D
C
C
A
Rc for 12th march..
@miseera said:RC of the Day 12/03/2013
131. D
132. B
133. D
134. B
135. A
Some how managed to read such a long passage.
132. B
133. D
134. B
135. A
Some how managed to read such a long passage.
"Atwood €™s use of analogy, too, can bring the reader up short."
can anybody explain the meaning of UP SHORT as used above ?
it's part of speech ?
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile bones. Osteoporosis literally leads to abnormally porous bone that is compressible, like a sponge. This disorder of the skeleton weakens the bone and results in frequent fractures (breaks) in the bones. Osteopenia is a condition of bone that is slightly less dense than normal bone but not to the degree of bone in osteoporosis.
What are osteoporosis symptoms and signs?
Osteoporosis can be present without any symptoms for decades because osteoporosis doesn't cause symptoms until bone fractures. Moreover, some osteoporotic fractures may escape detection for years when they do not cause symptoms. Therefore, patients may not be aware of their osteoporosis until they suffer a painful fracture. The symptom associated with osteoporotic fractures usually is pain; the location of the pain depends on the location of the fracture. The symptoms of osteoporosis in men are similar to the symptoms of osteoporosis in women.
Hip fractures typically occur as a result of a fall. With osteoporosis, hip fractures can occur as a result of trivial accidents. Hip fractures also may heal slowly or poorly after surgical repair because of poor healing of the bone.
What are the consequences of osteoporosis?
Osteoporotic bone fractures are responsible for considerable pain, decreased quality of life, lost workdays, and disability. Up to 30% of patients suffering a hip fracture will require long-term nursing-home care. Elderly patients can develop pneumonia and blood clots in the leg veins that can travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism) due to prolonged bed rest after the hip fracture. Osteoporosis has even been linked with an increased risk of death. Some 20% of women with a hip fracture will die in the subsequent year as an indirect result of the fracture. In addition, once a person has experienced a spine fracture due to osteoporosis, he or she is at very high risk of suffering another such fracture in the near future. About 20% of postmenopausal women who experience a vertebral fracture will suffer a new vertebral fracture of bone in the following year.
What is the treatment for osteoporosis, and can osteoporosis be prevented?
The goal of treatment of osteoporosis is the prevention of bone fractures by reducing bone loss or, preferably, by increasing bone density and strength. Although early detection and timely treatment of osteoporosis can substantially decrease the risk of future fractures, none of the available treatments for osteoporosis are complete cures. In other words, it is difficult to completely rebuild bone that has been weakened by osteoporosis. Therefore, prevention of osteoporosis is as important as treatment. The following are osteoporosis treatment and prevention measures:
Lifestyle changes
Exercise, quitting cigarettes, and curtailing alcohol
Exercise has a wide variety of beneficial health effects. However, exercise does not bring about substantial increases in bone density. The benefit of exercise for osteoporosis has mostly to do with decreasing the risk of falls, probably because balance is improved and/or muscle strength is increased. Research has not yet determined what type of exercise is best for osteoporosis or for how long it should be continued. Until research has answered these questions, most doctors recommend weight-bearing exercise, such as
walking, preferably daily.
Text 3: Questions 21-30
21. Osteopenia is
A. more serious than osteoporosis.
B. a similar condition to osteoporosis.
C. a condition which influences bone density.
D. a bone condition caused by frequent breaks.
22. Which statement is true of osteoporosis?
A. Osteoporosis is detected only when a bone breaks.
B. Osteoporosis can affect a person's quality of life long before a bone breaks.
C. A break causing physical discomfort usually leads to the discovery of osteoporosis.
D. Pain is the symptom connected to all osteoporotic fractures.
23. Why is osteoporosis such a worrying condition?
A. It affects most old people, both men and women.
B. It is painful for decades.
C. By the time it is detected, damage to the bones may be very serious.
D. Some fractures may take longer to heal after an accident.
24. According to the text, a pulmonary embolism
A. is the formation of blood clots in the lungs.
B. is caused by hip fractures.
C. may be caused by inactivity over a long period of time.
D. is the formation of blood clots in the legs.
25. What does such fracture in line 26 refer to?
A. an indirect fracture
B. a vertebral fracture
C. a subsequent fracture
D. a hip fracture
26. Osteoporotic treatment's preferred aim is
A. the reduction of bone loss by preventing fractures.
B. to restore bones to their previous condition.
C. to improve the density of bones and make them stronger.
D. to detect osteoporosis and treat fractures.
27. Which of the following statements is true?
A. More than a third of patients suffering from a broken hip will need long term nursing care.
B. Elderly patients can get a pulmonary embolism from travelling.
C. Hip fractures kill 20% of women within a year.
D. More postmenopausal women will not have a vertebral fracture in the next year than will.
28. Which of the following statements is true concerning exercise and osteoporosis?
A. Exercise has only indirect benefits for osteoporosis sufferers.
B. Daily weight-lifting is the recommended exercise.
C. Research indicates that the best type of exercise for osteoporosis is walking.
D. Exercise helps sufferers to give up smoking.
29. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the article?
A. a fracture of the backbone
B. effects of osteoporosis
C. hip replacement surgery
D. risk of bone fracture
30. Which is the best definition of osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a
A. long term disease caused by porous, fragile bones. It is difficult to treat because sufferers often don't know they are ill.
B. condition which affects both men and women making them more at risk of bone fractures and accidental falls.
C. bone condition caused by long term deterioration in the bone structure which leads to an increased risk of bone fracture.
D. bone condition resulting from a long term weakening in the strength of bones and muscles.
Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile bones. Osteoporosis literally leads to abnormally porous bone that is compressible, like a sponge. This disorder of the skeleton weakens the bone and results in frequent fractures (breaks) in the bones. Osteopenia is a condition of bone that is slightly less dense than normal bone but not to the degree of bone in osteoporosis.
What are osteoporosis symptoms and signs?
Osteoporosis can be present without any symptoms for decades because osteoporosis doesn't cause symptoms until bone fractures. Moreover, some osteoporotic fractures may escape detection for years when they do not cause symptoms. Therefore, patients may not be aware of their osteoporosis until they suffer a painful fracture. The symptom associated with osteoporotic fractures usually is pain; the location of the pain depends on the location of the fracture. The symptoms of osteoporosis in men are similar to the symptoms of osteoporosis in women.
Hip fractures typically occur as a result of a fall. With osteoporosis, hip fractures can occur as a result of trivial accidents. Hip fractures also may heal slowly or poorly after surgical repair because of poor healing of the bone.
What are the consequences of osteoporosis?
Osteoporotic bone fractures are responsible for considerable pain, decreased quality of life, lost workdays, and disability. Up to 30% of patients suffering a hip fracture will require long-term nursing-home care. Elderly patients can develop pneumonia and blood clots in the leg veins that can travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism) due to prolonged bed rest after the hip fracture. Osteoporosis has even been linked with an increased risk of death. Some 20% of women with a hip fracture will die in the subsequent year as an indirect result of the fracture. In addition, once a person has experienced a spine fracture due to osteoporosis, he or she is at very high risk of suffering another such fracture in the near future. About 20% of postmenopausal women who experience a vertebral fracture will suffer a new vertebral fracture of bone in the following year.
What is the treatment for osteoporosis, and can osteoporosis be prevented?
