(IGP) IAS Pre Paper - 2: GS - English Language & Comprehension Skills - English Language Comprehension (MCQ -10)

Nobel prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz, described “globalisation as a double-edged sword.For thosewilling to seize the opportunities and manage globalisation on their own terms, it has provided the basis of unprecedented growth.” Taking full advantage of globalisation India has managed a historically unprecedented growth rate formore than a decade and half. Following the Washington consensus in the last quarter of 20th century, international institutions including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fundmounted a sustained campaign to push liberalisation of national economies and privatisation of their public sector. Empirical studies have amply demonstrated that the benefits of the globalisation have not been shared by all the countries. Even in the same country, the benefits arising out of globalisation have not filtered to the various strata of the population and disparities have widened. Thus, there are transparent inequalities amongst the countries as also within the same oountry. India is no exception to the latter. In most of the poorer countries in Africa growth rates have not registered any improvements and the number of people below poverty line has in some cases doubled. Moreover there is reluctance of developed countries in removing the trade distorting subsidies in agriculture and giving duty-freemarket access to the least developed countries with very limited exportable products.

The issue is how has India reaped benefits of globalisation ? To assume that economic, fiscal, trade and allied policies initiated by the government created an environment which facilitated economic advancement on these fronts will amount to manipulation of ground realities. The foremost factor which engineered the growth in India was emergence of a self-reliant middle class equipped with strong knowledge base with technical qualifications. They pursued innovative businesses requiring managerial and technical skills in the upcoming sectors like information technology and other allied fields. Instead of the traditional industry-led growth path followed by the west and other developing countries India opted for services-led growth which had visible, tangible results. In the manufacturing sector, technological innovation, low-cost production, ability to quickly adapt to changes, establishing world class R & D facilities etc., greatly helped in successfully meeting global competition.

The automobile industry is a classic example.Strong presence of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the developed countries occupying senior management positions in several multinational corporations built confidence in Indian managerial competence and leadership.This promotedMNCs’ networking with India (as also in China) with its expanding domestic market which in the present circumstances remained the only viable option for their sustained growth in future. The success stories of businesses controlled by NRIs in the western markets established India’s reputation as dependable and disciplined businessmen. Well established democratic political framework, large young population ingrained with absorption capacity of new technologies have all created a responsive realisation that India is marching ahead. The initiative largely of its private sector in expanding connectivity by improved telecommunications, low-cost air transportation and vast press, TV and other media penetration ignited awareness amongst all sections of its people of a bright future and thus radically changed their peroeption, thinking and actions.
|Furthermore the entire world took note ofunexploited potentials of India in becoming a competitive centre of excellence and cost efficiency.

1. According to the author, which of the following was primarily responsible for India’s growth ?
(a) Well developed and implemented economic, fiscal and trade policies
(b) Detailedmicrolevel analysis of the economy
(c) A workforce with managerial rather than technical qualifications
(d) None of the above

Directions (Q. Nos. 2 to 3) Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage.
2. mounted
(a) increased
(b) grew
(c) organised
(d) climbed

3. tangible
(a) valuable
(b) complex
(c) touch
(d) concrete

Directions (Q. No. 4): Choose the word which is most opposite inmeaning of theword given in bold as used in the passage.
4. viable
(a) indirect
(b) impractical
(c) unsatisfied
(d) unpleasant

It is difficult to imagine the extraordinary number of controls on Indian industry before 1991. Entrepreneurs needed permission to invest and could be penalized for exceeding production capacity. Even with the given investment capacity they had, entering certain areas was prohibited as these were reserved for the public sector. If they had to import anything, they required licences. To get these licences was tough, they had to persuade a bureaucrat that the itemwas required but even so permission was unavailable if somebody was already producing it in India. The impact of the reforms was not instantaneously and permanently wonderful. In India’s case it began to show after about a year-and-a-half. After 1993, there came three years of rapid industrial growth of about 8% or so. But, in the second half of the 90s, there was a tapering of industrial growth and investment. After 1997 and the East Asian crisis there was global slowdown which had an impact on the Indian industry. But, in the last few years there has been a tremendous upturn. With the rise of investment industrial growth has reached double digits or close.

However, even during the period when industrial growth was not that rapid, there is a lot of evidence that positive results of the reforms were seen. There were companies that didn’t look at all internally but instead performed remarkably in the highly competitive global market. For instance, the software sector’s performancewas outstanding in an almost totally global market. Reliance built a world-class refinery. Tatas developed an indigenously designed car. The success of the software sector has createdmuch higher expectations from and much higher confidence in what Indian industry can do. On the government’s side it’s a vindication thatliberalization of both domestic and external policies, including the increased inflow of Foreign Direct Investment, has created an environment in which industry can do well, has done well and is preparing to do even better.What they need is not sops,but good quality infrastructure. For the 11th Plan an industrial growth rate of around 12% is projected. It will have methods of developing infrastructure, whichwill close the deficit.

