Five a Day
A new study backs up the long-standing nutritional guideline that consuming five daily servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables is linked to longevity. People who daily consumed specifically two fruits and three vegetables had a 12 per cent lower risk of death from car- diovascular disease, a 10 per cent lower risk from cancer, and a 35 per cent lower risk from respiratory disease, compared with people who ate just two daily servings.
One ’serving’ is 125 millilitres of any vegetables or fruits, or 250 millilitres of salad greens. You get the same beneficial vitamins, minerals and fibre in both, but vegetables are lower in calories and sugar, which is why the guidelines recommend higher consumption levels for them. The findings included two studies of more than 1,00,000 American men and women who were followed for up to 30 years. Those studies were then added to 24 other studies from across the globe to conduct one large meta-analysis on more than 1.8 million participants. Variety is the key, because different fruits and vegetables contain different beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. Almost all fruits and vegetables were associated with lower mortality, but there were exceptions. Fruit juices and starchy vegetables such as peas, corn, and potatoes were not associated with reduced risk of death or chronic diseases. It may be due to their higher glycaemic load.
Your five daily servings can be met from a variety of fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, whether conventional or organic. Whichever options are available, affordable, and appealing are good choices.
Studies show that freezing and canning preserves nutrients, which makes these foods even more nutrient-dense than their fresh counterparts. They are good options for people whose barriers to consuming enough servings per day include the high cost, low access, poor quality and lack of variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Complete the sentence:
The research study referred to in the given passage claims that the daily consumption of five servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables______.
The research study referred to in the given passage claims that the daily consumption of five servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables______.
- Can keep us satisfied and make us immortal.
- Can lower the risk of disease and increase life-span.
- Can make people completely disease free and invincible.
- Is an age-old guideline to cure infertility.
The Correct Option is B
Approach Solution - 1
The research study mentioned in the passage supports the nutritional guideline that consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables daily can lower the risk of disease and increase life-span. The study indicates that specifically eating two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables daily results in a decreased risk of death from various diseases, such as cardiovascular disease by 12%, cancer by 10%, and respiratory disease by 35%, when compared to eating just two servings a day.
Thus, the correct completion of the sentence is: Can lower the risk of disease and increase life-span.
Approach Solution -2
The study claims that eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases, increasing longevity.
Context: According to recent studies, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is linked to a variety of health benefits. The study in question highlights that consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables every day can significantly reduce the risk of developing several serious health conditions.
Impact on Cardiovascular Health: Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables has been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The high levels of fiber, antioxidants, and essential nutrients in these foods help maintain healthy blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and support overall heart health.
Effect on Cancer and Respiratory Diseases: A diet abundant in fruits and vegetables can also lower the risk of certain cancers and respiratory diseases. The antioxidants and phytochemicals in these foods help protect the body from harmful free radicals and support immune function.
Increase in Longevity: In addition to reducing the risk of diseases, the study suggests that this diet may also contribute to a longer life. Consuming the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of premature death, enhancing quality of life over time.
Final Thought: The study underscores the importance of making fruits and vegetables a daily part of our diet. This simple dietary change can have profound effects on our overall health and longevity.
Complete the sentence:
Nutritional guidelines recommend higher consumption levels for vegetables because________
Nutritional guidelines recommend higher consumption levels for vegetables because________
- Vegetables have more vitamins and minerals
- Vegetables are more fibre-rich as compared to fruits
- Vegetables are lower in calories and sugar
- Fruits are not a healthy option
The Correct Option is C
Approach Solution - 1
The sentence can be completed as follows:
Nutritional guidelines recommend higher consumption levels for vegetables because they are lower in calories and sugar.
This is based on the information presented in the provided passage. The passage states that although both fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, vegetables have fewer calories and sugar content. Therefore, the dietary suggestion favors a higher intake of vegetables to promote health benefits like reduced risks of diseases.
Approach Solution -2
Vegetables are lower in calories and sugar compared to fruits, making them healthier for daily consumption and regular intake.
