^
SBI PO MAINS MOCK
Direction (Q. 1-15): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
The economic progress with steel mills and cement factories. While urban centers thrive and city dwellers get rich, hundreds of millions of farmers remain mired in poverty. However, fears of food shortages, a rethinking of antipoverty priorities and the crushing recession in 2008 are causing a dramatic shift in world economic policy in favour of greater support for agriculture.
The last time when the world’s farmers felt such love was in the 470s. At that time, as food prices spiked, there was real concern that the world was facing a crisis in which the planet was simply unable to produce enough grain and meat for an expanding population. Governments across the developing world and international aid organisations plowed investment into agriculture in the early 470s, while technological breakthroughs, like high¬yield strains of important food crops, boosted production. The result was the Green Revolution and food production exploded.
But the Green Revolution became a victim of its own success. Food prices plunged by some 60% by the late 480s from their peak in the mid- 470s. Policymakers and aid workers turned their attention to the poor’s other pressing needs, such as health care and education. Farming got starved of resources and investment. By 2004, aid directed at agriculture sank to 3.5% and “Agriculture lost its glitter.” Also, as consumers in high-growth giants such as China and India became wealthier, they began eating more meat, so grain once used for human consumption got diverted to beef up livestock. By early 2008, panicked buying by importing countries and restrictions slapped on grain exports by some big producers helped drive prices upto heights not seen for three decades. Making matters worse, land and resources got reallocated to produce cash crops such as biofuels and the result was that voluminous reserves of grain evaporated. Protests broke out across the emerging world and fierce food riots toppled governments.
This spurred global leaders into action. This made them aware that food security is one of the fundamental issues in the world that has to be dealt with in order to maintain administrative and political stability. This also spurred the U.S. which traditionally provisioned food aid from American grain surpluses to help needy nations, to move towards investing in farm sectors around the globe to boost productivity. This move helped countries become more productive for themselves and be in a better position to feed their own people.
Africa, which missed out on the first Green Revolution due to poor policy and limited resources, also witnessed a ‘change’. Swayed by the success of East Asia, the primary poverty¬fighting method favoured by many policymakers in Africa was to get farmers off their farms and into modern jobs in factories and urban centers. But that strategy proved to be highly insufficient. Income levels in the countryside badly trailed those in cities while the FAO estimated that the number of poor going hungry in 2009 reached an all time high at more than one billion.
In India on the other hand, with only 40% of its farmland irrigated, entire economic boom currently underway is held hostage by the unpredictable monsoon. With much of India’s farming areas suffering from drought this year, the government will have a tough time meeting its economic growth targets. In a report, Goldman Sachs predicted that if this year too receives weak rains, it could cause agriculture to contract by 2% this fiscal year, making the government’s 7% GDP-growth target look “a bit rich”. Another green revolution is the need of the hour and to make it a reality, the global community still has much backbreaking farm work to do.
1. What is the author’s main objective in writing the passage
(1) Criticising developed countries for not bolstering economic growth in poor nations
(2) Analysing the disadvantages of the Green Revolution
(3) Persuading experts that a strong economy depends on industrialization and not agriculture
(4) Making a case for the international society to engineer a second Green Revolution
(5) Rationalising the faulty agriculture policies of emerging countries
2. Which of the following is an adverse impact of the Green Revolution ?
(1) Unchecked crop yields resulted in large tracts of land becoming barren
(2) Withdrawal of fiscal impetus from agriculture to other sectors
(3) Farmers began soliciting government subsidies for their produce
(4) Farmers rioted as food prices fell so low that they could not make ends meet
(5) None of these
3. What is the author trying to convey through the phrase “making the government’s 7% GDP growth target look “a bit rich” ?
(1) India is unlikely to achieve the targeted growth rate
(2) Allocation of funds to agriculture has raised India’s chances of having a high GDP
(3) Agricultural growth has artificially inflated India’s GDP and such growth is not real
(4) India is likely to rave one of the highest GDP growth rates
(5) A large portion of India’s GDP is contributed by agriculture
4. Which of the following factors was/were responsible for the neglect of the farming sector after the green revolution ?
(A) Steel and cement sectors generated more revenue for the government as compared to agriculture.
(B) Large scale protests against favouring agriculture at the cost of other important sectors such as education and healthcare.
(C) Attention of policy makers and aid organizations was diverted from agriculture to other sectors.
(1) None (2) Only (C)
(3) Only (B) & (C) (4) Only (A) 8s (B)
(5) All (A), (B) & (C)
5. What prompted leaders throughout the world to take action to boost the agriculture sector in 2008?
(1) Coercive tactics by the U.S. which restricted food aid to poor nations
(2) The realization of the link between food security and political stability
(3) Awareness that performance in agriculture is necessary in order to achieve the targeted GDP
(4) Reports that high-growth countries like China and India were boosting their agriculture sectors to capture the international markets
(5) Their desire to influence developing nations to slow down their industrial development.
