RC Discussion for CAT 2013

MBA CAT 2022
281
@miseera

Appreciate your
@miseera said:
READING COMPREHENSION:will test your ability to 1) summarize the main idea of the passage2) Understand logical relationships between facts and concepts3) Make inferences based on the idea4) Analyze the logical structure of the passage5) Deduce the author창€™s tone and attitude towards the topicBasic principles:


282
RC Of the day 15/03/2013
Nearly all courtrooms focus on a single theme: the difficulty of achieving justice. While they explore a wide
range of subsidiary issues, their overriding point is that as a goal, justice is elusive, demanding, and often
more ambiguous than it first appears. Courtroom films sound this theme in various ways, some through
stories of false convictions, others by demonstrating the difficulty of identifying the true culprit, and yet
others by emphasizing systematic faults in the criminal justice process. Movies of this type also put forth
opinions about the complexities of justice: some condemn courts for delays, and others praise them for
patient deliberations; some despise lawyers and others glorify them. But few fail to stress that justice is an
exacting goal, reached only through arduous quests and multiple sacrifices.
To illustrate this theme, a number of courtroom films depict miscarriages of justice. Trial by Jury (1994)
shows a single mother who dutifully accepts a jury assignment only to deliberately derail the trial when the
mobster-defendant has his goons threaten her kid. In Jagged Edge, too, a trial fails to convict the guilty
person (in this case through mistaken acquittal), and justice is achieved later, when the ungrateful killer
goes after his defense attorney and she shoots him in self-defense.
Trial films are particularly fond of the insanity defense as a tool for depicting the hazards of determining
guilt. The Caine Mutiny (1954) involves viewers in deciding issues of mental illness and culpability. It shows
World War II sailors agonizing over whether to remove the erratic Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) from
command during a storm in which his bizarre behavior threatens to sink the ship. At the trial, psychiatrists
testify that Queeg, though paranoid, is sane. Only when the defense attorney hammers Queeg with questions
about odd incidents does the captain's veneer of normality crack. The accused sailors are freed, but to the
end, the degree of Queeg's mental illness, and of their own guilt, remains in doubt.
Scrutinizing the intricacies of criminal law, courtroom films reach a wide range of conclusions about legal
processes. Many find the law majestic. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), a film about lynching, is one of these.
Two outsiders (one of them Henry Fonda) are passing through an isolated Western town when they become
witnesses to mob violence. Local ranchers capture three other travelers, quickly “try” them for a recent
murder, and hang them from a tree limb. These travelers have hardly been “finished” with bullets before the
sheriff gallops up to announce that the man whom they thought had been murdered is not dead after all.
Depressed and repentant, the lynchers troop into the local bar and listen while Fonda reads a last-minute
letter from one of the condemned men to his wife. “Law is a lot more than words you put in a book,” the
letter explains. “It's everything people ever have found out about justice and what's right and wrong. It's the
very conscience of humanity.”
12 Angry Men (1957), confining its action entirely to the claustrophobic room in which a murder-trial jury is
sequestered, at first seems like an attack on criminal law, for few jurors take the process seriously. One
wants to hurry to a guilty verdict so he can go to a baseball game; another concludes that the defendant is
guilty because he is a foreigner. But 12 Angry Men in fact mounts a powerful argument for the jury system,
in which a lone but courageous individual can assure justice. The system may not be perfect but it works
well in the end, and it is a microcosm of the democratic process, in which the search for consensus
eventually leads to wise decisions.
Counterbalancing such enthusiasm is a set of films that portray the law and lawyers negatively. The first
version of The Postman Always Rings Twice, with its double-crossing prosecutor and despicable defense
attorney is an example of this. During Cora's trial for her life, these lawyers play legal games with one
another; they are less adversaries than friendly competitors who exclude Frank and Cora from the
proceedings.
Thus, courtroom films sometimes locate the obstacles to justice in society itself, while at other times they
blame the legal system and its all-too-fallible practitioners. In the long run, however, they usually show the
impediments being overcome. The actual malefactor is revealed, the intimated juror gets revenge, the
falsely convicted are released from prison, and a hero emerges from the rubble of inequity. This was the
usual pattern, at any rate, until about 1980, when (as the next section shows) courtroom movies began
accenting not so much the difficulty as the impossibility of achieving justice.

