Reading Comprehension

Passage 1 Congress in 1931. His dynamism was a source

of inspiration for the trade unionists in the
In July 1920, barely eight months after his
struggle for their rights as well as for Indias
arrival in England, Subhas Chandra Bose
freedom. In, 1938 he was elected President of
appeared in the Civil Services Examination and
the Indian National Congress at the Haripura
passed it with distinction. But the prospect of
Session. This was the time when Congress
being a member of the bureaucracy did not make
ministries were in office in seven states under
him happy. He felt that the first step towards
scheme of provincial autonomy granted under
equipping oneself for public service was to
Government of India Act of 1935. He
sacrifice all worldly interests. Much against the
emphasized on the revolutionary potential of the
wishes of his father Subhas resigned from the
Congress ministries in the presidential address.
I.C.S and returned to India in July 1920. Here he
He was reelected Congress President the
became Deshbandhus most promising recruit.
following year at Tripura, defeating the veteran
When C.R. Das became the chief organizer of
Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya though the later
the boycott of the visit of Prince of Wales,
enjoyed Gandhijis support.
Subhas was by his side. The hartal in Calcutta
was a spectacular success and both the guru and 1. When Subhas was the Chief Executive
shisya found themselves in jail. This was Officer.
Subhas first incarceration, the first of a total of (1) he was arrested in a conspiracy case.
eleven. Later, when C.R. Das was elected
(2) the Government of India Act of 1935
Mayor of Calcutta, Subhas was appointed Chief
was passed.
Executive Officer. While holding this post he
(3) he became President of the Bengal
was arrested in a case of conspiracy and was
Pradesh Congress Committee.
lodged without trial in Mandalay Jail for two-
and-a-half years. After release from the jail, he (4) the haral in Calcutta was observed.
became President of the Bengal Pradesh (5) none of the above.
Congress Committee and once again resumed his
2. Why was hartal observed in Calcutta?
political activities.
(1) Against the decision of sending
Subhas became President of the All-India Subhas to jail for two-and-a-half years
Youth Congress, Central Officer Commanding of
(2) Against the detention of Deshbandhu
the Congress Volunteer Corps and, in 1928, was
Das by police
the co-founder, with Jawaharlal Nehru, of the
(3) Against the visit of the Prince of
Left Wing of the Congress Party. He also
Wales to India
became President of All-India Trade Union
 (4) Against the atrocities committed by (2) the congress Party was ruling in
the British rulers. several Indian States.

(5) Against the ban imposed on trade (3) the political struggle in India was in a
union activities. sluggish state.

3. Which of the following statements is true to (4) he was also President of the All India
the context of the passage? Trade Union Congress

(1) The session of the Congress Party was (5) Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya was his
held at Calcutta. deputy.

(2) Subhas liked the idea of working in 6. Shri C.R. Das was
bureaucratic set-up. (1) the co-founder of the Left Wing of the
(3) Subhas became the President of the Congress Party.
All-India Trade Union Congress (2) the President of the All India Youth
in 1928. Congress.
(4) In British rule, Congress was allowed (3) arrested and lodged in Mandalay Jail
to form ministries in States. without trial.
(5) Subhas was lodged in the Mandalay (4) organizer of the boycott of the visit of
Jail after a proper trial the Prince of Wales.
4. Why did Subhas resign from the Indian (5) elected unopposed as the President of
Civil Service? the Congress Party.
(1) He wanted to find out a Guru and 7. Which of the following statement A,B and
sacrifice all worldly interests C are/is definitely TRUE?
(2) He was influenced by Deshbandhu (A) Subhas emphasized the revolutionary
C.R. Das to take that decision potential of the Congress ministries.
(3) He wanted to activate the (B) Subhas carried out his political
revolutionary potential of the activities from the Mandalay Jail.
Congress Party
(C) Shri C.R. Das was the mentor of
(4) He was in favour of non-bureaucratic Subhas.
form of Government.
(1) Only (A) (2) Only (B)
(5) None of the above
(3) Only (C) (4) Only (B) and (C)
5. When Subhas was elected President of the
(5) Only (A) and (C)
Indian National Congress

