Not everything is efficient in the slums, though. In the Brazilian favelas where electricity is stolen and therefore free, people leave their lights on all day. But in most slums recycling is literally a way of life. The Dharavi slum in Mumbai has 400 recycling units and 30,000 ragpickers. Six thousand tons of rubbish are sorted every day. In 2007, the Economist reported that in Vietnam and Mozambique, “Waves of gleaners sift the sweepings of Hanoi’s streets, just as Mozambiquan children pick over the rubbish of Maputo’s main tip. Every city in Asia and Latin America has an industry based on gathering up old cardboard boxes.” . . .
In his 1985 article, Calthorpe made a statement that still jars with most people: “The city is the most environmentally benign form of human settlement. Each city dweller consumes less land, less energy, less water, and produces less pollution than his counterpart in settlements of lower densities.” “Green Manhattan” was the inflammatory title of a 2004 New Yorker article by David Owen. “By the most significant measures,” he wrote, “New York is the greenest community in the United States, and one of the greenest cities in the world . . . The key to New York’s relative environmental benignity is its extreme compactness. . . . Placing one and a half million people on a twenty-three-square-mile island sharply reduces their opportunities to be wasteful.” He went on to note that this very compactness forces people to live in the world’s most energy-efficient apartment buildings. . . .
Urban density allows half of humanity to live on 2.8 per cent of the land. . . . Consider just the infrastructure efficiencies. According to a 2004 UN report: “The concentration of population and enterprises in urban areas greatly reduces the unit cost of piped water, sewers, drains, roads, electricity, garbage collection, transport, health care, and schools.” . . . [T]he nationally subsidised city of Manaus in northern Brazil “answers the question” of how to stop deforestation: give people decent jobs. Then they can afford houses, and gain security. One hundred thousand people who would otherwise be deforesting the jungle around Manaus are now prospering in town making such things as mobile phones and televisions. . . .
Of course, fast-growing cities are far from an unmitigated good. They concentrate crime, pollution, disease and injustice as much as business, innovation, education and entertainment. . . . But if they are overall a net good for those who move there, it is because cities offer more than just jobs. They are transformative: in the slums, as well as the office towers and leafy suburbs, the progress is from hick to metropolitan to cosmopolitan . . .
Which one of the following statements would undermine the author’s stand regarding the greenness of cities?
Which one of the following statements would undermine the author’s stand regarding the greenness of cities?
- The compactness of big cities in the West increases the incidence of violent crime.
The high density of cities leads to an increase in carbon dioxide and global warming.
- Over the last decade the cost of utilities has been increasing for city dwellers.
- Sorting through rubbish contributes to the rapid spread of diseases in the slums.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
To determine which statement undermines the author's stand on the greenness of cities, we must consider the author's main arguments regarding urban density and environmental impact.
The author suggests that:
- Cities are environmentally beneficial because they have high density, reducing land and resource usage.
- This density leads to energy efficiency and less pollution per capita.
- Urban areas enable efficient infrastructure usage, reducing the costs and environmental footprint.
- Though not perfect, cities' advantages outweigh the negatives.
Given these points, the statement that most contradicts the author's position is:
The high density of cities leads to an increase in carbon dioxide and global warming.
This challenges the core argument that urban density leads to reduced pollution and enhanced environmental sustainability.
According to the passage, squatter cities are environment-friendly for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:
- they recycle material.
their transportation is energy efficient.
- they sort out garbage.
- their streets are kept clean.
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
- Squatter cities recycle material: This is confirmed by the recycling activities in regions like Dharavi, where recycling is a significant component of life.
- Their transportation is energy efficient: The passage describes transport modes like walking, bicycles, and shared taxis as energy-efficient.
- They sort out garbage: The mention of sorting activities by ragpickers and gleaners supports this.
- Their streets are kept clean: The passage does not specifically mention the cleanliness of streets as being environmentally beneficial.
We can infer that Calthorpe’s statement “still jars” with most people because most people:
- do not regard cities as good places to live in.
- consider cities to be very crowded and polluted.
regard cities as places of disease and crime.
- do not consider cities to be eco-friendly places.
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
We are tasked with inferring why Calthorpe’s statement “still jars” with most people, based on the comprehension provided. The comprehension discusses the environmental efficiency of urban density and squatter cities. Despite their chaotic appearance, these cities are described as having ecological benefits due to their compactness. The key aspects highlighted include the reduction in land, energy, and resource consumption per individual when compared to less dense settlements.
The comprehension mentions that people often have negative perceptions of cities, associating them with issues like crime, pollution, and disease. However, the focus here is to determine why Calthorpe's assertion about cities being "environmentally benign" is jarring.
