1. Often, we passionately pursue matters that in the future appear to be contradictory to our real intention or nature; and triumph is followed by remorse or regret. There are numerous examples of such a trend in the annals of history and contemporary life.
2. Alfred Nobel was the son of Immanuel Nobel, an inventor who experimented extensively with explosives. Alfred too carried out research and experiments with a large range of chemicals; he found new methods to blast rocks for the construction of roads and bridges; he was engaged in the development of technology and different weapons; his life revolved around rockets and cannons and gun powder. The ingenuity of the scientist brought him enough wealth to buy the Bofors armament plant in Sweden.
3. Paradoxically, Nobel’s life was a busy one yet he was lonely; and as he grew older, he began suffering from guilt of having invented the dynamite that was being used for destructive purposes. He set aside a huge part of his wealth to institute Nobel Prizes. Besides honouring men and women for their extraordinary achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine and literature, he wished to honour people who worked for the promotion of peace.
4. It’s strange that the very man whose name was closely connected with explosives and inventions that helped in waging wars willed a large part of his earnings for the people who work for the promotion of peace and the benefit of mankind. The Nobel Peace Prize is intended for a person who has accomplished the best work for fraternity among nations, for abolition or reduction of war and for promotion of peace.
5. Another example that comes to one’s mind is that of Albert Einstein. In 1939, fearing that the Nazis would win the race to build the world’s first atomic bomb, Einstein urged President Franklin D. Roosevelt to launch an American programme on nuclear research. The matter was considered and a project called the Manhattan Project was initiated. The project involved intense nuclear research and the construction of the world’s first atomic bomb. All this while, Einstein had the impression that the bomb would be used to protect the world from the Nazis. But in 1945, when Hiroshima was bombed to end World War II, Einstein was deeply grieved and he regretted his endorsement of the need for nuclear research.
6. He also stated that had he known that the Germans would be unsuccessful in making the atomic bomb, he would have probably never recommended making one. In 1947, Einstein began working for the cause of disarmament. But, Einstein’s name still continues to be linked with the bomb. Man’s fluctuating thoughts, changing opinions, varying opportunities keep the mind in a state of flux. Hence, the paradox of life: it is certain that nothing is certain in life.
The Manhattan Project was initiated ________________________.
Show Hint
- In honour of Einstein.
- To protect the Nazis.
- To bomb Hiroshima.
- To carry out nuclear research.
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) In honour of Einstein: While Einstein's equation \(E=mc^2\) was influential in the development of nuclear weapons, the project itself was not initiated in his honour.
- Option (B) To protect the Nazis: The purpose of the project was not to protect the Nazis, but to create nuclear weapons, particularly in response to Nazi Germany's potential development of such weapons.
- Option (C) To bomb Hiroshima: The project was focused on nuclear research, and bombing Hiroshima was a consequence of the success of the project, not its initiation.
Alfred established the Nobel Prizes to ________________________.
Show Hint
- Remind people of his achievements.
- Ease his guilt and promote work for the betterment of mankind.
- Use his wealth for hard working people.
- Honour only those people who are intelligent.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) Remind people of his achievements: While Nobel's legacy is linked to his achievements, the Nobel Prizes were not created specifically for this purpose.
- Option (C) Use his wealth for hard working people: Nobel's wealth was used to establish the prizes, but they were not specifically targeted towards rewarding hard-working individuals.
- Option (D) Honour only those people who are intelligent: The Nobel Prizes are awarded for significant contributions in various fields, not just intelligence, and are intended to encourage and promote the betterment of mankind.
In paragraph 4, the word 'accomplished' means ________________________.
Show Hint
- Completed successfully.
- Worked hard.
- Won awards.
- Made an effort to do something.
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
- Option (B) Worked hard: While "accomplished" can be related to effort, it primarily refers to completing a task successfully, not just the effort involved.
- Option (C) Won awards: "Accomplished" does not necessarily mean winning awards; it focuses more on the successful completion of a task.
- Option (D) Made an effort to do something: "Accomplished" is beyond effort; it refers to achieving something as a result of that effort.
In the fifth paragraph, the word 'endorsement' means:
Show Hint
- Expressing one's opposition.
