Passage 1
(1) The education of a child starts from the family where the mother is the first teacher. But the irony in India is that although the deity of education is a female, that is, Goddess Saraswati, according to Hinduism, innumerable number of women remain illiterate here. They do not remain uneducated by choice but are forbidden from receiving education because of the patriarchal system in the society. Right from the early Vedic period, people have been celebrating the birth of a son, nevertheless, in those days, daughters were not neglected but were educated well. However, during the later Vedic period, daughters were considered a social burden. Only the girls belonging to upper class families enjoyed the right of education and got proper nourishment. In the medieval period, the conditions deteriorated for the females, even in royal families. Girls could not get the same status as the boys. In Muslim households, they were taught at their homes, while Hindu girls enjoyed the privilege of getting primary education along with the boys in schools.
(2) The prevalence of child marriage was excessively practised then. However, in the nineteenth century, many social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Annie Besant, M. G. Ranade, Jyotiba Phule and Swami Dayanand Saraswati came forward for the emancipation of women in India. Raja Ram Mohan Roy especially advocated female education.
(3) Since then, there has been tremendous progress in every field, but unfortunately, girls are still neglected. In most families, the birth of a girl child is not desired and, if accepted, she is considered inferior to boys and her education is not considered important because it seems a waste of money to the majority of the parents. They think it unreasonable because, later on they would be compelled to spend a heavy amount on her dowry. So, the female literacy rate is unsatisfactory. This has a direct impact on the overall development of the nation.
Questions and Answers
(a). Why were women not allowed to receive education?
(a) Due to the patriarchal system in the society
(b) Due to the matriarchal system in the society
(c) Due to the nuclear nature of the society
(d) Due to the joint nature of the family
Answer: (a) Due to the patriarchal system in the society
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says women are forbidden from receiving education because of the patriarchal system.
(b). What was enjoyed by the girls belonging to upper class families during the later Vedic period?
(a) Right to education
(b) Proper nourishment
(c) Both (i) and (ii)
(d) Neither (i) nor (ii)
Answer: (c) Both (i) and (ii)
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says upper-class girls enjoyed the right of education and got proper nourishment.
(c). In the medieval period, the conditions deteriorated for the females, and even in:
(a) the working class
(b) the trading community
(c) the educated community
(d) the royal families
Answer: (d) the royal families
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says conditions deteriorated for females in the medieval period, even in royal families.
(d). What has a direct impact on the overall development of the nation?
(a) Female literacy rate
(b) Birth of a girl child
(c) Child marriage
(d) Proper nourishment
Answer: (a) Female literacy rate
Explanation: Paragraph 3 says the unsatisfactory female literacy rate has a direct impact on the nation’s development.
(e). Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE, according to the passage?
(a) Female literacy rate is unsatisfactory.
(b) The birth of a girl child is not desired.
(c) Annie Besant advocated female education.
(d) In Muslim households, girls were taught at their homes.
Answer: (c) Annie Besant advocated female education.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 says it was Raja Ram Mohan Roy who especially advocated female education; Annie Besant is named only among reformers for women’s emancipation.
Passage 2
(1) Now is the time to save the magnificent cats, before they vanish from the earth forever. There is a little time left to preserve these animals, so immediate action is required. The latest predictions state that tigers will be extinct in the wild by the year 2025. That is less than six short years, from now; less than six years to save a creature that has been around far longer than us!
(2) I cannot imagine, nor would I wish, living in a world without tigers, without these magnificent creatures living freely in the forests.
(3) The power and beauty of tigers is indisputable. They are an integral part of the ecosystem as they are a major link in the food chain. Tigers have been bestowed magical and supernatural properties by many societies, and have also been revered as Gods. All living creatures of mother earth depend on one another for survival. We, as human beings, are brothers and sisters to every living being, from the plants to the animals and to each other.
(4) Tigers are often killed in the most barbaric and unbelievably cruel ways. Crimes like the killing of tigers must be stopped right away. We must do whatever we can to stop the killing of this magnificent creature. We can write to our government and the governments of countries with tiger populations and urge them to protect the tiger. Penalties for killing tigers and other protected wildlife need to be strict and deterring, and enforced with equal might to discourage the poaching of tigers, and bring to task those who profit from such killings.
Questions and Answers
(a). Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE, according to the passage?
(a) Tigers have been bestowed magical and supernatural properties by many societies.
(b) Tigers are often killed in the most interesting and fascinating ways.
(c) The power and beauty of tigers is indisputable.
(d) The latest predictions state that tigers will be extinct in the wild by the year 2025.
Answer: (b) Tigers are often killed in the most interesting and fascinating ways.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 says tigers are killed in the most barbaric and cruel ways, not interesting or fascinating ones.
