Editorial #022

THE HINDU EDITORIAL 

India’s most populous State finally goes to the polls today, beginning a seven-phase process that starts from the western fringe of Uttar Pradesh. In this first phase, 73 Assembly constituencies in 15 districts of western Uttar Pradesh will elect their legislators in what is clearly the most diversely contested region of the State, the only one in which all four parties/fronts, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Samajwadi Party-Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, fancy their chances. That they all see themselves to be firmly in the hunt indicates the change in western U.P. since the 2014 general election when the BJP registered its biggest margins of leads in Assembly segments. Then, riots in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts in 2013 had resulted in communal polarisation in the BJP’s favour, supplementing the Narendra Modi wave in the State: the BJP alliance netted 73 of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats. But two years is a long time in politics, and issues such as the demonetisation, the performance of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and BSP leader Mayawati’s reliance on a new samikaran (caste-religion arithmetic) have all changed the nature of the campaign.This time, reports suggest that many in the landed peasantry among Jats are looking again at the RLD, which till not long ago had been staring at a political decline, as a viable choice. Despite a relatively favourable monsoon and a better agrarian harvest, farmers are now less well-disposed towards the BJP following the demonetisation. The BSP has struck a chord with its traditional support base among Dalits and has fielded a large number of Muslim candidates to consolidate support among the minorities. The SP-Congress alliance seeks to ride a wave of positive support for Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav after his combat with party elders. The BJP has its task cut out to retain its support here, with the effects of the demonetisation hurting traders too. But Mr. Modi’s appeal is still strong, especially among the younger voters. The party has tried to use dog-whistle politics — talking of an “anti-Romeo campaign”, for example, as a softer version of its earlier “love jihad” mobilisation — as a polarising tactic, but it is not clear if that will pay off. A more sound strategy has been its reliance on the non-Yadav Other Backward Classes to take on the identity politics of the BSP and the SP. All said, the political landscape in western U.P. remains dynamic, making predictions risky. However, as in the past, the very specific issues of western U.P. may well influence the rest of the State.

VOCABULARY 

1. Fringe :- An ornamental border of threads left loose or formed into tassels or twists, used to edge clothing or material.
2. Constituencies :- A group of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body.
3. legislators :- A person who makes laws; a member of a legislative body.
4. Diversely :- Showing a great deal of variety; very different.
5. Contested :- An event in which people compete for supremacy in a sport or other activity, or in a quality.
6. Firmly :- With little possibility of movement; securely.
7. Riots :- A violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd.
8. Polarisation :- Division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs.
9. Reliance :- Dependence on or trust in someone or something.
10. Staring :- Look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something with one's eyes wide open.
11. Agrarian :- Relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land.
12. Chord :- A group of (typically three or more) notes sounded together, as a basis of harmony.
13. Combat :- Non-violent conflict or opposition.
14. Dog-whistle :- A subtly aimed political message which is intended for, and can only be understood by, a particular demographic group.
15. Mobilization :- The action of a country or its government preparing and organizing troops for active service.
16. Tactic:- An action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end.
17. Influence :- The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Editorial #021

THE HINDU EDITORIAL

It is a measured gambit  by Tamil Nadu. The State has taken the legislative route to grant itself exemption from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), a uniform examination that will decide admission to medical courses all over the country. The two Bills passed by the State Assembly seek to retain its present admission system for under-graduate and post-graduate medical courses based on marks obtained by students in their higher secondary school examination. The Bills are likely to displease the Supreme Court, which insists that NEET marks be the sole basis for admission. The Bills will also require the President’s assent; else they would be repugnant to the provisions of the Indian Medical Council Act and the Dentists Act that prescribe the entrance test. Tamil Nadu, which abolished entrance examinations to professional courses in 2006, argues that NEET would be traumatic for both parents and children, as it would be based on a syllabus different from the one taught in schools under the board for higher secondary education. The fear is that NEET would be insurmountable for students from rural areas and under-privileged backgrounds and those who cannot afford coaching centers. Its concern that urban students, especially those from streams such as the CBSE, would dominate admissions under NEET cannot be dismissed easily.

