CBSE Class 12 English Unseen Passage Assignment Set 02

PASSAGE 

1. Today India looks as if it is on course to join the league of developed nations. It is beginning to establish a reputation not just as the technology nerve centre and back office to the world, but also as its production centre. India’s secularism and democracy serve as a role model to other developing countries. There is great pride in an India that easily integrates with a global economy, and yet maintains a unique cultural identity.

2. But what is breathtaking is India’s youth. For, despite being an ancient civilisation that traces itself back to the very dawn of human habitation, India is among the youngest countries in the world. More than half the country is under 25 years of age and more than a third is under 15 years of the age.

3. Brought up in the shadow of the rise of India ‘s service industry boom, this group feels it can be at least as good as, if not better than, anyone else in the world. Even those who do not have enough to consume today feel that they have the capability and opportunity to do so.

4. The economic activity created by this combination of a growing labour pool and rising consumption demand is enough to propel India to double digit economic growth for decades. One just has to look at the impact that the baby boomers in the US had made over decades of economic activity, as measured by equity and housing prices. This opportunity also represents the greatest threat to India’s future. If the youth of India are not properly educated and if there are not enough jobs created, India will have forever lost its opportunity.

5. At present, 53 per cent of students in primary schools drop out, one-third of children in class V cannot read their native language, three-quarters of schools do not have a functioning toilet, female literacy is only 66% and 80 million children in the age group of 6 to 14 years even do not attend school.

6. India’s IT and BPO industries are engines of job creation, but they still account for only 0.2 per cent of India’s employment. The country has no choice but to substantially industrialise and thus inflate its domestic economy. This is only possible by educating the youth for vocations that come up in industries that are established or by giving the vocationally educated youth self-employment in allied lines.

7. India is stuck in a quagmire of labour law that hinders employment growth, particularly in the manufacturing sector. Inflexible labour laws inhibit entrepreneurship, so it is quite ironic that laws ostensibly designed to protect labour actually discourage employment.

8. Employment creation needs an abundant supply of capital. Controls on foreign investment have resulted in China getting five times the foreign direct investment that India gets. The growing interest in India by global private equity firms augurs well, as these firms represent pools of patient and smart capital, but they too have many bureaucratic hurdles.

9. When it comes to domestic capital availability, budget deficits adding upto 10% of the national GDP have impeded capital availability for investment and infrastructure in earlier years. However, budget deficits have reduced to half in recent years. They are also likely to go down further if the government plays its cards prudently.

10. Raising infrastructure spending, coupled with rapid privatisation, may not only create employment but also address the growing gaps in infrastructure. China has eight times the highway miles and has been constructing roads at a fast pace, whereas India had only inched along in the past. However, this gap has been rapidly reducing during the last few years. Freight costs at Indian ports are almost double the worldwide average, but may also reduce soon due to computerisation of operations at ports.

11. Moreover, just as the Lilliputians that kept giant Gulliver tied down, there are some 30000 statutes in India, of which only a portion are operational, and these keep the employment creation engine tied down.

12. In the meantime, we, as citizens of the world and residents of India, have to make a difference. We have to ensure that India and its youth attain their potential, both through our business pursuits and support of such ventures as educational charities, on the ground proponents of participative democracy, as well as other deserving organisations and initiatives.

13. I believe that hope can triumph and that this can be India's century-not one that will happen as surely as the sun will rise each day, but one that many willing hands need to create together.

Question. India becoming the world's technology nerve centre and its production centre gives the author an impression that India is
(a) a developed nation
(b) on the verge of joining the select band of developed countries
(c) amongst the youngest nations of the world
(d) underdeveloped
Answer: (b) on the verge of joining the select band of developed countries

Question. Despite the fact that India is one of the earliest known civilisations, the author says it is young because .................
(a) over half the country is under 25 years of age
(b) over one-third the country is under 15 years of age
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)
Answer: (c) Both (a) and (b)

Question. India would lose its opportunity if .........
(a) the youth of India are not properly educated
(b) enough jobs are not created
(c) demand and consumption do not rise
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer: (d) Both (a) and (b)

Question. India can substantially industrialise by
(a) educating the youth vocationally for the industries that come up
(b) increasing the industries in the IT and BPO sector
(c) changing its labour laws
(d) inflating its domestic economy
Answer: (a) educating the youth vocationally for the industries that come up

Question. Addressing the growing gaps in infrastructure requires .................
(a) constructing roads at a fast pace
(b) privatisation and computerisation of operations at ports
(c) reduction in freight costs
(d) increasing infrastructure spending and privatising
Answer: (d) increasing infrastructure spending and privatising

Question. What is a matter of pride for India?
Answer: It is a matter of pride that India easily integrates with a global economy while maintaining a unique cultural identity.

