Idioms - 3

Idioms – 3

On cloud nine:            Feeling wonderful. When someone receives an unexpected award or reward he/she feel s wonderful and the happiness is reflected in their behaviour. The concerned person is said to be ‘on cloud nine’.

Like a Dog with twin tails:    A person who is very excited – Someone who becomes a proud parent to a boy/girl

With one’s back to the wall:   In a desperate situation

Happy Camper:                       One who is fully satisfied and contented in life.

A bolt from the blue:     A shocking and unexpected news

Over the moon:          Something similar to ‘on cloud nine’. One who has great feeling on achieving/receiving high laurels and rewards.

The white elephant:   Something that bleeds one’s financial resources like a car the maintenance of which costs huge money.

Paint the town red:    Celebrating life on happy occasions like New Year eve, birthday, anniversaries etc.

Blow the whistle:            Letting out information supposed to be kept secret

To come a cropper:         Failing disastrously in an activity or business

To be close fisted:           One who is miserly and reluctant to spend money

To hold the baby:            The thrusting of an unwelcome responsibility

A left handed compliment:    An insulting compliment to rile a person.

Put a damper on:             To discourage

Eat one’s words:              To rescind and take back one’s statement.

  

Infosys - Reasoning

Infosys – Reasoning

1.        Lucia is a wonderful grandmother. Her age is between 50 and 70. Each of her sons has as many sons as they have brothers. Their combined number gives Lucia’s age. What is the age of Lucia?
Ans: 64

The clue to answer this question is the information that the number of children and number of brothers are equal. Hence, we have to find the nearest square number to 50 and 70 and then work out the answer. 7² are nearer to 50. We can now assume 7+1=8 as number of children of Lucia and each of them have seven children of their own making a total 56. Hence the age of Lucia is 8 + 56 = 64 years.

2.       There are two towers A and B. Their heights are 200ft and 150ft respectively and the foot of the towers are 250ft apart. Two birds on top of each tower fly down with the same speed and meet at the same instant on the ground to pick a grain. What is the distance between the foot of tower A and the grain?
Ans:90ft
Let the distance from the foot of tower A to the grain be ‘x’. Then the distance from the foot of the tower is (250-x). Since the two birds fly at the same speed and reach at the same time to pick the grain, it is evident that the distance travelled by them is equal. Let this distance be Y. Then we have an equation applying Pythagoras theorem:

200² + x² = Y.   (250-x)² + 150² = Y. We now have 200² + x² = (250-x)² + 150². Solving

We get the value of ‘x’ as 90ft.

3.       Four tourists A, B,C,D and four languages English, German, French and Italian. They are not able to converse among themselves in one language. Though A does not know English he can act as an interpreter between B and C. No one spoke both French and German. A knows German and was able to converse with D who doesn’t know a word in German. Only one language was spoken by more than two persons. Each spoke two languages. Find who spoke what.

A- German, Italian           B- French, Italian              C- German, English
D- Italian, English

Ans: (A)

4.       There is a five digit number. It has two prime digits (1 is not a prime number). Third digit is the highest. Second digit is the lowest. First digit is one less than the third digit. The fifth digit is half of the fourth. The sum of 4th and 5th is less than the first. Find the number.
Ans:  71842

5.       Four persons A, B, C and D are playing cards. Each person has one card, laid down on the table which has two different colours on either side. No card has the same colour on both sides. The colours visible on the table are Red, Green, Red and Blue respectively. They see the colour on the other side of their card and give the following comments about the colour.

A: Yellow or Green          B: Neither Blue nor Green           C: Blue or Yellow
D: Blue or Yellow

given that out of the 4 people 2 always lie; find out the right colour on the card of the person.
A- Yellow             B- Yellow             C- Green              D- Red

Ans: (A)

6.       Find the digits X,Y,Z

 X X X X+
 Y Y Y Y +
 Z Z Z Z
--------------

Y X X X Z
----------------
Ans: X Y Z
         9 1 8   The sum of the extreme digits Y and Z gives the value of the middle digit X. By trial and error we can arrive at the value

7.       A man starts walking at 3 pm. He walks at a speed of 4 km/hr on level ground and at a speed of 3 km/hr on uphill , 6 km/hr downhill and then 4 km/hr on level ground to reach home at 9 pm. What is the distance covered on one way?
Ans: 12 km

Let the distance he walked on the level ground be A and the distance he climbed up/down be B. The total time taken to complete the journey is 6 hours. We know Distance / speed gives the time. Thus we have an equation -> A/4 + B/3 + B/6 + A/4 = 6. Solving

We get the value of A + B = 12 km.

