The Secret to Solving Inferential Questions in MBA entrances

Most students preparing for CAT, XAT or MBA entrances struggle with inferential questions. The logic of inferential questions is helpful in solving questions of para completion which is an important component of VRC section of CAT. From the questions that are pouring in about inferential based questions, I think I have my work cut out. I shall address inferential based questions in two parts.

To be good in inferential based questions in MBA entrances, we will have to be good in Critical Reasoning. To be good in Critical Reasoning, we must be good in basics logic. Let me just address Critical Reasoning (CR) here.

Steps to handle CR:
1. Identify Arguments
2. Evaluate Options

Here, we will look at a few CR & IR questions in MBA entrance exams and look at how this works: I will try and give a detailed explanation so that you understand the logic better.

Insect Infestations in certain cotton growing regions of the world have caused dramatic increases of demand of cotton on the world market. Knowing that cotton plants mature quickly, many soybean growers in Ortovia plan to cease growing soybeans, the price of which has long been stable and to begin raising cotton instead, thereby taking advantage of the high price of cotton to increase their income significantly over the next several years.

 

Which of the following, if true, most calls into question the reasoning on which the plan is based? That means, which of the following WEAKENS the argument?

Step 1 is to identify the argument.

The argument is as follows:
1. Insect infestations increased in cotton growing world, (production decreased), demand increased
2. Soybeans growers ceased growing soybeans and started growing cotton
3. Therefore, they will be able to increase their income significantly for the next several years

The assumption is that if income has to increase significantly for the next several years, then it must be true that the demand should remain high for the next several years.

This kind of argument is called a causal argument – Cause and effect.

• Cause : Insect Infestations.
• Effect: Increase in Demand.

In this case, for the effect to stay, cause has to stay!

Step 2 : Evaluating Options

1) The cost of raising soybeans has increased significantly over the past several years and is expected to continue to climb.

RELEVANT – Yes, but it strengthens the argument! That if the cost of soybeans keeps on climbing, it makes bloody sense to shift to cotton. Since we have to identify the option that weakens the argument, this one is INCORRECT

2) Tests of a newly developed, inexpensive pesticide have shown it to be both environmentally safe and effective against the insects that have infected the cotton crops.

RELEVANT – If option 2 is true, then people will use pesticide. The option is giving all the reasons as to why people will use it – (a) it is effective (b) it is environmentally safe (c) it is inexpensive.

Insect Infestations will decrease; production will increase; demand will decrease! ‘Cause’ is stopped. ‘Effect’ will stop.

Remember, the argument is based on the assumption – the demand should remain high for the next several years.

This WEAKENS the argument, in fact it could destroy the argument. Let us check the other options to be sure that this is the best answer.

3) In the past several years, there has been no sharp increase in the demand for cotton, and for goods made out of cotton.

IRRELEVANT – The argument is NOT concerned about demand of cotton in the past. Hence, INCORRECT.

4) Many consumers consider cotton cloth a necessity rather than a luxury and would be willing to pay significantly higher prices for cotton goods than they are currently paying

This STRENGTHENS the argument, that since people are willing to pay, therefore increasing the income. Hence, INCORRECT.

5) The species of insect that has infested the cotton plants has never been known to infest soybean plants

IRRELEVANT. One might think that if the soybean is not infested by the insect, then it does not make sense to shift to cotton. The argument is based on the demand of the cotton. The shifting from soybean to cotton is based on the EFFECT – the increase in demand and NOT based on the CAUSE – the infestation.
Hence, INCORRECT.

Answer – Option (2)

Question: Although fullerenes – spherical molecules made entirely of carbon – were first found in the laboratory, they have since been found in nature, formed in fissures of the rare mineral shungite. Since laboratory synthesis of fullerenes requires distinctive conditions of temperature and pressure, this discovery should give geologists a test case for evaluating hypothesis about the state of the Earth’s crust at the time these naturally occurring fullerenes were formed.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the argument? That means, which of the following WEAKENS the argument?

Step 1 : Identifying the argument.

The argument goes something like this:

1. Fullerenes synthesised in laboratory requires distinctive pressure and temperature
2. Fullerenes are now found in nature
3. Therefore, it is possible to evaluate the state of Earth’s crust at the time naturally occurring fullerenes were formed.

The above argument is an example of argument from analogy. Note that for the conclusion to be true, the Fullerenes synthesised in laboratory must be the ‘same’ as the naturally occurring fullerenes. The knowledge from laboratory synthesised fullerenes is being used to understand the condition of the formation of naturally occurring fullerenes. If the analogy is wrong, that is to say, if those two fullerenes are different, the conclusion would be weak.

1) Confirming that the shungite genuinely contained fullerenes took careful experimentation

IRRELEVANT – Shungite has nothing to do with the argument. Fullerenes just happened to be found in Shungite. There is no other role of Shungite in argument. Hence, INCORRECT.

2) Some fullerenes have also been found on the remains of a small meteorite that collided with a spacecraft.

IRRELEVANT – However, there would be some who would fall in this trap. The option says fullerenes have also been found on a small meteorite. So what? I am experimenting with the ones found on earth. Now if the options was, the fullerenes found of earth were from a meteorite, it would have weakened the argument. But that is not the case here. Hence, INCORRECT.

3) The mineral shungite itself contains large amounts of carbon, from which the fullerenes apparently formed.

IRRELEVANT – Shungite has nothing to do with the argument.

4) The naturally occurring fullerenes are arranged in a previously unknown crystalline structure

This will WEAKEN the argument. Here we get the sense that the naturally occurring fullerenes are different from the laboratory synthesised fullerenes. This would weaken the analogy in the argument.

5) Shungite itself is formed only under distinctive conditions.

IRRELEVANT – Shungite has nothing to do with the argument.

Answer – Option (4)

Question: Until now only injectable vaccines against influenza have been available. They have been primarily used by older adults who are at risk for complications from influenza. A new vaccine administered in a nasal spray form has proven effective in preventing influenza in children. Since children are significantly more likely than adults to contract and spread influenza, making the new vaccine widely available for children will greatly reduce the spread of influenza across the population.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?

Step 1 – Identifying the Argument:

1. Only injectable vaccines against influenza have been available, primarily used by older adults
2. A new vaccine administered in nasal form is effective in children
3. Children is more likely to contract and spread influenza
4. Therefore, the new vaccine will reduce the spread of influenza

Whenever one is replacing something with another thing, two things are important for it to work
A. It is as effective(or may be more effective)
B. People will accept the change

1) If a person receives both the nasal spray and the injectable vaccine, they do not interfere with each other.