Regulations introducing NEET were struck down by a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court in 2013 by a two-one majority. Last year, a five-judge Bench recalled the verdict and NEET was back in place. Students all over the country were gripped by anxiety and tension following the sudden change in the admission method. The Centre promulgated an ordinance to grant relief for under-graduate medical admissions in 2016, but no such protection is available this year. There is now an inevitable conflict between the need for a fair and transparent admission system to curb rampant commercialization of medical education and the socio-economic goals of the State, which is worried about producing enough committed doctors ready to serve in rural areas. Both objectives are indeed laudable. However, a moot question is whether uniformity should be thrust on a country that has wide regional, economic and linguistic disparities. Normally it is the political leadership, and not the courts, that should harmonies such differences and evolve a viable admission policy. At the same time, States cannot remain forever insulated from the need to upgrade educational standards. It may be easy to advise the courts to keep out of the policy domain, but a more difficult task is for institutions in the government and the private sector to maintain standards and pass the court’s triple test of fairness, transparency and freedom from exploitation.

VOCABULARY 

1. Gambit - An act or remark that is calculated to gain an advantage, especially at the outset of a situation
2. Legislative - Having the power to make laws
3. Exemption -The action of freeing or state of being free from an obligation or liability imposed on others:
4. Uniform -  Remaining the same in all cases and at all times; unchanging in form or character
5. Seek -  Attempt to find (something)
6. Retain - Continue to have (something); keep possession of
7. Displease - Make (someone) feel annoyed or upset
8. Sole - One and only
9. Insists - Demand something forcefully, not accepting refusal
10. Assent -The expression of approval or agreement
11. Repugnant - Extremely distasteful; unacceptable
12. Provisions  - The action of providing or supplying something for use
13. Abolished - Formally put an end to (a system, practice, or institution)
14. Traumatic - Deeply disturbing or distressing
15. Insurmountable - Too great to be overcome
16. Privileged  - Having special rights, advantages, or immunities
17. Concern  - Relate to; be about
18. Dominate  - Have power and influence over
19. Struck - Hit forcibly and deliberately with one's hand or a weapon or other implement
20. Recalled - Bring (a fact, event, or situation) back into one's mind; remember
21. Verdict  -A decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminal case or an inquest
22. Anxiety - A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome
23. Promulgated - Promote or make widely known (an idea or cause)
24. Inevitable - Certain to happen; unavoidable
25. Rampant - (especially of something unwelcome) flourishing or spreading unchecked
26. Uniformity - The quality or state of being uniform
27. Disparities - A great difference
28. Harmonies - The combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect
29. Viable - Capable of working successfully; feasible
30. Exploitation - The action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work

Cloze test #07

SBI MAINS

Lately , the media seems to have gone berserk in  (1) everything that pertains to the New Economy . Behind the great bulk of the articles on the subjects are  (2)  assumptions . First, that the New Economy businesses are likely to push Old Economy industries all the way into oblivion. Second, that (3) about the new Economy is far superior to that of the Old Economy. Both those emphatic assumptions could be (4) flawed. Physical products the cornerstone of the old Economy are hardly likely to (5) out in important even in the age of the internet. After all, the consumption of physical goods is hardly going down . In everything from steel to automobiles (6) is only going up. But above and beyond all this the New Economy also needs Old Economy products to survive . You can sell goods on the internet after all, only if (7) is producing those goods. Besides which, people still want all those Old Economy goods.

As far as the second point is concerned, the on big weakness abut the New Economy is that it is (8) more volatile than the Old economy . The rate of evolution of products the crux of the Old Economy will (9) always be slower than the rate of the growth and proliferation of new ideas on any given subjects. And hence , the Old economy ( bossed on products) will always be relatively more (10) than the new economy ‘bossed largely on ideas’.

