Passage 1
1. When 1,000 students failed their Class X assessments, the Assam government decided to shut down 34 schools in a 'callous' move as dubbed by critics. It plans to send the pupils to better-performing institutions and assess nearly 2,000 of the state's 50,000 schools for performance. The education minister says, '... There is no point in keeping these schools operational. The government cannot spend public money on schools turning a zero success record.'
2. The results demonstrate the huge ramifications of long lockdowns on India's 270 million pupils, their confidence, and attention span. Not many could afford online classes. Critics say that shutting institutions does not tackle shortages of staff and resources.
3. 'The government wants to hand out a collective punishment to schools instead of improving the education facilities,' said K. Goswami, representative of the teachers' association. He questioned engaging 70% of teachers in conducting censuses, elections and rolling out the government's social welfare schemes.
4. He said that in 4,000 primary schools in Assam, there is only one teacher in each school, while in 300 schools either there are no teachers or there are stop-gap arrangements. There are around 240,000 teachers for 5.6 million school students but most of them are posted in the urban areas, creating a deficiency in rural areas.
5. Education in public schools in India is free but learning standards are poor, with teachers complaining that students promoted from primary to high schools without exams are the major reasons for their failure. 'At least 80 per cent of the students in public high schools cannot read or write,' Goswami said. 'Can you imagine we have to teach the English alphabet to 15-year-old ninth class students? They lack even basic addition and subtraction in mathematics. How can they miraculously pass the class 10 exams?' he said.
Questions and Answers
(a). Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraphs 1 and 2.
We can say that the shutting down of 34 schools by the government of Assam in reaction to a thousand students failing is comparable with throwing the baby out with the bathwater because ______.
Answer: the decision makers have conveniently made the students take the rap.
Explanation: Paragraphs 1 and 2 show schools being shut for failures caused by lockdowns and staff shortages.
(b). Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your understanding of paragraph 3.
The statement 'The government wants to hand out a collective punishment to schools instead of improving the education facilities,' said K. Goswami, representative of the teachers' association, is a/an ______ (fact / opinion) because it is a/an ______ (subjective judgement / objective detail).
Answer: opinion, subjective judgement
Explanation: Paragraph 3 presents Goswami's personal view of the government's intention, not a verifiable fact.
(c). Justify the following, in about 40 words.
K. Goswami, representative of the teachers' association, insists that shutting down institutions does not tackle the problem of sub-standard academic performance of the students.
Answer: The shortages of staff and resources and engaging 70% of teachers in conducting censuses, elections and rolling out the government's social welfare schemes is one aspect of the problem. Most of the 240,000 teachers are posted in urban schools, creating a deficiency in rural areas.
Explanation: Paragraphs 3 and 4 list teacher shortages and non-teaching duties as the real causes.
(d). Based on your understanding of the passage, list two reasons why K. Goswami thinks that it is too ambitious to raise or rectify the academic standard of secondary school students overnight.
Answer: (i) Many of the 15-year-old students know neither the English alphabet nor even the fundamental concepts in mathematics.
(ii) Students promoted from primary to high schools without exams are the major reason for their failure.
Explanation: Paragraph 5 gives both reasons in Goswami's words.
(e). Study and analyse the statement: The state of primary education in Assam is such that it lacks even basic resources. State any one reason responsible for this inference.
Answer: In 4,000 primary schools in Assam, there is only one teacher in each school, while in 300 there are no teachers or only stop-gap arrangements.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 gives the figures on single-teacher and teacherless schools.
(f). Infer one benefit and one drawback of shutting down 34 schools by the Assam government that had devastating class X results. Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: Benefit: the government plans to send the pupils to better-performing institutions and assess nearly 2,000 other schools for performance.
Drawback: the government has overlooked the ramifications of lockdowns, the inability of many to afford online classes, and the shortage of staff and resources.
Explanation: Paragraphs 1 and 2 state the government's plan and the critics' objections.
(g). Which of the following is/are the main takeaway from the study of government schools of Assam as mentioned in the passage that cover most factors responsible for the problem?
1. The perpetual shortages of staff and resources.
2. 80% of the high school students cannot read or write.
