Comprehension
The communities of ants are sometimes very large, numbering even up to 500, individuals: and it is a
lesson to us that no one has ever yet seen quarrel between any two ants belonging to the same community.
On the other hand, it must be admitted that they are in hostility not only with most other insects, including
ants of different species, but even with those of the same species if belonging to different communities. I
have over and over again introduced ants from one of my nests into another nest of the same species; and
they were invariably attacked, seized by a leg or an antenna, and dragged out.
It is evident, therefore, that the ants of each community all recognize one another, which is very remarkable. But more than this, I several times divided a nest into two halves and found that even after separation of a year and nine months they recognize one another and were perfectly friendly, while they at once attacked ants from a different nest, although of the same species.
It has been suggested that the ant of each nest have some sign or password by which they recognize one another. To test this I made some of them insensible, first I tried chloroform; but this was fatal to them, and I did not consider the test satisfactory. I decided therefore to intoxicate them. This was less easy than I had expected. None of my ants would voluntarily degrade themselves by getting drunk. However, I got over the difficulty by putting them into whisky for a few moments. I took fifty specimens - - twenty five percent from one nest and twenty five percent from another made them dead drunk, market each with a spot of paint, and put them on a table close to where other ants from one the nests were feeding. The table was surrounded as usual with a moat of water to prevent them from straying. The ants, which were feeding, soon noticed those, which I had made drunk. They seemed quite astonished to find their comrades in such a disgraceful condition, and as much at a loss to know what to do with their drunkards as we were. After a while, however, they carried them all away; the strangers they took to the edge of the moat and dropped into the water, while they bore their friends home into the nest, where by degrees they slept off the effects of the spirits. Thus it is evident that they know their friends even when incapable of giving any sign or password.
It is evident, therefore, that the ants of each community all recognize one another, which is very remarkable. But more than this, I several times divided a nest into two halves and found that even after separation of a year and nine months they recognize one another and were perfectly friendly, while they at once attacked ants from a different nest, although of the same species.
It has been suggested that the ant of each nest have some sign or password by which they recognize one another. To test this I made some of them insensible, first I tried chloroform; but this was fatal to them, and I did not consider the test satisfactory. I decided therefore to intoxicate them. This was less easy than I had expected. None of my ants would voluntarily degrade themselves by getting drunk. However, I got over the difficulty by putting them into whisky for a few moments. I took fifty specimens - - twenty five percent from one nest and twenty five percent from another made them dead drunk, market each with a spot of paint, and put them on a table close to where other ants from one the nests were feeding. The table was surrounded as usual with a moat of water to prevent them from straying. The ants, which were feeding, soon noticed those, which I had made drunk. They seemed quite astonished to find their comrades in such a disgraceful condition, and as much at a loss to know what to do with their drunkards as we were. After a while, however, they carried them all away; the strangers they took to the edge of the moat and dropped into the water, while they bore their friends home into the nest, where by degrees they slept off the effects of the spirits. Thus it is evident that they know their friends even when incapable of giving any sign or password.
Question: 1
An appropriate title for this passage might be:
An appropriate title for this passage might be:
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Always pick the title that reflects the central theme and scope of the passage, not just one interesting example. Titles should be specific yet broad enough to cover the entire content.
Updated On: Aug 5, 2025
- Nature’s Mysteries
- Human Qualities in the Insect world
- Drunken Ants
- Communication in Ant Communities
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The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
The passage provides detailed observations and experiments conducted by the author to study how ants recognize members of their own community.
The narrative starts by explaining how ants never quarrel with members of their own community but are hostile towards outsiders, even if they belong to the same species.
The author explains several tests — splitting a nest into two and reuniting them after many months, and making ants intoxicated to see if recognition still happens.
The primary purpose of these descriptions is to highlight the communication, recognition, and identification mechanisms in ant communities.
Option (a) "Nature’s Mysteries" is far too broad and does not specifically capture the main focus on ant recognition and communication.
Option (b) "Human Qualities in the Insect World" is misleading — while ants show cooperative and hostile behaviors, the author is not anthropomorphizing them but describing their biological behavior.
