Passages

friend list know how we are feeling and what

we are doing in life. People ‘like’ our status,
updates and photographs and ‘comment’ on
them to tell us how they feel about it all. This
is a great way to socialise in this busy world.
It makes us feel that everyone we love and
want to be in touch with, is just a click away.
However, social media becomes a problem
when we get addicted to it.
relatives and long-lost friends but social
media addiction is distancing us from our
immediate family and close friends. People
addicted to social media are hooked to these
platforms for hours. They do not care if their
loved ones are sitting with them or trying to
make a conversation. All they care about is
who updated what on social media and how
many people liked or commented on their
posts.
platforms. This can be as frequent as twenty-
thirty times in an hour. Viewing a new
notification at every ping, especially one
involving their posts gives them a high. Lack
of it, on the other hand, can make them feel
sad and depressed.
social events, family gatherings and even
during getaway with friends. They hardly
enjoy the moment or talk to the people
around them. They are only focused on
collecting pictures that can be uploaded on
their social media accounts or busy checking
and commenting on the status updates of
those on their friend list.
friends while in reality, they do not even
interact properly with anyone around. This is
the grave reality of social media addicts.
Social media addiction is becoming a big
problem. It is ironic how a platform created
to help people socialise is actually cutting
them off from society.
On the basis of your reading of the passage
given above, answer the following questions.
(i) According to the author, what, from the
following, is the biggest drawback of social
media?
(a) addiction of video content on social
media.
(b) clear distinction between virtual and real
life.
(c) obsession over being connected to social
media.
(d) healthy work-life balance through
internet.
the dialogue with reference to paragraph 2.
Ahan: I can’t wait till my birthday to get the
latest smartphone. I would upload photos
with it everyday to gain even more followers
on Instagram!
Jaan: Honestly man, stop obsessing so much
………
(a) about gaining traction on social media at
the expense of your pocket.
(b) over the latest smartphone, they are all the
same.
(c) about gaining followers on Instagram, and
rather invest in crypto.
(d) over your followers, you already have so
many!
(iii) Choose the option that best conveys the
message in - ‘gives them a high.’
(a) People seek validation from their peers.
(b) People get easy an access to drugs via
internet
(c) Social media is a slow trap.
(d) People seek euphoria from social media.
(iv) What behaviour do social media addicts
display during social gatherings? Choose one
option from the following:
(a) Being alert of their surroundings.
(b) Asking for latest gossips to post online.
(c) Not living in the moment.
(d) Avoiding clicking photos with everyone.
(v) Select the option with the underlined
words that can suitably replace getaway
(paragraph 4).
(a) The policeman tried catching the thief but
he was successful in his escape.
(b) He missed his flight because the gateway
was closed before he could reach the airport.
(c) The police is doubting he has a hand in
the sudden disappearance of his daughter.
(d) We had a busy week so all of us decided
to go on a short vacation this weekend.
(vi) A Colloquialism is the use of informal
words or phrases in writing or speech which
maybe specific to an era or context. From the
options given below, select a Colloquialism
word that appears in the para 3.
(a) ping
(b) addicts
(c) high
(d) media
(vii) Select the points from paragraph 5, that
the author describes about social media
addicts.
(1) Worrying about real life updates.
(2) Cut off from society.
(3) Worrying about virtual updates.
(4) Self-aware.
(5) Reclusive.
(a) (1), (4) and (5)
(b) (2), (3) and (5)
(c) (1), (3) and (5)
(d) (2), (3) and (4)
(viii) Which of the following shows the grave
reality of social media addicts?
(a) Enjoying with their family.
(b) Having fun with their friends.
(c) Connecting with distant relatives.
(d) Not interacting properly with anyone
around.
(ix) What does the writer advise, in paragraph
1?
(a) Avoid using social media altogether.
(b) Leave the social media addicts to their
ways.
(c) Treating social media addiction as a
problem.
(d) Use social media in moderation.
(x) Choose the option that lists the quote best
expressing the central idea of the passage.
(a) The greatest gift that you can give
yourself is a little bit of your own attention.