3. To learn everything in a year and pass class X is impossible.
4. The government will close schools turning a zero success record.
5. The standards of education in government schools are poor.
(a) 1 and 5
(b) 2 and 4
(c) 3 and 5
(d) 1 and 4
Answer: (a) 1 and 5
Explanation: Staff and resource shortages (paragraphs 2-4) and poor learning standards (paragraph 5) together cover the causes; the rest are single facts or effects.
Passage 2
1. A day after Argentina won the World Cup, Messi's picture of kissing the trophy became the most-liked post on Instagram, surpassing likes on an egg! Then, a campaign to beat the egg started when a journalist noticed that Messi's photo was only 11 million likes away from being number one. 'If you liked this egg, unlike it,' he tweeted jokingly. But since it was right after the Cup, people went berserk.
2. Fans started to encourage friends and followers to unlike the 'World Record Egg,' a parody account. It lost 150,000 likes and Messi gained 6 million by evening. Twelve hours later, Messi stood at more than 74 million likes. The fans broke the records at such short notice with passion and eccentricity. It was a movement not only to overthrow the status quo but also a worldwide embrace of Messi by his fans.
3. A marketing agency created a website tracking the likes and allowing the users to subtract their like from the egg and then add one to Messi's post. It peaked at 6,000 users in real time and had over 50,000 visitors during that week. Then Ronaldo's supporters found out that he had moved down to third place in terms of likes, and started adding likes to the egg making it surge past the 55-million-likes mark within days.
4. The fact that the campaign was centred around Instagram was crucial. On Twitter, powerful bots can impact the turnout. On Instagram, at least in this case, there is no reason to believe any artificial users took part in the process. It was 100% the fans.
5. Analysts believe that what led supporters to engage in the campaign was linked to a deep-seated desire to be part of the triumph they'd seen on the football pitch and wished to contribute to this victory.
Questions and Answers
(a). Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraphs 2 and 4.
We can say that powerful bots impacting the turnout of popular and viral campaigns on Twitter is comparable with scripted reality shows on TV, but the success of Messi's campaign on Instagram was driven ______.
Answer: by his fans who paid a loving tribute to their hero.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 says no artificial users took part on Instagram: 'It was 100% the fans.'
(b). Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your understanding of paragraph 3.
That a marketing agency jumped into the melee to keep track of likes both on the egg and Messi's picture and analysed the web traffic in real time is a ______ (fact / opinion) because it is a/an ______ (subjective judgement / objective detail).
Answer: fact, objective detail
Explanation: Paragraph 3 reports the agency's website and its user numbers as verifiable details.
(c). Justify the following, in about 40 words.
Such is the power of social media that even trivial comments can go viral on these platforms.
Answer: A journalist noticed that Messi's photo was 11 million likes away from being number one on social media. He posted a tweet jokingly to unlike an egg that was trending and add the like to Messi's picture. Fans went crazy with this idea since it was right after the World Cup.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 shows how a joking tweet set off a worldwide campaign.
(d). Based on the campaigns on social media referred to in the passage, which of them display 'berserk fan behaviour' apart from fans liking Messi's photo with the World Cup trophy?
Answer: (i) Ronaldo's fans liking the egg to beat Messi's top spot.
(ii) Fans liking and unliking the World Record Egg.
Explanation: Paragraphs 2 and 3 describe fans unliking the egg and Ronaldo's fans re-liking it.
(e). The trending egg lost 150,000 likes and Messi gained 6 million by evening. State any one inference that can be drawn from this.
Answer: It showed the passion and eccentricity of Messi's fans as also a worldwide celebration of his victory.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 calls it a record broken 'with passion and eccentricity' and a worldwide embrace of Messi.
(f). Infer one benefit and one drawback of trending or viral social media campaigns with reference to the passage. Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: A benefit of trending or viral social media campaigns is to have some harmless fun in life and to escape from monotony. A drawback is that social media users engage with even parody accounts, for example, liking and unliking the 'World Record Egg'.
Explanation: Paragraphs 1 and 2 show both the light-hearted fun and the attention given to a parody account.
(g). Select the appropriate option to fill in the blank.
