Ref: RCT1162002 READING COMPREHENSION TEST Time: 30 min.

Directions for questions 1 to 15: Readthefollowingpassagetoanswerthe given questionsbasedonthem.Certain

words/phrases have been printed in bold to help identify the word(s) quickly while answering the question.

PASSAGE – I

Everyone wants to progress, whether in life or business. Maybe you want to learn new things. Perhaps you’ve set
certain goals for yourself and want to stay on track while working toward, and eventually meeting, those goals. Maybe
your have a big dream you want to fulfill.

Action builds a different, more robust kind of confidence. When we take action, we develop the unique knowledge and
experience that is critical for an impactful and fulfilling life. There is a depth of learning that cannot be replicated by
someone who hasn’t wrestled with the idea in an active way.

Most of us understand the need to act in an abstract sense. There is a deep, intuitive need that we all share to grapple
with the world around us. We want to shape things around us, to improve them. It’s an innocent, naïve, beautiful urge.

Unfortunately, we start doing the exact opposite as we progress through years of schooling. We learn passivity in the
classroom, so we fall back on that behavior with our technologies. We stare at our screens, choking on wave after wave
of digital garbage. The time for action came and went, and we just sat there.

Progress in life also depends a good deal on crossing one threshold after another. Some time ago a man watched his little
nephew try to write his name. It was hard work, very hard work. The little boy had arrived at an effort threshold. Today,
he writes his name with comparative ease. No new threshold confronts him. This is the way with all of us. As soon as we
cross one threshold, as soon as we conquer one difficulty, a new difficulty appears, or should appear. Some people make
the mistake of steering clear of threshold. They avoid anything that requires genuine thinking and use of energy. They
prefer to stay in a rut where threshold is not met. Probably, they have been at their job a number of years. Things are easy
for them. They make no effort to seek out new obstacles to overcome. Real progress stops under such circumstances.

Some middle-aged and elderly people greatly enrich their lives by continuing to cross thresholds. One man went into an
entirely new business when he was past middle life and made a success of it. De Morgan didn't start to write novels until
he was past sixty. Psychologists have discovered that man can continue to learn throughout life. And it is undoubtedly
better to try and fail than not to try at all. Then one can be placed in the category of the Swiss mountaineer of whom
it was said, "He died climbing". When a new difficulty rises to obstruct your path, do not complain. Accept the challenge.
Determine to cross this threshold as you have crossed numerous other thresholds in your past life. In the words of the
poet, do not rest but strive to pass 'from dream to a grander dream'.

1. As used in paragraph 2 (1st sentence)‘Robust’ (2) By getting sycophants to surround them.

means: (3) By making fine speeches.
(1) inspiring (4) By acquiring resourcefulness.
(2) clever (5) By reading books of different genres.
(3) fable
(4) inane 5. What does 'He died climbing' signify?
(5) esoteric (1) He died when he was climbing the hill.
(2) He died before reaching the top.
2. What does De Morgan’s life teach us? (3) He strove hard till the last moment of life.
(1) It is futile to learn many things. (4) He climbed the hill and then died.
(2) One is never too old to learn. (5) He loved to climb hills till the day he died.
(3) It is never too early to learn.
(4) Creative writing can be done even late in life. 6. What did the man entering a new business past
(5) Regular reading is very helpful. middle life do of his business?
(1) He failed miserably in it.
3. What should we do when a new difficulty obstructs (2) He achieved partial success.
our path? (3) He abandoned the business after some time.
(1) Run away from it. (4) He achieved success in it.
(2) Be bold and face it. (5) He was ambivalent towards it.
(3) Manoeuver to get it removed.
(4) Enlist other people's help to get over it. 7. When did De Morgan start to write novels?
(5) Change our course of action. (1) When he was over sixty.
(2) When he was below sixty.
4. How do middle-aged and elderly people add brilliance (3) When he became a psychologist.
to their lives? (4) When he was a student.
(1) By overcoming one difficulty after another. (5) When he was a teenager.
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8. What obstructs real progress in life? Directions for questions 11 to 13: Find the word which
(1) Remaining at the same post. is most nearly SIMILAR to the given word.
(2) Avoiding the use of thinking and energy.
11. Conquer
(3) Shunning every work. (1) Overcome (2) Overthrow (3) Quell
(4) Stopping education. (4) Defeat (5) Succumb
(5) Age related ailments.
12. Naive
9. How can you accomplish the most difficult of tasks? (1) Amateur (2) Quizling (3) mysterious
(1) By mobilizing all possible resources (4) Gullible (5) Ingenious
(2) By avoiding all obstacles
(3) By getting other people to do your workfor you. 13. Enrich
(4) By doing it bit by bit and persisting in the effort. (1) Adorn (2) Cultivate (3) Fertilize
(5) By praying to the Almighty. (4) Improve (5) Undermine