6. What motivated the U.S. to focus on investing in agriculture across the globe ?
(1) To make developing countries become more reliant on U.S. aid
(2) To ensure grain surpluses so that the U.S. had no need to import food
(3) To make those countries more self sufficient to whom it previously provided food
(4) To establish itself in the market before the high-growth giants such as India and China could establish themselves
(5) None of these
7. What impact did the economic recession of 2008 have on agriculture ?
(1) Governments equated economic stability with industrial development and shifted away from agriculture
(2) Lack of implementation of several innovative agriculture programmes owing to shortage of funds
(3) It prompted increased investment and interest in agriculture
(4) The GDP as targeted by India was never achieved because of losses in agriculture
(5) None of these
8. What encouraged African policymakers to focus on urban jobs ?
(1) Misapprehension that it would alleviate poverty as it did in other countries
(2) Rural development outstripped urban development in many parts of Africa
(3) Breaking out of protests in the country and the fear that the government would topple
(4) Blind imitation of western models of development
(5) None of these
9. Which of the following had contributed to exorbitant food prices in 2008 ?
(A) Hoarding of food stocks by local wholesalers which inadvertently created a food shortage.
(B) Export of foodgrains was reduced by large producers.
(C) Diverting resources from cultivation of foodgrains to that of more profitable crops.
(1) None (2) Only (C)
(3) Only (B) (4) All (A), (B) & (C)
(5) Only (B) & (C)
10. Which of the following is true about the state of agriculture in India at present ?
(A) Of all the sectors, agriculture needs the highest allocation of funds.
(B) Contribution of agriculture to India’s GDP this year would depend greatly upon the monsoon rains.
(C) As India is one of the high-growth countries, it has surplus food reserves to export to other nations.
(1) Only (A) and (C) (2) Only (C)
(3) Only (B) (4) Only (B) and (C)
(5) None of these
Direction: Choose the word/group of words which is most similar it meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
11. STARVED
(1) Deprived (2) Disadvantaged
(3) Hungry (4) Fasting
(5) Emaciated
12. SLAPPED
(1) Beaten (2) Imposed
(3) Withdrawn (4) Avoided
(5) Persuaded
13. PLOWED
(1) Cultivated (2) Bulldozed
(3) Recovered (4) Instilled
(5) Withdrew
Direction: Choose the word/phrase which is most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
14. PRESSING
(1) Unpopular (2) Undemanding
(3) Unobtrusive (4) Unsuitable
(5) Unimportant
15. EVAPORATED
(1) Absorbed (2) Accelerated
(3) Grew (4) Plunged
(5) Mismanaged
Answers
1. (4) 2. (4) 3. (1) 4. (2) 5. (2) 6. (3) 7. (3) 8. (1) 9. (5) 10. (3)
11. (1) 12. (2) 13. (2) 14. (2) 15.
Directions (16-17: Which of the phrases (a), (b), (c) and (d) given below should replace the phrase given in bold in the following sentences to make the sentence grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is and there is no correction required mark (e) i.e. ‘No correction required’ as the answer.
Q16. The US economy is present in the face off a serious recession.
(a) having to face of at present
(b) presently facing up to
(c) presented on the face of
(d) presently facing
(e) No correction required
Q17. Economists have predicted that the country’s economic growth falls low to eight percent this year.
(a) falling as low as
(b) fell to as low as
(c) will fall to as low as
(d) fallen lower than
(e) No correction required
Solution
16 Ans.(d)
Sol. “presently facing”. The context is about the present situation of US economy. Hence, present continuous tense is appropriate.
17. Ans.(c)
Sol. “will fall to as low as” the rule of parallelism has to be maintained.
Directions (18-22): In each question, the word at the top is used in four different ways, numbered a to d. Choose the option in which the usage of the word is INCORRECT or INAPPROPRIATE. If the all the options are grammatically correct and usage of the given word is appropriate, then select option E.
Q18. Mark
(a) The clerk will mark prices down later in the day.
(b) They can clearly mark the boundaries up with red tape.
(c) The manager will mark up the prices that the clerk marked down.
(d) I will buy a lot more if you mark the prices down.
(e) None of these
Q19. Talk
(a) A good partner can talk you through some tough places.
(b) She was able to talk the young child out of jumping into the pool.
(c) Sit in the driver’s seat while I talk you through the controls.
(d) We talked over the problems in our relationships, but couldn’t sort things out.
(e) None of these
Q20. Jack
(a) We jacked the car up and changed the tyre.
(b) Don’t listen to him – he always jacks people in.
(c) I jacked my job in because my boss refused to give me a raise.
(d) Once the tourists arrive, the restaurants jack up their prices.
(e) None of these
Q21. Look
(a) I have to look after my sick grandmother.
(b) Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.
(c) I’m looking into a red dress for the wedding.
(d) I’m looking forward to the Christmas break.
(e) None of these
Q22. Run
(a) Let’s run through our lines for the school play.
(b) He runs with a rough crowd, no wonder he ended up in jail.
(c) The young father ran off from his responsibility and didn’t support his family.
(d) The child ran away because her parents beat her.
(e) None of these
Solution
S18. Ans.(b)
Sol. Option (b) is the answer. ‘To mark up’ means to increase while the person has been told to define the boundaries there, therefore the phrase should be – ‘to mark out’.
