Question : Comprehension:
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
The strain, Tropical Race 4 (TR4), was first identified in Taiwan. and has jumped from Asia to the Middle East and Africa, reaching as far as Latin America. Scientists are describing it as the equivalent of Covid-19 in bananas. As the coronavirus disease outbreak rages on, 'fusarium wilt TR4', a novel fungus strain that has devastated plantations across the globe this year, is setting up new hotspots and threatening output in India, the world's largest producer of bananas. It cripples plantations by first attacking the leaves, which turn yellow from their trailing edges before wilting away. There is no effective remedy yet.
"One could say it is the Covid-19 of the plant world. Hotspots have been found in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which we are trying to contain," said S. Uma, the director of  National Research Centre for Bananas (NRCB), Trichy.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, TR4 is one of the 'the most destructive of all plant diseases'. As with Covid-19, there is no treatment yet. So, scientists recommend biosecurity measures including 'plant quarantine' to slow its spread. The spreading disease has jeopardised the $26 billion global banana trade.

According to the FAO, a healthy snack, banana is the world's most globally exported fruit. That's a reason for worry as the disease is breaching borders through imports.

India produces 27 million tonnes of bananas annually and grows about 100 varieties. TR4 has infected the most commonly sold variety, the one you mostly likely have for breakfast: Grand Nain a curvy yellow fruit.

inability to contain TR4 could jolt farm incomes and push up banana prices. One medium banana (126 gms) provides about 110 calories, 0 gram fat, 1 gram of protein, 28 grams  carbohydrate, 15 grams  sugar (naturally occurring), 3 grams of fibre 450 mg  potassium, and trace quantities of vitamin C and B6, according to the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition.

Most of India's bananas are consumed domestically. Equador, the largest exporter, is currently the epicentre and scientists haven't been able to ascertain how TR4 entered India. Fusarium wilt is not new. It entirely wiped out Gros Michel, the dominant export variety of bananas in  1950s. It was in response to this that a new resistant variety, Grand Nain, came up. That has now fallen to TR4. The challenge is to identify now or develop new resistant varieties. That's the only way to manage it, according to Uma, until an effective agent is found.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research advocates a set of measures, known as 'biopriming'. It has asked farmers whose plantations have been affected to abandon them. They must grow rice for a year or two before returning to banana. "That way the chain is broken," said R Selvarajan, a scientist with the NRCB.

Question:
Which place is the current epicentre of TR4?

Option 1: India

Option 2: Taiwan

Option 3: Middle East

Option 4: Equador

Question : Comprehension:
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.

Another farmer's cotton harvest increased from 10 quintals to 14 quintals (1)_____ using pesticides and fertilisers on the suggestion (2)_____ the local agriculture extension officer. "I (3)______ doubts as I was going for organic cotton for the (4)_____ time," he said, "but I saved eight thousand rupees per acre (5)____ costs." He sold his cotton for almost seven lakhs, (6)______ he wants to use for his daughter's studies and to (7)________ a new house. Another farmer said he's got the first (8)' ________ crop' of his life this year. The 53-year-old used to grow red gram on his (9)_______ field. "But thanks to a government project, my village tank is full, and I could (10)_________ paddy in the Rabi season." He reaped 66 quintals from his two acres.

Question:
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank 10.

Option 1: develop

Option 2: buy

Option 3: support

Option 4: cultivate

Question : Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom in the given sentence.

Our leader does not make false promises, he walks the talk.

Option 1: to talk while walking

Option 2: to make empty promises

Option 3: taking a long walk

Option 4: to do what one says

Question : Directions: If in a certain code, DIAGRAM is written as AFXDOXJ, then how can PICTURE be written in that code?

Option 1: MGAQRPB

Option 2: NFYQROC

Option 3: MFZQROB

Option 4: NGARSPC

Question : Chapter XV of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with the

Option 1: Offences relating to the army, navy and air force

Option 2: Offences relating to religion

Option 3: Offences by or relating to public servants

Option 4: Offences against property

Question : Comprehension:
Read the following passage and answer the questions.

When Hughie came in, Trevor was giving finishing touches to a life-size picture of a beggar man. The beggar himself was standing on a raised platform in a corner of the studio. He was an old man with a wrinkled face and a most piteous expression. He was wearing a coarse cloak, all tears and tatters; his thick boots were patched and he held out his hat for alms.
“What an amazing model!” whispered Hughie. “How miserable he looks but for you heartless painters, his face is his fortune.”
“Certainly,” replied Trevor. “You don’t want a beggar to look happy, do you?’
After a while, a servant came in to announce that the frame maker wanted to see Trevor. The poor old beggar took advantage of Trevor’s absence and sat down on the wooden bench behind him. He looked so miserable that Hughie could not help pitying him. He searched his pockets but all he found was one pound. He thought the old man needed it more than him, even if it meant Hughie couldn’t afford a taxi for two weeks. He walked across to the beggar and slipped the pound into his hand.
The old man looked surprised and smiled faintly. “Thank you, sir,” he said, “thank you very much!’
Then Trevor arrived and Hughie took his leave. A week later they met at a club. Trevor told Hughie that the old model had asked all about him: who he was, where he lived, what his income was and what his plans were. Hughie was uneasy that the beggar would come calling at his place.
“Do you think he would care for some old clothes?” Hughie asked Trevor. “My dear boy, that old man you saw in the studio was Baron Hausberg, one of the richest men in Europe!” said Trevor, smiling. “He is a good friend of mine and buys all my pictures. He asked me to paint him as a beggar. What can I say about the wish of a millionaire?”

Question:
What was the baron’s wish?

Option 1: To paint a masterpiece

Option 2: To collect alms

Option 3: To buy exquisite paintings

Option 4: To model as a beggar

Question : Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution’.

As a child, I use to spent a lot of time with my grandparents.

Option 1: use to spend

Option 2: used to spend

Option 3: No substitution

Option 4: used to spent

Question : Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word.

ASTONISH

Option 1: cheat

Option 2: simplify

Option 3: surprise

Option 4: create

Question : Directions: If A denotes +, B denotes ×, C denotes –, and D denotes ÷, then what will come in place of '?' in the following equation?
77 A 23 B 2 A 25 D 5 = 8 B 32 D 4 ? 64

Option 1: D

Option 2: A

Option 3: C

Option 4: B

Question : Directions: In a class of 64 students, Komal's rank is 6 positions lower (i.e. towards the bottom) than her friend Shikha, who is at the 59th position from the end. What is Komal's rank from the top in the class?

Option 1: 15th

Option 2: 12th

Option 3: 16th

Option 4: 19th