—Anthony J. D’Angelo
(b) In a world of algorithms, hashtags and
followers, know the true importance of
human connection. —Simi Fromen
(c) Don’t compare your real life to someone
else’s controlled online content. —Laura
Distin
(d) Privacy is dead, and social media hold the
smoking gun. —Pete Cashmore
Passage 2
military pilots of unidentified flying objects
they encountered in the course of their daily
duties. The media was awash with stories of
flying saucers and extra-terrestrial
encounters, with scientists downplaying the
likelihood of alien visitation and UFO
enthusiasts exclaiming their excitement.
unremarkable and terrestrial explanation,
whether alien life exists is a very real and
credible scientific question. What is the
possibility that life and even intelligent life
exists around a star other than our own? And
how can we find out?
billion. We are far less certain in our
estimation of whether life will be created, if it
will survive and if intelligence will evolve. If
these liferelated probabilities are high then
life should be extremely common in our
galaxy. If these numbers are low, we could be
alone.
This suggests that the formation of life is
easy. Were it difficult, one would expect that
it would have taken longer. This is not an
airtight argument, to be sure. But it is a
reasonable one. Although life formed very
early in our planet, yet multicellular life came
much later.
were to go extinct tomorrow, there are no
species around that are likely to quickly
evolve intelligence. Granted, there are species
that are more intelligent than others, but their
path to humanlike intelligence is by no means
assured. From this, it is possible to
provisionally conclude that the evolution of
intelligence is rare.
don’t know much about the origin of life and
the probability that it will evolve as it did on
Earth. From what we have seen on Earth, it
seems that the creation of life is relatively
easy, but the evolution of intelligence is hard.
Taken in aggregate, it does seem that
extraterrestrial life should exist and there may
be planets where our cosmic cousins also
look at the sky and dream.
seems that life could very well be common.
There may come a day when an alien craft
lands on the White House lawn like in the
1950s movie “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers,”
or, more likely, we hear the first signals in our
giant radio telescopes. Then we would know,
once and for all, that we are not alone.
Based on your understanding of the passage,
answer the following questions.
According to the passage, what was the
excitement in the media all about? What was
the scientists’ stand on it?
What makes the possibility of alien life a
difficult question to answer by scientists?
What signal will make humans know for sure
that extraterrestrial life exists?
Describe the rarity in the evolution of
intelligence.
List one likely impact of the possibility of
habitable planets in our galaxy.
Passage 3
Read the passage given below.
1. Pingu, the Pelican, lost no opportunity to
show off his large beak, but when a fish got
stuck in his throat and other birds came to his
rescue, he decided never to brag again.
able to catch very large fish. And, everyday,
when he would catch a large fish and gulp it
down, he would feel proud and satisfied at
having such a unique beak. He felt so proud
of his beak that he started boasting about it to
every bird he met. Initially, the waders,
ducks, geese and herons heard him politely,
but when he started making fun of their
beaks, they began to avoid him.
extremely large barbels around its mouth.
Now, Pingu generally gulped the fish as fast
as he could so that no other birds could steal
it. But, today, he really wanted to show off to
his friends. So he swam around in the estuary
with the fish in his pouch– like throat and
searched for his friends.
sand. He swam near them and in a mocking
tone said, “You tiny plovers, have you ever
seen a fish this size? Now see, how I gulp it
with my glorious beak.” Saying so, he gave a
loud laugh and gulped the large fish. Down
went the fish in his throat and its long catlike
whiskers got caught just at the end and he
choked.
throat. Wait, we will ask the Redshank, he has
a longer beak than ours,” ran the Plovers,
trilling all the way to ask the Common
Redshank to help poor Pingu. The Common
Redshank was a handsome bird with a sharp
beak and bright orange legs. The Redshank
took a long look at Pingu and said, my beak
isn’t long enough to help you. But see the
Oyster catcher there, the one that has a
mussel in its beak, his beak is longer than
mine. I am sure he will help you.” Pingu
could do nothing more than nod.
that can reach inside your throat to pull the
catfish out. Only the Curlew can help you.
Please look for a brown bird with a long
curved beak. The Plovers, Redshank and
Oyster catcher all flew away in search of the
Curlew, while Pingu waited feeling
miserable.
Based on your understanding of the passage,
answer the following questions:
(i) Which birds eat crabs, insects and worms
from the surface of the shore?
(ii) What is the area where the river meets the
sea called?
(iii) What are the whisker-like feelers of a
catfish called?
(iv) What lesson did Pingu learn? What was
his feeling?
(v) Do you think Pingu’s misery was justified
at the end?
Passage 4
Read the passage given below.
