B TEST 5 Implicit in the freedoms we cherish in our democracy is our right to offend. That is the comerstone of all free thought and its expression. In a country as beautiful and complex as ours, it is our inalienable right to offend that makes us the nation we are. Of course I also recognise the fact that this right attaches to itself many risks, including the risk of being targeted. But as long as these risks are within reasonable, well- defined limits, most people will take them in their stride. | am ready to defend my right to offend in any debate or a court of law. But it’s not fine when mobs come to lynch you. Ivs not right, when they vandalise your home or burn your books or art or stop you from showing your film or, what's becoming more frequent, hire thugs to kill you. Authors, journalists, painters and now even activists and rationalists are being openly attacked and murdered. Iv’s a constant challenge to walk the tightrope; to know exactly where to draw the line when you write, paint speak. The funny thing is truth has no limits, no frontiers. When you want to say something you strongly believe in. there is no point where you can stop. The truth is always whole. When you draw a line, as discretion suggests, you encourage half-truths and falsehoods being foisted on others, you subvert your conscience. In some cases it’s not even possible to draw a line. A campaigner against corruption can never stop midway through his campaign even though he knows exactly at which point the truth invites danger. extreme danger. Yet India is a brave nation and there ate many common people, ordinary citizens with hardly ao resources and no one to protect them who are ready (© # out ona limb and say it as it is. They are the ones who keeP our democracy burning bright. Every few days you read about a journalist RTI activists murdered for exposing what is in the interest. You read about people campaigning fe| a a eal pificulty—! “ holkar, who fe jrendra Dabholkar, who fought against s aie Merce, babas and tants) being gunned ae dood. Even before the police can star inves Fime is invariably Politicised, Issues of Bees, reli oe nity, political alfilation are dragged in oni canmyate ead obfuscate) the crime and, before yeu it the story dies because some other, even m tay ere is committed somewhere else and draws aay vei peadlnes and your attention. And when that happens minals get away. We are today an attention deficit nation gecause there's so much happening everywhere, all pretty dtl stuf, that its Impossible for anyone to stay focused, Even fame and success can’t protect you. Dr Dabholkar vasa renowned rationalist, a man of immaculate credential. Yer he was gunned down by fanatics who thought he was endangering their trade in cheating poor and gullible people. Husain was our greatest living painter. He was forced into cle in his 1980s because zealots refused to let him live and work in peace here. They vandalised his art; hunted down his shows; ransacked them. Yet Husain, as I knew him, was as ardent a Hindu as anyone else. His paintings on the Mahabharata are the stuff legends are made of. A pusillanimous government lacked the will to intervene. When we deny ourselves the right to offend, we deny ourselves the possibility of change. That’s how societies become brutal, moribund, disgustingly boring. Is this what you want? If the answer is No and you want to stay a free citizen, insist on your right to offend. If enough people do that, change is not just inevitable. It's assured. And change Is what defines a living culture. QL. The author is in agreement with which of the following? 1. The right to offend is worth preserving and an essential component of a democratic set UP. It allows one to put his/her point upfront when it’s the need of hour. 2. The absence of the right to offend would lead 0 a destruction of cultural freedom and society would degenerate into a lacklustre, homogenous constant. 3. The right to offend should be to safeguard us against the brought down upon us by the zeal always prevail in the society: 4. The right to offend is responsible for may injustices such as the murder of Natt Dabholkar and the vandalism against Huss) paintings. @1 () 1, 2 and 3 (©) 1 and 2 (@) 3 and 4 absolutely limitless atrocities that are lots, who will147 we Q2. If you were to paraphrase the word ‘pusillanimous, which of the following would you choose to use: (a) Complacent (b) Ineffective (©) Timid (@) Sensible Q3. Why is the right to offend a right worth preserving? (a) It empowers a select few in enforcing their opinions on others regardless of their acceptance or agreement. (b) The right to express oneself is essential for individual development and allows for cultural advancement. (© To offend is to deny another of his/her right. (d) The right to offend is a partial representation of the truth, and the truth must be expressed, in public. ieoa