Fact, Inference & Judgement - Previous Year CAT/MBA Questions
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Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows.
Fear is the greatest motivator of all time. Conflict born of fear is behind our every action, driving us forward like the cogs of a clock. Fear is desire’s dark dress, its doppelgänger. “Love and dread are brothers,” says Julian of Norwich. As desire is wanting and fear is not-wanting, they become inexorably linked; just as desire can be destructive (the desire for power), fear can be constructive (fear of hurting another); fear of poverty becomes desire for wealth.
Which of the following statements can be BEST concluded from the paragraph?
- (a)
A positive action generally has a foundation of fear underneath.
- (b)
While fear is perceived as negative, it can be a force for good.
- (c)
The interplay of fear and desire helps in guiding one’s action.
- (d)
Fear paves the way to positive transformation when paired with desire.
- (e)
Fear is a powerful motivator that leads to extraordinary achievements.
Solution
Discuss
ReportRead the following paragraphs and answer the question that follows.
Paragraph 1:
Here are some handy rules of thumb. Anyone who calls themselves a thought leader is to be avoided. A man who does not wear socks cannot be trusted. And a company that holds an employee-appreciation day does not appreciate its employees.
Paragraph 2:
It is not just that the message sent by acknowledging staff for one out of 260-odd working days is a bit of a giveaway (there isn’t a love-your-spouse day ... for the same reason). It is also that the ideas are usually so tragically unappreciative. You have worked hard all year so you get a slice of cold pizza or a rock stamped with the words “You rock”?
Which of the following BEST describes the relationship of the first paragraph with the second paragraph?
- (a)
The first paragraph is redundant, in the presence of the second paragraph.
- (b)
The second paragraph gives evidence to the claims made by the first paragraph.
- (c)
The first paragraph is humorous, while the second paragraph is sarcastic.
- (d)
Without the second paragraph the first paragraph is meaningless.
- (e)
The first paragraph evokes interest, the second paragraph elaborates.
Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows.
You may accumulate a vast amount of knowledge but it will be of far less value to you than a much smaller amount if you have not thought it over for yourself; because only through ordering what you know by comparing every truth with every other truth can you take complete possession of your knowledge and get it into your power.
Based on the above information, which of the following statements MUST be true?
- (a)
If she is a master of knowledge, it is because she is a reflector of information.
- (b)
If she wants to master knowledge, she must reflect on the information.
- (c)
If she reflects on the information, she will master the knowledge.
- (d)
If she has not mastered knowledge, she must have not reflected on information.
- (e)
If she has mastered the knowledge, she might have reflected on the information.
Read the following passage and answer the question that follows.
How do we choose one discovery over any other? The physician Lewis Thomas made a choice. He bluntly asserts: “The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th-century science has been the discovery of human ignorance.”
The science writer Timothy Ferris agrees: “Our ignorance, of course, has always been with us, and always will be. What is new is our awareness of it, our awakening to its fathomless dimensions, and it is this, more than anything else, that marks the coming of age of our species.”
It is an odd, unsettling thought that the culmination of our greatest century of discovery should be the confirmation of our ignorance. How did such a thing come about?
Which of the following statements can be BEST concluded from the above passage?
- (a)
Humans know more when they know they know very little.
- (b)
Humans progressed because they knew that they knew very little.
- (c)
Humans became scientists when they realized that they were ignorant.
- (d)
That they do not know enough make humans seek to know more.
- (e)
The realization that humans are ignorant led them to invent new things.
Read the following statements.
The leave policy is bound to be unpopular either with the management or among workers. If the leave policy is unpopular with the management, it should be modified. We should adopt a new policy if it is unpopular with workers.
If the above statements are true, which one of the following MUST also be true?
- (a)
If the leave policy is popular with the management, then we should adopt a new policy.
- (b)
If the leave policy is popular among workers, then we should adopt a new policy.
- (c)
We should attempt to popularize the leave policy among either the management or workers.
- (d)
We should modify the leave policy only if this will not reduce its popularity among workers.
- (e)
We should modify the leave policy if modification will not reduce its popularity with the management.
Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows:
“People who work in law, hotel and food services, and technology were found the most likely to skip breakfast daily, according to a recent study. As for people who do eat breakfast and prefer a savoury type (like an egg), the study found they tend to make more money, be night owls and prefer cats over dogs. If you prefer a sweet breakfast like a donut you tend to be a morning person, like romcoms and are a dog person”.
Which of the following can be BEST inferred based on the above paragraph?
- (a)
IT professionals, who eat eggs for breakfast, are more likely to make more money than their counterparts who eat donuts for breakfast.
- (b)
Lawyers, who eat savory breakfast daily, make more money than those lawyers who have early breakfast daily.
- (c)
Hoteliers who eat regular breakfast are more likely to make more money than those who watch romcoms regularly.
