English Reading Comprehension

Which of the following is one of the conclusions the author appears to have drawn?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

After India became independent, one angry citizen asked Nehru as to what the difference was between the regime they had overthrown and the one they had ushered in. That he was able to speak to the prime minister of the nation in this manner was the difference between the two regimes, Nehru replied, politely.
What Nehru said was the essence of democracy. In a democracy, one should be able to voice one’s concern on any matter without fear or favor. As long as this element is present, there is no danger to democracy.
After over half a century if we are able to give an affirmative answer to this question, we may claim to be on the right track. If not, something is definitely amiss. But mere expression of it is not enough unless it seems to have been heard where it was intended to be heard in the first place; and is not merely heard, but necessary remedial action is taken wherever and whenever feasible and desirable. In other words, in a democracy public opinion should matter without exception.

A kind of ennui appears to have gripped everyone. Lack of governance during the past six decades and the growing unconcern displayed by those at the helm and the failings of the various pillars of democracy have added to this ennui. Ordinary citizens are not just victims of neglect and unconcern, even the judiciary has been suffering from the same kind of neglect and unconcern. 
We are a nation of hypocrites. On one hand, we make a demonstration of our allegiance to the constitution, while on the other we keep trampling over it whenever it suits us. We have more than 400 Articles in our constitution (it began with 395 Articles and has steadily been growing in number). One thought that since all articles are the product of the same constitution, all of them would carry equal weight, or would at least have the same degree of importance. But no, that is not the position. Some articles continue to be treated with complete disregard. For instance, most of the articles under Part IV, especially 44, 45, 46, 47 and 49 remain as mere embellishments. Talk of the Uniform Civil Code for citizens, many politicians will be up in arms as if it was blasphemous to talk about it; as if it was not a part of the constitution they seemingly VENERATE.

When will the time be ripe? With the kind of politicians lurking around, it is anybody’s guess if the time will ever be ripe. Indeed many politicians in private admit that reservation has done a great deal of harm to the nation in as much as it kept merit from surfacing in full bloom. I do not know if reservation on the basis of caste is allowed in any part of the world. I also do not know if considerations other than merit (nepotism excepted) are of any consequence in any part of the world. Is it not self-condemnation of those who led the country this long and failed to meet the basic requirements of the people and the nation? These people have much to answer to for the present ills.

Directions: Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

GALLOPED

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

King Hutamasan felt he had everything in the world not only due to his riches and his noble knights, but because of his beautiful queen, Rani Matsya. The rays of the sun were put to shame with the iridescent light that Matsya illuminated, with her beauty and brains. At the right hand of the king she was known to sit and aid him in all his judicial probes. You could not escape her deep–set eyes when you committed a crime as she always knew the victim and the culprit. Her generosity preceded her reputation in the kingdom and her hands were always full to give. People in the kingdom revered her because if she passed by, she always gave to the compassionate and poor.
Far away from the kingly palace lived a man named Raman with only ends to his poverty and no means to rectify it. Raman was wrecked with poverty as he had lost all his land to the landlord. His age enabled him little towards manual labour and so begging was the only alternative to salvage his wife and children. Every morning he went door to door for some work, food or money. The kindness of people always got him enough to take home. But Raman was a little self–centered. His world began with him first, followed by his family and the rest. So he would eat and drink to his delight and return home with whatever he found excess. This routine followed and he never let anyone discover his interests as he always put on a long face when he reached home.
One day as he was relishing the bowl of rice he had just received from a humble home, he heard that Rani Matsya who to pass from the very place he was standing. Her generosity had reached his ears and he knew if he pulled a long face and showed how poor he was, she would hand him a bag full of gold coins – enough for the rest of his life, enough to buy food and supplies for his family. He thought he could keep some coins for himself and only reveal a few to his wife, so he can fulfill his own wishes.
He ran to the chariot of the Rani and begged her soldiers to allow him to speak to the queen. Listening to the arguments outside Rani Matsya opened the curtains of her chariot and asked Raman what he wanted. Raman went on his knees and praised the queen. I have heard you are most generous and most chaste, show his beggar some charity. Rani narrowed her brows and asked Raman what he could give her in return. Surprised by such a question, Raman looked at his bowl full of rice. With spite in him he just picked up a few grains of rice and gave it to the queen. Rani Matsya counted the 5 grains and looked at his bowl full of rice and said, you shall be given what is due to you. Saying this, the chariot galloped away.
Raman abused her under his breath. This he never thought would happen. How could she ask him for something in return when she hadn’t given him anything? Irked with anger he stormed home and gave his wife the bowl of rice. Just then he saw a sack at the entrance. His wife said some men had come and kept it there. He opened it to find it full of rice. He put his hand inside and caught hold of a hard metal only to discover it was a gold coin. Elated he upturned the sack to find 5 gold coins in exact for the five rice grains. If only I had given my entire bowl, thought Raman, I would have had a sack full of gold.

