Reading Comprehension Questions SSC CGL Tier-II 2017

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Reading Comprehension Questions SSC CGL Tier-II 2017

Directions (1-5): You have a brief passage with 5 questions. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.

Reports of farmers dying from pesticide exposure in Maharashtra’s cotton belt in Yavatmal make it evident that the government’s efforts to regulate toxic chemicals used in agriculture have miserably failed. It is natural for cotton growers under pressure to protect their investments to rely on greater volumes of insecticides in the face of severe pest attacks. It appears many of them have suffered high levels of exposure to the poisons, leading to their death. The fact that they had to rely mainly on the advice of unscrupulous agents and commercial outlets for pesticides, rather than on agricultural extension officers, shows gross irresponsibility on the part of the government. But the problem runs deeper. 

The system of regulation of insecticides in India is obsolete, and even the feeble efforts at reform initiated by the UPA government have fallen by the wayside. A new Pesticides Management Bill introduced in 2008 was studied by the Parliamentary Standing Committee, but it is still pending. At the same time, there is worrying evidence that a large quantum of pesticides sold to farmers today is spurious, and such fakes are enjoying a higher growth rate than the genuine products. Clearly, there is a need for a high-level inquiry into the nature of pesticides used across the country, and the failure of the regulatory system. This should be similar to the 2003 Joint Parliamentary Committee that looked into harmful chemical residues in beverages and recommended the setting of tolerance limits.

Q1. The death of farmers in Maharashtra’s cotton belt in Yavatmal shows that..? 
(a) the government has waived the loan of the farmers 
(b) government is considering providing shelter for farmers 
(c) government’s efforts to regulate toxic chemicals used in agriculture have miserably failed.
(d) government’s efforts to issue warrant against farmers for unethical use of toxic chemicals has been successful 

Q2. According to the paragraph, what is the main cause of farmer’s death? 
(a) farmers are illiterate 
(b) farmers have suffered high levels of exposure to the poisons
(c) farmers cannot differentiate between good or bad 
(d) None of these 

Q3. According to the passage, when was the "new Pesticides Management Bill" introduced by the Parliamentary Standing Committee?
(a) in 2008
(b) in 2006
(c) in 2007
(d) in 2005 

Q4. What is the Synonym of the word 'unscrupulous'?
(a) fraudulent
(b) ethical
(c) honest
(d) reverent

Q5. What is the Opposite meaning of the word 'feeble'?  
(a) incapacitated
(b) debilitated
(c) enervated
(d) strong

Directions (6-10): Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.

If a country should have a message for its people, it should be a message of human dignity. The ideals of a nation should be of the freedom of ideas, speech, press, the right to assemble and the right to worship. A country should boldly proclaim to a word dominated by tyrants that “all men are created equal and they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” and “among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. This should be the source of the strength and power of a nation. If people have the freedom to live their lives in dignity, they can work with a sound mind and physical health. The moral, political, and economic stature of a country lies in the strength of its people. A nation should strive to be a more perfect, not the perfect country where the people are given a promise and a hope in their minds to work and cherish liberty, justice, and opportunity. We do not always get what we want when we want it but it is always better to believe that someday, somehow, someway, we will get what we want.

Q6. Citizens of a country should work and cherish
(a) liberty, justice, and opportunity                       
(b) liberty and happiness 
(c) love                                       
(d) opportunity and justice

Q7. The ending part of the passage is about
(a) A promise               
(b) Hope               
(c) Perfection               
(d) Want

Q8. The source of the strength and power of a nation depends on
(a) its elderly                                                  
(b) the physical health of the people
(c) freedom of the government                   
(d) rights of the people

Q9. The passage leads the reader to think about:
(a) The morals of a nation                                     
(b) What a country desires                                 
(c) Ruling nations
(d) The Rights of the people

Q10. “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are:
(a) Pillars of inequality   
(b) Gifts of our creator 
(c) Rights of all living beings  
(d) Ideals of a nation

Directions (11-15): Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.

