CAT 2022 Slot 1 VARC Question & Solution
Passage
The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
Stories concerning the Undead have always been with us. From out of the primal darkness of Mankind’s earliest years, come whispers of eerie creatures, not quite alive (or alive in a way which we can understand), yet not quite dead either. These may have been ancient and primitive deities who dwelt deep in the surrounding forests and in remote places, or simply those deceased who refused to remain in their tombs and who wandered about the countryside, physically tormenting and frightening those who were still alive. Mostly they were ill-defined—strange sounds in the night beyond the comforting glow of the fire, or a shape, half-glimpsed in the twilight along the edge of an encampment. They were vague and indistinct, but they were always there with the power to terrify and disturb. They had the power to touch the minds of our early ancestors and to fill them with dread. Such fear formed the basis of the earliest tales although the source and exact nature of such terrors still remained very vague.
And as Mankind became more sophisticated, leaving the gloom of their caves and forming themselves into recognizable communities—towns, cities, whole cultures—so the Undead travelled with them, inhabiting their folklore just as they had in former times. Now they began to take on more definite shapes. They became walking cadavers; the physical embodiment of former deities and things which had existed alongside Man since the Creation. Some still remained vague and ill-defined but, as Mankind strove to explain the horror which it felt towards them, such creatures emerged more readily into the light.
In order to confirm their abnormal status, many of the Undead were often accorded attributes, which defied the natural order of things—the power to transform themselves into other shapes, the ability to sustain themselves by drinking human blood, and the ability to influence human minds across a distance. Such powers—described as supernatural—only [lent] an added dimension to the terror that humans felt regarding them.
And it was only natural, too, that the Undead should become connected with the practice of magic. From very early times, Shamans and witchdoctors had claimed at least some power and control over the spirits of departed ancestors, and this has continued down into more “civilized” times. Formerly, the invisible spirits and forces that thronged around men’s earliest encampments, had spoken “through” the tribal Shamans but now, as entities in their own right, they were subject to magical control and could be physically summoned by a competent sorcerer. However, the relationship between the magician and an Undead creature was often a very tenuous and uncertain one. Some sorcerers might have even become Undead entities once they died, but they might also have been susceptible to the powers of other magicians when they did.
From the Middle Ages and into the Age of Enlightenment, theories of the Undead continued to grow and develop. Their names became more familiar—werewolf, vampire, ghoul—each one certain to strike fear into the hearts of ordinary humans.
Question 1
“In order to confirm their abnormal status, many of the Undead were often accorded attributes, which defied the natural order of things . . .”
Which one of the following best expresses the claim made in this statement?
Solution:
Option A best expresses the claim made in the statement - "In order to confirm their abnormal status, many of the Undead were often accorded attributes, which defied the natural order of things . . .”
The passage states that in order to confirm their abnormal status, the Undead were often given attributes that defied the natural order of things. This suggests that humans conceptualize the Undead as possessing abnormal features to confirm their abnormal status. This differs from Options B and C, which suggest that the Undead are deified or that their natural attributes are rendered abnormal by changing their status. Option D is also inaccurate, as the passage does not mention that giving the Undead an abnormal status is a rejection of the natural order of things.
Hence, Option A is the correct answer.
Question 2
Which one of the following observations is a valid conclusion to draw from the statement, “From out of the primal darkness of Mankind’s earliest years, come whispers of eerie creatures, not quite alive (or alive in a way which we can understand), yet not quite dead either.”?
Solution:
Option A is a valid conclusion to draw from the lines - "From out of the primal darkness of Mankind's earliest years, come whispers of eerie creatures, not quite alive (or alive in a way which we can understand), yet not quite dead either."
The statement mentions that in Mankind's earliest years, there were whispers of eerie creatures that were not quite alive or dead. This suggests that in these early years, there was a belief in the existence of such creatures. Option A accurately captures this idea. Option B is not a valid conclusion as the given statement does not mention anything about eerie creatures whispering about their own death. Option C is also incorrect since the passage does not mention that the creatures were only seen in the darkness. Similarly, Option D is not a valid conclusion as the given statement offers no information on how we can understand the lives of the eerie creatures.
Hence, Option A is the correct choice.
Question 3
Which one of the following statements best describes what the passage is about?
Solution:
The passage underlines that the concept of the Undead, or creatures that are not quite alive or dead, has always been a part of human folklore. In ancient times, the Undead were ill-defined and vague, but as human societies became more sophisticated, the Undead took on more definite shapes and were often associated with supernatural powers, such as the ability to transform, drink blood, and influence human minds. The Undead have also been connected to the practice of magic, and in more recent times, specific names such as werewolf, vampire, and ghoul have become associated with the concept of the Undead. These names are often used to strike fear into the hearts of ordinary humans. The passage suggests that the Undead have evolved and developed over time, and as human societies have advanced, the Undead have become more defined and have gained more specific attributes. Overall, the passage discusses the long-standing presence of the Undead in human folklore and the evolution of their portrayal in various cultures. Option B aptly captures the above idea.
Option A is incorrect since the passage does not mention the transition from primitive thinking to the Age of Enlightenment. Option C is also inaccurate as the author does not emphasize the failure of human beings "to fully comprehend their environment" [not the focus]. Option D is not a complete description of the passage since it only mentions one aspect of the passage rather than the overall theme of the evolution of the concept of the Undead.
Hence, Option B is the correct choice.
Question 4
All of the following statements, if false, could be seen as being in accordance with the passage, EXCEPT:
Solution:
The multiple negations indicate that if any of the given statements are false, they could be seen as being consistent with the information provided in the passage [i.e. they do not contradict the information provided in the passage]. Since the question involves "except," we need to find a valid statement based on the information provided [since if this statement is correct, it would not be consistent with the information in the passage].
We notice that Option B is consistent with the information provided in the passage: The passage states that as human societies became more sophisticated, the Undead took on more definite shapes and became more defined. It also mentions that from the Middle Ages and into the Age of Enlightenment, theories of the Undead continued to grow and develop. This suggests that the transition from the Middle Ages to the Age of Enlightenment saw new theories of the Undead. There will be inconsistencies if the statement in B is refuted or incorrect.
If the remaining options are false, they will support the discussion in the passage: Option A is not consistent with the passage as it states that the Undead remained vague and ill-defined, even as human societies strove to understand the horror they inspired, while the passage actually states that the Undead became more defined as human societies became more sophisticated. Option C is also incorrect because the passage does not mention that the growing sophistication of Mankind caused humans to stop believing in the Undead. Similarly, Option D is also inconsistent in its current form since the passage does not mention anything about the strength or stability of the relationship between Shamans and the Undead.
Hence, Option B is the correct choice.