No one thing over which we have control exerts so marked an influence

Question

No one thing over which we have control exerts so marked an influence upon our physical prosperity as the food we eat, and it is no exaggeration to say that well-selected and scientifically prepared food renders the partaker whose digestion permits of it being well assimilated, superior to his fellow-mortals in those qualities which will enable him to cope most successfully with life’s difficulties, and to fulfill the purpose of existence in the best and truest manner. The brain and other organs of the body are affected by the quality of the blood which nourishes them, and since the blood is made from the food eaten, it follows that the use of poor food will result in poor blood, poor muscles, poor brains, and poor bodies, incapable of first-class work in any capacity. Very few persons, however, ever stop to inquire what particular foods are best adapted to the manufacture of good blood and the maintenance of perfect health; but whatever gratifies the palate or is most conveniently obtained, is cooked and eaten without regard to its dietetic value.

The subject of diet and its relation to human welfare, is one deserving of the most careful consideration. It should be studied as a science, to enable us to choose such materials as are best adapted to our needs under the varying circumstances of climate, occupation, and the numerous changing conditions of the human system; as an art, that we may become so skilled in the preparation of the articles elected as to make them both appetizing and healthful. The mechanical mixing of ingredients is not sufficient to secure good results; and many of the failures attributed to “poor material,” “bad luck,” and various other subterfuges to which cooks ignorance of scientific principles. The common method of blindly following recipes, with no knowledge of “the reason why,” can hardly fail to be often productive of unsatisfactory results, which to the uninformed seem quite inexplicable.

Cookery, when based upon scientific principles, ceases to be the difficult problem it so often appears. Cause and effect follow each other as certainly in the preparation of food as in other things; and with knowledge of the underlying principles, and faithfulness in carrying out the necessary details, failure becomes almost an impossibility. There is no department of human activity where applied science offers greater advantages than in that of cookery.    1 
 1. What is the primary concern of the author in writing the passage?

(A) To analyze the intricacies of cooking 
(B) To criticize the tendency to ignore nutrition while cooking 
(C) To explore the chemistry of mixing ingredients while cooking 
(D) To describe the importance of food on the quality of blood in the human body 
(E) To examine the impact of scientific cooking on humans

2 
 2. Which of the following is not likely to be a beneficial effect of scientifically prepared food on humans?

(A) To help one cope with life’s difficulties
(B) To make one realize the purpose of his existence 
(C) To make one work in the most effective manner 
(D) To help one take the best decisions in life
(E) To help one maintain his organs efficiently

3 
 3. All of the following can be inferred from the passage EXCEPT

(A) Food has the ability to affect the functioning of the brain.
(B) Generally humans cook and eat food which is convenient.
(C) The process of study of diet and human eating habits is considered a science.
(D) Results are rarely poor when all the guidelines of recipe and ingredients are followed.
(E) Awareness of scientific principles reduces the incidences of failure.

4 
 4. According to the passage, which of the following is the problem with most cooking in modern times?

(A) There is too much stress on making food tastier.
(B) Most of the food is prepared from existing recipes.
(C) It is not based on scientific principles.
(D) It makes our blood poorer in quality.
(E) It has become dominated by ignorant cooks.

Pranjal1 · Answer

Please explain why the answer to question 3 is D and not C?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

3. All of the following can be inferred from the passage EXCEPT

Explanation

The usage of the word ‘rarely’ makes the sentence a negative one—where, in the second para, the author specifically mentions, mostly in negatives, ‘the common method...quite inexplicable’. Hence,  (D)  is the correct answer.

(A)  Inferred from the first para; ‘The brain and other organs of the body...in any capacity’.

(B)  The author mentions, towards the end of the first para, how most people ignore the question of what food is good for them, instead paying more attention to what they like to eat or which is more convenient.

(C)  In the last para as well as the first, the author has repeatedly stressed how cooking is a science.

(E)  Inferred from the third para, where the author has reiterated the need for a scientific approach to cookery

Answer: D

Pranjal1 · Answer

Sajjad1994

This is the official solution mentioned in Aristotle. I couldnt understand it. Thus, asking for a better explanaton. Request help.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

This is an EXCEPT question and one needs to find something which cannot be inferred from the passage, D cannot be inferred hence it is the answer.

