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01.

The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

[Octopuses are] misfits in their own extended families . . . They belong to the Mollusca class Cephalopoda. But they don't look like their cousins at all. Other molluscs include sea snails, sea slugs, bivalves - most are shelled invertebrates with a dorsal foot. Cephalopods are all arms, and can be as tiny as 1 centimetre and as large at 30 feet. Some of them have brains the size of a walnut, which is large for an invertebrate. . . .

It makes sense for these molluscs to have added protection in the form of a higher cognition; they don't have a shell covering them, and pretty much everything feeds on cephalopods, including humans. But how did cephalopods manage to secure their own invisibility cloak? Cephalopods fire from multiple cylinders to achieve this in varying degrees from species to species. There are four main catalysts - chromatophores, iridophores, papillae and leucophores. . . .

[Chromatophores] are organs on their bodies that contain pigment sacs, which have red, yellow and brown pigment granules. These sacs have a network of radial muscles, meaning muscles arranged in a circle radiating outwards. These are connected to the brain by a nerve. When the cephalopod wants to change colour, the brain carries an electrical impulse through the nerve to the muscles that expand outwards, pulling open the sacs to display the colours on the skin. Why these three colours? Because these are the colours the light reflects at the depths they live in (the rest is absorbed before it reaches those depths). . . .

Well, what about other colours? Cue the iridophores. Think of a second level of skin that has thin stacks of cells. These can reflect light back at different wavelengths. . . . It's using the same properties that we've seen in hologram stickers, or rainbows on puddles of oil. You move your head and you see a different colour. The sticker isn't doing anything but reflecting light - it's your movement that's changing the appearance of the colour. This property of holograms, oil and other such surfaces is called "iridescence". . . .

Papillae are sections of the skin that can be deformed to make a texture bumpy. Even humans possess them (goosebumps) but cannot use them in the manner that cephalopods can. For instance, the use of these cells is how an octopus can wrap itself over a rock and appear jagged or how a squid or cuttlefish can imitate the look of a coral reef by growing miniature towers on its skin. It actually matches the texture of the substrate it chooses.

Finally, the leucophores: According to a paper, published in Nature, cuttlefish and octopuses possess an additional type of reflector cell called a leucophore. They are cells that scatter full spectrum light so that they appear white in a similar way that a polar bear's fur appears white. Leucophores will also reflect any filtered light shown on them . . . If the water appears blue at a certain depth, the octopuses and cuttlefish can appear blue; if the water appears green, they appear green, and so on and so forth.

01.

All of the following are reasons for octopuses being "misfits" EXCEPT that they:

A.
have several arms.
B.
are consumed by humans and other animals.
C.
do not possess an outer protective shell.
D.

exhibit higher intelligence than other molluscs.

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The first paragraph says why octopuses are misfits amongst other molluscs- they are not shelled, are "all arms" and have large brains for an invertebrate. So, option B is the correct choice.

02.

Based on the passage, we can infer that all of the following statements, if true, would weaken the camouflaging adeptness of Cephalopods EXCEPT:

A.
the hydrostatic pressure at the depths at which Cephalopods reside renders radial muscle movements difficult.
B.
the temperature of water at the depths at which Cephalopods reside renders the transmission of neural signals difficult.
C.
light reflects the colours red, green, and yellow at the depths at which Cephalopods reside.
D.

the number of chromatophores in Cephalopods is half the number of iridophores and leucophores.

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

According to the passage, when the cephalopod wants to change colour, the brain carries an electrical impulse through the nerve to the radial muscles on their pigment sacs, thereby pulling open the sacs to display red, yellow and brown colours on their skin. So, if the radial muscle movement is hindered (option A), or if the transmission of neural signals is affected (option B) the camouflaging adeptness of cephalopods will be weakened. So too, if light reflects a different set of colours - red, green, and yellow, instead of red, yellow and brown- at the depths in which cephalopods reside, then they will not be able to camouflage effectively. So, option C also weakens the camouflaging adeptness of cephalopods.

The passage does not talk about the number of chromatophores, iridophores and leucophores cephalopods have. So, it is not possible to say, based on the contents of the passage, whether option D, if true, weakens the camouflaging adeptness of cephalopods. So, this is the answer choice we are looking for.

03.

Based on the passage, it can be inferred that camouflaging techniques in an octopus are most dissimilar to those in:

A.
polar bears
B.
sea snails
C.
squids
D.

cuttlefish

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The passage does not say cephalopods can take on the colour of their predator.
Based on the last paragraph, we know that cephalopods can blend into the colour of their surroundings. The paragraph about chromatophores explains how octopuses can change their skin colour while the paragraph about papillae explains how they can change their skin texture.

04.

Which one of the following statements is not true about the camouflaging ability of Cephalopods?

A.
Cephalopods can take on the colour of their predator.
B.
Cephalopods can blend into the colour of their surroundings.
C.
Cephalopods can change their colour.
D.

Cephalopods can change their texture.

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The passage does not say cephalopods can take on the colour of their predator.
Based on the last paragraph, we know that cephalopods can blend into the colour of their surroundings. The paragraph about chromatophores explains how octopuses can change their skin colour while the paragraph about papillae explains how they can change their skin texture.

02.

The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

We begin with the emergence of the philosophy of the social sciences as an arena of thought and as a set of social institutions. The two characterisations overlap but are not congruent. Academic disciplines are social institutions. . . . My view is that institutions are all those social entities that organise action: they link acting individuals into social structures. There are various kinds of institutions. Hegelians and Marxists emphasise universal institutions such as the family, rituals, governance, economy and the military. These are mostly institutions that just grew. Perhaps in some imaginary beginning of time they spontaneously appeared. In their present incarnations, however, they are very much the product of conscious attempts to mould and plan them. We have family law, established and disestablished churches, constitutions and laws, including those governing the economy and the military. Institutions deriving from statute, like joint-stock companies are formal by contrast with informal ones such as friendships. There are some institutions that come in both informal and formal variants, as well as in mixed ones. Consider the fact that the stock exchange and the black market are both market institutions, one formal one not. Consider further that there are many features of the work of the stock exchange that rely on informal, noncodifiable agreements, not least the language used for communication. To be precise, mixtures are the norm . . . From constitutions at the top to by-laws near the bottom we are always adding to, or tinkering with, earlier institutions, the grown and the designed are intertwined.

It is usual in social thought to treat culture and tradition as different from, although alongside, institutions. The view taken here is different. Culture and tradition are sub-sets of institutions analytically isolated for explanatory or expository purposes. Some social scientists have taken all institutions, even purely local ones, to be entities that satisfy basic human needs - under local conditions . . . Others differed and declared any structure of reciprocal roles and norms an institution. Most of these differences are differences of emphasis rather than disagreements. Let us straddle all these versions and present institutions very generally . . . as structures that serve to coordinate the actions of individuals. . . . Institutions themselves then have no aims or purpose other than those given to them by actors or used by actors to explain them . . .

Language is the formative institution for social life and for science . . . Both formal and informal language is involved, naturally grown or designed. (Language is all of these to varying degrees.) Languages are paradigms of institutions or, from another perspective, nested sets of institutions. Syntax, semantics, lexicon and alphabet/character-set are all institutions within the larger institutional framework of a written language. Natural languages are typical examples of what Ferguson called 'the result of human action, but not the execution of any human design'[;] reformed natural languages and artificial languages introduce design into their modifications or refinements of natural language. Above all, languages are paradigms of institutional tools that function to coordinate.

01.

"Consider the fact that the stock exchange and the black market are both market institutions, one formal one not." Which one of the following statements best explains this quote, in the context of the passage?

A.
The stock exchange and the black market are both organised to function by rules.
B.
Market instruments can be formally traded in the stock exchange and informally traded in the black market.
C.
The stock exchange and the black market are both dependent on the market to survive.
D.

The stock exchange and the black market are examples of how, even within the same domain, different kinds of institutions can co-exist.