Directions for questions 14 and 15: Select the word

10. Real progress stops under all of the following which is most nearly OPPOSITE to the given word.
circumstances EXCEPT
(1) when people stop seeking out new challenges 14. Replicate
to overcome. (1) Simulate (2) Collapse (3) Imagine
(2) when people stop crossing thresholds. (4) Rebuff (5) Invent
(3) when people avoid things that require effort and
energy. 15. Obstruct
(4) when people try out new things. (1) Ascribe (2) Assist (3) Thwart
(5) when people follow the example of one man. (4) Assimilate (5) Resist

PASSAGE – II
Directions for questions 16 to 45: Read the passage given carefully and answer the question that follow.

Archimedes of Syracuse is hailed by some as the greatest mathematician of antiquity. Ignoring a clunky numerical
system and devising his own, he demonstrated the nature of infinity and calculated a value for pi. He realized that
the volume of an object be measured by how much water it displaces, a discovery he is said to have made in the bath
and which caused him to run naked through the streets of the city shouting “eureka” (“I have found it”). Now, a new use
for an old particle accelerator is poised to reveal more of his thoughts.

Research at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory in California, led by Uwe Bergmann, will attempt to read the
final pages of the oldest known manuscript of Archimedes’s palimpsest.

Much of the text has already been read, but between 10% and 20% remains hidden. In places, the ink from the original
text is no more than a faint stain, so the scientists studying it need a technique that is sensitive to very low
concentrations of ink. The answer, they hope, will be x-ray fluorescence imaging. The ink contains iron, and traces of
iron can be made to reveal themselves when bombarded with x-rays. Iron atoms have 26 electrons in different orbitals
around their nuclei. An x-ray turned to the correct energy can knock an electron out of the innermost orbital. This makes
the system of orbitals unstable and an electron from an orbital further out, rapidly fills the hole. As this replacement
electron falls into place,
it emits an x-ray at a second specific energy. A detector captures each x-ray having this energy, building up an image
of the ink dot by dot.

In principle, this could be done using any suitable x-ray source, but the Stanford Synchrotron is so powerful that it can
reveal in a day what might take others months. That power, though, comes at a price. To ensure the beam does not
loiter on the parchment and damage it, the researchers have had to design the procedure so that the x-ray beam cannot
be
on when the manuscript is stationary.

To help read the pages damaged by forgers, the researchers also plan to fire x-rays into the backs of the parchment
leaves and measure fluorescence from elements other than iron – including zinc and barium – that are found in the paint
but not in the ink. They hope this will help to determine if a mark is just paint or whether there may be text underneath.

A two-week test run has proved successful. The first page of the manuscript, which had previously proved illegible,
revealed some of its secrets. The x-ray imaging showed its contents. Indeed the test was so successful that
Dr. Bergmann hopes to obtain images that will reveal missing text from “The Method of Mechanical Theorems”, the only
copy of which is contained in the palimpsest. Such an achievement would allow scholars to cry out their own “eureka!”.

