<div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <h5 id="logical-reasoning">Logical Reasoning</h5> <p>The COVID-19 pandemic and the unmatched mental health challenges have made it more crucial than ever that we continue to make strides towards understanding the concept of mental health stigma and how we might tackle it around the world. Graham Thornicroft, a practising psychiatrist, who is extensively and deeply involved in mental health stigma research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences at King’s College London has divided stigma into three components-knowledge, attitude and behaviour. The last behaviour emerges from social isolation, such as what we are experiencing during the pandemic, as well as exclusion from mainstream activities and citizenship. In higher-income countries, stigma rates may be greater than other countries, perhaps because of the pressure to excel. In low-income countries, one can be unwell and still play an active social and productive role somewhere as there are many such roles to play within the family and in society. Enhancing contact with people who have experienced mental health problems is the best way to reduce stigma. To date, most people with mental illness remain silent about their condition, avoiding discussing their problems for fear of losing face, damaging their reputation or jeopardising their family status. Having a space where they may be welcomed and listened to, rather than judged, will go a long way towards enabling them to share their experiences. In a small part of rural Andhra Pradesh, researchers used posters, pictures, drums, and a short street play, as an intervention technique to reduce mental health stigma. An actor portrayed a person’s journey through mental health crises and setbacks before receiving support and showing hope, improvement and recovery. People assembled around the stage, willing to talk about and discuss what they saw, even two to three years after the event.</p> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="106"> <li>What is the central idea in the passage as conveyed by the author?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Mental health is not an obstacle for people seeking care.</p> <p>(B) Mental health is a domestic phenomenon.</p> <p>(C) In low-income countries, mental health does not receive the adequate attention and treatment.</p> <p>(D) Mental health issues have only arisen after the COVID-19 pandemic globally.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-c">CORRECT OPTION: C</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="107"> <li>As per the passage, which of the following approaches can be most effective to curb the issue of mental health?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Mental health can only be curbed when people will stop sharing their emotions openly.</p> <p>(B) To develop a sense of acceptance among people suffering from mental health and let them heal gradually.</p> <p>(C) Experiences shared and discussed on a larger level is a major hindrance for better mental health conditions globally.</p> <p>(D) A person should not express about his/her failures which enhances the mental health problems.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-b">CORRECT OPTION: B</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="108"> <li>Which of the following notions is expressed in the passage to enunciate the significance of issue of mental health?</li> </ol> <p>(A) The issue of mental health has received the required recognition and deliberation during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>(B) Mental health will be reduced automatically after the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>(C) Mental health improves when social isolation increases.</p> <p>(D) Mental health is an illusionary notion developed during COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen the pharmaceutical industries.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="109"> <li>“In low-income countries, one can be unwell and still play an active social and productive role somewhere as there are many such roles to play within the family and in society”.</li> </ol> <p>Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the above statement?</p> <p>(A) Stigma rates in lower-income countries are higher as compared to higher income countries.</p> <p>(B) Stigma rates in higher-income countries may be more due to a pressure of performing and to excel.</p> <p>(C) Mental stigma is not related to the economic conditions of a country.</p> <p>(D) Higher-income countries require people to perform multiple roles at their homes.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-b-1">CORRECT OPTION: B</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="110"> <li>Which of the following weakens the author’s idea of ‘having a space where they may be welcomed and listened to, rather than judged’?</li> </ol> <p>(A) People who tend to share their emotions tend to have mental peace and happiness.</p> <p>(B) Societal role is massive in embracing people suffering from mental health ailments.</p> <p>(C) People sharing their ideas and expressions publicly is a practice which needs to be promoted.</p> <p>(D) It is a human tendency to form judgments about other people and this being a healthy practice should be encouraged at large scale.