4 Rules to Crack the Paragraph Completion questions in the CAT

No other question in the CAT is as deceptively simple as Paragraph Completion questions. Superficially, they do not require us to know or remember any rules. They, in fact, require us to do something far more difficult – to think like the writer.

Since the last month's post on RCs, I have been thinking hard over an appropriate parallel to explain the process of solving Paragraph Completion question. And all my thoughts end once again at the same point – Sherlock Holmes. Indeed, picking up the scattered clues, and building them into a clear chain of reasoning for anticipation are as inseparable as Sherlock and Watson.

Apart from his otherworldly observation skills, Sherlock possesses one quality that even the best at Scotland Yard (or pretty much anywhere else) do not. He can THINK LIKE a criminal. Following the flimsiest of clues – for example, Irene’s pulse – he can predict what the criminal will do next. And therefore, he is always one step AHEAD of his quarry.

Let us see how Sherlock would approach the Para Completion questions in the CAT:

Rule 1 for cracking Para Completion Questions:

“Sentiment is a chemical defect found in the losing side.” – From A Scandal in Belgravia

While answering Para Completion questions, the most important thing to remember is not to approach the answer option subjectively.

Sherlock often puts himself in the criminal’s shoes. He is able to keep his emotions, and more importantly his own perspective, out of the equation. He picks up clues from the observed behaviour of his target, and foresees the next step the criminal would take – however unlikely that step may seem.

Similarly, it is not about what in my opinion, or yours, should be the ending of the paragraph. It is for both of us to objectively follow the train of the writer’s thought, pick up the clues that exist in the paragraph, and reach the intended conclusion.

This conclusion must achieve the following:

a)     It must be a value addition to the given para

b)    It must preserve the unity of thought and structure

c)     It must be consistent in tone with the given para

This does not seem very difficult. Yet, we may unconsciously depart from the criteria while looking at the answer options. If we do not lose sight of the above objectives, the rest is usually a simple process of observing the standard patterns.

Rule 2 for cracking Para Completion Questions:

“From a drop of water a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or the other.” – from A Study in Scarlet

Do not wait till the clues present themselves. Read the paragraph with utmost involvement. Imagine that you are listening to the writer. Try to foresee what is coming, and pick up clues that may present a hint of any of the following patterns.

1. Cause – effect: One of the most common conclusion patterns. The paragraph presents us with causes, and the correct answer option presents us with the logical effect. Do remember that the effect cannot be in contradiction with the causes. In rare cases, effects are discussed in the paragraph, and the cause is inferred in the answer option.
2. Course-of-action: The paragraph presents us with a situation, and the correct answer offers a probable course of action.
3. A contrasting option: The paragraph presents us with a viewpoint, or several view points, elaborating on one side of the story. The correct answer option may present us with another side of the story. This is a potentially dangerous situation, as the test taker must be wary of the answer options that contradict the contents of the para instead of contrasting them. Contrast offers us an opposing viewpoint without invalidating the other. Contradiction essentially refutes what the given para asserts. Remember, the writer of the para will not ever sabotage his/her own argument.
4. Chronological order: The paragraph may present us with a series of events following a definite and linear timeline. The correct answer option may extend it further. Be wary of the answer options that are far removed from the timeline in the para.
5. A problem-solution approach: The para offers us a problem or a problematic situation, and the correct answer option may be a solution to the given problem. The solution may be either of the two types: A – what can be done, and B – what could have been done.
6. Theory-Illustration: The paragraph contains a theory or more likely a theoretical discussion, and the correct answer option offers an example to explain it. Remember, the wrong answers may contain examples that disprove the theory, instead of accomplishing the opposite.
7. Reinforcement of an argument: Another extremely common para structure. The para contains the argument, and the correct answer option the appropriate substantiation of it. Do remember that wrong answer may inadequately support the argument.

 

Rule 3 for cracking Para Completion Questions:

“How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?” – From The Sign of Four

Elimination can often be as effective a strategy as selection. The following kind of answer options are usually the wrong ones.

1. Irrelevant: Such answer options are the conclusions which are either entirely unrelated to or only vaguely related to the para. If they are the latter, they do not present us with any reason why they should be the concluding lines.
2. Repetition: A theme cannot be extended by repeating either directly or indirectly what has been stated earlier. Do not forget the “completion” part. It only makes sense if the information in the last line is a value addition to the para that precedes it.
3. Contradiction: The last line cannot disprove what the para has tried to prove.
4. Too broad: This is the kind of answer option that magnifies the scope of the argument beyond reasonable. For example, the para may only be about who will be the next governor of Texas, and the (incorrect) answer option concludes by suddenly raising the topic of the next US president.
5. Too narrow – Here the incorrect answer option focuses pointlessly on a very minor aspect of the para, and therefore fails to complete the grander theme of the passage.
6. Inconsistent tone – Be wary of the options that are clearly out of sync with the tone of the passage. The most common type of this is a para that is formal in tone and the proposed conclusion that is extremely informal.
7. New themes – Perhaps the most deceptive of all. Such new themes are always related to the ongoing discussion in the para, but they cannot be immediately introduced. The writer may talk about them in the next para, or the one after that, but not in the given para. Ask yourself: Is this option likely to end this para, or is it more likely to start the next para? If it is the latter, you are looking at a wrong answer.