OPTIONS 

1. listening सुनना   advocating वकालत  ignoring अनदेखी adopting गॉड लेना   veiwing देखने के 
2. bold साहसिक  emphasizing पर बल  underlying आधारभूत overriding अधिभावी 
3. glitter चमक  everything सब कुछ  each-thing प्रत्येक चीज़   proceed बढ़ना  highlight मुख्य आकर्षण 
4. thinking विचारधारा  delibertely जान बूझकर  casually संयोग से  carelessly लापरवाही  seriously गम्भीरता से 
5. lose खोना  charm आकर्षण  iron लोहा  stand खड़ा  
6. trend प्रव्रत्ति movement आंदोलन  consumption सेवन  cost लागत  production उत्पादन 
7. mass सामूहिक  someone कोई व्यक्ति  none कोई नही  person व्यक्ति  marketing विपणन  
8. obviously जाहिर है  reportedly कथित तोर पर  naturally सहज रूप से  intrinsicallly आंतरिक रूप से  abysmally काफी 
9. subjectively आत्मगत  deliberatley जान बूझकर  according अनुसार   necessarily अनिवार्य रूप से 
10. stable स्थिर  dogmatic कट्टर  fragile नाज़ुक  volatile परिवर्तनशील  specific विशष्ट 

ANSWERS 

1. Advocating
2. Underlying
3. Everything
4. Seriously
5. Lose
6. Consumption
7. Someone
8. Obviously
9. Necessarily
10. Stable

Editorial #020

THE HINDU EDITORIAL 

Punjab and Goa go to the polls today, heralding घोषणा  a multi-phase election schedule, with three other States set to vote over the next month. Punjab and Goa, where a hectic व्यस्त  campaign अभियान has been running for the past month, are united by a common strand — the contest is not limited to the two national parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, or alliances गठबन्धनों with them, as has been the case for some years. In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party has sought to build on its strong debut performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha election when it won four out of 13 seats and had leads in 33 of the total of 117 Assembly segments. The presence of the AAP has meant a three-way contest as the incumbent निर्भर Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance seeks to defend its record not just in the State but also at the Centre over the demonetisation policy and farmers’ issues. The AAP polled well in rural and semi-urban areas in Punjab in 2014, taking up issues that had been inadequately अपर्याप्त addressed by the Congress and the BJP, such as corruption, and drug consumption सेवन that has devastated तहस -नहस so many lives in the countryside. For the Congress, the stakes are high as it seeks to turn the tide after a string of losses in Assembly elections in major States since 2013. In former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh the Congress has perhaps its most capable regional leader today, but it remains to be seen how the anti-incumbency पदग्राही vote splits विभाजन .

Goa, on the other hand, is engaged व्यस्त in an electoral contest that is more dependent on local issues and variables than national ones. But here too, the entry of the AAP has made election forecasting भविष्यवाणी difficult. The BJP is projecting its record of providing a stable government in a State prone प्रव्रत्त to political volatility उतार - चढ़ाव , but its task has become more difficult with the loss of its alliance partner, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, to another right-wing front. The Congress has fielded its share of former chief ministers. With compact सघन and smaller constituencies विधानसभा छेत्रो — some of them have only about 25,000 voters — close contests are expected, with even minor parties and independents having the potential to influence प्रभाव the final result. It is no wonder that heavyweights दिग्गजों such as Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar have been deployed तैनात for local-level campaigning; the BJP wants to leave nothing to chance. The elections in Punjab and Goa go well beyond mundane सांस्कारिक identity politics. Securing a clean environment with regulations over mining in Goa, and tackling agrarian कृषि प्रधान problems and narcotics use in Punjab, give the vote immediacy, promising an electoral contest that has some focus on civic issues and is not confined to patronage संरक्षण or identity.

