How to develop vocabulary

We need to develop vocabulary not only to crack vocab questions in competitive exams but to communicate effectively.  The latter one is very important in today's globalized world. But one question which always linger in your mind is where to start.  Usually an educated adult enjoys vocabulary near to 4000 words.  But most of these words are not used in our speaking but for academic writing.

There are two types of vocabulary we need to develop.

1. Passive vocabulary
2. Active vocabulary

1. Passive vocabulary: Passive vocabulary is a set of words which we can easily recall the meaning of the word.  For example, If I ask you what is the meaning of Recalcitrant, you may recall that it is a word related stubborness.  It is possible to recall the meaning for either you have already read the meaning of this word or by using roots and suffixes you may guess the meaning.  To crack vocab section in examinations, it is necessary to develop Passive vocabulary.

There are 4 ways to develop passive vocabulary:

1. Learning through roots: Most of the english words have their origons in various languages like latin, french etc.  These origons are roots of the words. Besed on these roots loads of words have been formed. Some times even upto 20 words.  For example, PAN means all or complete.  Panacea means a medicine which cures all, Panaroma means a complete view.  So just by learning a few roots, you can develop significant vocabulay in short time.

The best books to develop vocab through roots are 'Word power made easy" by Norman Lewis and "Six weeks to word power" by wildred funk.

2. Learning words in groups: Most words in english give almost similar meanings.  These words are called synonyms.  For example, a word confusion has a lot of synonyms.  But remember, no word is exact substitute to any word. 

All these words communicate almost the meaning of confusion.  But you may ask how many words we need to remember? The answer is you just have a look at the meanings in any standard dictionary and try to imagine the contest where this word is used.  In this way you can remember some of these words if not all. Over a period of time you can remember almost all the words.  Remember, developing vocabulary is a long term process but it pays in the end.  

3.  Vocabulary software:  A software called "Vocabulary Wizard" is extremely good to develop vocabulary.  It pronounciates all the 4000 important words which are divided into several word lists.  It has also got different word lists for SAT, GRE etc.  Highly recommended.  Click here to download free version.

4.  Mugging up standard word lists: you can pick up any books on SAT, GRE and try to recite these words as often as possible.

It takes almost 3 months to develop vocabulary.  First month you can remember 600 to 900 words, second month 1200 to 1500, Next month upto 3000 words.  

2. Developing Active vocabulary:

Active vocabulary is a word bank which we use in our daily language without much effort to recall.   For example, in words heavy rain and strong wind, we can remember the words heavy and strong very easily.  But we may not be able to use Political Ideology, Novice Law-clerk in our daily language.

The reason is to communicate in our daily lifes we don't really need these words.  That is why, you may not listen much of these combinations.  Most of these words are topic specific.  But if you really want to develop good vocabulary you need to develop vocabulary with collocations.  Collocations are the most important word combinations.  

If you look at the above word list you can see in what contexts the words are being used. In this way you can develop vocabulary which you can use in your daily language and for good academic writings.

Some Don'ts:

1. Don't by-heart vocabulary lists to develop active vocabulary
2. Don't watch english movies to speak fluently  
3. Don't try to speak like news readers from the first day onwards. They speak constructively because their news has been prepared well in advance to their presentation. Also they use an instrument called Auto-cue which display the news so that the news reader speaks with out hiccups
That's all for now! 

Read more

Para Jumbles or Jumbled sentences

Para Jumble questions confuse many as all the options look good.  But the best way to attempt PJ questions is to identify the "Mandatory pair".  A mandatory pair is a sequence that must exist in that order.  To understand much more in detail what is a mandatory pair, let us have a look at different types of mandatory pairs.

Types of Mandatory pairs:

1.  Names and pronouns:  A pronoun always follow a proper noun or A name of a person.

Eg: 

A.  Mr Raman's personality sets him apart from the rest

B. Nothing is too small for his attention

C. He has a fanatical devotion to detail

D. This is what makes him a different guy.

a. ACBD               B. ABCD                  C. BCDA              D. DABC          

Sol:  It is clear from the above that the pronouns highlighted above should have some reference to previous sentences.   Sentences B, C, D cannot stand on their own.  So Statement A should be the starter.  Next sentence should explain what is that personality trait sets him apart.  Statement C should follow A and Statement B should follow statement C as it explains further. Statement D is concluding the paragraph.

So Option A is correct.

2.  Assertion and Example: An assertion will be made and in the next sentence reason will be explained.  

Eg:

A.  One has to see if this is just a bubble and if it will burst

B. Biotech stocks have recently set the bourses on fire

C. Companies like Indrayani Biotech have quoted a 200 per cent rise

D. The latest craze for Biotech shares led to a spurt in their prices.

a. BDCA              B. ACDB                  C. DCAB              D. DABC 

Sol:  Statement C is an example of what is mentioned in statement D. So DC is an obvious pair.  Options B and D ruled out.  Statement A should not be the starter as "this" may not have any reference.  So option B is correct. 

3.  General to Specific:  Initial sentences give broad idea and subsequent sentences provide more details.

Eg: 

A. Work done by Infosys in the US is called on site. 

B. For traditional companies offshore work means work done abroad.

C. It is just the opposite in the software business

D.  And work done in Bangalore is called Offshore. 

a. BCAD              B. ADCB                C. ADBC              D. BADC

Sol: Statement B is talking about traditional companies and introducing the topic. Statement C is stating only about software business.  Statement A is talking about especially one company Infosys.  So BCA is a mandatory pair.  So Option A is correct. 

How to identify the starting sentence:

Starting statements can be definitions, universal truths, facts or philosophical statements.  Mostly, they may not contain any ambiguous pronouns and references to earlier sentences. 

Eg:

A. Panther.com is poised to roll out its internet service

B. It will be the first ISP to offer - free service.

C. Free connnectivity will be offered from next month

D. Customers are waiting to avail of this service

a. BACD              B. ABCD                  C. CADB              D. BADC 

Sol: Only A can start the paragraph as it is introducing the company and its service.  So correct option is B. 

Solved Examples: (level 2 and 3)

1.   

