Fill with appropriate word

Directions (Q. A-O): 

In the following passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank

appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

As the country embarks on planning (A) the 12th Plan (2012-17) period, a key question mark (B) hangs over the process is on the energy requirements.Growth is energy-hungry and the aspirations of growing at 9-10% will (C) huge demands on the energy resources of the country. In this energy jigsaw, renewable energy will (D) like never before in the 12th Plan and the (E) . By the rule of the thumb, India will (F) about 100 gigawatts (Gw)-100,000 megawatts of capacity addition in the next five years. Encouraging trends on energy efficiency and sustained (G) by some parts of the government —the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, in particular, needs to be complimented for this-have led to substantially lesser energy intensity of economic growth. However, even the tempered demand numbers are (H) to be below 80Gw. As against this need, the coal supply from domestic sources is unlikely to support more than 25 Gw equivalent capacity. Imported coal can add some more, but at a much (I) cost. Gas-based electricity generation is unlikely to contribute anything substantial in view of the unprecedented gas supply challenges. Nuclear will be (J ) in the foreseeable future. Among imported coal, gas, large hydro and nuclear, no more than 15-20Gw equivalent can be (K) to be added in the five- year time block. (L) (M) this, capacity addition in the renewable energy based power generation has touched about 3Gw a year. In the coming five years, the overall capacity addition in the electricity grid (N ) renewable energy is likely to range between 20Gw and 25Gw. Additionally, over and above the grid-based capacity, off-grid electricity applications are reaching remote places and (O) lives where grid-based electricity supply has miserably failed.

A 1) against

2) for

3) onwards

4) at

5) on

B 1) that

2) inside

3) always

4) who

5) where

C 1) forward

2) subject

3) place

4) demand

5)replace

D 1) pass

2) publish

3)feature

4) find

5) light

E 1) likewise

2) publicity

3) next

4) after

5) earlier

F 1) waste

2) require

3) highlight

4) generate

5) consumed

G 1) structures

2) efforts

3) projections

4) practices

5) developmental

H 1) sure

2) unsure

3) unexpected

4) unlikely

5) likely

I 1) nominal

2) excelled

3) higher

4) lower

5)expected

J 1) failure

2) success

3) dangerous

4) maximum

5) marginal

K 1) certain

2) linked

3) remarked

4) expected

5) sure

L 1) When

2) But

3) However

4) If

5) As

M 1) for

2) with

3) is

4) ever

5) against

N 1) through

2) project

3) versus

4) against

5) capacity

O 1) lightening

2) making

3) touching

4) saving

5) generating

Ans : 

A - 2, B - 1, C - 3, D - 3, E - 4, F - 4, G - 2, H - 4, I - 3, J - 5, K - 4, L - 5, M - 5, N - 1, O - 2

Test to your english knowledge

Directions—: 

In each of the following questions a short passage is given with one of the lines in the passage missing and represented by a blank. Select the best out of the five answer choices given, to make the passage complete and coherent ( coherent means logically complete and sound).

1. Women's rights around the world are an important indicator to understand global well- being. A major global women's rights treaty was ratified by the majority of the world's nations a few decades ago, .............................................................These range from the cultural, political to the economic.  For example, women often work more than men, yet are paid less; gender discrimination affects girls and women throughout their lifetime; and women and girls are often the ones that suffer the most poverty. Many may think that women's rights are only an issue in countries where religion is law. Or even worse, some may think this is no longer an issue at all. But reading the report about the United Nation's Women's Treaty and how an increasing number of countries are lodging reservations will show otherwise. Gender equality furthers the cause of child survival and development for all of society, so the importance of women's rights and gender equality should not be underestimated.

(A) This treaty tackled and solved a number of issues related to women.

(B) Why is it then, that moment still face a number of problems on the domestic front?

(C) Thus, the woman today is ten times more empowered as compared to a woman say about a decade age.

(D) Women's activists across nations have implored the respective governments to take this seriously.

(E) Yet, despite many successes in empowering women, numerous issues still exist in all areas of life.

Overview of the question.

In this question you have been given a short paragraph, with one line deleted in between, like a Cloze test in which one word has been deleted in between. You have to choose from the appropriate answer choices which line fits best in to the paragraph in the blank space. How to Solve ?

