May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Measuring the change: On socio-economic surveys

The fifth edition of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) provides a valuable insight into changes
underway in Indian society. It throws light on traditional parameters, for instance immunisation
among children, births in registered hospital facilities, and nutritional levels. While there is a general
improvement in these parameters, there were mixed signals in nutrition. Gains in childhood nutrition
were minimal as were improvements in obesity levels. The prevalence of anaemia has actually
worsened since the last survey in 2015-16. But the survey’s major contribution is its insight into
behavioural and sociological churn. When highlights were made public last year, the focus was on
India’s declining total fertility rate that had, for the first time in the country’s history, dipped to below
the replacement level, or a TFR (Total Fertility Rate) of 2.1. If the trend were to persist, India’s
population was on the decline in line with what has been observed in developed countries, and
theoretically means improved living standards per capita and greater gender equity. Because this TFR
had been achieved across most States, two notable exceptions being most populous Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar, it was also evidence that population decline could be achieved without coercive state
policies and family planning has struck deep roots. The more detailed findings, made public last week,
suggest that this decline is agnostic to religion.

The fertility rate among Muslims dipped to 2.3 in 2019-2021 from 2.6 in 2015-16, the sharpest among
all religious communities when compared to the 4.4 in NFHS 1 in 1992-93. Another set of subjective
questions that the NFHS attempts to answer using hard data is gender equity. Less than a third of
married women are working and nearly 44% do not have the freedom to go to the market alone.
However, a little over 80% have said that they can refuse demands for sex from their husband. This
has implications for legal questions surrounding marital rape. Only 72% of Indian men think it is not
right to coerce, threaten or use force on a woman if denied sex, which again points to the vast
territory that needs to be covered in educating men about equality, choice and freedom in marriage.
This question made it for the first time in the family health survey as did another question, about the
number of registered births and deaths, in the family survey. Multiple surveys such as the NFHS,
Sample Registration Surveys, the Census, labour, economic surveys and ways of interrogation are
necessary for insights about a country as vast and complex as India; the Centre should invest more
substantially in improving their reliability. [Practice Exercise]

 Red/blue coloring of words in the sentence indicates subject verb relationship; where ‘red’
denotes ‘subject’ and ‘blue’ denotes ‘verb’.

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 1
 May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Vocabulary
1. Measure (verb) – consider, think carefully 11. Obesity (noun) – fatness, plumpness,
about, assess, calculate stoutness, heaviness

2. Insight (noun) – understanding, vision, 12. Prevalence (noun) – widespread presence,

awareness, intuition, perception generality, pervasiveness, universality,
स झ/ extensiveness, ubiquity ल

3. Underway (adjective) – ongoing, in the 13. Anaemia (noun) – Anaemia is a condition

process, चल / in which the number of red blood cells or
the haemoglobin concentration within
4. Throw light on (phrase) – To reveal them is lower than normal.
information or details about something;
14. Worsen (verb) – deteriorate, degenerate,
explain, elucidate, clarify, clear up
become worse, get worse, weaken
ल

5. Parameter (noun) – limitation, restriction,

15. Behavioural (adjective) – Involving,
specification, criterion, guideline
relating to, or emphasizing behavior.
/
16. Sociological (adjective) – Concerning the
6. For instance (phrase) – for example, as development, structure, and functioning of
ल human society.

7. Immunisation (noun) – The action of 17. Churn (noun) – Turbulence, agitation थल

making a person immune to infection,
थल
typically by inoculation.
18. Highlight (noun) – significant, feature,
8. Mixed signal (noun) – Signals which focus, focus of attention, centre of interest
(apparently) contradict each other.
स
19. Make public (phrase) – make known,
9. Gain (noun) – increase, augmentation, publish, release, put out, expose
addition, rise, increment स

10. Minimal (adjective) – very little, minimum, 20. Fertility rate (noun) – fertility rate is the
the smallest amount of स स number of live births in a year per 1,000
women of reproductive age in a population

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 2
 May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

21. Dip (verb) – decrease, fall, go down, drop, 30. Strike the root (phrase) – To attack the
fall off, decline, diminish / central part or most crucial element of
something
22. Replacement level (noun) – Replacement
level is the amount of fertility needed to 31. Findings (noun) – conclusion, inference,
keep the population the same from thesis, assumption, belief
generation to generation
32. Agnostic (adjective) – sceptical,
23. Persist (verb) – persevere, continue, keep
irreligious,doubting, faithless, cynical,
on, hold, carry on
unbelieving स /

24. In line with (phrase) – In proportion to, In

33. Implication (noun) – suggestion, inference,
agreement with
insinuation, innuendo थ

25. Per capita (noun) – per person, per capita,

34. Coerce (verb) –force, pressure, pressurize,
for each person
press, push

26. Gender equity (noun) – Gender equity is

35. Point to (phrasal verb) –indicate, point out,
the process of being fair to women and
signal, signify, denote
men.

27. Notable (adjective) – noteworthy, 36. Territory (noun) – area of concern, area of
remarkable, outstanding, important, interest, area of knowledge, province
significant ल 37. Interrogation (noun) – questioning, cross-
questioning, probing, inquisition
28. Populous (adjective) – Having a large
population; densely populated, heavily 38. Substantially (adverb) – To a great or
populated ल significant extent.

