IBPS Clerk Prelims Mock Test - 4 - Bank Exams MCQ

In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Each of the blank is indicated by a letter. Find the suitable choice for each blank.

In countries as far afield as Iceland, Denmark and the UK, and in cities such as Los Angeles, Sydney, Berlin and Beijing, public swimming pools have historically been democratic palaces of ____(A)_____. In the UK, many public pools and outdoor lidos have long lain neglected; yet they are now experiencing a _____(B)_____, as people increasingly rediscover the _____(C)_____ pleasures of swimming, especially outdoors. With a growing number of community groups and councils ____(D)_____ the value of lidos and pools to local communities, many are being ____(E)_____ and modernised to meet 21st-Century requirements.

Q. Which of the following Words can appropriately fit in the position D?

a) acknowledging

b) brimming

c) recognizing

In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Each of the blank is indicated by a letter. Find the suitable choice for each blank.

In countries as far afield as Iceland, Denmark and the UK, and in cities such as Los Angeles, Sydney, Berlin and Beijing, public swimming pools have historically been democratic palaces of ____(A)_____. In the UK, many public pools and outdoor lidos have long lain neglected; yet they are now experiencing a _____(B)_____, as people increasingly rediscover the _____(C)_____ pleasures of swimming, especially outdoors. With a growing number of community groups and councils ____(D)_____ the value of lidos and pools to local communities, many are being ____(E)_____ and modernised to meet 21st-Century requirements.

Q. Which of the following Words can appropriately fit in the position E?

a) restored

b) collapsed

c) destroyed

Direction: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

In July, 1947 a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, and the government tried to cover it up by saying that it was not a flying saucer but an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to a classified program named, "Mogul." However, many proponents of the UFO theory claim that a crashed alien aircraft and bodies were recovered and that the military staged an elaborate cover-up because it was a threat to national security. Now, 64 years later, the debate is still going on and the government is no more cooperative about revealing the details than it was then.

Throughout the years, it has been shown time and again that information that was originally classified as confidential because it was a threat to national security, remained classified many decades later even though the crisis had long since passed and no threat remained. It has also been seen that anytime the government needed an excuse for anything, they only had to say that the information was classified.

In the United States we have run into this kind of obfuscation time and again so when President Obama announced to the world that we were going to have transparency in government, I was overjoyed. It meant that we were finally going to see what went on behind the scenes with Congress. It meant that we could turn on C-SPAN and be privy to the wheeling and dealing of our legislators as they bargained for earmarks.

This has had a so-so effect. Not much has changed. Enter WikiLeaks. At first I was thrilled at the prospect that what I've wanted for years was finally happening. Hundreds of thousands of confidential papers were being aired publicly. The bad guys were being excoriated in the press and the good guys were going to win the war of public opinion and maybe even bring about some good governments. But it isn't turning out that way. There are no clear-cut winners and losers and the head of WikiLeaks has had problems within his own ranks as well as being in trouble with the law of several countries, ours included.

Understandably, the guys who have committed the worst offenses want him out of the way and everyone is taking guesses as to how long he will remain alive before someone kills him. The people in OpenLeaks is doing this a little differently; they are leaking the information to the media in bits and pieces and letting them take the blame for the leaks, hence, presumably, no one's life is on the line while this classified information reaches the public in a safer form of whistle-blowing.

I'm one of the people who has been in favour of what WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are trying to do. I'm tired of all this secrecy and I do want it to stop. And if that was all there was to it, I'd hitch my wagon to it and ride out the storm of controversy.

But now it has taken a much more sinister turn. It is no longer about public officials misusing and abusing power and corrupt and ruthless governments toppling; now it has come to the doorstep of the people; it has come into the lives of all of us.

Hackers, in their rallying cry for transparency and no more secrets, have taken to hacking into the files of banks and financial institutions. Millions of depositors have had their personal information, their identities, and their lives stolen out from under them. People who stood behind the precepts of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are now their victims. It's still not clearly understood whether these hackers are part of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks or are just hanging onto their coattails and operating on their own. It doesn't matter at this point whether they are independent agents or working in unison with WikiLeaks or OpenLeaks. All that matters is that these people who have had their personal information hijacked, had nothing to do with the secrecy in government nor the corruption that ensued as a result.

