(Paper) C-SAT Sample Test Paper-2 : English Language Comprehension Skills

Direction (Q.01-15) : Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain world/phrases are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

We are well into the 21st century yet half the world’s population live in squatter settlements and work shadow economies, which generate more than one-third of the developing world’s GDP. Slums are not caused by the poor but by governments denying people the right to own and exchange property. When people own their own property they have incentives to invest time, money and energy to improve it because they know that they will able to benefit from any such improvements, i.e. the ability to obtain mortgages etc. In short, property right beget capital, which begets innovation, which begets wealth. Sadly, the poor typically don’t have secure title to their land as there is no bureaucratic restrictions on transferring title or there is no clear system for titling. Without legal deeds they live in constant fear of being evicted by landlords or municipal officials. Illiteracy is major reason poor people often choose not to seek the protection of local courts since in so many countries laws established under colonial rule have never been translated into local languages. When entrepreneurs do set out to legally register business they are discouraged by red tape and costly fees. In Egypt, starting a bakery takes 500 days, compliance with 315 laws and 27 times the monthly minimum wage. The proprietors of such businesses cannot get loans, enforce contracts or expand a personal network of familiar customers and partners. As a result the poor have no choice but to accept insecurity and instability as a way of life.

In India severs restrictions on free transfer of property in most rural areas inhibit investment and encourage urban flight. Planning policies however discourage building homes for these migrants as numerous homes are destroyed if they do not comply with planning rules, essentially forcing people to live in slums and perversely blaming it on population growth. UN Habitat, the UN agency for housing the poor, has implemented more plans to stabilise the unplanned aspects of urban growth but grandiose plans like UN Schemes and government housing projects simply ignore or worson the underlying problems. It is when governments grant people legal means to control their assets that they empower them to invest and plan ahead. In Buenos Aires, economists studied the experience of two Argentine communities. One had received legal title to its land in the 1980s and surpassed the other group which had not, in a range which had not, in a range of social indicators including quality of house construction and education levels. The Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor-a UN-affiliated initiative made up of two dozen leaders-is exploring ideas to extend enforceable legal rights to impoverished members of society and seeking to bring about a consensus on incentive for national and local leaders. As the growth of illegal settlement amply demonstrates, the poor are not helpless, all they need is governments to grant them fundamental human rights of freedom and responsibility.

01. What did the Argentine study indicate ?
(A) Argentine’s economy is booming and the percentage of poor has fallen.
(B) When the government gives people the legal means to control their assets they plan for the future.
(C) The Government succeeded in widening the gap between the rich and the poor.
(a) Only (A)
(b) Both (A) & (B)
(c) Only (B)
(d) All (A) , (B) & (C)
(e) None of these

02. According to the author, which of the following factors is responsible for the creation of a slum ?
(a) Migration of landless laboures to cities
(b) Municipal authorities building low-cost housing for the poor
(c) Unchecked population growth
(d) Government failure to secure rights for citizens
(e) Exorbitant cost of living in cities

03. The author’s main objective in writing the passage is to :
(a) Exhort the UN to play a greater role in rehabilitating slum-dwellers.
(b) Praise government initiative for migrant slumdewellers.
(c) Convince government to empower the poor.
(d) Enlist the aid of developments countries to tackle the issue of slums.
(e) Chastise slum-dwellers for illegal activities that they engage in.

04. What benefit does the author see in providing land ownership rights to the poor ?
(a) Steady increase in GDP
(b) Gaining independence from colonial rulers
(c) Municipal services afforded to the poor will improve.
(d) It will be an inheritance for future generations.
(e) None of these

05. Which of the following TRUE in the context of the passage ?
(a) Additional UN projects will exacerbate the plight of slum-dwellers.
(b) Although the government allocates land for them the poor choose nct to invest in building house.
(c) With the spread of slums populations are drifting back to rural areas.
(d) In order to accumulate profit slum-dwellers avoid legally registering their business.
(e) UN has declared the right to housing as a fundamental right.

