Reading Comprehension MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Reading Comprehension - Download Free PDF

Africa, a continent brimming with an unparalleled wealth of natural resources, paradoxically remains one of the poorest regions globally. This incongruity, often termed the "resource curse" or "paradox of plenty," is not an accident of fate but the enduring legacy of centuries of systemic exploitation, orchestrated primarily by Western powers. From the brutal era of the transatlantic slave trade to direct colonialism and the subtle machinations of neo-colonialism, the West has consistently leveraged Africa's riches for its own industrial and economic ascendancy, leaving the continent mired in underdevelopment and internal strife.

The historical roots of this exploitation are deeply embedded in the colonial period. European powers, driven by the insatiable demands of the Industrial Revolution, carved up Africa at the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 with scant regard for existing ethnic, linguistic, or cultural boundaries. These arbitrarily drawn borders often split cohesive communities or, conversely, forced disparate groups into uneasy unions, laying the groundwork for future internal conflicts, many of which would later be framed as "tribal" but were often resource-driven or externally manipulated. The primary objective was the extraction of raw materials – rubber from the Congo, diamonds from Sierra Leone, gold from South Africa, copper from Zambia, and vast agricultural produce – with minimal investment in local processing, infrastructure for local benefit, or human capital development. This extractive model ensured that Africa remained a mere supplier of primary commodities, its economies structurally dependent and vulnerable to global price fluctuations. The wealth generated did not circulate within African economies but was repatriated to colonial metropoles, fueling European industrialization and prosperity.

The post-colonial era, far from ushering in genuine economic liberation, merely mutated the forms of exploitation. This phenomenon, termed neo-colonialism by Kwame Nkrumah, saw Western economic and political dominance persist without direct political control. Multinational corporations (MNCs), often backed by their home governments, became the primary vehicles for this continued extraction. Through complex and often opaque contracts, transfer pricing, and illicit financial flows, these corporations funnel vast sums of money out of Africa annually – far exceeding the aid inflow. Estimates suggest illicit financial flows from Africa, often linked to resource extraction, amount to tens of billions of dollars each year, representing a severe drain on potential development funds.

Furthermore, the West's influence extends to global financial institutions (like the IMF and World Bank), which have historically imposed structural adjustment programs (SAPs) on African nations struggling with debt. These SAPs often mandated austerity measures, privatization, and liberalization, frequently leading to cuts in essential public services and the forced opening of markets to Western corporations, further entrenching Africa's disadvantageous position in the global economy. Unequal trade agreements, where Africa is pressured to export raw materials at low prices while importing manufactured goods at high costs, perpetuate this imbalance. The continent's reliance on a few primary commodities for export revenue leaves it vulnerable to global price volatility, hindering economic diversification and industrialization.

Moreover, the competition for Africa's rich resources has often fueled and exacerbated internal conflicts. Western nations, sometimes directly, sometimes through proxies, have supplied arms or provided political backing to factions willing to grant them preferential access to minerals or oil, transforming resource wealth into a curse of instability and conflict. The historical lack of robust, transparent governance structures in many African nations, partly a colonial legacy, has also been exploited by external actors. Corruption, often a consequence of external pressures and the immense rents generated by extractive industries, provides easy entry points for foreign exploitation, allowing companies to acquire resources cheaply and evade taxes.

In essence, Africa’s resource wealth has been systematically siphoned off, first through direct plunder and then through a sophisticated web of economic mechanisms, political influence, and financial opacity. The West's sustained advantage over Africa is not merely historical but an ongoing reality, maintained through structures that perpetuate dependency, inhibit industrialization, and ensure that the continent's prodigious natural endowments continue to primarily enrich those beyond its borders. Breaking this cycle requires not just internal governance reforms in Africa but also a fundamental re-evaluation of global economic structures and a concerted effort by Western nations to cease exploitative practices and support genuine, equitable development.

Africa, a continent brimming with an unparalleled wealth of natural resources, paradoxically remains one of the poorest regions globally. This incongruity, often termed the "resource curse" or "paradox of plenty," is not an accident of fate but the enduring legacy of centuries of systemic exploitation, orchestrated primarily by Western powers. From the brutal era of the transatlantic slave trade to direct colonialism and the subtle machinations of neo-colonialism, the West has consistently leveraged Africa's riches for its own industrial and economic ascendancy, leaving the continent mired in underdevelopment and internal strife.

