CAT 2011 - Make Your Grip On Quantitative Ability

Quantitative Ability can be a nightmare for many CAT aspirants. But if you are really determined about your goal to study MBA in a top notch MBA institute, then a section should not hamper your chance.  For every MBA aspirant, there is one or the other area of weakness. In this article, you will get the tips on how to strengthen this weak section of yours.

 

As you are aware, Quantitative Ability tests your basic knowledge about mathematics, brushing up of the subject, which you had done in the classes VIII to X. The best way to start preparation is by starting with the NCERT books. You will not only feel familiar but will also get your basics brushed up. Before you know more about the preparation strategies, it is important to know about the topics of the Quantitative Ability that you will be facing.

Topics of Quantitative Ability

The topics which you will encounter in this section are Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Functions, Number System and Time, Speed and Distance. These are the most common topics that you will face in the CAT exam. Apart from these, the topics are Mensuration, Linear Equations, Ratio and Proportion, Percentage, Profit and Loss, Variable and Inconsistence.

These are the overall topics which you will focus in this section. As Anurag Goyal, who scored 99.56 percentile in CAT 2008 says, “The relative importance keeps changing. It is extremely important to be thoroughly prepared with the chapters that one is comfortable with and not waste time on the others.”

Books for Quantitative Ability

•    The NCERT Maths Books of Class 8 to 10

•    Any one of the following books by R.S. Agarwal: Objective Arithmetic, Mathematics for MBA, Quantitative Techniques

•    ‘How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT’ by Arun Sharma

•    ‘The Pearson Guide to Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT’ by Nishit Sinha

•    ‘Quantum CAT’ by Sarvesh Kumar Verma

•    ‘Quantitative Aptitude for MBA Entrance Examinations’ by Abhijit Guha

Preparation strategy

For preparing the Quantitative Ability section, practice is the best way. In Quantitative Ability if you are weak in all areas, you would need to solve and learn from around 5000 questions in order to match your skills with the best. Over a 150 day period this means 30 to 35 questions per day.

The method of learning by solving is also suggested by many experts. The more questions you solve, more idea you will have on the questions and the topics. “For Quant, focus on the learning you can extract out of every question.  If you can do so, then for CAT or for that matter any aptitude exam would ever hurt you in Quant over the next 10 years! Remember, Question based learning is the key.”

One more way to start is by starting with a particular chapter. Clearing the basic concepts, answering the questions and when you feel comfortable about it, move on to the next chapter. “Take one chapter at a time and solve as many questions as possible over a week or 10 days. The objective should be to master the chapter and develop a very high level of comfort and confidence should any question be asked from the chapter. Thereafter, move on to the next chapter,” experts say.

While you clear the basic concepts and solve the questions, you should also keep in mind the fact that speed is an important constraint of the CAT exam. Hence, maintaining speed and accuracy at the same time will be of utmost importance. CAT is about speed and you should plan your time towards solving each and every question very efficiently. Practice as many questions you can mainly from the previous papers because it gives you an idea about the variety of questions that has been asked before.

If mugging up formulae is not your forte, then practice will come to your rescue. Just practice a lot and you won’t need to mug any formula and any trick. Things will turn out eventually in your favor.

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How to Improve Reading Comprehension Skills for CAT 2011

Verbal Ability Section of CAT test is mainly divided into three sections, reading comprehension, verbal reasoning and grammar and vocabulary. These areas, reading comprehension often causes an obstacle, since it involves reading passages and then answer comprehension questions. In this article, we will provide strategies to overcome the difficulties as suggested by the experts.

There are several difficulties they may face when dealing with questions on reading comprehension. To do this, we will offer strategies for the preparation of MBA you must follow to succeed in this section often feared!

Strategies, as told by the experts are:

Read a lot: Reading helps as you get to know about many issues and increasing their knowledge in general. In order to improve its RC and VA section you need to broaden their background knowledge by reading newspapers, magazines and books. Try to discuss a topic of the paper with your parents or friends. This will help develop interest and help in understanding.

In addition to reading a lot, you need to practice speed reading is. Speed reading helps you understand the faster pace and therefore perform better in reading comprehension passages for their MBA preparations.

Go through the following points to the speed of reading ....

1. They focus in three to four main words in a sentence.

2. When you are reading speed and reduce the time it takes to read slowly.

3. Identify the main parts of the paragraph.

4. You can mark important points / words / phrases in the beginning but gradually be able to identify these unchecked.

5. During reading, the eyes move rapidly from left to right, focusing on key words.

6. After finishing an article, type the essence of that. This will help you know how much you remember that passage.

The choice of Reading Comprehension passages

Among the various passages, it is necessary to select the passages will be easier for you to respond. The factors you should consider when choosing the Reading Comprehension passages includes the theme of the passage, whether you like it or not, the patterns in question, whether direct or twisted are some important factors. The relationship between the length of the passages and the number of questions is another important factor. A long corridor with a few questions is paid few dividends in relation to time put in.

