Wednesday, 6 July 2016
Saturday, 25 June 2016
Tuesday, 21 June 2016
June 21 CR Test
bit.do/june21cr
1 Since the new publisher took control, a news magazine's covers have
featured only models and movie stars. Previously, the covers had
displayed only politicians, soldiers, and business leaders. A leading
gossip columnist claimed that the changes made the magazine relevant
again. However, many newspaper editorials disagreed and suggested that
the new publisher is more interested in boosting sales than in
reporting important news events.
Which of the following is an assumption necessary for the argument
made by the gossip columnist's opponents?
• The charitable activities of models and movie stars often focus
public attention on pressing problems.
• Final authority for choosing the cover subject of the magazine lies
with the publisher.
• A magazine can boost sales while highlighting the coverage of
important world leaders.
• Some of the movie stars featured are now running for political office.
• Magazine issues with models or movie stars on the covers are
purchased at a rate more than three times greater than is the case
with issues featuring politicians on the covers.
2 In response to the increasing cost of producing energy through
traditional means, such as combustion, many utility companies have
begun investing in renewable energy sources, chiefly wind and solar
power, hoping someday to rely on them completely and thus lower energy
costs. The utility companies claim that although these sources require
significant initial capital investment, they will provide stable
energy supplies at low cost. As a result, these sources will be less
risky for the utilities than nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil,
and coal, whose prices can fluctuate dramatically according to
availability. The claim of the utility companies presupposes which of
the following?
• The public will embrace the development of wind and solar power.
• No new deposits of gas, oil, and coal will be discovered in the near future.
• Weather patterns are consistent and predictable.
• The necessary technology for conversion to wind and solar power is
not more expensive than the technology needed to create energy through
combustion.
• Obtaining energy from nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil and
coal, cannot be made less risky.
3 Surveys consistently show that the best-selling ice cream flavor is
vanilla, although those who prefer chocolate rarely order vanilla.
Vanilla-flavored candy, then, probably sells better than
chocolate-flavored candy. Which of the following is an assumption upon
which the author of the argument relies?
• Because someone prefers vanilla ice cream does not mean he prefers
vanilla-flavored candy.
• Children who prefer vanilla ice cream also tend to like chocolate candy.
• Those who prefer neither vanilla nor chocolate ice cream also prefer
other flavors of candy.
• Someone who prefers vanilla ice cream may still order chocolate on occasion.
• Preferences for certain ice cream flavors are similar to preferences
for candy flavors.
4 The media claim that the economy is entering a phase of growth and
prosperity. They point to lower unemployment rates and increased
productivity. This analysis is false, though. The number of people
filing for bankruptcy has increased every month for the last six
months, and bankruptcy lawyers report that they are busier than they
have been in years. Which of the following is an assumption on which
the argument depends?
• Unemployment rates are not useful indicators of growth and prosperity.
• Economic growth cannot be measured in terms of productivity.
• Legislation has not been recently passed to make legal bankruptcy
easier to obtain.
• There has not been an increase in the number of bankruptcy lawyers.
• The media often misrepresent the current state of economic affairs.
5 The recording industry is fighting a losing battle: it simply does
not have the resources to prosecute all of the individuals who
illegally download music from the Internet. Because the number of
individuals who will be charged with a crime is so limited, the
actions of the recording industry will have a minimal impact on the
number of people who illegally download music. The answer to which of
the following questions would best help evaluate the accuracy of the
conclusion above?
A. Will recording industry lawyers dedicate the majority of their time
to prosecuting those who illegally download music?
B. Is a small minority of individuals responsible for the majority of
illegal song downloads?
C. Do many individuals who illegally download songs share their music
files with other Internet users?
D. Will new Internet security technology permit the recording industry
to more quickly and easily identify individuals who illegally download
music?
E. Will the threat of prosecution alter the behavior of those who
illegally download music?
6
While political discourse and the media in the United States have
focused on the rise of job outsourcing, few have mentioned the sharp
fall of talent "insourcing," or the drop in enrollment of foreign-born
graduate students since 2001, and its dire results. The decrease in
such insourcing will hurt America's competitiveness in basic research
and applied technology, with serious consequences for years to come.
The de-internationalization of graduate programs across the country
will also negatively affect the global outlook and experience of the
American students remaining in those programs; they will not have the
opportunity to learn about foreign cultures directly from members of
those cultures. What distinguishes the decline of talent insourcing
from the rise of job outsourcing is that the former can be easily
rectified by a policy change of the United States government. The
answer to which of the following questions would be most useful in
evaluating the author's claim regarding the impact of decreased
insourcing in America?
A. What is the cost to reverse the trend of insourcing in America?
B. How does insourcing replace domestic jobs lost from outsourcing?
C. Since 2001, what has been the decrease in the number of
foreign-born students in America?
D. What opportunities do American graduate students have to interact
regularly with foreigners who are not students?
E. What effect would a government policy have on the number of foreign
graduate students?
7 Most cable television companies currently require customers to
subscribe to packages of channels, but consumer groups have recently
proposed legislation that would force the companies to offer a la
carte pricing. Subscribers would pay less, argue the consumer groups,
because they could purchase only the desired channels. However, the
cable industry argues that under the current package pricing, popular
channels subsidize less-popular ones, providing more options for
viewers. For this reason, the industry claims that it is always
cheaper for the consumer to purchase many bundled channels than to buy
them individually. Which of the following would be most important for
the government to determine before deciding whether to require cable
television companies to offer a la carte pricing in order to reduce
consumer costs?
A. Whether the total number of channels offered to consumers would
decrease, along with programming diversity, as a result of the a la
carte pricing structure
B. Whether advertising revenue for the cable television companies
would decrease as a result of the a la carte pricing structure
C. Whether the vast majority of consumers would greatly reduce the
number of channels purchased if given the option of purchasing them
individually
D. Whether cable and satellite companies currently have the ability to
buy channels individually from programmers and content providers
E. Whether a la carte subscribers would be required to have new
television set-top boxes
8 Child development specialists have observed that adolescents who
receive large weekly allowances tend to spend money on items
considered frivolous by their parents whereas adolescents who receive
small weekly allowances do not. Thus, in order to ensure that their
children do not spend money on frivolous items, parents should not
give their children large weekly allowances. Which of the following
pieces of information would be most useful in evaluating the validity
of the conclusion above?
A. The average amount of money received by adolescents who receive
large weekly allowances
B. Any differences among parents in the standard used to judge an item
as frivolous
C. The educational background of the child development specialists who
made this observation
D. The difference between the average annual income of families in
which the parents give their children large weekly allowances and that
of families in which the parents give their children small weekly
allowances
E. The percentage of adolescents who receive no weekly allowance
9 The downturn in the economy last year has prompted many companies to
make widely publicized layoffs, resulting in thousands of lost jobs.
Economists predicted that these layoffs would cause people generally
to cut back on their discretionary spending even if their jobs were
secure, in anticipation of coming hard times. However, this prediction
has not come to pass, since there has been no increase in the amount
of money set aside by the general public in savings accounts. The
answer to which of the following questions would be most useful in
evaluating the significance of the savings patterns described above?
A. What business sectors were most affected by the layoffs?
B. How much of their savings, on average, do laid-off employees
deplete before finding new employment?
C. What has been the percent increase in the cost of necessities such
as food, housing, and utilities during the period since the layoffs?
D. What percentage of people laid off have savings accounts?
E. What has been the average salary during the period since the layoffs?
10 Zoologists warn of an imminent surge in the number of bird species
that will become extinct within this century. Nevertheless, these
zoologists are wrong. One need only consider the information gathered
on native North American raptors, such as bald eagles and peregrine
falcons. Several of these species came close to vanishing between 1900
and 1970, but since 1970, the local populations of these raptors have
rebounded. The answer to which of the following questions provides
information that would be most helpful in evaluating the argument
above?
A. How many species of non-native raptors have been introduced into
North America since 1970?
B. What special efforts, if any, have been made to rescue native North
American raptors since 1970?
C. How many years' experience do the zoologists have in evaluating
patterns of extinction among animals?
D. To what degree have native North American raptors migrated to other
parts of the world?
E. How many acres of woodland are set aside each year as bird refuges?
1 Since the new publisher took control, a news magazine's covers have
featured only models and movie stars. Previously, the covers had
displayed only politicians, soldiers, and business leaders. A leading
gossip columnist claimed that the changes made the magazine relevant
again. However, many newspaper editorials disagreed and suggested that
the new publisher is more interested in boosting sales than in
reporting important news events.
