Johannes had been teaching at a seminary in Graz when he was struck by what seemed to him a divine revelation about the structure of the universe. Under the still-prevailing Ptolemaic system of astronomy, the Earth was understood to be immobile in the centre of the universe, surrounded by the fixed stars and seven planets (the sun and the moon were also considered to be planets). Johannes, however, was inclined to put his faith in the revolutionary cosmology proposed by Copernicus in 1543, which placed the sun in the centre, demoting Earth to planet status and the moon to a satellite of Earth. At that time—telescopes had not yet been invented—only the five naked-eye planets were known to exist: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Adding Earth...
...to their company brought the total to six. But why, Johannes wondered, had God made only six planets? And why had He arranged their orbits in the particular proportions that He had? There must be an answer: God would not make an unintelligible Universe.
The revelation, which occurred on July 19, 1595, in the middle of teaching a class on planetary alignment, involved the curious geometric properties of Platonic solids. These are three-dimensional polygons, every face of which is identical: A cube is a Platonic solid. So is a tetrahedron (a pyramid with three faces and one base which are all equilateral triangles). It had been understood since Antiquity—and much discussed by Plato, hence the name—that there can only be five such polygons: The laws of geometry forbid any others.
Within a year, Johannes had published this theory in a book, Mysterium Cosmographicum, which he sent to every astronomer and mathematician he could think of, including Galileo and Tycho. The numbers did not exactly agree with the theory, but there was enough of a promising match to give him hope that if he got hold of the best observational data, everything would click into place.
But within a year, Tycho was dead, and Johannes had inherited the role of Imperial Mathematician, finally gaining complete access to all of Tycho’s books. The astronomical data within was so precise, and Johannes so respectful of its precision, that it enabled him to write four monumental treatises based on this data and in the process discover the three foundational laws of modern astronomy: the elliptical nature of planetary orbits; the precise variance of planetary speed; and the exponential relationship between planetary speed and distance from the sun. Three laws upon which Newton built his theory of universal gravitation, laws known to posterity by Johannes’s surname: Kepler. When Newton spoke about standing on the shoulders of giants, it was Johannes Kepler, along with Tycho, Galileo, and Descartes, he had in mind.
It can be inferred from the passage that:
Show Hint
- Kepler was the founding father of modern physics.
- Newton's theory of universal gravitation was solely based on Kepler’s laws.
- Kepler was the greatest physicist of his generation.
- Tycho was an Imperial Mathematician.
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
The passage mentions Tycho’s role as the Imperial Mathematician. It does not suggest that Kepler was the founding father of modern physics or that Newton's theory was solely based on Kepler's laws. Also, while Kepler made significant contributions, the passage does not state that he was the greatest physicist of his generation. Therefore, the correct inference is that Tycho was the Imperial Mathematician.
Step 2: Conclusion.
The correct answer is \(\boxed{(D)}\).
What is the primary purpose of the passage?
Show Hint
- To give a brief account of the life of renowned physicist Johannes.
- To describe the events which lead to the discovery of Newton’s laws of gravitation.
- To trace the scientific journey of the renowned physicist Kepler.
- To trace the development of Kepler’s laws.
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
The passage highlights Johannes Kepler’s contributions and his scientific journey, particularly in the context of planetary motion, and also his interactions with other scientists such as Tycho, Galileo, and Newton. The passage is focused on tracing the development of Kepler’s ideas rather than a mere biographical account of his life or Newton’s laws of gravitation.
Step 2: Conclusion.
The primary purpose of the passage is to trace the scientific journey of Johannes Kepler. Thus, the correct answer is \(\boxed{(C)}\).
Which one of the following cannot be inferred from the passage?
Show Hint
- Kepler was influenced by Copernicus’s theory of revolutionary cosmology.
- Kepler staunchly believed in God.
- Kepler was able to improve upon the works of Copernicus.
- Kepler did not believe in the Ptolemaic system of astronomy.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The passage does not provide direct information about Kepler’s personal religious beliefs. It mentions his scientific journey and his focus on the revolutionary cosmology of Copernicus and Tycho's work. However, there is no specific mention of his belief in God, making Option (B) the correct answer.
Step 2: Conclusion.
The correct answer is \(\boxed{(B)}\).
Which one of the following is true according to the information provided in the passage?
Show Hint
- Johannes used Tycho’s books to further his scientific work.
- Tycho was initially not impressed by Johannes’s prowess in mathematics.
- Newton’s laws of motion were based on Kepler’s works.
- Kepler discovered the foundational laws of modern astronomy on his own.
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
The passage states that Johannes gained access to Tycho’s books and used the precise data to further his work. The passage does not suggest that Tycho was initially unimpressed with Johannes's mathematical abilities, nor does it say that Kepler discovered the laws of astronomy entirely on his own. The passage also does not mention Newton's laws of motion directly relating to Kepler’s work. Therefore, the correct option is (A).
Step 2: Conclusion.
The correct answer is \(\boxed{(A)}\).
