Comprehension
In a country like India, both poverty and economic growth pose serious environmental challenges. In their desperate attempt to survive today, people are forced to forsake their tomorrow and their environment. A classic example of the phenomenon can be found in impoverished tribal areas where millions of households are forced to cut forests everyday and sell wood to get at best, half-a meal a day. And all this does not come cheaply in terms of personal costs, as some people often tend to argue. Tribal women wake up before dawn, walk miles to the dwindling forests to cut and bundle wood and then carry the load tens of kilometers to a nearby town. And after all that, what they get is pittance.
At the same time uncontrolled economic growth, urbanization and industrialization can rip apart forests, mine the overuse ground water systems, dam rivers, pollute water and air, stuff the land with unknown poisons. In this way, economic growth not just poisons and destroys cities, but also erodes the rural resource base, setting in motion a vicious cycle. Rural ecosystems unable to support their growing populations push more and more people into the cities.
There is therefore, a golden mean, a balance, as in all things ecological between poverty and wealth, between need and greed. This is an area for values, education, culture, social aspirations, human satisfaction-especially amongst those who have them in sufficient measurein things other than what economists call goods. The new economic policies of the Government built around certain concepts of economic liberalization and structural adjustment have raised numerous questions in the minds of the environmentally – concerned. One set of critics believes that these policies will enhance impoverishment. Apart from being bad in themselves, the policies will have a negative environmental impact.
There is another set which believes that these policies will enhance entrepreneurship and processes of wealth generation and thus reduce poverty. But this set too does not know how these processes will be controlled to ensure a good and clean environment. If the government could not give the country a good economic governance and hence its role must be curtailed, then what is the guarantee that the same corrupt, inefficient, partisan and soft government, will give us good environmental governance, where the trade-offs, especially in a poor country like India, are even more difficult to assess and understand?
There is of course, another set of concerns which is as follows: even if the new policies generate wealth, will this wealth not be built on borrowed consumption patterns from industrialized countries? Will these consumption patterns not devastate our culture and environment, that is whatever that remains of them?
At the same time uncontrolled economic growth, urbanization and industrialization can rip apart forests, mine the overuse ground water systems, dam rivers, pollute water and air, stuff the land with unknown poisons. In this way, economic growth not just poisons and destroys cities, but also erodes the rural resource base, setting in motion a vicious cycle. Rural ecosystems unable to support their growing populations push more and more people into the cities.
There is therefore, a golden mean, a balance, as in all things ecological between poverty and wealth, between need and greed. This is an area for values, education, culture, social aspirations, human satisfaction-especially amongst those who have them in sufficient measurein things other than what economists call goods. The new economic policies of the Government built around certain concepts of economic liberalization and structural adjustment have raised numerous questions in the minds of the environmentally – concerned. One set of critics believes that these policies will enhance impoverishment. Apart from being bad in themselves, the policies will have a negative environmental impact.
There is another set which believes that these policies will enhance entrepreneurship and processes of wealth generation and thus reduce poverty. But this set too does not know how these processes will be controlled to ensure a good and clean environment. If the government could not give the country a good economic governance and hence its role must be curtailed, then what is the guarantee that the same corrupt, inefficient, partisan and soft government, will give us good environmental governance, where the trade-offs, especially in a poor country like India, are even more difficult to assess and understand?
There is of course, another set of concerns which is as follows: even if the new policies generate wealth, will this wealth not be built on borrowed consumption patterns from industrialized countries? Will these consumption patterns not devastate our culture and environment, that is whatever that remains of them?