A.  This is now orthodoxy to which I subscribe - up to a point.  

B.  It emerged from the mathematics of chance and statistics.  

C.  Therefore the risk is measurable and manageable.  

D.  The fundamental concept: Prices are not predictable, but the mathematical laws of chance can describe their fluctuations.  

E.  This is how what business schools now call modern finance was born. 

(1) ADCBE 

(2) EBDCA 

(3) ABDCE 

(4) DCBEA

Sol: The best way to solve this one is not through the options. If you read the sentence several times there are two possibilities for the ‘it’ in statement B. The ‘it’ is either ‘The fundamental concept’ in D (i.e. BD) or ‘modern finance’ in E (i.e. EB).  No other combination even as per the given options (CB and AB) would make sense if the ‘it’ is worked upon.  BD is not in the options. Now, one has to merely check if EBDCA makes sense and there is no other option to compare with. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 2

2.    

A.  Similarly, turning to caste, even though being lower caste is undoubtedly a separate cause of  disparity, its impact  is all the greater when the lower-caste families also happen to be poor.  

B.  Belonging to a privileged class can help a woman to overcome many barriers that obstruct women from less thriving classes.  

C.  It is the interactive presence of these two kinds of deprivation  -  being low class and being female  -  that massively impoverishes women from the less privileged classes.  

D.  A congruence of class deprivation and gender discrimination can blight the lives of poorer women very severely.  

E.  Gender is certainly a contributor to societal inequality, but it does not act independently of class. 

(1) EABDC 

(2) EBDCA 

(3) DAEBC 

(4) BECDA 

Sol: Statements B, C and D talk about class – which is introduced in statement E, along with gender. Hence E starts the paragraph.  

‘A congruence of class deprivation and gender discrimination’ in statement D and ‘these two kinds of deprivation’ in statement C make DC a mandatory pair.  

Statement B can be very easily placed before this pair because of the reference to class and women, making EBDC the best sequence.  

The word ‘similarly’ in statement A and the reference to ‘caste’ something similar to class makes it easy to place statement A after EBDC. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 2. 

3.  

A.  When identity is thus ‘defined by contrast’, divergence with the West becomes central.  

B.  Indian religious literature such as the Bhagavad Gita or the Tantric texts, which are identified as differing from secular writings seen as ‘western’, elicits much greater interest in the West than do other Indian writings, including India's long history of heterodoxy.  

C.  There is a similar neglect of Indian writing on non-religious subjects, from mathematics, epistemology and natural science to economics and linguistics.  

D.  Through selective emphasis that point up differences with the West, other civilizations can, in this way, be redefined in alien terms, which can be exotic and charming, or else bizarre and terrifying, or simply strange and engaging.  

E.  The exception is the Kamasutra in which western readers have managed to cultivate an interest. 

(1) BDACE 

(2) DEABC 

(3) BDECA 

(4) BCEDA 

Sol: Comparing statements B and D for starters as per the options, statement B scores over statement D.  

BD versus BC (as per the options)  –  By  several reading of the sentences it is possible to see that BC is mandatory or that statement C cannot be placed next to any other statement available except immediately after statement B because of its ‘there is similar neglect. The neglect is mentioned only in statement B. 

BCED and BCDE would have been very difficult to decide. Fortunately we are not required to decide this, because BCED is the only choice. Statement A then falls automatically at the end of the paragraph. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 4. 

In these examples, Statement A is starter.  Find the logical sequence of the remaining 4 statements

4. 

A.  In America, highly educated  women, who are in stronger position in the labour market than less qualified ones, have higher rates of marriage than other groups. 

B.  Some works supports the Becker thesis, and some appears to contradict it. 

C.  And, as with crime, it is equally inconclusive. 

D.  But regardless of the conclusion of any particular piece of work, it is hard to establish convincing connections between family changes and economic factors using conventional approaches. 

E.  Indeed, just as with crime, an enormous academic literature exists on the validity of the pure economic approach to the evolution of family structures. 

(1) BCDE 

(2) DBEC 

(3) BDCE 

(4) ECBD 

(5) EDCD 

Sol: When the four statements are studied well, it is very easy to establish that EC (records exist to verify  both crimes and family structures) and BD are mandatory pairs.  

Only statements E and C both contain the idea of ‘crime’. Hence one cannot place any other statement along with statement E, but statement C. 

In the same way, statements B and D both have reference to written ‘piece of work’  and no other sentence, making BD in that order mandatory. Once this is noticed, placing EC and BD in that order with the help of A (fixed) is easy. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 4. 

5. 

A.  Personal experience of mothering and motherhood are largely framed in relation to two discernible or “official” discourses; the “medical discourse and natural childbirth discourse”. Both of these tend to focus on the “optimistic stories” of birth and mothering and underpin stereotypes of the “godmother”.  

B.  At the same time, the need for medical expert guidance is also a feature for contemporary reproduction and motherhood.  But constructions of good mothering have not always been so conceived and in different contexts may exist in parallel to other equally dominant discourses.  

C.  Similarly, historical work has shown how what are now taken for granted aspects of reproduction and mothering practices result from contemporary “pseudoscientific directives” and “managed constructs”. These changes have led to a reframing of modern discourses that pattern pregnancy and motherhood leading to an acceptance of the need for greater expert management.  

D.  The contrasting, overlapping and ambiguous strands with in these frameworks focus to varying degrees on a woman’s biological tie to her child and predisposition to instinctively know and be able to care for her child.  

E.  In addition, a third, “unofficial popular discourse” comprising “old wives” tales and based on maternal experiences of childbirth has also been noted. These discourses have also been acknowledged in work exploring the experiences of those who apparently do not “conform” to conventional stereotypes of the “good mother”? 

(1) EDBC 

(2) BCED 

(3) DBCE 

(4) EDCB 

(5) BCDE 

Sol: The "two discernible" or "official discourses" makes it compulsory to place statement E after statement A, because statement E talks about "a third unofficial discourse". (In other words if not placed next to statement A, statement E cannot be placed anywhere else). AE is the first mandatory pair.  

'These frameworks' in statement D is explained in statement E so that statement D unless placed next to statement E, will not make sense. (In other words ED too is mandatory.) The idea of motherhood from statement D (biological tie) is continued in statement B. Thus the links in EDB are most obvious.  