Dealing with long reading comprehension passages

Most of facing the question: How do you answer the questions of long passages of reading comprehension in a short space of time? If it is a long passage, everyone will take time. What you need to do is understand quickly, instead of reading quickly. The approach while reading should be not to read faster But to understand quickly, while the CAT.

“Trying to get more practice in reading, especially in dense reading material quickly. Learning to look at each question in the examination of first principles. You can also turn the reading of passages. When you are starting with the preparation of their reading comprehension, short passages, which have a similar style and are more or less equal length. Determine your reading speed from day one. Say, it is 150 words per minute. Read at that speed for a while, say a week or so and after that, spread over the increasing restrictions of time, say 150 words every 45 seconds, "says an expert.

Solving the reading comprehension passages in computer-based testing

Since last year, the MBA exams like CAT, NMAT and MAT have become computer. Those who are concerned about dealing with reading comprehension passages on the screen instead of paper, experts suggest ways to handle it. Experts suggest that if the practice of reading more articles and news on the computer and take notes on your rough paper (to be included in the CAT online), while reading it, you will be better. Focusing on and understanding of the passage in the reading speed, you can make a note of the important points as you read on the rough paper provided. This will help you answer questions faster and reduce the time to browse through a step each time you answer a question. You have to make full use of the highlight option presented in the CAT team base. "

Stay tuned to MBAINFORMER.TK for more information on preparing for CAT 2011

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MBA or Specialized Degree?

As we recruit prospective MBA students from around the world, a question we hear a lot at The MBA Tour is whether it is better to get a specialized masters degree (MSc in Finance or an MSc in Technology and Innovation, for example) or an MBA.  This is an important question to consider as these are distinctly different degree programs and lead to very different career paths.

The MBA is a professional degree and the program content emphasizes practical application.  The program of study emphasizes general management skills.  MBA programs rarely accept individuals directly after graduation from university as the requirements of the coursework presume that students have faced the practical challenges of the work environment.  In order to participate in class, on study teams, and to complete assignments, students are expected to draw on their own personal experience. 

Learning is often experiential with a lot of the work completed in multi-national and professionally diverse teams.  MBA graduates often comment that they learn as much (if not more!) from their peers as they do from their professors.

People choose the MBA for many reasons.  Most often, people need to develop a range of management skills in order to assume more responsibility within an organization.  The broader understanding of different business functions makes it possible to supervise and coordinate the work of other people and other units.  Many students who enroll in MBA programs have backgrounds in engineering and technology, but it is not uncommon for an MBA class to also include journalists, lawyers, doctors, musicians, bankers, and teachers.  The MBA program develops specific functional skills (accounting, strategic planning, financial management, project management) and critical soft skills (communication, negotiation, human resource management) that senior managers need in any type of organization. 

In contrast, the specialized MS is a very different program.  These programs are very focused and often require a university degree in the same area.  The classes required to complete this type of masters are almost all in a single area such as finance, accounting, operations, corporate communications, etc.  People who enter these programs have (typically) decided on a narrower career path than people who chose to earn an MBA.  There is often more emphasis on theoretical knowledge and research.

The specialized degrees are attractive to some students because they admit candidates directly after university graduation.  It is important to keep in mind that although entering graduate school directly might be very appealing, the opportunities that follow this type of masters program are different than those that follow an MBA. 

The specialized masters is a perfect option for someone who is confident that he or she will remain in the same industry sector and function long-term.  The MBA is a better option for people looking for the flexibility to work in different sectors and different types of organizations.

 “You must carefully consider your short and long-term career goals when deciding whether to pursue an MBA or an MS degree.  Are you interested in pursuing a business management career and assuming positions of greater leadership within an organization? If so, an MBA may be your best option. Or would you like to be a specialist within a particular field, gaining in-depth knowledge and perhaps becoming an industry expert within your chosen field? In this case, an MS may help you achieve your goals. Some MBA programs offer the best of both worlds: the opportunity to develop a general management foundation through a diverse core curriculum, and the chance to develop a functional expertise through selection of a major or concentration.”

Jim Holmen

“There are two key reasons for the difference in work experience requirements between MBA and MS programs.  First, the MBA program experience not only offers the opportunity to increase knowledge in a specific academic discipline, but it also enables students to develop broad-based business and leadership skills.  Prior work experience provides students with a context for understanding the integrated nature of business, as well as for engaging in meaningful discussions with their peers.  Consequently, MBA graduates are able to define more specific goals while also enhancing their potential for future career flexibility.

The second key reason is that MBA recruiters are looking for a broader skill set. Recruiters have an expectation that in addition to the academic knowledge acquired during MBA studies, graduates will bring several years of progressive, full-time work experience.  This combination allows graduates of top-tier MBA programs to apply their learnings immediately upon entering a new position, and in turn, to add value to their new organization from the beginning.”

