Reading Comprehension Quiz for SBI Clerk: 21 March
Directions (Q. 1-10): Read the following passage very carefully and answer the questions given below appropriately. There are certain words and phrases in the passage printed in bold to help you find them easily in order to answer some of the questions.
The work which Gandhiji had taken in hand was not only the achievement of political freedom but establishment of a social order on truth and non-violence, unity and peace, equality and universal brotherhood and maximum freedom for all. This unfinished part of his experiment was perhaps even more difficult to achieve than the achievement of freedom. In the political struggle, the fight was against a foreign power and all could and did either join in it or at least wish it success and give to it their moral support. In establishing the social order of his pattern, there was a likely possibility of a conflict arising between groups and classes of our own people. Experience shows that man values his possessions even more than his life because in the former, he sees the means for perpetuation and survival through his descendants even after his body is reduced to ashes. That new order cannot be established without radically changing men’s mind and, attitude towards property and, at some stage or other, the haves have to yield place to the have-notes.
We have seen in our time attempts to achieve a kind of egalitarian society and the picture of it in action after it was achieved. But this was done, by and large, by the use of physical force. In the result, it is difficult, if not impossible, to say that the instinct to possess has been rooted out or that it will not reappear in an even worse form under a different face. It may even be that like gas kept confined within metallic containers under great pressure, or water held behind a big dam, that breaks the barrier, reaction will one day sweep back with a violence equal in extent and intensity to what was used to establish and maintain the outward egalitarian form. This enforced egalitarianism contains in its bosom the seed of its own destruction. The root cause of class conflict is possessiveness or the acquisitive instinct. So long as the ideal that is held up to be achieved is one of securing the maximum of material satisfaction, possessiveness is neither suppressed nor eliminated but grows by what it feeds upon. Nor does it cease to be such—it is possessiveness still whether it is confined to a few only or is shared by many. If egalitarianism is to endure, it has to be based out on the possession of the maximum of material goods whether by few or by all but on voluntary, enlightened renunciation - denying oneself what cannot be shared by others or can be enjoyed only at the expense of others.
This calls for substitution of spiritual values for purely material ones. The paradise of material satisfaction that is sometimes equated with progress these days neither spells peace nor progress. Mahatma Gandhi showed us how the acquisitive instinct inherent in man could be transmuted by the adoption of the ideal of trusteeship by those who have for the benefit of all those who have not so that instead of leading to exploitation and conflict it would become a means and incentive to the amelioration and progress of society.
1. According to the passage, an egalitarian society will not survive if
1) it is not based on voluntary renunciation.
2) it is achieved by restoring to physical force.
3) underprivileged people are not involved in its establishment.
4) people’s outlook towards it is not radically changed.
5) None of these
2. According to the passage, man values his possessions more than his life because
1) he has inherent desire to share his possessions with others.
2) he is endowed with possessive instinct.
3) only his possessions help him to love and respect even from his descendants.
4) through possessions, he can preserve his name even after his death.
5) None of these
3. According to the passage, which was the unfinished part of Gandhiji’s experiment?
1) Educating people to avoid class conflict
2) Achieving total political freedom for the country
3) Establishment of an egalitarian society
4) Radically changing man’s mind and attitudes towards truth and non-violence.
5) None of these
4. Which of the following statements is not true in the context of the passage?
1) True egalitarianism can be achieved by giving up one’s possessions under compulsion.
2) Man values his life less than his possessions.
3) Possessive instinct is a natural part of human being.
4) In the political struggle the fight was against the alien rule.
5) The root cause of class conflict is possessiveness.
5. According to the passage, true egalitarianism will last if
1) it is thrust upon people.
2) it is based on truth and non-violence.
3) people inclulcate spiritual values along with material values.
4) People accumulate things which are not congenial to the spiritual values of the people.
5) None of these
6. According to the passage, people ultimately overturn the form of a social order which
1) is based on coercion and oppression.
2) doesn’t satisfy their basic needs.
3) is based on conciliation and rapprochement.
4) is not congenial to the spiritual values of the people.
5) None of these
7. According to the passage, the root cause of class conflict is
1) the paradise of material satisfaction.
2) dominant inherent acquisitive instinction in a man.
3) exploitation of the have-nots by the haves.
4) a social order where the underprivileged are not involved in its establishment.
5) None of these
8. Which of the following statements is not true in the context of the passage?
1) New order can be established by radically changing people’s outlook towards it.
2) The adoption of the ideal of trusteeship can minimise possessive instinct.
3) Enforced egalitarianism can be the cause of its own destruction.
4) The idea of a new order is to secure maximum satisifaction.
5) None of these
9. Which of the following statements is true in the context of the passage?
1) A social order based on truth and non-violence alone can help the achievement of political freedom.
2) In establishing the society of Gandhiji’s pattern, the possibility of a conflict among different classes existed.
3) It is difficult to change men’s mind and attitude towards poverty.
4) In an egalitarian society, material satisfaction can be achieved only at the expense of others.
5) None of these
10. According to the passage, “the adoption of the ideal of trusteeship” means
1) equating peace and progress with material satisfaction.
2) adoption of ideal by the have-nots for the benefit of the society.
3) enlightened renunciations of possessive instinct by the privileged class.
4) substituting spiritual values for material values by those who live in paradise of satisfaction.
5) None of these
Answers:
- 1
- 4
- 4
- 1
- 3
- 1
- 5
- 2
- 2
- 3
