Reading_Comprehension

Passage-1 Raja Ram Mohan Roy is considered the pioneer of modern Indian Renaissance for the remarkable reforms he brought about in the 18th century India. Among his efforts, the abolition of Sati- pratha-a practice in which the widow was compelled to sacrifice herself on the funeral pyre of her husband was prominent. His efforts were also instrumental in eradicating the Purdah system and child marriage. In 1828, Ram Mohan Roy formed the Brahmo Samaj, a group of people, who had no faith in idol-worship and were against the caste restrictions. Raja Ram Mohan Roy’ father was a wealthy Brahmin and strictly performed the duties set by the religion. Ram Mohan himself was also devoted to Lord Vishnu and in his 14th year, he wanted to become a monk but his mother, Tarini Devi objected to his desire. Ram Mohan viewed education as a medium to implement the social reforms. So in 1815, Ram Mohan came to Calcutta and the very next year, started an English College by putting in his own savings. He was well aware that the students should learn the English language and scientific subjects and that’s why he criticized the government’s policy of opening only Sanskrit schools. According to him, Indians would lag behind if they do not get to study modern subjects like Mathematics, Geography and Latin. The government accepted this idea of Ram Mohan and also implemented it but not before his death. Ram Mohan was also the first to give importance to the development of mother tongue. His Gaudiya Byakaran in Bengali is the best of his prose works. Rabindranath Tagore and Bankimchandra also followed in the footsteps of Ram Mohan Roy. Ram Mohan Roy was a staunch supporter of free speech and expression and fought for the rights of vernacular press. He also brought out a newspaper in Persian called Mirathul- Akhbar ( the mirror of news ) and a Bangali weekly called Sambad Kaumudi ( the Moon of intelligence ). In those days, items of news and articles had be approved by government before being published. Ram Mohan protested against this control by arguing that newspapers should be free and that the truth should not be suppressed simply because the government did not like it. 1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy is known for his (a) Economic reforms (b) literary reforms © political reforms (d) social reforms 2. When he was a teenager, Raja Ram Mohan Roy expressed his desire to become a (a) Journalist (b) monk (c) teacher (d) businessman 3. Raja Ram Mohan Roy believed that Indians would lag behind (a) Forget their cultural roots (b) did not learn traditional skills (c) gave up study of Sanskrit (d) did not study modern subject 4. Raja Ram Mohan Roy strongly supported (a) Rituals and observances (b) Physical education (c) freedom of speech and expression (d) moral education 5. The word ‘ eliminating’ most nearly means (a) Banishing (b) eradicating (c) banning (d) dismissing 6. The word which is opposite in meaning to ‘encouraged’ is (a) Crushed (b) misled (c) disheartened (d) suppressed 7. Which ‘part of speech’ is the underlined word in the sentence given below? “ He was a staunch supported of free speech and expression..” (a) Adjective (b) Conjunction (c) Noun (d) Adverb Passage-1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 D B D C B C A Passage-2 A remarkable feature of Edison’s inventions was their basic simplicity. There were innumerable scientists possessing deep knowledge of electricity, chemistry etc., but it was this unschooled genius who succeeded where they failed. What were his unique qualities? Firstly, he had an uncanny ability to judge the practical use of any scientific fact. Secondly, he was blessed with patience and perseverance. He would try out countless ideas till he found the right one. Third was his business acumen, which enabled him to earn the large sums of money necessary to conduct experimental work. Edison’s enthusiasm for work and optimistic attitude ensured a long and productive life. Only after crossing the age of seventy five did he start slowing down. During his final illness, his curiosity about his condition, medicines and treatment made the doctors think that possibly he was taking this too as one of his scientific investigation! He passed away on 18 October, 1931, at the ripe old age of eight four. During this lifetime itself Edison became one of the most famous men in the world. Honours were showered on him. Among them was the congressional gold medal in 1928 for his contributions to human welfare. In 1960, he was posthumously elected to the hall of Fame for Great Americans at New York University. But the tribute that was most eloquent was quite unintended. The authorities contemplated switching off the power supply in New York, the scene of his triumph in 1882, for two minutes as a mark of respect on his death. But 1931 was not 1882. Since normal life would have come to a standstill by the two minutes power cutoff, the idea was given up. There could be no greater tribute to the man than this negative tribute! 1. The most remarkable feature of Edison’s inventions was their (a) Low cost (b) aesthetic aspect (c) Fundamental simplicity (d) multiple usefulness 2. According to the author, Edison became prosperous because he (a) Had great business sense (b) Had luck on his side (c ) Worked very hard (d) made the best use of this time 3. To conduct experimental work, Edison needed (a) Calm and quite atmosphere (b) sophisticated gadgets (c) support of generous patrons (d) huge amount of money 4. Edison’s long and productive life can be attributed to (a) His positive attitude (b) his immensely good health (c) a large circle of friends (d) his involvement in charitable work 5. The word ‘ uncanny ‘ as used in the passage means (a) astonishing (b) weird (c) great (d) terrific 6. The opposite of word ‘ famous ‘ is (a) Negligible (b) unnoticeable (c) unpopular (d) unknown 7. which part of speech is the underlined word? “…any scientific fact” (a) Adverb (b) Preposition (c) Noun (d) Adjective Passage-2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 C A D A B D A Passage-3 One Sunday morning, I was travelling on a subway in Mumbai. People were sitting quietly some reading newspapers, some lost in thought. It was a calm, peaceful scene. Then suddenly, a man and his children entered the subway car. The children were so loud and rambunctious that instantly the whole climate changed. The man sat next to me and closed his eyes, apparently oblivious to the situation. The children were yelling back and forth, throwing things, even grabbing people’s papers. It was very disturbing. And yet, the man sitting next to me did nothing. It was difficult not to feel irritated, too. So finally, I turned to him and said, “ Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn’t control them a little more?” The man lifted his gaze as if to come to a consciousness of the situation for the first time and said softly, “ Oh, you are right. I guess should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother die an hour ago. I don’t know what to think and I guess they don’t know how to handle it either. Can you imagine that how I felt at that moment. My paradigm shifted. Suddenly I saw things differently, and because I saw things differently, I thought, felt and behaved differently. My irritation vanished; my heart was filled with the man’s pain. Feeling of sympathy and compassion flowed freely “ your wife just died? Oh, I am sorry! Can you tell me about it? What can I do to help?” Everything changed in an instant. 1. The primary purpose of the author is to (a) Narrate an amusing incident (b) Show how indulged parents spoil their children (c) Show a radical shift in attitude (d) Highlight the problems of subway travelers 2. The word ‘ Oblivious ‘ means (a) Unaware (b) neglectful (c) inconsiderate (d) insensitive 3. The word which is opposite in meaning to ‘ compassion’ is (a) Coarseness (b) dislike (c) wildness (d) cruelty 4. ‘I felt differently’ Tense of the above sentence has been correctly changed into Present Continuous in (a) I am feeling differently (b) I had been feeling differently (c) I was feeling differently (d) I have been feeling differently 5. ‘ My irritation vanished’ “ the sentence given above has been correctly changed into interrogative form in (a) Couldn’t my irritation vanish? (b) hadn’t my irritation vanish? (c) didn’t my irritation vanish? (d) Did my irritation vanish? 6. The children behavior on the subway was (a) Irritating (b) disgusting (c) shocking (d) amusing 7. How did the man (Children’s father ) react to the unruly behavior of this children? (a) He rebuked them (b) he tried to control them (c) He did nothing (d) He enjoyed their antics 8. It can be inferred from man’s behavior that he was (a) An indulgent man (b) mentally disturbed (c) Unsocial (d) insensitive 9. When the writer learnt the truth (a) His heart was filled with the man’s suffering (b) He was angry with himself for being judgemental (c) He decided the help the man out (d) He felt apologetic Passage-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 C A D A D A C B A Passage-4 Madam Cama’s Paris home became a shelter for world revolutionaries. Even Lenin, the father of Russian revolution visited her house and exchanged views. Savarkar got all encouragement in writing the history of the First Indian War of Independence from Cama. She helped its printing in Holland as no English publisher came forward to publish it. It was a banned book but found its way to India. Smuggled Ingeniously under “ Don Quixote “ covers! She became the publisher of “Vande Mataram” a revolutionary magazine and its distributors, an extremely difficult task in the days of British espionage. Another magazine ‘Madam Talwar’ was also started in memory of Madan Lal Dhingra who laid down his life for the country. Both the magazines were outlawed in India and England. Madam Cama somehow found ways to send them to Indian revolutionaries. Madam Cama also fought for the cause of women. Speaking at National Conference at Cairo, Egypt in 1910, she asked. “ Where is the other half of the Egypt? I see only men who represent half the country!” she stressed the role of women in building a nation. When the First World War broke out in 1914, Madam Cama took an anti-British stand and tried her best to make the Indian people aware of the exploitative nature of British imperialism. The British had banned her entry into India, being afraid of her revolutionary past and staunch nationalistic outlook. But the lioness was getting old and 35 year of fighting on foreign-land had