The goal of treatment of osteoporosis is the prevention of bone fractures by reducing bone loss or, preferably, by increasing bone density and strength. Although early detection and timely treatment of osteoporosis can substantially decrease the risk of future fractures, none of the available treatments for osteoporosis are complete cures. In other words, it is difficult to completely rebuild bone that has been weakened by osteoporosis. Therefore, prevention of osteoporosis is as important as treatment. The following are osteoporosis treatment and prevention measures:
Lifestyle changes
Exercise, quitting cigarettes, and curtailing alcohol
Exercise has a wide variety of beneficial health effects. However, exercise does not bring about substantial increases in bone density. The benefit of exercise for osteoporosis has mostly to do with decreasing the risk of falls, probably because balance is improved and/or muscle strength is increased. Research has not yet determined what type of exercise is best for osteoporosis or for how long it should be continued. Until research has answered these questions, most doctors recommend weight-bearing exercise, such as
walking, preferably daily.
Text 3: Questions 21-30
21. Osteopenia is
A. more serious than osteoporosis.
B. a similar condition to osteoporosis.
C. a condition which influences bone density.
D. a bone condition caused by frequent breaks.
22. Which statement is true of osteoporosis?
A. Osteoporosis is detected only when a bone breaks.
B. Osteoporosis can affect a person's quality of life long before a bone breaks.
C. A break causing physical discomfort usually leads to the discovery of osteoporosis.
D. Pain is the symptom connected to all osteoporotic fractures.
23. Why is osteoporosis such a worrying condition?
A. It affects most old people, both men and women.
B. It is painful for decades.
C. By the time it is detected, damage to the bones may be very serious.
D. Some fractures may take longer to heal after an accident.
24. According to the text, a pulmonary embolism
A. is the formation of blood clots in the lungs.
B. is caused by hip fractures.
C. may be caused by inactivity over a long period of time.
D. is the formation of blood clots in the legs.
25. What does such fracture in line 26 refer to?
A. an indirect fracture
B. a vertebral fracture
C. a subsequent fracture
D. a hip fracture
26. Osteoporotic treatment's preferred aim is
A. the reduction of bone loss by preventing fractures.
B. to restore bones to their previous condition.
C. to improve the density of bones and make them stronger.
D. to detect osteoporosis and treat fractures.
27. Which of the following statements is true?
A. More than a third of patients suffering from a broken hip will need long term nursing care.
B. Elderly patients can get a pulmonary embolism from travelling.
C. Hip fractures kill 20% of women within a year.
D. More postmenopausal women will not have a vertebral fracture in the next year than will.
28. Which of the following statements is true concerning exercise and osteoporosis?
A. Exercise has only indirect benefits for osteoporosis sufferers.
B. Daily weight-lifting is the recommended exercise.
C. Research indicates that the best type of exercise for osteoporosis is walking.
D. Exercise helps sufferers to give up smoking.
29. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the article?
A. a fracture of the backbone
B. effects of osteoporosis
C. hip replacement surgery
D. risk of bone fracture
30. Which is the best definition of osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a
A. long term disease caused by porous, fragile bones. It is difficult to treat because sufferers often don't know they are ill.
B. condition which affects both men and women making them more at risk of bone fractures and accidental falls.
C. bone condition caused by long term deterioration in the bone structure which leads to an increased risk of bone fracture.
D. bone condition resulting from a long term weakening in the strength of bones and muscles.
Text 2 Malaria
What is malaria?
Malaria is caused by an infection of the red blood cells with a tiny organism or parasite called a protozoan. There are four important species of the malaria protozoa (Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae) and each has a slightly different effect. These organisms are carried from person to person by the Anopheles mosquito. When it bites an infected person, the mosquito sucks up blood containing the parasite, which may then be passed on to the mosquito's next victim.
Symptoms of malaria
The main symptom of malaria is a fever that occurs in regular episodes, with sweating and shivers (known as rigors), and exhaustion (because of anaemia). In some cases, it can affect the brain or kidneys.
Who's at risk of malaria?
Malaria occurs where the Anopheles mosquito breeds, predominantly in rural tropical areas. From a UK perspective, it's a threat to people travelling to malarial regions in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and central America. Each year about 2,000 people return to the UK with malaria, and approximately 12 people a year die as a consequence of the disease. Malaria is a major killer in many countries where resources for prevention, proper diagnosis and drug treatments are lacking. If diagnosed promptly, it can be easily treated but the symptoms can be vague and UK doctors may not immediately be thinking about tropical infections. About 90 per cent of travellers who contract malaria do not become ill until after they return home. Only about 12 per cent of these will become seriously ill. On average, symptoms develop 10 days to four weeks after being bitten, but symptoms can appear up to a year later. The most severe form of the disease is cerebral malaria, which is fatal in up to six per cent of adults, mainly because it's not diagnosed until it's too late. Don't make the mistake of assuming you're safe from infection if you have previously lived in a malarial region - you may build up some immunity to the disease but this can be lost quickly. And if your children were born in the UK, they'll have no immunity at all. If you're going to visit, travel through, or even just stop over in a malarial country you'll be at risk, even if you have lived there before.
Preventing malaria
By far the most important step is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by:
• Using effective insect repellent
• Wearing long sleeves and full-length trousers
• Staying in accommodation with screen doors and closing windows
Before you travel, check whether your holiday destination is affected by malaria. Take the recommended antimalarial drugs. Generally speaking, these are taken from one week before you travel until one month after you return, but this can vary depending on the type of drug and the country you're visiting. Even when taken exactly as advised, antimalarial drugs are not 100 per cent effective, so you should still take the other preventive measures listed above. A major problem is the steady increase in malaria's resistance to drugs used in both prevention and treatment. Always talk to your doctor if you are worried - don't just stop taking antimalarials without getting medical advice. If you develop symptoms, get help quickly - and don't forget to tell the doctor you've travelled to a malarial area. Treatment is with antimalarial medication. In the past decade, considerable progress has been made in the search for a malaria vaccine, and it's hoped one will be available within the next five to 10 years.
Text 2: Questions 11-20
11. What does each refer to in line 4?
A. type of malaria
B. protozoan
C. Plasmodium falciparum
D. Plasmodium vivax
12. According to the text, which of the following statements is true?
A. All mosquitoes carry the malaria protozoa parasite.
B. Malaria is primarily transferred by mosquitoes.
C. Most mosquitoes die from infected blood.
D. Mosquitoes will only bite an infected person.
13. Which of the following is NOT a symptom of malaria?
A. a high temperature
B. extreme tiredness
C. trembling
D. regular episodes of brain damage
14. Which of the following statements is correct?
A. Annually, 2000 people returning home to the UK die of malaria.
B. Every year, 12% of people in the UK die of malaria.
C. Every year, approximately 12 people die from being bitten in the UK by a mosquito.
D. Less than 1% of people returning to the UK with malaria die from this disease.
15. What can we infer from the following statement about malaria?
“If diagnosed promptly, it can be easily treated but the symptoms can be vague and UK doctors may not immediately be thinking about tropical infections.” (lines 18 – 20)
Doctors in the UK
A. do not know about tropical infections such as malaria.
B. do not know about the symptoms of malaria.
C. may not immediately indentify this disease.
D. do not identify illness promptly.
16. According to the text, which one of the following people will have most likely developed complete immunity to malaria?
