February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Gaming and banning: On ban on online games

Online gaming might be addictive, but a ban will militate against individual freedom

Yet another legislative attempt to prohibit online gaming has failed under judicial scrutiny. The
amendments brought to existing regulations on betting and gambling in Karnataka have been struck
down by the State’s High Court. Last year, the Madras High Court invalidated similar amendments
that targeted online rummy and poker. What is common to both cases is that the legislature assumed
a paternalistic role, arguably with the laudable aim of protecting the people, especially the youth,
from the temptations of online gambling. However, the resulting provisions failed to make a
distinction between games of skill and games of chance, and sought to bring under the proscription
all games played online, regardless of the extent to which skill was required. Further, the Karnataka
High Court has rejected a key submission that it could be upheld as a ‘public order’ law. It referred to
“the menace of cyber games” of epic proportions, and the registration of about 28,000 cases by the
police in the State in the last three years. The government did have a point when it said many have
taken their own lives and families ruined as a result of gaming addiction and indebtedness. However,
as the court has pointed out, if the objective was to curb the menace of gambling, the government
should prohibit activities that amount to gambling as such, and not the games of skill. While enacting
the extreme measure, it did not consider the feasibility of regulating wagering on games of skill.

While the idea of betting and gambling conjures up the image of a ‘bucket shop’ associated with
dingy gaming-houses frequented by hustlers, there is an element of ‘information, expression and
entertainment’ that has constitutional protection. And gaming platforms are also a legitimate
business that enjoy the freedom of trade when used for online versions of games of skill. The court
has drawn attention to the fact that what such bans do is to create “a wholly new category of
medium-based regulation, when chance of medium per se does not alter the true nature and content
of the games”. In other words, what is targeted is not the gambling part but the ‘online’ part. Also, the
amendments contradicted a general exemption in the original law to ‘games of skill’ by making all
online gaming punishable even if they involved skill. It is clear that an absolute embargo on games of
skill involving money or stakes could not have been upheld by the court, as the line between
individual freedom, both to carry on the business and to participate in it as a consumer, and state
action could not have been obliterated. All legislations that assumes that sections of society require
the hand of the state to guide and support them have some populist appeal. And there is an addictive
element to online gaming, but that does not mean there is no individual freedom and choice at all.

 Red/blue coloring of words in the sentence indicates subject verb relationship where ‘Red’ color
denotes subject and ‘blue’ denotes verb.
 What (pronoun) – The thing or things that [Editorial Page]

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 1
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Vocabulary
1. Addictive (adjective) – habit-forming, 11. Invalidate (verb) – cancel, nullify, annul,
causing addiction लत/आदत ल negate, quash द

2. Militate (verb) – work against, oppose, 12. Legislature (noun) – The legislative body of
counter, go against, operate against ल a country or state ल

13. Assume (verb) – acquire, take on, adopt,

3. Legislative (adjective) – relating to laws or come to have (a specified quality)
the making of laws

4. Prohibit (verb) – forbid, ban, embargo, 14. Paternalistic (adjective) – (of people in
disallow त त authority) making decisions for other
people rather than letting them take
5. Judicial scrutiny (noun) – a process under responsibility for their own lives
which executive, legislative and त
administrative actions are subject to review
by the judiciary. 15. Arguably (adverb) – possibly, feasibly,
plausibly, probably / त
6. Amendment (noun) –alteration, change,
modification 16. Laudable (adjective) – praiseworthy,
commendable, admirable, meritorious
7. Existing (adjective) –In existence or
operation at the current time. द
17. Temptation (noun) – lure, allurement,
8. Betting (noun) – The action of gambling
enticement, attraction ल ल / ल
money on the outcome of game
18. Resulting (adjective) – Occurring or
9. Gambling (noun) –Gambling is the wagering
following as the consequence of something.
something of value ("the stakes") on an
event with an uncertain outcome with the
intent of winning something else of value.
19. Provision (noun) – term, clause,
आ specification, stipulation (legal document)

