XAT 2024 Question Paper

Option D is the correct answer.

This choice reflects the author's idea that we tend to create and spread beliefs, even when they're not entirely accurate because we often don't realize our own ignorance. The passage emphasizes how our minds can be cluttered with misleading information, leading us to accept and share beliefs that may not be true. So, when the author says "we are all engines of misbelief," it means that we have a natural inclination to form and spread beliefs that can be misleading or inaccurate.

Option B is the correct answer.

This statement aligns closely with the author's emphasis on the potential for misbelief due to our inclination towards pattern recognition and theorizing. The passage discusses how our ability to recognize patterns can lead to the acceptance of misleading or irrelevant information as accurate knowledge. Therefore, being aware that the patterns we perceive may not always represent reality is in line with the author's argument about the nature of ignorance and disbelief.

The author would not agree with options A, C, D, and E.

Hint: We can eliminate options A, C, D and E based on extreme and wrong answer options.

Option B cannot be exactly concluded. While the passage discusses the concept of herd immunity, it does not explicitly state that our survival as a community is largely based on it. Therefore, it could be argued that option B cannot be exactly inferred from the passage.

Option A can be inferred from:“Any given vaccine can fail to produce immunity in an individual, and some vaccines, like the influenza vaccine, are less effective than others.

Option C can be inferred from: “But a vaccinated person surrounded by bodies that host disease is left vulnerable to vaccine failure or fading immunity.”

Option D can be inferred from:"The unvaccinated person is protected by the bodies around her, bodies through which disease is not circulating."

Option E can be inferred from: “But when enough people are vaccinated with even a relatively ineffective vaccine, viruses have trouble moving from host to host and cease to spread…”

Option E is the correct answer. The author mentions that “Contributions to this bank are donations to those who cannot or will not be protected by their own immunity,” which implies that vaccination protects those who may not have access to it.

Option A is incorrect as the passage does not suggest that vaccination creates a reserve of immunity within a person’s immune system. 

Option B is incorrect as the passage does not state that when somebody is vaccinated, it is a deposit of protection against a particular disease. 

Option C is incorrect as the passage does not mention that different vaccines contribute to a diverse portfolio of immune defences.

Option D is incorrect. While the passage suggests that vaccination provides a safety net, it does not explicitly state that this is why vaccination is considered a “banking of immunity.”

Option E is the correct answer.

Based on the last paragraph of the passage, the author would best agree with Option E.

The author emphasizes the interconnectedness of immunity within a community and the role each individual plays in maintaining it. The author states, “We are protected not so much by our own skin, but by what is beyond it,” and “Those of us who draw on collective immunity owe our health to our neighbors,” which underscores the importance of each individual’s role in a community’s health.

Option A is incorrect, as the passage does not specifically discuss the need for communities to come together during health crises.

Option B is incorrect as the author does not explicitly mention the importance of expressing gratitude to those who contribute to herd immunity.

Option C is incorrect. While the passage implies the importance of vaccination, it does not state that it is an ethical obligation of individuals.

Option D is incorrect.In the passage, the author does not describe immunity as transactional.