How to crack surprise questions in Verbal section for CAT 2013

While CAT 2013 aspirants should not expect any change in format, duration etc, what you must be watchful of is unanticipated and surprise questions, especially in Verbal Area, which invariably gets into CAT paper. In this expert article by Prof SK Agarwal, author and expert in Verbal Area, learn about how to solve these unexpected questions by solving mock questions.

Verbal Ability Section, a hot-bed of surprise
In absence of the fixed syllabus, Verbal Ability section in CAT faces this unwarranted situation more than the first section in Quant. Any of the innumerable topics could form the basis of questions on Jumbled Paragraphs, the LOD of which is already too high to solve. The candidates, taken off-guard, shout foul when such surprises happen. But this doesnt help, as the surprise and Level of Difficulty are a subjective thought.
It is the human tendency that tends to forget and memory begins to fade unless refreshed regularly. The important aspect is to understand and continue practicing the standard types as well as anticipate the types of surprises and devote a few minutes to practice such questions along with the regular ones.

The standard questions
If you go through the past trend of CAT, it will not be difficult to understand what type of parajumbles they have been placing before the aspirants.
Type-1 Random: Sentences are offered in random order and the aspirant is required to arrange them in a sequential order to form a coherent and meaningful paragraph. Since this is the most common type of parajumbles and appear regularly in CAT, number of practice exercises are available with various dos and donts on them.
Old Vs. New Questions in CAT- Following sample parajumbles will bring home the point journey of CAT from late Nineties to date

Direction- The sentences as given below in the question, when arranged properly, form a meaningful paragraph. Choose the most appropriate order of sentences out of the given options

1.
A. A large number of intellectuals believe that the North is using its military and economic powers to force unequal contracts on the South.
B. The make-believe ethical issue of the sanctity of law camouflages the unethicality of the entire transaction, which is a travesty of the ethical concept of the greatest good for the greatest number.
C. Once these contracts are made, the North uses the facade of legality and ethics to pindown the South.
D. Thus it suffers from the flaw that the law one of the useful means to implement ethics has fouled the ethicality of the ends.
A. DACB B. CBDA C. ACBD D. BDAC
ANS. C. ACBD (CAT 1998)
Explanation with tips Use elimination method Once these contracts must follow some earlier statement using contracts and that sentence is A therefore C should follow A while B discussing ethicaland ethicality should precede D, because the word Thus in D is going to summarise and must be the concluding sentence.

2.
A. discounted to give the present value. Though there are many theories of how shares are priced, the price-to-earnings ratio remains the most popular.
B. Any fall in earnings affects the stream of future earnings and impacts the companys share price.
C. This is why share prices react to a fall in earnings even where companies are still making profits.
D. The share price of a company, whether bank or non-bank, essentially reflects market expectations regarding its future income stream
1. DACB 2.ABCD 3.BADC 4. CBAD
Ans. DACB-

Understand the explanation with tips - D-What does share price reflect the statement defines it followed by A-future income stream discounted to give the present value; C- is the effect of the ratio. The clause This is why.. describes the reason stated earlier, followed by B-the fall in earning affects the share price, adversely as it concludes it. We are not concerned whether the last line is taking us to another paragraph but the fact that it forms coherence in a sequential order.

Type-2 Knowing where to start from -Opening sentence is given before hand and other sentences are jumbled. you have to rearrange the remaining jumbled sentences to form a coherence with the opening sentence. The task is slightly easier as you know where to start from. Although CAT 2012 forgot to place this type of parajumble before the aspirants, but such forgotton ones may re-appear anytime. The suggestion therefore, is not to forget such questions

Sample questions with answers The difficulty level of such questions are equally high, it is recommended to go for more and more practice of this type of parajumbles
Direction- In the Following paragraph opening sentence is given followed by a group of sentences, which if placed in correct sequence will form a coherent paragraph. You have to select the most appropriate option out of the given ones that follow the paragraph.

Agreed, we need a paradigm shift in the age old cultural attitude
A. But how is one to change the patriarchal attitude of our so-called educated urban class of men?
B. what is it that can change the thinking of educated men?
C. The abuse of women is common in cities too. If education is necessary to change the thinking of rural societies,
D. which gives the man of the family an upper hand, as women have shown that they are second to none.
1. CDBA 2.DACB 3.ABCD 4. BADC
Ans. Q.7- 2. DACB

Follow the Explanation introductory sentence makes the task a little easy why the paradigm shift is needed, so D follows the introductory sentence (Use of which connects the sentence to the opening sentence); followed by A and C it explains the condition in cities followed by B-how to change the thinking and becomes the concluding sentence. Besides, once you find that D should be the beginner and as there is no other option beginning with D, obviously your answer choice will be 2.

