Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
In one of the aristocratic mansions built by Puget in the Rue du Grand Cours opposite the Medusa fountain, a second marriage feast was being celebrated, almost at the same hour with the nuptial repast given by Dantes. In this case, however, although the occasion of the entertainment was similar, the company was strikingly dissimilar.
Instead of a rude mixture of sailors, soldiers, and those belonging to the humblest grade of life, the present assembly was composed of the very flower of Marseilles society,--magistrates who had resigned their office during the usurper's reign; officers who had deserted from the imperial army and joined forces with Conde; and younger members of families, brought up to hate and execrate the man whom five years of exile would convert into a martyr, and fifteen of restoration elevate to the rank of a god.
The guests were still at table, and the heated and energetic conversation that prevailed betrayed the violent and vindictive passions that then agitated each dweller of the South, where unhappily, for five centuries religious strife had long given increased bitterness to the violence of party feeling. The emperor, now king of the petty Island of Elba, after having held sovereign sway over one-half of the world, counting as his subjects a small population of five or six thousand souls,--after having been accustomed to hear the "Vive Napoleons" of a hundred and twenty millions of human beings, uttered in ten different languages,--was looked upon here as a ruined man, separated forever from any fresh connection with France or claim to her throne.
The magistrates freely discussed their political views; the military part of the company talked unreservedly of Moscow and Leipsic, while the women commented on the divorce of Josephine. It was not over the downfall of the man, but over the defeat of the Napoleonic idea, that they rejoiced, and in this they foresaw for themselves the bright and cheering prospect of a revivified political existence. An old man, decorated with the cross of Saint Louis, now rose and proposed the health of King Louis XVIII. It was the Marquis de Saint-Meran.
This toast, recalling at once the patient exile of Hartwell and the peace-loving King of France, excited universal enthusiasm; glasses were elevated in the air a l'Anglais, and the ladies, snatching their bouquets from their fair bosoms, strewed the table with their floral treasures. In a word, an almost poetical fervor prevailed.
"Ah," said the Marquise de Saint-Meran, a woman with a stern, forbidding eye, though still noble and distinguished in appearance, despite her fifty years--"ah, these revolutionists, who have driven us from those very possessions they afterwards purchased for a mere trifle during the Reign of Terror, would be compelled to own, were they here, that all true devotion was on our side, since we were content to follow the fortunes of a falling monarch, while they, on the contrary, made their fortune by worshipping the rising sun; yes, yes, they could not help admitting that the king, for whom we sacrificed rank, wealth, and station was truly our 'Louis the wellbeloved,' while their wretched usurper his been, and ever will be, to them their evil genius, their 'Napoleon the accursed.' Am I not right, Villefort?"
[Extracted from The Count Of Monte Cristo By Alexandre Dumas, Pere]
Q1: What is the primary focus of the passage?
(a) The military achievements of Napoleon
(b) The celebration of a second marriage feast in Marseilles
(c) The political opinions of King Louis XVIII
(d) The downfall of the French monarchy
Ans: (b)
Sol: The passage mainly describes a marriage feast in Marseilles, contrasting it with another feast and emphasizing the political and social opinions of the guests. While it touches upon Napoleon and other political aspects, these are not the central focus.
Q2: What can be inferred about the guests at the marriage feast?
(a) They were supportive of Napoleon's reign
(b) They were predominantly from the lower social classes
(c) They held anti-Napoleonic views and supported the monarchy
(d) They were indifferent to political issues
Ans: (c)
Sol: The guests are described as rejoicing over the defeat of the Napoleonic idea and toasting to King Louis XVIII, indicating their anti-Napoleonic stance and support for the monarchy.
Q3: Who proposed the toast to King Louis XVIII?
(a) The emperor of Elba
(b) The Marquis de Saint-Meran
(c) Villefort
(d) A military officer
Ans: (b)
Sol: The passage explicitly states that the Marquis de Saint-Meran proposed the toast to King Louis XVIII, making this a direct factual detail from the text.
Q4: Which word in the passage is a synonym for "passionate"?
(a) Forbidding
(b) Energetic
(c) Decorated
(d) Poetical
Ans: (d)
Sol: "Poetical" is used in the context of describing the fervor at the event, suggesting a passionate and almost artistic intensity. It is the closest synonym to "passionate" in the given context.
Q5: The phrase "elevated in the air a l'Anglais" is an example of which figure of speech?
(a) Simile
(b) Metaphor
(c) Allusion
(d) Personification
Ans: (c)
Sol: This phrase is an allusion, referencing a specific cultural practice (toasting in an English manner) to enrich the description. It doesn't compare two things like a simile or metaphor, nor does it give human characteristics to non-human entities like personification.
As a six-year-old child-beggar, Saroo slept off in a stationary train in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh; however, when he woke up, he found himself in an empty compartment of a train thundering towards Kolkata where he spent a couple of weeks in a state of panic and hopelessness. Finally, he ended up in a local government adoption centre from where he was adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty five years later, Saroo felt the urge to trace his biological mother and see in what state she lived. Relentlessly, he used Google’s satellite feature to map the parts of the country that could have possibly been his own hometown. The search was a long and arduous one; nevertheless, the perseverance did pay. One eventful day, he met his mother; thereafter, he continued to keep in touch with her. if technology can unite people with their loved ones, it can also make them distant.