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Consider the line before the given line in the passage:"There are some institutions that come in both informal and formal variants, as well as in mixed ones". The stock market and black market are examples given to substantiate the point in the previous line. The idea is that both the stock exchange and the black market are examples of how, even within the same domain (market institutions), different kinds of institutions can co-exist.

02.

All of the following inferences from the passage are false, EXCEPT:

A.
"natural language" refers to that stage of language development where no conscious human intent is evident in the formation of language.
B.
the institution of friendship cannot be found in the institution of joint-stock companies because the first is an informal institution, while the second is a formal one.
C.
as concepts, "culture" and "tradition" have no analytical, explanatory or expository power, especially when they are treated in isolation.
D.

institutions like the family, rituals, governance, economy, and the military are natural and cannot be consciously modified.

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The given question can be rephrased as, "Which one of the following inferences from the passage is true?"
Consider what the passage says about natural languages:"Natural languages are typical examples of what Ferguson called 'the result of human action, but not the execution of any human design". In other words, there is no conscious human intent in this stage of language development. So, option A can be inferred to be true based on the passage.

All other options given are false.

Based on the lines, "Consider further that there are many features of the work of the stock exchange that rely on informal, noncodifiable agreements, not least the language used for communication. To be precise, mixtures are the norm..", we can infer that option B is false.
From the line, "Culture and tradition are sub-sets of institutions analytically isolated for explanatory or expository purposes”, we know that option C is false.
In the first paragraph, the passage says that universal institutions such as the family, rituals, governance, economy and the military, "in their present incarnations" are "very much the product of conscious attempts to mould and plan them". So, option D is also false.

03.

Which of the following statements best represents the essence of the passage?

A.
Institutions are structures that serve to coordinate the actions of individuals.
B.
It is usual in social thought to treat culture and tradition as different from institutions.
C.
Language is the fundamental formal institution for social life and for science.
D.

The stock exchange and the black market are both market institutions.

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

In the first paragraph, the author presents his view that "institutions are all those social entities that organise action: they link acting individuals into social structures". The author then goes on to explain this idea in detail, touching upon kinds of institutions, culture and tradition as sub-sets of institutions and language as an institution. Option A is hence the correct answer choice.
Options B, C and D touch upon specific aspects of the passage. None of these represents the essence of the passage.

04.

In the first paragraph of the passage, what are the two "characterisations" that are seen as overlapping but not congruent?

A.
"the philosophy of the social sciences" and "a set of social institutions".
B.
"academic disciplines" and "institutions".
C.
"an arena of thought" and "academic disciplines".
D.

"individuals" and "social structures".

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The passage says, "We begin with the emergence of the philosophy of the social sciences as an arena of thought and as a set of social institutions. The two characterisations overlap but are not congruent." The two characterisations seen here as overlapping but not congruent are social sciences as an arena of thought (or academic discipline) and social sciences as a set of social institutions. So, option B is the correct answer.

03.

The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

When we teach engineering problems now, we ask students to come to a single "best" solution defined by technical ideals like low cost, speed to build, and ability to scale. This way of teaching primes students to believe that their decision-making is purely objective, as it is grounded in math and science. This is known as technical-social dualism, the idea that the technical and social dimensions of engineering problems are readily separable and remain distinct throughout the problem-definition and solution process.

Nontechnical parameters such as access to a technology, cultural relevancy or potential harms are deemed political and invalid in this way of learning. But those technical ideals are at their core social and political choices determined by a dominant culture focused on economic growth for the most privileged segments of society. By choosing to downplay public welfare as a critical parameter for engineering design, we risk creating a culture of disengagement from societal concerns amongst engineers that is antithetical to the ethical code of engineering.

In my field of medical devices, ignoring social dimensions has real consequences. . . . Most FDA-approved drugs are incorrectly dosed for people assigned female at birth, leading to unexpected adverse reactions. This is because they have been inadequately represented in clinical trials.

Beyond physical failings, subjective beliefs treated as facts by those in decision-making roles can encode social inequities. For example, spirometers, routinely used devices that measure lung capacity, still have correction factors that automatically assume smaller lung capacity in Black and Asian individuals. These racially based adjustments are derived from research done by eugenicists who thought these racial differences were biologically determined and who considered nonwhite people as inferior. These machines ignore the influence of social and environmental factors on lung capacity.

Many technologies for systemically marginalized people have not been built because they were not deemed important such as better early diagnostics and treatment for diseases like endometriosis, a disease that afflicts 10 percent of people with uteruses. And we hardly question whether devices are built sustainably, which has led to a crisis of medical waste and health care accounting for 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Social justice must be made core to the way engineers are trained. Some universities are working on this. . . . Engineers taught this way will be prepared to think critically about what problems we choose to solve, how we do so responsibly and how we build teams that challenge our ways of thinking.

Individual engineering professors are also working to embed societal needs in their pedagogy. Darshan Karwat at the University of Arizona developed activist engineering to challenge engineers to acknowledge their full moral and social responsibility through practical self-reflection. Khalid Kadir at the University of California, Berkeley, created the popular course Engineering, Environment, and Society that teaches engineers how to engage in place-based knowledge, an understanding of the people, context and history, to design better technical approaches in collaboration with communities. When we design and build with equity and justice in mind, we craft better solutions that respond to the complexities of entrenched systemic problems.

01.

In this passage, the author is making the claim that:

A.
technical-social dualism has emerged as a technique for engineering students to incorporate social considerations into their technical problem-solving processes.
B.
the objective of best solutions in engineering has shifted the focus of pedagogy from humanism and social obligations to technological perfection.
C.
engineering students today are trained to be non-subjective in their reasoning as this best enables them to develop much-needed universal solutions.
D.

engineering students today are taught to focus on objective technical outcomes, independent of the social dimensions of their work.

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The main idea of the passage is that engineering is taught today ignoring important social and political nontechnical parameters and this, in turn, has adverse consequences for society. Option D is the correct choice.
Option A states the exact opposite of what the passage says. The passage says technical-social dualism separates technical problem solving from social considerations.

According to option B, the objective of best solutions in engineering has shifted the focus of pedagogy from humanism and social obligations to technological perfection. The passage does not talk about any such shift in objective from earlier times to now. It only says that today engineering is taught independent of social dimensions.
Option C is again the opposite of what the passage says. The author's point is that non-subjective reasoning hinders the development of solutions that respond to the complexities of entrenched systemic problems.

02.

The author gives all of the following reasons for why marginalised people are systematically discriminated against in technology-related interventions EXCEPT:

A.
"And we hardly question whether devices are built sustainably, which has led to a crisis of medical waste and health care accounting for 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions."
B.
"These racially based adjustments are derived from research done by eugenicists who thought these racial differences were biologically determined and who considered nonwhite people as inferior."
C.
"Beyond physical failings, subjective beliefs treated as facts by those in decision-making roles can encode social inequities."
D.

"But those technical ideals are at their core social and political choices determined by a dominant culture focused on economic growth for the most privileged segments of society."

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

All options except A relate to why marginalised people are systematically discriminated against in technology-related interventions: racially-based adjustments are derived from research done by eugenicists, subjective beliefs treated as facts encodes social inequities and the supposed technical 'ideals' are determined by a culture focused on the privileged.
Option A, on the other hand, is about devices not being built sustainably. This is not relevant to discrimination of the marginalised.

03.

All of the following are examples of the negative outcomes of focusing on technical ideals in the medical sphere EXCEPT the:

A.
incorrect assignment of people as female at birth which has resulted in faulty drug interventions.
B.
exclusion of non-privileged groups in clinical trials which leads to incorrect drug dosages.
C.
neglect of research and development of medical technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases that typically afflict marginalised communities.
D.

continuing calibration of medical devices based on past racial biases that have remained unadjusted for changes.

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The incorrect assignment of people as female at birth, that is, making an error in determining the gender at birth, is a human error and not a negative outcome of focusing on technical ideas in medicine.
All other examples relate to negative outcomes of focusing on technical ideals in the medical sphere.

04.

