Comprehension

It’s taken me 60 years, but I had an epiphany recently: Everything, without exception, requires additional energy and order to maintain itself. I knew this in the abstract as the famous second law of thermodynamics, which states that everything is falling apart slowly. This realization is not just the lament of a person getting older. Long ago I learnt that even the most inanimate things we know of stone, iron columns, copper pipes, gravel roads, a piece of paper won’t last very long without attention and xing and the loan of additional order. Existence, it seems, is chie y maintenance.
What has surprised me recently is how unstable even the intangible is. Keeping a website or a software program a oat is like keeping a yacht a oat It is a black hole for attention. I can understand why a mechanical device like a pump would break down after a while moisture rusts metal, or the air oxidizes membranes, or lubricants evaporate, all of which require repair. But I wasn’t thinking that the nonmaterial world of bits would also degrade. What’s to break? Apparently everything. 
Brand-new computers will ossify. Apps weaken with use. Code corrodes. Fresh software just released will immediately begin to fray. On their own nothing you did. The more complex the gear, the more (not less) attention it will require. The natural inclination toward change is inescapable, even for the most abstract entities we know of: bits.
And then there is the assault of the changing digital landscape. When everything around you is upgrading, this puts pressure on your digital system and necessitates maintenance. You may not want to upgrade, but you must because everyone else is. It’s an upgrade arms race.
I used to upgrade my gear begrudgingly (Why upgrade if it still works?) and at the last possible moment. You know how it goes: Upgrade this and suddenly you need to upgrade that, which triggers upgrades everywhere. I would put it off for years because I had the experiences of one “tiny” upgrade of a minor part disrupting my entire working life. But as our personal technology is becoming more complex, more co-dependents upon peripherals, more like a living ecosystem, delaying upgrading is even more disruptive. If you neglect ongoing minor upgrades, the change backs up so much that the eventual big upgrade reaches traumatic proportions. So I now see upgrading as a type of hygiene: You do it regularly to keep your tech healthy. Continual upgrades are so critical for technological systems that they are now automatic for the major personal computer operating systems and some software apps. Behind the scenes, the machines will upgrade themselves, slowly changing their features over time. This happens gradually, so we don‘t notice they are “becoming.” We take this evolution as normal.
Technological life in the future will be a series of endless upgrades. And the rate of graduations is accelerating. Features shift, defaults disappear, menus morph. I’ll open up a software package I don’t use every day expecting certain choices, and whole menus will have disappeared.
No matter how long you have been using a tool, endless upgrades make you into a newbie the new user often seen as clueless. In this era of “becoming” everyone becomes a newbie. Worse, we will be newbies forever. That should keep us humble.
That bears repeating. All of us every one of us will be endless newbies in the future simply trying to keep up. Here’s why: First, most of the important technologies that will dominate life 30 years from now have not yet been invented, so naturally you’ll be a newbie to them. Second, because the new technology requires endless upgrades, you will remain in the newbie state. Third, because the cycle of obsolescence is accelerating (the average lifespan of a phone app is a mere 30 days!), you won’t have time to master anything before it is displaced, so you will remain in the newbie mode forever. Endless Newbie is the new default for everyone, no matter your age or experience.

Question: 1

Which of the following statements would the author agree with the most?

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In Reading Comprehension, focus on the author’s \textbf{central theme}. Here, the stress was on the inevitability and necessity of upgrades, not their disruption or value.
Updated On: Aug 23, 2025
  • The second law of thermodynamics states that things need more energy as they separate.
  • When it comes to erosion, intangibles behave differently from tangible.
  • Up-gradation is no longer an option but an obligation.
  • Up-gradation though simple is disruptive.
  • In the next thirty years, one’s experience in up-grading will be greatly valued.
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the passage
The passage explains that everything, tangible or intangible, is subject to decay and breakdown without constant maintenance. In the digital era, this principle applies strongly to software, hardware, and technology in general. Maintenance and upgrading are not luxuries but necessities.

Step 2: Key point from the author
The author emphasizes that: - Keeping technology stable requires continual upgrades.
- If neglected, small delays accumulate, causing disruptive big changes.
- Upgradation is described as “a type of hygiene,” meaning it is a routine necessity, not optional.

