Final Pev102 Tutorial
Final Pev102 Tutorial
Final Pev102 Tutorial
SUBJECT VERB
AGREEMENT
Fill in the blanks with suitable verbs and verb forms
73. Building a good marriage and building a good log fire is / are similar in many ways.
75. Neither Carol nor Ted is / are excluded from the meeting
76. Either Patty or Tom was / were asked to lead the meeting.
77. Neither the basket nor the apples was / were expensive.
78. Neither the apples nor the basket was / were expensive
81. Hardest hit by the high temperatures and the drought was / were the farmers.
85. Every silver knife, fork, and spoon has / have to be counted.
86. Each cat and each dog has / have its own toy.
99. The team and the band was / were on the field.
SENTENCE CORRECTION
Correct the mistakes in the following sentence
3. I don’t know why you didn’t go. If I were you, I should have gone.
4. Kate claims that if she got an MBA after finishing her bachelor’s degree, she might have been considered
for the position.
8. I’m so glad that he spoke in my behalf because I felt awful that I couldn’t make it to the event.
11. When the check came, I tried to pay but John told me to put away my wallet and insisted that he paid for
dinner.
12. They had managed a few crisises in the past, so they were able to handle this situation fairly well.
13. If you would’ve told me, I would have given you my honest advice.
15. We thought we were going to expand this year, but we actually have less people now than we did two
years ago.
17. Unfortunately, the species has gotten extinct due to human activity.
Choose the best alternative for the underlined part of the sentence.
21. Trying to keep her balance on the icy surface, the last competitor's ski-tip caught the pole and
somersaulted into the soft snow.
A. the last competitor's ski-tip caught the pole and somersaulted into the soft snow.
B. the ski-tip of the last competitor caught the pole and somersaulted in the soft snow.
C. the last competitor caught the pole with the tip of her ski, and somersaulted into the soft snow.
D. the last competitor caught the pole with her ski-tip, which made her somersault into the soft snow.
E. the last competitor somersaulted into the soft snow when the tip of her ski was caught by the pole.
22. The temperature dropped suddenly last night, which will mean that the shoots emerging from the soil will
be killed by the frost.
A. which will mean that the shoots emerging from the soil will be killed by the frost.
B. which will mean that the frost will kill the shoots emerging from the soil.
C. and this will mean that the shoots emerging from the soil will be killed by the frost.
D. and the resulting frost will kill the shoots that are emerging from the soil.
E. and as a result, the shoots will be killed by the frost, emerging from the soil.
23. The impostor eluded detection for so long because she conducted herself as though she were a licensed
practitioner.
24. Being abandoned by our friends is the cause of great sorrow for us.
A. Being abandoned by our friends is the cause of great sorrow for us.
B. Our being abandoned by our friends is the cause of great sorrow.
C. Being abandoned by our friends, we feel great sorrow.
D. Abandoned by our friends, sorrow is the result.
E. We feel great sorrow when our friends abandon us.
25. Among the many reasons for his defeat in the election was his arrogant assumption that his constituents
were incapable of understanding economic conditions, and his unwarranted attack on his chief opponent.
A. was his arrogant assumption that his constituents were incapable of understanding economic conditions
B. were his arrogant assumption that his constituents were incapable of understanding economic conditions
C. were his arrogant assumptions that his constituents were incapable of understanding economical
conditions
26. More and more holidaymakers are choosing to fly to remote islands in search of the perfect beach;
seeking sand, sun and palm trees, rather than centers of entertainment.
A. ; seeking sand, sun and palm trees, rather than centers of entertainment.
B. ; seeking sad, sun, palm trees and not entertainment.
C. , with sand, sun, palm trees and no entertainment.
D. , they seek sand, sun and palm trees, rather than entertainment centers.
E. ; they seek sand, sun and palm trees, rather than centers of entertainment.
27. The government requires that these forms should be submitted before the end of the financial year.
28. After arduous months of fighting, the sight of the white flag being raised generated as much relief on the
victor's side than it did on the vanquished.
29. The best way to encourage innovative thinking is not to promise financial rewards for ideas, but to
ensure that the person making the suggestion receives recognition for his contribution.
A. but to ensure that the person making the suggestion receives recognition for his contribution.
B. but to ensure that the person who makes the suggestion will be receiving recognition for his contribution.
C. but rather by ensuring that the person making the suggestion receives recognition for his contribution.
D. but rather ensure that suggestion-maker receives recognition for his contribution.
E. but instead make sure that the suggestion-maker will receive recognition.
30. It ought to be her with whom you share your secrets, not me.
32. Antony, coming alongside Cleopatra's ship, climbed aboard without seeing or being seen by her.
33. Bombast is when high sounding words for effect, not suitability, are used.
A. is when high sounding words for effect, not suitability, are used.
B. is the use of high-sounding words for effect rather than for suitability.
C. is where high-sounding words are used for effect not suitability.
D. is the using of high-sounding words for effect only.
E. is when you use high-sounding words for effect rather than for suitability.
34. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music: it has given me so much pleasure.
A. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music:
B. I would like to thank whomever it was that has written that piece of music:
C. I would like to thank whomever it might be that wrote that piece of music:
D. Whoever it was that wrote that piece of music, I would like to thank because
E. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music,
36. In the initial stages of learning a new language we learn more through listening and attempting to copy
speech patterns and not through reading grammar books.
A. and attempting to copy speech patterns and not through reading grammar books.
B. and attempting to copy speech patterns than through reading grammar books.
C. and attempts to copy speech patterns than through reading grammar books.
D. and attempts at copying speech patterns than through reading grammar books.
E. and attempts at copying speech patterns and not grammar books.
38. Work that is not finished is not work at all, it is merely a botch, a failure.
39. Pollution and degradation of the environment is, according to the commission's report, a matter of
universal concern.
40. Denim jeans were originally worn not so much as a fashion statement as for their being practical work
clothes.
A. Denim jeans were originally worn not so much as a fashion statement as for their being practical work
clothes.
B. Denim jeans were originally worn not so much as a fashion statement but for their being practical work
clothes.
C. Denim jeans were originally worn not so much as a fashion statement but for being practical work clothes
D. Denim jeans were originally worn not as a fashion statement as for them being practical work clothes.
E. Denim jeans were originally worn not as a fashion statement but as for them being practical work clothes.
41. The people of the ancient Assyrian Empire were renowned warriors, although they also crafted
some of the best-preserved ancient art.
42. The administration discussed whether the number of students studying European languages
was likely to decline when the senior lecturer retired.
43. With the advent of YouTube, Facebook, and Flickr, many savvy political consultants undertook
revolutionary micro-targeting and getout-the-vote techniques that enabled political candidates with
cash-strapped budgets to be able to reach numerous likely voters and succeed in raising large
numbers of money from enthusiastic and committed supporters in a short period of time.
A. cash-strapped budgets to be able to reach numerous likely voters and succeed in raising large
numbers of money
B. cash-strapped budgets to reach numerous likely voters and be successful in raising large amounts
of money
C. cash-strapped budgets to reach numerous likely voters and succeed in raising large amounts of
money
D. cash-strapped budgets to be able to reach numerous likely voters and succeed in raising large
amounts of money
44. Among the litany of threats that many Israelis face, the potential for a nuclear-armed Iran is
perhaps the more scary as this scenario could engulf the region in a violent war. This would likely
result in historically unseen amounts of destruction, even for a region whose history is marred by
perennial violence.
45. It is highly desirable that you furnish evidence of your expenses before you submit your final
accounts.
46. Despite being thousands of years old, the writing of Augustine of Hippo has inspired and
captivated countless individuals, fundamentally because they convey the moving inner-journey of
man searching for the divine in a lucid and compelling fashion.
7. On Discovery channel last night they showed an informative program about new innovations in
medical imaging, which you would have found interesting.
A. they showed an informative program about new innovations in medical imaging, which you
would have found interesting.
B. they showed an informative program about innovations in medical imaging, which you would
have found interesting.
C. they showed an informative program about innovations in medical imaging, that you would have
found interesting.
D. there was an informative program about new innovations in medical imaging, that you would
have found interesting.
E. there was an informative program about innovations in medical imaging, a program you would
have found interesting.
48. During the worst years of the Great Depression, America faced tremendous challenges as
unemployment topped 25%. Many historians credit the New Deal and the World War II industrial
complex for propelling America out of the depression and into a then-unparalleled time of
economic prosperity.
A. for propelling
B. with having propelled
C. as propelling
D. to propelling
E. with propelling
49. According to a recent study, financial problems, together with their serious ramifications, ranks
as one of the high causes of marital stress in America.
50. The mole is a nocturnal insectivorous mammal regarded as pests by gardeners because of their
burrowing activity spoiling lawns and gardens.
SENTENCE COMPLETION
1. She hadn’t eaten all day, and by the time she got home she was
______.
a. blighted
b. confutative
c. ravenous
d. ostentatious
e. blissful
2. The movie offended many of the parents of its younger viewers by including unnecessary
______ in the dialogue.
a. vulgarity
b. verbosity
c. vocalizations
d. garishness
e. tonality
3. His neighbors found his ______ manner bossy and irritating, and they stopped inviting him
to backyard barbeques.
a. insentient
b. magisterial
c. reparatory
d. restorative
e. modest
4. Steven is always ______ about showing up for work because he feels that tardiness is a
sign of irresponsibility.
a. legible
b. tolerable
c. punctual
d. literal
e. belligerent
5. Candace would ______ her little sister into an argument by teasing her and calling her
names.
a. advocate
b. provoke
c. perforate
d. lamente
e. expunge
6. The dress Ariel wore ______ with small, glassy beads, creating a shimmering effect.
a. titillated
b. reiterated
c. scintillated
d. enthralled
e. striated
7. Being able to afford this luxury car will ______ getting a better-paying job.
a. maximize
b. recombinant
c. reiterate
d. necessitate
e. reciprocate
8. Levina unknowingly ______ the thief by holding open the elevator doors and ensuring his
escape.
a. coerced
b. proclaimed
c. abetted
d. sanctioned
e. solicited
9. Shakespeare, a(n) ______ writer, entertained audiences by writing many tragic and comic
plays.
a. numeric
b. obstinate
c. dutiful
d. prolific
e. generic
10. I had the ______ experience of sitting next to an over-talkative passenger on my flight
home from Brussels.
a. satisfactory
b. commendable
c. galling
d. acceptable
e. acute
11. Prince Phillip had to choose: marry the woman he loved and ______
his right to the throne, or marry Lady Fiona and inherit the crown.
a. reprimand
b. upbraid
12. If you will not do your work of your own ______, I have no choice but to penalize you if it is
not done on time.
a. predilection
b. coercion
c. excursion
d. volition
e. infusion
13. After sitting in the sink for several days, the dirty, food-encrusted dishes became ______.
a. malodorous
b. prevalent
c. imposing
d. perforated
e. emphatic
14. Giulia soon discovered the source of the ______ smell in the room: a week-old tuna
sandwich that one of the children had hidden in the closet.
a. quaint
b. fastidious
c. clandestine
d. laconic
e. fetid
15. After making ______ remarks to the President, the reporter was not invited to return to
the White House pressroom.
a. hospitable
b. itinerant
c. enterprising
d. chivalrous
e. irreverent
16. With her ______ eyesight, Krystyna spotted a trio of deer on the hillside and she reduced
the speed of her car.
a. inferior
b. keen
c. impressionable
d. ductile
e. conspiratorial
f.