The unlimited variety of applications (apps) available to toddlers, teenagers and adults might have revolutionized their lives for the better, but these very apps have snatched away the joys of long naturewalks; they have encroached upon the time and space that people earlier used for physical interaction; they have drilled deep chasms of loneliness in the lives of countless numbers of people. Simple pleasures of life include visiting friends and relatives, playing matches in open spaces, interacting with people in markets, public libraries and clubs. However, with the escalating rage of using apps like those for social media, playing virtual games, and homedelivery services, these joyous moments are fading into oblivion, and the pall of loneliness is getting heavier by the day.
Where are we heading to? Are we going to allow ourselves to be swamped by apps? Are we going to allow socialmedia to engulf us in a deluge of loneliness and isolation? Are we going to drive ourselves to situations that will ultimately demand mental and physical therapies to regain normalcy? Do we not know that physical interaction is as essential for mental health as food and water is for physical health? Earlier, social isolation was mostly experienced by some of the elderly people who were devoid of an occupation, and bereft of company of their loved ones.
Unfortunately today, an unhealthy solitude prevails among numerous children, teenagers and adults too; subsequently, there is an alarming increase in the demand for mental health therapy practitioners. The necessity of engaging psychologists in schools and colleges is evidently on the rise. The psychologists are required to identify and address the learning and behavioral needs of students who approach them for guidance; moreover, if required, the professionals are expected to help them in strengthening their emotional, social and academic skills. Regardless how alarming the situation might be, it is never too late. if people revert to the earlier trend of shopping off-line, going for naturewalks, playing outdoors games, and catching up with friends in their homes or cafes more frequently, they can keep their heads firmly well above the ocean of loneliness.
Q6: From the passage it is evident that Saroo’s desire to find his mother
(a) Ended up being a distant dream.
(b) Inspired him to use Google’s satellite feature intermittently.
(c) Waned as time went by.
(d) Did not slacken till he succeeded.
Ans: (d)
Sol: Refer to the last two lines of the first paragraph – “Relentlessly, he used…………. The perseverance did pay.” From these lines, it is evident that, in spite of difficulties, he continued his search.
Q7: In the sentence ‘these very apps have snatched away the joys of long nature-walks;’ the author has
(a) Satirized nature
(b) Metaphorized apps
(c) Personified apps
(d) None of the above
Ans: (c)
Sol: In the sentence, the author is attributing human qualities to the apps by saying they snatched away the joys of nature-walk. Apps are non-living entities, and practically, snatching is an act that can be done by living beings. This method of using human qualities for non-living creatures is known as personification.
Q8: From the passage one can conclude that
(a) It is impossible for people to reduce the usage of apps.
(b) There is a direct correlation between loneliness and excessive usage of social-media apps.
(c) The usage of technology is as essential for mental-health as food and water is for physical health.
(d) All senior citizens are lonely because they are not tech-savvy.
Ans: (b)
Sol: The passage highlights the negative effects of the use of social media. From the last line of the second paragraph and the last two lines of the third paragraph, his concern is evident. This makes option (b) the correct answer. Option (a) is an extreme option and is not mentioned in the passage. Option (c) is ruled out because it is contrary to the opinion of the author. Option (d) is ruled out because it is an extreme option and is factually incorrect.
Q9: From the passage it can be inferred that presently in many educational institutions
(a) The number of teachers who pass the buck to psychologists is on the rise.
(b) Special emphasis is being laid on the mental and emotional health of the students.
(c) The usage of educational apps is being discouraged significantly.
(d) All the students feel the need to be counseled by psychologists.
Ans: (b)
Sol: From the last second paragraph, option (b) can be inferred. Options (a) and (c) are not mentioned in the passage. Hence, they are eliminated. Option (d) is too strict to select.
Q10: In the concluding paragraph of the given passage, the writer’s tone can be best described as
(a) Optimistic
(b) Despairing
(c) Laudatory
(d) Apologetic
Ans: (a)
Sol: Refer to the line from the paragraph – “Regardless of how alarming the situation might be, it is never too late.” This line shows that the author is hopeful about the improvement. Option (a), ‘optimistic’, depicts this tone aptly. Despairing means being hopeless, laudatory is praising, and apologetic means expressing or showing regretful acknowledgment.
“Wash! Wash! Wash your hands! ” That’s been the safety-mantra ever since the pandemic COViD-19 began swamping the world. Undoubtedly, washing hands has proven to be the best way to keep germs at bay. Unfortunately, the medical practitioner who first promoted the importance of this simple activity was subjected to intense humiliation, and ultimately declared insane! ignaz Semmelweis was a Hungarian doctor. in 1847, as an obstetrician, he was disturbed that post-delivery, almost every third woman died of an unexpected malady. He observed that as a part of the set routine, medical students and doctors would examine and study the corpses in the mortuary, and then come for rounds to the maternity wards.
