Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives.

Did the earth always____(i)_____ as it does today? No, __(ii)____ its origin about 4.8 billion year ago, our planet has ___(iii)____ a lot of changes. The initial ball of fire ___(iv)___ down and the surface slowly ___(v)__ solid. Today we know that the Earth’s crust is divided into several plates, which move continuously. Entire continents have been displaced and mountains, islands and new seas have been formed or have disappeared.

Fill in the blank at (iv).

Direction: In the following passage, there are blanks each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each five words have been suggested, one of which fills the blanks appropriately.
 BRICS leaders are gathered in the Russian town of Ufa for the bloc’s annual summit, and Internet governance is high on their (1). The summit comes at a (2) juncture in India’s internet diplomacy. Last month in Buenos Aires, at a conference organised by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad offered an “Indian (3) for the Internet”. ICANN is the organisation that manages the Domain Name System, which serves as the (4) for all technical and commercial activity in cyberspace. In his recorded message, Mr. Prasad declared India would move away from state-led approaches to (5) the Internet, preferring instead a mechanism that co-opts the private sector and civil society into the policymaking process. India’s (6) of this model – called “multi-stakeholderism” – was followed at home by the launch of the “Digital India week”, which underlined the enormous political capital that the Narendra Modi government has (7) in technological solutions to governance. The Buenos Aires declaration, however, (8) stated New Delhi’s position: in Ufa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his delegation will be queried extensively by their interlocutors on the (9) cyber strategies India will (10).

Choose the correct option for the blank 5.

Direction : In the following passage, there are blanks, each preceded by a word given in bold. Every blank has four alternative words given in options (A), (B), (C) and (D). Find the word which best suits the place. If the given word suits the blank, mark 'no correction/change required' as the answer.

At the end of his rousing speech to the U.S. Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi quoted Walt Whitman to indicate that there was a “new symphony in play” between India and the U.S. The past two years bear out such lyricism in the bilateral relationship. Defence ties have been dissuaded (A) in three ways: in defence burking (B) procurement from the U.S. as well as co-development projects, which are worth over $14 billion; in coordination, cooperation and sharing of information between the two defence forces; and increasingly, on the idea of working together on operations on piracy and peacekeeping. However, it is the strategic relationship, with India’s positioning on non-alignment, that is the most dramatic score in the dissension (C). Although the Centre has drawn the line at an estrangement (D) and “joint patrols”, it is clear from the joint vision statement signed in New Delhi last year that the Modi government intends to move closer to the U.S. on defence issues. In recognition, during Mr. Modi’s visit the U.S. declared India a “major defence partner”, a designation specially created to describe this new relationship and one that is just short of a military alliance. In 2005, Manmohan Singh told the U.S. Congress of how “India’s growth and prosperity are in American interest”, and the heavy lifting has yielded annual bilateral trade of $107 billion now. On Wednesday, Mr. Modi took the theme forward by saying, “A stronger and bereft (E) India is in America’s strategic interest.”

Find the appropriate word in each case. (A)

In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. First, read the passage over and try to understand what is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Mark your answer in the Answer-sheet.

The library, if used properly, is invaluable in helping you develop discernment. It is rich………..(1)……….information that goes far beyond the……….(2)……….of any one text book or course…..(3)…….your text book authors does not make a particular……….(4)…………clear and you feel the need……..(5)………another description in greater detail………..(6)………in  other words, go to the library and ………7)….other books on the subject. By calling……(8)……..two or three writers dealing with the ……..(9)…….topic, you will find some…..(10)……of certain facts. In seeking additional sources, you will have gained immeasurably, for you will have seen what several experts perceive as being particularly important on common subject.
(Mark your answer 7)

Direction :In the following passage there are blanks, each of which been passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

When sound (1) the world of cinema, mime made a gracious exit. (2) then, it stood proudly as a performing art in itself, independent and (3) in style, approach, treatment and performance not matched however, by (4) acceptance. During the silent era, actors in silent films had to (5) totally on mime as the only way of (6) their emotions, expressions, incidents, events and interactions between and among characters. German Expressionist cinema, a performing ema, the acting of classic performers like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton used mime they had (7) as part of their theatrical (8) in their films with great effect. A French mime artist once said, "Mime is the poetry of silence." But once talking (9) entered the scenario, mime was (10) ever used in films, even through a character introduced as a mime artist. 

Mark your answer (6).

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.
If you don’t have a lump sum to invest in a fixed deposit, you can ___(36)___ opt for a long-term recurring deposit,_______(37)______ the minimum amount of monthly investment is ____(38)____low as Rupees 100. At the end of the ____(39)______you get back the amount invested ____(40)______with the interest earned on it. It is a good way of saving money regularly.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank No.36.

Direction: In the following passage, there are blanks, each followed by a word given in bold. All these bold words are jumbled and do not necessarily fit in the blank against them. Find the appropriate fit for every blank and mark the answer accordingly. If none of the bold words fit in the blank, mark option E, "None of these" as the answer.

Cloud computing is a method for delivering information technology (IT) services in which resources are (A) (viable) from the Internet through web-based tools and applications, as opposed to a direct connection to a server. Rather than keeping files on a (B) (seamless) hard drive or local storage device, cloud-based storage makes it possible to save them to a remote database. As long as an electronic device has access to the web, it has access to the data and the software programs to run it. The rise of cloud-based software has offered companies from all sectors several benefits, including the ability to use software from any device, either via a native app or a browser. As a result, users can carry their files and settings to other devices in a completely (C) (proprietary) manner. Cloud computing offers big businesses some serious cost-saving potential. Before the cloud became a (D) (tangible) alternative, companies were required to purchase, construct and maintain costly information management technology and infrastructure. Now, instead of investing millions in huge server centres, a firm can use "lite" versions of workstations with (E) (retrieved) fast internet connections. The cloud-like structure allows users to upgrade software more quickly – because software companies can offer their products via the web rather than through more traditional, (F) (lightning) methods involving discs or flash drives.

Find the appropriate word for blank D.

Directions: In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.

Civilization, like (A), fall, not so much because of (B) of the enemy outside, as through the weakness and (C) within, Rome fell not because of the (D), they merely knocked (E) something that was already dead. The heart of Rome had ceased beating when the arms and legs were cut rotated. We see something of this spectacle, in India and China and in the case of the Arabs. The downfall of Arabian civilization was sudden even as their rise had been. In India and China the process is long drawn out and it is not easy to spot it.

(D)