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| Climate change is one of the most hotly contested environmental debates of our time. Will the West Antarctic ice sheet melt entirely? Will the Gulf Stream ocean current be disrupted? Will it be the end of the world as we know it? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, Antarctica is a crucial element in this debate — not just because it's the only place in the world, which has never sustained a human population and therefore remains relatively 'pristine' in this respect; but more importantly, because it holds in its ice-cores half-million-year-old carbon record strapped in its layers of ice. If we want to study and examine the Earth's past, present and future, Antarctica is the place to go. |
Antarctica is the best place to ______.
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|
One day while talking to his ministers, the Emperor, on a whim, ordered that the merchants of the city would have to guard the city at night. The merchants were deeply concerned to hear this. How could they, who had been selling goods for years suddenly take up the duty of guarding the city? For hours on end they discussed the matter. At last one of them said. "We have no alternative but to obey the Emperor's orders. Let us go to the old commander who lives near the palace and ask him to guide us how to fulfill this task." His idea was met with approval by the other merchants and they proceeded to the commander's house. Upon hearing the merchants' dilemma he said, "Relax. There is no need to worry. Do as I tell you". The merchants agreed. |
What action did the Emperor take against the merchants?
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| (1) | Suspense was over when my high school results finally came out. But I was upset. I hadn't done as well as I had expected. My father tried to console me. 'Why are you worried? You have done very well my dear'. 'No, I haven't, Baba,' I protested, controlling my tears, and wondering if I had disappointed him. 'It doesn't really matter,' he assured me. 'Do you know what I got when I finished high school ?' I looked into Baba's face and waited for the answer to his own question. 'You know,' he told me. 'I've never told you this. I got just a third division. But, look at me, I've done quite well. Baba got a third division! I was almost in shock, but the thought of my having done a lot better than that made me realize that I had no reason to complain. I certainly felt better! 'Everything is under control !' said Baba, smiling. That was his favourite phrase. Posted in Kolkata, my father was then a senior official in the Indian Railway Service and an expert in goods traffic operations. He was soon to become a director with the Railway Board. By the time he retired in 1981, he was the General Manager of the Central Railways. By the time Baba passed away in November 2000, his name had found place in several hearts as well. He was open, easy to know, and full of life. We were extremely close, but I had so much more to learn about him from many things I came to know after his death. |
| (2) | In September 2000, he was in the hospital for treatment of cancer and given just two months to live. When he found out, his reaction was an extremely rational one. He asked me to fetch files from his cupboard, so that he could explain the details of my mother's pension. He also dictated his will from his hospital bed. 'Everything is under control !' After Baba's death, Satish, our old family retainer, was inconsolable. We tried to cheer him up. 'Your Baba had scolded me only once in all these years!' he cried. Satish pointed to the watch on his left hand. 'I had been coming late for work and everyone in the family was complaining about it,' said Satish. 'Then, one day, your Baba gave me this watch and told me, 'now that you have a watch, you can't be late'. That was the scolding Satish received. On the fourth day after Baba's death, my sister and I had to perform a ceremony. Since several relatives were expected, we decided to order lunch from a caterer in our locality, who was reputed for his home cooked food. But, when we went to pay the owner, we got a surprise. He refused to accept any money! 'When I wanted to start my catering business, it was your father who lent me money,' he told us. It seems Baba never asked for it back. Now, after four or five years, the caterer wanted to repay that debt. Of course, we made him accept the full payment for the fine food and service. 'It was Baba's gift and it ought to remain so,' I told him. |
| (3) | Some days later, (as we were preparing for the main ceremony) there was yet another piece of information. Vikram, my brother drove me to the local market. On recognizing our car, the parking assistant, in his twenties, came running towards us and asked why he had not seen its owner for long. We had to break the news to him and to our utter surprise, he started crying. We were really surprised by this reaction from a stranger-until the man told us that Baba used to pay his daughter's school fees and buy her books. It seems, it was on my father's advice that he'd even started sending the child to school. More than three years after Baba' s death, as we were looking into Baba' s personal things, we came across an old file with Baba' s certificates and I found among them, his high school diploma from 1937, the one he'd told me about 30 years earlier, about the third division that had made no difference in his life or career. It had made me see beyond mere marks and first classes as the main road to success. But there was one more fact. Baba had actually got a first division, a rare achievement in his day. Today, years after his passing, when I think of Baba, I see a man who was able to sympathise with others very easily and who had touched their lives in some very special way. |
Why was the narrator in tears when her school results came out?