8.       A person went to meet his lawyer on a Sunday. As the lawyer was busy he asked him to come three days after the day before the day after tomorrow? On which day the lawyer asked the person to come?
Ans: Thursday

9.       There is a peculiar island where men always tell the truth and women never tell two consecutive true or false statements. That is, if one statement is true, then the next statement will be false and vice versa.  Boys and girls also go in the same way. One day I asked a child "what are you? A boy or a girl?"  The
child replied in their language that I didn’t understand, but the parents knew my language and one parent replied that "Kibi is a boy". The other one said that "no Kibi is a girl, Kibi lied".
a: Is Kibi a boy or a girl?
b: Who answered first mother or father?
Ans: Kibi is a girl and the mother answered first.

10.   A person was sitting in an exam having 30 questions (objective type). The examiner uses the formula to calculate the score as:   S = 30+4C - W where C is the number of correct answers and W is number of wrong answers. The examiner finds the score was more than 80. Tell how many questions were correct? If the score was little less but still more than 80, then u won’t be able to answer.
Ans:- 16

Assuming the score as 80, we have this equation -> 30 + 4C – W = 80   4C – W = 50 As the total number of questions were 30, the number of correct answers as 16 and wrong answers as 14 answers the equation. (The final part of the question, I feel is little wrongly framed. This question had come in one of the recent TCS paper also.)

 

The Basics of Finance and How it Determines Success

I take pleasure in presenting hereunder three interesting articles on Small Business - The reasons for their success and failure.

The Basics of Finance and How it Determines Success

by BusinessDictionary 

Owning a business can be one of the most rewarding and satisfying ways of meeting financial goals and ensuring that a person’s future is secure and fulfilling. Today’s economy yields many opportunities to people with different skills and strengths.

One of the most basic aspects of running a business that is often left by the wayside is that of financial management. Usually only an afterthought, it is the financial management of a company that determines success. The perfect product or service doesn’t mean anything if the money generated goes into the business only to be misused or unaccounted for. Spending the money earned wisely and knowing when to save or invest in growth should be of paramount concern for a business.

Everyone is aware of the fact that most businesses fail within their first year of operation. Often a major contributing factor that leads to failure is poor financial management. A review of the financial information for many failed businesses shows that the business would have actually been quite successful if the owners had just made sound financial decisions in all aspects of the business. It is always recommended to employ the help of a professional like a banking institution, financial planner or accountant. However, a business owner should understand, at the very least, the basic principles regardless of whether a professional is hired or not. This protects the business and the business owner from fraudulent activities. Keeping up to date with the finances and being aware of the principals involved will also beneficially affect other aspects of running a business.

For smaller businesses it may not be practical to hire a professional for all of the financial work, but there are several software programs available that help to educate the owner on basic bookkeeping techniques.

A business owner should be familiar and comfortable with using the following:

Day to day expense tracking – an owner needs to be able create and analyse reports that give an idea of the health of a business.

Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable – An owner needs to be able to tell when payment is expected and prepare for any outgoing expenditures

Of equal importance is the ability to determine the current financial state of a business and whether expansion is possible or even necessary due to competition. Being able to identify future trends that can positively or negatively impact a business will go a long way toward helping a business develop staying power in ever shifting market places.

Regardless of the size of a business, the goals of the business and the owner should be kept firmly in mind. While smaller businesses may not immediately benefit or be able to afford an accountant that is an expense that should be worked into a budget as soon as possible. Accountants and even financial planners are able to keep a business on track. They can help to establish realistic long-term goals to increase the chances of success. With the help of a financial professional, cash flow problems can be spotted and tackled.

Should a Small Business Owner Take Accounting Courses?

by Business Dictionary

While having an M.B.A. from Harvard is certainly not a prerequisite for running a successful small business, having some basic accounting skills and knowing how to use accounting software can save a small business owner a lot of money and frustration.

Even if the business owner has the resources to hire an accountant, a lack of accounting knowledge could allow an unscrupulous accountant to commit fraud without being detected for quite some time. Also, keeping track of money flows and having a good basis in accounting makes good business sense for owners of both small and large businesses. In many ultimately unsuccessful enterprises, failing to keep track of the money often results in the company’s money gradually or suddenly disappearing.

Learning Basic Bookkeeping: A Good Place to Start

Many a small business has failed due to a lack of proper bookkeeping. One of the most important elements shared by all successful businesses of any size is keeping accurate records, which is also a legal requirement.

Besides unnecessary fees such as overdrafts and late charges, a lack of poor records also attracts the attention of the Internal Revenue Service and can be the reason for an audit and other tax consequences. Poor record keeping can cost a business a lot of money and is the first step to ruin in many small businesses.

