RBI Assistant Prelims Mock Test - 2 - Banking Exams MCQ

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

To better gauge the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush mountains, which includes the Himalayas, and spruce up data-gathering, the India Meteorological Department will collaborate with meteorological agencies in China and Pakistan, among others, to provide climate forecast services to countries in the region.

Earlier this month, the IMD organised a workshop to discuss ways to establish a regional climate centre that will provide forecasting services and climate analyses.

It will be under the World Meteorological Organisation and take a few years to take shape, according to IMD Director-General M. Mohapatra.

"The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole, after the North and South Poles, and has significant implications for climate. However, data-gathering here is sparse. We are discussing a system whereby countries can share data and improve forecasts and predictions. The WMO proposal was to have nodal centres in Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing", he said.

The HKH is an important region and spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It traverses about 5 million square kilometres and hosts a large and culturally diverse population. The Third Pole, which contains vast cryospheric zones, is also the world's largest store of snow and ice outside the polar region.

Alongside forecasting weather over long periods, the regional centres would provide data services, training and capacity-building, research and development.

The meeting in Delhi earlier this week was meant to identify partnerships among relevant stakeholders, formulate research directions and needs for collaboration, identify user-groups and sectors and provide information on changes in hydrological extremes as part of climate change projections, according to an official note.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last month highlighted the threat to the HKH region from global warming. Floods would become more frequent and severe in the mountainous and downstream areas of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, because of an increase in extreme precipitation events. "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century, it said."

Q. Which of the following words is most opposite in meaning to 'extreme'?

The following sentences have been taken from a paragraph and have been jumbled. These statements when rearranged form a coherent paragraph. One of the sentences however is an odd one out. You have to read all of these and answer the questions that follow.

A. Roads being waterlogged for several days every time there is a sharp spell of rain has become a regular phenomenon.

B. However, basic amenities still remain a concern in several wards in the zone, which has both residential areas and bustling commercial roads.

C. “On Tiruvalluvar Street in Saidapet, water stagnated and rose as it continued to rain.

D. “An open house should be held on a monthly basis at the respective division offices so that the authorities can be in touch with the residents and get to know the grievances of the people better”

E. Over the last few years, several parts of the zone have become well connected through Metro Rail lines and many areas have seen rapid development.

F. Several parts of the zone, including T. Nagar, West Mambalam, K.K. Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Saidapet, were waterlogged during rain in November and December.

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the sentences given below?

Directions: In the following sentence four words or phrases have been underlined. One underlined part in the sentence is not acceptable in standard English. Pick up that part and mark its number. If there is no error, select 'No error' as your answer.

Most of the critics (1)/ agree that this is one of (2)/ the best novels that has (3)/ appeared in recent years. (4)

The following passage contains information about the recent banking affairs. Few words or phrases have also been highlighted. Some questions have been given below the passage. You are required to read the content carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to stay with its accommodative stance for the moment and leave key rates unchanged were an unexpected but pleasant surprise for borrowers. For the moment at least, home and car loan rates may not increase for the retail borrower. Given the fragility of the growth recovery, and the as yet unquantified impact of the Omicron wave on growth, the Central bank has decided to bank on growth supporting measures.

Perhaps, it is worried by the slowdown in growth. The Central bank expects the Indian economy to grow 7.8 per cent in the next fiscal year, which is markedly lower than the 8-8.5 per cent projection in the Economic Survey, a figure reiterated in the finance minister’s Budget speech. In fact, growth, after a sharp jump in the first quarter of 2022-23 thanks to a low base, is expected to slow down sharply, to 4.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, in the third and fourth quarters of 2022-23. This may have prompted keeping the liquidity pipes flowing but the threats of inflation shooting up cannot be ignored. Inflation has been rising since September 2021 and is currently at 5.9 per cent, close to the upper band of RBI’s mandated ‘tolerance band’.

