TOPIC: Reading Comprehension, cloze test
Directions (1-10): Read 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.
Mile Durkheim, the first person to be
formally recognized as a sociologist and the most scientific of the pioneers,
conducted a study that stands as a research model for sociologists today. His
investigation of suicide was, in fact, the first sociological study to use
statistics. In Suicide (1964, originally published in 1897) Durkheim documented
his contention that some aspects of
human behaviour even something as allegedly invidualistic as suicide-can be
explained without reference to individuals.
Like all of Durkheim’s work, suicide
must be viewed in the context of his concern for social integration. Durkheim
wanted to see if suicide rates within a social entity (for example, a group,
organisation, or society) are related to the degree to which individuals are
socially involved (integrated and regulated). Durkheim described three types of
suicide: egoistic, altruistic and anomic. Egoistic suicide is promoted when
individuals do not have sufficient social ties: Since single (never married)
adults, for example, are not heavily involved with family life, they are more
likely to commit suicide than the married adults. Altruistic suicide, on the
other hand, is more likely to occur when social integration is too strong. The
ritual suicide of Hindu widows on their husbands funeral pyres is one example.
Military personnel, trained to lay down their lives for their country, provide
another illustration.
Durkheim’s third type of suicide-anomic
suicide-increases when the social regulation of individuals is disrupted. For
example, suicide rates increase during economic depression. People who suddenly
find themselves without a job or without hope of finding one are more prone to
kill themselves. Suicides may also increase during periods of prosperity.
People may loosen their social ties by taking new jobs, moving to new
communities, or finding new mates.
Using data from the government
population reports of several countries (much of it from the French Government
Statistical Office), Durkheim found strong support for his line of reasoning.
Suicide rates were higher among single than married people, among military
personnel than civilians, among divorced than married people, and among people
involved in nation wide economic crises.
It isimportant to realise that
Durkheim’s primary interest was not in the empirical (observable) indicators he
used, such as suicide rates among military personnel, married people, and so
forth. Rather, Durkheim used the following indicators to support several of his
contentions. (a) Social behaviour, can be explained by social rather than
psychological factors. (b) Suicide is affected by the degree of integration and
regulation within social entities; and (c) Since society can be studied scientifically,
sociology is worthy of recognition in the academic world. Durkheim was
successful on all three counts.
Q1.Since single adults are not heavily
involved with family life, they are more likely to commit suicide which
Durkheim categories as:
(a) anomic suicide
(b) altruistic suicide
(c) egoistic suicide
(d) economical suicide
(e) none of the above
Q2. Higher suicide rate during rapid
progress in a society is a manifestation of:
(a) altruistic suicide
(b) anomic suicide
(c) egoistic suicide
(d) cynical suicide
(e) none of the above
Q3. Increase in the suicide rate during
economic depression is an example of:
(a) altruistic suicide
(b) anomic suicide
(c) egoistic suicide
(d) both 1 and 3
(e) All of these
Q4. In this study Durkheim’s main
purpose was:
(a) to document that suicide can be
explained without reference to the individual
(b) to provide an explanation of the
variation in the rate of suicide across societies
(c) to categorize various types of
suicide
(d) to document that social behavior can
be explained by social rather than psychological factors
(e) all of these
Q5. Ritual suicide of Hindu widows on
their husbands’ funeral pyres was
(a) a manifestation of strong social
integration
(b) an example of brutality against
women
(c) an example of anomic suicide
(d) an example of egoistic suicide
(e) None of these
Q6. According to Durkheim, suicide rates
within a social entity can be explained in terms of
(a) absence of social ties
(b) disruption of social regulation
(c) nature of social integration
(d) both (b) and (c)
(e) all of the above
Q7. According to Durkheim, altruistic
suicide is more likely among:
(a) military personal than among
civilians
(b) single people than among married
people
(c) divorcees than among married people
(d) people involved in nation-wide
economic crisis
(e) All of the above
Q8. To support his contentions, Durkheim
relied on the following indicators:
(a) Social behavioris explicable
predominately through social factors
(b) Suicide is contention upon the
degree of regulation and interaction
(c) Recognizing sociology is to
acknowledge that society is susceptible to scientific investigation
(d) both (a) and (b)
(e) All of the above
Q9. Basing himself on his own indicators,
Durkheim was:
(a) Right on some counts not others
(b) Vindicated on all counts
(c) Wrong but did not realise that he
was right
(d) Substantially correct but formally
wrong
(e) None of these
Directions (10): 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.
Q10. Contention
(a) zest
(b) vogue
(c) allegation
(d) myraid
(e) rampant
Directions (11-15): In the following passage there are blanks, each of
which has been numbered and one word has been suggested alongside the blank.