To help remedy any lack of understanding of basic accounting principles, a course in business accounting will generally include bookkeeping skills. Once you have taken the course, a family member could easily be taught to keep the company’s books until the firm’s profits allow for the hiring of a professional bookkeeper or accountant.

Furthermore, having basic bookkeeping knowledge will give you the possibility of effectively reviewing another person’s work. Having a working knowledge of bookkeeping is an essential financial element for just about any small business owner.

Learning About Financial Statements and Writing a Business Plan

Writing a financial plan for a business can be challenging for many business people. Nevertheless, knowing and understanding your company’s financial statements can be invaluable in running any size business.

The four principal types of financial statements for a business are:

Balance Sheet

Income Statement

Statement of Retained Earnings

Cash Flow Statement

Taking an accounting course can be extremely helpful in gaining the knowledge to write a business plan and in learning the particulars of each financial statement.

Learning How to Choose and Maintain an Accounting System

Businesses generally use either a cash method for accounting or an accrual method. In the cash method, income and expenses are tallied as they are made, and this is the accounting method most commonly used in small businesses.

The accrual method records income when a sale occurs, instead of when payment is received. Expenses are then recorded after the product is received, instead of when the product was paid for. The accrual method is generally used for larger businesses that use invoices and maintain a large inventory.

Maintaining your accounting system requires accurate record keeping. A number of accounting software packages are available that allow you to keep accurate records and save you the trouble of keeping records manually.

Overall, a basic accounting course can be invaluable to any business owner, especially if the entrepreneur has little or no accounting experience. The knowledge gained from a basic accounting course can make a difference in both profitability and efficiency. Furthermore, taking a course in accounting can now be done online, if you prefer to study at home. Also, many community colleges and business schools offer accounting courses if you have the time and prefer to study in a more scholastic environment.

The Price of Bad Financial Decisions for Small Businesses

by jayhawk

Start-up companies and small businesses have always had a relatively large percentage of failures, which is the ultimate price of making poor financial decisions. Fortunately, many of these business failures can be avoided if those managing the enterprise can keep from making some common financial mistakes.

Why Small Business Owners Often Make Bad Financial Decisions

Many people go into business for themselves having ample skills at making a business work on a day to day basis. This is often one of the chief motivations for becoming self employed by opening up a small business in the first place. Nevertheless, too much effort is often put into the daily operation of the business, while not enough attention is paid to bookkeeping and accounting practices, which are essential to running a small business efficiently and profitably.

Even though control over external factors may not be possible, avoiding simple financial mistakes and keeping accurate records will undoubtedly benefit any small business.

Common Financial Mistakes Made by Small Business Operators

The list below includes some of the most common bad financial decisions that small business owners often make when starting out:

Under capitalization – many businesses start out having too little capital to weather tough times. Sometimes small businesses suffer from too much optimism when the business is prospering. This can often be caused by inflation, which leads the company to make unnecessary investments in fixed assets.

Not Having a Bookkeeper – one of the most common mistakes made when starting a business is keeping poor records. Even though the added expense may be a burden, having a competent bookkeeper and keeping efficient records can pay for it many times over in the long run.

Over investment – many small businesses go overboard when it comes to buying inventory, especially if the business has any level of initial success. While increased inventory represents a potential source of revenue, if sales drop, the additional inventory becomes a stagnant asset. With the additional inventory, the business must sell additional sub marginal accounts. This causes the company to have to carry receivables, which can cause problems with cash flow.

Lack of Reserves for Contingent Funding -

In the light of the previous financial errors, the company will inevitably lack the funding for depreciation of assets, bad debts and other contingencies. Also, the company may not be able to afford to insure against flood, fire or inclement weather which could cause considerable damage to the business and in many cases, cause the venture to go belly up.

Other Important Factors Supporting Small Businesses

Another factor which can cause difficulties for a small business consists in failing to have or failing to follow a comprehensive business plan. Having a detailed business plan with contingencies for any eventuality could save the business in a market downturn and can help prevent bad financial decisions.

Furthermore, having enough capital at the onset is probably the most important consideration when starting a small business, especially recently. The ability to weather difficult financial conditions with a sufficient cash flow also often makes the difference between going bust and staying in business.

CTS - Analytical Reasoning - 3

CTS – Analytical Reasoning - 3

1.       X and Y live in North-South parallel streets. X travels 10 km towards North to reach the East-West Street. Y travels 6 km towards south to reach the East–West Street. X travels now 4km towards east and y travels 8km towards west and they met each other. What is the distance between the places X and Y live?

Ans: 20.77 km.

