1

English by: Jaideep Sir

 Comprehension:1
Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it.

The number of Indian students going abroad for higher studies has increased by 68.79 per
cent in the past year, according to data provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of
Education, Subhas Sarkar. As per the data provided by him in the Lok Sabha, the number of
Indians enrolled in foreign varsities increased from 4.44 lakh in 2021 to 7.5 lakh in 2022. He
clarified that while the Bureau of Immigration and Ministry of Home Affairs maintain
departure and arrival data of Indians, there is no index for capturing the category of Indians
going abroad for higher education. “Purpose of Indians going abroad for higher education is
captured manually based either on their verbal disclosure or the type of visa of the destination
country produced by them at the time of immigration clearance,” Sarkar said. According to the
data provided by the ministry, the number of Indian nationals increased from 4.54 lakh in
2017 to 5.17 lakh in 2018. There was a significant increase in 2019 as well, with 5.86 lakh
students flying out of the country. However, during the Covid pandemic, the number of Indian
nationals in foreign varsities saw a drastic dip as only 2.59 lakh students were registered.
While the number continued to remain low, it saw a slight increase in 2021 with 4.44 lakh
registrations. However, the number has significantly jumped to 7.5 lakh in 2022. The increase
in the number of Indian nationals abroad corresponds with the latest immigration reports
from some of the popular study-abroad destinations such as the US, UK, and Australia. For
the UK, the Immigration Statistics Report states that 127,731 visas were granted to Indian
students in September 2022, an increase of 93,470 (+273 per cent) against 34,261 in 2019.
Similarly, in the US, the number of Indian students has more than doubled, and the Open
Doors Report 2022 has predicted that the number of Indian students heading to America is
likely to surpass those from China in 2022-23.
Q.1: In 2019, how many Indian students went abroad?
1. 5.17 lakh
2. 4.54 lakh
3. 5.86 lakh
4. 4.44 lakh
Q.2: Which of the following countries is not very popular with Indian students for studies?
1. Australia
2. USA
3. UK
4. China
Q.3: How do we know the number of students getting visas for studies in UK?
1. from the records of Ministry of Home Affairs
2. from the Immigration Statistics Report
3. from the records of the Bureau of Immigration
4. from the Ministry of Education
Q.4: The passage is mainly about
1. immigration of Indians to UK, US, and Australia
2. Indians enrolled in foreign universities
3. Indians going to America for higher studies
4. Indians going abroad for higher studies
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English by: Jaideep Sir
 Comprehension:2
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull
crossroads of the city, and we are soon in the open countryside, with fields of sunflowers as
far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to
the desert. While still on level ground, we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount
Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It is over 5,000
metres high, and the peaks are under permanent snow, in powerful contrast to the flat desert
all around. Heaven lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea level,
at the foot of one of the highest snow-peaks. As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows
overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear. It is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain
begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat’s cheese. The bus
window leaks inhospitably but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from the
desert through arable land to pasture and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark
with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a
Constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher I wish
more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than the pair of shorts that
have served me so well in the desert. The stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake)
disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look
for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I
am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the bed. Standing outside the cottage, we
survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardineshaped and fed by snowmelt from a
stream at its head. The lake is an intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain
walls, dotted with distant sheep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the inflowing
stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of
peaks that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself. For those who live in the
resort, there is a small mess-hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy
food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The
kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good; highly spiced and
well-done. Horse’s milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I
am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me
a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. Once I am warm
again, I feel a pre-dinner spurt of energy—dinner will be long in coming—and I ask him
whether the lake is good for swimming in.
Q.1: Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the word ‘accept’ from the passage.
1. Reject
2. Refuse
3. Decline
4. Turn down

Q.2: Select an appropriate title for the passage.

1. Shorts to Trousers
2. Lake Heaven
3. Peasant Life
4. Journey to Mount Bogda
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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.3: What is the tone of the passage?
1. Romantic
2. Angry
3. Serene
4. Agitated
Q.4: What is the protagonist wearing in the bus?
1. A dhoti
2. Trousers
3. A pair of shorts
4. Long sleeved shirt

Comprehension:3
Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it.

