CAT 2024 Question Paper | VARC Slot 1

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Question 13 : The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

Certain codes may, of course, be so widely distributed in a specific language community or culture, and be learned at so early an age, that they appear not to be constructed – the effect of an articulation between sign and referent – but to be 'naturally' given. Simple visual signs appear to have achieved a 'near-universality' in this sense: though evidence remains that even apparently 'natural' visual codes are culture specific. However, this does not mean that no codes have intervened; rather, that the codes have been profoundly naturalized. The operation of naturalized codes reveals not the transparency and 'naturalness' of language but the depth, the habituation and the near-universality of the codes in use. They produce apparently 'natural' recognitions. This has the (ideological) effect of concealing the practices of coding which are present.

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Explanatory Answer

Tricky question, as the paragraph is dense and difficult to read. However, the correct choice - 2- can be identified fairly easily by eliminating the other options.
The paragraph says that while certain codes, especially simple visual signs, may appear to be 'naturally given' and not constructed (that is, indicating the relationship between a sign and referent), 'natural' recognitions are not attributable to the transparency and ‘naturalness’ of language but to the depth, the habituation and the near-universality of the codes in use.
Option 1 is easily eliminated. The paragraph does not say naturalization of codes is the effect of ideology.
Option 2 sums up the main idea: it is only because some codes are so widespread that they seem naturally given.
Option 3 is ruled out as it says all codes have a 'natural' origin. This is incorrect.
Option 4 can also be easily eliminated as the paragraph does not say that ideology aims to hide the mechanism of coding behind signs.
So, option 2 is the correct choice.

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Hence, the answer is 'Language and visual signs are codes. However, some of the codes are so widespread that they not only seem naturally given but also hide the mechanism of coding behind the signs.'

Choice B is the correct answer.

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