English Language
Reading Comprehension and Sentence Fillers Questions (22 – 09 – 2017)
Directions
(1 – 5): Read the passage given below and then answer the questions given below
the passage. Some words may be highlighted for your attention. Pay careful
attention.
The government on
Saturday sought to clarify that it has in no way infringed upon the
autonomy of the Reserve Bank of India and that it “fully respects the
independence and autonomy” of the central bank. This comes a day after the United
Forum of Reserve Bank Officers & Employees were up in arms and
wrote to RBI Governor Urjit Patel voicing their dissatisfaction about what they
perceived was an impingement of the central bank’s autonomy by the government
when the Finance Ministry reportedly decided to send a joint secretary to
coordinate the RBI’s currency chest operations. “There has been a report in
sections of the press that some unions have alleged infringement
of the autonomy of the Reserve Bank of India,” the Finance Ministry said in a
statement on Saturday. “It is categorically stated that the Government fully
respects the independence and autonomy of the Reserve Bank of India.”
“Consultations between the Government and the RBI are undertaken on various
matters of public importance wherever such consultation is mandated by law or
has evolved as a practice,” the statement added. “Consultations mandated by law
or as evolved by practice should not be taken as infringement of autonomy of
RBI.” “If true, this (the sending of the joint secretary to the RBI) is most
unfortunate and we take strong exception to this measure of the Government as
impinging on RBI autonomy and its statutory as well as operational
jurisdiction,” the union’s letter to Mr. Patel said. “May we request you that
as the Governor of RBI, its highest functionary and protector of its autonomy
and prestige, you will please do the needful urgently to do away with this
unwarranted interference from the Ministry of Finance, and assure the staff
accordingly, as the staff feel humiliated,” the letter added. The statement
comes at a time when two former RBI governors—Y.V. Reddy and Bimal Jalan—openly
raised concerns over erosion of the central bank’s autonomy. RBI and the
government have come under a lot of criticism for their handling of the
entire demonetisation exercise with many policy flip flops in the
50-day period. Questions have also been raised at the fact that the government
initiated the process of demonetisation by suggesting to the RBI
board on 7 November to invalidate high value currency. The board met on the
evening of 8 November and gave its nod following which Prime Minister Narendra
Modi announced the cancellation of the legal tender of the old Rs 500 and Rs
1,000 notes in an address to the nation later that evening. This led to many
expressing concern that the government’s move dilutes one of central bank’s
core function of issuance of currency.
1. What is the reason of dissatisfaction of the
RBI members against the government?
a) The government's tendency to discuss
on matters with the RBI on financial issues.
b) The government refused to respect the
independence and autonomy of RBI.
c) The Finance Ministry reportedly
decided to send a joint secretary to coordinate the RBI’s currency chest
operations.
d) The announcement of demonetization
and the criticism it had to face because of it.
e) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
announced the cancellation of the legal tender of the old Rs500 and Rs1,000
notes in an address to the nation.
2. What was seen as an action of disturbance from
the government previously?
a) The announcement of demonetization.
b) The clear statements of the
Government not respecting the autonomy of the RBI.
c) Finance Ministry's justification of
its steps as consultation with the RBI.
d) A lot of flip-flops of policies after
the demonetization announcement
e) Efforts of the Government to establish
its supremacy over RBI
3. What had former Governors of the RBI indicated?
a) The autonomy of RBI was properly
maintained.
b) The autonomy of RBI is getting
degraded.
c) The autonomy of RBI is getting lost
with the BJP government.
d) The autonomy of RBI has always been
superficial.
e) The government plays the actual role
and the RBI had to follow it always.
4. What has been the demand of the RBI employees?
a) To take some action against the
government.
b) To maintain the autonomy of the RBI.
c) To stop allowing the government
consult with the RBI.
d) To increase the power of the RBI.
e) To regulate some functions of the
government
5. What idea did demonetization create about the
RBI and its relationship with the Government?
a) The employees considered the
government's act as a breach of autonomy.
b) It was seen as an interference of the
government in the functioning of the RBI.
c) It was seen as a productive step on
the part of the government.
d) It was seen as a method to show the
supremacy of the government.
e) It reflected the cooperative
relationship between the two bodies.
Directions
(6 – 10): Read the passage given below and then answer the questions given
below the passage. Some words may be highlighted for your attention. Pay
careful attention.