IRRELEVANT – The argument does not talk about simultaneous usage of nasal spray & the injectable vaccine. Hence, INCORRECT.

2) The new vaccine uses the same mechanism to ward off influenza as injectable vaccines do.

RELEVANT – This option says that the mechanism used is the same, addressing the effectiveness of the new vaccine. But the argument states that the new vaccine is effective. So how much this option helps remains to be seen. Let us evaluate the other options and see if there is anything better they offer.

3) Government subsidies have kept the injectable vaccines affordable for adults.

IRRELEVANT – The argument is about usage of the nasal vaccine for children. Whether or not the injectable vaccine is affordable does nothing much to the argument. If it would have said that the injectable vaccine is much cheaper than the nasal spray, then one would have got the idea that may be people might not be willing to change – in that case, it would have weakened the argument. In any case, the question is asking us to choose an option which strengthens the argument, this option is INCORRECT

4) Of the older adults who contract influenza, relatively few contract it from children with influenza.

What this option is addressing is the premise – ‘Children is more likely to contract and spread influenza’. When it tries to attack this premise, it CANNOT strengthen the argument. Hence, INCORRECT.

5) Many parents would be more inclined to have their children vaccinated against influenza if it did not involve an injection.

RELEVANT: It strengthens the argument. If more parents are inclined to have their children vaccinated against influenza if it did not involve an injection, then they will use the nasal spray. They will be willing to accept the change! BEST ANSWER.

Answer – Option (5)

Unlike CR questions, in RC the passages are lengthy. However, the basics of logic remain the same. Next time you solve an inferential based question in CAT or XAT or any other MBA entrance test, remember to use logic. Apply the logic given in this article in the RC questions of Mock CATs that you have taken so far. With a little bit of practice you will be good at identifying the argument. You will get the hang of it in and RC in CAT will be a cake walk. All that you have to do is to keep your eyes open and identify the argument, don’t just plainly read the passage – involve yourself.

 

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120 Comments

  4. Hi sir ,

    Need your help regarding improvement in VA/RC section .My accuracy is good in RC but lacking speed .Attempts are too low (17-18) ,hence my percentile in the section is decreasing with the increase in number of questions. However I score decent when questions are around 26-28. and when I try to increase my attempts ,Accuracy is compromised as I had to attempt more ques in VA part.
    Kindly suggest how to approach the section keeping in mind 34 questions in the section.

  7. Hi Gejo Sir,

    In first question doesn’t option A strengthen the argument. If prices of soyabean keep increasing it will make it profitable to sell. (Since he gave prices the context can be assumed to be selling price like cotton which also talks only about prices increasing and hence profitable). Thus it should also weaken the argument to shift to cotton as soyabean itself is going to be profitable. Where am I wrong in this reasoning?

  8. Logical consistency:
    Rohit is in the class when Puneet is in the lab.
    A. Puneet is in the lab
    B. Rohit is not in the class
    C. Puneet is not in the lab
    D. Rohit is in the class
    Both AD AND BC are correct?

    • Hi Shivanshi,

      Yes!

      The basic logic works like this:

      If P then Q.
      P —-> Q.
      Not Q —-> Not P

      In this case:
      Rohit is in the class when Puneet is in the lab.

      If Puneet in Lab, then Rohit in class
      Puneet in Lab —-> Rohit in class
      Rohit not in class —> Puneet not in Lab

      AD and BC are correct links.

      Regards

  9. Hello Sir,
    I followed the above mentioned advice for solving the critical reasoning questions but I am not being able to achieve 85% accuracy. On the contrary, i got both the critical reasoning questions incorrect in the last Mock which i had given. Could you please help me out with this? As to how can I improve this aspect of the paper?

    • Dipayan,

      In every critical reasoning question – the author makes an argument ( premise –> conclusion ). Simply put – author tries to make a claim by stating some reason. The first step is identify those.

      The questions can be one of the following:
      Assumption – the things that links premise to conclusion. This that are needed for the argument to be true.
      Ex: Alcohol should be banned because it causes lot of harm.
      Assumption here – Banning alcohol will reduce/eliminate consumption of alcohol.
      TIP: The answer will be the one which is MOST obvious! The one that directly connects.

      Strengthen/Weaken – additional data which either supports or weaken either the stated reason or the assumption.
      Here, eliminate the ones which are irrelevant. And then evaluate the rest.

      Inference or Conclusion – same like how you do in RC – something that is true based on the passage.

      Practice a few CR questions – Analyse all the questions once to solve them and you will be able to handle CR.

      Regards

  10. I am a cl student
    Hownto solve such para completion ques where u have no idea what the passage is talking about:

    From the given options, choose the sentence that completes the paragraph in the most appropriate way.
    Future social historians will note the extraordinary centrality of food to national discourse on both sides of the Atlantic. Celebrity chefs and lifestyle experts attempt to reform bad habits. Doctors debate the health benefits and risks of modish diets, from raw greens to bone marrow. Class warriors deplore as snobbish dismissals of cheap battery-farm chickens. And the gulping majority grow obstinately fat on salty, sugary, pre-packaged slop, swelling the coffers of the multinationals and delivering fiscal nightmares to those who must foot the bill. But, despite this glut of media coverage, the provenance of most food is little known or understood.Consumers must take vendors’ avowals of freshness on trust. Few question exactly what knowledge a sell-by date imparts. ______________________________
    a. Ancient cultures used preservative methods, such as salting and pickling, in order to extend the durability of produce for domestic use.
    b. Refrigeration delivered a paradigm shift by removing the site of production from the sight of consumers.
    c. The idea of freshness emerged to fill the conceptual ellipsis that resulted.
    d. The numinous meaning of freshness, as with all cults, is apprehended only vaguely by its followers.
    e. Adam had no need to question the physical integrity of the apple Eve offered him, whatever its moral risks

    • Dear Shivanshi,

      For such questions, it is useful to try and identify the major keywords and focus purely on those words. Then work with the options and try to identify how each option relates to those keywords. In the given question, for example, the initial part of the paragraph may be ignored (almost completely). The last three lines talk about freshness of food (provenance of food means = source/origin of food, vendors’ avowals = vendors’ claims). Now, looking at the options, (a) talks about what ancient cultures did, which does not at all connect to the problem that consumers today do not know how fresh their food is. Option (b) talks about shifting the place where production happens. It does not at all connect to the last line of the paragraph, which talks of sell-by date (expiry date). (c) talks of “… the conceptual ellipsis that resulted”. This begs the question as to what was the origin/source of the conceptual ellipsis – what did it result from. The last line of the given paragraph does not provide any such source. (e) talks of Adam and Eve which again does not at all connect to the last line of the given paragraph. Hence, by elimination, we are left with option (d). The last lines of the passage talk of “little known or understood”; (d) similarly talks of “apprehended only vaguely by its followers” (apprehended here means = understood, numinous means = mysterious). Thus, option (d) fits the given context.