Rule 4 for cracking Para Completion Questions:

Solving Para Completion questions requires a combination of observation, deduction, empathy, and most importantly instinct. A Para Completion question of even moderate difficulty requires us to take a bit of risk. Do not hesitate to take your chances, for the only way to learn what to do is to first learn what not to.

“Any truth is better than indefinite doubt” – from The Yellow Face

Thats all from me. Untill next time.

Vikas Joshi.

READ THAT TWICE

Is Life Blurred ?

One of the things I really like about camera is the manual focus feature. You know, when you slowly rotate your camera lenses until your image is perfectly clear. You go from a blurred, foggy image, slowly turn your fingers around the lenses, and voila: you have a brand new, crystal clear image, ready to be captured by a single, gentle touch of your finger.

You’ll be surprised to learn that everybody have this feature, this manual focus. Only it’s not about photos. It’s about your life, and the way you live it. Most of the time you live a blurred life. Everything around you is unclear. You just have enough information to know a little bit about your surroundings, but you are moving in a foggy world.

By the way, living in a blurred world is frustrating. Not knowing who you’re really talking to, not knowing where you are really heading, not knowing if the person in front of you is smiling or frowning, that’s really bad. But this is how it is and it’s pretty much everybody’s story. I’ve been there, you’ve been there, and even now, the vast majority of people is there, moving around with a blurred image of their lives.

And they have this foggy image because they don’t use the manual focus feature. Their life camera is not calibrated. In other words, they’re not using their full potential. They’re looking at a blurred scenery, truly believing that this is all what they are getting from this life. A blurred job, a blurred relationship, a blurred income. A life blurred completely. They don’t have the courage to touch the lenses and really see what’s going on around them.

Whenever you clear your lenses, something magical happens. You start to see things the way they really are. Some people call this “having an aha” moment. Some people call this an epiphany and even other people call this “seeing God”. If you ask me, they’re all right. With the mention that everything was there before, only blurred. Your real life mission was always there, only you couldn’t see it because of the fog. Your perfect partner was there all the time, only she was just invisible, melted in a sea of dissipated contours. Everything was there before, but you couldn’t see it, because you were not properly focused.

Now, what could you do in order to start improve your life lenses?

Make Sure It Still Works

Yes, the most common problem is a broken camera objective. It doesn’t work anymore. It’s stuck. Only you think it’s still working at full capacity.

The best way to verify your camera integrity is to try moving it a little bit forward and backward. That translates in what people usually call “pushing your luck”.

For instance, if you are in a job you don’t like, try upsetting your boss. Or be late a couple a days. Is this really making a difference? Or everything is basically the same, no difference?

On the other hand, if you do like the job but you’re unsure if it really fits you, do allocate some extra time. Work extra hours. Is this really making a difference? How do you feel? There is any change at all in your life?

This type of small steps helps you verify if the camera is actually working. If it’s not, you’ll experience the same type of sensation you have in a dream, when whatever you do has no consequences. If there is any reaction at all from your environment, you’re lucky: you have a working camera. If not, you’re stuck. Your camera objective is broken, you live a blurred life and you didn’t even know. You need to take immediate measures to fix your camera.

Usually, this means buying a new one. Which, of course, translates in starting a completely new life.

Make Sure Your Lenses Are Clean

Sometimes, wherever you point your camera, you get the same result. The reality has the same shape. No matter what you try to shoot, you get the exact same picture. That means your lenses are dirty. There is clogged dirt on the lenses which is preventing you to see the world as it really is.

The most common dirt your lenses can accumulate in time is called prejudice. Or pre-made judgement. If you already make your judgement in regard to whatever crosses your mind, your camera will obey and show you exactly what you think you know. It will show the dirt you have on the lenses, not the reality.

Assessing this can be difficult. You trust your camera so much that you don’t even bother to check it out from time to time. Things are changing, reality is changing. Some judgement that was ok when you were a kid is not working anymore now. And this is something natural. You lived for so long that your camera accumulated a lot of dirt. Clean it up.

And the only way to give a professional cleaning to your life lenses is to go out and experience more. You can’t tell if your lenses are clogged with dirt if you don’t check them out. Verify them against what you thought you know. Experiment. Learn.

