Para-completion and jumbled sentences, Reading comprehension passages… Test for XAT: 95 Questions with Solutions & Analysis

Attempt the Para-completion and jumbled sentences, Reading comprehension passages… test for XAT: 95 exam-level questions, detailed solutions and performance analysis. First questions free.

Paper breakdown

95 questions · 95 marks · 112.68 minutes. Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI): 28 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR): 26 · Decision Making (DM): 21 · General Knowledge (GK): 20

Free sample questions from Para-completion and jumbled sentences, Reading comprehension passages…

Question 1 · Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) · 2022 MCQ

Ramesh and Reena are playing with triangle ABC. Ramesh draws a line that bisects $∠ B A C$ ; this line cuts BC at D. Reena then extends AD to a point P. In response, Ramesh joins B and P. Reena then announces that BD bisects $∠ P B A$ , hat a surprise! Together, Ramesh and Reena nd that BD= 6 cm, AC= 9 cm, DC= 5 cm, BP=8 cm, and DP= 5 cm.

How long is AP?

A.
11.5 cm
B.
11.75 cm
C.
10.5 cm
D.
11 cm
E.
10.75 cm

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This problem applies the Angle Bisector Theorem twice, once in $△ A B C$ and once in $△ A B P$ . Each application gives a ratio that lets us solve for an unknown segment.

Step 1: Apply the Angle Bisector Theorem in $△ A B C$ .

$A D$ bisects $∠ B A C$ and meets $B C$ at $D$ , so:

$\frac{A B}{A C} = \frac{B D}{D C}$

Given $A C = 9$ , $B D = 6$ , $D C = 5$ :

$\frac{A B}{9} = \frac{6}{5} \Rightarrow A B = \frac{54}{5} = 10.8$ cm.

Step 2: Apply the Angle Bisector Theorem in $△ A B P$ .

$B D$ bisects $∠ P B A$ and meets $A P$ at $D$ (since $P$ lies on the extension of $A D$ ). So:

$\frac{A B}{B P} = \frac{A D}{D P}$

Given $A B = 10.8$ , $B P = 8$ , $D P = 5$ :

$\frac{10.8}{8} = \frac{A D}{5} \Rightarrow A D = \frac{10.8 \times 5}{8} = \frac{54}{8} = 6.75$ cm.

Step 3: Compute $A P$ .

Since $D$ lies between $A$ and $P$ on the line $A P$ :

$A P = A D + D P = 6.75 + 5 = 11.75$ cm.

Answer: B

Question 2 · Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) · 2023 MCQ

Raju and Sarita play a number game. First, each one of them chooses a positive integer independently.
Separately, they both multiply their chosen integers by 2, and then subtract 20 from their resultant numbers.
Now, each of them has a new number. Then, they divide their respective new numbers by 5. Finally, they added their results and found that the sum is 16. What can be the maximum possible difference between the positive integers chosen by Raju and Sarita?

A.
67
B.
58
C.
49
D.
40
E.
None of the above

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: Translate the word problem into a linear equation and use the integer constraints to maximize the difference.

Step 1: Define variables. Let Raju's chosen positive integer be $R$ and Sarita's be $S$ . Thus, $R \geq 1$ and $S \geq 1$ .

Step 2: Translate the operations. For each person, the operation is: multiply by 2, subtract 20, then divide by 5. This gives $(2 R - 20) /5$ and $(2 S - 20) /5$ .

Step 3: Form the equation. The sum of their results is 16: $(2 R - 20) /5 + (2 S - 20) /5 = 16$ .

Step 4: Simplify the equation. Multiply by 5: $2 R - 20 + 2 S - 20 = 80 ⟹ 2 R + 2 S = 120 ⟹ R + S = 60$ .

Step 5: Maximize the difference. We want to maximize $∣ R - S ∣$ subject to $R + S = 60$ and $R, S \geq 1$ being integers. To maximize the difference, make one variable as small as possible.

Step 6: Calculate the maximum difference. The smallest positive integer is 1. If $S = 1$ , then $R = 59$ . The difference is $∣59 - 1∣ = 58$ . (Note: The problem does not state the intermediate results must be integers, only that the final sum is 16, which holds true: $98/5 + (- 18) /5 = 80/5 = 16$ ).

