Practice Set -1

Read the following passage and answer the following questions on the basis of information
provided in the passage.

Our body is a wondrous mechanism and when subjected to unusual stress over a period of time,
it adapts itself to deal more effectively with that stress. Therefore, when you exert your muscles
against resistance, they are forced to adapt and deal with this extraordinary work load. This is the
principle of weight training. Strands of muscle fibres become thicker and stronger in response to
the demands placed on them.
One of the great merits of weight training is the strength of your heart. During weight
training, your heart is forced to beat faster and stronger in order to pump sufficient blood to the
muscles being worked. In time, your heart, like your body, will adapt to this extra-workload by
becoming stronger and more efficient. Since your body needs a given amount of blood to
perform its daily tasks your heart will now need fewer beats to pump the same quantity of blood.
Sounds good? There's more. Your entire circulatory system is given a thorough workout every
time you exercise, which increases its overall efficiency. Even the neural - paths from your
brain's command centres to each individual muscle become more effective, enabling easier
recruitment of muscle fibres for carrying Out physical tasks. In essence, your body becomes a
well oiled and finely-tuned piece of machinery, whirring along without any break-down. In
today's stress filled world, you need all help you can get.

1. What is the principal training of weight lifting?

(a) Adapting the body to muscle force
(b) Adapting muscles to force implied or them
(c) Disposing extra-workload
(d) Meohanised response to external Conditions

2. What affects the nature of muscle fibres?

(a) Intensity of workload
(b) Alimentary
(c) Nutrition
(d) Stress imposed on them

3. How does the heart become stronger owing to physical exercise?

(a) Thorough acclimatisation
(b) Naturalisation
(c) Adapting to excessive workload
(d) By accelerating the circulation of blood

4. How much blood does the heart pump at the same number of heartbeats, when exposed
excessive stress?
(a) Same quantity
(b) Less than before
(c) More than normal
 (d) None of these

5. What happens to our body due to physic exercise?

(a) More efficient
(b) Less efficient
(c) Efficiency of the body remains the same
(d) None of these

6. What does the term 'well-oiled' in the passage denote?

(a) Healthy
(b) Efficient
(c) Massaged
(d) None of these

7. Which one of the following is the mo appropriate title for the passage?
(a) Health is wealth
(b) Exercise—its benefits
(c) The mechanics of weight training
(d) How to retain your health

8. In the present world, the importance physical exercise has

(a) Increased
(b) Decreased
(c) Remained at the same level
(d) None of these

9. What, according to the passage, is the function of the heart?

(a) Oxygenation of blood
(b) Pumping the blood to the muscles
(c) Pumping the blood to capillaries
(d) Accelerating the circulation of blood

10. What does the above passage suggest?

(a) We should carry out physical exercise as a routine
(b) Physical exercise is necessary occasionally
(c) We should ignore physical exercise
(d) We should subject our body to as much exercise as it can withstand.

Set 1:- 1. (b) 2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (a) 7. (c) 8. (a) 9. (b) 10. (a)

Practice Set —2
The best way of understanding our own civilisation is to take an ordinary sort of day in the life of
an ordinary sort of man, myself for instance, and to see what he does. My home is in London. I
get up in the morning when an alarm clock rings on the table by my bed. It is quite a complicated
machine and works perfectly. I get into a hot bath, the water for which has been heated by gas.
The gas is supplied by the Gas Board for the area in which I live; it is part of a national system.
The water is supplied by the City Water Board. After bathing, I shave—the water for my shave
comes from a kettle which has been heated by electricity. As far as I am concerned, what
happens is very simple: I put a plug in the wall and put on the switch and the electricity does the
rest. I use a safety razor, the blade of which, made of very finely tempered steel, has been cut,
together with millions of other blades, by machines. The clothes which I put on have also been
spun and woven largely by steam Or electrically driven machines.
1. The 'I' in this passage represents:
(a) A common man
(b) A rich person
(c) An automation
(d) A robot
2. The ideal way of understanding a civilisation is
(a) To read its literature
(b) To see how the people shave, bathe and dress
(c) To assess its technological progress
(d) To study the daily routine of an ordinary person
3. The 'complicated machine' in the passage refers to
(a) An electric kettle
(b) A safety razor
(c) An alarm clock
(d) Gas
4. The gas being 'supplied by a national sys-tem' means that
(a) It is supplied by a nationalist government
(b) It is .supplied .only nationally and not internationally
(c) It is supplied all over the country by a central agency
(d) It is supplied to only those who believe in a national system
5. The kind of life experienced by the writer is representative of
(a) An advanced urban society
(b) A rural society
(c) A semi-urbanised society
(d) A socialist society