The historical roots of this exploitation are deeply embedded in the colonial period. European powers, driven by the insatiable demands of the Industrial Revolution, carved up Africa at the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 with scant regard for existing ethnic, linguistic, or cultural boundaries. These arbitrarily drawn borders often split cohesive communities or, conversely, forced disparate groups into uneasy unions, laying the groundwork for future internal conflicts, many of which would later be framed as "tribal" but were often resource-driven or externally manipulated. The primary objective was the extraction of raw materials – rubber from the Congo, diamonds from Sierra Leone, gold from South Africa, copper from Zambia, and vast agricultural produce – with minimal investment in local processing, infrastructure for local benefit, or human capital development. This extractive model ensured that Africa remained a mere supplier of primary commodities, its economies structurally dependent and vulnerable to global price fluctuations. The wealth generated did not circulate within African economies but was repatriated to colonial metropoles, fueling European industrialization and prosperity.

The post-colonial era, far from ushering in genuine economic liberation, merely mutated the forms of exploitation. This phenomenon, termed neo-colonialism by Kwame Nkrumah, saw Western economic and political dominance persist without direct political control. Multinational corporations (MNCs), often backed by their home governments, became the primary vehicles for this continued extraction. Through complex and often opaque contracts, transfer pricing, and illicit financial flows, these corporations funnel vast sums of money out of Africa annually – far exceeding the aid inflow. Estimates suggest illicit financial flows from Africa, often linked to resource extraction, amount to tens of billions of dollars each year, representing a severe drain on potential development funds.

Furthermore, the West's influence extends to global financial institutions (like the IMF and World Bank), which have historically imposed structural adjustment programs (SAPs) on African nations struggling with debt. These SAPs often mandated austerity measures, privatization, and liberalization, frequently leading to cuts in essential public services and the forced opening of markets to Western corporations, further entrenching Africa's disadvantageous position in the global economy. Unequal trade agreements, where Africa is pressured to export raw materials at low prices while importing manufactured goods at high costs, perpetuate this imbalance. The continent's reliance on a few primary commodities for export revenue leaves it vulnerable to global price volatility, hindering economic diversification and industrialization.

Moreover, the competition for Africa's rich resources has often fueled and exacerbated internal conflicts. Western nations, sometimes directly, sometimes through proxies, have supplied arms or provided political backing to factions willing to grant them preferential access to minerals or oil, transforming resource wealth into a curse of instability and conflict. The historical lack of robust, transparent governance structures in many African nations, partly a colonial legacy, has also been exploited by external actors. Corruption, often a consequence of external pressures and the immense rents generated by extractive industries, provides easy entry points for foreign exploitation, allowing companies to acquire resources cheaply and evade taxes.

In essence, Africa’s resource wealth has been systematically siphoned off, first through direct plunder and then through a sophisticated web of economic mechanisms, political influence, and financial opacity. The West's sustained advantage over Africa is not merely historical but an ongoing reality, maintained through structures that perpetuate dependency, inhibit industrialization, and ensure that the continent's prodigious natural endowments continue to primarily enrich those beyond its borders. Breaking this cycle requires not just internal governance reforms in Africa but also a fundamental re-evaluation of global economic structures and a concerted effort by Western nations to cease exploitative practices and support genuine, equitable development.

Africa, a continent brimming with an unparalleled wealth of natural resources, paradoxically remains one of the poorest regions globally. This incongruity, often termed the "resource curse" or "paradox of plenty," is not an accident of fate but the enduring legacy of centuries of systemic exploitation, orchestrated primarily by Western powers. From the brutal era of the transatlantic slave trade to direct colonialism and the subtle machinations of neo-colonialism, the West has consistently leveraged Africa's riches for its own industrial and economic ascendancy, leaving the continent mired in underdevelopment and internal strife.

The historical roots of this exploitation are deeply embedded in the colonial period. European powers, driven by the insatiable demands of the Industrial Revolution, carved up Africa at the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 with scant regard for existing ethnic, linguistic, or cultural boundaries. These arbitrarily drawn borders often split cohesive communities or, conversely, forced disparate groups into uneasy unions, laying the groundwork for future internal conflicts, many of which would later be framed as "tribal" but were often resource-driven or externally manipulated. The primary objective was the extraction of raw materials – rubber from the Congo, diamonds from Sierra Leone, gold from South Africa, copper from Zambia, and vast agricultural produce – with minimal investment in local processing, infrastructure for local benefit, or human capital development. This extractive model ensured that Africa remained a mere supplier of primary commodities, its economies structurally dependent and vulnerable to global price fluctuations. The wealth generated did not circulate within African economies but was repatriated to colonial metropoles, fueling European industrialization and prosperity.

