Reading Comprehension Questions

Multiple choice
  1. If our argument is well debated and judged

  2. If we can prove illogical hypothesis on our beliefs to be true

  3. If our argument is well embedded in reasoning and conviction

  4. The fact that we are endowed with the power of persuasion and a logical conviction on our points.

  5. Morality and religious conviction for persuasion.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

No argument can see light until it has reasoning and conviction.

Multiple choice

In context, which version of sentences (7) and (8) best combines them into a single sentence?

Direction:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English

(1) Belief in equality has still deeper and more far reaching effects on education than those that we have known. (2) Because some people have gifts that are denied to others, the inclination for the thorough going equalitarian will be reasoned to say that they are not important. (3) In the school we shall tend to equate the value of subjects to say that it is just as important to be able to make straw mats or mend a fuse as to write Greek-verse or do higher mathematics. (4) That democracy to answer for the dangers of what may be called cultural equalitarianism are very real. (5) In so far it equates in value the experiences enjoyed by different kinds of people such a philosophy deprives education and hence society itself of its standards of value. (6) In an equalitarian society, a man’s judgment is theoretically as good as another’s. (7) But do we think that the papers with the largest circulation are as good as some of those smaller ones or that the programs with the largest listening figures are really the best programs? (8) We may enjoy those most, but can we honestly say that they are the best? (9) Above all, when we said that the function of education was to develop the best in each person, what did we mean? (10) The truth is we must introduce the idea of equality into our judgment of experience. (11) The equalitarian, in so far as he maintains that one man’s taste is as good as another’s, is wrong.

  1. In equalitarian society a man's judgment is as good as others but does it mean the papers which are in large circulation are as good as smaller ones.

  2. In society a man's judgment is good and accordingly the circulation of large papers is guarantees their quality.

  3. In equalitarian society everybody is good and so are the papers and the programs, irrespective of large or small circulation.

  4. In society only large circulation and large listening figures mean good.

  5. In society the largest and most popular does not necessarily mean the best.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

It has every aspect of 7th and 8th sentences in brief.

Multiple choice

Passage 2 mainly deals with

Direction:

Passage 1

            In Blade Runner (a 1982 Ridley Scotts movie) the query
            put forth is a striking but on obvious one. It talks of what
            is real and what is unreal. Other pivotal thought is about
            the identity, that if we are Homo sapiens what made us
(5)        know or realize that we are humans. These inquiries have
            centered humanity from the advent of Adam & Eve on earth .
            Jacques Lacan to an extent explains in his theory how
            humans identify themselves. He contributes the mirror stage.
            When an eighteen month infant first beholds his image in
(10)      the mirror; he associates himself with this world. Along with
            that he discovers he is different from the rest of the world.
            So with this mirror image he relates to his identity but the
            veracity of the thought is that the image is not the ‘real’
            subject. It is a mere reflection. At this point begins the
(15)      procedure of identity production. This image is like an
            exterior layer but it helps the subject to display his identity.
            This changing exterior layer is ‘Orthopaeadic’ for Lacan.
            The baby in the lap of the adult uses this mirror stage in
            self recognition. He first turns to the adult cradling him in
(20)      his arms; he checks the expression of his beholder and
            compares it with the mirror image and after that he
            associates his own image with his real self.
            Lacan elucidated Henri Walton’s observations about child
            recognition by coining the term mirror stage where a child
(25)      conceives notions and identification about his own physical
            self. He feels enthralled at the realization. This stage has
            been given profuse importance as this is the moment when
            an infant becomes conscious of his body’s entireness even
            earlier to the knowledge of his body’s functions. He has not
(30)      even taken up the physical controls of his physicality.
            We conclude ourselves as an autonomous individual from
            the rest of the world through language, but at a later stage.
            This self cognizance involves a few losses also.

Passage 2

            By traditional standards Lacan was unorthodox. He gained
            fame by his fundamental redrafts of Freud and his theory:
            how language and sexuality disorganized a life. Freud’s
            principles in France were falling low and existentialism was
(5)        rising. Lacan was competent enough to go through a
            complete makeover man overnight. He began with a new
            society by organizing seminars. People acclaimed ‘return
            of Freud’ and Lacan proposed a structuarlist Freud as there
            was no art without subjects like sex, rebel and mental
(10)      disturbances.
            The relativity between Lacan’s psychoanalytic hypotheses
            and more orthodox psychological concepts needs to be
            studied. Lacan believed psychoanalytical hypothesis to be
            beyond psychology. But others contrived that Lacan’s
(15)      aureatic comparison between the behavior of children and
            chimpanzees in reaction to the mirror images is quite
            inaccurate. His writings have neither the approval of
            coetaneous psychologists nor have they interpreted Lacan’s
            claims at the time of citing.
(20)      Derrida was critical of Lacan’s view. Yet psychoanalysis remains
            a system with fanatic following.

