CAT 2024 Slot 3 VARC Question & Solution
Passage
The passage below is accompanied by four questions. Based on the passage, choose the best answer for each question.
Languages become endangered and die out for many reasons. Sadly, the physical annihilation of communities of native speakers of a language is all too often the cause of language extinction. In North America, European colonists brought death and destruction to many Native American communities. This was followed by US federal policies restricting the use of indigenous languages, including the removal of native children from their communities to federal boarding schools where native languages and cultural practices were prohibited. As many as 75 percent of the languages spoken in the territories that became the United States have gone extinct, with slightly better language survival rates in Central and South America ...
Even without physical annihilation and prohibitions against language use, the language of the "dominant" cultures may drive other languages into extinction; young people see education, jobs, culture and technology associated with the dominant language and focus their attention on that language. The largest language "killers" are English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Russian, Hindi, and Chinese, all of which have privileged status as dominant languages threatening minority languages.
When we lose a language, we lose the worldview, culture and knowledge of the people who spoke it, constituting a loss to all humanity. People around the world live in direct contact with their native environment, their habitat. When the language they speak goes extinct, the rest of humanity loses their knowledge of that environment, their wisdom about the relationship between local plants and illness, their philosophical and religious beliefs, as well as their native cultural expression (in music, visual art and poetry) that has enriched both the speakers of that language and others who would have encountered that culture ...
As educators deeply immersed in the liberal arts, we believe that educating students broadly in all facets of language and culture ... yields immense rewards. Some individuals educated in the liberal arts tradition will pursue advanced study in linguistics and become actively engaged in language preservation, setting out for the Amazon, for example, with video recording equipment to interview the last surviving elders in a community to record and document a language spoken by no children.
Certainly, though, the vast majority of students will not pursue this kind of activity. For these students, a liberal arts education is absolutely critical from the twin perspectives of language extinction and global citizenship. When students study languages other than their own, they are sensitized to the existence of different cultural perspectives and practices. With such an education, students are more likely to be able to articulate insights into their own cultural biases, be more empathetic to individuals of other cultures, communicate successfully across linguistic and cultural differences, consider and resolve questions in a way that reflects multiple cultural perspectives, and, ultimately extend support to people, programs, practices, and policies that support the preservation of endangered languages.
There is ample evidence that such preservation can work in languages spiraling toward extinction. For example, Navajo, Cree, and Inuit communities have established schools in which these languages are the language of instruction, and the number of speakers of each has increased.
Question 1
In the context of the passage, which one of the following hypothetical scenarios, if true, is NOT an example of the kind of loss that occurs when a language becomes extinct?
Solution:
The question asks us to identify the hypothetical scenario that does not reflect the kind of loss described in the passage. The passage discusses cultural, ecological, and intellectual losses caused by language extinction, including the loss of:
- Unique cultural expressions (e.g., music, art, and emotions tied to language).
- Knowledge about the environment (e.g., relationships between plants and illness).
- Worldviews and philosophical insights.
We need to identify a scenario that doesn’t align with these themes. Let us examine the options based on this understanding -
Option A: This scenario reflects the loss of unique cultural knowledge - in this case, the ability to describe the “20 different moods of the ocean,” which likely represents detailed ecological and environmental understanding.
Option B: This scenario focuses on some form of administrative or statistical change in a government list; the focus is not on the cultural, ecological, or intellectual loss emphasised in the passage. Therefore, the option does not reflect the deeper, humanity-wide loss described in the passage.
Option C: This scenario aligns with the loss of unique cultural concepts and the emotional depth tied to a word or phrase. In the author’s perspective, losing this concept would diminish humanity's understanding of the complexity of human relationships.
Option D: This scenario reflects the loss of ecological knowledge about snow textures, which likely has practical implications for living in the Arctic environment. This aligns with the passage's discussion of losing environmental wisdom when languages die.
Hence, Option B is the correct choice.
Question 2
Which one of the following hypothetical scenarios, if true, would most strongly undermine the central ideas of the passage?
Solution:
The central idea of the passage is that endangered languages, as carriers of unique cultural perspectives and human knowledge, must be preserved to benefit humanity. The author argues that liberal arts education plays a vital role in this preservation, both by fostering global citizenship and by encouraging some individuals to directly engage in preservation efforts. Liberal arts education, as framed in the passage, sensitises students to cultural diversity and equips them with the tools to support endangered languages and cultures.
We observe that Option B, however, directly undermines this central idea by redefining the focus of liberal arts education. Requiring fluency in two of the most widely spoken global languages (e.g., English, Spanish, Mandarin) would prioritise dominant languages rather than endangered ones. This hypothetical scenario shifts resources and attention away from the preservation of linguistic diversity, which is central to the passage's argument. Such a requirement would reinforce the dominance of already powerful languages, the very phenomenon identified as a major “language killer” in the passage. By institutionalizing the focus on dominant languages, it would erode the argument that liberal arts education fosters support for endangered languages and cultural preservation, ultimately weakening the role of liberal arts in addressing language extinction.
In contrast, the remaining choices either align with the discussion or do not serve as strong counterarguments to the points presented in the passage. For instance, Option A acknowledges that most liberal arts students will not directly engage in language preservation but does not challenge the broader idea that liberal arts education fosters empathy and support for endangered languages. Option C limits the long-term success of language preservation but does not negate its immediate benefits or the potential for renewal in subsequent generations. Similarly, Option D highlights a limitation of recording dying languages but does not undermine the broader argument that documentation is a valuable and necessary tool in preservation.
Question 3
It can be inferred from the passage that it is likely South America had a slightly better language survival rate than North America for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:
Solution:
The passage highlights the widespread extinction of indigenous languages in North America due to colonisation, physical annihilation, and assimilation policies while noting slightly better survival rates in Central and South America. It implies that language survival may be influenced by factors such as social policies, cultural integration, and the extent of physical and cultural displacement.
Evaluating the choices, we note that Option A is plausible since allowing children to stay with families would help preserve native languages, unlike the North American policy of removing children to boarding schools, as discussed in the passage. Option B is also reasonable, as less effective assimilation efforts by colonial governments could lead to better language retention. Option C also aligns with the passage’s context, as it discusses physical annihilation as a significant driver of language extinction, but the survival rate being slightly better in South America could suggest marginally less physical annihilation.
However, Option D is problematic; while providing locals with jobs in the colonial administration might seem like a factor that supports language retention, this scenario is not consistent with the passage. The passage emphasises that dominant languages often replace indigenous ones through socio-economic pressures, and employment in colonial administration would likely reinforce the use of the dominant language rather than preserve native languages.
Hence, Option D is the best choice.
Question 4
The author believes that a liberal arts education combined with participation in language preservation empower students in all of the following ways EXCEPT that they will
Solution:
The author discusses how a liberal arts education, combined with participation in language preservation efforts, empowers students in several significant ways. He highlights that such an education broadens students' cultural understanding, helps them communicate across linguistic barriers (Option A), and enables them to gain insights into both their own and others' cultures (Option D). Option B is an implicit aspect of this discussion. The passage also suggests that some students may even become involved in active language preservation, though it emphasises that the majority might not pursue this path. Contrarily, Option C is not explicitly mentioned or understood: while the passage provides examples of communities that have established such schools, it does not suggest that students themselves will take on this role.