Statements C and B too are clearly linked because statement B ends with reference to 'dominant discourse' and statement C begins with 'historical work' making EDBC most logical sequence. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 1. 

6. 

A.  Indonesia has experienced dramatic shifts in its formal governance  arrangements since the fall of President Soeharto and the close of his centralized, authoritarian "New Order" regime in 1997. 

B.  The political system has taken its place in the nearly 10 years since Reformasi began. It has featured the active contest for political office among a proliferation of parties at central, provincial and district levels; direct elections for the presidency (since 2004); and radical changes in centre-local government relations towards administrative, fiscal, and political decentralization. 

C.  The mass media, once tidily under Soeharto's thumb, has experienced significant liberalization as has the legal basis for non-governmental organizations, including many dedicated to such controversial issues as corruption control and human rights. 

D.  Such developments are seen optimistically by a number of donors and some external analysts, who interpret them as signs of Indonesia's political normalization. 

E.  A different group of analysts paint a picture in which the institutional forms have changed, but power relations have not. Vedi Hadiz argues that Indonesia's "democratic transition" has been anything but linear. 

(1) BDEC 

(2) CBDE 

(3) CEBD 

(4) DEBC 

(5) BCDE 

Sol: As per the options comparing statements B, C and D as the sentences to follow statement A, statement C gets eliminated.  

Statements B and D are far better sentences to follow statement A than statement C.   The next decisive point is the ‘such developments’ in statement D. As statements A, B, and C are talking about several developments statement D is best placed at the end of all, and will mar the structure of the paragraph if placed anywhere in between.  

The choice then becomes very clear. Also, the link between statement D and statement E with their “some analysts’ (statement D) and ‘different analysts” (statement E) is also obvious. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 5. 

7. 

A.  I had six thousand acres of land, arid had thus got much spare land besides the coffee plantation. Part of the  farm was native forest, and about one thousand acres were squatters' land, what [the Kikuyu] called their shambas. 

B.  The squatters' land was more intensely alive than the rest of the farm, and was changing with the seasons the year round. The maize grew up higher than your head as you walked on the narrow hard-trampled footpaths in between the tall green rustling regiments. 

C.  The squatters are Natives, who with their families hold a few acres on a white man's farm, and in return have to work for him a certain number of days in the year. - My squatters, I think, saw the relationship in a different light, for many of them were born on the farm, and their fathers befor them, and they very likely regarded me as a sort of superior squatter on their estates. 

D.  The Kikuyu also grew the sweet potatoes that have a vine like leaf and spread over the ground like a dense entangled mat, and many varieties of big yellow and green speckled pumpkins. 

E.  The beans ripened in the fields, were gathered and thrashed by the women, and the maize stalk and coffee pods were collected and burned, so that in certain seasons thin blue columns of smoke rose here and there all over the farm. 

(1) CBDE  

(2) BCDE 

(3) CBED 

(4) DBCE 

(5) EDBC

Sol: Either by looking at the options or by reading the sentences in the given order, one can easily see that statement A has to followed either by statement B or by statement C because they talk about the ‘squatters’ introduced in statement A. (This eliminates options 4 and 5).  

A more careful reading of statement B and statement C establishes that since statement C explains the identity of the squatters and statement B talks about their farming statement B has to follow statement C rather than precede it.  

At  his stage one has to evaluate/compare only options 1 and 3. Considering statement E and statement D to follow statement B, the link between statement B and statement E because of the “maize” conclusively makes option 3 the answer. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Read more

RC : Inference Based Questions

Answering inference based questions is a bit tough when compared to other types of questions that have been asked in reading comprehension section. But by carefully studying the passage and by drawing right conclusions in the light of the passage make us answer this type of questions correctly. 

 It is advisable to go to the reasoning articles and read "evaluating inferences" before you start reading this lesson. 

Let us understand what is an inference.  Inference is a conclusion drawn in the light of the facts presented in the passage.  Then you may ask how it differs from the Conclusion? Please understand, only in argumentative passages or paragraphs we usually find conclusions as author tries to convince others to prove his point.  All the reasons that author states in the passage act as premises and any unstated reasons act as assumptions. But, most of the times an author discusses various points and may leave the conclusion to the reader.  So inference is a conclusion drawn by the reader in the light of the facts presented in the passage for his understanding and author may agree with that also.  But it is not the intention of the author.  

Let us take an example

In an annual general meeting the Chairman of the board said "This year we expanded our capacity of our plant to 1000 metric tonnes from 500 metric tonnes so next year profits will be double to this year's profits"

We can infer from above that profits will grow along with the subsequent sales of the expanded capacity.  

Practice Example - 1

   Nearly a century ago, biologists found that if they separated an invertebrate animal embryo into two parts  at an early stage of its life, it would survive and develop as two normal embryos. This led them to believe that the cells in the early embryo are undetermined in the sense that each cell has the potential to develop in a variety of different ways. Later biologists found that the situation  was not so simple. It matters in which plane the embryo is cut. If it is cut in a plane different from the one used by the early investigators, it will not form two whole embryos. 

    A debate arose over what exactly was happening. Which embryo cells are determined, just when do they become irreversibly committed to their fates, and what are the “morphogenetic determinants” that tell a cell what to become? But the debate could not be resolved because no one was able to ask the crucial questions in a form in which they could be pursued productively.  Recent discoveries in molecular biology, however, have opened up prospects for a resolution of the debate.  Now investigators think they know at least some of the molecules that act as morphogenetic determinants in early development. They have been able to show that, in a sense, cell determination begins even before an egg is fertilized.   

   Studying sea urchins, biologist Paul Gross found that an unfertilized egg contains substances that function as morphogenetic determinants. They are located in the cytoplasm of the egg cell; i.e., in that part of the cell’s protoplasm that lies outside of the nucleus. In the unfertilized egg, the substances are inactive and are not distributed homogeneously. When the egg is fertilized,  the substances become active and, presumably, govern the behavior of the genes they interact with. Since the substances are unevenly distributed in the egg, when the fertilized egg divides, the resulting cells are different from the start and so can be qualitatively different in  their own gene activity. 