Manual scavenging refers
to the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling in any
manner, human excreta from dry latrines and sewers. It often involves using the
most basic of tools such as buckets, brooms and baskets. The practice of manual
scavenging is linked to India’s caste system where so-called lower castes were
expected to perform this job. Manual scavengers are amongst the poorest and
most disadvantaged communities in India. In 1993, India banned the employment
of people as manual scavengers. In 2013, landmark new legislation in the form
of the Manual Scavengers Act was passed which seeks to reinforce this ban by
prohibiting manual scavenging in all forms and ensures the rehabilitation of
manual scavengers to be identified through a mandatory survey. Despite
progress, manual scavenging persists in India. According to the India Census
2011, there are more than 2.6 million dry latrines in the country. There are
13,14,652 toilets where human excreta is flushed in open drains, 7,94,390 dry
latrines where the human excreta is cleaned manually. Seventy three percent of
these are in rural areas and 27 percent are in urban areas. According to the
House Listing and Housing Census 2011, states such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam,
Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal
account for more than 72 percent of the insanitary latrines in India. The
Government of India has adopted a two-pronged strategy of eliminating
insanitary latrines through demolition and conversion into sanitary latrines,
and developing a comprehensive rehabilitation package for manual scavengers
through a survey. However, while manual scavenging for many may have ended as a
form of employment, the stigma and discrimination associated
with it lingers on, making it difficult for former or
liberated manual scavengers to secure alternate livelihoods and raising the
fear that people could once again return to manual scavenging in the absence of
other opportunities to support their families. Correctly identifying manual
scavengers remains a key challenge. A comprehensive rehabilitation package has
recently been put together that includes livelihoods and skill development,
access to education for children of former manual scavengers and alternate
livelihoods. In 1993, the Government of India enacted the Employment of Manual
Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act which prohibited
the employment of manual scavengers for manually cleaning dry latrines and also
the construction of dry toilets, that is, toilets that do not operate with a
flush. It provided for imprisonment of upto a year and a fine. In 2013, this
was followed by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their
Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which is wider in scope and importantly, acknowledged
the urgency of rehabilitating manual scavengers. The key features of the Act
were it prohibited the construction or maintenance of insanitary toilets,
engagement or employment of anyone as a manual scavenger, a person from being
engaged or employed for hazardous cleaning of a sewer or a septic tank. Its
violations could result in a years’ imprisonment or a fine of INR 50,000 or
both and offences under the act are cognizable and non-bailable. Manual
scavengers are at a double whammy. They are members of lower castes
and as such, face enormous discrimination in society, and second, are
disadvantaged because they are manual scavengers who clean human excreta. The
challenge of rehabilitation is urgent, and requires a comprehensive approach
that moves beyond expanding income generation or providing loans, to focus on
various aspects crucial to secure the future of the next generation of
liberated manual scavengers.
6. What is the central idea of the passage?
a) To give a clear description on manual
scavenging.
b) To criticize manual scavenging.
c) An overview of manual scavenging,
it’s threats and the measures being taken to eradicate it.
d) To highlight the growing
challenges of manual scavenging.
e) To give a personal judgement on
manual scavenging.
7. What strategy has the government taken to
eradicate manual scavenging?
a) Comprehensive Rehabilitation
b) Retaliation
c) Demolition
d) Comprehensive Rescue task
e) Forming a task Force.
8. What can be inferred about the 1993 Manual
Scavengers Act?
a) It aimed to promote manual
scavenging.
b) It aimed to behold the social
reputation of the manual scavenger.
c) It aimed to condemn the societal
pressure on manual scavenger.
d) It aimed to ensure the dignity,
employment of the manual scavenger.
e) It aimed to malign the status of the
manual scavenger.
9. Choose a word opposite in meaning to the word
‘cognizable’ as used in the passage.
a) Apparent
b) Audible
c) Distinct
d) Distinguishable
e) Ambiguous
10. Choose a word that best illustrates the
meaning of the phrase ‘double whammy’ .
a) Double faced
b) A twofold setback
c) A twofold success
d) An owner of 2 properties
e) A person guilty of two actions
Directions
(11 – 15): In each of the following questions a short passage is given with one
of the lines in the passage missing and represented by a blank. Select the best
out of the five answer choices given, to make the passage complete and coherent
(coherent means logically complete and sound).
11. Investment is necessary for economic growth.
It could be undertaken by domestic or foreign investors. __________________. If
domestic investment is not forthcoming, either because of a profitability
crisis in the private sector or a self-imposed restraint on public spending
(example, India’s Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act), then we may
be forced to attract foreign investment. In other words, in the event of a
domestic investment crunch, relying on foreign investment is an option in the
short term.
a) However, relying on foreign
investment in the long term is not an economically sound policy.
b) However, a probable positive
consequence of foreign investment is the inflow of new technology and its
subsequent diffusion.
c) However, there are no a priori
reasons for favouring foreign investment over domestic investment under normal
economic conditions.
d) However, one central character of
private investment makes it unreliable in the long term: volatility.
e) It is obvious that investment in a
labour-intensive sector will generate more employment than the same investment
in a capital-intensive sector.
12. “Universal” is a tricky word. It has an
enormous appeal, an unquestioned romance of taking everyone along. Universal
human rights, universal access to basic services, housing for all. It is the
barometer of inclusion done right. __________________. Often the “universal” is
a vanishing horizon and, like all horizons, the mirage is what makes you lose
sight of the very real trade-offs and constraints in your way.
a) The irony is that even those who
defend such exclusions do not fully realise the cost they themselves pay for
them.
b) However, the exclusions are
simultaneously socially performed, legally enshrined, and economically
reproduced.
c) Yet herein, in the romance, lies
the first danger of taking an important move and losing ourselves in a mirage
well before the horizon is near.
d) The dark side of the romance is
that it’s one of the hardest things to achieve.
e) In Indian cities, one of the
biggest blocks to any imagination of “universal” or “inclusive” development is
not lack of money, land or technology as is so often imagined.
