Comprehension Questions and Answers

Q: This passage says that early instruments for measuring earthquakes were .................... .

The key gives not sensitive enough.The passage describes the first devices, rods of different lengths standing on end like ninepins, and then says instruments far more delicate than that were needed if any really serious advance was to be made. The rods gave only a crude indication, whether and which way they fell, and could not trace the movements as the quake passed. Calling for 'far more delicate' instruments says the early ones lacked the delicacy, in other words the sensitivity, serious study needed.The passage never calls the early rods faulty in design (they did what they were meant to do), expensive or not sturdy; those are claims the text does not make.

Q: The author says that it was necessary to invent instruments to observe an earthquake because ...................... .

The key gives that an earthquake comes all of a sudden like a thief.The passage opens: An earthquake comes like a thief in the night, without warning. It was necessary, therefore to invent instruments that neither slumbered nor slept. The word 'therefore' ties the need for watchful instruments directly to the lack of warning: a quake gives no notice, so something has to be always on guard to record it.Proving technical soundness, showing expertise and keeping busy are motives the author never mentions, so those three options are unsupported by the passage.

Q: The earlier device consisting of rods was replaced because it failed .................... .

The key gives that the rod device failed to record the movements with a pen on paper.The rods only showed, by whether and in which direction they fell, how strong the shock was and where it came from. The passage then states the next aim: to devise an instrument that could record with a pen on paper the movements of the ground or of the table, as the quake passed by. So the thing the rods could not do, and the reason a better design was sought, was to make a written record of the movements.The other options describe things the rods did manage: if it were severe they all fell (so a severe quake was measured), if it were gentle the unstable ones fell (a gentle quake was measured), and the direction of fall recorded the direction of the quake.

Q: The everyday observation mentioned in the passage is related to ................. .

The everyday observation is the tendency of a standing person to fall when a bus or train moves suddenly.The passage poses the problem of writing legibly when table, pen and paper all move, and says its solution lay in an everyday observation: Why does a person standing in a bus or train tend to fall when a sudden start is made? It is because his feet move on, but his head stays still. The point is that the heavy, still part (the head, and in a seismograph the suspended mass) lags behind the moving base.The movement of the vehicle, the passengers standing in it and the sudden start of the train are all parts of the scene, but the observation itself is about the person's tendency to fall, so only the first option states it.

Q: According to the passage, the meaning of the word 'slumber' is ..................... .

In the passage, 'slumber' means sleep.The word occurs in recorded for the slumbering scientist, the strength of a shock that was too weak to waken him. A shock too weak to waken someone must be acting on a person who is asleep, and the earlier phrase 'instruments that neither slumbered nor slept' also pairs 'slumbered' with 'slept' as near equivalents.A shock is what the rods record, not what 'slumber' means; 'ground' and 'suggestion' appear elsewhere in the passage in other roles and do not fit 'too weak to waken him'.

Q: What does the author mean when he says that since the last decade, the higher education sector has been occupying a dominant position in the economic planning process ?

The author means that comparatively more financial support is given to the higher education sector during the last decade.The passage ties the sector's 'dominant position in the economic planning process' to public money: it quotes the allocation of ₹ 19,800 crores to universities and other higher education under the Twelfth Five Year Plan and to the aim of expansion, excellence and equity. A dominant place in planning therefore means a larger share of planned spending.Nothing in the passage is about political dominance of the decade (A), the sector overpowering other sectors (B), or the finance department's policy makers dominating (C). 'Dominant position' describes the sector's weight in the plan, not any person or party.

Q: The policy makers in India are taking steps to increase expenditure towards higher education sector because :

The policy makers are raising expenditure because they aim at enabling India to match up to global standards.The passage ends its first paragraph with the reason: government policy aims at expansion, excellence and equity, through higher education initiatives that can enable India to match up to global standards. Option A restates that sentence.The passage never speaks of influencing the global market (B), pressure in international politics (C) or funding offered by global financial institutions (D); all three bring in ideas it does not contain.

Q: The attitude of the author towards the teachers is ...................... .

The author's attitude towards the teachers is sympathetic.The author describes highly educated academics who are 'stuck in a volatile academic ecosystem', recruited on an ad hoc basis, with no formal law governing the terms of their contract, and left outside the Contract Labour Act because they are white-collar workers. The tone is that of concern for people in an insecure position, which is sympathy.There is no irony or mockery (A), no doubt about the teachers' ability (B) and no disrespect (D): the passage blames the system and the lack of legal protection, not the teachers.

Q: Statement I :There is the growth in the number of universities.Statement II :There is the growth in absolute increase in employment.According to the passage, ..............

According to the passage Statement I is true and Statement II is false.The passage says the growing number of universities (58%) cannot alone fulfill the criteria of expansion, 'with negative growth in absolute increase in employment'. So the number of universities is growing (Statement I is true), while the absolute increase in employment is negative, not a growth (Statement II is false).Options B, C and D each judge one of these two claims the wrong way round: Statement I is stated outright, and Statement II contradicts the words 'negative growth'.

