CAT VA-RC 2021 Slot 2: RC Passage 2

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RC Passage

Direction for the questions 5 to 8: The passage below is accompanied by a set of four questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

It’s easy to forget that most of the world’s languages are still transmitted orally with no widely established written form. While speech communities are increasingly involved in projects to protect their languages – in print, on air and online - orality is fragile and contributes to linguistic vulnerability. But indigenous languages are about much more than unusual words and intriguing grammar: They function as vehicles for the transmission of cultural traditions, environmental understandings and knowledge about medicinal plants, all at risk when elders die and livelihoods are disrupted.

Both push and pull factors lead to the decline of languages. Through war, famine and natural disasters, whole communities can be destroyed, taking their language with them to the grave, such as the indigenous populations of Tasmania who were wiped out by colonists. More commonly, speakers live on but abandon their language in favor of another vernacular, a widespread process that linguists refer to as “language shift” from which few languages are immune. Such trading up and out of a speech form occurs for complex political, cultural and economic reasons - sometimes voluntary for economic and educational reasons, although often amplified by state coercion or neglect. Welsh, long stigmatized and disparaged by the British state, has rebounded with vigor.

Many speakers of endangered, poorly documented languages have embraced new digital media with excitement. Speakers of previously exclusively oral tongues are turning to the web as a virtual space for languages to live on. Internet technology offers powerful ways for oral traditions and cultural practices to survive, even thrive, among increasingly mobile communities. I have watched as videos of traditional wedding ceremonies and songs are recorded on smartphones in London by Nepali migrants, then uploaded to YouTube and watched an hour later by relatives in remote Himalayan villages . . . Globalization is regularly, and often uncritically, pilloried as a major threat to linguistic diversity. But in fact, globalization is as much process as it is ideology, certainly when it comes to language. The real forces behind cultural homogenization are unbending beliefs, exchanged through a globalized delivery system, reinforced by the historical monolingualism prevalent in much of the West.

Monolingualism - the condition of being able to speak only one language - is regularly accompanied by a deep-seated conviction in the value of that language over all others. Across the largest economies that make up the G8, being monolingual is still often the norm, with multilingualism appearing unusual and even somewhat exotic. The monolingual mindset stands in sharp contrast to the lived reality of most the world, which throughout its history has been more multilingual than unilingual. Monolingualism, then, not globalization, should be our primary concern.

Multilingualism can help us live in a more connected and more interdependent world. By widening access to technology, globalization can support indigenous and scholarly communities engaged in documenting and protecting our shared linguistic heritage. For the last 5,000 years, the rise and fall of languages was intimately tied to the plow, sword and book. In our digital age, the keyboard, screen and web will play a decisive role in shaping the future linguistic diversity of our species.

RC Line-wise Explanation

Paragraph 1

"It’s easy to forget that most of the world’s languages are still transmitted orally with no widely established written form."

Explanation: Many of the world’s languages are passed down through speaking, not writing, and often lack an official script.

"While speech communities are increasingly involved in projects to protect their languages – in print, on air and online - orality is fragile and contributes to linguistic vulnerability."

Explanation: Although people are working to preserve their languages in various media, spoken-only languages remain delicate and prone to extinction.

"But indigenous languages are about much more than unusual words and intriguing grammar:"

Explanation: Indigenous languages aren’t just interesting for their vocabulary or grammar.

"They function as vehicles for the transmission of cultural traditions, environmental understandings and knowledge about medicinal plants…"

Explanation: They carry important cultural practices, knowledge of nature, and traditional medicine.

"…all at risk when elders die and livelihoods are disrupted."

Explanation: This vital knowledge is threatened when older speakers pass away or communities are destabilized.

Paragraph 2

"Both push and pull factors lead to the decline of languages."

Explanation: Languages decline due to both external pressures and attractive alternatives.

"Through war, famine and natural disasters, whole communities can be destroyed, taking their language with them to the grave…"

Explanation: Events like war and disasters can wipe out communities, leading to the death of their language.

