Q1. Read the passage given below.

1. White House security entrance at 2:15 PM on Tuesday, October 17: There are six Indians
in immaculate sherwanis that the secret service is trying to clear through by matching their
passports or drivers’ licences to the information they have on their computers. Four clear and
two have problems. One of them is me. The problem is my passport has no last name. Even
though I have met with candidate Trump, President-Elect Trump, and then President Trump,
at least a dozen times, it’s never been at the White House.

2. Diwali at the White House was scheduled to begin at 3:15 pm. For 30 minutes four
different White House officials tried to get me cleared, but these secret service guys refused
to break the protocol no matter who the visitor. It is 3:00 PM now. Finally, seeing no solution
in sight the Secret Service offer a way out – I could go in as long as I am escorted by an
official all the time. Three members of our group of six had already gone in, and finally the
rest of us dash to the Roosevelt room, right next to the Oval Office. Just in time at 3:30 pm.

3. There were a total of 26 guests, most of them currently working for the Trump
administration such as Nikki Haley, Seema Verma, Ajit Pai, Raj Shah, Vanilla Singh, along
with six members of the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) that had played a major role in
the election of President Trump. I am the RHC India Ambassador.

4. After a 10-minute wait in the Roosevelt room, all 26 of us line up in the Oval Office.
President Trump walks in, and comes over to us, the Kumar family which includes my dad
Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar, his son Vikram Aditya Kumar and of course me.

5. The President then proceeded to read his statement and light the diya with Nikki Haley
and Seema Verma to his right and Shalabh Kumar and me to his left. (The writer is the
RHC India Ambassador and winner of the Times of India Femina Miss India contest in
2010.)

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the best of the given choices.
Question (a) The crisis the author describes in the opening paragraph in that the author and
five other Indians
(i) do not have valid passports.
(ii) are not suitably dressed.
(iii) the information on their documents does not match with the information US
security officials have.
(iv) they are late for the function.

Question (b)Finally, the white House security officials allowed the author to enter the White
House if
(i) she could prove that she had met President Trump several times earlier.
(ii) she went in without a camera or a microphone.
(iii) a security officer remained with her all the time.
(iv) her father Shalabh Kumar took guarantee of her behaviour.

Question (c) The author was part of the 26 member team that celebrated Diwali with President
trump because she
(i) belonged to the Kumar family.
(ii) was the Ambassador of RHC.
(iii) Neither of these
(iv) both of these
 Question (d) The Diwali celebrations were held
(i) on the lawns of the White House,
(ii) in the Roosevelt Room.
(iii) in the Oval Office.
(iv) in President Trump’s drawing-room.

Question (e) ‘Scheduled’ in para 2 means ……………………….

(i) arranged
(ii) decided
(iii) looked after
(iv) stationary

Q2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
Flexibility and mobility are essential not only to reduce the risk of injuries but to generally feel
better. Living a nine to five desk life can be demanding on health and wellness. Here is how
you can keep the most common problems at bay.

1. Even if you are not exercising you need to make sure that you maintain correct posture
and sit at your desk in the right way. It is important that your chair is placed correctly and
your legs are not left hanging. Proper alignment ensures that your neck and back are not
strained. Exercises and abdominal crunches two to three times a week can strengthen the
core. It will help take the pressure off your back and will make it easier to maintain good
posture. Chairs with a back that support your upper back are preferable for those who work
long hours in front of screens.

2. Constant typing, writing reports, and answering e-mails can exert your wrists leading to
long-term damage. The frequency of your use and how you position your wrists at your
keyboard can be a reason. The telltale signs of exertion would be a tingling sensation or
numbness. One should not ignore initial signs. Make sure that you rest your wrist at regular
intervals. To relieve tension quickly fold your hands in a NAMASTE in front of your chest
with elbows moving out and lower your hands till you feel a good stretch in your wrists.
Also rotating your fists inside and outside provides much relief to strained wrists.

