Reading Comprehension

According to the author which of the following conditions will influence India's future development?

1. Replacing traditional educational systems with globally accepted foreign systems
2. Improving employment conditions of teaching staff
3. Getting global accreditation for Indian college courses

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

   The main idea conveyed by the report is that our children do not get a chance to enjoy learning at school because the syllabi are irrationally organised, teaching is text book centered and the system of examinations instills fear and encourages mechanical repetition. Text books developed along the lines of reconceptualised syllabi can attempt to integrate positive values, life skills, aesthetic sensibility and concern for the environment. They are interactive and make a conscious effort to point both children and the teachers towards other sources of learning such as neighbourhood, nature etc. In addition two parallel challenges deserve attention. The first is examination reforms. Rigid indifference to individual differences is the major flaw of the present system. From the quality of questions to the manner of evaluation, it favours drilled preparedness and ignores independent thought while the unrealistically high cut offs in coveted colleges are a further sign of systemic inefficiency. It is hardly surprising that the very thought of examinations makes the young depressed. Moreover practices of splitting unified topics into arbitrary bits carrying small marks value encourage teachers to concentrate on scoring topics overlooking the importance of perspective and overall understanding. Little surprise that many elite high-fee schools are opting for International Baccalaureate not because it offers status with its global certification but for its flexibility and respect for individual differences in learning.
   The second area is teacher training which suffers from obsolete notions. Most teachers are trained mainly to cover the syllabus in a mechanical exam-oriented manner. By insisting that every child move at the same pace in all subjects teachers encourage rote learning and ridicule for those who fall behind. Teacher training whether for nursery or secondary school teachers should be embedded in courses, which have the capacity to develop both the teacher's personality and perspective on society by linking subject learning with reflective and creative project work. The ultimate responsibility lies with universities and institutes of higher learning to ensure the quality of all teachers. Initiatives to improve the content of teacher training courses will ensure utilisation of desolate university campuses during summer vacations which conceal an enormous waste of infrastructure and expertise. The quality of education is a reflection of the quality of teachers and major improvements in their training and working conditions will motivate the young to pursue a teaching career and determine how India fares in the pursuit of economic and social development in the years to come.

What is the author's recommendation to universities?

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

The main idea conveyed by the report is that our children do not get a chance to enjoy learning at school because the syllabi are irrationally organised, teaching is text book centered and the system of examinations instills fear and encourages mechanical repetition. Text books developed along the lines of reconceptualised syllabi can attempt to integrate positive values, life skills, aesthetic sensibility and concern for the environment. They are interactive and make a conscious effort to point both children and the teachers towards other sources of learning such as neighbourhood, nature etc. In addition two parallel challenges deserve attention. The first is examination reforms. Rigid indifference to individual differences is the major flaw of the present system. From the quality of questions to the manner of evaluation, it favours drilled preparedness and ignores independent thought while the unrealistically high cut offs in coveted colleges are a further sign of systemic inefficiency. It is hardly surprising that the very thought of examinations makes the young depressed. Moreover practices of splitting unified topics into arbitrary bits carrying small marks value encourage teachers to concentrate on scoring topics overlooking the importance of perspective and overall understanding. Little surprise that many elite high-fee schools are opting for International Baccalaureate not because it offers status with its global certification but for its flexibility and respect for individual differences in learning.
The second area is teacher training which suffers from obsolete notions. Most teachers are trained mainly to cover the syllabus in a mechanical exam-oriented manner. By insisting that every child move at the same pace in all subjects teachers encourage rote learning and ridicule for those who fall behind. Teacher training whether for nursery or secondary school teachers should be embedded in courses, which have the capacity to develop both the teacher's personality and perspective on society by linking subject learning with reflective and creative project work. The ultimate responsibility lies with universities and institutes of higher learning to ensure the quality of all teachers. Initiatives to improve the content of teacher training courses will ensure utilisation of desolate university campuses during summer vacations which conceal an enormous waste of infrastructure and expertise. The quality of education is a reflection of the quality of teachers and major improvements in their training and working conditions will motivate the young to pursue a teaching career and determine how India fares in the pursuit of economic and social development in the years to come.

What does progress in life depend upon?