Julie Barefoot

“When making the decision to pursue either an MBA or an MSc degree, the first - and most important - step is to determine what you would like to do.  If your interests lie in a specific research position or field of study, and can see yourself pursing a doctoral degree, an MSc degree is your best bet as the depth of learning you would receive would far exceed that you would receive in an MBA program.  On the other hand, if you would like to pursue a career in business, then you should take an MBA.  An MBA will provide you with a broad, general management education in all the functional areas of an organization: marketing, finance, operations, human resources, etc.”


Source - Web World

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B School?? Tools To Find Best For You

An MBA program is your opportunity to push outside of your comfort zone, to learn new skills, develop strong relationships, to grow into a leader.  You will grow the most in an environment that facilitates the way that you learn.  This is very personal, and cannot be captured in a number or ranking driven by statistics and weightings that have been deemed important to others as they may not be important - or as important - to you.   Do your own homework.  Start with yourself and what you hope to gain from an MBA program as well as what factors challenge you to push yourself.  Then gather as much information as you can - online, in person, in print, from the schools themselves, independent sources, alumni, and the like.  Develop your own criteria, and then make a point to visit the programs that rank highest on your list.  Experiencing first-hand the culture of a program through interactions with students, faculty, and staff will solidify to you where you will best "fit" and will challenge yourself to grow the most.

One of the major objectives of MBA Informer community is to spread the awareness among all the MBA aspirants about all the available options for them. Soon the results of MBA entrance tests will be declared and the hunt for B-School will begin as per your scores.

Now question is -

How to select the best program as well as institute for you. This article is to tell you about some of the factors that, as an MBA aspirant , you should consider for, while  searching for the B-School for you.

Additionally, we offer suggestions as to additional points to think about and steps to take when deciding upon which programs you will apply to.

Available Program Types

• Two-Year MBA

• One-Year MBA

• Executive MBA

{ Some Institutes offer Distance Learning MBA with PGDBM(AUTONOMOUS) at the name of Dual MBA, never go for it.}

Explore your MBA Options ( Other then IIMs and other Top MBA Institutes)

• Indian Colleges in North India

•Colleges in South India

• Specific Cities

The Rankings – understand what they are telling you

• Internet

• Business Week

• The Wall Street Journal

• The Education Times

But never go only with the words of these sources as there is a maximum probability of getting biased information.

Formal Channels

• The Internet

• Admissions Offices

• Literature

Informal Channels

• Alumni

• Corporate Recruiters

• Faculty

Research, Planning & Preparation are the Key Elements :-

A good Business schools, no doubt offers an unique learning experience, quality education  to the students that spans all management disciplines including the latest research, theories, practices—and, ultimately, a highly regarded degree recognized across the world. Likewise, business schools recognize the valuable dimension, depth and diversity that international students add to their MBA programs. In fact, the insights and perspectives international students bring to the classroom have become integral to the MBA experience. The result is a mutually beneficial experience that enhances all students’ perspectives of the global business community. And the key to realizing the quality education and door-opening opportunities of an MBA program lies in an intensive research, preparation, and planning process on the part of prospective international students.

Qualities and Goals:-

One of your initial steps in pursuing an MBA should be exploring business schools for program types that match your personal style, educational objectives and career goals. Fortunately, there’s a world of information right at your fingertips, courtesy of the Internet. You’ll want to examine the curriculum and various areas of specialization offered at different business schools, along with each school’s unique culture. Equally important is finding out what kinds of services are available specifically for international students. By exploring Web sites for business schools, you can get a good feel for curriculum and campus life. At the same time, you’ll find a wealth of resources specifically to assist international applicants, ranging from admissions requirements, visa information and immigration issues, to English language classes, support networks, scholarships and loan information. In addition, you’ll want to look at the schools’ event calendars for key dates including the admissions information sessions many business schools host around the world. Such sessions provide excellent opportunities to network and learn more about what the schools have to offer.

The Earlier You Start the Better the Result:-

Business school admission is extremely competitive and the earlier you start preparing the better. In addition to practicing your English language skills, you should also be thinking about your application—and interview—long before you actually apply. For starters, you’ll want to make sure your credentials, academic ability and achievement-oriented experiences align with the requirements of the MBA programs you’re considering.  Admissions directors will expect you to effectively position, differentiate and sell yourself in terms of your leadership potential, interpersonal skills and the overall value you will bring to the program.

Your Budget, Be Prepared for it:-

Also keep in mind all the expenses you need to make for your MBA. Its not less than any investment. So be concerned about it. Make a proper planning. If want to go for education loan, check all the available options as well as be careful about all the terms and conditions of banks. Also check all your available funds to make the payments at the time of admission.