A. A person who was born in the UK.
B. A person who spends long periods of time in malarial countries.
C. A person who frequently travels from the UK to malarial regions.
D. None of the people mentioned above.
17. If a traveller spent three weeks in a malarial country, for how long would he have to take antimalarial drugs?
A. Three weeks
B. Four weeks
C. One week
D. Eight weeks
18. What is the problem with drugs used to treat and prevent malaria?
A. Mosquitoes are becoming resistant to these drugs.
B. The malaria protozoa are becoming resistant to these drugs.
C. People are steadily becoming more resistant to malaria and no longer need these drugs.
D. People stop taking these drugs without getting the proper medical advice.
19. According to the text, which one of the following statements is true about a malaria vaccine?
A. Ten years ago, scientists created a new malaria vaccine.
B. A malaria vaccine will be available in the next five to ten years.
C. A malaria vaccine may be available in the near future.
D. A malaria vaccine will be sold in the next five to ten years.
20. Who is this article probably aimed at?
A. a doctor who is studying the effects of malaria
B. a person who is from a malarial country
C. a person who is going to visit a malarial country
D. a person who would like to eradicate malaria
What is malaria?
Malaria is caused by an infection of the red blood cells with a tiny organism or parasite called a protozoan. There are four important species of the malaria protozoa (Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae) and each has a slightly different effect. These organisms are carried from person to person by the Anopheles mosquito. When it bites an infected person, the mosquito sucks up blood containing the parasite, which may then be passed on to the mosquito's next victim.
Symptoms of malaria
The main symptom of malaria is a fever that occurs in regular episodes, with sweating and shivers (known as rigors), and exhaustion (because of anaemia). In some cases, it can affect the brain or kidneys.
Who's at risk of malaria?
Malaria occurs where the Anopheles mosquito breeds, predominantly in rural tropical areas. From a UK perspective, it's a threat to people travelling to malarial regions in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and central America. Each year about 2,000 people return to the UK with malaria, and approximately 12 people a year die as a consequence of the disease. Malaria is a major killer in many countries where resources for prevention, proper diagnosis and drug treatments are lacking. If diagnosed promptly, it can be easily treated but the symptoms can be vague and UK doctors may not immediately be thinking about tropical infections. About 90 per cent of travellers who contract malaria do not become ill until after they return home. Only about 12 per cent of these will become seriously ill. On average, symptoms develop 10 days to four weeks after being bitten, but symptoms can appear up to a year later. The most severe form of the disease is cerebral malaria, which is fatal in up to six per cent of adults, mainly because it's not diagnosed until it's too late. Don't make the mistake of assuming you're safe from infection if you have previously lived in a malarial region - you may build up some immunity to the disease but this can be lost quickly. And if your children were born in the UK, they'll have no immunity at all. If you're going to visit, travel through, or even just stop over in a malarial country you'll be at risk, even if you have lived there before.
Preventing malaria
By far the most important step is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by:
• Using effective insect repellent
• Wearing long sleeves and full-length trousers
• Staying in accommodation with screen doors and closing windows
Before you travel, check whether your holiday destination is affected by malaria. Take the recommended antimalarial drugs. Generally speaking, these are taken from one week before you travel until one month after you return, but this can vary depending on the type of drug and the country you're visiting. Even when taken exactly as advised, antimalarial drugs are not 100 per cent effective, so you should still take the other preventive measures listed above. A major problem is the steady increase in malaria's resistance to drugs used in both prevention and treatment. Always talk to your doctor if you are worried - don't just stop taking antimalarials without getting medical advice. If you develop symptoms, get help quickly - and don't forget to tell the doctor you've travelled to a malarial area. Treatment is with antimalarial medication. In the past decade, considerable progress has been made in the search for a malaria vaccine, and it's hoped one will be available within the next five to 10 years.
Text 2: Questions 11-20
11. What does each refer to in line 4?
A. type of malaria
B. protozoan
C. Plasmodium falciparum
D. Plasmodium vivax
12. According to the text, which of the following statements is true?
A. All mosquitoes carry the malaria protozoa parasite.
B. Malaria is primarily transferred by mosquitoes.
C. Most mosquitoes die from infected blood.
D. Mosquitoes will only bite an infected person.
13. Which of the following is NOT a symptom of malaria?
A. a high temperature
B. extreme tiredness
C. trembling
D. regular episodes of brain damage
14. Which of the following statements is correct?
A. Annually, 2000 people returning home to the UK die of malaria.
B. Every year, 12% of people in the UK die of malaria.
C. Every year, approximately 12 people die from being bitten in the UK by a mosquito.
D. Less than 1% of people returning to the UK with malaria die from this disease.
15. What can we infer from the following statement about malaria?
“If diagnosed promptly, it can be easily treated but the symptoms can be vague and UK doctors may not immediately be thinking about tropical infections.” (lines 18 – 20)
Doctors in the UK
A. do not know about tropical infections such as malaria.
B. do not know about the symptoms of malaria.
C. may not immediately indentify this disease.
D. do not identify illness promptly.
16. According to the text, which one of the following people will have most likely developed complete immunity to malaria?
A. A person who was born in the UK.
B. A person who spends long periods of time in malarial countries.
C. A person who frequently travels from the UK to malarial regions.
D. None of the people mentioned above.
17. If a traveller spent three weeks in a malarial country, for how long would he have to take antimalarial drugs?
A. Three weeks
B. Four weeks
C. One week
D. Eight weeks
18. What is the problem with drugs used to treat and prevent malaria?
A. Mosquitoes are becoming resistant to these drugs.
B. The malaria protozoa are becoming resistant to these drugs.
C. People are steadily becoming more resistant to malaria and no longer need these drugs.
D. People stop taking these drugs without getting the proper medical advice.
19. According to the text, which one of the following statements is true about a malaria vaccine?
A. Ten years ago, scientists created a new malaria vaccine.
B. A malaria vaccine will be available in the next five to ten years.
C. A malaria vaccine may be available in the near future.
D. A malaria vaccine will be sold in the next five to ten years.
20. Who is this article probably aimed at?
A. a doctor who is studying the effects of malaria
B. a person who is from a malarial country
C. a person who is going to visit a malarial country
D. a person who would like to eradicate malaria
Insomnia
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is repeated difficulty in getting to sleep, staying asleep or getting enough good quality sleep, despite adequate opportunity, which leads to some form of impairment of performance or wellbeing during the daytime. If it occurs regularly or over a long period of time, it's called chronic insomnia. About one in three adults will have had some sort of problem with insomnia within the past 12 months. For most the problem is fairly short-lived, but for as many as one in ten it becomes a chronic problem which significantly affects their life. There are many different patterns of insomnia. For example, one in three people with insomnia have no problem getting off to sleep but then wake in the early hours and cannot get back to sleep.
