Question

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

• A. The water tanker mafia’s operations, though illegal, are justified given the vital service they provide to the people of Delhi.
• B. The water supplied by the water tanker mafia is potentially contaminated.
• C. Private truck owners play the most important role in the operations of the water tanker mafia.
• D. The water supplied by the water tanker mafia is meant primarily for residential use.
• A. Entrenched
• B. Ubiquitous
• C. Long-term water security
• D. Fast-depleting common resource
• A. Delhi’s water supply infrastructure does not adequately cater to all its residents.
• B. The illegal operations of the water tank mafia do not depend on the complicity of a range of actors, including the police and city councillors.
• C. The petty profiteering of a few actors comes at the immense cost of India’s sustainable access to water.
• D. All the above
• A. Creaking
• B. Thrumming
• C. Droning
• D. Gushing
• A. Illicit
• B. Idling
• C. Subversive
• D. Covert

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Locate evidence in the passage.
The passage states: “Everything about this business is illegal... the water sold without testing or treatment.” This means the water has not been tested for safety, implying potential contamination.
Step 2: Eliminate incorrect options.
- (A) is wrong — although the mafia claims to provide a community service, the author’s tone does not justify their actions.
- (C) is incorrect — private truck owners are important, but the passage describes a broader network including councillors, farmers, agents, and fixers.
- (D) is wrong — the passage lists factories, hospitals, malls, hotels, and residences as buyers, so not just residential use.
Step 3: Confirm correct inference.
Lack of testing/treatment \(\Rightarrow\) possible contamination — matches (B).
\[ \boxed{\text{(B) The water supplied by the water tanker mafia is potentially contaminated}} \]

Answer 2

Step 1: Understand the meaning of “entrenched.”
Entrenched means something firmly established over a long period of time.
Step 2: Match with passage context.
The passage describes the water tanker mafia as an “entrenched system,” implying it has existed for many years and is deeply rooted.
Step 3: Eliminate distractors.
- (B) “Ubiquitous” means widespread, but does not imply longevity.
- (C) and (D) are related to water security and depletion, not the duration of the activity.
\[ \boxed{\text{(A) Entrenched}} \]

Answer 3

Step 1: Identify key concerns in the passage.
The author discusses: - Shortfall in official water supply (A).
- A network involving multiple actors in the illegal trade (B).
- Exploitation of a fast-depleting resource (C).
Step 2: Combine points.
All three concerns are central to the narrative. Hence, (D) “All the above” is correct.
\[ \boxed{\text{(D) All the above}} \]

Answer 4

Step 1: Identify sounds mentioned.
The passage says: “Diesel generators... begin to thrum. Submersible pumps... drone... The liquid gushes through the hoses.”
Step 2: Compare with options.
- Thrumming — mentioned.
- Droning — mentioned.
- Gushing — mentioned.
- Creaking — not mentioned in the filling context (only steel cistern’s frame was called “creaky” in a descriptive way, not as a filling sound).
\[ \boxed{\text{(A) Creaking}} \]

Answer 5

Step 1: Match meaning.
‘Covert’ means concealed, secret, or hidden.
Step 2: Locate in passage.
The passage describes “covert pumping station” — meaning a pumping station operating in secret.
Step 3: Eliminate others.
- Illicit — illegal, but not necessarily hidden.
- Idling — inactive or not moving.
- Subversive — intended to undermine authority.
\[ \boxed{\text{(D) Covert}} \]