Read the passage and answer the questions that follow :

Mike and Morris lived in the same village. While Morris owned the largest jewelry shop in
the village, Mike was a poor farmer. Both had large families with many sons, daughters-in-law
and grandchildren. One fine day, Mike, tired of not being able to feed his family, decided to
leave the village and move to the city where he was certain to earn enough to feed everyone.
Along with his family, he left the village for the city. At night, they stopped under a large tree.
There was a stream running nearby where they could freshen up themselves. He told his sons
to clear the area below the tree, he told his wife to fetch water and he instructed his
daughters-in-law to make up the fire and started cutting wood from the tree himself. They
didn’t know that in the branches of the tree, there was a thief hiding. He watched as Mike’s
family worked together and also noticed that they had nothing to cook. Mike’s wife also
thought the same and asked her husband ” Everything is ready but what shall we eat?”. Mike
raised his hands to heaven and said ” Don’t worry. He is watching all of this from above. He
will help us.”
The thief got worried as he had seen that the family was large and worked well together.
Taking advantage of the fact that they did not know he was hiding in the branches, he
decided to make a quick escape. He climbed down safely when they were not looking and ran
for his life. But, he left behind the bundle of stolen jewels and money which dropped into
Mike’s lap. Mike opened it and jumped with joy when he saw the contents. The family
gathered all their belongings and returned to the village. There was great excitement when
they told everyone how they got rich.
Morris thought that the tree was miraculous and this was a nice and quick way to earn
some money. He ordered his family to pack some clothes and they set off as if on a journey.
They also stopped under the same tree and Morris started commanding everyone as Mike
had done. But no one in his family was willing to obey his orders. Being a rich family, they
were used to having servants all around. So, the one who went to the river to fetch water
enjoyed a nice bath. The one who went to get wood for fire went off to sleep. Morris’s wife
said ” Everything is ready but what shall we eat ?” Morris raised his hands and said, ” Don’t
worry. He is watching all of this from above. He will help us.”
As soon as he finished saying, the thief jumped down from the tree with a knife in hand.
Seeing him, everyone started running around to save their lives. The thief stole everything
they had and Morris and his family had to return to the village empty handed, having lost all
their valuables that they had taken with them.
 
Question 1 : Why did Mike and his family decide to rest under the thief’s tree ?
A) Being a large family, they knew that they could easily defeat the thief
B) It was a convenient spot for taking a halt at night
C) There was a stream nearby and wood enough to build a house
D) That was the only large tree that could shelter their large family
 Solution : B) It was a convenient spot for taking a halt at night
A is incorrect as they didn’t know that a thief was hiding on the tree.
C is incorrect as nothing has been mentioned in the passage about the amount of wood
D is incorrect as nothing has been mentioned about the number of trees.
 
Question 2 : Which of the following best describes Morris ?
A) He was a rich businessman
B) He bullied his wife
C) He paid his servants well
D) He was greedy and imitated Mike
Solution : D) He was greedy and imitated Mike
 
Question 3 : What did Mike mean when he said “He is watching all this from above”?
A) He had spotted the thief and wanted to scare him
B) He was telling his wife to have faith in god
C) It was just a warning for his family members to stick together
D) He was begging the thief to help his family
Solution : B) He was telling his wife to have faith in god
 
Question 4 : Why did the thief return to the tree?
A) To wait for Mike to return
B) To set up a trap
C) To wait for Morris’s family
D) Not mentioned in the passage
Solution : D) Not mentioned in the passage
 
Question 5 : How did the fellow villagers react to Mike getting rich overnight?
A) They were jealous of him
B) They were very excited
C) They followed his example
D) They envied him
Solution : B) They were very excited

English Reading Comprehension | Set 5

 Difficulty Level : Basic
 Last Updated : 13 Aug, 2018
Passage:
When it came to promoting its new video-game console, the Wii, in America, Nintendo
recruited a handful of carefully chosen suburban mothers in the hope that they would spread
the word among their friends that the Wii was a gaming console the whole family could enjoy
together. Nintendo thus became the latest company to use “word-of-mouth” marketing.
Nestlé, Sony and Philips have all launched similar campaigns in recent months to promote
everything from bottled water to electric toothbrushes. As the power of traditional advertising
declines, what was once an experimental marketing approach is becoming more popular.
After all, no form of advertising carries as much weight as an endorsement from a friend.
“Amway and Tupperware know you can blend the social and economic to business advantage, ”
says Walter Carl, a marketing guru at Northeastern University. The difference now, he says, is
that the internet can magnify the effect of such endorsements.

The difficulty for marketers is creating the right kind of buzz and learning to control it. Negative
views spread just as quickly as positive ones, so if a product has flaws, people will soon find out.
And Peter Kim of Forrester, a consultancy, points out that when Microsoft sent laptops loaded
with its new Windows Vista software to influential bloggers in an effort to get them to write
about it, the resulting online discussion ignored Vista and focused instead on the morality of
accepting gifts and the ethics of word-of-mouth marketing. Bad buzz, in short.
BzzAgent, a controversial company based in Boston that is one of the leading exponents of
word-of-mouth marketing, operates a network of volunteer “agents” who receive free samples
of products in the post. They talk to their friends about them and send back their thoughts. In
return, they receive rewards through a points program—an arrangement they are supposed to
make clear. This allows a firm to create buzz around a product and to see what kind of word-of-
mouth response it generates, which can be useful for subsequent product development and
marketing. Last week BzzAgent launched its service in Britain. Dave Balter, BzzAgent’s founder,
thinks word-of-mouth marketing will become a multi-billion dollar industry. No doubt he tells
that to everyone he meets.
Questions:
1. What is the experimental approach being discussed in the first paragraph?
a. Word of mouth Marketing
b. Selling of video-game consoles, bottled water and electric toothbrushes
c. Traditional Advertising
d. None of these
2. What is the tone of the passage?
a. Neutral
b. Biased
c. Celebratory
d. Critical
3. What can we infer from Walter Carl’s statement?
a. Amway and Tupperware are products where word of mouth marketing could be used.
b. Amway and Tupperware are consumers who appreciated word of mouth marketing.
c. Amway and Tupperware are companies who use word of mouth marketing.
d. None of these
4. What is the effect of the internet on Word-of-mouth marketing?
a. It is impeded by the internet.
b. It is encouraged by the internet.
c. Internet magnifies the moral issues of this marketing technique.
d. Internet has made it obsolete.
5. According to the passage, in what order did different companies use word of mouth
marketing?
a. Nintendo before Sony, Nestle and Philips.
b. Nintendo after Sony, Nestle and Philips.
c. Nintendo, Sony, Nestle and Philips: all at the same time.
d. None of these
6. According to Peter Kim, what happened to Microsoft’s marketing campaign for Vista?
a. It succeeded
b. It succeeded with some hiccups
c. It failed
d. None of these
7. Where does BzzAgent operate?
a. USA and India
b. USA and UK
c. USA only
d. None of these
8. What is the author most likely to agree to in the following?
a. There is not enough evidence to state that word-of-mouth marketing is useful.
b. There is enough evidence to state that word-of-mouth marketing is useful.
c. Evidence shows that word of mouth marketing is a failed technique.
d. Word of mouth marketing is unethical.
Answers:
1. a. Word of mouth Marketing
2. a. Neutral
3. c. Amway and Tupperware are companies who use word of mouth marketing.
4. b. It is encouraged by the internet.
5. b. Nintendo after Sony, Nestle and Philips.
6. c. It failed
7. b. USA and UK
8. b. There is enough evidence to state that word-of-mouth marketing is useful.