- (d)
Among regular breakfast eaters, early risers have more sugar in their breakfast than late risers.
- (e)
A preference for cats as pets over dogs, usually, is a result of eating eggs for breakfast daily.
Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows:
In Australia, jellyfish are most common between November and May. In Hawaii, jellyfish often show up on south-facing beaches eight days after a full moon. In the Mediterranean, blooms usually appear in the summer. Unfortunately for travellers, there is no worldwide database for recent jellyfish sightings, and tourism officials are sometimes reluctant to publicize jellyfish swarms out of fear that such news will scare off visitors.
Which of the following can be BEST concluded from the above paragraph?
- (a)
Celestial bodies have an influence on jellyfish sightings.
- (b)
Economic interests influence security advisories.
- (c)
Tourism officials hide the truth about jellyfish sightings.
- (d)
Seasonal variations in the marine temperature impact jellyfish sightings.
- (e)
Tourists visiting north-facing beaches in Hawaii do not spot jellyfish.
Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows:
Global surface temperatures in 2019 are on track to be either the second or third warmest since records began in the mid-1800s, behind only 2016 and possibly 2017. On top of the long-term warming trend, temperatures in 2019 have been buoyed by a moderate El Niño event that is likely to persist through the rest of the year.
Which of the following statements can be BEST inferred based on the above paragraph?
- (a)
El Niño event causes global surface temperatures to rise in the long-term.
- (b)
A moderate El Niño event increases temperature more than a weak El Niño event.
- (c)
El Niño event did not affect temperatures in 2016 and 2017.
- (d)
The long-term trend of global surface temperatures is unrelated to El Niño.
- (e)
Global surface temperatures are increasing at a constant rate for three years.
Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows:
If we can send a human to the Moon, why can’t we build sustainable cities? Defeat cancer? Tackle climate change? So, go the rallying cries inspired by one of humanity’s greatest achievements, the US effort that put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon on 20 July 1969.
Which of the following statements, if true, BEST communicates the intent of the paragraph?
- (a)
America’s moonshot was more about race to the moon and less about solving problems.
- (b)
America’s moonshot initiative was mainly a response to USSR’s competing initiative.
- (c)
The reason we celebrate 1969 moonshot is precisely because nothing significant has been done in that domain since then.
- (d)
Moonshot has a definitive ownership, whereas creating sustainable cities and curing cancer are public-good problems.
- (e)
The complexity of developing sustainable cities and curing cancer is far more than sending a human to the moon.
Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows:
When asked what the politician will do for the nation’s economy, he attacked the opponent by saying, “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not supposed to say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious? Nevertheless, we’re going to defeat ISIS. ISIS happened a number of years ago in a vacuum that was left because of bad judgment. And I will tell you, I will take care of ISIS.”
Which of the following statements BEST describes the politician’s intent?
- (a)
To make an emotional appeal to the voters
- (b)
To appeal to the macho voters and use fear as a tool to lure voters
- (c)
To divert attention towards ISIS as compared to the economy
- (d)
To make a sexist remark and share his concern about an important issue
- (e)
To digress and argue that security is more important than economy
Which of the statements below is least fallacious?
- (a)
Educated people do not oppose sale of hard drinks by governments. So drinking cannot be illegal.
- (b)
Marlon Brando was such a great actor because everyone liked him.
- (c)
Mitigating risks often comes with costs.
- (d)
The snake in the temple likes milk because devotees offer it milk.
- (e)
Cheating in examinations is wrong because God will punish you.
Read the following paragraph carefully and answer the question that follows:
Arti is planning for higher studies and her future goals include working as a manager of a nonprofit organization designed to provide assistance to under-represented populations. Arti researched the mission statements of various colleges and discovered that college X, a small private college with a fee of Rs. 8 lakhs per year, was dedicated to producing compassionate and curious leaders. College Y, a large institute with a fee of Rs. 9 lakh per year, promoted itself as a leading research facility. Based on her research, she decided to apply to college X rather than College Y.
Which of the following options is the most likely explanation of Arti's decision?
- (a)
A direct relationship exists between a college's cost and the quality of the education it provides.
- (b)
Students apply to smaller colleges that offer more personalized attention from professors.
- (c)
A large research university cannot prepare students for a career as a non-profit executive.
- (d)
Students apply to colleges with mission statements that align with their goals.
- (e)
The best colleges have the best mission statements. Hence, students select a college with the best mission statement.
Read the following paragraph carefully and answer the question that follows:
The size of oceanic waves is a function of the velocity of the wind and of fetch, the length of the surface of the water subject to those winds. The average impact of waves against a coastline is a function of the size of the waves and the shape of the sea bottom. The degree of erosion on coastline is a function of the average impact of waves and the geologic composition of the coastline.
According to the above paragraph, which of the following options will be true?
