Why RC Sources Matter for Serious CAT Prep

CAT RC is not random. Year after year, passages are drawn from a very specific universe of long-form, idea-heavy writing — philosophy, economics, cognitive science, systems thinking, art criticism and more.

In CAT 2025 Slot 1, this pattern became even sharper: three out of four RC passages were from Aeon essays, and the fourth came from a classic essay on electronic music.

All CAT 2025 Slot 1 RC Passages — Sources & Themes

How to Prepare for Future CAT RC Sections

If you are preparing for CAT 2026 and beyond, reverse-engineer what CAT 2025 has shown:

• Make Aeon, The Atlantic, Nautilus and similar long-form sites part of your weekly reading.
• Don’t just “read and forget”. While reading, pause and ask:
  • What is the author’s core claim?
  • How is the argument structured?
  • Which examples are central, which are supporting?
  • Where could a CAT question setter trap me?
• Practice past RC sets in a realistic test interface, but build your reading muscle outside the exam PDFs.

RC is not about memorising templates; it is about learning to sit with complex ideas without panicking.