Analyzing the comprehension, the main reason the statement jars is due to the commonly held belief that cities are not considered eco-friendly places. While the text explains the environmental benefits of city density, it contrasts with the perception that cities contribute to environmental hazards, which Calthorpe’s statement challenges.
Considering this analysis, the best option aligns with the idea that most people:
- do not consider cities to be eco-friendly places.
In the context of the passage, the author refers to Manaus in order to:
- explain where cities source their labour for factories.
- promote cities as employment hubs for people.
- explain how urban areas help the environment.
describe the infrastructure efficiencies of living in a city.
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
The author refers to Manaus to illustrate how urban areas contribute positively to the environment. The passage highlights the transformative effects that cities can have, particularly in reducing environmental impact. It mentions several points supporting this including:
- Urban Areas Help Environment: Urban centers, despite their high density, often consume fewer resources per capita. The concentration of people and businesses in cities leads to more efficient infrastructure use, which is environmentally beneficial.
- Manaus Example: The example of Manaus is used to demonstrate how providing people with jobs in urban settings can lead to reduced deforestation. By offering jobs in cities like Manaus, people who might have otherwise contributed to deforestation are rather engaged in manufacturing goods like mobile phones and televisions.
- Urban Density Benefits: The passage further notes that urban density allows a significant portion of humanity to occupy a small land area, thus conserving energy, reducing pollution, and consuming fewer resources overall.
These points align with the choice that the author mentions Manaus to explain how urban areas help the environment, forming a central theme in the discussion about the positive roles cities can play, especially regarding ecological concerns. Therefore, the correct answer is: explain how urban areas help the environment.
From the passage it can be inferred that cities are good places to live in for all of the following reasons EXCEPT that they:
From the passage it can be inferred that cities are good places to live in for all of the following reasons EXCEPT that they:
help prevent destruction of the environment.
have suburban areas as well as office areas.
- offer employment opportunities.
- contribute to the cultural transformation of residents.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
- Environmental advantages due to compact living, which reduces energy and resource consumption.
- Recycling and efficient use of resources in areas like slums.
- Employment opportunities as residents have access to jobs, which can prevent environmental destruction (e.g., deforestation).
- Cultural transformation due to urban density and the presence of cosmopolitan characteristics.
- Option 1: Help prevent destruction of the environment. This is supported as cities reduce land use and pollution, offering an environmentally benign form of settlement.
- Option 2: Have suburban areas as well as office areas. The passage does not discuss the presence of suburban areas, focusing primarily on the urban and slum environments.
- Option 3: Offer employment opportunities. This is supported by the mention of jobs preventing jungle deforestation and people prospering in urban areas.
- Option 4: Contribute to the cultural transformation of residents. The passage notes the cultural evolution from rural to metropolitan to cosmopolitan living, which is a form of cultural transformation.
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?
- UCEED - 2026
- English Language Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension
- 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?
- UCEED - 2026
- English Language Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension
- 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
- Reading Comprehension
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
- Reading Comprehension
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
Questions Asked in CAT exam
- The passage given below is followed by four summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
In the dynamic realm of creativity, artists often find themselves at the crossroads between drawing inspiration from diverse cultures and inadvertently crossing into the territory of cultural appropriation. Inspiration is the lifeblood of creativity, driving artists to create works that resonate across borders. In a globalized era of the modern world, artists draw from a vast array of cultural influences. When approached respectfully, inspiration becomes a bridge, fostering understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity. However, the line between inspiration and cultural appropriation can be thin and easily blurred.
Cultural appropriation occurs when elements from a particular culture are borrowed without proper understanding, respect, or acknowledgment. This leads to the commodification of sacred symbols, the reinforcement of stereotypes, and the erasure of the cultural context from which these elements originated. It is essential to recognize that the impact of cultural appropriation extends beyond the realm of artistic expression, influencing societal perceptions and perpetuating power imbalances.- CAT - 2025
- Para Summary
- The number of distinct integers $n$ for which $\log_{\left(\frac14\right)}(n^2 - 7n + 11)>0$ is:
- CAT - 2025
- Linear Inequalities
- In the set of consecutive odd numbers $\{1, 3, 5, \ldots, 57\}$, there is a number $k$ such that the sum of all the elements less than $k$ is equal to the sum of all the elements greater than $k$. Then, $k$ equals?
- CAT - 2025
- Number Systems
- The number of distinct pairs of integers $(x, y)$ satisfying the inequalities $x>y \ge 3$ and $x + y<14$ is:
- CAT - 2025
- Number Systems
For any natural number $k$, let $a_k = 3^k$. The smallest natural number $m$ for which \[ (a_1)^1 \times (a_2)^2 \times \dots \times (a_{20})^{20} \;<\; a_{21} \times a_{22} \times \dots \times a_{20+m} \] is:
- CAT - 2025
- Linear Inequalities