  11. Sir I had no idea in solving this parajumble…please help me.with this…thnx
    Q. 4. Direction for question : The sentences given in the question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Each sentence is labelled with a letter. Choose the most logical order of sentences among the given choices to construct a coherent paragraph. Bookmark Add Bookmark
    A. Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of life.
    B. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path — a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood.
    C. Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom.
    D. Because Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator god, some people do not see it as a religion in the normal, Western sense.
    E. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. to realise and utilise its teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully responsible for their lives and to develop the qualities of Wisdom and Compassion.
    a. BCDE
    b. CBED
    c. CBDE
    d. BEDC
    e. ECDB

    • Dear Saanya,

      In the given question, sentence A is fixed. The other 4 sentences need to be arranged in a logical sequence. Sentence E introduces the topic and mentions the basic tenets of Buddhism. Further, E talks of transforming and C develops the idea of change further. EC is thus a mandatory pair. Looking at the options, ECDB therefore, should be the answer.

  12. Plz help me solve this para completion ques :

    But it is important to mention that the European commission is the leading voice in the “chorus” calling for sustainability criteria – by establishing such criteria for biofuels that can be consumed in the EU. The new directive for renewable energy sources will call for the promotion of only sustainable biofuels, i.e. those that save at least 35% CO2 compared to the oil that would be consumed instead. ______________
    a. On the contrary, it is delivering significant greenhouse gas reductions compared to oil.
    b. The commission strongly disagrees with the assumption that the overall environmental effect of existing biofuel policy is negative.
    c. The directive also stresses on the renewal of unconventional sources of energy, bringing into limelight the wind energy.
    d. Today there are only three ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport: the shift to less polluting and more energy efficient modes of transport (i.e. rail, sea shipping, public transport); the promotion of less consuming cars through CO2 /km targets; and biofuels.
    e. At the same time the directive will include robust sustainability standards to prevent damaging land – use change and the destruction of rainforests.

    • Dear Jyoti,

      The given paragraph talks about “the new directive…will call for…”. This implies that the directive has not yet been issued. Option (a), on the other hand, talks about something that is already happening – “it is delivering…”. Hence, (a) cannot complete the paragraph. Option (c) gets rejected for the same reason – it talks about something that is already present. The paragraph says that “will call for the promotion of only sustainable biofuels”. This suggests that changes to existing policy will be asked for. Option (b), on the other hand, implies that the commission supports existing policy. Hence, option (b) also does not fit the given context. Option (d) is a general discussion about ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport, whereas the paragraph talks about a specific commission and its forthcoming directive. Thus, option (d) will not follow the paragraph. Option (e) continues the discussion of the attributes/features that the directive will have. Hence, option (e) is the right answer.

  13. This ques from test gym:
    The time has changed for the world’s superpowers to play their respective supremacy in the field of economy. The importance of the developing countries economies in the present day world is rising very fast. Both in terms of size and weight the contribution of the developing countries is very note worthy. Out of which, the developing nations led the way with GDP growth of 6.4 percent and high income countries, at 2.8 percent in the same year. The Global Development Finance report in the year 2006 says that the net private capital inflows to developing countries reached high level of US$491 billion in the year 2005. The foreign direct investment from developing countries to other developing countries was estimated in the order of $47 billion.

    Which of the following, if true, would best explain why the developing nations are experiencing a better platform for operating?
    a. The growth rate of the developing countries is reliable and more satisfactory in comparison to the others.
    b. The Latin American and the Caribbean grow by an average of 3.8 percent.
    c. The present world economic scenario depicts that the economic concentration is changing and is more favorable on the part of the developing nations.
    d. The developing nations account for 20 percent of the global GDP and 26 percent of world trade presently.
    e. The FDI among the developing countries originated with middle-income country firms and is invested in the same region.

    • Dear Jasmeen,

      Option (a) is the right answer. The question asks you about all developing countries. But option (b) only talks about Latin American and Caribbean regions. Hence, option (b) is insufficient. Option (c) only says that some change is occurring – it does not provide any reasons and hence, cannot be the answer. Option (d) actually goes against the question asked. If developing nations account for only 20 percent of the global GDP, then other countries account for 80% of global GDP. Thus, other countries should have a better platform. Hence, option (d) also cannot be the answer. Where FDI originated from is not likely to have any impact on an economy – only the quantum of the FDI will have an impact. Thus, option (e) also fails. Option (a) talks about some good attributes of the economies of developing countries. Thus, if true, it would explain why developing nations are experiencing a better platform for operating.

      • On the basis of your negating option C, even in option A it is not giving any solid reason..It is saying that economy is more reliable but reason is not there.

        • Dear Jasmeen,

          The paragraph says that the importance of developing countries is rising. Option c simply repeats this statement and does not give any reason for this. On the other hand, option a points out that the growth rate of developing countries is better than that of others. This is the reason for the increase in the importance of developing countries.

  14. Hello Sir,
    I am not sure whether this is the right place to talk about it but I had no other place to contact you. I have recently enrolled into the Smart Cat Cracker. And I am exceedingly indebted to you for all the efforts that you and Gp sir have put in to make such High-end learning so easily accessible to people like me, who live in cities where there is no conventional coaching available, means a lot to me. I love the entire courseware and the enthusiasm with which you teach. From being a person who used to right away go and click the “Next” button whenever I came across a reading comprehension, I have become a person who first of all attempts RC in the mocks. The way you say “alright” keeps echoing in my mind whenever I do any RC and am able to get to the main idea. The only quibble is I don’t know where and whom to write in case I have a doubt.
    Thank You so much sir for making the entire learning experience so enjoyable and great and for changing the whole CAT and RC perspective of mine. I wish I could someday attend your live session too.

    Your sincerely,
    Ayushi

  15. I am a CL student and hve a dbt in this ques:
    Thomas Malthus, the British clergyman-turned economist, predicted that the planet would not be able to support the human population for long. His explanation was that human population grows at a geometric rate, while the food supply grows only at an arithmetic rate.
    Which one of the following, if true, would not undermine the thesis offered by Malthus?