From the passage, we can infer that the die-hard fans relate to their idols and the ups and downs of their careers and lives with ______.
1. distinctiveness
2. conventionality
3. passion
4. eccentricity
5. love
6. diversity
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 3 and 4
(c) 5 and 6
(d) 1 and 6
Answer: (b) 3 and 4
Explanation: Paragraph 2 says the fans broke records 'with passion and eccentricity'.
Passage 3
2. The society has been working for the well-being and welfare of animals for many years. Its main aim is to change the attitude and thinking of people towards animals. It is quite sad that animals continue to be ill-treated, tortured and killed according to the whims of the people. About 15% of the people entertain the belief that animals are man’s slaves. They use, misuse and torture them accordingly. About 50% of the people exploit animals for selfish ends.
3. Horses and oxen are used for transport, carrying loads and in agricultural activities. Dogs, cats and many birds are domesticated for fun, entertainment and convenience. Wild animals like elephants, tigers, lions and deer are victims of poaching and killing. Animals are forced to do acrobatic feats in circus shows. Unfortunately, about 35% of people don’t think about the animals at all. They are totally indifferent to them.
4. The Government and the animal lovers must work together to bring a change in the attitude of the people. Animals should not be killed and poached for fun, furs or financial gains. They should be treated with kindness, care and sympathy. Cruelty towards animals must be legally punished.
Questions and Answers
(a). In the line “... fit for exploitation”, the word ‘exploitation’ does not refer to:
(a) abuse
(b) ill-treatment
(c) oppression
(d) utilisation
Answer: (d) utilisation
Explanation: In para 1 ‘exploitation’ carries the negative sense of abuse and ill-treatment, not neutral use.
(b). Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the abuses of animals.
1. Used for transport
2. Used for carrying loads
3. Acrobatic feats in circus
4. Poaching
5. Agricultural activities
6. Domesticated for fun
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 6
(c) 5 and 6
(d) 3 and 4
Answer: (d) 3 and 4
Explanation: Para 3 presents animals forced into circus feats and wild animals poached and killed as clear cruelty.
(c). Man always considers animals as:
(a) superior beings
(b) inferior beings
(c) powerful beings
(d) All of these
Answer: (b) inferior beings
Explanation: Para 1 says man always considers animals as inferior beings.
(d). Man considers animals fit for:
(a) exploitation
(b) working hard
(c) helping man
(d) None of these
Answer: (a) exploitation
Explanation: Para 1 says man considers animals only fit for exploitation.
(e). For many years, ‘Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ has been working for:
(a) destruction of animals
(b) exploitation of animals
(c) the welfare of animals
(d) All of these
Answer: (c) the welfare of animals
Explanation: Para 2 says the society has been working for the well-being and welfare of animals.
(f). Choose the option that is NOT TRUE.
(a) Animals must not be exploited by man.
(b) Animals should be treated well.
(c) Animals should be killed only for food.
(d) Animals should not be used in circus to earn one’s livelihood.
Answer: (c) Animals should be killed only for food.
Explanation: Para 4 says animals should not be killed at all for fun, furs or gain; the passage never approves killing them for food.
(g). Why does man consider animals fit for exploitation?
Answer: Man considers animals fit for exploitation because he always considers animals inferior to him.
Explanation: Para 1 links exploitation to man’s view of animals as inferior beings.
(h). What is the main goal of the “Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals”?
Answer: The main goal of the ‘Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ is to change the attitude and thinking of people towards animals.
Explanation: Para 2 states the society’s main aim.
(i). What percentage of people exploit animals for selfish ends?
Answer: About 50% of the people exploit animals for selfish ends.
Explanation: Para 2 and the pie chart both give 50%.
(j). Why do some people domesticate dogs, cats and birds? Which animals are victims of poaching and killing?
Answer: Some people domesticate dogs, cats and birds for fun, entertainment and convenience. Animals like elephants, tigers, lions and deer are victims of poaching and killing.
Explanation: Para 3 gives both facts.
(k). How should animals be treated?
Answer: Animals should be treated with kindness, care and sympathy.
Explanation: Para 4 says animals should be treated with kindness, care and sympathy.