List of top English Questions asked in CUET (UG)

Read the following passage and answer the question that follows by selecting the correct option:

In the quaint village of Malgudi, nestled between lush green fields and swaying palm trees, lived a man named Raghavan. He was known for his peculiar habit of collecting colourful pebbles from the riverbank every morning. The villagers, initially perplexed by this ritual, soon came to see it as a unique aspect of Raghavan’s character. 
One day, as the Sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, Raghavan discovered a pebble
unlike any he had seen before. It shimmered with an iridescent glow, casting a magical aura around it. Intrigued, he decided to keep this special pebble in a small wooden box on his windowsill.
As days passed, rumours of the enchanted pebble spread across Malgudi, attracting visitors from neighbouring villages. They sought Raghavan’s wisdom, believing that the mystical pebble held the answers to life’s mysteries. Raghavan, a humble man, shared his insights with those who came, emphasising the beauty of simplicity and the magic within everyday moments.
Raghavan’s neighbour, Murrku, jealous of his success, decided to rob him off the pebble and sell it off to a bidder at a good price. This was important as he would be able to buy the most expensive doll for his daughter Rae on her birthday. He spent days and nights planning for the robbery and was successful in fulfilling his target. But this did not make any difference in Rae’s birthday celebration which had been complete with the simple toy made out of house- hold stuff presented to her by Raghavan. Murrku understood Raghavan’s simple philosophy of life. In the bid to get the most precious gift for his daughter, Murrku had forgotten Rae’s
birthday.

Read the passage and answer the question given below by selecting the correct option: 
A recent study by researchers from Basel University and Munich Technical University challenges prior beliefs about the influence of different light colours on the human body’s internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm. Unlike a previous study conducted on mice, this one suggests,
that light colour may be less critical for the internal clock than originally thought.
Vision involves a complex process of perceiving various light wavelengths as colours and brightness in the brain. Photoreceptors in the retina convert light into electrical impulses, transmitted to ganglion cells in the retina and to the visual cortex in the brain. Specialised ganglion cells play a significant role in the internal clock, being sensitive to short-wavelength light at around 490 nanometers, perceived as blue. When activated by short-wavelength light, these cells signal “it’s daytime” to the internal clock.
To explore the influence of light colour on the internal clock, the researchers exposed 16 healthy volunteers to blueish or yellowish light stimuli for one hour in late evening with a white light stimulus as a control condition. The light stimuli were designed to selectively activate the colour-sensitive cones in the retina, while maintaining consistent stimulation of the light-sensitive ganglion cells in all conditions. This allowed the researchers to directly check effects of light on the respective cone stimulation and, the colour of the light.
Contrary to the findings in mice, the study suggests that the colour of light, as encoded by the cones, may not significantly influence the human internal clock and sleep-wake rhythm. The current research contradicts the earlier finding that yellowish light had a stronger influence on the internal clock than blueish light. The results, published in “Nature Human Behaviour”, imply that while light intensity and exposure duration remain crucial factors, the colour of light may not play as significant a role in influencing sleep and circadian rhythms as previously believed.

Read the passage carefully and answer the question given below by selecting the correct option: 
On September 30, 2001, I (Dr APJ Abdul Kalam) found myself on a journey from Ranchi to Bokaro in Jharkhand. The helicopter carrying me crashed just before landing, its engine failing with a thud upon impact. Miraculously, all on board escaped unharmed. Grateful to God, I proceeded with my scheduled programme in Bokaro, unfazed by the incident. That night, doctors suggested a tranquilliser to ease perceived shock, leading to an early and disturbed sleep, filled with contemplation.
Amidst this intense dream, I stood in a moonlit desert with five revered figures: Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Emperor Asoka, Abraham Lincoln, and Caliph Omar. Asoka’s reflection on the Kalinga war symbolised a shift from conquest to compassion, inspiring a doctrine of non-violence, Ahimsa Dharma. 
In this profound dream-conversation, these figures shared wisdom on humanity’s deep divisions caused by violence. They emphasised peace, equality, and the significance of ethical values in human consciousness. Asoka, having witnessed the consequences of his victories, highlighted the futility of causing suffering and the triumph of a peaceful kingdom.
Awakening from this vivid dream, I contemplated the contrasting forces of good and destruction in the world. The challenges faced by humanity, from conflicts to natural disasters and terrorism, prompted deep reflection. Yet, despite these challenges, I held a determined belief
in finding an everlasting solution.
Motivated by this dream and a desire to contribute to the greater good, I made a significant decision. Shifting focus from my scientific career, awards, and teams, I aimed to discover India’s true essence in its children. This marked a transcendence of personal achievements, emphasising the importance of nurturing enlightened individuals and fostering the inner, higher self in the youth. My commitment was to contribute to the enduring intelligence of India through meaningful interaction with joyous, young minds.
APJ Abdul Kalam ’Ignited Minds’