10. Strike down (phrasal verb) –Abolish/nullify

a law or regulation द 20. Distinction (noun) – difference, contrast,
dissimilarity, variation त / त

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 2
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM
21. Chance (noun) – possibility, prospect,
probability
22. Seek (verb) – try, attempt, endeavour,
strive
23. Proscription (noun) – prohibition,
forbidding, banning, disallowing, embargo
24. Regardless of (phrase) – irrespective of,
without regard to, despite, notwithstanding
25. Submission (noun) – proposal, suggestion,
proposition (for consideration or
judgement) तत
26. Uphold (verb) – approve, validate, ratify,
verify, vindicate
27. Public order (noun) – the situation that
exists when people obey the laws, rules or
authority of the State
28. Menace (noun) – danger, peril, risk, hazard,
threat त
29. Epic (adjective) – very great, very large,
huge त
30. Proportion (noun) – ratio, distribution,
relative amount त
31. Have a point (phrase) – One's point of view
or opinion makes sense and is worth
considering. तत
32. Take one’s own life (phrase) – to kill oneself
Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in
Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077
33. Ruin (verb) – wreck, destroy, devastate,
damage द
34. Indebtedness (noun) – the condition of
owing money, or the amount of money
owed तत
35. Point out (phrasal verb) – identify, show,
designate, draw attention to
36. Objective (noun) – aim, purpose, target,
goal. द
37. Curb (verb) – restraint, restriction, control
38. Amount to (phrasal verb) – be equivalent
to, be tantamount to, approximate to
39. As such (phrase) –In the exact sense of the
word; in itself, intrinsically आ
40. Enact (verb) – make law, pass, approve,
ratify, validate ल
41. Measure (noun) – action, act, step, course
of action, procedure
42. Consider (verb) – think about, contemplate,
give thought to, review
43. Feasibility (noun) – practicability,
practicality, workability, viability त
44. Wager (verb) – bet, gamble, lay a bet, put
money on द / ल
Page 3
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

45. Conjure up (phrasal verb) – make 57. Alter (verb) – change, make changes to,
something appear, produce, generate amend, improve, modify दल
/
58. Contradict (verb) – conflict with, be at odds
46. Bucket shop (noun) – A bucket shop is a with, be at variance with, disagree with
business that allows gambling based on the
prices of stocks or commodities. (Unethical
business practices) 59. Exemption (noun) – exception, exclusion,
freedom, release, relief
47. Associated (with) (adjective) – related,
connected, linked, correlated त/ 60. Absolute (adjective) – complete, total, full
आ

48. Dingy (adjective) – gloomy, drab, dark, dull, 61. Embargo (noun) – ban, bar, prohibition,
badly li ल/ ल stoppage, restriction त

49. Frequent (verb) – go to regularly, attend 62. Stake (noun) – bet, wager त/ द
frequently, visit often
63. Carry on (phrasal verb) – continue, keep on,
50. Hustler (noun) – criminal, malefactor, persist in, persevere in
culprit, wrongdoer
64. Obliterate (verb) – to remove all signs of
something; destroy द
51. Constitutional (adjective) – legal
65. Legislation (noun) – law, body of laws,
52. Legitimate (adjective) – legal, lawful, licit,
constitution, rules, acts /
legalized
66. Hand (noun) – assistance, aid, support, help
53. Enjoy (verb) – benefit from, have the
त
benefit of, have the advantage ल
67. Populist (adjective) – someone who tries to
54. Draw attention to (phrase) – to attract
be popular with ordinary people and to
someone to notice or focus on someone or
represent their ideas and opinions
something. ओ आ त
68. Appeal (noun) – attraction, attractiveness,
55. What (pronoun) – The thing or things that
interest, allure आ
(used in specifying something
69. At all (phrase) – under any circumstances,
56. Per se (adverb) – in itself, of itself, as such,
by any means, at all, in any way ल ल
intrinsically आ