"…such as the indigenous populations of Tasmania who were wiped out by colonists."

Explanation: An example is the native Tasmanians whose entire population—and language—was lost due to colonization.

"More commonly, speakers live on but abandon their language in favor of another vernacular…"

Explanation: More often, people survive but stop using their native language and switch to another.

"…a widespread process that linguists refer to as “language shift” from which few languages are immune."

Explanation: This process of switching languages, called "language shift," happens to many languages.

"Such trading up and out of a speech form occurs for complex political, cultural and economic reasons…"

Explanation: People often adopt dominant languages for various social or economic advantages.

"…sometimes voluntary for economic and educational reasons, although often amplified by state coercion or neglect."

Explanation: Language shift may be by choice or due to government pressure or lack of support.

"Welsh, long stigmatized and disparaged by the British state, has rebounded with vigor."

Explanation: Welsh, once looked down upon, is now making a strong comeback.

Paragraph 3

"Many speakers of endangered, poorly documented languages have embraced new digital media with excitement."

Explanation: People who speak at-risk languages are eagerly using digital tools to preserve them.

"Speakers of previously exclusively oral tongues are turning to the web as a virtual space for languages to live on."

Explanation: Online platforms are being used to give spoken languages a lasting digital presence.

"Internet technology offers powerful ways for oral traditions and cultural practices to survive, even thrive, among increasingly mobile communities."

Explanation: The internet helps traditions continue and grow, even as people move away from their homelands.

"I have watched as videos of traditional wedding ceremonies and songs are recorded on smartphones in London by Nepali migrants…"

Explanation: The author has seen Nepali migrants in London record their cultural events on phones.

"…then uploaded to YouTube and watched an hour later by relatives in remote Himalayan villages."

Explanation: These videos are shared online and quickly viewed by family in faraway villages.

Paragraph 4

"Globalization is regularly, and often uncritically, pilloried as a major threat to linguistic diversity."

Explanation: People often blame globalization—without much thought—for causing language loss.

"But in fact, globalization is as much process as it is ideology, certainly when it comes to language."

Explanation: Globalization is not just a belief system but also a dynamic process affecting languages in various ways.

"The real forces behind cultural homogenization are unbending beliefs, exchanged through a globalized delivery system…"

Explanation: Rigid ideas, spread globally, are more to blame for cultural sameness than globalization itself.

"…reinforced by the historical monolingualism prevalent in much of the West."

Explanation: This problem is made worse by Western societies’ long-standing norm of speaking only one language.

Paragraph 5

"Monolingualism - the condition of being able to speak only one language - is regularly accompanied by a deep-seated conviction in the value of that language over all others."

Explanation: People who speak only one language often strongly believe it’s superior to other languages.

"Across the largest economies that make up the G8, being monolingual is still often the norm…"

Explanation: In major world economies like the G8, speaking just one language is still typical.

"…with multilingualism appearing unusual and even somewhat exotic."

Explanation: Knowing multiple languages is seen as strange or rare in such places.

"The monolingual mindset stands in sharp contrast to the lived reality of most the world…"

Explanation: This way of thinking clashes with how most of the world has historically functioned.

"…which throughout its history has been more multilingual than unilingual."

Explanation: Historically, the world has usually had more people who speak multiple languages than just one.

"Monolingualism, then, not globalization, should be our primary concern."

Explanation: So, the bigger problem is monolingualism, not globalization.

Paragraph 6

"Multilingualism can help us live in a more connected and more interdependent world."

Explanation: Speaking multiple languages supports global unity and cooperation.

"By widening access to technology, globalization can support indigenous and scholarly communities…"

Explanation: Globalization, through better tech access, can help preserve and study languages.

"…engaged in documenting and protecting our shared linguistic heritage."

Explanation: It helps communities record and save the world’s language legacy.

"For the last 5,000 years, the rise and fall of languages was intimately tied to the plow, sword and book."