Question: 1
As far as the author’s stand regarding the credibility of the government is concerned, it can best be described as:
As far as the author’s stand regarding the credibility of the government is concerned, it can best be described as:
Updated On: Sep 25, 2025
- optimistic
- humorous
- skeptical
- serious
Hide Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
As far as the author’s stand regarding the credibility of the government is concerned, it can best be described as: (C) skepticalFrom the passage we know that, The author expresses doubt about the government's ability to provide good economic or environmental governance, describing it as corrupt, inefficient, and partisan. The correct option is (C): skeptical
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 2
The author suggests that in order to attain the golden mean, we must:
The author suggests that in order to attain the golden mean, we must:
Updated On: Sep 25, 2025
- carefully understand the economic implications of our actions
- shun the self-righteous moralists and look for practical solutions
- relate the tertiary industries to the secondary ones
- try to look beyond mere economic definitions
Hide Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
The author suggests that in order to attain the golden mean, we must: (D) try to look beyond mere economic definitionsIn the passage, The author talks about balancing poverty and wealth, and emphasizes values, education, culture, and human satisfaction beyond just economic goods.The correct option is (D): try to look beyond mere economic definitions
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 3
The author is most likely to agree with the idea that:
The author is most likely to agree with the idea that:
Updated On: Sep 25, 2025
- Western styles of ecological management are not necessarily disastrous
- India should not merely copy the Western models of growth but try to evolve something of its own
- India should try to emulate the better aspects of the Western models and try to exploit forest resources to the fullest.
- India should always strive to attain an ecological harmony commensurate with the need and aspirations of the teeming millions.
Hide Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The author is most likely to agree with the idea that: (B) India should not merely copy the Western models of growth but try to evolve something of its ownThe critiques from passage blindly adopting Western consumption patterns and emphasizes the need for India to develop its own path that considers environmental sustainability.The correct option is (B): India should not merely copy the Western models of growth but try to evolve something of
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 4
The theme of the passage is:
The theme of the passage is:
Updated On: Sep 25, 2025
- a discussion of the genesis and perpetration of environmental degradation
- a critical analysis of the role of rural ecosystems in maintaining the fragile ecological balances
- a description of the role of government in maintaining stable ecosystems
- the role of western growth models in the environmental degradation in India
Hide Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
The theme of the passage is: (A) a discussion of the genesis and perpetration of environmental degradationAs The passage discusses how both poverty and economic growth contribute to environmental degradation, with examples of rural and urban impacts.The correct option is (A): a discussion of the genesis and perpetration of environmental degradation
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 5
The author is most likely a/an:
The author is most likely a/an:
Updated On: Sep 25, 2025
- militant environmentalist
- newspaper editor
- human rights activist
- industrialist
Hide Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
The author is most likely a/an:(A) militant environmentalistAs from the passage, The strong critique of both poverty-driven deforestation and unchecked economic growth, along with the call for a balance, suggests the author is deeply concerned about environmental issues, similar to a militant environmentalist.The correct option is (A): militant environmentalist
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
- The advent of social media has dramatically transformed the way individuals consume and share information. In earlier times, people largely depended on newspapers, radio, or television as their primary sources of knowledge about the world. These were institutions that followed established editorial practices and fact-checking processes. With the rise of digital platforms, however, the traditional ‘gatekeepers’ of information have been bypassed. Today, anyone with internet access can create content, express an opinion, or broadcast an idea to a global audience within seconds.
This shift has certainly democratized access and given voice to communities and individuals who were often ignored by mainstream media. Yet, this democratization comes with challenges. Alongside genuine voices, social media has also amplified misinformation, rumours, and half-truths. Unlike traditional journalism, where accountability and verification are built into the system, social media thrives on speed, virality, and emotion. A misleading headline, a misinterpreted statistic, or even a doctored image can travel across the world before fact-checkers have the chance to intervene.
The consequences of such unchecked information can be serious, ranging from the spread of fear and panic to the manipulation of public opinion. The impact of this transformation extends beyond individual users to institutions and democracies. Political campaigns, corporate branding, and even social movements are now shaped by algorithms that decide what people see and when they see it. These algorithms prioritize engagement, often promoting content that provokes stronger emotional reactions rather than balanced analysis.
As a result, echo chambers form, online spaces where people are repeatedly exposed to opinions that mirror their own, reinforcing biases and reducing openness to differing perspectives. This has contributed to increasing polarization in societies across the world. Moreover, the competition for attention has blurred the line between information and entertainment, leading to the rise of sensationalism even in serious public discourse. The credibility of expertise too has been undermined, as opinions from unverified sources are often placed on the same footing as evidence-based knowledge.
