Read the passage and answer the question given below by selecting the correct option:
A recent study by researchers from Basel University and Munich Technical University challenges prior beliefs about the influence of different light colours on the human body’s internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm. Unlike a previous study conducted on mice, this one suggests,
that light colour may be less critical for the internal clock than originally thought.
Vision involves a complex process of perceiving various light wavelengths as colours and brightness in the brain. Photoreceptors in the retina convert light into electrical impulses, transmitted to ganglion cells in the retina and to the visual cortex in the brain. Specialised ganglion cells play a significant role in the internal clock, being sensitive to short-wavelength light at around 490 nanometers, perceived as blue. When activated by short-wavelength light, these cells signal “it’s daytime” to the internal clock.
To explore the influence of light colour on the internal clock, the researchers exposed 16 healthy volunteers to blueish or yellowish light stimuli for one hour in late evening with a white light stimulus as a control condition. The light stimuli were designed to selectively activate the colour-sensitive cones in the retina, while maintaining consistent stimulation of the light-sensitive ganglion cells in all conditions. This allowed the researchers to directly check effects of light on the respective cone stimulation and, the colour of the light.
Contrary to the findings in mice, the study suggests that the colour of light, as encoded by the cones, may not significantly influence the human internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm. The current research contradicts the earlier finding that yellowish light had a stronger influence on the internal clock than blueish light. The results, published in “Nature Human Behaviour”, imply that while light intensity and exposure duration remain crucial factors, the colour of light may not play as significant a role in influencing sleep and circadian rhythms as previously believed.
What does the recent study by researchers from the University of Basel and the Technical University of Munich challenge?
- Sleep-wake rhythms in mice
- The impact of light colour on the internal clock
- Vision complexity in humans
- The effect of sleep-wake cycle
The Correct Option is B
Approach Solution - 1
A recent study conducted by researchers from Basel University and Munich Technical University challenges the previous understanding of the impact of light colour on the internal clock. The study explored the effect of different light colours on the internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm but concluded that, unlike past studies on mice, the colour of light might be less significant in influencing these factors in humans. This research suggests that the internal clock and sleep-wake rhythms may not be strongly affected by light colour, indicating a shift from prior beliefs where certain colours, like yellowish light, were considered to have a stronger influence than blueish light. As a result, the study contradicts earlier animal research and implies that light intensity and duration remain more critical factors than colour in affecting circadian rhythms.
Therefore, the correct answer is: The impact of light colour on the internal clock.
Approach Solution -2
The study challenges the belief that light colour significantly impacts the internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm.
Context: The study in question examines the widely held belief that the colour of light plays a crucial role in regulating the body’s internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, and sleep-wake cycles. Many have assumed that different colours of light, particularly blue light, have significant effects on our sleep patterns.
Challenging the Existing Belief: Contrary to popular assumptions, the study suggests that light colour may not have as significant an effect on the internal clock as previously believed. The findings challenge the conventional understanding of how light interacts with our sleep-wake rhythm, prompting further investigation into other potential factors at play.
Implications of the Findings: If light colour does not significantly impact the circadian rhythm, other environmental or physiological factors may be more influential in regulating our sleep patterns. This could open new avenues for research on improving sleep quality through methods other than light exposure.
Final Thought: The study’s findings encourage a re-examination of current sleep research, emphasizing the need for a broader understanding of the complex mechanisms that govern our internal clocks and sleep-wake cycles.
What is the role of specialized ganglion cells in the internal clock, according to the passage?
- Transmitting electrical impulses to the visual cortex
- Converting light into electrical impulses
- Getting destabilized by the sleep-wake rhythms
- Reacting strongly to short-wavelength light
The Correct Option is D
Approach Solution - 1
The passage describes the role of specialized ganglion cells in the human internal clock. These cells, located in the retina, are sensitive to short-wavelength light, specifically around 490 nanometers, which is perceived as blue light. When exposed to this wavelength, these ganglion cells contribute to signaling the internal clock that it is daytime.
Therefore, the correct role of specialized ganglion cells according to the passage is: Reacting strongly to short-wavelength light.
Approach Solution -2
Specialised ganglion cells react to short-wavelength light (around 490 nm, perceived as blue), which signals “daytime” to the internal clock.
Context: Specialized ganglion cells in the retina are sensitive to short-wavelength light, particularly light around 490 nm, which is perceived as blue. This sensitivity plays a critical role in regulating the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, signaling when it is "daytime."
Role of Ganglion Cells: These ganglion cells contain a photopigment called melanopsin, which is highly responsive to blue light. When exposed to light of this wavelength, the ganglion cells send signals to the brain, informing it that it is daytime and helping to synchronize the internal clock with the external environment.