The post-colonial era, far from ushering in genuine economic liberation, merely mutated the forms of exploitation. This phenomenon, termed neo-colonialism by Kwame Nkrumah, saw Western economic and political dominance persist without direct political control. Multinational corporations (MNCs), often backed by their home governments, became the primary vehicles for this continued extraction. Through complex and often opaque contracts, transfer pricing, and illicit financial flows, these corporations funnel vast sums of money out of Africa annually – far exceeding the aid inflow. Estimates suggest illicit financial flows from Africa, often linked to resource extraction, amount to tens of billions of dollars each year, representing a severe drain on potential development funds.

Furthermore, the West's influence extends to global financial institutions (like the IMF and World Bank), which have historically imposed structural adjustment programs (SAPs) on African nations struggling with debt. These SAPs often mandated austerity measures, privatization, and liberalization, frequently leading to cuts in essential public services and the forced opening of markets to Western corporations, further entrenching Africa's disadvantageous position in the global economy. Unequal trade agreements, where Africa is pressured to export raw materials at low prices while importing manufactured goods at high costs, perpetuate this imbalance. The continent's reliance on a few primary commodities for export revenue leaves it vulnerable to global price volatility, hindering economic diversification and industrialization.

Moreover, the competition for Africa's rich resources has often fueled and exacerbated internal conflicts. Western nations, sometimes directly, sometimes through proxies, have supplied arms or provided political backing to factions willing to grant them preferential access to minerals or oil, transforming resource wealth into a curse of instability and conflict. The historical lack of robust, transparent governance structures in many African nations, partly a colonial legacy, has also been exploited by external actors. Corruption, often a consequence of external pressures and the immense rents generated by extractive industries, provides easy entry points for foreign exploitation, allowing companies to acquire resources cheaply and evade taxes.

In essence, Africa’s resource wealth has been systematically siphoned off, first through direct plunder and then through a sophisticated web of economic mechanisms, political influence, and financial opacity. The West's sustained advantage over Africa is not merely historical but an ongoing reality, maintained through structures that perpetuate dependency, inhibit industrialization, and ensure that the continent's prodigious natural endowments continue to primarily enrich those beyond its borders. Breaking this cycle requires not just internal governance reforms in Africa but also a fundamental re-evaluation of global economic structures and a concerted effort by Western nations to cease exploitative practices and support genuine, equitable development.

Africa, a continent brimming with an unparalleled wealth of natural resources, paradoxically remains one of the poorest regions globally. This incongruity, often termed the "resource curse" or "paradox of plenty," is not an accident of fate but the enduring legacy of centuries of systemic exploitation, orchestrated primarily by Western powers. From the brutal era of the transatlantic slave trade to direct colonialism and the subtle machinations of neo-colonialism, the West has consistently leveraged Africa's riches for its own industrial and economic ascendancy, leaving the continent mired in underdevelopment and internal strife.

The historical roots of this exploitation are deeply embedded in the colonial period. European powers, driven by the insatiable demands of the Industrial Revolution, carved up Africa at the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 with scant regard for existing ethnic, linguistic, or cultural boundaries. These arbitrarily drawn borders often split cohesive communities or, conversely, forced disparate groups into uneasy unions, laying the groundwork for future internal conflicts, many of which would later be framed as "tribal" but were often resource-driven or externally manipulated. The primary objective was the extraction of raw materials – rubber from the Congo, diamonds from Sierra Leone, gold from South Africa, copper from Zambia, and vast agricultural produce – with minimal investment in local processing, infrastructure for local benefit, or human capital development. This extractive model ensured that Africa remained a mere supplier of primary commodities, its economies structurally dependent and vulnerable to global price fluctuations. The wealth generated did not circulate within African economies but was repatriated to colonial metropoles, fueling European industrialization and prosperity.

