THE HINDU

EDITORIAL Presents

3rd October 2023

PREPARE FOR BANK (PO/ CLERK), SSC,UPSC,

State PSC, CAT,CTET,RAILWAY EXAMS,CDS,
TET, NDA/AIRFORCE, NET and all Govt. Exams
 VOCABULARY

1. Vagaries: unexpected events or changes that cannot be

controlled and can influence a situation. अ नय मतता
Synonyms: unpredictability, volatility
Antonyms: conformity, regularity
Example: I couldn't predict the vagaries of the stock market, so I
decided to invest cautiously.
2. Muted: made something weaker or less severe. शांत करना
Synonyms: allayed, quelled
Antonyms: heightened, intensified
Example: His enthusiasm was muted after hearing the
disappointing news.
 VOCABULARY

3. Deluged: covered something with a lot of water. बाढ़ आना

Synonyms: inundated, flooded
Antonyms: drained, dehydrated
Example: We had to postpone our outdoor picnic when the
unexpected downpour deluged the park.
4. Numb: not able to feel any emotions or to think clearly, because
you are so shocked or frightened, etc. स्तब्ध
Synonyms: stupefied, dazed
Antonyms: conscious, aware
Example: The news of her promotion left her feeling numb with
disbelief.
 VOCABULARY

5. Stunning: shocking or very impressive. अद्भुत

Synonyms: astonishing, staggering
Antonyms: expected, predictable
Example: His performance on the stage was nothing short of
stunning.
6. Hammering: an occasion when someone is defeated completely.
पराजय
Synonyms: rout, drubbing
Antonyms: triumph, victory
Example: Despite their best efforts, they couldn't avoid the
hammering handed to them by the opposing team.
 VOCABULARY

7. Augurs: to be a sign of especially good or bad things in the future.

पूवस
र्व ूचना दे ना
Synonyms: presage, portend
Antonyms: eclipse, obscure
Example: The teacher's encouragement and support augured
success for the struggling student.

Jargon
8. Equestrian: connected with the riding of horses.

Phrasal verb
9. Grappling with: trying to deal with or understand a difficult
problem or subject.
 VOCABULARY

Idioms
10. On the horizon: likely to happen or exist soon.
11. Came to a head: reached a point where some strong action had
to be taken.
12. Go a long way: to be very successful.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

Article for reading

Capturing the rains

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 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

For the first time since 2018, India has reported a deficit
monsoon. From June to September this year, India received 82
cm of rainfall, nearly 6% lower than the 89 cm that is considered
‘normal’. Beginning April, there were enough indications that the
monsoon would be subdued with an El Niño on the horizon. This
cyclical warming of the central and eastern Pacific ocean usually
corresponds to a decline in rainfall over India, particularly the
north-west. Between 2019 and 2022, the Indian monsoon was
significantly impacted by the converse phenomenon – a cooling
La Niña — that sometimes is associated with above normal
rainfall. By those metrics, the expectations of a normal monsoon
in 2023 were muted. However, the experience of the monsoon
this year was far from the ordinary.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

About 9% of the country received ‘excess’ rainfall with 18%

getting ‘deficient’ and the rest of the country, ‘normal’ rainfall.
While on one hand, August — the second-most important
monsoon month — posted a third less than its normal,
several States in north India, which were expecting minimal
rainfall, were deluged following multiple episodes of record
rainfall. July, for instance, saw exceptionally heavy rainfall in
Chandigarh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, resulting in
floods and landslides. Several cities were left grappling with
serious flooding over several days. Cloudbursts were
reported in Himachal Pradesh in August. It is worthwhile to
note here that these episodes of intense rain were due to
so-called western disturbances that are extra tropical storms
from the Mediterranean region and normally not expected to
play a major part in the monsoon.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

Thus, these are fingerprints of the wide-ranging impacts of

anthropogenic warming. At the other end of the spectrum
were drought-like conditions in Maharashtra. Extreme water
stress was also reported out of Chhattisgarh, Bihar and
Karnataka, where in the case of Karnataka, matters came to a
head with neighbouring Tamil Nadu over the sharing of water
from the Cauvery river. The India Meteorological Department
has also forecast a ‘normal’ north-east monsoon from
October to December and ‘normal to above-normal rainfall’
over large parts of north-west India and south peninsular
India. The signs are there of increased rains in several parts
of south India. The spatial and temporal variance of the
monsoon reiterates the need to invest in more resilient
infrastructure that can be an all-weather insurance against the
increasingly unpredictable vagaries of the global climate.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

The pattern in recent years is to improve forecast models that

are better able to warn of significant changes in weather a
week or two ahead than having approaches that fail to
capture the dynamics of the Indian monsoon. More money
and expertise should be directed towards this.
Summary:

India experienced a deficit monsoon in 2023, receiving 6% less rainfall than

normal due to the looming El Niño. Surprisingly, some regions saw excess
rainfall while others faced drought conditions and water stress. Unusual heavy
rains caused floods and landslides in the north, attributed to western
disturbances and anthropogenic warming. This erratic monsoon pattern
highlights the need for resilient infrastructure to cope with climate
unpredictability. The passage emphasizes the importance of investing in
improved forecast models to better predict weather changes and allocate more
resources and expertise to address the Indian monsoon’s dynamics.