    [1999]
    a. Population growth can be slowed down by the voluntary choices of individuals and not just by natural disasters.
    b. The capacity of the planet to feed a growing human population can be enhanced through biotechnological means.
    c. Human systems, and natural systems like food supply, follow natural laws of growth which have remained constant, and will remain unchanged.
    d. Human beings can colonize other planetary systems on a regular and ongoing basis to accommodate a growing population.

    Answer is c but d is equally good an option bcoz in d it is expecting life on other planets and hence in no way affecting the fact that earth wont be able to support life for long.plz justify.

    • Dear Jasmeen,

      The explanation offered by Malthus is that human population grows at a geometric rate while food supply grows only at an arithmetic rate. Option a contradicts this explanation by pointing out that population growth can be slowed down voluntarily. Similarly, b contradicts this explanation by stating that food supply can be enhanced. Similarly, d contradicts the explanation by stating that humans may populate other planets and thereby, the population of people on this planet may decline or grow at a lower pace. Option c is the only option that does not contradict/counter the explanation offered by Malthus.

  16. Ques from adaptive gym

    Deepa Metha’s Fire is under fire from the country’s self-appointed moral police. Their contention is that the film is a violation of the Indian cultural mores and cannot be allowed to influence the Indian psyche. According to them, such films ruin the moral fabric of the nation, which must be protected and defended against such intrusions at all cost, even at the cost of cultural dictatorship.

    Based on the information in the above passage, it can be inferred that
    a. the assumption underlying the moral police’s critique of Fire is that the Indian audience is vulnerable to all types of influences.
    b. The moral police is duty bound to protect Indian audience against all types of influences.
    c. the moral police thinks it has the sole authority to pass judgement on films screened in India.
    d. The moral police has observed that movies like ‘Fire’ can influe the Indian psyche.
    e. The assumption underlying the moral police’s critique of Fire is that the Indian audience is impressionable and must be protected against ‘immoral’ influences.
    I have confusion between d and e

    • Dear Navodita,

      While e is an assumption, d is an inference. We do not know whether the moral police have observed anything or they have been told something or they simply believe in something, etc. Thus, d is simply a conclusion and is not the right answer.

      • How can assumption be an inference?? Moreover Inferenence is 100 per true and there is no where written that indians are impressionable… It is talking about only Fire

        • Dear Navodita,

          An inference that is based purely on stated facts is necessarily true. But an inference that is based on assumptions is not necessarily true. An assumption is the missing link between stated facts and the inference. In verbal reasoning questions that ask “Which of the following is the assumption made in the above paragraph/argument?”, you are required to identify the missing link (i.e. the assumption) between the stated facts and the inference. In other words, you are required to identify/deduce/conclude/infer the assumption that has been made in the given paragraph. For example, consider a paragraph that states “X is an apple. X is green. Therefore, all apples are green.” In this paragraph, the first two statements are facts, the last statement is the inference and the assumption is that all apples are like X. The given facts talk only about X whereas the author has drawn an inference about all apples. Thus, the author assumes that all apples are like X. In other words, it can be inferred that the author assumes that all apples are like X. Questions that require you to strengthen/weaken an argument or ask you to identify the flaw in the argument involve an inference that is based on assumptions. In the given question, it is stated that “…self-appointed moral police. Their contention is that the film is a violation of the Indian cultural mores and cannot be allowed to influence the Indian psyche. According to them, such films ruin the moral fabric of the nation…” This clearly implies that the moral police believe that Indians are impressionable. It is not talking only about Fire. Please go through the basic concepts of critical reasoning once more.

    • Dear Ishita,

      In this question, statement A is already correctly placed (as per the directions). Statement C will follow A as it elaborates the idea expressed in A. E talks about “such preconceptions”. But, A only presents one idea, not several preconceptions. Hence, E cannot follow A. Similarly, D talks of creator which no other statement talks of. Hence, D should come at the end of the paragraph. CB is a mandatory pair – C talks of “solely the results of chance and B elaborates this with “assembling at random” and “purposeless coincidences”. Based on these clues, it is clear that CBED will be the right answer.

  18. Sir
    I could’nt solve this questn from CL Test gym adaptive…..could you help by solving this in your way……

    A. According to materialists, the universe was eternal, and therefore, there was no purpose or special creation in it.
    B. Claiming that everything came into being as the result of unconscious atoms assembling at random, they believed that no matter how much complexity, balance and magnificent regularity was exhibited by the external world, these were still the result of purposeless coincidences.
    C. Materialists imagined that all the balances, equilibrium, harmony and order in the universe were solely the results of chance.
    D. Since materialism rejected the concepts of purpose and creation to the universe, it also denied the existence of a Creator.
    E. Materialist minds had held such preconceptions ever since the days of Ancient Greece.
    a. CBED
    b. EBDC
    c. DBEC
    d. DCEB
    e. ECBD

    • Dear Ankita,

      In this question, statement A is already correctly placed (as per the directions). Statement C will follow A as it elaborates the idea expressed in A. E talks about “such preconceptions”. But, A only presents one idea, not several preconceptions. Hence, E cannot follow A. Similarly, D talks of creator which no other statement talks of. Hence, D should come at the end of the paragraph. CB is a mandatory pair – C talks of “solely the results of chance and B elaborates this with “assembling at random” and “purposeless coincidences”. Based on these clues, it is clear that CBED will be the right answer.

  19. I have been giving cl mocks using chrome browser and have been facing issues with di and rc passages as the question gets hanged. Neither I am able to select option nor change question. I have to go next set then come back still the question remains hanged. Should i use Windows explorer?

  20. Hi Gejo Sir,
    Here I am another MBA aspirant. I dont have too much of high hope for the exams. But very much interested in doing brand management. So want to crack MICAT.
    Please give some awesome tips to nail this exam.
    Will be very helpful 🙂

    • Dear Sudhanshu,

      The MICAT is unlike other entrance tests. This test focuses more on creativity than on pure aptitude. Go through past years’ papers of MICAT. That would give you an overview of the test and will help you plan your preparations. Do practise writing a few essays/short stories. These would help you a lot in MICAT. Also practise word puzzles, word games, etc. These too should help you.