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|
"Uncle" said Luke to the old Sean. "You seem to be well-fed, though I know no one looks after you. Nor have I seen you leave your residence at any time. Tell me how do you manage it?" |
How did old Sean manage to meet his food requirements?
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| In all instances of frustration, you will always find the anger directed towards a single person openly or covertly and this man of the make-up department was convinced that all his woes, ignominy and neglect were due to Kothamangalam Subbu. Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. He couldn't have had a more encouraging opening in films than our grown-up make-up boy had. On the contrary, he must have had to face more uncertain and difficult times, for when he began his career, there were no firmly established film-producing companies or studios. Even in the matter of education, especially formal education, Subbu couldn't have had an appreciable lead over our boy. But by virtue of being born a Brahmin — a virtue, indeed! — he must have had exposure to more affluent situations and people. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times even after having had a hand in a flop film. He always had worked for somebody — he could never do things on his own — but his sense of loyalty made him identify himself with his principal completely and turn his entire creativity to his principal's advantage. He was tailor-made for films. Here was a man who could be inspired when commanded. |
According to the passage, in all instances of frustration, you will always find the anger:
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|
"Uncle" said Luke to the old Sean. "You seem to be well-fed, though I know no one looks after you. Nor have I seen you leave your residence at any time. Tell me how do you manage it?" |
Why was Sean reluctant to take Luke along?
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|
"Uncle" said Luke to the old Sean. "You seem to be well-fed, though I know no one looks after you. Nor have I seen you leave your residence at any time. Tell me how do you manage it?" |
How often did Sean visit the emperor's orchard?
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| In all instances of frustration, you will always find the anger directed towards a single person openly or covertly and this man of the make-up department was convinced that all his woes, ignominy and neglect were due to Kothamangalam Subbu. Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. He couldn't have had a more encouraging opening in films than our grown-up make-up boy had. On the contrary, he must have had to face more uncertain and difficult times, for when he began his career, there were no firmly established film-producing companies or studios. Even in the matter of education, especially formal education, Subbu couldn't have had an appreciable lead over our boy. But by virtue of being born a Brahmin — a virtue, indeed! — he must have had exposure to more affluent situations and people. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times even after having had a hand in a flop film. He always had worked for somebody — he could never do things on his own — but his sense of loyalty made him identify himself with his principal completely and turn his entire creativity to his principal's advantage. He was tailor-made for films. Here was a man who could be inspired when commanded. |
Subbu's debut in films was limited to:
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|
"Uncle" said Luke to the old Sean. "You seem to be well-fed, though I know no one looks after you. Nor have I seen you leave your residence at any time. Tell me how do you manage it?" |
Luke remained behind at the orchard because he ______.
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| In all instances of frustration, you will always find the anger directed towards a single person openly or covertly and this man of the make-up department was convinced that all his woes, ignominy and neglect were due to Kothamangalam Subbu. Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. He couldn't have had a more encouraging opening in films than our grown-up make-up boy had. On the contrary, he must have had to face more uncertain and difficult times, for when he began his career, there were no firmly established film-producing companies or studios. Even in the matter of education, especially formal education, Subbu couldn't have had an appreciable lead over our boy. But by virtue of being born a Brahmin — a virtue, indeed! — he must have had exposure to more affluent situations and people. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times even after having had a hand in a flop film. He always had worked for somebody — he could never do things on his own — but his sense of loyalty made him identify himself with his principal completely and turn his entire creativity to his principal's advantage. He was tailor-made for films. Here was a man who could be inspired when commanded. |
Why did the author say that Subbu had to face more uncertain and difficult times?
