CR SET3

21. In recent years, many cabinetmakers have been
winning acclaim as artists. But since furniture must be
useful, cabinetmakers must exercise their craft with an
eye to the practical utility of their product. For this
reason, cabinetmaking is not art.
Which of the following is an assumption that supports
drawing the conclusion above from the reason given
for that conclusion?
(A) Some furniture is made to be placed in
museums, where it will not be used by anyone.
(B) Some cabinetmakers are more concerned than
others with the practical utility of the products
they produce.
(C) Cabinetmakers should be more concerned with
the practical utility of their products than they
currently are.
(D) An object is not an art object if its maker pays
attention to the object's practical utility.
(E) Artists are not concerned with the monetary
value of their products.

22. Only a reduction of 10 percent in the number of
scheduled flights using Greentown's airport will allow
the delays that are so common there to be avoided.
Hevelia airstrip, 40 miles away, would, if upgraded
and expanded, be an attractive alternative for fully 20
percent of the passengers using Greentown airport.
Nevertheless, experts reject the claim that turning
Hevelia into a full-service airport would end the
chronic delays at Greentown.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to justify
the experts' position?
(A) Turning Hevelia into a full-service airport would
require not only substantial construction at the
airport itself, but also the construction of new
access highways.
(B) A second largely undeveloped airstrip close to
Greentown airport would be a more attractive
alternative than Hevelia for many passengers
who now use Greentown.
(C) Hevelia airstrip lies in a relatively undeveloped
area but would, if it became a full-service
airport, be a magnet for commercial and
residential development.
(D) If an airplane has to wait to land, the extra jet
fuel required adds significantly to the airline's
costs.
(E) Several airlines use Greentown as a regional
hub, so that most flights landing at Greentown
have many passengers who then take different
flights to reach their final destinations.

23. Male bowerbirds construct elaborately decorated
nests, or bowers. Basing their judgment on the fact
that different local populations of bowerbirds of the
same species build bowers that exhibit different
building and decorative styles, researchers have
concluded that the bowerbirds' building styles are
a culturally acquired, rather than a genetically
transmitted, trait.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen
the conclusion drawn by the researchers?
(A) There are more common characteristics than
there are differences among the bower-building
styles of the local bowerbird population that has
been studied most extensively.
(B) Young male bowerbirds are inept at bowerbuilding
and apparently spend years watching
their elders before becoming accomplished in
the local bower style.
(C) The bowers of one species of bowerbird lack the
towers and ornamentation characteristic of the
bowers of most other species of bowerbird.
(D) Bowerbirds are found only in New Guinea and
Australia, where local populations of the birds
apparently seldom have contact with one
another.
(E) It is well known that the song dialects of some
songbirds are learned rather than transmitted
genetically.

24. Plan: Concerned about the welfare of its senior citizens,
the government of Runagia decided two years ago to
increase by 20 percent the government-provided
pension paid to all Runagians age sixty-five and older.
Result: Many Runagian senior citizens are no better off
financially now than they were before the increase.
Further information: The annual rate of inflation since
the pension increase has been below 5 percent, and
the increased pension has been duly received by all
eligible Runagians.
In light of the further information, which of the
following, if true, does most to explain the result that
followed implementation of the plan?
(A) The majority of senior citizens whose financial
position has not improved rely entirely on the
government pension for their income.
(B) The Runagian banking system is so inefficient
that cashing a pension check can take as much
as three weeks.
(C) The prices of goods and services that meet the
special needs of many senior citizens have
increased at a rate much higher than the rate of
inflation.
(D) The pension increase occurred at a time when
the number of Runagians age sixty-five and older
who were living below the poverty level was at
an all-time high.
(E) The most recent pension increase was only the
second such increase in the last ten years.

25. A drug that is highly effective in treating many types of
infection can, at present, be obtained only from the
bark of the ibora, a tree that is quite rare in the wild. It
takes the bark of 5,000 trees to make one kilogram of
the drug. It follows, therefore, that continued
production of the drug must inevitably lead to the
ibora's extinction.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens
the argument above?
(A) The drug made from ibora bark is dispensed to
doctors from a central authority.
(B) The drug made from ibora bark is expensive to
produce.
(C) The leaves of the ibora are used in a number of
medical products.
(D) The ibora can be propagated from cuttings and
grown under cultivation.
(E) The ibora generally grows in largely inaccessible
places.


26. When a polygraph test is judged inconclusive, this is
no reflection on the examinee. Rather, such a
judgment means that the test has failed to show
whether the examinee was truthful or untruthful.
Nevertheless, employers will sometimes refuse to
hire a job applicant because of an inconclusive
polygraph test result.
Which of the following conclusions can most properly
be drawn from the information above?
(A) Most examinees with inconclusive polygraph
test results are in fact untruthful.
(B) Polygraph tests should not be used by
employers in the consideration of job applicants.
(C) An inconclusive polygraph test result is
sometimes unfairly held against the examinee.
(D) A polygraph test indicating that an examinee is
untruthful can sometimes be mistaken.
(E) Some employers have refused to consider the
results of polygraph tests when evaluating job
applicants.

27. For similar cars and comparable drivers, automobile insurance for
collision damage has always cost more in
Greatport than in Fairmont. Police studies, however, show that cars
owned by Greatport residents are, on
average, slightly less likely to be involved in a collision than cars
in Fairmont. Clearly, therefore, insurance
companies are making a greater profit on collision-damage insurance in
Greatport than in Fairmont.
In evaluating the argument, it would be most useful to compare
(A) the level of traffic congestion in Greatport with the level of
traffic congestion in Fairmont
(B) the cost of repairing collision damage in Greatport with the cost
of repairing collision damage in Fairmont
(C) the rates Greatport residents pay for other forms of insurance
with the rates paid for similar insurance by
residents of Fairmont
(D) the condition of Greatport's roads and streets with the condition
of Fairmont's roads and streets
(E) the cost of collision-damage insurance in Greatport and Fairmont
with that in other cities

28. Last year a record number of new manufacturing jobs were created.
Will this year bring another record? Well, a
new manufacturing job is created either within an existing company or
by the start-up of a new company. Within
existing firms, new jobs have been created this year at well below
last year's record pace. At the same time,
there is considerable evidence that the number of new companies
starting up will be no higher this year than it
was last year, and surely [[[[the new companies starting up this
year will create no more jobs per company
than did last year's start-ups. ]]]]] Clearly, it can be concluded
that [[[ the number of new jobs created this year
will fall short of last year's record.]]]