VOCABULARY 

1. Heralding                                        घोषणा
2. hectic                                               व्यस्त
3. Campaign                                        अभियान
4. Alliances                                         गठबन्धनों
5. Incumbent                                       निर्भर
6. Inadequately                                   अपर्याप्त
7. Devastated                                      तहस -नहस
8. Incumbency                                    पदग्राही
9. Splits                                               विभाजन
10. Engaged                                          व्यस्त
11. Volatility                                         उतार - चढ़ाव
12. Compact                                         सघन
13. Constituencies                                विधानसभा छेत्रो
14. Influence                                        प्रभाव
15. Heavyweights                                दिग्गजों
16. Deployed                                       तैनात
17. Mundane                                       सांस्कारिक
18. Agrarian                                        कृषि प्रधान
19. Patronage                                      संरक्षण

Cloze test #06

SBI MAINS 2015

Women have (1) made  (2) in the corporate workplace but certainly not as much as they had (3) . We have new laws, rules and (4) relating to women in the workplace , but what we have not changed much is male (5) . Women have fallen short in their goals because we (6) the potency of the male and feel the need to (7) their power. We can abide (8) by the laws and rules we crate in order to (9) women an equal opportunity in the corporate workplace and still not (10) the problems that afflicted and eventually capsized the women's raft. 

OPTIONS 

1. seldom कभी कभी  not नही  optimistically आशावादी  undoubtedly निश्चित रूप से  perhaps शायद 
2. attempts प्रयास को  progress प्रगति  decisions निर्णयों  efforts प्रयासों  automation स्वचालन 
3. prescribed निर्धारित  informed सूचित किया  encompassed घेर  predisposed संवेदनशील  expected अपेक्षित होना 
4. problem मुशीबत  revolutions क्रांतियों  polices नीतियों  cases मामलों  activities गतिविधियों 
5. behavior व्यवहार  populations आबादी  achievements उपलब्धियों  patterns नमूना  hatred घृणा 
6. risk जोखिम  minimize  छोटा  करना  respect आदर करना  retaliate प्रतिकार करना  underestimate कम आंकना 
7. know जानना  maintain रखना  evolve विकसित करना  absolve दोसमुक्त करना  diminish घटाना 
8. them उन्हें  partially आंशिक रूप से  occasionally कभी  न कभी  scrupulouslyराजनीति  excessively अधिकता से 
9. deprive वंचित   donate  दान करना  assure विश्वास दिलाता हु  deny मना  share हिस्सा 
10. emphasize जोर देना  explore का  पता लगाने  judge जज  mentioned उल्लेख किया  overcome पर काबू पाने 

Answers 

1. Undoubtedly 
2. progress 
3. Expected 
4. Polices 
5. Achievements 
6. Respect 
7. Maintain 
8. Scrupulously 
9. Assure 
10. Overcome 

1. 
   

Editorial #19

THE HINDU EDITORIAL

The preliminary finding of the Commission of Railway Safety that the derailment पटरी से उतरना of the Indore-Rajendranagar Express near Kanpur in November 2016 that killed over 140 people was primarily caused by carriage and wagon गाड़ी defects should serve as a reality check for the Railway Ministry. While sabotage is indeed वास्तव में a factor in some derailments, bad railway performance is responsible for the majority. The CRS report merits serious consideration: it has specifically identified a variation in the wheel gauges of two coaches, and found carriages being run beyond their useful life. This is not a rare instance where inquiries have found the Railways seriously deficient अपूर्ण . In fact, the annual report of the CRS Lucknow for 2012-13 cites failure of railway equipment, derelict त्याग किया हुआ staff, rail fractures and, on some occasions, non-railway factors to be responsible for fatal घातक accidents. The collision टक्कर of the Hubli-Bengaluru City Hampi Express with a goods train that left 25 people dead, for instance उदाहरण , was caused by failure of staff. The Kakodkar committee on railway safety found that out of 441 derailments it analysed, only about 15% were the result of sabotage, while the majority were caused by factors completely under the control of the railway administration.