Context: Vegetables are widely regarded as a key component of a healthy diet. They are often praised for their low calorie and sugar content, which makes them an excellent choice for those looking to maintain a balanced diet or manage their weight.
Lower Calorie Content: Compared to fruits, vegetables generally contain fewer calories, making them a great option for daily consumption without significantly affecting calorie intake. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals trying to manage their weight or maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI).
Reduced Sugar Levels: Vegetables also tend to have lower sugar content than fruits. While fruits are naturally sweet and provide important vitamins and minerals, vegetables typically offer these nutrients with much lower amounts of sugar, making them a better choice for people who need to regulate their blood sugar levels, such as those with diabetes.
Healthier for Regular Intake: Given their lower calorie and sugar content, vegetables can be consumed regularly without the risk of excessive sugar intake. They provide essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which contribute to overall health and wellness.
Final Thought: Vegetables, with their lower calorie and sugar content, are an ideal addition to any diet. Their regular consumption promotes better health while allowing for greater flexibility in daily food choices.
The meta-analysis conducted on 1.8 million participants for the research mentioned in the passage was based on a total ______ number of studies.
- 2
- 24
- 26
- 30
The Correct Option is C
Approach Solution - 1
The passage indicates that there were initially two studies conducted on American men and women. These two studies were combined with an additional 24 studies from around the world to create a comprehensive meta-analysis involving over 1.8 million participants. Therefore, the total number of studies included in this meta-analysis is 26.
Accordingly, the correct answer is 26.
Approach Solution -2
The meta-analysis included data from 26 studies, combining two large U.S. studies and 24 other studies from around the world.
Context: Meta-analysis is a research method that combines data from multiple studies to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a specific topic. In this case, the meta-analysis incorporated data from a total of 26 studies, including both U.S.-based and international research.
Inclusion of U.S. Studies: The meta-analysis combined the findings from two large studies conducted in the United States. These studies likely provided valuable insights due to their sample size and relevance to the research question being addressed.
Global Studies: In addition to the U.S. studies, the meta-analysis also included data from 24 other studies conducted around the world. This inclusion of international data ensures a more diverse and global perspective on the issue, increasing the generalizability and robustness of the findings.
Final Thought: The inclusion of both U.S. and international studies in this meta-analysis strengthens the reliability of the conclusions drawn and provides a well-rounded view of the topic under investigation.
On the basis of your reading of the passage, choose the statement that is INCORRECT.
- We must consume a variety of fruits and vegetables as they are high in nutritive value.
- Peas, corn and potatoes are associated with lower mortality rate.
- Fruit juices have high glycaemic index and are not associated with lower risk of death.
- Consuming fruit juices and starchy vegetables can heighten the risk of chronic diseases.
The Correct Option is B
Approach Solution - 1
Upon analyzing the passage provided, we are tasked with identifying the incorrect statement from the options given about the nutritional information presented. Let us explore each option:
- We must consume a variety of fruits and vegetables as they are high in nutritive value.
- Peas, corn and potatoes are associated with lower mortality rate.
- Fruit juices have high glycaemic index and are not associated with lower risk of death.
- Consuming fruit juices and starchy vegetables can heighten the risk of chronic diseases.
To determine the incorrect statement, we must refer back to the data in the passage:
- The passage posits that variety in fruit and vegetable consumption is essential due to their nutritive value, thereby validating the first statement.
- The passage specifically notes that fruit juices and starchy vegetables like peas, corn, and potatoes do not correlate with a lower mortality risk, which makes the second statement incorrect.
- The statement about fruit juices having a high glycaemic index aligns with the passage, supporting the third statement.
- The association of fruit juices and starchy vegetables with chronic disease risk is also supported by the passage, affirming the fourth statement.
Therefore, the statement that is incorrect based on the passage is the second one: "Peas, corn and potatoes are associated with lower mortality rate."
Approach Solution -2
Peas, corn, and potatoes are associated with a lower mortality rate.