From January 28 to February 4, 2023, a Chinese-operated, large white high-altitude balloon

was seen in North American airspace, including Alaska, western Canada, and the contiguous
United States. The American and Canadian militaries asserted that the balloon was for
surveillance, while the Chinese government maintained it was a civilian meteorological
research airship that had been blown off course. Analysts said that the balloon's flight path
and structural characteristics made it dissimilar from those which have typically been used
for meteorological research. The U.S. Department of State said that the balloon was capable of
locating electronic communication devices, including mobile phones and radios, and that
American U-2 reconnaissance aircraft deployed to track the balloon in the air revealed that the
balloon carried antennas and other equipment "clearly for intelligence surveillance and
inconsistent with the equipment on board weather balloons." The State Department said that
the spy balloon was part of a global Chinese military-directed surveillance effort in which
Chinese spy balloons have flown over more than 40 nations in five continents. On February 4,
the U.S. Air Force shot down the balloon over U.S. territorial waters off the coast of South
Carolina, on the order of U.S. President Joe Biden. Debris from the wreckage was recovered
and sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis. The incident increased
U.S.-China tensions. The incident prompted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to delay a
diplomatic visit to Beijing, which was set to be his first since 2018. It also further strained
Canada–China relations, as Canada summoned the Chinese ambassador because of the
violation of Canadian airspace. On February 3, the U.S. Department of Defense announced
that a second Chinese balloon was passing over Latin America, which China also said
belonged to it. On February 10, the Air Force shot down another aerial object over U.S.
territory at the order of President Biden.

Q.1: The passage is mainly about

1. the strained relations between US and China
2. a Chinese spy balloon flying over US and Canadian territories
3. China’s global military-directed surveillance
4. Chinese balloons flying all over the world

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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.2: Read the statements given below.
A. The US Air Force shot down the Chinese balloon over US territorial waters.
B. Tensions between China and US have increased and the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State
to Beijing has been postponed.

1. Both A and B are true but B is not the correct reason for A.
2. Both A and B are true and B is the correct reason for A.
3. A is false and B is true.
4. A is true and B is false.

Q.3: How did US make sure that the Balloon flying over its territory was a ‘spy’ balloon?

1. The FBI lab confirmed that it was a spy balloon

2. the analysts studied its flight path and said so
3. it’s reconnaissance aircraft saw the antennas and equipment of the balloon
4. it got the samples of the balloon checked in a lab
Q.4: The word ‘contiguous’ means

1. adjoining
2. far off
3. spreading
4. Separated

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English by: Jaideep Sir
 Comprehension:4
Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it.

Amidst a maze of rocks tucked in the Aravalli mountain ranges of Haryana, a team of
archaeologists discovered cave paintings they believe belong to the Upper Palaeolithic age. The
cave paintings have been discovered just outside the national capital and a stone’s throw away
from a holy grove called Mangar Bani- the region’s only surviving patch of primary forest.
While the residents of the villages have been familiar with the paintings for ages, the Haryana
government’s museum and archaeology department took note of them just recently. A fact-
finding team was sent to the area in the last week of June. The team came across cave
paintings comprising images of human figurines, animals, foliage, and geometric drawings.
While some have paled over time, others are still very visible. They also discovered rock art
and open-air ceremonial sites. Banani Bhattacharyya, deputy director of the department of
archaeology and museums informed, “So far, cave paintings in Delhi-NCR have only been
found here. The paintings are yet to be dated but at least some of them belong to the Upper
Palaeolithic period in all likelihood. We are viewing the paintings in continuation with the
Soanian culture which has been found in Shivalik hills, Narmada and Aravallis.” Most of the
cave paintings found were in ochre colour, but some were in white. As per experts, cave
paintings in white are usually from a later stage (early contemporary era), while Stone Age
paintings are more often than not in ochre. “Stone age paintings generally use red and ochre
colours. Stones of these colour used to be available locally and inhabitants crushed the stones
for preparing the colour for paintings,” added Bhattacharyya. The Upper Paleolithic Age began
around 40,000 years ago and lasted till around 10,000 years ago. While yet to be established
through archaeological dating, Bhattacharyya says the Mangar cave art is 20,000-40,000
years old. Bhattacharyya claimed that the discovery is extremely significant. “Starting from
the Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic then Upper Palaeolithic, we see the evolution
here. We have found significant remains from Lower Palaeolithic till Middle and Upper
Palaeolithic period too,” she explained. “Though tools from the Palaeolithic Age have been
identified earlier in parts of the Aravallis, it is for the first time that cave paintings and rock
art of a large magnitude have been found in Haryana,” she added.

