Read the following source and answer the questions that follow:
The Need for Political Parties
As we have seen, large societies need representative democracy. As societies became large and complex, they also needed some agency to gather different views on various issues and to present these to the government. They needed some ways, to bring various representatives together so that a responsible government could be formed. They needed a mechanism to support or restrain the government, make policies, justify or oppose them. Political parties fulfil these needs that every representative government has. We can say that parties are a necessary condition for a democracy.
Explain the meaning of representative democracy'
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Solution and Explanation
- Representative Democracy: In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives who make decisions on their behalf in the government. Unlike direct democracy, where all citizens participate directly in decision-making, representative democracy relies on elected officials to represent the views and needs of the people. This system helps manage large and complex societies where it would be difficult for all citizens to be directly involved in governance.
How do political parties shape public opinion?
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Solution and Explanation
Why are political parties considered a necessary condition for a democracy? Explain.
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Solution and Explanation
- Provide a Choice for Voters: Political parties give voters the option to choose between different political ideologies, policies, and leaders. This is essential in a democracy, as it ensures that citizens can exercise their right to vote and influence government decisions.
- Form Responsible Government: Political parties bring together elected representatives who work towards forming a responsible government that is accountable to the people. They provide stability and structure to the political process.
- Channel Political Participation: Political parties serve as a platform for citizens to engage with the political system, express their views, and be a part of decision-making. Without political parties, the democratic process would be disorganized and less effective.
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
Read the following passage carefully:
(1) Gossip. All humans partake in some form, despite the age-old adage, "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all." Whether it's workplace chatter, the sharing of family news or group texts between friends, it's inevitable that anyone who participates in the above, talks about other people.
(2) People tend to think of gossip as synonymous with malicious rumours, put-downs, or the breathless propagation of a tabloid scoop. But researchers often define it more broadly as "talking about people who aren't present," says an assistant professor of psychology. "It's something that comes very naturally to us" - an integral part of conversation, information sharing, and even community building.
(3) "It's not necessarily negative," adds a professor of psychology. "It can be positive or neutral." Some researchers argue that gossip helped our ancestors survive. Evolutionary psychologists first pioneered this idea, comparing gossip to the grooming primates engage in as a means of bonding.
(4) People are usually resistant to thinking about gossip as anything but bad. It is true that there are some types of gossip that should be avoided, such as gossip that is purely harmful and serves no purpose like mean comments on someone's way of dressing. In such a scenario no one benefits. Gossip can also be both active and passive. Active gossiping refers to directly sharing negative information about someone else. An active gossiper initiates the conversation and actively spreads it. Passive gossiping on the other hand involves more subtle behaviour like hinting, dropping suggestive comments or participating in gossip by listening without actively contributing, but still allowing the gossip to spread through their presence.
(5) It's interesting to note that gossiping also says something about relationships people have with one another. The act of gossiping often implies a level of trust and closeness with someone, which are key aspects of a good friendship.
(6) Research has found that gossip can stave off loneliness, while other studies have found it can facilitate bonding and closeness and serve as a form of entertainment. So, keep on talking. And when your conversation turns to gossip, as it inevitably will, remember that some good can come of it - with the right intentions, of course.
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage:- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Read the following passage carefully:
(1) Introduction: Humans are social creatures with a deep desire to interact with one another. Recent developments in technology have made it possible for billions of people worldwide to use cell phones to satisfy this need. The current study aims to analyse the impact of smartphone use among various categories of people in Kerala, India. The present study will provide an insight into the extent and magnitude of people's reliance on smartphones to communicate in this modern age and the dwindling nature of social relationships.
(2) Methodology: A google form created questionnaire was used to gather information on the subject from a sample of participants who were from various districts in Kerala, India.
(3) Survey Examination: Among the 131 study participants, 66 were men and the remaining 65 were women. For convenience, the study considered only the main purpose for which a smartphone is used by any given individual.