Causes of insomnia
A common trigger forsleeping difficulties is stress and worry. Some people are particularly vulnerable because they are more likely to show a more extreme response to stress, such as people who are depressed, chronically ill or struggling with other difficult issues such as relationship problems. Other common causes include physical illness that causes pain, environmental noise, depression, shift work, caffeine or alcohol consumption, and medication side-effects. Other illnesses can disrupt sleep, such as menopausal hot flushes and urinary problems from infection or prostate disease causing night-time waking. Insomnia is much more common in older people. Once triggered, sleep problems may then be perpetuated by the individuals' beliefs and behaviours – theyoften worry excessively about the effect that inadequate sleep will have on them and so strive excessively hard to get to sleep, take daytime naps or sleep in late which can disrupt the natural rhythm, or turn to medicines or alcohol in the belief that this will help (most just induce unnatural patterns of sleep). A vicious cycle of poor sleep and stress is quickly set up and persists after the initial trigger has passed.
9)______________________________ (Paragraph 3)
Insomnia contributes to excessive daytime tiredness, which in turn may be responsible for accidents, recurrent infections (inadequate sleep has been shown to suppress the immune system), poor concentration, irritability, work and relationship problems and a general inability to cope. In children it may be linked to poor growth.
10)_____________________________ (Paragraph 4)
Sleeping tablets may be prescribed for short-term use only, when the cause of insomnia has been identified as bereavement or jet lag, for example. However, it's usually more important toaddress any underlying cause of the insomnia and attempt to restore a normal sleep pattern through changes in behaviour and lifestyle. Deal with issues and anxieties which may keep you awake worrying. Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool and unstimulating and that your bed is comfortable and not too hot. Try to follow a set routine, going to sleep and getting up at the same time and avoiding daytime naps, and don't work or watch TV in your bedroom. Recent research has shown that the effect of cooling on the body, and particularly the brain, such as following a bath, shower or hairwashing, can induce sleep. You should also try avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Getting more exercise during the day, having a warm milky drink before bed, and herbs such as valerian and camomile can also help.
Source: Insomnia by Dr.Rob Hicks featured on the BBC Health website –July 2011.
Text 1: Questions 1-10
1. Insomnia is
A.brought about when people do not have enough time to sleep.
B.caused when people do not want to sleep.
C.related to problems of getting to sleep and sleeping well.
D.related to problems associated with staying asleep for long periods of time.
2. Chronic insomnia refers to
A.sleeping problems that significantly affect our lives.
B.sleeping problems that last for a long period of time.
C.sleeping problems that occasionally disrupt our daily lives.
D.sleeping problems that are caused by illness.
3. Which of the following statements is true?
A.For the majority of people insomnia is a temporary condition.
B.For most people insomnia generally lasts for a period of twelve months.
C.Insomnia significantly affects the lives of the majority of the population.
D.The majority of people who have insomnia suffer from chronic insomnia.
4. Which of the following can best replace trigger for in line 12?
A.effect of
B.cause of
C.problem with
D.consequence of
5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a common cause of sleeping problems?
A.Painful physical illness
B.Noise
C.Changing your job
D.Regularly changing your work timetable
6. What does they in line 20 refer to?
A.sleep problems
B.individuals' beliefs and behaviours
C.individuals
D.effects
7. Why is it not a good idea to take a daytime nap?
A. because we will sleep less at night
B. because this will disturb our natural sleep patterns
C. because we will need to take medicines to get to sleep
D. because we will sleep too much
8. Which of the following can best replace address in line 34?
A. place
B. locate
C. deal with
D. understand
9. Choose the best heading for paragraph 3 from the list of
headings on the right.
10. Choose the best heading for paragraph 4 from the list of
headings on the right.
Headings
A.Curing insomnia
B.Treatment of insomnia
C.Insomnia and mental illness
D.How insomnia causes problems at work
E.Effects of insomnia
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is repeated difficulty in getting to sleep, staying asleep or getting enough good quality sleep, despite adequate opportunity, which leads to some form of impairment of performance or wellbeing during the daytime. If it occurs regularly or over a long period of time, it's called chronic insomnia. About one in three adults will have had some sort of problem with insomnia within the past 12 months. For most the problem is fairly short-lived, but for as many as one in ten it becomes a chronic problem which significantly affects their life. There are many different patterns of insomnia. For example, one in three people with insomnia have no problem getting off to sleep but then wake in the early hours and cannot get back to sleep.
Causes of insomnia
A common trigger forsleeping difficulties is stress and worry. Some people are particularly vulnerable because they are more likely to show a more extreme response to stress, such as people who are depressed, chronically ill or struggling with other difficult issues such as relationship problems. Other common causes include physical illness that causes pain, environmental noise, depression, shift work, caffeine or alcohol consumption, and medication side-effects. Other illnesses can disrupt sleep, such as menopausal hot flushes and urinary problems from infection or prostate disease causing night-time waking. Insomnia is much more common in older people. Once triggered, sleep problems may then be perpetuated by the individuals' beliefs and behaviours – theyoften worry excessively about the effect that inadequate sleep will have on them and so strive excessively hard to get to sleep, take daytime naps or sleep in late which can disrupt the natural rhythm, or turn to medicines or alcohol in the belief that this will help (most just induce unnatural patterns of sleep). A vicious cycle of poor sleep and stress is quickly set up and persists after the initial trigger has passed.
9)______________________________ (Paragraph 3)
Insomnia contributes to excessive daytime tiredness, which in turn may be responsible for accidents, recurrent infections (inadequate sleep has been shown to suppress the immune system), poor concentration, irritability, work and relationship problems and a general inability to cope. In children it may be linked to poor growth.
10)_____________________________ (Paragraph 4)
Sleeping tablets may be prescribed for short-term use only, when the cause of insomnia has been identified as bereavement or jet lag, for example. However, it's usually more important toaddress any underlying cause of the insomnia and attempt to restore a normal sleep pattern through changes in behaviour and lifestyle. Deal with issues and anxieties which may keep you awake worrying. Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool and unstimulating and that your bed is comfortable and not too hot. Try to follow a set routine, going to sleep and getting up at the same time and avoiding daytime naps, and don't work or watch TV in your bedroom. Recent research has shown that the effect of cooling on the body, and particularly the brain, such as following a bath, shower or hairwashing, can induce sleep. You should also try avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Getting more exercise during the day, having a warm milky drink before bed, and herbs such as valerian and camomile can also help.
Source: Insomnia by Dr.Rob Hicks featured on the BBC Health website –July 2011.
Text 1: Questions 1-10
1. Insomnia is
A.brought about when people do not have enough time to sleep.
B.caused when people do not want to sleep.
C.related to problems of getting to sleep and sleeping well.
D.related to problems associated with staying asleep for long periods of time.
2. Chronic insomnia refers to
A.sleeping problems that significantly affect our lives.
B.sleeping problems that last for a long period of time.
C.sleeping problems that occasionally disrupt our daily lives.
D.sleeping problems that are caused by illness.
3. Which of the following statements is true?
A.For the majority of people insomnia is a temporary condition.
B.For most people insomnia generally lasts for a period of twelve months.
C.Insomnia significantly affects the lives of the majority of the population.
D.The majority of people who have insomnia suffer from chronic insomnia.
4. Which of the following can best replace trigger for in line 12?
A.effect of
B.cause of
C.problem with
D.consequence of
5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a common cause of sleeping problems?
