TOPIC: READING
COMPREHENSION
the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.
Certain words are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of
the questions.
JUSTICE VIKRAMJIT SEN, A RETIRED JUDGE of the Supreme
Court, once observed during the hearing of a case in 2015: “India is a secular
country, but I don’t know how long it will remain so.” A sense of exasperation might have been behind his
observation, but events since then could make one wonder whether the judge’s
remark was meant to shake up those who are complacent about the future of
secularism in India.
There is no denying the fact that India’s unique brand of
secularism, despite being subjected to various stresses and strains, has proved
resilient. India’s brand of secularism is a complex mix of constitutional
provisions that guarantee all persons freedom of conscience and the right to
free profession, practice and propagation of religion; the freedom to manage
religious affairs; the freedom from being compelled to pay taxes to promote a
particular religion; and protection of the interests of minorities. But the
enforcement of these provisions, in practice, has given rise to a number of
challenges from both the state and non-state actors. One only needs to read
contemporary news headlines to understand the severity of these challenges to
secularism. They appear insurmountable
partly because India’s unique brand of secularism has not been sufficiently
understood either by its contemporary rulers or by civil society.
India’s Constitution-makers did not feel the need to
explain the unique brand, leaving it to lawmakers and the courts to make sense
of it through constitutional provisions. Therefore, it is not surprising that
the word “secularism” does not find mention in the original Constitution. As
secularism finds expression in a number of constitutional provisions, the
Constitution-makers rightly thought it unnecessary to proclaim India a secular
Republic even in the Preamble. Besides, secularism being a complex term defied
easy definition; therefore, putting it in the Preamble without defining it
elsewhere would lend the term to various interpretations not originally
envisaged by the Constitution-makers. So it was believed at the time of the
making of the Constitution. But Parliament’s insertion of the word “secular”
along with the word “socialist” to describe the Indian Republic in the Preamble
during the Emergency (1975-77) was, to infer from the debates, aimed at
emphasising the “larger objective”. That it was conceived by the rulers as just an objective in the mid 1970s
showed that the country was still far from realising it fully.
A.R. Antulay, a Congress Member of the Rajya Sabha who
participated in the debate then, explained why the Constitution-makers had not
included the word secularism in the original Constitution: “Maybe, the
conditions and circumstances, then prevailing, were not favourable. The split
in the Congress in the wake of Partition and immediately after Independence,
the country could not have afforded, perhaps the newly won independence would
have been lost. Pandit Nehru, himself a personification of secularism and
himself of socialist conviction must
have sensed that…. [a] split within the Congress over socialistic and secular
lines immediately after Partition, immediately after Independence, would have
meant the loss of independence, perhaps.”
Q1. Which of the following statements does not form the
part of the given passage?
(a)India’s unique brand of secularism is very difficult to
comprehend especially by its contemporary rulers and civil society.
(b)Many believed that the inclusion of the word secularism
in the Preamble would create the right atmosphere to urge minorities to play a
positive role in the development and progress of the nation.
(c)India’s brand of secularism is a complex mix of
constitutional provisions that guarantee all persons freedom of conscience and
the right to free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
(d) It was feared that secularism being a complex term
would lend to various interpretations that might contradict what originally
envisioned by the Constitution-makers.
(e)None of the above.
Q2. Why according to the passage did the
Constitution-makers avoid defining the term “secularism” in the Preamble?
(I)The term “secularism” was so sophisticated that the
Constitution-makers found it difficult to define it smoothly.
(II)The Constitution-makers worried that without defining
the term in the Preamble would lend it to various explanations that might
differ what originally envisaged by them.
(III)The conditions and circumstances prevailing during
that period were unfavourable to make any such move to define the most
important term in the Preamble.
(a)Only (I) is correct
(b)Only (II) is correct
(c)Both (I) and (III) are correct
(d)Both (II) and (III) are correct
(e)All are correct
Q3. What are the provisions related to Secularism mentioned
in the Constitution?
(I)It guarantees all persons freedom of conscience and the
right to free profession.
(II)It guarantees practice and propagation of religion and
protection of the interests of minorities.
(III)It guarantees the freedom to manage religious affairs.
(IV)It guarantees the freedom from being compelled to pay
taxes to promote a particular religion.
(a)Only (I) is correct
(b)Both (II) and (III) are correct
(c)Only (I), (II) and (IV) are correct
(d)Only (II), (III) and (IV) are correct
(e)All are correct
Q4. Why according to the passage the rising challenges to
secularism seem invincible?
(a)India’s unique brand of secularism has not been
sufficiently understood either by its contemporary rulers or by civil society.
(b)India’s Constitution-makers did not feel the need to
explain the meaning of the term and left it to lawmakers and the courts to
decide the same through constitutional provisions.
(c)The government abandoned its move to define the term,
conceding the reservations expressed by the Members of Parliament during the
debate on the subject.
(d)Parliament has failed in its obligation to see that
equal opportunities are afforded to the minorities so that they may develop
equally and thus enable us to establish a welfare society in this country.
(e)All are true.
Q5. What led the judge of the Supreme Court to state “India is a secular country, but I don’t
know how long it will remain so”?
(I)The Judge felt that people have become complacent about
the future of secularism in India.
(II)There were certain events that challenged the existence
of secularism in the Constitution.
(III)The Judge was pleased by the issues related to the
case he was hearing in 2015.
(a)Only (I) is correct
(b)Both (I) and (II) are correct
(c)Both (II) and (III) are correct
(d)None is correct
(e)All are correct
Q6. What does author mean by the term “larger objective” in context of the passage?
(I) Secularism is a priceless objective to strive for and
defend given the grim challenges it faces from non-state actors, often with the
connivance of the state.
