UP PET ENGLISH QUIZ

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Question 1:

Direction: Read the passage carefully then answer the question given below.


The National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 shows negligible gains in nutritional outcomes among under-five children. There has been tardy progress in reducing undernutrition, wasting and stunting. It is a national shame that even now, 35.5% of under-five children are stunted and 19.3% are wasted. Childhood anaemia has worsened from NFHS-4. Anaemia among adolescent girls and women aged 15-49 has also worsened. Though institutional delivery has gone up, early initiation of breastfeeding is static. If we are serious about a healthy new generation, we must ensure proper nutrition and growth. While we need to monitor data for programmatic evaluation and correction, the question is, what type of data do we need to help starving children? Is it data on how much food is supplied, served and consumed or data on what went wrong and the prevalence of weight loss and growth stagnation? Do we need output or impact data or input and process data with their quality parameters? We need to monitor the input and process indicators. That is how we can rectify past mistakes. Data generated quickly can lead to mid-course corrections. Data-driven planning and strategies lead to good governance with accountability.

So, what can we do? After monitoring the successful initiation of breastfeeding in the hospital, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives must continue to monitor exclusive breastfeeding till the infant is six months old. Then they must record the timely initiation of complementary feeding with soft gruel. If this step is missed, growth faltering starts. And this is the critical period of growth that we cannot afford to compromise on. We must also ensure that there is take-home ration for under-three children through the regular supply of supplementary nutrition from the Integrated Child Development Services. We also need to know whether anganwadis are intermittently closed without any valid reason; whether the supervisors are erratic in field monitoring; how we can capture the regularity and quantity of dry rations supplied to anganwadi centres and schools for mid-day meals; whether there is live web-based centrally monitorable data on the movement of dry rations to anganwadis and schools; whether parents and teachers can monitor the serving of hot, cooked meals; whether self-help groups of women are involved in preparing the menu and procuring locally available vegetables, grains and millets to ensure dietary diversification and whether eggs are being denied or stopped for sociopolitical reasons. What goes into the family pot is also important. This depends on what parents can earn, and their purchasing capacity. So, it is important to monitor the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workdays as well as the wages earned in areas where droughts frequently recur; where there is mass migration; and where there is prevalence of high malnutrition. The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau was shut down some years ago. So, we don’t know what families can afford to cook and what they are cooking.

Select the word which is a synonym of the word ‘tardy’ which is in bold in the passage?

Direction: Read the passage carefully then answer the question given below.
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 shows negligible gains in nutritional outcomes among under-five children. There has been tardy progress in reducing undernutrition, wasting and stunting. It is a national shame that even now, 35.5% of under-five children are stunted and 19.3% are wasted. Childhood anaemia has worsened from NFHS-4. Anaemia among adolescent girls and women aged 15-49 has also worsened. Though institutional delivery has gone up, early initiation of breastfeeding is static. If we are serious about a healthy new generation, we must ensure proper nutrition and growth. While we need to monitor data for programmatic evaluation and correction, the question is, what type of data do we need to help starving children? Is it data on how much food is supplied, served and consumed or data on what went wrong and the prevalence of weight loss and growth stagnation? Do we need output or impact data or input and process data with their quality parameters? We need to monitor the input and process indicators. That is how we can rectify past mistakes. Data generated quickly can lead to mid-course corrections. Data-driven planning and strategies lead to good governance with accountability.
So, what can we do? After monitoring the successful initiation of breastfeeding in the hospital, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives must continue to monitor exclusive breastfeeding till the infant is six months old. Then they must record the timely initiation of complementary feeding with soft gruel. If this step is missed, growth faltering starts. And this is the critical period of growth that we cannot afford to compromise on. We must also ensure that there is take-home ration for under-three children through the regular supply of supplementary nutrition from the Integrated Child Development Services. We also need to know whether anganwadis are intermittently closed without any valid reason; whether the supervisors are erratic in field monitoring; how we can capture the regularity and quantity of dry rations supplied to anganwadi centres and schools for mid-day meals; whether there is live web-based centrally monitorable data on the movement of dry rations to anganwadis and schools; whether parents and teachers can monitor the serving of hot, cooked meals; whether self-help groups of women are involved in preparing the menu and procuring locally available vegetables, grains and millets to ensure dietary diversification and whether eggs are being denied or stopped for sociopolitical reasons. What goes into the family pot is also important. This depends on what parents can earn, and their purchasing capacity. So, it is important to monitor the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workdays as well as the wages earned in areas where droughts frequently recur; where there is mass migration; and where there is prevalence of high malnutrition. The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau was shut down some years ago. So, we don’t know what families can afford to cook and what they are cooking.

