BANK, CAT English Comprehension Paper
English Passage Free Online Test
Passage 1
In terms of the total energy consumed by different sectors the largest consumer is
understandably the industrial sector, which accounts for nearly half the total energy
used in the country today. This is followed by the transport sector which consumes
about 25%, the household sector (about 14%l and the agricultural sector (about 9%).
This last sector has shown considerable increase in energy use over the last four decades.
Among the primary fuels, the relative proportion of coal has dropped from nearly 80% to
46% and that of oil have gone up from 17% to 44% over the same period. Total energy
consumption in India today is equivalent to 291 million tons of oil of which 26% comes
from wood. On a per capita basis it works out to about one litre of oil per day, which is
extremely low by international standards. The future energy demand depends upon the
level of development envisaged and also on the sections of people to be affected by it.
The energy disparity between the urban and the rural population is at
present as wide as between nations on a worldwide scale. There is apparently a
greaser need to provide energy in the rural areas and to improve the efficiency of
energy use than merely to increase the national figures for energy consumption
limiting its use to those who are getting the bulk share already.
With the projected rate of population growth, improving upon the per capita
energy consumption is a Herculean task as our coal reserves and the capacity to
import oil cannot be increased beyond a point. There is' clearly no escape from the
utilization of renewable energy sources in a big way if the gap between the desired
levels of energy supply and available resources has to be kept at the minimum.
1. According to the passage the energy requirement ofthe future will be decided on the
basis of which of the following?
A. Total energy, already consumed by us in the past
B. Level of development of oil industry
C. Profile of the affected people
(a) Only A
(b) Only B
(c) Only C
(d) Both A & B
(e) Both B & C
Answer. (e)
2. Which of the following styles has been adopted by the author?
(a)Unsubstantiated arguments and views
(b) Data-based, but coloured by socialism
(c) Highly subjective with bias for rural people
(d) Objective, descriptive, lacking -clarity
(e) Data-based, objective, positive, solution oriented
Answer. (e)
3. Which of the following shows correctly the different sectors consuming energy
arranged in ascending order?
I. Agriculture
II. Household
lll. Industrial
IV. Transport
(a) I, IV, Il, III
(b) I, II, IV, III
(c) III, IV, II, I
(d) III, II, I, IV
(e) None of these
Answer. (b)
4. The author is laying greater emphasis on which of the following?
A. Efficient use of energy
B. Increasing national indices for energy consumption
C. Controlling population growth
(a) Only A
(b) Only B
(c) Only C
(d) All the three
(e) Both B & C
Answer. (a)
5. ‘There is clearly no escape’ means
(a) There is also no solution to this.
(b) There is a way out, but it is ambiguous.
(c) There is a problem, but not without solution.
(d) There is hardly any alternative except.
(e) There is more than one way.
Answer. (d)
6. Which of the following statements is true?
(a) Industrial sector uses 50% of total energy used in India.
(b) Energy consumption in India is 26% of world consumption.
(c) The household sector has shown considerable increase in energy use.
(d) Use of oil has increased from 40% to - 80%.
(e) Import of oil to the extent required is quite possible.
Answer. (a)
7. Which of the following has been suggested by the author as the best possible solution
to overcome energy crisis?
(a) Exploration of oil reserves
(b) Maximization of renewable sources
(c) Importing large quantities of coal
(d) Reducing share of bulk users
(e) Reducing the energy disparity between urban and rural areas
Answer. (b)
8. ‘The energy disparity as wide as worldwide scale’, the first sentence of
third paragraph means
(a) Disparity in urban and rural is observed in all nations.
(b) In no other nation such disparity is observed.
(c) Developed countries consume more energy than developing countries.
(d) Worldwide scale is different for rural and urban areas.
(e) None of these
Answer. (c)
9. Which of the following has been mentioned as a major hurdle in enhancing per capita
consumption of energy in India?
