Comprehension
Direction for Reading Comprehension: The passages given here are followed by some questions that have four answer choices; read the passage carefully and pick the option whose answer best aligns with the passage
174 incidents of piracy were reported to the International Maritime Bureau last year, with Somali pirates responsible for only three. The rest ranged from the discreet theft of coils of rope in the Yellow Sea to the notoriously ferocious Nigerian gunmen attacking and hijacking oil tankers in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as armed robbery off Singapore and the Venezuelan coast and kidnapping in the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal. For [Dr. Peter] Lehr, an expert on modern-day piracy, the phenomenon’s history should be a source of instruction rather than entertainment, piracy past offering lessons for piracy present. . . .
But . . . where does piracy begin or end? According to St Augustine, a corsair captain once told Alexander the Great that in the forceful acquisition of power and wealth at sea, the difference between an emperor and a pirate was simply one of scale. By this logic, European empire-builders were the most successful pirates of all time. A more eclectic history might have included the conquistadors, Vasco da Gama and the East India Company. But Lehr sticks to the disorganised small fry, making comparisons with the renegades of today possible.
The main motive for piracy has always been a combination of need and greed. Why toil always a starving peasant in the 16th century when a successful pirate made up to £4,000 on each raid? Anyone could turn to freebooting if the rewards were worth the risk . . . .
Increased globalisation has done more to encourage piracy than suppress it. European colonialism weakened delicate balances of power, leading to an influx of opportunists on the high seas. A rise in global shipping has meant rich pickings for freebooters. Lehr writes: “It quickly becomes clear that in those parts of the world that have not profited from globalisation and modernisation, and where abject poverty and the daily struggle for survival are still a reality, the root causes of piracy are still the same as they were a couple of hundred years ago.” . . .
Modern pirate prevention has failed. After the French yacht Le Gonant was ransomed for $2million in 2008, opportunists from all over Somalia flocked to the coast for a piece of the action. . . . A consistent rule, even today, is there are never enough warships to patrol pirate-infested waters. Such ships are costly and only solve the problem temporarily; Somali piracy is bound to return as soon as the warships are withdrawn. Robot shipping, eliminating hostages, has been proposed as a possible solution; but as Lehr points out, this will only make pirates switch their targets to smaller carriers unable to afford the technology.
His advice isn’t new. Proposals to end illegal fishing are often advanced but they are difficult to enforce. Investment in local welfare put a halt to Malaysian piracy in the 1970s, but was dependent on money somehow filtering through a corrupt bureaucracy to the poor on the periphery. Diplomatic initiatives against piracy are plagued by mutual distrust: The Russians execute pirates, while the EU and US are reluctant to capture them for fear they’ll claim asylum.
174 incidents of piracy were reported to the International Maritime Bureau last year, with Somali pirates responsible for only three. The rest ranged from the discreet theft of coils of rope in the Yellow Sea to the notoriously ferocious Nigerian gunmen attacking and hijacking oil tankers in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as armed robbery off Singapore and the Venezuelan coast and kidnapping in the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal. For [Dr. Peter] Lehr, an expert on modern-day piracy, the phenomenon’s history should be a source of instruction rather than entertainment, piracy past offering lessons for piracy present. . . .
But . . . where does piracy begin or end? According to St Augustine, a corsair captain once told Alexander the Great that in the forceful acquisition of power and wealth at sea, the difference between an emperor and a pirate was simply one of scale. By this logic, European empire-builders were the most successful pirates of all time. A more eclectic history might have included the conquistadors, Vasco da Gama and the East India Company. But Lehr sticks to the disorganised small fry, making comparisons with the renegades of today possible.
The main motive for piracy has always been a combination of need and greed. Why toil always a starving peasant in the 16th century when a successful pirate made up to £4,000 on each raid? Anyone could turn to freebooting if the rewards were worth the risk . . . .
Increased globalisation has done more to encourage piracy than suppress it. European colonialism weakened delicate balances of power, leading to an influx of opportunists on the high seas. A rise in global shipping has meant rich pickings for freebooters. Lehr writes: “It quickly becomes clear that in those parts of the world that have not profited from globalisation and modernisation, and where abject poverty and the daily struggle for survival are still a reality, the root causes of piracy are still the same as they were a couple of hundred years ago.” . . .
Modern pirate prevention has failed. After the French yacht Le Gonant was ransomed for $2million in 2008, opportunists from all over Somalia flocked to the coast for a piece of the action. . . . A consistent rule, even today, is there are never enough warships to patrol pirate-infested waters. Such ships are costly and only solve the problem temporarily; Somali piracy is bound to return as soon as the warships are withdrawn. Robot shipping, eliminating hostages, has been proposed as a possible solution; but as Lehr points out, this will only make pirates switch their targets to smaller carriers unable to afford the technology.