Question. What impact did the baby boomers have on the US economy?
Answer: The baby boomers in the US created decades of economic activity, as measured by the rise in equity and housing prices.

Question. What is ironic about India’s labour laws?
Answer: The irony is that labour laws ostensibly designed to protect labour actually hinder employment growth and discourage employment by inhibiting entrepreneurship.

Question. What do global private equity firms represent?
Answer: Global private equity firms represent pools of patient and smart capital.

Question. How have budget deficits interfered with adequate infrastructure spending?
Answer: High budget deficits adding up to 10% of the national GDP have impeded the availability of capital for investment and infrastructure in earlier years.

Question. What do the residents of India have to ensure?
Answer: Residents of India have to ensure that India and its youth attain their potential through business pursuits and by supporting educational charities and initiatives of participative democracy.

Question. Find the words in the given passage which convey the meaning similar to a period of sudden growth (para 3) and complicated or difficult situation (para 7)
Answer:

• a period of sudden growth: boom
• complicated or difficult situation: quagmire

PASSAGE 

1. Our bodies depend on sleep to keep a number of delicately balanced systems running smoothly. Without it these systems become subtly off-key, which can eventually lead to more serious consequences. The odd broken night never hurt anyone, but some sleep experts are now saying that even just an hour of missed sleep, night after night, can cause ill health.

2. Do you ever find yourself awake in the middle of the night staring at the ceiling for hours, willing sleep to come? Do you sometimes lie in bed thinking about troubles of the past, worries of the present, or concerns for the future, all the while struggling to fall asleep? Perhaps you have difficulty staying asleep and constantly find yourself waking multiple times in the middle of the night and have trouble getting back to sleep, or you simply wake up earlier than you'd like, but find it impossible to go back to sleep.

3. If any of these examples sound like something you've experienced, chances are that you've had some form of insomnia, and depending on how often this happens to you, your restless nights could be sign of a serious sleep disorder.

4. But what causes insomnia? Persistent low-level fatigue is extremely common since one in three of us has problems dropping off or sleeping through the night. The cause can lie in surrounding factors, such as an uncomfortable mattress or noisy neighbours. Some insomnia is temporarily caused by stress brought on by a forthcoming special event, such as an exam or getting married or pressure at work. How you feel can notoriously affect sleep, too. Anxiety, anger or resentment can all stop us from dropping off to sleep and is also one of the prime causes of depression in early morning waking.

5. Sleep apnoea, a common disorder in which lapses in breathing cause a shortage of oxygen, which in turn disrupts sleep, may need treatment. Shift work, partying into the small hours and jet lag can also disrupt the body’s internal clock that tells us when to stay awake and when to sleep (doctors call this sort of insomnia ‘circadian rhythm disorder’).

6. Too much food, tea, coffee, cola or other stimulants can also be culprits. Physical illness such as pain from arthritis can be a factor too, as can drugs such as those used to treat chronic illnesses like high blood pressure and asthma. Some of us simply need to make sure that the bedroom is a calm, pleasant place which is conducive to sleep. We should also avoid daytime naps. And last but not the least, anxiously lying awake worrying about not sleeping can cause what the doctors call psycho-physiological insomnia.

7. What are the ‘knock-on effects’ of insomnia? Whatever the cause, fatigue can have devastating effects on all aspects of our lives. It is thought to be a principle factor in around 10 per cent of the road accidents in Britain, for instance. Now research in the USA offers some clues as to the further effects of this disturbance to the body’s natural rhythms. Perhaps the greatest risk could be the effect on the immune system. The research shows that loss of sleep can slow down the action of cells which are involved in fighting off infection and even protecting us against more serious diseases such as cancer.

