Comprehension

It was a milestone ride to empowerment. A young girl, probably a decade ago, driving a scooter, a little un- steadily, with mom on the pillion. It was the gift of mobility; more significantly, it was a trip to liberation. Now, the girl swings her Scorpio round a dangerous kerb even as mom and a brood of aunt, grandma and nieces squeal in pride. The girl now has a handy tool: her cell phone. Mobility and communication!
Sure, gender cleansing is now a frightening reality. Girls are killed before or at birth, plunging the all-India sex ratio to 927 girls for 1,000 boys. If she survives, the girl cannot assume she'll get a fair share of the family's education budget. Chances are she will drop out; to look after her siblings, to cook at home, to work in the fields, to be married off for money. She might be 'gifted' to a temple. 'Dowry death', a term we gave the English lexicon, is not in danger of fading out. 'The only women likely to keep their daughters are the truly independent-minded, not just the financially independent,' said author Gita Aravamudan. We know of her resilience, ability to raise a family, find happiness somewhere and keep her sanity somehow. All of which is excellent fodder for exploitation.
Out of this tangled mess has emerged the New Woman; a woman 'pushing against the limits society imposed on her'. With an identity no longer defined by domesticity or relationships, she now comes across as a person with a strong sense of self and self worth. A woman taking a tough stand for her rights is no shrew but a woman of substance while a female globetrotter is no adventuress but a woman of spirit. In short, women are going where men fear to tread.
But there are nay-sayers too. "I'm wondering if it is even theoretically possible to define the 'New Woman' in terms of a single set of characteristics. Indian women are so different from each other in terms of their class, caste, regional, linguistic and religious identities that what is 'old' for one is 'new' for the other, and not even on the map for yet another. That said, I think the one thing that has changed is that women are no longer hesitant or apologetic about claiming a share of space and visibility within the family, at work, in public spaces, in the public discourse." said Kalyani Menon Sen of JAGORI. Small concessions to big achievements, she tastes freedom. Her aspirations are taken seriously; count the hailstorm of women-centric TV shows, commercials and food items aimed her way. "It comes with monetary independence," said Usha Srinivasan, HR Consultant.
How is it easier now? Sustained campaigns run by women groups since the national movement. Laws passed to make justice equitable, for corrective surgery of mindsets. Travel, definitely. Her willingness to take up non-traditional workplaces; job opportunities, with IT hiring in bulk. Women began to write and read what other women wrote. And cyberspace, she now blogs and networks, using it for the freedom denied so far to voice her angst, express outrage and disapproval, fulfill the need for acceptance and approval. To speak out.

Question: 1

Choose the meaning of 'resilience' as used in the passage.

Updated On: Jul 24, 2024
  • Susceptible to criticism or persuasion or temptation
  • Good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
  • Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions
  • The distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity
  • An acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety, usually reserved for philosophical anxiety about the world or about personal freedom
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

The correct option is (C): Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions
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Question: 2

The 'New Woman' emerged by

Updated On: Jul 24, 2024
  • Relieving herself from all sorts of restrictions laid down by Indian men
  • Breaking all the shackles set forth by the society authoritatively as obligatory
  • Creating her own 'space' within the confines of the four walls of her home
  • Pushing herself against the norms and traditions prevailing in the Indian society
  • Receiving the right kind of education at the right time that helped her to emancipate herself
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The Correct Option is B

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The correct option is (B): Breaking all the shackles set forth by the society authoritatively as obligatory
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Question: 3

What according to the author is a sign of women empowerment?

Updated On: Jul 24, 2024
  • Refusing to play stereotyped roles
  • Raising the voice against paradoxes
  • Earning more money than men
  • Seeking total liberation
  • Rebelling against the prevailing norms
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The Correct Option is D

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The correct option is (D): Seeking total liberation
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Question: 4

Presently, what is the 'New Woman' engaged in?

Updated On: Aug 19, 2024
  • She is claiming monetary independence so that she can enjoy greater autonomy
  • She realized the significance of freedom and equality and so is fighting for equal rights
  • She is contesting for her share of space which is of utmost importance to a woman
  • She is very busy building a self image for herself and in keeping up her identity against all odds
  • She is courageously treading uncharted paths which are dreaded even by her male counterparts
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The Correct Option is

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The correct option is (E): She is courageously treading uncharted paths which are dreaded even by her male counterparts
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Question: 5

In the present days, what is the most terrifying actuality regarding a girl child?

Updated On: Jul 24, 2024
  • Increasing school dropout rate
  • Gifting the girl child to temples
  • Low allocation of education budget
  • Domestic violence and molestation
  • Gender cleansing
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The Correct Option is

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The correct option is (E): Gender cleansing
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Question: 6

According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

Updated On: Aug 19, 2024
  • A woman of substance is the one who meekly surrenders to male domination
  • Blogs and network sites are now used as effective tools to express a woman's anger for denying her the freedom
  • Women writers articulate their experiences in a voice which is yet to be heard
  • The IT and travel sectors are the two upcoming fields that restricted growth opportunities for women
  • Ever since the days of freedom struggle, lack of sustained efforts by women organizations added to their already existing misery
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The Correct Option is B

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The correct option is (B): Blogs and network sites are now used as effective tools to express a woman's anger for denying her the freedom
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Question: 7

The author highlights the fact that

Updated On: Aug 19, 2024
  • Sons are at a premium in India
  • Girl child education is given utmost importance in urban areas
  • Discrimination extends to all areas including the food that is given to a girl
  • It is worrisome to note that the all-India sex ratio is declining rapidly
  • Daughters have choices of their own and are given total freedom
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The Correct Option is A

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The correct option is (A): Sons are at a premium in India
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Question: 8

What is the central theme of the present passage?

Updated On: Jul 24, 2024
  • What is 'new' for one woman maybe 'old' for another and some other woman might be facing severe male domination
  • There is tremendous diversity among the different groups of Indian women
  • Women are prone to violence in all walks of life and they are subjected to suppression right from their birth
  • Celebrating the New Age woman who scripts her own success stories
  • Dowry deaths are mostly prevalent in rural India and the girl child is neglected by the family members
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The Correct Option is D

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The correct option is (D): Celebrating the New Age woman who scripts her own success stories
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