Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. The general recognition of this fact is shown in the proverbial phrase,' It is the busiest man who has time to spare'. Thus, an
elderly lady at leisure can spend the entire day writing a postcard to her niece. An hour will be spent in writing a postcard , another hunting for spectacles, half an hour to search for the address ,
an hour and a quarter in composition and twenty minutes in deciding whether or not to take an umbrella when going to the pillar box in the street. The total effort that could occupy a busy man for three minutes, all told may in this fashion leave another person completely exhausted after a day of doubt ,anxiety and toil.
1.What happens when the time to be spent on some work increases?
a) the work is done smoothly.
b) the work is done leisurely.
c) work consumes all the time.
d) The work needs additional time.
Here the method of elimination and inference applies. A and D are eliminated at the first reading. The description that the lady who has enough leisure time takes the entire day in writing the postcard gives us the clue that the correct answer is ‘c’ .
2. Explain the sentence : work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion’.
a) The more work there is to be done , the more time needed.
b) whatever time is available for a given amount of work, all of it will be used.
c) If you have more time you can do some work.
d) If you have some important work to do , you should always have some additional time.
The answer here is b). This can be found out through simple inference.
A statement is made right in the beginning of the passage and the story
of the lady illustrates the fact that whatever time is available for a work people tend to use all of it.
3.Who is the person likely to take more time to do work.:
a) a busy man.
b) a man of leisure.
c) an elderly person.
d)an exhausted person.
Here the answer is b). It requires inference from the facts given in the
passage that more the time you have , the more you will need.
Therefore,
the answer is arrived at through complex inference.
4.What is the total time spent by the elderly lady in writing a
postcard?
a) Three minutes.
b) four hours and five minutes.
c) half day
d)the entire day.
The answer is d).and it is based on the information given in the
passage.
5. What does the expression ‘pillar box’ stand for?
a) a box attached to the pillar.
b) a box in the pillar
c) box office.
d) a pillar type postbox.
The answer is d). It can be derived through implied information.The
lady has to go to the pillar box to drop her letter.
Now a one line passage or very short passages comprising
only two or three sentences are set. Normally in a short passage
there is a basic idea and all points are given to illustrate or
analyze or prove the central idea. The answer must confirm to the
central idea. The accessory or
secondary points may be true
but they have a partial identity only and thus
they cannot
be the correct answers.
Passage 2:
Accidents on roads can be prevented, provided the quality of
roads is improved and the drivers are instructed in safety rules
which they must follow for their own protection. It is also
necessary that the illumination on the roads is adequate so as
to prevent accidents at night.
1.This paragraph best supports the statement that
a) Road accidents are solely due to improper illumination.
b) Road accidents result in large number of deaths.
c) Road accidents are man made and are always avoidable.
d) Safety rules are not taught properly to all drivers.
The answer for this is ‘c’ , which is the central idea in the
given passage.
There is still another variation in which the passage is short,
comprising one or two sentences, but the questions are so many.On the
basis of Information Elimination Inference formula answers can be
located.
FOR MORE EXERCISES FROM R.S.AGARWAL VERBAL REASONING CLICK LINK
elderly lady at leisure can spend the entire day writing a postcard to her niece. An hour will be spent in writing a postcard , another hunting for spectacles, half an hour to search for the address ,
an hour and a quarter in composition and twenty minutes in deciding whether or not to take an umbrella when going to the pillar box in the street. The total effort that could occupy a busy man for three minutes, all told may in this fashion leave another person completely exhausted after a day of doubt ,anxiety and toil.
1.What happens when the time to be spent on some work increases?
a) the work is done smoothly.
b) the work is done leisurely.
c) work consumes all the time.
d) The work needs additional time.
Here the method of elimination and inference applies. A and D are eliminated at the first reading. The description that the lady who has enough leisure time takes the entire day in writing the postcard gives us the clue that the correct answer is ‘c’ .
2. Explain the sentence : work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion’.
a) The more work there is to be done , the more time needed.
b) whatever time is available for a given amount of work, all of it will be used.
c) If you have more time you can do some work.
d) If you have some important work to do , you should always have some additional time.
The answer here is b). This can be found out through simple inference.
A statement is made right in the beginning of the passage and the story
of the lady illustrates the fact that whatever time is available for a work people tend to use all of it.
3.Who is the person likely to take more time to do work.:
a) a busy man.
b) a man of leisure.
c) an elderly person.
d)an exhausted person.
Here the answer is b). It requires inference from the facts given in the
passage that more the time you have , the more you will need.
Therefore,
the answer is arrived at through complex inference.
4.What is the total time spent by the elderly lady in writing a
postcard?
a) Three minutes.
b) four hours and five minutes.
c) half day
d)the entire day.
The answer is d).and it is based on the information given in the
passage.
5. What does the expression ‘pillar box’ stand for?
a) a box attached to the pillar.
b) a box in the pillar
c) box office.
d) a pillar type postbox.
The answer is d). It can be derived through implied information.The
lady has to go to the pillar box to drop her letter.
Now a one line passage or very short passages comprising
only two or three sentences are set. Normally in a short passage
there is a basic idea and all points are given to illustrate or
analyze or prove the central idea. The answer must confirm to the
central idea. The accessory or
secondary points may be true
but they have a partial identity only and thus
they cannot
be the correct answers.
Passage 2:
Accidents on roads can be prevented, provided the quality of
roads is improved and the drivers are instructed in safety rules
which they must follow for their own protection. It is also
necessary that the illumination on the roads is adequate so as
to prevent accidents at night.
1.This paragraph best supports the statement that
a) Road accidents are solely due to improper illumination.
b) Road accidents result in large number of deaths.
c) Road accidents are man made and are always avoidable.
d) Safety rules are not taught properly to all drivers.
The answer for this is ‘c’ , which is the central idea in the
given passage.
There is still another variation in which the passage is short,
comprising one or two sentences, but the questions are so many.On the
basis of Information Elimination Inference formula answers can be
located.
FOR MORE EXERCISES FROM R.S.AGARWAL VERBAL REASONING CLICK LINK
OR 