Explanation: In the past, agriculture, war, and writing greatly influenced language survival.

"In our digital age, the keyboard, screen and web will play a decisive role in shaping the future linguistic diversity of our species."

Explanation: Now, technology will determine which languages thrive or disappear.

RC Paragraph Explanation

Paragraph 1 Summary

Most languages are still passed down orally, making them vulnerable. Indigenous languages carry vital cultural and environmental knowledge that is at risk of vanishing as elders die and communities face disruption.

Paragraph 2 Summary

Languages die out due to factors like war or abandonment. While language loss can be forced or voluntary, the Welsh example shows recovery is possible.

Paragraph 3 Summary

Digital technology offers new hope for endangered languages. Migrant communities are using the internet to preserve and share their oral traditions globally.

Paragraph 4 Summary

Though globalization is often blamed for language loss, the real issue lies in rigid ideologies, particularly the Western tradition of monolingualism.

Paragraph 5 Summary

Monolingualism, common in powerful nations, promotes the belief in linguistic superiority. This mindset contrasts with the world’s multilingual history and is a greater threat than globalization.

Paragraph 6 Summary

Multilingualism supports global interconnection. In today’s world, technology will be the key to preserving and nurturing language diversity.

RC Quick Table Summary
Paragraph NumberMain Idea
Paragraph 1Oral languages are fragile and carry valuable cultural knowledge that is at risk.
Paragraph 2Languages decline due to external pressures and voluntary shifts, though revival is possible.
Paragraph 3Digital media helps preserve oral traditions in an increasingly mobile world.
Paragraph 4Blame for language loss should focus more on ideology than globalization itself.
Paragraph 5Monolingualism, not globalization, is the bigger threat to linguistic diversity.
Paragraph 6Technology and multilingualism can safeguard our global linguistic heritage.

RC Questions

Ques 5. The author lists all of the following as reasons for the decline or disappearance of a language EXCEPT:

Correct Answer: (C) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: In instances of war, famine, or natural disasters, entire communities can be devastated, causing their languages to perish alongside them. However, it is not just external catastrophes that can lead to the extinction of languages. Languages can also fade for more intricate reasons that are rooted in politics, culture, and economics. Sometimes people willingly choose to abandon their native language, often due to economic incentives or educational opportunities, a phenomenon amplified by either active state coercion or passive neglect. Moreover, in many cases, the speakers of a language may continue to exist but opt to speak another, more dominant language instead. This phenomenon is what linguists commonly refer to as "language shift," and it's a process from which very few languages manage to escape. Option A The passage substantiates Option A by emphasizing that entire communities and their languages can be decimated due to extreme circumstances like war, famine, or natural disasters. The loss of language is depicted as a potential outcome of larger social and environmental upheavals. Option B also finds support in the passage. The text highlights that the abandonment of a language is not always due to calamitous events. Instead, it often occurs for intricate and multi-faceted reasons that involve political, cultural, and economic factors. These can range from willing abandonment for economic or educational benefits to more systemic factors like state coercion or neglect. Option D The text also gives credence to Option D by mentioning the term "language shift," a phenomenon linguists use to describe the process when speakers of one language gradually transition to using another language. This shift is often irreversible and signifies a decline in the original language's use and status. Option C Option C is the only option that isn't supported by the text. The passage does not make any mention of how Internet technology may or may not be aiding the survival or revitalization of endangered languages. Therefore, Option C stands as the option that is not backed by the available excerpts.

