Read the passage and answer the questions that follow by choosing one option, unless

stated otherwise.
Like many other diseases, cancer too is multi-factorial. The reasons could be diverse.
Genetic predisposition, the effect of carcinogens, and the effect of the environment, are
some of the more common causes. Sometimes, though a person may not be congenitally
predisposed to the disease, with age certain cells may turn cancerous. A carcinogen- a
cancer-causing agent-or a strange tweak in the cells may trigger this malignancy during the
stage of natural division. The numerous ideas propagated about the causes and cures have
made the study of cancer rather contentious. Oncologists, till date, have not been able to
explain why some people are more susceptible while others seem to be somewhat immune
to the effects of this disease, which is debilitating at the least, and sometimes fatal.
However, on the preventive front, a lot of advice is available. Tobacco, alcohol, poor diet,
inadequate exercise, sunlight, radiation, certain hormones, some viruses and bacteria,
chemicals, family history and being overweight have all been labelled culprits. All the
available advice relates only to avoidance of it. However, one can do nothing about the
genes that one inherits. In fact, as far as the methods adopted to cure cancer are concerned,
till date, no one approach has been deemed indisputable by the medical fraternity. A new
line of inquiry is creating interest and hopes that there may be a cure available for those who
have become the victims of this dreadful disease. It may help the genetically predisposed
groups too. The method involves attacking the cancer-causing stem cells, which can churn
out new cells and simultaneously renew themselves. This could mean an altogether new
focus of all oncological research and a new line of medication that targets the cancerspewing stem cells.
1. The authors primary purpose in the passage is to:
A. Describe the formation and nature of cancerous cells.
B. Imply that in future all research on cancer would be confined to the
development of new types of drugs.
C. Explain the various causes that increase the predisposition of a person to
cancer.
D. Discuss the possibility of a new and effective way of treating cancer.
E. Compare the traditional methods of treating cancer with some recently
evolving methods.

2. With which of the following statements is the author most likely to agree?
A. When it comes to advice pertaining to avoidance of cancer, little
information available.
B. Cancer can be caused by an abnormal mutation of cells or be triggered by
carcinogens.
C. At present, stem cell correction or manipulation is the only way to treat
cancer.
D. The cost of stem cell based curative medicines is bound to be very high.

E. Counseling of cancer victims is an area that has somehow been

overlooked by experts.

CRITICAL REASONING:
3. The mysterious drop in honey bee populations-often called colony collapse
disorder for lack of a more specific name-has generated a long list of suspects that
include mites, viruses, malnutrition, and even cell phone radiation. Two new
studies published in Science suggest that neonicotinoids, a class of widely used
insecticides, may belong at the top of the list.

Which of the following if true will weaken the above argument?

a) Neonicotinoids have already been partially banned in Italy, Germany, and
France for their possible role in colony collapse disorder.
b) Results from the two new studies suggest that even does of neonicotinoids that
do not kill the bee immediately can have enough ill effect to eventually cause
colony collapse.
c) Bumble bees die off every winter and only the queen survives to found a new
colony in the spring, its easy to see how this could spell bad news for bumble
bee populations.
d) Previous research has found that neonicotinoids also make bees more
susceptible to fungal pathogens.
e) In some countries neonicotinoids remains one of the most uncommon
pesticides, yet colony collapse disorder was conspicuously noticed.

4. Proton-beam therapy is massively expensive-$100+million facilities, each

treatment twice as much as radiation-and not proven to be any safer or more
effective than other cancer treatments. Yet, the U.S. hospitals are racing new
proton-beam facilities.

Which of the following best explains the paradox above?

a) Proton-beam therapy has been around since the 1990s, but its oft-touted safety
over radiation has not been conclusively proven.
b) The American Society of Radiation Oncologys recent review using data from
thousands of patients finds no evidence that proton-beam therapy is superior.
c) Proton-beam theory has become the favored option for body parts where
beams can be especially harmful.
d) To foot the construction bill, hospitals will push the treatment aggressively to
cancer patients.

