BackALL MODULES
CAT 2025 Lesson : Verbal: Jul '25 to Aug '25 - CAT RC_POV method - 19 Aug
The passage below is accompanied by four questions. Based on the passage, choose the best answer for each question.
[CAT 2023 Slot 3]
The biggest challenge [The Nutmeg’s Curse by Ghosh] throws down is to the prevailing understanding of when the climate crisis started. Most of us have accepted . . . that it started with the widespread use of coal at the beginning of the Industrial Age in the 18th century and worsened with the mass adoption of oil and natural gas in the 20th.
Ghosh takes this history at least three centuries back, to the start of European colonialism in the 15th century. He [starts] the book with a 1621 massacre by Dutch invaders determined to impose a monopoly on nutmeg cultivation and trade in the Banda islands in today’s Indonesia. Not only do the Dutch systematically depopulate the islands through genocide, they also try their best to bring nutmeg cultivation into plantation mode. These are the two points to which Ghosh returns through examples from around the world. One, how European colonialists decimated not only indigenous populations but also indigenous understanding of the relationship between humans and Earth. Two, how this was an invasion not only of humans but of the Earth itself, and how this continues to the present day by looking at nature as a ‘resource’ to exploit. . . .
We know we are facing more frequent and more severe heatwaves, storms, floods, droughts and wildfires due to climate change. We know our expansion through deforestation, dam building, canal cutting – in short, terraforming, the word Ghosh uses – has brought us repeated disasters . . . Are these the responses of an angry Gaia who has finally had enough? By using the word ‘curse’ in the title, the author makes it clear that he thinks so. I use the pronoun ‘who’ knowingly, because Ghosh has quoted many non-European sources to enquire into the relationship between humans and the world around them so that he can question the prevalent way of looking at Earth as an inert object to be exploited to the maximum.
As Ghosh’s text, notes and bibliography show once more, none of this is new. There have always been challenges to the way European colonialists looked at other civilisations and at Earth. It is just that the invaders and their myriad backers in the fields of economics, politics, anthropology, philosophy, literature, technology, physics, chemistry, biology have dominated global intellectual discourse. . . .
There are other points of view that we can hear today if we listen hard enough. Those observing global climate negotiations know about the Latin American way of looking at Earth as Pachamama (Earth Mother). They also know how such a framing is just provided lip service and is ignored in the substantive portions of the negotiations. In The Nutmeg’s Curse, Ghosh explains why. He shows the extent of the vested interest in the oil economy – not only for oil-exporting countries, but also for a superpower like the US that controls oil drilling, oil prices and oil movement around the world. Many of us know power utilities are sabotaging decentralised solar power generation today because it hits their revenues and control. And how the other points of view are so often drowned out.
1) Which one of the following best explains the primary purpose of the discussion of the colonisation of the Banda islands in “The Nutmeg’s Curse”
(1) To illustrate how colonialism represented and perpetuated the mindset that has led to climate change.
(2) To illustrate how systemic violence against the colonised constituted the cornerstone of colonialism.
(3) To illustrate the role played by the cultivation of certain crops in the plantation mode in contributing to climate change.
(4) To illustrate the first instance in history when the processes responsible for climate change were initiated.
2) All of the following can be inferred from the reviewer’s discussion of “The Nutmeg’s Curse”, EXCEPT:
(1) the contemporary dominant perception of nature and the environment was put in place by processes of colonialism.
(2) environmental preservation policy makers can learn a lot from non-European and/or pre-colonial societies.
(3) academic discourses have always served the function of raising awareness about environmental preservation.
(4) the history of climate change is deeply intertwined with the history of colonialism.
3) Which one of the following, if true, would make the reviewer’s choice of the pronoun “who” for Gaia inappropriate?
(1) There is a direct cause–effect relationship between human activities and global climate change.
(2) Non-European societies have perceived the Earth as a non-living source of all resources.
(3) Ghosh’s book has a different title: “The Nutmeg’s Revenge”.
(4) Modern western science discovers new evidence for the Earth being an inanimate object.
4) On the basis of information in the passage, which one of the following is NOT a reason for the failure of policies seeking to address climate change?
