Questions

Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from ______________ in January 1915.

Who among the following has been recently awarded with ‘Indian of the year’ award?

Which of the following scientists is also known as the Father of Biology?

The Patkai hills belong to which mountain ranges?

In the following question, out of the given four alternatives, select the one which best expresses the meaning of the given word.

Terse

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.

Why was the WTO’s 11th binennial ministerial conference worrisome?

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.

A brain and nervous system that are poorly developed or insufficiently nourished means low grade of ______________ in our mental processes, just as a poorly constructed or wrongly adjusted motor means loss of power in applying the electric current to its work. We will, __________, look upon the mind and the brain as counterparts of ___________ other, each performing activities which correspond to activities in the other, ________ inextricably bound together at least so far as this life is concerned, and each getting its _______________ by its union with the other. This view will lend interest to a brief study of the brain and nervous system.

each getting its _______________ by its union with

In the following question, the sentence given with blank to be filled in with an appropriate word. Select the correct alternative out of the four and indicate it by selecting the appropriate option.

As the only ________ person in the wacky family, the sensible girl felt like the odd woman out.