06. What impact do planning policies have on the development of slums ?
(a) They encourage the poor to invest in land thereby perpetuating slums.
(b) They focus on developing rural rather than urban areas so people have to live in slums.
(c) They offer alternative practical suggestions for construction of low-cost housing.
(d) They advocate demolishing homes which violate planning rules, encouraging slums.
(e) None of these

07. What is the objective of the Commission on legal Empowerment of the Poor ?
(a) Coerce international leaders to implement housing projects
(b) Bring sanctions against countries denying their citizens the right to housing
(c) Selecting experts to recommend ideas to do away with poverty
(d) Establish practical ways for governments to empower the underprivileged
(e) None of these

08. Which of the following difficulties do unregistered businesses face ?
(A) Banks do not give loans in the absence of security.
(B) They are unable to earn the loyalty of any customer.
(C) They cannot enforce contracts.
(a) Only (A)
(b) Both (A) & (C)
(c) Both (A) & (B)
(d) Only (B)
(e) None of these

09. What does the growth of illegal settlements indicate ?
(a) The Government needs to implement more restrictions on property transfer.
(b) Capital earned from underground economies is beneficial to a country’s economy.
(c) The poor are capable of investing resources in their development.
(d) UN housing projects are not properly implemented.
(e) None of these

10. Which of the following prevents the poor from obtaining a business license ?
(a) They do not want to make an effort.
(b) Government officials are discourteous.
(c) They lack funds to bribe government officials.
(d) They do not want to pay taxes.
(e) They are intimidated by bureaucratic procedures.

Direction (Q. 11-13) : Choose the word which is most nearly the SAME in the meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

11. Severe
(a) Acute
(b) Dangerous
(c) Bad
(d) Flexible
(e) Bemanding

12. Beget
(a) Lead
(b) Produce
(c) Happens
(d) Effect
(e) Result

13. Surpassed
(a) Excel
(b) Matched
(c) Outshone
(d) Won
(e) Competed

Direction (Q. 14-15) : Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

14. Perversely
(a) Reasonably
(b) Stubbornly
(c) Conveniently
(d) Formally
(e) Helpfully

15. Stabilise
(a) Insecure
(b) Fixed
(c) Weaken
(d) Unsure
(e) Unreliable

Direction (Q. 16-25): Read each sentence to find out if there is any error in it. The error, if any will be in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is no error the answer is 5). (Ignore errors in punctuation, if any).

16. The company has launched/ a creative
(a) (b)
marketing campaign / to reach for / its rural
(c) (d)
customers. No error
(e)

17. After her retiring / she established many/
(a) (b)
institutions to train / underprivileged but
(c) (d)
talented children. No error
(e)

18. Against his family’s wishes / Rajesh plans
(a) (b)
to / taken up a job / as a journalist. No error
(c) (d) (e)

19. The candidate has appealed / for donations
(a) (b)
from younger voters, / who will be used / to
(c)
defray campaign expenses. No error
(d) (e)

20. Most of that country’s / hilly land is not only/
(a) (b)
unsuitable for building / but also for
(c) (d)
agriculture. No error
(e)

21. It is now / possible for customers / to handle
(a) (b) (c)
all / their transactions online. No error
(d) (e)

22. The minister has / recently announced /
(a) (b)
a detail insurance plan to / meet the need of
(c) (d)
the poor. No error
(e)

23. In the circumstance / the manager has /
(a) (b)
no option/ except to resign. No error
(c) (d) (e)

24. On account of / its new investment rules /
(a) (b)
more companies are planning / for open its
(c) (d)
business in China. No error
(e)

25. He deserves a lot / of praise for all /
(a) (b)
the record he achieves/ during his career.
(c) (d)
No error.
(e)

Direction (Q. 26-30) : Which of the phrases (a), (b), (c) (d) given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold type to make the sentence grammatically correction required’ , as the answer.

26. For honour to the social worker on her tenth death anniversary the government has planned a series of events.
(a) In honouring of
(b) With honour
(c) The honouring of
(d) To honour
(e) No correction required

27. He is decided to build a luxury hotel for the convenience of tourists visiting the ancient monument.
(a) Having decided to
(b) He has decided to
(c) His decision to
(d) Deciding to
(e) No correction required

28. Except another restaurants this one offers no discounts.
(a) Unlike other
(b) Beside other
(c) Without another
(d) Unless other
(e) No correction required

29. He made it a rule to arrive early in order to avoid no delay in the presentation.
(a) to no delay
(b) not to avoid
(c) to avoid any delay
(d) without avoiding
(e) No correction required

30. The so serious challenge to companies face is to retain its younger staff.
(a) more serious of challenge to
(b) very serious challenge for
(c) most serious challenge
(d) quite serious challenge against
(e) No correction required

Direction (Q. 31-35) : In each of the following sentences there are two blank spaces. Below each five words have been denoted by numbers (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e). Find out which pair of words can be filled up in the blanks in the sentence in the same sequence to make the sentence meaningfully complete.