71. The author mentions movies such as Trial by Jury, Jagged Edge and The Star Chamber to make
what point?
a. Miscarriage of justice is the easiest theme to translate on the silver screen.
b. Most filmmakers believe that justice is an exacting goal, reached after much struggle.
c. Most filmmakers believe that justice is an exacting goal, reached after divine intervention.
d. Most filmmakers illustrated the “miscarriage of justice” theme because it reflected the trend in
the American society at the time.

72. Which one of these is false with reference to The Caine Mutiny as mentioned in the passage?
a. It is based on World War II.
b. The captain's bizarre behavior threatens to sink the ship.
c. Queeg's mental illness is revealed in the closing scene of the film, leaving the soldiers free.
d. Initially, the psychiatrists testify Queeg as being only paranoid but not insane.
73. According to the passage, in which film does the line — “It's the very conscience of humanity”
appear in relation to the civil rights movement?
a. The Lady from Shanghai b. The Letter
c. The Ox-Bow Incident d. None of the above


74. Which one of these does not appear as a message sent out by the film 12 Angry Men?
a. The system, though not perfect, works well.
b. It shows the efficiency of the democratic process.
c. It shows how the search for consensus leads to wise decisions.
d. It shows how a single individual can run a society, making a case for autocracy.

75. According to the passage, in The Postman Always Rings Twice, what picture is painted of the two
attorneys?
a. They are seen as more friendly competitors than adversaries.
b. They are seen as double crossing each other at every available opportunity.
c. They are seen to exclude Frank and Cora due to their arrogance.
d. None of the above

76. According to the passage, what is the difference between the pursuit of justice as portrayed in
movies before and after 1980?
a. The former showed the victory of good and the latter showed the victory of evil.
b. The former showed the difficulty of achieving justice while the latter showed the impossibility of
achieving justice.
c. The former showed the impossibility of achieving justice while the latter showed the difficulty of
achieving justice.
d. The movies after 1980 did not pay attention to this issue at all.
@dushyantagarwal

Happy CATing

283
RC Of the day 15/03/2013

71. b
72. a
73. c
74. d
75. a
76. a
284

Any body can explain this text for me ?


Causes and Effects of Overfishing
Overfishing is a situation where one or more stocks of fish are reduced to below predefined levels of acceptance by fishing activities.Overfishing leads to environmental damage, failure of local economies, and poverty to those who live by fishing. It affects many people, from fishermen, and fish farmers, to the consumers of fish products. The earliest overfishing occurred in the early 1800s when humans, seeking blubber for lamp oil, decimated the whale population. Some fish that we eat, including Atlantic cod and herring and California's sardines, were also harvested to the brink of extinction by the mid-1900s. Marine scientists know when widespread overfishing of the seas began and they have a pretty good idea when, if left unaddressed, it will end. In this research paper, I will be explaining the cause and effect of overfishing, as well as how we can prevent it and restore any area affected by it.
There are many causes of overfishing, but the main reasons include a growing population and economic benefits for commercial fishermen. As more fish are caught, the more money there will be for the commercial fishermen, so it is not difficult to see why commercial fishermen contribute heavily to overfishing. Another cause of overfishing is a growing population. This is based on the supply and demand theory. The larger the population is, the greater the demand. In order to support the growing demand, you must increase the supply. In order to increase the supply, you must bring in more fish. There are two ways to do this. The first option is to increase wildlife fishing, which could very easily lead to overfishing. The second option is to farm fish, which is less harmful to the environment, but the fish have less value to the economy. In the mid-20th century, international efforts to increase the availability and affordability of protein-rich foods led to concerted government efforts to increase fishing capacity. Favorable policies, loans, and subsidies spawned a rapid rise of big industrial fishing operations, which quickly supplanted the catches of local boatmen as the world's source of seafood.
These large, profit-seeking commercial fleets were extremely aggressive, scouring the world's oceans and developing ever more sophisticated methods and technologies for finding, extracting, and processing their target species. Consumers soon grew accustomed to having access to a wide selection of fish species at affordable prices.
But by 1989, when about 90 million tons of catch were taken from the ocean, the industry had hit its high-water mark, and yields have declined or stagnated ever since. Fisheries for the most sought-after species, like orange roughy, Chilean sea bass, and bluefin tuna have collapsed. In 2003, a scientific report estimated that industrial fishing had reduced the number of large ocean fish to just 10 percent of their pre-industrial population.
Although fish farming seems like a great idea since it does not lead to overfishing and as much environmental damage, there are still downsides to fish farming. Creating fish feeds for farmed fish depletes other fish species, which upsets the balance of a particular ecosystem. For example, it may take two to five pounds of wild smaller fish in order to farm one pound of salmon. Another problem with aquaculture, fish farming, is that the artificial food that gets fed to farmed fish may contain high levels of contaminants. These contaminants get eaten by the fish, and the fish get eaten by us, so they are not as healthy to eat as wild fish. Fish farms may also harm the environment in another way. For example, the fish farmers would not want to lose farmed fish to sea birds, sea lions, and other predators that come their way, so they may kill predators in order to keep their farmed fish safe.
The effects of overfishing may include environmental damage, poverty to those who live by fishing, and increased fish farming. There would be increased fish farming because, if there is an area that is overfished, the local government may limit or ban commercial fishing. There could be poverty to those who live by fishing because of such a ban. Environmental damage is also an effect of overfishing. For example, if the sharks are overfished, since they are major predators, smaller fish such as tuna could easily overpopulate. If there are so many tuna in the ocean, this may cause the number of small tropical fish to drop, which could easily wipe out coral reefs, because little fish play a big role in maintaining coral reefs. Some may clean the coral by eating algae, some may help it grow by giving it the right nutrients, and some may keep predators away so they do not destroy the reef.
Governments could create sanctuaries/safe areas that forbid fishing in a certain area. This could be very helpful and still allow commercial fisherman to do their jobs. In order to restore fish and their environment, you could limit or ban fishing until the normal levels of fish are restored.
Overfishing has a hugely detrimental effect and should be prevented as far as possible. Commercial fisherman could do their job and not cause overfishing if there was an equal amount of fish farming and commercial fishing.

