CAT VA-RC 2019 Slot 1: RC Passage 1

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📝 Authentic CAT Reading Comprehension Passage: Practice with a real RC passage from a previous CAT exam.
✅ Detailed Questions with Step-by-Step Solutions: Each question is explained thoroughly for better understanding.
🔍 In-Depth Passage Analysis: Gain insights through line-by-line and paragraph-wise analysis, supplemented with a quick summary table for efficient revision.
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RC Passage

Direction for the questions 1 to 4: The passage below is accompanied by a set of four questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

Scientists recently discovered that Emperor Penguins—one of Antarctica’s most celebrated species—employ a particularly unusual technique for surviving the daily chill. As detailed in an article published today in the journal Biology Letters, the birds minimize heat loss by keeping the outer surface of their plumage below the temperature of the surrounding air. At the same time, the penguins’ thick plumage insulates their body and keeps it toasty.

The researchers analyzed thermographic images taken over roughly a month during June 2008. During that period, the average air temperature was 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit. At the same time, the majority of the plumage covering the penguins’ bodies was even colder: the surface of their warmest body part, their feet, was an average 1.76 degrees Fahrenheit, but the plumage on their heads, chests and backs were -1.84, -7.24 and -9.76 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. Overall, nearly the entire outer surface of the penguins’ bodies was below freezing at all times, except for their eyes and beaks.

The scientists also used a computer simulation to determine how much heat was lost or gained from each part of the body—and discovered that by keeping their outer surface below air temperature, the birds might paradoxically be able to draw very slight amounts of heat from the air around them. The key to their trick is the difference between two different types of heat transfer: radiation and convection.

The penguins do lose internal body heat to the surrounding air through thermal radiation, just as our bodies do on a cold day. Because their bodies (but not surface plumage) are warmer than the surrounding air, heat gradually radiates outward over time, moving from a warmer material to a colder one. To maintain body temperature while losing heat, penguins, like all warm-blooded animals, rely on the metabolism of food

The penguins, though, have an additional strategy. Since their outer plumage is even colder than the air, the simulation showed that they might gain back a little of this heat through thermal convection—the transfer of heat via the movement of a fluid (in this case, the air). As the cold Antarctic air cycles around their bodies, slightly warmer air comes into contact with the plumage and donates minute amounts of heat back to the penguins, then cycles away at a slightly colder temperature.

Most of this heat, the researchers note, probably doesn’t make it all the way through the plumage and back to the penguins’ bodies, but it could make a slight difference. At the very least, the method by which a penguin’s plumage wicks heat from the bitterly cold air that surrounds it helps to cancel out some of the heat that’s radiating from its interior. And given the Emperors’ unusually demanding breeding cycle, every bit of warmth counts.

Since penguins trek as far as 75 miles to the coast to breed and male penguins don’t eat anything during the incubation period of 64 days, conserving calories by giving up as little heat as possible is absolutely crucial.

RC Line-wise Explanation

Paragraph 1

"Scientists recently discovered that Emperor Penguins—one of Antarctica’s most celebrated species—employ a particularly unusual technique for surviving the daily chill."

Explanation: Scientists have recently found that Emperor Penguins, a well-known species in Antarctica, use an unusual method to survive the extreme cold.

"As detailed in an article published today in the journal Biology Letters, the birds minimize heat loss by keeping the outer surface of their plumage below the temperature of the surrounding air."

Explanation: The penguins reduce heat loss by keeping their outer plumage colder than the surrounding air.

"At the same time, the penguins’ thick plumage insulates their body and keeps it toasty."

Explanation: Their thick feathers also trap heat, helping to keep their bodies warm.

Paragraph 2

"The researchers analyzed thermographic images taken over roughly a month during June 2008."

Explanation: The scientists examined thermographic images taken over about a month in June 2008.

"During that period, the average air temperature was 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit."

Explanation: The average air temperature during this time was 0.32°F.