Which of the following is an assumption necessary for the argument
made by the gossip columnist's opponents?
• The charitable activities of models and movie stars often focus
public attention on pressing problems.
• Final authority for choosing the cover subject of the magazine lies
with the publisher.
• A magazine can boost sales while highlighting the coverage of
important world leaders.
• Some of the movie stars featured are now running for political office.
• Magazine issues with models or movie stars on the covers are
purchased at a rate more than three times greater than is the case
with issues featuring politicians on the covers.
2 In response to the increasing cost of producing energy through
traditional means, such as combustion, many utility companies have
begun investing in renewable energy sources, chiefly wind and solar
power, hoping someday to rely on them completely and thus lower energy
costs. The utility companies claim that although these sources require
significant initial capital investment, they will provide stable
energy supplies at low cost. As a result, these sources will be less
risky for the utilities than nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil,
and coal, whose prices can fluctuate dramatically according to
availability. The claim of the utility companies presupposes which of
the following?
• The public will embrace the development of wind and solar power.
• No new deposits of gas, oil, and coal will be discovered in the near future.
• Weather patterns are consistent and predictable.
• The necessary technology for conversion to wind and solar power is
not more expensive than the technology needed to create energy through
combustion.
• Obtaining energy from nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil and
coal, cannot be made less risky.
3 Surveys consistently show that the best-selling ice cream flavor is
vanilla, although those who prefer chocolate rarely order vanilla.
Vanilla-flavored candy, then, probably sells better than
chocolate-flavored candy. Which of the following is an assumption upon
which the author of the argument relies?
• Because someone prefers vanilla ice cream does not mean he prefers
vanilla-flavored candy.
• Children who prefer vanilla ice cream also tend to like chocolate candy.
• Those who prefer neither vanilla nor chocolate ice cream also prefer
other flavors of candy.
• Someone who prefers vanilla ice cream may still order chocolate on occasion.
• Preferences for certain ice cream flavors are similar to preferences
for candy flavors.
4 The media claim that the economy is entering a phase of growth and
prosperity. They point to lower unemployment rates and increased
productivity. This analysis is false, though. The number of people
filing for bankruptcy has increased every month for the last six
months, and bankruptcy lawyers report that they are busier than they
have been in years. Which of the following is an assumption on which
the argument depends?
• Unemployment rates are not useful indicators of growth and prosperity.
• Economic growth cannot be measured in terms of productivity.
• Legislation has not been recently passed to make legal bankruptcy
easier to obtain.
• There has not been an increase in the number of bankruptcy lawyers.
• The media often misrepresent the current state of economic affairs.
5 The recording industry is fighting a losing battle: it simply does
not have the resources to prosecute all of the individuals who
illegally download music from the Internet. Because the number of
individuals who will be charged with a crime is so limited, the
actions of the recording industry will have a minimal impact on the
number of people who illegally download music. The answer to which of
the following questions would best help evaluate the accuracy of the
conclusion above?
A. Will recording industry lawyers dedicate the majority of their time
to prosecuting those who illegally download music?
B. Is a small minority of individuals responsible for the majority of
illegal song downloads?
C. Do many individuals who illegally download songs share their music
files with other Internet users?
D. Will new Internet security technology permit the recording industry
to more quickly and easily identify individuals who illegally download
music?
E. Will the threat of prosecution alter the behavior of those who
illegally download music?
6
While political discourse and the media in the United States have
focused on the rise of job outsourcing, few have mentioned the sharp
fall of talent "insourcing," or the drop in enrollment of foreign-born
graduate students since 2001, and its dire results. The decrease in
such insourcing will hurt America's competitiveness in basic research
and applied technology, with serious consequences for years to come.
The de-internationalization of graduate programs across the country
will also negatively affect the global outlook and experience of the
American students remaining in those programs; they will not have the
opportunity to learn about foreign cultures directly from members of
those cultures. What distinguishes the decline of talent insourcing
from the rise of job outsourcing is that the former can be easily
rectified by a policy change of the United States government. The
answer to which of the following questions would be most useful in
evaluating the author's claim regarding the impact of decreased
insourcing in America?
A. What is the cost to reverse the trend of insourcing in America?
B. How does insourcing replace domestic jobs lost from outsourcing?
C. Since 2001, what has been the decrease in the number of
foreign-born students in America?
D. What opportunities do American graduate students have to interact
regularly with foreigners who are not students?
E. What effect would a government policy have on the number of foreign
graduate students?
7 Most cable television companies currently require customers to
subscribe to packages of channels, but consumer groups have recently
proposed legislation that would force the companies to offer a la
carte pricing. Subscribers would pay less, argue the consumer groups,
because they could purchase only the desired channels. However, the
cable industry argues that under the current package pricing, popular
channels subsidize less-popular ones, providing more options for
viewers. For this reason, the industry claims that it is always
cheaper for the consumer to purchase many bundled channels than to buy
them individually. Which of the following would be most important for
the government to determine before deciding whether to require cable
television companies to offer a la carte pricing in order to reduce
consumer costs?
A. Whether the total number of channels offered to consumers would
decrease, along with programming diversity, as a result of the a la
carte pricing structure
B. Whether advertising revenue for the cable television companies
would decrease as a result of the a la carte pricing structure
C. Whether the vast majority of consumers would greatly reduce the
number of channels purchased if given the option of purchasing them
individually
D. Whether cable and satellite companies currently have the ability to
buy channels individually from programmers and content providers
E. Whether a la carte subscribers would be required to have new
television set-top boxes
8 Child development specialists have observed that adolescents who
receive large weekly allowances tend to spend money on items
considered frivolous by their parents whereas adolescents who receive
small weekly allowances do not. Thus, in order to ensure that their
children do not spend money on frivolous items, parents should not
give their children large weekly allowances. Which of the following
pieces of information would be most useful in evaluating the validity
of the conclusion above?
A. The average amount of money received by adolescents who receive
large weekly allowances
B. Any differences among parents in the standard used to judge an item
as frivolous
C. The educational background of the child development specialists who
made this observation
D. The difference between the average annual income of families in
which the parents give their children large weekly allowances and that
of families in which the parents give their children small weekly
allowances
E. The percentage of adolescents who receive no weekly allowance
9 The downturn in the economy last year has prompted many companies to
make widely publicized layoffs, resulting in thousands of lost jobs.
Economists predicted that these layoffs would cause people generally
to cut back on their discretionary spending even if their jobs were
secure, in anticipation of coming hard times. However, this prediction
has not come to pass, since there has been no increase in the amount
of money set aside by the general public in savings accounts. The
answer to which of the following questions would be most useful in
evaluating the significance of the savings patterns described above?
A. What business sectors were most affected by the layoffs?
B. How much of their savings, on average, do laid-off employees
deplete before finding new employment?
C. What has been the percent increase in the cost of necessities such
as food, housing, and utilities during the period since the layoffs?
D. What percentage of people laid off have savings accounts?
E. What has been the average salary during the period since the layoffs?
10 Zoologists warn of an imminent surge in the number of bird species
that will become extinct within this century. Nevertheless, these
zoologists are wrong. One need only consider the information gathered
on native North American raptors, such as bald eagles and peregrine
falcons. Several of these species came close to vanishing between 1900
and 1970, but since 1970, the local populations of these raptors have
rebounded. The answer to which of the following questions provides
information that would be most helpful in evaluating the argument
above?
A. How many species of non-native raptors have been introduced into
North America since 1970?
B. What special efforts, if any, have been made to rescue native North
American raptors since 1970?
C. How many years' experience do the zoologists have in evaluating
patterns of extinction among animals?
D. To what degree have native North American raptors migrated to other
parts of the world?
E. How many acres of woodland are set aside each year as bird refuges?
PC Exercise
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.
A man can live for three days without bread, but no man can live for
one day without poetry, was an
aphorism of Baudelaire. You can live without pictures and music but
you cannot live without eating,
says the author of Dinners and Dishes; and this latter view is, no
doubt, the more popular. Who,
indeed, in these degenerate days would hesitate between an ode and an
omelette, a sonnet and a
salmis? Yet, the position is not entirely philistine; cookery is an
art; are not its principles the subject
of South Kensington lectures, and does not the Royal Academy give a
banquet once a year?
Besides, as the coming democracy will, no doubt, insist on feeding us
all on penny dinners, it is
well that the laws of cookery should be explained.