(1) he was known for propagating

revolutionary and militant ideas.
Placement Class Sheet
8. What did Subhas feel he should do for
preparing himself to undertake public
service?
(1) He should decide not to work in a
bureaucratic set up.
(2) He should feel the pulse of the nation.
(3) He should renounce all pleasures
available in the world.
(4) He should dissociate himself from all
dogmatic ideas and set notions.
(5) None of the above
9. Which of the following statements is not
true in the context of the passage?
(1) Subhas was elected President of the
Tripura Congress in the year 1938.
(2) Subhas returned to India from
England in 1920.
(3) Subhas resigned from the I.C.S
against the wishes of his father.
(4) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, along with
Subhas, founded the left Wing of the
Congress Party.
(5) Subhas was lodged in Mandalay Jail.
Passage 2
It is time we looked at the latent causes.
Where does the strength of India lie? Not in
numbers, not necessarily in our moral stands on
international issues. In modern times, the
strength of a nation lies in its achievements in
science and technology. This is not to say that
other fields do not count.
3
In the five decades after independence, we have
yet to demonstrate our originality in applied
science and technology. Though Japan also
started like us, yet by cultivating the technology
of the west, the Japanese adapted, improved and
displayed originality in several areas of science
and technology. The generation, which is at the
helm of affairs in science and technology in our
country after independence, mostly consisted of
self-seekers. By and large, with a few
exceptions, the science and technology managers
in India concentrated in gaining power and
influence. They loved publicity. Most of them
stopped doing science while they managed
science. Things would have been better had
they been humble enough to acknowledge the
difference between doing and managing science.
Instead, they claimed they were the foremost in
science and technology, simply because they
were at the helm of affairs. As a result, they
ceased to inspire the younger lot. India continues
to be a borrower of science and technology, even
though its potential for originality is substantial.
Our achievement in nuclear science and
technology may be dazzling to our people. But,
in worth and originality, they are ordinary and
routine While our own people remain, ignorant,
the people of other countries know all about the
pretensions to knowledge of our nuclear science
and technology managers. One subtle way of
sabotaging our nuclear goals is to help hollow
persons reach and remain at the helm of affairs.
International bodies come in as handy tools in
that subtle process. The veil of secrecy
effectively protects the mismanage merit in our
nuclear establishments. The talk of national
security comes as an easy weapon to prevent any (2) appreciated the Japanese scientists
probe into mismanagement On nuclear unduly and exorbitantly.
matters, the media in our country, by and large, (3) hailed India's technological
avoid the mismatch between promise and hence advancement in the past five decades.
performance in the nuclear field does not get
(4) underestimated the Japanese and
exposed as much as the mismanagement in other
Chinese scientists and technologists.
fields.
(5) unreasonably criticized the Indian
10. What does the author mean by "doing" politicians for their apathy.
science?
13. Which of the following is the commonality
(1) Demonstrating exaggerated between the Indian and the Japanese
performance without achieving the scientists? Both have displayed
desired level.
(1) originality in applied sciences.
(2) Managing effectively the
(2) an advancement of sub-standard
administrative functions involved in
quality.
the power game.
(3) greed for influence and power.
(3) Concentrating on such researches
which have very low practical utility. (4) remarkable lust for publicity.

(4) Displaying genuine acumen and (5) none of the above

performance in scientific studies. 14. Which of the following is the correct

(5) None of the above assessment of Indias post-independence

11. "Doing Science" and "Managing science"
as implied by the author is analogous to
(1) set target and achieving it.
(2) fact and fantasy.
(3) originality and adaptability.
(4) scientific inventions and discovery of
principles.
(5) inspiration and aspiration.
nuclear and scientific advancements?
(1) Originality and adaptability is duly
displayed in the field of applied
science.
(2) Our achievements in nuclear science
and technology are dazzling.
(3) Our achievements are of a ordinary
quality and routine nature.
(4) Our scientists have done full justice to
the developmental needs of nuclear

12. The author of the passage has science.

(1) criticized the power-hungry Indian (5) None of the above

technocrats.
Placement Class Sheet
15. It appears that the author of the passage is
fully convinced that
(1) most of the managers of science and
technology are not doing their work
properly
(2) Indias strength lies in its moral stands
on international issues.
(3) Indias potential for originality in
science and technology is over
utilized.
(4) Our scientists though criticized in our
country are recognized abroad.
(5) People lacking the desired qualities
are supported to get at the helm of
affairs.
16. What according to the passage is the
criterion to decide the strength of a
country?
(1) The countrys population.
(2) The moral values of the people.
(3) International understanding cherished
by the people.
(4) Potential of people to achieve desired
targets.
(5) None of the above
17. The author of the passage thinks that
(1) India should continue to borrow
technology from abroad.
(2) Indias potential for originality is not
put to optimum utilization.
(3) India lacks the necessary potential to
compete with other nations.
5
(4) Our scientists did all their best to
inspire the younger lot.
(5) Our achievements in nuclear science
and technology are dazzling.
18. Which of the following factors help prevent
the exposure of drawbacks in nuclear
establishments?
(A) The concept of security
(B) The constraint of national security
(C) The investigative approach of the
Media
(1) Only (A) (2) Only (B)
(3) Only (C) (4) Only (A) and (B)
(5) Only (A) and (C)
Passage 3
However important we may regard school
life to be, there is no gain saying the fact that
children spend more time at home than in the
classroom. Therefore, the great influence of
parents cannot be ignored or discounted by the
teacher. They can become strong allies of the
school personnel or they can consciously or
unconsciously hinder and thwart curricular
objectives. Administrators have been aware
of the need to keep parents apprised of the newer
methods used in schools. Many principals have
conducted workshops explaining such matters as
the reading readiness program, manuscript
writing, and developmental mathematics.
Moreover, the classroom teacher, with the
permission of the supervisors, can also play an
important role in enlightening parents. The many
interviews carried on during the year as well as
new ways of reporting pupils progress, can
significantly aid in achieving a harmonious inter
play between school and home. To illustrate,
suppose that a father has been drilling
Junior in arithmetic processes night after night.
In a friendly interview, the teacher can help the
parent sublimate his natural paternal interest into
productive channels. He might be persuaded to
let Junior participate in discussing the family
budget, buying the food, using a yardstick or
measuring cup at home, setting the clock,
calculating mileage on a trip, and engaging in
scores of other activities that have
mathematical basis. If the father follows the
advice, it is reasonable to assume that he will
soon realize his son is making satisfactory
progress in mathematics and, at the same time,
enjoying the work. Too often, however, teachers
conferences with parents are devoted to petty
accounts of childrens misdemeanors, complaints
about laziness and poor work habits, and
suggestions for penalties and rewards at home.
What is needed is a more creative approach in
which the teacher, as a professional adviser,
plants ideas in parents minds for the best
utilization of the many hours that the child
spends out of the classroom. In this way, the
school and the home join forces in fostering the
fullest development of youngsters capacities.
19. The central idea conveyed in the above
passage is that
(A) home training is more important than
school training because a child spends
so many hours with his parents.
(B) teachers can and should help parents
to understand the objectives of the
school.
(C) parents unwittingly have hindered and
thwarted curricular objectives.
(D) there are many ways in which the
mathematics program can be
implemented at home.
20. The author directly discusses the fact that
(A) parents drill their children too much in
a arithmetic.
(B) principals have explained the new art
programs to parents.
(C) a father can have his son help him
construct articles at home.
(D) a parents misguided efforts can be
redirected to proper channels.
21. It can reasonably be inferred that the author
(A) is satisfied with present relationships
between home and school.
(B) feels that the traditional program in
mathematics is slightly superior to the
developmental program.
(C) believes that schools are lacking in
guidance personnel.
(D) feels that parent teacher interviews
can be made much more constructive
than they are at present.
22. A method of parent teacher communication
NOT mentioned or referred to by the author
(A) classes for parents.
(B) new progress report forms.
Placement Class Sheet
(C) parent teacher interviews.
(D) demonstration lesson.
23. The author implies that
(A) participation in interesting activities
relating to a school subject improves
ones achievement in that area.
(B) too many children are lazy and have
poor work habits.
(C) school principals do more than their
share in interpreting the curriculum to
the parents.
(D) only a small part of the school day
should be set apart for drilling in
arithmetic.
24. The authors primary purpose in writing
this passage is to
(A) tell parents to pay more attention to
the guidance of teachers in the matter
of educational activities in the home.
(B) help ensure that every childs
capacities are fully developed when
he leaves school.
(C) urge teachers and school
administrators to make use of a much
underused resource the parent.
(D) improve the teaching of mathematics.
25. It is most reasonable to infer that the author
is a
(A) elementary school teacher.
(B) parent
(C) student
7
(D) professor of education
26. The author would most approve of which
the following parental activities to assist in
the learning of composition and writing
skills?
(A) one hour of supervised writing
exercises nightly.
(B) encouraging the child to write letters
to relatives.
(C) spelling words out loud with the child
while washing the dishes.
(D) reviewing all the childs written
schoolwork.
Passage 4
In the past American colleges and
universities were created to serve a dual purpose
to advance learning and to offer a chance to
become familiar with bodies of knowledge
already discovered to those who wished it. To
create and to impart, these were the hallmarks of
American higher education prior to the most
recent, tumultuous decades of the twentieth
century. The successful institution of higher
learning had never been one whose mission
could be defined in terms of providing
vocational skills or as a strategy for resolving
societal problems. In a subtle way Americans
believed post secondary education to be Useful,
but not necessarily of immediate use. What the
student obtained in college became beneficial in
later life-residually, without direct application in
the period after graduation.
Another purpose has now been assigned to
the mission of American colleges and
universities. Institutions of higher learning- Taken together the attrition rate (from
public or private-commonly face the challenge of known and unknown causes) was 48 percent,
defining their programs in such a way as to but the figure of the regular students was 36
contribute to the service of the community. percent while for open admission categories it

