Reading Comprehension

The word linger in the passage is closest in meaning to (paragraph 3)

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question.

According to the Journal of American Geriatrics: If an inactive 70-year-old were to begin an exercise programme of 'moderate activity', the result would be a gain of 15 years in his age and if the subject were to achieve the 'athlete' level of conditioning, he could experience a potential improvement of 40 years in his age!
Harvard researchers tracked the workout habits of 17,321 healthy men for over 20 years and found that those who burnt at least 1,500 calories a week in activities such as running, brisk walking, cycling or swimming had a 25 percent lower death rate than men who burnt a meagre 150 calories per week exercising. That's the equivalent of the difference in mortality between non-smokers and men who smoke a pack of cigarettes daily!

Another Harvard study followed the living habits of more than 47,000 men aged 40 to 75 years for six years, and after adjusting for factors like diet and family history found that those who worked out at least thrice a week were significantly less likely to develop colon cancer or polyps (tumorous growth that can be a precursor to cancer) as compared to sedentary men.

Being overweight increases the risk of colon cancer. Obese men have a 50 per cent higher risk of contracting the disease and those who carried extra weight primarily in their abdominal region were 3 ½ times as likely as their leaner subjects. Researchers believe that exercise reduces the risk of colon cancer by lowering insulin levels that tend to be higher in normal weight people who are not physically active. The lower level of insulin promotes bowel activity, which does not allow cancer causing toxins to linger in the body for long.

Exercise reduces the risk of all types of cancer, by significantly boosting our body's internal defense against free radicals. No antioxidant action plan is complete without regular exercise, for the natural endogenous antioxidants (those produced by the human body), such as SOH, GSH and catalase may become too fragile for supplements to have their full effect.

For long, it has been known that exercise reduces blood pressure in the sedentary, helps lessen angina pains, and decreases harmful body fat which would otherwise affect the arteries and the heart. The heart, like any other muscle in the body, gets bigger, stronger and more efficient with exercise and pumps more oxygenated blood to different parts of the body. Not only are nutrients transported throughout the body; the muscles in the body also become more efficient at extracting oxygen from the bloodstream. Circulation improves too, partly because exercise boosts the number of small blood vessels (capillaries) that deliver oxygen to tissues and carry the excess away, including the deadly LDL cholesterol.

Exercise also burns body fat and raises metabolic activity. Most commonly people desirous of burning unwanted calories follow an exercise regime. Exercise helps regulate blood sugar metabolism and therefore may help to ward off the diseases.

Just as exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, bones and muscles, it may also power the brain, leading to faster reflexes, increased alertness and a pervading sense of well-being. Today's Archimedes would find creative inspiration, not in the bath, but on the treadmill. Aerobic exercise increases the amount of certain brain chemicals that stimulate growth of nerve cells. It also triggers the release of several key neurotransmitters, including epinephrine and norepinephrine that are known to boost awareness.

A vigorous workout stimulates the body to pump out the so called stress hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine that prepare your heart, lungs and muscles for 'fight and flight'. By working out regularly, you almost 'train' the body to react less intensely to stress, as a result of that you can cope better with anxiety provoking events.

The main purpose of the passage is to

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

Nothing is sure, but death and taxes, and of course, north is north and south is south, and thus, it has always been so. But, this is what they say, and there is no guarantee that it is the truth. You can believe that death and taxes are for real, but you might want to reconsider the part about south is south and north is north because many times during the history of our planet, north has become south and south has become north. This may sound extraordinarily fictitious, but it is true and a process called magnetic reversal is behind it. 
Paleogeologists have found that this phenomenon is the real thing, in a field study known as paleomagnetism, by investigating rocks. There is a lot that goes on before anything can be deciphered from the rocks. When rocks are being formed from magma, atoms within their crystals respond to Earth’s magnetic field by pointing towards the magnetic North pole of Earth. The magnetic force of attraction is generated by the North Pole on the atoms of rocks. By age dating the rocks and their magnetic alignment, scientists can determine where on Earth the North Pole was located at the time because as the rocks solidified, they trapped information within them. The study of ancient lava flows has shown that at certain periods in Earth’s history, magnetic north was located exactly at the place it is located at the moment.