This can be done through increased investment in public sector for those infrastructure areas, which cannot attract private investment, and through efforts to improve private participation in different ways of public-private participation. In the early stages of reforms, the liberalization of trade policies and a shift to a market-determined exchange rate had the effect of removing constraints on agriculture in terms of depressed prices. The removal of protection on industry helped to produce amore levellaying field, because the earlier systemwas extremely unfair to agriculture. The lesson to be learnt from the reforms process is to persevere in reforming the strategic parts of the economy, which will lead to even higher growth rate. India has to do better than its current average growth rate of 8% and ensure that benefits from this higher growth go beyond industry and urban areas and extend to agriculture.

5. Which of the following is NOT true in the context of the passage?
A. India experienced a slowdown in growth during the late 1990s because initially the economic growth rate was too rapid.
B. There were a few stringent regulations on Indian industrieswhich kept economic growth below 12%.
C. Companies did not get import licenses for goods if they were being indigenously produced.
(a) Only A
(b) Both Band C
(c) Both A and B
(d) All A, B and C

Directions (Q. No. 6) Choose the word which is most nearly the same inmeaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage.
6. extraordinary
(a) unusual
(b) wonderful
(c) rare
(d) beautiful

Directions (Q. No. 7) Choose the word which is most opposite inmeaning of theword given in bold as used in the passage.
7. attract
(a) ugly
(b) offend
(c) push
(d) sick

The wakeup call that China represents to India is not limited to its showpiece urban centres or that New Delhi hopes India will experience the benefits that the Olympic games gave brought to Beijing.More pertinent is the comparison of the agricultural sectors of the two countries.Why and how has Chinamanaged to outstrip India in agriculturewhen 25 years ago the two countries were on par on most parameters? Both have traditionally been agrarian economies and over half their populations continue to depend on the land for their livelihood.With large populations and histories of famine India and China share concern on issues such as food security, however, while India’s agricultural sector is projected to growby about 2.5 percent this yeara slide from the previous year’s growth. China’s has been steadily growing at between 4 percent and 5 percent over the last fifteen years. The widest divergence between India and China is in the profitable horticultural sector with the production of fruits and vegetables in China leaping from 60 million tonnes in 1980 compared to India’s 55million tonnes at the same time, to 450 million tonnes in 2003 ahead of India’s corresponding 135 million tonnes. China’s added advantage lies in themore diversified composition of its agricultural sector with animal husbandry and fisheries which account for close to 45 percent of growth compared to 30 percent for India.

According to the latest report byEconomicAdvisory council the traditional excuses for India’s substandard performance in the farm sector are inadequate since India is placed favourably when compared to China in terms of quantity of arable land, average farmsize, farm mechanization etc. The reasons for China having outperformed India are threefold : technological improvements accruing fromresearch and development (China has over 1000 R & D centers devoted to agriculture)investment in rural infrastructure and an increasingly liberalised agricultural policymoving away from self-sufficiency to leveraging the competitive advantage with a focus on “efficiency as much as equity”. Investment in rural infrastructure, roads, storage facilities,marketing facilities are also crucial but government support in India has been mainly been through subsidies , not investment. There has beenmuch debate about subsidies and their utility; the opposing view being that subsidies are against the market reforms and distort themarket aswell as reduce resource efficiency. In contrast to the 2046 applicationsfor the registration of newplant varieties in China over the past fewyears data reveals that despite India having the largest number of agricultural scientists in theworld India’s current research track record is abysmal, equivalent to what number of field crop varieties fell by 50 percent between 1997 and 2001 despite the fact that therewas sharp and sustained increase in funding. Onereason is that majority Oof the budget is eaten up by staff salaries with only 3 percent being allotted for research. In contrast,most agricultural research centres in Chinamust use Central Government funding purely for research. Funds relating to salaries and other administrative incidentals must be generated by thecentres themselves. Theentres and scientists are thus, encouraged to engage in joint ventures with privateector companies to formcommercial signoffs fromtheir research. In fact researchstaff are now being hired on a contact basis with pay based on performance and salaries raised proportionately for those who perform well. India needs to learn from China’s example and adopt a pragmatic approach if it has to meet its targets of the Eleventh Five Year Plan.

