CAT 2023 Slot 3 VARC Question Paper

The primary purpose of patrimony laws is stated in the passage as being "aimed at protecting cultural property," implying that the intention behind these laws is to preserve and safeguard a country's cultural heritage. However, the paradox lies in the unintended consequence of these laws, as highlighted in the passage. The author argues that, despite the good intentions of protecting cultural property, the strict implementation of patrimony laws has led to a reduction in new archaeological discoveries. This reduction is attributed to diminished incentives for foreign entities, such as governments, NGOs, and educational institutions, to invest in overseas archaeological exploration. In other words, the very laws designed to protect cultural property end up hindering the process of making new archaeological discoveries. This underscores the tension between preserving cultural heritage and the potential negative impact on the exploration and understanding of that heritage. Option D aptly captures this point.

The author suggests that archaeological sites are important to some source countries because they can reap benefits from new archaeological discoveries, and one of the mentioned benefits is that such discoveries typically increase tourism. The passage emphasizes the economic and cultural advantages associated with tourism, which includes enhancing cultural pride and potentially attracting visitors to explore archaeological sites. Option D correctly presents this point. None of the other choices can be considered as valid inferences. 

The central idea of the passage is that strict cultural property laws, although popular, may reduce incentives for foreign entities to invest in overseas archaeological exploration. The passage suggests that this reduction in incentives could be detrimental to archaeological discoveries and, consequently, to the tourism and cultural pride of source countries.

Among the given options, the only statement that would undermine the central idea is presented in Option C - it introduces the idea that there is external financial support for archaeological research in these countries. If true, then the lack of discoveries could potentially be attributed to a completely different factor/variable that the author might have failed to account for.

Let us examine the given choices -

Option A: The passage emphasises the benefits of international collaboration and suggests that source countries could reap the benefits of new archaeological discoveries through such collaboration. Funding institutes in other countries to undertake exploration may not align with this perspective, as it involves outsourcing the exploration rather than fostering collaboration within the source country. Thus, Option A is an unlikely recommendation.

Option B: This aligns with the idea of international collaboration and suggests that the author might advise source countries to permit foreign analysis and exhibition of archaeological finds. The passage does suggest that strict cultural property laws may hinder opportunities to hold, display, and study uncovered artefacts.

Option C: We are told that strict cultural property laws might reduce incentives for foreign governments, NGOs, and educational institutions to invest in overseas exploration. Therefore, the author would support a proactive approach to encourage these entities to invest in expeditions in source countries.

Option D: The passage highlights China's shift in strategy from strict cultural property laws to embracing collaborative international archaeological research. The author suggests that this approach has led to an increase in archaeological discoveries and recognition. Hence, this would be a relevant recommendation.

Hence, Option A is the correct choice. 

Based on the discussion, the option that is NOT associated with Pinker's view of rational thinking (as well as that of the ancient Greek philosophers) is Option C - the passage suggests that while sequential reasoning is valuable, many profound human achievements come from moments of epiphany or insight rather than solely from conscious, sequential reasoning.

In relation to this thought, we are told that the emphasis on rational thought involves an understanding of the gaps in one’s own knowledge [Option A] and also ‘arriving at independent conclusions’ [Option D]: {“Even Plato’s Socrates — who anticipated many of Pinker’s points by nearly 2,500 years, showing the virtue of knowing what you do not know and examining all premises in arguments, not simply trusting speakers’ authority or charisma...”}

Towards the end of the passage, we are informed of an ethical and moral dimension [Option B] to rationality, which the author asserts that Pinker considers but does not elaborate on.

Hence, Option C is the correct choice. 

The passage emphasises Pinker's focus on sequential reasoning and the tools of rationality, suggesting that greater mastery of these tools can improve decision-making in various practical contexts where individuals must act on ‘uncertain and shifting information.’ The author’s endorsement or support for Pinker’s work is centred on the idea that logical reasoning “equips people with the ability to tackle challenging practical problems” [Option C].

Option A is incorrect - while the author acknowledges that rationality is seen by Pinker as a moral virtue, he adds that this role of moral and ethical education is underexplored in Pinker's work. Option B presents a very specific use case of Pinker’s views and fails to capture the broader message. Option D is similarly limited in scope - the emphasis is more on the broader applicability of rationality in decision-making.