In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the
following roles?
(A) The first is a prediction that, if accurate, would provide support
for the main conclusion of the argument;
the second is that main conclusion.
(B) The first is a prediction that, if accurate, would provide support
for the main conclusion of the argument;
the second is a conclusion drawn in order to support that main conclusion.
(C) The first is an objection that the argument rejects; the second is
the main conclusion of the argument.
(D) The first is an objection that the argument rejects; the second
presents a conclusion that could be drawn
if that objection were allowed to stand.
(E) The first is a claim that has been advanced in support of a
position that the argument opposes; the second
is a claim advanced in support of the main conclusion of the argument.

29. The tulu, a popular ornamental plant, does not reproduce
naturally, and is only bred and sold by specialized
horticultural companies. Unfortunately, the tulu is easily devastated
by a contagious fungal rot. The government
ministry plans to reassure worried gardeners by requiring all tulu
plants to be tested for fungal rot before being
sold. However, infected plants less than 30 weeks old have generally
not built up enough fungal rot in their
systems to be detected reliably. And many tulu plants are sold before
they are 24 weeks old.
Which of the following, if performed by the government ministry, could
logically be expected to overcome the
problem with their plan to test for the fungal rot?
(A) Releasing a general announcement that tulu plants less than 30
weeks old cannot be effectively tested for
fungal rot
(B) Requiring all tulu plants less than 30 weeks old to be labeled as such
(C) Researching possible ways to test tulu plants less than 24 weeks
old for fungal rot
(D) Ensuring that tulu plants not be sold before they are 30 weeks old
(E) Quarantining all tulu plants from horticultural companies at which
any case of fungal rot has been detected
until those tulu plants can be tested for fungal rot


30. The Eurasian ruffe, a fish species inadvertently introduced into
North America's Great Lakes in recent years,
feeds on the eggs of lake whitefish, a native species, thus
threatening the lakes' natural ecosystem. To help
track the ruffe's spread, government agencies have produced
wallet-sized cards about the ruffe. The cards
contain pictures of the ruffe and explain the danger they pose; the
cards also request anglers to report any ruffe
they catch.
Which of the following, if true, would provide most support for the
prediction that the agencies' action will have
its intended effect?
(A) The ruffe has spiny fins that make it unattractive as prey.
(B) Ruffe generally feed at night, but most recreational fishing on
the Great Lakes is done during daytime hours.
(C) Most people who fish recreationally on the Great Lakes are
interested in the preservation of the lake
whitefish because it is a highly prized game fish.
(D) The ruffe is one of several nonnative species in the Great Lakes
whose existence threatens the survival of
lake whitefish populations there.
(E) The bait that most people use when fishing for whitefish on the
Great Lakes is not attractive to ruffe.

CR 700 -800

1. In the United States, about $5,200 per person per year is spent on health care, while in Britain the amount is about

half that. A recent study indicated that middle-aged white Americans have a significantly higher rate of diabetes

and heart disease than do middle-aged white Britons. Even after eliminating from the study the lifestyle differences

of diet, exercise, smoking, and drinking, the data showed that the Americans have poorer health than their British

counterparts. The statements above, if true, best support which of the following assertions?

• Health care spending in the United States should be reduced by 50%.

• More expensive health care causes a higher incidence of certain diseases.

• The money spent on health care in the United States is not being used effectively.

• The average health care spending for middle-aged white Americans is probably less than the average health care

spending for Americans in general.

• Something other than diet, exercise, smoking, and drinking must account for the difference in health for the two

groups in the study.

2. Spokesperson: In the 2006 election of the city mayor, 55% of the voters were female. All the voters were between

ages 18 and 70 and 2/3 of them supported the incumbent mayor. The incumbent mayor won the election with a

substantially greater number of votes than any other candidate. If the statements made by the Spokesperson are

true, then which of the following must be true?

• At least 1/2 of the female voters supported the incumbent mayor.

• The incumbent mayor received stronger support from the female voters than from the male voters.

• There were no other candidates in the election who received more than 30% of all the votes.

• 45% of the voters in the election were male and none of them were 75 years old.

• If the proportion of male and female voters in the city remains the same, the incumbent mayor is also likely to win

the next election.

3. In 2003, the Making Hits Record Company spent 40% of its total budget on the production of ten albums, 30% of

its budget on the marketing of these albums, and the remainder of its budget on overhead costs. In the same year,

the Song Factory Record Company spent 20% of its total budget on the production of 10 albums and 60% of its

budget on the marketing of these albums. Making Hits sold a total of 800,000 copies of the ten records it produced

in 2003, while the Song Factory sold a total of 1,600,000 copies of the ten records it produced in 2003. Assuming

each company met its budget, which of the following conclusions is best supported by the information given

above?

• The amount of money spent on marketing is directly related to the number of copies sold.

• Making Hits spent more money on the production of its albums in 2003 than did the Song Factory.

• Song Factory's total revenue from the sale of albums produced in 2003 was higher than that of Making Hits.

• In 2003, Making Hits spent a larger percentage of its budget on overhead costs than did the Song Factory.

• The Song Factory sold more copies of its 2003 albums than Making Hits did because the Song Factory spent a

higher percentage of its budget on the marketing of its albums.

4. Due to high jet fuel costs, airline carriers are looking for new ways to increase revenues and thereby counteract

declining profits. Airline A has proposed increasing the number of passengers that can fit on its airplanes by

creating several standing room only "seats" in which passengers would be propped against a padded backboard

and held in place with a harness. This proposal, since it relates to passenger safety, cannot be implemented

without prior approval by the Federal Aviation Administration. The above statements, if true, indicate that Airline

A has made which of the following conclusions?

• The addition of standing room only "seats" will generate more revenue than the cost of ensuring that these seats

meet safety standards.

• The Federal Aviation Administration will approve Airline A's specific proposal.

• The revenue generated by the addition of standing room only "seats" is greater than the current cost of jet fuel.

• There are no safer ways in which Airline A can increase revenues.

• Passenger safety is less important than increasing revenue.

5. A recent research study of undergraduate students analyzed the effects of music on human emotions. Each of the

200 participants attended at least 1 two-hour concert of classical music per week over the course of 12 weeks of

their spring semester. At the end of the experiment, all of the students filled out a questionnaire assessing their

emotional state. Based on the results of the questionnaires, all of the 10 students who attended the greatest

number of concerts reported lower stress levels and higher satisfaction with their lives. Also, most of the 20

students who attended the fewest number of concerts reported below-average levels of emotional comfort. Which

of the following must be true based on the evidence presented above?

