Comprehension
Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the following question.
The world population is living, working, vacationing, increasingly conglomerating along the coasts, and standing on the front row of the greatest, most unprecedented, plastic waste tide ever faced. Washed out on our coasts in obvious and clearly visible form, the plastic pollution spectacle blatantly unveiling on our beaches is only the prelude of the greater story that unfolded further away in the world's oceans, yet mostly originating from where we stand: the land. For more than 50 years, global production and consumption of plastics have continued to rise. An estimated 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013. representing a 4 percent increase over 2012, and confirming an upward trend over the past years. In 2008, our global plastic consumption worldwide has been estimated at 260 million tons, and, according to a 2012 report by Global Industry Analysts, plastic consumption is to reach 297.5 million tons by the end of 2015. Plastic is versatile, lightweight, flexible, moisture resistant, strong, and relatively inexpensive. Those are the attractive qualities that lead us, around the world, to such a voracious appetite and over-consumption of plastic goods. However, durable and very slow to degrade, plastic materials that are used in the production of so many products all, ultimately, become waste with staying power. Our tremendous attraction to plastic, coupled with an undeniable behavioural propensity of increasingly over-consuming, discarding, littering and thus polluting, has become a combination of lethal nature. A simple walk on any beach, anywhere, and the plastic waste spectacle is present. All over the world, the statistics are ever growing, staggeringly. Tons of plastic debris (which by definition are waste that can vary in size from large containers, fishing nets to microscopic plastic pellets or even particles) is discarded every year, everywhere, polluting lands, rivers, coasts, beaches, and oceans. Published in the journal Science in February 2015, a study conducted by a scientific working group at UC Santa Barbara's National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), quantified the Input of plastic waste from land into the ocean. The results: every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans. It's equivalent to five grocery bags filled with plastic for every foot of coastline in the world. In 2025, the annual input is estimated to be about twice greater, or 10 bags full of plastic per foot of coastline. So the cumulative input for 2025 would be nearly 20 times the 8 million metric tons estimate 100 bags of plastic per foot of coastline in the world! As per the passage,
The world population is living, working, vacationing, increasingly conglomerating along the coasts, and standing on the front row of the greatest, most unprecedented, plastic waste tide ever faced. Washed out on our coasts in obvious and clearly visible form, the plastic pollution spectacle blatantly unveiling on our beaches is only the prelude of the greater story that unfolded further away in the world's oceans, yet mostly originating from where we stand: the land. For more than 50 years, global production and consumption of plastics have continued to rise. An estimated 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013. representing a 4 percent increase over 2012, and confirming an upward trend over the past years. In 2008, our global plastic consumption worldwide has been estimated at 260 million tons, and, according to a 2012 report by Global Industry Analysts, plastic consumption is to reach 297.5 million tons by the end of 2015. Plastic is versatile, lightweight, flexible, moisture resistant, strong, and relatively inexpensive. Those are the attractive qualities that lead us, around the world, to such a voracious appetite and over-consumption of plastic goods. However, durable and very slow to degrade, plastic materials that are used in the production of so many products all, ultimately, become waste with staying power. Our tremendous attraction to plastic, coupled with an undeniable behavioural propensity of increasingly over-consuming, discarding, littering and thus polluting, has become a combination of lethal nature. A simple walk on any beach, anywhere, and the plastic waste spectacle is present. All over the world, the statistics are ever growing, staggeringly. Tons of plastic debris (which by definition are waste that can vary in size from large containers, fishing nets to microscopic plastic pellets or even particles) is discarded every year, everywhere, polluting lands, rivers, coasts, beaches, and oceans. Published in the journal Science in February 2015, a study conducted by a scientific working group at UC Santa Barbara's National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), quantified the Input of plastic waste from land into the ocean. The results: every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans. It's equivalent to five grocery bags filled with plastic for every foot of coastline in the world. In 2025, the annual input is estimated to be about twice greater, or 10 bags full of plastic per foot of coastline. So the cumulative input for 2025 would be nearly 20 times the 8 million metric tons estimate 100 bags of plastic per foot of coastline in the world! As per the passage,
Question: 1
Which of the following statements are true?