The post-colonial era, far from ushering in genuine economic liberation, merely mutated the forms of exploitation. This phenomenon, termed neo-colonialism by Kwame Nkrumah, saw Western economic and political dominance persist without direct political control. Multinational corporations (MNCs), often backed by their home governments, became the primary vehicles for this continued extraction. Through complex and often opaque contracts, transfer pricing, and illicit financial flows, these corporations funnel vast sums of money out of Africa annually – far exceeding the aid inflow. Estimates suggest illicit financial flows from Africa, often linked to resource extraction, amount to tens of billions of dollars each year, representing a severe drain on potential development funds.

Furthermore, the West's influence extends to global financial institutions (like the IMF and World Bank), which have historically imposed structural adjustment programs (SAPs) on African nations struggling with debt. These SAPs often mandated austerity measures, privatization, and liberalization, frequently leading to cuts in essential public services and the forced opening of markets to Western corporations, further entrenching Africa's disadvantageous position in the global economy. Unequal trade agreements, where Africa is pressured to export raw materials at low prices while importing manufactured goods at high costs, perpetuate this imbalance. The continent's reliance on a few primary commodities for export revenue leaves it vulnerable to global price volatility, hindering economic diversification and industrialization.

Moreover, the competition for Africa's rich resources has often fueled and exacerbated internal conflicts. Western nations, sometimes directly, sometimes through proxies, have supplied arms or provided political backing to factions willing to grant them preferential access to minerals or oil, transforming resource wealth into a curse of instability and conflict. The historical lack of robust, transparent governance structures in many African nations, partly a colonial legacy, has also been exploited by external actors. Corruption, often a consequence of external pressures and the immense rents generated by extractive industries, provides easy entry points for foreign exploitation, allowing companies to acquire resources cheaply and evade taxes.

In essence, Africa’s resource wealth has been systematically siphoned off, first through direct plunder and then through a sophisticated web of economic mechanisms, political influence, and financial opacity. The West's sustained advantage over Africa is not merely historical but an ongoing reality, maintained through structures that perpetuate dependency, inhibit industrialization, and ensure that the continent's prodigious natural endowments continue to primarily enrich those beyond its borders. Breaking this cycle requires not just internal governance reforms in Africa but also a fundamental re-evaluation of global economic structures and a concerted effort by Western nations to cease exploitative practices and support genuine, equitable development.

The origins of psychopathy, a severe personality disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, superficial charm, manipulativeness, and a profound lack of empathy, guilt, or remorse, have long been a subject of intense scientific debate. The fundamental question – whether individuals are "born" psychopaths or if environmental factors play a crucial role – is increasingly understood not as an either/or proposition, but as a complex interaction between genetic predispositions and environmental influences. Contemporary research overwhelmingly suggests that psychopathy is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning it emerges from a combination of biological vulnerabilities interacting with adverse experiences during critical periods of development.
On the "nature" side, compelling evidence points to underlying neurobiological differences in the brains of individuals with psychopathic traits, particularly those with a strong affective-interpersonal component (often termed "primary" psychopathy). Structural and functional neuroimaging studies frequently reveal abnormalities in brain regions critical for emotion regulation, empathy, and moral decision-making. The amygdala, a key area involved in fear processing and social cognition, is often found to be smaller, less active, or less responsive to distress cues in others. Similarly, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), crucial for integrating emotion with decision-making and for processing social consequences, shows reduced connectivity or abnormal functioning. These neural deficits are thought to contribute to the characteristic fearlessness, emotional detachment, and impaired moral reasoning seen in psychopathy.
Genetic research, primarily through twin and adoption studies, further supports a significant hereditary component. While there isn't a single "psychopathy gene," numerous genetic variations, acting in concert, are believed to increase an individual's susceptibility. These genetic predispositions can influence brain development, neurotransmitter systems (like dopamine and serotonin), and temperamental traits such as low fearfulness or poor impulse control, which are early indicators of potential risk. Children exhibiting "callous-unemotional" (CU) traits – a lack of empathy, guilt, or concern for others' feelings – often have a stronger genetic loading for psychopathy and are at higher risk for developing the full disorder in adulthood.
However, the "nurture" side, encompassing environmental factors, is equally critical in shaping the developmental trajectory. Psychopathy is not considered fully predetermined at birth. Instead, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can significantly interact with genetic vulnerabilities. Early life trauma, including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, severe neglect, inconsistent or harsh parenting, and exposure to violence, are frequently observed in the backgrounds of individuals with psychopathic traits. These environmental stressors can exacerbate pre-existing biological vulnerabilities or even contribute to brain changes that mimic some of the deficits seen in primary psychopathy. For instance, chronic stress and trauma can impact the developing brain's stress response systems and alter neural pathways involved in emotional processing, potentially contributing to a callous and unemotional presentation as a survival mechanism.
The prevailing scientific consensus is that psychopathy arises from a complex gene-environment interaction. Genetic predispositions create a vulnerability, but environmental factors act as either catalysts that push an individual towards the disorder or protective buffers that mitigate the risk. A child with a genetic predisposition to low fear response, for example, might be more likely to develop psychopathic traits if raised in an abusive or neglectful environment where they learn to exploit others without consequence. Conversely, a child with such a predisposition might develop adaptive behaviors if nurtured in a stable, responsive, and emotionally rich environment that actively fosters empathy and prosocial behavior.
This integrated understanding has profound implications. It moves away from simplistic "born evil" narratives and highlights the potential for early intervention. While psychopathy is notoriously difficult to treat in adulthood, research into interventions for high-risk children with CU traits is a promising area. Early identification and targeted behavioral, emotional, and neurocognitive interventions, often involving parent training to provide warm, consistent, and structured environments, aim to redirect developmental pathways and prevent the full manifestation of the disorder. By recognizing the intricate interplay of nature and nurture, science offers a more nuanced, empathetic, and ultimately more hopeful approach to understanding and potentially mitigating the devastating impact of psychopathy.

