CEX–3007/18 Verbal Ability – 7
Reading Comprehension – 3 (Drill)
Answers and Explanations
1 B 2 D 3 - 4 B 5 A
11 E 12 A 13 E 14 D 15 B 16
21 D 22 C 23 B 24 B 25 A
1. B The number of invasive natural species has been
mentioned as 2069 while the number of native plants
has been mentioned as 2065. So Choice B follows
from the passage. It is clearly mentioned that most
non-native plants can survive only under controlled
conditions. So it does not follow that most non-native
plants have adapted to the environment, making Choice
A incorrect. Choice C is incorrect because no
correlation is indicated between the number of
invasive plant species and the number of extinctions.
2. D The passage begins with an overview of native and
non-native plants in New Zealand and goes on to
demonstrate how the situation is different from what
might be expected. This is the point made in Choice
D, which is therefore the correct answer. Choice A is
incorrect because the author does not examine the
reasons behind the increase of invasive plant species.
The author’s main objective in comparing native and
invasive plant species is to provide a brief background
to the situation. Choice E is incorrect because, while
the author states that a mass extinction of native plant
species has not happened, he does not explain why
this has been the case.
3. The correct answer is Sentence 7
(‘When Whitney Balliett wrote in 1954 that, “until the
past five or so years, jazz has been widely regarded
in this country as a kind of queer Victorian aunt who
laces her tea, belches at the wrong moment, and
uses improper amounts of rouge”, he was referring
to a relatively benign form of dismissal.’)
Personification is the representation of a thing or
abstraction as a person. The above mentioned
sentence is the only sentence in the passage which
presents a personification for how jazz was perceived
in the first half of the twentieth century by majority of
the critics.
4. B While the fifth line of the passage mentions the Creole
origins of jazz, it is nowhere specifically mentioned
that they were the reason behind the non-acceptance
of jazz into the intellectual and cultural fold. Therefore
Choice A is an incorrect answer choice. The fifth line
of the passage states that “While the terms
multiculturalism and postmodernism are of recent
vintage, the cultural concepts and aesthetic practices
they describe have strong precedent in the jazz
VA / Exercise – 7
GRE
6 A 7 B 8 - 9 C 10 -
B 17 A 18 B 19 A,C 20 E
tradition ….” Thus, the author specifically mentions
the beginnings of postmodernism in the jazz tradition,
which makes Choice B the correct answer. Choice C
is wrong because while the passage discusses the
protean and subversive character of jazz in the first
half, it is not the reason that is given for the mass
following jazz found later.
5. A The fifth line of the passage mentions that
multiculturalism has a strong precedent in the jazz
tradition. “Multiculturalism by definition is “pertaining
to, or representing several different cultures”. Thus,
answer Choice A is correct. Choice B is incorrect
because while multiculturalism has a strong precedent
in jazz that does not make jazz progressive. Answer
Choice C is incorrect as it goes beyond the scope of
the passage. The author does not make any
comparison between jazz and other movements and
ideas.
6. A The passage discusses the origins, features and the
overall development of jazz into a major music style
over a period of time. The major portion of the passage
describes how jazz transformed from an intellectually
and culturally unacceptable style of music to a widely
followed one. Earlier it was denounced as “Devil’s
music”, but over a period of time, jazz found a mass
audience, as well as, a secure place in the bourgeois
order. Therefore, Choice A is correct. The passage
discusses the issues mentioned in the answer Choices
B and C, but they form a very small part of the larger
idea the author is dealing with. Choice D is wrong as it
is unsupported by the passage. Choice E is too narrow
in scope to be the primary purpose of the passage.
7. B Hein compares the global rare-earth market with the
relatively large markets for metals like copper. So it
can be inferred that the present demand for rare earths
is being met and that it is unlikely that sea floor rare
earths will be considered a viable resource in the short
term. This is the point made in Choice B. Choice D is
incorrect because the passage does not question the
study itself. The passage does not mention anything
about a stagnant phase in the metals market hence,
Choice E is incorrect. The author does not talk about
the demand of rare earth elements in the future hence,
Choice C is eliminated.
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8. First sentence of the second paragraph. (“A cost-
effective recovery offshore would require new
technology, a shorter permitting process—and, of
course, a lot of money.”) Hein gives a list of things that
need to be addressed before cost-effective recovery
of rare earth resources can take place. “shorter
permitting process” indicates that at present regulations
make it difficult to tap seafloor rare earth resources.
9. C It is clearly mentioned in the passage that at present
there is no defined movement or counter-movement
against Modernism. The new activists consider
Modernism as an idea that should not die, but at the
same time have no firm grasp of Modernism. The
passage does not imply that this “revival” is a reaction
against postmodernist values. The only thing that
comes across strongly is that the protestors consider
Modernism as an idea that is not outdated, but needs
to be revived. This is a revaluation of the notion that
Modernism is outdated or even dead. Therefore
Choice C is correct.
10. The correct answer is the second sentence (“The
idea … the thing”) of the second paragraph. This
sentence talks about the motives of the protestors.
They don’t have a clear notion of Modernism, but they
all identify with idea of art as a reaction to “etablished
forms and decorums”.
11. E Answer Choice E is mentioned in the first paragraph
- “…Pressure flaking gives the toolmaker a greater
degree of control on the final shape of the tool edge…”
12. A None of the answers except Choice A captures the
main idea of the passage. Choices B, C, D & E refer to
isolated statements scattered in the passage.
