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The Hindu Editorial Vocab & Quiz

By Vijendra Dhankhar ( Sanctum Classes)

26th Feb
A new success: On collaboration in space programmes

Novel (adj) - नवीन new, innovative, or original

Syn: new, innovative, original, fresh
Ant: old, familiar, conventional, traditional
Ex-: The author's novel approach to storytelling captivated readers worldwide.

Colonial (adj) - औपननवेनिक belonging to a country that controls another country

Syn: colonialist, imperial, settler, dependent
Ant: independent, sovereign, native, indigenous
Ex-: The colonial administration imposed strict regulations on the local population.

On the wane (idm) - कम होना becoming less important, smaller; declining

Syn: declining, diminishing, decreasing, dwindling
Ant: increasing, growing, expanding, rising
Ex-: The popularity of the once-popular trend is on the wane.

Spectacular (adj) - िानदार visually impressive or magnificent

Syn: impressive, magnificent, breathtaking, stunning
Ant: ordinary, dull, unremarkable, mediocre
Ex-: The fireworks display was truly spectacular, lighting up the night sky.

Intuitive (adj) - अंतद्नद ष से instinctive, based on intuition rather than conscious reasoning
Syn: instinctive, natural, spontaneous, inherent
Ant: learned, acquired, rational, deliberate
Ex-: She had an intuitive understanding of people's emotions, often knowing how they felt before they
spoke.

Formative (adj) - ननमादाकारी relating to the development or formation of something

Syn: developmental, shaping, influential, foundational
Ant: mature, developed, final, conclusive
Ex-: Her formative years greatly influenced her worldview and beliefs.

Descent (n) - अवतरा the action of moving downward

Syn: decline, fall, drop, decrease
Ant: ascent, rise, increase, growth
Ex-: The plane began its descent towards the airport, gradually losing altitude.

Navigation (n) - संचालन the process planning and following a route

Syn: guidance, direction, piloting, steering
Ant: misdirection, aimlessness, wandering, lost
Ex-: With advanced navigation systems, sailors can traverse the ocean with greater precision than
ever before.

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Glitch (v) - खराबी a sudden, usually temporary malfunction

Syn: malfunction, bug, problem, flaw
Ant: smoothness, perfection, functionality, success
Ex-: A glitch in the software caused the program to crash unexpectedly.

Cobble (v) - ठीक करना to mend or repair roughly

Syn: mend, repair, fix, patch
Ant: break, damage, ruin, destroy
Ex-: The shoemaker cobbled together a new sole for the worn-out shoes.

Tip over (phr v) - उलटना to cause to overturn

Syn: overturn, capsize, topple, upend
Ant: stabilize, upright, steady, secure
Ex-: The strong wind caused the tree to tip over, narrowly missing the house.

Devolution (n) - हसतांतरा the transfer of power to a lower level

Syn: decentralization, delegation, transfer, descent
Ant: centralization, concentration, retention, control
Ex-: The devolution of power from the central government to local authorities has led to greater
autonomy for regions.

Pave the way (idm) - मारद पिसत करना to make a path for something to happen
Syn: prepare, facilitate, enable, clear
Ant: hinder, obstruct, impede, block
Ex-: The groundbreaking research paved the way for future discoveries in the field.

Moon landings are picking up pace for the second time in history, but now with more countries and
novel definitions of success in the mix. Chandrayaan-3’s soft-landing confirmed that the Indian
Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) understanding of the technologies and processes involved and
the choices it made — as an impressive space research and flight provider emerging from colonial
shadows — are correct. Similarly, the failure of the Luna 25 mission would have taught Russia’s
Roscosmos something about what it got wrong, particularly as a space agency whose reputation is on
the wane after spectacular highs. On February 22, U.S.-based Intuitive Machines (IM) became
the first private company to soft-land a robotic craft on the moon. The success of many space service
providers in the U.S. is rooted in crucial support from NASA in their formative years. This is true in
IM’s case as well, but with important distinctions. IM launched its Odysseus lander to the moon as
part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme, through which the agency is
funding instruments onboard commercial missions to the moon hoping their findings will ease
NASA’s eventual return to the natural satellite. IM’s Odysseus itself had a rocky last leg of the
journey: as its descent got under way, the lander’s navigation instruments glitched, forcing IM
engineers to quickly cobble together a fix and transmit it to the craft, instructing it to switch to an
experimental NASA instrument onboard. After this hotfix, Odysseus appeared to have soft landed,
but no confirmation was readily forthcoming due to a weak data link between the craft and antennae
on the earth. The next day, IM said Odysseus may have tipped over but without consequence to
most of its payloads, including six from NASA, and solar panels.

