Antonyms Questions and Answers

Direction for [ Question No: 11 To 11 ] :

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

The strength of Indian democracy lies in its tradition, in the fusion of the ideas of democracy and national independence which was characteristic of the Indian national movement long before independence. Although the British retained supreme authority over India until 1947, the provincial elections of 1937 provided real exercise in democratic practice before national independence. During the Pacific War, India was not overrun 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, 'Indianization' 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 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 India's 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 alien rule on behalf of all parts of India, they took the cohesion of the Indian nation too much for granted and underestimated the centrifugal forces of ethnic division, which were bound to be accentuated rather than diminished as the popular masses were 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 strong pressures from below that the principle of linguistic States was conceded as the basis of 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.

Direction for [ Question No: 12 To 12 ] :

Directions : Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow by selecting the correct/most appropriate options.

Born out of the forces of globalization, India's IT sector is undertaking some globalization of its own. In search of new sources of rapid growth, the country's outsourcing giants are aggressively expanding beyond their usual stomping grounds into the developing world; setting up programming centres, chasing new clients and hiring local talent. Through geographic diversification, Indian companies hope to regain some momentum after the recession. This shift is being driven by a global economy in which the US is no longer the undisputed engine of growth. India's IT powers rose to prominence largely on the decisions made by American executives, who were quick to capitalize on the cost savings to be gained by outsourcing noncore operations, such as systems programming and call centres, to specialists overseas.

Revenues in India's IT sector surged from $4 billion in 1998 to $59 billion last fiscal, but with the recession NASSCOM forecasts that the growth rate of India's exports of IT and other business services to the US and Europe will drop to at most 7% in the current fiscal year, down from 16% last year and 29% in 2007-08.

Factors other than the crisis are driving India's IT firms into the emerging world. Although the US still accounts for 60% of the export revenue of India's IT sector, emerging markets are growing faster. Tapping these more dynamic economies won't be easy, however. The goal of Indian IT firms for the past 30 years has been to woo clients outside India and transfer as much of the actual work as possible back home, where lower wages for highly skilled programmers allowed them to offer significant cost savings. With costs in other emerging economies equally low, Indian firms can't compete on price alone.

To adapt, Indian companies which are relatively unknown in these emerging nations are establishing major local operations around the world, in the process hiring thousands of locals. Cultural conflicts arise at times while training new recruits. In addition, IT firms also have to work extra hard to woo business from emerging-market companies still unaccustomed to the concept of outsourcing. If successful, the future of India's outsourcing sector could prove as bright as its past.

Direction for [ Question No: 13 To 13 ] :

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the correct/most appropriate options.

Man who is believed to have evolved from apes, is a curious mixture of varied motives. He is not only the subject of needs but is also their creator. He not only seeks to satisfy his needs but also caters to his desire for beauty and grace. He is eager to satisfy his passion for more and more knowledge. Although in a general way, the maxim 'necessity is the mother of invention' is true, it is by no means the whole truth. Man is something much greater than an intelligent being using his intellect to make newer inventions from time to time. He has within him a spirit which is ever exhorting him to cut down his needs and learn to be happy with what he has. The real purpose underlying this maxim lies in its utility in the worldly sense. It tells us to be up and doing, not to be passive in our attitude to life. It asks us not to remain slaves of old habits and ways of life. We must face the new situations with a creative mind. Every new difficulty, every new problem, which confronts us in life, can be tackled successfully with the spirit of inventiveness.

Direction for [ Question No: 14 To 14 ] :

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow by selecting the correct/most appropriate options.

When it comes to structures that are both majestic and well-fortified, the classic European castle is the pinnacle of design. Across the ages castles changed, developed, and eventually fell out of use, but they still command the fascination of our culture.

Castles were originally built in England by Norman invaders in 1066. As William the Conqueror advanced through England, he fortified key positions to secure the land he had taken. Castles also served as bases of operation for offensive attacks. Troops were summoned to, organized around, and deployed from castles. In this way castles served both offensive and defensive roles in military operations.

Not limited to military purposes, castles also served as offices from which the lord would administer control over his fiefdom. They would address disputes, handle business, feast, and enjoy festivities. In this way castles served as important social centres in medieval England. Castles also served as symbols of power.

The first castles constructed in England were made from earth and timber. Those who constructed them took advantage of natural features, such as hills and rivers, to increase defenses. Since these castles were constructed from wood, they were highly susceptible to attacks by fire. Wooden castles were gradually replaced by stone, which greatly increased the strength of these fortifications; however, being made from stone did not make these castles entirely fireproof. Attackers could hurl flaming objects into the castle through the windows or ignite the wooden doors.