Set 2:- 1. (a) 2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (a)

Practice Set —3
Economists, ethicists and business experts persuade us that honesty is the best policy, but their
evidence is weak. We hoped to find data that would support their theories and thus, perhaps,
encourage higher standards of business behaviour. To our surprise, their pet theories failed to
stand up. Treachery, we found, can pay. There is no compe-iling economic reason to tell the truth
or keep one's word. Punishment for the treacherous in the real world is neither swift nor sure.
Honesty is, in fact, primarily a moral choice. Business people do tell themselves that, in
the long run, they will do well by doing good. But there is little factual or logical basis for this
conviction. Without values, without a basic preference of right over wrong, trust based on such
delusion would crumble in the face of temptation. Most of us choose virtue because we want to
believe in ourselves and because others respect and believe us.
 And due to this, we should be happy. We can be proud of a system in which people are
honest because they want to be, not because they have to be. Materially, too, trust based on
morality provides great advantages. It allows us to join in great and exciting enterprises that we
could never undertake if we relied on economic incentives alone.
Economists tell us that trust is enforced in the market place through retaliation and
reputation. If you violate a trust, your victim is apt to seek revenge and others are likely to stop
doing business with you, at least under favourable terms. A man or woman with a reputation for
fair dealing will prosper. Therefore, profit maximisers are honest. This sounds plausible enough
until you look for concrete examples. Cases that apparently demonstrate the awful consequences
of trust turn out to be few and weak, while evidence that treachery can pay seems compelling.
1. According to the passage, what do economists and ethicists, want us to believe?
(a) Businessmen should always be honest
(b) Businessmen cannot always be honest
(c) Businessmen turn dishonest at times
(d) Businessmen are honest only at times
2. What did the author find out about the theory that 'honesty is the best policy'?
(a) It is correct on many occasions
(b) It is correct for all businesses
(c) It is a useless theory
(d) It is a theory which seems to be correct only occasionally
3. Why are businessmen, according to the author, honest in their dealings?
(a) Businessmen are God-fearing
(b) Businessmen choose to be honest
(c) Businessmen are honest by nature
(d) All businessmen are caught if they are dishonest
4. According to the author, which of the following, is the reason for being honest in business?
(a) It gives no immediate benefits
(b) It gives no long-term benefits
(c) It makes a person self-seeking
(d) None of the above
5. Why does the author say that one can be proud of the present situation?
(a) People are self-respecting
(b) People are respect-seekers
(c) People are unselfish
(d) People are honest without compulsion
6. What is the material advantage which the author sees in being honest?
(a) It permits one to undertake activities which may not be economically attractive
(b) It permits one to be honest for the sake of honesty alone
(c) It permits one to be make a lot of profit in various areas
(d) It permits one to form various trusts to make profits

7. Why do businessmen, according to economists, remain honest?

(a) Dishonest businessmen can make more money
(b) Dishonest businessmen make money in the long run
(c) Dishonest businessmen cannot stay in business for long
(d) Dishonest businessmen are flogged in the market place
8. Which of the following phrases is most nearly the same in meaning as the word 'persuade' as it
has been used in the passage?
(a) Give an assurance
(b) Give an opinion
(c) Try to convince
(d) Cheat
9. Which of the following is false according to the passage?
(a) Economists believe that all businessmen are dishonest
(b) Generally people are honest so as to earn self-respect
(c) Virtuous behaviour earns the respect of others
(d) All dishonest men are not caught
10. Which of the following best describes what the author is trying to point out through the last
sentence of the passage, ' Cases that... compelling'?
(a) The consequences of dishonesty
(b) Theories do not seem to be true
(c) Economists predict correctly
(d) The contradictions in the real world