 

  1. Relation between Lacan's psychoanalysis and return of Freud's principles

  2. Orthodox religious concepts and existentialism.

  3. Comparison between children and chimpanzees to mirror image.

  4. How language and sexuality affects life.

  5. Redrafts of Freud's works.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Both the ideas have been deliberated upon in the passage.

Multiple choice
  1. any inflation is the result of reductions in the supply of goods and services

  2. if other factors in the economy are unchanged, increasing the quantity of gold available will lead to inflation

  3. if there is a reduction in the quantity of gold available, then, other things being equal, inflation must result

  4. the quantity of goods and services purchasable by a given amount of gold is constant

  5. Other things remaining the same a reduction in the quantity of gold available, accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the level of demand will have no impact on the economy.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

(2) Options (1) and (4) can be easily rejected. Option (3) will have the opposite effect. Option (5) is rendered unsuitable because of the use of the word ‘economy’ instead of ‘inflation’.

Multiple choice
  1. The percentage share of emerging economies in global GDP was less than that of developed ones till 1970s.

  2. If the developed economies and the emerging economies grow at the same pace each year, the global GDP growth rate would be much more than it is at present.

  3. The growth rate of emerging economies is bound to further increase in future too.

  4. <font size="2" face="Arial">There has been no significant change in terms of living standards of people in developing economies.</font>

  5. There has been no significant change in terms of disposable income of people in developing economies.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

There is nothing given about the share of developing economies in global GDP till 1970s. It could correct or incorrect; we have simply no way of judging its accuracy. So option (1) is wrong. Options (2) and (3) are suppositions, about which it is not possible to say anything, given the information in hand. Option (5) is not necessarily false, as it talks of disposable income, which means the part of income left after meeting one’s expenses. It is not a definitive indicator of the truth or otherwise of the statements given. Option (4), which represents the best possible answer, highlights that there has been no change in the living standards of people in developing economies, which seems to be improbable given that they are growing by a much faster pace as compared to developed economies.

Multiple choice

The paragraph following the last one given here, if it were there, would LEAST likely discuss which of the following?

Directions: The passage below is followed by a question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots. The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.
  1. What are the different theories of brain circuits?

  2. What are the neural mechanisms of brain circuits?

  3. What is the relationship between thought processes and brain circuits?

  4. How do neural signals bring about changes in neural circuits to cause changes in the environment?

  5. How do animals use neural signals to operate in their environment?

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The rest of the choices given are here very likely candidates to come up for discussion next as the last paragraph is touching upon these themes only. Option (5) refers to a very different idea, namely, the use of neural signals to move about in their own environment. This is least likely to be discussed by the author in the next paragraph.

Multiple choice

What is the function of the fourth paragraph in relation to the passage as a whole?

Directions: The passage below is followed by a question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots. The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.
  1. It represents the essence of the entire paragraph while the rest is only a description of how the researchers are doing it.

  2. It represents the central idea of entire paragraph while the rest is doing nothing to either counter or support it.

  3. It is an unnecessary comment having very little relation with what follows or precedes it.

  4. It represents a far-fetched idea, not-so-easily actionable in near future.

  5. It is basically an attempt at preparing the reader for the contents that follow in the next paragraph.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Option (2) is wrong as the rest of the passage does support it to a great extent. Option (3) is irrelevant as it is very much in place here, for it addresses some aspects of the same issue. Option (4) talks of the idea being far-fetched, which does not seem to be true here. It is a distinct possibility, given the weight of evidence here. Option (5) is factually wrong as the next paragraph following it addresses a very different aspect. Option (1) is the best one as not only is the paragraph describing the major goal behind the experiment, but the rest of the passage also gives us findings which go on to support the idea of easy achievability of the goal.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is/are NOT correct in the context of this passage?

(1) Fundamentally speaking, there appears to be great similarity at the functional level between the observations made in both the Bell and the Idoya cases. (2) The Aurora experiment proves that thoughts can, on their own, enable robotic movement if the relevant signals duly reach the recipient part even in the absence of actual physical contact. (3) It is only the signals that enable particular movements and it is the neurons that generate these signals. (4) Scientists have made sufficient headway in sending tactile feedback back to the user's brain.