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 4
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Practice Exercise
Direction (Q1 – Q3):- Select the best express synonym of the given word [Editorial Page]
1. Militate
A. Incantation
B. Relegate
C. Oppose
D. Inert
2. Laudable
A. Praiseworthy
B. Bureaucracy
C. Agnostic
D. Sanguine
3. Wager
A. Glut
B. Secular
C. Dubious
D. Gamble
4. What is the antonym of ‘Feasibility’?
A. Venerate
B. Antithesis
C. Impossibility
D. Insipid
5. Phrasal verb: Conjure up
A. Evoke
B. Stoic
C. Malfeasance
D. Irrevocable
6. Para jumble based on Editorial: - The IPL Auction [The Hindu: 16 Feb 2022]
P. Surely the IPL has come a long way since Adam Gilchrist admitted to feeling like a cow after
the maiden auction ahead of the inaugural edition in 2008.
Q. That a league, domestic in spirit and international in flavour, can cope with two pandemic
years and still remain economically robust
R. Nearly ₹552 crore, ₹551.7 crore to be precise, was spent by 10 franchises as they sought to
bolster their squads with a bouquet of players with varied skill sets.
S. The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction held over the weekend at Bengaluru reflected
financial heft and fresh hopes.
T. Cut to the present, players kept a tab through live television and were quick to react
through their social-media handles

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 5
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

U. is a pointer to its marketing viability and strong financial underpinnings.

A. RSPTUQ B. SQURPT C. QRSPTU D. UPRQST
Cloze test based on Editorial: The IPL auction [Answer]
The auction also reflected team cultures with defending champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) buying
back its erstwhile core members. The outfit got Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayudu and Robin Uthappa
which is in sync with skipper Dhoni’s philosophy of having an established group. Mumbai Indians
meanwhile spent ₹8 crore on injured England speedster Jofra Archer, seeing him as a long-term
investment and a potent ally of Jasprit Bumrah. Some of India’s under-19 stars too found their
moment under the sun but as many of their seniors would ________7________, they remain a work
in progress. Through its ‘performance-age-marketability-availability-economics’ matrix, the auction
also serves as a ruthless mirror. That Suresh Raina, a bonafide CSK star, along with Steve Smith, Aaron
Finch and Eoin Morgan, found no takers is instructive. Years ago, Brian Lara was _______8_______ as
he was deemed old. The Board of Control for Cricket in India allowed the Ranji Trophy to suffer a
break in the 2020-21 season citing the pandemic but moved ________9_______ to get the IPL
bandwagon run smoothly and it revealed how the league’s financial muscle has the last word. The
Ranji Trophy is back for now while talk about a women’s IPL still remains a nascent exercise. And just
as in the previous years, the absence of Pakistan cricketers from the IPL is a pointer to sport never
being ________10______ from diplomatic pressures.

7. A. Assure B. Vouch
C. Swear D. Guarantee

8. A. noted B. evident
C. supervised D. overlooked

9. A. mountains B. Foothills
C. Elevations D. Valleys

10. A. absolve B. excuse

C. Immune D. vulnerable
Direction (Q11 – Q15): Spot the grammatical error in the given sentence
11. Neither of the two children (A)/ said their prayer (B)/ before going to bed.(C)/ No error (D)
12. I sat down opposite him (A)/ and produced (B)/ the packet of cigarettes. (C)/ No error (D)
13. This happened (A)/ just exactly (B)/ five years ago. (C)/ No error (D)
14. Ramesh smiled when he was remembering (A)/ his hard early years (B)/ and his long road to
success. (C)/ No error (D)
15. Good heavens! (A)/ How has she (B)/ grown! (C)/ No error (D)