The tone of the passage appears to be informative and concerned.

 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

Article for skimming

Gold rush

India is improving its

performance on the world
stage in sports
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

On a super Sunday of drama, determination and domination, India

comfortably moved past the 50-medal mark while it continued to
chase 100 medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Sunday also saw
India taking 15 medals, a record for a single day at the Asiad, with nine
of them from athletics. Avinash Sable, with a fine frontrunning style
that left the rest of the field numb in the 3000m steeplechase, brought
the country’s first athletics gold with a Games record. In contrast,
Asian record-holder Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who had struggled with a
groin injury the last few months, was a picture of determination as he
retained his shot put gold with a last-round effort. There was plenty of
drama too as Jyothi Yarraji was first disqualified along with another
Chinese athlete Yanni Wu for a false start in the 100m hurdles, then
allowed to run under protest and later saw her bronze medal being
upgraded to silver after Wu, who had in fact jumped the gun, was
disqualified.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

Athletics had been a gold mine for India at the last Asiad in
Jakarta 2018, bringing half of the 16 golds that India won
overall and this time shooting has been a major contributor
too, bringing seven golds, five of them in team events. There
were some wonderful stories too, such as the equestrian
dressage team striking gold after 41 years, and Sift Kaur
Samra — who dropped out of the MBBS course to focus on
shooting — taking the women’s 50m rifle three-position gold
with a world record. And the women’s cricket team winning
the title on its Asiad debut should go a long way in making
cricket a global sport. Cricket was played at the 2010 and
2014 Asiad, in China and South Korea, but the Board of
Control for Cricket in India did not send its teams to these
Games.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

There were some stunning moments too, with India’s Sutirtha

Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee shocking host China’s
World champions Chen Meng and Yidi Wang on their way to
the women’s doubles semifinal in table tennis and the 10-2
hammering of Pakistan in a men’s hockey league game,
India’s biggest margin of victory against its arch-rival. Host
China is way above the rest, its gold count is nearly 10 times
more than India’s, but it looks like India’s young stars have
learned to adapt to the big stage better and this augurs well
for the future. The badminton, squash, tennis, golf, rowing
and sailing stars have all contributed with their good show.
And the next few days promise to be eventful ones too.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

Today's Descriptive Question

Write an essay of 200 words highlighting the

advances made globally to mitigate extreme climate
events.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

In recent years, the world has witnessed significant advances

in mitigating extreme climate events. These developments
reflect a growing awareness of the urgent need to address
climate change and its far-reaching consequences. One major
advancement is the global shift towards renewable energy
sources, such as solar, wind, and hydropower, which reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and decrease reliance on fossil
fuels.

Another crucial development is the international

commitment to reduce carbon emissions, exemplified by the
Paris Agreement. This landmark accord, signed by numerous
countries, sets targets to limit global warming and promotes
cooperation in adapting to climate impacts.
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

Additionally, advancements in climate modeling and

monitoring technology have improved our ability to predict
and prepare for extreme weather events, enhancing disaster
resilience.

Furthermore, there has been a surge in climate education

and advocacy, inspiring individuals and communities to take
action. Grassroots movements and governmental initiatives
alike are promoting sustainable practices and driving
meaningful change. While challenges persist, these global
advances signal a growing determination to combat climate
change and safeguard the planet for future generations.
Please write a letter to the manager of a bank, requesting him or her to solve the
problem of long queues at the branch.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, PIN Code]
[Date]
Date
[Bank Name]
[branch Address]
[City, State, PIN Code]
Subject: Problem of long queues at the branch
Dear Sir/ Ma’am
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my concern regarding
the persistent issue of long queues at our branch. It has become increasingly
inconvenient for customers like myself to endure extended wait times,
impacting our overall banking experience.
I kindly request your intervention to address this problem promptly. Possible
solutions may include optimizing staff allocation during peak hours, introducing
appointment systems, or exploring digital alternatives to reduce in-branch
traffic. Resolving this issue will not only improve customer satisfaction but also
streamline operations. Your attention to this matter would be greatly
appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

Match the words with their meanings.

Column A Column B

Steadfast extremely silly; not logical and sensible

Absurd not changing in your attitudes or aims

Articulate encouraged or caused people to have strong

feelings about something

Whipped up caused the end of something

Rang the death to express or explain your thoughts or feelings

knell clearly in words
 THE HINDU EDITORIAL LIVE DAILY @ 7 AM

VOCABULARY FOR ALL

1. Vagaries:
2. Muted:
3. Deluged:
4. Numb:
5. Stunning:
6. Hammering:
7. Augurs:
8. Grappling with:
9. On the horizon:
10. Came to a head:
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