At 5:00 am

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Stephen is a young boy of ten. He studies at Mount Carmel School. Stephen gets up at 5:30 am everyday. He gets ready by 6:15 and then has his breakfast. He leaves for school at 6:35 by the school van. He reaches school at 7:10, in time for his extra class which stretches till the Morning Prayer at 7:30. The Prayer concludes at 7:55. His regular classes start at 8:00 am. His classes continue till 1:00. In between, there is a break from 10:40 – 11:00. After the school is over, he has a special 1 hour cursive writing class and mathematics practice for another hour. He starts back from school at 3:10 pm and reaches home at 3:50.

Everyday, he follows the same schedule and tomorrow will be no exception.

At 6:45 am

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Stephen is a young boy of ten. He studies at Mount Carmel School. Stephen gets up at 5:30 am everyday. He gets ready by 6:15 and then has his breakfast. He leaves for school at 6:35 by the school van. He reaches school at 7:10, in time for his extra class which stretches till the Morning Prayer at 7:30. The Prayer concludes at 7:55. His regular classes start at 8:00 am. His classes continue till 1:00. In between, there is a break from 10:40 – 11:00. After the school is over, he has a special 1 hour cursive writing class and mathematics practice for another hour. He starts back from school at 3:10 pm and reaches home at 3:50.

Everyday, he follows the same schedule and tomorrow will be no exception.

At 7:15 am

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Stephen is a young boy of ten. He studies at Mount Carmel School. Stephen gets up at 5:30 am everyday. He gets ready by 6:15 and then has his breakfast. He leaves for school at 6:35 by the school van. He reaches school at 7:10, in time for his extra class which stretches till the Morning Prayer at 7:30. The Prayer concludes at 7:55. His regular classes start at 8:00 am. His classes continue till 1:00. In between, there is a break from 10:40 – 11:00. After the school is over, he has a special 1 hour cursive writing class and mathematics practice for another hour. He starts back from school at 3:10 pm and reaches home at 3:50.

Everyday, he follows the same schedule and tomorrow will be no exception.

Unlike a lawful society, an unlawful society follows:

Directions: Choose the most correct option based on the given reading.

Laws lay down the rules by which people in a society should behave with each other and with the state or nation. Many philosophers have tried to explain the reasons for our laws and their beginnings. However, all agree that without laws our society would be lost. If people were free to follow just their own wishes, then there would have been too much pain and confusion. Stronger people would have hurt, robbed, or cheated others without any fear. It would become a miserable animal life with violence ruling the day. The only law then would be the law of the jungle. People would have feared each other and love, respect, and friendship would have taken a back seat. Peace and order in our society can be there only with just laws that are properly followed by everybody. Without peace, our society cannot progress.

If there were no laws in a society, there would be

Directions: Choose the most correct option based on the given reading.

Laws lay down the rules by which people in a society should behave with each other and with the state or nation. Many philosophers have tried to explain the reasons for our laws and their beginnings. However, all agree that without laws our society would be lost. If people were free to follow just their own wishes, then there would have been too much pain and confusion. Stronger people would have hurt, robbed, or cheated others without any fear. It would become a miserable animal life with violence ruling the day. The only law then would be the law of the jungle. People would have feared each other and love, respect, and friendship would have taken a back seat. Peace and order in our society can be there only with just laws that are properly followed by everybody. Without peace, our society cannot progress.

The purpose of the passage is

Directions: Choose the most correct option based on the given reading.

Laws lay down the rules by which people in a society should behave with each other and with the state or nation. Many philosophers have tried to explain the reasons for our laws and their beginnings. However, all agree that without laws our society would be lost. If people were free to follow just their own wishes, then there would have been too much pain and confusion. Stronger people would have hurt, robbed, or cheated others without any fear. It would become a miserable animal life with violence ruling the day. The only law then would be the law of the jungle. People would have feared each other and love, respect, and friendship would have taken a back seat. Peace and order in our society can be there only with just laws that are properly followed by everybody. Without peace, our society cannot progress.

In the absence of laws, life would become a/an

Directions: Choose the most correct option based on the given reading.

Laws lay down the rules by which people in a society should behave with each other and with the state or nation. Many philosophers have tried to explain the reasons for our laws and their beginnings. However, all agree that without laws our society would be lost. If people were free to follow just their own wishes, then there would have been too much pain and confusion. Stronger people would have hurt, robbed, or cheated others without any fear. It would become a miserable animal life with violence ruling the day. The only law then would be the law of the jungle. People would have feared each other and love, respect, and friendship would have taken a back seat. Peace and order in our society can be there only with just laws that are properly followed by everybody. Without peace, our society cannot progress.

The word “philosopher” would most likely mean

Directions: Choose the most correct option based on the given reading.

Laws lay down the rules by which people in a society should behave with each other and with the state or nation. Many philosophers have tried to explain the reasons for our laws and their beginnings. However, all agree that without laws our society would be lost. If people were free to follow just their own wishes, then there would have been too much pain and confusion. Stronger people would have hurt, robbed, or cheated others without any fear. It would become a miserable animal life with violence ruling the day. The only law then would be the law of the jungle. People would have feared each other and love, respect, and friendship would have taken a back seat. Peace and order in our society can be there only with just laws that are properly followed by everybody. Without peace, our society cannot progress.