It’s an interesting question. The distance from X to his point of meeting Y is 10.77 km (approx.). The distance from Y to his point of meeting X is 10 km. Hence the distance between X and Y is 10.77 + 10 = 20.77 km. ( Use Pythagoras theorem)

2.       The houses are numbered 1,2,3,… and reach the end of the street and backtracks towards the starting point. The house numbered 10 is opposite to 23. There are even no of houses. Find the total no of houses.

Ans: 32 (Very simple. If house No 10 is opposite to house No 23, then there are 16 houses on either side of the street.)

3.       A seller has a set of apples out of which he sells one half of it and half an apple to his first customer. Then he sells half of the remaining apples and a half apple to his second customer. Then he sells half of the remaining apple and ½ apple to his third customer and so on. This is repeated upto 7th customer and after which no apple remains. How many apples he had initially?

Ans: 127 apples.

4.       A hollow cube of size 5cm is taken, with the thickness of 1cm. It is made of smaller cubes of size 1cm. If the outer surface of the cube is painted how many faces of the smaller cubes will remain unpainted?

Ans: 438 faces. (Note: This question was asked in TCS paper of 2012-13 also)

Assuming the cube to be a solid one of 5cm side then its volume is 125 cu.cm

When this cube is cut into small cubes of 1cm each then we will have 125 small cubes of side 1cm. If the outer surface of this cube is painted then we have 25*6 -> 150 faces of the small cubes painted.(Each surface would account to 25 small pieces)

This cube is hollow with 1 cm side. The inner side of the hollow will have dimensions of 5 – 2 -> 3cm all around. The volume of this is 27 cu.cm and this many numbers of cubes are less in the total cubes if it were to be solid.

Hence the actual number of 1cm cube now available is 125 – 27 = 98.

Each of these cubes have 6 sides and hence the total number of sides for these 98 cubes is 98 * 6 = 588 faces. Of these we know 150 faces are painted. Hence, the number of faces not painted is 588 – 150 = 438 faces.   

5.       If a 36 cm thread is used to wrap a book, lengthwise twice and breadthwise once, what is the size of the book?

Ans: 6cm x 6cm (length and breadth being equal. A square book)

6.       If 4 circles of equal radius are drawn with vertices of a square as the centre, the side of the square being 7 cm, find the area of the circles outside the square?

Ans: 105 sq.cm

Since the side of the square is 7 cm half of this will be the radius of each circle. Hence, the area of one circle is pir² -> (22*3.5*3.5)/7 -> 38.5 sq.cm. As there are 4 circles the total area of the circles 38.5 * 4 = 154 sq.cm. The area of the square falls within this total area. The area of the square is 7 * 7 = 49 sq.cm

Hence the area of the circles outside the square is 154 – 49 -> 105 sq.cm

7.       A bus has 40 seats and the passengers agree to share the total bus fare among them equally. If the total fair is Rs 80.67, find the total no of the seats unoccupied.

Ans: 10 seats

It’s a trial and error sum. The total fair is to be shared among group of passengers. Hence it has to be worked out at what figure the amount could be shared without extending fractions. 30 passengers fits into this and hence the number of vacant seats is 10. ( If one has patience to start working for different numbers you may get an alternate answer also.)

8.       A 4 digit no may consist of the digits 6,2,7,5 where none of the no’s is repeated. Find the possible no of combinations divisible by 36?

Ans: NIL (No combination is possible)

The sum of the four digits comes to 20 and the sum of the divisor is 9. Unless the sum of the digits works out to a multiple of 9 it cannot be divided by the devisor.

9.       If you are traveling from Mumbai to Bangalore and return back. To find the speed of the car which of the following are needed?

a) the distance between them.
b) time taken
c) average speed towards Mumbai and the average speed towards Bangalore.

1) (a) only.          2) (a) and (b)      3) (a,b,c)              4) (b) only          5) (c) only

Ans: (3) all the three are required.

10.   A son and father go for boating in river upstream. After rowing for 1 mile son notices the hat of his father falling in the river. After 5 min., he tells his father that his hat has fallen. So, they turn around and are able to pick the hat at the point from where they began boating after 5 min. Tell the speed of river.

Ans: 6 miles/hr

An old puzzle getting repeated frequently in many company’s papers. The hat falls after travelling one mile upstream and after turning round the father picks the same from where they started. In other words, the hat has travelled a distance of one mile. It has no momentum of its own and has moved along the river at the speed of the river.

The boy informs the father after 5 minutes of the hat falling into the river and the father takes another 5 minutes before picking up his hat.

