CAT 2021 Slot 1 · VARC · Question 23

CAT 2021 Slot 1 previous year question on Para Summary, with the answer and a step-by-step solution.

Para SummaryVerbal AbilityMultiple choiceMedium

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

McGurk and MacDonald (1976) reported a powerful multisensory illusion occurring with audio-visual speech. They recorded a voice articulating a consonant ‘ba-ba-ba’ and dubbed it with a face articulating another consonant ‘ga-ga-ga’. Even though the acoustic speech signal was well recognized alone, it was heard as another consonant after dubbing with incongruent visual speech i.e., ‘da-da-da’. The illusion, termed as the McGurk effect, has been replicated many times, and it has sparked an abundance of research. The reason for the great impact is that this is a striking demonstration of multisensory integration, where that auditory and visual information is merged into a unified, integrated percept.

  1. A

    The McGurk effect which is a demonstration of multisensory integration has been replicated many times.

  2. B

    Visual speech mismatched with auditory speech can result in the perception of an entirely different message: this illusion is known as the McGurk effect.

  3. C

    When the auditory speech signal does not match the visual speech movements, the acoustic speech signal is confusing and integration of the two is imperfect.

  4. D

    When the quality of auditory information is poor, the visual information wins over the auditory information.

Pick an option, then check.
Answer & solution

Answer: Option B

The passage explains the McGurk effect: when the sound 'ba-ba-ba' is paired with lips saying 'ga-ga-ga', people hear a third sound, 'da-da-da'. It is an illusion and a striking example of the brain merging sight and sound.

Option 2 captures the core: mismatched visual and auditory speech can lead to a completely different perception, and this illusion is the McGurk effect.

Option 1 gives only side details (it has been replicated, it shows integration) without saying what the effect is.

Option 3 says integration is 'imperfect' and the signal 'confusing'. The passage says the opposite – the two are merged into a unified percept.

Option 4 talks about poor-quality audio. The passage says the audio was 'well recognized alone'.

Shortcut: the summary must say what the effect is. Only option 2 defines it.

Hence, the answer is option 2.

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