In fact, with global oil prices shooting up, domestic fuel prices – currently on hold due to the ongoing assembly elections in five states – will undoubtedly go up after polling ends. In this context, the RBI’s expectation of inflation moderating to 4.5 per cent during the next fiscal appears a tad optimistic, given the hardening in global commodity prices, as well as increases in prices of manufactured goods. It is also too early to bet on a ‘normal’ monsoon, given its increasingly erratic behaviour over the past few years. The RBI’s pessimistic growth forecast is the real worry. A 4.3-4.5 per cent growth rate is at best back to the pre-pandemic level but well below the high growth rates logged by the economy during the boom years. Here, the RBI’s monetary policy can at best serve as a facilitator. It is up to the (A) government to ensure a (B) effective to higher growth (C) through reforms and (D) return spending.

Q. In what context has the phrase; ‘tad optimistic’ been used in the third paragraph?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

To better gauge the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush mountains, which includes the Himalayas, and spruce up data-gathering, the India Meteorological Department will collaborate with meteorological agencies in China and Pakistan, among others, to provide climate forecast services to countries in the region.

Earlier this month, the IMD organised a workshop to discuss ways to establish a regional climate centre that will provide forecasting services and climate analyses.

It will be under the World Meteorological Organisation and take a few years to take shape, according to IMD Director-General M. Mohapatra.

"The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole, after the North and South Poles, and has significant implications for climate. However, data-gathering here is sparse. We are discussing a system whereby countries can share data and improve forecasts and predictions. The WMO proposal was to have nodal centres in Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing", he said.

The HKH is an important region and spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It traverses about 5 million square kilometres and hosts a large and culturally diverse population. The Third Pole, which contains vast cryospheric zones, is also the world's largest store of snow and ice outside the polar region.

Alongside forecasting weather over long periods, the regional centres would provide data services, training and capacity-building, research and development.

The meeting in Delhi earlier this week was meant to identify partnerships among relevant stakeholders, formulate research directions and needs for collaboration, identify user-groups and sectors and provide information on changes in hydrological extremes as part of climate change projections, according to an official note.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last month highlighted the threat to the HKH region from global warming. Floods would become more frequent and severe in the mountainous and downstream areas of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, because of an increase in extreme precipitation events. "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century, it said."

Q. Which of the following words is most similar in meaning to 'traverses'?

The following sentences have been taken from a paragraph and have been jumbled. These statements when rearranged form a coherent paragraph. One of the sentences however is an odd one out. You have to read all of these and answer the questions that follow.

A. Roads being waterlogged for several days every time there is a sharp spell of rain has become a regular phenomenon.

B. However, basic amenities still remain a concern in several wards in the zone, which has both residential areas and bustling commercial roads.

C. “On Tiruvalluvar Street in Saidapet, water stagnated and rose as it continued to rain.

D. “An open house should be held on a monthly basis at the respective division offices so that the authorities can be in touch with the residents and get to know the grievances of the people better”

E. Over the last few years, several parts of the zone have become well connected through Metro Rail lines and many areas have seen rapid development.

F. Several parts of the zone, including T. Nagar, West Mambalam, K.K. Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Saidapet, were waterlogged during rain in November and December.

Find the sentence that can start the paragraph after rearrangement.

Directions: In the following sentence four words or phrases have been underlined. One underlined part in the sentence is not acceptable in standard English. Pick up that part and mark its number. If there is no error, select 'No error' as your answer.

Despite (1)/ of the pills which (2)/ are available, many people still (3)/ have trouble sleeping. (4)

The following passage contains information about the recent banking affairs. Few words or phrases have also been highlighted. Some questions have been given below the passage. You are required to read the content carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to stay with its accommodative stance for the moment and leave key rates unchanged were an unexpected but pleasant surprise for borrowers. For the moment at least, home and car loan rates may not increase for the retail borrower. Given the fragility of the growth recovery, and the as yet unquantified impact of the Omicron wave on growth, the Central bank has decided to bank on growth supporting measures.

