Comprehension Questions and Answers

Q: The object of an ergonomist is ............

The object of an ergonomist is to enable a person of ordinary abilities to carry out his tasks safely and efficiently.The passage says so in nearly these words in its fourth paragraph: after accepting people as they are, the ergonomist allocates to the human operator the functions each can perform best, and 'his object is to enable a person of ordinary abilities to carry out his tasks safely and efficiently, with a minimum of instruction'.Making employees more contented is one benefit of ergonomic research, not its object. A knowledge of several sciences is something the ergonomist needs in order to work, not what he aims at. Finding people with quirks is a mistake about the passage: he accepts them as he finds them.

Q: What is the more common or traditional policy ?

The more common or traditional policy is fitting the man to the machine.The third paragraph sets the ergonomist against 'the more common, traditional policy of fitting the man to the machine', which works by selecting and training the best man for each job. The ergonomist reverses it and fits the machine to the man.Making a valuable contribution to industry describes what ergonomics does. Designing or redesigning machines is the ergonomist's own approach, the opposite of the traditional one. Confusing busy businessmen is what the opening sentence says ergonomics is not.

Q: What do you understand by 'boffins' ?

'Boffins' means engineers or scientists.Boffin is an informal British word for a scientist, engineer or technical expert, especially one engaged in research. It became common in Britain during the Second World War for the scientists working on radar and other military research.It does not mean employees, businessmen or labourers in general; in a sentence about ideas 'dreamed up by boffins to confuse busy businessmen', the boffins and the businessmen are set against each other as two different groups.

Q: Ergonomics is the study of ..............

Ergonomics is the study of the relationship between man and his working environment.The second paragraph begins: 'Broadly, ergonomics is the study of the relationship between man and his working environment.' The rest of the paragraph shows what follows from it, machines designed with regard to human capabilities and limitations.The capabilities and limitations of human beings are what the designer must respect, not the definition of the subject. Quirks of workers are only accepted as facts, and research in industry is how the science is carried on, not what it studies.

Q: An ergonomist himself needs a knowledge of ........................

An ergonomist needs a knowledge of a number of sciences and techniques.The last sentence of the passage says the ergonomist himself needs a knowledge of a number of sciences and techniques in order to carry out his work.'Only one discipline' contradicts the sentence. 'His own self' and 'his colleagues' are not mentioned as sources of the knowledge the work needs.

Direction for [ Question No: 51 To 55 ] :

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions :

The popular view of towns and cities in developing countries and of urbanization process is that despite the benefits and comforts it brings, the emergence of such cities connotes environmental degradation, generation of slums and squatters, urban poverty, unemployment, crimes, lawlessness, traffic chaos etc. But what is the reality ? Given the unprecedented increase in urban population over the last 50 years from 300 million in 1950 to 2 billion in 2000 in developing countries, the wonder really is how well the world has coped, and not how badly. In general, the urban quality of life has improved in terms of availability of water and sanitation, power, health and education, communication and transport. By way of illustration, a large number of urban residents have been provided with improved water in urban areas in Asia's largest countries such as China, India, Indonesia and Philippines. Despite that, the access to improved water in terms of percentage of total urban population seems to have declined during the last decade of 20th century, though in absolute numbers, millions of additional urbanites, have been provided improved services. These countries have made significant progress in the provision of sanitation services too, together, providing for an additional population of more than 293 million citizens within a decade (1990-2000). These improvements must be viewed against the backdrop of rapidly increasing urban population, fiscal crunch and strained human resources and efficient and quality-oriented public management.

51.

The popular view about the process of urbanization in developing countries is

A.Positive
B.Negative
C.Neutral
D.Unspecified

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: B

The passage begins by saying that the popular view of urbanization in developing countries is that it brings environmental degradation, slums, poverty, unemployment, crime and traffic chaos. This is a negative view, whereas the author goes on to question it with facts. The answer is negative. The later sentences 'But what is the reality?' mark the turn in the author's own argument, so the first view is the one the author is going to question.

Discuss in Forum

52.

The average annual increase in the number of urbanites in developing countries, from 1950 to 2000 A.D. was close to

A.30 million
B.40 million
C.50 million
D.60 million

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: A

The urban population in developing countries rose from 300 million in 1950 to 2 billion in 2000, a rise of 1,700 million over 50 years.

\[ \frac{2000-300}{50}=34\ \text{million per year} \]

The figure of 34 million is closest to 30 million among the options, since 40 million a year would be 2,000 million over the period. The answer is 30 million.

Discuss in Forum

53.

The reality of urbanization is reflected in

A.How well the situation has been managed.
B.How badly the situation has gone out of control.
C.How fast has been the tempo of urbanization.
D.How fast the environment has degraded.

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: A

The author asks 'what is the reality?' and answers that, given the unprecedented increase in urban population, the wonder is how well the world has coped and not how badly. So the reality is reflected in how well the situation has been managed. The choices on how badly things went, how fast urbanization was, and how fast the environment degraded reflect the popular view or side facts, not the author's point. The answer is how well the situation has been managed.

Discuss in Forum

54.

Which one of the following is not considered as an indicator of urban quality of life ?

A.Tempo of urbanization
B.Provision of basic services
C.Access to social amenities
D.All the above

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: A

The passage names availability of water and sanitation, power, health and education, communication and transport as indicators of the quality of urban life, which fits provision of basic services and access to social amenities. The tempo, or speed, of urbanization describes how fast cities grow, not how good life is in them. So tempo of urbanization is not an indicator, and 'all the above' is wrong. The answer is tempo of urbanization.