1. There are innumerable villages in India
which have fewer than 500 residents. Many
people from the other cities in India head to
one of these sanctuaries to wash away all the
hardships of an ultramodern life.
village of Ha is the smallest named place in
the country which is located at an altitude of
4,780 ft. in the Kurung Kumey district of
Arunachal Pradesh. The village is known for
its brilliant natural beauty and the Menga
caves which are dedicated to Lord Shiva.
hamlet is located close to the Tandi Kishtwar
road which is generally a pit stop for those
adventure-seeking individuals who ride
through this dangerous route. The hamlet of
Shansha is home to a greenhouse which is
located at a height of 10,000 ft. and provides
aid to the locals living and working in this
highly challenging terrain.
Salaulim river and has a population of just
255. 5. The village of Sankri in Uttarakhand
is the base camp of many treks and is well
known for being the last village which has a
market on the way to the Har ki Dun Trek,
Kedarkantha. The hamlet has just 77 homes
out of which three are small guest houses and
has a population of about 270 people. Most
families welcome the trekkers to stay at their
homes as well.
gems of Nagaland is the village of Nitoi. The
village has a population of about 402 people
and boasts of an 80% literacy rate even in its
small population. The small hamlet can be
reached from Kiphire which is an 8-hour
drive from Kohima.
On the basis of your reading of the passage
given above, answer the following questions.
(i) The purpose of this passage is to provide
awareness regarding the _____. Choose the
correct option.
(a) tiny towns and cities in India
(b) small villages and hamlets in India
(c) small hamlets and cities in India
(d) isolated tribes in India
(ii) Select the option that is true for the two
statements given below.
(1) Shansha has a population of 320 people in
72 houses.
(2) The hamlet of Shansha is home to a
greenhouse.
(a) (1) contradicts (2).
(b) (2) is the reason for (1).
(c) (1) is independent of (2).
(d) (2) is the result of (1).
(iii) Select the option that gives the correct
meaning of the following statement. “Most
families welcome the trekkers to stay at their
homes as well.”
(a) The hamlet consists of only guest houses
for trekkers.
(b) People from Sankri village aren’t fond of
any visitors.
(c) The hamlet has just 77 homes with a
population of about 270 people.
(d) People from Sankri village keep their
doors open for guests.
(iv) According to the passage, the greenhouse
in Shansha is essential for the people
because______.
(a) it provides aid to the trekkers living and
working in this highly challenging terrain.
(b) it is the only source of food in the
mountains.
(c) it provides aid to the locals at a height of
10,000 ft. in this highly challenging terrain.
(d) it is a major tourist attraction of that
village.
(v) Select the option listing what the given
sentence refers to. ‘The village has a
population of about 402 people and boasts of
an 80% literacy rate even in its small
population.’
(1) The village has a population of 402
literate people.
(2) The population of the village is 80%
illiterate.
(3) The 80% of the population is not illiterate.
(4) The population of the village is limited to
402 individuals.
(5) The village boasts high literacy rate even
in its small population.
(a) (1), (2) and (5)
(b) (2), (4) and (5)
(c) (1), (2) and (3)
(d) (3), (4) and (5)
(vi) The Menga caves from the village of Ha
in Arunachal Pradesh are dedicated to which
deity?
(a) Lord Shiva
(b) Lord Krishna
(c) Lord Ganesha
(d) Lord Vishnu
(vii) This passage lists an example of the tiny
villages in India where _______. Select the
correct option.
(a) people come for good business
opportunities
(b) people come to wash away all their sins in
the holy pilgrimage sites
(c) people come to escape all the hardships of
an ultra-modern life
(d) people have just discovered their
existence and are not yet listed on maps
(viii) Choose the correct option to answer the
following:
According to paragraph 4, ‘One might think
the entire state of Goa is filled with a bunch
of beaches and shacks.’ This is so because:
(a) Goa is famous for its small naturally
scenic villages.
(b) Goa is generally advertised as such in
popular media.
(c) not much is known about the beaches and
shacks of Goa.
(d) people don’t care about the natural
diversity in Goa.
(ix) The tribal village of Ha, the smallest
named place in the country, is located at an
altitude of……
(a) 4,280 ft.
(b) 4,580 ft.
(c) 4,780 ft.
(d) 4,980 ft.
(x) The village of Nitoi is described
as_______
(a) scenic and hidden gem of Himachal.
(b) filled with a bunch of beaches and shacks.
(c) a pit stop for adventure-seeking
individuals.
(d) scenic and hidden gem of Nagaland.
Passage 5
Read the passage given below.
from 1,066GW to 2,045GW. As far back as
1950, coal capacity has only ever risen –
though this older data is less reliable. The rate
of growth is slowing dramatically, however,
with the 20GW net increase in 2018 the
smallest in several decades.
economic growth has driven this expansion.