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

Progress in life depends a good deal on crossing one threshold after another. Some time ago, a man watched his little nephew trying to write his name. It was hardwork, very hardwork. The little boy had arrived at an effort threshold. Today, he writes his name with comparative ease. No new threshold confronts him. This is the way with all. Conquer one difficulty, a new difficulty appears or should appear. Some people make the mistake of steering clear of thresholds. They avoid anything that requires genuine thinking and use of energy. They prefer to stay in a rut where thresholds are not met. Probably they have been at their job a number of years; things are easy for them. They make an effort to seek out new obstacles to overcome. Real progress stops under such circumstances. 
Some middle–aged and elderly people greatly enrich their lives by continuing to cross thresholds. One man went into an entirely new business when he was past middle-age and made a success of it. De Morgan did not start to write novels until he was past sixty. Psychologists have discovered that man can continue to learn throughout the life and it is undoubtedly better to try and fail than not to try at all. Here, one can be placed in the category of the Swiss mountaineer of whom it was said that he died climbing. When a new difficulty rises to obstruct your path, do not complain. Accept the challenge. Determine to cross this threshold as you have crossed numerous other thresholds in your past life. In the world of the poet, do not rest. Strive to pass from dream to grander dream.

What does 'to pass from dream to grander dream' mean?

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

Progress in life depends a good deal on crossing one threshold after another. Some time ago, a man watched his little nephew trying to write his name. It was hardwork, very hardwork. The little boy had arrived at an effort threshold. Today, he writes his name with comparative ease. No new threshold confronts him. This is the way with all. Conquer one difficulty, a new difficulty appears or should appear. Some people make the mistake of steering clear of thresholds. They avoid anything that requires genuine thinking and use of energy. They prefer to stay in a rut where thresholds are not met. Probably they have been at their job a number of years; things are easy for them. They make an effort to seek out new obstacles to overcome. Real progress stops under such circumstances. 
Some middle–aged and elderly people greatly enrich their lives by continuing to cross thresholds. One man went into an entirely new business when he was past middle-age and made a success of it. De Morgan did not start to write novels until he was past sixty. Psychologists have discovered that man can continue to learn throughout the life and it is undoubtedly better to try and fail than not to try at all. Here, one can be placed in the category of the Swiss mountaineer of whom it was said that he died climbing. When a new difficulty rises to obstruct your path, do not complain. Accept the challenge. Determine to cross this threshold as you have crossed numerous other thresholds in your past life. In the world of the poet, do not rest. Strive to pass from dream to grander dream.

What does 'he died climbing' signify?

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

Progress in life depends a good deal on crossing one threshold after another. Some time ago, a man watched his little nephew trying to write his name. It was hardwork, very hardwork. The little boy had arrived at an effort threshold. Today, he writes his name with comparative ease. No new threshold confronts him. This is the way with all. Conquer one difficulty, a new difficulty appears or should appear. Some people make the mistake of steering clear of thresholds. They avoid anything that requires genuine thinking and use of energy. They prefer to stay in a rut where thresholds are not met. Probably they have been at their job a number of years; things are easy for them. They make an effort to seek out new obstacles to overcome. Real progress stops under such circumstances. 
Some middle–aged and elderly people greatly enrich their lives by continuing to cross thresholds. One man went into an entirely new business when he was past middle-age and made a success of it. De Morgan did not start to write novels until he was past sixty. Psychologists have discovered that man can continue to learn throughout the life and it is undoubtedly better to try and fail than not to try at all. Here, one can be placed in the category of the Swiss mountaineer of whom it was said that he died climbing. When a new difficulty rises to obstruct your path, do not complain. Accept the challenge. Determine to cross this threshold as you have crossed numerous other thresholds in your past life. In the world of the poet, do not rest. Strive to pass from dream to grander dream.

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

What obstructs real progress in life?