18. Her ______ display of tears at work did not impress her new boss, who felt she should try
to control her emotions.
a. maudlin
b. meritorious
c. precarious
d. plausible
e. schematic
19. Johan argued, “If you know about a crime but don’t report it, you are ______ in that crime
because you allowed it to happen.”
a. acquitted
b. steadfast
c. tenuous
d. complicit
e. nullified
20. The authorities, fearing a ______ of their power, called for a military state in the
hopes of restoring order.
a. subversion
b. premonition
c. predilection
d. infusion
e. inversion
21. The story’s bitter antagonist felt such great ______ for all of the other characters that as a result, his
life was very lonely and he died alone.
a. insurgence
b. malevolence
c. reciprocation
d. declamation
e. preference
23. The ______ weather patterns of the tropical island meant tourists had to carry both
umbrellas and sunglasses.
a. impertinent
b. supplicant
c. preeminent
d. illustrative
e. kaleidoscopic
24. Wedding ceremonies often include the exchange of ______ rings to symbolize the
couple’s promises to each other.
a. hirsute
b. acrimonious
c. plaintive
d. deciduous
e. votive
25. Kym was ______ in choosing her friends, so her parties were attended by vastly different and
sometimes bizarre personalities.
a. indispensable
b. indiscriminate
c. commensurate
d. propulsive
e. indisputable
26. Phillip’s ______ tone endeared him to his comical friends, but irritated his serious father.
a. aloof
b. jesting
c. grave
d. earnest
e. conservative
27. Brian’s pale Irish skin was ______ to burn if he spent too much time in the sun.
a. prone
b. urbane
c. eminent
28. A fan of historical fiction, Joline is now reading a novel about slavery in the ______
South.
a. decorous
b. rogue
c. droll
d. antebellum
e. onerous
29. Over the years the Wilsons slowly ______ upon the Jacksons’ property, moving the stone
markers that divided their lots farther and farther onto the Jacksons’ land.
a. encroached
b. jettisoned
c. conjoined
d. repudiated
e. teemed
30. Mary became ______ at typing because she practiced every day for six months.
a. proficient
b. reflective
c. dormant
d. redundant
e. valiant
31. To find out what her husband bought for her birthday, Susan attempted to ______ his
family members about his recent shopping excursions.
a. prescribe
b. probe
c. alienate
d. converge
e. revere
32. Juan’s friends found him in a ______ mood after he learned he would be homecoming
king.
a. jovial
b. stealthy
c. paltry
d. gullible
e. depleted
34. Choosing a small, fuel-efficient car is a ______ purchase for a recent college graduate.
a. corrupt
b. tedious
c. unhallowed
d. sardonic
e. judicious
35. Such a ______ violation of school policy should be punished by nothing less than
expulsion.
a. copious
b. flagrant
c. raucous
d. nominal
e. morose
36. With all of the recent negative events in her life, she felt ______
forces must be at work.
a. resurgent
b. premature
c. malignant
d. punctilious
e. antecedent
37. The ______ rumors did a great deal of damage even though they turned out to be false.
a. bemused
b. prosaic
c. apocryphal
d. ebullient
e. tantamount
38. When her schoolwork got to be too much, Pam had a tendency to
______, which always put her further behind.
a. dedicate
b. rejuvenate
c. ponder
39. Racha’s glance was a ______ invitation to speak later in private about events of the
meeting.
a. trecherous
b. scintillating
c. tactful
d. tacit
e. taboo
40. She reached the ______ of her career with her fourth novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize.
a. harbinger
b. apogee
c. metamorphosis
d. dictum
e. synthesis
41. The ______ townspeople celebrated the soldier’s return to his home by adorning trees
with yellow ribbons and balloons.
a. somber
b. jubilant
c. pitiless
d. cunning
e. unsullied
42. The governor-elect was hounded by a group of ______ lobbyists and others hoping to gain favor
with her administration.
a. facetious
b. abstruse
c. magnanimous
d. fawning
e. saccharine
43. The mock graduation ceremony—with a trained skunk posing as the college president—
was a complete ______ that offended many college officials.
a. tempest
b. epitome
c. quintessence
d. travesty
e. recitative
45. Kendrick’s talent ______ under the tutelage of Anya Kowalonek, who as a young woman
had been the most accomplished pianist in her native Lithuania.
a. bantered
b. touted
c. flourished
d. embellished
e. colluded
46. The children were ______ by the seemingly nonsensical clues until Kinan pointed out that
the messages were in code.
a. censured
b. striated
c. feigned
d. prevaricated
e. flummoxed
47. As the ______ in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is a hero able to capture the audience’s
sympathy by continually professing his love for Juliet.
a. protagonist
b. enigma
c. facade
d. activist
e. catechist
48. The chess master promised to ______ havoc upon his opponent’s pawns for taking his
bishop.
a. wreak
b. warrant
c. ensue
d. placate
e. endow
50. The soldiers received a military ______ to inspect all their vehicles before traveling.
a. allotment
b. dominion
c. affectation
d. calculation
e. mandate
VOICE
Change the voice
1. After driving professor Kumar to the museum she dropped him at his hotel.
A. After being driven to the museum, Professor Kumar was dropped at his hotel.
B. Professor Kumar was being driven dropped at his hotel.
C. After she had driven Professor Kumar to the museum she had dropped him at his hotel.
D. After she was driven Professor Kumar to the museum she had dropped him at his hotel.
2. I remember my sister taking me to the museum.
A.I remember I was taken to the museum by my sister.
B.I remember being taken to the museum by my sister.
C.I remember myself being taken to the museum by my sister.
D.I remember taken to the museum by my sister.
3. Who is creating this mess?
A.Who has been created this mess?
B.By whom has this mess been created?
C.By whom this mess is being created?
D.By whom is this mess being created?
4. They greet me cheerfully every morning.
A.Every morning I was greeted cheerfully.
B.I am greeted cheerfully by them every morning.
C.I am being greeted cheerfully by them every morning.
D.Cheerful greeting is done by them every morning to me.
5. Darjeeling grows tea.
A.Tea is being grown in Darjeeling.
B.Let the tea be grown in Darjeeling.
C.Tea is grown in Darjeeling.
D.Tea grows in Darjeeling.
From the given alternatives, choose the one which best expresses the given sentence in Passive/Active
voice
1. Have the box broken.
A. Break the box.
B. Get someone to break the box.
C. Have the broken box.
PARAJUMBLES
Exercise 1
Directions (Q. 1-2) : The sentences given in each question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent
paragraph. Each sentence is labelled with a letter. Choose the most logical order of sentences from among
the given choices to construct a coherent paragraph. (CAT)
Q. 1. (A) But this does not mean that death was the Egyptians’ only pre-occupation.
(B) Even papyri come mainly from pyramid temples.
(C) Most of our traditional sources of information about the Old Kingdom are monuments of the rich like
pyramids and tombs.
(D) Houses in which ordinary Egyptians lived have not been preserved, and when most people died, they
were buried in simple graves.
(E) We know infinitely more about the wealthy people of Egypt than we do about the ordinary people, as
most monuments were of the rich people.
Q. 2. (A) Experts such as Larry Burns, head of research at GM, reckon that only such a full hearted leap will
allow the world to cope with the mass motorisation that will one day come to China or India.
(B) But once hydrogen is being produced from biomass or extracted from underground coal or made from
water, using nuclear or renewable electricity, the way will be open for a huge reduction in carbon emissions
from the whole system.
(C) In theory, once all the bugs have been sorted out, fuel cells should deliver better total fuel economy than
any existing engines.
(D) That is twice as good as the internal combustion engine, but only five percentage points better than a
diesel hybrid.
(E) Allowing for the resources needed to extract hydrogen from hydrocarbon, oil, coal or gas, the fuel cell
has an efficiency of 30%.
Exercise 2
Directions (Q. 1-3) : The sentences given in each question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent
paragraph. Each sentence is labelled with a letter. Choose the most logical order of sentences from among
the given choices to construct a coherent paragraph. (CAT)
Q. 3. (A) In the west, Allied Forces had fought their way through southern Italy as far as Rome.
(B) In June 1944, Germany’s military position in II World War appeared hopeless.
(C) In Britain, the task of amassing the men and materials for the liberation of northern Europe had been
completed.
(D) The Red Army was poised to drive the Nazis back through Poland.
(E) The situation on the eastern front was catastrophic.
Exercise 3
Directions (Q. 1-5) : In these questions, each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth
sentence are given in the beginning. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up. These are
labelled P,Q,R and S. You are required to find out the proper sequence of the four sentences from the given
alternatives (a), (b), (c) and (d). (CDS Exam)
Exercise 4
Directions (Q. 1-5) : Rearrange the following four sentences (A), (B), (C) and (D) in the proper sequence to
form a meaningful paragraph then mark the correct sequence as your answer.
