Instructions

For the following questions answer them individually

Question 1

Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the missing sentence.

Superficially, atomic power would seem to preclude the use of coal and oil. However, quite apart from the energy gained by their combustion they remain, and always will remain, the basic raw material for all organic chemistry. Plastics, dyes, pharmaceuticals, solvents. Industry could not exist without them, even in an atomic age. _____

Solution

We must select that sentence that follows the line of thought presented in the passage.

The author explains that though the atomic power seems to replace the usage of coal and oil, coal and oil will remain the basic raw material for all organic chemistry. He adds that the industry cannot exist without them.

The chain of thought is that even if atomic power precludes the use of coal and oil for power generation, there are many other uses for these commodities. The Industry cannot exist without these products.

The tone of option A is negative, which is not the case with the passage. Hence, option A is wrong.

The passage does not talk about stopping the usage of oil and coal. Hence, option B can be eliminated as it introduces a new idea instead of concluding the paragraph.

The concluding line must extend the chain of thought. But, option C just repeats the information given in the penultimate line of the passage. Hence, option C is wrong.

Option D appropriately concludes the paragraph by summarizing the information given in the passage. Hence, D is the correct answer.

Question 2

Choose the option that is most appropriate line for the missing line in the paragraph:
If, in polished countries, the lowest of the people are rude and uncivil, it is not merely because they are poor and ignorant, but that, being so, they are in daily contact with rich and enlightened men. The sight of their own hard lot and of their weakness, which is daily contrasted with the happiness and power of some of their fellow-creatures, excites in their hearts at the same time the sentiments of anger and of fear: the consciousness of their inferiority and of their dependence irritates while it humiliates them. This state of mind displays itself in their manners and language; they are at once insolent and servile. The truth of this is easily proved by observation; the people are more rude in aristocratic countries than elsewhere, in opulent cities than in rural districts. In those places where the rich and powerful are assembled together the weak and the indigent feel themselves oppressed by their inferior condition. ______________.

Solution

From the options we can eliminate b as the point of the paragraph is not about the happiness of the poorer sections - it is about their behavior when they are in contact with the richer sections. We can eliminate a as the author says that the poorer sections are rude yet servile. Hence there is no disobedience as stated by option a. From the paragraph we can deduce that both poverty and contact with aristrocracy are necessary. Hence the most appropriate option is option d.

Question 3

Read the following paragraph carefully and choose the appropriate summary.

The biotech industry is enjoying a shot in the arm with news of biologics flooding the wires. Biologics, say experts, are different from traditional drugs because they are manufactured in a living system, such as a microorganism or plant or animal cells, rather than with synthesized chemicals. And because of the strides made in this biotechnology specialty, it is attracting the attention of the pharma big boys. All the major players are looking to capture their share of a market that IMS Health analysts estimate will rise to $390 billion by 2020. In short, if the analysts are right, biologics will command nearly one-third of all spending on drugs in the next few years.
Source: NewsUSA

Solution

Option B is incorrect as it does not define what biologics is.
Option C is incorrect as it says that biologics is an issue concerning the biotech industry. This cannot be inferred from the paragraph.
Option D is incorrect as it says that biologics may command nearly one-third of all spending on drugs by 2020 which has not been mentioned in the paragraph.
Option A rightly summarizes the paragraph and is thus the appropriate summary.

Question 4

Which of the following options most appropriately summarizes the paragraph given below:

War gratifies, or used to gratify, the combative instinct of mankind, but it gratifies also the love of plunder, destruction, cruel discipline, and arbitrary power. It is doubtful whether fighting with modern appliances will continue to gratify the savage instinct of combat; for it is not likely that in the future two opposing lines of men can ever meet, or any line or column reach an enemy's intrenchments. The machine-gun can only be compared to the scythe, which cuts off every blade of grass within its sweep. It has made cavalry charges impossible, just as the modern ironclad has made impossible the manœuvers of one of Nelson's fleets. On land, the only mode of approach of one line to another must hereafter be by concealment, crawling, or surprise. Naval actions will henceforth be conflicts between opposing machines, guided, to be sure, by men; but it will be the best machine that wins, and not necessarily the most enduring men. War will become a contest between treasuries or war-chests; for now that 10,000 men can fire away a million dollars' worth of ammunition in an hour, no poor nation can long resist a rich one, unless there be some extraordinary difference between the two in mental and moral strength.