29. Coercive (adjective) – imperious, strong, 39. Reliability (noun) – The degree to which
powerful, authoritarian / ल the result of a measurement, calculation,
or specification can be depended on to be
accurate. स

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 3
 May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Practice Exercise
1. What is the appropriate conclusion of the passage? [Editorial]
A. India should invest more to enhance the reliability of various socio-economic surveys
B. Declining total fertility rate results in increasing the crisis of labour workforce in the long
run
C. Gender equity can only be achieved through low fertility rate as seen in developed
countries
D. India should step up the social welfare measures in order to encourage women to
participate in the economy development programme.
E. None of the above
2. Which of the following statement is/are not correct with respect to editorial?
(i) India’s total fertility rate has been declining
(ii) Population decline could be achieved without coercive state policies
(iii) The fertility rate among Muslims is on the tear
A. (i), (ii)
B. (ii), (iii)
C. (i), (iii)
D. (iii) only
E. All are correct
3. Which among the following is similar in meaning to the word OBESITY as used in the passage?
A. Docile
B. Plumpness
C. Utilitarian
D. Vehement
E. None of the above
4. Which among the following is similar in meaning to the word COERCIVE as used in the
passage?
A. Imperious
B. Specious
C. Charisma
D. Malfeasance
E. None of the above
5. Which among the following is similar in meaning to the word ‘AGNOSTIC’ as used in the
passage?
A. Inept
B. Zealous
C. Sceptical
D. Chicanery

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 4
 May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

E. None of the above

Direction (Q6 – Q10): Spot the grammatical error in the given sentence [Answer]
6. The celebrations continue (A)/ through the evening as more (B)/ and more friends joins (C)/ in
the fun and frolic. (D)/ No error (E)
7. The actress believes in (A)/ being fit and feels that there (B)/ are too much hip around size zero
(C)/ in the entertainment world. (D)/ No error (E)
8. While the actress wins fans for (A)/ herself on screen fireworks it’s her (B)/ down to earth
attitude and easy going manner (C)/ that wins her friends. (D)/ No error (E)
9. Even though the exchange attracts (A)/ the attention of all those present at (B)/ the police
station, the inspector continued (C)/ his tirade against the girl. (D)/ No error (E)
10. The market continues to be positive (A)/ and in the next quarter we expected (B)/ the trend to
continue with (C)/ the faith of investors. (D)/ No error (E)
Cloze test based on Editorial: A class for itself [Answer]
The pension scheme for the personal staff has become a safety net for the fortunate among the
cavalry of political parties, but it is a cruel insult to the ________11________ ranks of the State’s
unemployed and underemployed youth. As the Governor has pointed out, there is also a pattern of
replacing one set of staff with another after two years, in order to cover more people under the
pension scheme. Some recent controversies in Kerala also brought to the ________12________ other
innovative modes of nepotism, such as _______13________ recruitment of consultants. Towards the
end of the previous government, seven people were appointed to the CM’s personal staff with
retrospective effect, making them eligible for pensions. All parties in Kerala had agreed to this
arrangement, a source of political patronage in the resource-starved State. The Governor has now
disrupted that comfort zone by not merely challenging it but also launching a public campaign against
it. The fact that Kerala is in a financial crisis only makes this pension scheme more unacceptable to the
general public. All political parties must take note of the resentment that this preferential treatment
to their ______14_______ can create against the political class in general. They must work together
for a wealth-creating consensus in the State rather than designing and defending such indefensible
schemes.
11. A. Bulge B. Inflammation C. Puffiness D. Swelling

12. A. Fore B. Bow C. Face D. Front

13. A. Special B. Arbitrary C. Privileged D. Partisan

14. A. Protégés B. Dependents C. Disciples D. Pupils

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 5
 May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

15. Para Jumble based on Editorial: A class for itself [Answer]

P. The number of people who are eligible for lifetime pensions from the exchequer is set to
swell to around 1,500 when the additional beneficiaries, who were recruited during the
previous government, are added.
Q. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has called for an end to this practice, terming it
unconstitutional and against constitutional morality.
R. The beneficiaries, mostly political activists, draw a minimum pension of ₹3,550 a month,
and dearness allowance.
S. The Kerala Governor has stirred up a hornet’s nest by demanding the discontinuation of a
uniquely Kerala welfare scheme that covers around 1,200 people who served on the personal
staff of Ministers, leaders of Opposition and government Chief Whips.
T. The State spends around ₹8 crore every year on these pensions, according to estimates.
A. PQTSR B. RPQTS C. SPQTR D.SPRTQ

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 6
 May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Answer
1. A 2. D 3. B 4. A 5. C 6.C 7.C 8.D 9.A 10.B 11.D 12.A 13.B
14. A 15. C [Practice Exercise] [Cloze test]
Explanation
2. On the tear (phrase) – Rising quickly
The fertility rate among Muslims dipped to 2.3 in 2019-2021 from 2.6 in 2015-16, the
sharpest among all religious communities when compared to the 4.4 in NFHS 1 in
1992-93
6. (C) ‘joins’ के बदऱे ‘join’ का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक इसका subject ‘friends’ plural है ।

7. (C) ‘are’ के बदऱे ‘is’ का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक ‘there’ के साथ प्रयोग में आने वाऱा verb उसके बाद
प्रयक्
ु त noun या pronoun के number तथा person ऩर ननर्भर करता है और ददए गए वाक्य में
‘there’ के बाद आने वाऱा noun ‘hip’ singular है ।
8. (D) ‘wins’ के बदऱे ‘win’ का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक relative pronouns ‘who, which, that’ के बाद
आनेवाऱा verb उसके antecedent के number तथा person ऩर ननर्भर करता है और प्रश्न में ददए
गए वाक्य में relative pronoun ‘that’ का antecedent ‘…attitude and…. manner’ plural है ।
9. (A) ‘attract’ के बदऱे ‘attracted’ का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक वाक्य में दी गई घटना past की है और
part(c) में प्रयक्
ु त verb ‘continued’ र्ी past tense में है ।
10. (B) ‘Expected’ के बदऱे ‘expect’ का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक part(a) में verb ‘continues’ simple
present में है और part(b) में ‘in the next quarter’ का प्रयोग future time का बोध कराता है, न
कक past time का।
11. Swelling (adjective) – Increasing, growing, inflating, expanding
12. Bring to the fore (phrase) – to make something more prominent or noticeable
13. Arbitrary (adjective) – Random, chance, illogical, capricious
14. Protégé (noun) – A person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or
influential person. , ( )
15. The Kerala Governor has stirred up a hornet’s nest by demanding the discontinuation
of a uniquely Kerala welfare scheme that covers around 1,200 people who served on
the personal staff of Ministers, leaders of Opposition and government Chief Whips.
The number of people who are eligible for lifetime pensions from the exchequer is set
to swell to around 1,500 when the additional beneficiaries, who were recruited during
the previous government, are added. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has called for
an end to this practice, terming it unconstitutional and against constitutional morality.
The State spends around ₹8 crore every year on these pensions, according to

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 7
 May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

estimates. The beneficiaries, mostly political activists, draw a minimum pension of

₹3,550 a month, and dearness allowance.
Explanation in English
6. (C) 'Join' will be used instead of 'joins' because its subject 'friends' is plural.
7. (C) 'is' will be used instead of 'are' because the verb used with 'there' depends on the
number and person of the noun or pronoun used after that and what comes after 'there'
in the given sentence The noun 'hip' is singular.
8. (D) 'Win' will be used in place of 'wins' because the verb that comes after relative
pronouns 'who, which, that' depends on the number and person of its antecedent and
'relative pronoun' in the sentence given in the question that' of antecedent '…attitude
and…. manner' is plural.

9. (A) 'attracted' will be used instead of 'attract' because the event given in the sentence is
past and the verb 'continued' used in part (c) is also in past tense.

10. (B) 'expect' will be used instead of 'expected' because in part(a) the verb 'continues' is in
simple present and in part(b) the use of 'in the next quarter' gives a sense of future time
, not of past time.

Explanation of other important words

Sr.NO Words Meanings
Q3 Docile adjective Easily taught; obedient; easy to handle ,स

Utilitarian adjective stressing usefulness or utility above all other

qualities; pragmatic
Vehement adjective intense; forceful; violent ल
Q4 Specious adjective Deceptively plausible or attractive
Charisma noun A magical seeming ability to attract followers or
inspire loyalty
Malfeasance noun An illegal act, especially by a public official च
Q5 Chicanery noun Trickery; deceitfulness; artifice, especially legal or झ ल
political
Inept adjective Clumsy; incompetent; gauche.
Zealous adjective Enthusiastically devoted to something fervent. स

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 8
 May 12, 2022 JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL: ENGLISH MADHYAM

Join us on Telegram channel: English Madhyam, Email Id: Support@englishmadhyam.in

Website: www.englishmadhyam.in, Phone number: 7722987077 Page 9