Set 3:- 1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (b) 4. (d) 5. (d) 6. (c) 7. (c) 8. (c) 9. (a) 10. (d)

Practice Set — 4
The surprisingly abundant life of the Indian Ocean is confined to the upper layers; the deeper and
especially the bottom waters are devoid of oxygen and are often permeated with hydrogen
sulphide.
1. The passage gives the information about
(a) The life of the people near the Indian Ocean
(b) The reason why life exists in particular water layers
(c) The reason why oxygen is not found in the bottom layers
(d) The reason why hydrogen sulphide is found in the bottom layers
(e) The life of the people who sail across the Indian Ocean.
2. The bottom waters of the Indian Ocean
(a) Have no oxygen
(b) Have large amounts of oxygen
(c) Contain a lot of sea plants and animals
(d) Have no hydrogen sulphide
(e) Contain hydrogen sulphide
3. The waters of the Indian Ocean
(a) Are devoid of life
(b) Are always permeated with hydrogen sulphide
(c) Have life only in the lower layers
(d) Lack life and it is very surprising
(e) Have life only in the upper layers
4. Which of the following is the most opposite of the word ABUNDANT, as used in the
passage?
(a) Plentiful
(b) Minute
 (c) insufficient
(d) Meagre
(e) Tiny
5. The passage suggests which one of the following:
(a) Observers are surprised at abundant life exists in the Indian Ocean
(b) Hydrogen sulphide is necessary to life
(c) Both oxygen and hydrogen sulphide are necessary to life
(d) Oxygen is not necessary for marine life
(e) There are different layers of waters in the ocean

Set 4:- 1. (d) 2. (e) 3. (e) 4. (d) 5. (a)

Practice Set — 5
The current political turmoil in India is more or less synonymous with the turmoil in Hindu
society arising out of conflicting global ideologies and the obsolescence of the Manu code of
behaviour for hindus. Hinduism owed its survival not only to the phenomenon of enlightened
gurus and seers over the centuries—from Adi Shankara and Ramanuja to Ramakrishna
Paramhansa; Vivekananda and Maharshi Ramana—but also because Hindu society was quick to
adjust itself to the changing times and people and believed in assimilation and absorption rather
than exclusivist faith.

1. The passage hints a similarity

(a) Between Vivekananda and Rama-krishna
(b) Between Hinduism and current political crisis
(c) Between current political crisis and the turmoil in Hindu society
(d) Global ideologies and obsolescence of the Manu code

2. Hinduism survived
(a) Only because of enlightened gurus
(b) Only because of its quality to adjust itself to the changing times
(c) Only because of its assimilative quality
(d) Because it has synthesised its assimilative absorbing quality with the enlightenment of its
thinkers over a long time

3. The passage suggests that

(a) The elightened gurus have done harm to Hinduism
(b) The current political turmoil in India is the consequence of Guru's teachings
(c) The obsolescence of the Mann code of behaviour has come in conflict with global
ideologies
(d) Hinduism is the cause of current political turmoil

Set 5:- 1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (c)

Practice Set —6
Once upon a time large areas of India were covered with forests full of numerous kinds of trees.
As the population grew, trees began to be cut down for man's use. That is how the wonderful
forests described in our ancient poems, came to be destroyed, and a great part of our forest
wealth was lost. Now we are trying to make good this loss and our Government wants trees to be
planted all over the country. A new festival has been started for this purpose; it is called
'Vanmahotsava' or The Forest Festival. Since trees are the country's wealth, we must consider it
our sacred duty to protect them. We should plant new trees wherever we can and look after them
well.
We value trees not only for their usefulness but also for their beauty. They have a way of
refreshing the eyes and also refreshing the mind. Perhaps that was why the rishis of olden days
were drawn to the forests and they and their pupils chose to live in forest homes in the company
of nature. In modern times when Rabindranath Tagore started a school he too chose a place full
of trees and called it Shantiniketan or the Home of Peace.

QUESTIONS

(a) What is the festival of Vanmahotsava meant for?

(b) How did the growth of population affect our forest wealth?
(c) What is the meaning of 'Shantiniketan' ?
(d) Why should we look after trees?
(e) Why were the rishis of olden days drawn to the forests?