Directions: The passage below is followed by a question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots. The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.
  1. Both (1) and (2)

  2. Both (3) and (4)

  3. Only (1)

  4. None of these

  5. All of these

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Both these cases illustrate that it is possible for appropriate brain signals to initiate movement at the end of the recipient. Hence, choice 1 is correct, as is 2. In fact, this is very clearly stated in the last few lines of the passage. Choice 3 can be reasonably deduced from all these experiments, in that, even while actual physical movement was not there, brain signals were able to generate movement. It would be reasonable to believe the truth of choice 4 because if it can be true of limb movements, it can be equally true of other activities too. Hence, all the choices given here are correct. Since none of them is wrong, the best answer would be 4.

Multiple choice

The experiment described above is ultimately an attempt to

Directions: The passage below is followed by a question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots. The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.
  1. prove that monkeys can help robots walk

  2. prove that signals carrying information from the brain, when passed on to a robot can help it walk

  3. act as an intermediate step towards prosthtically enabling the physically incapacitated.

  4. prove basically a very scholarly point that information from the brain controls all limb movements

  5. master enough language to interact with the brain

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Option (1) represents only the surface of the experiment. If you go deeper, you will realise that it is only a stepping stone.  Option (4) is the ground on which the entire theory rests. It can never become the final goal as it is already a well-known fact and in fact is the premise on which the entire experiment rests. Option (5) is again a milestone in the process of achieving the final goal. Hence, ruled out. Pay attention to the word ultimately in the question stem and go back to the very first line of the opening paragraph and also the 4th paragraph in particular, which leads us to the right option (3).

Multiple choice

The author’s use of the phrase 'indicating something else also' in the 2nd paragraph implies most likely which of the following?

Directions: The passage below is followed by a question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots. The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.
  1. The robot kept on moving despite the apparent absence of any signals. This proves that it has a brain of its own.

  2. Despite the apparent stoppage of Idoya’s movement, the neurons firing in her brain kept on sending signals for certain movements to the robot, which made it move.

  3. The apparent stoppage of Idoya’s movement can be attributed to the fact the neurons stopped firing in her brain, while the robot kept receiving wrong signals.

  4. Even in the absence of physical movement by Idoya, the neurons in her brain were firing.

  5. None of these

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Option (1) is not a wise choice as it talks of the robot having a brain of its own. This is certainly not the goal of the researchers, which they want to prove. A robot does have a computer inside it. In fact, this is a given. Option (3) is again wrong because it is impossible for the robot to receive a signal if it has not been sent by the monkey’s brain. Option (4) lies beyond the logical domain of the passage and is not supported by it. Pay careful attention to the italicised words, which help us arrive at the correct answer, option (2).

Multiple choice

The author ends the passage on a note of

PASSAGE – I
The passage below is followed by a question based on its content. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

Migratory birds often move in linear flight formations called echelons. Typically, we find V and J-type structures, which are the most readily recognized flock echelons, nevertheless other variations to these major patterns can also be found. A true V-shaped echelon is, in reality, less common than a J formation, studies conducted on several species reveal.
Why do the birds fly in formations? Two well-corroborated and complementary explanations are available right now. A major idea is to save energy by capitalizing on the upwash vortex fields generated by the bird wings in the front. The second - to facilitate the job of orientation and communication among the flying birds. These two explanations are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and in fact, both are supported by many studies. The relative importance of each of them, no doubt, changes as various factors, like the season of the year or the reason behind  individual flights, change. During local feeding flights meant to locate food, for instance, careful orientation and collision avoidance are probably much more important than the conservation of energy. However, during long-distance migration, though orientation and communication remain important, but the case for conservation of energy by optimization of its position holds greater importance for each bird in the flock.

Where should the birds position themselves in relation to others to conserve the most energy as they fly in the air? Fluid dynamics and energy wave configuration calculations supply the answer. Analysts, using photography, have determined bird positions and found them to almost always be located to enable the bird to earn some energetic advantage. However, the birds are not always at the expected optimal location, indicating that other factors also come into play.