By refusing to certify the Iran nuclear deal, which curbed its nuclear programme in return for lifting global sanctions, U.S. President Donald Trump has put the two-year-old pact on dangerous footing. Under American law, the administration has to certify that Iran is technically in compliance with the deal that was struck between Iran and six other world powers, including the U.S., every 90 days. All other signatories, as well as the UN, insisting that Iran is fully complying. But Mr. Trump, who had during his election campaign threatened to tear up the deal and as President continued to call it the “worst agreement in American diplomatic history”, disavowed it days before the next certification was due. From its early days, his administration has taken a hawkish line towards Iran, imposing new sanctions on its missile programmes and joining hands with its regional rivals in West Asia. But even as he withdrew certification, he did not scrap the deal. Instead, he passed the buck to U.S. lawmakers. The Republican-controlled Congress now has 60 days to decide whether sanctions should be reimposed. It is unlikely to do anything radical in the near term as any sweeping legislation would require bipartisan support in the Senate. Nonetheless, the damage Mr. Trump’s decision has done to the agreement and to American diplomacy, in general, is huge. He appears to be driven by political calculations rather than a realistic assessment of the agreement, which, by its own standards, is working.


Q11. In how many days "the Republican-controlled Congress" has to decide whether sanctions should be reimposed or not? 
(a) 90 days
(b) 60 days
(c) 30 days 
(d) None of these 

Q12. In the given passage, Which deal has been talked about prominently? 
(a) Iran nuclear deal
(b) American nuclear deal 
(c) Asian nuclear deal
(d) None of these 

Q13. According to the passage, which is the correct statement? 
(a) American President advocated nuclear disarmament 
(b) Only UN supported the deal 
(c) All other signatories, as well as the UN, insisted that Iran is fully complying to the nuclear deal.  
(d) None of these 

Q14. What does ‘nonetheless’ mean in the given passage? 
(a) not available 
(b) Never happening 
(c) almost nothing
(d) in spite of that

Q15. What is the synonym for the given word “disavowed” in the passage?
(a) repudiate
(b) repugnant 
(c) obnoxious 
(d) amenities 

Solutions

S1. Ans.(c) 
Sol. Read the first line of the paragraph, you will get the answer. “Reports of farmers dying from pesticide exposure in Maharashtra’s cotton belt in Yavatmal make it evident that the government’s efforts to regulate toxic chemicals used in agriculture have miserably failed.”

S2. Ans.(b) 
Sol.  Read third line of the paragraph. “. It appears many of them have suffered high levels of exposure to the poisons, leading to their death.” Hence, option B is correct answer choice. 

S3. Ans.(a) 
Sol.  Read second line of the second paragraph of the given passage. “A new Pesticides Management Bill introduced in 2008 was studied by the Parliamentary Standing Committee, but it is still pending.” Hence, option A is correct answer choice. 

S4. Ans.(a) 
Sol. unscrupulous: having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair.
fraudulent-obtained, done by, or involving deception, especially criminal deception.

S5. Ans.(d) 
Sol. feeble means- lacking physical strength, especially as a result of age or illness.  "strong" is the correct antonym of the given word 'feeble'.

S6. Ans.(a) 
Sol. According to the passage, Citizens of a country should work and cherish liberty, justice and opportunity. Hence, option A is correct Answer choice.

S7. Ans.(b) 
Sol. These lines “We do not always get what we want when we want it but it is always better to believe that someday, somehow, someway, we will get what we want” show hope. Hence option B is correct answer choice. 

S8. Ans.(d) 
Sol. The source of the strength and power of a nation depends on "rights of the people".  

S9. Ans.(d) 
Sol. The passage leads the reader to think about "The Rights of the people".

S10. Ans.(b) 
Sol. According to the passage, “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are Gifts of our creator.

S11. Ans.(b) 
Sol. It is mentioned in the passage that “The Republican-controlled Congress now has 60 days to decide whether sanctions should be reimposed.”

S12. Ans.(a) 
Sol. “Iran nuclear deal”. The passage is all about ‘Iran nuclear deal’. Hence option A is correct answer choice. 

S13. Ans.(c) 
Sol. It is mentioned in the passage that “All other signatories, as well as the UN, insist that Iran is fully complying”.  Hence option C is correct option. 

S14. Ans.(d) 
Sol. nonetheless- in spite of that; nevertheless. Option D is correct answer choice. 

S15. Ans.(a) 
Sol. disavow: deny any responsibility or support for.
repudiate: refuse to accept; reject, deny the truth or validity of.
Hence, option A is correct Answer choice. 

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