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

Progress in life depends a good deal on crossing one threshold after another. Some time ago, a man watched his little nephew trying to write his name. It was hardwork, very hardwork. The little boy had arrived at an effort threshold. Today, he writes his name with comparative ease. No new threshold confronts him. This is the way with all. Conquer one difficulty, a new difficulty appears or should appear. Some people make the mistake of steering clear of thresholds. They avoid anything that requires genuine thinking and use of energy. They prefer to stay in a rut where thresholds are not met. Probably they have been at their job a number of years; things are easy for them. They make an effort to seek out new obstacles to overcome. Real progress stops under such circumstances. 
Some middle–aged and elderly people greatly enrich their lives by continuing to cross thresholds. One man went into an entirely new business when he was past middle-age and made a success of it. De Morgan did not start to write novels until he was past sixty. Psychologists have discovered that man can continue to learn throughout the life and it is undoubtedly better to try and fail than not to try at all. Here, one can be placed in the category of the Swiss mountaineer of whom it was said that he died climbing. When a new difficulty rises to obstruct your path, do not complain. Accept the challenge. Determine to cross this threshold as you have crossed numerous other thresholds in your past life. In the world of the poet, do not rest. Strive to pass from dream to grander dream.

How can you accomplish the most difficult of tasks?

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

Progress in life depends a good deal on crossing one threshold after another. Some time ago, a man watched his little nephew trying to write his name. It was hardwork, very hardwork. The little boy had arrived at an effort threshold. Today, he writes his name with comparative ease. No new threshold confronts him. This is the way with all. Conquer one difficulty, a new difficulty appears or should appear. Some people make the mistake of steering clear of thresholds. They avoid anything that requires genuine thinking and use of energy. They prefer to stay in a rut where thresholds are not met. Probably they have been at their job a number of years; things are easy for them. They make an effort to seek out new obstacles to overcome. Real progress stops under such circumstances. 
Some middle–aged and elderly people greatly enrich their lives by continuing to cross thresholds. One man went into an entirely new business when he was past middle-age and made a success of it. De Morgan did not start to write novels until he was past sixty. Psychologists have discovered that man can continue to learn throughout the life and it is undoubtedly better to try and fail than not to try at all. Here, one can be placed in the category of the Swiss mountaineer of whom it was said that he died climbing. When a new difficulty rises to obstruct your path, do not complain. Accept the challenge. Determine to cross this threshold as you have crossed numerous other thresholds in your past life. In the world of the poet, do not rest. Strive to pass from dream to grander dream.

When did De Morgan start to write novels?

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

Progress in life depends a good deal on crossing one threshold after another. Some time ago, a man watched his little nephew trying to write his name. It was hardwork, very hardwork. The little boy had arrived at an effort threshold. Today, he writes his name with comparative ease. No new threshold confronts him. This is the way with all. Conquer one difficulty, a new difficulty appears or should appear. Some people make the mistake of steering clear of thresholds. They avoid anything that requires genuine thinking and use of energy. They prefer to stay in a rut where thresholds are not met. Probably they have been at their job a number of years; things are easy for them. They make an effort to seek out new obstacles to overcome. Real progress stops under such circumstances. 
Some middle–aged and elderly people greatly enrich their lives by continuing to cross thresholds. One man went into an entirely new business when he was past middle-age and made a success of it. De Morgan did not start to write novels until he was past sixty. Psychologists have discovered that man can continue to learn throughout the life and it is undoubtedly better to try and fail than not to try at all. Here, one can be placed in the category of the Swiss mountaineer of whom it was said that he died climbing. When a new difficulty rises to obstruct your path, do not complain. Accept the challenge. Determine to cross this threshold as you have crossed numerous other thresholds in your past life. In the world of the poet, do not rest. Strive to pass from dream to grander dream.

What does the expression ‘all India character’ mean?

Directions: Read the Passage and answer the question that follows.

The CRPF has an all-India character, both in organisation and in deployment. Its various attributes are mobility, adaptability, wide spectrum of duties and graded response. The force keeps on moving from one corner of the country to the other to deal with internal security challenges. They played a significant role during the amalgamation of the princely States into the Indian Union. It helped the Union Government in disciplining the rebellious princely States of Junagarh and the small principality of Kathiawar in Gujarat which had declined to join the Indian Union. Soon after Independence, contingents of the CRPF were sent on Kutch, Rajasthan and Sindh borders to check infiltration and trans-border crimes. They were, subsequently, deployed on the Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir following attacks launched by the Pakistani infiltrators. The CRPF bore the brunt of the first Chinese attack on India at Hot Springs (Ladakh) on October 21, 1959.

What does the passage mean by ‘tossing’?