Thus in 10 minutes the hat has moved one mile and hence the speed of the river is 6 miles per hour.

iGATE - Reasoning & Aptitude

 iGATE – Reasoning & Aptitude

1.       Select the option, which is the logical equivalent of the given statement:
If you are carrying a suitcase, then you are going to the railway station.
(a) If you are not carrying a suitcase, then you are not going to the railway station.
(b) If you are carrying a bag, then you are not going to the railway station.
(c) If you are not going to the railway station, then you are not carrying a suitcase.
(d) None of the above.

Ans: (c)

2.       Select the option, which is the logical equivalent of the given statement:
If you use the formula, then you can solve the problem.
(a) If you do not use the formula, then you cannot solve the problem.
(b) If you solve the problem, then use the formula.
(c) Using the formula is a must to solve the problem.
(d) If the problem is not solved by you, then you must not have used the formula.

Ans: (a)

3.       Select the option that is true about the Statements and Conclusions given:
Statements:
Some shirts are pants
All pants are brown

Conclusions:
I. All brown pants are shirts                         II. Some shirts are brown.
(a) only conclusion I follows                        (b) only conclusion II follows
(c) both conclusion I and II follows           (d) neither conclusion I nor conclusion II follows

Ans: (b)

4.       Select the option that is true about the Statements and Conclusions given:
Statements:
Some circles are figures.
Some squares are circles.

Conclusions:
I. Some squares are figures.                        II. Some figures are not circles.
(a) only conclusion I follows                        (b) only conclusion II follows
(c) both conclusion I and II follows           (d) neither conclusion I nor conclusion II follows

Ans: (c)

5.       Which one of the following four addresses is NOT EXACTLY the same as the one given below?
U.K. Consulate General,  Palais De Nations 154, ruede Lausanne CH-1211 Geneva 21 SWITZERLAND
(i) U.K Consulate General,  Palais De Nations 154, rue de Lausanne CH- 1211 Geneva 21 SWITZERLAND
(ii) U.K Consulate General, Palais De Nations 154, ruede Lausanen CH- 1211 Geneva21 SWITZERLAND
(iii) U.K Consulate General, Palais De Nations 154, ruede Lausanne CH-1211 Geneva 21 SWITZERLAND
(iv) U.K Consulate General,  Palais De Nations 154, ruede Lausanne CH-1211 Geneva 21 SWITZERLAND
(a)i                         (b) ii                       (c) iii                       (d) iv

Ans: (b)

6.       Which one of the following four addresses is NOT EXACTLY the same as the one given below?
Painting and Pressure Washing
7816 Asheville Hwy
Spartanburg, SC 29303 (864)205-3016

(i)                  Painting and Pressure Washing
7816 Asheville Hwy
Spartanburg, SC 29303 (864)205-3016

(ii)                Painting and Pressure Washing
7816 Asheville Hwy
Spartanburg, SC 29303 (864)205-3016

(iii)               Painting and Pressure Washing
7816 Asheville Hwy
Spartanburg, SC 29303 (864)205-3016

(iv)              Painting and Pressure Washing
7816 Ashevile Hwy
Spartanbarg, SC 29303 (864)205-3016
(a) i                        (b) ii                       (c) iii                       (d) iv

Ans: (d)

7.       The question is based on the following arrangement.
W1R%4JE#7MT219BH3A$9FQ5DG6USP

If the positions of E and A are interchanged, and similarly the positions of R and U are interchanged, then how many symbols will be there, each of which is either preceded or followed by a vowel.
(a) nine                (b) one                                 (c) two                  (d) three

Ans: (d)

8.       A and B can together finish a work in 30 days. They worked at it for 20 days and then B let.
The remaining work was done by A alone in 20 more days. B alone can do the entire work in
(a) 48 days          (b) 50 days          (c) 54 days           (d) 60 days

Ans: (d)

A & B in one day can do 1/30 work. They work together for 20 days. So the work completed in this period is 2/3. The remaining work is 1/3 and this is completed by A in 20 days. Hence, A in one day can do 1/3 * 1/20 = 1/60 work. We know 1/A + 1/B = 1/30

Substituting A’s one day work of 41/60 in this we note 1/60 + 1/B = 1/30

Solving we get  1/B = 1/60 and hence B would take 60 days to complete the work.

9.       Radha can paint 35 paintings in 25 days. How many days will she take to paint 55 paintings?
(a) 40 days          (b) 39 days          (c) 33 days           (d) 32 days

Ans: (a)  There can be a confusion whether the answer is (a) or (b). The actual time taken to draw 55 paintings will be 39 2/7 days. Hence the answer is (a)

10.   A man walked diagonally across a square plot. Approximately what was the percentage of walking saved by not walking along the edges?
(a) 15%                                 (b) 20%                 (c) 25%                                 (d) 30%

Ans: (d)  Take any convenient unit as the two sides of the Square plot. Since the man walks across diagonally the distance of the diagonal will be given by the √ of the side squares. The difference between the two sides and the diagonal when raised to a percentage will give you the answer.

