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The Hindu Editorial Vocab & Quiz

By Vijendra Dhankhar ( Sanctum Classes)

20th Feb
Red Sea blues: On India’s goods exports

Ascribe (to) (v) - श्र द्ना Attribute or credit something to a particular cause
Syn: attribute, assign, credit, impute
Ant: deny, disclaim, reject
Ex-: She tried to ascribe her success to hard work and determination.

Overtly (adv) - स्प र् स् Done or shown openly

Syn: openly, visibly, plainly, transparently
Ant: covertly, secretly, clandestinely
Ex-: The company overtly displayed its commitment to environmental sustainability.

Falter (v) - कमज़ो ्ड जाना To lose strength

Syn: hesitate, waver, stumble, falter
Ant: proceed, advance, continue
Ex-: His confidence faltered as he approached the stage to deliver his speech.

Labour-intensive (adj) - जरादा शम वाला काम Requiring a lot of labor

Syn: manpower-intensive, resource-intensive, demanding
Ant: automated, mechanized, efficient
Ex-: Traditional agriculture is often labor-intensive, requiring many hands to cultivate crops
manually.

Discernible (adj) - प्रत Able to be recognized; distinguishable

Syn: noticeable, detectable, perceptible, apparent
Ant: indiscernible, undetectable, imperceptible
Ex-: Despite the fog, there was a discernible outline of the distant mountains.

Shenanigans (n) - गलत काम dishonest activities that people find interesting
Syn: mischief, trickery, antics, pranks
Ant: honesty, sincerity, integrity
Ex-: The students were up to their usual shenanigans during the school trip.

Exude (v) - उ्सजरन to emit or give off

Syn: emit, ooze, radiate, emit
Ant: absorb, contain, withhold
Ex-: The flowers exuded a sweet fragrance that filled the entire room.

Headwinds (n) - कठिनाइराँ difficulties that hinder progress

Syn: emit, ooze, radiate, emit
Ant: absorb, contain, withhold
Ex-: The flowers exuded a sweet fragrance that filled the entire room.

Mired (adj) - फं सा हु entangled in a difficult situation

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Syn: bogged down, trapped, entangled, stuck

Ant: liberated, freed, released
Ex-: The project became mired in delays and budget overruns.

Elusive (adj) - ्हंं स् दूो Difficult to find, catch, or achieve

Syn: evasive, slippery, difficult, elusive
Ant: attainable, accessible, clear
Ex-: The elusive thief managed to evade capture once again.

Compel (v) - मजबूो कोना To force

Syn: force, oblige, coerce, constrain
Ant: persuade, convince, encourage
Ex-: The evidence was compelling enough to compel a confession from the suspect.

Frail (adv) - नाजुक Physically weak or delicate

Syn: weakly, delicately, feeble, fragile
Ant: robustly, strongly, vigorously
Ex-: She moved about the room frailly, her strength depleted after the illness.

Wares (n) - सामान Products or merchandise for sale

Syn: merchandise, goods, products, commodities
Ant: non-products, services, intangibles
Ex-: The street vendor displayed a variety of wares, from handmade jewelry to woven textiles.

For the second successive month, India’s goods exports grew last month, albeit with a mild 3.1%
uptick from a 1% rise in December. This marks only the fourth month of growth in outbound
shipments in 2023-24, and the overall value of merchandise exports this year is down 4.9% at about
$354 billion. While January’s $36.9 billion exports are above this year’s monthly average, they are
4% lower than December’s tally. To be clear, such sequential, post-Christmas demand dip is not
unusual and all of the decline cannot be ascribed to the elephant haunting global trade corridors —
the Houthi rebels’ orchestrated disruptions of shipping lines’ operations around the Red Sea hitting
goods flow to the European and U.S. markets. January’s trade numbers, to that extent, suggest that
the impact so far is not overtly worrying, although a few key segments seem to be feeling some pain.
Engineering goods’ exports growth faltered to a little over 4% in January while the labour-intensive
gems and jewellery slipped into a mild contraction, dropping 1.3%.