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-d">CORRECT OPTION: D</h5> <p>One of the most important challenges for Indian diplomacy in the subcontinent is to persuade its neighbours that India is an opportunity, not a threat. Far from feeling in any way besieged by India, they should be able to see it as offering access to a vast market and to a dynamic, growing economy which would provide their own economies with far greater opportunities than more distant partners (or even their own domestic markets) could provide. This would go beyond economic benefits: as David Malone argues, “Economic cooperation represents the easiest ‘sell’ to various constituencies within the countries of the region. Were this to prove successful, cooperation on more divisive and sensitive issues, such as terrorism, separatism, insurgency, religious fundamentalism, and ethnic strife, could be attempted with greater chances of success.” Winds of change are blowing in South Asia. There is a definite consolidation of democracy in all the countries of the region, every one of which has held elections within the last three years. Some of our neighbours have made significant strides in surmounting internal conflict and others are in the process of doing so. If India has to fulfil its potential in the world, we have no choice but to live in peace with our neighbours, in mutual security, harmony and cooperation. Just as Nehru left Robert Frost’s immortal lines “Miles to go before I sleep” on his bedside table when he died, Shastri kept some lines of the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak, on his desk. When translated into English they read: “O Nanak! Be tiny like the grass, for other plants will wither away, but grass will remain ever green.” Shastri was seen by many Indians of exalted ambition as a tiny man, but he had the mind and heart of a giant. His vision of peaceful coexistence with our neighbours, through adopting the demeanour, the modesty and the freshness of grass, may well be the best way for India to ensure that its dreams remain evergreen in its own backyard.</p> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="111"> <li>As per the passage, which of the following is a challenge for India?</li> </ol> <p>(A) To develop an intimidating surrounding for its neighbours.</p> <p>(B) To manifest India as a land of opportunities.</p> <p>(C) To restrict access to economic activities to its neighbours.</p> <p>(D) To propagate the practice of threatening neighbours for greater opportunities.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-b-2">CORRECT OPTION: B</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="112"> <li>“If India has to fulfil its potential in the world, we have no choice but to live in peace with our neighbours, in mutual security, harmony and cooperation.” In the context of the statement, which of the following strengthens the author’s opinion?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Peace and prosperity cannot work in consonance.</p> <p>(B) India should assert its might over its neighbours.</p> <p>(C) Peaceful coexistence with neighbours is the key to India’s stellar growth.</p> <p>(D) India can offer myriad opportunities for its neighbours by working in seclusion.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-c-1">CORRECT OPTION: C</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="113"> <li>Which of the following is the central theme of the above passage?</li> </ol> <p>(A) The objective of attaining peaceful co-existence and cooperation with the neighbours.</p> <p>(B) The dominance of India on its neighbouring countries.</p> <p>(C) Emergence of India as a global power.</p> <p>(D) Prioritising the economic opportunities for India.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-1">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="114"> <li>Which of the following is correct expression of the author’s opinion as stated in passage?</li> </ol> <p>(A) India should strive for greater economic integration which should be politically and administratively feasible.</p> <p>(B) India can see borders as barriers, and border areas as buffer zones but not as gateways of opportunity.</p> <p>(C) India’s stellar economic growth is thwarting her own opportunities.</p> <p>(D) It is not in India’s interest to be generous to neighbouring countries.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-2">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="115"> <li>Which of the following can be inferred from the above passage?</li> </ol> <p>(A) There is no nexus between cooperative existence and economic growth of a nation.</p> <p>(B) Unless India’s region becomes more self-centred, India is unlikely to develop into more than a regional power.</p> <p>(C) India can only become a great power if it works in isolation to achieve the desired goals.</p> <p>(D) India cannot aspire to be a great power without the cooperation of neighbours.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-d-1">CORRECT OPTION: D</h5> <p>The critique of school as an institution has developed and grown in the past half a century. Education theorist Everett Reimer wrote School is Dead in the 1960s. Most schools are caged jails, where an alien curriculum designed by some ’experts’ is thrust down a child’s gullet. Today, many schools are gargantuan corporate enterprises with thousands of children on their rolls, and for all practical purposes they are run like factories, or better still like mini-armies. The website of a private school in Lucknow boasts of 56,000 students, for instance. But progressive thinkers have always envisioned ‘free schools’ for children. The great Russian novelist, Leo Tolstoy, founded a school for the children of poor peasants at his home, Yasnaya Polyana, without any strict schedule, homework or physical punishment. Maria Montessori was the first Italian woman to become a doctor; she went on to work out the ‘stages of development’ in children which