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CAT Exam Review

The document summarizes an excerpt from economist Thorstein Veblen's writings. According to Veblen, the most reliable signal of true wealth is an individual's ability and willingness to engage in "conspicuous consumption" - spending money in a visibly wasteful or irrational way.

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Prasant Goel
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32 views2 pages

CAT Exam Review

The document summarizes an excerpt from economist Thorstein Veblen's writings. According to Veblen, the most reliable signal of true wealth is an individual's ability and willingness to engage in "conspicuous consumption" - spending money in a visibly wasteful or irrational way.

Uploaded by

Prasant Goel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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10/3/2015 CatExams

CATExamReview
YouwereINCORRECT

Question30of41

AccordingtothewritingsofThorsteinVeblen,theeconomist,themostreliablesignalofatrulywealthyindividualis
hisorherabilityandwillingnesstoengagein"conspicuousconsumption"tospenditinawaythatispatently
absurdorirrational.

ThorsteinVeblen,theeconomist,themostreliablesignalofatrulywealthyindividualishisorherability
andwillingness
ThorsteinVeblen,theeconomist,themostreliablesignalthatoneistrulywealthyiswhetheroneis
capableandwilling
economistThorsteinVeblen,themostreliablesignalofone'struewealthiswhetheranindividualis
capableandwilling
theeconomistThorsteinVeblen,anindividual'struewealthismostreliablysignaledbytheirabilityand
willingness
theeconomistThorsteinVeblen,themostreliablesignaloftruewealthisanindividual'sabilityand
willingness

HideExplanation
ThissentencedescribesanassertionfromthewritingsoftheeconomistThorsteinVeblen:namely,thatindividual
wealthismostreliablysignaledbytheabilityandwillingnesstoengagein"conspicuousconsumption,"aconcept
thatthesentencethendefines.

(A)Thepronounitinthephrasespenditinawayshouldlogicallyrefertowealthormoneyhowever,nosuchnoun
existsinthesentence(wealthyisanadjective).

(B)Thepronounitinthephrasespenditinawayshouldlogicallyrefertowealthormoneyhowever,nosuchnoun
existsinthesentence(wealthyisanadjective).Whetherisalsoillogical,suggestingthatwhethersomeoneiswilling
orisnotwillingtoengagein"conspicuousconsumptionisasignalofwealth.Rather,someonemusthaveboththe
abilityandthewillingnesstodoso.Finally,intheparallelstructurecapableandwillingtoengage,theidiomwillingto
+verbisacceptable,buttheidiomcapableto+verbisnot(thesentenceshouldsaycapableofengaging).

(C)Theshiftfromone'stoanindividualisunacceptableitillogicallysuggeststhatthepersonpossessingthe
wealthisnotnecessarilythesamepersonwhoengagesin"conspicuousconsumption."Whetherisalsoillogical,
suggestingthatwhethersomeoneiswillingorisnotwillingtoengagein"conspicuousconsumptionisasignalof
wealth.Rather,someonemusthaveboththeabilityandthewillingnesstodoso.Finally,intheparallelstructure
capableandwillingtoengage,theidiomwillingto+verbisacceptable,buttheidiomcapableto+verbisnot(the
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/onlineexams/cat_disp.cfm?act=IR_Run&IR_Act=cat_rev_Qview&questionid=3019 1/2
10/3/2015 CatExams

sentenceshouldsaycapableofengaging).

(D)Thepluralpronountheircannotrefertothesingularnounanindividual's.

(E)CORRECT.Thissentencecontainsthesingularnounwealth,whichservesasalogicalantecedentforit.Both
abilityandwillingnesscombineidiomaticallywithto+verb.
EndExamYoumustselectananswertoproceed.Next>>ProblemList<<Prev

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