soe simon Murden writes, “The Clash of Civilisations may not have told the whole story of what was happening in the post-Cold War world, but it told part of it. The claims he jade shaped the contours of the international realm in a jnanner which was largely ignored in an age dominated by {ideological leanings. The post-Cold War dynamics have been captured by Huntington by elevating the importance of Cultural variables. The fervour of the text is decidedly realist; however, Huntington in an interview clarified that he was qware of the views which branded his work as the ‘latest aesion of billiard ball realism’ but he also asserted that the vfference lay in the replacement of nation-state as a primary cetortocivilisationsas the movers’ history. In essence the Cold War paradigm now came co be replaced by a new paradigm wah culture occupying the central role. The problem wineries was evident 26 che shifting power equations gave way co identities being defined not ip ideological Bas ather they were now defined in ciilisational terms wenich he believed was, ‘culture writ large. ontribution lay in generating a new paradigm, Gideon Rose argued that Ns ‘work was directed para ietajor practical and theoretical questions of the ay. Herein lay his briliance. However. hhas also been Srpued that his methodolosy Was aneedotal in nature and it ae ied vo few specific situations £0 2FFve a 4 grand theory. caveretproach many believe can Tead to, Satin based HS venient explanations and argument Huntington was conve of this and he acknowledged the need to situating are gsues in cme and space He was, Neer much cermgmned about the method as much, 2 he was about norma empirical generalisations and, this encouraged ate draw col He identified the emergence Huntington's. ¢ ymparisons.backlash against it ed from emergence of western universalism and the ‘ which assumed various forms. It ranged fre of of religious fundamentalism to challenges in the ea 6 assertion of Asian Values which gained salience 0’ Japan’s emergence as a major economic power. The notion of power is central to his work. This aa in his treatment of civilisational differences as 4 eae source of conflict in the post-Cold War era. In this sen: he recognised culture as acquiring a political arene The issue of identity defined by religion which was obscure by the Cold War obsession with ideologies gained renewed Importance. The understanding of the ‘other’ was weighed against their ‘own constructed identities. Huntington wamns against insistence on equating westernization and modernisation. This he argues strengthens indigenising forces and often initiates a violent opposition to the west. Samuel Huntington’s book provides a powerful and compelling analysis of a de-ideologised world in which he writes, The velvet curtain of culture has replaced the iron curtain of ideology as the most significant dividing line in Europe’. On the one hand was Francis Fukuyama who was proclaiming that the collapse of the Soviet Union signalled the end of history as liberal values triumphed, and on the other hand was Huntington who evidently was uncomfortable with such a Universalist claim, Huntington writes that, ‘westem belief in universality of western culture suffers from three problems: it is false; itis immoral; and it is dangerous’. He recognised the pitfalls of viewing the neoliberal concepts of interdependence largely in terms of the west and acknowledged the need for ‘universalism at home and multiculturalism abroad’. The ‘Clash of Civilisations thesis’ despite its misinterpretations became conventional wisdom when much of the conflicts and wars in the world could be articulated in terms of being a conflict between different cultures. The 9/11 incident signalled the potency of cultural differences. The borders of civilisations for Huntington became sacrosanct. To the extent that many have argued, he ignored the cross-cultural interactions which shaped these civilisations and the internal schisms characteristic of many of them. is is evident Q4. Which of the following is NOT a conclusion applicable to Huntington's work or stylet @) Huntington’s work had a distinctively realist flavour with a stand opposite to the neolibersl world’s generalised universality, (b) Huntington employed an anecdotal met to arrive at grand theories. (©) Huntington was essentially a universalist who used empirical generalisations to justly his deductions (@) Huntington was a critic of the neoliby of thought and believed that the ideology was being replaced by the culture. thodology eral school curtain of curtain of,10 Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension ee ea. Q5. If you were to ask Samuel Huntington a follow, question based on your reading of this Passage which of the following would be the Leas FAVOURABLE option? (@) What are the disadvantages of viewing the world through the Universalist prism? (©) Can