GRE - English (Sourced)

GRE – English (Sourced)

Reading Comprehension

The function of capital markets is to facilitate an exchange of funds among all participants, and yet in practice we find that certain participants are not on a par with others. Members of society have varying degrees of market strength in terms of information they bring to a transaction, as well as of purchasing power and creditworthiness, as defined by lenders.

For example, within minority communities, capital markets do not properly fulfill their functions; they do not provide access to the aggregate flow of funds in the United States. The financial system does not generate the credit or investment vehicles needed for underwriting economic development in minority areas. The problem underlying this dysfunction is found in a rationing mechanism affecting both the available alternatives for investment and the amount of financial resources. This creates a distributive mechanism penalizing members of minority groups because of their socio economic differences from others. The existing system expresses definite socially based investment preferences that result from the previous allocation of income and that influence the allocation of resources for the present and future. The system tends to increase the inequality of income distribution. And, in the United States economy, a greater inequality of income distribution leads to a greater concentration of capital in certain types of investment.

Most traditional financial-market analysis studies ignore financial markets "deficiencies in allocation because of analysts" inherent preferences for the simple model of perfect competition. Conventional financial analysis pays limited attention to issues of market structure and dynamics, relative costs of information, and problems of income distribution. Market participants are viewed as acting as entirely independent and homogeneous individuals with perfect foresight about capital-market behavior. Also, it is assumed that each individual in the community at large has the same access to the market and the same opportunity to transact and to express the preference appropriate to his or her individual interest. Moreover, it is assumed that transaction costs for various types of financial instruments (stocks, bonds, etc.) are equally known and equally divided among all community members.

1. The main point made by the passage is that 
(a) financial markets provide for an optimum allocation of resources among all competing participants by balancing supply and demand
(b) the allocation of financial resources takes place among separate individual participants, each of whom has access to the market
(c) the existence of certain factors adversely affecting members of minority groups shows that financial markets do not function as conventional theory says they function
(d) investments in minority communities can be made by the use of various alternative financial instruments, such as stocks and bonds
(e) since transaction costs for stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments are not equally apportioned among all minority-group members, the financial market is subject to criticism

Ans: (c)

2. The passage states that traditional studies of the financial market overlook imbalances in the allocation of financial resources because
(a) an optimum allocation of resources is the final result of competition among participants
(b) those performing the studies choose an oversimplified description of the influences on competition
(c) such imbalances do not appear in the statistics usually compiled to measure the market’s behavior
(d) the analysts who study the market are unwilling to accept criticism of their methods as biased
(e) socioeconomic difference form the basis of a rationing mechanism that puts minority groups at a disadvantage

Ans: (b)

3. The author’s main point is argued by
(a) giving examples that support a conventional generalization
(b) showing that the view opposite to the author’s is self-contradictory
(c) criticizing the presuppositions of a proposed plan
(d) showing that omissions in a theoretical description make it inapplicable in certain cases
(e) demonstrating that an alternative hypothesis more closely fits the data

Ans: (d)

4. A difference in which of the following would be an example of inequality in transaction costs as alluded to in lines 20-23?
(a) Maximum amounts of loans extended by a bank to businesses in different areas.
(b) Fees charged to large and small investors for purchasing stocks
(c) Prices of similar goods offered in large and small stores in an area
(d) Stipends paid to different attorneys for preparing legal suits for damages
(e) Exchange rates in dollars for currencies of different countries

Ans: (b)

5. Which of the following can be inferred about minority communities on the basis of the passage?
(a) They provide a significant portion of the funds that become available for investment in the financial market.
(b) They are penalized by the tax system, which increases the inequality of the distribution of income between investors and wage earners.
(c) They do not receive the share of the amount of funds available for investment that would be expected according to traditional financial-market analysis.
(d) They are not granted governmental subsidies to assist in underwriting the cost of economic development.
(e) They provide the same access to alternative sources of credit to finance businesses as do majority communities.