Question 2:

Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:

At a snap virtual meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, comprising India, the U.S., Australia and Japan, leaders discussed the crisis of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine along with more traditional topics of interest for the Dialogue, including territorial and maritime security across the Indo­Pacific. In the joint statement, issued after the summit, the four nations __________ their commitment to a free and open Indo­Pacific, “in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and countries are free from military, economic, and political coercion”. The latest Quad meeting was in part likely motivated by the concern of the U.S., Australia, and Japan that India, in not explicitly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a ground offensive across the Russia­Ukraine border and to bomb Ukrainian infrastructure, might not be on the same page as the other Quad members vis-à-vis this conflict. They have not only condemned Russia’s aggression but have also slapped Kremlin elites and organisations linked to them with crippling sanctions. India, contrarily, has abstained from three UN resolutions condemning Russia. There is also a considerable difference on the Russia-Ukraine issue in terms of the individual readouts of the Quad members. While the U.S., Australia and Japan directly called out Russia’s attempt to unilaterally force changes to the status quo in Ukraine and vowed not to let such action occur anywhere in the Indo­Pacific, India’s readout only Referenced Ukraine in passing, in the context of establishing a new humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism for this cause. Russia’s action has obviously posed complex questions for India’s strategic calculus, even as New Delhi continues to be guided by the 21st century variant of its non­alignment paradigm, and by its need to remain close to Moscow, a major defence supplier. South Block is already well versed at playing hardball with the mandarins at the U.S. State Department over getting a CAATSA waiver for India’s purchase of

$5.43billion worth of the Russian Triumf missile defence system. While the discussions on the Ukraine crisis will continue at the Quad and across other plurilateral platforms where India and U.S. work together for the greater good of the rules­based international order, the idea that NATO countries or even Russia can force sovereign nations with a proud history of non­alignment to pick a side in a complex geopolitical conflict is quite passé and eminently unviable in today’s interdependent global arena. The Quad, for example, cannot afford to alienate India, a critical partner in the global­strategic plan to balance the rise of China as a potential Asian hegemon. Yet, India may find its  resolve and patience with Russia tested should Russian occupying forces begin committing war crimes and human rights violations in contravention of the Geneva Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other applicable global treaties.

Fill the blank given in the passage.

In the joint statement, issued after the summit, the four nations ______________ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, “in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and countries are free from military.

Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:

At a snap virtual meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, comprising India, the U.S., Australia and Japan, leaders discussed the crisis of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine along with more traditional topics of interest for the Dialogue, including territorial and maritime security across the Indo­Pacific. In the joint statement, issued after the summit, the four nations __________ their commitment to a free and open Indo­Pacific, “in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and countries are free from military, economic, and political coercion”. The latest Quad meeting was in part likely motivated by the concern of the U.S., Australia, and Japan that India, in not explicitly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a ground offensive across the Russia­Ukraine border and to bomb Ukrainian infrastructure, might not be on the same page as the other Quad members vis-à-vis this conflict. They have not only condemned Russia’s aggression but have also slapped Kremlin elites and organisations linked to them with crippling sanctions. India, contrarily, has abstained from three UN resolutions condemning Russia. There is also a considerable difference on the Russia-Ukraine issue in terms of the individual readouts of the Quad members. While the U.S., Australia and Japan directly called out Russia’s attempt to unilaterally force changes to the status quo in Ukraine and vowed not to let such action occur anywhere in the Indo­Pacific, India’s readout only Referenced Ukraine in passing, in the context of establishing a new humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism for this cause. Russia’s action has obviously posed complex questions for India’s strategic calculus, even as New Delhi continues to be guided by the 21st century variant of its non­alignment paradigm, and by its need to remain close to Moscow, a major defence supplier. South Block is already well versed at playing hardball with the mandarins at the U.S. State Department over getting a CAATSA waiver for India’s purchase of

$5.43billion worth of the Russian Triumf missile defence system. While the discussions on the Ukraine crisis will continue at the Quad and across other plurilateral platforms where India and U.S. work together for the greater good of the rules­based international order, the idea that NATO countries or even Russia can force sovereign nations with a proud history of non­alignment to pick a side in a complex geopolitical conflict is quite passé and eminently unviable in today’s interdependent global arena. The Quad, for example, cannot afford to alienate India, a critical partner in the global­strategic plan to balance the rise of China as a potential Asian hegemon. Yet, India may find its  resolve and patience with Russia tested should Russian occupying forces begin committing war crimes and human rights violations in contravention of the Geneva Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other applicable global treaties.

Question 3:

B>Direction: Read the passage given below and answer the question that follow by selecting the correct/most appropriate options.
The Supreme Court of India is the supreme judicial body of India and the highest court of Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, and has the power of judicial review. The Chief Justice of India is the head and chief judge of the Supreme Court, which consists of a maximum of 34 judges and has extensive powers in the form of original, appellate and advisory jurisdictions.
As the apex constitutional court in India, it takes up appeals primarily against verdicts of the high courts of various states of the Union and other courts and tribunals. It is required to safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens and settles disputes between various government authorities as well as the central government vs state governments or state governments versus another state government in the country. As an advisory court, it hears matters which may specifically be referred to it under the Constitution by the President of India. The law declared by the Supreme Court becomes binding on all courts within India and also by the union and state governments. As per the Article 142 of the Constitution, it is the duty of the President of India to enforce the decrees of the Supreme Court and the court is conferred with the inherent jurisdiction to pass any order deemed necessary in the interest of justice. The Supreme Court has replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as the highest court of appeal since 28 January 1950.
In 1861, the Indian High Courts Act 1861 was enacted to create high courts for various provinces and abolished Supreme Courts at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay and also the sadar adalats in presidency towns in their respective regions. These new high courts had the distinction of being the highest courts for all cases till the creation of the Federal Court of India under the Government of India Act 1935. The Federal Court had jurisdiction to solve disputes between provinces and federal states and hear appeals against judgement of the high courts. The first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India was H. J. Kania.
‘It takes up appeals primarily against ‘verdicts’ of the high courts’. What does the word ‘verdict’ mean here?
B>Direction: Read the passage given below and answer the question that follow by selecting the correct/most appropriate options.
The Supreme Court of India is the supreme judicial body of India and the highest court of Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, and has the power of judicial review. The Chief Justice of India is the head and chief judge of the Supreme Court, which consists of a maximum of 34 judges and has extensive powers in the form of original, appellate and advisory jurisdictions.
As the apex constitutional court in India, it takes up appeals primarily against verdicts of the high courts of various states of the Union and other courts and tribunals. It is required to safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens and settles disputes between various government authorities as well as the central government vs state governments or state governments versus another state government in the country. As an advisory court, it hears matters which may specifically be referred to it under the Constitution by the President of India. The law declared by the Supreme Court becomes binding on all courts within India and also by the union and state governments. As per the Article 142 of the Constitution, it is the duty of the President of India to enforce the decrees of the Supreme Court and the court is conferred with the inherent jurisdiction to pass any order deemed necessary in the interest of justice. The Supreme Court has replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as the highest court of appeal since 28 January 1950.
In 1861, the Indian High Courts Act 1861 was enacted to create high courts for various provinces and abolished Supreme Courts at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay and also the sadar adalats in presidency towns in their respective regions. These new high courts had the distinction of being the highest courts for all cases till the creation of the Federal Court of India under the Government of India Act 1935. The Federal Court had jurisdiction to solve disputes between provinces and federal states and hear appeals against judgement of the high courts. The first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India was H. J. Kania.

Question 4:

Read the following passage and answer the following question.
PARAGRAPH I
One of the most impactful changes Prophet Muhammad brought about in society was regarding women’s rights.Arab society in the pre-Islamic era was buried in superstitions and dogmas cultivated over centuries. Women were disrespected, treated no more than a commodity; they had no inheritance or marriage rights. In fact, it would not be incorrect to say that they had either little or no rights at all. When the husband died, his guardian would cover the wife of the deceased with his garment and she could not remarry until he permitted her, or until she ransomed herself.
PARAGRAPH II
In those days, Arabs did not only deprive the woman of inheritance but also deprived her of life itself. Narrations report the episode of a father who was away travelling when his wife gave birth. When he returned, he took his grown-up daughter from her mother, dug a hole and taking her by surprise, pushed her into it. He then threw dust over her while she screamed for pity. But his heart did not soften for her. This episode is captured in the Quran, 81:8-9: “And when the girl who was buried alive is asked for what sin she was killed.”
PARAGRAPH III
In such a society, the Prophet established not just the religion of God, but a code of life. A code, based on love, generosity, compassion and rights for every member of society. Over his lifetime, through his advices, he championed the cause of women, advocating love and respect for them – as mothers, wives, daughters – and emphasised their status having an equal share in humanity.
PARAGRAPH IV
He drove change by saying that paradise was beneath the feet of the mother, indicating that if a person wanted to achieve the ultimate goal of paradise, he would need to love, respect and serve his mother.
PARAGRAPH V
He also said that paradise is reserved for the one who raises four daughters. Nay, even if a person raised one daughter, paradise was certain for him. These instructions from the Prophet set the tone for men to covet a daughter and accord her the respect she deserved. He advised men to prefer their daughters over their sons while distributing gifts after returning from a journey. Post-Islamic era, women were permitted to choose their spouse, and parents were advised to seek their daughter’s consent before marriage.
PARAGRAPH VI
The final Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, was a compassionate human being. The Quran, 3:159, testifies to this saying: “It is part of the Mercy of Allah that you O Prophet, deal gently with them. Were you severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from you.”
PARAGRAPH VII
The Prophet dealt well with his daughter and his wives and encouraged his followers to do the same. He advised men to have patience with their wives, to support them in household chores and not to raise their hands on them. He discouraged divorce by saying that while it was permitted by God, it ranked amongst the most detestable acts in His eyes.
PARAGRAPH VIII
The lessons from the life of the final Prophet and Messenger are there for all to see and put into practice, as the Quran, 33:21, states: “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example to follow.”
In such a society, the Prophet established not just the religion of God, but a code of life. A code was based on _______________.
(I) Generosity
(II) Compassion
(III) Rights for every member of society.
Read the following passage and answer the following question.
PARAGRAPH I
One of the most impactful changes Prophet Muhammad brought about in society was regarding women’s rights.Arab society in the pre-Islamic era was buried in superstitions and dogmas cultivated over centuries. Women were disrespected, treated no more than a commodity; they had no inheritance or marriage rights. In fact, it would not be incorrect to say that they had either little or no rights at all. When the husband died, his guardian would cover the wife of the deceased with his garment and she could not remarry until he permitted her, or until she ransomed herself.
PARAGRAPH II
In those days, Arabs did not only deprive the woman of inheritance but also deprived her of life itself. Narrations report the episode of a father who was away travelling when his wife gave birth. When he returned, he took his grown-up daughter from her mother, dug a hole and taking her by surprise, pushed her into it. He then threw dust over her while she screamed for pity. But his heart did not soften for her. This episode is captured in the Quran, 81:8-9: “And when the girl who was buried alive is asked for what sin she was killed.”
PARAGRAPH III
In such a society, the Prophet established not just the religion of God, but a code of life. A code, based on love, generosity, compassion and rights for every member of society. Over his lifetime, through his advices, he championed the cause of women, advocating love and respect for them – as mothers, wives, daughters – and emphasised their status having an equal share in humanity.
PARAGRAPH IV
He drove change by saying that paradise was beneath the feet of the mother, indicating that if a person wanted to achieve the ultimate goal of paradise, he would need to love, respect and serve his mother.
PARAGRAPH V
He also said that paradise is reserved for the one who raises four daughters. Nay, even if a person raised one daughter, paradise was certain for him. These instructions from the Prophet set the tone for men to covet a daughter and accord her the respect she deserved. He advised men to prefer their daughters over their sons while distributing gifts after returning from a journey. Post-Islamic era, women were permitted to choose their spouse, and parents were advised to seek their daughter’s consent before marriage.
PARAGRAPH VI
The final Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, was a compassionate human being. The Quran, 3:159, testifies to this saying: “It is part of the Mercy of Allah that you O Prophet, deal gently with them. Were you severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from you.”
PARAGRAPH VII
The Prophet dealt well with his daughter and his wives and encouraged his followers to do the same. He advised men to have patience with their wives, to support them in household chores and not to raise their hands on them. He discouraged divorce by saying that while it was permitted by God, it ranked amongst the most detestable acts in His eyes.
PARAGRAPH VIII
The lessons from the life of the final Prophet and Messenger are there for all to see and put into practice, as the Quran, 33:21, states: “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example to follow.”