Apart from the lack of a broader discernible impact from the Red Sea shenanigans yet, the sharp
decline in the goods trade deficit is notable as it hit a nine-month low of $17.5 billion — just three
months after touching a record high of nearly $30 billion. The flip side is that the recent import bill
compression has been driven by some slack in imports of items such as project goods and electronics
which suggest weakening of investment and consumption impulses in the economy. The government
has exuded confidence that India will match its record export performance of $776 billion in 2022-23,
this year as well, despite multiple global headwinds. On the goods front, though, attaining last year’s
$451 billion tally looks difficult, especially with cooling commodity prices. Exports of services,
reckoned to be up 6.3% this year, may still help bring the overall export figure for the year close to
$760-odd billion if they sustain this pace. The outlook for the coming year remains mired in
uncertainty and risks. There are weak or mixed signals about demand trends from economies such
as the U.S. and Germany, even as the U.K. recorded the sharpest sequential jump in retail sales
since July 2020. Interest rate cuts remain elusive for now. Finally, despite the U.S.-led Operation
Prosperity Guardian to protect commercial traffic through the Red Sea, shippers have warned that
the Houthi factor could compel the use of longer routes for several more months. Longer delivery
times apart, the spiked shipping rates and operational costs of exports could force some price hikes
and deter already frail demand in some markets and make prospective buyers look for more
competitive options for Indian wares.

Vocab Quiz

1. The company __________ its recent success to innovative marketing strategies.

A) attributed

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B) faltered
C) exuded
D) discernible

2. Despite facing numerous __________, she remained determined to achieve her goals.
A) headwinds
B) shenanigans
C) overtly
D) mired

3. The old bridge was __________ in mud, making it difficult for vehicles to pass through.
A) discernible
B) labour-intensive
C) frail
D) mired

4. The thief's __________ behavior made it challenging for the police to catch him.
A) elusive
B) exuded
C) compelled
D) shenanigans

5. The factory employed a __________ process to manufacture its products.

A) headwinds
B) frail
C) labour-intensive
D) overtly

6. Despite his initial __________, he eventually gained confidence and completed the task successfully.
A) falter
B) discernible
C) exuded
D) shenanigans

7. The flowers __________ a pleasant aroma throughout the garden.

A) discernible
B) exuded
C) compelled
D) frail

8. The hiker encountered several __________ while trekking through the rugged terrain.
A) shenanigans
B) headwinds
C) elusive
D) labour-intensive

9. The evidence was so __________ that it left no doubt about the defendant's guilt.
A) frail
B) mired
C) compelling
D) discernible

10. The magician's tricks were so __________ that no one could figure out how he did them.
A) overtly
B) elusive
C) compelled
D) discernible

11. The farmer's market was filled with various __________, from fresh produce to handmade crafts.
A) wares
B) faltered
C) mired

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D) shenanigans

12. Despite his __________ health, the elderly man insisted on tending to his garden every day.
A) headwinds
B) labour-intensive
C) exuded
D) frail

13. The team __________ hard work and dedication to their recent victory.
A) attributed
B) faltered
C) mired
D) exuded

One Words

1. Remission - माफ़ी Pardon or forgiveness for breaking religious laws

2. Rendezvous - ममलन् की जगह Place fixed or meeting or assembling
3. Repercussion - प्ाव/ पमततिरा Effect of some event, action or decision
4. Repartee - हामजो जवाबी Witty and clever answers
5. Requiem - श़क गीत Prayer for the dead

Idioms

1) Whole nine yards – everything possible or available

2) Not a spark of decency - someone who has no manners or very rude manners
3) Not playing with a full deck – Not very bright or intelligent

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

The city’s charm take over you and you are ready to overlook the pitfalls of pollution.
A. The city’s charm take
B. over you and you
C. are ready to
D. overlook the pitfalls of pollution.

Select the most appropriate word to fill in the blank.

You keep the ____________ till you are at a traffic signal and a poor child looks you in the eye.
A. Facade
B. Mandate
C. Litany
D. Mortgage

Cloze Test

This week in Tamil Nadu, burglars returned a National Award trophy to film director M Manikandan.
Attached was a note: ‘sir, forgive us, your hard work is yours’. You gotta admire these burglars. And
note, in this context, that despite moral _______(1)__________ against stealing, it’s always been
philosophically __________(2)________. The Robin Hood idea is appealing precisely _______(3)______ it’s
hard to distinguish rightful from reprobate, clean from corrupt. Surely stealing a loaf of bread for a
hungry person is not the same as making off with the savings of the poor. In situations of systematic
oppression, gangsters often break rules and get popular support. Many crime syndicates follow stoic
codes of conduct and honour, whether it’s Italy’s mafia, Japan’s yakuza or our own underworld. They
don’t bother with _____(4)______ crime, and are known for their protectiveness towards ordinary
people. They don’t supplant law and order. They provide an alt version of it.
1. (a) conjectures (b) conjures (c) convictions (d) injunctions
2. (a) complicated (b) complicating (c) complicate (d) complicates
3. (a) when (b) until (c) unless (d) because
4. (a) pity (b) petty (c) piety (d) pretty

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Passage

Last night, like many other nights before, I sat down with my young children to watch one of our
favourite cartoons — Peppa Pig. While watching some of the latest episodes with the enthusiasm of a
kid, I once again felt overwhelmed with the insightful content of this show. The underlying idea of
promoting egalitarianism and humanism (through the medium of non-human animals),
deconstructing dualities and accommodating plurality is palpable in almost every episode.