One need only be reminded of the change was 56 percent. The most important statistics,

in language describing the two year college to however relate to the findings regarding open

appreciate the new value currently being admission students, and these indicated as a

attached to the concept of a service-related projection that perhaps as many as 70 percent

university. The traditional two year college has would not graduate from a unit of the city

shed its pejorative junior college label and is university.

generally called a "community" college, a clearly 27. The dropout rate among regular students in
value-laden expression representing the latest Open Admissions was approximately.
commitment in higher education. (a) 35% (b) 45%
This novel development is often (c) 55% (d) 65%
overlooked. Educators have always been familiar
28. According to the passage, in the past it was
with those parts of the two-year college
not the purpose of American higher
curriculum that have a "service" or vocational
education to
orientation. Knowing this, otherwise perceptive
(a) advance learning
commentaries on American postsecondary
education underplay the impact of the attempt of (b) solve society problems
colleges and universities to relate to, if not (c) impart knowledge
resolve, the problem of society. Whether the
(d) train workers
subject under review is student unrest, faculty
29. One of recent, important changes in higher
tenure, the nature of the curriculum the onset of
education relates to
collective bargaining, or the growth of the
collegiate bureaucracies, in each instance the (a) student representation on college
thrust of these discussions obscures the larger boards.
meaning of the emergence of the service- (b) faculty tenure requirement.
university in American higher education. Even
(c) curriculum updates.
the highly regarded critique of Clark Kerr,
(d) service education concepts.
formerly head of the Carnegie Foundation,
which set the parameters of academic debate 30. It was estimated that what percentage of

around the evolution of the so-called Open Admission students would fail to

"multiversity," failed to take account of this graduate from City University?

phenomenon. (a) 40% (b) 50%

Placement Class Sheet 9
(c) 60% (d) 70% many ways, the television ads aired today are

31. According to the passage, the two-year similar to those aired two decades ago. Most

college may be described as television ads still feature actors, still run 30 or
60 seconds, and still show a product. However,
I. a junior college
the differing dynamics of the Internet pose
II. service oriented
unique challenges to advertisers, forcing them to
III. a community college adapt their practices and techniques on a regular

(A) I only (B) II only basis.