Question 5:

Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.


Like other central banks in emerging economies, RBI has been steadily adding gold to its reserves. RBI’s gold-holding has gone up by 125.6 tonnes in the last two years, making India the world’s ninth-largest holder of gold reserves. As of September, the central bank held 743.84 tonnes of gold, 11% more than the 668.25 tonnes in September 2020, according to The Indian Express. The share of gold in the total forex reserves has accordingly increased to 5.88% in end-September. The question naturally is, when gold no longer plays a direct role in the international monetary system, why are central banks like RBI holding extensive gold reserves, amounting to 17% of worldwide stocks.

As is the case with individuals, central banks hold gold as a hedge against uncertain times to protect against economic instability. When India faced a serious balance of payments crisis in 1991, for instance, the country had to pledge 67 tonnes of gold to the Union Bank of Switzerland and Bank of England to bolster its dwindling forex kitty. Today, with $642 billion of forex reserves, the external vulnerability of 30 years ago may have receded substantially, but there are always fresh risks on the horizon. Around 67% of RBI’s foreign currency assets are invested in securities, including US treasuries. So, buying more gold helps the central bank to diversify its portfolio of reserves.

During the last couple of years, however, the allure of gold was compelling for RBI due to the challenges of forex reserve management when yields on securities are low. The weakening of the dollar, thanks to the stimulus rolled by the US Federal Reserve and near zero interest rates prompted RBI to diversify its forex reserves away from dollar-denominated assets. Interest rates in advanced countries have been on a declining trend over the last four decades and reached their historic low in many of them in 2020, according to RBI’s report titled The Low Yield Environment and Forex Reserves Management. Gold has an inverse relationship with the US dollar: when the latter dips in value, gold rises, enabling central banks to shore up their reserves.

But, there are limits to accumulating gold, especially if it is fast losing value. For instance, the value of RBI’s gold holdings rose by just $960 million, to $37.4 billion, in September from $36.4 billion a year ago. The valuation declined as gold prices first soared to Rs 56,000 per 10 grams last year and later fell below the Rs 48,000-mark. Will the central bank then sell some of its gold holdings? The problem is the emotions among most people of this country over gold sales.

The 1991 move to pledge gold thus occasioned tremendous national angst. In sharp contrast, the move to buy 200 tonnes of gold from the IMF in 2009 was cheered. The RBI report has flagged options for active management of gold including making deposits and gold swaps with bullion banks, and exchange traded funds. If the central bank’s gold holding is a depreciating asset, will it consider investing part of its rising forex reserves in equity funds, especially index funds, to secure better returns in a structural low-yield environment?

Which of the following is incorrect according to the given passage?

Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
Like other central banks in emerging economies, RBI has been steadily adding gold to its reserves. RBI’s gold-holding has gone up by 125.6 tonnes in the last two years, making India the world’s ninth-largest holder of gold reserves. As of September, the central bank held 743.84 tonnes of gold, 11% more than the 668.25 tonnes in September 2020, according to The Indian Express. The share of gold in the total forex reserves has accordingly increased to 5.88% in end-September. The question naturally is, when gold no longer plays a direct role in the international monetary system, why are central banks like RBI holding extensive gold reserves, amounting to 17% of worldwide stocks.
As is the case with individuals, central banks hold gold as a hedge against uncertain times to protect against economic instability. When India faced a serious balance of payments crisis in 1991, for instance, the country had to pledge 67 tonnes of gold to the Union Bank of Switzerland and Bank of England to bolster its dwindling forex kitty. Today, with $642 billion of forex reserves, the external vulnerability of 30 years ago may have receded substantially, but there are always fresh risks on the horizon. Around 67% of RBI’s foreign currency assets are invested in securities, including US treasuries. So, buying more gold helps the central bank to diversify its portfolio of reserves.
During the last couple of years, however, the allure of gold was compelling for RBI due to the challenges of forex reserve management when yields on securities are low. The weakening of the dollar, thanks to the stimulus rolled by the US Federal Reserve and near zero interest rates prompted RBI to diversify its forex reserves away from dollar-denominated assets. Interest rates in advanced countries have been on a declining trend over the last four decades and reached their historic low in many of them in 2020, according to RBI’s report titled The Low Yield Environment and Forex Reserves Management. Gold has an inverse relationship with the US dollar: when the latter dips in value, gold rises, enabling central banks to shore up their reserves.
But, there are limits to accumulating gold, especially if it is fast losing value. For instance, the value of RBI’s gold holdings rose by just $960 million, to $37.4 billion, in September from $36.4 billion a year ago. The valuation declined as gold prices first soared to Rs 56,000 per 10 grams last year and later fell below the Rs 48,000-mark. Will the central bank then sell some of its gold holdings? The problem is the emotions among most people of this country over gold sales.
The 1991 move to pledge gold thus occasioned tremendous national angst. In sharp contrast, the move to buy 200 tonnes of gold from the IMF in 2009 was cheered. The RBI report has flagged options for active management of gold including making deposits and gold swaps with bullion banks, and exchange traded funds. If the central bank’s gold holding is a depreciating asset, will it consider investing part of its rising forex reserves in equity funds, especially index funds, to secure better returns in a structural low-yield environment?

Question 6:

B>Direction : In this section you have a short passages. After the passage, you will find some items based on the passage. Read the passage and answer the items based on it.
Passage - II
More than eight months after the national lockdown was announced in late March, urban India is learning to live with the Covid- 19 pandemic. In fact, indicating a positive outlook for the future, many survey respondents in a recent survey say they plan to return to pre-lockdown levels of shopping, personal grooming, going to cinemas and socializing as pandemic fears continues to recede.
The survey findings highlight that the suppression of consumer demand because of fears of job losses and salary cuts could be coming to an end. Increasingly, urban Indians are showing increased confidence about the future of the economy. This could be an indicator of the possible 'pent-up demand' that several economists have been talking about - a demand that could be unleashed once a vaccine is developed and distributed, or when there are signs of the pandemic's spread reducing to negligible levels or vanishing totally. Around 65 per cent of respondents said they had settled into new routines, or that they saw signs of the situation improving, or they had come to terms with the pandemic and were moving on with their lives. And since the survey was conducted before the news of the successful trials of the Pfizer vaccine for the coronavirus was announced, it is likely that the consumers are now even more positive in their outlook about the future.
Which statement in the passage/phrase indicates that 'Life must go on' ?
B>Direction : In this section you have a short passages. After the passage, you will find some items based on the passage. Read the passage and answer the items based on it.
Passage - II
More than eight months after the national lockdown was announced in late March, urban India is learning to live with the Covid- 19 pandemic. In fact, indicating a positive outlook for the future, many survey respondents in a recent survey say they plan to return to pre-lockdown levels of shopping, personal grooming, going to cinemas and socializing as pandemic fears continues to recede.
The survey findings highlight that the suppression of consumer demand because of fears of job losses and salary cuts could be coming to an end. Increasingly, urban Indians are showing increased confidence about the future of the economy. This could be an indicator of the possible 'pent-up demand' that several economists have been talking about - a demand that could be unleashed once a vaccine is developed and distributed, or when there are signs of the pandemic's spread reducing to negligible levels or vanishing totally. Around 65 per cent of respondents said they had settled into new routines, or that they saw signs of the situation improving, or they had come to terms with the pandemic and were moving on with their lives. And since the survey was conducted before the news of the successful trials of the Pfizer vaccine for the coronavirus was announced, it is likely that the consumers are now even more positive in their outlook about the future.