(b). What are we, human beings, to every living being?
(a) Brothers and sisters
(b) Protectors
(c) Enemies
(d) Opponents
Answer: (a) Brothers and sisters
Explanation: Paragraph 3 says we are brothers and sisters to every living being.
(c). What can we do to protect the tigers?
(a) We can plant more trees and discourage the practice of deforestation.
(b) We can take care of the ecosystem as they are a major link in the food chain.
(c) We can urge the government to protect the tiger and pose penalties for killing tigers.
(d) We can build zoos to preserve the remaining population of tigers.
Answer: (c) We can urge the government to protect the tiger and pose penalties for killing tigers.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 suggests urging governments to protect tigers and to impose strict penalties for killing them.
(d). What is indisputable?
(a) Power of tigers
(b) Beauty of tigers
(c) Killing of tigers
(d) Both (i) and (ii)
Answer: (d) Both (i) and (ii)
Explanation: Paragraph 3 says the power and beauty of tigers is indisputable.
(e). On what do all living creatures of mother earth depend for survival?
(a) Wildlife
(b) Natural objects
(c) One another
(d) Ecosystem
Answer: (c) One another
Explanation: Paragraph 3 says all living creatures of mother earth depend on one another for survival.
Passage 3
(1) Children are bombarded with well-crafted TV ads of fast-food chains and other purveyors of high-fat, high-sugar meals and snacks. A recent study reported that two to six-year-olds, who watch television, are more likely to choose food products advertised on TV than children who do not watch such commercials. These highly-effective advertising campaigns, combined with a physically inactive lifestyle, have produced a generation of kids who are at a high risk for obesity-associated medical conditions.
(2) The major health threat is the early development of Type 2 diabetes (adult onset), particularly in children with a family history of the disease. Doctors are reporting a surge in young adolescents developing Type 2 diabetes, which can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, limb amputation, and blindness. People who develop diabetes in adolescence face a diminished quality of life and shortened life span, particularly if the disease progresses untreated. It’s a scary prospect for our children, but in many cases, obesity and diabetes are preventable.
Harmful Effects of Fast Food
| Obesity | Heart disease | High blood sugar | Diabetes |
| High in fat | Stroke | High blood pressure | Energy level (lowered) |
(3) When children are spending most of their free time sitting in front of televisions and computers, they are not running, jumping or engaging themselves in any sport which would keep their weight down. Parents need to set limits on the time their children are engaged in passive activities. Paediatricians recommend restricting children to one to two hours per day of TV and computer usage, though older children may need additional time for learning activities.
(4) Parental involvement remains the most important key to the children’s healthy diets. Programs to educate parents about nutrition are essential. Fast foods should be consumed only in moderation. Care-givers, who are often busy and harried, must avoid the temptation to whisk their kids into fast food restaurants or to pick up fast food for dinner. Changing eating habits and lifestyles is not easy, but the health benefit for the children is a wonderful payoff for the parents who are willing to take on the task.
Questions and Answers
(a). What are children bombarded with on TV?
(a) Animated movies
(b) Well-crafted ads of fast foods
(c) Music shows
(d) Comedy programmes
Answer: (b) Well-crafted ads of fast foods
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says children are bombarded with well-crafted TV ads of fast-food chains.
(b). How can parents set limits on the time their children are engaged in passive activities?
(a) By restricting the TV and computer usage of their children to one to two hours a day.
(b) By making the children join a sports club.
(c) By restricting their sports activities.
(d) By making them study for longer hours.
Answer: (a) By restricting the TV and computer usage of their children to one to two hours a day.
Explanation: Paragraph 3 recommends restricting children to one to two hours of TV and computer use per day.
(c). According to the passage, what is not easy?
(a) Educating parents about nutrition
(b) Restricting children from watching television
(c) Engaging children in passive activities
(d) Changing eating habits and lifestyles
Answer: (d) Changing eating habits and lifestyles
Explanation: Paragraph 4 says changing eating habits and lifestyles is not easy.
(d). What is recommended for children by paediatricians?
(a) Restrict children to one to two hours per day of TV and computer usage
(b) Moderate the consumption of fast food
(c) Involve children in healthy eating habits
(d) All of these
Answer: (a) Restrict children to one to two hours per day of TV and computer usage
Explanation: Paragraph 3 says paediatricians recommend restricting TV and computer use to one to two hours a day.
(e). What have produced a generation of kids who are at a high risk for obesity-associated medical conditions?
(a) Highly-effective advertising campaigns
(b) Physically inactive lifestyle
(c) Both (i) and (ii)
(d) Neither (i) nor (ii)
Answer: (c) Both (i) and (ii)
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says advertising campaigns combined with an inactive lifestyle produced this generation, so both apply.