(C) I and II only (D) I, II, and III In the early days of Internet marketing,
online advertisers employed banner and pop-up
32. The service role of colleges aims to
ads to attract customers. These techniques
(A) improve services.
reached large audiences, generated many sales
(B) gain acceptance among educators. leads, and came at a low cost. However, a small
(C) serve the community. number of Internet users began to consider these
advertising techniques intrusive and annoying.
(D) make graduates employable.
Yet because marketing strategies relying heavily
33. The attrition rate of Open Admission
on banners and pop-ups produced results,
students was greater than the rate for
companies invested growing amounts of money
regular students by what percent?
into purchasing these ad types in hopes of
(a) 10% (b) 20% capturing market share in the burgeoning online
(c) 36% (d) 40% economy. As consumers became more

34. Clark Kerr failed to take account of
(A) the communiversity.
(B) collegiate bureaucracies.
(C) faculty tenure.
sophisticated, frustration with these online
advertising techniques grew. Independent
programmers began to develop tools that blocked
banner and pop-up ads. The popularity of these
tools exploded when the search engine Google,

(D) the service university. at the time an increasingly popular website

fighting to solidify its place on the Internet with
35. The average attrition rate for regular and
giants Microsoft and Yahoo, offered free
Open Admission students was
software enabling users to block pop-up ads. The
(A) 36% (B) 46%
backlash against banner ads grew as new web
(C) 56% (D) 75% browsers provided users the ability to block
Passage 5 image-based ads such as banner ads. Although
banner and pop-up ads still exist, they are far less
Marketing executives in television work
prominent than during the early days of the
with a relatively stable advertising medium. In
Internet.
 A major development in online marketing require a strategy that shuns constancy and
came with the introduction of pay-per-click ads. embraces change.
Unlike banner or pop-up ads, which originally 36. The author implies what about the future of
required companies to pay every time a website pay-per-performance advertising?
visitor saw an ad, pay-per-click ads allowed
(A) Although it improves on pay-per-click
companies to pay only when an interested
advertising, it is still vulnerable to
potential customer clicked on an ad. More
click fraud.
importantly, however, these ads circumvented
(B) It will one day become extinct as
the pop-up and banner blockers. As a result of
Internet users discover drawbacks
these advantages and the incredible growth in the
with it.
use of search engines, which provide excellent
venues for pay-per-click advertising, companies (C) Internet users will develop free
began turning to pay-per click marketing in software to blocks its effectiveness.
droves. However, as with the banner and pop-up (D) It will eventually become less popular
ads that preceded them, pay-per-click ads came with advertisers as the Internet
with their drawbacks. When companies began evolves and drawbacks emerge.
pouring billions of dollars into this emerging
(E) It will not face drawbacks due to its
medium, online advertising specialists started to
differing approach to online
notice the presence of what would later be called
marketing.
click fraud: representatives of a company with
37. Which of the following most accurately
no interest in the product advertised by a
states the main idea of the passage?
competitor click on the competitor's ads simply
to increase the marketing cost of the competitor. (A) Although pay-per-click advertising
Click fraud grew so rapidly that marketers remains a wide-spread and effective
sought to diversify their online positions away online advertising medium, its
from pay-per-click marketing through new popularity is likely to diminish as the
mediums. Internet evolves.

Although pay-per-click advertising remains (B) Internet advertising is not well

a common and effective advertising tool, received by Internet users, causing
marketers adapted yet again to the changing independent programmers to subvert
dynamics of the Internet by adopting new advertisers.

techniques such as pay-perperformance
advertising, search engine optimization, and
affiliate marketing. As the pace of the Internet's
evolution increases, it seems all the more likely
that, advertising successfully on the internet will
(C) Unlike the television, the Internet has
experienced dramatic changes in short
periods of time.
Placement Class Sheet 11
(D) Unlike the television, the Internet has (A) The type of individual each medium
evolved rapidly, forcing online reaches.
marketers to develop new advertising (B) Whether the medium is interactive.
strategies and mediums.
(C) The pace at which the medium
(E) The pace of the Internets evolution is evolves.
increasing and will only increase in
(D) The cost of advertising with each
the future.
medium.
38. According to the passage, which of the
(E) Whether each medium contains
following best describes the current status
drawbacks.
of pop-up ads?
41. The passage implies that which of the
(A) Widely used.
following attributes will be the most
(B) Less popular now than at earlier important for future success in online
times. advertising:
(C) A frequent target of click fraud. (A) Flexible creativity
(D) Non-existent due to pop-up blockers. (B) Disciplined patience
(E) Increasingly popular due to search (C) Uniform approach
engines.
(D) Ruthless tenacity
39. According to the passage, which of the
(E) Eclectic approach
following best describes the practice of
42. Which of the following words best
click fraud?
describes the authors tone in the passage?
(A) Clicking on the banner advertisements
(A) Critical (B) Analytical
of rival companies.
(C) Frustrated (D) Biased
(B) Using software to block
advertisements. (E) Surprised