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 6
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Answers
1. C 2.A 3.D 4.C 5.A 6.B 7.B 8.D 9.A 10.C 11.B 12.B 13.B
14. A 15.B [Practice Exercise] [Cloze test]
Explanation
6. The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction held over the weekend at Bengaluru reflected
financial heft and fresh hopes. That a league, domestic in spirit and international in flavour,
can cope with two pandemic years and still remain economically robust is a pointer to its
marketing viability and strong financial underpinnings. Nearly ₹552 crore, ₹551.7 crore to be
precise, was spent by 10 franchises as they sought to bolster their squads with a bouquet of
players with varied skill sets. Surely the IPL has come a long way since Adam Gilchrist admitted
to feeling like a cow after the maiden auction ahead of the inaugural edition in 2008. Cut to
the present, players kept a tab through live television and were quick to react through their
social-media handles
7. Vouch (verb) – Confirm that someone is who they say they are or that they are of good
character.
8. Overlook (verb) – disregard, neglect, ignore, pay no heed to द
9. Move mountains (phrase) – make every effort, do one's best
10. Immune (adjective) – Protected, safe, Invulnerable, resistant त
11. (B) ‘their’ दल ‘his’ ‘each, either, neither’ ल possessive त
‘his’ त ; -
(i) Neither of the boys has done his home work.
(ii) Each of them has done his home work.
त,
(iii) Neither of the two sisters has done her work.
12. (B) ‘produced’ दल ‘offered him’ ‘produce’ त त
‘ द , , तत ’ ‘offer’ त ‘ ’ तत
‘ ’ ; त ‘offer’

13. (B) ‘just’ त ‘exactly’ त द ‘ त औ द

त ; -
(i) He came here just two years ago.
(ii) He came here exactly two years ago.
14. (A)‘was remembering’ दल ‘remembered’ ‘remember’ non-
actional/stative verb continuous tense त

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 7
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

15. (B) ‘has she’ दल ‘she has’ exclamatory sentences subject + verb
त ; -
(i) What a beautiful sight it is! [Not: is it!]
(ii) How tall a girl she is! [Not: is she!]

Explanation in English:-
11. (B) 'his' will be used instead of 'their' because the possessive for 'each, either, neither' is generally
'his'; like -
(i) Neither of the boys has done his homework.
(ii) Each of them has done his homework.
but,
(iii) Neither of the two sisters has done her work.
12. (B) 'offered him' will be used instead of 'produced' because 'produce' usually means 'to produce,
produce, present' whereas 'offer' means 'to offer' The question has the meaning of 'offered
cigarette packet'.
13. (B) 'just' and 'exactly' are not used together because both mean 'right' and either of them is used;
like-
(i) He came here just two years ago.
(ii) He came here exactly two years ago.
14. (A) 'remembered' will be used instead of 'was remembering' because 'remember' is a non-
actional/ stative verb which does not have continuous tense.
15. (B) 'she has' will be used instead of 'has she' because subject + verb is used in exclamatory
sentences; like-
(i) What a beautiful sight it is![Not : is it !]
(ii) How tall a girl she is ![Not : is she!]

Click here to download all such PDFs

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 8
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Explanation of other important words

Sr.NO Words Meanings
Q1 Incantation noun Chant; the repetition of statement or द
phrase in a way reminiscent of a chant
Relegate verb To banish; to send away लद
Inert adjective Inactive; sluggish; not reacting chemically

Q2 Bureaucracy noun A system of government administration

consisting of numerous bureaus or offices,
especially one run according to inflexible
and inefficient rule.
Agnostic noun One who believes that the existence of a द,
god can be neither proven or disproven
द
Sanguine adjective Cheerful; optimistic; hopeful आ द
Q3 Glut noun Surplus; an overabundance ,आ

Secular adjective Having nothing to do with religion or

spiritual concerns
Dubious adjective Full of doubt; uncertain द

Q4 Venerate verb To revere; to treat as something holy, त

especially because of great age.
Antithesis noun The direct opposite ल , त
Insipid adjective Dull; bland; banal
Q5 Stoic adjective Indifferent to pleasure or pain, to joy or द
grief, to fortune or misfortune
Malfeasance noun An illegal act, especially by a public official द

Irrevocable adjective Irreversible

Click here to download all such PDFs

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 9
 February 17, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 10