CAT Preparation

With CAT just a few days away i thought it would be great if i post a puzzle and wordlist everyday for last minute preparation..not that it would increase your chances of getting a seat in IIM's [:D] but most definitely it will keep your grey cells on the Job [:p]

CAT Question of the Day

The question below contains a paragraph with a missing sentence. Choose an option that best fits the context.

There are vast amounts of water on earth. Unfortunately, over 97% of it is too salty for human consumption and only a fraction of the remainder is easily accessible in rivers, lakes or groundwater. Climate change, droughts, growing population and increasing industrial demand are straining the available supplies of fresh water. More than 1 billion people live in areas where water is scarce, according to the United Nations, and that number could increase to 1.8 billion by 2025. _________________. Its appeal is obvious. The world’s oceans, in particular, present a virtually limitless and drought-proof supply of water.

OPTIONS
	1)	However, there are now 13,080 desalination plants in operation around the world, producing expensive but desalinated potable water.
	2)	But desalination requires large amounts of energy and can cost several times as much as treating river or groundwater.
	3)	One time-tested but expensive way to produce drinking water is desalination: removing dissolved salts from sea and brackish water.
	4)	As more parts of the world face prolonged droughts or water shortages, desalination seems to be the only way out.
	5)	However, apart from being expensive, a large desalination plant can suck up enough electricity in one year to power more than 30,000 homes.

Tip of the Day

A line joining mid-points of two sides in a triangle is parallel to the third side and half of the third side.

Daily Wordlist

imperious [ adjective ]
	MEANING :
	dominant, domineering or haughty
	USAGE :
	If he was to cast an imperious gaze at the Department of Trade and Industry he might note its failure to galvanise the regions of England in sharing proportionately in the nation's wealth. BBC, Kilfoyle: Time to reward the faith, Peter Kilfoyle MP, 1 March, 2001
patrician [ noun, adjective ]
	MEANING :
	1. (n.) an aristocrat or a person belonging to a noble family, especially in ancient Rome 2. (n.) a well-bred person who has good tastes and manners 3. (adj.) aristocratic4. (adj.)charasteristic or a pertaining to a noble or patrician
	USAGE :
	The great nothingness that the great patrician signifies in today's Phulpur is best symbolised by the ruins of Vaidji's house that Nehru made his home here. The Times of India, Nehru's Phulpur fails to keep its tryst, Gautam Siddharth,TNN, 10 Aug 2008
natal [ adjective ]
	MEANING :
	1. accompanying or pertaining to one's birth 2. related to one's birthplace or time of birth 3. native
	USAGE :
	Reipurth figures the star is a relative newborn, deeply embedded in its own natal cloud. CNN, Amateur finds new nebula with small telescope, By Robert Roy Britt, February 23, 2004
machination [ noun ]
	MEANING :
	1. a cunning plot or scheme an instance of plotting
	USAGE :
	This steep increase in land value is not the machination of realtors, but a negative land price hike effected by the stamps and registration department. THE TIMES OF INDIA, Land rate up 3000 per cent, 24 Mar 2008, S Kushala,TNN
ingratiate [ transitive verb ]
	MEANING :
	1. to curry favor by pleasing or flattering
	USAGE :
	To the best that one can figure out, he seems to have only used his power to further ingratiate himself to the political power structure in the country. The Times of India, LEADER ARTICLE: Cast In Our Likeness, Harsh V Pant, 21 May 2008