taken its toll. She decided the return to her motherland. Her health was worsening. After reaching Bombay, she was hospitalized and died on 13 th of August, 1936. Q1. The author’s attitude to Madam Cama can be described as (a) Laudatory (b) critical (c) contradictory (d) hostile Q2. The word, ‘Ingeniously’ most nearly means (a) Cleverly (b) willfully (c) devilishly (d) secretly Q3. The word which is opposite in meaning to ‘famous’ is (a) Undesirable (b) mysterious (c) unknown (d) unpopular Q4. ‘Madam Cama fought for the cause of women’ Tense of the above sentence has been correctly changed into past perfect in (a) Madam Cama has been fighting for the cause of women (b) Madam Cama is fighting for the cause of women (c) Madam Cama had been fighting for the cause of women (d) Madam Cama had fought for the cause of women Q5. Which part of speech is the underlined word in the sentence given below “ I see only men who represent half of the country.” (a) Pronoun (b) Adverb (c) Noun (d) Adjective Q6. How did the book, ‘ the First Indian War of Independence’ find its way to India’? The book was (a) Mailed (b) smuggled (c) sent thorough a secret agent (d) couriered Q7. Madan Lal Dhingra was a (a) Freedom Fighter (b) Poet (c) Journalist (d) businessman Q8. Not only did Madam Cama participate in India’s struggle for freedom, she also (a) Opened schools in slums (b) Created awareness of the importance of cleanliness among women (c) Championed the cause of women (d) Worked for the upliftment of the poor Q9. Madam Cama’s entry into India was banned because (a) She had a criminal past (b) She spoke vehemently against the British (c) She was spreading rumours about the British (d) She was a revolutionary and staunch nationalist Passage-4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A A C D A B A C D Passage-5 Your body is made up of sixty percent water and you lost the essential fluid every minute of every day as you breathe, digest and hopefully work up a sweat. It is important that you put back every drop. Starting now, drink eight 230 ml glasses of water every single day- that’s the minimum, your body needs daily. That is the non-negotiable sugar savvy hydration Mantra. Many times when you think you are hungry, sleepy, depressed and/or irritated, you are actually just dehydrated. Drinking enough water actually helps you combat water retention. Sounds counterintuitive, but think about it. If you are running around in a semi-dehydrated state all the time, your body is going to hang on to every single drop, giving you that puffy, unhealthy appearance. When you are properly hydrating, your body gets the message that all systems are operating smoothly and it continues it s work of flushing out system and ridding itself of the excess fluids. If your goal is to lose weight, water is a must. When you are dehydrated, your body sends out signals that you need assistance. Many people mistake those thirsty SOS signals for hunger and take in hundreds of extra calories. They also don’t solve the real problem- thirst! Drinking water can be a powerful appetite suppressant and allows you to cue into your real hunger. Your body also needs plenty of water for proper digestion, so you can get the most from the foods you eat. You are less susceptible to food cravings when your stomach is full and you are getting all the nutrients you need. Drink two glasses of water before every meal—you will eat less! Your body uses water for fat. Q1. ……helps fight water retention. (a) Having a balanced diet (b) Drinking enough water (c) Exercising regularly (d) A regular morning walk Q2. Our systems operate satisfactorily (a) If excess fat is reduced (b) when we enjoy a sound sleep (c) when we are properly hydrated (d) if we consume lots of fruits and vegetables Q3. The best way to lose weight is to (a) Eat less starchy food (b) take weight-reducing pills (c) exercise at least twice a day (d) drink plenty of water Q4. When we are dehydrated, we think we (a) Are about to collapse (b) Want to vomit (c) are tired (d) need food Q5. The word ‘ irritated’ most nearly means (a) Annoyed (b) troubled (c) uneasy (d) frustrated Q6. The word which I opposite in meaning to ‘assistance’ is (a) Fragrance (b) resistance (c) persistence (d) existence Q7. “Your body uses water for fat.” The ‘voice’ in the above sentence has been correctly changed in (a) Water was used for fat by our body (b) water could be used for fat by our body (c) water is being used by our body for fat (d) water is used for fat by your body Passage-5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 B C D D A B D Passage-6 Your attitudes are the perspectives from which you view life. Some people seem to have a good attitude towards most things. Some people seem to have a bad attitude towards everything. But when you look closer, you will find that most of us have a combination of attitudes, some good, some not so good. Whatever attitude we have towards anything will affect how we feel about it, which is turn determines whether or not we will do well. So our right attitudes play a very important part in helping us become successful. In fact, as we can see, a good attitude is essential for achievement of any kind! We so often hear of someone who is said to have a ‘bad attitude’. The term is often applied to young people, especially to teenagers who frequently get into trouble, but we often her it about adults, too. The implication is always that the individual in question is not going to make it if he doesn’t change his attitude. I would agree, without a good attitude it is not possible to see the opportunities ahead and set one’s sights to reach them. But even more important is the fact that in order to possess the kind of feeling which work for us we have got to have the right attitude to start with. But where do we get our attitudes from? Are we born with them or do they just appear out of nowhere? Our attitudes are no accident: they don’t just happen. Our attitudes created and influenced entirely by our beliefs. Q1. Which one of the following statements is correct? (a) Our attitudes are influenced by our parents only (b) Our attitudes are created and of controlled by our beliefs (c) Our attitudes are the results of own personal experiences (d) We are born with our attitudes Q2. The word ‘determine’ most nearly means (a) Influence (b) overcome (c) engage (d) govern Q3. Which part of speech is the underlined word in the sentence given below? Some people seem to have a good attitude towards most things.’ (a) Preposition (b)Adjective (c) Conjunction (d) Adverb Q4. A/An……..attitude is absolutely necessary for attainment of any kind. (a) Cheerful (b) optimistic (c) good (d) virtuous Q5. The term ‘bad attitude’ is used for young people because they (a) Behave irresponsibly (b) often get into difficulty (c) are unpredictable (d) defy all kinds of authority Q6. Right attitude are absolutely essential to (a) Win the goodwill of our peers and superiors (b) Have harmonious relations with others (c) Promote our mental well-being (d) succeed in life Passage-6 1 2 3 4 5 6 Passage-7 In the affluent, industrialized nations giant surpluses of wheat, maize and sorghum are commonplace; cattle, swine and poultry are fed and fattened on cereal grains. Meat, milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables are within the economic reach of most of the population; well-balanced diets are more or less automatically achieved and cereal products constitute only a modest portion of the ‘daily bread’. Consequently, most of the people in such societies have difficulty in comprehending and appreciating the vital significance of providing high-yielding strains of wheat, rice, maize, sorghum and millet for the people of the developing nations. Understandably, then the majority of the urbanites in the industrialized nationds have forgotten the significance of the words they learned as youngsters. ‘Give us this day our daily bread’. They know that food comes from supermarket, but only a few see beyond the necessary investments, the toil, struggle and frustrations on the farms and ranches that provide their daily bread. Since, the urbanities have lost their contact with the soil, they take food for granted and fail to appreciate the tremendous efficiency of their farmers and ranchers, who although constituting only five percent of the labour force in a country such as the United States, produce more than enough food for their nation. Even worse, unbanities often vociferously criticize their government for attempting to bring into balance the agricultural production of its farmers with the domestic and foeign market demands for farm products and attempting thereby to provide the consumer an abundant food supply at reasonable cost and also to assure a reasonable return to the farmer and ranchers. Q1. ….do not play a great role in providing food the dining tables in developed nations. (a) Farm labourers (b) Agricultural machines (c) Farms (d) Supermarkets Q2. Synonym of the word ‘vociferously’ is (a) Vocational (b) vividly (c) stridently (d) vocally Q3. Antonym for the word ‘modest’ here is (a) Quick (b) smart (c) large (d) rightful Q4. How do the rich countries use most of their surplus wheat and maize? (a) They give them free to the poor people (b) They burn them in the field (c) They export them to help the developing countries (d) They feed their cattle and poultry Q5. How do they benefit from such a use? (a) The country earns goodwill (b) their citizens get balanced diet (c) the soil gets enriched (d ) the surplus does not get wasted Q6. People in the developed nations eat very little of (a) Fruits and vegetables (b) cereal (c) meat products (d) milk products Passage-7 1 2 3 4 5 6 D C C D B B Passage-8 Adversity provides us with an opportunity to develop our character in a natural, recurring and powerful way that only the challenges of adversity offers. According to Solomon, adversity refines and reveals the gold and silver of our character. A lot of times adversity comes our way as a direct or indirect result of our own actions. We make a bad choice or a bad decision or we simply fail to do something we should have done. When I made bad investment decisions. I had to accept responsibilities for my greed and naïve choices. Yes, several men had misrepresented the opportunities to me but the fact is, I am the one who made the decisions. And I experienced the very consequences, that Solomon had cautioned us about. Any time you make a contribution to your own adversity, you need to accept responsibility for it. Don’t simply blame someone or something