(C) Utilizing search engine optimization

to visit the pages of competitors. Passage 6
(D) Fraudulently purchasing products Until recently, scientists did not know of a
online. close vertebrate analogue to the extreme form of
(E) Clicking on the pay-per-click ads of altruism observed in eusocial insects like ants
competitors. and bees, whereby individuals cooperate,
sometimes even sacrificing their own
40. According to the passage, the largest point
opportunities to survive and reproduce, for the
at which the television and Internet differ as
good of others. However, such a vertebrate
an advertising medium is:
society may exist among underground colonies
of the highly social rodent Heterocephalus
glaber, the naked mole rat.
A naked mole rat colony, like a beehive,
wasp's nest, or termite mound, is ruled by its
queen, or reproducing female. Other adult female
mole rats neither ovulate nor breed. The queen is
the largest member of the colony, and she
maintains her breeding status through a mixture
of behavioural and, presumably, chemical
control. Queens have been long-lived in
captivity, and when they die or are removed from
a colony one sees violent fighting for breeding
status among the larger remaining females,
leading to a takeover by a new queen.
Eusocial insect societies have rigid caste
systems, each insect's role being defined by its
behaviour, body shape, and physiology, In naked
mole rat societies, on the other hand, differences
in behavior are related primarily to reproductive
status (reproduction being limited to the queen
and a few males), body size, and perhaps age.
Smaller non -breeding members, both male and
female, seem to participate primarily in
gathering food, transporting nest material, and
tunneling. Larger non-breeders are active in
defending the colony and perhaps in removing
dirt from the tunnels. Jarvis's work has suggested
that differences in growth rates may influence
the length of time that an individual performs a
task, regardless of its age.
Cooperative breeding has evolved many
times in vertebrates, but unlike naked mole rats,
most cooperatively breeding vertebrates (except
the wild dog, Lycaon pictus) are dominated by a
pair of breeders rather than by a single breeding
female. The division of labor within social
groups is less pronounced among other
vertebrates than among naked mole rats, colony
size is much smaller, and mating by subordinate
females may not be totally suppressed, whereas
in naked mole rat colonies subordinate females
are not sexually active, and many never breed.
43. Which of the following most accurately
states the main idea of the passage?
A. Naked mole rat colonies are the only
known examples of cooperatively
breeding vertebrate societies.
B. Naked mole rat colonies exhibit social
organization based on a rigid caste
system.
C. Behavior in naked mole rat colonies
may well be a close vertebrate
analogue to behavior in eusocial
insect societies).
D. The mating habits of naked mole rats
differ from those of any other
vertebrate spaces
44. The passage suggests that Jarviss work has
called into question which of the following
explanatory variables for naked mole rat
behavior?
A. Size
B. Age
C. Reproductive status
D. Rate of growth
45. It can be inferred from the passage that the
performance of tasks in naked mole rat
Placement Class Sheet
colonies differs from task performance in
eusocial insect societies in which of the
following ways?
A. In naked mole rat colonies, all tasks
are performed cooperatively.
13
D. Breeding is not dominated by a single
pair of dogs.
48. According to the passage, naked mole rat
colonies may differ from all other known
vertebrate groups in which of the following

B. In naked mole rat colonies, the ways?

performance of tasks is less rigidly A. Naked mole rats exhibit an extreme

determined by body shape. form of altruism.

C. In naked mole rat colonies, breeding B. Naked mole rats are cooperative
is limited to the largest animals. breeders.

D. In eusocial insect societies, C. Among naked mole rats, many males

reproduction is limited to a single are permitted to breed with a single
female. dominant female.

46. According to the passage, which of the D. Among naked mole rats, different
following is a supposition rather than a fact tasks are performed at different times
concerning the queen in a naked mole rat in an individual's life.
colony? 49. One function of the third paragraph of the
A. She is the largest member of the passage is to
colony.
A. State a conclusion about fact
B. She exerts chemical control over the presented in an earlier paragraph.
colony.
B. introduce information that is
C. She mates with more than one male.
contradicted by information in the
D. She attains her status through
fourth paragraph.
aggression.
C. qualify the extent to which two
47. The passage supports which of the
previously mentioned groups might be
following inferences about breeding among
similar.
Lycaon pictus?
D. show the chain of reasoning that led to
A. The largest female in the social group
the conclusions of a specific study.
does not maintain reproductive status
Passage 7
by means of behavioural control.

B. An individual's ability to breed is The importance of a decline in productivity

related primarily to its rate of growth.
C. Breeding is the only task performed
by the breeding female.
growth of both labor and capital derives from the
fact that they are practically the only sources of
growth in a country's material well-being.
Without growth in productivity, money income
may increase but real income will not. The
growth of labor productivity is critically
dependent on technology, and the same is true
for capital productivity. At least conceptually,
the only time capital productivity can grow is
when the efficiency of new capital goods (plant
and equipment) grows faster than the prices of
these goods, and this can happen only when the
economic value of resource-saving technolo-
gical innovations embodied in new capital goods
exceeds the cost of innovations. For 20 years
following the Second World War the United
States maintained about the same rate of labor
productivity growth as the average of the
preceding 80 years: 2.4 to 2.5 percent per year.
Between 1965 and 1971, however, the growth
rate slipped to about one-half of this long term
average. From 1965 through 1973, the growth
rate averaged 1.7 percent per year, or 30 percent
less than the preceding long term average. The
decline in the growth of labor productivity was
paralleled by a dramatic decline in the growth of
capital productivity. Most economists argue that
the decline is strictly cyclical. They assert that
the long-term rate will resume once the growth
in total output resumes its "normal" path. The
slowdown, however, contains a substantial long-
term element, one that is not automatically
reversible. The most persuasive prima facie
observation favouring such irreversibility is
the fact that no previous slowdown in the growth
of labour productivity in United States history
has been greater than 20 percent of the long-term
average. Further, the United States gained
economic pre-eminence around 1950 largely
because its labour productivity growth in the
preceding 80 years was 0.09 percent higher than
the average a broad continuation of essentially
the same rate between 1950 and 1965, however,
produced a decline in the position of the United
States in relation to other countries because the
other countries more than tripled their rates of
productivity growth. These trends have
tremendous implications for the country's future
growth its relative economic and political
position in the world, and its reaction to future
inflationary pressures. The decline in capital
productivity implies that the growing shortages
of investable funds and the continuing rise in
interest rates are not short-term phenomena.
Rather, they are the result of long-term forces at
work in the economy, the principal one which is
the decline in technological advance relative to
both past performance in the United State and
current performance in other countries. The only
way to reverse these trends is to reverse the
decline in the rate of technological advance.
50. When the author uses the phrase At least
conceptually (line 8-9), he implies that
A. the retail prices of capital goods are
not directly related to the cost of
producing the goods.
B. technological innovations are only
partially responsible for reductions in
the cost of capital goods.
C. the efficiency of producing capital
goods does not determine the cost of
capital goods.
Placement Class Sheet 15
D. the actual growth of capital of previous economic trends in the
productivity may not always follow United States.
theoretical models. D. The slowdown in the growth of
51. According to the passage, when productivity since 1965 is much
technological development lags, which of greater than any previous slowdown
the following is true? in productivity growth.

