Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
Underlining India’s poor healthcare record, economist and Nobel Laureate said the country’s continuing backwardness in providing good healthcare to its people is a striking failure.
“People greet each other with ‘salute’, which literally means good health. By saluting each other, we wish each other good health, not more wealth, not more happiness. Just in that perspective India, cannot get a salutation right now. India’s performance stands not at the top of the world league, but at the bottom,” An economist, who has been conferred with the Bharat Ratna, said.
Speaking at the Tata Memorial Centre’s platinum jubilee conference in the city, he emphasised on having a wholesome approach towards healthcare that covers nutrition, sanitation and social equity. He also took the opportunity to fire another broadside at the Central government for its demonetisation move. “Demonetisation, one fine morning, came just like a missile where there were reports coming in of hardship and suffering, though it’s not quite clear yet where the missile has landed.”
He, who teaches at Thomas W. Lamont and Harvard universities, said a poorer country like Bangladesh has caught up with and surpassed India in many social indicators including life expectancy, immunisation, infant mortality, child undernourishment, girls’ schooling and sanitary facilities such as having family toilets. “India generally had the second best social indicators among the six South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Second only behind Sri Lanka. It now looks second worst, ahead of one country: Pakistan.”
He also said health-related issues are being poorly covered in media and politics, a conclusion he arrived at after studying the edit pages of leading newspapers between January and June 2000 and not finding a single article on the topic. “We repeated the exercise again in 2012, this time scrutinising more than 5,000 articles published in the editorial pages. Even though there was an improvement from 2000, only 1% of editorial matter was dedicated to health.”
This trend, he said, was particularly frightening as the second half of 2012 was a crucial phase for healthcare policy, where there was a real prospect of health becoming a priority in the 12th five-year plan. “Health was not a subject during the elections of 2014 as well. The subject was not raised by either the party that won or the party that lost. Or the communist party or any other party. Why this total deficit of public discussion on the subject?”
Healthcare, he said, should include social determinants of health like nutrition, sanitation and social equity, and should either be seen as incomplete as a concept in serving health, or be broadly defined. “For example, when you look for clean water, you are doing something for healthcare.”
Turning to the problem of increased privatisation and asymmetrical information on health. “When we combine quackery with crookery, we have alarming results,” He said, giving the example of an incident in Jharkhand, where malaria patients were treated by putting them on saline drip. The patients, he said, felt better.
Q.1. What did the economist emphasised upon while Speaking at the Tata Memorial Centre’s platinum jubilee conference?
(1) He emphasised upon the things not to use which is useless.
(2) He emphasised on the happiness and the celebration of each and every moment of our life.
(3) He emphasised on earning more and more money as it helps improving our economy.
(4) He emphasised on having a wholesome approach towards healthcare that covers nutrition, sanitation and social equity.
(5) He emphasised to be clear on one’s goal.
Explanation- Answer lies in the 3rd paragraph.
Q2. What does “People greet each other with salute” mean as mentioned in the passage?
(1) More wealth
(2) More happiness
(3) Good health
(4) Selfishness
(5) Curiosity
Explanation- Answer lies in the 2nd paragraph.
Q.3. Which of the following statement/s is/are NOT TRUE in context to the passage?
(A) Healthcare should include social determinants of health like nutrition, sanitation and social equity.
(B) Health-related issues are being poorly covered in media and politics.
(C) Demonetisation came just like a missile where there were reports coming in of hardship and suffering.
(1) Only A and C
(2) Only B and C
(3) Only A and B
(4) All of the above
(5) None of the above
Q.4- Which of the following is possibly the most appropriate TITLE for the passage?
(1) Health sector the world over
(2) India’s poor health care record a striking failure
(3) India and its situation
(4) The elections of 2014 and 2015
(5) Articles published in the editorial pages
Q.5- Which of the following statement/s is/are TRUE in context to the passage?
(A) Healthcare should either be seen as incomplete as a concept in serving health, or be broadly defined.
(B) The country’s continuing backwardness in providing good healthcare to its people is a striking failure.
(C) Position of India among six countries looks third worst, ahead of one country: Pakistan.
(1) Only B
(2) Only A
(3) Only A and B
(4) Only B and C
(5) All A, B and C
Q.6- Behind which country, India had the second best social indicators?
(1) Only behind Pakistan
(2) Only behind Nepal
(3) Only behind Bangladesh
(4) Only behind Bhutan
(5) Only behind Sri Lanka
Explanation- Answer lies in the 4th paragraph.
Q.7- According to the passage, when you look for clean water, you are ______
(1) doing something for healthcare.
(2) Thirsty enough.
(3) Going to participate in the campaign of clean India Mission.
(4) Doing a good job.
(5) Going to help others.
Explanation- Answer lies in the 2nd last paragraph.
Q.8-10. Choose the word/group of words is most SIMILAR in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.
Q.8. PROVIDING
(1) Contributing (2) Conceal (3) Condemn (4) Ignore (5) Take
Q.9. CONCLUSION
(1) Beginning (2) Closure (3) Initiative (4) Start (5) Divide
Q.10. PERSPECTIVE
(1) Parents (2) Thought (3) Outlook (4) Tarnish (5) Mammoth
ANSWER
1. (4) 2. (3) 3. (5) 4. (2) 5. (3) 6. (5) 7. (1) 8. (1) 9. (2) 10. (3)
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MAHENDRA GURU