became the basis for her educational philosophy, which too emphasised children’s freedom and choice. Tagore’s critique of rote learning is articulated in the classic tale ‘The Parrot’s Training’ (Totaakahini). Perhaps, the longest lasting libertarian school in the world is Summerhill. It was founded in 1921, a hundred years ago in England, by A.S. Neill with the belief that school should be made to fit the child rather than the other way round. The 1966 Kothari Education Commission’s recommendation for a common school system was never implemented. Today, which school a child goes to depends on her socioeconomic status. The pandemic has furthered and exacerbated this divide. COVID-19 hit parents economically. The digital divide between the rich and poor has also widened. The poor do not have access to mobiles, laptops and internet connectivity. In such a scenario, one can try and conceive of neighbourhood learning spaces.</p> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="116"> <li>What has the author conveyed regarding the school system in India?</li> </ol> <p>(A) The school system in India is an advanced system which focuses on developing the personality of students.</p> <p>(B) The schools in India are segregated based on socio-economic status.</p> <p>(C) The schools staunchly promote the interest of every student enrolled to ensure quality education.</p> <p>(D) The pandemic has aided the students a greater access to the technology and learning spaces.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-b-3">CORRECT OPTION: B</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="117"> <li>Which of the following can be deduced from the above passage?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Social segregation must be eliminated for furtherance of education in schools.</p> <p>(B) The COVID-19 pandemic has lubricated the teaching-learning process in schools.</p> <p>(C) Schools should be divided on the basis of the financial capabilities only.</p> <p>(D) Private schools should be encouraged to enrol economically poor students irrespective of their caste or religion.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-3">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="118"> <li>As per the above passage, which of the following does not correctly represent the author’s view regarding imparting of education during the pandemic?</li> </ol> <p>(A) There has been a disruption of education systems due to the pandemic.</p> <p>(B) The inclusion of technology has widened the canvas of distance learning education for all, albeit its access is the biggest concern.</p> <p>(C) The pandemic has unearthed and stimulated innovative approaches to learning.</p> <p>(D) The crisis is worsened by reduction of opportunities for many children.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-c-2">CORRECT OPTION: C</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="119"> <li>Which of the following can be utilised to develop a healthy environment for students’ learning in schools?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Individualised teaching should not be followed for growth of students.</p> <p>(B) Students should only be permitted to opt for only few subjects as elective courses.</p> <p>(C) Community learning should be encouraged in schools.</p> <p>(D) A fixed and robust curriculum is the need of the hour.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-c-3">CORRECT OPTION: C</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="120"> <li>In the above passage, which of the following cannot be referred as a characteristic of a ‘free school’?</li> </ol> <p>(A) It is an alternative to mainstream and conventional form of schooling.</p> <p>(B) Free schools provide a democratic platform to the students to voice their opinions.</p> <p>(C) The courses offered at free schools are optional for students depending on their interests.</p> <p>(D) Specific choice of subjects and a fixed schedule are quintessential features of a free school.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-d-2">CORRECT OPTION: D</h5> <p>Asia is at the front line of climate change. Extreme heat in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, wildfires in Australia, typhoons in Japan, are real and present dangers and likely to become more frequent as climate change intensifies. McKinsey’s report on ‘Climate risk and response in Asia’, finds that, without adaptation and mitigation, Asia is expected to experience more severe socioeconomic impacts of climate change than other parts of the world. Large cities in the Indian Subcontinent could be among the first places in the world to experience heat waves that exceed the survivability threshold. Just as information systems and cybersecurity have become integrated into corporate and public-sector decision making, climate change will also need to feature as a major factor in decisions. Climate science tells us that some amount of warming over the next decade is already locked in due to past emissions, and temperatures will continue to rise. India anticipates a significant infrastructure build out over the next decades with projects worth $$ 1.77$ trillion across 34 sub sectors, according to the National Infrastructure Pipeline. Robust regulations around outdoor work could significantly reduce the economic risk of lost hours as well as the toll on life from heat waves. The good news is that we have started to see some Indian states and cities pursuing such policies. Ahmedabad City Corporation introduced a heat action plan- the first of its kind in India in response to the 2010 heat wave that killed 300 people in a single day. The city now has a heat-wave early warning system, a citywide programme of roof reflectivity to keep buildings cool, and teams to distribute cool water and rehydration tablets during heat waves. Renewable energy has grown rapidly in India and can contribute 30 per cent of gross electricity generation by 2030, according to the Central Electricity Authority.