Passage 1
1. Think about all the factors that can interfere with a good night's sleep — from work stress and family responsibilities to unexpected challenges, such as illnesses. It's no wonder that quality sleep is sometimes elusive. While you might not be able to control the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Set aside no more than eight hours for sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours. Most people don't need more than eight hours in bed to achieve this goal. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
2. Try to limit the difference in your sleep schedule on weeknights and weekends to no more than one hour. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle. If you don't fall asleep within about 20 minutes, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing. Read or listen to soothing music. Go back to bed when you're tired. Repeat as needed. Don't go to bed hungry or stuffed. In particular, avoid heavy or large meals within a couple of hours to bedtime. Your discomfort might keep you up. Don't drink caffeine before sleep. The stimulating effects of caffeine take hours to wear off and can wreak havoc on quality sleep. Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet.
3. Exposure to light might make it more challenging to fall asleep. Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens just before bedtime. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs. Doing calming activities before bedtime, such as taking a bath or using relaxation techniques, might promote better sleep. Long daytime naps can interfere with night-time sleep. If you choose to nap, limit yourself to up to 30 minutes and avoid doing so late in the day. If you work nights, however, you might need to nap late in the day before work to help make up your sleep debt. Regular physical activity can promote better sleep. Avoid being active too close to bedtime; however, spending time outside every day might be helpful, too.
Questions and Answers
(a). According to the author, what, from the following, can be an obstacle for a good night's sleep?
(a) Regular physical activity.
(b) Stress and anxiety.
(c) Absence of light in bedroom.
(d) Weary and tiredness.
Answer: (b) Stress and anxiety.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 names work stress and family responsibilities among the factors that interfere with sleep.
(b). Select the option that suitably completes the dialogue with reference to paragraph 2.
Zaid: Waking up late on weekends is my favourite thing to do! But I always have problem sleeping early for the next Monday morning.
Sid: That's because you're not consistent! We should ______
(a) limit the difference in our sleep schedule to three hours.
(b) be habitual of sleeping anytime irrespective of our sleep schedule.
(c) limit the difference in our daily sleep schedule to bare minimum.
(d) sleep late every night to develop a uniform sleep schedule.
Answer: (c) limit the difference in our daily sleep schedule to bare minimum.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 advises keeping the weeknight-weekend difference to no more than one hour, i.e. as small as possible.
(c). Choose the option that best conveys the message in — 'you might not be able to control the factors.'
(a) Family responsibilities and stress are human created problems.
(b) Humans cannot control their sleep patterns and cycles.
(c) Factors like a good night's sleep can be out of control even with good habits.
(d) Factors like illness and stress can sometimes be inevitable.
Answer: (d) Factors like illness and stress can sometimes be inevitable.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 refers to stress and unexpected illnesses — things that cannot always be avoided.
(d). What qualities do people with a healthy sleep schedule display? Choose one option from the following:
(a) Going to bed with a dependable routine daily.
(b) Promoting screen-time right before going to bed.
(c) Consuming caffeine and heavy diet before sleep time.
(d) Taking long afternoon naps.
Answer: (a) Going to bed with a dependable routine daily.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says to go to bed and get up at the same time every day; the other options are habits the passage warns against.
(e). Select the option with the underlined word that can suitably replace elusive (paragraph 1).
(a) That museum is famous for exclusive art pieces that can fetch millions in auctions.
(b) What he does with his art is tricky to copy, which is why it is so unique.
(c) She is delusional to think that everything will be alright even if she does nothing for a change.
(d) They are saying that this is the most expensive display of their gallery to this date.
Answer: (b) What he does with his art is tricky to copy, which is why it is so unique.
Explanation: 'Elusive' means hard to achieve or catch, which is closest to 'tricky'.
(f). An idiom is a word or phrase that isn't meant to be taken literally and usually has a cultural meaning behind it. From the options given below, select an idiom that appears in paragraph 2.
(a) sleep-wake cycle
(b) soothing music
(c) dark and quiet
(d) wreak havoc
Answer: (d) wreak havoc
Explanation: 'Wreak havoc' (paragraph 2) figuratively means to cause great damage.
(g). Select the qualities from paragraph 3 that the author wants us to imbibe to develop a healthy sleep pattern.
(1) Being relaxed.
(2) Hyper active.