Answer: B

Question 3 · Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) MCQ

Let $x$ and $y$ be positive integers such that $x^{3} y^{2} = 2^{7} \cdot 3^{5} \cdot 5^{4}$ . What is the minimum possible value of $x y$ ?

A.
900
B.
1200
C.
1800
D.
3600

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a perfect powers and prime factorization question, recognizable because it requires distributing prime factors across variables with specific exponent constraints to minimize a product.

Step 1: Express $x$ and $y$ in terms of their prime factors. Since the right side only has prime bases 2, 3, and 5, we can write $x = 2^{a_{1}} 3^{b_{1}} 5^{c_{1}}$ and $y = 2^{a_{2}} 3^{b_{2}} 5^{c_{2}}$ , where all exponents are non-negative integers.

Step 2: Substitute these into the given equation.

$x^{3} y^{2} = (2^{a_{1}} 3^{b_{1}} 5^{c_{1}})^{3} (2^{a_{2}} 3^{b_{2}} 5^{c_{2}})^{2} = 2^{3 a_{1} + 2 a_{2}} 3^{3 b_{1} + 2 b_{2}} 5^{3 c_{1} + 2 c_{2}}$ .

Step 3: Equate the exponents of the corresponding prime bases.

For base 2: $3 a_{1} + 2 a_{2} = 7$

For base 3: $3 b_{1} + 2 b_{2} = 5$

For base 5: $3 c_{1} + 2 c_{2} = 4$

Step 4: We want to minimize $x y = 2^{a_{1} + a_{2}} 3^{b_{1} + b_{2}} 5^{c_{1} + c_{2}}$ . This means we need to minimize the sum of the exponents for each prime independently.

Step 5: Minimize $a_{1} + a_{2}$ subject to $3 a_{1} + 2 a_{2} = 7$ .

Testing non-negative integers:

If $a_{1} = 1$ , $2 a_{2} = 4 ⟹ a_{2} = 2$ . Sum = 3.

If $a_{1} = 3$ , $2 a_{2} = - 2$ (invalid).

Minimum sum is 3.

Step 6: Minimize $b_{1} + b_{2}$ subject to $3 b_{1} + 2 b_{2} = 5$ .

If $b_{1} = 1$ , $2 b_{2} = 2 ⟹ b_{2} = 1$ . Sum = 2.

Minimum sum is 2.

Step 7: Minimize $c_{1} + c_{2}$ subject to $3 c_{1} + 2 c_{2} = 4$ .

If $c_{1} = 0$ , $2 c_{2} = 4 ⟹ c_{2} = 2$ . Sum = 2.

Minimum sum is 2.

Step 8: Calculate the minimum value of $x y$ .

$x y = 2^{3} \cdot 3^{2} \cdot 5^{2} = 8 \cdot 9 \cdot 25 = 1800$ .

Answer: 1800

Question 4 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) · 2023 MCQ

Read the following excerpt carefully.
In the future, hydrogen may form a signi cant part of our energy systems. Today it is mostly used in oil re neries and fertiliser but in the future hydrogen could power our cars, heat our homes, and fuel industry. A recent McKinsey study suggested that in less than 25 years, hydrogen could account for 18% of global energy consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from current levels by some 6 gigatons....
Which of the following sentences will MOST logically complete the above excerpt?

A.
The impact of such a change in the energy system would be huge, potentially generating$2,500 billion in revenue globally and creating more than 30 million jobs.
B.
Germany unsuccessfully experimented with trains fuelled by hydrogen.
C.
Hydrogen can be made through reformation, electrolysis, or pyrolysis, comes labelled in different colours from simple green to more complicated turquoise, can be stored as a gas, cryogenic liquid, converted to ammonia or even borane and then nally made useful through a fuel cell, engine, or burner.
D.
Despite the potential, 90% of the general population knew nothing about hydrogen technology.
E.
Earlier, experts thought that hydrogen fuel would be too expensive

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a para-completion question, recognizable by the request to find the sentence that "MOST logically complete[s] the above excerpt".