You should plan to make contact with those business schools you’re interested in about one year before you intend to apply. This gives you plenty of time to find out each school’s requirements and ensure all required exams  (including TOEFL and the Graduate Management Admission Test [GMAT]) are completed well ahead of their deadlines. With that said, ample preparation for the GMAT is essential. While the GMAT addresses skills that have theoretically been developed over years of schooling and work experience, you can still sharpen your skills by strengthening your foundations and taking practice tests to highlight those areas requiring additional focus.

In the End

The payoff to your comprehensive research, program consideration and preparation, financial aid assessment, and application submission, however, is a comprehensive global experience that will embrace you in a collaborative community, challenge you to reach new heights, forever widen your scope of the world and provide insights that will guide you throughout your business career.

Geographical location and career goals, these are two important points to consider for  all the candidates looking towards MBAs.  Although, there are many programs which have a global focus,  regional knowledge may certainly be enhanced through the location of a Business School and will influence availability of opportunities including field trips, industry speakers, management projects and internships as well.   International exchange is one avenue students might look at to gain exposure to a new geographic region and to strengthen international networks.  While making decisions related to B-School for yourself, you should also assess fit between the School and your career goals.  Looking at diversity amongst the student body, on-campus recruiters and placement data can help candidates do this. You can use the opportunities of GD and personal Interviews to talk with other aspirants, current students and alumni about their experiences.  Lastly, exploring where future opportunities are likely to lie can be extremely important.

Source: {Research Work}

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GD myths, Qualities Count, Some Interview Tips

The GD PI process at leading Maharashtra B-schools, like JBIMS, Sydenham, Welingkar will be conducted from Tuesday, May 10, 2011 to Tuesday, May 31, 2011.

It’s the beginning of the efforts of MBA Informer community. We are here to help you at each and every stage of your ROAD TO MBA. As all of you know that all the MBA aspirants has to go through a tough selection process of GD {Group Discussion}. Some Institutes also test the abilities of the candidate through Case studies.

All the institutes wish to have the best brains in their institutes. Thus for this purpose the admission processes is divided into two stages. The first stage of this process is entrance test. You have faced this stage already. Institutes conduct GD and PI(Personal Interview) in the second stage. The time period of second stage may vary. For e.g. Most of the institutes which accept CAT score only have conducted there GDs but those colleges which accept MAT score are still calling candidates for GD and PI. CET Maharastra will conduct its GD in month of MAY.

The qualities B-schools look for in candidates and the purpose of holding GD PI

GD PI is a very important aspect for selecting the students as the complete personality of the candidates is reflected through these processes. The expectations from the candidates are determined by industry expectations. These include the technical skills, decision making skills, interpersonal skills and conceptual skills.

Technical skill comes from the education. Decision making ability refers to how you take the decisions in your organization. Conceptual skill is the ability to solve and analyze complex situation and Interpersonal skills is the combined skills of communication, leadership, teamwork and conflict resolution.

Myths associated with a GD

1.  Person speaking the most scores the most: It is not important who speaks the most. What is important is whose points make more sense

2.Person starting the GD is the winner: A person might start the GD with a good point. But that does not make him the leader. He has to keep coming back with equally good points whenever possible.

3. Communication skills are very important:  Only communication skill is not enough as your points should have some substance.

3.Like starting the GD, summarizing the GD is also of great importance: Summing up does not mean that you will have to repeat what others have said. It is checked how differently you present the points from others while summing up.

Case Study GD

Case Study GDs are gaining importance over the years. Several B-schools like IIM Indore, IMI and many others conduct Case Study round of GD. In Case Study GDs, you will be given a certain situation and you have to bring out a solution of that problem or situation…

Approach for dealing with a Case Study GD should be as follows:

Identify the problem – At first you will have to understand what the problem is and exactly which is the area you need to look at. For example, if the case is about a company undergoing a loss, then you will have to review what the reason is. Is it the product or something else?

Give two to three different possibilities - On the basis of the problem, you need to come up with two to three possible solutions that you think will work for the particular situation.

Analyze – After that you need to analyze the pros and cons of the suggestions you have made. Then finalize which one is the most feasible option to approach.

Recommendations – You have to give your recommendations on the basis of the solutions made by you or the other members of the group.

Personal Interview

Some of the common questions during the interview round are on: Introduction about yourself, Why you want to pursue MBA, Your awareness about the subjects you pursued in graduation and General Awareness.

For the question on introducing yourself you should give a brief introduction about yourself. Mention your strengths and achievements, your hobbies and interests. But be careful about your tone. It should not sound over confident or under confident.

The way you carry yourself is also of utmost importance. You should dress formally and comfortably. Remember that you are appearing for an interview and all aspects of your personality will be reviewed.