Glaciers are formed when

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

Water is life. The cycling of water on Earth brings support to all living things. It also brings changes in weather. There are three forms of water. The solid cold form of water is ice. The liquid form is ordinary water. The gaseous form of water is hot steam, or vapour. Water changes its form when it gains or loses heat. Water from the sea, the rivers, the lakes, the glaciers, the ice poles, and from the plants and animals, on gaining heat, is always rising in the form of vapour. Water vapour also is always losing heat and falling down in the form of rain and then turning into glaciers of ice on further losing heat. Water vapour is pure and clean, while natural ice or water is often dirty. The vapour in the air gathers in the sky to make clouds. The clouds return the clean water to Earth in rain or snow. Through the water cycle, Nature makes sure that living things on land can fulfil their need for clean and fresh water.                                                                

According to the passage, nature makes sure

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

Water is life. The cycling of water on Earth brings support to all living things. It also brings changes in weather. There are three forms of water. The solid cold form of water is ice. The liquid form is ordinary water. The gaseous form of water is hot steam, or vapour. Water changes its form when it gains or loses heat. Water from the sea, the rivers, the lakes, the glaciers, the ice poles, and from the plants and animals, on gaining heat, is always rising in the form of vapour. Water vapour also is always losing heat and falling down in the form of rain and then turning into glaciers of ice on further losing heat. Water vapour is pure and clean, while natural ice or water is often dirty. The vapour in the air gathers in the sky to make clouds. The clouds return the clean water to Earth in rain or snow. Through the water cycle, Nature makes sure that living things on land can fulfil their need for clean and fresh water.                                                                

Clouds are formed from

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

Water is life. The cycling of water on Earth brings support to all living things. It also brings changes in weather. There are three forms of water. The solid cold form of water is ice. The liquid form is ordinary water. The gaseous form of water is hot steam, or vapour. Water changes its form when it gains or loses heat. Water from the sea, the rivers, the lakes, the glaciers, the ice poles, and from the plants and animals, on gaining heat, is always rising in the form of vapour. Water vapour also is always losing heat and falling down in the form of rain and then turning into glaciers of ice on further losing heat. Water vapour is pure and clean, while natural ice or water is often dirty. The vapour in the air gathers in the sky to make clouds. The clouds return the clean water to Earth in rain or snow. Through the water cycle, Nature makes sure that living things on land can fulfil their need for clean and fresh water.                                                                

Which of the following could be found in the Arctic?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word "tundra" is the English form of a Finnish word "tunturia" that means treeless land. Tundra are regions of the Earth where frost covers the land through the year. Tundra has its own typical plant and animal life. Its greenery is poor and meager. Its animals are built for the lashing cold. It's a land of freezing winds. If you spend a whole day in tundra, you can thank your stars if you manage to come back without frostbite. That is tundra.

There are two types of tundra in the world: the arctic and the alpine. The arctic tundra spreads from the cold polar regions of the north into places like Alaska and Siberia. Arctic fox, arctic hare, snowy owl, and in general most animals whose names start with arctic, polar, or snowy, can be found in an arctic tundra. There is very little greenery. Lichens and mosses, shrubs and grasses mark the landscape there. The alpine tundra lies on and near the snow covered tops of high mountains. Dwarf trees and small shrubs can be found in the alpine tundra. Mountain animals, like mountain goats and sheep may also be found there.

The word 'meager' could mean

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word "tundra" is the English form of a Finnish word "tunturia" that means treeless land. Tundra are regions of the Earth where frost covers the land through the year. Tundra has its own typical plant and animal life. Its greenery is poor and meager. Its animals are built for the lashing cold. It's a land of freezing winds. If you spend a whole day in tundra, you can thank your stars if you manage to come back without frostbite. That is tundra.

There are two types of tundra in the world: the arctic and the alpine. The arctic tundra spreads from the cold polar regions of the north into places like Alaska and Siberia. Arctic fox, arctic hare, snowy owl, and in general most animals whose names start with arctic, polar, or snowy, can be found in an arctic tundra. There is very little greenery. Lichens and mosses, shrubs and grasses mark the landscape there. The alpine tundra lies on and near the snow covered tops of high mountains. Dwarf trees and small shrubs can be found in the alpine tundra. Mountain animals, like mountain goats and sheep may also be found there.

Different members had different tastes and likings which led to

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting, and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences among them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking. To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

The passage is an introduction to the

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word “continent” actually meant mainland in the past when the Greeks and Romans ruled the western world. The common view is that a big mass of land that is bigger than a single country and separated from other big masses of land either by sea, or by mountains, or by deserts should be a continent. However, a continent is defined upon the needs of a person. Historians divide the world into continents in a different manner, Geography teachers see it differently, Geologists see it from their own viewpoint, and people of different countries divide the world into continents to suit their own purposes. There is quite a bit of confusion in the world over the number of continents, their names, and their areas. For example in Europe, they still believe the world to be divided into five continents as represented in the five rings of the Olympic Games flag. The Olympic Games attract top athletes from all over the world.  However, Americans divide the earth’s land mass into the seven continents of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, for such division is the most reasonable, and easiest for studying the world.

Which of the following is true?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word "tundra" is the English form of a Finnish word "tunturia" that means treeless land. Tundra are regions of the Earth where frost covers the land through the year. Tundra has its own typical plant and animal life. Its greenery is poor and meager. Its animals are built for the lashing cold. It's a land of freezing winds. If you spend a whole day in tundra, you can thank your stars if you manage to come back without frostbite. That is tundra.

There are two types of tundra in the world: the arctic and the alpine. The arctic tundra spreads from the cold polar regions of the north into places like Alaska and Siberia. Arctic fox, arctic hare, snowy owl, and in general most animals whose names start with arctic, polar, or snowy, can be found in an arctic tundra. There is very little greenery. Lichens and mosses, shrubs and grasses mark the landscape there. The alpine tundra lies on and near the snow covered tops of high mountains. Dwarf trees and small shrubs can be found in the alpine tundra. Mountain animals, like mountain goats and sheep may also be found there.

What is the passage about?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting, and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences among them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking. To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

The Olympic flag symbolically represents an event

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word “continent” actually meant mainland in the past when the Greeks and Romans ruled the western world. The common view is that a big mass of land that is bigger than a single country and separated from other big masses of land either by sea, or by mountains, or by deserts should be a continent. However, a continent is defined upon the needs of a person. Historians divide the world into continents in a different manner, Geography teachers see it differently, Geologists see it from their own viewpoint, and people of different countries divide the world into continents to suit their own purposes. There is quite a bit of confusion in the world over the number of continents, their names, and their areas. For example in Europe, they still believe the world to be divided into five continents as represented in the five rings of the Olympic Games flag. The Olympic Games attract top athletes from all over the world.  However, Americans divide the earth’s land mass into the seven continents of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, for such division is the most reasonable, and easiest for studying the world.

