Associate Content Manager | Updated On - Nov 6, 2024
CAT 2023 Slot 1 VARC Question Paper is available here for free download. CAT 2023 Slot 1 paper has been conducted on November 26 from 8.30 AM to 10.30 AM. CAT 2023 Slot 1 question paper VARC comprises 24 questions to be attempted in 40 minutes. According to initial students reaction, CAT 2023 Slot 1 VARC was easy to moderate.
CAT 2023 Slot 1 VARC Question Paper with Solutions PDF
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CAT 2023 Slot 1 VARC Questions with Solution
| Question No. | Question | Correct Answer | Solution |
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| 1 | All of the following claims contribute to the “remapping” discussed by the passage, EXCEPT: 1. Indian Ocean novels have gone beyond the specifics of national concerns to explore rich regional pasts. 2. Cosmopolitanism originated in the West and travelled to the East through globalisation. 3. The global south, as opposed to the global north, was the first centre of globalisation. 4. The world of early international trade and commerce was not the sole domain of white Europeans. |
(2) Cosmopolitanism originated in the West and travelled to the East through globalisation. | This claim contradicts the passage’s emphasis on the Indian Ocean’s role in fostering a cosmopolitan culture that existed prior to Western influences. |
| 2 | On the basis of the nature of the relationship between the items in each pair below, choose the odd pair out: (1) Postcolonial novels : Border-crossing (2) Indian Ocean novels : Outward-looking (3) Indian Ocean world : Slavery (4) Postcolonial novels : Anti-colonial nationalism |
(1) Postcolonial novels : Border-crossing | This pair fits well with the themes associated with Postcolonial novels, emphasizing Border-crossing. |
| 3 | All of the following statements, if true, would weaken the passage’s claim about the relationship between mainstream English-language fiction and Indian Ocean novels EXCEPT: 1. Very few mainstream English-language novels have historically been set in American and European metropolitan centres. 2. The depiction of Africa in most Indian Ocean novels is driven by an Orientalist imagination of its cultural crudeness. 3. The depiction of Africa in most Indian Ocean novels is driven by a postcolonial nostalgia for an idyllic past. 4. Most mainstream English-language novels have historically privileged the Christian, white, male experience of travel and adventure. |
(4) Most mainstream English-language novels have historically privileged the Christian, white, male experience of travel and adventure. | This statement does not weaken the passage’s claim as it reflects a historical tendency of mainstream novels that contrasts with the diverse portrayals found in Indian Ocean novels. |
| 4 | Which one of the following statements is not true about migration in the Indian Ocean world? (1) Migration in the Indian Ocean world was an ambivalent experience. (2) Geographical location rather than geographical proximity determined the choice of destination for migrants. (3) The Indian Ocean world’s migration networks connected the global north with the global south. (4) The Indian Ocean world’s migration networks were shaped by religious and commercial histories of the region. |
(3) The Indian Ocean world’s migration networks connected the global north with the global south. | This statement is not true because the primary focus of Indian Ocean migration networks was on connections within the south rather than between the global north and south. |
| 5 | The author of the passage mentions Galbraith’s “The Affluent Society” to: (1) show how Galbraith’s theories refute Sahlins’s thesis on the contentment of pre-hunter-gatherer communities. (2) document the influence of Galbraith’s cynical views on modern consumerism on Sahlins’s analysis of pre-historic societies. (3) contrast the materialist nature of contemporary growth paths with the pacifist content ways of living among the foragers. (4) show how Sahlins’s views complemented Galbraith’s criticism of the consumerism and inequality of contemporary society. |
(4) show how Sahlins’s views complemented Galbraith’s criticism of the consumerism and inequality of contemporary society. | This answer reflects the alignment of Sahlins’s perspective on foraging societies with Galbraith’s critique of materialism. |
| 6 | The author mentions Tanzania’s Hadza community to illustrate: (1) that hunter-gatherer communities’ subsistence-level techniques equipped them to survive well into contemporary times. (2) how pre-agrarian societies did not hamper the emergence of more advanced agrarian practices in contiguous communities. (3) that forager communities’ lifestyles derived not from ignorance about alternatives, but from their own choice. (4) how two vastly different ways of living and working were able to coexist in proximity for centuries. |
(3) that forager communities’ lifestyles derived not from ignorance about alternatives, but from their own choice. | The mention of the Hadza community illustrates their conscious choice to maintain their lifestyle despite alternatives. |
| 7 | The author of the passage criticises Sahlins’s essay for its: (1) critique of anthropologists who disparage the choices of foragers in today’s society. (2) cursory treatment of the effects of racism and colonialism on societies. (3) failure to supplement its thesis with robust empirical data. (4) outdated values regarding present-day foragers versus ancient foraging communities. |