e) Hospitals can afford to build them because proton-beam therapy is extremely

favorably reimbursed by Medicare and many private insurance companies.
5. Shopping behavior varies by social class. For example, a very close relation
between store choice and social-class membership has been found, indicating that
it is wrong to assume that all consumers want to shop at glamorous, high-status
stores. Instead, people realistically match their values and expectations with a
stores status and dont shop in stores where they feel out of place.
All of the following if true will render support to the fact that shopping behavior
varies by social class EXCEPT:
a) Childhood socialization patterns and educational influences may lead consumers to
vary in many of their purchase behaviors across social class.
b) Most women enjoy shopping regardless of their social class; however, reasons for
enjoyment differ.
c) The attraction to high-fashion stores was directly related to social class.
d) Lower-status men who shopped in high-status department stores felt clerks and
higher-class customers in the store punished them in various subtle ways.
e) No matter what the store, each shopper will tend not to patronize those where they
feel they do not fit, in a social-class sense.
TEXT COMPLETION:
6. The (1) ______ of youth rubbed on to the reticent faculty team. The festivities at
the farewell party, the foot-tapping music played by the band, and the (2) _______
the administrative staff was enough to light up the spirits of even the (3) _______
of them, to let their hair down for once.
Blank (1)

Blank (2)
(A) Intransigence
(B) Cacophony
(C) Exuberance

Blank (3)
(D) Constant egging by
(E) Managerial skills of
(F) Din created by

(G) Sternest
(H) Boisterous
(I) Pedantic

7. Whistle-blowers, people who report wrongdoings inside an organization or group

to internal or external authorities, confront (1) _______. Their allegations, at the
least, may lead to strained or severed relationship with the accused co-workers or
mangers; in certain instances, however, they may have to (2) ______ from their
organization or may even be penalized by law enforcers, if the accusations (3)
______.

Blank (1)

Blank (2)

(A) Unpopular paragons

(D) Reluctantly quit
(B) Mixed reactions
(E) Face severe reprisals
(C) Stark reality
(F) Eventually demand
unsubstantiated

Blank (3)
(G) Remain unguided
(H) Are pursued
(I)Remain

8. In medical malpractice suits, in order to get a claim, the plaintiff must first and
foremost prove that the defendant is duty-bound to provide a service. Next, it has
to be established that the service provider did (1) _______ prescribed or expected
standards of care: such a/an (2) ________ has to be corroborated by expert
testimony or must be very obvious. Thereafter, it has to be established that such
negligence was (3) ________ the cause of the injury, physiological or
psychological, for which the aggrieved party has filed a claim.

Blank (1)

Blank (2)
(A) Manipulate
(B) Not conform to
(C) Concoct or fabricate

Blank (3)
(D) Diligent adherence
(E) Breach of duty
(F) Inviolable decree

(G) Increasingly
(H) Resolutely
(I) Indubitably

9. For a magazine that dedicates itself to the cause of objective reporting on current
issues like stem cell research and nanotechnology, treading the fine line between
passionate touting and (1) _______ is not going to be easy. The young editors
wish that readers view them as knowledgeable, responsible, and
principled
guides who will neither (2) ______ nor (3) _______ about these two areas of
inquiry.
Blank (1)

Blank (2)

Blank (3)

(A) Absolute insouciance

(D) Be prejudiced
(G)Become hypercritical
(B) Vitriolic criticism
(E) Toe the line
sycophantic
(C) Utter degradation
(F) Advocate uncritical
embrace

(H) Be
(I) Be paranoid

10. Patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome complain of debilitating

weakness that does not allow them to perform even (1) _______. The problem in
prescribing a medical treatment is that physicians are seldom able to (2) _____.
Avoiding strenuous activities or somewhat prolonged rest also does not seem to
help the afflicted, making some physicians (3) ______ that neuropsychological
factors could be the reason; hence, cognitive behaviour therapy, which equips
patients with better coping methods, maybe the answer.
Blank (1)

Blank (2)
(A) Routine chores

Blank (3)
(D) Gauge the side- effects

(G) Assert

(B) Sedentary jobs

Hypothesize
(C) Temporal tasks

(E) Pinpoint an organic cause

(F) Continue the treatment

(H)

(I) Quip

11. His performance in the previous semester was nothing to (1) ______. Acting upon
his mentors suggestion, Elton decided to (2) _______, write elaborate notes and
pay heed to the minor details too in order to get good grades in the current
semester. This was in sharp contrast to the big- picture approach, giving (3)
______ to the minutiae, that he had cultivated earlier.
Blank (1)

