CLAT Practice Test - 12 - CLAT MCQ

Rats exposed to stress during early development inherit the effects of that stress to their offspring, largely expressed in behavior impairments but also characteristics of resilience. Providing environmental enrichment to the future mother rats had a remedial role on some of the negative effects.

The researchers studied 40 female rats weaned at 27 days of age. One group of these females -- the control group -- was then raised normally in individual cages; the second group was exposed to different stressors; the third was enriched; and the fourth group was both stressed and enriched. The matured rats were mated at 60 days, had normal pregnancies and births, and their offspring pups were divided into two groups -- one raised normally, and the other raised in an enriched environment, so that the effect of "therapy" on the next generation could also be evaluated. The offspring groups were then evaluated with respect to social interaction, anxiety levels, ability to learn and capacity to cope with fear.

The study's main findings showed that the early treatment of the mothers impacted their offspring behavior. Stress to the mothers reduced social interaction in their offspring, but improved their ability to learn to avoid distress. Male offspring were also better at coping with fear. ##Some of these changes were mitigated by enrichment to the mothers, so that stressed the mothers and then providing them with a "therapeutic" (enriched) environment, prevented some, but not all, of the effects in the next generation.## Providing enrichment to the offspring also offset some of the inherited effects.

According to the researchers, their study, with other evidence, suggests that evolution equipped the parent generation to sample its environment, and then, possibly via heritable epigenetic changes, to prepare the next generation to better cope with this environment, it is important to investigate whether stressful experiences at a young age affect the next generation, and whether therapeutic experiences can minimize the trans-generational effects in humans too. As study shows that the inheritance of the effects of adversity can be modified by timely intervention, this may have important educational and therapeutic implications.

Q. Which of the following could be the possible continuation to the passage?

Rats exposed to stress during early development inherit the effects of that stress to their offspring, largely expressed in behavior impairments but also characteristics of resilience. Providing environmental enrichment to the future mother rats had a remedial role on some of the negative effects.

The researchers studied 40 female rats weaned at 27 days of age. One group of these females -- the control group -- was then raised normally in individual cages; the second group was exposed to different stressors; the third was enriched; and the fourth group was both stressed and enriched. The matured rats were mated at 60 days, had normal pregnancies and births, and their offspring pups were divided into two groups -- one raised normally, and the other raised in an enriched environment, so that the effect of "therapy" on the next generation could also be evaluated. The offspring groups were then evaluated with respect to social interaction, anxiety levels, ability to learn and capacity to cope with fear.

The study's main findings showed that the early treatment of the mothers impacted their offspring behavior. Stress to the mothers reduced social interaction in their offspring, but improved their ability to learn to avoid distress. Male offspring were also better at coping with fear. ##Some of these changes were mitigated by enrichment to the mothers, so that stressed the mothers and then providing them with a "therapeutic" (enriched) environment, prevented some, but not all, of the effects in the next generation.## Providing enrichment to the offspring also offset some of the inherited effects.

According to the researchers, their study, with other evidence, suggests that evolution equipped the parent generation to sample its environment, and then, possibly via heritable epigenetic changes, to prepare the next generation to better cope with this environment, it is important to investigate whether stressful experiences at a young age affect the next generation, and whether therapeutic experiences can minimize the trans-generational effects in humans too. As study shows that the inheritance of the effects of adversity can be modified by timely intervention, this may have important educational and therapeutic implications.

Q. The sentence in the passage enclosed with ## has one or more words that appear in a form that is grammatically incorrect in the context of that sentence. What is the word(s) that appear(s) in an incorrect form, and what would be its appropriate form in the context of the sentence?

Separating people infected with transmitting diseases from non-infected population is an ancient practice across the world. What also did not change is the sense of panic it creates and denying the importance of the role played by sanitation workers while writing about quarantine and pandemics.

In the short story “Plague & Quarantine”, Rajindar Singh Bedi writes that the total number of deaths caused due to quarantine was higher than deaths due to plague. People feared quarantine so much that they did not let doctors or even neighbors know if anyone in the family showed symptoms of plague.

Even medical workers were afraid of patients and tried to maintain distance from patients. However, Bhagu, the sanitation worker was different. He wakes up at 3 am, consumes a bottle of alcohol and then cleans the locality, removes all the dead bodies and spreads chuna on the streets. Because other people are afraid of stepping out, he does their chores.

[x] Like other people, Bhagu never hesitated to touch or even hug patients. He used to spend time with the infected, talking to them [x]. When a person in quarantine dies, Dr Bakshi says Bhagu is the only person who shed tears for the patient.

During a medical crisis such as COVID-19, where there is no immediate medical solution to the pain and suffering of both the diseased and others, it is important to take an emotional and loving approach.

[1] Perhaps this is what Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee suggested when he meant police need to be sensitive towards poor. This is what Bhagu stood for, working with empathy.

Bhagu’s commitment to his profession and his sense of responsibility towards society inspires doctor Bakshi. However, the doctor also acknowledges repeatedly that he could never manage to replicate the courage, commitment and empathy that Bhagu has and hence continues to maintain distance from patients. Dr Bakshi is disappointed with Bhagu for neglecting his ailing wife but is also impressed with his commitment towards society. The doctor is also stunned to see Bhagu back at work the very next day after his wife dies. This compels the doctor to extend his work beyond his professional duty as a health worker. The medical staff reaches out to the slums of the town and treats them with love, compassion and commitment. As a result, the entire team of medical staff under Dr Bakshi is felicitated and praised for their work. But Bhagu does not get any recognition.

[2]Around 80 years #, sanitation workers are still working in close proximity # infected patients and substances without fear and without even the required protection kits. Hopefully, at least this time they will also be recognized as “warriors” in the fight # the pandemic.

Q. Which of the following contains the correct sequence of missing words in the sentence [2]? (Missing words indicated by ‘#’.)

Separating people infected with transmitting diseases from non-infected population is an ancient practice across the world. What also did not change is the sense of panic it creates and denying the importance of the role played by sanitation workers while writing about quarantine and pandemics.

In the short story “Plague & Quarantine”, Rajindar Singh Bedi writes that the total number of deaths caused due to quarantine was higher than deaths due to plague. People feared quarantine so much that they did not let doctors or even neighbors know if anyone in the family showed symptoms of plague.

Even medical workers were afraid of patients and tried to maintain distance from patients. However, Bhagu, the sanitation worker was different. He wakes up at 3 am, consumes a bottle of alcohol and then cleans the locality, removes all the dead bodies and spreads chuna on the streets. Because other people are afraid of stepping out, he does their chores.

[x] Like other people, Bhagu never hesitated to touch or even hug patients. He used to spend time with the infected, talking to them [x]. When a person in quarantine dies, Dr Bakshi says Bhagu is the only person who shed tears for the patient.

During a medical crisis such as COVID-19, where there is no immediate medical solution to the pain and suffering of both the diseased and others, it is important to take an emotional and loving approach.

[1] Perhaps this is what Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee suggested when he meant police need to be sensitive towards poor. This is what Bhagu stood for, working with empathy.