Read More

B School?? Tools To Find Best For You

An MBA program is your opportunity to push outside of your comfort zone, to learn new skills, develop strong relationships, to grow into a leader.  You will grow the most in an environment that facilitates the way that you learn.  This is very personal, and cannot be captured in a number or ranking driven by statistics and weightings that have been deemed important to others as they may not be important - or as important - to you.   Do your own homework.  Start with yourself and what you hope to gain from an MBA program as well as what factors challenge you to push yourself.  Then gather as much information as you can - online, in person, in print, from the schools themselves, independent sources, alumni, and the like.  Develop your own criteria, and then make a point to visit the programs that rank highest on your list.  Experiencing first-hand the culture of a program through interactions with students, faculty, and staff will solidify to you where you will best "fit" and will challenge yourself to grow the most.

One of the major objectives of MBA Informer community is to spread the awareness among all the MBA aspirants about all the available options for them. Soon the results of MBA entrance tests will be declared and the hunt for B-School will begin as per your scores.

Now question is -

How to select the best program as well as institute for you. This article is to tell you about some of the factors that, as an MBA aspirant , you should consider for, while  searching for the B-School for you.

Additionally, we offer suggestions as to additional points to think about and steps to take when deciding upon which programs you will apply to.

Available Program Types

• Two-Year MBA

• One-Year MBA

• Executive MBA

{ Some Institutes offer Distance Learning MBA with PGDBM(AUTONOMOUS) at the name of Dual MBA, never go for it.}

Explore your MBA Options ( Other then IIMs and other Top MBA Institutes)

• Indian Colleges in North India

•Colleges in South India

• Specific Cities

The Rankings – understand what they are telling you

• Internet

• Business Week

• The Wall Street Journal

• The Education Times

But never go only with the words of these sources as there is a maximum probability of getting biased information.

Formal Channels

• The Internet

• Admissions Offices

• Literature

Informal Channels

• Alumni

• Corporate Recruiters

• Faculty

Research, Planning & Preparation are the Key Elements :-

A good Business schools, no doubt offers an unique learning experience, quality education  to the students that spans all management disciplines including the latest research, theories, practices—and, ultimately, a highly regarded degree recognized across the world. Likewise, business schools recognize the valuable dimension, depth and diversity that international students add to their MBA programs. In fact, the insights and perspectives international students bring to the classroom have become integral to the MBA experience. The result is a mutually beneficial experience that enhances all students’ perspectives of the global business community. And the key to realizing the quality education and door-opening opportunities of an MBA program lies in an intensive research, preparation, and planning process on the part of prospective international students.

Qualities and Goals:-

One of your initial steps in pursuing an MBA should be exploring business schools for program types that match your personal style, educational objectives and career goals. Fortunately, there’s a world of information right at your fingertips, courtesy of the Internet. You’ll want to examine the curriculum and various areas of specialization offered at different business schools, along with each school’s unique culture. Equally important is finding out what kinds of services are available specifically for international students. By exploring Web sites for business schools, you can get a good feel for curriculum and campus life. At the same time, you’ll find a wealth of resources specifically to assist international applicants, ranging from admissions requirements, visa information and immigration issues, to English language classes, support networks, scholarships and loan information. In addition, you’ll want to look at the schools’ event calendars for key dates including the admissions information sessions many business schools host around the world. Such sessions provide excellent opportunities to network and learn more about what the schools have to offer.

The Earlier You Start the Better the Result:-

Business school admission is extremely competitive and the earlier you start preparing the better. In addition to practicing your English language skills, you should also be thinking about your application—and interview—long before you actually apply. For starters, you’ll want to make sure your credentials, academic ability and achievement-oriented experiences align with the requirements of the MBA programs you’re considering.  Admissions directors will expect you to effectively position, differentiate and sell yourself in terms of your leadership potential, interpersonal skills and the overall value you will bring to the program.

Your Budget, Be Prepared for it:-

Also keep in mind all the expenses you need to make for your MBA. Its not less than any investment. So be concerned about it. Make a proper planning. If want to go for education loan, check all the available options as well as be careful about all the terms and conditions of banks. Also check all your available funds to make the payments at the time of admission.

You should plan to make contact with those business schools you’re interested in about one year before you intend to apply. This gives you plenty of time to find out each school’s requirements and ensure all required exams  (including TOEFL and the Graduate Management Admission Test [GMAT]) are completed well ahead of their deadlines. With that said, ample preparation for the GMAT is essential. While the GMAT addresses skills that have theoretically been developed over years of schooling and work experience, you can still sharpen your skills by strengthening your foundations and taking practice tests to highlight those areas requiring additional focus.

In the End

The payoff to your comprehensive research, program consideration and preparation, financial aid assessment, and application submission, however, is a comprehensive global experience that will embrace you in a collaborative community, challenge you to reach new heights, forever widen your scope of the world and provide insights that will guide you throughout your business career.

