Q.1-10. In the following passage there are blanks each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each five words have been suggested, one of which fits the blanks appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.
We are in the middle of the samundramanthan for the 16th LokSabha. It is, beyond doubt, a significant milestone in the growth of the Indian polity. In the heat of the events, some trends are missed and a (1) view is lost. The nosiness of the present social discourse has many saving graces. One is the reiteration in action of democracy as a binding force for the nation. The (2) of Indian democracy lies in the Vedantic dictum of ekam sat, viprahbahudhavadanti — the truth is one but knowledgeable state it in different ways. The statement has a context, which is both profound and deep.
I am taking the statement out of its context and applying it for the power of its expression to the domain of governance and the India polity. It means that unless we recognise that India is one (ekam) we cannot celebrate its (3) federalism (bahudha). This variegation is the heart of federalism. Democracy and ballot, alone makes it possible. There can no multiplicity of interpretation or diversity of political orientation unless we recognise the fundamental (4) of the country. Federalism is the key. Political parties may have different (5) and some may be woven around different personality cults. They may have different frames of references but they all are part of the Indian Union. The different types of governance at the national level and State level co-exist because of the vibrancy and funneling characteristics of the democratic process. Political enfranchisement and honest balloting are the cornerstones of this important framework.
Mercifully, both seem to be largely intact. This is a matter of joy and, if I may add, hope and celebration. This needs to be visibly and noticeably done. There are other redeeming features. For many the coming in of 24 hour news channels is a source of much irritation. That news channels, sometimes, do better than the entertainment channels in getting viewership is a testimony to the people’s desire to (6) how public resources are likely to be distributed or are being shared. There is genuine (7) on the television news channels not to be repetitive. This requires both ingenuity in raising resources and investment. Is it any wonder then that the number of advertisements or promotional campaigns in the electronic media are going up exponentially?
On April 13, one of the major channels had a slot for an interview with an important person and decided to simply extend its slot. This was because the person being interviewed is an audience puller, and the channel rightly sensed that there was a huge commercial opportunity to (8) from.
Not having kept a stopwatch to work out the ratio between the advertising time and the interview time, I cannot hazard a guess. However, what did strike me was that the period between one slot of the interview and the next gradually grew bigger and bigger to the extent that it seemed like an advertisement session was punctuated by excerpts of the interviews with the dignitary. It grew so (9) that I almost dosed off.
The point however is a different. The news channels need resources and by all accounts, the news channels are doing well. I don’t have access to hour-by-hour viewership records of the different news channels but what I do notice is that a large number of constituencies across the country are beginning to be covered. I know much more today about the names of the constituencies in Maharashtra and Karnataka than I did three weeks ago. This is important for developing an all-India framework of reference. It reinforces a mental architecture. The quality of report in both in the print media and the electronic media has improved. Increasingly a comparative frame is being used and some speakers do seem to come out poorly compared to others. Not to forget, however, is the other part of what I called samundramanthan. With the nectar has emerged some poison. One of them is the growing (10) for personal abuse and vitriolism. Perhaps the Election Commission should practise some activism in adding greater clarity in this direction, through a tighter code of conduct.
Q-1 Choose the correct option for (1).
01. comprehensive
02. overall
03. broadly
04. exclusive
05. everything
Q-2 Choose the correct option for (2).
01. burden
02. rooted
03. real
04. essence
05. origin
Q-3 Choose the correct option for (3).
01. striped
02. spotting
03. mixing
04. diversify
05. variegated
Q-4 Choose the correct option for (4).
01. exist
02. identify
03. unity
04. integral
05. consent
Q-5 Choose the correct option for (5).
01. followers
02. agenda
03. issued
04. customs
05. processed
Q-6 Choose the correct option for (6).
01. measured
02. seize
03. understand
04. catch
05. accepts
Q-7 Choose the correct option for (7).
01. mass
02. disregard
03. time
04. stress
05. pressure
Q-8 Choose the correct option for (8).
01. benefit
02. prosperity
03. blessing
04. worth
05. injury
Q-9 Choose the correct option for (9).
01. critics
02. interesting
03. informative
04. wearisome
05. active
Q-10 Choose the correct option for (10).
01. inclined
02. partial
03. devoted
04. warmth
05. propensity
Answers
Q.1.(1) Q.2.(4) Q.3.(5) Q.4.(3) Q.5.(2) Q.6.(3) Q.7.(5) Q.8.(1) Q.9.(4) Q.10.(5)