A.Painful physical illness
B.Noise
C.Changing your job
D.Regularly changing your work timetable
6. What does they in line 20 refer to?
A.sleep problems
B.individuals' beliefs and behaviours
C.individuals
D.effects
7. Why is it not a good idea to take a daytime nap?
A. because we will sleep less at night
B. because this will disturb our natural sleep patterns
C. because we will need to take medicines to get to sleep
D. because we will sleep too much
8. Which of the following can best replace address in line 34?
A. place
B. locate
C. deal with
D. understand
9. Choose the best heading for paragraph 3 from the list of
headings on the right.
10. Choose the best heading for paragraph 4 from the list of
headings on the right.
Headings
A.Curing insomnia
B.Treatment of insomnia
C.Insomnia and mental illness
D.How insomnia causes problems at work
E.Effects of insomnia
OAs For SET 12/03/2013
131. c
Medals are symbols of glorification of war. By using a
simile, Atwood is expressing that medals are nothing
more than holes in a cloth. In other words, she is
saying that there is nothing good about war.
132. d
All options are quotes from the text. The author
discusses Atwood's work on two levels — the
structure of the novel and its context or vision. The
text reveals that (a), (b) and (c) are structural devices
used by the novelist to fashion the form of her work,
but not (d), which refers to one of the qualities of the
curmudgeonly Renee.
133.
b Refer to paragraph 5. A conservative newspaper
reduces passion and tragedy to a report in clipped
prose — the same experience is appropriated and
formulated in different ways. There is a tussle on to
paint life in one's own colours. Even treachery can be
viewed by the traitors' sympathizers as bravery. Thus
(b) is the right choice.
134. a
The story is about people who are poor despite having
a lot of money. This is voiced in option (a). Option (b) is
ruled out as the novel does not examine people's
economic status. Choice (c) assigns an authorial
motive that is not cited. Thus (a) is the right choice.
135. b
In paragraph 2, the author states explicitly that “In her
latest book Atwood explores again a theme central to
her fictional universe: what happens to relationships,
to human potential, to the possibility of happiness when
women are kept subordinate, stultified by their inferior
status and locked in silence.” This implies that option
(b) is the right answer.
131. c
Medals are symbols of glorification of war. By using a
simile, Atwood is expressing that medals are nothing
more than holes in a cloth. In other words, she is
saying that there is nothing good about war.
132. d
All options are quotes from the text. The author
discusses Atwood's work on two levels — the
structure of the novel and its context or vision. The
text reveals that (a), (b) and (c) are structural devices
used by the novelist to fashion the form of her work,
but not (d), which refers to one of the qualities of the
curmudgeonly Renee.
133.
b Refer to paragraph 5. A conservative newspaper
reduces passion and tragedy to a report in clipped
prose — the same experience is appropriated and
formulated in different ways. There is a tussle on to
paint life in one's own colours. Even treachery can be
viewed by the traitors' sympathizers as bravery. Thus
(b) is the right choice.
134. a
The story is about people who are poor despite having
a lot of money. This is voiced in option (a). Option (b) is
ruled out as the novel does not examine people's
economic status. Choice (c) assigns an authorial
motive that is not cited. Thus (a) is the right choice.
135. b
In paragraph 2, the author states explicitly that “In her
latest book Atwood explores again a theme central to
her fictional universe: what happens to relationships,
to human potential, to the possibility of happiness when
women are kept subordinate, stultified by their inferior
status and locked in silence.” This implies that option
(b) is the right answer.
Happy CATing 
RC OF THE DAY 13/03/2013 
Attempts to explain prophecy must make suppositions about the future. The most fundamental supposition
is that events in the future do not yet exist and cannot therefore, produce effects in the present. The path
of explanation that stems from this view leads necessarily, to various ideas of the future as a potential that
somehow exists in the present.
In their simplest form these ideas follow the analogy of the seed and flower. A gardener can examine a seed
and predict what flower it will produce. Some premonitions may indeed stem from clues scarcely noticed
in a conscious way. An unfamiliar noise in a car, for example, may give rise to an accurate premonition of
danger. The weakness of the theory, in this form, is that it requires of the precogniser an uncanny ability to
analyze signs and indications that are not only imperceptible to the ordinary eye but also impossible to
deduce theoretically. What clues in a dreamer's environment could prompt an accurate precognition of a
disaster six months and 3,000 miles away? Some extraordinary suggestions have been made to explain
how the future may be unrealized but cognizable in the present. One such suggestion, by Gerhard Dietrich
Wasserman, a mathematical physicist at the University of Durliam in England, is that all events exist as
timeless mental patterns, with which every living and non-living particle in the universe is associated.
This idea owes something to the ancient belief that the universe — the macrocosm — contains innumerable
microcosms, each recapitulating the features and order of the large whole. Thus man was seen as a
microcosm of the earth, his veins and arteries corresponding to streams and rivers, and so on.
By the end of the 17th century the idea had undergone many transformations but was still potent. The great
philosopher and mathematician Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, for example wrote, “All the different
classes of being which taken together make up the universe are, in the ideas of God who knows distinctly
their essential graduations, only so many ordinates of a single curve so closely united that it would be
impossible to place others between any two of them, since that would imply disorder and imperfection.”
Accordingly, the various orders of beings, animate and inanimate, so gradually approximate each other in
their attributes and properties that they form a single chain, “so closely linked one to another that it is
impossible to determine precisely the point at which one ends and the next begins.” In this concept of a
“chain of being” then, the animate, and therefore the spiritual or psychic, are connected with the inanimate
by a gradation of shared attributes. For Leibniz the implication was that someone with enough insight
“would see the future in the present as in a mirror.” Another version of the idea that the future lies hidden in
the present was advanced by Adrian Dobbs, a mathematician and physicist at the University of Cambridge,
in 1965. As events unfold, he proposed, they actualize a relatively small number of the possibilities for
change that exist at a subatomic level. In the process disturbances are caused that create another dimension
of time or what Dobbs calls a psitronic wave-front. This wave-front can be registered by the brain's neurons,
at least in certain especially sensitive people, and be interpreted. A metaphor may help to clarify the
process.
Imagine a pond, at one side of which a toy ship is launched, at the other side of the pond is very small
person. He is unable to see the ship, but as the ship travels forward, the waves it makes reach the shore
on which he stands. As they travel across the pond, these waves pass around certain objects — weeds,
leaves, a log — that are fixed or slowly drifting on its surface. The objects thus create disturbances in the
wave-front, which the small person, who has a lifetime's experience in these things, is able to note in fine
detail. From what he learns of the wave-fronts he not only obtains an image of the objects that produced
them but also calculates how long it will be before they drift to the shore.
In this metaphor the toy ship represents an event unfolding in time. Its course across the pond represents
one of many paths it might take and the dimension of time it occurs in. The pond itself represents Dobbs's
“psitronic wave-front,” and the small person is, of course, the neuronal apparatus that receives the wave-
front and converts it to a prediction. Granting that Dobbs's theory is purely hypothetical and that no
psitronic wave has been discovered, the difficulty is in suggesting a neuronal mechanism by which the
observer distinguishes the wave-front of a particular event from the presumable maelstrom of wave-fronts
produced by simultaneously unfolding events. Again, the farther away the event is in the future, the more
numerous the wave-fronts and the more complex the problem.
Such in general, are some of the theories that regard the future as being, in some way, a potential implicitly
accessible in the present, and such are the difficulties and limitations attending them.
is that events in the future do not yet exist and cannot therefore, produce effects in the present. The path
of explanation that stems from this view leads necessarily, to various ideas of the future as a potential that
somehow exists in the present.
