Read the passage given below and attempt questions below.

PASSAGE 1 :
(1) Today I. Rabindranath Tagore, completed eighty years of my life. As I look back, on-die vast stretch of years that lie
behind me and see in clear perspective the history of my early development, I am struck by the change that has taken
place both in my own attitude and in the psychology of my countrymen - o change that carries within a cause of the
profound tragedy.
(2) Our direct contact with the larger world of men was linked up with the contemporary history of the English
people whom we came to know in those earlier days, it was mainly through their mighty literature that we formed
our ideas with regard to these newcomers to our Indian shores, in triose days, the type of learning that was served
out to us was neither plentiful nor diverse, nor was the spirit of scientific enquiry very much in evidence. Thus, their
scope being strictly limited the educated of those days had recourse to the English language and literature. Their
days and nights were eloquent with the stately declamations of Burke, with Macaulay's long-rolling sentences;
discussions centred upon Shakespeare's drama and Byron's poetry, and above all upon the large-heart liberalism of
nineteenth-century English politics.
(3) At the time, though tentative attempts were being made to gain our national independence, at heart we had not
lost faith in the generosity of the English race. This belief was so firmly rooted in the sentiments of our leaders as to
lead them to hope that the victor would of his own grace pave the path of freedom for the vanquished. This belief
was based upon the fact that England at the time provided a shelter to all those who had to flee from persecution in
their own country. Political martyrs who had suffered for the honour of their people were accorded unreserved
welcome at the hands of five English.
(4) I was impressed by this evidence of liberal humanity in the character of the English and thus, I was led to set
them on the pedestal of my highest respect. This generosity in their national character had not yet been initiated by
imperialist pride. About this time, as a boy in England, J had the opportune of Listening to the speeches of John
Bright both in and outside parliament. The large-hearted, radical Liberalism of those speeches, overflowing all
narrow national bounds, had made so deep an impression on my mind that something of it lingers even today, even
in these days of graceless disillusionment On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any ten
questions from the twelve that follow:
Question. What helped Indians to shape their ideas of the Englishmen?
(a) their advanced weaponry
(b) their literature
(c) their orders
(d) their administration
Question. Choose the option that best captures the central idea of the passage from the given quotes.
(1) ""Jai Hind*—Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose*1
(2) “People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them" —James Baldwin
(3) “A notion's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people* —Mahatma Gandhi
(4) “History is who we are and why we are the way we are." —David McCullough
(a) (1)(b) (2)(c) (3)(d) (4)
Question. What is the tone of the following context: 'A change that carries within it a cause of profound
tragedy"?
(a) boredom
(b) pain and Loss
(c) tired
(d) cheerful
Question. What is the message conveyed in the last paragraph of the passage?
(a) Lack of generosity in the English people
(b) Liberal sm of the English men
(c) Loss of humanity
(d) Loss of Indian pride
Question. Which of the following is relevant for the title of the passage?
(a) Proud to be Independent
(b) Crisis of Civilisation
(c) Happy Indians
(d) The Civilized Englishmen
Question. Our was a hurdle in our quest for freedom.
(a) distrust in the Englishmen
(b) faith that they were good
(c) belief
(d) fear of the Englishmen
Question. Tagore felt that Englishmen deserved his highest respect because of........„...... .... .
(a) their literature
(b) their open-minded humanity
(c) their providing refuge to people
(d) their modem outlook
Question. Which word in the passage is closest in meaning to ’deep'?
(a) Perspective
(b) profound
(c) tragedy
(d) psychology
Question. What do you understand from the line, attempts were being made to gain our national
independence, at heart we had not Lost faith in the generosity of the English race'?
(a) Indians didn't lose faith in the Englishmen
(b) English race was selfish
(c) Englishmen were full of words
(d) Indians were fighting against generosity
Question. Choose the option that correctly' states the meaning of ’liberal humanity' as implied in the passage:
(a) Bondage
(b) Freedom, of choice
(c) Knowledge of humanity and society
(d) all of the above
Question. Which of the following sentences makes the correct use of “vanquished” as used in the passage?
(a) The soldier successfully vanquished his rivals,
(b) He tried to vanquish her fears.
(c) Be courageous to vanquish all evils.