else. Nonetheless, throughout our lives we will experience a great deal of adversity that is not a result of our own actions. It is critically important that we do not assign fault to ourselves or to those who had nothing to do with it. When a friend of mine lost his daughter to leukemia, he confided to me that he felt God was punishing him for his past sins. In other words, he was blaming himself. It is believed that adversity sometimes has a purpose that we cannot know or understand. As tempting as it may be, to try to figure out such a mystery is not only an exercise in futility. It is foolish also. Q1. Adversity provides us with an opportunity to (a) Introspect (b) develop our character (c) test our friend (d) evaluate our own character Q2. The author quotes Solomon to (a) Lend force to his argument (b) show his veneration for him (c) emphasize that adversity is part of life (d) embellish his prose Q3. Most often our misfortune are the result of our own (a) Idleness (b) haste (c) follies (d) actions Q4. The synonym for ‘cautioned’ is (a) Warned (b) threatened (c) suggested (d) persuaded Q5. The phrase ‘exercise in futility’ means (a) A foolish approach (b) something that is pointless (c) hopes of future (d) an irrational act Q6. Identify the correct statement (a) Adversity is purposeless (b) Adversity is a curse (c) The mystery of adversity can be easily understood (d) Adversity helps us improve our character Q7. Which of the following statement is not true? (a) Adversity is a test of our character (b) The bravest are bogged down by misfortunes (c) Adversity refines our character (d) Adversity sometimes has a purpose Q8. The antonym of the word ‘adversity’ is (a) Prosperity (b) luxury (c) luck (d) emptiness Q9. When adversity strikes us we blame (a) Supernatural powers and evil spirits (b) Providence (c) our stars (d) everything and everyone except ourselves Passage-8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 B C D A B D B A D Passage-9 The farmer is up before dawn on shearing day, driving his flock into pens. By eight o’clock the shearers arrive and after a hearty breakfast, they take their places on long benches that the farmer has improvised in the pens. Shears are taken from leather cases and sharpened with whetstones. A fire is lighted to heat pitch for the making; and the work begins. Soon the shearers fall into their routine. A lad seizes a sheep from the pen and ties its feet not with a cord, because that might injure it, but with a strip of sacking. The sheep is carried to the benches, and the shearers begins to slice off the wool. First he shears the coarse wool from the sheep’s belly, then lays the animal on its side on the bench between his legs while snips at the curly wool round the neck. He works to and fro along the ribs, peeling the wool back until it hangs like a cloak doubled back over the animal. Then he turns the sheep over and begins on the unclipped side. In a few moments the whole fleece falls away in one piece, looking like a dirty grey rug. A few more snips from the shears and the wool is cut from either side of the sheep’s tail, leaving the animal white and naked. The shearer pushes the sheep to the ground and immediately calls from another animal. Meanwhile, the lad daubs the farmer’s mark in pitch on the newly shorn sheep, unties her legs, and drives her out of the shearing pens. A second lad the farmer’s son seizes the fleece as it is tossed aside, rolls it u, tucking the tail wool in first, and secures the bundle by knotting the neck. Any loose clipping are gathered separately. The work continues till one o’clock, when the farmer’s wife summons the men to dinner, each man finishes the sheep that is beside him, then the whole party goes back to the farm house the men troop into the farm kitchen, leaving their dogs to scuffle in the yard. After the shortest of dinner breaks for there is much to be done-the shearing continues, and piles of fleeces mounts. Q1. What expression in the first paragraph suggest that shearing does not take place very often (a) Whetstones (b) Shearing-day (c) improvised (d) flock Q2. The shearer first cuts the wool from the ….of the sheep. (a) Tail (b) Legs (c) Underside (d) Ribs Q3. Why are loose clippings of wool gathered separately? (a) Because they are needed to fill up the top of the bags (b) Because they weigh less than a whole fleece (c) So that they do not get spoiled (d) Because they are not so valuable as whole fleeces. Q4. Wool which has been sheared from a sheep is (a) Tied with sacking (b) bagged on shearing-day (c) Cut into two pieces by the shearer with a few snips (d) Rolled and bundled Q5. What word from the passage best tells us that shears are like a very large pair of scissors? (a) Slice (b) Sharpened (c) Snips (d) Cut Q6. The sheep is carried to benches ‘ It is an example of (a) Passive voice (b) Degree of comparison (c) An Interrogative Sentence (d) A negative Sentence Passage-9 1 2 3 4 5 6 B C D D C A Passage-10 A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would emerge enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready to fight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Q1. The man’s first instinct was (a) Leave the cocoon alone (b) Help the butterfly (c) Leave the butterfly (d) Keep watching Q2. The natural process would have the wings of the butterfly (a) Unfold and stretch out (b) Fold up and remain snug (c) Half open and snug against the body (d) Unfold and remain stiff Q3. A word that means ‘ to make or become withered’ is (a) Moistened (b) folded (c) wasted (d) shriveled Q4. The writer’s message in his/her is about (a) Not to have any problem (b) Need for struggles in life (c) Escape pain at any cost (d) Needless struggles in life Q5. The essay is……in form. (a) Factual (b) Descriptive (c) Discursive (d) Argumentative Q6.A man noticed that.. (a) Butterfly was hidden (b) Cocoon was growing (c)Cocoon was moving (d) Butterfly was emerging Passage -10 1 2 3 4 5 6 B A D B A D Passage-11 As District Employment Officer, my father was given a jeep by the government. There was no garage in the office, so the jeep was parked in our house. My father refused to use if to commute to the office. He told us that the jeep is an expensive resource given by the government—he reiterated to us that it was not ‘his jeep’ but the government’s jeep. Insisting that he would use it only to tour the interiors, he would walk to his office on normal days. He also made sure that we never sat in the government jeep—we could sit in it only when it was stationary. That was our early childhood lesson in governance—a lesson that corporate managers learn the hard way, some never do. The driver of the jeep was treated with respect due to any other member of my father’s office. As small children, we were taught not to call him by his name. we had to use the suffix ‘dada’ whenever we were to refer to him in public or private. When I grew up to own a car and a driver by the name of Raju was appointed, I repeated the lesson to my two small daughters. They have as a result, grown up calling him ‘ Raju uncle’—very different from many of their friends who refer to their family drivers as ‘my driver.’ When I hear that term from a school or college going person, I cringe. To me, the lesson was significant—you treat small people with more respect than you treat big people. It is more important to respect your subordinates than your superiors. Q1. The author’s father would not allow his family to use the jeep because (a) It was not their private vehicle (b) the road were full of potholes (c) he was afraid of accidents (d) the jeep was in bad condition Q2. The author taught his children to (a) Be firm with servants (b) treat small people with respect (c) maintain a discreet distance from servants (d) be small to kind people Q3. The author was critical of his children’s friends because their attitude to servants smacked of (a) Weakness (b) coarseness (c) arrogance (d) loftiness Q4. The author’s attitude towards servants can be described as (a) Respectful (b) indifferent (c) rational (d) affectionate Q5. The opposite of the word ‘refused’ is (a) Accepted (b) received (c) justified (d) admired Q6. The word that can be replaced ‘reiterated’ is (a) Revised (b) repeated (c) recalled (d) reconsidered Passage-11 1 2 3 4 5 6 A B C A A B Passage-12 Ramanujan was born on 2 December, 1887 in Erode ( south India ) as the eldest son in a family of six children. In November, 1892 he entered, the Town High School at Kumbakonam as a half- free scholarship holder and passed the Matriculation Examination in 1904. In the school, he became a minor celebrity, walking off with merit certificates and prizes for academic brilliance. This school nourished him for six years, bringing him as close as he would ever come to a satisfying academic experience. When he was in the seventh standard, he gave clear evidence of his mathematical gifts; he could reel off the square root of a natural number to the specified number of places; he could point to the indeterminate nature of zero divided by zero. Ramanujan’s mother-the family being close to penury-took in college students as boarders who noticing Ramanujan’s interest in mathematics, brought him textbooks from the college library. Loney’s ‘Trigonometry’ was one such treasure which he mastered. During 1906-1912, Ramajunan was constantly in search of an employer to earn his livelihood. With his ‘Notebooks’ as his only recommendation, he sought the patronage of V Ramaswamy Iyer. The found of Indian Mathematical Society who was at Tirukovillur and asked for a clerical job in his office. The former had no mind to smother Ramanujan’s genius and sent him back to Madras with a letter of introduction oto PV Seshi Aiyar, then at the Presidency College, Madras. He gave in turn, Ramanujan a letter of recommendation to that true lover of Mathematics, R Ramachandra Rao, the District Collector, Nellore. This was the turning point in his life. On the advice of PV Seshu Aiyar, Ramanujan communicated his theorems on divergent series in a historic letter dated January 16, 1913 to GH Hardy, who was ten years senior to Ramanujan. With the personal interest of Gilbert Walker and support given by Indian Stalwarts, the University of Madras awarded its first scholarship to Ramanujan to study in Cambridge. Over the next three months, Ramanujan received four long letters from Hardy, who had already sprung into action, advising the India Office, of his wish to bring him to Cambridge. Q1. Merit certificates and prizes awarded to Ramanujan at school are a proof of his (a) Commitment (b) Intellectual brilliance (c) Sincerity (d) Dedication Q2. Ramanujan’s mother took in college students as boarders because (a) The family was on the verge of poverty (b) She wanted to give her son all the comforts of life (c) She wanted to save money to buy a house (d) She had to pay up the huge debts Q3. The turning point in Ramanujan’s life came when (a) He was given a scholarship (b) He got a job in Indian Mathematical Society (c) His name was recommended to the District Collector, Nellore (d) He was awarded a big cash award Q4. The support Ramanujan received from his school suggests that (a) Fortune favours those who dare (b) A talented person needs nourishment to flourish (c) Luck is more important than patronage (d) Support or no support, men with talent forge ahead Q5. Identify the correct statement. (a) Ramanujan was offered a job at Cambridge (b) Ramanujan did not get much support from his school (c) Ramanujan mother did not want him to go abroad (d) Seshu Aiyar was Ramanujan’s patron Q6. The phrasal verb ‘ reel off’ means to (a) Say quickly (b) fishing (c) rehearse easily (d) articulate last Q7. The closest synonym for the word ‘ smother’ is (a) Deaden (b) stifle (c) discourage (d) ruin Q8. The antonym for the word ‘ recommendation’ is (a) Disapproval (b) condemnation (c) criticism (d) revulsion Q9. The word that can best replace ‘ nourished’ is (a) Gifted (b) sent (c) supported (d) served Passage-12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 B B C B D A B D C Passage-13 “Although india has a tradition of women warriors, participations in the Salt satyagraha was their first appearance in any modern militant political campaign and I could hardly suppress my excitement at the enormity of the occasion and my own good fortune to be amongst the first. As I attached my name to the pledge to devote myself to my country’s freedom battle, my hand shook a little under my tumultuous emotions. It seemed such a stupendous moment in my life, in the life of the women of my country. If felt I was tracing not the letters of my name, but recording a historic event. There was not much time for thought, however. The next instant we were filing out, taking the road to the sea, marching with quick steps. Great sky-rending cries or ‘jai’ filled with air. Heavy-scented flower garlands almost smothered us. From the balconies and roofs unseen hands showered rose-petals until the road became a carpet of flowers. Often our march was stopped and bright-eyed women sprinkled rose water from silver sprays, tipped our palms with sandalwood paste and perfume and blessed us waving lights round our heads and faces for good omen. The long narrow strip of sand that borders the city like white ribbon was transformed this morning into another sea-a sea of human faces that swayed and danced and bobbed about even as did the deep azure waves that rimmed the shore. The city seemed to have disgorged almost its entire population onto the sands. It was not the struggling batch of seven that was breaking the Salt Law, but hundreds and thousands now filling the water’s edge. And still they kept coming, thousands of women amongst them, striding like proud warriors, gracefully balancing their pitchers of maroon-red earth and shimmering brass that scattered a thousand hues as the sunrays struck them. Even as I lit my little fire to boil the saltwater, I saw thousands of fires aflame dancing in the wind. The copper pans sizzled in laughter while their bosoms traced the white grains of salt as the heat lapped up the last drop of water. Q1. Women lighted their little fires on the seashore to (a) Protect themselves from cold (b) make tea and drink it to overcome their fatigue (c) boil seawater to make salt (d) express their anger against the British Q2. The word which nearly means the same as ‘ stupendus’ is (a) crucial (b) wonderful (c) significant (d) influential Q3. The word opposite to the meaning to the word ‘proud’ as used in the passage is (a) humble (b) gentle (c) decent (d) fawning Q4. Which part of speech is the underlined word in the following sentence? “ I could hardly suppress my excitement.” (a) Adverb (b) Pronoun (c) Adjective (d) Conjunction Q5. Participation in the Salt Satyagraha evoked in the author a feeling of (a) Pride (b) ecstasy (c) excitement (d) fear Q6. The author took a pledge to (a) Fight against social evils (b) launch a literacy campaign (c) serve the poor people of India (d) be part of India’s freedom struggle Q7. The warm welcome given to the satyagraha showed (a) That the Indian people turn every event into joyous occasion (b) General resentment against British exploitation of the people (c) The full support of the people for breaking the Salt Law (d) People’s hatred of the British Q8. ‘A sea of human faces that swayed and danced’ means (a) People dancing while bathing (b) human faces resembling a sea (c) People bathing and frolicking in the sea (d) a large number of enthusiastic people Passage-13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C B A A B D C D Passage-14 Our body is a wondrous mechanism and when subjected to unusual stress over a period of time, it adapts itself to deal more effectively with that stress. Therefore, when you exert your muscles against resistance, they are forced to adapt and deal with this extraordinary workload. This is the principle of weight training. Strands of muscle fibres become thicker and stronger in response to the demands placed on them. One of the great merits of weight training is the strength of your heart. During weight training, your heart is forced to beat faster and stronger in order to pump sufficient blood to the muscles being worked. In time, your heart, like your body, will adapt to this extra-workload by becoming stronger and more efficient. Since your body needs a given amount of blood to perform its daily tasks, your heart will now need fewer beats to pump the same quantity of blood. Sounds good? There is more. Your entire circulatory system is given a thorough workout every time you exercise, which increases its overall efficiency. Even the neural paths from your brain’s command centres to each individual muscle become more effective, enabling easier recruitment of muscles fibres for carrying out physical tasks. In essence, your body becomes a well-oiled and finely- tuned piece of machinery, whirring along without any breakdown. In today’s stress-filled world, you need all the help you can get. Q1. The principle of the weight training is (a) Disposing extra workload (b) Thickening of body through extra consumption (c) Helping the body adapt to increased stress (d) Training muscles to exert more pressure Q2. Weight training makes the muscles (a) Thicker and stronger (b) Become stranded (c) Become intense (d) Resist workload Q3. During weight training the heart pumps (a) Required blood (b) An extraordinary amount of blood (c) Less blood (d) More blood Q4. A stronger and more efficient heart (a) Can rest longer, reducing its workload (b) Is assisted by muscles of the body (c) Beats faster and more often to pump blood (d) Needs fewer beats to pump the same amount of blood Q5. When neural paths become more effective (a) The brain employs various muscles easily for physical tasks (b) The muscles function effectively and independently (c) The brain functions at extraordinary speed (d) The brain opens new pathways for communication Q6. What does term ‘well-oiled’ in the passage denote? (a) Massaged (b) Greased (c) Healthy (d) Serviced Q7. Which one of the following is the most appropriate title for the passage? (a) The mechanics of weight training (b) How to restrain your health? (c) Health is wealth (d) Stress busting Q8. What does the above passage suggest? (a) We should ignore physical exercise (b) We should subject our body to as much exercise as it can withstand (c) We should carry out physical exercise as a routine (d) Physical exercise is necessary occasionally Q9.The word ‘wondrous’ ( first line ) is (a) An adverb (b) an adjective (c) a verb (d) a noun Passage-14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 C A A D A C A C B Passage-15 One of the unhealthiest emotion is anger. It destroys our ability to think clearly, properly and it totality. Anger also had adverse impact on health. If you ask a selection of people what triggers their anger, you would get a wide range of answers. However, whatever the cause, even a single word spoken in anger can leave a lasting impression on a person’s heart and has the ability to ruin the sweetness of any relationship. A sage once said,” How can there be peace on earth if the hearts of men are volcanoes”? we can live in harmony with others only when we overcome anger and make room for peace. So, how can we set about creating that sense of peace within ourselves? It starts with the realization that we do have the choice to think and fell the way we want to. If we look at what it is that makes us angry, we might discover there is nothing that has the power to make us feel this way. We can only allow something to trigger our anger-the anger is a way in which we respond to an event or person. But because we are so used to reacting on impulse, we forget to choose how we want to feel and end up reacting inappropriately, leaving ourselves with angry feelings. Meditation helps us create personal space within ourselves so that we have the chance to loom weigh the situation and respond accordingly, remaining in a state of self-control. When we are angry, we have no self-control. At that moment, we are in a state of internal chaos and anger can be a very destructive force. Stability that comes from practice of meditation can create a firm foundation, a kind of positive stubbornness. Others can say whatever they want and it may also be true, but we don’t lose our peace or happiness on account of that. This is to respect what is eternal within each of us. We give ourselves the opportunity to maintain our own peace of mind because let’s face it, no one’s going to turn up at our door with a box full of peace and say,” here, I think you could do with some of this today!” there is method which could be described as sublimation or the changing of form. With daily practice and application of spiritual principles in our practical life, experience of inner peace can come naturally. Q1. The synonym for the word,’ Adverse’ is (a) Unfavorable (b) similar (c) angry (d) successful Q2. Which part of speech is the underlined word? …….can leave a lasting impression on a….. (a) Verb (b) Adjective (c) Noun (d) Pronoun Q3. “Meditation helps us to create personal space”. Change