ANSWERS

(a) 'Vanmahotsava' has been started for large scale tree plantation.
(b) Massive growth of population led to the cutting of trees. The trees have been cut for the
use of man.
(c) 'Shantiniketan' means the home of peace.
(d) Trees are the wealth of our country. We should, therefore, protect and look after them.
(e) The rishis of our country were attracted by trees because of usefulness and beauty. They
are refreshing to the eyes as well as mind.

Practice Set — 7
As we travel pole wards across the northern fringe of the coniferous forests, we find that the trees
become more and more scarce and finally disappear altogether. We are passing from the sub-
polar to the polar region of tundra and ice cap - vast, level plains where the land is almost
perpetually in the grip of ice and snow, the coldest and the most inhospitable parts of the earth.
Because of their general barrenness and their hostility to human life and enterprise, they are at
present little known and little developed. Yet, if we are to keep abreast of our subject, we cannot
afford to ignore them. In the first place, their very mystery will continue to attract explorers for
many years to come, and secondly, their economic development especially by extraction of
minerals, is already on the way.
Long, cold winters and short but surprisingly warm summers, with still shorter spring and
autumn, are characteristic. Hence the climate is one of great extremes, for in places where a
temperature of 80°F, may be reached during the summer, the thermometer often falls in winter to
60' below zero. For a brief period during the summer the Sun never sets, and the weather grows
quite mild and pleasant. But all too soon the long, dreary months of winter come round again,
bringing intense cold, blizzards, darkness and a landscape of snow and ice. In the depth of this
season the sun is not seen at all in the northern areas, farther south only for an hour or two in a
day, some relief, however, is provided by brilliant moonlight and occasional displays of the
gorgeous aurora borealis.

QUESTIONS

(a) What is the condition of land in the polar region?

(b) In what way is this region inhospitable?
(c) What are the climatic conditions of the polar region?
(d) What makes the winter season in the polar region terrible?
(e) Why can't the polar region be ignored?
(f) Explain the terms 'perpetually', 'dreary' and 'gorgeous'

ANSWERS

(a) The land in the polar region is barren. It remains covered under ice and snow.
(b) It is not possible to have any enterprise or human life here because of extreme cold and
the barren land.
(c) The polar region is subject to extreme fluctuations of temperature. In summers it can go
up to 80'F while in winters it dips 60 degrees below zero.
(d) During winter there is intense cold in the region. Blizzards, almost complete darkness,
unending landscape of snow and ice make winters in the polar region terrible.
(e) The polar region will continue to attract adventurous explores who wish to understand
and know its mystery. Secondly, the untapped vast mineral wealth will not allow the
region to be ignored.
(f) Perpetually for ever, always
Dreary - dull
Gorgeous - most beautiful and attractive.

Practice Set —8
It is fitting that among the tributes from all over the world to Gandhi's spirit and ideals there
should be at least one from a White South African. For it was in South Africa, as far back as
1893, that Gandhi first became the champion of an Indian community. It was in the "Fort" at
Johannesbourg, which I pass every day on my, way to University, that, later, he and many of his
followers were imprisoned with hard labour.
It was with General Smuts, colonial Secretary after the restoration of self-government to the
Transvaal that he negotiated for the future of the Indian community in South Africa. It was as
leader of his people in the struggle against discriminating legislation that he first experimented
with the technique of passive resistance. In many Indian homes in South Africa, and in all public
buildings owned by the Indian community, the picture of the "Mahatma" occupies a place of
honour. There are still many men and women-both White and Indian-in South Africa who
fought and suffered at Gandhi's side. One of his sons has remained in the Union as editor of
Indian Opinion, which his father founded and which is still published at Phoenix, Natal, the
Indian settlement brought into being to realize one of Gandhi's dreams for the advancement of
his people. Yes. Gandhi had made for himself a never-to-be-forgotten place in the history of
South Africa, before he passed on to devote his gifts of leadership, spiritual and political, to the
land and the people of his birth.
Reading the account of his South African life, written by one of his White friends and
supporters, Rev. Joseph J. Doke, Baptist Minister at Johannesbourg and seeking there the secret
of the hold he had over his people and of the deep impression he made even upon many of his
White opponents, I am struck by many things.
First of all, there is the strength of mind which enabled him to practice his belief in non-violence
even under provocations which would have aroused the fighting fury of other men to the point
of meeting violence with violence. More than once he was the victim of kicks and blows and
verbal indignities from Whites who thought thus to demonstrate the superiority of their race and
teach this "coolie" his place. He never retaliated by force. He refused to prosecute the sentry
who kicked him off the footpath in front of President Kruger's house. When he suffered the most
brutal assault of all—this time from opponents among his own people and lay bleeding and
helpless, he pleaded with the police not to punish his assailants.

