-control. Hence, Option A is a strong candidate for the correct choice since it supplements the experiment's findings.   

Option B: In this case, the cuttlefish will go for the raw prawns since it has been conditioned to understand that the box labelled with Square will never open. This does not contribute to establishing self-control in cuttlefish. Thus, we can reject this choice. 

Option C: In this case, the cuttlefish will go for the raw prawns and avoid the Asian shore crab irrespective of the box it is placed in. This is because raw prawns fare more favourably as a food choice than Asian shore crab. {We know from points (a) and (c) that the cuttlefish will go for the 2nd preference over the 3rd} This does not contribute to establishing self-control in cuttlefish. Thus, we can reject this choice.

Option D: In this case, the cuttlefish will go for the live grass shrimp and avoid the raw prawns irrespective of the box it is placed in. This is because live grass shrimp fares more favourably as a food choice than raw prawns. {We know from points (a) and (c) that the cuttlefish will go for the 1st preference over the 2nd} This does not contribute to establishing self-control in cuttlefish. Therefore, we can reject this choice.

Hence, the correct answer is Option A.

The main points of the paragraph are:

1. A multisensory illusion, dubbing a different visual cue to audio, makes the subject perceive a different sound. (Important point)

2. This illusion is called McGurk effect. (Important point. Related to 1)

3. An impactful subject of research as it demonstrates multisensory integration. (Secondary point. 1 and 2 can stand without this point)

Option A: Covers 1 and 2. Hence, a plausible option.

Option B: It distorts what the author is trying to say. It draws a conclusion out of the results of the study instead of paraphrasing the passage.

Option C: Option C covers only 3. It does not mention 1 and hence is not a good summary.

Option D: Mentions only 1. Not an apt summary.

Hence, the answer is Option A.

The given collection of statements focuses on predatory journals. The author begins by mentioning the subject {Statement 1} in a grim tone. He highlights the kind of claims that these journals state: presence in 'influential databases', quality 'editorial boards' and a 'rigorous peer-review structure' {Statement 4}. On the surface, 'they are exactly like any reputed journal' {Statement 3}. However, the ground reality is starkly different: paying money allows you to publish anything in such predatory journal {Statement 2}. Hence, arrangement 1432 forms a coherent paragraph with predatory journals as the centre of attention. 

Statement 5 deviates from this subject. Although the topic seems to be about academic publishing, the focus is no longer on predatory journals, but instead, it becomes a bit broader. Since there is a mismatch in scope, we discern Statement 5 as the odd one out. 

A quick scan of the statements tells us that the statements discuss the nature of literary work - how it originates from the convergence of the text and the disposition of the readers. Note the phrase "From this polarity" in statement 3 - this must refer to the distinction presented in statement 4 ["literary work has two poles"] Statement 4 shows how the literary work comprises of two ends - (1) the artistic tied to the text, and (2) the aesthetic tied to the reader's realisation of the text. Statement 3 then underlines how the literary work cannot be equated to either of these and must lie somewhere midway netween the two. This idea is carried forward in Statement 1, which elaborates how the literary work is more than the text and becomes alive only when realised by the reader - in a way, this highlights how the literary work takes form due to the interplay between the artistic and the aesthetic. Statement 2 then extends on this idea of "convergence" [shown in 1] and reiterates the idea in 3 that the literary work, despite being an amalgamation of the two components, must not be mistaken with "the text or with the individual disposition of the reader." Hence, we obtain a coherent paragraph from the arrangement 4-3-1-2.

The main points of the paragraph are:

1. The peacekeeping forces often exist in a bubble. Though there are valid reasons behind this, this also results in the locals feeling antipathy towards them.

2. The solution to this problem is to build rapport with the locals too instead of focusing only on the government officials.

Option A: Not implied in the paragraph. The paragraph suggests building relationships with the locals. Appointing only locals as peacekeepers has not been implied.

Option B: This option distorts what is being presented in the paragraph. The paragraph suggests that the bubble is justified sometimes and also suggest measures to counter that. The option implicates the country's environment as being responsible for that bubble, hence the blame is shifted completely. Also, the option fails to mention the antipathy and the measures suggested to counter the bubble.

Option C: This option is distorted. Where the paragraph says that the aloof attitude is justified sometimes, the option blames the peacekeeping forces and their 'extravagant lifestyles' for the antipathy they face. Hence, can be eliminated.

Option D: Option D correctly captures the main points and is the answer.