285
@miseera
RC of the day 15/03/13

71 B
72 A
73 C
74 D
75 A
76 B
286
@miseera
B
D
C
D
B
B
Rc 15th march...
287
OAs SET 15/03/2013

71. b
The author makes this point in paragraph 1 and these
examples are mentioned in paragraph 2. At the end of
the first paragraph, it is clearly mentioned that: “Many
show justice……sacrifices”. This is best expressed
in choice (b). The rest of the options mention rationale
that is not mentioned in the paragraph. Thus, choice
(b) is correct.

72. c
The third paragraph mentions the movie. Statement
(c) is incorrect when one looks at the last line in the
paragraph: “Only when the …… remains in doubt”.
This is the correct choice.

73. d
This statement is mentioned in the fourth paragraph
from the movie The Ox-Bow Incident, but it is mentioned
with reference to law. Nowhere does this sentence
appear with reference to the civil rights movement.

74. d
This movie is mentioned in paragraph five and the
author mentions how an individual's perseverance
leads to justice. Statement (d) is not borne out by the
paragraph. In fact the movie is seen to make a case
for democracy.

75. a
The sixth paragraph talks about this movie and
mentions that: “During Cora's trial…..the proceedings”,
making choice (a) correct. The rest of the choices are
not borne out by the paragraph.

76. b
This is mentioned in the last paragraph and the author
mentions in the last sentence that: “This was the usual
…... achieving justice”. This makes choice (b) correct.


