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SRM UNIVERSITY – KATTANKULATHUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHEETS

Worksheet I Critical Reasoning I 1. Some economists view the Kennedy-Johnson tax cut of 1964, which radically reduced corporate and individual taxes, as the impetus for the substantial prosperity enjoyed by the United States in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the claim that the tax cut of 1964 was the impetus for economic prosperity? a. Modernized, more productive factories were built in the late 1960’s as a result of the the funds made available by the tax cut. b. Improved economic conditions in Western Europe and Japan resulted in substantially increased demand for United States manufactured goods in the late 1960’s. c. The tax cut of 1964 contained regulations concerning tax shelters that prompted investors to transfer their savings to more economically productive investments. d. Personal income after taxes rose in the years following 1964. 2. In order to increase profits during a prolonged slowdown in sales, the largest manufactures of automobiles in the United States have instituted record-setting price increases on all their models. The manufacturers believe that this strategy will succeed, even though it is inconsistent with the normal relationship between price and demand. The manufacturers’ plan to increase profits relies on which of the following assumptions? a. Automobile manufacturers will, of necessity, raise prices whenever they introduce a new model.

b. The smaller automobile manufacturers will continue to take away a large percentage of business from the largest manufacturers. c. The increased profit made on cars sold will more than compensate for any decline in sales caused by the price increases. d. New safety restraints that will soon become mandatory for all new cars will not be very costly for manufacturers to install. 3. Life expectancy is the average age at death of the entire live-born population. In the middle of the 19th century, life expectancy in North America was 40 years, whereas now it is nearly 80 years. Thus, in those days, people must have been considered old at an age that we now consider the prime of life. Which of the following, if true, undermines the argument above? a. In the middle of the 19th century, the population of North America was significantly smaller than it is today. b. Most of the gains in life expectancy in the last 150 years have come from reductions in the number of infants who die in their first year of life. c. Many of the people who live to an advanced age today do so only because of medical technology that was unknown in the 19th century. d. The proportion of the people who die in their seventies is significantly smaller today than is the proportion of people who die in their eighties. 4. From June through August 1987, Premiere Airlines had the best ontime service of 10 United States airlines. From January through March 1988, Premire Airlines had the worst on-time service of the 10 airlines. The on-time performance ranking of the other nine airlines relative to each other remained unchanged. Which of the following, if true, would most contribute to an explanation of the facts above? a. Although Premiere Airlines only revoked its policy of routinely holding flights for late passengers in the fall of 1987, the other nine airlines never had that policy.

b. Premiere Airlines reduced its business by 10 percent when it raised its rates in the fall of 1987 to compensate for rising gasoline costs. c. Premiere Airlines bought five new planes in the fall of 1987 that proved to have fewer mechanical problems than the ones they replaced. d. Premiere Airlines serves New England, which has heavy winter snowfalls, whereas the other airlines do most of their business in warmer regions of the country. 5. Homeowners aged 40 to 50 are more likely to purchase ice-cream and are more likely to purchase it in larger amounts than are members of any other demographic group. The popular belief that teenagers eat more ice cream than adults must, therefore, is false. The argument is flawed primarily because the author-----a. fails to distinguish between purchasing and consuming. b. does not supply information about homeowners in the age groups other than 40 to 50. c. depends on popular belief rather than on documented research findings. d. does not specify the precise amount of ice cream purchased by any Demographic group. 6. Not all life depends on energy from sunlight. Microbial life has been found in bedrock more than five km below the surface of the earth, and bacteria have been found on the deep ocean floor feeding on hydrogen and other gases rising from the interior of the earth through vents in the ocean floor. The statements above, if true, best support which of the following as a conclusion? a. The location in the bedrock where microbial life was found was not near a system of volcanic vents through which hydrogen and other gases rose from the interior of the earth. b. Bacteria are able to exist at the molten centre of the earth.

c. A thorough survey of a planet’s surface is insufficient to establish beyond a doubt that the planet contains no life. d. Life probably exists on Sun-orbiting comets, which are cold agglomerations of space dust frozen gases.

