IBPS RRB PO/Clerk Mains English Quiz: 1st of October 2019

IBPS RRB PO/Clerk Mains English Quiz

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.

Paragraph 1: India and China are doing their best to establish a foothold in Africa. In the last week of July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Rwanda, Uganda, and South Africa while Chinese President Xi Jinping also paid a visit to Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa, and Mauritius. The move shows that the two Asian giants are doing all they can to expand their soft power presence in Africa and that their mutual interests will result in competition. During his visit to Rwanda, President Xi signed 15 big deals, with China having decided to fund projects in road constructions, hospital renovation, and development of the Bugesera International Airport. He also expressed his commitment to offer $14.7 billion in investment in South Africa while Senegal has become the first West African country to sign a Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China. Prime Minister Modi has also done his bit. During his trip, the PM gifted 200 cows to villagers in Rwanda to support President Paul Kagame’s initiative for poverty reduction and tackling childhood malnutrition. He also extended $200 million worth of credit lines each to Rwanda and Uganda.

Paragraph 2: One of the reasons for India and China to strengthen their engagements with African countries is the availability of this region as a big market for their products. Oil needs are another factor for New Delhi and Beijing to focus on having close relations with the region. This continent has huge energy reserves, with Kenya having one of the largest crude oil refineries while South Africa comprises 3 percent of African coal reserves. Mozambique has one of the world’s richest off-shore natural gas reserves and massive deposits of coal. As result, China and India are competing with each other to secure African oil and other natural resources to boost their economies. Undoubtedly, over the years, China and India have made sustained efforts to build and expand ties with the African continent. Saying this, Beijing has taken a big leap in courting African countries. Ever since the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was established in 2000, trade volume between the two sides has increased to US $170 billion in 2017. China has also extensively focused on sending its high-ranking officials on visits to boost ties with countries of the African continent with its easy loan policy that has helped it to deepen its foothold in this region. In fact, for various energy and infrastructure projects in Africa, Chinese loans have increased from US $3 billion in 2016 to US $8.8 billion in 2017. On the other hand, while India does enjoy a strong historical relationship with the African continent, its bilateral trade with this region has reached just $70 billion with the two sides targeting a trade of $500 billion by 2020.

Paragraph 3: However, as African countries have focused on expanding economic ties with other countries of the world some of them have also rung alarm bells about the inherent imperialistic maneuvering behind China’s easy-loan policy towards the African region. This only works in India’s favor. Countries in this continent have taken renewed interest in reinventing their ties with India, especially since the formation of the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) in 2008. But it is the Modi government which has boosted this relationship through several measures to elevate ties between India and Africa. In 2015, India hosted the third edition of the IAFS in New Delhi, in which all the 54 African countries participated. While Prime Minister Modi visited Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya in 2016, President Ramnath Kovind toured Guinea and Zambia last year. India has also announced that it will open 18 new embassies in Africa between 2018 and 2021. At the same time, thanks in part to the Indian diaspora there, India enjoys better relations with the people of this region than China. This has significantly increased India’s visibility in the African continent.

Paragraph 4: It is not just trade. India also sees African countries as playing a vital role in promoting peace and security in the Indian Ocean. New Delhi is deeply concerned that China’s Belt Road Initiative (BRI) will have serious security implications in the view of the fact that this project will provide China access to ports from the South China Sea to the eastern coast of Africa. Djibouti is at the meeting point of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea connecting Africa to Asia, and China’s deepening military control in this country and beyond has become another major factor for India to speed up its engagement with African countries. It was in this context that last year India signed a MoU with Kenya on defense cooperation, which will entail staff exchanges, expertise sharing, and training, aimed to counter China’s BRI. While at the recently concluded BRICS meeting in Johannesburg, Modi, and Xi – along with the other three-member countries – expressed their commitment to work together to promote a fair and stable global economy, it remains to be seen how their clashes of interest in Africa will impact their bilateral ties and the future of BRICS.

Q1.According to the passage, what is/are the ground(s) for India and China to enhance their ties with African countries?
(a) In order to facilitate a target for free trade agreement.
(b) Availability of Africa’s market as a big region for their products.
(c) Oil needs, huge energy reserves, and deposits of coal.
(d) Both (a) and (c)
(e) Both (b) and (c)

S1. Ans (e)
Sol. The most suitable option here is (e). We can deduce our answer from paragraph 2 where the reasons to strengthen the ties with Africa are highlighted from the first line itself. The text can be quoted as, “One of the reasons for India and China to strengthen their engagements with African countries is the availability of this region as a big market for their products. Oil needs are another factor for New Delhi and Beijing to focus on having close relations with the region. Mozambique has one of the world’s richest off-shore natural gas reserves and massive deposits of coal.” Option (a) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage, hence it is irrelevant and not the answer.

