Directions (1-8): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
The composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s remarkable musical talent was apparent even before most children can sing a simple nursery rhyme. Wolfgang’s older sister Maria Anna (who the family called
Nannerl) was learning the clavier, an early keyboard instrument, when her three-year-old brother took an interest in playing. As Nannerl later recalled, Wolfgang “often spent much time at the clavier picking out thirds, which he was always striking, and his pleasure showed that it sounded good.” Their father Leopold, an assistant concertmaster at the Salzburg Court, recognized his children’s unique gifts and soon devoted himself to their musical education.
Born in Salzburg, Austria, on January 27, 1756, Wolfgang had composed his first original work by age five. Leopold planned to take Nannerl and Wolfgang on tour to play before the European courts. Their first venture was to nearby Munich where the children played for Maximillian III Joseph, elector of Bavaria. Leopold soon set his sights on the capital of the Hapsburg Empire, Vienna. On their way to Vienna, the family stopped in Linz, where Wolfgang gave his first public concert. By this time, Wolfgang was not only a virtuoso harpsichord player, but he had also mastered the violin. The audience at Linz was stunned by the six-year-old, and word of his genius soon traveled to Vienna. In a much anticipated concert, the Mozart children appeared at the Schonbrunn Palace on October 13, 1762. They utterly charmed the emperor and empress.
Following this success, Leopold was inundated with invitations for the children to play, for a fee. Leopold seized the opportunity and booked as many concerts as possible at courts throughout Europe. A concert could last three hours, and the children played at least two per a day. Today, Leopold might be considered the worst kind of stage parent, but at the time, it was not uncommon for prodigies to make extensive concert tours. Even so, it was an exhausting schedule for a child who was just past the age of needing an afternoon nap.
Q1. A good title for this passage would be
(a) Classical Music in the Eighteenth Century: An Overview.
(b) Stage Parents: A Historical Perspective.
(c) Mozart: The Early Life of a Musical Prodigy.
(d) Mozart: The Short Career of a Musical Genius.
(e) None of these
Q2. According to the passage, Wolfgang became interested in music because
(a) his father thought it would be profitable.
(b) he had a natural talent.
(c) he saw his sister learning to play an instrument.
(d) he came from a musical family.
(e) None of these
Q3. What was the consequence of Wolfgang’s first public appearance?
(a) He charmed the emperor and empress of Hapsburg.
(b) Word of Wolfgang’s genius spread to the capital.
(c) Leopold set his sights on Vienna.
(d) Invitations for the miracle children to play poured in.
(e) None of these
Q4. Each of the following statements about Wolfgang Mozart is directly supported by the passage except
(a) Mozart’s father, Leopold, was instrumental in shaping his career.
(b) Maria Anna was a talented musician in her own right.
(c) Wolfgang’s childhood was devoted to his musical career.
(d) Wolfgang preferred the violin to other instruments.
(e) None of these
Q5. According to the passage, during Wolfgang’s early years, child prodigies were
(a) few and far between.
(b) accustomed to extensive concert tours.
(c) expected to spend at least six hours per a day practicing their music.
(d) expected to play for courts throughout Europe.
(e) None of these
Q6. Based on information found in the passage, Mozart can best be described as
(a) a child prodigy.
(b) a workaholic.
(c) the greatest composer of the eighteenth century.
(d) a victim of his father’s ambition.
(e) None of these
Q7. Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning to the word ‘virtuoso’ used in the passage.
(a) amateur
(b)inexpert
(c)clumsy
(d)doyen
(e)bumbling
Q8. Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning to the word ‘utterly’ used in the passage.
(a)partly
(b)implicitly
(c)plumb
(d)unreservedly
(e)solely
Directions (9-10): In each of the following paragraph/ statement, there are two words omitted. Below each sentence(s), there are five options and four of which consists of two words which can fill the blanks respectively to make the sentence(s) grammatically and contextually correct. Find the most appropriate set of words that fit into the blanks contextually. If none of the given sets of words fill the blanks appropriately mark option (e) i.e., ‘none of these’ as your answer choice.
Q9. India’s economy has _____________; the deceleration in growth was evident even before the _____________of the pandemic.
(a) Renounced, Active
(b)Nosedived, Onset
(c) Spirited, Secure
(d)Assume, Quiet
(e) None of these
Q10. While providing _____________that all of the 22 languages listed as official under the Constitution would be given importance by the NEP, the minister also _____________to quietly slip in a telling remark.
(a) Perception, Definite
(b) Discomfiting, Unsure
(c) Discerned, Agreed
(d)Assurance, Managed
(e) None of these
Solutions
S1. Ans. (c)
Sol. This title most nearly captures the main idea of the passage and the author’s purpose in writing the piece. The other choices either are not mentioned or are secondary ideas in the passage.
S2. Ans. (c)
Sol. The passage clearly states that Wolfgang took an interest in the clavier when his sister was learning to play the instrument.
S3. Ans. (b)
Sol. In the second paragraph, the passage states that Wolfgang’s first public appearance was at Linz and that after this concert, word of his genius traveled to Vienna. This paragraph also states that Vienna was the capital of the Hapsburg Empire.
S4. Ans. (d)
Sol. The passage does not say anything about Wolfgang preferring one instrument to another.
S5. Ans. (b)
Sol. The third paragraph states that at the time, it was not uncommon for child prodigies to have extensive concert tours. The other choices are not supported by the information given in the passage.
S6. Ans. (a)
Sol. The main point of the passage is to describe Mozart’s experiences as a child prodigy, or a highly talented child. Choices (b), (c), and (d) are not mentioned in the paragraph.
S7. Ans. (d)
Sol. Virtuoso means a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit. Doyen means the most respected or prominent person in a particular field.
S8. Ans. (a)
Sol. Utterly means completely and without qualification; absolutely. Partly means to some extent; not completely.
S9. Ans. (b)
Sol. “Nosedived, Onset” will fill the blanks respectively to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct. Hence, option (b) is the right answer choice.
S10. Ans. (d)
Sol. “Assurance, Managed” will fill the blanks respectively to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct. Hence, option (d) is the right answer choice.
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