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 CAT 2023.

Question 8: The loss of the presidency in 2008 thrust the Republican party into a period of intense ideological turmoil, which strengthened (A)/upended (B) the moral consensus.

On some issues, including health care and climate change, the tea-party revolution drove Republicans further to the right, creating the new orthodoxy (A)/schism (B).

But on other issues, such as foreign policy and gay marriage, differences that had been papered (A)/debated(B) over suddenly broke free.

The big loss in 2008 allowed a cabal (A)/faction (B) of the Republican elite to switch sides.

1. AABB
2. ABBA
3. BBAA
4. BAAB

Explanatory Answer

Method of solving this CAT Question from Word Usage:

Sentence 1- The loss of the presidency in 2008 thrust the Republican party into a period of intense ideological turmoil, which strengthened (A)/ upended (B) the moral consensus.

The reference to “intense turmoil� indicates upend is the right choice of word for this sentence.

Note that sentences 2 and 3 start off with “on some issues� and “but on other issues� respectively, indicating some changes in opinion. This suggests that the “moral consensus� referred to in sentence 1 is likely to have been upended (affected or upset radically) rather than strengthened.

Sentence 2- On some issues, including health care and climate change, the tea-party revolution drove Republicans further to the right, creating the new orthodoxy (A)/schism (B).

The choice here is between orthodoxy (doctrine) and schism (divide/disunion). The correct choice is orthodoxy. We are told the tea-party revolution drove Republicans further the right. The word “Republicans� is not qualified in any way with words like “some�, or “a few�, implying Republicans as a whole group where driven to the right on these two issues (healthcare and climate change). So schism does not fit in. The correct word choice here is orthodoxy.

Sentence 3- But on other issues, such as foreign policy and gay marriage, differences that had been papered (A)/debated (B) over suddenly broke free.

The correct choice here is papered over.

“Paper over� means to patch up or attempt to conceal a difference, disagreement, etc. so as to present a unified opinion.

It makes a better choice than “debated over�, as we are told differences “suddenly broke free�.

Sentence 4- The big loss in 2008 allowed a cabal (A)/faction (B) of the Republican elite to switch sides.

Cabal refers to a small group of secret plotters. It suggests intrigue and conspiracy and does not fit in here. Faction, as in a clique within a party, is the right word choice for sentence 4.

Hence, the answer is BAAB

Choice D is the correct answer.