Make Sure You Shoot The Right Subject

Maybe you’re trying to get that common picture everybody wants? Like shooting the same old Eiffel Tour you get on every postcard in the world? No wonder you think life it’s boring. Because if you’re doing what everybody else does (or tells you to do), your life will be boring. If you’re choosing common subjects for your life, you will get common pictures.

Point your camera to new topics, try new angles, see if what you get is interesting. Maybe your life picture got blurred because its main subject is so common that you can’t find anything original in it? No courage? No thrills? No innovation? No risk? Well, enough with that! Forget what they told you about how to use a camera and invent your own way. Nobody guarantees that you will shoot the picture of a lifetime, but at least you didn’t get bored.

It’s About You, Not About Them

If you’ve carefully doing everything above, I’m sure you’ll start getting a new picture pretty soon. You may not know if it’s a good or a bad one, but it’s a new one. You’ll learn something from it.

And maybe the most important lesson to be learned is that your life picture is entirely up to you. You are the one who holds the camera. You can adjust the objective the way you want. The lenses are obeying you. You chose the subject, you adjust the clarity and the beauty of your life.

So, think again: is your life blurred right now?

कुछ कहना था आज

आज मन कहीं भाग जाने का कर रहा है.. कही दूर जहाँ कोई ना आता जाता हो... झूठ की इस दुनिया में सच्चाई की मशाल लेके कब तक चलूँगा .... अब मैं हिम्मत हार चुका हूँ... फ़िज़ूल की ताक़त नही रही मुझमें... जो मुझे कहते है वो खुद भी तो वही कर सकते है ... पर नही वो नही करके मेरे माथे थोप देते हैं सब कुछ . ..

वालपेपर पर एक पुराने दोस्त की फोटो लगाई है आज... सब बदल गये  .. सब झूठे है... सब बनावटी है ... पर तुम आज भी बिना फिल्टर के उतनी ही खूबसूरत दिखती हो जितनी कई साल पहले तुम्हे देखा था ... क्या कहती थी तुम ??... aesthetic ब्यूटी ... चलो दोस्त आज तुम्हे याद कर रहा हूँ ... शब्द अब कमज़ोर हो गये है... जो बर्फ जमी तो आज तक नही पिघली ... तुम नही .. तुम्हारी तस्वीर ही सही ...  कमसे कम नखली तो नही है...लोगो की तरह ... तुमने कभी आड़े तिरछे मुँह नही बनाए...हमेशा सादगी भरा चेहरा .. जिस पर एक बेपरवाह सी मुस्कान का साया हमेशा रहता था...तुम्हे कुछ बताता हूँ ...आड़े तिरछे से याद आया ..  आज कल के लोग बनाते हैं ना .. जिसे वो सेल्फी भी कहते है.. सेल्फी लेते लेते लोग सेल्फिश हो गये है ... अच्छा है तुम यहाँ नही हो .. वरना तुम  तो पागल ही हो जाती.. जैसे पहले होती थी ... तुम कितना चिढ़ती थी ऐसे लोगो से ... खास कर ऐसी लड़कियो से... तभी तो हम दोनो साइकोलॉजिकली इतने same थे...

तुम जबसे गयी हो ... बहुत दुखी रहता हूँ.. खुदसे परेशान हूँ .. उससे भी ज़यादा लोगों से ... पता है क्या ? ... मैं आप सबसे बड़ी दूर कही हमेशा के लिए चला जाना चाहता हूँ... कहीं दूर,,, जहाँ आवाज़ लगाने पर भी मैं मूढ़ के देख ना सकूँ ..

तुम्हारी जगह कोई ले रहा है अब ... धीरे धीरे .. पर फिर भी जो तुम मुझे समझती थी ..  मेरी कद्र करती थी ...  वो भी कर रही है.. पर फिर भी नही समझ पाती है... तुमको एक बार किसी चीज़ के लिए ना कह देता था तो तुम आँख बंद करके वही करती थी .. क्यूंकी तुम्हे मुझ पर विश्वास था..भरोसा था की मैं जो भी कहूँगा या करूँगा उसके पीछे कोई ना कोई वजह होगी और उससे भी ज़्यादा तुम्हे पता था की वो तुम्हारे हित में ही  होगी... अब वो विश्वास नही करती है... क्या कर सकते है...

कोफ़्त होती है खुदसे... सबसे ज़्यादा इस ईश्वर से... नाइंसाफी की हद तो देखो... जो जिस चीज़ के लायक ही नही है उसे वो मिल रही है... हमेशा से ऐसा ही होता आया है.. और होता रहेगा... कुछ लोग बिना मेहनत किए इतना कुछ ले जाते है की खुद की कि गयी मेहनत बेमानी सी लगती है...