Read the given passage and answer the following questions:

At the turn of the 20th century, it is estimated that India probably had many thousands of tigers in the wild.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Government of India, have been conducting tiger estimation surveys in partnership with NGOs. WWF-India was the key NGO partner of the WII and NTCA in conducting the comprehensive country-wide tiger estimation exercise in 2010-11, which revealed a mean tiger population estimate of 1,706.

Based on a census using the pug mark technique, the number of tigers in 2002 stood at 3,642. As per the 2014 tiger estimation exercise conducted by WII in association with the NTCA using camera traps, there were only 2,226 tigers left in the wild in India.

The tiger is not just a charismatic species or just another wild animal living in some far away forest. The tiger is a unique animal which plays a massive role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem. It is a top _______ which is at the apex of the food chain and keeps the population of wild hoofed mammals in check, thereby maintaining the balance between prey herbivores and the vegetation upon which they feed. Therefore, the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the well being of the ecosystem. The extinction of this top predator is an indication that its ecosystem is vulnerable, and would not exist for long thereafter. If the tigers go extinct, it would bring down the entire system. For e.g. when the Dodos went extinct in Mauritius, one species of Acacia tree stopped regenerating completely. So when a species goes extinct, it leaves behind a scar, which affects the entire ecosystem. Another reason why we need to save the tiger is that our forests are water catchment areas. 

Therefore, it’s not just about saving a beautiful animal. It is about making sure that we live a little longer as the forests are known to provide ecological services like clean air, water, pollination, temperature regulation etc.

Read the passage carefully and select the best answer to each question out of the given five alternatives.