(2) cursory treatment of the effects of racism and colonialism on societies. | The passage notes that while Sahlins acknowledges colonialism and racism, it does not explore these themes as deeply as modern perspectives would expect. |
| 8 | We can infer that Sahlins’s main goal in writing his essay was to: (1) counter Galbraith’s pessimistic view of the inevitability of a capitalist trajectory for economic growth. (2) hold a mirror to an acquisitive society, with examples of other communities that have chosen successfully to be non-materialistic. (3) put forth the view that, despite egalitarian origins, economic progress brings greater inequality and social hierarchies. (4) highlight the fact that while we started off as a fairly contented egalitarian people, we have progressively degenerated into materialism. |
(2) hold a mirror to an acquisitive society, with examples of other communities that have chosen successfully to be non-materialistic. | Sahlins’s essay aims to provide examples of societies that prioritize non-materialistic values, thereby challenging the prevailing consumerist ideology. |
| 9 | Which one of the following has NOT contributed to the growing wolf population in Lozere? (1) An increase in woodlands and forest cover in Lozere. (2) The granting of a protected status to wolves in Europe. (3) A decline in the rural population of Lozere. (4) The shutting down of the royal office of the Luparii. |
(4) The shutting down of the royal office of the Luparii. | The growth of the wolf population is associated with factors such as increased forest cover and protected status, while the shutting down of the royal office is not mentioned as a contributing factor. |
| 10 | The author presents a possible economic solution to an existing issue facing Lozere that takes into account the divergent and competing interests of: (1) farmers and environmentalists. (2) tourists and environmentalists. (3) environmentalists and politicians. (4) politicians and farmers. |
(1) farmers and environmentalists. | The passage discusses the challenges faced by farmers due to the return of wolves and acknowledges the interests of environmentalists who support the wolves’ presence. |
| 11 | The inhabitants of Lozere have to grapple with all of the following problems, EXCEPT: (1) lack of educational facilities. (2) poor rural communication infrastructure. (3) livestock losses. (4) decline in the number of hunting licences. |
(4) decline in the number of hunting licences. | The passage mentions complaints about a lack of schools, jobs, and poor communication infrastructure, while the decline in hunting licences is not indicated as a problem. |
| 12 | Which one of the following statements, if true, would weaken the author’s claims? (1) Unemployment concerns the residents of Lozere. (2) The old mining sites of Lozere are now being used as grazing pastures for sheep. (3) Having migrated out in the last century, wolves are now returning to Lozere. (4) Wolf attacks on tourists in Lozere are on the rise. |
(4) Wolf attacks on tourists in Lozere are on the rise. | If wolf attacks on tourists are increasing, it implies that the presence of wolves poses a direct threat, which could weaken the argument that their return is primarily beneficial for the local community. |
| 13 | The author criticises scholars who are not geographers for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: (1) their labelling of geographic explanations as deterministic. (2) their rejection of the role of biogeographic factors in social and cultural phenomena. (3) their outdated interpretations of past cultural and historical phenomena. (4) the importance they place on the role of individual decisions when studying human phenomena. |
(3) their outdated interpretations of past cultural and historical phenomena. | The author criticizes scholars for dismissing geographic explanations and for not recognizing the relevance of geographic and biogeographic factors, but does not specifically mention outdated interpretations as a primary criticism. |
| 14 | The examples of the Inuit and Aboriginal Australians are offered in the passage to show: (1) that despite geographical isolation, traditional societies were self-sufficient and adaptive. (2) how environmental factors lead to comparatively divergent paths in livelihoods and development. (3) how physical circumstances can dictate human behaviour and cultures. (4) human resourcefulness across cultures in adapting to their surroundings. |
(3) how physical circumstances can dictate human behaviour and cultures. | The passage uses the examples of the Inuit and Aboriginal Australians to illustrate how their geographical environments directly influenced their cultural practices and adaptations. |
| 15 | All of the following can be inferred from the passage EXCEPT: (1) while most human phenomena result from culture and individual choice, some have biogeographic origins. (2) agricultural practices changed drastically in the Australian continent after it was colonised. (3) several academic studies of human phenomena in the past involved racist interpretations. (4) individual dictat and contingency were not the causal factors for the use of fur clothing in some very cold climates. |
(1) while most human phenomena result from culture and individual choice, some have biogeographic origins. | The passage does indicate that some human phenomena have geographic origins, but it does not specifically assert that these phenomena primarily arise from culture and individual choice, making this inference incorrect. |