Q.1: The cave paintings found in Aravalli hills are significant mainly because
1. they are the only prehistoric cave paintings found in Aravalli Hills.
2. they are found in such a large magnitude for the first time.
3. they have been discovered just outside the national capital, Delhi
4. they depict the evolution from Lower to Upper Paleolithic period.

Q.2: Most of the cave paintings found in Mangar forest area in Haryana are in which colour?
1. black
2. white
3. red
4. Ochre

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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.3: Which of the following statement is NOT correct according to the passage?
1. The cave men crushed the locally available stones for preparing the colour for paintings.
2. The paintings comprise images of human figurines, animals, foliage, and geometric
drawings.
3. The Mangar cave art is 20,000-40,000 years old.
4. The paintings in red belong to early contemporary era.

Q.4: The archaeological findings in the Mangar Forest consist of all the following except
1. tools
2. ceremonial sites
3. cave paintings
4. rock art

Comprehension:5
Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it.

Total area sown under Rabi crops has increased by 3.25% from 697.98 lakh hectares in 2021-
22 to 720.68 lakh hectares in 2022-23. This is 22.71 lakh hectares more this year compared
to corresponding period of 2021-22. Comparing with normal sown area(average of the last five
years), the increase is to the tune of 13.71% from 633.80 to 720.68 lakh hectares. The
increase in area is across all crops, - highest being in rice. Out of 22.71 lakh hectares increase
in all Rabi crops, increase in rice area is 11.20 lakh hectares from 35.05 lakh hectares in
2021-22 to 46.25 lakh hectares in 2022-23. However, this is lower than normal sown area of
47.71 lakh hectares. Maximum increase in area under rice is in states of Telangana and West
Bengal. Area under oilseeds increased by 7.31% from 102.36 lakh hectares during 2021-22 to
109.84 lakh hectares this year. The increase in area under oilseeds at the rate of 7.31% is
more than double the rate of increase of 3.25% in all crops together. Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh and Chhattisgarh accounted for major expansion in area of oilseeds. Rapeseed &
Mustard contributed maximum in increasing oilseeds area during this Rabi season. Mustard
area increased by 6.77 lakh hectares from 91.25 lakh hectares in 2021-22 to 98.02 lakh
hectares in 2022-23. Thus, out of 7.49 lakh hectares increase in area under oilseeds, rapeseed
& mustard alone accounted for 6.44 lakh hectares. Pulse production is being focused to make
country self-sufficient in these commodities. Area under pulses increased by 0.56 lakh
hectares from 167.31 to 167.86 lakh hectares. Mung bean and lentil accounted for increase in
area under pulses. The United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2023 as the
International Year of Millets and India is at the forefront in celebrating the event in a big way.
In order to create awareness about the benefits of millets as superfood and to meet its growing
demand around the world, the Government is promoting millet production through the NFSM-
Nutri Cereals component of National Food Security Mission programme in 212 districts of 14
states. Coarse cum Nutri-cereals saw an increase of 2.08 lakh hectares in area under
cultivation from 51.42 lakh hectares in 2021-22 to 53.49 lakh hectares in 2022-23.
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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.1: Match the following crops with the area.
Crop area in 2022-23
a. millets 1. 98.02 lakh hectares
b. pulses 2. 53.49 lakh hectares
c. mustard 3. 167.86 lakh hectares
1. a-1, b- 3, c-2
2. a -3, b -1, c-2
3. a-2, b-1, c-3
4. a-2, b-3, c-1

Q.2: On which of the following crops, is the Indian Government specially focussing this year?
1. rice
2. oilseeds
3. pulses
4. Millets

Q.3: The main theme of the passage is

1. increase in the area of Rabi crops in 2022-23
2. area under rabi crop in last five years
3. increase in the production of pulses
4. increase in the area of oilseeds like mustard