13. E In the first paragraph, it is stated that “…certain
techniques used for shaping them into more potent
weapons are of relatively recent innovation. Pressure
flaking, one of the techniques used to produce sharp-
edged points on the tool…” Nowhere is it mentioned
that pressure-flaked tools were more potent than other
tools. Hence, Choice E is the correct answer.
14. D At the end of the first paragraph, the author states
that the green spaces are “priceless”. Therefore
Choice D is the answer. Choice A is incorrect
because nowhere in the passage does the author talk
about the method used to assign the monetary value
of the environment. Choice B is a possible answer but
the author does not say that the value is lower than
that deemed by experts. There is no mention of the
value assigned by experts in the passage. C is not at
all stated by the author in the passage. According to
the passage Choice E is true but is does not answer
the question asked.
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15. B In the second paragraph, the author says that “Treating
nature this way will be a disaster for the environment
because it means that unscrupulous developers or
governments with big deficits can now argue even
more vigorously that economic and social gains are
worth more than environmental ones”. Therefore,
Choice B is the best answer. Choice A is incorrect
because the opposite is true. Choice C might be true
but is not supported by the passage. Choices D and E
are beyond the scope of the passage.
16. B In the third paragraph, the author states that “In the
case of our green spaces, giving them a monetary
value will be used as yet another reason to cut their
funding or concrete over what remains of our natural
environment.” In this sentence “concrete over” is used
in the sense of “destroy”. Therefore, Choice B is the
best answer. A, C, D, and E are incorrect because
they cannot be used in the context of the environment
17. A The author puts forward both the points of view in the
passage and then runs down the developed countries
by pointing out the flaws in their arguments and the
absence of intent in their actions. The author nowhere
assumes a mocking tone and hence Choices B and E
are ruled out. The tone of the passage may be bellicose
but it doesn’t define the author’s attitude. At the same
time, the author doesn’t assume a higher moral standing
at any point and hence isn’t “condescending”. The
author shows that whatever may the developed
countries claim, but ultimately they are the ones who
are at fault. Hence the attitude is “deprecative” which
means expressing strong disapproval. Choice A is
correct.
18. B Choice A is discussed in the first paragraph. Choice C
is addressed when the author talks about the non-
binding and small concessions offered by developed
countries as against very tangible and unequivocal
concessions demanded of developing countries.
Choice E is mentioned in the second paragraph. While
Choice D is implied by the discussion on developing
country negotiators, Choice B is nowhere mentioned
or implied. All that the passage says is that according
to developed countries, the developing country
negotiators put their own interests above the interest
of the poor they claim to represent.
19. A,C It is only evident from the passage that the mainstream
international media endorses the view of the US trade
negotiators on the reasons behind the failure at
Cancun. In no way is it established that this is what
always happens. Hence the use of ‘always’ renders
Choice B option invalid. Choice A can be clearly
inferred from the passage as protection tools are said
to be ‘crucial’ for long term industrial development and
the Choice C is evident from paragraph six.
VA / Exercise – 7
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20. E Blinkered in the passage refers to the prejudiced view
of the developed nations towards the reasons for the
failure of WTO talks. “Jaundiced” means the same as
prejudiced. Hence Choice E is correct. “Conservative”
or “hidebound” refer to the unwillingness to change.
“Self-centered” is in no way the same as blinkered.
“Condescending” does not mean blinkered, therefore
it can also be eliminated.
21. D Choice A is the view held by the developed countries
and thrashed by the author. While any of the remaining
options might be valid, but the author clearly states in
the passage that, “This is an extraordinarily blinkered
and arrogant view of the world, which is actually the
key cause of the continuous breakdown of the WTO
system.” Hence Choice D is the correct option.
22. C Choices A and D are antonyms of corporeality. Choice
E describes one meaning of corporeality as it refers to
“capable of being touched”. The correct answer is
Choice C since the word corporeality as used in the
passage talks more about the sheer physicality of the
artist’s works. The passage goes on about what ‘led
Freud to push “the bounds of decorum in terms of
mainstream depictions of the human body considered
not as a generic type but as, to use his own term, a
“naked portrait”.’ Although Choice B is a close meaning
of corporeality, but in the particular usage it doesn’t fit
into the scheme of the passage.
VA / Exercise – 7
23. B Choice B is appropriate because the assertions made
in the previous part of the passage are supported in
this part with evidence drawn from photographs by
David Dawson. Choice C is incorrect because the
passage mentions that he had a reputation for pushing
his subjects to the extreme and not that his work was
extreme. Choice D is incorrect because the passage
does not discuss Freud’s scientific method. Choice E
is eliminated because the author is merely drawing a
contrast between Freud’s style and that of other
American artists. Choice A is incorrect because
describing Freud’s manner of working is not the main
function of the passage.
24. B Paragraph 4 clearly indicates that many critics have
not been able to “situate” Freud’s work properly and
hence have resorted to merely describing superficial
aspects of it. This makes Choice B the appropriate
choice. Choice E is true for only one critic as far as the
information given in the passage is concerned.
25. A Choice A is supported by the first paragraph where
the author talks about Freud “...never wanting to risk
doing the same thing twice.” Choice B is invalid as the
opinion of Freud’s peers is nowhere mentioned in the
passage. Choice C is not an appropriate option because
it is nowhere mentioned with certainty that whatever
Aidan Dunne has said about Freud’s work is exactly
what Freud’s work is all about. All that the passage
says is that Dunne has been able to accept Freud’s
work in a manner that has discomfited others.
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