CAT Questions | CAT Word Usage Questions

The question is from CAT Word Usage. Word Usage for Verbal Ability for CAT. Word Usage questions that appear in the verbal section of CAT look for the correct usage of words in a sentence. Have a look at this question from Word Usage. Solve CAT Questions from Word Usage to get more practice and 2IIMs CAT questions bank provides you with CAT questions that can help you gear for CAT Exam .

Question 10: Just by maintaining green pockets or isolated reserves humans cannot forever maintain the ecological process and functions that are at the core of the ecosystem but (A)/and thus (B) forestall environmental disasters.

It is virtually impossible to enclose nature within any boundaries. Nature spans rather than (A)/as well as (B) spills over borders.

It is only by inquiring (A)/ enquiring (B) into ecology, economics, and culture and by asking how they are interwoven that now we can move on ahead.

Nevertheless (A)/After all (B), the borders within which we have tried to sequester nature against the siege of human demographic and economic growth are important symbols for they remind us of what we would like to secure and against what.

1. ABAB
2. BAAA
3. ABBA
4. BABB

Explanatory Answer

Method of solving this CAT Question from Word Usage:

Sentence 1- Just by maintaining green pockets or isolated reserves humans cannot forever maintain the ecological process and functions that are at the core of the ecosystem but (A)/ and thus (B) forestall environmental disasters.

The correct choice here is “and thus�, not “but�. The ecological process and functions that are at the core of the ecosystem forestall environmental disasters.

Sentence 2- It is virtually impossible to enclose nature within any boundaries. Nature spans rather than (A)/as well as (B) spills over borders.

The word span in this context implies stretching or reaching over space. Nature, we are told, cannot be contained in boundaries; it spans borders, not merely spills over them. The correct choice here is therefore “rather than�.

Sentence 3- It is only by inquiring (A)/enquiring (B) into ecology, economics, and culture and by asking how they are interwoven that now we can move on ahead.

While they mean something similar, the distinction between the verbs enquire and inquire is that enquire is to be used for general sense of ‘ask’, while inquire is reserved for uses meaning ‘make a formal investigation’. Here, “inquiring� is the correct word choice.

Sentence 4- Nevertheless (A)/After all (B), the borders within which we have tried to sequester nature against the siege of human demographic and economic growth are important symbols for they remind us of what we would like to secure and against what.

The right choice for this sentence is “nevertheless�, not “after all�. The main idea of this paragraph is that nature spans borders and conservation cannot be looked at as merely sequestering nature in isolated reserves or green pockets. This sentence talks of the purpose served by the borders. It therefore makes sense to start it with “nevertheless�.

Hence, the answer is BAAA

Choice B is the correct answer.