CAT 2023 Question Paper | VARC Slot 2

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Question 24 : The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think "if only" or "what if" and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other people's beliefs, including their false beliefs.

Explanatory Answer

The paragraph given lists the many reasons why the mind computes counterfactuals and states that this ability develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other people's beliefs. Option C is a good summary.

Option A suggests people intentionally create counterfactuals in order to reason about other people's beliefs. The paragraph, on the other hand, states counterfactuals are created spontaneously by the mind.

Option B is logically incorrect as it says counterfactual thinking helps to 'reverse' past and future actions.

Option D relates to specific reasons listed in the paragraph. C is a better summary.

The answer is 'Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of one's developmental process.'

Choice C is the correct answer.