1. DON’T WASTE PRECIOUS TIME READING THE WHOLE PARAGRAPH .

2. READ THE LINES IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER THE BLANK ONLY .

(A major global women's rights treaty was ratified by the majority of the world's nations a few decades ago, ............................................................ . These range from the cultural, political to the economic.)

3. FOCUS ON THE FIRST FEW WORDS AFTER THE BLANK: 

The first words after the blank are (1) “these ” (2) range (3) from (4) the (5) cultural. Try to identify crucial words which give hints on how to solve these questions. Such words are called “KEYWORDS”. You have to identify such Keywords in order to solve the questions. The first question which should come to your mind is that what is the word “these” referring to.

“These” is a pronoun.

“These” is plural.

“These” has to refer to something in the previous line which is plural in nature .

This previous line is the blank line which you have to insert

4. NOW GO STRAIGHT TO THE ANSWER CHOICES AND ELIMINATE WRONG CHOICES

(A) This treaty tackled and solved a number of issues related to women . ( Shortlisted for the correct answer As “these” can refer to “issues”).

(B) Why is it then, that women still face a number of problems on the domestic front? (Shortlisted for the correct answer as “these” can refer to “problems”)

(C) Thus, the woman today is ten times more empowered as compared to a woman say about a decade age. ( Eliminated as there is no plural word in this line to which “these” can refer to )

(D) Women's activists across nations have implored the respective governments to take this seriously. ( Eliminated as there is no plural word in this line to which “these” can refer to)

(E) Yet, despite many successes in empowering women, numerous issues still exist in all areas of life ( Shortlisted for the correct answer As “these” can refer to “issues”).

5. WORK WITH SHORTLISTED OPTIONS

Now we have 3 shortlisted options , lets try to fit in these three options into the paragraph

1. (A) This treaty tackled and solved a number of issues related to women. These range from the cultural, political to the economic .(This answer choice is Eliminated , as a treaty - which means an understanding- cannot by itself tackle and solve any problem, a treaty is like an international conference , where some common understanding and roadmaps are discussed ,

hence a treaty cannot solve problems, it can only provide guidelines on how to solve a particular

issue. )

2. ( B) Why is it then, that women still face a number of problems on the domestic front? These range from the cultural, political to the economic. (Eliminated as this talks about problems on the “domestic”- i.e. household front, whereas the subsequent line talks about some problems ranging from cultural, political and economic. )

3. (E) Yet, despite many successes in empowering women, numerous issues still exist in all areas of

life . These range from the cultural, political to the economic ( This is the correct answer, as “all areas of life” refer to cultural, political and economic issues in the subsequent sentence Hence, clearly we can see that option (E) is the right Answer, although it is tempting to mark option (A), but you should be extra careful while solving these problems .

Think & Answer

Directions (Q. 1-5): 

In each of the following questions, a short passage is given with one of the lines in the passage missing and represented by a blank. Select the best out of the five answer choices given, to make the passage complete and coherent.

1 Poverty is the state of majority of world’s people and nations. Why is this? Have they been lazy, made poor decisions, and been solely responsible for their own plight? What about their governments? Have they pursued policies that actually harm successful development? Such causes of poverty and inequality are no doubt real. But deeper and more global causes of poverty are often less discussed. Behind the increasing inter-connectedness promised by globalisation are global decisions, policies and practices. These are typically influenced, driven or formulated by the rich and powerful. These can be leaders of rich countries or other global actors such as multinational corporations, institutions and influential people. In the face of such enormous external influence, the governments of poor nations and their people are often powerless. As a result, in the global context, a few get wealthy while the majority struggles.

1) Is it enough to blame poor people for their own predicament?

2) What is the government doing about it?

3) Are the wealthy ones in the nation even aware of this?

4) The government has already taken measures to eradicate the same.

5) The huge gap between the rich and the poor in the nation is now narrowing.

2 Women’s rights around the world are an important indicator to understand global well- being. A major global women’s rights treaty was ratified by the majority of the world’s nations a few decades ago. These range from the cultural, political to the economic. For example, women often work more than men, yet are paid less; gender discrimination affects girls and women throughout their lifetime; and women and girls are often the ones that suffer the most poverty. Many may think that women’s rights are only an issue in countries where religion is law. Or even worse, some may think this is no longer an issue at all. But reading the report about the United Nation’s Women’s Treaty and how an increasing number of countries are lodging reservations will show otherwise. Gender equality furthers the cause of child survival and development for all of society, so the importance of women’s rights and gender equality should not be underestimated.