Q2. Which of the following statements can be deduced from the given passage as a whole?
(a)Only India has boosted this relationship through several measures to elevate ties between India and Africa.
(b)The easy Chinese loan policy is an imperialistic maneuvering of China towards Africa.
(c)The competition of setting a foothold in Africa is going to affect India and China relations.
(d)African countries play a vital role in promoting peace and security to both India and China.
(e) Chinese companies have secured more than $340bn in construction contracts along the Belt and Road.

S2. Ans. (c)
Sol. The whole passage is based upon how India and China are trying hard to establish good relations with African countries. But they themselves are involved in bilateral ties which is automatically going to affect their bilateral relations. As a whole only option (c) fulfills the requirement of the question. Option (e) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

Q3. How has China pounced on in seeking good relations with Africa over India in the past years?
(a) By providing initiative for poverty reduction.
(b) Through its easy loan policy by incrementing the loan amount from $3 billion to $ 8 billion.
(c) By signing $14 million deal to tackle childhood malnutrition.
(d) By extending $200 million worth of credit lines each to Rwanda and Uganda.
(e) None of these

S3. Ans. (b)
Sol. The most suitable option here is option (b).We can refer to paragraph 2 for the deduction of the answer. It is mentioned that China used to send its high ranking officials on visits to boost ties with countries of the African continent with its easy loan policy that has helped it to deepen its foothold in this region.

Q4.Based on the information given in the passage, which of the following is the likely outcome of China’s easy loan policy towards African region?
(a) It would help China to deepen its foothold in African region over India for the long run.
(b) It would result in unstable global economy.
(c) It would help in boosting African economy overall.
(d)It would work in India’s favor as it has signaled Africa of the imperialistic plotting by China.
(e) none of these.

S4. Ans. (d)
Sol. The likely outcome of China’s easy loan policy towards African region has worked in India’s favor. This can be inferred from paragraph 3 where it is mentioned that Africa sees China’s this move as an inherent imperialistic maneuvering. “This only works in India’s favor. Countries in this continent have taken renewed interest in reinventing their ties with India, especially since the formation of the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) in 2008.”

Q5. “India is pacing up its involvement with African countries”. Which option supports the given statement most suitable?
(a) To promote a fair and stable economy.
(b) Because China enjoys better relations with Africa than India.
(c) Other countries are taking renewed interest in making ties with Africa.
(d) China’s deepening military control in the South China Sea and beyond.
(e) None of these.

S5. Ans. (d)
Sol. The most appropriate answer according to the context is option (d). For the answer, we can refer to paragraph 4, where it is mentioned, “Djibouti is at the meeting point of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea connecting Africa to Asia, and China’s deepening military control in this country and beyond, has become another major factor for India to speed up its engagement with African countries.”

Directions (6-8): Find out the word from the given options which is similar in meaning to the word given in bold in the passage.

Q6.Renovation
(a)Refurbishment
(b)Obsolescence
(c)Abolition
(d)Demolition
(e)Fissure

S6. Ans. (a)
Sol. Renovation means restoration. The only word that matches the meaning of the given word is refurbishment.
Obsolescence means the process of becoming outdated.
Abolition means termination.
Demolition means destruction.
Fissure means split or crack (something) to form a long, narrow opening.

Q7.Courting
(a)Shunning
(b)Appealing
(c)Eschewing
(d)Shirking
(e)Spurning

S7. Ans. (b)
Sol. Courting means pay special attention to (someone) in an attempt to win their support or favor.
Appealing is its synonym.
Shunning means persistently avoiding.
Eschewing means abstaining from.
Shirking means avoiding or neglecting.
Spurning means rejecting with disdain or contempt.

Q8.Inherent
(a) Extraneous
(b) Innate
(c) Extrinsic
(d) Superficial
(e) Acquired

S8. Ans. (b)
Sol. Inherent means inborn. Innate means exactly the same.
Extraneous means of external origin.
Extrinsic means not part of the essential nature of someone or something; coming or operating from outside.
Superficial means existing or occurring at or on the surface.
Acquired means learn or develop.

