TOPIC: Reading Comprehension
Directions (1-7): Read the following passage and answer the given questions. Some words are highlighted to help you answer the questions.
On Monday, during intra-day trade, the Indian rupee hit an all-time low exchange rate of 77.6 against the US dollar. At the time of going to print, it was 77.20 to a dollar. It has been a sharp fall in a matter of days: The rupee was at 76 to a dollar on May 5, when the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates.
Rupee opened at 77.17 against the dollar, then lost ground to quote at 77.42, registering a fall of 52 paise from the last close, and slipping past the previous all-time low of 76.98 touched in March. It had slumped 55 paise to close at 76.90 against the American currency on Friday.
The rupee’s exchange rate vis-a-vis a particular currency, say the US dollar, tells us how many rupees are required to buy a US dollar. To buy (import) a US product or service, Indians need to first buy the dollars and then use those dollars to buy the product. The same holds true for Americans buying something from India. If the rupee’s exchange rate “falls”, it implies that buying American goods would become costlier. At the same time, Indian exporters may benefit because their goods now are more attractive (read cheaper) to the American customers. In a free-market economy, the exchange rate is decided by the supply and demand for rupees and dollars.
Imagine that in the beginning, one rupee was equal to one dollar. After a year, Indians demand more dollars in comparison to Americans demanding the rupee. In such a case, the exchange rate will “fall” or “weaken” for rupee and “rise” or “strengthen” for dollar. However, in India, the exchange rate is not fully determined by the market. From ___________________(I), the RBI intervenes in the foreign exchange (forex) market to ensure that the rupee “price” does not fluctuate too much or that it doesn’t rise or fall too much all at once.
“The rupee is expected to depreciate today amid firm dollar and pessimistic global market sentiments. Market sentiments were hurt as investors are concerned over surging inflation, monetary policy tightening across major countries in the globe, economic slowdown and escalating geopolitical tensions. Moreover, market participants fear that rising crude oil prices will hurt India’s trade and current account,” said brokerage ICICI Securities.
Q1. What were the concerns of the authorities surrounding India’s trade and current account?
(a) Recently, the “price” of the rupee has been varying excessively.
(b) India has started to demand for more and more dollars while the demand for rupee around the world remains the same.
(c) India’s trade and current account would suffer if crude oil prices rise.
(d) All of the above
(e) None of these
Q2. ________________________________________ determine the exchange rate in a free market economy.
(a) The supply and demand for rupees and dollars
(b) A product or service from developed countries
(c) Interest rates introduced by the US Federal Reserve
(d) Different units of currencies from around the world
(e) All of the above
Q3. The lowest ever exchange rate value of Rupee has been previously?
(a) 77.42
(b) 77.17
(c) 76.90
(d) 76.98
(e) None of these
Q4. The author states that the currency rate in India is not entirely set by the market. What is/are the factors that do influence it?
(a) We are witnessing geopolitical tensions rising and it is a major factor in this specific case.
(b) The Reserve Bank of India plays an active role in the foreign currency market.
(c) The overwhelming economic downturn across the various developed nations.
(d) Both (b) & (c)
(e) Both (a) & (b)
Q5. Choose the synonym of depreciate as highlighted in the passage.
(a) dwindle
(b) malice
(c) venerate
(d) clad
(e) besiege
Q6. Antonym of slumped would be?
(a) rebuke
(b) ratify
(c) wistful
(d) cohere
(e) ascent
Q7. Select the phrase which can be placed in the blank (I)?
(a) falling through
(b) mixing up
(c) time to time
(d) account for
(e) rule out
Directions (8-15): Read the following passage and answer the given questions. Some words are highlighted to help you answer the questions.
Some consumers ________________(II) purchase bottled drinking water, rather than relying on city tap water supplies. Bottled water has typically been extracted from underground sources. If water exists underground, but has no natural exit points, bottling companies may construct a water table well by drilling down to extract water from an unconfined aquifer. This is done when the Earth’s natural water level – known as a water table – is much lower than the Earth’s surface. In some cases, as with a valley or gully on a mountain, the level of the water table may be higher than the Earth’s surface, and a natural spring can emerge. Bottling companies are permitted to extract this water from a hole drilled into the underground spring, but the composition of the water must be identical to that of the naturally surfacing variety nearby.
Artesian water is drawn from a confined aquifer, a deep underground cavity of porous rock that holds
water and bears pressure from a confining layer above it. This water can be accessed if companies drill a vertical channel down into the confined aquifer. Due to the pressurised nature of this aquifer, water will often rise up from within it and form a flowing artesian well, which appears as an explosive fountain at the earth’s surface. However, this only occurs when the surface is lower than the natural water table. If the surface is not lower than the natural water table, it is still possible to draw artesian water by using an extraction pump.
Some bottled water is advertised as ‘purified’, which means it has been subjected to a variety of different cleansing processes. A common filtering procedure, known as reverse osmosis, involves the
water being pressed through microscopic membranes that prevent larger contaminants from passing through. The microscopic size of these holes is such that they can even obstruct germs, but they are most effective against undesirable materials such as salt, nitrates and lime scale. One disadvantage of reverse osmosis is that a lot of unusable water is generated as a by-product of the procedure; this must be thrown away.
Q8. From the following options, select the one(s) which mention(s) the apt title for the given passage.
(A) Components of the Water Table.
(B) The Water Cycle and it’s various Processes.
(C) Extraction and Purification of Drinking Water.
