English Language Questions for CLAT 2026 | QB Set 4

Passage (Q.1 – Q.5):

The octopus has long been a source of fascination and intrigue for humans, with its complex nervous system, extraordinary intelligence, and incredible ability to change its shape, color, and texture to blend in with its surroundings. But what can this fascinating creature teach us about time and the way we experience it?

One of the key features of the octopus is its ability to move in a fluid and almost liquid way, constantly adapting to its environment and responding to the changing currents of the ocean. This fluidity of movement and adaptation is something that we as humans could learn from, particularly in our understanding of time. For the octopus, time is not a fixed or rigid concept, but something that is constantly changing and adapting to the environment. This fluidity of time is reflected in the octopus’s movements, which are always in a state of flux, responding to the currents and tides of the ocean. As humans, we often think of time as something that is fixed and linear, moving inexorably forward in a straight line. But the octopus challenges this notion, reminding us that time is not a fixed or rigid concept, but something that is constantly changing and adapting to the environment.

In many ways, the octopus can be seen as a kind of ambassador for a new way of thinking about time. By embracing the fluidity and adaptability of the octopus, we can begin to challenge our own fixed ideas about time and open ourselves up to new ways of experiencing the world around us. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the idea of ‘liquid time’, a concept that sees time as fluid and adaptable rather than fixed and linear. This idea of liquid time is closely linked to the octopus, which has been described as a ‘liquid animal’ due to its fluid movements and shape-shifting abilities.

One of the key proponents of the idea of liquid time is the French philosopher and sociologist Henri Bergson, who argued that time is not a fixed or objective reality, but something that is experienced subjectively by each individual. Bergson believed that time is more like a stream or a river than a fixed point, and that our experience of time is shaped by our interactions with the world around us. This idea of liquid time is particularly relevant in today’s fast-paced, constantly changing world, where traditional notions of time and space are being challenged and reimagined. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, has forced us to rethink our relationship with time and space, as many of us have been forced to work from home and adapt to new ways of living and working. In this context, the octopus offers us a powerful reminder of the importance of flexibility and adaptability in our understanding of time. Its fluid movements and constant adaptations to its environment challenge our fixed ideas about time and invite us to embrace a more flexible and open-minded approach to the world around us. Thus, the octopus offers us a powerful reminder of the fluidity and adaptability of time. Its liquid movements and constant adaptations to its environment challenge our fixed ideas about time and invite us to embrace a more flexible and open-minded approach to the world around us. By learning from the octopus and embracing its fluidity of movement and time, we can begin to unlock new possibilities for ourselves and the world at large.

Reference: Bowden-Jones, H. (2022, March 16). Can the liquid motion of the octopus radicalise our ideas about time? Aeon. https://aeon.co/essays/can-the-liquid-motion-of-the-octopus-radicalise-our-ideas-about-time 

1. Which of the following arguments describes the “liquid time” and how is it related to the octopus?

(a) Liquid time is a concept that sees time as fixed and linear, moving inexorably forward in a straight line.
(b) Liquid time is a concept that sees time as fluid and adaptable rather than fixed and linear, closely linked to the octopus.
(c) Liquid time is a concept that sees time as a fixed or rigid concept, similar to the way humans often think about time.
(d) Liquid time is a term used to describe the octopus’s ability to change its shape to blend in with its surroundings.

2. The type of writing author is using is
(a) Narrative storytelling
(b) Scientific analysis
(c) Persuasive argumentation
(d) Philosophical exploration

3. Which of the following is true in the context of the passage?
(a) The octopus is a fixed and rigid creature that does not adapt to its environment.
(b) Liquid time sees time as a fixed and linear concept that moves inexorably forward in a straight line.
(c) The author uses the octopus as a symbol for a new way of thinking about time, challenging traditional notions of time as fixed and linear.
(d) The concept of “liquid time” is widely accepted and understood in mainstream scientific circles.

4. From the passage it can be inferred that the COVID-19 pandemic
(a) The pandemic has not impacted our understanding of time and space
(b) The pandemic has emphasized the importance of maintaining a fixed and linear perception of time
(c) The pandemic has highlighted the need for flexibility and adaptability in our understanding of time and space
(d) The pandemic has had little to a less impact on the way we live and work

5. “As humans, we often think of time as something that is fixed and linear, moving (______) forward in a straight line.” Which of the following words will fill in the blank to make the sentence coherent?
(a) Unstoppably
(b) Indolently
(c) Effortlessly
(d) Haphazardly

Answer Key for questions 1 to 5: