6 English Comprehension (Eng101)

Q.1
Spring 2019
10 Assignment No. 2
Q.2 Student ID: BC190201310

Instructions:

 Upload your assignments in a proper format, i.e. MS word file. Corrupt files will be awarded
zero marks.
 The assignments should be zoomed in at 100%.
 Please avoid plagiarism; plagiarized work will be marked zero.
 After the due date, the assignments submitted via email would not be entertained.
 Please avoid submitting copied assignments; otherwise, such a case would be referred to the
discipline committee.
 The font color should be preferably black and font size 12 Times New Roman.

Q1. Recall your knowledge of writing paragraphs and their structural parts. Read the
given passages carefully and answer the questions that follow them.
(5*2=10)

1. Pakistan is approaching its second successive democratic transition, and the data point is
important. For long, it has been argumented that consolidating democracy here requires three to
four successive terms of civilian rule. The logic flows directly from the theory of democratic
consolidation which highlights uninterrupted rule by legitimately elected governments as an
indicator of the strength of democracy in a country. The premise: as democratic transitions
become more predictable and stable, undemocratic governance options become unrealistic and
obsolete; people and politicians generate greater trust in the sanctity and fairness of the
democratic system; and crucially, the system begins to sift out the corrupt and incompetent and,
instead, rewards those willing to move beyond short-term selfish interests. Upshot: improved
governance and economic performance.

What is the main idea of the passage?

a. The premise: as democratic transitions become more predictable and stable, undemocratic
governance options become unrealistic and obsolete.
b. For long, there has been an argument that consolidating democracy here requires three to
four successive terms of civilian rule.
c. The logic flows directly from the theory of democratic consolidation which highlights
uninterrupted rule by legitimately elected governments as an indicator of the strength of
democracy in a country.
(The main idea of the passage) Pakistan’s Successive Democratic Transition.
d. Pakistan is approaching its second successive democratic transition, and the data point
is important.
2. Democratically elected governments, no matter how poorly performing, are accepted as the
only game in town. Undemocratic choices or influences are no longer considered viable. Put
mildly, Pakistan isn’t following the optimal trajectory posited by democratic consolidation
theory. Uncertainty and unpredictability remain entrenched and till they do, they will tend to
skew political incentives towards short-term parochial gains. This would imply a more protracted
journey from uninterrupted civilian rule to mature politics and improved governance.

Which among the following ideas best predict the probability of success of the democratic
system?

a. Looking at empirical evidences, we need favoring the people at individual level for
successful democratic system.
b. Uncertainty and unpredictability remain entrenched and till they do, they will tend to skew
political incentives towards short-term parochial gains.
c. Democratically elected governments, no matter how poorly performing, are accepted as the
only game in town.
(Success of Democratic system)
d. People favor the uninterrupted civilian rule to mature politics and improved
governance.

3. There are also voices more willing to put their faith in individual messiahs as a route to good
governance. The typical Pakistani version is that what we really need is an honest leader willing
to work in the national interest. This line of thinking isn’t without precedent. A prominent strand
of comparative politics literature sees individuals as real-change agents and stresses their
centrality in charting the destiny of nations. The rise of countries like Singapore, South Korea,
etc. is often owed to such charismatic leaders.

What do you infer from the passage?

(Conclusion of this passage)
a. Pakistan needs a dead honest leader to uplift the national interests.
b. People need following a prominent stand of comparative politics.
c. Individual stresses their centrality in charting the destiny of nations.
d. The rise of countries like Singapore, South Korea, etc. is often owed to such charismatic
leaders.

4. There are also voices more willing to put their faith in individual messiahs as a route to good
governance. The typical Pakistani version is that what we really need is an honest leader willing
to work in the national interest.

What do you understand by the term “individual messiahs” in this passage?

a. Individual messiahs mean the persons who could predict the future.
b. Individual messiahs are those leaders who can rule at the world.
“Individual Messiahs”
c. Individual messiahs mean charismatic leaders; very much capable of enforcing good
governance.
d. Individual messiahs favor the politics of patronage.

5. When we speak of democracy, one thing that has become clear is the different notions we
have of the idea itself. Perhaps, this conflict comes from our views of what we would like our
perfect democracy to be or reflect. This difference of opinions is growing even more nowadays,
partly because of the increase of democratic regimes around the world. When a fundamental
political, social, or cultural idea spreads as is the case of the idea of democracy, it also gives birth
to new versions, views, methods, which as well as strengthening democracy, give it a much-
needed sense of conflict, so it can keep growing and expanding. So, the question we must ask
ourselves in relation to this is, "Where is our conflict with the ever changing idea of democracy,
what parts of this idea reflect our views, and where do we see the need for change?" and perhaps
the question for others should be, "Does democracy really exist?"
Which among the following best suits as a title of the passage?

a. Politics around the world

b. Understanding the characteristics of democracy
c. Democratic regimes around the world
(Title which suits for this passage)
d. Ever changing idea of democracy

Q2. An idiom is an expression, word, or phrase which has a figurative meaning that is
conventionally understood by the native speakers. This meaning is different from the
literal/dictionary meaning of the idiom's individual elements. In other words, idioms do not
mean exactly what the words say. They have hidden meaning, for instance, "kick the
bucket" is an idiom that doesn’t mean ‘to drop a bucket by kicking it’; it rather means ‘to
die’.
Read the given passage carefully and write the meanings of the highlighted (bold) idiomatic
expressions. (5*2=Marks 10)

Text
It was the end of a school year and the class was all nail biting over what their report cards
would look like. They were all a bundle of nerves. Their teacher came in and the students asked
her if they could have their report cards right away instead of at the end of the day. She said,
“You are all barking up the wrong tree if you think I can give you your report cards now. The
principal was very clear that they were not to be handed out until the last minute. I would like
you all to quietly clean out your desks”. The students didn’t want to quietly clean out their
desks! Some of the students in the class, (Aisha, Soniya, Umra, Amna and Sobia) said that they
had prepared a collage of pictures as a year-end present and all the class had signed it. When
they brought it out they all needed to lend a hand because it was so large.
Their teacher was in tears, she was so touched. All the class were a nail biting, bundle of nerves
and said they just wanted to know if they had passed and didn`t want to clean out their desks just
yet. She said, “Oh, you were barking up the wrong tree asking me to give you your report cards
early, but telling you if you have passed is a horse of a different color, I tell you that you all
passed and will be going on to the next grade”. With that the class burst into a loud roar. Now
their teacher was a bundle of nerves, worrying if she had done the right thing and wondering if
the principal would find out. She said to the class, “You all have to lend a hand now; your nail
biting is over so please quietly clean out your desks before the principal finds out what I have
done because I am now a poor nail biting teacher”. The students found that cleaning out their
desks now was a horse of a different color.

Idiomatic Expression Meaning

1 nail biting Something that cause tension or anxiety

2 bundle of nerves
3 barking up the wrong tree
4 to lend a hand
5 horse of a different color
Someone who is in extremely intense situation.
be pursuing a mistaken or misguided line of thought or
course of action.
To help or Assist in an action
Another matter entirely