Bhagu’s commitment to his profession and his sense of responsibility towards society inspires doctor Bakshi. However, the doctor also acknowledges repeatedly that he could never manage to replicate the courage, commitment and empathy that Bhagu has and hence continues to maintain distance from patients. Dr Bakshi is disappointed with Bhagu for neglecting his ailing wife but is also impressed with his commitment towards society. The doctor is also stunned to see Bhagu back at work the very next day after his wife dies. This compels the doctor to extend his work beyond his professional duty as a health worker. The medical staff reaches out to the slums of the town and treats them with love, compassion and commitment. As a result, the entire team of medical staff under Dr Bakshi is felicitated and praised for their work. But Bhagu does not get any recognition.

[2]Around 80 years #, sanitation workers are still working in close proximity # infected patients and substances without fear and without even the required protection kits. Hopefully, at least this time they will also be recognized as “warriors” in the fight # the pandemic.

Q. In how many instances should the definite article (‘the’) be used in the Sentence [1] to make it grammatically correct without altering it in any other way?

Separating people infected with transmitting diseases from non-infected population is an ancient practice across the world. What also did not change is the sense of panic it creates and denying the importance of the role played by sanitation workers while writing about quarantine and pandemics.

In the short story “Plague & Quarantine”, Rajindar Singh Bedi writes that the total number of deaths caused due to quarantine was higher than deaths due to plague. People feared quarantine so much that they did not let doctors or even neighbors know if anyone in the family showed symptoms of plague.

Even medical workers were afraid of patients and tried to maintain distance from patients. However, Bhagu, the sanitation worker was different. He wakes up at 3 am, consumes a bottle of alcohol and then cleans the locality, removes all the dead bodies and spreads chuna on the streets. Because other people are afraid of stepping out, he does their chores.

[x] Like other people, Bhagu never hesitated to touch or even hug patients. He used to spend time with the infected, talking to them [x]. When a person in quarantine dies, Dr Bakshi says Bhagu is the only person who shed tears for the patient.

During a medical crisis such as COVID-19, where there is no immediate medical solution to the pain and suffering of both the diseased and others, it is important to take an emotional and loving approach.

[1] Perhaps this is what Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee suggested when he meant police need to be sensitive towards poor. This is what Bhagu stood for, working with empathy.

Bhagu’s commitment to his profession and his sense of responsibility towards society inspires doctor Bakshi. However, the doctor also acknowledges repeatedly that he could never manage to replicate the courage, commitment and empathy that Bhagu has and hence continues to maintain distance from patients. Dr Bakshi is disappointed with Bhagu for neglecting his ailing wife but is also impressed with his commitment towards society. The doctor is also stunned to see Bhagu back at work the very next day after his wife dies. This compels the doctor to extend his work beyond his professional duty as a health worker. The medical staff reaches out to the slums of the town and treats them with love, compassion and commitment. As a result, the entire team of medical staff under Dr Bakshi is felicitated and praised for their work. But Bhagu does not get any recognition.

[2]Around 80 years #, sanitation workers are still working in close proximity # infected patients and substances without fear and without even the required protection kits. Hopefully, at least this time they will also be recognized as “warriors” in the fight # the pandemic.

Q. Choose the best possible meaning of the given words in the same order according to the context of the passage: chores, replicate, proximity, empathy

Separating people infected with transmitting diseases from non-infected population is an ancient practice across the world. What also did not change is the sense of panic it creates and denying the importance of the role played by sanitation workers while writing about quarantine and pandemics.

In the short story “Plague & Quarantine”, Rajindar Singh Bedi writes that the total number of deaths caused due to quarantine was higher than deaths due to plague. People feared quarantine so much that they did not let doctors or even neighbors know if anyone in the family showed symptoms of plague.

Even medical workers were afraid of patients and tried to maintain distance from patients. However, Bhagu, the sanitation worker was different. He wakes up at 3 am, consumes a bottle of alcohol and then cleans the locality, removes all the dead bodies and spreads chuna on the streets. Because other people are afraid of stepping out, he does their chores.

[x] Like other people, Bhagu never hesitated to touch or even hug patients. He used to spend time with the infected, talking to them [x]. When a person in quarantine dies, Dr Bakshi says Bhagu is the only person who shed tears for the patient.

During a medical crisis such as COVID-19, where there is no immediate medical solution to the pain and suffering of both the diseased and others, it is important to take an emotional and loving approach.

[1] Perhaps this is what Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee suggested when he meant police need to be sensitive towards poor. This is what Bhagu stood for, working with empathy.

Bhagu’s commitment to his profession and his sense of responsibility towards society inspires doctor Bakshi. However, the doctor also acknowledges repeatedly that he could never manage to replicate the courage, commitment and empathy that Bhagu has and hence continues to maintain distance from patients. Dr Bakshi is disappointed with Bhagu for neglecting his ailing wife but is also impressed with his commitment towards society. The doctor is also stunned to see Bhagu back at work the very next day after his wife dies. This compels the doctor to extend his work beyond his professional duty as a health worker. The medical staff reaches out to the slums of the town and treats them with love, compassion and commitment. As a result, the entire team of medical staff under Dr Bakshi is felicitated and praised for their work. But Bhagu does not get any recognition.

[2]Around 80 years #, sanitation workers are still working in close proximity # infected patients and substances without fear and without even the required protection kits. Hopefully, at least this time they will also be recognized as “warriors” in the fight # the pandemic.

Q. Identify the most appropriate statement from the following in place of the sentence enclosed within [x] in the passage.

Separating people infected with transmitting diseases from non-infected population is an ancient practice across the world. What also did not change is the sense of panic it creates and denying the importance of the role played by sanitation workers while writing about quarantine and pandemics.

In the short story “Plague & Quarantine”, Rajindar Singh Bedi writes that the total number of deaths caused due to quarantine was higher than deaths due to plague. People feared quarantine so much that they did not let doctors or even neighbors know if anyone in the family showed symptoms of plague.

Even medical workers were afraid of patients and tried to maintain distance from patients. However, Bhagu, the sanitation worker was different. He wakes up at 3 am, consumes a bottle of alcohol and then cleans the locality, removes all the dead bodies and spreads chuna on the streets. Because other people are afraid of stepping out, he does their chores.

[x] Like other people, Bhagu never hesitated to touch or even hug patients. He used to spend time with the infected, talking to them [x]. When a person in quarantine dies, Dr Bakshi says Bhagu is the only person who shed tears for the patient.

During a medical crisis such as COVID-19, where there is no immediate medical solution to the pain and suffering of both the diseased and others, it is important to take an emotional and loving approach.

[1] Perhaps this is what Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee suggested when he meant police need to be sensitive towards poor. This is what Bhagu stood for, working with empathy.

Bhagu’s commitment to his profession and his sense of responsibility towards society inspires doctor Bakshi. However, the doctor also acknowledges repeatedly that he could never manage to replicate the courage, commitment and empathy that Bhagu has and hence continues to maintain distance from patients. Dr Bakshi is disappointed with Bhagu for neglecting his ailing wife but is also impressed with his commitment towards society. The doctor is also stunned to see Bhagu back at work the very next day after his wife dies. This compels the doctor to extend his work beyond his professional duty as a health worker. The medical staff reaches out to the slums of the town and treats them with love, compassion and commitment. As a result, the entire team of medical staff under Dr Bakshi is felicitated and praised for their work. But Bhagu does not get any recognition.