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

Pigeons have an instinctive ability to navigate by the sun, the earth’s magnetic field and by infrasound or hearing distant low-frequency sound waves. However, due to adverse weather or man-created conditions, e.g. cell tower signals emitting radiation which results in disorientation and windmills which affect all birds and bats too, they increasingly find it difficult to pick up proper directions to reach “home”, but no matter what, most do eventually return safe. Homers are a breed of pigeons named so because many have flown back to their “homes” from long distances. They are made to race between 8 months to 5 years of age. Training is called “tossing” which involves, as just mentioned, taking the birds to a place and releasing them. The time they take to return home needs to be noted.

What according to the passage can cause disorientation for birds and bats?

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

Pigeons have an instinctive ability to navigate by the sun, the earth’s magnetic field and by infrasound or hearing distant low-frequency sound waves. However, due to adverse weather or man-created conditions, e.g. cell tower signals emitting radiation which results in disorientation and windmills which affect all birds and bats too, they increasingly find it difficult to pick up proper directions to reach “home”, but no matter what, most do eventually return safe. Homers are a breed of pigeons named so because many have flown back to their “homes” from long distances. They are made to race between 8 months to 5 years of age. Training is called “tossing” which involves, as just mentioned, taking the birds to a place and releasing them. The time they take to return home needs to be noted.

What are ‘homers’ according to the passage?

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

Pigeons have an instinctive ability to navigate by the sun, the earth’s magnetic field and by infrasound or hearing distant low-frequency sound waves. However, due to adverse weather or man-created conditions, e.g. cell tower signals emitting radiation which results in disorientation and windmills which affect all birds and bats too, they increasingly find it difficult to pick up proper directions to reach “home”, but no matter what, most do eventually return safe. Homers are a breed of pigeons named so because many have flown back to their “homes” from long distances. They are made to race between 8 months to 5 years of age. Training is called “tossing” which involves, as just mentioned, taking the birds to a place and releasing them. The time they take to return home needs to be noted.

What is the main purpose of keeping homing pigeons according to the passage?

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

Pigeons have an instinctive ability to navigate by the sun, the earth’s magnetic field and by infrasound or hearing distant low-frequency sound waves. However, due to adverse weather or man-created conditions, e.g. cell tower signals emitting radiation which results in disorientation and windmills which affect all birds and bats too, they increasingly find it difficult to pick up proper directions to reach “home”, but no matter what, most do eventually return safe. Homers are a breed of pigeons named so because many have flown back to their “homes” from long distances. They are made to race between 8 months to 5 years of age. Training is called “tossing” which involves, as just mentioned, taking the birds to a place and releasing them. The time they take to return home needs to be noted.

Which of the following areas was the place where CRPF contingents were moved directly after independence?

Directions: Read the Passage and answer the question that follows.

The CRPF has an all-India character, both in organisation and in deployment. Its various attributes are mobility, adaptability, wide spectrum of duties and graded response. The force keeps on moving from one corner of the country to the other to deal with internal security challenges. They played a significant role during the amalgamation of the princely States into the Indian Union. It helped the Union Government in disciplining the rebellious princely States of Junagarh and the small principality of Kathiawar in Gujarat which had declined to join the Indian Union. Soon after Independence, contingents of the CRPF were sent on Kutch, Rajasthan and Sindh borders to check infiltration and trans-border crimes. They were, subsequently, deployed on the Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir following attacks launched by the Pakistani infiltrators. The CRPF bore the brunt of the first Chinese attack on India at Hot Springs (Ladakh) on October 21, 1959.

Which one of the following places was integrated into the Indian Union after it was restrained by the CRPF during the consolidation of the States?

Directions: Read the Passage and answer the question that follows.

The CRPF has an all-India character, both in organisation and in deployment. Its various attributes are mobility, adaptability, wide spectrum of duties and graded response. The force keeps on moving from one corner of the country to the other to deal with internal security challenges. They played a significant role during the amalgamation of the princely States into the Indian Union. It helped the Union Government in disciplining the rebellious princely States of Junagarh and the small principality of Kathiawar in Gujarat which had declined to join the Indian Union. Soon after Independence, contingents of the CRPF were sent on Kutch, Rajasthan and Sindh borders to check infiltration and trans-border crimes. They were, subsequently, deployed on the Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir following attacks launched by the Pakistani infiltrators. The CRPF bore the brunt of the first Chinese attack on India at Hot Springs (Ladakh) on October 21, 1959.