Perhaps, it is worried by the slowdown in growth. The Central bank expects the Indian economy to grow 7.8 per cent in the next fiscal year, which is markedly lower than the 8-8.5 per cent projection in the Economic Survey, a figure reiterated in the finance minister’s Budget speech. In fact, growth, after a sharp jump in the first quarter of 2022-23 thanks to a low base, is expected to slow down sharply, to 4.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, in the third and fourth quarters of 2022-23. This may have prompted keeping the liquidity pipes flowing but the threats of inflation shooting up cannot be ignored. Inflation has been rising since September 2021 and is currently at 5.9 per cent, close to the upper band of RBI’s mandated ‘tolerance band’.

In fact, with global oil prices shooting up, domestic fuel prices – currently on hold due to the ongoing assembly elections in five states – will undoubtedly go up after polling ends. In this context, the RBI’s expectation of inflation moderating to 4.5 per cent during the next fiscal appears a tad optimistic, given the hardening in global commodity prices, as well as increases in prices of manufactured goods. It is also too early to bet on a ‘normal’ monsoon, given its increasingly erratic behaviour over the past few years. The RBI’s pessimistic growth forecast is the real worry. A 4.3-4.5 per cent growth rate is at best back to the pre-pandemic level but well below the high growth rates logged by the economy during the boom years. Here, the RBI’s monetary policy can at best serve as a facilitator. It is up to the (A) government to ensure a (B) effective to higher growth (C) through reforms and (D) return spending.

Q. Why as per the author are the current domestic fuel prices on hold?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

To better gauge the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush mountains, which includes the Himalayas, and spruce up data-gathering, the India Meteorological Department will collaborate with meteorological agencies in China and Pakistan, among others, to provide climate forecast services to countries in the region.

Earlier this month, the IMD organised a workshop to discuss ways to establish a regional climate centre that will provide forecasting services and climate analyses.

It will be under the World Meteorological Organisation and take a few years to take shape, according to IMD Director-General M. Mohapatra.

"The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole, after the North and South Poles, and has significant implications for climate. However, data-gathering here is sparse. We are discussing a system whereby countries can share data and improve forecasts and predictions. The WMO proposal was to have nodal centres in Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing", he said.

The HKH is an important region and spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It traverses about 5 million square kilometres and hosts a large and culturally diverse population. The Third Pole, which contains vast cryospheric zones, is also the world's largest store of snow and ice outside the polar region.

Alongside forecasting weather over long periods, the regional centres would provide data services, training and capacity-building, research and development.

The meeting in Delhi earlier this week was meant to identify partnerships among relevant stakeholders, formulate research directions and needs for collaboration, identify user-groups and sectors and provide information on changes in hydrological extremes as part of climate change projections, according to an official note.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last month highlighted the threat to the HKH region from global warming. Floods would become more frequent and severe in the mountainous and downstream areas of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, because of an increase in extreme precipitation events. "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century, it said."

Q. The HKH region is important because

The following sentences have been taken from a paragraph and have been jumbled. These statements when rearranged form a coherent paragraph. One of the sentences however is an odd one out. You have to read all of these and answer the questions that follow.

A. Roads being waterlogged for several days every time there is a sharp spell of rain has become a regular phenomenon.

B. However, basic amenities still remain a concern in several wards in the zone, which has both residential areas and bustling commercial roads.

C. “On Tiruvalluvar Street in Saidapet, water stagnated and rose as it continued to rain.

D. “An open house should be held on a monthly basis at the respective division offices so that the authorities can be in touch with the residents and get to know the grievances of the people better”

E. Over the last few years, several parts of the zone have become well connected through Metro Rail lines and many areas have seen rapid development.

F. Several parts of the zone, including T. Nagar, West Mambalam, K.K. Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Saidapet, were waterlogged during rain in November and December.

Which of the following is the correct pair of two consecutive statements after rearrangement?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

To better gauge the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush mountains, which includes the Himalayas, and spruce up data-gathering, the India Meteorological Department will collaborate with meteorological agencies in China and Pakistan, among others, to provide climate forecast services to countries in the region.

