Synonyms Questions and Answers

Direction for [ Question No: 21 To 21 ] :

Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

1. The loss in earnings that farmers see due to extreme weather events or erratic seasonality is, by now, accepted as the most widely felt economic impact of climate change. Farmers were the first people to feel the impacts of climate change, which ultimately affects the country's overall agricultural output and adds to food inflation. High food prices, in turn, could result in people slashing down consumption, which adversely impacts nutritional security.

2. A significant number of farming households produce food for their own consumption. These households have given birth to an old saying : those who eat their own food are the healthiest. In countries like India, where malnutrition is high and food insecurity is a nagging constant, such households have used the home production system to remain out of this crisis. As studies point out, these households are also protected from market fluctuations, thus ensuring that they can afford healthy food. Obviously, they are not impacted by food inflation either.

3. But there are serious conversations taking place over how climate change-induced extreme weather events would impact such households. We need to understand the link between nutrition intake and household food production, and whether weather fluctuations would have any impact on this. Researchers have analysed village level data from households with their own food production and consumption, and co-related this with the local weather conditions to infer whether there was a correlation. The paper establishes that people growing their own food consume more, thus adding to nutrition levels and attaining overall food security. There was also reduction in child stunting and underweight conditions as well as women achieving a normal body mass index. These trends are more pronounced in remote villages.

Direction for [ Question No: 22 To 23 ] :

Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

1. We were walking across the garden when my daughter spotted a cluster of familiar red flowers. She pulled me to one side and then, looking excitedly at me as though she had a secret to share, she pulled me down to her height and whispered in my ears. I shot up straight almost as soon as she had finished her sentence. With my mouth ajar, I was about to tell her that it was probably not a good idea to do so when I was transported to the time when I was around her age.

2. It had been a rather long day from school and I was dead tired. I was walking along the pathway that was lined with many ixora plants when my friend grabbed me by the arm. Before I could do anything, he gleefully plucked a single flower from the cluster and showed it to me. Unimpressed, I was not about to be swayed by a puny flower and was about to admonish him when he turned the flower upside down to show me a tiny almost invisible thread-like thing that protruded out from its stalk.

3. He pulled the faint yellowish thread and right at the end of it, a tiny drop of nectar appeared. At least, that was what I think it was, as it was really quite sweet. That day we raided the ixora plants. We really had a lot of fun. I could still taste the sweetness till today. My daughter's urgent tug brought me back to reality. I turned to my daughter and decided that she too needed to know the joy of tasting sweet nectar from beautiful blooms.

Direction for [ Question No: 24 To 24 ] :

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

Usually the first question I ask a newbie birder is, "What do you think is the most important physical requisite to be a birder ? Your eyes, your ears, your nose or any other ?"

Most often, the answer is "eyes", but several do home into what is the most important faculty - at least, according to me : your ears. Spotting birds in foliage is hard enough, but if you hear them, you know they are there.

But early the other morning, I realised it went much beyond that. The first bird call I heard as I left the house for my walk was the madcap ringing laugh of black-rumped flameback, earlier known as the golden-backed woodpecker. It was a wild, exultant laugh that set the tone and mood for the entire day. And then I realised that every bird call evokes a different reaction, memory or emotion in the listener.

Indian mynas, for example, invariably remind me of people in Delhi-always ready to argue and pick a fight, belligerent and in your face. Yet, they taught me not to make sweeping generalisations because when a pair perch on the window sill in the afternoons, they have meaningful civilised conversations with each other. There is inquiry, humour and affection in their voices.

Direction for [ Question No: 25 To 25 ] :

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

But the Lion went into the forest and found his own supper and no one ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them, so that she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this was very kind and thoughtful of the scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at the awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His padded hands were so clumsy and the nuts so small that he dropped almost as many as he put in the basket. But the scarecrow did not mind how long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up. So he kept a good distance away from the flames, and only came near to cover Dorothy with dry leaves when she lay down to sleep. These kept her snug and warm and she slept soundly by until morning.

When it was daylight, the girl bathed her face in a little rippling brook and soon after they all started toward the Emerald city.