3. Since those who work on desks spend a lot of time looking at a computer screen, they are
at a risk of straining their eyes. This may also lead to dry eyes and fatigue. Poor eyesight is
the result of continued and improper exposure to screens. Keeping the computer screen at an
optimal distance helps a lot in minimising strain to eyes. The screen shouldn’t be too close or
too far. To ease eye strain use good lighting and make it a point to look at a distance away
from your screen every twenty to thirty minutes.

(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it using headings
and subheadings.
Use recognisable abbreviations and a format you consider suitable. Also, supply a
title to it.
(b) Write a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made.

Q3. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

1. It is common knowledge that school children are under great pressure to perform well in all
fields, study ten subjects, play games and develop an impressive image. How do they manage?
The skills, techniques and principles which they pick up while still young help them cope.
2. Two of twentieth century’s finest minds have lamented that schools are not teaching the
basics of personal excellence or the science of success. Edward De Bono : “Almost all of what
a child learns at school after the age of ten is totally irrelevant to his need in later life. Most
schools do not teach thinking at all.” The serious thesis of this article is that management must
be taught as a school subject. The weightiest argument is that children are managers.
3. Many children are called upon to play directly three of the interpersonal roles: “Figurehead”,
“Leader” and “Liaison Officer”. They do this while assisting teachers as monitors or class
representatives or group leaders during educational torus and field work; while captaining
teams on playgrounds; and while leading teams in quiz, debating and other competitions. Many
more play these roles as surrogates.
4. The decision role of “Entrepreneur” and “Resource Allocator” may only occasionally be
assigned to children. However, it is worth noting that according to a recent survey in Delhi, a
monthly allocation of up to Rs. 1000 is available as pocket money to school children.
Therefore, school children too need to have control over money and develop a sense of budget.
If we add to these financial resources, the resources of time, information and intellect available
to children, the first two decision roles are not irrelevant to them.
5. Children play the other two decision roles: “Disturbance Handler” and “Negotiator” more
often. True, the international roles of “monitor”, “disseminator” and “spokesman” are not so
frequently and formally engaged in by children as by CEOs, MDs, Vice Presidents and other
adult managers.
6. If you cannot see children as managers, they are managers in the making: Many of the
management habits (e.g. using a to-do list), management skills (e.g. sensitive listening),
management attitudes and values are formed early in life. Personality theorists believe that it is
extremely difficult to change personality traits, styles of thinking and habits of behaviour once
these are formed.
7. As in language learning, where basic aspects of language like pronunciation and rhythm are
extremely resistant to learning after puberty, good management habits, attitudes and values are
difficult to acquire in adulthood. In the fifties, even in the educationally advanced countries
such as the US, Algebra was thought to be too abstract to be taught even in senior schools.
Now it is taught from upper primary classes onwards in both educationally progressive and
developing countries. Computer skills, lateral thinking and swimming, often felt to be
forbidden by adults are easily learnt by children. In fact, both research evidence and specialists’
beliefs strongly support the view that children’s ability to learn skills like swimming and
creative thinking is much more developed than adults. Equally important, complex organisms
(a) learn what is necessary or pleasurable and
(b) adapt themselves in ways that will serve their needs and interests with amazing enthusiasm,
ease and effectiveness.

1. The reason of pressure on children is :

(A) common knowledge
(B) absence of skills
(C) choice between studies and games
(D) performance demand in all fields
2. What according to few educationists is lacking in school teaching?
(A) Basics of personal excellence
(B) Science of success
(C) Thinking
(D) All of the above
3. The sense of budget among children is an indication towards their capability of performing:
(A) interpersonal role
(B) decision role
(C) leading role
(D) informational role
4. The article advocates teaching _________ as a subject in school.
(A) management
(B) creative thinking
(C) computer skills
(D) swimming
5. Which word in Para 7 is opposite in meaning of “Concrete”?
(A) Algebra
(B) acquire
(C) resistant
(D) abstract
6. The terms used for a detailed critical inspection/study in Para 4 is :
(A) intellect
(B) resource Allocator
(C) survey
(D) budget
7.  The skills, _________ and _________ which they pick up while still young help them cope.
8.  The weightiest argument is that children are __________________________
9.  Many more play these role as _________.
10.  The first two decision roles are not _________ to them.
11.  Which word in the above passage means the same as-Regretted’ (Para 2)
12.  Which word in the above passage means the same as-‘officially’ (Para 5)

Q4. Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

Manav Singh had been farming his land for the past 20 years. His father had also been farming
in the same land. But now he is unable to irrigate the agricultural land as the ground water level
has gone down and the monsoon rains are also irregular.