Who is referred to by the word 'stranger' in the second stanza?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

                                    Derek Walcott

Which of the following statements is accepted by all?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word “continent” actually meant mainland in the past when the Greeks and Romans ruled the western world. The common view is that a big mass of land that is bigger than a single country and separated from other big masses of land either by sea, or by mountains, or by deserts should be a continent. However, a continent is defined upon the needs of a person. Historians divide the world into continents in a different manner, Geography teachers see it differently, Geologists see it from their own viewpoint, and people of different countries divide the world into continents to suit their own purposes. There is quite a bit of confusion in the world over the number of continents, their names, and their areas. For example in Europe, they still believe the world to be divided into five continents as represented in the five rings of the Olympic Games flag. The Olympic Games attract top athletes from all over the world.  However, Americans divide the earth’s land mass into the seven continents of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, for such division is the most reasonable, and easiest for studying the world.

At 10:00 am

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Stephen is a young boy of ten. He studies at Mount Carmel School. Stephen gets up at 5:30 am everyday. He gets ready by 6:15 and then has his breakfast. He leaves for school at 6:35 by the school van. He reaches school at 7:10, in time for his extra class which stretches till the Morning Prayer at 7:30. The Prayer concludes at 7:55. His regular classes start at 8:00 am. His classes continue till 1:00. In between, there is a break from 10:40 – 11:00. After the school is over, he has a special 1 hour cursive writing class and mathematics practice for another hour. He starts back from school at 3:10 pm and reaches home at 3:50.

Everyday, he follows the same schedule and tomorrow will be no exception.

'Give back your heart to itself, to the stranger who has loved you'

What does the poet mean by these words?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

                                    Derek Walcott

At 2:30 pm

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Stephen is a young boy of ten. He studies at Mount Carmel School. Stephen gets up at 5:30 am everyday. He gets ready by 6:15 and then has his breakfast. He leaves for school at 6:35 by the school van. He reaches school at 7:10, in time for his extra class which stretches till the Morning Prayer at 7:30. The Prayer concludes at 7:55. His regular classes start at 8:00 am. His classes continue till 1:00. In between, there is a break from 10:40 – 11:00. After the school is over, he has a special 1 hour cursive writing class and mathematics practice for another hour. He starts back from school at 3:10 pm and reaches home at 3:50.

Everyday, he follows the same schedule and tomorrow will be no exception.

What is the passage about?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

Water is life. The cycling of water on Earth brings support to all living things. It also brings changes in weather. There are three forms of water. The solid cold form of water is ice. The liquid form is ordinary water. The gaseous form of water is hot steam, or vapour. Water changes its form when it gains or loses heat. Water from the sea, the rivers, the lakes, the glaciers, the ice poles, and from the plants and animals, on gaining heat, is always rising in the form of vapour. Water vapour also is always losing heat and falling down in the form of rain and then turning into glaciers of ice on further losing heat. Water vapour is pure and clean, while natural ice or water is often dirty. The vapour in the air gathers in the sky to make clouds. The clouds return the clean water to Earth in rain or snow. Through the water cycle, Nature makes sure that living things on land can fulfil their need for clean and fresh water.                                                                

Which of the following is the purest form of water on Earth?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

Water is life. The cycling of water on Earth brings support to all living things. It also brings changes in weather. There are three forms of water. The solid cold form of water is ice. The liquid form is ordinary water. The gaseous form of water is hot steam, or vapour. Water changes its form when it gains or loses heat. Water from the sea, the rivers, the lakes, the glaciers, the ice poles, and from the plants and animals, on gaining heat, is always rising in the form of vapour. Water vapour also is always losing heat and falling down in the form of rain and then turning into glaciers of ice on further losing heat. Water vapour is pure and clean, while natural ice or water is often dirty. The vapour in the air gathers in the sky to make clouds. The clouds return the clean water to Earth in rain or snow. Through the water cycle, Nature makes sure that living things on land can fulfil their need for clean and fresh water.                                                                

Directions: Answer the following question with the appropriate information from the reading passage. Mark

True, if the statement agrees with the information False, if the statement contradicts the information Not Given, if there is no information given in the passage

An injury due to which an employee takes leave for more than three consecutive days must be reported.

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Every employer has a duty to protect his employees and inform them about health and safety issues that may affect them. He also has a legal obligation to pay his employees statutory sick pay, or contractual sick pay if they are entitled to the same. Apart from this, every employer needs to report serious work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of the Incident Contact Centre. He must report all deaths, major injuries (for example, a broken arm or broken ribs) and an injury/disease which hinders an employee’s normal functioning at his job for more than three days.

Every employer has to carry out a risk assessment in order to address health and safety issues of his employees and visitors. He should make sure that sufficient first aid equipment is made available. Employees themselves must also take reasonable care over their own health and safety.

Any injury even if it is minor should be recorded in employer’s 'accident book'. All employers, except those owning very small companies, must keep an accident book. It's mainly for the benefit of employees, as it provides a useful record of happenings and events occurring in an organization.  It is also beneficial in cases where an employee needs to take some time off the work and subsequently wishes to claim compensation. Moreover, it helps the employer in taking action to stop accidents in future.

In case an employee needs some time off because of an accident at work, he will have the right to apply for statutory sick pay only. However, an employer may have a scheme for paying more for leave due to accident, or may even decide to pay extra at his discretion.

In case an employee gets injured at work place and wants to make a claim for compensation, the claim must be made within three years of the date of the accident. For that, he may need the services of a lawyer. In case, the employee is a member of a trade union, he may also take the help of its legal services.

Directions: Answer the following question with the appropriate information from the reading passage. Mark

True, if the statement agrees with the information False, if the statement contradicts the information Not Given, if there is no information given in the passage

Risk assessment has to be carried out using first aid equipment, in order to settle health and safety related issues of employees.

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Every employer has a duty to protect his employees and inform them about health and safety issues that may affect them. He also has a legal obligation to pay his employees statutory sick pay, or contractual sick pay if they are entitled to the same. Apart from this, every employer needs to report serious work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of the Incident Contact Centre. He must report all deaths, major injuries (for example, a broken arm or broken ribs) and an injury/disease which hinders an employee’s normal functioning at his job for more than three days.

Every employer has to carry out a risk assessment in order to address health and safety issues of his employees and visitors. He should make sure that sufficient first aid equipment is made available. Employees themselves must also take reasonable care over their own health and safety.