(d) Vanquish your disease with this medicine
Question. The terms large - hearted' and' radical Liberalism1 are used for:
(a) Macaulay
(b) John Bright
(c) Shakespeare
(d) Byron

PASSAGE 2
(1) The Sahara sets a standard for dry land, It's the worlds largest desert. Relative humidity can drop into the low
single digits. There are places where it rains only about once a century. There are people who reach the end of their
lives without ever seeing water come from the sky. Yet beneath the Sahara are vast aquifers of fresh water, enough
liquid to fill a small sea. it is fossil water, a treasure laid down in prehistoric times, some of it possibly a million
years old. Just years ago, the Sahara was quite a different place, it was green. Prehistoric rock art in the Sahara
shows something surprising: hippopotamuses, who need water year round.
(2) We don't have much evidence of a tropical paradise out there, but we had something perfectly liveable, says
Jennifer Smith, a geologist at Washington University in St Louis. At times when the Northern Hemisphere tilts
sharply towards the sun and die planet makes its closest approach, the increased blast of sunlight during the North's
summer months can cause the African monsoon currently occurs between the Equator and roughly 17*N latitude, to
shift to the North as it did10,000 years ago, inundating North Africa.
(3) Around 5,000 years ago, the monsoon shifted dramatically southward again. The prehistoric inhabitants of the
Sahara discovered that their relatively green surroundings were undergoing something worse than a drought (and
perhaps they migrated towards the Nile Valley, where Egyptian culture began to flourish at around the same time).
(4) As the land dried out and vegetation decreased, the soil, lost its ability to hold water when it rained. Fewer clouds
formed from evaporation. When it rained, the water washed away and evaporated quickly. There was a kind of
runaway drying effect. Around 4,000 years ago, the Sahara became what it is today. No one knows how human-
driven climate change may alter the Sahara in the future its something scientists can ponder while sipping bottled
fossil water pumped from the underground. "Its the best water in Egypt, "Robert Giegengack a University of
Pennsylvania geologist, said— clean, refreshing mineral water. If you want to drink something good, try the ancient
buried treasure of the Sahara.
Question. In the line 'Prehistoric rock art in the Sahara' the word "prehistoric* DOES MOT mean:
(a) primitive (b) modern(c) ancient(d) pristine
Question. Which, of the following statements about the Sahara desert is correct?
(a) the inability of soil to hold water (b) the washing away and the fast evaporation of water
(c) the tendency of soil absorbing all the water (d) strong sunlight in the desert
Question. The world's largest desert is:
(a) Gobi (b) Thar (c) Sahara (d) Kalahari
Question. Choose the option that lists the correct answers for the following:
(1) The Sahara was quite a different place. It was green. When was this?
(2) The monsoon shifted dramatically southward again. When did this happen?
(a) (1) 4000 years ago and (2) 5000 years ago
(b) (1) 6000 years ago and (2) 5000 years ago
(c) (1) 5000 years ago and (2) 6000 years ago
(d) (1) 4000 years ago and (2) 6000 years ago
Question. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that best defines the 'runaway
drying effect'?
(1) The inability of soil to hold water.
(2) The washing away a n d the fast evaporation of water.
(3) The tendency of soil, to absorb all the water.
(4) Strong sunlight in the desert.
(a) (1) (b) (2) (c) (3) (d) (4)
Question. Despite the dry land, Sahara has vast amount of water:
(a) in dams(b) in aquifers(c) in reservoirs(d) all of these
Question. The shortage of water is evident from the fact that:
(a) it never rains (b) some people go through life without experiencing rain
(c) people can not recognise rain (d) people do not know when will it rain
Question. Look at the given map of Africa and choose the country which has the lowest hydro generators in
Sub-Sahara Africa
(a) Sudan (b) Zambia (c) Mozambique (d) Ethiopia
Question. The monsoon shift coincided with:
(a) greenery flourishing (b) new civilisations flourishing elsewhere
(c) storms becoming prevalent (d) more areas turning into deserts
Question. Which of the following statements about how the rich underground reserves help Sub-Saharan
Africa is correct?
(a) They helped by providing rainfall (b) They helped through electricity generation
(c) They helped by using hydropower to create electricity (d) They helped by boosting its economy
Question. What played an important role in the formation of Sahara as we know it today?
(a) less cloud formation (b) runaway drying effect (c) both (a) and (b) (d) none of these
Question. Fossil water comes from heavy rains.