Step 1: Analyze the excerpt's flow. It starts with a future prediction about hydrogen's role in energy systems, contrasts it with current limited use, and cites a McKinsey study projecting massive adoption (18% of global energy) and emission reductions.

Step 2: The concluding sentence must logically extend this positive, large-scale projection. It should elaborate on the consequences or implications of the data just presented.

Step 3: Evaluate the options. Option A discusses the "impact of such a change", directly referencing the projected shift, and quantifies the positive outcomes (revenue and jobs), perfectly matching the excerpt's optimistic, data-driven tone.

Step 4: Reject other options. Option B introduces a negative, specific past failure, breaking the forward-looking flow. Option C is a technical diversion about production methods. Option D introduces an unrelated point about public awareness. Option E shifts to past expert doubts, contradicting the forward momentum.

Answer: A

Question 5 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) · 2024 MCQ

Common Description:

How do we choose one discovery over any other? The physician Lewis Thomas made a choice. He bluntly asserts: “The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th-century science has been the discovery of human ignorance.” The science writer Timothy Ferris agrees: “Our ignorance, of course, has always been with us, and always will be. What is new is our awareness of it, our awakening to its fathomless dimensions, and it is this, more than anything else, that marks the coming of age of our species.” It is an odd, unsettling thought that the culmination of our greatest century of discovery should be the con rmation of our ignorance. How did such a thing come about?

Which of the following statements can be BEST concluded from the above passage?

A.
Humans know more when they know they know very little
B.
Humans became scientists when they realized that they were ignorant.
C.
Humans progressed because they knew that they knew very little.
D.
The realization that humans are ignorant led them to invent new things.
E.
That they do not know enough make humans seek to know more.

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a "Best Inference" question based on a very short passage, recognizable because it asks what can be "BEST inferred." Step 1: Analyze the premises. Premise 1: Employees complaining about mundane tasks are often ignored. Premise 2: There is listlessness around them. Premise 3: A bored employee may continue to produce good results because tasks are repetitive and outcomes are expected. Step 2: Connect the premises. Why are they ignored? The passage implies a causal link: they are ignored despite complaining because they "continue to produce good results." The organization focuses on the expected outcomes, overlooking the underlying boredom/listlessness. Step 3: Evaluate options. Option E ("Good performance makes organizations overlook their employees’ state of mind") perfectly captures this inferred causal link. The "good results" are the reason the "listlessness" and "complaining" are ignored. Step 4: Eliminate others. Options A and C incorrectly specify that listlessness settles only around "good performers." Option B introduces "immediate attention," which contradicts "often ignored." Option D is an extreme assumption ("must be a bad performer"). Answer: Option E (Good performance makes organizations overlook their employees’ state of mind.)

Question 6 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) · 2025 MCQ

Common Description:

You may laugh at a hat, but what you are making fun of, in this case, is not the piece of felt or straw, but the shape that men have given it,-- the human caprice whose mould it has assumed. It is strange that so important a fact, and such a simple one too, has not attracted to a greater degree the attention of philosophers. Several have defined man as"an animal which laughs." They might equally well have defined him as an animal which is laughed at; for if any other animal, or some lifeless object, produces the same effect, it is always because of some resemblance to man, of the stamp he gives it or the use he puts it to.

Here I would point out, as a symptom equally worthy of notice, the ABSENCE OF FEELING which usually accompanies laughter. It seems as though the comic could not produce its disturbing effect unless it fell, so to say, on the surface of a soul that is thoroughly calm and unruffled. Indifference is its natural environment, for laughter has no greater foe than emotion. I do not mean that we could not laugh at a person who inspires us, with pity, for instance, or even with affection, but in such a case we must, for the moment, put our affection out of court and impose silence upon our pity. In a society composed of pure intelligences there would probably be no more tears, though perhaps there would still be laughter; whereas highly emotional souls, in tune and unison with life, in whom every event would be sentimentally prolonged and re-echoed, would neither know nor understand laughter. Try, for a moment, to become interested in everything that is being said and done; act, in imagination, with those who act, and feel with those who feel; in a word, give your sympathy its widest expansion: as though at the touch of a fairy wand you will see the flimsiest of objects assume importance, and a gloomy hue spread over everything. Now step aside, look upon life as a disinterested spectator: many a drama will turn into a comedy. It is enough for us to stop our ears to the sound of music, in a room where dancing is going on, for the dancers at once to appear ridiculous. How many human actions would stand a similar test? Should we not see many of them suddenly pass from grave to gay, on isolating them from the accompanying music of sentiment? To produce the whole of its effect, then, the comic demands something like a momentary anesthesia of the heart. Its appeal is to intelligence, pure and simple.