(3) Using laptops before bed.
(4) Spending time outside.
(5) Using earplugs.
(a) (1), (2) and (5)
(b) (1), (3) and (4)
(c) (1), (4) and (5)
(d) (1), (3) and (5)
Answer: (c) (1), (4) and (5)
Explanation: Paragraph 3 recommends calming activities, spending time outside and devices like earplugs, but warns against screens and activity near bedtime.
(h). Which of the following is shown by the exposure to light just before bedtime?
(a) It can promote better sleep.
(b) It will always keep you awake every time.
(c) It makes it more challenging to fall asleep.
(d) You will instantly fall asleep.
Answer: (c) It makes it more challenging to fall asleep.
Explanation: Paragraph 3 opens: exposure to light might make it more challenging to fall asleep.
(i). What does the writer advise in paragraph 2?
(a) Avoid being active too close to bedtime.
(b) Read or listen to soothing music.
(c) Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens.
(d) Set aside no more than eight hours for sleep.
Answer: (b) Read or listen to soothing music.
Explanation: Reading or listening to soothing music is advised in paragraph 2; the other options come from paragraphs 1 and 3.
(j). Choose the option that lists the quote best expressing the central idea of the passage.
(a) My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know? — Ernest Hemingway
(b) Sleep, those little slices of death — how I loathe them. — Edgar Allan Poe
(c) How sleep the brave, who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest! — William Collins
(d) Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together. — Thomas Dekker
Answer: (d) Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together. — Thomas Dekker
Explanation: The passage is about healthy sleep habits, so the quote linking sleep with health fits best.
(k). What would be an ideal room environment to promote a good night's sleep?
(a) cool, busy and silent
(b) cool, dark and quiet
(c) calm, dark and warm
(d) cold, damp and quiet
Answer: (b) cool, dark and quiet
Explanation: Paragraph 2 says an ideal sleeping room is often cool, dark and quiet.
(l). Which habit can most people adopt to encourage better sleep?
(a) Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
(b) Listen to pop music before bed.
(c) Go to bed before sunset and get up at sunrise.
(d) Avoid family responsibilities and unexpected challenges.
Answer: (a) Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 ends with this habit as a way to encourage better sleep.
Passage 2
1. An ecosystem is a community of organisms that live and interact within a particular environment. In an aquatic ecosystem, that environment is water and all the system's plants and animals live either in or on that water. The specific setting and type of water, such as a freshwater lake or saltwater marsh, determines which animals and plants live there.
2. Marine, or ocean, systems cover about 70 per cent of the Earth's surface and are identified by the presence of dissolved salts in the water. The level of salinity averages about 35 parts per thousand grams of water, but it can vary in response to climate or a nearby source of freshwater. Marine organisms must adapt to either a constantly changing or stable level of salt content and cannot move successfully from one to the other.
3. Saltwater ecosystems range from the abundant life of coastal areas to the nearly barren ocean bottom. In marine habitats, the food chain begins with plankton, micro-organisms that require sunlight for energy and growth, so systems closest to the surface or in relatively shallow water support more life. These include estuaries, salt marshes, coral reefs and other tropical habitats, and intertidal areas such as lagoons and kelp beds.
4. Animal life in marine ecosystems ranges from microscopic zooplankton through fish of all sizes to marine mammals, including seals, whales and manatees. Freshwater – water that is either drinkable or has little or no salt content – supports its own aquatic ecosystems. These include rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, wetlands and even groundwater. Each of these systems is unique and even within categories, any specific habitat is affected by altitude, temperature and humidity. For instance, a plant native to a warm shallow lake in the tropics could not survive on the steep banks of a cold, fast gushing mountain stream.
5. Freshwater ecosystems provide homes for a wide variety of animal life including insects, amphibians and fish. One estimate of fish species puts the number that lives in freshwater at 40 per cent of the Earth's total. Worms, molluscs, algae and bacteria all live in freshwater systems, as do innumerable varieties of plants. In addition, animals such as birds, otters and bears use freshwater ecosystems as a food source.
Questions and Answers
(a). According to the author, what, from the following, can be understood from an ecosystem?
(a) Community interactions amongst organisms is rare.
(b) A particular environment is created by one type of organism only.
(c) Organisms can live and interact to form a community.
(d) Organisms do not need communities to be dependent upon to live.
