English - Online Test
Q1.
Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
The idea that every individual should have access to a minimum guaranteed basic income is not new. Thomas Paine sought an equal inheritance for everyone, “a national fund” which would pay every adult a sum of “fifteen pounds sterling as compensation” for the introduction of the system of landed property. Over the last century, with the Great Depression, welfare policy in the U.S. was transformed with minimum wage legislation, while Keynesianism meant that the government would attempt to stimulate the economy during downturns by directly financing public employment and public works. Long-term support was offered to the aged, the disabled and single mothers while unemployment insurance sought to support the temporarily unemployed. The 1960s brought about the war on poverty, waged through federally funded social service and healthcare programmes. Milton Friedman sought a negative income tax, eliminating the need for a minimum wage and potentially the “welfare trap”, while bureaucracy could be curtailed. Richard Nixon supported and yet failed to push through a “Family Assistance Plan” while George McGovern’s 1972 campaign sought a $1,000 “demogrant” for all citizens. This decadal struggle against poverty in the West cut the number of those in poverty in the U.S. to 26 million from 36 million in 12 years. Education and health care were improved, but the employability and the income of the poor remained stranded. With the rise of neo-liberalism, opinion shifted. Existing welfare systems had grown too cumbersome, without eliminating poverty.
Now, however, the idea of an unconditional annual income is gathering momentum. Y Combinator, of Silicon Valley fame, is testing out a new business model: handing out money, without any strings, in an unnamed U.S. community in an attempt to replace safety net welfare policies that often fail to help those with the greatest need. Finland is considering a plan to give 100,000 citizens $1,000 a month, while four cities in Netherlands are starting trial programmes. Switzerland may have rejected, in a referendum, the idea of giving citizens about $2,500 a month, but the Canadian province of Ontario is planning a trial run. Progressives hail it as an escape route for workaholics, from oppressive jobs and situations, giving individuals greater time to build relationships and pursue education or artistic endeavours. Conservatives applaud its potential to shrink bureaucracy. As job concerns about automation grow, the basic income stands out as a panacea.
Even India has seen its share of basic income experiments. A pilot in eight villages in Madhya Pradesh provided over 6,000 individuals a monthly payment (Rs.100 for a child, Rs.200 for an adult; later raised to Rs.150 and Rs.300, respectively). The money was initially paid out as cash, while transitioning to bank accounts three months later. The transfer was unconditional, saving the prevention of substitution of food subsidies for cash grants. The results were intriguing. Most villagers used the money on household improvements while taking precautions against malaria — 24.3 per cent of the households changed their main source of energy for cooking or lighting; 16 per cent had made changes to their toilet. There was a seeming shift towards markets, instead of ration shops, given better financial liquidity, leading to improved nutrition, particularly among SC and ST households, and better school attendance and performance. There was an increase in small-scale investments (better seeds, sewing machines, equipment repairs etc). Bonded labour decreased, along with casual wage labour, while self-employed farming and business activity increased. Financial inclusion was rapid – within four months of the pilot, 95.6 per cent of the individuals had bank accounts. Within a year, 73 per cent of the households reported a reduction in their debt. There was no evidence of any increase in spending on alcohol.
Before moving ahead, we would need more data to prove its applicability in the Indian context. There have only been eight large-scale pilot programmes testing the impact of a universal basic income on human well-being. Social context too matters — what might have worked in Manitoba or Kenya might not necessarily be applicable to India. We need a greater depth of pilot studies, focussed on ensuring universal access and covering minimum living expenses. With more pilots planned in Oakland, Netherlands, Germany and India, insights developed can be used to modify welfare policy.
What were the impacts of the decadal struggle against poverty in the West?
Answer : Option D
Explaination / Solution:
No Explaination.
Q2. Direction: 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.
Without doubt, there is one thing (1) to all of us. We have played a game at some time in our lives. Most of us play to relax or have fun, but for many playing a game or a sport is a way to (2) poverty behind. Infact, in many African countries, playing a sport professionally can (3) the lives of a person's entire family. For example, in the small town of Bekoji, in Ethiopia (4) than a hundred boys and girls can be seen running at dawn every day. Each of these youth is (5) and serious and their coach is (6) that one of them will be a world champion. This seems like an idle (7) but it is virtually a guarantee in this small community (8) mainly farmers. Many of the fastest male and female distance runners in the world hail from this small town. A small handpainted sign which greets visitors outside Bekoji (9) “Welcome to the Village of Athletes”. Children here start running at an early age, (10) great distance to fetch water and firewood or to reach, school. At the Olympics, runners from this small town are likely to win more medals than those from developed countries. It will give their families a way out of poverty.
Find out the appropriate word in each case.
Answer : Option C
Explaination / Solution:
Coercive means relating to or using force or threats.
Rival means to be or seem to be equal or comparable to.
Focused means directing a great deal of attention, interest, or activity towards a particular aim.
Playful means fond of games and amusement; light-hearted.