Ques 6. We can infer all of the following about indigenous languages from the passage EXCEPT that:

Correct Answer: (D) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: Orality is a defining characteristic of a majority of the world's languages, where verbal expression reigns supreme and a formally established written system may not exist. Although there is a growing emphasis on community-driven initiatives to preserve these languages, using mediums like print, broadcast, and digital platforms, the inherent nature of orality makes it susceptible to extinction. This fragility can inadvertently contribute to the linguistic vulnerability of these speech communities. But delving deeper into indigenous languages, they are not merely an amalgamation of distinct words and captivating grammatical structures. These languages serve as conduits for the conveyance of rich cultural narratives, practices, and traditions. They encapsulate generations of wisdom about the environment, providing insights into harmonious living and coexistence. Furthermore, they possess a treasure trove of information about medicinal plants, encoding centuries of knowledge about natural healing methods. From the underlined sections of the revised excerpt, one could infer options A, B, and C. While the revised version acknowledges the unique lexical and grammatical features of indigenous languages, it doesn’t specifically list these as barriers to their documentation. As a result, Option D remains the most accurate conclusion.

Ques 7. From the passage, we can infer that the author is in favour of:

Correct Answer: (A) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: Embracing multilingualism can pave the way for a world that is not only interconnected but also interdependent. Throughout the content, the writer ardently champions the merits of preserving linguistic diversity and outlines potential strategies to mitigate the looming threats to it. The stance of the author clearly leans in favor of multilingualism, as evidenced above. Therefore, Option A emerges as the correct interpretation. In many cases, while the native speakers might continue to exist, they often forsake their ancestral tongue in preference for a different language. This phenomenon, where people transition from their native language to another, is termed by linguists as “language shift.” This transition is not an isolated occurrence; rather, it's a trend that most languages, regrettably, are susceptible to. Given the author's endorsement for safeguarding languages, it would be logical to deduce that they would be in opposition to such a shift, as it poses a significant risk to linguistic diversity. This rationale leads us to disregard Option B. Further, the author's narrative consistently emphasizes the value of nurturing and upholding diverse cultural identities, rather than promoting a uniform linguistic and cultural landscape. As a result, Option C does not align with the author's viewpoint and can be dismissed. Lastly, nowhere in the text does the author propose or suggest direct state intervention as a means to conserve languages. This absence of advocacy makes Option D an unlikely conclusion.

Ques 8. The author mentions the Welsh language to show that:

Correct Answer: (B) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: It's not uncommon to find speakers transitioning from their native tongue, often in preference for another more dominant language, a phenomenon linguists often term as "language shift". Sadly, this is a fate that only a handful of languages have successfully evaded. The reasons driving such transitions are multifaceted, encompassing political, cultural, and economic dimensions. On many occasions, individuals willingly opt for this change due to potential economic and educational advantages. However, the role of state-imposed policies or negligence cannot be undermined in catalyzing this shift. An exemplary case in point is the Welsh language, which, despite enduring years of marginalization and being undermined by the British authorities, has managed to resurface with remarkable vitality. Given the nuances in the passage, it's evident that the concept of "language shift" and the reasons behind such transitions are highlighted. The resurgence of the Welsh language serves as an illustrative beacon of hope, suggesting that languages, despite undergoing cultural shifts, can still be rejuvenated. Consequently, Option B accurately captures the essence of the passage. While discussing the Welsh language's renaissance, the author does not seem to be critiquing efforts aimed at assimilating Welsh speakers into the English-speaking community. The primary intent revolves around addressing the plight of endangered languages, which makes the argument of Option A misaligned with the main context. Additionally, the passage doesn't specifically attribute the revival of the Welsh language to state-led initiatives, making Option C an unlikely interpretation. Similarly, the effects of globalization on the resurgence of the Welsh language are not touched upon, thereby rendering Option D as irrelevant to the discussion.

Actual CAT VA-RC 2021 Slot 2: 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 8) Must-Learn Words (Passage 2)
RC Passage 3 (Q 9 to 12) Must-Learn Words (Passage 3)
RC Passage 4 (Q 13 to 16) Must-Learn Words (Passage 4)
Verbal Ability
Ques 17 (Paragraph Summary) Ques 18 (Para-jumble)
Ques 19 (Misfit/Odd one out) Ques 20 (Misfit/Odd one out)
Ques 21 (Para-jumble) Ques 22 (Paragraph Summary)
Ques 23 (Para-jumble) Ques 24 (Paragraph Summary)

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