Earlier this month, the IMD organised a workshop to discuss ways to establish a regional climate centre that will provide forecasting services and climate analyses.

It will be under the World Meteorological Organisation and take a few years to take shape, according to IMD Director-General M. Mohapatra.

"The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole, after the North and South Poles, and has significant implications for climate. However, data-gathering here is sparse. We are discussing a system whereby countries can share data and improve forecasts and predictions. The WMO proposal was to have nodal centres in Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing", he said.

The HKH is an important region and spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It traverses about 5 million square kilometres and hosts a large and culturally diverse population. The Third Pole, which contains vast cryospheric zones, is also the world's largest store of snow and ice outside the polar region.

Alongside forecasting weather over long periods, the regional centres would provide data services, training and capacity-building, research and development.

The meeting in Delhi earlier this week was meant to identify partnerships among relevant stakeholders, formulate research directions and needs for collaboration, identify user-groups and sectors and provide information on changes in hydrological extremes as part of climate change projections, according to an official note.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last month highlighted the threat to the HKH region from global warming. Floods would become more frequent and severe in the mountainous and downstream areas of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, because of an increase in extreme precipitation events. "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century, it said."

Q. Which of the following words is most similar in meaning to 'sparse'?

The following sentences have been taken from a paragraph and have been jumbled. These statements when rearranged form a coherent paragraph. One of the sentences however is an odd one out. You have to read all of these and answer the questions that follow.

A. Roads being waterlogged for several days every time there is a sharp spell of rain has become a regular phenomenon.

B. However, basic amenities still remain a concern in several wards in the zone, which has both residential areas and bustling commercial roads.

C. “On Tiruvalluvar Street in Saidapet, water stagnated and rose as it continued to rain.

D. “An open house should be held on a monthly basis at the respective division offices so that the authorities can be in touch with the residents and get to know the grievances of the people better”

E. Over the last few years, several parts of the zone have become well connected through Metro Rail lines and many areas have seen rapid development.

F. Several parts of the zone, including T. Nagar, West Mambalam, K.K. Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Saidapet, were waterlogged during rain in November and December.

Which of the following is the penultimate sentence as per the given sequence?

Directions: Read the following passage having some numbered blanks.

Health care costs are becoming (i)______, in large part due to a chronic disease epidemic fueled by unhealthy lifestyles, aging populations and (ii)_____ standards of living. To bring the costs under (iii)______ and improve health outcomes, patients and other stakeholders of the health care system will need to change their behaviour. Patients have grown increasingly comfortable with empowering (iv)_____ (e.g. smartphone apps, sensors, monitors, and social media) and are taking a more active role in managing their health. They are (v)_____ a different healthcare delivery model that will reach them wherever they happen to be.

Fill blank (i).

The following passage contains information about the recent banking affairs. Few words or phrases have also been highlighted. Some questions have been given below the passage. You are required to read the content carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to stay with its accommodative stance for the moment and leave key rates unchanged were an unexpected but pleasant surprise for borrowers. For the moment at least, home and car loan rates may not increase for the retail borrower. Given the fragility of the growth recovery, and the as yet unquantified impact of the Omicron wave on growth, the Central bank has decided to bank on growth supporting measures.

Perhaps, it is worried by the slowdown in growth. The Central bank expects the Indian economy to grow 7.8 per cent in the next fiscal year, which is markedly lower than the 8-8.5 per cent projection in the Economic Survey, a figure reiterated in the finance minister’s Budget speech. In fact, growth, after a sharp jump in the first quarter of 2022-23 thanks to a low base, is expected to slow down sharply, to 4.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, in the third and fourth quarters of 2022-23. This may have prompted keeping the liquidity pipes flowing but the threats of inflation shooting up cannot be ignored. Inflation has been rising since September 2021 and is currently at 5.9 per cent, close to the upper band of RBI’s mandated ‘tolerance band’.