(Agriculture Officers’ Exam)
Q. 1. (A) It also gives rise to a feeling of animosity among the different sections of the society.
(B) In a democratic system, frequent use of power is never desirable, be it on the part of government or the
people.
(C) Therefore, citizens should never resort to violent ways and means in democracy, though they have the
right to oppose the government.
(D) It destroys the stability and security in public life.
Q. 2. (A) He was so busy with them that he did not get time to eat.
(B) Thousands of people came to him and asked different types of questions.
(C) No one cared to see that he had his food or rest that night.
(D) Swami Vivekanand once stayed in a small village. The proper sequence should be
(a) BCDA (b) CBAD (c) DBAC (d) DBCA (e) ABCD
Q. 3. (A) The facts speak for themselves so, they need exposition only, not demonstration.
(B) At the present moment, it is widely recognised that India holds the balance in the world-wide
competition between rival ideologies.
(C) It is not, of course, only in geographical sense that India is in a key position.
(D) India’s key position simply needs pointing out.
Q. 4. (A) This feeling of an extensive group gives rise to a fellow feeling, a feeling of brotherhood amongst
the citizens.
(B) This feeling takes up beyond the bounds of family, caste, religion as well as region and helps us to
develop a broad perspective that all of us together constitute an extensive group called ‘the nation’.
(C) National integration is the feeling among all the citizens of a country that they all are part of one nation.
(D) We do not, then, limit our thinking to our own caste or religion but think about all our fellow citizens.
Exercise 5
Directions (Q.1-5) : In questions 1 to 5, there are six sentences marked as S1, S6 , P,Q,R,S. The positions of S1
and S6 are fixed as the first and last sentence of the passage. You are required to choose one of the four
alternatives given below every passage which would be most logical sequence of the sentences in the
passage. (NDA Exam)
Q. 3. S1 : Our house is high up on the Yorkshire coast and close to the sea.
P : One is called the North spit and another the South.
Q : The sand hills here run down to the sea and end in two stretches of rock, sticking out opposite to each
other.
R : This one leads through a dark plantation of fir-trees and brings you out between low cliffs to the
loneliest and ugliest little bay on all our coasts.
S : There are beautiful walls all around us in every direction except one.
S6 : Between the two, shifting backwards and forwards at certain seasons of the year, lies the most horrible
quicksand on the shores of Yorkshire.
Q. 5. S1 : Before we left Bareilly jail, a little incident took place which moved me then and is still fresh in my
memory.
P : He told me the packet contained old German illustrated magazines.
Q : The Superintendent of Police of Bareilly, an Englishman, was present there, and as I got into the car, he
handed to me, rather shyly, a packet.
R : I had never met him before, nor have I seen him since and I do not even know his name.
S : He said that he had heard that I was learning German and so, he had bought these magazines for me.
S6 : This spontaneous act of courtesy and the kindly thought that prompted; it touched me and I felt very
grateful to him.
Exercise 6
Directions (Q. 1–5): Each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth sentence are given in the
beginning. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up. These are labelled P, Q, R
and S. You are required to find out the proper order for the four sentences.(Engineering Service Exam)
Q. 1. S1 : Our ancestors thought that anything which moved itself was alive.
P : This philosopher ‘Descartes’ thought that both men and animals were machines.
Q : But a machine such as a motorcar or a steamship moves itself, and as soon as machines which moved
themselves had been made, people asked, “Is man a machine ”?
R : And before the days of machinery that was a good definition.
S : He also thought that the human machine was partly controlled by the soul action on a certain part of the
brain,while animals had no souls.
S6 : Therefore, some scientists think that life is a very complicated mechanism.
Directions (Q.1-5) : In questions 1 to 5, each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth
sentence are given in the beginning. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up.
These are labelled as P, Q, R and S. You are required to find out the proper order of the four sentences.
(CDS Exam)
Q. 1. S1 : There are numerous kinds of superstitions in different parts of the country.
P : But people go on respecting it through force of blind custom.
Q : Most of them have a bearing on ‘luck’—good or bad.
R : Superstitions usually have their origin in fear and ignorance.
S : Nobody remembers now, how a superstition first started in remote ages.
S6 : A dog’s howling predicts death—this is a typical superstition.
Q. 3. S1 : Many people believe that it is cruel to make use of animals for laboratory studies.
P : They point out that animals too have nervous systems like us and can feel pain.
Q : These people, who have formed the Anti-vivisection society, have been pleading for a more humane
treatment of animals by scientists.
R : Monkeys, rabbits, mice and other mammals are used in large numbers by scientists and many of them
are made to suffer diseases artificially produced in them.
S : We can avoid such cruelty to animals if we use alternative methods such as tissue culture, gas
chromatography and chemical techniques.
S6 : It is in view of these facts that the Government of India has banned the export of monkeys to America.
Exercise 8
Directions (Q. 1-8) : In each of the questions given below, four sentences are given which are denoted by (A),
(B), (C), (D). By using all the four sentences, you have to frame a meaningful paragraph. The correct order of
the sentences is your answer. Choose from the five alternatives, the one having the correct order of
sentences and mark it as your answer. (SBI Probationary Officers’ Exam)
Q. 1. (A) Now under liberated economy, they are learning to compete domestically and globally.
(B) In India, corporations, until recently achieved success by avoiding competition, using protected and
regulated domestic markets.
(C) The trend is irreversible.
(D) Business leaders are preparing themselves to meet competitive challenges, and to avoid being swept
away.
Q. 2. (A) Recovery was given inadequate attention and consequently some banks’ branches regularly
incurred heavy losses and their parent bodies had to bail them out.
(B) As a result, banks indulged in extensive lending to borrowers who had little or no potential to make
repayments.
(C) To fulfil the social objectives laid down by the masters of nationalisation, banks were asked to lend to
identified priority sectors.
(D) 1992-93 results showed that the loss making branches of public sector banks increased from 10,000 to
13,000 and the quantum of losses showed at Rs. 3,369 crores.
(a) BACD (b) DABC (c) CBAD (d) BCAD (e) CDBA
Q. 3. (A) However, different rulers and governments dealt with the different groups in a compartmentalised
manner.
(B) Various situational and political changes have taken place over the past three and a half centuries.
Q. 4. (A) Such a system will help to identify and groom the executives for the positions of strategists.
(B) Evaluation of performance is more often than not done for the purpose of reward or punishment for the
past performance.
(C) They must become an integral part of the executive evaluation system.
(D) Even where the evaluation system is for one’s promotion to assume higher responsibilities, it rarely
includes items that are a key for playing the role of strategists effectively, e.g., the skills for playing the role of
change agent and creative problem solving.
Q. 5. (A) Finally, the bureaucratic organisation took over from the pioneering enterprise.
(B) The nineteenth century was the age of entrepreneur, the self-made man.
(C) Thoughtful business administration took over from action centred business entrepreneurship.
(D) In the twentieth century, the rational executive took command.
Q. 6. (A) But categorisation schemes are not always helpful in determining what one can do with or about
organisational culture.
(B) Much of the literature on organisational cultures is focused on categorising the types of cultures.
(C) It has taken the understanding of corporate culture far beyond what used to be called the informal
organisation.
(D) This literature is both interesting and informative.
Q. 7. (A) Much of the argument, that goes on around the alternative solution, occurs because people hold
different perceptions of the problem.
(B) One of the reasons that Japanese managers are perceived as making superior decisions as compared to
Western managers is that they spend a great deal of effort and time determining that the problem is
correctly defined.
(C) Unfortunately, too often in the west, managers assume that the initial definition of the situation is
correct.
(D) Up to half of the time in meetings is spent in asking “Is this the real problem”?
Exercise 9
Directions (Q.1-5) : Rearrange the following five sentences (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) in a proper sequence so as
to form a meaningful paragraph and then answer the questions given below. (Bank PO Exam)
(A) A study to this effect suggests that the average white-collar worker demonstrates only about twenty-five
percent listening efficiency.
(B) However, for trained and good listeners, it is not unusual to use all the three approaches during a setting,
thus improving listening efficiency.
(C) There are three approaches to listening; listening for comprehension, listening for empathy, and listening
for evaluation.
(D) Although we spend nearly half of each communication listening, we do not listen well.
(E) Each approach has a particular emphasis that may help us to receive and process information in different
settings.
Directions (Q.1-5) : Rearrange the following five sentences (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) in the proper sequence to
form a meaningful paragraph, then answer the questions given below. (Bank PO Exam)
(A) The history of mankind is full of such fights between communities, nation and people.
(B) From the primitive weapons of warfare, man has advanced to the modern nuclear weapons.
(C) Ever since the dawn of civilisation, man has been fighting with man.
(D) A modern war is scientific in character, but the effect is the same, wiping human existence out of this
earth.
(E) The only difference now seems to be in the efficiency of the instruments used for killing each other.
Exercise 11
Directions (Q. 1-7) : In each of the following questions, the first and the last parts of the passage are
numbered as S1 and S6. The rest of the passage is split into four parts and named P, Q, R, S. These four parts
are not given in their proper order. Read the sentences and find out which of the four combinations is
correct. Then select the correct answer. (SSC Clerks)
Q. 1. S1 : ‘As a matter of fact,’ said the boy modestly , ‘I’m a spaceman.’ P : ‘You can’t see it from here’
Q : ‘From another planet.’
R : ‘I’m a spaceman’, he said again.
S : George and Cathy stared at the boy.
S6 : Cathy gasped, George gave a shout of laughter.
Q. 2. S1 : I suddenly began to climb swiftly, and the next I knew it was speeding eastward again till it became
a speck in the blue morning.
P : I didn’t know what force they could command, but I was certain that it would be sufficient.
Q : My enemies had located me, and the next thing would be a cordon round me.
R : This made me do some savage thinking.
S : The aeroplane had seen my bicycle, and would conclude that I would try to escape by the road.
S6 : In that case, there might be a chance on the moors to the right or left.
Q. 4. S1 : In other words, grammar grows and changes, and there is no such thing as correct use of English
for the past, the present and the future.