Hence, Option C is the correct choice. 

In the case of Kekulé, the discovery of the benzene structure reportedly came to him in a dream, showcasing how creative insights can emerge unexpectedly and unconsciously. Similarly, Mozart's symphonies, considered masterpieces of classical music, are often seen as products of his musical genius and creative intuition. Therefore, the examples support the notion that groundbreaking achievements in both scientific and artistic domains may involve moments of inspiration, intuition, or epiphany, challenging the idea that all significant accomplishments are the result of conscious and sequential reasoning. This aligns with the broader point that while conscious reasoning is valuable, there are also subconscious and intuitive processes at play in the generation of innovative ideas and creations. Option A correctly captures this idea.

In the passage, the author notes that Pinker recognises rationality as both “a cognitive and moral virtue.” However, the author points out that this "profoundly important" connection between rationality and morality is not thoroughly developed in Pinker's book. By bringing up the ancient Greek philosophers who, according to the text, subtly explored the connection between moral character and rationality, the author is implying that Pinker's work could benefit from a more in-depth consideration of the ethical dimension of rational behaviour. Option C accurately reflects this point - none of the other choices correctly capture the intention behind mentioning the Greek philosophers.

“The main difficulty in studying the romantics, according to him, is the lack of any “single real entity, or type of entity” that the concept “romanticism” designates.”

Option B is the correct answer because it accurately captures the main difficulty highlighted in the passage when studying romanticism. The passage, particularly referencing Arthur Lovejoy, emphasizes the challenge posed by the lack of clear conceptual contours or a single, cohesive entity associated with the term "romanticism." Lovejoy's assertion that romanticism is the "scandal of literary history and criticism" underscores the difficulty in defining the boundaries and characteristics of this literary and artistic movement.

The elusive and suggestive nature of romantic aesthetics (Option A) is mentioned in the passage as a challenge, but it is not identified as the main difficulty. Similarly, the controversial and scandalous history of romantic literature (Option C) is not specified as the primary obstacle. The absence of written accounts by romantic poets and artists (Option D) is acknowledged as a challenge, but the primary difficulty highlighted in the passage is the lack of clear conceptual contours associated with romanticism.

“The most characteristic romantic commitment is to the idea that the character of art and beauty and of our engagement with them should shape all aspects of human life. Being fundamental to human existence, beauty and art should be a central ingredient not only in a philosophical or artistic life, but also in the lives of ordinary men and women.”

According to the passage, the romantics rejected the idea of confining aesthetics to a specific domain separate from practical and theoretical aspects of life. Instead, they believed that aesthetics, encompassing the character of art and beauty, should permeate all aspects of human existence, not only in philosophical or artistic lives but also in the lives of ordinary men and women.Therefore Option D is the correct answer.

The passage suggests that recent studies on romanticism do not seek to overlook the differences between national romanticisms but rather attempt to characterize romanticism in terms of particular philosophical questions and concerns. The focus is on understanding romanticism without ignoring the diversity among different national expressions of it. Therefore Option B is the correct answer as it is not supported by the passage.

Option A: Although the passage acknowledges the challenges in characterizing romantic aesthetics, it also argues that it is not impossible or undesirable. Scholars recognize the difficulty but still emphasize the importance of discovering the nature of romanticism.
Option C: The passage mentions that the views of romantics on art and beauty are often found in fragments, aphorisms, and poems rather than in fully developed theoretical accounts. This emphasizes the elusive and suggestive nature of their expressions.

Option D: The passage notes that many romantics rejected the identification of aesthetics with a circumscribed domain of human life that is separated from the practical and theoretical domains of life. Instead, they believed that the character of art and beauty should shape all aspects of human life.

Option C is the correct answer because it accurately reflects the passage's explanation of why recent studies on romanticism avoid seeking "a single definition, a specific time, or a specific place." According to the passage, these studies opt to characterize romanticism in terms of "particular philosophical questions and concerns" rather than attempting to provide a singular, all-encompassing definition. The reason for this approach is to delve into the fundamental concerns of the romantics, recognizing that romanticism is a complex and multifaceted movement with diverse expressions in different nations and contexts.