1) This treaty tackled and solved a number of issues related to women.

2) Why is it then, that women still face a number of problems on the domestic front?

3) Thus, the woman today is ten times more empowered as compared to a woman say about a decade ago.

4)Women’s activists across nations have implored the respective governments to take! this seriously.

5) Yet, despite many successes in empowering women, numerous issues still exist in all areas of life.

3 Research has shown that air pollutants from fossil fuel use make clouds reflect more of the sun’s rays back into space. This leads to an effect known as global dimming whereby less heat and energy reaches the earth. However, it is believed that global dimming caused the droughts in certain parts of the world where millions died, because the northern hemisphere oceans were not warm enough to allow rain formation. Global dimming is also hiding the true power of global warming. By cleaning up global dimming- causing pollutants without tackling greenhouse gas emissions, rapid warming has been observed and various human health and ecological disasters have resulted, as witnessed during the European heat wave in 2003, which saw thousands of people die.

1) This, though, does not bring any relief in the problems associated with climate change.

2) This phenomenon thus is part of the climate change problem.

3) Scientists thus believe that this phenomenon goes hand in hand with global warming.

4) At first, it sounds like an ironic saviour to climate change problems.

5) The answer to all our problems with respect to climate- change is definitely here.

4 Next to China, India is the most populated country in the world. Particularly, rush to technical andhigher education has increased as the scope for arts and science has become lesser and lesser due to lack of reforms and upgradation in the course structure and materials according to the developments of the world. Also, qualification in higher education gives added advantage to face competition successfully in the job market.

1) Keeping this in mind, the government has provided concessions in the admission fees for the arts and science streams in the country.

2) Naturally, there is too much rush and competition in every field.

3) Despite this the rush to higher education is lesser.

4) This population increase, though, has not kept pace with the knowledge expansion around the world.

5) In the next decade, it will become the most populous.

5 Analysts and industry pundits forecast that the notebook market which has been growing faster than the desktop market for the past three years is expected to overtake the desktop market by the year 2011-12. A fall in prices, large deals from governments and institutions and demand from consumers and sectors such as education are expected to help the notebook numbers. According to research agencies, the year 2010 – 11 saw notebook volumes rise and for the first time, a million-plus notebooks were sold in India in a single quarter. The market has grown nearly four times for notebooks. The demand is driven by all sectors and a very buoyant consumer market, which prefers mobile computers. Entry- level notebook prices have dropped below the Rs. 25,000 mark; this has helped break the ice with new customers. This drop in notebook prices has been helped by the drop in the prices of the building blocks that make a notebook. It’s simple. With notebook volumes growing, the prices of the components are also bound to come down____________.

1) All this has resulted in a noticeable change in a number of large government tenders for notebooks; which were traditionally for desktops.

2) Because of this the government still prefers desktops to notebooks and has passed tenders for the same.

3) Thereby making them more expensive.

4) Thus, the forecast for the coming year states that desktops will be the preferred technology choice only for consumers who cannot afford the exorbitantly priced notebooks.

5) Thus, notebooks will become obsolete after a decade or so.

Ans : 1 - 1, 2 - 5 , 3 - 4, 4 - 2, 5 - 1

Read & answer

Directions—(Q. 1–15) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

In February 2010 the Medical Council of India announced a major change in the regulation governing the establishment of medical colleges. With this change, corporate entities were permitted to open medical colleges. The new
regulation also carried the following warning : “permission shall be withdrawn if the colleges resort to commercialization”. Since the regulation does not elaborate on what constitutes “resorting to commercialization”, this will presumably be a matter left to the discretion of the Government.

A basic requirement for a new medical college is a pre-existing hospital that will serve as a teaching hospital. Corporate entities have hospitals in the major metros and that is where they will have to locate medical colleges. The earlier mandated land requirement for a medical college campus, a minimum of 25 acres of contiguous land, cannot be fulfilled in the metros. Not surprisingly, yet another tweak has been made in the regulation, prescribing 10 acres as
the new minimum campus size for 9 cities including the main metros. With this, the stage is set for corporate entities to enter the medical education market.