(1) The decentralised characteristic of renewable energy resources like solar power.
(2) The global dominance of oil economies and international politics built around it.
(3) The marginalised status of non-European ways of looking at nature and the environment.
(4) The greed of organisations benefiting from non-renewable energy resources.
The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
[CAT 2022 Slot 1]
The Chinese have two different concepts of a copy. Fangzhipin... are imitations where the difference from the original is obvious. These are small models or copies that can be purchased in a museum shop, for example. The second concept for a copy is fuzhipin... They are exact reproductions of the original, which, for the Chinese, are of equal value to the original. It has absolutely no negative connotations. The discrepancy with regard to the understanding of what a copy is has often led to misunderstandings and arguments between China and Western museums. The Chinese often send copies abroad instead of originals, in the firm belief that they are not essentially different from the originals. The rejection that then comes from the Western museums is perceived by the Chinese as an insult. ...
The Far Eastern notion of identity is also very confusing to the Western observer. The Ise Grand Shrine [in Japan] is 1,300 years old for the millions of Japanese people who go there on pilgrimage every year. But in reality this temple complex is completely rebuilt from scratch every 20 years. ...
The cathedral of Freiburg Minster in southwest Germany is covered in scaffolding almost all year round. The sandstone from which it is built is a very soft, porous material that does not withstand natural erosion by rain and wind. After a while, it crumbles. As a result, the cathedral is continually being examined for damage, and eroded stones are replaced. And in the cathedral’s dedicated workshop, copies of the damaged sandstone figures are constantly being produced. Of course, attempts are made to preserve the stones from the Middle Ages for as long as possible. But at some point they, too, are removed and replaced with new stones.
Fundamentally, this is the same operation as with the Japanese shrine, except in this case the production of a replica takes place very slowly and over long periods of time. ... In the field of art as well, the idea of an unassailable original developed historically in the Western world. Back in the 17th century [in the West], excavated artworks from antiquity were treated quite differently from today. They were not restored in a way that was faithful to the original. Instead, there was massive intervention in these works, changing their appearance. ...
It is probably this intellectual position that explains why Asians have far fewer scruples about cloning than Europeans. The South Korean cloning researcher Hwang Woo-suk, who attracted worldwide attention with his cloning experiments in 2004, is a Buddhist. He found a great deal of support and followers among Buddhists, while Christians called for a ban on human cloning. ... Hwang legitimised his cloning experiments with his religious affiliation: ‘I am Buddhist, and I have no philosophical problem with cloning. And as you know, the basis of Buddhism is that life is recycled through reincarnation. In some ways, I think, therapeutic cloning restarts the circle of life.’
5) Which one of the following statements does not correctly express the similarity between the Ise Grand Shrine and the cathedral of Freiburg Minster?
(1) Both are continually undergoing restoration.
(2) Both can be regarded as very old structures.
(3) Both were built as places of worship.
(4) Both will one day be completely rebuilt.
6) Which one of the following scenarios is unlikely to follow from the arguments in the passage?
(1) A 17th century British painter would have no problem adding personal touches when restoring an ancient Roman painting.
(2) A 21st century Christian scientist is likely to oppose cloning because of his philosophical orientation.
(3) A 17th century French artist who adhered to a Christian worldview would need to be completely true to the original intent of a painting when restoring it.
(4) A 20th century Japanese Buddhist monk would value a reconstructed shrine as the original.
7) Based on the passage, which one of the following copies would a Chinese museum be unlikely to consider as having less value than the original?
(1) Pablo Picasso’s painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, identical in every respect.
(2) Pablo Picasso’s photograph of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, printed to exactly the same scale.
(3) Pablo Picasso’s miniaturised, but otherwise faithful and accurate painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting.
(4) Pablo Picasso’s painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, bearing Picasso’s signature.
8) The value that the modern West assigns to “an unassailable original” has resulted in all of the following EXCEPT:
(1) it allows regular employment for certain craftsmen.
(2) it discourages them from making interventions in ancient art.
(3) it discourages them from simultaneous displays of multiple copies of a painting.
(4) it discourages them from carrying out human cloning.