These hackers have taken it a step too far and it's time for them to reassess their objectives and find a better way to attain them without causing the rest of the world to come toppling down around them, Unless, of course, that is their intent.

Connie H. Deutsch

Q. What does the author mean by the last sentence of the passage “Unless, of course, that is their intent”?

Direction: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

In July, 1947 a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, and the government tried to cover it up by saying that it was not a flying saucer but an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to a classified program named, "Mogul." However, many proponents of the UFO theory claim that a crashed alien aircraft and bodies were recovered and that the military staged an elaborate cover-up because it was a threat to national security. Now, 64 years later, the debate is still going on and the government is no more cooperative about revealing the details than it was then.

Throughout the years, it has been shown time and again that information that was originally classified as confidential because it was a threat to national security, remained classified many decades later even though the crisis had long since passed and no threat remained. It has also been seen that anytime the government needed an excuse for anything, they only had to say that the information was classified.

In the United States we have run into this kind of obfuscation time and again so when President Obama announced to the world that we were going to have transparency in government, I was overjoyed. It meant that we were finally going to see what went on behind the scenes with Congress. It meant that we could turn on C-SPAN and be privy to the wheeling and dealing of our legislators as they bargained for earmarks.

This has had a so-so effect. Not much has changed. Enter WikiLeaks. At first I was thrilled at the prospect that what I've wanted for years was finally happening. Hundreds of thousands of confidential papers were being aired publicly. The bad guys were being excoriated in the press and the good guys were going to win the war of public opinion and maybe even bring about some good governments. But it isn't turning out that way. There are no clear-cut winners and losers and the head of WikiLeaks has had problems within his own ranks as well as being in trouble with the law of several countries, ours included.

Understandably, the guys who have committed the worst offenses want him out of the way and everyone is taking guesses as to how long he will remain alive before someone kills him. The people in OpenLeaks is doing this a little differently; they are leaking the information to the media in bits and pieces and letting them take the blame for the leaks, hence, presumably, no one's life is on the line while this classified information reaches the public in a safer form of whistle-blowing.

I'm one of the people who has been in favour of what WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are trying to do. I'm tired of all this secrecy and I do want it to stop. And if that was all there was to it, I'd hitch my wagon to it and ride out the storm of controversy.

But now it has taken a much more sinister turn. It is no longer about public officials misusing and abusing power and corrupt and ruthless governments toppling; now it has come to the doorstep of the people; it has come into the lives of all of us.

Hackers, in their rallying cry for transparency and no more secrets, have taken to hacking into the files of banks and financial institutions. Millions of depositors have had their personal information, their identities, and their lives stolen out from under them. People who stood behind the precepts of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are now their victims. It's still not clearly understood whether these hackers are part of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks or are just hanging onto their coattails and operating on their own. It doesn't matter at this point whether they are independent agents or working in unison with WikiLeaks or OpenLeaks. All that matters is that these people who have had their personal information hijacked, had nothing to do with the secrecy in government nor the corruption that ensued as a result.

These hackers have taken it a step too far and it's time for them to reassess their objectives and find a better way to attain them without causing the rest of the world to come toppling down around them, Unless, of course, that is their intent.

Connie H. Deutsch

Q. What is the reason that hackers have given for their hacking into the files of banks and financial institutions?

Direction: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

In July, 1947 a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, and the government tried to cover it up by saying that it was not a flying saucer but an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to a classified program named, "Mogul." However, many proponents of the UFO theory claim that a crashed alien aircraft and bodies were recovered and that the military staged an elaborate cover-up because it was a threat to national security. Now, 64 years later, the debate is still going on and the government is no more cooperative about revealing the details than it was then.

Throughout the years, it has been shown time and again that information that was originally classified as confidential because it was a threat to national security, remained classified many decades later even though the crisis had long since passed and no threat remained. It has also been seen that anytime the government needed an excuse for anything, they only had to say that the information was classified.

