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CAT VARC Practice Test 15

CAT VARC • Medium • 12 Questions
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25:00

The Science of Queues

Waiting in line is one of the most common experiences of modern life, and it has its own branch of mathematics. Queueing theory studies how waiting times depend on how often people arrive and how quickly they are served. One of its findings surprises many managers: when a system is running close to full capacity, a small increase in arrivals can produce a very large increase in waiting time.

The psychology of waiting matters as much as the mathematics. People tolerate a wait better when they know how long it will be, when the wait seems fair and when they have something to occupy them. A single line feeding several counters is often preferred to separate lines, even if the average wait is similar, because no one sees a neighbouring line moving faster.

These insights explain several familiar designs: displays showing expected waiting times, mirrors near lifts, and a single snaking queue at airports and banks. They suggest that reducing the frustration of waiting is not only about speed. Information and a sense of fairness can make the same wait feel shorter.

Passage 1 Questions Questions 1-4
1

The main point of the passage is that:

2

The finding that surprises many managers is that:

3

A single line feeding several counters is often preferred because:

4

Mirrors near lifts are mentioned as an example of:

Nostalgia

Nostalgia was once considered an illness. Seventeenth century doctors used the word for the homesickness of soldiers far from home, and treated it as a disorder. Today psychologists see it differently. Research suggests that recalling fond memories of the past can raise mood, strengthen a sense of connection to other people and give life a feeling of continuity, especially in times of loneliness or change.

Nostalgia is not always benign. It can idealise a past that was harder than memory suggests, and it can be used in politics and advertising to sell the promise of a return to better times. Because memory edits experience, often keeping the good and blurring the bad, nostalgic longing may be directed at a past that never quite existed.

The distinction psychologists draw is between nostalgia that connects the past to the present and nostalgia that rejects the present in favour of the past. The first can help people cope with change; the second can make change harder to accept. Nostalgia, like many emotions, is useful when it informs the present rather than replacing it.

Passage 2 Questions Questions 5-8
5

According to the passage, how has the understanding of nostalgia changed?

6

Which benefit of nostalgia does the passage mention?

7

Nostalgic longing may be directed at 'a past that never quite existed' because:

8

The author would most likely agree that nostalgia is helpful when it:

Type in the answer for the para-jumble and odd-sentence questions. For the rest, choose the best option.

Verbal Ability Questions Questions 9-12
9

The four sentences below, labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4, form a coherent paragraph when arranged in the right order. Type the correct order as a four-digit sequence (for example, 1234). 1. Some of today's financial institutions began in such coffeehouses. 2. Coffee was first drunk in the Middle East several centuries ago. 3. Coffeehouses opened in major cities and became places for business and debate. 4. From there it spread to Europe through trading ports.

10

Four of the five sentences below form a coherent paragraph; one is out of place. Type the number of the odd sentence. 1. Cycling to work can improve fitness without a separate trip to the gym. 2. It also avoids the cost of fuel and parking. 3. Many cities have added protected lanes to make cycling safer. 4. The modern bicycle chain was developed in the nineteenth century. 5. As a result, more commuters are choosing to cycle.

11

Choose the option that best summarises the following paragraph. People often judge risks by how easily they can imagine them. Plane crashes are vivid and widely reported, so many people fear flying more than driving, even though road travel causes far more deaths. Judging risk by statistics rather than by vivid examples leads to better decisions.

12

Choose the option that best summarises the following paragraph. Many small towns have lost their high street shops to online retail and out of town stores. Some have revived their centres by focusing on services that cannot be bought online, such as cafes, repairs and events, and by making streets pleasant places to spend time.

What is in this test

  • Passage 1, questions 1-4
  • Passage 2, questions 5-8
  • Verbal Ability, questions 9-12

12 questions in 25 minutes, marked +3 for a correct answer and -1 for a wrong multiple choice answer, with no penalty on type in the answer questions. When you finish you get your marks, a section breakdown and a written explanation for every question. Learn the method first on the topic practice pages and keep the formula sheet handy while you review.