Read the
following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.
Two years ago, entrepreneur Rakesh Seth, a resident of Vikas Nagar in
Jaipur, noticed that the incessant chirping of sparrows in his neighbourhood
had lessened considerably. He realised that something was amiss, and
soon found that the tiny, round, brown bird, once ubiquitous, was fast
disappearing.
House sparrows, taxonomically
classified as Passer
domesticus, are intimately associated with human habitation. They nest in
man-made structures such as eaves or walls of buildings and behind electric
meters. We all grew up with these gregarious birds, their cheerful
cherr…cherr…cherr… punctuating our days, as they thrived on the rubbish that humans
generated. But the last few decades have seen a massive decline in their
population, as the birds cannot cope with the changing urban architecture,
glass walls and steel surfaces, scarce water sources, and disappearing worms
and bugs.
Seth approached a group of
conservationists associated with the Indian Birding Fair. They provided him
with a sparrow nest box and feed box, which he fixed on an outside wall. As he
saw the birds taking to the boxes eagerly, in the next two years, Seth brought
many more boxes. The birds came in dozens, making the boxes their home and
breeding. Soon, his garden and slowly the entire neighbourhood had become full
of house sparrows.
The nesting box is not new. It’s
an idea that conservationists have been using for some years now. And it’s
amazing how just a small wooden box and feeder can encourage a species to start
again. The Birding Fair activists have so far supplied about 1,200 sparrow nest
boxes in Jaipur. And a recent citizens’ review found that the drive had helped
add a significant 8,000 sparrows to the environment. The boxes allow two
sparrows to mate inside undisturbed, and when the eggs are hatched, the parents
can go looking for feed while their eggs stay safe from crows and other predators.
Similar efforts have been undertaken in other cities as well. The boxes are
also good for other birds that nest in holes, like owls, myna and parakeets.
In fact, Rajasthani folk singer
Smita singh talks of how she installed a bright purple box for sparrows but
ended up with a myna instead, for whom she had to enlarge the opening.
Now, she plans to get a second box in brown for the sparrows.
The house sparrow figures in the
Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. The British Trust for Ornithology is at
present running a house sparrow appeal to raise funds to carry out research and
monitoring of the species to better understand the pattern of decline.
According to noted
environmentalist, and the soul behind the Indian Birding Fair programme, Harsh
Vardhan, house sparrow numbers have more than halved in the last 25 years
across India. As green spaces in cities give way to concrete constructions and
pesticides cause pollution, the sparrow has found it hard to survive.
The small-scale industrialist, who
has designed these boxes in Jaipur, says the extinction of house sparrows could
lead to a “takeover by insects”. Rajasthan’s Chief Wildlife Warden seconds this
and says, “We must strive to protect our associate species to ensure our own
survival.”
The nest boxes are typically
distributed during the breeding season that occurs twice a year — from June
till August and from February to March-April. Each clutch can yield three to
five chicks.
Importantly for the programme’s
success in the Pink City, the drive has drawn the attention of real estate
builders, who are gradually beginning to understand that sparrows and humans
need to co-exist, and are redesigning the way homes are built by incorporating
more trees and gardens and less glass and chrome.
With this phase proving a big
success in Jaipur, both Vardhan and Jugran affirm that it will now be easier
for conservationists to start the second phase with redesigned nest boxes, and
launch a fresh drive at the 20th Indian Birding Fair in February 2017.
Q.1. We must
strive to_______________
(1) carry out research and
monitoring of the species to better understand the pattern of decline.
(2) finish these sparrows.
(3) understand that sparrows and
humans need to co-exist
(4) protect our associate species to ensure our own survival.
(5) take the sparrows to their
home.
Q.2- Which of the following statement/s is/are TRUE in
context to the passage?
(1) Seth did not approach a group
of conservationists associated with the Indian Birding Fair.
(2) The nest boxes are not
distributed.
(3) Birds nest in man-made structures such as eaves or walls of buildings
and behind electric meters.
(4) The birds can cope with the
changing urban architecture, glass walls and steel surfaces, scarce water
sources, and disappearing worms and bugs.
(5) It is now very difficult for
conservationists to start the second phase with redesigned nest boxes.
Q.3. Which of the following
statement/s is/are FALSE in context to the passage?
(A) The last few decades have seen a massive increase in the
population of birds.
(B) The nest boxes are typically distributed during the breeding
season that occurs twice a year
(C) House sparrow numbers have
more than halved in the last 25 years across India.
(1) Only A
(2) Only B
(3) Only C
(4) All A, B and C
(5) Only B and C
Q.4- Which of the following is possibly the most
appropriate title for the passage?
(1) House sparrow
(2) Sparrows and humans need
(3) One sparrow makes a spring
(4) Sparrow boxes and human
(5) Decline in Bird’s population
Q.5- What is the meaning by the
phrase “takeover by insects” as mentioned in the passage?
(1) insects can spoil everything.
(2) insects will take the birds
back.
(3) there were too much insects in
the house of the author who took the birds from there.
(4) As sparrow eats insects, and if it is not there, insects will be
found everywhere in the house.
(5) Insects can’t live without
Sparrow.
Q.6- What was the author’s intention behind
writing this passage?
(1) To take initiative to save
sparrows.
(2) To run down the birds as they
litter entire house.
(3) As the author is fond of
listening to sound of birds, so he wants to take them back.
(4) Birds could become a boon if
they live in the house.
(5)When the author’s son smiles,
seeing this he feels good.
Q.7-
How many nest boxes have been supplied by Birding Fair activists in Jaipur?
(1) 950
(2) 1180
(3) 1400
(4) 1200
(5) 8000
Q.8-9. 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- GREGARIOUS
(1) Companionable (2) Attach (3) Special
(4) Introverted (5) Selected
Q.9- AMISS
(1) good (2)
precious (3)
insecticide
(4) enjoyable (5) Fallacious
Q.10. Choose the word/group of words is most OPPOSITE
in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.
ENLARGE
(1) entire (2) Diminish (3) accelerate
(4) accept (5) switch
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MAHENDRA GURU