</p> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="121"> <li>Which of the following cannot be inferred from the above passage?</li> </ol> <p>(A) It is imperative to lessen our vulnerability to harmful effects of climate change.</p> <p>(B) Increase in mitigation strategies will eventually lead to an increase in pollutants.</p> <p>(C) Reduction of emissions which are heat-trapping and harmf ul for environment should be our primary goal.</p> <p>(D) The infrastructure development plans need to be climate friendly.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-b-4">CORRECT OPTION: B</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="122"> <li>Consider the following statements:</li> </ol> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <p>I. The impact of increasing heat is more on the ones who are economically poor and engaged in outdoor employment.</p> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <p>II. Risk to environment is directly related to change in climate.</p> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <p>III. A localised understanding of climate risk is essential to mitigate the risk.</p> <p>As per the above passage, which of these statements is implicit?</p> <p>(A) I only.</p> <p>(B) I and II.</p> <p>(C) I, II and III.</p> <p>(D) I and III.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-c-4">CORRECT OPTION: C</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="123"> <li>Which of the following strategies is not appropriate to reduce the climate change risk?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Decreasing energy efficiency.</p> <p>(B) Carbon Pricing System.</p> <p>(C) Decarbonising industrial operations and buildings.</p> <p>(D) Investments in adaptive technologies.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-4">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="124"> <li>As per the above passage, which of the following is a major challenge to control the climate change?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Reliance on non-renewable energy is significant for economic growth.</p> <p>(B) Renewable energy is now utilised in many sectors to curb the increasing risk of climate change.</p> <p>(C) Remedial actions for climate change are encouraged to lessen the risk of global warming.</p> <p>(D) Regulated industrialisation keeps a balance between growth and environment.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-5">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="125"> <li>Consider the following statement- “Just as information systems and cybersecurity have become integrated into corporate and public-sector decision making, climate change will also need to feature as a major factor in decisions.”</li> </ol> <p>Which of the following is the most appropriate explanation for the above statement?</p> <p>(A) Decision making by organisations should not depend on the climate conditions which may lead to hampering their growth.</p> <p>(B) Monetary investments in adoption of climate friendly tools is not an urgent need.</p> <p>(C) The understanding of climate risk should not be integrated into decision making.</p> <p>(D) Organisations must incorporate climate risk, build the necessary infrastructural capabilities and tools to diagnose risks.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-d-3">CORRECT OPTION: D</h5> <p>COVID-19 infections are once again on the rise with daily infections crossing 60,000 per day last week. This is considerably higher compared to the reported infections during the same period last year when the numbers were less than 500 per day. What is obvious is that the pandemic is far from over despite the availability of vaccines. However, unlike last year, the response this time has been muted with no nationwide lockdown. One of the reasons for the differing responses is the lesson from the unintended consequences on the economy of the strict lockdown last year. While aggregate estimates on the growth rate of GDP showed a sharp contraction in economic activity (the economy shrunk by 24 per cent in the April-June quarter of 2020) the impact on lives and livelihoods is still unfolding even though the shar contractionary phase seems behind us. The extent of the loss of lives and livelihoods is becoming clear only now, with detailed data from the Periodic Labour Force Surveys (PLFS) - the latest round of which is for the April-June quarter of 2020. This is the first official report on the estimates for the quarter, which witnessed the worst impact with the lockdown in force until the middle of May. Visuals of thousands of migrants walking back to their villages are still fresh in the mind. While many have returned to urban areas in the absence of jobs in rural areas, many did not. The PLFS, which captures the employment-unemployment situation in urban areas, provides some clues to what happened. The estimates from PLFS are broadly in line with estimates available from other privately conducted surveys, notably the unemployment surveys of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). According to the PLFS April-June 2020 round, the urban unemployment rate for the population above the age of 15 was 20.8 per cent, which is close to the monthly average for the same quarter from CMIE at 19.9 per cent. The CMIE data, however, does suggest a