Directions (9-10): Find out the word from the given options which is opposite in meaning to the word given in bold in the passage.

Q9. Maneuvering
(a) Intriguing
(b) Plotting
(c) Steering
(d) Ingenuous
(e) Conspiring

S9. Ans. (d)
Sol. Maneuvering means carefully guide or manipulate (someone or something) in order to achieve an end.
Ingenuous means innocent and unsuspecting. Hence it is the opposite of the given word
Intriguing means arising one’s curiosity of interest.
Steering means following in a specified direction.

Q10.Diaspora
(a) Migration
(b) Dissolution
(c) Dispersal
(d) Exile
(e) Accumulation

S10. Ans. (e)
Sol. Diaspora means migration.All the words in the options are the meanings of the given word. Only option (e) is the opposite of the given word. Hence option (e) is the answer.

Directions (11-15): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.

Paragraph 1: The Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj has made it clear that India only follows UN sanctions and does not recognize the unilateral sanctions by the United States. This might be seen as a shift from the camaraderie shared by both countries in recent times. The U.S. unilateral sanctions have not only complicated relations with India but also with the European Union and other parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). However, the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made a statement that allies like India should be exempted from Countering American Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA); the Senators in U.S. Congress are noncommittal to the proposed waivers. The U.S. backing out from JCPoA has already put its relationship with EU under strain. The push for a waiver by the U.S. Secretary of State might be a face-saving grace as America’s reliability as a global power and the unpredictable nature of the current U.S. administration is questioned.

Paragraph 2: India’s interests in Iran are two-fold: the Chabahar Project and a significant chunk of India’s oil imports come from Iran. The sanctions will render the use of dollars illegal by August 2018 because of CAATSA. Due to fears of the current financial embargo, it is becoming difficult for India to pay in Indian Rupees. The Reserve Bank of India and the Ministry of External Affairs need to chart out a new payment system while avoiding sanctions. While the Indian Government will take over Chabahar under the internal lease agreement, the ramifications of the sanctions on Chabahar could be banks backing out due to fear of U.S. sanctions. The Chabahar project is India’s strategic roadmap to connect with Afghanistan and Central Asia—a project much older compared to China’s Belt and Road initiative. The Chabahar port will give India direct access to Afghanistan and help increase its role there, which is in U.S. interest. The U.S. pulling out of the JCPoA poses a major threat to India’s role in Afghanistan and its warm relations with Iran.

Paragraph 3: India-Russia relations have been strained due to the U.S. increasingly becoming one of India’s largest arms suppliers and threatening the Russian dominance on the Indian defense market. One way which the U.S. sanctions are affecting this relationship is the S-400 Triumph sales to India. S-400 is a potent Surface to Air missile system, which would equip the Indian Air Force to strengthen India’s Air defense system. CAATSA threatens India’s purchase of this missile system and has infuriated the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defense in India. India’s reliance on Iran for oil and Russia for defense equipment could be choked due to the unilateral sanctions by the U.S. on various important entities, personalities, and institutions in these countries. The U.S. in recent times has been more than enthusiastic about its relationship with India by backing UNSC permanent membership and NSG membership although with not much success. The Indo-U.S. relations has always been a contentious issue with successive governments in India and the U.S. as the range of relationship has not been denied by any side since 1947. The relationship between the two countries has seen the good, the bad and the ugly.

Paragraph 4: The recent statement by the Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj who said India will not be recognizing the U.S. unilateral sanction has reinforced India’s core principle of Non-Alignment. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Russia and Mrs. Swaraj meeting with her counterpart from Iran is not necessarily a shift but adhering to India’s unequivocal stand on not relenting to these unilateral sanctions directly or indirectly. For the U.S., India seems like a viable option to counter the growing Chinese threat. Increasing unwarranted Chinese military developments in South China Sea and recent uptick in the People’s Liberation Army Navy activity in the Indian Ocean is a cause of worry for both India and the U.S. While the U.S. Senate is not on board with the waivers asked by Secretary Pompeo, it is an indication that the U.S. administration is interested in having better relations with India. The Pentagon changing the U.S. Navy’s biggest and oldest fleet command name to Indo-Pacific command from Pacific Command (PACOM) might be symbolic, but it is the least the United States could do to show seriousness about their commitments towards better relations with India in light of CAATSA.