8. What isn’t known, however, is whether one or two broken nights can have a long-term effect. People who suffer from long periods of stress, such as after bereavement, seem to be more vulnerable to illness, which suggests that lack of sleep may be a factor. Research also suggests that lack of sleep can make you want to eat too much! In one survey of hospital nurses, nine out ten who worked night shifts put on weight. The weight gained ranged from 2.25 kg to a massive 44 kg. The nurses, it was discovered, nibbled to stay awake and keep going. Further, although food didn’t actually lift the symptoms of fatigue, it gave them the illusion of staying awake. Nurses on the overnight shift gained more than those on the evening shift, suggesting that the greater the disruption in sleep patterns, the greater the tendency to overeat and thus gain weight.

9. How does lack of sleep affect ageing? Lack of sleep may even contribute to or speed up the ageing process. During sleep, the body produces a hormone which is vital for growth and cell renewal. Without enough sleep this rejuvenation time is lost. It comes as no surprise that the period in life when we sleep most, as babies and toddlers, is the period of greatest growth.

10. One thing is certain: sleep is important and we could do worse than add a new resolution to the rules for living a long and healthy life: don’t smoke, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and ......make sure you get enough sleep!

Question. ................ is not a symptom of insomnia.
(a) Waking multiple times in the night
(b) Lying in bed struggling to fall asleep
(c) Waking up earlier than normal, but finding it impossible to go back to sleep
(d) Being more vulnerable to illness
Answer: (d) Being more vulnerable to illness

Question. ................. is called psycho-physiological insomnia.
(a) Problems in dropping off to sleep
(b) Having a disturbed sleep
(c) Depression in early morning waking
(d) Anxiously lying awake worrying about not sleeping
Answer: (d) Anxiously lying awake worrying about not sleeping

Question. Sleep apnoea is a common disorder in which .................
(a) patients feel depression in early morning waking
(b) lapses in breathing cause a shortage of oxygen
(c) the body’s sleeping and waking rhythms are disturbed
(d) patients feel persistent low-level fatigue
Answer: (b) lapses in breathing cause a shortage of oxygen

Question. The major 'knock-on effect' of insomnia is .................
(a) fatigue
(b) difficulty in staying awake during daytime
(c) decrease in the eating pattern
(d) None of the options
Answer: (a) fatigue

Question. Lack of sleep affects ageing because .........
(a) during sleep, the body does not age
(b) sleep helps to give rest to the body
(c) rejuvenation and repair of body cells is reduced
(d) All of the options
Answer: (c) rejuvenation and repair of body cells is reduced

Question. What is insomnia?
Answer: Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty in falling asleep, difficulty in staying asleep, or waking up too early and being unable to go back to sleep.

Question. What happens in sleep apnoea?
Answer: In sleep apnoea, lapses in breathing occur during sleep, which cause a shortage of oxygen and disrupt sleep.

Question. Excessive consumption of what foodstuffs can cause circadian rhythm disorder?
Answer: Excessive consumption of food, tea, coffee, cola, or other stimulants can cause disruptions, although specifically, circadian rhythm disorder is usually linked to shift work, partying, and jet lag.

Question. How does lack of sleep contribute to causing cancer?
Answer: Lack of sleep can slow down the action of cells involved in fighting off infection and protecting the body against serious diseases such as cancer.

Question. Which periods of human life are considered to result in the maximum growth?
Answer: The periods of being babies and toddlers are considered to result in the maximum growth.

Question. Apart from sleep, what are the other requirements of a healthy life?
Answer: Other requirements include not smoking, eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and exercising regularly.

Question. Find the words in the given passage which convey the meaning similar to about to happen (para 4) and contributing or helping towards (para 6)
Answer:

• about to happen: forthcoming
• contributing or helping towards: conducive

PASSAGE 

1. Just the other day, I came across a ‘Missing Person’ advertisement. Usually these advertisements carry the photographs of missing foreign maids and I seldom pay any attention to them. This one, however, was different. I knew the girl in the photo. She used to attend the same Sunday School (we call it Children’s Church these days) as my son. She is only 14. I was concerned and troubled. My heart went out to her parents and I remarked so to my husband.