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Wednesday left policy rates unchanged at record low levels as it was still unsure about the sustainability of economic recovery due to the second wave of Covid-19 infections.
The central bank, however, announced a bond-buying calendar that will ensure that borrowers reap the benefits of a low-interest rate regime.
The repo rate, the main policy rate (it is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks), has been retained at 4 percent because the MPC wants to ensure that “the prospects of sustained recovery are well secured”. “The renewed jump in Covid-19 infections in certain parts of the country and the associated localized lockdowns could dampen the demand for contact-intensive services, restrain growth impulses, and prolong the return to normalcy. In such an environment, continued policy support remains necessary,” the MPC stated. India recently became the second country after the US to report daily fresh infections of over 100,000.
In Wednesday’s statement, the MPC retained its assessment of FY22 GDP growth of 10.5 percent. It also raised its projection for consumer price inflation a bit to 5.2 percent for the first half of the current fiscal year.
The RBI announced a government securities acquisition programme (GSAP), essentially a calendar of its bond-buying programme, starting with Rs 1 lakh crore of securities purchases in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.
This new GSAP programme will run along with the RBI’s regular open market operations and other liquidity management facilities, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das reiterated in a post-policy announcement interaction. Earlier, the central bank had committed that it would purchase not less than Rs 3 lakh crore of bond purchases in FY22.
Meanwhile, the rupee lost 1.5 percent Wednesday, its biggest single-day fall in 20 months, as the RBI laid out plans for the government bond-buying programme.
Government bond yields have been rising sharply since the Centre announced a big borrowing programme for the current fiscal. That, along with the rise in sovereign bond yields in the rest of the world, and inflation fears, meant that the yield on the 10-year benchmark government bond, an average of 5.93 percent between April 2020 and January 2021, had risen to a high of 6.25 percent in March.
Bond yields and prices move in opposite directions — when there is demand for bonds such as due to extra buying from RBI, bond prices go up while yields come down.
Government security yields represent the risk-free rate in the economy and act as a base for all other interest rates. Thus, between February and March-end, yields on AAA corporate bonds (the highest rated) increased by as much as 31 basis points, despite the RBI not increasing rates or withdrawing liquidity.
Corporate bond issuance in February at Rs 45,685 crore moderated from its peak of Rs 88,130 crore recorded in December 2020. In effect, the rising bond yields weakened the central bank’s easy monetary stance and it had to do something about it.
The RBI’s bond purchase calendar will give confidence to bond market participants that a huge supply of government borrowings will not drive up yields too much. It also supports the easy monetary policy stance at a time when the second wave adds to uncertainty about economic growth and inflation.
“The evolving CPI inflation trajectory is likely to be subjected to both upside and downside pressures,” said the MPC. It said that the bumper food grain production and imports should keep a lid on food prices but warned about high international commodity prices, increased logistics costs, and heightened inflation expectations of households as risk factors.
The central bank also extended measures to improve credit flow to the economy, some of which were introduced last year to fight the pandemic. It extended its long-term repo operations (lending money to banks), extended refinance facilities for NABARD and SIDBI to help MSMEs, and made it easier for banks to continue lending to sectors such as agriculture and MSMEs via NBFCs.

Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
A piano teacher described an interesting encounter she had had with a young lady who came to inquire about music lessons. The young lady asked her, “How long will this course take? My father tells me that it is in fashion now to be able to play musical instruments and that I should learn one quickly. I want something that will be quick, fast and easy like, like….” When the amused teacher explained that it would take a lifetime of meticulous practice to learn music, her face fell and, needless to say, she never came back.
The single most important factor that distinguishes those of us who succeed in any venture and those of us who don’t is this ‘instant coffee’ attitude. Most of us want results quickly. We want to reach the top immediately and get worked up when things go wrong. Perseverance and patience are forgotten words. We get upset, frustrated, and angry when a skill or activity requires us to put in a lot of effort and time. We get dejected and want to give it up.
But such thinking serves no good. For, it doesn’t solve the problem. Life is tough for those with an ‘instant coffee’ attitude.
Success, real success and happiness come to those who have a ‘bread-making’ attitude-those who are willing to knead the dough, wait for hours for it to rise, only to punch it down and knead some more, wait for another couple of hours for it to rise again, and then bake it before it is ready to be eaten. Nothing is instantaneous. For every endeavour – whether in the area of career, academics, music, sports, relationships, physical fitness or even in spirituality– it is a long, arduous journey.
Only if we are willing to put in the time, painstaking effort and have faith, can we get results. If we don’t accept this difficult-but-true fact of life, our lives will be far from being happy and fulfilling. For we may not make that extra effort which can change the course of life dramatically, for the good.
The major problems with these ‘instant coffee’ solutions are that they are invariably short-lived. If we stubbornly refuse to give up this search for quick solutions, all we do is end up on the wrong track.

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow. 

It is well accorded that COVID-19 extracts a huge toll on the mental health of patients and leaves behind a slew of neurological sequelae in its wake. However, what is alarming is the wide gamut of mental and neurological disorders seen even in those with milder symptoms. Such patients frequently reported being anxious, depressed and having difficulty in sleeping. A higher incidence of frank psychosis manifesting as disorganization of thought processes and personality disorders was also reported. Many survivors of COVID-19 had to battle substance abuse in its immediate aftermath. There was a steep increase in the amount of alcohol consumed by regular drinkers. Persons who had stopped smoking and consuming alcohol resumed their habit in disconcerting numbers. 