In the United States we have run into this kind of obfuscation time and again so when President Obama announced to the world that we were going to have transparency in government, I was overjoyed. It meant that we were finally going to see what went on behind the scenes with Congress. It meant that we could turn on C-SPAN and be privy to the wheeling and dealing of our legislators as they bargained for earmarks.

This has had a so-so effect. Not much has changed. Enter WikiLeaks. At first I was thrilled at the prospect that what I've wanted for years was finally happening. Hundreds of thousands of confidential papers were being aired publicly. The bad guys were being excoriated in the press and the good guys were going to win the war of public opinion and maybe even bring about some good governments. But it isn't turning out that way. There are no clear-cut winners and losers and the head of WikiLeaks has had problems within his own ranks as well as being in trouble with the law of several countries, ours included.

Understandably, the guys who have committed the worst offenses want him out of the way and everyone is taking guesses as to how long he will remain alive before someone kills him. The people in OpenLeaks is doing this a little differently; they are leaking the information to the media in bits and pieces and letting them take the blame for the leaks, hence, presumably, no one's life is on the line while this classified information reaches the public in a safer form of whistle-blowing.

I'm one of the people who has been in favour of what WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are trying to do. I'm tired of all this secrecy and I do want it to stop. And if that was all there was to it, I'd hitch my wagon to it and ride out the storm of controversy.

But now it has taken a much more sinister turn. It is no longer about public officials misusing and abusing power and corrupt and ruthless governments toppling; now it has come to the doorstep of the people; it has come into the lives of all of us.

Hackers, in their rallying cry for transparency and no more secrets, have taken to hacking into the files of banks and financial institutions. Millions of depositors have had their personal information, their identities, and their lives stolen out from under them. People who stood behind the precepts of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are now their victims. It's still not clearly understood whether these hackers are part of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks or are just hanging onto their coattails and operating on their own. It doesn't matter at this point whether they are independent agents or working in unison with WikiLeaks or OpenLeaks. All that matters is that these people who have had their personal information hijacked, had nothing to do with the secrecy in government nor the corruption that ensued as a result.

These hackers have taken it a step too far and it's time for them to reassess their objectives and find a better way to attain them without causing the rest of the world to come toppling down around them, Unless, of course, that is their intent.

Connie H. Deutsch

Q. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

Direction: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

In July, 1947 a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, and the government tried to cover it up by saying that it was not a flying saucer but an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to a classified program named, "Mogul." However, many proponents of the UFO theory claim that a crashed alien aircraft and bodies were recovered and that the military staged an elaborate cover-up because it was a threat to national security. Now, 64 years later, the debate is still going on and the government is no more cooperative about revealing the details than it was then.

Throughout the years, it has been shown time and again that information that was originally classified as confidential because it was a threat to national security, remained classified many decades later even though the crisis had long since passed and no threat remained. It has also been seen that anytime the government needed an excuse for anything, they only had to say that the information was classified.

In the United States we have run into this kind of obfuscation time and again so when President Obama announced to the world that we were going to have transparency in government, I was overjoyed. It meant that we were finally going to see what went on behind the scenes with Congress. It meant that we could turn on C-SPAN and be privy to the wheeling and dealing of our legislators as they bargained for earmarks.

This has had a so-so effect. Not much has changed. Enter WikiLeaks. At first I was thrilled at the prospect that what I've wanted for years was finally happening. Hundreds of thousands of confidential papers were being aired publicly. The bad guys were being excoriated in the press and the good guys were going to win the war of public opinion and maybe even bring about some good governments. But it isn't turning out that way. There are no clear-cut winners and losers and the head of WikiLeaks has had problems within his own ranks as well as being in trouble with the law of several countries, ours included.

Understandably, the guys who have committed the worst offenses want him out of the way and everyone is taking guesses as to how long he will remain alive before someone kills him. The people in OpenLeaks is doing this a little differently; they are leaking the information to the media in bits and pieces and letting them take the blame for the leaks, hence, presumably, no one's life is on the line while this classified information reaches the public in a safer form of whistle-blowing.