P : ‘The door is broke.’
Q : Yet this would have been correct in Shakespeare’s time !
R : Today, only an uneducated person would say, ‘My arm is broke.’
S : For example, in Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet’, there is the line.
S6 : All the words that man has invented are divided into eight classes which are called parts of speech.
Q. 5. S1 : There is no transportation system in any city that can be compared in the matter of inefficiency
with the circulatory system of the body.
P : The larger one goes from the heart to various parts of the body.
Q : If you will imagine two systems of pipe, one large and one small, both meeting at a central pumping
station, you’ll have an idea of the circulatory system.
R : These pipes are called arteries, veins and capillaries.
S : The smaller system of pipe goes from the heart to the lung and back.
S6 : Arteries are blood vessels in which blood is going away from the heart.
Exercise 12
Directions (Q. 1-7) : In each of the following questions, the first and the last part of the sentence are
numbered as S1 and S6 respectively. The rest of the sentence is split into four parts and named P, Q, R and S.
These four parts are not given in their proper order. Read the sentence and find out which of the four
combinations is correct. Then find the correct answer and indicate on the answer-sheet.
Q. 1. S1 : A study
P : success increases
Q : concludes that
R : and chances for
S : commitment to future tasks
S6 : future success.
Q. 4. S1 : There is
P : no such thing
Q : from one nation
R : as the gift
S : of independence
S6 : to another.
Q. 5. S1 : People who
P : are terrible
Q : no way of taking
R : there is
S : have no weaknesses
S6 : advantage of them.
Q. 6. S1 : There are
P : any other kind of
Q : more ants
R : land animal
S : than
S6 : in the world.
Exercise 13
Directions (Q. 1-6) : Put the given sentences in each of the following questions in proper order.
Exercise 14
Directions (Q. 1-5) : Rearrange each of the following five sentences A, B, C, D and E in a proper sequence so
as to form a meaningful paragraph. Then answer the questions given below.
Q. 1. (A) She said that she was a school teacher and a social worker.
(B) Then for sometime, we discussed her plans for schooling of the children, living in slums.
(C) Our conversation now took another direction.
(D) She also said that social work was her hobby only and not the job.
(E) I asked Meena about her occupation.
Exercise 15
Directions : In the following questions, each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth
sentence are given in the beginning. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up.
These are labelled as P, Q, R and S. You are required to find out the proper sequence of the four sentences
and mark accordingly on the answer-sheet.
Q. 1. S1 : The dry-cell battery has long been a familiar object in our homes.
P : The demand was stagnant for many years, and it was only with the introduction of portable radios and
tape recorders that the manufacture of dry-cell batteries became a profitable industry.
Q : Its main use was to supply power to torch-lights.
R : Today, dry cells of different sizes are used in transistors, radios, calculators, portable tape recorders,
quartz clocks and torches.
S : The international sport events like Wimbledon and the World Cup Series have increased the demand for
dry-cell batteries
S6 : Indian industrialists have been quick to foresee the increase in the demand for dry-cell batteries and
today, the market for dry-cell batteries in India has reached an astounding rupees Three Hundred Crores
mark
Q. 4. S1 : One of the greatest medical insights in recent times has been on the subject of cancer.
P : Faulty genes are the cause.
Q : These mutations cause the cell to multiply wildly.
R : Every tumor begins with one errant cell that has suffered genetic mutation.
S : It is not caused by depression or repression as thought earlier.
S6 : Cancer is, thus, no longer a mysterious disease but a disorder that is understood.
Q. 5. S1 : Viruses are moving into the human species because there are more of us all the time.
P : In nature, when population soars, viral diseases tend to break out.
Q : From the virus’s point of view, we look like a free lunch that is getting bigger.
R : Then the population drops.
S : In the last century, the population of humans quadrupled.
S6 : There is no reason to think that the human race is exempt from the laws of nature.
SPEECH
Use the given options to complete the reported speech given below. Identify the correct position of the
verb to complete the task.
could going had flown hadn't seen if I was liked not sitting not to stay to take
took was was wearing what happened would be
From the given alternatives, choose the one which best expresses the given sentence in Direct/Indirect
speech.
1.The student said, "I have been studying here for the last five years".
A. The student told that he had been studying there for the last 5 years.
B. The student said that he had been studying there for the last 5 years.
C. The student told that he have been studying here for the last 5 years.
D. The student said that he was studying there for the last 5 years.
2.Geetha said, "I am going to my uncle's house now".
A. Geetha said that she was going to her uncle's house then.
B. Geetha said that she is going to her uncle's house now.
C. Geetha toid that she was going to her uncle's house then.
D. Geetha said that she has going to her uncle's house now.
3."I am very happy", Ram said
A. Ram told that he was very happy
CRITICAL REASONING
2. The average life expectancy for the United States population as a whole is 73.9 years, but children
born in Hawaii will live an average of 77 years, and those born in Louisiana, 71.7 years. If a newlywed
couple from Louisiana were to begin their family in Hawaii, therefore, their children would be expected
to live longer than would be the case if the family remained in Louisiana.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn in the passage?
A. Insurance company statisticians do not believe that moving to Hawaii will significantly lengthen the
average Louisianan's life.
B. The governor of Louisiana has falsely alleged that statistics for his state are inaccurate.
C. The longevity ascribed to Hawaii's current population is attributable mostly to genetically determined
factors.
D. Thirty percent of all Louisianans can expect to live longer than 77 years.
E. Most of the Hawaiian Islands have levels of air pollution well below the national average for the
United States.
3. The average life expectancy for the United States population as a whole is 73.9 years, but children
born in Hawaii will live an average of 77 years, and those born in Louisiana, 71.7 years. If a newlywed
couple from Louisiana were to begin their family in Hawaii, therefore, their children would be expected
to live longer than would be the case if the family remained in Louisiana.
Which of the following statements, if true, would most significantly strengthen the conclusion drawn in
the passage?
A. As population density increases in Hawaii, life expectancy figures for that state are likely to be revised
downward.
4. Insurance Company X is considering issuing a new policy to cover services required by elderly people
who suffer from diseases that afflict the elderly. Premiums for the policy must be low enough to attract
customers. Therefore, Company X is concerned that the income from the policies would not be sufficient
to pay for the claims that would be made.
Which of the following strategies would be most likely to minimize Company X's losses on the policies?
A. Attracting middle-aged customers unlikely to submit claims for benefits for many years.
B. Insuring only those individuals who did not suffer any serious diseases as children
C. Including a greater number of services in the policy than are included in other policies of lower cost
D. Insuring only those individuals who were rejected by other companies for similar policies Insuring only
those individuals who are wealthy enough to pay for the medical services
5. A program instituted in a particular state allows parents to prepay their children's future college
tuition at current rates. The program then pays the tuition annually for the child at any of the state's
public colleges in which the child enrolls. Parents should participate in the program as a means of
decreasing the cost for their children's college education.
Which of the following, if true, is the most appropriate reason for parents NOT to participate in the
program?
A. the parents are unsure about which public college in the state the child will attend.
B. The amount of money accumulated by putting the prepayment funds in an interest-bearing account
today will be greater than the total cost of tuition for any of the public colleges when the child enrolls.
C. The annual cost of tuition at the state's public colleges is expected to increase at a faster rate than the
annual increase in the cost of living.
D. Some of the state's public colleges are contemplating large increases in tuition next year. The
prepayment plan would not cover the cost of room and board at any of the state's public colleges.
6. Company Alpha buys free-travel coupons from people who are awarded the coupons by Bravo Airlines
for flying frequently on Bravo airplanes. The coupons are sold to people who pay less for the coupons
than they would pay by purchasing tickets from Bravo. This making of coupons results in lost revenue for
Bravo.
To discourage the buying and selling of free-travel coupons, it would be best for Bravo Airlines to restrict
the
7. The ice on the front windshield of the car had formed when moisture condensed during the night. The
ice melted quickly after the car was warmed up the next morning because the defrosting vent, which
blows on the front windshield, was turned on full force.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously jeopardizes the validity of the explanation for the speed
with which the ice melted?
8. To prevent some conflicts of interest, Congress could prohibit high-level government officials from
accepting positions as lobbyists for three years after such officials leave government service. One such
official concluded, however, that such a prohibition would be unfortunate because it would prevent high-
level government officials from earning a livelihood for three years.
9. A conservation group in the United States is trying to change the long-standing image of bats as
frightening creatures. The group contends that bats are feared and persecuted solely because they are
shy animals that are active only at night.
Which of the following, if true, would cast the most serious doubt on the accuracy of the group's
contention?
A. Bats are steadily losing natural roosting places such as caves and hollow trees and are thus turning to
more developed areas for roosting.
B. Bats are the chief consumers of nocturnal insects and thus can help make their hunting territory more
pleasant for humans.
C. Bats are regarded as frightening creatures not only in the United States but also in Europe, Africa, and
South America.
D. Raccoons and owls are shy and active only at night; yet they are not generally feared and persecuted.
E. People know more about the behavior of other greatly feared animal species, such as lions, alligators,
and greatly feared animal species, such as lions, alligators, and snakes, than they do about the behavior
of bats.
10. Meteorite explosions in the Earth's atmosphere as large as the one that destroyed forests in Siberia,
with approximately the force of a twelve-megaton nuclear blast, occur about once a century.
The response of highly automated systems controlled by complex computer programs to unexpected
circumstances is unpredictable.
Which of the following conclusions can most properly be drawn, if the statements above are true, about
a highly automated nuclear-missile defense system controlled by a complex computer program?
A. Within a century after its construction, the system would react inappropriately and might accidentally
start a nuclear war.
B. The system would be destroyed if an explosion of a large meteorite occurred in the Earth's
atmosphere.
C. It would be impossible for the system to distinguish the explosion of a large meteorite from the
explosion of a nuclear weapon.
D. Whether the system would respond inappropriately to the explosion of a large meteorite would
depend on the location of the blast.
E. It is not certain what the system's response to the explosion of a large meteorite would be, if its
designers did not plan for such a contingency.