Researchers have used the knowledge of birds, visual axes, "blind spots" and visual fields to pinpoint the best locations for a bird in a flock to maintain optimal visual positioning. The actual positions are usually having a positive correlation with these predictions but are, again, not always perfect. The positions of birds have been classified and it has been found that some individuals occupy positions to satisfy the energy conservation principle; others enjoy better visual contact placement, while the rest do not apparently respond to either benefit or are in a position so as to gain some advantage from both the benefits available.

The leaders of these bird formations change with time, but it has not been possible to discover the causes, frequency and characteristics associated with these changes. Observations on a sustained basis of such flocks covering long distances in the air are very difficult. Several intuitive predictions about the choice of the formation leader that immediately come to mind are - age, experience, sex, condition and social status of the leaders, but so far researchers have been unable to overcome the logistic issues to put these hypotheses to test. Birds have been trained to fly in formation with small aircraft by some scientists; possibly their efforts will yield opportunities to test these hypotheses.
  1. caution

  2. guarded optimism

  3. complete indifference

  4. unabashed optimism

  5. slight pessimism

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Option (1), (5) and (3) are ruled out as they have basis in the passage at all. The optimism is certainly not that blatant or open that we can justify the word unabashed. Hence, option (4) is unjustified here. Some scientists have trained birds to fly in formation with small aircraft; perhaps their experiences will yield opportunities to test these ideas. Note the italicized words carefully. They indicate enthusiasm, but with a tinge of uncertainty. Hence, the best choice is option (2).

Multiple choice

The passage could have been most appropriately titled in which of the following ways?

PASSAGE – I
The passage below is followed by a question based on its content. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

Migratory birds often move in linear flight formations called echelons. Typically, we find V and J-type structures, which are the most readily recognized flock echelons, nevertheless other variations to these major patterns can also be found. A true V-shaped echelon is, in reality, less common than a J formation, studies conducted on several species reveal.
Why do the birds fly in formations? Two well-corroborated and complementary explanations are available right now. A major idea is to save energy by capitalizing on the upwash vortex fields generated by the bird wings in the front. The second - to facilitate the job of orientation and communication among the flying birds. These two explanations are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and in fact, both are supported by many studies. The relative importance of each of them, no doubt, changes as various factors, like the season of the year or the reason behind  individual flights, change. During local feeding flights meant to locate food, for instance, careful orientation and collision avoidance are probably much more important than the conservation of energy. However, during long-distance migration, though orientation and communication remain important, but the case for conservation of energy by optimization of its position holds greater importance for each bird in the flock.

Where should the birds position themselves in relation to others to conserve the most energy as they fly in the air? Fluid dynamics and energy wave configuration calculations supply the answer. Analysts, using photography, have determined bird positions and found them to almost always be located to enable the bird to earn some energetic advantage. However, the birds are not always at the expected optimal location, indicating that other factors also come into play.

Researchers have used the knowledge of birds, visual axes, "blind spots" and visual fields to pinpoint the best locations for a bird in a flock to maintain optimal visual positioning. The actual positions are usually having a positive correlation with these predictions but are, again, not always perfect. The positions of birds have been classified and it has been found that some individuals occupy positions to satisfy the energy conservation principle; others enjoy better visual contact placement, while the rest do not apparently respond to either benefit or are in a position so as to gain some advantage from both the benefits available.

The leaders of these bird formations change with time, but it has not been possible to discover the causes, frequency and characteristics associated with these changes. Observations on a sustained basis of such flocks covering long distances in the air are very difficult. Several intuitive predictions about the choice of the formation leader that immediately come to mind are - age, experience, sex, condition and social status of the leaders, but so far researchers have been unable to overcome the logistic issues to put these hypotheses to test. Birds have been trained to fly in formation with small aircraft by some scientists; possibly their efforts will yield opportunities to test these hypotheses.
  1. Bird Echelons: What, How, Why?

  2. Theories of Bird Echelons

  3. Energy Conservation In Bird Echelons

  4. Scientific Studies On Bird Echelons

  5. Why Do Birds Fly?

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Option (2) could be faulted on the ground that it focuses only on theories, while the passage does have lots of other ideas also. Option (3) is certainly one of the issues raised here, but by no stretch of logic does it become the principal topic. Option (5) certainly goes off the mark as we are discussing something different here i.e. bird echelons. Since the passage tends to discuss everything concerning the phenomenon of bird echelons, it is the most apt title. Hence, option (1).

Multiple choice

Which of the following questions is / are not answered by the above passage?