The occurrence of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinsonism is concerning as this would bring long-term disability in the form of impaired mobility and memory decline. It has been hypothesized that the causative mechanism for many of the neurological conditions due to COVID-19 may be the direct invasion of the nervous system by the virus, an increased tendency to blood clotting or an exaggerated immune response by the body. Various other factors like pre-existing psychiatric illness, prolonged quarantine, perceived lack of organizational support, and social stigma are risk factors. Anxiety, Nervousness, and Post-traumatic stress disorder are often fuelled by fear of infecting other family members, physical distancing, loneliness, and ________ at home in cramped quarters. 

The pandemic has radically transformed the way businesses function and services delivered. Remote working disrupts a healthy-work life balance. Face to face contact and human interactions which were considered so essential for emotional well-being has taken a backseat. Lack of comforting physical contact like shaking hands and hugging friends is stressful and disconcerting. Online classes and home-schooling have placed a gargantuan burden both on students and parents. Lack of access to reliable computer hardware and spotty internet connections, particularly in rural areas and in the economically backward have created a new class divide. Children have been deprived of co-curricular activities, participation in group events and sports which is essential for their holistic development. Mental stress and fatigue have increased manyfold due to the rigours imposed by virtual learning.

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:

Mosquitoes can transmit pathogens that cause many human diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika fever. Many of these diseases can be physically devastating and even fatal. For example, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over 200 million new cases of malaria per year worldwide, resulting in over 400,000 deaths, most of them children under the age of 5. Zika fever is caused by a virus transmitted to humans primarily by the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Symptoms in infected human adults are typically mild, but if the virus infects a pregnant woman it can be transmitted to the developing fetus and affect brain development, causing a condition called microcephaly. To reduce the number of A. aegypti mosquitoes that may carry Zika virus, researchers at a biotechnology company called Oxitec have produced genetically modified (GM) A. aegypti mosquitoes that when released into the wild, mate with wild mosquitoes, and any offspring produced die before becoming adults.
The fluorescence gene is used to_________ GM mosquitoes. The lethality gene, which is more accurately called tetracycline transcriptional activator variant (or tTAV), encodes a protein that blocks transcription of several other genes that are essential to mosquito development. GM mosquito larvae that produce the tTAV protein die before reaching maturity. However, the tTAV protein cannot prevent the transcription of other genes when it is bound to the antibiotic tetracycline. Therefore, tetracycline acts as a repressor of the lethality gene, or, in other words, its antidote. In the lab, the GM mosquito larvae are reared in water containing tetracycline and develop normally into adult mosquitoes. When adult GM mosquitoes are released into the wild and breed with wild, non-GM mosquitoes, their offspring inherit the lethality gene. Without tetracycline in the environment to protect them, the offspring die. 

In one study, Oxitec scientists released GM mosquitoes into a neighborhood in Brazil. Sustained release over the course of a year led to a reduction of the local Aedes aegypti population by 80% to 95% according to different measures (Carvalho et al., 2015). The scientists chose densely populated neighborhoods for their study because mosquito-borne diseases can spread most easily in areas where lots of humans and mosquitoes are present. They hypothesized that if they could reduce both the population size of the A. aegypti mosquitoes and the mosquito population density, they would reduce the probability that a person becomes infected with a pathogen spread by these mosquitoes. (An activity that shows how scientists measure mosquito density, based on data from Oxitec scientists, is available on the BioInteractive website as “Tracking Genetically Modified Mosquitoes.”) 

Direction: Read the following passage and answer the following questions:

This is a story that explains how adversity is met differently by different people. There was a girl named Asha who lived with her mother and father in a village. One day, her father assigned her a simple task. He took three vessels filled with boiling water. He placed an egg in one vessel, a potato in the second vessel, and some tea leaves in the third vessel. He asked Asha to keep an eye on the vessels for about ten to fifteen minutes while the three ingredients in three separate vessels boiled. After some time, he asked Asha to peel the potato and egg and strain the tea leaves. Asha was left puzzled – she understood her father was trying to explain something, but she didn’t know what it was.
Her father explained, “All three items were put in the same circumstances. See how they’ve responded differently.” He said that the potato turned soft, the egg turned hard, and the tea leaves changed the colour and taste of the water. He further said, “We are all like one of these items. When adversity calls, we respond exactly the way they do. Now, are you a potato, an egg, or tea leaves? You have to decide that” Her father was a wise man and he tried to explain a lesson of life to his daughter with live demonstrations.

