ENGLISH - Online Test
Q1. 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.
Q2.
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.
Q3. 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.
Q4. 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.
Q5. 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”.
Simran was also invited (A)/ to the get –together hosted by her friends (B)/ at a hotel yesterday ( C)/ on account of one of them getting marriage. (D)/ No error (E)
Answer : Option D
Explaination / Solution:
We don't get marriage, we get married. So, 'marriage' should be replaced by 'married'.
Q6. Which of the following is the MOST OPPOSITE in meaning to the word ‘depraved’?
Answer : Option E
Explaination / Solution:
Depraved means wicked, corrupt or immoral. While lewd, nefarious, wanton and vile mean the same as depraved, moralistic means reliable. Hence E is the correct answer.
Q7. Among P, Q, R, S & T, sitting in a straight line, facing North, who sits exactly in the middle of the line?
I. P sits third to the left of S. T is an immediate neighbor of P as well as R.
II. T sits second to the left of S. Q is not an immediate neighbor of either T or S.
I. P sits third to the left of S. T is an immediate neighbor of P as well as R.
II. T sits second to the left of S. Q is not an immediate neighbor of either T or S.
Answer : Option E
Explaination / Solution:
As per statement I or Statement II alone, position of middle person cannot be determined as possibility cases can be formed. Data in both statements is required to answer the question.
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, 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.
Which of the following statement(s) is false regarding Madhya Pradesh pilot programme?
Answer : Option D
Explaination / Solution:
This questions calls for careful reading. The stats regarding households have not been correctly mentioned. It was 24.3% and not 24.5%.
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 A
Explaination / Solution:
Boast means talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.
Suspicion means a feeling or thought that something is possible, likely, or true.
Worship means the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity.
Preaution means a measure taken in advance to prevent something dangerous, unpleasant, or inconvenient from happening.
The context of the statement, 'boast' is the most suitable response.
Q10. Direction: 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.
Carpe Diem is an exhortation to value the moment over the uncertainties of future plans. It can be understood as a statement that encourages one to enjoy hedonistic pleasures, rather than investing one’s efforts towards attaining an ideal or preparing for the future. It can also be seen as an emphasis on the value of each moment, expressing appreciation for the opportunities found in every day. ______________
Answer : Option B
Explaination / Solution:
Eliminate C and E as they are not related. A, B and D all are correct and related to the context. But since the last line before the blank is explaining Carpe Diem sentence B would be the most suitable one. We can infer this by the term ‘also’ used in the sentence.