(b) The statement is partially true b) The statement is completely false.
(c) This statement is partially false. (d) This is completely true.

PASSAGE3
Read the given passages carefully and answer the questions that follow :
(1) Evolution has designated vultures to be the ultimate scavengers. Enormous wingspans allow them to circle in the
pray for hours Their beaks, while rather horrifying, are weak by bird standards, made to scoop and eat flesh.
(2) However unappealing they may seem, vultures serve an important role in die ecological cycle: processing dead
bodies of animals. 20 years ago, India had plenty of vultures—flocks so enormous that they darkened the skies. But
by 1990, their numbers had dropped due to a mysterious kidney ailment By 20011 99.9 percent of India's vultures
were gone, it was discovered that they had been killed by a drug called diclofenac (a pain reliever along the lines
of aspirin and ibuprofen).
(3) Indians revere their cows, and when a cow showed signs of pain, they treated it with diclofenac. After the animal
died, the vultures would eat the corpse. And though they can boast of perhaps having the world's most efficient
digestive system, vultures cannot digest the drug.
(4) India banned the use of diclofenac for veterinary use in 2006, but it’s still widely used. The near extinction of
vultures has caused the spread of pathogens in die country, as rats and dogs have moved in to take their place. This
would have otherwise been destroyed by the vultures.
(5) Vultures need large ranges to scan for food and undisturbed areas to nest. They also need an abundance of prey
species since they rely more on chance than their own hunting skills to eat All of these things have been reduced by
human activities. Meanwhile, there is a dramatic increase in secondary poisoning. Vultures feed on carcasses laced
with poison, intended to kill jackals or other predatory carnivores- or they are poisoned by the lead in animals left
behind by their hunters.
Question. Vultures serve an important role in the ecological cycle as:
(a) They eat less. (b) They process dead bodies of animals.
(c) They help to maintain food web. (d) They clean grounds with their big wings.
Question. Choose the option that best captures the central idea of the passage from the given quotes:
(1) “It is not the strongest of the species that surround, nor the most intelligent: but the one most responsive to
change?' - Charles Darwin
(2) "Death is nature's way of saying, “Your table is ready? —Robert Williams
(3) “Hunger is the best sauce in the world”. —MigueL de Cervantes
(4) "Just remember ifs the bird that's supposed to suffer, not the hunter.” —George W. Bush
(a) (1) (b) (2) (c) (3) (d) (4)
Question. Which of the following characteristics are opt about the writer in the following context
"Meanwhile, there is a dramatic increase in secondary poisoning. Vultures feed on carcasses Laced with
poison, intended to kill jackals or other predatory carnivores or they are poisoned by the Lead in animals
hunters"
(1) Negligent
(2) Concerned
(3) Caring
(4) Patient
(5) Worried
(6) Informative
(a) (1) and (3) (b) (4) and (5) (c) (2) and (5) (d) (3) and (6)
Question. Which of the following will be the most appropriate title for the passage?
(a) Mystery of Vultures (b) Survival of the Fittest
(c) The Extinct Species (d) Bird Standards
Question. The reason behind vultures dying is:
(a) They feed on carcasses laced with poison actually meant to kill jackets and other predators.
(b) They are hunted.
(c) They do not get enough to eat.
(d) They are diseased.
Question. What does the phrase “moved in to take their place mean In the given paragraph?
(a) Contributed in the task (b) Helped them
(c) Replaced them (d) Removed them
Question. Why are vultures beak considered weak?
(a) They are of no use. (b) They are meant to scoop and eat flesh only.
(c) They are used to kill their prey. (d) None of them
Question. The author attempts to make the readers through this write up.
(a) concerned (b) inspired (c) awakened (d) aware
Question. What's an interesting fact given in the passage about the vultures?
(a) They eat corpse. (b) They cannot digest drugs
(c) They are enormous (d) They have weak beaks
Question. Choose the option that correctly states the two meanings of the word "boast” as used in the passage.
(1) To brag about oneself (2) To exaggerate
(3) To talk very proudly (4) To show off
(5) To show pride & arrogance
(a) (1) and (3) (b) (1) and (2) (c) (4) and (5) (d) (3) and (1)
Question. Select the option that makes the correct use of the word "designated* as used in the passage to fill
in the blank space.
(a) He was as the Prime Minister of the country.