Geographical location and career goals, these are two important points to consider for  all the candidates looking towards MBAs.  Although, there are many programs which have a global focus,  regional knowledge may certainly be enhanced through the location of a Business School and will influence availability of opportunities including field trips, industry speakers, management projects and internships as well.   International exchange is one avenue students might look at to gain exposure to a new geographic region and to strengthen international networks.  While making decisions related to B-School for yourself, you should also assess fit between the School and your career goals.  Looking at diversity amongst the student body, on-campus recruiters and placement data can help candidates do this. You can use the opportunities of GD and personal Interviews to talk with other aspirants, current students and alumni about their experiences.  Lastly, exploring where future opportunities are likely to lie can be extremely important.

Source: {Research Work}

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Verbal Ability for CAT- Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning is more about testing your logical ability rather than English knowledge. Rather than mere English knowledge, for the sub section of Verbal Ability, you need to enhance your logical skills.

English, the world’s local language has various intricacies which are tested in all its forms in the CAT exam and other MBA Exams.  Verbal Reasoning is another predominant part of CAT. Verbal Reasoning is more about testing your logical ability rather than English knowledge. For verbal reasoning, you need to have the ability to use logic. Thus, rather than mere English knowledge, for this sub section of Verbal Ability, you need to enhance your logical skills regarding MBA Exams Preparations 2010. A look at the question pattern will help you understand what you can expect and how you shall prepare for the Verbal Reasoning part for MBA Exams Preparations 2010 and specially for the CAT Exam.

Types of questions in Verbal Reasoning

The most common form of questions is that you will be given a paragraph where the sentences will be jumbled. You will have to rearrange the sentences and make the paragraph meaningful. Another type of question that is found in the Verbal Ability section of the CAT exam is paraphrasing a given paragraph. This calls for your understanding of what is given and hence is some what similar to the Reading Comprehension section of the CAT Exam and other MBA Exams.

Since CAT 2006, the questions on Fact, Inference, Judgement became common. In this kind of questions, you will be given a set of sentences and you will have to identify which one is fact, which one is inference and which one is a judgement.

MBA Exams preparations 2010 for Verbal Reasoning

As mentioned earlier, Verbal Reasoning is more about having the logic and clear understanding rather than learning. MBA Preparations will also be on that line. But you can initiate the MBA preparations with the same method as you have done for Reading Comprehension and English Usage parts, i.e. reading. When you read an article or a chapter of a book, you will follow a pattern of the sentences. They will start with an introduction, followed by that would be the main theme. Similarly, in the questions of para jumbling too, you can follow the same. First read the entire paragraph and then find out the link between the sentences. Identify the introductory sentence and you will automatically recognize the order of the paragraph.

Often the first sentence gives an overview that helps in forming the framework of the passage. Transitional words, phrases or paragraphs that change the topic should be checked. Try understanding the type of reasoning used i.e. cause and effect reasoning, hypothesis or model building for your CAT Exam MBA Preparations.

For the paraphrasing questions, the advice is to write a summary of an article or paragraph after you read one. This not only expands your comprehending skill but also helps develop an independent thinking process and your ability to express. After finishing an article, write the gist of that. This will help you know how much you remember of that passage. Write a summary of about 100 to 150 words every day on the editorial as it will help in building thought process.

Fact, Inference and Judgment questions can be dealt totally on your understanding. You can identify a sentence as fact if it gives hard core information, universal or applied truth. Inference sentences can be identified by conclusions drawn on the basis of facts. For e.g. if the sentence starts with ‘So, Thus, Due to’ etc. it can be considered as Inferential sentences. Judgment sentences are easy to identify as it gives the personal opinion. Initially, identification of fact, inference and judgment might be confusing but with regular practice, you will get comfortable in this sort of questions for your MBA Exams Preparations 2010.

Only practice and clear understanding will help you score well in the Verbal Reasoning portion of the section of Verbal Ability section in CAT 2010. For your MBA Preparations, supplement your learning by solving examples from previous exams as well as from books or course material developed by experts exclusively for CAT entrance exam.

Stay connected to www.mbainformer.tk for more on MBA preparations

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Verbal Ability for CAT: How to score in English Usage

Verbal Ability is an important section of CAT test. It is consists of three sub sections, Reading Comprehension, English Usage and Verbal Reasoning. Here we will talk about English Usage.

English Usage part consists of the grammar and vocabulary. They form a major part of Verbal Ability section in CAT Exam and other MBA Exams every year. The question patterns which are seen here are similar to the ones which you are familiar in getting during your school level exams. But that does not ensure that the questions will be a child’s play for you. You need to go through rigorous MBA Preparations & practice to ensure zero negative marking in this part for your MBA exams. As most of the time, CAT Exam takers are prone to lose marks by getting confused with the close and tricky options.

Question types on Grammar

The pattern of grammar questions range from sentence correction to locating the error in a sentence. Another question type could be, in a sentence, a portion remains underlined and the CAT Exam takers have to identify the error. You have to choose the option which will correct the error in the underlined part of the MBA Exam section for your MBA preparations 2010.