31. The _____ business trips though _____ at times gave the executive a unique chance to meet interesting people.
(a) demanding....memorable
(b) frequent....monotonous
(c) crucial.... regular
(d) prolonged.... exhausted
(e) significant....influential

32. In order to put an end to the ____ that exist regarding the implementation of the policy the company should issue_____ guidelines.
(a) ambiguities....clear-cut
(b) difference ....cautious
(c) burden....stringent
(d) inhibition....appropriate
(e) reservations .... fundamental

33. The government has ____ that the infrastructure for the new project must be completed____ the next six month.
(a) stipulated .... for
(b) sanction ....by
(c) assurance ....in
(d) envisage .... during

34. The official not only ____ the renewal of the contract but also ____ the information about its status.
(a) revealed .... classified
(b) withdrawn .... leaked
(c) delayed .... with help
(d) interfere .... refused
(e) impeded .... excluding

35. To _____ any tension in the minds of the employees and investors alike the company has promised to consider job cuts as a last _____.
(a) erase ....effort
(b) rid .... hurdle
(c) overcome ....decision
(d) address .... phase
(e) ease .... resort

Direction (Q. 36-40) : Rearrange the following sentences (A), (B), (C), (D), (E) and (F) into a meaningful paragraph and then answer the questions given below it.
(A) According to conventional wisdom, no amount can suffice.
(B) In the process of seeking it is money which unfortunately gets a bad name.
(C) How much money is enough?
(D) The modern reasoning is that money coming in should cover our basic needs.
(E) The real culprit, however, is a living thing called desire, which although it is difficult to, can be controlled.
(F) However, from the basics of food, clothing and shelter we gradually seek luxury cars and holidays.

36. Which of the following is the FIRST sentence after rearrangement ?
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
(d) (4)
(e) (5)

37. Which of the following is the SIXTH (LAST) sentence after rearrangement ?
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
(d) (4)
(e) (5)

38. Which of the following is the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
(d) (4)
(e) (5)

39. Which of the following is the SECOND sentence after rearrangement ?
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
(d) (4)
(e) (5)

40. Which of the following is the THIRD sentence after rearrangement ?
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
(d) (4)
(e) (5)

Direction (Q. 41-50) : In the following passage there are blanks each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each five words are printed below the passage and against each five words have been suggested, one of which fills the blanks appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.
At just (41) midnight on July 1, 1997 in a glittering and poignant ceremony, Hong Kong passed from being a jewel of the British empire to a (42) of a new global power. Hong Kong people (43) their city’s handover from the UK to China with (44) feelings : apprehension over the future, joy at a fresh start, sadness at seeing the British go, pride over returning to their motherland. On the eve of the handover the stock market index, a key barometer of Hong Kong’s wealth, (45) at a record 15,200 points and today it (46) near the 21,000 mark. Being a part of a booming China almost guarantees that Hong Kong will remain (47). But mainland China is a (48) as well as a partner. China’s new ports, for example, will siphon trade (49) from Hong Kong and its lower labour costs will impact the jobs. However, there is little doubt that Hong Kong is fortunate to have become a part of china at a time when mainland China can provide (50) opportunity.

41. (a) recorded
(b) near
(c) close
(d) past
(e) quite

42. (a) component
(b) premise
(c) captive
(d) merger
(e) list

43. (a) encounter
(b) decided
(c) viewed
(d) restrained
(e) told

44. (a) flexible
(b) emotional
(c) mixed
(d) changed
(e) negative

45. (a) plunged
(b) rose
(c) valued
(d) climbed
(e) stood

46. (a) follows
(b) pauses
(c) fell
(d) hovers
(e) measure

47. (a) marginatlised
(b) prosperous
(c) orderly
(d) friendly
(e) poor

48. (a) competitor
(b) representative
(c) illegally
(d) colleague
(e) member

49. (a) against
(b) away
(c) illegally
(d) moving
(e) through

50. (a) full
(b) risky
(c) lucky
(d) unfair
(e) immense