  21. student and I have doubt in the following Fact-Judgement-Inference Questions :

    1 Ten of thousands may more experience complications that will leave them with severe disabilities.
    Answer is inference
    But according to me “may” word indicates judgment as it depicts uncertainty. For inference, conclusion should be true. Isnt it?
    2 The South Indian Superstar Rajnikant is all set to star in his next movie Shivaji
    Ans is Fact
    But we were taught that Fact is confined to what one observes, cannot be made about the future. ISnt future is indicated here
    3 A clear majority of voters and national govts are set on limiting these freedoms
    How is it a Judgement?? Cant it be a fact??
    4.The truth is that we have more red tape-we take eighty nine days to start a small business, Australians take two.( VA 15 CL assignment)
    Ans is Fact…Why cant it be a Inference “The truth is…..”
    Thank You!!

    • //1 Ten of thousands may more experience complications that will leave them with severe disabilities.
      Answer is inference
      But according to me “may” word indicates judgment as it depicts uncertainty. For inference, conclusion should be true. Isnt it?//

      The inference being drawn is – “..will leave them with severe disabilities” from the premise “Ten of thousands may more experience complications..”
      A causal argument [ Cause & Effect]. Hence, it is Inference. In fact, inference, judgement – you solely go by how it is defined.

      //2 The South Indian Superstar Rajnikant is all set to star in his next movie Shivaji
      Ans is Fact
      But we were taught that Fact is confined to what one observes, cannot be made about the future. ISnt future is indicated here//

      Please go by the how it is defined. Fact – deal with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which are open to discovery or verification.

      It is open to verification or discovery as to whether Superstar is starring in the next movie Shivaji.

      //3 A clear majority of voters and national govts are set on limiting these freedoms
      How is it a Judgement?? Cant it be a fact??//

      Well… how can you verify it?

      Judgement – are opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations, and occurrences in the past, the present or the future.
      Here the statement is hinting a disapproval.

      4.The truth is that we have more red tape-we take eighty nine days to start a small business, Australians take two.( VA 15 CL assignment)
      Ans is Fact…Why cant it be a Inference “The truth is…..”

      Its a fact. Something that can be verified.
      All that the statement is doing is merely stating that a fact is true. We can verify as to whether it is so.
      He is not making any inference from it.

          • Dear Palak,

            This is only an estimate. Different people may come up with different estimates. Thus, this is only an opinion and not a fact at all.

        • There are broadly three types of arguments:
          An argument consists of premise(or evidence) from which one infers a conclusion.
          1. Generalization: Part –> Whole
          Eg: Since all the elephants I have seen are black, all elephants must be black.

          2. Causal argument: Cause –> Effect
          Eg: The interaction in the class becomes high when there are more than 20 students. Therefore, the number of students is a key criteria in understanding the level of interaction in a class.

          3. Argument from Analogy: A is similar to B. A has a quality Q. Therefore P has a quality Q.
          Fetus is a human being. Killing human beings is murder. Therefore, killing fetus is murder.

          Regards

  22. Dear Gejo,
    The funny thing about the MBA entrances is the similarity in the question sets that are common.
    GMAT and CAT tend to work on the contrary as each other’s opposite.
    While certainly the GMAT quant is at a lower lever than the CAT.The verbal takes an ambitious jump to the higher echelon of difficulty.
    But, the irony is this the GMAT Verbal is segregated into 3 types.
    RC, CR, SC.
    While the latter two do not make a significant appearance in the CAT.but being well versed in CR/SC helps to master the CAT like CR/SC( if there are any to be noteworthy).As someone who has taken the GMAT and is now sturdily preparing for the CAT’14, I am faced with a glorious dilemma.The idea of prioritising clearly loses it’s charm if you have taken the GMAT and follow the same approach for CAT.I honestly thought CR and SC would form a notorious place in the paper.But, due to their scattered presence my focus shifts more towards RC,PJ,PC questions the latter two replace what a GMAT test taker would say are the core of the Verbal Section.I can’t help but it be a little awed by the GMAT english.It clearly takes a big bite out of the difficulty level and complexity.While giving the many CAT mocks i noticed it was far easier to gain up in verbal than quant.So to put in a layman’s term just as for the GMAT the verbal section was the ‘baap’ section for the CAT quant takes away that coveted position.

    It’s funny how these exams work.Who knows maybe 10-20 years down the line all the MBA papers would be more uniform in there upbringing.

    Till then a happy CAT taker who will not be disillusioned by his percentile scores.

    Regards,
    Abheek

    • Hi Abheek,

      Every test has its own DNA.

      For instance a GRE does not have any question on Sentence Correction but asks Text Completion.
      XAT has a very challenging Quant & Logical Reasoning section.
      Unlike GMAT, CAT does not clearly mentions the specific areas that it will test you on.

      Uniformity will be difficult to achieve unless there is just one test.

      What can I say, you have to live with it and enjoy the challenge.

      Regards
      Gejo

  23. Sir can u please help me with this one:
    It was co-incidental that two separate teams of scientists discovered the remains of tyrannosauruses on two separate locations of the same island. The first team found that the tyrannosaurus, who was a female, had developed wings; however, it was not possible for it to fly and support its weight during its flight. The other team discovered that the tyrannosaurus, who was a male, had no traces of wings and its structure was no different from what was already known to the scientists. Eventually, both the discoveries made the scientists and island dwellers realize that the island contained many undiscovered treasures and answers.

    Assuming that the above argument is true, identify which of the following statements can be inferred from the argument?
    a. There are certain islands where traces of dinosaurs and other ancient species can still be unearthed and studied to fill in the gaps.
    b. The history of evolution provides ample evidence to justify the difference among the male and female species of a race.
    c. It is possible that some female tyrannosauruses developed wings, but, whether this physical feature was only specific to females is open to further discovery.
    d. The tyrannosaurus was the only species of dinosaurs that had wings but could not fly due to their humungous bodyweight.
    e. Scientists are confident that they have already unearthed most of the information about this species of dinosaurs and can make accurate guesses.

    • Let’s look at each of the options:

      //a. There are certain islands where traces of dinosaurs and other ancient species can still be unearthed and studied to fill in the gaps.//

      This inference would be ‘UNCERTAIN’ based on the passage. The passage mentions ‘ONE island’. From there, one cannot make a TRUE inference for ‘certain islands’
      INCORRECT

      //b. The history of evolution provides ample evidence to justify the difference among the male and female species of a race.//
      This is completely outside the scope of the passage. The passage has NO reference to ‘history of evolution’.
      INCORRECT

      //c. It is possible that some female tyrannosauruses developed wings, but, whether this physical feature was only specific to females is open to further discovery.//

      Let;s look at what is mentioned in the passage:
      (1) ” The first team found that the tyrannosaurus, who was a female, had developed wings; …..”
      (2) “…..realize that the island contained many undiscovered treasures and answers”

      They found remains of one female T-Rex in the island… There are more undiscovered remains…
      Therefore, If you connect these two statements, one can conclusively derive – “It is possible that some female tyrannosauruses developed wing…”
      CORRECT

      //d. The tyrannosaurus was the only species of dinosaurs that had wings but could not fly due to their humungous bodyweight.//
      ELIMINATE – The option says : “The tyrannosaurus was the ONLY species..”
      Such extreme words like ONLY cannot be concluded.
      INCORRECT.