This was to be a wonderful day for the travellers. They had hardly been walking an hour when they saw before them a ditch that lay across the road and divided the forest as far as they could see on either side.

Direction for [ Question No: 26 To 26 ] :

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

Yet as soon as she saw him, she did not look as Alfred thought she would look : she smiled, her blue eyes never wavered, and with a calmness and dignity that made them forget that her clothes seemed to have been thrown on her, she put out her hand to Mr. Carr and said politely, "I'm Mrs. Higgins. I'm Alfred's mother."

Mr. Carr was a bit embarrassed by her lack of terror and her simplicity and he hardly knew what to say to her, so she asked, "Is Alfred in trouble ?"

"He is. He's been taking things from the store. I caught him red-handed. Little things like compacts and toothpaste and lipsticks. Stuff he can sell easily," the proprietor said.

Mrs. Higgins put out her hand and touched Sam Carr's arm with an understanding gentleness, and speaking as though afraid of disturbing him, she said, "If you would only listen to me before doing anything". Her simple earnestness made her shy; her humility made her falter and look away, but in a moment she was smiling gravely again and she said with a kind of patient dignity, "What do you intend to do, Mr. Carr ?"

"I am going to get a cop. That's what I ought to do."

"Yes, I suppose so. It's not for me to say, because he's my son. Yet I sometimes think a little good advice is the best thing for a boy when he is at a certain period in his life," she said.

Alfred couldn't understand his mother's quiet composure, for if they had been at home and someone had suggested that he was going to be arrested, he knew she would be in a rage and would cry out against him.

Direction for [ Question No: 27 To 28 ] :

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

The goal of independence was achieved in India through a prolonged struggle, during which, the far-sightedness of the leaders of the freedom movement resulted in giving a final shape to our social and economic goals to be achieved after freedom. This vision imagined to build a self-reliant nation through maximum utilization of the resources in men and materials, and the establishment of a noble and liberal society. It has been an article of faith amongst the policy planners in India that while economic strength determined the scope and quality of political freedom for millions, the quality of freedom depends on increased work and production in factories. It leads to just and equal distribution of wealth among the people so that the poor can also enjoy the benefit of freedom. This, it is recognized, is possible only through increased employment opportunities in the society.

In human terms, democracy means availability of equal opportunities to all the people irrespective of caste, creed, sex and religion to develop their personalities. It means access to education in Arts, Science and Humanities and also awareness of our age old values and traditions. It needs to be emphasized that the Indian policy has been based on a concern for the individual not only as a worker working for the economic development of the society but also as an end in itself.

In the Indian context, the concept of national development goes far beyond economic growth; it is concerned with the creation of a nation united in one purpose, of people speaking different languages, professing different religions and rooted in a variety of cultures.

Direction for [ Question No: 29 To 30 ] :

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

The richness of her childhood experience came from living a life, which embraced tradition on one hand and exposure to the world of change, of questioning and questing on the other. Her father’s progressive ideas, his involvement in bringing about change in the restricted Brahminical society, his encouragement of Kamaladevi to follow her own inclinations and yet give her an opportunity to study in a school and participate in all the social functions with which he was involved, as a Senior Revenue Official, gave her confidence. The example of her grandmother, who lived the life of a scholar and fearless woman, who travelled alone without any fear of any social disapproval or adverse consequences, was a fitting example to Kamaladevi, who later travelled all over the world, often risking her life.

Girjabai, her mother was a dominant influence throughout her childhood and youth who set an example by overcoming all difficulties without a murmur. She discarded meaningless social customs and observances. She championed the cause of women. Her conviction was that a woman must educate herself, so that she could be independent and her insistence that Kamaladevi should not only study, but also participate in cultural activities and sports, enriched her daughter’s life.

Kamaladevi went with her mother to Seva Sadan and saw her exhorting women even older than her to become literate. She heard her read to them from the newspapers, magazines and extracts from books by social reformers and nationalists, followed by discussions and saw their attitudes changing. Girjabai’s love for music was shared by Kamaladevi and she was encouraged to learn North Indian and Carnatic music. This love of music was a great source of peace for Kamaladevi in her later years.