The passage suggests that romanticism is not easily confined to a single, universally applicable definition due to the variety of romanticisms in different nations. Instead of discrediting or refuting Lovejoy's skepticism (Option D), recent studies acknowledge the challenges and complexities of defining romanticism but seek to understand it by focusing on the core philosophical questions and concerns that were central to the romantics' worldview.

“Those observing global climate negotiations know about the Latin American way of looking at Earth as Pachamama (Earth Mother). They also know how such a framing is just provided lip service and is ignored in the substantive portions of the negotiations. In The Nutmeg’s Curse, Ghosh explains why. He shows the extent of the vested interest in the oil economy - not only for oil-exporting countries, but also for a superpower like the US that controls oil drilling, oil prices and oil movement around the world. Many of us know power utilities are sabotaging decentralised solar power generation today because it hits their revenues and control.”

From the highlighted part we can clearly infer Options A, B and C. The passage does not suggest that the decentralised characteristic of renewable energy resources like solar power is a reason for the failure of climate change policies. Instead, it mentions that power utilities may be sabotaging decentralized solar power generation because it affects their revenues and control, but it does not frame the decentralised nature of renewable energy as a cause for failure. Therefore Option D is not a reason for the failure of policies seeking to address climate change.

If non-European societies perceive the Earth as a non-living source of all resources, it contradicts the personification implied by the use of "who" for Gaia.

In the context of the passage, the author uses the word "curse" in the title, and the pronoun "who" is used for Gaia, suggesting a perspective that sees Earth as a living, conscious entity. If non-European societies do not share this perspective and view the Earth as a non-living source of resources, it challenges the appropriateness of using the pronoun "who" for Gaia in the context of their beliefs. This would make the reviewer's choice of the pronoun "who" inappropriate, given the differing perspectives on the nature of the Earth. Therefore Option D is the correct answer.

Option D cannot be directly drawn from the passage. The passage discusses the historical perspective on climate change presented in "The Nutmeg's Curse" and emphasizes the impact of colonialism on the contemporary dominant perception of nature and the environment. It suggests that there are alternative views from non-European and/or pre-colonial societies that can provide insights for environmental preservation policy makers. However, the passage does not explicitly state that academic discourses have always served the function of raising awareness about environmental preservation.

The passage connects the history of climate change with colonialism (Option A), highlights that colonial processes shaped the contemporary perception of nature and the environment (Option B) and suggests that non-European and/or pre-colonial societies hold valuable insights for environmental preservation policy makers (Option C).

“These are the two points to which Ghosh returns through examples from around the world. One, how European colonialists decimated not only indigenous populations but also indigenous understanding of the relationship between humans and Earth. Two, how this was an invasion not only of humans but of the Earth itself, and how this continues to the present day by looking at nature as a ‘resource’ to exploit”

The passage discusses how the colonization of the Banda islands, as presented in "The Nutmeg’s Curse," is used to illustrate the broader idea that colonialism played a significant role in shaping the mindset and practices that have led to climate change. The exploitation of both indigenous populations and the Earth's resources during colonialism is portrayed as a key factor in perpetuating the mindset that views nature as a resource to be exploited, contributing to the environmental challenges faced today. Therefore, the primary purpose of discussing the colonization of the Banda islands is to highlight how colonialism represented and perpetuated the mindset that has led to climate change. Therefore Option D is the correct answer.

The Sentence best fits in Blank 3 because it directly relates to the theme introduced in before Blank 3. Before Blank 3 the passage discusses the linkages between illicit arms, organized crime, and armed conflict, and the provided sentence explains how armed conflict creates an environment favorable for organized crime to thrive. Therefore, Blank 3 is the appropriate placement for the sentence, enhancing the coherence and thematic continuity of the paragraph.

Blank 1 and 4 can be easily eliminated as the Sentence in question does not serve as a proper introductory or a concluding statement.

The provided sentence introduces a different aspect, focusing on the broader impact of armed conflict on organized crime rather than the financial dynamics discussed after Blank 2.