Based on the passage, which of the following statements will the author BEST agree with?

A.
Life is a tragedy when seen in close up but a comedy in long-shot.
B.
Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.
C.
Comedy is but tragedy, cunningly disguised and popularized for the multitude
D.
A person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused
E.
Comedy is an escape, not from truth but from despair.

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a "Best Inference / Author's Agreement" question, recognizable because it asks what the author would "BEST agree with" based on the passage.

Step 1: Identify the core argument. The author states that laughter requires "indifference" and a "momentary anesthesia of the heart."

Step 2: Locate the specific analogy used. The author contrasts being emotionally involved ("give your sympathy its widest expansion") with stepping back ("look upon life as a disinterested spectator"), noting that in the latter case, "many a drama will turn into a comedy."

Step 3: Evaluate the options against this core analogy. Option A ("Life is a tragedy when seen in close up but a comedy in long-shot") perfectly mirrors this exact dynamic: "close up" represents emotional involvement (drama/tragedy), while "long-shot" represents the disinterested spectator view (comedy).

Step 4: Eliminate other options. Option B contradicts the "anesthesia of the heart." Options C, D, and E introduce concepts (cunning disguise, self-amusement, escape from despair) not discussed or supported by the text.

Answer: Option A (Life is a tragedy when seen in close up but a comedy in long-shot.)

Question 7 · Decision Making (DM) · 2024 MCQ

Common Description: Kasta, a small industrial town hosted a steel plant and its associated ancillary companies. Most of its residents were steel plant employees from different states of the country. While the town offered employment opportunities, it lacked an airport. For those wanting to y, the nearest airport was in Michaelganj, 100 kms from Kasta. To reach the airport, people rented taxi services available at Kasta, and Prabhu was one such taxi-service provider.
Prabhu’s rates were reasonable — a trip to airport cost Rs. 2200, but for a round trip, the fare was Rs. 3000. Yet, it was not just the affordability that made him popular, his reputation for punctuality and reliability was unmatched. When it came to ensuring the safety of women travelling alone, he would always be the rst choice.
Such was his trustworthiness that even the steel plant would solicit his services when expecting solo female visitors. Moreover, whenever residents encountered issues with their personal cars, they would turn to Prabhu for help.
However, the world shifted when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Travel restrictions and safety concerns limited Prabhu’s trips to Michaelganj for over a year and a half. Financial strain followed, with accumulating interest on his home loan. He was weighed down by debt, but things improved once COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted. Having faced nancial hardships during COVID-19, he sought to offset his losses by raising the fare. Yet, he was aware of the stiff competition in town, where many others offered services at a similar fare as his. After Prabhu increased his charges by 30%, the revenue ow was promising in the beginning, especially from the steel plant’s o cial trips. After a few months, he noticed a dip in private bookings. On exploring further, Prabhu realized that while women travelling solo still preferred Prabhu’s service, some of his regular customers were choosing his competitors when travelling as a family. However, he knew that his competitors, while charging lower than him, were still tardy and sometimes cancelled at the last minute.
Which of the following options will BEST help Prabhu to retain his revenue ow?

A.
Revert the pricing of services to its prior rate.
B.
Give 50% discount for personal trips.
C.
Stick to his current increased charges.
D.
Charge a premium when women travel solo.
E.
Charge a premium for the steel plant’s o cial trips.

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a pricing sustainability and brand positioning question. Prabhu must decide how to react to a dip in a specific customer segment after a price increase, without compromising his overall business model.

Step 1: Analyze the current state. Prabhu increased prices by 30%. Result: Revenue is promising from official trips and solo women (who value his safety/reliability). However, price-sensitive families are defecting to cheaper, but unreliable, competitors.