We can infer that the author would approve of a more evolved engineering pedagogy that includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A.
moving towards technical-social dualism where social community needs are incorporated in problem-definition and solutions.
B.
making considerations of environmental sustainability intrinsic to the development of technological solutions.
C.
design that is based on the needs of communities using local knowledge and responding to local priorities.
D.

a more responsible approach to technical design and problem-solving than a focus on speed in developing and bringing to scale.

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The author calls for moving away from technical-social dualism. Option A states the opposite.
Other options relate to parameters such as environmental sustainability, local community needs and priorities and a responsible approach to technical design, all of which the author believes must be included in engineering pedagogy.

04.

The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

Humans today make music. Think beyond all the qualifications that might trail after this bald statement: that only certain humans make music, that extensive training is involved, that many societies distinguish musical specialists from nonmusicians, that in today's societies most listen to music rather than making it, and so forth. These qualifications, whatever their local merit, are moot in the face of the overarching truth that making music, considered from a cognitive and psychological vantage, is the province of all those who perceive and experience what is made. We are, almost all of us, musicians - everyone who can entrain (not necessarily dance) to a beat, who can recognize a repeated tune (not necessarily sing it), who can distinguish one instrument or one singing voice from another. I will often use an antique word, recently revived, to name this broader musical experience. Humans are musicking creatures. . . .

The set of capacities that enables musicking is a principal marker of modern humanity. There is nothing polemical in this assertion except a certain insistence, which will figure often in what follows, that musicking be included in our thinking about fundamental human commonalities. Capacities involved in musicking are many and take shape in complicated ways, arising from innate dispositions . . . Most of these capacities overlap with nonmusical ones, though a few may be distinct and dedicated to musical perception and production. In the area of overlap, linguistic capacities seem to be particularly important, and humans are (in principle) language-makers in addition to music-makers - speaking creatures as well as musicking ones.

Humans are symbol-makers too, a feature tightly bound up with language, not so tightly with music. The species Cassirer dubbed Homo symbolicus cannot help but tangle musicking in webs of symbolic thought and expression, habitually making it a component of behavioral complexes that form such expression. But in fundamental features musicking is neither language-like nor symbol-like, and from these differences come many clues to its ancient emergence.

If musicking is a primary, shared trait of modern humans, then to describe its emergence must be to detail the coalescing of that modernity. This took place, archaeologists are clear, over a very long durée: at least 50,000 years or so, more likely something closer to 200,000, depending in part on what that coalescence is taken to comprise. If we look back 20,000 years, a small portion of this long period, we reach the lives of humans whose musical capacities were probably little different from our own. As we look farther back we reach horizons where this similarity can no longer hold - perhaps 40,000 years ago, perhaps 70,000, perhaps 100,000. But we never cross a line before which all the cognitive capacities recruited in modern musicking abruptly disappear. Unless we embrace the incredible notion that music sprang forth in full-blown glory, its emergence will have to be tracked in gradualist terms across a long period.

This is one general feature of a history of music's emergence . . . The history was at once sociocultural and biological . . . The capacities recruited in musicking are many, so describing its emergence involves following several or many separate strands.

01.

Which one of the following sets of terms best serves as keywords to the passage?

A.

Musicking; Cognitive psychology; Antique; Symbol-makers; Modernity.
B.

Humans; Psychological vantage; Musicking; Cassirer; Emergence of music.
C.
Humans; Capacities; Language; Symbols; Modernity.
D.

Humans; Musicking; Linguistic capacities; Symbol-making; Modern humanity.

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Musicking is the main keyword. This is absent from option C, so we rule out C right away. 'Antique' and 'Cassirer' are not key ideas. So, options A and B are out. Option D is the best choice.

02.

Based on the passage, which one of the following statements is a valid argument about the emergence of music/musicking?

A.
Anyone who can perceive and experience music must be considered capable of musicking.
B.

Although musicking is not language-like, it shares the quality of being a form of expression.
C.
20,000 years ago, human musical capacities were not very different from what they are today.
D.

All musical work is located in the overlap between linguistic capacity and music production.

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The passage says that "If we look back 20,000 years, a small portion of this long period, we reach the lives of humans whose musical capacities were probably little different from our own". So, 20,000 years ago, human musical capacities were not very different from what they are today. (Note that ‘little’ means ‘not much’ and is a quantifier with a negative connotation whereas ‘a little’ means ‘a small amount’ and is a quantifier with a positive connotation).

Option A is not an argument about the emergence of music/musicking.
According to the passage, "...in fundamental features musicking is neither language-like nor symbol-like, and from these differences come many clues to its ancient emergence." So,option B is not a valid argument about the emergence of music/musicking.
Option D is incorrect. Refer to the line, "Most of these capacities overlap with nonmusical ones, though a few may be distinct and dedicated to musical perception and production."

03.

"Think beyond all the qualifications that might trail after this bald statement . . ." In the context of the passage, what is the author trying to communicate in this quoted extract?

A.
A bald statement is one that is trailed by a series of qualifying clarifications and caveats.
B.
Although there may be many caveats and other considerations, the statement is essentially true.
C.
Thinking beyond qualifications allows us to give free reign to musical expressions.
D.

A bald statement is one that requires no qualifications to infer its meaning.

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

A bald statement is a simple statement in plain language with no extra information or qualifications. In the given sentence, the author is urging readers to look beyond the extra information, caveats and other considerations that may follow the bald statement to see the overarching truth.

04.

Which one of the following statements, if true, would weaken the author's claim that humans are musicking creatures?

A.
Musical capacities are primarily socio-cultural, which explains the wide diversity of musical forms.
B.
Nonmusical capacities are of far greater consequence to human survival than the capacity for music.
C.
As musicking is neither language-like nor symbol-like, it is a much older form of expression.
D.

From a cognitive and psychological vantage, musicking arises from unconscious dispositions, not conscious ones.

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

According to the passage, the history of music’s emergence was “at once sociocultural and biological” and because musicking arises from innate dispositions, it is a primary, shared trait of modern humans. Option A states that musical capabilities are “primarily” socio-cultural, which is why there are diverse forms of music. If option A were true it would weaken the author's claim about the emergence of music.
The passage does not make any claims that musicking is key to human survival. So, option B, even if true, does not affect the author's claim. Same is the case with option C. The author does not talk about the order in which music, language or symbol-making capabilities emerged. The passage says that "capacities involved in musicking are many and take shape in complicated ways, arising from innate dispositions...". So, option D, if true, supports the author's arguments.

05.

The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4) below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer:

1. The trajectory of cheerfulness through the self is linked to the history of the word 'cheer' which comes from an Old French meaning 'face'.
2. Translations of the Bible into vernacular languages, expanded the noun 'cheer' into the more abstract 'cheerful-ness', something that circulates as an emotional and social quality defining the self and a moral community.
3. When you take on a cheerful expression, no matter what the state of your soul, your cheerfulness moves into the self: the interior of the self is changed by the power of cheer.
4. People in the medieval 'Canterbury Tales' have a 'piteous' or a 'sober' cheer; 'cheer' is an expression and a body part, lying at the intersection of emotions and physiognomy.

Answer : 3142

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

142 is a link: Sentence 1 talks about the history of the word 'cheer'; 4 follows this up with different interpretations of 'cheer' in the medieval times and finally 2 talks about how the noun 'cheer' expanded into 'cheerfulness'. So, we have two possibilities 3142 and 1423. Between the two, 3142 is better as 3 links with the idea of cheerfulness moving into the self in 1. So, 3142 is the correct order.

06.

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

Several of the world's earliest cities were organised along egalitarian lines. In some regions, urban populations governed themselves for centuries without any indication of the temples and palaces that would later emerge; in others, temples and palaces never emerged at all, and there is simply no evidence of a class of administrators or any other sort of ruling stratum. It would seem that the mere fact of urban life does not, necessarily, imply any particular form of political organization, and never did. Far from resigning us to inequality, the picture that is now emerging of humanity's past may open our eyes to egalitarian possibilities we otherwise would have never considered.

A.
We now have the evidence in support of the existence of an egalitarian urban life in some ancient cities, where political and civic organisation was far less hierarchical.
B.
The emergence of a class of administrators and ruling stratum transformed the egalitarian urban life of ancient cities to the hierarchical civic organisations of today.
C.