India’s Railways serves the vital महत्वपूर्ण function of providing travel access to millions, and, as Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his article ‘Third Class in Indian Railways’, have the responsibility of making it equitable and comfortable. It must also be safe. The Railway Ministry is pursuing a major safety initiative पहल , the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh, with a non-lapsable समाप्त न होने वाले corpus of 1,19,183 crore. Not only should such a fund be constituted, given the past contribution of dedicated safety funds to rail track renewal, it should be governed शासित by a transparent framework with public reporting requirements. The Finance Ministry says the Fund should rely mainly on internal resources, but there is a strong case for higher gross budgetary support to raise safety in a government-run transport network that has a universal service obligation. Replacing ageing and unsafe carriages with modern Linke Hofmann Busch coaches is a five-year-old Kakodkar panel recommendation, but supply has not kept pace with requirement. Travel demand has, meanwhile, continued to leap छलांग as economic growth both needs and encourages greater mobility चलना फिरना . Raising the performance of the Indian Railways needs a clear vision for both service and financing, with zero tolerance for accidents. Along with technologies such as ultrasonic flaw detection to keep tracks safe, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and his team must look at ways to carry more passengers safely.

VOCABULARY 

1. Derailment                                  पटरी से उतरना
2. Wagon                                        गाड़ी
3. Indeed                                        वास्तव में      
4. Deficient                                     अपूर्ण
5. Derelict                                       त्याग किया हुआ
6. Fatal                                            घातक
7. Collision                                     टक्कर
8. Instance                                      उदाहरण
9. Vital                                            महत्वपूर्ण
10. Initiative                                     पहल
11. Lapsable                                      समाप्त न होने वाले 
12. Governed                                      शासित
13. Leap                                            छलांग
14. Mobility                                     चलना फिरना 

Cloze test #05

IBPS SO ( Marketing ) Previous Paper 

Around the world, companies that have achieved international leadership employ strategies that   (1)   from each other in every respect. But, when every successful company will employ its own particular strategy , the   (2)   mode of operation - the character and trajectory of all successful companies  - is fundamentally the same companies   (3)   competitive advantage through acts of innovation . they approach innovation in its broadest sense, including new technologies and new way of dong things. They perceive a new basis for competing or better means to compete in old ways. Innovation can be   (4)   in a new product design , a new pro-ducting process, a new marketing approx or a new way of conducting training. Much innovation is mundane and incremental, depending more on accumulation of smal insights and advances  (5)  on a single, major technological breakthrough. It often involves ideas that are even 'new' idea, that have been  (6)  but never vigorously pursued . it always involves investments in skill and knowledge , as well as in physical assets and brand reputation .
some innovation creates competitive advantage by perceiving and entirely new market opportunity or by serving a market segment that others have  (7)  . When competitors are slow to respond , such innovation  (8)  competitive advantage . For instance , in industries such as autos and home electronics , Japanese companies  (9)  their and initial advantage by  (10)  on smaller , more compact , lower-capacity models that foreign competitors, declared as less profitable , less important and less attractive.

OPTIONS 

1. offer प्रस्ताव  differ अलग  after बाद  contrast विरोध  vary भिन्न 
2. underlying आधारभूत  basis आधार  prima मुख्य  element तत्व  routed कराई 
3. compete प्रतिस्पर्धा  work काम  follow पालन करना  achive  हासिल dispatch प्रेषण 
4. obviously जाहिर है  manifested व्यक्त  attached जुड़ा हुआ  attested अभिप्रमाणित noticeable ध्यान देने योग्य 
5. there वहां  the that उस  therefore इसलिए   than से 
6. excited उत्साहित  over ऊपर  around चारो ओर  all सब  universally सार्वभौमिक 
7. divergentविभिन्न  noticed गौर  ignored अवहेलना करना  shut बन्द  detoured चक्कर 
8. profits मुनाफा  yields पैदावार  felicitates सम्मानित turns on चालू करे return वापसी 
9. strengthens मजबूत  proceed बढ़ना  allowed अनुमति  gained प्राप्त की  prove साबित करना 
10. heading शिर्षक  indicating यह दरसाता है  touching मार्मिक  focusing ध्यान केंद्रित  emphasizing पर बल 