Reading Comprehension Practice Questions

RC Passage 1:
Caffeine, the stimulant in coffee, has been called “the most widely used psychoactive substance
on Earth.”Synder, Daly and Bruns have recently proposed that caffeine affects behavior by
countering the activity in the human brain of a naturally occurring chemical called adenosine.
Adenosine normally depresses neuron firing in many areas of the brain. It apparently does this
by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters, chemicals that carry nerve impulses from one
neuron to the next. Like many other agents that affect neuron firing, adenosine must first bind
to specific receptors on neuronal membranes. There are at least two classes of these receptors,
which have been designated A1 and A2.
Snyder et al propose that caffeine, which is structurally similar to adenosine, is able to bind to
both types of receptors, which prevents adenosine from attaching there and allows the neurons
to fire more readily than they otherwise would.

For many years, caffeine’s effects have been attributed to its inhibition of the production of
phosphodiesterase, an enzyme that breaks down the chemical called cyclic AMP. A number of
neurotransmitters exert their effects by first increasing cyclic AMP concentrations in target
neurons. Therefore, prolonged periods at the elevated concentrations, as might be brought
about by a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, could lead to a greater amount of neuron firing and,
consequently, to behavioral stimulation. But Snyder et al point out that the caffeine
concentrations needed to inhibit the production of phosphodiesterase in the brain are much
higher than those that produce stimulation. Moreover, other compounds that block
phosphodiesterase’s activity are not stimulants.
To buttress their case that caffeine acts instead by preventing adenosine binding, Snyder et al
compared the stimulatory effects of a series of caffeine derivatives with their ability to dislodge
adenosine from its receptors in the brains of mice. “In general,” they reported, “the ability of
the compounds to compete at the receptors correlates with their ability to stimulate
locomotion in the mouse; i.e., the higher their capacity to bind at the receptors, the higher their
ability to stimulate locomotion.” Theophylline, a close structural relative of caffeine and the
major stimulant in tea, was one of the most effective compounds in both regards. There were
some apparent exceptions to the general correlation observed between adenosine-receptor
binding and stimulation.One of these was a compound called 3-isobuty1-1-
methylxanthine(IBMX), which bound very well but actually depressed mouse locomotion.
Snyder et al suggest that this is not a major stumbling block to their hypothesis. The problem is
that the compound has mixed effects in the brain, a not unusual occurrence with psychoactive
drugs. Even caffeine, which is generally known only for its stimulatory effects, displays this
property, depressing mouse locomotion at very low concentrations and stimulating it at higher
ones.
Based on the Passage, answer the following questions:
1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
(A) discuss a plan for investigation of a phenomenon that is not yet fully understood
(B) present two explanations of a phenomenon and reconcile the differences between them
(C) summarize two theories and suggest a third theory that overcomes the problems
encountered in the first two
(D) describe an alternative hypothesis and provide evidence and arguments that support it
(E) challenge the validity of a theory by exposing the inconsistencies and contradictions in it
2. According to Snyder et al, caffeine differs from adenosine in that caffeine
(A) stimulates behavior in the mouse and in humans, whereas adenosine stimulates behavior in
humans only
(B) has mixed effects in the brain, whereas adenosine has only a stimulatory effect
(C) increases cyclic AMP concentrations in target neurons, whereas adenosine decreases such
concentrations
(D) permits release of neurotransmitters when it is bound to adenosine receptors, whereas
adenosine inhibits such release
(E) inhibits both neuron firing and the production of phosphodiesterase when there is a
sufficient concentration in the brain, whereas adenosine inhibits only neuron firing
3. In response to experimental results concerning IBMX, Snyder et al contended that it is not
uncommon for psychoactive drugs to have
(A) mixed effects in the brain
(B) inhibitory effects on enzymes in the brain
(C) close structural relationships with caffeine
(D) depressive effects on mouse locomotion
(E) the ability to dislodge caffeine from receptors in the brain
4. According to Snyder et al, all of the following compounds can bind to specific receptors in
the brain EXCEPT
(A) IBMX
(B) caffeine
(C) adenosine
(D) theophylline
(E) phosphodiesterase
5. Snyder et al suggest that caffeine’s ability to bind to A1 and A2 receptors can be at least
partially attributed to which of the following?
(A) The chemical relationship between caffeine and phosphodiesterase
(B) The structural relationship between caffeine and adenosine
(C) The structural similarity between caffeine and neurotransmitters
(D) The ability of caffeine to stimulate behavior
(E) The natural occurrence of caffeine and adenosine in the brain
Refer to the following links for comprehensive preparation of the English Language section of
Government Exams:

List of Prefix And Suffix with Sentence Correction Active And Passive Voice Rules
Examples Questions