Q.4: Which state recorded the maximum increase in sown area of the rice crop?
1. Chhattisgarh
2. Telangana
3. Rajasthan
4. Madhya Pradesh

Comprehension:6
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

My grandmother, like everybody’s grandmother, was an old woman. She had been old and
wrinkled for the twenty years that I had known her. People said that she once had been young
and pretty and had even had a husband, but that was hard to believe. My grandfather’s
portrait hung above the mantelpiece in the drawing room. He wore a big turban and loose
fitting clothes. His long, white beard covered the best part of his chest and he looked at least a
hundred years old. He did not look the sort of person who would have a wife or children. He
looked as if he could only have lots and lots of grandchildren. As my grandmother being young
and pretty, the thought was almost revolting. She often told us of the games she used to play
as a child. That seemed quite absurd and undignified on her part and we treated it like the
fables of the Prophets she used to tell us.

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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.1: Select the most appropriate fact from the given options.
1. The author and grandma lived for twenty years.
2. Grandma was twenty years old.
3. The author was twenty when grandma died.
4. The author was twenty years old when he wrote the story.

Q.2: Select an appropriate title for the given passage.

1. The Grandchildren
2. My Grandfather
3. Grandmothers
4. My Grandmother

Q.3: Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word.

‘Revolting’
1. Attractive
2. Unpleasant
3. Rebel
4. Peace

Q.4: Select the most appropriate inference drawn from the passage.
1. The author looked upon his grandmother as an old woman like every grandmother.
2. People said that the grandmother was pretty.
3. Grandmother had a husband.
4. Grandmother loved to talk of her childhood.

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English by: Jaideep Sir
 ANSWERS
Comprehension:1
1. (3) 5.86 lakh
2. (4) China
3. (2) from the immigration Statistics Report
4. (4) Indians going abroad for higher studies

Comprehension:2
1. (3) Decline
2. (2) Lake heaven
3. (3) Serene
4. (3) A pair of shorts

Comprehension:3
1. (2) a Chinese spy balloon over US and Canadian terrimtories
2. (2) Both A and B are true and B is the correct reason for A.
3. (3) it’s reconnaissance aircraft saw the antennas and equipment of the balloon
4. (1) adjoining

Comprehension:4
1. (4) they depict the evolution from Lower to Upper Paleolithic period
2. (4) ochre
3. (4) The paintings in red belong to early contemporary era.
4. (1) tools

Comprehension:5
1. (4) a-2, b-3, c-1
2. (4) millets
3. (1) increase in the area of Rabi crops in 2022-23
4. (2) Telangana

Comprehension:6
1. (3) The author was twenty when grandma died.
2. (4) My Grandmother
3. (1) Attractive
4. (1) The author looked upon his grandmother as an old woman like every
grandmother

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English by: Jaideep Sir
 1
English by: Jaideep Sir
 Comprehension:1
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

