Passage 1
1. Bird eggs come in a dizzying array of colours. But from a global perspective, that diversity follows a simple pattern, new research shows: the colder the climate, the darker the egg.
2. Darker eggs absorb more heat than lighter ones. This could help developing chicks stay warm while their parents forage for food. That's the conclusion of the study. It appeared online October 28 in Nature Ecology and Evolution.
3. Biologists have long tried to understand why birds' eggs come in so many shapes and colours. There could be many reasons. Colour may help camouflage eggs from predators. Egg shape or colour might also somehow protect eggs against bacteria or signal their quality. Shape or colour might even help keep an egg warm. Scientists have turned up some evidence to support all of these hypotheses, says Phillip Wisocki. He worked on the research while studying biology at Long Island University Post in Brookville, N.Y. Adds Daniel Hanley, scientists were never sure whether any of these factors were important to egg diversity. This biologist advised Wisocki on his research.
4. Hanley, Wisocki and their colleagues turned to collections of birds' eggs in museums. They compiled data from 634 species. These represented all but four of the 40 living orders of birds. Then they plotted the data on a global map. The brightness and colour of eggshells closely correlated with a region's temperature, they showed. That was true even after considering that closely related species can have similarly coloured eggs. Birds in “the far north — which tends to be colder — had darker, browner eggs,” Hanley says. Eggs became lighter and slightly bluer for birds closer to the equator. Egg colours, however, tended to be more varied in the tropics.
[World map of average egg colour: eggs are darker in the far north and become lighter and bluer towards the equator.]
5. Researchers created a global map of egg colour by averaging the brightness and colour of eggs from species nesting within an area. Each 23,322 square kilometre (9,000 square mile) area is marked by a hexagonal dot on the map. Eggs in northern regions tend to be darker. They get lighter and more blue toward the equator. Darker eggs may be an adaptation to the cold, the research now suggests. Like a dark car parked in the sun, a dark egg should absorb more heat from the sun than a lighter egg. To test this theory, Hanley's group exposed chicken eggs to direct sunlight and tracked how well they retained heat. Some were white. Others were brown or blue. Sure enough, brown eggs warmed faster and cooled more slowly than the lighter eggs.
6. “In the Arctic, parents have to go out to forage and get back to their eggs quickly,” Hanley says. “If you can buy them five extra minutes, that can actually be really beneficial.”
Questions and Answers
(a). Complete the analogy using a word from the passage.
Beneficial : Detrimental :: Sheltered : ______
Answer: exposed
Explanation: Beneficial and detrimental are opposites, and 'exposed' (paragraph 5) is the opposite of sheltered.
(b). Which of these factors does not affect the colour of the egg?
(a) Protection from bacteria
(b) Egg quality
(c) Temperature of the region
(d) Colour of hen
Answer: (d) Colour of hen
Explanation: Paragraph 3 lists protection from bacteria and quality, and paragraph 4 links colour to temperature; the colour of the hen is never mentioned.
(c). Birds’ eggs get paler towards the equator. Justify.
Answer: Birds’ eggs get paler towards the equator because the climate is warm and the eggs do not need to absorb more heat by having a darker colouring.
Explanation: Paragraphs 4 and 5 show that darker eggs absorb heat, which is needed only in colder regions.
(d). The above passage acts as validation for the idea that every small variation and detail in nature has a purpose. Comment in 40-50 words.
Answer: The passage validates the statement that every detail and variation in nature has a purpose. Birds' eggs change their shade depending on what is best suited for survival, being darker in cold regions to retain heat. It helps us observe the beauty of nature, while realising that everything has a scientific explanation.
Explanation: The study shows egg colour is an adaptation to climate, not a random variation.
(e). Comment on the process followed by the team of scientists to arrive at their findings regarding variations in the colour of birds' eggs.
