English Reading Comprehension

Directions: According to the information in the passage, choose the appropriate synonym for the given word.

Rigid

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the passage, state whether the given statement is True, False or Not Given.

Shipping was conventional as compared to road transport.

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the passage, state whether the given statement is True, False or Not Given.

Romans loved oxen.

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the information in the passage, choose the appropriate synonym for the given word.

Pivot

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the information in the passage, choose the appropriate synonym for the given word.

Primitive

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the passage, state whether the given statement is True, False or Not Given.

Chariot is a type of ship.

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the passage, state whether the given statement is True, False or Not Given.

Celts had completely discarded the axel in the cart.

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the passage, state whether the given statement is True, False or Not Given.

Romans were experts in the shipment of rice.

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the information in the passage, choose the appropriate synonym for the given word.

Staples

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the information in the passage, choose the appropriate synonym for the given word.

Resistance

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

Directions: According to the information in the passage, choose the appropriate synonym for the given word.

Drag

ROMAN LAND TRANSPORTATION: THE ROMAN ROAD SYSTEM
In the Roman Empire, for the first time in history, a system of fully connected roads (and of cities connected by roads) came into existence. But, its military and administrative purposes were clear; when the question was the shipment of wheat or other bulky staples, the method used was almost certainly a relatively primitive sailing ship. Land transport was too costly of food resources to be employed in freight shipment: the justification for the extensive land transportation system of the Roman Empire was the efficiency and speed it brought over to lordship and administration.
The chariot was capable of speeds that could assure relatively quick communication if a firm and reasonably sloping surface could be had. The Romans accomplished such construction by devising a drained sub-base to be paved with fairly tight-fitting flat rocks. Few of these roads were wide enough to allow wagons to pass each other. In fact, the pavements were rather narrow for the passage of a single wagon; only chariots fitted comfortably.

It can be inferred from the lines, "None of these aims, in fact, has materialised....dominating fossil fuel energy deployment" that

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

Are the forebodings about the impending global warming really producing the intended policy responses from the governments of various countries? “Not so” would be the answer, judging the fate of the recent global conference, sponsored by the Netherlands Government at Nordwijk. Here was a gathering of representatives – climatologists and Ministers of Environment – of 60 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Japan and India. On the agenda before the conference were three crucial issues relating to stemming of the greenhouse effect or the global build up of carbon dioxide.

First, there was the question of the industrial countries agreeing upon freezing CO₂ emission at current levels by 2000 AD, and achieving 20% cuts by 2005 AD, first mooted at the Toronto world conference of June 1988. Second, there was the proposal to concert a world–wide afforestation programme covering 12 million hectares per year as a method of combating the decreased carbon fixation caused by the unstoppable deforestation all over the third world. Thirdly, the conference also sought to obtain a mandate for a preparatory draft for a global convention on climate.

None of these aims, in fact, has materialised. The industrialised countries, without exception have turned down the proposition that makes it compulsory for them to adopt a time bound containment of CO₂ emission through appropriate changes in the industrial systems and in the energy mix. Although the resistance to any such commitment by countries such as the United States and Britain is not difficult to understand in view of the paucity of empirical information as what the costs of industrial restructuring would be, there can hardly be any doubt that these countries are yet to overcome their allergic attitude to the very concept of moving away from the dominating fossil fuel energy deployment.

Japan’s well–known stance of having moved resolutely ahead on the path of restructuring and away from high levels of CO₂ emissions was predictably reaffirmed at the conference. Although the developing countries find themselves in a hopeless predicament, they are not being able to commit themselves to time bound environmental action plans, such as stopping the usage of Chloro–Fluoro Carbons (CFCs) by the end of the century and the proposal for graduated mitigation of CO₂ emission brought up at the Nordwijk conference, there is fortunately no prospect of global warming being treated as a totally extraneous issue by the consequences of the greenhouse effect. For low–lying countries, such as Egypt, Maldives, would hesitate to call for determined global preventive action.

What lessons do the vacillations registered at the Nordwijk conference hold for policymakers worldwide? One obvious conclusion is that the industrial countries should begin setting the example, rather than merely repeat the percepts about the need to contain the damage to the precious resources of the environment. There are some small things that the developed countries can do to uncomplicate the task of ensuring the developing nations stick to the advocated environment friendly measures. One of these, which says that the debt overhead that torments the developing countries can be overcome by mere “forgiveness” or resumption of private commercial, has to be put to rest by rejecting it completely.

A better alternative will be that the global community organises a massive programme of concessional financial assistance to the poor countries, to enable them to achieve transfer of industrial energy and environmental technologies which would give content and meaning to the otherwise amorphous paradigm of suitable development. It is for the developing countries to bend their energies and work for substantial improvements in the living conditions of the masses of the poor without aping the misguided and discredited anti–environment policy matrix of the North.

Which among the following can be inferred from the passage?

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

THE DECADES–OLD proposal to link all of India's major rivers with one another was revived with much fanfare last year. Most political parties welcomed it then as a solution to the country's drinking water and irrigation problems. But it has not taken long for the proposal to come face to face with the hard reality of planning what will be the largest project ever taken up in India. A number of States, from Punjab in the north to Kerala in the south, have expressed their opposition to a transfer of river waters from their territory to other States. The latest example is the considerable anxiety in Kerala about including a link between the Pampa and the Achankovil (flowing through Kerala) and the Vaippar (in Tamil Nadu) in the proposed national river grid. This is only one of many reasons why the ambitious, many would say unrealistic. Schedules for execution of the project have already been thrown out of gear.