S19. Ans.(a)
Sol. Option (a) is the answer. The sentence tells that a good partner can help one to overcome from tough time. Hence the sentence (a) is wrong.
S20. Ans.(b)
Sol. Option (b) is the answer. The speaker wants to tell someone that a person always puts other people in trouble. Therefore the correct sentence should be: Don’t listen to him – he always jacks people around.
S21. Ans.(c)
Sol. Option (c) is the answer as the speaker wants to tell that she wants to wear a red dress on her wedding day. Therefore the correct phrase should be ‘looking for’ instead of ‘looking into’.
S22. Ans.(c)
Sol. Option (c) is the answer as “ran off” means to leave quickly while the person left to neglect his responsibilities. Therefore, the correct phrase is: ‘ran away from
Directions (23-27): Each of the following questions has a paragraph from which the last sentence has been deleted. From the given options, choose the one that completes the paragraph in the most appropriate way.
Q23. Lower winter temperatures were common in Europe during the second half of the 17th century, famously allowing frost fairs to be held on the frozen Thames in London before riverine developments increased the flow rate. These cold winters coincided with the Maunder minimum in solar activity when the Sun remained virtually free of sunspots for almost 50 years. However, establishing that this was not just a chance occurrence requires that the relationship continue to hold over a long interval, such that cold European winters become less frequent when solar activity is high and then more common again when solar activity falls. Various indicators show that during the recent minimum of the 11 year sunspot cycle, the Sun has been quieter than at any time in the previous 90 years.
(a) This means that solar activity during the current sunspot minimum has fallen to levels unknown since the start of the 20th century.
(b) This yields an opportunity for a better test of the relationship between solar activity and cold European winters.
(c) This proves that cold winters occur more commonly in the UK during low solar activity.
(d) This regional and seasonal effect relating to European winters may have a global effect.
(e) None of the above
Q24. Debt is more common in families with disabled children: the parents were unable to keep up with any local property taxes, water, and telephone bills, and were not likely to be able to afford basic items such as a family holiday once a year,a bicycle, or even two pairs of shoes. A disabled baby needs more nappies. Families’ ability to work grows difficult, and finding childcare is a real burden. Households with disabled children will depend more on social security benefits and are faced with the additional financial costs associated with caring for a disabled child.
(a) There is a strong link between child disability and poverty.
(b) The highest prevalence of childhood disability is found in the poorest families.
(c) It is an adverse and serious social gradient that families with disabled face.
(d) But thanks to science, these children live longer and medicines keep them alive.
(e) None of the above
Q25.What a super film experience Green Zone is! From the firecracker opening to the sucker-punch climax, the film is a non-stop adrenalin rush. The hand-held camera and natural light make you feel as if you are seeing the action from the front, as if you have access to footage shot from a sniper’s sights. Whether it is a Bourne-in-Baghdad kind of relentless action thriller or a strong statement against the U.S. war in Iraq, (incidentally, it is both) Green Zone succeeds as a pure cinema, delivering thrills, spills and chills in breathless succession hardly giving anyone time to breathe.
(a) This is a movie that takes you on a thrilling, provocative, exhilarating ride.
(b) There is really nothing more you could ask for from a movie.
(c) Green Zone effectively knits several strands together to make a cohesive whole.
(d) The plot is taut and truthful.
(e) None of the above
Q26. Talented youth can ill-afford to resign to their fate just because they can’t properly communicate in English. They should confront the challenges which should, in fact, bring out their best. A little confidence and hard work are all that is needed for them to climb up the career ladder. For that they need to develop communication skills in English, shape up their personalities and acquire the much-needed knowledge.
(a) Knowledge and communication skills are the key ingredients that make up the recipe for success.
(b) Students have to act as leaders in the college itself.
(c) Success will automatically follow.
(d) Speaking and writing in English are important, thinking in English is twice as important.
(e) None of the above
Q27 Philosophy of music has been dominated by the view that the best music is autonomous and formally complex. As recently as 1990, philosophy of popular music consisted of variations on a single theme. Philosophers defended the twin assumptions that popular music is essentially different from “serious” or art music, and that the former is aesthetically inferior to the latter.
(a) As a result, music could not be regarded as art if it lacked genius and autonomy.
(b) As a result, popular music competes with and replaces local and regional folk traditions.
(c) As a result, most philosophers concentrated on identifying the aesthetic deficiencies inherent in popular music.
(d) As a result, philosophers have investigated popular music by identifying and critiquing key concepts that shape our response to this music.
(e) None of the above
solution
23. Ans.(b)
Sol. “...establishing that this was not just a chance occurrence requires that the relationship continue to hold over a long interval...” is the crux of the paragraph. Hence the sun being “quiet” is an opportunity to find this correlation. Options (C) and (D) can be very easily eliminated as not related to the purpose of the paragraph. Option (A) is true, is an inference not related to the purpose of the paragraph.
24. Ans.(c)
Sol. This statement is a very low level inference that logically closes the paragraph. The paragraph is not sufficient to establish the link as in option (A). Option (B) goes farther away from the paragraph. Option (D) is unrelated to the purpose of the paragraph.
