English Reading Comprehension

Which is the best replacement for the word 'plagued'?

Directions: Complete the passage by filling the most suitable option from each list.

Human to human blood transfusions in the nineteenth century were plagued by two major problems: first, the necessity of transfusing blood as soon as it was drawn and second the occasionally fatal reactions, often accompanied by fever or nausea, which afflicted many patients. Rudimentary anticoagulants were developed as early as 1860, solving the first obstacle. Later advances in the blood analysis revealed not only that there are blood groups with which donors may be incompatible but also that white blood cells-----------24------ new blood from even seemingly suitable donors.

Which is the best meaning of the word 'incompatible'?

Directions: Complete the passage by filling the most suitable option from each list.

Human to human blood transfusions in the nineteenth century were plagued by two major problems: first, the necessity of transfusing blood as soon as it was drawn and second the occasionally fatal reactions, often accompanied by fever or nausea, which afflicted many patients. Rudimentary anticoagulants were developed as early as 1860, solving the first obstacle. Later advances in the blood analysis revealed not only that there are blood groups with which donors may be incompatible but also that white blood cells-----------24------ new blood from even seemingly suitable donors.

In context of the passage what is the meaning of 'conflict'?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions.

Graham Greene was one of the most outstanding novelists after the Second World War. His remarkable novels are mainly concerned with evil and its endless conflict with righteousness. He saw action as a series of moral dilemmas and he depicts fundamental good and fundamental evil. His famous novels are Power and the Glory, The End of the Affair, Brighton Rock.

The elephant in the passage can be said to be

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

But I did not want to shoot the elephant. I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with the preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have. It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him. I had never shot an elephant and never wanted to. (Somehow it always seems worse to kill large animals.) Besides, there was the beast's owner to be considered. But I had got to act quickly. I turned to some experienced-looking people who had been there when we arrived, and asked them how the elephant had been behaving. They all said the same thing; he took no notice of you if you left him alone, but he might charge if you went too close to him.

The author was reluctant to shoot the elephant because he

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

But I did not want to shoot the elephant. I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with the preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have. It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him. I had never shot an elephant and never wanted to. (Somehow it always seems worse to kill large animals.) Besides, there was the beast's owner to be considered. But I had got to act quickly. I turned to some experienced-looking people who had been there when we arrived, and asked them how the elephant had been behaving. They all said the same thing; he took no notice of you if you left him alone, but he might charge if you went too close to him.

From the passage it appears that the author was

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

But I did not want to shoot the elephant. I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with the preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have. It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him. I had never shot an elephant and never wanted to. (Somehow it always seems worse to kill large animals.) Besides, there was the beast's owner to be considered. But I had got to act quickly. I turned to some experienced-looking people who had been there when we arrived, and asked them how the elephant had been behaving. They all said the same thing; he took no notice of you if you left him alone, but he might charge if you went too close to him.

It can be inferred from the passage that

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

But I did not want to shoot the elephant. I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with the preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have. It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him. I had never shot an elephant and never wanted to. (Somehow it always seems worse to kill large animals.) Besides, there was the beast's owner to be considered. But I had got to act quickly. I turned to some experienced-looking people who had been there when we arrived, and asked them how the elephant had been behaving. They all said the same thing; he took no notice of you if you left him alone, but he might charge if you went too close to him.

The phrase 'preoccupied grandmotherly air' signifies

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

But I did not want to shoot the elephant. I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with the preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have. It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him. I had never shot an elephant and never wanted to. (Somehow it always seems worse to kill large animals.) Besides, there was the beast's owner to be considered. But I had got to act quickly. I turned to some experienced-looking people who had been there when we arrived, and asked them how the elephant had been behaving. They all said the same thing; he took no notice of you if you left him alone, but he might charge if you went too close to him.

Under the Panchayat System the rural elite has not been able to exploit in

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

However romantic the concept of self government might be, the reality is as grim as it was a decade ago. Power to the people has been a lip service, a mere slogan. If anything, the Panchayat System has virtually legitimised the exploitation of the rural elite, barring, of course, in a few states like West Bengal and Karnataka.

No one is blind to the fact that the scheduled caste members are made to sit separately in panchayat meetings, that the poorest of the poor is never identified and the benefits go to the preferred ones. So vicious is the trap that no law from Delhi can undo it overnight. Instead of mere legislation, however well-intentioned it may be, what is needed is political education and general awareness. The villager must be given scope for critical thinking on his environment. This is possible through his initiation into the understanding of the system he is a victim of.

The concept of community control must be replaced by community participation which would free the villager of unnecessary political and bureaucratic interference and give him a sense of belonging to the village property. Unless the Panchayati Raj builds up into a truly people’s movement backed by a willing community, the vested interests will stifle the rare lone voice of resistance.

What is the meaning of 'romantic' as used in the passage?

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

However romantic the concept of self government might be, the reality is as grim as it was a decade ago. Power to the people has been a lip service, a mere slogan. If anything, the Panchayat System has virtually legitimised the exploitation of the rural elite, barring, of course, in a few states like West Bengal and Karnataka.