Solution

The paragraph starts off with how wars were fought partly because of our combative instincts. The author then goes on to say that technology has changed the way we fight so that the new ways of fighting would not gratify our combative instinct.

Option A and B cover only a small part of the paragraph. The paragraph talks about the new form of warfare not gratifying the combative instinct of men and not whether the war itself is combative or not. Hence, D introduces a new idea. Option C covers the main point of the paragraph and thus is the most suitable option.

Question 5

Read the paragraph below and then choose the option that can fit in the blank.
Non-co-operation is nothing but discipline in self-sacrifice. And I believe that a nation that is capable of limitless sacrifice is capable of rising to limitless heights. The purer the sacrifice the quicker the progress. Swadeshi offers every man, woman and child an occasion to make a beginning in self-sacrifice of a pure type. It therefore presents an opportunity for testing our capacity for sacrifice. It is the measure for gauging the depth of national feeling on the Khilafat wrong. Does the nation feel sufficiently to move it to go through even the preliminary process of sacrifice? Will the nation revise its taste for the Japanese silk, the Manchester calico or the French lace and find all its decoration out of hand-spun and hand-woven cloth, i.e., Khadi? If crores of people will refuse to wear or use foreign cloth and be satisfied with the simple cloth that we can produce in our homes, it will be proof of our organising ability, energy, co-operation and self-sacrifice that will enable us to secure all we need._____________________________________

Solution

Throughout the passage, author is focusing on actions which will lead to national independence and solidarity. In options b and c, statements are telling completely opposite of what is author demonstrating in paragraph. Hence answer will be a

Question 6

From the options given for each question, select the one that best summarizes the paragraph.

What makes a man hard-hearted is this, that each man has, or fancies he has, sufficient in his own troubles to bear. This is why people placed in happier circumstances than they have been used to are sympathetic and charitable. But people who have always been placed in happy circumstances are often the reverse; they have become so estranged to suffering that they have no longer any sympathy with it; and hence it happens that the poor sometimes show themselves more benevolent than the rich.

Solution

The paragraph makes the following points - firstly, most people think they have enough troubles of their own and hence they do not help those who are less fortunate than them and secondly, people who have known only happy circumstances are completely disconnected with suffering and hence have no sympathy for it. Option A comes closest to capturing the gist of the discussion.

Question 7

Choose the sentence that can logically follow the given paragraph.
In recent books on logic, distinction is made between two orders of inquiry concerning anything. First, what is the nature of it? How did it come about? What is its constitution, origin, and history? And second, what is its importance, meaning, or significance, now that it is once here? The answer to the one question is given in an existential judgment or proposition. The answer to the other is a proposition of value, what the Germans call a Werthurtheil, or what we may, if we like, denominate a spiritual judgment. Neither judgment can be deduced immediately from the other.

Solution

The passage talks about the two orders of enquiry. Towards the end, the passage talks about the two instances of judgment dealing with the two orders. Option A aptly concludes the para. Option B, though relevant to the passage, does not conclude it. C is out of context D is contrary to the theme of the passage.

Question 8

Which of the following options is the most appropriate sentence for the missing line in the paragraph.

Professor Huxley, whose orthodoxy as an evolutionist will hardly be questioned, made a suggestion of this kind in his Romanes lecture as long ago as 1893. He called attention then to the fact that there is a fallacy in the notion that because, on the whole, animals and plants have advanced in perfection of organization by means of the struggle for existence and the consequent survival of the fittest, therefore, men as social and ethical beings must depend upon the same process to help them to perfection. As Professor Huxley suggests, this fallacy doubtless has its origin in the ambiguity of the phrase "survival of the fittest." One jumps to the conclusion that fittest means best; whereas, of course, it has in it no moral element whatever. The doctrine of evolution uses the term fitness in a hard and stern sense. Nothing more is meant by it than a measure of adaptation to surrounding conditions. Into this conception of fitness there enters no element of beauty, no element of morality, no element of progress toward an ideal._____.