Question 7:

Read the following passage and answer the following questions.
PARAGRAPH I
The holy season of Advent has begun. Advent is the time to open our hearts to welcome Jesus Christ in simplicity and humility. It’s a preparatory period of four Sundays, leading up to the Nativity at Christmas. It is marked by a spirit of expectation, waiting, preparation and longing.
PARAGRAPH II
The word ‘Advent’ is derived from the Latin word ‘adventus’, which means ‘coming’. It is the solemn preparation for the arrival of Jesus with prayers, fasting, spiritual exercises, good works and holiness of life. This sacred period is observed as a time of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas, December 25.
PARAGRAPH III
This long waiting period of four Sundays and weeks, helps the faithful to reflect upon the Word of God, sacred mystery, devotion and ceremony. It is waiting in expectation of Jesus, the Son of God, who comes as a human being to love, forgive and share with humanity his divinity. He is the image of God’s love to humankind.
PARAGRAPH IV
The tradition of preparing an Advent Wreath is significant during this season. It consists of evergreen branches with five candles. The advent wreath with candles connotes Jesus as the Light of the world. The wreath made of evergreens with candles placed on it means continuous life, and its circular form depicts everlasting life. Fruits like nuts, cones and seed pods that are used to decorate the wreath imply the nourishing and cherishing fruitfulness of Christian life.
PARAGRAPH V
The symbolic candles on the wreath signify virtues of faith. The first candle denotes hope, the second candle represents love, the third candle indicates joy, the fourth candle signifies peace and the fifth candle symbolises Jesus Christ, called the Christ candle. During the Advent season, one candle is lit on every Sunday. Prayers are recited and songs are sung. The fifth candle is lit on Christmas to remind us of the light Jesus brings to the world.
PARAGRAPH VI
Another wonderful practice is to sing carols in churches. The choir groups also visit the faithful and sing carols to them. Santa Claus brings gifts and Christmas presents to people. It gives them the joy of the season and the message that Jesus is coming soon. Their hearts jubilate and make merry because the long waiting is going to end on Christmas.
PARAGRAPH VII
This is also a time to get ready with external decorations of homes, making a crib and cooking cakes and desserts. More importantly, the internal decoration of one’s own heart is significant. In this regard, spiritual practices help Christians come closer to each other. It is a good deed to do charity and help someone in need. The Advent season gives an opportunity to mend one’s old self into new self and change wrong actions into right ones.
PARAGRAPH VIII
The hallmark of the celebrations of Advent is transforming oneself into a better person. It is journeying into the deeper realms of intrinsic and extrinsic areas within. This opens a way to Self-realisation and greater spiritual benefits. The joy of Advent is doubled when we receive Jesus as the Light of the world in our lives.
Advent is the time to open our hearts to welcome Jesus Christ in simplicity and humility. It’s a preparatory period of __________Sundays, leading up to the Nativity at Christmas.
(I) six
(II)Three
(III) Five

Question 8:

Direction: Read the given passage and answer the following question. Some words are highlighted to help you answer some of the question.


The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) is truly transformative. There have been few policies in Indian history with its sweep and depth. One parallel is the first National Education Policy that emerged from the Kothari Commission in 1968. Ten years after that policy was approved by the government, J.P. Nayak, who was member secretary of the Kothari panel, wrote a book, Education Commission and After. Nayak, a much-revered figure in the field, wrote it as a reflection on what got done and what did not in those first ten years. It’s a nuanced book, as one would expect of Nayak. However, at its core, it was an expression of disappointment at the partial and haphazard implementation of the 1968 policy.I think Nayak was too early in his judgement. Without doubt, the implementation of that policy was far from what it should have been. However, as the decades have passed, it has become clearer that the direction and principles set by our first education policy have shaped Indian education deeply and fundamentally. The effect of any omission or commission of specific actions under that policy has not mattered as much. It is useful to remember that experience in the context of NEP 2020.

The latest NEP aims to transform the basic architecture, culture and approach of Indian education. Not by jettisoning the past, but by building on the good parts of it, while squarely confronting the bad. Undoubtedly, the NEP 2020 will leave a deep imprint on India over the long term, but there is also a short term set of effects which the policy can achieve if many of its actions are systematically and urgently implemented by Indian states. This involves the schooling part of the new policy, which is the responsibility of these states.

Our school education faces an unprecedented crisis, one of enormous learning losses for about 220 million children because schools were shut for over 18 months. Unless addressed comprehensively and quickly, this deficit will harm an entire generation of children and the country. Quick implementation of the relevant parts of the NEP by Indian states can provide some effective measures to deal with this emergency. Let me list a few of the most important ones.

First, the NEP’s comprehensive and systematic response to tackle problems of basic literacy and numeracy in Indian schools that existed even before the pandemic offers us exactly the platform we require to address the covid-triggered learning crisis. The real on-the-ground measures that the policy envisions would greatly strengthen efforts at recovering deep losses on foundational literacy and numeracy. Combined with the policy’s large commitment to transforming the care and education of the youngest children, not only could we emerge from today’s learning crisis, but perhaps come out ahead if the investments envisioned by the NEP are made in the ‘Foundational Stage’(ages 3 to 8).

Second, the bold vision of a new National Curriculum Framework (NCF), intended to develop real capacities, nurture the dispositions of good and engaged citizens, and develop constitutional values in our children, while being less burdensome and moving away from rote learning, is exactly what is needed in this time of a learning crisis. In simple terms, we must reconfigure and cut down the syllabus to the essentials that enable those curricular goals. Already, processes are underway to develop the NCF, with significant inputs from states. While this process of NCF development would take some time, as it should, the interim outputs can be used by states to appropriately reconfigure the education syllabus across classes such that lost learning can be recovered in a reasonable period of time.