13. ‘Good governance’ was the cornerstone of the
National Democratic Alliance government’s poll promises. While there is an
effort to deliver this in many sectors, the functioning of the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change is at odds with its mandate. ___________________.
Since 2011, it has consistently ignored the Supreme Court’s direction on the
appointment of a national regulator for enforcing environmental conditions and
to impose penalties.
a) It unambiguously mandates that
there shall be no destruction or diversion of habitat unless it is for the
improvement and better management of wildlife.
b) While it has been periodically
expressing its commitment to forest conservation, the reality is, the Ministry
has been bending over backwards to meet the demands of ‘development’,
compromising India’s ecological security.
c) Another worrisome indicator on
unbridled clearances is the strategy of diluting regulations through a slew of
guidelines.
d) The most crucial governance
challenge for the Ministry is how to balance development imperatives without
compromising on ecological security.
e) An objective analysis reveals that
the MoEF has turned into a virtual project-clearing house.
14. The fact that AFSPA and representative
democracy have co-existed in many parts of India’s Northeast for almost 60
years itself suggests that there is something amiss about the way democratic
institutions have functioned in the region. Consider for a moment how AFSPA
found roots in post-Independence India. _______________. This claim was
something the Indian nation-state could neither ignore nor acknowledge.
a) Within the representational
schemata of the nation-state, the first term on either side of the equality is
of a lesser worth than the second.
b) India’s Northeast very much finds
itself within such a theoretical and political impasse, caught up, as it is,
within a non-space — inside the physical space of India, yet outside the political
and epistemic space underlying its imagination.
c) A pattern of exhibition of
sovereign power has persisted for the last 16 years.
d) Despite its length and hardship,
it failed to receive an acknowledgement from the Indian state, nor did it
register in the consciousness of the nation.
e) Its formulation in 1958 was a
response to the demands of the Nagas for sovereignty based on the assertion
that the Nagas are a nationality, distinct from the Indian nationality.
15. The Chief Justice of India’s high-octane laments
about vacancies caused due to the stand-off between the judiciary and
government in appointing judges has brought a renewed focus to delays in the
judicial system. ____________________. By all accounts, the judicial system is painfully
slow — as of December 31, 2015, 51.2 per cent of all cases pending in the
subordinate courts have been pending for more than two years and 7.5 per cent
for more than 10 years; in the high courts the corresponding figures are 68 per
cent and 19.22 per cent. This is unacceptable for any state that promises the
rule of law to its citizens.
a) At the same time, to view the
stand-off on judicial appointments and the consequent vacancies that are
created through the lens of judicial delays is to miss the wood for the trees.
b) The CJI also believes that it is
because vacancies are a product of a systemic lack of incentives for persons of
high quality and integrity to take up judgeships.
c) The complexity of causes
responsible for judicial delays should make it amply clear that it is merely a
by-product when it comes to the vexed question of judicial appointments.
d) The CJI holds vacancies
responsible for creating delays, bringing justice delivery to a grinding halt
for several litigants.
e) It is little surprise that
litigants take a chance before the higher judiciary since securing an admission
is often perceived as a game of roulette.
Answers:
1. C) 2. A) 3. B)
4. B) 5. B) 6. C)
7. A) 8. D) 9. E)
10. B)
11. C) We can observe that the sentence
following the blank mentions ‘domestic investment’ as a first priority as far
as investment is concerned, the only option that fills the blank appropriately
is option C.
12. D) It
the paragraph, the writer through the sentence preceding as well as following
the blank presents his or her views while defining the word ‘universal’ in the
context. We can observe that while the sentence preceding the blank talks about
the positive aspects in the context, the sentence following the blank depicts a
possible dark side of it. Clearly, the option D fits the blank most
appropriately here.
13. B) The
first sentence of the paragraph has the compound noun ‘poll promises’ and the
second sentence expresses the ministry’s negligence towards the environmental
conditions, as it is implied. Clearly, option B that presents a contradiction
between the commitment made by the ministry and the reality, fits the blank
most appropriately. The following sentence also supports the chain of thoughts
in the paragraph.
14. E) If
we read the paragraph carefully we can observe that the sentence preceding the
blank talks about how AFSPA got its roots in post-independence in India, thus
the sentence that mentions the establishment or formulation of AFSPA would be
the one that fits the blank. Among the options given, the only option that is
relevant in the context is option E.
15. D) In
the opening sentence of the paragraph, the CJI laments about the problems the
Indian judiciary is facing today and it can be inferred that he is chiefly
concerned about the vacancies in the judiciary system that are creating
unnecessary delays. Among the given choices, option D keeps the chain of
thoughts flowing as it takes the discussion further in a relevant manner.
