CAT 2023 Slot 1 VARC Question 17

Multiple choice (+3 / −1) · Verbal Ability · Sentence Placement · Try it, then check the answer and solution below.

CAT 2023 Slot 1VARCVerbal Ability • Sentence PlacementModerate
There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Paragraph: The experience of reading philosophy is often disquieting. When reading philosophy, the values around which one has heretofore organised one's life may come to look provincial, flatly wrong, or even evil ___ (1) ___ . When beliefs previously held as truths are rendered implausible, new beliefs, values, and ways of living may be required ___ (2) ___ . What's worse, philosophers admonish each other to remain unsutured until such time as a defensible new answer is revealed or constructed. Sometimes philosophical writing is even strictly critical in that it does not even attempt to provide an alternative after tearing down a cultural or conceptual citadel ___ (3) ___ . The reader of philosophy must be prepared for the possibility of this experience. While reading philosophy can help one clarify one's values, and even make one self-conscious for the first time of the fact that there are good reasons for believing what one believes, it can also generate unremediated doubt that is difficult to live with ___ (4) ___ .
Sentence: This philosophical cut at one's core beliefs, values, and way of life is difficult enough.
Answer and solution

Answer: B) Option 2

Step-by-Step Explanation:
1
Passage Context & Central Idea:
The paragraph discusses the unsettling impact of reading philosophy, where cherished beliefs and values are challenged, necessitating adaptation. The tone is reflective and cautionary, highlighting the transformative yet daunting nature of philosophical inquiry.
2
Question Stem Analysis:
The task is to identify the optimal placement for a sentence that emphasizes the difficulty of this transformative process, aligning it with the paragraph's flow and thematic elements.
3
Option-by-Option Elimination:
Option 1: Fits after introducing the challenge to existing values but doesn't directly address the difficulty of the process.
Option 2: Follows the discussion of needing new beliefs, making it a natural fit to emphasize the struggle.
Option 3: Pertains to philosophers not offering alternatives, which is a specific scenario rather than the general difficulty.
Option 4: Concludes with the difficulty of doubt, but the sentence better fits earlier in the process.
4
Final Answer Confirmation:
The sentence best fits after the second blank, where the challenge of adapting beliefs is highlighted, making Option 2 the correct choice.
Correct Answer: Option B

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