11. The fewer the restrictions on the advertising of legal services, the more are the lawyers who
advertise their services, and the lawyers who advertise a specific service usually charge less for that
If the statements in the passage are true, which of the following must be true?
A. Some lawyers who now advertise will charge more for specific services if they do not have to specify
fee arrangements in the advertisements.
B. More consumers will use legal services if there are fewer restrictions on the advertising of legal
service.
C. If the restriction against advertisements that do not specify fee arrangements is removed, more
lawyers will advertise their services.
D. If more lawyers advertise lower prices for specific services, some lawyers who do not advertise will
also charge less than they currently charge for those services.
E. If the only restrictions on the advertising of legal services were those that apply to every type of
advertising, most lawyers would advertise their services.
12. The fewer the restrictions on the advertising of legal services, the more are the lawyers who
advertise their services, and the lawyers who advertise a specific service usually charge less for that
service than lawyers who do not advertise. Therefore, if the state removes any of its current restrictions,
such as the one against advertisements that do not specify fee arrangements, overall consumer legal
costs will be lower than if the state retains its current restrictions.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument concerning overall consumer
legal costs?
A. The state has recently removed some other restrictions that had limited the advertising of legal
services.
B. The state is unlikely to remove all of the restrictions that apply solely to the advertising of legal
services.
C. Lawyers who do not advertise generally provide legal services of the same quality as those provided
by lawyers who do advertise.
D. Most lawyers who now specify fee arrangements in their advertisements would continue to do so
even if the specification were not required.
E. Most lawyers who advertise specific services do not lower their fees for those services when they
begin to advertise.
13. Defense Department analysts worry that the ability of the United States to wage a prolonged war
would be seriously endangered if the machine-tool manufacturing base shrinks further. Before the
Defense Department publicly connected this security issue with the import quota issue, however, the
machine-tool industry raised the national security issue in its petition for import quotas.
A. When the aircraft industries retooled, they provided a large amount of work for too builders.
B. The Defense Department is only marginally concerned with the effects of foreign competition on the
machine-tool industry.
C. The machine-tool industry encountered difficulty in obtaining governmental protection against
imports on grounds other than defense.
D. A few weapons important for defense consist of parts that do not require extensive machining.
E. Several federal government programs have been designed which will enable domestic machine-tool
manufacturing firms to compete successfully with foreign toolmakers.
14. Opponents of laws that require automobile drivers and passengers to wear seat belts argue that in a
free society people have the right to take risks as long as the people do not harm other as a result of
taking the risks. As a result, they conclude that it should be each person's decision whether or not to
wear a seat belt.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the conclusion drawn above?
A. Many new cars are built with seat belts that automatically fasten when someone sits in the front seat.
B. Automobile insurance rates for all automobile owners are higher because of the need to pay for the
increased injuries or deaths of people not wearing seat belts.
C. Passengers in airplanes are required to wear seat belts during takeoffs and landings.
D. The rate of automobile fatalities in states that do not have mandatory seat belt laws is greater than
the rate of fatalities in states that do have such laws.
E. In automobile accidents, a greater number of passengers who do not wear seat belts are injured than
are passengers who do wear seat belts.
15. The cost of producing radios in Country Q is ten percent less than the cost of producing radios in
Country Y. even after transportation fees and tariff charges are added, it is still cheaper for a company to
import radios from Country Q to Country Y than to produce radios in Country Y.
The statements above, if true, best support which of the following assertions?
16. During the Second World War, about 375,000 civilians died in the United States and about 408,000
members of the United States armed forces died overseas. On the basis the those figures, it can be
concluded that it was not much more dangerous to be overseas in the armed forces during the Second
World War than it was to stay at home as a civilian.
Which of the following would reveal most clearly the absurdity of the conclusion drawn above?
A. Counting deaths among members of the armed forces who served in the United State in addition to
deaths among members of the armed forces serving overseas
B. Expressing the difference between the numbers of deaths among civilians and members of the armed
forces as a percentage of the total number of deaths
C. Separating deaths caused by accidents during service in the armed forces from deaths caused by
combat injuries
D. Comparing death rates per thousand members of each group rather than comparing total numbers of
deaths
E. Comparing deaths caused by accidents in the United States to deaths caused by combat in the armed
forces
17. Toughened hiring standards have not been the primary cause of the present staffing shortage in
public schools. The shortage of teachers is primarily caused by the fact that in recent years teachers have
not experienced any improvements in working conditions and their salaries have not kept pace with
salaries in other professions.
Which of the following, if true, would most support the claims above?
A. Many teachers already in the profession would not have been hired under the new hiring standards.
B. Today more teachers are entering the profession with a higher educational level than in the past.
C. Some teachers have cited higher standards for hiring as a reason for the current staffing shortage.
D. Many teachers have cited low pay and lack of professional freedom as reasons for their leaving the
profession.
E. Many prospective teachers have cited the new hiring standards as a reason for not entering the
profession.
18. A proposed ordinance requires the installation in new homes of sprinklers automatically triggered by
the presence of a fire. However, a home builder argued that because more than ninety percent of
residential fires are extinguished by a household member, residential sprinklers would only marginally
decrease property damage caused by residential fires.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the home builder's argument?
19. Even though most universities retain the royalties from faculty members' inventions, the faculty
members retain the royalties from books and articles they write. Therefore, faculty members should
retain the royalties from the educational computer software they develop.
The conclusion above would be more reasonably drawn if which of the following were inserted into the
argument as an additional premise?
A. Royalties from inventions are higher than royalties from educational software programs.
B. Faculty members are more likely to produce educational software programs than inventions.
C. Inventions bring more prestige to universities that do books and articles.
D. In the experience of most universities, educational software programs are more marketable that are
books and articles.
E. In terms of the criteria used to award royalties, educational software programs are more nearly
comparable to books and articles than to inventions.
20. Increase in the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in the human bloodstream lower bloodstream-
cholesterol levels by increasing the body's capacity to rid itself of excess cholesterol. Levels of HDL in the
bloodstream of some individuals are significantly increased by a program of regular exercise and weight
reduction.
Which of the following can be correctly inferred from the statements above?
A. Individuals who are underweight do not run any risk of developing high levels of cholesterol in the
bloodstream.
B. Individuals who do not exercise regularly have a high risk of developing high levels of cholesterol in
the bloodstream late in life.
C. Exercise and weight reduction are the most effective methods of lowering bloodstream cholesterol
levels in humans.
D. A program of regular exercise and weight reduction lowers cholesterol levels in the bloodstream of
some individuals.
21. When limitations were in effect on nuclear-arms testing, people tended to save more of their money,
but when nuclear-arms testing increased, people tended to spend more of their money. The perceived
threat of nuclear catastrophe, therefore, decreases the willingness of people to postpone consumption
for the sake of saving money.
A. the perceived threat of nuclear catastrophe has increased over the years.
B. most people supported the development of nuclear arms
C. people's perception of the threat of nuclear catastrophe depends on the amount of nuclear-arms
testing being done
D. the people who saved the most money when nuclear-arms testing was limited were the ones who
supported such limitations
E. there are more consumer goods available when nuclear-arms testing increases
People buy prestige when they buy a premium product. They want to be associated with something
special. Mass-marketing techniques and price-reduction strategies should not be used because____.
A. affluent purchasers currently represent a shrinking portion of the population of all purchasers
B. continued sales depend directly on the maintenance of an aura of exclusivity
C. purchasers of premium products are concerned with the quality as well as with the price of the
products
D. expansion of the market niche to include a broader spectrum of consumers will increase profits
E. manufacturing a premium brand is not necessarily more costly than manufacturing a standard brand
of the same product
23. A cost-effective solution to the problem of airport congestion is to provide high-speed ground
transportation between major cities lying 200 to 500 miles apart. The successful implementation of this
plan would cost far less than expanding existing airports and would also reduce the number of airplanes
clogging both airports and airways.
Which of the following, if true, could be proponents of the plan above most appropriately cite as a piece
of evidence for the soundness of their plan?
A. An effective high-speed ground-transportation system would require major repairs to many highways
and mass-transit improvements.
B. One-half of all departing flights in the nation's busiest airport head for a destination in a major city
225 miles away.
C. The majority of travelers departing from rural airports are flying to destinations in cities over 600 miles
away.
D. Many new airports are being built in areas that are presently served by high-speed ground-
transportation systems.
E. A large proportion of air travelers are vacationers who are taking long-distance flights.
24. If there is an oil-supply disruption resulting in higher international oil prices, domestic oil prices in
open-market countries such as the United States will rise as well, whether such countries import all or
none of their oil.
If the statement in the passage concerning oil-supply disruptions is true, which of the following policies
in an open-market nation is most likely to reduce the long-term economic impact on that nation of sharp
and unexpected increases in international oil prices?
25. If there is an oil-supply disruption resulting in higher international oil prices, domestic oil prices in
open-market countries such as the United States will rise as well, whether such countries import all or
none of their oil.
Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the statement in the passage?
A. Domestic producers of oil in open-market countries are excluded from the international oil market
when there is a disruption in the international oil supply.
B. International oil-supply disruptions have little, if any, effect on the price of domestic oil as long as an
open-market country has domestic supplies capable of meeting domestic demand.
C. The oil market in an open-market country is actually part of the international oil market, even if most
of that country's domestic oil is usually sold to consumers within its borders.
D. Open-market countries that export little or none of their oil can maintain stable domestic oil prices
even when international oil prices rise sharply.
E. If international oil prices rise, domestic distributors of oil in open-market countries will begin to import
more oil than they export.
EMAIL WRITING
Informal
1. Inviting a friend
You are studying English at a private language school attended by many international students. You are
planning a surprise birthday party for a friend who has been feeling particularly sad and homesick. Write
to another classmate and invite him / her to the party. In your letter:
explain the reason for the party
give the date and time of the party
suggest what the classmate could bring to the party
Begin your letter as follows: Dear ________
You should write at least 150 words.
2. Advising a friend about a holiday
An English-speaking friend wants to spend a two-week holiday in your region and has written asking for
information and advice. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
offer to find somewhere to stay
give advice about what to do
give information about what clothes to bring
Begin your letter as follows: Dear _______
You should write at least 150 words.