_____________________________________
(a) There are twenty ways of cooking a potato and three hundred and
sixty-five ways of cooking an
egg; our cooks, up to the present moment, know only three methods of
sending up either one or
the other.
(b) For were the national meal burned, or badly seasoned, or served up
with the wrong sauce a
dreadful revolution might follow.
(c) The real difficulty that we all have to face in life is not so
much the science of cookery as the
stupidity of cooks.
(d) For a bad cook is a foolish woman who should be turned for her
iniquities into a pillar of salt
which she never knows how to use.
50. 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.
'Everyone feels abandoned at a psychic level', I am told. But for
children whose biological parents
have died or left them with distant family members or institutions,
being dumped and passed on
from one reluctant relative to the other is a stark reality. It is one
that permeates their being in ways
that cannot even be imagined. For girls, it would seem, being unwanted
is the default setting. But for
adopted girls, ironically, loss and rejection from one side and being
warmly embraced from the other
go almost hand in hand._____________________________________________
(a) Despite the insecurity of the first few years of life, they are
open and trusting for the most part.
(b) With the knowledge of having been cast off by their biological
families, they are enveloped, soon
after, by the deep desire of adoptive parents to nurture.
(c) Adoptive parents have to furnish all manner of proof that they are
worthy parents.
(d) Indeed, adoptive parents live with their yearning for children for
many years before it can become
a reality.
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.
This week, Tom Donilon, the US national security advisor, laid out a
detailed Asia plan for Obama's
second administration. The speech, much awaited in Asia, turned out to
be short on specifics and
long on strategic vision. For every country east of India, parsing
through that speech, we were no
wiser about how deep Obama's "pivoted" footprint in Asia is going to
be. We learnt all that was
usual. In the past year, the US has nuanced its Asia pivot from being
the robust variety espoused by
Hillary Clinton to a more cautious one by John Kerry.
_____________________________________
(a) Donilon took time to set out the contours of other relationships
including India.
(b) This comes a couple of years after Barack Obama's chastening
experience with a US-China 'G-
2'.
(c) Obama brings a new flavour to this new strategy.
(d) Donilon, who really speaks for the president, stayed towards the
cautious, continuing the thread
of Obama's light footprint, moderate foreign policy.
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.
My lapse from faith occurred as is usual among people on our level of
education. In most cases, I
think, it happens thus: a man lives like everybody else, on the basis
of principles not merely having
nothing in common with religious doctrine, but generally opposed to
it; religious doctrine does not
play a part in life, in interaction with others it is never
encountered, and in a man's own life he never
has to reckon with it. Religious doctrine is professed far away from
life and independently of it.
________________
(a) It will often happen, perhaps from the nature of things, that it
is impossible to master and
express a religious idea.
(b) In the view of doctrinal developments in general, it cannot be
denied that those which relate to
the objects of faith have a character of their own, and must be
considered separately.
(c) If it is encountered, it is only as an external phenomenon
disconnected from life.
(d) It is the most difficult thing to contemplate upon.
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.
For the reader, however, the novel always begins with that opening
sentence (which may not, of
course, be the first sentence the novelist originally wrote). And then
the next sentence, and then the
sentence after that — When does the beginning of a novel end, is
another difficult question to
answer. Is it the first paragraph, the first few pages, or the first
chapter? However one defines it, the
beginning of a novel is a threshold, separating the real world we
inhabit from the world the novelist
has imagined. ________________
(a) The question is almost as difficult to answer as the question,
when does the human embryo
become a person?
(b) It should therefore, as the phrase goes, "draw us in".
(c) There are, of course, many other ways of beginning a novel.
(d) A novel can provide different perspectives on the same event - but
only one at a time.
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.
Ganesh Pyne, the soft-spoken, gentle-mannered painter based in
Kolkata, was a paradox. The
more the demand for his temperas and water-colours soared in the 1980s
and 1990s, the more he
shrank from the glare of publicity. The galloping prices of his works
made him inversely insecure.
Over a period of time, he painted a series called Performers, where
the artist is shown as a clown,
an entertainer, and a performing animal attempting to please patrons.
Pyne had a modern mind with
a taste for modern poetry, theatre and cinema. ________________
(a) But he nurtured deep within him a mythic imagination.
(b) In the course of my very first interview with Ganesh Pyne, the
artist had stated that he was
obsessed with death.
(c) His paintings that evoke intimations of mortality will continue to haunt us.
(d) What made him a great artist was that he counterbalanced the
darkening mood of his paintings
with some source of light.
1. 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.
That is when you stop laughing and start worrying about a team that
was virtually invincible in Test
cricket from the early Nineties to mid-2005 when Australia surrendered
the Ashes to England in a
stirring series at the home of cricket. The setback was followed by
yet another period of domination
up till 2008 after which Australian cricket went into a tailspin and
continues to hurtle from one
disaster to another. Ironically, Arthur seems to have woken up to the
reality only after his team found
itself 0-2 down in the series after playing some pretty ordinary
cricket. _______________
(a) He handed out 'homework' that was meant to make players more
responsible for their own
deeds and improve on-field performances.
(b) The coach had himself shunned doing his own bit prior to the
opening Test match against
India in Chennai.
(c) Both Arthur and skipper Michael Clarke surely need to tell cricket
lovers what prompted their
bizarre decision making that was bound to backfire on them.
(d) He owes his position of eminence to the Argus report that
recommended an enhanced role for
the coach.
1. 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.
But the biggest change was recording the sound on the new,
multi-channel Dolby Stereo that could
be played to great effect even in small theatres with the old mono
sound system. Allen and his team
convinced more than 40 theatres to upgrade their audio systems, but
the advantage was that the
new technology could be adapted to the old set-up. The sound thrilled
and the successes of Star
Wars and Close Encounters of The Third Kind gave way to more
inventions, though Allen's focus
remains on creating new technology that is compatible with older
formats. _______________
(a) The 73-year-old, who is currently in India, has been instrumental
in several major sound
engineering innovations in Hollywood.
(b) It's never been easy to convince hard-nosed studio executives and
tight-fisted theatre owners
of the benefits of the new technology.
(c) Over the years, Allen and his colleagues had struck up a personal
equation with the more
powerful filmmakers and producers.
(d) Studio heads have said that the old sound system was not good enough.
1. 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.
It is precisely this effect that Satya Paul hoped Masaba's touch would
generate when it hired her as
fashion director last November. With her, the 28-year old fashion
brand, traditionally patronised by
older women, wants to break into the youth segment. "I think the
reason I was chosen for the job is
that I am a gutsy designer. I am fearless in my choice of prints,
colours and presentation," said
Masaba. Love for prints is another thing that connects the brand to
her. But her choice is more edgy
and quirky. _______________
(a) These motifs she chooses represent the journey of a woman.
(b) Eclectic prints, however, are nothing new to fashion, not even in India.
(c) Satya Paul appeals both to the young and those who desperately
want to look young.
(d) Palms, cows, cameras, timepieces are some wacky motifs that have
been spotted on her
creations, especially saris.
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 recent decision of the government of India to impose a moratorium
on the release of Bt-Brinjal
has been hailed by civil society and scientists alike as a victory for
transparency and has demonstrated
that the government is responsive to societal demands. This decision
is also important since it
could set a precedent within environmental regulation with reference
to technologies with significant
environmental risks.
(a) This establishes a clear case for ensuring legal certainty in
environmental regulations especially
in the case of technologies with significant risks attached to it.
(b) The process of arriving at this decision had also attracted a fair
share of media attention, given
its 'sensational' nature.
(c) However, the decision also reflects a clear departure from
procedure and its legal basis is
tenuous and therefore the risk of it being reversed remains.
(d) The world is waiting, with fingers crossed (or pointed?), as to
what this decision would mean for
farmers across the world.
1
Ans-b
The author of the passage writes his take on the
book Dinners and Dishes. Although, at first glance it
appears as if the author of this passage supports the
views of the book, a closer examination tells us that
it is indeed the opposite. The author writes in a
sarcastic tone. He comments on the absurdity of the
idea that food can be as much as, and even more
important than art forms like poetry. He attacks by
exaggerating the importance of mention of cookery in
South Kensington lectures and by talking about the
Royal Academy's banquets. He proceeds to talk about
the coming democracy feeding people on penny
dinners and this makes the laws of cookery being
explained essential. The sentence that would best
complete the passage should also be in the same
sarcastic tone. Option (b) does that and states that if
the national meal gets burned or is badly seasoned, a
dreadful revolution might follow- again an
exaggeration as this gives badly cooked food status
of a national emergency. Option (a) talks about the
incompetence of cooks as they do not know all the
ways of cooking. This is unconnected to the last line
and is hence incorrect. All the three options apart
from (b) can be eliminated as they shift focus from
the review of the book and 'art of cookery' and also
change the tone of the passage.