The passage below is accompanied by four questions. Based on the passage, choose the best answer for each question.
[CAT 2023 Slot 3]
In 2006, the Met [art museum in the US] agreed to return the Euphronios krater, a masterpiece Greek urn that had been a museum draw since 1972. In 2007, the Getty [art museum in the US] agreed to return 40 objects to Italy, including a marble Aphrodite, in the midst of looting scandals. And in December, Sotheby’s and a private owner agreed to return an ancient Khmer statue of a warrior, pulled from auction two years before, to Cambodia.
Cultural property, or patrimony, laws limit the transfer of cultural property outside the source country’s territory, including outright export prohibitions and national ownership laws. Most art historians, archaeologists, museum officials and policymakers portray cultural property laws in general as invaluable tools for counteracting the ugly legacy of Western cultural imperialism.
During the late 19th and early 20th century — an era former Met director Thomas Hoving called “the age of piracy” — American and European art museums acquired antiquities by hook or by crook, from grave robbers or souvenir collectors, bounty from digs and ancient sites in impoverished but art-rich source countries. Patrimony laws were intended to protect future archaeological discoveries against Western imperialist designs. . . .
I surveyed 90 countries with one or more archaeological sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list, and my study shows that in most cases the number of discovered sites diminishes sharply after a country passes a cultural property law. There are 222 archaeological sites listed for those 90 countries. When you look into the history of the sites, you see that all but 21 were discovered before the passage of cultural property laws. . . .
Strict cultural patrimony laws are popular in most countries. But the downside may be that they reduce incentives for foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations and educational institutions to invest in overseas exploration because their efforts will not necessarily be rewarded by opportunities to hold, display and study what is uncovered. To the extent that source countries can fund their own archaeological projects, artifacts and sites may still be discovered. . . . The survey has far-reaching implications. It suggests that source countries, particularly in the developing world, should narrow their cultural property laws so that they can reap the benefits of new archaeological discoveries, which typically increase tourism and enhance cultural pride. This does not mean these nations should abolish restrictions on foreign excavation and foreign claims to artifacts.
China provides an interesting alternative approach for source nations eager for foreign archaeological investment. From 1935 to 2003, China had a restrictive cultural property law that prohibited foreign ownership of Chinese cultural artifacts. In those years, China’s most significant archaeological discovery occurred by chance, in 1974, when peasant farmers accidentally uncovered ranks of buried terra cotta warriors, which are part of Emperor Qin’s spectacular tomb system.
In 2003, the Chinese government switched course, dropping its cultural property law and embracing collaborative international archaeological research. Since then, China has nominated 11 archaeological sites for inclusion in the World Heritage Site list, including eight in 2013, the most ever for China.
9) From the passage we can infer that the author is likely to advise poor, but archaeologically-rich source countries to do all of the following, EXCEPT:
(1) adopt China’s strategy of dropping its cultural property laws and carrying out archaeological research through international collaboration.
(2) fund institutes in other countries to undertake archaeological exploration in the source country reaping the benefits of cutting-edge techniques.
(3) to find ways to motivate other countries to finance archaeological explorations in their country.
(4) allow foreign countries to analyse and exhibit the archaeological finds made in the source country.
10) Which one of the following statements, if true, would undermine the central idea of the passage?
(1) Museums established in economically deprived archaeologically-rich source countries can display the antiques discovered there.
(2) Western countries will have to apologise to countries for looting their cultural property in the past century.
(3) UNESCO finances archaeological research in poor, but archaeologically-rich source countries.
(4) Affluent archaeologically-rich source countries can afford to carry out their own excavations.
11) It can be inferred from the passage that archaeological sites are considered important by some source countries because they:
(1) are a symbol of Western imperialism.
(2) give a boost to the tourism sector.
(3) generate funds for future discoveries.
(4) are subject to strict patrimony laws.
12) Which one of the following statements best expresses the paradox of patrimony laws?
(1) They were intended to protect cultural property, but instead resulted in the neglect of historical sites.
(2) They were aimed at protecting cultural property, but instead reduced new archaeological discoveries.
(3) They were aimed at protecting cultural property, but instead reduced business for auctioneers like Sotheby’s.