culture be prevented from taking oy political dimensions such as in the West, o, this inevitable? Again, is it necessary? (©) In what ways can cross-cultural interactions shape entire civilisations? (@ Is ideology completely irrelevant in the age of the curtain of culture? Q6. In the context of the passage, the best replacement (that would not alter the meaning of the sentence) for the phrase ‘internal schisms’ would be: (@) Internal estrangements (b) Internal detachments (© Internal rifts (d) Internal dissension A country under foreign domination seeks escape from the present in dreams of a vanished age and finds consolation in visions of past greatness. That is a foolish and dangerous pastime in which many of us indulge, An equally questionable practice for us in India is to imagine that we are still spiritually great though we have come down in the world in other respects. Spiritual or any other greatness cannot be founded on lack of freedom and opportunity, or on starvation and misery. Many western writers have encouraged that notion that Indians are other- worldly. 1 suppose the poor and unfortunate in every county become to some extent other-worldly, unless they become revolutionaries, for this world is evidently not meant for them, So also subject peoples. ‘As a man grows to maturity he is not entirely engrossed in, or satisfied with, the external objective world. He see! also some inner meaning, some psychological and physic! satisfaction. So also with people and civilisations as they mature and grow adult. Every civilisation and every PeoPle exhibit these parallel streams of an external life and 2? | {intemal life. Where they meet or keep close to each othe there is an equilibrium and stability. When they diveré? conflict arises and the crises that torture the mind and spi" Q7. The passage mentions that ‘this world is evidently "7 meant for them’. It refers to people who 1. Seek freedom from foreign domination. 2. Live in starvation and misery. 3. Become revolutionaries.1 i hich of the statements given above is/ ; we — (b) 2 only (©) 2 and 3 (@) 3 only Consider the following assumption 1. A country under foreign domination cannot indulge in spiritual pursuit. 2. Poverty is an impediment in the spiritual pursuit. 3, Subject peoples may become other-worldly. With reference to the passage, which of the above assumptions is/are valid? (@ land 2 (b) 2 only (© 2 and 3 (@ 3 only Q9. The passage thematically centres on (@) The state of mind of oppressed people. (b) Starvation and misery. (©) The growth of civilisation, (@ Body, mind and spirit of people in general Q10. According to the passage, the torture of the mind and spirit is caused (a) By the impact of foreign domination. (b) By the desire to escape from foreign domination and find consolation in visions of past greatness (©) Due to lack of equilibrium between an external life and an internal life. (@ Due to one’s inability to be either revoluti or other-worldly. Bistro jonary The concept of ‘creative society’ refers 10 4 phase es development of a society in which 2 large number 0! articulate and active. Potential contradictions become essed social groups Bet This fe moat when 0} Politely mobilised and Hyer ed their rights. The UPSUIBe oF the peasane cred tribals the movements for regional autonomy ahd setfdecermination, the eet ani jomen’s movements in the develoP fians of a of creative society in the contemporary times The fame of social movements 2nd (Ret incensity "nay vary from country to country and place © place wih 2 county: bac the very presence of MOVEMENT ne {anstomctre gr warions spheres of 3 society 1m licat "Mergence of a creative society in a county”‘Q1. What does the author imply by ‘creative society? 1. A society where diverse art forms and literary writings seek incentive. 2. A society where social inequalities are accepted as the norm, 3. Asociety where a large number of contradictions are recognised. 4. Asociety where the exploited and the oppressed groups grow conscious of their human rights and upliftment. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (@) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 4 only (© 3 and 4 @ 2 and 4 2. what according othe passage ae the manifestations of social movements? 1. Aggressiveness and being incendiary. 2. Instigation by external forces. 3. Quest for social equality and individual freedom. 4, Urge for granting privileges and self-respect to disparaged sections of the society. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (@ 1 and 3 only (b) 2 and 4 only (© 3 and 4 only @ 1,2,3 and 4 Q3. With reference to the passage, consider the following statements: 1. To be a creative society, it is essential to have a variety of social movements. 2. To be a creative society, it is imperative to have potential contradictions and conflicts. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (@) 1 only (b) 2 Only (©) Both 1 and 2 (@) Neither 1 nor 2 Ecosystems provide people with a variety of goods and services: food, clean water, clean air, flood control, soll Stabilisation, pollination, climate regulation, spiritual fulfilment and aesthetic enjoyment, to name just a few. Most of these benefits either are irreplaceable or the technology necessary to replace them is prohibitively"expensive, For example, pot Pwatet, ay jon has greatly their increase particularly vese modifications and fuel Tres ell being, and have not been gple have actually been hortterm increases come at the For example, d fibre have ide clean provided by desalinatin : ‘The rapidly expanding human ee modified the Earth’s ecosyster™ ee requirements of some of the goods FN food, fresh water, timbre, fibre ve contributed substantially to human economic development. The equally distributed. Some Pe harmed by these changes. Moreover, 8 Income ecosystem goods and services have ost of the long-term degradation of others. Gfforts co increase the production of food an Gecreased the ability of some ecosystems to Prov! water, regulate flooding and support biodiversity: Q4. With reference to the passage, consider the following statements. Expanding human population has an adverse effect on: Spiritual fulfilment Aesthetic enjoyment Potable fresh water Production of food and fibre . Biodiversity Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2, 4 and 5 only (©) 3 and 5 only (@) 1, 2, 3,4 and 5 vaAeNe QS. The passage mentions that ‘some people have actually been harmed by these changes’. eee anges’. What does 1. The rapid expansion of population has ad affected some people. versely Sufficient efforts the production a ood anh © Tene 3. In the short term some ps : but in the long term ever modifications in the E; Which of the statements g (@ 1 only (b) 2 only (© 1 and 3 (@) None of the st: eople may be harmed, yone will benefit from arth’s ecosystems iven above is/are correct? atements gi iven Q6. With reference to Biven above following statements: 1 k Sse, consider the he passage, consi, {tis imperative to modify the Baru t fy ut h's ‘ing of mankind. ecosystemse for Verbal Which of the statements given above is/are ¢ @ 1 only ) 2 only (© Both 1 and 2 (@ Neither 1 nor 2 For achieving inclusive growth there is a critical negq to rethink the role of the State. The early debate amo, economists about the size of the Goverment can pe misleading. The need of the hour is to have an enabling Government. India is too large and complex a nation fe the State to be able to deliver all that is needed. Asking the Government to produce all the essential goods, create all the necessary jobs and keep a curb on the prices of all goods is to lead to a large cumbersome bureaucracy and widespread corruption. ‘orrecy The aim must be to stay with the objective of inclusive growth that was laid down by the founding fathers of the nation and also to take a more modern view of what the state can realistically deliver. This is what leads to the idea of an enabling state, that is, a government that does not try to directly deliver to the citizens everything that they need. Instead, it (1) creates an enabling ethos for the market so that individual enterprise can flourish and citizens can, for the most part, provide for the needs of one another, and (2) steps in to help those who do not manage to do well for themselves, for there will always be individuals, no matter what the system, who need support and help. Hence we need a government that, when it comes to the marker, sets effective, incentive compatible rules and remains on the sidelines with minimal interference, and, at the same time, plays an important role in directly helping the poor by ensuring that they get basic education and health services and receive adequat® nutrition and food. Q7. According to the passage: 1, The objective of inclusive growth was laid dow" by the founding fathers of the nation. 2, Need of the hour is to have an enabling Government 3. The Government should engage in maximul interference in market processes. 4. There is a need to change the size Government. Which of the statements given above are correct (@) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (© 1 and 4 only (@) 1, 2,3 and 4 of theevel of Difficulty on Aco a he ny fc @ Meeting all the needs of every citizen in the © Ineressng the regulations over the manufacturing © coast the distribution of manufactured @ Delivery ee eae to the deprived Q9. What constitutes Government an enabling? 1. A large bureaucracy, 2, Implementation of welfare programmes through representatives. = 3, Creating an ethos that helps individual enterprise. 4. Providing resources to those who are underprivileged. s, Offering direct help to the poor regarding basic services. Select the correct answer from the codes given below: (@) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 4 and 5 only (© 3, 4 and 5 only @ 1, 2,3, 4 and 5 Q10. Why is the State unable to deliver ‘all that is needed?) 