ANSWERS

1. Differ 
2. Underlying 
3. Achieve
4. Manifested
5. Than 
6. Around
7. Ignored 
8. Yields 
9. Gained 
10. Focusing. 

  

Editorial #17

 THE HINDU EDITORIAL 

To gain some perspective परिप्रेक्ष्य on the Center's decision to divest ले लेना 25% of its stake in five public sector general insurers, consider these numbers. Last year, the gross premium income of four of these companies — New India Assurance, United India Insurance, Oriental Insurance and National Insurance — increased by over 12%. But their profits after tax fell by more than half from a year earlier, from ₹3,094 crore in 2014-15 to just ₹1,499 crore in 2015-16. A closer scrutiny समीक्षा reveals पता चलना that high underwriting losses, which increased 55% in the year, were largely responsible for profits falling at these firms even as revenues राजस्व  rose. National Insurance took the sharpest hit, with a 148% rise in underwriting losses. Public shareholding in these firms will lead to questions about such outliers गैर  in performance that haven’t been heard under the Center's present 100% ownership structure, at least in the public domain. This, as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in his Budget speech last year, would lead to greater transparency and accountability जवाबदेही . It will also allow the firms, including General Insurance Corporation of India, to raise more capital from the markets instead of relying on taxpayer money alone. For instance उदाहरण , India’s ₹1,500-crore nuclear liability insurance pool created by GIC with other insurers perhaps needs more muscle to create confidence among wary nuclear suppliers. 

That it took 11 months for a Budget announcement to secure ‘in-principle’ Cabinet approval is symptomatic प्रतीक of the lethargy सुस्ती in the disinvestment programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asserted early in his term — during his maiden प्रथम official visit to the U.S. in 2014 — that government had no business being in business. Yet, it took two more years for the Cabinet to sign off on the first strategic sale (with transfer of ownership and control) under its watch, in the loss-making Bharat Pumps and Compressors. In December, it approved the sale of land with four sick public sector pharma firms with a plan to close two, and ‘explore the option’ of strategic sale for Hindustan Antibiotics and Bengal Chemicals. This month, stock exchanges were informed about a proposal to sell a 26% stake in heavy equipment-maker BEML to a strategic investor. The political economy window for such divestment is not unlimited. Even the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime शासन , which spearheaded जुट the strategic sale of public sector firms engaged व्यस्त in businesses ranging लेकर from bread to phosphates, raised 84% of such revenue during its third and fourth years in office. Halfway through its term, it is time this government’s disinvestment plans gather steam.

VOCABULARY 

1. Perspective                                          परिप्रेक्ष्य
2. Divest                                                  ले लेना
3. Scrutiny                                               समीक्षा
4. Reveals                                                पता चलना
5. Revenues                                             राजस्व
6. Outliers                                                गैर
7. Accountability                                     जवाबदेही
8. Instance                                                उदाहरण
9. Symptomatic                                       प्रतीक
10. Lethargy                                              सुस्ती
11. Maiden                                                प्रथम 
12. Regime                                                शासन
13. Spearheaded                                        जुट
14. Engaged                                               व्यस्त
15. Ranging                                                लेकर

