Reading Comprehension

Which phrase or set of words shows the professional rivalry of USA and Soviet Union?

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

The space age began in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world's first man-made satellite. Also in 1957, Sputnik 2 was launched carrying a dog named Laika. Laika was the first animal to orbit the Earth. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to pilot a spacecraft when he was launched aboard Vostok 1 by the Soviet Union. Later that year, Alan Shepard became the first American to pilot a spacecraft. He was followed by John Glenn, who orbited the Earth three times in 1962.
In 1963, the United States and the Soviet Union started a race to see who could put a man on the moon first. In 1969, the United States won when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Lunar Module Eagle on the moon's surface.

Whose record helped the USA win the race with the Soviet Union?

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

The space age began in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world's first man-made satellite. Also in 1957, Sputnik 2 was launched carrying a dog named Laika. Laika was the first animal to orbit the Earth. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to pilot a spacecraft when he was launched aboard Vostok 1 by the Soviet Union. Later that year, Alan Shepard became the first American to pilot a spacecraft. He was followed by John Glenn, who orbited the Earth three times in 1962.
In 1963, the United States and the Soviet Union started a race to see who could put a man on the moon first. In 1969, the United States won when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Lunar Module Eagle on the moon's surface.

Which of the following statements is true?

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

The space age began in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world's first man-made satellite. Also in 1957, Sputnik 2 was launched carrying a dog named Laika. Laika was the first animal to orbit the Earth. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to pilot a spacecraft when he was launched aboard Vostok 1 by the Soviet Union. Later that year, Alan Shepard became the first American to pilot a spacecraft. He was followed by John Glenn, who orbited the Earth three times in 1962.
In 1963, the United States and the Soviet Union started a race to see who could put a man on the moon first. In 1969, the United States won when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Lunar Module Eagle on the moon's surface.

What proved to be the platform for making numerous visits to space?

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

The space age began in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world's first man-made satellite. Also in 1957, Sputnik 2 was launched carrying a dog named Laika. Laika was the first animal to orbit the Earth. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to pilot a spacecraft when he was launched aboard Vostok 1 by the Soviet Union. Later that year, Alan Shepard became the first American to pilot a spacecraft. He was followed by John Glenn, who orbited the Earth three times in 1962.
In 1963, the United States and the Soviet Union started a race to see who could put a man on the moon first. In 1969, the United States won when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Lunar Module Eagle on the moon's surface.

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

Once, a beggar found a wallet on the road. He opened the wallet and found that there were one hundred gold coins in it. Just then, the beggar heard the cries of a merchant saying, "I have lost my wallet. Whosoever finds it and gives it to me, he will be given a reward.” The beggar was very honest. Handing over the wallet to the merchant, he said, "Will you give me the reward?" "Reward!' said the merchant, counting the coins, "This wallet had 200 gold coins. You have stolen half the coins. Now, you are asking for a reward. Be off or I will call the police.” The beggar could not bear the insulting words and said, "I have not stolen anything. I am ready to go to the court." In the court, the judge listened to both of them and said, "I trust both of you. I shall do justice. Merchant, you say that there were 200 gold coins in the wallet but the wallet which the beggar found had only 100 coins. This means that this wallet is not yours. Since there is no claimant to this wallet, I shall deposit half the coins to the treasury and half will be given to the beggar." The dishonest merchant could do nothing but lick his own feet. Now, he could not claim the wallet. The beggar got the reward for his honesty.

After the beggar had counted the gold coins, he heard the cries of

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

Once, a beggar found a wallet on the road. He opened the wallet and found that there were one hundred gold coins in it. Just then, the beggar heard the cries of a merchant saying, "I have lost my wallet. Whosoever finds it and gives it to me, he will be given a reward.” The beggar was very honest. Handing on the wallet to the merchant, he said, "Will you give me the reward?" "Reward!' said the merchant, counting the coins, "This wallet had 200 gold coins. You have stolen half the coins. Now, you are asking for reward. Be off or I will call the police.” The beggar could not bear the insulting words and said, "I have not stolen anything. I am ready to go to the court." In the court, the judge listened to both of them and said, "I trust both of you. I shall do justice. Merchant, you say that there were 200 gold coins in the wallet but the wallet which the beggar found had only 100 coins. This means that this wallet is not yours. Since there is no claimant to this wallet, I shall deposit half the coins to the treasury and half will be given to the beggar." The dishonest merchant could do nothing but lick his own feet. Now, he could not claim the wallet. The beggar got the reward for his honesty.

What was the reaction of the merchant when the beggar asked for the reward?

