Reading Comprehension

Why does the author think that coral reefs face an uncertain future?

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 brain release upon the use of tobacco products?

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

When you use tobacco products, nicotine is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. Within 10 seconds of entering your body, the nicotine reaches your brain. It causes the brain to release adrenaline, creating a buzz of pleasure and energy.
The buzz fades quickly though, and leaves you feeling tired, a little down, and wanting the buzz again. This feeling is what makes you light up the next cigarette. Since your body is able to build up a high tolerance to nicotine, you’ll need to smoke more and more cigarettes in order to get the nicotine’s pleasurable effects and prevent withdrawal symptoms.
This up and down cycle repeats over and over again, leading to addiction. Addiction keeps people smoking even when they want to quit. Breaking addiction is harder for some people than others. Many people need more than one try in order to quit. 
Research suggests that children and teens may be especially sensitive to nicotine, making it easier for them to become addicted. The younger the smokers are when they start, the more likely they are to become addicted. In fact, about three out of four high school smokers will become adult smokers.

The phrase 'light up' as used in the passage implies

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

When you use tobacco products, nicotine is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. Within 10 seconds of entering your body, the nicotine reaches your brain. It causes the brain to release adrenaline, creating a buzz of pleasure and energy.
The buzz fades quickly though, and leaves you feeling tired, a little down, and wanting the buzz again. This feeling is what makes you light up the next cigarette. Since your body is able to build up a high tolerance to nicotine, you’ll need to smoke more and more cigarettes in order to get the nicotine’s pleasurable effects and prevent withdrawal symptoms.
This up and down cycle repeats over and over again, leading to addiction. Addiction keeps people smoking even when they want to quit. Breaking addiction is harder for some people than others. Many people need more than one try in order to quit. 
Research suggests that children and teens may be especially sensitive to nicotine, making it easier for them to become addicted. The younger the smokers are when they start, the more likely they are to become addicted. In fact, about three out of four high school smokers will become adult smokers.

When was the Pulse Polio Programme launched in India?

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

India’s polio-free certification, which was awarded by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014 for ensuring polio did not infect anyone in three straight years, took almost two decades of very hard work. Though vaccination against polio started in 1978 under India’s Expanded Programme in Immunisation, only about 40% children under five were being reached by 1984.
Following the WHO’s Polio Eradication Initiative, India launched its Pulse Polio Programme in 1995 with the target to vaccinate every child under five. It took some years, but it met targets. For successive years, each one of the country’s 26 million newborns was vaccinated against the paralysing infection, not once but repeatedly for the first five years of their lives. The biggest challenges were geography (for example, in the Kosi river belt in Bihar annual floods isolate several hundred families), work-related migration and ignorance: some families would refuse vaccination because they were convinced the drops would make their children impotent.
Ensuring these lifesaving drops reach around 800 million children each year — 172 million children are reached in each nationwide round of vaccination, and then there are sub-national rounds — is a spectacular feat by any standards.

Why did some families refuse vaccination for their children?

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

India’s polio-free certification, which was awarded by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014 for ensuring polio did not infect anyone in three straight years, took almost two decades of very hard work. Though vaccination against polio started in 1978 under India’s Expanded Programme in Immunisation, only about 40% children under five were being reached by 1984.
Following the WHO’s Polio Eradication Initiative, India launched its Pulse Polio Programme in 1995 with the target to vaccinate every child under five. It took some years, but it met targets. For successive years, each one of the country’s 26 million newborns was vaccinated against the paralysing infection, not once but repeatedly for the first five years of their lives. The biggest challenges were geography (for example, in the Kosi river belt in Bihar annual floods isolate several hundred families), work-related migration and ignorance: some families would refuse vaccination because they were convinced the drops would make their children impotent.
Ensuring these lifesaving drops reach around 800 million children each year — 172 million children are reached in each nationwide round of vaccination, and then there are sub-national rounds — is a spectacular feat by any standards.

What was the condition that India met for receiving a polio-free certification by WHO?

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

India’s polio-free certification, which was awarded by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014 for ensuring polio did not infect anyone in three straight years, took almost two decades of very hard work. Though vaccination against polio started in 1978 under India’s Expanded Programme in Immunisation, only about 40% children under five were being reached by 1984.
Following the WHO’s Polio Eradication Initiative, India launched its Pulse Polio Programme in 1995 with the target to vaccinate every child under five. It took some years, but it met targets. For successive years, each one of the country’s 26 million newborns was vaccinated against the paralysing infection, not once but repeatedly for the first five years of their lives. The biggest challenges were geography (for example, in the Kosi river belt in Bihar annual floods isolate several hundred families), work-related migration and ignorance: some families would refuse vaccination because they were convinced the drops would make their children impotent.
Ensuring these lifesaving drops reach around 800 million children each year — 172 million children are reached in each nationwide round of vaccination, and then there are sub-national rounds — is a spectacular feat by any standards.