Until now, medical education in India has been projected as a not-forprofit activity to be organised for the public good. While private bodies can run medical colleges, these can only be societies or trusts, legally non-profit organizations. In opening the door to corporate colleges, thus, a major policy change has been
effected without changing the law or even a discussion in Parliament, but by simply getting a compliant MCI to change the regulation on establishment of medical colleges. This and other changes have been justified in the name of addressing the shortage of doctors. At the same
time, over 50 existing medical colleges, including 15 run by the government, have been prohibited
from admitting students in 2010 for having failed to meet the basic standards prescribed. Ninety
per cent of these colleges have come up in the last 5 years. Particularly shocking is the phenomenon of government colleges falling short of standards approved by the Government. Why
are state government institutions not able to meet the requirements that have been approved by the central government ? A severe problem faced by government-run institutions is attracting and retaining teaching faculty, and this is likely to be among the major reasons for these colleges failing to satisfy the MCI norms. The crisis
building up on the faculty front has been flagged by various commissions looking into problems of medical education over the years.

An indicator of the crisis is the attempt to conjure up faculty when MCI carries out inspections of new colleges, one of its regulatory functions. Judging by news reports, the practice of presenting fake faculty – students or private medical practitioners hired for the day – during MCI inspections in private colleges is common.
What is interesting is that even government colleges are adopting unscrupulous methods. Another indicator is the extraordinary scheme, verging on the ridiculous that is being put in place by the MCI to make inspections ‘foolproof’. Faculty in all medical colleges are to be issued an RFID-based smart card by the MCI with a unique Faculty Number. The card, it is argued, will
eliminate the possibility of a teacher being shown on the faculty of more than one college and establish if the qualifications of a teacher are genuine. In the future, it is projected that biometric RFID readers will be installed in the colleges that will enable a Faculty Identification,
Tracking and Monitoring System to monitor faculty from within the college and even remotely from MCI headquarters.

The picture above does not even start to reveal the true and pathetic situation of medical care especially in rural India. Only a fraction of the
doctors and nursing professionals serve rural areas where 70 per cent of our population lives. The Health Ministry, with the help of the MCI, has been active in proposing yet another ‘innovative’ solution to the problem of lack of doctors in the
rural areas. The proposal is for a three-and-a-half year course to obtain the degree of Bachelor
of Rural Medicine and Surgery (BRMS). Only rural candidates would be able to join this course. The
study and training would happen at two different levels – Community Health Centers for 18 months, and sub-divisional hospitals for a further
period of 2 years – and be conducted by retired professors. After completion of training, they
would only be able to serve in their own state in district hospitals,community health centres, and primary health centres.

The BRMS proposal has invited sharp criticism from some doctors’ organizations on the grounds that it is discriminatory to have two different standards of health care – one for urban and the other for rural areas, and that the health care
provided by such graduates will be compromised.

At the other end is the opinion expressed by some that “something is better than nothing”, that since
doctors do not want to serve in rural areas, the government may as well create a new cadre of medics who will be obliged to serve there. The
debate will surely pick up after the government formally lays out its plans. What is apparent is that neither this proposal nor the various stopgap measures adopted so far address the root of the problem of health care. The far larger issue is government policy, the low priority attached by the government to the social sector as a whole and the health sector in particular, evidenced in the paltry allocations for maintaining and upgrading medical infrastructure and medical education and for looking after precious human resources.

1. What solution is being offered by the Health Ministry for the shortage of doctors in rural areas ?
(A) Increase the number of government run hospitals in the rural areas thereby increasing the
number of doctors catering to the people in these regions.
(B) Make it mandatory for doctors serving in the urban areas to serve in the rural areas for a specific number of years
(C) Set up increasing number of community health centres in rural areas
(D) Hire retired professors of medicine to offer medical help to people living in the rural areas till
the time more doctors are appointed
(E) Run a separate medical course for three and a half years which can be taken up only by rural candidates who would ultimatelyserve in the rural areas
Ans : (E)

2. Why have some existing medical colleges been prohibited from admitting students ?
(A) As these have adopted corrupt practices and have been taking huge donations from their students
(B) As all these colleges were illegally set up and were not approved by the government in the first place
(C) As the course offered by these colleges is not in line with the course offered by the government
run colleges
(D) As these have failed to meet the norms set by the central government for running the college
(E) As there are absolutely no faculty members left in these colleges to teach students
Ans : (D)