English Root Words Idioms And Phrases List of Homophones /

Homonyms
More such concepts based, rules, and lists articles can be found on the General English For
Competitive Exams page.
RC Passage 2
Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems.
First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and even less is
available for publishing the results and preserving the sites once excavated. Yet archaeologists
deal with priceless objects every day.
Second, there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality pieces being
sold to the highest bidder.
I would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one stroke provide funds for
archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I would propose that scientific
archeological expeditions and governmental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open
market. Such sales would provide substantial funds for the excavation and preservation of
archaeological sites and the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the
illegal excavator’s grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage in illegal
activities.
You might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, not money. Moreover,
ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage, which should be available for all to
appreciate, not sold to the highest bidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or
scientific value. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground has scientific
value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct in claiming that every artifact
has potential scientific value. Practically, you are wrong.
I refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that are essentially duplicates of
one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus, archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000
virtually indistinguishable small jugs in a single courtyard, even precious royal seal impressions
known as melekh handles have been found in abundance — more than 4,000 examples so far.
The basement of museums is simply not large enough to store the artifacts that are likely to be
discovered in the future. There is not enough money even to catalogue the finds; as a result,
they cannot be found again and become as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered.
Indeed, with the help of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the pieces
stored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographed and the list of
the purchasers could be maintained on the computer A purchaser could even be required to
agree to return the piece if it should become needed for scientific purposes. It would be
unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop if artifacts were sold in the open market.
But the demand for the clandestine product would be substantially reduced. Who would want
an unmarked pot when another was available whose provenance was known, and that was
dated stratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?
Based on the Passage, answer the following questions:

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to propose

(A) an alternative to museum display of artifacts

(B) a way to curb illegal digging while benefiting the archaeological profession
(C) a way to distinguish artifacts with scientific value from those that have no such value
(D) the governmental regulation of archaeological sites
(E) a new system for cataloging duplicate artifacts

2. The author implies that all of the following statements about duplicate artifacts are
true EXCEPT:

(A) A market for such artifacts already exists.

(B) Such artifacts seldom have scientific value.
(C) There is likely to be a continuing supply of such artifacts.
(D) Museums are well supplied with examples of such artifacts.
(E) Such artifacts frequently exceed in quality in comparison to those already cataloged in
museum collections

3. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as a disadvantage of storing

artifacts in museum basements?

(A) Museum officials rarely allow scholars access to such artifacts.

(B) Space that could be better used for display is taken up for storage.
(C) Artifacts discovered in one excavation often become separated from each other.
(D) Such artifacts are often damaged by variations in temperature and humidity.
(E) Such artifacts’ often remain uncatalogued and thus cannot be located once they are put in
storage

4. The author’s argument concerning the effect of the official sale of duplicate artifacts
on illegal excavation is based on which of the following assumptions? 

(A) Prospective purchasers would prefer to buy authenticated artifacts.

(B) The price of illegally excavated artifacts would rise.
(C) Computers could be used to trace sold artifacts.
(D) Illegal excavators would be forced to sell only duplicate artifacts.
(E) Money gained from selling authenticated artifacts could be used to investigate and
prosecute illegal excavators

5. The author anticipates which of the following initial objections to the adoption of his
proposal?

(A) Museum officials will become unwilling to store artifacts.

(B) An oversupply of salable artifacts will result and the demand for them will fall.
(C) Artifacts that would have been displayed in public places will be sold to private collectors.
(D) Illegal excavators will have an even larger supply of artifacts for resale.
(E) Counterfeiting of artifacts will become more commonplace
For assistance in the preparation of Verbal Ability, candidates can check out a few Question and
Answers on relevant English topics-

One Word Substitution Questions & Answers Tenses Questions And Answers

Prepositions Questions And Answers Idioms and Phrases Questions and Answers
More such articles, sample questions and exercises can be found on the Verbal Ability page
linked here. 
RC Passage 3:
Federal efforts to aid minority businesses began in the 1960’s when the Small Business
Administration (SBA) began making federally guaranteed loans and government-sponsored
management and technical assistance available to minority business enterprises. While this
program enabled many minority entrepreneurs to form new businesses, the results were
disappointing, since managerial inexperience, unfavorable locations, and capital shortages led
to high failure rates. Even 15 years after the program was implemented, minority business
receipts were not quite two percent of the national economy’s total receipts. Recently federal
policymakers have adopted an approach intended to accelerate development of the minority
business sector by moving away from directly aiding small minority enterprises and toward
supporting larger, growth-oriented minority firms through intermediary companies. In this
approach, large corporations participate in the development of successful and stable minority
businesses by making use of government-sponsored venture capital. The capital is used by a
participating company to establish a Minority Enterprise Small Business Investment Company or
MESBIC. The MESBIC then provides capital and guidance to minority businesses that have
potential to become future suppliers or customers of the sponsoring company.
MESBIC’s are the result of the belief that providing established firms with easier access to
relevant management techniques and more job-specific experience, as well as substantial
amounts of capital, gives those firms a greater opportunity to develop sound business
foundations than does simply making general management experience and small amounts of
capital available. Further, since potential markets for the minority businesses already exist
through the sponsoring companies, the minority businesses face considerably less risk in terms
of location and market fluctuation. Following early financial and operating problems,
sponsoring corporations began to capitalize MESBIC’s far above the legal minimum of $500,000
in order to generate sufficient income and to sustain the quality of management needed.
MESBIC’s are now emerging as increasingly important financing sources for minority
enterprises.
Ironically, MESBIC staffs, which usually consist of Hispanic and Black professionals, tend to
approach investments in minority firms more pragmatically than do many MESBIC directors,
who are usually senior managers from sponsoring corporations. The latter often still think
mainly in terms of the “social responsibility approach” and thus seem to prefer deals that are
riskier and less attractive than normal investment criteria would warrant. Such differences in
viewpoint have produced uneasiness among many minority staff members, who feel that
minority entrepreneurs and businesses should be judged by established business
considerations. These staff members believe their point of view is closer to the original
philosophy of MESBIC’s and they are concerned that, unless a more prudent course is followed,
MESBIC directors may revert to policies likely to re-create the disappointing results of the
original SBA approach.
Based on the Passage, answer the following questions:
 1. Which of the following best states the central idea of the passage?

(A) The use of MESBIC’s for aiding minority entrepreneurs seems to have greater potential for
success than does the original SBA approach.
(B) There is a crucial difference in point of view between the staff and directors of some
MESBIC’s.
(C) After initial problems with management and marketing, minority businesses have begun to
expand at a steady rate.
(D) Minority entrepreneurs wishing to form new businesses now have several equally
successful federal programs on which to rely.
(E) For the first time since 1960, large corporations are making significant contributions to the
development of minority businesses

2. According to the passage, the MESBIC approach differs from the SBA approach in that
MESBIC’s

(A) seek federal contracts to provide markets for minority businesses

(B) encourage minority businesses to provide markets for other minority businesses
(C) attempt to maintain a specified rate of growth in the minority business sector
(D) rely on the participation of large corporations to finance minority businesses
(E) select minority businesses on the basis of their location

3. Which of the following does the author cite to support the conclusion that the results
of the SBA program were disappointing?