Solution

The paragraph talks about how the theory of evolution is often misunderstood as the survival of the best. The penultimate sentence states that the term fitness has no element of morality or beauty in it. Hence, morality being an impediment would be contrary to what is stated in the paragraph. Hence, we can eliminate option A. The subject of the second last line is the concept of fitness and not a confusion about the term. Hence, option D which starts with “this confusion” would not be an appropriate option. Option C does not complete the chain of thought but just mentions a possibility. Hence, it is less appropriate for the last line of the paragraph. Option B ties in well with what is mentioned in the paragraph about “evolution uses the term fitness in a hard and stern sense” and concludes the chain of thought. Hence, B is the correct option.

Question 9

Complete the following paragraph with the most suitable sentence.

Runners have long feared lactic acid. We've always viewed it as something that tires us out during a race and makes us sore afterward. In high school, I can remember my buddy propping his legs up after a race and shaking them back and forth, explaining, ‘I'm draining the lactic acid out of my legs.’ In college I would endure long massages, believing that it would flush the evil brew out of my muscles, taking my soreness with it.
by: Sandra Prior

Solution

The paragraph is taking about the authors view on how lactic acid affects us physically.

Option A is the correct choice as it continues the idea of the paragraph i.e aversion to lactic acid.

The tone of option B does not match the tone of the preceding lines.

Option C is contradictory to the idea in the paragraph.

Option D introduces a new idea and requires further elaboration. Thus D cannot be the last line of the paragraph.

Question 10

Choose the option that is most appropriate line for the missing line in the paragraph:
The democrat is profoundly convinced of two things; first, that all men are equal and that there is no such thing as inferiority or failing, and secondly, that what men call faults are really natural characteristics of great interest. He believes that faults are popular prejudices invented by intriguers, priests, nobles and rulers, for their own base purposes to inspire the poor with humility. He looks upon this sense of inferiority as a curb on the people's power, all the more potent that it works from within and has a paralyzing effect on its energy. ______________.

Solution

The last few sentences point to how social graces are used to suppress the masses by creating an inferiority complex. In this context, option A is the most appropriate option.

Question 11

Read the following paragraph carefully and choose the option that captures the essence of the paragraph in the most appropriate manner.

The only thing many people know about Thailand’s Deep South region, called “Patani” by the locals, is the conflict that has claimed more than 6,500 lives over the past 12 years. Both state and private funding pour into the region, in efforts to resolve the violence through a peace process. Nevertheless, Anticha Saengchai and Daranee Thongsiri, LGBT activists and the two owners of the Buku Books & More Pattani Bookstore, insist that Patani has no shortage of other social issues that need to be discussed, such as gender equality.

Source: Global Voices

Solution

A major flaw that A and D have is that they incorrectly seem to suggest that it is a fact that Patani has other issues that need to be discussed. According to the passage, it is Anticha Saengchai and Daranee Thongsiri, LGBT activists and the two owners of the Buku Books & More Pattani Bookstore who insist so. Thus, option A and option D, even though they seems to provide more information, have to be eliminated. Option C can also be eliminated since it says that many issues are overlooked. But the passage states that these issues need to be discussed. It might be the case that Patani is looking after these issues, but not doing enough to tackle them. B perfectly captures the essence of the paragraph.

Question 12

In its negative form Ahimsa means not injuring any living being whether by body or mind. It may not, therefore, hurt the person of any wrong-doer, or bear any ill-will to him and so cause him mental suffering. This statement does not cover suffering caused to the wrong-doer by natural acts of mine which do not proceed from ill-will. It, therefore, does not prevent me from withdrawing from his presence a child whom he, we shall imagine, is about to strike. Indeed, the proper practice of Ahimsa requires me to withdraw the intended victim from the wrong-doer, if I am, in any way whatsoever, the guardian of such a child. It was, therefore, most proper for the passive resisters of South Africa to have resisted the evil that the Union Government sought to do to them. They bore no ill-will to it. They showed this by helping the Government whenever it needed their help. Their resistance consisted of disobedience of the orders of the Government, even to the extent of suffering death at their hands. ___________________________________________________________________________

Solution

Throughout the passage, author’s attitude is reverential about the ahimsa and describing its deep understanding of practising. Hence option d is ruled out. Among remaining options A is most appropriate as it concludes the right way that ahimsa is delibrate self-suffering with an understanding of not injuring the supposed wrong-doer but to resist the evil in it.