8. Which of the following is/are area/s in which China has not outdone India?
A. Development of urban infrastructure.
B. Activities allied to agriculture like animal husbandry.
C. Successful bids for international sporting events
(a) None
(b) Only B
(c) Only A
(d) Both A and C

Directions (Q. Nos. 9 to 11) Choose theword which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
9. concern
(a) importance
(b) regret
(c) business
(d) anxiety

10. devoted
(a) surrendered
(b) dedicated
(c) established
(d) staunoh

11. pertinent
(a) intense
(b) sizeable
(c) practical
(d) significant

Though it is common place to say we live in a globalised world, less well understood is that globalisation is taking place in stages. In the first stage as flows of capital and goods were liberated the benefits of globalisation, eg, technological advancements, flowed primarily to the developedworld.Aswe enter the current newer age ofmobility, people have begun tomove across borders in great numbers in pursuit of economic security and a better life for themselves and to keep their families out of poverty. At the turn of the 20th Century the United Nations estimates that approximately three percent of theworld’s population is on themove, a similar scale to thatwitnessed in earlier eras.Growing economic inequality together with natural and man made crises prompts emigration. But thismobility has the potential to chip away at the vast inequalities that characterise our time and accelerate progress throughout the developing world. To take an example, last year migrants sent home $264 billion triple all international aid combined. The freer movement of people helps to underwrite health care, education and grass roots entrepreneurship across the developing world.

It .helps to oil the global economy. When industrialised nations need to recruit nurses or software programmers developing countries are often the source. Yet rather than look at howthese gains can be harnessed to reduce poverty governments have been slow to adapt. The result is burgeoning illegal immigration, and trafficking, social tension and intolerance, loss of faith in the government and the empowerment of criminal networks. Until a few years ago, migrants were paying exorbitant fees to send money home losing about 20% in transaction costs. Today thoughmigrantsmove freely and easily thanks to easy access to low cost transport and the internet, affordable and rapidly advancing telephony and satellite television which keep them in constant touch with home. Banks easily and wirelessly transmit hard won and sometimes meagre salaries instantly to their families. The flow of people until now mostly benefited richer countries and generatedworries about brain drain and the violation of migrant rights in poorer ones. Global fora represent a step in the effort to harness the power of migration to advance development and increase our knowledge of how to make the migration equation work for all. Rather than focus on the negative consequences and recriminations of exploitation by developing countries such summits provide an opportunity for all nations to come together and address these issues in a comprehensive, logical and rational way so that the benefits of migration are fully realised in both developing and industrialised countries. Countries may examine how dual citizenship laws can ease the way for migrants to play a bigger role in development by bringing their capital, knowledge and networks back home. Such effortswill usher in the third stage of globalisation where everyone can share in the world’s prosperity.

12. Which of the following is TRUE in the context of the passage?
(a) The world is currently in the final stage of globalisation
(b) The aim of summits on migration is to curb migration and prevent brain drain
(c) Governments have not fully exploited the potential benefits ofmigration
(d) Currently reforms are needed as International remittances aremarginal

Directions (Q. Nos. 13 to 14) Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
13. harnessed
(a) mobilised
(b) control
(c) pushed
(d) pull

14. accelerate
(a) further
(b) quick
(c) open
(d) rapid

Though the last twenty-five years have seen China dazzle theworldwith its excellent economic performance it has shied away fromplaying the kind of active role in international affairs that would seem commensurate with its economic weight. This is because traditionally China’s politics have been defined by the need for economic development above all else. In the pastChina’s authorities have tended to downplay the country’s international clout, choosing to stress instead its developing country status and limited military capabilities. Suchmodest rhetoricwas intended to allay the fears that China’s rise was causing across its immediate neighbourhood. That Beijing is finally acknowledging its status as a major player in the international system is evidenced by the fact that the president has formally developed a theory of international relations; the concept of harmoniousworld. The concept, encompassing broad notions of multilateralism, prosperity for all through common development and tolerance for diversity has left world opinion perplexed. These are commendable objectives but the theory is short on specifics regarding themeans to achieve them.

China’s recent willingness to be a more active player internationally stems fromcomplex factors. The country’s economic strength-having acquired the largest foreign exchange reserves in the world is undeniable and reports favour it to be the largest economy in the next quarter of a century. For sustained double digit economic growthChina thus has no choice but to become more active internationally. Moreover as a major proportion of the oil and other natural resources that China needs to feed its growing economy are imported Beijing has to aggressively woo the countries rich in energy resources, which also represent emerging markets for Chinese products. To ensure a stable security environment within the region and thus facilitate economic growth China played an active role in facilitating negotiations with North Korea. Destabilization of a potential flashpoint like theKorean peninsula would lead to a flood of refugees crossing the border, interrupting careful plans of economic rejuvenation of China’s North-East. China’s growing influence has caused a shift in the geopolitical status quo and its influence is beginning to replace that of the United States and European powers in Africa. China’s new diplomacy though has had its share of critics who have expressed their unease at China’s military modernization programme and its willingness to deal with regimes widely condemned as corrupt and oppressive. Despite this when the Africa was in need ofaid and infrastructure or the US needed help in negotiating with Korea they turned to China.By taking a lead in a variety of international and regional forums, initiating bilateral and military exchanges and dispensing aid and technical assistance in parts of the world where traditional powers are cautious to tread China has signalled that its days of sitting on the sidelines, content to let others shape world affairs are emphatically over.