His advice isn’t new. Proposals to end illegal fishing are often advanced but they are difficult to enforce. Investment in local welfare put a halt to Malaysian piracy in the 1970s, but was dependent on money somehow filtering through a corrupt bureaucracy to the poor on the periphery. Diplomatic initiatives against piracy are plagued by mutual distrust: The Russians execute pirates, while the EU and US are reluctant to capture them for fear they’ll claim asylum.
Question: 1
“Why toil away as a starving peasant in the 16th century when a successful pirate made up to £4,000 on each raid?” In this sentence, the author’s tone can best be described as being:
“Why toil away as a starving peasant in the 16th century when a successful pirate made up to £4,000 on each raid?” In this sentence, the author’s tone can best be described as being:
Updated On: Sep 17, 2024
- analytical, to explain the contrasts between peasant and pirate life in medieval England.
- indignant, at the scale of wealth successful pirates could amass in medieval times.
- ironic, about the reasons why so many took to piracy in medieval times.
- facetious, about the hardships of peasant life in medieval England.
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Option A describes the author as analytical. Yet, the author does not contrast the lives of peasants and pirates, nor do they portray the lives of pirates positively. Ultimately, pirates also face surveillance and other dangers, making the contrast in the option inaccurate.
The term "indignant" in Option B is entirely inappropriate. The author is not angry at the pirates for accumulating vast wealth, so this option is out of context.
Option C mentions irony, which is actually accurate. The author employs irony to highlight the stark contrast between the lives of honest peasants, who toil tirelessly and often go hungry, and pirates, who effortlessly amass fortunes. This encapsulates the essence of the mentioned line, making this answer correct.
Option D suggests that the author is "facetious," which implies treating serious matters with inappropriate humor. However, the author is not mocking the difficult life of peasants; rather, they are acknowledging it and suggesting it as a reason why many people turned to piracy. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
So, the correct option is (C): ironic, about the reasons why so many took to piracy in medieval times.
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Question: 2
“A more eclectic history might have included the conquistadors, Vasco da Gama and the East India Company. But Lehr sticks to the disorganised small fry . . .” From this statement we can infer that the author believes that:
“A more eclectic history might have included the conquistadors, Vasco da Gama and the East India Company. But Lehr sticks to the disorganised small fry . . .” From this statement we can infer that the author believes that:
Updated On: Sep 17, 2024
- Lehr does not assign adequate blame to empire builders for their past deeds.
- colonialism should be considered an organised form of piracy.
- Vasco da Gama and the East India Company laid the ground for modern piracy.
- the disorganised piracy of today is no match for the organised piracy of the past.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Option D and Option C are factually beyond the scope. There is no mention of who established the foundation for contemporary piracy, nor are there any comparisons drawn between modern piracy and its historical counterparts.
In this statement, the author is clearly not placing blame on Vasco Da Gama and the East India Company. Instead, the author seeks to emphasize their roles in the early history of piracy. Option B can be deduced from the passage.
So, the correct answer is (B): colonialism should be considered an organised form of piracy.
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Question: 3
We can deduce that the author believes that piracy can best be controlled in the long run:
We can deduce that the author believes that piracy can best be controlled in the long run:
Updated On: Sep 17, 2024
- through the extensive deployment of technology to track ships and cargo.
- through international cooperation in enforcing stringent deterrents.
- if we eliminate poverty and income disparities in affected regions.
- through lucrative welfare schemes to improve the lives of people in affected regions.
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
In the concluding remarks of the fourth paragraph, the author asserts that the "underlying reasons for piracy today mirror those from a few centuries ago." What were these reasons back then? According to the author, it was poverty. Therefore, the author contends that addressing poverty will resolve the issue. Consequently, choice C is correct. The other options are merely cited to illustrate their failure to yield the intended outcomes.
So, the correct answer is (C): if we eliminate poverty and income disparities in affected regions.
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Question: 4
The author ascribes the rise in piracy today to all of the following factors EXCEPT:
The author ascribes the rise in piracy today to all of the following factors EXCEPT:
Updated On: Sep 17, 2024
- colonialism’s disruption of historic ties among countries.
- decreased surveillance of the high seas.
- the high rewards via ransoms for successful piracy attempts.
- the growth in international shipping with globalisation.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
We need to select the option that isn't responsible for the increase in piracy. Option A is eliminated because it is identified as a cause. Clues from the first sentence of the fourth paragraph suggest that option C is also valid, as it is listed as a cause of piracy according to the third paragraph, which states that "the primary motivation for piracy has consistently been a combination of necessity and greed...". Additionally, hints from the fourth paragraph point to option D. Therefore, option B is the correct choice. The author maintains that surveillance can never be an effective solution because it fails to address the underlying cause.
So, the correct answer is (B): decreased surveillance of the high seas.
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The Story of Coffee
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