Contrary to our assumption that urban settlements have always involved hierarchical political and administrative structures, ancient cities were not organised in this way.
D.

The lack of hierarchical administration in ancient cities can be deduced by the absence of religious and regal structures such as temples and palaces.

Option is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Options B and D can be ruled out right away. The paragraph does not talk about how hierarchical civic organizations of today emerged. It only says that several of the world's earliest cities were egalitarian. Option D focuses on one idea of the paragraph and is not a good summary.

Both A and C, however, look compelling. But between the two, A is better. This is because option C overgeneralises, stating that ancient cities were "not organized" on hierarchical political and administrative lines. The paragraph only says several ancient cities were egalitarian and urban life does not necessarily imply a particular form of political organization. Also, 'egalitarian urban life' is a key idea in the paragraph: C does not mention this while A does. So, option A is a better summary.

07.

There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide in which blank (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.

Sentence: Most were first-time users of a tablet and a digital app.

Paragraph: Aage Badhein's USP lies in the ethnographic research that constituted the foundation of its development process. Customizations based on learning directly from potential users were critical to making this self-paced app suitable for both a literate and non-literate audience. ___(1)___ The user interface caters to a Hindi-speaking audience who have minimal to no experience with digital services and devices. ___(2)___ The content and functionality of the app are suitable for a wide audience. This includes youth preparing for an independent role in life or a student ready to create a strong foundation of financial management early in her life. ___(3)___ Household members desirous of improving their family's financial strength to reach their aspirations can also benefit. We piloted Aage Badhein in early 2021 with over 400 women from rural areas. ___(4)___ The digital solution generated a large amount of interest in the communities.

A.
Option 1
B.
Option 2
C.
Option 3
D.
Option 4

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Note that the missing line is in the past tense. So, we cannot fit it in in options 2 or 3 as the sentences before and after the blank in both these options are in present tense. Between options 1 and 4, placing the missing line in option 4 works better. The subject of the missing line is 'most'. The use of this pronoun makes sense when it is used in blank 4, as 'most' in this case would refer to women from rural areas. If the missing sentence were to be placed in blank 1, there would be a pronoun antecedent error.

08.

The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4) below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer:

1. From chemical pollutants in the environment to the damming of rivers to invasive species transported through global trade and travel, every environmental issue is different and there is no single tech solution that can solve this crisis.
2. Discourse on the threat of environmental collapse revolves around cutting down emissions, but biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse are caused by myriad and diverse reasons.
3. This would require legislation that recognises the rights of future generations and other species that allows the judiciary to uphold a much higher standard of environmental protection than currently possible.
4. Clearly, our environmental crisis requires large political solutions, not minor technological ones, so, instead of focusing on infinite growth, we could consider a path of stable-state economies, while preserving markets and healthy competition.

Answer : 2143

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

21 is a clear link: 2 states that biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse are caused by myriad and diverse reasons; 1 expands on this idea. 21 leads on to the conclusion in 4 that our environmental crisis requires large political solutions, not minor technological ones. 4 leads on to 3, which describes what should be done as the next step. So, 2143 is the correct order.

09.

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

Today, many of the debates about behavioural control in the age of big data echo Cold War-era anxieties about brainwashing, insidious manipulation and repression in the 'technological society'. In his book Psychopolitics, Han warns of the sophisticated use of targeted online content, enabling 'influence to take place on a pre-reflexive level'. On our current trajectory, "freedom will prove to have been merely an interlude." The fear is that the digital age has not liberated us but exposed us, by offering up our private lives to machine-learning algorithms that can process masses of personal and behavioural data. In a world of influencers and digital entrepreneurs, it's not easy to imagine the resurgence of a culture engendered through disconnect and disaffiliation, but concerns over the threat of online targeting, polarisation and big data have inspired recent polemics about the need to rediscover solitude and disconnect.

A.
Rather than freeing us, digital technology is enslaving us by collecting personal information and influencing our online behaviour.
B.
With big data making personal information freely available, the debate on the nature of freedom and the need for privacy has resurfaced.
C.
The notion of freedom and privacy is at stake in a world where artificial intelligence is capable of influencing behaviour through data gathered online.
D.

The role of technology in influencing public behaviour is reminiscent of the manner in which behaviour was manipulated during the Cold War.

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The paragraph given observes that the concerns about online targeting and polarisation due to the misuse of personal data by machine-learning algorithms today seem to echo Cold War-era anxieties. These concerns have inspired recent polemics about the need to rediscover solitude and disconnect.
Option B touches upon all key ideas and is the best summary among the given options.

The paragraph is about the resurfacing of debates about behaviour manipulation and privacy. Neither option A nor option C touches upon this. Further, both these options use terms that are not used in the given paragraph: option A states that digital data is 'enslaving' us and option C refers to 'artificial intelligence'. So, we rule out options A and C.
Option D implies behaviour was manipulated during the Cold War. The paragraph given does not explicitly say so. Also, this option does not touch upon ideas such as ‘freedom’ and ‘privacy’ mentioned in the paragraph.

10.

There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide in which blank (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.

Sentence: This was years in the making but fast-tracked during the pandemic, when "people started being more mindful about their food", he explained.

Paragraph: For millennia, ghee has been a venerated staple of the subcontinental diet, but it fell out of favour a few decades ago when saturated fats were largely considered to be unhealthy. ___(1)___ But more recently, as the thinking around saturated fats is shifting globally, Indians are finding their own way back to this ingredient that is so integral to their cuisine. ___(2)___ For Karmakar, a renewed interest in ghee is emblematic of a return-to-basics movement in India. ___(3)___ This movement is also part of an overall trend towards "slow food". In keeping with the movement's philosophy, ghee can be produced locally (even at home) and has inextricable cultural ties. ___(4)___ At a basic level, ghee is a type of clarified butter believed to have originated in India as a way to preserve butter from going rancid in the hot climate.

A.
Option 1
B.
Option 2
C.
Option 3
D.
Option 4

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

It is easy to place this missing sentence in the paragraph, as it is part of a quote. The only place where the given sentence can fit in is option 3. The sentence before blank 3 names the person being quoted (Karmakar).

11.

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

There's a common idea that museum artworks are somehow timeless objects available to admire for generations to come. But many are objects of decay. Even the most venerable Old Master paintings don't escape: pigments discolour, varnishes crack, canvases warp. This challenging fact of art-world life is down to something that sounds more like a thread from a morality tale: inherent vice. Damien Hirst's iconic shark floating in a tank - entitled The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living - is a work that put a spotlight on inherent vice. When he made it in 1991, Hirst got himself in a pickle by not using the right kind of pickle to preserve the giant fish. The result was that the shark began to decompose quite quickly - its preserving liquid clouding, the skin wrinkling, and an unpleasant smell wafting from the tank.

A.
Museums are left with the moral responsibility of restoring and preserving the artworks since artists cannot preserve their works beyond their life.
B.
Artworks may not last forever; they may deteriorate with time, and the challenge is to slow down their degeneration.
C.
The role of museums has evolved to ensure that the artworks are preserved forever in addition to guarding and displaying them.
D.

Museums have to guard timeless art treasures from intrinsic defects such as the deterioration of paint, polish and canvas.

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The main idea of the paragraph given is that museum artworks are not timeless but subject to 'inherent vice': they decay, discolour or crack over time. Option B captures this idea and is the best of the given summaries.
All other options are about the role or responsibility of museums. The paragraph does not focus upon this. Option D is incorrect as the paragraph clearly says artworks are not timeless.

12.

The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4) below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer:

1. Women may prioritize cooking because they feel they alone are responsible for mediating a toxic and unhealthy food system.
2. Food is commonly framed through the lens of individual choice: you can choose to eat healthily.
3. This is particularly so in a neoliberal context where the state has transferred the responsibility for food onto individual consumers.
4. The individualized framing of choice appeals to a popular desire to experience agency, but draws away from the structural obstacles that stratify individual food choices.

