In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each blank.

The first human beings to control fire gradually learned (1)______ many uses. Not only did they (2)______ fire to keep warm and cook their food; they (3)______ learned to use it in hunting or warfare, to kill insects, to (4)______ berries, and to clear forests of underbrush so that game (5)______ be better seen and hunted. Eventually they learned that the burning of brush produced better grasslands and therefore more game.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4.

Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct/most appropriate options.

AU Small Finance Bank Limited is an Indian Small Finance Bank, based in Jaipur, India. It was founded as vehicle finance company AU Financiers (India) Ltd. in 1996 and converted to a small finance bank on April 19, 2017.

AU Small Finance Bank serves low and middle-income individuals and micro and small businesses that have limited or no access to formal banking and finance channels. The Bank offers loans, deposits, and payment products and services. AU Small Finance Bank ranked 355 in the list of Fortune India 500 (2019) companies, with annual revenue of 3410.87 crore (US$427 million) and Total B/S Assets of 31198.68 crore (US$ 3.9 billion).

AU Bank enjoys a long-term credit rating of "AA-/Stable" from CRISIL Ratings, ICRA Ratings, India Ratings and CARE Ratings.

The company was founded by Sanjay Agarwal (Managing Director and CEO of AU Small Finance Bank) as a private limited company, and publicly listed in an IPO on June 29, 2017. A merit holder Chartered Accountant and a first-generation entrepreneur, he holds ~ 28.5% stake in the bank. He is supported by a team of 23486 employees.

AU Small Finance Bank is listed on NSE and BSE with a market capitalisation of ~ 37942 crore. On its first day of trading, the stock rose 51% to be the most expensive bank in India based on price-to-book. In November 2017, the Reserve Bank of India added the bank to its schedule of commercial banks, further improving the bank's growth prospects by reducing the cost of short-term funds and improving the bank's ability to provide services.

Over the years, the Bank has attracted marquee investors like IFC, Warburg Pincus, Temasek Holdings, Nomura, Kotak Mahindra MF, etc. Private equity companies that provided venture capital, including Warburg Pincus and International Finance Corporation, made partial exits for as much as nine times their original investment.

Due to its history as a vehicle finance company, as of March 2018 almost all the loans made by AU Small Finance Bank were secured, unlike most small finance banks that have unsecured loans due to their background in microfinance. This provides lower yields (lower interest rates) than unsecured loans, so the bank has been particularly active in growing its deposits, as bank deposits have a lower cost than other sources of funds. It has also sought to diversify into savings products like deposits, payment/transaction banking, distribution of third-party products, and additional loan products thereby positioning itself as a holistic financial products and services provider.

As on June 30, 2021, AU Small Finance Bank's distribution network............... 758 Banking Touchpoints and 23486 employees spread contiguously across 15 states and two Union Territories with over 2 million customers.

The bank has operations in 15 States and two Union Territories, with Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh being key states. It is one of the largest banks by a number of locations in its home state of Rajasthan.

Choose the synonym of the word 'Improving'.

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

It is well accorded that COVID-19 extracts a huge toll on the mental health of patients and leaves behind a slew of neurological sequelae in its wake. However, what is alarming is the wide gamut of mental and neurological disorders seen even in those with milder symptoms. Such patients frequently reported being anxious, depressed and having difficulty in sleeping. A higher incidence of frank psychosis manifesting as disorganization of thought processes and personality disorders was also reported. Many survivors of COVID19 had to battle substance abuse in its immediate aftermath. There was a steep increase in the amount of alcohol consumed by regular drinkers. Persons who had stopped smoking and consuming alcohol resumed their habit in disconcerting numbers.

The occurrence of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinsonism is concerning as this would bring longterm disability in the form of impaired mobility and memory decline. It has been hypothesized that the causative mechanism for many of the neurological conditions due to COVID-19 may be the direct invasion of the nervous system by the virus, an increased tendency to blood clotting or an exaggerated immune response by the body. Various other factors like pre-existing psychiatric illness, prolonged quarantine, perceived lack of organizational support, and social stigma are risk factors. Anxiety, Nervousness, and Posttraumatic stress disorder are often fuelled by fear of infecting other family members, physical distancing, loneliness, and ________ at home in cramped quarters.

The pandemic has radically transformed the way businesses function and services delivered. Remote working disrupts a healthy-work life balance. Face to face contact and human interactions which were considered so essential for emotional well-being has taken a backseat. Lack of comforting physical contact like shaking hands and hugging friends is stressful and disconcerting. Online classes and home-schooling have placed a gargantuan burden both on students and parents. Lack of access to reliable computer hardware and spotty internet connections, particularly in rural areas and in the economically backward have created a new class divide. Children have been deprived of co-curricular activities, participation in group events and sports which is essential for their holistic development. Mental stress and fatigue have increased manyfold due to the rigours imposed by virtual learning.

What is the hypothesis behind the many neurological conditions arising due to COVID-19?

In the given question, two equations numbered l and II are given. Solve both the equations and mark the appropriate answer.

I. 2x² + 5x - 3 = 0

II. y² - 14y + 24 = 0

Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

A. For the next two years the Franks and another family lived cloistered in the ‘Secret Annex’ of an old office building.

B. In 1942, with the Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl, Anne, and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding.

C. In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of these experiences during this period.

D. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death.

Comprehension: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
 Yoga is a personal journey for everyone as now most people are turning to it, not for fitness (1) ________, but for the union of both, body and soul. Yoga is an ancient practice that (2) _________ in India. It involves movement, meditation and breathing (3) _________ to promote mental and physical well-being. There are many styles of yoga. A person should (4) __________ a style based on their goals and fitness level. If yoga and pranayam are complemented with other forms of spiritual practice to purify the mental body and other bodies, then a person can achieve rapid spiritual progress in his lifetime. Thus a person can make progress to achieve the purpose of life which is to (5) __________ with God.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.

Select the option that can be used as a one-word substitute for the given group of words.
 Eternal; lasting forever or indefinitely

In the following passage some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each blank.

The importance of physical exercise in (1) ______ the incidence of heart attacks cannot be under estimated. The rise of heart attacks has been attaining (2) ______ proportion in recent times causing grave concern specially to the medical (3) ______. Walking is the best mode of physical exercise which (4) ______ no equipment, money, material or (5) ______ of a club.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 3.