• Most of the 200 participants improved their emotional state and lowered their stress levels.

• During each week of the experiment, the participants spent at least 2 hours less on their academic work as a result

of concert attendance.

• Listening to classical music for at least 2 hours per week improves the emotional well-being of the majority of

young adults.

• More than 6 participants attended at least 14 concerts during the course of the experiment.

• At least some of the students participated in the study in order to gain free access to classical concerts.

6. Columnist: The winner of this year's national spelling bee won by correctly spelling the spoken word Ursprache,

which means "fame" in German. Given the richness of our language, why must we resort to words taken from

modern foreign languages to challenge our best spellers? Ursprache is listed in our dictionary, as are words from

many other foreign languages, but future spelling bees should limit themselves to words in our dictionary that have

been anglicized in all aspects because spelling English words, not knowledge of linguistics and international phonetics,

is the point of these contests. Which of the following can most reasonably be inferred from the argument above?

• The spelling contest winner knew how to spell most of the anglicized words in the dictionary.

• Foreign words are more difficult than anglicized words for all contestants to spell.

• Spelling contestant winners should be determined by their facility with all aspects of language.

• To spell foreign words, contestants must recognize the language and know its pronunciation.

• The English language contains more borrowed words than most other languages.

7. In Eastland, from 2000 to 2005, the total consumption of fish increased by 4.5 percent, and the total consumption

of poultry products increased by 9.0 percent. During this time, the population of Eastland increased by 6 percent,

in part due to new arrivals from surrounding areas. Which of the following can one infer based on the statements

above?

• For new arrivals to Eastland between 2000 and 2005, fish was less likely to be a major part of families' diet than

was poultry.

• In 2005, the residents of Eastland consumed twice as much poultry as fish.

• The per capita consumption of poultry in Eastland was higher in 2005 than it was in 2000.

• Between 2000 and 2005, both fish and poultry products were a regular part of the diet of a significant proportion

of Eastland residents.

• Between 2000 and 2005, the profits of wholesale distributors of poultry products increased at a greater rate than

did the profits of wholesale distributors of fish.

8. Everyone who has graduated from TopNotch High School has an intelligence quotient (IQ) of over 120. Most

students with an IQ of over 120 and all students with an IQ of over 150 who apply to one or more Ivy League

universities are accepted to at least one of them. The statements above, if true, best support which of the

following conclusions?

• Every graduate of TopNotch High School with an IQ of 150 has been accepted to at least one Ivy-League school.

• If a person is a high-school graduate and has an IQ of less than 100, he or she could not have been a student at

TopNotch High School.

• If a person has an IQ of 130 and is attending an Ivy-League school, it is possible for him or her to have graduated

from TopNotch High School.

• At least one graduate from TopNotch high school who has applied to at least one Ivy-League university has been

accepted to one of them.

• If a high-school graduate has an IQ of 150 and is not attending an Ivy-League school, then he or she did not apply

to one of them.

9. According to a recent study on financial roles, one-third of high school seniors say that they have "significant

financial responsibilities." These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, contributing to food, shelter, or

clothing for themselves or their families. At the same time, a second study demonstrates that a crisis in money

management exists for high school students. According to this study, 80% of high school seniors have never taken

a personal finance class even though the same percentage of seniors has opened bank accounts and one-third of

these account holders have bounced a check. Which of the following conclusions can be properly drawn from the

statements above?

• High schools would be wise to incorporate personal finance classes into their core curricula.

• At least one-third of high school seniors work part-time jobs after school.

• The number of high school seniors with significant financial responsibilities is greater than the number of seniors

who have bounced a check.

• Any high school seniors who contribute to food, shelter, or clothing for themselves or their families have significant

financial responsibilities.

• The majority of high school students have no financial responsibilities to their families.

10. Analyst: Creative professionals, such as clothing designers, graphic designers, and decorators, often have very

poor managerial skills and do not succeed when they try to run their own businesses. In fact, most of these

creative types are less skilled in business than is the average white-collar professional who does not work in a

creative field. Generally, creative talent and business acumen rarely go hand in hand. If the analyst's argument is

taken as true, which of the following statements can properly be concluded?

• No successful businesspeople are creative.

• Some creative types are not less skilled at business than is the average white-collar worker who is not creative.

• Creativity precludes success in business.

• Any white-collar worker who is not creative is more successful in business than any creative professional.

• Business is not a creative endeavor.

11. Advocates insist that health savings accounts are an efficient method to reduce medical expenses. However,

widespread adoption of these accounts will soon undermine the public's health. One reason for this is that most

people will be reluctant to deplete their accounts to pay for regular preventive examinations, so that in many cases

a serious illness will go undetected until it is far advanced. Another reason is that poor people, who will not be able

to afford health savings accounts, will no longer receive vaccinations against infectious diseases. The statements

above, if true, most support which of the following?

• Wealthy individuals will not be affected negatively by health savings accounts.

• Private health insurance will no longer be available.

• Most diseases are detected during regular preventive examinations.

• Some people without health savings accounts are likely to contract infectious diseases.

• The causal relationship between an individual's health and that person's medical care has been adequately

documented.

12. Albinism is a rare genetic condition that inhibits the production of melanin, or pigmentation, in the skin and hair.

People born with albinism are unusually susceptible to sunburn, melanoma, and a range of other health issues that

are generally connected to excessive exposure to the sun. The statements above, if true, provide the most support

for which of the following conclusions?

• People born with albinism develop other biological protections against melanoma and other sun-related health

issues.

• Humans with a high production of melanin can easily ignore health issues related to exposure to the sun.

• When a non-albino person gets sunburn, the amount of melanin produced by that person decreases.

• In humans, melanin plays a role in protecting the skin from developing sunburn and other sun-related ailments.

• It is not possible for a person born with albinism to adopt other artificial protective measures against excessive

exposure to the sun.

Check

Mock LMN - Solutions

31.Ans (d)  The last line of the first paragraph indicates the central
idea of the passage and points towards art's
contribution to politics. Option (d) is the answer. Option
(a) is incorrect as the emergence of art and politics
has not been discussed in the passage. Option (b) is
also incorrect as the passage only states that art and
politics are interlocked in complex ways. But, this
cannot be inferred as a mutually beneficial relationship
– a symbiosis. Option (c) is incorrect as art and politics
are not merged or do not become one entity.