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

Once, a beggar found a wallet on the road. He opened the wallet and found that there were one hundred gold coins in it. Just then, the beggar heard the cries of a merchant saying, "I have lost my wallet. Whosoever finds it and gives it to me, he will be given a reward.” The beggar was very honest. Handing over the wallet to the merchant, he said, "Will you give me the reward?" "Reward!' said the merchant, counting the coins, "This wallet had 200 gold coins. You have stolen half the coins. Now, you are asking for a reward. Be off or I will call the police.” The beggar could not bear the insulting words and said, "I have not stolen anything. I am ready to go to the court." In the court, the judge listened to both of them and said, "I trust both of you. I shall do justice. Merchant, you say that there were 200 gold coins in the wallet but the wallet which the beggar found had only 100 coins. This means that this wallet is not yours. Since there is no claimant to this wallet, I shall deposit half the coins to the treasury and half will be given to the beggar." The dishonest merchant could do nothing but lick his own feet. Now, he could not claim the wallet. The beggar got the reward for his honesty.

What did the beggar choose to do on being called a thief?

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

Once, a beggar found a wallet on the road. He opened the wallet and found that there were one hundred gold coins in it. Just then, the beggar heard the cries of a merchant saying, "I have lost my wallet. Whosoever finds it and gives it to me, he will be given a reward.” The beggar was very honest. Handing over the wallet to the merchant, he said, "Will you give me the reward?" "Reward!' said the merchant, counting the coins, "This wallet had 200 gold coins. You have stolen half the coins. Now, you are asking for a reward. Be off or I will call the police.” The beggar could not bear the insulting words and said, "I have not stolen anything. I am ready to go to the court." In the court, the judge listened to both of them and said, "I trust both of you. I shall do justice. Merchant, you say that there were 200 gold coins in the wallet but the wallet which the beggar found had only 100 coins. This means that this wallet is not yours. Since there is no claimant to this wallet, I shall deposit half the coins to the treasury and half will be given to the beggar." The dishonest merchant could do nothing but lick his own feet. Now, he could not claim the wallet. The beggar got the reward for his honesty.

The judgment was passed in whose favour?

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

Once, a beggar found a wallet on the road. He opened the wallet and found that there were one hundred gold coins in it. Just then, the beggar heard the cries of a merchant saying, "I have lost my wallet. Whosoever finds it and gives it to me, he will be given a reward.” The beggar was very honest. Handing over the wallet to the merchant, he said, "Will you give me the reward?" "Reward!' said the merchant, counting the coins, "This wallet had 200 gold coins. You have stolen half the coins. Now, you are asking for a reward. Be off or I will call the police.” The beggar could not bear the insulting words and said, "I have not stolen anything. I am ready to go to the court." In the court, the judge listened to both of them and said, "I trust both of you. I shall do justice. Merchant, you say that there were 200 gold coins in the wallet but the wallet which the beggar found had only 100 coins. This means that this wallet is not yours. Since there is no claimant to this wallet, I shall deposit half the coins to the treasury and half will be given to the beggar." The dishonest merchant could do nothing but lick his own feet. Now, he could not claim the wallet. The beggar got the reward for his honesty.

Which word in the passage is similar in meaning to the word corrupt?

Which of the following according to the author has led to class chauvinism in India?

Passage:
India has been under the ‘white man’s regime’ for almost two centuries. Indians claim themselves to be victims of suppression. But frankly, have we not been double faced? If we condemn all racism, why are caste discriminations still a rule rather than being an exception? If we could not accept our oppression by the whites, how could we allow internal iscrimination based on caste and, why, even color? Many students from Tanzania, Uganda etc feel the pinch of racism in Indian educational institutions. ‘Black’ is often the word used by their peers to denote their identity. India’s diversity has often led to class chauvinism. Many have suffered its effects indignantly. There have been innumerable experiences of people, which when narrated can be deemed a national shame.
This caste and color consciousness has been apparent in some supposedly innocuous forms also. Look at all the matrimonial advertisements demanding fair skinned (as if a superior quality) brides. And why are the same matrimonial advertisements divided into castes and other such classes? If we are so obsessed by fair skin why do we rave at racism? Some might believe racism is probably a more sinister evil. It invokes arrogance of a community, both social and economic, and its domination of minority groups. With the advent of globalization though, there has been intermingling of cultures and races, breaking the rigid walls of race supremacy. People have tried to overcome all discrimination to respond to ‘oneness’ of the world. But this is a tedious and slow process. In any case, what is the difference? Discrimination, whether it is based on caste or on race or color, needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
We raised a hue and cry against a TV show in the west, on the issue of racial remarks against Shilpa Shetty. This kind of Indian attitude is surprising - practicing racism internally and condemning it externally. Why do we not raise the same question for ourselves as we raised to support Shilpa Shetty? Why can’t this sympathetic attitude be shown for the castes condemned to the peripherals of our culture? If public, media, and government work responsibly, no West Indian would have to be self - conscious living in a north Indian city.