It has now been determined that this reversal takes place quite regularly, i.e. every 500,000 years. The last reversal is said to have taken place approximately 700,000 years ago. The name given by scientists to the periods “normal” polarity is the magnetic orientation of the era. On the other hand, “reversed” polarity or the magnetic orientation of the reverse situation is called “magnetic chrons”.

Although, the fact of such reversal is clear, the answers to the how and why questions are debatable. Because no one precisely knows how Earth’s magnetic field is produced, it becomes difficult to say how it might be reversed. Among explanations proposed, is a reversal of direction of convection currents in the liquid outer core of the Earth or the collision between Earth and a meteorite or a comet. While the precise effects of reversal are not known, there can be little doubt that Earth would receive a great deal more damaging ultraviolet radiation during the process than it does now. There has also been correlation between such occurrences and the extinction of certain species of animals in the past.  

Magnetic reversal refers to

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

Nothing is sure, but death and taxes, and of course, north is north and south is south, and thus, it has always been so. But, this is what they say, and there is no guarantee that it is the truth. You can believe that death and taxes are for real, but you might want to reconsider the part about south is south and north is north because many times during the history of our planet, north has become south and south has become north. This may sound extraordinarily fictitious, but it is true and a process called magnetic reversal is behind it. 
Paleogeologists have found that this phenomenon is the real thing, in a field study known as paleomagnetism, by investigating rocks. There is a lot that goes on before anything can be deciphered from the rocks. When rocks are being formed from magma, atoms within their crystals respond to Earth’s magnetic field by pointing towards the magnetic North pole of Earth. The magnetic force of attraction is generated by the North Pole on the atoms of rocks. By age dating the rocks and their magnetic alignment, scientists can determine where on Earth the North Pole was located at the time because as the rocks solidified, they trapped information within them. The study of ancient lava flows has shown that at certain periods in Earth’s history, magnetic north was located exactly at the place it is located at the moment.

It has now been determined that this reversal takes place quite regularly, i.e. every 500,000 years. The last reversal is said to have taken place approximately 700,000 years ago. The name given by scientists to the periods “normal” polarity is the magnetic orientation of the era. On the other hand, “reversed” polarity or the magnetic orientation of the reverse situation is called “magnetic chrons”.

Although, the fact of such reversal is clear, the answers to the how and why questions are debatable. Because no one precisely knows how Earth’s magnetic field is produced, it becomes difficult to say how it might be reversed. Among explanations proposed, is a reversal of direction of convection currents in the liquid outer core of the Earth or the collision between Earth and a meteorite or a comet. While the precise effects of reversal are not known, there can be little doubt that Earth would receive a great deal more damaging ultraviolet radiation during the process than it does now. There has also been correlation between such occurrences and the extinction of certain species of animals in the past.  

One can infer from the passage that

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

Nothing is sure, but death and taxes, and of course, north is north and south is south, and thus, it has always been so. But, this is what they say, and there is no guarantee that it is the truth. You can believe that death and taxes are for real, but you might want to reconsider the part about south is south and north is north because many times during the history of our planet, north has become south and south has become north. This may sound extraordinarily fictitious, but it is true and a process called magnetic reversal is behind it. 
Paleogeologists have found that this phenomenon is the real thing, in a field study known as paleomagnetism, by investigating rocks. There is a lot that goes on before anything can be deciphered from the rocks. When rocks are being formed from magma, atoms within their crystals respond to Earth’s magnetic field by pointing towards the magnetic North pole of Earth. The magnetic force of attraction is generated by the North Pole on the atoms of rocks. By age dating the rocks and their magnetic alignment, scientists can determine where on Earth the North Pole was located at the time because as the rocks solidified, they trapped information within them. The study of ancient lava flows has shown that at certain periods in Earth’s history, magnetic north was located exactly at the place it is located at the moment.