16. Archimedes was hailed as the greatest mathematician because ______.

(1) he devised a numerical system which was more efficient than the earlier one.
(2) he demonstrated the nature of infinity.
(3) he calculated the value of pi.
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 (4) All of the above
(5) None of the above
17. The main objective of the scientists of the Stanford . Iron
Synchrotron Laboratory was to ______. . Zinc
(1) manufacture ink which is of a very high . Barium
concentration.
(2) study the techniques of x-ray fluorescence (1)  and  (2) Only 
imaging. (3) Only  (4) All the three
(3) check the veracity of Archimedes’ findings. (5) None of the above
(4) read the final pages of Archimedes’ palimpsest.
(5) prove Archimedes as the greatest 22. The duration of the test-run which was conducted by
mathematician the scientists was ______.
(1) one week. (2) two weeks.
18. X-ray fluorescence imaging is being used to study (3) one month. (4) two months.
the manuscript of Archimedes’s palimpsest (5) one year
because ______.
. x-rays are the strongest of all rays. 23. Who among the following is said to benefit most
. traces of iron can be made to reveal themselves if the contents of the missing text are revealed?
when bombarded with x-rays. (1) Scientists. (2) Chemists.
. x-rays do not damage the parchment. (3) Historians. (4) Scholars.
(5) Revivalists
(1) Only  (2) Only 
(3) and (4)  and  24. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE
(5) Only III according to the passage?
(1) The Stanford Synchrotron is more efficient than
19. The difference between the Stanford Synchrotron an ordinary x-ray machine.
and an ordinary x-ray source is that ______. (2) Apart from iron, elements like zinc and barium
(1) the former is more accurate. are also found in the ink used in x-ray
(2) the Stanford Synchrotron is faster and more fluorescence imaging.
powerful. (3) Archimedes proved that the volume of an object
(3) the latter is more expensive. can be measured by the amount of water
(4) an ordinary x-ray source is comparatively more it displaces.
sophisticated. (4) Iron atoms have 26 electrons in different orbitals.
(5) The Stanford synchrotron was the fust of its (5) It can reveal in a day what can actually
kind. take month.

20. The percentage of Archimedes’s palimpsest which 25. According to the passage, the Stanford x–ray beam
remains to be deciphered is ______. from the Stanford Synchrotron cannot damage
(1) 60-80%. the parchment when the manuscript is ______.
(2) about 50%. (1) is stationary.
(3) less than 10%. (2) is moving.
(4) between 10% and 20%. (3) is painted.
(5) Above 80% (4) isbombared with a low-intensity beam.
(5) is decoded.
21. X-rays are used to measure the fluorescence of
which of the following elements?
PASSAGE – III

How do other people perceive you, especially upon first meeting you face-to-face? How well do you anticipate another
person’s discomfort before that person freezes up and becomes paralyzed, withdrawn or even destructive in
a situation? Whichever side of the table you are on, these skills are crucial to your ability to lead, mentor or be
a valuable team player with your staff, vendors and customers.

Most people cannot help 'leaking' their feelings. Fortunately, few of us are attuned to noticing the often subtle signals
that indicate strong emotions in others. Or we misread the signals.

Your body is a hologram of your being; a three-dimensional move that is constantly running, showing others how you
feel about yourself and the world. As you work through life, is your body saying what your words are saying? Your body
is a three-dimensional "full-motion" billboard to the rest of the world. Your body speaks to you all of the time, telling you
your own needs. Listen to it. It is your free and most sophisticated medical feedback testing system, continuously
showing you your inner tensions, state of mind, and habitual life attitudes.

When you are misaligned and tense, you expend outrageous sums of extra energy in the everyday gestures of life.
Because the body is a high-viscosity substance that is 60-80% water, your bones are floating in a relatively fluid
environment. Over a period of time, despite that apparent fluidity, you have tightened the muscles around every major
experience of pain, fear, or anger. In Western society, people usually hold the tension somewhere in their upper bodies,
whereas in many Eastern cultures, the tension tends to be held in the lower body.

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We go through life-making decisions, closing down and limiting ourselves unconsciously. If you don’t begin a regular
practice of exercise and stretching, you are guaranteed to lose mobility sooner as you age, robbing yourself of the most
positive and alive present you can offer the world every day – a loose and relaxed presence.
Stay open literally by getting in motion more frequently. Stand and stretch at least every twenty minutes when you are
sitting and working. Try to walk, hopefully in sync with someone else, in fresh air and sunlight, at least thirty minutes
a day. As Dr. Dean Ornish wrote in his most recent book, Love and Survival: The Scientific Basis for the Healing power
of Intimacy, our survival depends on the healing power of love.
One of the safest and most natural ways to move closer to others is to walk with them. Walk farther to the restaurant.
Walk and talk on the way to the meeting. Walk with your loved one, rather than sitting at home, to come down from your
day together. Motion is emotional and makes every event more vivid and memorable. Literally move toward the one you
want in your life and loosen up together.
Your life could depend on it.