2
Ans-b
The tone throughout the paragraph is negative.
However, the last sentence turns towards the positive.
How the loss and rejection that adopted girls face
from their biological parents and the warmth they
receive from the adopting parents go hand in hand is
elaborated upon in option (b). Thus, option (b) is the
correct answer. Option (a) can be ruled out as it
discusses the early years of an adopted girl which is
not related to the last line of the passage. Options (c)
and (d) focus on the adoptive parents, whereas the
paragraph focuses on the child and her emotions/
thoughts. Thus, both of these options can be
eliminated.
3
Ans - d
The paragraph indicates that specific details on
Obama's Asia plan were not revealed in a recent
speech by Tom Donilon. Countries that lie east of
India did not obtain any further information on the US
administration's plan for Asia through Donilon's
speech. The last line talks about the speeches made
in the past that ranged from being robust (that of
Hillary Clinton) to cautious (that of John Kerry). This
should be followed by a statement that talks of
Donilon's speech in light of these past speeches.
Option (d) fits the bill as it states that Donilon's speech
was more towards the cautious. Option (a) indicates
that Donilon elaborated on relationships with other
countries. This can be ruled out because it goes
against the information in the passage which states
that no specific details were given. Option (b) is
incorrect because it links the US' Asia plan with a
specific experience at the US-China G-2. There is
nothing in the passage that suggests such a link.
Option (c) is incorrect because the passage
discusses the Asia plan of the Obama administration
as drafted by Donilon and so Obama cannot bring a
"new flavor to this strategy". Moreover, there is no
antecedent for 'this strategy' in the passage. Option
(d) is the correct answer.
4
AnS (c). In the given paragraph, the author says that for any
human being, the interaction with the religion or
religious doctrine does not happen every day. Option
(c) is in accordance with the given idea as it says that
these interactions are disconnected from life. Option
(a) is incorrect because the author is trying to explain
'religious doctrine' per se and is not talking about
expressing a religious idea. Option (b) is incorrect as
the author specifically refers to religious doctrine and
not to doctrinal developments in general. Option (d) is
inappropriate because the author is not talking about
the difficulty or ease with which religious doctrine
can be understood. He is trying to elucidate the fact
that a human being does not encounter religion or
religious doctrine while performing his daily activities
as this phenomenon is disconnected from us and our
lives. Hence, option (c) is correct.
5
AnS (b). Option (b) is the most suitable choice as the author
talks about 'threshold' in the previous sentence which
indicates 'an entry into something'. The phrase 'draw
us in' further reemphasizes the point of 'entrance into
something' and hence is the correct choice. Option (a)
is incorrect as it talks about the question while the
author has already begun to answer the question in
the last statement of the paragraph. Option (c) could
be a start of another paragraph as it begins to give
more details about ways of beginning a novel. Option
(d) is not related to the 'beginning of a novel' as it talks
about 'perspectives' a novel can provide. Hence, option
(b) is correct.
6
Ans (a). In the first sentence, it is stated that Ganesh Pyne
was a paradox. The next two sentences substantiate
this statement. In the last sentence, the author states
that Pyne had a modern mind. Option (a) logically
follows the paragraph because it states paradoxically
that Pyne's mind was also filled with mythic (fictitious,
dealing in a prehistoric period) imagination. Option (a)
also follows the full circle approach by bringing the
reader back to the assertion made in the first sentence
– that Pyne was a paradox. Options (b), (c) and (d)
are incorrect because they do not substantiate the
central theme that Pyne was a paradox nor do these
statements substantiate the last sentence that Pyne
had a modern mind.
7
Ans.(a). The option that logically completes the paragraph
should either conclude the paragraph or substantiate
the last sentence. Option (a) helps understand how
"Arthur seems to have woken up to the reality" since
it states what Arthur is doing now (handing out
homework 'that was meant to make players more
responsible') to bring the Australian cricket back in
shape. Option (b) can be ruled out because it logically
goes against the last sentence which states that Arthur
seems to have woken up to the harsh reality. There is
a disconnect between the paragraph and option (c)
as the passage doesn't talk about any decision made
by Arthur and skipper Clarke that can be termed as a
bizarre decision. Option (d) is incorrect because it
goes beyond the scope of the paragraph to discuss
Arthur's position of eminence. Hence, option (a) is the
correct answer.
8
.Ans. (b). The correct option should either sum up the entire
paragraph or elaborate upon the last line of the
paragraph. Option (b) does the latter and is hence the
correct option. The author begins by talking of one
technological innovation that Allen brought about in
the field of sound engineering. He adds in the last line
that Allen's focus is on creating new technology that
is compatible with older formats. Option (b) gives a
reason for this by mentioning about the difficulty in
convincing hard-nosed executives and tight-fisted
theatre owners of the benefits of the new technology.
The author has already talked of one new technology
created by Allen and his team. Option (a), which states
that he has been instrumental in several major sound
engineering innovations in Hollywood, doesn't add
anything new to the paragraph. Thus, it is more of an
introductory sentence and doesn't fit in logically at the
end of the paragraph. Option (c) doesn't connect with
the last line of the paragraph as the paragraph doesn't
talk of or hint at the personal equation of Allen with
powerful filmmakers and producers. Option (d) can
be ruled out since the focus in option (d) has shifted
from Allen and his technological innovations to studio
heads that have not been mentioned in the paragraph
before. Thus, option (b) is the correct answer.
9
.Ans.(d). The main focus of the paragraph is on Masaba and
her aesthetic sensibilities. Option (d) is the answer as
it elaborates on how Masaba's choice is edgy and
quirky. Option (a) is incorrect because there is no
antecedent in the paragraph for the pronoun 'these' in
option (a). Option (b) is incorrect because it moves
into the more general discussion on eclectic prints in
Indian fashion, which is completely out of context with
the given paragraph. The paragraph focuses on
Masaba and her choice. Option (c) goes back to Satya
Paul and the segment it appeals to. There's nothing in
the paragraph or the option that signals this shift and
hence option (c) is disconnected with the paragraph.
Option (d) is the correct answer, taking the "edgy and
quirky" theme forward with examples of "wacky"
motifs.
10
Ans.(c). The key to this answer is the word 'however' at the
beginning of option (c). This word marks the shift in
the author's tone from appreciation of the government's
decision to an observation of possible outcomes of
this decision. Option (a) looks close, but it brings in the
concept of legal certainty in environmental regulations.
The precedent to 'This' in the beginning of the sentence
is also not very clear. The passage is applauding a
certain decision. Option (a) seems to be an abrupt
shift as it says that this indicates that we need to
establish legal certainty in regulations. There are no
grounds in the passage on which we can base this
assertion. Option (d) presents a very bleak picture
and is inconsistent with the flow of the paragraph.
Option (b) brings up an altogether different issue –
that of media attention. The word "sensational' in this
option is too far-fetched.
deleted. From the given options,
choose the one that completes the paragraph in the most appropriate way.
A man can live for three days without bread, but no man can live for
one day without poetry, was an
aphorism of Baudelaire. You can live without pictures and music but
you cannot live without eating,
says the author of Dinners and Dishes; and this latter view is, no
doubt, the more popular. Who,
indeed, in these degenerate days would hesitate between an ode and an
omelette, a sonnet and a
salmis? Yet, the position is not entirely philistine; cookery is an
art; are not its principles the subject
of South Kensington lectures, and does not the Royal Academy give a
banquet once a year?
Besides, as the coming democracy will, no doubt, insist on feeding us
all on penny dinners, it is
well that the laws of cookery should be explained.
_____________________________________
(a) There are twenty ways of cooking a potato and three hundred and
sixty-five ways of cooking an
egg; our cooks, up to the present moment, know only three methods of
sending up either one or
the other.
(b) For were the national meal burned, or badly seasoned, or served up
with the wrong sauce a
dreadful revolution might follow.
(c) The real difficulty that we all have to face in life is not so
much the science of cookery as the
stupidity of cooks.