Any injury even if it is minor should be recorded in employer’s 'accident book'. All employers, except those owning very small companies, must keep an accident book. It's mainly for the benefit of employees, as it provides a useful record of happenings and events occurring in an organization.  It is also beneficial in cases where an employee needs to take some time off the work and subsequently wishes to claim compensation. Moreover, it helps the employer in taking action to stop accidents in future.

In case an employee needs some time off because of an accident at work, he will have the right to apply for statutory sick pay only. However, an employer may have a scheme for paying more for leave due to accident, or may even decide to pay extra at his discretion.

In case an employee gets injured at work place and wants to make a claim for compensation, the claim must be made within three years of the date of the accident. For that, he may need the services of a lawyer. In case, the employee is a member of a trade union, he may also take the help of its legal services.

What does the poet mean by 'Sit. Feast on your life'?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

                                    Derek Walcott

Directions: Answer the following question with the appropriate information from the reading passage. Mark

True, if the statement agrees with the information False, if the statement contradicts the information Not Given, if there is no information given in the passage

An employee who takes leave due to any accident at work is entitled to apply for statutory sick pay.

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Every employer has a duty to protect his employees and inform them about health and safety issues that may affect them. He also has a legal obligation to pay his employees statutory sick pay, or contractual sick pay if they are entitled to the same. Apart from this, every employer needs to report serious work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of the Incident Contact Centre. He must report all deaths, major injuries (for example, a broken arm or broken ribs) and an injury/disease which hinders an employee’s normal functioning at his job for more than three days.

Every employer has to carry out a risk assessment in order to address health and safety issues of his employees and visitors. He should make sure that sufficient first aid equipment is made available. Employees themselves must also take reasonable care over their own health and safety.

Any injury even if it is minor should be recorded in employer’s 'accident book'. All employers, except those owning very small companies, must keep an accident book. It's mainly for the benefit of employees, as it provides a useful record of happenings and events occurring in an organization.  It is also beneficial in cases where an employee needs to take some time off the work and subsequently wishes to claim compensation. Moreover, it helps the employer in taking action to stop accidents in future.

In case an employee needs some time off because of an accident at work, he will have the right to apply for statutory sick pay only. However, an employer may have a scheme for paying more for leave due to accident, or may even decide to pay extra at his discretion.

In case an employee gets injured at work place and wants to make a claim for compensation, the claim must be made within three years of the date of the accident. For that, he may need the services of a lawyer. In case, the employee is a member of a trade union, he may also take the help of its legal services.

Family system followed when

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting, and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences among them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking. To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

Which of the following is a result of the year round frost in the Tundra?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word "tundra" is the English form of a Finnish word "tunturia" that means treeless land. Tundra are regions of the Earth where frost covers the land through the year. Tundra has its own typical plant and animal life. Its greenery is poor and meager. Its animals are built for the lashing cold. It's a land of freezing winds. If you spend a whole day in tundra, you can thank your stars if you manage to come back without frostbite. That is tundra.

There are two types of tundra in the world: the arctic and the alpine. The arctic tundra spreads from the cold polar regions of the north into places like Alaska and Siberia. Arctic fox, arctic hare, snowy owl, and in general most animals whose names start with arctic, polar, or snowy, can be found in an arctic tundra. There is very little greenery. Lichens and mosses, shrubs and grasses mark the landscape there. The alpine tundra lies on and near the snow covered tops of high mountains. Dwarf trees and small shrubs can be found in the alpine tundra. Mountain animals, like mountain goats and sheep may also be found there.

In this poem the poet is

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

                                    Derek Walcott

What is the main purpose of the passage?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word "tundra" is the English form of a Finnish word "tunturia" that means treeless land. Tundra are regions of the Earth where frost covers the land through the year. Tundra has its own typical plant and animal life. Its greenery is poor and meager. Its animals are built for the lashing cold. It's a land of freezing winds. If you spend a whole day in tundra, you can thank your stars if you manage to come back without frostbite. That is tundra.

There are two types of tundra in the world: the arctic and the alpine. The arctic tundra spreads from the cold polar regions of the north into places like Alaska and Siberia. Arctic fox, arctic hare, snowy owl, and in general most animals whose names start with arctic, polar, or snowy, can be found in an arctic tundra. There is very little greenery. Lichens and mosses, shrubs and grasses mark the landscape there. The alpine tundra lies on and near the snow covered tops of high mountains. Dwarf trees and small shrubs can be found in the alpine tundra. Mountain animals, like mountain goats and sheep may also be found there.

The European concept of continental division has led to

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word “continent” actually meant mainland in the past when the Greeks and Romans ruled the western world. The common view is that a big mass of land that is bigger than a single country and separated from other big masses of land either by sea, or by mountains, or by deserts should be a continent. However, a continent is defined upon the needs of a person. Historians divide the world into continents in a different manner, Geography teachers see it differently, Geologists see it from their own viewpoint, and people of different countries divide the world into continents to suit their own purposes. There is quite a bit of confusion in the world over the number of continents, their names, and their areas. For example in Europe, they still believe the world to be divided into five continents as represented in the five rings of the Olympic Games flag. The Olympic Games attract top athletes from all over the world.  However, Americans divide the earth’s land mass into the seven continents of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, for such division is the most reasonable, and easiest for studying the world.

Why could the tribesmen no longer live under the same roof?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting, and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences among them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking. To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

Who are the leading manufactures in the video game industry?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

A.         China’s manufacturing reputation received a severe blow when last month Mattel, the world’s biggest toy maker brought back more than 18 million Chinese made toys. The company discovered impermissible levels of lead paint and the use of powerful loose magnets that could damage a child’s organs if swallowed.   