Q1. Where was Gandhiji imprisoned?

A. In a fort at Johannesomeoneurg
B. At central jail, New Delhi
C. At Tthar jail, New Delhi
D. At the Andaman Islands

Q2. How did Gandhi respond against discriminating legislation in South Africa?
A. He called for Satyagrah
B. He asked the youth to discard the laws
C. He used the technique of passive resistance
D. He negotiated with General Smuts

Q3. What enabled Gandhi to practice his belief in non-violence?

A. The fact that he was well educated
B. His strong spiritual beliefs
C. His strength of mind
D. Support of his followers

Q4. Which of the following titles best summarises the central idea of the passage?
A. Gandhi and his non-violent tools
B. Exploitation of Indians in South Africa
C. Condition of prisons in South Africa
D. Gandhi's contribution in Indian freedom struggle

Q5. "Indignities", as used in the passage, means:

A. Humiliation
B. Appreciation
C. Violence
D. Heated arguments
Q6. "Assailants" means:
A. Opponents
B. Critics
C. Attacker
D. Bodyguard

Set 8:- 1. A 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. A 6. C

Practice Set — 9
Two questions have increasingly taken centre-stage in discussions about what might happen in
Afghanistan after United States withdrawal in 2014. One, if it will become a proxy battlefield
for India and Pakistan, the two big South Asian rivals, and two, if anything can be done to
prevent this.
Western commentators have long put out that the new great game in Afghanistan is going to be
between India and Pakistan. The theory goes that India's search for influence in Afghanistan
makes Pakistan insecure, forcing Islamabad to support and seek to install proxy actors in Kabul
to safeguard its interests, and that this one-upmanship is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to
stability in that country.
India, for its part, views its links to Afghanistan as civilization, and its own interests there as
legitimate. Its developmental assistance to Kabul now tops $2 billion and it has undertaken
infrastructure projects in Afghanistan. And, if the situation allowed, Afghanis-tan could become
India's economic gateway to Central Asia.
Concerned that any instability in Afghanistan is certain to spill over across Indian borders, over
the last two years New Delhi has suggested repeatedly to Islamabad that the two sides should
talk about Afghanistan. But as Pakistan has emerged as a key player in facilitating talks with the
Taliban, and while it has no problems talking to every other country with an interest in
Afghanistan, including Russia and China, it has cold-shouldered India. The ideal course would
of course be for trilateral talks involving Kabul, Islamabad and New Delhi. For, Afghanistan is
not just a piece of strategic real estate but a sovereign country made up of real people.
Right now, though, Pakistan is averse toany idea of talks on Afghanistan, believe as it does that
India has no role in these moves and that talking would give legitimacy to New Delhi's claim
that it does. It already resents the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Treaty.
In a dialogue convened by a German think-tank, most Pakistani participants and some Indians
too are of the view that talking about Afghanistan was impossible so long as tension between
India and Pakistan remained, and that right now Islamabad was in any case too preoccupied with
the 'reconciliation' process in Afghanistan.
As for the view that Pakistan and India cannot talk about Afghanistan without repairing their
own relations first, it might be worth considering if such a discussion could actually contribute
to reducing bilateral tensions, given that the concerns over Afghanistan do not exist in a vacuum
but arise from other problems in the relationship between the two. It could even provide the
opportunity the Pakistan side has long wanted to bring up with New Delhi its concerns about
Baluchistan.
By rejecting Kabul's entreaties to New Delhi to play a bigger role in securing Afghanistan post-
2014 than just training Afghan security forces, India has signaled it is sensitive to Pakistan's
concerns. As Afghanistan's immediate neighbour, Pakistan is right to claim a pre-eminent stake
in what happens in their, and India should have no quarrel with this. What Pakistan could do in
return is to acknowledge that as an important regional actor, India too has legitimate interests in
Afghanistan, and also as a route to Central Asia. After all, if Pakistan considers itself to be the
guard at the geo-strategic gateway to Afghanistan, it must also recognise that squatting at the
entrance can only serve to neutralize rather than increase the gate's geo-strategic importance. On
the other hand, India-Pakistan cooperation in Afghanistan could open up a world of
opportunities for both, and who knows, may be even lead to the resolution of some old mutual
problems.