32.Ans (c)  Options (a) and (d) have been mentioned in the last
line of the passage. Option (b) can be inferred from
the second paragraph. However, option (c) cannot be
inferred. It also goes against the information in the
passage – against the discussion of art's contribution
to politics. The author has mentioned boycott of those
political events where the ideology does not match
that of the artist's. However, option (c) has incorrectly
generalized the author's statement.

33.Ans (d)  There is a strong link between B and D. This link helps
rule out option (b). A, C and E are all specific statements
with examples related to the employees. The choice
between a specific to general or a general to specific
leads one to the correct answer. Options (a) and (c)
allow a choice that is specific to general, albeit one
that is disjointed with the appearance of BD at the end
of the sequence. The correct answer is option (d) as
it starts with BD and EAC are a substantiation of the
assertion in D.

34.Ans (b)  There is a CBD link. C sets the standard in deficit
reduction. B asserts that there is no way to cut out
discretionary programs and still not cripple basic
functions. D goes on to substantiate B by discussing
that even by cutting down a few programs, Congress
would not cut even $110 billion annually. It is also clear
that before A there must be another statement to
establish the need for Congress to act. Hence, E comes
before A. The answer is option (b).

35.Ans (b)  The tone of the author while describing the state and
its institutions is negative. Both the words need to
complement each other and deliver a logical meaning.
'Callous' means insensitive, indifferent or unconcerned
and 'wobbly' means weak and unstable. The state
has become callous towards the needs and problems
of the Indians and its institutions have become weak
and infirm which causes frustration among Indians
but they cherish their freedom. Option (b) clearly brings
out the meaning of the sentence. 'Amoral' and
'apathetic' appear to be suitable for the first blank. But
both options (a) and (c) are incorrect due to the second
words paroxysmal and vacillating respectively.
'Paroxysmal' means characterized by a sudden strong
feeling or expression that is difficult to control.
'Vacillating' means to keep changing your opinion or
thoughts about something. Hence, options (a) and (c)
are negated. Option (d) is irrelevant as the word 'ribald'
means characterized by coarse indecent humour.
For questions 36 to 38:
Let Andrew, Joseph, Parry and Lucas be represented by A, J,
P and L respectively. Let the shifts be called 1st to 7th (in the
order of their occurrence).
From statement (i), it can be concluded that A operated in the
1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th shifts.
From statement (ii), it can be concluded that J operated along
with A in the 3rd shift.
From statement (iii), it can be concluded that P operated in the
4th shift.
From statement (iv), it can be concluded that the two shifts in
which L operated were 2nd and 6th. Hence, P operated in the 1st
and 7th shifts.
From statement (v), it can be concluded that J operated in the
5th shift along with A.
The conclusions made thus far can be shown as given below.
SHIFT 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
GUARD(S) A, P L A, J P A, J L A, P

36.Ans (b)  2

37.Ans (b)  3

38.Ans (a)  3 p.m.

39.Ans (c)  Hacked to bits is the correct phrase and means
severely damaged. Hence, option (c) is incorrect.
To hack around means to waste time. Hence, option
(a) is correct. To hack into means to break into a
computer system. Hence, option (b) is correct. Hack
up means to chop or cut into small pieces. So option
(d) is correct.

40.Ans (b)  To hang about/around is to spend time somewhere
not doing much. Hence, (a) is correct. To hang it up
means to resign or quit. So (b) is incorrect. The correct
idiom is to hang in there which means to persevere
and not give up. Hang a left or right means to take a
left or right turn. Hence, (c) is correct. Hang one's hat
means 1: to situate oneself in (as a residence or place
of employment) or 2: to have or use as a source of
support <need a career to hang my hat on>. Hence,
(d) is correct.

41.Ans (a)  Opt in for is not grammatically correct. The correct
phrase is opt for which means to choose. To opt in is
to choose to be part or a member of something. Optout
is a noun. It means the act of choosing not to be
involved in an agreement. Opt for or against means to
choose to take or not to take a particular course of
action. To opt out means to choose not to be part of
something. The answer is option (a).

42. Ans (a)  Shyam is standing at one of the ends of the row.
Hence, it can be concluded that Shyam is either the
shortest or the tallest among the four.
From Statement A:
Since Shameem is shorter than Shyam, it means that
Shyam is not the shortest and so he is the tallest
among the four. Ram being at the other end of the row,
must be the shortest among the four.
From Statement B:
The statement alone is not sufficient to answer.

43.Ans (c)  The author starts with a discussion on Dumont's
magnum opus, analyses this publication and then
moves on to the analyses of his other publication. In
the third paragraph, the author presents other opinions
and then also presents his opinion. He takes facts and
uses them to arrive at an understanding. These are all
elements of the analytical style. Option (c) is the
answer. Option (a) is incorrect as discursive style
would indicate that the author is attempting to explain
something to the reader – this is clearly not the case in
the passage. Option (b) is incorrect because there is
no narration of events in a sequential manner – there
is a reference to dates but these are only part of the
process of analysis that the author goes through. A
theoretical style would have used academic
references. It would have also used hypothetical
frameworks and would have fitted in if the author
were trying to explain an ongoing research procedure
or study. However, the passage is concerned more
with Dumont and his treatment and ideology as
opposed to a particular research.

44.Ans (c)  The passage never reveals Dumont's personal opinion
of the caste system in India. The last line of the
penultimate paragraph does state that Dumont
confessed to "a nostalgic inclination towards
hierarchical traditional pre-modern societies."
However this cannot be read as support for the caste
system in India. The line has been written in context of
the style that Dumont developed in comparative
sociology. And there is ambiguity as to whether the
nostalgic inclination he felt was an inclination to write/
research on the subject matter itself or his individual
support for the subject matter. Option (c) can be
inferred because it is mentioned in the passage.

45.Ans (b)  'Deliberation' refers to the process of carefully
considering or discussing something; a discussion
and consideration by a group of persons (as a jury or
legislature) of the reasons for and against a measure.
Option (b) brings out the information that the author
presents in the passage. Refer to the first line of the
third paragraph "Dumont's oeuvre has been discussed
and debated by anthropologists in Europe as well as
in India. His sociological interpretation of the caste
system is both widely acclaimed and highly criticized".
Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.
Option (a) can be ruled out as it does not correctly
describe the reception to Dumont's work. Option (c)
cannot be inferred as it goes against the information in
the first line of the second paragraph. The tone of
option (d) is too positive to match the tone of the author.