Editorial #16

THE HINDU EDITORIAL 

The world has turned the page on 2016 with the worrying revelation that it was the warmest year on the instrumental सहायक record since the late 19th century, and the hottest of three record-breaking years in a row. While the rise in global average surface temperature by about 1.1º C last year over the pre-industrial era was aggravated तेज by the El Nino phenomenon घटना of 2015-16, the trend is a warning to all countries that they cannot afford to rely भरोसा करना on carbon-intensive growth any longer. Explaining the scientific view, NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies points to the rise in temperature as being driven “largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions उत्सर्जन  into the atmosphere.” The warming pattern must be seen in the context of declining sea ice cover in the Arctic, compounding the loss of ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic. In the Arctic, which is witnessing a decline in the extent of sea ice in the lowest month at the rate of about 13% every decade, melting creates a vicious circle of more exposure अनावरण of ‘dark areas’ to sunlight, higher melting and more dark surface absorbing heat. Such phenomena accelerate the rate of global warming, with consequences परिणामी through climate change for coastal तटीय areas, access to water, farming and human health.

A warming globe with changes to the climate in the form of altered rainfall, drought, floods, lost biodiversity जैव विविधता and reduced crop yields पैदावार  would particularly affect millions in China and India. It is heartening ख़ुशी की बात that Chinese President Xi Jinping asserted the importance of the Paris Agreement on climate change at the Davos meeting of the World Economic Forum, and virtually वास्तव में  cautioned incoming U.S. President Donald Trump against reneging इनकार  on it. India’s own commitment to the climate accord समझौता must be strengthened with clear and unambiguous स्पस्ट actions. This should lead to a scaling up of renewable energy and measurable decline in use of fossil जीवाश्म fuels. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal has promised a steady increase in solar power capacity, going beyond the target of 100 gigawatts by 2022, but such goals become more credible विस्वसनीय when there is action in individual States to make the average citizen a partner in the effort. States should be ranked on their policies that help unlock investment in the sector, including domestic rooftop installations, and the weak service infrastructure for solar should be upgraded उन्नत without delay. India’s water stress is heightened by extreme weather episodes, and this requires an enhanced बढ़ावा policy response to protect farmers, livestock पशु  and vulnerable चपेट में communities.

VOCABULARY 

1. Instrumental                                सहायक
2. Aggravated                                  तेज
3. Phenomenon                                 घटना
4. Rely                                             भरोसा करना
5. Emissions                                    उत्सर्जन
6. Exposure                                     अनावरण
7. Consequences                              परिणामी
8. Coastal                                        तटीय
9. Biodiversity                                जैव विविधता
10. Yields                                          पैदावार  
11. Heartening                                  ख़ुशी की बात
12. Virtually                                      वास्तव में
13. Reneging                                    इनकार
14. Accord                                        समझौता
15. Unambiguous                             स्पस्ट
16. Fossil                                          जीवाश्म
17. Credible                                      विस्वसनीय
18. Upgraded                                    उन्नत
19. Enhanced                                    बढ़ावा
20. Livestock                                    पशु
21. Vulnerable                                  चपेट में

Cloze test #04

RBI ASSISTANT (MAIN)

A shepherd-boy, who  (1)  a flock of sheep near a village, brought out the villagers many time by   (2)  out "Wolf! Wolf!" and when his neighbors came to help him  (3)  at them for their pains. He did this on a regular basis just to (4)  cheep thrills from the activity. No (5) how much the villagers tried to  (6)  him to cease the activity, he would not stop doing it. The Wolf, whoever, did  (7)  come at last. The shepherd-boy now really  (8)  , shouted in an agony of terror . " Pray, do come and help me , the Wolf is killing the sheep !. But no one paid may  (9)  to his cries nor  (10)  any assistance . The wolf, having no cause for fear, at his leisure, lacerated and destroyed the whole frock.