Choose the most appropriate antonym of the word ‘jettisoning’ as highlighted in the given passage.

Direction: Read the given passage and answer the following question. Some words are highlighted to help you answer some of the question.
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) is truly transformative. There have been few policies in Indian history with its sweep and depth. One parallel is the first National Education Policy that emerged from the Kothari Commission in 1968. Ten years after that policy was approved by the government, J.P. Nayak, who was member secretary of the Kothari panel, wrote a book, Education Commission and After. Nayak, a much-revered figure in the field, wrote it as a reflection on what got done and what did not in those first ten years. It’s a nuanced book, as one would expect of Nayak. However, at its core, it was an expression of disappointment at the partial and haphazard implementation of the 1968 policy.I think Nayak was too early in his judgement. Without doubt, the implementation of that policy was far from what it should have been. However, as the decades have passed, it has become clearer that the direction and principles set by our first education policy have shaped Indian education deeply and fundamentally. The effect of any omission or commission of specific actions under that policy has not mattered as much. It is useful to remember that experience in the context of NEP 2020.
The latest NEP aims to transform the basic architecture, culture and approach of Indian education. Not by jettisoning the past, but by building on the good parts of it, while squarely confronting the bad. Undoubtedly, the NEP 2020 will leave a deep imprint on India over the long term, but there is also a short term set of effects which the policy can achieve if many of its actions are systematically and urgently implemented by Indian states. This involves the schooling part of the new policy, which is the responsibility of these states.
Our school education faces an unprecedented crisis, one of enormous learning losses for about 220 million children because schools were shut for over 18 months. Unless addressed comprehensively and quickly, this deficit will harm an entire generation of children and the country. Quick implementation of the relevant parts of the NEP by Indian states can provide some effective measures to deal with this emergency. Let me list a few of the most important ones.
First, the NEP’s comprehensive and systematic response to tackle problems of basic literacy and numeracy in Indian schools that existed even before the pandemic offers us exactly the platform we require to address the covid-triggered learning crisis. The real on-the-ground measures that the policy envisions would greatly strengthen efforts at recovering deep losses on foundational literacy and numeracy. Combined with the policy’s large commitment to transforming the care and education of the youngest children, not only could we emerge from today’s learning crisis, but perhaps come out ahead if the investments envisioned by the NEP are made in the ‘Foundational Stage’(ages 3 to 8).
Second, the bold vision of a new National Curriculum Framework (NCF), intended to develop real capacities, nurture the dispositions of good and engaged citizens, and develop constitutional values in our children, while being less burdensome and moving away from rote learning, is exactly what is needed in this time of a learning crisis. In simple terms, we must reconfigure and cut down the syllabus to the essentials that enable those curricular goals. Already, processes are underway to develop the NCF, with significant inputs from states. While this process of NCF development would take some time, as it should, the interim outputs can be used by states to appropriately reconfigure the education syllabus across classes such that lost learning can be recovered in a reasonable period of time.

Question 9:

Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question accordingly.
Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst. Freud was born to Galician Jewish parents in the Moravian town of Freiberg, in the Austrian Empire. He qualified as a doctor of medicine in 1881 at the University of Vienna. Upon completing his habilitation in 1885, he was appointed a docent in neuropathology and became an affiliated professor in 1902. Freud lived and worked in Vienna, having set up his clinical practice there in 1886. In 1938, Freud left Austria to escape Nazi persecution. He died in exile in the United Kingdom in 1939.
Freud postulated the existence of libido, sexualised energy with which mental processes and structures are invested and which generates erotic attachments, and a death drive, the source of compulsive repetition, hate, aggression, and neurotic guilt. In his later works, Freud developed a wide-ranging interpretation and critique of religion and culture. Though in overall decline as a diagnostic and clinical practice, psychoanalysis remains influential within psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy, and across the humanities.
Which part of the following sentence contains an error?
He died of exile in the UK in 1939.
Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question accordingly.
Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst. Freud was born to Galician Jewish parents in the Moravian town of Freiberg, in the Austrian Empire. He qualified as a doctor of medicine in 1881 at the University of Vienna. Upon completing his habilitation in 1885, he was appointed a docent in neuropathology and became an affiliated professor in 1902. Freud lived and worked in Vienna, having set up his clinical practice there in 1886. In 1938, Freud left Austria to escape Nazi persecution. He died in exile in the United Kingdom in 1939.
Freud postulated the existence of libido, sexualised energy with which mental processes and structures are invested and which generates erotic attachments, and a death drive, the source of compulsive repetition, hate, aggression, and neurotic guilt. In his later works, Freud developed a wide-ranging interpretation and critique of religion and culture. Though in overall decline as a diagnostic and clinical practice, psychoanalysis remains influential within psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy, and across the humanities.

Question 10:

Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.