(4) Results:
Individuals differed in their interests and preferences regarding their choice of communication medium. Some preferred direct conversation, while others conveyed their messages through virtual mediums of communication, that did not involve any face-to-face interaction.
(5) Implications for Interventions: It was observed that individuals were interested in using their smartphones even when they were dining. This constant use can have several disadvantages such as reckless use of mobile phones, including prolonged hours of radiation exposure, over-calorie intake due to binge eating, leading to obesity, and other health problems. It is also a vital tool to achieve social progress.
The use of phones while travelling can sometimes detract from an individual's enjoyment of the serenity of the environment, the scenic beauty of picnic spots, and affect the way an individual behaves and interacts with his or her co-travellers.
(6) Conclusion: It is true that most of the population under different age and gender categories use smartphones every day, but there is no significant fall in the duration spent in direct face-to-face conversation with fellow beings, except in very few individuals. The majority of people agree that traditional face-to-face communication is more comfortable, reliable, and expressive than text messages, phone calls, or electronic mail.
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage:- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Read the following extracts and answer the questions
"That young master is so proud of his skill to save life that he saves any life," the cook said contemptuously.
"It is the children of whom we must think," Yumi said sadly.
"What will be their fate if their father is condemned as a traitor ?"
They did not try to hide what they said from the ears of Hana as she stood arranging the day's flowers in the veranda near by, and she knew they spoke on purpose that she might hear.
(The Enemy)- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
The British officer's secretary sent word to the Maharaja through the dewan that the durai himself did not have to kill the tiger. The Maharaja could do the actual killing. What was important to the durai was a photograph of himself holding the gun and standing over the tiger's carcass. But the Maharaja would not agree even to this proposal. If he relented now, what would he do if other British officers turned up for tiger hunts?
Because he prevented a British officer from fulfilling his desire, the Maharaja stood in danger of losing his kingdom itself.
(The Tiger King)- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Read the following extracts and answer the questions
He thought of the thirty kronor. To go up to the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion's den. He only wanted a chance to sleep here in the forge and then sneak awayas inconspicuously as possible.
The ironmaster assumed that he felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing.
"Please don't think that I have such a fine home that you cannot show yourself there", He said... "Elizabeth is dead, as you may already have heard. My boys are abroad, and there is no one at home except my oldest daughter and myself. We were just saying that it was too bad we didn't have any company for Christmas. Now come along with me and help us make the Christmas food disappear a little faster."
(The Rattrap)- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Questions Asked in CBSE X exam
Select TRUE statements about lymph from the following:
A. Lymph vessels carry lymph through the body and finally open into larger arteries.
B. Lymph contains some amount of plasma, proteins and blood cells.
C. Lymph contains some amount of plasma, proteins and red blood cells.
D. Lymph vessels carry lymph through the body and finally open into larger veins.
The true statements are:- CBSE Class X - 2025
- Circulatory System
- Two statements are given below. They are Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read both the statements and choose the correct option:
Assertion (A): The French speaking community was rich in comparison to the Dutch speaking community in Belgium.
Reason (R): Dutch speaking community got the benefit of economic development and education much later.- CBSE Class X - 2025
- Power Sharing
- According to a popular quote тАУ тАЬKindness is stronger than iron bars.тАЭ
Anil did not hand the thief over to the police. In what way did AnilтАЩs act of wisdom and forgiveness transform Hari Singh?
(The ThiefтАЩs Story)- CBSE Class X - 2025
- Indian English Literature/Prose
- In a right triangle ABC, right-angled at A, if $\sin B = \dfrac{1}{4}$, then the value of $\sec B$ is
- CBSE Class X - 2025
- Trigonometry
- State two limitations of electrical impulses in multicellular organisms. Why is chemical communication better than electrical impulses as a means of communication between cells in multicellular organisms?
- CBSE Class X - 2025
- Organic Chemistry тАУ Some Basic Principles and Techniques