26. 'These skills' mentioned in the last sentence of the (2) we evaluate our body language and stop
first para refer to responding.
(1) being perceptive to others and being able to (3) we match what we say and what signals we are
present a picture of your self that you want sending.
others to see. (4) we also consciously react to those we are
(2) conducting face-to-face meetings and communicating with.
convincing others. (5) we communicate effectively.
(3) anticipating how others become paralyzed,
withdrawn or even destructive in a situation and 29. The most sophisticated medical feedback testing
then helping them. system, according to the passage, is
(4) anticipating how others who feel uncomfortable (1) our body signals.
react and making a note of it. (2) our body.
(5) the forgotten art of being honest. (3) our perception.
(4) All of the above
27. It is fortunate, according to the author, that few of us are (5) one neurons and cells.
attuned to noticing the often subtle signals because
(1) they indicate strong emotions. 30. The tension, generated by strong emotions in you,
(2) we misuse the signals. can be loosened by ______.
(3) most people are helpless in expressing their (1) regular practice of exercise and stretching.
feelings. (2) standing and stretching every twenty minutes
(4) we would most probably feel uncomfortable when at work.
if they knew how we feel. (3) taking walks with others thus moving closer to
(5) people can have a lot of emotions. them.
(4) All of the above
28. It can be understood that it is desirable that ______. (5) taking regular walks.
(1) we show the world how we feel.

PASSAGE – IV
There are two distinctions in euthanasia, which is the act of deliberately inducing death as a result of a terminal
illness – active euthanasia and passive euthanasia.
Active euthanasia can be defined as a deliberate act of ending the life of a patient with a terminal disease. Passive
euthanasia is the deliberate withholding or withdrawing of life-prolonging medical treatment with the object of hastening
the patient's death, as a result of which the patient dies earlier than he/she would have died – had treatment been
continued.
Many arguments have been advanced by scholars, human rights philosophers and law thinkers advocating legalisation
of euthanasia all over the world. These were made on the basis of moral, human rights, and on utilitarian grounds.
The moral ground is that it is against morality to leave someone in severe pain and do nothing for his/her relief. The
human rights’ angle is that leaving a patient in severe pain would amount to directly challenging the fundamental right of
the individual, i.e. the right to a dignified life. The utilitarian principle believes in the greatest degree of happiness to the
maximum number of people. According to this, if anyone is terminally ill, lying in hospital and in severe pain, then it
would not bring his/her family happiness, and it will suffer because of his/her pain. So, utilitarian thinkers argue that an
act
or abstaining from an act which does not give happiness to anyone is wrong.
31. The distinction between active and passive
euthanasia is that 32. Euthanasia, according to the passage, does NOT
(1) unlike the other, active euthanasia is deliberate. find its use when
(2) the basis of subjecting one to euthanasia is (1) a person is terminally ill.
different in both. (2) a person physically suffers endlessly.
(3) the process of executing euthanasia is different (3) a person in extreme pain is unable to lead
in both. a dignified life.
(4) the result in each case is different. (4) a person is financially bankrupt.
(5) there is no real differences. (5) All of the above

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33. Euthanasia is NOT supported on the basis of the fact
that
(1) it is not moral to allow one to suffer.
(2) extreme pain does not allow a person to lead
a dignified life.
(3) one person's misery causes everyone unhappiness.
(4) it is against morality to stop one suffering from
extreme pain to die.
(5) there is more than one way of defining
euthanasia
34. Utilitarian thinkers
(1) are against euthanasia.
(2) are for euthanasia.
(3) support euthanasia only in certain cases.
(4) are against euthanasia only in certain cases.
(5) are for euthanasia in every circumstance.
35. It can be understood from the passage that those
against euthanasia
(1) consider life and not happiness or dignity important.
(2) prefer passive euthanasia to active euthanasia.
(3) prefer active euthanasia to passive euthanasia.
(4) consider happiness or dignity and not life
important.
(5) are not in tune with a person’s current state of
mind.

PASSAGE – V
Myths abound concerning the phoenix-like conduct of the German economy. Principal amongst them is the notion that
Germany emerged from total ashes largely due to the beneficence of the allies, notably the Americans via Marshall Aid.
If aid alone could generate such phenomenal recovery the global economy today would look substantially different and,
while it would be wrong to underestimate the extent of the devastation to some German cities and towns, it would be
equally misguided to assume that the whole of Germany’s substantial territory was razed to the ground. In fact in
1945 less than half of Germany’s industrial plant had been destroyed. A further 5% of plant was dismantled by the allies
before Adenauer persuaded them to discontinue the policy. Clearly, there was a need for substantial rebuilding and
reinvestment, and Marshall Aid was an important source to the Germans as to many Europeans. However, the
Germans had some foundations on which to build and it was a combination of shrewd, perhaps inspired, economic
leadership and the will of the German people themselves that gave rise to the revival of Germany as a major economic
force. Perhaps the critical factors were an immense will to work, a remarkable degree of industrial peace and the
decision by the Minister of Economics, Ludwig Erhard, to create opportunity and incentivize.