The sentence is most fitting in Blank 3 because it follows the idea presented in the previous sentences. Before Blank 3 the passage discusses the various ways to understand the relation of support between premises and conclusions, presenting different perspectives on how arguments can be analysed or interpreted. The sentence in question adds another layer to this discussion by suggesting that, for theoretical purposes, arguments can be considered independently of their real-world contexts. This placement enhances the overall flow of the paragraph by introducing a theoretical perspective on the nature of arguments.

Sentence 2 doesn't fit well with the others, which focus on the language Bo and its last native speaker, Boa Senior. The other sentences provide information about the language, its history, and the last fluent speaker, creating a coherent narrative. Sentence 2 introduces a different topic about the decline of the indigenous population without directly contributing to the discussion about the tribal language and its last speaker.

Sentence 2 is the odd one out because it does not directly contribute to the theme of a shift in hiring priorities towards soft skills. Sentences 1, 3, 4, and 5 all discuss changes in hiring practices, the importance of soft skills, and the response to the pandemic, creating a coherent narrative. In contrast, Sentence 2 introduces a more general idea about redefining the ideal candidate without specifically addressing the shift towards prioritizing soft skills, making it the odd one out in the context of the paragraph's focus.

The correct order is 2-4-3-1

Sentence 2 introduces the immediate impact of the printing press on how people learned in the scribal culture, emphasizing the shift from listening and memorization to a new learning process.

Sentence 4 builds on this by explaining the transformation brought about by the printing press, highlighting the shift from listening and memorization to reading and the newfound ability to learn privately.

Sentence 3 provides additional context, emphasizing that the transformation from listeners to readers was a complex social and cultural phenomenon that became more widespread during the industrial era.

Sentence 1 concludes the paragraph by noting that despite technological advancements such as film, radio, and television, centuries later, formal learning is still predominantly based on reading. This brings the historical context to the present, concluding the narrative cohesively.

Sentence 3 introduces the issue, highlighting that e-waste contains valuable materials that are not being efficiently recycled. This sets context for the discussion to be followed.

Now if we consider Sentences 1, 2 and 4, we can see that Sentence 2 and 4 are referencing a “She” and “Her”. Considering these 3 sentences, they can only reference Veena Sahajwalla. Therefore Sentence 1 must follow Sentence 3.

Now Sentence 1 states that she has a new way of solving the problem. Sentence 4 provides details about Sahajwalla's plan, stating that she intends to build microfactories to extract valuable materials from e-waste. Therefore Sentence 4 must be following Sentence 1. Sentence 2 logically follows Sentence 4 by elaborating on Sahajwalla's vision, explaining how automated drones and robots will be utilized in the process of extracting metals from e-waste, providing a clear and detailed picture of the proposed solution.

Therefore the correct order is 3-1-4-2.

The passage contrasts the 1950s, where perfectionism meant conforming to societal norms, with contemporary times, where individuals feel pressured to stand out and gain attention through unique style and wit. This evolution from conformism to non-conformism is a key point in the passage, making Option B the most accurate summary. It effectively captures the changing nature of perfectionism in response to multifarious and contradictory societal expectations over the decades.

Option A focuses on the media's role and people adhering to ideals, which is not the primary emphasis of the passage that highlights the evolution of societal expectations over time.

Option C suggests tension and conflict related to the changing idea of perfection, but the passage emphasises the historical shift in expectations rather than conflict.

Option D overgeneralizes by stating that people are willing to go to any lengths to attract attention, which is not explicitly supported by the passage that highlights the changing nature of perfectionism.

The passage describes how life on the island is gradually improving, particularly for birds like Antarctic prions and white-headed petrels. It highlights that these birds are increasing in numbers as pests are controlled on the island. The absence of pests allows the birds to return, breed, and contribute to the ecosystem positively. The passage also mentions how bird droppings add nutrients to the soil, supporting plant growth. Overall, Option B effectively conveys the central theme of the passage - the revival and improvement of life on the island due to the absence of pests and the positive impact on birds and plants.

Option A incorrectly suggests an increase in the number of predatory birds, which contradicts the positive developments mentioned in the passage.
Option C is incorrect as the passage doesn't explicitly state that this protection is the primary cause of the positive changes.

Option D is more general and doesn't specifically address the absence of pests as a crucial factor in the positive transformation mentioned in the passage.