Reading Comprehension

Choose the correct statement:

Directions:  Read the passage below and answer the question given underneath.
The urban poor are experiencing the same level of health as their equivalent in rural areas. Both communities have an equal status of poor health among their respective population. While there may be different characteristics for single population in different cities, they all share many common features which affect health status and social challenges. These include overcrowding, air pollution, tobacco use, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, alcohol and drug abuse, road injuries, etc. Other difficulties and challenges center on poor infrastructure which would include poor solid waste management, insufficient access to health care, particularly in slum areas. Most cities also face various challenges in terms of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, maternal and child care issues, natural disasters and the threat of reemerging and emerging diseases. As per the UHRC, one in every ten children in the slums do not live upto the age of five years in India. Furthermore, nearly 42% of slum children receive recommended vaccinations. Over half of child births that take place among poor women occur at home in slums, which puts both the mother and the newborn at risk. Another risk factor is the poor sanitation found in slums, which contributes to the high rate of diseases. Two-thirds of urban poor households do not have access to toilets and nearly 50% do not have running water supplied to their homes.
Currently, the Indian health system is more focussed towards those poor in rural areas and it has an organisational structure that begins from the grass roots to tertiary care which is managed by dedicated staff. Unfortunately, there is a huge deficiency of services and structures in urban areas. To add to this, a very rapid growth of the urban population has overburdened the existing system. The majority of healthcare in cities is mainly served by private sector doctors and hospitals which tends to cost much higher and is not accessible to the most urban poor.

The paragraph best supports the statements that centralization of power 

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

Centralisation of power and the structures and procedures flowing out of such an overbearing arrangement have proved to be not only damaging to any work culture that may exist in government departments but have also led to an oppressive network of sycophancy and nepotism. While the focus of decentralization so far has been on the development of local bodies and panchayati raj institutions, little attention has been paid to the need to devolve administrative authority from the national capital.

To make a brand successful,

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

Centralisation of power and the structures and procedures flowing out of such an overbearing arrangement have proved to be not only damaging to any work culture that may exist in government departments but have also led to an oppressive network of sycophancy and nepotism. While the focus of decentralization so far has been on the development of local bodies and panchayati raj institutions, little attention has been paid to the need to devolve administrative authority from the national capital.

Which of the following can be said about brand personality?

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

Centralisation of power and the structures and procedures flowing out of such an overbearing arrangement have proved to be not only damaging to any work culture that may exist in government departments but have also led to an oppressive network of sycophancy and nepotism. While the focus of decentralization so far has been on the development of local bodies and panchayati raj institutions, little attention has been paid to the need to devolve administrative authority from the national capital.

How have media and press played a vital role in making Bermuda Triangle a mystery?

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

PASSAGE – III

The Bermuda Triangle has always been shrouded in mystery. The missing ships and planes have roused irrevocable inquisitiveness among people. Many theories pertaining to extraterrestrials, evil humans, anti gravity, magnetic field, oceanic flatulence and other technical sounding and weird hypothesis have been put forth. But a few investigators contrive ill luck, pirates, incompetence of navigators to be the cause of these missing  ships  and  planes.  A  few  diehard  rationalists  believe there is no mystery element that needs to be explained as the figures pertaining to wrecks is common when there is such exceeding traffic on sea. The missing ships perhaps had never touched Bermuda Triangle’s domain. No scientific derivations prove any aura of mystery enveloping Bermuda Triangle. The surprising subject rather is how Bermuda Triangle became so centralized a topic of mystery.

Probably it began with the disappearance of five Navy planes in 1945. Logic states they vanished due to bad weather and failure of compass field. The trainee pilots lacked the expertise to face the sudden ordeal. The other declaration was that the planes collapsed due to fuel shortage. But in no way any mystery element coincides. This has been a revered subject for writers as a lot of written material can be found about it. It’s perhaps surprising that no one took the investigation on the mystery. Rather they all cashed this mystery to write their best sellers. They passed these derivations of the past without pondering on them. Slowly Bermuda Triangle mystery evolved as a farce as these irresponsible authors did not foresee how their accounts would change a myth into a truth in public eye. The mass media too played in phlegmatic attitude in solving this. They plundered the mystery element to spice up their news items. Soon the superstitious called it the ‘Devil’s Triangle’. Some considered it to be the alien’s domain and some called the Atlantis the cursed water which gobbled whoever came across. But it’s a fact that all these exaggerations have helped to lend fear and fascination to the world’s greatest mystery the Bermuda Triangle.