15. Which of the following is TRUE in the context of the passage ?
(a) China’s current political standing internationally is disproportionate to its financial strength
(b) China is a reluctant participant in military dialogues
(c) The harmonious world theory is the only utilitarian remedy to the current challenges facing the world
(d) The US has recognized and acknowledged China’s growing international reputation

Directions (Q. Nos. 16 to 18) Choose the word which is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
16. sustained
(a) sporadic
(b) confirmed
(c) steady
(d) supported

17. potential
(a) promise
(b) talent
(c) opportunity
(d) possible

18. encompassing
(a) surrounding
(b) incorporating
(c) enveloping
(d) accepting

Directions (Q. No. 19) Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
19. commendable
(a) valuable
(b) unreliable
(c) undeserved
(d) unworthy

Thinking of what education might look like in the next decade, one quickly realizes that the trends in technology are leaving a large number of our students behind. Today is an age of exponential change. New and ever-improving technologies are popping up every day and in every corner of society. Educating the best and the brightest in this brave new world will take a new and improved educational paradigm. Allowing our educational tools to age in the corner of the classroom will be the mistake that may cost us our future. Throwing away masses of children to inequitable access will ensure that we languish at the bottom of the global pool of employable workers for decades to come. Technology will shape the waywe educate students in the next decade. A user is not simply a person who uses. For the student, being a user should involve using the latest technology in a free and autonomousmanner. Thisnew-found freedomwill allowthe student to become an active participant in his/her education instead of a passive passenger. In our current technological society, being a user also means being tracked. Tracking a student means having the ability to target education towards weaknesses and strengths. The ability to accurately customize to the individual has been the holy grail of educational philosophy for many years. This golden age of technological development may soon enable this dream to become a reality.

Current educational and individual assessment is arbitrary at best. Accurately assessing a student can only be achieved by using modern tracking and database technologies. Imagine a world where every child has a tablet computer with ready access to the internet. Further, imagine that every student can access all the knowledge of humankind freely at any moment in time.Continue to imagine aworldwhere amisspelled word brings up a spelling challenge application instead of an auto correction. Try to contemplate what it would mean for a teacher to have a database of every misspelled word, everymisunderstood concept or every missed equation for each of their students. Try to envision a teacher with the ability to customize the experience of the individual “user” withminimal effort. Imagine the curriculum being automatically targeted to the user through an intuitive educational’platform that knows all strengths and each unique weakness. In the last few hundred years, most individuals would consider an education as something you receive. You often hear the question asked, “Where did you receive your education ?” As we proceed through the next decade, educationwill slowlymove away fromreception and toward being custom designed for the individual user. New technology will not only allow us to receive an education, but also develop an education. The question we might ask in ten years is, “How did you develop your education ?” The question of where will still be important, but the how of the matter will be the focus that defines the individual.

To make this a reality we will need a standardized platform from which to develop a student’s unique education. This standardized platform will allow us to tailor a custom curriculum that will be matched to talents, interests and life goals. For the educator, a standardized platform will create a way to assist the student in discovering a true purpose in life through a unique educational experience. The basics of reading, writing and arithmetic will not be taught as much as they will be discovered and used. Learning will become a eciprocal experience between the teacher, the student and the machine. Under a standardized platform, each of these three participantswill have a role to play. The teacher will be the facilitator, assisting the development of the curriculumand inspiring the direction the student takes. The student will be the user, gathering resources, skills and knowledge in an efficient andmeasured sequence. The machine will do the work of data gathering and analysis, which will assist the teacher and student in refining the curriculum. This data gathering work of the machine will also free the teacher from the burden of record-keeping and tedious tasks that currently distract from the real job of teaching and learning.

Under a standardized system, grade level will be far less important. Achievement and progression will be measured by accomplishment and intelligence as a benchmark for success. The question of failure or success will be irrelevant and replaced with a standard and consistent measurement of potential and overall intelligence. Information will no longer be missed but continually rehearsed and monitored for retention by themachine. Tasks such as data tracking reporting and record keeping are currently accomplished manually. These tasks could easily be delegated to an intuitive database. Developing a standard to follow would eliminate these tasks and free the teacher to do their main job of teaching students.

The next decade may mark the moment in history when all are granted equal access to technology.Access to quality education will only be gained through investment and universal standardization of this technology. If we continue to divert wealth toward fruitless goals and corporate greed, this opportunitywill be lost or hopelessly delayed.

20. Which of the following is possibly the most appropriate title for the passage ?
(a) Technology - AWelcome Relief to Teachers
(b) Revamping the Educational Sector - An Impossible Future
(c) Education - Arbitrary But a Reality
(d) Technology - Reshaping the Future of Education

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