In response, several governments and technology companies are exploring ways to promote digital literacy, enhance transparency in algorithms, and strengthen fact-checking collaborations. Ultimately, the challenge lies in balancing the openness of digital spaces with mechanisms that ensure responsibility and trustworthiness in public communication.- AILET BALLB (Hons.) - 2026
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- I have still to be brother to a Prince, though I once came near to kinship with what might have been a veritable King, and was promised the reversion of a Kingdom, army, law-courts, revenue, and policy, all complete. But, today, I greatly fear that my King is dead, and if I want a crown I must go and hunt it for myself. The beginning of everything was in a railway train upon the road to Mhow from Ajmir. There had been a deficit in the Budget, which necessitated travelling, not Second class, which is only half as dear as First class, but by Intermediate, which is very awful indeed. There are no cushions in the Intermediate class, and the population is either Intermediate, which is Eurasian, or native, which for a long night journey is nasty; or Loafer, which is amusing though intoxicated. Intermediates do not patronize refreshment rooms. They carry their food in bundles and pots, and buy sweets from the native sweet meat sellers, and drink the roadside water. That is why in the hot weather Intermediates are taken out of the carriages dead, and in all weathers are most properly looked down upon.
My particular Intermediate happened to be empty till I reached Nasirabad, when a huge gentleman in shirt sleeves entered, and following the custom of Intermediates, passed the time of day. He was a wanderer and a vagabond like myself, but with an educated taste for alcohol. He told daring tales of things he had seen and done, of out-of-the-way corners of the Empire into which he had penetrated, and of adventures in which he risked his life for a few days’ food. “If India was filled with men like you and me, not knowing more than the crows where they’d get their next day’s rations, it isn’t seventy millions of revenue the land would be paying, it’s seven hundred millions,” said he; and as I looked at his mouth and chin I was disposed to agree with him.
We talked politics, the politics of Loaferdom that sees things from the underside where the lath and plaster is not smoothed off, and we talked postal arrangements because my friend wanted to send a telegram back from the next station to Ajmir, which is the turning off place from the Bombay to the Mhow line as you travel westward. He had the air of one who had seen strange countries and stranger men, yet bore himself without vanity. There was a restless light in his eyes, the sort that belongs to men who have lived too long without a fixed purpose. When he spoke of the Empire, it was not with loyalty nor with bitterness, but with the detached amusement of one who has played his part and lost interest in the game. His laughter came easily, though it seemed to echo from some remembered hardship. It struck me then that his stories were less of adventure than of survival.- AILET BALLB (Hons.) - 2026
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Democracy, often hailed as the most equitable form of governance, is a system where power ultimately rests in the hands of the people. The word derives from the Greek words ”demos” meaning people and ”kratos” meaning power or rule. Democracy aims to provide equal political participation and protect the individual freedoms of all citizens. However, while the idea of democracy is simple, its practice is frequently complex and fraught with challenges. At its core, democracy functions on the principle of majority rule, yet it simultaneously guarantees the protection of minority rights.
This balance ensures that while the majority has the power to make decisions through voting, the fundamental rights of minorities are not trampled upon. Such a system requires consistent vigilance and respect for the rule of law. Without these, democracies can devolve into majoritarian tyranny or authoritarianism. The practice of democracy is not merely limited to voting in elections. It encompasses freedom of speech, an independent judiciary, free press, and protection of individual rights. These elements together create a political environment where citizens can express dissent, hold leaders accountable, and participate actively in decision-making. When any component is weakened, the democratic process becomes vulnerable.
In recent times, democratic societies worldwide have grappled with new challenges. The rise of misinformation and fake news has eroded public trust in institutions and polarized societies. Social media platforms, meant to facilitate communication, have sometimes amplified divisive narratives and falsehoods. This has resulted in voter manipulation and a growing skepticism toward democratic processes. Literacy in media and critical thinking is increasingly vital to safeguard democracy from such threats. Economic inequality poses another significant challenge. While democracy promises equal rights politically, vast disparities in wealth and opportunity undermine this ideal.