(A) The small number of new minority enterprises formed as a result of the program
(B) The small number of minority enterprises that took advantage of the management and
technical assistance offered under the program
(C) The small percentage of the nation’s business receipts earned by minority enterprises
following the programs, implementation.
(D) The small percentage of recipient minority enterprises that were able to repay federally
guaranteed loans made under the program
(E) The small number of minority enterprises that chose to participate in the program

4. Which of the following statements about the SBA program can be inferred from the
passage?

(A) The maximum term for loans made to recipient businesses was 15 years.
(B) Business loans were considered to be more useful to recipient businesses than was
management and technical assistance.
(C) The anticipated failure rate for recipient businesses was significantly lower than the rate
that actually resulted.
(D) Recipient businesses were encouraged to relocate to areas more favorable for business
development.
(E) The capitalization needs of recipient businesses were assessed and then provided for
adequately

5. The author’s primary objective in the passage is to

(A) disprove the view that federal efforts to aid minority businesses have been ineffective
(B) explain how federal efforts to aid minority businesses have changed since the 1960’s
(C) establish a direct link between the federal efforts to aid minority businesses made before
the 1960’s and those made in the 1980’s
(D) analyze the basis for the belief that job-specific experience is more useful to minority
businesses than is general management experience
(E) argue that the “social responsibility approach” to aiding minority businesses is superior to
any other approach
Candidates preparing for various government exams can check the following links for assistance
in preparation:

Daily News Analysis Static GK Current Affairs

RC Passage 4:
The majority of successful senior managers do not closely follow the classical rational model of
first clarifying goals, assessing the problem, formulating options, estimating likelihoods of
success, making a decision, and only then taking action to implement the decision. Rather, in
their day-by-day tactical maneuvers, these senior executives rely on what is vaguely termed
“intuition” to manage a network of interrelated problems that require them to deal with
ambiguity, inconsistency, novelty, and surprise; and to integrate action into the process to
thinking.
Generations of writers on management have recognized that some practicing managers rely
heavily on intuition. In general, however, such writers display a poor grasp of what intuition is.
Some see it as the opposite of rationality; others view it as an excuse for capriciousness.
Isenberg’s recent research on the cognitive processes of senior managers reveals that
managers’ intuition is neither of these. Rather, senior managers use intuition in at least five
distinct ways. First, they intuitively sense when a problem exists. Second, managers rely on
intuition to perform well-learned behavior patterns rapidly. This intuition is not arbitrary or
irrational, but is based on years of painstaking practice and hands-on experience that build
skills. A third function of intuition is to synthesize isolated bits of data and practice into an
integrated picture, often in an “Aha!” experience. Fourth, some managers use intuition as a
check on the results of more rational analysis. Most senior executives are familiar with the
formal decision analysis models and tools, and those who use such systematic methods for
reaching decisions are occasionally leery of solutions suggested by these methods which run
counter to their sense of the correct course of action. Finally, managers can use intuition to
bypass in-depth analysis and move rapidly to engender a plausible solution. Used in this way,
intuition is an almost instantaneous cognitive process in which a manager recognizes familiar
patterns.
One of the implications of the intuitive style of executive management is that “thinking” is
inseparable from acting. Since managers often “know” what is right before they can analyze
and explain it, they frequently act first and explain later. Analysis is inextricably tied to action in
thinking/acting cycles, in which managers develop thoughts about their companies and
organizations not by analyzing a problematic situation and then acting, but by acting and
analyzing in close concert.
Given the great uncertainty of many of the management issues that they face, senior managers
often instigate a course of action simply to learn more about an issue. They then use the results
of the action to develop a more complete understanding of the issue. One implication of
thinking/acting cycles is that action is often part of defining the problem, not just of
implementing the solution. 
Based on the Passage, answer the following questions:

1. According to the passage, senior managers use intuition in all of the following ways
EXCEPT to

(A) speed up of the creation of a solution to a problem

(B) identify a problem
(C) bring together disparate facts
(D) stipulate clear goals
(E) evaluate possible solutions to a problem

2. The passage suggests which of the following about the “writers on management”
mentioned in paragraph 2?

(A) They have criticized managers for not following the classical rational model of decision
analysis.
(B) They have not based their analyses on a sufficiently large sample of actual managers.
(C) They have relied in drawing their conclusions on what managers say rather than on what
managers do.
(D) They have misunderstood how managers use intuition in making business decisions.
(E) They have not acknowledged the role of intuition in managerial practice 

3. According to the passage, the classical model of decision analysis includes all of the
following EXCEPT

(A) evaluation of a problem
(B) creation of possible solutions to a problem
(C) establishment of clear goals to be reached by the decision
(D) action undertaken in order to discover more information about a problem
(E) comparison of the probable effects of different solutions to a problem 

4. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following would most probably
be one major difference in behavior between Manager X, who uses intuition to reach
decisions, and Manager Y, who uses only formal decision analysis?

(A) Manager X analyzes first and then acts; Manager Y does not.

(B) Manager X checks possible solutions to a problem by systematic analysis; Manager Y does
not
(C) Manager X takes action in order to arrive at the solution to a problem; Manager Y does not.
(D) Manager Y draws on years of hands-on experience in creating a solution to a problem;
Manager X does not.
(E) Manager Y depends on day-to-day tactical maneuvering; manager X does not 