Option (c) "Drunken Ants" only refers to one of the experiments and is not the central theme; using it as the title would mislead the reader about the overall subject.
Option (d) "Communication in Ant Communities" directly captures the key theme — how ants differentiate between friends and strangers and the methods by which they identify each other.
Given that the passage is mainly about recognition and communication between ants, (d) is the most accurate and specific choice.
The narrative starts by explaining how ants never quarrel with members of their own community but are hostile towards outsiders, even if they belong to the same species.
The author explains several tests — splitting a nest into two and reuniting them after many months, and making ants intoxicated to see if recognition still happens.
The primary purpose of these descriptions is to highlight the communication, recognition, and identification mechanisms in ant communities.
Option (a) "Nature’s Mysteries" is far too broad and does not specifically capture the main focus on ant recognition and communication.
Option (b) "Human Qualities in the Insect World" is misleading — while ants show cooperative and hostile behaviors, the author is not anthropomorphizing them but describing their biological behavior.
Option (c) "Drunken Ants" only refers to one of the experiments and is not the central theme; using it as the title would mislead the reader about the overall subject.
Option (d) "Communication in Ant Communities" directly captures the key theme — how ants differentiate between friends and strangers and the methods by which they identify each other.
Given that the passage is mainly about recognition and communication between ants, (d) is the most accurate and specific choice.
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Question: 2
Attitudes of ants towards strangers of the same species may be categorized as:
Attitudes of ants towards strangers of the same species may be categorized as:
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When identifying attitudes, focus on action words and behavioral descriptions — aggression, avoidance, cooperation — to choose the most precise label.
Updated On: Aug 5, 2025
- indifferent
- curious
- hostile
- passive
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
The passage repeatedly mentions that ants immediately attack strangers from other nests, even if they are from the same species.
For example, when ants from another nest were introduced, they were instantly seized and dragged out.
This aggressive behavior shows active rejection of outsiders.
Option (a) "indifferent" means they would ignore the strangers, which is completely opposite to their actual reaction.
Option (b) "curious" would mean they would approach and investigate without aggression, which is not the case here.
Option (d) "passive" suggests no action or resistance, but the ants clearly engage in physical attacks.
Only option (c) "hostile" accurately describes the aggression and rejection shown by ants towards outsiders, as supported by multiple examples in the text.
For example, when ants from another nest were introduced, they were instantly seized and dragged out.
This aggressive behavior shows active rejection of outsiders.
Option (a) "indifferent" means they would ignore the strangers, which is completely opposite to their actual reaction.
Option (b) "curious" would mean they would approach and investigate without aggression, which is not the case here.
Option (d) "passive" suggests no action or resistance, but the ants clearly engage in physical attacks.
Only option (c) "hostile" accurately describes the aggression and rejection shown by ants towards outsiders, as supported by multiple examples in the text.
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Question: 3
The author’s anecdotes of the inebriated ants would support all the following inductions except:
The author’s anecdotes of the inebriated ants would support all the following inductions except:
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For “EXCEPT” questions, eliminate statements directly supported by the passage and select the one that is contradicted or unproven.
Updated On: Aug 5, 2025
- ants take unwillingly to intoxicants
- ants aid comrades in distress
- ants have invariable recognition of their community members
- ants recognize their comrades by a mysterious password
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The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
The author first attempted to test recognition by making ants unconscious using chloroform, but it was fatal.
He then tried intoxicating ants, but they resisted drinking alcohol voluntarily, proving (a) is correct — they take intoxicants unwillingly.
When intoxicated ants were placed near other members of their own nest, those ants carried them back into the nest, showing (b) is correct — ants help comrades in distress.
The experiment also proved (c) — even in a drunken state, ants were recognized by their nest-mates and aided, indicating recognition is constant.
However, the idea that ants recognize each other by a "mysterious password" was directly challenged in the passage — the author experimented to test this theory and found no evidence for it.
Recognition likely happens via scent or other biological cues, but not through a password-like signal.