  1. Does energy conservation have the same importance during short and long flights respectively?
  2. Do the bird formations always have a leader having higher social status?
  3. Does the season of the year play a role in determining whether a particular theory will be able to account for bird behaviour in an echelon or not?

    PASSAGE – I
    The passage below is followed by a question based on its content. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

    Migratory birds often move in linear flight formations called echelons. Typically, we find V and J-type structures, which are the most readily recognized flock echelons, nevertheless other variations to these major patterns can also be found. A true V-shaped echelon is, in reality, less common than a J formation, studies conducted on several species reveal.
    Why do the birds fly in formations? Two well-corroborated and complementary explanations are available right now. A major idea is to save energy by capitalizing on the upwash vortex fields generated by the bird wings in the front. The second - to facilitate the job of orientation and communication among the flying birds. These two explanations are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and in fact, both are supported by many studies. The relative importance of each of them, no doubt, changes as various factors, like the season of the year or the reason behind  individual flights, change. During local feeding flights meant to locate food, for instance, careful orientation and collision avoidance are probably much more important than the conservation of energy. However, during long-distance migration, though orientation and communication remain important, but the case for conservation of energy by optimization of its position holds greater importance for each bird in the flock.

    Where should the birds position themselves in relation to others to conserve the most energy as they fly in the air? Fluid dynamics and energy wave configuration calculations supply the answer. Analysts, using photography, have determined bird positions and found them to almost always be located to enable the bird to earn some energetic advantage. However, the birds are not always at the expected optimal location, indicating that other factors also come into play.

    Researchers have used the knowledge of birds, visual axes, "blind spots" and visual fields to pinpoint the best locations for a bird in a flock to maintain optimal visual positioning. The actual positions are usually having a positive correlation with these predictions but are, again, not always perfect. The positions of birds have been classified and it has been found that some individuals occupy positions to satisfy the energy conservation principle; others enjoy better visual contact placement, while the rest do not apparently respond to either benefit or are in a position so as to gain some advantage from both the benefits available.

    The leaders of these bird formations change with time, but it has not been possible to discover the causes, frequency and characteristics associated with these changes. Observations on a sustained basis of such flocks covering long distances in the air are very difficult. Several intuitive predictions about the choice of the formation leader that immediately come to mind are - age, experience, sex, condition and social status of the leaders, but so far researchers have been unable to overcome the logistic issues to put these hypotheses to test. Birds have been trained to fly in formation with small aircraft by some scientists; possibly their efforts will yield opportunities to test these hypotheses.
  1. 3 only

  2. 1 and 3

  3. 2 only

  4. 1 and 2

  5. None of these

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Paragraph 2 answers two of these questions beyond any reasonable doubt. In fact, paragraphs 2 and 3 both emphasize the fact energy conservation remains a very important idea in bird formations. The paragraph also clearly mentions that the season of the year does have a role. The last paragraph very clearly enunciates the fact that these factors are thought to influence the phenomenon, but as of now, there is no information available. Hence, question 2 cannot be answered beyond doubt.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is the writer most likely to agree with?

  1. Bird formations vary in accordance with the bird species.
  2. There is positive proof for the theories of bird formation and the position of bird within it
  3. Energy conservation seems to be the overarching single factor behind bird formations during all flights.

    PASSAGE – I
    The passage below is followed by a question based on its content. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

    Migratory birds often move in linear flight formations called echelons. Typically, we find V and J-type structures, which are the most readily recognized flock echelons, nevertheless other variations to these major patterns can also be found. A true V-shaped echelon is, in reality, less common than a J formation, studies conducted on several species reveal.
    Why do the birds fly in formations? Two well-corroborated and complementary explanations are available right now. A major idea is to save energy by capitalizing on the upwash vortex fields generated by the bird wings in the front. The second - to facilitate the job of orientation and communication among the flying birds. These two explanations are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and in fact, both are supported by many studies. The relative importance of each of them, no doubt, changes as various factors, like the season of the year or the reason behind  individual flights, change. During local feeding flights meant to locate food, for instance, careful orientation and collision avoidance are probably much more important than the conservation of energy. However, during long-distance migration, though orientation and communication remain important, but the case for conservation of energy by optimization of its position holds greater importance for each bird in the flock.

    Where should the birds position themselves in relation to others to conserve the most energy as they fly in the air? Fluid dynamics and energy wave configuration calculations supply the answer. Analysts, using photography, have determined bird positions and found them to almost always be located to enable the bird to earn some energetic advantage. However, the birds are not always at the expected optimal location, indicating that other factors also come into play.