Directions: Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

HAND

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

King Hutamasan felt he had everything in the world not only due to his riches and his noble knights, but because of his beautiful queen, Rani Matsya. The rays of the sun were put to shame with the iridescent light that Matsya illuminated, with her beauty and brains. At the right hand of the king she was known to sit and aid him in all his judicial probes. You could not escape her deep–set eyes when you committed a crime as she always knew the victim and the culprit. Her generosity preceded her reputation in the kingdom and her hands were always full to give. People in the kingdom revered her because if she passed by, she always gave to the compassionate and poor.
Far away from the kingly palace lived a man named Raman with only ends to his poverty and no means to rectify it. Raman was wrecked with poverty as he had lost all his land to the landlord. His age enabled him little towards manual labour and so begging was the only alternative to salvage his wife and children. Every morning he went door to door for some work, food or money. The kindness of people always got him enough to take home. But Raman was a little self–centered. His world began with him first, followed by his family and the rest. So he would eat and drink to his delight and return home with whatever he found excess. This routine followed and he never let anyone discover his interests as he always put on a long face when he reached home.
One day as he was relishing the bowl of rice he had just received from a humble home, he heard that Rani Matsya who to pass from the very place he was standing. Her generosity had reached his ears and he knew if he pulled a long face and showed how poor he was, she would hand him a bag full of gold coins – enough for the rest of his life, enough to buy food and supplies for his family. He thought he could keep some coins for himself and only reveal a few to his wife, so he can fulfill his own wishes.
He ran to the chariot of the Rani and begged her soldiers to allow him to speak to the queen. Listening to the arguments outside Rani Matsya opened the curtains of her chariot and asked Raman what he wanted. Raman went on his knees and praised the queen. I have heard you are most generous and most chaste, show his beggar some charity. Rani narrowed her brows and asked Raman what he could give her in return. Surprised by such a question, Raman looked at his bowl full of rice. With spite in him he just picked up a few grains of rice and gave it to the queen. Rani Matsya counted the 5 grains and looked at his bowl full of rice and said, you shall be given what is due to you. Saying this, the chariot galloped away.
Raman abused her under his breath. This he never thought would happen. How could she ask him for something in return when she hadn’t given him anything? Irked with anger he stormed home and gave his wife the bowl of rice. Just then he saw a sack at the entrance. His wife said some men had come and kept it there. He opened it to find it full of rice. He put his hand inside and caught hold of a hard metal only to discover it was a gold coin. Elated he upturned the sack to find 5 gold coins in exact for the five rice grains. If only I had given my entire bowl, thought Raman, I would have had a sack full of gold.

