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

Editorial #14

THE HINDU EDITORIAL 

The Goods and Services Tax Council has made some breakthroughs on outstanding negotiable that were holding up the introduction of the indirect tax regime. A compromise समझोता has been reached between the Centre and the States on the formula for administrative control over taxpayers under the GST, which will subsume नियम के अंतर्गत myriad असंख्य existing State and Central levies on commercial activity. By giving up on its formula to split विभाजित करे such control by assuming the authority to levy GST on all services entities and manufacturing firms with 1.5 crore or more annual turnover, the Centre has shown a willingness to meet the States more than halfway. The new control-sharing system appears simpler to administer. Now, 90 per cent of all GST assesses निर्धारितयों with a turnover of up to 1.5 crore will come under the watch of the States and 10 per cent under that of the Centre, with both getting to assess half of the firms with a turnover over 1.5 crore. More important, it gives States, many of which had claimed at recent GST Council meetings revenue राजस्व losses following the demonetisation of currency notes, the leeway to claim that they have struck a better deal with the Centre on a reform that is now inevitable.

With the Centre finally laying to rest its hopes of an April 1, 2017 rollout and eyeing a ‘more realistic यथार्थवादी ’ July 1 date, it has some room to tinker with a few indirect taxes in the Budget to provide a short-term pre-GST stimulus प्रोत्साहन to the economy that is facing a flurry घबराहट of growth downgrade अधोगति projections. Since the trickiest issues between the Centre and the States are now resolved and only legislative drafts remain to be approved when the Council meets next on February 18, it is an opportune time to address some of the concerns raised by another key stakeholder — industry. Firms have indicated they would need about six months to gear up for the new tax regime once the laws, rules and all the minutiae of implementation, including the rates for different products and services, are known. More clarity and finesse are also needed on the harsh penal provisions, including the power to arrest, proposed in the draft GST law (that lists out 21 offences अपराधी ) and the creation of an anti-profiteering authority that can act against firms that fail to pass on benefits of tax rate cuts to consumers. While it is important to protect the consumer, a clear rule-based framework is necessary to ensure that one of the biggest gains envisaged परिकल्पित from GST — an exponential घातीय change in ease of doing business — isn’t scuttled विफल by fears of a return to inspector raj. For a government committed to ending tax terrorism, taking a step back to meticulously पूरी बारीकी से review the possible gaps between intent and implementation may be worthwhile — even if it means delaying the launch by a few fortnights.

VOCABULARY 

1. Compromise                           समझोता
2. Subsume                                  नियम के अंतर्गत
3. Myriad                                    असंख्य 
4. Split                                        विभाजित करे
5. Assesses                                 निर्धारितयों
6. Revenue                                 राजस्व
7. Realistic                                   यथार्थवादी
8. Stimulus                                   प्रोत्साहन
9. Flurry                                        घबराहट
10. Downgrade                               अधोगति
11. Offences                                   अपराधी
12. Envisaged                                 परिकल्पित
13. Exponential                              घातीय
14. Scuttled                                    विफल
15. Meticulously                            पूरी बारीकी से

Editorial #13

THE HINDU EDITORIAL 

Navjot Singh Sidhu might now describe himself as a “born Congressman” and his joining the Congress as “homecoming”, but he is without doubt driven more by personal ambition महत्वकांशा than by ideological विचारधारा fervour जोश . After quitting the Bharatiya Janata Party, a constituent घटक of the ruling combine in Punjab led by the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr. Sidhu explored virtually वास्तव में every political option — floating a new outfit and joining the Aam Aadmi Party — before finally teaming up with the Congress, which was until recently his main rival. He left the BJP and resigned as a Member of Parliament saying he was being asked to stay away from his home State of Punjab by the party leadership. But it was not as if he has been spending a lot of his time since then in Punjab. The cricketer-turned-politician is a television personality as well, and his professional commitments  प्रतिबद्धताओं have taken him elsewhere for much of the last few months. No matter how he tries to present his switch of political loyalties वफादारी , Mr. Sidhu will have a credibility साख issue tagging him right through his campaign अभियान in Punjab. He has been less than entirely honest about his reasons for leaving the BJP, his brief interlude अंतराल with the AAP, and his new-found love for the Congress. So, instead of harping on peeves such as the treatment he received in the BJP, when he was asked to vacate his Amritsar Lok Sabha seat for Arun Jaitley, Mr. Sidhu may opt to play to his strengths as a star campaigner आंदोलन का सदस्य than portray himself as an administrator-in-waiting.

