We can infer from the passage that the term '‘homo economicus” refers to someone who
- believes in borrowing and collaborating with other disciplines in their work.
- maximises their opportunities based on nonmarket choices.
- makes rational decisions based on their own preferences.
- is not influenced by the preferences and choices of others.
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
The term ”homo economicus” refers to an economic model of rational behavior. It describes an individual who always makes decisions by considering the utility of their actions and maximizing their personal benefit, often making decisions based solely on their preferences.
“Times have changed for the once almighty discipline.” We can infer from this statement and the associated paragraph that the author is being
- sarcastic about how economists, who earlier shunned other disciplines, are now beginning to incorporate them in their analyses.
- critical of economists’ openly borrowing and collaborating across disciplines to explain how humans make decisions.
- disparaging of economists’ inability to precisely predict market behaviour, and are now borrowing from other disciplines to remedy this.
- judgemental about the ability of economic tools to accurately manage crises leading to the downfall of this lofty science.
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
The author uses the phrase ”times have changed” sarcastically, referring to how economists, once closed off from other disciplines, are now becoming more open by incorporating ideas from fields such as psychology and history. The tone suggests a shift in the discipline, with economists now more willing to collaborate and learn from other perspectives.
In the first paragraph the author is making the point that economists like Becker
- benefitted from the application of their principles and concepts to non-economic phenomena.
- used economics to analyse non-market behaviour, without incorporating perspectives from other areas of inquiry.
- tended to guard their discipline from poaching by academics from other subject areas.
- had begun to borrow concepts from other disciplines but were averse to the latter applying economic principles.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The author points out that Becker applied economic methods to non-market phenomena, such as crime and domesticity, but did not borrow from other disciplines like anthropology or history. This indicates that Becker’s work was one-sided and did not integrate interdisciplinary perspectives.
The author critiques Schiller’s approach to behavioural economics for
- linking emotions and rational behaviour without considering the mediation of social institutions.
- denigrating the role of institutions while creating a link between behavioural economics and perceptions.
- relying excessively on storytelling as the main influence on the formation of perceptions.
- ignoring the marginal role that media and politics play in influencing people’s behaviour.
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
The author critiques Schiller for ignoring the role of institutions in mediating the link between perceptions and behavior. Schiller’s approach oversimplifies the dynamic by focusing on emotions and economic behavior, without considering the vital role institutions like political parties, lobby groups, and media organizations play in shaping societal outcomes.
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
“Why do they pull down and do away with crooked streets, I wonder, which are my delight, and hurt no man living? Every day the wealthier nations are pulling down one or another in their capitals and their great towns: they do not know why they do it; neither do I. It ought to be enough, surely, to drive the great broad ways which commerce needs and which are the life-channels of a modern city, without destroying all history and all the humanity in between: the islands of the past.”
(From Hilaire Belloc’s “The Crooked Streets”)
Based only on the information provided in the above passage, which one of the following statements is true?- GATE PH - 2025
- General Aptitude
- Reading Comprehension
Passage: Toru Dutt is considered the earliest Indian female writer in English. She travelled extensively in Europe from a young age with her family. She and her sister Aru became fascinated with Paris and French literature. In London, they came in contact with such august personages such as Sir Bartle Frere, the Gover- nor of Bombay from 1862 to 1867, and Sir Edward Ryan, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Calcutta, from 1837 to 1843. Toru Dutt was greatly influenced in her writings by French Romantic poets like Victor Hugo and English writers like Elizabeth Browning, John Keats, Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen. She was also intrigued by the legends and myths of India, and even learned Sanskrit. Her writings were marked by romantic melancholia and an obsession and preoccupation with death. This was partly due to her suffering and pain following the early tragic deaths of her siblings, especially her older sister Aru, with whom she was quite close. Her chosen subjects often portrayed separation, loneliness, captivity, dejec- tion, declining seasons and untimely death. She led an ”Ivory Tower existence” and her own death came quite early, at the age of 21, in the full bloom of her talent and on the eve of the awakening of her genius. Toru Dutt’s most famous work is A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields, an anthology of poems translated from French to English. It also contained a few original poems that showcase her vast insight into French literature. She used to publish poems in the Bengal Magazine, under the pseudonym ”TD”. But most of her powerful work was published posthumously, in- cluding the French novel Le Journal de Mademoiselle D’Arvers and the unfinished English novel Bianca, or, the Young Spanish Maiden. Her work Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan depicts a shrewd knowledge of Hindu mythology and an instinctive empathy with the conditions of life they represent. An assimilation of the Occident and the Orient nourished Toru’s poetic skills; in her, we find a tripartite influence of a French education, lectures at Cambridge and the study of Sanskrit literature.
- NPAT - 2025
- Verbal Reasoning
- Reading Comprehension
“Why do they pull down and do away with crooked streets, I wonder, which are my delight, and hurt no man living? Every day the wealthier nations are pulling down one or another in their capitals and their great towns: they do not know why they do it; neither do I. It ought to be enough, surely, to drive the great broad ways which commerce needs and which are the life-channels of a modern city, without destroying all history and all the humanity in between: the islands of the past.” (From Hilaire Belloc’s “The Crooked Streets”)
Based only on the information provided in the above passage, which one of the following statements is true?
- GATE CE - 2025
- General Aptitude
- Reading Comprehension
- “His life was divided between the books, his friends, and long walks. A solitary man, he worked at all hours without much method, and probably courted his fatal illness in this way. To his own name there is not much to show; but such was his liberality that he was continually helping others, and fruits of his erudition are widely scattered, and have gone to increase many a comparative stranger’s reputation.”
(From E.V. Lucas’s “A Funeral”)
Based only on the information provided in the above passage, which one of the following statements is true?- GATE CE - 2025
- General Aptitude
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the excerpt from a Handicrafts Manual: ‘Advanced Knitting Techniques’ and answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate answer.
THE FAIR ISLE METHOD: Fair Isle knitting is a traditional technique that involves using two or more colours of yarn in a single row to create intricate patterns and designs. This method requires careful tension management to ensure even stitches and prevent puckering. To begin, select your colours and cast on the desired number of stitches. As you knit, alternate between colours every few stitches, carrying the unused yarn along the back of the work. Mastering the Fair Isle technique allows you to create stunning visual effects in garments, accessories, and home textiles.
THE CONTINENTAL STYLE: The Continental knitting style, often referred to as “picking,” involves holding the yarn in the left hand while the right hand manipulates the needles. This method allows for greater speed and efficiency, particularly when working with complex patterns or multiple colours. To practice this style, start by casting on your stitches and using your left hand to tension the yarn. With each stitch, simply “pick” the yarn with your right needle, forming a quick and fluid motion. As you become comfortable with this technique, you may find that your overall knitting speed and comfort improve significantly.
THE SHORT-ROW TECHNIQUE: Short-row knitting is an advanced technique that allows for the creation of shaped garments, such as sleeves and shoulders, without the need for complex shaping. To make a sleeve using this technique, begin by casting on the required number of stitches. Work a portion of the row, then turn your work and return without completing the full row to create the “short rows” that shape the curves of the sleeve. To prevent holes at the turn, wrap the stitch before you turn your work. Repeat this process as needed to achieve the desired shaping and dimension of the sleeve. Once you have shaped the sleeve, you can then sew the side seams to connect the pieces of your garment and finally, complete the edges to ensure a clean finish. This method not only helps shape curves but also adds dimension to your piece, allowing you to enhance fit and style.- AILET BALLB (Hons.) - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
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- CAT - 2024
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- CAT - 2024
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- CAT - 2024
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- CAT - 2024
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