Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Quiz - Competitive Exams CAT
Free practice quiz: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (Competitive Exams CAT). 62 multiple-choice questions with answers and explanations. Play online, no sign-up needed.
This Competitive Exams CAT practice quiz has 62 multiple-choice questions on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension. Try the 5 sample questions below (tap an option to check yourself), then play the full quiz online. No sign-up needed.
Start quiz: 62 questions, freeSample questions
Choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word 'ephemeral'.
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Answer: D. Eternal
Choose the correct sentence with proper subject-verb agreement.
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Answer: B. A bouquet of roses was placed on the table.
Choose the word that best completes the analogy: 'Opaque : Transparent :: Obscure : ______'.
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Answer: D. Lucid
Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'halo effect' is a cognitive bias in which our overall impression of a person influences how we feel and think about their specific traits. For example, if we find someone physically attractive, we may also assume they are intelligent, kind, and trustworthy, without any evidence to support those assumptions. Question: What does the halo effect describe?
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Answer: C. The tendency to judge specific traits based on overall impression
Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'butterfly effect' is the idea that small changes in one part of a complex system can have large, unpredictable effects elsewhere. It was popularized by meteorologist Edward Lorenz, who found that tiny differences in initial weather data led to vastly different forecasts. Question: What does the butterfly effect primarily demonstrate?
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Answer: A. The sensitivity of complex systems to initial conditions
More questions in this quiz
Answers and explanations are in the full quiz.
- Identify the grammatically correct sentence.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The rapid urbanization of the 21st century has brought unprecedented economic growth but also severe environmental degradation. Cities, which occupy only 3% of the Earth's land surface, account for over 60% of global energy consumption and 70% of greenhouse gas emissions. While urban planners advocate for green infrastructure, the pace of implementation lags far behind the rate of urban expansion. Question: According to the passage, which of the following is a consequence of rapid urbanization?
- Select the option that best describes the relationship analogous to 'Doctor : Patient'.
- Choose the correct idiom meaning 'to make a situation worse by trying to improve it'.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The concept of 'deep work,' popularized by Cal Newport, refers to the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. Newport argues that deep work is becoming increasingly rare precisely at the moment it is becoming increasingly valuable. In the modern economy, the ability to concentrate deeply is a superpower that few possess. Question: Which of the following best captures the central idea of the passage?
- Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word: The scientist's findings were so ______ that they challenged long-held assumptions in the field.
- Identify the sentence that uses the correct form of the subjunctive mood.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The paradox of choice, a term coined by psychologist Barry Schwartz, suggests that while choice is essential for autonomy, an excess of options can lead to anxiety, paralysis, and dissatisfaction. Consumers faced with too many alternatives often make poorer decisions or avoid deciding altogether. Question: According to the passage, what is a potential negative outcome of having too many choices?
- Choose the word that correctly completes the analogy: 'Meticulous : Careless :: Frugal : ______'.
- Select the option that best expresses the meaning of the phrase 'to take umbrage'.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The debate over artificial intelligence's impact on employment is polarized. Optimists argue that AI will create new industries and jobs, much like previous technological revolutions. Pessimists contend that this time is different because AI can perform cognitive tasks, not just manual ones, potentially displacing a broader range of workers. Question: What is the pessimists' main argument regarding AI and employment?
- Identify the figure of speech in the sentence: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The tragedy of the commons describes a situation where individuals, acting independently and rationally according to their own self-interest, behave contrary to the best interests of the whole group by depleting a shared resource. This concept is often applied to environmental issues like overfishing and deforestation. Question: Which of the following is an example of the tragedy of the commons?
- Choose the word that is most similar in meaning to 'ubiquitous'.
- In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error. Sentence: The professor, along with his students, were invited to the conference.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: Behavioural economics challenges the traditional assumption that individuals are rational actors who always make decisions that maximize their utility. Instead, it suggests that cognitive biases, emotions, and social factors often lead to systematically irrational decisions. This has significant implications for public policy, as governments can 'nudge' citizens toward better choices. Question: What is the main implication of behavioural economics for public policy according to the passage?
- Choose the correct meaning of the idiom 'to bite the bullet'.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'Flynn effect' refers to the substantial and sustained increase in intelligence test scores observed over the 20th century. While the causes are debated, proposed explanations include improved nutrition, better education, and increased environmental complexity. Some researchers suggest the effect may be plateauing or even reversing in recent years. Question: What does the Flynn effect refer to?
- Choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to 'garrulous'.
- Choose the sentence that correctly uses the past perfect continuous tense.
- Select the option that best expresses the meaning of the phrase 'to pour cold water on'.