7. A company is considering changing its policy concerning daily working hours. Currently, this company requires all employees to arrive at work at 8 a.m. The proposed policy would permit each employee to decide when to arrive –from as early as 6 a.m. to late 11 a.m. The adoption of this policy would be most likely to employees’ job functions required them to--a. work sans interruption from other employees b. consult at least once a day with employees from other companies c. submit their work for a supervisor’s eventual approval d. interact frequently with each other throughout the entire workday 8. The amount of time it takes for most of a worker’s occupational knowledge and skills to become obsolete has been declining because of the introduction of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT). Given the rate at which AMT is currently being introduced in manufacturing, the average worker’s old skills become obsolete and new skills are required within as little as five years. Which of the following plans, if feasible, would allow a company to prepare most effectively for the rapid obsolescence of skills described above? a. The company will develop a programme to offer selected employees the opportunity to receive training six years after they were originally hired. b. The company will increase its investment in AMT every year for a period of at least five years.

c. The company will periodically survey its employees to determine how the introduction of AMT has affected them. d. The company will ensure that it can offer its employees any training necessary for meeting their job requirements. 9. Mayor: In each of the past five years, the city has cut school funding and each time school officials complained that the cuts would force them to reduce expenditures for essential services. But each time, only expenditures for nonessential services were actually reduced. So school officials can implement further cuts sans reducing any expenditure for essential services. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the mayor’s conclusion? a. The city’s schools have always provided essential services as efficiently as they have provided nonessential services. b. Sufficient funds are currently available to allow the city’s schools to provide some nonessential services. c. Price estimates quoted to the city’s schools for the provision of nonessential services have not increased substantially since the most recent school-funding cut. d. Few influential city administrators support the funding of costly nonessential services in the city’s schools. 10. Ad: For sinus pain, three out of 4 hospitals give their patients Novex. So when you want the most effective painkiller for sinus, Novex is the one to choose. Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the ad’s argument? a. Some competing brands of painkillers are intended to reduce other kinds of pain in addition to sinus pain. b. Many hospitals that do not usually use Novex will do so for those patients who cannot tolerate the drug he hospitals usually use.

c. Many drug manufacturers increase sales of their products to hospitals by selling these products to the hospitals at the lowest price the manufacturers can afford. d. Unlike some competing brands of painkillers, Novex is available from pharmacies sans a doctor’s prescription.

Worksheet II Synonyms & Antonyms I. Give the meanings of the following words: 1. Lethargy a. serenity b. listlessness c. impassivity d. laxity 2. Prognosis a. scheme b. forecast c. preface d. identification 3. Inedible a. unfit for human consumption b. polluted c. vitiated d. eatable 4. Docile a. vague b. gentle c. stupid d. stubborn 5. Aromatic a. crippled b. fragrant c. sentimental d. stinking 6. Enigmatic a. displeased b. puzzling c. learned d. short – sighted 7. Sporadic a. epidemic b. whirling c. occasional d. stagnant 8. Compendium a. summary b. index c. reference d. glossary 9. Histrionic a. hypersensitive b. overdramatic c. historically important d. inactive 10. Fiasco

a. festival b. failure c. ridiculous plan d. misfortune 11. Amoral a. loving b. immoral c. uninvolved d. highly ethical 12. Virile a. athletic b. pompous c. manly d. boastful 13. Ameliorate a. to appease b. to make excusesc. to humiliate d. to improve 14. Consummation a. act of devouring b. act of forgiveness c. failure d. ultimate completion 15. Duplicity a. innocenceb. cleverness c. double – dealing d. repetition 16. Homage a. excessive humility b. show respect and reverence c. poverty d. insincere flattery 17. Paramount a. above others in rank of authority b. famous c wide and extensive d. very important 18. Didactic a. blunt b. in poetic metre c. direct d. of the nature of teaching 19. Tour De Force a. long journey b. feat of skill c. spectacle d. show of force 20. Largesse a. extravagant b. bribe c. liberal d. great size II. Give the antonyms of the following words: 1. Plenitude a. incompleteness b. restlessness necessity 2. Chimerical a. numerical b. real c. obvious 3. Occidental

c. disturbance

d. heavenly

d.

