OAS VARCMOCK 201602

51. 3 Though the passage is broadly about 'Ways through which

knowledge is discovered', almost 90% of the passage deals

with 'Rhetoric as a way of discovering knowledge'. Hence

option 3 is correct and apt for the passage . Option 1 becomes

too general for the passage. Option 2 cannot be validated by

the passage since the last line says that even the assumption

in rhetoric has been treated only as an assumption. Option 4

is too specific. The passage does not deal only with rhetoric

and its assumptions. Rhetoric is being explained as a means

to the discovery of knowledge. Option 5 does not capture the

theme of the passage.

52. 4 The passage consists of either the opinions of the author or

Doug Brent. It is entirely opinionated or subjective. Hence

option 4 is correct. The author does not focus on description.

He also does not argue or indulge in arguments/counterarguments.

Analysis is overshadowed by opinions in the

passage. Skepticism does not characterize the whole

passage. Yes, the author does negate the 'dualistic mode',

but even that cannot be called skepticism.

53. 2 Option 1 is incorrect as the 'duality' expressed by the initial

lines of the passage does not take into account communal

interactions which are central to the rhetorical mode. Option 3

cannot be validated by the passage. Yes , 'persuasion' is one

of the factors central to the discovery of knowledge through

rhetoric. But the passage does not see 'persuasion' as an

impeding factor. Option 4 is again far-fetched as the passage

has not spoken about the 'interest' factor. This is something

which needs more discussion in the passage. Option 5 is

beyond the scope of the passage as 'universal love and

brotherhood' are not the subject matter of the passage. Option

2 can be inferred from the last paragraph and especially the

last line of the passage. The effectiveness of the Rhetor to

influence the audience is based on an assumption. The

assumption has been treated simply as an assumption/ article

of faith. This means that the assumption is open to question, it

is dependent on one's faith and has not been validated. Hence

the 'effectiveness of rhetoric' is 'suspect'.

54 1 Ruddiman believes that early farmers- much before the

industrial revolution- had a significant ability to alter the

environment. The critics believe otherwise. We are looking

for an option which strengthens the critics' viewpoint and

hence would be supported by them. Option 2 implies that

earlier farmers were less efficient and hence would have

indulged in farming practices which were less efficient- using

more land per person/ causing more harm to the environment.

This would support Ruddiman and not the critics. Option 3 and

option 5 are similar in their import. They imply that earlier farmers

used more land per person- which is not something which the

critics would like to agree with. Option 4 goes beyond the

scope of the passage as the passage discusses only the

impact of agriculture on environment. Option 1 is something

which the critics would agree to. The critics are countering

Ruddiman's view by saying that 'small populations' as regards

farmers had very less ability to alter the environment due to

their insignificant number.The hidden assumption is that land

use earlier was more or less similar to land use today.

55. 2 Statement A is incorrect as it should be 'used more land per

person'. 'Used more land' cannot be validated as we would

require the total amount of land being used then and now.

Statement B is correct and can be inferred from the paragraph.

A current model is the critics' industrial revolution model in the

second last paragraph. Statement C again talks about 'total

land used' which requires more data.

56. 5 The author does not make even a single comment in the

passage. He just presents the views of the researchers,

critics etc. We cannot say anything about his stand on the

issue. Hence option 5 is the best choice

57. 3 B is incorrect as it should be 'structure to that of the traditional'

Remember, here the scholar compares the structures of the

novel and the traditional five-act play. All the other sentences

are grammatically correct.

58. 4 Only E is incorrect, it should be 'at' instead of 'on', before '100

degrees' as we are referring to a specific temperature.

59. 5 All the given sentences are grammatically correct.

60. 1 'Animal cry' in A gives the hint. So, AH is the correct match. In

B, 'roar' matches clearly with 'bellowing with rage' CF and DE

form the correct pair. So (1) is correct.

61. 5 'Ethyl ether' in A matches clearly with 'Ethereal solution' in G.

According to the given choices 'light' matches with poetry

writing styles as mentioned in E. 'Heavenly' is used with 'beauty'

so CF is correct. 'Refined' aptly matches with H. So (5) is the

correct option.

62. 3 DH and CF are obvious pairs so option (1), (2) and (5) are

eliminated. In A 'assail' would 'mean to deliver violent blows'. In

B, the meaning 'to offer something persistently to' is reflected

in sentence E. So (3) is the correct option.

63. 5 'Gross ways' in E matches with the meaning provided in B. BE

is the correct choice. We eliminate options (1) and (2). AH

clearly forms a pair. If we replace 'gross sales' with 'total

sales', then too the sentence makes clear sense. 'Refinement',

as used in E, clearly suggests lack of refinement in a person's

character. 'Objectionable or offensive' can describe the

person's attire. On the basis of this we can eliminate even

option (4).

64. 3 Statements 1 & 4 are verifiable and hence facts. Statements 2

and 3 are personal opinions / judgments.

65. 5 Statements 3 & 4 are clearly facts since they are verifiable.

Statement 1 is a judgment since 'Reddys being on the

defensive' could be the writer's perspective . Statement 2 is

an inference since it bases itself on the report—— it is a

conclusion based on the facts of the report.

66. 3 Statements 1 & 3 are facts. Statement 2 is an opinion expressing

approval and hence a judgment. Statement 4 is an inference –

a conclusion about the unknown based on the reasoning

offered in the statement.

67. 5 Option (1) seems like a repetition of the idea in the last

sentence. Option (2) is vague. Option (3) starts off on a

different track –organized religion. Option (4) talks about man's

flow being governed by natural laws whereas the paragraph

denies the existence of any rule. Option (5) carries forward

the theme of the paragraph and states a conclusion about the

existentialist which is drawn from the paragraph.

68. 5 In the beginning, the paragraph deals with something that is

not complex, then it moves on to describe a complex process.

Option (5) continues this idea. It talks about the behaviour of

the nonlinear system. Options (1), (2), (3) and (4) are general

in nature and do not specifically continue the idea left off in

the last line of the paragraph.

69. 4 Option (4) effectively follows what is being stated in the

paragraph because it provides further example of how people

prefer to watch reality movies and appreciate them more

especially in a situation where their real lives do not contain

much of actuality.

70. 1 The passage examines both the aspects very minutely, thus

option (1) is most appropriate. Options (2) and (5) are

suggestions whereas options (3) and (4) are the possible

repercussions of the ban.

71. 3 The author is critical of the unjust conservation laws and

programmes. He carries on with this tone through a major

portion of the passage. There is no bitterness, so 'scathing' is

out of question. Options (1), (2) and (4) are not reflected in

the passage.

72. 2 The answer is (2). The passage discusses the possibility of

the ban having a boomerang effect. All the other options are

untrue.

73. 3 The passage is mainly concerned with identifying the creation

and the implementation of the Gandhian ideology. We would

be limiting the scope of the passage if we say, that it is a mere

extolment of disciplinary ideas. (1) & (2) are facets of the

same, (4) is incorrect and (5) is nowhere mentioned.

74. 1 The first line of the passage sets the theme, that Gandhi's

magic cannot be categorized and defined because of its

inherent sublime quality. (2) is incorrect as there is no

resistance and (3) also alludes to resistance which is incorrect,

(4) denotes a kind of breaking of rules which is incorrect and

(5) is a sort of provocation which is not the case.

75. 3 The language in the last paragraph is full of admiration for the

way in which Gandhi had succeeded in evolving an ideology

which was based on the simple tenets of life. All the other

options are incorrect as they cannot be inferred from this

paragraph.