3. Which of the following is/are the change/s announced by the MCI in the regulation governing the establishment of medical college?
(a) Allowing the commercialization of medical colleges.
(b) Reducing the earlier mandated land requirement for a medical college campus for metros.
(c) Allowing corporate bodies to open medical colleges.
(A) Only (b)
(B) Only (a) and (b)
(C) Only (c)
(D) Only (b) and (c)
(E) All (a), (b) and (c) are true
Ans : (D)

4. Which of the following are the different opinions regarding the BRMS proposal ?
(a) At least a small step has been taken to improve the healthcare facilities in the rural areas through this proposal.
(b) There should be uniform healthcare facilities available for people living in both rural and urban
area
(c) The healthcare providers through this proposal would not be up to the mark.
(A) Only (a)
(B) Only (a) and (b)
(C) Only (b) and (c)
(D) Only (b)
(E) All (a), (b) and (c)
Ans : (C)

5. Which of the following is possibly the most appropriate title for the passage ?
(A) Healthcare in India – The Questionable Changes
(B) Medical Centres in Rural India
(C) Commercialization of Medical Education in India
(D) The Medical Council of India
(E) The BRMS Proposal – The Way Out for Rural India
Ans : (A)

6. What is one of the major problems faced by the government–run medical institutions ?
(A) Dearth of land required for the setting up of medical institutions
(B) Lack of funds for running the colleges
(C) Dearth of teaching faculty
(D) Excessive competition from colleges run by corporate bodies
(E) Dearth of students opting for these colleges
Ans : (C)

7. What is the idea behind the MCI putting in place the RFID-based smart card ?
(a) To monitor and track faculty from MCI headquarters in the future.
(b) To put a stop to the practice of colleges of presenting fake faculty members.
(c) To verify the authenticity of faculty member qualifications.
(A) Only (a) and (b)
(B) All (a), (b) and (c)
(C) Only (c)
(D) Only (b) and (c)
(E) Only (b)
Ans : (B)

8. What is the author’s main intention behind writing this passage ?
(A) To make the general public aware of the healthcare facilities available in India
(B) To bring to light the problems faced by the healthcare sector in India despite changes suggested and goad the government into attaching priority to the sector
(C) To bring to light the problems faced by rural people in terms of healthcare facilities and thus exhort urban doctors to serve in the rural areas
(D) To make the general public aware of the benefits arising from the changes brought about by the MCI in the healthcare sector
(E) To urge the corporate bodies to look into the matter of healthcare facilities in the rural areas
Ans : (B)

Ans plz

Directions (Q. 1-7): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given
below it Certain words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

In many countries, a combustible mixture of authoritarianism, unemployment and youth has
given rise to disaffection with strongmen rulers, which has, in turn, spilled over into uprisings. Young people in these countries are far better educated than their parents were. In 1990, the average Egyptian had 4.4 years of schooling; by 2010, the figure had risen to 7.1 years. Could it be that education, by making people less willing to put up with restrictions on freedom and more willing to question authority, promotes democratisation? Ideas about the links between education, income and democracy are at the heart of what social scientists have long studied. Since then plenty of economists and political scientists
have looked for statistical evidence of a causal link between education and democratisation.

Many have pointed to the strong correlation that exists between levels of education and measures
like the pluralism of party politics and the existence of civil liberties. The patterns are similar when income and democracy are considered.

There are outliers, of course—until recently, many Arab countries managed to combine energy- based wealth and decent education with
undemocratic political systems. But some deduce from the overall picture that as China and other
authoritarian states get more educated and richer, their people will agitate for greater political freedom, culminating in a shift to a more democratic form of government.This apparently reasonable intuition is shakier than it seems.

Critics of the hypothesis point out that correlation is hardly causation. The general trend over the past half-century may have been towards rising living standards, a wider spread of basic education and more democracy, but it is entirely
possible that this is being driven by another variable. Even if the correlation were not spurious,
it would be difficult to know which way causation ran. Does more education lead to greater democracy? Or are more democratic countries better at educating their citizens? A recent NBER paper compared a group of Kenyan girls in 69 primary schools whose students were randomly selected to receive a scholarship with similar students in schools which received no such
financial aid. Previous studies had shown that the scholarship programme led to higher test scores
and increased the likelihood that girls enrolled in secondary school.

