AP ICET 2013

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate phrase/verb/preposition.

Read the following passage and answer questions :

In times of social fragmentation, vulgarity often becomes a wayoflife. To be shocking becomes more important than to be civil or creative or truly original. Given the degree of vulgarity in our society, cynicism seems almost irresistible. But cynicism represents a secession from society, a dissolution of the bonds between people and families and communities, an indifference to the fate of anything, beyond the self Cynicism is deadly. It bites everything it can reach-like a dog with a foot caughtin a trap. And then it devours itself. It drains us of the will to improve; it diminishes our public spirit; it saps our inventiveness; it withers our souls. Cynics often see themselves as merely being world-weary. There is no new thing under the sun, the cynics say. They claim their weariness is wisdom. Butit is usually mere posturing . Their weariness seems to be most effective when they consider the aspirations of those beneath them, who have neither powernor influence nor wealth. For these unfortunates, nothing can be done, the cynics declare. Hope is considered an affrontto rationality : the notion that the individual has a responsibility for the community is considered a dangerousradicalism. Ultimately, however, the life of a cynic is lonely and self - destructive. It is our human nature to make connections with other human beings. The gift of symapthy for another is one of the most powerful sentiments we ever feel.If we do not have it, we are not have human .Indeed it is so powerful that the cynics who denies it goes to war with himself.