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All questions of Reading Comprehension for Class 10 Exam

Read the passage and choose the correct option to answer the question that follow:
Male lions are rather reticent about expanding their energy in hunting; more than three quarters of kills are made by lionesses, who stay in front, tensely scanning ahead, the cubs lag playfully behind and the males bring up the rear, walking slowly, their massive heads nodding with each step as if they were bored with the whole matter. But slothfulness may have survival value. With lionesses busy hunting, the males function as guard for the cubs, protecting them particularly from hyenas.
Q. Lioness go for hunting
  • a)
    all alone
  • b)
    with their male partners only
  • c)
    with their cubs and male partners
  • d)
    with their cubs only
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Arun Yadav answered
C) With their cubs and male partners. The passage states that lionesses are responsible for the majority of hunting in a pride, and that they stay in front while hunting, with the cubs lagging behind playfully and the males bringing up the rear. This suggests that the lionesses go hunting with their cubs and male partners, rather than alone or with just one group. The passage also mentions that the males function as guards for the cubs while the lionesses are busy hunting, suggesting that the males are present during the hunting expeditions.

Read the passage and choose the correct option to answer the question that follow:
At this stage of civilisation, when many nations are brought in to close and vital contact for good and evil, it is essential, as never before, that their gross ignorance of one another should be diminished, that they should begin to understand a little of one another's historical experience and resulting mentality. It is the fault of the English to expect the people of other countries to react as they do to political and international situations. Our genuine goodwill and good intentions are often brought to nothing, because we expect other people to be like us. This would be corrected if we knew the history, not necessarily in detail but in broad outlines, of the social and political conditions which have given to each nation its present character.
Q. The character of a nation is the result of its
  • a)
    mentality
  • b)
    cultural heritage
  • c)
    gross ignorance
  • d)
    socio-political conditions
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Om Menon answered
The character of a nation is the result of its socio-political conditions. This is because the socio-political conditions of a nation shape its history, which in turn shapes its mentality and cultural heritage. The passage states that if people knew the history of other nations, they would understand why they react differently to political and international situations. This understanding would help to correct the fault of expecting other people to be like us. Therefore, it can be concluded that the character of a nation is the result of its socio-political conditions.

Read the passage and choose the correct option to answer the question that follow:
At this stage of civilisation, when many nations are brought in to close and vital contact for good and evil, it is essential, as never before, that their gross ignorance of one another should be diminished, that they should begin to understand a little of one another's historical experience and resulting mentality. It is the fault of the English to expect the people of other countries to react as they do to political and international situations. Our genuine goodwill and good intentions are often brought to nothing, because we expect other people to be like us. This would be corrected if we knew the history, not necessarily in detail but in broad outlines, of the social and political conditions which have given to each nation its present character.
Q. According to the author, 'Mentality' of a nation is mainly product of its
  • a)
    history
  • b)
    international position
  • c)
    politics
  • d)
    present character 
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Om Menon answered
The author states that it is essential for nations to understand one another's historical experience and resulting mentality in order to reduce their gross ignorance of one another. The author then goes on to explain that this would be corrected if people knew the history of the social and political conditions which have given to each nation its present character. This implies that the mentality of a nation is mainly a product of its history. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Read the passage and choose the correct option to answer the question that follow:
Male lions are rather reticent about expanding their energy in hunting; more than three quarters of kills are made by lionesses, who stay in front, tensely scanning ahead, the cubs lag playfully behind and the males bring up the rear, walking slowly, their massive heads nodding with each step as if they were bored with the whole matter. But slothfulness may have survival value. With lionesses busy hunting, the males function as guard for the cubs, protecting them particularly from hyenas.
Q. According to the passage, male lions generally do not go for hunting because
  • a)
    they do not like it
  • b)
    they want lioness to get training
  • c)
    they wish to save their vigour for other things
  • d)
    they are very lazy
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Hiral Sengupta answered
Answer:

Reasoning:
The passage states that male lions are not very active in hunting and lionesses do most of the hunting. The male lions walk slowly and seem bored with the whole matter. However, their slothfulness may have survival value as they function as guards for the cubs, protecting them from hyenas while the lionesses hunt.