In fact, with global oil prices shooting up, domestic fuel prices – currently on hold due to the ongoing assembly elections in five states – will undoubtedly go up after polling ends. In this context, the RBI’s expectation of inflation moderating to 4.5 per cent during the next fiscal appears a tad optimistic, given the hardening in global commodity prices, as well as increases in prices of manufactured goods. It is also too early to bet on a ‘normal’ monsoon, given its increasingly erratic behaviour over the past few years. The RBI’s pessimistic growth forecast is the real worry. A 4.3-4.5 per cent growth rate is at best back to the pre-pandemic level but well below the high growth rates logged by the economy during the boom years. Here, the RBI’s monetary policy can at best serve as a facilitator. It is up to the (A) government to ensure a (B) effective to higher growth (C) through reforms and (D) return spending.

Q. Choose the statement/s from the options that are not true as per the passage given

(i) The inflation has been rising since September 2021

(ii) The RBI expects the economy to grow at 7.8% this year

(iii) The RBI is very optimistic about the growth forecasts

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

To better gauge the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush mountains, which includes the Himalayas, and spruce up data-gathering, the India Meteorological Department will collaborate with meteorological agencies in China and Pakistan, among others, to provide climate forecast services to countries in the region.

Earlier this month, the IMD organised a workshop to discuss ways to establish a regional climate centre that will provide forecasting services and climate analyses.

It will be under the World Meteorological Organisation and take a few years to take shape, according to IMD Director-General M. Mohapatra.

"The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole, after the North and South Poles, and has significant implications for climate. However, data-gathering here is sparse. We are discussing a system whereby countries can share data and improve forecasts and predictions. The WMO proposal was to have nodal centres in Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing", he said.

The HKH is an important region and spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It traverses about 5 million square kilometres and hosts a large and culturally diverse population. The Third Pole, which contains vast cryospheric zones, is also the world's largest store of snow and ice outside the polar region.

Alongside forecasting weather over long periods, the regional centres would provide data services, training and capacity-building, research and development.

The meeting in Delhi earlier this week was meant to identify partnerships among relevant stakeholders, formulate research directions and needs for collaboration, identify user-groups and sectors and provide information on changes in hydrological extremes as part of climate change projections, according to an official note.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last month highlighted the threat to the HKH region from global warming. Floods would become more frequent and severe in the mountainous and downstream areas of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, because of an increase in extreme precipitation events. "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century, it said."

Q. Given below is a sentence from the passage that may or may not be grammatically viable. Choose the most suitable alternative that reflects the grammatically correct sentence. If the highlighted sentence does not require any corrections, choose option (5), i.e. no correction required as your answer choice.

Sentence: "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century," it said.

In the questions given below, a word has been highlighted in bold and three sentences have been given below the same. You are required to read the same carefully and mark the ones that take the given word correctly

Parochial

(i) Local newspapers tend to be very _________.

(ii) A referee must not be ________ toward either team.

(iii) Bank employees usually get _________ rates of interest.

Directions: Read the following passage having some numbered blanks.

Health care costs are becoming (i)______, in large part due to a chronic disease epidemic fueled by unhealthy lifestyles, aging populations and (ii)_____ standards of living. To bring the costs under (iii)______ and improve health outcomes, patients and other stakeholders of the health care system will need to change their behaviour. Patients have grown increasingly comfortable with empowering (iv)_____ (e.g. smartphone apps, sensors, monitors, and social media) and are taking a more active role in managing their health. They are (v)_____ a different healthcare delivery model that will reach them wherever they happen to be.

Fill blank (iii).

The following passage contains information about the recent banking affairs. Few words or phrases have also been highlighted. Some questions have been given below the passage. You are required to read the content carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to stay with its accommodative stance for the moment and leave key rates unchanged were an unexpected but pleasant surprise for borrowers. For the moment at least, home and car loan rates may not increase for the retail borrower. Given the fragility of the growth recovery, and the as yet unquantified impact of the Omicron wave on growth, the Central bank has decided to bank on growth supporting measures.