- Identify the sentence that contains an error in the use of articles.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system, is under severe threat from rising sea temperatures. Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, turning completely white. While bleached corals are not dead, they are under significant stress and can die if the stress persists. Scientists warn that without immediate action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the reef could lose most of its coral cover within decades. Question: According to the passage, what happens during coral bleaching?
- Choose the correct meaning of the idiom 'to let the cat out of the bag'.
- In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error. Sentence: The data collected from the experiment suggest that the hypothesis were incorrect.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The concept of 'cognitive dissonance,' introduced by Leon Festinger, describes the mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often change their beliefs or justify their actions. For example, a person who smokes despite knowing its health risks may convince themselves that the risks are exaggerated. Question: According to the passage, how might a smoker reduce cognitive dissonance?
- Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word: The author's style was so ______ that readers often found themselves lost in the intricate web of his prose.
- Choose the option that best describes the relationship analogous to 'Painter : Canvas'.
- Identify the figure of speech in the sentence: 'The assignment was a breeze.'
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'tragedy of the horizon' is a concept describing how the most devastating effects of climate change will occur beyond the current planning cycles of governments and businesses, leading to insufficient action today. Unlike immediate crises, which demand urgent response, long-term threats are often ignored because they fall outside the horizon of political and corporate decision-making. Question: What does the 'tragedy of the horizon' refer to?
- In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error. Sentence: The reason why she failed the exam was because she had not studied thoroughly.
- Select the option that best expresses the meaning of the phrase 'to play devil's advocate'.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'sunk cost fallacy' is the tendency to continue investing in a project or decision because of the resources already committed, even when continuing is no longer rational. For instance, a person might keep watching a boring movie simply because they bought the ticket, rather than leaving and doing something more enjoyable. Question: Which of the following best illustrates the sunk cost fallacy?
- Identify the sentence that uses the subjunctive mood correctly.
- Choose the word that correctly completes the analogy: 'Gregarious : Sociable :: Tenacious : ______'.
- In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error. Sentence: The professor, along with his students, have submitted the research paper to the journal.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'Dunning-Kruger effect' is a cognitive bias in which people with low ability at a task overestimate their ability, while those with high ability underestimate theirs. This occurs because the skills needed to perform a task competently are often the same skills needed to recognize competence in oneself or others. Question: According to the passage, why do low-ability individuals overestimate their competence?
- Choose the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as 'perspicacious'.
- Identify the sentence that contains a dangling modifier.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'trolley problem' is a thought experiment in ethics that presents a dilemma: a runaway trolley is heading towards five people; you can pull a lever to divert it to a track where it will kill one person. Most people say it is permissible to pull the lever. However, when asked to push a large person off a bridge to stop the trolley, most say it is not. This distinction highlights the difference between consequentialist and deontological moral reasoning. Question: According to the passage, what does the trolley problem primarily illustrate?
- In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error. Sentence: The number of applicants are increasing every year.
- Choose the correct idiom meaning 'to reveal a secret inadvertently'.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'hedonic treadmill' is the tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events. This concept suggests that increasing one's income or possessions may not lead to long-term increases in happiness. Question: What does the hedonic treadmill imply about the relationship between life changes and happiness?
- Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word: The politician's speech was so ______ that even his critics were moved to applause.
- Identify the sentence that correctly uses the subjunctive mood.
- Choose the word that correctly completes the analogy: 'Loquacious : Talkative :: Laconic : ______'.
- In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error. Sentence: Neither of the two candidates have submitted their nomination papers.
- Select the option that best expresses the meaning of the phrase 'to throw one's hat into the ring'.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'tragedy of the horizon' refers to the tendency of institutions to focus on short-term risks while ignoring long-term, catastrophic threats, such as climate change. Because the most severe consequences lie beyond typical planning horizons, they are often neglected. Question: What is the main problem highlighted by the tragedy of the horizon?
- Identify the figure of speech in the sentence: 'The sun smiled down on us.'
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'placebo effect' occurs when a patient experiences real improvement in symptoms after receiving an inert treatment, simply because they believe it will help. This effect demonstrates the powerful connection between mind and body. Question: What does the placebo effect primarily illustrate?
- Choose the word that is most similar in meaning to 'obfuscate'.
- In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error. Sentence: The committee have decided to postpone the meeting due to lack of quorum.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'availability heuristic' is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a topic, concept, method or decision. Often, this leads to overestimating the likelihood of vivid or recent events. Question: What does the availability heuristic cause people to do?
- Choose the correct meaning of the idiom 'to burn the midnight oil'.
- Read the following passage and answer the question. Passage: The 'Pygmalion effect' is the phenomenon whereby higher expectations lead to an increase in performance. When teachers expect students to do well, those students tend to perform better, often because of the additional support and encouragement they receive. Question: What does the Pygmalion effect suggest about expectations?
- Choose the sentence that correctly uses the future perfect tense.