Blank (2)
(A) Be apprehensive about
(B) Write home about
(C) Be pensive about
time

Blank (3)
(D) Be skeptical
(G) Scant respect
(E) Work assiduously
(H)Due attention
(F) Refer various manuscript
(I)Inordinate

SENTENCE EQUIVALENCE:

12. As excited as he was to have been chosen for the reality television show, he was
__________ about involving his family, particular his children, whom he felt
would not understand the situation fully.
A. Thrilled
B. Timorous
C. Vacillating
D. Horrified
E. Resigned
F. Wavering

13. Because the architect had found evidence of decay in a supporting wall, her
official report ____________ the structured integrity of the building as a likely
cause of the accident.
A. Proposed
B. Validated
C. Rejected
D. Advanced
E. Deplored
F. Condemned
14. After staying up all night she felt extremely __________________; however, she
still ran three miles with her friends.

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

apprehensive
lethargic
controversial
sluggish
vigorous
energetic

15. Although English is the de facto language of the United States of America, its
being made the official language is ___________ given the diversity of the
population, in particular the rapid rise in the Spanish-Speaking demographic.
A. Feasible
B. Unlikely
C. Improbable
D. Impossible
E. Plausible
F. Preposterous

ANSWER KEYS
Q.1 The passage primarily discusses the possibility of a cure for cancer i.e., a new method of
treatment. Lines (sentences 11-30) of the passage suggest that choice (D) reflects the authors
primary purpose.
Q.2 The author is most likely to agree with choice (B). The expression a strange tweak in the
cells (sentence 4) justifies the option.
Q.3 Option C is irrelevant. Options A, B and D strengthen the conclusion. Option E casts doubt
on the role played by the pesticide in colony collapse disorder. The correct answer is option E.
Q.4 The paradox is best resolved by option E. The other options do not do anything to explain
why the US hospitals are interested in building those facilities. Thus, the correct answer is
choice E.
Q.5 Option B talks about enjoying shopping and not the place where they do their shopping.
So rule out option B as it is irrelevant. Options C, D and E render support to the statement that

shopping behavior varies by social class. Option A puts the onus of shopping behavior on
childhood socialization patterns and educational influences and not on social class. Thus,
option A is correct.

Q.6. The word that fits in blank 1 should convey the state in which the youth is in. the words
festivities and foot-tapping music in the second sentence of the text suggest that liveliness
or cheerfulness is in the air. The word reticent which characterizes the faculty team suggests
that the antonym exuberance fits in the blank. The words enough to light up the spirits in
the sentence suggest that the administrative staff played some role in lighting up the spirits of
the faulty team. Thus, constant egging by (encouraging someone) fits in the blank. Even the
sternest of them were ready to let their hair down for once and enjoy themselves. Thus, the
answer is C, D, G.
Q.7. The missing word in blank 1 explains the situations confronted by whistle blowers. The
second and third sentences of the text refer to the real-life situations which whistle blowers
confront i.e., strained or severed relationship with the accused co-workers. Thus stark reality
best fits in blank 1. The words penalized by law enforcers in the last sentence provides the
clue that face severe reprisals is apt in blank 2. The word if in last line of the text suggests a
condition i.e., facing severe reprisals or being penalized would happen in case of lack of
evidence for the accusation. Thus, remain unsubstantiated best fits in blank 3. Thus, the
answer is C, E, H.
Q.8. The words medical malpractice in the first sentence of the text suggest that the text
focuses on the steps involved in getting a claim in case of illegal or negligent professional
behaviour. The missing word in the first blank of the text provides description of the negligent
behaviour of the service-provider. Thus, not conform to is apt in the context. The first blank
provides the clue to the missing phrase in blank 2. Thus, not conforming to expected standards
of care can be termed as breach of duty. The tone in the last sentence of the text suggests that
it must further be established by the plaintiff that such negligent behaviour by the service
provider is certainly the cause of the injury. Thus, the expression indubitably
(unquestionably) fits blank 3 best. Thus, the answer is B, E, I
Q.9 The rationale behind the word which fits in blank I goes as follows: X and Y are two
features of reporting and if a magazine dedicates itself to the cause of objective reporting,
then, treading the fine line between X and Y is not so easy. Since, X is passionate touching
and Y, which is the phrase in blank 1, is vitriolic criticism. This suggests that editors wish to
be viewed as being unbiased or dispassionate. Therefore, the words neither-nor in the last
sentence of the text suggest that advocate uncritical embrace and become hypercritical fit in
blanks 2 and 3 respectively. These two phrases reflect the overall tone of the text i.e.,
objective reporting. Thus, the answer is B, F, G.
Q.10 The missing word in the first blank could explain the effect of debilitating weaknesses
on the patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. The word even which precedes
blank 1 emphasizes the fact that patients suffering from this syndrome become too weak to