Perhaps, it is worried by the slowdown in growth. The Central bank expects the Indian economy to grow 7.8 per cent in the next fiscal year, which is markedly lower than the 8-8.5 per cent projection in the Economic Survey, a figure reiterated in the finance minister’s Budget speech. In fact, growth, after a sharp jump in the first quarter of 2022-23 thanks to a low base, is expected to slow down sharply, to 4.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, in the third and fourth quarters of 2022-23. This may have prompted keeping the liquidity pipes flowing but the threats of inflation shooting up cannot be ignored. Inflation has been rising since September 2021 and is currently at 5.9 per cent, close to the upper band of RBI’s mandated ‘tolerance band’.

In fact, with global oil prices shooting up, domestic fuel prices – currently on hold due to the ongoing assembly elections in five states – will undoubtedly go up after polling ends. In this context, the RBI’s expectation of inflation moderating to 4.5 per cent during the next fiscal appears a tad optimistic, given the hardening in global commodity prices, as well as increases in prices of manufactured goods. It is also too early to bet on a ‘normal’ monsoon, given its increasingly erratic behaviour over the past few years. The RBI’s pessimistic growth forecast is the real worry. A 4.3-4.5 per cent growth rate is at best back to the pre-pandemic level but well below the high growth rates logged by the economy during the boom years. Here, the RBI’s monetary policy can at best serve as a facilitator. It is up to the (A) government to ensure a (B) effective to higher growth (C) through reforms and (D) return spending.

Four words marked (A), (B)… and (D) have been given in the last line. Which of these must be interchanged so that the sentence becomes meaningful?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

To better gauge the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush mountains, which includes the Himalayas, and spruce up data-gathering, the India Meteorological Department will collaborate with meteorological agencies in China and Pakistan, among others, to provide climate forecast services to countries in the region.

Earlier this month, the IMD organised a workshop to discuss ways to establish a regional climate centre that will provide forecasting services and climate analyses.

It will be under the World Meteorological Organisation and take a few years to take shape, according to IMD Director-General M. Mohapatra.

"The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole, after the North and South Poles, and has significant implications for climate. However, data-gathering here is sparse. We are discussing a system whereby countries can share data and improve forecasts and predictions. The WMO proposal was to have nodal centres in Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing", he said.

The HKH is an important region and spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It traverses about 5 million square kilometres and hosts a large and culturally diverse population. The Third Pole, which contains vast cryospheric zones, is also the world's largest store of snow and ice outside the polar region.

Alongside forecasting weather over long periods, the regional centres would provide data services, training and capacity-building, research and development.

The meeting in Delhi earlier this week was meant to identify partnerships among relevant stakeholders, formulate research directions and needs for collaboration, identify user-groups and sectors and provide information on changes in hydrological extremes as part of climate change projections, according to an official note.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last month highlighted the threat to the HKH region from global warming. Floods would become more frequent and severe in the mountainous and downstream areas of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, because of an increase in extreme precipitation events. "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century, it said."

Q. Three statements are written about the passage. Which of these is/are definitely true?

A. Regional centres would primarily serve to provide information on weather forecasting alone.

B. The Delhi meeting was organised to serve as a forum to discuss aspects of collaboration.

C. Severity of floods in mountainous areas and river basins has reached its peak.

The following passage contains information about the recent banking affairs. Few words or phrases have also been highlighted. Some questions have been given below the passage. You are required to read the content carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to stay with its accommodative stance for the moment and leave key rates unchanged were an unexpected but pleasant surprise for borrowers. For the moment at least, home and car loan rates may not increase for the retail borrower. Given the fragility of the growth recovery, and the as yet unquantified impact of the Omicron wave on growth, the Central bank has decided to bank on growth supporting measures.