Discuss in Forum

55.

The author in this passage has tried to focus on

A.Extension of Knowledge
B.Generation of Environmental Consciousness
C.Analytical Reasoning
D.Descriptive Statement

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: C

The author challenges a popular belief by using population and service figures and reasoning from them, so the passage is mainly analytical reasoning. It does not extend knowledge by presenting new theory, nor aim at environmental awareness, and it is more than a descriptive statement, since it argues. The answer is analytical reasoning. Analytical reasoning is the skill of examining facts in order to draw a conclusion, which is what the author does with the figures for water and sanitation.

Discuss in Forum

Direction for [ Question No: 56 To 60 ] :

Answer the questions based on either English passage or Marathi passage :

Despite its extraordinary name 'ergonomics' is not just something which has been dreamed up by boffins to confuse busy businessmen. It is a practical science which can make and is making a valuable contribution to industry. Research being carried out in this field can increase efficiency, improve product design and make employees more contented.

Broadly, ergonomics is the study of the relationship between man and his working environment. It involves designing or redesigning machines and equipments so that due regard is given to the capabilities and limitations - physical and psychological - of the human beings who have to use or operate them.

It contrast to the more common, traditional policy of 'fitting the man to the machine' by selecting and training the best man for each particular job, the ergonomist endeavours to fit the machine to the man-any man.

He accepts people, in fact, as he finds them with all their quirks and idiosyncracies, and tries to establish their capabilities as machine operators. He then attempts to allocate to the human operator the functions each can perform best. His object is to enable a person of ordinary abilities to carry out his tasks safely and efficiently, with a minimum of instruction.

The ergonomist himself needs a knowledge of a number of sciences and techniques in order to carry out his work.

56.

The object of an ergonomist is ............

A.To make employees more contented.
B.To have a knowledge of a number of sciences and techniques
C.To find people with all their quirks and idiosyncracies
D.To enable a person of ordinary abilities to carry out his tasks safely and efficiently

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: D

The object of an ergonomist is to enable a person of ordinary abilities to carry out his tasks safely and efficiently.

The passage says so in nearly these words in its fourth paragraph: after accepting people as they are, the ergonomist allocates to the human operator the functions each can perform best, and 'his object is to enable a person of ordinary abilities to carry out his tasks safely and efficiently, with a minimum of instruction'.

Making employees more contented is one benefit of ergonomic research, not its object. A knowledge of several sciences is something the ergonomist needs in order to work, not what he aims at. Finding people with quirks is a mistake about the passage: he accepts them as he finds them.

Discuss in Forum

57.

What is the more common or traditional policy ?

A.Making valuable contribution to industry
B.Fitting the man to the machine
C.Designing and redesigning machines and equipments
D.Confusing busy businessmen

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: B

The more common or traditional policy is fitting the man to the machine.

The third paragraph sets the ergonomist against 'the more common, traditional policy of fitting the man to the machine', which works by selecting and training the best man for each job. The ergonomist reverses it and fits the machine to the man.

Making a valuable contribution to industry describes what ergonomics does. Designing or redesigning machines is the ergonomist's own approach, the opposite of the traditional one. Confusing busy businessmen is what the opening sentence says ergonomics is not.

Discuss in Forum

58.

What do you understand by 'boffins' ?

A.Employees
B.Businessmen
C.Engineers or scientists
D.Labourers

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: C

'Boffins' means engineers or scientists.

Boffin is an informal British word for a scientist, engineer or technical expert, especially one engaged in research. It became common in Britain during the Second World War for the scientists working on radar and other military research.

It does not mean employees, businessmen or labourers in general; in a sentence about ideas 'dreamed up by boffins to confuse busy businessmen', the boffins and the businessmen are set against each other as two different groups.

Discuss in Forum

59.

Ergonomics is the study of ..............

A.Quirks and idiosyncracies of the workers
B.Capabilities and limitations of human beings
C.Relationship between man and his working environment
D.Research being carried out in the field of industry

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: C

Ergonomics is the study of the relationship between man and his working environment.

The second paragraph begins: 'Broadly, ergonomics is the study of the relationship between man and his working environment.' The rest of the paragraph shows what follows from it, machines designed with regard to human capabilities and limitations.

The capabilities and limitations of human beings are what the designer must respect, not the definition of the subject. Quirks of workers are only accepted as facts, and research in industry is how the science is carried on, not what it studies.

Discuss in Forum

60.

An ergonomist himself needs a knowledge of ........................

A.A number of sciences and techniques
B.Only one discipline
C.His own self
D.His colleagues

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: A

An ergonomist needs a knowledge of a number of sciences and techniques.

The last sentence of the passage says the ergonomist himself needs a knowledge of a number of sciences and techniques in order to carry out his work.

'Only one discipline' contradicts the sentence. 'His own self' and 'his colleagues' are not mentioned as sources of the knowledge the work needs.

Comprehension Questions and Answers

Direction for [ Question No: 51 To 55 ] :

Direction for [ Question No: 56 To 60 ] :

Topics

Other Subjects

Tags: Comprehension Questions and Answers

About Us

Comprehension Questions and Answers

Direction for [ Question No: 51 To 55 ] :

Direction for [ Question No: 56 To 60 ] :

Topics

Other Subjects

Tags: Comprehension Questions and Answers

About Us

Stay informed about all important Dates & Notifications