Mr. Sidhu has his uses as a public speaker to the Congress, but he will be unwilling to limit his role to punchlines and throwaway insults. The AAP did not want to promise to make him its chief ministerial candidate, and similarly the Congress seems  to publicly commit प्रतिबद्ध on giving him the post of deputy chief minister (the chief minister’s post is non-negotiable given Captain Amarinder Singh’s status within the party). For a man of his ambitions, Mr. Sidhu could well find himself running too often into conflicts संघर्ष within the Congress, which is never short of regional satraps and middle-rung leaders aspiring to climb to the top. What he brings to the table as a campaigner will be a huge plus for the Congress, but it remains to be seen how big a bite he will want of the post-election pie. But for Mr. Sidhu, as for the Congress, the first task is to get the better of the SAD-BJP combine by capitalizing on the anti-incumbency पदग्राही sentiment, and highlighting the agrarian crisis and the drug menace enveloping the State. The post-election fight can wait.

VOCABULARY 

1. Ambition                                        महत्वकांशा
2. Ideological                                     विचारधारा
3. Fervour                                          जोश
4. Constituent                                    घटक
5. Virtually                                        वास्तव में
6. Commitments                                  प्रतिबद्धताओं
7. Ioyalties                                        वफादारी
8. Credibility                                     साख
9. Campaign                                     अभियान
10. Interlude                                       अंतराल
11. Campaigner                                  आंदोलन का सदस्य
12. Commit                                           प्रतिबद्ध 
13. Conflicts                                          संघर्ष
14. Incumbency                                     पदग्राही

Cloze test #03

INDIAN BANK PO (PGDBF) PT

Fidel Castro , who led the Cuban revolution and transformed the tiny Caribbean island into a poster-child  of the global left, was the last representative of an ea shaped by the Cold War. His  (1)  of the US for over six decades and radical postures in support of national liberation  (2)  in Latin America , Africa and Asia had turned him into a Third icon. He was no Pol Pot or Kim II Sung, but Castro's record in  (3)  dissent and free speech ,  (4)  against sexual minorities , was different from that of many Third World despots. Cuba, after revolution , suffered from the many ailments that  (5)  communist dictatorship of the twentieth century.

OPTIONS 

1. audacity धृष्टता contempt अपमान करना defiance ललकारना regard सम्म्मान respect आदर करना 
2. struggle संघर्ष encounter मुठभेड़ strife कलह tussle खींचतान surrender आत्मसमर्पण 
3. annihilating मिटा देना extinguishing शमन releasing रिहा encouraging उत्साहजनक suppressing दबा 
4. hatred घ्रणा discrimination भेदभाव stupidity सहनसीलता indifference उदासीनता 
5. indicates इंगित करना features विशेषताएं  outlines रुपरेखा characterised विशेषता informs बताना 

ANSWERS 

1. Defiance 
2. Struggle 
3. Suppressing
4. Discrimination 
5. Characterised 

Editorial #012

THE HINDU EDITORIAL

The  boat disaster in the Ganga on Makar Sankranti day that killed at least 24 people is another reminder that safety in public transport remains a low priority for governments. As with road accidents, mishaps दुर्घटनाओं in the inland waterways and lakes take a terrible भयानक  toll छती of lives regularly, with no effective administrative response. In the Ganga Diara tragedy near Patna, a large number of people had apparently जाहिर तोर पर  crammed ऐठन themselves into a small vessel पतीला for a free ride after witnessing a kite festival. The relief offered to the kin of the dead and injured both by the Centre and the Bihar government should not, however, obscure अस्पष्ट   the fact that the loss of life was entirely the result of official failures. This was obviously the result of serious neglect of safety norms for which accountability must be fixed. It is essential that a judicial commission be constituted to inquire into the incident, to determine whether the laws on transport using inland waterways are being implemented and to issue directions for the future. The country boat involved appears not to have used its engine at the time of the accident, but the absence of safety training for operators is painfully evident.

