NET, IAS, State-SET (KSET, WBSET, MPSET, etc.), GATE, CUET, Olympiads etc. English Language Comprehension Set 5

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Directions (Q.1-5) : Read the following passage carefully and the question given below it. Certain words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions,

Monopolies are bad in national politics and worse in international politics. The unipolar world led by the US in an example of politics monopoly. In the language of history and politics, monopolies are discussed in terms of balance of power. What we have today is an imbalance of power. The Us-led war against lraq needs to be seen in the context of this imbalance. There has been much talk about the need for a multipolar worlar as an ideal solution to the existing anarchy in the international arena. The US and UK combine have been considered to be the perpetrators of the war. They disregarded global public opinion and have gone outside the mandate of the United Nations. This is an indication of US considering it the only superpower. Its consideration may be justified because it has all the pervading might and also the necessary will. Its might is in two domains: one, military and the other economic. On every issue of any importance that confronts foreign policy-making of any country, US interests becomes vital. This omnipresence of the US makes it different from any other country. Some political observers argue that this is temporary; that the Russians will be back; that the Germans, Japanese, Europeans are coming; that china is not far away. In short, we occupy a period of metamorphosis from a bipolar to a multipolar world, a period that may constitute a unipolar moment but that phase may be over shortly. When will this unipolar moment be over? None has the answer to this question. Most observes. View US as somewhere between primacy and dominance, depending on the issue. The main question is how to deal with hegemony. Primacy or dominance. In dealing with a big power, a smaller power must choose either balancing or general trend of foreign policy will be to bandwagon. Middle powers will need to bandwagon less than small powers and on particular issues may be able to balance or hide.

Q-1. For initiating the war, the author of the passage

(a) Appreciates the joint action of US and the UK

(b) Considers the war as unjustified and blames the US and the UK

(c) Thinks that the United Nations should have admired the US and the UK

(d) Blames the global public opinion

Q-2. According to the author, in dealing with superpowers, what course do small powers generally adopt?

(a) They counter effectively

(b) They try to balance

(c) They tactfully avoid confrontation

(d) They do not succumb to any pressure.

Q-3 The author has laid reasonable emphasis on which of the following?

(A) US-UK combines war against lraquis

(B) The global power balancing amongst various nations

(C) The agonies of war suffered by the common public

(a) Only A

(b) Only B

(c) Only C

(d) A and B Only

Q-4 which of the following statements is TRUE in the context of the passage?

(a) The world is heading towards unipolarity

(b) The ‘multipolarity to unipolarity’ transition is certain.

(c) The unipolarity phase is likely to be short-lived.

(d) Primacy and dominance are seldom exhibited by the US.

Q-5 The author rates which of the following countries as the most powerful substitute for the US?

(a) Germany

(b) Japan only

(c) Russia only

(d) None of these

Directions (Q. 6 - 7) : Which of the following is most opposite in meaning of the word given in bold as used in the passage.

Q-6. Bandwagon

(a) Unconditionally supporting

(b) Opposing

(c) Lobbying

(d) Influencing significantly

Q-7 Pervading

(a) Spreading all over

(b) Accommodating the maximum

(c) With a limited reach

(d) Without influence

Directions (Q.8-9) : Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in bold as used in the passage.

Q-8. Confronts

(a) Involves

(b) Opposes

(c) Counters

(d) Safeguards

Q-9. Metamorphosis

(a) Multiples

(b) Agony

(c) Disaster

(d) Transition

Directions (Q.10 - 12) : Which of the phrases (a) , (b) , (c) and (d) Given below each sentence should replace the phrases printed in bold to make the sentence grammatically correct?

Q-10. We have received no worthy backing of the Americans in the resolution of our problems, especially Kashmir.

(a) Worthy backing for

(b) Worthwhile backing from

(c) Worth backing of

(d) Backing worthily of

Q-11. The government՚s decision of checking weight and price of retail products is laudabte.

(a) For checking of weight

(b) For checking of the weight

(c) To the checking of weight

(d) TO check the weight

Q-12 such drives will have no help unless the loopholes in the laws are plugged and strict enforcement is ensured.

(a) Will not be of help

(b) Will be no help

(c) Will not have help

(d) Will be not for help

Directions (Q.13 - 15) : IN Each of the questions below four sentences are given which are denoted by (A) , (B) , (C) and (D) . By using all the four sentences you have to frame a meaningful para. The correct order of the sentences is your answer. Choose from the four alternatives the one having the correct order of sentences and mark it as your answer.

Q-13 A. The future is unpredictable, so the end is unknown to

B. Ancient wisdom had no hesitation in accepting this truth.

C. This is the mystery of human life

D. But today, we find it difficult to accept.

(a) BDCA

(b) ACBD

(c) CABD

(d) DBCA

Q-14. A. Exiled Bangladeshi write Tashlima Nasreen happens to be a writer who elicits the strongest of responses from ultrasensitive people.

B. There are some writers who seem to have the habit of writing only about things that work people up to a tizzy.

C. Such is the thinness of their skins that anything off the beaten path or over the edge makes them break out in moral rashes.

D. But there are also some people who actually have the habit of getting worked up to a tizzy.

(a) ABCD

(b) DCBA

(c) CDAB

(d) BDCA

Q-15. A. One also doesn՚t have to emphasize the negative impact of the communal holocaust in Gujarat both domestically and externally.

B. Perception in the international community are that our foreign and security police lacks perspective and a focused attention on India՚s interests.

C. All these are concerns which should influence the decisions of voters in the forthcoming elections.

D. It is also thought that India is a pliable and soft state incapable of decisiveness in responding to direct threats to its security

(a) CABD

(b) DACB

(c) CDBA

(d) BDAC