Drona PDF 175

Direction(1-5): Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions
that follow.
The powers that be protest too much. This is an apt description of the
pushback orchestrated by the external affairs ministry in response to a tweet by a
popular international singer on the ongoing farmers’ protest.
In an unprecedented step, the ministry of external affairs responded to the
growing international scrutiny in a lengthy statement that urged celebrities to
ascertain facts before rushing to make critical comments. This is welcome
advice, but the dictum should be applicable to all. The ministry itself, it appears,
has taken certain licences with facts, stating that Parliament had passed the
contentious farm laws after “full debate and discussion”. India and perhaps the
world know that the legislations were steamrolled ignoring the reservations of the
Opposition. What is equally illustrative about the indignation of the ministry
and its admirers — celebrities all — was their comprehension of
sovereignty.
The sovereignty of a robust democracy cannot be so brittle as to crumble in the
face of a single tweet. This prickliness, a dangerous kind of intolerance for
criticism, has become a signature of New India and its administration. The allergy
is ________ to the health of this democracy. What strengthens democracy is —
not unilateral opinion but — a nation’s ability to accommodate divergent,
competing views.
There may be other reasons that explain the paranoid rebuttal. Could it be that
the Centre is no longer certain that its carefully curated narrative on the farmers’
protest is having its desired effect? If that is the case, then the Narendra Modi
government has itself to blame.
The sustained (m)impassivity of farmers, the periodic use of force and
(n)echelons at the sites of protest and, above all, the (o)demonization shown
from the highest (p)incitation of power have bared the ugly truths that no
amount of cheerleading on television or on social media can conceal.

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Q1. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the second
paragraph?
I. A healthy democracy should be open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or
suggestions, that are not one-sided, but rather assorted and challenging.
II. New India’s tendency to show violent resistance to protesting tweets, is a sign
of a weak democracy.
III. If one single tweet can make India’s democracy fall apart then its
administration can be considered as a frail administration.
(A) Both I and III
(B) Both I and II
(C) Only I
(D) Only II
(E) All I, II and III

Q2. What possibly is causing the government’s worried denial, according to

the author, in the third paragraph?
I. Government’s doubt on the effectiveness of the way it carefully and thoughtfully
presented farmers’ protests.
II. Government’s hesitation on establishing its masterminded response to the
farmers’ protests.
III. Government’s inability to provide certainty in response to the farmers’ protests
by organizing a proper response.
(A) Only II

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(B) Both I and II
(C) Only III
(D) Only I
(E) Both II and III

Q3. In the last paragraph, four words in bold may or may not be correctly
placed. Below are some combinations of the correct sequence of those words,
one of which will make those sentences contextually correct. Choose the correct
combination of those words. If no replacement is required, choose option (E).
(A) n m o p
(B) p n m o
(C) m p n o
(D) o n p m
(E) None of the above options

Q4. Which of the following words is an antonym of the word ‘conceal’, as used
in the last paragraph?
(A) secrete
(B) bury
(C) ensconce
(D) bare
(E) None of the above options

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Q5. What’s the actual tone of the author in the last paragraph?
(A) Censorious
(B) Vituperative
(C) Approbative
(D) Plausive
(E) None of the above options

Answer

1. C
Solution: Only I can be inferred
Refer to the line - What strengthens democracy is — not unilateral opinion but —
a nation’s ability to accommodate divergent, competing views.
This single line is explaining the whole paragraph.
Inference means a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and
reasoning and statement I is certainly a conclusion. Hence, it is the
inference as well.
unilateral - one-sided or biased.
divergent - differing; varying; assorted.
competing - challenging.

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accommodate - accept or be open and responsive to.

Statement II and III are not inferences. They are just stating the facts
mentioned in the paragraph.
prickliness - here it means violent resistance.
crumble - to fall apart.
frail - weak.

2. D
Solution: Only I
paranoid rebuttal - worried denial.
Refer to - Could it be that the Centre is no longer certain that its carefully curated
narrative on the farmers’ protest is having its desired effect?
carefully curated - carefully chosen and thoughtfully organized or presented.
narrative - a particular way of explaining or understanding events.
Statement I is talking about exactly the same thing..
II - Out of the context. It’s talking about the government’s hesitation.
III - Out of the context. It’s talking about providing certainty or confidence in
response to the farmers’ protests.

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3. E
Solution: None of the above options
The correct combination is -
o p m n
The sustained demonization of farmers, the periodic use of force and incitation
at the sites of protest and, above all, the impassivity shown from the highest
echelons of power have bared the ugly truths that no amount of cheerleading on
television or on social media can conceal.
demonization - the portrayal of something as wicked and threatening.
incitation - provocation.
impassivity - apathy or insensitivity.
echelon - a rank or position within an organization.

4. D
Solution: bare
bare - to disclose or reveal.
conceal - to hide.
secrete - a) to deposit or conceal in a hiding place.
b) to form and give off.
ensconce - establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe place.
bury - a) put or hide underground.

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b) cover (someone or something) completely.

All the remaining words are synonymous with ‘conceal’.

5. A
Solution: Censorious

Censorious - condemning and criticising.

Vituperative - marked by harshly abusive criticism.
Approbative / Plausive - affirmative.

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