Model Questions for UPSC PRE CSAT PAPER SET - 46

Passage

In keeping with market expectations and factored in by stock investors, GDP (gross domestic product) growth dipped to 5.3 percent in the second quarter (July September) of 2012-13 from 6.7 per cent in the same quarter during the previous fiscal, mainly owing it dismal performances by the farm and manufacturing sectors.
With the economic growth during the three-month period slipping further from 5.5 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal, the scaledown in annual growth projections by various global agencies and think-tanks for the entire year now appears to be more realistic and may turn out to be the lowest pace of GDP expansion . a decade.
While the poor show by the manufacturing sector has been impacting industrial growth severely for the last few months, the pull-down in agriculture during the quarter has led to a much lower GDP growth at 5.4 per cent during the first half (April-September) of 2012-13 as compared to a comparative robust expansion of 7.3 per cent witnessed in the same period a year ago. Despite the slippage, the silver lining in the GDP growth data is that the slowdown appears to be bottoming out as the numbers reveals a slight rise in gross capital formation, showing signs of recovery during the second half of the fiscal year.

1. What does the author imply by ‘silver lining’ in the Passage?

(a) GDP growth data is showing a slowdown.
(b) Pace of GDP expansion is at the bottom in a decade.
(c) Slight rise in gross capital formation.
(d) Growth rate is improving during the second quarter of the fiscal year.

Passage

The discovery of a new gene causing Type 2 diabetes in the Indian population by an entirely Indian cast of researchers has opened up a hitherto unknown and new line of enquiry into the mechanism of the disease. According to a paper published in the December edition of Diabetes, the gene was identified after running through a massive sample size of over 12,500 persons in the Indian subcontinent. “The new gene that was identified is a neuro gene, with no known association with Diabetes. So what is it doing in Type 2 Diabetes?” The principal investigator of the study, Dwaipayan Bharadwaj, said “Among the common variants, this is the major variant in the Indian population. So it certainly has a role to play. My hypothesis is, perhaps, diabetes is more a neurological disorder- it probably explains the temptation to eat when you see a plate of good food in front of you,” Dr. Bharadwaj added. This gene increases the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes to 1.6 times higher in the Indian population.
The involvement of a neuro gene opens up a spectacularly new area, said Nikhil Tandon, one of the authors, who is a professor of Endocrinology at AIIMS. It facilitates a potentially new line of enquiry into understanding of the mechanism of this disease. Understanding the mechanism will translate to better diagnostics and treatment methods, though that is still in the distant future, he added. The association of this gene with diabetes in the Indian population is higher and stronger than any other gene, the authors explains. The other key point in this study, Dr. Bharadwaj explains, is that it is entirely Indian with a massive sample size. The two groups that were studied included North Indians and Dravidians, the latter sample provided from the Chennai based Madras Diabetes Research Foundation Indian Council for Medical Research Advanced Centre or Genomics of Diabetes.

2. Consider the following statements

1. A new gene has been discovered by Indian researchers causing type 2 Diabetes.
2. The new gene identified which can be a major variant causing type 2 Diabetes in the Indian population is a neuron gene.

(a) Only (i)
(b) Only (ii)
(c) Both 1 and (ii)
(d) Neither 1 nor (ii)

3. What can be ascertained about the new gene from the passage?

1. It opens up a new dimension of research behind the mechanism of Diabetes.
2. It is more of a neurological disorder among the diabetes patients which causes a temptation to eat good looking food.
3. Among the major variants, this is the common variant among Indian population.

(a) Only 1
(b) Only (ii)
(c) Only 1 and 2
(d) (i), 2 and 3

4. Consider the following statements with reference to the passage

1. Indian researchers claim that the new gene discovered by them is highly and strongly associated with diabetes among Indians than any other gene.
2. Understanding the mechanism of diabetes on the line of a neuron gene will help in better diagnostics and treatment in coming days.
3. This research is based on Indian population data including Madras Diabetes research foundation data of Dravidians.
4. Over 12,500 persons in the Indian subcontinents were diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes with neuron gene traits.
5. The risk of developing type 2 Diabetes among Indians due to the neuron gene is 1.6 times higher than rest of the world infected with type 2 diabetes.

(a) Only 1, 2 and 3
(b) Only 1 and 3
(c) Only 1, 3 and 4
(d) Only 1, 3 and 5

5. Which of the following statements conveys “ho message of the passage?

(a) Discovery of new gene causing Type 2 Diabetes.
(b) Discovery of new gene causing Type 2 Diabetes among Indian population.
(c) Neuron gene is a new variant of genes causing - Type 2 Diabetes among Indian.
(d) Indian Scientists successfully tracking down Type 2 Diabetes causing neuro gene.

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Passage

It is an old saying that knowledge if power. Education is an instrument which imparts knowledge and, therefore, indirectly controls power. Therefore, even since the dawn of civilization persons in power have always tried to supervise or control education. It has been the hand-maid of the ruling class.
During the Christian era the ecclesiastics controlled the institution of education and diffused among the people the gospels and teachings were no other than a philosophy for the maintenance of the existing society. If taught the poor man to be meek and to earn his bread with the sweet of his brow, while the priests and the landlords lived in luxury, fought deals for the slightest offence.
During the renaissance, education passed more from the clutches of the priests into the hands of princes. In other words, it became more secular. It was also due to the growth of the nation state and powerful monarchies who united the country under their rule. Thus, under control of the monarch education began to devise and preach infallibility of its master, the monarch working. It also invented and supported fantastic theories like the divine Right theory and that the king can do no wrong. With the advent on industrial revolution, education took a different turn and had to please the new masters.
It ‘now no longer remained the privilege of the baron class but was thrown open to the new rich merchant class of soviets.

6. During the Christian Era who controlled the education system?

(a) The concernment
(b) The common people
(c) The church and priests
(d) The monarch

7. What does the hand main to the ruling class mean?

(a) Private maid servants of the prince
(b) Mistress of the prince
(c) The economy under the authority of prince
(d) Something fully under the control to the ruling class.

8. Whom does the term infallibility refer to in this passage?

(a) Kings
(b) Scholars
(c) Priests
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

9. Which one is correct statement: during the Christian Era.

(a) The poor man was thought to be beloved of the God
(b) That the poor man must earn his bread by hard work
(c) Approach of survival of the fittest prevailed
(d) Functional state was confined only to governance

10. Rural poverty is associated with which of the following factors?

(a) Poor effectiveness of productive efforts
(b) Better sanitation and housing facilities
(c) Dearth of employment opportunities
(d) Lack of technical education for the rural youth