46.Ans (b)  ABAAA
'Enshroud' means to cover or surround something
completely so that it cannot be seen or understood. If
you are ensconced or ensconce yourself somewhere,
you are made or make yourself comfortable and safe
in that place or position. So 'enshrouded' is the apt
word for the first sentence. 'Excruciate' means to
inflict intense pain on; torture, to subject to intense
mental distress. For example: She has long been
excruciated by a persistent pain in her knee. Pain
cannot excruciate, this construction is grammatically
incorrect. On the other hand, 'exacerbated' which
means worsened is appropriate in the given context.
'Titivate' means improve the appearance of somebody/
something by making small changes whereas 'titillate'
means to interest or excite somebody. Hence, 'titivate'
is appropriate for the third sentence. 'Pared to the
bone' means to be reduced to the lowest possible
level. 'Pair' means to put people or things into groups
of two. 'Efficacy' means the ability of something,
especially a drug or a medical treatment, to produce
the results that are wanted; effectiveness.
'Effeminacy' refers to the quality or trait of looking,
behaving or sounding like a female.

47.Ans (c)  BABAA
'Wreathe' is a verb and it means to surround or cover
something. 'Wreath' is a noun and it refers to an
arrangement of flowers and leaves, especially in the
shape of a circle, placed on graves, etc. as a sign of
respect for somebody who has died. So, 'wreath' (B)
is apt for the first sentence. 'Exegesis' is a noun and
refers to the detailed explanation of a piece of writing,
especially religious writing. 'Exigency' is also a noun
and it means an urgent need or demand that you must
deal with. The modifier 'lengthy' suggests 'exegesis'
to be the apt word. 'Dingy' is an adjective and means
dark and dirty. On the other hand 'dinghy' is a noun
and refers to a small open boat that one sails or rows.
So, 'dinghy' is the apt word for the third sentence.
'Explicate' means to explain an idea or a work of
literature in a lot of detail. 'Expiate' means to accept
punishment for something that you have done wrong
in order to show that you are sorry. So 'explicate' is
the apt word for the fourth sentence. 'Enunciate'
means to express an idea clearly and exactly whereas
emanate means to produce or show something; to
come out from a source <a sweet scent emanating
from the blossoms>, <He emanates power and
confidence>, <The sound of loud music emanated from
the building>. Hence, in the given context, 'enunciated'
is the apt word for the fifth sentence.
For questions 48 to 50:
Let Ashish, Bimal, Coral, Disha and Eshan be represented by A, B, C, D and E respectively.
After filling up the initial data, it can be concluded that B gave a presentation on Business & Ethics and Globalisation on Tuesday
and Thursday respectively.
The topic on which A and D gave a presentation on Monday and Friday respectively was not among Corruption, Human Cloning,
Business & Ethics and Globalisation. Therefore, from statement (iii), A and D gave a presentation on Terrorism on Monday and
Friday respectively. Similarly, from statement (vi), C and A gave a presentation on Business & Ethics on Monday and Friday
respectively.
Therefore, D gave a presentation on Globalisation on Monday and from statement (v), D gave a presentation on Corruption and
Human Cloning on Tuesday and Thursday respectively.
Further analysis leads to the final table as given below.
Ashish Bimal Coral Disha Eshan
Monday Terrorism Corruption
Business &
Ethics
Globalisation Human Cloning
Tuesday Human Cloning
Business &
Ethics
Globalisation Corruption Terrorism
Wednesday Globalisation Terrorism Human Cloning
Business &
Ethics
Corruption
Thursday Corruption Globalisation Terrorism Human Cloning
Business &
Ethics
Friday
Business &
Ethics
Human Cloning Corruption Terrorism Globalisation

48.Ans (c)  Thursday

49.Ans (a)  Business & Ethics

50.Ans (c)  Both I and II

51.Ans (d)  There is a clear logical ending to the paragraph, as it starts with the fact that Mr. Gardner received a bill of $11,000 from
Verizon. Option (d) concludes the information in the paragraph. Option (a) is incorrect as it in the second person while
the paragraph is in the third person. Option (b) ends with general information while the paragraph is about Mr. Gardner.
Option (c) brings in inconsequential data and it cannot be determined if this is negative or positive in context.

52.Ans (b)  The paragraph discusses man's life and the thoughts through which he can be freed. Option (b) completes the flow of
the passage by referring to liberation and thought. Option (a) can be ruled out as it an imperative sentence and does not
match with the tone of the paragraph. (An imperative sentence is a sentence which gives command, makes a request
or expresses a wish).
Examples:
Go to your room. (an order)
Please lend me your book. (a request)
Have a good time at the picnic. (a wish)
Option (c) is incorrect as it refers to a divine fire – there is no mention of a spiritual context in the paragraph. The
paragraph ends in the first person, whereas option (c) refers to the spark being kindled in the hearts of others. This
does not go with the logical flow of the paragraph. Option (d) is incorrect as it has a negative tone, whereas the
paragraph moves towards a positive tone.

53.Ans (b)  The paragraph discusses the boost that is being planned for the President's image – the use of the movie medium.
Option (a) is incorrect as it refers to Sony and the president's gutsy decision and both of these are not referred to in the
paragraph. Option (b) is the answer as it supports the information in the passage and clarifies how a movie will help
boost the president's image. Option (c) is incorrect as it refers to the campaign and there is no basis for this inference.
Option (d) is abstract and does not help to conclude the information in the paragraph.

54.Ans (a)  The last line of the first paragraph emphasizes on the
need for American individuals to change their lifestyle.
The next paragraph discusses the need for austerity
measures and also compares the American attitude to
the British attitude. The author again returns to a
comparison with the British in the last two sentences.
Option (a) is correct. Option (d) can be ruled out
because the author never mentions individualistic/
unique austerity measures.

55.Ans (c)  It is clear from the beginning of the passage that the
author speaks of the lack of austerity measures among
the Americans with a negative tone. However, there
is no dislike or scorn in the way he writes. Hence,
option (a) is ruled out. Option (b) indicates an arrogant
or patronizing attitude. Again, this can't be inferred
from the passage. It is true that the author lauds Britain's
austerity measures but he does not look down on the
American's lack of measures. He instead criticizes it
because he feels it has been costly for the American's.
Option (c) is the answer. Option (d) is very negative
and indicates that the author has lost hope of the
American's ever implementing austerity measures.
However, this has also not been indicated in the
passage.

