General Knowledge Questions

Read the passage carefully and select the best answer to each question out of the given four alternatives.

The conclusion of World Trade Organization’s 11th biennial ministerial conference at Buenos Aires was worrisome. From an Indian standpoint, there was no loss as status quo continues in the most important issue: the right to continue the food security programme by using support prices. But the inability of the negotiators to reach even one substantive outcome suggests that WTO’s efficacy is under question. As a 164-country multilateral organisation dedicated to crafting rules of trade through consensus, WTO represents the optimal bet for developing countries such as India. Strengthening WTO is in India’s best interest.

Perhaps the biggest threat to WTO’s efficacy today is the attitude of the US. The world’s largest economy appears to have lost faith in the organisation and has begun to undermine one of its most successful segments, the dispute redressal mechanism. This is significant as the US has been directly involved in nearly half of all cases brought to WTO. Separately, large groups of countries decided to pursue negotiations on e-commerce, investment facilitation and removal of trade obstacles for medium and small scale industries. By itself this should not weaken WTO. But it comes at a time when there is growing frustration with gridlock at WTO.

India did well to defend its position on its food security programme. The envisaged reform package which will see a greater use of direct cash transfers to beneficiaries will be in sync with what developed countries do. But it’s important for India to enhance its efforts to reinvigorate WTO. In this context, India’s plan to organise a meeting of some countries early next year is a step in the right direction. WTO represents the best available platform to accommodate interests of a diverse set of nations. Therefore, India should be at the forefront of moves to fortify it.

According to the passage, which of the following statement is NOT true?

The question below consists of a set of labelled sentences. These sentences, when properly sequenced form a coherent paragraph. Select the most logical order of sentences from among the options.

P: Then the liberalisation process became inevitable.
Q: It encourages initiative, entrepreneurship and competition which is very vital for growth of the economy.
R: In due course of time our institutions became stagnant, corrupt and inefficient due to permit raj and centralized control.
S: Liberalisation enhances economic activities.

The question below consists of a set of labelled sentences. These sentences, when properly sequenced form a coherent paragraph. Select the most logical order of sentences from among the options.

P: No partner is expected to air the views of a particular group in public.
Q: The only requirement is that the coalition partners have to stick to a code of conduct.
R: Every coalition party has to own the responsibility for all government policies or actions.
S: Experience has now shown that a coalition government can run as smoothly as any single party government.

In the following question the 1st and the last part of the sentence/passage are numbered 1 and 6. The rest of the sentence/ passage is split into four parts and named P, Q, R and S. These four parts are not given in their proper order. Read the sentence/passage and find out which of the four combinations is correct.

1. I can't stand here and promise that your future path is going to be wonderful.
P. Whatever one feels like doing today is set up as moral.
Q. People don't even pretend to care about what is right.
R. Instead, it might be very difficult, because our time is different than some other eras in human history.
S. If you look around, you can see that, little by little, it is a path leading to our destruction.
6. I am afraid that this legacy of freedom is facing an uncertain future.

In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives.

_____________ who argue in this way support their case by pointing to the lack of a general consensus of opinion which obtains in many parts of the field which the philosopher regards as his own; and also by ____________ out that, even within this field, there is a growing tendency ___________ the part of certain sciences to separate themselves from philosophy and _____________ independent. Thus the psychologist and the logician are sometimes very anxious to have it understood that they belong among the scientists and ___________ among the philosophers.

_____________ who argue in this way support.

In the following question, a sentence has been given in Active/Passive voice. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Passive/Active voice.

The auctioneers are conducting the auction.

In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech.

Sheela reassured me,"I can come tonight."

For each perfectly competitive firm in the long run