The milestone in Germany’s turnaround was the currency reform of 1948. A huge black market operation made
a number of allied troops wealthy as they bartered goods like cigarettes for Reichsmarks which were then converted
into dollars or sterling, yielding in some cases profits that ran into thousands. One cigarette cost 7 Reichsmarks. The
Germans were familiar with currency collapses – between 1921 and 1923 the exchange rate of the mark against the dollar
rose from
63 to 4,200,000,000,000. In a move of extraordinary speed and daring, and with allied support, Erhard changed the currency
literally overnight from the Reichsmark to the Deutschmark, and the German people were given one Deutschmark for
10 Reichsmarks. Savings were wiped out but with them went the black market and in came true purchasing power.

To underpin the success of the currency reforms Erhard dropped most of Germany’s wage and price controls. Controls
were first dropped on a range of consumer goods and, after six months, on food. Almost instantly food appeared on the
shop shelves, unemployment reduced and within two years industrial output tripled. Erhard’s incentives to the German
people included interest-free loans for everything from the building of modest homes to the reconstruction of large-scale
plant and huge grants to agriculture. Under Erhard’s direction 12 million refugees were resettled and 7,700,000 new
jobs were created. National income and purchasing power multiplied and Deutschmark became one of the three
strongest currencies in Europe.

36. One of the principal myths concerning the (2) Most of the German cities and towns were
emergence of German economy is that completely destroyed during the World War.
(1) it was totally destroyed and that it emerged on (3) More than half of Germany’s industrial plants
were destroyed in 1945.
its own like the Phoenix, from its ashes.
(4) The Germans received Marshall Aid from their
(2) it could emerge from its ashes mainly with the
allies which helped in their economic recovery.
help of the financial aid it received from it allies.
(5) Earhard embrased Germany’shard motives.
(3) its recovery had been phenomenal.
38. Germany used the Marshall Aid it received from its
(4) it was successful mainly because the German
allies to
industrial plants were not destroyed during the war.
(1) rebuild and reinvest in various organizations.
(5) it was dismantled by the allies.
(2) revamp its cities and towns.
37. Which of the following statements is TRUE (3) develop its industrial plants.
according to the passage? (4) dismantle some of its industrial plants.
(1) Marshall Aid alone can generate phenomenal (5) take care of various other organisations
recovery in global economy.

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39. Which of the following is not mentioned as a reason
for the successful revival of the German economy? (1) and
(1) Shrewd economic leadership (2) and
(2) Remarkable degree of industrial pace
(3) Only 
(3) Inspiration from their allies
(4) Aid from their allies (4) and
(5) Effective leadership (5) Only II

40. The form of currency used in Germany before 1948 was 43. When the Deutschmark was first introduced in
(1) Reichsmark. Germany, the German people were given one
Deutschmark in exchange for every
(2) Sterling.
(1) 10 Reichsmarks.
(3) Pound. (2) 7 Reichsmarks.
(4) Dollar. (3) 63 Reichsmarks.
(5) Yen (4) 5 Reichsmarks.
41. What was the daring step taken by Erhard? (5) 15 Reichsmarks
(1) Stopping the sale of cigarettes. 44. What can be inferred about the character of Erhard
(2) Fixing an exchange rate for the Reichsmark from the given passage?
against the dollar. (1) He is conservative in his outlook.
(3) Changing the currency overnight from Reichsmark (2) He is daring and innovative.
(3) He is adamant and unfriendly.
to Deutschmark.
(4) He is stubborn and egoistic.
(4) Prohibiting people from bartering goods with the (5) He is insular and chawtic in his approach
allied troops.
45. According to the passage, Erhard’s leadership resulted
(5) All of the above
in all but
(1) reduction of unemployment.
42. The factors that helped in the success of the (2) increase in the national income and purchasing
currency reform were power.
. dropping of price control on consumer goods. (3) deutschmark becoming the currency of Europe.
. increasing the exchange rate of mark against (4) an increase in the industrial output in Germany.
the dollar. (5) enhancement in employment rates.
. dropping of wages and price controls.

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