      //e. Scientists are confident that they have already unearthed most of the information about this species of dinosaurs and can make accurate guesses.//
      FALSE! This contradicts the information given in the passage.The passage says – “island contained many undiscovered treasures and answers…”

    • Whatever can be inferred must 100% TRUE based on the passage
      Best is to eliminate options rather than select the right one.

      a. There are certain islands where traces of dinosaurs and other ancient species can still be unearthed and studied to fill in the gaps.
      TOO BROAD – The passage mentioned on island. So cant infer ‘certain islands’.
      INCORRECT

      b. The history of evolution provides ample evidence to justify the difference among the male and female species of a race.
      ALIEN – history of evolution is not mentioned in the passage.
      INCORRECT

      c. It is possible that some female tyrannosauruses developed wings, but, whether this physical feature was only specific to females is open to further discovery.
      GOOD ONE
      PASSAGE: “The first team found that the tyrannosaurus, who was a female, had developed wings…”
      PASSAGE: “….both the discoveries made the scientists and island dwellers realize that the island contained many undiscovered treasures and answers.”
      So, we can infer that there is more to be learnt. So, whatever is been discovered about female T-Rex is open to verification.

      d. The tyrannosaurus was the only species of dinosaurs that had wings but could not fly due to their humungous bodyweight.
      EXTREME – ..was the only species of dinosaurs..
      INCORRECT

      e. Scientists are confident that they have already unearthed most of the information about this species of dinosaurs and can make accurate guesses.
      CONTRADICTION.
      The passage clearly says – “..the island contained many undiscovered treasures and answers.”
      How can they make accurate guesses.
      INCORRECT

  24. Q. 13. Direction for question: Read the short passage given below and answer the question that follows it. Bookmark Add Bookmark
    According to McNeill, a Brahmin priest was expected to be able to recite at least one of the Vedas. The practice was essential for several centuries when the Vedas had not yet been written down. It must have had a selective effect, since priests would have been recruited from those able or willing to memorize long passages. It must have helped in the dissemination of the work, since a memorized passage can be duplicated many times.

    Which of the following can be inferred from the above passage?
    a. Reciting the Vedas was a Brahmin’s obligation.
    b. McNeil studied the role of Brahmin priests in Ancient India.
    c. McNeill studied the behaviour of Brahmin priests.
    d. Vedic hymns had not been scripted.
    e. The Vedic priest was like a recorded audio cassette.

    • Inferences have to be 100% TRUE based on the passage.
      We can eliminate FALSE or UNCERTAIN inferences.

      a. Reciting the Vedas was a Brahmin’s obligation.

      UNCERTAIN.
      Passage mentions – “….be able to recite at least one of the Vedas”
      AT LEAST ONE = SOME

      Option says – “Reciting the Vedas was a Brahmin’s obligation”. That means ALL

      SOME is NOT EQUAL to ALL!

      INCORRECT

      b. McNeil studied the role of Brahmin priests in Ancient India.

      UNCERTAIN..

      All we know from the passage is – McNeil has some thoughts on Brahmin priest. Whether he studied them is not mentioned in the passage.

      INCORRECT

      c. McNeill studied the behaviour of Brahmin priests.

      UNCERTAIN

      Same problem as option b

      d. Vedic hymns had not been scripted.

      UNCERTAIN

      The passage says — Vedas had not been written..”

      Option says – “Vedic hymns..”
      hymns are poems. Not mentioned in the passage. In fact the passage says – “memorize long passages”

      INCORRECT

      e. The Vedic priest was like a recorded audio cassette.

      This is TRUE analogy…

      Passage says: “ince priests would have been recruited from those able or willing to memorize long passages. It must have helped in the dissemination of the work, since a memorized passage can be duplicated many times.”

      That’s like a recorded audio cassette.

      CORRECT

  25. Read the argument given below and answer the question that follows.

    At the height of the Italian Renaissance, people believed they were living in an age of decline and even that the end of the world was imminent. Similarly, in the first decade of the 21st century, we believe we are living in a catastrophic time, a time of crisis – but if you compare life for the majority of people in the developed world with any other place or time, this looks like colossal self-pity. Now it’s Britain that seems in the spotlight of moral anxiety. Our institutions, from parliament to hospitals, are believed by many to be failing. A country that was recently full of self-congratulation now has to face the fact that its economy may not after all be streets ahead of European neighbours like Germany and France. But life is complicated. Generalisations are facile. Things have never been worse. Or better.

    Which of the following psychological tendencies mainly characterises the paragraph?
    a. A tendency to become cynical when one is facing criticism.
    b. A tendency to imagine a downfall when things are at a peak
    c. A tendency to resort to self-pity when faced with criticism.
    d. A tendency to introspect when things are looking up.

    In test gym adaptive answer is given as option b. But no where in para is mentioned or implied that things were at peqk sometime. So how is this true??

    • Yes it is implied:

      “AT THE HEIGHT of the Italian Renaissance……………..”
      That would imply, at the peak of Renaissance..

  26. Sir what is the logic actually?I didnt get it and how can we apply these logic to Para Completion as mentioned by you?

    • Logic is a subject under philosophy which deals with understanding how to make valid inferences.

      That said, its application to para completion is this:
      The last sentence must be written by the same person!
      So
      (a) the TONE must not change
      (b) the subject in discussion must not change
      (c) It must connect to what is in discussion

      Gejo

  27. Sir I have 1 ques..

    Following 5 sentences are given-

    A- Actors know english.
    B-He does not know engish.
    C-He is an actor.
    D-He is not an actor.
    F-He should know english.

    does ADB follow logically or ACF and why???

    • ABD does NOT follow logically
      Actors know english…He is not an actor…Therefore, He does not know engish.

      Please note that it is NOT that ONLY Actors know english. Non-actors can also know English. Therefore, if someone is not an actor, we cannot conclude that he/she does not know english.

