CAT 2002 — VARC Question 39
Fill the gaps in the passage below with the most appropriate word from the options given for each gap. The right words are the ones used by the author. Be guided by the author's overall style and meaning when you choose the answers.
In a large company, ______1______ people is about as common as using a gun or a switch-blade to ______2_______ an argument. As a result, most managers have little or no experience of firing people, and they find it emotionally automatic, as result, they often delay the act interminably, much as an unhappy spouse will prolong a bad marriage. And when the firing is done, it's often done clumsily, with far worse side effects than are necessary.
Do the world-class software organizations have a different way of firing people? No. But they do the deed swiftly, humanely, and professionally.
The key point here is to view the fired employee as a "failed product" and to ask how the process ______3_______ such a phenomenon in the first place.
The sentences given in each question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Each sentences is labelled with a letter. Choose the most logical order of sentences from among the four given choices to construct a coherent paragraph.
- “This face off will continue for several months given the strong convictions on either side,” says a senior functionary of the high-powered task force on drought.
- During the past week-and-half, the Central Government has sought to deny some of the earlier apprehensions over the impact of drought.
- The recent revival of the rains had led to the emergence of a line of divide between the two
- The state governments, on the other hand allege that the Centre is downplaying the crisis only to evade its full responsibility of financial assistance that is required to alleviate the damage.
- Shrill alarm about the economic impact of an inadequate monsoon had been sounded by the Centre as well as most of the states, in late July and early August.
Answer & solution
- A
EBCDA
- B
DBACE
- C
BDCAE
ECBDA
The question can be solved by paying attention to time (past, present and future) sequence. E begins the paragraph. Shrill alarm had been sounded (statement E). The recent revival of rains (sentence C) led to a divide between the two- centre and the state mentioned in statement E. Therefore, EC is a pair. It is followed by sentence B, as the centre now denies the earlier apprehensions. Statement D follows B as it gives the states’ point of view (on the other hand). Finally statement A concludes the paragraph, “this face off will continue (future)… on either side”. The sequence is ECBDA.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.