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
- ”In recent years, technological advancements in AI and machine learning have fundamentally altered how we approach daily tasks. The growing reliance on these systems brings both challenges and opportunities, especially in areas like automation, healthcare, and customer service.”
What is the primary concern regarding the increased use of AI in daily tasks as mentioned in the passage?
- NMAT - 2025
- English Language Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension
Meta is recalibrating content on its social media platforms as the political tide has turned in Washington, with Mark Zuckerberg announcing last week that his company plans to fire its US fact-checkers. Fact-checking evolved in response to allegations of misinformation and is being watered down in response to accusations of censorship. Social media does not have solutions to either. Community review — introduced by Elon Musk at X and planned by Zuckerberg for Facebook and Instagram — is not a significant improvement over fact-checking. Having Washington lean on foreign governments over content moderation does not benefit free speech. Yet, that is the nature of the social media beast, designed to amplify bias.
Information and misinformation continue to jostle on social media at the mercy of user discretion. Social media now has enough control over all other forms of media to broaden its reach. It is the connective tissue for mass consumption of entertainment, and alternative platforms are reworking their engagement with social media. Technologies are shaping up to drive this advantage further through synthetic content targeted precisely at its intended audience. Meta’s algorithm will now play up politics because it is the flavour of the season.
The Achilles’ Heel of social media is informed choice which could turn against misinformation. Its move away from content moderation is driven by the need to be more inclusive, yet unfiltered content can push users away from social media towards legacy forms that have better moderation systems in place. Lawmakers across the world are unlikely to give social media a free run, even if Donald Trump is working on their case. Protections have already been put in place across jurisdictions over misinformation. These may be difficult to dismantle, even if the Republicans pull US-owned social media companies further to the right.
Media consumption is, in essence, evidence-based judgement that mediums must adapt to. Content moderation, not free speech, is the adaptation mechanism. Musk and Zuckerberg are not exempt- IPMAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
According to the French philosopher Jean Baudrillard, commodities available for consumption are not inherently negative things. Baudrillard tried to interpret consumption in modern societies by engaging with the ’cargo myth’ prevalent among the indigenous Melanesian people living in the South Pacific. The Melanesians did not know what aeroplanes were. However,they saw that these winged entities descended from the air for white people and appeared to make them happy. They also noted that aeroplanes never descended for the Melanesian people. The Melanesian natives noted that the white people had placed objects similar to the aeroplane on the ground. They concluded that these objects were attracting the aeroplanes in the air and bringing them to the ground. Through a magical process, the aeroplanes were bringing plenty to the white people and making them happy. The Melanesian people concluded that they would need to place objects that simulated the aeroplane on the ground and attract them from the air. Baudrillard believes that the cargo myth holds an important analogy for the ways in which consumers engage with objects of consumption.
According to Baudrillard, the modern consumer ”sets in place a whole array of sham objects, of characteristic signs of happiness, and then waits for happiness to alight”. For instance, modern consumers believe that they will get happiness if they buy the latest available version of a mobile phone or automobile. However, consumption does not usually lead to happiness. While consumers should ideally be blaming their heightened expectations for their lack of happiness, they blame the commodity instead.
They feel that they should have waited for the next version of a mobile phone or automobile before buying the one they did. The version they bought is somehow inferior and therefore cannot make them happy. Baudrillard argues that consumers have replaced ’real’ happiness with ’signs’ of happiness. This results in the endless deferment of the arrival of total happiness. In Baudrillard’s words, ”in everyday practice, the blessings of consumption are not experienced as resulting from work or from a production process; they are experienced as a miracle”. Modern consumers view consumption in the same magical way as the Melanesian people viewed the aeroplanes in the cargo myth. Television commercials also present objects of consumption as miracles. As a result, commodities appear to be distanced from the social processes which lead to their production. In effect, objects of consumption are divorced from the reality which produces them.- IPMAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
CONVERSATION ANALYSIS: Read the following transcript and choose the answer that is closest to each of the questions that are based on the transcript.
Lucia Rahilly (Global Editorial Director, The McKinsey Podcast): Today we’re talking about the next big arenas of competition, about the industries that will matter most in the global business landscape, which you describe as arenas of competition. What do we mean when we use this term?
Chris Bradley (Director, McKinsey Global Institute): If I go back and look at the top ten companies in 2005, they were in traditional industries such as oil and gas, retail, industrials, and pharmaceuticals. The average company was worth about $250 billion. If I advance the clock forward to 2020, nine in ten of those companies have been replaced, and by companies that are eight times bigger than the old guards.
And this new batch of companies comes from these new arenas or competitive sectors. In fact, they’re so different that we have a nickname for them. If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, it’s wizards versus muggles.
Arena industries are wizardish; we found that there’s a set of industries that play by very different set of economic rules and get very different results, while the rest, the muggles (even though they run the world, finance the world, and energize the world), play by a more traditional set of economic rules.
Lucia Rahilly: Could we put a finer point on what is novel or different about the lens that you applied to determine what’s a wizard and what’s a muggle?
