English for Bank Exam: Comprehension Passage 4

Passage 4
   

Now the question arises, what is the secret of the longevity and imperishability of Indian culture? Why is it that such great empires and nations is Babylion, Assyria, Greece, Rome and Persia, could not last more than the footprints of a camel m the shifting sands of the desert, while India which faced the same ups and downs, the same mighty and cruel hand of time, is still alive and with the same halo of glory and splendour ? The answer is given by Prof. J. B. Pratt of America. According to him Hindu religion is the only religion in the world which is 'self-perpetuating and self-renewing.' Unlike other religions 'not death, but development' has been the fate of Hinduism. Not only Hindu religion but the whole culture of the Hindus has been growing changing and developing in accordance with the needs of time and circumstance without losing its essential and imperishable spirit. The culture of the vedic ages, of the ages of the Upanishads, the philosophical systems, the Mahabharata, the Smirities, the Puranas, the commentators, the medieval ^aints and of the age of the modern reformers is the same in Spirit and yet very different in form. Its basic principles are so broad based that they can be adapted to almost any environment of development.

1.    The author has compared India with all the following except-
    (A) Greece   
    (B) Rome
    (C) Babylon
    (D) Assyria
    (E) Egypt

Ans (e)    
2.    In what respect is India implied to be superior to all other nations and empires ?
    (A)    Material development
    (B)    Cultural advancement
    (C)    Military strength
    (D)    Territorial expansion
    (E)    Empire building

Ans (b)   

3.    What, according to J. B. Pratt, is the secret of the longevity and imperishability of Indian culture ?
    (A)    It has its origin in the remote past
    (B)    It issues from the minds and hearts of its sages
    (C)    It is self-perpetuating and self-renewing
    (D)    It is founded on religion
    (E)    It is founded on morality

Ans (c)    

4.    Which of the following has not been mentioned as a particular period of Indian culture ?
    (A)    The Vedic age
    (B)    The age of Upanishads
    (C)    The age of the Mahabharata    :
    (D)    The British period
    (E)    The age of the Puranas

Ans (d)    

5.    What changes has the spirit of Indian culture undergone during its long history right from the vedic age down to the present times ?
    (A)    The precedence of moral values was eclipsed at certain periods of time
    (B)    Materialism was the hall-mark of Indian culture during certain periods of time
    (C)    During certain periods military development was the be-all and end-all of Indian culture
    (D)    There is no such thing as any spirit of Indian culture
    (E)    The spirit of Indian culture has practically been the same from the ancient times down to the present

Ans (e)    

6.    What according to the author has always characterised the Hindu religion ?
    (A)    Development
    (B)    Stagnation
    (C)    Sometimes development and sometimes stagnation
    (D)    Lack of moral values
    (E)   1 Precedence of material over moral values

Ans (a)    

7.    Which other religion has been mentioned in the passage as self-developing and self-renewing as Hindu religion ?
    (A) Christianity        
    (B) Islam
    (C)  Buddhism
    (D) Jainism
    (E)   None of these

Ans (e)    

8.    "Could not last more than the footprints of a camel on the shifting sands of the desert." What does it mean ?
    (A)    It lost itself in deserts
    (B)    It was transient
    (C)    It lacked solidity
    (D)    It was limited only to desert areas
    (E)    It lacked cohesion

Ans (b)    

9.    What is the characteristic quality of the basic principles of Indian culture ?
    (A)    They are static
    (B)    They derive their strength from thegenius of the people
    (C)    They can be adapted almost to any environment of development
    (D)    They believe in the purity of Indian culture
    (E)    Nothing of these

Ans (c)    

10.    Which of the following may be the best title of the passage ?
    (A)    Unity of Indian Culture
    (B)    Indian Civilization and Culture
    (C)    Indian Religion and Civilization
    (D)    Characteristics of Indian Culture
    (E)    Development of Indian Culture

Ans (d)    

    Pick out the most appropriate equivalent (synonym) of the following words taken from the above passage:

11.    Longevity :
    (A)    Living long
    (B)    Diseased life
    (C)    Depressed spirit
    (D)    The period of living
    (E)    Misery

Ans (a)    

12.    Shifting:
    (A)    Piercing
    (B) Penetrating
    (C)    Changing
    (D) Mincing
    (E)    Obstructing

Ans (c)    

13.    Ups and downs :
    (A)    Joys and sorrows
    (B)    Weal and woe
    (C)    Successes and failures
    (D)    Jerks and jolts
    (E)    Merits and demerits

Ans (c)       

14.    Splendour:
    (A)    Reticence
    (B) Delight
    (C)    Jubilation
    (D) Immortalize
    (E)    Grandeur 

Ans (e)     

15.    Perpetuate:
    (A)    Tyrannize
    (B) Delight 
    (C)    Deride
    (D) immortalize    
    (E)    Confirm

Ans (d)    

Pick out the most appropriate word exactly opposite in meaning of the following words taken from the above passage:

16. Last:
    (A)    End
    (B) Grow
    (C)    Diminish
    (D) Increase
    (E)    Finish

Ans (a)    

17.    Mighty:
    (A)    Forcible
    (B) Forceful
    (C)    Weak
    (D) Tough
    (E)    Haughty

Ans (c)    

18.    Glory:
    (A)    Splendour
    (B) Notoriety
    (C)    Fame
    (D) Reputation
    (E)    Debasement

Ans (e)    

19.    Development:
    (A)    Retardation
    (B)    Retrogression
    (C)    Transgression
    (D)    Progress
    (E)    Impecunity

Ans (b)    

20.    Modern:
    (A)    Up-date
    (B) Recent 
    (C)    Cast
    (D) Ancient
    (E)    Old

Ans (d)