[2]Around 80 years #, sanitation workers are still working in close proximity # infected patients and substances without fear and without even the required protection kits. Hopefully, at least this time they will also be recognized as “warriors” in the fight # the pandemic.

Q. Which of the following can be best accepted by the author as the character of Bhagu?

Separating people infected with transmitting diseases from non-infected population is an ancient practice across the world. What also did not change is the sense of panic it creates and denying the importance of the role played by sanitation workers while writing about quarantine and pandemics.

In the short story “Plague & Quarantine”, Rajindar Singh Bedi writes that the total number of deaths caused due to quarantine was higher than deaths due to plague. People feared quarantine so much that they did not let doctors or even neighbors know if anyone in the family showed symptoms of plague.

Even medical workers were afraid of patients and tried to maintain distance from patients. However, Bhagu, the sanitation worker was different. He wakes up at 3 am, consumes a bottle of alcohol and then cleans the locality, removes all the dead bodies and spreads chuna on the streets. Because other people are afraid of stepping out, he does their chores.

[x] Like other people, Bhagu never hesitated to touch or even hug patients. He used to spend time with the infected, talking to them [x]. When a person in quarantine dies, Dr Bakshi says Bhagu is the only person who shed tears for the patient.

During a medical crisis such as COVID-19, where there is no immediate medical solution to the pain and suffering of both the diseased and others, it is important to take an emotional and loving approach.

[1] Perhaps this is what Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee suggested when he meant police need to be sensitive towards poor. This is what Bhagu stood for, working with empathy.

Bhagu’s commitment to his profession and his sense of responsibility towards society inspires doctor Bakshi. However, the doctor also acknowledges repeatedly that he could never manage to replicate the courage, commitment and empathy that Bhagu has and hence continues to maintain distance from patients. Dr Bakshi is disappointed with Bhagu for neglecting his ailing wife but is also impressed with his commitment towards society. The doctor is also stunned to see Bhagu back at work the very next day after his wife dies. This compels the doctor to extend his work beyond his professional duty as a health worker. The medical staff reaches out to the slums of the town and treats them with love, compassion and commitment. As a result, the entire team of medical staff under Dr Bakshi is felicitated and praised for their work. But Bhagu does not get any recognition.

[2]Around 80 years #, sanitation workers are still working in close proximity # infected patients and substances without fear and without even the required protection kits. Hopefully, at least this time they will also be recognized as “warriors” in the fight # the pandemic.

Q. Which of the following is the most strongly inferred idea in the first two paragraphs?

Separating people infected with transmitting diseases from non-infected population is an ancient practice across the world. What also did not change is the sense of panic it creates and denying the importance of the role played by sanitation workers while writing about quarantine and pandemics.

In the short story “Plague & Quarantine”, Rajindar Singh Bedi writes that the total number of deaths caused due to quarantine was higher than deaths due to plague. People feared quarantine so much that they did not let doctors or even neighbors know if anyone in the family showed symptoms of plague.

Even medical workers were afraid of patients and tried to maintain distance from patients. However, Bhagu, the sanitation worker was different. He wakes up at 3 am, consumes a bottle of alcohol and then cleans the locality, removes all the dead bodies and spreads chuna on the streets. Because other people are afraid of stepping out, he does their chores.

[x] Like other people, Bhagu never hesitated to touch or even hug patients. He used to spend time with the infected, talking to them [x]. When a person in quarantine dies, Dr Bakshi says Bhagu is the only person who shed tears for the patient.

During a medical crisis such as COVID-19, where there is no immediate medical solution to the pain and suffering of both the diseased and others, it is important to take an emotional and loving approach.

[1] Perhaps this is what Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee suggested when he meant police need to be sensitive towards poor. This is what Bhagu stood for, working with empathy.

Bhagu’s commitment to his profession and his sense of responsibility towards society inspires doctor Bakshi. However, the doctor also acknowledges repeatedly that he could never manage to replicate the courage, commitment and empathy that Bhagu has and hence continues to maintain distance from patients. Dr Bakshi is disappointed with Bhagu for neglecting his ailing wife but is also impressed with his commitment towards society. The doctor is also stunned to see Bhagu back at work the very next day after his wife dies. This compels the doctor to extend his work beyond his professional duty as a health worker. The medical staff reaches out to the slums of the town and treats them with love, compassion and commitment. As a result, the entire team of medical staff under Dr Bakshi is felicitated and praised for their work. But Bhagu does not get any recognition.

[2]Around 80 years #, sanitation workers are still working in close proximity # infected patients and substances without fear and without even the required protection kits. Hopefully, at least this time they will also be recognized as “warriors” in the fight # the pandemic.

Q. Which of the following if true would support the idea that quarantine is not a novel concept?

This is the house that Susan and Jack built. It is a weathered Cape with black shutters, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a detached garage. Outside is a large black walnut tree, from whose branches hangs a wooden swing.

When Susan and Jack first decided to build a house, they were living in a small apartment with one bedroom. Susan was pregnant, and they would need more room. Considering their account books, Jack built the house himself, from materials he purchased from a nearby building supply company.

After they finished the house, they brought over their furniture from the apartment in a U-Haul and arranged it almost to their satisfaction. Unfortunately, two days after this, Susan decided that her mother’s old upright piano had to be moved away from the fireplace because it would be uncomfortable playing it there. So Jack and Earl, after great effort, moved the piano over to the window.

As Susan and Jack sat in their new living room, they could see a black walnut tree in the front yard. They loved the tree, and Susan, who became quite dreamy in the final weeks of her pregnancy, liked to speculate about its being there. How did the nut get carried to this very spot? How fortunate that it found the right conditions for growth when so many seeds were eaten, or fell in an unsuitable location. And how amazing that this tree could grow from the nut in the first place! It did get plenty of sun throughout the morning, and sunshine seemed crucial to the fact that it became this well-established tree producing fruit of its own. And then she began to ponder the sun, how crucial it was for the existence of everything in this world. Jack said we were just lucky. Susan wasn’t so sure.

Mark was born not long after the house was finished. At no time in their lives had Jack and Susan been so filled with hope about the future, so quick to theorize about education and development, so caught up in plans to give their child the best opportunities for a good life. They wondered if he would be a great statesman, or a great scientist, or perhaps a great artist. Jack always hoped he would be a good person. Susan knew he would be highly intelligent and use his intelligence wisely. Mark did little but sleep and eat. Being born seemed to have exhausted him.

The years passed, and Mark became a fine, active, and always hungry boy. One day, as he was playing under the tree in the front yard, he picked up one of the green-husked fruits that had fallen from its branches, and split it apart to extract the nut. His mother helped him shell it and he then ate the walnut meat inside.

As she watched Mark run off to play, Susan thought: it won’t be long before he’s building a house for his own family.

Q. Which of the following could be the reasons behind building a house?

This is the house that Susan and Jack built. It is a weathered Cape with black shutters, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a detached garage. Outside is a large black walnut tree, from whose branches hangs a wooden swing.