(4) They were intended to protect cultural property, but instead resulted in the withholding of national treasure from museums.
[CAT 2023 Slot 3]
The biggest challenge [The Nutmeg’s Curse by Ghosh] throws down is to the prevailing understanding of when the climate crisis started. Most of us have accepted . . . that it started with the widespread use of coal at the beginning of the Industrial Age in the 18th century and worsened with the mass adoption of oil and natural gas in the 20th.
Ghosh takes this history at least three centuries back, to the start of European colonialism in the 15th century. He [starts] the book with a 1621 massacre by Dutch invaders determined to impose a monopoly on nutmeg cultivation and trade in the Banda islands in today’s Indonesia. Not only do the Dutch systematically depopulate the islands through genocide, they also try their best to bring nutmeg cultivation into plantation mode. These are the two points to which Ghosh returns through examples from around the world. One, how European colonialists decimated not only indigenous populations but also indigenous understanding of the relationship between humans and Earth. Two, how this was an invasion not only of humans but of the Earth itself, and how this continues to the present day by looking at nature as a ‘resource’ to exploit. . . .
We know we are facing more frequent and more severe heatwaves, storms, floods, droughts and wildfires due to climate change. We know our expansion through deforestation, dam building, canal cutting – in short, terraforming, the word Ghosh uses – has brought us repeated disasters . . . Are these the responses of an angry Gaia who has finally had enough? By using the word ‘curse’ in the title, the author makes it clear that he thinks so. I use the pronoun ‘who’ knowingly, because Ghosh has quoted many non-European sources to enquire into the relationship between humans and the world around them so that he can question the prevalent way of looking at Earth as an inert object to be exploited to the maximum.
As Ghosh’s text, notes and bibliography show once more, none of this is new. There have always been challenges to the way European colonialists looked at other civilisations and at Earth. It is just that the invaders and their myriad backers in the fields of economics, politics, anthropology, philosophy, literature, technology, physics, chemistry, biology have dominated global intellectual discourse. . . .
There are other points of view that we can hear today if we listen hard enough. Those observing global climate negotiations know about the Latin American way of looking at Earth as Pachamama (Earth Mother). They also know how such a framing is just provided lip service and is ignored in the substantive portions of the negotiations. In The Nutmeg’s Curse, Ghosh explains why. He shows the extent of the vested interest in the oil economy – not only for oil-exporting countries, but also for a superpower like the US that controls oil drilling, oil prices and oil movement around the world. Many of us know power utilities are sabotaging decentralised solar power generation today because it hits their revenues and control. And how the other points of view are so often drowned out.
1) Which one of the following best explains the primary purpose of the discussion of the colonisation of the Banda islands in “The Nutmeg’s Curse”
(1) To illustrate how colonialism represented and perpetuated the mindset that has led to climate change.
(2) To illustrate how systemic violence against the colonised constituted the cornerstone of colonialism.
(3) To illustrate the role played by the cultivation of certain crops in the plantation mode in contributing to climate change.
(4) To illustrate the first instance in history when the processes responsible for climate change were initiated.
2) All of the following can be inferred from the reviewer’s discussion of “The Nutmeg’s Curse”, EXCEPT:
(1) the contemporary dominant perception of nature and the environment was put in place by processes of colonialism.
(2) environmental preservation policy makers can learn a lot from non-European and/or pre-colonial societies.
(3) academic discourses have always served the function of raising awareness about environmental preservation.
(4) the history of climate change is deeply intertwined with the history of colonialism.
3) Which one of the following, if true, would make the reviewer’s choice of the pronoun “who” for Gaia inappropriate?
(1) There is a direct cause–effect relationship between human activities and global climate change.
(2) Non-European societies have perceived the Earth as a non-living source of all resources.
(3) Ghosh’s book has a different title: “The Nutmeg’s Revenge”.
(4) Modern western science discovers new evidence for the Earth being an inanimate object.
4) On the basis of information in the passage, which one of the following is NOT a reason for the failure of policies seeking to address climate change?
(1) The decentralised characteristic of renewable energy resources like solar power.
(2) The global dominance of oil economies and international politics built around it.
