Test - GRE-Reading Comprehension

Select one answer choice from the given options.

1

The difference between the most dissimilar characters, between a philosopher and a common street porter, for example, seems to arise not so much from nature as from habit, custom, and education. When they came into the world, and for the first six or eight years of their existence, they were perhaps very much alike. About that age, or soon after, they come to be employed in very different occupations. The difference of talents comes then to be taken notice of, and widens by degrees, till at last the vanity of the philosopher is willing to acknowledge scarcely any resemblance.

Which one of the following most accurately express the main point of the passage?

It is a myth that geniuses are born, not made.

Once the choice of occupation is determined, talent automatically flowers.

The difference of natural talents is not the cause but the effect of the division of labor.

The difference between two people belonging to different trades arises from habit, custom and education.

Talent is not fastidious; it depends on cultural and environmental factors.

Select one answer choice from the given options.

2

If shareholders don't own corporations, who does? The answer is: no one.

American law is remarkably clear on this fact, the late legal scholar Lynn Stout says, citing more than a century of judicial rulings. Corporations are sovereigns, just like people. Within the law and their contractual obligations, they are free to make their own decisions without taking into account the particular desires of any other party, shareholders included. And if you think about it, this idea computes with another well-established tenant of American law: corporate personhood. If corporations are people, owning a corporation would be legally akin to slavery. And unlike shareholder ownership, corporate sovereignty has been upheld in generations of cases at the Delaware Supreme Court, America's high temple of corporate law.

Alright shares are not actually pieces of a company, but their distribution represents ownership. The question of what holding shares actually means is a legalistic one with no bearing on reality, so why bother dwelling on the distinction? It's true that even if shareholders are not a corporation's owners, they typically wield the powers of ownership.

The author of the passage agrees with which of the following statements?

The person with most shares of a company cannot be declared its owner by default.

The idea of shareholder ownership reinforces corporate sovereignty but the court differs on this.

Select one answer choice from the given options.

3

If shareholders don't own corporations, who does? The answer is: no one.

American law is remarkably clear on this fact, the late legal scholar Lynn Stout says, citing more than a century of judicial rulings. Corporations are sovereigns, just like people. Within the law and their contractual obligations, they are free to make their own decisions without taking into account the particular desires of any other party, shareholders included. And if you think about it, this idea computes with another well-established tenant of American law: corporate personhood. If corporations are people, owning a corporation would be legally akin to slavery. And unlike shareholder ownership, corporate sovereignty has been upheld in generations of cases at the Delaware Supreme Court, America's high temple of corporate law.

Alright shares are not actually pieces of a company, but their distribution represents ownership. The question of what holding shares actually means is a legalistic one with no bearing on reality, so why bother dwelling on the distinction? It's true that even if shareholders are not a corporation's owners, they typically wield the powers of ownership.

The passage as a whole can be best described as doing which of the following?

Explaining how shareholders have controlling powers even though they are not the owners of the corporations

Tracing the origins of corporate personhood in American corporate law and how certain judicial rulings uphold it

Analyzing the perspective of Lynn Stout with regard to ownership of shareholders at the corporate level

Criticizing the judicial rulings that uphold the principles of corporate personhood and corporate sovereignty

Formulating a response to those who consider that corporations are persons and cannot exist on their own

Select one or more choices from the given options.

4

If shareholders don't own corporations, who does? The answer is: no one.

American law is remarkably clear on this fact, the late legal scholar Lynn Stout says, citing more than a century of judicial rulings. Corporations are sovereigns, just like people. Within the law and their contractual obligations, they are free to make their own decisions without taking into account the particular desires of any other party, shareholders included. And if you think about it, this idea computes with another well-established tenant of American law: corporate personhood. If corporations are people, owning a corporation would be legally akin to slavery. And unlike shareholder ownership, corporate sovereignty has been upheld in generations of cases at the Delaware Supreme Court, America's high temple of corporate law.

Alright shares are not actually pieces of a company, but their distribution represents ownership. The question of what holding shares actually means is a legalistic one with no bearing on reality, so why bother dwelling on the distinction? It's true that even if shareholders are not a corporation's owners, they typically wield the powers of ownership.

The last sentence has which of the following functions in the passage?

It explains the role of shareholders in a corporation as opposed to what is often believed.

It justifies the way shareholders retain power in a corporation despite being denied complete ownership.

It presents a contrast between the truth and perception of truth when it comes to shareholders.

Select one answer choice from the given options.