sharp decline in June compared to April and May. Similar to the CMIE data, the PLFS data also shows a sharp rise in the unemployment rate which more than doubled compared to the unemployment rate in the preceding quarter of January-March 2020 at 9.1 per cent and 8.8 per cent in the same quarter (April-June) of 2019. While one in five persons above the age of 15 was unemployed during April-June 2020, the unemployment rate among the 15-29-year-olds was 34.7 per cent - every third person in the 15-29 age group was unemployed during the same period. These are staggering numbers, but not surprising. While the lockdown certainly contributed to the worsening of the employment situation, particularly in urban areas, the fact that the economy was already going through severe distress as far as jobs are concerned is no longer surprising. Between 2016-17 and 2019-20, growth decelerated to 4 per cent, less than half the 8.3 per cent rate in 2016-17. The fact that the economy has not been creating jobs predates the economic shocks of demonetisation and the hasty roll-out of GST. The PLFS data from earlier rounds have already shown the extent of the rise in unemployment compared to the employmentunemployment surveys of 2011-12. The unemployment rates in urban areas for all categories increased by almost three times between 2011-12 and 2017-18. On an internationally comparable basis, the unemployment rate among the 15-24-year-olds in 2017-18 was 28.5 per cent, which makes the youth unemployment rate in India amongst the highest in the world, excluding small countries and conflict-ridden countries. Since then, it has only worsened or remained at that level.</p> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="126"> <li>According to the author, which of the following is a plausible explanation for India’s prevalent crisis of unemployment?</li> </ol> <p>(A) The previously existing employment crunch is worsened due to the imposition of nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>(B) Imposition of nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced economic activity.</p> <p>(C) Imposition of nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic led to migration of workforce from urban to rural areas.</p> <p>(D) There is a sharp decline in urban unemployment rate for the population above the age of 15.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-6">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="127"> <li>According to the author, what is current state of Indian economy?</li> </ol> <p>(A) There is a sharp contraction in economic activity.</p> <p>(B) The aftermath of a sharp contraction in economic activity is being experienced.</p> <p>(C) The unemployment rates in urban areas for all categories are increasing by almost three times.</p> <p>(D) Youth unemployment rate in India is at par with that in small and conflict-ridden countries.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-b-5">CORRECT OPTION: B</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="128"> <li>Which of the following statements cannot be inferred from the given passage?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Loss of lives and livelihoods is attributable to the imposition of nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>(B) Decline in economic growth is attributable to the imposition of nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>(C) Rise in unemployment is attributable to the migration of members of workforce from urban to rural areas.</p> <p>(D) Rise in unemployment is attributable to the imposition of nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-c-5">CORRECT OPTION: C</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="129"> <li>Which of the following strengthens the author’s argument that the decline in economic growth and rise in unemployment precedes the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic?</li> </ol> <p>(A) While one in five persons above the age of 15 was unemployed during April-June 2020 , the unemployment rate among the $15-29$-year-olds was 34.7 per cent - every third person in the 15-29 age group was unemployed during the same period.</p> <p>(B) According to the PLFS April-June 2020 round, the urban unemployment rate for the population above the age of 15 was 20.8 per cent, which is close to the monthly average for the same quarter from CMIE at 19.9 per cent.</p> <p>(C) Between 2016-17 and 2019-20, growth decelerated to 4 per cent, less than half the 8.3 per cent rate in 2016-17.</p> <p>(D) The estimates from PLFS are broadly in line with estimates available from other privately conducted surveys, notably the unemployment surveys of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).</p> <h5 id="correct-option-c-6">CORRECT OPTION: C</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="130"> <li>According to the given passage, which of the following statements is correct?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Unemployment rates in urban areas for all categories increased by almost three times over the preceding decade.</p> <p>(B) Employment rates in urban areas for all categories increased by almost three times over the preceding decade.</p> <p>(C) Unemployment rates in urban areas for all categories increased by almost three percent over the preceding decade.</p> <p>(D) Employment rates in urban areas for all categories increased by almost three percent over the preceding decade.