Happy CATing

288
RC of the Day 16/03/2013

By definition, the center is the provider of capital the periphery the recipient. An abrupt change in the
willingness of the center to provide capital to the periphery can cause great disruption in the recipient
countries.
What happens when a country defaults on its debt? The answer is shrouded in mystery because formal
defaults are usually avoided. There is a general impression that the country concerned will suffer irreparable
damage, but in reality many countries have failed to meet their obligations and ways have been found to
accommodate them. Following the international debt crisis of 1982, the Paris Club was set up to deal with
official debt and the London Club for commercial debt. In addition, Brady bonds were issued to reduce the
principal amount of debt outstanding. In the case of African countries, some debts have been forgiven
entirely to give the countries a new start. Concessions are made only in the context of negotiations;
unilateral repudiation of obligation will not be tolerated and help from the international financial institutions
is contingent on the orderly settlement of obligations. Commercial bankers know how to utilize their
strategic position. On the few occasions when debt repudiation occurred-for instance in the Russian and
Mexican Revolutions—the countries concerned were kept in financial purdah for many years.
As a general rule, lenders tend to fare much better in an international debt crisis than debtors. They may
have to roll over their loans, extend the dates of maturity, or even grant concessional rates but they do not
abandon their claims. Often they can even persuade debtor countries to assume liability for commercial
banks that would otherwise be wiped out. Of course, the lenders have to set up reserves, but eventually
they tend to recover a significant part of the bad debt. Although the debtor countries may not be able to pay
off their obligations in full, they will be obliged to pay to the limits of their ability.
This is in sharp contrast with domestic debt crises in advanced countries in which bankruptcy procedures
tend to protect the debtors. The relative immunity of the lenders in the international system creates a
dangerous moral hazard: the risks are not large enough to discourage unsound lending practices. This
asymmetry is a major source of instability. Every financial crisis is preceded by an unsustainable expansion
of credit. If credit is freely available, it is too much to expect the debtors to exercise self-restraint. If the
public sector is the borrower, the debt will have to be repaid by future governments—running up debt is a
wonderful escape hatch for weak regimes. For instance, the so-called reform communist regime in Hungary
tried to buy the allegiance of the people with borrowed money until the crisis of 1982 put an end to it.
Issuing money is a national prerogative and nations whose currency is readily accepted in international
financial transactions are much better situated than those that cannot readily borrow in their own currency.
This is one of the main advantages of being at the center as opposed to being on the periphery. The
benefits of earning seignorage (the interest saved by issuing banknotes rather than treasury bills) are
relatively insignificant compared to the advantage of being in charge of one's own monetary policy. Countries
on the periphery must take their cue from the center, like the United States. Because the monetary policy
of the center countries is guided by domestic considerations, those on the periphery have little control over
their destinies. In a sense, the process recalls the problem that sparked the American Revolution: taxation
without representation.


77. According to the passage what happens when a country defaults on its debt?
a. It is mysterious and is not known because there are no precedents where the proceedings are
public.
b. The general impression that the country suffers irreparable damage is correct.
c. There are precedents which show that such instances are accommodated.
d. Since the setting up of the Paris Club and the London Club, no such debts have been waived.


78. Which one of these is true in the context of concessions made to countries defaulting on their debt?
a. They are allowed unilateral repudiation of obligations in special cases especially where the Paris
Club interferes.
b. Concessions are made when the negotiations are done through the World Bank.
c. Unilateral repudiation of obligations is not tolerated.
d. Help from financial institutions is contingent on obligation settlement only through the World
Bank.


79. Why do lenders tend to fare better than debtors in an international crisis?
a. They can extend the date of maturity and this is enforced through international institutions.
b. They do not abandon the claims.
c. Debtors are forced to pay as part of the international code as laid down by the UN.
d. None of the above

80. What does the passage mention as a “major source of instability”?
a. Asymmetry between the development paths of the first and the third world countries.
b. The risks for lending are not so huge so as to discourage unsound lending practices.
c. The risks for the debtors are low and they are safeguarded through international institutions.
d. In situations of domestic crisis and international crisis occurring simultaneously, the domestic
crisis is given priority.

81. The author mentions the problem that sparked off the American Revolution to make a point regarding
a. The monetary policy of countries in the periphery is guided by those of the countries at the center
which in turn is dependent upon their domestic considerations, making the peripheral countries
helpless.
b. How taxation without representation has led to many international crises.
c. The monetary policy of countries in the center is guided by those of the countries at the periphery
which in turn is dependent upon their domestic considerations, making the central countries
helpless.
d. Even a country with a sound economy such as America is not immune to crisis.


Happy CATing


289
@miseera
RC of the Day 16/03/2013
77.b
78.d
79.d
80.b
81.b
290
@miseera RC of the Day 16/03/2013

C
C
B
B
A
291
OAs RC 16/03/2013

77. c
This issue is tackled in the second paragraph and the
author answers by saying that although the general
impression is that irreparable damage is caused, in
reality, ways have been found to accommodate them.
Choice (a) is incorrect; choice (b) mentions the general
impression as being correct which is refuted by the
author. Choice (c) is the best interpretation of the reality
and is correct.