Perhaps, it is worried by the slowdown in growth. The Central bank expects the Indian economy to grow 7.8 per cent in the next fiscal year, which is markedly lower than the 8-8.5 per cent projection in the Economic Survey, a figure reiterated in the finance minister’s Budget speech. In fact, growth, after a sharp jump in the first quarter of 2022-23 thanks to a low base, is expected to slow down sharply, to 4.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, in the third and fourth quarters of 2022-23. This may have prompted keeping the liquidity pipes flowing but the threats of inflation shooting up cannot be ignored. Inflation has been rising since September 2021 and is currently at 5.9 per cent, close to the upper band of RBI’s mandated ‘tolerance band’.

In fact, with global oil prices shooting up, domestic fuel prices – currently on hold due to the ongoing assembly elections in five states – will undoubtedly go up after polling ends. In this context, the RBI’s expectation of inflation moderating to 4.5 per cent during the next fiscal appears a tad optimistic, given the hardening in global commodity prices, as well as increases in prices of manufactured goods. It is also too early to bet on a ‘normal’ monsoon, given its increasingly erratic behaviour over the past few years. The RBI’s pessimistic growth forecast is the real worry. A 4.3-4.5 per cent growth rate is at best back to the pre-pandemic level but well below the high growth rates logged by the economy during the boom years. Here, the RBI’s monetary policy can at best serve as a facilitator. It is up to the (A) government to ensure a (B) effective to higher growth (C) through reforms and (D) return spending.

Q. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the given passage?

Directions: Read the following passage having some numbered blanks.

Health care costs are becoming (i)______, in large part due to a chronic disease epidemic fueled by unhealthy lifestyles, aging populations and (ii)_____ standards of living. To bring the costs under (iii)______ and improve health outcomes, patients and other stakeholders of the health care system will need to change their behaviour. Patients have grown increasingly comfortable with empowering (iv)_____ (e.g. smartphone apps, sensors, monitors, and social media) and are taking a more active role in managing their health. They are (v)_____ a different healthcare delivery model that will reach them wherever they happen to be.

Fill blank (v).

In the questions given below, a word has been highlighted in bold and three sentences have been given below the same. You are required to read the same carefully and mark the ones that take the given word correctly

Deliberation

(i) She spoke to the audience with clarity and _________.

(ii) He heard the edge of _________ in her voice.

(iii) The _________ of its name is obscure.

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

To better gauge the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush mountains, which includes the Himalayas, and spruce up data-gathering, the India Meteorological Department will collaborate with meteorological agencies in China and Pakistan, among others, to provide climate forecast services to countries in the region.

Earlier this month, the IMD organised a workshop to discuss ways to establish a regional climate centre that will provide forecasting services and climate analyses.

It will be under the World Meteorological Organisation and take a few years to take shape, according to IMD Director-General M. Mohapatra.

"The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole, after the North and South Poles, and has significant implications for climate. However, data-gathering here is sparse. We are discussing a system whereby countries can share data and improve forecasts and predictions. The WMO proposal was to have nodal centres in Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing", he said.

The HKH is an important region and spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It traverses about 5 million square kilometres and hosts a large and culturally diverse population. The Third Pole, which contains vast cryospheric zones, is also the world's largest store of snow and ice outside the polar region.

Alongside forecasting weather over long periods, the regional centres would provide data services, training and capacity-building, research and development.

The meeting in Delhi earlier this week was meant to identify partnerships among relevant stakeholders, formulate research directions and needs for collaboration, identify user-groups and sectors and provide information on changes in hydrological extremes as part of climate change projections, according to an official note.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last month highlighted the threat to the HKH region from global warming. Floods would become more frequent and severe in the mountainous and downstream areas of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, because of an increase in extreme precipitation events. "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century, it said."

Q. What is the tone of the given passage?

In the questions given below, a word has been highlighted in bold and three sentences have been given below the same. You are required to read the same carefully and mark the ones that take the given word correctly

(i) Police are planning sterner measures to ________ crime.

(ii) We must _________ extravagance and waste.

(iii) The government will instigate new measures to ________ terrorism.