56.Ans (a)  Options (b), (c) and (d) are mentioned in the second
paragraph. However, option (a) cannot be inferred. In
the last paragraph, the author mentions that he knows
"many people who reject consumerism, getting
involved in poorly paid environmental or political work."
However, this can't be inferred as option (a) – it
generalizes the author's opinion.

57.Ans (d)  The fourth and fifth paragraphs have the answer to
this question. The second half of the fourth paragraph
reflects the author's concern for the way the
Americans have misused their environmental
resources. Options (a) has been mentioned in the fifth
paragraph. Option (c) has been mentioned in the fourth
paragraph. There is no direct mention of option (b) but
it can be inferred from the second half of the fourth
paragraph. Thus, option (a), (b) and (c) can be inferred
from the passage. Hence, option (d) is the correct
option.

MOCK LMN

Directions for questions 31 and 32: The passage given below is followed by a set of two questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.

In the story "Indian artists to boycott major show in Israel", my views have been presented in a way that completely belies my life-long career in art based on the conviction that art and politics (and most certainly culture and politics) are interlocked in complex ways. And that artists can make a significant contribution to ongoing history through protests, boycotts, refusals, and direct address within and beyond their art practice.

Some bare facts: I signed the Palestine Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel in 2010, which makes my stand against the state of Israel/in support of the Palestinian cause, self-evident. Added to that, I am not invited to show in the forthcoming exhibition of Indian art in Tel Aviv, so there cannot be even a remote reason for me to renege or prevaricate on the issue of a boycott.

Even if artists who were invited by the curators did not refuse this invitation right away, a subsequent campaign could make them reflect on their decision. Pushpamala N.'s initiative could, and should, provoke artists to explore and extend and revise their political position and related action.

Each one of us will respond to a greater or lesser degree to a historical moment, a place, a movement, to express our solidarity. But one does not need to recount at every point all the ills that beset the world's nation-states and thus cancel every political call on that basis.

I further believe that a political position of any complexity allows artists to use imaginative and intellectual resources in their mode of political intervention: protests and boycotts, open letters in the press, to the state, to the institution concerned, an artist's statement through the work and as a textual support to be displayed or published in the catalogue.

31. A suitable title to the passage would be

(a) The emergence of Art and Politics
(b) Art and Politics: A Symbiosis
(c) Art and Politics: Merged
(d) Art's Contribution to Politics

32. Which one of these has not been mentioned as a means by which art can contribute to politics?

(a) An artist's ideology brought forth through his work.
(b) An artist's boycott of an event that reflects an opposing political belief.
(c) An artist's narration of all political problems that keep him away from political events.
(d) An artist's written contribution to a cause.

33. Five sentences are given below, labeled A, B, C, D and E. They need to be arranged in a logical order to form a coherent paragraph/passage. From the given options, choose the most appropriate one.

A. The guy who is throwing out the garbage offers customers a cup of water.
B. It's not all those quirky British sandwiches, thin and understated with ingredients like free-range egg mayonnaise and avocado-and-pine-nut filling.
C. The manager swings by to commiserate about the sweltering weather.
D. No, it's the employees.
E. The cashier is asking New Yorkers how they are doing - and genuinely seems to want an answer.

(a) AECBD         (b) BEACD             (c) ECABD           (d) BDEAC

34. Five sentences are given below, labeled A, B, C, D and E. They  need to be arranged in a logical order to form a coherent paragraph/passage. From the given options, choose the most appropriate one.

A. If that is not enough to energize the White House, here are a few more facts.
B. For all of the talk of "big government," there is no way to cut that much in discretionary programs without crippling basic functions.
C. To avoid across-the-board cuts, Congress must enact at least another $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction measures over the 10 years.
D. Lawmakers could eliminate the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and Head Start and still not cut $110 billion annually.
E. According to the latest CBS News Poll, 63 percent support raising taxes on households that earn more than $250,000 a year to help address the deficit.

(a) EABDC           (b) EACBD               (c) ACBDE              (d) AECBD

35. There are two gaps in the sentence given below. From the pairs of words given, choose the one that fills the gaps most appropriately

Sure, at times we Indians get frustrated with the functioning of our ……… state and its …………. institutions, but it would be naïve to believe that we cherish our freedoms any less than someone living in a Western democracy.

(a) amoral; paroxysmal 
(b) callous; wobbly
(c) apathetic; vacillating 
(d) ribald; quavering

Directions for questions 36 to 38: Answer the questions on the basis of the information given below.

Four security officers – Andrew, Joseph, Parry and Lucas – were responsible for guarding the Kohinoor diamond during a 1-day exhibition held recently. The exhibition started at 10 a.m. and finished at 5 p.m. The officers operated in 1-hour shifts and at least one officer guarded the diamond in each of the seven shifts. None of the officers operated in two consecutive shifts and none of them joined or left a shift midway. It is also known that:

(i) Andrew operated in exactly four shifts.
(ii) Two officers were operating at 12:40 p.m. One of the two was Joseph.
(iii) Parry operated in exactly three shifts. He was operating at 01:20 p.m.
(iv) Lucas operated in exactly two shifts and he operated alone in both of them.
(v) Each of the four officers operated in at least two shifts. Joseph and Parry never operated together in any of the shifts.

36. In how many shifts did Joseph operate?

(a) 4                        (b) 2                   (c) 3                   (d) 5

37. How many shifts were there in which just one of the four officers operated?

(a) 2              (b) 3               (c) 4             (d) Cannot be determined

38. At what time did Joseph leave for his home if it is known that he left immediately after his last shift ended on the day of the exhibition?

(a) 3 p.m.             (b) 5 p.m.             (c) 4 p.m.       (d) 2 p.m.

39. The word given below has been used in sentences in four different ways. Choose the option corresponding to the sentence in which the usage of the word is incorrect or inappropriate.

Hack

(a) He has been hacking around all day and not studying for his exam.
(b) The US was alerted of a major terror strike after it hacked into the email account of a suspected terror group.
(c) His reputation was hacked for bits.
(d) The best way would be to hack up that piece of wood so it can fit in the truck.

40. The word given below has been used in sentences in four different ways. Choose the option corresponding to the sentence in which the usage of the word is incorrect or inappropriate.

Hang

(a) He hangs about with people much older than him.
(b) She has managed to hang it up and pull through despite all the challenges faced.
(c) He hung a left at the wrong corner.
(d) I need a career to hang my hat on.

