Daily Reads 5: News Sources | Verbal Ability (VA) & Reading Comprehension (RC) - CAT PDF Download

Article 1

Article Name: Shadows at Noon
Source: Times of India 

Joya Chatterji was the first woman director of Cambridge's Centre of South Asian Studies. For decades, she has made school curricula in Britain better reflect the country's history of migration.

Read the full article here: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-joya-chatterjis-shadows-at-noon-changes-the-notion-of-the-history-book/articleshow/104960362.cms

Summary and Theme

Joya Chatterji's book "Shadows at Noon" represents a significant shift in the presentation of history to the public. Chatterji, a former director of Cambridge's Centre of South Asian Studies and a professor emeritus, has been influential in shaping British educational curricula to better account for the country's history of migration. Her book is a testament to her dedication to making history accessible and engaging to a broader audience, drawing on her extensive academic background and her efforts to bring historical narratives to life.

Difficult Words

• Emeritus: A retired college professor or minister.
• Migration: The movement of people from one place to another with the intentions of settling, permanently or temporarily, at a new location.
• I will now retrieve the content for the second article.

Article 2

Article Name: Tiger, tiger burning right
By: Preeti Zachariah
Source: The Hindu 

A pile of twigs burns in the middle of the arid Tibetan landscape. Around it crouches scores of people taking off various vestments— hats, cloaks and belts — made of animal skin. Then, they fling these pieces of fur into the crackling fire, cheering through the haze of smoke and flames.

Read the full article here: https://www.thehindu.com/incoming/tiger-tiger-burning-right/article67487987.ece

Summary and Theme

"Project Tiger" is a documentary that celebrates the 50-year journey of India's conservation efforts to save its national animal. The film provides a comprehensive look at the history and success of the project, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It features interviews with experts and conservationists, archival footage, and cultural references to explore the evolving relationship between humans and tigers. The documentary highlights the challenges faced and the triumphs achieved in increasing the tiger population, emphasizing the tiger's role as a charismatic species that can engage people in broader conservation efforts.

Difficult Words

• Archival footage: Historical film or video footage used in a new production.
• Synergistic: Working together cooperatively; a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.
• Charisma: A compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.
• Flagship species: A species selected to act as an ambassador, icon, or symbol for a defined habitat, issue, campaign, or environmental cause.

Article 3

Article Name: Artificial rain: IIT Kanpur's solution to Delhi air pollution
By: TIMESOFINDIA.COM
Source: Times of India 

Delhi has grappled with severe air pollution for years, exacerbated during the winter months when neighbouring states burn crop residue (Parali) that combines with Delhi's already deteriorated air quality.

Read the full article here: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/artificial-rain-iit-kanpurs-solution-to-delhi-air-pollution/articleshow/105009673.cms

Summary and Theme

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has developed a novel approach to mitigate Delhi's notorious air pollution problem through cloud seeding technology, also known as artificial rain. This method is intended to alleviate the hazardous air quality levels in Delhi, which often exceed the extreme AQI mark of 500. While artificial rain can provide temporary relief from pollution, it is not seen as a long-term solution. The project, which has been in research since 2018, has recently conducted successful trials and obtained necessary approvals to proceed with cloud seeding flights.

Difficult Words

• AQI (Air Quality Index): A measure used to communicate how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become.
• Cloud seeding: The process of spreading either dry ice, or more commonly, silver iodide aerosols, into the upper part of clouds to try to stimulate the precipitation process and form rain.
• Condensation: The process by which water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water.
• Meteorological: Relating to the atmosphere or meteorology, the study of the processes and phenomena of the atmosphere, especially as a means of forecasting the weather.