The dictionary defines ‘ego’ as “your idea or opinion of yourself, especially your feelings of your self-importance and ability.” In itself, nothing sounds problematic. In fact, this ability to know oneself is always an advantage — a reality check that is vital for our own contentment as well as for our relationships with others. Then, only an ignorant person or a liar would claim to have no ego, for we all have one. It is a part of our psychological structure. The problem occurs when we allow this sense of self to start ballooning, into being an egotist — then it not only becomes a leadership derailer but also creates havoc in the personal and professional lives of those who have to work with such people. The more senior the leaders are, the more they are at the risk of stepping into the black hole area. The reason is that given our cultural deference (often fear) of hierarchy, employees further down the corporate ladder think it unsafe to tell their leaders what they need to be told — and prefer rather to tell them what they like to hear. Leaders who take accountability for their success as well their team and organization’s have to learn to manage this powerful asset well —a skill that can help them multiply their impact manifold. This has to be done with special focus on areas where the leader is not competent enough and for specific situations that fuel the dark side of their ego and bring out the worst in them. The former calls for building a regular practice of seeking feedback — and not the ceremonial annual theatre most leaders do. The latter, on the other hand, calls for analysing our own interactions from an outside-in view to catch the emotional hijack points — flashes of temper, impatience, feelings of having outsmarted someone, etc., and setting goals to reduce those. Both these areas often call for professional help, blinded as we often are with our ‘walls of denial’.
As the weather changes, everyone is prone to colds and coughs. While we have all heard about the benefits of vitamin C for colds, few of us are aware of a secret solution– Zinc! Zinc is helpful as it can reduce the severity and duration of respiratory tract infections. It soothes sore throats with its anti-inflammatory properties. It plays a pivotal role in supporting various functions of the body like the immune system, wound healing and maintaining overall health. It prevents viruses from growing in the body. Zinc is also known to boost the immune system and fight infections. Notably, zinc is a vital mineral found in a variety of plant and animal foods. When consuming zinc-rich foods during a cough and cold, prioritise moderation and diversity in your diet. Include lean meats, poultry, sea food, dairy, nuts and seeds. Combine zinc-rich foods with vitamin C sources for enhanced immune support. Phytates, a substance found in unprocessed whole grains hinder the absorption of zinc, thereby making it less avail able for the body to utilise. Hence, vegetarians should follow some cooking techniques such as soaking them for 5-6 hours to reduce the phytate content and increase the bioavailability of zinc. Organic acids in fermented foods aid in higher absorption, so always include foods in your diet like buttermilk and yogurt along with some zinc-rich vegetarian sources. It is important to remember that a higher dosage of zinc supplement inhibits the absorption of other minerals. Therefore, it is always good to check with the healthcare professionals while taking supplements. Stay hydrated, choose cooking methods that preserve zinc, and be aware of factors like phytates affecting absorption.
Read the passage carefully and answer the question given below by selecting the correct option:
Five a Day
A new study backs up the long-standing nutritional guideline that consuming five daily servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables is linked to longevity. People who daily consumed specifically two fruits and three vegetables had a 12 per cent lower risk of death from car- diovascular disease, a 10 per cent lower risk from cancer, and a 35 per cent lower risk from respiratory disease, compared with people who ate just two daily servings.
One ’serving’ is 125 millilitres of any vegetables or fruits, or 250 millilitres of salad greens. You get the same beneficial vitamins, minerals and fibre in both, but vegetables are lower in calories and sugar, which is why the guidelines recommend higher consumption levels for them. The findings included two studies of more than 1,00,000 American men and women who were followed for up to 30 years. Those studies were then added to 24 other studies from across the globe to conduct one large meta-analysis on more than 1.8 million participants. Variety is the key, because different fruits and vegetables contain different beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. Almost all fruits and vegetables were associated with lower mortality, but there were exceptions. Fruit juices and starchy vegetables such as peas, corn, and potatoes were not associated with reduced risk of death or chronic diseases. It may be due to their higher glycaemic load.