(d) For a bad cook is a foolish woman who should be turned for her
iniquities into a pillar of salt
which she never knows how to use.
50. 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.
'Everyone feels abandoned at a psychic level', I am told. But for
children whose biological parents
have died or left them with distant family members or institutions,
being dumped and passed on
from one reluctant relative to the other is a stark reality. It is one
that permeates their being in ways
that cannot even be imagined. For girls, it would seem, being unwanted
is the default setting. But for
adopted girls, ironically, loss and rejection from one side and being
warmly embraced from the other
go almost hand in hand._____________________________________________
(a) Despite the insecurity of the first few years of life, they are
open and trusting for the most part.
(b) With the knowledge of having been cast off by their biological
families, they are enveloped, soon
after, by the deep desire of adoptive parents to nurture.
(c) Adoptive parents have to furnish all manner of proof that they are
worthy parents.
(d) Indeed, adoptive parents live with their yearning for children for
many years before it can become
a reality.
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.
This week, Tom Donilon, the US national security advisor, laid out a
detailed Asia plan for Obama's
second administration. The speech, much awaited in Asia, turned out to
be short on specifics and
long on strategic vision. For every country east of India, parsing
through that speech, we were no
wiser about how deep Obama's "pivoted" footprint in Asia is going to
be. We learnt all that was
usual. In the past year, the US has nuanced its Asia pivot from being
the robust variety espoused by
Hillary Clinton to a more cautious one by John Kerry.
_____________________________________
(a) Donilon took time to set out the contours of other relationships
including India.
(b) This comes a couple of years after Barack Obama's chastening
experience with a US-China 'G-
2'.
(c) Obama brings a new flavour to this new strategy.
(d) Donilon, who really speaks for the president, stayed towards the
cautious, continuing the thread
of Obama's light footprint, moderate foreign policy.
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.
My lapse from faith occurred as is usual among people on our level of
education. In most cases, I
think, it happens thus: a man lives like everybody else, on the basis
of principles not merely having
nothing in common with religious doctrine, but generally opposed to
it; religious doctrine does not
play a part in life, in interaction with others it is never
encountered, and in a man's own life he never
has to reckon with it. Religious doctrine is professed far away from
life and independently of it.
________________
(a) It will often happen, perhaps from the nature of things, that it
is impossible to master and
express a religious idea.
(b) In the view of doctrinal developments in general, it cannot be
denied that those which relate to
the objects of faith have a character of their own, and must be
considered separately.
(c) If it is encountered, it is only as an external phenomenon
disconnected from life.
(d) It is the most difficult thing to contemplate upon.
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.
For the reader, however, the novel always begins with that opening
sentence (which may not, of
course, be the first sentence the novelist originally wrote). And then
the next sentence, and then the
sentence after that — When does the beginning of a novel end, is
another difficult question to
answer. Is it the first paragraph, the first few pages, or the first
chapter? However one defines it, the
beginning of a novel is a threshold, separating the real world we
inhabit from the world the novelist
has imagined. ________________
(a) The question is almost as difficult to answer as the question,
when does the human embryo
become a person?
(b) It should therefore, as the phrase goes, "draw us in".
(c) There are, of course, many other ways of beginning a novel.
(d) A novel can provide different perspectives on the same event - but
only one at a time.
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.
Ganesh Pyne, the soft-spoken, gentle-mannered painter based in
Kolkata, was a paradox. The
more the demand for his temperas and water-colours soared in the 1980s
and 1990s, the more he
shrank from the glare of publicity. The galloping prices of his works
made him inversely insecure.
Over a period of time, he painted a series called Performers, where
the artist is shown as a clown,
an entertainer, and a performing animal attempting to please patrons.
Pyne had a modern mind with
a taste for modern poetry, theatre and cinema. ________________
(a) But he nurtured deep within him a mythic imagination.
(b) In the course of my very first interview with Ganesh Pyne, the
artist had stated that he was
obsessed with death.
(c) His paintings that evoke intimations of mortality will continue to haunt us.
(d) What made him a great artist was that he counterbalanced the
darkening mood of his paintings
with some source of light.
1. 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.
That is when you stop laughing and start worrying about a team that
was virtually invincible in Test
cricket from the early Nineties to mid-2005 when Australia surrendered
the Ashes to England in a
stirring series at the home of cricket. The setback was followed by
yet another period of domination
up till 2008 after which Australian cricket went into a tailspin and
continues to hurtle from one
disaster to another. Ironically, Arthur seems to have woken up to the
reality only after his team found
itself 0-2 down in the series after playing some pretty ordinary
cricket. _______________
(a) He handed out 'homework' that was meant to make players more
responsible for their own
deeds and improve on-field performances.
(b) The coach had himself shunned doing his own bit prior to the
opening Test match against
India in Chennai.
(c) Both Arthur and skipper Michael Clarke surely need to tell cricket
lovers what prompted their
bizarre decision making that was bound to backfire on them.
(d) He owes his position of eminence to the Argus report that
recommended an enhanced role for
the coach.
1. 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.
But the biggest change was recording the sound on the new,
multi-channel Dolby Stereo that could
be played to great effect even in small theatres with the old mono
sound system. Allen and his team
convinced more than 40 theatres to upgrade their audio systems, but
the advantage was that the
new technology could be adapted to the old set-up. The sound thrilled
and the successes of Star
Wars and Close Encounters of The Third Kind gave way to more
inventions, though Allen's focus
remains on creating new technology that is compatible with older
formats. _______________
(a) The 73-year-old, who is currently in India, has been instrumental
in several major sound
engineering innovations in Hollywood.
(b) It's never been easy to convince hard-nosed studio executives and
tight-fisted theatre owners
of the benefits of the new technology.
(c) Over the years, Allen and his colleagues had struck up a personal
equation with the more
powerful filmmakers and producers.
(d) Studio heads have said that the old sound system was not good enough.
1. 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.
It is precisely this effect that Satya Paul hoped Masaba's touch would
generate when it hired her as
fashion director last November. With her, the 28-year old fashion
brand, traditionally patronised by
older women, wants to break into the youth segment. "I think the
reason I was chosen for the job is
that I am a gutsy designer. I am fearless in my choice of prints,
colours and presentation," said
Masaba. Love for prints is another thing that connects the brand to
her. But her choice is more edgy
and quirky. _______________
(a) These motifs she chooses represent the journey of a woman.
(b) Eclectic prints, however, are nothing new to fashion, not even in India.
(c) Satya Paul appeals both to the young and those who desperately
want to look young.
(d) Palms, cows, cameras, timepieces are some wacky motifs that have
been spotted on her
creations, especially saris.
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 recent decision of the government of India to impose a moratorium
on the release of Bt-Brinjal
has been hailed by civil society and scientists alike as a victory for
transparency and has demonstrated
that the government is responsive to societal demands. This decision
is also important since it
could set a precedent within environmental regulation with reference
to technologies with significant
environmental risks.
(a) This establishes a clear case for ensuring legal certainty in
environmental regulations especially
in the case of technologies with significant risks attached to it.
(b) The process of arriving at this decision had also attracted a fair
share of media attention, given
its 'sensational' nature.
(c) However, the decision also reflects a clear departure from
procedure and its legal basis is
tenuous and therefore the risk of it being reversed remains.
(d) The world is waiting, with fingers crossed (or pointed?), as to
what this decision would mean for
farmers across the world.
1
Ans-b
The author of the passage writes his take on the
book Dinners and Dishes. Although, at first glance it
appears as if the author of this passage supports the
views of the book, a closer examination tells us that
it is indeed the opposite. The author writes in a
sarcastic tone. He comments on the absurdity of the
idea that food can be as much as, and even more
important than art forms like poetry. He attacks by
exaggerating the importance of mention of cookery in
South Kensington lectures and by talking about the
Royal Academy's banquets. He proceeds to talk about
the coming democracy feeding people on penny
dinners and this makes the laws of cookery being
explained essential. The sentence that would best
complete the passage should also be in the same
sarcastic tone. Option (b) does that and states that if
the national meal gets burned or is badly seasoned, a
dreadful revolution might follow- again an
exaggeration as this gives badly cooked food status
of a national emergency. Option (a) talks about the
incompetence of cooks as they do not know all the
ways of cooking. This is unconnected to the last line
and is hence incorrect. All the three options apart
from (b) can be eliminated as they shift focus from
the review of the book and 'art of cookery' and also
change the tone of the passage.