Answer: (c) Organisms can live and interact to form a community.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 defines an ecosystem as a community of organisms that live and interact within an environment.
(b). Select the option that suitably completes the dialogue with reference to paragraph 3.
Jai: Saltwater marshes and estuaries do not get maximum sunlight below the surfaces of water.
Gia: Exactly! Which is why they ______
(a) support more life closest to the surface.
(b) are full of diverse species of animal life.
(c) are hard to invade by human beings.
(d) have a food chain that ends with plankton and other micro-organisms.
Answer: (a) support more life closest to the surface.
Explanation: Paragraph 3: plankton need sunlight, so systems closest to the surface support more life.
(c). Choose the option that best conveys the message in — 'cannot move successfully from one to the other.'
(a) Marine organisms are adapted for both stable salt content and a changing one.
(b) Marine organisms prefer changing salt content over a stable one.
(c) Marine organisms don't usually move either from a stable salt content to a changing one or vice versa.
(d) Marine organisms prefer stable salt content over a changing one.
Answer: (c) Marine organisms don't usually move either from a stable salt content to a changing one or vice versa.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 says organisms adapt to one kind of salt level and cannot shift successfully to the other.
(d). What qualities does the freshwater ecosystem display? Choose one option from the following:
(a) Found only at places of high altitude and humidity.
(b) Water has a high salinity content.
(c) Uniqueness and diversity within habitats.
(d) Home to an estimated 30 per cent of the Earth's total fish.
Answer: (c) Uniqueness and diversity within habitats.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 says each freshwater system is unique and habitats vary even within categories.
(e). Select the option with the underlined word that can suitably replace barren (paragraph 3).
(a) The farmers have been facing an unproductive crop this year due to lesser rains.
(b) He described his ideal dream would be to hide in a desolate library and read novels all day.
(c) Her advances of aiming for a good college have gone unfruitful with the cancellation of exams.
(d) The politician only visited impoverished areas of his constituency before the elections.
Answer: (b) He described his ideal dream would be to hide in a desolate library and read novels all day.
Explanation: The 'nearly barren ocean bottom' is empty and lifeless, which matches 'desolate' in this context.
(f). An onomatopoeia is defined as a word which imitates the natural sound of a thing. From the options given below, select an onomatopoeic word that appears in paragraph 4.
(a) gushing
(b) ecosystems
(c) steep
(d) microscopic
Answer: (a) gushing
Explanation: 'Gushing' echoes the sound of fast-flowing water in the mountain stream.
(g). Select the qualities from paragraph 4 that describe the freshwater ecosystem.
(1) low salinity
(2) high salinity
(3) diverse
(4) drinkable water
(5) lagoons and kelp beds
(a) (2), (3) and (5)
(b) (1), (3) and (4)
(c) (2), (4) and (5)
(d) (1), (2) and (4)
Answer: (b) (1), (3) and (4)
Explanation: Paragraph 4 describes freshwater as drinkable or with little salt, and each system as unique (diverse); lagoons and kelp beds are marine.
(h). Which of the following is the importance of zooplankton and micro-organisms?
(a) Reason for increased salinity of water.
(b) Basis for distinction between ecosystems.
(c) Reason for decreased salinity of water.
(d) Primary food source for aquatic life.
Answer: (d) Primary food source for aquatic life.
Explanation: Paragraph 3 says the marine food chain begins with plankton.
(i). What does the writer specify in paragraph 1?
(a) Freshwater ecosystem is unique and diverse.
(b) Saltwater ecosystem consists of coastal areas.
(c) Plants that can live in rivers cannot survive in saltwater.
(d) Environment for aquatic ecosystem is water.
Answer: (d) Environment for aquatic ecosystem is water.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 states that in an aquatic ecosystem the environment is water.
(j). Choose the option that lists the quote best expressing the central idea of the passage.
(a) Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty. —John Ruskin
(b) What's the use of a fine house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on. —Henry David Thoreau
(c) Eventually we'll realize that if we destroy the ecosystem, we destroy ourselves. —Jonas Salk
(d) The environment is where we all meet; where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share. —Lady Bird Johnson
Answer: (c) Eventually we'll realize that if we destroy the ecosystem, we destroy ourselves. —Jonas Salk
Explanation: The passage is about ecosystems and how organisms depend on them, which this quote reflects.