He has an option to connect the canal irrigation that the Government has initiated but is finding
it difficult to implement the process. He knows that Farmers worldwide will need to increase
crop production, either by increasing the amount of agricultural land to grow crops or by
enhancing productivity on existing agricultural lands to meet the global demand.

However, the ecological and social trade-off of clearing more land for agriculture is often high,
particularly in the tropics. And right now, crop yields the amount of crops harvested per unit of
land cultivated are growing too slowly to meet the predicted demand for food. Even if some
regions increase their output and traders reduce the mismatch between supply and demand,
doubling food production by 2050 will undeniably be a major challenge.

Thus the last resort for farmers, Manav Singh thinks would be to grow more on the land they
currently operate through what is called “sustainable intensification”. This means using
precision farming tools, such as GPS fertiliser dispenser, advanced irrigation systems, and
environmentally optimized crop rotations.

These methods can help produce more crops, especially in parts of Africa, Latin America and
Eastern Europe with large yield gaps. They can also reduce the negative environmental impacts
from over stressing resources -preventing groundwater depletion and the destruction of fertile
lands through over-use of fertiliser.

Net irrigated area (%) of India has increased from nearly 18 to 48% in recent times due to
government interventions at various levels (Fig. 1). Although the government has given much
emphasis on improving canal system in various five year plans but it has declined over years
(Fig. 1). People have identified groundwater irrigation as much reliable and independent source
of irrigation. Groundwater irrigation has taken quantum jump since 1965.
Fig. 1. Percent net irrigated to net sown area and per cent canal irrigated & per cent
groundwater irrigated to net irrigated area (Source: based on data from DES, 2017-18); NLA
%: Net Irrigated area to net sown area, GW %: Groundwater share in net irrigated area, SW %:
Surface water share in net irrigated area October-December 2019]

In order to attract more investments in agriculture, the risks need to be reduced by

governments. Regulators need to overhaul policies that are affecting the inclusion of small,
rural farmers into the financial system. More supportive policies, laws and public spending on
infrastructure would help create a favourable investment climate for agriculture.

1.  Which of the following pairs given in the options can conclude Paragraph 3 and start 4
respectively?

(A) C-A
(B) C-B
(C) A-B
(D) B-A
2.  What does the author want to convey by, ‘would help create a favourable investment climate
for agriculture’ as mentioned in the passage in the italics?

(A) Only A & C

(B) Only A & B
(C) Only B
(D) Only B & C
3. Which of the following is /are true according to passage?

(A) Only A & B

(B) OnlyB
(C) Only C
(D) Both A & C
4.  What is the author’s view about sustainable intensification mentioned in paragraph 3?
(A) It is only useful for countries which have small yield gaps.
(B) It may increase food production to meet the rising demands.
(C) It will have a tremendous negative impact on the environment.
(D) It is hyped and may not work in the long run.
5.  The graph indicates that the irrigation of agricultural land in India using canal system has
_________.
(A) Increased through the years
(B) Decreased through the years
(C) Equal all these years
(D) None of the above
6.  Irrigation of agriculture land has increased in the recent years through:
(A) Rain water
(B) Monsoon rain
(C) Canal water
(D) Ground water
7.  Which means has been proved more reliable than other sources?
(A) Rain water
(B) Monsoon rain
(C) Canal water
(D) Ground water
8.  Which word in the passage means the same as ‘involvement’?
(A) intervention
(B) declined
(C) quantum
(D) emphasis

Q5 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: 

1. He, Mehmood the kite-maker, had in the prime of his life been well known throughout the
city. Some of his more elaborate kites once sold for as much as three or four rupees each.