Here, without washing their hands, they would examine expectant mothers. After making numerous hypothesis and observations, he was convinced that when doctors washed their hands before examining the women in the ward, the number of deaths due to serious infection declined. He shared his observations with his colleagues and many others working in the field of medicine, but unfortunately he could not provide any concrete evidence to his theory.
Sadly, due to the vehement criticism that he received, he went into depression. Furthermore, ignaz strived to prove his point so relentlessly that it led to the belief that he had lost his mind. in 1865, a doctor deceptively lured him into an asylum for the insane, and two weeks of the brutal treatment that was meted out to him by the attendants led to his untimely death. About twenty years later, when the world became more receptive to the works of scientists like Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister, awareness regarding germs that cause diseases began to spread. this is the time when ignaz was honoured with titles like Father of Hand Hygiene and Saviour of Mothers- an honour much too late! Some of the most celebrated artists have earned fame much after their deaths. it is tragic that Vincent Van Gogh’s awe-inspiring work was labeled as strange and amateur by most of the critics of his time. it is believed that he sold only one or two painting in his lifetime, and that too for a meager amount.
Today, every single painting of Vincent Van Gogh paintings is worth millions of dollars. Franz Kafka was a proficient writer, but when he published a few pieces of his writings, he received immense criticism. Before his death in 1924, he handed over his unpublished novels and short stories to his friend Max Brod, and urged him to destroy them; however, Brod got the manuscripts published. Today, Franz is acclaimed as one of the major fiction writers of the twentieth century; the novels titled The Trial published in 1925, and The Castle published in 1926 are considered two of his masterpieces. Perhaps, if humans were more tolerant and amenable to change, innovative concepts, theories and creations, the deserving would live to experience the glory and honour they rightfully deserve.
Q11: The main idea of the passage is that
(a) All original theories and works should receive unreserved acceptance.
(b) Many undeserving innovators have been honoured after their demise.
(c) Creativity must never be inhibited.
(d) Numerous innovators have found recognition and appreciation of their works posthumously.
Ans: (d)
Sol: The passage quotes examples of people who were criticized while they were alive and honored after their death. Hence, option (d) is the answer. Option (a) may seem tempting, but the passage does not suggest all theories should receive unreserved acceptance. The passage here says that had people been more tolerant, the deserving would live to experience the glory.
Option (b) is ruled out because it distorts the fact by saying ‘undeserving candidate’. Option (c) is out of scope.
Q17: Which of the following is true in the context of the passage?
(a) The author defends the current money–credit system.
(b) The author rejects the idea that the central bank or government creates money and are busy debasing it in their self-interest.
(c) The author backs the protection of the poor from the menace of cryptocurrencies.
(d) All the above
Ans: (d)
Sol: From the last second paragraph’s first line, option (b) can be derived. From the line – “The current money–credit system is not perfect, but like democracy, it is the worst system barring all the others.” Option (a) is derived. And from the line – “But we need to protect those vulnerable consumers whose lives are such that almost any get-rich-quick schemes will be seductive, and seven out of 10 times, they will lose their life savings.” Option (c) can be derived.
Ans: (b)
Sol: Antithesis: The placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas, as in “Give me liberty or give me death.” Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.” Personification: The attribution of human nature or character to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract notions, especially as a rhetorical figure. Synecdoche: A figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for the general or the general for the special, as in ten sail for ten ships or a Croesus for a rich man. In the given line, cryptocurrency is called alchemy, which is applied to comparison. Hence, (b) is the answer.
Q19: Which of the following does best describe the passage?
(a) Argumentative and explanatory
(b) Descriptive and argumentative
(c) Narrative and explanatory
(d) Expository and argumentative
Ans: (a)
Sol: The author is explaining the reason why some deserving people receive honor posthumously and trying to convince people that they should be more tolerant.
Q20: What do the cryptocurrency enthusiasts rely on?
(a) Exemption from regulation
(b) Privatization of money
(c) Disconnection of money from the economy
(d) All the above
Ans: (d)
Q22: What was the cause of Germany’s defeat in the First World War?
(a) Germany’s shortage of oil.
(b) Advantage of Britain and France.
(c) Weaknesses of Germany’s navy.
(d) All the above.
Ans: (d)
Sol: From the second paragraph, it is clear that Germany had a shortage of oil during World War I. This shortage became a weakness for its navy because the ships needed to be refueled every 12 days. An assured supply of American oil worked as an advantage for Britain and France. Hence, all the given statements are correct.
Ans: (b)
Sol: Refer to the lines from the passage – "US energy policy... on the planet." This line makes option (b) correct. Option (d) is a close option and is ruled out because of the word ‘fully’, which makes it too strict an option to select as an answer.
Ans: (c)
Ans: (c)
Sol: Options (a) and (b) are factually correct, but they are not the reasons for the strategic dominance of the US. From the last line of the last third paragraph, option (c) can be derived.
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