Impact on the Internal Clock: The activation of these ganglion cells by short-wavelength light is crucial for maintaining the body’s circadian rhythm, which governs sleep-wake cycles and other biological processes. Exposure to blue light during the day helps keep the internal clock aligned with the natural day-night cycle.
Final Thought: The discovery of how ganglion cells react to short-wavelength light emphasizes the importance of light exposure in regulating our internal clocks. This understanding can help inform strategies to improve sleep quality and manage circadian rhythms, especially in the modern era of artificial lighting.
Why were the light stimuli designed to differentially activate colour-sensitive cones in the retina?
- To study the circadian rhythms
- To maintain consistent stimulation of ganglion cells
- To check the effect of light on the cone stimulation
- To explore vision complexity
The Correct Option is C
Approach Solution - 1
The recent study aimed to assess the impact of different light colours on cone stimulation in the retina. The researchers designed light stimuli to selectively activate the colour-sensitive cones while maintaining consistent stimulation of light-sensitive ganglion cells, allowing them to observe the direct effects of light on cone stimulation.
The correct answer is: To check the effect of light on the cone stimulation. This design was integral to understanding how different wavelengths of light interact with retinal cones and assessing whether these interactions affect circadian rhythms or the perception of light.
Approach Solution -2
The light stimuli were designed to activate cones and check the effect of light on cone stimulation while maintaining consistent ganglion cell activity.
Context: The study was designed to investigate how light stimuli affect cone stimulation in the retina while ensuring that ganglion cell activity remains constant. The aim was to understand the specific role of cones in response to light stimuli, separate from the effects on ganglion cells.
Activation of Cones: Cones are specialized photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision and visual acuity. By using light stimuli designed to specifically activate these cones, researchers were able to isolate the effects of light on cone function without interference from ganglion cell activity.
Maintaining Consistent Ganglion Cell Activity: Ganglion cells play a crucial role in transmitting visual information from the retina to the brain. In this study, the researchers carefully controlled light exposure to ensure that ganglion cell activity remained consistent, allowing them to focus solely on the cones' response to the stimuli.
Final Thought: This method of isolating cone stimulation while controlling ganglion cell activity helps provide clearer insights into the complex processes of visual perception and how different light stimuli affect various retinal cells.
What did the prior study on mice suggest about the impact of colour of light on the human internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm?
- The colour of light has a significant impact on both.
- The colour of light is not critical for sleep-wake rhythm.
- It has no influence on sleep patterns.
- It is mainly dependent on vision complexity.
The Correct Option is A
Approach Solution - 1
The prior study conducted on mice suggested that the colour of light has a significant impact on both the human internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm. This assumption was based on the belief that different light colours influence these aspects by affecting specific photoreceptors. However, the comprehension passage highlights a recent study that challenges this notion. According to the new research, contrary to the findings in mice, the colour of light may not significantly influence the human internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm. Therefore, while light still affects the internal clock, the role of its colour is much less poignant than initially believed based on earlier studies conducted on mice.
Thus, the correct answer reflecting the initial findings from the study on mice is: The colour of light has a significant impact on both.
Approach Solution -2
The prior study on mice suggested that the colour of light significantly impacts the internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm.
Context: The previous research conducted on mice indicated that the colour of light plays a crucial role in regulating the internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, and the sleep-wake cycles. The study found that different light colours could influence the timing and quality of sleep.
Impact of Light Colour: The study suggested that exposure to specific colours of light, particularly blue light, could have a significant effect on the body’s internal clock. Blue light has been shown to promote alertness and regulate the sleep-wake cycle by influencing the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for sleep.
Relevance to Sleep-Wake Rhythm: By affecting the internal clock, the colour of light can help align the sleep-wake rhythm with the natural day-night cycle. This has important implications for improving sleep quality and managing sleep disorders, particularly in environments with artificial lighting.
Final Thought: The findings from the prior study on mice underscore the potential significance of light colour in regulating circadian rhythms and improving sleep patterns. These results may lead to new strategies for optimizing light exposure to enhance sleep quality in humans.
What is the key implication of the research study’s results for our understanding of sleep and circadian rhythms?
- Colour of light is the sole determinant of sleep and circadian rhythms.
- Light intensity plays a crucial role in sleep and circadian rhythms.
- Light intensity and exposure duration are the secondary factors.
- Light colour may not play as significant a role as previously believed.
The Correct Option is D
Approach Solution - 1
The passage describes a recent study that challenges prior beliefs about the influence of different light colours on the human body’s internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm. Unlike earlier findings from a study conducted on mice, which suggested that certain light colours, such as yellowish light, had a strong influence on the internal clock, the current research, involving human subjects, found no significant impact of light colour on the internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm. The study indicates that the specialised ganglion cells in the retina are sensitive to short-wavelength light (blue light) and communicate the time of day to the internal clock. However, the study's results published in “Nature Human Behaviour” imply that while factors like light intensity and exposure duration are critical, the colour of light may not be as influential as once thought.
