XAT 2026 Question Paper

Based on the information provided in the passage regarding social and temporal comparisons, let us analyse each option.

Option A mentions that temporal comparison relies on threat responses, whereas social comparison eliminates threat circuitry. The paragraph defines threat as 'a narrative sense of inferiority' or 'self-sabotage'. The author suggests that social comparison drives this loop of vulnerability, in which people with low self-esteem continually engage in upward comparison, which reinforces negative feedback. The author suggests that temporal comparison would sometimes be preferable to social comparison because it allows individuals to judge themselves against their past selves. The author also suggests that social comparison can still be a good measure if "we interpret comparison as information rather than a verdict".

Option A is incorrect based on the information provided; for the same reason, option B is correct.

Option C is incorrect as the passage does not suggest that temporal comparison relies on threat circuits. Option D is incorrect because social comparison tends to place individuals in a hierarchy, not temporal comparison. Option E is out of the scope of the passage's discussion because objectivity and emotional interpretations are not addressed in the passage's elaboration of social and temporal comparison. Option B remains the correct answer.

Based on the information provided in the passage regarding the effects of high/low self-esteem on an individual engaged in social and temporal comparisons, let us analyse each option.

Option A directly follows from "Those with a secure sense of self are more likely to use comparison as a learning tool" and is therefore correct. Option B misphrases the aspects discussed in the passage; although a high self-esteem contributes to the positive overall effect of upward comparison, it cannot be said that it 'ensures' that upward comparison 'must' yield positive results. 

Also, based on the discussion in the passage, it can indeed be said that upward comparison is complemented by high self-esteem to produce positive results, but it cannot be said that high self-esteem affects upward comparison. High self-esteem affects the effects of upward comparison on individuals, but not upward comparison itself. Option C is incorrect.

Option D is incorrect because the passage only talks about a negative reinforcing loop that upward comparison creates in the context of low self-esteem, and does not say anything about how high self-esteem can be affected by a similar reinforcing loop. Option E is also incorrect because upward comparison is discussed as helpful ("Those with a secure sense of self are more likely to use comparison as a learning tool") when it contributes to the individual's growth positively.

Based on the information provided in the passage about comparison in general, let us analyse each option:

Option A follows from the discussion in the second paragraph: " The same external stimulus—a colleague’s achievement, a peer’s attractiveness, a friend’s popularity—can have radically different effects depending on internal stability." The passage also discusses how we can alter our approach to and view of comparison: "The most skilful approach to comparison may lie not in eliminating it, but in reframing it as feedback." 

Option B also follows from the passage, as discussed above. Option C follows from the discussion in the third paragraph of the passage: "Someone who feels unworthy may unconsciously seek out targets that reinforce that sense, perpetuating a narrative of inferiority." Option D is not implied in the passage. Although the author is clear about the positive effects of social comparison on individuals with high self-esteem, he does not indicate whether individuals with high self-esteem require temporal comparison. Option E, similar to option C, can also be inferred from the third paragraph.

As option D does not follow from the information about comparison laid out in the passage, it is the correct answer.

The author begins by discussing newspapers as hosting 'snakes' between them, but proceeds to write the following:

"That white corner has spread its hood.
A forked tongue
shoots out of its mouth."

The author compares the white corner of the newspaper to a snake spreading its hood. Although the author initially refers only to newspapers that shelter snakes, he subsequently compares the newspapers themselves to snakes. The most suitable choice, therefore, would be option E: "Old newspapers symbolize the repressed stories that may confront the present." Where repressed stories are alluded to as the author hints at ignorance in the face of information repeatedly through the stanzas.

Option A is incorrect because the author suggests that newspapers can be discarded in the morning (and thus disturbed), which may imply that ignored newspapers are more of a 'threat' as we continue to perceive them as such. Option B is incorrect because the paragraph does not indicate whether the newspapers' hostility is in any way related to societal voices. Option C is a good alternative to E, but calling the decay of knowledge 'turning into toxic remnants' does not capture the symbolism that is meant to be represented by newspapers themselves. Option D is incorrect for the same reason as option A, 'newspapers can be discarded in the morning' implies that they are more of a confrontation than a tangible future threat.

The author writes 

"Keep your eyes closed.
Get rid of the whole goddamn pile if you
want to
in the morning."

There are multiple ways to interpret the stanza, such as:

1. Since newspapers are hinted to be symbolising repressed knowledge, perhaps saying that we should get rid of the whole goddamn pile in the morning, 'if we want to', would actually help us avoid confrontation. Or perhaps it also alludes to the fact that it is individual choice that determines how we react when we are confronted with ignorance.
2. The author might not be alluding to either ignorance or confrontation; maybe the author merely wants to point out that it is up to the individual how he/she approaches the knowledge, especially when it might be a threat.

Regardless of our interpretation of the stanza, there's an easier way to approach the question. Out of the five options provided, four of them, more or less, say the same thing. Options B, C, D, and E all talk about ignorance (escaping/ being delusional/ confrontation is not the best way/ better to avoid the past), whereas option A discusses 'acting on an unsettling past'. For this reason, option A is the correct answer.