Context: Recent studies have shown that certain vegetables, including peas, corn, and potatoes, are linked to a reduction in mortality rates. These common foods, often part of a balanced diet, may play an important role in promoting long-term health.
Health Benefits: Peas, corn, and potatoes are rich in essential nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients contribute to improved cardiovascular health, digestion, and overall well-being, which could explain the association with lower mortality rates.
Potential Impact on Mortality: Regular consumption of these foods may reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, which are major contributors to higher mortality rates. By including these foods in a balanced diet, individuals may experience enhanced health outcomes and longevity.
Final Thought: The association between peas, corn, and potatoes with a lower mortality rate underscores the importance of incorporating nutrient-rich vegetables into one's diet for better health and longevity.
To fulfil the nutrients and antioxidant requirement of the human body, we must consume______
- Only fruit juices
- Only peas, corn, and potatoes
- A combination of fruits and vegetables
- Only organic fruits
The Correct Option is C
Approach Solution - 1
To fulfil the nutrients and antioxidant requirement of the human body, the best dietary choice is to consume a combination of fruits and vegetables. This is supported by the following points from the passage:
- The "Five a Day" guideline suggests consuming five daily servings of different fruits and vegetables, which is linked to longevity.
- Consuming two fruits and three vegetables daily leads to a significant reduction in mortality risks from various diseases.
- Variety is crucial because different fruits and vegetables provide a diverse range of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants.
- Fruit juices and starchy vegetables do not contribute to reduced disease risk due to their higher glycaemic load.
- Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables are viable options, ensuring versatility and nutrient preservation.
Thus, to achieve a balanced intake of nutrients and antioxidants, incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables into the diet is recommended over the other options provided.
Approach Solution -2
A combination of fruits and vegetables is essential to meet nutrient and antioxidant requirements, as different fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients.
Context: A balanced diet that includes both fruits and vegetables is key to obtaining a wide range of nutrients and antioxidants. Each fruit and vegetable contains unique vitamins, minerals, and compounds that contribute to overall health and well-being.
Importance of Nutrients: Fruits and vegetables are rich in essential nutrients like vitamins (e.g., vitamin C, vitamin A), minerals (e.g., potassium, magnesium), and dietary fiber. These nutrients are critical for maintaining bodily functions, improving immune health, and promoting digestion.
Role of Antioxidants: Different fruits and vegetables also provide varying types of antioxidants, such as flavonoids and carotenoids, which help combat oxidative stress and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. By combining a variety of fruits and vegetables, individuals ensure they are getting a broad spectrum of these protective compounds.
Final Thought: The combination of different fruits and vegetables in our diet is not only essential for meeting our nutritional needs but also for providing a diverse array of antioxidants that support long-term health and disease prevention.
On the basis of your reading of the passage, choose the statement that is CORRECT from the options given below:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables are healthier than frozen or canned ones.
- Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are more nutrient-rich.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables are good options for people who face barriers to consuming enough servings daily.
- Freezing and canning lowers the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables.
The Correct Option is B
Approach Solution - 1
To determine the correct statement from the given options, we need to analyze the key information from the passage:
The passage emphasizes the importance of consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables daily as part of a healthy diet. It also highlights the benefits of a varied intake to reduce risks of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory illness.
A crucial point mentioned is that fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables are viable options for meeting the necessary daily intake. The passage confirms that freezing and canning preserve nutrients, often making these options more nutrient-dense than fresh produce.
Analyzing the given options:
- Option 1: "Fresh fruits and vegetables are healthier than frozen or canned ones." This is incorrect as the passage states that frozen and canned can be more nutrient-dense.
- Option 2: "Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are more nutrient-rich." This statement directly aligns with the passage, which mentions that freezing and canning methods preserve nutrients.
- Option 3: "Fresh fruits and vegetables are good options for people who face barriers to consuming enough servings daily." This contradicts the passage since frozen and canned options are viable for those with barriers like cost and access.