perform simple regular jobs. Thus, routine chores aptly fits in blank 1. The missing word in
blank 2 should explain the problem in prescribing a medical treatment. The answer choice
which best explains the problem is gauge side effects. The words could and may used in
the last line of the text suggest an indefinite possibility. Thus, it is understood that some
physicians are making a guess about the factors that cause this syndrome. Therefore,
hypothesize best fits in blank 3. Thus, the answer is A, E, H.
Q.11 The overall tone expressed by the first sentence of the text suggests that Eltons
performance in the previous semester was not very exciting. The word nothing which
precedes blank 1 suggests that write home about fits in the blank as it completes the idiom
nothing to write home about (of little value or importance). The missing word in blank 2
should explain Eltons decision in order to get good grades in the current semester. The words,
write elaborate notes and pay heed to the minor details in the second sentence suggest that
work assiduously aptly fits in blank 2. From the last sentence of the text, it is clear that
paying heed to minor details is in sharp contrast to Eltons previous habit of the big-picture
approach. Thus, scant respect which suggests his attitude towards minor details best fits in
blank 3. Thus, the answer is B,E, G.
Q12. C, F
From the key words of the first clause, As excited as he was, you know that his feelings of
involving his family are in direct opposition to his excitement, so you can expect to find
answers describing doubt or even concern. You can then dismiss choice (A) thrilled because
you are looking for a pair of answers that suggest he is not pleased or unsure of involving his
family-probably a synonym of worried. Choices (D) horrified and (E) resigned can be
likewise eliminated because they do not match our expected meaning and are without
synonyms among the answers. From the remaining three options, you can see that the correct
answers must be choices (C) vacillating and (F) wavering because these two are synonymsmeaning to move unsteadily from one side to the other-whereas (B) timorous means extremely
cautious or shy, not a characteristic of someone excited to be on a reality TV show, and has no
answer choice for it to pair with.
Q13. A, D
The key here is official report-you are looking for the answers that use neutral language to
describe the relation of delay to accident (indicated by the road sign Because). You are
looking for a word to describe the possible role that buildings structural integrity had in the
accident, which based on the sentence you can expect to be a synonym of offered or
suggested. (A) proposedis one good choice because it means to suggest and has an official,
neutral tone to it. Choices (B) validated, (E) deplored, and (F) condemned are all too definitive
(or loaded with personal emotion) to be what you are looking for. Among the remaining
choices, answer choices (A) and (D) advanced are the correct answers-(C) rejected is the
opposite of what you need
Q14. B, D

When someone stays up all night, he or she is usually very tired. The detour road sign in this
sentence is however in the second clause. It indicates that the person in the sentence went
running, which takes a lot of energy, even though he or she was up all night.
You can use this clue to make a prediction such as: After staying up all night she felt
extremely tired; however, she still ran three miles with her friends.
Scan the answer choices, looking for a match. You find it in (B) lethargic and (D) sluggish,
both of which mean tired. Choices (E) vigorous and (F) energetic are the opposite of tired.
Choice (A) apprehensive can be used to describe someone who is anxious, but not tired.
Choice (C) controversial can be used to describe something that is open to debate.
Q15. B, C
Given the road sign Although, you can predict that the solution will contrast the possibility
of English being made the official language to the status of English as the de facto language.
You are therefore looking for answers that imply doubt. Choices (A) feasible and (E) plausible
can then be rejected because they are the opposite of what you need. Choices (D) impossible
and (F) preposterous are too strong because you need solutions that convey some degree of
uncertainty. Answer choices (B) unlikely and (C) improbable, then, are the correct synonyms to
match your prediction of doubt or poor probability.