Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension: English Reading Comprehension Exercises with Answers, Sample Passages for Reading Comprehension Test for GRE, CAT, IELTS preparation
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English Reading Comprehension Test Questions and Answers. Improve your ability to read and comprehend English Passages
Q266. > By 1950, the results of attempts relate brain processes to mental
> experience appeared rather discouraging. Such variations in size,
> shape, chemistry, conduction speed, excitation threshold, and the like
> as had been demonstrated in nerve cells remained negligible in
> significance for any possible correlation with the manifold dimensions
> of mental experience. Near the turn of the century, it had been
> suggested by Hering that different modes of sensation, such as pain,
> taste, and colour, might be correlated with the discharge of specific
> kinds of nervous energy. However, subsequently developed methods of
> recording and analyzing nerve potentials failed to reveal any such
> qualitative diversity. It was possible to demonstrate by other methods
> refined structural differences among neuron types; however, proof was
> lacking that the quality of the impulse or its conduction was
> influenced by these differences, which seemed instead to influence the
> developmental patterning of the neural circuits. Although qualitative
> variance among nerve energies was never rigidly disproved, the
> doctrine was generally abandoned in favour of the opposing view,
> namely, that nerve impulses are essentially homogeneous in quality and
> are transmitted as “common currency” throughout the nervous system.
> According to this, it is not the quality of the sensory nerve impulses
> that determines the diverse conscious sensations they produce, but
> rather the different areas of the brain into which they discharge, and
> there is some evidence for this view. In one experiment, when an
> electric stimulus was applied to a given sensory field of the cerebral
> cortex of a conscious human subject, it produced a sensation of the
> appropriate modality for that particular locus, that is, a visual
> sensation from the auditory cortex, and so on. Other experiments
> revealed slight variations in the size, number, arrangement, and
> interconnection of the nerve cells, but as far as psycho neural
> correlations were concerned, the obvious similarities of these sensory
> fields to each other seemed much more remarkable than any of the
> minute differences. However, cortical locus, in itself, turned out to
> have little explanatory value. Studies showed that sensations as
> diverse as those of red, black, green, and white, or touch, cold,
> warmth, movement, pain, posture, and pressure apparently may arise
> through activation of the same cortical areas. What seemed to remain
> was some kind of differential patterning effects in the brain
> excitation: it is the difference in the central distribution of
> impulses that counts. In short, brain theory suggested a correlation
> between mental experience and the activity of relatively homogeneous
> nerve-cell units conducting essentially homogeneous impulses through
> homogeneous cerebral tissue. To match the multiple dimensions of
> mental experience, psychologists could only point to a limitless
> variation in the spatio-temporal patterning of nerve impulses.
The description of an experiment in which electric stimuli were applied to different sensory field of the cerebral cortex tends to support the theory that
- the stimuli presence of different cortical areas cannot account for the diversity of mental experience.
- variation in spatio-temporal patterning of nerve impulses correlates with variation in subjective experience.
- nerve impulse are essentially homogeneous and are relatively unaffected as they travel through the nervous system.
- the mental experiences produced by sensory nerve impulses are determined by the cortical area activated.
- manner in which nerve impulse are conducted.
Solution : the mental experiences produced by sensory nerve impulses are determined by the cortical area activated.
Q267. > By 1950, the results of attempts relate brain processes to mental
> experience appeared rather discouraging. Such variations in size,
> shape, chemistry, conduction speed, excitation threshold, and the like
> as had been demonstrated in nerve cells remained negligible in
> significance for any possible correlation with the manifold dimensions
> of mental experience. Near the turn of the century, it had been
> suggested by Hering that different modes of sensation, such as pain,
> taste, and colour, might be correlated with the discharge of specific
> kinds of nervous energy. However, subsequently developed methods of
> recording and analyzing nerve potentials failed to reveal any such
> qualitative diversity. It was possible to demonstrate by other methods
> refined structural differences among neuron types; however, proof was
> lacking that the quality of the impulse or its conduction was
> influenced by these differences, which seemed instead to influence the
> developmental patterning of the neural circuits. Although qualitative
> variance among nerve energies was never rigidly disproved, the
> doctrine was generally abandoned in favour of the opposing view,
> namely, that nerve impulses are essentially homogeneous in quality and
> are transmitted as “common currency” throughout the nervous system.
