XAT 2025 Question Paper

The poem builds tension through several key elements:

• The unstable, shaking ceiling fan
• The "hot ideas" causing the fan to work harder
• "Crazy eyes" intensifying the fan's instability
• The fan's dream of transforming into a spider lily

Looking at the given options:

a) While there is conflict, there's no clear resolution or balance being restored
b) The imagery strongly supports fear and instability - the trembling fan, the destabilizing presence, the sense of impending chaos
c) This doesn't fit - there's no clear argumentative structure
d) While transformation is present (fan to spider lily), it's more about instability than escape
e) There is emotional turmoil, but not necessarily a quest for self

Option B appears to best capture the poem's central theme. The entire piece builds a sense of mounting instability and anxiety - from the physical shaking of the fan to the destabilizing effect of the "hot ideas" and "crazy eyes," culminating in the surreal image of the fan wanting to break free. The progression from physical instability to emotional/psychological unease effectively conveys fear and anxiety due to the loss of stability.

The spider lily image at the end, rather than suggesting escape or transformation as its primary meaning, serves to heighten this sense of instability - it's an impossible transformation that further emphasizes the loss of natural order and stability.

Analysing the imagery in the poem to help us answer the question better, 

"Hot ideas": The phrase suggests that the person brings very intense, passionate, and possibly provocative thoughts or energy with them.

"Ceiling fan has to work harder to cool down the room": This isn't about the literal operation of the fan, but instead serves as a metaphor. The fan struggling to cool the room represents the room itself reacting to the heat (intensity) brought by the person’s ideas and presence.

Using the metaphors in the poem to help understand the author better, 

The person’s arrival raises the "temperature" in the room—not in a physical sense, but emotionally and intellectually.

The ceiling fan, which symbolizes the environment or the collective calm of the room, has to increase its effort (work harder) to counteract this rising intensity.

This struggle suggests that the atmosphere becomes charged, uneasy, or tense due to the person's intense energy or controversial ideas.

Looking through the options: 

Options a, c, and d focus on different interpretations (physical inability, self-doubt, hostility) that don't fully align with the metaphorical language of the poem.
Option b suggests "passionate intellectual and emotional energy," which is close but doesn’t capture the full consequence—the palpable tension—that option e does. The poem emphasizes not just the presence of passion but the tangible impact it has on the room.

Option E fits best: The description of the fan shaking, trembling, and wanting to “fly loose” implies that the environment feels the strain of the person’s energy. This strain is not just a simple reaction but something that impacts the whole room, creating an almost tangible tension. The phrase “creates palpable tension” captures the overall effect that the person’s "hot ideas" and intense presence have on everyone around them. The environment feels as though it’s under pressure, much like a room growing hot and requiring more cooling - which fits perfectly with the imagery used.

Let us evaluate the given choices - 

Option A: This is contrary to the idea presented in the passage: we are told that wealth and privilege do undermine meritocracy by rigging the system, enabling the wealthy to pass on advantages to their children, and turning meritocracy into a hereditary aristocracy.

Option B: This is consistent with the discussion. The author states that “our disagreements are less about the principle itself than about what it requires,” clearly highlighting a consensus on the principle but debates about its implementation.

Option C: The passage explicitly mentions that “politicians of the center-left and center-right” claim their policies promote meritocracy. This somewhat establishes its popularity across political ideologies (since members from opposing sides of the spectrum are involved).

Option D: This is also a valid point: the author notes that “no one defends hereditary privilege outright” while also suggesting that policies like abolishing inheritance taxes implicitly endorse it.

Option E: The passage states that “meritocracy is a myth, a distant promise yet to be redeemed,” and critiques that the system favours the wealthy and well-connected. Thus, the statement here aligns with the discussion.

Hence, Option A is the correct choice.

Among the given choices, Option B offers an apt summary of the author’s intended message. The passage critiques the implementation of meritocracy in unequal societies. While meritocracy is upheld as an ideal, the passage underscores that in practice, structural inequalities - such as the wealthy rigging the system and passing privileges to their children - subvert its execution. The very institutions that claim to promote meritocracy (e.g., colleges) often end up perpetuating inequality by giving advantages to the wealthy and well-connected. This implies that any attempt to establish meritocracy in an unequal society is compromised by existing disparities, thus perpetuating inequality rather than eliminating it.

Contrarily, the remaining choices are either not implied or stated in the passage. For instance, while the passage critiques the wealthy's manipulation, it does not frame meritocracy as inherently “utopian,” as suggested in Option A. The emphasis is on practical shortcomings, not on it being an unattainable ideal. Option D also distorts the message: the passage shows that people understand meritocracy well but disagree on its practical implementation; the critique focuses on execution, not comprehension. 

Option E is out of scope: the passage does not delve into selfish motivations for rejecting meritocracy. Similarly, Option C is not understood from the passage: the author focuses on systemic critiques rather than individual resentment. Critics argue meritocracy has failed to deliver fairness due to structural flaws, not because they are personally “rejected.”

The passage explicitly mentions that defenders of affirmative action argue that such policies are necessary to make equality of opportunity a reality for groups that have suffered discrimination or disadvantage. This suggests that they see the meritocratic system as failing to account for initial disadvantages faced by certain groups, which prevents genuine equality of opportunity. Option A aligns with this idea the most.

The points presented in the other choices are either tangential or inconsistent with the view of those defending affirmative action. For example, though hereditary privilege is criticized in the passage (Option B), it is not the primary focus of affirmative action defenders. Similarly, structural bias may play a role in the criticism of meritocracy (Option E), but defenders of affirmative action emphasize addressing initial disadvantages, making Option A the more precise answer. Options C and D are not implied in the passage: there is no focus on meritocracy being based on outcomes or on meritocratic systems intentionally favouring the rich.