Overall, it significantly increased the amount of education obtained. For
the new study, the authors tried to see how the extra schooling had affected the political and social attitudes of the women in question.
Findings suggested that education may make people more interested in improving their own fives but they may not necessarily see democracy
as the way to do it. Even in established democracies, more education does not always mean either more active political participation or greater faith in democracy. Poorer and less
educated people often vote in larger numbers than their more educated compatriots, who often express disdain for the messiness of democracy, yearning for the kind of government that would deal strongly with the corrupt and build highways,
railway fines and bridges at a dizzying pace of authoritarian China.

1 Which of the following is most similar in meaning to the word ‘promotes’ given in bold as used in
the passage?
1) Upgrades
2) Prefers
3) Recommends
4) Advocates
5) Publicises

2 In the context of the passage, which of the following characterize (s) democracies?
(A)Active participation of majority of educated citizens in electoral process
(B) Fast, paced economic growth and accountability of those in power
(C) Better standards of living and access to higher education
1) All (A), (B) and (C)
2) Only (B) and (C)
3) Only (C)
4) Only (A) and (B)
5) None of these

3 What, according to the author, has led to uprisings in authoritarian countries?
1) Lack of access to education
2) Vast numbers of uneducated and unemployable youth
3) Frustration with the existing system of governance
4) Unavailability of natural energy resources like coal and oil
5) Government’s over-ambitious plans for development

4 What does the phrase “messiness of democracy” convey in the context of the passage?
1) Democratic nations are chaotic on account of individual freedoms.
2) Most democratic countries frequently have violent revolts among their citizens.
3) The divide between the poor and the educated is growing wider in democracies.
4) High levels of pollution on account of frantic pace of infrastructure development
5) Resigned acceptance of intrinsic corruption in the education system

5 Which of the following is/are true about China in the context of the passage?
(A) China’s citizens are in favour of a more representative form of government.
(B) China has made huge strides in infrastructure development.
(C) China is in the midst of a political revolution.
1) None
2) Only (A)
3) Only (A) and (C)
4) Only (B)
5) All (A), (B) and (C)

6 What conclusion can be drawn from the statistic cited about Egypt’s education system?
1) Job prospects have been on the rise in Egypt in recent times.
2) Authoritarian leaders have played a vital role in reforming Egypt’s education system.
3) Egypt has one of the youngest and best educated demographies in the world.
4) Egypt is likely to be a successful vibrant democracy.
5) There has been a rise in education levels in Egypt in recent times.

7 Which of the following most aptly describes the central theme of the passage?
1) Democratic nations are richer and have a better track record of educating their citizens.
2) Education does not necessarily lead to greater enthusiasm for a democratic form of government.
3) Educated societies with autocratic form of government enjoy a better quality of life than democracies.
4) Citizens can fulfill their personal aspirations only under a democratic form of government.
5) Democracy makes citizens more intolerant as it does not restrict personal freedoms.

Ans :
1 - 3)
2 - 5)
3 - 3)
4 - 1)
5 - 4)
6 - 4)
7 - 2)

Answer

Direction (Q. 1 – 8): Read the following passage carefully and answer the question given below it. Certain words are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

In a reversal of the norm elsewhere, in India policymakers and economists have become optimists while bosses do the worrying. The country’s Central Bank has predicted that the country’s economy is likely to grow at a double-digit rate during the next 20-30 years. India has the capability with its vast labour and lauded entrepreneurial spirit. But the private sector, which is supposed to do the heavy lifting that turns India from the world’s tenth largest economy to its third largest by 2030, has become fed up. Business people often carp about India’s problems but their irritation this time has a
nervous edge. In the first quarter of 2011, GDP grew at an annual rate of 7.8 per cent; in 2005-07, it managed 9-10 percent. The economy may be slowing naturally as the low interest rates and public spending that got India through the global crisis are belatedly withdrawn. At the same
time, the surge in inflation caused by exorbitant food prices has spread more widely, casting doubt over whether India can grow at 8-10 per cent in the medium term without overheating.In India, as in many fast-growing nations, the confidence to invest depends on the conviction that the long term trajectory is intact and it is that which is in doubt. Big Indian firms too. sometimes, seem
happier to invest abroad than at home, in deals that are often hailed as symbols of the country’s growing clout but sometimes speak to its
weaknesses—purchases of natural resources that India has in abundance but struggles to get out
of the ground. In fact, a further dip in investment could be self- fulfilling: if fewer roads, ports and factories are built, this will hurt both short-term
growth figures and reduce the economy’s long term capacity.
There is a view that because a fair amount of growth is assured the government need not try very hard. The liberalisation that began in 1991
freed markets for products and gave rise to vibrant competition. At the same time what economists call factor markets, those for basic
inputs like land, power, labour etc, remains unreformed and largely under state control, which creates difficulties. Clearances today can take three to four years and many employers are keen to replace workers with machines despite an
abundance of labour force. This can be attributed to labour laws which are inimical to employee creation and an education system that means finding quality manpower a major problem. In fact, the Planning Commission concluded that achieving even nine per cent growth will need marked policy action in unreformed sectors.