Directions: Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

ELATED

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

King Hutamasan felt he had everything in the world not only due to his riches and his noble knights, but because of his beautiful queen, Rani Matsya. The rays of the sun were put to shame with the iridescent light that Matsya illuminated, with her beauty and brains. At the right hand of the king she was known to sit and aid him in all his judicial probes. You could not escape her deep–set eyes when you committed a crime as she always knew the victim and the culprit. Her generosity preceded her reputation in the kingdom and her hands were always full to give. People in the kingdom revered her because if she passed by, she always gave to the compassionate and poor.
Far away from the kingly palace lived a man named Raman with only ends to his poverty and no means to rectify it. Raman was wrecked with poverty as he had lost all his land to the landlord. His age enabled him little towards manual labour and so begging was the only alternative to salvage his wife and children. Every morning he went door to door for some work, food or money. The kindness of people always got him enough to take home. But Raman was a little self–centered. His world began with him first, followed by his family and the rest. So he would eat and drink to his delight and return home with whatever he found excess. This routine followed and he never let anyone discover his interests as he always put on a long face when he reached home.
One day as he was relishing the bowl of rice he had just received from a humble home, he heard that Rani Matsya who to pass from the very place he was standing. Her generosity had reached his ears and he knew if he pulled a long face and showed how poor he was, she would hand him a bag full of gold coins – enough for the rest of his life, enough to buy food and supplies for his family. He thought he could keep some coins for himself and only reveal a few to his wife, so he can fulfill his own wishes.
He ran to the chariot of the Rani and begged her soldiers to allow him to speak to the queen. Listening to the arguments outside Rani Matsya opened the curtains of her chariot and asked Raman what he wanted. Raman went on his knees and praised the queen. I have heard you are most generous and most chaste, show his beggar some charity. Rani narrowed her brows and asked Raman what he could give her in return. Surprised by such a question, Raman looked at his bowl full of rice. With spite in him he just picked up a few grains of rice and gave it to the queen. Rani Matsya counted the 5 grains and looked at his bowl full of rice and said, you shall be given what is due to you. Saying this, the chariot galloped away.
Raman abused her under his breath. This he never thought would happen. How could she ask him for something in return when she hadn’t given him anything? Irked with anger he stormed home and gave his wife the bowl of rice. Just then he saw a sack at the entrance. His wife said some men had come and kept it there. He opened it to find it full of rice. He put his hand inside and caught hold of a hard metal only to discover it was a gold coin. Elated he upturned the sack to find 5 gold coins in exact for the five rice grains. If only I had given my entire bowl, thought Raman, I would have had a sack full of gold.

Directions: Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

REVEAL

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

King Hutamasan felt he had everything in the world not only due to his riches and his noble knights, but because of his beautiful queen, Rani Matsya. The rays of the sun were put to shame with the iridescent light that Matsya illuminated, with her beauty and brains. At the right hand of the king she was known to sit and aid him in all his judicial probes. You could not escape her deep–set eyes when you committed a crime as she always knew the victim and the culprit. Her generosity preceded her reputation in the kingdom and her hands were always full to give. People in the kingdom revered her because if she passed by, she always gave to the compassionate and poor.
Far away from the kingly palace lived a man named Raman with only ends to his poverty and no means to rectify it. Raman was wrecked with poverty as he had lost all his land to the landlord. His age enabled him little towards manual labour and so begging was the only alternative to salvage his wife and children. Every morning he went door to door for some work, food or money. The kindness of people always got him enough to take home. But Raman was a little self–centered. His world began with him first, followed by his family and the rest. So he would eat and drink to his delight and return home with whatever he found excess. This routine followed and he never let anyone discover his interests as he always put on a long face when he reached home.
One day as he was relishing the bowl of rice he had just received from a humble home, he heard that Rani Matsya who to pass from the very place he was standing. Her generosity had reached his ears and he knew if he pulled a long face and showed how poor he was, she would hand him a bag full of gold coins – enough for the rest of his life, enough to buy food and supplies for his family. He thought he could keep some coins for himself and only reveal a few to his wife, so he can fulfill his own wishes.
He ran to the chariot of the Rani and begged her soldiers to allow him to speak to the queen. Listening to the arguments outside Rani Matsya opened the curtains of her chariot and asked Raman what he wanted. Raman went on his knees and praised the queen. I have heard you are most generous and most chaste, show his beggar some charity. Rani narrowed her brows and asked Raman what he could give her in return. Surprised by such a question, Raman looked at his bowl full of rice. With spite in him he just picked up a few grains of rice and gave it to the queen. Rani Matsya counted the 5 grains and looked at his bowl full of rice and said, you shall be given what is due to you. Saying this, the chariot galloped away.
Raman abused her under his breath. This he never thought would happen. How could she ask him for something in return when she hadn’t given him anything? Irked with anger he stormed home and gave his wife the bowl of rice. Just then he saw a sack at the entrance. His wife said some men had come and kept it there. He opened it to find it full of rice. He put his hand inside and caught hold of a hard metal only to discover it was a gold coin. Elated he upturned the sack to find 5 gold coins in exact for the five rice grains. If only I had given my entire bowl, thought Raman, I would have had a sack full of gold.