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| Donated Organs and their Transportation |
|
| (1) | Once an organ donor's family gives its consent and the organs are matched to a recipient, medical professionals are faced with the onerous challenge of transporting organs while ensuring that the harvested organ reaches its destination in the shortest possible time. This is done in order to preserve the harvested organs which involves the police especially the traffic police department. |
| (2) | The traditional method of transporting organs by road is referred to as a "green corridor". The first green corridor in India was created by Chennai Traffic Police in September 2008, when they accomplished their task of enabling an ambulance to reach its destination within 11 minutes during peak hour traffic. That organ saved a nine-year-old girl whose life depended on the transplant. Similarly, such green corridors have been created by traffic police of various cities such as Pune, Mumbai, Delhi NCR etc. |
| (3) | Experts point out the lack of a robust system to· transport organs to super-speciality hospitals in least possible time. National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), the country's apex organ donation agency, is now framing a proposal to airlift cadaver organs and will send a report to the Union Health Ministry. "Cadaver organs have a short life and so transplant should be done within a few golden hours." Director (NOTTO) expressed, "Therefore, we are preparing a proposal for airlifting organs at any given moment." |
| (4) | Most states do not have enough well-trained experts to retrieve or perform transplant procedures. Also, there is an acute shortage of advanced healthcare facilities to carry out a transplant. So, it is referred to other big centres in metropolitan cities. Organs retrieved from Aurangabad, Indore, Surat and Pune are sent to Mumbai as these cities do not have super-speciality healthcare centres, informed officials. |
| (5) | "In India, about fifty thousand to one lakh patients are suffering from acute heart failure and need heart transplant at any point of time. In a private set-up, a heart transplant costs ₹ 15- 20 lakhs, which is followed up by postoperative medication of about ₹ 30,000 per month lifelong." Moreover, the risk factor is great hindrance. |
The onerous task that the author is talking about in para 1 is ______.
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|
"Uncle" said Luke to the old Sean. "You seem to be well-fed, though I know no one looks after you. Nor have I seen you leave your residence at any time. Tell me how do you manage it?" |
The emperor's men seized Luke immediately because he ______.
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| During the reign of King Veer, there lived a wise magistrate. Hartpant's verdicts were always just and people from all over the vast kingdom came to him in order to settle their disputes. In the city where Haripant lived, there was a greedy ghee merchant named Niranjan. He always kept twenty barrels of ghee. Of these, fifteen would contain good quality ghee and the remaining would be adulterated. He would mix the two and sell it. This went on for a long time, till finally the people fed up of being cheated, complained to Hartpant. Hartpant had the ghee examined and found it to be adulterated. He gave Niranjan a choice of punishment-drink the five barrels of adulterated ghee from his shop, or receive a hundred lashings, or pay a thousand gold coins to the treasury. Niranjan thought for a while. Losing a thousand gold coins was too much and a hundred lashings too painful. So he decided to drink the five barrels of ghee. Though Niranjan sold adulterated goods in his shop, he made sure his own food was of the best quality. So after drinking one barrel of ghee he began to feel sick. By the second barrel, he was vomiting. At this point he decided to opt for the lashings instead. But he was pampered and his body was unused to any harsh treatment. After ten lashes, he started trembling and by twenty he was giddy. 'Stop!' he screamed. 'I will pay the thousand gold coins!' And he handed them over. So he ended up suffering all three punishments, something he did not forget in a hurry and the people of the city got to use only the best quality ghee in their food from then on!. |
Why did Niranjan keep five barrels of adulterated ghee?
Concept: undefined >> undefined
| During the reign of King Veer, there lived a wise magistrate. Hartpant's verdicts were always just and people from all over the vast kingdom came to him in order to settle their disputes. In the city where Haripant lived, there was a greedy ghee merchant named Niranjan. He always kept twenty barrels of ghee. Of these, fifteen would contain good quality ghee and the remaining would be adulterated. He would mix the two and sell it. This went on for a long time, till finally the people fed up of being cheated, complained to Hartpant. Hartpant had the ghee examined and found it to be adulterated. He gave Niranjan a choice of punishment-drink the five barrels of adulterated ghee from his shop, or receive a hundred lashings, or pay a thousand gold coins to the treasury. Niranjan thought for a while. Losing a thousand gold coins was too much and a hundred lashings too painful. So he decided to drink the five barrels of ghee. Though Niranjan sold adulterated goods in his shop, he made sure his own food was of the best quality. So after drinking one barrel of ghee he began to feel sick. By the second barrel, he was vomiting. At this point he decided to opt for the lashings instead. But he was pampered and his body was unused to any harsh treatment. After ten lashes, he started trembling and by twenty he was giddy. 'Stop!' he screamed. 'I will pay the thousand gold coins!' And he handed them over. So he ended up suffering all three punishments, something he did not forget in a hurry and the people of the city got to use only the best quality ghee in their food from then on!. |
Why did Haripant allow Niranjan to choose his own punishment?