Which of the following words is the closest in meaning to the word ‘isolate’?

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

India’s polio-free certification, which was awarded by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014 for ensuring polio did not infect anyone in three straight years, took almost two decades of very hard work. Though vaccination against polio started in 1978 under India’s Expanded Programme in Immunisation, only about 40% children under five were being reached by 1984.
Following the WHO’s Polio Eradication Initiative, India launched its Pulse Polio Programme in 1995 with the target to vaccinate every child under five. It took some years, but it met targets. For successive years, each one of the country’s 26 million newborns was vaccinated against the paralysing infection, not once but repeatedly for the first five years of their lives. The biggest challenges were geography (for example, in the Kosi river belt in Bihar annual floods isolate several hundred families), work-related migration and ignorance: some families would refuse vaccination because they were convinced the drops would make their children impotent.
Ensuring these lifesaving drops reach around 800 million children each year — 172 million children are reached in each nationwide round of vaccination, and then there are sub-national rounds — is a spectacular feat by any standards.

What according to the author does one need to do to prevent withdrawal symptoms?

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

When you use tobacco products, nicotine is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. Within 10 seconds of entering your body, the nicotine reaches your brain. It causes the brain to release adrenaline, creating a buzz of pleasure and energy.
The buzz fades quickly though, and leaves you feeling tired, a little down, and wanting the buzz again. This feeling is what makes you light up the next cigarette. Since your body is able to build up a high tolerance to nicotine, you’ll need to smoke more and more cigarettes in order to get the nicotine’s pleasurable effects and prevent withdrawal symptoms.
This up and down cycle repeats over and over again, leading to addiction. Addiction keeps people smoking even when they want to quit. Breaking addiction is harder for some people than others. Many people need more than one try in order to quit. 
Research suggests that children and teens may be especially sensitive to nicotine, making it easier for them to become addicted. The younger the smokers are when they start, the more likely they are to become addicted. In fact, about three out of four high school smokers will become adult smokers.

Which of the following words is the nearest in meaning to the word ‘addiction’?

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

When you use tobacco products, nicotine is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. Within 10 seconds of entering your body, the nicotine reaches your brain. It causes the brain to release adrenaline, creating a buzz of pleasure and energy.
The buzz fades quickly though, and leaves you feeling tired, a little down, and wanting the buzz again. This feeling is what makes you light up the next cigarette. Since your body is able to build up a high tolerance to nicotine, you’ll need to smoke more and more cigarettes in order to get the nicotine’s pleasurable effects and prevent withdrawal symptoms.
This up and down cycle repeats over and over again, leading to addiction. Addiction keeps people smoking even when they want to quit. Breaking addiction is harder for some people than others. Many people need more than one try in order to quit. 
Research suggests that children and teens may be especially sensitive to nicotine, making it easier for them to become addicted. The younger the smokers are when they start, the more likely they are to become addicted. In fact, about three out of four high school smokers will become adult smokers.

What did Raju do when his cart was sinking in the mire?

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

One day it rained very heavily. The roads were muddy. It was the day for the market and Raju, the farmer, was riding his cart along the country road. He had to reach the market early so that he could sell his hay. It was very difficult for the horses to drag the load through the deep mud. On his journey, suddenly the wheels of the horse cart sank into the mire. The more the horses pulled, the deeper the wheel sank. Raju climbed down from his seat and stood beside his cart. He searched all around but could not find anyone around to help him. Cursing his bad luck, he looked dejected and defeated. He didn’t make the slightest effort to get down on the wheel and lift it up by himself. Instead he started cursing his luck for what happened. Looking up at the sky, he started shouting at God, “I am so unlucky! Why has this happened to me? Oh God, come down to help me.” After a long wait, God finally appeared before Raju. He asked Raju, “Do you think you can move the chariot by simply looking at it and whining about it? Nobody will help you unless you make some effort to help yourself. Did you try to get the wheel out of the pothole by yourself? Get up and put your shoulder to wheel and you will soon find the way out.” Raju was ashamed of himself. He bent down and put his shoulder to the wheel and urged on the horses. In no time the wheel was out of the mire. Raju learnt his lesson. He thanked God and carried on his journey happily. God helps those who help themselves.

Which word in the passage is the opposite of hopeful?