| 16 | All of the following are advanced by the author as reasons why non-geographers disregard geographic influences on human phenomena EXCEPT their: (1) disciplinary training which typically does not include technical knowledge of geography. (2) dismissal of explanations that involve geographical causes for human behaviour. (3) lingering impressions of past geographic analyses that were politically offensive. (4) belief in the central role of humans, unrelated to physical surroundings, in influencing phenomena. |
(2) dismissal of explanations that involve geographical causes for human behaviour. | The passage indicates that while scholars may dismiss geographic explanations, the author focuses on their training and biases rather than a general dismissal of geographic causes. |
| 17 | There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit. Sentence: The discovery helps to explain archeological similarities between the Paleolithic peoples of China, Japan, and the Americas. Paragraph: The researchers also uncovered an unexpected genetic link between Native Americans and Japanese people. (1) . During the deglaciation period, another group branched out from northern coastal China and travelled to Japan. (2) . ”We were surprised to find that this ancestral source also contributed to the Japanese gene pool, especially the indigenous Ainus,” says Li. (3) . They shared similarities in how they crafted stemmed projectile points for arrowheads and spears. (4) . ”This suggests that the Pleistocene connection among the Americas, China, and Japan was not confined to culture but also to genetics,” says senior author Qing-Peng Kong, an evolutionary geneticist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. |
(3) Option 3 | The best fit for the missing sentence is at the end of third option, as it logically follows the mention of the genetic link, elaborating on the implications of the discovery. |
| 18 | There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit. Sentence: This philosophical cut at one’s core beliefs, values, and way of life is difficult enough. Paragraph: The experience of reading philosophy is often disquieting. When reading philosophy, the values around which one has heretofore organised one’s life may come to look provincial, flatly wrong, or even evil. (1) . When beliefs previously held as truths are rendered implausible, new beliefs, values, and ways of living may be required. (2) . What’s worse, philosophers admonish each other to remain unsutured until such time as a defensible new answer is revealed or constructed. Sometimes philosophical writing is even strictly critical in that it does not even attempt to provide an alternative after tearing down a cultural or conceptual citadel. (3) . The reader of philosophy must be prepared for the possibility of this experience. While reading philosophy can help one clarify one’s values, and even make one self-conscious for the first time of the fact that there are good reasons for believing what one believes, it can also generate unremediated doubt that is difficult to live with. (4) . |
(2) Option 2 | The best fit for the missing sentence is at the 2nd blank, as it connects the earlier ideas about the difficulty of philosophical inquiry and the resulting doubt. |
| 19 | Five jumbled up sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd sentence and key in the number of that sentence as your answer. 1. Having an appreciation for the workings of another person’s mind is considered a prerequisite for natural language acquisition, strategic social interaction, reflexive thought, and moral judgment. 2. It is a ‘theory of mind’ though some scholars prefer to call it ‘mentalizing’ or ‘mindreading’, which is important for the development of one’s cognitive abilities. 3. Though we must speculate about its evolutionary origin, we do have indications that the capacity evolved sometime in the last few million years. 4. This capacity develops from early beginnings in the first year of life to the adult’s fast and often effortless understanding of others’ thoughts, feelings, and intentions. 5. One of the most fascinating human capacities is the ability to perceive and interpret other people’s behaviour in terms of their mental states. |
2 | Sentence 2 does not fit with the rest of the sentences, which discuss the theory of mind and its development. |
| 20 | Five jumbled up sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd sentence and key in the number of that sentence as your answer. 1. In English, there is no systematic rule for the naming of numbers; after ten, we have "eleven" and "twelve" and then the teens: "thirteen", "fourteen", "fifteen" and so on. 2. Even more confusingly, some English words invert the numbers they refer to: the word "fourteen" puts the four first, even though it appears last. 3. It can take children a while to learn all these words, and understand that "fourteen" is different from "forty". 4. For multiples of 10, English speakers switch to a different pattern: "twenty", "thirty", "forty" and so on. 5. If you didn’t know the word for "eleven", you would be unable to just guess it – you might come up with something like "one-teen". |
3 | Sentence 3 does not fit well with the others, which primarily focus on the naming of numbers and the patterns in the English language. |
