CAT 2025 Slot 1 Question Paper VARC: Download Question Paper PDF with Answer Key and Solutions

Read the passage and answer the question that follows:
Modern behavioral economists argue that human decisions are not merely deviations from rationality but reflections of multiple competing goals: emotional satisfaction, social approval, cognitive ease, and fear avoidance. Traditional economic models assumed that people maximize utility through consistent preferences. However, empirical evidence shows that preferences fluctuate depending on framing, context, memory limits, and social cues. What we label as “irrationality” may simply be the mind optimizing for criteria that formal models fail to capture.

Question: Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the author’s argument?

Read the passage and answer:
Several historians argue that the decline of ancient civilizations was not solely due to environmental factors but also due to institutional rigidity. When rules and governance systems become resistant to change, societies lose flexibility and innovation capacity. Even mild environmental shocks can then trigger collapse because institutions cannot adapt quickly enough.

Question:
Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

Arrange the sentences in a logical order:
A. This pursuit of conformity creates a dilemma: the more individuals try to blend in, the more homogeneous and predictable the group becomes.
B. Humans often conform to group norms to avoid social rejection.
C. Yet, creativity tends to flourish in environments that allow diversity of thought.
D. As a result, groups must balance the need for cohesion with the need for individual expression.

Question:
Arrange A, B, C, D in the most coherent order.

Identify the sentence that does not fit in the paragraph:
A. Urban planners increasingly recognize that walkable cities improve both physical and mental well-being.
B. Several studies indicate that green spaces in cities contribute to lower stress levels.
C. Public transportation systems are often designed to optimize fuel efficiency.
D. Compact city design reduces car dependency and encourages healthier lifestyles.

Question:
Which sentence is the odd one out?

Choose the option that best captures the central idea of the following paragraph:
Human memory is not a recording of the past but a reconstruction influenced by expectations, emotions, and present needs. People often recall events differently at different times, not because they are careless, but because memory adapts to serve current goals. Understanding this adaptive nature explains why eyewitness testimonies are unreliable and why personal narratives evolve over time.

Question:
Which option best summarizes the paragraph?

Argument:
A company claims its new productivity software significantly improves employee efficiency because workers using it complete tasks 30% faster.

Question:
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the company’s claim?

Argument:
"Cities that invest in cycling infrastructure will see a long-term reduction in traffic congestion because people will shift from cars to bicycles."

Question:
Which of the following is an essential assumption in the argument?