These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five options are
given. In four options, one word is suggested in each option. Find out the
appropriate word which fits the blank appropriately. If the word written
alongside the blank fits the passage, choose option ‘e’ (No correction
required) as the correct choice.
India is known to grant titles of
“strategic partnership” very completely
(11). It is not odd to hear foreign ambassadors and high commissioners in
New Delhi nagging (12) about this
peculiar Indian trait in private conversations. The relationship with Japan,
however, is too special to be given the same treatment (13). Therefore, the Indo-Japanese bilateral cooperation
is carried out under the framework of a “special strategic and global
partnership”. The better part is that the aspect
(14) of cooperation between the two countries is indeed impressive and
therefore denotes (15) the unique
nomenclature.
Q11. (a)grudgingly
(b) lavishly
(c)properly
(d)generously
(e) no improvement required
Q12. (a)grumbling
(b) perverting
(c) vexing
(d)bothering
(e) No improvement required
Q13. (a)attention
(b) reward
(c) allowance
(d)cooperation
(e) No improvement required
Q14. (a)demeanour
(b) presence
(c) pace
(d) anomaly
(e) No improvement required
Q15. (a)asserts
(b) justifies
(c) appeals
(d) boosts
(e) No improvement required
SOLUTIONS:
S1. Ans. (c)
Sol. Refer to the line from paragraph
2…,”Egoistic suicide is promoted when individuals do not have sufficient
social ties: Since single (never married) adults, for example, are not heavily
involved with family life, they are more likely to commit suicide than the
married adults”. Hence, egoistic suicide is the right answer choice.
S2. Ans. (b)
Sol. Refer to the line from paragraph
3…,”Durkheim’s third type of suicide-anomic suicide-increases when the social
regulation of individuals is disrupted” and higher suicide rate during rapid
progress in a society is a manifestation of anomic suicide.
S3. Ans. (b)
Sol. Refer to the line from paragraph
3…,”Durkheim’s third type of suicide-anomic suicide-increases when the social
regulation of individuals is disrupted. For example, suicide rates increase
during economic depression”. Anomic suicide is thus the right answer choice.
S4. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer to the lines from paragraph
1…,”Durkheim documented his contention that some aspects of human behaviour
even something as allegedly individualistic as suicide-can be explained without
reference to individuals”. This shows that Durkheim’s main purpose was to
document that suicide can be explained without reference to the individual.
Hence, option (a) is the right answer
S5. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer to the line from paragraph
2…,”Altruistic suicide, on the other hand, is more likely to occur when social
integration is too strong. The ritual suicide of Hindu widows on their husbands
funeral pyres is one example”. This explains option (a) is thus the right
answer
S6. Ans. (e)
Sol. According to Durkheim, suicide
rates within a social entity can be explained in terms of absence of social
ties, disruption of social regulation and nature of social integration. This is
evident from paragraph 2 of the passage. Hence, option (e) is the right answer
choice
S7. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer to the lines from paragraph
2…,”Altruistic suicide, on the other hand, is more likely to occur when
social integration is too strong. Military personnel, trained to lay down their
lives for their country, provide another illustration”. This makes option (a)
as the right answer choice
S8. Ans. (e)
Sol. The line from the last
paragraph…,”Durkheim used the following indicators to support several of his
contentions. (a) Social behaviour, can be explained by social rather than
psychological factors. (b) Suicide is affected by the degree of integration and
regulation within social entities; and (c) Since society can be studied
scientifically, sociology is worthy of recognition in the academic world”
explain that he relied on all the indicators to support his contention. Option
(e) is thus the right answer choice.
S9. Ans. (b)
Sol. Refer to the last line of the
passage… “Durkheim was successful on all three counts”. Hence, option (d) is
the right answer choice
S10. Ans. (c)
Sol. Contention means an assertion, especially one maintained in argument.
Hence it has same meaning as allegation.
Rampant means flourishing or spreading
unchecked.
Myraid means a countless or extremely great
number of people or things.
Vogue means popular.
Zest means great enthusiasm and energy.
S11. Ans. (d)
Sol. ‘generously’ is the correct word to
make the sentence meaningful.
‘grudgingly’ means in a reluctant
manner.
‘lavishly’ means in a luxurious manner.
S12. Ans. (a)
Sol. ‘grumbling’ is the correct word to
make the sentence meaningful.
‘grumbling’ means complaining.
‘perverting’ means distort.
‘nagging’ means persistently painful or
worrying.
‘vexing’ means annoying.
S13. Ans. (e)
Sol. No improvement is required here.
S14. Ans. (c)
Sol. ‘pace’ is the correct word to make
the sentence meaningful.
Demeanor means outward behavior or
bearing.
S15. Ans. (b)
Sol. ‘justifies is the correct word to
make the sentence meaningful.
Assert means declare.
English Quizzes For SBI PO Mains 2023 - ...