| 21 | The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4) given below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer. 1. What precisely are the “unusual elements” that make a particular case so attractive to a certain kind of audience? 2. It might be a particularly savage or unfathomable level of depravity, very often it has something to do with the precise amount of mystery involved. 3. Unsolved, and perhaps unsolvable cases offer something that “ordinary” murder doesn’t. 4. Why are some crimes destined for perpetual re-examination and others locked into permanent obscurity? |
4123 | The sequence starts with general questions about unusual elements and crimes, leading to an exploration of specific factors such as depravity and mystery, before concluding with a statement about the nature of unsolved cases. |
| 22 | The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4) given below, when properly sequenced, would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your answer. 1. Algorithms hosted on the internet are accessed by many, so biases in AI models have resulted in much larger impact, adversely affecting far larger groups of people. 2. Though “algorithmic bias” is the popular term, the foundation of such bias is not in algorithms, but in the data; algorithms are not biased, data is, as algorithms merely reflect persistent patterns that are present in the training data. 3. Despite their widespread impact, it is relatively easier to fix AI biases than human-generated biases, as it is simpler to identify the former than to try to make people unlearn behaviors learnt over generations. 4. The impact of biased decisions made by humans is localized and geographically confined, but with the advent of AI, the impact of such decisions is spread over a much wider scale. |
4123 | The sequence begins by discussing the broader impact of algorithms, explains the nature of bias, contrasts AI with human biases, and concludes with the expansive effect of AI decisions. |
| 23 | The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage. Colonialism is not a modern phenomenon. World history is full of examples of one society gradually expanding by incorporating adjacent territory and settling its people on newly conquered territory. In the sixteenth century, colonialism changed decisively because of technological developments in navigation that began to connect more remote parts of the world. The modern European colonial project emerged when it became possible to move large numbers of people across the ocean and to maintain political control in spite of geographical dispersion. The term colonialism is used to describe the process of European settlement, violent dispossession and political domination over the rest of the world, including the Americas, Australia, and parts of Africa and Asia. 1. As a result of developments in navigation technology, European colonialism led to the displacement of indigenous populations and global political changes in the 16th century. 2. Colonialism, conceptualized in the 16th century, allowed colonizers to expand their territories, establish settlements, and exercise political power. 3. Technological advancements in navigation in the 16th century transformed colonialism, enabling Europeans to establish settlements and exert political dominance over distant regions. 4. Colonialism surged in the 16th century due to advancements in navigation, enabling British settlements abroad and global dominance. |
3 | The passage discusses the transformation of colonialism in the 16th century due to navigation advancements, allowing European powers to expand, settle, and dominate politically across distant territories. |
| 24 | The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage. Manipulating information was a feature of history long before modern journalism established rules of integrity. A record dates back to ancient Rome, when Antony met Cleopatra and his political enemy Octavian launched a smear campaign against him with “short, sharp slogans written upon coins.” The perpetrator became the first Roman Emperor and “fake news had allowed Octavian to hack the republican system once and for all.” But the 21st century has seen the weaponization of information on an unprecedented scale. Powerful new technology makes the fabrication of content simple, and social networks amplify falsehoods peddled by states, populist politicians, and dishonest corporate entities. The platforms have become fertile ground for computational propaganda, ‘trolling’ and ‘troll armies’. 1. Disinformation, which is mediated by technology today, is not new and has existed since ancient times. 2. People need to become critical of what they read, since historically, weaponization of information has led to corruption. 3. Use of misinformation for attaining power, a practice that is as old as the Octavian era, is currently fueled by technology. 4. Octavian used fake news to manipulate people and attain power and influence, just as people do today. |
3 | The passage highlights the historical context of disinformation and how the manipulation of information has evolved but remains a persistent issue throughout time, particularly amplified by modern technology. |
CAT Questions
1. There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4 ) the following sentence would best fit.
Sentence: This philosophical cut at one's core beliefs, values, and way of life is difficult enough.