1. Most of the plastic present in the ocean today has originated from the land.
2. In recent years, the production of plastics has declined.
3. Plastic pollution is present on almost every beach.
Which of the following statements are true?
1. Most of the plastic present in the ocean today has originated from the land.
2. In recent years, the production of plastics has declined.
3. Plastic pollution is present on almost every beach.
1. Most of the plastic present in the ocean today has originated from the land.
2. In recent years, the production of plastics has declined.
3. Plastic pollution is present on almost every beach.
Show Hint
Always look for "trend" words. If the text says a value is "rising" or "increasing," any option that says it has "declined" or "decreased" is an automatic factual error relative to the passage.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- Only 1
- Only 2
- None of 1, 2 and 3
- All 1, 2 and 3
- Only 1 and 3
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The Correct Option is
Solution and Explanation
Concept:
To determine if statements are true according to a reading passage, we must find direct evidence or clear paraphrasing within the text for each specific claim.
Step 1: Evaluate Statement 1.
The passage explicitly states: "...the plastic pollution spectacle... originating from where we stand: the land." It later mentions that scientific groups "quantified the input of plastic waste from land into the ocean." This confirms that land is the primary source. Statement 1 is True.
Step 2: Evaluate Statement 2.
The passage states: "For more than 50 years, global production and consumption of plastics have continued to rise." It further notes a 4 percent increase in 2013 over 2012, confirming an "upward trend." Statement 2 is False (production has increased, not declined).
Step 3: Evaluate Statement 3.
The text says: "A simple walk on any beach, anywhere, and the plastic waste spectacle is present." and "discarded every year, everywhere, polluting lands, rivers, coasts, beaches, and oceans." Statement 3 is True.
Step 1: Evaluate Statement 1.
The passage explicitly states: "...the plastic pollution spectacle... originating from where we stand: the land." It later mentions that scientific groups "quantified the input of plastic waste from land into the ocean." This confirms that land is the primary source. Statement 1 is True.
Step 2: Evaluate Statement 2.
The passage states: "For more than 50 years, global production and consumption of plastics have continued to rise." It further notes a 4 percent increase in 2013 over 2012, confirming an "upward trend." Statement 2 is False (production has increased, not declined).
Step 3: Evaluate Statement 3.
The text says: "A simple walk on any beach, anywhere, and the plastic waste spectacle is present." and "discarded every year, everywhere, polluting lands, rivers, coasts, beaches, and oceans." Statement 3 is True.
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Question: 2
Which among the following has been shown as the main reason for the present situation of Air India in the passage?
Which among the following has been shown as the main reason for the present situation of Air India in the passage?
Show Hint
When a question asks for a "reason," distinguish between the effect (losing money) and the \textbfcause (competition/market failure). Usually, the text will use words like "because," "as," or "due to" to link them.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- Air India does not have enough money to survive in the long run though it is trying to find out.
- Air India has lost all the deposits it had received from the government last year.
- Air India is in the process of earning deposits from the depositors and investors so that they are worried about the stake sale.
- Air India has got competition from other airlines and it has simply failed to live up to the same.
- Not any of the above
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The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Concept:
To identify the "main reason" for a situation described in a passage, we look for causal statements—sentences that explain why a particular outcome (like financial loss or loss of market share) occurred.
Step 1: Locate the specific section in the text discussing the cause of the decline.
The passage describes Air India's financial distress (debts of $8.4 billion and losses of Rs 7,600 crore). It then explicitly identifies the cause: \beginquote "...has failed to maintain its market dominance as a slew of carriers including InterGlobe Aviation Ltd and SpiceJet Ltd started to offer ultra-cheap, on-time flights more than a decade ago." \endquote
Step 2: Match the text evidence to the options.
• Option (A) and (B) focus on money and deposits, which are \textitsymptoms or results of the failure, not the primary reason mentioned.