25. Ans.(b)
Sol. All options may appear correct. The scoring option, however, has to close the paragraph, andnot merely continue it. Option (A) will be repetitive. Options (C) and (D) will continue the paragraph.
27. Ans.(c)
Sol. The purpose of the paragraph is in the first sentence - “can ill-afford to resign to their fate.” Option (A) is already clearly stated-it just states the same thing in different words. Option (B) takes off on a tangent and brings in leadership; option (D) also does not close the paragraph. Option (C) just does that-the paragraph has no loose ends.
27. Ans.(c)
Sol. The purpose of the paragraph is: Philosophers consider popular and serious music different. The former lacks complexity and autonomy, the later is variations on a single them-and that popular music is inferior. “As a result” will discuss its direct consequences and close the paragraph. Hence option (C) scores. Option (A) is stated. Option (B) is irrelevant in “replace” and “folk music”. Option (D) is irrelevant in “our response.”
Directions (28-35): In each of the following questions, a paragraph with a blank is given. From the five choices given below, select the sentence which can go into the blank to make the paragraph logically coherent.
Q28. Many film-stars have recently migrated to the area of television. [__________] As the viewers increase their popularity also increases. T.V serials appear to be more paying than the feature films.
(a) Television gives a better chance of action.
(b) There they have a greater number of viewers.
(c) Television is a house hold affair.
(d) If we do not like a TV program we can turn it off.
(e) Television is useful in many ways.
Q29. Man is trying to find out modern means of producing electric power. The solar panel is one of them. [__________] This electricity can light lamps, turn fans or work small household appliances.
(a) It is very cheap and affordable.
(b) We ourselves can make one such device.
(c) It converts sunlight into electricity.
(d) It is easy to work and beautiful to look at.
(e) Electricity is a good substitute for sunlight.
Q30. Air-pollution is one of the gravest problems faced by city-dwellers. Foul gas liberated from heaps of waste matter is one source of pollution. [__________] Recently the Government has made arrangements to measure it. If it is above the allowable limit the vehicles are prohibited from plying along the public roads.
(a) Another source is the smoke emitted by vehicles.
(b) Foul water in the channels is another.
(c) The smell from toddy shops pollutes the air.
(d) Open drainage pollutes the air.
(e) People suffer due to smoke emitted by vehicles.
Q31. Corruption has become rampant in India. Corrupt officials and politicians are ruling over the hapless common man. [__________] People must join together and force them to take necessary legal action.
(a) Politicians with integrity simply withdraw from the scene.
(b) Such officials are welcomed by the general public.
(c) Even police authorities are reluctant to face them.
(d) They do it with the connivance of topmost authorities.
(e) Corruption is the breeding ground for all evils.
Q32. Feature films have a very great influence upon the common people. They have no hesitation in regarding actors as gods. [__________] They must utilize this love and regards to serve the people, not to exploit them.
(a) Gods are expected to protect the devotees.
(b) Though they are gods they are human enough to err.
(c) Gods never walk on earth or collect money.
(d) Some people are ready even to die for them.
(e) Actors are viewed as gods.
Q33. Most of us fall victim to some sort of disease or the other. We can avoid diseases by leading a hygienic life. It is better to bear in mind a simple truth. [__________] The consciousness of this truth will lead us to happiness.
(a) It is impossible to have constant health.
(b) Hygienic life is less costly than medical treatment.
(c) Man is mortal and likely to die at any moment.
(d) Happiness is always evasive.
(e) Health needs good care as we may fall victim to some sort of disease.
Q34. A doctor has succeeded in raising a variety of monkeys similar to human beings. They clean their teeth with brushes and mop their face with towels. [__________] In that case these animals may be called monkey – man and we may be called man – monkeys.
(a) Perhaps they may learn and use human language.
(b) Sometimes they may die after a few days.
(c) The method adopted by the doctor is wonderful.
(d) We can expect a lot of change in the case of other animals also.
(e) Monkeys are good subjects unlike human beings.
Q35 It is wonderful how a word can acquire diagonally opposite meaning. Gandhiji called the socially downcast people by the name Harijans. [__________] But now the Harijans themselves feel that it is a word of insult.
(a) Gandhiji was a social reformer.
(b) Gandhiji had many Harijan friends.
(c) Gandhiji expected to bring them respect by calling them the children of God.
(d) Harijans have risen to such a high position that they feel their brand name ‘Harijan’ to be degrading.
(e) Only Harijans are children of God.
solution
28. Ans.(b)
Sol. There they have a greater number of viewers. The next sentence also talks about the viewers.
29. Ans.(c)
Sol. It converts sunlight into electricity.
30. Ans.(a)
Sol. Another source is the smoke emitted by vehicles. In previous sentence, first source is talked about.
31. Ans.(c)
Sol. Even police authorities are reluctant to face them.
32. Ans.(d)
Sol. Some people are ready even to die for them.
33. Ans.(b)
Sol. Hygienic life is less costly than medical treatment.
34. Ans.(a)
Sol. Perhaps they may learn and use human language.
35. Ans.(c)
Sol Gandhiji expected to bring them respect by calling them the children of God.