a. oriental b. accidental c. coincidental d. confidential 4. Capacious a. incapable b. implausible c. limited d. cramped 5. Dastard a. honourable b. courageous c. sturdy d. determined 6. Torpor a. antipathy b. vim c. guile d. invective 7. Panegyric a. defamatory essay b. witty aside c. formal monologue d. binding contract 8. Prolix a obstinate b diverse c unimportant d pithy 9. Satiate a. prevaricate b. kindle c. disabuse d. slake 10. Foment a. quash b. mitigate c. bolster d. assuage 11. Cosset a. husband b. challenge c. advocate d. ossify 12. Cupidity a. largess b. antipathy c. hegemony d. penury 13. Opprobrium a. honour b. prudence c. scintillate d. ostentation 14. Imprecation a. arbitration b. benediction c. rejoinder d. proclivity 15. Obsequious a. original b. haughty c. casual d. informative 16. Fecundity a. levity b. sanity c. sterility d. ventilation 17. Saturnine a. magnanimous b. ebullient c. unnatural d. impoverished 18. Charlatan a. genuine expert b. false idol c. unknown enemyd. powerful leader 19. Temerity a. caution b. severity c. strength d. charm

20. Jejune a. morose

b. natural

c. mature

d. accurate

Worksheet III Spotting Errors & Paragraph Anagrams I. Spot the errors in the following sentences. 1. Your results depend not only (a)/ on how long (b)/ you have studied but (c)/ on how long (d)/ you have read. 2. These kind (a)/ of dresses seem to be (b)/ expensive but it is relatively economical (c) / to maintain them (d). 3. It was her (a)/ who suggested that you be (b)/ at the door (c)/ to welcome each participant on his arrival (d). 4. Many a man (a)/ have realized (b)/ that real happiness lies in (c)/ making sacrifices and not in personal aggrandizement (d). 5. I am opposed to (a)/ the plan of action not because (b)/ it is illconceived but that (c)/ it seems impractical (d). 6. It was barely (a)/ midnight when I arrived home (b)/ but I found them both sitting (c)/ at the table, waiting on me (d). 7. Although (a)/ there are some similarities in the qualifications of both candidates (b),/ the differences among (c)/ them are considerably (d)/ pronounced. 8. During (a)/ the final minutes of his speech, the speaker requested to (b)/ the audience to hold (c)/ its (d)/ applause. 9. I am disappointed (a)/ in not having saw (b)/ any plays while (c)/ I was in Delhi on vacation (d).

10. For her sake, as well as (a)/ for Mohan (b)/, I hoped fervently (c)/ that she might get (d)/ the job. 11. A body (a)/ of volunteers have been (b)/ organized to help the faculty (c)/ in their (d) attempt to raise funds. 12. One should (a)/ take advantage of opportunities (b)/ to talk with native speakers if one wants (c)/ to improve your English (d). 13. The alarmed (a)/ report of a nearby earthquake (b)/ frightened (c) everyone in that disaster prone (d) village. 14. This widely publicized (a)/ detergent is not much (b) different than (c) the one which I have been using (d). 15. Most of us are not aware (a)/ that (b)/ eating some varieties (c)/ of mushrooms result (d)/ in death. 16. We are always (a)/ complaining that prices are too high (b)/ and that we were not (c)/ getting our money’s worth (d). 17. The (a)/ great poet and dramatist, the Kalidas, is quite often described as (b)/ the Shakespeare (c)/ of Sanskrit Literature (d). 18. Merely speeches made (a)/ from all (b)/ sorts of public platform cannot bring about an (c)/ economic (d) revolution. 19. It is time (a)/ you decide (b)/ on your next (c)/ course of action (d). 20. We shall (a)/ teach everyone present (b)/ a lesson, (c)/ isn’t it? (d) 21. The news of (a)/ his incurable illness (b)/ have reached (c)/ the remotest part (d)/ of the country. 22. Do you insist (a) that we meet (b) at least once tomorrow (c)/ to discuss about (d)/ the subject?