Twenty years ago it was said that the yardstick against which India should be measured was its potential and it is clear that there remains much to do.

1 Why are employers reluctant to hire Indian labour force?
(A) India’s labour force is overqualified for the employment opportunities available.
(B) High attrition rate among employees stemming from their entrepreneurial spirit
(C) Labour laws are not conducive to generating employment.
1) Only (C)
2) All (A), (B) and (C)
3) Only (A) and (C)
4) Only (A) & (B)
5) None of these

2 What is the state of India’s basic input sectors at present?
(1) These sectors attract Foreign Direct Investment because of their vast potential.
(2) These sectors are lagging as projects are usually awarded to foreign companies.
(3) These sectors are stagnating and badly in need of reforms.
(4) These sectors are well regulated as these are governed by the State.
(5) None of these

3 Which of the following can be said about the Indian economy at present?
(1) It can comfortably achieve double-digit growth rate at present.
(2)High food prices have led to overheating of the economy.
(3)Citizens are affluent owing to laxity in regulation.
(4) Private sector confidence in India’s growth potential is high.
(5)Unreformed sectors are a drag on economic growth. 139. What impact has the GDP growth of 7.8 per had?

4 What impact has the GDP growth of 7.8 percent had?
(A) Indian Industry is anxious about India’s economic growth.
(B) India has achieved status as the world’s third largest economy at present.
(C) Foreign investment in India has drastically increased.
1) Only (A)
2) All (A), (B) and (C)
3) Only (A) and (C)
4) Only(A) and (B)
5) None of these

5 Which of the following is most opposite in meaning of the word ‘marked’ given in bold as used in the passage?
1) Decreased
2) Ignored
3) Clear
4) Assessed
5) Imperceptible

6 What is the author’s main objective in writing the passage?
1) Showcasing the potential of India’s growth potential to entice foreign investors
2) Exhorting India to implement measures to live up to its potential
3) Recommending India’s model of development to other developing countries
4) Berating the private sector for not bidding for infrastructure development projects
5) Criticising the measures taken by India during the global economic crisis

7 What measures do experts suggest to be taken to ensure targeted economic growth?
1) Lowering of interest rates to help industries hit by recession
2) Prolonged financial support for basic input industries
3) Incentives to Indian companies to invest in infrastucture
4) Formulation of policies and their
implementation in factor markets
5) Stringent implementation of licensing system

8 Which of the following is most similar in meaning to the word ‘clout’ given in bold as used in the
passage?
1) Strike
2) Standing
3) Force
4) Launch
5) Achieve

Ans : 1 - 1, 2 - 3, 3 -5, 4 - 1, 5 - 5, 6 - 2, 7 - 4,

Synonyms

Directions (Q. 1-5):
Below is given a single word with its meaning in different contexts as options. You have to select all those options which are synonyms of the word when the context is changed. Select the correct alternative from 1), 2), 3), 4) and 5) which represents all those synonyms.