SBI PO MAINS MOCK
Direction (Q. 1-15): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
The economic progress with steel mills and cement factories. While urban centers thrive and city dwellers get rich, hundreds of millions of farmers remain mired in poverty. However, fears of food shortages, a rethinking of antipoverty priorities and the crushing recession in 2008 are causing a dramatic shift in world economic policy in favour of greater support for agriculture.
The last time when the world’s farmers felt such love was in the 470s. At that time, as food prices spiked, there was real concern that the world was facing a crisis in which the planet was simply unable to produce enough grain and meat for an expanding population. Governments across the developing world and international aid organisations plowed investment into agriculture in the early 470s, while technological breakthroughs, like high¬yield strains of important food crops, boosted production. The result was the Green Revolution and food production exploded.
But the Green Revolution became a victim of its own success. Food prices plunged by some 60% by the late 480s from their peak in the mid- 470s. Policymakers and aid workers turned their attention to the poor’s other pressing needs, such as health care and education. Farming got starved of resources and investment. By 2004, aid directed at agriculture sank to 3.5% and “Agriculture lost its glitter.” Also, as consumers in high-growth giants such as China and India became wealthier, they began eating more meat, so grain once used for human consumption got diverted to beef up livestock. By early 2008, panicked buying by importing countries and restrictions slapped on grain exports by some big producers helped drive prices upto heights not seen for three decades. Making matters worse, land and resources got reallocated to produce cash crops such as biofuels and the result was that voluminous reserves of grain evaporated. Protests broke out across the emerging world and fierce food riots toppled governments.
This spurred global leaders into action. This made them aware that food security is one of the fundamental issues in the world that has to be dealt with in order to maintain administrative and political stability. This also spurred the U.S. which traditionally provisioned food aid from American grain surpluses to help needy nations, to move towards investing in farm sectors around the globe to boost productivity. This move helped countries become more productive for themselves and be in a better position to feed their own people.
Africa, which missed out on the first Green Revolution due to poor policy and limited resources, also witnessed a ‘change’. Swayed by the success of East Asia, the primary poverty¬fighting method favoured by many policymakers in Africa was to get farmers off their farms and into modern jobs in factories and urban centers. But that strategy proved to be highly insufficient. Income levels in the countryside badly trailed those in cities while the FAO estimated that the number of poor going hungry in 2009 reached an all time high at more than one billion.
In India on the other hand, with only 40% of its farmland irrigated, entire economic boom currently underway is held hostage by the unpredictable monsoon. With much of India’s farming areas suffering from drought this year, the government will have a tough time meeting its economic growth targets. In a report, Goldman Sachs predicted that if this year too receives weak rains, it could cause agriculture to contract by 2% this fiscal year, making the government’s 7% GDP-growth target look “a bit rich”. Another green revolution is the need of the hour and to make it a reality, the global community still has much backbreaking farm work to do.
1. What is the author’s main objective in writing the passage
(1) Criticising developed countries for not bolstering economic growth in poor nations
(2) Analysing the disadvantages of the Green Revolution
(3) Persuading experts that a strong economy depends on industrialization and not agriculture
(4) Making a case for the international society to engineer a second Green Revolution
(5) Rationalising the faulty agriculture policies of emerging countries
2. Which of the following is an adverse impact of the Green Revolution ?
(1) Unchecked crop yields resulted in large tracts of land becoming barren
(2) Withdrawal of fiscal impetus from agriculture to other sectors
(3) Farmers began soliciting government subsidies for their produce
(4) Farmers rioted as food prices fell so low that they could not make ends meet
(5) None of these
3. What is the author trying to convey through the phrase “making the government’s 7% GDP growth target look “a bit rich” ?
(1) India is unlikely to achieve the targeted growth rate
(2) Allocation of funds to agriculture has raised India’s chances of having a high GDP
(3) Agricultural growth has artificially inflated India’s GDP and such growth is not real
(4) India is likely to rave one of the highest GDP growth rates
(5) A large portion of India’s GDP is contributed by agriculture
4. Which of the following factors was/were responsible for the neglect of the farming sector after the green revolution ?
(A) Steel and cement sectors generated more revenue for the government as compared to agriculture.
(B) Large scale protests against favouring agriculture at the cost of other important sectors such as education and healthcare.
(C) Attention of policy makers and aid organizations was diverted from agriculture to other sectors.
(1) None (2) Only (C)
(3) Only (B) & (C) (4) Only (A) 8s (B)
(5) All (A), (B) & (C)
5. What prompted leaders throughout the world to take action to boost the agriculture sector in 2008?
(1) Coercive tactics by the U.S. which restricted food aid to poor nations
(2) The realization of the link between food security and political stability
(3) Awareness that performance in agriculture is necessary in order to achieve the targeted GDP
(4) Reports that high-growth countries like China and India were boosting their agriculture sectors to capture the international markets
(5) Their desire to influence developing nations to slow down their industrial development.