Q1. Why has India been suggesting that India and Pakistan should talk about Afghanis-tan?
A. Because India is concerned that instability from Afghanistan may spill over Indian
borders
B. Because India does not want Pakistan to gain a better control over the region
C. So that both the countries can amicably settle their claims over Afghanistan
D. Both A and B

Q2. According to western commentators, Afghanistan is going to be the field for a great game
between-
A. India and Afghanistan
B. India and Pakistan
C. Pakistan and Afghanistan
D. None of these

Q3. According to the author, why is Pakistan averse to any idea of talks on Afghanistan?
A. It may legitimize New Delhi's claims over Afghanistan
B. It may trigger a war
C. Both A&B
D. Neither A nor B

Q4. According to the author, what is the ideal course to solve the Kabul issue?
A. A war between India and Pakistan
B. A trilateral war among India, Pakistan and Afghanistan
C. A series of meetings between India and Pakistan
D. A trilateral talk among India, Pakistan and Afghanistan

Q5. Which of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?
A. India and Pakistan should nottry to talk about Afghanistan
B. A discussion about Afghanistan could reduce bilateral tensions between India and
Pakistan
C. Pakistan must talk about Baluchistan first
D. Both A and C

Set — 9 1. A 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. B
Practice Set — 10
The stock-taking done at the first national convention on consumer protection served to
highlight the areas that called for special attention to sustain the momentum of the
movement as genuine forum for safeguarding the people’s interests. Spreading awareness
about the rights of the consumers and the relief open to them in case they did not get their
money’s worth of goods and services has rightly been identified as the first priority.
While this may not be a difficult task in urban areas, where the movement is concentrated
at hinterland calls for a multimedia approach in which radio and television have a crucial
role to play. The involvement of the 500-old consumer organizations in the country in
publicizing the concept of fair trade practices and the remedies available against their
violation will prove rewarding, if the message is conveyed through village bodies.

Government efforts remain confined at best to setting up the infrastructure after

the formal launch of the movement with the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act.
The mounting backlog of cases in consumer Act. The mounting backing of cases in
consumer courts, points to the need for toning up the district level red reseal machinery.

The main objectives of the movement is the creation of a culture that denies place
in the market for products that are not consumer friendly. This is possible only if
consumer bodies take over the watchdog role performed by the Government till now and
exercise social control over the market to see that the benefits of liberalization are not
reaped by traders alone. But the plea to industry to exercise self-regulation and maintain
minimum standards of quality and devise appropriate pricing is bound to go unheeded
unless strict measures are taken to ensure compliance.

1. The first national convention on Consumer protection has

a) Specified in relief open to the consumer
b) Given it a momentum.
c) Highlighted the areas for special attention
d) Spread awareness about consumer rights
2. Consumer Protection Act proposes to give the consumer protection against
a) Not getting his money’s worth
b) Denial of relief if the product is not upto the mark
c) Highly priced substandard goods
d) Cheating by selling substandard goods
3. Government contributed to the Consumer Protection Movement by
a) Setting by infrastructure
b) Enactment of the Consumer Protection Act
c) Toning up a district level redressal machinery
 d) Clearing the backlog cases in the consumer court
4. Spreading Consumer Protection Movement to the rural areas needs
a) Consumer organization to canvass this
b) Message to be conveyed by village bodies
c) Official patronage
d) A multi-media approach
5. Role of consumer bodies is
a) To make a plea to industry to exercise self control
b) To exercise social control over the market
c) To maintain minimum standards of quality
d) To function as a watchdog

Set — 10 1(c), 2(c), 3(a), 4(d), 5(b)