1 LABOUR
(A) expedite (B) to move faster (C) controlled (D)toil
1) Only (D)
2) both (A)and (C)
3) only (B) (C) and (D)
4) only (A),(C)and (D)
5) All (A), (B), (C) and (D)

2 MEAN
(A) imply (B) understand (C) average
(D)characterized by malice
1) Only(C)
2) both(A)and(D)
3) Only(A),(C)and(D)
4) only(A),(B)and(C)
5) All (A), (B), (C) and (D)

3 REGULAR
(A) present (B) common (C) indiscriminate (D) uniform
1) Only(D)
2) both (B)and(D)
3) both (A)and (C)
4) only (B),(C)and (D)
5) All (A),(B),(C)and (D)

4 MASK
(A) cover (B) hide (C) conceal (D) disguise
1) Only (A)
2) both( B )and( D)
3) ONLY (B),(C)AND (D)
4) ONLY (A) ,(B)AND(C)
5) ALL (A),(B),(C)and (D)

5 ALONE
(A) exclusively (B) morose (C) solitary (D) human being
1) Only (A)
2) Both (A) and (C)
3) Both (B) and (C)
4) Only (A), (C) and (D)
5) All (A), (B), (C) and (D)

Ans : 1 - 1, 2 - 3, 3 - 2, 4 - 5, 5 - 2

Select the correct meaning

Directions (Q. 1-5):

The following questions consist of a single sentence with one blank only. You are given six words as answer choices and from the six choices you have to pick up two correct answers, either of which will make the sentence meaningfully complete.

1 Drugs worth Rs. 3 lakh were _______ from the apartment by the police.

(A) manufactured (B) ruptured (C) seized (D) confiscated (E) bought (F) compared

1) (A) and (D)
2) (B)and(C)
3) (C)and(E)
4) (E)and(F)
5) (C)and(D)

2 A man reportedly ______ two passports with the same photograph but under different names was
arrested by the commissioner’s Task Force.

(A) possessing (B) examining (C) surrendering (D) mastering
(E) holding (F) fixating

1) (B) and(C)
2) (C)and(F)
3) (A)and(E)
4) (A)and(D)
5) (D)and(E)

3 The Hollywood star and the Bollywood heroine are being ____ as the next big onscreen couple.

(A) labelled (B) explained (C) worshiped (D) touted (E) exclaimed (F) shouted

1) (B) and (D)
2) (A)and(C)
3) (B)and(F)
4) (A)and(D)
5) (C) and (D)

4 An organization ______ to the mission of road safety has prepared an action plan for reducing accidents and related injuries and fatalities.

(A) specified (B) inaugurated (C) committed (D)kickedoff (E) succumbed (F) dedicated

l ) (C) and (F)
2) (A)and(E)
3) (C)and(E)
4) (D)and(F)
5) (A) and (C)

5 The ability of a woman to do well does not ____ on whether it is a man’s world or not, because everyone has his/her own opportunities.

(A) trust (B) depend (C) reckon (D) live (E) rest (F) believe

1) (D) and (E)
2) (B) and (C)
3) (A) and (F)
4) (B) and (E)
5) (C) and (D)

Ans : 1 - 5, 2 - 3, 3 - 4, 4 - 1, 5 - 4

Rearrange all

Directions (Q. 1-5): Rearrange the following seven sentences (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), (F) and (G) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful
paragraph; then answer the questions given below them.

(A) To elaborate briefly on these characteristics and dimensions that the author is talking about — NRMs are general tests intended to be used to classify students by percentile for measuring either aptitude or proficiency for admissions into or placement within a programme.

(B) Contrastingly, the CRM, such as a locally produced achievement test, measures absolute performance that is compared only with the learning objective, hence a perfect score is theoretically obtainable by all students who have a mastery of the pre- specified material, or conversely, all students may fail the test.

(C) In most of these books, the authors classify a measurement strategy as either norm-referenced
(NRM) or criterion-referenced (CRM).

(D) Another author points out how the type of interpretation that an NRM offers is the relative performance of the students compared with that of all the others resulting in, ideally, a bell curve
distribution.

(E) Numerous books on constructing and using language tests have been written by various authors.

(F) CRMs, on the other hand, are more specific achievement or diagnostic tests intended to be used for motivating students by measuring to what per cent they have achieved mastery of the taught or learned material.

(G)One of the authors clearly delineates the differences of these two types by focusing on the categories of “test characteristics” and “logistical dimensions”.

1 Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement?
1) G
2) B
3) C
4) D
5) E

2 Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement?
1) A
2) B
3) C
4) F
5) E

3 Which of the following should be the SEVENTH (LAST) sentence after rearrangement?
1) A
2) B
3) C
4) D
5) E

4 Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement?
1) A
2) B
3) G
4) D
5) E

5 Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement?
1) A
2) B
3) C
4) D
5) F

Ans : 1 -2, 2 - 1, 3 - 4, 4 - 3, 5 - 1.