B.         As a result, the chairman and chief executive of Mattel, Mr. Robert Eckert at a press conference said, “We’re reaching out to people today and particularly parents. We have changed our own testing procedures, so we will be extra vigilant in this area.” The Chinese government officials have said that the current criticisms are overemphasized and unfair. They say that other manufacturers are jealous of their hold on the manufacturing market.
C.         More than 80 percent of all toys are produced in China and then are marketed abroad. The chief reason behind it is the Asian country’s cheap labor cost that enables toy companies to meet retailer and consumer demand for cheap products. This empowers middle class and even lower strata of the society to buy their children the latest toys available in the market. The role of toys and games enhancing children’s education also attracted parents’ attention which rapidly increased the sales of Chinese toys worldwide. They became the fountain of entertainment with education.
D.         The increasing growth rate of video games further boomed the sales of Chinese toys and games. The main producers of this market are international companies and mainly their products come from South Korea and Japan. If we talk about China itself, the most popular and the best sold products there are the medium and high–price products offered by the international brands. Because of the one–child policy in China parents manage to buy the best toys and games for their only child. This increases the sale of branded products and competition in the market. The chief sufferers of such a competitive market are the domestic manufactures.
E.         In order to attract the attention of its customers, new technology and innovation play the most significant role in this industry. The latest and new models of toys and games will keep on attracting adults and children alike and this will encourage the manufactures to develop new technologies and new models.
F.         According to poll conducted last week by Reuters, 82 percent of the Americans are concerned about Chinese toys and nearly two thirds are in the favor of boycotting them. In a report of year 2006, above 900 products were distinguished as dangerous to be sold in the 27-nation market, and China being the origin of more than half of them. More than a quarter of Chinese goods are exported to the EU market.
So, the European commission along with China is working to prevent the entry of dangerous products into the EU market.

What is the message of the poem?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

                                    Derek Walcott

What did the chief executive of Mattel say about their toxic toys?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

A.         China’s manufacturing reputation received a severe blow when last month Mattel, the world’s biggest toy maker brought back more than 18 million Chinese made toys. The company discovered impermissible levels of lead paint and the use of powerful loose magnets that could damage a child’s organs if swallowed.   

B.         As a result, the chairman and chief executive of Mattel, Mr. Robert Eckert at a press conference said, “We’re reaching out to people today and particularly parents. We have changed our own testing procedures, so we will be extra vigilant in this area.” The Chinese government officials have said that the current criticisms are overemphasized and unfair. They say that other manufacturers are jealous of their hold on the manufacturing market.
C.         More than 80 percent of all toys are produced in China and then are marketed abroad. The chief reason behind it is the Asian country’s cheap labor cost that enables toy companies to meet retailer and consumer demand for cheap products. This empowers middle class and even lower strata of the society to buy their children the latest toys available in the market. The role of toys and games enhancing children’s education also attracted parents’ attention which rapidly increased the sales of Chinese toys worldwide. They became the fountain of entertainment with education.
D.         The increasing growth rate of video games further boomed the sales of Chinese toys and games. The main producers of this market are international companies and mainly their products come from South Korea and Japan. If we talk about China itself, the most popular and the best sold products there are the medium and high–price products offered by the international brands. Because of the one–child policy in China parents manage to buy the best toys and games for their only child. This increases the sale of branded products and competition in the market. The chief sufferers of such a competitive market are the domestic manufactures.
E.         In order to attract the attention of its customers, new technology and innovation play the most significant role in this industry. The latest and new models of toys and games will keep on attracting adults and children alike and this will encourage the manufactures to develop new technologies and new models.
F.         According to poll conducted last week by Reuters, 82 percent of the Americans are concerned about Chinese toys and nearly two thirds are in the favor of boycotting them. In a report of year 2006, above 900 products were distinguished as dangerous to be sold in the 27-nation market, and China being the origin of more than half of them. More than a quarter of Chinese goods are exported to the EU market.
So, the European commission along with China is working to prevent the entry of dangerous products into the EU market.

Directions: Answer the following question with the appropriate information from the reading passage. Mark

True, if the statement agrees with the information False, if the statement contradicts the information Not Given, if there is no information given in the passage

The 'accident book' needs to be maintained solely to provide a record of minor accidents.

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Every employer has a duty to protect his employees and inform them about health and safety issues that may affect them. He also has a legal obligation to pay his employees statutory sick pay, or contractual sick pay if they are entitled to the same. Apart from this, every employer needs to report serious work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of the Incident Contact Centre. He must report all deaths, major injuries (for example, a broken arm or broken ribs) and an injury/disease which hinders an employee’s normal functioning at his job for more than three days.

Every employer has to carry out a risk assessment in order to address health and safety issues of his employees and visitors. He should make sure that sufficient first aid equipment is made available. Employees themselves must also take reasonable care over their own health and safety.

Any injury even if it is minor should be recorded in employer’s 'accident book'. All employers, except those owning very small companies, must keep an accident book. It's mainly for the benefit of employees, as it provides a useful record of happenings and events occurring in an organization.  It is also beneficial in cases where an employee needs to take some time off the work and subsequently wishes to claim compensation. Moreover, it helps the employer in taking action to stop accidents in future.

In case an employee needs some time off because of an accident at work, he will have the right to apply for statutory sick pay only. However, an employer may have a scheme for paying more for leave due to accident, or may even decide to pay extra at his discretion.

In case an employee gets injured at work place and wants to make a claim for compensation, the claim must be made within three years of the date of the accident. For that, he may need the services of a lawyer. In case, the employee is a member of a trade union, he may also take the help of its legal services.

Through the passage, the author wants to emphasise that

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

The word “continent” actually meant mainland in the past when the Greeks and Romans ruled the western world. The common view is that a big mass of land that is bigger than a single country and separated from other big masses of land either by sea, or by mountains, or by deserts should be a continent. However, a continent is defined upon the needs of a person. Historians divide the world into continents in a different manner, Geography teachers see it differently, Geologists see it from their own viewpoint, and people of different countries divide the world into continents to suit their own purposes. There is quite a bit of confusion in the world over the number of continents, their names, and their areas. For example in Europe, they still believe the world to be divided into five continents as represented in the five rings of the Olympic Games flag. The Olympic Games attract top athletes from all over the world.  However, Americans divide the earth’s land mass into the seven continents of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, for such division is the most reasonable, and easiest for studying the world.

In the opening paragraph, what is the major drawback received by the Chinese toy industry recently?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

A.         China’s manufacturing reputation received a severe blow when last month Mattel, the world’s biggest toy maker brought back more than 18 million Chinese made toys. The company discovered impermissible levels of lead paint and the use of powerful loose magnets that could damage a child’s organs if swallowed.   