2. My 8-year-old daughter was sprawled in the room and overhead our conversation. Her remark, “Why would someone want to run away in December? What would happen to all her Christmas presents?” An innocent comment that brought relief to my tense emotions.

3. Where has the innocence of youth gone? Tina (not her real name) started running away from home when she was eleven. I remember the first time I saw her. A frail, sweet-looking girl that looked far older than eleven. She dressed in a mature fashion, unlike the way other girls her age were dressed. Otherwise she was quiet, at least in my presence. Occasionally though, I would overhear fragments of conversation between her parents. I detected dissatisfaction and discontent. I put that down to the fatal combination of pre-pubescent temperament and perhaps the pampering of doting parents. Whatever the case, she did not look like a little girl.

4. It is tempting to theorise why Tina turned out the way she did. More likely than not, her parents or family background would be blamed. Yet, as far as I know, Tina comes from a normal family. The mother is a homemaker and they are financially comfortable. She is the second child and attends a fairly reputable school. Her parents say that she became uncontrollable after she associated v/ith some members of a girl gang. Prior to that, they had been more concerned about the eldest child. Apparently, Tina was the child who gave no trouble.

5. I do not wish to comment on parenting techniques, since I am certainly no expert and I am not fully apprised of the situation. I would, however, like to appeal to all teenagers who are reading this. Before deciding to do anything that is forbidden, stop to think why you are not allowed to do it. Are adults such spoilsports that they would do anything to stop you from having fun? And if the consequences are heavy, are you able to bear them?

6. I was a teacher to teenagers for many years. My students respected me not because of my academic qualifications. It was also certainly not because of my size, since most of them towered over me. They respected me because 1 treated them like adults, but only when they behaved in a mature fashion. I attempted to teach them to act and think responsibly; I did not just make grown-up demands. Grown-up privileges do not come free; they come with responsibilities. Teens, what you must realise is that, at your age, you find it hardest to say ‘no’ to temptations. That is why there are so many restrictions to your freedom.

7. Also, do not seek counsel with someone of your own age group. What can that fellow classmate teach you that you do not already know? Make friends with a responsible adult and consult him or her. Seek a future, not momentary pleasure.

8. At Sunday School the other day, I was recounting the history of Albania and told the seven-eleven year olds how, at one point, one in three children were starving. One child asked a brilliant question, “Why didn’t the people run away to a different country?” Our youths are often like that - innocent in thought but mature in demands. They think that even if they were to make the wrong choice, they can simply run away and start all over again. Unfortunately, there are only so many chances. There might come a point in time when there is no more turning back.

9. Teenagers tend to be sullen and unresponsive. They view approaches from adults with much suspicion. It is simply inconceivable to them that adults were once teenagers too. In this, adults are to be blamed. We often forgot that we too fumbled and we too were upset with our elders. When considering teenagers, we often are guilty of refusing to allow them to learn via experience, imposing on then proven paths that we think would lead to success. No child has ever learnt how to walk without falling; in the same way, no teenagers will learn without being given some level of freedom to formulate their own thoughts and shape their emotions. Adult supervision is essential, but they must be allowed to experiment within reasonable limits.

10. How then shall we live? As adults, we need to learn to increasingly extend our apron’s strings and, one day, cut them off completely. As for those in their teens, I can only repeat what I said earlier, “Seek a future, not momentary pleasure”.

Question. Teenagers should accept ............... when they make 'grown-up demands'.
(a) replies in the negative
(b) refusal graciously
(c) that the demands may be refused
(d) that grown-up privileges come with responsibilities
Answer: (d) that grown-up privileges come with responsibilities

Question. The writer knew the girl in the 'Missing Person' advertisement photo as ...............
(a) she was the daughter of somebody she knew
(b) she attended the same Sunday School as the writer’s son
(c) the girl had worked in her home as a maid
(d) None of the options
Answer: (b) she attended the same Sunday School as the writer’s son