      ACF follow logically
      Actors know english….He is an actor… Therefore, He should know english.
      This logically follows. When it is said that actors know English, it means ALL Actors know English. So, if he is an actor, he must know ENglish

      • thank u sir…actually the opposite was mentioned in verbal logic book.
        (Deductive logic type A q.5)

        thank u for clarifying.

  28. Sir,
    In the VA section, I am able to solve my Unproctored mocks as well as the test gym and get a good score. However, during the proctored mocks, I don’t know if my concentration goes down or I get scared but I am not able to get the desired result. What strategy should I adopt to counter it? Also, I am able to solve the English section in 45 mins (barring LR, I am able to read and analyse the questions properly.
    What strategy should I adopt?

    • Hi Abhinav,

      The simple answer is to adopt a strategy that works for you.

      But the difficult question is which strategy would work for you?
      I can offer you a suggestion:
      70 mins –> 15 min | 20 min | 20 min | 15 min
      First 15 min – VA/VR –> Target : 8-9 questions
      Second 20 min – LR or RC (one of the them) – Target: 2 sets
      Third 20 min — LR or RC (if you chose LR first, then you do RC here) – Target 2 sets
      Last 15 min — Either 1 set from LR or 1 RC passage.

      Break your task in smaller units and try your next mock.

  29. Sir,I am a test series student of CL.Where can I find questions and material for critical reasoning?I also use the SIS but in the E-lib section I cannot find anything related to critical reasoning.

    • Javed, as a test series student you will have limited access to the online material. For extra practice you can consider past CAT/XAT papers or enroll for Test Gym or Smart CAT Cracker.

  30. Respected Sir
    I’m planning to take CAT’13 exam on 16th Oct. Is there any bad consequence for the same?
    Please reply soon sir.

  31. sir
    its taking a lot of time for me to read rc passages if i try to read fast i will not understand and i had to regress anyway my accuracy is very good if i do it slowly i read the speed reading topic in the funda book and tried it but it was hard to maintain both speed and the understanding
    is there anyway i would be able to increase my speed reading maintaining the same accuracy??

    • Praveen, speed increase is a slow process and will not happen overnight. Continue with the process but do not try to increase speed significantly in a short span of time and accuracy should not be sacrificed for speed.

    • Ujwal, yes it is possible. Whatever you understand/conclude on the basis of the passage is an inference even if it has been stated in the passage.

  33. Sir, My CAT date is 30th Oct.
    Please suggest what should be the best strategy for coming 19 days. I have always been clearing cut offs in Sec1, but Sec2 i never crossed 40’s mark, I hardly remeber clearing cut offs of Sec2. These days I am giving 1 unproctored daily. But I find quant as well as LR’s of the unproctored mocks very tough, and low scores de motivates me.

    How to tackle ? Please suggest strategy for coming 20 days.
    Should i solve previous CAT question or take mocks.

    • Rajan, I am not in agreement with a mock a day approach, this does not allow you to revise or to correct your errors. Suggest that you take a break from Mocks for 4 days and in this period revise (two times) all the important questions of QA, EU, DI and LR from the Mock CATs that you have attempted. After revising these questions you can take a Mock CAT once every 3 days with the last Mock CAT on 26th Oct. To improve in EU you should do the EU section of all CAT parers from 1990-2008 and revise these questions regularly. The RC passages of CAT 1990-2000 should be used for practice these are lengthy but similar to the type of passages that have come in CAT this year. For QA go thru CAT papers of 1990-2008 and CAT 1990 -2000 for DI.

  34. Sir,
    I have booked my CAT slot for the 18th. With exactly 10 days in hand what, as per you, should I be concentrating on?
    Should I do last 10 years’ papers or should I utilize these days appearing for as many MOCK Exams (UnProc) as possible?

    • Deepakshi, you can take a upto three Mocks with last last one on 14th and also revise important questions from the already attempted Mocks and past CAT papers. In addition you can practice QA, DI & EU sections of the unattempted CAT papers. Effective 15th you should focus only revision.

  35. hello sir
    While doing RC all d points in the paragraph start confusing me.As soon as i submit d test if a question is wrong i can immediately pick the right ans without seeing the ans.
    Please suggest something so that i can change this.
    Please reply sir

      • Hi Vaishnavi,

        Clearly, the challenge that you are facing is NOT one of lack of concepts. What I feel is that most probably you are hurrying a bit to answer fast. During the CAT, take your time and solve. You have 70 minutes for 30 questions. Plan the 70 minutes in such a manner that you are able to give enough time for those questions that need time.

        Regards
        Gejo

  36. Good Afternoon sir. In proc mock 8 ques 42 why is the answer option (a) shouldn’t it be option (d) as the aesthetic standpoint is discussed in option (d) and an aesthetic view of things is necessary to understand and live a full and a versatile life. Please reply to this sir thank you so much.
    Yours Sincerely,
    Tushar.

  37. Sir, from where can I download cat papers for the years 1990-2000? Tried searching on google, but couldn’t find anything relevant.

  38. from the second statement a and b can take many values.not just 1 and 3. Like 6 and 1/2, 9 and 1/3. nowhere its mentioned that a and b has to be integers.

    And the answer cannot be determined even with both the statements because the value of a+b is not given. break a^3 + b^3 in the formula we get (a+b)(A^2 – ab + b^2).

    Hence the value cannot be determined even with the help of both the statements.

  39. What is the value of a3 + b3 ?
    I. a2 + b2 = 22
    II. ab = 3

    Sir in this question answer can be determined by second statement alone since a and b can take values 1 and 3 only
    but in answer thy have stated that answer cant be dtrmnd by 2 statmnts 2gthr.

    • In this question it’s not mentioned that and b are no.s. so it should be done using both statement together…a3+b3=(a+b)(a2+b2-ab)=. If it was mentioned statement b would have been sufficient enough to answer the question……

    • a and b can also take values other than natural numbers. example a = 1/3 and b = 9.
      Therefore, you will get multiple solutions and hence statement II alone cannot give the answer.

        • Hi Jitesh,
          Inference based questions in RC is not necessarily from the entire passage. In most of the cases, it would be from certain part of the passage and therefore, the skill-set required is exactly the same as that of Critical Reasoning.

          When you see an inference based question, the first step is to identify from which part of the passage is the inference drawn and then check whether it is the correct inference or not.

          The rule of the game is same as that of CR and therefore, if you know how to handle CR you will know how to handle RC inference based questions.