The sage of science, Einstein, was sitting in a depressive and pensive mood
one evening. His eyes were brimming with tears. The pain was evident on
his face. He peeped out of the window of his room. The sun had set a few
minutes back. The sky was filled with a reddish glow. At this sunset, he felt
that it was humanity that had sunk into devilish darkness and the reddish
glow in the sky was the blood of humanity spilling all over the sky from
earth. With tired steps, he walked back to his chair and settled down. It was
the 9th of August 1945. Three days back, he had felt the same agony as if
someone had torn him apart. He was deeply hurt and depressed when he
heard on the radio that America had dropped an atom bomb on the
Japanese city, Hiroshima. Today, within three days another bomb was
dropped on another city, Nagasaki and lakhs of people had been killed.
He had heard that the blast released so much energy that it had paled all
past destructions in comparison and death had played out a pitiable dance
of destruction. The flames that broke out of the bomb were burning,
melting, and exploding buildings. Scared of the heat of the bomb, people
had jumped into lakes and rivers, but the water was boiling and the people
too were burnt and killed. The animals in the water were already boiled to
death. Animals, trees, herbs, fragrant flowering plants were all turned into
ashes. The atomic energy destruction had just not stopped there. It had
entered the atmosphere there and had spread radiation that would affect
people for generations to come and would also bring about destructive
irreversible biological change in animals and plants.
As the news of the atomic attack reached Einstein, and he became aware of
the glaring horror of the abuse of atomic energy, his distress and
restlessness knew no bounds. He could not control himself and picked up
his violin to turn his mind on to other things. While playing the violin, he
tried to dissolve his distress in its sad notes, but couldn’t. He was burning
on the embers of destruction; his heart was filled with an ocean of agony
and tears just continued streaming uncontrollably out of his eyes. Night had
fallen. His daughter came up and asked him to eat something as he had not
taken anything for the last four days. His voice was restrained and he said,
“I don’t feel like eating.”
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English by: Jaideep Sir
He could not sleep that night. Lying down, he was thinking how he had
drawn the attention of the then American President Roosevelt towards the
destructive powers of an atomic bomb. He had thought that this would be
used to scare Hitler and put an end to the barbarism that Hitler was up to.
However, Roosevelt kept him in the dark and made false promises.
Eventually, he had abused Einstein’s equation of E = mc2 that resulted in
the destructive experiments. His actions had made science and scientists as
murderers. Einstein kept on thinking for a long time. Eventually, he slipped
into sleep. When he woke up at dawn, there was a new dawn in him too.
The atomic threat had transformed his heart.

Q.1 What is the central theme of the passage?

1. Einstein and his life
2. Atomic war and its consequences
3. Einstein and his love for music
4. Science and its bad side

Q.2 Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of ‘set’ from the passage.
1. Level
2. Rise
3. Stand
4. Get up

Q.3 Select an appropriate title for the passage.

1. War and Destruction
2. Einstein and his Violin
3. Atom Bombs
4. Death in Hiroshima

Q.4 Why did Einstein refuse to eat?

1. As he felt happy
2. As he felt guilty
3. As he felt worried
4. As he felt sick

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English by: Jaideep Sir
 Comprehension:2

Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it.

Wetlands are amongst the most productive ecosystems on the Earth and
provide many important services to human society. They exhibit enormous
diversity according to their genesis, geographical location, water regime and
chemistry, dominant species, and soil and sediment characteristics.
Globally, the areal extent of wetland ecosystems ranges from 917 million
hectares (m ha) to more than 1275 m ha. One of the first widely used
wetland classifications systems, devised by Cowardin et al., 1979,
categorized wetlands into marine (coastal wetlands), estuarine (including
deltas, tidal marshes, and mangrove swamps), lacustrine (lakes), riverine
(along rivers and streams), and palustrine ( marshes, swamps and bogs)
based on their hydrological, ecological and geological characteristics.
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was an international treaty signed in
1971. Overall, 1052 sites in Europe; 289 sites in Asia; 359 sites in Africa;
175 sites in South America; 211 sites in North America; and 79 sites in
Oceania region have been identified as Ramsar sites or wetlands of
International importance. As per the Ramsar Convention definition most of
the natural water bodies (such as rivers, lakes, coastal lagoons, mangroves,
peat land, coral reefs) and man- made wetlands (such as ponds, farm
ponds, irrigated fields, sacred groves, salt pans, reservoirs, gravel pits,
sewage farms and canals) in India constitute the wetland ecosystem
distributed in different geographical regions ranging from Himalayas to
Deccan plateau. As of February, 2022, India has 49 Ramsar sites covering
an area of 10,93,636 hectares, the highest in South Asia. As per the
estimates, India has about 757.06 thousand wetlands with a total wetland
area of 15.3 m ha, accounting for nearly 4.7% of the total geographical area
of the country . Out of this, areas under inland wetlands accounts for 69%,
coastal wetlands 27%, and other wetlands (smaller than 2.25 ha) 4%.
Gujarat has the highest proportion (17.5%) and Mizoram has the lowest
proportion (0.66%) of the area under wetlands. Among Union Territories,
Lakshadweep has the highest proportion (around 96%) and Chandigarh has
the least proportion (3%) of geographical area under wetlands.