    Researchers have used the knowledge of birds, visual axes, "blind spots" and visual fields to pinpoint the best locations for a bird in a flock to maintain optimal visual positioning. The actual positions are usually having a positive correlation with these predictions but are, again, not always perfect. The positions of birds have been classified and it has been found that some individuals occupy positions to satisfy the energy conservation principle; others enjoy better visual contact placement, while the rest do not apparently respond to either benefit or are in a position so as to gain some advantage from both the benefits available.

    The leaders of these bird formations change with time, but it has not been possible to discover the causes, frequency and characteristics associated with these changes. Observations on a sustained basis of such flocks covering long distances in the air are very difficult. Several intuitive predictions about the choice of the formation leader that immediately come to mind are - age, experience, sex, condition and social status of the leaders, but so far researchers have been unable to overcome the logistic issues to put these hypotheses to test. Birds have been trained to fly in formation with small aircraft by some scientists; possibly their efforts will yield opportunities to test these hypotheses.
  1. 1 and 3

  2. 3 only

  3. 2 only

  4. 1, 2, and 3

  5. 2 and 3

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

On choice 1, there is no information given in the passage. Paragraph 2 and 3 definitely support the idea of energy conservation being an important motivating factor while the penultimate paragraph corroborates the idea of theory and practice converging to some extent. Hence, the best option is (5).

Multiple choice

The passage is structured like which of the following?

PASSAGE – I
The passage below is followed by a question based on its content. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

Migratory birds often move in linear flight formations called echelons. Typically, we find V and J-type structures, which are the most readily recognized flock echelons, nevertheless other variations to these major patterns can also be found. A true V-shaped echelon is, in reality, less common than a J formation, studies conducted on several species reveal.
Why do the birds fly in formations? Two well-corroborated and complementary explanations are available right now. A major idea is to save energy by capitalizing on the upwash vortex fields generated by the bird wings in the front. The second - to facilitate the job of orientation and communication among the flying birds. These two explanations are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and in fact, both are supported by many studies. The relative importance of each of them, no doubt, changes as various factors, like the season of the year or the reason behind  individual flights, change. During local feeding flights meant to locate food, for instance, careful orientation and collision avoidance are probably much more important than the conservation of energy. However, during long-distance migration, though orientation and communication remain important, but the case for conservation of energy by optimization of its position holds greater importance for each bird in the flock.

Where should the birds position themselves in relation to others to conserve the most energy as they fly in the air? Fluid dynamics and energy wave configuration calculations supply the answer. Analysts, using photography, have determined bird positions and found them to almost always be located to enable the bird to earn some energetic advantage. However, the birds are not always at the expected optimal location, indicating that other factors also come into play.

Researchers have used the knowledge of birds, visual axes, "blind spots" and visual fields to pinpoint the best locations for a bird in a flock to maintain optimal visual positioning. The actual positions are usually having a positive correlation with these predictions but are, again, not always perfect. The positions of birds have been classified and it has been found that some individuals occupy positions to satisfy the energy conservation principle; others enjoy better visual contact placement, while the rest do not apparently respond to either benefit or are in a position so as to gain some advantage from both the benefits available.

The leaders of these bird formations change with time, but it has not been possible to discover the causes, frequency and characteristics associated with these changes. Observations on a sustained basis of such flocks covering long distances in the air are very difficult. Several intuitive predictions about the choice of the formation leader that immediately come to mind are - age, experience, sex, condition and social status of the leaders, but so far researchers have been unable to overcome the logistic issues to put these hypotheses to test. Birds have been trained to fly in formation with small aircraft by some scientists; possibly their efforts will yield opportunities to test these hypotheses.
  1. An explanation of a natural phenomenon with the help of a particular theory.

  2. An attempt to describe and explain natural event in terms of two competing, but mutually supplementary ideas.

  3. An analysis of two competing theories of bird formations and their critique.

  4. A description of why birds fly in formations without any reference to any scientific theory at all.

  5. An analysis of why the scientists have so far failed in their attempts to know more about bird formations.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In fact, there are two theories used to explain the phenomenon. Hence, choice (1) is ruled out. Option (3) is wrong because it does not critique the two theories at all, rather, it says both of them are useful to some extent. Option (4) is not rooted in fact as there are two theories mentioned here. In fact, the focus remains on them only. The best possible choice is option (2) as it finds enough support in terms of paragraph 2 (see the opening line)