When Susan and Jack first decided to build a house, they were living in a small apartment with one bedroom. Susan was pregnant, and they would need more room. Considering their account books, Jack built the house himself, from materials he purchased from a nearby building supply company.

After they finished the house, they brought over their furniture from the apartment in a U-Haul and arranged it almost to their satisfaction. Unfortunately, two days after this, Susan decided that her mother’s old upright piano had to be moved away from the fireplace because it would be uncomfortable playing it there. So Jack and Earl, after great effort, moved the piano over to the window.

As Susan and Jack sat in their new living room, they could see a black walnut tree in the front yard. They loved the tree, and Susan, who became quite dreamy in the final weeks of her pregnancy, liked to speculate about its being there. How did the nut get carried to this very spot? How fortunate that it found the right conditions for growth when so many seeds were eaten, or fell in an unsuitable location. And how amazing that this tree could grow from the nut in the first place! It did get plenty of sun throughout the morning, and sunshine seemed crucial to the fact that it became this well-established tree producing fruit of its own. And then she began to ponder the sun, how crucial it was for the existence of everything in this world. Jack said we were just lucky. Susan wasn’t so sure.

Mark was born not long after the house was finished. At no time in their lives had Jack and Susan been so filled with hope about the future, so quick to theorize about education and development, so caught up in plans to give their child the best opportunities for a good life. They wondered if he would be a great statesman, or a great scientist, or perhaps a great artist. Jack always hoped he would be a good person. Susan knew he would be highly intelligent and use his intelligence wisely. Mark did little but sleep and eat. Being born seemed to have exhausted him.

The years passed, and Mark became a fine, active, and always hungry boy. One day, as he was playing under the tree in the front yard, he picked up one of the green-husked fruits that had fallen from its branches, and split it apart to extract the nut. His mother helped him shell it and he then ate the walnut meat inside.

As she watched Mark run off to play, Susan thought: it won’t be long before he’s building a house for his own family.

Q. What could be the reason behind movement of the piano from its initial location?

This is the house that Susan and Jack built. It is a weathered Cape with black shutters, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a detached garage. Outside is a large black walnut tree, from whose branches hangs a wooden swing.

When Susan and Jack first decided to build a house, they were living in a small apartment with one bedroom. Susan was pregnant, and they would need more room. Considering their account books, Jack built the house himself, from materials he purchased from a nearby building supply company.

After they finished the house, they brought over their furniture from the apartment in a U-Haul and arranged it almost to their satisfaction. Unfortunately, two days after this, Susan decided that her mother’s old upright piano had to be moved away from the fireplace because it would be uncomfortable playing it there. So Jack and Earl, after great effort, moved the piano over to the window.

As Susan and Jack sat in their new living room, they could see a black walnut tree in the front yard. They loved the tree, and Susan, who became quite dreamy in the final weeks of her pregnancy, liked to speculate about its being there. How did the nut get carried to this very spot? How fortunate that it found the right conditions for growth when so many seeds were eaten, or fell in an unsuitable location. And how amazing that this tree could grow from the nut in the first place! It did get plenty of sun throughout the morning, and sunshine seemed crucial to the fact that it became this well-established tree producing fruit of its own. And then she began to ponder the sun, how crucial it was for the existence of everything in this world. Jack said we were just lucky. Susan wasn’t so sure.

Mark was born not long after the house was finished. At no time in their lives had Jack and Susan been so filled with hope about the future, so quick to theorize about education and development, so caught up in plans to give their child the best opportunities for a good life. They wondered if he would be a great statesman, or a great scientist, or perhaps a great artist. Jack always hoped he would be a good person. Susan knew he would be highly intelligent and use his intelligence wisely. Mark did little but sleep and eat. Being born seemed to have exhausted him.

The years passed, and Mark became a fine, active, and always hungry boy. One day, as he was playing under the tree in the front yard, he picked up one of the green-husked fruits that had fallen from its branches, and split it apart to extract the nut. His mother helped him shell it and he then ate the walnut meat inside.

As she watched Mark run off to play, Susan thought: it won’t be long before he’s building a house for his own family.

Q. Which of the following can be implied from the conversation in the living room?

This is the house that Susan and Jack built. It is a weathered Cape with black shutters, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a detached garage. Outside is a large black walnut tree, from whose branches hangs a wooden swing.

When Susan and Jack first decided to build a house, they were living in a small apartment with one bedroom. Susan was pregnant, and they would need more room. Considering their account books, Jack built the house himself, from materials he purchased from a nearby building supply company.

After they finished the house, they brought over their furniture from the apartment in a U-Haul and arranged it almost to their satisfaction. Unfortunately, two days after this, Susan decided that her mother’s old upright piano had to be moved away from the fireplace because it would be uncomfortable playing it there. So Jack and Earl, after great effort, moved the piano over to the window.

As Susan and Jack sat in their new living room, they could see a black walnut tree in the front yard. They loved the tree, and Susan, who became quite dreamy in the final weeks of her pregnancy, liked to speculate about its being there. How did the nut get carried to this very spot? How fortunate that it found the right conditions for growth when so many seeds were eaten, or fell in an unsuitable location. And how amazing that this tree could grow from the nut in the first place! It did get plenty of sun throughout the morning, and sunshine seemed crucial to the fact that it became this well-established tree producing fruit of its own. And then she began to ponder the sun, how crucial it was for the existence of everything in this world. Jack said we were just lucky. Susan wasn’t so sure.

Mark was born not long after the house was finished. At no time in their lives had Jack and Susan been so filled with hope about the future, so quick to theorize about education and development, so caught up in plans to give their child the best opportunities for a good life. They wondered if he would be a great statesman, or a great scientist, or perhaps a great artist. Jack always hoped he would be a good person. Susan knew he would be highly intelligent and use his intelligence wisely. Mark did little but sleep and eat. Being born seemed to have exhausted him.

The years passed, and Mark became a fine, active, and always hungry boy. One day, as he was playing under the tree in the front yard, he picked up one of the green-husked fruits that had fallen from its branches, and split it apart to extract the nut. His mother helped him shell it and he then ate the walnut meat inside.

As she watched Mark run off to play, Susan thought: it won’t be long before he’s building a house for his own family.

Q. What kind of thoughts did Susan have about her son?

This is the house that Susan and Jack built. It is a weathered Cape with black shutters, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a detached garage. Outside is a large black walnut tree, from whose branches hangs a wooden swing.

When Susan and Jack first decided to build a house, they were living in a small apartment with one bedroom. Susan was pregnant, and they would need more room. Considering their account books, Jack built the house himself, from materials he purchased from a nearby building supply company.

After they finished the house, they brought over their furniture from the apartment in a U-Haul and arranged it almost to their satisfaction. Unfortunately, two days after this, Susan decided that her mother’s old upright piano had to be moved away from the fireplace because it would be uncomfortable playing it there. So Jack and Earl, after great effort, moved the piano over to the window.