What has caused class prejudice in India?

Passage:
India has been under the ‘white man’s regime’ for almost two centuries. Indians claim themselves to be victims of suppression. But frankly, have we not been double faced? If we condemn all racism, why are caste discriminations still a rule rather than being an exception? If we could not accept our oppression by the whites, how could we allow internal iscrimination based on caste and, why, even color? Many students from Tanzania, Uganda etc feel the pinch of racism in Indian educational institutions. ‘Black’ is often the word used by their peers to denote their identity. India’s diversity has often led to class chauvinism. Many have suffered its effects indignantly. There have been innumerable experiences of people, which when narrated can be deemed a national shame.
This caste and color consciousness has been apparent in some supposedly innocuous forms also. Look at all the matrimonial advertisements demanding fair skinned (as if a superior quality) brides. And why are the same matrimonial advertisements divided into castes and other such classes? If we are so obsessed by fair skin why do we rave at racism? Some might believe racism is probably a more sinister evil. It invokes arrogance of a community, both social and economic, and its domination of minority groups. With the advent of globalization though, there has been intermingling of cultures and races, breaking the rigid walls of race supremacy. People have tried to overcome all discrimination to respond to ‘oneness’ of the world. But this is a tedious and slow process. In any case, what is the difference? Discrimination, whether it is based on caste or on race or color, needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
We raised a hue and cry against a TV show in the west, on the issue of racial remarks against Shilpa Shetty. This kind of Indian attitude is surprising - practicing racism internally and condemning it externally. Why do we not raise the same question for ourselves as we raised to support Shilpa Shetty? Why can’t this sympathetic attitude be shown for the castes condemned to the peripherals of our culture? If public, media, and government work responsibly, no West Indian would have to be self - conscious living in a north Indian city.

How has globalization played an anti racist role?

Passage:
India has been under the ‘white man’s regime’ for almost two centuries. Indians claim themselves to be victims of suppression. But frankly, have we not been double faced? If we condemn all racism, why are caste discriminations still a rule rather than being an exception? If we could not accept our oppression by the whites, how could we allow internal iscrimination based on caste and, why, even color? Many students from Tanzania, Uganda etc feel the pinch of racism in Indian educational institutions. ‘Black’ is often the word used by their peers to denote their identity. India’s diversity has often led to class chauvinism. Many have suffered its effects indignantly. There have been innumerable experiences of people, which when narrated can be deemed a national shame.
This caste and color consciousness has been apparent in some supposedly innocuous forms also. Look at all the matrimonial advertisements demanding fair skinned (as if a superior quality) brides. And why are the same matrimonial advertisements divided into castes and other such classes? If we are so obsessed by fair skin why do we rave at racism? Some might believe racism is probably a more sinister evil. It invokes arrogance of a community, both social and economic, and its domination of minority groups. With the advent of globalization though, there has been intermingling of cultures and races, breaking the rigid walls of race supremacy. People have tried to overcome all discrimination to respond to ‘oneness’ of the world. But this is a tedious and slow process. In any case, what is the difference? Discrimination, whether it is based on caste or on race or color, needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
We raised a hue and cry against a TV show in the west, on the issue of racial remarks against Shilpa Shetty. This kind of Indian attitude is surprising - practicing racism internally and condemning it externally. Why do we not raise the same question for ourselves as we raised to support Shilpa Shetty? Why can’t this sympathetic attitude be shown for the castes condemned to the peripherals of our culture? If public, media, and government work responsibly, no West Indian would have to be self - conscious living in a north Indian city.

The author quotes from John Lennon's song and calls it 'an apt metaphor for urbanization in India.' What exactly is being referred to?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