(k). What percentage of the Earth's surface do marine, or ocean, ecosystems cover?
(a) 70 per cent
(b) 7 per cent
(c) 50 per cent
(d) 30 per cent
Answer: (a) 70 per cent
Explanation: Paragraph 2: marine systems cover about 70 per cent of the Earth's surface.
(l). Which of the following animal groups belongs to a freshwater ecosystem?
(a) whales, seals, manatees
(b) bears, otters, birds
(c) seals, bears, otters
(d) birds, manatees, otters
Answer: (b) bears, otters, birds
Explanation: Paragraph 5 says birds, otters and bears use freshwater ecosystems as a food source.
Passage 3
1. Social media sites serve as a platform to connect with our friends and relatives. We share our happiness as well as sad moments on social media platforms to let those on our 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.
2. Many people living in different parts of the world are suffering from social media addiction and are bearing their consequences too. Social media sites such as Instagram and Twitter may help us connect with our distant 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.
3. Social media addicts frequently check updates and notifications on social media 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.
4. All that the social media addicts care about is to maintain an attractive social media profile. They are mostly seen clicking pictures during 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.
5. They post updates stating they are enjoying with their family or having fun with their 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.
Questions and Answers
(a). 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.
Answer: (c) obsession over being connected to social media.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says social media becomes a problem when we get addicted to it.
(b). Select the option that suitably completes 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!
Answer: (a) about gaining traction on social media at the expense of your pocket.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 criticises caring only about likes and followers; Jaan warns against chasing them at a cost.
(c). Choose the option that best conveys the message in — 'gives them a high.'
(a) People seek validation from their peers.
(b) People get easy access to drugs via internet.
(c) Social media is a slow trap.
(d) People seek euphoria from social media.
Answer: (d) People seek euphoria from social media.
Explanation: In paragraph 3, a 'high' means a feeling of excitement or euphoria from new notifications.
(d). 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.
Answer: (c) Not living in the moment.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 says they hardly enjoy the moment or talk to the people around them.
(e). Select the option with the underlined word 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.
Answer: (d) We had a busy week so all of us decided to go on a short vacation this weekend.
Explanation: In paragraph 4 a 'getaway with friends' is a short holiday, i.e. a vacation.
(f). A colloquialism is the use of informal words or phrases in writing or speech which may be specific to an era or context. From the options given below, select a colloquial word that appears in paragraph 3.
(a) ping
(b) addicts
(c) high
(d) media
Answer: (a) ping
Explanation: 'Ping' is informal, modern slang for a notification sound.
(g). 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)
Answer: (b) (2), (3) and (5)
Explanation: Paragraph 5 shows addicts posting updates while not interacting with anyone, cut off from society.
(h). 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.
Answer: (d) Not interacting properly with anyone around.
Explanation: Paragraph 5 calls not interacting properly with anyone 'the grave reality'.
(i). 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.
Answer: (c) Treating social media addiction as a problem.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 ends by pointing out that social media becomes a problem when we get addicted.
(j). 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
Answer: (b) In a world of algorithms, hashtags and followers, know the true importance of human connection. —Simi Fromen
Explanation: The passage says social media addiction cuts people off from real human connection.
(k). What activities do people generally associate with social media addicts?
(a) Enjoying and living in the moment.
(b) Being content with reality.
(c) Not curating oneself for the sake of validation.
(d) Posting photos in a hope of getting likes and shares.
Answer: (d) Posting photos in a hope of getting likes and shares.
Explanation: Paragraphs 2 and 4 describe addicts collecting pictures to upload and counting likes and comments.
(l). How frequent can a social media addict's tendency to check for updates be?
(a) Twenty-thirty times in an hour.
(b) Thirty-forty times in an hour.
(c) Ten-twenty times in an hour.
(d) Twenty-thirty times in a day.
Answer: (a) Twenty-thirty times in an hour.
Explanation: Paragraph 3: as frequent as twenty-thirty times in an hour.
Passage 4
1. Last month, The New York Times published an article describing a secret government program investigating reports by 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.
2. While I sit very firmly on the side that believes these reports more likely have an 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?
3. We can estimate with some accuracy that the number of possibly habitable planets in our galaxy is in the neighbourhood of 2 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 life-related probabilities are high then life should be extremely common in our galaxy. If these numbers are low, we could be alone.