5

Scientists tend to be severe critics of other people's work. Those who overturn an established consensus to contribute something unexpected and original tend to garner the greatest esteem. But scientists should be equally critical of their own output: they must not become too enamored of 'pet' theories or be influenced by wishful thinking. Many of us find that very hard. Scholars who have invested years of their life in a project are bound to be strongly committed to its importance, to the extent that it's a traumatic wrench if the whole effort comes to nought. But initially tentative ideas firm up only after intense scrutiny and criticism – for instance, the link between smoking and lung cancer, or between HIV and AIDS. Scrutiny and criticism are also how seductive theories get destroyed by harsh facts. That's why the American historian and sociologist Robert Merton in 1942 described science as 'organized skepticism'.

It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following statements is true of scrutiny and criticism of scientific work?

They are the foremost reasons for approval or disapproval of a scientific work.

They should be practiced more to evaluate one's own theories rather than to criticize others'.

They serve the dual purpose of strengthening a theory and disapproving another.

They are a scientist's most valuable tools for gathering attention on his work and rejecting others'.

Scientists often use them to criticize rather than evaluate their own work.

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The passage is scrollable

Scientists tend to be severe critics of other people's work. Those who overturn an established consensus to contribute something unexpected and original tend to garner the greatest esteem. But scientists should be equally critical of their own output: they must not become too enamored of 'pet' theories or be influenced by wishful thinking. Many of us find that very hard. Scholars who have invested years of their life in a project are bound to be strongly committed to its importance, to the extent that it's a traumatic wrench if the whole effort comes to nought. But initially tentative ideas firm up only after intense scrutiny and criticism – for instance, the link between smoking and lung cancer, or between HIV and AIDS. Scrutiny and criticism are also how seductive theories get destroyed by harsh facts. That's why the American historian and sociologist Robert Merton in 1942 described science as 'organized skepticism'. .

6

Select the sentence in the passage that highlights the reason why scientists are not critical of their own work.

Select one answer choice from the given options.

7

According to a growing body of research, interoceptive sensations – those that originate from within the body, from its tissues, organs and chemicals circulating in the bloodstream – hold the key not only to better mental well-being, but to revolutionary new treatments for common, yet hard-to-treat conditions like depression, anxiety and eating disorders. With several now in clinical trials, it is a change of direction that could see the focus on the brain alone in mental health become a thing of the past, offering hope of progress for millions.

In recent years, it has become clear that to really understand mental health, you need to factor in just how much the brain cares about what is going on below the neck. For any animal, survival depends on how well it can detect physical changes that may signal a threat and to take appropriate action to get things back on track. Interoception is a bit like our sixth sense – the ability to detect these bodily changes, from heartbeat to changing concentrations of certain hormones in the blood, as well as the psychological expression of these as feelings and emotions.

It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following is true of the current approach for treating mental disorders?

It focuses on studying the sensations produced not only in the brain but also in the entire body.

It is based upon the principle that root cause of all mental issues is localized in the brain.

It does not take into account the hormonal changes leading to psychological disorders.

It has succeeded in detecting mental health issues but there has not been much luck in treating those.

It assumes that body operates as a whole in producing a psychological expression of the events.

Select one answer choice from the given options.

8

According to a growing body of research, interoceptive sensations – those that originate from within the body, from its tissues, organs and chemicals circulating in the bloodstream – hold the key not only to better mental well-being, but to revolutionary new treatments for common, yet hard-to-treat conditions like depression, anxiety and eating disorders. With several now in clinical trials, it is a change of direction that could see the focus on the brain alone in mental health become a thing of the past, offering hope of progress for millions.

In recent years, it has become clear that to really understand mental health, you need to factor in just how much the brain cares about what is going on below the neck. For any animal, survival depends on how well it can detect physical changes that may signal a threat and to take appropriate action to get things back on track. Interoception is a bit like our sixth sense – the ability to detect these bodily changes, from heartbeat to changing concentrations of certain hormones in the blood, as well as the psychological expression of these as feelings and emotions.

Which of the following best describes the primary function of the highlighted sentence?

It makes a distinction between two types of therapies employed to treat mental issues.

It corrects a common misconception about the effect of mental issues in one's life.

It suggests reasons for why it is critical to detect body's signals for treating mental issues.

It suggests that early detection of changes in body would help one effectively treat physical problems.

It helps explain a possible role played by threat in gauging body's defence mechanism.

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7	Not answered
8	Not answered

GRE-Reading Comprehension - 3

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