- Option 4: "Freezing and canning lowers the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables." This is false per the passage, which affirms the nutrient-preserving capability of these methods.
The correct answer is: Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are more nutrient-rich.
Approach Solution -2
The passage states that freezing and canning preserve nutrients, making them more nutrient-rich than fresh produce.
Context: The passage highlights the benefits of freezing and canning as methods of food preservation. These techniques help retain the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, often making them more nutrient-rich than their fresh counterparts, which can lose nutrients during transport or storage.
Freezing and Nutrient Retention: Freezing is known to preserve the vitamins and minerals in food because it prevents the breakdown of these nutrients over time. Freezing often locks in nutrients soon after harvest, making frozen produce just as, or sometimes more, nutrient-dense than fresh produce.
Canning and Nutrient Preservation: Canning, while it may involve heat, can also preserve many nutrients, especially when done properly. The process helps to prevent nutrient loss by sealing in vitamins and minerals, although some water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C may be slightly reduced during the heating process.
Final Thought: Both freezing and canning offer significant benefits for preserving the nutritional value of produce, ensuring that they remain nutrient-rich options throughout the year, even when fresh produce may be out of season or harder to obtain.
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
- Shown below are letters ‘e’ taken from four popular logos, arranged in a sequence. Which of the options is the correct sequence?
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- Shown below are four options, each showing consecutive frames representing the movement of a pendulum of an old-style wall clock for an animation movie. Which is the correct option?
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- Acrucial moderating factor in how people experience comparisons is self-esteem. Individuals with high self-esteem are more likely to interpret upward comparison as informative rather than threatening. They are more resilient in the face of others’ success and more likely to believe they can reach their own goals. In contrast, people with low self-esteem are more prone to interpret comparison as judgment, reinforcing negative self-views and triggering feelings of inadequacy.
This dynamic creates a self-reinforcing loop. People with high self-esteem are less vulnerable to upward comparison, which intensifies those doubts. Those with a secure sense of self are more likely to use comparison as a learning tool. The same external stimulus—a colleague’s achievements, a friend’s popularity—can have radically different effects depending on internal stability.
Self-esteem also influences how people choose their comparison targets. Research has found that individuals often engage in “selective comparison,” seeking out those who confirm their existing beliefs about themselves. This can become a subtle form of self-sabotage. Someone who feels unworthy may subconsciously seek out targets that reinforce that sense, perpetuating a narrative of inferiority. One of the most promising antidotes to social comparison is temporal comparison—evaluating oneself not against others, but against one’s own past. This method has been shown to increase motivation and satisfaction, especially when individuals can see concrete progress. Temporal comparison activates the same reward circuits as social comparison but avoids the threat systems associated with social ranking. It also reinforces agency: individuals focus on what they can control and improve rather than what others control. In therapeutic and coaching settings, temporal comparison is used to help clients build self-efficacy and track growth over time.
Moreover, people who focus on self-improvement rather than social dominance are less likely to fall into cycles of envy or self-pity. They can still use others as inspiration, but they do so without attaching their self-worth to the outcome. This is not to say they never compare—but that they focus on learning, rather than judgment. The most skilful approach to comparison may lie in eliminating it, but in reframing it as feedback. When we interpret comparison as information rather than a verdict, we can ask, “What can I learn from this?” This shift turns comparison into a growth tool. Teachers mentor their students, not as rivals. Psychologists emphasize that the key variable here is mindset.