the Voice in the above sentence. (a) We have been helped to create personal space (b) Personal space is helped by meditation (c) We are helped by meditation to create personal space (d) Personal space has been created by meditation Q4. What is anger? (a) It is release of our pent up emotions (b) It is an effort to avenge ourselves (c) it is loss of control over our temper (d) it is our reaction to an event or person Q5. Getting angry….. (a) Makes us feel ashamed of ourselves (b) affects our digestive system (c) affects the clarity of our mind (d) gives us a feeling of superiority Q6. How can we get peace of mind? (a) By enjoying good health (b) By overcoming anger (c) through prolonged meditation (d) by accepting life as it comes Q7. To overcome anger, meditation helps us by… (a) Remaining in a state of self-control (b) offering us a wide range of answers (c) removing the trigger (d) giving us the choice to think Q8. Why should we not get angry with a friend? (a) It ruins our relationship (b) it damages our intellectual ability (c) it may give us a heart attack (d) it affects our health Q9. The antonym for the word, ‘ triggers’ is (a) Deviates (b) controls (c) excites (d) Prolongs Passage-15 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D C C A A B Passage-16 Nature is an infinite source of beauty. Sunrise and sunset, mountains and rivers, lakes and glaciers, forests and fields provide joy and bliss to the human mind and heart for hours together. Everything in nature is splendid and divine. Everyday and every season of the year has a peculiar beauty to unfold. Only one should have eyes to behold it and a heart to feel it like the English poet Willam Wordsworth who after seeing the daffodils said:? And then my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the daffodils? Nature is a great teacher. The early man was thrilled with beauty and wonders of nature. The Aryans worshipped nature. One can learn the lesson in the vast school of nature. Unfortunately, the strife, the stress and the tension of modern life have made people immune to beauties of nature. Their life is full of care that they have no time to stand and stare. They cannot enjoy the beauty of lowing rivers, swinging trees, flying birds and majestic mountains and hills. There is however, a cry to go back to village from the concrete and artificial jungle of cities. Hence the town planners of today pay special attention to provide enough number of nature scenic spots in town planning. To develop a balanced personality, one needs to have a healthy attitude which can make us appreciate and enjoy the beauty of nature. There is other balm to soothe our tired soul and listless mind than the infinite nature all around us. We should enjoy it fully to lead a balanced and harmonious life, full of peace and tranquility. Q1. Which of the following words has the SAME meaning as the word care as used in the passage? (a) Grief (b) Want (c) Needs (d) Pleasure Q2. Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE in meaning of word unfold in the passage? (a) Declare (b) Conceal (c) Describe (d) Perpetuate Q3. Which of the following statement is not made in the passage about Nature? (a) Nature is an infinite source of beauty (b) Everything in nature is splendid and divine (c) Nature is a great teacher (d) The early man was scared of nature Q4. What is needed to develop balanced personality? (a) Interpersonal skills (b) Reading poetry (c) Healthy attitude (d) Going back to villages Q5. Why do people not enjoy the beauty of Nature? (a) They are running after material pleasures (b) They do not consider nature as balm to soothe their fired minds (c) Their life is full of worries and tensions (d) They are afraid of nature Q6. What should we do to enjoy tranquil life? (a) Get totally immersed in our daily routine (b) Believe that nature is infinite source of beauty (c) Lead a disciplined and dedicated life (d) Enjoy the nature around us Q7. What are the town planners doing today? (a) Providing facilities for enjoying nature (b) Establishing balance between concrete and artificial jungle of cities (c) Supporting the cry to go back to villages (d) Making efforts to inculcate healthy attitude among people Q8. Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE in meaning of the word soothe as used in the passage? (a) Stabilize (b) excite (c) propagate (d) nature Q9. According to the author of the passage, Nature (a) Is the ultimate salvation of man (b) Is the creator of this universe (c) Bring uniformity in all seasons (d) Is abundantly glorious and divine Passage-16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B D C C D A C D Passage-17 For many years, the continent Africa remained unexplored and unknown. The main reason was the inaccessibility to its interior region due to dense forests, wild-life savage tribals, deserts and barren solid hills. Many people tried to explore the land could not survive the dangers. David Living-stone is among those brave few who not only explored part of Africa but also lived among the tribals bringing them near to social milieu. While others explored with the idea of expanding their respective empires. Livingstone did so to explore its vast and mysterious hinterland, rivers and lakes. He was primarily a religious man and a medical practitioner who tried to help mankind with it. Livingstone was born in Scotland and was educated to become a doctor and priest. His exploration started at the beginning of the year 1852. He explored an unknown river in Western Luanda. However, he was reduced to a skeleton during four years of travelling. By this time, he had become famous and when he returned to England for Convalescing, entire London, along with Queen Victoria turned to welcome him. After a few days, he returned to Africa. He discovered the origin of the River Nile in 1866. He again suffered many discomforts. He became too sick and could not even walk. He lost contact with rest of the world that grew anxious to know his whereabouts. Ultimately, it was Stanley, the Americal journalist, who found him after many efforts, but Livingstone had died in a tribal village in 1873. His body was brought to London and buried in West-minister with full honour. Q1. Livingstone deserves full credit for which of the following? (a) For expanding his empire (b) For enjoying the wildlife of the continent (c) For exploring part of Africa and living among the tribals (d) For quenching his thirst for living in the company of nature. Q2. What was the impact of four-year travelling on Livingstone? (a) He could enjoy a social life among tribals’ society. (b) He derived satisfaction with the exploration of an unknown river (c) He derived satisfaction as he became very famous (d) It badly affected his health Q3. Which of the following shows that Livingstone had become very famous? (a) Queen Victoria along with the people of London had come to meet him (b) Queen Victoria arranged for the medical expenses (c) The tribals were grateful to him for his medical expenses (d) He was assigned the task of a priest although he was a medical professional Q4. Why were people not aware to the existence of Africa? (a) It was inaccessible due to oceanic reefs (b) Its territory was covered with dense forests (c) People outside the continent were chased away by native tribals (d) Explorers were afraid of the risks involved Q5. Livingstone can be best described by which of the following? (a) A person with an urge for exploration of unknown parts of the world (b) A person with religious mindset (c) A social reformer (d) A warmhearted medical practitioner Q6. Which of the following was/were explored by Livingstone? (I) A river in the Western Luanda (II) Scotland (III) The origin of river Nile (a) I and II only (b) II and III only (c) I and III only (d) I only Q7. The American Journalist Stanley can be credited for which of the following? (I) Performing the last rites of Livingstone’s dead body. (II) Relentless efforts for finding out the whereabouts of Livingstone (III) The anxiety to explore undiscovered parts of the world (a) I and II only (b) II and III only (c) I and III only (d) II only Q8. Livingstone became too sick to walk and, as a result (I) People in the world lost contact with him (II) His whereabouts were not known (III) American journalist, Stanley could not locate him despite many efforts. (a) I only (b) II only (c) III only (d) None Q9. In what way Livingstone’s exploration efforts were different from those of others? (a) Livingstone’s exploration was restricted only to unknown rivers, whereas others explored dense forests (b) Others explored with selfish motives, Livingstone explored to know the mysterious parts of the world (c) Others explored new parts of the world for wealth, but Livingstone did so for religious purpose (d) Being a medical practitioner he tried to explore medicine. Others did for tribal population Synonyms Q10. REST (a) Remainder (b) Relax (c) Respite (d) Discovery Q11. EXPLORATION (a) Execution (b) Cultivation (c) foundation (d) Discovery Q12. TURNED (a) Rotated (b) Twisted (c) Spinned (d) Arrived Antonyms Q13. DENSE (a) Crowed (b) Dark (c) Sparse (d) Transparent Q14. BARREN (a) Uncultivated (b) Fertile (c) Forest (d) Oasis Q15. VAST (a) Miniature (b) Magnified (c) Enormous (d) Small Passage-17 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C D A A A C D B B A 11 12 13 14 15 D D C B A Passage-18 What we call Old Delhi is actually only about 350 years old, which is not terribly ancient, considering that the city was inhabited around 1000-800 BC. But it is good place to look because Old Delhi has retained its character from the Mughal days. Most of what we call Old Delhi was built by the emperor Shah Jahan who, with characteristic modesty, called it Shahjahanabad. The city was build around 1640-1650 AD ( so, by Delhi standards, it is actually young!) and remained the capital of the Mughal empire ever since. India was one of the world’s richest countries in that age, so the capital’s commercial quarter was one of the most important trading and business contres in the East. The original Chandni Chowk was built around a canal of the Yamuna, which passed down the street, forming a pool that reflected the moonlight and gave the area its name. The business of Chandni Chowk was business only. Some people say that it was the ruthless reprisals from the British after the 1857 Mutiny/War of independence that destroyed the peaceful character of Chandni Chowk as did the looting that was the hallmark of the East India Company’s soldiers. Other say that the rot set in after New