3. Apologizing to a friend
You borrowed an important textbook from a classmate last term. You now realize your classmate had
returned home overseas and you still have the book. Write a letter to him / her. In your letter:
apologize for the mistake
find out how important the book is to him / her
say what you will do
Begin your letter as follows: Dear _____________
You should write at least 150 words.
4. Thanking a friend for a holiday
You have recently been to stay with an old friend for a few days. You hadn't seen each other for a long
time. Write a letter to the friend. In your letter:
say how you felt about the visit
refer to something enjoyable that you did while staying with him / her
invite your friend to visit you
Begin your letter as follows: Dear ________
You should write at least 150 words.
5. Advising a friend about work
An English-speaking friend is coming to study in your town next year and has written asking for
information and advice. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
Formal
1. Asking for Information
You live in an English speaking country and you want to do some voluntary, unpaid work in a developing
country. Write a letter to a company called Cultural Expeditions, which organizes such trips. In your
letter:
Explain why you want to do the voluntary work.
State what your skills and experience are.
Indicate where you would like to volunteer and for how long.
Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir / Madam
You should write at least 150 words.
2. Applying for a Job
You have decided to apply for a job as a Spanish instructor that was advertised in the April edition of the
magazine Teaching Professional. This ad was posted by Mr John Sullivan, director of the Spanish
department at The Language Institute of Great Britain in London, England. In your letter to Mr Sullivan:
explain why you are writing
describe your qualifications and experience
explain how they can contact you
Write at least 150 words.
3. Making Suggestions
You eat at your college cafeteria every lunchtime. However, you think it needs some improvements.
Write a letter to the college magazine. In your letter:
explain what you like bout the cafeteria
say what is wrong
suggest how it could be improved
Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir / Madam
You should write at least 150 words.
4. Applying for a Job
You are looking for a part-time job. Write a letter to an employment agency. In your letter:
introduce yourself
explain what sort of job you would like
TUTORIAL 20 and 21
READING
COMPREHENSION
“The grass so little has to do, —
A sphere of simple green,
With only butterflies to brood,
And bees to entertain,
And stir all day to pretty tunes
The breezes fetch along,
And hold the sunshine in its lap
And bow to everything;
And thread the dews all night, like pearls,
And make itself so fine, —
A duchess were too common
For such a noticing.
And even when it dies, to pass
In odors so divine,
As lowly spices gone to sleep,
Or amulets of pine.
And then to dwell in sovereign barns,
And dream the days away, —
The grass so little has to do,
I wish I were the hay!”
By –
Emily Dickinson
1) The speaker writes that the grasses stir in the breezes. What is the meaning of stir here?
a) “to mix”
b) “to move”
c) “to make a lot of noise”
d) “to notice”
2) What do the breezes bring to the grasses?
a) thread
b) pearls
c) pretty tunes
d) bees to entertain
3) Why does the speaker say she wants to be the hay?
a) It has so little to do.
b) It is a simple green colour.
c) It can dream.
Renee: Do you have few minutes? This is regarding the booking of a meeting room for our discussion.
Michelle:Fire away!
Renee: We need to book a meeting room. But the meeting rooms are almost booked out. I'm still
working on that.
Michelle: Please try your best to get us a room ASAP. You know we cannot reschedule the rehearsal.
Time is ticking away.
Renee: I'll do my best. And I'll make sure all the presentation slides are ready on the computer.
Michelle: Good. And don't forget to give me the rundown on the rehearsal.
Sam: No problem. Renee and I will see to it. I have already filled in Samira too regarding this.
Michelle: Then that concludes our meeting today. I hope our meeting works wonders.
However, when his ship was out at sea, a great storm blew up and the ship was tossed about in the huge
waves. The ship began to take water and started to sink. Even though the crew threw out all the things
onboard, the ship kept on sinking. It was only when Sang NilaUtama threw his crown into the sea did the
storm stop and they reached Temasek safely.
On the island, he saw a majestic animal that moved with great speed as it disappeared into the jungle.
When told that it was a lion, he thought that it was a good sign about the island and decided to name it
Signapure; 'Singa' means lion and 'pura' means city. And that was how Singapore got its name.
By -
Robert Frost
-–
1) What is the title of the poem?
a) Along the woods and frozen lake
b) An evening ride
c) Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
d) Once upon a time along a snowy wood house
2) What is the tone of the poet?
a) Comic b) Comforting c) Serene d) Desolate
3) Antonym of queer
a) Wandering b) Expectedly c) Fearfully d) Cooly
4) The author refers what as downy flakes?
a) Setting dusk
b) Drizzling droplets of rain
c) Heavy snowfall
d) None of the above
5) By “his harness bells” the poet points to
a) The landlord
b) The woodhouse Owner
c) Horse
d) Wind’s breeze
By –
Theodore Roosevelt
Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career to associate with
them for even one day? Sure, I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honour to have known Jacob
Ruppert – also the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow – to have spent the next nine years
with that wonderful little fellow Miller Huggins – then to have spent the next nine years with that
outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology – the best manager in baseball today, Joe
McCarthy!
Sure, I’m lucky. When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice
versa, sends you a gift, that’s something! When everybody, down to the groundskeepers and those boys
in white coats remember you with trophies, that’s something.
When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles against her own
daughter, that’s something. When you have a father and mother who work all their lives so that you can
have an education and build your body, it’s a blessing! When you have a wife who has been a tower of
strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed, that’s the finest I know.
So I close in saying that I might have had a tough break – but I have an awful lot to live for!
By –
Lou Gehrig, “Farewell to Baseball Address”
By-
Matthew Arnold
With the voices of more animal rights activists being heard and propagated via the social media, animal
abuse has gained worldwide recognition as a serious crime punishable by law. Forgetting to periodically
feed your pets or even kicking them in anger could land you in jail or see you slapped with a heavy fine.
What then about animals who abuse humans ? Should domesticated creatures be penalized for
displaying their true nature ? Or is it a mistake of the owners that warrants criminal prosecution ?
Despite their life-threatening encounter with a mad hound, both ten-year-old Samuel Ang and thirty-
nine-year-old Mr Tan Kim Wei could not bear to hear of the monster being put down and its young
owner, thrown into a cell for ten months !
Perched comfortably, Samuel had been savouring some juicy rambutans. A fierce snarl violently jolted
him forward. Slipping, he hung on for dear life. The pit bull terrier propped itself up against the trunk and
clawed its fore limbs upward. Samuel's trousers soon dangled in ribbons, blood oozing down his legs.
"Somebody help me ! It's ... It's going to kill me !Help !Help !" he yelled, legs flaring aimlessly in a futile
attempt to save his feet from the ferocious beast.
Then, without the slightest warning, Samuel came crashing down. That was all the canine needed. It
lunged at the boy, sank its teeth into his leg and hung on tight. Samuel hit it in vulnerable areas and one
of his punches met its chest. The hound howled with pain. Samuel tried to scramble away but the
agitated beast pounced on him within a split second. Though panic-stricken, Samuel doubled his efforts,
punching and kicking the vicious creature wherever he could.
Seeing the ugly tussle between man and beast, Mr Tan sprinted over, grabbed the thick branch that had
brought Samuel down and rammed it at the savage creature. It leapt and yelped as it landed a few
meters away. A good portion of the heavy baton had ripped off. Before he knew it, the animal charged at
him with renewed vigour. A second swing and more wood and splinters flew but the pit bull fought back
relentlessly. Not long after, it managed to knock Mr tan over. The sound of snapping and sight of the
teeth coming at him terrified Mr Tan. "Isn't anyone going to help me ?his heart cried out as he tried his
best to fend off the animal.
"Rover !" screeched a feminine voice, ending the senseless attack on a helpless victim and his innocent
saviour. What became of Rover and its young owner was a heart-wrenching tale indeed.
Jagir Singh has sold red onions at the market in South Delhi every day for the past half – century.
Perched on an upturned create, wrapped tight against the chilly air, he offers pyaz, a staple for much of
Indian cooking, for 60 rupees a kilo, the most he can remember. Business is brisk but most customers
pick up only a small handful of onions. That is just as well – wholesale supplies are tight, he says, and the
quality is poor. As the Indian economy grows by some 9% a year, food prices are soaring. In late
December the commerce ministry judged that food inflation had reached 18.36%, with pricey vegetables
mostly to blame. Officials have made some attempts to temper the rise in the past month – scrapping
import taxes for onions, banning their export and ordering low – priced sales at government run – shops.
But, there is no quick fix.
Heavy rain in the west of India brought a rotten harvest. Vegetables from farther afield, including a
politically sensitive delivery from a neighbouring country, are costly to move on India’s crowded,
potholed roads. Few refrigerated lorries and poor logistics mean that much of each harvest is wasted.
Newspapers alleged that collectors are cashing in. The biggest problems are structural. Food producers,
hampered by land restrictions, archaic retail networks and bad infrastructure, fail to meet extra demand
from consumers. It was estimated in October that a 39% rise in income per person in the previous five
years might have created an extra 220 million regular consumers of milk, egg, meat and fish. Supplies
have not kept up with this potential demand.
The broader inflation rate may be a less eye - watering problem than the onions suggest. The central
bank has lifted interest rates steadily in the past year and is expected to do so again later this month.
Headline inflation fell to 7.5% in November, down by just over a percentage point from October, though
it is still above the central bank’s forecast of 5.5% for March.
1) The usage of the phrase ‘cashing in’ in the passage can possibly mean –
(a) Profiting (b) Running Away (c) Bailing Out (d) Buffering
2) Which of the following is most opposite to the word ‘Archaic’ as used in the passage?
(a) Simple (b) Straightforward (c) Modern (d) Ancient
4) Which of the following is most similar in meaning to the word ‘Temper’ as used in the passage?
(a) Displeasure (b) Rage (c) Harness (d) Control
5) Which of the following is possibly the most appropriate title for the passage?