6. What motivated the U.S. to focus on investing in agriculture across the globe ?
(1) To make developing countries become more reliant on U.S. aid
(2) To ensure grain surpluses so that the U.S. had no need to import food
(3) To make those countries more self sufficient to whom it previously provided food
(4) To establish itself in the market before the high-growth giants such as India and China could establish themselves
(5) None of these
7. What impact did the economic recession of 2008 have on agriculture ?
(1) Governments equated economic stability with industrial development and shifted away from agriculture
(2) Lack of implementation of several innovative agriculture programmes owing to shortage of funds
(3) It prompted increased investment and interest in agriculture
(4) The GDP as targeted by India was never achieved because of losses in agriculture
(5) None of these
8. What encouraged African policymakers to focus on urban jobs ?
(1) Misapprehension that it would alleviate poverty as it did in other countries
(2) Rural development outstripped urban development in many parts of Africa
(3) Breaking out of protests in the country and the fear that the government would topple
(4) Blind imitation of western models of development
(5) None of these
9. Which of the following had contributed to exorbitant food prices in 2008 ?
(A) Hoarding of food stocks by local wholesalers which inadvertently created a food shortage.
(B) Export of foodgrains was reduced by large producers.
(C) Diverting resources from cultivation of foodgrains to that of more profitable crops.
(1) None (2) Only (C)
(3) Only (B) (4) All (A), (B) & (C)
(5) Only (B) & (C)
10. Which of the following is true about the state of agriculture in India at present ?
(A) Of all the sectors, agriculture needs the highest allocation of funds.
(B) Contribution of agriculture to India’s GDP this year would depend greatly upon the monsoon rains.
(C) As India is one of the high-growth countries, it has surplus food reserves to export to other nations.
(1) Only (A) and (C) (2) Only (C)
(3) Only (B) (4) Only (B) and (C)
(5) None of these
Direction: Choose the word/group of words which is most similar it meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
11. STARVED
(1) Deprived (2) Disadvantaged
(3) Hungry (4) Fasting
(5) Emaciated
12. SLAPPED
(1) Beaten (2) Imposed
(3) Withdrawn (4) Avoided
(5) Persuaded
13. PLOWED
(1) Cultivated (2) Bulldozed
(3) Recovered (4) Instilled
(5) Withdrew
Direction: Choose the word/phrase which is most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
14. PRESSING
(1) Unpopular (2) Undemanding
(3) Unobtrusive (4) Unsuitable
(5) Unimportant
15. EVAPORATED
(1) Absorbed (2) Accelerated
(3) Grew (4) Plunged
(5) Mismanaged
Answers
1. (4) 2. (4) 3. (1) 4. (2) 5. (2) 6. (3) 7. (3) 8. (1) 9. (5) 10. (3)
11. (1) 12. (2) 13. (2) 14. (2) 15.
Directions (16-17: Which of the phrases (a), (b), (c) and (d) given below should replace the phrase given in bold in the following sentences to make the sentence grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is and there is no correction required mark (e) i.e. ‘No correction required’ as the answer.
Q16. The US economy is present in the face off a serious recession.
(a) having to face of at present
(b) presently facing up to
(c) presented on the face of
(d) presently facing
(e) No correction required
Q17. Economists have predicted that the country’s economic growth falls low to eight percent this year.
(a) falling as low as
(b) fell to as low as
(c) will fall to as low as
(d) fallen lower than
(e) No correction required
Solution
16 Ans.(d)
Sol. “presently facing”. The context is about the present situation of US economy. Hence, present continuous tense is appropriate.
17. Ans.(c)
Sol. “will fall to as low as” the rule of parallelism has to be maintained.
Directions (18-22): In each question, the word at the top is used in four different ways, numbered a to d. Choose the option in which the usage of the word is INCORRECT or INAPPROPRIATE. If the all the options are grammatically correct and usage of the given word is appropriate, then select option E.
Q18. Mark
(a) The clerk will mark prices down later in the day.
(b) They can clearly mark the boundaries up with red tape.
(c) The manager will mark up the prices that the clerk marked down.
(d) I will buy a lot more if you mark the prices down.
(e) None of these
Q19. Talk
(a) A good partner can talk you through some tough places.
(b) She was able to talk the young child out of jumping into the pool.
(c) Sit in the driver’s seat while I talk you through the controls.
(d) We talked over the problems in our relationships, but couldn’t sort things out.
(e) None of these
Q20. Jack
(a) We jacked the car up and changed the tyre.
(b) Don’t listen to him – he always jacks people in.
(c) I jacked my job in because my boss refused to give me a raise.
(d) Once the tourists arrive, the restaurants jack up their prices.
(e) None of these
Q21. Look
(a) I have to look after my sick grandmother.
(b) Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.
(c) I’m looking into a red dress for the wedding.
(d) I’m looking forward to the Christmas break.
(e) None of these
Q22. Run
(a) Let’s run through our lines for the school play.
(b) He runs with a rough crowd, no wonder he ended up in jail.
(c) The young father ran off from his responsibility and didn’t support his family.
(d) The child ran away because her parents beat her.
(e) None of these
Solution
S18. Ans.(b)
Sol. Option (b) is the answer. ‘To mark up’ means to increase while the person has been told to define the boundaries there, therefore the phrase should be – ‘to mark out’.
