Directions (1-10): Read the
following passage carefully and answer the questions given below them. Certain
words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering
some of the questions.
India’s water crisis is clear and present, with implications for
the health of the entire population. According to the Composite Water
Management Index developed by Niti Aayog, 70% of the water resources are
identified as polluted. This is based primarily on data supplied by States for
calculating the index. If the water accessible to millions is contaminated, the
problem is infinitely worse than that of availability. The system of ratings
for States is based on their performance in augmenting water resources and watersheds, investing in
infrastructure, providing rural and urban drinking water, and encouraging
efficient agricultural use. It presumes that this ‘hall of fame’ approach will
foster “competitive and cooperative federalism”. What emerges from the early
assessment is that States such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab and Telangana have initiated reforms for
judicious water use, while populous ones such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have
failed to respond to the challenge.
Tamil Nadu, which has a middling score, does
well on augmentation of water sources, but is abysmally poor in ensuring
sustainable use for farming. The trends that the data reflect of high to
extreme stress faced by 600 million people call for speedy reforms. Two areas
that need urgent measures are augmentation of watersheds that can store more
good water, for use in agriculture and to serve habitations, and strict
pollution control enforcement. In this context, the Committee on Restructuring
the Central Water Commission and the Central Ground Water Board, chaired by
Mihir Shah, has called for a user-centric approach to water management,
especially in agriculture. It advocates decentralisation of irrigation
commands, offering higher financial flows to well-performing States through a
National Irrigation Management Fund. Clearly, awarding an index rank should
help advance such schemes, making States feel the need to be competitive. Yet,
such approaches may not resolve seemingly intractable
inter-State river disputes.
As the Cauvery issue has
demonstrated, State governments would rather seek judicial intervention than be
accused of bartering away the rights
to a precious resource under a shared, cooperative framework. Groundwater
extraction patterns need to be better understood through robust data collection; less than 5% of about 12 million wells are
now under study. Steady urbanisation calls for a new management paradigm,
augmenting sources of clean drinking water supply and treatment technologies
that will encourage reuse. Pollution can be curbed by levying suitable costs. These forward-looking changes
would need revamped national and
State institutions, and updated laws. A legal mandate will work better than
just competition and cooperation; it would make governments accountable.
Q1. Which of the following statements can be inferred from the
passage above?
(a) Meeting the water-related challenges posed by population
growth, climate change and other factors may require the reform of institutions
in charge of water management.
(b) Getting access to water which is contaminated is worse than the
problem of availability of water.
(c) The global population is growing fast, and estimates show that
with current practices, the world will face a 40% shortfall between forecast
demand and available supply of water by 2030.
(d) Each year, more than two lakh people in India die due to water
scarcity while 900 million people undergo extreme water stress due to the
deprivation of water.
(e) None of the Above
Q2. Tamil Nadu has a middling score and does well on augmentation
of water resources, but it lacks in
(a) Ensuring strict pollution control enforcement.
(b) Providing Rural and Urban drinking water
(c) Ensuring sustainable use for farming.
(d) Advocating proper water cleaning treatments.
(e) None of the above
Q3. As per the passage, the system of ratings for states is based
on which of the following parameters?
(a) Performance in enhancing water resources and water sheds.
(b) Performance in encouraging efficient use of water in
agriculture.
(c) Performance in providing rural and urban drinking water.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
(e) All are correct.
Q4. Which of the following is the most suitable title for the given
passage?
(a) Water Pollution in India
(b) Augmenting Water Resources
(c) Parched or Polluted: On India’s Water Crisis
(d) Urbanization and Water Crisis
(e) Problems of Water Scarcity
Q5. Choose the word which is MOST SMILAR to the word given in
passage
AUGMENTING
(a) Compressing
(b) Dominating
(c) Retrenching
(d) Amplifying
(e) Synchronizing
Q6. Choose the word which is MOST SMILAR to the word given in
passage
INTRACTABLE
(a) Amenable
(b) Stubborn
(c) Docile
(d) Submissive
(e) Manageable
Q7. Choose the word which is MOST SMILAR to the word given in
passage
BARTERING
(a) Dickering
(b) Amending
(c) Advocating
(d) Keeping
(e) Appalling
Q8. Choose the word which is OPPOSITE to the word given in passage
ROBUST
(a) Lively
(b) Adamant
(c) Vital
(d) Resolute
(e) Sluggish
Q9. Choose the word which is OPPOSITE to the word given in passage
CURBED
(a) Tamed
(b) Impediment
(c) Raged
(d) Permitted
(e) Vogue
Q10. Choose the word which is OPPOSITE to the word given in passage
REVAMPED
(a) Modified
(b) Varied
(c) Concentrated
(d) Managed
(e) Stabilized
Q11. In each question, a sentence is given in five parts, one of
which is erroneous. Mark the option that has the error.