Concept: undefined >> undefined
| During the reign of King Veer, there lived a wise magistrate. Hartpant's verdicts were always just and people from all over the vast kingdom came to him in order to settle their disputes. In the city where Haripant lived, there was a greedy ghee merchant named Niranjan. He always kept twenty barrels of ghee. Of these, fifteen would contain good quality ghee and the remaining would be adulterated. He would mix the two and sell it. This went on for a long time, till finally the people fed up of being cheated, complained to Hartpant. Hartpant had the ghee examined and found it to be adulterated. He gave Niranjan a choice of punishment-drink the five barrels of adulterated ghee from his shop, or receive a hundred lashings, or pay a thousand gold coins to the treasury. Niranjan thought for a while. Losing a thousand gold coins was too much and a hundred lashings too painful. So he decided to drink the five barrels of ghee. Though Niranjan sold adulterated goods in his shop, he made sure his own food was of the best quality. So after drinking one barrel of ghee he began to feel sick. By the second barrel, he was vomiting. At this point he decided to opt for the lashings instead. But he was pampered and his body was unused to any harsh treatment. After ten lashes, he started trembling and by twenty he was giddy. 'Stop!' he screamed. 'I will pay the thousand gold coins!' And he handed them over. So he ended up suffering all three punishments, something he did not forget in a hurry and the people of the city got to use only the best quality ghee in their food from then on!. |
What made Niranjan opt for paying the fine last of all?
Concept: undefined >> undefined
| During the reign of King Veer, there lived a wise magistrate. Hartpant's verdicts were always just and people from all over the vast kingdom came to him in order to settle their disputes. In the city where Haripant lived, there was a greedy ghee merchant named Niranjan. He always kept twenty barrels of ghee. Of these, fifteen would contain good quality ghee and the remaining would be adulterated. He would mix the two and sell it. This went on for a long time, till finally the people fed up of being cheated, complained to Hartpant. Hartpant had the ghee examined and found it to be adulterated. He gave Niranjan a choice of punishment-drink the five barrels of adulterated ghee from his shop, or receive a hundred lashings, or pay a thousand gold coins to the treasury. Niranjan thought for a while. Losing a thousand gold coins was too much and a hundred lashings too painful. So he decided to drink the five barrels of ghee. Though Niranjan sold adulterated goods in his shop, he made sure his own food was of the best quality. So after drinking one barrel of ghee he began to feel sick. By the second barrel, he was vomiting. At this point he decided to opt for the lashings instead. But he was pampered and his body was unused to any harsh treatment. After ten lashes, he started trembling and by twenty he was giddy. 'Stop!' he screamed. 'I will pay the thousand gold coins!' And he handed them over. So he ended up suffering all three punishments, something he did not forget in a hurry and the people of the city got to use only the best quality ghee in their food from then on!. |
What effect did Niranjan's punishment have?
Concept: undefined >> undefined
| During the reign of King Veer, there lived a wise magistrate. Hartpant's verdicts were always just and people from all over the vast kingdom came to him in order to settle their disputes. In the city where Haripant lived, there was a greedy ghee merchant named Niranjan. He always kept twenty barrels of ghee. Of these, fifteen would contain good quality ghee and the remaining would be adulterated. He would mix the two and sell it. This went on for a long time, till finally the people fed up of being cheated, complained to Hartpant. Hartpant had the ghee examined and found it to be adulterated. He gave Niranjan a choice of punishment-drink the five barrels of adulterated ghee from his shop, or receive a hundred lashings, or pay a thousand gold coins to the treasury. Niranjan thought for a while. Losing a thousand gold coins was too much and a hundred lashings too painful. So he decided to drink the five barrels of ghee. Though Niranjan sold adulterated goods in his shop, he made sure his own food was of the best quality. So after drinking one barrel of ghee he began to feel sick. By the second barrel, he was vomiting. At this point he decided to opt for the lashings instead. But he was pampered and his body was unused to any harsh treatment. After ten lashes, he started trembling and by twenty he was giddy. 'Stop!' he screamed. 'I will pay the thousand gold coins!' And he handed them over. So he ended up suffering all three punishments, something he did not forget in a hurry and the people of the city got to use only the best quality ghee in their food from then on!. |
Why did Niranjan suffer three punishments?
Concept: undefined >> undefined
| In all instances of frustration, you will always find the anger directed towards a single person openly or covertly and this man of the make-up department was convinced that all his woes, ignominy and neglect were due to Kothamangalam Subbu. Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. He couldn't have had a more encouraging opening in films than our grown-up make-up boy had. On the contrary, he must have had to face more uncertain and difficult times, for when he began his career, there were no firmly established film-producing companies or studios. Even in the matter of education, especially formal education, Subbu couldn't have had an appreciable lead over our boy. But by virtue of being born a Brahmin — a virtue, indeed! — he must have had exposure to more affluent situations and people. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times even after having had a hand in a flop film. He always had worked for somebody — he could never do things on his own — but his sense of loyalty made him identify himself with his principal completely and turn his entire creativity to his principal's advantage. He was tailor-made for films. Here was a man who could be inspired when commanded. |
What ability did Subbu have in spite of having had a handful of flop films?