       The substances that Gross studied are maternal messenger RNA’s --products of certain of the maternal genes. He and other biologists studying a wide variety of organisms have found that these particular RNA’s direct, in large part, the synthesis of histones, a class of proteins that bind to DNA. Once synthesized, the histones move into the cell nucleus, where section of DNA wrap around them to form a structure that resembles beads, or knots, on a string. The beads are DNA segments wrapped around the histones; the string is the intervening DNA. And it is the structure of these beaded DNA strings that guides the fate of the cells in which they are located. 

1. It can be inferred from the passage that the morphogenetic determinants present in the early embryo are  

(A)  located in the nucleus of the embryo cells 

(B)  evenly distributed unless the embryo is not developing normally

(C)  inactive until the embryo cells become irreversibly committed to their final function  

(D)  identical to those that were already present in the unfertilized egg 

(E)  present in larger quantities than is necessary for the development of a single individual 

Studying sea urchins, biologist Paul Gross found that an unfertilized egg contains substances that function as morphogenetic determinants. They are located in the cytoplasm of the egg cell; i.e., in that part of the cell’s protoplasm that lies outside of the nucleus. In the unfertilized egg, the substances are inactive and are not distributed homogeneously. When the egg is fertilized,  the substances become active and, presumably, govern the behavior of the genes they interact with. Since the substances are unevenly distributed in the egg, when the fertilized egg divides, the resulting cells are different from the start and so can be qualitatively different in  their own gene activity. 

       The substances that Gross studied are maternal messenger RNA’s --products of certain of the maternal genes.He and other biologists studying a wide variety of organisms have found that these particular RNA’s direct, in large part, the synthesis of histones, a class of proteins that bind to DNA. Once synthesized, the histones move into the cell nucleus, where section of DNA wrap around them to form a structure that resembles beads, or knots, on a string. The beads are DNA segments wrapped around the histones; the string is the intervening DNA. And it is the structure of these beaded DNA strings that guides the fate of the cells in which they are located. 

In the first paragraph, Author mentions about "substances" which acts as morphogenetic determinants and in the second paragraph, he named them an maternal messenger RNA's. 

Now look at the options: (A) is not correct as the substances Gross studied are lying out side of the nucleus. (B) is not correct as these substances are unevenly distributed in the egg.  (C) is a trap.  Please understand These substances are inactive until the egg fertilization not until the cell determination.   Once the egg is fertilized, these substances become active and govern the fate of the cells.  But If these substances are inactive till the cell determination, which one will decide the fate of the cell? (D) is a very close option.  From the passage we understand that the substances are active after fertilization, but whether these substances are identical to the previous ones or may not take any shape or change in composition, nothing will be discussed in the passage.  It is just an assertion with no facts presented in the passage.  

Now we left with only one option.  How do we know that there are enough morphogenetic determinants present in the early embryo? 

An embryo is the very initial stage of the child or animal just after the fertilization of egg.  It is just a collection of cells.  Now the morphogenetic determinants will decide which cell becomes leg, or hand or any other limb.  Look at the first paragraph. 

Nearly a century ago, biologists found that if they separated an invertebrate animal embryo into two parts  at an early stage of its life, it would survive and develop as two normal embryos.

If scientists divide the embryo into two parts it survives and developing into two normal embryos.  If there is enough morphogenetic determinant available to determine only one embryo, then both embryos may not develop into normal embroyos.   So it is believed that there is enough morphogenetic determinant available to determine two embryos.  This makes our answer choice E correct. 

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the initial production of histones after an egg is fertilized takes place 

(A)  in the cytoplasm  

(B)  in the maternal genes 

(C)  throughout the protoplasm 

(D)  in the beaded portions of the DNA strings 

(E)  in certain sections of the cell nucleus 

       Studying sea urchins, biologist Paul Gross found that an unfertilized egg contains substances that function as morphogenetic determinants. They are located in the cytoplasm of the egg cell; i.e., in that part of the cell’s protoplasm that lies outside of the nucleus. In the unfertilized egg, the substances are inactive and are not distributed homogeneously. When the egg is fertilized,  the substances become active and, presumably, govern the behavior of the genes they interact with. Since the substances are unevenly distributed in the egg, when the fertilized egg divides, the resulting cells are different from the start and so can be qualitatively different in  their own gene activity. 

       The substances that Gross studied are maternal messenger RNA’s --products of certain of the maternal genes. He and other biologists studying a wide variety of organisms have found that these particular RNA’s direct, in large part, the synthesis of histones, a class of proteins that bind to DNA. Once synthesized, the histones move into the cell nucleus, where section of DNA wrap around them to form a structure that resembles beads, or knots, on a string. The beads are DNA segments wrapped around the histones; the string is the intervening DNA. And it is the structure of these beaded DNA strings that guides the fate of the cells in which they are located. 

We know that the substances author discussed are RNA's and these RNA's Direct the Synthesis of histones and these histones after synthesis move into the cell nucleus.  So we can infer that these histones may be outside of the nucleus before they move into nucleus.   In the first paragraph author named the outside the nucleus as Cytoplasm, so we can infer that these histones might be produced in the cytoplasm.  Option A is correct. 

3.  It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following is dependent on the fertilization of an egg? 

(A)  Copying of maternal genes to produce maternal messenger RNA’s 

(B)  Sythesis of proteins called histones  

(C)  Division of a cell into its nucleus and the cytoplasm 

(D)  Determination of the egg cell’s potential for division 

(E)  Generation of all of a cell’s morphogenetic determinants  

Studying sea urchins, biologist Paul Gross found that an unfertilized egg contains 

substances that function as morphogenetic determinants. They are located in the cytoplasm of the egg cell; i.e., in that part of the cell’s protoplasm that lies outside of the nucleus. In the unfertilized egg, the substances are inactive and are not distributed homogeneously. When the egg is fertilized,  the substances become active and, presumably, govern the behavior of the genes they interact with. Since the substances are unevenly distributed in the egg, when the fertilized egg divides, the resulting cells are different from the start and so can be qualitatively different in  their own gene activity. 