"At the same time, the majority of the plumage covering the penguins’ bodies was even colder: the surface of their warmest body part, their feet, was an average 1.76 degrees Fahrenheit, but the plumage on their heads, chests and backs were -1.84, -7.24 and -9.76 degrees Fahrenheit respectively."

Explanation: The penguins’ plumage was much colder than the air, with the surface of their feet being the warmest part at 1.76°F, while their head, chest, and back feathers were much colder.

"Overall, nearly the entire outer surface of the penguins’ bodies was below freezing at all times, except for their eyes and beaks."

Explanation: Almost all of the penguins' outer body surfaces were below freezing except for their eyes and beaks.

Paragraph 3

"The scientists also used a computer simulation to determine how much heat was lost or gained from each part of the body—and discovered that by keeping their outer surface below air temperature, the birds might paradoxically be able to draw very slight amounts of heat from the air around them."

Explanation: The scientists used a computer simulation to analyze the heat exchange between the penguins' body and the environment, finding that by keeping their plumage colder than the air, the penguins could subtly gain a little heat from the air.

"The key to their trick is the difference between two different types of heat transfer: radiation and convection."

Explanation: The trick works due to the difference between two types of heat transfer: radiation and convection.

Paragraph 4

"The penguins do lose internal body heat to the surrounding air through thermal radiation, just as our bodies do on a cold day."

Explanation: Penguins, like humans, lose body heat to the cold air through thermal radiation.

"Because their bodies (but not surface plumage) are warmer than the surrounding air, heat gradually radiates outward over time, moving from a warmer material to a colder one."

Explanation: Their bodies are warmer than the surrounding air, so heat radiates outward from their bodies, as heat always moves from warmer areas to cooler ones.

"To maintain body temperature while losing heat, penguins, like all warm-blooded animals, rely on the metabolism of food."

Explanation: Penguins, like all warm-blooded animals, need to metabolize food to maintain body temperature while losing heat.

Paragraph 5

"The penguins, though, have an additional strategy."

Explanation: However, the penguins have an extra strategy for heat retention.

"Since their outer plumage is even colder than the air, the simulation showed that they might gain back a little of this heat through thermal convection—the transfer of heat via the movement of a fluid (in this case, the air)."

Explanation: Since their plumage is colder than the air, the simulation showed that penguins might gain a tiny amount of heat through thermal convection, where heat moves through the air (a fluid) to the colder plumage.

"As the cold Antarctic air cycles around their bodies, slightly warmer air comes into contact with the plumage and donates minute amounts of heat back to the penguins, then cycles away at a slightly colder temperature."

Explanation: The cold air moves around their bodies, and when warmer air touches the plumage, it transfers small amounts of heat back to the penguins before moving away at a slightly cooler temperature.

Paragraph 6

"Most of this heat, the researchers note, probably doesn’t make it all the way through the plumage and back to the penguins’ bodies, but it could make a slight difference."

Explanation: Most of the heat may not reach the penguins’ bodies, but it could still make a small difference in preserving warmth.

"At the very least, the method by which a penguin’s plumage wicks heat from the bitterly cold air that surrounds it helps to cancel out some of the heat that’s radiating from its interior."

Explanation: Even if it doesn't fully compensate, the way penguins' feathers draw in some heat from the surrounding cold air helps counterbalance the heat lost through radiation from their bodies.

"And given the Emperors’ unusually demanding breeding cycle, every bit of warmth counts."

Explanation: Every small amount of warmth matters, especially because Emperor Penguins have a particularly demanding breeding cycle.

Paragraph 7

"Since penguins trek as far as 75 miles to the coast to breed and male penguins don’t eat anything during the incubation period of 64 days, conserving calories by giving up as little heat as possible is absolutely crucial."

Explanation: Penguins travel up to 75 miles to breed, and male penguins don’t eat during the 64-day incubation period. Therefore, conserving energy and minimizing heat loss is crucial for their survival.

RC Paragraph Explanation

Paragraph 1 Summary

Emperor Penguins have an unusual technique for surviving the cold, minimizing heat loss by keeping their outer plumage colder than the surrounding air, while their thick feathers help insulate their body and keep them warm.