Answer: The scientists collected data on the colour of eggs of 634 species from museum collections and plotted it on a global map. The map showed that eggs in colder climates tended to be darker while those in warmer climates were lighter. They then tested the idea by exposing white, brown and blue chicken eggs to sunlight and found that brown eggs warmed faster and cooled more slowly.
Explanation: Paragraphs 4 and 5 describe the data collection, mapping and sunlight experiment.
(f). Complete the sentence appropriately.
The study found a ______ pattern to the colour of eggs.
Answer: geographical
Explanation: Egg colour changes with location: darker in the cold north and lighter towards the equator (paragraphs 4 and 5).
(g). How do dark coloured eggs help the parent bird in foraging?
Answer: The dark coloured eggs absorb and retain more heat. It helps parent birds to go out foraging for food without worrying about their eggs going cold.
Explanation: Paragraphs 2 and 6 say darker eggs stay warm longer, buying parents extra minutes away from the nest.
(h). Select the option that correctly displays what ‘forage’ signifies.
(a) a bird picking food from a feeder
(b) a bird in flight
(c) a bird splashing in water
(d) an empty nest on a branch
Answer: (a) a bird picking food from a feeder
Explanation: To forage is to search for and gather food, which is what the bird at the feeder is doing.
Passage 2
2. The purpose of vertical gardens and green walls, which arises from the studies of different disciplines (landscape architects, architects, engineers, etc.), is to close the cold image of concrete and increase the visual value. In these systems, nature and structures are integrated, and thus, urban areas and the desired environment have become intertwined.
3. Vertical garden case studies often show that, though functionality should be in the foreground, when vertical gardens are planned, they are generally made as aesthetic elements in the city's underpasses and city squares, and decorative elements in residences, without seeking functionality.
4. Experts support that the visual quality and evaluation of landscape architecture is determined based on the satisfaction of the users. Hence, a survey questionnaire was prepared for residents of varied age groups of a metropolitan city. The given Table 1 displays these responses:Table 1 – Total number of participants: 400
| No. | Vertical gardens: | Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly disagree |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | improve quality of life of people in urban areas | 191 | 138 | 43 | 9 | 19 |
| 2 | reduce noise pollution | 128 | 164 | 77 | 25 | 6 |
| 3 | increase air quality – indoors and outdoors | 172 | 147 | 51 | 28 | 2 |
| 4 | reduce energy and water consumption | 58 | 47 | 125 | 68 | 2 |
| 5 | positively impact global warming | 114 | 144 | 106 | 30 | 6 |
| 6 | have a relaxing and calming effect | 161 | 177 | 44 | 7 | 11 |
| 7 | cost too much | 86 | 107 | 152 | 42 | 13 |
| 8 | make plants look beautiful | 195 | 139 | 44 | 6 | 16 |
| 9 | add naturalness to the environment | 135 | 173 | 55 | 25 | 12 |
| 10 | are among the determining factors to visiting a place | 59 | 133 | 141 | 54 | 13 |
| 11 | are inconvenient indoors | 9 | 84 | 123 | 126 | 48 |
| 12 | can be applied in every place | 71 | 132 | 97 | 77 | 23 |
| 13 | have a functional feature | 81 | 207 | 100 | 10 | 2 |
| 14 | distract drivers | 34 | 101 | 106 | 131 | 28 |
| 15 | funds are best used for social issues | 57 | 72 | 100 | 130 | 41 |
5. The study acknowledged that vertical gardening has the potential to transform urban spaces into green, sustainable areas, and further research should explore the impact of vertical gardening on the environment and human well-being.
(CBSE SQP 2023)
Questions and Answers
(a). Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraphs 1 and 2.
We can say that the situation of people living in concrete structures is comparable with a fish living in a fishbowl, and the need for vertical gardens to the need for decorations in the fishbowl because ______
Answer: the way a fish is confined in its bowl and requires decoration to have a sustainable and happy life, the same way, people living in concrete structures need vertical gardens.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says people squeezed between concrete structures long for green.