A. Real income increases. 54. In developing his argument the author

B. Productivity growth declines. relies on all of the following EXCEPT

C. Capital requirements stabilize. A. experimental evidence

D. Investable funds are unaffected. B. logical inferences

52. It can be inferred that for the years 1972 C. statistical data

and 1973 the average growth rate of labour D. economic theory

productivity was 55. Which of the following best states the
A. equal to the average for 1965-1971. authors opinion of the future of labour and

B. equal to the average for the years capital productivity growth in the United

1865 through 1945. States?

C. higher than the average for the years A. They will remain competitive with

1965 through 1971. current trends in productivity in

D. higher than the average for the years
1965 through 1971.
53. Which of the following does the author
mention as evidence that the decline in the
growth of labour and capital productivity is
European countries.
B. They will eventually return to the
same growth rate that existed in the
United States between 1865 and 1945.
C. They will continue to increase as long

not cyclical? as sufficient natural resources are

available for manufacturing.
A. The growth of labour productivity in
the United States between 1865 and D. They will continue to decline until the

1945 was greater than that in rate of technological advance in the

European countries. Unites States begins to increase.

B. Recent inflationary pressures have 56. It can be inferred that between 1950 and

made prediction of future economic 1965 the relative economic position of the

trends impossible. United States with respect to European

countries declined even though
C. The technological advances of foreign
countries prevent the resumption
 A. there was no change in the growth established by anyone other than the aggregate
rate of labour productivity in of consumers seems pernicious.
European Accordingly, it requires a major act of will
countries. to think of price-fixing as both normal and
B. there was no change in the growth having a valuable economic function. In fact,
rate of labour productivity in the price-fixing is normal in all industrialized
Unites societies because the industrial system itself
States. provides, as an effortless consequence of its own

C. the rate of growth of labour development, the price-fixing that it requires.

productivity in the Unites States Modern industrial planning requires and rewards

changed substantially. great size. Hence, a comparatively small number

of large firms will be competing for the same
D. relative capital requirements
group consumers. That each large firm will act
continued to rise.
with consideration of its own needs and thus
57. Which of the following best describes the
avoid selling its products for more than its
authors approach to his topic
competitors charge is commonly recognized by
A. He describes a theory and explains advocates of free-market economic theories. But
how it was derived. each large firm will also act with full
consideration of the needs that it has in common
B. He presents a problem and discusses
with the other large firms competing for the
possible solutions for it.
same customers. Each large firm will thus avoid
C. He provides facts from which readers significant price-cutting, will be prejudicial to
can draw their own conclusions. the common interest in a stable demand for
products. Most economists do not see price-
D. He describes current trends and
fixing when it occurs because they expect it to be
explains why he deplores them.
brought about by a number of explicit
agreements among large firms; it is not.
Passage 8 Moreover, those economists who argue that
Globalization, liberalization and free allowing the free-market to operate without
market are some of the most significant modern interference is the most efficient method of
trends in economy. Most economists in our establishing prices have not considered the
country seem captivated by the spell of the free economies of non-socialist countries. Most of
market. Consequently, nothing seems good or these economies employ intentional price-fixing,
normal that does not accord with the usually in an overt fashion. Formal price-fixing
requirements of the free market. A price that is by cartel and informal price-fixing by
determined by the seller or, for that matter, agreements covering the members of an industry
Placement Class Sheet 17
are common place. Were there something 59. Which of the following statements A, B,
peculiarly efficient about the free market and and/ or C is/are true in the context of the
inefficient about price-fixing, the countries that information given in the passage?
have avoided the first and used the second would The information passage helps to
have suffered drastically in their economic (A) know some of the ways in which
development. There is no indication that they prices can be fixed.
have. Socialist industry also works within a
(B) identify the products for which price-
framework of controlled prices. In the early
fixing can be more beneficial.
1970s the Soviet Union began to give firms and
(C) differentiate between the economies
industries some flexibility.
of various countries.
In adjusting prices that a more informal
(A) Only (A) (B) Only (B)
evolution has accorded the capitalist system.
Economists in the USA have hailed the change (C) Only (C) (D) Only (A) and (B)
as a return to the free-market. But the then Soviet (E) None of these
firms were not in favour of the prices established
60. Considering the literal meaning and
by a free-market over which they exercised little
connotations of the words used In the
influence; rather, Soviet firms acquired some
passage, the author's attitude towards "most
power to fix prices.
economists" can best be described as
58. The author's primary objective of writing
(A) derogatory and antagonistic
the passage seems to
(B) impartial and unbiased
(A) believe the popular belief that the
(C) spiteful and envious
free-market helps enhance develop-
pment of industrial societies (D) critical land condescending