Type-3 Lead to conclude Closing sentence is available in the question with a jumbled group of preceding sentences. Now the CAT needs you to put these jumbled sentences in correct sequence in such a manner that it leads to the already available concluding sentence. Such questions used to appear frequently in CAT but there was none in 2012 and in all probability, it may resurface in 2013.
Example question Dont think that such questions are less difficult. Good deal of practice is required to solve them, else they may prove to be more difficult than the random ones
Direction- In the Following paragraph concluding sentence is given followed by a group of sentences, which if placed in correct sequence will form a coherent paragraph. You have to select the most appropriate option out of the given ones that follow the paragraph.

Concluding sentence only more brazen in that they exploit the trust of friendly countries.
A.While the Obama administration decries cyber crimes
B. It has perpetuated the very same acts
C. Spying on embassies is a blatant violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961.
D.and economic espionage by China, Iran and North Korea.
1.ABCD 2. BCDA 3.CADB 4CDAB
Ans.. Q.8 3.CADB

Explanation and Tips The question may be treated opposite to the concept of completion of last sentence of a paragraph. Use of words like while, it, and refer to some earlier connections to the sentences whereas Spying is a gerund and can be used as a noun subject. Hence, Spying should begin the paragraph, so Cobviously introduces the para; A&D make a pair of the activities leading towards concluding sentence B. same acts only more brazen.
Type 4- Task is easier than any of the above as you have the opening as well as closing sentences. In between are the four jumbled sentences to be placed in sequential order. These questions again have not been seen in CAT for quite some time. Piece of Advice is to be prepared to face this comparatively easy to think but difficult to attempt, type of questions in CAT 2013.

Example questions Try to solve the following questions
Direction- In the Following paragraph Opening and concluding sentence are given followed by a group of sentences, which if placed in correct sequence will form a coherent paragraph. You have to select the most appropriate option out of the given ones that follow the paragraph.
1. Opening - Matrilineal systems of land inheritance advantaged women in many respects, especially in granting them economic and social security.
6. Concluding sentence - At the same time, their customary exclusion from major authority in public bodies meant that they were unlikely to be the ones directing the changes.

A. Women, in particular, were profoundly affected by these changes.
B. The large joint family estates came to be partitioned; there was an increasing penetration of market forces and
patriarchal ideologies spread in influence.
C. These systems, however, did not remain fixed over time.
D. Interventions by the colonial and postcolonial states, and the processes of social change which these set in motion, eroded customary practices.

1. ABCD 2. BADC 3.CDBA 4. DBCA
Ans. 3.CDBA
Understand the coherence These refer to the Matrilineal systems so C will follow the opening sentence. Now opt for the elimination method. There is no other option that begins with C. In A you find these changes refer to B hence B should precede A which leads to concluding sentence.
Anticipate the Surprises
Past Surprise-CAT 2012

CAT 2012 created panic among the aspirants with a surprise element in Parajumbles. The question to pick Out of Context sentence in jumbled paragraphs was something new for the aspirants and as such they had tough time, finding it difficult to solve this benevolent surprise from CAT. The concept was to decode the jumbled paragraph and pick out the out of context sentence as well. This type is expected in CAT 2013 as well and may become repetitive type of questions every year. Need is to have more exercises on such questions and get the same analysed.

How it is different from Regular ones
This type of parajumble has four-five sentences labelled A,B,C,D, and/or E-because the 5th sentence E may or may not be there. These four-five sentences when placed in a sequential order will form a coherent paragraph BUT one of the sentences will be out of context and will convey a different message than the other sentences taken together. So, Remember the rules to pick the odd man out of the four five related words the same rule applies but with much advanced thought process and understanding to click the right sequence.

Sample questions The difficulty level in parajumbles is otherwise very high and this new type has added more to it. However, if one can find out which sentence is not matching the flow of thought, action, policy etc., the task will be easier.

Direction-Out of the five sentences as given below and labelled A,B,C,D.E in the question, four, when arranged properly, will form a meaningful and coherent paragraph while one of the sentences is out of context. Choose the most appropriate order of sentences out of the given options with out of context sentence marked in brackets.