Ans: (c)

6. According to the passage, a questionable assumption of the conventional theory about the operation of financial markets is that
(a) creditworthiness as determined by lenders is a factor determining market access
(b) market structure and market dynamics depend on income distribution
(c) a scarcity of alternative sources of funds would result from taking socio economic factors into consideration
(d) those who engage in financial-market transactions are perfectly well informed about the market
(e) inequalities in income distribution are increased by the functioning of the financial market

Ans: (d)

7. According to the passage, analysts have conventionally tended to view those who participate in financial market as
(a) judging investment preferences in terms of the good of society as a whole
(b) influencing the allocation of funds through prior ownership of certain kinds of assets
(c) varying in market power with respect to one another
(d) basing judgments about future events mainly on chance
(e) having equal opportunities to engage in transactions

Ans: (e)

(The following is based on material written in 1996.)
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, signed in 1987 by more than 150 nations, has attained its short-term goals: it has decreased the rate of increase in amounts of most ozone-depleting chemicals reaching the atmosphere and has even reduced the atmospheric levels of some of them. The projection that the ozone layer will substantially recover from ozone depletion by 2050 is based on the assumption that the protocol’s regulations will be strictly followed. Yet there is considerable evidence of violations, particularly in the form of the release of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), which are commonly used in the refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning industries. These violations reflect industry attitudes; for example, in the United States, 48 percent of respondents in a recent survey of subscribers to Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration News, and industry trade journal, said that they did not believe that CFC’s damage the ozone layer. Moreover, some in the industry apparently do not want to pay for CFC substitutes, which can run five times the cost of CFC’s. Consequently, a black market in imported illicit CFC’s has grown. Estimates of the contraband CFC trade range from 10,000 to 22,000 tons a year, with most of the CFC’s originating in India and China, whose agreements under the Protocol still allow them to produce CFC’s. In fact, the United States Customs Service reports that CFC-12 is a contraband problem second only to illicit drug.

8. According to the passage, which of the following best describes most ozone-depleting chemicals in 1996 as compared to those in 1987?
(a) The levels of such chemicals in the atmosphere had decreased.
(b) The number of such chemicals that reached the atmosphere had declined.
(c) The amounts of such chemicals released had increased but the amounts that reached the atmosphere had decreased.
(d) The rate of increase in amounts of such chemicals reaching the atmosphere had decreased.
(e) The rate at which such chemicals were being reduced in the atmosphere had slowed.

Ans: (d)

9. The author of the passage compares the smuggling of CFC’s to the illicit drug trade most likely for which of the following reasons?
(a) To qualify a previous claim
(b) To emphasize the extent of a problem
(c) To provide an explanation for an earlier assertion
(d) To suggest that the illicit CFC trade, like the illicit drug trade, will continue to increase
(e) To suggest that the consequences of a relatively little-knows problem are as serious as those of a well-known one

Ans: (b)

10. The passage suggests which of the following about the illicit trade in CFC’s?
(a) It would cease if manufacturers in India and China stopped producing CFC’s.
(b) Most people who participate in such trade do not believe that CFC’s deplete the ozone layer.
(c) It will probably surpass illicit drugs as the largest contraband problem faced by the United States Custom Services.
(d) It is fostered by people who do not want to pay the price of CFC substitutes.
(e) It has grown primarily because of the expansion of the refrigeration, heating, and air-conditioning industries in foreign countries

Ans: (d)

In the following questions choose the right pair of words from among the choices to fill the blanks in the sentences.

11. People seem to recall the brand of an advertised product, considering most favorably the most frequently advertised product; therefore, an advertisement that is----in newspaper advertisement would be expected to be very----, but, actually, it is not. 
(a) dominant.. impressive
(b) frequent.. bad
(c) unusual.. effective
(d) new.. rare
(e) widespread.. ineffective

Ans: (a)

12. Just as human beings who depend on each other, there are no ------- foliage’s. 
(a) neglect able
(b) existing
(c) conventional
(d) dependable
(e) solitary

Ans: (e)

 
13. The blueprints for the new automobile were ----at first glance. But the designer had been basically too conservative to ---- previous standards of beauty.
(a) striking.. flout
(b) impractical.. ignore
(c) impeccable.. dispel
(d) influential ..assess
(e) confusing.. incorporate

Ans: (a)

14. Because its average annual rainfall is only about four inches, one of the major tasks faced by the country has been to find ----sources of water.
(a) Discontinuous
(b) natural
(c) supplementary
(d) pervasive
(e) initial

Ans (c)

15. Because the order in which the parts of speech appear in the sentences of a given language is decided merely by custom, it is---- to maintain that every departure from that order constitutes a ----of a natural law.
(a) traditional.. transformation
(b) conventional.. transgression
(c) necessary.. prototype
(d) unjustifiable.. violation
(e) unreasonable.. formulation

Ans: (d)

English - Verbal & Reasoning

English – Verbal & Reasoning

Identify from among the four choices the sequences that correctly assembles the segments and

complete the sentence.

1. A. Anniversaries can be dicey things.

B. As long as the dead are being commemorated on a particular day, it is fine.

C. The opposition could keep its gun powder dry and ready as well.

D. But when it comes to a government celebrating a year or two in office, there can be

trouble.