       The substances that Gross studied are maternal messenger RNA’s --products of certain of the maternal genes. He and other biologists studying a wide variety of organisms have found that these particular RNA’s direct, in large part, the synthesis of histones, a class of proteins that bind to DNA. Once synthesized, the histones move into the cell nucleus, where section of DNA wrap around them to form a structure that resembles beads, or knots, on a string. The beads are DNA segments wrapped around the histones; the string is the intervening DNA. And it is the structure of these beaded DNA strings that guides the fate of the cells in which they are located. 

When the egg is fertilized the RNA's become active and direct the systhesis of histones. Option C. 

Practice Example - 2

   Australian researchers have discovered electroreceptors (sensory organs designed to respond to electrical fields) clustered at the tip of the spiny anteater’s snout. The researchers made this discovery by exposing small areas of the snout to extremely weak electrical fields and recording the transmission of resulting nervous activity to the brain. While it is true that tactile receptors, another kind of sensory organ on the anteater’s snout, can also respond to electrical stimuli, such receptors do so only in response to electrical field strengths about 1,000 times greater than those known to excite electroreceptors. 

      Having discovered the electroreceptors, researchers are now investigating how anteaters utilize such a sophisticated sensory system. In one behavioral experiment, researchers successfully trained an anteater to distinguish between two troughs of water, one with a weak electrical field and the other with none. Such evidence is consistent with researchers’ hypothesis that anteaters use electroreceptors to detect electrical signals given off by prey; however, researchers as yet have been unable to detect electrical signals emanating from termite mounds, where the favorite food of anteaters live. Still, researchers have observed anteaters breaking into a nest of ants at an oblique angle and quickly locating nesting chambers. This ability quickly to locate unseen prey suggests, according to the researchers, that the anteaters were using their electroreceptors to locate the nesting chambers. 

1. Which of the following can be inferred about the experiment described in the first paragraph? 

 (A) Researchers had difficulty verifying the existence of electroreceptors in the anteater because electroreceptors respond to such a narrow range of  electrical field strengths. 

 (B) Researchers found that the level of nervous activity in the anteater’s brain increased dramatically as the strength of the electrical stimulus was increased. 

 (C) Researchers found that some areas of the anteater’s snout were not sensitive to a weak electrical stimulus. 

(D) Researchers found that the anteater’s tactile receptors were more easily excited by a strong electrical stimulus than were the electro receptors.. 

 (E) Researchers tested small areas of the anteater’s snout in order to ensure that only electroreceptors were responding to the stimulus. 

 Australian researchers have discovered electroreceptors (sensory organs designed to respond to electrical fields) clustered at the tip of the spiny anteater’s snout. The researchers made this discovery by exposing small areas of the snout to extremely weak electrical fields and recording the transmission of resulting nervous activity to the brain.While it is true that tactile receptors, another kind of sensory organ on the anteater’s snout, can also respond to electrical stimuli, such receptors do so only in response to electrical field strengths about 1,000 times greater than those known to excite electroreceptors. 

Option A is wrong as the electroreceptors responded to very weak electrical fields and the scientists observed the nervous activity. Option B is wrong as Nothing has been said about the nervous activity with the increment of electrical field. Option C is also wrong as nothing confirms about the inactive spots on the snout of the ant eater.  Option D is against to the passage as it states clearly that to respond tactile receptors require 1000 times more stimuli (in red letters). Now Option E confirms to the experiment as the scientists exposed small areas of the snout to ensure that it is only because of elector receptors the brain activity got increased not by any other organ. 

2.  Which of the following can be inferred about anteaters from the behavioral experiment mentioned in the second paragraph? 

(A) They are unable to distinguish between stimuli detected by their electroreceptors and stimuli detected by their tactile receptors. 

(B) They are unable to distinguish between the electrical signals emanating from termite mounds and those emanating from ant nests. 

(C) They can be trained to recognize consistently the presence of a particular stimulus. 

(D) They react more readily to strong than to weak stimuli. 

(E) They are more efficient at detecting stimuli in a controlled environment than in a natural environment. 

 Having discovered the electroreceptors, researchers are now investigating how anteaters utilize such a sophisticated sensory system. In one behavioral experiment, researchers successfully trained an anteater to distinguish between two troughs of water, one with a weak electrical field and the other with none. Such evidence is consistent with researchers’ hypothesis that anteaters use electroreceptors to detect electrical signals given off by prey; however, researchers as yet have been unable to detect electrical signals emanating from termite mounds, where the favorite food of anteaters live. Still, researchers have observed anteaters breaking into a nest of ants at an oblique angle and quickly locating nesting chambers. This ability quickly to locate unseen prey suggests, according to the researchers, that the anteaters were using their electroreceptors to locate the nesting chambers.

Option A is wrong as this experiment is not about distinguishing electroreceptors and tactile receptors. Option B also wrong as not information has been provided about their efficiency to distinguish ant nets and termite mounds.  Option C is correct as anteaters can be trianed and the evidence is consistent with their hypothesis.  Option D is also wrong as in this experiment they have not altered the stimuli.  Option 5 is wrong as even though scientists failed to notice any sort of stimuli from termite mounds to attract anteater to them, but this does not contradict their hypothesis that they can identify their prey by the stimuli given by the prey. 

Read more

RC: Tone of the author

Identifying the tone of the author is one of the most important question types.  To find the tone of the author, a student has to observe specific adjectives which give us some clues about the tone.  Also the style, context, topic, trend of the paragraph also very important to identify the tone.  The following examples gives you some taste of this typical question type frequently found in various reading comprehension questions. 

1) When I say that priesthood is an evil in religion, I do not mean that priests are evil. There is a mistaken notion even among those who should know better that an institution that is evil is evil because the persons involved in it are evil. Mediation between God and man itself cannot be safely entrusted to humans. This is my contention and it has time and again been proved in the course of history, not only to the detriment of the common people, but also to that of the priests, who, having no option open, may misuse their sacred office.

The tone in the passage is:

a) Judgmental

b) Regret

c) Defensive

d) Critical

e) Sarcastic

The correct answer is c) Defensive. The passage definitely expresses an opinion, but it seeks to defend an earlier opinion expressed previously. So, it cannot be judgmental. There is no regret that priest hood was established or regret of anything else. Only an opinion is expressed defending a previous one. The purpose of the passage is to defend, not to criticize. There is no personal attack, so it cannot be sarcastic.