(3) The marginalised status of non-European ways of looking at nature and the environment.
(4) The greed of organisations benefiting from non-renewable energy resources.
The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
[CAT 2022 Slot 1]
The Chinese have two different concepts of a copy. Fangzhipin... are imitations where the difference from the original is obvious. These are small models or copies that can be purchased in a museum shop, for example. The second concept for a copy is fuzhipin... They are exact reproductions of the original, which, for the Chinese, are of equal value to the original. It has absolutely no negative connotations. The discrepancy with regard to the understanding of what a copy is has often led to misunderstandings and arguments between China and Western museums. The Chinese often send copies abroad instead of originals, in the firm belief that they are not essentially different from the originals. The rejection that then comes from the Western museums is perceived by the Chinese as an insult. ...
The Far Eastern notion of identity is also very confusing to the Western observer. The Ise Grand Shrine [in Japan] is 1,300 years old for the millions of Japanese people who go there on pilgrimage every year. But in reality this temple complex is completely rebuilt from scratch every 20 years. ...
The cathedral of Freiburg Minster in southwest Germany is covered in scaffolding almost all year round. The sandstone from which it is built is a very soft, porous material that does not withstand natural erosion by rain and wind. After a while, it crumbles. As a result, the cathedral is continually being examined for damage, and eroded stones are replaced. And in the cathedral’s dedicated workshop, copies of the damaged sandstone figures are constantly being produced. Of course, attempts are made to preserve the stones from the Middle Ages for as long as possible. But at some point they, too, are removed and replaced with new stones.
Fundamentally, this is the same operation as with the Japanese shrine, except in this case the production of a replica takes place very slowly and over long periods of time. ... In the field of art as well, the idea of an unassailable original developed historically in the Western world. Back in the 17th century [in the West], excavated artworks from antiquity were treated quite differently from today. They were not restored in a way that was faithful to the original. Instead, there was massive intervention in these works, changing their appearance. ...
It is probably this intellectual position that explains why Asians have far fewer scruples about cloning than Europeans. The South Korean cloning researcher Hwang Woo-suk, who attracted worldwide attention with his cloning experiments in 2004, is a Buddhist. He found a great deal of support and followers among Buddhists, while Christians called for a ban on human cloning. ... Hwang legitimised his cloning experiments with his religious affiliation: ‘I am Buddhist, and I have no philosophical problem with cloning. And as you know, the basis of Buddhism is that life is recycled through reincarnation. In some ways, I think, therapeutic cloning restarts the circle of life.’
5) Which one of the following statements does not correctly express the similarity between the Ise Grand Shrine and the cathedral of Freiburg Minster?
(1) Both are continually undergoing restoration.
(2) Both can be regarded as very old structures.
(3) Both were built as places of worship.
(4) Both will one day be completely rebuilt.
6) Which one of the following scenarios is unlikely to follow from the arguments in the passage?
(1) A 17th century British painter would have no problem adding personal touches when restoring an ancient Roman painting.
(2) A 21st century Christian scientist is likely to oppose cloning because of his philosophical orientation.
(3) A 17th century French artist who adhered to a Christian worldview would need to be completely true to the original intent of a painting when restoring it.
(4) A 20th century Japanese Buddhist monk would value a reconstructed shrine as the original.
7) Based on the passage, which one of the following copies would a Chinese museum be unlikely to consider as having less value than the original?
(1) Pablo Picasso’s painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, identical in every respect.
(2) Pablo Picasso’s photograph of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, printed to exactly the same scale.
(3) Pablo Picasso’s miniaturised, but otherwise faithful and accurate painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting.
(4) Pablo Picasso’s painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, bearing Picasso’s signature.
8) The value that the modern West assigns to “an unassailable original” has resulted in all of the following EXCEPT:
(1) it allows regular employment for certain craftsmen.
(2) it discourages them from making interventions in ancient art.
(3) it discourages them from simultaneous displays of multiple copies of a painting.
(4) it discourages them from carrying out human cloning.
The passage below is accompanied by four questions. Based on the passage, choose the best answer for each question.