In their simplest form these ideas follow the analogy of the seed and flower. A gardener can examine a seed
and predict what flower it will produce. Some premonitions may indeed stem from clues scarcely noticed
in a conscious way. An unfamiliar noise in a car, for example, may give rise to an accurate premonition of
danger. The weakness of the theory, in this form, is that it requires of the precogniser an uncanny ability to
analyze signs and indications that are not only imperceptible to the ordinary eye but also impossible to
deduce theoretically. What clues in a dreamer's environment could prompt an accurate precognition of a
disaster six months and 3,000 miles away? Some extraordinary suggestions have been made to explain
how the future may be unrealized but cognizable in the present. One such suggestion, by Gerhard Dietrich
Wasserman, a mathematical physicist at the University of Durliam in England, is that all events exist as
timeless mental patterns, with which every living and non-living particle in the universe is associated.
This idea owes something to the ancient belief that the universe — the macrocosm — contains innumerable
microcosms, each recapitulating the features and order of the large whole. Thus man was seen as a
microcosm of the earth, his veins and arteries corresponding to streams and rivers, and so on.
By the end of the 17th century the idea had undergone many transformations but was still potent. The great
philosopher and mathematician Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, for example wrote, “All the different
classes of being which taken together make up the universe are, in the ideas of God who knows distinctly
their essential graduations, only so many ordinates of a single curve so closely united that it would be
impossible to place others between any two of them, since that would imply disorder and imperfection.”
Accordingly, the various orders of beings, animate and inanimate, so gradually approximate each other in
their attributes and properties that they form a single chain, “so closely linked one to another that it is
impossible to determine precisely the point at which one ends and the next begins.” In this concept of a
“chain of being” then, the animate, and therefore the spiritual or psychic, are connected with the inanimate
by a gradation of shared attributes. For Leibniz the implication was that someone with enough insight
“would see the future in the present as in a mirror.” Another version of the idea that the future lies hidden in
the present was advanced by Adrian Dobbs, a mathematician and physicist at the University of Cambridge,
in 1965. As events unfold, he proposed, they actualize a relatively small number of the possibilities for
change that exist at a subatomic level. In the process disturbances are caused that create another dimension
of time or what Dobbs calls a psitronic wave-front. This wave-front can be registered by the brain's neurons,
at least in certain especially sensitive people, and be interpreted. A metaphor may help to clarify the
process.
Imagine a pond, at one side of which a toy ship is launched, at the other side of the pond is very small
person. He is unable to see the ship, but as the ship travels forward, the waves it makes reach the shore
on which he stands. As they travel across the pond, these waves pass around certain objects — weeds,
leaves, a log — that are fixed or slowly drifting on its surface. The objects thus create disturbances in the
wave-front, which the small person, who has a lifetime's experience in these things, is able to note in fine
detail. From what he learns of the wave-fronts he not only obtains an image of the objects that produced
them but also calculates how long it will be before they drift to the shore.
In this metaphor the toy ship represents an event unfolding in time. Its course across the pond represents
one of many paths it might take and the dimension of time it occurs in. The pond itself represents Dobbs's
“psitronic wave-front,” and the small person is, of course, the neuronal apparatus that receives the wave-
front and converts it to a prediction. Granting that Dobbs's theory is purely hypothetical and that no
psitronic wave has been discovered, the difficulty is in suggesting a neuronal mechanism by which the
observer distinguishes the wave-front of a particular event from the presumable maelstrom of wave-fronts
produced by simultaneously unfolding events. Again, the farther away the event is in the future, the more
numerous the wave-fronts and the more complex the problem.
Such in general, are some of the theories that regard the future as being, in some way, a potential implicitly
accessible in the present, and such are the difficulties and limitations attending them.
136. All of the following are the intricacies of making correct premonitions except that
a. Extraordinary perception skills may be required as in the car example
b. The future is not yet realized
c. Tremendous insight is required
d. Psitronic fronts are extremely elusive and stay hidden
a. Extraordinary perception skills may be required as in the car example
b. The future is not yet realized
c. Tremendous insight is required
d. Psitronic fronts are extremely elusive and stay hidden
137. In the toy ship example, the author is least likely to agree with the statement that
a. It is not possible for several events to unfold simultaneously
b. Seemingly intangible wave-fronts can be converted to tangible predictions
c. The toy ship could have followed different paths in the pond
d. An analogy to Dobbs wave-front can be drawn
a. It is not possible for several events to unfold simultaneously
b. Seemingly intangible wave-fronts can be converted to tangible predictions
c. The toy ship could have followed different paths in the pond
d. An analogy to Dobbs wave-front can be drawn
138. Which of the following is not correct as per the passage?
a. Leibniz was not ready to superimpose other beings on the “chain of being”
b. Leibniz was convinced that animate beings resemble only animate ones
c. Animate beings as per Leibniz, share attributes with inanimate ones
d. None of above
a. Leibniz was not ready to superimpose other beings on the “chain of being”
b. Leibniz was convinced that animate beings resemble only animate ones
c. Animate beings as per Leibniz, share attributes with inanimate ones
d. None of above
139. The word “uncanny” in the passage specifically refers to:
a. The innumerable microcosms each recapitulating the features and order of the large whole
b. The ability to analyse symptoms and indications that are not visible to the ordinary eye
c. Dobbs version of the idea that the future lies hidden in the present
d. Some premonitions which surely originate from hints hardly noticed in a conscious way
a. The innumerable microcosms each recapitulating the features and order of the large whole
b. The ability to analyse symptoms and indications that are not visible to the ordinary eye
c. Dobbs version of the idea that the future lies hidden in the present
d. Some premonitions which surely originate from hints hardly noticed in a conscious way
140. The central idea being followed in the passage is regarding
a. The impossibility of deducing the nature of the “future” in the “present”
b. The impossibility of analysing the causal link between “future” and the “present”
c. The complex nature of the causal link between the “future” and the “present”
d. The scientific way of enjoying the “future” and the “present”
a. The impossibility of deducing the nature of the “future” in the “present”
b. The impossibility of analysing the causal link between “future” and the “present”
c. The complex nature of the causal link between the “future” and the “present”
d. The scientific way of enjoying the “future” and the “present”
Happy CATing 
@miseera Any idea how to improve on RCs specially in category of Literature and Arts besides solving an RC daily ? 
@dushyantagarwal said:@miseera Any idea how to improve on RCs specially in category of Literature and Arts besides solving an RC daily ?
Read,read and Read this is the only way to Improve your RC,s Read random articles daily 
on literature,philosophy,arts etc. It Quite Helps
on literature,philosophy,arts etc. It Quite Helps This is all Language Understanding Good Luck
Good Luck @Ali_alrashed said:What is Osteoporosis?
21. a
22. d
23. c
24. c
25. c
26. c
27. c
28. a
29. c
20. d
22. d
23. c
24. c
25. c
26. c
27. c
28. a
29. c
20. d
@Ali_alrashed said:Text 2 MalariaWhat is malaria?