2) It is often said that God made man in his image; it is also true that man makes God in his own image. Both may be right; and you are perfectly right in thinking of your God as a super tiger. Also it may be true. What we must not forget is that He reveals himself in a mighty terrifying form which pervades the whole universe in every form of life and action. Remember also He is within every one of us and we derive our strength from Him.

a) Didactic

b) Condescending

c) Argumentative

d) Humorous

e) Glorifying

The correct answer is a) Didactic. It is in the tone of a teacher teaching someone. Only one sentence (the second one) is in a condescending tone, no other. The arguments are not set out separately for analysis. Only an opinion is expressed authoritatively. It is not humorous. There is none of the grandeur of glorification; there is only a matter-of-fact description of God.

3) Some medical beast had revived tar-water in those days as a fine medicine, and Mrs. Joe always kept a supply of it in the cupboard; having a belief in its virtues correspondent to its nastiness. At the best of times, so much of this elixir was administered to me as a choice restorative that I was conscious of going about, smelling like a new fence.

a) Commiserating

b) Ironical

c) Sarcastic

d) Humorous

e) Derogatory

The correct answer is c) Sarcastic. The author minces no words in describing his strong feelings. The author is not consoling himself or anyone else. The tone is more plaintive, but the option is not there. He is describing to us the unpleasantness of the medicine in very clear terms. So it cannot be commiserating. There is no irony because there is no sentence in which the opposite of what is said is intended. It does not make us smile or laugh, so it is not humorous. The author does not attempt to insult anyone except in the first three words. Therefore, it is not derogatory.

4) I think the time has come to clear up what I think is a deep-rooted misunderstanding about cows on the streets of Kakinada. That the cow is a holy animal cannot be denied. But being an animal, and a domestic one at that, it must be given its due shelter. But where? Not in our houses, certainly. The streets are therefore ideal places. Motorists and other aggrieved parties can surely make adjustments in their driving in consideration to the Gokula. The accidents must be endured: the world belongs to the cows too. It is the least we can do for the long-suffering cows of Kakinada. If anyone wants a free supply of cow-dung, he has only to step onto the streets. Such a liberal supply of that precious material is to be found in our great city because our bovine denizens are considerate enough not only to grace our streets but also to bestow their benedictions.

A) Sarcastic

B) Ironical

C) Laudatory

D) Critical

E) Plaintive

Explanation: The correct answer is B) Ironical. Here the passage expresses a strong opinion on cows but the opposite of what is expressed is intended. The writer is indignant about cows being allowed to roam on the streets of Kakinada, but he seems to laud cows as sacred animals in order to expose the indifference to cows on the streets. He is critical of this but in an ironical way. There is also a plaintive tone beneath the irony. But overall, the predominant tone is one of irony. Therefore, B) is best.

5) It is an established principle of criminal jurisprudence that in the absence of specific countervailing factors, there is a general presumption in favour of bail. This rule is a natural extension of the very foundation of the modern legal system, which proceeds on the assumption that all persons are innocent until proven guilty. The enormous public anger against the scale of corruption and fraud, and the brazenness of the conspiracy, involved in the 2G spectrum scandal is understandable and must be commended. But the ‘grave magnitude' of the case should not be allowed to detract from the basic legal principles underlying the grant of bail. But this is what seems to have happened in the CBI special court's denial of bail to DMK MP Ms Kanimozhi and seven others in the 2G case. Given that charges have been framed and the case will go to trial in a few days, why should they remain in jail? The contention that they could tamper with evidence is unpersuasive — the gap between the time the 2G licences were issued and the probe was initiated would have given all accused enough time to destroy or conceal whatever they wanted to. The court maintained that the accused, being influential, could influence the witnesses and prejudice the trial. But the obvious answer would be to place certain restrictions on their movement and activity. The unstated implication of bail denial is that the accused should be in jail until the trial is over — a position that is extreme. The court also ignored the fact that some of the usual grounds for refusing bail — such as the possibility of the accused fleeing from justice or repeating a similar offence — do not apply here.  
The author's tone towards bail in this paragraph is 

a) Analytical

b) Critical

c) Sarcastic

d)  Impetuous

e) Optimistic

Please read the question carefully.  You might think that the tone of the author here is critical, but the question asked you to find the tone of the author towards “bail”. The author is critical of the decision of the CBI special court to refuse bail to the accused in the scam. There is no personal attack, or strong emotion shown; there is no optimism in favour of his opinion. The author argues his case logically by invoking the tenets of the law. Therefore, his tone is analytical towards bail. 

6) In a country of nearly 1.2 billion people where over 60 per cent are below any commonsensical definition of the poverty line, it is quite natural that motorsport, especially Formula One, is associated with the rich, new Indian elite. This is perhaps why the debate whether motor racing is a sport or a meaningless exercise involving profligate spending still rages on in the country. Recently P.T. Usha, one of the greatest athletes the country has produced, trashed Formula One as a criminal waste of money. There are not many who think differently. However, understanding the nuances of F1 would enable people to appreciate the sport better. And the truth is F1 is a sport and a business. The top Indian business houses vying for advertising space during the inaugural Grand Prix of India held at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida showed that F1, which has a total global television audience of 527 million, is indeed a fantastic medium for promoting brands in overseas markets. The sport could also act as a powerful vehicle for the steadily growing Indian automotive sector to position its brands globally. After all, the engine maps and components used in the F1 car are not very dissimilar to the ones in a road car today.

a) Analytical

b) Critical

c) Sarcastic

d)  Impetuous

e) Supportive

The tone is analytical because the author is supporting the cause of F-1 racing in India by analyzing the benefits that would accrue to Indians if F-1 racing is introduced in India. There is no personal attack, or any strong emotion to indicate the other options. Therefore, A) Analytical is best.

Read more

Para Jumbles or Jumbled sentences

Para Jumble questions confuse many as all the options look good.  But the best way to attempt PJ questions is to identify the "Mandatory pair".  A mandatory pair is a sequence that must exist in that order.  To understand much more in detail what is a mandatory pair, let us have a look at different types of mandatory pairs.