Paragraph 2 Summary

The researchers studied thermographic images of penguins and found that their outer plumage is consistently colder than the surrounding air, with the coldest areas being their heads, chests, and backs, while their feet were the warmest.

Paragraph 3 Summary

The scientists used a computer simulation to discover that by keeping their outer surface colder than the air, penguins can gain small amounts of heat from the air around them through thermal convection, a form of heat transfer.

Paragraph 4 Summary

Penguins lose internal body heat through thermal radiation, just as humans do, but they also rely on metabolism to maintain body temperature in the face of this heat loss.

Paragraph 5 Summary

Penguins use thermal convection to recover a small amount of heat, as cold Antarctic air moves around their bodies, transferring tiny amounts of heat from the air to their cold plumage.

Paragraph 6 Summary

While most of the heat from convection doesn’t reach the penguins’ bodies, it helps reduce heat loss, and this small amount of warmth is crucial for the penguins, especially during their demanding breeding cycle.

Paragraph 7 Summary

Because penguins travel long distances to breed and males don’t eat during the incubation period, it is essential for them to conserve energy by minimizing heat loss as much as possible.

RC Quick Table Summary
Paragraph NumberMain Idea
Paragraph 1Emperor Penguins use a unique technique to survive the cold, keeping their outer plumage colder than the surrounding air.
Paragraph 2Thermographic images revealed that most of the penguins' outer plumage is colder than the surrounding air, with the feet being the warmest.
Paragraph 3A computer simulation showed that penguins can gain small amounts of heat from the air through thermal convection, despite losing heat through radiation.
Paragraph 4Penguins rely on metabolism to maintain body temperature while losing heat through thermal radiation.
Paragraph 5Penguins gain a tiny amount of heat through thermal convection, where the cold air transfers heat to their plumage.
Paragraph 6The small heat gain from convection helps counterbalance heat loss, which is crucial for penguins during their breeding cycle.
Paragraph 7Penguins need to conserve calories and minimize heat loss during their long breeding trips and incubation periods, as males do not eat for 64 days.

RC Questions

Ques 1. Which of the following best explains the purpose of the word “paradoxically” as used by the author?

Correct Answer: (C) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: To answer this, we need to know what a paradox is, and hence what the adjective form of the word (paradoxically) implies. A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a factual truth that runs contrary to one's expectation. Hence, we need to find the Option which fits this narrative. The author states in the second paragraph that, “…by keeping their outer surface below air temperature, the birds might paradoxically be able to draw very slight amounts of heat from the air around them...”. Option A can be eliminated as the author mentions in the passage that penguins’ outer plumage is even colder than the air. Option B describes a process of transfer of heat. It is factually correct as per the passage. However, it is not a paradox – in the sense that the statement does not contradict itself. As stated in the passage, radiation causes heat loss, and convection leads to gaining heat. Option D is incorrect. Option C states that penguins keep a part of their body cold, so that the rest of their body remains warmer. The first half of this statement contradicts the second-half. Hence, Option C is the correct answer.

Ques 2. Which of the following can be responsible for Emperor Penguins losing body heat?

Correct Answer: (C) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: Initially, this question might look like direct question passage, as the author states that “The penguins do lose internal body heat to the surrounding air through thermal radiation..”. However, radiation is not one of the answer options, so we have to dig deeper to find the correct answer. Option A can be eliminated as it states that, “..they might gain back a little of this heat through thermal convection—the transfer of heat via the movement of a fluid..” Option B cannot be the correct answer either as penguins keep their plumage colder than the outside temperature. As heat always moves from hotter to colder region, plumage cannot be responsible for heat loss. Moreover, the author writes that, “..slightly warmer air comes into contact with the plumage and donates minute amounts of heat back to the penguins..”, which proves that the penguins actually gain heat through plumage. Option D can also be ruled out as it is mentioned that “to maintain body temperature while losing heat, penguins, like all warm-blooded animals, rely on the metabolism of food.” In the passage, the author writes about the Emperor penguins’ demanding breeding cycle. He describes that “since penguins trek as far as 75 miles to the coast to breed, and male penguins don’t eat anything during the incubation period of 64 days, conserving calories by giving up as little heat as possible is absolutely crucial”. The last part of this statement implies that there is indeed some heat loss during the entire reproduction cycle, hence Option C is the correct answer.

