Next 100 days of preparation for CAT 2015 can be crucial as the exam is proposed to be held earlier than it was held in 2014. Candidates preparing for CAT 2015 may anticipate the exam in the month of October 2015. Besides, CAT 2015 is going to be a single day affair. Hence not more than 100 days might be left to appear in CAT 2015. The notification for the exam is proposed to be released on July 26, 2015 by the CAT 2015 convening IIM Ahmedabad.
The weightage on Verbal Ability section in calculation of percentile is expected to be more in CAT 2015 in comparison to earlier CAT exams. It implies that even the smallest fraction in Verbal Ability section can boost or dip your percentile in CAT 2015, so there is the need to focus more on this section.
Verbal Ability section in CAT 2015 is proposed to have 50 questions-34 on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension and 16 on logical Reasoning. Further segmentalization of verbal Ability section can drive home the fact that 18 questions based on pure Verbal Ability consist of various topics. One of such topics is to pick out the ‘out of context sentence’ from a jumbled paragraph. This type of question first appeared in CAT 2012 as a surprise for the test takers and since then it has been making recurring appearance in Verbal Ability section of CAT.
CAT 2015 proposes to bring with it 3 questions asking you to pick out the ‘Out of context sentence’ from a Jumbled paragraph. Choosing correct answer options to these 3 questions can improve your percentile by 12 to 14 and incorrect answer options can reduce the same by 17 to 20 in accordance with the proposed pattern of negative marking in CAT 2015.
Prof S K Agarwal, expert on Verbal Ability for CAT 2015 preparation shares the concept behind such questions which are not so difficult as they appear. In fact If we recall our childhood school days when we used to solve small puzzles, answer the riddles in fun and play, we may find that we enjoyed answering such questions which added to our stock of vocabulary as well as sharpened the question solving strategy. The same trategy has to be applied here to prepare and crack this new type of question in CAT 2015. since we have to face it, we must crack it with a good skill and understanding.
The strategy to solve this tricky question is to decode the jumbled paragraphs first and then pick out the ‘out of context sentence’. Mentors and CAT aspirants who anticipate such questions that threw surprise for the first time in CAT 2012 always try to gear up for any eventuality like this and the ‘Mantra’ is versatile study pattern.
Question structure
This question appears in the same form as any random jumbled paragraph. It consists of four sentences labelled A,B,C,D, and are in a jumbled form. These four 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. An aspirant has to pick out that ‘out of context sentence’ from the jumbled group of sentences.
Strategy to prepare and crack
Try to remember the childhood days. What were the rules you followed 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.
Look at the following small examples on words and pick the odd man out of the following five words –
A.Detach B. Remove C. Steady D. Unfasten E. Separate
Explanation – Out of the above five words while 4 convey the same meaning 1 is different. All the words should convey more or less same meaning and similarly all the sentences should convey same thought process. If any sentence, word breaks the coherence it is out of context or an ‘odd man’ to be picked out. While detach, remove, unfasten, separate all are synonyms, steady doesn’t match the flow and is an odd man out. Therefore the answer option C. Steady is correct. Similarly in case you are given the description about the process of construction of a building and in between you find a sentence that leads you to the cost and managing finance of construction, it is an out of context sentence. The process ‘how to find the word, place, sentence which is out of context’ is more or less same.
These questions may or may not carry real facts with them but what is stated in them have to be taken at their face value and answer has to be chosen accordingly. In the same manner – when you try to locate an out of context sentence you should be aware of number of things like – actions, objects, statements, whether the same idea is followed in the entire paragraph or the stand has changed. If the paragraph is all about the current state of affairs in the country; all the sentences describe it but one sentence proposes some relevant action to be taken on the issue- this sentence has got to be out of context.
Link and nail the out of context sentence
The CAT 2015 aspirant is required to link the sentences in accordance with the information provided in the paragraph. It is necessary to ensure that the idea and action expressed in the jumbled paragraph move in the same line, any sentence expressing different idea and differing the coherent formation of the paragraph will be an out of context sentence. Hence, a paragraph fragment, in fact is a sentence in the paragraph that breaks the consistency and coherence of the paragraph. This sentence is the ‘out of context sentence’ in the paragraph as it neither expresses the coherence nor supplements to the complete thought.
Solve it with accuracy
The way to recognize an out of context sentence is to read a paragraph backwards sentence by sentence. After completion of your reading following two things are to be done-
1. Arrange the jumbled paragraph of 3-4 difficult sentences coherently to make it meaningful, and
2. Pick out the out of context sentence which is not relevant to the string of thought in the paragraph, although that may be quite close to it.
Let us share a few examples –
Direction-question-1 & 2 – 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
Q.1 A. Just before leaving the court, the magistrate complained of giddiness
B.Media representatives had gathered in huge numbers at the main entrance with their cameras ready. But, police used a man
C.But before proceeding with the remand process, judicial magistrate held discussions with judicial officers in the Madras high court
D.and was taken to the Tirupur government hospital for treatment.
E.with his head covered as a decoy to divert the attention of the media and took the magistrate through a back entrance.
1.E 2. C 3. B 4. A
Q.2 A. Post-acquisition Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Nokia
B.Nokia will continue to consolidate NSN for financial reporting purposes as well as to strengthen the company
C.that was expected to be completed during the third quarter,
D.The boards of both companies have approved the deal
E.pending approval from regulatory authroties.
1. D 2.A 3.B 4.B
Answers with explanation
Ans. Q.1: 2. C; Explanation– Tone of the para is narrative describing the facts without opinion. B- opens the para E follows – ‘a man with his head covered’; A – description of what happened during the proceedings and thereafter; D follows A while (C) is out of context and diverts the idea – while every thing is centred about the culprit- C indicates the decision taken by the judicial magistrate looking after the case – which is a distraction from the consistent flow of similar idea.
Ans. Q.2: 3.B; Explanation- D-describes the beginning of the course of action followed by C and E. A concludes the para describing the result of the process. B is out of context as it transforms to other domain, probably to other paragraph depicting the idea how it will strengthen and consolidate the NSN
The flow of paragraph
This exercise is not possible without understanding the flow of thought and placing those jumbled sentences in a coherent manner. It is the test of the student’s versatile reading, understanding of language, writing ability based on deep stock of vocabulary, grammar and correct use of tenses.
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