(b). Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your understanding of paragraph 2.
The statement that urban spaces have become more closely connected with the desired natural surroundings through the incorporation of nature and structures in vertical gardens and green walls, is a ______ (fact/opinion) because it is a ______ (subjective judgement/objective detail).
Answer: opinion; subjective judgement
Explanation: Whether urban areas and the 'desired' environment have become intertwined is a view, not a measurable detail.
(c). Justify the following, in about 40 words.
While the survey results suggest that vertical gardens may be effective in improving the quality of life in urban areas, further research and evaluation may be necessary to fully understand their effectiveness and potential drawbacks.
Answer: It is true that most respondents feel vertical gardens improve the quality of life in urban areas, but the survey records only the opinions of 400 people. An objective study is needed to prove this as a fact and to discover drawbacks such as cost and driver distraction.
Explanation: The table shows opinions only, and paragraph 5 itself calls for further research.
(d). Based on the survey results, which two concerns should the city government, looking to install vertical gardens, address?
Answer: The two concerns that the city government should address are the cost of installing vertical gardens and the areas of installation, so as to avoid distracting drivers.
Explanation: Statements 7 (cost too much) and 14 (distract drivers) drew notable agreement.
(e). In Table 1, statement 3, "Vertical gardens increase air quality – indoors and outdoors," received 51 neutral responses from participants. State any one inference that can be drawn from this.
Answer: Some people lack information about how vertical gardens improve air quality, so they could not take a clear stand.
Explanation: A neutral response usually signals uncertainty or lack of awareness about the claim.
(f). Select the option that correctly displays what ‘intertwined’ signifies. (Reference: Paragraph 2)
(I) two arrows chasing each other in a circle
(II) two bands of lines twisting and blending into each other
(III) a band of lines bent into a U-turn
(IV) two arrows pointing away from each other on either side of a line
(V) one band of lines branching off in three directions
(a) (I), (IV) and (V)
(b) Only (II)
(c) Only (III)
(d) (II) and (V)
Answer: (b) Only (II)
Explanation: Intertwined means twisted together, which is shown only by the two bands twisting into each other.
(g). Infer in about 40 words, one benefit and one drawback of vertical gardening, in comparison to other solutions, such as community gardens or parks.
Answer: The benefit of a vertical garden over a community park is that it brings greenery, beauty and freshness into the confined spaces of urban buildings and homes, while the drawback is that it offers far less space for greenery and activity than community parks, and it can be costly.
Explanation: Vertical gardens use walls where land is scarce (paragraph 1) but respondents also flagged cost (statement 7).
(h). Which of the following is the main takeaway from the study mentioned in the passage?
(a) Vertical gardening has minimal impact on the environment or human well-being.
(b) Vertical gardening is a sustainable practice that can transform urban spaces into green areas.
(c) The impact of vertical gardening on the environment and human well-being has already been thoroughly explored.
(d) The study needs to include experts from horticultural firms to offer any recommendations for further research.
Answer: (b) Vertical gardening is a sustainable practice that can transform urban spaces into green areas.
Explanation: Paragraph 5 says the study found vertical gardening can transform urban spaces into green, sustainable areas.
Passage 3
2. To preserve and encourage the literary function of language, the government introduced ‘classical languages’ in 2004. According to the Ministry of Culture, a classical language is one that is at least 1,500 years old and has ancient, valuable literature recorded in it. Further, such a language is original and not derived from another language. Based on these guidelines, six languages have been classified as classical languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia.
3. The following graph shows the percentage of Indian people whose mother tongue is a classical language. This is as per data collected by the census of 2011. The census was not conducted in 2021 due to the pandemic.
4. According to the graph, around 6.7% of the Indian population are native speakers of Telugu, whereas Sanskrit has been identified as a mother tongue by only 0.002% of the population, which is around 24,821 people. Malayalam has the second lowest number of native speakers, making up about 2.9% of Indians.