Ques 3. In the last sentence of paragraph 3, “slightly warmer air” and “at a slightly colder temperature” refer to ______ AND ______ respectively:

Correct Answer: (B) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: The complete relevant statement from the passage is, “As the cold Antarctic air cycles around their bodies, slightly warmer air comes into contact with the plumage and donates minute amounts of heat back to the penguins, then cycles away at a slightly colder temperature”. Prior to this statement, the author mentioned that the plumage of penguins is colder than the air, which is another way of saying that the temperature of the Antarctic air is higher than the temperature of penguins’ plumage. So, as heat always moves from hotter to colder areas, the Antarctic air would lose some heat on to the plumage. This will further drop the surrounding air’s temperature. Option B makes a perfect fit. Option A is not correct as per the passage. Also, it goes against the above explanation. The passage does not state or imply anywhere that air is trapped in the plumage of the penguins. So, we can rule out Option C. Option D is also incorrect as the statement is not regarding metabolism of food. Also, the second half of Option D is incorrect as per the facts presented in the passage. Hence, Option B is the correct answer.

Ques 4. All of the following, if true, would negate the findings of the study reported in the passage EXCEPT:

Correct Answer: (C) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: The main purpose of the passage is to inform the reader about how Emperor penguins reduce the loss of body heat, by keeping the temperature of their plumage lower than that of the surrounding cold Antarctic air. While doing so, they also gain minute amounts of heat from the surrounding air through the process of thermal convection. The question is asking us to select the option which will NOT negate the author’s study. There is a double-negative in the question - “all of the following will negate, EXCEPT”. So, basically we need to select the option that supports the study described in the author’s passage, or at least does not undermine it. The processes of convection and radiation are important to the study. So, if the penguins’ plumage were made of a material which did not allow the transfer of heat, then the study will get undermined. So, Option A is not the correct answer. Option B gives incorrect temperatures. In the passage it is mentioned that “…the plumage on their heads, chests and backs were -1.84, -7.24 and -9.76 degrees Fahrenheit respectively”. If Option B was found to be true, this would negate the findings of the study, instead of supporting it. Hence, Option B is incorrect as well. Option C suggests a different temperature for the penguins’ feet. However, the main process by which penguins reduce heat loss occurs through their plumage, and not their feet. So, even if the temperature of the feet was found to be different, as long as the rest of the readings are correct, it will not impact the crux of the study’s findings. Hence, Option C is the correct answer. Option D suggests that the average temperature of the air is -10 degrees Fahrenheit. This is lower than that of penguin’s plumage. As per the passage, the temperature of plumage should be lower than that of the air. If the surrounding air’s temperature drops below that that of their plumage, then penguins will not be able to gain heat from air through convection. Thus, Option D would negate the findings of the study. Hence, it cannot be the correct answer.

Actual CAT VA-RC 2019 Slot 1: Question-wise Index

Reading ComprehensionWords from the Passage
RC Passage 1 (Q 1 to 4) Must-Learn Words (Passage 1)
RC Passage 2 (Q 5 to 9) Must-Learn Words (Passage 2)
RC Passage 3 (Q 10 to 14) Must-Learn Words (Passage 3)
RC Passage 4 (Q 15 to 19) Must-Learn Words (Passage 4)
RC Passage 5 (Q 20 to 24) Must-Learn Words (Passage 5)
Verbal Ability
Ques 25 (Paragraph Summary) Ques 26 (Paragraph Summary)
Ques 27 (Paragraph Summary) Ques 28 (Misfit/Odd one out)
Ques 29 (Para-jumble) Ques 30 (Misfit/Odd one out)
Ques 31 (Para-jumble) Ques 32 (Para-jumble)
Ques 33 (Para-jumble) Ques 34 (Para-jumble)

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