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CAT 2018 Slot 2 — VARC Question 29

Mixed PracticeEasy

The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, and 4) given in this question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper order for the sentences and key in this sequence of four numbers as your answer.

  1. In the era of smart world, however, ‘Universal Basic Income’ is an ineffective instrument which cannot address the potential breakdown of the social contract when large swathes of the population would effectively be unemployed.
  2. In the era of industrial revolution, the abolition of child labour, poor laws and the growth of trade unions helped families cope with the pressures of mechanised work.
  3. Growing inequality could be matched by a creeping authoritarianism that is bolstered by technology that is increasingly able to peer into the deepest vestiges of our lives.
  4. New institutions emerge which recognise ways in which workers could contribute to and benefit by economic growth when, rather than if, their jobs are automated.

 

Answer & solution

Correct answer: 4213

Answer: 4213

Solution

Easy

This jumble is trickier — sentences 1, 3 and 4 could each look like an opener. Rather than guess the first line, lock in the mandatory pairs using era markers (“industrial revolution” vs “era of smart world”) and contrast signals (“however”), then read off the sequence.

1

Mandatory pair 4–2. Sentence 4 states that new institutions emerge to let workers benefit when their jobs are automated. Sentence 2 gives the historical precedent — in the industrial revolution, abolition of child labour, poor laws and trade unions helped families cope with mechanised work. Sentence 2 illustrates the “new institutions” idea of 4, so 4 → 2.

2

Contrast link 2–1. Sentence 1 begins “In the era of smart world, however, ‘Universal Basic Income’ is an ineffective instrument …” The “however” contrasts the present smart-world era with the past industrial era of sentence 2. So 2 → 1, moving from what worked then to what fails now.

3

Closer: 1–3. Sentence 3 ends the paragraph by projecting the consequence — growing inequality matched by “creeping authoritarianism” bolstered by intrusive technology. It follows naturally from the failure of UBI in 1, completing the chain 1 → 3.

The coherent order is 4213.

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CAT 2018 Slot 2 VARC Q29: The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, and 4) given in this question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent — Solution | TheCATExam