41. The word given below has been used in sentences in four different ways. Choose the option corresponding to the sentence in which the usage of the word is incorrect or inappropriate.

Opt

(a) Once you opt in for interiors in this design institute it will be difficult for you to change track later in your profession.
(b) MPs hoped to reverse Britain's opt-out from the treaty.
(c) After a few moments of indecision, he opted for the black car.
(d) When he realized the risks involved he decided to opt out of the chit fund.

42. The question given below is followed by two statements, A and B. Mark the answer using the following instructions:

Mark (a) if the question can be answered by using Statement A alone, but cannot be answered by using Statement B alone.
Mark (b) if the question can be answered by using Statement B alone, but cannot be answered by using Statement A alone.
Mark (c) if the question can be answered by using either statement alone.
Mark (d) if the question cannot be answered by any of the two statements.

Q. Four friends – Ram, Raheem, Shyam and Shameem – are standing in a row in the descending order of their heights, not necessarily in the given order. Raheem is standing adjacent to Shameem and Shyam is standing at one of the ends of the row. Who is the shortest among the four?

A. Shameem is shorter than Shyam and Ram is standing at one of the ends of the row.
B. Exactly one person is standing between Shyam and Shameem.

Directions for questions 43 to 45: The passage given below is followed by a set of three questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.

Nevertheless, Dumont's magnum opus remains his Homo hierarchicus published in French in 1967 (1970 and 1972 for the English translations). It is an impressive synthetic work with a strong theoretical background, in which the author presented his understanding of the Indian caste society as a whole. According to Dumont, people were ascribed an unequal status from birth and ranked from the Untouchables (who did not then call themselves Dalits) at the bottom to the Brahmins at the top according to the degree of purity attached to each caste collectively as well as to each individual.

 After this publication, Dumont distanced himself from the sociology of India, feeling that he had achieved what he wanted to say on the caste system. He started a new field of research that dealt with the genesis of the modern individualism grounded on an egalitarian basis, which he contrasted with the inegalitarian caste system. It was the subject of his Homo aequalis (1977), followed by Essays on individualism (1983), and German Ideology: From France to Germany and Back (1991). However, these works belonged to the traditional history of political and philosophical ideas and have no empirical grounding.

Dumont's oeuvre has been discussed and debated by anthropologists in Europe as well as in India. His sociological interpretation of the caste system is both widely acclaimed and highly criticised. The most radical criticism emphasised that Dumont's brilliant analysis of the caste system is taken from a dominant internal viewpoint, whether from its priests (Brahmins) or its princes (Kshatriya), which is well expressed in and legitimised by the classical Sanskrit texts that Dumont widely used. From a sociological point of view, however, scholars need to question, first, the social conditions of the production of these representations that cannot be taken for granted, and, second, their social usages. The relations of power and domination that structure the Hindu caste system, which are partly denied from a textual viewpoint (and this, of course, cannot be ignored), have to be clearly recognised and analysed. Furthermore, the comparative sociology that Dumont developed was quite often reduced to a binary opposition between individualism and holism, or to a radical confrontation between the equalitarian West and the hierarchical traditional premodern societies, like India, towards which the anthropologist publicly confessed to having a nostalgic inclination.

Nevertheless, the Indian part of his oeuvre stands for a rare coherent sociological enterprise that cannot be ignored or brushed away if one wants to understand the social making of contemporary India.

43. The style of the passage is

(a) discursive 
(b) narrative 
(c) analytical 
(d) theoretical

44. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

(a) Dumont strongly disagreed with the caste system in India.
(b) Dumont strongly agreed with the caste system in India.
(c) Dumont had an inclination towards hierarchical traditional pre-modern societies.
(d) None of the above

45. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

(a) Dumont's magnum opus on the caste system in India was well-received.
(b) Dumont's magnum opus on the caste system in India was the subject of much deliberation.
(c) Dumont was not satisfied with his magnum opus on the caste system in India and avoided all future reference to the subject.
(d) Dumont's magnum opus was the most brilliant analysis on the caste system in India.

46. Given below are five sentences. Each sentence has a pair of words that are italicized. From the italicized words, select the most appropriate words (A or B) to form correct sentences. The sentences are followed by options that indicate the words, which may be selected to correctly complete the set of sentences. From the options given, choose the most appropriate one.

Secrecy enshrouded (A) / ensconced (B) the Party's central committee.
As the tumour started spreading, his pain got excruciated (A) / exacerbated (B).
She titivated (A) / titillated (B) her hair in the mirror.
The workforce has been pared (A) / paired (B) to the bone.
I want Robert to evaluate the efficacy (A) / effeminacy (B) and safety of the treatment.

(a) AAABB          (b) ABAAA           (c) BBAAB          (d) BBBBA

47. Given below are five sentences. Each sentence has a pair of words that are italicized. From the italicized words, select the most appropriate words (A or B) to form correct sentences. The sentences are followed by options that indicate the words, which may be selected to correctly complete the set of sentences. From the options given, choose the most appropriate one.

The Queen laid a wreathe (A) / wreath (B) at the war memorial.
After that lengthy exegesis (A) / exigency (B), it's unclear whether the skeptics are gilding the lily or just protesting too much.
We went sailing on the secluded lake in a little two-person dingy (A) /dinghy (B).
How can we best understand and explicate (A) / expiate (B) 'King Lear'?
He enunciated (A) / emanated (B) his vision of the future.

(a) ABAAB          (b) AAABA          (c) BABAA           (d) BABBB

Directions for questions 48 to 50: Answer the questions on the basis of the information given below.

Each of the five students – Ashish, Bimal, Coral, Disha and Eshan – gave a presentation on each of the five topics – Corruption, Terrorism, Globalisation, Human Cloning and Business & Ethics – in a week starting on Monday and ending on Friday. Exactly five presentations were given on each of the five days, no two of which were on the same topic. No student gave more than one presentation on any of the five days. It is also known that:

(i) Coral gave a presentation on Globalisation on Tuesday.
(ii) Eshan gave a presentation on Human Cloning on Monday.
(iii) Ashish gave a presentation on the same topic on Monday on which Disha gave a presentation on Friday. The topic was not Globalisation.
(iv) Bimal gave a presentation on Corruption, Terrorism and Human Cloning on Monday, Wednesday and Friday respectively.
(v) Disha gave a presentation on Business & Ethics on Wednesday. She didn't give a presentation on Corruption on Thursday.
(vi) Coral gave a presentation on the same topic on Monday on which Ashish gave a presentation on Friday.