Answer : 2431

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

2 is the best opening sentence. 24 is a link: 2 states that food is framed through the lens of individual choice; 4 begins with 'the individualized framing of choice' and explains what this leads to. Now, 4 talks about the focus on individual choice drawing away from the 'structural obstacles' that stratify food choices.

3 adds to 4 stating that this is particularly the case in neoliberal societies where the state has transferred responsibility for food to individuals. 3 leads on to 1: the responsibility is shifted away from the system and onto women.

13.

The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

In a low-carbon world, renewable energy technologies are hot business. For investors looking to redirect funds, wind turbines and solar panels, among other technologies, seem a straightforward choice. But renewables need to be further scrutinized before being championed as forging a path toward a low-carbon future. Both the direct and indirect impacts of renewable energy must be examined to ensure that a climate-smart future does not intensify social and environmental harm. As renewable energy production requires land, water, and labor, among other inputs, it imposes costs on people and the environment. Hydropower projects, for instance, have led to community dispossession and exclusion . . . Renewable energy supply chains are also intertwined with mining, and their technologies contribute to growing levels of electronic waste . . . Furthermore, although renewable energy can be produced and distributed through small-scale, local systems, such an approach might not generate the high returns on investment needed to attract capital.

Although an emerging sector, renewables are enmeshed in long-standing resource extraction through their dependence on minerals and metals . . . Scholars document the negative consequences of mining . . . even for mining operations that commit to socially responsible practices[:] “many of the world’s largest reservoirs of minerals like cobalt, copper, lithium, [and] rare earth minerals”—the ones needed for renewable technologies—“are found in fragile states and under communities of marginalized peoples in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.” Since the demand for metals and minerals will increase substantially in a renewable-powered future . . . this intensification could exacerbate the existing consequences of extractive activities.

Among the connections between climate change and waste, O’Neill . . . highlights that “devices developed to reduce our carbon footprint, such as lithium batteries for hybrid and electric cars or solar panels[,] become potentially dangerous electronic waste at the end of their productive life.” The disposal of toxic waste has long perpetuated social injustice through the flows of waste to the Global South and to marginalized communities in the Global North . . .

While renewable energy is a more recent addition to financial portfolios, investments in the sector must be considered in light of our understanding of capital accumulation. As agricultural finance reveals, the concentration of control of corporate activity facilitates profit generation. For some climate activists, the promise of renewables rests on their ability not only to reduce emissions but also to provide distributed, democratized access to energy . . . But Burke and Stephens . . . caution that “renewable energy systems offer a possibility but not a certainty for more democratic energy futures.” Small-scale, distributed forms of energy are only highly profitable to institutional investors if control is consolidated somewhere in the financial chain. Renewable energy can be produced at the household or neighborhood level. However, such small-scale, localized production is unlikely to generate high returns for investors. For financial growth to be sustained and expanded by the renewable sector, production and trade in renewable energy technologies will need to be highly concentrated, and large asset management firms will likely drive those developments.

01.

All of the following statements, if true, could be seen as supporting the arguments in the passage, EXCEPT:

A.
Marginalised people in Africa, Asia and Latin America have often been the main sufferers of corporate mineral extraction projects.
B.
The example of agricultural finance helps us to see how to concentrate corporate activity in the renewable energy sector.
C.
One reason for the perpetuation of social injustice lies in the problem of the disposal of toxic waste.
D.

The possible negative impacts of renewable energy need to be studied before it can be offered as a financial investment opportunity.

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Statements A and C, if true, support the argument in the passage that the "disposal of toxic waste has long perpetuated social injustice through the flows of waste to the Global South and to marginalized communities in the Global North".

According to the passage, "agricultural finance reveals the concentration of control of corporate activity facilitates profit generation". Statement B is based on the same idea.

Statement D, however, is different from the arguments in the passage. According to the passage, though investment in renewable energy is a "straightforward choice", further scrutiny is needed before declaring that it will lead to a low-carbon future.

02.

Which one of the following statements, if false, could be seen as best supporting the arguments in the passage?

A.
Renewable energy systems are not as profitable as non-renewable energy systems.
B.
Renewable energy systems are as expensive as non-renewable energy systems.
C.
The production and distribution of renewable energy through small-scale, local systems is not economically sustainable.
D.

Renewable energy systems have little or no environmental impact.

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Trickily worded question. The statement that, if false, supports the arguments in the passage is the one that, if true, does not support the arguments in the passage.

Clearly, statement D goes against one of the key ideas in the passage.

All other statements are based on ideas in the passage.

03.

Which one of the following statements, if true, could be an accurate inference from the first paragraph of the passage?

A.
The author’s only reservation is about the profitability of renewable energy systems.
B.
The author does not think renewable energy systems can be as efficient as non-renewable energy systems.
C.
The author has reservations about the consequences of non-renewable energy systems.
D.

The author has reservations about the consequences of renewable energy systems.

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

"For investors looking to redirect funds, wind turbines and solar panels, among other technologies, seem a straightforward choice. But renewables need to be further scrutinized before being championed as forging a path toward a low-carbon future." Clearly, the author has reservations about the consequences of renewable energy systems.

04.

Which one of the following statements best captures the main argument of the last paragraph of the passage?

A.
Renewable energy systems are not democratic unless they are corporate-controlled.
B.
Renewable energy produced at the household or neighbourhood level is more efficient than mass-produced forms of energy.
C.
The development of the renewable energy sector is a double-edged sword.
D.

Most forms of renewable energy are not profitable investments for institutional investors.

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Option C is the main idea of the passage. All other options can be easily eliminated.

Option A is clearly incorrect, as it implies corporate control ensures democratic access. The last paragraph states the exact opposite of options B and D.

05.

Based on the passage, we can infer that the author would be most supportive of which one of the following practices?

A.
The study of the coexistence of marginalised people with their environments.
B.
Encouragement for the development of more environment-friendly carbon-based fuels.
C.
More stringent global policies and regulations to ensure a more just system of toxic waste disposal.
D.

The localised, small-scale development of renewable energy systems.

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The author discusses the social injustice perpetuated through the disposal of toxic waste in the passage. He is hence likely to be supportive of more stringent global policies and regulations to ensure a more just system of toxic waste disposal.

The study of the coexistence of marginalized people with their environments is not related to the main idea of the passage. The author clearly states that small-scale renewable energy systems do not produce high returns. The author does not broach upon the idea of more environment-friendly carbon-based fuels in the passage

14.

A few salesmen are employed to sell a product called TRICCEK among households in various housing complexes. On each day, a salesman is assigned to visit one housing complex. Once a salesman enters a housing complex, he can meet any number of households in the time available. However, if a household makes a complaint against the salesman, then he must leave the housing complex immediately and cannot meet any other household on that day. A household may buy any number of TRICCEK items or may not buy any item. The salesman needs to record the total number of TRICCEK items sold as well as the number of households met in each day. The success rate of a salesman for a day is defined as the ratio of the number of items sold to the number of households met on that day. Some details about the performances of three salesmen - Tohri, Hokli and Lahur, on two particular days are given below.

1. Over the two days, all three of them met the same total number of households, and each of them sold a total of 100 items.
2. On both days, Lahur met the same number of households and sold the same number of items.
3. Hokli could not sell any item on the second day because the first household he met on that day complained against him.
4. Tohri met 30 more households on the second day than on the first day.
5. Tohri's success rate was twice that of Lahur's on the first day, and it was 75% of Lahur's on the second day.

01.

What was the total number of households met by Tohri, Hokli and Lahur on the first day?

Answer : 84

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

1. Over the two days, all three of them met the same total number of households, and each of them sold a total of 100 items.

2. On both days, Lahur met the same number of households and sold the same number of items.

3. Hokli could not sell any item on the second day because the first household he met on that day complained against him.