It has now been determined that this reversal takes place quite regularly, i.e. every 500,000 years. The last reversal is said to have taken place approximately 700,000 years ago. The name given by scientists to the periods “normal” polarity is the magnetic orientation of the era. On the other hand, “reversed” polarity or the magnetic orientation of the reverse situation is called “magnetic chrons”.

Although, the fact of such reversal is clear, the answers to the how and why questions are debatable. Because no one precisely knows how Earth’s magnetic field is produced, it becomes difficult to say how it might be reversed. Among explanations proposed, is a reversal of direction of convection currents in the liquid outer core of the Earth or the collision between Earth and a meteorite or a comet. While the precise effects of reversal are not known, there can be little doubt that Earth would receive a great deal more damaging ultraviolet radiation during the process than it does now. There has also been correlation between such occurrences and the extinction of certain species of animals in the past.  

The word 'trapped' in the passage is closest in meaning to

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

Nothing is sure, but death and taxes, and of course, north is north and south is south, and thus, it has always been so. But, this is what they say, and there is no guarantee that it is the truth. You can believe that death and taxes are for real, but you might want to reconsider the part about south is south and north is north because many times during the history of our planet, north has become south and south has become north. This may sound extraordinarily fictitious, but it is true and a process called magnetic reversal is behind it. 
Paleogeologists have found that this phenomenon is the real thing, in a field study known as paleomagnetism, by investigating rocks. There is a lot that goes on before anything can be deciphered from the rocks. When rocks are being formed from magma, atoms within their crystals respond to Earth’s magnetic field by pointing towards the magnetic North pole of Earth. The magnetic force of attraction is generated by the North Pole on the atoms of rocks. By age dating the rocks and their magnetic alignment, scientists can determine where on Earth the North Pole was located at the time because as the rocks solidified, they trapped information within them. The study of ancient lava flows has shown that at certain periods in Earth’s history, magnetic north was located exactly at the place it is located at the moment.

It has now been determined that this reversal takes place quite regularly, i.e. every 500,000 years. The last reversal is said to have taken place approximately 700,000 years ago. The name given by scientists to the periods “normal” polarity is the magnetic orientation of the era. On the other hand, “reversed” polarity or the magnetic orientation of the reverse situation is called “magnetic chrons”.

Although, the fact of such reversal is clear, the answers to the how and why questions are debatable. Because no one precisely knows how Earth’s magnetic field is produced, it becomes difficult to say how it might be reversed. Among explanations proposed, is a reversal of direction of convection currents in the liquid outer core of the Earth or the collision between Earth and a meteorite or a comet. While the precise effects of reversal are not known, there can be little doubt that Earth would receive a great deal more damaging ultraviolet radiation during the process than it does now. There has also been correlation between such occurrences and the extinction of certain species of animals in the past.  

'Convection currents' in the passage refers to

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

Nothing is sure, but death and taxes, and of course, north is north and south is south, and thus, it has always been so. But, this is what they say, and there is no guarantee that it is the truth. You can believe that death and taxes are for real, but you might want to reconsider the part about south is south and north is north because many times during the history of our planet, north has become south and south has become north. This may sound extraordinarily fictitious, but it is true and a process called magnetic reversal is behind it. 
Paleogeologists have found that this phenomenon is the real thing, in a field study known as paleomagnetism, by investigating rocks. There is a lot that goes on before anything can be deciphered from the rocks. When rocks are being formed from magma, atoms within their crystals respond to Earth’s magnetic field by pointing towards the magnetic North pole of Earth. The magnetic force of attraction is generated by the North Pole on the atoms of rocks. By age dating the rocks and their magnetic alignment, scientists can determine where on Earth the North Pole was located at the time because as the rocks solidified, they trapped information within them. The study of ancient lava flows has shown that at certain periods in Earth’s history, magnetic north was located exactly at the place it is located at the moment.