5. The passage provides support for which of the following statements?

(A) Managers who rely on intuition are more successful than those who rely on formal decision
analysis.
(B) Managers cannot justify their intuitive decisions.
(C) Managers’ intuition works contrary to their rational and analytical skills
(D) Logical analysis of a problem increases the number of possible solutions.
(E) Intuition enables managers to employ their practical experience more efficiently.
RC Passage 5:
Nearly a century ago, biologists found that if they separated an invertebrate animal embryo
into two parts at an early stage of its life, it would survive and develop as two normal embryos.
This led them to believe that the cells in the early embryo are undetermined in the sense that
each cell has the potential to develop in a variety of different ways. Later biologists found that
the situation was not so simple. It matters in which plane the embryo is cut. If it is cut in a plane
different from the one used by the early investigators, it will not form two whole embryos.
A debate arose over what exactly was happening. Which embryo cells are determined, just
when do they become irreversibly committed to their fates, and what are the “morphogenetic
determinants” that tell a cell what to become? But the debate could not be resolved because
no one was able to ask the crucial questions in a form in which they could be pursued
productively. Recent discoveries in molecular biology, however, have opened up prospects for a
resolution of the debate. Now investigators think they know at least some of the molecules that
act as morphogenetic determinants in early development. They have been able to show that, in
a sense, cell determination begins even before an egg is fertilized.
Studying sea urchins, biologist Paul Gross found that an unfertilized egg contains substances
that function as morphogenetic determinants. They are located in the cytoplasm of the egg cell;
i.e., in that part of the cell’s protoplasm that lies outside of the nucleus. In the unfertilized egg,
the substances are inactive and are not distributed homogeneously. When the egg is fertilized,
the substances become active and, presumably, govern the behavior of the genes they interact
with. Since the substances are unevenly distributed in the egg, when the fertilized egg divides,
the resulting cells are different from the start and so can be qualitatively different in their own
gene activity.
The substances that Gross studied are maternal messenger RNA’s –products of certain
maternal genes. He and other biologists studying a wide variety of organisms have found that
these particular RNA’s direct, in large part, the synthesis of histones, a class of proteins that
bind to DNA. Once synthesized, the histones move into the cell nucleus, where sections of DNA
wrap around them to form a structure that resembles beads, or knots, on a string. The beads
are DNA segments wrapped around the histones; the string is the intervening DNA. And it is the
structure of these beaded DNA strings that guide the fate of the cells in which they are located. 
Based on the Passage, answer the following questions:

1. It can be inferred from the passage that the morphogenetic determinants present in
the early embryo are

(A) located in the nucleus of the embryo cells

(B) evenly distributed unless the embryo is not developing normally
(C) inactive until the embryo cells become irreversibly committed to their final function
(D) identical to those that were already present in the unfertilized egg
(E) present in larger quantities than is necessary for the development of a single individual
 2. The main topic of the passage is

(A) the early development of embryos of lower marine organisms

(B) the main contribution of modern embryology to molecular biology
(C) the role of molecular biology in disproving older theories of embryonic development
(D) cell determination as an issue in the study of embryonic development
(E) scientific dogma as a factor in the recent debate over the value of molecular biology

3. According to the passage, when biologists believed that the cells in the early embryo
were undetermined, they made which of the following mistakes?

(A) They did not attempt to replicate the original experiment of separating an embryo into two
parts.
(B) They did not realize that there was a connection between the issue of cell determination
and the outcome of the separation experiment.
(C) They assumed that the results of experiments on embryos did not depend on the particular
animal species used for such experiments.
(D) They assumed that it was crucial to perform the separation experiment at an early stage in
the embryo’s life.
(E) They assumed that different ways of separating an embryo into two parts would be
equivalent as far as the fate of the two parts was concerned

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the initial production of histones after an egg
is fertilized takes place

(A) in the cytoplasm

(B) in the maternal genes
(C) throughout the protoplasm
(D) in the beaded portions of the DNA strings
(E) in certain sections of the cell nucleus

5. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following is dependent on the
fertilization of an egg?

(A) Copying of maternal genes to produce maternal messenger RNA’s

(B) Synthesis of proteins called histones
(C) Division of a cell into its nucleus and the cytoplasm
(D) Determination of the egg cell’s potential for division
(E) Generation of all of a cell’s morphogenetic determinants

6. According to the passage, the morphogenetic determinants present in the unfertilized

egg cell are which of the following?

(A) Proteins bound to the nucleus

(B) Histones
(C) Maternal messenger RNA’s
(D) Cytoplasm
(E) Non Beaded intervening DNA
Candidates willing to appear for various government exams can check the detailed syllabus of
respective exams given below:

Bank Exam Syllabus SSC Syllabus RRB Syllabus

FCI Syllabus UPSC CAPF Syllabus LIC Syllabus

RC Passage 6:
In the two decades between 1910 and 1930, over ten percent of the Black population of the
United States left the South, where the preponderance of the Black population had been
located, and migrated to northern states, with the largest number moving, it is claimed,
between 1916 and 1918. It has been frequently assumed, but not proved, that the majority of
the migrants in what has come to be called the Great Migration came from rural areas and
were motivated by two concurrent factors: the collapse of the cotton industry following the boll
weevil infestation, which began in 1898, and increased demand in the North for labor following
the cessation of European immigration caused by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.
This assumption has led to the conclusion that the migrants’ subsequent lack of economic
mobility in the North is tied to rural background, a background that implies unfamiliarity with
urban living and a lack of industrial skills.
But the question of who actually left the South has never been rigorously investigated.
Although numerous investigations document an exodus from rural southern areas to southern
cities prior to the Great Migration, no one has considered whether the same migrants then
moved on to northern cities. In 1910, over 600,000 Black workers, or ten percent of the Black
workforce, reported themselves to be engaged in “manufacturing and mechanical pursuits,”
the federal census category roughly encompassing the entire industrial sector. The Great
Migration could easily have been made up entirely of this group and their families. It is perhaps
surprising to argue that an employed population could be enticed to move, but an explanation
lies in the labor conditions prevalent in the South.
About thirty-five percent of the urban Black population in the South was engaged in skilled
trades. Some were from the old artisan class of slavery-blacksmiths, masons, carpenters-which
had had a monopoly of certain trades, but they were gradually being pushed out by
competition, mechanization, and obsolescence. The remaining sixty-five percent, more recently
urbanized, worked in newly developed industries—tobacco, lumber, coal and iron manufacture
and railroads. Wages in the South, however, were low, and Black workers were aware, through
labor recruiters and the Black press, that they could earn more even as unskilled workers in the
North than they could as artisans in the South. After the boll weevil infestation, urban Black
workers faced competition from the continuing influx of both Black and White rural workers,
who were driven to undercut the wages formerly paid for industrial jobs.
Thus, a move towards the North would be seen as advantageous to a group that was already
urbanized and steadily employed, and the easy conclusion tying their subsequent economic
problems in the North to their rural background comes into question.
Based on the Passage, answer the following questions:

1. The author indicates explicitly that which of the following records has been a source
of information in her investigation?