Question 13

From the options given below, select the one that best summarizes the following paragraph:

In the city which is "the heart of Europe" we must expect to find the main thoroughfares crowded with foot-passengers of all nationalities, and vehicles of every conceivable kind--motor cars, electric trams, horse omnibuses, vans, cabs, carts, and so on. Yet in spite of their endless streams of traffic, the streets of Berlin are not noisy--not nearly so noisy as those of Stockholm--for they are paved with asphalt and wood, and most of the conveyances have rubber tyres on their wheels. As in other large cities, the streets are relieved of a great deal of traffic by trains which run right through the town and round its suburbs, either up in the air on viaducts, or underground in tunnels lighted by electricity. At the Frederick Street Station of the City Railway, which lies in the centre of the town, a train arrives or departs every other minute of the day and of a good part of the night as well.

Solution

The paragraph is mainly the traffic scene in Berlin. Even though Berlin is in the ‘heart of Europe’ and one can find many people on foot as well as many vehicles on its streets, they do not make much noise because they are paved with wood and asphalt and most of the vehicles have rubber tyres. Also, a lot of probable traffic had been eased out by the train network. Just like in any other big city, the trains run right through the city as well as the suburbs and make life easier for the people by easing out the traffic. Option a) captures all the main points of the paragraph and hence is the correct summary. Option b) does not mention the reason why the streets are not noisy. Option c) does not talk about the train network. Option d) also captures most of the important points. However, it fails to mention that the tyres of vehicles have rubber, which is the reason why the streets are not noisy. Between a) and d), a) is a better summary.

Question 14

Read the passage and fill in the blank with the most suitable option:
When a man rises from sleep, he twists his limbs and is restless. It takes some time before he is entirely awakened. Similarly, although the Partition has caused an awakening, the comatose has not yet disappeared. We are still twisting our limbs and still restless, and just as the state between sleep and awakening must be considered to be necessary, so may the present unrest in India be considered a necessary and, therefore, a proper state. The knowledge that there is unrest will, it is highly probable, enable us to outgrow it. Rising from sleep, we do not continue in a comatose state, but,___________________________________________________

Solution

a and c talks about continuing in rest but the blank should be filled with the opposite idea of its previous sentence as “but” translation element is there. Hence a and c options are ruled out and d explains a completely new idea. So our answer will be b.

Question 15

Read the following paragraph and choose the option that best captures its essence.

Malnutrition and its many related evils are one of the most common problems that women in India face. Be it in rural or urban India, prenatal care during pregnancy, overall dietary allocation and general awareness about nutritional values are still at miniscule levels. Needless to mention the problem acquires an even greater stature where the relative illiteracy among women is higher and in rural areas shrouded with superstitions and misconception.

Source: Sumana sarkar, Clamor World

Solution

A misses the key point which states that malnutrition is a bigger problem in places with relatively higher female illiteracy and rural areas. So, option A is incorrect.
C incorrectly suggests that due to superstitions, misconceptions, and higher female illiteracy in rural areas, malnutrition is further aggravated. But, in the paragraph, the author has only associated superstitions and misconceptions with the rural areas, not the higher rate of female illiteracy. Thus, this is also incorrect.
D is incorrect as the problem of malnutrition is not obscure in rural areas. Rather it is a bigger problem in these areas.
B correctly captures the essence of the paragraph and hence is the right answer.