What is the main aim of the author?

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

PASSAGE – III

The Bermuda Triangle has always been shrouded in mystery. The missing ships and planes have roused irrevocable inquisitiveness among people. Many theories pertaining to extraterrestrials, evil humans, anti gravity, magnetic field, oceanic flatulence and other technical sounding and weird hypothesis have been put forth. But a few investigators contrive ill luck, pirates, incompetence of navigators to be the cause of these missing  ships  and  planes.  A  few  diehard  rationalists  believe there is no mystery element that needs to be explained as the figures pertaining to wrecks is common when there is such exceeding traffic on sea. The missing ships perhaps had never touched Bermuda Triangle’s domain. No scientific derivations prove any aura of mystery enveloping Bermuda Triangle. The surprising subject rather is how Bermuda Triangle became so centralized a topic of mystery.

Probably it began with the disappearance of five Navy planes in 1945. Logic states they vanished due to bad weather and failure of compass field. The trainee pilots lacked the expertise to face the sudden ordeal. The other declaration was that the planes collapsed due to fuel shortage. But in no way any mystery element coincides. This has been a revered subject for writers as a lot of written material can be found about it. It’s perhaps surprising that no one took the investigation on the mystery. Rather they all cashed this mystery to write their best sellers. They passed these derivations of the past without pondering on them. Slowly Bermuda Triangle mystery evolved as a farce as these irresponsible authors did not foresee how their accounts would change a myth into a truth in public eye. The mass media too played in phlegmatic attitude in solving this. They plundered the mystery element to spice up their news items. Soon the superstitious called it the ‘Devil’s Triangle’. Some considered it to be the alien’s domain and some called the Atlantis the cursed water which gobbled whoever came across. But it’s a fact that all these exaggerations have helped to lend fear and fascination to the world’s greatest mystery the Bermuda Triangle.

What is more surprising than the mystery of Bermuda Triangle?

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

PASSAGE – III

The Bermuda Triangle has always been shrouded in mystery. The missing ships and planes have roused irrevocable inquisitiveness among people. Many theories pertaining to extraterrestrials, evil humans, anti gravity, magnetic field, oceanic flatulence and other technical sounding and weird hypothesis have been put forth. But a few investigators contrive ill luck, pirates, incompetence of navigators to be the cause of these missing  ships  and  planes.  A  few  diehard  rationalists  believe there is no mystery element that needs to be explained as the figures pertaining to wrecks is common when there is such exceeding traffic on sea. The missing ships perhaps had never touched Bermuda Triangle’s domain. No scientific derivations prove any aura of mystery enveloping Bermuda Triangle. The surprising subject rather is how Bermuda Triangle became so centralized a topic of mystery.

Probably it began with the disappearance of five Navy planes in 1945. Logic states they vanished due to bad weather and failure of compass field. The trainee pilots lacked the expertise to face the sudden ordeal. The other declaration was that the planes collapsed due to fuel shortage. But in no way any mystery element coincides. This has been a revered subject for writers as a lot of written material can be found about it. It’s perhaps surprising that no one took the investigation on the mystery. Rather they all cashed this mystery to write their best sellers. They passed these derivations of the past without pondering on them. Slowly Bermuda Triangle mystery evolved as a farce as these irresponsible authors did not foresee how their accounts would change a myth into a truth in public eye. The mass media too played in phlegmatic attitude in solving this. They plundered the mystery element to spice up their news items. Soon the superstitious called it the ‘Devil’s Triangle’. Some considered it to be the alien’s domain and some called the Atlantis the cursed water which gobbled whoever came across. But it’s a fact that all these exaggerations have helped to lend fear and fascination to the world’s greatest mystery the Bermuda Triangle.

The passage is taken from

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

PASSAGE – IV

Then I told him, “It’s the shoes, silly.” Of all recruitment filters this must be the strangest. Or is it? Speak to a journeyman recruiter about what puts her off someone she is interviewing, and the list that emerges is stranger still. “Overgrown nails, tight clothes, nasal hair, dandruff, a loud tie, louder socks, mini skirts, cleavage, tattoos…”.