The demise of castles can ultimately be attributed to gunpowder. During the 15th century, artillery became powerful enough to break through stone walls. This greatly undermined the military role of castles. Castles were then replaced by artillery forts that had no role in civil administration, and country houses that were indefensible. Though castles no longer serve their original purposes, remaining castles receive millions of visitors each year from those who wish to experience these majestic vestiges of a time long passed.

Direction for [ Question No: 15 To 15 ] :

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

1. Do children really need such long summer breaks, was a question posed by some experts recently. Apparently, such a long break disrupts their development and comes in the way of their learning process. "Let's get them back to their books", is perhaps the expert view. One would have thought the children are doing too much during their vacations and not too little, given the plethora of classes, camps and workshops involving swimming, art, personality development, music, computers and the like. Even the trips taken in the name of holidays seem laden with exotic destinations and customised experience packed into a short period of time. We can go Europe in 10 days and Australia in a week and come back armed with digital memories and overflowing suitcases. Holidays are, in some ways, no longer a break but an intensified search for experience not normally encountered in everyday life.

2. It is a far cry from summer holidays as we know them. For us, holidays every year meant one thing and one thing alone-you went back to your native place, logging in with the emotional headquarters of your extended family and spent two months with a gaggle of uncles, aunts and first and second cousins. The happiest memories of the childhood of a whole generation seemed to be centred around this annual ritual of homecoming.

3. Summer was not really a break, but a joint. It was the bridge used to reaffirm one's connectedness with one's larger community. One did not travel, one returned. It was not an attempt to experience the new and the extraordinary but one that emphatically underlined the power of the old and the ordinary. With the change of time, what we seek from our summer breaks too has changed in a fundamental way.

4. Today, we are attached much more to our work and summer helps us temporarily detach from this new source of identity. We refuel our individual selves now; and do so with much more material than we did in the past. But for those who grew up in different times, summer was the best time of their lives.

Direction for [ Question No: 16 To 16 ] :

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

1. Colours have a deeper significance for a home than one can imagine. For if used right, they can give a perfect look. In today's time, when there is an abundance of everything but space, colour plays an important role in creating the right ambience and perhaps the space that you crave for. Besides having a tremendous potential to create mood through sheer appeal to the senses, right use of colours actually helps you create the spacious feeling.

2. For instance, instead of using a plain monotonous colour on all four walls, if you get a little imaginative, perhaps a little bold, you can create a sense of space within those four walls. One of the ways would be to blend light and dark colours. Or to paint two opposite sides in a lighter shade than the other two. Colour can add height to your room too. For instance, if the room is painted white and the upholstery of your furniture is in deep blue tone, the false ceilings could be painted in a light blue shade. Think out of the box to give even more interesting effects to your room.

3. Whatever your choice is, there are options in the market to help you realise your needs. These days you get special patterned stencils to decorate walls with interesting patterns like flowers, leaves, birds etc. Some people draw an entire scenery on one side of the wall to give the feeling of bringing the outdoors inside. The choices are many, so are the creative ways. Just let your imagination flow. Every room reflects the personality of the occupant, hence it is important to pay attention to every detail. Your walls are your canvases, freshly painted and all bare. Go ahead, splash colours and watch the effect unfold.

Direction for [ Question No: 17 To 17 ] :

Directions : Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the correct/most appropriate option.

In the middle of her solo trip to Mizoram last month, Geeta Garud, 69, was walking on a narrow ledge, "making my way behind a waterfall, trying out something I wouldn't have in my younger years. And I realised how travelling solo was such a liberating experience."

Before going on her week-long holiday, she was hesitant about travelling by herself. Garud had asked friends and family but found no takers. Yet there she was, alone, relishing a challenging trek. "Why was I being dependent on others? Being alone gives you a sense of freedom."

She ended up having many firsts. She danced impromptu at a festival in Reiek, waded into a river, and went horse-riding. "I had opportunities to try horse-riding when I was younger, but could not work up the courage. This time, I thought, if not now, I may not get another chance," says Garud, who was an athlete in her youth and had played cricket.

She was at her farm in Koregaon during the lockdown and had felt the lack of social connections. It motivated her to travel as soon as things eased.

"Travel is also about meeting people; I felt that sense of joy and freedom when I finally did it." She is planning to travel to Europe next and has decided not to take a friend or relative along. She intends to revisit the joy of travelling alone and relishing a sense of freedom all over again.

Direction for [ Question No: 18 To 20 ] :

In each of the following questions, choose the word opposite in meaning to the given word.