I'm one of the people who has been in favour of what WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are trying to do. I'm tired of all this secrecy and I do want it to stop. And if that was all there was to it, I'd hitch my wagon to it and ride out the storm of controversy.

But now it has taken a much more sinister turn. It is no longer about public officials misusing and abusing power and corrupt and ruthless governments toppling; now it has come to the doorstep of the people; it has come into the lives of all of us.

Hackers, in their rallying cry for transparency and no more secrets, have taken to hacking into the files of banks and financial institutions. Millions of depositors have had their personal information, their identities, and their lives stolen out from under them. People who stood behind the precepts of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are now their victims. It's still not clearly understood whether these hackers are part of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks or are just hanging onto their coattails and operating on their own. It doesn't matter at this point whether they are independent agents or working in unison with WikiLeaks or OpenLeaks. All that matters is that these people who have had their personal information hijacked, had nothing to do with the secrecy in government nor the corruption that ensued as a result.

These hackers have taken it a step too far and it's time for them to reassess their objectives and find a better way to attain them without causing the rest of the world to come toppling down around them, Unless, of course, that is their intent.

Connie H. Deutsch

Q. Which of the following words is similar in meaning to the word “clear-cut”?

Direction: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

In July, 1947 a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, and the government tried to cover it up by saying that it was not a flying saucer but an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to a classified program named, "Mogul." However, many proponents of the UFO theory claim that a crashed alien aircraft and bodies were recovered and that the military staged an elaborate cover-up because it was a threat to national security. Now, 64 years later, the debate is still going on and the government is no more cooperative about revealing the details than it was then.

Throughout the years, it has been shown time and again that information that was originally classified as confidential because it was a threat to national security, remained classified many decades later even though the crisis had long since passed and no threat remained. It has also been seen that anytime the government needed an excuse for anything, they only had to say that the information was classified.

In the United States we have run into this kind of obfuscation time and again so when President Obama announced to the world that we were going to have transparency in government, I was overjoyed. It meant that we were finally going to see what went on behind the scenes with Congress. It meant that we could turn on C-SPAN and be privy to the wheeling and dealing of our legislators as they bargained for earmarks.

This has had a so-so effect. Not much has changed. Enter WikiLeaks. At first I was thrilled at the prospect that what I've wanted for years was finally happening. Hundreds of thousands of confidential papers were being aired publicly. The bad guys were being excoriated in the press and the good guys were going to win the war of public opinion and maybe even bring about some good governments. But it isn't turning out that way. There are no clear-cut winners and losers and the head of WikiLeaks has had problems within his own ranks as well as being in trouble with the law of several countries, ours included.

Understandably, the guys who have committed the worst offenses want him out of the way and everyone is taking guesses as to how long he will remain alive before someone kills him. The people in OpenLeaks is doing this a little differently; they are leaking the information to the media in bits and pieces and letting them take the blame for the leaks, hence, presumably, no one's life is on the line while this classified information reaches the public in a safer form of whistle-blowing.

I'm one of the people who has been in favour of what WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are trying to do. I'm tired of all this secrecy and I do want it to stop. And if that was all there was to it, I'd hitch my wagon to it and ride out the storm of controversy.

But now it has taken a much more sinister turn. It is no longer about public officials misusing and abusing power and corrupt and ruthless governments toppling; now it has come to the doorstep of the people; it has come into the lives of all of us.

Hackers, in their rallying cry for transparency and no more secrets, have taken to hacking into the files of banks and financial institutions. Millions of depositors have had their personal information, their identities, and their lives stolen out from under them. People who stood behind the precepts of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks are now their victims. It's still not clearly understood whether these hackers are part of WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks or are just hanging onto their coattails and operating on their own. It doesn't matter at this point whether they are independent agents or working in unison with WikiLeaks or OpenLeaks. All that matters is that these people who have had their personal information hijacked, had nothing to do with the secrecy in government nor the corruption that ensued as a result.

These hackers have taken it a step too far and it's time for them to reassess their objectives and find a better way to attain them without causing the rest of the world to come toppling down around them, Unless, of course, that is their intent.