> According to this, it is not the quality of the sensory nerve impulses
> that determines the diverse conscious sensations they produce, but
> rather the different areas of the brain into which they discharge, and
> there is some evidence for this view. In one experiment, when an
> electric stimulus was applied to a given sensory field of the cerebral
> cortex of a conscious human subject, it produced a sensation of the
> appropriate modality for that particular locus, that is, a visual
> sensation from the auditory cortex, and so on. Other experiments
> revealed slight variations in the size, number, arrangement, and
> interconnection of the nerve cells, but as far as psycho neural
> correlations were concerned, the obvious similarities of these sensory
> fields to each other seemed much more remarkable than any of the
> minute differences. However, cortical locus, in itself, turned out to
> have little explanatory value. Studies showed that sensations as
> diverse as those of red, black, green, and white, or touch, cold,
> warmth, movement, pain, posture, and pressure apparently may arise
> through activation of the same cortical areas. What seemed to remain
> was some kind of differential patterning effects in the brain
> excitation: it is the difference in the central distribution of
> impulses that counts. In short, brain theory suggested a correlation
> between mental experience and the activity of relatively homogeneous
> nerve-cell units conducting essentially homogeneous impulses through
> homogeneous cerebral tissue. To match the multiple dimensions of
> mental experience, psychologists could only point to a limitless
> variation in the spatio-temporal patterning of nerve impulses.
According to the passage, some evidences exist that the area of the cortex activated by a sensory stimulus determines which of the following?
I. The nature of the nerve impulse.
II. The modality of the sensory experience.
III. Qualitative differences within a modality.
- II only
- III only
- I and II only
- II and III only
- none of these.
Solution : II only
Q268. > By 1950, the results of attempts relate brain processes to mental
> experience appeared rather discouraging. Such variations in size,
> shape, chemistry, conduction speed, excitation threshold, and the like
> as had been demonstrated in nerve cells remained negligible in
> significance for any possible correlation with the manifold dimensions
> of mental experience. Near the turn of the century, it had been
> suggested by Hering that different modes of sensation, such as pain,
> taste, and colour, might be correlated with the discharge of specific
> kinds of nervous energy. However, subsequently developed methods of
> recording and analyzing nerve potentials failed to reveal any such
> qualitative diversity. It was possible to demonstrate by other methods
> refined structural differences among neuron types; however, proof was
> lacking that the quality of the impulse or its conduction was
> influenced by these differences, which seemed instead to influence the
> developmental patterning of the neural circuits. Although qualitative
> variance among nerve energies was never rigidly disproved, the
> doctrine was generally abandoned in favour of the opposing view,
> namely, that nerve impulses are essentially homogeneous in quality and
> are transmitted as “common currency” throughout the nervous system.
> According to this, it is not the quality of the sensory nerve impulses
> that determines the diverse conscious sensations they produce, but
> rather the different areas of the brain into which they discharge, and
> there is some evidence for this view. In one experiment, when an
> electric stimulus was applied to a given sensory field of the cerebral
> cortex of a conscious human subject, it produced a sensation of the
> appropriate modality for that particular locus, that is, a visual
> sensation from the auditory cortex, and so on. Other experiments
> revealed slight variations in the size, number, arrangement, and
> interconnection of the nerve cells, but as far as psycho neural
> correlations were concerned, the obvious similarities of these sensory
> fields to each other seemed much more remarkable than any of the
> minute differences. However, cortical locus, in itself, turned out to
> have little explanatory value. Studies showed that sensations as
> diverse as those of red, black, green, and white, or touch, cold,
> warmth, movement, pain, posture, and pressure apparently may arise
> through activation of the same cortical areas. What seemed to remain
> was some kind of differential patterning effects in the brain
> excitation: it is the difference in the central distribution of
> impulses that counts. In short, brain theory suggested a correlation
> between mental experience and the activity of relatively homogeneous
> nerve-cell units conducting essentially homogeneous impulses through
> homogeneous cerebral tissue. To match the multiple dimensions of
> mental experience, psychologists could only point to a limitless
> variation in the spatio-temporal patterning of nerve impulses.
The passage can most accurately be described as a discussion concerning historical views of the
- anatomy of the brain.
- physiological correlates of mental experience.
- manner in which nerve impulse are conducted.
- mechanics of sense perception.
- similar in origin to prejudice against the Jews.
Solution : physiological correlates of mental experience.