Another form of question could be that, you will be given four sentences, and you have to find out which of the four sentences are grammatically correct. This type of question was given in CAT 2005.

Questions types on Vocabulary

The questions on Vocabulary basically test your word power. The questions give you a word and ask you to choose the option with the closest or most different meaning with the given word. In simple words, the question tests your synonym and antonym knowledge. Questions like ‘Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word’ are also quite common in MBA Exams like the CAT exam.

Another form of question is, a single word is used in four different sentences with four different usages. You have to choose the sentence which uses the given word in the most appropriate manner.

You are usually not asked to choose the correct meaning of a difficult or less-known word or its antonym or synonym from among the options, a good Vocabulary is still quite crucial for doing well in the English section of any MBA Exam..

MBA Preparations 2010 for the English Usage section

The MBA preparations for English Usage section requires thorough practice and understanding of the basic concepts. In order to do well in Verbal Ability you need three things, reading, clarity on English grammar basics and building up your vocabulary.

For grammar practice, the best way is to consult the basic grammar book, ‘High School English Grammar and Composition’ by Wren and Martin. Not only will you get accustomed to the concepts, but you can also do ample practice from it. Another book which you shall refer for the improvement of your grammatical abilities is ‘A Communicative Grammar of English’ by Geoffrey Leech for advanced knowledge. “Don’t try to mug up grammar as set of rules. See the meaning and understand the connection.

MBA Preparations 2010 for the Vocabulary

The more you read, more often you will come across new words you will come across and hence you will be accustomed to its meaning. Find out multiple applications of commonly used words and phrases, if any. While reading, note the context in which words and phrases are used. This helps in tackling a number of Verbal Ability questions.

You should also keep a pocket size dictionary handy with yourself so that you can know the meaning and note it down whenever you come across a new word. Some books for MBA Preparations 2010, which you can refer for enhancing your Word Power are ‘A Word A Day: A Romp through Some of the Most Unusual and Intriguing, Words in English’ by Anu Garg, ‘All about Words’ by Rosenblum and Nurenberg, ‘30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary’ by Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis.

Also, try to understand the meaning of the words from its roots. “The best strategy is to understand the ‘roots’ or the origin of certain words. From what ‘main root’ has a particular word been derived? If you approach Vocabulary is a systematic manner, you can rapidly improve on it,” says Balakrishna.

At an overall level, you need to be prompt and accurate while your MBA Preparations 2010 for MBA Exams, for this part of Verbal Ability section. Adequate practice and having conceptual clarity is best in this regard. “In general, focus on building speed and accuracy, through practice, and careful analysis following practice.

Stay connected  to www.mbainformer.tk for more on CAT Exam 2010 preparation

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Improving Your Vocabulary-I

Is Vocabulary Important?

In this article, we shall discuss Vocabulary. Although direct Vocabulary-based questions may not make an appearance in CAT (though it definitely does in other entrance exams such as FMS, IIFT etc as discussed later) in the sense that you are usually not asked to choose the correct meaning of a difficult or less-known word or its antonym or synonym from among the options, a good Vocabulary is still quite crucial for doing well in the English section.

It is important to note that CAT does test your Vocabulary indirectly. Often questions have appeared in which you need to choose the correct usage of simple, every day words. Quite often, these common words have multiple meanings, depending on the context of their use, and the CAT has tested whether you understand which all possible uses a common word can be put to. An example will serve to illustrate my point.

Consider a word such as ‘book’. The most common use of the word perhaps is when we use it in the sense of referring to a textbook or story book (fiction or non-fiction). But the word ‘book’ does have other usages. For example, we can say that ‘He booked a ticket’. Similarly, you can say that a show was ‘fully booked’. Another usage is when we say “The policeman booked the errant driver for over-speeding’.

In addition to being prepared for such kind of questions, a decent Vocabulary will be important to do well in the Reading Comprehension section. Your failure to understand or misinterpretation of a particular word could result in your having greater difficulty in understanding the passage as a whole and answering the questions based on it. This is especially true for phrases or aphorisms that the writer may use-very often, these short aphorisms convey a lot in a few words, something which would have otherwise taken several sentences to explain. For example, if the author of a particular passage states that “the chickens have come home to roost”, what does he mean? Similarly, he may state that a particular situation was a ‘Catch-22’ situation. Rather than explain in long sentences what the situation entailed, the usage of the single phrase ‘a Catch-22 situation’, conveys a lot to a reader who knows the meaning of the phrase. Incidentally, this phrase was the title of a famous novel by Joseph Heller.

Of course, the answer options may contain some words which test your Vocabulary to some extent. This is particularly true when you are asked to choose the ‘tone of the passage’. And you shall be in a real soup if you do not know the meaning of words in the answer option!