Direction for [ Question No: 1 To 5 ] :

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

An earthquake comes like a thief in the night, without warning. It was necessary, therefore to invent instruments that neither slumbered nor slept. Some devices were quite simple. One, for instance, consisted of rods of various lengths and thicknesses which would stand up on end like ninepins. When a shock came it shook the rigid table upon which these stood. If it were gentle, only the more unstable rods fell. If it were severe, they all fell. Thus, the rods by falling and by the direction in which they fell, recorded for the slumbering scientist, the strength of a shock that was too weak to waken him and the direction from which it came. But, instruments far more delicate than that were needed if any really serious advance was to be made. The ideal to be aimed at was to devise an instrument that could record with a pen on paper the movements, of the ground or of the table, as the quake passed by. While I write my pen moves but the paper keeps still. With practice, no doubt, I could, in time, learn to write by holding the pen still while the paper moved. That sounds a silly suggestion, but that was precisely the idea adopted in some of the early instruments (seismometers) for recording earthquake waves. But when table, penholder and paper are all moving how is it possible to write legibly ? The key to a solution of that problem lay in an everyday observation. Why does a person standing in a bus or train tend to fall when a sudden start is made ? It is because his feet move on, but his head stays still.

This passage says that early instruments for measuring earthquakes were .................... .

A.Faulty in design
B.Expensive
C.Not sensitive enough
D.Not sturdy

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2021, SET Exam - 2021,

Answer: C

The key gives not sensitive enough.

The passage describes the first devices, rods of different lengths standing on end like ninepins, and then says instruments far more delicate than that were needed if any really serious advance was to be made. The rods gave only a crude indication, whether and which way they fell, and could not trace the movements as the quake passed. Calling for 'far more delicate' instruments says the early ones lacked the delicacy, in other words the sensitivity, serious study needed.

The passage never calls the early rods faulty in design (they did what they were meant to do), expensive or not sturdy; those are claims the text does not make.

Discuss in Forum

The author says that it was necessary to invent instruments to observe an earthquake because ...................... .

A.We have to prove that we are technically sound
B.An earthquake comes all of a sudden like a thief
C.It will allow us to show our expertise
D.We have to keep ourselves busy

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2021, SET Exam - 2021,

Answer: B

The key gives that an earthquake comes all of a sudden like a thief.

The passage opens: An earthquake comes like a thief in the night, without warning. It was necessary, therefore to invent instruments that neither slumbered nor slept. The word 'therefore' ties the need for watchful instruments directly to the lack of warning: a quake gives no notice, so something has to be always on guard to record it.

Proving technical soundness, showing expertise and keeping busy are motives the author never mentions, so those three options are unsupported by the passage.

Discuss in Forum

The earlier device consisting of rods was replaced because it failed .................... .

A.To measure a severe earthquake
B.To record the direction of the earthquake
C.To measure a gentle earthquake
D.To record the movements with a pen on paper

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2021, SET Exam - 2021,

Answer: D

The key gives that the rod device failed to record the movements with a pen on paper.

The rods only showed, by whether and in which direction they fell, how strong the shock was and where it came from. The passage then states the next aim: to devise an instrument that could record with a pen on paper the movements of the ground or of the table, as the quake passed by. So the thing the rods could not do, and the reason a better design was sought, was to make a written record of the movements.

The other options describe things the rods did manage: if it were severe they all fell (so a severe quake was measured), if it were gentle the unstable ones fell (a gentle quake was measured), and the direction of fall recorded the direction of the quake.

Discuss in Forum

The everyday observation mentioned in the passage is related to ................. .

A.The tendency of a standing person to fall when a bus or train moves suddenly
B.The movement of a bus or train
C.The passengers standing in a bus or train
D.The sudden start of a train

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2021, SET Exam - 2021,

Answer: A

The everyday observation is the tendency of a standing person to fall when a bus or train moves suddenly.

The passage poses the problem of writing legibly when table, pen and paper all move, and says its solution lay in an everyday observation: Why does a person standing in a bus or train tend to fall when a sudden start is made? It is because his feet move on, but his head stays still. The point is that the heavy, still part (the head, and in a seismograph the suspended mass) lags behind the moving base.

The movement of the vehicle, the passengers standing in it and the sudden start of the train are all parts of the scene, but the observation itself is about the person's tendency to fall, so only the first option states it.

Discuss in Forum

According to the passage, the meaning of the word 'slumber' is ..................... .

A.Shock
B.Sleep
C.Ground
D.Suggestion

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2021, SET Exam - 2021,

Answer: B

In the passage, 'slumber' means sleep.

The word occurs in recorded for the slumbering scientist, the strength of a shock that was too weak to waken him. A shock too weak to waken someone must be acting on a person who is asleep, and the earlier phrase 'instruments that neither slumbered nor slept' also pairs 'slumbered' with 'slept' as near equivalents.

A shock is what the rods record, not what 'slumber' means; 'ground' and 'suggestion' appear elsewhere in the passage in other roles and do not fit 'too weak to waken him'.