2. At the request of the Nawab, he had once made a very special kind of kite, unlike any that
had been seen in the district. It consisted of a series of small, very light paper disks trailing on a
thin bamboo frame. To the end of each disk he fixed a sprig of grass, forming a balance on both
sides.

The surface of the foremost disk was slightly convex, and a fantastic face was painted on it,
having two eyes made of small mirrors. The disks, decreasing in size from head to tail, assumed
an undulatory form und gave the kite the appearance of a crawling serpent. It required great
skill to raise this cumbersome device from the ground and only Mehmood could manage it.
3. Everyone had heard of the ‘Dragon Kite’ that Mehmood had built and word went round that
it possessed supernatural powers. A large crowd assembled in the open to watch its first public
launching in the presence of the Nawab.

4. At the first attempt, it refused to leave the ground. The disks made a plaintive, protesting
sound and the sun was trapped in the little mirrors, making the kite a living, complaining
creature. Then the wind came from the right direction and the Dragon Kite soared into the sky,
wriggling its way higher and higher, the sun still glinting in its devil-eyes. And when it went
very high, it pulled fiercely on the twine and Mehmood’s young sons had to help him with the
reel.

Still the kite pulled, determined to be free, to break loose, to live a life of its own. And
eventually it did so. The twine snapped, the kite leaped away toward the sun, sailing on
heavenward until it was lost to view. It was never found again and Mehmood wondered
afterwards if he made too vivid, too living a thing of the great kite. He did not make another
like it. Instead he presented to the Nawab a musical kite, one that made a sound like a violin
when it rose in the air.

5. Those were more leisurely, more spacious days. But the Nawab had died years ago and his
descendants were almost as poor as Mehmood himself. Kite-makers, like poets, once had their
patrons; but no one knew Mehmood, simply because there were too many people in the Gali
and they could not be bothered with their neighbours.

6. When Mehmood was younger and had fallen sick, everyone in the neighbourhood had come
to ask after his health; but now, when his days were drawing to a close, no one visited him.
Most of his old friends were dead and his sons had grown up: one was working in a local
garage and the other, who was in Pakistan at the time of the Partition, had not been able to
rejoin his relatives.

7. The children who had bought kites from him ten years ago were now grown men, struggling
for a living; they did not have time for the old man and his memories. They had grown up in a
swiftly changing and competitive world and they looked at the old kite-maker and the banyan
tree with the same indifference.

8. Both were taken for granted-permanent fixtures that were of no concern to the raucous,
sweating mass of humanity that surrounded them. No longer did people gather under the
banyan tree to discuss their problems and their plans; only in the summer months did a few
seek shelter from the fierce sun.
1. On whose request did Mehmood make the kite?
(A) the public
(B) the Nawab
(C) his sons
(D) his neighbours

2. What did the crowd believe the kite possessed?

(A) will of its own
(B) hundred parts
(C) long tail
(D) Supernatural powers

3. Later Mehmood presented the Nawab with a _________.

(A) musical kite
(B) colourful kite
(C) dragon kite
(D) sitar shaped kite

4. Which of the following happened first?

(A) The death of Nawab
(B) The dragon kite flying away
(C) The sun’s rays falling on the mirrors on the dragon kite
(D) The musical kite presented to Nawab by Mehmood

5. What prefix should be added to the word natural to make the meaning ‘attributed to some
force beyond the laws of nature’
(A) unnatural
(B) supernatural
(C) in natural
(D) By natural

6. The descendants of the Nawab were almost as poor as Mehmood himself means
(A) That Nawab’s relatives were poor like Mehmood.
(B) The Nawab’s relatives were poor like the Nawab.
(C) The Nawab’s relatives were poor like the people in the neighbourhood.
(D) The Nawab’s relatives were poor like the people working in the local garage.