IM’s success testifies to the potential of the CLPS programme and could help extend it in future.
NASA’s say in CLPS missions is limited to flagging interesting landing sites and providing some
payloads. By 2020, it had contracted 14 companies to bid on missions, with its purse size of $2.6
billion. For the devolution of such critical responsibilities to be possible in any country, it needs, as
the U.S. possesses, a healthy and diversified private space service landscape. This is the value of IM’s
success within the context of the U.S. space programme. India recently approved up to 100%
automatic foreign direct investment in parts of its national space programme, potentially paving the
way for healthy competition among Indian start-ups to ease ISRO’s burden in future. Space is an
area that necessitates expansive collaboration, among nations and within them.

Vocab Quiz

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1. The __________ approach to problem-solving amazed everyone in the team.

a) Colonial
b) Novel
c) Spectacular
d) Intuitively

2. Sales of the product are __________, indicating a need for a new marketing strategy.
a) Rising
b) On the wane
c) Glitching
d) Cobbling

3. The team encountered a minor __________ in the software during the presentation.
a) Colonial
b) Cobble
c) Glitch
d) Spectacular

4. The plane began its __________ towards the airport, smoothly guided by the pilot.
a) Navigation
b) Tip over
c) Cobble
d) Devolution

5. The government's decision to __________ power to local councils was met with mixed reactions.
a) Devolve
b) Novel
c) Glitch
d) Spectacular

6. Despite facing numerous challenges, the team managed to __________ together a viable solution.
a) Intuitive
b) Cobble
c) Descent
d) On the wane

7. The scientist's groundbreaking research __________ the way for future discoveries in the field.
a) Paved
b) Devolution
c) Tip over
d) Glitch

8. As the storm intensified, the ship began to __________ dangerously.

a) Cobble
b) Tip over
c) Devolve
d) Navigation

9. The author's __________ writing style captivated readers from all walks of life.
a) Descent
b) Novel
c) Intuitive
d) Pave the way

10. The government's policies led to the __________ of power from the central authority to local
governments.
a) Glitch
b) Formative
c) Devolution
d) Colonial

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One Words

1) Synagogue - यहदी उपासना र्ह Place where Jews worship

2) Transgressor - अपराधी One who violets a rule or law
3) Truism - सवतत नसद A truth which is often repeated
4) Turncoat - रदार Disloyal
5) Uxorious/Henpecked - जोर का रुलाम Foolishly fond of one’s wife

Idioms

1. To be snowed under – to have more work than you can deal with
2. Cook the books – to dishonestly change official records
3. Go off the boil – to become less good at something that you are usually very good at

In the sentence identify the segment which contains the grammatical error.

At a time when dabbling with nature-oriented hobbies is hailed as a sustainable stress-buster, people
have began flaunting their green thumb.
A. At a time when dabbling with
B. nature-oriented hobbies is
C. hailed as a sustainable stress-buster,
D. people have began flaunting their green thumb.

Select the most appropriate word to fill in the blank.

Everyone in decent health can experience the immense joys and benefits of running if only they take
it ______ .
A. On
B. Out
C. In
D. Up

Cloze Test

One mother said her daughter wanted to be a professional musician. So, her daughter was going to
join a music school after the 10th grade. There were gasps of ________(1)_______ among the parents.
The student was popular in school for her singing talent. She played three different musical
instruments and ______(2)________be regularly selected for her skills on the keyboard for all the
school functions. Some parents ____________(3)_______ told her that she would regret her decision.
But the mother deserved accolades for encouraging her daughter to _______(4)___________ on a career
path based on her passion.

1. (a) sack (b) shell (c) shock (d) snack

2. (a) will (b) shall (c) would (d) might
3. (a) curtly (b) cunningly (c) carelessly (d) unknowingly
4. (a) treat (b) tread (c) trait (d) trace

Passage

The Interim Budget featuring a substantial cut of over 60% in allocations to the University Grants
Commission (UGC) serves as a scathing reminder of Jacob J. Lew’s proposition that “the budget is
not just a collection of numbers, but an expression of our values and aspirations”. The grant for
higher education has suffered a ruthless reduction of ₹9,600 crore from the preceding fiscal year’s
revised estimate, with a second consecutive year of slashes in allocations for institutions such as the
Indian Institutes of Technology and and the Indian Institutes of Management.