11. b
12. b
13. d
14. d
15. c
16. d
17. d
18. b
19. b
20. a
12. b
13. d
14. d
15. c
16. d
17. d
18. b
19. b
20. a
@Ali_alrashed said:Insomnia
1. c
2. b
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. d
7. b
8. d
9. Effects of Insomnia (since options weren't there
)
10. a
Please tag me in OA
2. b
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. d
7. b
8. d
9. Effects of Insomnia (since options weren't there
)10. a
Please tag me in OA
@miseera said:Read,read and Read this is the only way to Improve your RC,s Read random articles daily on literature,philosophy,arts etc. It Quite Helps This is all Language Understanding Good Luck
Thanks buddy for your valuable advice.
OAs For SET RC 13/03/2013
136. d
All are correct except option (d) because according
to the passage, psitronic fronts can be recognized by
sensitive people.
to the passage, psitronic fronts can be recognized by
sensitive people.
137. a
In the last paragraph, lines 1 and 2, the author explicitly
states that “Its course across the pond represents
one of many paths it might take…” This contradicts
option (a). Choices (b), (c) and (d) are mentioned in
the passage.
states that “Its course across the pond represents
one of many paths it might take…” This contradicts
option (a). Choices (b), (c) and (d) are mentioned in
the passage.
138. b
Option (b) contradicts the passage. In paragraph 5,
the author clearly mentions that according to Leibniz's
theory animate objects may correspond with inanimate
ones.
the author clearly mentions that according to Leibniz's
theory animate objects may correspond with inanimate
ones.
139. b
Paragraph 2, line 5 clearly provides the answer.
140. c
In the entire passage, the author talks about the links
between the future and the present. Option (b) can
not be true because the author is talking positively
about these links. In the last 5 lines of the passage, the
author discusses the complex nature of the casual
links and the complexities accompanying the various
theories on premonition.
between the future and the present. Option (b) can
not be true because the author is talking positively
about these links. In the last 5 lines of the passage, the
author discusses the complex nature of the casual
links and the complexities accompanying the various
theories on premonition.
Happy CATing 
READING COMPREHENSION:
will test your ability to 1) summarize the main idea of the passage
2) Understand logical relationships between facts and concepts
3) Make inferences based on the idea
4) Analyze the logical structure of the passage
5) Deduce the author's tone and attitude towards the topic
Basic principles:
● Look at the topic and the scope of the passage
● Get the gist of each paragraph and its structural role in the passage
● Look for opinions, theories, and points of view of the author
● Don't obsess over details
TOPIC AND SCOPE:
Think of the topic as the first idea that comes along. Almost always, it will be right there
in the first sentence.
For example,
The great migration of European intellectuals to the United States in the second quarter
of the 20th century prompted a transmutation in the character of Western social thought.
TOPIC here is about the migration of European intellectuals to the US in the second
quarter of the 20th century. It would be okay to say that the topic is about the effects of
that migration on Western social thought. You just need a fair idea of what the passage is
talking about.
SCOPE is the narrowing of the topic. Any CAT passage will focus upon a theme.
Here, the scope may be “some of the effects of that migration on the Western social
thought”. It may be more specific too: “One aspect of thought affected by migration”.
Or something unexpected might come along. Will the author compare two different
migrations? Or contrast two different effects? We need to think critically about what's
coming and look for clues in the text that let us know on what specific subject(s) the
author intends to focus.
GIST OF EACH PARAGRAPH and ITS STRUCTURAL ROLE IN THE PASSAGE:
Always read the first paragraph slowly to get the topic and the scope. As you go along,
you need to ask yourself:
Why did the author include this paragraph? What shift did the author make when moving
on to this para? What's discussed here that is different from first para? What bearing does this para have on the author's main idea? What role do the details play?
Don't ask yourself, “what does this mean?”..Ask yourself, “Why is this here?”
The Burgess shale highly yielded a surprising varied array of fossils. Early chordates
were very rare, but there were prodigious amounts of complex forms not seen since.
Hallucigenia, so named for a structure so bizarre that scientists did not know which was
the dorsal and which the ventral side, had fourteen legs. Opabinia had five eyes and a
long proboscis. This amazing diversity led Gould to believe that it was highly unlikely
that the eventual success of chordates was a predictable outcome.
● “The Burgess shale highly yielded a surprising varied array of fossils”
Okay, The Burgess shale had a lot of different kinds of fossils.
● Early chordates were very rare, but there were prodigious amounts of complex
forms not seen since. Hallucigenia, so named for a structure so bizarre that
scientists did not know which was the dorsal and which the ventral side, had
fourteen legs. Opabinia had five eyes and a long proboscis.
This is just a variety of fossils and the details about them. Not a lot of chordates,
whatever they are, but a lot of other stuff.
● This amazing diversity led Gould to believe that it was highly unlikely that the
eventual success of chordates was a predictable outcome.
We know now why these annoying details are there. They are the facts that led Gould
to the belief that it was highly unlikely that the eventual success of chordates was a
predictable outcome.
So our noteboard will say something like this: “Evidence for Gould's belief - chordate
success not predictable”
Doing this for every paragraph allows you to create a map of the passage's overall
structure.
LOOK FOR OPINIONS, THEORIES, and POINTS OF VIEW OF THE AUTHOR:
One always has to distinguish between factual assertions and opinions/interpretations.
“The coral polyps secrete calceous exoskeletons, which cement themselves into an
underlayer of rock, while the algae deposit still more calcium carbonate, which reacts with
sea salt to create an even tougher limestone layer. All of this accounts for the amazing
renewability of coral reefs despite the endless erosion caused by wave activity.
In a sense, this one is similar to the Burgess Shale para. It begins with
a lot of scientific jargon and tells us why the jargon is there. But notice here, that there is a big difference. Here, the author does not tell us how
someone else interprets these facts. This is author's own interpretation.
It is important to differentiate between author's own voice and other
people's opinions. So the author of the Burgess shale para may well
disagree with the scientist's interpretation in the next para. But in this
coral reef para, the author definitely thinks that coral polyps and algae are
responsible for the renewability of coral reefs.
Spotting the opinions and theories also helps you to accomplish the goal of
reading for structure. Once you spot an idea, you can step back from the
barrage of words and attack the passage by critically saying, “Where is the
support for this idea? Does the author agree? Disagree?”
Consider this passage:
“Abraham Lincoln is traditionally viewed as an advocate of freedom
because he issued the emancipation proclamation and championed
the thirteenth Amendment, which ended the legal slavery in US. And
indeed this achievement cannot be denied. But he also set uncomfortable
precedents for the curtailing of civil liberties.”
A critical reader would follow in this fashion:
“traditionally viewed” tells me that people usually thought about Lincoln
in a certain way. But the author might not completely agree. I see that
she brings up the fact that he restricted civil liberties. And the word
uncomfortable is a pretty big sign that the author is not at all pleased
with Lincoln because of it. I should also note here that, “and indeed this
achievement cannot be denied” shows that she won't go so far as to say
that Lincoln was an enemy of freedom.
The reader now may continue by saying that he knows the full context of
the passage. He knows that the author will have to include a para on the
precedents and how they restricted civil liberties. One more possibility
here might be, that the author might describe how later Presidents used
Lincoln's actions as a justification for their own restrictions.
Now we can answer some of the questions:
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The Emancipation proclamation had both positive and negative effects.