OPTIONS

1.  caught  पकड़े  गए  looked देखा  watched देखा  guard रक्षक  mingled मिलावटी 
2. saying कह रही  talking बात कहना  loudly जोर जोर से  shout चिल्लाना  crying रोना 
3. giggle खीस  amused खुश laughed सहना cheered ख़ुशी  threw फेंक दिया 
4. mention उल्लेख  deceive धोखा देना  getting  मिल रहा है derive निकले  जाते है obtained प्राप्त 
5. much बहुत  matter मामला  doubt सन्देह  way मार्ग  problem मुसीबत 
6. commence आरम्भ  understand समझना  talk बातचीत  told  बोला था  say कहना 
7. finally आखिरकार  actual वास्तविक  had था truly वास्तव में  reality वास्तविकता 
8. alarmed चिंतित  frighten डराना  enjoying मज़ा  curious जिज्ञासु 
9. feared आशंका  money पैसे  distance दुरी  heed सावधान रहना  attentive सावधान   observation अवलोकन 
10. passed  बीतने के  send भेजना  favored  इष्ट   call पुकारना  rendered   प्रदान की  गयी है 

ANSWERS 

1. Watched 
2. Crying
3. Laughed
4. Derive 
5. matter 
6. Talk 
7. Truly
8. Alarmed 
9. Heed
10. Rendered 

Editorial #15

THE HINDU EDITORIAL

Prime Minister Theresa May’s speech on her government’s plans for Britain’s exit from the EU was many things at once — a declaration of intent इरादा,  a warning, a motivational talk and a balancing act with several contradictions वीरोदभाषओं . She painted the first stroke आघात on the negotiation मोल भाव canvas: Britain had chosen a “hard Brexit”. It would leave the single market and with it gain more control over its borders and its laws, some of which are currently under the oversight निरिक्षण of the European Courts of Justice. This, Ms. May said, is what the people had chosen. At the same time, the U.K. would seek to negotiate खरीद फरोख्त a deal that would give it as much access to the single market without being a part of it. It would seek a modified customs union membership to be able to negotiate its own trade treaties संधियों with non-EU countries, and build what the Prime Minister called a “truly global Britain”. This vision had been built up by Ms. May since the June 2016 referendum जनमत संग्रह , and her speech reiterated बात को दोहराना it was the alternative, and better, future that awaited Britain. The Prime Minister pushed and pulled at the EU, with praise and warning. Ms. May spoke of her country’s good intentions इरादों for the continent and her optimism आशावाद for a good deal with Europe, but said she would accept a no-deal over a bad one. She warned that it would be “calamitously आपत्तिजनक ” harmful to Europe if it penalized सजा the U.K. for leaving. She spoke of wanting to strike a trade deal with the EU but hinted that if it did not get a good deal the U.K. had the rest of the world to trade with, and the option to offer tax incentives to attract “the best companies and the biggest investors”.

Ms. May, who was herself a “Remainer बचना ”, is trying to make the most of the referendum results for the U.K., and this is her job. It is in this context that her speech must be seen. Neither the British government nor those who supported the move to leave the EU should harbour any illusions भ्रम that some of the goals outlined in the speech will be difficult to achieve. The EU, which according to recent data accounts for approximately half the U.K.’s imports and exports, is likely to be overwhelmingly  घने important to it after the exit. It is not just the EU that will experience great harm from a bad deal. Trade deals with non-EU countries such as India are likely to involve greater movement of people across borders and this is bound to raise difficult immigration आप्रवासन issues again. The Scottish Parliament has now reiterated its resolve to discuss with Downing Street Scotland’s continuation विस्तार  in the single market, and a second referendum for Scottish independence is now more likely. Nobody said it would be easy.

VOCABULARY 

1. intent                                                   इरादा
2. contradictions                           विरोदाभासों 
3. stroke                                        आघात
4. negotiation                                मोल भाव
5. oversight                                   निरिक्षण 
6. negotiate                                   खरीद फरोख्त
7. treaties                                      संधियों
8. referendum                               जनमत संग्रह 
9. reiterated                                  बात को दोहराना
10. intentions                                 इरादों
11. optimism                                  आशावाद
12. calamitously                             आपत्तिजनक
13. penalized                                  सजा
14. Remainer                                  बचना
15. illusions                                    भ्रम
16. overwhelmingly                       घने
17. immigration                             आप्रवासन 
18. continuation                             विस्तार