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    Reading Comprehension and Inference PYQs for GATE DA

    Solve 2+ Reading Comprehension and Inference previous year questions for GATE DA with answers and detailed solutions. Free sample questions below.

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    Question 1
    2026 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard
    ‘If his latest movie had been a commercial success, the actor would have made enough money to sponsor his next movie.’
    Based only on the above sentence, which one of the following statements is true?
    Question 2
    2024 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard
    Thousands of years ago, some people began dairy farming. This coincided with a
    number of mutations in a particular gene that resulted in these people developing
    the ability to digest dairy milk.
    Based on the given passage, which of the following can be inferred?
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    Reading Comprehension and Inference PYQs for GATE DA

    Solve 2+ Reading Comprehension and Inference previous year questions for GATE DA with answers and detailed solutions. Free sample questions below.

    Chapter Roadmap: Reading Comprehension and Inference

    Phase 1: The Core Principle

    Distinguishing explicit details from logical inferences.

    Phase 2: Sentence-Level Logic

    Mastering conditionals, contrapositives, and qualifiers in isolated statements.

    Phase 3: Passage-Level Synthesis

    Deducing causal links, author assumptions, and underlying themes from full texts.

    Phase 4: Trap Elimination

    Identifying extreme modifiers, outside scope, and reverse causality.

    The Core of Inference: Reading Between the Lines

    What is an Inference?

    An inference is a logical conclusion that must be true based on the explicit information provided in the text.

    The Golden Rule

    • Detail: Explicitly stated in the text.
    • Inference: Logically deduced from the text.
    • Outside Knowledge: True in the real world, but not supported by the text.

    The Litmus Test

    If you can imagine a scenario where the passage is true, but the option is false, then the option is not a valid inference.

    Reading Comprehension and Inference: Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Explanations (2 Problems)

    Question 1 · Verbal Aptitude · 2026 MCQ
    ‘If his latest movie had been a commercial success, the actor would have made enough money to sponsor his next movie.’
    Based only on the above sentence, which one of the following statements is true?
    1. A.

      The actor will certainly sponsor his next movie.

    2. B.

      His latest movie was a commercial success.

    3. C.

      The actor made enough money from his latest movie.

    4. D.

      His latest movie was not commercially successful.

    Correct Answer:

    D

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Insight: The sentence uses a counterfactual conditional ("If ... had been ..., ... would have ..."), which logically implies that the condition did not occur and the result did not happen.

    Exam route: Identify the grammatical markers "had been" and "would have". This immediately signals a counterfactual. The reality is the opposite of the condition: the movie was NOT a commercial success. Match this directly to Option D.

    Learning route:

    1. Recognize the structure: "If P had been true, Q would have happened."
    2. Understand counterfactuals: This specific grammatical construction is used to describe hypothetical situations in the past that did not actually occur. Therefore, P is false, and Q is false.
    3. Apply to the text: P = "latest movie was a commercial success". Since the sentence says "had been", the reality is that the latest movie was NOT commercially successful. Consequently, Q (making enough money) also did not happen.
    4. Evaluate options: Option D directly states this unstated reality. Options A, B, and C all mistakenly treat the hypothetical condition or result as factual.
    Question 2 · Verbal Aptitude · 2024 MCQ
    Thousands of years ago, some people began dairy farming. This coincided with a
    number of mutations in a particular gene that resulted in these people developing
    the ability to digest dairy milk.
    Based on the given passage, which of the following can be inferred?
    1. A.

      All human beings can digest dairy milk.

    2. B.

      No human being can digest dairy milk.

    3. C.

      Digestion of dairy milk is essential for human beings.

    4. D.

      In human beings, digestion of dairy milk resulted from a mutated gene.

    Correct Answer:

    D

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Insight: The passage explicitly links the ability to digest dairy milk to a genetic mutation in "some people" using the causal phrase "resulted in", making Option D a direct paraphrase of the stated causality.

    Exam route: Scan options for extreme modifiers ("All", "No", "essential"). Eliminate A, B, and C immediately as they overstate or invent claims. Option D perfectly matches the passage's explicit causal link without adding outside scope.

    Learning route:

    1. Analyze the passage: It states two facts: (a) some people began dairy farming, and (b) this coincided with gene mutations that resulted in these people developing the ability to digest dairy milk.
    2. Identify the causal link: The phrase "resulted in" explicitly establishes causation between the mutated gene and the ability to digest dairy milk for that specific group.
    3. Evaluate Option A: Uses the extreme modifier "All", but the passage explicitly limits the scope to "some people". This is a classic extreme modifier trap.
    4. Evaluate Option B: Uses the extreme modifier "No", which directly contradicts the passage's statement that some people developed the ability.
    5. Evaluate Option C: Introduces the concept of "essential", which is outside the scope of the passage. The passage describes a historical development, not a biological necessity for all humans.
    6. Evaluate Option D: Accurately reflects the passage's explicit statement that the digestion ability resulted from a mutated gene.