The famous line by John Lennon from a song in his last album, “Life is what happens to you while you’re making other plans,” is an apt metaphor for urbanization in India. 
In September, a UN report, ‘State of the World’s Cities’, noted that Delhi had joined an exclusive league of ‘metacities’—massive conurbations of more than 20 million people. It now outstrips even Shanghai and similar behemoths to rank as the world’s second largest urban agglomeration behind Tokyo, a position it is likely to retain till 2025.
As with much of policy-making in the country, the pattern is one of being reactive not proactive, of forever playing catch-up, in this case trying to provide housing, water, transport and other services to a burgeoning urban population. To attribute purposiveness behind India’s urbanisation is to give our planners and policymakers credit (or blame) where it is not due!
Obviously a mega city has pros and cons - economies of scale that make possible good museums, hospitals and universities (agglomeration economies) have to be balanced against congestion, crime, pollution and administrative challenges (agglomeration diseconomies). In the ultimate analysis, one size-does-not-fit-all and there is space under the sun for cities of all sizes.
That said, three features of India’s urbanisation portend the future. First, till recently and contrary to popular belief, India on the whole urbanised slowly. In 1950 India was more urban than China, but the latter overtook us soon(45% urban compared to our 31%).
Second, in contrast to Europe and Africa, urban Indians tend to live in bigger cities — about 50% of them lived in cities of 5 lakh or more and 42% lived in cities of over a million.
Finally, and more worryingly, urban sprawl is increasing in India — we are urbanising wastefully in terms of land with all its attendant consequences for service delivery.
As Indian cities nibble away at their rural fringe (gobble-up would be a more appropriate description) they also corrode the nation’s moral fiber — the worst instances of corruption and scams are to be found in land deals and rural-urban conversion. Land transactions fuel the black economy and windfall gains of nouveau riche with scant regard for values.
The question then is not one of size since it alone does not make a Delhi or a Mumbai into Shanghai which are indeed bigger or of the same size. It is sensible (compact and dense) urban form, efficient service delivery and accountable and responsive city governments that would make our mega-dysfunctional-cities into Shanghai.

In the context of the passage, which of the following statements would not be true?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

The famous line by John Lennon from a song in his last album, “Life is what happens to you while you’re making other plans,” is an apt metaphor for urbanization in India. 
In September, a UN report, ‘State of the World’s Cities’, noted that Delhi had joined an exclusive league of ‘metacities’—massive conurbations of more than 20 million people. It now outstrips even Shanghai and similar behemoths to rank as the world’s second largest urban agglomeration behind Tokyo, a position it is likely to retain till 2025.
As with much of policy-making in the country, the pattern is one of being reactive not proactive, of forever playing catch-up, in this case trying to provide housing, water, transport and other services to a burgeoning urban population. To attribute purposiveness behind India’s urbanisation is to give our planners and policymakers credit (or blame) where it is not due!
Obviously a mega city has pros and cons - economies of scale that make possible good museums, hospitals and universities (agglomeration economies) have to be balanced against congestion, crime, pollution and administrative challenges (agglomeration diseconomies). In the ultimate analysis, one size-does-not-fit-all and there is space under the sun for cities of all sizes.
That said, three features of India’s urbanisation portend the future. First, till recently and contrary to popular belief, India on the whole urbanised slowly. In 1950 India was more urban than China, but the latter overtook us soon(45% urban compared to our 31%).
Second, in contrast to Europe and Africa, urban Indians tend to live in bigger cities — about 50% of them lived in cities of 5 lakh or more and 42% lived in cities of over a million.
Finally, and more worryingly, urban sprawl is increasing in India — we are urbanising wastefully in terms of land with all its attendant consequences for service delivery.
As Indian cities nibble away at their rural fringe (gobble-up would be a more appropriate description) they also corrode the nation’s moral fiber — the worst instances of corruption and scams are to be found in land deals and rural-urban conversion. Land transactions fuel the black economy and windfall gains of nouveau riche with scant regard for values.
The question then is not one of size since it alone does not make a Delhi or a Mumbai into Shanghai which are indeed bigger or of the same size. It is sensible (compact and dense) urban form, efficient service delivery and accountable and responsive city governments that would make our mega-dysfunctional-cities into Shanghai.

Which of the following sums up the essence of the passage?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

In this ever changing environment where companies are competing with each other to gain market space, to come up with innovation and increase their productivity, it becomes imperative that organizations adopt practices that help them to attract and retain competitive talent in the work place. It requires the organization to take the right set of people, create an ecosystem where talent can blossom/develop and at the same time weed out people who do not seem to fit into the roles assigned to them. Most of the organizations today have a performance measurement mechanism which helps them to categorize people, identify their competency gaps/strengths and decide compensation structure based on performance.
Performance management systems (PMS) have also evolved over the years. It has changed form in terms of the way it is administered and delivered as well as to the way in which PMS has been approached. It has evolved from a manual system or the normal annual form filling exercise to a more sophisticated system where even large information can be gathered using automated platforms. PMS has also emerged as part of a broader frame work where the organization’s vision, values and objectives are closely connected with each other. It has redefined its form into something more elaborate like a balance scorecard where the processes, financials, learning and development plans of the people are integrated into one. The beginning of the cold war era also saw the two major superpowers coming up with massive leaps in technology, production and making investments on a large scale in research and developmental functions. Both of these superpowers carried out a number of experiments on human beings to map the complications of human brain functioning and to find out what motivated people do to reach for greater heights in their professional as well as personal lives. Big companies with global footprint evermore felt the need to develop such systems as may stimulate people to excel in their roles. The result of these scientific studies and experiments laid the platform for the development of strength finding mechanisms where emphasis was laid on placing people in roles matching their inherent competencies.