English Quizzes For IBPS Clerk Prelims 2021: 1st December

Directions (1-10): 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.

Mile Durkheim, the first person to be formally recognized as a sociologist and the most scientific of the pioneers, conducted a study that stands as a research model for sociologists today. His investigation of suicide was, in fact, the first sociological study to use statistics. In Suicide (1964, originally published in 1897) Durkheim documented his contention that some aspects of human behaviour even something as allegedly invidualistic as suicide-can be explained without reference to individuals.
Like all of Durkheim’s work, suicide must be viewed in the context of his concern for social integration. Durkheim wanted to see if suicide rates within a social entity (for example, a group, organisation, or society) are related to the degree to which individuals are socially involved (integrated and regulated). Durkheim described three types of suicide: egoistic, altruistic and anomic. Egoistic suicide is promoted when individuals do not have sufficient social ties: Since single (never married) adults, for example, are not heavily involved with family life, they are more likely to commit suicide than the married adults. Altruistic suicide, on the other hand, is more likely to occur when social integration is too strong. The ritual suicide of Hindu widows on their husbands funeral pyres is one example. Military personnel, trained to lay down their lives for their country, provide another illustration.
Durkheim’s third type of suicide-anomic suicide-increases when the social regulation of individuals is disrupted. For example, suicide rates increase during economic depression. People who suddenly find themselves without a job or without hope of finding one are more prone to kill themselves. Suicides may also increase during periods of prosperity. People may loosen their social ties by taking new jobs, moving to new communities, or finding new mates.
Using data from the government population reports of several countries (much of it from the French Government Statistical Office), Durkheim found strong support for his line of reasoning. Suicide rates were higher among single than married people, among military personnel than civilians, among divorced than married people, and among people involved in nation wide economic crises.
It isimportant to realise that Durkheim’s primary interest was not in the empirical (observable) indicators he used, such as suicide rates among military personnel, married people, and so forth. Rather, Durkheim used the following indicators to support several of his contentions. (a) Social behaviour, can be explained by social rather than psychological factors. (b) Suicide is affected by the degree of integration and regulation within social entities; and (c) Since society can be studied scientifically, sociology is worthy of recognition in the academic world. Durkheim was successful on all three counts.

Q1.Since single adults are not heavily involved with family life, they are more likely to commit suicide which Durkheim categories as:
(a) anomic suicide
(b) altruistic suicide
(c) egoistic suicide
(d) economical suicide
(e) none of the above

Q2. Higher suicide rate during rapid progress in a society is a manifestation of:
(a) altruistic suicide
(b) anomic suicide
(c) egoistic suicide
(d) cynical suicide
(e) none of the above

Q3. Increase in the suicide rate during economic depression is an example of:
(a) altruistic suicide
(b) anomic suicide
(c) egoistic suicide
(d) both 1 and 3
(e) All of these

Q4. In this study Durkheim’s main purpose was:
(a) to document that suicide can be explained without reference to the individual
(b) to provide an explanation of the variation in the rate of suicide across societies
(c) to categorize various types of suicide
(d) to document that social behavior can be explained by social rather than psychological factors
(e) all of these

Q5. Ritual suicide of Hindu widows on their husbands’ funeral pyres was:
(a) a manifestation of strong social integration
(b) an example of brutality against women
(c) an example of anomic suicide
(d) an example of egoistic suicide
(e) None of these

Q6. According to Durkheim, suicide rates within a social entity can be explained in terms of
(a) absence of social ties
(b) disruption of social regulation
(c) nature of social integration
(d) both (b) and (c)
(e) all of the above

Q7. According to Durkheim, altruistic suicide is more likely among:
(a) military personal than among civilians
(b) single people than among married people
(c) divorcees than among married people
(d) people involved in nation-wide economic crisis
(e) All of the above

Q8. To support his contentions, Durkheim relied on the following indicators:
(a) Social behavioris explicable predominately through social factors
(b) Suicide is contention upon the degree of regulation and interaction
(c) Recognizing sociology is to acknowledge that society is susceptible to scientific investigation
(d) both (a) and (b)
(e) All of the above

Q9. Basing himself on his own indicators, Durkheim was:
(a) Right on some counts not others
(b) Vindicated on all counts
(c) Wrong but did not realise that he was right
(d) Substantially correct but formally wrong
(e) None of these

Directions (10): Choose the word/group of words which is most SIMILAR in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in passage.

Q10. Contention
(a) zest
(b) vogue
(c) allegation
(d) myraid
(e) rampant

Directions (11-15): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered and one word has been suggested alongside the blank. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five options are given. In four options, one word is suggested in each option. Find out the appropriate word which fits the blank appropriately. If the word written alongside the blank fits the passage, choose option ‘e’ (No correction required) as the correct choice.