4. Life formed on Earth very soon after the planet cooled enough to have liquid water. 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 the life of our planet, multicellular life came much later.
5. The evolution of intelligence seems to be rarer. Until humans evolved, no other forms of comparable intelligence existed. If humans 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.
6. So, what's the answer? Are we alone in the universe? The honest answer is that we don't know. We know that planets that could support liquid water are common. But we 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.
7. Nobody can tell you for sure what those Navy pilots saw but it's a big universe and it 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.
— Extract from 'Does Alien Life Exist?' by Don Lincoln
Questions and Answers
(a). According to the passage, what was the excitement in the media all about? What was the scientists' stand on it?
Answer: The media was awash with stories of flying saucers and extraterrestrial encounters. Scientists downplayed the likelihood of alien visitation.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 contrasts the media excitement with the scientists' scepticism.
(b). Which article was published in 'The New York Times'?
Answer: The New York Times published an article describing a secret government program investigating reports by military pilots of unidentified flying objects they encountered in the course of their daily duties.
Explanation: Stated in the first sentence of paragraph 1.
(c). What makes the possibility of alien life a difficult question to answer by scientists?
Answer: There are several unpredictable factors like survival chances, events leading to the creation of life and further evolution which have no accurate answers and are only estimated till date. The fact that the origin of life is still not understood makes the likelihood of alien existence unpredictable.
Explanation: Paragraphs 3 and 6 say we are far less certain whether life will be created, survive and evolve intelligence.
(d). What suggests that the formation of life was easy on planets?
Answer: Life formed on Earth very soon after the planet cooled enough to have liquid water. This suggests that the formation of life was easy. Although life formed very early in the life of our planet, multicellular life came much later.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 reasons that if life were hard to form, it would have taken longer.
(e). Describe the rarity in the evolution of intelligence. / Why is it assumed that evolution of intelligence seems to be rarer?
Answer: The evolution of intelligence seems rarer than the evolution of life. Until humans evolved, no other forms of comparable intelligence existed. If humans were to go extinct tomorrow, there are no species around that are likely to quickly evolve intelligence.
Explanation: Paragraph 5 draws this provisional conclusion.
(f). List one likely impact of the possibility of habitable planets in our galaxy.
Answer: It is estimated that there are 2 billion habitable planets in our galaxy. However, it is less certain if there is any life on them, or any intelligent life. If these life-related probabilities are high, then life should be extremely common in our galaxy. If these numbers are low, we could be alone.
Explanation: Paragraph 3 links the number of habitable planets to how common life might be.
(g). What signal will make humans know for sure that extraterrestrial life exists? / How will we know that we are not alone?
Answer: If an alien craft lands in a prominent and public place or if humans hear the first signals in their giant radio telescopes, then it will become clear that we are not alone and extraterrestrial life exists.
Explanation: Paragraph 7 gives both possibilities.
(h). Rewrite the following sentence by replacing the underlined word with a phrase that means the same from paragraph 7.
The politicians agreed for a referendum to let the public vote and decide definitively, as to whether to let the refugees in their country or not.
Answer: The politicians agreed for a referendum to let the public vote and decide once and for all, as to whether to let the refugees in their country or not.
Explanation: 'Once and for all' (paragraph 7) means definitively or finally.
(i). The synonym of 'fanatics' as given in paragraph 1 is ______.
(a) encountered
(b) enthusiasts
(c) awash
(d) visitation
Answer: (b) enthusiasts
Explanation: 'UFO enthusiasts' in paragraph 1 are keen fans, i.e. fanatics.
(j). The synonym of 'whole' or 'total' as given in paragraph 6 is ______.
Answer: aggregate
Explanation: 'Taken in aggregate' in paragraph 6 means taken as a whole.
(k). The antonym of 'impossibilities' as given in paragraph 3 is ______.
(a) estimate
(b) extremely
(c) probabilities
(d) evolve
Answer: (c) probabilities
Explanation: 'Probabilities' (paragraph 3) are things likely to happen, the opposite of impossibilities.
(l). The antonym of 'familiar' as given in paragraph 7 is ______.
Answer: alien
Explanation: 'Alien' (paragraph 7, 'alien craft') means strange or foreign.