It has now been determined that this reversal takes place quite regularly, i.e. every 500,000 years. The last reversal is said to have taken place approximately 700,000 years ago. The name given by scientists to the periods “normal” polarity is the magnetic orientation of the era. On the other hand, “reversed” polarity or the magnetic orientation of the reverse situation is called “magnetic chrons”.

Although, the fact of such reversal is clear, the answers to the how and why questions are debatable. Because no one precisely knows how Earth’s magnetic field is produced, it becomes difficult to say how it might be reversed. Among explanations proposed, is a reversal of direction of convection currents in the liquid outer core of the Earth or the collision between Earth and a meteorite or a comet. While the precise effects of reversal are not known, there can be little doubt that Earth would receive a great deal more damaging ultraviolet radiation during the process than it does now. There has also been correlation between such occurrences and the extinction of certain species of animals in the past.  

The word fragile in the passage can be best replaced with the word (paragraph 4)

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question.

According to the Journal of American Geriatrics: If an inactive 70-year-old were to begin an exercise programme of 'moderate activity', the result would be a gain of 15 years in his age and if the subject were to achieve the 'athlete' level of conditioning, he could experience a potential improvement of 40 years in his age!
Harvard researchers tracked the workout habits of 17,321 healthy men for over 20 years and found that those who burnt at least 1,500 calories a week in activities such as running, brisk walking, cycling or swimming had a 25 percent lower death rate than men who burnt a meagre 150 calories per week exercising. That's the equivalent of the difference in mortality between non-smokers and men who smoke a pack of cigarettes daily!

Another Harvard study followed the living habits of more than 47,000 men aged 40 to 75 years for six years, and after adjusting for factors like diet and family history found that those who worked out at least thrice a week were significantly less likely to develop colon cancer or polyps (tumorous growth that can be a precursor to cancer) as compared to sedentary men.

Being overweight increases the risk of colon cancer. Obese men have a 50 per cent higher risk of contracting the disease and those who carried extra weight primarily in their abdominal region were 3 ½ times as likely as their leaner subjects. Researchers believe that exercise reduces the risk of colon cancer by lowering insulin levels that tend to be higher in normal weight people who are not physically active. The lower level of insulin promotes bowel activity, which does not allow cancer causing toxins to linger in the body for long.

Exercise reduces the risk of all types of cancer, by significantly boosting our body's internal defense against free radicals. No antioxidant action plan is complete without regular exercise, for the natural endogenous antioxidants (those produced by the human body), such as SOH, GSH and catalase may become too fragile for supplements to have their full effect.

For long, it has been known that exercise reduces blood pressure in the sedentary, helps lessen angina pains, and decreases harmful body fat which would otherwise affect the arteries and the heart. The heart, like any other muscle in the body, gets bigger, stronger and more efficient with exercise and pumps more oxygenated blood to different parts of the body. Not only are nutrients transported throughout the body; the muscles in the body also become more efficient at extracting oxygen from the bloodstream. Circulation improves too, partly because exercise boosts the number of small blood vessels (capillaries) that deliver oxygen to tissues and carry the excess away, including the deadly LDL cholesterol.

Exercise also burns body fat and raises metabolic activity. Most commonly people desirous of burning unwanted calories follow an exercise regime. Exercise helps regulate blood sugar metabolism and therefore may help to ward off the diseases.

Just as exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, bones and muscles, it may also power the brain, leading to faster reflexes, increased alertness and a pervading sense of well-being. Today's Archimedes would find creative inspiration, not in the bath, but on the treadmill. Aerobic exercise increases the amount of certain brain chemicals that stimulate growth of nerve cells. It also triggers the release of several key neurotransmitters, including epinephrine and norepinephrine that are known to boost awareness.