• Option (C) mentions "earning deposits," which is not supported by the text.
• Option (D) directly paraphrases the text: the competition ("slew of carriers") offering better/cheaper services led to Air India's inability to maintain its position ("failed to live up to the same").
Step 1: Locate the specific section in the text discussing the cause of the decline.
The passage describes Air India's financial distress (debts of $8.4 billion and losses of Rs 7,600 crore). It then explicitly identifies the cause: \beginquote "...has failed to maintain its market dominance as a slew of carriers including InterGlobe Aviation Ltd and SpiceJet Ltd started to offer ultra-cheap, on-time flights more than a decade ago." \endquote
Step 2: Match the text evidence to the options.
• Option (A) and (B) focus on money and deposits, which are \textitsymptoms or results of the failure, not the primary reason mentioned.
• Option (C) mentions "earning deposits," which is not supported by the text.
• Option (D) directly paraphrases the text: the competition ("slew of carriers") offering better/cheaper services led to Air India's inability to maintain its position ("failed to live up to the same").
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Question: 3
Which among the following is OPPOSITE in meaning to the word Dominance as used in the passage?
Which among the following is OPPOSITE in meaning to the word Dominance as used in the passage?
Show Hint
When looking for antonyms in Reading Comprehension:
1. Identify if the word has a positive or negative connotation in the text.
2. Rule out synonyms (like Ascendancy).
3. Choose the word that represents the exact "flip side" of the status described.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- Inferiority
- Powerlessness
- Submission
- Ascendancy
- Not any of the above
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Concept:
To find the antonym (opposite meaning) of a word "as used in the passage," we first determine the context. In the previous passage, "Dominance" referred to Air India's market position—being the leader or having the greatest influence and quality compared to others.
Step 1: Analyze the meaning of the word in context.
In the context of business and market share, Dominance means being superior, having control, or being the primary player in the industry.
Step 2: Evaluate the options for the most accurate opposite.
• Inferiority: The state of being lower in status, quality, or rank. In a market context, if dominance is being at the top, inferiority is being at the bottom or of lower quality. This is the most direct opposite regarding "standing" or "status."
• Powerlessness: Lack of ability to influence. While related, it is more about capacity than rank/status.
• Submission: Yielding to a superior force. This is an action/behavior rather than a state of being in a market.
• Ascendancy: This is a synonym. It means a position of dominant power or influence.
Step 1: Analyze the meaning of the word in context.
In the context of business and market share, Dominance means being superior, having control, or being the primary player in the industry.
Step 2: Evaluate the options for the most accurate opposite.
• Inferiority: The state of being lower in status, quality, or rank. In a market context, if dominance is being at the top, inferiority is being at the bottom or of lower quality. This is the most direct opposite regarding "standing" or "status."
• Powerlessness: Lack of ability to influence. While related, it is more about capacity than rank/status.
• Submission: Yielding to a superior force. This is an action/behavior rather than a state of being in a market.
• Ascendancy: This is a synonym. It means a position of dominant power or influence.
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Question: 4
Which of the following is an antonym of "frigid" in the context of the passage?
Which of the following is an antonym of "frigid" in the context of the passage?
Show Hint
When dealing with temperature-based vocabulary, imagine a Sliding Scale. If the word is at one extreme (Frigid/Freezing), the answer will likely be at the other extreme (Hot/Scorching). Words like "Cool" or "Lukewarm" are middle-ground terms and rarely serve as direct antonyms for extreme adjectives.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- Flexible
- Soft
- Lukewarm
- Rigid
- Hot
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The Correct Option is
Solution and Explanation
Concept:
This question tests the ability to identify Antonyms based on temperature scales and intensity. Understanding the "context" involves determining whether the word refers to literal temperature, emotional state, or physical texture.
Step 1: Defining the word.
The word "Frigid" primarily refers to something that is intensely cold or freezing. It is at the extreme end of the cold spectrum.
Step 2: Analyzing the Options.