Step 2: Evaluate the strategic goal. The goal is to "retain his revenue flow" sustainably, not necessarily to maximize volume at the cost of profitability or brand reputation.

Step 3: Evaluate Option A (Revert pricing). This would win back the families but would mean accepting lower margins from the solo women and official trips who are currently willing to pay the premium. It sacrifices proven profitability.

Step 4: Evaluate Option B (50% discount for personal trips). This is a massive margin destruction. It signals desperation and devalues his premium service, likely triggering a race to the bottom.

Step 5: Evaluate Option D & E (Charge more premium). He has already increased prices by 30%. Further increasing prices on specific segments could accelerate the loss of remaining price-sensitive customers without guaranteeing enough new premium volume to offset it.

Step 6: Evaluate Option C (Stick to current increased charges). This is the most sustainable choice. Prabhu's core USP is reliability and safety. The competitors are "tardy and sometimes cancelled at the last minute." Families may temporarily leave for a lower price, but they will likely return when they experience the competitor's unreliability (especially for critical trips). Meanwhile, Prabhu maintains healthy margins from the segments (official, solo women) that truly value and pay for his USP.

Answer: Option C is the best action to maintain long-term revenue quality and brand integrity.

Question 8 · Decision Making (DM) · 2022 MCQ

Common Description:

Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.

Comprehension: Dileep Dosan sells dosas in front of an upscale hospital at a city in Punjab. He only sells two varieties of dosas: plain for ₹25 and masala for ₹40.

His dosa stall is popular amongst the hospital staff members, who mostly hail from South India and form his core clientele. They frequently visit his stall during o ce hours as they nd his dosas to be reasonably priced.

Though the hospital staff members can visit the upscale food court on the top oor of the hospital, they prefer his stall for breakfast and lunch, and even for occasional evening snacks. His daily sale volume varies between 300 and 400 dosas, in which the demand for masala dosas is around 50-60%.

One day, Dileep, while walking through the hospital food court, sees a vacant spot.He wonders if he can shift his stall to that spot.

Which of the following information will dissuade him the MOST from shifting his stall to the food court?

A.
The food court closes by 10:30 pm, though his current stall is open till midnight.
B.
The food court has no other stall selling dosas.
C.
The food court sees a daily foot fall of about 5000 people.
D.
All the restaurants in the food court, except the fast-food stalls, sell North Indian meal during lunch time.
E.
On enquiry, he learnt that the cheapest dish in the food court is priced at ₹200.

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a feasibility and fit analysis question. Dileep considers moving to a high-footfall location (food court). We need to find the factor that makes this move least attractive (dissuades him MOST).

Step 1: Analyze Dileep's Current Model.

Product: Dosas (₹25-₹40).

Customers: Hospital staff (price-sensitive, high volume).

Volume: 300-400 dosas/day.

Revenue Estimate: ~₹10,000 - ₹14,000/day.

Step 2: Analyze the Food Court Environment.

Footfall: 5000 people (High).

Competition: No other dosa stall (Opportunity?).

Price Level: Cheapest dish is ₹200 (Very High).

Step 3: Evaluate Option A (Closing time).

Closing at 10:30 PM vs Midnight. He loses 1.5 hours of evening snack sales. This is a negative, but likely a small portion of his total revenue compared to breakfast/lunch. Not the biggest dissuader.

Step 4: Evaluate Option B (No competition).

This is a POSITIVE factor. Being the only dosa seller is an advantage. It would encourage him, not dissuade him.

Step 5: Evaluate Option C (High footfall).

This is a POSITIVE factor. More people means potential for more sales. It would encourage him.

Step 6: Evaluate Option D (North Indian meals).

This shows a gap in the market for South Indian food. This is a POSITIVE factor (opportunity). It would encourage him.

Step 7: Evaluate Option E (Price Mismatch).

The cheapest dish in the food court is ₹200. Dileep sells dosas for ₹25-₹40.

Implication 1: The food court caters to a premium clientele willing to spend ₹200+ per meal.

Implication 2: Dileep's current customers (staff) are price-sensitive. They may not follow him to a place where the "entry ticket" (perceived cost) is ₹200.