As Susan and Jack sat in their new living room, they could see a black walnut tree in the front yard. They loved the tree, and Susan, who became quite dreamy in the final weeks of her pregnancy, liked to speculate about its being there. How did the nut get carried to this very spot? How fortunate that it found the right conditions for growth when so many seeds were eaten, or fell in an unsuitable location. And how amazing that this tree could grow from the nut in the first place! It did get plenty of sun throughout the morning, and sunshine seemed crucial to the fact that it became this well-established tree producing fruit of its own. And then she began to ponder the sun, how crucial it was for the existence of everything in this world. Jack said we were just lucky. Susan wasn’t so sure.

Mark was born not long after the house was finished. At no time in their lives had Jack and Susan been so filled with hope about the future, so quick to theorize about education and development, so caught up in plans to give their child the best opportunities for a good life. They wondered if he would be a great statesman, or a great scientist, or perhaps a great artist. Jack always hoped he would be a good person. Susan knew he would be highly intelligent and use his intelligence wisely. Mark did little but sleep and eat. Being born seemed to have exhausted him.

The years passed, and Mark became a fine, active, and always hungry boy. One day, as he was playing under the tree in the front yard, he picked up one of the green-husked fruits that had fallen from its branches, and split it apart to extract the nut. His mother helped him shell it and he then ate the walnut meat inside.

As she watched Mark run off to play, Susan thought: it won’t be long before he’s building a house for his own family.

Q. Which of the following best summarizes the character of Jack?

Senior citizens are becoming an unprecedentedly large proportion of the U.S. population. Last year, the first members of the Baby Boom generation — some 72 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, plus immigrants of the same age — turned 65. Today, about 13% of all Americans are senior citizens and by 2030, that number may increase to 20%. That leaves one very important question: Where are we going to put them all?

Their sheer numbers have always made the Boomers an unusually powerful cohort, and critics have long accused them of advancing their own interests rather than the common good. The current worry is that as aging Boomers retired, they will grow even more selfish, hoarding scarce resources, such as healthcare and assisted living, at the expense of future generations. But there is still time for the Boomers to use their clout for the betterment of the future. Why could not they harness their wealth and political power to campaign for high-quality, publicly subsidized housing for the millions of senior citizens who are in need of better support?

Some of the impending crisis has to do with a sociological shift towards aging alone. In 1950, only 10% of elderly Americans lived solo. Today, a full third live alone, as do 40% of those over age 85. Aging alone is not always a hardship. On the contrary, older people who live alone often spend more time with friends and neighbors than those who are married. But those who do become disconnected suffer immeasurably and become vulnerable to all kinds of health problems.

The most affluent Boomers will overcome this problem by moving into assisted-living facilities. However, high-quality supportive housing is prohibitively expensive. Building such living facilities that are now available only to the affluent elderly would require an enormous investment, and this is a terrible time to advocate for it. The economy is sluggish. The federal government faces record deficits. The cost of other benefits, like healthcare and prescription drugs, is already high. But there are also reasons to believe that the timing for such an endeavor could not be better. We are beginning to see the dangers of fiscal austerity, both at home and in Europe. Economists argue that a genuine recovery will require significant public investments in worthwhile projects such as building affordable housing for the elderly.

Boomers should recognize the value of improving the nation’s housing for seniors. They know from experience that aging is much easier when there is support. They can help to fix the problem that they have in part created by developing collective solutions to address the needs of their own immense generation and those of the future. What a last act that would be.

Q. Which set of words below contains the correct set of synonyms for all of the following words: cohort, unprecedented, hardship, affluent

Senior citizens are becoming an unprecedentedly large proportion of the U.S. population. Last year, the first members of the Baby Boom generation — some 72 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, plus immigrants of the same age — turned 65. Today, about 13% of all Americans are senior citizens and by 2030, that number may increase to 20%. That leaves one very important question: Where are we going to put them all?

Their sheer numbers have always made the Boomers an unusually powerful cohort, and critics have long accused them of advancing their own interests rather than the common good. The current worry is that as aging Boomers retired, they will grow even more selfish, hoarding scarce resources, such as healthcare and assisted living, at the expense of future generations. But there is still time for the Boomers to use their clout for the betterment of the future. Why could not they harness their wealth and political power to campaign for high-quality, publicly subsidized housing for the millions of senior citizens who are in need of better support?

Some of the impending crisis has to do with a sociological shift towards aging alone. In 1950, only 10% of elderly Americans lived solo. Today, a full third live alone, as do 40% of those over age 85. Aging alone is not always a hardship. On the contrary, older people who live alone often spend more time with friends and neighbors than those who are married. But those who do become disconnected suffer immeasurably and become vulnerable to all kinds of health problems.

The most affluent Boomers will overcome this problem by moving into assisted-living facilities. However, high-quality supportive housing is prohibitively expensive. Building such living facilities that are now available only to the affluent elderly would require an enormous investment, and this is a terrible time to advocate for it. The economy is sluggish. The federal government faces record deficits. The cost of other benefits, like healthcare and prescription drugs, is already high. But there are also reasons to believe that the timing for such an endeavor could not be better. We are beginning to see the dangers of fiscal austerity, both at home and in Europe. Economists argue that a genuine recovery will require significant public investments in worthwhile projects such as building affordable housing for the elderly.

Boomers should recognize the value of improving the nation’s housing for seniors. They know from experience that aging is much easier when there is support. They can help to fix the problem that they have in part created by developing collective solutions to address the needs of their own immense generation and those of the future. What a last act that would be.

Q. The word 'baby boom' is used in context of?

Senior citizens are becoming an unprecedentedly large proportion of the U.S. population. Last year, the first members of the Baby Boom generation — some 72 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, plus immigrants of the same age — turned 65. Today, about 13% of all Americans are senior citizens and by 2030, that number may increase to 20%. That leaves one very important question: Where are we going to put them all?

Their sheer numbers have always made the Boomers an unusually powerful cohort, and critics have long accused them of advancing their own interests rather than the common good. The current worry is that as aging Boomers retired, they will grow even more selfish, hoarding scarce resources, such as healthcare and assisted living, at the expense of future generations. But there is still time for the Boomers to use their clout for the betterment of the future. Why could not they harness their wealth and political power to campaign for high-quality, publicly subsidized housing for the millions of senior citizens who are in need of better support?

Some of the impending crisis has to do with a sociological shift towards aging alone. In 1950, only 10% of elderly Americans lived solo. Today, a full third live alone, as do 40% of those over age 85. Aging alone is not always a hardship. On the contrary, older people who live alone often spend more time with friends and neighbors than those who are married. But those who do become disconnected suffer immeasurably and become vulnerable to all kinds of health problems.

The most affluent Boomers will overcome this problem by moving into assisted-living facilities. However, high-quality supportive housing is prohibitively expensive. Building such living facilities that are now available only to the affluent elderly would require an enormous investment, and this is a terrible time to advocate for it. The economy is sluggish. The federal government faces record deficits. The cost of other benefits, like healthcare and prescription drugs, is already high. But there are also reasons to believe that the timing for such an endeavor could not be better. We are beginning to see the dangers of fiscal austerity, both at home and in Europe. Economists argue that a genuine recovery will require significant public investments in worthwhile projects such as building affordable housing for the elderly.