Chris Bradley: Wizards are defined by growth and dynamism. We looked at where value is flowing and the places where value is moving. And where is the value flowing? What we see is that this set of wizards, which represent about ten percent of industries, hog 45 percent of the growth in market cap. But there’s another dimension or axis too, which is dynamism. That is measured by a new metric we’ve come up with called the ”shuffle rate.” How much does the bottom move to the top? It turns out that in this set of wizardish industries, or arenas, the shuffle rate is much higher than it is in the traditional industry.
Lucia Rahilly: So, where are we seeing the most profit?
Chris Bradley: The economic profit, which is the profit you make minus the cost for the capital you employ is in the wizard industries. It’s where R&D happens; they’re two times more R&D intensive. They’re big stars, the nebulae, where new business is born.- IPMAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
- On the first day of January 2025, the Indian Meteorological Department [IMD] announced that 2024 was the hottest year on record. A study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water shows that nearly eight out of ten Indians live in districts that are at risk of either a flood, a cyclone, or a drought. Nearly twenty three States in India are heatwave-prone. In the summer of 2024, India recorded more than 44,000 cases of heatstroke and over 300 heat-related mortalities, as per the bulletin of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Water reservoirs and the energy demand that keeps India powered are impacted too. During a ten-day long heatwave in Delhi, peak power demand was 16% higher than the previous year.
- IPMAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
Questions Asked in CAT exam
- The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
Certain codes may, of course, be so widely distributed in a specific language community or culture, and be learned at so early an age, that they appear not to be constructed – the effect of an articulation between sign and referent – but to be ‘naturally’ given. Simple visual signs appear to have achieved a ‘near-universality’ in this sense: though evidence remains that even apparently ‘natural’ visual codes are culture specific. However, this does not mean that no codes have intervened; rather, that the codes have been profoundly naturalized. The operation of naturalized codes reveals not the transparency and ‘naturalness’ of language but the depth, the habituation and the near-universality of the codes in use. They produce apparently ‘natural’ recognitions. This has the (ideological) effect of concealing the practices of coding which are present.- CAT - 2024
- Para Summary
- There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Sentence: Taken outside the village of Trang Bang on June 8, 1972, the picture captured the trauma and indiscriminate violence of a conflict that claimed, by some estimates, a million or more civilian lives.
Paragraph: The horrifying photograph of children fleeing a deadly napalm attack has become a defining image not only of the Vietnam War but the 20th century. Dark smoke billowing behind them, the young subjects' faces are painted with a mixture of terror, pain and confusion. (2) Soldiers from the South Vietnamese army's 25th Division follow helplessly behind. (3) The picture was officially titled "The Terror of War," but the photo is better known by the nickname given to naked 9-year-old at its centre "Napalm Girl". (4)- CAT - 2024
- Para Completion
- There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Sentence: Understanding central Asia’s role helps developments make more sense not only across Asia but in Europe, the Americas and Africa.
Paragraph: The nations of the Silk Roads are sometimes called ‘developing countries’, but they are actually some of the world’s most highly developed countries, the very crossroads of civilization, in advanced states of disrepair. ___(1)___. These countries lie at the centre of global affairs: they have since the beginning of history. Running across the spine of Asia, they form a web of connections fanning out in every direction, routes along which pilgrims and warriors, nomads and merchants have travelled, goods and produce have been bought and sold, and ideas exchanged, adapted and refined. ___(2)___ .They have carried not only prosperity, but also death and violence, disease and disaster. ___(3)___. The Silk Roads are the world’s central nervous system, connecting otherwise far-flung peoples and places…. ___(4)___. It allows us to see patterns and links, causes and effects that remain invisible if one looks only at Europe, or North America.- CAT - 2024
- Para Completion
- There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Sentence: The brain isn’t organized the way you might set up your home office or bathroom medicine cabinet.
Paragraph: ___(1)___. You can’t just put things anywhere you want to. The evolved architecture of the brain is haphazard and disjointed, and incorporates multiple systems, each of which has a mind of its own. ___(2)___. Evolution doesn’t design things and it doesn’t build systems—it settles on systems that, historically, conveyed a survival benefit. There is no overarching, grand planner engineering the systems so that they work harmoniously together. ___(3)___. The brain is more like a big, old house with piecemeal renovations done on every floor, and less like new construction. ___(4)___.- CAT - 2024
- Para Completion
- There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Sentence: Yet each day the flock produced eggs with calcareous shells though they apparently had not ingested any calcium from land which was entirely lacking in limestone.
Paragraph: Early in this century a young Breton schoolboy who preparing himself for a scientific career began to notice a strange fact about hens in his father's poultry yard. ___(1) ___. As they scratched the soil they constantly seemed to be pecking at specks of mica, a siliceous material dotting the ground. ___(2)___. No one could explain to Louis Kervran why the chickens selected the mica, or why each time a bird was killed for the family cooking pot no trace of the mica could be found in its gizzard. ___(3) ___. It took Kervran many years to establish that the chickens were transmuting one element into another. ___(4)___.- CAT - 2024
- Para Completion