Implication 3: To survive in the food court, Dileep might be forced to raise prices to match the environment (e.g., to ₹100+). If he raises prices, his core staff customers will stop buying. If he keeps prices low, he may be seen as "out of place" or fail to cover the likely higher rent of the food court.

This fundamental mismatch between his low-price model and the high-price environment is the biggest barrier. It threatens his entire customer base.

Answer: Option E is the strongest dissuader because it indicates a severe product-market fit issue.

Question 9 · Decision Making (DM) · 2024 MCQ

Common Description: Kasta, a small industrial town hosted a steel plant and its associated ancillary companies. Most of its residents were steel plant employees from different states of the country. While the town offered employment opportunities, it lacked an airport. For those wanting to y, the nearest airport was in Michaelganj, 100 kms from Kasta. To reach the airport, people rented taxi services available at Kasta, and Prabhu was one such taxi-service provider.
Prabhu’s rates were reasonable — a trip to airport cost Rs. 2200, but for a round trip, the fare was Rs. 3000. Yet, it was not just the affordability that made him popular, his reputation for punctuality and reliability was unmatched. When it came to ensuring the safety of women travelling alone, he would always be the rst choice.
Such was his trustworthiness that even the steel plant would solicit his services when expecting solo female visitors. Moreover, whenever residents encountered issues with their personal cars, they would turn to Prabhu for help.
However, the world shifted when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Travel restrictions and safety concerns limited Prabhu’s trips to Michaelganj for over a year and a half. Financial strain followed, with accumulating interest on his home loan. He was weighed down by debt, but things improved once COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted. Having faced nancial hardships during COVID-19, he sought to offset his losses by raising the fare. Yet, he was aware of the stiff competition in town, where many others offered services at a similar fare as his. Saroj, the new Chief Financial O cer(CFO) at the steel plant, used the services of Manoj when he rst travelled from the Michaelganj airport to the plant. Manoj was a rival of Prabhu in the taxi service business at Kasta. Manoj, upon learning that Saroj would be responsible for hiring taxi services for the steel plant, charged Saroj only Rs. 1500 for that trip. Further, he assured Saroj to charge the same for a one way-trip and additional Rs. 500 for a round trip to the airport.
Upon realizing that the plant utilized Prabhu’s services for all o cial trips to the airport, Saroj contacted Prabhu to discuss the rates offered by Manoj and inquired why the plant should continue using his service when Manoj provided the same at a lower price. Prabhu realized that Manoj charged an extremely low price just to push Prabhu out of his business in the Steel Plant.
Which of the following reasons given by Prabhu will BEST help his cause?

A.
Prabhu should warn Saroj that Manoj’s offer is not sustainable.
B.
Prabhu should request Saroj to talk to a few of his colleagues before taking any decision.
C.
Prabhu should introduce Saroj to Ms. Nidhi Tawde, his regular customer.
D.
Prabhu should offer to lower his price to the one offered by Manoj, exclusively for the steel plant.
E.
Prabhu should tell Saroj that Manoj is unreliable and tardy, and women are unsafe with him.

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a B2B sales and value proposition question. Prabhu must defend his pricing against a predatory competitor without appearing defensive or engaging in a race to the bottom.

Step 1: Analyze the situation. Manoj is using predatory pricing (Rs. 1500) to push Prabhu out. Saroj (CFO) is focused on cost savings but is responsible for hiring taxis, including for solo female visitors where safety is paramount.

Step 2: Evaluate Option A (Warn about sustainability). This sounds like sour grapes or whining. Without concrete proof, Saroj may dismiss it as a competitor's excuse.

Step 3: Evaluate Option B (Talk to colleagues). This is weak and passes the decision burden back to Saroj without providing new, compelling information.

Step 4: Evaluate Option D (Match the price). This validates Manoj's predatory tactic and destroys Prabhu's profit margins. It is a race to the bottom that harms long-term sustainability.

Step 5: Evaluate Option E (Badmouth Manoj). Making unverified claims about a competitor's safety record is unprofessional and can backfire legally or reputationally.