(A) United States Immigration Service reports from 1914 to 1930

(B) Payrolls of southern manufacturing firms between 1910 and 1930
(C) The volume of cotton exports between 1898 and 1910
(D) The federal census of 1910
(E) Advertisements of labor recruiters appearing in southern newspapers after 1910

2. In the passage, the author anticipates which of the following as a possible objection to
her argument?

(A) It is uncertain how many people actually migrated during the Great Migration.
(B) The eventual economic status of the Great Migration migrants has not been adequately
traced.
(C) It is not likely that people with steady jobs would have reason to move to another area of
the country.
(D) It is not true that the term “manufacturing and mechanical pursuits” actually encompasses
the entire industrial sector.
(E) Of the Black workers living in southern cities, only those in a small number of trades were
threatened by obsolescence.

3. According to the passage, which of the following is true about the wages in southern
cities in 1910?
(A) They were being pushed lower as a result of increased competition.
(B) They had begun to rise so that southern industry could attract rural workers.
(C) They had increased for skilled workers but decreased for unskilled workers.
(D) They had increased in large southern cities but decreased in small southern cities.
(E) They had increased in newly developed industries but decreased in the older trades.

4. The author cites each of the following as possible influences in a Black worker’s
decision to migrate north in the Great Migration EXCEPT

(A) wage levels in northern cities

(B) labor recruiters
(C) competition from rural workers
(D) voting rights in northern states
(E) the Black press

5. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) support an alternative to an accepted methodology

(B) present evidence that resolves a contradiction
(C) introduce a recently discovered source of information
(D) challenge a widely accepted explanation
(E) argue that a discarded theory deserves new attention
Candidates can check the List of English Vocabulary Words on the given page that is frequently
asked in the competitive exams. 
RC Passage 7:
Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky like a patient
etherized upon a table; Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets, The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells: Streets
that follow like a tedious argument Of insidious intent To lead you to an overwhelming
question. . . Oh, do not ask, “What is it?” Let us go and make our visit.
In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.
The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes Licked its tongue into the corners
of the evening Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains, Let fall upon its back the soot that
falls from chimneys, Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap, And seeing that it was a soft
October night Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.
And indeed there will be time For the yellow smoke that slides along the street, Rubbing its
back upon the window-panes; There will be time, there will be time To prepare a face to meet
the faces that you meet; There will be time to murder and create, And time for all the works
and days of hands That lift and drop a question on your plate; Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions And for a hundred visions and revisions Before the
taking of a toast and tea.
In the room, the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo. And indeed there will be time
To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”
Time to turn back and descend the stair, With a bald spot in the middle of my hair— [They will
say: “How his hair is growing thin!”] My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin— [They will say: “But how his arms
and legs are thin!”] Do I dare Disturb the universe? In a minute there is time for decisions and
revisions which a minute will reverse.
For I have known them all already, known them all; Have known the evenings, mornings,
afternoons, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons; I know the voices dying with a
dying fall Beneath the music from a farther room. So how should I presume?
Based on the Passage, answer the following questions:

1. Which of the following meanings can be inferred from the lines “o I dare Disturb the
universe?”

(A) The author is referring to his bright future.

(B) The author fears that he will cause some major upheaval in world.
(C) The author refers to the ‘status quo’ in which he is in.
(D) The author expresses his feeling of being pinned against a wall.
(E) The author is apprehensive about his last days. 

2. What, according to the passage, is the reason for the author’s optimism?

(A) That the women are talking of Michelangelo.

(B) That the yellow fog rubs upon the window-panes.
(C) That it was an October night.
(D) That there will be moments for everything.
(E) That the falling soot made a sudden leap.
 3. In the first ten lines of the passage, the author embodies which of the following with
human attributes?

(A) toast
(B) restaurants
(C) intent
(D) retreats
(E) arguments

4. In the passage, the evening is compared to:

(A) The spreading sky

(B) The anesthetized patient
(C) Wicked people
(D) The deserted streets
(E) A walk in the streets
Download the Reading Comprehension Questions & Answers PDF given below to check the
answers with a detailed explanation. 
Practice Reading Comprehension Questions – Answers PDF–Download PDF Here
Candidates, due to lack of enough practice or in general with weak English vocabulary tend to
score less marks in RC passage Questions. The video given below is based on Reading
Comprehension Questions in the English Language. In this video, candidates will learn a new
approach to tackle RC Passage questions in the examination.

The Circulatory System

 The Circulatory System 

The circulatory system is one of several systems of the human body that work together to
keep a person healthy. The body takes oxygen into the lungs when a person breathes. This
oxygen is then transported throughout the body into all of the cells of the body by the
circulatory system.
 The main function of the circulatory system is to carry blood throughout our bodies. The
circulatory system circulates or transports blood to and from the heart, and carries oxygen and
nutrients to every cell in the body. The circulatory system is connected throughout the body by
vessels that transport the blood, oxygen, and nutrients.

There are two main parts of the circulatory system, the heart and blood vessels.
The heart contains a total of four chambers, which are enclosed by walls that are thick and
muscular. The heart is located between the lungs. It lies just to the left side of the middle of the
chest cavity.

Two of the chambers are called the left and right ventricles, located in the bottom part of
the heart, pump blood out of the heart. The aorta is the largest artery of the heart and it carries
blood away from the heart. Blood with oxygen is pumped into the aorta, which travels up along
a ventricle and down into the front of the spinal column into the abdomen. The upper part of
the heart contains two other chambers, the left and right atria, receive blood into the heart.

The left and right atria are the chambers of the heart that receive blood into the heart. The
atria are located in the upper part of the heart. The ventricles are located in the bottom part of
the heart and pump blood out of the heart. Heart valves separate the four chambers of the
heart. The chambers of the heart collect and pump blood, as well as control the blood's
direction. The valves open correctly for the blood to empty from the chambers, and close
properly so blood does not flow the wrong way. The valves assure that the rest of the body get
the right amount of blood.

The heart is actually a muscle; the beating is the moving or pumping of blood into the rest of
the body and beats about 60 to 100 times per minute depending on age and health. It beats
faster if necessary when the body is need of oxygen, or slower while a person sleeps who would
need less oxygen.

The blood vessels include arteries, veins, and capillaries which are the paths that carry the
blood throughout the body. Arteries carry blood away from the heart, veins carry blood to the
heart, and the capillaries connect the arteries and veins. The nutrients that come from food is
digested in the body is also transported to all of the cells of the body through the blood vessels
of the circulatory system.