Therefore, the only statement not supported by the anecdotes is (d).
He then tried intoxicating ants, but they resisted drinking alcohol voluntarily, proving (a) is correct — they take intoxicants unwillingly.
When intoxicated ants were placed near other members of their own nest, those ants carried them back into the nest, showing (b) is correct — ants help comrades in distress.
The experiment also proved (c) — even in a drunken state, ants were recognized by their nest-mates and aided, indicating recognition is constant.
However, the idea that ants recognize each other by a "mysterious password" was directly challenged in the passage — the author experimented to test this theory and found no evidence for it.
Recognition likely happens via scent or other biological cues, but not through a password-like signal.
Therefore, the only statement not supported by the anecdotes is (d).
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Question: 4
According to the passage, chloroform was less successful than alcohol for inhibiting communication because of:
According to the passage, chloroform was less successful than alcohol for inhibiting communication because of:
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When comparing experimental methods in a passage, focus on the explicit reason the author provides for rejecting one over another.
Updated On: Aug 5, 2025
- its expense
- its unpredictable side effects
- its unavailability
- its fatality
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The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
In the passage, the author explains that the first attempt to test recognition among ants was to make some of them insensible using chloroform.
However, this attempt failed because the chloroform killed the ants.
This shows that the problem with chloroform was not cost (a), not unpredictable side effects (b), and not unavailability (c).
The reason was specifically its fatal nature — it caused the death of the ants before any further experiment could be conducted.
Alcohol, on the other hand, made the ants drunk but did not kill them, allowing the author to observe how other ants reacted to them.
Therefore, option (d) "its fatality" is directly supported by the passage as the reason chloroform was less successful than alcohol in this experiment.
However, this attempt failed because the chloroform killed the ants.
This shows that the problem with chloroform was not cost (a), not unpredictable side effects (b), and not unavailability (c).
The reason was specifically its fatal nature — it caused the death of the ants before any further experiment could be conducted.
Alcohol, on the other hand, made the ants drunk but did not kill them, allowing the author to observe how other ants reacted to them.
Therefore, option (d) "its fatality" is directly supported by the passage as the reason chloroform was less successful than alcohol in this experiment.
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Question: 5
Although the author is a scientist, his style of writing also exhibits a quality of:
Although the author is a scientist, his style of writing also exhibits a quality of:
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Tone questions are best answered by focusing on word choice and the mood conveyed by the author’s descriptions.
Updated On: Aug 5, 2025
- sophistry
- whimsy
- hypocrisy
- tragedy
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The passage, while based on scientific observation of ant behavior, is written with a light, humorous, and playful tone.
The author describes the drunkenness of ants and their rescue by fellow ants in a way that evokes amusement rather than strict scientific formality.
Option (a) "sophistry" means deceptive or fallacious reasoning, which does not apply here because the author’s reasoning is clear and evidence-based.
Option (c) "hypocrisy" refers to pretending to have beliefs or virtues that one does not possess, which is irrelevant in this context.
Option (d) "tragedy" is inappropriate because the narrative does not convey sorrow or misfortune as its main tone; instead, the tone is lighthearted.
Option (b) "whimsy" refers to playful or fanciful behavior, and this is evident in how the author narrates the experiments with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Thus, the best description of the author’s style, beyond his scientific role, is whimsical.
The author describes the drunkenness of ants and their rescue by fellow ants in a way that evokes amusement rather than strict scientific formality.
Option (a) "sophistry" means deceptive or fallacious reasoning, which does not apply here because the author’s reasoning is clear and evidence-based.
Option (c) "hypocrisy" refers to pretending to have beliefs or virtues that one does not possess, which is irrelevant in this context.
Option (d) "tragedy" is inappropriate because the narrative does not convey sorrow or misfortune as its main tone; instead, the tone is lighthearted.
Option (b) "whimsy" refers to playful or fanciful behavior, and this is evident in how the author narrates the experiments with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Thus, the best description of the author’s style, beyond his scientific role, is whimsical.
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