4. Tohri met 30 more households on the second day than on the first day.

5. Tohri's success rate was twice that of Lahur's on the first day, and it was 75% of Lahur's on the second day.

$\frac{y}{x - 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ *2
$\frac{100 - y}{x + 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ * $\frac{3}{4}$
xy = 100(x–15).
4x(100–y) = 150(x+15)
400x – 4xy = 150(x+15)
400x – 4*100(x–15) = 150(x+15) 400 * 15 = 150 (x+15). x = 25

$\frac{y}{10}$ = $\frac{50}{25}$ *2
y = 40

02.

How many TRICCEK items were sold by Tohri on the first day?

Answer : 40

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

1. Over the two days, all three of them met the same total number of households, and each of them sold a total of 100 items.

2. On both days, Lahur met the same number of households and sold the same number of items.

3. Hokli could not sell any item on the second day because the first household he met on that day complained against him.

4. Tohri met 30 more households on the second day than on the first day.

5. Tohri's success rate was twice that of Lahur's on the first day, and it was 75% of Lahur's on the second day.

$\frac{y}{x - 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ *2
$\frac{100 - y}{x + 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ * $\frac{3}{4}$
xy = 100(x–15).
4x(100–y) = 150(x+15)
400x – 4xy = 150(x+15)
400x – 4*100(x–15) = 150(x+15) 400 * 15 = 150 (x+15). x = 25

$\frac{y}{10}$ = $\frac{50}{25}$ *2
y = 40

03.

How many households did Lahur meet on the second day?

A.
20 or less
B.
between 21 and 29
C.
between 30 and 35
D.

more than 35

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

1. Over the two days, all three of them met the same total number of households, and each of them sold a total of 100 items.

2. On both days, Lahur met the same number of households and sold the same number of items.

3. Hokli could not sell any item on the second day because the first household he met on that day complained against him.

4. Tohri met 30 more households on the second day than on the first day.

5. Tohri's success rate was twice that of Lahur's on the first day, and it was 75% of Lahur's on the second day.

$\frac{y}{x - 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ *2
$\frac{100 - y}{x + 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ * $\frac{3}{4}$
xy = 100(x–15).
4x(100–y) = 150(x+15)
400x – 4xy = 150(x+15)
400x – 4*100(x–15) = 150(x+15) 400 * 15 = 150 (x+15). x = 25

$\frac{y}{10}$ = $\frac{50}{25}$ *2
y = 40

04.

How many households did Tohri meet on the first day?

A.
more than 40
B.
10 or less
C.
between 11 and 20
D.

between 21 and 40

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

1. Over the two days, all three of them met the same total number of households, and each of them sold a total of 100 items.

2. On both days, Lahur met the same number of households and sold the same number of items.

3. Hokli could not sell any item on the second day because the first household he met on that day complained against him.

4. Tohri met 30 more households on the second day than on the first day.

5. Tohri's success rate was twice that of Lahur's on the first day, and it was 75% of Lahur's on the second day.

$\frac{y}{x - 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ *2
$\frac{100 - y}{x + 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ * $\frac{3}{4}$
xy = 100(x–15).
4x(100–y) = 150(x+15)
400x – 4xy = 150(x+15)
400x – 4*100(x–15) = 150(x+15) 400 * 15 = 150 (x+15). x = 25

$\frac{y}{10}$ = $\frac{50}{25}$ *2
y = 40

05.

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A.
Among the three, Tohri had the highest success rate on the first day.
B.
Tohri had a higher success rate on the first day compared to the second day.
C.
Among the three, Lahur had the lowest success rate on the first day.
D.

Among the three, Tohri had the highest success rate on the second day.

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

1. Over the two days, all three of them met the same total number of households, and each of them sold a total of 100 items.

2. On both days, Lahur met the same number of households and sold the same number of items.

3. Hokli could not sell any item on the second day because the first household he met on that day complained against him.

4. Tohri met 30 more households on the second day than on the first day.

5. Tohri's success rate was twice that of Lahur's on the first day, and it was 75% of Lahur's on the second day.

$\frac{y}{x - 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ *2
$\frac{100 - y}{x + 15}$ = $\frac{50}{x}$ * $\frac{3}{4}$
xy = 100(x–15).
4x(100–y) = 150(x+15)
400x – 4xy = 150(x+15)
400x – 4*100(x–15) = 150(x+15) 400 * 15 = 150 (x+15). x = 25

$\frac{y}{10}$ = $\frac{50}{25}$ *2
y = 40

15.

Every day a widget supplier supplies widgets from the warehouse (W) to four locations – Ahmednagar (A), Bikrampore (B), Chitrachak (C), and Deccan Park (D). The daily demand for widgets in each location is uncertain and independent of each other. Demands and corresponding probability values (in parenthesis) are given against each location (A, B, C, and D) in the figure below. For example, there is a 40% chance that the demand in Ahmednagar will be 50 units and a 60% chance that the demand will be 70 units. The lines in the figure connecting the locations and warehouse represent two-way roads connecting those places with the distances (in km) shown beside the line. The distances in both the directions along a road are equal. For example, the road from Ahmednagar to Bikrampore and the road from Bikrampore to Ahmednagar are both 6 km long.

Every day the supplier gets the information about the demand values of the four locations and creates the travel route that starts from the warehouse and ends at a location after visiting all the locations exactly once. While making the route plan, the supplier goes to the locations in decreasing order of demand. If there is a tie for the choice of the next location, the supplier will go to the location closest to the current location. Also, while creating the route, the supplier can either follow the direct path (if available) from one location to another or can take the path via the warehouse. If both paths are available (direct and via warehouse), the supplier will choose the path with minimum distance.

01.

If the last location visited is Ahmednagar, then what is the total distance covered in the route (in km)?

Answer : 35

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The question is " If the last location visited is Ahmednagar, then what is the total distance covered in the route (in km)? "

Hence, the answer is '35'

02.

If the total number of widgets delivered in a day is 250 units, then what is the total distance covered in the route (in km)?

Answer : 38

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The question is " If the total number of widgets delivered in a day is 250 units, then what is the total distance covered in the route (in km)? "

Hence, the answer is '38'

03.

What is the chance that the total number of widgets delivered in a day is 260 units and the route ends at Bikrampore?

A.
10.80%
B.
33.33%
C.
7.56%
D.

17.64%

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The question is " What is the chance that the total number of widgets delivered in a day is 260 units and the route ends at Bikrampore? "

Hence, the answer is '7.56%'

Choice C is the correct answer.

04.

If the first location visited from the warehouse is Ahmednagar, then what is the chance that the total distance covered in the route is 40 km?

A.
3.24%
B.
30%
C.
5.4%
D.

18%

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The question is " If the first location visited from the warehouse is Ahmednagar, then what is the chance that the total distance covered in the route is 40 km? "

Hence, the answer is '18%'

Choice D is the correct answer.

05.

If Ahmednagar is not the first location to be visited in a route and the total route distance is 29 km, then which of the following is a possible number of widgets delivered on that day?

A.
210
B.
200
C.
250
D.
220

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The question is " If Ahmednagar is not the first location to be visited in a route and the total route distance is 29 km, then which of the following is a possible number of widgets delivered on that day? "

Hence, the answer is '210'

Choice A is the correct answer.

16.

A speciality supermarket sells 320 products. Each of these products was either a cosmetic product or a nutrition product. Each of these products was also either a foreign product or a domestic product. Each of these products had at least one of the two approvals – FDA or EU.

The following facts are also known:

1. There were equal numbers of domestic and foreign products.
2. Half of the domestic products were FDA approved cosmetic products.
3. None of the foreign products had both the approvals, while 60 domestic products had both the approvals.
4. There were 140 nutrition products, half of them were foreign products.
5. There were 200 FDA approved products. 70 of them were foreign products and 120 of them were cosmetic products.

01.

How many foreign products were FDA approved cosmetic products?

Answer : 40

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

02.

How many cosmetic products did not have FDA approval?

A.
Cannot be determined
B.
50
C.
10
D.
60

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

03.

Which among the following options best represents the number of domestic cosmetic products that had both the approvals?

A.
At least 10 and at most 60
B.
At least 20 and at most 50
C.
At least 10 and at most 80
D.

At least 20 and at most 70

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

04.

If 70 cosmetic products did not have EU approval, then how many nutrition products had both the approvals?