Directions: Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

REVERED

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

King Hutamasan felt he had everything in the world not only due to his riches and his noble knights, but because of his beautiful queen, Rani Matsya. The rays of the sun were put to shame with the iridescent light that Matsya illuminated, with her beauty and brains. At the right hand of the king she was known to sit and aid him in all his judicial probes. You could not escape her deep–set eyes when you committed a crime as she always knew the victim and the culprit. Her generosity preceded her reputation in the kingdom and her hands were always full to give. People in the kingdom revered her because if she passed by, she always gave to the compassionate and poor.
Far away from the kingly palace lived a man named Raman with only ends to his poverty and no means to rectify it. Raman was wrecked with poverty as he had lost all his land to the landlord. His age enabled him little towards manual labour and so begging was the only alternative to salvage his wife and children. Every morning he went door to door for some work, food or money. The kindness of people always got him enough to take home. But Raman was a little self–centered. His world began with him first, followed by his family and the rest. So he would eat and drink to his delight and return home with whatever he found excess. This routine followed and he never let anyone discover his interests as he always put on a long face when he reached home.
One day as he was relishing the bowl of rice he had just received from a humble home, he heard that Rani Matsya who to pass from the very place he was standing. Her generosity had reached his ears and he knew if he pulled a long face and showed how poor he was, she would hand him a bag full of gold coins – enough for the rest of his life, enough to buy food and supplies for his family. He thought he could keep some coins for himself and only reveal a few to his wife, so he can fulfill his own wishes.
He ran to the chariot of the Rani and begged her soldiers to allow him to speak to the queen. Listening to the arguments outside Rani Matsya opened the curtains of her chariot and asked Raman what he wanted. Raman went on his knees and praised the queen. I have heard you are most generous and most chaste, show his beggar some charity. Rani narrowed her brows and asked Raman what he could give her in return. Surprised by such a question, Raman looked at his bowl full of rice. With spite in him he just picked up a few grains of rice and gave it to the queen. Rani Matsya counted the 5 grains and looked at his bowl full of rice and said, you shall be given what is due to you. Saying this, the chariot galloped away.
Raman abused her under his breath. This he never thought would happen. How could she ask him for something in return when she hadn’t given him anything? Irked with anger he stormed home and gave his wife the bowl of rice. Just then he saw a sack at the entrance. His wife said some men had come and kept it there. He opened it to find it full of rice. He put his hand inside and caught hold of a hard metal only to discover it was a gold coin. Elated he upturned the sack to find 5 gold coins in exact for the five rice grains. If only I had given my entire bowl, thought Raman, I would have had a sack full of gold.

How did the woman react after seeing blood around the mouth and paws of the mongoose?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

Once upon a time there lived a farmer and his wife. They had a little son. The farmer had a pet mongoose. The little boy and the mongoose were good playmates. One day the farmer was busy at his fields. The farmer's wife had gone to the market. The little boy was fast asleep in a cradle. The mongoose was lying near the cradle. A cobra got into the house and reached near the little boy. The mongoose sniffed the snake and jumped up. The cobra began to attack. There was a fierce fight between the cobra and the mongoose. The mongoose finally bit and killed the cobra. The mongoose saw the farmer's wife returning from market. He ran happily towards her to greet her. She saw blood around the mouth and paws of the mongoose. The farmer's wife mistook that the mongoose had attacked her son. The farmer's wife took a long stick and struck heavy blows on the mongoose and then ran into the house. She was shocked to see a dead cobra lying on the floor near her son. Now she realised her mistake. Her sorrow knew no bounds. The moral of the story is that one should never react before knowing the facts.

Who won the fight?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

Once upon a time there lived a farmer and his wife. They had a little son. The farmer had a pet mongoose. The little boy and the mongoose were good playmates. One day the farmer was busy at his fields. The farmer's wife had gone to the market. The little boy was fast asleep in a cradle. The mongoose was lying near the cradle. A cobra got into the house and reached near the little boy. The mongoose sniffed the snake and jumped up. The cobra began to attack. There was a fierce fight between the cobra and the mongoose. The mongoose finally bit and killed the cobra. The mongoose saw the farmer's wife returning from market. He ran happily towards her to greet her. She saw blood around the mouth and paws of the mongoose. The farmer's wife mistook that the mongoose had attacked her son. The farmer's wife took a long stick and struck heavy blows on the mongoose and then ran into the house. She was shocked to see a dead cobra lying on the floor near her son. Now she realised her mistake. Her sorrow knew no bounds. The moral of the story is that one should never react before knowing the facts.