48. On which day of the week did Ashish give a presentation on Corruption?

(a) Tuesday 
(b) Wednesday 
(c) Thursday 
(d) None of these

49. On which topic did Eshan give a presentation on Thursday?

(a) Business & Ethics 
(b) Globalisation
(c) Corruption 
(d) Terrorism

50. Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?

I. Coral and Disha gave a presentation on Corruption on Friday and Tuesday respectively.
II. Ashish and Eshan gave a presentation on Human Cloning and Terrorism respectively on Tuesday.

(a) Only I          (b) Only II          (c) Both I and II         (d) Neither I nor II

51. A paragraph is given below from which the last sentence has been deleted. From the given options, choose the one that completes the paragraph in the most appropriate way. 

Take it from Jeff Gardner, who received an $11,000 bill from Verizon after spending four days in Jamaica. Before the trip, Mr. Gardner, who runs a fly-fishing business in Grayling, said he called Verizon to find out what it would cost to use his cell phone for calls and his wireless air card to check e-mail on his laptop while in the Caribbean. He said he was told that calls would be about $2 a minute and that there would be no extra charges for data as he was on an unlimited plan.

(a) It's hard not to feel ripped off when you get hit with unexpected roaming charges.
(b) One in six mobile users have experienced "bill shock" from unanticipated roaming charges or other confusing fees.
(c) The Verizon bill said more than 5 GB of data was transferred while he was in Jamaica.
(d) The latter part turned out to be wrong.

52. A paragraph is given below from which the last sentence has been deleted. From the given options, choose the one that completes the paragraph in the most appropriate way. 

The life of Man, viewed outwardly, is but a small thing in comparison with the forces of Nature. The slave is doomed to worship Time and Fate and Death, because they are greater than anything he finds in himself, and because all his thoughts are of things which they devour. But, great as they are, to think of them greatly, to feel their passionless splendor, is greater still. And such thought makes us free men; we no longer bow before the inevitable in Oriental subjection, but we absorb it, and make it a part of ourselves.

(a) Abandon the struggle for private happiness and expel all eagerness of temporary desire.
(b) This liberation is brought into effect by a contemplation of fate.
(c) Wherever a spark of the divine fire kindled in their hearts, we were ready with encouragement.
(d) Brief and powerless is Man's life and sure falls on him a doom pitiless and dark.

53. A paragraph is given below from which the last sentence has been deleted. From the given options, choose the one that completes the paragraph in the most appropriate way. 

The moviemakers are getting top-level access to the most classified mission in history from an administration that has tried to throw more people in jail for leaking classified information than the Bush administration. It was clear that the White House had outsourced the job of manning up the president's image to Hollywood when Boal got welcomed to the upper echelons of the White House.

(a) The Sony film will no doubt reflect the president's cool, gutsy decision against shaky odds.
(b) The White House is counting on the big-screen version of the killing of Bin Laden to counter Obama's deteriorating image.
(c) The movie is perfectly timed to give a home-stretch boost to the campaign that has grown tougher.
(d) Obama is going for that "Mission Accomplished" glow.

Directions for questions 54 to 57: The passage given below is followed by a set of four questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.

One word is missing in the American debate over the debt crisis: austerity. It's a revealing absence. In spite of the vast deficit, and despite the U.S. being the home of individualism, no way is being offered for individuals to make a difference by changing their lifestyles.

In the U.K., we've become familiar with talk of the "new age of austerity." Politicians of both left and right use the expression to frame the narrative about the cuts we're now facing. While both sides "warn" about this coming era, austerity is not negative in the British psyche. Here, associations with wartime soften it. Austerity is associated with personal changes which benefited society and made sense to people who learned to tackle wastefulness, to "make do and mend." Long before the current cuts, austerity was making a comeback here, associated with the environmental issues of recycling, cutting consumption and reducing our carbon footprint. Indeed, the New Economics Foundation recently launched the New Home Front, arguing that wartime lifestyles are positive models for reducing our environmental impact. When we think growing our own vegetables, staycations rather than vacations, cycling rather than driving, it has a fashionable appeal.

Not so in the U.S. In the five months I spent there earlier this year, I never heard the word austerity in political discussion. The Republican discourse is all about how the government is spending too much. The government must tighten its belt. There was nothing about individuals living beyond their means.

Yet the U.S. deficit is founded on overconsumption, made possible by too much consumer credit and, less well recognised, too much environmental credit. In the current war of words in Congress, there are no references to the immoral lending that encouraged people who could not afford it to invest in the American dream. That's what led to the property crash and the financial crisis. That has disappeared totally from political argument. From individuals I heard nothing about the need for prosperous people to change their ways. There are, of course, many worthy "green shoots," such as the "locavore" movement or the "greening the campus" initiative at the university I was visiting, where a newly appointed sustainability officer tries to cut energy use. But people like him have their work cut out. The whole of the east coast and the rust belt are vast, shocking landscapes to which many Americans seem oblivious.

This is a society which has lived not just beyond its economic means but beyond its environmental ones too as the hundreds of miles of abandoned buildings, abandoned cars, and endless highways bear witness to.

Yet the American dream survives. You're either in it, or out of it. Being out means destitution. Individual lifestyles are boom or bust. In the U.K. I know many people who reject consumerism, getting involved in poorly paid environmental or political work. We regard them as rather honourable. In the U.S., if you don't have money you don't count.

54. What is the central idea of the passage?

(a) To discuss the American and the British way of life and to emphasize the need for austerity measures in the former.
(b) To discuss the American way of life and to emphasize on the importance of individual austerity measures.
(c) To discuss the real costs of the American way of life and the need for individuals to bring in austerity measures.
(d) To discuss the real costs of the American way of life and the need for individualistic austerity measures.

55. It can be inferred that the author approaches the lack of American austerity with

(a) disdain 
(b) condescension 
(c) criticism 
(d) despair

56. According to the passage, all of these are associated with the British sense of austerity except for

(a) the British take up work that is considered honorable.
(b) the British are not disapproving of austerity measures.
(c) the British associate austerity with environmental issues.
(d) the British tackle wastefulness with the idea of "make do and mend".

57. Which of the following cannot be inferred from the passage?

(a) The American society is living beyond its means.
(b) The author is concerned about the Americans misusing their environmental resources.
(c) Availability of credit has encouraged Americans to spend beyond their means.
(d) None of the above