- Expressing one's approval or support.
- Making a promise to do something.
- Expressing one's regret.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) Expressing one's opposition: This is the opposite of endorsement, which involves support or approval, not opposition.
- Option (C) Making a promise to do something: Endorsement does not specifically involve making promises; it is about expressing support or approval.
- Option (D) Expressing one's regret: Endorsement involves approval, not regret.
Working with arms and ammunition helped Alfred to amass ________________________.
Show Hint
- Enemies
- Intelligence
- Wealth
- Popularity
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) Enemies: Alfred Nobel's work with dynamite did not primarily lead to making enemies. His inventions were widely used for industrial purposes.
- Option (B) Intelligence: While Nobel was intelligent, his work with arms and ammunition resulted in wealth, not intelligence.
- Option (D) Popularity: While Nobel became well-known, his primary gain was wealth, not just popularity.
Immanuel's interest in dynamites influenced Alfred's inclination for working ________________________.
Show Hint
- For humanity
- With explosives
- For the Nobel Peace Prize
- With contradiction
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) For humanity: While Nobel later worked for humanity, especially through the establishment of the Nobel Prizes, his initial work was focused on explosives.
- Option (C) For the Nobel Peace Prize: Although he established the Nobel Peace Prize, it was not his primary focus when working with explosives.
- Option (D) With contradiction: While Nobel's life contained contradictions, this option is less related to his initial work with explosives.
One of the paradoxes in Alfred's life was that he was ________________________.
Show Hint
- Lonely yet rich
- Hard working but a failure
- Intelligent yet lonely
- Occupied yet lonely
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) Lonely yet rich: While Nobel was rich, the paradox was more about being occupied yet still lonely, not just being lonely and rich.
- Option (B) Hard working but a failure: Nobel was not a failure; in fact, he was highly successful.
- Option (C) Intelligent yet lonely: While he was intelligent, his main paradox was about being busy and successful, but still lonely.
Einstein had the impression that the Germans would ________________________.
Show Hint
- Bomb Hiroshima
- Be successful in making the world's first atomic bomb.
- Be unsuccessful in making the atomic bomb.
- Work for humanity
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) Bomb Hiroshima: While Einstein was concerned about the potential for nuclear weapons, he did not specifically think the Germans would bomb Hiroshima.
- Option (C) Be unsuccessful in making the atomic bomb: Einstein feared that the Germans would succeed in making the atomic bomb, which is why he acted to encourage the U.S. to develop one first.
- Option (D) Work for humanity: This was not Einstein’s primary concern in the context of the atomic bomb; he was focused on preventing Germany from developing the bomb.
The passage is ________________________.
Show Hint
- An argumentative essay
- An expository essay
- A process essay
- A descriptive essay
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) Argumentative essay: Argumentative essays aim to persuade, but this passage is informative, not persuasive.
- Option (C) Process essay: A process essay explains a step-by-step process, which is not the focus of this passage.
- Option (D) Descriptive essay: While descriptive essays focus on describing a subject, this passage is more about explaining or providing information.
The paradox, 'it's certain that nothing is certain in life', indicates the writer's ________________________.
Show Hint
- Hatred for scientists
- Analytical mind
- Scientific mind
- Persuasive nature
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
- Option (A) Hatred for scientists: The statement does not suggest hatred for scientists, but rather an understanding of uncertainty.
- Option (C) Scientific mind: While a scientific mind deals with facts and experiments, this paradox speaks more to an analytical, questioning nature rather than simply a scientific approach.
- Option (D) Persuasive nature: Persuasion does not directly relate to the concept of uncertainty or paradox in this context.
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A stain is an unwanted mark of discolouration on a fabric caused due to contact with another substance which cannot be removed by the normal washing process. Stains can be grouped on the basis of their origin, e.g. tea, coffee and fruits come from vegetable source. Stains from shoe polish, tar, oil paints come under grease stains. Animal stains comprise of stains formed by milk, blood and eggs, whereas marks on your clothes after sitting on an iron bench are those of rust and come under mineral stains. Then there are stains that are formed due to dye, into perspiration which can be categorised under miscellaneous stains. Read the given passage and complete the table. Suggest a suitable title.
