Passage Based Questions: International Organisations | Political Science Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Passage - 1

Direction: Study the cartoon given below carefully and answer the questions that follow. Answers to 2 mark questions should not exceed 40 words.

(i) What does this cartoon illustrate?
Ans: This cartoon depicts the influence of the USA on the UN.

(ii) What are two reasons for the significant influence of the US on the UN?
Ans: (a) The UN is located in the US. (b) The US is the largest financial contributor to the UN.

(iii) Is the cartoon still relevant today?
Ans: The cartoon is not as relevant today because the US is no longer as dominant as before. New centers of power are emerging and playing a significant role in global affairs.

Passage - 2

Direction: Study the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The UN is an imperfect body, but without it, the world would be worse off. Given the growing connections and links between societies and issues—what we often call ‘interdependence’—it is hard to imagine how more than seven billion people would live together without an organization such as the UN. Technology promises to increase planetary interdependence, and, therefore, the importance of the UN will only increase. Peoples and governments will have to find ways of supporting and using the UN and other international organizations in ways that are consistent with their own interests and the interests of the international community more broadly.

(i) Identify any two shortcomings of the United Nations that make it an imperfect organization.
Ans: (a) The UN Security Council no longer represents contemporary political realities. (b) The UN’s decisions reflect primarily Western values and interests and are dominated by a few powers.

(ii) How would the world be worse off without the United Nations?
Ans: Without international organizations like the UN, matters of war and peace would be unmanaged, and countries would struggle to cooperate, affecting living conditions. The UN is seen as indispensable for global peace and progress.

(iii) Give one example of planetary interdependence.
Ans: The Internet is an example of planetary interdependence.

Passage - 3

Direction: Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

(i) What does the cartoon represent?
Ans: The cartoon represents a humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

(ii) What type of crisis is depicted in the cartoon?
Ans: The cartoon depicts crises such as starvation, genocide, and horror.

(iii) What message is conveyed by the cartoon?
Ans: The message conveyed is ‘A Big Helping of Words,’ indicating that international organizations and NGOs only discussed the issue rather than providing actual aid to those in need.