(B) advocate that price-fixing is (E) indifferent

unavoidable and it is beneficial to the
economy of any industrialized society
(C) explain the methodology of fixing
price to stabilize free-market.
(D) prove that price-fixing and free-
market and compatible and mutually
beneficial to industrialized societies.
(E) create awareness among the general
public regarding combating price-
fixing by large firms.
61. The author feels that price fixed by seller
seems pernicious because
(A) people don't have faith in large firms.
(B) people don't want to Government to
fix prices.
(C) most economists believe that
consumers should determine prices.
(D) most economists believe that no one
group should determine prices.
(E) people do not want to decide prices.
62. Which of the following statements is 65. The author's primary concern seems to
definitely true in the context of the (A) summarise conflicting viewpoints.
passage? Price fixing is
(B) make people aware of recent
(A) a profitable result of economic discoveries.
development. (C) criticize a point of view.
(B) an inevitable result of the industrial (D) predict the probable results of a
system. practice.
(C) the joint result of a number of (E) prepare a research proposal.
carefully organized decisions.
66. Which of the following statements about
(D) a phenomenon uncommon to the socialist industry is/are false?
industrialized societies.
(A) It works under certain price
(E) a result of joint venture of the restrictions.
Government and industry. (B) It has no authority to determine prices.
63. According to the passage, price fixing in (C) It halls the strategy of price fixing, as
non-socialistic countries is generally. a major deviation.
(A) international and widespread. (1) Only (A) is false
(B) illegitimate but beneficial. (2) Only (B) is false
(C) conservative and inflexible. (3) Only (C) is false
(D) legitimate and innovate. (4) (A) and (B) are false
(E) conservative and scarce. (5) (B) and (C) are false
64. What was the result of the then Soviet Passage 9
Union's change in economic policy in the
One could, in theory, conceive of a country
1970's?
"specializing" entirely in agriculture and
(A) they showed greater profits. obtaining all its industrial requirements from
(B) they had less control over the free abroad. But it could never become a high-income
market. country simply because technologically

(C) they were able to adjust to techno developed agriculture could never absorb more

advancement. than a fraction of the working population on the

available land. Though in all underdeveloped
(D) They acquired some authority to fix
countries the greater part of the working
prices.
population is "occupied" in agriculture, most of
(E) They became more responsive to free
this represents disguised unemployment, a rural
market.
community maintains all its members and
Placement Class Sheet 19
expects everyone to share in the work. Much of (D) relieving the pressure of employment
the greater part of this labour could be in industry.
withdrawn from agriculture if alternative (E) none of the above
employment opportunities were available
68. According to the passage, it is theoretically
without any adverse effect, and probably with a
possible to think of a country.
beneficial effect, on total agricultural output. For
(A) advanced both in agriculture and
the relief of the pressure of labour on the land is
industry.
itself a most potent factor in inducing
improvements in technology which raise yields (B) specialized in industry but not in

per acre, as well as the yield per man. These agriculture.

improvements normally require an increase in (C) backward both in agriculture and

the capital employed on the land; but the savings industry.
necessary for the increase in capital are (D) specialized in agriculture but not in
themselves a byproduct of reduced population industry.
pressure. The reduction in the agricultural
(E) borrowing all its requirements from
population, and the increased use of capital in
abroad.
agriculture are thus different aspects of the same
69. What could be done, according to the
process. As there are fewer mouths to feed, the
passage, to induce improvement in
agricultural surplus rises (the excess of
agriculture technology?
agricultural production over the self-
consumption of the farming population). The (A) import of better agricultural

rise in the surplus enables the farmers to technology.

plough back a higher proportion of their output
in the form of better tools, improved seeds,
fertilizers, etc., and such improvements tend to
be both labour saving and land saving; they
diminish the labour requirements at the same
(B) providing better weather forecasts.
(C) to relieve pressure of labour on land.
(D) providing irrigation facilities.
(E) none of the above

time as they increase the yield of the land. 70. According to the passage, in

67. What, according to the passage will be the underdeveloped countries.

achievement of inducing improvement in (A) agriculture is in a primitive stage.

technology?
(A) higher specialization in agriculture.
(B) better employment opportunities.
(C) beneficial effects on quality of life of
people.
(B) per acre yield is very high.
(C) land is available in plenty.
(D) alternative employment opportunities
will have adverse effect on the lives of
people.
 (E) significant proportion of working (C) Agriculture surplus will rise if there
population works in agriculture. are fewer mouths to feed.

71. Which one of the following statements is
true in the context of the passage?
(A) underdeveloped countries are rapidly
growing industrially.
(B) Technologically developed agriculture
solves all the problems
unemployment.
(C) Relief of the pressure of labour on
land rises yields per acre.
(D) Yield per acre and yield per man are
unrelated.
(D) Technologically developed agriculture
will absorb most of the working
population on the available land.
(E) A rural community maintains all its
members and expects every one to
share in the work.
of
74. Which of the following is most nearly the
SAME in meaning as the word diminish
as used in the passage.
(A) Reduce (B) Shorten
(C) Prohibit (D) Increase

(E) Worsen
(E) Surplus in agriculture is spent for
domestic purposes. 75. Which of the following is most OPPOSITE
in meaning of the word adverse as used in
72. Why, according to the passage, a country
the passage?
specialized in agriculture only cannot
become a high-income country? (A) Negative (B) Facilitating

(A) It is simply cannot borrow all its (C) Supplementary (D) Derogative

industrial requirements from abroad. (E) Decorative

(B) It can absorb only a fraction of its 76. Which of the following is most nearly the
working population. SAME in meaning as the word inducing

(C) Agriculture needs huge investments as used in the passage?