Step 6: Evaluate Option C (Introduce Ms. Nidhi Tawde). This provides tangible, third-party social proof. Ms. Tawde, as a regular customer (and implied female professional), can authentically vouch for Prabhu's unmatched punctuality, reliability, and safety. This directly addresses the steel plant's core concern for female visitors, shifting the conversation from "price" to "risk mitigation and value."

Answer: Option C is the best approach because it uses credible, third-party validation to reinforce Prabhu's unique value proposition.

Question 10 · General Knowledge (GK) · 2026 MCQ

Which of the following is a comet that flew very close to the Earth in December, 2025?

A.
C/2025 A6
B.
C/2024 G3
C.
3I/ATLAS
D.
C/2025 R2
E.
Halley’s Comet

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a factual recall question about recent or upcoming astronomical events, specifically comets.

Step 1: Identify the event. The question asks for a comet flying very close to Earth in December 2025.

Step 2: Recall recent astronomical discoveries. Comet 3I/ATLAS is a rare interstellar comet discovered recently.

Step 3: Verify the timeline. According to astronomical tracking, Comet 3I/ATLAS is scheduled to make its closest approach to Earth in December 2025.

Step 4: Evaluate the options. "3I/ATLAS" matches the description. Halley's Comet is not due until 2061. The other designations are either fabricated or do not match this specific December 2025 close approach.

Answer: C

Question 11 · General Knowledge (GK) MSQ

Consider the following statements regarding the CRISPR-Cas9 technology, which has revolutionized modern biotechnology:

It is a gene-editing tool adapted from a naturally occurring genome editing system in bacteria.
The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for its development.
The Cas9 enzyme functions as molecular scissors that can cut DNA at specific, targeted locations.
It was primarily developed for agricultural pest control in the 1990s.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A.
It is a gene-editing tool adapted from a naturally occurring genome editing system in bacteria.
B.
The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for its development.
C.
The Cas9 enzyme functions as molecular scissors that can cut DNA at specific, targeted locations.
D.
It was primarily developed for agricultural pest control in the 1990s.

Correct Answer:

["A","C"]

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a factual recall and conceptual distinction question regarding a major modern scientific breakthrough and its associated accolades.

Step 1: Evaluate Statement 1 (Option A). CRISPR-Cas9 is indeed derived from a natural bacterial immune defense mechanism against viruses. This is correct.

Step 2: Evaluate Statement 2 (Option B). Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna were awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery in 2020. However, the category was the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, not Physiology or Medicine. This is a classic exam trap. This statement is incorrect.

Step 3: Evaluate Statement 3 (Option C). The Cas9 protein is an endonuclease, commonly described as "molecular scissors," that cuts the DNA strand at a location specified by a guide RNA. This is correct.

Step 4: Evaluate Statement 4 (Option D). CRISPR-Cas9 as a gene-editing tool was developed and adapted in the 2010s, not the 1990s, and its primary initial development was for biomedical research, not agricultural pest control. This statement is incorrect.

Step 5: Combine the valid statements. Only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Answer: ["A", "C"]

Question 12 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

Consider the following statements regarding the origins of modern digital communication:

The World Wide Web (WWW) was invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 while working at CERN.
The Internet and the World Wide Web are synonymous terms referring to the exact same physical infrastructure.
The first-ever website was dedicated to providing information about the World Wide Web project itself.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A.
1 and 2 only
B.
2 and 3 only
C.
1, 2, and 3
D.
1 and 3 only

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a conceptual distinction question testing the difference between the Internet (the network) and the World Wide Web (the application), along with historical facts.

Step 1: Evaluate Statement 1. Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989 while working at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). This is correct.

Step 2: Evaluate Statement 2. The Internet is the global system of interconnected computer networks (the physical infrastructure and protocols like TCP/IP). The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet using browsers. They are not synonymous. This statement is incorrect.

Step 3: Evaluate Statement 3. The first-ever website (info.cern.ch) was indeed created by Tim Berners-Lee and was dedicated to providing information about the World Wide Web project itself. This is correct.

Step 4: Combine the valid statements. Statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Answer: 1 and 3 only

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Para-completion and jumbled sentences, Reading comprehension passages… Test for XAT: 95 Questions with Solutions & Analysis

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