S19. Ans.(a)
Sol. Option (a) is the answer. The sentence tells that a good partner can help one to overcome from tough time. Hence the sentence (a) is wrong.
S20. Ans.(b)
Sol. Option (b) is the answer. The speaker wants to tell someone that a person always puts other people in trouble. Therefore the correct sentence should be: Don’t listen to him – he always jacks people around.
S21. Ans.(c)
Sol. Option (c) is the answer as the speaker wants to tell that she wants to wear a red dress on her wedding day. Therefore the correct phrase should be ‘looking for’ instead of ‘looking into’.
S22. Ans.(c)
Sol. Option (c) is the answer as “ran off” means to leave quickly while the person left to neglect his responsibilities. Therefore, the correct phrase is: ‘ran away from
Directions (23-27): Each of the following questions has a paragraph from which the last sentence has been deleted. From the given options, choose the one that completes the paragraph in the most appropriate way.
Q23. Lower winter temperatures were common in Europe during the second half of the 17th century, famously allowing frost fairs to be held on the frozen Thames in London before riverine developments increased the flow rate. These cold winters coincided with the Maunder minimum in solar activity when the Sun remained virtually free of sunspots for almost 50 years. However, establishing that this was not just a chance occurrence requires that the relationship continue to hold over a long interval, such that cold European winters become less frequent when solar activity is high and then more common again when solar activity falls. Various indicators show that during the recent minimum of the 11 year sunspot cycle, the Sun has been quieter than at any time in the previous 90 years.
(a) This means that solar activity during the current sunspot minimum has fallen to levels unknown since the start of the 20th century.
(b) This yields an opportunity for a better test of the relationship between solar activity and cold European winters.
(c) This proves that cold winters occur more commonly in the UK during low solar activity.
(d) This regional and seasonal effect relating to European winters may have a global effect.
(e) None of the above
Q24. Debt is more common in families with disabled children: the parents were unable to keep up with any local property taxes, water, and telephone bills, and were not likely to be able to afford basic items such as a family holiday once a year,a bicycle, or even two pairs of shoes. A disabled baby needs more nappies. Families’ ability to work grows difficult, and finding childcare is a real burden. Households with disabled children will depend more on social security benefits and are faced with the additional financial costs associated with caring for a disabled child.
(a) There is a strong link between child disability and poverty.
(b) The highest prevalence of childhood disability is found in the poorest families.
(c) It is an adverse and serious social gradient that families with disabled face.
(d) But thanks to science, these children live longer and medicines keep them alive.
(e) None of the above
Q25.What a super film experience Green Zone is! From the firecracker opening to the sucker-punch climax, the film is a non-stop adrenalin rush. The hand-held camera and natural light make you feel as if you are seeing the action from the front, as if you have access to footage shot from a sniper’s sights. Whether it is a Bourne-in-Baghdad kind of relentless action thriller or a strong statement against the U.S. war in Iraq, (incidentally, it is both) Green Zone succeeds as a pure cinema, delivering thrills, spills and chills in breathless succession hardly giving anyone time to breathe.
(a) This is a movie that takes you on a thrilling, provocative, exhilarating ride.
(b) There is really nothing more you could ask for from a movie.
(c) Green Zone effectively knits several strands together to make a cohesive whole.
(d) The plot is taut and truthful.
(e) None of the above
Q26. Talented youth can ill-afford to resign to their fate just because they can’t properly communicate in English. They should confront the challenges which should, in fact, bring out their best. A little confidence and hard work are all that is needed for them to climb up the career ladder. For that they need to develop communication skills in English, shape up their personalities and acquire the much-needed knowledge.
(a) Knowledge and communication skills are the key ingredients that make up the recipe for success.
(b) Students have to act as leaders in the college itself.
(c) Success will automatically follow.
(d) Speaking and writing in English are important, thinking in English is twice as important.
(e) None of the above
Q27 Philosophy of music has been dominated by the view that the best music is autonomous and formally complex. As recently as 1990, philosophy of popular music consisted of variations on a single theme. Philosophers defended the twin assumptions that popular music is essentially different from “serious” or art music, and that the former is aesthetically inferior to the latter.
(a) As a result, music could not be regarded as art if it lacked genius and autonomy.
(b) As a result, popular music competes with and replaces local and regional folk traditions.
(c) As a result, most philosophers concentrated on identifying the aesthetic deficiencies inherent in popular music.
(d) As a result, philosophers have investigated popular music by identifying and critiquing key concepts that shape our response to this music.
(e) None of the above
solution
23. Ans.(b)
Sol. “...establishing that this was not just a chance occurrence requires that the relationship continue to hold over a long interval...” is the crux of the paragraph. Hence the sun being “quiet” is an opportunity to find this correlation. Options (C) and (D) can be very easily eliminated as not related to the purpose of the paragraph. Option (A) is true, is an inference not related to the purpose of the paragraph.
24. Ans.(c)
Sol. This statement is a very low level inference that logically closes the paragraph. The paragraph is not sufficient to establish the link as in option (A). Option (B) goes farther away from the paragraph. Option (D) is unrelated to the purpose of the paragraph.