Probe a little further and the list acquires a psychographic tinge: “Arrogance, obsequiousness, a know-it-all attitude, inability to listen …..“. Smart recruiters do not need too much time to look for these: the duration of the interview itself will do. Ask Dr. Yasho V. Verma, LG’s head of HR. “I never listen to what people have to say; it is far more important how they say it.” That statement should endear him to the proponents of the form-over-content school of thought.

There is enough scientific evidence to suggest that hiring decisions are based as much on form as on content. Social psychologists have estimated that we make up to 10 (value) judgments on someone we meet in the first 30 seconds after we have met them. These include those related to economic and education levels (“She looks like an MBA”); trustworthiness, social worthiness (“He’s the kind of guy I won’t have over at home”); level of sophistication, and economic, social, and moral heritage. Not convinced? A 1996-study titled Silent Messages by Albert Mehrabin, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, discovered that 55 percent of the impact we make on others is a function of our appearance, 38 percent, our voice, and 7 percent, the content (or what we say).

“Every small cue counts,” says Satish Pradhan, the head of HR of the Tata Group. The appropriateness of dress and demeanour is one thing that most interviewers look for in a candidate, and it is a fairly easy thing to measure. What other things do recruiters look for? They try to see whether the candidate’s body language is in sync with what he (or she) is saying, “An interviewer will try and corroborate what a person says by reading his non-verbal conduct” says RP. Singh, Central Manager, HR. Philips. For instance, a person who avoids looking straight into the eyes of the interviewer is either unsure of what he is saying, or is lying. There are other things that seasoned interviewers look for: does the candidate sit still, or fidget? Does he shake his leg or twiddle his thumbs while speaking (a sure sign of nervousness)? How does he react to a stressful question? (If he flails his arms, stammers, or gets shifty eyed, he is not used to stress). And even if a person is able to fudge all these and land the job, the result is a zero-sum game: it is difficult to fudge behaviour forever, and the company will get rid of the person sooner than later once the truth is out.

For the person being interviewed, there is just one way out: to be himself or herself.  Last word: just improve your walk some. A few recruiters believe in seeing how candidates walk into and out of a room.

Which among the following statements is not true?

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

PASSAGE – IV

Then I told him, “It’s the shoes, silly.” Of all recruitment filters this must be the strangest. Or is it? Speak to a journeyman recruiter about what puts her off someone she is interviewing, and the list that emerges is stranger still. “Overgrown nails, tight clothes, nasal hair, dandruff, a loud tie, louder socks, mini skirts, cleavage, tattoos…”.

Probe a little further and the list acquires a psychographic tinge: “Arrogance, obsequiousness, a know-it-all attitude, inability to listen …..“. Smart recruiters do not need too much time to look for these: the duration of the interview itself will do. Ask Dr. Yasho V. Verma, LG’s head of HR. “I never listen to what people have to say; it is far more important how they say it.” That statement should endear him to the proponents of the form-over-content school of thought.

There is enough scientific evidence to suggest that hiring decisions are based as much on form as on content. Social psychologists have estimated that we make up to 10 (value) judgments on someone we meet in the first 30 seconds after we have met them. These include those related to economic and education levels (“She looks like an MBA”); trustworthiness, social worthiness (“He’s the kind of guy I won’t have over at home”); level of sophistication, and economic, social, and moral heritage. Not convinced? A 1996-study titled Silent Messages by Albert Mehrabin, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, discovered that 55 percent of the impact we make on others is a function of our appearance, 38 percent, our voice, and 7 percent, the content (or what we say).

“Every small cue counts,” says Satish Pradhan, the head of HR of the Tata Group. The appropriateness of dress and demeanour is one thing that most interviewers look for in a candidate, and it is a fairly easy thing to measure. What other things do recruiters look for? They try to see whether the candidate’s body language is in sync with what he (or she) is saying, “An interviewer will try and corroborate what a person says by reading his non-verbal conduct” says RP. Singh, Central Manager, HR. Philips. For instance, a person who avoids looking straight into the eyes of the interviewer is either unsure of what he is saying, or is lying. There are other things that seasoned interviewers look for: does the candidate sit still, or fidget? Does he shake his leg or twiddle his thumbs while speaking (a sure sign of nervousness)? How does he react to a stressful question? (If he flails his arms, stammers, or gets shifty eyed, he is not used to stress). And even if a person is able to fudge all these and land the job, the result is a zero-sum game: it is difficult to fudge behaviour forever, and the company will get rid of the person sooner than later once the truth is out.