Discuss in Forum

Direction for [ Question No: 6 To 10 ] :

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

The role of higher education is unquestionable in building a modern economy and an equitable society and the scope of higher education in India has been steadily growing. According to the Twelfth Five Year Plan (Planning Commission 2017), the allocation of public spending on universities and other higher education was ₹ 19,800 crores. The New India NITI Aayog Vision (2031-32) has mentioned a fully literate population as one of its benchmarks. Since the last decade, the higher education sector has been occupying a dominant position in the economic planning process. The government policy in this context aims to attain expansion, excellence and equity; taking higher education initiatives which can enable India to match up to global standards.

While higher education equips people with relevant skill sets in the open labour market, making them upwardly mobile against socio-economic parameters, the same is not reflected in the academic labour market. Today, a significant proportion of highly educated professionals are stuck in a volatile academic ecosystem. They are recruited on ad hoc basis and their is no formal law to govern the terms and conditions of their contractual engagement. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 primarily covers blue-collar job incumbents, keeping their white-collar counterparts outside its ambit. The growing number of universities (58%) cannot alone fulfill the criteria of expansion, with negative growth in absolute increase in employment. The growth in enrolment rate of students is expected to reach 25.2% by 2017-18 from 17.9% in 2011-12 (Planning Commission 2017). The question is if the targeted growth in enrolment rate is aligned with the number of quality teachers in higher education.

What does the author mean when he says that since the last decade, the higher education sector has been occupying a dominant position in the economic planning process ?

A.The last decade in political scenario is more dominant than the previous ones.
B.The higher education sector is dominating the other sectors.
C.The policy makers with finance department have been dominant during the last decade.
D.Comparatively more financial support is given to higher education sector during the last decade.

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2020, SET Exam - 2020,

Answer: D

The author means that comparatively more financial support is given to the higher education sector during the last decade.

The passage ties the sector's 'dominant position in the economic planning process' to public money: it quotes the allocation of ₹ 19,800 crores to universities and other higher education under the Twelfth Five Year Plan and to the aim of expansion, excellence and equity. A dominant place in planning therefore means a larger share of planned spending.

Nothing in the passage is about political dominance of the decade (A), the sector overpowering other sectors (B), or the finance department's policy makers dominating (C). 'Dominant position' describes the sector's weight in the plan, not any person or party.

Discuss in Forum

The policy makers in India are taking steps to increase expenditure towards higher education sector because :

A.They aim at enabling India to match upto global standards.
B.They wish to influence the global market.
C.There is a lot of pressure in international politics.
D.A lot of funding is available from global financial institutions.

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2020, SET Exam - 2020,

Answer: A

The policy makers are raising expenditure because they aim at enabling India to match up to global standards.

The passage ends its first paragraph with the reason: government policy aims at expansion, excellence and equity, through higher education initiatives that can enable India to match up to global standards. Option A restates that sentence.

The passage never speaks of influencing the global market (B), pressure in international politics (C) or funding offered by global financial institutions (D); all three bring in ideas it does not contain.

Discuss in Forum

The attitude of the author towards the teachers is ...................... .

A.Ironical
B.Doubtful
C.Sympathetic
D.Disrespectful

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2020, SET Exam - 2020,

Answer: C

The author's attitude towards the teachers is sympathetic.

The author describes highly educated academics who are 'stuck in a volatile academic ecosystem', recruited on an ad hoc basis, with no formal law governing the terms of their contract, and left outside the Contract Labour Act because they are white-collar workers. The tone is that of concern for people in an insecure position, which is sympathy.

There is no irony or mockery (A), no doubt about the teachers' ability (B) and no disrespect (D): the passage blames the system and the lack of legal protection, not the teachers.

Discuss in Forum

The author says that today, a significant proportion of highly educated professionals is stuck in a volatile academic ecosystem because :

A.Highly educated professionals are ill-trained.
B.There is a lack of formal law to govern the terms and conditions of contractual engagement of highly educated professionals.
C.There is a lack of motivation on the part of highly educated professionals.
D.There is a lack of unity among the highly educated professionals.

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2020, SET Exam - 2020,

Answer: B

The professionals are stuck in a volatile academic ecosystem because there is a lack of formal law to govern the terms and conditions of their contractual engagement.

The passage says so directly: they are recruited on an ad hoc basis and there is no formal law to govern the terms and conditions of their contractual engagement. The 1970 Contract Labour Act covers blue-collar workers and leaves them outside its reach.

The passage calls the professionals 'highly educated', so they are not ill-trained (A). It says nothing about low motivation (C) or a lack of unity among them (D).

Discuss in Forum

10.

Statement I :
There is the growth in the number of universities.
Statement II :
There is the growth in absolute increase in employment.
According to the passage, ..............

A.Statement I is true and Statement II is false
B.Statement I is false and Statement II is true
C.Both Statements I and II are true
D.Both Statements I and II are false

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2020, SET Exam - 2020,

Answer: A

According to the passage Statement I is true and Statement II is false.

The passage says the growing number of universities (58%) cannot alone fulfill the criteria of expansion, 'with negative growth in absolute increase in employment'. So the number of universities is growing (Statement I is true), while the absolute increase in employment is negative, not a growth (Statement II is false).

Options B, C and D each judge one of these two claims the wrong way round: Statement I is stated outright, and Statement II contradicts the words 'negative growth'.

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