and infrastructural facilities. (A) Causing (B) Augmenting

(D) Technological advancement in (C) Reducing (D) Developing

agriculture has limitation. (E) Increasing
(E) None of the above
Passage 10
73. Which of the following statements is not
The strength of Indian democracy lies in its
true in the context of the passage?
tradition in the fusion of the ideas of democracy
(A) theoretically there could be a country and national independence, which was the
specialized entirely in agriculture. characteristic of the Indian Nationalist
(B) Capital is required to increase the per movement long before Independence. Although
acre yield of the land. the British retained supreme authority in India
Placement Class Sheet
until 1947, the provincial elections of 1937
provided real exercise in democratic practice
before national independence. During the
Pacific War, India was not over run or seriously
invaded by the Japanese and after the War was
over, the transfer of power to a Government of
the Indian Congress Party was a peaceful one as
far as Britain was concerned. By 1947
Indianisation had already gone far in the Indian
Civil Service and Army, so that the new
government could start with effective
instruments of central control.
After Independence, however, India was
faced with two vast problems; the first, that of
economic growth from a very low level of
production and the second was that of ethnic
diversity and the aspirations of sub nationalities.
The Congress leadership was more aware of the
former problem than of the second; As a new
political elite which had rebelled not only against
the British Raj but also against Indias old social
order, they were conscious of the need to initiate
economic development and undertake social
reforms, but as nationalists who had led a
struggle against the alien rule on behalf of all
parts of India they took the cohesion of the
Indian nation tool much for granted and
underestimated the centrifugal forces of ethnic
division, which were bound to be accentuated
rather than diminished as the popular masses was
more and more drawn into politics. The
Congress Party was originally opposed to the
idea of recognizing any division of India on a
linguistic basis and preferred to retain the old
provinces of British India which often cut across
linguistic boundaries; it was only in response to
21
strong pressure from below that the principle of
linguistic States was conceded as the basis for a
federal 'Indian Union'. The rights granted to the
States created new problems for the Central
Government. The idea of making Hindi the
national language of a united India was thwarted
by the recalcitrance of the speakers of other
important Indian languages, and the autonomy of
the States rendered central economic planning
extremely difficult. Land reforms remained
under the control of the States and many large-
scale economic projects required a degree of
cooperation between the Central Government
and one or more of the States, which it was
found impossible to achieve. Coordination of
policies was difficult even when the Congress
Party was in power both in the States and at the
Centre; when a Congress Government in Delhi
was confronted with non-Congress parties in
office in the States, it became much harder.
77. Choose the word, which is most nearly the,
SAME in meaning as the word thwarted
as used in the passage?
(1) Opposed (2) Implemented
(3) Accepted (4) Diverted
(5) Advocated
78. 'Choose the word, which is most
OPPOSITE in meaning of the word
conceded as used in the passage?
(1) Criticised (2) Rejected
(3) Denounced (4) Withdrawn
(5) Accorded
79. Why was central economic planning found
to be difficult?
 (1) multiplicity of States and Union (1) The handing over the power by
territories. British to India.

(2) lack of coordination in different (2) The Indianisation of the Indian Civil
government departments. Service.

(3) autonomy given to the States in (3) A neutral role played by the Army.
certain matters. (4) Several democratic institutions
(4) lack of will in implementing land created by the Indian National
reforms. Congress.

(5) ethic diversity of the people. (5) None of the above

80. Which of the following problems India was 83. Choose the word, which is most
faced with after Independence? OPPOSITE in meaning of the word

(1) Military attack from a country across 'recalcitrance' as used in the passage?

the border. (1) Opposition (2) Dedication

(2) Lack of co-ordination between the (3) Amenability (4) Vulnerability

Central and State Governments.
(3) Improper co-ordination of various
government policies.
(4) Increasing production from a very low
level.
(5) None of the above
(5) Provocation
84. Which of the following statements is not
true in the context of the passage?
(1) The Congress Party was originally
opposed to the idea of division of
States on linguistic basis.

81. Which of the following issues was not (2) Economic development and social
appropriately realized by the Central reforms were initiated soon after
Government? Independence.

(1) Ethnic diversity of the people. (3) The political elite in India rebelled

(2) A national language for the country. against the British Raj.

(3) Implementation of the formulated (4) The Congress leadership was fully

policies. aware of the problem of ethic

diversity in India at the time of
(4) Centre-State relations
independence.
(5) None of the above
(5) By 1947, Indian Army was fairly
82. Which, according to the passage can be,
Indianised.
cited as exercise in democratic practice In
India before Independence?
Placement Class Sheet 23
85. Choose the word, which is most nearly the, (1) process of Indianisation of the Indian
SAME in meaning as the word Civil Service had already started.
'accentuated' as used in the passage? (2) Indian Army was organized on the
(1) Projected (2) Exhibited pattern of British Army.

(3) Mitigated (4) Devalued (3) People of India offered their whole

(5) Sharpened hearted support to the Government.

86. Why was the linguistic reorganization of (4) Transfer of power to the Indian

the States accepted? Congress party was peaceful.

(1) The States were not cooperating with (5) None of the above

the Central Government. 89. Choose the word, which is most

(2) Non-Congress Governments in the OPPOSITE in meaning of the word

States demanded such a reorgani- harder as used in the passage?

zation of the States. (1) Slower (2) Easier

(3) No common national language could (3) Shorter (4) Larger

be emerged. (5) Inferior

(4) Strong pressures from the States were 90. Which of the following statements is true
exerted on the Central Government to in the context of the passage?
create such States. (1) After Independence, India was faced
(5) None of the above with the problem of linguistic

87. The provincial elections of 1937 in India diversity of the people.

showed that the (2) During the Pacific War, India was
invaded by Japan.
(1) supremacy of British in India was
likely to be short-lived. (3) Congress leadership was not as much
aware of the problem of ethic
(2) India was capable of bringing into
diversity as much as of low
practice the ideas of democracy.
production.
(3) Indian Congress was the single largest
(4) Social reforms were neglected by the
party in India.
government.
(4) British Rule was not popular in India.
(5) Land reforms were under the control
(5) Indians were peace-loving people.
of the Central Government.
88. The new government could start with 91. Why was India not overrun by the Japanese
effective instrument of central power after during the Pacific War?
independence because the
(1) Japan had friendly relations with
Britain.

(2) Japan was interested in India's

freedom from the British Rule.

(3) It was not an advantageous

proposition for Japan from the
military perspective.

(4) Japan was skeptical about its success

in the war.

(5) None of the above.