Concept: undefined >> undefined
| Rajendra was a landlord. He had made a lot of money by cheating and ill-treating his labourers who worked in the fields. One day, a young man named Mani came to Rajendra, asking for work. Rajendra was pleasantly surprised. No one had ever wanted to work for him because of his reputation, and here was someone walking right into his house! Mani's next few words surprised him even more. Mani said, “I will work for you for free. Only give me a place to sleep, two sets of clothes and two square meals a day”. Rajendra was beside himself with joy when he heard this and was about to agree, when Mani added, “I have only one condition: I will tell you the truth always, but one day in the year. I will lie”. Rajendra, who lied happily every day of the year, agreed to this odd condition. So Mani began working for him. He was a wonderful worker hard-working and trustworthy. He was very honest and soon became Rajendra's right-hand man. Because of Mani's hard work, Rajendra had an excellent harvest. He and his wife, Manda, decided to have a big feast to celebrate. They invited all their relatives and friends, from the village and outside as well. Everyone was looking forward to the delicious feast being planned. On the morning of the feast, Rajendra decided he would also give away some gifts to his relatives, just to show off. So he set off for the market in his cart. As soon as he was out of sight, Mani went running to Manda. He wept loudly and beat his chest. Then he fell on the floor, sobbing and announced, “The master is dead! The cart overturned on the road. Our master has been flattened like a chapatti!” As soon as Rajendra's wife and relatives heard this, they started waiting. Mani rushed out, saying he would bring back the body, while everyone started preparing for the last rites. Mani now went running to his master and said, “Master! Your wife is dead, A cobra bit her and she fell to the ground, as blue as the spring sky". Rajendra was stunned. What! His beloved Manda. his partner in all his schemes, was dead! He hurried home shouting her name. Manda too was weeping loudly, sitting in the courtyard. When she saw her husband run in, she stopped mid-wail, and Rajendra too stood open-mouthed. Then they fell into each other's arms, unable to believe their eyes. As one, they turned to Mani. “What is the meaning of this, Mani?” his master angrily demanded. Mani smiled. “Remember my condition, that I would lie once in the year. Well, I chose today. You see What lies can do? Now think what happens to the people whom you lie to every day of the year!” Saying this, he walked out, leaving behind a stunned and ashamed landlord. |
Why did Mani want to work for Rajendra?
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| Donated Organs and their Transportation | |
| (1) | Once an organ donor's family gives its consent and the organs are matched to a recipient, medical professionals are faced with the onerous challenge of transporting organs while ensuring that the harvested organ reaches its destination in the shortest possible time. This is done in order to preserve the harvested organs which involves the police especially the traffic police department. |
| (2) | The traditional method of transporting organs by road is referred to as a "green corridor". The first green corridor in India was created by Chennai Traffic Police in September 2008, when they accomplished their task of enabling an ambulance to reach its destination within 11 minutes during peak hour traffic. That organ saved a nine-year-old girl whose life depended on the transplant. Similarly, such green corridors have been created by traffic police of various cities such as Pune, Mumbai, Delhi NCR etc. |
| (3) | Experts point out the lack of a robust system to· transport organs to super-speciality hospitals in least possible time. National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), the country's apex organ donation agency, is now framing a proposal to airlift cadaver organs and will send a report to the Union Health Ministry. "Cadaver organs have a short life and so transplant should be done within a few golden hours." Director (NOTTO) expressed, "Therefore, we are preparing a proposal for airlifting organs at any given moment." |
| (4) | Most states do not have enough well-trained experts to retrieve or perform transplant procedures. Also, there is an acute shortage of advanced healthcare facilities to carry out a transplant. So, it is referred to other big centres in metropolitan cities. Organs retrieved from Aurangabad, Indore, Surat and Pune are sent to Mumbai as these cities do not have super-speciality healthcare centres, informed officials. |
| (5) | "In India, about fifty thousand to one lakh patients are suffering from acute heart failure and need heart transplant at any point of time. In a private set-up, a heart transplant costs ₹ 15- 20 lakhs, which is followed up by postoperative medication of about ₹ 30,000 per month lifelong." Moreover, the risk factor is great hindrance. |
Most states refer organ transplant cases to big hospitals because ______.
Concept: undefined >> undefined