JFYI: There was an error in the question statement which is solved now.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

1. What is the primary concern of the author in writing the passage?

Difficulty Level:   Hard

Explanation

The author has consistently, throughout the passage, talked of the importance of a scientific approach towards diet. He has also provided examples of how a poorly managed diet can harm humans and concludes by reiterating the same. Hence,  option (E)  is the correct answer.

(A)  The passage never goes into the discussion of the intricacies of cooking.

(B)  The author is critical of the human tendency to ignore healthy diet in favor of taste and convenience; however, he does not devote the whole passage to this fact.

(C)  The passage makes no mention of this fact.

(D)  While the author does mention this, it is not the primary purpose of the entire passage.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

2. Which of the following is not likely to be a beneficial effect of scientifically prepared food on humans?

Difficulty Level:   Hard

Explanation

The decision making ability of the humans is not discussed in the passage nor can it be inferred. Hence, option (D) is the correct answer.

(A)  mentioned in the first para

(B)  mentioned in the first para

(C)  can be inferred from the first para

(E)  can be inferred from the first para

Answer: D

nitsilchar · Answer

Read the following lines, option D negation is clearly mentioned
The mechanical mixing of ingredients is not sufficient to secure good results; and many of the failures attributed to “poor material,” “bad luck,” and various other subterfuges to which cooks ignorance of scientific principles.

evenietmagnam · Answer

Sajjad1994  , can you please post explanation of question 4?

guddo · Answer

4. According to the passage, which of the following is the problem with most cooking in modern times?

The passage argues that food and cooking should be guided by scientific knowledge. It criticizes people for choosing food only by taste or convenience and for blindly following recipes without understanding the reason behind them.  The main problem  is that cooking is often not based on  scientific principles .

(A) There is too much stress on making food tastier.

This is not the main problem. The passage does criticize choosing food just because it pleases the palate, but the deeper issue is lack of scientific understanding.

(B) Most of the food is prepared from existing recipes.

This is not precise. The passage does not say recipes themselves are bad. It criticizes blindly following recipes without knowing why the steps work.

(C) It is not based on scientific principles.

This is correct. The passage says cookery should be studied as a science and that many failures come from ignorance of scientific principles.

(D) It makes our blood poorer in quality.

This is not the problem with cooking itself. Poor food can lead to poor blood, but the question asks about the flaw in how cooking is commonly done.

(E) It has become dominated by ignorant cooks.

This is too strong. The passage says ignorance of scientific principles causes many failures, but it does not say cooking is dominated by ignorant cooks.

Answer: (C)

egmat · Answer

Hi evenietmagnam,

Happy to walk through Q4. This one asks for the  problem with most cooking in modern times , so the trick is to find the  root cause  the author names, not just a symptom.

Look at the second and third paragraphs. The author says the failures blamed on "poor material," "bad luck," and other excuses actually come from  cooks' ignorance of scientific principles , and then concludes: "Cookery, when based upon scientific principles, ceases to be the difficult problem it so often appears." That is the core diagnosis - cooking today isn't grounded in science. That's exactly  (C) .

Now the tempting wrong answers:

(B) prepared from existing recipes  - this looks right because the author does criticize "blindly following recipes." But read the full phrase: "blindly following recipes,  with no knowledge of 'the reason why.' " The problem isn't using recipes; it's using them  without understanding the principles behind them . So (B) is a  symptom  of the real problem, not the problem itself.

(A) too much stress on taste  - taste ("gratifies the palate") is mentioned only as what people chase, not named as  the  problem with cooking.

(D) makes our blood poorer  - poor blood is an  effect of poor food , not a flaw in the cooking method.

(E) dominated by ignorant cooks  - too strong. The author points to a lack of scientific grounding, not that cooks are broadly incompetent.

A quick way to feel the (B)-vs-(C) difference: imagine a student who fails a test after only memorizing answer keys. The real problem is " doesn't understand the concepts ," not "used an answer key." The answer key (like the recipe) is just where the deeper gap shows up.

So the author's central complaint is the missing scientific foundation -  (C) .

Answer: C

No one thing over which we have control exerts so marked an influence

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No one thing over which we have control exerts so marked an influence

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