This budgetary trend raises questions about its alignment with the overarching objectives of
‘Education 2023: Incheon Declaration,’ championed by India, seeking inclusive, equitable, and
quality learning for all though a targeted allocation of 4-6% of the nation’s GDP. The Interim Budget

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marks a retrenchment from the lofty ambitions of the Incheon Declaration, with the current
allocation standing at approximately 2.8% of the GDP.

While there is a marginal increase of 0.73% to school education, the Interim Budget has unflinchingly
slashed the allocation to higher education by 16.8%. This will contribute to the exacerbation of the
economic burden on both educational institutions and students. Despite the budget asserting a 28%
increase in funding for Central universities, it is noteworthy that it is directed not to the UGC but to
the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA). Established as a collaborative venture between
Canara Bank and the Ministry of Education, HEFA offers financial support for the development and
enhancement of education infrastructure through the provision of loans. This establishment has left
the ‘G’ in UGC, which stands for Grants, searching for relevance, reducing it to nothing more than a
statutory and regulatory body, fervently championing corporate values and ideals that revolve around
minimising costs and maximising revenue. This will not only compel colleges and universities to
introduce more self-financing courses but also increase the financial woes of students and these
institutions’ reliance on the goodwill (read: loans) of the ‘benevolent’ HEFA. This flagrant transference
of financial responsibility from the government to public institutions and their students compels
universities, once revered as temples of knowledge, to don the cloak of financial stewardship, steering
their central focus away from the pursuit of education. Education, in this paradigm, becomes a
purchasable commodity procured through loans, obliging universities to repay via internally
generated funds, typically sourced by charging students more and more.

This encumbrance will aggravate the already precarious educational condition of marginalised groups,
as their Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) falls significantly below the national average of 27.3%, with
women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes registering a GER of 24.9%, 23.1%, and 18.9%,
respectively (as reported by the All India Survey on Higher Education 2020-21). With the GER at the
elementary level standing impressively at almost 100% (as reported by the Department of School
Education and Literacy Survey 2021-22), a sobering reality surfaces, revealing that over 72% of
students find themselves excluded from the prospect of higher education, primarily due to the fiscal
deficit experienced by institutions and students. Despite the Central government’s grandiose
declaration and fanfare of this period as the ‘Amrit Kaal’ of India’s development, it is noteworthy that
India’s GER at the higher education level trails significantly behind the global average of 38%,
marking it the lowest among BRICS nations. Regrettably, no Amrit or nectar, apart from a substantial
budgetary allocation, can rejuvenate this ailing educational landscape. Robust funding stands as a
crucial linchpin, propelling initiatives to bridge gaps, enhance enrolments, ensure retention, and
elevate the overall quality of education, making it more equitable and inclusive.

Q.1 According to the passage, what is the primary concern regarding the Interim Budget's
allocation to higher education?
a) A decrease in allocations for Central universities
b) Insufficient funding for infrastructure development
c) Economic burden on educational institutions and students
d) Lack of clarity in the budgetary trends

Q.2 What does the passage suggest about the allocation to Central universities?
a) It has significantly decreased compared to the previous year
b) It has been directed to the UGC for grants
c) It has been increased but through a different channel
d) It remains unchanged from the preceding fiscal year

Q.3 What does the passage suggest is crucial for improving the quality and inclusivity of
education?
a) Increased governmental declarations
b) Enhanced infrastructure development
c) International collaborations
d) Robust funding initiatives

Q.4 What does the passage imply about the educational condition of marginalised groups?
a) They have equal access to higher education
b) They face exclusion from higher education opportunities
c) Their Gross Enrolment Ratio is above the national average
d) They receive significant financial support from the government

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Q.5 What impact does the passage suggest the budgetary trends will have on universities?
a) Increased autonomy in financial management
b) Greater reliance on government funding
c) Shift towards self-financing courses
d) Decreased emphasis on education quality

Answers:
Vocab Quiz: 1. b) Novel 2. b) On the wane 3. c) Glitch 4. a) Navigation 5. a) Devolve 6. b) Cobble 7. a)
Paved 8. b) Tip over 9. b) Novel 10. c) Devolution
Error: D begun - in place of - began
Filler: D
Cloze Test: 1. C 2. C 3. A 4. B
Passage: 1. C 2. C 3. D 4. B 5. C

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