Delhi was created in the 20 th century. Either way, Chandni Chowk is a mess now. It is overcrowded, parts of it are dirty and its wonderful historic mansions are now in disrepair. In an era when the world’s great squares have become landmarks, why should Chandni Chowk become a slum? Q1. East India Company’s soldiers were (a) Noble and brave (b) greedy but not cruel (c) cruel and greedy (d) cruel but not greedy Q2. “…..a pool that reflected the moonlight….” Which part of speech is the underlined word? (a) Pronoun (b) Interjection (c) Adjective (d) Determiner Q3. “Either way, Chandni Chowk is a mess now. (a) Canteen (b) Upset (c) Snare (d) Confusion Q4. “…a pool that reflected the moonlight. The word opposite in meaning to “reflected” is (a) Imitated (b) discredited (c) claimed (d) absorbed Q5. Study the following statement. (a) A canal used to run through Chandni Chowk. (b) Business and trading was done on the banks of the canal. (c) People visited Chandni Chowk to view the moonlight reflected in the canal. Which of the above statements are true? (A) A and B (B) A, B and C (C) B and C (D) A and C Q6. Shah Jahan named the new city of Delhi, Shahjahanabad. It shows his (a) Pride (b) Love of art (c) modesty (d) character Q7. By Delhi standards, Old Delhi is called young because (a) It was an active business centre (b) it was built around 1640-1650 AD (c) It was visited by yound tourists (d) It was inhabited around 1000-800 BC Q8. During the Mughal period, Delhi was very prosperous because (a) It was looted by East India Company’s soldiers (b) It was built by Shah Jahan (c) A lot of trade and commerce took place here (d) It was ruled by the rich Mughals Passage -18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C A D D A C B C Passage-19 Where does all out garbage disappear once it leaves our homes? There are four methods of managing waste: recycling, land filling, composting, and burning. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses. Recycling is the process of turning waste into new materials, used paper can be turned into paperboard, which can be used to make book covers. Recycling can reduce pollution, save materials and lower energy use. Some argue that collecting, processing and converting waste uses more than it saves. Landfilling is the oldest method of managing waste. Landfilling is to bury garbage in a hole. Over a period of time the process of landfilling has advanced. Garbage is compacted before it is thrown into the pit. It this garbage can fit in each landfill. Large garbage bags are placed at the bottom of a landfill, so that toxic garbage juice does not get into the groundwater. But in spite of the bags, landfills may pollute the underground water. Not to mention that all garbage stinks. Nobody wants to live next to a landfill. As landfill space increases, interest in composting grows. Composting is when people pile up organic matter, such as food waste and allow it to decompose. The product of this decomposition is compost. Compost can be added to the soil to make the soil richer and better for growing crops. One thing that is easier to do is burning garbage. There are two main ways to burn waste. The first is to harvest fuel from the waste. The second is to burn the waste directly, the heat from this burning process can boil water, which can power steam generators. Unfortunately, burning garbage pollutes the air. Q1. Compacting of garbage is done to (a) Protect groundwater (b) avoid soil pollution (c) remove the stink (d) save space Q2. The process of turning waste…. The word “ turning “ is a/an (a) Noun (b) participle (c) verb (d) adjective Q3. There are two main ways to burn waste. The underlined word “ waste” is (a) Noun (b) gerund (c) verb (d) participle Q4. Garbage recycling (a) Saves a lot of energy (b) uses more energy than it saves (c) saves only a little energy (d) wastes a lot of energy Q5. Consider a following statements. (a) Landfilling does not allow water and air pollution. (b) Composting is better than landfilling. Which of the following statements is/are true? (I) only A (II) Both A and B (III) Only B (IV) Neither A nor B Q6. It is safe to dispose the garbage through (a) Recycling and burning (b) burning and landfilling (c) composting and burning (d) recycling and composting Q7. Consider the following statements. (a) We do not use any energy in the process of composting. (b) Burning can be source of energy. Which of the above statement is/are true? (I)Both A and B (II) Only B (III) Neither A nor B (IV) Only A Passage -19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 D B A B III D I Passage-20 When the Sun had descended on the other side of the narrow strip of land, and a day of sunshine was followed by a night without twilight, the new lighthouse was casting its bright rays on the water as usual. The night was perfectly calm, silent, genuinely tropical, filled with a transparent haze, forming around the Moon a great coloured rainbow with soft, unbroken edges; the sea was moving only because the tide raised it. The keeper on the balcony seemed from below like a small black point. He tried to collect his thoughts and take in his new position; but his mind was under too much pressure to move with regularity. He felt somewhat as a hunted beast feels when at last it has found refuge from pursuit on some inaccessible rock or in a cave. Now on that rock he can simply laugh at his previous wanderings, his misfortunes and failures. He was in truth like a ship whose masts, ropes and sails had been broken and rent by a tempest and might have been cast to the bottom of the sea, a ship on which the tempest had hurled waves and spat form, but which still wound its way to the harbor. The pictures of that storm passed quickly through his mind as he compared it with the calm future now beginning. Part of his wonderful adventures he had related to Mr. Shyam when he was interviewed for the job of the keeper; he had not mentioned however, thousands of other incidents. It has been his misfortune that as often as he pitched his tent and fixed his fireplace to settle down permanently, some wind tore the stakes of his tent, whirled away the first and bore him on towards destruction. Looking now from the balcony of the tower at the illuminated waves, he remembered everything through which he had passed. He had campaigned in the four parts of the world and in wandering had tried almost every occupation. Q1. The water around the lighthouse got lit up because (a) The night was in the twilight zone (b) the keeper had started his job (c) the Sun had set (d) the lighthouse was casting its bright rays Q2. ……had made a rainbow around the Moon. (a) Rising sea tide (b) Transparent haze (c) Rays from the lighthouse (d) Tropical climate Q3. The lighthouse keeper’s mind was free from pressure, because (a) His job was quite easy (b) there was regularity in his movements (c) there were only 400 steps to the top (d) he no longer felt like a hunted beast Q4. The ship of his life was hit by a storm (a) And it reached the port in a damaged condition (b) yet it kept on sailing on the sea (c) and it went down to the bottom of the sea (d) yet it reached the harbor safety Q5. “ He was in truth like a ship” (a) A metaphor (b) Personification (c) a hyperbole (d) a simile Q6. “ A day of sunshine was followed by a night…” When the voice in the above sentence is changed, it becomes (a) A night is followed by a day of sunshine (b) a night followed a day of sunshine (c) A night followed the sunny day (d) The night follows the sunny day Q7. The antonym of “ narrow “ is (a) Deep (b) Steep (c) Wide (d) Broad Q8. “ The night was perfectly calm”. (a) Verb (b) Adjective (c) Adverb (d) Noun Q9. The word “ Illuminated “ means (a) Decorated (b) Tossed up (c) Calm (d) Lighted up Passage-20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 D B B C D B D C D Passage-21 Peoples’ faces light up when I say I taste chocolate for a living, but it is now always delicious. I also have to taste defective chocolate, which might have a bitter or burnt flavor. I am usually in a small room, not allowed to talk, and parked in front of a computer to log information. Sometimes the room has red lighting to disguise the appearance of the chocolate, so I can evaluate it only by taste, not appearance. I can sample as many as 30 chocolates, so as to keep my palate active, I spit the sweets back out. That’s another not-so glamorous part of the job. Between samples, I wait 30 seconds to let my senses rest and I chew half an unsalted cracker biscuit and drink plain warm water, as carbonated water and ice numb one’s senses. First I smell the chocolate and log its aroma. I also listen; if chocolate doesn’t sound crisp when broken, it may be a sign it’s old or was improperly stored. Then I place one inch bit in mouth and leave it there for a few seconds. I press it against my palate and let it melt, recording the four basic tastes—sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Then, I blow out short puffs of air through my nose. Certain sense receptors in the back of our head are stimulated by oxygen. They allow us to smell food when we chew. Exhaling sharply can bring our aromas like berry, mushroom, tea, citrus, bees wax, toast, cinnamon, and savoury spices that are sometimes too subtle for the nose to catch. I log these attributes, too, along with the texture. Q1. People get surprised when the narrator tells them that he (a) Has to eat bitter chocolate (b) has to work in a small room (c) is a chocolate taster (d) has to work under red light Q2. There is no glamour in his job as (a) His place of work is narrow (b) he never ate burnt chocolate (c) he has to blow out short puffs (d) he keeps on spitting out chocolate Q3. The narrator cannot eat and enjoy the chocolate (a) To keep his palate active (b) as it has burnt flavor (c) as it has not been stores properly (d) as it is defective Q4. The process of chocolate tasting runs in the order of…..and again smelling. (a) Smelling, breaking, listening, melting (b) melting, listening, breaking, smelling (c) breaking, smelling, listening, melting (d) breaking, listening, smelling, melting Q5. “ Leave it there” (a) it was left there (b) let it be left there (c) let it was left there (d) it is left there Q6. Peoples’ faces light up…. The word “ light “ here is a/an (a) Verb (b) Adjective (c) Adverb (d) Noun Q7. The world “ Parked “ ( Para 1) means (a) Operated (b) Seated (c) Ran (d) Managed Q8. The word “ Log “ ( Para II) means (a) Cut (b) enjoy (c) taste (d) record Passage-21 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C D A A B