Read the passage carefully and select the best answer to each question out of the given four alternatives.

 

The conclusion of World Trade Organization’s 11th biennial ministerial conference at Buenos Aires was worrisome. From an Indian standpoint, there was no loss as status quo continues in the most important issue: the right to continue the food security programme by using support prices. But the inability of the negotiators to reach even one substantive outcome suggests that WTO’s efficacy is under question. As a 164-country multilateral organisation dedicated to crafting rules of trade through consensus, WTO represents the optimal bet for developing countries such as India. Strengthening WTO is in India’s best interest.

 

Perhaps the biggest threat to WTO’s efficacy today is the attitude of the US. The world’s largest economy appears to have lost faith in the organisation and has begun to undermine one of its most successful segments, the dispute redressal mechanism. This is significant as the US has been directly involved in nearly half of all cases brought to WTO. Separately, large groups of countries decided to pursue negotiations on e-commerce, investment facilitation and removal of trade obstacles for medium and small scale industries. By itself this should not weaken WTO. But it comes at a time when there is growing frustration with gridlock at WTO.

 

India did well to defend its position on its food security programme. The envisaged reform package which will see a greater use of direct cash transfers to beneficiaries will be in sync with what developed countries do. But it’s important for India to enhance its efforts to reinvigorate WTO. In this context, India’s plan to organise a meeting of some countries early next year is a step in the right direction. WTO represents the best available platform to accommodate interests of a diverse set of nations. Therefore, India should be at the forefront of moves to fortify it.

 

What is the biggest threat to WTO’s efficacy today?

 

In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select "no improvement".

You (will being surprised) to learn that some leading philosophers have supported immoral views.

In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which is the best substitute of the words/sentence.

A person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type

In the following question, four words are given out of which one word is correctly spelt. Select the correctly spelt word.

The question below consists of a set of labelled sentences. Out of the four options given, select the most logical order of the sentences to form a coherent paragraph.

The smoke rises and

A-chokes my apartment

B-gets trapped in the

C-tree-tops and

In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select "no improvement".

I (had been) a unique case of slow learning.

In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which is the best substitute of the words/sentence.

Relating to or involved in crime

In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase.

Under the weather

In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives.

People are now either exposed to the very best of their inner circle and the world, ________ to the worst — articles that look to shock, to provoke rage and put a lens on everything that is wrong _________ the world. Imperceptibly, it goes unsaid that often __________ pieces of ‘news’ fail to actually provide a constructive solution. The effect of such a disparity _________ to the same effect as news of TV and newspapers — a feeling that what we see does not ____________ our lives.

we see does not ____________ our lives.