What does "fierce" mean in the passage?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

Once upon a time there lived a farmer and his wife. They had a little son. The farmer had a pet mongoose. The little boy and the mongoose were good playmates. One day the farmer was busy at his fields. The farmer's wife had gone to the market. The little boy was fast asleep in a cradle. The mongoose was lying near the cradle. A cobra got into the house and reached near the little boy. The mongoose sniffed the snake and jumped up. The cobra began to attack. There was a fierce fight between the cobra and the mongoose. The mongoose finally bit and killed the cobra. The mongoose saw the farmer's wife returning from market. He ran happily towards her to greet her. She saw blood around the mouth and paws of the mongoose. The farmer's wife mistook that the mongoose had attacked her son. The farmer's wife took a long stick and struck heavy blows on the mongoose and then ran into the house. She was shocked to see a dead cobra lying on the floor near her son. Now she realised her mistake. Her sorrow knew no bounds. The moral of the story is that one should never react before knowing the facts.

Find the word in the passage which means “a very big rock”.

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

A king gets a boulder placed on a road. He then hides himself and watches to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers come by and simply walk around it. Many loudly blame the king for not keeping the roads clear, but no one does anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then, a peasant comes along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant lays down his burden and tries to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeds. As the peasant picks his load of vegetables, he notices a purse lying on the road where the boulder had been. The purse contains many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold is for the person who removes the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learns that every hindrance presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

The peasant is carrying

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

A king gets a boulder placed on a road. He then hides himself and watches to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers come by and simply walk around it. Many loudly blame the king for not keeping the roads clear, but no one does anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then, a peasant comes along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant lays down his burden and tries to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeds. As the peasant picks his load of vegetables, he notices a purse lying on the road where the boulder had been. The purse contains many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold is for the person who removes the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learns that every hindrance presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

What does the peasant get after removing the boulder?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

A king gets a boulder placed on a road. He then hides himself and watches to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers come by and simply walk around it. Many loudly blame the king for not keeping the roads clear, but no one does anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then, a peasant comes along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant lays down his burden and tries to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeds. As the peasant picks his load of vegetables, he notices a purse lying on the road where the boulder had been. The purse contains many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold is for the person who removes the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learns that every hindrance presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

What has the king placed on the road?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

A king gets a boulder placed on a road. He then hides himself and watches to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers come by and simply walk around it. Many loudly blame the king for not keeping the roads clear, but no one does anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then, a peasant comes along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant lays down his burden and tries to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeds. As the peasant picks his load of vegetables, he notices a purse lying on the road where the boulder had been. The purse contains many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold is for the person who removes the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learns that every hindrance presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

Who remove(s) the boulder from the road?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

A king gets a boulder placed on a road. He then hides himself and watches to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers come by and simply walk around it. Many loudly blame the king for not keeping the roads clear, but no one does anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then, a peasant comes along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant lays down his burden and tries to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeds. As the peasant picks his load of vegetables, he notices a purse lying on the road where the boulder had been. The purse contains many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold is for the person who removes the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learns that every hindrance presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

What was the child doing when the cobra got into the house?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question:

Once upon a time there lived a farmer and his wife. They had a little son. The farmer had a pet mongoose. The little boy and the mongoose were good playmates. One day the farmer was busy at his fields. The farmer's wife had gone to the market. The little boy was fast asleep in a cradle. The mongoose was lying near the cradle. A cobra got into the house and reached near the little boy. The mongoose sniffed the snake and jumped up. The cobra began to attack. There was a fierce fight between the cobra and the mongoose. The mongoose finally bit and killed the cobra. The mongoose saw the farmer's wife returning from market. He ran happily towards her to greet her. She saw blood around the mouth and paws of the mongoose. The farmer's wife mistook that the mongoose had attacked her son. The farmer's wife took a long stick and struck heavy blows on the mongoose and then ran into the house. She was shocked to see a dead cobra lying on the floor near her son. Now she realised her mistake. Her sorrow knew no bounds. The moral of the story is that one should never react before knowing the facts.