Performed is irrelevant form of the word 'perform' which means to carry out, accomplish, or fulfil.
Another adjective 'serious' is connected with the blank using conjuction 'and', so the blank should be filled with a similar toned word. Thus, option C is the most suitable response.
Q3.
Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answers the questions that follow.
Dine on a steady diet of books like The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East or When China Rules the World, and it's easy to think that the future belongs to Asia. As one prominent herald of the region's rise put it, 'We are entering a new era of world history: the end of Western domination and the arrival of the Asian century.'
Sustained, rapid economic growth since World War 2 has undeniably boosted the region's economic output and military capabilities. But it's a gross exaggeration to say that Asia will emerge as the world's predominant power player. At most, Asia's rise will lead to the arrival of a multi-polar world, not another unipolar one.
Asia is nowhere near closing its economic and military gap with the West. The region produces roughly 30 percent of global economic output, but because of its huge population, its Per Capita GDP is only $5,800, compared with $48,000 in the United States. Asian countries are furiously upgrading their militaries, but their combined military spending in 2008 was still only a third that of the United States. Even at current torrid rates of growth, it will take the average Asian 77 years to reach the income of the average American. The Chinese need 47 years. For Indians, the figure is 123 years. And Asia's combined military budget won't equal that of the United States for 72 years.
In any case, it is meaningless to talk about Asia as a single entity of power, now or in the future. Far more likely is that the fast ascent of one regional player will be greeted with alarm by its closest neighbours. Asian history is replete with examples of competition for power and even military conflict among its big players. China and Japan have fought repeatedly over Korea; the Soviet Union teamed up with India and Vietnam to check China, while China supported Pakistan to counterbalance India. Already, China's recent rise has pushed Japan and India closer together. If Asia is becoming the world's centre of geopolitical gravity, it's a murky middle indeed.
Those who think Asia's gains in hard power will inevitably lead to its geopolitical dominance might also want to look at another crucial ingredient of clout: ideas. Pax Americana was made possible not only by the overwhelming economic and military might of the United States but also by a set of visionary ideas: free trade, Wilsonian liberalism, and multilateral institutions. Although Asia today may have the world's most dynamic economies, it does not seem to play an equally inspiring role as a thought leader. The big idea animating Asians now is empowerment; Asians rightly feel proud that they are making a new industrial revolution. But self-confidence is not an ideology, and the much-touted Asian model of development does not seem to be an exportable product.
In the passage, the term 'thought leadership' is meant to be which of the following?
Answer : Option C
Explaination / Solution:
'Thought leadership' as described in the concluding paragraph does lead to the formation of a cohesive, single identity, but by itself does not mean such an identity. So [a] is wrong. [b] is incorrect as it finds no mention in the passage, and nor is it implied. [d] is similarly out of context as far as the part about 'coming into the free world' is concerned. But the presence of a visionary and broad ideology finds mention as a major factor, in the last paragraph. Hence, [c].
Q4. Direction: Read each sentence to find out whether there is an error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. If there is no error, the answer will be “No Error”.
Up-to-date Microsoft customers are safe in (1)/the purported National Security Agency (NSA) spying tools dumped online (2)/, the software company said on Saturday, tamping down fears that (3)/the digital arsenal was poised to wreak havoc across the internet (4).
Answer : Option A
Explaination / Solution:
In part 1 , the use of ‘in’ after ‘safe’ is incorrect. ‘From’ is the correct preposition to be used here.
Hence 1 is the correct choice.
Q5. Which of the following represents the state of being relaxed, easy-going?
Answer : Option D
Explaination / Solution:
Laxity - the state of being relaxed, easy-going
Beseech - ask someone urgently and fervently to do or give something.
Urge - try earnestly or persistently to persuade (someone) to do something.
Trickle - (of a liquid) flow in a small stream.
Q6. Choose the most appropriate word from the options given below to complete the following
sentence.
__________ is the key to their happiness; they are satisfied with what they have.
Answer : Option A
Explaination / Solution:
No Explaination.
Q7. Statement It has been reported in a recent research report that taller people are found to be happier than those who are relatively shorter.
Which of the following contradicts the above finding ?
Which of the following contradicts the above finding ?
Answer : Option B
Explaination / Solution:
The statement give against option (2) contradicts the finding.
Hence, option B is correct.
Q8.
Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
The idea that every individual should have access to a minimum guaranteed basic income is not new. Thomas Paine sought an equal inheritance for everyone, “a national fund” which would pay every adult a sum of “fifteen pounds sterling as compensation” for the introduction of the system of landed property. Over the last century, with the Great Depression, welfare policy in the U.S. was transformed with minimum wage legislation, while Keynesianism meant that the government would attempt to stimulate the economy during downturns by directly financing public employment and public works. Long-term support was offered to the aged, the disabled and single mothers while unemployment insurance sought to support the temporarily unemployed. The 1960s brought about the war on poverty, waged through federally funded social service and healthcare programmes. Milton Friedman sought a negative income tax, eliminating the need for a minimum wage and potentially the “welfare trap”, while bureaucracy could be curtailed. Richard Nixon supported and yet failed to push through a “Family Assistance Plan” while George McGovern’s 1972 campaign sought a $1,000 “demogrant” for all citizens. This decadal struggle against poverty in the West cut the number of those in poverty in the U.S. to 26 million from 36 million in 12 years. Education and health care were improved, but the employability and the income of the poor remained stranded. With the rise of neo-liberalism, opinion shifted. Existing welfare systems had grown too cumbersome, without eliminating poverty.
Now, however, the idea of an unconditional annual income is gathering momentum. Y Combinator, of Silicon Valley fame, is testing out a new business model: handing out money, without any strings, in an unnamed U.S. community in an attempt to replace safety net welfare policies that often fail to help those with the greatest need. Finland is considering a plan to give 100,000 citizens $1,000 a month, while four cities in Netherlands are starting trial programmes. Switzerland may have rejected, in a referendum, the idea of giving citizens about $2,500 a month, but the Canadian province of Ontario is planning a trial run. Progressives hail it as an escape route for workaholics, from oppressive jobs and situations, giving individuals greater time to build relationships and pursue education or artistic endeavours. Conservatives applaud its potential to shrink bureaucracy. As job concerns about automation grow, the basic income stands out as a panacea.
Even India has seen its share of basic income experiments. A pilot in eight villages in Madhya Pradesh provided over 6,000 individuals a monthly payment (Rs.100 for a child, Rs.200 for an adult; later raised to Rs.150 and Rs.300, respectively). The money was initially paid out as cash, while transitioning to bank accounts three months later. The transfer was unconditional, save the prevention of substitution of food subsidies for cash grants. The results were intriguing. Most villagers used the money on household improvements while taking precautions against malaria — 24.3 per cent of the households changed their main source of energy for cooking or lighting; 16 per cent had made changes to their toilet. There was a seeming shift towards markets, instead of ration shops, given better financial liquidity, leading to improved nutrition, particularly among SC and ST households, and better school attendance and performance. There was an increase in small-scale investments (better seeds, sewing machines, equipment repairs etc). Bonded labour decreased, along with casual wage labour, while self-employed farming and business activity increased. Financial inclusion was rapid – within four months of the pilot, 95.6 per cent of the individuals had bank accounts. Within a year, 73 per cent of the households reported a reduction in their debt. There was no evidence of any increase in spending on alcohol.
Before moving ahead, we would need more data to prove its applicability in the Indian context. There have only been eight large-scale pilot programmes testing the impact of a universal basic income on human well-being. Social context too matters — what might have worked in Manitoba or Kenya might not necessarily be applicable to India. We need a greater depth of pilot studies, focussed on ensuring universal access and covering minimum living expenses. With more pilots planned in Oakland, Netherlands, Germany and India, insights developed can be used to modify welfare policy.
Which among the following is TRUE according to the passage given above?
Answer : Option D
Explaination / Solution:
Both the statements are clearly stated in the passage. It is also clearly stated that there have been eight large scale pilot programmes and not eighteen.
Q9. Direction: 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.
Without doubt, there is one thing (1) to all of us. We have played a game at some time in our lives. Most of us play to relax or have fun, but for many playing a game or a sport is a way to (2) poverty behind. Infact, in many African countries, playing a sport professionally can (3) the lives of a person's entire family. For example, in the small town of Bekoji, in Ethiopia (4) than a hundred boys and girls can be seen running at dawn every day. Each of these youth is (5) and serious and their coach is (6) that one of them will be a world champion. This seems like an idle (7) but it is virtually a guarantee in this small community (8) mainly farmers. Many of the fastest male and female distance runners in the world hail from this small town. A small handpainted sign which greets visitors outside Bekoji (9) “Welcome to the Village of Athletes”. Children here start running at an early age, (10) great distance to fetch water and firewood or to reach, school. At the Olympics, runners from this small town are likely to win more medals than those from developed countries. It will give their families a way out of poverty.
Find out the appropriate word in each case.
Answer : Option E
Explaination / Solution:
Convince means to cause (someone) to believe firmly in the truth of something.
Optimist means a person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future or the success of something.
Intended means planned or meant.
Privilege means a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.
Confident means feeling or showing confidence in oneself or one's abilities or qualities.
Out of these options 'confident' suits the best in the given context.
Q10. 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.
The main role of DNA is the long-term storage of genetic information. DNA is often compared to a blueprint, since it contains instructions for constructing other components of the cell, such as proteins and RNA molecules. The DNA segments that carry genetic information are called genes. ___________
Answer : Option A
Explaination / Solution:
E is grammatically incorrect. A, B, C and D are all in the context of DNA lines but since the last line before the blank talks about some DNA segments so the continuation must be about the other sequences.