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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.1 Under which category of wetlands, are delta and mangrove swamps
included?
1. palustrine
2. estuarine
3. marine
4. lacustrine

Q.2 Match the continents with the number of Ramsar sites. continents no.
of Ramsar sites
a. North America 1. 1052 sites
b. Europe 2. 211sites
c. Africa 3. 289 sites
d. Asia 4. 359 sites
1. a-2, b-1, c-4, d-3
2. a-3, b-4, c-1, d -2
3. a-2, b- 3, c-4, d-1
4. a -4, b -1, c-2, d-3

Q.3 Which of the following questions cannot be answered after reading the
above passage?
1. How many Ramsar sites are there in the world?
2. What is the classification of wetlands?
3. Why are wetlands important for human societies?
4. How much area is covered by wetlands In India?

Q.4 In India, what kind of wetlands occupy the largest area?

1. mangrove swamps
2. coastal wetlands
3. small wetlands
4. inland wetlands

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English by: Jaideep Sir
 Comprehension:3

Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced another

successful mission. ISRO chairman S. Somanath said that three small
satellites successfully separated and were injected into orbit.
ISRO had launched three small satellites powered by its SSLV-D2 launch
vehicle from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on February 10,
2023 at 09:18 AM IST. The launch vehicle was carrying EOS-07, Janus-1 &
AzaadiSAT-2 satellites and aimed to inject them into a 450 km circular
orbit. The launch took place at the first launch pad at SDSC SHAR,
Sriharikota.
The SSLV-D2 had to take a 15 minutes flight to inject EOS-07, Janus-1 and
AzaadiSAT-2 satellites into 450 km circular lower orbit. “It is configured
with three solid propulsion stages and a velocity terminal module. It is a 34
m tall, 2 m diameter vehicle having a lift-off mass of 120 t,” said ISRO. The
EOS-07 satellite weighs 156.3 kg and is made by ISRO.
About 13 minutes into its flight, the SSLV rocket ejected EOS-07 and soon
after that the other two satellites Janus-1 and AzaadiSAT-2 were ejected —
all at an altitude of 450 km, said ISRO.
With the new rocket in its portfolio, ISRO will have three rockets — Polar
Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and its variants (cost about Rs 200 crore),
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-MkII cost about Rs 272
crore and LVM3 Rs 434 crore) and SSLV (Development cost of three rockets
about Rs 56 crore each) and production cost may go down later.
“New experiments include mm-Wave Humidity Sounder and Spectrum
Monitoring Payload. Janus-1, a 10.2 kg satellite belongs to ANTARIS, USA.
A 8.7 kg satellite AzaadiSAT-2 is a combined effort of about 750 girl
students across India guided by Space Kidz India, Chennai,” it added.
SSLV caters to the launch of up to 500 kg satellites to Low Earth Orbits on
‘launch-ondemand’ basis. “It provides low-cost access to Space, offers low
turn-around time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, and
demands minimal launch infrastructure,” as per a statement by ISRO

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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.1 After reading the passage it can be inferred that it is
1. a government release
2. a magazine article
3. an editorial
4. a news item

Q.2 Which satellite was injected into the orbit first?

1. EOS-07
2. Antaris
3. AzaadiSAT-2
4. Janus 1

Q.3 Match the satellites with their weight.

Satellites Weight
a. EOS-07 1. 10.2 kg
b. AzaadiSAT-2 2. 156.3
c. Janus 1 3. 8.7 kg
1. a-2, b-1, c-3
2. a -3, b -1, c-2
3. a-1, b- 3, c-2
4. a-2, b-3, c-1

Q.4 What is the passage mainly about?

1. development of SSLV rocket by ISRO
2. launch of three small satellites in orbit by ISRO
3. new experiments on satellites by ISRO
4. efforts to cut costs of satellites by ISRO

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English by: Jaideep Sir
 Comprehension:4

Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

As the Sun inches closer to its peak activity in its solar cycle, an explosion
has been picked up behind the north-eastern limb of the star in our solar
system. Solar observatories saw bits and pieces of the explosion, which
remain obscured in view from Earth's orbit. The explosion was spotted on
31 July at around 2309 UT and Earth-orbiting satellites registered a long-
lasting C9.3-class solar flare. "The intensity is probably an underestimate
because it was partially eclipsed by the edge of the sun. Nasa's Solar
Dynamics Observatory (SDO) saw hot debris flying away from the blast site,"
space weather, which tracks the solar activity, reported. While the explosion
was powerful, experts have predicted that Earth is not in the line of fire
from the Sun. Scientists are expected to get a view of the active region later
this week as it comes to sight. Earth is not in the line of fire. The explosion
is significant because it may herald an active region set to emerge over the
sun's north-eastern limb later this week. A new sunspot group could bring
an end to weeks of relative quiet," space weather said in its report.

