GRE RC Select Many Sample Questions



RC Passage

World War I came; politics was at low ebb, chiefly because of the split in the Congress between the two sections, the so-called extremists and the moderates, and because of war-time restrictions and regulations. Yet one tendency was marked: the rising middle class among the Moslems was growing more nationally minded and was pushing the Moslem League towards the Congress. They even joined hands. Industry developed during the war and produced enormous dividends – 100 to 200 per cent – from the jute mills of Bengal and the cotton mills of Bombay, Ahmedabad, and elsewhere. Some of these dividends flowed to the owners of foreign capital in Dundee and London, some went to swell the riches of Indian millionaires; and yet the workers who had created these dividends lived at an incredibly low level of existence – in ‘filthy, disease ridden hovels’, with no window or chimney, no light or water supply, no sanitary arrangements. These are special cases, but they are not very exceptional. They describe conditions in the twenties and thirties of this century when some improvements had already been made. What these conditions were like previous to these improvements staggers the imagination. I remember visiting some of these slums and hovels of industrial workers, gasping for breath there, and coming out dazed and full of horror and anger. I remember also going down a coal mine in Jharia and seeing the conditions in which our women folk worked there. I can never forget that picture or the shock that came to me that human beings should labour thus. Women were subsequently prohibited from working underground, but now they have been sent back there because, we are told, war needs require additional labour; and yet millions of men are starving and unemployed.

Directions:

Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

1. Which of the following is NOT an issue being discussed in the passage?

  • A. Pre-World War I living conditions
  • B. Living conditions of the workers
  • C. Financial conditions prevalent during World War I
  • D. Provision of good working conditions for women coal mine workers
  • E. The political scenario during World War I


Answer

The correct answers are A and D

The passage discusses the living conditions of the workers during World War I. There is no discussion on the living conditions of the general population prior to World War I. This implies that A is not an issue being discussed in the passage and hence, it is a correct answer to the question asked. Similarly D is a correct answer as the author mentions sympathizing with the conditions of the women coal mine workers but he does not elaborate upon provision of better working conditions for them. B, C and E have all been discussed in the passage and hence, they are incorrect answer options to the question asked. Therefore, A and D are the correct answers.

2. The author uses ‘staggers the imagination’ to imply that

  • A. one can easily imagine the status of the earlier living conditions
  • B. it is shocking to envision what the previous living conditions were like
  • C. it is astounding to conceive the conditions prior to what the author is seeing now
  • D. the conditions before the improvements support the imagination of the author
  • E. the conditions before the improvements need to be imagined by the author


Answer

The correct answers are B and C

The phrase, ‘staggers the imagination’ is generally used to describe a condition wherein one is shocked by something that is being envisaged. Out of all the given answer options, B and C are closest to the meaning being implied by the author. Therefore, A, D and E are all incorrect and B and C are the correct answers.

3. Which of the following aptly describe the political state of the nation during World War I?

  • A. Hyperactive
  • B. Rebellious
  • C. Moderate
  • D. Aggressive
  • E. Abated


Answer

The correct answers are C and E

The passage starts on the note that politics was at low ebb. This implies that politics was not very strong or aggressive; rather it was withdrawn and regressive. In view of the above, it is evident that A, B and D are clearly incorrect and C and E are the correct answers as moderate and abated aptly describe the situation wherein politics was at low ebb.

4. Which of the following conclusions based on the passage are justified?

  • A. The wealthy industrialists were perturbed about the well being of their workers
  • B. National politics was affected by the ongoing war
  • C. All profits from the industry went outside the country
  • D. The industrial owners were apathetic towards the welfare of their workers
  • E. No measures had ever been taken to improve the living conditions of the workers


Answer

The correct answers are B and D

The author has clearly brought out that the workers lived in poor conditions. It is apparent that the industrialists had an indifferent attitude towards the welfare of their workers. This implies that A is incorrect but D is correct. It has been brought out at the beginning of the passage that politics was at low ebb because of the war-time restrictions and regulations. Therefore, B is correct. C is clearly incorrect as it has not been explicitly brought out anywhere in the passage and also, it is mentioned that some of the riches went to the coffers of the Indian millionaires. Towards the end of the passage, it has been brought out that some improvements had been made to the living conditions of the workers prior to the twenties and thirties of this century. Therefore, E is incorrect. Hence, B and D are the correct answers.

5. Which of the following is NOT true in respect of the women workers?

  • A. Women workers worked in inhuman conditions in coal mines
  • B. Women workers were confined to coal mines alone
  • C. Coal mines could do without women workers as there was shortage of labour
  • D. Despite women having to work, families were starving
  • E. Women workers were never barred from working in coal mines


Answer

The correct answers are B and E

The fact mentioned at A has been clearly brought out at the end of the passage and hence, A is an incorrect answer option. There is no indication of the fact that women were not working as workers elsewhere apart from coal mines and therefore, in the absence of sufficient data, B is not true and hence, it is a correct answer option to the question asked. C is true in respect of women workers as it has been clearly brought out at the end of the passage and therefore, C is an incorrect answer option. The passage ends on the note that millions of men are starving. This implies that D is true and hence, it is an incorrect answer option. E is untrue as the author clearly specifies that women had once been prohibited from working underground. In view of the above, it is evident that B and E are the correct answers.

GRE RC Select Many Sample Questions



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