Therefore, the key implication of the research study’s results is that light colour may not play as significant a role as previously believed. This finding is crucial in understanding the complexities of sleep and circadian rhythms.
Approach Solution -2
The study implies that light colour may not significantly impact sleep and circadian rhythms, shifting the focus to light intensity and exposure duration.
Context: Contrary to the common belief that light colour plays a major role in regulating sleep and circadian rhythms, the study suggests that light colour may not have as significant an impact as previously thought. Instead, the study shifts the focus to other factors like light intensity and exposure duration.
Impact of Light Intensity: The study highlights that the intensity of light, rather than its colour, might be a more critical factor in regulating sleep patterns. Brighter light could have a stronger effect on alertness and the suppression of melatonin, influencing the sleep-wake cycle.
Exposure Duration: In addition to intensity, the duration of light exposure plays an essential role in affecting the internal clock. Longer periods of light exposure, especially during the night, may disrupt sleep and circadian rhythms, while proper timing and shorter exposure may help synchronize the body's internal clock.
Final Thought: The study's findings suggest that we should reconsider the emphasis placed on light colour and focus more on managing light intensity and exposure duration to improve sleep quality and regulate circadian rhythms effectively.
Find a word from the passage that is similar in meaning to CATALYST.
- Stimuli
- Complex
- Encoded
- Internal
The Correct Option is A
Approach Solution - 1
The task is to identify a word from the given passage that is synonymous with "catalyst." In context, "catalyst" refers to something that causes or accelerates a reaction or change. The passage describes an experiment involving "light stimuli" used to test the influence on the internal clock. Here, "stimuli" act as the agents causing change in the internal clock's reaction.
Therefore, the word "stimuli" in the context of the passage aligns with the meaning of "catalyst."
Thus, the correct answer is: Stimuli.
Approach Solution -2
The word “stimuli” refers to something that triggers or initiates a response, similar in meaning to “catalyst.”
Context: The term "stimuli" refers to any factor or event that triggers a physiological or psychological response. It plays a critical role in initiating reactions in the body, similar to how a "catalyst" accelerates or facilitates a chemical reaction.
Meaning of Stimuli: Stimuli can be anything from light, sound, temperature, or even emotional triggers that cause a response in an organism. For example, the presence of light can stimulate the human eye, leading to visual perception.
Similarities with Catalyst: Just as a catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed, a stimuli triggers a response or reaction without being permanently changed by it. Both words imply the initiation of a process or reaction.
Final Thought: The word “stimuli” closely aligns with “catalyst” in its meaning, as both involve triggering or initiating a response or reaction, whether in biological systems or chemical processes.
Top Questions on 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
- What is a classical dance ?
A dance which is created or choreographed and performed according to the tenets of the Natya Shastra is called a classical dance. The two broad aspects of classical dancing are the tandava and the lasya. Power and force are typical of the tandava; grace and delicacy, of the lasya. Tandava is associated with Shiva, and lasya with Parvati. Dance which is pure in movement is called nritta, and dance which is interpretative in nature is called nritya. A dancer in the classical tradition has to have years of training before he or she can begin to perform on the stage.
What are the main schools of classical dancing ?
Bharata Natyam, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kathak. Bharata Natyam is the oldest and most popular dance-form of India. Earlier, it was known by various names. Some called it Bharatam, some Natyam some Desi Attam and some Sadir.
The districts of Tanjore and Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu were the focal points in the development of Bharata Natyam. It was danced as a solo performance by devadasis (temple dancers) on all auspicious occasions. Later, kings and rich people lent their patronage to it and it started shedding its purely sacred character.- Maharashtra Class X Board - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Questions Asked in CUET exam
- A and B can complete a task in the ratio 3:2. If together they complete the task in 20 days, how long will A alone take?
- CUET (UG) - 2025
- Time and Work
Identify the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error:
Each of the boys have submitted their assignment on time.- CUET (UG) - 2025
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- If \( 3 \times 4 = 25 \), \( 5 \times 2 = 27 \), \( 6 \times 3 = 39 \), then what is \( 7 \times 5 = ? \)
- CUET (UG) - 2025
- Logical Reasoning
Rearrange the following parts to form a meaningful and grammatically correct sentence:
P. a healthy diet and regular exercise
Q. are important habits
R. that help maintain good physical and mental health
S. especially in today's busy world- CUET (UG) - 2025
- Sentence Arrangement
- Rearrange the parts to form a logical sentence:
A) the city's new policy
B) has significantly improved
C) air quality
D) over the past year- CUET (UG) - 2025
- Sentence Arrangement