B.         As a result, the chairman and chief executive of Mattel, Mr. Robert Eckert at a press conference said, “We’re reaching out to people today and particularly parents. We have changed our own testing procedures, so we will be extra vigilant in this area.” The Chinese government officials have said that the current criticisms are overemphasized and unfair. They say that other manufacturers are jealous of their hold on the manufacturing market.
C.         More than 80 percent of all toys are produced in China and then are marketed abroad. The chief reason behind it is the Asian country’s cheap labor cost that enables toy companies to meet retailer and consumer demand for cheap products. This empowers middle class and even lower strata of the society to buy their children the latest toys available in the market. The role of toys and games enhancing children’s education also attracted parents’ attention which rapidly increased the sales of Chinese toys worldwide. They became the fountain of entertainment with education.
D.         The increasing growth rate of video games further boomed the sales of Chinese toys and games. The main producers of this market are international companies and mainly their products come from South Korea and Japan. If we talk about China itself, the most popular and the best sold products there are the medium and high–price products offered by the international brands. Because of the one–child policy in China parents manage to buy the best toys and games for their only child. This increases the sale of branded products and competition in the market. The chief sufferers of such a competitive market are the domestic manufactures.
E.         In order to attract the attention of its customers, new technology and innovation play the most significant role in this industry. The latest and new models of toys and games will keep on attracting adults and children alike and this will encourage the manufactures to develop new technologies and new models.
F.         According to poll conducted last week by Reuters, 82 percent of the Americans are concerned about Chinese toys and nearly two thirds are in the favor of boycotting them. In a report of year 2006, above 900 products were distinguished as dangerous to be sold in the 27-nation market, and China being the origin of more than half of them. More than a quarter of Chinese goods are exported to the EU market.
So, the European commission along with China is working to prevent the entry of dangerous products into the EU market.

What is the main reason for the rapid increase in the sale of Chinese toys worldwide?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

A.         China’s manufacturing reputation received a severe blow when last month Mattel, the world’s biggest toy maker brought back more than 18 million Chinese made toys. The company discovered impermissible levels of lead paint and the use of powerful loose magnets that could damage a child’s organs if swallowed.   

B.         As a result, the chairman and chief executive of Mattel, Mr. Robert Eckert at a press conference said, “We’re reaching out to people today and particularly parents. We have changed our own testing procedures, so we will be extra vigilant in this area.” The Chinese government officials have said that the current criticisms are overemphasized and unfair. They say that other manufacturers are jealous of their hold on the manufacturing market.
C.         More than 80 percent of all toys are produced in China and then are marketed abroad. The chief reason behind it is the Asian country’s cheap labor cost that enables toy companies to meet retailer and consumer demand for cheap products. This empowers middle class and even lower strata of the society to buy their children the latest toys available in the market. The role of toys and games enhancing children’s education also attracted parents’ attention which rapidly increased the sales of Chinese toys worldwide. They became the fountain of entertainment with education.
D.         The increasing growth rate of video games further boomed the sales of Chinese toys and games. The main producers of this market are international companies and mainly their products come from South Korea and Japan. If we talk about China itself, the most popular and the best sold products there are the medium and high–price products offered by the international brands. Because of the one–child policy in China parents manage to buy the best toys and games for their only child. This increases the sale of branded products and competition in the market. The chief sufferers of such a competitive market are the domestic manufactures.
E.         In order to attract the attention of its customers, new technology and innovation play the most significant role in this industry. The latest and new models of toys and games will keep on attracting adults and children alike and this will encourage the manufactures to develop new technologies and new models.
F.         According to poll conducted last week by Reuters, 82 percent of the Americans are concerned about Chinese toys and nearly two thirds are in the favor of boycotting them. In a report of year 2006, above 900 products were distinguished as dangerous to be sold in the 27-nation market, and China being the origin of more than half of them. More than a quarter of Chinese goods are exported to the EU market.
So, the European commission along with China is working to prevent the entry of dangerous products into the EU market.

Which of the following is not true about gossip?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Gossip! Yes, gossip is universal. In some languages, it may have an outright negative connotation but in English, it basically means 'idle talk', chat about trivial things or matters. When moderate and kind, 'casual talk' may serve to facilitate exchange of useful information as a means of updating one's knowledge. The whole neighbourhood may grow gossipy with who got married, pregnant, died, or it may just be a humorous chitchat devoid of malicious intent.

However, idle talk more often than not, goes beyond the bounds of propriety and good taste . Facts get embellished, exaggerated or deliberately distorted. Humiliation is made the source of humour, privacy is violated, confidences betrayed and reputations injured or ruined. Condemnation takes the place of commendation, murmuring and fault finding are extolled. The end result is like the mud thrown on a clean piece of white cloth. It does not stick but it leaves a dirty and sometimes permanent stain behind.
Gossip has been blamed for sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion. Certainly, it must have caused you some personal anguish at one time or the other, that is, someone at some time must have tried sticking a knife between your shoulder blades. Negative gossip is almost universally frowned upon. Among the Red Indians in the United States, gossiping about someone is classified with lying and stealing. Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, the tale bearer is detested and often avoided. Indeed, throughout history, measures have been taken to curb this 'deadly' disease. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the ducking stool was popularly used in England and Germany and later in the United States. The gossip monger was tied to a chair and repeatedly ducked in water. In modern times, the war against gossiping has also been fought. Rumour control centres have been established to respond to rumours that were potentially harmful to government activities. Laws have even been passed to curb gossip. Nicknames have been given to those who peddle the tale. Ever heard of 'Amebo"?

Such efforts not withstanding, gossip survives. It is alive and flourishing. Gossip is everywhere. There is neighbourhood gossip, office gossip, party gossip, family gossip and funnily enough, religious gossip. Gossip transcends all cultures, races and civilizations, and it has flourished and is still flourishing at every level of society. Gossip is deeply a part of human nature. Yet gossip is not inherently evil. There is a positive side to casual talk. Knowing where to draw the line between harmless and harmful gossip is the key to avoiding victimising others and being a victim yourself.