(a) DACB              (b) CADB              (c) ABDC              (d) BCDA

Ans: (c)

2. A. It is less concerned with telling a tale.

B. As with so much Huxley's later fiction, one is not sure whether or not to call this book a

true novel.

C. It is also weak on characterization but strong on talk.

D. Than with presenting an attitude of life.

(a) CBDA              (b) BADC              (c) ABDC              (d) DCBA

Ans: (b)

3. A. While the above is true for private sector companies, it is not so in the public

limited companies.

B. But with the removal of control over premium, the premium at which issues are marked has

gone up quite sharply.

C. So the cost of capital at even a lower debt equity ratio comes out lower.

D. Traditionally, the cost of equity is higher than the cost of debt.

(a) DBCA              (b) BADC              (c) ACDB              (d) CDAB

Ans: (a)

4. A. Compiling and debugging.

B. Testing.

C. Writing the code.

D. Thinking of the algorithm.

E. Understanding the problem

(a) DBECA            (b) CDABE           (c) ACDBE            (d) EDCAB

Ans: (d)

5. A. Such alliances are shaky from the start.

B. In this manner parties which are not able to get a mandate from the electorate are able

to come to power.

C. We have seen the unique spectacle of political parties forming an alliance just to form a

government.

D. Indian democracy continues to amaze.

(a) ADBC              (b) BADC              (c) DCBA              (d) BDCA

Ans: (c)

Directions for questions 6-10: Each problem contains a question and two statements

giving certain data. You have to select the correct answer from (a) to (d) depending on the

sufficiency of the data given in the statements to answer the question. Mark your answer as

(a) If statement (I) alone is sufficient.

(b) If statement (II) alone is sufficient.

(c) If both (I) and (II) together are sufficient but neither of statements alone is sufficient.

(d) Either of the statements (I) and (II) is sufficient.

(e) If statements (I) and (II) together are not sufficient.

6. What is the distance from City A to City C in kms?

 (I) City A is 90 kms from City B.

(II) City B is 30 kms from City C.

Ans: (e)

7. Is Z less than W? Z and W are real numbers.

(I)  Z² = 25

(II) W = 9

Ans (c)

8. The value of an estate in January 1905 started gradually declining in such a way that at the end of each year it was worth only x times its value at the beginning of the year.

What was its worth in end December 1910?

(I) It was worth Rs.10,109 in the end of December 1906.

(II)It was worth Rs.12,345 in the beginning of January 1905.

Ans(e)

9. In an election, 3 candidates A,B and C were contesting for a membership of parliament. How many votes did each receive?

(I) A received 1006 votes more than B and 1213 more votes than C.

(II) Total votes cast were 15,414.

Ans: (c)

10. John studies Chinese in a school. Which school does he attend?

(I) All students in Jefferson High school take French.

(II) Maysville High School offers only Chinese.

Ans: (b)

Directions for question 11-12 : Answer the questions based on the following passage

A temple has 3 gateway. Each of them is leading you into the temple, and at the end of

each gateway there is an idol. As the devotee passes through the gateway with some

flowers the number of flowers double. Ram enters the 1st gateway with some flowers and

he puts same number of flowers at each idol and the end he is left with none.

11. How many flowers did Ram start with?

(a) 4                       (b) 5                       (c) 3                       (d) 7

Ans: (d)

12. How many flowers does he put at each idol?

(a) 10                     (b) 8                       (c) 6                       (d) 5

Ans: (b)

Directions for question 13-15 : Answer the questions based on the given passage.

Liz, Jenni, Jolie and Rick have an English final on Friday and they all would like to study

together at least once before the test.

Liz can study only on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Thursday afternoon and

night.

Jenni can study only on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights and Tuesday afternoon

and night.

Jolie can study only on Wednesday and Thursday nights, Tuesday afternoon and Monday

afternoon and night.

Rick can study the afternoons and nights of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and on

Monday afternoon.

13. If the group is to study twice, then the days could be

(a) Monday and Wednesday

(b) Tuesday and Thursday

(c) Wednesday and Thursday

(d) Monday and Friday

(e) Tuesday and Wednesday

Ans: (c)

14. If three of them tried to study together when all four couldn't

(a) this would be possible twice

(b) it would have to be on Wednesday night

(c) Rick could not attend the three person groups

(d) This could be accomplished on Monday and Tuesday only

(e) This would not be possible

Ans: (a)

15. If Liz decided to study every night,

(a) she would never be able to study with Rick

(b) she would never be able to study with Jolie

(c) she would have at least two study partners each night

(d) she would have to study alone on Monday night

(e) she would study with only Jenni on Thursday night

Ans: (c)