KRISHNA MOHAN: New Pattern English

Directions (1-6): Read the paragraphs given in each question and choose a suitable summary from the given options:

Q1. The liberal democracies of the west benefited from the end of the Soviet bloc, but it is hard to argue that low oil prices in the Arab and Muslim world led to much peace and stability. One safe observation today is that the slump in global oil prices has notably dimmed hopes that emerging powers might continue their growth and modernization, simultaneously becoming solid stakeholders in a stable international order.

(a) The stagnating growth of emerging markets and conflict in the Middle East which is a disadvantage far outweighs the advantages accruing to the west from the oil price slump.

(b) Recessionary trends refuse to let up as growth in emerging markets remains sluggish limiting their ability to demand oil. Slow demand in turn has created problems for the Soviet bloc and the Arab world.

(c) The slump in oil prices has proved advantageous to the liberal West but has compounded the problems for the rest of the world resulting in conflict in the Arab world and deceleration in growth of emerging markets.

(d) The dismantling of the Soviet Bloc has helped liberal democracies in the west. This has been made possible through low global oil prices.

(e) None of the above is correct

Q2. Today we know much more about how and why HIV the virus that leads to AIDS has become a global pandemic. Unsurprisingly, sex workers unwillingly played a part. But no less important were the roles of trade, the collapse of colonialism, and 20th Century sociopolitical reform.

(a) Diseases do no assume epidemic proportions without the aid of sociopolitical and economic factors.

(b) Trade and commerce, among other factors, played an important role in the spread of the HIV virus which causes AIDS.

(c) The AIDS epidemic was also fanned by the decline of colonialism and trade and commerce along with social and political changes effected in the 20th century.

(d) The chief reason for the spread of the AIDS causing HIV virus was sex workers and post colonial reform measures of the 20th century.

(e) None of the above is correct

Q3. Surprisingly, it works. Repeating myself afterwards minus the cups I sound even more convincing about the specifics of my fish-and-chip dinner than I did the first time round. The cups device is just one of the many exercises taught in City Academy’s ‘How to Get Heard in Meetings’ course, which, while open to anyone, is being marketed as an especially female-friendly way to apply performance techniques to everyday scenarios. Women have long struggled to make themselves heard in the workplace. In 2014, Harvard Business Review reported that “we have consistently heard women say that they feel less effective in meetings than they do in other business situations. Some say that their voices are ignored or drowned out. Others tell us that they can’t find a way into the conversation … In fact, several men reported seeing a female colleague get rattled or remain silent even when she was the expert at the table.”

(a) Executives with poor communication skills often struggle to get themselves heard at meetings. Female executives have been noted to get rattled and drowned out at such meetings.

(b) Male executives in modern business organizations do not allow their female counterparts the space to voice their thoughts in discussions. This causes women executives to feel less effective in meetings.

(c) Women often struggle to make their points in official meetings perhaps because they are outnumbered by their male colleagues or ignored. Communication exercises have become a popular method to set right this state of affairs.

(d) Female executives usually opt for performance techniques to improve their communication skills at meetings.

(e) None of the above is correct

Q4. In a commentary, the Vatican daily Osservatore Romano said treatment of this kind towards religion “is not new” and stressed that religious figures have repeatedly condemned violence in the name of God. “Behind the deceptive flag of uncompromising secularism, the weekly is forgetting once more what religious leaders of every faith unceasingly repeat to reject violence in the name of religion using God to justify hatred is a genuine blasphemy, as pope Francis has said several times,” it said. The commentary added: “In Charlie Hebdo’s choice, there is the sad paradox of a world which is more and more sensitive about being politically correct, almost to the point of ridicule, yet does not wish to acknowledge or to respect believes’ faith in God, regardless of the religion.”

(a) Religion has recently been deemed the promoter of bloodshed because of the element of fanaticism without considering the ample examples of situations wherein religion has been the messiah of peace. Believers respect this power of God and religion, and this notion should be acknowledged.

(b) Religious leaders cite religion as the chief means of ensuring peace by evoking the name of God to stop violence. Yet the secular movement deceives people.

(c) We live in times where the greatest virtue among people is to be politically correct. Yet the media refuses to respect peoples’ faith in God.

(d) The Charlie Hebdo incident has revealed the potential of religion to turn into a divisive force which permits violence to curb dissent. However, religious leaders continue to reject violence in the name of God and label it blasphemy.

(e) None of the above is correct

Q5. University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business and his co-authors compared the effective tax rates paid by a sample of American firms between 2002 and 2011 with a measure of those companies’ CSR programmes compiled by MSCI, an index provider. It found that the companies which do the most CSR also make the most strenuous efforts to avoid paying tax – and that those which a high CSR score also spend more lobbying on tax. The most obvious explanation for this inverse relationship is hypocrisy. Surely CSR depends on the idea that firms have an obligation to society, not just to shareholders? And surely the most basic obligation to society is to pay the taxes that support the poor and vulnerable? Another explanation is that firms are not monoliths but collections of rival fiefs with different priorities. The department that oversees the CSR programmes, and thus has an interest in boosting their budgets, may never talk to those in the finance department who are paid to minimize the tax bill.

(a) A recent study by researchers at the University of Oregon has revealed that companies that do the most CSR also indulge in tax avoidance strategies, thereby exposing the hypocrisy of these corporate giants.

(b) A recent survey supports the public opinion that companies that do the most CSR also indulge heavily in aggressive tax planning to please shareholders. This state of affairs could be a result of double standards or lack of coordination in departmental goals.

(c) A recent study by researchers at the University of Oregon reveals an inverse relationship between expenditure on CSR and lobbying on tax. These findings are highly suggestive of conflicting interdepartmental goals in business firms and hypocrisy of the corporate class.

(d) The findings of recent research suggest that companies with high expenditure on CSR also engage in greater tax lobbying. This could result from double standards or conflicting interdepartmental goals.

(e) None of the above is correct

Q6. The concept of the modern, open democracy that embraces freedom, diversity and human rights, is under threat. We live in a time of conflict unlike any other. A war is underway that is not just being fought out on conventional battlefields among state powers, but on the internet and the streets of our towns and cities, as the citizens of Paris found to a shocking cost in November.

(a) The concept of modern society and freedom of speech are under threat due to the rise of modern forms of warfare.

(b) The ideals of democracy are at war with an emerging threat. Unlike previous wars, this war is not confined to secluded battlefields and has spread over the internet and our homes.

(d) Terrorism, armed with modern technology and modern forms of warfare, has emerged as the greatest threat to the ideals of liberty.

(e) None of the above is correct

Directions (7-15): In each question below, the word at the top of the question is used in four different ways. Choose the option in which the usage of the word is INCORRECT or INAPPROPRIATE.

Q7. DISSIPATE

(a) The wind finally dissipated the smoke.

(b) The industrious people from Gujarat are dissipated over the whole of India.

(d) The dark clouds which threatened rain finally dissipated.