Q.1
A. such as seen in Pop-Rock music, especially electric instrumentation, diffusion of styles and genres
B.blurring national boundaries, a cultural diversity that bases itself on shared technologies and logics of eclecticism,
C.In the context of globalization there is an inherent quality of cross pollination in the field of popular music
D. International culture industry is noticeably underpinned by the intercultural flow of meanings
E. legitimation discourses, and the emergence of ethnic rock.
1. ABCD (E) 2. CBAE(D) 3.BAED(C) 4.DECB(A)

Q.2
A. the administrative department for the FDI policy, to simplify the norms by issuing some clarifications has left both the domestic and foreign retailers equally disappointed.
B. but are yet to put in a formal application. An attempt by the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP),
C.the fact that only 11 states and union territories have agreed to allow foreign-funded stores have proved to be a big deterrent. Global retailers Walmart, Auchan, Carrefour, and Tesco have all evinced interest in opening retail stores
D.Various sections within the government feel it has not been able to capitalise on its decision to open up the multi-brand retail sector by putting in complex conditions.
E.the coalition and even staked its survival. However, the stiff entry conditions and
F.the United Progressive Alliance government had in September opened up the multi-brand retail sector, braving political opposition from inside and outside
1. ABCDE(F) 2. DFECB(A) 3.FECBA(D) 4. FDEBA(C)

Answers with tips
Ans.Q.1 2.CBAE(D)- Explanation C begins the para followed by B while A and E are the followed integral part of B. D is out of context and switches the discussion from music to International culture commodities.
Ans.Q.2- 2. FECBA(D)-Explanation F- who started it?-the UPA government followed by E (inside and outside the coalition); C-follows E entry conditions and the fact that.B-interested but formal application is yet to be made two contradictory actions interest but not moved ahead, followed by A. DIPP the Administrative Department. . (D)-is out of context since all other sentences describe the pros and cons, various actions taken/not taken whereas in D. it is the feeling on personal level which may/may not be explicit or authentic and can not be used as action taking strategy.

Probable Surprise CAT 2013
1.This type of jumbled paragraph might ask you to find out the linking sentence between two parajumbles. There may be two jumbled paragraphs with different thoughts and you will be required to put them in sequential order as well as find out the sentence that links them.
2. There may be one jumbled paragraph of more than 5-6 sentences, and you may be asked to form coherent paragraph apart from picking out the sentence that de-links the part of paragraph. Hence, the same sentence can link or de-link the two paragraphs depending upon the form of question in the examination
Sample Question -
Direction-Out of the seven sentences given below and labelled A,B,C,D.E,F,G in the question, three each, when arranged properly, will form meaningful and coherent paragraphs respectively, while one of the sentences links two separate paragraphs. Choose the most appropriate order of sentences out of the given options with linking sentence marked in brackets.
A.discounted to give the present value. Though there are many theories of how shares are priced, the price-to-earnings ratio remains the most popular.
B. Any fall in earnings affects the stream of future earnings and impacts the companys share price.
C. This is why share prices react to a fall in earnings even where companies are still making profits.
D. The share price of a company, whether bank or non-bank, essentially reflects market expectations regarding its future income stream
E. not their balance sheet, every quarter. It is also why companies issue guidance about their likely earnings in the coming quarter/year
F. It is because of the significance of earnings for the share price that the capital markets regulator, the Sebi, requires companies to publish their income statement,
G. Banks are no exception. They publish income statements quarterly and balance sheets annually.
1. CADBGE(F) 2.FCBDEG(A) 3. DACFEG(B) 4.BAEDCF(G)
Ans. -3.DACFEG(B)

Follow the explanation- This probable type of question consists of two parajumbles. The coherence of sentences can be formed with the same tips discussed above. D-opens the para - What does share price reflect the statement defines it followed by A-future income stream discounted to give the present value; C- is the effect of the ratio. Next parajumble begins with F - Why is the requirement of publication of income statement-cause & effect, followed by E- Balance sheet not required since earning is important; G clarifies that Banks are no exception. B- however is inclined towards F-beginning the next para. Other sentences describe the determination of share price and mechanism while B-goes to describe about the impact of fall in earnings. Hence (B) links the two paragraphs

So go for such mocks that have a few probable surprise questions type with them. Basics are same but this will enable you to have a multi dimensional approach to crack the CAT 2013.

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