Step 3: Eliminating wrong options
- (A) Mentions thermodynamics but the author uses it only as an analogy, not as the main argument. Wrong.
- (B) The author actually says both tangible and intangible things degrade. So wrong.
- (D) Disruptive, yes, but the author stresses inevitability, not simplicity. Wrong.
- (E) The author stresses that upgrades keep us newbies forever, not that experience will be valued. Wrong.


Step 4: Correct Option
Only (C) —

Up-gradation is no longer an option but an obligation — matches the author’s message fully.

Final Answer: \(\boxed{C}\)
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Question: 2

Which of the following quotes would the author agree with the most?

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When answering “author’s agreement” questions, focus on the central theme of the passage. Look for alignment in tone and emphasis — here, persistence and forward movement rather than passivity or inevitability.
Updated On: Aug 23, 2025
  • Life is like riding a bicycle. In order to avoid falling, you must keep moving.
  • The only thing constant in life is change.
  • You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
  • If you do not change you will be changed.
  • What we can’t cure we must endure.
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

The question asks us to identify the quote that best aligns with the author’s perspective. From the answer key, the author’s view emphasizes movement, persistence, and progress. Step 1: Understanding Option A
The quote compares life to riding a bicycle, where balance and stability can only be maintained through continuous movement. This reflects resilience, adaptability, and the need to keep going despite challenges.

Step 2: Analyzing the other options \begin{itemize} \item

Option B: “The only thing constant in life is change.” While true, this emphasizes inevitability rather than active effort. The author’s tone is more action-oriented. \item

Option C: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” This is about individual responsibility, but the author stresses persistence rather than initiating moral change. \item

Option D: “If you do not change you will be changed.” This focuses on external consequences of inaction, not the forward momentum described by the author. \item

Option E: “What we can’t cure we must endure.” This emphasizes passive acceptance, which contrasts with the author’s idea of active perseverance. \end{itemize}

Step 3: Drawing the inference
The best match is Option A, since it captures the author’s belief in perseverance and continuous effort to avoid stagnation or failure.

Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{A. Life is like riding a bicycle. In order to avoid falling, you must keep moving.}} \]
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Question: 3

The CEO of a technology company was thinking of the following policies: 1. Life time employment
2. Promotion based on seniority
3. Hire new competent employees and fire old incompetent employees
4. Regular training and retraining
If a CEO were to consult the author of the passage, which of the above policies should the author recommend?

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In business policy questions, focus on efficiency, adaptability, and sustainability. Policies that encourage competence and continuous learning are almost always more suitable in rapidly evolving fields like technology.
Updated On: Aug 23, 2025
  • 1 or 3
  • 1 or 4
  • 2 or 4
  • 3 or 4
  • 1, 3 and 4
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Evaluate Policy 1 — Life time employment.
While lifetime employment may provide job security, it often reduces motivation for continuous performance improvement. In a competitive technology environment, this would not be the best policy. Thus, this option is unlikely to be recommended.


Step 2: Evaluate Policy 2 — Promotion based on seniority.
Promoting purely on the basis of seniority overlooks competence and skills. In the technology sector, innovation and productivity matter more than time served. Hence, this policy does not align with efficiency and adaptability.


Step 3: Evaluate Policy 3 — Hire new competent employees and fire old incompetent employees.
This policy emphasizes maintaining a capable and efficient workforce. Incompetence hampers growth, so replacing underperforming employees with skilled ones supports productivity. This policy is practical and aligned with competitive corporate practice.


Step 4: Evaluate Policy 4 — Regular training and retraining.
Technology changes rapidly, and continuous training is essential to keep employees updated with the latest tools and innovations. Retraining ensures existing employees remain competent, which is a sustainable long-term policy. Thus, this is highly recommended.


Step 5: Conclusion.
From the above analysis, the author would most likely recommend Policy 3 (ensuring competence by replacing ineffective employees) or Policy 4 (investing in continuous learning and retraining).

Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{D. 3 or 4}} \]
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