हे ईश्वर तुम उन्हे सब दे दो.. मेरे हिस्से का भी सुख दे दो... पर गम सिर्फ़ मुझे देना .. वो मैं बाँट नही  पाउँगा...  भेज दो मुझे ऐसी कोई दुनिया में जहाँ लोग उतने ही खूबसूरत हो जीतने की वो बाहरी नकली सोशियल मीडीया की दुनिया में होने का दावा करते है ...

तुम जिन लोगो के दाता बने हो.. क्या कभी तुमको याद भी करते है .. भगवान भगवान करने से कोई तुम्हारा भक्त तो नही हो जाता है.. वो तो मन से निकलना चाहिए ना ? फिर भी तुम्हे वही झूठे लोग पसंद है ना...

सब खुश नही है यहाँ आपकी दुनिया में... Non deservings लोगो से बात करता हूँ ... उन्हे खुश होते देखता हूँ ..तो चिड जाता हूँ... सब Non deservings है आस पास ... आईने में अपनी शक्ल भी नही देखते ...  खुद से तो शरम आनी चाहिए या वो भी कही बेच दी है... ??  कौड़ियों के भाव ....

सूरत नही सीरत अच्छी होनी चाहिए....  हज़ार फिल्टर लगाके फोटो डालने से क्या होगा जब तक दिल ही साफ ना हो.. खैर मुझे क्या ?  जो हो रहा है उसे ना मैं पहले रोक पाया था ना अब रोक . पाउँगा ...

खुद को ही बदल रहा हूँ धीरे धीरे...

बदल ही जाउँगा ... आप सब लोगो की ही तरह हज़ार फिल्टर लगाके... झूठा ही सही ... आपकी तरह...

जहाँ मुझे हमेशा के लिए सुलाया जा रहा था

था मैं नींद में..
और मुझे इतना सजाया जा रहा था..

बड़े ही प्यार से..
मुझे नहलाया जा रहा था..

नज़ाने था वो कौन सा अजब ख़ेल..
मेरे घर में,
बच्चों की तरह..
मुझे काँधे पे उठाया जा रहा था..

था पास मेरे मेरा हर अपना उस वक़्त ..
फिर भी मैं हर किसी के मूँह से..
बुलाया जा रहा था..

जो कभी देखते भी न थे..
मुहब्बत की निगाह से..
उन के दिल से भी प्यार मुझ पे लूटाया जा रहा था..

मालूम नही हैरान था हर कोई..
मुझे सोता हुआ देख कर..
ज़ोर ज़ोर से रो कर मुझे हंसाया जा रहा था,
काँप उठी मेरी रूह..
मेरा वो मकान देख कर..
पता चला मुझे दफ़नाया जा रहा था..

रो पड़ा फिर मैं भी अपना वो मंज़र देख कर..
जहाँ मुझे हमेशा के लिए सुलाया जा रहा था...

ख़ुद से वादा था पुराना जो निभाया मैंने

एक झूठा ही सही ख़्वाब सजाया मैंने

तुझे अलसुबह अपने पास में पाया मैंने

मेरे जानिब मुझे जो भी मिला बेचेहरा

उसके सांचे पे तेरा नक्श बनाया मैंने

तू नहीं थी, मगर उसमें थी महक तेरी

हाय क्या सूंघ लिया है ये खुदाया मैंने

तेरे आने का ये जो शोर है, अफवाह है ये

अपनी तन्हाई को इक दिन ये बताया मैंने

न तुझे जाने से रोका, न बुलाया वापस

न इस बात पे अफ़सोस जताया मैंने

अपनी उम्मीद का घोंटा गला फिर चुपके से

उसको अपने ही अंधेरे में डुबाया मैंने

तू गई, मैं तेरे जाने पे भी नहीं रोया
ख़ुद से वादा था पुराना जो निभाया मैंने

खोई हुई एक चीज़

यहीं कहीं तो रख्खी थी

दिल के पलंग पर
यादों के सिरहाने के नीचे  शायद
या फिर वक्त की
जंग लगी अलमारी के ऊपर

तनहाई की मेज पे या फिर
उदासियों की मुड़ी तुड़ी चादर के नीचे ?
यहीं कहीं तो रख्खी थी

कुछ तो रखकर भूल गया हूं
आंखिर क्या था
ये भी याद नहीं आता

कई दिनों से ढूंढ रहा हूं
वो बेनाम सी ,बेरंग
और बेशक्ल सी कोई चीज़

ऐसी चींजें खोकर वापस मिलती हैं क्या ?

एक-दूजे की ज़िंदगी में
हम दोनों भी ऐसी ही खोई हुई एक चीज़ हैं न ?

मैं फिर भी कोशिश करता हूं
तुम तो अब ढूंढना भी शायद भूल गई हो