(a) Present level of development in India
(b) International norm of litre of oil per day per person
(c) Disparity in use of energy in rural and urban areas
(d) Increased use of energy in Agricultural sector
(e) None of these
Answer. (e)
10. The author feels that increasing per capita use of energy is
(a) Not at all desirable
(b) A matter of great difficulty
(c) A routine matter
(d) Rather difficult, but not impossible
(e) Not easy but certainly achievable
Answer. (b)
Passage 2
It is common knowledge that the root cause of our backwardness in most
fields is illiteracy. Campaigns for the eradication of this drawback gathered
momentum in the past four decades after independence. The results are, as expected,
dramatic. However, while the percentage of literacy in India is going up, the number of
illiterates has also been increasing, which is really incredible. Thus according to the
1991 census figures, there were 503 million illiterates in the country, 30'rnillion more
than in 1981. During the same period, the percentage of literacy went up from 34 to
39 percent. There is no need of any sophisticated technique to~ explain the
cause of this paradox, as it is obviously the result of the rapid growth of population.
The rapid ,growth of population has outpaced whatever little progress had been
achieved in literacy. For instance, from 1971 to 1981, literacy increased at an
annual average rate of 0,7 percent, while the country’s population grew by 2.15 percent
every year. In the following decade the average rate of annual increase in literacy
was 0.95 percent, whereas the population grew by almost 2.85 percent every year
during that decade] But population explosion is not entirely responsible for the
growing number of illiterates. The apathy of most states in failing to tackle the
problem of adult illiteracy is also partly to blame. Till now, they have shown little
awareness of the magnitude of the problem. Moreover, follow up measures to
prevent neo-literates from relapsing into illiteracy are just as' important as the
initial adult literacy campaigns. In this case too, the State Education authorities
are negligent. Not sufficient provision has been made for ‘continued education This
can be done by setting up more rural libraries, adult schools, and correspondence courses.
11. The term ‘Neo-literate’ as used in the passage refers to a person who
(a) Is not literate
(b) Has newly become literate
(c) Is a little literate
(d) Is a literate with no school education
(e) Is illiterate but capable of becoming literate with formal training
Answer. (b)
12. Which of the following statements is not true in the context ofthe passage?
A. An effective check on population growth is the only solution for attainment
of full literacy.
B. The cause of the paradox mentioned in the passage can be explained by using
sophisticated techniques.
C. Adequate number of libraries and adult schools are not available in our country.
(a) Only A
(b) Only B
(c) Only C
(d) A & B
(e) A & C
Answer. (d)
13. Which of the following has been referred to as a paradox?
(a) The literacy percentage increases and the number of illiterates decreases.
(b) The literacy percentage increases in proportion to the rate of increase in population.
(c) The government is sensitive to the problem only at the planning stage, but not at
the implementation stage.
(d) The literacy percentage and the number of illiterates are both increasing.
Answer. (d)
14. Which of the following is as important as the literacy campaign?
(a) Checking the rapid growth of population
(b) Starting correspondence courses and providing reading facilities
(c) Awareness of the magnitude of the problem of illiteracy,
(d) Making sufficient provision for continued education
Answer. (b)
15. Which of the following is true in the context of the passage?
(a) Continued education programmes are now adequately funded.
(b) All the State governments have now fully realized the problem of illiteracy.
(c) Literacy campaigns in the pre-independence period were more fruitful than the later ones.
(d) Literacy campaign achieved desired results in the post-independence period.
Answer. (d)
16. Which of the following appears unbelievable, according to the passage?
(a) Growing illiteracy is owing to non-availability of reading facilities to rural masses.
(b) Sufficient provision for continued education has not been made.
(c) The increase in literacy percentage and also the increase in number of illiterates
(d) Population explosion is the only reason for increase in the number of illiterates.
Answer. (c)
17. In the passage, the rapid growth of population has been attributed to
(a) Illiteracy
(b) Apathy of government officials
(c) Want of continued education
(d) None of these
Answer. (d)
18. Which of the following is the same in meaning as the word ‘outpaced’ as used
in the passage?