Boomers should recognize the value of improving the nation’s housing for seniors. They know from experience that aging is much easier when there is support. They can help to fix the problem that they have in part created by developing collective solutions to address the needs of their own immense generation and those of the future. What a last act that would be.

Q. Which of the following would the author agree about aging alone?

Senior citizens are becoming an unprecedentedly large proportion of the U.S. population. Last year, the first members of the Baby Boom generation — some 72 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, plus immigrants of the same age — turned 65. Today, about 13% of all Americans are senior citizens and by 2030, that number may increase to 20%. That leaves one very important question: Where are we going to put them all?

Their sheer numbers have always made the Boomers an unusually powerful cohort, and critics have long accused them of advancing their own interests rather than the common good. The current worry is that as aging Boomers retired, they will grow even more selfish, hoarding scarce resources, such as healthcare and assisted living, at the expense of future generations. But there is still time for the Boomers to use their clout for the betterment of the future. Why could not they harness their wealth and political power to campaign for high-quality, publicly subsidized housing for the millions of senior citizens who are in need of better support?

Some of the impending crisis has to do with a sociological shift towards aging alone. In 1950, only 10% of elderly Americans lived solo. Today, a full third live alone, as do 40% of those over age 85. Aging alone is not always a hardship. On the contrary, older people who live alone often spend more time with friends and neighbors than those who are married. But those who do become disconnected suffer immeasurably and become vulnerable to all kinds of health problems.

The most affluent Boomers will overcome this problem by moving into assisted-living facilities. However, high-quality supportive housing is prohibitively expensive. Building such living facilities that are now available only to the affluent elderly would require an enormous investment, and this is a terrible time to advocate for it. The economy is sluggish. The federal government faces record deficits. The cost of other benefits, like healthcare and prescription drugs, is already high. But there are also reasons to believe that the timing for such an endeavor could not be better. We are beginning to see the dangers of fiscal austerity, both at home and in Europe. Economists argue that a genuine recovery will require significant public investments in worthwhile projects such as building affordable housing for the elderly.

Boomers should recognize the value of improving the nation’s housing for seniors. They know from experience that aging is much easier when there is support. They can help to fix the problem that they have in part created by developing collective solutions to address the needs of their own immense generation and those of the future. What a last act that would be.

Q. Which of the following may be the reasons that economists consider building housing facilities for the elderly is a worthy project?

Senior citizens are becoming an unprecedentedly large proportion of the U.S. population. Last year, the first members of the Baby Boom generation — some 72 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, plus immigrants of the same age — turned 65. Today, about 13% of all Americans are senior citizens and by 2030, that number may increase to 20%. That leaves one very important question: Where are we going to put them all?

Their sheer numbers have always made the Boomers an unusually powerful cohort, and critics have long accused them of advancing their own interests rather than the common good. The current worry is that as aging Boomers retired, they will grow even more selfish, hoarding scarce resources, such as healthcare and assisted living, at the expense of future generations. But there is still time for the Boomers to use their clout for the betterment of the future. Why could not they harness their wealth and political power to campaign for high-quality, publicly subsidized housing for the millions of senior citizens who are in need of better support?

Some of the impending crisis has to do with a sociological shift towards aging alone. In 1950, only 10% of elderly Americans lived solo. Today, a full third live alone, as do 40% of those over age 85. Aging alone is not always a hardship. On the contrary, older people who live alone often spend more time with friends and neighbors than those who are married. But those who do become disconnected suffer immeasurably and become vulnerable to all kinds of health problems.

The most affluent Boomers will overcome this problem by moving into assisted-living facilities. However, high-quality supportive housing is prohibitively expensive. Building such living facilities that are now available only to the affluent elderly would require an enormous investment, and this is a terrible time to advocate for it. The economy is sluggish. The federal government faces record deficits. The cost of other benefits, like healthcare and prescription drugs, is already high. But there are also reasons to believe that the timing for such an endeavor could not be better. We are beginning to see the dangers of fiscal austerity, both at home and in Europe. Economists argue that a genuine recovery will require significant public investments in worthwhile projects such as building affordable housing for the elderly.

Boomers should recognize the value of improving the nation’s housing for seniors. They know from experience that aging is much easier when there is support. They can help to fix the problem that they have in part created by developing collective solutions to address the needs of their own immense generation and those of the future. What a last act that would be.

Q. Which of the following would the author most likely agree about assisted/ supportive living facilities?

Senior citizens are becoming an unprecedentedly large proportion of the U.S. population. Last year, the first members of the Baby Boom generation — some 72 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, plus immigrants of the same age — turned 65. Today, about 13% of all Americans are senior citizens and by 2030, that number may increase to 20%. That leaves one very important question: Where are we going to put them all?

Their sheer numbers have always made the Boomers an unusually powerful cohort, and critics have long accused them of advancing their own interests rather than the common good. The current worry is that as aging Boomers retired, they will grow even more selfish, hoarding scarce resources, such as healthcare and assisted living, at the expense of future generations. But there is still time for the Boomers to use their clout for the betterment of the future. Why could not they harness their wealth and political power to campaign for high-quality, publicly subsidized housing for the millions of senior citizens who are in need of better support?

Some of the impending crisis has to do with a sociological shift towards aging alone. In 1950, only 10% of elderly Americans lived solo. Today, a full third live alone, as do 40% of those over age 85. Aging alone is not always a hardship. On the contrary, older people who live alone often spend more time with friends and neighbors than those who are married. But those who do become disconnected suffer immeasurably and become vulnerable to all kinds of health problems.

The most affluent Boomers will overcome this problem by moving into assisted-living facilities. However, high-quality supportive housing is prohibitively expensive. Building such living facilities that are now available only to the affluent elderly would require an enormous investment, and this is a terrible time to advocate for it. The economy is sluggish. The federal government faces record deficits. The cost of other benefits, like healthcare and prescription drugs, is already high. But there are also reasons to believe that the timing for such an endeavor could not be better. We are beginning to see the dangers of fiscal austerity, both at home and in Europe. Economists argue that a genuine recovery will require significant public investments in worthwhile projects such as building affordable housing for the elderly.

Boomers should recognize the value of improving the nation’s housing for seniors. They know from experience that aging is much easier when there is support. They can help to fix the problem that they have in part created by developing collective solutions to address the needs of their own immense generation and those of the future. What a last act that would be.

Q. According to the author, the boomers with their experience, would agree about which of the following about aging?

Senior citizens are becoming an unprecedentedly large proportion of the U.S. population. Last year, the first members of the Baby Boom generation — some 72 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, plus immigrants of the same age — turned 65. Today, about 13% of all Americans are senior citizens and by 2030, that number may increase to 20%. That leaves one very important question: Where are we going to put them all?

Their sheer numbers have always made the Boomers an unusually powerful cohort, and critics have long accused them of advancing their own interests rather than the common good. The current worry is that as aging Boomers retired, they will grow even more selfish, hoarding scarce resources, such as healthcare and assisted living, at the expense of future generations. But there is still time for the Boomers to use their clout for the betterment of the future. Why could not they harness their wealth and political power to campaign for high-quality, publicly subsidized housing for the millions of senior citizens who are in need of better support?