78. c
This issue is mentioned in the second paragraph. Choice
(a) is incorrect as the unilateral repudiation is clearly
mentioned as being intolerable. This makes choice (c)
correct. Choices (b) and (d) mention the World Bank
as an actor in the proceedings, which is not borne out
from the passage.

79. b
This is mentioned in the third paragraph and its clear
that though debtors are allowed some relief, the
lenders do not abandon their claims. Choice (b) is
correct. Choice (a) mentions only one of the relief
clauses for the debtors and the interference of the
international institutions is not mentioned in the
paragraph.

80. b
This statement is made by the author in the fourth
paragraph. The first statement does mention
asymmetry which is a cause but it further qualifies
this as existing between the first and the third world
countries which is not mentioned by the author. The
author mentions the moral hazard of the risks not being
large enough to discourage unsound lending practices,
which is mentioned in choice (b), making it correct.

81. a
This statement is made in the second last paragraph
and the author mentions this in the context of the
relationship between the monetary policy of the
countries at the center and the periphery. He mentions
that because the countries at the periphery are
dependent upon the countries at the center for the
monetary policy, which in turn are impacted by
domestic considerations, the countries at the periphery
are helpless. Choice (a) mentions this and is correct.
The rest of the choices are not borne out by the
passage.


Happy CATing
292
RC of the day 18/03/2013

By 1941, when I began writing The Man Who Had All the Luck, my first professionally produced play
(despite every outward sign of failure), my secret fate was full of promise. The two Hopwood Awards and
fifty dollars given by the prestigious Theatre Guild in New York after a nationwide collegiate competition
were my encouragement. When The Man Who Had All the Luck reached Broadway in 1944, it managed to
baffle all but two of the critics. But Broadway in the forties was in what might be called a “classical” phase,
such as occur in every art, when there were absolutely definite rules of playwriting whose nonobservance
brought failure. There was supposed to be nothing so impersonal as playwriting; with each individual
character having his autonomous viewpoint toward the common theme, the author could only be a sort of
conductor. The Man Who Had All the Luck was manifestly non-objective in this sense, and therefore
“unnatural.” Moreover, neither I nor its director, a dear fellow named Joe Fields, really understood its anti-
realistic thrust.
While reviewing the play, in an attempt to try to explain their uneasiness, one after another of the critics
latched onto what they considered the absurdity of a great baseball pitcher such as Amos Beeves being
turned down by a big league scout merely because of his ineptitude at pitching with men on base. Surely
he could have been taught this skill! But, one of them, Burton Rascoe, a former sports reporter, wrote a
long piece in the World-Telegram assuring his colleagues that he had known many athletes who had been
destroyed by a single defect, and going on to predict great things for me. Even so, it was slightly embarrassing
to win my first professional encouragement on the grounds that I did indeed know something about baseball.
A more important if mystifying boost came from a source I would have thought unlikely — John Anderson,
the critic for the Journal-American, a reactionary and sensational Hearst paper, invited me for a drink at the
New York Athletic Club to talk about my play. He was in his early forties, handsome and well tailored and
very earnest. There was a lack of clarity in the play, he felt, “but I sensed some strange shadow world
behind the character, a fascinating gathering of darkness that made me wonder if you have thought of
writing tragedy. A doom hangs over this play, something that promises tragedy.”
Anderson looked down at the floor and asked me if I was going to write another play to which my answer
was in the negative. As I remember him he had wavy brown hair and a searching, deeply serious look.
“You've written a tragedy, you know, but in a folk comedy style. You ought to try and understand what
you've done.”
I did not return to playwriting until three years had passed, during which I published my only novel, Focus.
Nevertheless, I held his words dear.
One other question of Anderson's nagged at me, and still does. “Are you religious?” he had asked. Blind
not only to myself but to what my work was trying to tell me, I thought the surprising question absurd. If
anything, The Man Who Had All the Luck seemed an antireligious play about a young man who had
renounced his own power to the heavens and could only be saved by recognizing himself in his work. But
drama, if allowed to follow its premises, may betray even its author's prejudices or blindness; the truth was
that the play's action did seem to demand David's tragic death, but that was intolerable to my rationalist
viewpoint. A play's action, much like an individual's act, is more revealing than its speeches, and this play
embodied a desperate quest on David's part for an authentication of his identity, a longing for a break in the
cosmic science that alone would bestow a faith in life itself. To put it another way, David has succeeded in
piling up treasures that rust, from which his spirit has already fled; it was a paradox that would weave
through every play that followed.