The most attractive feature is the non-sexist approach as opposed to the androcentric narratives of
the past. As a kid of the 1980s, I grew up watching and admiring machoism and chivalry in shows
like He-Man, Spider Man, Mickey Mouse, and Vikram Betaal. On the contrary, in Peppa Pig, I found
that perspectives are gender-neutral and there’s no room for male hegemony. For instance, the
character Ms. Rabbit is the most industrious of all. As a rescue worker of indomitable spirit, she even
rescues the superhero Mr. Potato when he is stuck in the dome of a building. Ms. Rabbit performs
multiple jobs and receives a gold medal from the Queen for her hard work. In the same vein, there’s
no specific role meant for Mummy Pig. She is a working woman and the decision-maker of the family.
Daddy Pig is as responsible for the household chores as Mummy Pig. Together they all commit silly
mistakes and the family laughs out loud at each other’s goof-ups.

The gap between highs and lows is bridged by some plots wherein the Queen of England takes little
school children on a bus ride for a city tour, police officials respond to the trivial requirements of
civilians and the paediatrician Mr. Brown Bear is least offended when his young patient Pedro Pony
asks him to scratch his [Pedro’s] ear. Classrooms are places to gain knowledge and accept classmates
from different backgrounds — Mandy Mouse is a child in a wheelchair, Polar Bear has two mothers
where one mother cooks spaghetti and the other mom is a doctor, and the twin panda sisters have
their mother working in a fire unit.

The programme also fosters a sense of duty in different ways. For example, handling multiple job
profiles. Ms. Rabbit as a rescue worker is available round the clock with a never-say-die attitude.
Police officer Mr. Panda lends unconditional support to everyone and construction worker Mr. Bull is
just a call away to fix the issues of people in need. Collectively, all the inhabitants of the Peppa world
work joyfully to make it a better and more enjoyable place.

Overall, Peppa Pig is a calm, soothing, and non-violent project that transcends social divides and
promotes a society based on values of love, friendship and respect. Amidst all the complexities of life,
the show’s simplicity may be a heartwarming entertainment for many. At the same time, to some
logical minds, it may be a mere piece of fiction or utopia. But to me, it is a perfect display of an ideal
world which young minds must see, understand, and aim to create in the times to come.

Q.1 What is one of the key themes of Peppa Pig as described in the passage?
a) Individualism
b) Machoism
c) Egalitarianism
d) Androcentrism

Q.2 Which character in Peppa Pig is highlighted for their hard work and multiple job roles?
a) Daddy Pig
b) Mummy Pig
c) Ms. Rabbit
d) Mr. Potato

Q.3 What is the overall tone of the passage towards Peppa Pig?
a) Critical
b) Admiring
c) Neutral
d) Cynical

Q.4 What inference can be drawn from the passage about the author's view on Peppa Pig?
a) The author believes Peppa Pig is unrealistic and irrelevant.
b) The author sees Peppa Pig as a reflection of an ideal society.

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c) The author considers Peppa Pig to be too simplistic for young minds.
d) The author finds Peppa Pig to be lacking in diversity and inclusivity.

Q.5 How are duties and responsibilities depicted in Peppa Pig?

a) Through characters avoiding work
b) Through characters with singular job profiles
c) Through characters handling multiple job profiles joyfully
d) Through characters focusing solely on personal interests

Answers:
Vocab Quiz: 1. A) attributed 2. A) headwinds 3. D) mired 4. A) elusive 5. C) labour-intensive 6. A)
falter 7. B) exuded 8. B) headwinds 9. C) compelling 10. B) elusive 11. A) wares 12. D) frail 13. A)
attributed
Error: A takes - in place of - take
Filler: A
Cloze Test: 1. D 2. A 3. D 4. B
Passage: 1. C 2. C 3. B 4. B 5. C

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