What can be inferred about the man?
Analyzing the Old Man's State During the Thunderstorm
The question asks what can be inferred about the old man based on the provided text. We need to examine the details given about his behavior and surroundings to make a logical deduction.
Key Observations from the Text:
- The man is seated on the porch during a thunderstorm.
- He is "staring into the distance".
- His eyes are "fixed on something far beyond the horizon".
- Despite the storm (loud and lashing rain), he "didn't flinch".
- The text explicitly states, "whatever echoed in his mind was louder" than the storm.
Evaluating the Options:
- Option 1: He was afraid. The text states he "didn't flinch" despite the storm, which suggests a lack of fear or at least an outward composure in the face of it. This option is unlikely.
- Option 2: He was deep in thought. This aligns well with several details: "staring into the distance," eyes "fixed on something far beyond the horizon," and the crucial phrase that "whatever echoed in his mind was louder" than the external storm. This implies his internal mental activity was more significant to him than the external environment.
- Option 3: He hated the rain. There is no information in the text to suggest the man has any feelings, positive or negative, towards the rain itself. His posture and gaze indicate a focus elsewhere.
- Option 4: He didn't notice the storm. While he is clearly absorbed, the text doesn't say he was completely oblivious. It mentions the rain "lashed the ground" and the storm was "loud," indicating awareness. However, his internal thoughts were more dominating, making Option 2 a more precise inference. He noticed the storm but prioritized his thoughts.
Conclusion on Inference:
The description strongly suggests the man's attention is captured by his internal world rather than the external storm. His fixed gaze and the comparison of his thoughts to the storm's loudness point towards him being preoccupied and absorbed in deep contemplation.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension (Notes)
Complete the concluding sentence of the following paragraph with one of the options given below:
Manufacturing companies are often faced with a trade-off between advances in productivity, which is one of the main goals of automation, and flexibility. When firms implement procedures that make repetitive processes more streamlined, they are able to produce more food at a faster rate. At the same time, however, ________Complete the concluding sentence of the following paragraph with one of the options given below:
In the 1960s, Jane Goodhall observed chimpanzees removing termites from hides with strapped twigs. Initially, researchers were unable to determine whether the animals viewed a group of tasks as a single problem requiring a general tool set or used individual tools to solve specific tasks. The question was finally resolved when chimps were observed selecting tools to carry with them in anticipation of particular difficulties. Research, therefore, concluded that not only are chimpanzees capable of using tools in a sophisticated way, but they ________Rearrange the following sentences to form a coherent and meaningful paragraph.
(A) The university president has proposed scheduling several introductory-level classes online in order to save money
on building maintenance and energy costs.
(B) The curriculum would not be changed.
(C) With recent cut backs in educational funding, the state university must reduce its expenditure or face bankruptcy.
(D) Students enrolled in these proposed 'virtual classrooms' would be taught the full programme by the same instructors teaching in the regular classrooms.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:Rearrange the following sentences to form a coherent and meaningful paragraph.
(A) Lack of knowledge about the diet is what makes people raise questions.
(B) This diet often characterized as restrictive, is associated with health benefits, however, it raises concerns.
(C) The Vegan diet has gained momentum in recent years.
(D) There is a controversy about this diet with some people supporting it and others questioning its benefits.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:Rearrange the following sentences into a logical and meaningful paragraph.
(A) A famous Japanese rock garden is at Ryoan-si in Northwest Kyoto, Japan.
(B) The rocks of various sizes are arranged on small white pebbles in five groups, each comprising five, two, three, two and three rocks.
(C) The garden is 30 meters long from East to West and 10 metres from North to South.
(D) The garden contains 15 rocks arranged out on surface of white pebbles in such a manner that visitors can see only 14 of them at once from whichever angle the garden is viewed.
(E) There are no trees, just 15 irregularly shaped rocks of varying sizes, some arranged by gravel that is raked everyday.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