Question 16

Choose the option that is most appropriate last line for the paragraph:

In that sage and veracious chronicle, "Alice Through the Looking-Glass," it is recounted how, on a noteworthy occasion, the little heroine is seized by the Red Chess Queen, who races her off at a terrific pace. They run until both of them are out of breath; then they stop, and Alice looks around her and says, "Why, we are just where we were when we started!" "Oh, yes," says the Red Queen; "you have to run twice as fast as that to get anywhere else. That is a parable of progress. The laws of this country have not kept up with the change of economic circumstances in this country; they have not kept up with the change of political circumstances; and therefore we are not even where we were when we started. We shall have to run, not until we are out of breath, but until we have caught up with our own conditions, before we shall be where we were when we started; when we started this great experiment which has been the hope and the beacon of the world. ___

Solution

The main point of the para is that as we stopped adapting to changing conditions we are not even where we started. To progress we will have to adapt at twice the speed. Options c and d are giving irrelevant details and can be eliminated. Among a and b, a captures the point of “running twice as fast” that was made in the parable. Hence, option A is the correct answer.

Question 17

Summarize the following paragraph:

No literary quality can be attained by reading writers who possess it: be it, for example, persuasiveness, imagination, the gift of drawing comparisons, boldness or bitterness, brevity or grace, facility of expression or wit, unexpected contrasts, a laconic manner, naïveté, and the like. But if we are already gifted with these qualities - that is to say, if we possess the potential - we can call them forth and bring them to consciousness; we can discern to what uses they are to be put; we can be strengthened in our inclination, nay, may have courage, to use them; we can judge by examples the effect of their application and so learn the correct use of them; and it is only after we have accomplished all this that we actually possess these qualities. This is the only way in which reading can form writing, since it teaches us the use to which we can put our own natural gifts; and in order to do this it must be taken for granted that these qualities are in us. Without them we learn nothing from reading but cold, dead mannerisms, and we become mere imitators.

Solution

The paragraph talks of how reading cannot create writing talent but can only bring it out and teach one how to use that talent. The author does not comment on the inherent value of literature and neither does he say whether it should read or who should read it. Hence, A is the correct option.

Question 18

Read the following paragraph and choose the option that best captures the essence of it.

The Flag Code of India, 2002 is a compilation of all the laws, conventions, practices, and instructions that govern the display of the National Flag. Knowingly or unknowingly, many citizens violate the flag code. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has now issued an advisory to all States & Union Territories to ensure strict compliance of the flag code on important national events.

Source: Rakesh Dubbudu, Factly

Solution

A major flaw that both A and C suffer from is that they incorrectly seem to suggest that the MHA has instructed states and union territories to comply with the flag code which is not the case. The MHA has just issued an advisory. B is also incorrect as it says that the states and union territories must comply with the flag code at all times, which is incorrect.
Although D provides less information, it is still the best option to go with.

Question 19

Read the following paragraph carefully and choose the option which best summarizes the given paragraph.

These complex geographic influences cannot be analyzed and their strength estimated except from the standpoint of evolution. That is one reason these half-baked geographic principles rest heavy on our mental digestion. They have been formulated without reference to the all-important fact that the geographical relations of man, like his social and political organization, are subject to the law of development. Just as the embryo state found in the primitive Saxon tribe has passed through many phases in attaining the political character of the present British Empire, so every stage in this maturing growth has been accompanied or even preceded by a steady evolution of the geographic relations of the English people.

Solution

Option D captures the essence of the passage and hence is an appropriate summary for the paragraph. The paragraph uses the example of the English empire but the point is of people in general and not just limited to the English empire.

Question 20

Read the passage and fill in the blank with the most suitable option:
The doctrine of violence is more widely believed in than is generally realised. The votaries of violence can be divided into two classes. Some, a small and dwindling class, believe in it and are prepared to act according to their faith. Others, a very large class always, and now, after bitter experiences of the failure of constitutional agitation, larger than ever, believe in violence, but that belief does not lead them to action. It disables them from work on any basis other than force. The belief in violence serves to dissuade them from all other kinds of work or sacrifice.__________________________________

Solution

In given paragraph, author told us about the violence and its performed trend among people but never suggested anything. Hence options a and c can’t be the last line.
Author in the paragraph, seem to condemn the violence in any form, hence b can’t be the last line of paragraph. Most appropriate answer will be d.

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