(a) Food Inflation in India
(b) Food Deficit Worldwide
(c) Food Imports in India
(d) Benefits To Indian Consumers
India is rushing headlong towards economic success and modernization, counting on high-tech industries
such as information technology and biotechnology to propel the nation to prosperity. India’s
announcement that it would no longer produce unlicensed inexpensive generic pharmaceuticals bowed
to the realities of the World Trade Organisation while at the same time challenging the domestic drug
industry to compete with the multinational firms. Unfortunately, its weak higher education sector
constitutes the Achilles heel of this strategy. Its systematic disinvestment in higher education in recent
years has yielded neither world–class research nor very many highly trained scholars, scientists or
managers to sustain high–tech development.
There was a time when countries could achieve economic success with cheap labour and low–tech
manufacturing. Low wages still help, but contemporary large–scale development requires a sophisticated
and at least partly knowledge based economy. India has chosen that path but will find a major stumbling
block in its university system. India has significant advantage in the 21st century knowledge race. It’s
education sector is the third largest in the world in student numbers after China and the United States. It
uses English as the primary language of higher education and research. It has a long academic tradition.
Academic freedom is respected. There are a small number of high quality institutions, departments and
centres that can form the basis of quality in higher education. The fact that the States, rather than the
Central Government, exercise major responsibility for higher education creates a rather cumbersome
structure, but the system allows for a variety of policies and approaches.
Yet the weaknesses far outweigh the strengths. India educates approximately 10 per cent of its young
people in higher education compared with more than half in the major industrialised countries and 15
per cent in China. Almost all of the world’s academic systems resemble a pyramid, with a small high
quality tier at the top and a massive sector at the bottom. India has a tiny top tier. None of its
universities occupy a solid position at the top. A few of the best universities have some excellent
departments and centres and there are a small number of outstanding undergraduate colleges. The
University Grants Commission’s recent major support of five universities to build on their recognised
strength is a step forward, recognising a differentiated academic system and fostering excellence. These
universities, combined, enrol well under 1 per cent of the student population.
1) What does the phrase ‘Achilles Heel’ mean as used in this passage?
(a) Weakness (b) Advantage (c) Low quality (d) Quickness
2) Choose the word/ group of words which is most similar in meaning to STUMBLING BLOCK
(a) argument (b) frustration (c) fallout (d) hurdle
3) What did India agree to do at the behest of the World Trade Organisation?
(a) It would ask its domestic pharmaceuticals companies to compete with the international ones.
(b) It would buy only license drugs from USA
(c) It would not manufacture cheap common medicines without a license.
(d) None of these
4) The world’s academic system is compared to a pyramid with a _______ at the top and _________ at
the bottom
(a) massive substandard sector/ small high quality
(b) tiny quality par excellence/huge substandard sector
(c) poor substandard sector/ small high quality
(d) None of the above
5) Choose the word/ group of words which is most opposite in meaning to CUMBERSOME
(a) handful (b) breathtaking (c) manageable (d) difficult
Loren had been surreptitiously moving money from the accounts of his bank’s wealthiest clients to one
he created for himself in the Cayman Islands for over 8 years. He had every reason to believe that no one
suspected a thing, and he knew the money would be safe in an offshore account. He had been prudent
with all the money he had misappropriated from Signet Bank. He wore second hand suits to his job as a
bank teller there. He rode his bicycle from Anacostia — the dirty blighted neighborhood he called home
—to his Dupont Circle branch each day.
He rarely traveled outside of the Washington, DC area. He did nothing at all to raise a red flag. He
appeared as nothing more than an 18-dollar-an-hour bank employee in a town where many made
millions. No one, he was sure, had ever scrutinized the myriad of transactions that had taken place –
dozens, sometimes hundreds of small transfers that amounted to $9,000 every other week. Otherwise,
the truth would have surely come to light a long time ago.
“Nine thousand dollars every other week is just a drop in the bucket to these rich folks,” Loren reasoned.
This relieved his guilt. In Loren’s mind, it was the greedy people who got caught doing these things. It
was the ostentatious ones, too. It was the guys who built multi-million dollar homes with 24 rooms on a
pauper’s salary.
To him, the bank was fraught with idiots; no one was capable of unraveling his master plan.
No –it was too late for them. Today was the day Loren would begin reaping the benefits of all his
patience and cunning and begin living in blissful anonymity. After an ordinary day at work, Loren got on
his bike and road over the river to National Airport. As the plane lifted off the runway for the Caribbean,
Loren watched intently out the window. He had close to $2 million collecting interest in the bank and
had managed to pull it off, unnoticed. As the plane landed, Loren finally allowed himself to fully dream
of the carefree life he was about to begin. He moved down the airplane steps, across the tarmac and
headed toward the airport. The pleasant air felt comforting to his skin. He breathed in slowly and deeply
with anticipation, and then he was surprised to hear a familiar voice.“Hey, Loren. Not so fast.”
The announcement that Donna had reached middle age came stealthily and without warning.
Donna, at 42 years old, was in perfect health. She was fit, trim, and ate only the healthiest of foods,
eschewing soda and candy. She was still asked for her identification when buying wine at the grocery
store. She ran several miles every day; in local road races, she was known for beating people half her
age. “Forty is the new twenty!” her friends would say of Donna’s seeming agelessness.
Donna heard the remark so often that a part of her believed that this aging thing was surely only for
other people. That all changed during what should have been a fairly innocuous event: a trip to the
Department of Motor Vehicles to renew her driver’s license. “Name?” the clerk asked, without looking
up. Donna replied. “Address?” Donna gave it to her. “Look through there, please,” The clerk gestured
toward an eye-testing machine perched at the edge of the desk. “Read the first four lines,” she sighed.
Donna pushed her head against the contraption. “Go ahead.” Donna was perplexed. Everything was
fuzzy. “I think the glass is dirty,” Donna said, searching the desk for a tissue to wipe off the lens. “It’s not
dirty,” the clerk said, her voice dripping with condescension and sarcasm. “There must be some
problem,” Donna said, pressing her head against the machine once more. “Ma’am, do you wear
glasses?” “No, no, I don’t,” Donna responded, a little embarrassed now, as other people in the room
began turning to see what was going on. The clerk glanced down at Donna’s old license and back up at
her. “Welcome to middle age, sweetheart. Come back when you’ve had an eye exam and gotten glasses.”
The majority of successful senior managers do not closely follow the classical rational model of first
clarifying goals, assessing the problem, formulating options, estimating likelihoods of success, making a
decision, and only then taking action to implement the decision. Rather, in their day-by-day tactical
manoeuvres, these senior executives rely on what is vaguely termed “intuition” to manage a network of
interrelated problems that require them to deal with ambiguity, inconsistency, novelty, and surprise; and
to integrate action into the process of thinking.
Generations of writers on management have recognized that some practicing managers rely heavily on
intuition. In general, however, such writers display a poor grasp of what intuition is. Some see it as the
opposite of rationality; others view it as an excuse for capriciousness.
Isenberg’s recent research on the cognitive processes of senior managers reveals that managers’
intuition is neither of these. Rather, senior managers use intuition in at least five distinct ways. First, they
intuitively sense when a problem exists. Second, managers rely on intuition to perform well-learned
behaviour patterns rapidly. This intuition is not arbitrary or irrational, but is based on years of painstaking
practice and hands-on experience that build skills. A third function of intuition is to synthesize isolated
Given the great uncertainty of many of the management issues that they face, senior managers often
instigate a course of action simply to learn more about an issue. They then use the results of the action
to develop a more complete understanding of the issue. One implication of thinking/acting cycles is that
action is often part of defining the problem, not just of implementing the solution.
1) According to the passage, senior managers use intuition in all of the following ways EXCEPT to
a) speed up of the creation of a solution to a problem
b) identify a problem
c) bring together disparate facts
d) stipulate clear goals
2) The passage suggests which of the following about the “writers on management”
a) They have criticized managers for not following the classical rational model of decision
analysis.
b) They have relied in drawing their conclusions on what managers say rather than on what
managers do.
c) They have misunderstood how managers use intuition in making business decisions.
d) They have relied in drawing their conclusions on what managers say rather than on what
managers do.
3) Which of the following best exemplifies “an ‘Aha!’ experience”?
a) A manager performs well-learned and familiar behaviour patterns in creative and
uncharacteristic ways to solve a problem.
b) A manager suddenly connects seemingly unrelated facts and experiences to create a pattern
relevant to the problem at hand.
c) A manager rapidly identifies the methodology used to compile data yielded by systematic
analysis.
d) A manager swiftly decides which of several sets of tactics to implement in order to deal with
the contingencies suggested by a problem.
4) It can be inferred from the passage that “thinking/acting cycles” in managerial practice would be
likely to result in which of the following?
i) A manager analyses a network of problems and then acts on the basis of that analysis.
There was a country long time ago where the people would change a king every year. The person who
would become the king had to agree to a contract that he would be sent to an island after one year of
his being a king. One king had finished his term and it was time for him to go to the island and live there.
The people dressed him up in expensive clothes and put him on an elephant and took him around the
cities to say goodbye to all the people. This was a moment of sadness for all kings who ruled for one
year. After bidding farewell, the people took the king to a remote island in a boat and left him there. On
their way back, they discovered a ship that had sunk just recently. They saw a young man who had
survived by holding on to a floating piece of wood. As they needed a new king, they picked up the young
man and took him to their country. They requested him to be king for a year. First he refused but later he
agreed to be the king. People told him about all the rules and regulations and that how he would be sent
to an island after one year.
After three days of being a king, he asked the ministers if they could show him the island where all the
other kings were sent. They agreed and took him to the island. The island was covered with a thick
Jungle and sounds of vicious animals were heard coming out of it. The king went a little bit further to
check. Soon he discovered dead bodies of all the past kings. He understood that as soon as they were
left on the island, the wild animals had come and killed them. The king went back to the country and
collected 100 strong workers. He took them to the island and instructed them to clean the jungle,
remove all the deadly animals and cut down all excess trees. He would visit the island every month to
see how the work was progressing. In the first month, all the animals were removed and many trees
were cut down. In the second month, the whole island was cleaned out. The king then told the workers
to plant gardens in various parts of the island. He also took with himself useful animals like chickens,
ducks, birds, goats, cows etc. In the third month, he ordered the workers to build big houses and docking
stations for ships. Over the months, the island turned into a beautiful place. The young king would wear
simple clothes and spend very little from his earnings as a king. He sent all the earnings to the island for
storage.