A vigorous workout stimulates the body to pump out the so called stress hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine that prepare your heart, lungs and muscles for 'fight and flight'. By working out regularly, you almost 'train' the body to react less intensely to stress, as a result of that you can cope better with anxiety provoking events.

According to the passage, heart is a

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question.

According to the Journal of American Geriatrics: If an inactive 70-year-old were to begin an exercise programme of 'moderate activity', the result would be a gain of 15 years in his age and if the subject were to achieve the 'athlete' level of conditioning, he could experience a potential improvement of 40 years in his age!
Harvard researchers tracked the workout habits of 17,321 healthy men for over 20 years and found that those who burnt at least 1,500 calories a week in activities such as running, brisk walking, cycling or swimming had a 25 percent lower death rate than men who burnt a meagre 150 calories per week exercising. That's the equivalent of the difference in mortality between non-smokers and men who smoke a pack of cigarettes daily!

Another Harvard study followed the living habits of more than 47,000 men aged 40 to 75 years for six years, and after adjusting for factors like diet and family history found that those who worked out at least thrice a week were significantly less likely to develop colon cancer or polyps (tumorous growth that can be a precursor to cancer) as compared to sedentary men.

Being overweight increases the risk of colon cancer. Obese men have a 50 per cent higher risk of contracting the disease and those who carried extra weight primarily in their abdominal region were 3 ½ times as likely as their leaner subjects. Researchers believe that exercise reduces the risk of colon cancer by lowering insulin levels that tend to be higher in normal weight people who are not physically active. The lower level of insulin promotes bowel activity, which does not allow cancer causing toxins to linger in the body for long.

Exercise reduces the risk of all types of cancer, by significantly boosting our body's internal defense against free radicals. No antioxidant action plan is complete without regular exercise, for the natural endogenous antioxidants (those produced by the human body), such as SOH, GSH and catalase may become too fragile for supplements to have their full effect.

For long, it has been known that exercise reduces blood pressure in the sedentary, helps lessen angina pains, and decreases harmful body fat which would otherwise affect the arteries and the heart. The heart, like any other muscle in the body, gets bigger, stronger and more efficient with exercise and pumps more oxygenated blood to different parts of the body. Not only are nutrients transported throughout the body; the muscles in the body also become more efficient at extracting oxygen from the bloodstream. Circulation improves too, partly because exercise boosts the number of small blood vessels (capillaries) that deliver oxygen to tissues and carry the excess away, including the deadly LDL cholesterol.

Exercise also burns body fat and raises metabolic activity. Most commonly people desirous of burning unwanted calories follow an exercise regime. Exercise helps regulate blood sugar metabolism and therefore may help to ward off the diseases.

Just as exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, bones and muscles, it may also power the brain, leading to faster reflexes, increased alertness and a pervading sense of well-being. Today's Archimedes would find creative inspiration, not in the bath, but on the treadmill. Aerobic exercise increases the amount of certain brain chemicals that stimulate growth of nerve cells. It also triggers the release of several key neurotransmitters, including epinephrine and norepinephrine that are known to boost awareness.

A vigorous workout stimulates the body to pump out the so called stress hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine that prepare your heart, lungs and muscles for 'fight and flight'. By working out regularly, you almost 'train' the body to react less intensely to stress, as a result of that you can cope better with anxiety provoking events.

One valid cause of increased price of manufacturing of machine tools include

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering the question.