1. It does not have suffici 2. It does not promote inclus Select the correct answer fro jent bureaucracy. ive growth. m the codes given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (©) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q11. What is the essential message b the author of the passage? fa) The objectives wth laid down . eae founding fathe ation should be remembered. (b) The Governmen' schools and heal (©) The Government ™ industries ro meet the nee of the sot : kc the role of the 5 (d) There is a in achievin} eing conveyed by needs to make available more Ith services. eeds to &: ds of ‘stablish markets and f the poor strata cate need to rethinl ig inclusive growel-151 TEST 7 Now India’s children have a right to receive at least 8 years of education, the gnawing question is whether it will remain ‘on paper or become a reality. One hardly needs a reminder that this right is different from the others enshrined in the Constitution, that the beneficiary - a 6-year-old child cannot demand it, nor can she or he fight a legal battle when the right is denied or violated. In all cases, it is the adult society which must act on behalf of the child's right to education when denied, no compensation offered later can be adequate or relevant. This is so because childhood does not last. If a legal battle fought on behalf of a child is eventually won, it may be little use to the boy or girl because the opportunity missed at school during childhood cannot serve the same purpose later in life. This may be painfully true for girls because our society permits them only a short childhood, if at all. The Right to Education (RTE) has become law at a point in India’s history when the ghastly practice of female infanticide has resurfaced in the form of foeticide. This is ‘symptomatic of a deeper turmoil’ in society which is compounding the traditional ‘obstacles to the education of girls. Tenacious prejudice against the intellectual potential of girls runs across our cultural diversity and the system of education has not been able to address it. QI. With reference to the passage, consider the following statements: 1. When children are denied education, adult society does not act on behalf of them. 2. Right to Education as a law cannot be enforced in the country. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? @) 1 only (b) 2 only (©) Both 1 and 2 (a) Neither 1 nor 2 2. According to the passage, what could be the traditional obstacle to the education of girls? 1. Inability of parents to fight a legal battle when nt to Education is denied to their the Rig children. 2. The traditional way of thinking about girls’ role in society. 3, ‘The prejudice against the intellectual ‘potential of girls. 4, Improper system of education.How Select the correct answer from the codes given below: (@) 1 and 2 only (©) 2, 3 and 4 only (© 1, 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2,3 and 4 Q3. On the basis of the passage, consider the following statements: 1. Right to Education is a legal right and not a fundamental right. 2. For realising the goal of universal education, the education system in the country must be made identical to that of developed countries. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (@) 1 only (b) 2 only (©) Both 1 and 2 (@) Neither 1 nor 2 Q4. Which one of the following statements conveys the key message of the passage? @) India has declared that education is compulsory for its children. (b) Adult society is not keen on implementing the Right to Education. (© The Right to Education, particularly of a girl child, needs to be safeguarded. @ The system of education should address the issue of Right to Education. QS. Which one of the following statements conveys the inference of the passage? @) The society has a tenacious prejudice against the intellectual potential of girls, (b) Adults cannot be relied upon to fight on behalf of children for their Right to Education, (©) The legal fight to get education for children is often protracted and prohibitive. (@) There is no sufficient substitute for education received in childhood. A species that exerts an influence out of proportion to its abundance in an ecosystem is called a keystone species. ‘The keystone species may influence both the species richness of communities and the flow of energy and materials through ecosystems. The sea star Pisaster ochraceus which lives in rocky intertidal ecosystems on the Pacific coast of North America is also an example of a keystone species. Its preferred prey is the mussel Mytilus californianus. In the absence of sea stars, these mussels crowd out™ to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for Cat et other competitors in a broad belt of the interti By consuming mussels, sea star creates bare spac taken over by a variety