Your five daily servings can be met from a variety of fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, whether conventional or organic. Whichever options are available, affordable, and appealing are good choices.
Studies show that freezing and canning preserves nutrients, which makes these foods even more nutrient-dense than their fresh counterparts. They are good options for people whose barriers to consuming enough servings per day include the high cost, low access, poor quality and lack of variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Read the following passage and answer the question that follows by choosing the correct options.
The figure in the boat was of a strong man with ragged grizzled hair and a sun-browned face. He was about twenty-eight years old, although he looked older. Lizzie, his daughter, a girl of nineteen, was handling a pair of sculls very easily. Had he not been so recognizable as an old man, the girl loved this dark girl of nineteen or twenty. It was often there that, now in time, he could be seen. She was in her boat, pulling on her sculls, or washing out, or stroking with her long line. And he could be a fisherman’s land. He did this at no time, and no one he looked at ever looked at him, and so doing he could not be considered either a river-rat or waterman. There was no reason for anyone to look for him, but take heed and not be caught in the same situation. There was no glare or insolence in her boat, no cargo for delivery, no hope of a most fervent searching before she died, as had happened more times than could be counted. She watched every inch before her, a tide that swept as dictated by the movement of the boat, down river and little race and eddy. The tide had turned an hour before. She was running against its sternmost and last, according to the compass which she bore beneath her left hand. She was a divine watchwoman. And little girl, she did not falter, did not turn back, was slight against waves. Her eyes were fixed intensely. And little girl, the boat swept on. It moved microcosm. As much as he drove stem and bow as suddenly thus and there, the two, so obviously doing were so obviously one. 
A fixed boat at the bottom of the river, neither in the fury of its current or eddies, but the surface, by season of the slime and ooze with which it was covered and its sodden state. This boat the drift, the lorry of them there, doing something that they often did, with his brown arms often bared half above the elbow and a with his knee resting on his matched bead on his bare breast, between flesh of shoulder and shoulder, such as no loose wearing of kerchief  could ever undo, were they to be in wilderness savage men, with bodies. He wore a looser with every little motion of the girl, with her boat, of her perhaps usage of his with her steady gaze. So to be made out of the things he began still to turn wrist sometimes like savage men do or with her boat, they must act as one. Keep her out, Lizzie. The tide runs strong here.
Read the following passage and answer the question that follows by choosing the correct options.
Prem Chand was born at Lamhi, a village a short distance from Banaras, on 31st July 1880. He descended from a family that owned one of the richest and and runs large estates. Prem Chand’s grandfather, Govind Lal, was a patwari. His father, Ajaib Lal, a clerk in the post office, was an accomplished writer. Prem Chand’s mother was his father’s second wife, Devi, nurtured and accomplished woman, remained ever grateful to him. His brother was Dhanpat Rai. It is said this family owned about twenty five bighas in landThe childhood of Prem Chand was spent in the village. He was a sportive and lively,boy veryfond of playing about. Prem Chand was fond of playing about; stealing things from the fields.He had a sweet tooth and was particularly fond of raw sugar. At lamhia, he had his early schooling and picked up his Urdu and Persian. As is based on some record that he was severely punished for stealing one rupee.Prem Chand is based on his childhood memories. Kazmi,was a postal messenger, who travelled long distances and always back overnight, is on record with his love for Prem Chand. In the short story “Batie Ghar Ki Beti,” the child brought something delicious for the child. Prem Chand’s deep-rooted hatred for British rule, during the post office punished for theft. His figure became clearer as the years rolled by; a little demagogue for the downtrodden Kazzmi, was indeed, full of dignity and self-respect, with the human aspect of kindness overflowing on him.
It may be noted that Prem Chand was pen-name adopted by the author over his years. He was named Dhanpat Rai and when he started writing stories as a government servant, he used pen-name, Nawab Rai. Many stories written as Nawab Rai brought him fame. When the government proscribed his first collection of short stories “Service’s Vim” Prem Chand discarded the pen-name Nawab Rai and all his later work appeared under the pen-name Prem Chand.