2
Ans-b
The tone throughout the paragraph is negative.
However, the last sentence turns towards the positive.
How the loss and rejection that adopted girls face
from their biological parents and the warmth they
receive from the adopting parents go hand in hand is
elaborated upon in option (b). Thus, option (b) is the
correct answer. Option (a) can be ruled out as it
discusses the early years of an adopted girl which is
not related to the last line of the passage. Options (c)
and (d) focus on the adoptive parents, whereas the
paragraph focuses on the child and her emotions/
thoughts. Thus, both of these options can be
eliminated.
3
Ans - d
The paragraph indicates that specific details on
Obama's Asia plan were not revealed in a recent
speech by Tom Donilon. Countries that lie east of
India did not obtain any further information on the US
administration's plan for Asia through Donilon's
speech. The last line talks about the speeches made
in the past that ranged from being robust (that of
Hillary Clinton) to cautious (that of John Kerry). This
should be followed by a statement that talks of
Donilon's speech in light of these past speeches.
Option (d) fits the bill as it states that Donilon's speech
was more towards the cautious. Option (a) indicates
that Donilon elaborated on relationships with other
countries. This can be ruled out because it goes
against the information in the passage which states
that no specific details were given. Option (b) is
incorrect because it links the US' Asia plan with a
specific experience at the US-China G-2. There is
nothing in the passage that suggests such a link.
Option (c) is incorrect because the passage
discusses the Asia plan of the Obama administration
as drafted by Donilon and so Obama cannot bring a
"new flavor to this strategy". Moreover, there is no
antecedent for 'this strategy' in the passage. Option
(d) is the correct answer.
4
AnS (c). In the given paragraph, the author says that for any
human being, the interaction with the religion or
religious doctrine does not happen every day. Option
(c) is in accordance with the given idea as it says that
these interactions are disconnected from life. Option
(a) is incorrect because the author is trying to explain
'religious doctrine' per se and is not talking about
expressing a religious idea. Option (b) is incorrect as
the author specifically refers to religious doctrine and
not to doctrinal developments in general. Option (d) is
inappropriate because the author is not talking about
the difficulty or ease with which religious doctrine
can be understood. He is trying to elucidate the fact
that a human being does not encounter religion or
religious doctrine while performing his daily activities
as this phenomenon is disconnected from us and our
lives. Hence, option (c) is correct.
5
AnS (b). Option (b) is the most suitable choice as the author
talks about 'threshold' in the previous sentence which
indicates 'an entry into something'. The phrase 'draw
us in' further reemphasizes the point of 'entrance into
something' and hence is the correct choice. Option (a)
is incorrect as it talks about the question while the
author has already begun to answer the question in
the last statement of the paragraph. Option (c) could
be a start of another paragraph as it begins to give
more details about ways of beginning a novel. Option
(d) is not related to the 'beginning of a novel' as it talks
about 'perspectives' a novel can provide. Hence, option
(b) is correct.
6
Ans (a). In the first sentence, it is stated that Ganesh Pyne
was a paradox. The next two sentences substantiate
this statement. In the last sentence, the author states
that Pyne had a modern mind. Option (a) logically
follows the paragraph because it states paradoxically
that Pyne's mind was also filled with mythic (fictitious,
dealing in a prehistoric period) imagination. Option (a)
also follows the full circle approach by bringing the
reader back to the assertion made in the first sentence
– that Pyne was a paradox. Options (b), (c) and (d)
are incorrect because they do not substantiate the
central theme that Pyne was a paradox nor do these
statements substantiate the last sentence that Pyne
had a modern mind.
7
Ans.(a). The option that logically completes the paragraph
should either conclude the paragraph or substantiate
the last sentence. Option (a) helps understand how
"Arthur seems to have woken up to the reality" since
it states what Arthur is doing now (handing out
homework 'that was meant to make players more
responsible') to bring the Australian cricket back in
shape. Option (b) can be ruled out because it logically
goes against the last sentence which states that Arthur
seems to have woken up to the harsh reality. There is
a disconnect between the paragraph and option (c)
as the passage doesn't talk about any decision made
by Arthur and skipper Clarke that can be termed as a
bizarre decision. Option (d) is incorrect because it
goes beyond the scope of the paragraph to discuss
Arthur's position of eminence. Hence, option (a) is the
correct answer.
8
.Ans. (b). The correct option should either sum up the entire
paragraph or elaborate upon the last line of the
paragraph. Option (b) does the latter and is hence the
correct option. The author begins by talking of one
technological innovation that Allen brought about in
the field of sound engineering. He adds in the last line
that Allen's focus is on creating new technology that
is compatible with older formats. Option (b) gives a
reason for this by mentioning about the difficulty in
convincing hard-nosed executives and tight-fisted
theatre owners of the benefits of the new technology.
The author has already talked of one new technology
created by Allen and his team. Option (a), which states
that he has been instrumental in several major sound
engineering innovations in Hollywood, doesn't add
anything new to the paragraph. Thus, it is more of an
introductory sentence and doesn't fit in logically at the
end of the paragraph. Option (c) doesn't connect with
the last line of the paragraph as the paragraph doesn't
talk of or hint at the personal equation of Allen with
powerful filmmakers and producers. Option (d) can
be ruled out since the focus in option (d) has shifted
from Allen and his technological innovations to studio
heads that have not been mentioned in the paragraph
before. Thus, option (b) is the correct answer.
9
.Ans.(d). The main focus of the paragraph is on Masaba and
her aesthetic sensibilities. Option (d) is the answer as
it elaborates on how Masaba's choice is edgy and
quirky. Option (a) is incorrect because there is no
antecedent in the paragraph for the pronoun 'these' in
option (a). Option (b) is incorrect because it moves
into the more general discussion on eclectic prints in
Indian fashion, which is completely out of context with
the given paragraph. The paragraph focuses on
Masaba and her choice. Option (c) goes back to Satya
Paul and the segment it appeals to. There's nothing in
the paragraph or the option that signals this shift and
hence option (c) is disconnected with the paragraph.
Option (d) is the correct answer, taking the "edgy and
quirky" theme forward with examples of "wacky"
motifs.
10
Ans.(c). The key to this answer is the word 'however' at the
beginning of option (c). This word marks the shift in
the author's tone from appreciation of the government's
decision to an observation of possible outcomes of
this decision. Option (a) looks close, but it brings in the
concept of legal certainty in environmental regulations.
The precedent to 'This' in the beginning of the sentence
is also not very clear. The passage is applauding a
certain decision. Option (a) seems to be an abrupt
shift as it says that this indicates that we need to
establish legal certainty in regulations. There are no
grounds in the passage on which we can base this
assertion. Option (d) presents a very bleak picture
and is inconsistent with the flow of the paragraph.
Option (b) brings up an altogether different issue –
that of media attention. The word "sensational' in this
option is too far-fetched.
Monday, 20 June 2016
Sunday, 19 June 2016
June 20 RC #1
One of the criteria by which we judge the vitality of a style of
painting is its ability to renew itself — its responsiveness to the
changing nature and quality of experience, the degree of conceptual
and formal innovation that it exhibits. By this criterion, it would
appear that the practice of abstractionism has failed to engage
creatively with the radical change in human experience in recent
decades. It has, seemingly, been unwilling to re-invent itself in
relation to the systems of artistic expression and viewers'
expectations that have developed under the impact of the mass media.
The judgement that abstractionism has slipped into 'inter gear' is
gaining endorsement, not only among discerning viewers and
practitioners of other art forms, but also among abstract painters
themselves. Like their companions elsewhere in the world,
abstractionists in India are asking themselves an overwhelming
question today: Does abstractionism have a future? The major crisis
that abstractionists face is that of revitalising their picture
surface; few have improvised any solutions beyond the ones that were
exhausted by the 1970s. Like all revolutions, whether in policies or
in art, abstractionism must now confront its moment of truth: having
begun life as a new and radical pictorial approach to experience, it
has become an entrenched orthodoxy itself. Indeed, when viewed against
a historical situation in which a variety of subversive, interactive
and richly hybrid forms are available to the art practitioner,
abstractionism assumes the remote and defiant air of an aristocracy
that has outlived its age; trammelled by formulaic conventions yet
buttressed by a rhetoric of sacred mystery, it seems condemned to
being the last citadel of the self-regarding 'fine art' tradition, the
last hurrah of painting for painting's sake.
