Look how you turned on
the ceiling fan—it’s too high,
see how it shakes and trembles.
You walk into this room
with your hot ideas
and the ceiling fan has to work harder
to cool down the room
for us. You walk into this room
with your crazy eyes
and the ceiling fan
wants to y loose. It dreams
of becoming a spider lily.
Which of the following statements BEST conveys the theme of the poem?
Show Hint
- The poem conveys a subtle art of argumentation and counter-argumentation.
- The poem talks about inner conflict resolved by an attempt to restore balance.
- The poem talks about a conflict between transformation and escapism.
- The poem conveys fear and anxiety due to the loss of stability.
- The poem conveys quest for self during emotional turmoil.
The Correct Option is D
Approach Solution - 1
The question asks us to identify the theme of the poem provided in the comprehension. Let's analyze the poem and each option to determine the best answer.
The poem describes how the ceiling fan reacts to someone entering the room with intensity and agitation ('hot ideas', 'crazy eyes'). The fan shakes and trembles under the pressure of trying to cool down the room, symbolizing a struggle to maintain stability amidst chaos. The fan aspires to 'become a spider lily,' indicating a desire to escape this pressure.
Let's evaluate each option to see which one best captures this theme:
- The poem conveys a subtle art of argumentation and counter-argumentation.
This option suggests that the poem involves skillful debating or discussing opposition, which is not evident from the descriptions in the poem about the ceiling fan's struggle and desire. Thus, this option does not fit well. - The poem talks about inner conflict resolved by an attempt to restore balance.
While the fan's trembling could symbolize inner conflict, there is no indication of resolution or restored balance. The poem ends with the fan's desire to escape rather than resolve the conflict. Therefore, this option is not appropriate. - The poem talks about a conflict between transformation and escapism.
The desire to become a 'spider lily' could imply escapism from pressure but does not explicitly involve transformation. The primary theme is more about feeling anxiety from instability rather than actively transforming or escaping. Hence, this option does not fully capture the theme. - The poem conveys fear and anxiety due to the loss of stability.
The trembling, shaking, and pressure on the ceiling fan clearly express a loss of stability, evoking a sense of fear and anxiety. The fan's dreams of transforming to escape represent the anxiety of wanting to avoid that pressure. This option best captures the theme of the poem. - The poem conveys a quest for self during emotional turmoil.
Although there is emotional turmoil indicated by the description of intense feelings, the focus is more on anxiety from instability rather than a self-discovery journey. This option is not as fitting.
After analyzing each option, the correct answer is:
The poem conveys fear and anxiety due to the loss of stability.
Approach Solution -2
The trembling fan and the metaphor of “crazy eyes” and “hot ideas” suggest a destabilizing force that disturbs the balance of the room. The fan’s dream of escape indicates a desire to escape the anxiety caused by this disturbance.
Step 2: Evaluate options.
- Option A: Argumentation/counter-argumentation is not reflected. - Option B: No resolution of inner conflict is shown — only turmoil. - Option C: Transformation/escapism is hinted, but not central. - Option D: Fits perfectly. The poem conveys anxiety and instability caused by someone’s disruptive presence. - Option E: Overgeneralized — the poem does not emphasize self-discovery.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The theme is best captured by fear and anxiety due to loss of stability.
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{D}} \]
What does the author BEST mean, when she says,
\textit{“You walk into this room with your hot ideas and the ceiling fan has to work harder to cool down the room for us?”}
Show Hint
- That the person brings with him passionate intellectual and emotional energy.
- That the person’s presence creates palpable tension in the room.
- That the person’s hostile presence makes others feel unwelcomed.
- That the person’s presence develops self-doubt in others.
- That the person’s presence makes the ceiling fan lose its ability to handle intense energy.
The Correct Option is A
Approach Solution - 1
The question asks what the author means by saying, "You walk into this room with your hot ideas and the ceiling fan has to work harder to cool down the room for us." Let's break down the metaphorical meaning of this sentence:
- The phrase "hot ideas" refers to ideas that are full of passion, energy, and possibly innovation or new opinions that can stir emotions or thoughts in others.
- The imagery of the "ceiling fan has to work harder" suggests that these ideas create a certain intensity or heat in the environment that requires effort to be balanced or managed.
- This metaphor indicates that the presence of this person with new, passionate ideas creates a dynamic atmosphere that can be intellectually and emotionally engaging.
Based on this interpretation, let's analyze the given options:
- Option 1: "That the person brings with him passionate intellectual and emotional energy." This option directly aligns with the metaphorical interpretation of "hot ideas" bringing a kind of intellectual and emotional heat into the room. Thus, this is the correct answer.
- Option 2: "That the person’s presence creates palpable tension in the room." While the presence may create intensity, "tension" typically implies a negative connotation which isn't necessarily suggested by the passage.
- Option 3: "That the person’s hostile presence makes others feel unwelcomed." The phrase does not indicate hostility or unwelcoming behavior; rather, it suggests intensity and energy.
- Option 4: "That the person’s presence develops self-doubt in others." There is no mention or implication of self-doubt in the description of their presence.
- Option 5: "That the person’s presence makes the ceiling fan lose its ability to handle intense energy." This option takes the metaphor too literally and does not correspond to the intended meaning of the passage.
In conclusion, the correct answer is: That the person brings with him passionate intellectual and emotional energy. This option accurately captures the essence of the metaphor used in the passage.
Approach Solution -2
The “hot ideas” are symbolic of strong, passionate, and possibly overwhelming intellectual/emotional energy. The ceiling fan struggling to cool the room is a metaphor for the environment (and people in it) having to adapt to that energy.
Step 2: Evaluate options.
- Option A: Correct. Matches the metaphor of “hot ideas” representing passionate energy. - Option B: Too negative; tension is not the exact idea. - Option C: Hostility is not implied. - Option D: No self-doubt mentioned. - Option E: Literal misinterpretation of the metaphor.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Thus, the correct meaning is Option A.
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{A}} \]
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
Questions Asked in XAT exam
- Arun selected an integer \( x \) between 2 and 40, both inclusive. He noticed that the greatest common divisor of the selected integer \( x \) and any other integer between 2 and 40, both inclusive, is 1. How many different choices for such an \( x \) are possible?
- XAT - 2025
- Number Systems
- ABCD is a rectangle where points C and D have coordinates (−2, 0) and (2, 0), respectively. If the area of the rectangle is 24, what is the best way to describe the equation of the line AB?
- XAT - 2025
- Geometry
- Adu and Amu have bought two pieces of land on the Moon from an e-store. Both the pieces of land have the same perimeters, but Adu’s piece of land is in the shape of a square, while Amu’s piece of land is in the shape of a circle. The ratio of the areas of Adu’s piece of land to Amu’s piece of land is:
- XAT - 2025
- Mensuration
- A and B bought lands on the Moon from an eStore, both with the same diameter but A’s land is square-shaped, and B’s land is circular. What is the ratio of the areas of their respective lands?
- XAT - 2025
- Ratio and Proportion
- A bought a phone from a store and paid \(\frac{1}{6}\) of the price using UPI, \(\frac{1}{3}\) of the price in cash, and the remaining balance a year later. He also paid 10% interest on the remaining balance after one year. What was the original price of the phone?
- XAT - 2025
- Percentage