[02-Sep-07] TIME AIMCAT 0809 Discussions

[akshatagarwal]

My scores

Va-55
di - 45
qa- 30

overall 130

Decent enough score, although i could have done better in quants

[rjt163]

Originally Posted by anir-iim2005

I had a look into the explanation for Q. 88 (Thanks to TIME Forum). Here it is -

The expanation for Q.88 is as follows:

Refer to para 1. The words in quote ocur in line 9. The preceding sentence gives a simplistic view of man's development - as if he faced no hurdles in progressing from the cave to his present complex civilization. This is a parody of the reality (where man must have struggled against innumerable obstacles to reach his present position).

Choice (1)


This never mentions option 2 as the correct option. All it states is that Human Civilisation never faced any problems in it's journey. Now a Journey Northward fits in perfectly here according to me. regarding option 2 - Journey of a civilisation is not same as evolution of Human Species as a whole. So, i think option 1 is the better option.

When we say that explanation says Option 2 as the answer, I think it implies that option 2 is clearly mentioned as the answer in the explanation. But that was not the case here, nowhere close to that. While the explanation left a lot to be desired (As usual from TIME English), I think it would be better if the query regrading this was posted in a less definitive way.

Anirban

Well, after looking at the TIME solution ,I thought they implied choice 2.) and not choice 1.)

But then I have never been that good in VA, may be I interpreted their solution wrongly.



And regarding your suggestion of posting the query in a less definitive way, please let me post the query the way I want to, you shouldn't bother about how someone is posting a query

[anir-iim2005]

Originally Posted by rakhihere

thanks mate....
the very problem with me is VA...where my accuracy is very low and reading speed as well is slow...can u suggest a way i can improve..i'm working so cant spend hours together...only weekends and few hours a day...

Although this question is not directed at me, I will try to put my 2 cents here..

1. For VA, I don't think Accuracy is that important. This is true especially for CAT 2006 type of VA. If u r normally getting good accuracy, then go for it, otherwise I would say go for maximising ur attempts. Simple logic - if ur accuracy is 50% even when u r doing 50% of the total questions, then go for 100% attempts. Even with a 40% accuracy, u will score better then. Of course, don't go for blind guesses. Improve ur speed so that u can be through the VA section in 50 minutes. With number of questions coming down always, that should be possible.

2. Don't need to spend hours for English, it's not worth that. In fact no section in CAT needs hours of study. What u need is some smart study. Try to utilise whatever free time u get. Like doing some practice tests (like 10 minute sectional tests from Home ), reading magazines or newspapers while having some free time. Reading is the most important aspect of English preparation. And I am not referring to some serious material like editorials here. Anything will do, be it the sports page or anything. Just read extensively. You will form an idea abt ideal sentence construction. helps a lot in Grammar questions. Also, try speed reading in these cases. If u r not comfortable with RC, try reading different types of reports during free time.

3. While point 2 is the best way according to me, it may take some time. So, for short duration training, u may refer to GMAT guides for verbal. Will be immensely helpful. Go for the Sentence Correction, RC and Critical reasoning portions.

4. Don't worry too much abt CAT. But DREAM - that's the biggest driving force. If u love ur preparation, then you will certainly find out time for it also..

All The Best...


Anirban

[d-maniac]

my scores...an improved performance compared to d last mock..

di 41(14C,1W)
quant 45(15C,0W)
va/rc 32(13C,7W)
total:118

[anir-iim2005]

Originally Posted by rjt163

Well, after looking at the TIME solution ,I thought they implied choice 2.) and not choice 1.)

But then I have never been that good in VA, may be I interpreted their solution wrongly.



And regarding your suggestion of posting the query in a less definitive way, please let me post the query the way I want to, you shouldn't bother about how someone is posting a query

No offence meant dude. It would have been better if u had posted the explanation also. Without the paper in hand, and seeing such a definitive post, I thought I had lost 4 marks for sure. If u see the TIME forum, I am the one to raise the issue 1st there. So, nothing against u or that query. Only thing is it shouldn't have been so definitive when the explanation wasn't so. I have seen TIME's keys having one option and explanation stating another option as the answer . I thought this was one of those cases, i.e, the explanation had something like - So Option 2 is Correct..

peace.


Anirban

[rakhihere]

Originally Posted by anir-iim2005

Although this question is not directed at me, I will try to put my 2 cents here..
.............
All The Best...


Anirban

thanks a lot for ur suggestions will start today preparing for CAT...hope with 2 months in hand i can improve...

[dgr8onerip]

hi puys..
my scores are:

english 20c 10w 50
maths 10c 5w 25
di 12c 6w 30
total 42c 21w 105

any idea bout the cutoffs??

[Greenspan]

Originally Posted by rakhihere

thanks mate....
the very problem with me is VA...where my accuracy is very low and reading speed as well is slow...can u suggest a way i can improve..i'm working so cant spend hours together...only weekends and few hours a day...

They say VA skills cannot be built over a short time. But we will have to do with whatever we have.

Reading speed can be increased only by reading more. At office, in spare time try reading online articles, or use the RC threads in PG itself. Be patient though, it comes only with time.

Use the previous mocks papers(say the last 12 time papers), and try practising similar kind of questions, say all the RCs together, all Parajumbles together, and so on. More so, go through the solutions and see whether you understand them.

Thats the best quick-fix I can give you. But its not a "quick-fix" by any sense of the word.

All the best!

[GothicVox]

Originally Posted by anir-iim2005

1st of all, as I already said, this was one of the few contentious va questions in this mock. So, either of us can be right. I can just present my point of view.

According to me, Option 2 means progression of Human Race - not Human Civilisation. There is a very subtle difference according to me. And whatever logic is mentioned in the explanation, option 1 embodies that exactly, isn't it? A journey which is always northwards means it never faced any setbacks. And, it clearly mentions Civilisation in this case. So, option 1 is a better choice according to me.

Anirban

Well, I really dunno...It is really contentious...That's the problem with RC....Each and every person out there can justify why he marked a particular answer....The one whose answer aligns with the paper setter gets the marks...Thats all...Lots of ambiguity, no point trying to prove who is right, coz the other person'll always feel he marked the answer correctly...In this case, had TIME printed 2 as the answer, maybe u would still have a valid justification for marking option 1 ...Anyway, chillax...Hope CAT doesn't throw up such ambiguous options...But then looking at last year, anything's possible...All the Best

[anir-iim2005]

Originally Posted by GothicVox

Well, I really dunno...It is really contentious...That's the problem with RC....Each and every person out there can justify why he marked a particular answer....The one whose answer aligns with the paper setter gets the marks...Thats all...Lots of ambiguity, no point trying to prove who is right, coz the other person'll always feel he marked the answer correctly...In this case, had TIME printed 2 as the answer, maybe u would still have a valid justification for marking option 1 ...Anyway, chillax...Hope CAT doesn't throw up such ambiguous options...But then looking at last year, anything's possible...All the Best

Bull's Eye. No one is wrong in these cases. Literature is not science after all, and it is upto the reader to interpret it's meaning. It can assume different meanings according to the thought processes of two readers. Problem is, what is tested is that whether our thought process matches with the Question Setter. It's not about someone being correct and another incorrect. It's about whether ur thought process is aligned with that of the Question setter. And don't expect any respite from CAT either.. I guess we have to learn to live with this..


Anirban