But new coal is now more expensive than
renewables in all major markets around the
world, according to recently released analysis
from think tank Carbon Tracker.
electricity, close to its highest share in
decades. And there are now 80 countries
using coal power, up from 66 in 2000.
Another 13 plan to join the club, notably
Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, though
this is down from 16 last year.
4. CO2 emissions from existing plants are
enough to breach the carbon budget for 1.5 or
2C. UN secretary general, António Guterres,
is leading calls for an end to new coal plant
development.
2040 to stay “well below” 2C, according to
the International Energy Agency (IEA). This
would mean closing 100GW of coal capacity
every year for 20 years, or roughly one coal
unit every day until 2040.
coal use for all purposes would need to fall
by around 80% this decade, according to
Carbon Brief analysis of pathways gathered
by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC). This would be equivalent to
closing every coal plant in the world.
projections suggest coal growth will not stop.
This bleak outlook for the climate is
tempered by signs of rapid change. The
pipeline of plants under construction or the
ones which are proposed to be constructed
has shrunk by two thirds since 2015.
 On the basis of your reading of the passage
given above, answer the following questions.
The purpose of the research by International
Energy Agency was to study the_____.
(a) target of shutting coal plants to achieve
2C carbon budget.
(b) target of shutting coal plants to achieve a
below 2C carbon budget. (c) target of
shutting coal plants to achieve an above 2C
carbon budget. (d) use of unabated coal in
factories and power generation plants.
(ii) Select the option that is true for the two
statements given below.
(1) Global coal capacity grew in every year
between 2000 and 2019.
(2) The promise of cheap electricity to fuel
economic growth.
(a) (2) is the result of (1).
(b) (2) is the reason for (1).
(c) (2) is independent of (1).
(d) (2) contradicts (1).
(iii) Select the option that gives the correct
meaning of the following statement. “The
pipeline of plants under construction or
proposed has shrunk by two-thirds since
2015.”
(a) There has been a significant decline in
coal plants construction since 2015.
(b) People are still not aware enough about
the damages of carbon emissions.
(c) Since 2015, there has been a significant
increase in coal pipeline production.
(d) The government and builders are doing
close to nothing in reducing coal burning.
(iv) According to the analysis by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
reaching the ambitious 1.5C limit would
mean ____.
(a) global coal use would need to fall by
around 80% this year.
(b) relying on renewable sources of energy
like solar and wind.
(c) generating electricity from unabated coal.
(d) closing every coal plant in the world.
(v) Select the option listing what the given
sentence refers to. ‘CO2 emissions from
existing plants are enough to breach the
carbon budget for 1.5 or 2C.’
(1) The current carbon budget has been set at
1.5 or 2C.
(2) The coal plants are emitting CO2 at
alarming levels.
(3) The production of coal has become a
lucrative market.
(4) The budget set for Carbon emissions
exceeds 2C.
(5) The Carbon emissions from existing
plants exceed 2C budget.
(a) (2), (3) and (4)
(b) (2), (3) and (5)
(c) (1), (2) and (5)
(d) (1), (3) and (4)
(vi) From the following, what was the global
coal capacity for the year 2019?
(a) 1,066GW.
(b) 20GW rise that year.
(c) 2,045GW.
(d) 40% of the world’s electricity.
(vii) This passage lists the concern that
electricity generating coal plants
have_______. Select the correct option.
(a) very little impact on the overall air quality
when compared to automobiles.
(b) shown an improved form of regulation
when it comes to following the 2C budget.
(c) been a major source for carbon emissions
and need to be shut down. (d) a better output
in generating electricity than renewable
energy.
(viii) Choose the correct option to answer the
following: According to paragraph 2, ‘new
coal is now more expensive than renewables
in all major markets around the world’. This
is so because:
(a) coal has seen an increase in demand even
though it causes a lot of pollution.
(b) renewable sources of energy are non-
perishable unlike coal.
(c) new coal is very hard to mine and many
countries rely on it to generate electricity.
(d) new coal can be artificially and cheaply
made by burning wood.
(ix) According to the passage, what has
driven the expansion of global coal capacity?
(a) Bleak outlook for the climate change.
(b) Promise of cheap electricity to fuel
economic growth.
(c) New coal being more expensive than
renewables.
(d) CO2 emissions from existing plants.
(x) How many countries were using coal
power in 2000?
(a) 66
(b) 80
(c) 13
(d) 18