Types of Mandatory pairs:

1.  Names and pronouns:  A pronoun always follow a proper noun or A name of a person.

Eg: 

A.  Mr Raman's personality sets him apart from the rest

B. Nothing is too small for his attention

C. He has a fanatical devotion to detail

D. This is what makes him a different guy.

a. ACBD               B. ABCD                  C. BCDA              D. DABC          

Sol:  It is clear from the above that the pronouns highlighted above should have some reference to previous sentences.   Sentences B, C, D cannot stand on their own.  So Statement A should be the starter.  Next sentence should explain what is that personality trait sets him apart.  Statement C should follow A and Statement B should follow statement C as it explains further. Statement D is concluding the paragraph.

So Option A is correct.

2.  Assertion and Example: An assertion will be made and in the next sentence reason will be explained.  

Eg:

A.  One has to see if this is just a bubble and if it will burst

B. Biotech stocks have recently set the bourses on fire

C. Companies like Indrayani Biotech have quoted a 200 per cent rise

D. The latest craze for Biotech shares led to a spurt in their prices.

a. BDCA              B. ACDB                  C. DCAB              D. DABC 

Sol:  Statement C is an example of what is mentioned in statement D. So DC is an obvious pair.  Options B and D ruled out.  Statement A should not be the starter as "this" may not have any reference.  So option B is correct. 

3.  General to Specific:  Initial sentences give broad idea and subsequent sentences provide more details.

Eg: 

A. Work done by Infosys in the US is called on site. 

B. For traditional companies offshore work means work done abroad.

C. It is just the opposite in the software business

D.  And work done in Bangalore is called Offshore. 

a. BCAD              B. ADCB                C. ADBC              D. BADC

Sol: Statement B is talking about traditional companies and introducing the topic. Statement C is stating only about software business.  Statement A is talking about especially one company Infosys.  So BCA is a mandatory pair.  So Option A is correct. 

How to identify the starting sentence:

Starting statements can be definitions, universal truths, facts or philosophical statements.  Mostly, they may not contain any ambiguous pronouns and references to earlier sentences. 

Eg:

A. Panther.com is poised to roll out its internet service

B. It will be the first ISP to offer - free service.

C. Free connnectivity will be offered from next month

D. Customers are waiting to avail of this service

a. BACD              B. ABCD                  C. CADB              D. BADC 

Sol: Only A can start the paragraph as it is introducing the company and its service.  So correct option is B. 

Solved Examples: (level 2 and 3)

1.   

A.  This is now orthodoxy to which I subscribe - up to a point.  

B.  It emerged from the mathematics of chance and statistics.  

C.  Therefore the risk is measurable and manageable.  

D.  The fundamental concept: Prices are not predictable, but the mathematical laws of chance can describe their fluctuations.  

E.  This is how what business schools now call modern finance was born. 

(1) ADCBE 

(2) EBDCA 

(3) ABDCE 

(4) DCBEA

Sol: The best way to solve this one is not through the options. If you read the sentence several times there are two possibilities for the ‘it’ in statement B. The ‘it’ is either ‘The fundamental concept’ in D (i.e. BD) or ‘modern finance’ in E (i.e. EB).  No other combination even as per the given options (CB and AB) would make sense if the ‘it’ is worked upon.  BD is not in the options. Now, one has to merely check if EBDCA makes sense and there is no other option to compare with. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 2

2.    

A.  Similarly, turning to caste, even though being lower caste is undoubtedly a separate cause of  disparity, its impact  is all the greater when the lower-caste families also happen to be poor.  

B.  Belonging to a privileged class can help a woman to overcome many barriers that obstruct women from less thriving classes.  

C.  It is the interactive presence of these two kinds of deprivation  -  being low class and being female  -  that massively impoverishes women from the less privileged classes.  

D.  A congruence of class deprivation and gender discrimination can blight the lives of poorer women very severely.  

E.  Gender is certainly a contributor to societal inequality, but it does not act independently of class. 

(1) EABDC 

(2) EBDCA 

(3) DAEBC 

(4) BECDA 

Sol: Statements B, C and D talk about class – which is introduced in statement E, along with gender. Hence E starts the paragraph.  

‘A congruence of class deprivation and gender discrimination’ in statement D and ‘these two kinds of deprivation’ in statement C make DC a mandatory pair.  

Statement B can be very easily placed before this pair because of the reference to class and women, making EBDC the best sequence.  

The word ‘similarly’ in statement A and the reference to ‘caste’ something similar to class makes it easy to place statement A after EBDC. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 2. 

3.  

A.  When identity is thus ‘defined by contrast’, divergence with the West becomes central.  

B.  Indian religious literature such as the Bhagavad Gita or the Tantric texts, which are identified as differing from secular writings seen as ‘western’, elicits much greater interest in the West than do other Indian writings, including India's long history of heterodoxy.  

C.  There is a similar neglect of Indian writing on non-religious subjects, from mathematics, epistemology and natural science to economics and linguistics.  

D.  Through selective emphasis that point up differences with the West, other civilizations can, in this way, be redefined in alien terms, which can be exotic and charming, or else bizarre and terrifying, or simply strange and engaging.  

E.  The exception is the Kamasutra in which western readers have managed to cultivate an interest. 

(1) BDACE 

(2) DEABC 

(3) BDECA 

(4) BCEDA 

Sol: Comparing statements B and D for starters as per the options, statement B scores over statement D.  

BD versus BC (as per the options)  –  By  several reading of the sentences it is possible to see that BC is mandatory or that statement C cannot be placed next to any other statement available except immediately after statement B because of its ‘there is similar neglect. The neglect is mentioned only in statement B. 

BCED and BCDE would have been very difficult to decide. Fortunately we are not required to decide this, because BCED is the only choice. Statement A then falls automatically at the end of the paragraph. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 4. 

In these examples, Statement A is starter.  Find the logical sequence of the remaining 4 statements

4. 

A.  In America, highly educated  women, who are in stronger position in the labour market than less qualified ones, have higher rates of marriage than other groups. 