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-7">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> <p>On the day of writing this, India had reported 116 deaths from COVID-19. In contrast, the US, with around one-fourth the population of India, reported 1,897 deaths, or 16 times the daily deaths as India. The UK, which has one-twentieth the population of India, reported 592 deaths, or 5 times the daily deaths as India. On other metrics too-new cases, active cases-the Indian curve has flattened. If and when the UK and the US achieve what we have, there will be major celebrations. Such low death rates would be seen as a victory of the government, citizens and science over the dreaded coronavirus. However, because we are India, we don’t get as much credit. We are considered poor, third-world and untrustworthy, incapable of achieving something like this on our own. Instead of learning from India’s experience, the first instinct is to doubt Indian data. We aren’t counting the cases right, we aren’t doing enough tests, we don’t classify the deaths properly-the list of doubts goes on and on. This, even as the tests have only increased, positivity rate has dropped and almost all Indian hospitals are seeing a drop in COVID-19 admissions and fatalities. To think that the Deep Indian State is capable of fudging data at the level of every district and every state, and sustaining this façade for months is giving it way too much credit. Conspiracies require enormous co-ordination and effort and it isn’t quite how things work in India. Given that you can check corona data at every ward level, it is also impossible to fudge data, not to mention create a downwards curve that is moving in the same direction in virtually every corner of India. In terms of testing, while a case might be made for a lot of Indians not getting tested, it is also true that random testing has increased in the last few months. Domestic flyers into Maharashtra from many states for instance, have to get a COVID-19 test done irrespective of symptoms. If there was rampant corona, we would see a spike in cases from just these flyers. It may be hard for people to accept this reality but almost all evidence points to the fact India has flattened the corona curve, while the US, UK and most of Europe still haven’t. What is even more remarkable about India’s achievement is that it has managed to do this without draconian lockdowns (apart from the two months in April-May 2020). In fact, cases have dropped even as India opened up more.</p> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="131"> <li>Which of the following strengthens the author’s argument that India has tackled the COVID-19 pandemic better than most advanced nations?</li> </ol> <p>(A) India’s positivity rate of COVID-19 cases and admissions in Indian hospitals are reduced.</p> <p>(B) India’s counting of the number of COVID-19 cases is incorrect.</p> <p>(C) India’s testing facilities for COVID-19 cases are inadequate.</p> <p>(D) India’s classification of COVID-19 cases is inaccurate.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-8">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="132"> <li>Which of the following weakens the author’s argument that India has tackled the COVID19 pandemic better than most advanced nations?</li> </ol> <p>(A) India lacks the co-ordination and effort to execute conspiracies.</p> <p>(B) Many Indians are possibly not getting tested.</p> <p>(C) Evidence points to the fact India has flattened the corona curve.</p> <p>(D) India has not imposed draconian lockdowns.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-b-6">CORRECT OPTION: B</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="133"> <li>“To think that the Deep Indian State is capable offudging data at the level of every district and every state, and sustaining this façade for months is giving it way too much credit.” In this statement, the author indicates that</li> </ol> <p>(A) There are unauthorised networks of power operating independently of the Indian state’s political leadership in pursuit of their own agenda and goals.</p> <p>(B) There are authorised networks of power operating independently of the Indian state’s political leadership in pursuit of their own agenda and goals.</p> <p>(C) There may be unauthorised networks of power operating independently of the Indian state’s political leadership in pursuit of their own agenda and goals, but their influence is questionable.</p> <p>(D) There may be unauthorised networks of power operating independently of the Indian state’s political leadership in pursuit of their own agenda and goals, and their influence is deep and pervasive.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-c-7">CORRECT OPTION: C</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="134"> <li>According to the given passage, which of the following statements is not true?</li> </ol> <p>(A) Developed nations are reluctant to learn from India’s experience as Indian data is doubtful.</p> <p>(B) India does not get as much credit for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>(C) India is seen as a poor, third-world country.</p> <p>(D) India is seen as untrustworthy and incapable of tackling the COVID-19 pandemic independently.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-a-9">CORRECT OPTION: A</h5> </div> <p>======</p> <div style = 'text-align:left; font-size:22px;'> <ol start="135"> <li>According to the given passage, which of the following statements is true?</li> </ol> <p>(A) COVID-19 cases in India have reduced because of reduction in restrictions.</p> <p>(B) COVID-19 cases in India have increased with reduction in restrictions.</p> <p>(C) COVID-19 cases in India have reduced with increase in restrictions.</p> <p>(D) COVID-19 cases in India have reduced despite the reduction in restrictions.</p> <h5 id="correct-option-d-4">CORRECT OPTION: D</h5>