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Some decisions will be fairly obvious "no brainers". Your bank account is low, but you have a two-week vacation coming up and you want to get away to someplace warm to relax with your family. Will you accept your in-laws' offer of free use of their Florida beachfront condo? Sure. You like your employer and feel ready to move forward in your career. Will you step in for your boss for three weeks while she attends a professional development course? Of course.- MAT - 2026
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On the night of October 12th, the "Sunburst Medallion" was stolen from the highly secured display case in the city museum. The theft occurred sometime between the museum closing at 10:00 PM and the night guard, Mr. Hemant, completing his final round at 1:00 AM. Three primary suspects were identified, all of whom had recently been dismissed from their museum positions: Anjali, the former curator; Bharat, the former security expert; and Chitra, the former exhibits designer.
Here are the established facts and their alibis:
- The security system logs show that the display case was opened using a specific five-digit code, which only Anjali and the museum director (who was out of the country) knew.
- Bharat's alibi is that he was at a distant relative's birthday party from 8:00 PM to 1:30 AM. Multiple independent witnesses confirmed his presence throughout the entire period.
- Chitra's alibi is that she was working late at a downtown graphic design studio. A time-stamped security camera from the studio's entrance shows her entering at 7:00 PM and exiting at 11:45 PM. The studio is a 20-minute drive from the museum.
- Mr. Hemant, the night guard, stated he checked the medallion at 10:30 PM, and it was still there.
Further investigation revealed that a small, distinctive silver button was found near the display case. Anjali is known to frequently wear a coat with similar unique silver buttons. The security expert, Bharat, had previously boasted that he could remotely disable a certain type of magnetic lock—the same type used on the medallion's case—without needing the code, though the log suggests the code was used. (269 words)
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One day, the children in the family turned these symbols into a playful code. Instead of introducing their parents and siblings in words, they spoke only in symbols. “Look,” giggled little Meena, “\( M + N \div O \)!” Everyone laughed, because they knew it meant Meena was the daughter of \( N \), and \( N \) was the mother of \( O \), making her \( O \)’s sister. What started as a code soon became a family game, making the bonds of father, mother, daughter, and brother not just relations, but symbols of love and togetherness. (165 words)
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Four teams – Red (R), Blue (B), Green (G), and Yellow (Y) – are competing in the final four rounds of the Inter-School Science Olympiad, labeled Round A, Round B, Round C, and Round D. Each round consists of one match between two teams, and every team plays exactly two matches. No team plays the same opponent more than once.
The final schedule must adhere to the following rules:
- Rule 1 (Consecutive Play): The Green team (G) must play their two matches in consecutive rounds.
- Rule 2 (Fixed Appearance): The Yellow team (Y) must play in Round B.
- Rule 3 (Positional Constraint): The Red team (R) must play against the Blue team (B) in a round that is immediately before a round in which neither R nor B is playing.
- Rule 4 (Timing): The Blue team's (B) first match must occur in an earlier round than the Green team's (G) first match.
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(193 words)
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Health insurance plays a vital role in ensuring financial protection and access to quality healthcare. In India, however, the extent and nature of health insurance coverage vary significantly between urban and rural areas. While urban populations often have better access to organized insurance schemes, employer-provided coverage, and awareness about health policies, rural populations face challenges such as limited outreach of insurance schemes, inadequate infrastructure, and lower awareness levels. This urban-rural divide in health insurance coverage highlights the broader issue of healthcare inequality, making it essential to analyze the factors contributing to this gap and explore strategies for more inclusive health protection. A state-level health survey was conducted.
The survey covered 1,80,000 adults across urban and rural areas. Urban residents formed 55% of the sample (that is, 99,000 people) while rural residents made up 45% (that is, 81,000 people). In each area, coverage was classified under four heads – Public schemes, Private insurance, Employer-provided coverage, and Uninsured. In urban areas, Public coverage accounted for 28% of the urban population, Private for 22%, Employer for 18%, and the remaining 32% were Uninsured. In rural areas, where formal coverage is generally lower, Public coverage stood at 35%, Private at 10%, Employer at 8%, while 47% were Uninsured.
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