The situation is further complicated in India by the circumstances in
which an indigenous abstractionism came into prominence here during
the 1960s. From the beginning it was propelled by the dialectic
between two motives, one revolutionary and the other conservative — it
was inaugurated as an act of emancipation from the dogmas of the
nascent Indian nation state, when art was officially viewed as an
indulgence at worst, and at best, as an instrument for the celebration
of the republic's hopes and aspirations. Having rejected these dogmas,
the pioneering abstractionists also went on to reject the various
figurative styles associated with the Santiniketan circle and others.
In such a situation, abstractionism was a revolutionary move. It led
art towards the exploration of the subconscious mind, the spiritual
quest and the possible expansion of consciousness. Indian painting
entered into a phase of self-inquiry, a meditative inner space where
cosmic symbols and non-representational images ruled. Often, the
transition from figurative idioms to abstractionist ones took place
within the same artist.
At the same time, Indian abstractionists have rarely committed
themselves wholeheartedly to a nonrepresentational idiom. They have
been preoccupied with the fundamentally metaphysical project of
aspiring to the mystical-holy without altogether renouncing the
symbolic. This has been sustained by a hereditary reluctance to give
up the murti, the inviolable iconic form, which explains why
abstractionism is marked by the conservative tendency to operate with
images from the sacred repertoire of the past. Abstractionism thus
entered India as a double-edged device in a complex cultural
transaction. Ideologically, it served as an internationalist
legitimisation of the emerging revolutionary local trends. However, on
entry, it was conscripted to serve local artistic preoccupations — a
survey of indigenous abstractionism will show that its most obvious
points of affinity with European and American abstract art were with
the more mystically oriented of the major sources of abstractionist
philosophy and practice, for instance, the Kandinsky-Klee School.
There have been no takers for Malevich's Suprematism, which militantly
rejected both the artistic forms of the past and the world of
appearances, privileging the new-minted geometric symbol as an
autonomous sign of the desire for infinity.
Against this backdrop, we can identify three major abstractionist
idioms in Indian art. The first develops from a love of the earth, and
assumes the form of a celebration of the self's dissolution in the
cosmic panorama; the landscape is no longer a realistic transcription
of the scene, but is transformed into a visionary occasion for
contemplating the cycles of decay and regeneration. The second idiom
phrases its departures from symbolic and archetypal devices as
invitations to heightened planes of awareness. Abstractionism begins
with the establishment or dissolution of the motif, which can be drawn
from diverse sources, including the hieroglyphic tablet, the Sufi
meditation dance or the Tantric diagram. The third idiom is based on
the lyric play of forms guided by gesture or allied with formal
improvisations like the assemblage. Here, sometimes, the line dividing
abstract image from patterned design or quasi-random expressive
marking may blur. The flux of forms can also be regimented through the
policies of pure colour arrangements, vector-diagrammatic spaces and
gestural design.
In this genealogy, some pure lines of descent follow their logic to
the inevitable point of extinction, others engage in
cross-fertilization, and yet others undergo mutation to maintain their
energy. However, this genealogical survey demonstrates the wave at its
crests, those points where the metaphysical and the painterly have
been fused in images of abiding potency, ideas sensuously ordained
rather than fabricated programmatically to a concept. It is equally
possible to enumerate the troughs where the two principles do not come
together, thus arriving at a very different account. Uncharitable as
it may sound, the history of Indian abstractionism records a series of
attempts to avoid the risks of abstraction by resorting to an overt
and near-generic symbolism, which many Indian abstractionists embrace
when they find themselves bereft of the imaginative energy to
negotiate the union of metaphysics and painterliness.
Such symbolism falls into a dual trap: it succumbs to the pompous
vacuity of pure metaphysics when the burden of intention is passed off
as justification; or then it is desiccated by the arid formalism of
pure painterliness, with delight in the measure of chance or pattern
guiding the execution of a painting. The ensuing conflict of purpose
stalls the progress of abstractionism in an impasse. The remarkable
Indian abstractionists are precisely those who have overcome this and
addressed themselves to the basic elements of their art with a
decisive sense of independence from prior models. In their recent
work, we see the logic of Indian abstractionism pushed almost to the
furthest it can be taken. Beyond such artists stands a lost generation
of abstractionists whose work invokes a wistful, delicate beauty but
stops there.
Abstractionism is not a universal language; it is an art that points
up the loss of a shared language of signs in society. And yet, it
affirms the possibility of its recovery through the effort of
awareness. While its rheotoric has always emphasised a call for new
forms of attention, abstractionist practice has tended to fall into a
complacent pride in its own incomprehensibility; a complacency fatal
in an ethos where vibrant new idioms compete for the viewers'
attention. Indian abstractionists ought to really return to basics, to
reformulate and replenish their understanding of the nature of the
relationship between the painted image and the world around it. But
will they abandon their favourite conceptual habits and formal
conventions, if this becomes necessary?
9. Which one of the following is not stated by the author as a reason
for abstractionism losing its vitality?
a. Abstractionism has failed to reorient itself in the context of
changing human experience.
b. Abstractionism has not considered the developments in artistic
expression that have taken place in recent times.
c. Abstractionism has not followed the path taken by all revolutions,
whether in politics or art.
d. The impact of mass media on viewers' expectations has not been
assessed, and responded to, by abstractionism.
10. Which of the following, according to the author, is the role that
abstractionism plays in a society?
a. It provides an idiom that can be understood by most members in a society.
b. It highlights the absence of a shared language of meaningful
symbols which can be recreated through greater awareness.
c. It highlights the contradictory artistic trends of revolution and
conservatism that any society needs to move forward.
d. It helps abstractionists invoke the wistful, delicate beauty that
may exist in society.
11. According to the author, which one of the following characterises
the crisis faced by abstractionism?
a. Abstractionists appear to be unable to transcend the solutions
tried out earlier.
b. Abstractionism has allowed itself to be confined by set forms and practices.
c. Abstractionists have been unable to use the multiplicity of forms
now becoming available to an artist.
d. All of the above
12. According to the author, the introduction of abstractionism was
revolutionary because it
a. celebrated the hopes and aspirants of a newly independent nation.
b. provided a new direction to Indian art, towards self-inquiry and
non-representational images.
c. managed to obtain internationalist support for the abstractionist agenda.
d. was an emancipation from the dogmas of the nascent nation state.
13. Which one of the following is not part of the author's
characterization of the conservative trend in Indian abstractionism?
a. An exploration of the subconscious mind.
b. A lack of full commitment to non-representational symbols.
c. An adherence to the symbolic while aspiring to the mystical.
d. Usage of the images of gods or similar symbols.
14. Given the author's delineation of the three abstractionist idioms
in Indian art, the third idiom can be best distinguished from the
other two idioms through its
a. depiction of nature's cyclical renewal. b. use of
non-representational images.
c. emphasis on arrangement of forms. d. limited reliance on original models.
15. According to the author, the attraction of the Kandinsky-Klee
School for Indian abstractionists can be explained by which one of the
following?
a. The conservative tendency to aspire to the mystical without a
complete renunciation of the symbolic.
b. The discomfort of Indian abstractionists with Malevich's Suprematism.
c. The easy identification of obvious points of affinity with European
and American abstract art, of which the Kandinsky-Klee School is an
example.
d. The double-edged nature of abstractionism which enabled
identification with mystically-oriented schools.
16. Which one of the following, according to the author, is the most
important reason for the stalling of abstractionism's progress in an
impasse?
a. Some artists have followed their abstractionist logic to the point
of extinction.
b. Some artists have allowed chance or pattern to dominate the
execution of their paintings.
c. Many artists have avoided the trap of a near-generic and an open symbolism.
d. Many artists have found it difficult to fuse the twin principles of
the metaphysical and the painterly.
painting is its ability to renew itself — its responsiveness to the
changing nature and quality of experience, the degree of conceptual
and formal innovation that it exhibits. By this criterion, it would
appear that the practice of abstractionism has failed to engage
creatively with the radical change in human experience in recent
decades. It has, seemingly, been unwilling to re-invent itself in
relation to the systems of artistic expression and viewers'
expectations that have developed under the impact of the mass media.