Connie H. Deutsch

Q. Which of the following words is opposite in meaning to the word “sinister”?

A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.

these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).

It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.

The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.

The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.

Q. How would you describe the "revari culture", discussed in the first paragraph?

a) this culture creates new facilities for the present.

b) offering freebies for winning elections

c) in which votes were sought by promising freebies.

A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.

these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).

It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.

The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.

The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.

Q. Which of the following are showing the demerits of the PMGKAY?

a) The beneficiary list cannot be expanded.

b) The number of food-insecure people has increased during the pandemic and they remain uncovered.

c) This scheme delivers the full quantum of benefits to a large section of the people.

A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.

these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).

It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.

The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.

The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.

Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?

a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadis

b) providing cooked meals under the midday meal scheme

c) curbing the distribution of club goods

A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.

these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).

It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.

The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.

The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.

Q. Which of the following is/are the significance of PDS?

a) It helps in stabilising food prices.

b) Food grains are directly purchased from farmers, assuring farmers with a greater price.

c) To protect the low income groups by guaranteeing the supply of certain minimum quantities of food grains at affordable prices.

A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.

these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).

It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.

The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.

The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.

Q. Which of the following options conveys the same meaning as the highlighted PHRASE “hit out”?

a) criticize someone

b) to make an angry attack against (someone)

c) be naturally friendly or well suited.

A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.

these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).

It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.

The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.

The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.

Q. Which of the following words is/are synonymous with the word ‘devastated’, as used in the above context?

A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.

these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).

It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.

The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.

The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.

A sentence, highlighted in Underline, is divided into five parts. This question is followed by four options which give the sequence of rearranged parts. You must choose the option which gives the correct sequence of the parts.

these distort the electoral process (P)/ days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T)

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. The importance of language in gaining knowledge is doubtless the chief cause of the common ________ that knowledge may be passed directly from one to another.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. It is sometimes assumed, explicitly or unconsciously, that an individual's tendencies are naturally purely individualistic or egoistic, and _______ antisocial.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. If the mother hands the child something needed, the latter must reach the thing in order to ______ it.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. Stimuli conducive to economical and effective response, such as our system of roads and means of transportation, do not, by themselves or in their aggregate, __________ a civilization.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. In directing the activities of the young, society determines its own future in ____________ that of the young.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. The political drama and shifting _____ amongst the parties, serves as a reminder of dark shadows of manoeuver and intrigue that lurk within Indian democracy.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. It is clear that the current government will not instill a sense of _____ and patriotism in the people.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. India must communicate its _______ intentions just as it showcases its capabilities.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. The best course of action for the case was to take the patient to the ______ theatre.

Direction: Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.

Q. It is _____ to see that the biggest city of the country cannot ensure proper safety of its citizens.

In each question below, some words printed in underline are given. These are numbered (a), (b), (c), and (d). One of these words printed in Underline might either be wrongly spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word that is inappropriate or wrongly spelt, if any. The number of that word is your answer. If the words printed in Underline are correctly spelt and appropriate in the context of the sentence then mark (e) i.e. ‘No error’, as your answer.

There is a precisely (A) similar problem when a footpath (B) crosses a fence or hedge (C) by means of a style (D) or gate.

In each question below, some words printed in Underline are given. These are numbered (a), (b), (c), and (d). One of these words printed in Underline might either be wrongly spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word that is inappropriate or wrongly spelt, if any. The number of that word is your answer. If the words printed in Underline are correctly spelt and appropriate in the context of the sentence then mark (e) i.e. ‘No error’, as your answer.

In this formula round brackets (A) indicate optional (B) elements and the carrot (C) indicates the required sequence (D).

In each question below, some words printed in Underline are given. These are numbered (a), (b), (c), and (d). One of these words printed in Underline might either be wrongly spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word that is inappropriate or wrongly spelt, if any. The number of that word is your answer. If the words printed in Underline are correctly spelt and appropriate in the context of the sentence then mark (e) i.e. ‘No error’, as your answer.

At the same (A) time, away from the competitive baize (B), she was a loyal (C) and warm-hearted personality (D).