82. Which one of the following is correct with reference to The Man Who Had All the Luck and the
Broadway scene at the time of its production?
a. The play had just caught the trend at Broadway at the time it was produced thereby making it an
obvious success.
b. The play was impersonal and so was the trend at Broadway making it an obvious success.
c. Although Broadway regarded non-objectivity as appreciable, the play was objective.
d. Although Broadway regarded objectivity as appreciable, the play was non-objective.


83. How did the author score his first professional encouragement on the grounds of knowing something
about baseball?
a. One of his characters 'though great at throwing the ball, destroyed his career because he could
not pitch with men on the base', a handicap supported by a former sports reporter.
b. One of his characters 'though great at throwing the ball, destroyed his career because he could
not pitch with men on the base'. This was based on an obscure baseball legend.
c. He had mentioned many nuances of the game which were known only to insiders.
d. He had described the agony of Amos Beeves who was based on Mr. Beeves, a failed baseball
player.


84. What is the paradox that would “weave through every play that followed” state?
a. The fact that the main character piled up his treasures from rust and then committed suicide.
b. The fact that the character could only be saved by his work was antireligious but his tragic death
seemed to be a quest for the authentication of his identity.
c. The religious fact that the character could only be saved by his work but his tragic death seemed
to be a quest for the renunciation of his identity
d. The paradox of a life well lived and tragic death.


85. What did Mr. Anderson mean by saying — “You ought to try and understand what you've done”?
a. Mr. Anderson was making a point about how the author had written a tragedy in a folk comedy
style and he should write a tragedy again.
b. Mr. Anderson was making a point regarding the lack of clarity in the play which he thought the
author should address in his next work.
c. Mr. Anderson wanted the author to elevate the religious theme mentioned in the play to a higher
level in his next work.
d. Mr. Anderson was interested in making the author aware of his amazing talent.


Happy CATing

293
@miseera

RC of the day 18/03/2013

d
a
b
b
294
@miseera d
a
c
d



RC for the day 18th march, 2013
295
OAs of 18/03/2013

82. d
The author reflects upon this relationship in the first
paragraph when he says that: 'But Broadway in the
forties was in what might be called a “classical” phase
… when there were absolutely definite rules of
playwriting whose nonobservance brought failure.
… The Man Who Had All the Luck was manifestly
non-objective in this sense, and therefore “unnatural.”
Moreover, neither I nor its director, a dear fellow named
Joe Fields, really understood its anti-realistic thrust.'
This makes choice (d) correct.

83. a
The author mentions this in the second paragraph
where he talks about how the handicap of his character
was brushed off by critics, but a former sports
reporter supported it. This makes choice (a) correct.

84. b
This paradox is mentioned in the sixth paragraph when
the author reflects upon the question “Are you
religious?” asked by a critic. While considering his
play, the author thinks “If anything …his work”, and
further “A play's action …... life itself”. This is most
aptly stated in choice (b) making it the correct one.


85. a
This encounter is mentioned in the third and the fourth
paragraphs. The comment appears in the fourth
paragraph: “You've …... you've done.” Before this,
Mr. Anderson comments in the third paragraph “but I
sensed … writing tragedy”. This makes choice (a)
correct.