No one is blind to the fact that the scheduled caste members are made to sit separately in panchayat meetings, that the poorest of the poor is never identified and the benefits go to the preferred ones. So vicious is the trap that no law from Delhi can undo it overnight. Instead of mere legislation, however well-intentioned it may be, what is needed is political education and general awareness. The villager must be given scope for critical thinking on his environment. This is possible through his initiation into the understanding of the system he is a victim of.

The concept of community control must be replaced by community participation which would free the villager of unnecessary political and bureaucratic interference and give him a sense of belonging to the village property. Unless the Panchayati Raj builds up into a truly people’s movement backed by a willing community, the vested interests will stifle the rare lone voice of resistance.

What can be the best title of the passage?

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

However romantic the concept of self government might be, the reality is as grim as it was a decade ago. Power to the people has been a lip service, a mere slogan. If anything, the Panchayat System has virtually legitimised the exploitation of the rural elite, barring, of course, in a few states like West Bengal and Karnataka.

No one is blind to the fact that the scheduled caste members are made to sit separately in panchayat meetings, that the poorest of the poor is never identified and the benefits go to the preferred ones. So vicious is the trap that no law from Delhi can undo it overnight. Instead of mere legislation, however well-intentioned it may be, what is needed is political education and general awareness. The villager must be given scope for critical thinking on his environment. This is possible through his initiation into the understanding of the system he is a victim of.

The concept of community control must be replaced by community participation which would free the villager of unnecessary political and bureaucratic interference and give him a sense of belonging to the village property. Unless the Panchayati Raj builds up into a truly people’s movement backed by a willing community, the vested interests will stifle the rare lone voice of resistance.

Does the author welcome community control?

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

However romantic the concept of self government might be, the reality is as grim as it was a decade ago. Power to the people has been a lip service, a mere slogan. If anything, the Panchayat System has virtually legitimised the exploitation of the rural elite, barring, of course, in a few states like West Bengal and Karnataka.

No one is blind to the fact that the scheduled caste members are made to sit separately in panchayat meetings, that the poorest of the poor is never identified and the benefits go to the preferred ones. So vicious is the trap that no law from Delhi can undo it overnight. Instead of mere legislation, however well-intentioned it may be, what is needed is political education and general awareness. The villager must be given scope for critical thinking on his environment. This is possible through his initiation into the understanding of the system he is a victim of.

The concept of community control must be replaced by community participation which would free the villager of unnecessary political and bureaucratic interference and give him a sense of belonging to the village property. Unless the Panchayati Raj builds up into a truly people’s movement backed by a willing community, the vested interests will stifle the rare lone voice of resistance.

To whom do the benefits of the Panchayati Raj go?

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

However romantic the concept of self government might be, the reality is as grim as it was a decade ago. Power to the people has been a lip service, a mere slogan. If anything, the Panchayat System has virtually legitimised the exploitation of the rural elite, barring, of course, in a few states like West Bengal and Karnataka.

No one is blind to the fact that the scheduled caste members are made to sit separately in panchayat meetings, that the poorest of the poor is never identified and the benefits go to the preferred ones. So vicious is the trap that no law from Delhi can undo it overnight. Instead of mere legislation, however well-intentioned it may be, what is needed is political education and general awareness. The villager must be given scope for critical thinking on his environment. This is possible through his initiation into the understanding of the system he is a victim of.

The concept of community control must be replaced by community participation which would free the villager of unnecessary political and bureaucratic interference and give him a sense of belonging to the village property. Unless the Panchayati Raj builds up into a truly people’s movement backed by a willing community, the vested interests will stifle the rare lone voice of resistance.

Community participation will result in

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

However romantic the concept of self government might be, the reality is as grim as it was a decade ago. Power to the people has been a lip service, a mere slogan. If anything, the Panchayat System has virtually legitimised the exploitation of the rural elite, barring, of course, in a few states like West Bengal and Karnataka.

No one is blind to the fact that the scheduled caste members are made to sit separately in panchayat meetings, that the poorest of the poor is never identified and the benefits go to the preferred ones. So vicious is the trap that no law from Delhi can undo it overnight. Instead of mere legislation, however well-intentioned it may be, what is needed is political education and general awareness. The villager must be given scope for critical thinking on his environment. This is possible through his initiation into the understanding of the system he is a victim of.

The concept of community control must be replaced by community participation which would free the villager of unnecessary political and bureaucratic interference and give him a sense of belonging to the village property. Unless the Panchayati Raj builds up into a truly people’s movement backed by a willing community, the vested interests will stifle the rare lone voice of resistance.

In line 8, the word ‘radiates’ could best be replaced with

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option from each list according to the corresponding number in the passage.

1. Shakespeare’s heroines are endowed with
2. wit, humanised sense, humane feelings
3. and noble qualities of head and heart.
4. They are exceptionally winning and charming.
5. It is characteristic of nearly all Shakespeare’s
6. comedies that the heroines should escape his satire.
7. Shakespeare’s heroes maybe fine and handsome but when real business has got to be done, it’s the woman who does it.
8. His comedy radiates the spirit of humanity.
9. He enriches our experience of life.
10. His comedy exhibits his vision of life.