(b) Uttarakhand is as the Land of Gods
.(c) Recta was as the chief secretary of her dub.
(d) ........_ .......... as the head boy of the school. he performed his duties with near perfection.
Question. What is the message conveyed in the last paragraph of the passage?
(a) Human activities need to be controlled to provide vultures open spaces to scan for food and nest.
(b) Vultures are killed by jackals.
(c) Vultures are an extinct species.
(d) Vultures are responsible for their own extinction.

PASSAGE 4
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
[Link] understand some of the reasons for sleep. But they do not understand everything about it. There are two
kinds of sleep in mammals and birds. One is Rapid Eye Movement sleep, which we call REM sleep. The other is
Non–Rapid Eye Movement sleep, which we call NREM or non–REM sleep. The American Academy of Sleep
Medicine divides NREM sleep into three stages:N1, N2, and N3 sleep.
[Link] people first go to sleep, they are in NREM sleep. The first stage of NREM sleep is N1 sleep. During
N1sleep, people get very drowsy. Some people have muscle twitches during this part of sleep. People are not very
conscious of, or aware of, their surroundings duringthis stage of sleep. Brain monitors identify small, slow,and
irregular brain waves during N1 sleep.
[Link] second stage of sleep is N2 sleep. People are not at all conscious of their surroundings during N2 sleep. About
45%-55% of total adult sleep is N2 sleep. Brain monitors identify large brain waves with quick bursts of activity
during N2 sleep.
[Link] third stage of sleep is N3 sleep. It is very deep sleep. Brain monitors identify very slow brain waves during N3
sleep. Therefore, N3 sleep is called slow–wave sleep (SWS.) After N3 sleep, people cycle back to lighter N2 sleep
before going into REM sleep. People cycle through the stages of NREM sleep 4 or 5 time search night and enter
REM sleep several times during one night.
[Link] are not sure of all the reasons for sleep. They know that sleep helps the body heal and grow. Sleep helps
the immune system – which helps people fight disease. Sleep helps the infant brain grow. It seems that REM sleep is
especially important for babies’ brain growth. It also seems that sleep is a time for processing memories. The
National Sleep Foundation in the United States says that 7-9 hours of sleep daily is best for an adult. Seven to nine
hours of sleep is good for memory, alertness, problem-solving, and health. Less than six hours of sleep affects the
ability to think. Getting too much sleep may not be good for people either. Too much sleep is linked to sickness and
depression.
Question. The purpose of the research by National Sleep Foundation in the United States was to
studythe_____.
Choose the correct option.
(a) mechanism of how and why we dream while sleeping.
(b) optimum amount of sleep an adult need.
(c) immune action in body during sleep.
(d) impact of sleep in an infant’s brain growth.
Question. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.
(1)During N1 sleep, people get very drowsy.
(2)Brain monitors identify small, slow, and irregular brainwaves during N1 sleep.
(a)(2) is the opposite of (1). (b)(2) contradicts (1).
(c)(1) is independent of (2). (d)(1) is the reason for (2).
Question. Select the option that gives the correct meaning of the following statement. About 45%-55%of total
adult sleep is N2 sleep.”
(a) In a 9-hour sleep cycle, an adult goes through 5hours of N3 sleep.
(b) Almost all of the sleep cycle of an adult comprises ofN2 sleep.
(c) In an 8-hour sleep cycle, an adult approximately goes through 4 hours of N2 sleep.
(d) The total adult sleep fluctuates a lot between N2 andN3 cycles.
Question. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine research, the Non–Rapid Eye Movement
sleep is ____.
(a) divided into three stages based on the difference in brain wave patterns.
(b) sub-categorised into three types where people can see dreams.
(c) where mammals and birds make rapid eye movements while sleeping.
(d) followed by a cycle of REM sleep of N1, N2 and N3type.
Question. Select the option listing what the given sentence refers to.
People cycle through the stages of NREM sleep 4 or 5times each night.’
(1) People go through N1 sleep several times a night.
(2) People experience N3 sleep only once in a night.
(3) The cycles of N1, N2 and N3 sleep happens 4-5times.
(4) People do not stay in one stage of NREM sleep all night.
(5) The cycles of NREM happens randomly without any sequence.
(a) (1), (2) and (4) (b) 10 (1), (3) and (5) (c) (1), (3) and (4)