B.  Some works supports the Becker thesis, and some appears to contradict it. 

C.  And, as with crime, it is equally inconclusive. 

D.  But regardless of the conclusion of any particular piece of work, it is hard to establish convincing connections between family changes and economic factors using conventional approaches. 

E.  Indeed, just as with crime, an enormous academic literature exists on the validity of the pure economic approach to the evolution of family structures. 

(1) BCDE 

(2) DBEC 

(3) BDCE 

(4) ECBD 

(5) EDCD 

Sol: When the four statements are studied well, it is very easy to establish that EC (records exist to verify  both crimes and family structures) and BD are mandatory pairs.  

Only statements E and C both contain the idea of ‘crime’. Hence one cannot place any other statement along with statement E, but statement C. 

In the same way, statements B and D both have reference to written ‘piece of work’  and no other sentence, making BD in that order mandatory. Once this is noticed, placing EC and BD in that order with the help of A (fixed) is easy. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 4. 

5. 

A.  Personal experience of mothering and motherhood are largely framed in relation to two discernible or “official” discourses; the “medical discourse and natural childbirth discourse”. Both of these tend to focus on the “optimistic stories” of birth and mothering and underpin stereotypes of the “godmother”.  

B.  At the same time, the need for medical expert guidance is also a feature for contemporary reproduction and motherhood.  But constructions of good mothering have not always been so conceived and in different contexts may exist in parallel to other equally dominant discourses.  

C.  Similarly, historical work has shown how what are now taken for granted aspects of reproduction and mothering practices result from contemporary “pseudoscientific directives” and “managed constructs”. These changes have led to a reframing of modern discourses that pattern pregnancy and motherhood leading to an acceptance of the need for greater expert management.  

D.  The contrasting, overlapping and ambiguous strands with in these frameworks focus to varying degrees on a woman’s biological tie to her child and predisposition to instinctively know and be able to care for her child.  

E.  In addition, a third, “unofficial popular discourse” comprising “old wives” tales and based on maternal experiences of childbirth has also been noted. These discourses have also been acknowledged in work exploring the experiences of those who apparently do not “conform” to conventional stereotypes of the “good mother”? 

(1) EDBC 

(2) BCED 

(3) DBCE 

(4) EDCB 

(5) BCDE 

Sol: The "two discernible" or "official discourses" makes it compulsory to place statement E after statement A, because statement E talks about "a third unofficial discourse". (In other words if not placed next to statement A, statement E cannot be placed anywhere else). AE is the first mandatory pair.  

'These frameworks' in statement D is explained in statement E so that statement D unless placed next to statement E, will not make sense. (In other words ED too is mandatory.) The idea of motherhood from statement D (biological tie) is continued in statement B. Thus the links in EDB are most obvious.  

Statements C and B too are clearly linked because statement B ends with reference to 'dominant discourse' and statement C begins with 'historical work' making EDBC most logical sequence. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 1. 

6. 

A.  Indonesia has experienced dramatic shifts in its formal governance  arrangements since the fall of President Soeharto and the close of his centralized, authoritarian "New Order" regime in 1997. 

B.  The political system has taken its place in the nearly 10 years since Reformasi began. It has featured the active contest for political office among a proliferation of parties at central, provincial and district levels; direct elections for the presidency (since 2004); and radical changes in centre-local government relations towards administrative, fiscal, and political decentralization. 

C.  The mass media, once tidily under Soeharto's thumb, has experienced significant liberalization as has the legal basis for non-governmental organizations, including many dedicated to such controversial issues as corruption control and human rights. 

D.  Such developments are seen optimistically by a number of donors and some external analysts, who interpret them as signs of Indonesia's political normalization. 

E.  A different group of analysts paint a picture in which the institutional forms have changed, but power relations have not. Vedi Hadiz argues that Indonesia's "democratic transition" has been anything but linear. 

(1) BDEC 

(2) CBDE 

(3) CEBD 

(4) DEBC 

(5) BCDE 

Sol: As per the options comparing statements B, C and D as the sentences to follow statement A, statement C gets eliminated.  

Statements B and D are far better sentences to follow statement A than statement C.   The next decisive point is the ‘such developments’ in statement D. As statements A, B, and C are talking about several developments statement D is best placed at the end of all, and will mar the structure of the paragraph if placed anywhere in between.  

The choice then becomes very clear. Also, the link between statement D and statement E with their “some analysts’ (statement D) and ‘different analysts” (statement E) is also obvious. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 5. 

7. 

A.  I had six thousand acres of land, arid had thus got much spare land besides the coffee plantation. Part of the  farm was native forest, and about one thousand acres were squatters' land, what [the Kikuyu] called their shambas. 

B.  The squatters' land was more intensely alive than the rest of the farm, and was changing with the seasons the year round. The maize grew up higher than your head as you walked on the narrow hard-trampled footpaths in between the tall green rustling regiments. 

C.  The squatters are Natives, who with their families hold a few acres on a white man's farm, and in return have to work for him a certain number of days in the year. - My squatters, I think, saw the relationship in a different light, for many of them were born on the farm, and their fathers befor them, and they very likely regarded me as a sort of superior squatter on their estates. 

D.  The Kikuyu also grew the sweet potatoes that have a vine like leaf and spread over the ground like a dense entangled mat, and many varieties of big yellow and green speckled pumpkins. 

E.  The beans ripened in the fields, were gathered and thrashed by the women, and the maize stalk and coffee pods were collected and burned, so that in certain seasons thin blue columns of smoke rose here and there all over the farm. 

(1) CBDE  

(2) BCDE 

(3) CBED 

(4) DBCE 

(5) EDBC

Sol: Either by looking at the options or by reading the sentences in the given order, one can easily see that statement A has to followed either by statement B or by statement C because they talk about the ‘squatters’ introduced in statement A. (This eliminates options 4 and 5).  

A more careful reading of statement B and statement C establishes that since statement C explains the identity of the squatters and statement B talks about their farming statement B has to follow statement C rather than precede it.  

At  his stage one has to evaluate/compare only options 1 and 3. Considering statement E and statement D to follow statement B, the link between statement B and statement E because of the “maize” conclusively makes option 3 the answer. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Read more