25. Ans.(b)
Sol. All options may appear correct. The scoring option, however, has to close the paragraph, andnot merely continue it. Option (A) will be repetitive. Options (C) and (D) will continue the paragraph.
27. Ans.(c)
Sol. The purpose of the paragraph is in the first sentence - “can ill-afford to resign to their fate.” Option (A) is already clearly stated-it just states the same thing in different words. Option (B) takes off on a tangent and brings in leadership; option (D) also does not close the paragraph. Option (C) just does that-the paragraph has no loose ends.
27. Ans.(c)
Sol. The purpose of the paragraph is: Philosophers consider popular and serious music different. The former lacks complexity and autonomy, the later is variations on a single them-and that popular music is inferior. “As a result” will discuss its direct consequences and close the paragraph. Hence option (C) scores. Option (A) is stated. Option (B) is irrelevant in “replace” and “folk music”. Option (D) is irrelevant in “our response.”
Directions (28-35): In each of the following questions, a paragraph with a blank is given. From the five choices given below, select the sentence which can go into the blank to make the paragraph logically coherent.
Q28. Many film-stars have recently migrated to the area of television. [__________] As the viewers increase their popularity also increases. T.V serials appear to be more paying than the feature films.
(a) Television gives a better chance of action.
(b) There they have a greater number of viewers.
(c) Television is a house hold affair.
(d) If we do not like a TV program we can turn it off.
(e) Television is useful in many ways.
Q29. Man is trying to find out modern means of producing electric power. The solar panel is one of them. [__________] This electricity can light lamps, turn fans or work small household appliances.
(a) It is very cheap and affordable.
(b) We ourselves can make one such device.
(c) It converts sunlight into electricity.
(d) It is easy to work and beautiful to look at.
(e) Electricity is a good substitute for sunlight.
Q30. Air-pollution is one of the gravest problems faced by city-dwellers. Foul gas liberated from heaps of waste matter is one source of pollution. [__________] Recently the Government has made arrangements to measure it. If it is above the allowable limit the vehicles are prohibited from plying along the public roads.
(a) Another source is the smoke emitted by vehicles.
(b) Foul water in the channels is another.
(c) The smell from toddy shops pollutes the air.
(d) Open drainage pollutes the air.
(e) People suffer due to smoke emitted by vehicles.
Q31. Corruption has become rampant in India. Corrupt officials and politicians are ruling over the hapless common man. [__________] People must join together and force them to take necessary legal action.
(a) Politicians with integrity simply withdraw from the scene.
(b) Such officials are welcomed by the general public.
(c) Even police authorities are reluctant to face them.
(d) They do it with the connivance of topmost authorities.
(e) Corruption is the breeding ground for all evils.
Q32. Feature films have a very great influence upon the common people. They have no hesitation in regarding actors as gods. [__________] They must utilize this love and regards to serve the people, not to exploit them.
(a) Gods are expected to protect the devotees.
(b) Though they are gods they are human enough to err.
(c) Gods never walk on earth or collect money.
(d) Some people are ready even to die for them.
(e) Actors are viewed as gods.
Q33. Most of us fall victim to some sort of disease or the other. We can avoid diseases by leading a hygienic life. It is better to bear in mind a simple truth. [__________] The consciousness of this truth will lead us to happiness.
(a) It is impossible to have constant health.
(b) Hygienic life is less costly than medical treatment.
(c) Man is mortal and likely to die at any moment.
(d) Happiness is always evasive.
(e) Health needs good care as we may fall victim to some sort of disease.
Q34. A doctor has succeeded in raising a variety of monkeys similar to human beings. They clean their teeth with brushes and mop their face with towels. [__________] In that case these animals may be called monkey – man and we may be called man – monkeys.
(a) Perhaps they may learn and use human language.
(b) Sometimes they may die after a few days.
(c) The method adopted by the doctor is wonderful.
(d) We can expect a lot of change in the case of other animals also.
(e) Monkeys are good subjects unlike human beings.
Q35 It is wonderful how a word can acquire diagonally opposite meaning. Gandhiji called the socially downcast people by the name Harijans. [__________] But now the Harijans themselves feel that it is a word of insult.
(a) Gandhiji was a social reformer.
(b) Gandhiji had many Harijan friends.
(c) Gandhiji expected to bring them respect by calling them the children of God.
(d) Harijans have risen to such a high position that they feel their brand name ‘Harijan’ to be degrading.
(e) Only Harijans are children of God.
solution
28. Ans.(b)
Sol. There they have a greater number of viewers. The next sentence also talks about the viewers.
29. Ans.(c)
Sol. It converts sunlight into electricity.
30. Ans.(a)
Sol. Another source is the smoke emitted by vehicles. In previous sentence, first source is talked about.
31. Ans.(c)
Sol. Even police authorities are reluctant to face them.
32. Ans.(d)
Sol. Some people are ready even to die for them.
33. Ans.(b)
Sol. Hygienic life is less costly than medical treatment.
34. Ans.(a)
Sol. Perhaps they may learn and use human language.
35. Ans.(c)
Sol Gandhiji expected to bring them respect by calling them the children of God.
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