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow. 

It is well accorded that COVID-19 extracts a huge toll on the mental health of patients and leaves behind a slew of neurological sequelae in its wake. However, what is alarming is the wide gamut of mental and neurological disorders seen even in those with milder symptoms. Such patients frequently reported being anxious, depressed and having difficulty in sleeping. A higher incidence of frank psychosis manifesting as disorganization of thought processes and personality disorders was also reported. Many survivors of COVID-19 had to battle substance abuse in its immediate aftermath. There was a steep increase in the amount of alcohol consumed by regular drinkers. Persons who had stopped smoking and consuming alcohol resumed their habit in disconcerting numbers. 

The occurrence of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinsonism is concerning as this would bring long-term disability in the form of impaired mobility and memory decline. It has been hypothesized that the causative mechanism for many of the neurological conditions due to COVID-19 may be the direct invasion of the nervous system by the virus, an increased tendency to blood clotting or an exaggerated immune response by the body. Various other factors like pre-existing psychiatric illness, prolonged quarantine, perceived lack of organizational support, and social stigma are risk factors. Anxiety, Nervousness, and Post-traumatic stress disorder are often fuelled by fear of infecting other family members, physical distancing, loneliness, and ________ at home in cramped quarters. 

The pandemic has radically transformed the way businesses function and services delivered. Remote working disrupts a healthy-work life balance. Face to face contact and human interactions which were considered so essential for emotional well-being has taken a backseat. Lack of comforting physical contact like shaking hands and hugging friends is stressful and disconcerting. Online classes and home-schooling have placed a gargantuan burden both on students and parents. Lack of access to reliable computer hardware and spotty internet connections, particularly in rural areas and in the economically backward have created a new class divide. Children have been deprived of co-curricular activities, participation in group events and sports which is essential for their holistic development. Mental stress and fatigue have increased manyfold due to the rigours imposed by virtual learning.

Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the questions by selecting the correct/most appropriate options:

Increased time constraints and the need for convenience in raising children appear to offset parents' concerns about the future when it comes to their carbon footprints, according to new research by University of Wyoming economists and a colleague in Sweden.

UW's Jason Shogren and Linda Thunstrom, along with Jonas Nordstrom of the Lund University School of Economics and Management, have documented that two-adult households with children emit over 25 percent more carbon dioxide than two-adult households without children. Their research appears April 15 in PLOS One, a journal published by the Public Library of Science.

"While having children makes people focus more on the future and, presumably, care more about the environment, our study suggests that parenthood does not cause people to become 'greener,'" Shogren and Thunstrom say. "In fact, the difference in CO2 emissions between parents and non-parents is substantial, and that's primarily because of increased transportation and food consumption changes." The study involved an analysis of expenditures on goods and services by households in Sweden. The researchers found that parents with children at home consume goods and services that emit CO2 in the areas of food, such as meat, and transportation, such as gasoline, at higher rates than childless households.

The economists note that time constraints become more binding, and convenience may become more important when people have children." Parents may need to be in more places in one day," resulting in people driving themselves instead of using public transportation or bicycling, the researchers wrote. "They also need to feed more people. Eating more pre-prepared, red meat carbon-intensive meals may add convenience and save time."The disparity in the carbon footprints of Swedish households with and without children is particularly striking, as concerns about climate change are more pronounced in Sweden than most other developed countries. Most Swedes believe climate change is real and have accepted sizable CO2 taxes, and households with children are subsidized, which helps to alleviate some of the time crunches for parents. Sweden has generous parental leave and subsidized daycare, and parents have a legal right to reduced work hours.

"If we're finding these results in Sweden, it's pretty safe to assume that the disparity in carbon footprints between parents and nonparents is even bigger in most other Western countries," Thunstrom says -- though she notes that Sweden also has one of the world's highest female labour participation rates, which may add to the time constraints of household with children. "Becoming a parent can transform a person -- he or she thinks more about the future and worries about future risks imposed on their children and progeny," Shogren says. "But, while having children might be transformational, our results suggest that parents' concerns about climate change do not cause them to be 'greener' than non-parent adults."