          Regards
          Gejo

          • Good Afternoon sir. I had one question in regard to this sir. In proc mock 8 ques 42 why is the answer option (a) then shouldn’t it be option (d) as the aesthetic standpoint is discussed in option (d). Please reply to this sir thank you so much.
            Yours Sincerely,
            Tushar.

          • Sir, I fall into trap into these questions which demand answers which are not explicitly stated in the passage rather they are implied due to lack of good vocabulary.
            Sir,could you please elaborate on how to find that part of passage from which inference question is drawn.

          • Hi Jitesh,

            An inference means, a conclusion. So what you need are the ‘reasons’ for the inference that is drawn. So after reading an option, you must evaluate what are the likely reasons from which the inference is drawn. Then check the part of the passage where those reasons are given. That is the first part. Once you have identified the part of the passage, the next check is to see whether the stated inference in the option can be logically drawn.

            The better you are in CR, the better you will be in this type of question. One suggestion that I have is to do a bit of CR questions so that you develop the skill-set.

            Regards
            Gejo

  42. Thank you sir:)

    1. Some pins are made of tin 2. All tin is made of copper
    3. All copper is used for pins 4. Some tin is copper
    5. Some pins are used for tin 6. Some copper is used for tin
    a. 123 b. 356 c. 341 d. 125

    Sir, in such type of questions, intelligence doesnot mean same as intelligent. Siblings doesnot mean brothers?? Is it??

  43. Thank you very much sir for solving my query. I have one more regarding sentence correction. I am good in grammar but i dont know all the rules of Grammar given in Wren And Martin. Can you please suggest as to what i should do in order to be sure to get 80% accuracy in the topic.

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

    Individuals owed their existence to their parents; without their countless sacrifices, they would never survive nor grow into sane human beings. They realised their potential in a stable and peaceful society, made possible by the efforts of thousands of anonymous men and women. They became rational, reflective and moral beings within a rich civilisation created by scores of sages, saints, savants and scientists.______________________.

    a) Even a whole lifetime was not enough to pay back what they owed their parents, let alone all the others.
    b) In short, every human being owed his humanity to others and benefitted from a world, to the creation of which he had not contributed anything.
    c) To talk about ‘repaying’ the debts did not therefore make sense except in a clumsy and metaphorical way of describing one’s response to unsolicited but indispensable gifts.
    d) Every individual is born with a debt, which is beyond his capacity to repay.

    Answer option is b. Why can’t be a.
    In passage it never stated that he ddnt/did contributed anything

    • Hi Kanika,

      The sentence should immediately follow the paragraph given.

      If you look the passage, it goes — individuals owed – existence to parents; realized their potential because of society; became mortal being because of saints, scientist.

      So between (a) and (b), what gives a better sense is option (b).

      Here’s the full text from where it is picked:

      An individual owed his existence to his parents without whose countless sacrifices he would neither survive nor grow into a sane human being. He grew and realised his potential in a stable and peaceful society, made possible by the efforts and sacrifices of thousands of anonymous men and women. He became a rational, reflective and moral human being only within a rich civilization created by scores of sages, saints, savants and scientists. In short, every human being owned his humanity to others, and benefited from a world to the creation of which he contributed nothing. As Gandhi put it, every man was ‘born a debtor’, a beneficiary of others’ gifts, and his inherited debts were too vast to be repaid. Even a whole lifetime was not enough to pay back what a man owned to his parents, let alone all others. Furthermore the creditors were by their very nature unspecifiable. Most of them were dead or remained anonymous, and those alive were so numerous and their contributions so varied and complex that it was impossible to decide what one owed to whom. To talk about repaying the debts did not therefore make sense except as a clumsy and metaphorical way of describing one’s response to unsolicited but indispensable gifts.

    • I think the correct option is (b) because all other options are talking about repaying of debt.But the passage does not talk about repayment.It only states that a person is indebted to humanity for his existence and well-being.So the other 3 options are out of scope.Please refer to GP sir’s article on para completion for more details.

  45. Thank you so much Sir for all the wonderful help you are providing us… Could you please highlight the topics of utmost importance that have been coming in CAT almost every year?
    It would be really helpful especially in the quant section since I am not very good in it and I don’t want to leave out something that effects my percentile badly.
    thanx in advance sir

    • Hi Aashima,

      When you look the quant section in the CAT in the recent years, there is a fair mix of all the areas. What I suggest would be look at last 00 to 08 CAT papers and solve the questions once.

      This will help you get a handle on the things that you will have to work in the days nearing to the CAT.

      Regards
      Gejo

  46. Hello Sir,
    Your articles are really helpful, and an eye opener-as to how we need to approach a particular sum/question. This was one of them.

    Sir, I am facing difficult in getting the “Identify the sentence that are correct in terms of gammar and usage”. Also, in fill in the blanks kind of questions. Sometimes I get 100% accuracy, and sometimes 50%. Please help me, and if are planning any article on these I would be glad to know.

  48. Sir, in inferential questions if we have two probable solutions. one is explicitly stated in the passage and one is inferred or we can understand that by way of critical reasoning. Then which one will be correct. Will the one explicitly stated be wrong?

    Please reply

    • Hi Vikram,

      Ideally what is inferred is what is implied – (not stated). So yes, the one that is explicitly states in the passage is not really inferred. But then, you have to remember that you need to choose the best option. If the rest of the options cannot be directly inferred from the passage, then we have no choice but to mark the one that is explicitly stated.

      So suggestion is that – do not go by any specific rule. Just identify the answers on a case-to-case basis.

      Regards
      Gejo

  50. Gejo Sir,
    Since GP sir have been busy in visiting cities for QUANT sessions, can you plz do the PROC MOCK ANALYSIS for the last mock?? I have been really missing that.. 🙁 Also may be we will get to know another opinion on how to attempt a mock other than the strategy that GP sir uses.
    M sure it will be really helpfull for all of us.
    Pl reply.. 🙂

  51. Sir,
    I am quite good at basic logic and do well in inferential questions . I am comfortable with reading.But I end up doing most RC questions wrong…..
    Please show me some way out!

  56. sir,waiting for your analysis of VA-LR section of proc test-8 .all the good work done in quant was ruined by the wrong attempts in va-lr

  60. thank u very much sir…..i always use to left the question unanswered which involved selecting the option which weakens the argument….hope dat the tricks taught by u works for me……..

    sir plz help me out wid parajumbles as well…..sometimes i m not able to find the link between sentences as they don’t seem to be connected in anyway wid each each other…..

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