This phenomenon raises questions about whether democracy is achievable without addressing socioeconomic inequalities. Furthermore, the involvement of citizens is crucial. Democracy requires that people are informed, engaged, and willing to participate beyond casting votes. Civic education and awareness campaigns play an essential role in nurturing responsible citizenship. Apathy or disengagement weakens the democratic fabric, opening avenues for corruption and other dangers to the system. In conclusion, democracy thrives on the collective responsibility of governments and citizens to protect its pillars and ensure inclusive, fair governance.- AILET BALLB (Hons.) - 2026
- English
- Reading Comprehension
The Rule of Law
by Tom BinghamJustice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?
by Michael J. SandelLetters to a Law Student
by Nicholas J. McBrideIn The Rule of Law, former Lord Chief Justice Tom Bingham explores how the principle of legality underpins modern democratic life. He defines the rule of law as more than just adherence to formal rules; it is the assurance that power is exercised within clear, fair, and publicly known boundaries.
Bingham distills the concept into eight principles, including equality before the law, access to justice, and respect for fundamental human rights. Drawing on cases and historical examples, he warns that national security and administrative efficiency must never override the rights of individuals.
The book bridges legal philosophy and practice, arguing that law must be both predictable and humane. For Bingham, the rule of law represents a moral ideal, one that sustains public trust in justice and curbs arbitrary governance.Michael Sandel’s Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? examines moral reasoning in law and politics. Through examples like price gouging, affirmative action, and taxation, Sandel invites readers to explore competing notions of fairness.
He engages with philosophical traditions such as utilitarianism, libertarianism, and Rawlsian egalitarianism, showing that questions of justice cannot be separated from questions of virtue and the common good.
Sandel rejects the idea of a morally “neutral” legal system, arguing that public deliberation about values is essential to democracy. Ultimately, he argues that a just society is one that cultivates civic responsibility, not merely individual rights.Nicholas McBride’s Letters to a Law Student is a practical and reflective guide for aspiring lawyers. Written as a series of letters to a student beginning law school, it explores what legal study truly involves.
This includes mastering case analysis, understanding precedents, and developing critical reasoning. McBride distinguishes between knowing the law and thinking like a lawyer, the latter requiring analytical discipline and ethical awareness.
He emphasizes that good lawyers combine intellectual rigor with moral judgment and clarity of expression. Beyond academic success, the book urges students to reflect on law’s purpose, balancing order, justice, and compassion in human affairs.- AILET BALLB (Hons.) - 2026
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Urban gardening has become increasingly popular as a means to address food security, sustainability, and mental well-being in cities. By growing their own fruits, vegetables, and herbs, individuals can reduce their reliance on commercial supply chains that contribute to extensive transportation, energy consumption, and synthetic chemical use. In addition to providing fresh, nutritious food, urban gardening also contributes to environmental sustainability by mitigating urban heat island effects, improving air quality, and managing water runoff. Furthermore, it offers psychological benefits, including reduced stress, improved mood, and a sense of accomplishment. Despite its many benefits, urban gardening faces challenges like space limitations, poor soil quality, and inadequate sunlight, which gardeners overcome using innovative techniques such as vertical farming and hydroponics.
- AILET BALLB (Hons.) - 2026
- English
- Reading Comprehension
View More Questions
Questions Asked in NMAT exam
- What will come in the place of x?
- NMAT - 2025
- Puzzle
- If the square represents dancers, circle represents the singers, and rectangle represents the chefs, then how many teachers are there who are not singers?
- NMAT - 2025
- Visual Reasoning
- What will come in the place of the question mark in the question figure?
- NMAT - 2025
- Numeric Grid
- If \( 2x + 3 = 11 \), what is the value of \( x \)?
- NMAT - 2025
- Algebra
- Tickets for a concert were sold at Rs. 2, Rs. 4, and Re. 1. Twelve more tickets were sold at Rs. 4 instead of Rs. 2, and twice tickets were sold at Re. 1. If the total amount collected is Rs. 288, then how many tickets of Rs. 2 were sold?
- NMAT - 2025
- Number Systems
View More Questions