CAT 2017 Question Paper | Verbal Slot 2

CAT Questions

Starting your online preparation for CAT? Not sure where to begin from? Fret not! One of the best ways to go about your preparation is to practice CAT previous year paper. This will help you understand what you can expect in the CAT Question Paper in terms of pattern and difficulty level of the questions! This will also help you to get comfortable with the trickier questions and you will very likely not tax yourself by practicing questions that are way too difficult for the CAT exam. Start right now with this question on Para Summary from CAT 2020 Question paper.

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The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

Question 30 : Both Socrates and Bacon were very good at asking useful questions. In fact, Socrates is largely credited with coming up with a way of asking questions, 'the Socratic method,' which itself is at the core of the 'scientific method,' popularised by Bacon. The Socratic method disproves arguments by finding exceptions to them, and can therefore lead your opponent to a point where they admit something that contradicts their original position. In common with Socrates, Bacon stressed it was as important to disprove a theory as it was to prove one — and real-world observation and experimentation were key to achieving both aims. Bacon also saw science as a collaborative affair, with scientists working together, challenging each other.

1. Both Socrates and Bacon advocated clever questioning of the opponents to disprove their arguments and theories.
2. Both Socrates and Bacon advocated challenging arguments and theories by observation and experimentation.
3. Both Socrates and Bacon advocated confirming arguments and theories by finding exceptions.
4. Both Socrates and Bacon advocated examining arguments and theories from both sides to prove them.

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Explanatory Answer

The paragraph states that both Socrates and Bacon believed that ‘it was as important to disprove a theory as it was to prove one - and real-world observation and experimentation were key to achieving both aims.’

The other options are eliminated as they talk of either proving or disproving, not both.

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Choice D is the correct answer.