Paragraph 5: The unpredictable nature of U.S. foreign policy since 2016 has to be taken into account as far as Indo-U.S. relations are concerned. The CAATSA dilemma in no way should mean that the relationship has to be built from the ground up. Instead, India taking up these issues with the U.S. should be viewed as evidence of India’s increasing role in the international arena, which is not ready to give up its relations with other allies to accommodate U.S. interests. For the U.S.-India relationship to move forward it has to be mutually beneficial and cannot be based on just convenience.

Q11. What crucial role does Chabahar project hold for India?
(a) The project is linked with China’s Belt and Road Initiative in India too.
(b) As most of its oil imports come from Iran.
(c) The route can be a regional market access for India-Iran-Afghanistan.
(d) Both (b) and (c)
(e) Both (a) and (c)

S11. Ans. (d)
Sol. Option (d) is the appropriate choice. The answer can be deduced from paragraph 2 where it is mentioned, “India’s interests in Iran are two-fold: the Chabahar Project and a significant chunk of India’s oil imports come from Iran.” Furthermore, it is also stated that the Chabahar project is India’s strategic roadmap to connect with Afghanistan and Central Asia. Thus both the options (b) and (c) consummate the requirement of the question.

Q12. How has India outspokenly taken its stand on sticking against unilateral sanctions imposed by U.S.?
(a) Continuing bilateral partnership with China enhancing Sino-Indian ties.
(b) By bolstering up its military operations in Afghanistan.
(c) P.M. Modi’s visit to Russia and Mrs. Swaraj meeting with her counterpart from Iran
(d) By declaring that India only follows UN sanctions and does not recognize the unilateral sanctions by the United States.
(e) Both (c) and (d)

S12. Ans. (e)
Sol. The correct option here is option (e). Refer to paragraph 4 where option (c) is stated directly as, “Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Russia and Mrs. Swaraj meeting with her counterpart from Iran is not necessarily a shift but adhering to India’s unequivocal stand on not relenting to these unilateral sanctions directly or indirectly.” Also, refer to paragraph 1, “The Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj has made it clear that India only follows UN sanctions and does not recognize the unilateral sanctions by the United States.”

Q13.Why is it becoming difficult for India to pay in Indian rupees for the oil imports that come from Iran?
(a) CAATSA will render the use of dollars illegal by August 2018.
(b) Due to fears of current financial interdiction.
(c) As the U.S. pulling out of the JCPOA threats India’s economic balance.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
(e) Both (a) and (c)

S13. Ans. (d)
Sol. The most suitable option here is option (d). The answer can be referred from paragraph 2 where the author has explained about the paying off the significant chunks of oil imports that come from Iran. “The sanctions will render the use of dollars illegal by August 2018 because of CAATSA. Due to fears of the current financial embargo, it is becoming difficult for India to pay in Indian Rupees.”

Q14. How have U.S. sanctions enraged Indian Ministry in terms of its reliability on Russia?
(a) India’s reliance on Russia for oil can be choked by unilateral sanctions imposed by U.S.
(b) CAATSA threatens India’s purchase of S-400 Triumph missile system.
(c) Russia also backing out from JCPOA due to U.S. sanctions have inflamed Indian ministry.
(d) The U.S sanctions affecting export-import in the bilateral trade having minimal potential.
(e) All of these.

S14. Ans. (b)
Sol. The appropriate answer is option (b). We can deduce the answer from paragraph 3 where it is elaborated that India-Russia relationship is strained due to the U.S. sanctions over defense market of Russia. “One way which the U.S. sanctions are affecting this relationship is the S-400 Triumph sales to India. CAATSA threatens India’s purchase of this missile system and has infuriated the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defense
in India.”

Q15. Which one of the following statement is definitely false according to the passage?
(a) According to U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, allies like India must be exempted from CAATSA.
(b) The Indo-U.S. relations has always been a contentious issue with successive governments in India and the U.S.
(c) The U.S. pulling out of the JCPoA poses a major threat to India’s warm relations with China.
(d) America’s reliability as a global power and the unpredictable nature of the current U.S. administration is questioned.
(e) None of these.

S15. Ans. (c)
Sol. Here option (c) is the correct choice. All of the given options are correct except option (c). This can be inferred from paragraph 2 where the text is quoted as, “The U.S. pulling out of the JCPoA poses a major threat to India’s role in Afghanistan and its warm relations with Iran.” There is no reference about India’s relation with China in context of U.S. pulling out from JCPOA. Hence option (c) is the answer.

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