A fixed mindset sees comparison as a threat. If someone else is better, it means we are worse. A growth mindset sees comparison as a map. If someone else has reached a certain level, it means the path exists. This reframing is not just a cognitive trick. It changes the emotional tone of comparison, making it more likely to inspire than to wound. Reframing also requires emotional regulation—the ability to notice an initial pang of envy or shame without reacting impulsively. With practice, individuals can learn to pause, reflect, and reinterpret their emotional responses. Over time, this builds resilience and self-trust, allowing comparison to become a learning tool rather than a cage.- XAT - 2026
- Verbal and Logical Ability
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When people who are talking don’t share the same culture, knowledge, values, and assumptions, mutual understanding can be especially difficult. Such understanding is possible through the negotiation of meaning. To negotiate meaning with someone, you have to become aware of and respect both the differences in your backgrounds and when these differences are important. You need enough diversity of cultural and personal experience to be aware that divergent world views exist and what they might be like. You also need the flexibility in world view, and a generous tolerance for mistakes, as well as a talent for finding the right metaphor to communicate the relevant parts of unshared experiences or to highlight the shared experiences while demphasizing the others. Metaphorical imagination is a crucial skill in creating rapport and in communicating the nature of unshared experience. This skill consists, in large measure, of the ability to bend your world view and adjust the way you categorize your experiences. Problems of mutual understanding are not exotic; they arise in all extended conversations where understanding is important.
When it really counts, meaning is almost never communicated according to the CONDUIT metaphor, that is, where one person transmits a fixed, clear proposition to another by means of expressions in a common language, where both parties have all the relevant common knowledge, assumptions, values, etc. When the chips are down, meaning is negotiated: you slowly figure out what you have in common, what it is safe to talk about, how you can communicate unshared experience or create a shared vision. With enough flexibility in bending your world view and with luck and charity, you may achieve some mutual understanding.
Communication theories based on the CONDUIT metaphor turn from the pathetic to the evil when they are applied indiscriminately on a large scale, say, in government surveillance or computerized files. There, what is most crucial for real understanding is almost never included, and it is assumed that the words in the file have meaning in themselves—disembodied, objective, understandable meaning. When a society lives by the CONDUITmetaphor on a large scale, misunderstanding, persecution, and much worse are the likely products.- XAT - 2026
- Verbal and Logical Ability
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Later, I realized that reviewing the history of nuclear physics served another purpose as well: It gave the lie to the naive belief that the physicists could have come together when nuclear fission was discovered (in Nazi Germany!) and agreed to keep the discovery a secret, thereby sparing humanity such a burden. No. Given the development of nuclear physics up to 1938, development that physicists throughout the world pursued in all innocence of any intention of finding the engine of a new weapon of mass destruction—only one of them, the remarkable Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard, took that possibility seriously—the discovery of nuclear fission was inevitable. To stop it, you would have had to stop physics. If German scientists hadn’t made the discovery when they did, French, American, Russian, Italian, or Danish scientists would have done so, almost certainly within days or weeks. They were all working at the same cutting edge, trying to understand the strange results of a simple experiment bombarding uranium with neutrons. Here was no Faustian bargain, as movie directors and other naifs still find it intellectually challenging to imagine. Here was no evil machinery that the noble scientists might hide from the problems and the generals. To the contrary, there was a high insight into how the world works, an energetic reaction, older than the earth, that science had finally devised the instruments and arrangements to coart forth. “Make it seem inevitable,” Louis Pasteur used to advise his students when they prepared to write up their discoveries. But it was. To wish that it might have been ignored or suppressed is barbarous. “Knowledge,” Niels Bohr once noted, “is itself the basis for civilization.” You cannot have the one without the other; the one depends upon the other. Nor can you have only benevolent knowledge; the scientific method doesn’t filter for benevolence. Knowledge has consequences, not always intended, not always comfortable, but always welcome. The earth revolves around the sun, not the sun around the earth. “It is a profound and necessary truth,” Robert Oppenheimer would say, “that the deep things in science are not found because they are useful; they are found because it was possible to find them.”
...Bohr proposed once that the goal of science is not universal truth. Rather, he argued, the modest but relentless goal of science is “the gradual removal of prejudices.” The discovery that the earth revolves around the sun has gradually removed the prejudice that the earth is the center of the universe. The discovery of microbes is gradually removing the prejudice that disease is a punishment from God. The discovery of evolution is gradually removing the prejudice that Homo sapiens is a separate and special creation.- XAT - 2026
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
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