English Reading Comprehension Set 54

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

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The subject “Good Governance” is both topical and timely. It is an axiom of political science that a State comes into being for life but it exists for good life. The duty of the state is not only to protect life and liberty but goes further, to enable the people to live in a measure of physical and mental comfort. Democracy is a government by the citizens themselves. The people should realise that they are responsible for choosing the right and proper persons to represent them in national affairs. In colonial administration the government was different from the people. Those governments ruled but without the consent and concurrence of the people. This old concept still persists in the masses today. They do not realise that the general election is the occasion for them to choose a government for themselves. On the contrary, the masses feel that the franchise is a patronage to be conferred on their kith and kin, or the local candidate, or one of their caste and religious fraternity. In mature democracies, a person who changes his party affiliation or crosses the floor, seldom gets re-elected by the electorate. They do not trust him to stand firm by the policies and programmes proposed by him. In India a person who was in the Congress Government and immediately thereafter in the Janata Government and then in Chandrashekhar Government was re-elected and came once again into the Congress Government!

The electorate votes for a criminal or a corrupt candidate, and bemoans that the country has a bad government. The electorate does not realise that even as it contributes to its own household expenditure, it has to contribute to the country’s governance. It is easily misled by the unscrupulous promises of political parties of free food, free clothes, free electricity, free everything. Even enlightened people plead for tax concessions, subsidies and incentivesoblivious of the fact that they are met by borrowings which in turn impose burdens indirectly on themselves. Besides, in a true democracy, the people voluntarily observe the laws, rules and regulations as they are forged by themselves in the interest of good governance. It is only because 90% of the people abide by the laws and 10% transgress them that the state is able to maintain order and harmony. If the situation were reversed with 90% transgressing the law and 10% abiding by it, there can be no organised society, no peace and harmony. Some of the advanced countries, notably Switzerland, have perhaps the highest degree of compliance. A mere board stating that the road is closed will be complied with by almost 100% of the people.

1. Which of the following is supposed to be the most relevant duty of the state?

1) to ensure sovereignty of the region 

2) to ensure prosperity of the region

3) to look after the welfare of its people 

4) to develop better terms with other nations

5) None of these

2. What is the basic difference between democracy and colonial rule?

1) In a democracy, people’s will prevails, whereas in a colonial rule, ruler’s will prevails.

2) Democracy is a rule by different parties whereas a colonial rule is a single-party rule.

3) Democracy can be opposed by the people but such is not the case with colonial rule.

4) A colonial rule can be converted into a democracy but the same cannot happen with a democracy.

5) None of these

3. If the people want to have a responsible government in a democracy

1) they must call for free and fair elections.

2) they should take charge of the elections.

3) they should elect educated and experienced representatives.

4) they should look for single-party rule.

5) they should elect desirable candidates.

4. Why does a person changing his party find it hard to get re-elected in mature democracies?

1) Because political parties suspect his fidelity.

2) Because he loses his image in the political circle.

3) Because his eligibility for fighting elections gets questioned.

4) Because he has to depend upon the stand of his new party.

5) None of these

5. In a country like India, who is mainly responsible for good or bad governance?

1) The system of electing our representatives 

2) The political parties 

3) The voters

4) The political party in power 

5) None of these

6. Which of the following is true in the context of the passage?

1) Good governance is related to the welfare of the people.

2) We have a mature democracy in India.

3) The leaders who change parties face hurdles in getting re-elected in our country.

4) Colonial rule was much better than the present democracy.

5) None of these

7. What makes Switzerland a successful democracy?

1) Clear instructions regarding public concerns marked on boards, even on roadsides

2) High rate of literacy among the populace

3) Law-abiding citizens

4) Governance with a mission

5) None of these

8. Which of the following suggestions may not be necessary to make India a mature democracy?

1) The voters should elect candidates with clean image.

2) The voters should not entertain candidates who frequently change their party and ideology.

3) The voters should shun their narrow interests while voting for their candidates.

4) The people should respect the law of the land.

5) None of these

9. With which stream does the author seem to be related?

1) Sociology 

2) History 

3) Political Science

4) Constitution of India 

5) None of these

Directions : Choose the word which is the same in meaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage.

10. CONCURRENCE

1) satisfaction 

2) agreement 

3) participation 

4) loyalty 

5) dependence

11. FRATERNITY

1) society 

2) groups 

3) background 

4) ethnicity 

5) brotherhood

12. VOLUNTARILY

1) basically 

2) generally 

3) systematically 

4) willingly 

5) unitedly

Directions: Choose the word which is the opposite in meaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage.

13. SELDOM

1) hardly 

2) unopposed 

3) generally 

4) majority 

5) convincingly

14. BEMOAN

1) laud 

2) accept 

3) approve 

4) weep 

5) debate

15. OBLIVIOUS

1) arguing 

2) veteran 

3) expert 

4) aware 

5) orator

ANSWERS:

1. 3; to enable the people to live in a measure of physical and mental comfort.
2. 1
3. 5
4. 5; because the electorate loses faith and trust in him and his ideologies.
5. 3; It is the voters who elect good or bad representatives and they get the same kind of governance.
6. 1
7. 3; Majority of the people in Switzerland respect the law of the land.
8. 5; All the given points are relevant for making India a mature democracy.
9. 3
10. 2
11. 5
12. 4
13. 3
14. 1
15. 4

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