Like other central banks in emerging economies, RBI has been steadily adding gold to its reserves. RBI’s gold-holding has gone up by 125.6 tonnes in the last two years, making India the world’s ninth-largest holder of gold reserves. As of September, the central bank held 743.84 tonnes of gold, 11% more than the 668.25 tonnes in September 2020, according to The Indian Express. The share of gold in the total forex reserves has accordingly increased to 5.88% in end-September. The question naturally is, when gold no longer plays a direct role in the international monetary system, why are central banks like RBI holding extensive gold reserves, amounting to 17% of worldwide stocks.

As is the case with individuals, central banks hold gold as a hedge against uncertain times to protect against economic instability. When India faced a serious balance of payments crisis in 1991, for instance, the country had to pledge 67 tonnes of gold to the Union Bank of Switzerland and Bank of England to bolster its dwindling forex kitty. Today, with $642 billion of forex reserves, the external vulnerability of 30 years ago may have receded substantially, but there are always fresh risks on the horizon. Around 67% of RBI’s foreign currency assets are invested in securities, including US treasuries. So, buying more gold helps the central bank to diversify its portfolio of reserves.

During the last couple of years, however, the allure of gold was compelling for RBI due to the challenges of forex reserve management when yields on securities are low. The weakening of the dollar, thanks to the stimulus rolled by the US Federal Reserve and near zero interest rates prompted RBI to diversify its forex reserves away from dollar-denominated assets. Interest rates in advanced countries have been on a declining trend over the last four decades and reached their historic low in many of them in 2020, according to RBI’s report titled The Low Yield Environment and Forex Reserves Management. Gold has an inverse relationship with the US dollar: when the latter dips in value, gold rises, enabling central banks to shore up their reserves.

But, there are limits to accumulating gold, especially if it is fast losing value. For instance, the value of RBI’s gold holdings rose by just $960 million, to $37.4 billion, in September from $36.4 billion a year ago. The valuation declined as gold prices first soared to Rs 56,000 per 10 grams last year and later fell below the Rs 48,000-mark. Will the central bank then sell some of its gold holdings? The problem is the emotions among most people of this country over gold sales.

The 1991 move to pledge gold thus occasioned tremendous national angst. In sharp contrast, the move to buy 200 tonnes of gold from the IMF in 2009 was cheered. The RBI report has flagged options for active management of gold including making deposits and gold swaps with bullion banks, and exchange traded funds. If the central bank’s gold holding is a depreciating asset, will it consider investing part of its rising forex reserves in equity funds, especially index funds, to secure better returns in a structural low-yield environment?

What is the public reaction given in the passage with respect to gold selling and buying?

A.Public hated it when the government had to pledge gold.

B.Public doesn’t bother themselves with RBI’s working and remains neutral

C.Public cheered when the government bought tons of gold.

Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
Like other central banks in emerging economies, RBI has been steadily adding gold to its reserves. RBI’s gold-holding has gone up by 125.6 tonnes in the last two years, making India the world’s ninth-largest holder of gold reserves. As of September, the central bank held 743.84 tonnes of gold, 11% more than the 668.25 tonnes in September 2020, according to The Indian Express. The share of gold in the total forex reserves has accordingly increased to 5.88% in end-September. The question naturally is, when gold no longer plays a direct role in the international monetary system, why are central banks like RBI holding extensive gold reserves, amounting to 17% of worldwide stocks.
As is the case with individuals, central banks hold gold as a hedge against uncertain times to protect against economic instability. When India faced a serious balance of payments crisis in 1991, for instance, the country had to pledge 67 tonnes of gold to the Union Bank of Switzerland and Bank of England to bolster its dwindling forex kitty. Today, with $642 billion of forex reserves, the external vulnerability of 30 years ago may have receded substantially, but there are always fresh risks on the horizon. Around 67% of RBI’s foreign currency assets are invested in securities, including US treasuries. So, buying more gold helps the central bank to diversify its portfolio of reserves.
During the last couple of years, however, the allure of gold was compelling for RBI due to the challenges of forex reserve management when yields on securities are low. The weakening of the dollar, thanks to the stimulus rolled by the US Federal Reserve and near zero interest rates prompted RBI to diversify its forex reserves away from dollar-denominated assets. Interest rates in advanced countries have been on a declining trend over the last four decades and reached their historic low in many of them in 2020, according to RBI’s report titled The Low Yield Environment and Forex Reserves Management. Gold has an inverse relationship with the US dollar: when the latter dips in value, gold rises, enabling central banks to shore up their reserves.
But, there are limits to accumulating gold, especially if it is fast losing value. For instance, the value of RBI’s gold holdings rose by just $960 million, to $37.4 billion, in September from $36.4 billion a year ago. The valuation declined as gold prices first soared to Rs 56,000 per 10 grams last year and later fell below the Rs 48,000-mark. Will the central bank then sell some of its gold holdings? The problem is the emotions among most people of this country over gold sales.
The 1991 move to pledge gold thus occasioned tremendous national angst. In sharp contrast, the move to buy 200 tonnes of gold from the IMF in 2009 was cheered. The RBI report has flagged options for active management of gold including making deposits and gold swaps with bullion banks, and exchange traded funds. If the central bank’s gold holding is a depreciating asset, will it consider investing part of its rising forex reserves in equity funds, especially index funds, to secure better returns in a structural low-yield environment?
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