In Civil Services IAS Prelim Exam, the CSAT paper is qualifying in nature; however, the IAS aspirants should not take this paper as so easy affair to crack. If an aspirant could not qualify the CSAT paper then his/her General Studies paper will not be evaluated irrespective of attempting the GS Paper extraordinarily. So this is important to make sure that your preparation for the CSAT Paper is up to the mark and you will qualify it comfortably.
For the aspirants of Civil Services IAS Prelim Exam 2016, here, we have provided the practice sets of CSAT Reading Comprehensions:
Directions for Question 1 to 5: Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Passage – 9 (3 questions)
The Telangana government’s disclosure in the Supreme Court that there were zero admissions in 398 government schools is shocking. Apparently, successive governments have forgotten that the Constitution gives every child the right to education. Not only do governments turn a blind eye to the fleecing of parents by private educational institutions, they pay little attention to providing basic infrastructure in government schools. The Supreme Court has rightly asked the government of Telangana to explain the reasons for the poor enrolment. Admissions in government schools have been on a decline due to the indiscriminate mushrooming of private institutions, especially in urban areas, cashing in on the craze among parents for English-medium education. Parents are under the impression that government schools have poor educational standards compared to private schools. This is possibly because successive governments have not paid attention to providing necessary infrastructure in schools or to filling up vacancies of teaching and non-teaching staff. Contrary to provisions of the Right to Education Act, not even five per cent of government schools in Telangana have all the required facilities. According to a recent study conducted in 780 government schools across 13 Indian states, key facilities including toilets and drinking water were found wanting in a majority of them. Over 30 per cent of schools had no toilets, leading to a high dropout rate among girl students.
1. What does the author mean by ‘fleecing of parents by private educational institutions’ in the passage?
a) Private educational institutions overcharging parents.
b) Private educational institutions providing better services parents.
c) Parents opting for private educational institutions instead of government.
d) Parents opting for government educational institutions instead of private.
Answer: a)
Explanation: The term fleecing means obtain a great deal of money from someone, typically by overcharging or swindling them. Hence, option a) is correct.
2. What are the possible reasons for parents opting for private educational institutions over government schools?
a) Poor school infrastructure
b) Lack of teaching and non-teaching staff
c) Poor educational standards
d) All of the above
Answer: d)
Explanation: The passage clearly states that parents are under the impression that government schools have poor educational standards compared to private schools. This is possibly because successive governments have not paid attention to providing necessary infrastructure in schools or to filling up vacancies of teaching and non-teaching staff.
3. Which of the following statement is incorrect according to the passage?
a) 5% of government schools in Telangana have all the required facilities.
b) Over 30% of schools had no toilets, leading to a high dropout rate among girl students.
c) Zero admissions in 398 government schools in Telangana.
d) None of the above
Answer: a)
Explanation: The passage clearly states that contrary to provisions of the Right to Education Act, not even 5% of government schools in Telangana have all the required facilities. Hence, option a) is incorrect.
Passage – 10 (2 questions)
The world, it seems, is finally beginning to accept the reality of global warming and that the momentum towards non-conventional energy is irreversible. Oddly enough, the clue is to be found in a couple of negative developments, both recent. The first is the bankruptcy announcement of the planet’s largest coal producer, Peabody Energy. The second, far more significant, is Saudi Arabia’s plan to shift its eggs from the energy basket and find other sources of income for the future. The petroleum colossus is preparing to create the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund if it has to slum it in a time without oil.
4. What does the author mean by the term ‘non-conventional energy’ in the passage?
a) Energy generated through non-renewable resources.
b) Energy generated through renewable resources
c) Energy generated through exhaustible resources.
d) Energy generated through coal, natural gas, oil, and firewood resources.
Answer: b)
Explanation: Energy generated by using wind, tides, solar, geothermal heat, and biomass including farm and animal waste as well as human excreta is known as non-conventional energy.
5. According to the passage, Saudi Arabia’s petroleum giants are planning to venture into which of the following business:
a) Creation of coal mining company
b) Creation of more petroleum companies
c) Creation of Sovereign Wealth fund
d) Buying a coal company
Answer: c)
Explanation: The last line of the passage clearly states that the petroleum colossus is preparing to create the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund if it has to slum it in a time without oil.