B. Lincoln's Presidency laid the groundwork for future restrictions of
personal freedom
C. The traditional image of Lincoln as a national hero must be overturned.
D. Abraham used military pressure to influence state legistlatures.
E. Lincoln was an advocate of freedom
A is eliminated as it is a distortion of the first and third sentences. C is too
extreme. D is out of scope. E misses the author's big point
B is the correct choice
DO NOT OBSESS OVER THE DETAILS:
Obsessing over the details will be a time waster! Consider this passage:
The coral polyps secrete calceous exoskeletons, which cement themselves into an
underlayer of rock, while the algae deposit still more calcium carbonate, which reacts with
sea salt to create an even tougher limestone layer. All of this accounts for the amazing
renewability of coral reefs despite the endless erosion caused by wave activity.
This is highly factual!
A great trick would be to cut through confusing, detail-laden sentences:
focus on the subjects and the verbs first, throwing away modifying
phrases. Don't worry about confusing terminology.
Coral polyps secrete something..and algae deposit something to create
something. This accounts for the amazing renewability of coral reefs.
Happy CATing
will test your ability to 1) summarize the main idea of the passage
2) Understand logical relationships between facts and concepts
3) Make inferences based on the idea
4) Analyze the logical structure of the passage
5) Deduce the author's tone and attitude towards the topic
Basic principles:
● Look at the topic and the scope of the passage
● Get the gist of each paragraph and its structural role in the passage
● Look for opinions, theories, and points of view of the author
● Don't obsess over details
TOPIC AND SCOPE:
Think of the topic as the first idea that comes along. Almost always, it will be right there
in the first sentence.
For example,
The great migration of European intellectuals to the United States in the second quarter
of the 20th century prompted a transmutation in the character of Western social thought.
TOPIC here is about the migration of European intellectuals to the US in the second
quarter of the 20th century. It would be okay to say that the topic is about the effects of
that migration on Western social thought. You just need a fair idea of what the passage is
talking about.
SCOPE is the narrowing of the topic. Any CAT passage will focus upon a theme.
Here, the scope may be “some of the effects of that migration on the Western social
thought”. It may be more specific too: “One aspect of thought affected by migration”.
Or something unexpected might come along. Will the author compare two different
migrations? Or contrast two different effects? We need to think critically about what's
coming and look for clues in the text that let us know on what specific subject(s) the
author intends to focus.
GIST OF EACH PARAGRAPH and ITS STRUCTURAL ROLE IN THE PASSAGE:
Always read the first paragraph slowly to get the topic and the scope. As you go along,
you need to ask yourself:
Why did the author include this paragraph? What shift did the author make when moving
on to this para? What's discussed here that is different from first para? What bearing does this para have on the author's main idea? What role do the details play?
Don't ask yourself, “what does this mean?”..Ask yourself, “Why is this here?”
The Burgess shale highly yielded a surprising varied array of fossils. Early chordates
were very rare, but there were prodigious amounts of complex forms not seen since.
Hallucigenia, so named for a structure so bizarre that scientists did not know which was
the dorsal and which the ventral side, had fourteen legs. Opabinia had five eyes and a
long proboscis. This amazing diversity led Gould to believe that it was highly unlikely
that the eventual success of chordates was a predictable outcome.
● “The Burgess shale highly yielded a surprising varied array of fossils”
Okay, The Burgess shale had a lot of different kinds of fossils.
● Early chordates were very rare, but there were prodigious amounts of complex
forms not seen since. Hallucigenia, so named for a structure so bizarre that
scientists did not know which was the dorsal and which the ventral side, had
fourteen legs. Opabinia had five eyes and a long proboscis.
This is just a variety of fossils and the details about them. Not a lot of chordates,
whatever they are, but a lot of other stuff.
● This amazing diversity led Gould to believe that it was highly unlikely that the
eventual success of chordates was a predictable outcome.
We know now why these annoying details are there. They are the facts that led Gould
to the belief that it was highly unlikely that the eventual success of chordates was a
predictable outcome.
So our noteboard will say something like this: “Evidence for Gould's belief - chordate
success not predictable”
Doing this for every paragraph allows you to create a map of the passage's overall
structure.
LOOK FOR OPINIONS, THEORIES, and POINTS OF VIEW OF THE AUTHOR:
One always has to distinguish between factual assertions and opinions/interpretations.
“The coral polyps secrete calceous exoskeletons, which cement themselves into an
underlayer of rock, while the algae deposit still more calcium carbonate, which reacts with
sea salt to create an even tougher limestone layer. All of this accounts for the amazing
renewability of coral reefs despite the endless erosion caused by wave activity.
In a sense, this one is similar to the Burgess Shale para. It begins with
a lot of scientific jargon and tells us why the jargon is there. But notice here, that there is a big difference. Here, the author does not tell us how
someone else interprets these facts. This is author's own interpretation.
It is important to differentiate between author's own voice and other
people's opinions. So the author of the Burgess shale para may well
disagree with the scientist's interpretation in the next para. But in this
coral reef para, the author definitely thinks that coral polyps and algae are
responsible for the renewability of coral reefs.
Spotting the opinions and theories also helps you to accomplish the goal of
reading for structure. Once you spot an idea, you can step back from the
barrage of words and attack the passage by critically saying, “Where is the
support for this idea? Does the author agree? Disagree?”
Consider this passage:
“Abraham Lincoln is traditionally viewed as an advocate of freedom
because he issued the emancipation proclamation and championed
the thirteenth Amendment, which ended the legal slavery in US. And
indeed this achievement cannot be denied. But he also set uncomfortable
precedents for the curtailing of civil liberties.”
A critical reader would follow in this fashion:
“traditionally viewed” tells me that people usually thought about Lincoln
in a certain way. But the author might not completely agree. I see that
she brings up the fact that he restricted civil liberties. And the word
uncomfortable is a pretty big sign that the author is not at all pleased
with Lincoln because of it. I should also note here that, “and indeed this
achievement cannot be denied” shows that she won't go so far as to say
that Lincoln was an enemy of freedom.
The reader now may continue by saying that he knows the full context of
the passage. He knows that the author will have to include a para on the
precedents and how they restricted civil liberties. One more possibility
here might be, that the author might describe how later Presidents used
Lincoln's actions as a justification for their own restrictions.
Now we can answer some of the questions:
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The Emancipation proclamation had both positive and negative effects.
B. Lincoln's Presidency laid the groundwork for future restrictions of
personal freedom
C. The traditional image of Lincoln as a national hero must be overturned.
D. Abraham used military pressure to influence state legistlatures.
E. Lincoln was an advocate of freedom
A is eliminated as it is a distortion of the first and third sentences. C is too
extreme. D is out of scope. E misses the author's big point
B is the correct choice
DO NOT OBSESS OVER THE DETAILS:
Obsessing over the details will be a time waster!
Consider this passage:The coral polyps secrete calceous exoskeletons, which cement themselves into an
underlayer of rock, while the algae deposit still more calcium carbonate, which reacts with
sea salt to create an even tougher limestone layer. All of this accounts for the amazing
renewability of coral reefs despite the endless erosion caused by wave activity.
This is highly factual!
A great trick would be to cut through confusing, detail-laden sentences:
focus on the subjects and the verbs first, throwing away modifying
phrases. Don't worry about confusing terminology.
Coral polyps secrete something..and algae deposit something to create
something. This accounts for the amazing renewability of coral reefs.
Happy CATing