CAT Questions | CAT Text Completion Questions

The question is from CAT Text Completion. Text Completion for Verbal Ability for CAT. Text Completion questions often feature in the CAT. A couple of sentences with blanks are given, along with word options for each blank. You need to choose the right combination of words that make sense in the given context. Have a look at this question from Text Completion. Solve CAT Questions from Text Completion to get more practice and 2IIMs CAT questions bank provides you with CAT questions that can help you gear for CAT Exam .

Question 30: Laughter is a complex and __________________ social signal. People interpret laughter in a way that is _____________ with their interpretations of other people’s intentions.

1. ambiguous, consistent
2. ambivalent, compatible
3. misleading, contrary
4. misconstrued, accordant

Explanatory Answer

Method of solving this CAT Question from Text Completion:

The second sentence holds the key to the first. So, let us look at the second blank first. Option C is ruled out straight away, as 'contrary with' is not idiomatic. All the other choices—consistent, compatible and accordant— fit the second blank well. The meaning remains the same regardless of the choice of words: people interpret laughter in line with their own interpretations of other people's intentions.

For the first blank, 'ambivalent' is ruled out straight away as a choice. 'Ambivalent' is used to describe a person whose feelings are mixed. Laughter cannot be called ambivalent. Ambiguous, on the other hand, fits well. Laughter is open to interpretation and hence not a clear social signal. The options 'misleading' and 'misconstrued' are both too sweeping—they seem to imply that laughter is always misleading or misconstrued. That is not what the second sentence implies. Laughter is simply open to interpretation.

So, option A—ambiguous, consistent—is the right choice.

The question is "Choose the correct option to fill the blanks"

Hence, the answer is A

Choice A is the correct answer.