(a) Surpassed
(b) Nullified
(c) Ruled out
(d) Spoiled
Answer. (a)
19. ‘Eradication’ as used in the passage means
(a) Removal
(b) Destruction
(c) Starvation
(d) Evaporation
Answer. (a)
20. According to the passage, the problem could have been tackled by which one or
more of the following measures?
A. Checking the growth of population
B. Making the adult literacy campaign more effective
C. Providing continued education to neo-literates
(a) A & C
(b) A & B
(c) B & C
(d) All of these
(e) None of these
Answer. (c)
Passage 3
Economists, ethicists and business sages persuade us that honesty is the best
policy, but their evidence is weak. We hoped to find data that would support their
theories and thus, perhaps encourage higher standards of business behaviour. To
our surprise, our pet theories failed to stand up. Treachery, we found, can pay.
There is no compelling economic reason to tell the truth or keep one’s word
punishment for the treacherous in the real world is neither swift nor sure.
Honesty is, in fact, primarily a moral choice. Business people do tell
themselves that, in the long run, they will do well by doing good. But there is little
factual or logical basis for this conviction. Without values, without a basic preference
for right over wrong, trust based on such self-delusion would crumble in 'the face of
temptation. Most of us choose virtue because we want to believe in ourselves
and haves/others’ respect and belief in us.
And for this, we should 'be happy.
We can be proud of a system, in which people are honest because they want to be,
not because they have to be. Materially, too, trust based on morality provides great
advantages. It allows us to, join in great and exciting enterprises that we could
never undertake if we relied on economic incentives alone.
Economists tell us that trust is enforced in the market place through
retaliation of reputation. If you violate a trust your victim is apt to seek revenge
and others are likely to stop doing business with you, at least under favorable terms.
A man or woman with a reputation for fair dealing will prosper. Therefore, profit
Maximizes are honest. This ‘sounds plausible enough until you look for concrete
examples. Cases that apparently demonstrate the awful consequences of
trust turns out to be few and weak, while evidence that treachery can pay seems compelling.
21. What did the author find out about the theory that honesty is the best policy?
(a) It is a useless theory.
(b) It is correct on many occasions.
(c) It is correct for all businessmen.
(d) It is correct only occasionally.
Answer. (d)
22. What do economists and ethicists want us to believe?
(a) Businessmen are honest only at times.
(b) Businessmen should be honest at all titles.
(c) Businessmen cannot be honest at all times.
(d) Businessmen turn dishonest at times.
Answer. (b)
23. Which of the following is the same in meaning as persuade as used in the passage?
(a) Try to convince
(b) Cheat
(c) Motivate
(d) Give assurance
(e) Give opinion
Answer. (a)
24. Why do businessmen, according to economists, remain honest? Because
dishonest businessmen
(a) Are flogged in the market place
(b) Are always prosecuted
(c) Can make more money
(d) Cannot stay in business for long
Answer. (d)
25. Which is the same in meaning as the word ‘compelling’ as used in the passage?
(a) Coercive
(b) Binding
(c) Forceful
(d) Mandatory
Answer. (c)
26. Why does the author say that one can be proud of the present situation?
Because people are
(a) Respect seekers
(b) Honest without compulsion
(c) Unselfish
(d) Self respecting
Answer. (b)
27. Which is the material advantage which the author sees in being honest? It permits one
to
(a) Undertake activities which may not be economically attractive
(b) Be honest for the sake of honesty alone
(c) Make a lot of profit in various areas
(d) None of these
Answer. (a)
28. Which of the following is false according to the passage?
(a) People are generally honest because it pays in the long run.
(b) Virtuous behaviour earns the self respect of others.
(c) Economists believe that all businessmen are dishonest.
(d) Generally people are honest earning self-respect.
Answer. (c)
29. The phrase ‘stand up’ as used in the passage means
(a) Hold up
(b) Get up
(c) Supported
(d) Get established
Answer. (d)
30. Which of the following best describes what the author is trying to point out
through the last sentence of the passage ‘Cases that ....... compelling?
(a) Economists predict correctly
(b) The consequences of dishonesty
(c) The contradictions in the real world
(d) Theories do not seem to be true
Answer. (d)