(II)The insertion of the word “secular” along with the word
“socialist” to describe the Indian Republic in the Preamble was visualized as a
larger objective.
(III)The government envisioned that the objective of
secularism could actually limit the steps envisaged in the Constitution to
ensure the freedom and protection of minorities.
(a)Only (I) is correct
(b)Only (II) is correct
(c)Only (III) is correct
(d)Both (I) and (II) are correct
(e)All are correct
Direction (7-8): Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group
of words printed in bold as used in passage.
Q7. Conceive
(a)Harmonize
(b)Consolidate
(c)Perceive
(d)Integrate
(e)Penetrate
Q8. Exasperation
(a)Tedious
(b)Scathing
(c)Quibbling
(d)Vexation
(e)Exigent
Direction (9-10): Choose the word/group of words which is most opposite in meaning to the word/group
of words printed in bold as used in passage.
Q9. Insurmountable
(a)Vulnerable
(b)Impervious
(c)Remote
(d)Elusive
(e)Dogged
Q10. Conviction
(a)Conjecture
(b)Dictum
(c)Dogma
(d)Assumption
(e)Doubt
Directions (11-15):
Read each sentence to find out whether
there is any grammatical or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will be
in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is
‘No error’, the answer is (e). (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any.)
Q11. All of a sudden (a)/ Sudhir remembered that (b)/ he
has not (c)/ locked the office. (d)/ No error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
Q12. I am sure that (a)/ all my monthly expenses (b)/ would
exceed the income (c)/ if I do not economise. (d)/ No error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
Q13. Although their visas (a)/ will expire in September
(b)/ they can have them (c)/ extended for six months. (d)/ No error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
Q14. Hardly as I stepped (a)/ out of my house when (b)/ I
saw some policemen (c)/ coming towards my house.(d)/ No error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
Q15. The last of the Mughal (a)/ emperors of India was
imprisoned (b)/ and was later sent into (c)/ exile by the British. (d)/ No
error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
SOLUTIONS:
S1. Ans. (b)
Sol. Read the complete passage carefully. Statements (a),
(c) and (d) can be easily accessed from the passage while statement (b) finds
no relevance as it is not mentioned anywhere in the passage that the inclusion
of the word secularism in the Preamble would create the right atmosphere to
urge minorities to play a positive role in the development and progress of the
nation. Hence only option (b) does not form the part of the passage.
S2. Ans. (e)
Sol. Refer the third and fourth paragraphs of the passage,
all three reasons are well explained that led the Constitution-makers to avoid
defining the term in the Preamble. Hence (e) is the correct option.
S3. Ans. (e)
Sol. Refer the second paragraph of the passage, “India’s
brand of secularism is a complex mix of constitutional provisions that
guarantee all persons freedom of conscience and the right to free profession,
practice and propagation of religion; the freedom to manage religious affairs;
the freedom from being compelled to pay taxes to promote a particular religion;
and protection of the interests of minorities.” Hence all four statements are
correct in context of the passage.
S4. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer the second paragraph of the passage, “One only
needs to read contemporary news headlines to understand the severity of these
challenges to secularism. They appear insurmountable partly because India’s
unique brand of secularism has not been sufficiently understood either by its
contemporary rulers or by civil society.” Hence only option (a) is correct in
context of the passage.
S5. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer the first paragraph of the passage, “JUSTICE
VIKRAMJIT SEN, A RETIRED JUDGE of the Supreme Court, once observed during the
hearing of a case in 2015: “India is a secular country, but I don’t know how
long it will remain so.” A sense of exasperation might have been behind his
observation…” Hence only statement (I) is correct in context of the passage.
S6. Ans. (b)
Sol. Refer the second last sentence of the third paragraph,
“But Parliament’s insertion of the word “secular” along with the word
“socialist” to describe the Indian Republic in the Preamble during the
Emergency (1975-77) was, to infer from the debates, aimed at emphasising the
“larger objective”.” Hence only statement (II) is correct in context of the
passage.
S7. Ans. (c)
Sol. Conceive
means form a mental representation of; imagine. Hence “Perceive” is the word most similar in meaning to it.
S8. Ans. (d)
Sol. Exasperation
means a feeling of intense irritation or annoyance. Vexation means the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried.
Hence both are similar in meanings.
Exigent means
pressing; demanding.
Tedious means too
long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous.
Quibbling means argue
or raise objections about a trivial matter.
S9. Ans. (a)
Sol. Insurmountable
means too great to be overcome. Hence “Vulnerable”
is the word most opposite in meaning to it.
Impervious means
unable to be affected by.
S10. Ans. (e)
Sol. Conviction
means a firmly held belief or opinion. Hence “Doubt” is the word most opposite
in meaning to it.
Conjecture means an
opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.
Dictum means a
formal pronouncement from an authoritative source.
Dogma means a
principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly
true.
S11. Ans. (c)
Sol. Use ‘had’ in place of ‘has’ because past perfect is
used for past form of incident.
S12. Ans. (b)
Sol. The use of ‘all’ is superfluous as ‘monthly expenses’
includes all types of expenses.
S13. Ans. (b)
Sol. ‘expire’ will be used in place of ‘will expire’ as for
future fixed programme, simple present tense is used. Ex. The college re- opens on Monday.
S14. Ans. (a)
Sol. Use ‘had’ in place of ‘as’ as the syntax ‘Hardly+ had+
Subject+ V3’, ‘when + Subject + V2’ is used.
Ex. Hardly had I
gone out when a friend of mine came.
S15. Ans. (c)
Sol. Use ‘on’ after ‘later’ as ‘later’ means ‘after’ while
‘later on’ means ‘afterwards’.
English Quizzes For SBI PO Mains 2023 - ...