Question. Before deciding to do anything that is forbidden, teenagers should .................
(a) think about why they are not allowed to do it
(b) think whether adults want to prevent them from having fun
(c) think carefully about the consequences of their action
(d) All of the options
Answer: (d) All of the options

Question. The probable reasons which the author attributed to Tina's parents' poor opinion about her behaviour included .................
(a) immature temperament
(b) overly mature behaviour for her age
(c) pampering by her parents
(d) None of the options
Answer: (c) pampering by her parents

Question. The condition under which the writer's students were treated as adults by her was that .................
(a) they should treat her also as an adult
(b) they should behave in a mature fashion
(c) nobody should disrupt the class
(d) all must remain quiet while she was teaching
Answer: (b) they should behave in a mature fashion

Question. What made the writer pay attention to the advertisement?
Answer: The writer paid attention because she recognized the girl in the photo as someone who attended the same Sunday School as her son.

Question. How did the writer's eight-year old daughter respond to the advertisement?
Answer: She innocently asked why someone would want to run away in December and what would happen to all her Christmas presents.

Question. Why did Tina not look her age?
Answer: Tina did not look her age because she dressed in a mature fashion and had a demeanor that made her look far older than eleven.

Question. What is the connection between a child learning how to walk and the youth?
Answer: Just as a child cannot learn to walk without falling, teenagers cannot learn without being given the freedom to experiment and sometimes fumble.

Question. Why is it necessary to impose many restrictions on teenagers?
Answer: Restrictions are imposed because teenagers find it hardest to say ‘no’ to temptations at their age.

Question. Who should teenagers consult when they need help?
Answer: Teenagers should consult a responsible adult rather than someone from their own age group.

Question. Find the words in the given passage which convey the meaning similar to excessively loving (para 3) and out of control (para 4)
Answer:

• excessively loving: doting
• out of control: uncontrollable

PASSAGE 

1. Against the backdrop of a severe skills shortage in the country and millions of youth unemployed or unemployable, India’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system can do with some rework. An estimated 3.5 lakh engineers and 2.5 million university graduates come out of the higher education system each year, with an estimated 5 million graduates out of work at any given point. Moreover, A FICCI-Ernst & Young report (2012) on skill development had forecast 50 to 70 million new jobs up to 2017-18, of which 75%-90% would require some form of TVET education. However, the current system is not fully kitted out to respond to requirements of the labour market. Skills of youth even with higher degrees are mismatched with demands from industry.

2. Universal enrolment rate in India at the primary level (class I-V) is on par with developed countries, with around 100% enrolment in class I-V in 2014-15. However, after class VI, things change. In higher education, India’s enrolment rate stands at 23%, as against about 87% in the US, 57% in the UK and 39% in China. Dropout rate from formal education peaks at the secondary level (class IX-X) at 17%, as compared to 4% in elementary school (class I-VIII) and 2% in upper secondary school (class XI-XII). Thus, it is quite disturbing if years of schooling and education are unable to produce work-ready youth. Where will millions of young people end up?

3. Vocational training in India is split into two forms - formal and non-formal. The former is a structured training programme leading to qualifications recognised by public and private sector employers. Much of the formal skills training is imparted through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Industrial Training Centres (ITCs) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Non-formal vocational training, on the other hand, follows no standard curriculum, assessment or qualification. It is completely outside the ambit of the education system. It is casual, which may equip a young person with some skill to carry on an ancestral trade or occupation, such as in agriculture or traditional crafts. According to the Annual Skill Report 2016-17, a dismal 4.69% of India’s workforce has formal vocational skills, as against 60%-90% in developed countries.

4. To participate in vocational training, a young person must have completed 8-10 years in education. Moreover, most apprenticeship posts in Indian industry and PSUs ask for minimum eight years of education plus one to three years of formal vocational training from an ITI or ITC. However, as the dropout rate from formal education in India peaks at the secondary level (class IX-X), youth who have got to this stage and are disenfranchised from the traditional schooling route with zero exposure to vocational education are left out in the cold. Hence this is a case of a serious lost opportunity where the young are leaving school with no qualifications and no skills. Increasing enrolment in lower secondary education by providing clear alternative pathways for school to work transition is an urgent need to tackle the issue of drop-outs and must form an integral part of the country’s educational policies.