When nine months passed like this, the king called the ministers and told them: “I know that I have to go
the island after one year, but I would like to go there right now.” But the ministers didn’t agree to this
and said that he had to wait for another three months to complete the year. Three months passed and
now it was a full year. The people dressed up the young king and put him on an elephant to take him
1. What did the young man notice on his visit to the remote island after three days of being king?
(a) That the animals on the island were too many to be killed
(b) That the island was very big
(c) That the jungle on the island was full of animals that had killed all the previous kings placed on the
island
(d) Not mentioned in the passage
2. What happened to the island in the first month of the young king’s tenure?
(a)The wild animals were removed from the island.
(b)The whole island was cleaned.
(c)Many unnecessary trees were cut down.
(a) Only A (b) Only C (c) B and C (d) A and C
3. Which of the following describes the young king correctly?
(a)He was intelligent
(b)He had foresight
(c)He was cunning
(a) Only A (b) A and B (c) B and C (d) All A, B and C
4. Choose the word/ group of words which is most opposite in meaning to VICIOUS
(a) simple (b) ferocious (c) tough (d) harmless
5. Choose the word/ group of words which is most similar in meaning to ABODE
(a) stop (b) mountain (c) plenty (d) dwelling
By –
William Shakespeare
Elizabeth was brooding in her room. She had sought asylum there since spurious gossip about her began
circulating at Seagrove Academy last week. Not that Elizabeth had ever been considered a social
butterfly. She preferred to live vicariously through the stories of her more brazen friends: late night
partying, fraternizing with boys, childish pranks. Still, she had taken to being more by herself than usual
since the allegations surfaced. She was up for consideration for the highly coveted Blauvelt Award, a
scholarship recognizing “academic integrity and promise.” A student had given headmaster Billings an
anonymous “tip” that Elizabeth had cheated on several tests this year.
3) What does the reader learn about the student who accused Elizabeth of cheating?
I. The student is a former friend of Elizabeth.
II. The student does not want anyone to know who he or she is.
III. The student is either lying or mistaken.
(a) I only (b) I and II (c) II and III (d) I, II, and III
4) Elizabeth _______________________
(a) was naturally clever and hardworking
(b) had innate talent
(c) was determined and meticulous
(d) was creepy and sneaky
In 1977 the prestigious Ewha Women’s University in Seoul, Korea, announced the opening of the first
women’s studies program in Asia. Few academic programs have ever received such public attention. In
broadcast debates, critics dismissed the program as a betrayal of national identity, an imitation of
Western ideas, and a distraction from the real task of national unification and economic development.
Even supporters underestimated the program; they thought it would be merely another of the many
Western ideas that had already proved useful in Asian culture, akin to airlines, electricity, and the
For instance, like the Western feminist critique of the Freudian model of the human psyche, the Korean
critique finds Freudian theory culture-bound, but in ways different from those cited by Western
theorists. The Korean theorists claim that Freudian theory assumes the universality of the Western
nuclear, male-headed family and focuses on the personality formation of the individual, independent of
society. An analysis based on such assumptions could be valid for a highly competitive, individualistic
society. In the Freudian family drama, family members are assumed to be engaged in a Darwinian
struggle against each other—father against son and sibling against sibling. Such a concept projects the
competitive model of Western society onto human personalities. But in the Asian concept of personality
there is no ideal attached to individualism or to the independent self. The Western model of personality
development does not explain major characteristics of the Korean personality, which is social and group-
centered. The “self” is a social being defined by and acting in a group, and the well-being of both men
and women is determined by the equilibrium of the group, not by individual self-assertion. The ideal is
one of interdependency.
In such a context, what is recognized as “dependency” in Western psychiatric terms is not, in Korean
terms, an admission of weakness or failure. All this bears directly on the Asian perception of men’s and
women’s psychology because men are also “dependent.” In Korean culture, men cry and otherwise easily
show their emotions, something that might be considered a betrayal of masculinity in Western culture.
In the kinship-based society of Korea, four generations may live in the same house, which means that
people can be sons and daughters all their lives, whereas in Western culture, the roles of husband and
son, wife and daughter, are often incompatible.
It is almost always raining in the city. Somerset, the veteran detective, wears a hat and raincoat. Mills,
the kid who has just been transferred into the district, walks bare-headed in the rain as if he'll be young
forever. On their first day together, they investigate the death of a fat man they find face-down in a dish
of pasta. On a return visit to the scene, the beams of their flashlights point here and there in the filthy
apartment, picking out a shelf lined with dozens of cans of Campbell's Tomato Sauce. Not even a fat man
buys that much tomato sauce. This grim death sets the tone for David Fincher's "Seven," one of the
darkest and most merciless films ever made in the Hollywood mainstream. It will rain day after day. They
will investigate death after death. There are words scrawled at the crime scenes; the fat man's word is on
the wall behind his refrigerator: Gluttony. After two of these killings Mills realizes they are dealing with a
serial killer, who intends every murder to punish one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The enigma of Somerset's character is at the heart of the film, and this is one of Morgan Freeman's best
performances. He embodies authority naturally; I can't recall him ever playing a weak man. Here he
knows all the lessons a cop might internalize during years spent in what we learn is one of the worst
districts of the city. He lives alone, in what looks like a rented apartment, bookshelves on the walls. He
puts himself to sleep with a metronome. He never married, although he came close once. He is a lonely
man who confronts life with resigned detachment. When he realizes he's dealing with the Seven Deadly
Sins, he does what few people would do, and goes to the library. There he looks into Dante's Inferno,
Milton's Paradise Lost and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Somerset sounds erudite as he names the deadly
sins to Mills, who seems to be hearing of them for the first time.
ESSAY WRITING
1. We are becoming increasingly dependent on computer technology. It is used in business, crime
detection and even to fly planes. What will it be used for in future? Is this dependence on
technology a good thing or should we be suspicious of its benefits?
2. Television has had a significant influence on the culture of many societies. To what extent would
you say that television has positively or negatively affected the cultural development of your
society?
3. Space exploration requires vast sums of money. Is the amount of money spent on space research
justifiable? Could the money be better spent?
4. The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean
energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages. Do you agree or
disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
5. One of the most pressing problems facing the world today is overpopulation. What policies do
you believe governments should adopt to address the causes and effects of this problem?
6. Future plans which is to design prisons for learning and working, with bigger cells containing
computers that will enable study and communication, have been criticized for trying to turn
prisons into “holiday camps” and “wasting taxpayers’ money”. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
7. A government has various duties to its citizens, but limited resources. Should defence spending
take up a significant proportion of the national budget? Discuss.
8. One of the major problems facing the world today is the growing number of refugees. The
developed nations in the world should tackle this problem by taking in more refugees. To what
extent do you agree with this opinion?
9. Today’s food travels thousands of miles before it reaches customers. Why is this? Is this a
positive or negative trend? Lesson on academic language with a download of the essay and an
exercise to help you write it yourself.
10. If poorer nations are to develop they will need to invest in health and education. They often do
not have the resources to achieve this, so is it the duty of richer nations to provide assistance in
these areas? Explain your answer with reasons and examples.
11. More and more qualified people are moving from poor to rich countries to fill vacancies in
specialist areas like engineering, computing and medicine. Some people believe that by
12. Without capital punishment (the death penalty) our lives are less secure and crimes of violent
increase. Capital punishment is essential to control violence in society. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
13. Tobacco and alcohol are drugs that cause addition and health problems. Should they be made
illegal? Or should all drugs be legalized?
14. Crime is nearly always related to the environment in which it occurs. For this reason,
international laws and international law courts are unrealistic and will not succeed in reducing
crime levels in different countries. Discuss
15. In many countries there is a shortage of housing due to a growing population. Some people
argue that new towns should be built in the countryside, others argue for the regeneration of
cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the building new towns in the countryside?
16. The world is consuming natural resources faster than they can be renewed. Therefore, it is
important that products are made to last. Governments should discourage people from
constantly buying more up to date or fashionable products. To what extent do you agree with
this statement?
17. Many people want their country to host an international sporting event. Others believe that
international sporting events bring more problems than benefits. Discuss both views and include
your opinion, supported by examples.
18. Some people believe that competitive sports have a positive effect on children’s education, while
others believe there is no place for such sports in schools. Discuss both points of view and give
your own opinion.
19. Examine the arguments in favor of and against animal experiments, and come to a conclusion on
this issue.
20. Government investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a waste of money.
Governments must invest this money in public services instead. To what extent do you agree
with this statement?
ANALOGY
1. _____ : highway :: net : court
a. road b. radar c. ticket d. median
TUTORIAL 27 and 28
MISCELLANEOUS
EXERCISES
1. Human beings in the 21st century d) that Rajasthan and Gujarat put
are more together.
concerned about their financial gains 5. Winner of a number of awards,
rather she is
than considered as a great speaker, an
a) with spiritualizing able motivator and
b) with spirituality a) a sweet human being.
c) the spirituality b) human being who is sweet.
2. The more powerful the attacker, c) sweet human being.
a) the more stability is required by 6. The Indian Army
the defender ___________________equipping
b) the more stable should be the them with the
defender latest arms and ammunitions; and
c) the more stable should the motivating
defender act. them towards selfless service for the
3. The ability to be able to live motherland.
despite all a. makes its soldiers undergo the
vagaries lies in the will to be happy, toughest of
a) but not the will to just exist. schedules;
b) not on the will to just exist. b. training its soldiers
c) in the will to just exist. c. trains its soldiers by making them
d) not in the will to just exist. undergo the
4. The yield of rice produced by toughest of schedules;
Punjab is Correct the following sentences by
greater than replacing
a) Rajasthan and Gujarat put words:
together 7. Mary likes hiking, swimming and
b) that of Rajasthan and Gujarat put to ride a
together bicycle.
c) of the combined of Rajasthan and 8. The production manager was
Gujarat asked to write his