India is known to grant titles of “strategic partnership” very completely (11). It is not odd to hear foreign ambassadors and high commissioners in New Delhi nagging (12) about this peculiar Indian trait in private conversations. The relationship with Japan, however, is too special to be given the same treatment (13). Therefore, the Indo-Japanese bilateral cooperation is carried out under the framework of a “special strategic and global partnership”. The better part is that the aspect (14) of cooperation between the two countries is indeed impressive and therefore denotes (15) the unique nomenclature.

Q11.
(a)grudgingly
(b) lavishly
(c)properly
(d)generously
(e) no improvement required

Q12.
(a)grumbling
(b) perverting
(c) vexing
(d)bothering
(e) No improvement required

Q13.
(a)attention
(b) reward
(c) allowance
(d)cooperation
(e) No improvement required

Q14.
(a)demeanour
(b) presence
(c) pace
(d) anomaly
(e) No improvement required

Q15.
(a)asserts
(b) justifies
(c) appeals
(d) boosts
(e) No improvement required

Solutions

S1. Ans. (c)
Sol. Refer to the line from paragraph 2…,”Egoistic suicide is promoted when individuals do not have sufficient social ties: Since single (never married) adults, for example, are not heavily involved with family life, they are more likely to commit suicide than the married adults”. Hence, egoistic suicide is the right answer choice.

S2. Ans. (b)
Sol. Refer to the line from paragraph 3…,”Durkheim’s third type of suicide-anomic suicide-increases when the social regulation of individuals is disrupted” and higher suicide rate during rapid progress in a society is a manifestation of anomic suicide.

S3. Ans. (b)
Sol. Refer to the line from paragraph 3…,”Durkheim’s third type of suicide-anomic suicide-increases when the social regulation of individuals is disrupted. For example, suicide rates increase during economic depression”. Anomic suicide is thus the right answer choice.

S4. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer to the lines from paragraph 1…,”Durkheim documented his contention that some aspects of human behaviour even something as allegedly individualistic as suicide-can be explained without reference to individuals”. This shows that Durkheim’s main purpose was to document that suicide can be explained without reference to the individual. Hence, option (a) is the right answer

S5. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer to the line from paragraph 2…,”Altruistic suicide, on the other hand, is more likely to occur when social integration is too strong. The ritual suicide of Hindu widows on their husbands funeral pyres is one example”. This explains option (a) is thus the right answer

S6. Ans. (e)
Sol. According to Durkheim, suicide rates within a social entity can be explained in terms of absence of social ties, disruption of social regulation and nature of social integration. This is evident from paragraph 2 of the passage. Hence, option (e) is the right answer choice

S7. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer to the lines from paragraph 2…,”Altruistic suicide, on the other hand, is more likely to occur when social integration is too strong. Military personnel, trained to lay down their lives for their country, provide another illustration”. This makes option (a) as the right answer choice

S8. Ans. (e)
Sol. The line from the last paragraph…,”Durkheim used the following indicators to support several of his contentions. (a) Social behaviour, can be explained by social rather than psychological factors. (b) Suicide is affected by the degree of integration and regulation within social entities; and (c) Since society can be studied scientifically, sociology is worthy of recognition in the academic world” explain that he relied on all the indicators to support his contention. Option (e) is thus the right answer choice.

S9. Ans. (b)
Sol. Refer to the last line of the passage… “Durkheim was successful on all three counts”. Hence, option (d) is the right answer choice

S10. Ans. (c)
Sol. Contention means an assertion, especially one maintained in argument. Hence it has same meaning as allegation.
Rampant means flourishing or spreading unchecked.
Myraid means a countless or extremely great number of people or things.
Vogue means popular.
Zest means great enthusiasm and energy.

S11. Ans. (d)
Sol. ‘generously’ is the correct word to make the sentence meaningful.
‘grudgingly’ means in a reluctant manner.
‘lavishly’ means in a luxurious manner.

S12. Ans. (a)
Sol. ‘grumbling’ is the correct word to make the sentence meaningful.
‘grumbling’ means complaining.
‘perverting’ means distort.
‘nagging’ means persistently painful or worrying.
‘vexing’ means annoying.

S13. Ans. (e)
Sol. No improvement is required here.

S14. Ans. (c)
Sol. ‘pace’ is the correct word to make the sentence meaningful.
Demeanor means outward behavior or bearing.

S15. Ans. (b)
Sol. ‘justifies is the correct word to make the sentence meaningful.
Assert means declare.