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

One day it rained very heavily. The roads were muddy. It was the day for the market and Raju, the farmer, was riding his cart along the country road. He had to reach the market early so that he could sell his hay. It was very difficult for the horses to drag the load through the deep mud. On his journey, suddenly the wheels of the horse cart sank into the mire. The more the horses pulled, the deeper the wheel sank. Raju climbed down from his seat and stood beside his cart. He searched all around but could not find anyone around to help him. Cursing his bad luck, he looked dejected and defeated. He didn’t make the slightest effort to get down on the wheel and lift it up by himself. Instead he started cursing his luck for what happened. Looking up at the sky, he started shouting at God, “I am so unlucky! Why has this happened to me? Oh God, come down to help me.” After a long wait, God finally appeared before Raju. He asked Raju, “Do you think you can move the chariot by simply looking at it and whining about it? Nobody will help you unless you make some effort to help yourself. Did you try to get the wheel out of the pothole by yourself? Get up and put your shoulder to wheel and you will soon find the way out.” Raju was ashamed of himself. He bent down and put his shoulder to the wheel and urged on the horses. In no time the wheel was out of the mire. Raju learnt his lesson. He thanked God and carried on his journey happily. God helps those who help themselves.

Who made him realise that he could help himself?

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

One day it rained very heavily. The roads were muddy. It was the day for the market and Raju, the farmer, was riding his cart along the country road. He had to reach the market early so that he could sell his hay. It was very difficult for the horses to drag the load through the deep mud. On his journey, suddenly the wheels of the horse cart sank into the mire. The more the horses pulled, the deeper the wheel sank. Raju climbed down from his seat and stood beside his cart. He searched all around but could not find anyone around to help him. Cursing his bad luck, he looked dejected and defeated. He didn’t make the slightest effort to get down on the wheel and lift it up by himself. Instead he started cursing his luck for what happened. Looking up at the sky, he started shouting at God, “I am so unlucky! Why has this happened to me? Oh God, come down to help me.” After a long wait, God finally appeared before Raju. He asked Raju, “Do you think you can move the chariot by simply looking at it and whining about it? Nobody will help you unless you make some effort to help yourself. Did you try to get the wheel out of the pothole by yourself? Get up and put your shoulder to wheel and you will soon find the way out.” Raju was ashamed of himself. He bent down and put his shoulder to the wheel and urged on the horses. In no time the wheel was out of the mire. Raju learnt his lesson. He thanked God and carried on his journey happily. God helps those who help themselves.

Who helped Raju?

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

One day it rained very heavily. The roads were muddy. It was the day for the market and Raju, the farmer, was riding his cart along the country road. He had to reach the market early so that he could sell his hay. It was very difficult for the horses to drag the load through the deep mud. On his journey, suddenly the wheels of the horse cart sank into the mire. The more the horses pulled, the deeper the wheel sank. Raju climbed down from his seat and stood beside his cart. He searched all around but could not find anyone around to help him. Cursing his bad luck, he looked dejected and defeated. He didn’t make the slightest effort to get down on the wheel and lift it up by himself. Instead he started cursing his luck for what happened. Looking up at the sky, he started shouting at God, “I am so unlucky! Why has this happened to me? Oh God, come down to help me.” After a long wait, God finally appeared before Raju. He asked Raju, “Do you think you can move the chariot by simply looking at it and whining about it? Nobody will help you unless you make some effort to help yourself. Did you try to get the wheel out of the pothole by yourself? Get up and put your shoulder to wheel and you will soon find the way out.” Raju was ashamed of himself. He bent down and put his shoulder to the wheel and urged on the horses. In no time the wheel was out of the mire. Raju learnt his lesson. He thanked God and carried on his journey happily. God helps those who help themselves.

The roads were muddy because

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

One day it rained very heavily. The roads were muddy. It was the day for the market and Raju, the farmer, was riding his cart along the country road. He had to reach the market early so that he could sell his hay. It was very difficult for the horses to drag the load through the deep mud. On his journey, suddenly the wheels of the horse cart sank into the mire. The more the horses pulled, the deeper the wheel sank. Raju climbed down from his seat and stood beside his cart. He searched all around but could not find anyone around to help him. Cursing his bad luck, he looked dejected and defeated. He didn’t make the slightest effort to get down on the wheel and lift it up by himself. Instead he started cursing his luck for what happened. Looking up at the sky, he started shouting at God, “I am so unlucky! Why has this happened to me? Oh God, come down to help me.” After a long wait, God finally appeared before Raju. He asked Raju, “Do you think you can move the chariot by simply looking at it and whining about it? Nobody will help you unless you make some effort to help yourself. Did you try to get the wheel out of the pothole by yourself? Get up and put your shoulder to wheel and you will soon find the way out.” Raju was ashamed of himself. He bent down and put his shoulder to the wheel and urged on the horses. In no time the wheel was out of the mire. Raju learnt his lesson. He thanked God and carried on his journey happily. God helps those who help themselves.