For the person being interviewed, there is just one way out: to be himself or herself.  Last word: just improve your walk some. A few recruiters believe in seeing how candidates walk into and out of a room.

When the writer says that India's Project Tiger established over 25 tiger reserves, he means that

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the questions given underneath.

India is home to the world's largest population of wild tigers but only 11% of the original Indian tiger habitat remains. From 1973, India's Project Tiger established over 25 tiger reserves, where human habitation was not allowed. The project was credited with tripling the number of wild Bengal tigers from some 1,200 in 1973 to over 3,500 in the 1990s, but a 2007 report showed that numbers had fallen down to about 1,400 tigers because of illegal hunting.

Which phrase means ‘praise and appreciation’?

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the questions given underneath.

India is home to the world's largest population of wild tigers but only 11% of the original Indian tiger habitat remains. From 1973, India's Project Tiger established over 25 tiger reserves, where human habitation was not allowed. The project was credited with tripling the number of wild Bengal tigers from some 1,200 in 1973 to over 3,500 in the 1990s, but a 2007 report showed that numbers had fallen down to about 1,400 tigers because of illegal hunting.

What has happened to the tiger habitat in India?

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the questions given underneath.

India is home to the world's largest population of wild tigers but only 11% of the original Indian tiger habitat remains. From 1973, India's Project Tiger established over 25 tiger reserves, where human habitation was not allowed. The project was credited with tripling the number of wild Bengal tigers from some 1,200 in 1973 to over 3,500 in the 1990s, but a 2007 report showed that numbers had fallen down to about 1,400 tigers because of illegal hunting.

Coral reefs are made up of which of the following?

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question given underneath.

Coral reefs are one of the Earth’s most beautiful, ancient and complex ecosystems. They play an essential role in sustaining life in the sea and serve as a source of food and protection for human communities. But coral reefs face an uncertain future. As a result of growing human and environmental assaults, reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Ecological research provides information fundamental to understanding and combating this trend. Corals are actually animals with plants living inside them. A coral structure is actually composed of hundreds or thousands of tiny animals growing together as a colony which make a coral. Several polyps make a coral which together form a reef.
Coral reefs are the most diverse and productive marine communities on the planet. They play a critical role as habitat and nursery grounds for 10 to 20% of the world’s fisheries. They are intimately connected to other marine communities such as mangrove forests, sea grass beds, and the open seas as water currents transport larvae, plants, animals, nutrients, and organic materials. They play a significant role in the development of other ecosystems such as mangroves and wetlands and protect coastlines from wave and storm damage and erosion.

What does the phrase “numbers had fallen down” mean in the passage?

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the questions given underneath.

India is home to the world's largest population of wild tigers but only 11% of the original Indian tiger habitat remains. From 1973, India's Project Tiger established over 25 tiger reserves, where human habitation was not allowed. The project was credited with tripling the number of wild Bengal tigers from some 1,200 in 1973 to over 3,500 in the 1990s, but a 2007 report showed that numbers had fallen down to about 1,400 tigers because of illegal hunting.

In the passage what does the phrase 'combating this trend' refer to?

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question given underneath.

Coral reefs are one of the Earth’s most beautiful, ancient and complex ecosystems. They play an essential role in sustaining life in the sea and serve as a source of food and protection for human communities. But coral reefs face an uncertain future. As a result of growing human and environmental assaults, reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Ecological research provides information fundamental to understanding and combating this trend. Corals are actually animals with plants living inside them. A coral structure is actually composed of hundreds or thousands of tiny animals growing together as a colony which make a coral. Several polyps make a coral which together form a reef.
Coral reefs are the most diverse and productive marine communities on the planet. They play a critical role as habitat and nursery grounds for 10 to 20% of the world’s fisheries. They are intimately connected to other marine communities such as mangrove forests, sea grass beds, and the open seas as water currents transport larvae, plants, animals, nutrients, and organic materials. They play a significant role in the development of other ecosystems such as mangroves and wetlands and protect coastlines from wave and storm damage and erosion.