CAT 2025 Question Paper | VARC Slot 1

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Question 6 : The given sentence is missing in the paragraph below. Decide where it best fits among the options 1, 2, 3, or 4 indicated in the paragraph.

Sentence: Historically, silver has been, and still is, an important element in the business of 'show' visible in private houses, churches, government and diplomacy.

Paragraph: ____(1) ____. Timothy Schroder put it succinctly in suggesting that electric light and eating in the kitchen eroded this need. As he explained to the author, 'Silver, when illuminated by flickering candlelight, comes alive and almost dances before the eyes, but when lit by electric light it becomes flat and dead.' ____(2) ____. Domestic and economic changes may have worked against the market, but the London silver trade remained buoyant, thanks to the competition of collectors seeking grand display silver at the top end, and the buyers of 'collectables', like spoons and wine labels and 'novelties', at the bottom. ____(3) ____. Another factor that came into play was the systematic collection building of certain American museums over the period. Boston, Huntington Art Gallery and Williamsburg, among others, were largely supplied by London dealers. ____(4) ____.

Explanatory Answer

Blank 1 is a tempting choice to place the missing sentence, as the sentence following it talks of electric light and eating in the kitchen eroding 'this need', suggesting the need is the need to 'show' mentioned in the missing sentence. However, if the missing sentence is placed in blank 1, the rest of the paragraph should talk about how the demand for silver reduced. This is not the case. The paragraph talks of how several factors kept the London silver trade buoyant.
The sentence following blank 2 and before blank 3 talks about collectors seeking grand display silver and buyers of collectibles keeping the demand up. The missing sentence relates to this idea, so it could make sense when placed at one of these blanks. Now, between the two, 3 is a better choice. If the missing sentence is placed immediately after one that says silver lit up by electric light looks 'flat and dead', then this idea and the idea that silver is for 'show' seem to conflict. When placed in blank 3, the missing sentence carries forward the idea in the sentence before it. Blank 4 is easily ruled out, as it is too late to discuss how historically silver has been or still is, in the last sentence.

The answer is 'Option 3'

Choice 2 is the correct answer.

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