Today, the import duty on a complete machine is 30% for all practical purposes, whereas the import duty on raw materials and components ranges from 35.85%. The story does not end here. After paying such high import duties on components, once a machine is made, it suffers excise duty from 5% – 10% (including on the customs duty already paid). At the time of sale, the machine tools suffer further taxation, i.e. Central Sales Tax or State Sales Tax which range from 4% – 16%. This much for the tax angle. Another factor, which pushes the cost of manufacture of machine tools, is the very high rate of interest payable to banks ranging up to 22%, as against 4% – 7% prevailing in advanced countries.
The production of machine tools in India being not of the same scale as it is in other countries, the price which India's machine tool builders have to pay for components is more or less based on the pattern of high pricing applicable to the prices of spares.
The machines tool industry in India has an enviable record of very quick technology absorption, assimilation and development. There are a number of success stories about how machine tool builders were of help at the most critical times. It will be a pity, in fact a tragedy, if we allow this industry to die and disappear from the scene.
It is to be noted that India is at least 6500 km away from any dependable source of supply of machine tools. The Government of India has always given a great deal of importance to the development of small scale and medium scale industries. This industry has also performed pretty well. Today, they are in need of help from India's machine tool industry to enable them to produce quality components at reduced costs. Is it anybody's case that the needs of the fragile sector (which needs tender care) will be met from 6500 km away?
Then, what is it that the industry requests from the government? It wants a level playing field. In fact, all of us must have a deep introspection and recognise the fact that the machine tool industry has a very special place in the country from the point of strategic and vital interest of the nation. Most importantly, it requests for the Government's consideration and understanding. It is therefore, high time that the government gives due attention to this industry which has good potential.

The small and medium scale industries look for help from India's machine tool industry to

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering the question.

Today, the import duty on a complete machine is 30% for all practical purposes, whereas the import duty on raw materials and components ranges from 35.85%. The story does not end here. After paying such high import duties on components, once a machine is made, it suffers excise duty from 5% – 10% (including on the customs duty already paid). At the time of sale, the machine tools suffer further taxation, i.e. Central Sales Tax or State Sales Tax which range from 4% – 16%. This much for the tax angle. Another factor, which pushes the cost of manufacture of machine tools, is the very high rate of interest payable to banks ranging up to 22%, as against 4% – 7% prevailing in advanced countries.
The production of machine tools in India being not of the same scale as it is in other countries, the price which India's machine tool builders have to pay for components is more or less based on the pattern of high pricing applicable to the prices of spares.
The machines tool industry in India has an enviable record of very quick technology absorption, assimilation and development. There are a number of success stories about how machine tool builders were of help at the most critical times. It will be a pity, in fact a tragedy, if we allow this industry to die and disappear from the scene.
It is to be noted that India is at least 6500 km away from any dependable source of supply of machine tools. The Government of India has always given a great deal of importance to the development of small scale and medium scale industries. This industry has also performed pretty well. Today, they are in need of help from India's machine tool industry to enable them to produce quality components at reduced costs. Is it anybody's case that the needs of the fragile sector (which needs tender care) will be met from 6500 km away?
Then, what is it that the industry requests from the government? It wants a level playing field. In fact, all of us must have a deep introspection and recognise the fact that the machine tool industry has a very special place in the country from the point of strategic and vital interest of the nation. Most importantly, it requests for the Government's consideration and understanding. It is therefore, high time that the government gives due attention to this industry which has good potential.

Which of the following statements is TRUE in the context of the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering the question.

