List of top English Questions asked in CUET (UG)

Read the given passage and answer the six questions that follow.

When I was in my late teens and still undecided about which language I should write in, he told me that the language one is born into, one’s mother tongue, can be the only possible medium of creative expression. For most of his life, my father, Sripat Rai, had been a Hindi editor and critic. Off and on, he translated writings into English from Hindi. He was fond of saying that a failed writer becomes a critic. The weight of his literary expectation came, eventually, to rest on me. He seemed happy that I was showing an inclination for writing. ‘‘She will go far,’’ he told my mother after reading the first story that I sent him from Melbourne. My father’s pronouncement on the mother tongue stayed with me when I later started writing fiction in Hindi. Another thing that I barely acknowledged even to myself was that I felt something like shame whenever I thought of writing in English. It seemed wrong for a granddaughter of Premchand even to be thinking so. Our family had a certain linguistic pride. I knew that Premchand was famous, but I had not at that time realised the extent of his popularity. The fact that I was the granddaughter of Premchand, followed me everywhere. Everyone had a story to tell about their personal engagement with his fiction — the shopkeeper, the long time cook in my father’s Delhi house, a tea vendor, etc. The list was long, for there was practically no one who had not read something by him that had moved them. However, it was this very ubiquity, the reverence and love that he inspired in people, that made of him something too large for me to comprehend in the early years of my life. It led also to the strange feeling that, without having read him and just by being related to him, I had somehow inhaled his writing. The reading happened much later.

As the weather changes, everyone is prone to colds and coughs. While we have all heard about the benefits of vitamin C for colds, few of us are aware of a secret solution– Zinc! Zinc is helpful as it can reduce the severity and duration of respiratory tract infections. It soothes sore throats with its anti-inflammatory properties. It plays a pivotal role in supporting various functions of the body like the immune system, wound healing and maintaining overall health. It prevents viruses from growing in the body. Zinc is also known to boost the immune system and fight infections. Notably, zinc is a vital mineral found in a variety of plant and animal foods. When consuming zinc-rich foods during a cough and cold, prioritise moderation and diversity in your diet. Include lean meats, poultry, sea food, dairy, nuts and seeds. Combine zinc-rich foods with vitamin C sources for enhanced immune support. Phytates, a substance found in unprocessed whole grains hinder the absorption of zinc, thereby making it less avail able for the body to utilise. Hence, vegetarians should follow some cooking techniques such as soaking them for 5-6 hours to reduce the phytate content and increase the bioavailability of zinc. Organic acids in fermented foods aid in higher absorption, so always include foods in your diet like buttermilk and yogurt along with some zinc-rich vegetarian sources. It is important to remember that a higher dosage of zinc supplement inhibits the absorption of other minerals. Therefore, it is always good to check with the healthcare professionals while taking supplements. Stay hydrated, choose cooking methods that preserve zinc, and be aware of factors like phytates affecting absorption.