of other species. A study at the University of Washington demonstra the influence of Pisasteron species richness by removing seq stars from selected parts of the intertidal zone repeated over a period ofS years. Two major changes occurred inthe area from which sea stars were removed. Fitst, the lower of the mussel bed extended farther down into the intertda] zone, showing that sea stars are able to eliminate mussels completely where they are covered with water most of the time. Second, and more dramatically, 28 species of animals and algae disappeared from the sea star removal zone. Eventually only Mytilus, the dominant competitor. occupied the entire substratum. Through its effect on competitive relationships, predation by Pisaster largely determines which species live in these rocky intertidal ecosystems. dal zone, es that are Q6. What is the crux of the passage? @) Sea star has a preferred prey. (b) A preferred prey determines the survival of a keystone species. (©) Keystone species ensures species diversity. (@) Sea star is the only keystone species on the Pacific coast of North America Q7. With reference to the pass: consider the following statements: 1. Mussels are generally the dominant species in intertidal ecosystems, 2. The survival of sea stars generally determined abundance of mussels. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? @) 1 only (b) 2 only (©) Both 1 and 2 (@ Neither 1 nor 2 Q8. Which of the following is/are implied by the passage? 1, Mussels are always hard competitors for sea stars. 2. Sea stars of the Pacific coast have reached the climax of their evolution. 3. Sea stars constitute an important component if the energy flow in intertidal ecosystem. Which of the statements given above is/are correct (a) 1 and 2 () 2 only (©) Land 3 (@) 3 onlyrt ee Level of Difficulty —I (9. Consider the following assumptions 1; The food chains/food web in an influenced by keystone specieg, “COM Is 2, The presence of keystone species j characteristic of aquatic ccoryatens:| i 3. Ifthe keystone species is complete fs ly removed from an ecosystem, it will lead to a of the ecosystem: he, collapse With reference to the passa assumptions is/are valid @ 1 only () 2 and 3 only (© 1 and 3 only @ 1,2 and 3 Q10. Which is the most dominant co absence of the Pisaster? @ The mussels (b) The sea oyster (©) The sea star (@) The sea urchin Amora act must be our own act; must spring from our own will If we act mechanically, there is no moral content in ur act. Such action would be moral, if we think it proper to act like a machine and do so. For, in doing so, we use our discrimination. We should bear in mind the distinction beoween acting mechanically and acting intentionally. It may be moral of a king to pardon a culprit. But the messenger carying out the order of pardon plays only a mechanical Part in the king’s moral act. But if the messenger were to Camry out the king's order considering it to be his duty, his action would be a moral one. How can a man understand morality who does not use his own intelligence and power Of thought, but lets himself be swept along like a log of wood by a current? Sometimes a man defies convention and Sets on his own with a view to absolute good. 'BC, Which of the above mpetitor in the Q11. Which of the following statements best describe/ describes the thought of the writer! A moral act c ng our discretion. Man should react to a situation immediately. Is for us Man must do his duty. e order Man should be able to defy convention in ord to be moral L 2 3. 4 Select the correct answer from the codes given below @) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 (2 and 3 @) 1 and4Q12. Q13. 153 Which of the following statements is the nearest definition of moral action, according to the writer? (a) It is a mechanical action based on official orders from superiors. (b) It is an action based on our sense of discretion. (c) Itis a clever action based on the clarity of purpose. (d) It is a religious action based on understanding. The passage contains a statement ‘lets himself be swept along like a log of wood by a current’. Among the following statements, which is/are nearest in meaning to this? 1. A person does not use his own reason. 2. He is susceptible to influence/pressure. 3. He cannot withstand difficulties/challenges. 4. He is like a log of wood. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 (c) 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 4elf Difficulty pte tevel of ie pS me - ‘( | i 40 5 70 80 2% ss TEST2 L© 2 (0%) 3. b) | B Passaped 00m | 1 | SE ee 40 50 60 L© 2 @) 3. (b) | | 7. (b) 8. (d) 9. (a) 10. (c) 5, 40 © 6@ 70 Busts feet e) ee : | 602) 10 Bisset L© 2© 3. (b) TEST 3 | ny | L© 2. &) 3. @ 4. dd) 5. 6. (d) .@ 2@ TEST ar? —_____— | | | | 2@ 10) 1.6) Passage 1 | mC) (0) 7 3. @ TEST 4 1@ 20 3@ 40 5s@ | | | 6 (©) 7. (b) 8. dd) 9 @) 10. (a) | 1@ 2@ 3.) 4 © eed 2 Bo 5.0) 6 11. @