23. The tallest (a)/ among them (b)/ expressed a keen desire (c)/ to sit under the shade of a tree (d). 24. Her memory (a)/ played her false (b)/ and she could not remember who had (c)/ invented electricity (d). 25. It was generally agreed (a)/ that the speeches of (b)/ their Prime Minister were better than (c)/ the ministers. (d) 26. They were quarrelling between themselves (a)/ when all of a sudden it (b)/ occurred to them (c)/ that someone was watching (d)/ all the five of them. 27. If I would have (a)/ had more time, I would have (b)/ prepared a much more (c)/ detailed report. (d) 28. Between you and I (a)/, I am convinced (b)/ that this painting by Neetu shows greater (c)/ artistry than that (d)/ of Reshma. 29. The question (a)/ arises as to who (b)/ should go out (c)/ today – you or me (d). 30. Because of (a)/ the recent strike in the (b)/ mills, less men (c)/ will be recruited in the coming (d)/ season. II. Given below are four sentences which when properly sequenced form a coherent paragraph. Choose the most logical order of sentences to construct the paragraph. 1. A. However, doctors attending on him told us that it was too early to say he was out of danger. B. His pulse rate and blood pressure were ‘normal’ according to a medical bulletin issued this evening. C. The condition of Charlie improved today. D. He is still on blood transfusion, glucose and saline. a. ACBD

b. CDBA

c. DCAB

d. BACD

2. A. It costs Air India more than a million dollars for the new design. B. But unlike other international carriers, which announced their image, change through advertising. Air India appears to have done it on a scale nothing sort of grandiose. C. The new look is the result of a yearlong effort. D. Air India was following the footsteps of more successful predecessor like British Airways. a. ACBD

b. CADB

c. CDAB

d. ABDC

3. A. Kerala’s big wigs do not seem to have realized the seriousness of the situation. B. But quite a few would complain about the ungodly inefficiency and confusion involved in tourist operators. C. The current high-profile ad campaign touts Kerala as “God’s own country”. D. No one who has chanced on Kerala would refute that claim. a. CDBA

b. BACD

c. BCDA

d. ABCD

4. A. Children love commercials. B. Often one hears them singing jingles verbatim as if they were the latest Hindi pop hits. C. In India, marketers and advertisers have taken cognizance of this growing segment and are planning to cash in. D. Not only, do they enjoy watching them enormously but also and more importantly they remember. a. ACDB

b. ABDC

c. CADB

d. ADBC

V. Each question has six sentences which when properly sequenced form a coherent paragraph. While sentences 1 and 6 are fixed in their respective positions, the four sentences in between are jumbled.

Choose the most logical order of sentences from among the four given choices to construct a paragraph. 1. 1. In its labour relations, Britain has, on the whole been more democratic than the USA. A. The military power has not been so much used to overcome labour. B. They have not been turned in to miniature civil wars. C. In UK, the strikes have never been moved by such violence as such in US. D. There has been no suffering\g from illegal and extra legal organizations. 6. Collective bargaining and political trade unionism are among the useful machinery by which British democracy has expressed itself. a. CBAD

b. ADBC

c. ACBD

d. ACDB

2. 1. One of the basic protections of free speech is the right of free assembly. A. Hence the constitution guarantee to assemble peacefully and without arms has been provided. B. In fact, freedom assembly and freedom of speech go hand in hand. C. The framers of the constitution knew that the right to peacefully assemble for political activities was important. D. They also knew that this was essential to make the freedom of speech real. 6. The right to assembly can be restricted only in the interest of public order and the restrictions ought to be reasonable. a. BCDA

b. ACDB

c. CABD

d. DABC

3. 1. All sources of energy upon which industry depends are wasted when they are employed. A. Already coal had largely been replaced by oil. B. The industry is extending them at a continually increasing rate. C. And what is true of oil is equally true of other natural resources. D. And oil is being used up so fast that East and West alike consider it necessary to their own prosperity to destroy the industry of the other.

6. Everyday, miles of forest are turned into newspaper, but there is no known process by which newspaper can be turned into forest. a. DBCA

b. BCAD

c. CDAB

d. BADC...