Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows.
After a worrying pre-monsoon phase between March and May, when rainfall was scarce, the current robust season in most parts of coastal, western and central India augurs well for the entire economy. Aided apparently by beneficial conditions in the Indian Ocean, very heavy rainfall has been recorded, notably in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, the northeastern States, Karnataka, the Konkan coast, hilly districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This pattern may extend into Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bengal and other eastern regions. A normal Indian Summer Monsoon is bountiful overall, but as last year’s flooding in Kerala, and the Chennai catastrophe of 2015 showed, there can be a terrible cost in terms of lives and property lost, and people displaced. Distressing scenes of death and destruction are again being witnessed. Even in a rain-shadow region such as Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, the collapse of a railway parcel office after a downpour has led to avoidable deaths. What this underscores is the need to prepare for the rainy season with harvesting measures, as advocated by the Centre’s Jal Shakti Abhiyan, and a safety audit of structures, particularly those used by the official agencies. In drafting their management plans, States must be aware of the scientific consensus: that future rain spells may be short, often unpredictable and very heavy influenced by a changing climate. They need to invest in reliable infrastructure to mitigate the impact of flooding and avert disasters that could have global consequences in an integrated economy.
The long-term trends for flood impact in India have been one of declining loss of lives and cattle since the decadal high of 1971-80, but rising absolute economic losses, though not as a share of GDP. It is important, therefore, to increase resilience through planning, especially in cities and towns which are expanding steadily. Orderly urban development is critical for sustainability, as the mega flood disasters in Mumbai and Chennai witnessed in this century make clear. It is worth pointing out that the response of State governments to the imperative is tardy and even indifferent. They are hesitant to act against encroachment of lake catchments, river courses and floodplains. The extreme distress in Chennai, for instance, has not persuaded the State government against allowing structures such as a police station being constructed on a lake bed, after reclassification of land. Granting such permissions is an abdication of responsibility and a violation of National Disaster Management Authority Guidelines to prevent urban flooding. As a nation that is set to become the most populous in less than a decade, India must address its crippling cycles of drought and flood with redoubled vigour. Scientific hydrology, coupled with the traditional wisdom of saving water through large innovative structures, will mitigate floods and help communities prosper.
Question for Reading Comprehension Passage: 90
Try yourself:Which among the following is correct regarding the impact of flood in India over the years starting from 1970s?
Explanation
Refer to, “The long-term trends for flood impact in India have been one of declining loss of lives and cattle since the decadal high of 1971-80, but rising absolute economic losses, though not as a share of GDP. “
It is clear from the passage that the long term trends of impact of floods in India have been on the decline in terms of lives of people and cattle lost but on the other hand the economic losses have quantified multiple times during this particular time duration. Among the given options, we can choose Option A only since it gives us the correct information regarding the data on lives lost in floods since 1970s till date. Others can be eliminated since they do not follow from the passage.
This makes option A the correct choice among the given options.
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Question for Reading Comprehension Passage: 90
Try yourself:Which among the following is correct regarding the response of the states to the need to tackle flood situations?
Explanation
This is stated in the passage that the response of the states towards the importance of flood control measures has not been that great. They are mainly indifferent to such things and that is why we have seen floods in various areas especially in the urban areas such as Chennai in the recent times. The author is of the opinion that such floods will actually be very harmful for the cities. Among the given options, we have Option D which gives us the correct information regarding the response of the states whereas the rest are eliminated as they do not follow from the passage.
This makes Option D the correct choice among the given options.
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Question for Reading Comprehension Passage: 90
Try yourself:Which among the following is correct regarding the pattern of rainfall in the future as declared by the scientific community?
Explanation
Refer to, “States must be aware of the scientific consensus: that future rain spells may be short, often unpredictable and very heavy influenced by a changing climate.”
It is clear from the passage that the future rain spells will not be very much predictable since there will be rains sometime very heavily and it will mainly be because of the changing climate in India as well as in other areas of the world. The scientific community has already explained that it is going to be the future of monsoon and the states should be prepared to handle such situations. Among the given options, we can easily choose Option D for this since it gives us the correct information whereas the rest can be eliminated for being irrelevant in the context of the passage.
This makes Option D the correct choice among the given options.
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Question for Reading Comprehension Passage: 90
Try yourself:Which among the following gives us the correct picture of monsoon in the current year as stated in the passage?
Explanation
Refer to, “After a worrying pre-monsoon phase between March and May, when rainfall was scarce, the current robust season in most parts of coastal, western and central India augurs well for the entire economy.”
It is clear from the passage that the monsoon will be robust now after a worrying start to the monsoon season in the country. Now most of the areas in the country will have adequate rainfall. It is taking place in certain areas whereas there will be rainfall in the other areas in the days to come. There is no prediction of any kind of drought in the country this year. Among the given options, we can see that Option B gives us the correct information whereas the rest are irrelevant and hence eliminated from consideration.
This makes Option B the correct choice among the given options.
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Question for Reading Comprehension Passage: 90
Try yourself:Which among the following is/are correct according to the information given in the passage?
I. The National Disaster Management Authority Guidelines prevent the government to give permission to construct something by changing the nature of the land.
II. Chennai administration is not at all interested in taking preventive measures to control flood in the city.
III. There have been too many encroachments in the river bed areas in various cities across the country.
Explanation
Statement I is correct given the fact that the NDMA guidelines are regarding prevention of floods and other disasters and these prevent the administration to go against the nature of land to grant permissions to construct something on it without proper background analysis and research. Refer to, “Granting such permissions is an abdication of responsibility and a violation of National Disaster Management Authority Guidelines to prevent urban flooding.”
Statement II is also correct because it is very clear from the passage that the Chennai City Administration has miserably failed to do justice to flood prevention in the city. They have given permission to construct structures in areas of lake beds and river catchment areas. It is actually very much harmful for urban flooding.
Statement III is also correct for the fact that the response of the state administration around the country has not been very proactive and that is why there have been too many encroachments in the river-bed areas and lake bed areas of the country. Refer to, “They are hesitant to act against encroachment of lake catchments, river courses and floodplains.”
This makes Option D the correct choice among the given options.
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Question for Reading Comprehension Passage: 90
Try yourself:Which among the following is SIMILAR in meaning to the word Tardy as used in the passage?
Explanation
The word tardy has been used in the passage in the sense that the state governments have not been able to undertake timely measures in order to prevent urban flooding and the floods in the city areas of the country. It has been evident in the case of the Chennai Floods of the country in 2015. Among the given words, we can see that sluggish gives us the correct meaning of the given word whereas prompt is the opposite of the word. Orchestrated means arranged.
This makes Option A the correct choice among the given options.
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Question for Reading Comprehension Passage: 90
Try yourself:Which among the following is OPPOSITE in meaning to the word Bountiful as used in the passage?
Explanation
The word bountiful has been used in the passage in the sense that the monsoon in India is going to be enough this year and there will not be any kind of deficit of rains in the country. Obviously the opposite meaning would be scarce that means lack of something. Sufficient is actually the synonym of the given word whereas mitigating means diminishing.
This makes Option D the correct choice among the given options.
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Question for Reading Comprehension Passage: 90
Try yourself:Which among the following is SIMILAR in meaning to the word Abdication as used in the passage?
Explanation
The word abdication has been used in the passage in the sense that the city administration in the country has failed to take adequate measures to control urban floods within their jurisdiction. Among the given words, we can see that renunciation is similar in meaning to the word. Ratification means giving legal backing to something whereas termination refers to ending something.
This makes Option A the correct choice among the given options.
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