Q.1 Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word from the
passage.
Spotted
1. Placed
2. Splotchy
3. Witnessed
4. Speckled

Q.2 Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word from the
passage.
Peak
1. Bottom
2. Zenith
3. Point
4. Glance

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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.3 Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word from the
passage.
Debris
1. Specks
2. Rays
3. Liquid
4. Detritus

Q.4 Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word from the
passage.
Partially
1. Supportively
2. Frankly
3. Partly
4. Completely

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English by: Jaideep Sir
 Comprehension:5

Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it.

Tens of thousands of people who lost their homes in a catastrophic

earthquake huddled around campfires in the bitter cold and clamoured for
food and water on Thursday, three days after the temblor hit Turkey and
Syria and killed more than 19,300 on Monday, 6th February, 2023.
Emergency crews used pick axes, shovels and jackhammers to dig through
twisted metal and concrete - and occasionally still pulled out survivors. In
the Turkish city of Antakya, dozens scrambled for aid in front of a truck
distributing children's coats and other supplies. Many of those who lost
their homes found shelter in tents, stadiums and other temporary
accommodation, but others slept outdoors. In Antakya, over 100 bodies
were awaiting identification in a makeshift morgue outside a hospital.
Authorities called off search-and-rescue operations in the cities of Kilis and
Sanliurfa, where destruction was not as severe as in other impacted regions.
The U.N. is authorised to deliver aid through only one border crossing, and
road damage has prevented that thus far. U.N. Officials pleaded for
humanitarian concerns to take precedence over wartime politics.
The scale of loss and suffering remained massive. Turkish authorities said
on Thursday that the death toll had risen to more than 16,100 in the
country, with more than 64,000 injured. In Syria, which includes
government-held and rebel-held areas, more than 3,100 have been reported
dead and more than 5,000 injured.
Rescue teams urged quiet in the hope of hearing stifled pleas for help, and
the Syrian paramedic group known as the White Helmets noted that every
second could mean saving a life. But more and more often, the teams pulled
out dead bodies. It was not clear how many people were still unaccounted
for in both countries. Turkey's disaster-management agency said more than
110,000 rescue personnel were now taking part in the effort and more than
5,500 vehicles, including tractors, cranes, bulldozers and excavators had
been shipped.
The Foreign Ministry said 95 countries have offered help. More than half of
that number have sent a total of nearly 6,500 rescuers. Another 2,400 more
are still expected to arrive. International aid for Syria was far more sparse.

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English by: Jaideep Sir
Efforts there have been hampered by the civil war and the isolation of the
rebel-held region along the border that is surrounded by Russia-backed
government forces.

Q.1 Match the words with their meaning.

Words meanings
a. clamoured 1. checked
b. scrambled 2. screamed
c. hampered 3. jostled
1. a-2, b-3, c-1
2. a -3, b -1, c-2
3. a-1, b- 3, c-2
4. a-2, b-1, c-3

Q.2 How many foreign rescue workers are engaged in the rescue work?
1. 6500 rescue workers
2. 2400 rescue workers
3. 5000 rescue workers
4. 110,000 rescue workers

Q.3 The passage highlights all the following except

1. Syria’s rebel-held areas and the Civil war going on there
2. the rescue work being carried out in Turkey and Syria
3. the foreign aid being offered to Turkey and Syria
4. the suffering of people in the earthquake hit areas of Turkey and Syria

Q.4 Why is the International aid much lesser in Syria than in Turkey?
1. Because the UN is allowed only one border crossing and Syria is not
allowing that.
2. Because Syria is a war –torn country and there are areas under rebels.
3. Because the destruction was not as severe in Syria as in Turkey.
4. Because the roads have been damaged there

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 Comprehension:6

Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it.