Some of the impending crisis has to do with a sociological shift towards aging alone. In 1950, only 10% of elderly Americans lived solo. Today, a full third live alone, as do 40% of those over age 85. Aging alone is not always a hardship. On the contrary, older people who live alone often spend more time with friends and neighbors than those who are married. But those who do become disconnected suffer immeasurably and become vulnerable to all kinds of health problems.

The most affluent Boomers will overcome this problem by moving into assisted-living facilities. However, high-quality supportive housing is prohibitively expensive. Building such living facilities that are now available only to the affluent elderly would require an enormous investment, and this is a terrible time to advocate for it. The economy is sluggish. The federal government faces record deficits. The cost of other benefits, like healthcare and prescription drugs, is already high. But there are also reasons to believe that the timing for such an endeavor could not be better. We are beginning to see the dangers of fiscal austerity, both at home and in Europe. Economists argue that a genuine recovery will require significant public investments in worthwhile projects such as building affordable housing for the elderly.

Boomers should recognize the value of improving the nation’s housing for seniors. They know from experience that aging is much easier when there is support. They can help to fix the problem that they have in part created by developing collective solutions to address the needs of their own immense generation and those of the future. What a last act that would be.

Q. According to the passage, critics would associate which of the following words to boomers' character?

In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers predict that by 2100, the global population potentially exposed to episodic coastal flooding will increase from 128-171 million to 176-287 million. The value of global assets exposed to these episodes is projected to be between $6,000-$9,000 billion, or 12-20 percent of the global GDP. What are the findings of the study? The researchers note that sea-level rise (SLR) is a “well accepted” consequence of climate change. Their study has found that globally, of the 68 per cent area that is prone to coastal flooding, over 32 per cent can be attributed to regional SLR. What is Regional SLR? Because sea level rise is not uniform across the world, there is a need to differentiate regional SLR from the global rates. For instance, the gravitational pull of the polar ice sheets has different effects on sea levels in different parts of the world, which means regional SLR can be higher or lower than the global SLR. Relatively too, regional SLR can be higher or lower. For instance, according to an article published in Yale Environment, SLR in places such as Scotland, Iceland and Alaska could be significantly less than the regional SLR for eastern US. Their results indicate by the year 2100, for most of the world, flooding incidents that are typically associated with a 1 in a 100-year event could occur as frequently as 1 in 10 years, “primarily as a result of sea level rise.” As per this assessment, 0.5-0.7 per cent of the world’s land area is at a risk of episodic coastal flooding by 2100, impacting 2.5-4.1 percent of the population, assuming there are no coastal defences or adaptation measures in place.

Last year, Indonesia announced that the country’s capital would be relocated from Jakarta to the province of East Kalimantan on the lesser populated island of Borneo. The combination of climate change and heavy congestion continues to bury Jakarta, the “world’s fastest-sinking city”, by about 25 cm into the ground every year. The situation looks grim for India’s financial capital Mumbai as well. As per some projections, climate change is expected to inundate significant sections of Mumbai by 2050, impacting millions of people. In a paper published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, researchers proposed an extraordinary measure to protect 25 million people from rising seas as a result of climate change. They suggested a mammoth Northern European Enclosure Dam (NEED), enclosing all of the North Sea. The idea involved construction of two dams of a combined length of 637 km to protect Northern Europe against “unstoppable” SLR.

Q. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage above?

In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers predict that by 2100, the global population potentially exposed to episodic coastal flooding will increase from 128-171 million to 176-287 million. The value of global assets exposed to these episodes is projected to be between $6,000-$9,000 billion, or 12-20 percent of the global GDP. What are the findings of the study? The researchers note that sea-level rise (SLR) is a “well accepted” consequence of climate change. Their study has found that globally, of the 68 per cent area that is prone to coastal flooding, over 32 per cent can be attributed to regional SLR. What is Regional SLR? Because sea level rise is not uniform across the world, there is a need to differentiate regional SLR from the global rates. For instance, the gravitational pull of the polar ice sheets has different effects on sea levels in different parts of the world, which means regional SLR can be higher or lower than the global SLR. Relatively too, regional SLR can be higher or lower. For instance, according to an article published in Yale Environment, SLR in places such as Scotland, Iceland and Alaska could be significantly less than the regional SLR for eastern US. Their results indicate by the year 2100, for most of the world, flooding incidents that are typically associated with a 1 in a 100-year event could occur as frequently as 1 in 10 years, “primarily as a result of sea level rise.” As per this assessment, 0.5-0.7 per cent of the world’s land area is at a risk of episodic coastal flooding by 2100, impacting 2.5-4.1 percent of the population, assuming there are no coastal defences or adaptation measures in place.

Last year, Indonesia announced that the country’s capital would be relocated from Jakarta to the province of East Kalimantan on the lesser populated island of Borneo. The combination of climate change and heavy congestion continues to bury Jakarta, the “world’s fastest-sinking city”, by about 25 cm into the ground every year. The situation looks grim for India’s financial capital Mumbai as well. As per some projections, climate change is expected to inundate significant sections of Mumbai by 2050, impacting millions of people. In a paper published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, researchers proposed an extraordinary measure to protect 25 million people from rising seas as a result of climate change. They suggested a mammoth Northern European Enclosure Dam (NEED), enclosing all of the North Sea. The idea involved construction of two dams of a combined length of 637 km to protect Northern Europe against “unstoppable” SLR.

Q. The researchers cannot be said to be surprised by the coastal flooding because?

In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers predict that by 2100, the global population potentially exposed to episodic coastal flooding will increase from 128-171 million to 176-287 million. The value of global assets exposed to these episodes is projected to be between $6,000-$9,000 billion, or 12-20 percent of the global GDP. What are the findings of the study? The researchers note that sea-level rise (SLR) is a “well accepted” consequence of climate change. Their study has found that globally, of the 68 per cent area that is prone to coastal flooding, over 32 per cent can be attributed to regional SLR. What is Regional SLR? Because sea level rise is not uniform across the world, there is a need to differentiate regional SLR from the global rates. For instance, the gravitational pull of the polar ice sheets has different effects on sea levels in different parts of the world, which means regional SLR can be higher or lower than the global SLR. Relatively too, regional SLR can be higher or lower. For instance, according to an article published in Yale Environment, SLR in places such as Scotland, Iceland and Alaska could be significantly less than the regional SLR for eastern US. Their results indicate by the year 2100, for most of the world, flooding incidents that are typically associated with a 1 in a 100-year event could occur as frequently as 1 in 10 years, “primarily as a result of sea level rise.” As per this assessment, 0.5-0.7 per cent of the world’s land area is at a risk of episodic coastal flooding by 2100, impacting 2.5-4.1 percent of the population, assuming there are no coastal defences or adaptation measures in place.

