Question

Which of the following can be inferred about the author’s views on English in contemporary India?

• A. The ability to speak English in India depends on place and social identity.
• B. English is not an Indian language.
• C. English language fluency does not necessarily imply competence.
• D. People’s views on English are divided along political lines.
• A. Savitha… English-medium, upper-middle class; fumbles in interviews due to nervousness.
• B. Moin… milkman’s background; learns English at 17; becomes a spoken-English instructor.
• C. Both (A) and (B)
• D. Neither (A) nor (B)
• A. Dismisses him as a self-appointed expert.
• B. Completely agrees with his views.
• C. Neither agrees nor disagrees.
• D. Considers his views and finds that they lack nuance.
• A. English should not be taught as a subject in Indian universities.
• B. English proficiency is vital in order to gain entry into the bureaucracy.
• C. Indian women cannot get rich if they do not know English.
• D. None of the above.
• A. Stark, sharp
• B. Sophisticated, spoil
• C. Conundrum, problem
• D. Cohesive, united

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1 (Extract the author’s claim).
The passage opens: “English encodes class in India… sliding into the DNA of social division: income, caste, gender, religion or place of belonging.” This explicitly links English proficiency/access to where you are from and who you are in social terms.
Step 2 (Check alternatives).
(B) may be suggested by Gandhi’s description of English as a “foreign medium,” but the author’s focus is not on denying its Indianness; it’s on access and inequality.
(C) is hinted at (E2s can be “equally intelligent… yet appear incompetent”), but the clearest, direct statement is the dependence on social identity and place.
(D) Mentions “across the political spectrum,” which implies broad concern, not sharp division by politics.
Step 3 (Conclude).
Thus (A) captures the author’s central, explicit view.
\[ \boxed{\text{(A) The ability to speak English depends on place and social identity}} \]

Answer 2

Step 1 (Recall Bhagat’s scheme).
E1: early, privileged access; English is instinctive; much in demand. E2: technically familiar but often judged incompetent by E1s.
Step 2 (Test the cases).
(A) Savitha has E1-type background but underperforms in interviews — contradicts the “instinctive, much in demand” stereotype.
(B) Moin is E2-type by background yet masters English and teaches it — overturns the stereotype that E2s remain subordinate.
Step 3 (Conclude).
Both cases violate the “neat” E1/E2 boxes, aligning with the author’s point that “there is more than one kind of E1 and… E2,” and E2s can “overthrow E1s.”
\[ \boxed{\text{(C) Both (A) and (B)}} \]

Answer 3

Step 1 (Note the author’s stance).
The author outlines Bhagat’s argument, then qualifies it: “The situation may not be so comically stark… There is more than one kind of E1… and more than one way E2s can overthrow E1s.”
Step 2 (Eliminate others).
(A) Too harsh; the author reports Bhagat’s role but does not merely dismiss him. (B) False — the author explicitly complicates Bhagat’s view. (C) False — the author takes a position (adds nuance).
Step 3 (Match).
Therefore (D) best describes the response.
\[ \boxed{\text{(D) Lacks nuance}} \]

Answer 4

Step 1 (Use Gandhi’s quote).
“Boys think… that without English they cannot get government service. Girls are taught English as a passport to marriage.”
Step 2 (Infer carefully).
The perception (and reality, in context) is that English is necessary for government employment — i.e., bureaucracy.
Step 3 (Eliminate).
(A) He criticises English as a medium of instruction, not as a subject. (C) Not stated or implied.
\[ \boxed{\text{(B) English is vital for entry into government service}} \]

Answer 5

Step 1 (Check meanings).
(A) Stark (plain, severe) can align with sharp/clear in context — near-synonymous.
(C) Conundrum ≈ problem/puzzle.
(D) Cohesive ≈ united/connected.
(B) Sophisticated (refined/complex) is the opposite of spoil (to ruin/damage). Not synonymous.
Step 2 (Identify the exception).
Thus (B) is the non-synonymous pair.
\[ \boxed{\text{(B) Sophisticated, spoil}} \]