Today, the import duty on a complete machine is 30% for all practical purposes, whereas the import duty on raw materials and components ranges from 35.85%. The story does not end here. After paying such high import duties on components, once a machine is made, it suffers excise duty from 5% – 10% (including on the customs duty already paid). At the time of sale, the machine tools suffer further taxation, i.e. Central Sales Tax or State Sales Tax which range from 4% – 16%. This much for the tax angle. Another factor, which pushes the cost of manufacture of machine tools, is the very high rate of interest payable to banks ranging up to 22%, as against 4% – 7% prevailing in advanced countries.
The production of machine tools in India being not of the same scale as it is in other countries, the price which India's machine tool builders have to pay for components is more or less based on the pattern of high pricing applicable to the prices of spares.
The machines tool industry in India has an enviable record of very quick technology absorption, assimilation and development. There are a number of success stories about how machine tool builders were of help at the most critical times. It will be a pity, in fact a tragedy, if we allow this industry to die and disappear from the scene.
It is to be noted that India is at least 6500 km away from any dependable source of supply of machine tools. The Government of India has always given a great deal of importance to the development of small scale and medium scale industries. This industry has also performed pretty well. Today, they are in need of help from India's machine tool industry to enable them to produce quality components at reduced costs. Is it anybody's case that the needs of the fragile sector (which needs tender care) will be met from 6500 km away?
Then, what is it that the industry requests from the government? It wants a level playing field. In fact, all of us must have a deep introspection and recognise the fact that the machine tool industry has a very special place in the country from the point of strategic and vital interest of the nation. Most importantly, it requests for the Government's consideration and understanding. It is therefore, high time that the government gives due attention to this industry which has good potential.

The machine tool industry in India must not be allowed to

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering the question.

Today, the import duty on a complete machine is 30% for all practical purposes, whereas the import duty on raw materials and components ranges from 35.85%. The story does not end here. After paying such high import duties on components, once a machine is made, it suffers excise duty from 5% – 10% (including on the customs duty already paid). At the time of sale, the machine tools suffer further taxation, i.e. Central Sales Tax or State Sales Tax which range from 4% – 16%. This much for the tax angle. Another factor, which pushes the cost of manufacture of machine tools, is the very high rate of interest payable to banks ranging up to 22%, as against 4% – 7% prevailing in advanced countries.
The production of machine tools in India being not of the same scale as it is in other countries, the price which India's machine tool builders have to pay for components is more or less based on the pattern of high pricing applicable to the prices of spares.
The machines tool industry in India has an enviable record of very quick technology absorption, assimilation and development. There are a number of success stories about how machine tool builders were of help at the most critical times. It will be a pity, in fact a tragedy, if we allow this industry to die and disappear from the scene.
It is to be noted that India is at least 6500 km away from any dependable source of supply of machine tools. The Government of India has always given a great deal of importance to the development of small scale and medium scale industries. This industry has also performed pretty well. Today, they are in need of help from India's machine tool industry to enable them to produce quality components at reduced costs. Is it anybody's case that the needs of the fragile sector (which needs tender care) will be met from 6500 km away?
Then, what is it that the industry requests from the government? It wants a level playing field. In fact, all of us must have a deep introspection and recognise the fact that the machine tool industry has a very special place in the country from the point of strategic and vital interest of the nation. Most importantly, it requests for the Government's consideration and understanding. It is therefore, high time that the government gives due attention to this industry which has good potential.

The Government of India

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering the question.

Today, the import duty on a complete machine is 30% for all practical purposes, whereas the import duty on raw materials and components ranges from 35.85%. The story does not end here. After paying such high import duties on components, once a machine is made, it suffers excise duty from 5% – 10% (including on the customs duty already paid). At the time of sale, the machine tools suffer further taxation, i.e. Central Sales Tax or State Sales Tax which range from 4% – 16%. This much for the tax angle. Another factor, which pushes the cost of manufacture of machine tools, is the very high rate of interest payable to banks ranging up to 22%, as against 4% – 7% prevailing in advanced countries.
The production of machine tools in India being not of the same scale as it is in other countries, the price which India's machine tool builders have to pay for components is more or less based on the pattern of high pricing applicable to the prices of spares.
The machines tool industry in India has an enviable record of very quick technology absorption, assimilation and development. There are a number of success stories about how machine tool builders were of help at the most critical times. It will be a pity, in fact a tragedy, if we allow this industry to die and disappear from the scene.
It is to be noted that India is at least 6500 km away from any dependable source of supply of machine tools. The Government of India has always given a great deal of importance to the development of small scale and medium scale industries. This industry has also performed pretty well. Today, they are in need of help from India's machine tool industry to enable them to produce quality components at reduced costs. Is it anybody's case that the needs of the fragile sector (which needs tender care) will be met from 6500 km away?
Then, what is it that the industry requests from the government? It wants a level playing field. In fact, all of us must have a deep introspection and recognise the fact that the machine tool industry has a very special place in the country from the point of strategic and vital interest of the nation. Most importantly, it requests for the Government's consideration and understanding. It is therefore, high time that the government gives due attention to this industry which has good potential.

