Comprehension

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Social media, magazines and shop windows bombard people daily with things to buy, and British consumers are buying more clothes and shoes than ever before. Online shopping means it is easy for customers to buy without thinking. Major brands offer such cheap clothes that they can be treated like disposable items. 
In Britain, the average person spends more than £1,000 on new clothes a year, which is around four per cent of their income. That might not sound like much, but that figure hides two far more worrying trends for society and for the environment: a lot of the consumer spending is via credit cards. British people currently owe approximately £670 per adult to credit card companies. Not only are people spending money they don't have, they're using it to buy things they don't need. Approximately 300,000 tons of clothing a year goes into landfill sites. Clothes donated to charities often don't sell and so are either thrown away or are sent abroad, causing economic and environmental problems.
Lately, a different trend is springing up in opposition to consumerism - the 'buy nothing' trend. It originated in Canada in the early 1990s and then moved to the US, where it became a rejection of the overspending and overconsumption of Black Friday and Cyber Monday during Thanksgiving weekend. On Buy Nothing Day people organise various types of protests and cut up their credit cards. Throughout the year, Buy Nothing groups organise the exchange and repair of items they already own.
The trend has now reached influencers on social media who usually share posts of clothing and make-up that they recommend for people to buy. Some YouTube stars now encourage their viewers not to buy anything at all for periods as long as a year. Two friends in Canada spent a year working towards buying only food. For the first three months they learned how to live without buying electrical goods, clothes or things for the house. For the next stage, they gave up services, for example haircuts, eating out at restaurants or buying petrol for their cars. In one year, they'd saved $55,000.
The changes they made meant two fewer cars on the roads, a reduction in plastic and paper packaging and a positive impact on the environment from all the energy saved. If everyone followed a similar plan, the results would be impressive. But even if you can't manage a full year without going shopping, you can participate in the anti-consumerist movement by refusing to buy things you don' t need. Buy Nothing groups send a clear message to companies that people are no longer willing to accept the environmental and human cost of overconsumption.

Question: 1


The phrase ‘bombard people’ in paragraph 1 means:

Show Hint

Words like “bombard” in media or social contexts often imply excessive exposure rather than physical aggression.
Updated On: Apr 23, 2025
  • to shower people
  • to flood people
  • to attack people
  • to overwhelm people
Hide Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

In the context, "bombard people" means overwhelming them with messages, advertisements, or content — not physical attacks or literal flooding. Correct phrase: to overwhelm people
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 2


The author describes clothes as ‘disposable items’ because they can be:

Show Hint

Fast fashion often leads to clothing being treated as short-lived, disposable products.
Updated On: Apr 23, 2025
  • thrown away easily
  • worn a few times and discarded
  • bought for cheap prices online
  • used in landfill sites
Hide Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

The term “disposable” in the context of clothing refers to items used only a few times before being thrown out — not necessarily cheap or thrown in landfills immediately. Correct phrase: worn a few times and discarded
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 3


Which of the following sentences is NOT TRUE?

Show Hint

Always read carefully — "NOT TRUE" means identifying the statement that contradicts the passage.
Updated On: Apr 23, 2025
  • The British are spending money they don’t have on things they don’t need.
  • Donating to charities abroad has a negative influence on the environment.
  • The Buy Nothing movement encourages people to embrace consumerism.
  • The Buy Nothing groups have had an impact on social media advertisers.
Hide Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

The Buy Nothing movement discourages consumerism by promoting mindful consumption and sharing within communities. Correct phrase: The Buy Nothing movement encourages people to embrace consumerism.
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 4


Which of the following sentences best captures the main idea of this text?

Show Hint

When identifying a main idea, look for the most comprehensive statement that summarizes the entire passage.
Updated On: Apr 23, 2025
  • Consumerism is rampant in Britain and people spend money they don’t have on the things they don’t need.
  • The Buy Nothing movement, which began in Canada as a reaction to the consumerism, soon spread to America.
  • The Buy Nothing movement promotes the idea of not buying things over extended periods of time, thus cutting down on consumption.
  • Companies are slowly beginning to realise that they cannot force people to buy things through aggressive advertising and discount sales.
Hide Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

The passage primarily centers around the Buy Nothing movement’s mission to reduce unnecessary consumption and encourage conscious living. Correct phrase: The Buy Nothing movement promotes the idea of not buying things over extended periods of time, thus cutting down on consumption.
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 5

Choose the best option to complete the statement: 
\(\textit{According to the author the ‘buy nothing’ movement is:}\)

Show Hint

Priya is an SC candidate, born in 1998 (age 22+ in 2020), and scored above 65% in Maths, aggregate, entrance test, and interview. Since she meets all criteria, she \textbf{would be admitted}.
Updated On: Apr 23, 2025
  • mere anti-consumerism
  • an artefact of ‘social media’
  • glorifying ‘penny-pinching’
  • rejection of ‘overconsumption’
Hide Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

The ‘buy nothing’ movement, as described by the author, is not simply against consumerism, nor is it a trend driven by social media or a glorification of frugality. It is, rather, a deliberate stand against the culture of excessive consumption.
Was this answer helpful?
0
0

Top Questions on Reading Comprehension

View More Questions

Questions Asked in NPAT exam

View More Questions