Paragraph: The experience of reading philosophy is often disquieting. When reading philosophy, the values around which one has heretofore organised one's life may come to look provincial, flatly wrong, or even evil. __(1)_. When beliefs previously held as truths are rendered implausible, new beliefs, values, and ways of living may be required. _ (2) . What's worse, philosophers admonish each other to remain unsutured until such time as a defensible new answer is revealed or constructed. Sometimes philosophical writing is even strictly critical in that it does not even attempt to provide an alternative after tearing down a cultural or conceptual citadel. (3). The reader of philosophy must be prepared for the possibility of this experience. While reading philosophy can help one clarify one's values, and even make one self-conscious for the first time of the fact that there are good reasons for believing what one believes, it can also generate un-remediated doubt that is difficult to live with.
There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4 ) the following sentence would best fit.
Sentence: This philosophical cut at one's core beliefs, values, and way of life is difficult enough.
Paragraph: The experience of reading philosophy is often disquieting. When reading philosophy, the values around which one has heretofore organised one's life may come to look provincial, flatly wrong, or even evil. __(1)_. When beliefs previously held as truths are rendered implausible, new beliefs, values, and ways of living may be required. _ (2) . What's worse, philosophers admonish each other to remain unsutured until such time as a defensible new answer is revealed or constructed. Sometimes philosophical writing is even strictly critical in that it does not even attempt to provide an alternative after tearing down a cultural or conceptual citadel. (3). The reader of philosophy must be prepared for the possibility of this experience. While reading philosophy can help one clarify one's values, and even make one self-conscious for the first time of the fact that there are good reasons for believing what one believes, it can also generate un-remediated doubt that is difficult to live with.
Sentence: This philosophical cut at one's core beliefs, values, and way of life is difficult enough.
Paragraph: The experience of reading philosophy is often disquieting. When reading philosophy, the values around which one has heretofore organised one's life may come to look provincial, flatly wrong, or even evil. __(1)_. When beliefs previously held as truths are rendered implausible, new beliefs, values, and ways of living may be required. _ (2) . What's worse, philosophers admonish each other to remain unsutured until such time as a defensible new answer is revealed or constructed. Sometimes philosophical writing is even strictly critical in that it does not even attempt to provide an alternative after tearing down a cultural or conceptual citadel. (3). The reader of philosophy must be prepared for the possibility of this experience. While reading philosophy can help one clarify one's values, and even make one self-conscious for the first time of the fact that there are good reasons for believing what one believes, it can also generate un-remediated doubt that is difficult to live with.
- Option 4
- Option 2
- Option 1
- Option 3
2. Let \(a, b, m\) and \(n\) be natural numbers such that \(a >1\) and \(b >1\) . If \(a^m+b^n = 144^{145}\) , then the largest possible value of \(n − m\) is
Let \(a, b, m\) and \(n\) be natural numbers such that \(a >1\) and \(b >1\) . If \(a^m+b^n = 144^{145}\) , then the largest possible value of \(n − m\) is
- 579
- 289
- 580
- 290
3. Suppose \(f(x,y)\) is a real-valued function such that \(f(3x+2y,2x-5y)=19x\), for all real numbers \(x\) and \(y\) . The value of x for which \(f(x,2x) = 27\) , is
Suppose \(f(x,y)\) is a real-valued function such that \(f(3x+2y,2x-5y)=19x\), for all real numbers \(x\) and \(y\) . The value of x for which \(f(x,2x) = 27\) , is
- 3
- 4
- 42
- None of Above
4. Anil borrows Rs 2 lakhs at an interest rate of 8% per annum, compounded half-yearly. He repays Rs 10320 at the end of the first year and closes the loan by paying the outstanding amount at the end of the third year. Then, the total interest, in rupees, paid over the three years is nearest to
Anil borrows Rs 2 lakhs at an interest rate of 8% per annum, compounded half-yearly. He repays Rs 10320 at the end of the first year and closes the loan by paying the outstanding amount at the end of the third year. Then, the total interest, in rupees, paid over the three years is nearest to
- 33130
- 40991
- 51311
- 51311
5. The sum of the first two natural numbers, each having 15 factors (including 1 and the number itself), is
The sum of the first two natural numbers, each having 15 factors (including 1 and the number itself), is
- 348
- 412
- 468
- None of Above
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