A.
10
B.
30
C.
50
D.
20

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

05.

If 50 nutrition products did not have EU approval, then how many domestic cosmetic products did not have EU approval?

Answer : 50

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

17.

The two plots below show data for four companies code-named A, B, C, and D over three years - 2019, 2020, and 2021.

The first plot shows the revenues and costs incurred by the companies during these years. For example, in 2021, company C earned Rs.100 crores in revenue and spent Rs.30 crores. The profit of a company is defined as its revenue minus its costs.

The second plot shows the number of employees employed by the company (employee strength) at the start of each of these three years, as well as the number of new employees hired each year (new hires). For example, Company B had 250 employees at the start of 2021, and 30 new employees joined the company during the year.

01.

Considering all three years, which company had the highest annual profit?

A.
Company C
B.
Company B
C.
Company A
D.
Company D

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

It is given,
Company A:
Revenue = 240 and cost incurred = 180
Profit = 240 - 180 = 60
Company B:
Revenue = 220 and cost incurred = 145
Profit = 220 - 145 = 75
Company C:
Revenue = 195 and cost incurred = 110
Profit = 195 - 110 = 85
Company D: Revenue = 140 and cost incurred = 160
No profit.
Company C had the highest annual profit.

The question is " Considering all three years, which company had the highest annual profit? "

Hence, the answer is 'Company C'

Choice A is the correct answer.

02.

Which of the four companies experienced the highest annual loss in any of the years?

A.
Company D
B.
Company C
C.
Company A
D.
Company B

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

For all the companies in all three years, cost incurred is less than Revenue except for D in 2020.
Revenue is 20 and cost incurred is 50
Company D experienced the highest annual loss in 2020

The question is " Which of the four companies experienced the highest annual loss in any of the years? "

Hence, the answer is 'Company D'

Choice A is the correct answer.

03.

The ratio of a company's annual profit to its annual costs is a measure of its performance. Which of the four companies had the lowest value of this ratio in 2019?

A.
Company A
B.
Company B
C.
Company C
D.
Company D

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The question is " The ratio of a company's annual profit to its annual costs is a measure of its performance. Which of the four companies had the lowest value of this ratio in 2019? "

Hence, the answer is 'Company A'

Choice A is the correct answer.

04.

The total number of employees lost in 2019 and 2020 was the least for:

A.
Company A
B.
Company C
C.
Company B
D.
Company D

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Company A:
The number of employees in the beginning of 2019 = 150
The number of employees hired in 2019 = 20
The number of employees should be at the beginning of 2020 is 150+20, i.e. 170 but there are 140 only. This
implies 30 left company A in 2019.
The number of employees in the beginning of 2020 = 140
The number of employees hired in 2020 = 35
The number of employees should be at the beginning of 2021 is 140+35, i.e. 175 but there are 150 only. This
implies 25 left company A in 2020.
The number of employees left company A in 2019 and 2020 = 30 + 25 = 55
Company B:
Similarly, the number of employees left company B in 2019 = 210 + 35 - 240 = 5
The number of employees left company B in 2020 = 240 + 45 - 250 = 35
The number of employees left company B in 2019 and 2020 = 5 + 35 = 40
Company C:
Similarly, the number of employees left company C in 2019 = 320 + 45 - 320 = 45
The number of employees left company C in 2020 = 320 + 40 - 320 = 40
The number of employees left company C in 2019 and 2020 = 45 + 40 = 85
Company D:
Similarly, the number of employees left company D in 2019 = 400 + 30 - 410 = 20
The number of employees left company D in 2020 = 410 + 35 - 400 = 45
The number of employees left company D in 2019 and 2020 = 20 + 45 = 65
The total number of employees lost in 2019 and 2020 is least for company B.

05.

Profit per employee is the ratio of a company's profit to its employee strength. For this purpose, the employee strength in a year is the average of the employee strength at the beginning of that year and the beginning of the next year. In 2020, which of the four companies had the highest profit per employee?

A.
Company B
B.
Company A
C.
Company D
D.
Company C

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The answer is 'Company B'

Choice A is the correct answer.

18.

A.
B.
C.
D.
1

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

19.

Working alone, the times taken by Anu, Tanu and Manu to complete any job are in the ratio 5 : 8 : 10. They accept a job which they can finish in 4 days if they all work together for 8 hours per day. However, Anu and Tanu work together for the first 6 days, working 6 hours 40 minutes per day. Then, the number of hours that Manu will take to complete the remaining job working alone is

Answer : 6

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Time taken by Anu, Tanu and Manu to complete a job is in the ratio 5 : 8 : 10
This means that their efficiencies are in the ratio 15 : 18 : 110
Or, their efficiencies are in the ratios 8 : 5 : 4
This means, for instance, if Anu can wash 8 plates in an hour, Tanu and Manu can wash 5 & 4
plates respectively in one hour.
So, let us remodel the entire question over this imaginary scenario of washing plates…
All three of them finish the job in 4 days working 8 hours per day.
Anu, Tanu and Manu can wash 8, 5 and 4 plates respectively in an hour.
So the total number of plates = (8+5+4)×4×8=17×4×8
Anu and Tanu work together for 6 days, working 6 hours 40 minutes per day.
The total number of plates washed by them = (8+5)×6×623=13×40
So the remaining plates to be washed =17×4×8−13×40
=4(17×8−130)
=4(80+56−130)
=4×6
So, the question is, in how many hours can Manu wash 4×6 plates?
We know that Manu can wash 4 plates in one hour.
Therefore, he requires 6 hours to wash 4×6 plates.

20.

Regular polygons A and B have number of sides in the ratio 1 : 2 and interior angles in the ratio 3 : 4. Then the number of sides of B equals

Answer : 10

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

21.

If a and b are non-negative real numbers such that a+2b=6, then the average of the maximum and minimum possible values of (a+b) is

A.
4
B.
4.5
C.
3.5
D.
3

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

a + 2b = 6
a + b = 6 - b
Clearly, the maximum/minimum value of (a + b) depends on the value of b.
Since a and b are positive real numbers,
The minimum value that b can take is 0.
The maximum value that b can take is when a is 0.
0 + 2b = 6
b = 3.
When b = 0; a + b = 6 - b = 6
When b = 3; a + b = 6 - 3 = 3
Therefore, the minimum and maximum values of (a + b) are 3 and 6 respectively.
The average of these extreme values is ( 3 + 6)/2

22.

Manu earns ₹4000 per month and wants to save an average of ₹550 per month in a year. In the first nine months, his monthly expense was ₹3500, and he foresees that, tenth month onward, his monthly expense will increase to ₹3700. In order to meet his yearly savings target, his monthly earnings, in rupees, from the tenth month onward should be

A.
4200
B.
4400
C.
4300
D.
4350

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

On average, Manu targets saving ₹550 per month.
In the first 9 months, Manu earns ₹4000 per month and spends ₹3500.
So, he ends up saving only ₹450 per month. In other words, he misses his target by ₹50 per month.
So he saves ₹50 $\times$ 9 = ₹450 less than his target.
In the next 3 months of the year, his expenses are ₹3700 per month. To save ₹550 per month in these three months, his income should be ₹3700 + ₹550 = ₹4250 per month.
But also, he should earn some more to compensate for the ₹450 he was short of in the first 9 months. This ₹450 is earned over a span of 3 months. Or he should earn ₹150 extra each month.
So Manu’s income in the last 3 months = ₹4250 + ₹150 = ₹4400

23.

There are two containers of the same volume, first container half-filled with sugar syrup and the second container half-filled with milk. Half the content of the first container is transferred to the second container, and then the half of this mixture is transferred back to the first container. Next, half the content of the first container is transferred back to the second container. Then the ratio of sugar syrup and milk in the second container is

A.
5 : 6
B.
5 : 4
C.
6 : 5
D.
4 : 5

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Let the half volume of each container be 80 cc.
Why 80cc though? Why not some other value?
We know that the process of shifting half volumes is happening three times overall.
${(\frac{1}{2})}^{3} = \frac{1}{8}$ .
So it would be wise to assume the initial volume to be some multiple of 8 so that we don’t have to deal with fractions later on.