Tribesmen started moving to far off places for food because

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting, and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences among them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking. To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

As per the author, gossip

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Gossip! Yes, gossip is universal. In some languages, it may have an outright negative connotation but in English, it basically means 'idle talk', chat about trivial things or matters. When moderate and kind, 'casual talk' may serve to facilitate exchange of useful information as a means of updating one's knowledge. The whole neighbourhood may grow gossipy with who got married, pregnant, died, or it may just be a humorous chitchat devoid of malicious intent.

However, idle talk more often than not, goes beyond the bounds of propriety and good taste . Facts get embellished, exaggerated or deliberately distorted. Humiliation is made the source of humour, privacy is violated, confidences betrayed and reputations injured or ruined. Condemnation takes the place of commendation, murmuring and fault finding are extolled. The end result is like the mud thrown on a clean piece of white cloth. It does not stick but it leaves a dirty and sometimes permanent stain behind.
Gossip has been blamed for sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion. Certainly, it must have caused you some personal anguish at one time or the other, that is, someone at some time must have tried sticking a knife between your shoulder blades. Negative gossip is almost universally frowned upon. Among the Red Indians in the United States, gossiping about someone is classified with lying and stealing. Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, the tale bearer is detested and often avoided. Indeed, throughout history, measures have been taken to curb this 'deadly' disease. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the ducking stool was popularly used in England and Germany and later in the United States. The gossip monger was tied to a chair and repeatedly ducked in water. In modern times, the war against gossiping has also been fought. Rumour control centres have been established to respond to rumours that were potentially harmful to government activities. Laws have even been passed to curb gossip. Nicknames have been given to those who peddle the tale. Ever heard of 'Amebo"?

Such efforts not withstanding, gossip survives. It is alive and flourishing. Gossip is everywhere. There is neighbourhood gossip, office gossip, party gossip, family gossip and funnily enough, religious gossip. Gossip transcends all cultures, races and civilizations, and it has flourished and is still flourishing at every level of society. Gossip is deeply a part of human nature. Yet gossip is not inherently evil. There is a positive side to casual talk. Knowing where to draw the line between harmless and harmful gossip is the key to avoiding victimising others and being a victim yourself.

'Amebo' as used in the passage most likely refers to

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Gossip! Yes, gossip is universal. In some languages, it may have an outright negative connotation but in English, it basically means 'idle talk', chat about trivial things or matters. When moderate and kind, 'casual talk' may serve to facilitate exchange of useful information as a means of updating one's knowledge. The whole neighbourhood may grow gossipy with who got married, pregnant, died, or it may just be a humorous chitchat devoid of malicious intent.

However, idle talk more often than not, goes beyond the bounds of propriety and good taste . Facts get embellished, exaggerated or deliberately distorted. Humiliation is made the source of humour, privacy is violated, confidences betrayed and reputations injured or ruined. Condemnation takes the place of commendation, murmuring and fault finding are extolled. The end result is like the mud thrown on a clean piece of white cloth. It does not stick but it leaves a dirty and sometimes permanent stain behind.
Gossip has been blamed for sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion. Certainly, it must have caused you some personal anguish at one time or the other, that is, someone at some time must have tried sticking a knife between your shoulder blades. Negative gossip is almost universally frowned upon. Among the Red Indians in the United States, gossiping about someone is classified with lying and stealing. Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, the tale bearer is detested and often avoided. Indeed, throughout history, measures have been taken to curb this 'deadly' disease. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the ducking stool was popularly used in England and Germany and later in the United States. The gossip monger was tied to a chair and repeatedly ducked in water. In modern times, the war against gossiping has also been fought. Rumour control centres have been established to respond to rumours that were potentially harmful to government activities. Laws have even been passed to curb gossip. Nicknames have been given to those who peddle the tale. Ever heard of 'Amebo"?

Such efforts not withstanding, gossip survives. It is alive and flourishing. Gossip is everywhere. There is neighbourhood gossip, office gossip, party gossip, family gossip and funnily enough, religious gossip. Gossip transcends all cultures, races and civilizations, and it has flourished and is still flourishing at every level of society. Gossip is deeply a part of human nature. Yet gossip is not inherently evil. There is a positive side to casual talk. Knowing where to draw the line between harmless and harmful gossip is the key to avoiding victimising others and being a victim yourself.

Which of the following is the final outcome when idle talk crosses the limits of good manners?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Gossip! Yes, gossip is universal. In some languages, it may have an outright negative connotation but in English, it basically means 'idle talk', chat about trivial things or matters. When moderate and kind, 'casual talk' may serve to facilitate exchange of useful information as a means of updating one's knowledge. The whole neighbourhood may grow gossipy with who got married, pregnant, died, or it may just be a humorous chitchat devoid of malicious intent.

However, idle talk more often than not, goes beyond the bounds of propriety and good taste . Facts get embellished, exaggerated or deliberately distorted. Humiliation is made the source of humour, privacy is violated, confidences betrayed and reputations injured or ruined. Condemnation takes the place of commendation, murmuring and fault finding are extolled. The end result is like the mud thrown on a clean piece of white cloth. It does not stick but it leaves a dirty and sometimes permanent stain behind.
Gossip has been blamed for sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion. Certainly, it must have caused you some personal anguish at one time or the other, that is, someone at some time must have tried sticking a knife between your shoulder blades. Negative gossip is almost universally frowned upon. Among the Red Indians in the United States, gossiping about someone is classified with lying and stealing. Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, the tale bearer is detested and often avoided. Indeed, throughout history, measures have been taken to curb this 'deadly' disease. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the ducking stool was popularly used in England and Germany and later in the United States. The gossip monger was tied to a chair and repeatedly ducked in water. In modern times, the war against gossiping has also been fought. Rumour control centres have been established to respond to rumours that were potentially harmful to government activities. Laws have even been passed to curb gossip. Nicknames have been given to those who peddle the tale. Ever heard of 'Amebo"?