Non-CAT exams

As mentioned before, the type of questions that you are given in the FMS, IIFT etc entrance tests are a little different. These entrance tests do contain direct Vocabulary questions. The FMS entrance exam, in particular, is known to bowl students over with some really esoteric words, which are not even used all that often in daily conversation! (don’t worry, there will be only a few such words, if any).

Hence, Vocabulary is something that you will need to work on during your preparation. As mentioned, doing well in Reading Comprehension does call for a decent Vocabulary. Plus, some entrance tests do test your Vocabulary directly by asking you the meaning of a particular word, its synonym or antonym etc.

How to Build your Vocabulary

Now let us come to the crucial aspect of how you could build your Vocabulary. What is the best way?

In my opinion, in order to truly be good in Vocabulary (and also, not forget the meaning of a word just a few hours after you have learnt it), you cannot just mug up the meaning of words-after all, how many word-meanings can you just learn by rote? So what then is the best way?

The best strategy is to understand the ‘roots’ or the origin of certain words. From what ‘main root’ has a particular word been derived? If you approach Vocabulary is a systematic manner, you can rapidly improve on it.

Let’s understand this ‘root-based’ approach. Consider a word such as ‘demographics’. What does it mean? If you plan to mug up the meaning, it isn’t a good idea! Instead, look at its root: the root is ‘dem’ in this case.

What does ‘dem’ mean?

This root, from Greek, means ‘people’. We all know that India is a democracy. So it should be easy to remember the root ‘dem’ and people (democracy means ‘a Government of and for the people’.

Now ‘demographics’ refers to a population study, or the study of the various characteristics of the people that comprise the population.

• A related word is ‘Demographist’ : it refers to a person who studies demography

• Let’s take another word with the root ‘dem’: ‘demagogue’. You may have heard it a few times-what does it mean? It has the same root, so it must refer to people. You can check it out in any dictionary.

• Similarly, consider the word ‘demogenics’. It means ‘relating to a society based on citizenship’

• Have a look at these two words: ‘Demophile’ and ‘Demophobe’. While the former means ‘A friend of the people’, the latter refers to a person who has an aversion to people (the root ‘philo’ means to have an affinity for/ to love, while the root ‘phobe’ has the opposite meaning).

Hence you can see that knowing the meaning of the root of a particular word helps a lot-not only in understanding the meaning of that particular word, but also the meaning of words with the same root. If you now come across any word with the root ‘dem’, you shall know it has something to do with people.

In subsequent Vocabulary articles, we shall discuss some other important roots.

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VOCAB Through roots-2

Having a strong vocabulary is a boon for all CAT 2010 takers. But what about those who are not armed with the word power? Do they not stand a chance to clear the Verbal Ability section of CAT 2010? They certainly do, if they utilize the remaining time left for CAT 2010 in working for a strong vocabulary base.

By now, you must have a fair amount of words in your vocabulary account. As our experts had suggested, there are several ways to bundle up your stock of words such as going through dictionaries, vocabulary books, using flash cards etc. But the most basic of them is to learning words through its roots.

Let us first consider the root Ver/Veri. “This root means ‘true’ or ‘genuine’. These are derived from Latin.

• Verify: To check the accuracy or truth of something-could be a statement, some data, fact or figure etc

• Verifiable: Something that can be checked-the accuracy can be ascertained etc

• Veracity/ Veracious: These words mean something that is correct, truthful, genuine or accurate

• Verisimilar: Something that appears to be true

• Verily: Something that is true or certain, correct or accurate

• Veridity: Something that is genuine and true

• Veritable: Again, this means something that is true

The second root is Chron. “Whenever you see the root, ‘chron’, you should immediately think of ‘time’ for that is what the root means.

• Chronology:  This means “of, relating to, or arranged in or according to the order of time”

• Chronicle:  A record of events in a chronological sequence (in order of time when they occurred)

• Chronic:  Means occurring at frequent intervals of time

• Chronometer:  A device used to measure/ keep time. A clock is therefore a chronometer

• Anachronism:  Something that is out of place in time/ chronologically out of place. For example, if you see someone wearing a dress that was usually worn only in the medieval period, you could call that an ‘anachronism’

The third root which is considered is ante. “This root means the same as the well-known prefix, pre means i.e. it means ‘before’.

• Ante-room:  A room that leads to a bigger room (literally, a small room before a bigger one)

• Antediluvian:  Literally, of or belonging to the period before the great Biblical flood, generally used to refer to someone or someone who is old-fashioned, out of date or antiquated

• Antebellum:  The root ‘bell’ means aggressive (think of the words ‘bellicose’, ‘belligerent’ etc). ‘Antebellum’ therefore literally means ‘before the war’ (here the reference is generally to the American Civil War)

• Antedate:  To be of an older date than something else, thus precede in time

• Antecedent:  refers to a preceding circumstance or event; thus a precursor or fore-runner.

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