The judgement that abstractionism has slipped into 'inter gear' is
gaining endorsement, not only among discerning viewers and
practitioners of other art forms, but also among abstract painters
themselves. Like their companions elsewhere in the world,
abstractionists in India are asking themselves an overwhelming
question today: Does abstractionism have a future? The major crisis
that abstractionists face is that of revitalising their picture
surface; few have improvised any solutions beyond the ones that were
exhausted by the 1970s. Like all revolutions, whether in policies or
in art, abstractionism must now confront its moment of truth: having
begun life as a new and radical pictorial approach to experience, it
has become an entrenched orthodoxy itself. Indeed, when viewed against
a historical situation in which a variety of subversive, interactive
and richly hybrid forms are available to the art practitioner,
abstractionism assumes the remote and defiant air of an aristocracy
that has outlived its age; trammelled by formulaic conventions yet
buttressed by a rhetoric of sacred mystery, it seems condemned to
being the last citadel of the self-regarding 'fine art' tradition, the
last hurrah of painting for painting's sake.
The situation is further complicated in India by the circumstances in
which an indigenous abstractionism came into prominence here during
the 1960s. From the beginning it was propelled by the dialectic
between two motives, one revolutionary and the other conservative — it
was inaugurated as an act of emancipation from the dogmas of the
nascent Indian nation state, when art was officially viewed as an
indulgence at worst, and at best, as an instrument for the celebration
of the republic's hopes and aspirations. Having rejected these dogmas,
the pioneering abstractionists also went on to reject the various
figurative styles associated with the Santiniketan circle and others.
In such a situation, abstractionism was a revolutionary move. It led
art towards the exploration of the subconscious mind, the spiritual
quest and the possible expansion of consciousness. Indian painting
entered into a phase of self-inquiry, a meditative inner space where
cosmic symbols and non-representational images ruled. Often, the
transition from figurative idioms to abstractionist ones took place
within the same artist.
At the same time, Indian abstractionists have rarely committed
themselves wholeheartedly to a nonrepresentational idiom. They have
been preoccupied with the fundamentally metaphysical project of
aspiring to the mystical-holy without altogether renouncing the
symbolic. This has been sustained by a hereditary reluctance to give
up the murti, the inviolable iconic form, which explains why
abstractionism is marked by the conservative tendency to operate with
images from the sacred repertoire of the past. Abstractionism thus
entered India as a double-edged device in a complex cultural
transaction. Ideologically, it served as an internationalist
legitimisation of the emerging revolutionary local trends. However, on
entry, it was conscripted to serve local artistic preoccupations — a
survey of indigenous abstractionism will show that its most obvious
points of affinity with European and American abstract art were with
the more mystically oriented of the major sources of abstractionist
philosophy and practice, for instance, the Kandinsky-Klee School.
There have been no takers for Malevich's Suprematism, which militantly
rejected both the artistic forms of the past and the world of
appearances, privileging the new-minted geometric symbol as an
autonomous sign of the desire for infinity.
Against this backdrop, we can identify three major abstractionist
idioms in Indian art. The first develops from a love of the earth, and
assumes the form of a celebration of the self's dissolution in the
cosmic panorama; the landscape is no longer a realistic transcription
of the scene, but is transformed into a visionary occasion for
contemplating the cycles of decay and regeneration. The second idiom
phrases its departures from symbolic and archetypal devices as
invitations to heightened planes of awareness. Abstractionism begins
with the establishment or dissolution of the motif, which can be drawn
from diverse sources, including the hieroglyphic tablet, the Sufi
meditation dance or the Tantric diagram. The third idiom is based on
the lyric play of forms guided by gesture or allied with formal
improvisations like the assemblage. Here, sometimes, the line dividing
abstract image from patterned design or quasi-random expressive
marking may blur. The flux of forms can also be regimented through the
policies of pure colour arrangements, vector-diagrammatic spaces and
gestural design.
In this genealogy, some pure lines of descent follow their logic to
the inevitable point of extinction, others engage in
cross-fertilization, and yet others undergo mutation to maintain their
energy. However, this genealogical survey demonstrates the wave at its
crests, those points where the metaphysical and the painterly have
been fused in images of abiding potency, ideas sensuously ordained
rather than fabricated programmatically to a concept. It is equally
possible to enumerate the troughs where the two principles do not come
together, thus arriving at a very different account. Uncharitable as
it may sound, the history of Indian abstractionism records a series of
attempts to avoid the risks of abstraction by resorting to an overt
and near-generic symbolism, which many Indian abstractionists embrace
when they find themselves bereft of the imaginative energy to
negotiate the union of metaphysics and painterliness.
Such symbolism falls into a dual trap: it succumbs to the pompous
vacuity of pure metaphysics when the burden of intention is passed off
as justification; or then it is desiccated by the arid formalism of
pure painterliness, with delight in the measure of chance or pattern
guiding the execution of a painting. The ensuing conflict of purpose
stalls the progress of abstractionism in an impasse. The remarkable
Indian abstractionists are precisely those who have overcome this and
addressed themselves to the basic elements of their art with a
decisive sense of independence from prior models. In their recent
work, we see the logic of Indian abstractionism pushed almost to the
furthest it can be taken. Beyond such artists stands a lost generation
of abstractionists whose work invokes a wistful, delicate beauty but
stops there.
Abstractionism is not a universal language; it is an art that points
up the loss of a shared language of signs in society. And yet, it
affirms the possibility of its recovery through the effort of
awareness. While its rheotoric has always emphasised a call for new
forms of attention, abstractionist practice has tended to fall into a
complacent pride in its own incomprehensibility; a complacency fatal
in an ethos where vibrant new idioms compete for the viewers'
attention. Indian abstractionists ought to really return to basics, to
reformulate and replenish their understanding of the nature of the
relationship between the painted image and the world around it. But
will they abandon their favourite conceptual habits and formal
conventions, if this becomes necessary?
9. Which one of the following is not stated by the author as a reason
for abstractionism losing its vitality?
a. Abstractionism has failed to reorient itself in the context of
changing human experience.
b. Abstractionism has not considered the developments in artistic
expression that have taken place in recent times.
c. Abstractionism has not followed the path taken by all revolutions,
whether in politics or art.
d. The impact of mass media on viewers' expectations has not been
assessed, and responded to, by abstractionism.
10. Which of the following, according to the author, is the role that
abstractionism plays in a society?
a. It provides an idiom that can be understood by most members in a society.
b. It highlights the absence of a shared language of meaningful
symbols which can be recreated through greater awareness.
c. It highlights the contradictory artistic trends of revolution and
conservatism that any society needs to move forward.
d. It helps abstractionists invoke the wistful, delicate beauty that
may exist in society.
11. According to the author, which one of the following characterises
the crisis faced by abstractionism?
a. Abstractionists appear to be unable to transcend the solutions
tried out earlier.
b. Abstractionism has allowed itself to be confined by set forms and practices.
c. Abstractionists have been unable to use the multiplicity of forms
now becoming available to an artist.
d. All of the above
12. According to the author, the introduction of abstractionism was
revolutionary because it
a. celebrated the hopes and aspirants of a newly independent nation.
b. provided a new direction to Indian art, towards self-inquiry and
non-representational images.
c. managed to obtain internationalist support for the abstractionist agenda.
d. was an emancipation from the dogmas of the nascent nation state.
13. Which one of the following is not part of the author's
characterization of the conservative trend in Indian abstractionism?
a. An exploration of the subconscious mind.
b. A lack of full commitment to non-representational symbols.
c. An adherence to the symbolic while aspiring to the mystical.
d. Usage of the images of gods or similar symbols.
14. Given the author's delineation of the three abstractionist idioms
in Indian art, the third idiom can be best distinguished from the
other two idioms through its
a. depiction of nature's cyclical renewal. b. use of
non-representational images.
c. emphasis on arrangement of forms. d. limited reliance on original models.
15. According to the author, the attraction of the Kandinsky-Klee
School for Indian abstractionists can be explained by which one of the
following?
a. The conservative tendency to aspire to the mystical without a
complete renunciation of the symbolic.
b. The discomfort of Indian abstractionists with Malevich's Suprematism.
c. The easy identification of obvious points of affinity with European
and American abstract art, of which the Kandinsky-Klee School is an
example.
d. The double-edged nature of abstractionism which enabled
identification with mystically-oriented schools.
16. Which one of the following, according to the author, is the most
important reason for the stalling of abstractionism's progress in an
impasse?
a. Some artists have followed their abstractionist logic to the point
of extinction.
b. Some artists have allowed chance or pattern to dominate the
execution of their paintings.
c. Many artists have avoided the trap of a near-generic and an open symbolism.
d. Many artists have found it difficult to fuse the twin principles of
the metaphysical and the painterly.
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