Such efforts not withstanding, gossip survives. It is alive and flourishing. Gossip is everywhere. There is neighbourhood gossip, office gossip, party gossip, family gossip and funnily enough, religious gossip. Gossip transcends all cultures, races and civilizations, and it has flourished and is still flourishing at every level of society. Gossip is deeply a part of human nature. Yet gossip is not inherently evil. There is a positive side to casual talk. Knowing where to draw the line between harmless and harmful gossip is the key to avoiding victimising others and being a victim yourself.

According to the passage, ducking stool

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Gossip! Yes, gossip is universal. In some languages, it may have an outright negative connotation but in English, it basically means 'idle talk', chat about trivial things or matters. When moderate and kind, 'casual talk' may serve to facilitate exchange of useful information as a means of updating one's knowledge. The whole neighbourhood may grow gossipy with who got married, pregnant, died, or it may just be a humorous chitchat devoid of malicious intent.

However, idle talk more often than not, goes beyond the bounds of propriety and good taste . Facts get embellished, exaggerated or deliberately distorted. Humiliation is made the source of humour, privacy is violated, confidences betrayed and reputations injured or ruined. Condemnation takes the place of commendation, murmuring and fault finding are extolled. The end result is like the mud thrown on a clean piece of white cloth. It does not stick but it leaves a dirty and sometimes permanent stain behind.
Gossip has been blamed for sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion. Certainly, it must have caused you some personal anguish at one time or the other, that is, someone at some time must have tried sticking a knife between your shoulder blades. Negative gossip is almost universally frowned upon. Among the Red Indians in the United States, gossiping about someone is classified with lying and stealing. Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, the tale bearer is detested and often avoided. Indeed, throughout history, measures have been taken to curb this 'deadly' disease. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the ducking stool was popularly used in England and Germany and later in the United States. The gossip monger was tied to a chair and repeatedly ducked in water. In modern times, the war against gossiping has also been fought. Rumour control centres have been established to respond to rumours that were potentially harmful to government activities. Laws have even been passed to curb gossip. Nicknames have been given to those who peddle the tale. Ever heard of 'Amebo"?

Such efforts not withstanding, gossip survives. It is alive and flourishing. Gossip is everywhere. There is neighbourhood gossip, office gossip, party gossip, family gossip and funnily enough, religious gossip. Gossip transcends all cultures, races and civilizations, and it has flourished and is still flourishing at every level of society. Gossip is deeply a part of human nature. Yet gossip is not inherently evil. There is a positive side to casual talk. Knowing where to draw the line between harmless and harmful gossip is the key to avoiding victimising others and being a victim yourself.

What is necessary for a stronger future growth of Chinese toy industry?

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

A.         China’s manufacturing reputation received a severe blow when last month Mattel, the world’s biggest toy maker brought back more than 18 million Chinese made toys. The company discovered impermissible levels of lead paint and the use of powerful loose magnets that could damage a child’s organs if swallowed.   

B.         As a result, the chairman and chief executive of Mattel, Mr. Robert Eckert at a press conference said, “We’re reaching out to people today and particularly parents. We have changed our own testing procedures, so we will be extra vigilant in this area.” The Chinese government officials have said that the current criticisms are overemphasized and unfair. They say that other manufacturers are jealous of their hold on the manufacturing market.
C.         More than 80 percent of all toys are produced in China and then are marketed abroad. The chief reason behind it is the Asian country’s cheap labor cost that enables toy companies to meet retailer and consumer demand for cheap products. This empowers middle class and even lower strata of the society to buy their children the latest toys available in the market. The role of toys and games enhancing children’s education also attracted parents’ attention which rapidly increased the sales of Chinese toys worldwide. They became the fountain of entertainment with education.
D.         The increasing growth rate of video games further boomed the sales of Chinese toys and games. The main producers of this market are international companies and mainly their products come from South Korea and Japan. If we talk about China itself, the most popular and the best sold products there are the medium and high–price products offered by the international brands. Because of the one–child policy in China parents manage to buy the best toys and games for their only child. This increases the sale of branded products and competition in the market. The chief sufferers of such a competitive market are the domestic manufactures.
E.         In order to attract the attention of its customers, new technology and innovation play the most significant role in this industry. The latest and new models of toys and games will keep on attracting adults and children alike and this will encourage the manufactures to develop new technologies and new models.
F.         According to poll conducted last week by Reuters, 82 percent of the Americans are concerned about Chinese toys and nearly two thirds are in the favor of boycotting them. In a report of year 2006, above 900 products were distinguished as dangerous to be sold in the 27-nation market, and China being the origin of more than half of them. More than a quarter of Chinese goods are exported to the EU market.
So, the European commission along with China is working to prevent the entry of dangerous products into the EU market.

Directions: Answer the following question with the appropriate information from the reading passage. Mark

True, if the statement agrees with the information False, if the statement contradicts the information Not Given, if there is no information given in the passage

Serious accidents in workplace need to be reported to the Incident Contact Centre.

Directions: Choose the most correct answer based on the given reading.

Every employer has a duty to protect his employees and inform them about health and safety issues that may affect them. He also has a legal obligation to pay his employees statutory sick pay, or contractual sick pay if they are entitled to the same. Apart from this, every employer needs to report serious work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of the Incident Contact Centre. He must report all deaths, major injuries (for example, a broken arm or broken ribs) and an injury/disease which hinders an employee’s normal functioning at his job for more than three days.

Every employer has to carry out a risk assessment in order to address health and safety issues of his employees and visitors. He should make sure that sufficient first aid equipment is made available. Employees themselves must also take reasonable care over their own health and safety.

Any injury even if it is minor should be recorded in employer’s 'accident book'. All employers, except those owning very small companies, must keep an accident book. It's mainly for the benefit of employees, as it provides a useful record of happenings and events occurring in an organization.  It is also beneficial in cases where an employee needs to take some time off the work and subsequently wishes to claim compensation. Moreover, it helps the employer in taking action to stop accidents in future.

In case an employee needs some time off because of an accident at work, he will have the right to apply for statutory sick pay only. However, an employer may have a scheme for paying more for leave due to accident, or may even decide to pay extra at his discretion.

In case an employee gets injured at work place and wants to make a claim for compensation, the claim must be made within three years of the date of the accident. For that, he may need the services of a lawyer. In case, the employee is a member of a trade union, he may also take the help of its legal services.