Flexible/Soft: These relate to texture or physical properties, not temperature. Lukewarm: This refers to a mild, moderate temperature (neither hot nor cold). While it is warmer than frigid, it is not the direct opposite. Rigid: This is actually a homophone or near-synonym in terms of sound, often used to describe something stiff. It is not an antonym of temperature. Hot: This represents the opposite extreme of the temperature spectrum (Heat vs. Cold).
Step 3: Finding the Antonym.
Since "frigid" denotes an extreme state of coldness, its most accurate antonym in a general or literal context is "Hot."
Step 1: Defining the word.
The word "Frigid" primarily refers to something that is intensely cold or freezing. It is at the extreme end of the cold spectrum.
Step 2: Analyzing the Options.
Flexible/Soft: These relate to texture or physical properties, not temperature. Lukewarm: This refers to a mild, moderate temperature (neither hot nor cold). While it is warmer than frigid, it is not the direct opposite. Rigid: This is actually a homophone or near-synonym in terms of sound, often used to describe something stiff. It is not an antonym of temperature. Hot: This represents the opposite extreme of the temperature spectrum (Heat vs. Cold).
Step 3: Finding the Antonym.
Since "frigid" denotes an extreme state of coldness, its most accurate antonym in a general or literal context is "Hot."
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Question: 5
Which of the following is false in the context of the passage?
I. The Dawson-Lambton Glacier colony died due to collapse of rough sea.
II. The penguin birds breed during April every year.
III. Halley Bay colony reached 5315 pairs in 2016.
Which of the following is false in the context of the passage?
I. The Dawson-Lambton Glacier colony died due to collapse of rough sea.
II. The penguin birds breed during April every year.
III. Halley Bay colony reached 5315 pairs in 2016.
II. The penguin birds breed during April every year.
III. Halley Bay colony reached 5315 pairs in 2016.
Show Hint
When a passage mentions two different groups (like the two penguin colonies), examiners often swap the statistics or fates between them to create "False" statements. Always double-check which specific name is attached to which number.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- Only I
- Only II
- Only I and III
- Only II and III
- All I, II and III
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Concept:
To verify the validity of statements in reading comprehension, we must cross-reference each claim with specific data points (names, dates, and figures) provided in the text.
Step 1: Analyze the vocabulary question (Question 1).
The passage describes "infant penguins unable to swim into the frigid water." In the context of Antarctica, "frigid" means intensely cold. The most direct and extreme opposite of cold is Hot. While "lukewarm" is also a thermal opposite, "Hot" serves as the primary antonym for a word describing extreme cold.
Step 2: Evaluate Statement I (Question 2).
The text states that the Halley Bay colony collapsed. In contrast, the Dawson-Lambton Glacier colony "significantly swelled in numbers." Statement I is False.
Step 3: Evaluate Statement II (Question 2).
The text explicitly says: "The birds arrive at the site... each April to breed." Statement II is True.
Step 4: Evaluate Statement III (Question 2).
According to the passage, it was the Dawson-Lambton colony that reached 5,315 pairs in 2016, not the Halley Bay colony (which was in decline). Statement III is False.
Step 1: Analyze the vocabulary question (Question 1).
The passage describes "infant penguins unable to swim into the frigid water." In the context of Antarctica, "frigid" means intensely cold. The most direct and extreme opposite of cold is Hot. While "lukewarm" is also a thermal opposite, "Hot" serves as the primary antonym for a word describing extreme cold.
Step 2: Evaluate Statement I (Question 2).
The text states that the Halley Bay colony collapsed. In contrast, the Dawson-Lambton Glacier colony "significantly swelled in numbers." Statement I is False.
Step 3: Evaluate Statement II (Question 2).
The text explicitly says: "The birds arrive at the site... each April to breed." Statement II is True.
Step 4: Evaluate Statement III (Question 2).
According to the passage, it was the Dawson-Lambton colony that reached 5,315 pairs in 2016, not the Halley Bay colony (which was in decline). Statement III is False.
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