Last year, Indonesia announced that the country’s capital would be relocated from Jakarta to the province of East Kalimantan on the lesser populated island of Borneo. The combination of climate change and heavy congestion continues to bury Jakarta, the “world’s fastest-sinking city”, by about 25 cm into the ground every year. The situation looks grim for India’s financial capital Mumbai as well. As per some projections, climate change is expected to inundate significant sections of Mumbai by 2050, impacting millions of people. In a paper published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, researchers proposed an extraordinary measure to protect 25 million people from rising seas as a result of climate change. They suggested a mammoth Northern European Enclosure Dam (NEED), enclosing all of the North Sea. The idea involved construction of two dams of a combined length of 637 km to protect Northern Europe against “unstoppable” SLR.

Q. The word “inundate” can be replaced by which of the following?

In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers predict that by 2100, the global population potentially exposed to episodic coastal flooding will increase from 128-171 million to 176-287 million. The value of global assets exposed to these episodes is projected to be between $6,000-$9,000 billion, or 12-20 percent of the global GDP. What are the findings of the study? The researchers note that sea-level rise (SLR) is a “well accepted” consequence of climate change. Their study has found that globally, of the 68 per cent area that is prone to coastal flooding, over 32 per cent can be attributed to regional SLR. What is Regional SLR? Because sea level rise is not uniform across the world, there is a need to differentiate regional SLR from the global rates. For instance, the gravitational pull of the polar ice sheets has different effects on sea levels in different parts of the world, which means regional SLR can be higher or lower than the global SLR. Relatively too, regional SLR can be higher or lower. For instance, according to an article published in Yale Environment, SLR in places such as Scotland, Iceland and Alaska could be significantly less than the regional SLR for eastern US. Their results indicate by the year 2100, for most of the world, flooding incidents that are typically associated with a 1 in a 100-year event could occur as frequently as 1 in 10 years, “primarily as a result of sea level rise.” As per this assessment, 0.5-0.7 per cent of the world’s land area is at a risk of episodic coastal flooding by 2100, impacting 2.5-4.1 percent of the population, assuming there are no coastal defences or adaptation measures in place.

Last year, Indonesia announced that the country’s capital would be relocated from Jakarta to the province of East Kalimantan on the lesser populated island of Borneo. The combination of climate change and heavy congestion continues to bury Jakarta, the “world’s fastest-sinking city”, by about 25 cm into the ground every year. The situation looks grim for India’s financial capital Mumbai as well. As per some projections, climate change is expected to inundate significant sections of Mumbai by 2050, impacting millions of people. In a paper published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, researchers proposed an extraordinary measure to protect 25 million people from rising seas as a result of climate change. They suggested a mammoth Northern European Enclosure Dam (NEED), enclosing all of the North Sea. The idea involved construction of two dams of a combined length of 637 km to protect Northern Europe against “unstoppable” SLR.

Q. The use of the term “unstoppable” as an adjective to SLR in the last sentence indicates which of the following tone of the author?

By its ill-considered announcement that ‘rules of engagement’ have been changed for the Indian Army after 20 of its soldiers were killed in action, the government has altered to the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) advantage the ‘no use of weapons’ system of managing encounters along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that has been in place for 27 years.

The new rules mean that Indian soldiers would be armed with orders to fire – in self-defence, of course – when face-to-face with the PLA. However, the government has not realised that escalation, once initiated, is controlled by the militarily stronger side, in this case the PLA.

Within hours of the announcement, the PLA moved additional forces including tanks and artillery forward to the LAC. It also immediately laid claim to the entire Galwan valley and made a deep, brazen ingress into the Depsang plains. China’s official mouthpiece Global Times warned India on the consequences of firing the first shot. Meanwhile, China’s envoy in India, Sun Weidong, put the onus on New Delhi to ease tensions and not complicate the situation.

The ‘rules of engagement’ statement was largely meant to assuage a dejected domestic audience who felt short-changed by PM Modi’s stunning declaration of June 19, in which he asserted that “Nobody has intruded into our border, neither is anybody there now, nor have our posts been captured.” While subsequently the government insisted that the statement did not mean that India had silently accepted PLA’s grab of its territory, it was difficult to shake off this perception. Consequently, in a bid to show that it retains the initiative, the new ‘rules of engagement’ were announced. This has led to two unintended consequences.

One, it has exposed the Modi government’s tendency of passing off perception as reality. This is the game it had successfully played with Pakistan in the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot attacks. But China is not Pakistan; and the war preparedness of both sides is not hidden. Barely had India shown its bravado came the news that defence minister Rajnath Singh was in Moscow seeking fast-tracking of spares for tanks, aircraft, guns and platforms in the pipeline for delivery to the Indian armed forces. Without war material, realistic combat training is not possible. The army also lacks the habitat and ecosystem for operational logistics for large additional numbers at altitudes of over 10,000 feet.

Two, there is a tacit admission that LAC management in the form of appeasement, which worked thus far, has been rendered irrelevant owing to the increased PLA threat. Since India has no idea of how to deal with an escalation, the field is now wide open for more PLA incursions. Worse, a continued impasse would work to China’s military and strategic advantage.

Q. What was the drastic change made by the Indian PM in “rules of engagement”?

By its ill-considered announcement that ‘rules of engagement’ have been changed for the Indian Army after 20 of its soldiers were killed in action, the government has altered to the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) advantage the ‘no use of weapons’ system of managing encounters along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that has been in place for 27 years.

The new rules mean that Indian soldiers would be armed with orders to fire – in self-defence, of course – when face-to-face with the PLA. However, the government has not realised that escalation, once initiated, is controlled by the militarily stronger side, in this case the PLA.

Within hours of the announcement, the PLA moved additional forces including tanks and artillery forward to the LAC. It also immediately laid claim to the entire Galwan valley and made a deep, brazen ingress into the Depsang plains. China’s official mouthpiece Global Times warned India on the consequences of firing the first shot. Meanwhile, China’s envoy in India, Sun Weidong, put the onus on New Delhi to ease tensions and not complicate the situation.

The ‘rules of engagement’ statement was largely meant to assuage a dejected domestic audience who felt short-changed by PM Modi’s stunning declaration of June 19, in which he asserted that “Nobody has intruded into our border, neither is anybody there now, nor have our posts been captured.” While subsequently the government insisted that the statement did not mean that India had silently accepted PLA’s grab of its territory, it was difficult to shake off this perception. Consequently, in a bid to show that it retains the initiative, the new ‘rules of engagement’ were announced. This has led to two unintended consequences.

One, it has exposed the Modi government’s tendency of passing off perception as reality. This is the game it had successfully played with Pakistan in the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot attacks. But China is not Pakistan; and the war preparedness of both sides is not hidden. Barely had India shown its bravado came the news that defence minister Rajnath Singh was in Moscow seeking fast-tracking of spares for tanks, aircraft, guns and platforms in the pipeline for delivery to the Indian armed forces. Without war material, realistic combat training is not possible. The army also lacks the habitat and ecosystem for operational logistics for large additional numbers at altitudes of over 10,000 feet.

Two, there is a tacit admission that LAC management in the form of appeasement, which worked thus far, has been rendered irrelevant owing to the increased PLA threat. Since India has no idea of how to deal with an escalation, the field is now wide open for more PLA incursions. Worse, a continued impasse would work to China’s military and strategic advantage.

Q. What game has the Modi Government played with Pakistan with respect to the Balakot and Surgical attack according to the author?