Happy CATing

296
RC OF THE DAY 19/03/2013


Since the 1970s, despotic governments have engaged in active social and political manipulation, both by
inducement and coercion. Within the ranks of the leadership and in society, the hunt for enemies is
accompanied by a constant search for allies. Since 1991 these divide-and-rule tactics have become more
explicit. The regime has relied on buying support or acquiescence, with money or other favours. The
economic problems which the regime has experienced since the Gulf War have limited the inducements it
can offer. Its largesse is now distributed more selectively to those who can be induced to remain loyal and
can control their own followers or clients. The Government, while continuing to stress the theme of an Iraqi
people united against the world, has increasingly singled out particular ethnic, religious or tribal groups for
favours or for repression.
The Special Rapporteur has argued that “In the process of subjugating the population, power is abused not
only vertically, i.e., through immediate and direct oppression upon the population, but by means of horizontal
effects, whereby social ties are also exploited”. This includes collective family responsibility for alleged
crimes by an individual and manipulation of tribal and religious leaders, who are forced to swear allegiance
to Saddam Hussein on behalf of their communities — either to avoid punishments or to gain privileges.
The economic collapse created by the embargo may well have reinforced communal solidarities. At the
same time, economic hardship may reinforce prejudices and even hostility against other groups.
Nonetheless, the simplistic shorthand for religious and ethnic divisions commonly used in the West since
1991 — 'Sunni center, Shiite south and Kurdish North' is misleading, and masks more complex patterns
of social identity. Since the 1960s, migration, both voluntary and forced, has altered the demographic
balance between different communities. After the Gulf War, further changes have occurred as a result of
displacement, economic pressures and emigration.
In Baghdad, for example, there is a very sizeable Shiite population. The majority comprises of poor migrants
from the south who are the predominant group in several of the poorest neighbourhoods, but there is also
a sizeable group of Shiite professionals and merchants who would associate more readily with people of
their class than with their poorer co-religionists.
their class than with their poorer co-religionists.
Many Kurds live in Baghdad and the south as a result of migration or forced displacement. There are also
Christian minorities in the Baghdad region. On the other hand, the Christian community as a whole has
shrunk markedly as a result of emigration, particularly since 1991.
In Arab Iraq, some of the mores of Bedouin tribal life survived the settling of tribal peoples from the Arabian
Peninsula in the Iraqi countryside in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Some of the concepts of
honour and deference to tribal leaders remained, although roles within the tribal group were altered by
settled life, and by the conversion of large numbers of those who settled in the south from Sunni to Shiah
Islam. Many of the historical forms of communalism — and the pre-eminence of landlords, tribal and
religious leaders — were eroded by economic and social changes: the diminishing importance of agriculture,
the growth of opportunities in cities and the oil boom from the 1970s. However, elements of communal
organization remained, reconstructed 'not necessarily in terms of historical continuities with traditional
formations, but on that bases favoured by the current situation.'
The 1991 uprisings did not touch this core of support from ties of tribe, clan and family. But after he had
reasserted his control, Saddam appeared to become increasingly suspicious of their loyalty. From 1992
onwards, reports of attempted coups increasingly involved members of these tribes. Whether they did
indeed rebel because of their discontent, or because they were 'framed' by the leadership is not clear.


86. According to the author, what is the reason behind the change in the regime's policy towards
selective distribution of largesse?
a. The Gulf War has led to the strategy being dictated by Iraq and this is the way they want the
largesse distributed.
b. The Gulf War has led to the UN's intervention in the largesse distribution system.
c. The Gulf War and the economic problems since then have limited the resources at their disposal.
d. None of the above

87. According to the passage, what is the correct description of abuse of power “vertically” and
“horizontally”?
a. The former refers to immediate oppression whereas the latter refers to influence through
social ties.
b. The former refers to oppression through social ties whereas the latter refers to oppression of
immediate family members.
c. Both are correct.
d. The former refers to the old way of oppression and the latter refers to the evolved method.


88. Why does the author regard the simplistic shorthand for religious and ethnic divisions used in the
West as misleading?
a. It ignores the complex situation that has been present since the beginning.
b. The migration, since the 1960s, has led to a dominant Sunni centre and thus there are no Shiite
centres anymore.
c. The migration, since the 1960s, has altered the demographic balance between different
communities.
d. It has originated in the West and is therefore it is not well-versed with the Arab reality.


89. According to the passage, what is the situation of the remaining elements of communal organization?
a. They have been reconstructed not just in terms of historical continuities but also in sync with the
demands of the international order.
b. They have been reconstructed not in terms of historical continuities but in sync with the current
situation.
c. They have survived through selective evolution by the ruling elite of West Asia.
d. None of the above

90. Accroding to the passage, what is the correct viewpoint regarding the involvement of tribes in the
attempted coups?
a. They had increasingly become disloyal and were at the forefront of these coups.
b. There is ambiguity regarding whether they participated or were framed by the leadership.
c. They were innocent and were framed by the leadership to protect the real players.
d. None of the above



Happy CATing



297
@miseera C
A
C
B
B
298
@miseera
C
A
C
A
B
299
RC OF THE DAY 19/03/2013
86:C
87:A
88:C
89:B
90:B
300

@miseera

RC OF THE DAY 19/03/2013
c
a
d
b
b