The machine tool industry in India

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering the question.

Today, the import duty on a complete machine is 30% for all practical purposes, whereas the import duty on raw materials and components ranges from 35.85%. The story does not end here. After paying such high import duties on components, once a machine is made, it suffers excise duty from 5% – 10% (including on the customs duty already paid). At the time of sale, the machine tools suffer further taxation, i.e. Central Sales Tax or State Sales Tax which range from 4% – 16%. This much for the tax angle. Another factor, which pushes the cost of manufacture of machine tools, is the very high rate of interest payable to banks ranging up to 22%, as against 4% – 7% prevailing in advanced countries.
The production of machine tools in India being not of the same scale as it is in other countries, the price which India's machine tool builders have to pay for components is more or less based on the pattern of high pricing applicable to the prices of spares.
The machines tool industry in India has an enviable record of very quick technology absorption, assimilation and development. There are a number of success stories about how machine tool builders were of help at the most critical times. It will be a pity, in fact a tragedy, if we allow this industry to die and disappear from the scene.
It is to be noted that India is at least 6500 km away from any dependable source of supply of machine tools. The Government of India has always given a great deal of importance to the development of small scale and medium scale industries. This industry has also performed pretty well. Today, they are in need of help from India's machine tool industry to enable them to produce quality components at reduced costs. Is it anybody's case that the needs of the fragile sector (which needs tender care) will be met from 6500 km away?
Then, what is it that the industry requests from the government? It wants a level playing field. In fact, all of us must have a deep introspection and recognise the fact that the machine tool industry has a very special place in the country from the point of strategic and vital interest of the nation. Most importantly, it requests for the Government's consideration and understanding. It is therefore, high time that the government gives due attention to this industry which has good potential.

Which of the following statements is/are definitely TRUE in context of the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering the question.

Today, the import duty on a complete machine is 30% for all practical purposes, whereas the import duty on raw materials and components ranges from 35.85%. The story does not end here. After paying such high import duties on components, once a machine is made, it suffers excise duty from 5% – 10% (including on the customs duty already paid). At the time of sale, the machine tools suffer further taxation, i.e. Central Sales Tax or State Sales Tax which range from 4% – 16%. This much for the tax angle. Another factor, which pushes the cost of manufacture of machine tools, is the very high rate of interest payable to banks ranging up to 22%, as against 4% – 7% prevailing in advanced countries.
The production of machine tools in India being not of the same scale as it is in other countries, the price which India's machine tool builders have to pay for components is more or less based on the pattern of high pricing applicable to the prices of spares.
The machines tool industry in India has an enviable record of very quick technology absorption, assimilation and development. There are a number of success stories about how machine tool builders were of help at the most critical times. It will be a pity, in fact a tragedy, if we allow this industry to die and disappear from the scene.
It is to be noted that India is at least 6500 km away from any dependable source of supply of machine tools. The Government of India has always given a great deal of importance to the development of small scale and medium scale industries. This industry has also performed pretty well. Today, they are in need of help from India's machine tool industry to enable them to produce quality components at reduced costs. Is it anybody's case that the needs of the fragile sector (which needs tender care) will be met from 6500 km away?
Then, what is it that the industry requests from the government? It wants a level playing field. In fact, all of us must have a deep introspection and recognise the fact that the machine tool industry has a very special place in the country from the point of strategic and vital interest of the nation. Most importantly, it requests for the Government's consideration and understanding. It is therefore, high time that the government gives due attention to this industry which has good potential.