A B D PASSAGE-22 Employment exchanges — one of the surviving bastions of babudom — face the prospect of becoming irrelevant in an era of reform. Even in the heart of the nation’s capital, the premises are often dilapidated structures with dirty passages and manned by surly staff. Not surprisingly, job-seekers hardly throng these exchanges. Paradoxically, when jobs are getting scarce due to pressure of liberalisation, job-seekers are spurning an institution intended to help them secure placements. The reasons are simple enough. Employment exchanges still concentrate on government and public sector placements, which are fast losing ground in the labour market. For most government jobs, the eligibility criterion is still registration with the employment exchanges. But what is the use of going through the formalities of registration when government jobs themselves are dwindling? The placement effected by all the 939-odd exchanges in the country in 2001 was of the order of 1.69 lakh against annual registration levels of 60 lakh. As there are too few jobs when compared to the number of job-seekers, the accumulated backlog of registrations is close to 4.16 crore. The latter of course doesn’t indicate unemployment levels as those registered with the employment exchanges are not necessarily unemployed. How can the employment exchanges be revamped? The thinking in the Union labour ministry is to transform them into employment promotion and guidance centres. The plan includes modernisation, changing the mindset of the staff and making them into an effective instrument for monitoring and coordinating various employment generation schemes. This objective calls for developing a better database on the fast changing employment situation with a comprehensive coverage of new economic establishments. For instance, the various economic censuses are an important source of information on the changing employment profile of, say, the nation’s capital. Far from being a bureaucrat-dominated city, Delhi over the years has become more of an industrial metropolis. According to the fourth economic census, manufacturing accounted for 40 per cent of jobs in the capital. The employment exchanges in the capital thus have their work cut out notably, to shift the focus away from government and public sector jobs more towards placements in the private sector, especially in manufacturing and services, including the burgeoning retail trade sector. By doing so, they will better reflect the imperatives of economic reform and remain relevant in today’s times. 1. Choose the word that is opposite in meaning of the word “spurning” as used in the passage. (1) thronging (2) evaluating (3) criticizing (4) following (5) rejecting 2. Which of the following revamped role can be entrusted to employment exchanges? (1) Conducting economic surveys (2) To conduct vocational training programme for the unemployed (3) To modernise registration process through the Internet (4) To reduce the number of exchanges (5) None of these 3. What can be inferred about the employment exchanges outside Delhi? (1) The registration in them would be much less. (2) Their condition will be worse. (3) Their condition will be better. (4) They focus more on manufacturing sector. (5) None of these 4. Choose the word that is same in meaning as “imperatives” as used in the passage. (1) importance (2) implication (3) urgency (4) indication (5) authority 5. Choose the word that is same in meaning as the word “secure” as used in the passage. (1) fasten (2) safe (3) obtain (4) re-assure (5) lock 6. Choose the word that is opposite in meaning of the word “burgeoning” as used in the passage. (1) flourishing (2) loss-making (3) expanding (4) distressing (5) declining 7. In order to remain relevant, which of the following should be the focus of employment exchanges? (1) To make efforts to increase their registration (2) To shift attention to jobs in private sector (3) To shift focus to jobs in manufacturing in public sector organisations (4) To reform exchanges by recruiting trained staff (5) To obtain more grants from government 8. Which of the following is not true in the context of the passage? (1) Those who register with the employment exchange inform them if they are able to get the job on their own. (2) The annual placement arranged by employment exchanges is less than 3% of the registration. (3) For government jobs, registration with employment exchanges is required. (4) In Delhi, over the years more industries have started. (5) All the above are true Passage-22 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 4 2 5 1 3 5 2 1 Passage-23 There is no field of human endeavour that has been so misunderstood as health. While health which connotes well being and the absence of illness has a low profile, it is illness representing the failure of health which virtually monopolizes attention because of the fear of pain, disability and death. Even Sushruta had warned that this provides the medical practitioner power over the patient which could be misused. Till recently, patients had implicit faith in their physician whom they loved and respected, not only for his knowledge but also in the total belief that practitioner of this noble profession, guided by ethics, always placed the patient’s interest above all other consideration. This rich interpersonal relationship between the physician, patient and family has, barring a few exceptions, prevailed till the recent past, for caring was considered as important as curing. Our indigenoussystem of medicine like Ayurveda and yoga have been more concerned with the promotion of the health of both the body and mind and with maintaining a harmonious relationship not just with fellow-beings but with nature itself, of which man is an integral par. Healthy practices like cleanliness, proper diet, exercise and meditation are part of our culture which sustains people even in the prevailing conditions of poverty in rural India and in the unhygienic urban slums. These system consider disease as an aberration resulting from disturbance of the equilibrium of health, which must be corrected by gentle restoration of this balance through proper diet, medicines and the establishment of mental peace. They also teach the graceful acceptance of old age with its infirmities resulting from the normal degenerative process as well as of death which is inevitable. This is in marked contrast to the western concept of life as a constant struggle against disease, aging and death which must be fought and conquered with the knowledge and technology derived from their science: a science which, with its narrow dissective and quantifying approach, has provided us the understanding of the microbial causes of communicable diseases and provided highly effective technology for their prevention, treatment and control. This can rightly be claimed as the greatest contribution of western medicine and justifiably termed as high technology. And yet the contribution of this science in the field of non-communicable diseases is remarkably poor despite the far greater inputs in research and treatment for the problems of aging like cancer, heart diseases, paralytic strokes and arthritis which are the major problems of affluent societies today. 1. Why, according to the author, have people in India survived in spite of poverty? (a) Their natural resistance to communicable diseases is very high (b) They have easy access to western technology (c) Their will to conquer diseases (d) Their harmonious relationship with the physician (e) None of these 2. Which is the following has been described as the most outstanding benefit of modern medicine? 1. The real cause and ways of control of communicable diseases 2. Evolution of the concept of harmony between man and nature 3. Special techniques for fighting aging (A) Only (2) and (3) (B) Only (1) and (2) (C ) Only (1) (D) Only (2) (E) Only (3) 3 In India traditionally the doctors were being guided mainly by which of the following? (a) High technology (b) Good Knowledge (c) Professional ethics (d) Power over patient (e) Western concept of life 4. Why has the field of health not been understood properly? (a) Difficulty in understanding the distinction between health and illness (b) Confusion between views of indigenous and western system (c) Highly advanced technology being used by the professional (d) Not much effort has been made in this direction (e) None of these 5. Why does the author describe the contributions of science as remarkable poor? (a) It concentrates more on health and on illness (b) It suggests remedies for the poor people (c) It demands more inputs in terms of research and technology (d) The cost of treatment is low (e) None of these 6. The author seems to suggest that--- (a) We should give importance to improving health rather than curing of illness (b) We should move towards becoming an affluent society (c) Ayurveda is superior to yoga (d) Good interpersonal relationship between the doctor and patient is necessary but not sufficient (e) Ayurvedic medicines can be improved by following western approaches and methods of sciences. 