The Centre, which talks of a paradigm shift in freight and passenger transport using inland waterways, should respond to the shameful national record on boat safety by firmly implementing existing laws and introducing new measures along with the States. Just last year it expanded the National Waterways program  and notified several stretches of rivers and canals for a new deal for inland water transport. Under the amendments to the colonial-era औपनिवेशिक युग  Inland Vessels Act made in 2007 — which is to be further modernized — it is incumbent निर्भर  on the States to apply some provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act to accidents, compensation and insurance against third-party risks for powered boats. Just as in the case of motor vehicles, registration of inland vessels other than small personal non-powered craft must be made mandatory. This will help enforce construction standards, subsidy for transport boats, passenger insurance and accident compensation. In the latest tragedy, the problem also appears to have been inadequate अपर्याप्त  supply, which forced people to pack themselves into the available boats. If this is true, the Bihar government must own full responsibility and prevent a recurrence. The heart-rending प्रतिपादन   spectacle of children and their kin परिजन perishing अनित्य  on what should have been a day of celebration must stir the conscience of governments whose duty it is to provide safe and adequate public transport, and one at which they fail badly.

VOCABULARY 

1. Mishaps                                    दुर्घटनाओं
2. Terrible                                     भयानक
3. Toll                                           छती
4. Apparently                               जाहिर तोर पर
5. Crammed                                 ऐठन
6. Vessel                                       पतीला
7. Obscure                                    अस्पष्ट
8. Colonial-era                             औपनिवेशिक युग 
9. Incumbent                                निर्भर
10. Inadequate                                अपर्याप्त 
11. Rending                                    प्रतिपादन
12. Kin                                           परिजन 
13. Perishing                                  अनित्य

Cloze test #02

IBPS PO (PT) 

According to a new study from and international consortium, (1) up technology in the classroom doesn't always lead to better education for children . The report from the OECD tracked educational  outcome among students based on their use of technology at home and in the classroom.  (2)  students performance improve when they use technology in moderation , the group found , (3)  to computers and the internet causes educational outcomes to droop .

The report further stated that (4)  considerable investments in computers, internet connection and software for education use, there is little solid evidence that greater computer  use among students leads to better scores in mathematics and reading. Report results are based on an assessment in 2012 that tracked students in more than 40 countries and surveyed then on computer habits and conducted both written and digitl tests. On average, seven out of 10 students in countries surveyed at least 25 minutes a day online . In some countries , like Turkey and Mexico, about half fo the students do not have (5) to a computer  at home . The survey found that students with more exposure to computers do better , on average , than those with little exposure to computer , but the OECD (6) against drawing conclusions based on that results . The data could simply (7) that school system that invest in technology also invest in better teachers and draw on  students from higher socio-economic class , who (8) to perform better in school. 

Options 

1. dispersing फैलाना   beefing चटपटा    installing स्थापित   giving  दे रही है  amplifying बढ़ाना 
2. through के माध्यम से   even यहाँ तक की while जबकि  admitting  स्वीकार as जैसा 
3. overdoing ज्यादा  exaggerating  अतिसयोक्ति  working  काम कर  रहे exhausting थकाऊ overexposure अति खुलाव 
4. despite के बावजूद   withdrawal वापसी  by द्वारा  though हालांकि why क्यों 
5. accessतक पहुचना approach पहुंच  availability उपलब्धता  excess अधिक practice अभ्यास 
6. wake जागना  alerted  सतर्क कर देना acted अभिनय करना  said खा हुआ  cautioned आगाह 
7. reverse उल्टा highlights मुख्य आकर्षण  disregard  उपेक्षा reflect प्रतिबिम्भित  cast डालना 
8. inclined झुका tend  देते हुए bound सीमा contribute योगदान  bear करना .

Answers-

1. beefing
2. while 
3. overexposure 
4. despite
5. access
6. cautioned 
7. reflect
8. tend