(a) Some politicians in Kerala have demanded a 150 percent hike
(b) in the excise duty of palm oil in view that the crash in price
of coconut and coconut products
(c) due to indiscriminate import of edible oils
(d) and flooding of the market with low quality palmolein
(e) throughout the state.
Q12. In each question, a sentence is given in five parts, one of
which is erroneous. Mark the option that has the error.
(a) It is awareness about tourism being
(b) one of the largest foreign exchange earners that even so the
(c) north-eastern states have started raising
(d) a disconcerted voice for relaxation of visas restrictions in
the region
(e) and are seriously discussing it with the authorities.
Q13. In each question, a sentence is given in five parts, one of
which is erroneous. Mark the option that has the error.
(a) Your results depend not only
(b) on how long
(c) you have studied but also on how long you have read
(d) carefully the entire syllabus
(e) No error
Q14. In each question, a sentence is given in five parts, one of
which is erroneous. Mark the option that has the error.
(a) The choice
(b) of the cuisine
(c) could be left to the
(d) women them self
(e) like always
Q15. In each question, a sentence is given in five parts, one of
which is erroneous. Mark the option that has the error.
(a) The reason is
(b) because of suits being so
(c) expensive, it is relatively economical
(d) to buy casual wear
(e) in India
Solutions
S1. Ans.(b)
Sol. Refer 1st paragraph. It has been mentioned in the 4th line
that if water accessible to millions is contaminated, the problem is infinitely
worse than that of availability.
S2. Ans.(c)
Sol. Refer 2nd paragraph. Tamil Nadu has a middling score in water
sources augmentation, but it is poor in ensuring sustainable use for farming.
S3. Ans.(e)
Sol. The answer can be inferred from the following lines “The
system of ratings for States is based on their performance in augmenting water
resources and watersheds, investing in infrastructure, providing rural and
urban drinking water, and encouraging efficient agricultural use”
S4. Ans.(c)
Sol. The most appropriate title for the passage above is
“Parched or Polluted: On India’s Water Crisis”.
S5. Ans.(d)
Sol. Augmenting: making
(something) greater by adding to it; increasing.
Amplifying: enlarge upon or add detail to (a story or statement).
Compressing: express in a shorter form; abridge.
Dominating: have power and influence over.
Retrenching: reduce (something) in extent or quantity.
Synchronizing: causing to occur or operate at the same time or rate.
S6. Ans.(b)
Sol. Intractable: hard
to control or deal with.
Stubborn: having or showing dogged determination not to change one’s
attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good reasons to do
so.
Amenable: open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled.
Docile: ready to accept control or instruction; submissive.
Submissive: ready to conform to the authority or will of others; meekly
obedient or passive.
S7. Ans.(a)
Sol. Bartering: exchange
(goods or services) for other goods or services without using money.
Dickering: engage in petty argument or bargaining.
Amending: make minor changes to (a text, piece of legislation, etc.) in
order to make it fairer or more accurate, or to reflect changing circumstances.
Advocating: publicly recommend or support.
Appalling: causing shock or dismay; horrific.
S8. Ans.(e)
Sol. Robust: strong and
healthy; vigorous.
Sluggish: slow-moving or inactive.
Adamant: refusing to be persuaded or to change one’s mind.
Vital:
absolutely necessary; essential.
Resolute: admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.
S9. Ans.(d)
Sol. Curbed: restrained
or keep in check.
Tamed: make
less powerful and easier to control.
Impediment: a hindrance or obstruction in doing something.
Raged: feel or express violent uncontrollable
anger.
Permitted: officially allow (someone) to do something.
Vogue: the
prevailing fashion or style at a particular time.
S10. Ans.(e)
Sol. Revamped: give new
and improved form, structure, or appearance to.
Stabilized: make or become unlikely to change, fail, or decline.
S11. Ans.(b)
Sol. It should be ‘in view
of’. Faulty idiomatic usage.
S12. Ans.(b)
Sol. Omit ‘so’
S13. Ans.(e)
Sol. The sentence displays a correct subject-verb agreement and
coordinating conjunction. So there is no
error.
S14. Ans.(d)
Sol. Use ‘themselves’.
Error in noun-pronoun agreement
S15. Ans.(b)
Sol. Do not repeat ‘because’
if you have said ‘reason’
English Quizzes For SBI PO Mains 2023 - ...