Explanation:
The correct option is (c) they wish to save their vigour for other things. This is because the passage suggests that male lions may not be actively involved in hunting because they save their energy for other activities, such as guarding the cubs. The passage also highlights the survival value of this behavior, as male lions can protect the cubs from predators like hyenas while the lionesses are away hunting.

Summary:
Male lions do not hunt much because they wish to save their energy for other activities, such as guarding the cubs. This behavior has survival value, as male lions can protect the cubs from predators while lionesses are away hunting.

Read the passage and choose the correct option to answer the question that follow:
Mahatma Gandhi believed that industrialisation was no answer to the problems that plague the mass of India's poor and that villagers should be taught to be self-sufficient in food, weave their own cloth from cotton and eschew the glittering prizes that the 20th century so temptingly offers. Such an idyllic and rural paradise did not appear to those who inherited the reins of political power.
Q. Which one of the following best illustrates the relationship between the phrases:
(i) 'eschew the glittering prizes' and
(ii) 'idyllic and rural paradise'?
  • a)
    unless you do (i), you cannot have (ii)
  • b)
    (i) and (ii) are identical in meaning
  • c)
    first of all you must have (ii) in order to do (i)
  • d)
    the meaning of (i) is directly opposite to (ii)
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Navya Joshi answered
Answer:

The phrase "eschew the glittering prizes" means to avoid or reject the attractive and desirable rewards or achievements that the 20th century offers. On the other hand, the phrase "idyllic and rural paradise" refers to a peaceful and perfect countryside setting.

The relationship between these two phrases can be best described as the meaning of (i) being directly opposite to (ii). This means that the act of avoiding or rejecting the tempting rewards and achievements of the modern world goes against the idea of living in a peaceful and perfect rural setting.

Explanation:
- The phrase "eschew the glittering prizes" suggests that Mahatma Gandhi believed that people should not be enticed by the attractive rewards and achievements of the modern world. He believed that focusing on materialistic gains would not solve the problems faced by the poor in India.
- On the other hand, the phrase "idyllic and rural paradise" reflects Gandhi's vision of a self-sufficient village community where people would produce their own food and clothing. This idealized rural setting would prioritize simplicity, sustainability, and independence from external influences.
- The term "eschew" implies a deliberate rejection or avoidance, while "glittering prizes" refers to the alluring rewards and achievements that the 20th century offers.
- The phrase "idyllic and rural paradise" represents Gandhi's vision of a self-sufficient and harmonious community. It is an idealized depiction of a countryside where people live in peace and harmony, free from the distractions and temptations of the modern world.
- Therefore, the meaning of (i) (eschew the glittering prizes) is directly opposite to (ii) (idyllic and rural paradise) as the act of avoiding or rejecting the alluring rewards and achievements of the modern world contradicts the idea of living in a peaceful and perfect rural setting.
- In other words, Gandhi believed that in order to achieve the idyllic and rural paradise, people must resist the temptation of the glittering prizes and prioritize self-sufficiency and simplicity.

Read the passage and choose the correct option to answer the question that follow:
What needs to be set right is our approach to work. It is a common sight in our country of employees reporting for duty on time and at the same time doing little work. If an assessment is made of time they spent in gossiping, drinking tea, eating "pan" and smoking cigarettes, it will be shocking to know that the time devoted to actual work is negligible. The problem is the standard, which the leadership in administration sets for the staff. Forget the ministers because they mix politics and administration. What do top bureaucrats do? What do the below down officials do? The administration set up remains week mainly because the employees do not have the right example to follow and they are more concerned about being in the good books of the bosses than doing work.
Q. According to the writer, the administration in India
  • a)
    is by and large effective
  • b)
    is very strict and firm
  • c)
    is affected by red tape
  • d)
    is more or less ineffective
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Snacks, browsing the internet, and making personal phone calls, it would be found that they hardly work for three to four hours in an eight-hour shift. Such employees are not only cheating themselves but also their employers. They are also setting a bad example for others to follow.

What is the problem with the approach to work in the country?
A. Employees are not reporting for duty on time.
B. Employees are not doing enough work.
C. Employers are not providing enough opportunities to work.
D. Employees are not paid enough to work.

B. Employees are not doing enough work.

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