- (a)
The fetch of wind is related to the shape of the sea bottom.
- (b)
The size of oceanic waves will not fluctuate far from average.
- (c)
The size of oceanic wave is correlated with the shape of the sea bottom.
- (d)
Degree of erosion on coastline is not related with the velocity of wind.
- (e)
Degree of erosion on coastline is related to shape of the sea-bottom.
Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows:
Worldwide, tomato is one of the most important crops. Because this crop can be adapted for cultivation in various environments ranging from tropical to alpine regions, its cultivation area is now expanding worldwide into not so productive regions. On the other hand, traditional cultivation areas, the most favourable for tomato cultivation with warm and dry climate, are contracting. Every year, traditional cultivation areas lose 2 million hectares (ha) of land to environmental factors such as salinity, drought, and soil erosion.
Which of the following is the correct inference based on the above passage?
- (a)
In recent years, per hectare production of tomato has increased worldwide.
- (b)
In recent years, per hectare wastage of tomato has increased worldwide.
- (c)
In recent years, per hectare production of tomato has decreased worldwide.
- (d)
In recent years, per hectare wastage of tomato has decreased worldwide.
- (e)
In recent years, per hectare production of tomato has remained the same worldwide.
In recent past, Indian football team has lost most of the matches in international football tournaments. The most successful coaches in Indian club football tournaments are from Latin American countries. In most of the Latin American countries, football is more popular sport than cricket.
From the passage above, choose the correct option:
- (a)
It can be DEFINITELY concluded that “In India, cricket is more popular than football”.
- (b)
It can be DEFINITELY concluded that “Most Latin American countries are successful at football”.
- (c)
It can be DEFINITELY concluded that “In recent past, coaches of Indian football teams are not from Latin America”.
- (d)
It can be DEFEINITELY concluded that “European football coaches are less successful than their Latin American counterparts for Indian national team”.
- (e)
It cannot be DEFINITELY concluded that “The more popular a sport the better the chance of producing a successful coach in that sport”.
Read the following conversation:
OINOS: I can comprehend you thus far-that certain operations of what we term Nature, or the natural laws, will, under certain conditions, give rise to that which has all the appearance of creation. Shortly before the final overthrow of the earth, there were, I well remember, many very successful experiments in what some philosophers were weak enough to denominate the creation of animaculae.
AGATHOS: The cases of which you speak were, in fact, instances of the secondary creation-and of the only species of creation which has ever been, since the first word spoke into existence the first law.
Which of the following options CANNOT be DEFINITELY inferred based on the above conversation?
- (a)
Agathos was explaining something related to creation to Oinos.
- (b)
At the time of conversation there was nothing called Earth.
- (c)
The creation of animalculae is a natural law.
- (d)
Natural laws are creations of philosophers.
- (e)
Law is a spoken word.
Consider the two related statements below:
Statement I: Offices and positions for the marginalized sections should be open to those with greater savings among them.
Statement II: Offices and positions must be open to everyone based on the principle of fair opportunity
Which of the following is true?
- (a)
Statement I assumes that the marginalized sections are incapable of saving.
- (b)
Statement II assumes that all citizens are equally exposed to all opportunities.
- (c)
Statement II contradicts meritocracy.
- (d)
Statement II assumes that all citizens are equally intelligent.
- (e)
Statement I assumes that the marginalized sections always depend on subsidies.
Consider the two statements from the passage:
Statement I: The mass of an object never seems to change.
Statement II: Mass is found to increase with velocity.
Which of the following options CANNOT be concluded from the above passage?
- (a)
Both statements I and II are approximation to the complete truth.
- (b)
Both statements I and II are complete truth so far as we know.
- (c)
Statement I is an approximation to the complete truth but Statement II is complete truth.
- (d)
Statement I reveals that experimental physicist who imagine, deduce, and guess are philosophically wrong.
- (e)
Statement II shows that theoretical physicists can pinpoint the shortcomings of experimental physicists.
‘Big Bang’ is a popular theory related to the origin of the universe. It states that the universe was the outcome of a big bang that released enormous energy.
Which of the following is the MOST PROBABLE inference about the big bang theory?
- (a)
Big Bang Theory was first proposed by experimental physicists.
- (b)
Big Bang Theory was first proposed by theoretical physicists.
- (c)
Big Bang Theory was first proposed by experimental physicist and then deduced by theoretical physicists.
- (d)
Philosophers got the Big Bang theory wrong.
- (e)
Big Bang theory is not an approximation of the complete truth.
Read the definitions below and select the best match between the numbered sentences and the definitions.
Premise: A proposition from which another statement is inferred or follows a conclusion.
Assumption: Something, which is accepted as true.
Facts: Something, which can be checked.
Reason: A cause, explanation or justification for an action or event.
Conclusion: An end, finish or summarization of process or argument.