The ratio of Sugar Syrup to Water in the second container is 5 : 6.

24.

On day one, there are 100 particles in a laboratory experiment. On day n, where n≥2, one out of every n particles produces another particle. If the total number of particles in the laboratory experiment increases to 1000 on day m, then m equals

A.
19
B.
16
C.
17
D.
18

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

25.

The average of a non-decreasing sequence of N numbers a1,a2,…,aN is 300 . If a1 is replaced by 6a1, the new average becomes 400. Then, the number of possible values of a1 is

Answer : 14

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

a₁ + a₂ + a₃ + … + a_n = 300(n)
6a₁ + a₂ + a₃ + … + a_n = 400(n)
5a₁ = 100(n)
a₁ = 20(n)
The constraints of the problem are:
● Sum of n terms = 300(n)
● The first term is 20(n)
● All other terms (terms other than the first term) should be greater than or equal to the first term. (Because the sequence is a non-decreasing sequence.)
Image a scenario where all the other terms are equal to the first term. That is a case where all the terms are equal. Since the average is 300. All of them should be 300. The first term is 300.
20(n) = 300
n = 15
Now imagine that the sequence has 16 terms the first term will be 320, and all the other terms will be greater than or equal to 320. So the average can’t be 300.
Or basically, the maximum number of terms in the sequence is 15.
What is the minimum number of terms in the sequence?
Can the sequence have one term?
n = 1
a₁ = 20
But the sum of terms is not 300.
The sequence should have more than one term.
n = 2
a₁ = 2(20) = 40
The sum of terms can be 300(2). This happens by having the second term as 560.
The minimum number of terms in the sequence is 2.
The maximum number of terms in the sequence is 15.
The number of terms in the sequence can have 14 different values.
And in each case the value of a₁ is distinct.
Hence, a₁ can have 14 different values.

26.

A.
B.
C.
-4
D.
4

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

27.

Answer : 12

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

28.

In an election, there were four candidates and 80% of the registered voters casted their votes. One of the candidates received 30% of the casted votes while the other three candidates received the remaining casted votes in the proportion 1 : 2 : 3. If the winner of the election received 2512 votes more than the candidate with the second highest votes, then the number of registered voters was

A.
40192
B.
60288
C.
50240
D.
62800

Option D is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

One candidate got 30% of the polled votes, the remaining three got in the ratio of 1 : 2 : 3
The polled votes were split in 3 : 7 ratio.
The 70% of them were again split in the ratio 1 : 2 : 3
The votes were polled in the ratio of 6(3) : 7(1 : 2 : 3)
18 : 7 : 14 : 21
Let’s assume that the actual polled votes are 18x, 7x, 14x, 21x
The winner of the election received 2512 votes more than the candidate with the second highest votes.
21x - 18x = 2512
3x = 2512
Total polled votes = 18x + 7x + 14x + 21x = 60x = 20(3x) = 20(2512) = 50,240
The polled votes represent 80% of the total registered votes.
Total registered votes = 50,240 + 12,560 = 62,800.

29.

The number of integers greater than 2000 that can be formed with the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, using each digit at most once, is

A.
1440
B.
1200
C.
1420
D.
1480

Option A is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The number of 6-digit integers that can be formed is 600.

The number of 5-digit integers that can be formed is 600.

The number of 4-digit integers that can be formed is 240.
The total number of integers greater than 2000 that can be formed with the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
using each digit at most once, is 600 + 600 + 240 = 1440

30.

A.
5
B.
7
C.
4
D.
6

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

31.

Answer : 47

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

32.

In an examination, there were 75 questions. 3 marks were awarded for each correct answer, 1 mark was deducted for each wrong answer and 1 mark was awarded for each unattempted question. Rayan scored a total of 97 marks in the examination. If the number of unattempted questions was higher than the number of attempted questions, then the maximum number of correct answers that Rayan could have given in the examination is

Answer : 24

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The rules of the examination are…
● A correct answer gets +3 marks.
● A wrong answer gets -1 mark.
● An unanswered question gets +1 mark.
So, the scenario is, every question is already awarded 1 mark before attempting, if the attempt is right you get +2 marks and if it is wrong you get -2 marks.
So after re-imagining the examination…
● Every Question is awarded + 1 before attempting itself.
(This means you enter the examination with 75 marks in your pocket)
● A right answer fetches +2 marks.
● A wrong answer fetches -2 marks.
Now it is up to the student to increase or decrease his total marks from 75.
If he answers more questions right than wrong he gets additional marks.
If he answers more questions wrong than right his marks decrease.
So, when Rayan scored a total of 97 marks in the examination, 75 were given to him on a platter. The remaining 22 is what he put effort to score.
This means the difference between the number of questions he got right and the number of questions he got wrong is 11.
In the most extreme case, he might have got 11 questions right and did not attempt the remaining.

Right	Wrong	Unattempted
11	0	64

He might have got a few questions wrong, but the number of right questions should always be more than the number of wrong questions by 11.
The case where the number of wrong questions is ‘x’ looks like…

Right	Wrong	Unattempted
11 + x	x	64 - 2x

The number of unattempted questions was higher than the number of attempted questions…
This means,
64 - 2x > 11 + x + x
53 > 4x
$x \leq 13$ .
The maximum value of x is 13.
The maximum number of the right answers = 11 + 13 = 24

33.

Five students, including Amit, appear for an examination in which possible marks are integers between 0 and 50, both inclusive. The average marks for all the students is 38 and exactly three students got more than 32. If no two students got the same marks and Amit got the least marks among the five students, then the difference between the highest and lowest possible marks of Amit is

A.
21
B.
24
C.
20
D.
22

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

The case where Amit gets the least amount of marks looks like…

The maximum mark that Amit can get is 31, He can get it if he can grab 20 marks from the people who score 48, 49 and 50.
In fact, it is possible for Amit to do that…

The difference between the highest and lowest marks if Amit = 31 - 11 = 20.

34.

Answer : 4

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

35.

Mr. Pinto invests one-fifth of his capital at 6%, one-third at 10% and the remaining at 1%, each rate being simple interest per annum. Then, the minimum number of years required for the cumulative interest income from these investments to equal or exceed his initial capital is

Answer : 20

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Let the capital invested by Mr.Pinto be ₹300.
₹300 because we deal with one-third, further in the question.

Investments	Invested amount	Rate of interest	Return
one-fifth	60	6%	₹3.6
one-third	100	10%	₹10
remaining	140	1%	₹1.4
Total return in a year			₹15

The interest generated is ₹15 per year.
Let’s say the capital is invested for n years.
When return equals capital…
15 n = 300
n = 20.

36.

A.
404
B.
442
C.
455
D.
415

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

37.

Two ships meet mid-ocean, and then, one ship goes south and the other ship goes west, both travelling at constant speeds. Two hours later, they are 60 km apart. If the speed of one of the ships is 6 km per hour more than the other one, then the speed, in km per hour, of the slower ship is

A.
12
B.
18
C.
20
D.
24

Option B is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Let the speeds of the boats be x kmph and x + 6 kmph.
After 2 hours, the distance travelled by the boats is 2x km and 2x + 12 kms respectively.
The distance between them is 60 kms.
60² = (2x)² + (2x + 12)²
3600 = 4 x² + 4 x² + 144 + 48x
900 = 2 x² + 36 + 12 x
450 = x² + 18 + 6 x
x² + 6x - 432 = 0
x² + 24x - 18x - 432 = 0
x = 18 or x = -24
The speed of the slower boat is 18 kmph.

38.

A.
12
B.
36
C.
24
D.
6

Option C is the correct answer.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

Previous Year Papers

Hence, the answer is '35'

Hence, the answer is '38'

Hence, the answer is '7.56%'

Hence, the answer is '18%'

Hence, the answer is '210'

Hence, the answer is 'Company C'

Hence, the answer is 'Company D'

Hence, the answer is 'Company A'

The answer is 'Company B'

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