The arteries carry blood away from the heart. The arteries are the thickest of the blood
vessels. The blood is enriched with oxygen as it is sent through a large artery called the aorta, to
the rest of the body. The veins of the circulatory system carry blood back to the heart. Veins are
thin and not as flexible as arteries, but are larger in diameter. The capillaries are tiny blood
vessels that carry blood between the arteries and the veins. The capillaries deliver nutrients and
oxygen to the cells in the body. Carbon dioxide and other waste products are also removed by
the capillaries. Capillaries are extremely small, only about one cell thick. If the capillaries were
laid end to end they would stretch to about 3000 miles.

In summary, the circulatory system is made up of the heart and thousands of miles of blood
vessels called arteries, veins, and capillaries which carry blood, oxygen, and nutrients
throughout the different parts of the body

1) The main function of the circulatory system is to do which of the following?

A: Carry blood throughout a person's body

B: Take in oxygen for transport to the body

C: Distribute blood to the heart

D: Keeps a person's heart beating

2) How many chambers does the heart contain?

A: 2

B: 3

C: 4

D: 5
3) The largest artery of the heart and the body is which of the following?

A: Vein

B: Aorta

C: Capillary

D: Ventricle
4) Which of the following is a correct statement?
 A: Arteries carry blood to the heart, veins away from the heart

B: Arteries and veins carry blood to the heart

C: Arteries and veins carry blood away from the heart

D: Arteries carry blood away from the heart, veins to the heart
5) Which of the following blood vessels carry nutrients and oxygen to the cells in the body?

A: Capillaries

B: Veins

C: Arteries

D: Ventricles
6) Which of the following separate the four chambers of the heart?

A: Ventricles

B: Atria

C: Valves

D: Aorta
COMprehension reading passage

Read the fol lowing passages carefully and answer the questions given below them. Certain
words are given in bold to help you to locate them while answering some of the questions.

PASSAGE
There is no field of human endeavour that has been so misunderstood as health. While health
which connotes well-being and the absence of illness has a low profile, it is illness representing
the failure of health which virtually monopolizes attention because of the fear of pain, disability
and death. Even Sushruta has warned that this provides the medical practitioner power over
the patient which could be misused.
Till recently, patients had implicit faith in their physician whom they loved and respected, not
only for his knowledge but also in the total belief that practitioners of this noble profession,
guided by ethics, always placed the patient's interest above all other considerations. This rich
interpersonal relationship between the physician, patient and family has, barring a few
exceptions, prevailed till the recent past, for caring was considered as important as curing. Our
indigenous systems of medicine like ayurveda and yoga have been more concerned with the
promotion of the health of both the body and mind and with maintaining a harmonious
relationship not just with fellow-beings but with nature itself, of which man is an integral part.
Healthy practices like cleanliness, proper diet, exercise and meditation are part of our culture
which sustains people even in the prevailing conditions of poverty in rural India and in the
unhygienic urban slums.

These systems consider disease as an aberration resulting from disturbance of the equilibrium

of health, which must be corrected by gentle restoration of this balance through proper diet,
medicines and the establishment of mental peace. They also teach the graceful acceptance of
old age with its infirmities resulting from the normal degenerative process as well as of death
which is inevitable.

This is in marked contrast to the western concept of life as a constant struggle against disease,
ageing and death which must be fought and conquered with the knowledge and
technology derived from their science: a science which, with its narrow dissective and
quantifying approach, has provided us the understanding of the microbial causes of
communicable diseases and provided highly effective technology for their prevention,
treatment and control. This can rightly be claimed as the greatest contribution of western
medicine and justifiably termed as 'high' technology. And yet the contribution of this science in
the field of non-communicable diseases is remarkably poor despite the far greater inputs in
research and treatment for the problems of ageing like cancer, heart diseases, paralytic strokes
and arthritis which are the major problems of affluent societies today.

Question : 1

Which of the following has been described as the most outstanding benefits of modern
medicine?

A. The real cause and ways of control of communicable diseases

B. Evolution of the concept of harmony between man and nature
C. Special techniques for fighting to age

a) Only A

b) Only B

c) Only A and B
d) Only B and C

e) Only C

Answer » Discuss »

Question : 2

In India traditionally the doctors were being guided mainly by which of the following?

a) Professional ethics

b) Power over patient

c) Good knowledge

d) High technology

e) Western concept of life

Answer » Discuss »

Question : 3

What caution have proponents of indigenous systems sounded against medical practitioners?

a) Their emphasis on curing illness rather than preventive health measures.

b) Their emphasis on restoring health for affluent members of the society.

c) Their emphasis on research on noncommunicable diseases.

d) Their undue concern for the health of the person.

e) None of these

Answer » Discuss »

Question : 4

Why has the field of health not been understood properly?

a) Highly advanced technology being used by the professionals.

b) Not given in the passage.

c) Confusion between views of indigenous and western system.

d) Difficulty in understanding distinction between health and illness.

e) None of these

Answer » Discuss »

Question : 5

Why, according to the author, have people in India survived in spite of poverty?

a) Their will to conquer diseases

b) Their harmonious relationship with the physician

c) They have easy access to western technology.

d) Their natural resistance to communicable diseases is very high.

e) None of these

PASSAGE 1 – WAS DR. SEUSS A REAL DOCTOR?

 

A favorite author for over 100 years, Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1902. Today,
we celebrate the birthday of the famous “Dr. Seuss” by hosting Read Across America events
throughout the month of March. School children around the country celebrate the “Doctor’s”
birthday by making hats, giving presentations and holding read aloud circles featuring some of
Dr. Seuss’ most famous books.

But who was Dr. Seuss? Did he go to medical school? Where was his office? You may be
surprised to know that Theodor Seuss Geisel was not a medical doctor at all. He took on the
nickname Dr. Seuss when he became a noted children’s book author. He earned the nickname
because people said his books were “as good as medicine”. All these years later, his nickname
has lasted and he is known as Dr. Seuss all across the world.

Think back to when you were a young child. Did you ever want to try “green eggs and ham.”?
Did you try to “Hop on Pop”? Do you remember learning about the environment from a
creature called The Lorax? Of course, you must recall one of Seuss’ most famous characters;
that green Grinch who stole Christmas. These stories were all written by Dr. Seuss and featured
his signature rhyming words and letters. They also featured made up words in order to enhance
his rhyme scheme and even though many of his characters were made up, they sure seem real
to us today.