5. A way around would be to lower the entry point to vocational training for youth who have not completed secondary education, and offer more courses with lower levels of educational attainment. For instance, in Germany, after four years of elementary school, students have a choice within the three-tier school system:
(a) general education leading to a university degree;
(b) a middle school curriculum leading to certification in broad based education and vocational preparation qualifications; or
(c) secondary school, which is a customised educational programme for students with practical skills or interests which introduces real-world working.

6. Vocationalisation of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is a centrally sponsored scheme to implement vocational education in government secondary and higher secondary schools. The scheme aims to
(a) enhance employability of youth through competency based modular vocational courses;
(b) maintain their competitiveness through provisions of multi-entry multi-exit learning opportunities and vertical mobility;
(c) fill the gap between the educated and the employable; and
(d) decrease pressure on academic higher education.

7. In May 2018, the ministry of HRD launched a new scheme called Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (Holistic Education for Holistic Development) where vocationalisation of education will be one of its key features from pre-school to class 12. Another route is the UGC’s Bachelor of Vocational (BVoc) degrees with multiple entry-exit points such as Diplomas & Advanced Diplomas under the NSQF framework. In 2015-16, universities and colleges numbering 162 were approved under the scheme.

8. In conclusion, notwithstanding several schemes and initiatives to strengthen the presence of TVET in mainstream education, the absence of clear data and a somewhat disjointed implementation make it difficult to gauge their impact. Where weaknesses have been found, a unified effort is required to simplify the processes. A robust vetting and monitoring system for VET in India is crucial. Given the severe skill crunch and high youth unemployment facing the country, the value of vocational education in mainstream education becomes indisputable and should become a matter of national priority.

Question. The two forms of vocational training are .........
(a) training in ITIs and ITCs
(b) non-formal and formal
(c) recognised by public and private sector employers
(d) None of the options
Answer: (b) non-formal and formal

Question. Most apprenticeships in Indian industry and PSUs require a minimum of .................
(a) eight years of schooling and one year of vocational training
(b) eight years of schooling and three years of vocational training
(c) ten years of schooling and three years of vocational training
(d) None of the options
Answer: (b) eight years of schooling and three years of vocational training

Question. To tackle the issue of drop-outs in schools, our educational policies should change so as to .............
(a) lower the entry point to vocational training
(b) offer more courses requiring lesser qualifications
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)
Answer: (c) Both (a) and (b)

Question. The aims of the Vocationalisation of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education scheme include .................
(a) filling the gap between the educated and the employable
(b) enhancing employability of youth
(c) maintaining their competitiveness
(d) All of the options
Answer: (d) All of the options

Question. A key feature of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan is .................
(a) holistic education for holistic development
(b) multiple entry-exit points
(c) vocationalisation of education from pre-school to class 12
(d) None of the options
Answer: (c) vocationalisation of education from pre-school to class 12

Question. What proportion of jobs would require some form of TVET education, as per the FICCI-Ernst & Young report (2012)?
Answer: As per the report, 75%-90% of new jobs would require some form of TVET education.

Question. What is urgently needed to tackle the issue of drop-outs in schools?
Answer: There is an urgent need to increase enrolment in lower secondary education by providing clear alternative pathways for school to work transition.

Question. Why are youth who drop out from secondary schools ‘left out in the cold’?
Answer: They are left out because most vocational training and apprenticeships require at least eight years of education, which these drop-outs may not complete or may not have had vocational exposure to.

Question. In the German education system, what programme is offered for students with practical skills or interests?
Answer: It offers a customized secondary school educational programme which introduces real-world working.

Question. What is the UGC’s Bachelor of Vocational (BVoc) degree?
Answer: It is a degree course with multiple entry-exit points such as Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas under the NSQF framework.

Question. Why is it difficult to gauge the impact of TVET in mainstream education?
Answer: It is difficult due to the absence of clear data and a somewhat disjointed implementation of several schemes.

Question. Find the words in the given passage which convey the meaning similar to incompatible (para 1) and modified to suit a goal (para 5)
Answer:

• incompatible: mismatched
• modified to suit a goal: customised