Q269. > By 1950, the results of attempts relate brain processes to mental
> experience appeared rather discouraging. Such variations in size,
> shape, chemistry, conduction speed, excitation threshold, and the like
> as had been demonstrated in nerve cells remained negligible in
> significance for any possible correlation with the manifold dimensions
> of mental experience. Near the turn of the century, it had been
> suggested by Hering that different modes of sensation, such as pain,
> taste, and colour, might be correlated with the discharge of specific
> kinds of nervous energy. However, subsequently developed methods of
> recording and analyzing nerve potentials failed to reveal any such
> qualitative diversity. It was possible to demonstrate by other methods
> refined structural differences among neuron types; however, proof was
> lacking that the quality of the impulse or its conduction was
> influenced by these differences, which seemed instead to influence the
> developmental patterning of the neural circuits. Although qualitative
> variance among nerve energies was never rigidly disproved, the
> doctrine was generally abandoned in favour of the opposing view,
> namely, that nerve impulses are essentially homogeneous in quality and
> are transmitted as “common currency” throughout the nervous system.
> According to this, it is not the quality of the sensory nerve impulses
> that determines the diverse conscious sensations they produce, but
> rather the different areas of the brain into which they discharge, and
> there is some evidence for this view. In one experiment, when an
> electric stimulus was applied to a given sensory field of the cerebral
> cortex of a conscious human subject, it produced a sensation of the
> appropriate modality for that particular locus, that is, a visual
> sensation from the auditory cortex, and so on. Other experiments
> revealed slight variations in the size, number, arrangement, and
> interconnection of the nerve cells, but as far as psycho neural
> correlations were concerned, the obvious similarities of these sensory
> fields to each other seemed much more remarkable than any of the
> minute differences. However, cortical locus, in itself, turned out to
> have little explanatory value. Studies showed that sensations as
> diverse as those of red, black, green, and white, or touch, cold,
> warmth, movement, pain, posture, and pressure apparently may arise
> through activation of the same cortical areas. What seemed to remain
> was some kind of differential patterning effects in the brain
> excitation: it is the difference in the central distribution of
> impulses that counts. In short, brain theory suggested a correlation
> between mental experience and the activity of relatively homogeneous
> nerve-cell units conducting essentially homogeneous impulses through
> homogeneous cerebral tissue. To match the multiple dimensions of
> mental experience, psychologists could only point to a limitless
> variation in the spatio-temporal patterning of nerve impulses.
Which of the following best summarizes the author’s opinion of the suggestion that different areas of the brain determine perceptions produced by sensory nerve impulses?
- It is a plausible explanation, but it has not been completely proved.
- It is the best explanation of brain processes currently available.
- It is disproved by the fact that the various areas of the brain are psychologically very similar.
- There is some evidence to support it, but it fails to explain the diversity of mental experience.
- understood by Oriental people as ethnic competition.
Solution : There is some evidence to support it, but it fails to explain the diversity of mental experience.
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Q270. > For a business, still in a burgeoning state of development the
> performance of the gem and jewelry sector in exports is gratifying. On
> top of an over 50 percent growth during 2004-05, these exports are
> poised to grow at a similar rate during the current year, if the trend
> in the first half of the year is an indication. Data released by the
> Gems and Jewelry Export Promotion Council show that Gems exports at
> Rs. 2,363 crores during April-September 2005 were 51 percent higher
> than during the corresponding period of 2004. Since there is a greater
> acceleration in the tempo of exports in the second half of the year,
> it appears that the target of gems and jewelry exports, pegged at Rs.
> 5,000 crores are well within reach. Even more heartening is the fact
> that the export flow has been broad based, though the pace has been
> set by better showing in both jewelry and gem exports. This successful
> incursion is the outcome of a conscious strategy to build export
> infrastructure which includes the setting up of Gems and Jewelry
> Export Zones, technology missions and a liberal policy under which
> virtually the entire industry is thrown open to foreign direct
> investment. Some incentives like access to domestic market for these
> export-oriented units, based on the net value addition, also have
> helped the export drive. Besides, the industry had made helped the
> export drive. Besides, the industry had made efforts to capture new
> markets, laid stress on quality of the product and became alive to
> customer needs. However, in the case of jewelry exports, the actual
> performance is behind the potential. With its endowment in terms of
> jewelry designers, low costs and high productivity, India can emerge
> as a major force in global jewelry exports by emphasizing on
> customizing jewelry rather than relying on standard products. At the
> same time, gems exports should not suffer by default. The recent data
> given lie to the claim that we have a leeway in jewelry designing.
> Over a period, this success on global marketing of our gems should
> facilitate system integration, and to exports of value-added gems with
> jewelry. As of now, what is significant is that we have carved a small
> niche in the global market in an industry that is the cutting edge of
> designing.
Which of the following are responsible for substantial growth in exports in gems and jewelry sector?
(A) Conscious strategy to build export infrastructure
(B) Liberal policy
(C) Government subsidy
- All (A), (B) and (C)
- Only (B) and (C)
- Only (A) and (C)
- Only (A) and (B)
- None of these
Solution : Only (A) and (B)
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