Notwithstanding logistical challenges posed by COVID19 pandemic, India

continues to expand its rice exports footprint in the African, Asian and
European Union markets, thus having the largest share in global rice trade.
The robust global demand also helped India’s growth in rice exports.
In 2020-21, India’s rice exports (Basmati and Non-Basmati) rose by a huge
87 per cent to 17.72 Million Tonne (MT) from 9.49 MT achieved in 2019-20.
In terms of value realisation, India’s rice exports rose by 38 per cent to USD
8815 million in 2020-21 from USD 6397 million reported in 2019-20. In
terms of Rupees, India’s rice export grew by 44 per cent to Rs 65298 crore
in 2020-21 from Rs 45379 crore in the previous year. In the first seven
months of the current financial year (2021-22), India’s rice exports rose by
more than 33 per cent to 11.79 MT from 8.91 MT achieved during April-
October, 2020-21. It is anticipated that India’s rice exports in 2021-22
would likely surpass the record feet of 17.72 MT achieved in 2020-21.
In 2020-21, India shipped non-basmati rice to nine countries - Timor-Leste,
Puerto Rico, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Eswatini,
Myanmar and Nicaragua, where exports were carried out for the first time or
earlier the shipment was smaller in volume. India’s Non-Basmati rice
exports was valued at USD 4796 million (Rs 35448crore) in 2020- 21, with
Basmati Rice exports a close second at USD 4018 million (Rs 29,849 crore).
In terms of volume of Basmati rice exports in 2020-21, top ten countries –
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, United States of
America, Kuwait, United Kingdom, Qatar and Oman have a share of close to
80 per cent in total shipments of aromatic long grained rice from India.
Top ten countries – Nepal, Benin, Bangladesh, Senegal, Togo, Cote D Ivoire,
Guinea, Malaysia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates – have a share of 57 per cent
in India’s total exports of non-Basmati rice in 2020-21 in terms of volume.

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English by: Jaideep Sir
Q.1 Which of the following countries imports Basmati rice from India?
1. Nepal
2. Malaysia
3. Kuwait
4. Bangladesh

Q.2 Which of the following countries imported rice from India for the first
time?
1. Iraq
2. Brazil
3. United Arab Emirates
4. Bangladesh

Q.3 What is the estimate of rice export in the year 2021-22?

1. It may fall below the 17.72 MT rice export achieved in 2020-21.
2. It will exceed the 17.72 MT rice export achieved in 2020-21.
3. It will remain the same as the 17.72 MT rice export achieved in 2020-21.
4. It will not pass beyond the 17.72 MT rice export achieved in 2020-21.

Q.4 Which of the following questions cannot be answered on the basis of the
above passage?
1. How much rice (Basmati and Non Basmati) was exported by India in
2020-21?
2. How much Basmati rice was exported by India in 2020-21?
3. Which top 10 countries buy Non -Basmati rice from India?
4. What was the value of Basmati rice export from India?

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English by: Jaideep Sir
 ANSWERS
Comprehension:1
1. (2) Atomic war and its consequences
2. (2) Rise
3. (1) War and Destruction
4. (2) As he felt guilty

Comprehension:2
1. (2) estuarine
2. (1) a-2, b-1, c-4, d-3
3. (3) Why are wetlands important for human societies?
4. (4) inland wetlands

Comprehension:3
1. (4) a news item
2. (1) EOS-07
3. (4) a-2, b-3, c-1
4. (2) launch of three small satellites in orbit by ISRO

Comprehension:4
1. (3) Witnessed
2. (2) Zenith
3. (4) Detritus
4. (3) Partly
Comprehension:5
1. (1) a-2, b-3, c-1
2. (1) 6500 rescue workers
3. (1) Syria’s rebel-held areas and the Civil war going on there
4. (2) Because Syria is a war-torn country and there are areas under
rebels.

Comprehension:6
1. (3) Kuwait
2. (2) Brazil
3. (2) It will exceed the 17.72 MT rice export achieved in 2020-2021.
4. (2) How much Basmati rice was exported by India 2020-2021?

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English by: Jaideep Sir