The high–level task force on the project, constituted in December 2002, was expected to prepare the schedule for completion of feasibility studies and estimate the cost of the project by the end of April this year. It was to then come up in June with the options for funding the project. It was also expected to convene a meeting in May/June of State Chief Ministers and obtain their agreement and cooperation. None of these deadlines has been  met and there is no  indication that these  events will take place in the near future. This is not surprising, for while the interlinking proposal has been spoken about for decades, all the complex engineering, economic, environmental and social issues involved in the project have never been carefully studied. It is, therefore, not an easy task to draw up in a few months even the time lines for implementation. It will also be impossible to complete within a decade (as decreed by the Supreme Court) execution of a project that at first approximation is estimated to cost Rs. 5,60,000 crores, which is twice the size of India's gross domestic product at present. In fact, the one Government committee that did examine aspects of the proposal to some extent, the National Commission for an Integrated Water Resources Development Plan, was in 1999 ambivalent about the benefits of interlinking the country's rivers.

The drought of 2002 was the context in which the proposal to build a grid connecting India's rivers was revived. Before another drought leads to another round of active interest in the project, it is necessary to come up with answers to two broad sets of questions. The first question is, what will be the total costs and benefits of a river grid project in economic, environmental and social terms. The second will be, what are the different options to meet the future requirements of water and is the interlinking proposal the best among them. Answers to these questions will have to address issues in agricultural technology, patterns of water use, extraction of ground and surface water resources, efficiency in consumption of water in crop cultivation, resource mobilization, human displacement and changes in the environment. A plan on such a scale and of such complexity as the proposal to link the country's rivers can be taken up only after a range of such substa ntive issues are analyzed threadbare.

According to the passage, an unsophisticated business plan will be useful for markets where

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

Early books on business strategy aimed to structure and codify the many documentary histories and memoirs of business leaders. They contained precious little theory or models drawn from economics or other social sciences. They did contain many good ideas but few frameworks in which to place them. There was limited guidance as to when and where the idea would or would not work. Just because an idea was useful in one company at one moment of time does not mean it will always work. Gradually, ideas and models emerged that provided the necessary structure to the chaos of anecdotal memories. First, we need to distinguish between corporate and business level strategy.

At the corporate level, businesses need to ask themselves fundamental questions such as ‘Which business should we be in?’ At the business level, a business needs to ask itself: How do we compete? It is at this latter level that we position our thinking. The organisation has decided that it will compete in a certain market and is seeking ways to optimise what it should do in pursuing its goals, in other words, what its strategy should be. How we think about business strategy, has evolved and changed as new and better ideas have become more widely known and accepted as the needs of business have also changed. Business strategy has had many definitions but these are two that give a sense of what is involved, irrespective of where we are in time: Strategy is about matching the competencies of the organisation to its environment. A strategy describes how an organisation aims to meet its objectives’.

If strategy is about matching your business to the opportunities and challenges of the environment, then it pays to understand what that means and how the environment is changing and likely to change in the future. A company’s ability to match itself to its environment can be assessed by using the SWOT analysis; identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. PEST and SWOT analyses have become the logical starting points for any business looking to appraise itself and to define or redefine its strategy. We believe it is time to identify better ways in which any organisation can identify how to match itself to the changing needs and views of the most important part of its environment, its customers. We also believe that management needs to look more inside its organisation to find the answers to the challenges presented by their environment. A third definition of strategy explains why commercial organisations should invest time and money in creating a strategy: ‘A successful strategy is one that achieves an above average profitability in its sector’. We also believe that any approach to strategy must be capable of demonstrating that it can guide a business organisation to above average profitability or at least to an increase in profitability. For, not–for–profit organisations, the performance measures will be very different. A business school might aim to break even but measure itself by the number of students it educates. A charity might measure its total giving or a ratio of donations to income. A church might measure itself by the size of its congregation. Performance measures that are relevant to commercial business can be applied to any type or style of organisation.

While companies still use SWOT and PEST analyses, other strategic tools have become outdated as business has changed in its nature. A century ago, the multinational was the exception on the corporate landscape. In markets, where competition is fragmented and the main competitors are small, a relatively unsophisticated business plan, one that concerns itself solely with the business and its immediate market, is likely to be more than adequate. Gap analysis is still a relevant technique that can focus the management of such organisations into thinking about the main issues they face, specifically how to bridge the gap between their existing financial performances and where they would like the business to be in future. Used in conjunction with a PEST and SWOT analysis, a firm can construct a clear sense of direction. By identifying and costing various projects that will help to fill the strategic planning gap, it can create a strategic plan. The value of gap analysis lies in its simplicity, but it has one key weakness: it ignores competition. It also lacks any model that may help management decide what to do or how to appraise their ideas as to how to fill the planning gap. But first there is a question on the way strategies actually evolve. Is it via the purposive analysis implied by Gap, SWOT and PEST analysis?