(a) Only (C)
(b) Both (A) and (B)
(c) Only (A)
(d) Only (B)
(e) All of them
Q9. _____________________ can be described as the natural water level on the planet.
(a) Underground spring
(b) Channel
(c) Water table
(d) Fountain
(e) None of the above
Q10. How does the author explain the concept of reverse osmosis?
(a) Traditionally, it is a term for water which has been taken from subsurface sources.
(b) The process by why the resources of the earth replenishes their water bodies.
(c) A typical sifting method where water is forced through small pores that keep bigger impurities out.
(d) All of the above
(e) None of these
Q11. What is a defect of reverse osmosis?
(a) It has been observed to produce a lot of air pollution.
(b) It produces a lot of waste water.
(c) It is condemned by developed nations for using excessive amounts of energy.
(d) None of the above
(e) All of these
Q12. What is a limitation placed on the bottling companies to manufacture bottled drinking water?
(a) The extracted water’s constitution must match that of the neighbouring naturally emerging kind.
(b) The appearance of a natural spring can prove to be difficult to produce bottled water.
(c) The companies are not allowed to erect water tables to extract water from the ground.
(d) All of the above
(e) Both (a) & (c)
Q13. Choose the synonym of porous as highlighted in the passage.
(a) permeable
(b) inconsequential
(c) mundane
(d) fraught
(e) hedonist
Q14. Which word can stand in as the antonym of confined as highlighted in the passage?
(a) corroborate
(b) substantiate
(c) vindicate
(d) exasperate
(e) liberate
Q15. Select the phrase which can be placed in the blank (II)?
(a) run into
(b) note down
(c) own up
(d) choose to
(e) look down on
Solutions:
S1. Ans (c)
Sol. The correct answer is option (c): India’s trade and current account would suffer if crude oil prices rise.
The last paragraph says: “Moreover, market participants fear that rising crude oil prices will hurt India’s trade and current account,” said brokerage ICICI Securities.
S2. Ans (a)
Sol. The correct answer is option (a): The supply and demand for rupees and dollars.
The third paragraph says: In a free-market economy, the exchange rate is decided by the supply and demand for rupees and dollars.
S3. Ans (d)
Sol. The correct answer is option (d): 76.98.
The second paragraph states: Rupee opened at 77.17 against the dollar, then lost ground to quote at 77.42, registering a fall of 52 paise from the last close, and slipping past the previous all-time low of 76.98 touched in March.
S4. Ans (b)
Sol. The correct answer is option (b): The Reserve Bank of India plays an active role in the foreign currency market.
The fourth paragraph states: “……. the RBI intervenes in the foreign exchange (forex) market to ensure that the rupee “price” does not fluctuate too much or that it doesn’t rise or fall too much all at once.”
S5. Ans (a)
Sol. The correct answer is option (a): dwindle. It means diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength.
Malice- the desire to harm someone; ill will.
Venerate- regard with great respect; revere.
Besiege- surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender.
Clad- being covered or clothed.
S6. Ans (e)
Sol. The correct answer is option (e): ascent. It means a climb or walk to the summit of a mountain or hill.
Rebuke- an expression of sharp disapproval or criticism.
Ratify- sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid.
Wistful- having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing.
Cohere- (of an argument or theory) be logically consistent.
S7. Ans (c)
Sol. The correct answer is option (c): time to time.
From time to time- occasionally.
S8. Ans (a)
Sol. The correct answer is option (a): Only (C).
The premise of the passage is about how water is purified and made healthy to consume. It describes how humans draw water from the earthy resources to make it suitable for their intake purposes.
S9. Ans (c)
Sol. The correct answer is option (c): Water table.
The first paragraph mentions: This is done when the Earth’s natural water level – known as a water table – is much lower than the Earth’s surface.
S10. Ans (c)
Sol. The correct answer is option (c): A typical sifting method where water is forced through small pores that keep bigger impurities out.
The last paragraph says: A common filtering procedure, known as reverse osmosis, involves the
water being pressed through microscopic membranes that prevent larger contaminants from passing through.
S11. Ans (b)
Sol. The correct answer is option (b): It produces a lot of waste water.
The last line of the final paragraph mentions: One disadvantage of reverse osmosis is that a lot of unusable water is generated as a by-product of the procedure; this must be thrown away.
S12. Ans (a)
Sol. The correct answer is option (a): The extracted water’s constitution must match that of the neighbouring naturally emerging kind.
Look at the last line of the first paragraph: Bottling companies are permitted to extract this water from a hole drilled into the underground spring, but the composition of the water must be identical to that of the naturally surfacing variety nearby.
S13. Ans (a)
Sol. The correct answer is option (a): permeable. It means (of a material or membrane) allowing liquids or gases to pass through it.
Mundane- lacking interest or excitement; dull.
Inconsequential- not important or significant.
Fraught- (of a situation or course of action) filled with or likely to result in (something undesirable).
Hedonist- a person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life; a pleasure-seeker.
S14. Ans (e)
Sol. The correct answer is option (e): liberate. It means to set (someone) free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression.
Corroborate- confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding).
Substantiate- provide evidence to support or prove the truth of.
Vindicate- clear (someone) of blame or suspicion.
Exasperate- irritate and frustrate (someone) intensely.
S15. Ans (d)
Sol. The correct answer is option (d): choose to.
Going by the context of the sentence, only option (d) fits in the blank and gives it the complete meaning.
English Quizzes For SBI PO Mains 2023 - ...