7.  He _________, had in the prime of his life been well known throughout the city.
8.  The surface of the foremost disk was slightly _________.
9.  Everyone had heard of the _________ that Mehmood had built and word went around that it
possessed supernatural powers.
10.  Those were more _________, more spacious days.
11.  Which word in the passage means ‘having a wavelike appearance or form’ (para 2)
12.  Which word in the passage means ‘strong thread or string’ (para 4)

Q6 Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow. 

1. The revolution in information technology (IT), far from helping India to leapfrog to a post-
industrial society, threatens to rupture the social fabric by enriching a few at the cost of many.

2. In a very short time and quite unexpectedly, India has risen to considerable eminence in the
world of information technology. This year, software products are expected to account for $ 5.7
billion in exports and will account for a quarter of the growth in the economy, which is
expected to grow nearly seven per cent.

Within eight years, predicts a recent study by McKinsey & Co. and the National Association of
Software & Service Companies (Nasscom), India’s annual IT exports could hit $ 50 billion
about 33 per cent of global software exports. Such a surge is expected to generate 2.2 million
jobs-and push our growth rate near the double digits that many East Asian Tigers enjoyed
before the 1997 crash.

3. For the rapidly growing middle class, which was desperate to make its presence felt but
remained mired in the great Indian outback of the global economy and regretfully watched the
industrial revolution pass it by, this is the moment they have been waiting for. When countries
like Japan and Germany, the objects of Indian admiration, should come knocking on our doors
to solicit our talent to invigorate their industry, it is indeed redemption of sorts. And IT is the
cause of it all.

4. The big question is, will IT do an encore for India as a nation, and not just for a wafer thin
percentage of IT- literate Indians, mostly the poster boys of the IITs?

5. IT has, as yet, failed to touch the lives of the average citizen and India is nowhere close to
being a knowledge economy or society. As per the International Data Corporation (IDC), in a
survey of 55 countries, India ranks 54th on its Information Society Index.

6. The fact is, it is a straightforward reflection of the deep inequality of our education system
which breeds a few ‘geniuses’ at the cost of the entire nation. A study by former director of the
National Centre for Software Technology, R. Narasimhan, points out that nowhere is the digital
divide more glaring than in IT education.

The report warns that India’s ‘obsession’ with the software industry and its exports orientation
is leading to the churning out of unemployable students on one hand and bright whiz-kids on
the other. While the latter are lured away by overseas employers, the former remain
unemployable.

Narasimhan cautions against the ‘hype’ associated with the phenomenal growth of India’s
software industry defying rational explanations and built up into a ‘mystique of sort’ which
breeds false hopes.

7. India’s software industry is a poor employment generator. In the mid-Nineties, some 20,000
people were actively employed in software export services. In contrast, there were three million
registered unemployed graduates in the Nineties. While the ‘Narasimhan study doesn’t mention
number of jobs lost due to computerisation, one could comfortably add a million to the number.
1.  The revolution in IT threatens to break apart the social fabric because _________.
(A) the stocks of software companies have risen at BSE
(B) it has helped India to rise beyond the industrial society
(C) it is enriching a few at the cost of many
(D) it has created a gulf between the rural and urban sector
2.  Growth in export of Indian software products and national economy have been achieved
because of _________.
(A) global recession
(B) liberalised economy
(C) public private cooperation
(D) eminence of Information Technology
3.  It is a time of pride for the middle classes in India because _________.
(A) developed industrial nations will require Indian software professionals to invigorate their
industry
(B) they are desperate to make their presence felt
(C) they have remained stuck in the mud of global economy
(D) they have regretfully watched the industrial revolution pass by them
4.  The digital divide is clearly visible in IT revolution because _________.
(A) it has improved a lot of average Indian citizen
(B) it has benefitted only the products of IITs or some IT-literates
(C) it has made India a knowledge economy or society
(D) non-IT trained students run the IT institutes
5.  Narasimhan’s report cautions against ‘hype’ around IT software industry because ________.
(A) it is rational
(B) it breeds false hopes
(C) all look for foreign assignments
(D) it attracts even the dullards
6.  The word ‘redemption’ in para 3 means _________.
(A) recoupment
(B) recumbent
(C) recovery
(D) redeeming
7.  Find the words from the passage which are similar in meaning to ‘soft mud’ (para 3).
(A) redemption
(B) invigorate
(C) mire
(D) desperate
8.  Find the words from the passage which are similar in meaning to ‘very easily seen’ (para 6).
(A) glaring
(B) straightforward
(C) reflection
(D) obsession

