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GATE 2018 EC GA Q.8: solution and answer

GATE 2018 · ECGA Q.8 · 2 marks · MCQ

The Cricket Board has long recognized John’s potential as a leader of the team. However, his on-field temper has always been a matter of concern for them since his junior days. While this aggression has filled stadia with die-hard fans, it has taken a toll on his own batting. Until recently, it appeared that he found it difficult to convert his aggression into big scores. Over the past three seasons though, that picture of John has been replaced by a cerebral, calculative and successful batsman-captain. After many years, it appears that the team has finally found a complete captain.

Which of the following statements can be logically inferred from the above paragraph?

(i) Even as a junior cricketer, John was considered a good captain.

(ii) Finding a complete captain is a challenge.

(iii) Fans and the Cricket Board have differing views on what they want in a captain.

(iv) Over the past three seasons John has accumulated big scores.

  1. (A)

    (i), (ii) and (iii) only

  2. (B)

    (iii) and (iv) only

  3. (C)

    (ii) and (iv) only

  4. (D)

    (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)

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Answer and solution

ANSWER

Only statements (ii) and (iv) can be logically inferred, so the answer is (C) (ii) and (iv) only.

Official answer: CSource: Official answer key, GATE 2018 EC (IIT Guwahati)

  1. Rule for inference questions: a statement counts only if the passage forces it to be true. A statement that is merely possible, or that stretches a word, does not count.

  2. (i) is not inferred. The Board recognised John's potential as a leader. Potential is not the same as already being judged a good captain. The only thing the passage says about his junior days is that his temper worried the Board even then. It never says he was considered a good captain at that stage.

  3. (ii) is inferred. 'After many years, it appears that the team has finally found a complete captain' means the search took a long time. So finding a complete captain is a challenge.

  4. (iii) is not inferred. We are told only that fans enjoy his aggression and that the Board worries about his temper. The passage never says what either group wants in a captain, so claiming they disagree on that is a leap.

  5. (iv) is inferred. Before, he 'found it difficult to convert his aggression into big scores'. Over the past three seasons that picture 'has been replaced' by a 'successful batsman-captain'. So he has been making big scores in those seasons.

  6. Only (ii) and (iv) follow, so the answer is option (C).

KEY IDEA

Accept a statement only if the passage forces it. 'Finally found a complete captain' after 'many years' tells us such a captain is hard to find. The old picture of a batsman who could not convert aggression into big scores being 'replaced' by a 'successful batsman-captain' tells us he now scores big.

WATCH OUT FOR

Reading 'long recognized John's potential as a leader' as proof that he was already considered a good captain as a junior (i). Another is treating 'fans love his aggression, the Board worries about his temper' as a stated disagreement about what each wants in a captain (iii). Neither is said in the passage, so options (A), (B) and (D) all include a statement it does not support.

From the GATE 2018 EC paper. Every question of this paper · Download the full paper · All 18 Reading questions, with notes

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