Passage: All humans make decisions based on one or a combination of two factors. This is either intuition or information. Decisions made through intuition are usually fast, people don’t even think about the problem. It is quite philosophical, meaning that someone who made a decision based on intuition will have difficulty explaining the reasoning behind it. The decision-maker would often utilize her senses in drawing conclusions, which again is based on some experience in the field of study. On the other side of the spectrum, we have decisions made based on information. These decisions are rational — it is based on facts and figures, which unfortunately also means that it can be quite slow. The decision-maker would frequently use reports, analyses, and indicators to form her conclusion. This methodology results in accurate, quantifiable decisions, meaning that a person can clearly explain the rationale behind it.
A) It is better to make decisions based on information because it is more accurate, and the rationale behind it can be explained.
B) Decisions based on intuition and information result in differential speed and ability to provide a rationale.
C) While decisions based on intuition can be made fast, the reasons that led to these cannot be spelt out.
D) We make decisions based on intuition or information on the basis of the time available.
Step-by-Step Explanation
Correct Answer:B
Explanation: The passage sets up a binary spectrum of human decision-making: intuition vs. information. It systematically compares them across two specific attributes: speed (intuition is fast; information is slow) and rational explanation (intuition is hard to explain; information provides a clear, quantifiable rationale). Option B is a crisp, accurate summary of this two-factor contrast.
FundaMakers Tip: Avoid Value Judgments and Omissions. Option A claims one method is "better," an opinion the author never states. Option C completely omits the "information" half of the passage. Option D invents a rule about deciding based on "time available," which is not in the text.
ParaSummary Shortcuts & Tricks
Para Summary Preparation Strategy for CAT
A good Para Summary preparation strategy for CAT should focus on developing reading comprehension, identifying central ideas, eliminating incorrect options, and improving accuracy under time pressure. Since Para Summary questions test your ability to condense an argument without changing its meaning, regular and structured practice is more useful than relying on shortcuts alone.
1. Build the Habit of Identifying Central Ideas
Start by reading short editorials, essays, and opinion-based passages regularly. After reading a paragraph, try to express its central idea in one sentence. This helps train you to separate the author's main argument from examples and supporting details.
2. Practise Para Summary Questions Regularly
Include Para Summary questions in your CAT VARC practice schedule instead of practising them only occasionally. Begin with a small number of questions and focus on accuracy. Once your approach becomes consistent, gradually introduce timed practice.
3. Solve Previous Year CAT Questions
Previous year CAT Para Summary questions can help you understand the level of reasoning expected in the exam. While solving them, pay attention to how correct options paraphrase the central idea and how incorrect options distort the paragraph through changes in scope, tone, or emphasis.
4. Develop an Option Elimination Strategy
Learn to recognise common traps in Para Summary options. Eliminate choices that are too broad or too narrow, focus only on supporting details, introduce new information, use extreme language, or misrepresent the author's tone.
5. Practise Summarising Before Looking at Options
After reading a paragraph, pause briefly and formulate its main message in your own words before checking the answer choices. This can prevent attractive but misleading options from influencing your understanding of the passage.
6. Maintain an Error Log
Keep track of Para Summary questions you answer incorrectly or find confusing. Record why you made the mistake, such as missing the central idea, choosing an option with incorrect scope, overlooking a tone shift, or falling for added information. Reviewing these patterns can help identify areas that require more practice.
7. Analyse Every Option
During preparation, do not analyse only the correct answer. Understand why each incorrect option is wrong. This develops your ability to recognise distractors and can make option elimination faster during the actual CAT exam.
8. Move from Untimed to Timed Practice
During the initial stages of CAT preparation, prioritise understanding and accuracy over speed. Once you are consistently identifying the correct summaries, practise under time limits to improve decision-making without compromising comprehension.
9. Include Para Summary in VARC Sectional Tests
After sufficient topic-wise practice, attempt Para Summary questions as part of complete CAT VARC sectional tests and mocks. This helps you learn when to attempt these questions, how much time to spend on them, and how they fit into your overall VARC strategy.
10. Review Your Performance Regularly
Track your accuracy across multiple practice sessions rather than judging your preparation based on a single test. If you repeatedly make the same type of error, return to that specific skill and practise it separately before attempting more mixed questions.
An effective CAT Para Summary preparation strategy should therefore progress from concept building and untimed practice to previous year questions, error analysis, timed practice, and VARC mocks. Consistent review is equally important, as understanding why an option is wrong can be just as valuable as identifying the correct answer.