Q7 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Computers are capable of doing extremely complicated work in all branches of learning. They
can solve the most complex mathematical problems or put thousand unrelated data in order.
These machines can be put to varied uses. For instance, they can provide information on the
best way to prevent traffic accidents. They work accurately and at high speed.

They save research workers’ years of hard work. This whole process by which machines can be
used to work for us has been called ‘automation’. In future, automation may enable human
beings to enjoy more leisure than they do today.
The coming of automation is bound to have important social consequences. Some years ago, an
expert on automation, Sir Leon Bagrit pointed out that it was a mistake to believe that these
machines could think. There is no possibility that human beings will be controlled by machines.

Though computers are capable of learning from their mistakes and improving on their
performances, they need detailed instructions from human beings to be able to operate. They
can never lead independent lives or rule the world by taking decisions of their own.

Sir Leon said that in future, computers would be developed which would be small enough to be
carried in one’s pocket. Ordinary people would then be able to use them to obtain valuable
information. Computers could be plugged into a wireless network and can be used like radios.

For instance, people going on holiday, could be informed about weather conditions. Car drivers
can be given an alternative route, when there is a traffic jam. It will also be possible to make
tiny translating machines. This will enable people, who do not share a common language, to
talk to each other without any difficulty or to read foreign publications.

It is impossible to assess the importance of a machine of this sort, for many international
misunderstandings are caused simply due to our failure to understand each other. Computers
will also be used in ordinary public hospitals.

By providing a machine with a patient’s system, a doctor will be able to diagnose the nature of
his illness. Similarly, machines could be used to keep a check on a patient’s health record and
bring it up-to-date. Doctors will, therefore, have immediate access a many facts which will help
them in their work.
Bookkeepers and accountants too could be relieved of dull clerical work. For the tedious task of
compiling, and checking lists or figures could be done entirely by machines. Computers are the
most efficient servant man has ever had and there is no limit to the way they can be used to
improve our lives.
1 According to the given passage tick the correct option:
(a) There is no possibility that human beings can be on their own with no need of machines.
(b) Human beings are likely to be controlled by machines one day.
(c) There is no possibility that human beings will ever be controlled by machines.
(d) Machines can replace humans.

2 According to the given passage tick the correct option:

(a) Computers can solve only certain mathematical problems.
(b) Computers can’t solve any mathematical problems.
(c) Computers can solve the most complex mathematical problems.
(d) Computers can solve only simple mathematical problems.

3 Computers can be used :

(a) to find treatment for the patient’s illness.
(b) to prescribe a medicine for the patient.
(c) to diagnose the nature of patient’s illness.
(d) to keep the patient in good mood.

4 Many international misunderstandings are caused due to our failure to understand

(a) ourselves.
(b) other nations.
(c) our friends.
(d) each other.

5 The antonym of the word ‘complicated’, as per the passage is __________.

(a) grim
(b) simple
(c) relaxed
(d) strange

6 The verb form of the word ‘alternative’ is __________.

(a) alternate
(b) alter
(c) late
(d) elate
7.  Computers are capable of doing extremely complicated work in all branches of __________.
8.  This whole process by which machines can be used to work for us has been called
__________.
9.  Computers can be plugged into __________.
10.  Computers will also be used in __________ public hospitals.
11.  Find the synonyms of the following words from the passage: 
(i) results 
(ii) monotonous