Proposition: A statement that expresses judgment or opinion.
Question: A sentence worded or expressed so as to elicit opinion.
Inductive inference: An end, finish or summarization reached for “the whole”, based on “a particular” real incidence.
Deductive Inference: An end, finish or summarization reached based on the combining and recombining two or more than two assumptions.
When you look at the people who make fundamental, revolutionary breakthrough in any field, you keep noticing over and over and over again a high preponderance of them have some sort of disability when they were younger, whether it was a physical disability or mental disability, which leads to lower expectations from others, whom they always wanted to prove wrong (1). And what does it do (2)? What does that do to you, when you try to prove someone wrong (3)? You increase your engagement in something because you want to fight against those expectations (4).So it seems like it actually can be a gift having what we label as a disability, or disorder, and cause people to overcompensate and engage in things in other ways (5). A research study shows that higher number of people with dyslexia become social entrepreneurs because they over-compensate their disability through nonverbal communication, initiative and gift (6). And this overcompensation leads to greatness (7).
The best match would be:
- (a)
1–Assumption, 2–Question, 3–Reason, 4–Fact
- (b)
1–Assumption, 2–Question, 4–Reason, 7–Conclusion
- (c)
1–Fact, 2-Question, 4–Reason, 6–Reason
- (d)
1-Fact, 3-Question, 4–Reason, 7–Inductive Inference
- (e)
3–Question, 4–Reason, 5–Fact, 6-Proposition
The fatal consequences of having a routine mid-day meal for at least twenty two children in Bihar’s Saran district expose the chronic neglect of school education in a large part of India (1). The governments cannot find a small piece of land for a school and are unable to store food materials without the risk of contamination is a telling commentary on their commitment to universal primary education (2). The Bihar horror clearly points to the absence of strong normative procedures for the provision of infrastructure, even for a new school (3).
The best match would be:
- (a)
1–Fact, 2–Reason, 3–Deductive Inference
- (b)
1–Reason, 2–Reason, 3–Inductive Inference
- (c)
1–Inductive Inference, 2–Fact, 3–Inductive Inference
- (d)
1–Inductive Inference, 2–Inductive Inference, 3–Inductive Inference
- (e)
1–Reason, 2–Reason, 3– Reason
“On a wing and a prayer the Indian team landed in Heathrow to take on their formidable oppenents”.
From the above sentence it can be inferred that the Indian team was
- (a)
high in spirits
- (b)
well prepared
- (c)
over confident
- (d)
under prepared
- (e)
buoyant
“It was AC Milan’s success in Europe in the sixties that introduced the ‘libero’ as the Italian default and, a quarter of a century later, it was AC Milan’s success in Europe that killed it off.”
Which of the following was not implied in the above sentence?
- (a)
AC Milan was successful in Europe in the sixties with the help of a ‘libero’
- (b)
AC Milan was successful in Europe in the late eighties without a ‘libero’
- (c)
The ‘libero’ was an Italian default for almost a quarter of a century.
- (d)
AC Milan was not successful in Europe for almost a quarter of a century.
- (e)
The Italians seldom used a ‘libero’ since late eighties.
Alfredo, Diego and Lionel are discussing Argentinean football.
Alfredo: Argentina was a football powerhouse.
Diego: Argentina is a football powerhouse.
Lionel: Argentina will be a football powerhouse.
Which of the following cannot be inferred from the above conversation?
- (a)
Lionel is optimistic about the future.
- (b)
Alfredo, Diego and Lionel may disagree on certain things.
- (c)
Diego views the present positively.
- (d)
Alfredo completely disagrees with Diego.
- (e)
Alfredo has positive feelings about the past.
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
This is one of the unanswered questions that I want to explore. I believe that this is certainly one of the deeper questions about technology. Why do I say so? Without evolution technologies seem to be born independently and improve independently. Each must come from some unexplained mental process, some form of creativity or thinking outside the box that brings it into existence and separately develops it. With evolution, new technologies would be birthed in some precise way from previous ones, albeit with considerable mid-wifing, and develop though some understood process of adaptation. In other words, if we could understand evolution, we could understand the most precious of processes: innovation. But, let me define evolution before I proceed further. The word evolution has two general meanings. One is the gradual development of something, as with the evolution of ballet or the English madrigal. The other is the process by which all objects of some class are related by ties of common descent from the collection of earlier objects. The latter is what I mean by evolution.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
I. The author’s main concern is to develop a theory of innovation.
II. The author is interested in putting forth a theory of technological evolution.
III. The author believes before developing a theory of technological evolution, one needs to investigated whether technology evolves at all.
IV. Evolution, as the author puts it, is a sense of common relatedness.
- (a)
I and II
- (b)
I and IV
- (c)
II and IV
- (d)
I, II and III
- (e)
All the above statements