And what of his “signature” book, The Cat in the Hat? You must remember that cat and Thing
One and Thing Two from your childhood. Did you know that in the early 1950’s there was a
growing concern in America that children were not becoming avid readers? This was, book
publishers thought, because children found books dull and uninteresting. An intelligent
publisher sent Dr. Seuss a book of words that he thought all children should learn as young
readers. Dr. Seuss wrote his famous story The Cat in the Hat, using those words.  We can see,
over the decades, just how much influence his writing has had on very young children. That is
why we celebrate this doctor’s birthday each March.

PASSAGE 1 – QUESTIONS
1. What does the word “avid” mean in the last paragraph?
a. Good
b. Interested
c. Slow
d. Fast
2. What can we infer from the statement “ His books were like medicine”?
a. His books made people feel better
b. His books were in doctor’s office waiting rooms
c. His books took away fevers
d. His books left a funny taste in readers’ mouths.
3. Why is the publisher in the last paragraph referred to as “intelligent?”
a. The publisher knew how to read.
b. The publisher knew kids did not like to read.
c. The publisher knew Dr. Seuss would be able to create a book that sold well.
d. The publisher knew that Dr. Seuss would be able to write a book that would get young
children interested in reading.
4. The theme of this passage is
a. Dr. Seuss was not a doctor.
b. Dr. Seuss influenced the lives of generations of young children.
c. Dr. Seuss wrote rhyming books.
d. Dr. Suess’ birthday is a good day to read a book

1. hat are the main features of asthma?

2. - What are some triggers for asthma attacks?

- Overview of Type 1 Diabetes 

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It is thought to be caused by an environmental
trigger (possibly a virus or toxin but doctors aren't sure.) This trigger causes the immune system
to attack beta cells in the pancreas. Beta cells produce insulin, and after the immune system
damages enough beta cells, the body cannot produce sufficient insulin supplies.

Type 1 Diabetes can present at any age but usually presents before the age of 20 and the
symptoms are subtle. Some of the more common symptoms are frequent urination,
unexplainable weight loss, hunger after meals, fatigue, blurred vision and dehydration
complications. Filtering of glucose by the kidneys results in large amounts of water loss causing
dehydration. Dehydration associated with hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) causes increased
thirst and dry mouth, as well as increased skin, urinary tract, and vaginal infections.

Diagnosis is usually made by detection of abnormalities in blood glucose levels and by glucose
or ketone bodies in the urine. Because of the high risks associated with hyperglycemia and the
difficulties associated with therapy, it is suggested patients visit a diabetes counselor for regular
monitoring, counseling and follow-up.

Comprehension Questions:
1.What type of disease is type 1 diabetes?
2.Why can't the body produce insulin in type 1 diabetes?
3.What are some common symptoms of type 1 diabetes?
 4.What are the problems associated with dehydration?
5.How is diabetes usually diagnosed?

Reading Article 2: read the patient information article and then answer the questions.

Article 2: Type 1 Diabetes Information for the Patient 

Type 1 diabetes is a disease that destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It is an
autoimmune disease, which means the body's immune system is attacking itself. By attacking
the insulin-producing cells, these cells are damaged and cannot produce enough insulin to
supply the body.

In the body, insulin helps move sugar and other nutrients from the bloodstream into the cells of
the body. Cells use sugar as energy for all of their functions. When the body destroys the beta
cells nutrients, especially sugar, are not transported into the cells. The cells of the body starve
and the blood sugar level rises. High blood sugar can cause dehydration, weight loss, and
irreversible damage to small blood vessels in the kidney, eyes and heart.

When blood sugar is not controlled, patients are in danger of developing several serious
diseases and complications.
- retinopathy - a disease that affects the eyes and vision
- kidney damage - which could lead to kidney failure and heart disease
- circulatory problems
- possibly leading to nerve damage, infection, and amputation

Quality of life can be maintained by keeping blood sugar levels in target ranges. Management
requires exercise, meal planning, and insulin therapy (insulin injections.) Careful monitoring of
blood sugar levels, both fasting and after meals, is important. There are diabetes counselors
who can help patients take control of their disease. These services are often covered by most
insurance plans and can be a great benefit to patients.

Comprehension Questions:
1. Why can't the body produce insulin in type one diabetes?
2. What does insulin do in the body?
3. What effects does high blood sugar have in the body?
4. What serious disease result from uncontrolled blood sugar?
5. What are some ways to manage diabetes?

Key words for the antibiotic article: vocabulary warm-up

antibiotic characteristic swelling
infection prescription allergic reaction
bacteria medication physician
protein viral infections nausea
synthesis resistant
vomiting
replicate
rash tolerable
Antibiotics
Read the article below
Antibiotics are strong medications that fight infections in the body. There are many classes of
antibiotics and they have different effects on bacteria. Some antibiotics weaken cell walls.
Some antibiotics block protein synthesis or DNA synthesis. Antibiotics can kill bacteria
(bactericidal) or they can stop them from replicating or growing (bacteriostatic.)
Each antibiotic has specific characteristics and they don’t work against all types of bacteria.
It is important that patients know several things about antibiotics:
¾ Antibiotics don’t work against viral infections such as colds and the flu. ¾
Antibiotics don’t work against sore throats and coughs*. ¾
It is important to finish all of the medication even if you feel better.
If a patient doesn’t finish the prescription, it could be dangerous. Patients usually will feel
better after 2-3 days. However, the bacteria might not be completely gone. If a patient stops
taking their medication, the bacteria may grow, causing the patient to become sick again.
Also, the bacteria might become resistant to the antibiotic making it more difficult to fight.
Problems can occur with antibiotics. If the patient notices a rash, swelling, or any other
allergic reaction, they should stop taking the medication and contact their physician
immediately. Also, if the patient has problems with nausea or vomiting, they should stop the
medication and contact their physician.
A more tolerable alternative might be available. * They are generally caused by viruses.
Questions about the article
Antibiotics
1. What do antibiotics do in the body?
2. What ways do antibiotics fight bacteria?
3. Antibiotics don’t work for many common problems. Give some examples.
4. Why is it important to finish your antibiotic prescription?

5. What are some of the different types of antibiotics?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
6. Do antibiotics help with colds and coughs?
3. What happens in the body during an asthma attack?