5. The 2011 census data also noted that a majority of the native speakers reside in the area where their mother tongue originated. For example, 93% of Kannada speakers live in Karnataka. Similarly, 93% of Malayalam speakers live in Kerala.
6. Balancing the preservation of culture and inclusivity is a delicate equation for a heterogeneous country like India. With growing awareness, concepts like ‘classical languages’ may help us achieve harmony.
(CBSE Practice Set-1, 2023)
Questions and Answers
(a). Which of these pieces of information can be confirmed by reading the passage?
(I) The number of people in India who speak Tamil.
(II) Where the majority of native Sanskrit speakers live.
(III) The reason Malayalam is considered a classical language.
(IV) When the idea of classical languages was introduced in India.
(a) Only (I)
(b) Only (IV)
(c) Only (I) and (II)
(d) Only (III) and (IV)
Answer: (d) Only (III) and (IV)
Explanation: Paragraph 2 gives the criteria for a classical language (which Malayalam meets) and the year 2004; Tamil gets only a percentage and Sanskrit's location is not given.
(b). Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets.
Based on the passage, the ______ (functional/historical) value of a language is of utmost importance while ______ (preserving/categorising) it as a classical language.
Answer: historical; categorising
Explanation: Paragraph 2 says a classical language must be at least 1,500 years old with ancient literature.
(c). Imagine that a committee was formed to ensure that classical languages have more native speakers by the time the next census is conducted. In 40 words, answer the following questions to help the committee achieve its objective.
(1) Which classical language needs its attention most urgently and why?
(2) Which classical language would be THIRD on its priority?
Answer: (1) Sanskrit, as it has the lowest percentage (0.002%) of people who identify it as their mother tongue.
(2) Odia (3.10%), after Sanskrit and Malayalam.
Explanation: Ranking from the fewest native speakers: Sanskrit 0.002%, Malayalam 2.88%, Odia 3.10%.
(d). State an example from the passage that shows that India is a ‘heterogeneous country’. Answer in one sentence.
Answer: India is a heterogeneous country because it is a country of many languages, with 22 official languages and over 121 unique languages identified.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 shows India's linguistic variety.
(e). Why has the writer stated the following line in the passage? Give a reason.
The census was not conducted in 2021 due to the pandemic.
Answer: The writer stated the line to explain why the data is from 2011 and to warn readers that the figures may have changed since then.
Explanation: It tells readers why the most recent available data is more than a decade old.
(f). Complete the sentence based on information from the passage.
If Tamil originated from Tamil Nadu, we can infer that ______ of the native Tamil speakers would be living in Tamil Nadu.
Answer: a majority
Explanation: Paragraph 5 says most native speakers live where their mother tongue originated.
(g). Which of these hypothetical situations would help India achieve harmony? Justify your answer in about 40 words.
(a) if the majority of Indians who speak a classical language are settled abroad
(b) if more languages from remote and tribal areas of India are identified as classical languages
(c) if the percentage of Indians who are native Telugu speakers increases to more than 10 percent
Answer: (b) If more languages from remote and tribal areas are identified as classical languages, more communities would feel their culture is valued and preserved. This balances preservation of culture with inclusivity, which paragraph 6 says can help India achieve harmony.
Explanation: Paragraph 6 links harmony to balancing cultural preservation with inclusivity.
(h). Which of these sentences uses ‘delicate’ in the same way as paragraph (6) does?
(a) She looked beautiful in the dress with the delicate floral pattern.
(b) He was frequently admitted to the hospital due to his delicate health.
(c) This discussion will require careful consideration as it is a delicate matter.
(d) Please handle these delicate items carefully during transportation as they break easily.
Answer: (c) This discussion will require careful consideration as it is a delicate matter.
Explanation: In paragraph 6 'delicate' means needing careful handling, as a sensitive matter does.