[CAT 2023 Slot 3]
In 2006, the Met [art museum in the US] agreed to return the Euphronios krater, a masterpiece Greek urn that had been a museum draw since 1972. In 2007, the Getty [art museum in the US] agreed to return 40 objects to Italy, including a marble Aphrodite, in the midst of looting scandals. And in December, Sotheby’s and a private owner agreed to return an ancient Khmer statue of a warrior, pulled from auction two years before, to Cambodia.
Cultural property, or patrimony, laws limit the transfer of cultural property outside the source country’s territory, including outright export prohibitions and national ownership laws. Most art historians, archaeologists, museum officials and policymakers portray cultural property laws in general as invaluable tools for counteracting the ugly legacy of Western cultural imperialism.
During the late 19th and early 20th century — an era former Met director Thomas Hoving called “the age of piracy” — American and European art museums acquired antiquities by hook or by crook, from grave robbers or souvenir collectors, bounty from digs and ancient sites in impoverished but art-rich source countries. Patrimony laws were intended to protect future archaeological discoveries against Western imperialist designs. . . .
I surveyed 90 countries with one or more archaeological sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list, and my study shows that in most cases the number of discovered sites diminishes sharply after a country passes a cultural property law. There are 222 archaeological sites listed for those 90 countries. When you look into the history of the sites, you see that all but 21 were discovered before the passage of cultural property laws. . . .
Strict cultural patrimony laws are popular in most countries. But the downside may be that they reduce incentives for foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations and educational institutions to invest in overseas exploration because their efforts will not necessarily be rewarded by opportunities to hold, display and study what is uncovered. To the extent that source countries can fund their own archaeological projects, artifacts and sites may still be discovered. . . . The survey has far-reaching implications. It suggests that source countries, particularly in the developing world, should narrow their cultural property laws so that they can reap the benefits of new archaeological discoveries, which typically increase tourism and enhance cultural pride. This does not mean these nations should abolish restrictions on foreign excavation and foreign claims to artifacts.
China provides an interesting alternative approach for source nations eager for foreign archaeological investment. From 1935 to 2003, China had a restrictive cultural property law that prohibited foreign ownership of Chinese cultural artifacts. In those years, China’s most significant archaeological discovery occurred by chance, in 1974, when peasant farmers accidentally uncovered ranks of buried terra cotta warriors, which are part of Emperor Qin’s spectacular tomb system.
In 2003, the Chinese government switched course, dropping its cultural property law and embracing collaborative international archaeological research. Since then, China has nominated 11 archaeological sites for inclusion in the World Heritage Site list, including eight in 2013, the most ever for China.
9) From the passage we can infer that the author is likely to advise poor, but archaeologically-rich source countries to do all of the following, EXCEPT:
(1) adopt China’s strategy of dropping its cultural property laws and carrying out archaeological research through international collaboration.
(2) fund institutes in other countries to undertake archaeological exploration in the source country reaping the benefits of cutting-edge techniques.
(3) to find ways to motivate other countries to finance archaeological explorations in their country.
(4) allow foreign countries to analyse and exhibit the archaeological finds made in the source country.
10) Which one of the following statements, if true, would undermine the central idea of the passage?
(1) Museums established in economically deprived archaeologically-rich source countries can display the antiques discovered there.
(2) Western countries will have to apologise to countries for looting their cultural property in the past century.
(3) UNESCO finances archaeological research in poor, but archaeologically-rich source countries.
(4) Affluent archaeologically-rich source countries can afford to carry out their own excavations.
11) It can be inferred from the passage that archaeological sites are considered important by some source countries because they:
(1) are a symbol of Western imperialism.
(2) give a boost to the tourism sector.
(3) generate funds for future discoveries.
(4) are subject to strict patrimony laws.
12) Which one of the following statements best expresses the paradox of patrimony laws?
(1) They were intended to protect cultural property, but instead resulted in the neglect of historical sites.
(2) They were aimed at protecting cultural property, but instead reduced new archaeological discoveries.
(3) They were aimed at protecting cultural property, but instead reduced business for auctioneers like Sotheby’s.
(4) They were intended to protect cultural property, but instead resulted in the withholding of national treasure from museums.
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