7. Which of the following can be inferred about the position of the author in writing the passage? (1) Ardent supporter of western system in present context (2) Supremacy of ancient Indian system in today’s world (3) Critical and objective assessment of the present situation (A) Only (1) (B) Only (2) (C) Only (3) (D) Neither (2) nor (3) (E) None of these 8. What caution have the proponents of indigenous system sounded against medical practitioners? (a) Their underconcern for health of the person (b) Their emphasis on curing illness rather than on preventive health measures (c) Their emphasis on providing help to the poor (d) Their emphasis on restoring health for affluent members of the society (e) None of these 9. Which of the following pairs are mentioned as ‘contrast’ in the passage? (a) Western concept of life and science (b) Technology and science (c) Western physician and western educated Indian physician (d) Indian and western concept of life (e) Knowledge and Technology Directions—Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage 10. Concerned: (a) Diluted (b) Liberated (c) Indifferent (d) Divested (e) Relaxed 11. Degenerative (a) Recuperative (b) Revolving (c) Productive (d) Innovative (e) Integrative 12. Inevitable (a) Undesirable (b) Unsuitable (c) Detestable (d) Avoidable (e) Available Directions—Choose the word which is most Same in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage 13. Connotes (a) Helps (b) Cures (c) Follows (d) Confirms (e) Implies 14. Aberration (a) Observation (b) Alternative (c) Deviation (d) Outcome (e) Stimulate 15. Derived (a) Constructed (b) Sprung (c) Directed (d) Processed (e) Continued Passage-23 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 E C C A C A C B D C 11 12 13 14 15 A D E C D Passage-24 By February of last year, Victoria Reiter, 63, figured she had only a few months to live. A writer and translator living in Manhattan, she was suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia, an especially deadly form of blood cancer. The only treatment available was interferon, an immune- system booster that wasn’t really working and that made her violently ill. Reiter had spent most of 1999 in bed, too sick to read, to walk, to do much of anything—although she had managed to put together lists dividing her possessions between her two daughters. Then she went on an experimental drug called Gleevec, and within weeks everything changed. “All my energy started coming back,” she says. “Suddenly I could read. I could take a walk.” By August, tests showed her bone marrow was clear of leukemia cells; in December, she took up the Argentine tango. She still has the lists of what her daughters will get, but, she exults, "They’re not going to get it yet!” For Bob Ferber, a Los Angeles prosecutor specialising in animal-abuse cases, the Gleevec experience was very much the same. Less than two years ago, he was lying in a hospital room considering suicide to escape the pain radiating from his bones. “From crawling across the floor on my knees to go to the bathroom, I’m now back at work,” says Ferber, 48. “I go to the gym. I’m volunteering for an animal-rescue group. It’s the dream of any cancer patient in the world to be able to take a pill that works like this. It’s truly a miracle.” That’s a tempting way to look at it, anyhow. Gleevec is so effective that the US Food and Drug Administration approved it in record time two weeks ago—even as researchers announced that it also works against a rare form of stomach cancer. The drug doesn’t help everyone, and it can have side-effects, including nausea, muscle cramps and skin rash. Moreover, nobody is claiming that it actually cures cancer. Patients may have to continue taking the drug, probably for the rest of their lives, and unless Gleevec is used in combination with some other drugs, it is likely their cancer will come back. Despite all these caveats, Gleevec is still a breakthrough—not only for what it does but, more important, for the revolutionary strategy it represents. A full 50 years have passed since the leaders of developed countries declared war on cancer and called for a national commitment comparable to the effort to land on the moon or split the atom. But over decades, researchers have come up with one potential miracle cure after another—only to suffer one disappointment after another. Aside from surgery, which almost invariably leaves behind some malignant cells, the standard treatment for most cancers continues to be radiation and chemotherapy—relatively crude disease-fighting weapons that have limited effectiveness and leave patients weak and nauseated. Along the way, though, scientists have amassed a wealth of information about how cancer works at the molecular level, from its first awakening in the aberrant DNA of a single cell’s nucleus to its rapacious, all-out assault on the body. Armed with that information, they have been developing a broad array of weapons to attack the disease every step along the way. Many of these therapies are just beginning to reach clinical trials and won’t be available to save lives for years to come. If you have cancer today, these treatments are likely to come too late to help you. But, says Dr Larry Norton, a medical director at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City : “I think there is no question that the war on cancer is winnable.” That sentiment was pounded home last week at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in San Francisco, where a record 26,000 cancer specialists from around the world briefed each other on the good news starting to pour out of their laboratories. Unlike chemo and radiation, which use carpet-bombing tactics that destroy cancer cells and healthy cells alike, these new medicines are like a troop of snipers, firing on cancer cells alone and targeting their weakest links. 1. Victoria Reiter came to know her days were numbered because of (A) the immune system booster. (B) chronic myeloid leukemia. (C) failure of interferon. (1) All the three (2) A and B only (3) B and C only (4) A and C only (5) None of these 2. Victoria Reiter had decided to (A) divide her property between her two daughters owing to her chronic illness. (B) postpone her plan of dividing her possessions between her two daughters as she had started recovering. (C) undergo a treatment with an experimental drug called Gleevec when the interferon treatment was found to be futile. (1) All the three above (2) A and B only (3) B and C only (4) A and C only (5) None of these 3. What was the impact of Gleevec on the health of Victoria Reiter? (1) Her bone marrow was full of clear cells of leukemia. (2) She started suffering from Argentine tango (3) She regained her lost speech and could read aloud (4) Her health showed clear symptoms of recovery. (5) None of these 4. The author has given the example of Bob Ferber in order to (1) convince the readers of the ill-effects of suicide thoughts (2) impress upon the readers the adverse impacts of animal abuse (3) emphasise how painful it is to suffer from cancer. (4) narrate the problems faced by him while crawling to reach the bathroom (5) None of these 5. What according to Ferber, does any cancer patient look forward to? (1) To dream of recovery from cancer without any pill (2) To get a drug that would relieve agony of cancer (3) To take a pill that would help eradicate pain while crawling on the knees (4) To volunteer for an animal rescue group (5) None of these 6. Which of the following characteristics are applicable to Gleevec? (A) The drug doesn't help anyone suffering from nausea and muscle cramps. (B) It is not free from side-effects. (C) It is effective in curing a rare form of stomach cancer. (1) All the three above (2) A and B only (3) A and C only (4) B and C only (5) None of these 7. Which of the following statements is definitely TRUE about Gleevec? (1) Medical scientists are vehemently asserting that Gleevec cures cancer. (2) The patient requires to take Gleevec for the entire residual part of his life. (3) Certain other drug supplement is necessary to be combined with Gleevec. (4) Probability of reoccurrence of cancer is high if Gleevec is not supplemented with other drugs. (5) None of these 8. What are the effects of radiation and chemotherapy on cancer patients? (1) These are the standard treatments to eradicate cancer completely. (2) Besides having serious side-effects, their effectiveness is restricted. (3) They help patients leave their weakness. (4) They act as an effective remedy on patient's nauseatic conditions (5) None of these 9. Dr Larry Norton's statement is (1) pessimistic and discouraging for cancer patients (2) merely an unrealistic optimism not based on data (3) supported by the recent research findings and is heartening (4) not worthy of taking into consideration as it is baseless (5) None of these Q. 10-12: Choose the word or group of words which is MOST NEARLY THE SAME in meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage. 10. FIGURED (1) Drew diagram (2) Quoted price (3) Paid cash (4) Maintained health (5) Gained understanding 11. CAVEATS (1) Appeals (2) Warnings (3) Drawbacks (4) Withstandings (5) Virtues 12. AMASS (1) Accumulate (2) Manipulate (3) Bribe (4) Disseminate (5) Sift Choose the word or group of words which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold. 13. RARE (1) Exceptional (2) Common (3) Huge (4) Enormous (5) Recurring 14. BOOSTER (1) Dose (2) Disease (3) Activator (4) Dislodger (5) Retarder 15. RAPACIOUS (1) Greedy (2) Exorbitant (3) Abominable (4) Noble (5) Inhuman Passage-24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 3 4 4 5 2 4 3 2 2 5 11 12 13 14 15 2 1 2 5 4 Passage-25 India’s nuclear ambition had been the bone of contention for a very long time. It was a settled belief in our country that the U.S began to stress the issue of signing the CTBT only in more recent round of talks when the two countries had come close to an agreement on the other issues, including the CTBT because it is part of its somewhat browbeating style of doing business. But a moment’s reflection would show that there could be another explanation. In the aftermath of Pokhran-II when tempers had cooled, the U.S was predisposed to accept our Prime Minister’s repeated assertions that India intended to arm it with nuclear weapons only as a deterrent to a nuclear attack or blackmail. Q1. Which of the following statements is false in the context of the passage? (i) Only because of Pokhran-II the U.S. had accepted Indian Prime Minister’s assertion about India’s nuclear policy. (ii) The rounds of talks were being held by at least three countries, the U.S being the mediator. (iii) Indian Prime Minister had assured the world that It would not initiate nuclear attack on any nation. (a) Only (i) and (iii) (b) Only (i) and (ii) (c ) Only (ii) and (iii) (d) All of three (e) None Q2. The real intention of the U.S in bringing the nuclear issue to the fore is most probably (a) To suppress India’s nuclear ambition (b) To incur the goodwill of India’s enemy (c) To deter India from going nuclear in a big way (d) To use it as a negotiation tactic (e) To underplay the other more important issues Q3. The author of the passage thinks that India’s planning for nuclear rearmament is (a) Going to receive a lot of acclaim (b) Appreciated by other countries with few reservations (c) A matter that irritated most other countries (d) Not considered as a deterrent policy by the enemies (e) None of these Q4. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the contents of the passage? (i) India’s possessing nuclear arsenals has frightened some countries. (ii) India is not reluctant to sign the CTBT (iii) U.S wants India to sign the CTBT (a) Only (i) and (ii) (b) Only (ii) and (iii) (c) only (i) and (iii) (d) All of three (e) None Q5. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the content of the passage? (a) Most of the issues discussed between India and U.S have reached consensus. (b) India will not use nuclear we

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