Directions: Rearrange the following five sentences (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph and then answer the question given below.

A. Moreover, it has been shown that empowering women spurs productivity and economic growth.

B. Women and girls represent half of the world's population and, therefore, also half of its potential.

C. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.

D. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to end the multiple forms of gender violence and secure equal access to quality education and health, economic resources and participation in political life for both women and girls and men and boys.

E. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to achieve full equality of rights and opportunities between men and women, warns UN Women.

Which of the following is the FIRST sentence of the sequence?

The following passage contains information about the recent banking affairs. Few words or phrases have also been highlighted. Some questions have been given below the passage. You are required to read the content carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to stay with its accommodative stance for the moment and leave key rates unchanged were an unexpected but pleasant surprise for borrowers. For the moment at least, home and car loan rates may not increase for the retail borrower. Given the fragility of the growth recovery, and the as yet unquantified impact of the Omicron wave on growth, the Central bank has decided to bank on growth supporting measures.

Perhaps, it is worried by the slowdown in growth. The Central bank expects the Indian economy to grow 7.8 per cent in the next fiscal year, which is markedly lower than the 8-8.5 per cent projection in the Economic Survey, a figure reiterated in the finance minister’s Budget speech. In fact, growth, after a sharp jump in the first quarter of 2022-23 thanks to a low base, is expected to slow down sharply, to 4.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, in the third and fourth quarters of 2022-23. This may have prompted keeping the liquidity pipes flowing but the threats of inflation shooting up cannot be ignored. Inflation has been rising since September 2021 and is currently at 5.9 per cent, close to the upper band of RBI’s mandated ‘tolerance band’.

In fact, with global oil prices shooting up, domestic fuel prices – currently on hold due to the ongoing assembly elections in five states – will undoubtedly go up after polling ends. In this context, the RBI’s expectation of inflation moderating to 4.5 per cent during the next fiscal appears a tad optimistic, given the hardening in global commodity prices, as well as increases in prices of manufactured goods. It is also too early to bet on a ‘normal’ monsoon, given its increasingly erratic behaviour over the past few years. The RBI’s pessimistic growth forecast is the real worry. A 4.3-4.5 per cent growth rate is at best back to the pre-pandemic level but well below the high growth rates logged by the economy during the boom years. Here, the RBI’s monetary policy can at best serve as a facilitator. It is up to the (A) government to ensure a (B) effective to higher growth (C) through reforms and (D) return spending.

Which of the following can be inferred from the first paragraph?

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

To better gauge the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush mountains, which includes the Himalayas, and spruce up data-gathering, the India Meteorological Department will collaborate with meteorological agencies in China and Pakistan, among others, to provide climate forecast services to countries in the region.

Earlier this month, the IMD organised a workshop to discuss ways to establish a regional climate centre that will provide forecasting services and climate analyses.

It will be under the World Meteorological Organisation and take a few years to take shape, according to IMD Director-General M. Mohapatra.

"The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole, after the North and South Poles, and has significant implications for climate. However, data-gathering here is sparse. We are discussing a system whereby countries can share data and improve forecasts and predictions. The WMO proposal was to have nodal centres in Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing", he said.

The HKH is an important region and spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It traverses about 5 million square kilometres and hosts a large and culturally diverse population. The Third Pole, which contains vast cryospheric zones, is also the world's largest store of snow and ice outside the polar region.

Alongside forecasting weather over long periods, the regional centres would provide data services, training and capacity-building, research and development.

The meeting in Delhi earlier this week was meant to identify partnerships among relevant stakeholders, formulate research directions and needs for collaboration, identify user-groups and sectors and provide information on changes in hydrological extremes as part of climate change projections, according to an official note.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last month highlighted the threat to the HKH region from global warming. Floods would become more frequent and severe in the mountainous and downstream areas of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, because of an increase in extreme precipitation events. "The severity of floods were expected to more than double towards the end of the century, it said."

Q. What is the main purpose of the author for writing this passage?